Chapter 19—The Mistress Watches

“Alicia.” My voice sounded hoarse and wrong. A single word cracked dry like splinters from dead wood underfoot, as if forgetting how to speak aloud again. “Her name was Alicia... Alicia.”

For that brief moment, the name of that dead Knight weighed more on me than any title bestowed upon myself thus far or those yet unearned titles that may have once existed elsewhere. The thought lingered in my consciousness without purpose or direction, just drifting aimlessly amid thoughts too distant from what should have been occupying my mind at the time. All else seemed meaningless before such things...

And that was when the Hive shuddered. It shook violently as the walls, floors, and ceilings all quivered simultaneously in unison before settling down into silence once again. The event wasn’t merely an earthquake occurring deep beneath the earth’s surface; rather, it felt as if some hidden mechanism had been triggered within this place, causing everything else to shift ever-so slightly out of sync with the reality around me.

All of this didn't happen from within but rather from...beyond.

—The dungeon?

No... No. This place had never acted this strangely before.

Then I heard her.

“So...a parasite has learned to dream...”

It wasn't Alicia's voice speaking aloud through ethereal mist or spirit-infused bones; this was a new voice, feminine yet so alien as if spoken from the depths beyond space or time itself—echoing throughout every crevice of my existence, filling the chamber, filling me to overflowing.

The Dungeon Mistress. Alicia's Lady, Odessa. The Silent Lady of House Odelia had awoken and spoke through the very essence that had filled this entire tomb—the lingering memories of her life and her death...

A shadow bloomed across the walls, stretching from corner to corner until the chamber itself seemed consumed by her silhouette. A woman’s outline, tall and regal but impossibly distorted—her limbs too long, her veil trailing into infinity, her eyes hollow pits of consuming dark.

Then, from within the darkness, a voice whispered once more, soft and low like silk brushing against stone.

“You are a fascinating worm. You moved my beloved Alicia’s soul and stirred my wrath. But in her memories, you also revealed yourself. Her desire, your desires, all that you hunger for and thirst to understand... I felt it as if I had lived it, and now, we must speak.”

The darkness receded, flowing toward the floor like water spilling down from unseen heights, pooling beneath my feet—oh well—before slowly fading away and leaving only the cold, rigid surface of bone beneath them once again.

However, I sensed her lingering presence surrounding me.

“Even though Alicia’s spirit saw something worthy in you, her judgment alone does not change mine. I see two natures within your soul—you have become both a monster of immense hunger and a human who yearns for purpose. The clash of these desires holds you captive in perpetual struggle. Such conflicts cause discordance. For my sake, and hers, and the sake of all who inhabit this plane, I shall ask but one simple question…”

Her voice paused momentarily; even her shadows were unmoving now, stillness pervading this tomblike room of death.

“What do her memories evo—”

In the instant she spoke, I already answered her question—cutting her words mid-sentence, but that wasn’t a problem.

“The knowledge of a purposeless life and meaningless death, to never know why you fought, to fight to deny the pain of your failures, that's... That's the definition of hell. and you should be punished, Lady Odessa.” My voice was barely audible in its own whispering tones but still enough to elicit an immediate reaction from whatever remained of Alicia within the confines of my mind...

The sound was like nothing that could ever have come out of such a fragile form as her spectral self. From the remaining arm of Zenos that held the Knight’s fragile ego, a surge of raw emotion swept over me so intensely that I thought my very heart would burst open with its power, her fury. No words were needed to convey her thoughts or feelings at all. That sensation alone carried all of it.

“It seems my knight disagrees with your answer,” Lady Odessa stated simply after several moments of silence passed between us both before continuing onward, undeterred. “You see, even if there may be truth to what you say—beings driven by nothingness or the mere pursuit of power—they still exist regardless. Even if it were for selfish reasons alone, those who serve have their own desires beyond those imposed on them, no matter how fleeting those desires are or whether they die for those purposes... It matters because that is what separates humans and monsters.”

I was confused; there was no way to hide that from myself. Why would Alicia, a knight who served loyally to the very end, who would have given everything and sacrificed all that she had, just follow someone like this Mistress, who seemed to lack empathy herself?

That's why, in response to her statement, I couldn’t help myself when replying sarcastically...or perhaps I did so unconsciously out of anger.

“What the hell do you actually know? What do you know about living your life without meaning or purpose?! Who cares whether people like you exist! Do you even know anything about suffering or pain at all?!”

It must've been quite a sight: an ugly, car-sized maggot angrily yelling at something he can’t properly see... A bizarre and absurd image that made me wonder just how insane I was acting. If it had been anyone else, maybe they'd be laughing hysterically while watching me behave so foolishly. But right now? There was only one thing on my mind as we stared down into the dark void beyond.

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“Do you even realize how much she has been hurting inside this whole time?”

Lady Odessa seemed unfazed at first glance; however, her aura seemed agitated for some reason.

“Did you ever ask her what her favorite meal was? Did you ever give her the chance to pursue something beyond her oath of servitude toward your House?"

I saw nothing, and yet somehow I felt her. Something had disturbed that aura around us—almost as if some unseen force had reached up through space and time itself and touched upon me directly without touching anything else...

