Chapter: 68
Knee-high boots wobbled like they were stuck in a surreal dream, the loathsome face flickering as if swallowed by a fog that was less than pleasing.
In the midst of the wavering, shifting traces gave Iris an eerie, unnerving feeling.
Her body tensed up of its own accord, breath caught in a stranglehold. She couldn’t even blink, staring blankly at the blurry figure of the slaver as it wavered back into focus.
“Why… why is this happening?”
Nausea roiled in her stomach, making her feel like she’d blow chunks at any moment. Her head felt all swimmy, like she was cooking from a fever.
“Gak, hack… huff…”
Her breath escaped intermittently as her shoulders jerked uncontrollably. Could it be the crimson fog? Or was there poison smeared on the slaver’s blade?
Her mind buzzed with questions, but none of them had answers.
Blink, blink.
Each time she blinked, the slaver’s arm looked suspiciously like someone she knew, and the blood-soaked clothes sent chills down her spine. Normally sharp Iris quickly thought of a “right answer,” only to slam the mental brakes on it.
No need to dwell on things that couldn’t – and shouldn’t – happen. Staring vacantly at the blurry figure of the slaver, someone tapped Iris on the shoulder.
“Hey, get inside already. We’ve got to prep for the next match!”
Zoning out, she turned her gaze to see a guy she’d never seen before. Dude had shoulders like boulders, a head that looked like it belonged on a cartoon character, and towered at least 2 meters tall.
He looked like he could lift a mountain or two.
Iris blankly stared at him, then shifted her gaze back to the crumpled slaver. Since the air cleared, the slaver’s body slumping had only gotten worse.
“Are you deaf or something?”
With a gruff voice, he roughly grabbed her arm.
“What the heck? You fought with that lightweight body?”
The dude seemed surprised as he shook her arm.
“Ugh…”
Feeling dizzy and swaying, Iris thought she would puke on the spot.
“Ah, crap…”
Fuming at her reaction, the man tossed her aside like a rag doll. She hit the ground and instinctively grabbed the sword that lay nearby. With Lian’s death, the contract on the Demonic Sword Gargandoa was released and it ended up in Iris’s hand.
Thump!
The moment she gripped the Demonic Sword, her vision swirled wildly.
Monster, you shouldn’t be alive.
How are you still breathing, you monster?
This is horrifying! Monster! Monster! Monster!
Screams echoed in her mind. Her vision shook even more, and Iris felt she would collapse if she didn’t steady herself on the floor.
You’re useful! You’re useful! Sister, sister, sister!
Hey, want to live?
Hehe, really? Hehe, correct?
Iris’s long-suppressed nightmarish memories erupted uncontrollably. Voices ricocheted around, repeating phrases over and over. They even giggled like nails on a chalkboard.
“Ah – please, please stop… Just stop!”
Screaming, she shook her head vigorously. But the voices only multiplied; they wouldn’t quit. It felt like someone who just regained all their memories getting slammed by reality.
“Ugh… No, aaah! Brother… brother… save me! Lian!”
As her voice reached a crescendo, her mind suddenly went quiet.
Lian is the one you killed, isn’t he?
The clear, resonant voice was a chaotic mix of a woman, a man’s child, and an old man all muddled together. Iris was more shocked by the words than by their strange tone.
Look at what you’ve done.
Her face turned involuntarily to the side. It was as if someone had forcefully twisted her head, looking down at the ground.
“Uh…?”
With a dazed expression, Iris looked down at “brother.”
“Why? Why..? Clearly, the slaver…”
Staring at her brother’s lifeless body, she laughed through a contorted smile. The unbearable stress reflexively triggered laughter in her body.
“No, no… This isn’t right…”
Iris mumbled, her mind fracturing further.
Thud.
The earlier man grabbed Lian by the neck and hoisted him up.
“Phew, good thing the head and neck are still intact. It’s such a hassle to clean up when they’re in pieces.”
With that, he half-dragged Lian away. Iris could only watch her brother being taken without following.
She couldn’t accept that she had stabbed her brother, that he was dead. It was beyond comprehension.
