Chapter 76: Endowed Splendor

Ophir and the team are now sitting on a glamorous living area. The owner of the house was said to be the daughter of a well known author to this era. When the daughter arrived she introduced herself weakly but politely.

"Thank you for making an effort to heed our invitation. I am Ahava Salecah."

The Tale Bearers bowed down and acknowledge her greetings and introduction. Ahava looked like an angel with royal purple hair and golden eyes. Her white and green lace dress made her more fair and flawless.

According to the author's daughter her father got inflicted by some illness that made her father just sleep on the bed since last month. When the team checked the sleeping middle age man. His skin looked unhealthy. His skin is starting to get dry due to the lack of moisture within his body.

Urchin tried to check his past engagement and Urchin just saw the natural and routinely habbit of the old man. He met the same people in the span of one month. He rarely went out and just stayed at his library. All in all, the problem was not outside of the house nor inside of the house. It might have been from the person he met repeatedly.

Ophir convinced Lehi to try her oil on him. Lehi extended and moist his body in oil but it's not absorbed by his skin. Lehi said that it seem something invisible is blocking her oil. Hexel raised his sword to thrust the old man but the wound did not bleed. The contact was there but there was no response coming out from his system.

Ophir devided the team, Kiel,Lehi and Ahava will interview and chit chat with the people he had contact for a month. Ophir, Nevi and Natalina will read all his published book for any clue and Hexel with Urchin will stay with the sleeping man.

The books he wrote were poems and resesrches. Ophir and Nevi take on the researches while Natalina will study the poems. On the process Natalina has been a translator rather than a reader, she's been checking the dictionary most of the time than advancing from a single page. Nevi and Ophir find themselves getting dizzy due to the small blank ink and long phrases that they can't even recognize a comma or period. The author's name is AHL SALECAH.

Kiel and Lehi disguised themselves as Ahava's maid and butler. Ahava sent an invitation to those people with the tease that she will be giving a free copy of her father's researches. Truthfully the men he encountered that month were all present during the chitchat. Lehi and Kiel are observing each individual and strangely all the guest requested a copy of single research.

Kiel and Lehi got escorted by Ahava to the library and saw Ophir and Nevi asleep while Natalina got covered by dictionaries with different languages.

Kiel marched silently at Ophir and Nevi, He raised his palm on air and slammed the table in front of the two. They both jolted up and is embarrassed because Kiel is having a good time grilling them.

Ophir and Nevi got informed by Ahava that they all wanted a single research book and that would be entitled

Three-fourths. The team searched for the said book and found it under the table. It got used by Ophir as a foot rest. Ophir picked it up and he blew, wipe and eventually apologised to Ahava.

Ahava gasped when she remembered her father talking about this research book ever since she was a kid. She was so immersed in becoming a letter writer to their Kingdom that she neglected her favourite time with her father.

Kiel looked at the book and recalled seeing it somewhere, this was the book assigned by Cyrus to him with Aleph to study but got interrupted due to Lehi's disappearance. Ophir can't help but command the team to don't touch it and had Natalina seal it with her beryl.

Ophir sent a letter to Cyrus concerning this book and had Novena skimmed to it because she might be able to decode the book. Ahava instantly went to her room to look for something. She remembered her father writing a brief summary of the research in a poem. She checked her notes and found the title.

The team immediately skimmed through the pages of poems and Nevi was able to locate it. Natalina read it out loud for the team to heed.

Darkness Perceived as Light

"Awl with blood unwashed is now black.

Integrity and love is something I lack.

The depth of my pit was unlock

Wings, crowns and beings had it block

Keys are beheld by worm within the wood,

Cup of wrath had the stars fallen half a third.

The words are perverted like a sulfur rain

My sight have seen what is in the main."

Ophir knew the message behind the poem but choosed not to speak about it and he had the team assured that Cyrus and Novena will be able to decode it. He dismissed the team and had them rest. Hexel and Urchin resign for the day without anything unusual from their post.

Cyrus recieved the letter and had himself scolded by Mem. It was Mem who was petering him to check and survey that research book sent by Ahl Salecah. Cyrus can't help but shrink from Mem's automatic megaphone yapping. Novena just sweat drop at Mem who is giving a sermon to the stern King.

Cyrus was relieved to see Novena came in because that will save his ear drums from breaking. Novena was actually taken aback when she saw the book. It was something that is not supposed to be acquired and written without having a connection to someone who is like her. Novena heared before that someone among them hanged himself due to the betrayal he committed but having someone to even publish it under their nose is something that bothered Novena. Novena requested to be sent at the Tale Bearer's location. Cyrus was surprised but agreed and had Lila open a portal for her. Novena can't help but think that the Harpsichord are in great danger.