A Nightmare

Ansu was dragged by Celia all the way to the cave entrance, where a piercing light made him squint in discomfort.

"Ansu, let's go! We're leaving right now!"

Celia had been smiling happily the whole time, but to Ansu...

That smile was becoming increasingly distorted.

"Celia..." Ansu looked at the mad witch speechlessly, shielding his eyes from the blinding light. "Where exactly are you taking me? And a way? What way do you have?"

She had just said she could break through his 【Magic Immunity】.

To Ansu, that was simply impossible.

You want to block my system cheats too? Are you trying to defy the heavens?

"Of course I have a way!" Celia explained triumphantly.

"There's an elder in the Truth faction who lives in seclusion. She has very unique insights into the realm of the spirit and soul. I even stole my Soul Dominion technique from her! I'm taking you to see her now. I know she developed a profound theory that can delve into the depths of the subconscious!"

"The depths of the subconscious?" Ansu's expression was one of surprise.

"That's right!" Celia giggled, linking her arm with Ansu's. "According to her theory, I only need to put you into a long slumber, and your subconscious will remain in a defenseless, stable state."

"And then! I can take the opportunity to dig out all your thoughts and even change them!"

"Change my thoughts..." Ansu's eyebrows twitched. This sounded like it was entering the realm of psychology. Did the Echoes of Truth really have such a powerful elder?

Moreover, the elder she was talking about didn't seem to be using magic, but science. He wondered if his 【Magic Immunity】 could still counter it...

Ansu felt a wave of lingering fear, both for Celia's pathological behavior and for the methods she mentioned...

He had truly underestimated the Echoes of Truth, a mysterious organization with a thousand-year history...

"Well... the place where she lives is quite remote and hard to find..."

Celia hesitated for a moment before becoming excited again. "But don't be afraid, I have plenty of time! And even if she's unwilling to help me, it doesn't matter!"

A chilling light glinted in her dark red eyes.

"I'll give her a reason she can't refuse..."

Ansu thought to himself, that reason she can't refuse is probably a threat to the woman's life...

"Can I say no..." Ansu could only manage a bitter smile. "Celia, if my memory is changed, will I still be me? And what about my family? How could I possibly leave Vera here all by herself?"

"Of course you'll still be you! A person's personality isn't that easy to change. You'll still be Ansu!"

Celia stroked Ansu's cheek, giggling as she comforted him:

"Don't worry, this kind of change at the subconscious level isn't painful at all! It will just be like you've had a very, very long dream."

"Even if the experiment takes a long time, I'm willing to wait. As long as you no longer remember those messy things and focus on assisting me, we will definitely be able to realize the future you dreamed of!"

"I suddenly don't want to realize it anymore..." Ansu muttered silently in his heart. Being manipulated like this seemed a bit better than being a puppet, but what would be the point of living?

The part of his life that would be missing might not always be beautiful, but it was an inseparable part of him.

"You have to realize it even if you don't want to!" Celia sneered, her beautiful face becoming distorted. "You've already lied to me so much. It's rare for you to be sincere for once! How could I not hold onto it tightly? Don't even think about having another thought of escaping!"

After he had ruthlessly confessed those things, Celia felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Her world was dark, and she barely had the motivation to keep living...

But!

Everything had taken a turn for the better. Ansu actually still had those feelings for her!

She knew Ansu was telling the truth! Because he was telling the truth!!

Celia ignored Ansu's disappointed gaze and continued speaking excitedly: "Also... don't think I'm really that heartless! I've already thought of how to handle your sister!"

There's also the matter of Vera? Ansu raised an eyebrow.

"I know you two have depended on each other for many years. You met in an orphanage when you were very young... The bond between you might be incomparable to anything else in this world..."

Celia's tone softened slightly, as if soothing Ansu's anxiety. "So don't be afraid, and don't worry anymore..."

"I'll capture your sister as well."

"What did you say?" Hearing this, a faint surge of anger welled up in Ansu's heart.

His gaze instantly darkened.

"Capture her? What do you mean by that?"

"Sorry, Ansu, I should have finished..." Seeing Ansu's sudden change in demeanor, Celia didn't get angry. She just kept stroking his face.

