The dark figure let out a "meow" before leaping off Zephyr's body. A second later, Zephyr collapsed, unconscious.
So, he had been possessed. I knew there was no way a little kid could have that kind of voice, those expressions, or such sinister cunning.
The shadow—now clearly feline in shape—dashed toward Nova the moment it left Zephyr. But I didn't give it the chance. My sword flashed down.
It was half a second too slow.
The blade sliced clean through it. A piercing, inhuman shriek tore through the air as the shadow split apart—then dissolved into a puddle of black liquid, seeping into the floor.
"What the hell was that?" I stood, Copper Coin Sword now leveled at Nova.
If Zephyr had been possessed, then Nova must be, too. She was wearing human skin—or maybe she'd taken it off and reverted.
"That was my beloved cat," Nova hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "The Emperor buried it with me. It stayed by my side for over a thousand years—and you killed it! I'll tear you apart!"
She flung her arms wide. A gale of chilling wind erupted around her, sending her hair and clothes billowing upward. Dark veins crawled across her face like living shadows.
The force of the wind forced me back, my heels skidding until I slammed against the wall.
What the hell is she? Not human, not ghost, not demon—just a hollow shell of skin. Could something like this even be called evil?
As I steadied myself—whoosh—Nova vanished.
Then I felt it: clammy breath on the back of my neck.
I spun, sword raised—but too late. Nova's hand clamped around my throat, lifting me off the ground.
Her grip was inhumanly strong, reinforced by that visible black wind—now slicing into my flesh like razor blades.
Choking, I couldn't even struggle. My limbs grew heavy, my vision spotting.
Just as darkness crept in—Nova froze.
"What? No—impossible! That girl can't break free! This body is MINE!" Her voice fractured, as if arguing with herself. Her limbs jerked violently, muscles spasming.
I didn't wait. Wrenching free, I swung the Copper Coin Sword in a silver arc.
Instead of blood, the blade left a crack in Nova's skin. Black smoke geysered from the split, thick and acrid, stinging my eyes.
Nova screeched, her face contorting—
Then the real horror began.
A few seconds later, the human skin suddenly peeled away on its own, floating in midair. Even more bizarrely, it lunged toward me—as if trying to possess my body.
I took half a step back and slashed with my sword. When the Copper Coin Sword struck the skin, sparks flew. A few more strikes, and the skin split open, thick black smoke pouring from the gashes.
"Ah—!" The skin shrieked before stumbling toward the door.
I wasn't about to let it escape. With a sharp throw, the Copper Coin Sword pierced through it, pinning it to the door with a sickening thunk.
The skin thrashed wildly, but it was useless—the sword held it fast. Unless someone removed the blade, it wasn't going anywhere.
Just then, my vision darkened. The drug on the knife had only been delayed, not neutralized. Now, the effects surged back with a vengeance. My legs gave out, and I collapsed.
When I woke, it was night. Stein, Antonio, and the little foxes crowded around me. I lay on a large, soft bed.
"Little Boss, you're awake?" Stein rushed over.
I nodded, then immediately asked: "Where's the skin? It didn't get away, did it?"
At that moment, Nova entered with Zephyr. I instinctively recoiled. These two—who knew what they really were? Both had been controlled by something. Especially Zephyr. Hadn't that cat spirit possessed him?
"You don't need to be afraid. We're... normal now," Nova said.
I studied her. She seemed fine—but if she were wearing another's skin, how would we know? We barely knew the real Nova.
Then I looked at Zephyr.
He stood there, drooling, a foot-long string of saliva dangling from his chin. His grin was vacant, mindless.
"What's going on?" I demanded. "Zephyr seems... stupid now."
Nova sighed. "From what I remember... Zephyr was born with the cat spirit already inside him. When it left, his mind shattered. Now, he's just... like this."
"You remember?" I frowned. "Then explain. Because I'm still confused. Some of Zephyr's stories were lies—he was never possessed by a ghost. He made it all up to deceive us."
Nova nodded. "The truth is... that coffin the grave robbers carried? It didn't hold a corpse. It held beautiful skin ."
The deed was true - Nova's family had indeed been safeguarding it. Everything else Zephyr said was also true, except for one crucial detail. It wasn't that Nova's grandfather had offended what was in the coffin, but rather that the human skin itself was so evil it would attach itself to each successive head of the Nova family as a way to control the household, including Nova herself.
During her possession by the human skin, Nova had no memories of these events. Many details about the coffin had faded into obscurity, which was why she was only remembering them now.
That beautiful skin was so malicious it had controlled four dead grave robbers to transport it. It specifically chose the Nova family and attempted to dominate them completely.
But the Nova family wasn't foolish. Gradually, the men began uncovering the truth. Just as they were about to destroy the human skin, family members started dying violent deaths one after another. Like the grave robbers before them, only Zephyr survived.
His survival wasn't due to good fortune, but because the beauty skin's pet cat spirit had long since taken over his body.
As for why Nova family women were becoming increasingly disinterested in marriage, this was because the human skin had cast an evil spell. It didn't want any Nova women to marry out of the family.
If someone married out, there was a risk the secret might be revealed. The human skin couldn't risk someone with a grudge learning of its existence.
Nova had not only recovered her original memories but also retained some of the beauty skin's memories, which was how she knew so many details.
I asked Nova if she remembered where this beauty skin had originally come from.
Nova closed her eyes and concentrated deeply. Suddenly her body trembled violently, as if some horrific image had surfaced in her mind. "What's wrong?" I asked urgently.
Pale-faced, Nova replied: "This skin... it seems to have belonged to a noble consort in the imperial palace. She lost the harem power struggle, and the others... they flayed her alive."