Chapter 383.1
Lost in contemplation, Eugene stared at the notebook, its pages devoid of new characters. She pondered how Flora might navigate the current confusion enveloping her. Confronted with the unsettling realization that her once-believed justice was tainted with malevolence, Flora would soon face a pivotal choice: to acknowledge her error or descend into villainy.
“Regardless, I hope Flora remains untangled from this conflict,” Eugene murmured to herself.
Closing the notebook, she exited her study into the adjoining parlor, where only a solitary sofa occupied a corner. Presently serving as a makeshift research space, the room lacked any significant furnishings.
Magic circles varied in size according to their purpose. Those employed in crafting magical notes were diminutive, fitting comfortably in one’s palm, whereas those intended for transportation enchantments, such as those Flora left in her hotel room, spanned wide enough to accommodate multiple individuals.
To facilitate her research, Eugene devised a solution for easier access. Using a white marble slab laid upon the parlor floor, she meticulously recreated Flora’s portable magic circles in size and form, using black paint. These replicas, however, were imbued with charcoal powder, rendering them inert—what practitioners termed “dead magic.” Adrit had enlightened her on this ancient technique, used by tribes of old to depict magic circles without activating them during study.
Amongst the black lines of the replicated circles, traces of Eugene’s study were evident, with numerous red lines and scribbled annotations adorning the surface.
Eugene moved with deliberate steps around the magic circles, absorbing the notes she had penned. The deeper she delved into magic, the more entrancing it became. Initially, she felt confident in her grasp of the subject, yet with each revisit, new interpretations emerged, accompanied by perplexing queries.
This part here is a connecting link. This side is a path, and this side is blocked.
Seating herself on the floor, a crimson pencil gripped in hand, Eugene annotated newfound insights onto the magic circle. As she etched, a cascade of ideas flooded her mind, compelling her to record them onto the floor.