Chapter 67

“Ahhh! AHHHHH!”

Lishi’s screams tore through the room.
But the sound wouldn’t escape these walls.
I sat silently on the floor, unmoving.
Inside this room, she was the only one making any noise.

It had been two hours of nothing but screaming.

I stayed by Keith’s side, not covering my ears.
He stared ahead, face emotionless.
Next to him stood Enoch.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine how Keith felt—
A father who gave up everything to send his son abroad…
and now the woman who killed that father was sitting before him.

“Please stop! Stop! Don’t—AHH!”

Ted didn’t say a word.
He just kept torturing her, without asking anything.

“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you—ahhh!”

Lishi gave up within five minutes.
She screamed that she’d confess everything—
but Ted simply hummed to himself, unconcerned.

She couldn’t see us.
From the sidelines, Keith and I watched Ted break her down.

He clipped her fingernails and toenails—bit by bit.
As the blades dug deeper, she thrashed in agony.
By the time all ten fingers and toes were stripped raw, she could only gnash her teeth and sob.

We didn’t block our ears.
Ted poked her with needles, sewed her skin, and inflicted pain just shy of making her pass out.

I realized the merciless violence I once endured had actually been merciful.

What made it worse was Ted’s silence.
He didn’t yell, didn’t threaten—he just enjoyed it.
He was like a butcher, savoring the animal’s last screams.

Lishi must have realized: nothing she screamed would stop this man.

She likely thought only death could end the pain—
But Ted never killed her.
Not even unconsciousness was allowed.

“Please… someone… save me… ugh…”

“Ted, if you’re done having fun, wrap it up.”

Laila yawned and checked the time.
Ted finally smiled, folding his eyes into slits.

“She’s such a good toy, I wanted to keep playing.”
“Boring. My ears hurt.”

At her signal, Keith finally stepped forward.
Lishi looked at him like he was her savior.
Whether he would kill her to end the pain, or spare her—
she was just grateful the torture had paused.

“Ready to talk?”
“Yes! I’ll say everything! Just please—kill me or save me—anything, just make it stop!”
“Who ordered you to kill my father?”
“L-Lady Seymour…”

Keith didn’t react.
He didn’t get angry.
Instead, he used healing magic.

Lishi’s face relaxed in relief—until she realized what the healing meant.

The pain would start again.

“No—wait! It was Lady Grace! I was wrong! I only did it because I didn’t want to die!”

Keith clicked his tongue.
He stepped away and gestured to Ted.

“Can I keep playing with her?”
“Don’t kill her.”

Keith turned and walked toward me.
I looked up at him, bracing myself for more screams.
He looked at me with an unreadable expression—
and then gently covered my eyes with his hand.

“Wait outside.”
“No.”
“Why do you need to watch this? Your hobbies are weird.”
“Don’t betray me, Keith.”

“You told me I wasn’t alone.”

So let me stay. Share your burden with me.

Keith glanced at Enoch, but he knew—
When I was stubborn, no one could change my mind.

Enoch shook his head.
Keith sighed and gave up.
We waited together.

Lishi sobbed like a beast.
The fear of it all happening again must’ve been unbearable.

“W-wha-what did I even do wrooooong?”

Her voice slurred—her tongue had been slightly cut.

“I only did what Lady Grace ordered! She said she couldn’t let that girl inherit the Seymour heirloom—”

Keith healed her again, letting her speak clearly.

Grace had known that I wasn’t the same as Jang Hyun-ji.
And that’s why she likely couldn’t give me the Seymour legacy.

To her, Jang Hyun-ji may have been a beloved little sister—
but she was never a true Seymour.

“Before she got married, she told me to take what should’ve been hers.
She gave me a worker and a teleport scroll.
Said she’d pay me well if I succeeded.”

“I searched the whole villa but couldn’t find the heirloom.
Turns out the doctor who managed the villa also held the heirloom.
If he had just told me where it was—then I wouldn’t have needed to—”

Lies.

I had to admit, Lishi was relentless.
Even now, she twisted the truth to favor herself.

Keith gave a dry laugh—
then snatched Ted’s knife and stabbed it into the back of her hand.

“KYAAAAAAH!”

“Didn’t plan to kill him, huh?”
“You f*ckers! What do you want from me?! Just kill me already!”

She snapped.

“He should’ve kept his nose out of it!
Just a country doctor, a worthless maggot!
Why did he have to act like some noble?
What was he to deny Lady Grace?!
She said she’d take responsibility—so I just followed orders!”

Lishi had loved Grace like a sister.
And she was just like her.

Both found joy in cruelty.

I was so furious I felt like I’d burst.
Enoch grabbed my arm to stop me.

His dark blue eyes burned.
He was holding back, too.

Keith went ahead.

“He dared scold me like I was beneath him,
telling me not to covet what belonged to nobles—
what did he know?!”

“So I killed him! It’s his fault!
He ruined everything!
He ran into the woods and ruined my shoes!
They were brand new—Grace gave them to me!
I stabbed him again and again to make sure he was dead!”

Was the crying man from the vision still alive?

Keith’s father didn’t need to die.
But Lishi killed him anyway.

Keith just stared at her heaving, shaking body.

“Lady Grace… she’s so full of ambition.
No one can go against her. Not even her own father. Not me…”

“Lady Grace—I’m sorry!
I’m so sorry! Don’t hit me! It hurts! It hurts…!”

Lishi was Grace’s hands and feet.
She acted exactly as Grace wanted.

“It hurts… it hurts, Lady Grace…
I’ll do it. I’ll kill them. I’ll kill for you.”

“Die! DIE! You bug! How dare you get in Lady Grace’s way?!
I’ll kill everyone who defies her!
Ow! Lady Grace, please forgive me—!”

Then the noise stopped.

Keith had covered her eyes with his hand.
He looked into them briefly, then pulled away.

I ran to him and grabbed his bloodstained hand.

He bit his lip and whispered:

“All for that reason…”
“My father… died over something so stupid.”

His voice cracked.
Overwhelmed, Keith started to break.

Enoch quietly embraced him, pulling his head to his chest.

I held Keith’s hand tightly, staying silent.
Laila stood nearby—just watching us.

She saw it all.