Villain Ch 1357. Trapped Maiden [Part 1]

The air inside felt heavy, like it was pressing down on them. Every step they took echoed unnervingly in the cavernous space, amplifying their unease.

And then they saw her.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by a glowing magic formation, was the source of the voice. A girl. Or at least, it seemed like a girl. She lay weakly on the ground, her long black hair spilling around her face, which was hidden behind a delicate white veil. Her hands and feet were bound by chains that shimmered faintly in the dim light. She wore a plain white dress, simple and unadorned, but it only made her situation seem stranger.

There was no one else in the room. Just her. Alone.

The group froze in the doorway, their eyes darting between the girl and the magic symbols on the floor. A quiet tension settled over them as they exchanged uncertain glances.

Alice was the first to speak, her voice breaking the silence. “Well, at least she’s not moaning.”

“Hopefully not anymore,” Bella muttered, her tone laced with unease.

Jane stepped further into the room, her gaze sweeping the area. “But why? Why is she here? And why is this place… empty?”

Before anyone could respond, Zoe coughed, waving a hand in front of her face. “Okay, does anyone else smell that? There’s a weird fragrance in here. Like perfume or something.”

Shea sniffed the air, her nose wrinkling. “That’s not perfume. Perfume doesn’t smell like this.” She hesitated, then added, “It’s too… sweet. Almost sickly.”

Allen had started walking toward the girl but suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her. “Wait,” he said, holding up a hand. “She’s transparent.”

“Transparent?” Vivian asked, tilting her head. “You mean the dress? I don’t think—”

“No,” Larissa cut in, her voice sharp. She stepped closer, squinting as her gaze locked onto the girl. “Not the dress. Her body. Her whole body is… transparent.”

That made everyone stop. The group collectively leaned forward, their eyes narrowing as they studied the girl more closely. And yes, as they stared, they realized Larissa was right. The girl’s body wasn’t solid. It shimmered faintly, her outline blurred like a reflection in water. She was there, but not entirely.

Jane was the first to voice what they were all thinking. “So… she’s either a memory…”

“Or a ghost,” Shea finished, her voice low.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as the implications sank in. The glowing magic formations pulsed softly, the light reflecting off their faces as they stared at the girl.

Allen exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Whatever she is, we can’t just stand here. We need answers.”

“Answers from her?” Zoe asked, raising an eyebrow. “She looks like she can barely breathe, let alone explain anything.”

“Then we figure it out ourselves,” Allen said firmly. He took another cautious step forward, his gaze never leaving the girl.

As they approached, the fragrance Zoe had mentioned grew stronger. It was sweet, almost cloying, like a mix of roses and honey, but with an undercurrent of something metallic. It made Allen’s head feel fuzzy, like the edges of his thoughts were fraying.

“Do you think this smell is part of the magic?” Alice asked, her nose scrunching as she tried to identify it.

“Maybe,” Shea replied, her expression tense. “Or maybe it’s something else entirely.”

They stopped just short of the magic formation, hesitant to cross the glowing lines etched into the floor. Up close, the girl’s frailty was even more apparent. Her chest rose and fell shallowly, her hands twitching weakly against the chains. Despite her veil, they could see her lips moving, murmuring something too faint to hear.

“Is she… saying something?” Larissa asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Allen leaned forward, straining to catch her words. The girl’s voice was soft, broken, but he could just make out the faintest fragments. “Don’t… leave… help…”

“She’s asking for help,” Allen said, his brow furrowing. “But I don’t know if we should touch that formation. It might be a trap.”

“Or it might be what’s keeping her alive,” Bella pointed out, her tone cautious.

Jane crouched down near the edge of the formation, peering at the intricate symbols. “This magic is ancient,” she said, her usual humor replaced by genuine curiosity. “Whoever made this knew what they were doing.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Zoe muttered, crossing her arms.

“Nope,” Jane replied with a grin. “Just thought you’d like to know.”

Allen ignored them, his eyes fixed on the girl. Her veil shifted slightly as she turned her head, as though sensing their presence. The movement was slow, almost hesitant, but when her face tilted toward them, Allen felt a chill.

She wasn’t looking at him. She wasn’t looking at any of them. Her gaze—if it could be called that—was distant, unfocused, like she was staring through them rather than at them.

“What do we do?” Larissa asked, breaking the silence.

“Let me talk to her. We will decide what to do based on her response.” Allen hesitated, his mind racing. Every instinct screamed at him to be cautious, but there was something about the girl’s fragile state that tugged at him. If she was a memory, she couldn’t hurt them. If she was a ghost… Well, that was another story.

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice steady but firm. “Why are you here?”

The girl didn’t respond. Instead, she raised her head slightly, the veil shifting just enough to reveal a faint, sad smile. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Allen turned to Alice. “Is she muted by the formation?”

Alice stepped closer. “It’s possible,” she said, her tone thoughtful. “These formations are designed to suppress and bind. You know, classic mystery backstory.”

“Great,” Zoe muttered, crossing her arms. “So we’ve got a ghostly, mute girl chained to a creepy magic circle in the middle of a cursed house. Totally a normal day.”