Chapter 51

“Where am I now?”

While staring at the white ceiling, the woman with an appearance that looked holy quietly opened her eyes.

She placed a hand on her throbbing forehead and went over the last memories that came to mind.

From the recollection of successfully imprisoning the girl who never gave her a second glance, to the memory of being abruptly defeated by some beast before she could force anything on that girl—she didn’t know if it was a bodyguard sent by someone or if that person had come themselves.

“Yes, that was something close to a beast.”

The individual she summoned was swiftly struck down as soon as they opened their mouth, revealing boldness that could only be possible if this had been anticipated from the start.

The next demonstration of the ‘chains’ power that obstructed her own ability made it clear that whoever this was, they had come prepared.

If they had known she would come, they could have easily escaped to a place where such beasts wouldn’t find them, instead of forcibly summoning protectors.

She had subtly made her believe that she might have the slightest edge but then instantly seized victory.

In a land where the law restricts killings through supernatural abilities and many are unaccustomed to battles relying on such powers, this figure had effortlessly claimed victory, evoking an image of a beast that had continually fought and won in order to survive.

“In the end, even though it was a beast, I was utterly defeated, so this place must be a prison rather than heaven or hell, likely saturated with a substance that suppresses supernatural abilities.”

When the woman, having risen from the bed, tried to use her ability as usual, she felt no sensation that it would succeed.

The room, likely specially designed to disable the use of abilities, was entirely white—right down to the curtains covering the window and the pen on the desk, reminiscent of a psychiatric ward.

Considering she had defied Kim Ha-neul’s ‘warning’ and ultimately lost after stepping outside the school, she supposed they had shown her mercy just by not quietly burying her somewhere on the back hill.

Thus, the woman made efforts to reconcile herself with the reality of her defeat and the likelihood that she would live the rest of her life alone in this room.

The computer in the room was surely restricted from most internet access, and faint bars on the curtain suggested her captivity was real.

As she thought this, the woman quietly hugged the soft yet cold item on the bed, believing the captor had arranged it either to create a prison-like atmosphere or perhaps out of final kindness.

It was most likely a doll. Despite this room appearing like a typical home, the cold and soft material of the doll was probably there to reinforce its prison-like essence, but Kang Yu-ri couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.

No matter how much she disliked the girl who hadn’t regarded her as a human and wished to crush her, she had almost anticipated how wildly the girl would cry.

This doll, cold yet with a soft texture struggling to wiggle out of her arm, somehow reminded her of Erica.

Though its coldness made her want to throw it away, she clung to it just because she liked the softness.

“…Huh?”

Wiggle? Unless it were a supernatural-powered doll, it should be impossible, and there was no need for a mere prison to house such a contraption.

Once the woman loosened her grip, it wasn’t long before the blanket violently moved and a girl with white hair emerged, gasping.

The girl had not been able to breathe properly while trapped inside the blanket, and despite nearly being suffocated by Kang Yu-ri, she was trying her best to catch her breath rather than expressing any immediate anger.

That girl—better called Erica—was the one who had interested Kang Yu-ri enough to seek out despite breaking her promise with Kim Ha-neul.

“What are you? Did you hide in the blanket because you wanted to cling to me? Or did you suddenly have the urge to surrender to me and come looking for me?”

Kang Yu-ri’s expression, which had been gloomy since realizing she might spend the rest of her life here, began to regain some vitality.

The presence of Erica didn’t change the reality that Kang Yu-ri was trapped, but the mere fact that Erica had emerged from her bedside filled her with joy.

“Hmm~. What should I do with you? I don’t want to give in to your desires, but if you undress and beg me, I might consider it.”

“Undress my foot. This room belongs to me, so it’s only natural for me to sleep here. I didn’t intend to house you elsewhere, so I just let you sleep close to me. I thought it wouldn’t be kind to leave you on the floor. I didn’t expect you’d repay kindness with hostility.”

