D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Chapter 2188 Nice Distractions Part 2

Lily ---

A temporary diversion had concluded, and sadness returned.

Lily found herself spiraling, uncertain whether to confront her major issue or not. It wasn't a drastic plunge, certainly not the worst she'd felt in recent hours, but it wasn't pleasant either. However, in the spirit of experimentation, Lily decided to indulge it slightly to see if it would offer any assistance. This was an extension of her prior concept and a method to test the waters without significant repercussions if she proved incorrect.

Consequently, Lily gathered a collection of the decaying sheets from various chambers and began constructing a moldy blanket fort in a corner, deliberately ensuring the shadows stretched far beyond their usual length. Initially, Lily had intended to incorporate pillows, but they proved utterly revolting. She doubted their true 'survival' status over time, and even if they had, the mere confinement within a cramped space with the first two she grabbed made her feel nauseous, prompting their swift banishment from her sanctuary.

It was while frolicking amidst her piles of reasonably intact blankets, which she'd substituted for pillows, that Lily realized she was experiencing enjoyment. Lily halted her movements. *

Lily continued to occupy herself with her fort for a period, but eventually, her supply of 'good enough' materials dwindled, as the remaining ones were barely holding together. Relocating them to the foyer, where the fort was being erected, also seemed inadvisable. Thus, Lily indulged a bit more with what she had already gathered before meticulously dismantling and storing everything. It wasn't perfect, but perfection wasn't the goal. Her primary aim was to prevent the foyer from appearing too obviously occupied should anyone else arrive.

Once the area was tidied, the moment to examine the new offshoots had finally arrived... and Lily found herself feeling apprehensive once more. Despite her confident assertion that she could explore safely and remain unharmed, she acknowledged Kat's concerns and felt a yearning to share her activities, particularly with the recent memory of being forcefully struck in the face.

Reflecting, Lily couldn't quite ascertain the extent of the pain. It was simply so unforeseen at the time; she had been completely unprepared, and the assault landed squarely on her nose, an area now particularly sensitive due to her beastkin nature. Of course, while it was an experience she could overcome and prepare for in the future, it *did* demonstrate that certain individuals or entities could react to her presence.

Despite being Rank 3, theoretically possessing superior speed and strength compared to any Rank 2 individual, Greaves had undeniably proven her ability to significantly outperform her weight class in several alarming ways. The distinct possibility remained that something could catch Lily off guard. Lily was uncertain of her response against a light elemental or perhaps a fire-based adversary, for instance.

Consequently, instead of engaging in actual exploration, Lily found herself running in a small circle for another thirty minutes. It proved surprisingly effective as a distraction, and even if it slightly dampened her spirits, it was a consequence of her enjoyable time in the blanket fort. Arguably, her mood remained elevated from dinnertime, and Lily was disinclined to disrupt this positive cycle, at least not until she consciously recognized her actions.

Which, naturally, meant that the moment she *did* notice, her thoughts immediately fixated on the very issue she was trying to evade. Her shadows flickered beneath her feet as spectral hands reached out, grasping at emptiness, before Lily compelled her shadow back into its natural state. Shaking her head, Lily forced herself to descend into this newly accessible section. It might not have been prudent, but it served as an evident and potent distraction, preventing her from dwelling excessively on past thoughts.

Proceeding down the side corridor, Lily scanned the ceiling for any indication of those spider-like golem drones descending, but thus far, it appeared she was safe. What was less reassuring was the condition of the flooring in this area, which seemed to have endured significant wear. With cracked tiles and moderately sized fissures in the floor—moderate, that is, for Lily's current stature—caution was necessary to avoid falling into them!

Eventually, Lily discovered the entrance to the subsequent area and was decidedly displeased to find it had been forcibly detached from its hinges. The doorway now presented a direct passage, with the door itself having been hurled against the wall. Lily proceeded with heightened caution upon noticing this, sliding towards the doorframe and peering inside... but visibility was poor. The illumination within appeared to have been extinguished at some prior juncture, and while her night vision was quite capable, some ambient light was still necessary for clear sight. Lily was aware of a shadow spell designed for this purpose... but it also carried substantial warnings about the potential for eye explosion if executed incorrectly, a spell she consequently had not practiced at all.

Lily’s gaze swept over a scene of shattered glass littering the floor, accompanied by numerous additional fissures that pockmarked the ground. Some of these breaches were so shallow they were barely noticeable, while others plunged so deep that Lily couldn’t discern their bottoms. Their widths also lacked consistency; some were expansive enough for Lily to tumble through if she were still human, and others were so narrow she doubted her foot could even wedge into them.

This led to the pressing question: what exactly had created these numerous holes, and what was their purpose? Lily remained uncertain, but as she concentrated, she began to detect peculiar sounds emanating from the vicinity. An odd bubbling and gurgling filled the air, reminiscent of water, yet it felt distinctly… wrong for water. It almost evoked the sensation of ravenous stomachs, but that comparison, too, felt inaccurate. It wasn’t truly like that at all.

Scanning her surroundings, Lily’s eyes lingered on the wall-mounted lights for a few moments. She contemplated prying one loose to illuminate her path forward, but doubts gnawed at her regarding their functionality. In that case, perhaps a new spell would be the answer. It wasn’t one she had mastered, but she recalled seeing it in her Paper Magic tome. It was labeled as a 'Paper Lantern' spell, designed to serve as a light source within enclosed spaces.

Lily initiated the spell… and the entire manifestation dissolved into ash. Shaking her head, she attempted it again, and then once more. Each subsequent try brought her marginally closer to the intended outcome, or so she fervently hoped. A collection of half-formed paper lanterns appeared, along with some that were correctly shaped but emitted a feeble glow, and, naturally, more ash. Lily lost track of time, but eventually, she succeeded in creating one that functioned… to a degree. It cast a faint, pulsing light that sputtered erratically. Lily doubted its longevity or its practical usefulness.

The predicament was that her subsequent three attempts at the spell proved to be utter failures. The first dissolved into ash AGAIN. The second was astonishingly close to perfection: it blazed brightly, appeared flawless, and for a fleeting moment, Lily was confident she would carry it into the darkness. Then, inexplicably, it extinguished. The light, which had seemed on the verge of expiring, persisted. Lily exhaled a sigh and made a third attempt, but it manifested merely as a paper cube.

The inherent challenge with the light lantern spell, and the reason for its imperfect nature and deviation from elemental magic, lay in the white paper’s propensity to 'trap' light, subsequently utilizing it as a foundation to 'mimic' that radiance outwards. It was not a spell amenable to casting within a dark cavern; one had to conjure it in an open space and then transport it inwards. Lily was unsure if her difficulties stemmed from the artificial illumination present, her hazy recollection of the precise spell instructions, or some additional, unspecified factor.

Naturally, the current concern was that the sole functioning lantern would falter the moment it strayed beyond the visual range of the hallway’s fixtures. Lily felt compelled to test it. The snag was that she couldn't simply toss it into the unlit chamber. The lantern lacked substantial sturdiness, and given her poor execution of the spell, it might be exceptionally fragile. Nevertheless, it caused no harm to her shadow hands. Lily carefully lifted it with one of them, guiding it into the pitch-black room, thereby illuminating a sliver more of the abyssal space.