[Chapter 91]
“When something bursts out and digs into their subconscious, they suddenly quiet down. You can tell just by looking at the dwarf and Lord Deon. It’s clear that the ‘Soul Strangulation Ritual’ was used to trigger monstrosity.”
“…What the hell are you? Why are you sticking your nose in front of me?”
“You’ve undergone monstrosity.”
The dwarf, freed from his monstrous state, touched his head and recoiled in shock.
“What—me? I became a monster?!”
“Don’t worry. As long as you don’t get bitten again, you should be fi—”
“Ugh.” Cedric groaned, unable to finish his sentence. He had nearly stumbled when a centaur appeared out of nowhere.
“Black magic, huh. I’d heard humans created something like that, but it’s even more dreadful than I imagined.”
“That’s probably why only humans possess divine power.”
The dwarf and centaur, who had been speaking, turned their heads. Cedric, who had been awkwardly shoved aside by the centaur, scratched the back of his neck with an uneasy smile under their sudden gaze.
“…To take responsibility for their own sins.”
And then—
“Then treat me too.”
“…What?”
“Better to have one monster than dozens, isn’t it?”
The burly man who had been silently watching the cured dwarf suddenly grabbed one of the rampaging monsters nearby. With a rough twist, he pressed its neck against his own.
“Wait inside the building for ten minutes. I’ll end this.”
The divine beast’s crimson eyes gleamed unnaturally as he willingly let himself be bitten.
“Wow, human greed is worse than that of vampires. So they actually went as far as splitting the soul??”
“…The soul?”
Ian’s eyes curved prettily as he looked at the woman blinking wide-eyed before him.
“Mm-hm. I’ll explain later.”
Adorable. Though she didn’t yet carry the intoxicating fragrance of a complete body, her very essence revealed it clearly—this was undeniably a fragment of Lemoni’s soul.
“Wait. You’re telling me that woman not only trapped me in a Forbidden Book, but also split my soul?”
Her lips pressed tightly together, trembling with fury as she finally began piecing things together. Unlike Lemoni, this woman’s face changed expression every moment. She seemed on the verge of screaming, but hastily looked around and shrank her shoulders instead.
“…But this isn’t the Christina Duchy, is it?”
She looked uneasy, suddenly dropped into an unfamiliar place. When Ian gently brushed her pale, delicate shoulder, she flinched, raising her violet eyes toward him.
“I am Ian, of House Ermenst of the Western Empire. Things are complicated right now, so let me first escort you to a room where you can rest, my lady. I’ll explain everything later.”
“…Alright.”
Hearing the word duke’s household, she slowly blinked and nodded, though her eyes kept darting about nervously. Lemoni, when she was young, would always look for someone when she felt anxious. And that someone had been that bastard. Realizing this, Ian perfectly hid the scowl threatening his expression and instead ordered the knights to escort her to her room.
“…You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”
As soon as the woman disappeared, a worried voice called out from across the room. Ian’s smiling face instantly turned cold.
“Of course I’m going to tell.”
That the girl hidden in the Forbidden Book was actually the Christina Duke’s daughter.
“…For a commoner to dare kidnap a high noble—what kind of nerve would that take?”
He was so dumbfounded he almost laughed. He knew she was no ordinary criminal, but to think she was the very person behind the Forbidden Book stored in Drace Prison.
“First restore Lemoni to her proper state. Her punishment can wait until after that.”
Golden eyes, bright as sunlight, fixed on Railia with a freezing glare. She turned pale under that bizarre gaze, mumbling in a dying voice:
“…I don’t even know how to make her normal again.”
“With the level of black magic you’ve used, it should be possible.”
In truth, even the Ermenst Duchy’s own monstrosity project could be reversed with a touch of divine power. But Railia revealed a truth crueler than any lie.
“…The soul’s been split apart for too long.”
“…What?”
