Elric cautiously peered around, noting that Blackstone Castle had suffered significant damage.
The walls were riddled with cracks, debris littered the ground, and the scent of burnt wood and blood lingered in the air.
Corpses lay scattered across the floor, evidence of an intense battle.
Few guards were left, and the entire castle felt eerily empty and silent.
He swiftly scaled the crumbling walls with agile, silent movements.
Landing softly, he pressed his body against the shadows, his eyes sharp and ears alert.
"The castle's underground holds two powerful psychic souls," Calista's voice echoed in his mind, her tone more certain than before.
She had only sensed a part of it earlier, but now she was fully sure.
"Psychic souls?"
Elric furrowed his brows, feeling a pang of confusion.
"This is the first time I've heard that term," he thought.
"Psychic souls are remnants of incredibly powerful psychics, either before or after their death.
These souls not only possess immense power but also often harbor deep grudges or unfinished business.
Some still retain their intellect from life, and some can even take over another's body," Calista explained.
Hearing this, a troubling thought surfaced in Elric's mind.
Despite his reluctance, the question gnawed at him until he could no longer ignore it.
Taking a deep breath, he asked softly, "Mommy, are you… a psychic soul too?"
His heart raced as the words left his mouth, filled with a mix of emotions.
To his surprise, Calista's response was calm, without a hint of hesitation.
"Yes, I am a psychic soul."
Her voice held no struggle or regret, as if it were a simple truth she had long accepted.
Elric paused, taken aback by how matter-of-factly she admitted it.
He had expected some sort of emotional reaction, perhaps a hidden pain or a more complicated explanation, but instead, her tone was serene, almost indifferent.
Before Elric could ask further questions, Calista cut him off, her voice shifting to something more urgent.
"I sense that blonde girl."
Elric stopped in his tracks, confusion washing over him.
"Who?"
He instinctively asked, his mind racing through various memories.
"The girl who brought you food before," Calista clarified.
Elric's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had never imagined that the blonde girl would be connected to the Blackstone family.
It was hard for him to reconcile the image of that kind, innocent girl with the chaos and power struggles of the Blackstone family.
"She's… part of the Blackstone family?"
Elric murmured, struggling to grasp the connection.
"Do you want to meet her?" Calista teased lightly.
Elric continued walking, shaking his head with a sigh of resignation.
"Not now," he replied.
There were more pressing matters to attend to.
The interior of Blackstone Castle was like a maze, a labyrinth of corridors and staircases that seemed to wind endlessly.
Every turn and every step brought new uncertainties.
The intricate carvings on the walls and the grand archways all added to the confusion.
Many areas were shrouded in darkness, their hallways stretching into ominous blackness.
More than once, Elric nearly slipped on a stairwell hidden in the shadows, his heart skipping a beat as he narrowly avoided falling.
His eyes scanned the dark corners with caution, his ears tuned for any sound.
Despite his careful movements, the atmosphere made him uneasy.
Without Calista guiding him, it might have taken him weeks to navigate this maze of a castle.
"Why is this place so complicated?" Elric muttered, irritation creeping into his voice.
"We're close now. It's just ahead," Calista assured him, her voice steady.
Elric stopped in front of a large, locked door.
It looked like an ordinary wooden door, but when he pressed against it, it didn't budge.
The door didn't seem as simple as it appeared—it gave off a metallic sound when he tapped it lightly.
Without tools to break through, Elric's eyes narrowed in thought.
He began channeling his psychic energy, planning to use it to force the door open.
"Focus your energy on the lock," Calista instructed.
Taking a deep breath, Elric raised his hand, psychic energy swirling in his palm.
He targeted the lock and struck with a swift, precise blow.
The door creaked open slightly with a metallic crack.
Elric pushed it gently, stepping into the room.
As he scanned his surroundings, the realization hit him—this was the private chamber of the Blackstone Duke.
Paintings of past dukes adorned the walls, each figure clad in the same deep crimson cloak that symbolized the family's authority.
The piercing gazes of the former dukes seemed to judge anyone who entered the room, filling the space with a palpable weight of tradition and power.
At the center of the room was a large bed, not overly luxurious, but clean and well-used.
The furniture was simple, devoid of the opulence one might expect from a noble family.
A desk held a few personal items, and the clothes hanging on the rack were worn and old. Though not tattered, they were wrinkled, as if carelessly worn day after day.
Elric surveyed the room, puzzled.
How could someone as powerful as the Blackstone Duke live in such modest conditions?
"This doesn't seem like the room of a duke," Elric whispered to himself, his eyes scanning the plain furnishings, his thoughts churning with confusion.
"Old nobles don't care for ostentatious displays.
They see it as a mark of vulgarity.
Only nouveau riche or uneducated aristocrats indulge in such extravagance," Calista explained, as if this simplicity was expected.
"True power doesn't come from gilded surfaces, but from strength," she added.
"Now, focus. There must be a hidden passage or mechanism here.
I can feel the presence of those psychic souls below this room."
Nodding, Elric knelt to inspect the floor, looking for signs of hidden entrances or mechanisms.
While the floor appeared smooth, some sections showed more wear than others.
He tapped the stones, listening for any differences in sound.
His fingers traced along the edges of the walls, the bed, and the bookshelf, searching for hidden triggers or concealed switches that might reveal the secrets of the Blackstone Duke's chamber.