Chapter 246

“They say the brighter the light, the sharper the shadows.”

From the outside, it looked like an island basking in the strong summer sun, but a closer look revealed all sorts of undead lurking in the shadows.

And these undead had received orders from their master.

“Scare off all visitors to this island. Spread rumors to ensure nobody dares to come close.”

The undead followed their master’s commands faithfully.

The sailors, who landed on the island leisurely after seeing its sunny exterior, quickly found themselves fleeing while sobbing from the various horror experiences hidden across the island. The rumors spread quickly.

Superstitious sailors began to avoid the place, deeming it a cursed island, and soon calm and quiet returned.

Occasionally, creatures that were neither human nor beast attempted to provoke them, but the foolish and bumbling merfolk could never pose a threat to the undead.

Since their master did not name each individual defense mechanism, the undead identified each other by their unique traits.

Among them, the news of the “Revenant Mansion’s” defeat quickly spread.

– Seems the Revenant Mansion took a hit.

– Heh heh heh… that one was our weakest link.

– So, who will step up next?

– Let me take care of it.

The “Dream That Cannot Awaken” declared to its companions.

– They might seem strong in reality, but they’re just humans. I’ll leave an everlasting nightmare in their minds within this powerless dream!

After the confident declaration, “Dream That Cannot Awaken” stealthily approached a targeted wagon.

Since its body lacked physical form, it could have approached openly, but after the Revenant Mansion was toppled, caution seemed wise.

The prey was easily discovered.

Despite the sun shining brightly, there was a blonde girl lazily napping in the shade.

Next to her lay a book, indicating she had succumbed to sleep while reading.

“Dream That Cannot Awaken” quietly laid out its future plan in its mind.

Pattern A: Show the girl a terrible nightmare, causing her to cry out to her companions who would dismiss it as just a dream, and when night falls, they would all suffer through the same nightmare.

This was a pattern it had frequently employed, but given the opponent seemed to possess various abilities in reality, it decided not to give them the chance to respond.

Thus, it focused on Pattern B.

By tormenting the girl in her nightmare until she reached her limit, it would make it so she wouldn’t remember any of it upon awakening.

If one is unaware of the threat, they cannot counter it.

By gradually eating away at her mental fortitude, it would strike at a crucial moment, ensuring they couldn’t hold out any longer.

With a sinister smile, “Dream That Cannot Awaken” slithered into the girl’s dream.

In the next moment, a massive rock whooshed past above its head with terrifying force.

– …Huh?

A stunned sound escaped “Dream That Cannot Awaken.”

It quickly scanned its surroundings.

A broad wasteland. A ruined city.

And in the middle of that city, two shadows were locked in a fierce duel.

“Is this all you can muster? You pathetic sky dog!!”

With each step the giant took, the surrounding area trembled as if an earthquake had struck, causing the already weakened buildings to crumble.

The giant’s voice resonated like a thunderclap from the heavens.

Truly a disaster.

Truly the embodiment of violence.

And against such an overwhelming presence stood a single girl, dwarfed by the giant.

Blonde, with long hair.

Clad in armor typical of adventurers and wielding swords in both hands, she charged at the giant without hesitation, striking with her blades.

Of course, the outcome was hardly in her favor.

With every blow from the giant’s club against the ground, and with every stomp of its foot, the girl was sent flying like a ball.

The difference in power was obvious to anyone watching.

Yet, despite this, the girl did not cease her challenge.

She immersed herself in battle with a calm, concentrated gaze as if clearing an everyday challenge.

《Severe damage confirmed. Will not return to the hallway until 50 respawns based on basic settings.》《Remaining attempts: 21.》

There were moments when she met a gruesome end, but each time, a mysterious voice echoed and restored her body to its initial state.

And each time she revived, the giant continued its assault without hesitation.

The issue was that the fight was so grand in scale that its repercussions reached where “Dream That Cannot Awaken” was.

Like a child playing in the sand, it desperately dodged the terrain being flung at it by the giant’s kicks, which struck with the force of a landslide.

– T-This is still a dream! This place is under my control!

It tried to use its abilities to transform this nightmarish battlefield into its own twisted horror stage.

It planned to remove that terrifying giant and turn the girl from a strong warrior into a helpless child who is chased by monsters, easily instilling fear.

However, no matter how much power it used, nothing changed.

The presence and scale of the “giant” were overwhelming enough to clear out all forms of interference merely by being present.

Though it was just a mere projection, it exerted an enormous influence.

“Dream That Cannot Awaken” tried to flee, but even that proved impossible.

Having lost its control, it was merely one of the characters in this dream.

As despair overwhelmed it, a fragment of the club, sliced away by the girl’s sword, cast a shadow over its head.

Smack!