“She—she’s been separated since she was four years old. Lemoni’s body is twenty-one now. That soul fragment is practically another person entirely…”
“Railia.”
Her rambling lips froze. Trembling, she looked up—and a serpent’s eyes filled her vision, staring her down.
“You do know, don’t you? The only reason you’re still breathing is because of that mouth of yours.”
A hard thumb brushed her lower lip. The lifeless chill of his hand made her shiver. She froze, unable to say a word, lowering her eyes as much as possible to avoid Ian’s close, predatory gaze.
“…I’ll think about it.”
“That’s better.”
Forced to make a promise she could never keep, she watched as the man cloaked in shadows twisted his lips into a cold smile. But this was only the beginning. What she had said merely bought time; she had not swayed Ian to her side. At this rate, he would surely publicize the truth about the Forbidden Book.
What should I do? I need something tempting enough to lure him in…
Her green eyes shook as they avoided his. Then—
“Ian.”
She stilled, her gaze faintly fixing. Perhaps there was a way to win him over.
Summoning courage, she lifted her head. His terrifying face still looked down at her. For an instant, despair brushed her thoughts, but she forced her lips into a smile.
“…Lemoni’s split soul could actually work in your favor.”
“Interesting. Go on.”
“You know Deon has been obsessed with Lemoni since childhood, right? And that their feelings for each other ran both ways.”
Ian’s smirk wavered. Before he could speak, Railia rushed on:
“But the Lemoni Deon loves… is really the memories stored in that lost soul. The body Lemoni doesn’t even know she’s the real one. But the soul fragment that just left remembers everything—every little detail of their childhood together.”
“And what exactly are you getting at?”
“Take her. The real Lemoni’s body.”
This was what she’d wanted to say. Back in Drace Prison too, she had known Ian only mingled with her and Cedric because of his connection to Lemoni.
And perhaps she was right. The man leaning closer over her stiffened, his face hardening. But then, suddenly, he laughed. His true thoughts were unreadable. After a long, amused laugh, Ian lightly tapped her shoulder.
“Rest for now. Then explain to Lemoni’s other soul why you cursed her with black magic. The main body Lemoni is strong, she adapts well—but the younger Lemoni is trembling in fear.”
“So… you’ll let me live?”
“Of course.”
Relief flashed across her face, ready to break into a smile—until his next words turned her cold.
“After all, corpses don’t smell of blood.”
“…What?”
Without another word, Ian left the room humming a tune, leaving her in pitch darkness.
“Ian?”
What does a corpse smelling of blood have to do with me?
She called out, hoping he’d hear—his sharp hearing might catch it—but no reply came. Then, from the darkness, came a disturbing sound of something moving. Flinching, she saw a pair of blue eyes gleaming, jaws opening wide as it lunged at her. Her scream tore through the room.
“Lord Ian. Deon’s group, which had been heading north, has escaped the centaur habitat and is now moving toward the Khan Confederacy headquarters. Shall we send knights?”
“What for?”
“…Pardon?”
“They came all this way. At least treat them to dinner.”
Looking unusually pleased, Ian opened the door with a smile.
“…Ian?”
“Were you having tea?”
As though to meet his expectation, Lemoni sat quietly at the tea table, sipping black tea.
“Yes, but… didn’t you just hear something? Like a scream?”
“You’ve got quite the imagination, Lemoni.”
“…Maybe I was mistaken then.”
“Anyway, for tomorrow’s luncheon—would you dress up nicely for me?”
“…All of a sudden?”
Ian’s gaze lingered on her lips, glistening from the tea. Waving the maids away, he leaned his face against her shoulder almost like a child whining.
“Yes. Really pretty. We’ll have a guest.”
“…Ah. May I ask who—never mind. Alright.”
“Good. I’ll look forward to it.”
Even at her resigned reply, Ian’s eyes curved into a gentle smile.
Just as Railia said—now there was a way to make Lemoni seek him out first.
