Chapter 225
Chapter 225
One day, Azel told her about someone who looked as sick as her in the past and how worried she was when that person suddenly disappeared. Filled with nostalgia, Azel wished that person good health and happiness.
At the same time, Azel was excited to sell her shop and move to Acrab, claiming it was a gift from him.
Yanghwa was filled with disappointment upon learning that Acrab was under the rule of the malevolent Count Alshine. However, despite her reservations, she agreed to take over Azel’s shop as per her benefactor’s request. Perhaps, Yanghwa pondered, she might one day come face-to-face with the Count, as her patron had promised.
Although she was saddened by Azel’s departure, Yanghwa felt a deep-seated desire for retribution against the woman who had treated her like an animal and confined her for many years in the woods.
One day, while outside the shop, Yanghwa sensed an immense magical energy that made it difficult for her to breathe. Suddenly, Count Alshine appeared before her, and Yanghwa instinctively concealed herself.
Despite her attempts to hide, the Count soon discovered her, and Yanghwa felt as though she was trapped.
While the Count’s appearance was vastly different from the hideous woman she had encountered in the woods, the feeling of terror remained the same. Yanghwa sensed a palpable shift in the air when the Count spoke, using a phrase that was reminiscent of a fairy tale her eldest sister had read to her.
Yanghwa wondered why the evil Count Alshine would speak in such a manner.
Despite feeling frightened, Yanghwa forced herself to look up and see the face of the Count, who had been a subordinate of the person that had attempted to reduce her to livestock. She remembered Rosa’s warning that unscrupulous people often took advantage of kind-hearted individuals.
As she gazed upon the Count, Yanghwa couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being deceived. She began to question her own suspicions and soon became convinced that Count Alshine was not a bad person after all.
Although the dark and mysterious mana emanating from the Count caused her immense pain and made it difficult for her to breathe, Yanghwa couldn’t help but feel a sense of overwhelming emotion building within her. She suddenly found herself on the verge of tears.
As Yanghwa felt her own magic coursing through her body, she experienced a searing pain that brought tears to her eyes. Her heart was heavy, and she felt like crying.
The woman before her was the epitome of beauty, with black hair, black eyes, and a pale complexion that didn’t show any imperfections even when it was illuminated by the sun. Black hair was quite common in the Suran Empire, but Yanghwa had never seen such striking beauty before.
Yanghwa balled her fists in frustration as she attempted to refute the Count’s words, but deep down, she knew that she was afraid. She couldn’t bear the thought of being trapped again, and with no candy left to soothe her nerves, how would she cope if her benefactor didn’t provide her with more?
The Count reassured her that she would help, and Yanghwa remembered what Rosa had told her about the dangers of trusting others.
“I…I don’t know,” Yanghwa stammered, uncertain of what to do. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Rosa might not be safe after assisting her in her escape.
Rosa had warned Yanghwa that she would die if she returned, but they were best friends. It wouldn’t take long for the owner to discover that Rosa had helped Yanghwa escape.
Rosa knew this. If Yanghwa had fled alone, Rosa would have died whether or not she returned.
She had only meant to ask Yanghwa not to return, so that her death wouldn’t be in vain. It wasn’t until much later, after they parted ways, that Yanghwa understood what Rosa had meant.
Yanghwa wanted to eat candy like crazy to distract herself from the pain. She didn’t want to think about anything else, which only made her want to eat more candy.
Yanghwa thought the world was incredibly unfair. How could her own pain compare to the suffering of a woman who had risked so much to help her?
What had Rosa gone through?
It must have been terrible.
There were no inherently good or bad people in the world, but there were those who would use and exploit others for their own gain.
***
Kaichen said the word “drugs.”
“What kind of drugs?” I asked, surprised to hear about a substance that could destroy lives even more than alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental collapse.
“It’s opium. I think she’s been using it for a while… She missed her dosage and had a seizure,” Kaichen explained, stepping back from Yanghwa.
It was a good thing I had called Kaichen instead of a law enforcement officer. If a general clinic had discovered that someone was addicted to drugs, they would have immediately reported it. In the Kalhai Empire, drugs were strictly prohibited – everything related to ingesting, selling, and importing drugs was illegal, and the perpetrator could face severe punishment.
“A drug in the empire?! That’s impossible…oh.” I frowned. Yanghwa must have definitely made contact with Asta and was saved by him. Had they captured her, drugged her, and released her to do the same to others?
‘But why did they let her go without killing her?’ I wondered. It was clear she would become Julius’ helper, but if she got in the way, they would surely kill her. So why had they spared her life?
The question remained unanswered, but Yanghwa’s health had to take priority. She was an important person.
“Is treatment possible?” I asked.
“Opium comes from the Suran Empire. It would be better to send her back there for treatment rather than keeping her here,” Kaichen replied.