"Are you heading back?"

"Mm. The bed’s too small for two. I’ll just return to my own room."

The woman stood bare at the bedside, smiling at Yihan. Her body glowed faintly in the night, like moonlight spilling through the window.

Her face held a constant, enchanting smile. Her voice, tender and sweet, betrayed her excellent mood after their encounter.

"It’s late. You should sleep too. Don’t you have work tomorrow?"

She brushed damp strands of hair from her cheek, her skin slick with sweat.

"Yes. I work at a bakery."

"That’s nice. Easier than selling matches, at least. No one chases you off or yells at you." She sighed wistfully, picking up her discarded robe. After slipping it on, she leaned down, kissed his lips softly, and retreated toward the door.

Only when the wooden door clicked shut did exhaustion crash over Yihan. His mind grew heavy, craving nothing but to collapse into sleep.

Tonight’s Lia felt utterly unfamiliar.

Could five years truly change a person beyond recognition? What had she endured? What shifted inside her?

And why had he so easily accepted her? Did he think this intimacy would let him face her past without hesitation?

Besides—she was still wanted by the Papal State. Would they ever let her go? Was he really considering fleeing with her to some remote corner, living under false names?

He closed his eyes, letting memories drag him back to that frigid, forgotten town five years ago.

The moment the door closed, every trace of warmth vanished from Lia’s face. She stared at her pale toes, her hand clenched tight at her thigh.

She wiped her fingers, watching the moisture glisten. A silent smile touched her lips. *So this is the feeling. Not unpleasant. In fact… I like it.*

But to keep this life, she’d need to swat away those pesky flies first. Back in her room, she dressed slowly, then pushed open the front door.

Rain poured down in sheets, swallowing her instantly. Mist rose from the ground. The world fell eerily silent—yet she sensed them clearly.

Lia strode through the garden, facing the endless grassland. A dangerously sweet smile curled her lips. "You’ve been hiding long enough. Show yourselves."

One shadow. Two. Three… Figures emerged from the downpour, distorted by rain. Dozens of hostile eyes locked onto the woman standing unflinching in the storm. Cloaked figures materialized across the field, silent and watchful.

Carola stood among them, directly before Lia. Rain soaked through her cloak, clinging to her frame. The Witch Hunter’s expression was grim, hands hidden behind her back, ready to strike.

Lia’s gaze fixed on her too, amused. "Ah. You’re here too… I remember you. You caused me quite a bit of trouble back then."

"It was the only choice. Otherwise, I’d have killed you." Carola’s voice was ice. Old enemies faced each other—the Crimson Flame Witch and the woman who’d sealed her away. No one knew what madness Lia might unleash. To prepare for the worst, Witch Hunters from miles around had rallied to support "Deep Blue" Carola.

Lia nodded, neither surprised nor angered. "So this little gathering… are you here to kill me?"

"Depends on your actions." Carola’s eyes never left her.

To everyone’s shock, Lia laughed—a bright, dazzling sound.

"What if I told you I’ve found the person I was searching for? That I only want a quiet life now? Would you let me go?"

Carola exchanged glances with the others, baffled.

*Surrender?* After burning cities across the north, shattering royal armies, causing chaos just to find one man… and now she wanted peace?

If true, it was ideal. Witches were hard enough to fight—but the Crimson Flame Witch, now in perfect control of her power, was especially dangerous. Defeating her would cost lives. Peace was preferable.

But was this a trick? A ploy to lower their guard before she struck?

Carola played along, coldly. "Do you think it’s that simple? Look at the destruction you’ve caused. The homes burned. The innocent people hurt. Was their suffering worth it?"

"I never killed anyone," Lia purred, her smile bewitching. "I controlled my power well. But some fools kept blocking my path. If you hadn’t chased me, harassed me, I wouldn’t have crossed so many cities. Wouldn’t have burned those streets. Don’t you agree?"

Carola’s blood boiled at the audacity.

Lia’s smile didn’t waver—but her eyes darkened. Her hair began to glow. The markings on her skin flared bright.

Heat rippled outward from her. Raindrops evaporated on contact. Steam rose thickly from the ground, blurring the world.

Every Witch Hunter tensed. Carola spread her fingers. A freezing gale erupted from her, turning falling rain into a storm of ice shards.

Just as battle seemed inevitable, Lia’s energy abruptly receded. The eagerness vanished from her face, replaced by weariness that left her opponents confused.

"Enough. I’m tired of fighting." She glanced back toward the house, her eyes softening. "He’s sleeping soundly inside. I’d hate to wake him… He’d only scold me."

*Him?* Carola froze. *Yihan?* Though she’d suspected it, a sharp ache pierced her chest.

*Hah. So it really is him.* But how had this ordinary man tangled himself with such a dangerous Witch? He didn’t even recognize her.

Seeing Lia emerge disheveled from his room… their relationship was obvious.

Carola forced a bitter smile, pushing down the turmoil.

*None of my business. He only looks like him. He’ll never be that man.*

If this man could keep the Crimson Flame Witch docile, living quietly… that was enough. The Papal State could be appeased. Witches were threats only when their power ran wild. If Lia truly sought peace, everyone won.

The standoff dissolved peacefully. Satisfied, Lia turned and walked away. The Witch Hunters melted into the rain, vanishing without a sound.

Only Carola and a small, cloaked figure remained.

"What’s wrong?" Deep Blue asked the girl. Though powerless in combat, she possessed a rare gift—she could hear the hidden truths beneath words.

The girl finally looked away, her voice trembling. "Be careful, ma’am. That Witch… she was lying."

"Which part?" Carola’s heart lurched.

"Nearly all of it."