The woman did not answer. Silence fell, and Laila was staring intently at the woman’s silhouette, which was now beginning to feel familiar.

— I can make you human.

“I am already human.”

— Are you sure about that, young witch? The blood flowing in your body, half of it, is the blood of a beast that does not exist in this world.

Laila’s body trembled. At that moment, she thought of Eustar’s face. His face saying it didn’t matter what she was, his gentle smile, his warm body temperature.

“That’s not true.”

Laila shook her head firmly.

“Whatever blood flows in my body, whoever it belongs to, doesn’t matter. I am human. A human with flesh and blood, who cries and laughs.”

Laila thought she should leave this place immediately and turned around. The woman did not try to stop her.

In front of her was a flattened, four-legged spider-like monster staring at Laila with jade-colored eyes and making strange crying sounds.

“Move.”

The moment Laila spoke, the monster’s eyes flashed brightly. Suddenly, her vision opened wide and someone’s memories poured into Laila’s mind.

A man with a naive face appeared. He was stumbling through a dark cave. Was he a magician? Or an unfortunate traveler? He was thirsty and afraid. All he wanted was to go home.

He ate a blue plum as the woman suggested. It was cool and sweet, and full of juice. Just as he felt a happy sense of liberation for the first time in a long while, something black and sharp like bones sprouted from his back.

His arms and legs stretched, joints bending in strange directions, and from his mouth, still retaining some human form, endless screams and blood clots burst forth.

— Keeek… Kik…

The monster’s legs curled up and its body twisted. Laila knew it was in pain. She also knew why it was feeling pain.

It was an ‘overlay’.

— Kik, ku… Ahhh!

The monster, seemingly crumpled by an invisible giant hand, pressed and twisted, roared. At that moment, a strong wind blew from outside the cave. Laila’s body, which had staggered with a short scream, suddenly turned to the opposite direction.

It took a moment to realize that the woman’s hood had come off. It took a little longer to recognize the familiar face with flowing black hair and red eyes.

“Lilith…”

The woman guarding the tree that turns humans with desires into monsters, she was the first witch. It was Lilith whom Laila had seen in her vision.

She gazed at Laila, her distant descendant, with calm eyes. It was a very strange expression. A complex emotionless face where pain and ecstasy, unfathomable sadness and anger were simultaneously present, ultimately showing no emotion.

“How are you…”

Laila’s voice trembled. Lilith, with her face exposed, glanced indifferently at the growling monsters and said,

“Well, it might be a punishment. A punishment that drove him into endless void.”

“You mean…”

Laila’s lips parted slightly.

“Are you talking about Badin?”

The moment she heard his name, Lilith’s expression changed very subtly. She lowered her head, covering her face with both hands as if sobbing. But she didn’t cry. There was no trembling.

“Please set him free now. I have forgiven him. Now tell him to forgive me.”

Suddenly, a wind so strong that she couldn’t open her eyes blew. Laila’s body swayed.

It felt like passing through a deep darkness. A dull thunder-like sound rumbled in her ears. A light so bright that she couldn’t open her eyes violently shook Laila’s consciousness.

“Laila, Laila?”

Feeling her shoulders being shaken, Laila suddenly opened her eyes.

“Eustar?”

“Thank goodness. You’re awake.”

“Did I faint?”

“Rather than that, it seemed like your consciousness had flown somewhere.”

Eustar said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Muge is opening the door to the well now.”

Laila looked around for Muge. She saw Muge, still lifted by the fairy, muttering something in front of a heavy and solid door. One small hand was placed on that door.

“Eustar, did you see it too?”

“See what?”

“The blue plum tree. The woman… guarding it. And the monsters.”

Eustar blinked with a puzzled expression as if he didn’t understand what she meant, then slowly shook his head.

“No. I… When I opened my eyes, I was in a dark space with nothing. I was anxious because no matter how much I called your name, there was no answer. Then suddenly the wind blew and… we returned here. Muge said it was the same for him.”

Laila’s expression became more serious. It seemed that while she was meeting Lilith, the two of them were trapped in a space where nothing existed.

She felt a chill in her heart thinking about what would have happened if she had eaten the blue plum there, if she had fallen for Lilith’s temptation.

“What’s wrong, Laila? Your expression…”

Just then, there was a sound like a heavy piece of metal falling. Eustar and Laila turned their heads towards the sound at once, and their eyes met with an exhausted Muge.

“Let’s go.”

