Fate and Bloodline

At the entrance to a dim painting room somewhere in the castle, Madam Deren softly instructed Dago about something.

"Lord Avery Huntington is waiting for you inside. Do not try to deceive him. He is far wiser and more powerful than you can imagine."

Dago said nothing. He reached out and pushed open the painting room's door. Light from the corridor outside passed over him, casting a long shadow across the floor, but the shadow quickly vanished, melting like ink into the room's original darkness.

His eyes flickered. He let out a soft breath and stepped inside.

Click—

The painting room door closed behind him, and the room sank into profound darkness.

Dago tried his best to make out the room's interior, but even his extraordinary eyesight could not catch sight of anything. The spiritual power he released seemed to be completely swallowed by the surrounding darkness, without the slightest feedback.

Just as he was considering what to do next, a faint light suddenly appeared in the room.

The light came from directly ahead, gradually illuminating everything in the room.

Dago narrowed his eyes and saw a gaunt, elderly old man sitting with his back to him on a tall stool near the source of the light.

Before the old man stood an oil painting. It depicted an extremely young girl with skin as pale and delicate as milk, and violet eyes.

The girl stood amid blooming violets. The pale blue and light purple flowers seemed to have been touched by a breeze, swaying gently upon the canvas.

It was not only the flowers that moved. The girl in the oil painting moved as well.

She stared fixedly at Dago with clear, innocent eyes filled with curiosity, as though she were carefully examining him from head to toe.

Gradually, the