Inside the dungeon of Campbell Castle, the sound of chains scraping could be heard from time to time.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from outside the cell.
A young man opened the cell door and handed over a cup of black potion.
“Lady Laira, please drink the medicine…”
He held the cup with both hands and respectfully offered it.
Laira bit the cup and flung it away.
With the shattering sound of glass, the potion spilled all over the floor.
“If you want me to drink medicine, tell Campbell to come himself!”
“It’s been nearly ten years now. Why do you have to suffer like this?”
Laira turned her head away contemptuously, too lazy to even glance at the young man before her.
“Hmph, coward! This only makes me hate you more!”
Rien did not speak. He bowed deeply to Laira and then turned to leave.
Laira watched his back, her mouth opening and closing, but in the end, she said nothing.
With a harsh closing sound, the entire cell became dark once again.
At the hall of Campbell Castle.
“Reporting to Lord Campbell, today’s medicine—the young lady has drunk it all.”
Rien knelt on one knee, reporting to Campbell who was seated in a chair.
His eyes were bloodshot, and even his crimson pupils no longer looked human. Bones protruded, skin turned translucent, and even the blood vessels were clearly visible. Compared to a while ago, he had become even more hideous.
“Hmm, I see.”
Campbell said indifferently, picking up a wine glass and slowly swirling the dark red liquid inside.
“You may withdraw.”
Rien nodded lightly, stood up, and left.
Outside the door, a woman dressed luxuriously but with a dazed look in her eyes blocked his way.
“You, have you seen my child?”
The woman stared straight at him, as if trying to catch some information in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Vagri. I do not know where your child went.”
Rien said flatly, without a trace of emotion.
The woman still looked at him venomously, but she walked past him toward the hall.
“Madam…”
Rien was about to turn and stop her, but she had already entered the hall.
He lowered his head, clenching his fists tightly. He remembered that when the madam was still sane, she often took care of him when he first arrived. But now he didn’t even have the courage to stop her from going in. If he showed any weakness now, all his efforts would be in vain.
“I’m sorry…”
Inside the hall, the sound of an argument gradually arose.
“I remember! I remember everything!”
“I could accept that bitch’s child, but you even killed my own child!”
“So what? To me, Laira is even more important. She is the most crucial piece for my immortality!”
“I… I’ll kill you!”
The roar immediately turned into wailing, and then into utter silence—it only took a moment.
“…”
Rien was outside the door, gritting his teeth, not daring to make a sound.
“Rien!”
Campbell’s voice abruptly came out.
Hearing this sound, Rien’s heart jumped into his throat from fear.
‘So he knew all along that I was outside!’
‘Damn it! What now?’
‘Should I go in? I’ll definitely die!’
But while he hesitated, Campbell had already appeared before him.
“I was calling you, didn’t you hear?”
Rien looked up at those intimidating eyes.
But strangely, Campbell was completely still. Even the surrounding firelight stopped flickering.
“What… is this?”
A sudden sound came from above. Rien looked up and saw a humanoid figure composed entirely of different cubes descending slowly. The moment it landed, the figure transformed into Rien’s likeness. It reached out its hand toward Rien.
“Is this… asking me to take it?”
Rien hesitated, but eventually took hold of it.
After a flash of blinding light, everything returned to normal.
Campbell’s gaze at him changed for a moment. He walked straight past Rien, seeming to have no intention of attacking.
“Go clean up the hall. I’m a bit tired.”
Leaving these words, he walked away.
It was only after confirming that the other had left that Rien dared to breathe heavily. That feeling of having a blade to his throat nearly suffocated him.
“He just let me go? What is he thinking? And that bizarre thing—what is all this about?”
“Huff… forget it. I’d better complete that monster’s request first, so it doesn’t get suspicious.”
In the evening, Rien went to Campbell’s room as usual. He took a few deep breaths, then knocked on the door.
“Lord Campbell, it’s time for dinner.”
“…”
“Lord Campbell?”
But even after waiting a long time, there was no response. Moreover, the door was only slightly ajar.
‘What is that monster up to?’
Rien was momentarily baffled. He gently pushed the door open a crack and saw that the room was completely empty.
“Not here?”
“…”
“Please forgive my impertinence.”
Rien gathered his courage and entered, but all he smelled was a stench like a rotting corpse. But Campbell was indeed not there.
‘This might be a chance—the only chance!’
Realizing this, Rien immediately began ransacking the cabinets.
“Hurry… faster… at least find the keys before that bastard returns!”
Before long, Rien found several blackened keys in a corner of the cabinet. Without a second word, he grabbed the keys and ran toward the cell he had visited countless times.
‘Strange… how come I haven’t run into a single servant? At this hour, it shouldn’t be like this.’
Even knowing something was off, he had no choice but to continue. Because if he didn’t go, he would never escape.
He ran to the deepest part of the dungeon at top speed and, trembling, unlocked Laira’s chains.
“Rien? You…”
“Whatever you have to say, say it after we escape!”
Rien hoisted Laira onto his back and bolted toward the outside of Campbell Castle. Just like when he came, the vast Campbell Castle was still completely empty of people. This eerie silence made Rien’s skin crawl, and his sense of unease grew stronger. He even subconsciously increased his speed.
Before long, the two escaped from Campbell Castle. After walking for a while longer, they gradually began to see pedestrians moving about. Rien’s taut nerves finally relaxed.
“Lady Laira, let’s put in a little more effort and escape this damn place!”
Having said that, Rien set off again.
“For treating you that way before… I’m sorry.”
Leaning against his back, Laira said weakly.
“What are you saying? I am your butler, it’s my job to protect you.”
“Thank you…”
Somehow, Laira felt a sting in her nose, and tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes.
“Don’t be afraid, we’ll definitely get out.”
“Mm…”
The two arrived at Campbell City as fast as possible and rented a carriage. Rien finally got a moment to rest.
“Are you alright?”
Laira supported Rien, her eyes full of concern.
“Fine, I’m fine. Lady Laira, we finally escaped… cough…”
“Please don’t talk… you’ve exhausted yourself along the way!”
“Heh… it’s nothing. I’m just a little excited, but the only pity is that I couldn’t rescue Mrs. Vagri…”
“But I’m a bit… tired… let me rest first…”
Rien could no longer support himself, and he closed his eyes weakly, sinking into deep sleep.
He didn’t know how long had passed, but the carriage had already stopped. Rien rose groggily.
“Lady Laira, have we left the city?”
“Lady Laira?”
He looked inside the carriage, but there was no trace of Laira. He quickly jumped out of the carriage and looked around. Laira’s figure was right in front of him, but they were already enclosed inside a huge blood-red barrier. The moonlight filtered through the barrier, tinged with an eerie color.
“What… is this?”
Rien reached out to touch it, but was immediately repelled.
“Alright, everything is set. Now, let’s begin.”
A chilling voice sounded behind Rien. Turning around, it was Campbell floating in the air.
As his words fell, the surface of the barrier began to flow rapidly like blood. Countless blood-colored mists were drawn into his body. Soon, the entire city became lifeless, dead silent. His body grew visibly huge, until he became a monster pieced together from flesh and blood. It turned around, staring fixedly at Rien and Laira.
“Haven’t you realized? You two are the final main course!”
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