The pond was deeper than expected, and there were many Rusalka.
Fortunately, the Rusalka never wavered in their intent to attack us, so I didn't have to go through the trouble of diving deep into the pond to hunt them down. Moreover, despite Xenon and Samuel being by my side, these creatures only attacked me.
'Come to think of it, when the Empress was attacked, they also targeted only one person among the many present.'
Whatever the reason, the fact that I was the sole target was extremely convenient. No matter how strong Samuel's or Xenon's mental fortitude might be, they likely wouldn't be able to break free from a Rusalka's illusion as easily as I could.
Furthermore, and annoyingly so, a portion of divine power had been distributed to each of the Rusalka, and it was being reclaimed from within the illusions they showed me.
To reclaim the divine power, I essentially had to endure the Rusalka's attacks.
At first, Xenon, Samuel, and the Dullahan were startled each time I collapsed, but after it happened more than five times, they seemed to be gradually getting used to it.
Xenon even contacted his master in the midst of killing the Rusalka one by one, obtaining real-time information about them.
"Because they covet the dreams of the most noble one."
I opened my eyes after returning from the fifteenth illusion where I had grabbed the collar of Maxel, who had become Emperor. Xenon relayed the additional information he had learned.
"The most noble one?"
"Yes. They are Monsters that watch and learn from stolen dreams to mimic humans. If multiple humans are present, they prioritize the most radiant and beautiful dream."
"To think my dream appeared the most radiant and beautiful... they have no taste... Ah, I suppose they literally have no eyes to begin with."
I muttered, pressing my fingers to my temple and glancing at the pile of Rusalka corpses on the shore.
The Rusalka did not flee, even knowing their abilities were ineffective against me.
Instead, they increasingly failed to hide their greed. It seemed my dream was quite tempting to them.
They say these creatures mimic humans. Did they learn that overflowing greed from human dreams as well?
"My master says we just need to be careful of their mental attacks, as that's all they can do."
"Given they die by my hand, their physical abilities are about what you'd expect."
No matter how I regained a healthy body through resurrection, I didn't acquire monstrous grip strength.
The Rusalka that died by my grip truly had pathetically weak bodies.
"Still, their numbers have decreased quite a bit."
I muttered to myself with inner relief and looked down at the ground.
"Do you still think we should spare them?"
[Ah, no. I'm sorry, Master.]
Mori, who had been at a loss upon first seeing the Rusalka, now wore a resigned expression.
The Rusalka, who had initially pretended to be frail, no longer bothered with the act and were now openly licking their lips while looking at me, making it difficult to feel sympathy for them.
"Mori. Sympathy should be shown at the proper time and place."
[Yes...]
[Foolish Mori!]
Zigore sighed heavily as he scurried over to Mori's side. Though his words were scolding, the careful way he checked on Mori showed his concern.
[I apologize. I should have taught him better.]
Nadav, whom I had summoned both to keep an eye on Mori and to calm him down, bowed his head, offering an apology for what felt like the umpteenth time.
Seeing Nadav sighing repeatedly as if he had no face to show, Mori could only hang his head dejectedly.
During our brief conversation, Samuel, confirming I had opened my eyes, stabbed a Rusalka without a shred of mercy.
The expressions of the other Rusalka, watching one of their own fail to steal my dream and die without even a scream, turned fierce.
Yet they did not rashly attack Samuel. They didn't seem very interested in his dream.
"Killing them isn't the problem; the bothersome part is having to endure that attack each time."
I muttered indifferently, staring at the Rusalka. Should I call it fortunate? Their numbers had visibly decreased enough to tell.
Xenon, wearing a displeased expression, glanced at the Rusalka and lowered his voice to a whisper only I could hear.
"Lady Anelli, are you aware that the duration of your unconsciousness is gradually increasing?"
"Me?"
"Yes. And it seems those creatures are aware of it too, which is why they keep attacking."
"It's futile anyway."
Unlike my nonchalant attitude, Xenon looked deeply uneasy.
"They are Monsters with learning capabilities. There must be a reason they continue this repetitive, simple attack."
I somewhat agreed with Xenon's opinion. Their attacks were not meaningless repetition.
"I know. The content of the illusions they show me is different each time, so it's hard to call it a simple attack. They might be searching for an illusion that will work on me."
"The content is different?"
"Did you think I kept seeing the same illusion?"
After saying that, I turned my head.
Judging by his expression, Xenon had indeed thought so.
I continued, keeping my gaze on the Rusalka who were whispering among themselves without any intention of approaching.
"There were various ones. All illusions that might have worked on me before my head was cut off, though."
The Rusalka's movements changed slightly. The creatures, who had been widely dispersed across the pond, keeping their distance with only their eyes above water to watch us, began to gather towards the center.
Samuel and Pallides tightened their grip on their swords, closely observing the Rusalka's movements.
