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墨書 Inktalez
In Xiao Luna's clear, bright eyes, a light flickered that was far beyond her years. Her small face was filled with determination, resembling a general strategizing for a monumental battle. The battlefield was the seemingly tranquil yet turbulent Glorious Demon Fortress. She understood well that to change her family's destiny, she must first unveil Leonard's hypocritical facade.
That man, outwardly the Lord of the Glorious Demon Fortress, charming and powerful, was in reality a complete hypocrite—a scoundrel who betrayed his marriage! And Aelia, her mother, that strong and beautiful woman, remained blissfully unaware, foolishly giving her heart to him.
"I can't let Mom be deceived by him any longer!" Luna silently vowed, her tiny fists clenched tightly. She began to recall the plot of the original story, searching for a breakthrough she could exploit. The affair between Leonard and Leonard's Concubine was deeply hidden; convincing Aelia directly would be nearly impossible.
She needed to find an appropriate opportunity, a piece of evidence that would compel Aelia to believe! With this thought in mind, Luna's gaze fell upon Qin Si. Qin Si was Aelia's most trusted maid, loyal and devoted. If she could convey a message through her, it would surely yield great results.
Without hesitation, Luna marched forward on her short legs, wobbling as she approached Qin Si. The maid was trimming flowers in the garden when she noticed Luna stumbling toward her and quickly set down the scissors in her hand to meet her.
"Young Miss, why are you out here by yourself? Be careful not to fall!"
Luna wrapped her arms around Qin Si's legs and began to babble indistinctly in baby talk. Of course, what she said was mostly unintelligible to anyone else. But Luna knew that Qin Si would understand her meaning.
As she spoke, she pointed toward the castle and then gestured toward a small house in the distance while making soft whimpering sounds as if she were crying about something. Initially puzzled, Qin Si gradually seemed to grasp what Luna was implying; her expression grew increasingly serious.
"Young Miss, are you saying... the Lord of the Fortress... has someone else outside?" Qin Si's voice trembled as if she could hardly believe what she had just heard.
Luna nodded vigorously, her small face serious. To enhance her credibility, she even squeezed out a few tears to appear utterly wronged.
Qin Si was completely shocked! Having served Aelia for many years, she had some understanding of Leonard. Although he had a reputation for being flirtatious, she always believed he had genuine feelings for Aelia. But now, the Young Miss was telling her that Leonard had been keeping Leonard's Concubine!
"This... how is this possible?" Qin Si murmured to herself, her mind swirling in confusion.
Luna, seeing that the moment was right, began to vividly describe the scene she had "witnessed." Of course, these were all adaptations based on the original plot.
"That woman... she was beautiful... wearing a red dress... and she even gave birth to a child for the Lord of the Fortress..." Luna said intermittently, her small face filled with disgust.
Qin Si felt a chill run down her spine; she could not imagine the blow this would deal to her lady if it were true.
"Young Miss, I will definitely get to the bottom of this," Qin Si took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself. "Rest assured, I won't let anything happen to the lady."
Luna smiled with satisfaction. She knew that Qin Si would surely inform Aelia about this matter. Now, all that was left was to sit back and watch the drama unfold!
Qin Si did not dare to delay; she immediately set aside her work and hurried towards Aelia's room.
Aelia was in her room, poring over some magic scrolls. Ever since her last conversation with Alistair, she had been busy investigating the Dark Sorcerer.
"Madam, I have something to report!" Qin Si rushed in front of Aelia, panting, her face pale and her tone urgent.
Aelia looked up and frowned at Qin Si's appearance. "What happened? Why are you in such a rush?"
Qin Si hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to begin. This matter was significant; one misstep could cause a huge uproar.
"Madam... I... I don't know if I should say..." Qin Si stammered, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Seeing this, Aelia's confusion deepened. "Just speak plainly; what are you stuttering about?"
