Chapter 26
Tinkle— tinkle—
From beyond the fog-laden haze, the sound of a bell echoed.
Sticky and clinging, like coagulated blood, the sound coiled around her feet and dragged her down.
It felt like she was about to be swallowed by that sound, like a frog sinking into a bog.
Her hands and feet bound tight, unable to move, Ilhwa seized hold of it.
In that moment, she woke.
“Ha... haa...”
A cool breeze drifted in through the open window. Soft hues of sunset blanketed the room, loosening her gaze with a dreamlike haze.
She looked down at her hand, damp with something wet.
Blood was seeping from her small palm.
...Damn it.
Ilhwa glanced at the shattered vase at her feet. And then came the sound of hurried footsteps rushing toward her.