The fairy carefully lifted Muge and stepped aside. Laila took the lead, followed by Eustar and Muge.

The air inside the well was cold and dry. It felt like entering a stone coffin, a sensation that chilled the entire body.

“Be careful.”

Muge, following behind, said in a voice that seemed to be forcibly suppressing heavy breathing.

“Nieadora Panang is nearby.”

Inside the door was filled with bluish crystals, oily stalagmites, stalactites, and strange rocks with minute facets.

Except for the smooth path they could walk on, there was nowhere else they could carelessly step. It was like a rough armor forged by the earth. Laila looked at the threateningly glinting sharp crystals and then casually looked ahead.

There was the well. In the blue, brilliantly shining water as if emitting light, sat a woman of indeterminable age with her eyes closed.

Her hair tied up high, the translucent cloth clinging to her shoulder skin, her long neck. Even just that was enough to exude considerable pressure.

“Your courage is admirable.”

The woman, the great sorceress Nieadora Panang, spoke. Her voice echoed throughout the cave. No, it sounded as if the entire cave had become one with her and was speaking all at once.

“To think that two insignificant creatures and one that’s not even worthy of being called a creature dare to interfere with me.”

Muge burst into laughter at Nieadora’s words.

“Well, how does it feel? To be blindsided by something not even worthy of being called a creature.”

“Impertinent and ridiculous thing. Do you think you’ve caught me off guard?”

“Then are you saying you foresaw this situation? That’s unlikely, Nieadora. Why don’t you finish your bath and come out now? Isn’t it about time you realized that soaking in that well won’t keep you young forever?”

Eustar watched Nieadora’s expression change.

Whether she particularly disliked Muge or not, he couldn’t tell, but for a great sorceress who had lived for who knows how many hundreds of years, her emotional changes were quite intense. Her gaze changed and a surge of anger could be felt from just a few words.

“Do you think you can lay even a finger on my body? Not a chance. The moment you take one more step forward, you will be torn to shreds. You will stain my beautiful crystals and rocks with a deeper color. Do you know? These crystals were originally transparent. They were clean like mirrors and clear like raindrops, but that was all. To make what’s mine beautiful, I sprinkled hot blood here. It became such a beautiful place by drinking that blood.”

Muge said,

“Save your bullshit for the doghouse.”

The next moment, Muge stomped the ground with one foot.

Then, something like a blue lightning bolt shot straight towards Nieadora in the well along the smooth rocks. However, Nieadora spread a barrier around the well without even blinking.

“Is that all you’ve got…”

Nieadora’s gaze changed as she was about to sneer. Without realizing it, Eustar was right in front of her. And behind his back, black flames like wings could be seen. It was Laila’s magic.

Eustar aimed for Nieadora’s neck precisely without making a sound. There was no hesitation in his swinging sword. When the black wings soaring behind his back spread wide, Nieadora’s body finally came out of the well.

The moment his sword missed, Laila quickly pulled back the wings to make Eustar retreat. As the flames subsided, Nieadora Panang’s figure became even clearer. Now, clear anger was evident.

“You bastards…”

Eustar said, raising the corner of his mouth,

“Now you won’t be able to manipulate other magicians as you please.”

Nieadora threw a razor-sharp gaze at him. However, behind it lurked doubt. How did he know that fact.

Muge burst into laughter.

“This time, you really look like you’ve been caught off guard. Did you think no one would know? Did you really think that no one would know what you were doing, holed up in this damp room? Did you think you could keep it a secret that your hobby was to intricately entangle magicians who entered the city and manipulate them to your liking?”

Nieadora’s lips trembled as she floated in the air, revealing her clenched teeth. In an instant, flames flew towards her indescribably distorted face.

Nieadora deflected that momentary attack with just a hand gesture, but her eyes seemed to be burning with anger. As Laila quickly tried to draw another magic circle, a thunderous roar shook the well.

“You lowly crossbreed!”

In that moment, blue writhing lightning began to pour down like a waterfall from the ceiling of the cave. Flames that flickered their tongues were also entwined in it.

Eustar tried to dodge while lifting both Muge and Laila at the same time, but the lightning persistently chased after them along the ground, following the wind, following their breaths.

Nieadora burst into laughter. Eustar shot upwards, stepping on a stalagmite. The runner made a deep, rumbling sound.

“Hold on tight, both of you.”

Eustar whispered softly as he stepped on the nearby wall. His body, tilted diagonally, began to run quickly towards Nieadora.