It wasn’t like I hated her from the very beginning. When she was first born, I felt more overjoyed than anyone at having a younger sibling. However, as time passed and she grew older, I came to realize that she was different from me.

The things I never had, the things I could never enjoy, and the things I could never accomplish—She possessed them so effortlessly as if they were her birthright.

Ah... no one could possibly understand. When my twisted bones and muscles trapped me in a suffocating wheelchair like a prison and I saw her with that bright smile, weaving a crown of flowers after running carefreely through the garden...

The humiliation that cut into me like a knife, the wretchedness that hollowed me out, that grotesque emotion crawling beneath the sun like an insect—How could something like that ever be reduced to mere words?

“I will become your Heavenly Demon.”

The day a single beam of starlight pierced through the darkness of my life, the moment I met the false Heavenly Demon who freed me from the true one who had devoured my mind—A hope I thought long buried began to take root in my heart once more.

I thought that perhaps, this time, I might finally claim the thing I had always longed for. That’s what I believed.

But. But. But...

“I love you, Mr. Oh-Jin.”

And yet, that very girl who had taken everything from me now shamelessly stood at his side, resting her head sweetly against his shoulder.

That wretched bitch.

Hadn’t she already stolen it all? Claimed everything for herself without leaving me a single scrap? The one ray of starlight I had clawed out from the darkness, the salvation I had prayed for with all my heart, and she dared to take that too?

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Why is it that you get everything? Why is it that only you’re allowed to have it all? We’re sisters. The same blood runs through our veins. Would it really be so wrong if I just had one thing that belongs to me?

“Cassia!”

Why is it that the more the ugly weeds of jealousy and hatred spread through my heart—

“Hehe. I love you the most, Cassia!”

The more vividly your smile, brighter than wildflowers, comes to mind.

Why? Why is it that I can’t...

***

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kwon Oh-Jin felt the sharp press of fangs against his neck and glared at Cassia with sunken eyes.

“What do you mean? Isn’t it obvious?” Cassia cocked her head with an innocent smile and shrugged playfully. Her long tongue flickered like a serpent’s as she whispered seductively, “Do you still not know who kidnapped Bella?”

Kwon Oh-Jin looked at Isabella, unconscious and suspended in midair. The black serpents, identical to the one that had crawled out from his own shadow, completely bound her.

“Why?” he asked instinctively without even realizing it.

Cassia had to have kidnapped Isabella for a reason. At least from his understanding, she wouldn’t just suddenly kidnap Isabella.

“Because Bella has everything I never had.” Cassia faintly smiled at Isabella, bound by the serpents. “She has a healthy body, remarkable talent, and our family’s approval... All the things I longed for, that girl was handed without raising a finger.”

Her delicate hand brushed Kwon Oh-Jin’s cheek.

“And one more thing.” The cold, scale-like sensation slid across his skin. “She has you too.”

A chilling gleam flashed in Cassia’s eyes.

“Greedy little thing, isn’t she? She already has everything, yet refuses to yield a single thing to me.”

“So, that’s why you kidnapped her?”

“Hehe. Do I need another reason?” Cassia shrugged with a sultry smile.

Kwon Oh-Jin narrowed his eyes and watched her in silence. That same feeling of unease struck him again. Everything tangled together and clawed through his mind, creating a sickening sensation.

“What exactly are you trying to do now?”

She had to have a purpose for abducting Isabella.

“Why, of course—”

“Don’t tell me you’re about to spout some nonsense like, ‘I’ll spare Isabella’s life if you come to me.’”

“Oh? Would that not work?”

“Do you even hear yourself?” Kwon Oh-Jin stared at her in disbelief.

No matter how unhinged she seemed, Cassia had to know such a ridiculous ploy would never work.

“What a shame.” She seemed calm and unbothered as if she knew how ridiculous that would be.

Cassia flicked out her long tongue. Just then, a shadow blade scraped dangerously across Kwon Oh-Jin’s neck.

“Kugh!”

If he had not twisted instinctively, his entire neck would’ve been torn off. Clutching at the blood from his wound, Kwon Oh-Jin glared at her.

Cassia licked his blood from the blade and grinned wickedly. “Then, if I can’t have you... I’ll just have to break you.”

Her emerald eyes glistened with madness.

Kwon Oh-Jin squinted and took a good look at her.

She’s not under the Heavenly Demon’s control.

