Chapter 22

A man walked out from the blazing fire.

A beautiful face with deep shadows looked at me. When our eyes met, he smiled brightly and happily,

“…Hello, my love.”

He returned the greeting I had once given him.

“……Lynas…….”

“You must’ve had a hard time hiding. Like a little rat.”

“Are you crazy?!”

Anger burst out through my clenched teeth. I couldn’t forgive this crazy bastard.

“You burned down the whole street just to find me? Are you even human?! You know how many people will die! You knew and still did this!”

“This area isn’t where people live.”

“What….”

“This place is full of pests, Florence.”

I was speechless. There was no lie in his bright smile.

“It was a place that needed to be cleaned anyway.”

“Cleaned?”

“If I had done it earlier, it wouldn’t have taken ten days. It’s wrong that there’s any part of this city I can’t see.”

“You’re crazy. Completely insane, saying something like that, damn it….”

“You have a filthy mouth, my love.”

I shut my mouth tight. My teeth clacked together. I was shaking.

“Stop resisting. I don’t know who was hiding you all this time, but you can’t run from me.”

I trembled and forced my voice out.

“I-I’m not Jang Hyunji. I’m not the woman you loved, I…”

“I know.”

“Leave me alone! I’m not even her! I…”

“So what?”

“You don’t even love me! Why are you keeping me around? You hate me, you looked at me like I was a bug! That woman is in another world. You should be thinking about how to find her!”

“You still don’t understand, Florence.”

My stupid and foolish fiancée. His voice crawled into my ears. I felt chills.

“She’s looking for you right now…”

He was about to say she was dying.

“My love.”

“What?”

“I’m calling you my love.”

“…I’m not Jang Hyunji…”

Lynas shrugged.

“But I loved that body too.”

“She’s, she’s looking for you right now, hoping you’ll save her. We don’t have time for this…”

“That’s why you’re mine too.”

“Damn it, I told you! This body is mine! How many times do I have to say it?!”

Lynas smiled gently. It gave me chills.

I never knew the phrase “by any means necessary” could be so terrifying. Those cruel words I had only read before now hit me for real. That man didn’t understand words. He had to have whatever he wanted, and once he thought something was his, he never let it go. He was just a madman.

Owning and controlling.

Lynas called that love.

He came closer and reached his hand out to me. I wanted to run, but there was a wall behind me, and my legs wouldn’t move. His fingers gently brushed my cheek.

“You’re really hurt.”

“…Don’t touch me…”

I was scared.

“This body doesn’t belong to just you, Florence. You have to treat it with care.”

“You damn lunatic, I told you not to touch….”

“This is a precious vessel that Hyunji might need to use again someday.”

“She won’t come back! Not unless you save her! Stop wasting time and go save your woman!”

I hoped Lynas would believe me. There was probably no way to save her, but she was crying, really hoping he would rescue her.

“I have to treat the wounds so they don’t leave scars.”

“Listen to me, please…”

I was terrified. His black eyes reflected me, but he wasn’t even looking at me.

He’s a demon.

The man in front of me didn’t feel human. He wasn’t a person — he was a demon in human form. Am I really going to be taken now? I finally got my body back. I was finally close to living my own life. And now I’m going to be taken, locked up…

Do I have to live, raped by a monster chasing Jang Hyunji’s traces?

By that demon?

That night. He came to me, pressing down with that dark gaze, with strangely hot skin, and the wet hands crawling up my legs… I remembered it all.

Even if bugs crawled all over my body, it wouldn’t be as horrible.

I felt sick. I thought death would be better. But even dying was a luxury I didn’t have. I couldn’t even choose death. I was so powerless. I trembled at my own helplessness. I bit the hand that was trying to stroke my cheek as hard as I could.

I hoped I could bite his fingers off, but he only frowned slightly. He didn’t even seem hurt. He even let out a small laugh, like I was cute. Just like when he saw Hyunji being affectionate. Like a pet owner amused when their little animal bites them.

“Come here, my love.”

A large hand came toward me.

“Aaah!”

“Urgh!”

As I squeezed my eyes shut, Lynas stepped back with a groan. Surprised, I looked up. He had turned around, and blood was flowing from his side. He was a knight captain and a sword master. Very few could hurt him. So who—

“Move, Florence!”

“My lady!”

I felt pressure around my waist. Someone jumped into my arms, and I was lifted up. I heard a voice I shouldn’t be hearing. I was hugging someone I thought I’d never see again.

It was Marie.

“Hurry, run, my lady!”

“You can walk?!”

Then I heard Keith’s voice. Why were the two of them here? Before I could ask why they came back, Marie hugged my waist and pulled me. Lynas drew his sword and attacked someone, but then he saw me. He reached for me, but something blocked him. Even in that chaos, I couldn’t take my eyes off Lynas’ twisted face.

A face twisted in pain, like someone who just lost the most precious thing.

“My lady!”

This wasn’t the time. Even if I couldn’t walk, I had to crawl to get away. I wobbled as I leaned on Marie, and I could barely step. There were screams, clashing metal, and flashing lights everywhere. It was overwhelming. Marie was the only real thing.

“If we get just over there, we’re safe, my lady!”

“Why… why did you come…”

“Is this the time to say that?!”

Marie shouted. I cried because I was overwhelmed.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

“Ahhh!”

Something flashed from Lynas’ sword and split the ground beneath us. I pushed Marie behind me, screaming. I couldn’t let her get hurt. Lynas looked at me, his eyes glowing like a beast watching prey.

Marie dug her nails into my arm. He raised his sword, and when I realized it was aimed at Marie, I hugged her and curled up. Not Marie. Never.

“No!”

“My lady!”

But maybe Marie also realized something. She threw her weight and pushed me, making me stumble and fall toward the direction she had mentioned.

Marie was left behind. With Lynas.

“No, Marie!!”

I reached out and grabbed Marie’s arm. I could see Lynas running behind her, but I wasn’t scared of him now. I held her tight and pulled back with all my strength.

Lynas’ sword slashed through something.

At the same time, my vision distorted, and something warm splashed all over my face.