Verse 5.
From the ancient writings of Julichorn
When the world did not yet know the name of the ancient Order,
The black Sun held the sealed, holy gates of unbridled magic.
It held stories that had no solution, and mysteries that had no end.
Their Sun was not a curse, but a guardian of the primordial darkness, and magic was not bound by the laws of mortals.
And the day will come when the Son of the Black Sun will appear, born from the last unsolved story.
And he will grant the world an endless Magical Darkness in which every mystery will gain power.
~~~
There was absolute Silence in Camelot’s bedroom.
Tatiana stopped breathing.
Just for a second.
But it was enough to make her eyes widen.
Her face changed so abruptly that Camelot realized everything even before she answered.
Got…
He didn’t know what a Black Sun was.
But now he knew the most important thing.
The woman in front of him knew all about it.
«How…»
Her voice faltered for the first time.
Camelot kept a straight face.
«It doesn’t matter anymore.»
I hope…
Tatiana slowly lowered her rapier.
«So you found out after all.»
Camelot remained silent.
I don’t know anything.
But outwardly, he looked like he understood what was happening.
«You have no idea what you’ve interfered with, Camelot.»
«Then explain.»
Tatiana stared at him for a long time.
Then she said softly,
«Black Sun doesn’t want you dead for nothing.»
She ran her fingers over the hilt of her rapier.
«You are in the way.»
«Of what?»
«Of the return.»
Camelot frowned.
«The return of what?»
Tatiana looked up.
«Radiance.»
Camelot felt an unpleasant chill.
«The black Sun should shine again.»
Adrian, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, frowned.
«What nonsense.
Did you take some medicine before going to bed?»
Tatiana looked at him sharply.
«You don’t know enough about your own family.
And about my mother.»
«And thank God.»
She grinned.
«That’s why you don’t understand, your family has to disappear.»
Camelot clenched his fingers.
«Now explain it to me.»
Tatiana looked at him almost with regret.
«Your family was once more than just a family of artists.»
She pointed to the bedroom walls.
«The Canham saw things that others couldn’t see.»
«The art of magic?»
«More.»
Tatiana took a step back.
«They could see the traces of power left in the world.
Events that should have disappeared from memory.
Secrets that couldn’t be written down in ordinary words.»
Camelot remembered the talking painting this afternoon.
And his own silver grimoire.
«Is that why our ancestors created paintings?»
«Yes.»
Tatiana nodded.
«They weren’t just painting.» her voice became quieter.
«They were solving stories.»
Camelot froze.
«What other stories?»
«Deaths.
Disappearances. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Wars.
Curses.
Magical disasters.
They found the causes of events that no one else could understand.»
Tatiana looked at him.
«And every time they dispelled one of the mysteries…»
She stopped talking.
«What was going on?»
«The unbridled power was getting weaker.»
Camelot felt a chill pass through the room.
Tatiana looked out the window.
Behind the glass, the night sky was completely black.
«The one who will one day become the Black Sun.»
Camelot was silent.
Suddenly, a grimoire appeared in front of him.
[Information related to a hidden plot has been discovered.
]
[ Access is restricted.
]
[Reason: lack of knowledge.]
Camelot chuckled slightly.
Even you’re teasing me now?
Tatiana continued:
«The Canhams have been hindering him for decades.»
She clenched her fist.
«Every secret they solved weakened him.
Each painting became another chain.»
Camelot looked at the wall.
They were no longer works of art.
They were seals.
Records.
Keys.
And maybe a weapon.
«So the Black Sun needs the Canham family dead?»
«Not really.»
Tatiana looked at Camelot.
«Do we have to be without eyes?»
«Without the gift of untangling magical knots.»
She smiled.
«If the Council recognizes tomorrow that your family has lost the opportunity to see magical art…»
Tatiana paused.
«…The Canhams will no longer be able to solve stories.»
[Main Task Updated.]
[New information discovered.]
[The true reason for the Canham family’s threat.]
The silence of the manor was shattered by the sound of broken glass.
Crack!
Shards of glass fell to the stone floor.
Somewhere in the neighboring wing, a door slammed, then hurried footsteps were heard.
«What’s going on?»
«There’s a commotion in the master’s room.»
«Call the Viscount.»
The Canham Manor started to wake up.
The sleepy voices of the servants mingled with the rumble of the doors opening.
Candles were lit in the corridors, and figures in night clothes appeared one by one.
Camelot tightened his grip on his sword.
«It’s over, Tatiana.»
The woman looked at him and suddenly smiled.
«No.»
She raised her left hand.
A dark circle tattoo appeared on her palm.
Inside it were strange curved lines resembling the sun’s rays.
The Black Sun.
Camelot felt his skin crawl.
«This is…»
The tattoo flared up.
At first, a faint purple color.
Then it gets brighter.
A red glow began to spread across Tatiana’s arm, as if red-hot threads had ignited under her skin.
The grimoire instantly opened before Camelot’s eyes.
[Unknown magical ability has been detected.]
[Analysis is not possible.]
[Energy Source: Black Sun.]
«What are you going to do?»
Tatiana did not answer.
She pointed her palm at the window.
Bang!
A concentrated beam shot out from her hand.
He hit the glass wall directly.
The window flew outward, and with it part of the wooden frame.
Camelot covered his face with his hand.
«That’s it.
I didn’t know that such a thing happened.»
When he took his hand away, Tatiana was already moving.
She grabbed Adrian by the collar of his clothes and yanked him off the floor.
«Hey!
Go easy on me!»
Adrian tried to resist.
«Where are you taking me?»
She grabbed his arm and dragged him to the broken window.
Camelot finally understood her intentions.
«Adrian!»
He rushed forward.
But Tatiana was already at the window.
«I command you.
Let him go!»
Adrian tried to say something, but his bound hands wouldn’t allow him to hold on properly.
«Camelot, help!»
Tatiana turned around.
Their eyes met.
«We’ll meet again.
And then I will definitely deprive you of your eyesight.»
«Tatiana!»
She stepped into the void.
For a moment, Camelot thought they were going to fall down.
But a red light flashed around Tatiana’s legs.
The air trembled.
Their silhouettes seemed to disappear in a crimson flash.
Disappeared into the void…
Camelot reached the window.
Late.
Neither Tatiana nor Adrian.
«Damn…»
He clenched his fists.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
«Sir, are you okay?»
The door swung open.
Several servants rushed into the room.
Arthur appeared next.
«Camelot!»
The Viscount quickly looked around the room.
A broken window.
Glass fragments.
There’s blood on the floor from a small scratch.
The sword in Camelot’s hand.
And the empty space where Adrian had been a few seconds ago.
«Where is my son?»
Camelot was silent.
He was looking out the broken window.
The last moment replayed in my head.
Tatiana could have left alone.
But she took Adrian.
Why?
The grimoire slowly turned the page.
[Secondary assignment updated]
[ “The Man Who Will Die Today” ]
[Status: Threat changed.]
[Assignment Target: Adrian Canham.]
Camelot froze.
What?
A new message appeared on top of the previous one.
[Warning.]
[Target has left the Canham Manor.]
[Time to target’s expected death: Unknown.]
Camelot slowly clenched his fist.
He finally understood.
Tatiana didn’t just run away.
She took with her the man whom the grimoire called the future victim.
Which means his secondary assignment has just become much more difficult.