"What does that mean?" she mumbled and tried to read back from the first page. The thick pungent smell of blood pierced her nose, as if that smell had been spreading and trapped in every corner of the room for a long time.

She almost threw up from smelling that blood smell and quickly covered her nose with her hand.

The contents of that book were very strange. Not just because of the smell that seemed odd but everything written was also not understood. Looking at it again, every single word was written using red ink. Olivia furrowed her brow.

"In this era, red ink is still considered rare" Olivia said. Something felt off. Then, a drawing like an ancient spell was drawn using red ink that looked like the colour of blood. Thick and dark.

Some of the writing still used red ink like the original writing. But that red ink seemed to have been added recently. Her brow furrowed. Her mouth was shut tight. Then, a feeling of curiosity had taken over her.

"What if, that is actually real blood?..." said Olivia while putting out one finger to touch the red coloured ink on that paper. After she rubbed her hand, slowly she brought the tip of her finger that had touched the red ink close to her nose then inhaled as deep as she could.

"I have smelled this smell before?..." she said quietly. Then she startled. She immediately wiped her hand on the hem of her black skirt.

"Bleh, thisss.....thisss...!!.." she said.

"Why does this ink smell like blood that has been there for a long time!!..." she said while furrowing her brow.

"Disgusting" she said quietly.

She pushed that book slightly further away until she couldn’t really smell that pungent smell. Then,

Then she read it again. Curiosity was gnawing at her heart. As she opened each page of that book, the more she felt a chill down her spine.

"That worse author, he never touched about this matter in his novel" Olivia mumbled while gritting her teeth tightly.

"But, why is Duke Herold mentioned" she said while reading each page of that book. Her eyes caught every single page that mentioned Duke Herold’s name in that book. She frowned. She gently scratched her head.

"From the first page to the last page of this book, not one...

"I don’t understand at all!!!!" she said. Crying quietly. She held both sides of her head that felt like it was going to explode.

"I need someone to translate it for me" she said while looking piercingly at that book. Before she could think any further, something beside her spoke.

"What book are you reading... until you make a reaction like that?" Olivia almost jumped hearing that voice.

ACKKK!!

Her startled scream echoed, but she quickly covered her own mouth.

Her scream was swallowed.

"I called and called you earlier, but you didn’t answer...

"Turns out, you’re here" he continued. Avelvion shook his head while shifting his gaze toward the book in front of them.

Olivia hit Avelvion’s shoulder. Then patted her chest. Avelvion smirked, and focused on reading the book in front of Olivia. His eyes that had looked playful before, now became serious. Quiet.... the two of them didn’t say anything. Only the sound of pages turning could be heard in that room.

But Avelvion suddenly got focused on the exact part of the spell that Olivia had seen earlier. His body went stiff, not moving. Only his eyes followed the red writing. Olivia observed Avelvion’s expression.

One moment nodding and another moment stiff with shock and even more frightening his mouth moved like he was reading something out loud. As if he understood what the contents of that book were saying.

Olivia wasn’t just confused... she started to realise something was wrong. This was her first time seeing him like that. She tried to shake his body to make him stop for a moment. But,

"Shhhh... I’m trying to understand what’s written here" he said without his eyes shifting. Suddenly, Avelvion’s face looked shocked and immediately his whole face went pale.

"Hey....." Olivia mumbled. She looked at her surroundings. It became heavy and strange. Then his hand opened the page slowly, every time he opened the page all his expressions were clearly visible. Then,

"Olivia...." he called Olivia gently. Her expression became darker.

"Yesss..." she answered. He finally switched his gaze toward Olivia. But not as usual, his eyes were filled with disbelief. He covered his face using his palm as if not believing what he had read.

And stood up. His eyes darted looking around to make sure only the two of them were in that room before telling Olivia to stand up.

"Where did you get this kind of book??" he said while looking at her with a serious expression. Olivia was puzzled and tilted her head. She lifted her shoulder as she had no idea how. He shook his head and grabbed Olivia’s hand. But before that, he took that book and brought it along with him.

"Whyyy??" Olivia questioned Avelvion who looked like he was trembling yet not showing it. Both of them sat on chairs. Avelvion without warning opened the book he had taken before. And opened each page quickly.

"Can you understand this writing?" he asked Olivia with his voice almost not able to be heard. Olivia was confused.

"No, I don’t" she said briefly while looking toward the book that was open in front of Avelvion.

"Thisss.... this part" Avelvion said with a serious tone. Olivia blinked in confusion and tried to come closer and looked at where Avelvion was pointing. Olivia lifted one of her eyebrows.

"No, I don’t understand?" she asked Avelvion. Without hesitation, he looked directly at Olivia’s eyes and said.

