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墨書 Inktalez
“Madam, what do you mean by that?” Leonard's voice trembled slightly, betraying his attempt to remain calm while turmoil raged within him, like lava churning beneath the surface.
Aelia's direct questioning forced him to confront the possibility that the secret he had hidden for years might have been exposed.
She did not respond immediately. Instead, she slowly rose and walked to the window, her gaze fixed on the snowflakes drifting down outside.
The snow fell in a flurry, mirroring her chaotic and confused emotions.
After a long pause, she turned back to Leonard, her eyes piercing as she spoke each word deliberately: “Lord of the Fortress, do you really want to know?”
“Of course!” Leonard nearly blurted out.
At that moment, Luna, who had been playing quietly in the corner, suddenly looked up and said in a baby voice, “Mother, Daddy has other women and children outside!”
The words struck like thunder in the room.
Leonard's face went pale instantly as he stared incredulously at Luna, his little daughter whom he had always cherished like a precious gem, uttering such shocking words!
Aelia whipped her head around to look at Luna. “Luna, what… what did you say?”
Luna blinked her big eyes innocently and replied, “Daddy has other women and children outside! They live in a beautiful big house with lots of delicious food and fun things…”
Luna’s words cut into Aelia’s heart like a sharp knife.
She staggered back a few steps, her face as pale as paper, her lips trembling but unable to form any words.
All the love she had poured into Leonard and their family over the years felt like a cruel joke in that moment.
Leonard could no longer maintain his composure. He rushed in front of Luna and shouted sternly, “Luna, don’t speak nonsense! Where did you hear this?”
Luna shrank her neck in fear and hid behind Aelia, timidly saying, "I’m not making it up. Aunt Cessy told me..."
"Qin Si!" Leonard shouted, his fists clenched tightly, veins bulging.
Aelia grabbed Luna and held her tightly in her arms, her gaze icy as she looked at Leonard. Her voice trembled as she said, "Leonard, do you have anything else to say?"
Leonard opened his mouth but found himself unable to utter a word.
He wanted to explain, to argue, but all his words felt pale and powerless at that moment.
He looked at Aelia's pained expression and Luna's frightened eyes, filled with regret and self-blame.
Just then, the door was pushed open, and his older brother was wheeled in by a servant.
He had heard Luna's words and his face turned ashen. "Father, is this true?"
His voice was deep and hoarse, yet carried an undeniable strength.
For years, he had been disabled due to a magic backlash, forced to sit in a wheelchair while watching their father neglect the family and disregard their mother.
Now, hearing that their father had a concubine outside with Leonard, the anger within him could no longer be contained.
Leonard met his brother's furious gaze, feeling a mix of guilt and helplessness.
He wanted to explain but didn’t know where to begin.
Soon after, the second brother also walked in.
He heard Luna and his elder brother's words, his expression darkening. Memories flooded back of the time he was deceived by his closest friend, feeling the cold indifference of Father.
Now, upon hearing that Father had betrayed the family, the last shred of respect he held for him vanished completely.
"Father..." Second Brother's voice was low and hoarse, tinged with an unmistakable pain.
Leonard looked at Second Brother's disappointed eyes, feeling as if his heart was being torn apart.
He wanted to explain, but he realized he had lost the right to do so.
The atmosphere in the room was oppressive and heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Everyone was lost in their own emotions, and no one spoke.
Luna held Aelia tightly, sensing their mother's tremors and sorrow. Her small face was filled with determination and resolve.
She knew she had to do something to change the family's destiny.
Suddenly, Brother San's voice came from outside the door. "What's going on? Why is it so noisy..." His tone carried a hint of impatience, clearly unaware of what had transpired.
All eyes turned to the door, waiting for Brother San's reaction...
Outside, Brother San Lucius appeared before everyone.
He wore a loose magic robe, looking lazy and as if he had just woken up.
In the past, he always reveled in his enviable magical talent, basking in the admiration and praise of others.
But at this moment, as he took in the tense atmosphere of the room and the varied expressions on everyone's faces, the laziness on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a hint of confusion and unease.
"What happened?" Lucius asked, furrowing his brow as his gaze swept over everyone present, finally landing on Luna, who stood at the center of the crowd.
