Chapter 23: Why Aren’t You Dead!

The girl’s strength was so great that she even felt her own neck tighten, nearly causing her to pass out.

The magic on the necklace activated. Ilus was certain of it; she could clearly feel that something had changed.

Her heart drummed like a war beat. She stared fixedly at Eliana’s back, waiting for some kind of reaction — perhaps a scream, the girl collapsing to the ground, or the sudden dissipation of that crimson mist.

However… nothing happened.

Eliana continued to weigh and pack a bag of spices in an orderly fashion, seemingly unaware that her master behind her had become completely stunned.

From Ilus’s perspective, the blood-red and black Fog of Malice still clung to the maid, remaining thick. In fact… it seemed to be flowing slowly, growing even denser.

“Master?”

Sensing Ilus’s gaze, Eliana did not turn around, but her voice carried over clearly. It held a hint of confusion, as if she were asking Ilus if she had done something wrong.

Behind her, Ilus’s blood nearly froze.

‘Why? Why didn’t the necklace work? Did I use it wrong? Or… is this necklace’s power completely ineffective against Eliana? I can feel that the magic should have been triggered!’

Fear doused her like ice water, instantly overwhelming her brief murderous intent. She only now realized how reckless and desperate her actions had been.

If Eliana discovered her attempt… then surely…

“It’s — it’s nothing,” Ilus said, her voice trembling slightly.

Sensing that something was wrong with Ilus, Eliana turned around. She tilted her head and looked at the girl with a strange expression. Since Ilus was still holding the necklace, the maid’s gaze naturally fell upon it.

“Wow! Miss, is that a new necklace you bought? It looks so beautiful!”

Eliana offered her praise for the item around Ilus’s neck without reservation, but Ilus couldn’t hear a word of it.

“Miss, can I take a look?”

Eliana drew closer, step by step. Just as she was about to reach Ilus, the girl suddenly snapped out of her daze and hurriedly retreated.

“N-No… sorry, Eliana…”

Faced with Ilus’s rejection, Eliana blinked, then shrugged with a look of regret.

“Alright then, Miss…”

Ilus’s heart pounded wildly, feeling as if it might jump out of her chest. She retreated too quickly, her heel catching on the edge of the carpet, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.

That clumsy loss of balance caused her fingers to lose their grip on the necklace. The cold gemstone pendant fell back against the sweaty skin of her collarbone.

Eliana stopped approaching. She simply stood there, quietly watching her. Those eyes, which were always filled with a gentle smile, now seemed to have something darker flowing deep within them, reflected by the flickering firelight of the fireplace.

She didn’t ask about the necklace again, nor did she show any more curiosity regarding her master’s abnormal panic. She just stood there silently, gazing at Ilus with an unreadable focus.

The air in the room seemed to grow thick, and the chirping of birds outside suddenly stopped. Only the crackling of wood burning in the fireplace remained. This sound… was unnerving.

Ilus could see the red and black mist clearly. It had not dissipated; instead, it slowly and lazily swirled around Eliana, like a beast that had been disturbed but not yet fully awakened, stretching out invisible tentacles.

“Miss seems very nervous?” Eliana finally spoke again. Her voice was still steady — even softer than usual — but it sent a chill down Ilus’s spine. “Are you feeling unwell? Or… did you think of something frightening?”

She took a small step forward.

With just that one small step, Ilus felt the surrounding pressure surge. It was as if all the malice around her had rushed toward her at once, making it difficult to breathe again.

She shook her head vigorously, her throat too dry to produce a full sentence.

“No… I’m just… a bit tired.”

“Tired?” Eliana tilted her head slightly. This movement, which usually seemed innocent and cute, now carried the weight of a predator’s scrutiny. “I see. You just came out of the Confinement Room today, so it is normal to be tired. Why don’t you rest early? Should I prepare some calming herbal tea for you?”

“…Mm, thank you, Eliana.”

“It is my honor to serve you, Miss.”

When she stepped out of the spice storage room, Ilus was nearly stumbling. She returned to her room in a daze, locking the door before collapsing to the floor like her bones had been removed.

Cold sweat soaked her back, and her heart continued to drum frantically in her chest. With trembling hands, she raised the necklace once more. The gemstone reflected a cold luster in the firelight.

The magic had definitely activated. Even though she didn’t know how to use magic, she could feel the faint fluctuations of mana remaining on her fingertips. That was proof the necklace had been triggered. But why… why did it have no effect on Eliana?

Ilus couldn’t understand it, and the thought made her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. The only thing she had relied on to save herself was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Looking back, it had been a close call. Her reckless actions had not harmed Eliana at all; instead, she might have… alerted the enemy.

Perhaps Eliana had already planned how to eat her.

At this thought, Ilus curled up, burying her face in her knees as she trembled silently. Fear, like countless cold vines, wrapped around her heart and squeezed tighter and tighter.

‘No… I can’t just give up. There must — there must be another way!’

The girl suddenly looked up, a trace of desperate determination appearing on her pale face. She couldn’t just sit and wait for death. At the very least, she had to try.

Just then, a knock came from the door. Ilus knew it was Eliana. She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in her heart to regain a calm appearance.

“Miss, the herbal tea is ready. I’ll bring it to your bedside.”

Eliana’s voice sounded, followed by the door being pushed open gently. When her figure appeared, Ilus’s pupils suddenly constricted, because…

‘Where was the malice on her? How could such a dense Fog of Malice disappear without a trace in such a short time? How was this possible?!’

From her perspective, Eliana had returned to how she looked when they first met — without a single shred of malice.

“Miss?”

“It’s nothing, Eliana. I’m feeling a bit better now.”

“Then please rest well, Miss. I’ll tuck you in and then leave.”

Somewhat unusually, Eliana didn’t linger this time. But as the maid walked forward, her foot suddenly tripped on something, and she lunged straight toward Ilus…