Gritting her teeth, Qin Si finally summoned the courage to say, "Madam, I heard... I heard that the Lord of the Fortress... has someone outside..."
"What did you say?!" Aelia suddenly stood up, causing the magic scrolls in her hands to fall to the ground.
"Say that again!"
Qin Si was startled by Aelia's reaction and quickly knelt on the floor. "Madam, I only heard this; I don't know if it's true. But Young Miss... Young Miss said so too..."
"Luna? What did Luna say?" Aelia asked urgently.
Qin Si recounted everything Luna had "said," embellishing some details to make the story sound more believable.
After hearing it all, Aelia was left in stunned silence.
She couldn't believe it; the husband she loved so deeply had betrayed her!
"It’s impossible… this can’t be happening…" Aelia murmured to herself, shaking her head repeatedly.
She refused to believe that Leonard would do such a thing.
But Qin Si was the person she trusted most, and although Luna was still young, her words were always filled with wisdom.
Could it be… could all of this be true?
Memories of the love she once shared with Leonard flooded Aelia's mind.
They had studied magic together, gone on adventures, and faced countless life-and-death trials side by side.
They had once been so in love, so happy.
Yet now, those sweet memories felt like sharp knives, stabbing painfully at her heart.
She felt as if her world had collapsed in an instant, all the beauty turning into a false illusion.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from Aelia's eyes as she covered her face, sobbing in anguish.
Qin Si watched Aelia in this state, feeling a deep sorrow herself.
She knew how deeply the lady cared for the Lord of the Fortress; this revelation was a devastating blow to her.
"Lady… please don’t be sad… I will find out the truth…" Qin Si comforted Aelia, her voice choked with emotion.
Just then, a deep voice came from outside.
"What’s going on? I think I heard someone crying."
It was her elder brother! He had arrived at Aelia's room without her noticing.
Aelia quickly wiped away her tears and turned around, not wanting him to see her in such a disheveled state.
"It’s nothing; I just accidentally got scratched by a magic scroll," Aelia forced a smile, trying to mask her emotions.
Her brother frowned; he didn’t believe Aelia’s words.
He walked over to her side and carefully observed her expression, quickly noticing something was off.
"Your eyes are red and swollen, your face is pale; you’ve clearly been crying. What happened?" His voice turned serious.
Knowing she couldn’t hide anything from him, Aelia reluctantly recounted everything Qin Si had told her.
After hearing it all, his face turned ashen with anger. He clenched his fists tightly.
"Leonard! How dare he do such a thing!" Her brother gritted his teeth, his voice filled with killing intent.
He had never liked Leonard, always feeling he was exceedingly hypocritical.
Never did he expect that he would truly betray Aelia!
"Mother, this matter… absolutely cannot be left unresolved!" Her brother took a deep breath, striving to calm himself down.
“No matter what, I will support you!”
Aelia looked at her elder brother's determined gaze, and a warm current surged within her. She knew she was not alone.
“Thank you, big brother,” Aelia said softly, her voice filled with gratitude.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy and oppressive. Everyone was stunned by the sudden news.
Just then, a flippant voice broke the silence.
“Hey, what's going on? Why is everyone gathered here? Are you planning a surprise for me?”
It was Lucius!
He walked in with a grin, completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere in the room.
Aelia shot Lucius a cold glance but remained silent.
Lucius felt a bit puzzled but didn’t dwell on it; he casually walked over to the table and picked up an apple to munch on.
“By the way, Mother, where’s Father? I need to talk to him about something,” Lucius asked nonchalantly.
Aelia’s face turned even paler; she bit her lips tightly to keep herself from crying out loud.
Her elder brother snorted coldly and said in an icy tone, “Your father? He’s probably busy in his little paradise, sweet-talking his mistress!”
Lucius froze, doubting his ears. “What did you say? Mistress?”
Ignoring Lucius, her elder brother turned to Aelia and said, “Mother, we can’t tolerate this any longer! It’s time to make a decision!”
