Inside Talulah's mind—
"...Kashchey, what are you doing?"
Bound tightly by the Black Snake, Talulah stared in confusion at the black snake's head, which hovered mere inches from her face.
"As you can see, Talulah," the serpent replied in a calm, almost sorrowful tone, "I'm taking control of your body… I wish to meet an old acquaintance."
There was a trace of melancholy in Kashchey's voice, though Talulah couldn't tell from that emotionless snake face what he was truly feeling.
"You want to meet my father? Why?" she asked, bewildered.
In her memory, Kashchey had never interacted with her biological father. Could it be that they had known each other long before? If her father and Duke Kashchey had been old friends, it would at least explain why Kashchey had shown her such care over the years.
But… something didn't feel right.
"Wait a second…" Talulah's eyes widened as she realized the truth. "You—! You planted a Black Snake in my mind! You promised me on my eighteenth birthday that you would never do this again!"
She struggled fiercely, but the serpent's bindings didn't budge in the slightest.
"...You really are adorably foolish," Kashchey muttered with a sigh.
Then, impatient and merciless, the serpent's tail lashed across Talulah's head.
Her body froze.
Though consciousness couldn't fade in a mental space, the strike was enough to force her thoughts to halt for a while.
"So noisy. Let her rest for a bit," Kashchey murmured indifferently, turning away from the immobilized Talulah.
He had only one goal now—
To locate Edward's corpse.
---
Outside Lungmen, within a makeshift camp established by the Reunion Movement in the wilderness—
"Skullshatterer, what's wrong with you? The leader already sent word—everything's fine," a Lupo woman said, sitting by the campfire. She wore a hood and mask, her red tail flicking behind her as she watched the restless man pace back and forth for the tenth time.
By all logic, Skullshatterer should have been at ease—after all, his long-held vengeance had finally been fulfilled.
During the chaos of Chernobog's uprising, the two of them had found the traitor who caused their suffering: Sergey—Skullshatterer's own father.
That cowardly traitor's actions had led to the death of her father. He had abandoned his own family and children just to save his own life.
Sergei—both Skullshatterer and Patriot's mortal enemy—had been slain by their hands not long ago.
At least for Crownslayer, it had brought a deep sense of relief. Even the pain from his infection seemed to dull.
"...My sister, Lyudmila. I can't find my sister," Skullshatterer finally confessed after a long silence.
Because Lyudmila wasn't infected, he hadn't wanted to tell anyone. But now, he had no choice.
"You still have family alive?"
"..."
"Why didn't you say so earlier!?"
Crownslayer stood up abruptly, fiery determination flashing in his eyes.
"Tell me what she looks like—we'll all help you find her! Seriously, keeping something that big to yourself…"
Seeing Crownslayer's enthusiasm, warmth spread in Skullshatterer's chest.
Thank you, Lyudmila... and everyone in Reunion.
---
Meanwhile, in the slums, Rhodes Island operators moved carefully through the filthy alleys.
"What exactly is Lungmen's Guard Department planning? Why is our target this time… a child?"
"No idea. But Lungmen insisted—she must be brought back unharmed."
"Fine… Still, who would've thought a city as prosperous as Lungmen would have such wretched places?"
"Yeah... hard to believe these slums exist in the same city."
---
Inside Wei Yenwu's office—
"Director Wei Yenwu, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
The Black Snake, now in control of Talulah's body, mimicked her expressions and tone perfectly—an imitation of Talulah imitating Kashchey himself.
He was confident that no one would notice the difference. After all, deception was his art, and performance was one of his many talents.
"...I understand. Come with me," Wei Yenwu said at last.
His gaze lingered on the young woman before him—the feigned indifference on her face could not fully conceal the faint traces of anger and hatred in her eyes.
Wei Yenwu didn't expect forgiveness, nor did he intend to justify his past actions. But deep down, guilt weighed heavily on him.
As long as Talulah did not threaten Lungmen, he would grant her requests within reason. And this request, at least, was perfectly reasonable.
The Black Snake, still wearing Talulah's form—her eyes now filled with three parts hatred, three parts restraint, and four parts confusion—followed Wei Yenwu in silence. Together, they made their way to the resting place of Edward and his wife.
---
In the slums—
Within a district controlled by one of the largest underground syndicates stood an oddly out-of-place courtyard house.
...So this is where they're hiding it.
Even through the vagabond he briefly possessed, the Black Snake could sense the difficulty of infiltration.
But there are… quite a few people here.
With practiced calm, the Black Snake-controlled Talulah cast a discreet glance around.
Ch'en Hui-chieh, Wei Yenwu, Wei Fumizuki, and dozens of hidden guards lurked in the shadows.
Wei Yenwu… ever the cautious one.
The group entered the ancestral hall in silence.
Before the nameless gravestone stood an elderly rodent man—his features bearing the distinct marks of Lungmen's early settlers. His sharp eyes studied Talulah closely.
"...Old Wei, is this Edward's daughter?" he asked.
Wei Yenwu nodded wordlessly.
Silence fell once more.
"Little Talulah," Wei Fumizuki spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly. "This is your parents' grave."
Her heart ached for the girl.
After all, she had watched Talulah grow up—had even taken care of her for a short time. The image of that frightened, helpless little girl remained vivid in her memory.
But the Black Snake cared nothing for their tangled emotions.
All that mattered was that the goal had been achieved.
"Talulah" knelt before the gravestone and bowed deeply.
Tears slid silently down her cheeks, falling to the earth below.
No one dared to disturb her...
And no one noticed the tiny, transparent serpent coiled within those tears.
Found you, Edward.
---
At that same moment, within the depths of Talulah's consciousness—
She stared blankly at the vision the Black Snake had conjured for her.
Father... Mother...
Then, the serpent's bindings loosened. Its form shifted, twisting and reshaping until the familiar figure of the Duke stood before her.
Kashchey reached out, gently patting Talulah's head, his voice soft and deceptively tender—like soothing a frightened kitten.
"Don't be afraid, child. You still have me."
But in his eyes flickered a trace of cold indifference—tinged with impatience.
Of course, Kashchey understood Talulah's emotions, her longing, her grief for her parents.
But what did that matter to him?
All he desired was Edward's corpse.
As for how Talulah might react once she learned the truth...
A pet, after all, was still just a pet.
And Kashchey had no intention of relinquishing his grip over Victoria.