About half an hour passed since the incident, and I stood rubbing my forehead, surveying the scene before me.

First, I checked the faces of the women seated in a row on my bed. Starting from the far left, I looked at the girl with brown hair streaked with gold—Wi Seol-ah.

I spoke to her first.

“What are you doing here?”

She flinched when I addressed her, her wide eyes reflecting her nervousness.

“Um, well…”

As she stammered, she glanced sideways at Namgung Bi-ah, who was sitting beside her, still groggy from sleep. Wi Seol-ah mumbled softly, “I followed her… …