Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 71
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13. The Villain is Half (10)
Don’t drink it.
Edelaine’s body temperature as she grabbed the wrist holding the teacup was hot. No, was it cold?
Edelaine slowly collapsed. Her pale face seemed to have a faint smile, creating such an illusion.
Edwin thought this was a dream. Otherwise, this couldn’t be happening.
He had only wanted to have a cup of tea alone with her.
No, that wasn’t it.
Edelaine drank the tea and collapsed. This wasn’t a dream but reality. Edwin reached out belatedly, but Edelaine’s body had already crumpled to the floor.
“Edel, Edelaine!”
“Hng…”
It was a small groan.
But that was the end of it. Edwin lifted the collapsed Edelaine with trembling hands. Her slender frame was ridiculously light.
Just looking at her bloodless complexion and pale lips, he could tell Edelaine was in critical condition from poison, but his thoughts had stopped and he couldn’t move. Even his brilliant mind was useless.
Edwin could only see Edelaine, limp and unconscious.
He had to call someone.
“Move!”
The person who suddenly burst in and pushed Edwin aside was Lloyd.
Lloyd placed his hands under Edelaine’s nose and on her nape, bit his lip, then pulled out a small medicine bottle from his pocket.
“Damn it, she’ll have to swallow it all…”
Lloyd muttered fiercely to someone who had already lost consciousness and couldn’t respond. He pried open her mouth with his fingers and poured the contents down her throat as if shoving the bottle deep inside, then shouted at the stunned Edwin.
“Go call the Saint or a healer right now, you crazy bastard!”
“…Ah.”
“This is only first aid! If you have time to space out, move, you son of a bitch!”
Edwin finally came to his senses at the excited shout and ran out the door.
Harrison outside the door looked flustered. Edwin screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Harrison, a healer! Bring a healer!”
Harrison quickly came to his senses and ran off, answering “Yes!”
“Master, stay conscious! If you die, damn it, if you die I won’t forgive you…”
The hand supporting her limp neck trembled violently.
Lloyd gritted his teeth. Edelaine was still breathing. The finger he placed under her nose felt faint breathing, and the pulse at her nape was still alive.
But she’s too pale.
Lloyd breathed frantically.
There’s no color at all. In just a few seconds, a person…
People die so easily.
Lloyd knew well how fragile human beings were.
A human life could be easily lost even by the schemes of a child not yet ten years old.
He had first learned how to kill people easily and quickly, and was paid for it. Until Edelaine picked him up, he had lived without ever imagining he could fear watching a human life fade away.
Who would have thought a bloodless complexion could be so terrifying.
“Get up, get up…”
The voice leaking through his ragged breathing was unfamiliar. He was trembling. Lloyd tried desperately to recall Edelaine’s voice. She was someone who seemed unkillable, someone who stubbornly endured, so she would miraculously get up. So.
“If it seems like I’ve been poisoned, make me take this.”
“Did you ask me to prepare this for you to take, Master?”
“Yes. Just in case.”
“Why this particular medicine?”
“Just a feeling?”
“…”
“Don’t ask, just keep it with you.”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to keep it if you’re going to take it, Master?”
“No, you need to have it.”
“…”
“You’ll always be by my side, won’t you.”
And then she smiled like a fool, with a completely relaxed face.
Of course he would be by her side. That was Lloyd’s life.
But if Edelaine were to die here, Lloyd’s life would be over too. Lloyd had never been more desperate. Please open your eyes, please, someone save this person.
“Edelaine!”
“You, you crazy bastard. Why are you only coming now…”
Lloyd shouted in anguish.
Shane came running to the collapsed Edelaine, breathing terribly hard. His eyes trembled as he slipped his hand under her nape that Lloyd was supporting and lifted her up.
“Lloyd.”
“Hey, I gave her the medicine, I gave it to her. I gave it to her.”
“What medicine?”
“Master said, if she’s poisoned, to give it to her.”
Shane cupped Edelaine’s face with both hands. Damn it, she’s cold. Why is she so cold? Her faint breathing and pulse seemed about to stop at any moment.
“Where’s the healer!”
“I called one. They’ll be here soon.”
Edwin answered.
