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Like a ghost.
As Bernadino turned to leave, preparing to search for the Tower Master, a twisted "human figure" suddenly appeared before him.
——It was a creature that one could only hesitantly describe using the term "human figure".
It had no hair, not even hands, and one could only judge its existence of legs by saying "it was standing".
It wore a black, faceless mask, on which a red symbol of "Alpha" was drawn, glinting with a red light. Cloaked in pitch-black, its excessively slender and elongated body resembled a ghostly shadow, tightly constricted by the cloak into a long strip.
Just like a living column that had risen from the silt pervading the Black Tower.
Yet upon seeing this figure, the young Bernadino curled his lips into a smile.
He squinted his eyes and bowed deeply to the figure, with a slow, courteous, and affected voice, "My Lord Hugo... it has been a long time."
"…It has been a long time, Bern."
Somewhat unexpectedly.
