084. Forest of Mist (2)
The torn paper fell to the floor of the carriage.
Owen and Kyle’s cold gazes turned towards Bella.
Bella received their gazes with a bright smile.
“I told you. I’ll devour ‘Bella.’ Then I can stay here forever.”
“Saint. That method is murder. Without the other person’s consent…”
“Oh. Even though you know I’m not ‘Bella,’ you still call me a saint?”
As Kyle urgently objected, Bella interrupted.
“Right now…”
“It’s not right now, but trying to make it that way for a lifetime. Is that impossible?”
Bella tilted her head and asked, to which Kyle coldly asserted.
“Of course. It’s a clear statement. Forcing something the other person doesn’t want is violence.”
“If the other person wanted it, even if the outcome is the same, it’s not violence? How amusing.”
Bella smirked and glanced at Owen again.
“That human and I are no different. Just equally selfish beings.”
“Humans are inherently selfish creatures.”
Owen fell silent, and Kyle responded.
“True, but selfishness and wickedness are different. You should know that.”
The blue irises turned chilly.
Bella smiled back, meeting those cold eyes.
Her spring-like cheerful smile looked picturesque, but it lacked warmth.
“Does what I’m about to do mean wickedness?”
“Anyone would say so.”
“But how could anyone know?”
Her silver eyes curved delicately.
The expression she adorned with gentleness seemed quite natural.
“Except for Topjoo and that human, no one would know. But how could I know that I’ve done wrong?”
Bella could assert.
Kyle too, Owen as well.
Even if she were to swallow ‘Bella’ and take control of the body, they couldn’t speak of this fact.
“They won’t speak. It’s highly improbable that anyone would believe, but even if they did…”
Bella glanced at Owen briefly, covering her mouth with her hand.
“If that were to happen, I wouldn’t just let that human be. I can’t die alone.”
If the two were to accuse Bella, she wouldn’t simply leave Owen be.
If she were to fall into the abyss, she would drag him down with her.
But Owen and Kyle.
No one would want to see Owen fall into the abyss, so they couldn’t speak of it.
“If you were to cast me into the abyss, naturally, I would drag you down with me. So, we’d end up in hell together.”
As Bella spoke, Kyle bit his lip, hesitated, then spoke again.
“I never said I would cast you into hell. I have no intention to kill you or harm you.”
“Even if there was no intention, thanks to Topjoo and his choice, I would end up in a place akin to hell.”
“Didn’t they say they would let you return to your original world?”
As Kyle spoke with irritation, Bella let out a sardonic laugh.
“Even if they said I could return to Earth, to Korea, and return to my original body unharmed, that’s not what I desire. Forcing unwanted things upon someone is a dreadful act.”
“Stop trying to persuade her, Kyle.”
Owen, who had been listening quietly to the argument between Bella and Kyle, finally spoke up in a calm voice.
“They’ve already rejected our proposal. There won’t be a change of heart.”
“But…”
“It’s unavoidable.”
As Owen shook his head, Kyle sighed and turned away.
Bella, who had been listening to Owen and Kyle’s conversation, asked with a puzzled expression.
“You’re not very interested in your own affairs, are you? Instead, you seem to be more concerned about angering Topjoo.”
“What reaction should one show to an opponent who cannot be persuaded?”
Owen remained emotionally detached, responding coldly.
“There should be at least some effort.”
Not pleased with this, Bella smirked, to which Owen responded as if unimpressed.
“Speaking of things that don’t please you, huh?”
Though Bella was taken aback, Owen simply ignored her.
She rubbed her temples in frustration and then turned her gaze to Kyle.
“I’ll ask Topjoo then. Why are you so focused on Owen’s affairs?”
“Are you going to ask for the reasons too?”
Kyle showed an attitude of not understanding why Bella was asking for reasons.
In response, Bella added a brief explanation.
“I don’t understand. It’s unrelated to Topjoo, isn’t it?”
“It’s a friend’s matter. It’s not entirely unrelated.”
“Just because they’re friends, you’re going this far to help?”
“Otherwise, the Saint will try to get rid of Owen.”
Seeing Kyle’s eyes expressing complete lack of understanding, he replied flatly.
This made Bella’s expression crumple.
“Please be precise with your words. It’s not getting rid of Owen, but getting rid of that human.”
“The two are essentially the same person now.”
“No, their souls are still separated.”
Her voice rose in anger, and she touched her forehead, glaring at Owen again.
“Whatever you’ve done, your energy has significantly dimmed.”
“I don’t know what story you want to hear.”
Facing her glare, Owen didn’t even meet her eyes as he replied.
In response, Bella ran her fingers through her hair roughly as she explained.
