Chapter 12: To Kill a Man

"So, what is this about your friend?" the Physician asked, his masculine voice seemingly coming from every direction at once.

Mira tried to study his face, but all she could see was darkness obscuring his features. Whoever stood before her had concealed his appearance so thoroughly that it was impossible to make out anything beyond his general silhouette.

"So you can go after them after killing me?" Mira responded with a question of her own.

The Physician fell silent for a moment before chuckling.

"You're a wise girl. What do you know?"

"I know you're not a physician," Mira answered straightforwardly. "And I also know that you're not a man."

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

The Physician burst into laughter, clear amusement written across his face.

"What a ridiculous claim! Has this girl gone blind?"

"Magic. You practise the Dark Arts, and magic of such a high tier is nothing more than child's play to you."

"The girl speaks with such confidence, yet she has no proof."

The Physician leaned closer, and as he did, his jawline became visible beneath the darkness. Silky white hair fell across his face, revealing more of his appearance. He looked unmistakably like a man, both in his features and in his manner of speaking, yet Mira continued to insist otherwise.

"Sylvia Denosste, the Night Witch."

The smile vanished from the Physician's face the moment he heard the name.

"Who are you?" he stammered, staring at Mira with a ghastly expression.

Mira didn't answer. She had no intention of revealing her identity to such a suspicious person, especially when she had only just managed to gain his attention.

Sylvia noticed her refusal to respond. With a snap of his fingers, the floating chair and table dropped to the floor, causing Mira to nearly fall from her seat. She quickly gripped the edge of the table to steady herself before looking up at him.

"What do you seek?" Sylvia asked, his expression turning serious.

His green eyes were now clearly visible, the white strands of hair doing little to conceal the intensity behind them. He could kill Mira with a mere snap of his fingers, yet he held back because he was uncertain whether she was the only person who knew his secret. Her earlier words had made it clear that she knew more than an ordinary visitor should, and he couldn't afford to act carelessly until he understood how much she actually knew.

Mira swallowed nervously.

'I had to say whatever I needed to say to get what I wanted. It was risky, but it paid off...'

She raised her head to meet Sylvia's gaze, finding him still seated in the air as though gravity had no authority over him.

"I want the spell that can change my appearance into that of a man. Nothing more."

Sylvia looked at her with evident amusement. He couldn't understand why a noble lady would want to change her appearance to that of a man, especially when most women in her position would do anything to preserve their status and beauty.

"There's no such spell that can do that," he replied.

"Don't feed me that nonsense, Lady Sylvia. You're living proof that such a thing is possible."

Mira refused to back down, keeping her gaze fixed on him despite the growing tension in the room.

"Don't call me a lady! I'm clearly a man!" Sylvia snarled, grinding his teeth as he remained suspended in the air.

His green eyes reflected Mira's image as she stared back at him, neither of them willing to look away.

"Seems like this conversation is over," Mira remarked.

She rose from the chair and turned towards the door, acting as though she had lost interest in their exchange. However, she hadn't taken more than two steps when Sylvia suddenly appeared directly in front of her, blocking her path.

"I could kill you this instant."

"But you won't," Mira replied calmly, meeting his gaze. "You're curious, aren't you? You want to know how I found out, who I'm working for, and who else knows about you. Because of that curiosity, you won't dare kill me before you get your answers."

She smirked, confident that she had touched upon the very thing keeping him from acting against her.

"I see you're not afraid of me, nor are you surprised by my magical abilities."

Sylvia clapped his hands as he walked closer, his black robes dragging behind him. His curiosity had grown beyond what he could easily ignore, and Mira's strange confidence only made him more determined to discover what she was hiding.

"As for what you're seeking..." he began, a knowing smile forming on his face. "I have it."

Mira's eyes brightened, but Sylvia wasn't finished.

"It's neither a spell nor an illusion. It's a magic potion, and if you want it, you'll have to pay an equal price."

"What price?" Mira asked, her excitement giving way to caution.

Sylvia leaned towards her and whispered into her ear.

"You'll have to kill a man to gain his appearance."

Mira's heart began to race at his words, and the excitement she had felt moments earlier quickly turned into unease.

"The head of the man is the final ingredient needed to complete the disguise potion," Sylvia continued, watching her reaction closely. "So tell me, girl..."

He paused, allowing the weight of his demand to settle between them.

"Can you kill a man?"