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A slight headache throbbed in my temples as I shifted, attempting to sit up. However, my movement was impeded by the weight of Aurora, who had fallen asleep with her head resting on my shoulder.

"Um~"

"Oh..." I uttered, surprised by her presence. I turned my gaze towards her and saw her peacefully slumbering. It seemed we had both dozed off during our time together.

"How long have I been asleep, Jarvis?"

[Four hours and thirty-three minutes.] 

"And how much time is left until the exam ends?"

[The exam will conclude tomorrow morning. Approximately sixteen hours remain.]

Time was slipping away, and I couldn't shake the foreboding feeling I had about Jayden, Milleia, Elona, and Miranda. Caishen was definitely there as well. 

"I've rested enough," I muttered to myself, determined to continue our mission. Carefully, I lifted Aurora's head, cradling it gently in my hands, and laid her down on a blanket I had prepared. I ensured she was comfortable by placing a cushion beneath her head.

Luckily, I had packed various supplies in my spatial ring, anticipating such situations. Observing Aurora's peaceful slumber, I sighed, my emotions mingling within me. Louisa had been like a sister to her, someone she looked up to as a role model.

Glancing to my left, I noticed Ronald sleeping nearby, his body covered with a blanket. It was still hard to believe that Louisa was gone, her life tragically cut short. I had known her for a decade.

The memory of her words echoed in my mind: "Don't abandon them." She had expressed concern for the others in the dungeon, and perhaps she had surmised that I knew more than I let on, possibly suspecting my true identity as Amael.

I couldn't guarantee that I would be able to save the others, but I had already made up my mind. I would do whatever it took to dismantle the enemies in this dungeon. The more obstacles I eliminate now, the fewer I would have to face in the future.

I got rid of the threat of the Iris Project but remains Caishen and Ante-Eden. I can easily guess that Caishen is here for Jayden but what about Ante-Eden?

They surely didn't come only for me. Brandon came for me but I was certain that he wasn't alone. Then what could be their reason? 

Confirm Jayden's death?

Or was there something else?

I shook my head and left for the 46th floor.

****

"Urgh…" Simon's entire body throbbed with pain, and he struggled against the restraints that bound him to the chair. The darkness surrounding him made it difficult to discern his surroundings.

"You are finally awake," a voice echoed, drawing closer.

Simon's panic escalated, and he desperately attempted to free himself from the shackles that held him captive. Bound to the chair, he was unable to move or access his mana.

"I didn't want to shackle you, Simon. Sorry," the voice said.

Simon's eyes widened as his vision cleared, and he recognized the man standing before him. Memories flooded back, and he remembered how he had ended up in this predicament.

His lips quivered as he stared at the man, his voice shaking. "U-Uncle...?"

Conrad smiled upon hearing those words. "I'm glad you didn't forget me, dear nephew. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"N-No..." Simon shook his head, tears starting to well up in his eyes. "You can't be... You can't be my uncle. Uncle died-"

"...died nine years ago with your mother and father," Conrad finished, a sorrowful expression on his face. "I was supposed to be dead, but I survived."

"No... no!" Simon shouted, his gaze filled with anger as he locked eyes with Conrad. "Y-You... killed Lyra... you killed-"

"Oh, your little girlfriend?" Conrad smiled and gestured toward a table situated some distance away. "She is alive. Don't worry. I stabbed her only to remove any 'corruption' she might have acquired while fighting that monster from the Iris Project."

The sudden illumination of the room revealed Lyra peacefully sleeping on a wooden table. Relief washed over Simon, and tears streamed down his face. "I-I was so scared... I-I..."

"I know how much you care for her. What uncle would kill his nephew's lover?" Conrad chuckled.

Simon's gaze returned to Conrad, his expression now a mix of confusion and conflicting emotions. "I-I don't understand... Why didn't you reveal yourself to me then? I-I thought I was alone."

"You were never alone, Simon," Conrad said, his voice filled with a sense of reassurance. "I have always been watching over you. Your mother entrusted me with your care."

"...!" Simon's tears continued to flow as he heard mention of his mother.

"But as for why I didn't come for you and pretended to be dead until now..." Conrad's expression suddenly turned serious. "I didn't want 'him' to confirm that I was alive. I didn't want him to use you as a hostage to come after me."

