Chapter 589: The All-Consuming Monster

As the shadow swallowed her, Jane felt a deep sense of suffocation.

She couldn’t breathe properly.

She couldn’t even move a finger.

She couldn’t make a sound.

This was a familiar feeling for Jane.

Once the shadow completely engulfed her, an endless sea of darkness stretched out.

After a moment, Jane could finally see the root of her suffocation.

‘Mother…’

In the sea of darkness, her mother appeared before her eyes.

Although Jane couldn’t remember her mother’s face anymore, her eyes were still vividly clear.

Eyes full of hatred and disgust.

Every time Jane saw her mother’s eyes, she felt suffocated.

A suffocation caused by the fear of being abandoned.

And the hopelessness that she couldn’t do anything about it.

Not that she couldn’t understand.

It must have been painful for her mother to see her too.

Jane was a reminder of her mother’s downfall.

That’s why she sold her to the Sisterhood.

She got some money and rid herself of those painful memories.

By the way, Jane didn’t resent her mother’s choice.

At least not now.

After all, even if her mother had kept her, their lives wouldn’t have improved.

It was better for Jane to take the risk of joining the Sisterhood.

Of course, that didn’t mean the suffocation went away.

The teachings of the Sisterhood were suffocating too.

[You will now learn how to become the ideal woman.]

Suddenly, the image of her mother disappeared, replaced by the instructor she first met at the Sisterhood.

She promised to make Jane the best woman there ever was.

Starting with etiquette, posture, persuasive speech, patience, and culture, she would even teach Jane how to attract and manipulate men.

[This is a woman’s greatest weapon and the only way you can live with dignity.]

The instructor said, and Jane accepted it without much resistance.

She had seen with her own eyes how difficult life was for her poor mother.

The instructor taught that an ideal woman must completely suppress herself and portray the image others want to see.

Like a smile, a gentle voice, or humility.

So Jane tried hard to kill herself off emotionally to become the ideal woman.

She never lost her smile, she was careful with every word, and she always wrapped herself in humility.

It wasn’t that she didn’t feel stifled, but by now, she was used to it.

[Don’t believe in true love.]

[Love is just another name for a man’s impulse, possessiveness, and lust.]

[You are to use love; not fall in love.]

In the sea of darkness, the instructor repeated her old teachings.

There is no true love, and the only things you can truly rely on are money and the Sisterhood.

Jane accepted this lesson too.

She saw men come every day to buy women with their money.

She had seen the miserable ends of women who broke the rules and fell in love foolishly.

And beyond that, she knew what Edith had done to her mother.

So Jane didn’t believe in love, and she didn’t really desire it either.

Thanks to that, she learned the teachings of the Sisterhood better than anyone else and used them to her advantage.

If necessary, she would even use magic items.

[But where is it?]

The instructor asked Jane.

Where was the magic item the Sisterhood gave her?

‘I threw it away when I escaped.’

Jane answered with unmoving lips.

When Duncan betrayed her, and she fled into the sewers.

‘It had a tracking feature… I threw it away then.’

[Then why didn’t you get a new one?]

The instructor questioned her, and Jane asked herself the same question.

Why hadn’t she gotten a new one?

[Did you start wanting true love? Do you think you can have it?]

The teachings she once believed and followed stabbed at her heart like a knife.

The suffocation returned.

[Do you think a man will truly love you? A soiled, deceitful woman like you?]

The surrounding darkness rippled, revealing Jane’s memories from the past.

Memories to test how well she had learned the teachings of the Sisterhood.

How many men she seduced with them.

How far she could control those men.

The lengths she would go to achieve her ends.

These were embarrassing memories she now wanted to erase.

Perhaps that was why Jane wanted to succeed so badly.

Not just because Dave was amazing, but to erase her dirty past.

It was no different than trying to disguise her lowly origins with gold.

“Miss Jane?”

A familiar, comforting voice called out to her as she was crushed by her past.

Dave.

Like a lost child finding their parent, Jane instinctively looked forward, and a window appeared in front of her.

She couldn’t move a finger under the pressure of the darkness, but through the window, she could see Dave looking down at her.

An illusion? No.

Jane instinctively realized this was real.

He had really come.

To this unfamiliar, dangerous place ruled by someone’s fingers, Dave had come.

To save her.

Even though he never promised to save her, he came.

She had believed it, yes, but still…

‘He really came to save me…’

Jane felt a tiny bit of anxiety in her heart fade away.

The distrust and negative emotions she harbored due to her cursed upbringing and childhood education dissipated.

Jane wanted to thank Dave, but the darkness binding and crushing her wouldn’t let her move.

Meanwhile, Dave knelt on one knee and tried to wake Jane.

-Thunk

Just as Dave was about to call out to her again, a sharp, wet sound rang out.

Jane had pulled out a Dagger and stabbed Dave in his side.

She could feel the sensation in her hand.

‘No, don’t. Stop.’

Shluk.

Helpless under the crushing darkness, Jane could only feel her body moving against her will.

As if she had become a shadow.

A shadow unable to move on its own.

Jane felt it.

She felt herself pushing the Dagger in deeper.

She felt herself raising the corners of her mouth, even though she didn’t want to.

She felt herself betraying Dave, who had come all this way.

Selfishly, Jane wanted to close her eyes and turn away.

Afraid that Dave would make the same face as all those other men she’d met before.

“Ah…”

A short gasp escaped him. Jane instinctively looked at the window.

There, Dave’s face showed an expression of realization.

There was no reproach on his face, even after being stabbed with the Dagger.

Clatter.

Dave dropped the Quarterstaff he held in his left hand and naturally took Jane’s hand.

His grip was strong, but not painful.

Then, with his other hand, the one wrapped in bandages, he slowly covered the window.

