Chapter 79

"Why? Do you need something?"

Thinking that something might be wrong, I quickly approached, but Clyde tapped my forehead with his finger.

"Ah!"

Startled, I screamed and clutched my forehead, and Clyde wore an exasperated expression.

"Someone might think your forehead is caved in."

I grumbled softly.

"This is mental pain."

"Since you're talking nonsense, you must be feeling better. You look good when you talk nonsense."

"What are you talking about...?"

"You were making a face that didn't suit you just now."

"...What kind of face?"

"A guilty face."

'Did I?'

I thought I had a calm and reassuring expression, but it seems I didn't.

"That's not it... And it's weird to be happy in front of a patient."

Clyde shook his head and changed the subject.

"I heard something about a new dream. What was it?"

"Huh?"

"What was this dream about?"

"Oh, that? Just... something."

I pretended not to understand.

Clyde extended his hand, asking for the dream card.

When I fidgeted and didn't give it to him, he put on a stern face.

"Hurry up."

'Ha. I'm going to go crazy.'

I handed him the card with a pained expression.

Clyde, after reading the dream card, raised one eyebrow.

"Hmm..."

Then he wore an ambiguous expression, a mix of a smile and a sigh.

I felt more than embarrassed; I felt ashamed.

Ding!

[Throne 'Clown' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[Dreams come true]

'I really want to get out of this terrible dungeon.'

I was even afraid of what the next dream might be.

Knock knock.

The sudden knock made me shudder, bringing back the memory of last night's nightmare.

Clyde glanced at me and said,

"Come in."

The person who entered was a lady-in-waiting from the castle.

She approached with a tray and asked,

"I've brought your meal. Are you feeling better?"

The meal on the side table was for one person.

"I'm fine, but why is the meal for one person?"

The lady-in-waiting explained,

"I was just about to tell you. I informed the lord about today's events, and he has invited you to join him for a formal dinner after a short break from work."

When I heard that Delve had invited me, Clyde tried to get up but groaned.

"Ugh... Why is the lord calling Tereza?"

"The lord mentioned that Tereza is a friend from the school he attended in his youth. Is that true?"

Clyde raised an eyebrow in surprise.

It was because there were many errors in the lady-in-waiting's statement.

Before Clyde could say anything, I spoke first.

"It's true."

The lady-in-waiting immediately bowed.

"If you attended the same school, you must be from a noble family. Please treat me with respect."

"Sure."

The lady-in-waiting looked up with a deeper sense of respect.

"I'm worried that I might have been rude to you, given how kind and polite you are."

Clyde used informal language with the lady-in-waiting.

But I didn't.

Because in the scenario, Revi doesn't.

'And when I maintain this polite attitude, the lady-in-waiting is more cooperative.'

"The lord is waiting. Let's go."

"I'll guide you to the dining room. Please come out when you're ready."

As the lady-in-waiting left the room, Clyde, who had been observing the situation, asked,

"Isn't it dangerous to go see Delve alone?"

"It's fine. This dungeon is a place where you have to do enjoyable things, and Delve isn't the type who likes killing. Besides, my bracelet is green, so I'm the perfect resident for him."

Clyde found fault in an odd place.

"You've never even met him, yet you know him so well."

Ding!

[Throne 'If being handsome is a crime, Clyde is on death row' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[Jealous again lol]

'Jealous? Maybe my affection level has increased. Well, after going through life and death together, it's natural for the affection level to rise.'

[Affection Level: ♥♥♥♡♡]

'Che.'

I felt disappointed for no reason.

So, without realizing it, I spoke in a confrontational tone.

"Why are you asking that? Are you jealous?"

Clyde's expression immediately twisted.

"If you're going to talk nonsense, get out."

"Hmph. I was planning to leave anyway."

I strode out of the room and said to the lady-in-waiting waiting at a distance,

"Let's go see the lord."

The dining room was on the first floor.

A toy soldier guarding the entrance opened the door as I approached.

Then, Delve, dressed in splendid attire, greeted me with a bright smile.

"Welcome, Tereza! Wow, how long has it been?"

Ding!

[Throne 'Tereza, my heart's child' has donated 10,000 coins.]

[Why are you being so friendly to my child?]

'Well, Delve's memories are all manipulated to suit his taste.'

I smiled brightly and approached him.

"You haven't changed at all. Or have you become even more handsome?"

Delve blushed.

"W-What are you saying? You haven't changed either. You were the prettiest girl in school and are still the prettiest lady in our territory."

We sat down, praising each other's appearances.

The meal was luxurious, and Delve treated me like a long-lost close friend.

I told stories that matched his manipulated memories.

Since Delve was a character in our team with a given narrative, I easily continued a pleasant conversation without touching his sore spots.

As time passed, Delve became more and more engrossed in the conversation.

At one point, he even wiped away tears with a choked-up face.

Delve, who seemed to feel immense affection for me, said,

"Even in school, you were the only one who understood me."

It seemed he had added new settings to his memories of me.

"Only? Everyone loved your paintings, and I was just one of them."

In Delve's manipulated memories, he was a genius artist.

Everyone was passionate about his paintings and praised his discerning eye.

Delve, blushing but happy, stood up from his seat.

"That's not the case. Tereza, I have many dresses that would suit you. Your current outfit doesn't match your status, so you should change into something else."

I didn't refuse.

His words meant that my current outfit didn't meet the standards of his castle.

In the dressing room, dresses and accessories were suddenly appearing.

The dungeon was reacting late to an unplanned event.

However, neither Delve nor I found this strange and chose a dress.

He picked out a dress with a wide square neckline.

"I think a black dress would suit you. You can wear it for the banquet tonight. What do you think?"

I couldn't say I liked it.

'In a world where a spirit appears at 6 PM, a banquet? It's obviously a trap.'

If I agreed to attend the banquet, the [Delve's Muse] dead end would appear.

I quickly waved my hands.

"Being treated to a banquet is too much for me. It's enough that I'm allowed to stay in the castle."

"Still, try on the dress. It will definitely suit you."

"Alright."

With the help of the lady-in-waiting, I changed into the dress and came out.

Wearing a black headband with jewels and a black dress that revealed my shoulders and chest, I looked like a queen of the underworld.

Delve stared at me with a dazed expression and weakly opened his mouth.

"You look even better than I imagined."

"Thank you."

"I'm not just saying that. You're truly beautiful. I want to paint you."

Red energy began to gather in Delve's eyes.

"I wish you could stay here. It would make me happy."

'This isn't in the script?'

Did I flatter him too much?

Even though I refused the banquet, Delve didn't seem to want to let me go.

'How do I get out of this?'

As I was looking for an excuse to escape the crisis, the dressing room door suddenly opened.

Bang!

Delve's expression twisted like a demon's.

"Who is it!"

The person who opened the door was none other than Clyde.

He stood crookedly, looking back and forth between me and Delve, and said,

"I came to take my wife."