—That mansion was one prepared by House Cerclie to keep their youngest daughter locked away.
The blind girl—Shannon Cerclie—understood this all too well.
House Cerclie's decision to hide their visually impaired daughter away was, all things considered, on the better end of the spectrum.
(At least I wasn't killed... But someday, for not killing me...)
Sitting in a chair in her room, she gazed out the window.
People believed she was blind, but that wasn't the case.
She simply saw a different world.
"It's warm today."
The sunlight streaming through the window warmed her body.
Being unable to see had sharpened her other senses. Not merely sharpened them, either.
Her senses had become sharp enough to compensate for what was lacking.
She could hear someone's breathing, their heartbeat, and even gauge the distance between them.
Simply because she couldn't see didn't mean she couldn't live a normal life.
But she deliberately kept this hidden.
Because she found it amusing. Everyone pitied her, and because she couldn't see, they let their guard down. That was entertaining.
And besides—
"Being able to see the flow of mana is rather nice, you know. After all, I can see almost everything."
Her eyes could perceive mana visually.
The ability to see the invisible flow of mana was the result of her blind eyes and her [Skill] working together.
Just as her other senses had sharpened to compensate for her blindness, her Skill had specialized to supplement her eyes.
Shannon was the girl who possessed what was commonly known as a Mana Eye.
"Still, that man called Lyle was on quite high alert... He gives off a strange feeling, and I want to kick him out as soon as possible."
Ever since Lyle and the others had moved into the mansion, Shannon had been growing irritated.
To her, who had longed for a life with just her sister, Lyle and his companions were nothing but nuisances.
Lyle, in particular, had seven mysterious lights emanating from him—lights of a mana she had never seen before. This only made Shannon more wary.
"Just when she was starting to break down in such a nice way, they had to go and interfere..."
It was true that Shannon harbored affection for her sister, but more than that, Miranda was now a toy to her.
Having gained her new power, Shannon could now read people's emotions through the movement of their mana.
She had acquired the Mana Eye back when she was still in the Royal Capital of Central.
It happened when she laid eyes on a particular girl.
To her, the girl who was supposed to be blind, an enormous mass of mana had become visible.
The girl was about her own age, yet she possessed a mass of mana larger than anyone else's.
That girl was the daughter of a count, with ties to the Cerclie family as well.
That light of mana seemed to draw in the surrounding mana like a vortex... Shannon remembered finding it beautiful yet terrifying, and feeling as though she was being enchanted.
"...Someday, I'll surpass her too. With these eyes, I can."
That girl was like something entirely otherworldly that had descended into the human world.
Shannon had greeted that girl, but she hadn't even gotten a glance.
She was probably only seen as a timid, blind girl.
That gnawed at her. It wasn't that she wanted to be liked. But to be so utterly ignored made her feel as though she was being told she was nothing more than that.
And yet, the one thing that girl had taken an interest in was—
"Ah, if only I could break her and turn her into a doll that can't function without me... I've been practicing with the servants, so I think I've gotten pretty good at it by now."
With the Mana Eye, she could now see mana and learn to manipulate it.
She could expand her own mana and disrupt the mana of others.
Since only she could see it, no one ever noticed.
Shannon had been experimenting on the servants with a technique to manipulate those whose mana she had disrupted.
For Shannon, who had been unable to see, it had helped widen her world enormously.
At the same time, she planted dark emotions within them.
"A bright, beautiful, ideal big sister... I want to break her soon. If I do, someday I'll surpass that person. I'll become that person."
Shannon, who had become obsessed with "that person" in an entirely different sense, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
Her yellow irises had begun to glow gold.
"First, I need to turn Big Sister into my little doll. One that moves just as I want, right?"
To her sister Miranda—who had been liked by "that person," the one Shannon had set her sights on—Shannon harbored twisted feelings.
With a look of ecstasy on her face, Shannon gazed out the window—
"So this is what a managed Dungeon looks like?"
