Darian’s expression was blank.

He stared dully at the lord’s head, which had rolled onto the ground, watching it gather dust. The face still seemed to retain that trace of a smile as it tumbled.

The head came to a stop.

Darian continued to stare blankly, his lips moving unconsciously as if he had lost the ability to speak, emitting only a few confused, broken syllables.

"Father...?"

I should comfort him. At a time like this, I ought to say something, offer some words of condolence.

But my throat felt blocked, unable to utter a single word.

...The day after my father's body was found, many people also surrounded me, saying many, many things.

But at the time, I only found them unbearably noisy and wanted them all to shut up.

Having no words, I silently stepped aside. The sunlight, unobstructed, fell upon the lord.

The smooth, severed neck wound, the still-neat collar and pristine white gloves were all clearly visible in the bright sunlight.

Darian let out two muffled, indistinct sobs from his throat, his features twisting in agony, shoulders shaking violently.

He stumbled forward to the lord’s body, reaching out a trembling hand as if to touch the cold remains, but stopped midway, ultimately sinking powerlessly to his knees, gazing vacantly ahead.

After hesitating for a few seconds, I walked to his side and said softly, "Young Master Darian, we must go."

It took Darian’s gaze a while to slowly focus. He grabbed my wrist, using it as support to rise slowly from the ground like someone recovering from a severe illness.

"Yes... I know. We must... quickly find another way out. Silverleaf Town must be in chaos by now. Young man, what are your thoughts?"

I stated the strategy I had already devised.

"Find the 'Eye of the Astral God' and seek its guidance. The person who took the crystal is dead... in that case, it should have entered this world of the dead along with the body."

Darian said in surprise:

"You want to use the 'crystal' to find a way out? But isn't this... the method 'Father' suggested?"

I replied:

"I believe the lord did not lie about using the 'crystal' to replace the 'holy water.' He merely misled me into thinking the eyeball on the stage was the crystal.

"Moreover, Young Master Darian, I don't think we have any other reliable options at the moment... Seeking that true crystal is probably our only possible path to success."

Darian pondered for a moment, then said:

"You're right. I will steel myself. So, where is the 'Eye of the Astral God' likely located?"

"Undoubtedly with the body. As for the body..."

The dancers in the ballroom were likely townspeople who died tragically during the ritual, but Basile was not among them.

I struggled to search my chaotic memory for the location, scanning the surroundings of the ballroom. I quickly found the long table where Rosemary had emptied the contents of her horn cup. Using it as a reference, I identified the path.

The path was empty, save for Basile's headless corpse lying not far ahead... A few steps in front of the body, half-buried in the dirt, was that small, intricately carved wooden box.

Darian forced a faint smile onto his face, tinged with a sliver of hope:

"That's the box! Father did say the Astral cultist placed the crystal in such a box... I'll go retrieve it now!"

I grabbed Darian.

"Wait. Something's wrong. The other deceased seem to be in the ballroom. Why is he alone lying here?"

Darian grew somewhat impatient.

"But, young man, as you said, we only have the path of 'retrieving the crystal.'"

"Correct. Please stay behind me and guard our surroundings."

"You'll take the lead? But your magical power is already..."

"No problem. My goal is not yet achieved. I absolutely will not die here."

Darian silently looked at me for a few seconds, then nodded gravely.

"Then, I leave everything to you, Adam Hamer."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but show a faint smile.

Sylvia would probably do this. When we return, I'll tell her about my performance.

...Would she then also see me as a comrade, like Mr. Wilson, someone she could communicate with as an equal and fight alongside?

I took a deep breath, dispelling distracting thoughts, and walked toward the corpse.

Ten meters, five meters, two meters.

Basile's corpse lay less than a meter ahead, lying quietly face down.

A breeze passed, causing his brown hair to flutter slightly, his hands splayed powerlessly on his chest.

The surroundings were abnormally quiet, with only the consciously lightened footsteps of Darian and myself.

The carved wooden box lay overturned in front of the corpse, mere centimeters from his fingertips, also within my reach.

Holding my breath, I lightened my steps as much as possible, slowly crouching beside the box. My eyes never left Basile's corpse, especially his limp hands. Then, I extended my hand extremely slowly toward the wooden box.

The moment my fingertips just touched the cold, hard texture of the box, a sudden change occurred! Basile's splayed fingers twitched violently!

My heart leaped in terror, and I almost immediately sprang back. But then, a filthy, gutted, plump rat squeaked as it scrambled out from under his loosened palm and scurried away in panic.

