Chapter 77

There was a short knock, and Enoch opened the door.

“If you’re awake, wash your face first.”

“Enoch.”

I sprang up and rushed over to him. Mari cried out from behind me,

“Florence, no!”

“You’ve still got sleep in your eyes,”

Enoch muttered.

“Did Laila really say I’m fine? That my body’s okay?”

“Also… fix your shirt.”

“Am I really fine?”

Enoch, looking a bit exhausted by my barrage, grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back slightly. Then he fixed the open collar of my shirt, which had been left loose during my fever so I could breathe more easily.

When Jang Hyunji had last taken over my body, she had summoned the Great Spirits, but they hadn’t obeyed her commands. She couldn’t even use magic. It was proof that her soul no longer fit this body. Laila had explained that a body instinctively chooses a more compatible soul, so as long as I didn’t completely break down, she wouldn’t be able to take over again.

Enoch said,

“She told you, if your body gets taken over again, try to snatch it back the way she taught you.”

“She taught me that…?”

I never learned anything like that. What Laila had taught me were things like: how to attack from the ground when knocked down, how not to close my eyes in a cloud of dust, how to stand up quickly even after falling. I even learned how to suppress vomiting.

Enoch continued,

“And even if it happens again, this time we’ll be ready. Mari will be protected, and you won’t be left to face it alone. If necessary, we’ll tie you up completely and knock you out, so stop worrying.”

“Really? You’ll actually hit me without holding back?”

Enoch looked down at me, his lips curling into a crooked smirk.

“Yeah, I’ll hit you without holding back.”

“Thank you.”

Only then could I breathe easier. As I stepped back, Mari, who had been waiting, wrapped me in a large towel and yelled at Enoch.

“Stop having weird conversations and get dressed properly!”

“I am dressed.”

“You’re not wearing pants!”

“It’s fine. The shirt’s long enough to cover me.”

“Stop saying nonsense and leave, Enoch!”

I looked down at Mari hugging me tightly and then glanced up, meeting Enoch’s gaze. Wanting to reassure her, I smiled.

“You don’t have to be so nervous, Mari. Enoch’s perfectly calm, see?”

“I’m not, though.”

“Huh?”

“If you’re half-dressed, I get… excited. I’m not that saintly.”

“…”

“Wash up, get dressed, and come out. Keith will be back soon with food.”

Mari’s face twisted into a furious scowl as she pointed at Enoch like she’d caught him red-handed. I couldn’t help but laugh. She must’ve thought I’d be scared of her angry face. That was the cutest part. Smiling like an idiot, I hugged her tighter. Her small head, barely reaching my chest, fit perfectly in my arms. She smelled so good.

“Mari, how have you been? Tell me what you couldn’t say in your letters.”

“I will, but first you’re eating.”

“Why are you so obsessed with feeding me…”

“Because you’re still way too thin! How did Keith and Enoch even manage your meals? Why do you look even more gaunt than before?”

“It’s because I was sick. I was actually really healthy before that.”

Mari’s complaint was unfair—Enoch would be indignant if he heard. Even while Laila was throwing me through dust and dirt, Enoch had cared for my rest, recovery, and meals. He’d always prepared high-quality food to match my taste and wouldn’t leave until I’d eaten everything, insisting I needed it to build muscle. There were plenty of times I wanted to dump the hot soup over his head because I had no appetite.

“I know. I could feel you’ve gained some muscle. Thanks to Enoch, I never went hungry either. And whenever Keith came by, he brought me sweet treats and strange fruits.”

“I see. You ate it all by yourself, right? You didn’t share with anyone else, did you?”

“I ate it all myself, so I’ve gained weight. Well… I did share a little with the people who’ve been protecting me.”

Mari busied herself preparing the clothes I’d wear. Dark blue pants, leather boots, and a clean white shirt. Before slipping the ring back on, she looked into my face for a moment.

“I guess it’s a no, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t even listen to what I was going to say.”

“You were going to ask if you could come with me, weren’t you?”

I wasn’t at the level where I could read her eyes and know everything, but this much was easy to guess. Mari pouted, and I was glad she’d started showing little bits of childishness. She still tried to take care of me more than the other way around, but even that made me happy. Her affection was the sweetest thing.

“It’s too dangerous. I want you somewhere safe.”

“Just me?”

“So I can have peace of mind. Please, Mari.”

Mari looked like she had a lot to say. I knew. Maybe she was stronger, tougher, and more helpful than I was. Even now, when I’d grown capable, I didn’t feel like I’d surpassed this small girl. But faced with my unyielding stance, Mari eventually gave in.

“I’ll show you where I’m staying.”

“Okay.”

“But first, get dressed.”

“Got it.”

I summoned Siqueel to wash away the sweat from my fever and asked Bee to dry me. When Mari saw how quickly I was clean, she clapped a little too hard. I mimicked the turn of a graceful dancer like my old tutor had taught me, bowing with my shirt hem in hand. Mari burst into laughter, and I felt happy so easily.

Mari was staying at the home of the prosthetic maker. Enoch, respecting her independence, had arranged for her to have her own house but also placed a trustworthy adult as her guardian. Mari shared meals with them and spent the rest of her time learning reading and arithmetic.

“There’s so much to learn, it makes my head hurt.”

“But you were praised as an excellent student, weren’t you?”

“That’s only because their expectations were so low.”

If she’d been given the chance earlier, Mari might have become an outstanding scholar. She handed me dozens of letters she’d been saving because Keith hadn’t visited in so long. I tried to open them on the spot but was scolded. Mari blushed furiously and begged me to read them later, when she wasn’t around.

“These are my treasures.”

“You’re exaggerating, Florence…”

“Enoch, can you keep them safe for me? I’d be devastated if I lost or damaged them.”

Enoch, meticulous as ever, was the perfect choice for this. He chuckled.

“I’ll charge a hefty storage fee.”

“That’s fine. I’m already in too much debt to count.”

Keith clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“You’ll regret it when the debt catches up to you. Don’t come crying to me later.”

“I won’t cry.”

“Yeah, you’re not the type… probably.”

Keith glanced at Enoch, but I just snorted.

“I wouldn’t want to cry and get kissed by you again.”

“Hey! Don’t say things like that—ow, Mari!”

“So you really did harass Florence, Keith?”

“Harass? No! It was pure-hearted—ow! Stop poking me with a fork, Mari!”

“There’s no such thing as a pure-hearted assault!”

“I was just trying to comfort her, it just happened impulsively—ugh! I swear it was like kissing a puppy’s nose! Ahh, wait! That really hurts!”

“That’s exactly what all offenders say!”

The mood became strangely cheerful. Sitting cross-legged on the chair with a water glass in hand, I burst out laughing. Mari, Keith, and Enoch all looked at me with wide eyes. Embarrassed, I pretended to sip my drink, but Mari went back to berating Keith.

“Fine, I’ll admit it wasn’t assault. But kissing Florence impulsively without any real feelings isn’t much better!”

“Was I supposed to be serious…?”

“Keith, if you keep living like that, one day a woman will stab you to death.”

Mari looked at Keith like he was the dirtiest trash on Earth. Keith just grinned.

“At least I don’t go around making enemies.”

“…You’ll probably sweet-talk the victim and get away with it, too…”

Mari finally admitted it begrudgingly. Enoch clicked his tongue.

“I can’t believe I share blood with that idiot.”

“But you two look alike.”

“…Wanna fight, Florence?”

It had been a while since Enoch had seriously picked a fight with me. That alone made me laugh again. Watching Mari jab her fork at Keith, I laughed until my stomach hurt.