A scream came from the end of the hallway. It was in the direction of the parlor.
‘No way…!’
I gasped and ran to it. As my heart started racing, I wondered frantically if Theodore had truly killed Adeline.
‘No, if House Alvinith becomes hostile to House Valentino over this…’
No, the bigger problem was that Theodore might be put on trial for murder. Then, House Valentino will be shaken to its roots. Theodore was the only direct descendant who could make a contract with an elemental spirit.
To prove that the murder was justified, it must be found out that Adeline was the one who has placed a curse on me. But it wouldn’t be easy to prove. It’s unlikely that someone as meticulous as Adeline would have left any trace of the curse.
‘That’s why I was thinking of driving Adeline crazy with Somnia’s power instead…’
I couldn’t believe that Theodore would do such a hasty thing… I really hadn’t even dreamt of it.
No one else, Theodore Valentino… trying to commit murder to save me?
Wasn’t Adeline his childhood friend? I thought Theodore liked her quite a bit…
Even though the feelings he had for her weren’t that of passion between a man and a woman, and even though Theodore was a little bothered by Adeline, he wasn’t repulsed by her.
…So he was trying to kill Adeline just to save me? I couldn’t believe it. Maybe it was my ignorance. However, I could hear screams coming from the parlor…
“Ugh…”
“Madam!”
As I approached the parlor door, I stumbled and nearly collapsed, but Charlotte quickly helped me. I paused to catch my breath. I was short of breath and dizzy. It was a given since I came all the way here not long after recovering from being poisoned.
“…It’s okay, Charlotte.”
“Madam…”
After gathering myself a bit, I grabbed the doorknob while comforting Charlotte, who looked worried.
It was then.
“KYAAAAHH!!”
Another shrill scream came from beyond the door. Reflexively moving, I hurriedly opened the door.
Upon entering, the thick, metallic smell of blood hit me.
“…….”
Before long, I was taken aback by the sight that came into my view.
Theodore, who had driven Adeline into the wall, was wielding his sword frantically at her. The sword entwined with Seraphim’s blue flames.
“Aaahhk! Argh! Huuhk, huu-uuhgh…!”
Adeline was covered in blood and scars here and there. She cried out in hoarseness and shed tears.
In Theodore’s eyes glaring at her… was no sanity left. Instead, a terrifyingly ferocious madness shone in his eyes.
“It, it hurts, ah— huuhk…”
Adeline, who was crying and groaning, stopped when she saw me. Her eyes soon opened wide.
“L-Lily…”
As Adeline stammered to call my name, Theodore stopped at that moment and turned around. It was only now that he had noticed my presence… It was unusual. All I could see was that he had really lost his mind.
‘…Come to think of it, he looks much more emaciated and exhausted than usual.’
His complexion was pale, it was dark under his eyes, like someone who hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. His piercing eyes were full of poison and anger, making him look like a demon resurrected from hell.
I stared at him breathlessly… This is Theodore Valentino. No one will believe it.
“L-Lily…!”
At that time, Adeline crawled towards me. With her face and everything crumpled, she prostrated herself in front of me and begged earnestly.
“Lily, save me. N, no, please save me, please. I will definitely break the curse I put on you…!”
“…….”
It seems that Adeline lost her mind as well. However, she was seized with extreme fear that she couldn’t distinguish anything. It was not enough that she had confessed her sins with her own mouth, she even cried and begged me, who she hated so much.
I looked down at Adeline and opened her mouth.
“You look terrible, Adeline .”
“……!”
“It must be very painful for a lady who grew up as the family’s precious child to go through such a terrible thing.”
“…Th-That’s right, I’m so scared, please help me. I was wrong… please…”
Adeline reached out her hand subtly, and tried to grab my dress. I stepped behind her and shook her hand. Adeline traced the air with her fingertips and gave her a dazed expression.
Seeing her like this… pleased me.
I laughed at her and turned my back on her. And I looked at Theodore, who was standing in front of her.
“…….”
He was staring at me blankly with his sword down. He, too, was covered in blood. But it wasn’t his blood—it was Adeline’s. Theodore blinked slowly. His eyes, which had been shrouded in ghastly madness, seemed to slowly return to its sanity. Suddenly dazzling blue flames enveloped his whole body.
“…… !”
Surprised, I flinched a little and looked at him. After a while, the flame dissipated, revealing his clean appearance… The bloodstains were wiped away with the flames.
Theodore said hesitantly, unable to approach me.
“…I’m sorry for showing you such a terrible sight.”
“…….”
I couldn’t answer and just kept my mouth shut. It doesn’t matter that he was covered in blood… Anyway, now was the time to calm him down. Approaching him cautiously, I quietly spoke.
“It’s not a good choice to kill Adeline like this.”
“…So you’re saying that she shouldn’t be killed? This is the woman who tried to hurt you twice. She deserves to die. First of all, I have to kill that woman to save your life.”
