What am I doing? Laila thought. The ghost of the child sitting on the windowsill looked innocent, or rather, seemed to have no thoughts at all.

It was a mistake to think that one could communicate unconditionally with a ghost just because it was a ghost.

Just as human personalities vary, so did ghosts, and while some could perceive and communicate with the living, many more could not. In the latter case, if one wasn’t confident in overcoming it, it was better not to disturb it unnecessarily.

Not knowing the identity of the ghost, Laila was exhausted. So it was better not to disturb it. Rather than provoking its anger, it would be much better to find out about this strange space…

“I know you can hear me!”

Laila, who had cut off her own thoughts that were chaining in her mind, swallowed her breath with a gasp. Laila, who had shouted loud enough to make the stone walls vibrate, pursed her lips tightly while catching her panting breath.

“You can hear me, can’t you? You understand.”

Laila continued speaking. In her head, there was an incessant noise like a giant fly buzzing.

On the other hand, there was also a voice that seemed to mock. What are you doing? By yourself. What are you doing, using unnecessary strength?

“It’s not unnecessary.”

Laila, with her hands clasped, murmured as if sobbing.

“I need to get out of here. Please, at least tell me where this is. I need to find Eustar.”

She was terribly tired. Perhaps it was because of seeing Badin’s memories, that past.

Her whole body felt heavy as if she had been walking for ten years straight without stopping or sitting down to rest. It felt like if she lay down on this damp floor now, she could sleep for a hundred years without opening her eyes…

— The man you’re looking for is still alive.

Laila’s head shot up. The child sitting on the windowsill—now that she looked again, its bottom half was embedded in the stone wall—was still looking down at Laila with emotionless eyes.

But she could clearly tell that it was the child who had spoken.

“Is Eustar alive?”

Laila asked, steadying her trembling breath as she turned to the child.

“Where is he now?”

— Very close to you.

The child made a giggling sound. However, its expressionless face remained the same, giving an eerie feeling.

— This is Nierodora’s cage.

“Nierodora?”

Laila frowned.

“Who is that?”

— A magician. She’s a great magician.

The child suddenly looked at Laila with a solemn and reproachful gaze.

— A very, very great magician. And she’s heartless and cruel. She’s hiding her true form. Anyone who learns about Nierodora is bound to lose their life. Like that fake human.

Fake human. Laila suddenly felt a numbness somewhere in her head.

“What happened to Olga?”

— If you don’t hurry, that fake human will completely disappear.

“Then tell me how to get out of here!”

— If I tell you the way out, can you stop Zaokunst?

Zaokunst. For a moment, Laila thought about what that was. Too many things had happened, and in her confusion, it took a while for her brain to process what it meant.

“That’s from the past.”

Laila, who had finally squeezed out the memory, retorted.

“It’s something that happened long ago. When… how did you die? Do you remember?”

— I’m not talking about something from the past. I have nothing to do with that incident. My death was caused by Nierodora. But now Nierodora will kill more children. Both born children and unborn children. If you can’t stop her, disaster will strike. You’ll see the end of the world.

“I’ll stop her.”

Laila said.

“I’ll try somehow. So tell me how to get out of here.”

The ghost of the child became a bit clearer, then faded again. Maybe it was due to a change in emotion. There was no time to contemplate that phenomenon right now, though.

— Where you’re standing. That’s the illusion. You need to fall down. But you’re not really falling. You’re breaking through this place.

Laila looked down at the floor. It was a hard, damp floor made of stone, so solid that it wouldn’t budge even if she stomped on it several times. It was doubtful whether even a huge ax could make a dent in it.

But. Laila thought. This is a trick. A trick to deceive my senses.

She hurriedly opened her leather bag.

Desperately hoping that the contents hadn’t been damaged or disappeared. Some of the magical tools inside seemed to have disappeared while she was submerged in water and pulled into Lilith’s memory left in the witch’s book, but fortunately, the necessary items remained.

Laila took out a crystal with a dull light and drew a formation on the floor. The surface was uneven, and it was difficult to draw the line as if the stone was repelling the crystal’s magic.

It wasn’t until the crystal was almost completely worn down from repeatedly tracing over the quickly fading spots that Laila completed the formation. There was no time to waste. But there was one thing she needed to know.

“Who are you?”

Laila said, standing on the formation.

She could feel the magic leaving as the lines at the edges faded.

“Tell me who you are.”

The ghost remained silent, staring at Laila. When her anxiety peaked as she felt the magic of the formation disappearing, the child spoke.

