"Let's go, I'll take you and this Slime Envoy to meet the old fogies in the castle." Nilly waved to Yano, signaling him to follow.
She seemed to think of something else, turning her head to say to Leon and the other two: "You three, go back first and hand over the 'goods' to Miss Georgia. She knows how to handle these things."
"Okay, Auntie." Max nodded.
"Goodbye, Uncle! And Mister Slime!" Elara waved goodbye cheerfully.
"See you later." Leon also gave a concise farewell.
Chen Yu, lying in Yano's chest, raised his gel-like little hand and waved goodbye to them.
He then turned his attention to the 'goods' Nilly mentioned.
Could it be those Bloody Scrolls?
Speaking of which, just to steal some scrolls, did these Stone Descendants really need to travel so far and almost get themselves killed? Their operational scope is way too broad.
Nilly didn't stop walking, tilting her head to think: "Anyway, we're about to meet those old folks soon, so telling you doesn't matter."
"The vampire clan has recently produced quite a few of these ridiculously low-cost magic scrolls, posing a significant threat to us Stone Descendants."
"We suspect these scrolls aren't made using any traditional craft at all. It's likely the work of that old mage Salacha hiding in the shadows for the vampires."
"Attacking far away was just to try and conceal it was done by Stone Descendants."
Yano grew even more puzzled: "But... those vampires should be able to tell it's the work of Stone Descendants at a glance, right?"
Hearing this, Nilly suddenly stopped walking, turned her head, her gaze sweeping between Yano and the Slime in his arms, then blinked.
"That's true, so we originally planned to pin the blame on that newly emerged force from the swamp area... just didn't expect it to be such a coincidence."
Chen Yu: "..."
So even if he and Yano hadn't gone to rob them, this black pot was destined to be dumped on their heads anyway.
Talk about a calamity falling from the sky.
Chen Yu speechlessly began bubbling.
"You wait..."
Nilly seemed completely unaware of a certain Slime's speechlessness, opening a small bag she carried with her, rummaging around for a good while before finally fishing out a polished quartz crystal.
"Here, borrow this for now. It's a little magical trinket that can slightly expand mental energy. It was previously used to communicate with gargoyles. A Slime should be able to use it too."
"To avoid you and those old folks just staring blankly at each other later. They should be interested in cooperating with a Slime territory that can repel Blacktooth's elite company."
Yano took the crystal and carefully handed it to the Slime in his arms.
Chen Yu extended his gel-like hands to hug it, then "gulped" and swallowed it into his body.
Although this crystal had no taste, it felt cool and refreshing to the Slime, like holding a mint candy in his mouth.
He tried making a sound: "Hello, can you hear me?"
As his mental energy expanded, Chen Yu's clear voice directly echoed in Nilly and Yano's minds.
Nilly waved her hand: "Hearing you loud and clear. Seems it works."
"But is this the voice of a Slime? Soft and glutinous, sounds like a talking, bouncy pudding."
"Seems quite delicious."
Chen Yu gave her a wary look. He always suspected the person before him seemed to regard him as some kind of tasty food.
Maybe she even secretly sucked on Slime gel before.
"Is that not allowed?" Chen Yu's projected voice carried a hint of displeasure.
"Hehe, of course it's allowed. It just doesn't sound very imposing. If you're negotiating with others, you'd lose the moment you open your mouth."
As she spoke, she led Yano through an ornate iron gate into a serene and quiet Manor.
The buildings here were more refined than those in the outer town. The courtyard was planted with strange flowers emitting a soft glow and neatly trimmed fluorescent shrubs.
Stone Descendants passing by all greeted Nilly.
"Auntie, you're back."
"Good morning, Auntie."
Chen Yu found it strange. It seemed regardless of age, these Stone Descendants all addressed Nilly as 'Auntie'.
He was starting to feel this little shorty might be older than he thought.
Along the way, he also overheard Stone Descendants discussing his territory.
"Those Blacktooth mad dogs took a huge loss in the eastern swamp."
"Really? That newly emerged Slime territory is that powerful?"
"Absolutely. Heard an entire full-strength elite team was almost completely wiped out..."
It seemed even before they returned to the Stone Fortress, the Stone Descendants here had already learned the latest news from outside through magic.
