The soapy waters rippled as she slowly moved her feet and readjusted her position.

  Carmella was in the filled bathtub, relaxing her nerves after having cleaned all the blood off of her.

  After the incident with Strixis kept her up all night, she had attempted to go get breakfast early. The moment she had stepped out, a female cockroach person, who looked eerily similar to Strixis, had quickly approached the blond songstress.

  Carmella had tried to play innocent, having only been a bystander during the attack, but it hadn’t worked. Soon, the female cockroach was threatening her, hinting at the possibility of turning the songstress into the next sacrifice if she wasn’t accepted to undergo the initiation.

  Before Carmella could take action, the Unseen Dreadbeast of Lethe had appeared behind her, immediately crushing the upper carapace of her enemy right in front of her face and, within seconds, devouring it.

  With one last look towards her, the beast disappeared into thin air amongst the screams in the hallway. Many mistook Carmella’s shivering for fear as she fell to her knees, covered in white blood and brain matter as a hollow, dreadful symbol took form around her.

  “You must be lucky!” They had said.

  “Didn’t know the beast left survivors.” Some had murmured.

  “No.” Carmella had correctly picked herself back up. “I managed to charm it before it got me, that’s all.”

  As she returned to her room in haste, the rapid beating of heart made her stagger a few times. Despite the others believing her lie, she knew it was the opposite that had happened.

  Having played that scene a few times in her head already, Carmella sank deeper into her tube, keeping only her head out of the bubbling waters.

  “...”

  She looked over at the small serpent clone she had brought in with her, in case something urgent needed to be communicated.

  So far, ever since their separation at the fort’s entrance, not once had she received a direct message from him, only through Naga. Even though he could appear to her any time, anywhere, he had chosen not to.

  It made her chest ache slightly, feeling a little neglected. At the very least, he was making sure to protect her, and giving her instructions to follow, such as walking around the fort and scattering serpent clones wherever possible.

  “I wish you’d talk to me at least…” She mumbled, blowing bubbles in the water as she puffed her flushed cheeks.

  “There is no need for master to talk to you, skank.”

  “?!”

  “You’ve been here for a while now, are you hoping he resonates with this clone to see you in that state?”

  “Naga…” Carmella straightened her back, stirring the waters. A moment later, she let out a slight sigh and crossed her arms under her ample chest. “Any news?”

  “Master wants you to keep an eye out for any hidden pathways, or Mementos that could lead to pocket dimensions. Anything from doors, closets, mirrors, even water reflections.” The serpent explained, slithering closer and hissing slightly in the blond Sleeper’s ear. “But between us, maybe it’s best I tell him you’re useless and can be discarded completely. Maybe he’ll let me eat you then.”

  “...” Carmella moved her hand, pushing away some of the soap in front of her. She could see her clear reflection in the water, with the snake slowly slithering around her bare neck. “Maybe you’re right.”

  “Hiss! Of course-”

  “Maybe I’ll force him to appear by finding a pawn, and tell him how you could be lying to him to get praised. I think he’s smart enough to figure out who’s really telling the truth.”

  “!”

  The blond Sleeper reached out and gently grabbed the serpent, holding the elongated body above her chest so they could be eye to eye.

  “Do you really want to risk upsetting him, Naga?”

  “...”

  Naga’s yellow-ish red eyes narrowed slightly, the pupils constricting vertically into smaller slits.

  “An alliance, then?” Carmella asked, taking the serpent’s silence as affirmation.

  “... Sure.”

  “Good, good.” The woman smiled, suddenly hugging the serpent against her bare skin.

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  “Hiss! Stop that!”

  “Are you becoming more cunning by spending time with him? I’m jealous!”

  “That’s right! Me and master are having a great time together away from you and the bird brain!”

  “That’s mean!”

  ***

  What’s taking Naga so long? Somnu thought, considering resonating with the serpent familiar to check on her, but he wasn’t currently in any position to leave his own body unintended.

  “Come on, Somnu! I’ll introduce you!”

  His sister had finally built up the courage to grab his hand and lead him through the trading market. The feeling welling up in his chest was overwhelming.

  He didn’t want anything to interrupt this moment. Soon enough, everything would likely turn chaotic, but for now…

  “This is my good friend, Kaelara! We work together and make clothes for everyone!” Leyna introduced the leopard person behind the stand with enthusiastic energy.

