Chapter 88. Resonance

Seeing the compass react, I moved there with Aster and Father. My heart pounded the entire way. It wasn’t far from where the accident had occurred that day.

“I have a bad feeling.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s close to where the accident happened. It was around here. Maybe…”

Father and Aster’s eyes darkened after hearing my words. As we got closer to the indicated location, my mouth went dry with tension. And when we discovered the secret passage, my heart sank.

I had an instinct that something tremendous was hidden below. Aster spoke up.

“Then I’ll go in first and take Marco to the Duke. In the meantime, check out the area below.”

“Alright.”

A few minutes after sending Aster alone. The Black Shadow in black clothes that Marco had summoned arrived, and Father subdued him.

Only after confirming that Marco and Aster had left did Father and I descend underground. The space was filled with damp air and a creepy atmosphere. When we stepped into the open interior, I was speechless.

It was a place that strangely evoked both repulsion and comfort simultaneously. The heavy air wasn’t just due to a lack of oxygen.

“Madman.”

Father frowned, treating Duke Blanche as a lunatic. Despite being abandoned for a long time, the place was full of traces of experiments.

The dried blood of demonic beasts on the floor gave off a foul smell. After searching the surroundings a few times, I spoke.

“It seems they’ve already moved all the important materials.”

“Still, since experiments were conducted here, there must be some traces left. Step aside for a moment.”

After saying so, Father drew a formula on the floor. Blue mana then surged, filling the surroundings.

The Maved Stone experiment required a significant amount of mana stones and demonic beasts, likely altering the mana flow differently from other places.

Moreover, it was difficult to hide the traces of mana control. Father, reading the mana flow in the laboratory, spoke with a sharp gaze.

“This is definitely the place.”

“As expected…”

“He had the audacity to conduct such mad experiments within the capital. I knew he hated the Imperial family, but I never imagined he was reckless enough to plot something like this.”

“It’s fortunate we discovered it now.”

We had found a clue that had eluded us for ten years. Having discovered the primary laboratory, finding the other laboratories would be easy.

I spoke with a joyful face.

“If we track places with similar mana flows, we can find the base.”

“Yes. We should call the other knights to control this place so that Duke Blanche doesn’t notice.”

With those words, Father began to cast defensive spells around the area. It was a precaution in case Duke Blanche tried to blow up the place.

Meanwhile, I carefully inspected the laboratory. There were places with pigsty-like bars and places that looked like beds.

There were incomprehensible magic circles drawn everywhere. In one corner, used mana stones were scattered. They were stones that had exhausted all their mana.

Feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, I quietly pressed my heart. It was the spot where an incomplete piece of the Maved Stone was embedded.

It had been sealed for ten years, trying to absorb my abilities and even take my life, having completely fused with my mana core.

Now that I had regained my memory, I could feel Father’s seal barely holding back its power. But I couldn’t live like this forever.

Father couldn’t stay by my side forever, and I didn’t want to impose restrictions on the twins’ lives either.

“If we understand the meaning of this magic circle, my illness might be cured.”

“Don’t touch anything recklessly. Even if it’s a sealed laboratory, there could be traps.”

“I know that much.”

I smiled at Father’s needless worry and stood up. I planned to just look and leave the rest to Father. It was then.

“Ah.”

Suddenly feeling dizzy, I staggered and leaned against the wall. As an unknown pressure filled my chest, I became terrified. Unable to endure, I slid to the floor.

“Camilla!”

Noticing me belatedly, Father rushed over. My chest felt stifling and hot. Holding my heart, I spoke.

“F-Father…! Hah, my, my body, my body feels strange… Huff!”

It felt like something was flowing into my body. The strong mana flowing in without a filter made it hard to control my body. I tried to hold onto my consciousness but it was futile.

“Camilla!”

The last thing I heard was Father calling my name before I lost consciousness.

* * *

Just before collapsing, I felt as if someone had grabbed my heart alive. After that, I felt a floating sensation as if all the weight of my body had disappeared.

It was a strange feeling, as though my body and soul had separated. Was it because I stayed in the place where the experiment was conducted?

I woke up in an unfamiliar place with a sense of alienation, like my body wasn’t my own. More precisely, I saw it.

‘Is this a dream?’

It didn’t make sense to call it a dream given the situation in front of me. Because there were Duke Blanche and Aster. The strange thing was that no one could see me.

It was a bizarre phenomenon as if I had become a ghost. Moreover, Aster’s appearance was exactly the same as what I had just seen.

It felt like I had followed Aster. At that moment, Duke Blanche spoke.

“You’ve done well. Thanks to you, I didn’t have to search.”

“It’s nothing.”

“I need to talk to Marco separately, so could you leave?”

“Yes.”

As Aster left, Duke Blanche looked in my direction. Just when I thought I had been discovered, an unfamiliar voice interrupted.

“I couldn’t leave the capital in a hurry.”

It was Marco Almand. Judging by the fact that I couldn’t move my gaze at will, it seemed like I was seeing the situation through Marco. Realizing this, I felt as though I had somehow merged with him.

‘What on earth?’

It was bewildering to see the situation through Marco’s eyes, and the fact that no one could perceive my presence was even more perplexing.

To think I would face such a scene right after collapsing.

Was this the out-of-body experience I had only heard of? The thought that I might never return to my body was terrifying.

Why did this happen? Did the mana in the laboratory stimulate the Maved Stone inside me?

The Maved Stone was a legendary stone, and not all of its functions were known. Only the most prominent features had been passed down orally.

So, the magic circle that created the Maved Stone might have unknowingly awakened some function when it met the Maved Stone inside me.

‘Then why Marco’s perspective?’

Such a thing couldn’t happen unless there was a close connection between Marco and the Maved Stone.

While I was wondering why I had been dragged here, the Duke spoke.

“It’s difficult to leave the capital immediately, so hide within the Blanche estate for now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“You know how important this experiment is. It’s a chance to repay the grace of keeping you alive for years.”

“I understand. I have no regrets, whatever the outcome, as I should have died ten years ago.”

Although it sounded like a loyal answer, I sensed a strong desire for life from Marco. It was frightening to feel that I could sense his emotions.

‘Why do I feel such a desperate desire not to die from Marco? As if he were fated to be killed by the Duke.’

Marco’s mention of ten years ago made me feel even more ominous.

Judging by the circumstances, it seemed the Duke was Marco’s savior…

Delving into their relationship might provide clues.

‘This might be a good opportunity. I’ll eavesdrop and figure out their base!’

Changing my initially grim thoughts surprisingly brought peace. But the subsequent violence from the Duke made my mind hazy again.

“Ugh!”

Marco staggered and fell. Blood dripped from his arm, slashed by the Duke’s sword.

‘He must be insane!’

Although I wasn’t the one in pain, I could feel Marco’s vision blurring. The sudden violence was not only unavoidable but also brutal.

It seemed as if the Duke intended to kill him. Was he searching for him just to kill him?

Just when I was stunned by the unavoidable situation.

“!!”

Marco, who I thought would be beaten to death, stood up. Seeing Marco’s wounds heal abnormally quickly, I was even more shocked.