The Red Thread of Destiny

Dead end

No matter how hard Davion tried to find a way out, in the end he was just a dead end. There was no other choice he could think of, other than to remove as far away the necklace as possible from Stella for a while.

I don't know if this is gonna work. But, this is worth a try.

Exhaling tired breaths, Davion put up layers of protection on the necklace in his hand. As long as the stability of Stella's strength was still uncertain, there was no harm in her doing this as a form of anticipation over the unexpected possibility.

"How are you doing? Already better?"

Stella's state of shock over the truth of the past they've acquired, is far worse than Davion thought.

It must have deeply shaken his heart.

If you can be honest, Davion himself also still does not expect to trace the past of one.

Killed by madness. Maybe, Selena did it unconsciously. However, as someone who originally had a soft heart like cotton, Davion could not imagine how much the woman would have suffered if the madness was only in the form of her uncontrollable actions.

Unfortunately, the tree of Knowledge records only the outside.

Had it been, there was a force that allowed Davion to witness directly through Selena's point of view, Davion wouldn't mind trying. Because, if he could see from Selena's side, Davion thought, maybe he could find a way to help Stella not fall into madness, just like that poor woman.

"It's Chamomile tea. I hope this calms you down."

Although at this time the contents of the corner of his heart were no less raging than Stella, Davion did not express his frustration openly.

At times like this, there should at least be someone who has a cold head. If not, it will only make them more and more in a dead end because they cannot think clearly.

I hope he doesn't come too soon.

Although a little difficult, Davion must still tell Orfeo about what he and Stella found while in the Forbidden library. As Davion's partner and Stella's older brother, hiding the truth from Orfeo would only create a bad situation.

Stella who is usually able to deal with all situations calmly, until she is unable to speak like this. Davion could not imagine how much of a reaction Orfeo would show when he heard the report from him later.

"Babies? What are you calling me in the middle of this?"

Before Orfeo joined, Davion had already called someone to compare the results of the records they got.

Davion knew that the tree of Knowledge could not be manipulated by witches or ordinary humans. So, because its authenticity was guaranteed, he tried to dig information through other channels to be more accurate.

The existence of Felix, who had witnessed the change of Ormanda for almost two centuries, became the best solution Davion could think of. Although not too much, at least the testimony of a witch as old as Felix could have provided another way out for them.

"I want to discuss with you, Felix. Please leave that job for a minute."

Although Felix's nosy behavior often managed to provoke emotions. Neither the brain nor the ability of the head of the tower, can be underestimated. As someone who has accompanied Felix from the age of 12 until now, Davion knows, Felix is very reliable at times like this. The knowledge that man has can be useful.

"It's about the Red Yarn" Davion said as she received a look of disbelief from Felix who was forced to leave a stack of her work.

Before getting angry because of interrupting Felix's busyness, Davion as much as possible install the shield first. As long as the topic he raised was not a trivial matter, Felix could not scold Davion carelessly.

"Red Yarn?"

"Yes, Red Yarn."

Incidentally, distraction is also included in one of Davion's skills. Relying on his famous honesty rare among witches, Davion gave an answer while glancing at Stella who was currently daydreaming while drinking her tea.

"Can you, Felix?"

"Ah~ You want to ask about that, apparently. I get it, I get it."

Felix's rapid mood swings while following Davion's eye on Stella, invite Davion's eyebrows to constrict. Even if it's just cryptic, Davion can sense there's a misunderstanding here.

"If it's for that one, I can make time especially for you."

Sure enough as Davion guessed, Felix wrongly captured the meaning of his words. If indeed Felix caught Davion's words well, then there was no way an annoying smile could be attached to the lips of the man.

Don't you have no time to joke now?

Davion had a flat expression. I don't know what Felix had in mind. Although Davion himself could not read his head, Davion thought, he could guess most of the thoughts of his superior and foster father.

"I'm saying this just in case. The red thread I'm referring to is, a hereditary blessing in the Vandesca family," Davion explained, before Felix's head went too far.

Davion knows, a witch is tied strongly to imagination. Without a clear and powerful image, magic is difficult to manifest. However, specifically for Felix. If it is wrong to catch the initial intent of the words of the interlocutor, Felix must be quickly stopped. Because, if it is not realized .. Felix misunderstanding always causes problems later.

"Eh? Not that, huh? I think ka—"

"Have you ever seen a raging Red Yarn?" sela Davion, deliberately cut off Felix's words.

Aside from being hunted by time, Davion does not want to listen to Felix's not-so-important babble.

After hearing the news that they had found the record of the Red Yarn, Davion was sure Orfeo would not delay his arrival. So, before the Duke was too affectionate with the younger brother of one to reach the magician tower, as much as possible Davion scraped information from Felix. Davion could not entrust this question and answer session to Orfeo, the man who had most likely lost his composure.

"Do you mean the beginning of this empire?"

Davion nodded. "Yes, that's right" he replied with a face that was no less serious than Felix.

"Since the tragedy is written only on the tree of Knowledge, I'll assume you already know some of the outline through the Forbidden library's records."

Thankfully, Felix didn't continue their meaningless conversation before. The annoying expression that had now disappeared and was replaced with seriousness, was a relief for Davion who saw it.

"Hmm ... 180 years ago, huh? What, roughly, might the tree of Knowledge miss?"

Felix's silver eyebrows are bending sharply the sign that he is currently thinking hard, Davion noticed. Unlike his usual fussy mannerisms, Davion this time let the man ignore him and waited patiently without much protest.

"Judging by your impatient nature and the reason why you called me here. Do you intend to find out, I was involved or not as the tower leader at that time?"

At present. In a state of only finding a small piece of the tree of Knowledge, Davion desperately needs information from Felix. As the owner of the tower and the leader of the witches, Felix's testimony could have opened up hidden possibilities that were not written on the tree of Knowledge. Although only a little, Felix's information meant a lot to him.