Nilly listened to these discussions without comment, leading Yano into the Stone Fortress, up a spiral tower staircase, and into a classical gallery.
Chen Yu looked around curiously. The walls on both sides of the gallery were lined with rows of portraits. The subjects all seemed to be Stone Descendants, each sketched by the painter with a sternness fitting their race.
But Chen Yu didn't recognize a single person in these paintings. He could only idly examine the painting materials and the exquisite patterns on the frames.
Bored, he thought, the patina on this frame is quite good, must be considered an antique.
Huh? This ancestor's hairline seems a bit precarious. Could it be the Belmonts have a baldness gene?
Looks like Yano might have some image management difficulties in the future.
Yano also curiously examined the figures in the portraits, but soon averted his gaze, his face full of bewilderment.
He didn't recognize the people in these paintings either, which made him start doubting again whether he truly shared blood ties with these Stone Descendants.
Just as he was internally muttering, his footsteps suddenly halted, his gaze falling on a relatively youthful portrait.
"Who is he?" Yano asked seriously.
The reason he cared so much was that the young man in the painting bore a seventy percent resemblance in his eyes and demeanor to the father in his memories.
Nilly leaned over for a look, her face showing an "as expected" expression.
"Well, well, descendant, your eyesight is pretty good."
"Hoven Belmont. Once the most fanciful fellow in the Stone Fortress. It was he who first proposed going out to find a cure for the Petrification Disease. He actually managed to stir up a group of Stone Descendants to leave with him. And then they never returned."
"If I'm not mistaken, this guy is probably your grandfather."
Yano felt a pang of guilt upon hearing this.
Ahem, actually, by the time he could remember things, his grandfather had already turned into a statue.
This also meant he had no impression of this grandfather and no idea he had done these things.
Would these Stone Descendants want to arrest him to judge his ancestor's crimes?
Nilly chuckled happily.
"Relax. If the family really blamed him, they wouldn't have hung his portrait here."
"You should know, the last young person hung here was our ancestor Castor, known as the Stone Scion Grand Duke."
"Your grandfather Hoven was indeed a genius back then, even considered highly likely to succeed Castor's position at one point. It's just that after he left, there was no news. The family probably guessed his outcome."
"As a courageous explorer, he deserves to be remembered. But then again, if he had stayed back then... he might still be alive today."
Yano was taken aback: "Alive today? What do you mean? Have you found a way to treat the Petrification Disease?"
"Hmm... not exactly."
Nilly tilted her head. "That method is more like a compromise. You'll understand once you come with me."
Saying this, she pushed open the heavy door at the end of the corridor engraved with the Belmont Family crest, revealing the spacious and simple hall behind it.
Yano peeked inside. After adjusting to the dimness, he only saw a long stone table and several high-backed chairs in the center of the hall. However, it was completely empty inside.
Huh?
Weren't people supposed to be here?
This time, Nilly didn't immediately answer his confusion. Instead, she walked familiarly to a cabinet by the wall and took out a bottle of medicine glowing with a deep blue light.
She pulled out the stopper, sniffed the bottle's opening, then held it up to the light: "Hmm, good. Color is pure, no sediment. Seems not expired."
Then she walked to the long table and carefully poured the medicine into several empty cups on the table.
After finishing this, she explained: "These old folks haven't found a way to eradicate the Petrification Disease, but they found a special medicine that can 'preserve' bodies not yet fully petrified, allowing their mental energy to temporarily extend and manifest by relying on the medicine."
"Like this..."
As her words fell, the deep blue liquid in those cups seemed injected with life, beginning to glow and rise. Hazy blue mist intertwined in the air, gradually coalescing into three slightly blurred, ghostly blue phantoms.
The phantoms settled into the seats, gradually stabilizing. The leading phantom, in the form of an old man, seemed to awaken from a long slumber, slowly opening his eyes.
"Ni... ly?"
The old man's phantom spoke slowly, his voice hoarse from just waking up. "What... happened?"
The other two phantoms, one male and one female, also awoke one after another. They looked at Nilly, their gazes quickly falling on the uneasy Yano, showing expressions of confusion.
