Chapter 2: Like Breathing
Aeron felt the night sea breeze of Ragunna, sensing its chill.
Of course, most of this chill came from the murderous aura radiating from Carlotta standing before him.
At this moment, his hands were bound by crystalline restraints before him, kneeling before the second daughter of the Montelli family, undergoing interrogation by this noble lady, with Ragunna's waterways right behind him.
"Then, please explain, Priest Aeron. What brings you to Montelli territory in the dead of night, and why did you destroy precious Echoes? Before I decide to throw you to the fish, do you have any last words?"
"I've already said—after being summoned here by someone from your family, I was ambushed. I merely took some extreme measures to protect myself."
Though he had omitted many details, Aeron swore everything he said was true.
"Oh? Then why was your first reaction upon seeing me to run away?"
"...Would you believe it was a reflex?"
Damn, this was getting tricky.
As a transmigrator, Aeron had never wanted anything to do with Carlotta from the very beginning.
The reason was simple—he was just an ordinary guy who wanted to live a peaceful, mundane life. Without any cheat, just his feeble self, he wanted no part in the main storyline, which was precisely why he had joined the Order of the Deep.
As an ordinary person, Aeron couldn't possibly compare to Carlotta, who was a Resonator, in any aspect.
Running would mean being caught, resisting would mean being instantly defeated by Carlotta.
Under the moonlight, Aeron suddenly realized—he seemed to be utterly doomed.
Meanwhile, Carlotta was studying Aeron with her gem-like brilliant eyes.
His priestly robes were tattered and stained with blood, combined with his exhausted appearance—he probably wasn't lying.
But for the family, even a one percent possibility couldn't be overlooked.
The Montelli family was currently filled with undercurrents of conflict. If the Order were to get involved in this situation, things would become even more severe.
She absolutely couldn't casually let this suspicious person go.
"Save your explanations for later," Carlotta said while tightening the crystalline restraints binding Aeron. "If your words prove true, the Montelli family will give you proper compensation."
"?"
Hearing Carlotta's words, Aeron was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood:
Damn, he was going to be taken captive to the Montelli estate.
Damn, my career!
The Order of the Deep had never gotten along with the Montelli family. Who knew what treatment awaited him there? If he were truly sent there, his life would basically be over.
No matter what, he had to find a way to escape this situation, otherwise he'd have to restart... restart?
Hey, that reminded him!
Aeron suddenly chuckled and began taunting in a flippant tone.
"Compensation? Second daughter of the Montelli family, do you really think the Montelli family can still provide 'compensation' now?"
Hearing Aeron's words, Carlotta frowned, a flash of displeasure in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Drawing from what had happened to him and his memories of the game's plot, Aeron transformed into a master storyteller.
"Even your family's own Echoes would inexplicably go out of control and attack an innocent priest. If you ask me, doesn't the Montelli family's internal situation already leak like a sieve?"
"Capturing me to extract some 'evidence' from my mouth? Or just finding a convenient scapegoat to gloss over the current troubles?"
Hearing Aeron's words, Carlotta was momentarily stunned. Each word was an objective analysis of the Montelli family's current situation—she truly had been worried about internal issues within the family.
"...Hah, baseless slander. Trying to provoke me with this shows you're not as clever as you think."
Unfortunately, Carlotta wasn't naive enough to be unsettled by such remarks.
"Montelli affairs will be handled by Montelli. We don't need your condescending judgment."
Aeron's words didn't disrupt Carlotta; instead, they strengthened her resolve.
But this was within Aeron's expectations.
After all, she was Carlotta Montelli, the future leader of the Montelli family. Remaining calm under such circumstances was fundamental.
Unfortunately for her, she had encountered Aeron.
One must understand—for a wuwa player, trolling Carlotta was as natural as breathing.
"Shorty, I'm not just a head taller than you!"
"You?!"
This particular remark finally threw Carlotta off balance.
Seizing this opening, Aeron immediately took action.
"Farewell, little girl of Montelli! Take this life as proof of my innocence!"
After shouting these words, Aeron suddenly raised his hand and drove the crystal Carlotta had used to restrain him straight into his own neck!
"You! Stop!"
Carlotta tried to dissolve the binding crystal, but it was far too late. She could only watch as he pierced his neck with the crystal's sharp tip.
Squelch—!
Blood gushed out violently. Aeron's body convulsed once before he fell backward into the dark, deep water behind him.
Witnessing this, Carlotta stood frozen, her mind blank.
She knew the clergy could be stubborn, but she never imagined anyone would go to such extremes.
She approached the shore, only seeing rippling waves and blood staining the waterway red. Without a doubt, the priest was dead.
"..."
The shock sent a chill down Carlotta's spine. She couldn't comprehend—just to avoid returning with her, he'd chosen to commit suicide on the spot?!
Carlotta stood dazed by the shore for what felt like an eternity before finally regaining her senses and turning her gaze back to the chaotic scene.
"Evidence..."
Recalling Aeron's final word, Carlotta began examining the Vitreum Dancer's remains.
Though not as meticulous as a Tuner's analysis, as a Resonator, Carlotta could at least make basic assessments.
But the frequency within this Echo was far more chaotic than she had anticipated.
Aeron's dying words echoed in her mind, each syllable now piercing deeper into Carlotta's heart.
"It seems... what he said might not be false," Carlotta murmured to herself.
If the Echo had truly been tampered with by someone inside, then Aeron's death could very well be part of a cover-up or framing scheme.
She silently resolved to investigate this matter thoroughly—at the very least, to give this martyr priest the justice he deserved.
"Your innocence... I accept it."
...
[Death by Suicide]
[Comprehensive Evaluation: A—An extremely impactful death scene, an exaggerated escape, a demise combining both artistic and practical value]
[Settlement Reward: Status Refresh—You will revive in a completely safe state with full health after each death]
After receiving the system's settlement reward, Aeron reached out and climbed onto the street.
He admitted he had been somewhat arrogant earlier. Without this new reward, Aeron would have truly ended up drifting at sea as fish food.
Having escaped from Carlotta and received the system's reward, this death turned out to be quite profitable.
But now Aeron was completely exhausted, both physically and mentally, wanting nothing more than to return home for a proper sleep.
[Host, I have a question]
"Go ahead."
[Miss Carlotta—why did she remain unaffected by all your previous remarks, yet reacted strongly to your final sentence?]
"Simple."
Because no matter how things stood currently with her family, she could always rectify the situation in the future. Aeron believed Carlotta possessed such capability.
"But height—that truly won't grow any further."