Chapter 734: One Truth One Lie

With Alice accepting the game, Caelan smiled and tapped his finger on the table.

In that instant, shadows and blood bled out from his finger tip as if it was ink in water, rippling out and weaving together with the realm around them.

Darkness enveloped the two and they were isolated from the rest of the world.

It was just them, their seat, a table and a scale on the table.

“Now that the game has been established, why don’t you ask the first question. Or would you like to give that honour to me?”

Alice narrowed her eyes, her gaze drifting to the scale, then back to him. She wasn’t just thinking of what to ask, she was also weighing the risks of each question.

The more she thought about it, the harder it became. After all, the same question can’t be asked twice. So if Caelan decided to lie about it, she won’t be able to get the truth.

The main difficulty of the game was finding two questions she wanted answers to while also being able to figure out the truth of the lie.

“I’ll go first.” Alice closed her eyes before turning her gaze towards Caelan.

“If Rosalyn were to fight against Nyer and the Outer Gods, would you help her?”

She couldn’t start with the hard hitting questions just yet.

“You seem rather suspicious of my involvement with my sister. Perhaps it’s because I sat around when she was fighting against the descent of Enris? Regardless, the answer is no. I will not help her.”

Alice made sure to observe every single minute detail and movement on his expression but his poker face was perfect. She could not tell if that was lie or truth. A part of her wanted to believe that it’s a lie but it was a complete coin flip.

“Second question. Are we playing a game of one lie one truth proposed by you?”

Blinking his eyes, Caelan let out a hearty laugh before calming down.

“Immediately using a question that can determine truth from lies. Seems like you want an accurate judge of my character. The answer is no, we are not playing a game of one lie one truth proposed by me.”

Hearing this, Alice froze.

If his previous statement was true. . .

Then it meant that he will not lift a finger to help Rosalyn if she’s in danger.

“Some brother you are if you won’t help your sister when she’s in danger.” Alice narrowed her gaze as Caelan shrugged.

“Different circumstances. I simply work with mor- oops, almost told you valuable information.” Caelan chuckled with a wink.

“Tch.” Alice clicked her tongue. She could tell that Caelan was fooling around.

“Now then, I believe it’s my turn. What should my first question be?” Pretending to be struggling with a question, Caelan turned to Alice.

“Are you aware of the VC8 protocol and what it means?”

Alice kept her poker face.

Should she lie? Or tell the truth?

There was a chance that this is probably related to Nyer considering the naming convention. If she was to tell the truth, she’ll be exposing how little she understood.

But if she was to lie, her next answer will absolutely be truth.

To lie or to tell the truth. . .

“I do not know what the VC8 protocol is and what it means.”

Alice decided to tell the truth.

“I figured as much. After all, it’s a protocol that doesn’t exist. So your next answer is most certainly a lie.” Caelan squinted his eyes.

‘Sh*t.’

“Are you aware of the full relationship between me and Nyer?”

“Yes, I am aware.” Alice furrowed her brows.

A perfect chance for him to ask a very specific question yet he’s asking something he already knew about? The fact that she lashed out earlier proved that she didn’t know the two were connected.

“Just think of it as a slight warning and a demonstration of what you can do. It’s a little unfair since I’ve played this game before after all ahaha~” Caelan explained, taking a sip of his wine.

“Now go on, ask your questions.”

Closing her eyes, Alice thought about the next question.

Vague questions needed to be saved for later when she can determine if his previous answer was truth or lie.

However, asking a vague question to begin with can also help her determine the answers of what she’s looking for.

“First question. Are you aware of the presence of Outer Gods that have invaded our realm and the connection they have with Nyer?”

As one of the strongest people that Alice has seen, the chances of him not knowing about Outer Gods are exceedingly low.

Therefore, the chances of her being able to determine whether or not his answer was a lie or truth was very high! Practically guaranteed.

“I do not know about the presence of Outer Gods who have invaded our realm not their method of entering. I do not know about the connection they have formed with Nyer nor the rough idea of their contract.”

