The humans returned to their room for a eting. The two NPCs insisted on following them and refused to leave, but at this point, no one paid them any mind. What urgently needed discussion now was Lucian’s proposal.
To cooperate or not to cooperate with Lucian?
"We definitely can’t refuse Lucian’s request if we want to uncover more of this castle’s secrets," Cocona said in a low voice.
That’s right—even though it could bring great danger. Moreover, no one knew if Lucian’s promises would hold any weight.
Benjamin slowly laid out the situation:
"So far, we’ve seen the imnse favoritism the old man and William show toward Lucian. We also overheard Lucian’s conversation with the monster in the water—it seems they’re sisters. The monster’s words might be valid, or they might be manipulations designed to hypnotize Lucian. But what we do know now is that the existence of the fish scale is real, and both sides—the monsters—seem to want it.
Mr. and Mrs. William have kept the fish scale while the underwater creature is trying to reclaim it. The fish scale plays a key role in this dungeon. First, we need to get our hands on it. Only then can we deal with what cos next?
And let’s not forget—we still have a mission to eliminate the monster. We don’t know how powerful it will beco once it has the fish scale."
The others nodded, agreeing with Benjamin’s reasoning.
"Working with soone who uses their brain is always easier." Cocona continued,
"I’m leaning toward the theory that Lucian’s sister is the monster we need to destroy. So of her words are likely true, and so are lies.
If they’re true, then the William family are just regular humans who’ve gained power from the fish scale while she was born a monster—and that’s why she’s been sealed at the bottom of the water."
"Then shouldn’t we explore the bottom of the lake a little?" Bella asked, her face lighting up as if she wanted to go imdiately.
Ron looked at her, speechless.
"Don’t talk like it’s so amusent park. We don’t even know what’s down there—or what kind of limitations we might face."
"Exactly. No recklessness. Let’s focus on getting the fish scale first," Benjamin said.
Bella stuck out her tongue. "Geez, I was just joking."
"And you, Leonard," Cocona turned to him sternly.
"I hope you’ll be able to demonstrate the strength the organization evaluated you for. This place has no room for cowards."
Leonard lowered his head and said quietly,
"I understand."
"I just don’t get what’s so special about Eryon that his death could ss you up like this," Bella muttered with a shrug.
Leonard pressed his lips together before finally speaking:
"I felt sothing... different about Eryon."
Cocona raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to go on.
At last, Leonard said quietly:
"I have this feeling... that he was Nerio."
The room sank into an eerie silence—then erupted with Cocona’s loud, derisive laughter.
"Hahaha—do you even hear what the hell you’re saying? Co on now, sure, Nerio loved to act, but he wasn’t that committed. He’s a god for crying out loud. If he were a god, Lucian wouldn’t have been able to take his head like that. We haven’t even found Eryon’s body yet, and you’re still clinging to this delusion?
There’s no Nerio here. Gods don’t have ti to care about us—at least not until we’re actually in danger."
[No, he is that free, hahahaha]
[Reasonable guess... but totally wrong, hahaha. Cocona sounding so sure of herself makes it even funnier, oh my god. I can’t wait to see her face when she discovers the truth—LMAO.]
[Am I the only one surprised that Leonard could sense Eryon might be Nerio? So that’s why he treated Eryon so specially?]
[I thought he just had a crush on Eryon, hahahahahaha]
[Nope. Leonard’s type is shota hahahahaha]
[Hahahahahaha, I’m laughing myself to death hahahahahahaha]
[Please, aren’t we supposed to be in a tense dungeon arc right now? What is going on with this comnt section? (btw I also think Leonard’s type is shota)]
[Literal pack of legal shotacons...]
[Things stopped being tense when Nerio showed up, but I still can’t leave—I need to see the humans’ expressions when they realize everything!]
[Am I the only one who pities Leonard? A believer tricked by the very god he worships]
Leonard bowed his head and said nothing more.
"Well then. Tomorrow morning, we’ll head up to the castle’s third floor to search," Benjamin concluded. After that, they all rested—tomorrow would be an important day.
Silvanus sat alone in his room. It was late at night, and the cold air in the castle had grown heavier. However, such things no longer bothered him. He was reviewing the conversation he’d had with Elena and the information he’d picked up from the comnt section.
When he was "bewitched" by Elena’s half-truths, the comnts had been relentlessly revealing the truth. Perhaps even they didn’t realize Silvanus had secretly absorbed the real truthiness.
The William family had never been wealthy. Mr. and Mrs. William were rely poor counts from a barren region long overlooked by their superiors.
Dissatisfied with this, the couple had done sothing unthinkable: they put their trust in a sorcerer and followed his instructions. They stole the rmaid’s fish scale, fully aware that it was a cursed object.
They continuously lured outsiders into the castle, using their blood to worship the rmaid’s scale. Over ti, their family grew more and more powerful—until they beca one of the wealthiest families in the empire. And yet, they never left their barren land.
Their lives beca better than ever. Their prosperity seed eternal as if the good days would never end.
But everything changed when Mrs. William gave birth to a pair of twins.
That’s right—twins. The younger sister was beautiful, angelic, with a graceful fishtail. The older sister, however, was ugly and grotesque, with an oversized fish head atop a small body.
The younger one was nad Lucian. And the older? None other than Elena.
Mr. and Mrs. William sensed sothing was wrong, but they still raised both children. Yet the older the twins grew, the more strange phenona began to occur.
They noticed fish scales on their legs, sprouting from their flesh—causing burning pain. The once fabulous castle no longer satisfied them. They felt constantly overheated. Everything was just too hot.
From then on, the castle was covered in ice stones and wet towels, ready at all tis to cool down Mr. and Mrs. William.
But the oddity of the couple and their children began to frighten the castle’s servants. Not even high wages could convince them to stay.
One by one, the servants quit, leaving Mr. and Mrs. William—already frightened by their abnormality—under increasing pressure.
During one resignation, Mrs. William lost her temper and demanded why. But the butler pushed to his limit by stress and fear, finally snapped and shouted that he didn’t want to serve monsters.
Mr. William, sitting beside them, shot up in rage—and by the ti they realized what had happened, the butler’s head had already fallen to the floor.
From that mont on, Mr. and Mrs. William knew... there was no turning back.
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