Chapter 51

She had asked them to find Laila Green—but that was no easy task.

If Laila had truly decided to vanish, no one in this world would be able to find her. She was as powerful as Linus, with just as many secrets.

‘What happened between us?’

Why had Laila Green been imprisoned, and why did she harbor such hostility toward “Florence”? Ever since Jang Hyunji possessed her, the story had become so twisted that it was impossible to unravel those answers. No matter how deep she searched Florence’s memories, there was no particularly striking moment with Laila.

‘We barely even met—just a few fleeting encounters.’

She couldn’t know what Hyunji was thinking or feeling when she glimpsed Laila in passing. If she had retained every emotion and memory, that would’ve been a different problem altogether.

But without winning Laila Green to her side, the plan to kill Linus was meaningless from the beginning. Now was the time to be cautious. Any careless move might result in losing even what little she still had.

What would it take to find Laila Green—and make her an ally?

Though Laila’s hatred was aimed at Jang Hyunji, who had possessed this body, there was little chance she would distinguish between them. Earning the favor of someone who hated her was no easy task. She had failed at it all her life and had no confidence now.

Creak—

The firebird’s body glowed softly. When she reached out her hand, it gently rested its beak on her palm. It was warm, just like a human’s body temperature.

‘It wants me to name it.’

Enoch had said this firebird was her spirit. Coming from a high-ranking spiritist, it was likely true, but she still felt uneasy. It felt too much like she was reusing something Jang Hyunji had left behind. Naming it might make it easier to command, but it still didn’t feel like her spirit yet.

“You can get smaller, right?”

Chirp?

The firebird tilted its head, then shrank to the size of her palm. She opened her sleeve.

“This is fine. Get in here.”

If it were a real bird, it never would’ve obeyed, but this was a spirit. It slid into her sleeve and curled around her wrist, radiating a pleasant warmth. The inner fabric of the sleeve glowed faintly, but it could be concealed easily. It wouldn’t be noticeable indoors with the lights on. Hopefully it wouldn’t get squished and die.

“Can you hide my presence?”

Chirp!

The night wind was chilly, so the warmth was welcome.

Sneaking out wasn’t hard. The annex was a private residence, and thanks to Enoch’s dislike of people, hardly anyone came or went. Luckily, Enoch and Keith had been busy searching for Laila themselves. Neither had returned for over three days—no way they’d be back tonight.

‘They’ll probably return before dawn.’

It should be fine.

She knew Enoch Haynes was a man of rare talent and ability. Even her father, who was stingy with praise, had ranked Enoch above Blake. But even so, Laila was on a completely different level. After waiting three days, she realized she couldn’t just sit around anymore.

If Laila had truly gone into hiding, she might be impossible to track. But she had a few guesses—locations where Laila might retreat. Places that had appeared in the novel.

Laila Green had been born into a normal family.

Her father had been a hunter, and her mother a homemaker. But before that, both were accomplished assassins. Her mother had also been a curse-specialized mage. Laila had inherited all of their talents: she was a powerful spiritist, mage, assassin, and dark magic user. It was an overwhelming load for one person—but she had been the protagonist.

Had Hyunji not possessed Florence, and if the story had continued with Laila as its heroine, her background would have simply served to enhance the protagonist’s glow. But that was no longer the case.

Fortunately, she was familiar with the area where the Heins Firm’s headquarters was located. There weren’t many major commercial districts suitable for a company of that scale. Though the place looked different at night, she wasn’t entirely lost. It was lucky it was a busy area—if it were a remote alley, she wouldn’t even have known how to hail a carriage.

She passed brightly lit shops and made her way into deeper alleys. The firebird deftly masked her presence.

Even though she had just left the house and entered an alley, it felt like a grand adventure.

Ever since she had returned, she’d felt the depth of her powerlessness. No matter how often she acknowledged it, it always left her feeling miserable. And that—was unbearable.

She hated herself for thinking that things would’ve been easier if Keith, Marie, or even Enoch were with her. Just a few days with others, and here she was—already wanting to lean on someone again. How weak she was.

She stopped in front of a tavern.

There was no sign. The only light came from a dusty, grimy window. No voices, no footsteps—only silence, like this bar stood alone in the middle of a bustling street. If you weren’t looking for it, you’d walk right past it. But those in the know understood. They even knew how to open its firmly locked door.

She knocked five times. Then kicked the bottom of the door twice. Then waited five minutes in silence.

Creak…

The door slowly opened. A strip of light from inside cut across the toes of her shoes. She felt a fleeting terror—as if stepping into that light might incinerate her.

But she also felt certain that this was the right place.

As she stepped into the light, her hand moved to her wrist without her realizing. The old burn on her shoulder throbbed faintly.

“Who are you here for?”

“……”

“You don’t seem like you belong here.”

The voice was old, rough. An old woman sat behind the bar. Faded yellow hair streaked with white, deeply wrinkled skin, and pockmarks lit by flickering candlelight. She didn’t look like any tavern owner.

“I…”

She cleared her throat, looked the woman straight in the eye, and slipped a ring off her finger.

The old woman’s eyes widened. Her jaw dropped, revealing yellowed, missing teeth—then a flash of motion. A bang rang out. Her vision went white. She had been tense, so at least she avoided hitting her head—but her chest and back screamed in pain, rendering her speechless.

“Ugh! Wa—wait! Just—!”

“I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?”

A clear, feminine voice. Her wrist flared with heat. The firebird screeched, flapping its wings.

“So you’ve learned a few tricks now, huh?”

She forced her eyes open. On top of her was the old woman, now pinning her down with a dagger aimed at her heart. The firebird was biting the woman’s wrist.