Chapter 52

“That nonsense again? I knew she’d never try to die on her own. That’s why I fell for your pathetic little act. But I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“You’re smarter than that, Laila. You know better.”

I placed my hand on the back of hers, still wrapped around my neck. If she really didn’t want to hear anything I had to say, she could easily end it right now. But for some reason, Laila was holding back. Still, even without applying pressure, the murderous intent radiating from her grip was terrifyingly real.

In those cold eyes—eyes like a predator eyeing its prey—I saw my reflection. A tense, gaunt woman, unremarkable and weak. Laila let out a twisted smile.

“If you’re not ‘Florence’… then who are you?”

“I am Florence. I told you—I had my body stolen by her…”

“You said you couldn’t bring her back.”

Laila spat the words like venom. Her face contorted in disgust, but her thumb and forefinger never tightened. The fear that she might snap my neck at any moment made it hard to breathe. I wanted to run. I wanted to live. But if I gave up now, I’d be forced to live a fate worse than death.

“I can’t…”

I trailed off, looking straight into Laila’s eyes. I hoped my sincerity would reach her. If we didn’t face each other directly, nothing would get through.

“I thought she’d returned to her body completely. That she’d never lose it again. That I’d never get it back. But it’s not over yet.”

In her violet eyes, a faint bloom of hope appeared—fragile, like a flower.

“For a short moment, she took the body again, and I was dragged to her side. That body is nearly dead—but not quite. It could take months from this side. Or years. Before that happens… I have to finish this.”

“And what’s that got to do with me?”

“I’ll let you summon her. So you can kill her.”

“And if she takes your body again, you want me to kill you? You’re willing to die rather than let her take it again?”

Laila let out a faint smile. I wondered how ridiculous I must look in her eyes. Maybe she thought it would be cleaner if I just ended my life, instead of trembling in fear of being taken over again.

“I can’t die for you anymore.”

“…”

“I won’t die for you. I want to live. I want to reclaim every stolen moment and finally be happy.”

I bit my lip.

“I’ll kill Linus, and I’ll kill her too. I’ll be free.”

“…”

“So help me, Laila. Pull her soul from me. Kill her. That’s all I’m asking.”

“You think you can kill the Commander?”

“I know it won’t be easy. But if I don’t, I’ll die.”

“In that body, Linus will probably find you adorable.”

“I don’t care. The mere thought of him touching me makes my skin crawl and my stomach turn.”

“…”

“I’ll kill him. And if I can’t…”

“If you can’t?”

“Then I’ll die. If I fail, kill me.”

“And what makes you think I won’t do worse with your body?”

Laila’s hand was still on my throat. But when I steadied my breath, I somehow regained a sense of calm. I didn’t trust that she wouldn’t hurt me. In fact, I knew she could crush my neck at any moment. Her eyes still held no mercy.

But this wasn’t the worst-case scenario. If I died at Laila’s hands, at least Linus wouldn’t get this body.

“Do whatever you want with it.”

“…”

“Cut it to pieces, feed it to dogs, burn it…”

“Hah.”

“Make me into an undead, if you want.”

“I figured you might know. Don’t know how you found out, but…”

“I’m sorry. I know it was a secret you didn’t want revealed.”

Curses and dark magic were powers people feared. Especially dark magic—it was taboo because it used corpses. Necromancers bound souls to dead bodies through forbidden rites.

“Is that why you came alone?”

“Yeah.”

“To protect my secret?”

It wasn’t that I valued Laila Green’s secret more than my life. I wouldn’t risk my life just to protect someone else’s secret. Laila gave a brief, incredulous laugh.

“No… I figured if I revealed your secret to someone else, you wouldn’t even listen to me.”

“…”

“But if I came alone… maybe you’d at least hear me out before killing me.”

At this point, I might as well fall to my knees and beg. If Enoch or Keith could’ve found Laila with their own methods, I wouldn’t have come. But I didn’t have that kind of time.

Linus would return to the capital in two days at most. Before that, I had to find Laila. Once he returned, Enoch and Keith would have to act more cautiously, and Laila would hide deeper. I was the only one who could find her now—and the only one she might even remotely tolerate.

It was a gamble.

“You said you regretted not killing me back then.”

“…”

“You couldn’t even avenge Alex’s death. You said it was pathetic—falling for my lies. Later, when you returned to the place where you’d abandoned me, someone had already taken me away.”

Jang Hyunji didn’t even know who Alex was. Not even a faint image of a face came to mind.

“I didn’t kill you back then because I didn’t believe someone so eager to die could be her. And… because killing someone who doesn’t want to live isn’t revenge.”

“…”

“If someone wants to live—you kill them. And if someone begs to die—you keep them alive.”

Laila slowly withdrew her hand from my throat. Then she lowered her head… and let out a shaky laugh. After a brief chuckle, she raised her face again. I instinctively swallowed hard. The flickering candlelight made her face look radiant and beautiful. But the deep hatred sharpened her features with a terrifying chill.

“…I’ll believe you.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“But if you’re lying, you won’t die easily. Even in death, your body belongs to me.”

“Got it.”

Was she… really going to help me?

Laila stood up and brushed the dust off her knees. With a cry, the firebird fluttered toward me. I propped myself up on my elbow. But the moment I lifted my head, the world spun. Dizziness.

A soft sigh drifted down over my head. Why am I this weak? My face burned with shame. I clenched my teeth and tried to get up—then Laila said:

“Take my hand.”

“Y-Yeah.”

It felt like my arm was going to pop out. She didn’t even seem to use much strength, but my whole body was lifted off the floor and my legs finally touched the ground. I stared at her in a daze.

Was she really helping me? Or was this just another trap?

The truth was—Laila didn’t need to help. She could just knock me out, force the connection with Jang Hyunji’s soul, and get what she wanted. If I weakened any further, maybe Hyunji would return on her own.

I didn’t know what to do. Should I get on my knees? I had already said everything I came to say. My mouth was dry with nerves.

But Laila… looked oddly pleased. She walked over to a mirror on the wall, tidied her tousled hair, and turned back to look at me. Our eyes met in the reflection. She smiled, eyes curling into crescent moons. I gasped.