Just as Avelvion had said, Olivia was now standing right in front of his room door. Both knights glanced their eyes toward Olivia. Olivia went quiet. Embarrassment began to take over. For a moment she remembered what she had done before, right in front of this same door. The exact same place.

That was so embarrassing

She mumbled while covering her face with one hand. Then smiled awkwardly toward them.

Tok tok tok.

The sound of knocking. Avelvion who had just finished dinner was sitting on his chair while reading a book.

"It’s me" said Olivia. Her voice was quiet but still audible.

CLACK!

The room door opened. Olivia was seen carrying a teapot and cups. Then Avelvion looked left and right along the corridor. To make sure nobody was following Olivia. Then Olivia went in and the door was shut tight.

"Olivia, what are you doing bringing that here?" asked Avelvion while making a confused face. His brow furrowed.

"You want something to happen again like today?" she said while her lips kept lifting. Annoyed. Then she walked toward that sofa and placed the teapot down while taking a seat. Avelvion looked at her. Then one of his hands picked up a cup of tea. Then he sipped it.

"Woah, Avelvion acting like this is not normal huh" said Olivia with a teasing tone.

Avelvion rolled his eyes. Then opened his mouth.

"Of course, I’m a prince after all" he said quietly while lifting his head slightly. Proud of his behaviour. Olivia smiled and laughed.

"Okay, Your Highness" said Olivia in a playful tone. Then her eyes caught something. A book that was in front of her.

"That book..." her hand pointed toward the thick brown coloured book. Avelvion nodded.

"This is the book I was reading recently in the library," he said while taking that book and giving it to Olivia. Her eyes were curious. She flipped through that book. Her eyes went wide.

"Can I..." before she could finish her sentence, Avelvion cut her off.

"I knew you’d be interested in that book" he said quietly

And then,

"Wait a moment..." he said while standing up and walking toward his study table.

Shreakkk...

A drawer was opened. He took something from that drawer. Olivia peeked. Came Out, a book thicker than the one she was holding. Then he gave it to Olivia.

"Woah, so thickkkk... what is this" she asked Avelvion. Avelvion only looked at her and went back to sipping his tea.

"The Book of Cursed Bloodlines.. huh?" Olivia flipped through that book. Its surface felt rough, like skin that had been dry for a long time. Every time her fingers touched the pages, there was a strange feeling. Somehow, like a cold running into her fingertips.

There are thousands of pages inside that book, but only four pictures in it, each drawing looked very alive, as if the eyes of the creatures in those pictures were watching Olivia back. She rubbed her neck that suddenly had goosebumps.

"Why are you giving me a book that looks ’haunted’?" whispered Olivia with a slightly trembling voice.

"You need that book" he replied. Olivia was stunned. She thought for a moment.

Avelvion looked at his tea, his face that had been showing off now looked serious.

"That silver haired boy..."

"The one you call Javien... have you noticed his power is sometimes out of control? That book has records about his family. The part that was deliberately erased from history."

Avelvion said seriously. His eyes looked as if staring far away. Olivia swallowed.

Of course I know... I know everything about Javien.

...It’s just...

That author didn’t tell anything about Javien’s origins at all...

Worse author!!! I ever seen ....

Olivia whispered in her heart. Her anger was buried deep inside. She was gritting her teeth.

Avelvion paused for a moment before continuing,

"The blood flowing in Javien’s body isn’t ordinary blood, Olivia. If you want to protect him or protect yourself from him... you need to understand what that ’dark’ thing inside him is." He intoned.

"Hmm... that’s true" she said half whispering. She stared sharply toward that book. While her hand was tapping the table. Then something crossed her mind. She gave a signal to Avelvion to lean forward a little.

"Hey, is there a library here?" she said quietly. Their eyes met. Avelvion thought for a moment. Then tapped the table lightly. Indicating he had an answer. Avelvion slowly whispered toward her ear.

"Of course there are. I always go there" he said while his eyes kept looking back toward his room door. Olivia’s eyes lit up, clearly wanting something.

Avelvion grinned.

"What do you do there?" he said while returning to his seat. While his eyes focused on Olivia.

"Emmm..... there’s something I want to confirm" Olivia answered with a serious face. Her eyes were full of courage and determination. Avelvion smirked.

"Go ahead! But if you want to know...."

"Only certain people are allowed there" he said while pouring more tea into his cup. Olivia furrowed her brow. And crossed her arms then leaned back on the sofa. Olivia sighed. Looking toward the book in front of her.

"Then how?"

Her facial expression went dark. Thinking deeply about how to get into the Aethelgard estate library. Her long loose hair she tied up. Her lips were gently bitten. Avelvion shook his head.

"Hey, the answer is right in front of you, no need to think so hard" he muttered slowly. Olivia’s eyes looked toward Avelvion. Her face that had been gloomy changed to bright.