"H-Huh?! W-Who, uncle?" Simon asked, his mind reeling from the revelation.

Conrad approached Simon and released him from the shackles that had held him captive. "The same person who killed your mother and father."

"!" Simon's face turned pale in an instant.

According to what he knew, his parents had been killed during a subjugation battle in the Enigma Dungeon of Falkrona Capital City.

"T-They were killed by someone?" Simon asked, fear gripping his heart as his breathing became ragged. Anger started to bubble up within him. "Who? Who, uncle?" Simon clenched his teeth, his face contorted with raw fury.

Conrad nodded solemnly. "But before we get to that, do you remember what happened on the day your parents died? I'm sorry, I know it's painful, but I need you to remember."

Simon nodded and spoke, his mind traversing back to that fateful day. "We were supposed to leave for vacation, but... Mother received a sudden call. She and Father excused themselves and... and..." Simon furrowed his brow, delving deeper into his memories. "They apologized to me and told me to wait for them, leaving me alone in the house. I thought they had gone to the Enigma Dungeon to help those in danger..."

"Indeed. Your father and mother were brilliant scientists and formidable fighters, but that's not why they were called," Conrad interjected, shaking his head. "They weren't summoned for that purpose."

Conrad produced a rectangular object and placed it on the floor. Light emitted from it, projecting a video onto the void.

Simon's eyes widened as he recognized the location—a laboratory where his parents had worked. However, in the video, the place lay in ruins.

"M-Mother!" Simon exclaimed, his voice filled with anguish as he saw his mother lying on the ground, covered in blood. She was lifeless.

Another figure, his father Matthew, crawled on the ground, bloodied and injured. "D-Dad..." Simon cried, witnessing his father's desperate struggle. Matthew crawled toward his deceased mother, his body trembling with grief and anguish.

A minute later, Matthew abruptly turned around.

In the video, grey boots came into view, revealing the face of the man.

"..." Simon froze immediately.

Grey hair and grey eyes.

The man was Thomen Falkrona—Simon's foster father.

Thomen approached Matthew, a knife clutched in his hand.

Matthew, on his knees, looked at Thomen with reddened eyes, a fierce anger burning within him—an expression Simon had never witnessed on his father's face.

"N-NOOOOO!" Simon screamed, horrified, as Thomen plunged the knife into Matthew's chest.

The video ended with Matthew falling lifelessly beside his mother.

"...."

"I understand the turmoil you're experiencing, Simon. You may even doubt the authenticity of the video. That's why you can confirm it with Thomen himself," Conrad said.

"?!" Simon's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, unable to process the information. He yearned to deny the reality and dismiss what he had witnessed as a mere nightmare.

Conrad placed a comforting hand on Simon's shoulder. "Ask Thomen and observe his reaction. You will understand immediately. You can even take the tape and have it checked for any alterations, but what you saw is true, Simon." Conrad handed the tape to Simon. "Thomen Falkrona is a murderer."

"W-Why...? Why?" Simon's spirit shattered, and he felt utterly broken.

"Nine years ago, precisely when your parents died, Thomen's wife succumbed to illness. You're aware of that, Simon."

"Yes..."

"Thomen lost his sanity and sought Matthew's help. He wanted your father's assistance in resurrecting his wife."

"This can't be..." Simon couldn't deny the uncanny coincidence. His parents had died on the same day Oryanna Falkrona had passed away.

"Your mother immediately refused. It went against all principles of ethics and humanity to entertain such an idea. And when she threatened to expose Thomen's intentions to the King..."

"S-Stop..." Simon raised his hand, gesturing for Conrad to halt his words. The weight of the truth became overwhelming.

Conrad's words cut through the silence, his voice filled with concern. "Simon... Thomen Falkrona raised you only to use you as a hostage against me. He knew that I was aware of all the things he had done."

Simon's gaze hardened, a mixture of anger and sadness filling his eyes. The trust he had once placed in his foster father had been shattered, replaced now by a sense of profound disillusionment but despite that he still held hope. 

His foster father who raised him like his own son couldn't have killed his parents. It couldn't be.

"The Falkronas are manipulative, Simon," Conrad continued, his voice filled with conviction. "If you continue to remain close to them, they will continue to strip away your happiness and everything else that is dear to you."

"I-I…"