Kana's wrist ached from how tightly Natasha dragged her.
The room they entered was the same one she'd seen earlier, lavishly furnished with a king-sized bed, silk sheets, and an enormous vanity lined with gold-rimmed mirrors.
The faint scent of rose perfume clung to the air, intoxicating and sharp. Luna and Natasha moved easily through the space, slipping onto the bed as if it were a throne and they were its rulers.
Kana was forced into a cushioned chair near the foot of the bed.
"Relax. You're tense."
Luna said with a smile, her legs curling under her as she watched Kana with soft, predatory eyes.
Kana tried to reply, but a sound echoed through the hallway beyond the room—something heavy, distant, and sharp. A thud. Then another.
Her spine straightened.
"Did you hear that?"
Natasha waved a hand dismissively.
"It's nothing, dear. Old houses make noise."
"No…That didn't sound like the house."
Kana's eyes flicked toward the door.
Luna's expression stiffened for a second. Just one brief moment. But Kana caught it.
"I think I'll go check—"
Kana began, standing up.
Natasha moved faster than Kana thought possible. She grabbed Kana's wrist and yanked her back into the chair, her grip too strong to be human.
"You don't need to think right now. Tonight is about feeling. Giving in. Forget everything else."
Natasha said, her voice deceptively calm.
Kana's breath caught. Luna rose from the bed and approached, her fingers glowing with that same pale blue light Kana had seen before.
The light pulsed, slow and steady, like a heartbeat.
"Don't worry. This is the part where it all becomes fun."
Luna whispered.
Kana's heart raced. Panic welled up, and for a second, her body froze—until—
[System Alert: "Divine Shield: Beloved Form" has activated.]
A burst of radiant light exploded from Kana's body. It threw Luna and Natasha back with a crash, smoke rising from the floor as they hit the wall. Their clothes sizzled at the edges. The places where the light had touched their skin were no longer human. Black scales, tendrils, and monstrous distortions twisted along their arms and necks.
Kana didn't wait.
She bolted for the door.
Behind her, a screech tore through the air. The kind that didn't sound like it belonged to anything living. It was fury. Rage.
And hunger.
She ran.
The hallway spun. Doors blurred past. Her legs felt like jelly, her body working on instinct alone.
The walls groaned around her, the lights flickered, and the entire mansion felt like it had woken up.
She turned the corner and ducked into the nearest room, slamming the door behind her and turning the lock.
Footsteps thundered past.
Kana collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. Her hands trembled. Her body still buzzed with the lingering effect of the system skill.
She waited.
The footsteps faded.
Her heart slowly steadied.
But then—something felt wrong. She looked up. The room was massive, its edges eaten by darkness. At its center, something writhed.
Kana squinted. No. No, not again.
A massive, formless creature lay curled on the floor, its body shifting like melted wax, limbs stretching out and recoiling as if it were dreaming.
Kana's breath hitched. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
She didn't dare move.
Kana stared at the creature, her body frozen in place. Whatever this thing was… it wasn't awake. Not yet. But she didn't dare test her luck by staying.
Her body moved slowly. One foot at a time. Her hand found the doorknob behind her and began to turn it—
Creeeak.
Kana froze.
The monster's body twitched.
She held her breath.
Its limbs shifted, and one long tendril brushed the floor, curling toward her.
Kana turned the knob fully and slipped out of the room, closing it behind her with care.
She stepped back into the hallway and nearly screamed—only to realize it was empty.
Luna and Natasha weren't here.
Yet.
She didn't waste time.
Her legs moved on instinct, retracing her steps down the corridor. Her mind scrambled to find a plan—anything. Escape was still impossible. She'd already tried the gates. The walls. Everything was sealed.
But now… now there was a crack in their armor.
Kana's system had responded. It had saved her.
And that meant it wasn't powerless here.
She swallowed hard, her thoughts moving fast.
If Lysera or Irielle could come for her…
If they could get past the barrier…
Then maybe—just maybe—she wasn't entirely alone.
Outside, beneath the glowing twilight sky, Lysera stood in front of the towering gates of the mansion. The atmosphere here was heavy, tainted. It pressed against her skin like fog soaked in blood.
"You're quiet. Regretting this already?"
Irielle said beside her, arms folded.
Lysera scowled.
"No. But this isn't exactly what I expected when I got home."
"We're here. That's what matters."
Irielle said plainly.
Lysera glanced at her.
"You're enjoying this a little too much."
"I'm not. But unlike you, I'm not pretending I don't care."
Irielle replied.
Lysera flinched.
"If you're implying—"
"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating it."
Their argument died in the air as they reached the massive iron gates. Lysera reached out, sliding her glove off her right hand.
"You're not actually going to—"
Irielle began.
But Lysera was already moving.
Her bare palm touched the iron.
The air split with a shattering sound. Like a mirror breaking.
The entire barrier around the mansion flickered with golden light, then cracked and dissolved, piece by piece.
The once-invisible magical shield collapsed entirely, scattering like ash into the wind.
Irielle raised a brow.
"Convenient."
Lysera didn't answer. Her hand lowered. Her expression remained grim.
"Let's go."
She said.
Lysera and Irielle stepped onto the mansion grounds, the scent of damp earth and rotting perfume filling their lungs.
The fog hadn't lifted, but it parted for them, as though the mansion itself had sensed the collapse of its protective barrier.
They didn't get far before someone stepped out from behind a tree.
A woman. Elderly, hunched slightly, a shawl draped around her shoulders, a long-stemmed pipe between her lips. Her eyes were sharp, unfazed by the heavy air, and the moment they landed on the two newcomers, she spoke.
"Took you long enough."
She muttered.
Lysera blinked.
"You're…Kana's employer."
"I'm Penelope. You're here for Kana, aren't you?"
The woman replied, puffing slowly.
Lysera stepped forward and pulled a small badge from inside her coat.
"Official police business."
Penelope squinted at the badge, then exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"Tch. Still late."
The irritation in her voice was clear.
Irielle narrowed her eyes.
"If you knew Kana was in trouble, why didn't you do something? Don't tell me you just stood by."
Penelope tilted her head lazily.
"She's not my daughter, elf. Besides, she has a lot of divine protection around her, so I'm not that worried about her."
"But she's your employee."
Irielle snapped.
Penelope's mouth curled into something between a grin and a sneer.
"Could've, yes. But why should I break these old bones if someone else is already on the way? I knew you two would come."
Irielle stared at her in disbelief.
"You knew—?"
"I have good instincts. And a nose for when things are about to shift."
Penelope replied, tapping her pipe against her boot.
"That's not an excuse."
Irielle muttered, fists clenched.
"I know."
Penelope said easily.
Before Irielle could say more, Lysera stepped between them. "Enough. We can yell at her later."
Irielle looked away, jaw tight.
Lysera faced Penelope again.
"Do you know where Kana is?"
Penelope took one long drag from her pipe. The smoke she exhaled didn't fade into the air—it swirled upward, then twisted into the shape of a small bird. A dove. Glowing faintly.
"Follow it. It'll take you to her."
She said.
The bird took off at once, fluttering through the fog with unnatural precision.
"One more thing. You might want to record what you find in there."
Penelope added.
Lysera glanced at her.
"Why?"
Penelope gave a sly smile.
"Let's just say… you'll need proof later. Trust me."
Then she leaned against the tree, seemingly done with the conversation.
Lysera and Irielle exchanged a glance. Neither of them looked pleased, but they didn't waste another second.
They ran after the bird.