This… the effects are no joke.
Expensive things truly are different.
Impressed, I cut through the remaining iron chains and descended from the altar.
Thud.
“Ugh…”
I collapsed immediately.
‘I’m still feeling the effects of Roja’s…….’
Roja is a relatively benign poison that does not cause any harm to the body if you just smell its scent without drinking it.
However, if there is a problem.
‘The poison has a long-lasting effect.’
“Ugh… Livia… Livia…”
As I struggled to get up, Jeffrey stumbled towards me, wielding a nearby sword.
“Where… are you going…? We still have unfinished business.”
“You’re truly insane…”
“Livia!”
As he staggered closer, he swung the sword towards me.
I quickly raised my dagger to block the blow.
Clang!
As our weapons clashed, Jeffrey’s sword began to freeze solid.
But he paid no heed and continued to push relentlessly.
Seemingly intent on settling things before his sword broke.
Jeffrey was injured, and his grip on the sword was weakening due to the freezing effect.
Under normal circumstances, I might have had a chance.
‘I have no strength in my body at all.’
I can’t get any strength into my body because of that damn Roja.
“Livia… I’m truly disappointed in you. I thought you could become a great follower…”
“What nonsense are you spouting…!”
When did I ever want to be some kind of follower!
“Ugh…”
Jeffrey’s sword pushed closer and closer.
’What should I do?’
The Jeffrey in front of me had completely changed.
He was no longer the friendly professor I knew.
’If this continues, I’ll be done for.’
I’m struggling more and more.
Suddenly, I remembered the words of the woman in my dream.
[Divine power can be a curse or a weapon.]
I wonder why it came to mind at this time.
‘I don’t know if my powers are divine, but…….’
Blocking Jeffrey’s sword with one hand, I struggled to extend my other hand.
Due to his close proximity, Jeffrey’s forehead touched my hand.
’I’ve never used this ability like this before…’
I didn’t want to use it this way, and I wasn’t sure if it would work.
‘I honestly don’t know if it will work.’
He may be out of his mind, but he’s conscious.
I’ve never used this ability on someone who was clearly conscious before, other than Cardien.
I looked into Jeffrey’s crimson eyes.
’I was glad to see you again.’
Who knew it would come to this?
“Livi…….”
“Jeffrey Cuspert.”
I looked straight into his eyes and uttered with difficulty, “May you dream the worst nightmare possible.”
Sensing something amiss, Jeffrey’s eyes widened gradually.
The next moment, the light bursting from under my hand enveloped Jeffrey.
“What, what is this!”
Suddenly engulfed in light, Jeffrey staggered backward.
Then, he screamed in agony and writhed on the ground, foam forming at his mouth as he convulsed.
“No, no, no, aaaaahhhhh!”
His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell flat on the floor, biting down on his tongue and beginning to convulse.
“No…… no…….”
He collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth and convulsing.
’Is he hallucinating?’
Maybe he was dreaming with his eyes open.
‘During this moment…”
Taking advantage of Jeffrey’s disorientation, I struggled to get up to escape.
Thud!
“Argh!”
Jeffrey gripped my foot tightly.
“Save me… please… Oh, goddess… Please don’t abandon me…”
No matter how much I shook my leg, Jeffrey’s grip didn’t loosen.
I couldn’t escape like this.
What should I do?
Then, my gaze fell upon the fallen dagger on the ground.
If I could just reach that…
That was as far as my mind went.
Clang!
Suddenly, the sound of something being cut echoed.
“Aaaaaaah!!!”
Jeffrey screamed frantically,
Thud-
“…….”
Soon, he fell silent.
Then, a familiar voice spoke up.
“…Found you.”
Startled, I flinched before slowly turning around.
“Cardien…?”
Even in the darkness, Cardien exuded a serene presence with his silver hair and purple eyes.
He strode toward me, his blood-stained sword swinging at his side.
Pushing aside the blood-stained sword at an angle, he approached me.
‘Since when has he been here? ‘
Lost in a daze, I stared at him as he approached.
The look in his eyes was more sinister than ever.
Around his body, there were streaks of violet energy pulsating.
Dazed, I watched him, then glanced at the sword he held.
The frozen sword.
The one Jeffrey had been holding.
But…
Drip… Drip…
Droplets of blood fell from the tip of the sword, pooling on the ground and forming a small puddle.
I slowly followed the source of the gradually dripping blood on the ground.
At the end was Jeffrey, with his wrist severed and his heart pierced. Jeffrey was no longer breathing.
“Ugh…”
I curled up to suppress the rising nausea.
At that moment, a shadow loomed over me.
“…… Tutor.”
I flinched at the deep voice, then slowly looked up.
The moment I saw his face, I burst into tears.
I didn’t cry because I wanted to cry.
It was because I suddenly felt so relieved…….
I bit my lips tightly to prevent any sobs from escaping.
At that moment, Cardien slowly lowered his posture.
He lightly removed Jeffrey’s wrist, which was still holding my ankle, and tossed it against the wall. Then, he carefully grasped my shoulder.
Cardien carefully examined me up and down, then parted his lips cautiously.
“Are you injured?”
I shook my head.
There were scratches and bruises, but no serious injuries.
“Just…….”
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“I… I was poisoned.”
His expression froze instantly at my words.
“Poison?”
With just one word, an overwhelming sense of intimidation emanated from him.
Quickly, I added.
“Yes, Roja. It’s a strong sleeping and paralyzing poison, nothing too severe, but I’m still feeling a little weak from the poison.”
“Poison… Poison, you say. He used poison.”
He kept muttering ‘poison’ as if it was the only thing on his mind.
After a moment, he turned on his heel.
As he glanced back at me, Cardien spoke.
“Tutor.”
“Yes, what?”
“Cover your ears and close your eyes.”
“…….”
For some reason, I felt like I had to do what I was told, so I closed my eyes tightly and covered my ears.
However, the sound of something piercing through, like “thud, thud, thud,” faintly reached me, indicating that my ears weren’t entirely blocked.
I closed my eyes even tighter, thinking I knew what it was.
I wondered how much time had passed.
Sensing something, I cautiously opened my eyes slightly and saw Cardien’s blood-stained black shoes.
I slowly raised my head.
Amidst the blood-splattered face and clothes, Cardien was looking down at me.
His violet eyes felt so desolate that I couldn’t look away.
Gradually, he leaned his upper body towards me.
Startled by his sudden movement, I froze. As he noticed my hesitation, he paused.
In that moment of realization, almost involuntarily, I reached out towards him and pleaded.
“P-please, Your Grace, help me…”
After speaking, I felt embarrassed and tightly shut my eyes.
’But… I don’t want him to think I’m afraid.’
It just felt like the right thing to do.
Gradually, one of Cardien’s arms slid beneath my thighs, while the other wrapped around my back.
A typical princess-carry position.
As he lifted me, I was so startled that I instinctively hugged his neck tightly.
I felt like I might fall otherwise.
Given Cardien’s height, any fall here could result in serious injury.
He continued walking.
Crunch.
It seemed like he stepped on something, but I tried not to look down.
Suddenly, something caught my eye.
“Um, Your Grace, could you wait a moment?”
“……?”
There was a small desk with an old-looking diary on it at the corner of the narrow passage, prompting me to ask for it.
“Could you please grab that for me? And also, the pendant…”
In response to my request, Cardien looked at me incredulously before obediently moving in the direction I pointed.
As we approached the desk, I reached out and picked up the diary.