Aelia took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.
Her heart was filled with pain and struggle. She loved Leonard, but she could not tolerate his betrayal. She had to make a choice—one that would determine her future destiny.
“Big brother… let me think about this…” Aelia's voice was hoarse and weary.
Her elder brother nodded without saying anything more. He understood that Aelia needed time to consider.
The room fell silent once again. Everyone waited for Aelia to make her final decision.
At that moment, no one noticed Qin Si, who had been standing quietly in the corner; she quietly slipped out of the room and walked toward an unknown direction…
In the Second Brother's room, magic scrolls were scattered all over the floor, and the faint smell of burnt magic lingered in the air.
He had been sitting despondently on the ground when he heard the commotion outside; at first, he merely frowned without paying much attention.
As the words "Leonard" and "Leonard's Concubine" reached his ears, he abruptly lifted his head. He staggered to his feet and hurried to the door, grabbing a passing servant with urgency. "What were you just talking about? What happened to Lord... Lord?"
The servant was startled by Second Brother's appearance and stammered as he recounted the events that had transpired.
With each word, Second Brother's expression darkened, and his clenched fists began to tremble slightly. He had been so engrossed in his struggles with magic that he had become oblivious to family matters, believing that as long as Father was around, everything would be fine.
But now, he learned that Father was the source of this entire storm!
"It can't be... this is impossible..." Second Brother murmured to himself, unable to accept this reality. Yet reason told him that this was likely true.
Mother's sorrow, his elder brother's fury, and Xiao Luna's wise gaze all compelled him to believe it. A strong sense of responsibility surged within him.
He realized he could no longer remain in despair. The family was facing an unprecedented crisis, and he had to pull himself together to help them through this difficult time!
"I can't go on like this..." Second Brother whispered, hope rekindling in his eyes. He bent down to pick up the Magic Scroll from the floor, brushed off the dust, and resolutely walked outside.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the Magic Castle, Brother San lay idly on his bed. He possessed enviable Magical Talent and had been hailed as a Magic Genius since childhood.
However, this very talent had made him arrogant and complacent, leading him to neglect his training. He believed that with his extraordinary gifts, he could easily surpass others without effort.
He indulged in pleasure and reveled in the envious gazes of others while forgetting the responsibilities that lay upon him. It wasn't until he heard the scandal surrounding Father, heard Mother's weeping, and witnessed his elder brother's furious roar that he awoke from his stupor.
"So... I have been wrong all along..." Brother San closed his eyes in anguish.
He felt he had let down the family's expectations and wasted his own talent. Suddenly sitting up in bed, he realized that talent alone was not enough; only through relentless effort could one truly become strong.
"I can't continue down this path of decline..." Brother San murmured to himself as he jumped out of bed, approached his desk, picked up a thick Grimoire, and began reading it earnestly.
He vowed to train diligently, contribute to the family, and redeem himself from past disgrace!
On the other side, Lucius strolled leisurely through the corridors of the Magic Castle, humming a tune and appearing quite pleased with himself. He had always been carefree and indifferent to most matters.
But when he heard his elder brother utter the words "little lover," the smile on his face instantly froze. He stood there, as if struck by lightning, his mind blank. He couldn't believe his ears, nor could he fathom that his father would do such a thing. In his memory, his father had always been a dignified and upright man, the pride of the entire family. Yet now, the image of his father crumbled in his heart, transforming into that of a hypocritical and selfish scoundrel. A wave of intense disappointment and anger surged within him. He felt deceived, betrayed. He could not forgive his father's actions.
"I was truly blind to have regarded such a person as a role model!" Lucius said through gritted teeth, his clenched fists making a cracking sound. He took a deep breath, striving to calm himself. He knew this was not the time to lose his temper. He had to do something to rectify the error committed by his father. He decided to stand with his mother and Luna, facing the impending challenges together. He would prove through his actions that he was not merely a frivolous playboy.