"What I mean is, after I capture her, I'll also take her to that elder's place to undergo subconscious modification with you..."

"You want to clear her memory too?" Ansu asked in shock.

"That's right~" Celia nodded with a smile. "But she shouldn't be as difficult to deal with as you. I only need to erase her memories of you! Once Vera wakes up, she will completely forget you!"

"..." Ansu was speechless.

Celia had even thought of this level. She was truly thorough...

If the "threat" of Vera was also resolved, he would have absolutely no connections or lingering attachments left in this world...

"Don't worry, Vera is your sister, and I like you so much, so I won't hurt her at all~"

Celia said with a smile: "After helping Vera clear her memories, I'll have people keep an eye on her. Don't worry! Her growth will be very safe!"

"I really have to thank you!" Ansu watched her speechlessly, suddenly feeling a sense of powerlessness.

In her crazed state, he couldn't even muster the feeling of being angry...

"No need to thank me!" Celia replied with a smile.

"You've learned everything you wanted to know, right~" Celia tightly linked her arm with Ansu's, preparing to step out of the cave. "Let's go. That elder lives in the remote northern border of the Empire. I plan to avoid everyone and take you there secretly..."

She paused as she thought. "Mhm... traveling through the wilderness all the time isn't very safe, especially since you're in this state now..."

Celia suddenly turned back toward the depths of the cave, looking in Freya's direction.

The smile on her face slowly faded, replaced once again by intense loathing.

"I almost forgot about this vile woman..."

"Ansu, if you're tired, sit down and rest. Wait for me!" Celia gave Ansu a tender look, and her figure suddenly flickered toward the depths of the cave.

Less than half a minute later, Ansu suddenly felt a sinister aura of forbidden magic.

This was followed by a series of low, eerie roars...

Ansu quickly braced himself against the wall and walked back a few steps, wanting to see what on earth the witch was up to.

The ghostly magical glow soon allowed him to see Celia's actions clearly. She was laying down a circle of mysterious magic runes, and in the center of the magic circle was Freya's miserable corpse, her chest hollowed out...

Under Ansu's gaze, her corpse underwent a bizarre transformation.

Disgusting, writhing buds of flesh grew from the corpse's wounds. Then, the skin slowly bulged, and her legs suddenly burst open as more crowded, thick tentacles surged out to replace her lower limbs. The entire corpse... began to move slowly.

"If I suddenly disappear, the people from the cult might come looking for me. Plus, there are many monsters on the plains of the northern border..." Celia turned her head and smiled as she explained to the stunned Ansu: "So I'm going to make a bodyguard for you! Take a look, isn't this living corpse guard pretty good~"

With an incantation from Celia, the semi-tentacled living corpse Freya crawled eerily toward Ansu.

"Mhm... since forbidden flesh magic has no rejection reaction, maybe I should install some weapons on her upper body. That should make her even more powerful..."

Celia thought of the suggestion Ansu had given her before, and her eyes lit up.

She looked at the expressionless Ansu with excitement and pride. "Why that look? Wasn't this your idea in the first place? Every word you've said to me... I've always kept it in my heart!"

"Let's go..." Ansu didn't want to look at Freya like that. He turned his head toward the light at the cave entrance.

"Mhm! Let's go!"

Celia supported Ansu, and together they slowly walked toward the light outside the cave.

The tentacled living corpse followed closely behind them like a shadow.

"Celia, what time is it now?" Ansu asked the time plainly.

"It should be... almost afternoon." Celia smiled happily as she felt the scenery and fresh air outside the cave.

Ansu didn't say anything more. The simulation time was almost up.

This time, after returning to reality, he had to do something...

He couldn't face a Celia like this under any circumstances.

"I won't let you have your way."

Suddenly, Ansu left these words behind.

Celia tilted her head and blinked in confusion.

"What?"

"I'm saying..." Ansu used all his strength to lean close to her, staring at her without fear, "Don't even think about messing with my head. The game ends here!"

Celia gave a sinister, cold laugh. "Are you dreaming! It's too late! You think you can fight me?"

"It is indeed a dream. A nightmare..."

Ansu closed his eyes, quietly waiting for time to return.