"Why did you bring a human here?" The phantom named Lancelot spoke, his voice slightly aloof.
Nilly gestured for Yano to sit at the other end of the long table, then said leisurely: "Let me tell you some good news. I found that guy Hoven's grandson. It's him."
"Hoven?"
The leading phantom visibly rippled, showing a nostalgic expression. He looked carefully at Yano. "Child, what is your name? Your grandfather... how is he now?"
Yano immediately stood up: "Arno Belmont, greetings to the three ancestors. My grandfather... he has already turned into a stone statue."
The three phantoms exchanged glances. Although they had anticipated this, hearing the confirmed news still made them unable to suppress a slight sigh. Even their ghostly blue light dimmed somewhat.
"So it seems... you've returned seeking a solution to the Petrification Disease?" The female phantom asked softly, her tone gentler.
"But unfortunately, such a method does not exist."
Nilly immediately cut in: "Hey, hey, I haven't finished speaking. Don't jump to conclusions on your own."
"Actually, this guy has lost his family inheritance. If Leon and the others hadn't encountered him at the outpost camp and brought him back here, he probably wouldn't even know his bloodline originated from here."
"But strangely, he hasn't shown any petrification symptoms."
"What?"
The leading phantom visibly solidified a bit more. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying unprecedented gravity: "Descendant, I am Solomon Belmont. These two are Lancelot and Cameron. By seniority, I am your grandfather's uncle."
"Is what Nilly said true? Has your Petrification Disease disappeared?"
Yano answered as the boss had instructed beforehand: "Yes, ancestor. It seemed to disappear suddenly, and then I could control the petrification myself."
"An atavism?"
"Or because of something else?"
The three phantoms simultaneously showed expressions of surprise, looking at each other. Their ghostly blue light flickered, as if rapidly communicating in some way.
A moment later, Cameron said to Nilly: "I remember the 'that path' in the Fluorescent Forest has stabilized and opened. Since that's the case, let him participate in the trial too."
Nilly spread her hands. "I regret to inform you all, this guy's profession is warrior. He probably can't even find which way the trial's gate opens, let alone pass the trial meant for rogues."
Solomon's phantom frowned: "To think Hoven's descendant has lost his inheritance so severely... absurd enough to become a warrior."
The atmosphere in the hall fell into silence and awkwardness.
Yano could faintly hear the three phantoms communicating in extremely low voices, apparently discussing that trial named the "Shadow Trial," clearly designed for assassins.
Just as he was hesitating, movement came from his chest, and Chen Yu's voice sounded in his mind.
"Agree to it."
Yano was stunned for a moment, then looked up and said: "Three ancestors, I believe I can participate in this trial."
"Oh?"
Cameron's phantom let out a light sound of surprise, his voice carrying a hint of laughter: "You lad, this reckless tone when speaking really resembles Hoven in his youth."
"Since you request it yourself, then go. Failing is no big deal. Young people always need to experience setbacks."
Lancelot's phantom also spoke: "Equally heedless of consequences. But having courage is a good thing. If you can truly pass, it won't disgrace your grandfather."
Solomon's phantom slowly nodded: "Let it be so for now. Nilly, wake us again when the Shadow Trial is held."
After speaking, the three phantoms seemed ready to disperse.
"Hey, wait, I haven't finished the important business yet. Don't be in such a hurry to leave." Nilly hurriedly called out to stop them.
She spoke rapidly: "Remember that newly emerged magical creature force in the eastern swamp I mentioned to you before?"
"Those magical creatures defeated Blacktooth's elite formation company."
Solomon's phantom paused, showing surprise.
The three phantoms closed their eyes. A moment later, they opened them. Their ghostly blue light flickered slightly, as if instantly obtaining and verifying more detailed information through some channel.
After understanding, the surprise on their faces deepened.
They could actually defeat Blacktooth's mercenary elites.
Not just them, even the vampire clan had underestimated those magical creatures.
Before they could continue speculating, Nilly said: "No need to guess. I've already invited their envoy for you."
"Your Excellency, you can come out now."
The three phantoms immediately scanned the hall but found nothing, feeling puzzled.
Then they saw Yano carefully fish out a small green blob from his chest.
Huh?
A Slime?