Chapter 57: Trick of the Eye

As the scepter in Hyde's hand slowly disappeared, like a wisp of smoke merging into the air.

Immediately after, a drop of colored ink condensed from the void and slowly dripped to the ground.

That drop of ink seemed to carry the weight of the entire universe, constantly changing colors as it fell.

From a deep purple to a fiery red, then to a calm blue.

“Plop—”

The moment the ink hit the ground, the entire space seemed to have been put on pause.

The wildly dancing runes, the distorted light and shadows, the trembling air, all froze in place.

Like the sealing wax on an envelope, it completely locked and froze the chaos of the entire space.

“Alright....”

Hyde turned around, his eyes twinkling with exhaustion and relief.

He looked at the group, forced a slight smile, his voice was hoarse, but it sounded so joyful:

“We succeeded, everyone.”

This sentence was like a heavy hammer, completely smashing the boulder that loomed over everyone's heads.

Hearing this, Lawrence and Vilnia sighed in relief at the same time, their tense muscles finally relaxing, the former almost collapsing to the ground from sheer relaxation.

Vilnia walked gracefully to Mel's side, her slender fingers gently taking Mel's hand.

“That's great, Mel.... we succeeded.”

The young woman's voice was as clear as a spring, filled with unconcealable joy.

Mel squeezed Vilnia's hand back, the corners of her lips turning up slightly in a faint smile.

“Yes, we—”

However, Mel's words came to an abrupt halt.

Her body suddenly became rigid, her eyes wide, her pupils contracting sharply.

Those amber eyes, which should have been filled with joy, now reflected endless fear and unease, as if she had seen something horrifying.

The unfinished joyful words still lingered in their clasped hands, but were washed away by a sudden flood of memories.

Vilnia felt the trembling in Mel's palm and called out uneasily:

“Mel?”

Mel's body trembled slightly, as if she were in the dead of winter.

She tightly gripped 【The New Moon】 in her right hand, Jason's liquid metal-like blood still dripping from the blade.

That drop of blood snaked down the blade, as if it had a new life, telling some unknown secret.

“Drip—drip—”

The sound of blood dripping to the ground was exceptionally clear in the silent space, like some kind of ominous premonition.

Jason's memories, like a bursting dam, surged into Mel's consciousness.

In that torrent of memories, Mel glimpsed the silhouette of Jason talking with Allen under the moon.

Those fragments of conversation coiled around her spine like venomous snakes, whispering in her ear:

“The altar in the basement is just a trick of the eye, the true place of initiation is at....”

“No... that's not right...”

Mel's voice trembled, tinged with a disbelieving fear.

Her pupils contracted sharply, as if replaying some terrible information she had shepherded from Jason.

The images flashed and superimposed in her mind, like the most frightening parts of a horror movie had been edited out and put on a loop.

Suddenly, like a startled cat, every muscle in Mel's body tensed.

She spun around abruptly and dashed towards the exit.

Her movements were so fast they left an afterimage in the air.

“Veronica! The library! We've been tricked!”

The young woman's voice was filled with urgency and panic, echoing off the stone walls of the basement like an alarm bell.

However, before she could even explain the situation to the others, Mel's figure flashed past the basement exit, leaving a trail of void ripples and the sound of hurried footsteps.

“Tap tap tap—”

The sound of footsteps gradually faded, leaving only a bewildered group behind.

Outside the school, Mel rushed out of the school gates, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat.

Her eyes anxiously scanned the street, and finally, a carriage came into view.

The young woman strode forward and waved her right hand sharply:

“Stop!”

The carriage stopped, and the coachman looked in confusion at the frantic young woman before him.

Mel didn't bother to explain, directly pulling a handful of mixed copper and silver coins from her pocket and stuffing them into the coachman's hand.

The coins glittered in the sunlight, enough money to let the coachman take a month off work.

“Dunke Library, quickly!”

The coachman accepted the handful of cash, flattered, a flash of surprise and joy in his eyes.

