Chapter 72
“The Bottom”
Clang. The paper knife in Heidi’s hand fell to the floor.
“Wh-why are you here…?”
Heidi’s voice trembled as she stared at the person she never expected to meet here.
Her face turned pale. She felt like her lowest, ugliest side had been caught.
Lafer glanced at the paper knife she dropped, then met her trembling eyes.
Her gaze showed she knew exactly what she had been about to do. That truth only made Lafer angrier.
“I asked you first, Heidi Eliana.”
“…”
“What were you trying to do just now?”
Heidi frowned as Lafer’s grip nearly crushed her wrist. Pain shot through her hand.
“Ah, it hurts. Please let go.”
“Then answer me first.”
“I-it doesn’t matter!”
“What?”
“I said it doesn’t matter what I was trying to do! That woman is already dead anyway—why are you acting like this to me?!”
Heidi shook off his grip, but her wrist was already red and swelling with handprints.
Rubbing it, she glared at him.
“Then maybe you should explain, Lafer.”
“…”
“Why you’re doing this to me, why you said you wouldn’t follow me to the Grand Duke’s castle, yet you show up like this.”
“…Because I thought maybe.”
“…?”
“Sometimes crazy people do things even I can’t predict.”
The sharp tone made Heidi freeze.
‘Crazy people? …Is he talking about me?’
She couldn’t understand his reaction.
‘Why is he angry with me? What did I do wrong?’
Rebellia Piace was dead anyway from his poison. Stabbing a corpse with a paper knife shouldn’t have been such a big deal.
‘She’s dead already! Shouldn’t he be kind to me instead? I’m his client!’
“Then explain what you meant.”
“What explanation?”
“You called me a crazy person, said I was doing nonsense.”
“….”
“I don’t understand why you’d treat me like this.”
“Ha. You don’t know why?”
His pressing tone filled her with sorrow and resentment.
She bit her trembling lip, lifted her chin, and shouted:
“Wake up, Lafer Wizard! Your client is me. The one who paid you properly is me. The one you should help is me!”
“You’re the one I should help?”
“Yes! I’m the real Heidi Eliana, and I’m the one who made the request!”
“….”
“So act properly. Right now, it looks like you’re taking that woman’s side instead of mine.”
Lafer let out a bitter laugh.
He had seen many kinds of people in his life, but facing the lowest of the low never got easier. No—it made him sick.
Heidi kept talking:
“And don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m someone disgusting you don’t even want to deal with.”
“Ha.”
“Don’t give me that look. You said we were in this together, didn’t you?”
“….”
“I didn’t do anything wrong. If anything, I was helping you. If your poison failed and she came back to life, that would trouble you. I only tried to finish it for you!”
At her words, Lafer lowered his hand from his face. His gray eyes turned icy cold.
Heidi flinched and stepped back, but he closed the distance again.
“Even now, you’re blaming others, Heidi.”
“What… what did you say?”
“Be grateful. You showed me your true bottom before I could ever feel guilty about you.”
“W-wait, don’t come closer… ah!”
Driven back into a corner, Heidi stumbled against the wall. Lafer’s arm pressed against it, trapping her.
His lips curled in a strange smile.
“I don’t even know where to start with your words. But you’re right—if you’ve paid me, then you should receive help.”
“….”
“But you haven’t paid me anything yet.”
“T-that’s—!”
“I’ll look forward to seeing what price you pay me.”
“W-wait, Lafer…!”
As Heidi reached out, he smashed the teleport stone at her feet.
A blinding light filled the room. Heidi instinctively covered her eyes.
Over the light came his cold voice:
“Don’t let the Grand Duke of Esperos learn about tonight. That’s my last piece of advice to you.”
The world spun like a whirlpool. When the light vanished, Heidi collapsed to the floor, gasping.
She looked around—she was back in her bedroom in the Eliana Count’s mansion.
‘A… a dream?’
But her wrist throbbed. The red handprints burned reality into her.
This was worse than a nightmare.
Today, she had killed someone.
That day was peaceful. The breeze cool, the sunlight warm. The perfect day for a picnic.
But Calliere sat in his office, drowning in paperwork. Thanks to his recovery, he had finally returned to duty. Zember quietly read reports, still thankful his master had survived.
“…So the Remstone-based vaccine research has begun with the local physicians. But since we lack enough doctors, progress is difficult—”
“Your Grace!”
Bang! The door burst open. Zember spun around in shock.
May stood there, clutching the frame, panting heavily.
Calliere frowned at her frantic appearance.
“May! What is the meaning of this?!”
“I-I’m sorry! But it was too urgent, I couldn’t help it!”
Her flushed face and ragged breath made Calliere uneasy.
“No matter how urgent—”
“What happened?”
He cut Zember off.
May ran forward, hesitated, then stammered:
“I-I checked the library, the courtyard, and even her bedroom again but… sh-she’s gone!”
“May.”
Calliere’s face hardened with unease.
At Zember’s harsh scolding tone, May flinched, then cried out:
“M-Miss Heidi has disappeared!”
Bang! Calliere’s chair fell backward as he shot to his feet.
