Doing a good deed

Adrian continued pouring his aura into the circle, oblivious to the impact of his actions, as he observed no response from the mark.

He remained indifferent to depleting his aura reserves, knowing it regenerated rapidly and the scarcity of it didn't concern him, as it was not a resource that left him anxious due to its quick replenishment. After all, he had no intention or ability to engage in combat at that moment.

Adrian, satisfied with the circle's unchanged state and the absence of any aura leakage, decided to stop.

Adrian, dusting off his hands as if he had just accomplished something of great importance, remarked, "Consider this a lesson for the future. It would be wise to act accordingly from now on."

Adrian paused, realizing his initial intention to remove the mark. He pondered aloud, "Wait, I came here to erase that mark. How can I go about it now?"

Adrian remained in the same spot where he had started, unable to conceal his frustration with the wasted time and effort on seemingly fruitless actions. He was still clueless about the method to remove the mark.

Adrian contemplated his options: "Emilie might have the ability to do it, but I'm not certain how much energy it demands, and her reserves are already running low."

The idea of abandoning the mansion never even crossed Adrian's mind, fully aware of the mansion's crucial significance. The horrors of the dream realm relied on him to secure a safe haven, and he hadn't almost lost his life stealing that compass just to let it slip away.

Adrian couldn't pinpoint Alaya's exact purpose for wanting the compass, but he assumed it aligned with his own intentions. He suspected that she might have additional plans for the mansion once she had it to herself—plans he wasn't particularly eager to uncover.

Adrian's primary objective was to secure ownership of the mansion, but he was unsure of the best course of action to achieve that goal. With a sense of uncertainty, he left the basement, intending to check on Emilie's well-being.

Upon returning to the storeroom where they had discovered the pen and where Emilie had been residing, Adrian found her visibly pulling at her hair.

Adrian approached Emilie with a reassuring smile and asked, "So ..do you need my help? You don't have to worry, Detective Adrian is here to the rescue."

Emilie cast a sidelong glance at Adrian, let out a sigh, and handed him three riddles, which he promptly set aside before taking a seat to focus on solving them. Their determination to find a way home fueled their efforts as they delved into the intricate challenges posed by the riddles.

Time seemed to hold little sway over their determination within the enigmatic mansion.

Emilie's curiosity got the better of her, and she inquired, "Did you find the mark you were looking for in the basement?" She, too, found the prospect of having the mansion to themselves intriguing and wanted to know the progress Adrian had made in achieving that goal.

Adrian sighed and replied, "I did locate the mark, but the situation in the basement is far from ideal. My aura had no effect on that energy runic circle, or whatever it is."

Frustration was evident in his voice. "However, I believe you might have the ability to influence it. I understand that our main goal is to return home, but the opportunity we have here is unique, and we might not get another chance like this."

After he finished speaking, Adrian noticed the reluctant expression on Emilie's face, which made him keenly aware of her strong desire to escape from their current predicament.

If Adrian were to summarize his experience in the dream realm, he would rate it a 6 out of 10. It hadn't been as terrible as he'd read about in books, but he recognized that he had been operating at the dream's outermost layer.

Knowing his own vulnerability and the fact that merely surviving in the dream realm was an achievement many couldn't claim, he appreciated his progress.

Emilie took a few moments to assess the energy within her, and upon realizing her reserves were fully replenished, she nodded at Adrian and rose from her seat.

She nodded in agreement and said, "We can give it a try. We only need 3/4 of the energy to return. Let's hope it works; otherwise, we'll have to abandon this place. If we can't locate the mansion again with the compass, we'll have to accept it as fate."

Adrian rose from his seat and took the lead, guiding Emilie towards the basement as they prepared to face the enigmatic energy runic circle and embark on their journey to return home.

Adrian issued a solemn warning as he opened the basement door, cautioning Emilie,

"I must emphasize that what lies in the basement is far from pleasant, and I fear there may be little we can do aside from ending their suffering."

As they descended into the basement once again, the same chilling air enveloped Emilie and Adrian. However, this time, Adrian's assurance that there was nothing to fear allowed him to proceed more casually.

The frigid air sent shivers down Emilie's spine as she followed Adrian through the labyrinth of cubicles. She couldn't help but hear the unsettling rustling from within them.

Despite her curiosity tempting her to take a peek, Adrian's earlier caution about the gruesome nature of what lay inside made her think twice, especially given her age.

Upon reaching the location where the intricate circle was inscribed on the floor, Emilie couldn't help but be awestruck by the multitude of runes that had been painstakingly etched to create the complex design.

"Whoever crafted this circle must have possessed an impressive knowledge of the arcane, or perhaps they stumbled upon lost wisdom within the dream realm,"

Emilie mused, her curiosity piqued. Her words trailed off as she bent down to gently touch the intricate design, her fingers tracing the ancient symbols with a sense of wonder.

As Emilie's fingers first made contact with the circle, nothing appeared to happen. However, as she began channeling her energy into it, the circle responded with astonishing immediacy.

It reacted as though confronting a formidable obstacle, emitting a swirling crimson fog that billowed forth from its intricate lines.

Adrian furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation. "Could this be a security measure triggered when it senses a threat?"

He wondered aloud, puzzled by the unexpected reaction, as he hadn't encountered anything like this when he had previously interacted with the circle.

Emilie nodded in agreement with Adrian's assessment, acknowledging that it seemed like the most reasonable explanation. She decided to cease channeling her energy into the circle, not wanting to alert any potential adversaries or trigger further retaliation.

Despite having a decent reserve of energy, she understood the importance of conserving it in such an uncertain situation.

Turning to Adrian, Emilie suggested, "Should we consider putting an end to those entities? Even if they were once humans, they're no longer. It might halt this circle's reaction and potentially remove the mark in the process."

Emilie's suggestion prompted Adrian to carefully consider their options.

'Why go through the trouble of leaving our own mark when we can simply erase hers? I highly doubt she can locate this place again unless she's a dream diver with the ability to materialize wherever she desires.'

This notion firmly lodged itself in Adrian's mind, and he was determined to follow through with it.