Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 174
Genevieve, panicking, was starting to hyperventilate.
“Yes, yes. That’s right.”
“What’s right, you crazy woman…?”
“I forgot that you’re her weakness.”
The sorcerer’s lips twisted into a sly smile.
“Yes, it would be wonderful if you could become my sword.”
In the dream, the sorcerer chose to manipulate others to cause harm, even in situations where she could wield a sword herself. She went out of her way to inflict the deepest pain, even when it was more cumbersome.
That was likely her true nature.
Her nature to find people’s weaknesses and revel in breaking their spirits.
“My girl doesn’t have any weaknesses…”
“Who do you mean by your girl? Are you talking about the Saintess?”
The sorcerer’s mocking laughter pierced her ears sharply. Who cares if I’ve claimed my female lead as mine…?
“Lady Adeline, close your eyes!”
She squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head. Even if she didn’t understand the reason, it was enough that Genevieve was telling her to do it—it must be for a good reason.
But it was hard to close her eyes with an attacker right in front of her. And then she heard Genevieve’s scream.
“Ugh, ahhh!”
“Genevieve!”
“I’m fine! But don’t open your eyes! If you do, you’ll be doing exactly what she wants—ugh!”
‘Fine, my foot!’
Adeline heard a muffled groan through Genevieve’s gritted teeth. It seemed she’d been struck hard while resisting.
Adeline tried to hold on. But when a pointed heel drove into her side, where she’d already been kicked, she couldn’t hold back a scream. She was more worried that her scream would make Genevieve suffer than about the pain itself.
She managed to keep her eyes shut, but her head was yanked back, forcing her gaze upward, and sharp fingernails pried her eyelids open.
The woman’s soft voice whispered,
“Too late.”
*
The world blurred.
She felt herself falling backward, as if in slow motion.
The woman’s confident smile, the sudden silence, and the sight of Genevieve’s anguished face.
Was this what it felt like for your soul to leave your body?
Adeline lost her senses one by one.
First her sense of smell and hearing, then her vision…
But beyond simply losing them, it felt as if her senses were slipping away, becoming detached.
It was reminiscent of death.
‘Am I afraid of dying?’
Adeline had feared death all her life. Ironically, that fear had forced her to confront countless near-death experiences, which taught her a lot.
Her stubborn determination not to die easily and her mental strength were things she prided herself on. In fact, she was so familiar with this sensation that it almost felt natural.
And it was precisely because of that familiarity that she knew this wasn’t real.
Real death was far more horrifying.
Far more bleak and cold.
Just before she lost all her senses, Adeline bit down hard on her tongue.
She couldn’t sever her own tongue, but the pain snapped her mind back into focus, restoring her stolen senses.
Though it felt like a long time had passed, it all actually happened in the instant she met the sorcerer’s gaze and started to fall backward.
Adeline reached out, grabbed the sorcerer by the collar, and kicked her hard in the stomach.
With a groan, the woman fell backward. Adeline shot up, spitting out the blood pooling in her mouth. The pain was intense enough to bring tears to her eyes. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, bitter and nauseating.
“How dare you try to control me, you brat.”
“Ugh… How…?”
“Do you think I haven’t died a few times?”
This was the resilience life had taught her, damn it…
Though she’d kicked hard, it wasn’t enough to keep the sorcerer down for long. She was likely reeling from the backlash of her failed curse. If Adeline wanted to kill her, this was the only chance.
This is self-defense.
With chilling composure, Adeline grabbed the sorcerer’s hair and slammed her head into the floor.
A loud thud echoed.
There seemed to be a scream.
“Let… let go!”
I can’t kill her with bare hands. Her breathing was ragged, her body burning hot, but part of her mind was oddly calm, as if a part of her hearing was muffled.
“—Lady Adeline, behind! Behind you!”
