“No, what is this?”

I frowned, focusing all my energy on finding any trace of the girl, Lever.

But my eyes only confirmed the reality – she was nowhere to be found.

I turned my head to look at Kyle.

He, too, was blinking in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.

“What’s going on?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.”

To dismiss it as a hallucination was impossible, as Kyle had seen Lever as well.

It couldn't be an illusion.

The only thing that came to mind was a similar experience I had before.

Sytan's first closing ceremony.

I saw them then.

The students who died during the midterm exams appeared before me.

I touched the red dagger nestled in my arms.

Did the red dagger react this time as well?

But that didn't seem likely.

Back then, the red dagger, though faint, emitted a distinct sound.

It hummed, a mournful sound like a mother who had lost her child.

However, right now, the red dagger showed no reaction.

This meant that the red dagger was not involved in this situation.

Then what was it?

“Hey, why the long faces, both of you?”

Fron tilted her head, curious about our reactions, but I had nothing to say.

Because I truly didn’t understand the situation.

Then, could the girl we saw, Lever, be a ghost?

Naturally, questions arose.

Don’t ghosts only come out at night?

Sunlight was still streaming in through the small hole in the wall.

It wasn’t evening yet, and even if it was, a person, not a ghost, was the problem.

‘…This place is very high up.’

While living in this prison, I had looked outside through that small hole.

The world seen through the hole was a cluster of dozens of dots.

The dots represented buildings and people.

Objects shrunk smaller than ants – that was the proof of where we were.

So, the possibility of her entering through the hole had to be ruled out.

For now, the immediate speculations that came to mind were:

Either Lever’s stealth skills were so advanced that she could even fool the House Master, or she was a ghost who had been living here for a long time but revealed herself after we were moved here.

Both didn’t make sense.

It didn't make sense, and that's why my head was spinning.

“There’s no way such a cute child could be a ghost…”

“In a world where Humans and Demon Clan members stronger than monsters exist, ghosts aren’t particularly scary, but I admit it’s quite strange to see one for the first time.”

Fron sighed as she looked at Kyle and me, lost in confusion.

“I can’t understand a word either of you are saying. You’re not trying to pull a fast one to escape from here, are you?”

“Oh, come on, why would we?”

“Hmph, try it if you can.”

Fron said, glancing at me.

I knew she meant it when she told me to escape.

It was probably a message to her mother, who might be eavesdropping.

The reason Fron was wary of her mother was obvious.

‘It didn’t happen in the original story, but…’

No matter what, Fron was destined to die.

In the original novel, Fron dies during the invasion of the Human Realm.

However, I had completely twisted the flow of that story, and Fron would meet a different death.

I remembered it clearly because it was a setting I hadn't discarded.

Because I wrote it myself in the original.

‘If only I had eaten that child, someone like you…!’

Fron's mother dies at the hands of Hamel, uttering such words.

If only she had eaten.

This part was actually the most important.

This was because I had placed a penalty on the Lust House Master to allow Hamel, the protagonist of the original story, to easily kill all the Seven Deadly Sins.

That penalty was Fron's death.

By Fron's death, the Lust House Master lost her power.

Or rather, she lost the opportunity to gain power.

Because Fron was meant to be consumed by her mother.

“…What? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s creepy.”

Fron frowned when she noticed me staring intently at her face.

I quickly relaxed my expression.

And spoke casually.

“It’s nothing. More importantly, Lady Fron, have you had a change of heart?”

“A change of heart about what?”

“Right now, you seem to have given up on everything.”

Whether it was our relationship,

Or her future and path,

Fron seemed to have let go of everything.

No, she probably really did let go.

That's why she was making that expression.

I wanted Fron to answer.

Whether she had any intention of changing her mind.

But Fron only managed a faint smile.

“I’m still the same”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah, rather than that, you better get ready to die. Mother’s banquet will begin soon.”

Get ready to die.

I could read the emotions hidden behind those words.

She wanted me to get out of this place before the massacre, her mother’s banquet, took place.

If I set my mind to it, it wouldn’t be difficult to escape from her mother, who hadn’t yet absorbed Fron.

It might be difficult to take Rene and Kyle with me, but it was still within the realm of possibility.

Having consumed Crete’s body, I wasn’t yet on par with the Lords of the Seven Deadly Sins, but I could at least defeat a Lord who couldn’t use their full power.