Riiip!

The sea of darkness pressing down on Jane split apart.

Light shone through.

“Are you alright?”

***

After tearing the shadow, Oliver asked Jane if she was okay.

He wasn’t sure what kind of influence the shadow might have had on her, and what kind of effect it might have had when it was torn.

‘The shadow… It’s returning to normal.’

As he watched Jane’s shadow revert to its original state after the embedded magic dissipated, Oliver thought.

It was a relief.

A shadow is an extension of a person.

Therefore, it’s difficult to measure the power and side effects of black magic that uses a shadow as a medium or material.

Fen’s shadow and Oliver’s shadow are prime examples of this.

And most importantly, the shadow that covered Jane even had a faint trace of The Burned One’s aura.

If it weren’t for my right arm, it would have been hard to break.

‘They say nothing in this world is useless…’

For the first time, Oliver felt a sense of gratitude towards the right arm that caused him such intense burning pain.

It seemed it wasn’t just a source of pain after all.

“Ah…”

While Oliver was checking Jane’s condition and organizing his thoughts, he heard a soft, crying sigh.

It came from Jane, who was shedding tears and staring at Oliver’s left side.

Blood was flowing from Oliver’s side, staining Jane’s hand.

Jane seemed unable to believe what she saw, her hand trembling with guilt and fear.

“Da-Da-”

“-Are you alright?”

Oliver pulled out a handkerchief from his coat and spoke to Jane again.

Jane looked at Oliver’s face, and Oliver wiped her blood-stained hand.

“The teachings from the employees at Angels’ House are truly useful.”

“…”

“They always told me to carry a handkerchief. A true gentleman must always have one handy for when a lady is in need.”

“…”

“…Just kidding.”

Oliver said calmly with a strange expression.

He was trying to smile. Unfortunately, he failed.

“A-Are you alright?”

Jane asked with a pale face.

It seemed like it was the first time she had shown such dismay.

Jane was about to apologize in a daze, but Oliver answered.

“Of course, I’m alright… This wound was caused by an accident on my way here, so don’t worry about it. It’s a minor injury.”

“What do you mean…?”

Jane’s eyes widened at the ridiculous lie.

But Oliver responded the same way.

“Just like I said. It’s just a wound from my own mistake. It’s not that deep. So, Miss Jane, you don’t need to worry about it.”

It was such an obvious lie. A lie with a clear intention.

Yet, Jane couldn’t bring herself to argue against it.

All she could do was hold onto Oliver’s chest and try to stifle her sobs.

She couldn’t understand.

Why she, who was good for nothing but receiving help, deserved this.

Because they were friends?

The more she thought about it, the more guilt Jane felt.

She felt like she was a burden to Dave, not deserving of staying by his side.

Like her greed had hurt him.

She had struggled to form an equal relationship, but thinking back, she realized it wasn’t.

Not at all.

Far from an equal relationship, she had only ever received help.

When she received her inheritance, at the auction, at the party, in Gallos, and now in this very moment, she had only ever been on the receiving end.

She felt ashamed.

Realizing that her wish to be equal to Dave was arrogant.

She felt sorry.

Only now understanding how much trouble her arrogance had caused.

And she felt sinful.

Because even now, Jane wanted to ask Dave for another favor.

To not just take her away, but to take the children trapped on this island too.

‘I can’t do it…’

Jane groaned inwardly.

How could she ask more of him after he had been hurt and worked so hard?

‘But still…’

But at the same time, she couldn’t stop thinking about the children.

The children who, like her, were performing an act while hiding their true selves in the Forest of the Hanged.

The children trapped in a forgotten warehouse, abandoned like livestock.

But, but still…

“Suddenly, it comes to mind.”

Jane lifted her tear-streaked face.

“When you were looking for the Flesh Cook’s inheritance and staying briefly in Gallos, I read a newspaper article about you, Miss Jane.”

“…”

“I still remember the headline. ‘Jane from Randa makes an investment in a clothing factory for single mothers after establishing an orphanage. The factory construction, which was about to falter, gains momentum!’ …or something like that.”

Oliver’s expression was his usual stoic one, but whether it was because of the tears or her mood, it looked like he was smiling just a little.

A smile that seemed otherworldly.

One that was so beautiful and warm.

“I was impressed when I read it. Oh, have I told you that before?”

Jane couldn’t say anything. But Oliver didn’t mind and continued the conversation on his own, as if he were genuinely enjoying it.

“You may have said it’s nothing special, but I was impressed. It’s truly remarkable.”

“No, I…”

-Shh.

Oliver put a finger on Jane’s lips.

It might have seemed like a commanding gesture, but now it looked incredibly gentle.

“Lately, I’ve been confused. Things used to be so simple and clear, but not anymore.”

With a face that somehow looked sad, Jane remembered Fen’s words.

The Prince of Hell.

Thump. Thump. Her heart raced.

“…Lately, there was something I wanted to know but didn’t want to. So, I grew irritable, and even I didn’t know what I was doing, just going around in circles.”

“…”

“Then I read that newspaper article about you, Miss Jane. I felt so proud.”

“…”

“Accepting your situation, working hard to improve, and even helping others while you’re at it… You’re much greater than me. I was proud to call someone like that my friend.”

“But I’ve only ever received help… From you, Dave.”

“We’re the same. I’ve only ever received help too. Escaping the mine, learning to read, going out into the world, knowing where to go, even learning the basics… All of the important things in my life were solved with someone else’s help. Now that I think about it, is there anyone who lives life without help?”

Finishing his words, Oliver looked at Jane.

Reading his thoughts in his eyes, Jane struggled to voice her wish.

“…There are children trapped on this island… Can you take them with us too?”

Oliver responded.

“That works out perfectly. I came here for that very reason.”