Shane clenched his molars tight. Foolish bastard, stupid bastard. Why did he think it was okay to leave Edelaine’s side even for a moment? He had resolved never to leave her side.
Again, I wasn’t by your side when you were in danger.
“You can’t die in front of me again, Edelaine…”
No, Edelaine.
Then I’ll die too, this time.
I don’t need a life where you never come back, not for me. It has no meaning.
The few seconds of waiting for the healer felt as long as eternity.
“Uh, unh…”
The fingers that had been limp on the ground twitched. Edwin, who was kneeling beside Shane, grabbed her fingertips. It was faint but she had definitely moved on her own.
Shane and Lloyd didn’t miss that small movement either.
Her chest, which had seemed to stop for a moment, heaved greatly. At the same time, Edelaine took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide.
“Gasp, huk! Cough, cough!”
Edelaine curled up her body and coughed roughly, her shoulders shaking. Shane pulled her head into his arms to steady her, while Lloyd and Edwin each took one of her hands.
“Cough, ha, I really thought I was going to die…”
After shaking for a while, Edelaine let out a hollow laugh and muttered. Finally her airways cleared and she felt like she could live. How terrifying it was to have her senses fade away – if she hadn’t experienced it countless times in dreams, she wouldn’t have been able to endure the fear.
Her voice was absurdly calm.
Edelaine discovered the three men staring at her blankly and opened her eyes wide.
Then she noticed the black blood that had stained her nape and the medicine bottle that had fallen to the ground, and understood the situation.
“You weren’t too late, Lloyd.”
“…”
“See, it was better that you had it, huk.”
Edelaine gasped. It was because Shane had grabbed her head with both hands.
Shane looked at Edelaine without blinking his blue eyes even once.
Edelaine noticed that the area around Shane’s eyes was wet.
“You were scared, Shane.”
“…”
“…Don’t cry…”
Blinking eyelids and green eyes full of life. Still no color in her face but sweat-dampened skin and returning warmth, moving lips – Shane bit his lip after confirming each one.
Edelaine raised her arm and pulled his head into an embrace.
“I’m not going anywhere…”
“Unh.”
“…did…”
Shane brought his lips to where Edelaine’s pulse was beating.
Only when he felt the pounding pulse against his skin did it finally feel real.
Hot breath touched her nape, and Edelaine gently stroked his hair with her fingers in a soothing manner.
She didn’t know when Shane had arrived here, but she could tell he had been quite shocked. He wasn’t the only one who was shocked.
Edwin had collapsed with his legs giving out, and Lloyd was also biting his lips. They were all drenched in cold sweat. Edelaine met Edwin’s eyes and took Lloyd’s hand.
Lloyd’s hand was cold. Normally, he would have shaken her off immediately rather than let her hold his hand, but he left Edelaine alone as if to calm his trembling hand.
“Sorry for startling you.”
“What did you do wrong?”
Edwin said irritably.
“I mean, for startling you…”
“How did you know?”
Lloyd spoke up.
Edelaine looked at him. Lloyd said through gritted teeth.
“Who knew that someone would try to poison my lady?”
“Huh?”
“How else could you have prepared the antidote in advance!”
“…”
“And the exact right medicine, how.”
“Lloyd.”
“If this medicine hadn’t existed, if I hadn’t been by your side, by now!”
You would have died, never again, you wouldn’t have been able to get up again…
Everyone present knew the words Lloyd couldn’t bring himself to say.
Shane, who had been holding Edelaine, pulled her away and created distance.
Edelaine held her breath. She didn’t dare face Shane’s expression.
He had pleaded with her. Not to do dangerous things.
Though being poisoned wasn’t something Edelaine had brought upon herself.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
The low voice was more gentle than ever.
Edelaine couldn’t say anything.
She hadn’t exactly known, but she couldn’t say she didn’t know either.
The antidote she had prepared was what Lloyd in her dream had given her.
Instead of looking at Shane’s face, she looked at Edwin. Edwin shook his head with a stubbornly hardened expression.
Lloyd wouldn’t even meet her eyes, seemingly angry.
And Shane.
“You knew, Edelaine.”
Her heart sank with a thud.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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