Luna looked up and repeated in her innocent voice, "Brother San, Father has another woman and children outside."
At these words, Lucius froze in place, as if struck by lightning.
He stared incredulously at his Father, who he had always believed to be an upright and authoritative man, the pride of the Magic Castle.
But now, that image crumbled in his heart, replaced by the picture of a hypocrite who betrayed his family and deceived his wife.
A wave of intense regret surged within Lucius.
He became aware that he had been indulging in the halo brought by his Magical Talent, neglecting his training and overlooking his family.
If he had worked harder to improve his strength, perhaps he could have protected his family and prevented such a thing from happening.
"Father, is... is this true?" Lucius's voice trembled with a hint of hope, wishing that it was all just a misunderstanding.
Leonard looked at Lucius.
But he also knew that his indulgence had made Lucius proud and complacent, lacking ambition.
"Lucius, this matter..." Leonard began to explain but was interrupted by an angry voice.
"Lord of the Fortress, I never expected you to be this kind of person!" Qin Si said indignantly from behind Aelia.
Her once delicate face was now filled with anger and disdain.
As Aelia's Maid, Qin Si had been by her side since childhood, witnessing everything she had sacrificed for this family.
Her loyalty to Aelia had long surpassed that of a mere servant; it resembled the bond between sisters.
When she heard Luna speak of Leonard's disgraceful acts, the fury within her could no longer be contained.
She could not tolerate that the Lord of the Fortress, whom she had always respected, could so ruthlessly hurt her mistress.
"How much Heart's Blood has my lady poured into this family and Magic Castle? Have you forgotten? You have been keeping a woman outside and even fathered a child! How can you face my lady? How can you face the entire Magic Castle?" Qin Si's voice grew louder, her finger trembling as it pointed at Leonard.
Leonard was enraged by Qin Si's words. "What are you to dare accuse me here? Get out!" he bellowed in Ailya's Roar.
"Get out? Why should I leave? This is my lady's home; if anyone should leave, it's you!" Qin Si retorted defiantly.
"You..." Leonard trembled with rage, raising his hand as if to slap Qin Si.
"Stop!" Aelia suddenly erupted with an Ailya's Roar, her voice filled with authority and power, silencing everyone present.
Leonard's hand froze in mid-air as he turned to look at Aelia in disbelief.
He had never seen her so furious; she had always been a gentle and virtuous wife, quietly supporting him and managing everything at home.
But now, her
"Leonard, that's enough!" Aelia's voice was cold and resolute, like a sharp knife piercing Leonard's heart.
"You betrayed me, betrayed this family. What right do you have to give orders here?"
"Aelia, let me explain. It's not what you think..." Leonard tried to defend himself, but he found his voice was so pale and powerless.
"Explain? What is there left to explain?" Aelia interrupted him with a cold laugh. "Luna has already revealed everything. What more can you say?"
Leonard's face turned as pale as paper; his secrets had been exposed, his family was on the brink of collapse, and his reputation was about to be destroyed.
Standing aside, Lucius watched everything unfold, filled with inner turmoil. He felt disgusted by his father's actions while also worrying about the family's reputation.
He knew that once this matter got out, the entire Magic Castle would be affected.
Furrowing his brow, he hesitated whether he should step forward and say something in defense of his father.
But he didn't know what to say, as he was well aware that his father's actions were unforgivable.
At that moment, Leonard suddenly erupted with a furious Ailya's Roar: "It's all your fault! You wretched people ruined my life!"
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked almost insane as he charged at Luna and Aelia, wanting to tear them apart.
Seeing this, his elder brother quickly maneuvered his wheelchair in an attempt to shield Luna and Aelia.
But his body was already disabled and unable to move swiftly enough to stop Leonard.
The second brother also wanted to step in, but he was intimidated by Leonard's fury and found himself frozen in place.
Qin Si quickly shielded Luna and Aelia behind her, using her body to block Leonard's attack.
Leonard grabbed Qin Si by the hair and slammed her harshly to the ground.
"Ah!" Qin Si let out a cry of pain, curling up on the floor in agony.
Seeing this, Luna and Aelia gasped in terror.
