Chapter 250: Chapter 200 Entering the Dream_1


    “………..”


    Needless to say, sitting in a storm-shattered house was indeed somewhat awkward.


    Everyone sat together, while the woman cloaked in red sat on the other side, just watching them and keeping silent.


    “Excuse me, are you also nning to go to the castle, miss?”


    Mistelina was the first to break the silence, smilingly addressing the woman, who shuddered and shrank back.


    “No… I’m just a coward… I don’t dare…”


    With that, the woman lowered her head.


    “…Everyone has been amputated.”


    “???”


    Hearing the woman’s bewildering remarks, everyone was taken aback, while the woman simply gazed at the fire, speaking softly.


    “The people who came with me to the Bordend, who fought for me… their hands, feet, heads, all were severed and made into part of a spider.”


    “Uh…”


    “Oo…”


    “Yikes…”


    Although they had no idea what she was talking about, the mere content turned the girls pale, leaving Mistelina dumbfounded and at a loss for words. Lorena was equally puzzled, and Bambi yelped in fright, diving into Duanmu Huai’s embrace. Upon seeing this, Ogis paused to think, before abandoning her book and snuggling into Duanmu Huai’s arms as well.


    Nheless, the woman paid this no mind, instead lifting her lifeless-eyed gaze to everyone else.


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    “Did you know? After being attached to a spider, people grow akin to a pupa. Really wondrous, isn’t it?”


    “Well… it is rather wondrous.”


    Imagining a giant spider speckled with the severed limbs and heads of humans gave Duanmu Huai a twitchy expression. Could it be that such a thing was in the castle they were heading to?


    If so, it’d be utterly disgusting.


    “Hehehe….”


    The woman chuckled. She seemed to Duanmu Huai somewhat like a dementia patient, her unfocused eyes staring straight ahead, seemingly watching something yet seeing nothing at all. Despite raising her gaze to meet theirs, her eyes seemed to cut through them, as though staring at the void behind them.


    “Are you heading for Stonewell Castle? Are you going on the good word of that man in the white mask? Or perhaps, do you wish to be part of a spider? If so, you’re just like me.”


    “Uh… Miss, do you want to be what… an amputee?”


    Hearing this, Lorena couldn’t help but ask, her question seeming to strike at the woman’s inner turmoil. The woman lowered her gaze, murmuring to the ground.


    “But Ick the courage——the thought of having my limbs and head severed is just too terrifying. I want so badly to be just like everyone else, but it’s downright horrifying. I’m so weak.”


    Well, at least there’s somemon sense here.


    In other words, any normal person wouldn’t ept this amputation thing, right?


    “Oh, right.”


    At this moment, as if recalling something, the woman lowered her gaze and pulled out a small bottle from her bosom, offering it to Duanmu Huai.


    “Could you please take this little fellow with you on your journey? It’s pitiful to make it stay with such a coward as myself…”


    “This is… what?”


    Duanmu Huai took the tiny ss bottle and looked inside, where some kind of dustid. At the same time, a prompt appeared in his system.


    [Obtained special item “Ashes of Soul Jellyfish”]


    [Ashes of Soul Jellyfish: Ashes containing a soul, can summon the soul of a Soul Jellyfish, floating in the air, illuminating the surrounding souls. The crying Jellyfish girl, named Kla, is searching for her faraway homnd and will strive to spray venom.]


    Jellyfish? Girl? Soul?


    How should he use this thing?


    Thinking about it, Duanmu Huai gripped the ss bottle and infused a touch of Spiritual Energy. Shortly afterwards, a huge jellyfish silently materialized out of thin air, exuding a purple glow. It hung in the air, its tender tentacles gently undting. It was quite beautiful.


    “Wow, it’s so beautiful!”


    Seeing the jellyfish, Bambi suddenly popped out from Duanmu Huai’s arms, her eyes wide as she observed it. Lorena also watched the Soul Jellyfish curiously, stretching out a hand. Recognizing Lorena’s intent, the Soul Jellyfish extended a tentacle, which made contact with Lorena’s finger.


    “It really is cute, Sir Knight.”


    “Yes, it is quite cute.”


    Duanmu Huai reached out and poked the jellyfish. It wobbled slightly before returning to Duanmu Huai’s side. Although it was a jellyfish, it was so pretty and could glow, making it quite a cute pet.