"This is a book written by someone who used forbidden knowledge" he said slowly. Olivia pressed her lips tightly. Her eyes went wide. Her face looked frightened while she gently covered her mouth.

"For real?.." Olivia immediately stood up. And tried to open the last page of that book. And tapped the paragraph.

"This.... what does it say about this.."

Avelvion stared at Olivia and tried to read it. He froze. No answer.

"That was the one who used that magic...."

He stopped for a moment. As he tried to read everything written on the page Olivia pointed at.

"Actually, this book is about an agreement but not to harm people but for a mage who wants to keep his power staying awake and stable..."

Avelvion explained while lowering his head. Before continuing.

"But,... someone changed this spell into an even stronger spell...

"Strong enough that the maker or practitioner would slowly become a monster... or lose control and their conscience" he said slowly while whispering. Olivia blinked not knowing what to reply. She just stayed quiet looking at Avelvion.

Then Avelvion lifted his face and opened the next page.

"I’m not sure if this is right but...." while his fingertip tapped on one drawing.

"This spell actually used real human blood" he said seriously.

"Yes, I noticed the pungent blood smell from that book" Olivia replied while covering her nose tightly. Avelvion nodded.

"Right, but right now I’m not sure whether this blood is the person’s own blood or someone else’s" said Avelvion while taking a long breath as if not believing what he was seeing. Then Olivia was uneasy seeing Duke Herold’s name written at the back of that book. Then started asking Avelvion.

"So, what is the connection with.... the name at the back of that page?" said Olivia while looking directly toward that book. Avelvion went stiff. But Olivia could clearly see his eyes were filled with disappointment and fear.

Suddenly the room became quiet, no answer from Avelvion. Olivia slowly shifted her eyes from that book toward Avelvion who was staring at that book sharply.

"Avelvion, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to" said Olivia while smiling thinly looking toward Avelvion who was frozen in silence.

"He was the one who made... that" he said with a slight tremble as if afraid and filled with disappointment.

"What do you mean?..." Olivia lifted one of her eyebrows. Feeling blur. Her lips curved into a thin smile. As if not believing what Avelvion was saying. Avelvion exhaled heavily.

"I’m sure about it..... this kind of book....

"I read it once in the palace...

"I’m very well-versed about history books.... whether it’s magic or agreements...." Avelvion said. Those eyes.... Avelvion’s eyes were not like usual, his eyes now were enough to show that the agreement made in that book was quite dangerous. Olivia’s heart beat faster. Her adrenaline spread throughout her whole body. She pulled back the chair beside her and sat stiff.

In those few minutes, both of them were quiet, no words exchanged coming from their throats.

Then,

"Is that the person who made all of this agreement?..." Olivia whispered while looking at Avelvion’s face. Looking for an answer. Avelvion shook his head slowly.

"No, it seems like there must be two parties included..."

She frowned. She scratched her head that wasn’t even itchy. Her hair that had been neatly tied earlier now looked messy. Olivia nodded understanding. She held her head for a moment like someone who had a migraine.

"Then, can you read it for me, I really want to know" she said while making a pitiful face. Avelvion pouted.

"Haihh...." she gasped. And then he tried to read the contents.

"I have no idea about all of this..." she muttered. Her mind went blank...

"Ah... Avelvion can you translate everything in this book?..." Olivia whispered while leaning on the chair. Her expression looked so desperate.

"Are you crazy?... I’m not a typing machine!" Avelvion said jokingly while pouting in frustration. But before Olivia could reply, that heavy library door suddenly opened slowly.

Kreeeeak...

The sound of footsteps was heard approaching that library. Olivia and Avelvion looked at each other. Both of them were stiff, not daring to breathe.

"Let’s hide!!.." Olivia whispered to Avelvion but Avelvion was quiet. He shook his head.

"How are we going to hide... the knight is right in front of this door" he replied quietly.

"Oh right, true, so what do we do?" she said quietly. That voice was still talking with the knight in front of that door. Olivia trembled with fear.

"It’s fine, I’m the only one here....."

"But Avelvion is also here" she said in her mind.

"Ohhhhh!! What do we do now" said Olivia while her eyes kept darting toward that door. Then,

BAMM!!

The door was opened slowly. Those footsteps could be heard heading toward them.

PAK PAK PAK.

"This late, still studying hard?" One voice that Olivia recognised very well echoed. That voice seemed to come from in front of the door while stepping forward. Until Olivia who heard those footsteps forgot to breathe. A cold voice full of authority....

Both of them turned.

That’s Duke Herold’s voice!!

He was standing at the end of the table, his sharp eyes falling right toward the blood-written book that was still wide open in front of Avelvion.