Eldritch Horror Theatre

That statement... was packed with information.

A single sentence completely upended the previously cozy atmosphere.

Fu Qian didn’t think he was overthinking it. The ”outstanding offspring” mentioned by the suspected Jose Larrea likely meant the exact same thing as the young stepmother’s remark—even though she appeared to be his spouse.

”...I don’t understand what you mean.”

The stepmother’s perceptiveness was on display once again. After freezing for a moment, she jerked her head up to look at him.

Her voice clearly strained to remain calm, but her stiff fingers betrayed her inner turmoil.

”You had better understand. I will be displeased if I have to explain it to you.”

It was impossible for him to miss her reaction, but His Excellency Jose perfectly embodied the unpredictability of a ruler’s mind.

Her act of confessing unprompted didn’t seem to make him angry at all. He was merely dissatisfied by the prospect of wasting his breath.

”But...”The stepmother was evidently undergoing a fierce internal struggle, instinctively trying to defend herself.

”It really wasn’t my fault—”

However, Jose’s complete lack of reaction seemed to quickly make her face reality. After a brief pause, he delivered a classic reply.

”I told you, I know. Besides, you concealed it very carefully, taking my feelings into consideration.”

Unfortunately, she was interrupted before she could finish speaking. Jose’s words remained bizarre, not even sounding like sarcasm.

”...Are you really not angry?”

After another lengthy silence, the stepmother finally seemed to accept this fact, carefully verifying Jose’s attitude.

”I said it doesn’t matter. It’s just a pity.”

Sure enough, there was no raging storm. Jose’s tone did not waver in the slightest. He even emphasized the word ”pity” again, looking as if he had truly been looking forward to it.

”But... why?”

However, this casual attitude actually seemed to provoke a trace of negative emotion from the woman.

Breathing a little heavily, she looked as if she almost wanted to snatch her hand back.

”Because it doesn’t matter. You also said he was a troublesome guy.”

Jose jutted his chin toward the outside.

”Almost a third of the people who arrived today have had the same thing happen with him. Why do you think I would mind one more?”

...

Tsk, tsk. Was his romantic reputation really that widespread?

The brief exchange was incredibly fascinating. In that moment, Fu Qian could easily imagine the image of a debonair and charming young noble.

With this verification from his biological father, it was obvious the historical rumors weren’t false.

The young man named Don Juan was not only irresistibly charming and the dream lover of countless women, but he also loved to frolic among the blossoms himself, racking up numerous romantic debts.

Of course, considering that His Excellency Jose had said ”pity” twice in a row, it couldn’t be ruled out that he was intentionally indulging him.

If the family lineage was sparse, they might as well cast a wide net and try out all sorts of combinations.

Getting one more offspring out of it was the equivalent of getting one more lottery draw.

”I understand. So that’s how it is... Then I am sorry for disappointing you.”

However, the cold-bloodedness displayed in this attitude was still quite a blow.

In the blink of an eye, the young wife beside him turned pale.

During her blank-eyed ”apology,” she seemed to forget the perilous situation she had just escaped from.

Perhaps this was the complexity of human nature?

”It’s fine. After all, you aren’t the first person to disappoint me.”

Jose remained as easygoing as ever, showing absolutely no intention of catering to her emotional needs—

However, twists always occurred when least expected. Such a harmonious atmosphere came to an abrupt halt the very next moment.

”What are you?”

His voice suddenly turning severe, Jose issued a frigid interrogation.

...

Ah—

The saying that accompanying a monarch is like accompanying a tiger was truly apt here. The sudden interrogation left the stepmother almost stunned.

Fortunately, she instinctively covered her mouth, forcefully swallowing back her cry of alarm.

”I... I am...”

Upon processing the content of that sudden interrogation, her exquisite face completely crumbled. Muttering to herself, she simply did not dare to answer, looking as if she might faint at any moment.

She couldn’t be blamed, really. These massive emotional ups and downs were indeed a bit too stimulating.

As a spectator, Fu Qian truly did not look down on her performance.

Jose’s last sentence could easily be interpreted as him suddenly turning hostile after successfully baiting a confession.

[Tell me, I won’t be angry.]

[Can you really not trust my words?]

[I promise.]

As everyone knew, these were classic lines frequently appearing in similar scenarios.

Plunged right back into that abyss of despair, the slight dissatisfaction that had just blossomed within the young stepmother instantly vanished without a trace, replaced by fear for her own life.

”Shut up!”

Unfortunately, Jose didn’t even seem to give her a chance to explain, using an increasingly heavy tone to order her to shut her mouth.

”I...”

Even though her brain seemed to have stopped working, the stepmother stared blankly at him and complied, desperately suppressing even her sobs.

”Who... are you really?”

Sadly, this vulnerability went unnoticed. Not only did Jose’s tone continue to grow solemn, but his eyes weren’t even looking at her. Instead, it was as if he were speaking to someone else entirely.

...

As expected of the legendary Divine Human Royal Court. Was cross-dimensional communication a universal skill?

If he wasn’t talking to his young wife, then who was he talking to?

Even though he had leaned from the start toward the idea that Jose genuinely didn’t care about his wife’s affair, this sudden interrogation still made Fu Qian, as a spectator, feel that the show was spectacular.

In such a private place, having a private conversation, the presence of a third person was truly somewhat unjustifiable—even though there actually was a third person present.

Could these increasingly severe interrogations be aimed at a camera planted on him?

It could only be said that once he opened his mind to the possibility, the sense of déjà vu instantly intensified.

Jose wasn’t suddenly turning hostile, but had suddenly discovered something he truly cared about, some threat originating from within his own body—ah!

This time, the woman’s scream could no longer be suppressed. Amidst a sudden flash of blood, two fingers of Jose’s right hand plunged deeply into his waist before viciously tearing something out.

”Come out!”

...

Just as expected, it had nothing to do with the young stepmother.

Fu Qian, of course, hadn’t been ripped out. On the contrary, watching Jose’s actions in that moment made him feel he had truly gotten his money’s worth.

This behavior was already enough to prove his previous judgment.

It really wasn’t feigned magnanimity; Jose truly didn’t care about the matter his wife had just confessed to, and his regret was also genuine.

The target of his stern interrogation actually came from within his own body.

It was just that there was ultimately no way to break the dimensional wall. This ruthless action failed to affect the viewing experience; its target still seemed to be on the material plane.

One could see that in his bloodstained hand lay a lump of flesh and blood about the size of two finger joints.

Even while tightly pinched, it continued to throb and beat just like a heart.