Chapter 81
A dark mist seeped up from the cracks in the ground. Even though I covered my mouth with my palm to avoid inhaling it, my head was already spinning.
“!”
The next moment, the ground beneath me split open. I frantically ran, mingling with the other people.
‘Where did everyone go? I need to find them.’
I had involved a lot of people in this situation: Johan, Sylvie, Rapunzel, Hansel, and Gretel—all of them. I couldn’t abandon them and escape alone.
“Ugh!”
A man who had been running alongside me suddenly collapsed. Before I could reach out to help him, he vanished from my sight.
The sounds of people being dragged away by black hands and their screams pierced my ears.
“Wha…what is this…?”
I blinked dazedly without realizing it.
“Hey, snap out of it and run!”
At someone’s shout, I squeezed my eyes shut and ran. Screams poured in from all around me as the mist grew thicker.
“Haa…haah…”
I should have exercised more regularly. Just a short run left me completely out of breath.
As I lagged behind, something grabbed my ankle.
“!”
The rough pull made me tumble over. I struggled to shake it off, but to no avail.
“Argh!”
It was so forceful that I kept getting dragged closer. I flailed my arms, but no one came to my aid.
Of course not. Everyone was struggling just to save their own lives in this situation.
If this keeps up…
“Sena!”
Just as I was losing hope, a familiar voice called out. Then I heard a ripping sound, and my body was freed.
Johan rushed over and pulled me up.
“Johan…”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No, I’m okay…”
As I spoke, my strength drained away and I collapsed. The leg that had been grabbed was already bruising a dark purple.
“Sorry, I can’t put weight on my leg.”
“No need to apologize. But excuse me for this.”
Johan scooped me up with one arm, as easily as lifting a child. His other hand gripped a sword, making his stance unsteady.
‘He might drop me.’
Johan must have thought the same, as he requested.
“Could you put your arms around my neck?”
“Ah, yes!”
I looped my arms around his neck as instructed. Once I was stable, he swung his sword.
To avoid falling, I clung tightly to his neck, burying my face in his shoulder. His familiar musky scent somehow put me at ease.
“An unusual outfit for you today.”
“I’m a maid today.”
“If you don’t like being my bartender, how about being my maid?”
Johan said with a sly smile as he swung his sword, severing a long black hand that had reached for us.
“That’s…I don’t think being a maid suits me.”
“I thought so. How about something else at the Duke’s manor…?”
Our conversation was interrupted as more black hands attacked.
‘If not a bartender or maid, what else could I do for him?’
Johan deftly wielded his sword with just one arm.
Slash!
His sharp strike cut through the hand holding a man.
‘Ah, that’s the guy who was running beside me earlier!’
The man, narrowly saved, expressed profuse gratitude.
“Th-thank you! How can I ever repay this debt…”
“There’s no need. Just get to safety quickly.”
“Y-yes, yes!”
The man ran towards where the guards were. To buy him time to escape, Johan swung his sword.
In the meantime, the onslaught of black hands seemed to lose momentum, as if all their ferocity was being drained away.
“But what about Sylvie Unnie…?”
“You’re worried about that woman?”
“Yes! And Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel too…”
“There’s no need to worry. That woman is strong.”
“Strong?”
“Yes, look over there.”
I turned my head in the direction Johan indicated.
In the distance, Sylvie Unnie stood with her hands raised high, drawing the black mist into a bright light that gathered in her hands as if being absorbed.
“The long-haired woman and the little ones are under her protection.”
“As expected of Sylvie Unnie!”
“I’m a little hurt. I was the one who saved you.”
Johan’s words made me realize my mistake. He had come to rescue me when I was in danger, yet I was only looking for others.
“Of course, you’re amazing too, Johan. It felt like being rescued by a prince on a white horse!”
“A prince on a white horse?”
“It means you were incredibly cool. It’s a saying from where I come from.”
“I see.”
