Everyone was silently watching Jones, silently watching.
With his head lowered, his body trembled slightly, as if he were sobbing.
After a long time, Jones responded in a weak voice: "I... have told many lies, almost every moment of my life is filled with lies."
Under everyone’s gaze, Jones suddenly lifted his head, staring directly at his father, eyes wide as he shouted: "I almost always lie, I’ve told so many, countless lies!"
The Countess stared at her child in shock.
Even Count Dracula was stunned.
With tears streaming down his wide-open eyes, Jones gritted his teeth and said: "I’ve told countless lies because no matter whether I speak truth or lies, you never believe me. One of those lies is that I’ve acknowledged my mistakes."
Pointing at Susan, Jones’s voice suddenly rose an octave as he yelled: "Including things about her—I’ve been lying all along! I hate her, I absolutely hate her! I’d rather never marry than have her as my wife! And I’ve never repented for harassing her, because I never did it! I was framed, and yet you believed her! Things are too numerous to count!"
Count Dracula’s eyes slowly widened.
All the surrounding onlookers stared at Jones in shock.
Susan cautiously took a step back.
Clenching his teeth, Jones continued: "Why do I never tell you the truth? Because you block everything I want! Everything! You think everything I desire is a joke! But to be honest, I think what *you* desire is the real joke! What should I do? Should I marry someone and quietly live out eternity? Like you? Spend every day staring at two veins of ore? Spend every day attending boring parties? Waste my time in meaningless social interactions? What, then, is the purpose of my existence? Maybe I’ll fail, but that’s still better than perishing in silence! I’m willing to pay the price for it!"
In all these years, this was the first time Jones had spoken to his father in such a tone. He knew full well that what awaited him might be a tempestuous storm. Yet, he still wanted to speak, to finally let out the words he had bottled up in his heart for so many years.
When he finished, it was as if all his strength had drained away. He stood there staring blankly at his father, tears streaming down his face, retreating step by step.
"I am grateful to you, truly. You gave me life, but that doesn’t mean I have to listen to everything you say, nor does it mean I have to live the way you want me to. I want a life of my own. In the past, every time you got angry, I would yield, but not this time. Not this time—even if you kick me out, even if you strip me of my surname, I will persist."
"You’re insane." Watching Jones, who had completely lost control, Count Dracula slowly shook his head and began to approach him, step by step: "I’ll take you back right now and lock you up, so you can reflect on the mistakes you’ve made!"
The others present were all frozen in fear, silent as the grave.
"No! I’m not going back!" Jones roared hysterically, turning to run.
"Come back with me!" Count Dracula leaped forward.
Just as his hand was about to grab Jones, Jones suddenly rose into the air. He didn’t transform into a bat to fly, but instead ascended in his human form.
Tilting his head upward, Count Dracula suddenly saw the Hydra.
Yes, the Hydra, which had been quietly listening in the distance all along, had somehow closed the gap without anyone noticing. One of its heads was clutching Jones’s collar in its jaws. Another head slowly bent down, looking at Count Dracula as it softly spoke: "Sir, I must say, I do not quite agree with what you just said."