Chapter 49 - Shaking Head

Boom─!!

Along with the sound of mist shattering, light enveloped Silvia. Dazzling light. The sun, which could be called a vampire's weakness, wraps around her.

Though it doesn't matter much to her as a true ancestor, the situation itself wasn't very welcome.

The black-haired woman before her eyes is too annoying. If not for this woman, she could have taken Lee Seonghoon 100 times.

'Until just now she was flying away with one hand.'

Now she's interfering by pouring out magic. Plus what about her expression. Though hidden by the skull mask, Silvia could tell. She's making an unpleasant expression.

As if her very interest in Lee Seonghoon is disgusting. Even his apologetic appearance before running away.

All of it. She doesn't like it. There's not a single thing she likes.

Plus the man coming from the light. She knows him. A person she can't not know.

A gathering place of monsters. The leader of a guild famous among vampires.

She couldn't fight an opponent she's unsure of winning against one-on-one plus that black-haired woman.

'Is this as far as it goes.'

It's regrettable. Too regrettable. After causing all this trouble, all she did was touch Lee Seonghoon's face once.

'No. I got cursed at too.'

That's good. Silvia whose face turned red jumped back. She didn't delay. It was to escape before the man who just entered the mist finished grasping the situation.

"Ah?! Where are you going!!"

"What good is knowing. Just say you don't know if Seonghoon asks."

"Ugh. That damn Seonghoon at the end of every sentence!! Seonghoon!!"

Dodging the woman's magic who seemed angry for some reason, she converts her body to mist. Meanwhile Lee Seonghoon who came out as if confirming safety entered her view.

'I really like him.'

That appearance of making one woman fight because it's dangerous for him, then coming out when it's safe. While staring blankly because he's so lovable─

Their eyes met.

Lee Seonghoon hesitated for a moment, but Silvia quickly moved her mouth.

I'll. Come. Again.

Since it was too far to hear anyway, she enters the mist after moving her lips.

Though she seemed to hear shouts as mist enveloped her body, she didn't pay attention. When she came out of the mist again─

It was a strange mansion.

A mansion so large it could be called a great mansion. Though no different from a palace, it's a mansion because it had no palace-like elements.

"Hmm~ It's been a while~"

She enters the mansion surrounded by white mist while whistling, emitting an eerie atmosphere. As she naturally sets foot in the mansion.

Her vision changes drastically. Heaven and earth flip and space distorts. When she opens her eyes again it's a strange room. A dark room with not a single light entering.

"You're back."

"Yeah. I'm back."

"How was the cooperation with 'Anti-Magic'?"

"Nothing special? Just released apostles and done. I did my job."

"I see."

Silvia who naturally sat on the sofa in the corner of the room swung her two legs. Yet her mouth doesn't rest.

"I found something rea~lly fun. I want to suck his blood. Definitely. I'll make him my other half and keep him by my side forever."

"Silvia. You found an interesting person?"

"Yeah!"

"That's good. Where did you go this time? Justitia?"

The voice seemed to ponder for a moment. Then eventually a voice is heard from the darkness again.

"Was Sophia not there?"

"She wasn't? I didn't look around much. It's already been 10 years. You still haven't given up?"

The voice didn't answer. But Silvia could feel it. Him nodding.

"Even after 10 years, I don't want to give up on the sun."

***

"Crazy bitch. Crazy bitch. Crazy bitch. What 'I'll come again'."

I rubbed my two arms vigorously while holding them, goosebumps all over my body. Go down goosebumps!!

"Oh. I've never seen such passionate love. Isn't it time to accept?"

"Don't say crazy things. I'm really scared."

I covered the damn blonde's mouth who was making heh~ sounds. She clearly would have spouted nonsense if left alone. This is self-defense. Of course it is.

"Her escape speed is top-notch. Was I such a celebrity? How does she run away right after seeing my face?"

"Dad! You should have caught her right when we came!!"

"Sorry sorry."

Ignoring the uncle laughing good-naturedly, I looked at where Silvia disappeared. This one doesn't even have true ancestor pride, running away as soon as she saw the uncle's face.

No matter how famous, this makes the meaning of tying her down at the risk of my life meaningless.

"You all worked hard too. The mist is gone so let's go back. The apostles spread around are almost all finished too."

"Yes."

What can we do about what's passed. Though I'm dying of regret there's nothing we can do. I couldn't find out anything about the reason for the attack or why she's obsessed with me, but let's be grateful I wasn't taken.

While having such thoughts I walked towards Ishia who sat down on the ground, perhaps tired. It's bright around as we're out of the mist.

"Are you okay?"

"....."

Nod nod.

Ishia who turned at my call nodded. She looks powerless but well of course she'd be tired. After firing magic like that.

Still she did well.

Though I don't know why, she even learned "Magic Chant Breaking", and fought Silvia well.

With this Lucy Violet will crawl between my legs, and Lee Siwoo has no choice but to open the treasure vault. I wiped the drool already falling.

Then recalling the carrot and stick theory I've seen somewhere, I opened my mouth.

"See. What did I say? I said you could do it right?"

"....."

What now. Though I can't see her face hidden by the mask, she was clearly staring at me intently. This is making a fuss even when praised.

