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墨書 Inktalez
Qin Si bowed slightly and replied, "Yes, my lady." She gently cradled Luna, the soft little body nestled in her arms, while Luna's tiny hand tightly clutched a small fruit that emitted a strange glow.
This fruit was the key to the story.
As they left the Assembly Hall, Luna glanced back secretly, her azure eyes sparkling with wisdom beyond her years, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of her lips.
That smile appeared particularly mysterious in the dimly lit corridor.
Inside the Assembly Hall, the air was thick with tension, and one could hear a pin drop.
Leonard stood at the door, his face ashen.
He had seen it all clearly—Luna had handed the glowing Ling Guo to Aelia and whispered something in her ear.
Aelia's previously calm expression gradually morphed into disbelief, shock, pain, and finally despair.
The secret he had hidden away and carefully protected for years felt like it had been ripped open, bleeding profusely under the harsh light of day.
The lies he had woven with such effort crumbled in an instant.
Leonard forced himself to remain calm as he stepped heavily into the Assembly Hall.
"Aelia, let me explain..." He struggled to keep his voice steady, but the slight tremor betrayed his inner turmoil.
Aelia slowly lifted her head, her gaze vacant as if she had lost focus.
The eyes she once loved now seemed utterly foreign to her, even repulsive.
She bit down on her lower lip, fighting back tears that threatened to spill.
For countless days and nights, she had immersed herself in a blissful fantasy, believing she possessed the perfect love and a complete family.
Now, that beautiful illusion lay shattered by cruel reality.
"Explain?" Aelia's voice was hoarse and trembled slightly. "What is there to explain? Luna has already told me everything." She gripped the Ling Guo tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white as if she intended to crush it.
This Ling Guo was originally meant to be a surprise for Leonard; now it had become a weapon revealing his lies.
The irony of this reality pierced her heart with pain.
Leonard's expression darkened further; he opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.
All his carefully prepared justifications felt pale and powerless in that moment.
He felt like a clown stripped bare before an audience, ugly and exposed.
"You... you already know..." he stammered, his voice barely audible.
Aelia said nothing but stared at him intently, her eyes filled with anger and despair.
That gaze was like a sharp knife, stabbing deeply into Leonard's heart.
He felt breathless as if an invisible hand were choking him by the throat.
At that moment, the eldest brother, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.
He sat in a wheelchair, his face pale, yet his gaze was remarkably resolute.
"Father, do you have anything to say?" His voice, though weak, carried an undeniable authority.
Since the Magic Backlash, he had rarely participated in family matters, focusing all his energy on healing.
But today, he could no longer remain silent.
The pain of Mother and the crisis facing the family compelled him to step forward.
Leonard turned his gaze toward his brother, surprised that this usually taciturn man would question him at such a moment.
"I..." Leonard wanted to defend himself but found he had no words.
In the face of overwhelming evidence, any explanation felt pale and powerless.
The eldest brother looked at Father’s disheveled appearance, feeling a mix of emotions within him.
Once, he had admired his father greatly, viewing him as an idol and striving to learn magic in hopes of becoming as powerful one day.
Yet reality had dealt him a heavy blow.
The Magic Backlash had robbed him of his ability to walk and revealed the true nature of his father.
"Father, you have disappointed me deeply," the eldest brother said, his voice filled with disappointment and sorrow.
He slowly closed his eyes, unwilling to see the hypocritical face of his father any longer.
Leonard sat despondently on the ground, covering his face with his hands as his body trembled slightly.
He felt as if everything was over—his reputation, status, family—all slipping away from him.
Aelia remained silent, but her clenched fists betrayed the turmoil within her.
She slowly stood up and walked in front of Leonard, looking down at him from above.
"Leonard," her voice was cold and devoid of any emotion, "it’s over between us."
She turned and left with a decisive stride, showing no sign of hesitation.
Leonard slumped on the ground, his eyes vacant as if he had lost his soul.
He knew he had lost not just a wife but a home… a home he once had but had destroyed with his own hands.
At that moment, a servant rushed in and whispered something in Leonard's ear.
Leonard's head snapped up, fear flashing in his eyes. "What did you say?! He… he’s back?!"
An indescribable tension filled the Assembly Hall; the air was thick and suffocating like a humid summer night.
Leonard's breakdown echoed not only through the spacious hall but also stirred ripples in the hearts of everyone present.
His urgent and heavy breathing painted a tragic picture of a man completely broken. Second Brother witnessed this scene, feeling a mix of emotions swirling within him. The sting of his own betrayal and the treachery of friends made him acutely aware of the suffering that Father was enduring at that moment. A phantom pain throbbed in his chest, a memory of shattered trust, the regret of missed opportunities, and a brutal reminder of his own fragility.
He looked at Father, who lay on the ground, and an unwilling yet undeniable understanding began to take root in his heart. This proud man, the pillar of their family, was now in ruins; his legacy crumbled like parched earth. The family's current predicament mirrored the scene before him, striking him like a heavy blow. Once unassailable Glory Fortress, their ancestral home, now teetered on the brink of destruction.
A strong desire to protect surged within him; he yearned to rebuild and fortify, to shield his family from further harm. He clenched his fists, realizing he could not undo the past—neither his nor Father's—but for the future… the future was something he could fight for.
Across the room, Brother San fidgeted restlessly; Father's failure weighed heavily upon him like a burdensome load. He had always relied on his innate talent, that natural magic which set him apart. But what good was talent if it remained untamed and undeveloped? When faced with real threats to his family, he squandered his potential in a false sense of security.