He quickly cracked his whip, telling Mel to hold on tight.

“Crack!”

The sound of the whip cracking the air rang out, and the carriage shot off like an arrow from a bow.

The carriage wheels ground over the flagstones, sending out sparks.

Mel gripped the brass ring by the window, her knuckles white from the force.

Her eyes were fixed ahead, her lips moving constantly as she murmured in a low voice:

“Faster... a little faster, Veronica....”

Her voice was filled with anxiety and worry, as if every second of delay could lead to irreversible consequences.

When the library's quaint main doors appeared before her, Mel's heart leaped.

She didn't even wait for the carriage to come to a complete stop before pushing the door open and jumping out.

Mel's boots landed heavily, kicking up a cloud of dust.

She paid no mind to her wind-tousled hair and ran straight for the library doors.

“Bang—!”

Mel slammed open the library doors, the wooden doors crashing against the wall with a loud bang.

This sudden commotion drew the disapproval of the other readers in the library, who all looked up and cast reproachful glances her way.

However, the moment Mel rushed into the library, a rich scent of ink washed over her.

This was the scent Veronica always had, the familiar aroma that lingered in the air on countless quiet afternoons when they sat together.

In the past, this scent had always made Mel feel at ease, as if she were in a safe harbor.

But at this moment, this familiar scent of ink made her shudder for some reason.

The fragrance seemed to be laced with something strange and indescribable, like a deadly thorn hidden beneath a beautiful flower.

“Veronica!”

Mel's voice echoed in the quiet library, like a clap of thunder tearing through a peaceful sky.

The surrounding readers frowned, casting dissatisfied glances.

Someone even cursed under their breath, blaming this intruder for disturbing their reading.

But Mel couldn't be bothered with that now, her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings, searching the crowd for that familiar figure.

The bookshelves seemed like obstacles, the unfamiliar faces like a fog, hindering her steps in search of the truth.

“Tap tap tap—”

Mel's boots clicked on the wooden floor, making a crisp sound.

The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet library, like some ominous rhythm.

She walked quickly through the rows of bookshelves, her eyes scanning the various figures between them.

Every corner, every shadow, could be hiding the person she was looking for.

Mel's heart raced, her breathing became rapid, and a strange sense of fear spread in her heart.

Finally, upon reaching the fifth row of bookshelves, Mel saw the familiar figure.

Veronica was standing in front of a bookshelf, intently organizing a pile of ancient books.

Her slender fingers gently brushed over the yellowed pages, her movements soft and elegant, as if caressing some precious treasure.

“Mel, what are you doing here?”

Hearing the voice, Veronica looked up, revealing her usual gentle smile, a smile as warm as sunshine, yet it made Mel's heart palpitate.

“Veronica, get out of here, quickly!”

Mel strode forward as she spoke, grabbing Veronica's wrist.

The force of her grip was so great it nearly left a red mark on her fair skin.

Veronica frowned in pain, but still maintained a gentle tone:

“Shh—we must be quiet in the library, Mel.”

Not knowing what was happening, Veronica was still quietly admonishing Mel, as if she were just a common troublemaker.

However, Mel's eyes shone with unconcealable anxiety and fear.

“There's no time for that now, the God's descent ritual is about to happen here!”

Mel forcefully pulled Veronica towards the exit, her voice tinged with hysteria.

The voice echoed through the library, drawing more disapproving looks.

Hearing this, a trace of confusion flashed in Veronica's eyes, but she obediently put down the books in her hand.

Her movements were elegant and composed, as if she didn't understand the danger Mel was talking about.

Just then, Mel suddenly noticed that the atmosphere around them had abruptly turned bizarre.

The people who had been engrossed in their reading all raised their heads now, turning them slowly with an almost mechanical movement.

Their gazes were empty and cold, as if controlled by some invisible force.

There was no confusion in those eyes, no anger, only a terrifying blankness.

Everyone was looking at them.