"Now you can beat Lucy too. Win and say it. All the losses until now were momentum for this moment─!!"

"..."

Isn't that cool? No? I frowned at Ishia who didn't answer and said something else.

"Then how about this. You really suck. You're no match for me. How's that? This is my secret technique. I've been saving it to use on Raphael but never got to use it."

Ishia held up one finger at my question asking which she likes. Does she like the first one?

"Are you mute?"

Shake shake.

This time she answered my question by shaking her head. This really seems mute though? Can't she speak?

For a moment. A strange thought flashed through my mind. Is the mask not done purifying? I didn't wear the mask for that long, but Ishia wore it for plenty long.

Did she get cursed with muteness or something?

I quickly approached Ishia and grabbed her shoulders.

"Hey. Stay still. What if the mask doesn't come off? I have holy water. Let's try taking it off first."

Ishia is important combat power. Of course a blue window saying purification complete appeared, but you never know what will happen with people right?

The curse might have come back. I put my hand on Ishia's face. As I tried to take off the mask.

Swoosh.

Huh? What's this? Did my hand slip? Okay. This time I'll take it off.

Swoosh.

Haha. My hand slips often? Did she put oil on? Why is this happening? I wiped my hand on my clothes then reached out again.

However.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.

"....What are you doing?"

"........."

I asked Ishia who was dodging this way and that while holding the mask with both hands, but no answer came. How hard did she dodge for her ears to be bright red.

Take it off with that effort. Please.

"If you keep dodging I'll have to do it by force!!"

Shake shake shake shake.

Ignoring Ishia who was shaking her head vigorously, I grabbed her shoulders strongly. Then as I tried to reach for her face.

"Wow. Wasn't that line just now really trashy?"

"If a stranger saw they'd have gone to the police station once."

"Ahem ahem."

I stopped my hand at the heard sounds. Not missing that gap, Ishia grabbed the mask with both hands and pushed me away then─

Ran away.

"Huh? Mask thief!! Neighbors!! Mask thief!!"

"I-I'll give it back later─!!!!"

I who had the mask stolen right under my nose blankly watched her running back, then realized.

"What. She's talking."

"What's she talking about?"

"No. I thought she was cursed because of the mask─"

As I was answering Raphael's words, someone suddenly appeared before my eyes cutting off my words. A girl smiling brightly with hands behind her back.

A girl with brown hair and petal-like eyes.

"Don't you have something to say to me?"

What do I have to say? At the sudden words I rolled my eyes then opened my mouth. Could it be this?

"Th...anks?"

"Yeah!"

Yang Minji smiled brightly at my words.

***

[An unfortunate incident has occurred in Justitia. Ranking battles will be temporarily suspended, and even if resumed external spectators will not be allowed entry, so we recommend returning home by tomorrow─]

Ishia ignored the broadcast sounds she heard and ran. She doesn't know why she's running or where she's going. She just ran.

Why?

Even she doesn't know. It just felt like she shouldn't be there.

Before she knew it while running she was at a park inside Justitia. Though it's still midday there wasn't a single person.

Roughly understanding it's because of the earlier incident, she sits on a nearby bench.

Then she easily takes off the mask on her face and catches her breath.

'It's hot.'

Her face was too hot. It was so hot she thought it might burst. But now it's gradually cooling.

Why.

She doesn't know. Could it be bipolar disorder? Ishia tilted her head and turned on her phone to look up nearby psychiatrists.

It was strange since learning "Magic Chant Breaking". No. Was it after that?

Since the time Lee Seonghoon and Silvia were talking while emitting hearts─

"No. This isn't it."

Yeah. It's not. Ishia who decided firmly nodded.

This is a symptom of bipolar disorder. It's clear. There's definite evidence too.

She felt like flying after learning "Magic Chant Breaking".

But her mood plummeted after hearing Silvia and Lee Seonghoon's conversation, then got better again when she attacked.

It was like that during the fight too. She felt good using magic, but felt bad every time Silvia spoke and talked about Lee Seonghoon.

Then what about after that.

"What 'our Seonghoon'."

Ishia who pouted kicked a nearby stone. She was angry because of Silvia who grated on her nerves until the end but.

Lee Seonghoon came and spoke to her.

─See I told you you'd win.

Her mood got better again at that one line. If this isn't bipolar disorder what is it?

It was actually similar to the bipolar disorder symptoms Ishia searched!

Bipolar disorder at this age. They say many magicians are crazy so am I like that too─

While having such thoughts she soon shook her head. Since she can't go crazy she should look into hospitals soon.

Her face felt calm and returning to its original snow white color.

Holding the mask she smiles broadly for some reason while blankly looking at nearby trees.

"You're no match for me. She says."

Snicker. For some reason she laughed imagining saying that after beating Lucy. Then suddenly it comes to mind.

Can she beat Lucy? She's never won even once.

Even if she learned "Magic Chant Breaking", wouldn't Lucy prepare ways to win─

"No. That's not it."

Ishia looked at the mask in her hand. She recalls the line that man said while giving it.

"You can win."

She can do it. Ishia practiced lines to say when she beats Lucy while sitting alone.