...Hah, just a rat.

I snatched up the box and straightened up. Not daring to let my guard down, I continued to watch the corpse intently, slowly backing away.

Only after retreating a meter did I let out a small sigh of relief and turned to look at Darian.

Darian was still standing in place, watching me along with Basile's head behind him.

It had swollen to the height of three men, occupying the entire path. Its eyes were gray and vacant, yet its mouth carried a smile.

It opened its pitch-black maw wide.

Darian was completely unaware of all this. He even called out to me with post-crisis relief:

"Young man! Excellent! Quickly open the box..."

"RUN!!!"

I snapped back to my senses, shouting sharply, grabbing the still-stunned Darian's wrist, and using all my strength to yank him forward!

"Run! Don't look back!"

Darian shuddered violently, evidently also sensing the terrifying presence behind him. Without further hesitation, he broke into a desperate sprint alongside me.

I immediately turned and ran with all my might in the direction opposite the giant head!

I was already running with everything I had, squeezing the last ounce of strength from my body, but the light before me was still rapidly dimming, while the dense, swamp-like stench of decay behind me grew heavier.

A massive shadow, almost tangible, fell before me. From the corner of my eye, I could even glimpse the approaching, cracked edge of the gigantic maw.

...Not good! I consumed too much magical power earlier, and I'm injured... I can't keep up the speed! I'm going to be caught!

Darian, running ahead of me, shouted while sprinting:

"Young man! The crystal! Use that crystal!"

"I know!"

Trembling, almost tearing at the wooden box in my arms, I ripped it open!

However, it was empty inside.

Damn it... damn it all! The crystal wasn't brought into this world along with it?

Dammit, think, think of something! There must still be...

I suddenly tripped over a pebble.

My legs gave way, the world spun before my eyes, and I crashed heavily onto the ground that rushed up to meet me.

Intense pain shot through my face, scattering my consciousness into chaos.

"Young man! Get up! I..."

Darian screamed, but in the next instant, my vision completely darkened as I was swallowed into the mouth.

Simultaneously, a cheerful male voice rang out.

"Sacofigus."

Then a crisp female voice.

"Sacofigus!"

Followed by a child's high-pitched cry.

"Sacofigus!"

Countless overlapping, insane whispers once again flooded over me like a tide, as if a hundred thousand voices were cheering in unison, shouting that forbidden name.

I felt myself lying on something slippery, warm, like a massive tongue, surrounded by writhing darkness.

I tried weakly to push myself up, but slipped and fell heavily again.

Ahh... damn it... in the end, is this it?... Still can't escape...

As my consciousness began to drift away, I suddenly felt something furry and soft beneath me.

Instinctively, I raised it before my eyes and realized it was that... gutted, plump rat that had escaped from Basile's hand earlier! It had somehow been swallowed along with me!

...Inside the rat's slit-open, bloody abdomen, something seemed to be faintly glowing?

As if grasping the last lifeline, I suddenly regained my senses.

Disregarding the disgusting blood, filth, and entrails, I thrust my hand into the rat's belly and pulled out that hard, faintly glowing object.

It was a beautiful, oval-shaped crystal, its color like blue-purple nebulae, with a bright platinum pupil-like point at its core, shimmering in the darkness.

The "Eye of the Astral God"! It was hidden inside the rat's belly!

I stared incredulously at the crystal in my hand. Immense elation and the will to survive flared up like fire, reigniting my fading consciousness!

At the same time, a familiar, bone-deep, gentle female voice clearly sounded in my ear:

"Adam, sorry about this. What comes next might be a bit disgusting. Close your eyes for a moment."

Immediately after, a series of dense, swift, ice-chip-scattering sword strikes erupted violently around me.

Viscous liquid splattered everywhere. The insane whispers turned into terrified, pained shrieks, then swiftly vanished.

When I felt the surrounding蠕动 and pressure completely disappear and cautiously opened my eyes again, I found myself back on that path.

Before me was no longer the terrifying interior of the giant maw, but a scene of chaotic battle. Splattered, foul-smelling dark red flesh and gore littered the ground, headless corpses strewn about.

And standing in the center of this bloody carnage was the figure I had tried with all my might to find.

Silver hair flowed like a moonlit waterfall. Cobalt-blue eyes remained clear, though bearing a trace of post-battle fatigue.

The ice sword in her hand was slowly dissipating, its blade untainted by a single drop of blood.

She looked at me and offered a relieved smile.