That evening, everyone was gathered in the large dining room. Conversations flew from all sides. Only Katrina, silent, and Asher, completely mute, remained withdrawn.
Miria set down her utensils and straightened up.
"Well… I think I owe some explanations to certain people. Since it's starting to trouble them."
She finished with a bitter smile. All eyes turned toward her. The tension became palpable.
"Without lying to you… at first I didn't understand what was happening to me. But some time ago, I finally understood."
She took a deep breath.
"And to begin with… I know where the grimoire is."
A deathly silence fell, followed by an explosion of voices.
"WHAT?!"
"How is that possible?!" Bryan exclaimed.
"I thought you didn't know!" Axel added.
"Are you serious, Miria?!" Marlie asked.
"But how…?" Katrina murmured.
Miria raised her hand to silence everyone.
"I didn't know… until my memory fully returned. It's a bit complicated to explain."
Asher, who had said nothing all evening, frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Miria looked at each of them.
"Everyone here knows what the grimoire is. That the founders created it. That it contains powerful spells and the knowledge of the four clans. And that Vareck, their apprentice, is looking for it in order to dominate the world."
Everyone nodded.
"However… you don't know the rest of the story."
Silence returned completely. Curiosity was at its peak.
Miria displayed a bitter smile.
"After the founders got wind of Vareck's intentions, they wanted to destroy the grimoire. But they failed."
"Why?" Kira asked.
"Because after accumulating so many spells and so much knowledge… the grimoire had created a kind of shield to protect itself. Even against its own creators. So they had to find another solution to prevent Vareck from seizing it."
She paused.
"That's when bad news reached Founder Noreen."
"What bad news?" Alix asked.
"One of her daughters was pregnant. But the pregnancy carried great risks. So the founders went to the daughter of Queen Noreen. Her daughter's name was Elara."
They examined Elara… and the diagnosis fell. She would not survive.
The founders racked their brains to find a way to save her. No solution. Until Founder Nell had an idea.
"What idea?" Eiden asked.
"She proposed taking the grimoire, transforming it into power… and transferring it to Elara to give her strength. That way, the grimoire would disappear."
A murmur of astonishment ran around the table.
"Seriously?!" Gale exclaimed.
"Really?!" Ray added.
"But… did it work?" Isabella asked.
Miria shook her head.
"It worked… fifty percent."
"And the other fifty?" Klaus asked.
Miria exhaled, irritated by the memory.
"The magic did enter Elara. It allowed her to give birth under good conditions. However… the baby that was born… had become the grimoire."
An icy silence fell over the room.