At that critical moment, Lucius suddenly erupted with a roar, "Father, stop it!"
He charged in front of Leonard and landed a powerful punch to his face.
Leonard staggered back a few steps, covering his face in disbelief as he looked at Lucius.
"You... you dare hit me?" Leonard exclaimed, incredulous.
"Why shouldn't I hit you?" Lucius's voice was filled with anger and disappointment. "You've done so many heinous things, and you still have the audacity to go mad here?"
"You..." Leonard trembled with rage, raising his hand to retaliate.
But just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out, "Everyone, stop!"
They turned to see Aelia slowly standing up.
"Enough, Leonard. I've had enough," Aelia's voice was icy and resolute. "From today on, you are no longer the Lord of Glorious Demon Fortress."
"You... what did you say?" Leonard looked at Aelia in disbelief, unable to comprehend that his wife, who had always obeyed him, would dare to say such words.
"I said, you are no longer the Lord of the Glorious Demon Fortress," Aelia repeated, her voice filled with authority and power, leaving no room for doubt.
"I... I am still the Lord of the Glorious Demon Fortress! How dare you strip me of my power?" Leonard retorted, his voice trembling with anger.
"Simply because I am the Lady of the Fortress!" Aelia shot back defiantly. "Because I hold everything that belongs to the Glorious Demon Fortress!"
"You..." Leonard shook with rage. Though he was the Lord of the Glorious Demon Fortress, everything he had depended on Aelia's support.
Without Aelia, he was nothing.
"Leonard, you should leave," Aelia's voice was calm yet resolute. "From today onward, you are no longer a part of this family."
At her words, Leonard felt as if struck by lightning. He staggered back a few steps, his face as pale as paper.
He had lost his family, lost his power, lost everything.
He looked at Aelia.
"Aelia, I..." Leonard wanted to say something but ultimately held his tongue.
He turned away and silently walked out of the room.
In the room remained Aelia, Luna, Lucius, and Qin Si, who lay on the ground moaning in pain.
The eldest brother and Second Brother were also silent.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.
At that moment, Luna suddenly spoke up, "Mother, we..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Aelia raised her hand to interrupt her.
"Luna, there are some things we cannot discuss right now," Aelia said.
In the room, the air felt as if it had frozen into ice, pressing down on everyone and making it hard to breathe.
Eldest Brother gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly, his knuckles turning white; Second Brother lowered his head, Liu Hai obscuring the complex emotions in his eyes.
Qin Si lay on the cold floor, his pained groans sounding particularly jarring.
Aelia took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within her. The future of Magic Castle remained uncertain.
She turned around, her gaze landing on Lucius, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
This Third Son had always been absorbed in his Magical Talent, indifferent to worldly matters, but his recent performance had caught her attention.
"Lucius, what do you think we should do next?" Aelia's voice was calm and authoritative, yet tinged with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.
Lucius lifted his head to meet Aelia's gaze. He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and determination sparkled in his eyes.
"Mother, right now Magic Castle is leaderless and filled with unrest. The urgent task is to stabilize the situation and reassure the people."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Father... he made mistakes and must pay the price. But Magic Castle cannot fall into chaos because of this; we need to quickly elect a new Lord to guide everyone through this crisis."
Aelia's eyes flashed with appreciation. She nodded and said, "You are right, but who will become the new Lord?"
Lucius fell silent.
The position of Lord has always been held by those capable.
Although his elder brother was older, he was physically disabled; Second Brother, though intelligent, was overly meticulous.
As for himself, while he possessed strong Magical Talent, he lacked leadership skills and experience.
Who could lead Magic Castle out of its predicament?
“Mother, I…” Luna suddenly spoke, but hesitated again.
Aelia lowered her head, looking at her daughter in her arms. She knew that Luna had always been sensible, but after all, she was just a child. How could she bear the heavy responsibilities of Magic Castle?
“Luna, don’t speak for now,” Aelia said gently. She turned her head to look at Lucius, her eyes filled with a hint of expectation.
“Lucius, do you have any thoughts?”
Lucius took a deep breath and slowly said, “Mother, I…”
“Brother San, there may be something amiss with this matter…” Luna suddenly raised her head, her gaze profound as if she could see through everything.
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