The Butterfly That Swallowed the Fog
Tilia stared down at the writhing man on the floor with an indifferent expression. She had quickly switched the glasses earlier when he went to draw the curtain. Even if she had drunk the antidote from Judy beforehand, it was clearly dangerous enough that a man of his build would collapse like this.
Well, men are all the same.
One thing on their minds.
She poured the liquid from the glass she had been pretending to drink straight onto his lower body. Tilia then calmly searched her bag for the red pen she had prepared in advance and wrote the word he had probably secretly longed for in thick letters across his forehead.
Prostitute.
After tucking the pen away, Tilia let out a faint laugh.
This will make for a good memory.
According to her research two days ago, this secret club had an unusually high number of men with twisted desires. If she left them like this, the men who liked this kind of game would naturally gather here on their own.
Eyes for an eye. Blood for blood.
With her task complete, Tilia left the room with a calm expression, bag in hand. Naturally, the door had been left wide open for perverts to discover.
She quickly realized this was indeed a members-only club. While checking identification at the entrance had been somewhat strict, the interior was free, so she had let her guard down. The labyrinthine space made it impossible to find an exit.
Where the hell am I supposed to go?
She sighed at the door at the end of the long hallway. This was already her fifth such door.
I just want to go home quickly.
It was a place full of strange men. Walking while staying alert in case she ran into any perverts had already given her a terrible headache.
Maybe this one just leads somewhere. Or I could find a waiter somehow…
Just as Tilia opened the ornately carved door with a weary face, she sensed someone standing in a shadowy corner.
She startled and tried to step back, but it was already too late.
“Ugh!”
Her mouth was forcibly sealed shut, and her body was swiftly immobilized.
She struggled in fear, but the man remained completely still, as if he were wrestling with a rock. The overwhelming difference in strength sent instant terror racing up her spine.
“Stay still.”
An familiar voice reached Tilia’s ear, tinged with fear. “If you promise not to scream, I’ll let you go.”
Her senses only slowly registered the man standing behind her. A scent she knew. The hard body she had touched before. And the unnervingly hot temperature…
She slowly turned her head. The man she knew best stood before her. Elex Davenport.
Why is he here…
Tilia looked at him with surprise, narrowing her eyes. His face looked tense, as if he had just arrived or something urgent had happened.
She regarded the suspicious man with doubt and shook her head as if asking him to release her.
“We need to be quiet. Can you promise?”
Meeting his eyes, Tilia slowly nodded.
The hot hand that had hesitated for a moment slowly withdrew from her mouth. The arm that had been holding her body finally loosened its grip.
“Who are you?”
The moment she was freed, Tilia retreated like a beast that had escaped a trap, glaring at him with wary eyes.
“How did you know I was here?”
“Just leave.”
Elex grabbed Tilia’s wrist and headed toward the opposite door.
But Tilia had no intention of following him. She roughly shook off his arm and spoke in a sharp voice.
“Why should I follow you?”
Unlike the sharp-tongued Tilia, Elex looked anxious.
“I’ll explain on the way. We have to hurry.”
“I don’t want to. Explain now.”
“There’s a dangerous intruder. I’ll explain more while we go…
“Fine. A dangerous person is right in front of me now.”
Looking at the door, Elex turned his head at Tilia’s cold tone.
Tilia met his equally icy eyes head-on without flinching.
Why should I trust you? You’re no different from those men here who just wanted my body and made unreasonable demands.
Hah.
Only then did Elex realize his own image inside Tilia. He let out a self-deprecating laugh and glanced sideways before turning back to her.
“Gregory Myers has escaped.”
“…Gregory?”
“Yes. When the knights went, the window was already torn. The problem is that bastard took the gem with him. And this underworld is a place where anything is possible if you have money.”
“Wait a second.”
Tilia frowned, unable to follow the story, and stared at Elex.
“What does Gregory escaping have to do with me?”
At her valid question, Elex looked at her with a complicated expression.
“That bastard definitely thinks you betrayed him.”
“What? Why would I?”
“It’s explained now. No more time to drag this out.”
“Explained my ass!”
Still, while saying that, Tilia allowed herself to be led by his hand, unlike before.
Why would he think I betrayed him? That’s weird. I didn’t do anything!
Of course, questions continued to arise as they walked.
Wait, before that—how did Gregory know I was here?
“The damn Brad Reynolds quietly spread the rumor that I was supposed to meet you here. And Gregory must have overheard that too.”
“So right now Gregory came here to kill me?”
Elex walked quickly without answering. Tilia struggled to keep up with his long strides and tried to understand his words.
So Gregory is inside this place? For revenge against me? Why? I didn’t betray anyone.
Tilia looked at Elex holding her wrist with confused eyes.
He had already seen through this place. After opening another door, he didn’t even flinch at the hidden room and slid a bookshelf aside. A secret door hidden behind it was revealed.
“Just a little further and there’s an exit. A carriage is waiting ahead, so get in.”
“…”
Tilia’s chest filled with doubt once more at the swift way he found the exit.
Where was that prepared carriage going?
She stared at Elex without hesitation and muttered, “Elex. Then how did you know all this?”
He gave no answer again, only continuing to another secret exit into a different hallway.
Tilia’s eyes narrowed for a moment.
Can I really trust him?
Elex Davenport was the most suspicious figure among those she knew. Moreover, recalling what he had said to her, the rumors were probably true to some extent.
“Elex Davenport.”
Suddenly strength returned to Tilia’s feet.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
He kept walking forward, refusing to move, then turned his head to look at Tilia.
His emerald eyes, which still refused to yield until he understood her, let out a small sigh.
“Three days ago, when George Ambrose was blabbing about you at the bookstore…”
“…”
“I investigated after that, thinking something might happen. I had already been monitoring Gregory Myers’s movements before.
Elex’s face remained calm as he spoke. But Tilia’s suspicion was still unresolved.
Then why did you investigate it for me?
Tilia’s face was rational to the point of being cold.
Why are you so concerned about me?
“…”
Elex fell silent as if hesitating before the door leading to the exit, as if something troubled him.
His thumb unconsciously stroked the soft skin inside Tilia’s wrist.
She lowered her gaze at the strange sensation and looked at the wrist he held.
The man’s fingers felt very unfamiliar.
It was as if a tiny worm was crawling inside the tender flesh.
And at some point, it felt as though that worm would pierce the skin and enter…
Just as Tilia felt a strange unease and pulled her hand away with a soft thump.
When she raised her eyes to urge an answer, something alien appeared beyond the door.
At first glance, Tilia thought it was a scarecrow running toward them. But it was nothing like a puppet made from rags or straw.
As it drew closer, it was not a doll but a living being. Through tattered cloth, brown eyes filled with murderous intent stared at them.
Those eyes… I’ve definitely seen them somewhere…
Ah.
Just as Tilia was rummaging through her memories, a familiar name flashed through her mind.
Yes, Gregory Myers. That man.
At the realization of who he was, Elex’s hand came into view. The glowing sword.
Gregory Myers, whose state had deteriorated to the point where he could not be compared to when he attended the academy, ran toward them with a sword in hand.