“It’s about Owen’s soul. Why has it become so hazy and faint?”
“How do you know that?”
“How would I know? Bella told me!”
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“As expected.”
In response to Bella’s words, Owen muttered softly.
“It’s thanks to you, Bella, that I realized he wasn’t the one.”
“That’s a given,” Bella replied as if to say, ‘You’ve finally figured it out.’
“Well, after sharing some stories with Lord Caled, suddenly you decided to inform me. Saying that what I’m trying to do is all in vain.”
As the story of Lord Caled came from her lips, Owen’s expression hardened.
“Moreover, the sedative mixed in the tea was Lord Caled’s. What exactly is he plotting with that man?”
To Owen’s question, Bella only smirked.
“Why, did you find everything in the ancient grimoires except for that side?”
“Do you think so?”
Owen echoed Bella’s question.
At that, she sighed as if bored.
“You asked while knowing?”
“I was just confirming.”
“Jeez. Well, what could Lord Caled and I possibly do together?”
Lord Caled sought Lucia, and Bella desired Owen.
There was only one reason for these two to join forces.
“To strategically cooperate to achieve what each desires.”
“Do you know what kind of person Lord Caled is?”
When the expected answer came out, Owen narrowed his eyes.
Bella was trying to swallow ‘Bella’, and that was becoming a significant issue, but Lord Caled was fundamentally different.
Lord Caled was truly a man who didn’t hesitate to commit murder and illegal activities.
“Roughly. You can tell by the atmosphere. He’s a bad guy.”
“It’s not just about saying he’s bad.”
“So, what?”
In response to Bella’s casual reply, Owen warned her.
However, Bella only tilted her head slightly and didn’t listen carefully.
“Whether he does trashy things or not, what does it matter to me?”
To Bella, how terrible and despicable Lord Caled was didn’t matter.
“I don’t care what that bastard does. It’s not my loss. Isn’t that right?”
Lord Caled and Bella had joined hands for their mutual benefit.
In such a relationship, there was no harm to be done to each other as long as one didn’t betray unilaterally.
“What Lord Caled wants is Lucia.”
“…You.”
“Stop glaring at me, will you?”
As Owen’s eyes sank coldly, revealing his determination, Bella shrugged her shoulders.
“It doesn’t matter to me how you feel here. You’re not the Owen I want. Even if you were, I wouldn’t care.”
“…”
“How dare you care about Lucia? With that face of yours.”
Bella’s hand grabbed Owen’s collar.
Owen easily brushed off Lucia’s hand.
But Bella reached out again to grab his collar.
Owen firmly held her wrist, his expression firm.
“Stop it.”
“It’s not polite, Saint.”
Even Kyle chimed in from the side.
Bella let out a wry laugh.
“The two of you really piss me off together.”
Uttering curses under her breath, she sighed and sat up straight in her seat.
Then, she looked at Owen and Kyle simultaneously and spoke.
“I don’t care if Lucia dies or gets hurt. What does it matter to me? Lucia has nothing to do with me.”
Owen silently stared at Bella, while Kyle narrowed his eyes, trying to understand the meaning behind her words.
“As far as I’m concerned, it would be fine if Lord Caled took Lucia away. That would be a benefit if it leads to having you, Owen.”
“Do you think Lucia will just quietly accept that?”
“Of course not. So, that’s why we joined hands, right?”
In response to Owen’s question, Bella smiled and replied.
Then she rested her chin on her hand.
“And, there’s something you should know.”
In her silver eyes, vivid red emotions swirled.
They were familiar to Owen.
Possessiveness and obsession.
Desires tinged with red that he often saw in Lucia.
“If you completely absorb Owen’s soul….”
Though the emotions were familiar, the reactions they evoked were different.
Owen felt discomfort and repulsion rising from within.
It was dreadful and unpleasant.
Just the fact that the other person had changed made those emotions undesirable.
“I should at least have the shell then.”
“…I wonder what confidence that is.”
“Do you think you can’t do it?”
Bella widened her eyes and covered her mouth.
Her surprised and feigned expression seemed artificial.
“I am a saint. The representative of God, a saint. Can’t I convey God’s will?”
“Why do you think that’s absurd….”
“Why do you think it’s not? If I say it, wouldn’t you believe it?”
Bella smiled brightly and cheerfully.
She would have thought a blessing was bestowed just by speaking the words.
“I want Owen, but I can be quite satisfied with just that shell. So, I hope you give up quickly. That way, you won’t be bound to me.”
“….”
“Moreover, you found a way by working with the Archbishop, right? Since you realized you can’t convince me to turn back, how about you turn back instead?”