— I am one of the fragments of Muge Olga. The magicians brought the sick and useless humans from this city to create fake humans. They took bits of life force, flesh, blood, and bone to finally create something similar to what they desired, something close to human. So I am a fragment of Muge Olga. And now I’ve broken off. Because that fake human is disappearing.

It was shocking, but Laila had no more time to continue the conversation with the child. She stepped on the faded edge of the formation and gathered all the energy around her, the magic that existed within her.

“Step on the shadow, there’s a puddle below. Step on the shadow, there’s a trap below.”

For a moment, Laila’s heart sank as she felt her feet sinking. But it was an illusion. The floor was still there. It wasn’t falling down, but the sensation of the magic enveloping her in layers being lifted. Like a curtain opening.

— Stop them.

A very thin voice brushed Laila’s ear. When Laila raised her eyes, something black and enormous was about to pounce on her face.

“Stay right there, Laila!”

Laila stood still like a frozen person. A blade flashed, and the shadow split in half and disappeared.

Laila saw the body of a giant moth split in two and fall to the floor, and then she screamed and jumped up.

“Eustar!”

Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders. Laila, with her eyes tightly shut, breathed heavily and trembled all over. As she felt his scent and body heat simultaneously, a sense of relief that made her heart drop enveloped her entire body.

“I thought you were dead.”

Laila mumbled, not even knowing what she was saying. Eustar smiled gently and cupped her cheek, making her look at him.

His face was in an incredibly filthy state, covered with stains, blood, and dried unknown liquids. But he didn’t seem to be injured. His eyes, like a fresh green barley field on a summer day, remained unclouded.

“I won’t die without you.”

“What happened? Just…”

“I’m not sure either. But looking at the structure of this place… This is a tower. I’ve been wandering around looking for you. While doing so, I figured out how the magic flows. It’s gathering from bottom to top. If it were just a normal structure with its form changed, the flow of magic would be different. But if it’s surging upward, it’s clear. This is a tower.”

Tower. Laila thought of the long black tower she had seen when entering the city. That enormous, black crystal-like thing that seemed to pierce the hazy sky.

“What about Olga?”

Laila suddenly asked.

“Haven’t you seen Olga?”

Eustar slowly shook his head.

“I haven’t seen her. Why?”

“Olga might be in danger. I just met… someone.”

“Who did you meet?”

“Who it is isn’t important. Oh, Eustar! Please. We need to find Olga. We need to do that first! I have so much to tell you. I have so many stories that I can’t organize on my own, my head feels like it’s going to burst.”

Eustar wrapped his arms around Laila’s back and said,

“Calm down.”

He slowly exhaled, and Laila could hear his heart beating at a steady pace as she rested her head against Eustar’s chest.

“Calm down, Laila. It’s okay. I understand what you’re saying.”

Laila’s lips trembled. Eustar lightly kissed the top of Laila’s head and looked into her red eyes.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find Muge and leave this city. Then we’ll discuss what to do. With the other chapter masters of the Tentinella Order.”

Laila swallowed dryly and nodded.

At that moment, there was a sound like something heavy being dragged from behind. Laila turned her head and widened her eyes at the sight of a monster crawling along the curved floor.

It looked like a snake at first glance, but its open mouth was filled with sharp teeth up to the roof of its mouth.

“Come behind me, Laila.”

Eustar, raising his sword, grabbed Laila’s wrist to hide her behind his back. But Laila shook off his hand.

“Laila?”

The monster was crawling faster and faster. Laila said,

“I’m going to fight alongside you.”

Eustar blinked. The sound of the heavy body slapping against the floor with each movement, the sound of something like a damp leather bag being dragged, was getting closer. It was almost right in front of them.

Eustar smiled and let go of her hand.

“Alright. I trust you.”

Laila replied.

“Of course you should. I’m your wife and your partner.”

Eustar took a stance with his sword. Laila bit her fingertip to draw a little blood, then drew a red line on the floor.

“The uninvited shall stop in their tracks. Knock on the door and count to three. Knock on the door and count to three! One, two, three!”

— Keeee—!!

The monster suddenly stopped moving and reared up, making a strange noise. A huge shadow covered the bodies of the two, and venomous body fluid dripped down. However, the monster couldn’t move an inch from where it had stopped.

Laila said,

“The uninvited cannot enter.”

There was a popping sound. The monster’s body, which had been writhing and swelling, burst and disappeared like a paper balloon.