He glanced at his brother; despite his frail body, the strength emanating from him served as a harsh reprimand for Brother San's complacency. Shame washed over him like a tide—hot and stinging. He saw that despite his brother's physical flaws, he still commanded respect from others, igniting a flicker of determination within him.
Merely possessing power was not enough; it had to be wielded, honed, and used to protect what mattered most. The magic within him began to stir, awakening like a slumbering beast. He needed to train, to strive, to become the Mage he was meant to be—a barrier against the storm threatening his family.
Qin Si watched Aelia's retreating figure with a pang of sorrow for her mistress. Having served Lady Aelia for many years, she had witnessed her kindness, strength, and unwavering devotion to her family. Seeing her so heartbroken and utterly shattered by her husband's betrayal ignited a fierce protective instinct within Qin Si.
She felt an overwhelming disgust for Leonard; her anger simmered like embers ready to ignite. How dare this cowardly, hypocritical man inflict such harm upon the woman she respected? Qin Si's hands balled into fists, Ailya's White Nails digging into her palm. She longed to confront him directly and unleash the pent-up fury within her but restrained herself out of loyalty to her mistress.
Aelia needed her now, needed her unwavering support and silent strength.
Qin Si took a deep breath, calming herself. She would stand by her mistress's side, becoming a fortress as solid as rock amidst the raging storm. She would be her shield, her confidante, her avenger. She silently vowed that, no matter what, justice would prevail.
Lucius, still young and unable to fully grasp the absurdity of the situation before him, stared wide-eyed in terror at everything unfolding. He had always admired his father, the powerful lord of Glory Fortress, a symbol of strength and authority. Now, witnessing his father's collapse, the image he held shattered into countless pieces, leaving Lucius with a profound sense of unease. The world around him, once so stable, now felt incredibly fragile.
He looked at Xiao Luna, the little girl who had unintentionally sparked this monumental secret. He did not understand the complexity of the situation or the web of lies and betrayals woven around them, but he could sense her importance—the seemingly calm girl whose power could shake the very foundations of their world. He recalled the strange glow of the fruit she had given to his mother and the hushed whispers before his father's downfall.
A faint yet resolute hope ignited within him. Perhaps—just perhaps—this mysterious little girl held the key to restoring their family's honor and mending the shattered walls of Glory Fortress. As she was carried away, his gaze filled with awe and anticipation, following her every move.
When the Messenger brought news, Leonard's world collapsed entirely. His face turned pale, trembling all over as if all blood had drained from it. His eyes frantically scanned the room for comfort but found none. He stammered weakly, his voice barely audible: "No... it can't be... he... he wouldn't..."
A tall and imposing figure emerged from the shadows, filling the room with a suffocating atmosphere. He stopped before the fallen lord, his voice deep and resonant as it echoed in the silent hall: "You seem surprised, brother."
The night was as dark as impenetrable ink. The usually bright Glorious Demon Fortress was shrouded in an invisible haze tonight, oppressive enough to make one gasp for air.
Luna, that exquisitely delicate infant girl, was now staring wide-eyed at the ceiling without blinking. Who could have imagined that within this tiny body lay the soul of a Great Mage from another world?
She knew that her little "stirring stick"—oh no, her little "hand of Destiny"—had already set in motion the gears of Magic Castle's Destiny.
In Aelia's room, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like it could wring water from the air.
Qin Si stood to the side, not daring to breathe. The Lady of the Fortress, usually so regal and elegant, now resembled a delicate flower battered by a fierce wind, her face pale and her eye sockets reddened.
“Madam, please… don’t be too sad,” Qin Si’s voice was as soft as a whisper, afraid of provoking her further.
Aelia let out a bitter laugh, her voice laced with endless sorrow. “Sad? What right do I have to be sad? I always thought Leonard loved me. Even when he was busy or cold, I believed he held me in his heart… How foolish, truly foolish!”
She suddenly stood up, her exquisite makeup unable to conceal the determination in her eyes. “Qin Si, go fetch Lucius for me!”
Meanwhile, in the elder brother’s room, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. He sat in his wheelchair, hands tightly clenched into fists, knuckles turning white. The pain from the Magic Backlash was nothing compared to the turmoil within him at that moment. Father, the man he had always respected, had actually…
The situation for the Second Brother was no better. Betrayed by his closest friend and trapped in a Magic Dilemma, learning of Father’s disgrace was just adding insult to injury. He sat despondently on the floor, his gaze hollow as if all hope had been drained from him.
Brother San appeared somewhat bewildered. He had been so absorbed in his Magical Talent that he neglected training and showed little concern for family affairs. Yet even so, he could feel the tense atmosphere permeating the air.
And the instigator of it all—Luna—merely yawned innocently. She hadn’t intended to stir up trouble; she just wanted to change her and her family’s Destiny. After all, who wanted to be a Cannon Fodder Baby?
Lucius rushed over and was taken aback by Mother’s haggard appearance. “Mother, what happened?”
Aelia took a deep breath, striving to calm herself. “Lucius, there are some things I need to tell you… about your Father…”
The storm within the Magic Castle had only just begun. Luna knew that countless challenges awaited her ahead. How would she use her knowledge of the plot to help her family through this crisis and break free from the entanglements of the Magic Castle?
Let us wait and see!
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