Killing the Possessor - Chapter 21
Chapter 2. The Saddest Flower in the World
Somehow, I found myself face-to-face with the silver-haired male lead, the one I most certainly did not want to meet. I was thoroughly irritated.
Didn’t the man wearing the hahoe mask promise to do his best to ensure my safety back then? Of course, Hongik Ingan didn’t expect to run into an evil spirt and investigators in that place, but why choose such a location for a meeting in the first place?
I understood the need to be cautious with so many spies around, but this felt like it was only making things more dangerous. If I had said the wrong thing when I met the investigator guy, I would have been dragged straight to the Public Security Bureau.
Perhaps feeling guilty, Hongik Ingan chose a much more reasonable location for the next meeting. A place where I didn’t have to sneak out at night. A place where a noble young lady could enter without raising suspicion—the tailor shop.
But, I still wondered what could possibly be done in a place like this. I didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
“Madam, I’m here!”
As I was pretending to be a customer, casually browsing through the catalog, a young woman unexpectedly entered the shop. She had a husky voice that matched her elegant and alluring appearance.
Marion, the shopkeeper who had been showing me fabric, greeted her warmly, making a gesture of a kiss on the cheek.
The Rouge tailor shop, like most tailor shops, operated by appointment only. Wealthy families often had the tailor visit them directly, but some ladies of means would come into the city and visit the shop themselves for a change of scenery.
However, it was suspicious that this woman had arrived at the exact time I had made my appointment. She might have dropped by casually, but her conversation with Madam Marion seemed odd.
“Such a cute young lady. I love her haughty look. Don’t you think she’d pick the perfect dress for the next party?”
“I agree! With both of you having red hair, there’s definitely something you’ll connect on!”
“…”
What logic was that? My face naturally twisted in confusion.
As the woman mentioned the hair color, my gaze shifted toward her hair. While both of our hair was red, hers was a much darker shade than mine.
The color of her hair, like wine staining fabric, blended seamlessly with her alluring aura. The woman, casually waving her fan, approached me. Without exchanging pleasantries, she made an unexpected proposal.
“Miss, would you mind taking a look at my dress?”
“……”
I stared at her shameless face. She was already tall, and with the high heels she wore, I had to tilt my head quite a bit to meet her eyes.
“Are you… Bali Aidepen?”
It was a guess I made after some thought. The person who had approached me unexpectedly at the meeting spot with Hongik Ingan. Her clothes, infused with the scent of money, her cocky attitude despite her young age… and most notably, the red hair characteristic of Bali Aidepen.
The woman didn’t answer but instead smiled knowingly. She snapped her fan shut with a loud sound and passed by me.
“Follow me.”
…I was starting to think I might be right.
I followed the woman, who seemed to be Bali Aidepen, up to the second floor. Just moments ago, the shopkeeper, who had been eager to sell me various things as if I were a regular customer, didn’t say a word when I followed the sudden guest.
I began to wonder—could Madam Marion also be a possessor?
Just then, I heard the woman speak.
“Judging by how well you decoded the code twice, you must be good at thinking, but your instincts are lacking.”
When I stood dumbfounded, she tilted her head and motioned toward the door with a look.
“What are you doing? Close the door.”
“……”
Bali Aidepen, both in the original work and the game, is an arrogant character. A complete mood-driven person, she never showed fake kindness and tended to either favor or dismiss others rather than respecting them. She rarely showed exceptions, even forgetting formalities when addressing royalty.
It was understandable, considering she was the beloved daughter of Duke Aidepen, growing up with such an attitude, but it made me feel a little irritated. Although she likely didn’t remember her past as a Korean, her behavior still grated on me.
However, at this moment, I had to go along with it.
I closed the door without saying a word, and without warning, Bali began to undress. Startled by the sudden action, I took a step back, but she spoke in an irritated tone.