  It was clear the sister felt at ease in this place and around this Sleeper. The fact that she was warming up to Somnu after everything… It was taking some effort to hold back the tears he could no longer shed, only the slight itch in his nose remained.

  However…

  “Lena dear, I’m glad you’re safe, I was quite worried after I heard the news.” Kaelara stabbed one of her long sewing needles on the table and crossed her arms. Despite her soft tone, her demeanor hinted at unresolved anger. This was further supported by the scowl aimed at the Blind Sleeper. “But I already met this person.”

  “Eh? Why are you angry?!” Leyna asked, darting her head between her friend and brother. “What happened?”

  “I guess I owe you an apology, ma’am…?”

  “Are you asking?”

  “No.” Somnu cleared his throat and straightened his back. “I’m sorry for being so pushy last time, ma’am.”

  “You broke my table.” Kaelara sighed, resting her arms on her hips. “But if it helped you to save Lena dear, then it’s fine.”

  “Kaelara…” Leyna murmured beneath her breath, reaching for her chest, then looked at the leopard person again. “We’ve been through this many times already, my name is Leyna, not Lena…”

  “I refuse.”

  “Eh?!”

  Somnu chuckled slightly, using Naga's main body to see the world in front of him. He felt a warmth on his chest, watching his sister joking and laughing with a friend.

  Kaelara was dressed in an unusual attire. Instead of actual clothes, she was wrapped with multiple cloth instead, ranging from a faint purple to a faint orange. Her creamy yellow and gray fur protruded through many uncovered spots, showing off more of her scattered black dots. A slightly golden circlet adorned her forehead, matching the color of her eyes. While her twitching cat ears had a few elegant earrings attached to them, swaying about with each of her movements.

  “Did you miss us?”

  “Where are you looking, little brother?”

  “!”

  Suddenly, both Aurora and Mo tagged teamed him, nudging him from each side.

  “Here you go.”

  “This is…”

  Suddenly, his eyes widened.

  Aurora was handing him a freshly boiled corn stick that immediately made his mouth salivate. It was steaming hot, seductively dripping with butter and salt. He hadn’t eaten a single thing directly since coming to the Nightmare Realm, and now…

  “How did you get this?” He asked, watching the girl next to him carefully try to blow on her own piece.

  “There are other farmer and cook Aspiration Classes in the fort, they work together to help provide for everyone.” Aurora replied, keeping up her attempts.

  “You need help with that? You do realize it’s best eaten hot, right? Not that it would even hurt you as a Savant.” Somnu chuckled, digging into his own corn, and relishing the moment. It almost took him back to the last night of October.

  “It’s a habit…” The girl paused, then held out her food slightly. “But maybe you could help?”

  “... I’m… really… into this… right now.” Somnu mumbled through all the food in his mouth, pointing at his half eaten corn stick. He could foresee another joke as soon as he played to her tune.

  Seeing him, Aurora’s eyes widened slightly before chuckling to herself.

  “What’s so funny?” Mo and Leyna returned, leaving a customer with Kaelara.

  ‘I’m back, master!’ Naga suddenly announced telepathically, blocking out the outside voices.

  ‘Anything I should know, Naga?’ The scarecrow asked, checking for any possible issues that may have caused the delay.

  ‘N-no! Everything is fine, master!’

  ‘...’

  Somnu chose to ignore her reaction and to rejoin the other three in going through the trading market.

  He ended up learning about the Terror Core currency. Apparently, when the Luscairna defeat Nightmare Creatures, they obtain physical Terror Cores, whether transparent or gray.

  While Sleepers have no way of manifesting their own Terror Cores and trade them, Mo mentioned his old roommate guessed they might be able to do so in other Layers of the Nightmare Realm.

  However, thanks to this, beside trading outside resources, working inside the fort could allow the less combat focused Aspiration Classes to obtain Terror Cores and directly consume them, building up some power before they have to fight their own active fears.

  This was how Leyna had reached the Savant rank as well.

  Somnu made sure to get all the information he could while spending some quality time with the ones he had looked forward to seeing again throughout his journey.

  John Doe is growing desperate by the minute. I’m picking off his pawns one by one, and will stop any new victims from being killed. At the same time, the Unseen Dreadbeast of Lethe is quickly stealing the fear and terror the Blood Fiend had built up all this time, growing my strength even more.

  He’ll be forced to make a move soon, and if not, I know now how to force his hand.