Chapter 68: Gift-Wrapped Cruelty

An odd compulsion drew Zayn toward the tome, as though the universe were screaming at him to grasp it.

Still, he struggled to lift even a finger. His entire existence felt as if it had been turned inside out; his body was almost completely numb, and his mind was little more than a passenger trapped inside a broken vessel.

Not even that.

He could barely form thoughts about anything except ’Grab the book titled Graveyard of Sins.’

After nearly half a minute, sensation gradually returned to his body, followed by the rest of his senses. Fighting the urge to rest, he forced himself to move. More difficult still, he forced his eyes away from the cryptic tome, resisting its gnawing pull.

Coughing, he pushed himself onto his knees and shuffled over to Jade. Shakily, he checked her pulse and breathing.

’Thank...’

Zayn blanked on who to thank, because it sure as hell wasn’t the gods.

Nonetheless, he was grateful she was alive, though he had some very choice words for the awful man who had devised this vile, twisted prank.

With Jade’s condition stable, Zayn smiled and crawled over to the tome.

For a moment, he thought it might be the same one from the vision, but this tome bore an actual title instead of cryptic hieroglyphs.

Tentatively, he gave in to the universe’s pull and touched the cover.

A choir of dread-consumed women sang discordantly in his mind.

[You have acquired Lesser Relic: Adsagsona’s Diary]

’Lesser...?’

Zayn hadn’t expected the book left by the faux-librarian to be a Relic, but now that he knew what it was...

’I would have expected something better. Stingy much.’

Moreover, he sensed no inherent ability within it as he had with [Flame Spitter].

A moment later, Zayn sat back and studied the book before willing it away. Slowly, the leather cover unraveled, the bindings came apart, and the pages dissolved into mist.

He could sense that he could summon it again, but for now, he left it stored safely...

’Wherever it is stored.’

He didn’t exactly know where that was.

Sighing, he looked at the other object left behind by the man in the suit: the playing card.

While his scholarly mind begged him to study the tome — to uncover its function and origin — that would have to wait.

Glancing over at Jade, he wanted to help her up and get them both out of there, which he’d do immediately after examining the playing card.

Still, he had learned something valuable from the Relic’s name alone.

’Adsagsona was a person.’

Scooting over, Zayn grasped the edge of the golden playing card, slid it toward him, and flipped it over. As he stared at the blank face, a quiet boy’s voice whispered in his mind:

[You have acquired Mythic Relic: Twist of Fate]

Zayn’s eyes widened as information about the Relic’s ability poured into his head.

"Appreciate the gift, huh?"

It wasn’t enough to make him forgive that bastard, but neither was it something he’d be foolish enough to scorn. Even so, its ability was quite odd.

At first glance, it didn’t seem worthy of the Mythic rank — the fourth highest of the eight known ranks — but the knowledge filling his mind left him instinctively certain that nothing ordinary could influence the ’branches of fate.’

Not that he knew exactly what those branches were.

All he knew was that this Relic was anything but normal.

Beside him, Jade let out a weird groan, followed by a light yawn as she stretched on the floor.

’I’ll go over the Relics later.’

Dismissing [Twist of Fate], Zayn pushed himself up, shuffled over, and crouched next to Jade.

Slowly, the green-haired girl opened her eyes, her expression oddly blank. Then, realization crossed her face, and she sprang up, nearly headbutting Zayn.

Frantically, she turned toward him and signed:

«What happened?!»

Zayn’s eyes widened slightly.

’Does she... not remember?’

It seemed he might have been the only one caught in the illusion.

’At least you had some courtesy, bastard.’

Having experienced his own chest bursting open like a split piñata full of bloody candy, Zayn was immensely relieved that Jade apparently remembered none of it.

A genuine smile of relief spread across his face.

«This place is weird. We both passed out after entering.»

Glancing around the seemingly endless space, Zayn considered exploring further, but he had no desire to discover what other illusions or horrors hid within its corridors.

Jade jolted and let out a weird sound before pushing herself upright.

"Ah..."

Zayn laughed lightly at her reaction, then added:

«This place is kind of scary. I have changed my mind about exploring.»

After adjusting her shirt and combing her fingers through her hair, Jade dusted off her pants while avoiding Zayn’s gaze.

«Okay.»

It seemed she felt embarrassed not only about passing out but also about Zayn seeing her unconscious.

Pointing toward the exit, Zayn let Jade leave first, then followed her out.

The moment they stepped back onto the cobbled streets, Zayn’s eyes flew wide.

Restoring her smile, Jade signed to the woman standing in front of her:

«Hello, Amaya.»

The tan beauty waved.

"Hello..." Her eyes drifted to Zayn. "Why do you look as if you’ve seen a ghost?"

Thinking back on the otherworldly experience, Zayn shuddered.

"I think I might have."

Amaya, however, appeared to mistake his reaction for one caused by seeing her alone.

"Oh, come on. That’s a little rude. This is a mere coincidence. I didn’t mean to interrupt your date."

Zayn’s face hardened.

"That’s a bit too crude a joke after everything that’s happened today."

Amaya chuckled.

"Oh, really...? Says the one who caused everything. I’m surprised you really went through with it. Killing him, and all."

Zayn stilled. His face grew pale. His eyes darted between Jade and Amaya, then swept across the thankfully empty street.

Amaya’s eyes narrowed, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"I see... So you really did."

Zayn’s face twisted further in consternation.

Amaya laughed lightly, as if everything was normal.

"Oh? Don’t worry, I’m speaking Spanish. She can’t read my lips!"