Chapter 420: Swap
She paused, her fingers tightening slightly.
"It didn’t fall to the ground either... because it detected the target."
Her voice dropped to a near whisper. "And the target... was Tracy herself."
A heavy silence followed.
Lana took a deep breath, her thoughts rapidly connecting piece after piece. By the time she exhaled, her expression had turned completely grim.
The next morning...soft sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a pale glow across the room.
Tracy slowly opened her eyes. For a brief moment, everything felt normal.
Then panic surged within her. ’The thugs...!’
Her body tensed, and she was about to sit up in alarm when...she saw Lana.
Sitting quietly beside her bed.
The girl’s posture was slightly slouched, her breathing slow and steady, faint dark circles visible under her eyes.
Tracy froze. Her panic... began to fade. In its place came something else. Guilt.
’She stayed here... all night...?’
Her gaze softened as she looked at Lana. ’She’s so young... younger than me... and yet she’s been taking care of me like this...’
She remembered the rules. No student was obligated to come out at night.
No one was required to respond to emergencies past a certain hour.
And yet... Lana had come without hesitation. She hadn’t complained. Not even once.
A tight feeling formed in Tracy’s chest.
Quietly, she got up, careful not to wake Lana, and went to prepare some food.
A little while later, Lana felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.
Her eyes fluttered open, her vision slightly hazy before it cleared.
Tracy stood in front of her, her expression filled with guilt.
Lana blinked once, then smiled softly, her voice still laced with sleep, "How are you feeling now?"
Tracy immediately nodded, returning the smile, though her voice was quieter, "I feel better..."
She hesitated, then lowered her head slightly. "I’m sorry..."
Lana let out a small chuckle, waving her hand dismissively. "There’s no need to apologize."
Tracy brought forward a bowl of warm porridge, the gentle aroma of rice filling the air. "I made this for you..."
Lana’s smile deepened. "Thank you."
She paused for a moment before adding lightly, "But first, I’d like to brush my teeth."
Tracy quickly nodded and handed her a clean toothbrush and toothpaste.
After freshening up, Lana returned and sat down, picking up the bowl.
She ate without any complaint, her expression calm and content.
Watching her, Tracy felt her chest warm. "You’re really a kind person..."
Lana chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not really. I’m just... slightly better than the average person."
Tracy couldn’t help but smile at that.
After breakfast, Lana set the bowl aside and looked at Tracy, her expression turning serious.
"I’ve already found the root of the problem but I need to ask for few question before I confirm it."
Tracy’s eyes lit up instantly. ’She found it...!’
"Of course," Tracy said quickly, sitting up straighter. "Ask anything you need."
Lana nodded. "My first question... what is your birthday?"
Tracy frowned slightly at the unexpected question but answered anyway.
Then Lana asked more, about her luck since childhood, about unusual changes, about patterns.
Tracy answered everything honestly, her voice steady.
Finally, Lana asked her last question, her gaze sharp, "That relative you helped... did she have a bad past?"
Tracy fell silent. Then she nodded slowly. "Yes... she did."
Her voice softened as memories resurfaced.
"She had abusive parents... and was eventually abandoned in an orphanage."
A faint sadness passed through her eyes. "I used to visit her often... bring her food..."
She paused, then smiled faintly.
"But one day, everything changed. Her luck turned around completely. She was adopted into a good family... married well... and became the wife of a very rich man."
There was a hint of admiration in her tone. "She now lives in the inner part of Xila City."
Lana remained silent for a moment.
Then she looked at Tracy and asked quietly, "Were you never... jealous of her?"
Tracy gave a small, self-aware smile.
"It would be a lie if I said I never felt envy," she admitted. "But hate? Never."
Her voice grew firmer. "She’s always been good to me. She brings me gifts every time she visits."
Lana didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she took out her phone and typed something, her fingers moving swiftly.
After a few moments, she stopped. She closed her eyes briefly... then reached into her sleeve and took out a cleansing talisman.
Her expression had completely changed. Serious. Focused.
The next second, Lana flicked her wrist.
The talisman rose into the air as if lifted by an invisible hand, hovering for a brief, suspended moment before it suddenly burst into a blinding light.
Tracy instinctively shut her eyes, her heart skipping a beat.
When she slowly opened them again, blinking away the brightness, she found that everything looked... the same.
The same room. The same furniture.
But...something was different.
The air no longer felt as cold and oppressive as before. She looked at Lana, her brows knitting together in confusion.
"What... just happened?"
Lana didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she lowered her gaze to her phone, her fingers scrolling as if she was waiting for something.
A few seconds passed.
Then...she stopped.
Taking a slow, deep breath, she lifted her head and looked directly at Tracy, her gaze unusually dazed before turning serious.
"What I’m about to tell you... might come as a shock," she said quietly. "So try to stay calm... and don’t get angry."
The words landed heavily.
Tracy felt a strange unease settle in her stomach, like a stone dropping into still water. ’Why does this feel... so serious...?’
Lana continued, her tone steady but firm, "The reason you’ve been experiencing all this... is because of black magic."
Tracy’s body stiffened instantly. A faint tremor ran through her fingers.
She had heard of such things before, whispers of white magic that healed and protected, and black magic that twisted, consumed, and destroyed.
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Lana didn’t stop.