Despite Erica’s icy gaze, the woman who had seemed so holy looked cheerfully amused.

Indeed, the coldness in her eyes wasn’t there, nor was there any emotion of disdain, which would make her feel abject.

Of course, Erica wasn’t dismissing her, so Kang Yu-ri didn’t react as impulsively as she had before.

“What? Do you like me enough not to want to separate our sleeping spaces? You should have said so if you wanted to surrender so much.”

Though it was a provocation, it gave Kang Yu-ri amusement despite her current defeat-driven state.

Upon hearing this, Erica moved her lips as if about to say something in irritation but ultimately closed her mouth.

This was regrettable for Kang Yu-ri, who wanted to enjoy this situation and temporarily forget about her abduction.

—As she closed her mouth, it was time to progress to the main discussion.

“So, are word games enough, or am I supposed to stay in here forever? It wouldn’t matter much to me if you were acting as my guard.”

“What guard? I don’t want to keep you in my room forever. Just leave by tomorrow morning. In exchange, promise not to harm me or anyone close to me. I don’t want the responsibility for looking after you forever.”

“So, if I don’t make that promise, I can live here forever and enjoy myself? That’s quite a favorable condition—”

Though her words suggested otherwise, Kang Yu-ri naturally foresaw her chances as soon as she sensed Erica ignoring her presence again.

Erica, with a frail, weak body that couldn’t compete even with ordinary people, relied on supernatural abilities far surpassing normal standards. However, this room appeared specially made to suppress all supernatural powers.

Though there might be someone waiting outside the door who could disrupt her plans, if she overpowered Erica without giving her a chance to cry out, there might still be hope.

Certainly, noise would likely be inevitable during “the act,” leading to interruption by a guard, but this time the suppression could end more thoroughly.

Erica’s shadowy emotions began to stir within Kang Yu-ri. Making a promise not to harm Erica sounded less appealing than surprising her with an unexpected move.

“…But I happened to hear that unless you misuse your supernatural abilities again, you won’t have anywhere else to go. If you’re about to live outside anyway, why don’t you live with me?”

This well-timed statement as if to deter Kang Yu-ri’s urge. The woman who had been naturally tensing her body preparing for an attack slightly relaxed.

Not only would living together offer more opportunities for an assault, but also one would not propose cohabitation to someone they regarded as irrelevant.

Although Kang Yu-ri’s mind was wavering, everything needs certainty.

“Where’d you hear that? That I don’t have a home? Very few people know my true form, so it’s not ordinary information that I lack a place.”

The multifaceted Kang Yu-ri, whose very identity as “Kang Yu-ri” could be fake, could transform her appearance at will. Her current seemingly holy exterior was close to a disguise meant to amplify her abilities.

Few could discern the truth from falsehoods, so knowing where she lived was almost impossible—unless you were an exception.

The Student Council President. Ultimately, that was what her question boiled down to: Did the Student Council President she disliked intervene on Erica’s behalf to gather information about her?

“Frankly, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Does that have anything to do with your abilities?”

As Erica tried to step back, Kang Yu-ri pressed forward, relentless. Even if Erica were aware, it wouldn’t change their relationship.

To Erica, Kang Yu-ri remained the person who had tried to perpetrate school violence—despite her earlier violence being forgotten after “losing her memory” and the subsequent incidents failing to leave proper wounds before Kang Yu-ri was detained.

But Kang Yu-ri was genuinely curious why Erica—someone who seemed to dislike the Student Council President—would go so far as to inquire about her through them. She believed knowing this would at least help her determine what she ultimately wanted to do with Erica.

“I already said I don’t want to talk about it.”

She chose not to answer.

In front of Erica’s steadfast refusal, Kang Yu-ri saw not the disguised blonde woman but the memory of a woman who had come to her with advice about Erica, recommending making her an ally.

A woman resembling the night sky that disappears with the rising sun, carrying many secrets but refusing to share any before leaving.