Chapter 5

After that, the abandoned chapel was almost never quiet again.

Someone wished for love—that same night, their crush was waiting outside the dorm with roses.

Someone wished for power—the next day, they skipped three levels on the blood arts exam.

Someone else's family had their exile order lifted. Someone beat an opponent in the dueling ring they'd never beaten before.

Every single wish came true without a flaw.

The more the blood ledger worked, the more certain everyone became that Seraphina had forgiven them.

And I became the only outsider who refused to accept that "forgiveness."

My locker was stuffed with dead rats. Someone was always ready to dump rotting blood on me.

They even tried to clamp a blood servant's iron collar around my neck.

I wasn't Seraphina. I wasn't going to take it in silence.

I fought back with everything I had. Every piece of evidence of their bullying—I kept it all.

But there were too many enemies.

They took turns attacking, then vouched for each other, insisting it was all just a joke.

In the end, Vivian and her crew dragged me into the abandoned chapel.

The blood ledger was still pulsing slowly on the altar, like a crimson eye.

Vivian crossed her arms and lifted her chin.

"You're the only one in the class who hasn't signed the blood ledger. You have to leave a blood print."

"Otherwise, this is proof you killed Seraphina."

I let out a cold laugh. "Why does the blood ledger only work on people in our class? Use your heads—if you have any."

"Naturally, because Seraphina only cared about us. Her classmates."

Nora cut me off, her voice icy. "Mira, did you kill Seraphina or not?"

I looked at her, and the last bit of warmth in my chest went out.

"Nora, you know I was helping Seraphina the whole time."

Nora turned her face away, like she couldn't bear to look at me, but she forced her voice cold. "That's just what you say."

Then she clenched her fingers tight and finally looked at me again.

"I know she killed herself the morning after she saw you."

"If your conscience is clear, then sign the blood ledger and prove it!"

The second the words left her mouth, everyone closed in.

They pinned me down, trying to force me to sign the blood ledger.

"Prove it with facts! Let's see if Seraphina grants her wish!"

"If it doesn't, that proves she's the killer!"

I struggled with everything I had, but I couldn't break free.

Vivian sliced my fingertip with a silver blade.

"We're all fine. How long are you going to keep up the act?"

Then she grabbed my hand and forced my fingertip down onto the ledger's core.

That was the part I could never figure out.

I refused to believe Seraphina would forgive them. I refused to believe she'd grant everyone's wishes after death.

The blood ledger seemed to be waiting for something.

Or maybe it was waiting for everyone who'd witnessed the bullying to sign it.

The thought sent a chill down my spine.

The night before Seraphina killed herself was still vivid in my mind.

She was curled under the altar, her clothes soaked in rotting blood, the stench thick around her.

The iron collar around her neck had rubbed her skin raw, countless small wounds splitting open.

The way the torn flesh curled outward.

When I unlocked the chains, she didn't cry.

She was calm.

"Mira, if your bloodline is low, are you just supposed to take it? Let anyone degrade you?"

I held her tight and said no. I told her I'd stay with her.

She patted my back. "Thank you, Mira."

The words drifted from her lips like ash.

"It's just that some things are already too late."

Back then, I didn't understand what she meant.

Now, they were surrounding me, repeating everything they'd once done to Seraphina.

My heart felt like it was being carved open, piece by piece.

Seraphina, back then—could you not even find room to breathe?

Only in this moment did I truly understand the despair she'd felt.

No one cared what Seraphina had endured while she was alive.

Like stepping on an ant while walking—the one walking never even notices.

They didn't need a reason to hurt her, because they believed they were always right.

"Stop struggling!"

Vivian's voice cut through my thoughts.

She yanked my hand and slammed it down.

My fingertip hit the blood ledger.

The blood ledger convulsed once, then went completely still. Even its constant pulsing stopped.

Gasps went up from the crowd.

"The blood ledger won't grant her wish!"

"Mira's the killer!"

I was about to fight back when a crack split the blood ledger open, and a gush of foul blood spilled out.

The blood hit the floor and formed two lines of bloody words.

[Everyone in the class has signed the blood ledger.]

[Now, please choose your method of repayment.]