Damian Barre—
I had accepted the request of a pervert counted among the Seven Worthies of the academic city, and as I stepped into the managed Dungeon, I muttered to myself.
Unlike the Dungeon I had experienced in Darion, thin metal plates were layered at haphazard angles, creating a labyrinth.
Some places emitted a faint glow, and occasionally I could spot round objects that blinked red.
It seemed this Dungeon had its own unique atmosphere.
The dungeons you usually read about in books tend to feature corridors made of bricks or natural caves. I had known the academic city would be different, but I hadn't expected it to be this much.
"Hey! This way's a dead end!"
"Hurry up and head downstairs!"
"Damn it! There are no Monsters!"
Since Damian's request this time allowed us to explore the Dungeon, there were many adventurers who had accepted his request, just like us.
But there were too many of them, and the first basement floor was overflowing with adventurers.
Adventurers who regularly defeated Monsters in Dungeons were making their way underground, looking thoroughly annoyed.
(So the rumors are true—accepting a request from one of the Seven Worthies causes trouble for everyone around you.)
Novem had been lighting up the area around us, but she stopped partway through.
Since others around us had brought their own light sources, it wasn't a problem for navigation.
"It's more than I expected."
Aria agreed with Novem, who wore a slight, wry smile.
"I'd heard it was popular because you don't have to go outside to find encounters, but..."
Aria wore a conflicted expression, but I shared her sentiment.
When I used my Skills to check the surrounding area, all the Monsters had been slain and the treasure chests already opened. The map projected in my head was so packed with yellow dots that it was hard to make anything out.
The Fifth Generation offered some advice.
"When you check the map, zoom in to a readable level. If you try to view the whole thing at once, there are so many signals you won't see anything. Also, you probably already know this, but..."
I clenched the Jewel in my hand.
"Novem, Aria, we're turning right at the next corner."
"Yes, Lord Lyle."
"Wait, why? Everyone else is turning left."
Aria alone seemed unconvinced, but I had my reasons for avoiding the left turn.
It was true that all the Monsters had likely been defeated already.
However, Monsters weren't the only things that could harbor hostile intentions.
Mixed in with the groups of yellow signals moving around, I could spot the occasional red one.
(It's not just us. Other adventurers are probably being targeted too.)
Even if it didn't go as far as murder, there were probably those who would steal an adventurer's tools of the trade through theft or intimidation.
Some groups even showed up entirely in red on the map.
I was steering clear of those groups precisely because our party consisted of only three people—and I was the only man.
(Having so few people really is a problem.)
At times like these, you always seem to get caught up in trouble.
I truly felt the disadvantage of having so few members.
I assessed the level of congestion and told the two of them we were heading back.
"Let's head back for today. There's no need to push ourselves, and it should calm down after a while."
"It's a waste to come all this way and leave."
When Aria grumbled in protest, Novem chimed in to persuade her.
"We'd certainly encounter Monsters if we pressed on, but that would mean the fifth basement floor or deeper... I've heard the deeper you go, the stronger the Monsters become, so it might be dangerous."
From my perspective, I could always track enemy positions on the map.
I wouldn't be ambushed, and I was confident I could launch ambushes of my own and take enemies down with ease.
But there was no point saying that, so I kept my mouth shut.
"Besides, there are just too many people. I can see now—this place really does need management."
The Fifth Generation agreed.
"There are probably some among them who want to reach the deepest floor and steal whatever treasures lie there. Given how deep this Dungeon goes, who knows what kind of treasure might be sleeping down there."
The Third Generation added:
"I've heard that treasure chests basically contain reproductions of items from fallen adventurers, reconstructed by the Dungeon. I've also heard it swallows corpses and equipment to grow. I'd love to see that for myself."
The Third Generation looked around for agreement, but the Second Generation was creeped out.
"...Nope. Absolutely not."
"Huh?"
The Fourth Generation also weighed in:
"Saying you want to see something that grotesque is a huge turnoff."
