Killing the Possessor - Chapter 101

Clang!

With a tremendous crash, the large window shattered into pieces. The evil spirit that had been pressing down on me was swept up by the strong wind and tumbled downstairs, glass shards scattering around.

“Are you okay?”

It was Ailrose who knocked the spirit off me and helped me to my feet. I hadn’t even known she was a wizard—no, I thought she ran away. What was she doing here?

“Can you walk? Support is on the way. I just got word that Hawk is coming this way too.”

“Hawk?”

My eyes snapped open at the familiar name. Hawk was someone I knew—could it be that this woman also…

“I’m with Hongik Ingan too. Bali sent me here just in case.”

“…”

Even if not as skilled as Hawk, this woman clearly possessed considerable magical power. Bali had said she couldn’t send reinforcements, so was that just an empty promise?

It seemed no mere coincidence that she mentioned Hawk to me. Bali must have at least partially updated her on the situation.

But thinking about it, I couldn’t help but wonder something irrelevant but nagging—knowing a high-level evil spirit was here, why did she get involved with Wyner at this house? What kind of woman was she?

“Just so you know, I didn’t realize your identity at first. I only understood after seeing you fight the spirit.”

Did she think I looked cool when I threw the holy water earlier?

I gave her a sheepish smile as she winked. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder to steady me and warned.

“I can’t teleport long distances like Hawk, but I can get us to the first floor. I have to hold you tight so you don’t fall, okay?”

I nodded, and she added while smiling playfully.

“Let’s just say this pays back the debt from earlier.”

“…”

Let’s talk about that once we’re safely out.

I bit my tongue, wanting to say that. Ailrose had shed tears when she was accused of being possessed earlier. I never expected her to hide a personality like this.

Thankfully, Rudolf Midas didn’t interfere on the way down. I watched Ailrose’s retreating figure as she told me to lean against the wall for a moment before heading for the entrance, biting my lip while lost in thought.

If I leave, my residence permit might expire.

But waiting endlessly inside the mansion, unsure when help would arrive, wasn’t an option either.

Which would hurt less—permit expiration or being killed by an evil spirit? Was there truly no way to survive?

I agonized, unable to find an answer.

“Ahhh!”

Just as I opened the door, Ailrose screamed at the sight of Rudolf Midas standing outside.

The spirit sneered, flapping its wings to mercilessly send her flying against the opposite wall.

I crawled to her, shocked, when Rudolf laughed cruelly.

“Hahaha! The prey I picked out came right to me on its own!”

I didn’t want to know this truth, but it was clear now—the original target was Ailrose.

The puzzle pieces fit. He planned to pretend to hand her over to the police but actually devour her soul. In cases where the fate of possessed people was unclear, such a perfect crime would go unnoticed.

This perverted spirit really would do anything just to eat a soul.

“Are you alright?”

I asked, worried as Ailrose hit the wall hard. I tried to buy time by activating a protective artifact, but it seemed unlikely to hold much longer.

Noticing this, Ailrose bit her lip and stood, wincing in pain from apparent fractures but doing her best to reassure me.

“Help is coming soon. Until then, I’ll do what I can.”

“You don’t look too good yourself…”

“If the barrier breaks, run straight for the exit. Push through the pain, okay?”

Spending so much time in Hongik Ingan must make people selfless like this. I looked helplessly at the woman who sounded both grateful and frustrating.

Her temple was bleeding badly—probably from hitting a decoration when she flew into the wall. She looked like she could collapse at any moment. Yet what was she planning to do at a time like this?