I narrowed my eyes, wondering what trick they were up to, when Xenon quietly asked.
"What kind of illusions were they?"
"Well, just receiving marriage proposals, concluding political marriages, embarking on journeys disguised as long-term inspections... The last dream I had was an illusion about bearing an heir."
The first two or three times were so nauseatingly disgusting it made my stomach churn, but after more than five times, getting angry at the content of each illusion became tiresome.
They were all fabrications anyway. Illusions, things that would absolutely never happen in the future.
Frankly, when the heir appeared, I was so enraged I grabbed Maxel's collar and punched him in the face... But such a damned illusion probably wouldn't appear twice.
'Will it end after seeing Maxel as Emperor about ten more times?'
No, there might be Rusalka hiding in the water, so let's be generous and say twenty times?
"...An heir?"
"Yes. It seems to show major events I would experience if I were to live as Empress."
Judging by the content shown so far, the upcoming illusions might feature events like coronation ceremonies or festivals.
I answered in a casual tone while having such placid thoughts, when a faint, sharp intake of breath was heard beside me. I didn't need to look; it was Xenon.
He was glaring at the Rusalka as if looking at a mortal enemy. Xenon asked.
"Can't we just freeze the entire pond and kill them all at once?"
"No. I told you there's a reason I need to experience the illusions myself."
"For that trash?"
"You don't seriously think I'm enduring these attacks just to see Maxel's face, do you?"
I retorted with a sneer, when a change occurred among the Rusalka gathered in the center.
"Fortunately, it seems they're trying to save me some time."
I muttered.
I could see their wet bodies clinging and hanging onto each other, forming into a single mass.
Xenon, who had been watching the Rusalka's movements with a disgusted look, asked in a dissatisfied tone.
"What exactly is it that you need to reclaim?"
"Power."
Seeing the Monster, now a single mass, approaching in an even more grotesque form, Samuel and Pallides looked back at me.
I gestured to them, intending for them to step aside.
"It looks dangerous."
Samuel warned in a low voice. I chuckled softly and replied to him.
"They say a snake sometimes greedily swallows prey too large to handle, only to have its belly skin tear."
That's exactly what this Monster looks like.
As I reclaimed the fragments of divine power one by one, I realized something. The pendant the former Captain had given to Mori was not an object, but the divine power itself materialized.
I don't know how these creatures ended up sharing the divine power.
What is certain is that the goddess's divine power was originally meant to grant rest to living beings, and if the Rusalka had utilized that power properly, they would have taken the Empress's life.
Fortunately, it seemed the power was so finely dispersed that it only resulted in her falling asleep.
It appears the Rusalka, having realized this belatedly, are trying to gather their remaining power into one to do something to me... If they gather it for me, I'll only be grateful.
"It seems this will likely be the last one."
I had that premonition. Those creatures must have drawn some conclusion from the repeated attacks and are now determined to devour my dream for good this time.
A shadow much larger than before rippled threateningly. The shadow, rising faintly like a heat haze, suddenly swelled into a dark mass and lunged at me.
I merely stood there dumbly, staring at it. A dizzying pain shot through my mind, and soon, my vision was dyed black.
* * *
"How long has it been since the Second Young Lady entered the forest?"
One of the knights, who had been idly keeping watch, looked up at the sky with a bored expression.
The sun was gradually setting.
She had said she was just out for an investigation, but Anelli, who had entered the forest, was not showing any sign of returning.
"She couldn't possibly be dead, could she?"
The knights, who naturally assumed she had come here to show off to others, looked towards the forest with annoyed expressions.
"A holy knight and a mage are with her; they wouldn't let her die. Besides, that monstrous woman is also accompanying her."
At someone's sarcastic remark, the knights clicked their tongues irritably.
The skill of the female knight Anelli always had with her was, though galling, something they had no choice but to acknowledge.
But what good did that do? That female knight wore a stifling helmet all day and had a peculiar personality.
The knights suspected she might be a felon unable to show her face. Otherwise, they would surely have known of such a skilled individual.
No matter how skilled she was, she was someone who couldn't reveal her own face. To them, formally knighted and selected as knights of Roam, she seemed nothing more than a common ruffian.
"Could she have gotten scared and run away?"
"I'd rather she had."
Of course, if that really happened, they themselves, assigned as Anelli's escorts, wouldn't get off scot-free either.
But they had reached the point of praying for something bad to happen to Anelli, even if it meant they would suffer a bit. Serving her meekly was practically impossible for the current Roam knights.
"Of all the people, for the Second Young Lady to be chosen by the goddess. The goddess is truly indifferent."
"The rumor about her being undead suits her better, honestly."
It's not like they hadn't heard the news. The Resurrected One chosen by the goddess. The woman whose head fell off and reattached.
However, what the Temple called miracles were merely bizarre phenomena in their eyes.