Lucius lifted his head, determination shining in his eyes like never before. He turned and walked toward Aelia's room, wanting to tell her that he would always support her.
In contrast to the tension and anger among others in the Magic Castle, Leonard strolled leisurely through the halls as usual. A faint smile graced his face; he seemed to be in good spirits. He remained oblivious to the storm brewing within the Magic Castle, of which he was at the center.
He wandered into the garden, admiring the blooming flowers and breathing in the fresh air. He felt that his life was perfect beyond measure. He possessed immense power, a prestigious status, a beautiful wife, and… a gentle lover. He considered himself the happiest man in the world.
"Hmph, a bunch of fools, still kept in the dark by me," Leonard thought smugly to himself. He believed himself to be exceptionally clever, capable of controlling everything around him. Little did he know that the web of lies he had meticulously woven had already been completely unraveled by a tiny infant.
His good days were about to come to an end.
Meanwhile, in Aelia's room, the atmosphere remained heavy.
Aelia closed her eyes, striving to calm her emotions. She felt her heart filled with pain and struggle. She loved Leonard, but she could not tolerate his betrayal. She felt deeply insulted, her dignity trampled upon. Thoughts of divorce, revenge, and even killing Leonard crossed her mind. Yet she knew that such actions would only plunge her family into greater chaos. She could not allow Leonard to destroy the Glorious Demon Fortress; it was home to her family and her responsibilities.
She had to regain her composure and find a way to protect her family's interests while seeking justice for herself. At that moment, she thought of Xiao Luna, the clever, brave, and wise infant. Perhaps she could offer some advice.
Aelia slowly opened her eyes, wiped away her tears, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing into the distance. "I will not be defeated like this..." Aelia murmured to herself, her voice soft yet filled with strength. "I will seek justice for myself and my family!"
Taking a deep breath, she turned to her elder brother and said, "Brother, please summon all the esteemed elders of our family. I want to convene a family meeting."
"Mother, you finally see things clearly!" Her brother exclaimed excitedly, quickly agreeing to her request.
"And Qin Si, have her bring the family ledgers. I need to clarify what Leonard has been doing all these years," Aelia continued with determination in her tone.
"Yes, Mother!" Qin Si responded promptly before rushing out.
Watching everyone busy with their tasks filled Aelia with a surge of strength. She knew she was not alone; she had family, friends, and supporters by her side. She believed that as long as they united as one, they could overcome this crisis.
"Leonard..." Aelia silently vowed in her heart, "Just wait; I won't let you have it easy!"
Just then, Qin Si rushed back in a hurry, her face pale. "Madam... something's wrong... there's been an incident..." Qin Si gasped for breath, her voice trembling.
Aelia frowned and asked, "What happened? Speak slowly."
Qin Si took a deep breath to steady herself before saying, "I... I found when I was retrieving the ledgers that they had been tampered with... and... I also discovered that the Lord of the Fortress... he... he has embezzled family funds!"
"What?!" Aelia sprang to her feet, her face turning ashen in an instant. "What did you say? Leonard embezzled family funds?!"
"Yes, my lady..." Qin Si nodded, her voice trembling.
"The maid... the maid also discovered... he... he transferred all that money... to a secret account..."
"A secret account?!" Aelia's face darkened further.
"Investigate! I want a thorough investigation! We must uncover the origins and details of this secret account!"
"Yes, my lady!" Qin Si quickly replied, turning and rushing out again.
Aelia stood in place, her expression shifting between anger and despair.
She could hardly believe that Leonard would do such a thing.
Not only had he betrayed her, but he had also betrayed the family!
"Leonard... you have truly disappointed me..." Aelia murmured to herself, her voice filled with sorrow.
At that moment, her elder brother approached her, concern etched on his face. "Mother, are you alright?"
