Chapter 69: Winds of Fate Unbound

“Even if you, Extra Line, deny it so emphatically… it’s a cliché: destiny’s chains ensure everyone falls for the possessed Elina II. That’s the cliché of the possessed heroine.”

The story was moving as fast as a storm.

While Lara locked herself in her room, denying any connection to Kim Bing-ui, Kim Bing-ui was busy meeting the male leads according to the usual rules. It wasn’t as if she aimed to meet them for that purpose. After all, she had landed in a new world where it was only natural to be curious about fantastic places like Daeshin Shrine or the Imperial City.

Elina II, while sightseeing, ran into someone who seemed to have waited a lifetime for the Pope and the Emperor.

However, owing to the male leads being too busy, she only managed a brief greeting, which kept them oblivious to the change in her. Unless she had a giant sign on her forehead declaring, ‘My soul has changed,’ they were too insensitive to notice.

“Hi-ru~ I’m back.”

Kim Bing-ui—no, Elina II—entered the Duke Liniat estate and greeted the servants stationed by the door. Although she usually greeted them, she never bothered waving or shaking each hand as she passed. There was a newfound warmth in the servants’ eyes as they took in the changed Elina II.

While hurrying to her room, Elina II bumped into the Duchess who was walking along the corridor on the opposite side.

“Elina II, I’ve told you time and again to behave decently! What kind of unbecoming conduct is that?”

“Hello, ma’am,”

Elina II bowed her head in greeting. The Duchess, though aware something was off, felt a bit perplexed by this daughter-like introduction from a stranger.

“Don’t you remember your own mother? Truly…”

Seeing the shock on the Duchess’s face, Elina II suddenly thought of her mother at home. Surely she must be making such a face upon hearing about the accident. A pang hit her heart.

“I was just kidding, Mother.”

Grinning broadly as she gently held the Duchess’s hand, Elina II’s playful demeanor put the Duchess at ease. Still, she repeated sternly that such antics were never acceptable, no matter how carefree one might feel.

“Now, you should rest.”

The Duchess, having escorted her to the door, turned away with those words. Elina II quietly watched her leave and then opened her own door.

“Phew…”

She closed the door and was just about to head toward the bedroom when—

“You’re not really Elina II, are you?”

At that firm voice, Elina II turned toward the sound. A woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to herself—with long, silver hair tied in a single braid and cold, silver eyes—was staring intently in her direction.

“Even if you can fool your mother, you can’t fool my eyes. Elina V visited while you were asleep. She said your soul’s wavelength had changed.”

It was clear nothing was hidden now. Without any pretense, Elina II—no, Kim Bing-ui—responded calmly.

“You must be Elina III, right? Yes, I’m not Elina II.”

Was she finally about to reveal her true self? At the moment Elina III reached for the sword at her waist, Elina II collapsed onto a nearby chair.

“My real name is Kim Bing-ui.”

“Ki-mi-Bing-ui…?!”

“Kim Bing-ui. I know it sounds unbelievable, but I’m… not from this world. Before I was in this body, I was just an ordinary college student in Korea…”

And so the tale went on at length. Initially skeptical, Elina III gradually found herself drawn to every word, so compelling that it was impossible not to believe the truth.

“Remember that convenience store manager who didn’t pay his part-timers for three months? Just two days before I was about to report him to the Labor Ministry, he paid in mixed 500-won coins! And really, some people are just the worst—especially those who, in a drunken stupor, start a ruckus! Just thinking about it makes me furious!”

The barely concealed edge of frustration in her tone and expression didn’t seem fabricated at all—it was the reality of everyday life.

“So, I’m really glad I ended up in a noble’s body. I mean, not having to work part-time is a blessing! If I’d been stuck in a slave body, ugh, I might have just ended it all.”

“You can’t be so careless with your words.”

Elina III spoke somberly. In response, Elina II—no, Kim Bing-ui—offered a sincere apology, “I’m sorry…”

“Hehe, still, the owner of this body is fortunate. There’s someone here who cares enough to worry about me.”

“…You.”

At that, Elina II burst into a mischievous laugh, clearly envious. Elina III found herself at a loss for words. For a moment, silence fell between them.

Silently, Elina III slid the barely unsheathed sword back into its scabbard, turned, and headed for the door. Just before completely leaving, she whispered,

“You can live comfortably like this until Elina II’s soul returns.”

