When Viola stepped into her room, she immediately shut the door behind her.
The soft click echoed louder than it should have, as if sealing her away from everything outside. For a moment, she simply stood there, leaning her back against the door, her breath uneven and her thoughts racing.
Then, without hesitation, she reached into her inventory.
Something small appeared in her hand.
A fruit.
It was formless, almost unnaturally so, its surface clear like glass yet shifting faintly, as if something within it was alive. It didn't look real, It didn't feel real either.
And yet, it was.
Viola held it carefully with both hands, her gaze fixed on it.
[Name: The Forbidden Fruit]
{Ability: Know the unknown or truth related to the user}
"…I got it. Finally."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
This was it. The treasure of the hidden dungeon.
But instead of excitement, there was only a strange weight pressing against her chest.
After a brief silence, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number.
The call connected quickly.
"Hello, this is Viola."
Her tone was calm, composed, as if nothing unusual had happened.
"I want to buy a property near the ocean… yes, its somewhere secluded."
She paused, glancing down at the fruit in her hands.
"and it has a cliff."
---
Earlier…
As Viola watched from a distance how Ezekiel stood face to face with the her clone.
That was when the deal was made.
Viola agreed to help keep the dungeon's existence a secret. In exchange, the serpent would give her its treasure.
A simple trade.
At least, on the surface.
They approached a strange, towering tree, its presence suffocating and ancient. The serpent slithered up its trunk with eerie ease, its body coiling effortlessly before reaching one of its branches.
With a flick of its tail, it plucked a fruit.
That same fruit.
It turned its head toward Viola, its eyes gleaming with amusement, then dropped the fruit into her hands.
"I already know what you're thinking… hisss~"
Its voice slithered into her ears, low and mocking.
"You're not going to eat this, are you?"
Viola didn't answer.
Because it was right.
That had never been her plan.
Taking the treasure for herself wasn't the goal. Not really.
If the Palladium Guild obtained it, they would only use it for power, for control… for something selfish.
But her?
"…Taking this for myself isn't beneficial."
Her grip on the fruit tightened slightly.
"…Someone else deserves this more than I do."
A brief pause.
"…Maybe this could help him."
The serpent let out a soft, amused hiss, its body shifting as if entertained by her words.
"So you're willing to give it away… rather than use it yourself?"
Its tone carried curiosity, but also something deeper—something almost mocking.
"Relationships… are truly interesting."
Viola ignored it.
She didn't care what the serpent thought. She didn't care about its games, its curiosity, or its amusement.
All she wanted…
…was to get back to Ezekiel as soon as possible.
---
By the time afternoon arrived, Viola finally stepped out of her room.
She hadn't even reached the first floor when suddenly—
"Hey, Viola!"
A figure rushed toward her at full speed.
Elizabeth.
"I have to ask you something!"
Viola blinked, slightly caught off guard.
"Oh, Eli… what is it?"
But Elizabeth didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she stepped closer—too close—and buried her face near Viola's, staring directly into her eyes with intense focus.
It wasn't just curiosity.
It was scrutiny.
As if she was trying to confirm something. As if she needed to see the truth for herself.
"Did you two enter a dungeon… and meet a sneaky snake?!"
Viola froze.
Her heart skipped.
How did—
She hadn't told Elizabeth anything yet. Not a single word about what happened inside the dungeon.
"…Did Ezekiel tell you something?"
"That's not the question," Elizabeth shot back instantly. "Just answer me."
Viola's thoughts raced.
If Ezekiel had said something, then he definitely wouldn't mention the serpent—because he never met it.
So how did Elizabeth know?
As far as Viola remembered, Elizabeth couldn't fully use her powers yet. She wasn't supposed to be able to see everything.
Then this meant…
She already knew something.
Or at least, enough to suspect the truth.
Viola let out a quiet breath.
There was no point lying.
"I did," she admitted.
Elizabeth's eyes widened.
"He was the dungeon boss of a hidden dungeon."
"You did?!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her voice rising. "That little sneaky snake is completely untrustworthy!"
Viola frowned slightly.
"…You know him?"
"Everyone does," Elizabeth replied without hesitation. "Well… everyone from our world."
Her expression darkened slightly, her tone turning serious.
"He's one of the elders. One of the first magical beasts to ever exist."
Viola's brows furrowed.
"An elder…?"
"He's not as strong as the others," Elizabeth continued, crossing her arms. "And he's not part of the rulers either. But still… no one wants to deal with him."
A brief pause.
"Because he's trouble."
Viola stayed silent, listening.
"He's the embodiment of mischief," Elizabeth said, her voice edged with annoyance. "A trickster. A manipulator."
Then she hesitated for a second before adding—
"…and he's especially obsessed with females."
"Fe–females?" Viola repeated, caught off guard.
A chill ran down her spine.
Elizabeth nodded.
"Not in the way you're thinking," she clarified, though her expression didn't ease. "He doesn't want them."
"…He enjoys manipulating them."
Viola felt a wave of unease settle deep in her chest.
"Especially women who already have partners," Elizabeth added.
"…What?"
"You have no idea how many wars between domains he's caused," she continued. "Just because he likes interfering in relationships—twisting emotions, creating misunderstandings, breaking bonds…"
Viola's grip unconsciously tightened.
"Why would he do that?"
Viola asked for she had a bad feeling about this now.