“No, I don’t mean it like that…”
A scream came from the end of the hallway. It was in the direction of the parlor.
‘No way…!’
I gasped and ran to it. As my heart started racing, I wondered frantically if Theodore had truly killed Adeline.
‘No, if House Alvinith becomes hostile to House Valentino over this…’
No, the bigger problem was that Theodore might be put on trial for murder. Then, House Valentino will be shaken to its roots. Theodore was the only direct descendant who could make a contract with an elemental spirit.
To prove that the murder was justified, it must be found out that Adeline was the one who has placed a curse on me. But it wouldn’t be easy to prove. It’s unlikely that someone as meticulous as Adeline would have left any trace of the curse.
‘That’s why I was thinking of driving Adeline crazy with Somnia’s power instead…’
I couldn’t believe that Theodore would do such a hasty thing… I really hadn’t even dreamt of it.
No one else, Theodore Valentino… trying to commit murder to save me?
Wasn’t Adeline his childhood friend? I thought Theodore liked her quite a bit…
Even though the feelings he had for her weren’t that of passion between a man and a woman, and even though Theodore was a little bothered by Adeline, he wasn’t repulsed by her.
…So he was trying to kill Adeline just to save me? I couldn’t believe it. Maybe it was my ignorance. However, I could hear screams coming from the parlor…
“Ugh…”
“Madam!”
As I approached the parlor door, I stumbled and nearly collapsed, but Charlotte quickly helped me. I paused to catch my breath. I was short of breath and dizzy. It was a given since I came all the way here not long after recovering from being poisoned.
“…It’s okay, Charlotte.”
“Madam…”
After gathering myself a bit, I grabbed the doorknob while comforting Charlotte, who looked worried.
It was then.
“KYAAAAHH!!”
Another shrill scream came from beyond the door. Reflexively moving, I hurriedly opened the door.
Upon entering, the thick, metallic smell of blood hit me.
“…….”
Before long, I was taken aback by the sight that came into my view.
Theodore, who had driven Adeline into the wall, was wielding his sword frantically at her. The sword entwined with Seraphim’s blue flames.
“Aaahhk! Argh! Huuhk, huu-uuhgh…!”
Adeline was covered in blood and scars here and there. She cried out in hoarseness and shed tears.
In Theodore’s eyes glaring at her… was no sanity left. Instead, a terrifyingly ferocious madness shone in his eyes.
“It, it hurts, ah— huuhk…”
Adeline, who was crying and groaning, stopped when she saw me. Her eyes soon opened wide.
“L-Lily…”
As Adeline stammered to call my name, Theodore stopped at that moment and turned around. It was only now that he had noticed my presence… It was unusual. All I could see was that he had really lost his mind.
‘…Come to think of it, he looks much more emaciated and exhausted than usual.’
His complexion was pale, it was dark under his eyes, like someone who hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. His piercing eyes were full of poison and anger, making him look like a demon resurrected from hell.
I stared at him breathlessly… This is Theodore Valentino. No one will believe it.
“L-Lily…!”
At that time, Adeline crawled towards me. With her face and everything crumpled, she prostrated herself in front of me and begged earnestly.
“Lily, save me. N, no, please save me, please. I will definitely break the curse I put on you…!”
“…….”
It seems that Adeline lost her mind as well. However, she was seized with extreme fear that she couldn’t distinguish anything. It was not enough that she had confessed her sins with her own mouth, she even cried and begged me, who she hated so much.
I looked down at Adeline and opened her mouth.
“You look terrible, Adeline .”
“……!”
“It must be very painful for a lady who grew up as the family’s precious child to go through such a terrible thing.”
“…Th-That’s right, I’m so scared, please help me. I was wrong… please…”
Adeline reached out her hand subtly, and tried to grab my dress. I stepped behind her and shook her hand. Adeline traced the air with her fingertips and gave her a dazed expression.
Seeing her like this… pleased me.
I laughed at her and turned my back on her. And I looked at Theodore, who was standing in front of her.
“…….”
He was staring at me blankly with his sword down. He, too, was covered in blood. But it wasn’t his blood—it was Adeline’s. Theodore blinked slowly. His eyes, which had been shrouded in ghastly madness, seemed to slowly return to its sanity. Suddenly dazzling blue flames enveloped his whole body.
“…… !”
Surprised, I flinched a little and looked at him. After a while, the flame dissipated, revealing his clean appearance… The bloodstains were wiped away with the flames.
Theodore said hesitantly, unable to approach me.
“…I’m sorry for showing you such a terrible sight.”
“…….”
I couldn’t answer and just kept my mouth shut. It doesn’t matter that he was covered in blood… Anyway, now was the time to calm him down. Approaching him cautiously, I quietly spoke.
“It’s not a good choice to kill Adeline like this.”
“…So you’re saying that she shouldn’t be killed? This is the woman who tried to hurt you twice. She deserves to die. First of all, I have to kill that woman to save your life.”
“No, I don’t mean it like that…”
