The candlelight flickered in the eerie hall, where a shadow cloaked in black robes lazily sat on a dark throne.
The wide, corpulent figure draped in an apron appeared at the end of the corridor. The head chef, with a wild boar’s head complete with tusks, entered the hall and sat in one of the larger chairs among the rows of seats beneath the throne;
A gentle breeze disturbed the hall’s stillness, causing the candlelight to dim. The head maid, wrapped in bandages, descended from the stained-glass ceiling, seating herself in the smallest chair;
Dragging a body even more bloated and twisted than the head chef’s, the gardener crawled into the hall along the corridor, striving to compress its form into the largest stone chair;
The farthest farr was the last to arrive, dark-skinned and gaunt, resembling a piece of charred wood transford into charcoal, sat in muddy, stained overalls;
The Viscount and his four lords were now assembled, their sights set on the outsider, the Earth Dweller standing on the red carpet.
"The Earth Dweller presents a book."
The sinister hall echoed the Viscount’s indistinct murmur: "The book says that the head maid and I were once humans nad Chris and Claire, and soon or perhaps it has already happened, the Exorcist will disguise as a black cat to deceive the head maid’s trust, killing you and ."
"Head Maid, has this already happened?"
Lu Li’s suspicion was confird, knowing the Earth Dwellers’ Trading Company and its forces would not let the history of the Midnight City Illusion replay, especially when a book could so easily expose it.
"Yes, a black cat disguised as Raimy once appeared in my manor." For how to respond, Lu Li and Claire had already prepared their answer before setting out: Claire would expose Lu Li’s lie and kill him.
But this had its flaw. The gardener had seen Lu Li, his existence could not be hidden, only temporarily concealed—Lu Li had his own reliance: as long as he wished, no one could find him—the Dreamwalker’s almost omnipotent power allowed him to delve deep into the unknown underground, creating a crevice to survive within the rock layers.
"But he didn’t know I read this book, he couldn’t deceive —"
"He, was killed, by ."
The gardener interrupted the head maid.
The head maid could barely maintain the surrounding breeze.
"Where’s the body?" The Earth Dweller asked the gardener anxiously.
"Burp—"
The gardener let out a thunder-like burp.
"Why does the gardener help us?"
At the desk in her bedroom, listening to Claire’s recount, Lu Li tilted his head.
"I don’t know. To avoid being discovered, I returned directly without contacting the gardener." Claire reached out to tease Lu Li’s chin: "I thought you did sothing behind my back."
"I wouldn’t hide anything from you."
Lu Li turned his head to avoid her but failed to escape Claire’s embrace: "I shouldn’t doubt you, my little Remi~"
Lu Li’s cat face raised its whiskers as he turned his head: "Continue talking."
"Do you like hearing these cheesy words? My little Remi is really adorable, let sister give you a kiss—"
"...Not this."
Just unable to resist teasing Lu Li, Claire certainly knew this, continuing her story while holding him.
Thus, the Earth Dweller’s suspicion turned to hesitation. The head maid would ally with Lu Li, and what about the gardener? In the Midnight City Illusion, its death was orchestrated by Claire and Lu Li, personally killed by the head maid.
It seed unable to find any possibility for their alliance.
The Earth Dweller’s mood turned gloomy, uncertain whether from disbelief or because Lu Li was supposedly eaten. Likely the latter, as it subsequently began discussing trade with the Viscount on behalf of the company.
"They’re like fools, for so benefits, they actually forgot their purpose for coming to the castle. Mother refused them, saying we do not need the outside world and can be self-sufficient, driving them away. But mother still believed so of their words, like the secret passage being discovered, instructing the farr to have the servants bury it."
"Little Remi, what do you think the Earth Dwellers’ Trading Company will do next?"
Lu Li recalled the style of the Earth Dwellers’ Trading Company: "Despite their foolishness and shortsightedness, they won’t be content with compensating the loss of the toad anomaly. Next, they might direct the conflict towards you, possibly making contact with the farr to test."
"Toad anomaly? I don’t understand..."
So Lu Li recounted to Claire his experience before entering Midnight City, how the Earth Dwellers set traps, caught him at Midnight City Main Station, and auctioned him as rchandise—
The wind beca cutting, representing Claire’s emotions: "The next ti they co, I’ll use the wind to shred them."
"Rember to find a reasonable reason."
"Little Remi, you’re too reckless, knowingly rushing into a trap waiting for you." The fierce wind gradually cald, Claire’s hand slipped under his arm to lift Lu Li, gazing into those onyx cat eyes: "There’s plenty of ti, you don’t have to rush."
Lu Li did not explain the reason.
In the castle hall, the gardener helping Claire didn’t keep them waiting long. Nearing afternoon, the lizard maid knocked on the door, informing the head maid of the gardener’s visit.
"Will the lizard maid betray us?" Lu Li suddenly asked.
"They call master, call that lord of the castle." The head maid didn’t think it would happen: "But if you need, I can replace them..."
"No need."
Because it was impossible to know whether these lizard maids were also so undead of Midnight City.
"Wait for here." Claire put down Lu Li, heading to the living room downstairs.
The gardener’s deford body blocked the door outside, only its head squeezed into the living room, staring at Claire descending from the stairs: "I don’t... want you... Little Remi... Exorcist... where is! Co out... co out!"
The roar made the chandelier tremble, soothed by a gentle breeze.
"What are you looking for Remi for?"
Claire indifferently observed the gardener, annoyance fading considerably—after it helped conceal Lu Li’s existence in the castle hall.
The gardener spoke dully: "For ... find... mother... otherwise... eat him..."
"Do you want to die again?"
A piercing cold wind howled in the living room, Claire gazing coldly at the gardener.
"Tell... ... Lu Li... where is!"
The gardener seed to lose control, shaking its massive head squeezed into the living room. The fragile door fra and walls spread cracks, stones fell.
"Are you looking for ?"
A calm voice rang out at that mont, Lu Li stepped from the corner, seated on the stairs, looking down at the gardener.
The door fra stopped cracking, the gardener heaving heavily: "Help ... find... mother..."
"Who is mother."
"I don’t... know... but... mother... is important..."
"Why seek ."
The gardener’s neck flesh disgustingly writhing, spit out that book "Land of Obsession": "You... kill... ... know... secret..."
A tenuous connection, but inline with the gardener’s style.
"I’ll help you, but I need sothing from you."
"Wha... t..."
Lu Li stated his purpose: "What’s in the treasure chest."
"I’ll... bring it... wait for ..."
Leaving those words, the gardener squeezed out of the door fra, its abhorrent body leaving the manor.
"...Repair the door fra." Claire instructed the lizard maid, holding Lu Li: "Will the gardener betray us?"
"It shouldn’t, ’mother’ is important to it."
"Who might the gardener and this mother be?"
"We’ll know once we get the eye jewel."
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