Chapter 334: Lady Countess

Naturally, Ron refused Silvia's request. He was a Lord who didn't even have a noble title of his own yet. To call one of his subordinates a countess? That would be turning the whole hierarchy on its head.

On the other hand, the tremor from Silvia's fleeting display of power was already rousing their other companions. In front of so many people, Ron didn't want to create some embarrassing story for the future.

"Silvia, that's not proper," said Victoria, who had just woken up, coming to Ron's aid. "Ron's authority was granted by Mayor Viktor, and Viktor himself isn't a noble."

"Besides, that Count never truly relinquished his power—"

"Alright, alright, Victoria," Silvia quickly cut off the Priest, who seemed ready to launch into a lecture the moment she awoke. "I was just joking! I mean, look around. The subjects of this domain were all erased by that entity, and the Count fled in a panic. Doesn't that make this our territory now?"

"I really don't want to call this creepy place 'our territory'," came Aive's voice from the ground. "Hey, can one of you help me out? I can't exactly pry myself out of the earth!"

"Don't forget about me!" Delaford chimed in, not to be outdone. He was still hanging from the second floor, and it was freezing up there in the wind. "Someone come save me!"

Since the fight with the Count had used up nearly everyone's Spell Slots, the arduous task ultimately fell to Quest, the Martial Monk skilled in scaling walls and rooftops. Meanwhile, under the Priest's care, Yelena's condition stabilized and she was no longer in danger.

"I just dreamed I was back by the Crow Queen's side," Yelena said, sitting up as her injuries stabilized. She let out a soft sigh. "I don't know whether to call it a nightmare or a pleasant dream."

"A pleasant dream if you go back alive, a nightmare if you go back as a soul?" Aive tried to lighten the mood, but Yelena clearly didn't appreciate the joke.

"So, does this mean Silvia is even stronger than that Count now?" Delaford asked, circling her repeatedly and gasping in amazement after hearing Ron's account. "Doesn't that mean we can officially take over all of Delusional Land?"

"It's not that easy..." At this, the three who had witnessed the terrifying spectacle firsthand—Ron, Victoria, and Silvia—fell silent. Even Silvia, who was feeling quite high on her newfound power, had to admit that she was still a far cry from that entity.

"Every time we think we're getting close to the truth, we find out this place is even more complicated than we thought," Quest said, understanding everything from their expressions. "But don't get so discouraged. We may not have come out of this completely unscathed, but at least we're all still alive. And that means there's still hope."

"You're certainly an optimist," Silvia said, glancing at the Shapeshifter who had been forced back into his true form earlier. "Did we not make ourselves clear? That thing erased every last Undead in the Count's entire domain—"

"You made yourselves perfectly clear, my dear Silvia," Quest replied, his cheeky grin unfaltering. "But no matter how powerful it is, it's just a coward turtled up in Delusional Land, afraid to show its face. I've spent hundreds of years running circles around those lords in high places. Surely a bedbug in the gutter can't be more troublesome than a cockroach on the dinner table, can it?"

"What kind of comparison is that, Quest!" Delaford gagged theatrically. "I'm starving here! Are you doing that on purpose?!"

"Just making a comparison," Quest said with a shrug. "But speaking of which, Silvia... your power... you probably can't let it show all the time, can you?"

"If we're likely going to have to face that entity in the future, and your power comes from it..."

"I know what you mean," Silvia said with a nod. She began to chant a spell no one had ever heard before, one whose meaning even she herself didn't understand. As she chanted, her power rapidly diminished—or rather, receded inward—until she was once again the Silvia they all knew. "The Demon Lord's blood essence seems to contain a whole slew of different kinds of Magic. Hopefully, this one will keep the power's true owner from being able to track my location at a moment's notice."

The logic was sound, but the fact that she now possessed this power and couldn't use it freely still left Silvia feeling resentful. "What a shame. Until we finally drag that thing out into the open, I have to go back to being just like I was before..."

"This power doesn't actually belong to you, after all. At least the Demon Lord's power was explainable..." Victoria said, scratching her head in frustration. "Silvia, we have to find a way to resolve the issue with your power for good. Otherwise, I have a feeling it's bound to cause problems sooner or later."

"Gracia is nowhere near that kind, so don't count on my Sect Leader," Yelena said. "Victoria, will your deity answer you?"

"Heim's power isn't particularly strong in this world," Victoria said, shaking her head with a sigh. "Besides, I think you've misunderstood the relationship between Priests and Deities. A Deity doesn't just act on a whim like a demon does. Even that Duke of Hell—didn't he do nothing more than give a little warning?"

"You entered the Array because of your own bloodline."

"Then it looks like we'll have to keep it suppressed for now," Ron said after a moment's thought. "Once we get back, maybe Jilannis will have a solution? Our Grand Mage is bound to be more knowledgeable and experienced, right?"

The moment she heard the name "Jilannis," Silvia immediately crossed her arms over her chest. "I refuse! Benefactor, you're throwing a sheep to the wolves! She'll definitely slice me up for research!"

"In your current state, you're going to be dissected sooner or later. The only question is by whom, isn't it?"

"But before that..." Ron said, turning to look at the castle. It was completely deserted, yet its lights were still on. "We did risk life and limb for your sake, more or less. I'm sure our dear 'Lady Countess' wouldn't mind if we rested up in her castle for a bit... and maybe picked up a few souvenirs to take back with us?"

"Also, Silvia, are you planning on living here? I could probably convince some of the villagers to relocate. Clearing the rainforest and swamp is back-breaking work, but this place has homes ready and waiting."

"Benefactor, are you trying to get rid of me?" Silvia's eyes went wide. "I don't want to be stuck here all alone like that Count! I'm going back with all of you!"

"As for the castle..." The Vampire Descendant looked around the manor, which was now hers in all but name, a look of longing on her face. "You're not going to clean it out like you did with the Green Dragon's Nest, are you? At least leave a few things for me!"

"Don't worry," Ron said with a laugh. "We took everything from the Green Dragon's Nest because it didn't have an owner. This place has a successor. But before anything else, there's one more thing we need to do. We can't just leave Mary's body lying in the courtyard. Come on. Let's open up her mother's grave and bury them together."