Dexterous had obtained something from the term "Naslan Family", but for the time being, only he knew what it was.

However, for Lyle, the Naslan Family had already become a rather familiar name, though he himself might still be a bit embarrassed.

Lyle was on a high floor of Naslan Castle, a place he had never been before, the residential level of Helena.

The good weather in the Naslan Secret Realm seemed to have never changed; the proud sun hung in the sky like an oil painting, and under its shine, the upper levels of the castle were actually the warmest places.

Lyle stood on the balcony, caressing the beautifully carved stone balustrade, looking out at Naslan’s picturesque verdant grassland.

A great commotion stirred in the azure river, as a giant dog’s head emerged, carrying an odd, huge mudfish onto the shore.

That was the Specter Dog, Chai Chai, and Naslan’s Alchemical Creature, the mercury snake Valium, and clearly, that silly dog had found itself another playmate.

On the other side, a herd of startled cattle and sheep were running for their lives, chased by the rampaging Spine Wheel convoy.

Lyle had applied to the three sisters for that piece of land to be used as a testing ground for Spine Wheel. Over time, Naslan’s "people" who grazed the land had become various undead creations of Lyle.

The number of Naslan’s cattle and sheep had dropped again, partly because they died of fright, and partly because of Alianna’s growing appetite. Ever since the promotion of hunger disguise, the Miss Lich had switched from feasting on Lyle to steak.

For Alianna, Lyle naturally held nothing back; her hunger disguise was the unrestricted original version, so she controlled her diet entirely on her own while maintaining her graceful figure.

Of course, Lyle wouldn’t be jealous of the steak, even though they all passed through Alianna’s tender, soft lips. Lyle just felt a cool sensation on his fingers.

"Thank you, Miss Maid," Lyle thanked the ghostly maid who was cleaning his fingers with a wet cloth. He had become quite familiar with these spirits, their icy stares, and the chill of their touches.

The nameless maid showed no emotion, her deathly eyes closed as she bowed deeply.

"The balustrade, master Helena, freshly carved. Above, dust."

So that was it. Because it was newly renovated, the dust had not yet been cleaned away. Lyle looked at his clean fingertips, feeling the goodwill of these indifferent servants.

He wanted to talk to this spectral maid.

"This new balustrade is truly beautiful, but why renovate it now? Forgive my frankness, but it doesn’t quite match with the ancient art style that Naslan is known for."

The spectral maid floated in the air, gazing straight at Lyle before resuming her cleaning work.

"Before, no balustrades. Now, fear you fall to death."

Lyle realized that getting on good terms with these maids might be difficult, which made him start to question whether choosing Helena was a wise decision.

In the new course of soul conjuring, these lich apprentices had to undergo a desire test to train the will to resist desire.

Shiny and the others quickly targeted their free tool, the ghost Dexterous; Lyle, fearing his thoughts would betray his human identity, declined their invitation.

Although he was very interested in the so-called virtual reality master, Dexterous, he still chose Helena as his private tutor.

Helena’s floor was like an art gallery.

Stone sculptures were everywhere here, sculptures of her. Helena in various poses, and the enchanting magic within the stone sculptures was interfering with Lyle’s mind, perhaps the seduction test had already begun.

Helena was an extremely self-absorbed and charming lady.

"If there’s any bad thought about your sisters in your head, Lyle, even from you, I would get angry."

Lyle turned his head.

As the only speck of ink in this plaster-crafted, pallid world, Alianna’s black dress added a new color to the space.

Her pale skin exhibited a sickly beauty against the deep black, the bloodless surface of her skin gleaming like pearls on her neck. Her loose black hair, those eyes filled with dissatisfaction, stepped out of the painting and moved toward Lyle.

"Anna." Faced with such a radiant Alianna, Lyle felt he had entered an enchanted state. He even dared not look directly into those eyes, for they could take control of his body.

"I’m here to tutor you in soul studies, Lyle. You cannot withstand the allure of Sister Helena’s true form," Alianna seemed very pleased with Lyle’s reaction. A hint of color rose on her face, and her arms were already entwined around Lyle like a snake.

"Besides, do you remember our last dance? I think Monica’s porter job doesn’t count as an appointment. You need practice, Lyle, with me."

"The honor is all mine, my lady."

A man and a woman, in this room filled with plaster, whose beating hearts were the only music, while the sinking sun was the light casting their shadows. They stepped closer and closer, beginning their dance together.

"Sister will dominate the upcoming test. She will gradually interfere with your thoughts, weaving desires into your mind. When you’re fully submerged, our dance steps will become disturbed."

"If you make a mistake, I will immediately wake you up, and then we’ll practice over and over again."

Lyle was unsure whether to express the strange feeling in his heart. This scene was like the trial of love when going out shopping with a girlfriend, whether or not one would pay attention to other beautiful women.

"Anna, if I make a mistake, you won’t get angry with me, will you?" Or, perhaps, jealous.

Alianna’s eyes were straightforward in Lyle’s probing gaze, offering an understanding consolation.

"As a daughter of the Naslan family, I have long understood Sister’s charm. It’s so alluring that even I can be seduced. How could I blame you for something I, too, find challenging?"

"Rather, if you were not enchanted by my sister, I’d be concerned."

Lyle once again felt fortunate to be the partner of a woman as understanding as Alianna and was determined to perform well in the times ahead.

He gazed into Alianna’s eyes, his gaze tracing the contours of her face like a brush. Lyle told himself that he would definitely complete a dance with Alianna.

In his mind, a beautiful voice laughed mockingly, scoffing at Lyle’s determination. Yet, even with such blatant ridicule, as the listener, Lyle felt not the slightest discomfort from any affront to his dignity. The voice seemed to naturally mock everything, innocently and purely.

In Lyle’s eyes, Alianna’s appearance was gradually blurring, later transforming into another, slightly different face.

The face of plaster.

The visage of Helena’s closed-eye stone sculpture.