14. Inside Game

"Velisa..."

Rune stopped his movement after hearing the man make a sound with his eyes closed. He lifted his hand from the man's chest. He wanted to make sure that his hearing was not wrong.

"I'm sorry, Velisa," the man said before taking his last breath. Rune was silent for a moment hearing it. But that doesn't make it lose its original purpose. He ate the man's body to the end and took his heart.

Rune returned to the palace covered in human blood. He went into the experiment room and saw a pile of human hearts in a small glass box. He placed one seat in his grasp on the stack.

"After being seen repeatedly, it turns out that you've got far more human hearts than usual. Is it because you lost her?" asked Fremont, who stood in the doorway with a big smile.

"I won't give up just because I lost one prey," said Rune with a severe face. After that, he went out past Fremont without permission. He was annoyed that Fremont discussed Velisa like that but didn't know why.

"Rune, I will support your every decision. So, I hope there's nothing you're hiding from me," Fremont said.

Rune almost stopped walking. But, he knew it would make Fremont suspicious. He kept walking as if he hadn't heard Fremont's words. The secret must remain a secret until the end.

***

Adelle smiles in front of a large mirror commonly used to reflect the shadow of a magic crystal ball. She looked in the mirror while combing her straight, shimmering hair. She reflected on her beautiful face there. Long life does not make him age, thanks to his magic power.

Adelle faded her smile as she looked at the crystal ball in front of her. A dark Aura instantly filled his room. "Am I the most beautiful woman in the world?" he asked in a low voice.

A few seconds later, the mirror broke and made a painful noise in the ear. Adelle jumped back in surprise. The dark Aura in his room instantly faded away. He stared at the mirror fragments in front of him with a flat face.

Adelle sighed harshly. "It's been the 159th time I've asked this damn mirror and the result is always the same. Can't you answer "yes" even once?! This really makes me insecure," Adelle grumbled with a pitiful face.

After that, Adelle took out magic from her hand to pull the magic wand out of her reach. She also swung a stick towards the broken mirror on the floor. The fragments returned intact and formed a mirror as before. He closed the crystal ball in front of him in annoyance.

"Hhhhh!"Velisa woke up in a sitting position. She breathed while looking around. A room that feels like an old building that was never inhabited. Looking straight ahead, he saw a woman standing not far from him.

Adelle approached Velisa doubtfully. She looked at Velisa with a probing look. Velisa glanced briefly at the door. "Do you try to escape?"

Velisa was silent. She remembered the last time she lay in a glass coffin with blurry vision. Her gaze darkened after that.

"Who are you?"

"Me? The most beautiful woman in this palace."

Palace? This place that looks like a warehouse for goods? Velisa glanced at the door again while lowering her legs from the bed where she was lying earlier. She grimaced while holding her stomach, which was aching.

"You're going to run away like that? A strong woman."

Velisa glared when the woman in front of her thought she was acting strong. Without hesitation, she stood up, pushed the woman roughly, and then ran towards the door. Adelle smiled lopsidedly when Velisa reached out towards the door. Instantly, Velisa bounced back until her back hit the wall.

Velisa groaned in pain while changing into a sitting position. She saw Adelle walking over. The woman smiled as if she was toying with her. "What are you?"

"I told you, I'm the most beautiful woman in this palace," said Adelle, holding her hand.

Velisa ignored the outstretched hand. She stood holding her stomach, which was bleeding again. "No further ado. Just tell me, what do you want from me?"

"Gosh, that's so boring," said Adelle, swinging her arms lazily. Velisa was dumbfounded when she saw the books floating above her head.

Adelle caught the magic wand with her left hand while her right hand continued to make the books that floated up. "I can kill you if you want," She said with a friendly smile.

"You're a magician," said Velisa, squinting. Then, she looked towards the door when she heard the sound of the door opening.

"Hey, Rune! Wanna play?" asked Adelle casually without removing her magic power.

Rune was silent in front of the door because magic power blocked people from outside from entering Adelle's room. He looked at Adelle with a straight face. "Stop playing games, Adelle. You're too old to do such a childish thing."

Adelle pursed her lips as she returned the books to their original place using magic power. "You make me furious!" cluck her.

Rune shook her head in surprise. He had seen Adelle playing around like that many times. Usually, he is the object of the experiment. Not infrequently, the woman also bullied him using magic power.

"You are very childish," said Rune, waiting for Adelle to dispel the magic power that prevented her from entering the room. He smiled faintly when he saw Velisa's face from a distance. He was relieved that the woman had woken up. However, he started to panic when he saw Ren's palm holding her stomach covered in blood. "Adelle! Quickly get rid of your magic power!"

Adelle, who flinched, accidentally dropped one of the books on Velisa's head. "Sorry, Velisa!" said her in a panic.

Velisa, confused by this situation, just rubbed her aching head. Blood came from her forehead from the thick hardcover book that had hit her head. Adelle swung her wand and dispelled the magic power blocking the door. Rune immediately ran towards Velisa with a worried face.

"What's wrong with you, Rune?!" annoyed Adele.

To be continued....