Alice’s mind shut down for a moment.

All of that extra information was linked as part of the main answer so it was all a lie!

Meaning. . . he knew their presence, how they got in, their connection with Nyer and even an idea of the contract between them.

Suspicious.

“Why did you give me that much information?” Alice frowned.

“Is that your second question? Or simply asking me as a person who’s curious about I gave away such a big freebie?”

Alice hesitated. Wasting a precious chance at truth to verify why he gave her that answer was. . .

Just as Alice was about to say no, she noticed a flicker of disappointment in his gaze and stopped herself.

It was just for a moment but he definitely realised he wasn’t about to use her second question for that. So why was he disappointed? Was this an indirect way of him giving her the answers that she wanted?

Or was he under some kind of contract that prevented him from saying certain things?

Clenching her fist, Alice decided to gamble.

“Second question. Why did you give me so much information in such a roundabout way?”

With Alice asking this question, Caelan’s smile curved up ever so slightly.

“Because my ascension to a Lord was an anomaly. My powers are not traditional in the sense that the Abyss didn’t ‘choose’ me to be a Lord at the end. The ascension was forced. And with force, certain restrictions are bound to be formed, restrictions between me and certain individuals including Nyer. Certain. . . fragments of my knowledge can’t be shared unless through roundabout methods such as this game.”

Alice narrowed her gaze.

Since that was the truth, it certainly verified why Caelan decided to play this game. Was there certain requirements to be met before he can answer in this roundabout manner? Or was it perhaps due to the first few questions that he asked?

“Your turn.”

Nodding his head, Caelan opened his mouth.

“First question. Are you able to consume souls via blood or core extensions of power and use it for yourself? Effectively stealing a portion of their soul.”

Alice’s eyebrow twitched for a moment.

“Yes I am able to do that.”

“Hou~ Seems like Nyer’s experiment was a success after all.” Caelan chuckled, rubbing his chin.

“Second question. You have found yourself coming into contact with high profile beings such as Realm Lords, major Outer Gods, Sealed Abyss Lords or even current Lords at the pinnacle excluding me. Is that correct?”

This question was far more specific than Alice had expected. Why did he want to know this?

If he was helping her by giving her roundabout answers, surely he could’ve asked her something simple.

Yet he’s gone as far as to get answers to such a specific question. . . Why?

Alice needed to remember the fact that even if he was helping her in a roundabout way, they weren’t friends. She needed something from him and he needed something from her.

Nothing is free.

“That is not correct.”

She had to lie for her second question.

As for Caelan, after hearing her answer, his smile faded slightly.

He held his chin and fell into thought.

“!!!”

Jumping up to her feet, Alice held Void Fang in her hand. She positioned herself in an offensive stance with her blade aimed at Caelan who was still sitting down.

She felt it.

The desire to kill.

A chilling intent positioned at the ‘core’ of her being. Aiming for something ‘hidden’.

Alice didn’t know what that core or hidden thing was but the sense of dread was real. If she had been struck there. . .

No more regeneration.

No more revival.

She’ll die.

What she sensed at that moment was death.

Caelan had the full capabilities to kill her!

“Sit down. Shall we continue?” Caelan gestured with the same smile, acting as though he hadn’t thought about killing her for good a moment ago.

Swallowing her saliva, Alice slowly sat down.

This game of one truth one lie. . . was far more dangerous than she thought.

The next two questions will be her last.

After that, she didn’t want to play this game anymore.

“The next two will be my last questions.”

Caelan nodded his head.

“I’ll ask them both at the same time, I’ll let you choose which one you want to answer as the truth.” Alice narrowed her gaze.

Two questions that she wanted answering. Even just getting the truth for one of them was good enough for her.

“Oh?” Caelan was interested.

“Question one. I know Nyer has access to Velouria’s Corpse. How does he plan on reviving her and to what extent is he willing to go?

“Question two. . .” Alice trailed off.

“What has Nyer done to complete the experiment known as ‘Alice’ and what does he wish that I become/accomplish?”