39. Living here , I feel so lonely!

Aurelius Liora sat on his back, punching angrily.

"You're so mean, Master! You bullied sister Lalatina!"

Noah Drake, lying below, tilted his head and retorted.

"That's not true! It was just an accident, I really didn't mean to... Who do you think I am? How could I do something so disgraceful? Stop thinking the worst of me... Or else I'll eat you right now!"

Lalatina's cheeks flushed, perhaps out of a mix of embarrassment and confusion. She quickly interrupted to explain.

"Liora, you shouldn't say that. It was a misunderstanding, just an accident. I don't think someone like the master would have any ill intentions."

"Exactly! Only Lalatina truly understands. You all should learn from her..."

...

The sun rose high, casting its warm light, but within the manor, there was no sign of warmth, as a biting cold reached to the bones. Inside, Noah Drake lay sprawled on a reclining chair made of woven rattan, with a warm velvet blanket draped over it. Surrounding him, three beautiful maidservants attended to him.

"Liora, why is your face so red? Have you never touched someone else's hand before? You should learn from Luna Hart... Relax."

Aurelius Liora's face turned bright red. He had never heard of massaging someone's hand before. It was his first time touching another man's hand, especially one so much older.

"Master, this is my first time doing this. I may not be good at it yet, but I'll learn from Sister Luna Hart and improve for next time."

"Uhm, remember that... I'm looking forward to your next attempt."

...

Suddenly, a tremor shook the ground. On the left side of Strong Bull Mountain, a massive crack appeared, splitting the sky, as a tentacled monster slithered out from the void.

Its body was enormous, with eight tentacles, and a single giant eye in the center of its head, constantly darting around.

As soon as it fully emerged, the space trembled, light vanished, and a suffocating, corrupt aura spread in all directions. Wherever the giant eye looked, terror and despair overwhelmed all living things.

It roared, a deep, heavy sound that distorted the space around it. At the same time, one of its tentacles lashed out directly at the manor. The feeling of inescapable doom locked onto the souls of every living being below.

Just as the tentacle was about to descend, a stone statue from the manor's left corner began to move. The statue extended its arm in an odd gesture and hurled a stone spear directly at the tentacle.

The spear shot forward with unstoppable force, easily piercing through the tentacle and speeding toward the creature's giant eye. But the monster's eye suddenly turned pitch black, becoming an endless void. Its pupil disappeared, and the area around it began to blur.

However, the spear continued its rapid flight, unyielding, radiating boundless energy, and tearing through everything in its path. It pierced straight through the eye. With a flash of light, the octopus-like creature slowly disintegrated, vanishing into the void. The stone statue retracted its arm, and the spear flew back into its hand. After pausing briefly, the statue returned to its original position.

The space returned to its peaceful, warm state, as if the monstrous encounter had been nothing but a fleeting dream.

...

Lying on the chair, Noah Drake glanced at a notification that had just appeared.

The system reported that the manor had just eliminated an intruder, in accordance with the void agreement. The process was handled by the four guardian statues.

After reading, he looked at the three maidservants in front of him. Their faces showed confusion and fear, yet they still remained as beautiful as ever.

"No need to panic. That was just a minor threat... already subdued. You can carry on."

Seeing Noah Drake's calm demeanor, their sense of reverence for him only deepened.

"Yes, Master."

Noticing the fearful yet respectful expressions on their faces, Noah Drake remained outwardly composed, but inside, he felt a surge of pride.

His face tilted at a 45-degree angle, his eyes gazing into the distance as he sighed and mused.

"You must be curious. Actually, this manor is the boundary separating the endless void from the world of the living... Liora , continue with your work."

"When you arrived, you came through the east gate, meaning you entered from the world of the living, guided by the heavenly path. The west side, however, is chaos, with beings very different from us. This manor sits in between, ensuring that no creature crosses from one realm to the other."

His gaze softened as he looked at Lalatina Celeste.

"It's an honorable position, yet also the chain that binds me here... Keep moving your hands."

"So, things like what just happened will occur frequently. There's no need to be afraid. As long as I'm here, you're safe. But if I ever leave... then all will fall into ruin, and living beings will suffer."

"Therefore, especially you, Liora, you must stop thinking badly of me. Be more like Luna Hart and Lalatina. Got it?"

"You must treat me well. Living here, I feel so lonely..."