The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 62

Gabby sat in the very first row of the audience with a displeased expression on his face.

It was a spot where the stage was clearly visible.

Why is Gabby here…?

Judging by how visibly uncomfortable he looked, it seemed he wasn’t a fan of plays.

And to top it off, Kayden was sitting right next to him. Unlike Gabby, Kayden’s expression was as peaceful as ever.

Gabby must have sensed my gaze because he suddenly turned his head in my direction.

I quickly ducked out of sight. He stared in my direction for a moment before turning his head back, suggesting he hadn’t noticed me hiding backstage.

The curtain temporarily fell on the stage to prepare for Act 2 of the play. Thanks to that, Gabby was completely out of my sight.

Distracted by Gabby, I hadn’t noticed that Becky had been trying to say something to me for quite a while.

It was only when Becky’s voice started to quiver with emotion that I remembered her presence.

“…I’ll be a great actress someday, too.”

Looking down, I was startled.

Since when had the fluffball become so deflated and soggy, as if soaked in water?

Do children’s emotions change this quickly? I’ve rarely interacted with children, so I know next to nothing about them.

That made the situation all the more perplexing.

Becky was on the verge of tears.

“The dwarf role doesn’t have any lines, unlike the sparrow or the squirrel roles… So, does that mean it’s not an important role?”

Hold on. Even the sparrow and squirrel have lines, but the dwarfs don’t? Then why is the play titled The Princess and the Nine Dwarfs?

Though I inwardly questioned the absurdity of this play, the more pressing matter was the soggy fluffball in front of me.

At this rate, the fluffball might dissolve into nothing.

“Wait a minute. The dwarf role is important. Because—”

Why is it important?

I couldn’t think of a clear reason, but I hastily came up with something to stop the fluffball from crying.

“Because it’s in the title.”

Upon saying it aloud, it actually sounded like a valid reason, so I elaborated further.

“The title is the most important part of a play. Fluffball, the dwarfs are mentioned in the title. You have a very significant role.”

“…Really?”

Apparently, my words had gotten through to her. The tears welling in Becky’s eyes stopped growing.

Thank goodness.

But Becky still looked a bit gloomy, which bothered me.

“Bella!”

Just then, someone called my name. It was Belial, who had just come down from the stage.

Belial looked around before spotting me and walking over.

“Bella! How was my performance?”

“…Eek!”

When Belial approached, Becky jumped in fright and quickly hid behind me. Peeking out from behind my back, she stole nervous glances at Belial.

“Fluffball. Aren’t you going to say hello?”

“Hello…”

After some encouragement from me, Becky finally greeted Belial.

“This fluffball’s name is Becky. She’s… a fan of yours. She says she wants to become an actress like you.”

“Oh, really?”

Belial gestured for Becky to come closer. Hesitant at first, Becky eventually took Belial’s outstretched hand.

Belial led Becky to a corner, and the two had a brief conversation before returning to where I stood.

Unlike before, Becky now wore a bright expression.

[What did you do?]

I used magic to communicate directly with Belial.

[Just some advice. I overheard your earlier conversation on stage.] 

As a demon with heightened senses due to magic, Belial had evidently listened in on our exchange.

Judging by Becky’s expression, it seemed the advice had been good.

Belial almost looked like a decent demon…

But before I could finish my thought, Belial spoke to me through magic again.

[You have such a soft spot for children. If I want our youngest to love me, maybe I should turn into a child next time—]

[Pathetic, Belial.]

Hmm. I should revoke my earlier evaluation.

Belial will always be Belial, no matter what.

***

The Act 2 of the play began.

And there I was, biting my lip in frustration at the situation.

‘Gabby noticed.’

Glancing at the audience, I spotted Gabby, his jaw dropped in shock as if his chin might fall off.

The dwarfs were essentially just background decorations on stage. All we had to do was briefly appear, walk in a circle, and leave.

I had hoped that if luck was on my side, Gabby wouldn’t notice. Clearly, I was wrong.

I looked at Becky, who was walking ahead of me.

Her head barely reached my chest, so I had to look down quite a bit to see her.

Of course. With this height difference, even as a dwarf without a single line, I’d stand out.

“Walk a little faster,” I urged Becky as we hurried off the stage.

A quick glance at the audience showed Gabby was no longer in his seat.

I needed to start thinking about how I’d explain this to Gabby later.

***

The play reached its climax.

“…Father, why did you call me here?”

Belial, in the role of the princess, addressed the actor playing the king.

This scene depicted the king summoning the princess to an abandoned temple.

Having already read the script thoroughly, I knew exactly what would happen next.

‘The king plans to use the princess as a sacrifice to break the curse on the princess’s biological mother.’

I scoffed. The plot still irritated me.

Logically speaking, what mother would want to awaken from a curse at the cost of her child’s life?

At that moment—

My steps quickened. Zachary was calling me.

There were so many things I wanted to say to him—my true feelings, for one. I didn’t want to claim his soul.

When I finally reached the destination, I hesitated.

A crumbling building. An eerie atmosphere. Why had Zachary summoned me to such a place?

But all my questions melted away the moment I saw Zachary.

“Zachary!”

I ran toward him.

As always, Zachary greeted me with a calm smile, watching as I approached.

I asked him, “Zachary, why did you call me here?”

“…Lady Bella. At this very moment—”

What? Something felt off. But when I blinked, as if dismissing it as my imagination, Zachary appeared normal again.

“I called you here to discuss something important about our future, Lady Bella.”

I blinked.

Just now… what was that?

‘Was that my memory?’

The vision that unfolded before me was undoubtedly an event from the past. The day Zachary betrayed me.

But something was wrong.

‘Did Zachary ever make that expression?’

A peculiar, unnatural look. A foreign emotion in his eyes.

It was unmistakably fear.

Meanwhile, the actors continued their passionate performances on stage.

“I’m sorry.”

The king uttered those words before subduing the princess, intending to place her on the altar as a sacrifice.

“Father!”

The princess’s anguished cries echoed from the stage.

Hearing her scream triggered another vision before my eyes.

“How could you…”

I barely managed to wet my parched lips and spoke to Zachary.

My whole body felt as heavy as if it were chained. The divine power piercing my skin made the blood flowing through my veins feel like molten fire.

This happened because I trusted humans—because I trusted Zachary.

What hurt even more was that I still couldn’t let go of that trust. Even now, if Zachary were to release me… I felt I could forgive him…

But Zachary said nothing. He simply looked down at me, lying on the temple floor. His eyes betrayed no emotion.

“Why?”

I asked him. The Zachary I knew wasn’t someone who would take another’s life just to save his own. That made the situation all the more unbelievable.

“This is the only way to save your mother. To transfer the curse placed on her to you. Only you, with a soul so similar to hers, can do it.”

The king began explaining to the princess, justifying his actions.

Blinking again, the stage vanished, and yet another vision unfolded.

Emotion returned to Zachary’s eyes.

Slowly, he spoke to me, “Your death will restore everything… She can be saved.”

What?

I grew increasingly puzzled by Zachary’s cryptic words, which sounded like an indecipherable code from beginning to end.

“…I’m sorry, Isabella.”

The word “Isabella” elicited a reaction from me.

Zachary never called me Isabella. Neither did most people who knew me.

At that moment, I remembered one person who used to call me Isabella.

“…Gabriel.”

Zachary—no, Gabriel—confirmed my suspicion with silence.

Finally, I understood the source of my unease.

The man before me was not Zachary. Though he wore Zachary’s body, the one inside was someone else entirely.