As the team gathered in the room, anticipation hung in the air. Cistar clapped her hands, and several maids entered, their heads adorned with intricate flower arrangements. The sight was both beautiful and unsettling, and Miko couldn't help but ask, "Are they human?"

Cistar's expression turned somber as she nodded. "Yes, they were."

Before anyone could voice further questions, Cistar raised her hand, commanding their attention. "Even though I have agreed to answer your questions, there are rules that must be adhered to. There is a balance that needs to be maintained; you cannot receive too much, nor can you spend too little."

She gracefully lifted a cup of tea to her lips, taking a sip as she waited for the team's response. The atmosphere grew thick with tension as the team exchanged glances, each aware of the unusual nature of the maids before them. They recalled the odd requests and rewards Cistar had mentioned before, even when she had taken Thorn and Jenna hostage.

After a moment, Kosu spoke up, "We understand and agree to your terms."

Cistar's smile returned, and she continued, "Then for each one of you, I will answer three questions. There will be no lies—only truth. However, after I answer all your questions, I will ask you to listen to one of my requests."

The team nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of the moment. It was a chance to uncover the truth about the manor, the Duke, and the chaos that had ensued.

"Very well," Cistar said, setting down her cup. "Who wishes to go first?"

The tension in the room was palpable as Thorn stepped forward, his voice steady but filled with curiosity. "Just who are you, Cistar? You seem to have a connection to the Duke family, appearing in the paintings of many generations. You're also the only human we've encountered in this manor."

Cistar met his gaze, her expression a mix of pride and melancholy. "I am a vampiric creature who has lived for a thousand years. The Duke family is my descendant. I have always resided in this manor, donning the guise of a maid to blend in with outsiders. Being a true vampire, I possess longevity beyond that of my descendants, who are not pure blood."

Kosu quickly followed up, sensing that Cistar would only answer one question at a time. "But you're the only human here. What happened to the Duke family?"

Cistar's smile faded, replaced by a somber expression. "Duke Valet was a greedy man. Even as a high noble, he sought to grasp even more powerful magic. This ambition led to the catastrophe that befell his family. In a desperate attempt to control life and death, he arranged a marriage ritual for his daughter. However, things spiraled out of control when the magician killed the groom and took the ring with her."

She paused, her voice thick with emotion. "Juliana, one of the two pillars for the spell, became engulfed in dark energy, and the entire manor was pulled into another dimension. The people trapped here tried desperately to escape, but none succeeded. Upon their deaths, their souls were bound to this place, unable to ascend to heaven. To help them, I used my magic to transform them into familiars, which is why they appear as they do now."

Cistar gestured toward the maids behind her, their floral heads a haunting reminder of their past lives. The team took in her words, a mixture of sympathy and horror washing over them as they processed the tragic fate of the Duke family and the souls bound to the manor.

After Kosu finished his question, Jenna stepped forward, her frustration evident. "Then why did you take all of us to this manor? We are in the middle of an important mission right now!"

Cistar shook her head gently. "It's not I who called you to this place. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Occasionally, the portal connecting our worlds opens, and you found yourselves here during that moment."

"But it's the bats—no, YOUR bats—that brought us here!" Riku interjected, her skepticism clear.

Cistar continued calmly, "The bats were sent to the outside world to gather provisions and information for me. They simply return when the portal opens."

Jenna and Riku exchanged doubtful glances, clearly unconvinced by her explanation.

Miko, who had been waiting patiently to ask her question, finally spoke up. "I want to know about the ritual. Why did the magician sabotage it?"

Cistar's expression turned somber. "The magician was in cahoots with the Duke. I believe she was the one who came up with the idea for the ritual in the first place. She carefully selected the candidates and conducted all the preparations. But during the marriage ceremony, she killed the groom and stole the ring from the bride. The ring was the key to the ritual, connecting both the bride and the groom. By severing that connection through murder, she forced the other pillar to bear the entire burden of the spell. I believe she intended to use the ring to control Juliana, making her execute her dark desires."

