Chapter 19
“Mmmpf! Mmmph, mmphmmph!”
It sounded like: “Sienna Winter, you crazy woman! Are you seriously trying to kill someone?”
I clung tightly to Ethan, who was trying to sneak away, and grabbed his wrist just like he had grabbed mine before.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Ethan roughly shook off my hand, but I didn’t care.
He wasn’t my target to begin with—it was Ban.
I quickly pulled Ban away and, instead of pinching his swollen face, tugged on his twitching ear.
“Ban, didn’t I tell you to behave? And you couldn’t even last thirty minutes before getting caught?”
“I-It’s unfair! It was Helares who abandoned me!”
Having barely recovered his ability to speak, Ban whimpered and dove into my arms.
“I was being good, and then that guy suddenly showed up…! That bastard’s so evil, even Satan would be jealous!”
Hiss! Ban bared his teeth at Ethan, tail raised in fury.
And yet he clung tightly to me, clearly acting up because he trusted I’d protect him.
Now, what do I do about Ethan?
I was so angry I silenced him on impulse, but that didn’t actually solve anything.
The best solution would be to erase his memory…
I looked at Helares, who shook his head. He’d already tried, it seemed.
So tampering with his memory isn’t going to work. Guess there’s no choice.
“Heren. Knock him out.”
Whack!
Before I even finished speaking, Helares struck the back of Ethan’s neck. It was a swift and precise movement.
I had expected him to use magic, so I just stood there, mouth open at the unexpected physical attack.
He’s a power mage…?
Thud! Ethan’s body collapsed onto the floor.
“…You probably could’ve just caught him.”
“What’s there to hug about some random guy?”
“Now that you mention it, yeah. He’s not even cute. Why was I considering it?”
I jerked my chin at Ethan, sprawled on the floor.
“Grab him. We’re going back.”
Ethan froze as he opened his eyes to a strange room.
I was attacked at the temple…
The air was cold and damp. It was so dark he couldn’t even tell if it was night or day, with only a faint light flickering nearby.
This was clearly a basement.
Damn it.
“Mmgh! Mmmph! Mm!”
His body wouldn’t move.
Damn…!
The chair rattled violently every time he struggled.
His hands, feet, and waist were tightly bound to the chair with thick rope.
Anyone would think he’d been kidnapped.
Damn it. He thought Sienna was crazy, but not inhuman. He had seriously misjudged her.
To think she’d actually abduct someone in broad daylight!
Were those rumors true after all?
There were a lot of rumors about Sienna Winter.
The most terrifying one was that she’d kill anyone who crossed her without hesitation.
Most people dismissed it as baseless gossip—but not Ethan.
He knew Sienna to be ill-tempered and thoughtless, sure, but not someone capable of murder.
He had scoffed and ignored the gossip…
Is she really planning to bury me somewhere?
She did summon a demon, after all. Killing someone probably meant nothing to her.
As it dawned on him that she might be dead serious, cold sweat beaded down his back.
I have to get out of here. Before she comes back!
Rattle, rattle, creeeaak—clunk.
Every time he struggled, the chair let out a loud, jarring noise.
“You woke up sooner than expected.”
A cool voice, perfectly suited for a basement, whispered into Ethan’s ear.
He turned his head toward the sound.
It was Sienna—and that man who was supposedly her magic tutor—standing at the basement door.
And nestled in Sienna’s arms was that sinister doll, baring its teeth at him.
…I’m screwed.
No matter how hard he tried to think positively, he couldn’t see any way out of this.
“Heren. Release the magic.”
“He’s quiet now. Can’t we just leave him like this?”
“We can’t talk to him like that.”
“What’s he need his hands for?”
“I just want to get this over with and clean up. Unbind his hands too while you’re at it.”
Their conversation sounded eerily like a human trafficking gang.
— He’s got working hands, so we can just cut out his tongue, right?
— What’s he going to say with those slow hands? Let’s just deal with him and bury the body.
Even their casual conversation sounded like a murder plot to Ethan, tormenting his mind—until—
Snap!
A familiar sound, like a zipper being undone, and suddenly his sealed lips started to part.
His immobilized body relaxed too.
“Hey, say something. Gotta check if the spell’s broken.”
“…What’s your angle? Weren’t you planning to kill me and shut me up?”
“If we were, we’d have buried you in the mountains already.”
“I actually recommended that, but Sisi decided to spare you out of the kindness of her heart.”
“Hiss! Kill him! Kill him!”
Ban jumped from Sienna’s arms and threw his plush fists at Ethan’s legs.
“How’s this? Feel the wrath of Ban!”
Pow! Pow! Despite the pathetic thudding, Ethan momentarily lost the will to speak.
…Is this thing really a demon? It feels sinister, but its behavior is…
His scattered thoughts were brought back by Sienna’s voice.
“Ban, come here. No matter what, you can’t hit a priest.”
A mage clearly annoyed they didn’t bury him, a demon seething with rage, and Sienna scolding the demon gently.
Their conflicting attitudes only confused Ethan more.
“If you’re not planning to kill me, are you going to brainwash me with the demon?”
Sienna gave him a withering look and sighed.
“Do I look like a bloodthirsty lunatic to you? If I were going to brainwash you, I would’ve done it right then and there. Idiot.”
He had no idea how much she regretted not doing just that.
“Then what about the rumors that you allied with the Cult of Light?”
“I told you, I didn’t! Do I have to bring you the cult leader’s head to prove it?”
Say one more stupid thing and I’ll silence you again.
“There’s only one thing I want from you, Ethan Dyke.”
Sienna handed Ban over to Helares and walked gracefully to stand in front of Ethan.
“Make a deal with me.”
“A deal?”
Sienna reached out toward Ethan, toward the blue brooch pinned to his white priest’s robe.
“Keep my demon a secret.”
“Are you insane? You think I’d agree to something so ridiculous?”
His reaction was exactly as expected. Sienna burst into laughter.
It was a pure, clear sound that didn’t suit the situation at all.
“You’ll do it.”
“Confident, aren’t you?”
“If you agree…”
Sienna leaned in and whispered softly as her fingers brushed the brooch.
“I’ll make you the next High Priest.”
Ethan was prepared to ignore whatever nonsense Sienna spouted.
He believed he could withstand any temptation.
Because someone destined to be God’s representative must do so.
But her offer, absurd as it was, shook him to his core.
“We should change that. You can’t wear blue forever.”
Changing the color of a brooch meant a promotion.
The blue brooch he wore now was a sign that he’d passed the test to qualify for the position of High Priest.
But passing the test alone didn’t guarantee the role.
Two other candidates also held the same blue brooch—and the most influential among them would be chosen.
“Shouldn’t you be the one wearing the golden brooch?”
The gold brooch was the symbol of the High Priest.
“So? Tempting, isn’t it?”
At that moment, Sienna’s cool voice sounded as sweet as a devil’s whisper.
Even though the actual demon was openly snarling at him.
“…As if I’d be swayed by such vile words.”
But he couldn’t deny it firmly. His heart had indeed wavered.
And Sienna saw it clearly.
In that fleeting moment, Ethan’s green eyes trembled.
Got him!
She smiled inwardly in triumph.
Her plan, painstakingly crafted while Ethan lay unconscious, was working.
Thank goodness I know so much about him.
Having argued with him the most, Sienna knew all of Ethan’s weak spots.
After all, she’d poked at them for five whole years!
