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Anvis frowned slightly; he had no impression of this book, and its author probably wasn't even slightly famous.
How did such a book enter the Family's Great Library?
Could its material possess high collectible value?
Wondering somewhat maliciously about the book's origins, Anvis quickly perused it.
The pages were akin to parchment, tinged with the unique light yellow of old books. The internal text was written in faint silver High Elf script.
The first half contained several absurd High Elf long poems, while the latter half featured some abstract sketches, seemingly random landscapes by the author.
Judging by the style of these poems, Anvis deduced that the book's creator, 'Hill,' probably lived around the mid-to-late Golden Age.
Given the rare and casual structure of the first half's text, the latter half's illustrations, and the few blank pages at the end, it likely was just a random note-like creation.
However, Anvis noticed that the last page of the poems had blurred writing, and the page itself was slightly darkened.
"No magic fluctuation, and the content is worthless."
After skimming through it once, Anvis slightly furrowed his brows, gazing at the dark green cover while unconsciously stroking his chin.
Once in hand, the peculiar feeling of intimacy became more pronounced, but that was all.
Unwilling to give up, he flipped through it backward again, paying special attention to the slightly darkened page, yet found nothing.
Anvis abandoned his research on the book's content, bringing together his index and middle fingers to delicately stroke the book's surface, appreciating the texture of the cover. Occasionally, he tapped twice to listen to the feedback sound.
Afterward, he brought his nose close, carefully smelling the material's surface odor.
After hesitating for a while, he even used his tongue to perceive the taste.
After a long inspection, Anvis was somewhat surprised to discover that the material of the book's cover did not belong to any known materials he had encountered!
This was a highly unusual circumstance, especially since in his previous life, young Anvis held the Master Mage title.
Its rarity could be imagined, given it was a material unknown even to him.
Anvis fell into contemplation, dimly understanding that the next step should be to establish a spiritual power connection with the book.
However, the book felt unusually eerie to him, and unlike an undying Player, he had to consider the risk of such an action.
......
"That's it, so I hope to get your help."
In the Moon Castle study, the Duke sat behind his expansive Black Dragon Blood Wood writing desk, listening attentively to Anvis's account.
A peculiar and exquisite hourglass rested in a corner of the desk, suspended within a transparent crystal prism on the base. Fine silver sand, shimmering with blue starry radiance, fell like water, creating a faint rustling sound.
Having understood the whole story, the Duke nodded approvingly, affirming Anvis's prudence in informing him about the entire situation and requesting his assistance to check for any danger.
"Your choice is very correct, Anvis! One can never be too cautious with unidentified mysterious items, no matter how small they are.
It's important to remember that the probability of a pie and a trap is often equal.
As a bloodline heir of the Olivendi Family, never place yourself in a dangerous situation at any moment!"
As he spoke, the Duke tapped the desk lightly, and an icy blue miniature array flashed under his finger. Moments later, Leonard the butler's upright figure appeared at the door.
"Your Grace, what are your orders?"
"Go to the miscellaneous section of the third area in the Book Collection Room, find a book called 'Poem of Hill,' and bring it here. This is the authorization plate."
Taking out a silver plate engraved with the family crest, Duke Carrot casually handed it to Leonard.
In less than half a minute, the butler returned to the study, placing the book and the plate on the desk before quietly leaving the room.
"Is this the book?"
"Yes, Father."
Without needing a careful inspection, upon Leonard's second return to the study, Anvis immediately sensed that same familiar feeling of affinity.
Without a doubt, it originated from that thick book on the desk.
The Duke gestured, and the dark green thick book flew into his hand, as he began to slowly leaf through it in the sunlight casting through the elegant arched window.
"Father, have you discovered anything?"
Anvis watched the Duke's actions quietly, his tone tinged with a bit of curiosity.
"Its material is somewhat unusual, seemingly originating from some extraordinarily ancient creature."
Speaking, Duke Carrot channeled a wisp of Ninth Rank spiritual power into the book.
However, his initially relaxed expression gradually turned serious, a flash of gravity appearing in his azure eyes.
Entirely unexpectedly, under the powerful Ninth Rank spiritual power probing, the book showed no signs of magic fluctuation or unusual feedback, as if it were just an ordinary artisan book.
"No anomalies? Interesting... Anvis, do you still feel that sensation now?"
Staring at the unchanged dark green tome, the Duke's azure eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yes, Father."
Anvis glanced at the book in the Duke's hand with some longing and nodded in affirmation.
"Good, then take it and use your spiritual power to connect with it. If there's any problem, I will immediately sever the connection, so there's no need to worry—"
Without the Duke making any visible movements, the dark green heavy tome levitated from his hand, gently floating towards Anvis.
Anvis took a deep breath, reaching out to catch it and extending his spiritual power to connect with it.
In an instant, a strange transformation occurred.
In Anvis's gaze, the book's surface began emitting an ominous and sinister dark 'aura.'
Pitched shadows flowed like water from the faint silver letters on the cover, gradually spreading outward.
Soon, the original faint silver title was completely engulfed, the shadow morphing into an amorphous dark mass, writhing to occupy the center of the cover.
On the book's back, the original faint silver warm sun symbol had now transformed into a pitch-black scorching sun.
The surrounding sunlight became distorted and chaotic, resembling countless writhing tentacles, exuding an eerie and abhorrent sensation.
Accompanied by the book's transformation, indistinct and cryptic whispers echoed in the depths of Anvis's mind.
This voice made his spirit slightly dazed, as it was like no language he knew. He even suspected it could not be produced by human vocal cords.
The surrounding environment gradually began to distort, with light becoming slightly warped and blurred.
The colors of various objects became intense and vivid, like an old photograph with the contrast turned to maximum.
The hourglass's original faint and orderly rustling sound, at some point, had become clear, chaotic, and frenzied, like some disjointed background noise from the depths of a deserted universe.
Anvis paid no attention to the environmental changes as he flipped the book back to the front for the second time.
By now, the dark shadow mass seemed to have completely assimilated the original faint silver lettering.
Once again, it twisted and deformed, forming two faintly wriggling dark High Elf script words in the original book title position.
"Ancient Secret Scripture?①"
.
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①: The original is two connected High Elf words, the first meaning: past; ancient; long time, the second is secret; mystery; hidden knowledge.
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