Chapter 77: The One Who Shouldn’t Be Here

Ailbana clenched the hilt of her sword tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. The flames in her palm burned so fiercely they nearly scorched her own skin.

“Gather all the remains that can still be identified. Take them back. Check one by one if they have any surviving relatives, then thoroughly investigate all recent missing persons in Falisa. Don’t overlook a single case.” Her voice was as cold as ice.

Before her words had even settled, Ailbana leapt down from the broken wall. The bones beneath her feet cracked with dull, sickening sounds.

Several maids had already been waiting below, carefully handling the scene as instructed earlier. Seeing her like this, they instinctively held their breath.

“Miss, there’s someone still alive here!” one of the maids suddenly cried out, her voice filled with urgency and surprise.

“What?” Ailbana’s heart jolted as she quickly followed the maid to a narrow crevice in the rock.

It was so cramped it could barely be called a cave. The entrance was completely hidden by dense weeds—without the maid’s careful observation, no one would have noticed someone hiding there.

Ailbana gently brushed the weeds aside, softening her tone as much as possible. “Are you alright?”

“Don’t! Don’t come closer!”

The girl inside the crevice saw Ailbana’s luxurious noble attire and reacted as if struck by terror. She screamed and scrambled deeper inside, trembling violently, her eyes filled with fear and despair.

“Be quiet!” Ailbana’s voice suddenly dropped, carrying a sharp edge of authority.

Perhaps it was that commanding tone—the girl instantly fell silent, leaving only suppressed sobs.

Ailbana slowed her voice again, speaking patiently. “Tell me how you ended up here. If you speak, I won’t kill you. I’ll protect you.”

She knew the girl must have endured something unimaginable—her trust in nobles was already shattered.

“…the manor.”

After a long silence, the girl finally forced out two trembling words, barely audible.

Just two words—but they struck Ailbana like a hammer to the chest.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the surging rage, clenched her fist, and slammed it hard against the stone wall. Cracks instantly spread across the rock.

The maids and Carol nearby all flinched, not daring to make a sound.

“Alright.” Ailbana’s voice trembled with restrained fury. “Take her back. Take good care of her. Slowly find out her name and identity. Protect her at all costs—she must not be harmed again.”

After saying that, Ailbana turned and headed back to the city alone. She ordered the guards not to close the gates for now, then returned straight to her residence.

Everything Pereti had said… was true.

That Joleidi… didn’t even deserve to be called human.

Ailbana stood outside Pereti’s door.

She raised her hand to knock—but just before her fingers touched the wood, she stopped.

A complicated ache welled up inside her chest—guilt, bitterness, something she couldn’t quite name.

In Pereti’s eyes, she was no different from those nobles who trampled lives… perhaps even worse. After all, she was part of this rotten noble system, enjoying its privileges while remaining ignorant of the suffering of common people.

She recalled the look in Pereti’s eyes earlier that day—the unmistakable disappointment.

Her chest tightened painfully.

From inside the room came the soft rustling of paper, along with Feiye’s youthful, curious voice, breaking the silence outside.

Just a single door separated them—

Inside: warmth and peace.
Outside: cruelty and darkness.

In the end, Ailbana slowly lowered her hand and silently returned to her own room.

Right now, she had no face to see Pereti.

“Big sister, she didn’t knock,” Feiye said inside the room, looking up at Pereti with a hint of confusion.

Pereti lowered her head, arranging the papers on the table, her tone calm and indifferent. “Then we don’t need to mind her.”

She no longer expected Ailbana to truly understand her. Nor did she expect the duke’s daughter to stand up for commoners.

When she heard footsteps outside earlier, she hadn’t even bothered to look up.

“By the way, who are you writing to?” Feiye leaned closer, blinking curiously. “So mysterious—you won’t even tell me?”

Pereti looked up, a trace of softness in her eyes. She gently ruffled Feiye’s hair and smiled.
“Well… it’s not like I can’t say. It’s to Josuna.”

Ailbana rarely slept well—but this time, she did.

She only remembered collapsing onto the bed the moment she returned, all strength leaving her body as she drifted into deep sleep.

When she woke up, the soft silk nightgown felt both unfamiliar and familiar. Running her fingers over the fabric, she knew Carol must have quietly changed her clothes while she slept.

“Carol!” she called hoarsely, rubbing her aching head as she hurried out of bed.

Despite sleeping, her body felt sore, as if crushed by something heavy. Her mind was sluggish, like it was wrapped in fog.

“Miss? You’re awake?” Carol rushed in, her voice filled with concern.

“How is that girl?” Ailbana asked immediately.

“She’s been asleep ever since we brought her back. She hasn’t woken up yet.”

“…And Pereti?”

As she spoke, Ailbana quickly changed into a black outfit suited for movement, her eyes unconsciously flicking toward the sword hanging by the door.

Carol hesitated before answering quietly, “Miss Pereti… left this morning. She took Miss Feiye with her.”

“Left? Where?” Ailbana froze mid-motion, a weight sinking into her chest.

Carol shook her head. “She didn’t say. But… she took all her belongings. Nothing was left behind.”

All of it… gone.

Ailbana stood there in silence.

She understood Pereti’s situation too well. As a commoner, staying composed after everything that happened was already difficult. Leaving… was only natural.

Maybe this was for the best.

Pereti was a witch. She didn’t belong in the human world, nor in this noisy city. Her place should be in that isolated tower—far from conflict, truly safe.

The farther she went, the better.

Better if she never came back.

“…Alright. I’m going to the church.” Ailbana took a deep breath, forcing her emotions down, her voice firm again.

The matter of the blood race hadn’t yet been reported to the Pope. It was too important to delay.

Back when humanity broke free from the blood race’s control, the Pope had played a crucial role. Now that the blood race might be preparing for war, he was the only one capable of handling it.

Whether Pereti had mentioned it or not—Ailbana had to confirm it herself.

“Miss!” Carol called out again as Ailbana moved to leave.

“What is it?”

“Your complexion looks terrible. Shouldn’t you rest a bit more?”

Ailbana touched her cold cheek lightly.
“Staying here won’t make it any better.”

With that, she turned and left without hesitation.

Seated in the carriage, the steady rolling of the wheels filled the air as she leaned against the window, replaying everything that had happened the day before.

Time seemed to pass in a blur.

When the carriage finally stopped before the church steps, it felt like only a minute had gone by.

As she stepped down—

A familiar laugh reached her ears.

Ailbana instinctively looked up—and froze.

Under the sunlight, long white hair shimmered with iridescent hues. Even beneath the solemn church robes, her graceful figure couldn’t be concealed.

Pereti stood there, holding Feiye’s hand.

She was smiling—light, relaxed.

And beside her, she was chatting casually with Count Joleidi, as if nothing had happened.

“…Pereti?”