"Huh? Wait, what?"
It was rare to see the Third Generation flustered like that, but getting home was the priority.
"Well then, shall we head back?"
"You know the way back, right? Actually, you still haven't properly explained your Skills. How many can you use exactly?"
Aria demanded an explanation, so I answered.
"...Eight in total."
The color drained from Aria's face.
Novem, on the other hand... was just smiling away, as usual.
The voice from the Jewel bypassed the Second through Fourth Generations, who were busy bantering, and addressed me directly.
It was the Fifth Generation.
"Well then, Lyle."
I touched the Jewel to respond, and the Fifth Generation spoke.
"Come to the meeting room tonight. I'll teach you the Skills of the Sixth and Seventh Generations, along with my own. And the Third Generation's, too, for good measure."
I was a little surprised to hear that.
They were going to teach me the Skills of the Third and Seventh Generations—ones they had never taught me before—all at once.
And not just that—the advanced applications... the second stage of their Skills, as well.
(What's gotten into the Fifth Generation all of a sudden... It's not like him to be in such a rush.)
Though I found it puzzling, I decided to follow the Fifth Generation's instructions.
Late that night.
Once everyone in the mansion had fallen asleep, I sent my consciousness into the Jewel.
My body lay in bed, but I could project only my consciousness into the Jewel.
Inside, my ancestors sat around a round table, chattering away.
(They must be having conversations even when I can't hear them.)
With that thought, I took my seat.
The Fourth Generation, serving as moderator, noticed me, stopped chatting, and clapped three times. Everyone fell silent.
"All right. Since Lyle has arrived, we'll begin the meeting. Now, it was the Fifth Generation who called for today's session."
The Fifth Generation, leaning on the table with his elbows, looked at me and spoke.
"We're going to teach Lyle some Skills—specifically, the Third and Seventh Generations'. From what I've seen of how he uses his Skills, he shouldn't fail at this point."
A Skill failure referred to the phenomenon of depleting one's mana through continuous Skill use.
Fainting would be the better outcome—in reality, it was also possible to die.
I remembered when I'd fought the boss of a bandit gang—the man had overused his Skills so much that blood had sprayed from every part of his body.
The Third Generation looked at me and nodded.
"I think it's fine, don't you? But as a rule, I can't teach the advanced applications."
The Fifth Generation said that was fine, then turned his gaze to the Seventh Generation.
"...If the condition is limiting usage to twice per day..."
The Seventh Generation would teach me his Skill on the condition that I limit its use to twice a day.
As for the Skills of these two: the Third Generation's Skill was low in quality.
The Seventh Generation's Skill, on the other hand, consumed an absurd amount of mana.
"What kind of Skills do the two of you have?"
When I asked, the Third Generation answered with a smile.
"The Skill is called [Mind]. It's primarily used for mental attacks and defenses. You can also show your opponent hallucinations, but once you get used to it, you can control them at will... Oh, but that might be too much for Lyle to handle right now?"
Having said that much, the Third Generation covered his mouth with his hand.
The surrounding ancestors let out collective sighs.
The Second Generation was visibly repulsed.
"You've really got a twisted personality."
"Do I? Well then, next up is the Seventh Generation."
The Third Generation designated the Seventh Generation.
The Seventh Generation stood up and demonstrated his Skill for me.
"My Skill is called [Box]. It's a spatial Skill. It's convenient, but the mana consumption is brutal—if you're not careful, you'll drain your mana completely and pass out."
The Seventh Generation snapped his fingers, and a magic circle appeared before my eyes.
From the magic circle emerged a box that looked like a treasure chest.
"The size of the box depends on your mana. It doesn't require mana to maintain, but the consumption when summoning it is enormous. It can preserve its contents in a state where even time is stopped, though."
It was an incredibly convenient Skill.
Hearing that, I turned to the Seventh Generation, wondering why he had kept quiet about it until now.