Aelia shook her head and said, "I'm fine. Brother, go find Lucius for me; I need to discuss something with him."
"Yes, Mother." Her brother nodded and turned to leave.
Aelia watched his retreating figure, worry gnawing at her heart.
She had no idea what would happen next.
All she knew was that a storm was about to erupt within the Glorious Demon Fortress, and she had to be fully prepared to face it.
Suddenly, Qin Si rushed back in, looking flustered. "My lady, I saw Leonard acting suspiciously in the study; he seems to be talking to someone. Should we go check?"
Aelia's gaze sharpened. "Let's go take a look!"
The air in Glory Fortress crackled with tension, not from magic but from an atmosphere thick enough to cut with a butter knife.
At the center of this impending storm was three-year-old Xiao Luna, radiating an unusual brilliance of wisdom.
She hummed an innocent tune, her chubby fingers tracing patterns on the soft carpet, appearing blissfully unaware and naive.
Yet beneath that angelic exterior lay a plan unfolding with the precision of a masterfully woven spell by a Mage.
"Mommy," she piped up in a sweet voice like honey bells, "Daddy promised to take me riding on a Griffin! He showed me a feather from Liang Jing Jing; it was as blue as the sky after a storm."
Lady Aria remained as graceful and composed as ever, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles on Luna's silk dress.
"Is that so, my little darling? Well, let's see if he remembers," a shadow flickered across her usually calm face.
Recently, Lord Leonard's promises had dissipated like morning mist.
He had grown distant and preoccupied; his affection felt as fleeting as a hummingbird's attention span.
The ever-perceptive Luna poured fuel on the fire of suspicion regarding the little Dark Purple Flame.
“He said Griffin lives... far away. Across the Whispering Forest, in a secluded valley. He even drew me a map!” She fumbled to pull out a crumpled piece of parchment, clearly not a child's drawing, but a hastily scribbled map.
Aaliyah recognized the map.
It pointed to the tranquil Silver Creek Manor, a place that the servants whispered about in hushed tones—also where Lord Leonard often went to "handle business."
Aaliyah gasped.
The scattered and confusing clues from before now coldly pieced together. The late nights, the whispered conversations, and his sudden return with luxurious gifts he claimed were “business acquisitions.”
All lies.
All of it was lies.
Meanwhile, her three brothers remained oblivious to the profound change happening within Mother, each lost in their own little worlds.
The eldest brother, crippled by a Magic Backlash, sat silently in a corner, deep in thought, pain etched deeper into his already weathered face.
The Second Brother was still troubled by his friend's betrayal, pacing restlessly while muttering a Spell under his breath.
And the youngest brother, gifted with astonishing talent—perhaps a curse in disguise—was leisurely conjuring sparkling butterflies, completely unaware of the storm brewing around them.
Qin Si, Aaliyah's loyal maid, lingered nearby with a worried expression on her face.
She glanced at Luna, her eyes filled with awe and concern. This little one, still naive to the complexities of the adult world, was skillfully manipulating the situation like an experienced puppeteer.
Suddenly, Lucius, the Third Son of Glory Fortress, burst into the room, his usually cheerful face marred by worry.
“Mother! Father is back... and he brought a... guest,” he stammered, nervously glancing toward the door.
The guest entered alongside Lord Leonard, her appearance striking and adorned with jewels; her silk garments unmistakably marked her as a kept woman.
The scene was complete.
The bomb that Xiao Luna had carefully planted had exploded.
Aaliyah's face had been pale and hesitant moments ago; now it was frozen in icy fury.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop suddenly.
Even the frivolous butterflies conjured by her youngest brother fluttered for a moment before dying; they sensed the palpable shift in atmosphere.
Glory Fortress, once a solid and stable bastion, now teetered on the brink of chaos.
And the architect of this turmoil, Xiao Luna, merely smiled—a mysterious smile that hinted at the turbulent times ahead.
She seemed to say that the game had only just begun.
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