"At that time, I wasn't directly involved. But, I think I can answer some questions from you."

Felix's positive response, Davion welcomes.

"Then ... first of all, I want to ask you about this necklace first."

Davion showed Felix the necklace he had sealed. That dull jeweled necklace was now covered by a pattern from protection magic.

"Ah. It's a necklace back then, huh?"

"Yes. Do you know who gave this necklace to the previous owner of Red Yarn?"

The two green eyes of Felix that were looking at the gem, were filled with seriousness. Occasionally muttering while paying attention to the details of the necklace pendulum, Felix handed the necklace when he felt satisfied enough to check it.

"Although this is cryptic, I can feel the power of the blessings handed down in the Cassie family."

Felix's unexpected words make Davion reflexively glance at Stella.

"Cassie's? Are you sure this is the property of the Duke's family protecting the southern region of Ormanda?"

As Davion knew, every item containing the blessing of Goddess Ilythia owned by the Duke's family, should not be sold. Considered an heirloom because it is a proof of the achievements of the ancestors, what is the reason why this valuable object like a necklace can get into the hands of others?

Moreover, it fell into the hands of the Vandesca family.

The clumsiness of an heirloom object that could fall to another family so easily without being discovered by members of this empire, raises many question marks in Davion's head.

Although his surname was now taken back by the empire due to bankruptcy, Davion knew, objects that were many times more valuable than this artifact could not carelessly fall into the hands of others.

Without the permission of the owner or cases such as direct descendants who do not have an heir, the Master of the object containing the blessing of the Goddess can not be changed just like that.

Having to go through many complicated and long procedures first, after going through many things, not a few also failed during the process of welcoming the great power.

"Is the transfer of hereditary abilities possible to others who are not bloodless?" davion asked, expressing his confusion over the unexpected information.

"Don't, an heir. Isn't being a witch not easy?"

The response Felix gave, managed to make the atmosphere turn into silence in an instant.

Whether it was Davion or Felix, the two men were silent with their heads raging.

"That's impossible, Davion."

Amidst the heavy atmosphere, Stella broke the stifling silence between them.

"Heirs can only be chosen from the nearest family. There has never been a family farther away from a cousin who was chosen to be the owner of a new ability" Stella said.

Now, after calming down with a cup of tea given by Davion, Stella felt much better. Now calm and able to think rationally again, as the person who was the reason for this heavy conversation appeared, Stella did not let Davion solve everything alone. Stella did not want to be too troublesome, let alone to be protected like a fragile Young Miss.

"For example, the Balges. Duke Balges has lost his son and wife in an accident. As nephews of the Duke, Veronica and Vincent, it was Duke's sister's son who was chosen as the new heir."

"Ah, does that mean the distant family that only has a quarter of the Duke's blood, has no possibility of becoming the new heir?"

Stella nodded. It justifies the guesswork from Davion.

"As long as it inherits only half the blood, even illegitimate children, can also be elected. If there is no other heir in the main family who continues, as long as you have half the Duke's blood, the child outside marriage can become the owner of the new ability" said Stella, explaining the hereditary abilities possessed only by the four great families of Ormanda's supporters that he knew from Fabian, his brother.

"What about the marriage of two families? Has there ever been a case of a child resulting from a marriage inheriting two different abilities at once?"

Stella shakes. "No. There's never been a case like that" he answered Felix's question.

As Stella recalled, despite inheriting blood from other families, there had never been an heir who had two abilities.

For two children to inherit one of the abilities from their parents, it may still be possible. However, one child inherits two abilities at once? It seems a little difficult.

From the speculation that Davion made before, as the heir of Red Yarn Stella admitted several things.

Weigh the records kept in their families as well as draw conclusions from the rumors he gets every time he attends a party ... Stella thought, every ability has a different pay.

If I'm not mistaken, I've heard Young Miss Sanchez unconscious for over a week.

Red Yarn with the price of losing some age, the owner of a Magic Book that always falls asleep every time use. Then, Parodio and his nightmare. Although Stella does not know what price to pay for the Dream Controller's abilities in the Cassie family. Stella thought, the bigger and stronger the ability, the greater the pay.

Because the existence of this ability alone was already in violation of the rules of the world.

As Davion said two days back, the power that can interfere in the destiny of others, Stella admitted not bound by the rules of the world. It depends on how intense the heirs involvement with the life records of others in using their abilities. After analyzing and weighing the state of the heirs in the other families, as long as it did not involve itself directly in the fate of others, then this ability Stella thought would not end up being a curse.

But is that really true?

Stella was also not too sure of the conclusion she had taken. It is still uncertain whether the pay is adjusted to the involvement of each ability owner or not, before they find the answer, Stella had already stressed to herself not to use Red Yarn carelessly as long as she was not caught in an urgent situation.

"In the end, this necklace also met a dead end. What is the reason for this necklace can be in Selena's hands, why Red Yarn can go berserk, or how to control it. .. seems to be answered one by one after we find out the reason for this necklace is given."

Davion's tired breath and his complaints, awakening Stella from the reverie. Secretly agreeing to what Davion said earlier, Stella also thinks they should investigate further the necklace that 'coincidence' could be in her hands in this generation.

"What's the matter, how do we interrogate someone who's gone? No way, right, we should dig that guy's grave?" she reflects Davion as she ruffles her night sky-like hair.

Red thread, necklace, and the past. The truth that was buried and re-emerged along with this new problem, really gave Davion a headache.

If they can't find a bright spot from past events, as owners of Red Yarn in this generation, Stella could be a threat. Being a person who lost his identity ... Davion could not imagine how much Stella would suffer if the tragedy was repeated by her.