It was autumn, and though the weather wasn't particularly cold, the water temperature of Devil's Lake was extremely low. The moment I entered the lake, I felt as if the blood in my veins had almost frozen. Fortunately, I had tested the water temperature by the shore beforehand, so I was somewhat prepared for what was coming. After a brief moment of shock, I managed to calm down and gradually adapt to the cold.
The water in the lake was poisonous. Even though I carried a curse that could reduce some of the toxin's effects on my body, I was worried that prolonged exposure to poisonous water would overwhelm the curse's protective power. But this was not the time to dwell on that; I didn't have much time and needed to explore everything beneath the surface as quickly as possible.
Without hes