"Hehe.... but you have to give permission right?..." asked Olivia quietly half whispering. Avelvion sighed. He fixed his seat and tried to explain to Olivia.

"Have you forgotten I’m a prince..."

"There is no place I’m not allowed to enter..." said Avelvion while crossing his legs. He lifted his chin slightly, giving a cold smile that showed his very strong noble side.

The room lamp light reflected on his eyes, making him look very confident (and a little annoying). He fixed his collar in a very show-off manner, as if he had just saved the world, when really he just wanted to bring Olivia to the library.

Olivia looked at him with a smiling face. But the corner of her lips didn’t lift at all. Out of embarrassment, Avelvion cleared his throat and sat back down.

"You’re no fun" Avelvion snapped while glancing toward Olivia who didn’t make a sound. But Olivia pouted.

"Uh no... actually that was a good idea.." she answered brightly. Without saying more she pulled Avelvion’s hand. Avelvion startled.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked Avelvion. He was processing what Olivia was doing at that moment. Olivia stomped her left foot. Then turned her head. Then quietly whispered toward Avelvion’s ear.

"Let’s go to the library! Now! Come on..." Olivia answered while pulling Avelvion. Avelvion facepalmed.

"Are you serious!!..." asked Avelvion while looking around. But Avelvion held his feet back from being pulled.

"Now is not the right time..." He said. Olivia tilted her head.

What’s wrong with him..

Olivia whispered in her heart. Her face was full of question marks. Avelvion snorted.

"Aish, fine fine let’s go"

he said then walked out of his room. The knight in front of his room door asked Avelvion for an explanation. They seemed to be discussing something.

Then the knight nodded. Then Avelvion called Olivia who was standing still looking around Avelvion’s room.

"His room is very gloomy" she said quietly while walking toward Avelvion. All three of them walked along that quiet corridor. One knight followed them from behind to make sure Avelvion’s safety.

They turned toward the east wing of the building not far from Avelvion’s room.

"Turns out it’s nearby" she said quietly. Then walked along that very long corridor. That night, the weather inside the Aethelgard estate felt very cold.

Olivia rubbed her slightly exposed arm. That corridor looked very dark and gloomy. As if many eyes were watching them.

Not long after, their feet stopped right in front of a large brown coloured door. Olivia’s feet felt like they wanted to freeze.

The knight pushed that large door slowly.

Creakkk...

As soon as Olivia’s feet stepped inside, the smell of old paper and agarwood pierced her nose. That room was very large, with bookshelves rising high up to the dark ceiling.

When the lamp was turned on, thousands of colourful book spines with golden writing began to glitter. It wasn’t just a library; it looked like a temple of knowledge that had been kept for hundreds of years. Olivia was frozen, feeling very small in the middle of that sea of books.

But Avelvion was slightly uninterested about that. Then walked toward a large table, sat while leaning his back on the chair. The table lamp light shone on his grey coloured eyes.

Then he took that very thick book and began reading. Slowly he flipped through the pages one by one. Olivia was amazed.

"Wow, bookworm apparently" then she approached Avelvion.

"The history of..." she startled. Her eyes darted looking in another direction. Not liking history books.

Boring...

"Haha... I want to find a book first yaa" she said then walked looking for a book in the bookshelf. That room was quiet, only the sound of Olivia’s shoes and curtains blown by the wind could be heard.

"Not this, not this... not this" said Olivia quietly while flipping through those books. 1 hour had already passed, she still hadn’t found a book that suited what she wanted at that time. The pile of books was rearranged by Olivia. While pouting her lips. Disappointed...

"Why is there no information at all about that?"

Olivia whined quietly. She sat slumped on the cold floor, surrounded by piles of books that gave no answers.

Her eyes darted looking for any clue about Thread Magic, but history seemed to have completely erased the existence of that magic.

Disappointed... she pouted her lips while leaning her head on the hard wooden shelf.

Suddenly,

Bukk!!

Sound of a book falling from the top shelf. Olivia startled.

"What’s that?" she muttered while spinning around looking at that fallen book.

"Oh turns out it’s the book I tidied up earlier" she said quietly then reached for that open book. A pungent smell pierced Olivia’s nose.

"The smell...." Olivia covered her nose tightly, but that thick pungent smell like old blood seemed to stick on her skin. Her throat felt swollen, holding back the sudden nausea that came attacking.

She flipped through that title-less book with slightly trembling hands. Its dark red coloured cover felt damp and sticky, as if it had just been soaked in a liquid she herself was afraid to imagine.

She was just about to close that book when her eyes got stuck on a strange word. There were also drawings and symbols drawn, written using red liquid. Olivia read that sentence sharply.

"An agreement made by....."

"Duke Herold!..ehh!" she said almost screaming.

Her eyes went wide. One last sentence was written at the end of the appendix. Immediately, Olivia’s whole face went pale. Her blood felt like it stopped flowing.

"What the ,...?" Her mouth slowly moved reading that book.