***

“Yawn… Huh!”

Adelheid, rubbing her eyes with a small yawn, suddenly noticed your gaze and gave a startled expression.

As you alternated between looking at her and the game book she had beside her, she started to sweat nervously and lowered her head.

“I’m sorry.”

[‘Tin Knight’ asks why she’s apologizing!]

“Well, everyone made an effort to give me some downtime, but I ended up practicing instead…”

You pondered her statement momentarily before replying.

[‘Tin Knight’ mentions that it’s quite rare for someone to be glued to their phone or gaming device while enjoying a beach getaway!]

[‘Tin Knight’ states that it respects diverse tastes, so she shouldn’t feel sorry about that!]

“Um, is that really the case?”

[‘Tin Knight’ claims that nothing can compare to the dopamine rush of leveling up!]

[‘Tin Knight’ offers to join in if she needs a 2P player!]

Adelheid blinked at your remark for a moment, then smiled brightly.

“Thank you for saying that, but it’s okay. Moving my body is important too.”

As she said this, Adelheid fully rose from her makeshift bed, placing her feet on the ground.

Perhaps she had recently discussed such matters with Dorothea.

Your gaze inadvertently drifted to the swimsuit Adel was wearing.

Whether this was average swimwear for this world or a special design from the Tower of Guardian, the swimsuits they received from the tower had a rather modern design.

While Dorothea wore something nearly resembling a black bikini, Adel’s garment was more of a tube top style.

The emphasis on mobility while maintaining a somewhat girlish appearance really suited Adelheid’s image.

As you observed her, a hint of embarrassment crept onto Adelheid’s face as she blushed.

“I-Is it a bit much? I look kind of rugged.”

As she tried to cover her limbs with her hands, you found it odd.

With rumors spreading that Adel had dismantled the Tower of Control (though she really just made a hole in the ground), there were those who thought of her as a muscle-bound giant, but in your eyes, she was nothing of the sort.

While there was muscle here and there, it was just the right amount, and if you had to compare, she was more of a sleek panther than a gorilla.

Moreover, thanks to Dorothea and Sophia applying special ointments and holy magic, there were hardly any scars despite her rough use of her body.

You placed your hand on Adelheid’s shoulder.

[‘Tin Knight’ gazes seriously at the apprentice!]

“K-Knight?”

[‘Tin Knight’ advises that role models should attack enemies, not unleash indiscriminate area attacks!]

“Yeah.”

[‘Tin Knight’ adds that if one wants to live in constant fear of being stabbed in the back 24/7, they will not stop them!]

“No! That’s not it?! It’s not like that!”

[‘Tin Knight’ dismisses the idea of not realizing it being worse!]

[‘Tin Knight’ claims she should apologize to those who can’t possess that blessed physique!]

“No, no! That’s not what I meant! …Knight!”

Adelheid, flustered and stumbling over her words, finally realized you were teasing her and made a pouty face.

After a brief back-and-forth moment.

You and Adelheid sat down side by side on the ground.

“Honestly, I still sometimes wonder if it’s okay for me to just be here like this.”

[‘Tin Knight’ asks if she can’t rest until she’s settled the score!]

[‘Tin Knight’ mentions that revenge doesn’t just prioritize practicality; satisfaction is paramount!]

[‘Tin Knight’ suggests that if rational, calculated revenge won’t bring satisfaction, she could abandon it all and charge in head-on to crush them!]

“…”

Adelheid bit her lip several times before shaking her head.

“It’s not that. To be honest, I feel somewhat relieved after toppling the Tower of Control. Of course, I still plan to make them pay for their sins, but if you asked me whether I’m burning with vengeance day and night… it’s not like that. It’s about family death, but am I being too heartless?”

[‘Tin Knight’ refutes that truly callous people don’t dismantle the tower with the lord’s head!]

At your words, Adelheid slumped her shoulders and relaxed her body.

As her head lightly rested on your shoulder, she murmured.

“I hoped to inherit the Friedel Territory. But if I topple the Lenart Duke house, no matter the outcome, my family and the main house won’t have the same relationship as before. It’s possible the inheritance exam itself could become null.”

[‘Tin Knight’ reassures that even if she takes the exam properly, she doesn’t believe Adelheid will fall behind!]

This was no mere flattery.

In terms of physical prowess, that was already a given, and economically, Adel had secured significant backing from the Tower of Control.

Their wealth, which had been part of the ruling class since the magical kingdom era, was so immense that one might jokingly say they could create a count territory from scratch.

Even with Gisel receiving reasonable support from the duke’s household, it was likely nowhere close to the wealth Adel brought in.

Coupled with reputation and legitimacy, Adel’s impending rise to the role of lord of Friedel was practically a done deal.