Luna was silent, her muscles tense but not moving an inch from where she stood, ready at any moment for combat against whatever came next. Meanwhile, Zenos was really doing what he wanted, still embracing Alicia’s frail spirit within himself despite her furious protests...and he wouldn’t budge regardless.

Did she leave such an impression to him—despite the fact that Zenos shouldn't possess an ego as strong as that—or… Is this his first act of will, a true sign of him being capable of thought beyond my influence?

Zenos did not move to obey me. He did not move to obey her.

He simply held Alicia, silent and stubborn, his fractured carapace trembling as though it contained a soul.

For the first time, I feared my Hive might not be mine alone.

For the first time, I understood why people in those games kept their characters at the same level; it made it harder for them to disobey or go on their own and easier to keep everyone on the same page when needed.

That said...that said...is it so terrible to see that he is showing some true will? Maybe the Hive should evolve to be something greater than a parasite. Perhaps it is my turn to act on a whim...

“I see…” The Lady said finally, her voice heavy with contemplation, before speaking up again shortly afterward, sounding somewhat gentler this time around.

“Very well, Worm. I shall grant Alicia her freedom. Her service to House Odelia ends today. However… It comes with a price, as all good deals do.”

“Price? If even a Silent Lady wishes to make deals with me… then I am already far more than a parasite.”

“Perhaps you are. Then you’ll find the cost is a mere pittance. For every ten years, I request a report of your journey, including your evolution and devolution, and any skills, powers, and knowledge that you have learned. I want to witness and study the process. In return, you shall receive a boon at each decade, plus one final boon after you complete your last stage of Evolution.”

Her hand moved in front of her, presenting hundreds of cards that circled around us, all facing backward. Were they...Alicia's skills? Abilities and titles?

“Why do you want those reports? And how am I going to send them to you?”

The System didn't announce a quest, so there must be some hidden motivation, but how would it matter to a Dungeon's Mistress?

“I would provide you with access to a small ritual that allows me to create an instance in my domain. I want to observe the change. And...”

She directed her gaze at Zenos, who was holding Alicia. It was difficult to determine exactly what she was looking at. But then she looked back at me.

“Curiosity, I suppose. I want to know whether your Human side is more significant than your Monster side. Perhaps a part of me yearns to understand the actions that enraged the Gods of this world to the point of punishing you.”

She smiled, and the hundreds of cards flipped forward. They showed everything that Alicia knew. I had a challenging time keeping up and remembering what each of those did.

And it was impressive that a mere human could learn so many different things. Some were swordplay abilities; others were unique titles that granted passive boons. It was also a testament to her dedication. Such a feat could take her entire lifetime to accomplish, but if that was the case, why was this House Odelia destroyed?

Who attacked them?

Had Alicia decided not to stop the attack against us, she would've obliterated my Hive without breaking a sweat...

She didn't even play with us, not seriously, not until she got interested.

“I can’t comprehend what I'm seeing right now…”

“You stirred Alicia’s soul. That alone is a testament that, despite your monstrous appearance and lack of understanding, a spark lingers within. It would be remiss not to offer you an opportunity to find that which was lost in the aftermath.”

Hundreds of cards circled the chamber. Not parchment, not paper. They pulsed like hearts, veined with faint light. Each one throbbed with something I knew instantly.

Desires.

Memories of meals never tasted. Battles fought. Oaths sworn. Kisses never given. Dreams buried.

Alicia’s entire soul, carved into pieces, shuffled like a deck in the hand of a god.

“Choose, Worm,” Odessa whispered. “Take her fragments, as many as your hunger dares. But know this: each desire you claim is one she will never reclaim. What is your Hive built upon—your hunger or her freedom?”

I looked at the Knight Captain—my eyes lingering on her spirit.

I found it hard to believe how easily I was prepared to accept this situation, especially since it initially felt wrong to do so. Just earlier, I wouldn’t think twice before devouring anything within my reach, including Alicia, if that meant ensuring survival, yet now it seemed so different…

When I saw her, I craved her in my Hive.

To devour, to integrate, and to consume. To own.

But, in reality… She was just a lost, hollow soul in despair, and in some way, that resonated too deeply with my human side. Thus, instead of hunger, a different sentiment filled me—a strange mix of sorrow and empathy, guilt and regret... A human quality I never expected to feel ever again.

—But is it really? Wasn’t she still my prey, my prize to be claimed?

No.

Something about her story, the feeling of loss and sadness surrounding it, had stirred an unfamiliar sensation somewhere inside me. It made me think. What did it mean when such powerful feelings were triggered? Did I care? Could monsters even care?

Zenos gently let go of Alicia, her smoke-like spirit standing in place, hovering, and walked away from her. He went straight in front of me. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew exactly what he meant. If I desired to consume that ghost, to satisfy this hunger within myself, Zenos would never follow the one who would dare to do that to someone he respected. For that was not a predator he could respect and pledge himself to.

He would become my enemy. No question about it. No remorse. His silent body emanated the determination and courage required to fight a battle even when knowing full well he'd fail. Luna growled in support, standing by his side, showing she shared his will to protect someone who experienced something quite similar to her.