Lilith quietly reached out, a dark red glimmer rising from her fingertips as she tried to "touch" the corner of the witch's robe.
Just as her fingertips were about to make contact,
"Mother."
Horace's voice came from ahead. He did not turn around, but his tone carried a warning.
Lilith's fingers froze in midair.
She turned and glared fiercely at Horace. Though, on that little girl's face, a "fierce" expression looked more like "adorable."
"Disobedient brat!" Lilith muttered, but she withdrew her hand anyway.
The Night Witch knew nothing of this.
She had merely felt an inexplicable chill down her spine for an instant, as though something terrifying had set its sights on her.
But when she looked around, everything was normal.
Perhaps it was just her imagination.
She shook her head, turned, and left the square.
They crossed the pool, and the dragonkin soldiers ignored them. After they took the lift, the Lake of Rot appeared before them.
It was a scarlet lake.
Its waters were as thick as blood, scarlet mist steaming from the surface. Fungal plants covered in pustules grew densely along the shore.
The power of rot was so concentrated here that it was visible to the naked eye.
Messmer immediately kindled Messmer's Flame.
Wherever the flames passed, the scarlet mist in the air burned away, and the fungal plants underfoot rapidly withered.
Alberich also kindled his Bloodflame.
Lilith's reaction was entirely different.
"Wow!"
Red Hair cheered in delight, lifted her skirt, and ran toward the lakeshore.
"Mother!" Horace tried to stop her.
But Lilith had already stepped into the scarlet water.
"It's fine, it's fine~" Lilith hopped about in the lake, splashing up thick waves.
"Mere Scarlet Rot has a long way to go before it can hurt an Outer God~"
She even scooped up