The lady with elven blood should be Aglaia Constantine, the daughter of the "God of Luck" and the "Queen of Calamity," and later one of the founders of the "Demoness Family." After her death, her evil spirit was sealed within the Abraham family's "God's Painting Scroll," only regaining freedom during Roselle's era…
Old Huang had also mentioned this in his diary, though he didn't explain her final whereabouts.
As for the red-haired lady, I suspect she might be an ancestor of the Sauron family, one of the three-in-one evil spirits of the "Red Angel"… Yaloran once said that the characteristic she advanced with had been completely arranged by Rhine…
So Rhine was giving lessons to his "daughter" and "student"?
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ebner and the increasingly strange-faced Miss "Sloth" passed by the "image" and continued walking toward the door.
After that, they encountered several similar scenes. The male lead remained the same each time, but even Ebner couldn't recognize the women accompanying him anymore, having no idea who they were.
Thus, when they finally reached the library's entrance, Ebner quietly let out a sigh of relief.
However, at that moment, Closfia suddenly asked, "Do you think Helen might be a descendant of one of those ladies just now?"
She was quite familiar with Helen and knew that her ancestor was Rhine Carendia.
"No!" Ebner replied firmly.
The origin of Helen's branch is far greater than most of those ladies!
Closfia was momentarily stunned before saying meaningfully, "It seems you know the Carendia family quite well."
"Since I planned to explore the 'Observer Castle,' I naturally did my homework in advance," Ebner replied calmly.
While chatting, the two had already pushed open the library's doors and entered the castle's first-floor hall.
…
Meanwhile, inside the real castle.
Baron Francis of Iris was hiding in the corner of a room, avoiding pursuit from a "Weapon Master" and the four mercenaries under him.
Miss "Greed," Ksenia, was crouching behind a bed inside the room with a gun in hand, forming a pincer formation with Francis. If anyone rashly barged in, they would be attacked from both sides.
However, the expected battle never arrived. The squad led by the "Weapon Master" never dared to enter the room.
After waiting several more minutes and still hearing no movement, Francis finally relaxed slightly.
He touched the necklace in his hand. It was precisely because of fighting over this item that he had been chased here by that squad earlier… Fortunately, the other side had ultimately retreated in the face of difficulty.
Of course, that was what he thought, but the Iris Baron still sent the female mercenary at his side out to scout. Only after confirming that there was no danger did he carefully step outside the room.
But the scene he saw next shocked him.
The squad that had been chasing him was already completely dead, and they had died silently… The "Weapon Master" hadn't even had time to take out the Beyonder item on his body before someone had hollowed out his internal organs…
No, the one who did this might not necessarily be human. It could be a monster from the castle!
Thinking of this, Baron Francis of Iris shivered and didn't dare linger any longer. He hurriedly called the female mercenary to leave the area quickly.
Miss "Greed," however, glanced back at the corner at the other end of the corridor and muttered inwardly:
A group of well-trained "serial killers"… Is some "Devil family" using this trial for their acting?
As her thoughts flashed by, she followed behind Francis and ran up the stairs toward the castle's second floor.
…
At this very moment, however, Ebner and Closfia had stopped at the staircase in the hall.
Because lying on the red carpet covering the stairs was a black monster blocking their path forward.
"What kind of monster is this? Why do I feel uncomfortable just looking at it?" The usual teasing expression on Closfia's face vanished, and her brows furrowed.
An elephant's trunk, rhinoceros eyes, a bull's tail, and tiger's feet… This is the "Dream Tapir" from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, isn't it? A divine beast Rhine replicated using the power of "Creation"?
Thinking of this, Ebner glanced at Closfia.
It's normal that you feel uncomfortable. This thing is probably the nemesis of "dream spirits"!
No wonder "Gluttony" could never reach the second floor—he had been completely countered.
After briefly explaining his understanding of the "Dream Tapir" to Miss "Sloth," her frown deepened.
"What should we do? Break through by force using our strength?"
Ebner thought carefully before shaking his head.
"This dream castle is already its home ground. Even if we suppress it with power at the 'angel' level, it might cause the entire dream to collapse. That would be more trouble than it's worth…"
As soon as Closfia heard his tone, she guessed he had probably already thought of a solution. Her brows relaxed, and she cooperatively asked, "Then what should we do? I'll fully cooperate!"
Ebner closed his eyes, suppressing an inexplicable sense of embarrassment. After nearly half a minute of silence, he said, "You don't need to do anything… Just watch."
After speaking, he pulled a card from his pocket and inserted it into the slot of an exaggerated-looking "belt" that had somehow appeared at his waist.
The next moment, passionate music echoed throughout the dream castle, and Ebner simultaneously chanted in Ancient Hermes:
"Transform!"
As the incantation reverberated through the empty hall, the previously passionate music suddenly vanished. Immediately afterward, gray-white fog appeared before Ebner's eyes, and countless scenes—both familiar and unfamiliar—spread across it like stars.
The card inserted into the slot carried him through layers of mist before finally landing upon a figure clad in red armor, with a pair of enormous, illusory "bat" wings spread behind its back.
Through the rapid positioning of "Rhine Carendia" using the "Transformation Belt" and the "Moon" card, crimson light enveloped Ebner's entire body, while the historical figure clad in blood-red armor perfectly overlapped with Ebner's form.
At this moment, the "Silver-Eyed Count," the "Creator," Rhine Carendia, had returned to his "Observer Castle."
Meanwhile, the "Dream Tapir," which had been lying on the staircase, suddenly opened its eyes. It stared fixedly at Ebner's transformed figure, its expression full of disbelief.
Immediately afterward, the "Dream Tapir" jumped down from the stairs, sniffed Ebner with its long trunk, and then excitedly began circling around him.
Seeing this, Ebner tentatively extended his hand and patted its head. The "Dream Tapir" immediately stopped moving, allowing him to stroke it while even revealing a human-like expression of comfort.
It was originally a warm scene, but Ebner's eyes narrowed.
Because through contact with the "Dream Tapir," he had already "discerned" its true nature. It possessed no Beyonder characteristic and existed entirely by relying on Rhine Carendia's power.
In other words, Rhine's power still existed even after more than a thousand years since His death…
Even though His corpse had been seized by Lilith as a vessel, He…
Still had not completely died!
Due to something happening tonight, there won't be time for the bonus chapter update… the final bonus chapter will be postponed until tomorrow.
(End of Chapter)