“Only when you need me….”
For now, I pierced straight through the ceiling so I wouldn’t be discovered.
‘I can see it. I see it.’
There was writing on the wall Havel was pointing at. Along with a familiar pitch-black mark.
If you settle for reality, the night of the massacre shall begin anew.
“This…?”
Whoosh—. The moment Evan looked closely at the words, the corridor lights went out.
‘The Evil God!’
As if night had fallen, darkness engulfed everything in an instant.
“There’s still a long way to go before sunset… what’s going on all of a sudden?”
Lilith frowned. Whatever was happening, she had a bad feeling about it. I pulled out the map first.
[Map]
! Basileon Ravenwood ⟨Second-Floor Corridor⟩
‘Wait. What the heck is this…!’
It was clearly broad daylight, yet Basileon was roaming around.
“Everyone, disperse! Basileon’s right nearby!”
“Evien…?”
I slipped in among Evan, Havel, and Lilith and shouted. Evan looked startled by my sudden appearance, but he quickly regained his composure.
“Wait. Do we really need to run? Even last time, the Duke was right in front of us and didn’t kill us. He hasn’t even come hunting at night lately.”
“The reason he hasn’t been hunting recently is because of me. But Evan, you’ve seen it too. When Basileon is consumed by madness, he can’t control himself.”
I recalled how Basileon’s anger level had reached 94 percent last time.
“…Madness, huh. I see. If it’s about the Duke’s condition, Evien would know best.”
“The phrase ‘night of mass slaughter,’ and Basileon lurking nearby—this is all the Evil God’s doing.”
“The Evil God…? What’s that?”
Evan reacted as if it were his first time hearing it, but Lilith looked utterly calm, as though she already knew. Meanwhile, Havel seemed uninterested in the conversation.
“The reason you all die and are resurrected, Basileon’s curse, and my own. The Evil God… is the root cause of all of this.”
[Evan Martinez]
◇ Fear: 30%
◇ Fear: 34%
[Havel Akron]
◇ Fear: 0%
[Lilith Garrett]
◇ Fear: 27%
◇ Fear: 35%
◇ Fear: 41%
Except for Havel, the survivors’ fear levels were rising. Lilith’s, in particular, was climbing uncontrollably.
“Mary Crow! Come here!”
“W-What’s going on?”
First, just like last time, I made sure Mary didn’t get left behind. More than Mary or Evan, what worried me most was Lilith.
‘Did her argument with Evan have something to do with this?’
Affected by her surging fear, Lilith’s body trembled slightly.
“Lilith. I’m sorry, but would it be okay if I possess you? If it looks like you can’t escape on your own…”
Since I’m not affected by fear, possessing Lilith’s body would help.
“…No. I’m fine.”
But Lilith rejected my suggestion, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.
“You might not know this, but when situations like this happen, I actually become calmer.”
“But your condition—”
When I checked the map again, Basileon was right nearby. There wasn’t a second to spare. I lifted my head, about to persuade Lilith again.
“I can see it.”
“Lilith?”
But Lilith was strange. When she slowly opened and closed her eyes, her blue pupils glowed.
‘T-That—I’ve seen that before!’
That was one of Lilith’s traits in the game. When her blue eyes glowed, her vision would become crystal clear even in the dark. Along with her speed, her thinking speed increased as well. It was the so-called “Awakened State,” a state that could activate with a certain probability when pushed into an extreme situation.
“Havel, pick up Mary and Evan.”
Lilith gave Havel an order.
“Lilith, good. Got it.”
Havel scooped Mary up with one arm.
“Are you crazy?! What are you doing?!”
Mary struggled, but it was useless. Havel was already reaching for Evan and lifting him with his other arm. Only someone with Havel’s massive frame, overwhelming strength, and endurance could do something like this.
“I’m not exactly thrilled about it. But I’m sure there’s a reason… Lilith.”
“I won’t make the same mistake as last time. I won’t be deceived by anyone ever again.”
Lilith clenched her fist tightly, as if making up her mind.
“From now on, I’ll trust myself.”
After saying that resolutely, Lilith turned around and began feeling along the wall. I warned her again.
“Basileon is coming from that direction!”
“I can see him too.”
Lilith closed her eyes once more.
“There’s a passage in the servants’ area over there. I’ll guide you, so follow me, Havel.”
“Okay!”
Havel smiled broadly, unlike himself. He seemed quite pleased with Lilith’s instructions.
Thud—thud—! Havel began moving with heavy footsteps. When Lilith’s trait activates, she gains the ability to find paths. She was truly a character specialized for escape.
‘But it’s impossible for Havel to keep up with Lilith. He’ll be discovered by Basileon within seconds.’
I flew over to Lilith and spoke.
“Havel isn’t as fast as you, Lilith.”
Lilith’s speed was unrivaled—no survivor could keep up with her.
“I know.”
Lilith’s eyes flashed blue. After telling Havel where the escape route was, she sprinted straight into the middle of the corridor.
“Lilith?”
It all happened so fast that even I struggled to keep up. Lilith twisted her body to face Basileon standing in the corridor.
“Basileon Ravenwood.”
I stared, dumbfounded by her unexpected action.
‘What is she doing…?’
“Aren’t you a bit stupid for the head of such a great house?”
Provoked by Lilith, Basileon turned around. Unlike last time, his eyes weren’t hidden by his hair—but his gaze was empty.
[Basileon Ravenwood]
◇ Affinity: ???
◇ Anger: ???
‘Question marks again…!’
As I reeled in shock, Basileon started chasing after Lilith.
“…Good.”
“What are you trying to do?”
Lilith didn’t answer me and instead led Basileon on. Thanks to her awakened state, it didn’t look like she would be caught. For now, I flew toward Basileon.
“Basileon, Basileon!”
I observed him closely. The atmosphere was distinctly different from when his anger had exceeded 100 percent and he’d been consumed by madness.
‘Is there… some other reason?’
Meanwhile, Lilith maintained a suitable distance as she ran.
“Over here!”
She drew Basileon closer, then moved elsewhere once he approached. During that time, Havel set Evan and Mary down inside the passage.
‘Did she do that on purpose to buy time?’
Then—
Wooooong—. Wooooong—.
An unfamiliar, resonant sound echoed, and I turned to look at Basileon. He was drawing his flamberge.
‘What is that…?’
Whenever Basileon used the flamberge’s flames, the blade would burn crimson. But now, the blade was burning with a different hue.
‘It’s orange.’
Wooooong—.
The flamberge’s resonance echoed through the corridor. nIn Basileon’s grip, the flamberge seemed to be crying—at least, that’s how it looked to me.
“Lilith, watch out for that sword!”
The moment I shouted, orange flames flew out, blocking Lilith’s path.
Boom—!
“This is nothing I can’t easily—”
“Look up!”
At my warning, Lilith barely managed to dodge. A structure from the ceiling fell and nearly crushed her.
“Damn.”
Wooooong—.
The flamberge resonated again—this time turning yellow. If Lilith remembered everything, then she knew Basileon well. She must have been killed by him countless times, which meant she’d be familiar with his combat style and habits. But this—she’d never seen anything like it. And if I hadn’t seen it before, then it was her first time as well.
‘How can I bring Basileon back to his senses?’
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