âI suppose this is what he was preparing before.â
Lyla glanced at the documents Zich was holding. She could almost feel the emotions that the writers must have felt as they wrote each page and letter, and that made her rage intensify. Although she had a slight bit of sympathy for Condel in the corner of her heart, knowing that he had committed his crime for the person he loved, all traces of that disappeared with the diaries and letters that Zich pulled out now. She glared chillingly at Condel.
âIâm sure your love was precious and amazingâ at least to you. I admit it. A person is free to think however they like, and I wonât argue with you about that. But you know, as someone who values love so, so much, donât you think these people would have also valued their love as much too? Yet, you mercilessly stomped on all these peopleâs hearts and broke them into pieces. So, how could you say that you simply wanted to see the person you loved one more time?â Zich handed Condel several more diary entries and letters.
âWhy arenât you saying anything? If you are so confident, why donât you blabber on like you did before?â
ââ¦â Condel couldnât say anything. His eyes, which were only filled with loath and hatred for Zich, turned to the letters in front of him. He saw the page filled with letters written in pretty handwriting. Emotions dripped out of each word and letterâit felt like they would pop out of the page and pierce his eyes.
âIsnât the reason why you only targeted lovers is because of your jealousy? You were angry that other people were enjoying their time with their partners while you lost the love of your life.â
ââ¦â
âSeeing that you canât even answer, it seems that Iâm right. You really are trash.â Zich struck Condelâs head, and Condel made a small groan. âYou should just quickly die.â
ââ¦Yeah, maybe that would be better,â Condel laughed heartlessly. His voice that sounded like it would run out of breath returned to normal now. Condelâs injuries were connected by shadows, and he was barely holding onto his life. âIf I really think about it, this is what I should have done. If I canât meet her while alive, I should have sought out Sia by dying,â Condel said with a deep sense of longing. As if he had given up on everything, Condel closed his eyes like he was going to naturally accept death.
This was the end. If Condel died like this, the kidnapping incidents that had brought chaos into Janmalpi would finally meet their end too.
âDo you think I would let you?â However, Zich didnât intend to end this just yet. Normally, he wouldâve just let Condel go since he had enjoyed himself tremendously until now. Yet, this time, there were other factors that changed his decision.
ââ¦I mean, after bothering Joachim and Evelyn?â Zich placed the letter and diary entries back. He blocked the hands of his companions who were trying to approach him. He also ignored Lara running to Glenâs side to support him. Then, he said to Condel, âDo you think youâd be able to meet Sia Rubrent just because you died?â
âKuh, kuh! Are you saying that Iâll go to Hell?â As if he had already expected what Zich would say to him, Condel chuckled. âThereâs a high possibility. Nevertheless, we would both be in the afterlife. Even if I canât see her face to face, I am satisfied with being even a bit closer to her side. Who knows? What we know of the afterlife might be completely different from what we believe. Even if the Karuwiman guys always sing songs of Heaven, no one has seen it in real life.â
Perhaps, it was because he had already given up on the situation completely, Condel didnât waver. However, Zich also didnât plan to make Condel fall into despair just with these words. âWho said Sia Rubrent was in the afterlife?â
ââ¦What?â Condel opened his eyes. His eyes were questioning and displayed a glint of anxiety. This was what Zich had wanted to see. Now, all he had to do was make Condelâs anxiety explode.
âYour lover is here.â Zich stretched out his head and pointed at Sia Ruebrentâs corpse nearby.
âIf I die, the effects of my ability will disappear.â
âWell, I expected that. If your ability had that great autonomy, your body would have moved on its own even after a hole formed in it. But you know, isnât your lover a really special case? She might remain even after you die.â
âThereâs no way.â
âHow are you sure? In the first place, the robed figures were the ones who gave you your ability.â
Condel was surprised. He didnât expect Zich to know that much.
âDo you really think you know everything about an ability that wasnât even originally yours? I donât think so. There could be another factor that you donât know about.â
âThereâs none!â
âYou donât know until it happens. Thankfully, we have someone amongst us who knows your ability through and through.â Zich pointed at Glen. Although Glen wasnât dead, Lara had to support him to raise him up. Condel was taken aback when he saw Glen.
âIf your ability was to really resurrect a person from the dead, wouldnât there already be a soul inside Sia Rubrentâs corpse? Then, even if you go to the afterlife, thereâs no chance that you would see her there.â
Condel looked towards Sia. She was staring at him blankly while standing. He wondered if her soul was really in there.
Zich smiled in his mind after checking that Condel felt conflicted. âThatâs right. I wonât ever let you die a peaceful death.â
âDo you know what I will do from now on?â Zich asked Condel.
âWhatâ¦â
âIâm going to learn from Mr. Zenard about your ability in detail. Then, Iâll do all kinds of experiments with your lover.â
Condelâs eyes burst open. âDonât make meâ! Cough!â As if the shadows that had blocked his wounds burst from his agitation, Condel spurted out blood. However, Zich remained unbothered. Condel didnât need to speak anyways, and he just had to have his ears open to hear the rest of Zichâs words. Zich could do all the talking.