    See, he indeed has a pet now.


    Looking at the Soul Jellyfish, Duanmu Huai was in high spirits. He had said before that he would catch a small animal as a pet sooner orter, and wasn’t this the proof? This Soul Jellyfish was quite cute, wasn’t it?


    “Thank you, miss.”


    With that thought, Duanmu Huai bowed to the woman, who waved dismissively.


    “It’s okay, and the soul seems to like you. I think this child would be happy to travel with you.”


    “Anyway, thank you… Is there anything we can do for you?”


    “If that’s the case……..”


    Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s question, the woman hesitated and thought for a while.


    “If you n to go to Stonewell Castle, please convey this to everyone who has be a pupa: ‘I love you, though I am still scared, I will eventually be just like all of you… I am less afraid of pain now.’


    … Is it necessary?


    After hearing the woman’s words, everyone was left speechless, and Duanmu Huai had no choice but to nod his head. After receiving Duanmu Huai’s response, the woman seemed to put her mind at ease. She bowed to everyone, curled up in the corner, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.


    Looking at the woman who was deep in sleep, everyone was at a loss for words.


    “Sir Knight, you’re not really going to ry that message to them, are you …”


    “We’ll see when the timees.”


    In response to Lorena’s question, a helpless Duanmu Huai ruffled his hair.


    “Just by listening to her words, I get the feeling that things in Stonewell Castle might not be so rosy … let’s rest first anyway.”


    Soon, everyone fell deep asleep, while Duanmu Huai sat there staring at the front. At that moment, suddenly, Ogis’s voice rang out.


    “Master.”


    “Mmm? What’s wrong, Ogis?”


    “Pain… what does it feel like?”


    “Eh… ah…”


    It was only at this point that Duanmu Huai realised, Ogis being a puppet, wouldn’t feel pain. Regardless if she was dismembered or decapitated, she probably wouldn’t feel anything. Perhaps the woman’s words about the fear of being dismembered had aroused Ogis’s curiosity, which led to such thoughts.


    “Well… how to put it, for ordinary living beings, pain is probably an instinctive reaction to injury. The pain would alert the body that there’s danger.”


    “…….???”


    Hearing Duanmu Huai’s exnation, Ogis still looked at him with an unimaginable expression. At a loss for words, Duanmu Huai was unsure how to further exin to her.


    It’s like trying to exin color to a blind man, exining to him what red or blue are, it’s impossible for him to imagine it.


    Or if she were to ask him what breathing feels like, Duanmu Huai probably couldn’t answer either.


    “Do you remember Gavi?”


    “………..Yes.”


    Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s question, a somber look crossed Ogis’s face as she nodded.


    “How do you feel when you think of her?”


    “I don’t know.”


    As Ogis spoke, she ced her hand on her chest.


    “I only feel a certain strangeness here, and it seems like my whole bodycks energy. I don’t want to move or recall anything.”


    “That feeling is called sadness.”


    Duanmu Huai extended his hand and rubbed Ogis’s head.


    “When people are sad, they feel like this. How did you feel when your father died back then?”


    “It was simr to when it happened with Gavi but… stronger.”


    As she spoke, Ogis furrowed her brow slightly.


    A stronger… feeling like my whole body being torn apart… an indescribable feeling.”


    “That is pain.”


    “But, I wasn’t injured, was I?”


    “That is emotional pain, it’s more or less the same as physical pain.”


    “I see, so that’s what pain is.”


    Ogis touched her chest, muttering softly to herself. Then, she leaned her body against Duanmu Huai’s.


    “But… now, I feel much better.”


    While speaking, Ogis closed her eyes.


    “May I stay like this for a while, Master?”


    “Of course, take a good rest.”


    Duanmu Huai stroked Ogis’s hair, then leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.


    Deep darkness, as smooth as silk, a soft sensation.


    When Duanmu Huai opened his eyes again, he was not clothed. He was lying on a bed instead, with a white figure embracing him by his side.


    “Ah… My King…”


    In the dimly lit room, only a singlemp shone. Soft sensations mixed with the woman’s gentle breathing and whispers echoed in Duanmu Huai’s ears.


    “Please allow me to hold you tight, to feel your warmth… My King… I can feel your power, a power filled with destruction and death… Please awaken… be ours…”


    The voice slowly faded away, and the next moment, Duanmu Huai fell back into a deep sleep.