…… What is this, what is the situation?

The stray child was stunned for a moment.

He reached out and touched it again, only to find that everything was normal in his left eye. It's even a little lukewarm.

…… Strange, getting weirder.

It's almost like switching back and forth between the two states from time to time......

Is this an illusion, or is it the inner world or something?

Could it be that Elle's face has just changed to a skeletal face similar to that of the painter Amos?

"—Elle, can you hear me?"

Just then, the stray child heard Amos's call.

He subconsciously turned his head.

I saw it...... A skeleton was sitting in a chair next to it, looking at it with concern.

It barely has a single piece of flesh on its body.

Only the left eye and the back of the neck.

Its left eye is inlaid with a turquoise eyeball. The back of the neck is a piece of skin the size of two palms...... There's even some pale blonde hair on it.

The homeless child remembers it clearly.

Amos is brown-haired and blue-eyed, while Elle is blonde-haired and blue-eyed.

- In other words, these are Elle's eyes and skin!

"Body...... How is it? ”

The skeleton asked slowly in a deep voice with echoes, "Can you see it...... Is it? ”

Can you see it?

Why do you ask me if I can see?

Didn't I tell you at the beginning that I had a headache?

Stray children are keenly aware of the problem.

"I ......"

- Visible.

He was about to answer.

But at the moment when he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a trance.

When he came to his senses again, he had already discovered that the skeleton had changed back into Amos.

His eyes were still blue.

Wait, isn't it?

The wandering child suddenly realized something.

"Visible, clear...... The body is also very comfortable. ”

He replied slowly, using the ingenious technique he had practiced in the examination room, touching his eyes and the back of his head without a trace.

Sure enough.

This time he touched a strange, cold touch.

Whether it's the eyeballs or the neck, it's cold. He could even clearly feel his protruding cervical vertebrae, which felt a little sharp to the touch......

"-I know how to provoke, one of the anchor and his father must be dead."

"—is he going to tear Elle apart and stick it to himself?"

"—How do you feel, child! How are you feeling!? ”

"I feel good, father."

Elle's expression moved, and she asked softly, "I just feel very light and ...... my body just now Forceful. What's wrong with me? ”

"It's a gift from the Skeleton, Elle."

It was only then that Amos finally made a showdown with Elle: "My strange god-given paint was given by the Skeleton Father.

"And your healthy and powerful body now is also a gift from the Skeleton. His divine power resides in you...... Not only will you live a healthy life, but you will not regain disease or age. ”

He chuckled and said, "Isn't that a good thing?" This is a benefit that the righteous gods cannot give. ”

“…… Well, father. ”

"Elle" was silent for a while, and then asked solemnly, "What is the price?" ”

"There is no price."

Amos replied without hesitation, "This is just a one-way ritual to ask for a gift, and my deal with the Skeleton Father has not officially begun. You don't have to give anything...... He may promise me that he will give me dozens of times more paint than the first time, which is enough for me to use. ”

Looking at ......

Elle's face was a little strange.

If you don't have to pay for anything, then where is Elle's left eye and the back of her neck?

No, it should be said......

Such an obvious thing.

- Why would Amos think that I was not aware of this?

“…… Wrong. ”

Annan looked at this scene and was suddenly stunned.

He remembered one more thing—

If he didn't guess wrong.

It's possible that Elle really wasn't killed by Amos.

Or rather, he didn't realize it at all...... I've already killed Elle.

In that forty-five-year-old newspaper, fragments of "Ellet's" body are scattered throughout the frame of each painting in the form of minced flesh. As for the gallery, as far as the "gallery" in the nightmare is concerned, there are more than 100 pieces guaranteed.

If you really want to split Elle's body and put it in each painting...... How much work does that have to be?

Is there such a great hatred between them?

When did Elle die...... However, it was later than the gallery was built.

Does he want to run to the gallery at night when no one is around, and stuff the minced meat into the frame one by one?

No way.

It's not that Annan believes in the relationship between their father and daughter...... But with Amos's stupidity, it was impossible for him to do these things quietly without noticing.

Then there is only one possibility.

That's when the fragments of Elle's body entered the painting, before she died.

- Her body, shattered before she died.

It's not impossible.

Again, exactly......

"The paint given by the Skeleton Lord...... Most likely, it's made from Elle's body?! ”

Annan's pupils shrank.

He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

A somewhat bold guess.

But it says it all.

The ritual of the Skeleton Prince, even if it was the first time, was not without a price at all......

Rather, the price has already been paid in advance!

In the third sacrifice, if you choose "half your life", you will sacrifice the previous part...... In other words, he will become an old man in an instant.

Wouldn't the "half of the conscience" and "friendship from now on" sacrificed in the second sacrifice have any effect on oneself? What, if anything, are the common denominators?

It is a contempt for the lives of others.

In other words, the second sacrifice could not be stopped. Whoever makes the second sacrifice will definitely make the third sacrifice...... Because no matter which ritual they choose, "eating a certain part of someone else" will no longer cause them to have a psychological burden.

According to this logic, the content of the third sacrifice will inevitably make the sacrifice the fourth sacrifice.

This is not surprising.

The most pleasing ritual is when "the creator is killed by his own work". And the "sacrifice substitution ceremony" that can avoid paying the price requires a break with one's parents, wife, children, and friends.

Think about it.

Would a protector who loves an artist like such a ritual?

Annan's mind suddenly appeared with many images:

- In every painting in the gallery, there is Elle's flesh.

- In the basement found over there, there is a skeleton of Elle's lost flesh and blood, as well as a container for dead babies.

- Amos swallowing Elle's umbilical cord.

- Amos's body, Elle's lost eyes and skin appeared.

“…… I totally get it. ”

Annan muttered, "Amos is simply reversed......"

He finally reacted.

The Skeleton is not a patron of artists and creators at all.

The reason for his hostility with Yaon is not that they are robbing artists of resources.

He's hating all creators.

Therefore...... and the artist's protector, Yaon, as an enemy.

He ridiculed their greed, ridiculed them for doing whatever it took to get their work, and demanded that they pay for it...... Become a demon.

From the very beginning, the Skeleton Gong thought that the person who called him would definitely hold the ceremony to the end.

So He has taken the final price in advance...... That is, the life of their "loved one". He just told them to go on with their activities until they realized they were dead.

To be precise, it should be the lives of the "loved ones" of these artists before the ceremony.

It is not the life of a person who has achieved fame, lost half of his conscience, ate the body of a loved one, or disowned them......

Although by that time, they no longer value this person.

So ironic.

The fourth sacrifice, which was the most costly, was completed at the very beginning.

They can't go back for a long time. And at this point, there's no need to look back.

At that time, they were already dead in the first place.

Completely cut off all contact with the past self, lose all the glory of the original body, as if the original body died. Put on the skin of those you love and those who have harmed you...... Watching yourself die in society.

[The creator was killed by his own work.] 】

The ritual itself.

It is in a dramatic way that this theme is repeated.

“…… Odd. ”

Annan frowned slightly.

According to this logic, then Amos's ritual should not be completely completed.

Otherwise, he should be Elle...... But in the end, he coughed up Elle's eyes instead.

…… Or rather, because he coughed up Elle's eyes.

He's going to get into this, the nightmare of "taking Elle's eyes"!?

Annan's eyes lit up suddenly.

He finally knows all the rules of this nightmare!