“Uh… Really? Is that really okay?”

“I’m going to consider you family, so you should do the same.”

Though her tone was cool, Kim Bing-ui was not oblivious to the meaning behind her words.

From that moment, the bond between Elina II and Elina III grew unmistakably closer—even observers from outside the Duke Liniat estate could tell.

‘To think even the cool Elina III would accept a possessed Elina II…’

Lara felt both disheartened and relieved as events began to fall into the hands of fate. Following the clichéd path meant she might be able to save her brother, but she couldn’t allow another soul to take over Elina II’s body.

‘Friend or brother—what a tangled problem…’

Of course, Lara hadn’t just been sitting idle all this while. She had sought out a solution in her own way.

She had even cautiously consulted Mikhail, only to be told that no exorcism ritual would work. In any case, it seemed even Elina II herself wasn’t fully aware of the change. Elina V, feeling sorry for her lost soul, appeared to advocate leaving Elina II as she was.

‘Maybe I should consult someone versed in the occult…’

Lost in thought, Lara suddenly clapped her hands. After all, if demons covet souls, wouldn’t they be experts in that very field?

‘If only I knew how to summon one…’

With that thought, Lara hurried toward the Forbidden Imperial Palace, hopeful the Imperial Library might house the forbidden grimoire needed to summon a demon.

Until dusk, Lara scoured every book in the Imperial Library, desperate to find even the smallest clue. Late into the night, she was forced to return to her family as the library closed.

Lara couldn’t shake off a feeling of desolation, lying awake in bed, lost in thought, when her personal maid Monica approached with a tray. So preoccupied was Lara that she barely registered Monica’s presence.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t there someone with a demonic aura nearby? Who was that…? Ah, yes! One of the male leads used to be a Demon King. Not quite demonic in appearance, but he definitely held the title once…’

“Is something bothering you?”

Startled, Lara finally turned and saw Monica gently smiling as she offered a glass of warm milk.

After hesitating for a moment, Lara took a sip of milk to steady herself and then spoke.

“Monica, do you by any chance know how to summon a demon?”

“Well, wouldn’t you use the Ouija Board that’s stored under your bed?”

“That’s just a toy for talking to ghosts, isn’t it?”

“True, but it rarely just chats. If left unattended, it can summon a vengeful spirit that wreaks havoc on the house. You’re not one to act recklessly, right?”

With that, Monica retrieved the Ouija Board from beneath the bed. While Lara wasn’t entirely sure why such an item was hidden there, she felt a spark of possibility.

The setup went smoothly. At the designated hour, Lara turned off the room’s lights, leaving only a single candle lit before sitting in front of the Ouija Board. She even prepped some coarse salt just in case. With trembling hands, she lifted the board’s cover, immediately noticing a bold warning in red.

[Do not attempt this alone.]

Half fearful, half excited, Lara slowly moved the pointer. The round indicator on the wooden board glided back and forth, forming words.

“Who’s there? Please answer.”

After about five minutes of continuous signals, the pointer suddenly began spinning on its own.

“Are you here…right now?”

The candle flickered violently. When Lara sighed in relief that it hadn’t gone out, she noticed the pointer had stopped on [Yes]. Her heart pounded with tension, yet she forced herself to continue.

“Are you a demon?”

[Yes]

“What is your name?”

Following the slowly illuminated letters with her eyes, Lara read aloud as the pointer moved carefully over each character.

“Ferreus Shuran Exaios…”

Though the response was longer than expected, Lara felt an overwhelming sense of relief at finally connecting with the demon she had been seeking.

“Can you come here right now?”

No sooner had the pointer confirmed [Yes] than a tremendous gust of wind stormed through the room. The force was such that the window rattled violently. Lara, with both hands covering her head, crouched down until the room finally quieted and she dared to open her eyes.

In the center of the now-messy room stood a man, staring blankly as if surveying the scene. His long, jet-black hair draped like the shadows of a quiet night, and slowly, he lowered his eyes. His blood-red, piercing gaze moved low and sent shivers down one’s spine.

“So, you—human wench—are the one who woke me from my deep slumber and summoned me here?”

His tone was unfamiliar—confident, defiant, and utterly transformed—like he had become a completely different person.