Exposed

Neph returned to the Real World.

She realized that it was indeed quite possible a Demoness was imprisoned in that labyrinth-there were plenty of Demonesses, but among those who operated at sea for extended periods, Tracy was probably the highest-ranking one. As for those above her, they were busy drawing closer to the Primordial.

And Ouroboros had clearly pointed out that her advancement ritual would take place at sea.

If a Demoness was imprisoned inside, it made sense that she and Tracy would be drawn there.

But something still felt strange-Neph frowned, letting her mind go blank on the deck.

"She came to the captain's cabin once again and said-"

"Helene."

Inside the captain's cabin, Helene's reading was abruptly interrupted. She paused in confusion and looked at Tracy. The Demoness's gaze drifted toward the open door, her blue eyes hazy and unfocused. Her voice was lost, with nowhere to settle:

"Have you ever felt... as though there's a third person between us?"

Clatter!

The book dropped from her hands. Helene went pale with fright and hurriedly denied it:

"I haven't!

"Even if I wanted to escape, I never thought of doing it with someone else!

"I-"

Her voice cut off abruptly, and her pale face flushed red.

Tracy's eyes immediately regained their focus. She turned to Helene and said calmly:

"I wasn't talking about you.

"I just... I just feel that something's strange."

She paused and glanced toward the doorway again before slowly saying, "...I had a dream."

"What?" Helene looked at her in confusion.

Tracy did not turn to look at her. Instead, her gaze grew unfocused again as she murmured:

"It was like... like living through everything all over again. Those painful memories, everything in my past, played out before me again."

She paused, then turned to look