Chapter four
1212 Words
Afterward, the villagers invited one Daoist priest after another to perform rites, but nothing improved.
The commotion grew louder by the day, until it began disturbing even Ayue's sleep at night.
So at last, she lifted the curse herself.
—Whoever picks a fight with Ayue is always the one who ends up cursed.
The man stood holding a large bowl brimming with blood, an ominous smile on his face.
He meant to take his revenge.
Blood for warding off misfortune was meant to be splashed across a doorway.
But the man wasn't aiming for the door. He was aiming at Ayue.
In that instant, Ayue hooked her toe against the iron chain tangled around his ankle.
The chain rolled hard, and the ground gave way beneath him.
He fell backward, and the bowl flew from his hands.
The impact of his back slamming into the earth sent the whole bowl of dog's blood cascading down, drenching his face without mercy.
Ayue made no effort to hide her amusement, a smile curling at her lips.
"Seems like you're the one carrying more bad luck around here. At least the blood wasn't wasted."
"Y-you wretch...!"
The man wiped furiously at the blood clinging to his face, his cheeks burning red with rage.
Ayue said nothing, standing with one brow faintly raised, tilting her head as she looked down at him.
Naked provocation glinted in her eyes.
"Y-y-you...!"
He could only point a trembling finger at her, unable to form a single coherent word.
Ayue smiled gently and leaned in close, whispering.
"Just between us—that thing that possessed you as a child? That was me too."
For all the softness in her voice, the words were cold enough to freeze the spine.
After that incident, all the possessed children had accused Ayue, insisting to their families that she was the one responsible.
But how could a girl not yet ten possess such power?
No one believed them, and eventually the rumor died out on its own.
Except for this man.
That incident had left a scar on his face that never healed, robbing him of the good looks he'd once been so proud of.
Since then, he had never once approached Ayue again.
He feared what disaster it might bring.
And now, hearing the truth confirmed from her own mouth, the terror of his childhood swelled tenfold.
His whole body began to shake violently.
"I—I knew it... you really are a monster..."
Even his voice trembled.
(If only everyone feared me the way this man does. It would make things so much easier.)
Ayue thought to herself.
—Gooooong.
A bell tolled from the mountaintop.
Ayue quietly turned her gaze toward the sound.
The ritual was about to begin.
—Well then. Time for an entertaining show.
The smile at her lips deepened, slowly.
Watching her expression, the man felt a chill crawl across his scalp.
(She's insane... this woman is truly out of her mind.)
Just then, a young girl entered the room.
She carried a garment in both hands.
"H-here... your wedding dress. Please... change into it..."
Timidly finishing her words, the girl set the garment down before Ayue and backed away as if fleeing.
—She was afraid.
Ayue knew hardly any of the faces here in the stronghold.
But there was something familiar about the girl's eyes.
"What's your relationship to Elder An?"
Elder An—the stronghold's elder.
Ever since learning his true nature, Ayue had privately taken to calling him the "old fox" in her mind.
"...He's my grandfather," the girl answered quietly.
The moment he heard this, the man who had been silent until now cried out in alarm.
"Ain! Don't talk to her! Th-that woman is a monster!"
Ain glanced at Ayue only once.
Perhaps the words around her had crossed her mind.
She drew a small breath, then said,
"...Don't forget to change," and left it at that, turning on her heel and walking out of the room.
The man scrambled to his feet as well, hurrying after her.
"Ain—what a beautiful name."
Ayue's gaze shifted to the garment that had been delivered. A vivid crimson. It was, unmistakably, a wedding dress.
Now, the only restraint left on her body was the shackle on one ankle—no longer enough to hinder her movements. She picked up the garment and made her way to the small adjoining room.
She slipped off her outer robe and was reaching to slide her arm into the spread wedding dress when—
"You're really planning to follow them to the altar? You said yourself you'd die."
At the sudden voice, Ayue's shoulders jolted. She hastily pulled the nearby garment to her chest and spun around.
"...Aluo? You're still here?"
As always, he'd appeared without a trace of presence.
"You could escape, so why on earth would you go along with some ritual..."
Aluo said, anxiety bleeding into his voice, his eyes drifting to the red wedding dress spread across the table.
"That dress—it doesn't suit you. I hate it."
An unmistakable discontent seeped into his tone.
"I have my own reasons."
Ayue had no intention of explaining further.
"I made you a promise, didn't I? So I intend to keep it."
"But—"
As he tried to continue, Aluo's gaze, against his own will, was drawn to the smooth white skin now exposed.
Her bared collarbone.
Across that delicate skin, several red marks remained.
Marks that were excessive, painful, piercing to look at.
The instant he realized what he'd just seen, heat rushed straight up to the tips of his ears.
Aluo quickly averted his eyes, turning away awkwardly.
—The scene from last night rose, unbidden, in his mind.
(Was I really so out of my senses last night...?)
Aluo caught his breath without meaning to.
Noticing his gaze, Ayue hurriedly gathered the garment at her chest and shot him a sharp glare.
"Get out. I need to change."
"I—I..."
Aluo squeezed his eyes shut and turned his back on the spot.
"I won't look. I won't turn around until you're done changing."
The rustle of fabric drifted from deeper in the room.
Aluo waited quietly for a while, but eventually grew restless and spoke up.
"...Are you done yet?"
"Not yet. Wait a little longer."
"Okay."
He nodded obediently and kept waiting.
Then, all at once, the sound stopped.
Only silence filled the room.
Aluo asked again.
"...Are you done?"
No answer came.
An uneasy feeling crept into his chest.
Aluo spun around at once.
What met his eyes was—a closed door.
"...!"
Ayue had stepped outside and shut the door, sealing him inside the room.
"Ayue!"
Aluo pounded on the door in alarm.
"Open it!"
But what answered him was a voice through the door—quiet, and utterly unshaken.
"Just wait there quietly. The door will open once the ritual is over."
The room fell into total stillness.
No reply came.
Taking his silence as consent, Ayue turned to leave.
Just then—
Through the gap in the door, a stifled voice reached her.
"...Sister."
A beat passed, and then a faintly trembling voice continued.
"You're not... lying to me, are you?"
- Writer
