The Eclipse Moons Grimoire: Lilith's Soft Whispers

Codex 0: Sequentia I: Fragmentum XVI: Gamble for time

"Alright, let's discuss serious matters then," Eleanor's expression became solemn.

Sera nodded as she took the teapot and poured some tea into two cups with measured precision. She extended one cup towards Eleanor, who accepted it graciously. Meanwhile, Sera moved a plate of night snacks, including honey-glazed nuts and small savory tarts, towards her. As Eleanor enjoyed the tea, Sera lifted her own cup, bringing it to her lips for a delicate sip.

After relishing the flavor of the tea, Eleanor asked in a solemn tone, " Are you serious, when you said that you will allow Tia to come with us?"

"Is that the first thing you could think of?" Sera chuckled.

"Don't mince your words. You understand the gravity of this, don't you?"

Sera took a sip of her tea, then, with a meaningful gaze, she said, "Yes, I am serious. I made a promise to Liora, didn't I? And you know I always keep my word."

Eleanor became visibly elated and was about to say something, but Sera interjected, "But remember my words clearly. It happens only if Tia wholeheartedly agrees."

"Yes, yes, I know. We will only take her if she agrees." Eleanor seemed extremely excited. But Sera's next words poured a bucket of cold water on her.

"But I don't think it is possible."

"Why?" Eleanor asked with apprehension.

"I can't confirm it yet since they are still not of age, but I think there is a high possibility that Vina and Tia have a similar condition to me."

Eleanor's mouth opened, and she blanked out momentarily, "Are you serious?"

"As I said, I can't confirm it." Sera sipped her tea.

Eleanor clutched her head with both hands and screamed, "Aaah! Why is it like that? It's such a waste."

She took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth, "This doesn't make any sense. You know, after you left, I tried to investigate our ancestry, and a case like yours had never been recorded. This has never happened before. Just what went wrong with you?"

Sera shook her head, suggesting that she has no idea.

"If it is as you say, then our bloodline will be a curse to them as it has been for you."

Sera remained silent.

"Sister, you should just come with me along with Vina and Tia. You can't keep this up for long."

Sera shook her head.

"Sister, you can't rely on Lamia's Embrace haath phool forever. Those old hags will not allow you to keep that for long. You can't find other opportunities to gain credits large enough to possess the item. It is already a big deal that they allowed you to take it away for a few years. How much more time did they allow you to borrow it?"

"Calculating my recent contributions, another 2 years."

"2 years? That is too short. Tia and Vina may not reach adulthood by then," Eleanor said with a worried expression.

"I know. That is why it is imperative for me to accomplish what I had previously instructed in our correspondence."

Eleanor took a deep breath to compose herself, "Since you ascended to the position of Baroness and commenced dispatching letters under the guise of diplomacy, secretly guiding me on the necessary actions, everything has been proceeding seamlessly. I had Mother convey your request to Count Adrian a few years past. Discreetly, he dispatched an adept to Malachi to impart lessons in the dark arts. Upon completing his tutelage, this agent maintained covert communication with Malachi. Periodically, we fed information through him to influence Malachi's maneuvers. Additionally, he assists Malachi in covering his trails from the Marquess.