“Turn the page”
Hugo’s spine freezes up.
He didn’t make any unnecessary moments or tried to look directly at the source of the whisper.
He tries to make sense of what is happening.
‘I didn’t hear anyone come in.
How could someone be right beside me?
Was this person here form the beginning?
Or was someone had set a trap of some kind?
I am not yet harmed.
Nor they’re directly threatening me.
Or could this person be trying see through my reaction?’ Many thought come and go in his head.
However, he composed himself in less than ten seconds and did as he was asked to.
The next page of the book is about more rituals.
These rituals are related to fire domain of the branch burning depth.
In this ritual, one has to burn a candle in a completely dark room.
Then place the candle on top of the symbol provided in the book.
The individual will then pinch the wick of the candle as softly as possible.
If the result of the pinch is a still burning wick.
Then you are in the domain of fire in the branch burning depth.
Otherwise, no.
Hugo pretends to not understand by just looking at the symbols.
It would be best to not show that he can read the book.
Pretending that he has just stumbled upon the thing out of curiosity is reasonable.
A child would definably get tempted by such an odd object.
For five minutes, he continues to flip through the pages as the whisper told him to do.
Few of the pages were missing or damaged, making the information on them impossible to be find out.
This disappointed Hugo a lot.
He blames the owner of the book.
Or perhaps, the owner got the book at this condition too.
Regardless, it is an unfortunate situation.
In these five minutes, he has also comprehended one more thing.
The whisper sound familiar.
It is a voice that he has heard before.
Hugo remembers who this voice belongs to and determine that it belongs to Mel.
‘There is no denying it…’ He doesn’t want to confirm it by looking at the person.
it is just a guess.
But he is confident that it is Mel.
However, why would Mel be here?
Doesn’t she always stay in her room because of her trauma?
He had come to know that Mel’s experience as a prostitute might be far more terrifying than others.
People say that the man who rent her for the night.
Abused her for pleasure on daily bases.
He was obsessed with her and never let her sleep.
The abuse even went far enough that the man used to burn her skin to prevent her from sleeping all night.
Later the owner of the brothel found out about this man and never let him bank in her hotel.
But the damage was done.
Mel never slept properly after that day which caused her to have dark circles around her eyes.
Her body still hasn’t healed yet and Hugo himself has seen the marks.
It disturbed him a little so he kept his distance form her.
It is best for both of them.
She probably doesn’t want others to pry into her past.
However, currently that traumatized girl in beside him.
And he isn’t sure how did she get close to him without him realizing it.
There should be more of these domains but the book is missing many pages.
The last one confuses him a little and the ritual itself is quite odd.
In this affinity ritual, the individual has to collect and mend information into their flesh.
The carving has to be done with a needle that has been isolated from other’s sight for a week.
The information has to be unique and impossible to be stolen by other’s eyes.
After keeping that particular info on your body for 24 hours.
If it disappears, that means the ritual is a success.
If not, then it is a failure.
Hugo isn’t sure how information can be a domain.
But he doesn’t find such a thing too bizarre.
He does make a guess that information domain is related to secrecy and knowledge.
This particular ritual is of the branch that is of secrets or concealing.
There are two more branches in information.
But they’re missing.
After finishing all of the book that only had twenty pages.
He was counting.
He would’ve sigh but he didn’t as someone is beside him currently and he is pretending to be an illiterate in magic.
As he was about to close the book, he finds two lines.
‘A ritual of gaining power can lead to backlash cause of two reasons.
One is that the individual has made mistake while setting up the ritual.
Or an outside force has interrupted the ritual.’ Hugo narrows his eyes and finds these two sentences suspicious.
‘It didn’t imply a failure.
Instead, it said a backlash.
Could a ritual can cause much more than just harm or death?’ He takes note of it and will keep it in mind.
After closing the book, he hears the whisper.
“Look at me…”
Hugo finally looks beside him and finds Mel.
His guess was correct.
However, the person in front of him look quite abnormal.
Half of her body is covered in dark or is being hidden in darkness.
It would be hard to find her if few of the light is turned off.