Kosu's eyes widened as realization struck him. "The woman's corpse in the underground prison must be the magician! So she had been captured and met her end here!"

The others nodded in agreement, and Cistar affirmed, "Yes, that aligns with what I know."

Cistar then clapped her hands, drawing their attention back to her. "I guess that means the first round of questions has been completed." Her smile returned, a hint of satisfaction in her demeanor, as she prepared to delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding them.

The team exchanged knowing glances, each of them acutely aware that after the first round of questions, they were left with even more uncertainties about the manor and its dark history. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation as they contemplated their next inquiries.

After taking a sip of tea, Cistar smiled gently, encouraging the team to continue. "Now, what other questions do you have for me?"

Kosu was the first to step up again. "What is the Jailer monster that holds a giant sword? That monster attacked Riku, Miko, and me while we were searching around the manor, but it always seems to disappear!"

Cistar's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before a calm smile spread across her face. "That is Duke Valet. I made him like that as punishment for causing the downfall of his family. He retains some of his consciousness, which is why he wanders near places related to the ritual."

She focused her gaze on Kosu, her tone shifting slightly as she continued, "As for why he disappears before you, I suppose fate has its ways of punishing him." The mocking lilt in her voice made it clear that she harbored deep resentment for the Duke.

Thorn seized the opportunity to ask the next question. "What happened to the people who got lost in the manor?"

Cistar smirked, a hint of wickedness in her smile. "Where else could they be? They are all here, and have become a part of this manor now."

The team gasped in horror as the realization dawned on them. The monsters they had fought within the manor were the very victims of Cistar's machinations. She truly was a wicked old monster!

Miko quickly followed up, her voice trembling slightly. "Why don't you leave this manor? Surely you can do it, right?"

Cistar shook her head slowly. "This manor now exists in another dimension, what you would call a dungeon. As you know, creatures from the dungeon cannot pass through the portal gates; they are bound to the dungeon core. The bat familiars I send out use the blood of adventurers who haven't been tainted by the dungeon's energy. But for me, it's the end. And I cannot leave Juliana alone here, can I?" Her smile was warm, but a faint sadness flickered behind her eyes.

Riku pressed on with her question. "If you're so powerful, why didn't you break free from the curse and rescue Juliana yourself?"

Cistar shook her head again. "I'm not powerful at all. I may live longer than you, but that doesn't make me powerful. Ancient creatures like me are bound by many rules; we cannot live freely as you do."

Jenna's frustration bubbled to the surface. "Again with the rules! You keep using them to prevent us from knowing more about this manor! Just what are these rules you keep talking about?"

Cistar answered calmly, aware of her fate. "The rules that bind us are the rules of origin. They connect to the very essence of our beings, and we have no choice but to obey them. It's like how humans must use their mouths to eat; no other part of the body can do that. If the mouth cannot eat, then it ceases to be human and may even cease to exist."

Miko's eyes lit up with understanding. "I get it! So ancient creatures are bound by their own concepts!"

The rest of the team looked at Miko with puzzled expressions. She continued, "It means that beings like Cistar have an inherent understanding of who they are in relation to their concepts. It's a deep comprehension, like knowing about the particles within a molecule!"

Miko beamed with excitement. "I wish I could bring professors to talk to Cistar! If her knowledge could be shared, our country—no, the whole world—would benefit immensely!"

Riku attempted to calm Miko down. "Now, now, Miko. From what I can see, she's not exactly open to sharing her knowledge."

Cistar smiled, taking another sip of her tea. "Oh, this tea is cold. Let me change it for you." She stood gracefully, allowing the maids to handle the refreshment and bring in more snacks.

"I will need to check on Juliana. I'll return shortly. In the meantime, please think about your final question," Cistar said with a warm smile before vanishing into the shadows, leaving the team to ponder their next move.