"Hayan-ah?"
"O-oppa."
'I had a feeling things would turn out this way....'
The scene before me was even more horrific than I had imagined.
Jung Hayan was smiling serenely while Park Hyaeyoung was writhing on the floor with her legs and arms cut off.
I felt the contents of my stomach rise up subconsciously, but I forced my nausea down.
I could see Jung Hayan's eyes wavering.
When I had seen the wall made of mana, an even greater sense of apprehension than I had expected had overcome me.
'What... should I do?'
I wasn't sure how to react.
Before things spiralled even further out of control, wracking my brains to find a solution as quickly as I could, I couldn't think of anything other than Jung Hayan.
'Park Deokgu might not fare much better in this situation, but if only he were here instead.'
He couldn't feel mana.
It had been a mistake to tell him to check the left path and come here on my own.
"Mmf... Mm!"
I was trapped in this situation of seeing what remained of Park Hyaeyoung's form as she pleaded for help with her mouth blocked by some unidentifiable spell.
I had no clue how Jung Hayan had reacted to my appearance.
When I glanced at Jung Hayan, her expression looked as though her soul was escaping her.
She, too, was frozen by the sudden encounter.
In reality, I wasn't much different from her. I was also caught between two options.
'Is it fine if I run away?'
If not.
'Would it be better to feign ignorance?'
I had to consider this issue carefully.
My body, feeling the sense of danger, was screaming at me to keep walking, but my brain betrayed that expectation.
I began to weigh the pros and cons.
I was sure that Jung Hayan definitely felt goodwill towards me.
In addition, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that her feelings had become excessive over time.
The motive behind her attempt to kill Park Hyaeyoung was also likely related to me.
Rather, it had to be related.
Maybe, before[], there would have also been bad blood between her and Park Hyaeyoung, but based on her behaviour, there was currently only one answer to this whole thing.
If I hesitated in front of Jung Hayan here.
Perhaps her blade would turn on me.
I refused to scuffle with a crazy woman who slung around spells I didn't know like it was nothing.
I'd been going around in circles for so long it almost felt unnatural.
In the end, I had no choice but to open my mouth carefully.
It was the most reasonable choice.
"Hyae-Hyaeyoung-ssi how... did this happen?"
"Eh?"