The reason I was still in prison was…

“Are you really, okay with this?”

Fron, who was about to turn away at my question, stopped.

Then she looked at me with a somewhat sad gaze.

“I told you I’m fine.”

“Not at all.”

You don’t look fine at all.

Why, with death looming, did she say she had given up on everything while making such a pitiful expression?

Fron, you…

“Don’t worry about it. This is entirely my decision.”

I was about to say something but closed my mouth at Fron’s firm words.

I couldn’t understand.

If Fron wanted, I could get her out of this hellhole.

But Fron didn’t want that.

Did she doubt my abilities?

Well, she had every right to.

It’s not like I had shown Fron anything since I came here.

Still, Fron should know that I’ve mastered killing intent.

If that was the case, there was a chance we could escape from here.

And yet, she didn’t ask me for help.

She clung to the relationships she had built while wishing for death.

“Isn’t that a contradiction?”

“Yeah, so what?”

She was so confident that I was speechless.

Fron knew her own contradictions better than anyone else.

Knowing it was a contradiction, Fron ultimately didn’t submit an answer.

Contradictions arise when one holds conflicting thoughts but doesn’t know which is right.

And Fron, unable to resolve such a contradiction, accepted it.

It’s a contradiction in itself to accept a contradiction the moment you recognize it.

“…Don’t you have to submit an answer, Student Fron? I can’t give you an A+ like this.”

“There you go again with your nonsense. That’s why Luna dumped you.”

“I was the one who rejected her.”

“Bullshit, look at your face. It’s a miracle Luna wasn’t scared of you.”

“…”

Thinking about it, it seemed true, so I closed my mouth.

Fron let out a chuckle and opened her mouth.

“Anyway, consider it a favor. Say what you want to your master before you go.”

“Ah, is the young lady alright?”

“Asking the important questions first. I’ve treated her, and I’ll be sending her back to Bares’ territory soon.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Ha, relief my foot. Do you know how much trouble I went through to appease her when she was crying her eyes out wanting to see you? What, are you worried about me? Right now, you’re the biggest headache I have.”

“…”

She was right.

Maybe I wasn’t helping Fron but only causing her trouble?

Thinking about it, I was the one who suddenly appeared in Fron’s peaceful territory.

And I was the one who brought Bares’ daughter here.

This Fron, she was smarter than I thought.

‘As expected, she was just acting stupid at school…’

Wait,

Then why was she acting stupid?

Or did she become normally intelligent after some incident?

I was curious.

Maybe there was a reason why Fron left that contradiction unresolved.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Lady Fron, if you change your mind, let’s have a sincere conversation.”

“Ugh, you’re giving me goosebumps. It’s creepy enough just making eye contact with you, but now I have to have a one-on-one conversation?”

“…I wouldn’t say my appearance is that horrifying.”

“What are you talking about, with your eyes split like a goat’s and blinking constantly? Though they’re so small, the blinking is barely noticeable.”

“Hey.”

Her words were too harsh.

Hmph, I was upset.

I looked back.

Kyle was making a face that said, ‘Was she always like this?’

I don’t know either.

I shrugged in response.

Fron left us with her final words.

“I’m really leaving now. Get ready to die, and make sure to wash your neck thoroughly. You should die clean.”

“…See you next time.”

And with that, Fron left.

I watched Fron’s retreating figure and let out a deep sigh.

What should I do with her?

At this rate, Fron would really die.

Even if I intervened and prevented Fron's death, there would be another problem.

She was bound to say things like:

Why did you save me?

Why didn't you just let me die?

Fron would blame and resent me for not letting her die.

But those were things she could only say if she was alive, right?

Maybe it would be better to just help her…

Luna would be sad if Fron died.

Ugh, I don't know.

I continued to sigh.

And at that moment,

I raised my head and spoke.

“Lever, I know you’re watching.”

“Lever is still here?”

Kyle reacted to my words that Lever was present.

“Where is she? I don’t see her.”

But despite my words, Lever didn’t appear.

Tsk, I clicked my tongue.

“As expected, she’s not here.”

“…Huh?”

“Well, you know, in novels and stuff, there’s always a ghost watching from somewhere. That’s why I called out.”

“Are you crazy?”

Just as Kyle was about to curse,

“So that’s what it was. I really thought you knew.”

Lever appeared inside the prison.

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