He couldn’t feel the Black Heaven’s aura that marked the Heavenly Demon’s influence. Her eyes weren’t glazed, and her voice wasn’t wavering.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Cassia was in full control and willingly trying to kill him.

But why?

Fair enough, they never had the closest relationship. However, they also weren’t enemies who eagerly wanted to kill each other like this.

Step by step, Cassia leisurely approached Kwon Oh-Jin. “It’s Bella’s fault. She shines so brightly that it makes me feel like I’ll burn away.”

That girl was born with everything Cassia lacked. To her, Isabella was no less than the sun itself.

“I don’t want to think about it... but she forces me to over and over again.”

If Isabella was the blazing sun, then Cassia was the shadow beneath it. A place where wretched, crawling insects hid from the light.

Every time she saw Isabella, every time the sun exposed the shadows... She was forced to face just how ugly, how vile her jealousy and hunger truly were. No matter how much she tried not to think about it, the thoughts would come back.

Kwon Oh-Jin bit his lip as he watched her approach closer with fragile eyes as if she could shatter at any moment. He gripped his spear tight and drew upon his Stigma’s mana. Blue lightning flared all around him.

He coldly glared at Cassia. “You really think you can kill me in your current state?”

Normally, it would’ve been impossible to beat her even with the Black Heaven’s eleventh enlightenment, but he had confirmed earlier that she wasn’t in the best condition. She had serious internal injuries. It wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed, coughing out blood at any moment.

“My, I thought I hid it well. How did you know?”

“Is that really important right now?”

“Hehe. Fair enough.” Cassia nodded lightly and raised her hand toward him.

From the shadows, a black serpent shot toward him.

Ssshhk!

With a light turn, he whipped his spear up and deflected the serpent aside.

Crash!

The spear, blazing with blue lightning, split the serpent cleanly in two.

“But I wouldn’t be so confident if I were you.” Cassia sneered and snapped her fingers. “Even in this state, handling someone like you, Lord Oh-Jin, is hardly a challenge.”

Here they come.

Sssshhhhhhh!

From the depths of Cassia’s shadow, hundreds of black serpents slithered forth and charged all at once toward him. They were fast, but individually weak.

Kwon Oh-Jin took a deep breath. His Stigma of Lyra flared brilliantly as an immense amount of mana coursed through him. After he condensed the lightning flaring around the tip of his spear, he gripped the shaft with both hands and swung it in a sweeping arc.

Craccckle!

The fan-shaped wave of lightning tore through the swarm, burning the serpents to ashes in a single strike. They exploded into fragments and rained lifelessly onto the floor.

They’re definitely weak.

Compared to their battle at the amusement park, he could feel how much Cassia had weakened. The serpents weren’t too fast nor too powerful to withstand.

“My, you’ve grown stronger again already?” Cassia’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she gazed at him. “Well, I suppose devouring Enceladus would do that.”

“Cassia...” Kwon Oh-Jin slowly lowered his spear and shook his head. “Let’s stop.”

“Stop?”

“Yes. Let’s stop this meaningless fight.”

Even if they shed blood here and fought to the death, who could possibly find happiness in the outcome?

“Meaningless, huh...” Cassia laughed and nodded. “You’re right. This fight won’t leave either one of us happy.”

No matter who won, only loss awaited them. No one would laugh, and no one would win. It was a foolish, senseless battle.

“But then again...” Cassia trailed off.

Wasn’t this the perfect end for a wretched desire hiding in the shadows within her?

“Just imagining it is delightful, don’t you think?” she asked.

“What is?”

“Well, imagine... Just imagine.” She twirled lightly as if dancing and spread her arms wide, humming a tune. “When Bella opens her eyes... and finds Lord Oh-Jin’s corpse lying before her... Just imagining her face is so delightful, isn't it? ”

Her mad laughter filled the abandoned building.

Kwon Oh-Jin bit his lip hard and raised his spear once more at Cassia. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, but one truth stood clear.

This isn’t something that we can just talk out.

He would have to subdue Cassia first. Only then could he begin to uncover why she suddenly resorted to such madness.

She said it was because of her inferiority complex toward Isabella, but...

Could a mere inferiority complex really drive her to such extremes? Especially at such a random time?

“Judging by your eyes, you think there’s another reason I’m doing this, don’t you?” Cassia cocked her head knowingly and flicked out her long, snake-like tongue. “Unfortunately, there isn’t, Lord Oh-Jin.”

The shadow beneath her feet exploded out, spreading wide and engulfing the building.