Catgirls And Dungeons
Chapter 236: Speculation

Chapter 236: Speculation

"Wait—Azraphael? Isn’t that the name of Alter’s old teacher?" I blurt out, fingers still laced tightly with Eris’s as we sit side by side on a stone bench near the fountain in the estate garden.

Around us, crimson flowers bloom in solemn silence, the moon above casts a red hue across the world.

Eternal dusk.

"Right..." Eris murmurs. "At first, when Alter asked me if the name Azraphael meant anything to me, I couldn’t recall. But even then, it felt strangely familiar. And now that I’ve been thinking more carefully about my past these past few days, I’m sure of it, the name that entity spoke... it was, indeed, Azraphael."

Then...

"Do you think... Alter knows about Aphaeleon too?" I ask.

"Very likely," Eris nods.

Yup.

I think so too.

I fall quiet for a moment, trying to connect everything, every detail, every fragment of truth that’s come to light over these past few days.

First, when Eris summoned Sheol, Alter recognized the sword immediately.

Then, she told me it was the very blade her teacher used to wield—her teacher, Azraphael.

But in Eris’s story, when the gods of Aphaeleon descended into Lucian’s corpse... they didn’t just recognize the sword.

They spoke its name.

They called it Azraphael.

"Actually..." Eris murmurs, "I don’t think it were referring to the sword at all..."

"Wait, what?" I blink.

"Yes. At that moment, it pointed its finger at me... and called me Azraphael. I was sure of it," Eris said softly.

"But that doesn’t make any sense! You’re Eris—not Azraphael!"

"I’ve been thinking... maybe it was a mistake? Maybe, for some reason, it mistook me for the real Azraphael?"

"Oh..."

Right...

Maybe Eris just looks like Azraphael?

But no, that probably isn’t it. If it were, then Alter would’ve said something the moment she saw Eris.

Then... why?

I don’t understand...

"I think... it’s because I’m a NightWhizkersz," Eris murmurs.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Think about it. A part of my power comes from passing my clan’s Sanctuary Trial. It didn’t just give me Sheol—it also granted me a divine blessing. It enhanced my power and my control over Darkness. So maybe... that Aphaeleon entity was referring to the power inside me?"

"Hmm... that makes sense," I muse. "Then... do you think the original owner of that Sanctuary was Azraphael?"

"That’s only my speculation," Eris says with a small shrug. "I don’t know for sure. Nothing’s certain yet."

"Haizzz..." I exhale heavily, rubbing my temples. "My head hurts... aaaargh."

"And you know what?" Eris adds, glancing at me. "The way I found you—that was a big mystery too. It wasn’t entirely a coincidence..."

"Huh? WHAT?!" I stare at her.

I always thought Eris just happened to find me lying there, unconscious inside the Silverwolf Dungeon... and that, out of kindness, she took me back and cared for me.

But now...

Now that I think about it—wasn’t that too convenient?

Too perfect?

How could she have found me exactly then?

And then, Eris proceeded to tell me.

"Just the night before that day, while I was sitting on the Gilded Horn rooftop, I suddenly had a dream. I saw a star falling from the sky—it crashed somewhere south of Mistvale. I followed the trail and arrived at the Silverwolf Dungeon...

And when I woke up, no matter what I did, I just couldn’t shake this feeling of unease. Like a sixth sense or something. Something inside my chest kept pushing me, urging me to go into that dungeon.

So I did.

And that’s where I found you."

"Damn... really?" I mutter, completely flabbergasted.

"Yup. Really."

I don’t know why, but now, suddenly, I feel like we’ve just uncovered something bigger. Like a tiny chess piece suddenly realizing it’s part of a grander game.

A crazy thought comes to mind.

What if...

Everything is connected?

What if everything that’s happened—my reincarnation, Eris finding me, everything—wasn’t just coincidence?

What if it was all part of something orchestrated by a higher being? Not just fate, but divine intervention?

From Alter... to Morvena... to Sheol... to Azraphael... to Aphaeleon... So many names. So many pieces. And somehow, they all seem to converge in this moment, this point in time.

How?

And why?

Ahhh... I don’t know anymore.

Right now, we’re still very much in the dark.

All we can do now... is wait for Alter to wake up.

Only then can we learn the truth—about Sheol, about Aphaeleon, about Azraphael... about everything.

"Anyways, Eris..." I mutter, squeezing her hand tighter. "Thank you... for telling me all of this."

Ever since she started telling her story, it’s been like a roller coaster.

My heart swelled with hope at the posibility of Eris’ father is still alive, only to throb with pain the moment Lucian’s betrayal was revealed. And then came the fight—light and death clashing, her walking the edge of oblivion, gambling everything... and winning.

So this is what really happened.

I understand now.

Why she had to hide her identity.

Why she had to be careful. Why, even with me—her girlfriend, her lover—it took until now for her to finally open up and tell me everything.

And her scar... it wasn’t from some monster. It was from a human.

A scar of betrayal.

And on top of it all... why Eris is so filthy rich.

Of course. She looted that bastard Lucian.

Well, if anything, I’m just glad she survived it all and came out alive.

But I still have more questions.

"What happened next? How did you get out of the dungeon?"

"Oh, that —"

But before Eris can answer—

POP!

A friend emerges from the pendant around her neck!

A black spirit, cat-shaped, floating, yawning wide.

"Nyaaaaawwwnnn~!"

"INKY!" I exclaim, eyes wide.

"Oh, what perfect timing!" Eris says, smiling as she strokes the shadowy creature’s head. "We were just about to talk about you!"

"Eh?" I tilt my head.

"Believe it or not, it was actually Inky here who rescued me and Larp!" Eris beams. "Inky, you were our heroes!"

"Nyaaaan!!!" Inky meows.

It then purrs softly under her touch, tail flicking, clearly proud.