Chapter 118

The blood splashed on my face was Linus’s.

“Florence, words are for humans. For beasts, you have to teach with the body.”

I blinked.

Linus was above me, gasping harshly.

Looking down, I saw a black blade sticking through his thick chest.

It was Laila’s short sword.

“Still, doesn’t this at least count as love?”

“La… Laila….”

Even while choking on blood, Linus didn’t move aside.

I realized he thought he had sacrificed himself to protect me, and I laughed bitterly.

If it were Jang Hyunji, she might have cried.

“I’m sick of it. Every word out of your mouth is love, love… Maybe I have to acknowledge you before you’ll shut up. That’s enough, Florence.”

Because Laila called my name, Linus turned his gaze back to me.

In his eyes gleamed hope—the hope that since he had protected me with his body, I would now acknowledge him.

“You’re safe, right, Florence…”

He truly believed it….

“Looks like this man’s weakness is still you.”

Laila gagged, pretending to retch.

“Anyway, I only need to kill you, so it doesn’t matter.”

She drew another dagger and aimed at Linus’s back—straight at his heart.

She did it slowly, so Linus could avoid it if he wanted, and so I could see clearly.

If he didn’t move, he would die.

If he did, I would die.

Even if she killed me along with Linus, I would have accepted it.

If it meant killing him, it was worth it.

I had already decided to give everything to Laila.

There was nothing to lose.

Linus hesitated for a moment.

Maybe weighing if Laila really meant to stab me, and whether avoiding it would mean I died.

But he should have known—I was lying there limp, as if telling him to just let me die.

Laila knew too.

She was really aiming at me, not him.

He might have deflected her if there had been distance, but it was too close.

Linus knew best that Laila wasn’t an easy opponent.

Even so, Linus chose to let me be sacrificed rather than face Laila.

Laila grinned knowingly, and at the same time Linus rolled left to dodge—
and Keith, who had been waiting, swung his sword.

The blade struck exactly through my hair.

Then something heavy thudded to the floor.

“Ghh—ahhh!”

“That’s for Mari’s arm, you bastard!”

“Damn magician…!”

Keith dropped his sword and quickly grabbed Linus’s severed arm.

“Don’t!”

“Too bad it’s only the left arm.”

He grinned and seared the fresh cut with lightning, burning it so it could never be reattached.

Linus lunged at him furiously, but missing an arm was something even he wasn’t prepared for.

He stumbled, unable to keep balance.

This was the chance.

I rushed in, grabbed his waist, and he toppled.

Laila drove her dagger into his thigh.

And Enoch picked up the sword Keith had thrown, then pierced Linus’s chest.

Was he dead?

Panting, I backed away from Linus.

We were all tangled in a mess.

I was sprawled over his upper body when Enoch pulled my arm to lift me.

“Get up, Florence.”

“Enoch?”

I was too dazed to understand.

I had to check—was he dead?

I reached out, but my vision shook and blurred.

“Are you hurt? Look at me, Florence.”

“Wait, Enoch…”

Enoch panted, holding my face with his large hand, checking me.

I was scratched from rolling on glass and rubble, but honestly, he looked worse than me.

“Look at me, Florence. Here.”

“I need to check.”

“Leave that. You first.”

His blue eyes stared anxiously into mine.

After a few seconds, he relaxed in relief.

It seemed he only wanted to confirm it was me, not Jang Hyunji.

“It’s me, Enoch. Really me.”

“……”

“…Sorry.”

I couldn’t hold his gaze and looked away.

Enoch sighed.

I placed my hand over his, and his grip loosened.

Laila spoke.

“He passed out from shock.”

“He’s still not dead? After drinking all night, fighting barehanded, stabbed several times?”

Keith clicked his tongue.

“Do all swordmasters cling to life like this? Laila, answer me.”

“He’s extraordinary. Mostly his life force.”

“If every patient were like him, my work would be easy.”

“That’s terrifying. I wouldn’t want to live in a world full of monsters like him.”

“You wouldn’t want to live without him anyway.”

Laila laughed weakly.

I shook off Enoch and approached them.

Linus lay limp.

His left arm cut midway, a sword pierced his chest, his back, and his thigh.

Blood soaked the carpet.

He still breathed faintly, but not for long.

Laila pulled her dagger from his thigh and handed it to me.

“Want to kill him yourself?”

“No, we have to keep him alive.”

They all stared at me like I was insane.
Keith snapped.

“What the hell are you saying now?”

“If we let him die here, it’s too easy.”

Killing him quickly without regret—that was mercy.

“And if he dies here, Enoch will be branded a murderer. Too many witnesses.”

“Damn nuisance.”

Linus had to regret.

He had to realize what he had lost, and whether the blessings he wasted were really greater than the people he despised.

“If we keep him alive, who knows what he’ll do? Florence, I get that you hate him, but—”

“There’s the relic. The Archangel’s Blessing.”

Enoch cut in, interrupting Keith.

He seemed to instantly understand why I wanted Linus alive.

I looked at him, but he didn’t meet my eyes.

“But Florence, we can’t let him live whole. His arm is gone—cut his legs too. Make sure he never holds a sword again.”

“Cut the main tendons too. Muscles can grow back, but tendons and nerves, once severed, are hard to heal.”

Laila agreed.
Keith insisted safety was most important, but no one listened anymore.

Laila took back the dagger she had given me.

“Turn around and close your eyes.”

“I’m fine.”

“What’s there to see? We’ll handle it. Keith, just cover her eyes.”

Keith covered my eyes with his hand and whispered softly:

“This reminds me of the old days.”

“Keith…”

“What? Want me to cover your ears too?”

“Sorry.”

“For what?”

“Sorry.”

I couldn’t explain what exactly I was sorry for.

I just felt sorry—for everything.

For all of it.

The only word that came out was sorry.

Keith sighed quietly.

“All this revenge, and look at you now.”

This wasn’t what I had come here for.

“Why are you the one apologizing, idiot?”

“……”

“No one ever apologized to you. So why only you?”

Jang Hyunji would never return.

Linus could no longer harm me.

But I felt like I had accomplished nothing.

Revenge brought no relief at all.