Chapter 15
Night had fallen deep and heavy.
The firmly closed door on the second floor opened without a sound.
The figure that stepped inside was Bella, her black cloak pulled low.
Bella scanned the room thoroughly. Her eyes, long accustomed to darkness, could see perfectly well even in the dimness.
Realizing no one was there, she swallowed a sigh of relief.
Lifting her hem, she walked toward the bed. When she reached it, a faint smile tugged the corners of her lips.
She reached out and placed her hand over Melony’s eyelids.
At that moment, a hazy smoke seeped into Melony’s body.
“Sleep so deeply that not even the world can wake you.”
Bella knew how sensitive Melony was, so she deliberately put her into a deep sleep.
She stared down at the soundly sleeping Melony.
Disgusting.
Biting her lip hard, Bella pulled a small vial from her pocket. Inside it swirled a bluish smoke. She was just about to pull the cork when—
“I’m sure I warned you.”
A low voice trembled directly against Bella’s ear.
Her heart dropped, her spine went cold. At the same time, her entire body felt as if it were being bound and squeezed tight by something invisible, like a serpent wrapping around her.
The level, steady voice was laced with anger.
Stiffly turning her head toward the source, Bella finally saw him.
“L–Lord Cain…!”
The window that had been firmly shut was now wide open. Cain sat perched on the windowsill.
Bella’s eyes widened, and she froze.
“I told you not to lay a finger on her.”
“T-that’s…”
Her lips clamped shut mid-excuse. Cain’s cold, deadened eyes shifted toward her hand.
“Is my word a joke to you?”
Bella trembled violently and immediately fell to her knees, bowing low.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry… it’s not—”
It felt like a serpent had opened its jaws above her head, dripping venom onto her.
“How laughable must I be for you to ignore my order?”
“No!”
“Quiet.”
Cain raised a finger to his lips.
“The moment Mel wakes up, your head won’t be attached to your shoulders.”
“…….”
“Answer.”
“A-about what…?”
“How stupid.”
Cain scoffed coldly, tilting his head. His pitch-black hair melted into the darkness as it shifted.
“A justification. For what that thing is, and why you disobeyed me.”
“T-this is…”
Biting her lip, Bella forced herself upright. Staggering forward, she held out the vial with both hands.
Then—she felt something crawling up her body.
Startled, she lowered her gaze, and barely swallowed a scream.
A snake.
A smooth, blue serpent, its tongue a bright red, flicking slowly as it climbed her.
“…It’s a nightmare.”
The snake reached her shoulder, flicked its tongue against her hair, making her shudder.
She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.
By then, the snake had slithered to her other shoulder—then dropped onto the bed.
Bella’s pupils trembled.
The blue snake coiled itself at Melony’s bedside and rested its head, facing her.
“A nightmare?”
Cain’s voice snapped her back to her senses. Bella knelt again, pressing her forehead to the floor.
“Yes. It’s my ability. I enter a person’s dream and inflict the worst nightmare possible. T-the smoke… once it enters their body…”
“……”
“They relive the worst moment of their entire life in their dream.”
“I see. A nightmare worthy of the name.”
“……”
“And?”
Ah. There was one more thing she had to say.
Bella’s entire body shook. If she said this, she felt she might lose her head immediately.
But she had no choice.
Swallowing hard, she whispered:
“I… disobeyed the order… because of that human.”
“……”
“Because of her, you even had to wear a restraint—and listen to her commands.”
Her teeth gnashed at the thought. Rage flared again.
“It infuriated me…”
“Pointless emotion.”
“But—!”
“I.”
Cain hooked a finger around the restraint on his neck and pulled.
Sparks crackled violently.
A burnt smell filled the air, but Cain didn’t release it.
Bella jumped up in shock, trying to stop him, but the vicious glare he shot her froze her in place.
“Did it never occur to you to think why I would wear something this disgusting?”
“T-that…”
His fingertips were scorched black—yet within moments, they healed back to normal.
“You almost ruined my plan.”
Suddenly—
Cain’s hand snapped around Bella’s throat.
The pressure was immense. Bella’s breath caught, then burst out again in broken gasps.
Looking down at her without a shred of emotion, he continued:
“The antidote. You have it.”
He released her abruptly, letting her collapse to the floor.
“Bring it.”
How did he know?
No time to wonder.
Bella scrambled up and rushed out, returning quickly with something else.
Cain examined the second vial she handed him—this one filled with swirling black smoke.
“This is the antidote?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
“If it’s a lie, consider yourself dead already.”
“Yes…”
“For today alone, I’ll show mercy.”
His eyes told her to get out.
Understanding instantly, Bella fled the room.
Once the door clicked shut, Cain stepped down from the windowsill. His movements were light as air.
“Nightmares, huh.”
He glanced between the two vials before pocketing them both. Then he closed the window and sat before Melony.
The bed did not move at all.
At that moment, the blue snake—which Cain thought was asleep—lifted its head.
“You too. This is your warning. If you don’t want to disappear, stay away from Mel.”
The snake flicked its tongue as if acknowledging him, then slipped over to rest beside Melony’s face.
Cain grabbed it and threw it to the floor.
But the snake slithered right back up and returned to its spot.
“Annoying creature.”
Cain frowned but let it be.
Melony slowly opened her eyes.
For the first time in years, she felt like she had slept deeply—truly rested.
Not since the nightmare incident eleven years ago had she felt this refreshed.
Yawning, she began to sit up—then froze.
Something feels off.
She turned her head slowly.
A blue snake was lying there, curled on her hair like it was using it as a blanket.
“…A snake?”
Mumbling under her breath, Melony went rigid.
Was this a dream?
Or reality?
“…Shit.”
Realizing it was real, she swore quietly and shot upright, putting as much distance between herself and the snake as possible.
“What the hell? How did you get in here?”
She pulled a gun from under her pillow and aimed it.
But the snake didn’t move.
Not even a twitch.
Frowning, Melony poked its head with the gun barrel.
The snake opened its eyes.
Its pupils glowed bright red—bloodlike.
It reminded her of someone.
As the snake nudged her leg affectionately, a voice whispered in her ear:
“Mel, good morning.”
Her lips snapped shut.
She scowled without even looking, reached out, grabbed a handful of black hair, and yanked.
“Ow.”
“Don’t creep up on me first thing in the morning.”
She shoved him, and Cain stumbled a little, settling onto the bed.
Melony glared at him—he was grinning endlessly, as usual.
“What is this snake?”
“No idea why you’re asking me.”
“Because it looks like you.”
“Oh. You see it too?”
“Are you joking.”
Anyone could tell the blue snake resembled Cain.
It wasn’t just the red eyes—its aura was eerily similar.
The snake flopped pathetically when Melony stood up, then slithered toward her thigh.
Sighing, Melony pointed at it.
“What is it?”
“My familiar.”
“And why did you bring it out?”
Outwardly calm, inwardly she was shaken.
Even a tough person would be startled waking up with a snake coiled beside their face.
“I needed it.”
Cain shrugged lightly.
“It’ll be with us from now on. Seems the little guy likes you.”
Now fully resting on her leg, the snake lifted its head to look at Melony.
Heavy and cold, it made her inhale sharply.
“Cain.”
“What?”
“If I kill this thing, do you die too?”
“No. But I’d suffer a serious injury. Why? Planning to?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Melony seriously considered it.
A snake? Absolutely not.