Johan gave a satisfied smile. Just as the mood had lightened, black hands surged at us from behind him.
“!”
Before I could warn him, Johan spun and cut through them without even looking back. The severed black hands fell apart without reaching us.
“Wow, you really have great reflexes…”
“If I’m to be your prince on a white horse, this much is necessary.”
Had the enemy realized they were outmatched? The black hands slowly retreated, and the mist that had blanketed the area dispersed.
Johan sheathed his sword after shaking it clean. Looking around, I saw guards moving the injured. Thankfully, the damage didn’t seem too severe.
Was this because Tatiana was a minor villain?
‘No.’
It was because Johan and Sylvie were unbelievably strong.
‘If those two weren’t here…’
This whole area would likely have been devastated by now. The ground completely split open, and everyone was dragged away by the black hands.
Just as the tension eased and I let my guard down, one black hand suddenly shot out from a distance, seizing the First Prince.
Witnessing this, Snow White’s face drained of color.
“Your Highness!”
The guards surrounded them, but the black hand, empowered by Tatiana’s last desperate effort, was formidable.
As the guards were struck down one by one, everyone gasped and froze.
“Wh-what do we do?”
“Too…strong…”
Even as Johan ran with all his might, he assessed the situation calmly. Then, he suddenly stopped and threw his sword.
The sword flew like an arrow and hit its mark.
“A hit!”
“…How troubling.”
No sooner had I sighed in relief than Johan let out a heavy sigh of his own.
Despite being half-severed, the black hand refused to release the First Prince, dragging him away.
“Your Highness, no!”
“I’ll be fine! Just run!”
The First Prince, gripped by the black hand, shouted towards Snow White.
His cry seemed to spur her into action.
“I can’t do that. How could I abandon the love I finally found!”
She snatched up a dropped sword and charged at the black hand.
Swish!
Her valiant strike completely severed the black hand. As the First Prince fell, Snow White caught him, tumbling backward.
“Did you just…save me?”
“Of course!”
“Then I suppose we saved each other.”
“Ah, we truly are destined for each other!”
Overcome with emotion, Snow White showered the First Prince with kisses. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I averted my gaze only to meet Johan’s eyes.
“It seems this really is the end now.”
“Yeah.”
The black hands had vanished, and the drained Tatiana collapsed, coughing up blood.
But…
‘Isn’t it time to put me down?’
I had already let go of his neck, but Johan still held me in his embrace.
Why? Was he too exhausted to move?
Well, he had been unexpectedly drawn into battle.
Johan should probably set me down soon and rest. How tired he must be right now.
I gently tapped his shoulder with my fingertips.
“Johan, I’m not too heavy for you?”
“…Ah, my apologies.”
Only then did Johan finally set me down on the ground.
Guards bound and dragged the screaming Tatiana away, her shrieks fading into the distance. As Johan said, it was truly over.
“Haah…..”
Though the situation escalated beyond expectations, the fake protagonist who usurped Sylvie’s role has retreated. Sylvie reclaimed her position as the true protagonist.
Just as everything seemed to return to normal, the sound of thunderous footsteps came from somewhere before someone barreled into the banquet hall.
‘Huh? That guy is…Cedric?’
Dusty and disheveled, Cedric rushed straight towards Sylvie.
“Sylvie!”
As Cedric tried to embrace her, Sylvie stepped back, leaving him grasping at empty air. Realizing his mistake, he blinked in confusion.
But only momentarily, as Cedric soon opened his mouth, voice trembling.
“I-I never imagined Tatiana was a fake saint. I must have been bewitched by that wicked thing. Sylvie, you’re the one I truly love. We promised to love each other forever, didn’t we…”
“Cedric.”
“Y-yes?”
Cedric stopped short as Sylvie interrupted him.
“Yes, we promised to love each other forever. I remember the day I first met you. You were begging for a coin in the slums.”
“T-That, we agreed not to bring that up…”
🥂
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