âDonât worry. Iâm not trying to insult your lover. Iâm actually doing the opposite. Iâm thinking about resurrecting your lover.â
Condel was extremely surprised by Zichâs words. However, judging by Zichâs malicious smile, it didnât seem like Zich was saying this for his benefit. âIâm going to thoroughly separate you two. Were you thinking about meeting each other in the afterlife and finding happiness? Iâm never going to let that happen.â
âThis bastardâ¦!â Condol moved his arm, but he no longer had enough strength to shake the ground like before.
Zich easily blocked his hand. âAnd do you know what Iâll do after?â
âPerhapsâ¦are you planning to tell her all my crimes!â
âAh, is that what you think is the worst situation? But no. Ah, I mean, Iâmgoing to tell her your crimes, but what Iâm saying is thatâs not the worst situation.â
âWhat are youâ¦â
âIâm planning to seduce your lover.â
ââ¦What?â
âAs you can see, my face is good, and I know quite a lot of skills about seducing women.â
Condel snorted. âHa! Do you think my Sia will get seduced by your lowly charms?â
âYep.â Zich nodded his head. âI can understand your feelings, but there are too many things going against you. First of all, youâll be forced to separate from your lover. As you know, out of sight, out of mind.â
âA cliché proverb like that doesnât relate to us.â
âOkay, maybe that wonât be enough, but this situation is much more serious than you think. First, Sia Rubrent will find out about your crimes.â
Condelâs eyes trembled.
âSheâll be extremely sad. Her lover attacked innocent couples and put them through intense pain, all for the sake of seeing her again. Moreover, she has no one to rely on anymore. She ran away from her family, and the only person she believedâyouâkicked the bucket. How will she continue living when she lived all her life as a sheltered lady in her noble family?â
ââ¦â
âAh, perhaps, she might think about suicide. However, Iâm going to do my absolute best to prevent that from happening. In the end, she wonât have any choice but to live. Iâm going to thoroughly corner Sia Rubrent like this. Of course, her mind and heart will be devastated from finding out the truth. Then, what do you think will happen when Iâm the closest person to her during this painful time?â
ââ¦!â
Blood seeped out of Condelâs mouth; it wasnât because of the injury on his abdomen. Blood came out of his mouth because he chewed the insides of his mouth in extreme hatred.
Condel shouted, ââ¦No matter what happens, Sia will never betray me!â
However, Zich replied as if Condel was being absurd. âDo you really think that?â
ââ¦â Condel would have normally shouted, Of course, but the situation was too dire for him.
Moreover, even though Condel was continuing his conversation with Zich, his injury was extremely severe; it was to the extent where heâd die soon. It was only normal that his brain didnât work as well as before. For that reason, Condel was not able to reply.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
This was the moment that Zich had been waiting for, âHuh? Whatâs up with you?â
Zich made a benevolent smile and said, âPerhaps, do you doubt your lover?â
ââ¦!â
âI got it right? You doubt Sia Rubrentâs love for you, right? You also think that if you died, she could like someone else!â
âThatâ¦!â
âSince you canât talk, it seems like I hit right on the mark.â Zichâs eyes brightened. âThis whole time, you acted like you have complete trust in your love for each other, but youâre doubting your lover because of a few words from me!â
âThatâs not true!â Condel denied Zichâs words, but Zich continued to let out a stream of words.
âItâs pointless to lie to me, because whatâs inside your heart is the most important. You killed all those people who were precious to their lovers, and now you canât trust your own lover? Wow, you were even bigger trash than I thought.â
âI never said something like that!â
âItâs pointless to keep lying to yourself like that, you bastard!â Zich replied back in a louder voice and continued, âGood! When your lover comes back alive, I have more things to tell her! That Condel Siede didnât trust her at all!â
âYou bastard! If you say that, Iâll kill you!â
âHow are you going to kill me? When that happens, youâll have long kicked the bucket!â
Zich slapped Condelâs cheeks many times. Condel had no choice but to endure Zichâs mockery.
Zich continued, âIâm saying this just in case, but Iâm not joking around! Iâm really going to do everything I said if Sia Rubrent comes back alive!â
âYou fucking! Fucking shit!â Condel tried to get up with the help of his shadows, but the shadows didnât listen to him. Did he really have no choice but to stay still as this devil in human flesh continued on?
âIt would be better if Sia actually doesnât come back alive!â This thought crept into his mind. Even though Zich had been shouting like crazy, he suddenly stopped talking. His clear eyes that were like glass rolled down and met Condelâs eyes. Condel moved his eyes away because it felt like Zich was directly looking into his heart.
âJust now, youâ¦â
However, Condel was unable to move away his ears to avoid listening to Zich.
âYou wished for Sia Rubrent to just die like this, right?â
â!!!â
Condelâs heart plummeted. In order to deny Zichâs words, he looked up at Zich. He couldnât let Zich continue like this. If he also admitted this thought to himself, everything that he had been supporting himself with would crumble. However, when he saw Zichâs face, Condel was surprised. Zichâs face was full of kindness as if his mockery had all been a lie so far.
âHey, Condel.â Instead of saying his last name, Zich used his first name and spoke with a gentle voice, âDo you want me to kill Sia Rubrent instead?â
His words were temptation from the devil.