The Seventh Generation spoke:
"...My Skill, once activated, cannot be canceled midway. If you're not careful, you could die. Just because your mana has increased a little doesn't mean you should push yourself, Lyle."
"Y-Yes."
It seemed convenient, but dangerous as well.
I decided to ask about the specifics later and looked to the Fifth Generation.
But it was the Sixth Generation who continued the discussion.
"Now then, we'll teach you the Third Generation's Skill and the rest in due time, but the real topic starts here."
"There was a different main topic?"
When I looked at the Sixth Generation, he cleared his throat.
He seemed reluctant to speak.
Just then, the Fifth Generation, who had run out of patience—
"Hey, stop being so coy when you're built like a tank. If you won't say it, I will—it concerns me too."
Something that concerned the Fifth Generation as well?
As I was wondering about that, the Sixth Generation let out a sigh and spoke:
"...Lyle, the truth is, those Cerclie sisters remind me of my younger sister."
The Sixth Generation had more than thirty younger brothers and sisters.
I questioned whether one could really feel familial affection for that many siblings, but apparently, this was one he had been close to.
"You want me to treasure her, like the First Generation did? Well, I do intend to be considerate within my abilities."
When I said that, the Sixth Generation shook his head.
"That's part of it, but that's not the main point."
(He just said "that's part of it," didn't he? He did, right?! I already have more than enough women around me! He's not going to tell me to marry her, is he? The Fifth and Sixth Generations both had concubines as a matter of course, so their values on this kind of thing are probably different from mine...)
Feeling it would be rude to interrupt, I continued listening to the Sixth Generation.
"The older sister, Miranda, is the spitting image of my sister. Their personalities are similar, too. Mireia was a very kind girl."
As the Sixth Generation reminisced, the Fifth Generation nodded in agreement.
"Of all my daughters, she was the most obedient and never talked back, so she was easy."
What a dry assessment.
Wasn't that a little harsh toward his own daughter?
The Sixth Generation continued.
"As for my younger sister Shannon, she possesses the same eyes that Mireia had."
"...Eyes?"
I had heard that Shannon couldn't see, but the Sixth and Fifth Generations clearly knew something about this.
And so, they began to explain the situation to me.
According to the Sixth Generation—
Shannon possessed a Mana Eye.
"A Mana Eye?"
"She must have tried to compensate for her lost eyesight using her Skill. There was probably some conscious effort involved, but it was more instinctive than anything. Have you heard of it? They say that when you lose one sense, the others become sharper."
Having read about it in books, I nodded in response to the Sixth Generation's explanation.
"That's what can happen when a Skill compensates for it. Those eyes... Shannon's eyes are the very same Mana Eye that Mireia possessed."
The Fifth Generation cut in:
"Mireia couldn't see, but with the power of the Mana Eye, she could perceive mana. What's more, she could reconstruct visual information from her other senses. She had eyes that could see even better than normal people's. Incidentally, she could also touch the flow of invisible mana. What a troublesome power to have inherited. That little prankster—she went and played with Mireia's Mana Eye."
There was a faint note of anger in the Fifth Generation's voice.
He spoke of it as "Mireia's Mana Eye," and since it was something she had manifested herself, this was probably a personal sentiment of the Fifth Generation's.
(I wonder if the Fifth Generation cared about Mireia in his own way?)
"...What evidence do you have that Shannon's Skill is active?"
I had a vague understanding of what the Fifth and Sixth Generations were trying to say.
The strange experiences I'd had since coming to the mansion were things Shannon had been causing.
The Sixth Generation provided me with evidence.
"Her gaze shifted when you activated your Skill. She even looked directly at the Jewel. Mireia could detect it the moment someone used a Skill, too."
Just as I was thinking all I needed to do was put a stop to Shannon's mischief, the two of them said something beyond my expectations.
The Fifth Generation wore a grave expression—
"Lyle, stop Shannon. If you can't reform her... those eyes need to be destroyed."
—They were telling me to destroy Shannon's eyes.