Chapter 2: The Book of Destiny
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However, a cruel scene was unfolding in this beautiful garden.
A maid was being held down in a pool by guards. The water's surface shimmered with an unnatural blue light, and whenever the maid struggled, ripples formed, emitting a faint glow. Elena sat on a stone chair nearby, leisurely sipping her tea as if enjoying a performance.
"Please spare me, miss..." the maid gasped, her voice broken and intermittent from choking on water.
Elena lightly tapped her finger, causing the powder between her fingers to fall into the water, intensifying the energy fluctuations. The water began to churn, forming a small vortex that pulled the maid toward deeper waters.
"Continue," Elena commanded coldly, without a trace of compassion in her eyes.
"Miss Elena truly deserves to be the foremost noble lady of the kingdom... outstanding beauty, extraordinary talent, exceptional gifts... with the count's favor, the entire kingdom is envious," the maid struggled to say, swallowing water with each word.
Elena smiled with satisfaction, then noticed a pile of books placed on the table. One emitted a faint dark red glow, as if something pulsated within its pages.
"Did you buy all these books, Marian?" Elena asked, her gaze not leaving that strange book.
"Yes, my lady. These are the most popular storybooks and classics in the royal city. Since you enjoy reading, I specially purchased them for you," Marian replied respectfully, her voice carrying a trace of barely detectable fear.
Elena casually picked up several books, flipped through them and tossed them aside. Occasional arcane symbols flickered between the pages—a characteristic of enchanted classics. "Utterly boring," she commented.
However, when she picked up the book that emitted a dark red glow, she felt a strange palpitation, as if something was calling to her. This book was different—it emitted a stronger dark red glow than the others, as if it possessed life. Elena examined it closely and found that the pages trembled slightly, as if they had a heartbeat.
"What is this?" Elena asked, her voice carrying a slight, barely perceptible tremor.
She turned the pages and discovered that the text wasn't written with ink, but formed by some kind of liquid that flowed slowly across the paper, creating constantly changing words. Even more strangely, the story described had startling similarities to her own life.
"The Earl's legitimate daughter is vicious and arrogant, while the illegitimate daughter is kind and innocent... The Duke's son falls in love with the illegitimate daughter at first sight... The legitimate daughter, out of jealousy, plots against the illegitimate daughter..." Elena read, her voice growing colder, her eyes flashing with dangerous light.
She turned to the first page and found a special passage of text, written in a deeper red than the rest, as if inscribed with fresh blood: "The dusk thrush perches on the blood oak throne, the arrow of divine judgment shatters the illusion."
"What is this..." Marian leaned in curiously.
"The Oracle given to the Count's legitimate daughter," Elena said, her fingers touching the text. Immediately, it transformed into blood-red smoke wrapping around her fingertips, as if establishing some kind of connection with her.
"Gods above! What kind of book is this? This is forbidden blood magic!" Marian exclaimed in panic, recognizing the telltale signs. In this realm, blood magic was one of the most dangerous and evil abilities, associated with dark rituals and forbidden contracts.
Elena didn't believe in any Book of Fate at this moment. She closed the book, preparing to burn it. However, when she tried to place it into the fire basin, it struggled against her grip, as if alive.
"Sarah, bring fire," Elena commanded.
Sarah brought the fire basin, and Elena threw the Book of Fate into it. The flames turned an unnatural blood-red, reflecting Elena's defiant face. Within the fire, agonized faces seemed to struggle, emitting faint wailing sounds.
At that moment, footsteps approached as Isabella rushed over. Her palms emitted a soft white light as she saved the punished maid. The water calmed under her influence, freeing the maid from the pool's restraint.
"Sister," Isabella knelt down and pleaded, "Sister, regardless of what Lucy did... a life is precious, regardless of status."
Seeing Isabella arrive, Elena stood up and walked forward. Strangely, her shadow seemed darker than normal, with red light flickering at its edges, as if something inside her stirred restlessly.
"Your life is indeed not more worthless than hers," Elena sneered. "Years ago my mother saved your mother, and your mother repaid kindness with betrayal, seducing my father while my mother was pregnant. You, of all people, dare to call me sister?"
Isabella's face turned pale, the white light in her hand flickering slightly, reflecting her emotional turmoil. "My mother had no noble blood, she couldn't even enter the family cemetery... isn't that punishment enough?" she said with grievance.
"Miss, please help me..." the soaked maid weakly pleaded, her body still shimmering with residual magical energy.
"I beg you, sister, please spare Lucy," Isabella implored again.
Elena gave a cold laugh. "Sure, you can take her place." Dangerous red sparks flickered between her fingers, ready to erupt at any moment and cause lethal damage.
Just as the atmosphere grew unbearably tense, an elegant noblewoman walked in from the garden, breaking the standoff. She wore a magnificent robe embroidered with intricate patterns that shimmered with each movement, revealing her noble status.
"Elena! Stop this nonsense at once. The banquet begins shortly. Hurry and prepare yourself. This outfit is far too flamboyant. Don't forget..." Her fingers tapped lightly, and Elena's clothes began to transform, the elaborate decorations gradually fading, becoming more modest.
"Don't forget that the Duke's son prefers simplicity. We must cater to his taste," Elena interrupted smugly, while blocking her mother's magic and adjusting her attire herself. Her control was clearly powerful, easily counteracting her mother's influence.
Elena and her mother left the garden, leaving Isabella and the rescued maid behind. Isabella's hands still glowed with soft white light as she healed the wounds on the maid's body.
"Thank you, miss..." the maid said gratefully.
Isabella smiled gently. "No need to thank me. It's what anyone should do." Her voice was soft yet firm, filled with kindness and compassion.
However, she didn't notice that in the corner of the garden, a faint red light flickered among the ashes of the Book of Fate. The ashes gradually gathered, forming the shape of a blood-red crow before dispersing into the air. Blood-colored text appeared in mid-air, highlighting the recent events, the text seemingly alive, writhing like blood vessels.
"When blood congeals, fate is cast." A mysterious voice whispered in the wind, then vanished.