Now her only refuge and purpose were Lian. Had she truly killed him herself? Impossible!
‘I killed the slaver, not him. So… it can’t be. Yeah, it’s all that weird fog’s fault.’
Iris kept muttering to herself as she picked herself off the floor.
Swoosh.
Ignoring the sword in her hand, she quickly moved toward the exit. As she entered the waiting area, the figure of a rat-like humanoid appeared before her.
“Can I… go up now?”
“Sure thing. You can head up right away. First, grab your stuff from the previous floor and -…”
“No, I want to go… right now.”
The rat-like creature tilted its head in curiosity.
‘Did she suddenly find her voice?’
Puzzled by Iris’s newfound chatter but not wanting to dwell on it, it quickly brushed off the thought. The arena was full of unpredictable lunatics.
Iris becoming talkative was minor.
The rat-being promptly guided Iris into the elevator, taking her to the floor where Lian had been.
“There’s one room free, though it’s a bit of a mess -…”
“Brother’s room?”
The rat-like being twitched its whiskers; about to say something but wanting to avoid dealing with the blood-soaked Iris, it instructed a cleaning slave in the hall to take Iris to Lian’s room instead.
Watching Iris leave with a beaming face, the rat-like creature couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘She doesn’t even realize who she killed, huh?’
Likely a good call to relay any assignments for Iris through someone else now, considering she might kick up a fuss later. After the rat being left the elevator, Iris reached Lian’s room.
The door wasn’t locked; she stepped right in. Iris whipped her head around, eyes sparkling in search of Lian.
Clang.
The Demonic Sword she was bearing clattered to the floor. She’d let it slip without even realizing.
Iris didn’t care about the sword rolling around and began searching the room – significantly larger than she remembered.
“Brother, brother…”
Calling out Lian’s name continuously, she rummaged through the room, fervently looking under every nook.
The bathroom, closets—you name it, she tore through it—yet Lian was nowhere to be found.
Her fingers trembled, and she felt a lump in her throat threatening to choke her. Iris sensed a chill spreading through her body, and with a laugh in her voice, she said,
“Surely, surely he just went out for a sec…”
The murmurs in her head grew louder. Iris shook her head fiercely, then sat down with a pile of Lian’s clothes in her arms, freshly taken from the open closet.
“All his clothes are right here. I’m here too; I’m his sister! So, he’ll come back soon!”
Her lips quivered as she desperately tried to delete the scenes dancing in her head.
Hugging his clothes tightly, she lay on his bed soaked with his scent, curled up and swallowed her breath.
In the distance, she could hear his footsteps, the door gently creaking open, and she would leap up to run to him… and then…
Iris sat waiting, clinging to Lian’s clothes, ruminating over the past while longing for his return.
…But he didn’t come back.
As night began to swallow day, and shadows crept across the world, someone came to the silent room where Iris lay.
Iris quickly sensed through the footsteps that it wasn’t Lian approaching.
Knock, knock, knock.
And so, she didn’t budge at the sound.
“Hey! The visitor says they’ll let you meet your brother, so come on out!”
“….!”
Pop!
Iris shot up from the bed, rushing to the door. So flustered, she didn’t notice the whip-like Demonic Sword stuck to her ankle.
Thud!
Slamming the door open revealed the man who had tossed her out at the arena. He frowned as he reached for Iris’s wrist, but she dodged like a nimble feline.
“Ha… do as you please. Just make sure to keep up.”
He realized he didn’t have time to argue with Iris and started walking away.
Desperate to see Lian, she followed without protest.
“Go in.”
They arrived outside Angsho’s room. Already losing her mind, Iris burst through the door without a moment’s thought.
Thud, screech.
Struggling to control her strength, the door groaned as if it were breaking off, but she didn’t care. She moved fast before eventually breaking into a run.
“Gak, haak… Brother!”
Upon reaching the spacious living room, Iris’s voice echoed as she scanned the area. That’s when their eyes met…
“Ah, you’ve arrived just in time.”
On the living room table lay Lian, his chest punctured, his vacant eyes staring straight at Iris.
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