She can hide well and blend into the darkness seamlessly.
He also notices that even her feet aren’t really touching the ground.
Perhaps, this technique suppressed her breathing and sound of footsteps.
Making it hard for him to notice her approaching.
She speak.
“Put the book back and meet me in my room.”
After saying that, her body also dissolves away.
She didn’t disappear but it is closed to that.
Hugo could only look at her oddity in absolute astonishment.
***
In Mel’s room.
As Hugo enters the room, Mel doesn’t waste any time with the pleasantries and get straight to the point.
“Kid, what you saw was a book of cursed rituals. Don’t try to write the symbols or replica anything that might be understood by you. It is best for you stay away from this world that is dangerous and will lead to suffering…”
He listens to her warnings and determines that she has been a victim of this world.
From her words, it sounded like she knew much more than he does.
But how much?
He isn’t sure.
She might also know how to read the book or she was just memorizing the symbols and words.
She continues.
“… You are still little and have a whole life ahead of yourself. Don’t snoop around these matters next time…” She thinks for seconds and then said.
“Olla shouldn’t have bring you in all this. But it isn’t her fault. She also doesn’t know anything about this cursed world. She is innocent. So, don’t try to talk to her about anything related to what I am saying.”
Hugo can’t help but find her words like a warning.
Like part taking in this will lead to terrible things.
Or doing that or this will lead to death.
He has already died so he knows that is up.
Her warnings are pointless to him a little bit.
However, he is still an amateur.
So, he didn’t ignore her warning either.
He will keep them in mind.
He then asks out of curiosity.
“Did you enter this world because of that… man?”
He has come to a conclusion that that man was the reason for her current condition.
It does make sense if one knew about these rituals.
Cautious people would rather first make others perform these rituals and see what will happen to them.
He hasn’t seen the world but he can make guess that there are many terrible people who would do anything for power and for their own safety.
Her being the victim of such an act can explain a lot.
However, he also didn’t rule out the fact that people are deprave and disgusting.
In these past four years as Hugo, he has seen many people do awful things in public.
Like that shopkeeper who enjoys hurting kids.
Or people who would rob those who showed them kindness.
If people can be terrible in the open.
He can’t imagine how people are when they’re alone.
Mel looks at the little boy with indifferent eyes.
She feels numb to it all and doesn’t even care about the question that has just been asked to her.
Many people have asked it to her and she has never told them anything.
There are reasons as she is still traumatized and doesn’t want to recall whatever has happened to her.
However, if that was all she wouldn’t have mind sharing it with people.
But this world that she has stepped into isn’t merciful.
So, she can only hide this secret with her… to keep herself safe.
Even she has come to know that in this world of cursed magic.
Only thing that she has to worry about is herself.
“Only that is to be known is that it was a terrible part of my life. There is nothing more to that. This world that I’ve experienced is cruel and unsightly side to it. Even if it looks like magical or wonderful, it is no fairy tale.”
She pauses for a second then continues.
“I don’t want to do anything with this world anymore. I wanted to see what was written in the book as a sign of caution. Don’t ask about it again to or anyone else. Also, you-”
She hesitates a little but only for a second.
Hugo doesn’t even notice it.
“…You shouldn’t bring this up when you tell us about your findings during our meeting. Remember to be normal and don’t bring suspicion to yourself. I don’t want you to harm me, Olla and Cie.”
After saying that she talks about what he should say in the meeting and then he is allowed to leave.
‘It makes sense why someone wouldn’t want to a part of it.
If I had a choice then I also wouldn’t want to do anything with it.
But I am much different form her and I need to get stronger to figure out the reason for my reincarnation.
Sigh.’
Before leaving, he finds that she left after him but he didn’t see where she even went.
It was just like before.
She blended with any dark spots of the place to hide.
He didn’t ask about what her ability was because he doesn’t want to provoke her.
He is just a little hopeful to know that there really are powers like these in this world.
If he get something like this then it would be amazing for him.
It also frightens him a little as he still young and weak.
He sighs inwardly and leaves.
He would try to do some ritual later in the night.