My Three Beautiful Vampire Wives can hear my Inner Thoughts-Chapter 179: What do you want?

The sound did not fade.

It lingered.

It stretched across the broken silence he had forced into this world, and as Cain turned toward it, his breath slowed, not because he was calm, but because something inside him had tightened all at once, like a part of him had recognized something before his mind could catch up.

"...No..."

The word slipped out before he could stop it.

At first, all he saw was a shape.

A figure.

Standing in the distance, just beyond the torn mist that still drifted through the air after his attacks.

Still.

Unmoving.

Facing away from him.

A woman.

That alone would not have been enough to shake him.

But—

It was the details.

Short white hair that rested just above her shoulders, soft in appearance but carrying a weight that did not belong to something ordinary. Pale skin that almost seemed to glow against the darkness around her. A dress that clung to her figure in dark gothic layers, elegant and sharp, like something worn by someone who walked between beauty and danger without fear.

"...That’s..."

His voice lowered.

"...That’s not possible."

His heart did not race.

It didn’t need to.

The reaction came from somewhere deeper.

A recognition that did not ask for permission.

Ivira.

Even without seeing her face, he knew.

There was no hesitation in that thought.

No doubt.

No confusion.

"...Ivira."

He said her name quietly, as if saying it too loudly might break whatever this moment was.

The figure did not respond.

She stood there, still facing away from him, as if she had not heard him at all.

Cain took a step forward.

Then another.

His movements were slow at first, controlled, cautious, as if he was testing whether this would disappear if he moved too quickly.

"...Why are you here?"

No answer.

"...This place..."

His gaze hardened slightly.

"...It’s inside my mind, isn’t it?"

Still nothing.

The mist drifted slowly between them, but for the first time, it felt like it was hiding something rather than just existing.

Cain’s steps grew faster.

"...If this is some kind of trick..."

His voice lowered.

"...I’ll tear it apart."

He closed the distance.

Not rushing.

But no longer holding back.

And then—

She moved.

It was not sudden.

Not violent.

She simply tilted her head slightly, as if she had heard him all along, as if she had been waiting for him to get closer.

And then—

She smiled.

Not fully.

Not in a way he could see clearly.

But enough.

Enough for him to feel it.

A faint curve of her lips.

Seen from behind.

"...You..."

Before he could say anything more—

She stepped forward.

And then—

She dropped.

Not falling.

Not stumbling.

But diving.

Straight into the mist ahead of her, her body dissolving into it as if she had always belonged there, as if she had never been solid to begin with.

"...Wait."

Cain’s body moved instantly.

Without thinking.

Without questioning.

He followed.

"...Don’t run."

His voice carried through the mist as he pushed forward, his steps no longer careful, no longer measured.

"...Ivira."

The name left his mouth again, stronger this time.

More certain. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The mist swallowed him as he moved, closing around him, thick and heavy, trying to obscure his vision, trying to slow him down.

But he did not stop.

"...Why am I following?"

The thought came, but it did not slow him.

"...Because it’s her."

Another step.

"...Or something pretending to be her."

Another.

"...Either way, I need to know."

His eyes scanned the space ahead, trying to catch even a glimpse of her form again.

"...You can’t just appear like that and disappear."

His voice lowered slightly.

"...Not in front of me."

He moved faster.

The ground beneath him warped slightly, but he ignored it, focusing only on the direction she had gone.

"...Come on..."

The mist thickened.

Then thinned.

Then changed again, like it was trying to confuse him, trying to redirect him without actually moving him.

"...This place is interfering..."

His brows furrowed.

"...Trying to mislead me."

He pushed through it.

"...Not working."

And then—

He saw her again.

Just ahead.

The same figure.

The same white hair.

The same dress.

Walking calmly, as if she had not just disappeared moments ago.

"...There."

He sped up.

Closing the distance.

"...You’re not getting away again."

His hand lifted slightly, ready to grab her the moment he got close enough.

"...Let’s see what you really are."

Step.

Step.

Step—

He reached her.

His hand extended—

And touched—

Nothing.

Her body dissolved instantly, breaking apart into mist the moment he got close enough to reach her.

"...What?"

Cain stopped.

His hand remained extended for a moment longer before slowly lowering.

"...No contact..."

His gaze hardened.

"...Again."

He turned slightly, scanning the space around him.

"...Illusion?"

He raised his hand.

"...Let’s test that."

Blood mana gathered instantly, forming sharp, precise lines around him, circling outward in patterns designed to tear through false images and reveal what was real.

"...Illusion breaker."

The energy spread.

Cutting through the mist.

Searching.

Destroying anything that did not belong.

Nothing changed.

"...No reaction."

He narrowed his eyes.

"...Then it’s deeper."

Another spell.

Stronger.

More focused.

"...Mind layer purge."

The energy pushed further, reaching into the structure of the space itself, targeting anything that tried to hide within perception.

Still nothing.

"...You’re kidding me."

His jaw tightened.

"...This isn’t an illusion?"

He cast again.

"...Reality anchor."

The space around him stabilized slightly, grounding itself, forcing anything unreal to break under the pressure.

The mist wavered.

But it did not disappear.

"...Then what are you?"

He exhaled slowly.

"...You’re not fake..."

"...But you’re not real either."

Frustration crept in.

Not explosive.

But sharp.

"...Pick one."

He turned again.

"...Show yourself properly."

Silence.

Then—

A flicker.

Movement.

Ahead.

"...Again..."

He moved instantly.

Following.

"...Stop running."

His voice carried through the mist as he pushed forward once more, his pace faster now, more aggressive.

"...If you’re her, then face me."

The figure appeared again.

Always just ahead.

Always just out of reach.

Walking.

Not running.

As if she knew he would follow.

"...You’re leading me."

The thought came clearly.

"...Where?"

Another step.

"...What do you want?"

No answer.

But she did not stop.

Cain’s frustration grew with each failed attempt to reach her, each moment where she remained just far enough to avoid contact.

"...Enough of this."

He pushed harder.

Closing the gap.

Again.

Again.

Again—

Until—

He was right behind her.

Close enough to see every detail clearly.

The way her hair moved slightly despite the still air.

The way her dress flowed, dark against the mist.

The way her presence felt—

Familiar.

"...This is her."

Not just appearance.

Not just memory.

The feeling.

The presence.

"...Ivira."

His voice lowered.

"...Turn around."

For a moment—

She did not move.

Then—

Slowly—

Her head turned.

Not fully.

Just enough.

Enough for him to see part of her face.

Pale.

Beautiful.

Cold.

And—

Her expression—

Was not calm.

It was not gentle.

It was not the same as before.

Her eyes met his.

Sharp.

Filled with something that burned quietly beneath the surface.

Anger.

Clear.

Direct.

Undeniable.

"...What do you want?"

Her voice cut through the silence.

Cold.

Controlled.

And filled with something that made Cain pause.