Chapter 124
Is this how I’m going to die?
Without even being able to properly resist?
Tears welled up from frustration and resentment.
In the final moment, Karden’s face flashed through my mind.
To end like this without properly conveying my true feelings to him.
As the dagger plunged toward my heart, I closed my eyes.
I wanted to remember only Karden in my final moments.
“Ugh!”
Something was strange. I expected to feel the pain of my heart being pierced, but I felt nothing.
Along with a painful groan, I felt arms and body heat enveloping me.
When I opened my dazed eyes, I saw Franz’s face.
Franz was breathing heavily as he shielded me with his entire body.
Why are you here?
“Ah… why?”
A dagger was embedded in Franz’s shoulder, and blood was flowing ceaselessly.
“How dare a fox brat interfere!”
When Berdin shouted in anger, Franz gritted his teeth and stretched out his arm.
From his hand, over a dozen sharp ice daggers flew out to attack Berdin.
Berdin quickly retreated from the magic circle, and the black knights surrounded him.
Not missing the opportunity, Franz swung his arm with all his remaining strength.
A massive ice wall wrapped around us like a protective shield.
Franz stared at the ice wall while breathing heavily.
“It won’t hold long. A few minutes at most.”
Suddenly, Franz coughed violently. Blood flowed with each cough.
“Why did you protect me! Why would a traitor like you do this?”
Franz, his face contorted with pain, gritted his teeth and spoke in a low voice.
“Ugh… I never betrayed you.”
“What?”
Franz’s gaze wandered in the air for a moment. It was like he was wandering through a dream.
“I wanted to… live peacefully with you in a free land. Like when we were children.”
Franz once mentioned a promise he made with Ruel in childhood.
He had done all this nonsense to keep that promise.
“No, even that’s useless now. Because you’re not Ruel.”
The light in Franz’s eyes gradually faded.
His eyes had become empty and void. As if he had let go of everything.
Seeing him like this made me angry and upset for some reason.
“Yes, I deceived you! I’m not Ruel, but why did you save me? You fool!”
Franz leaned against my shoulder slowly, gradually collapsing, without responding.
Blood kept flowing from his shoulder.
I frantically tried to stop the wound with my hands, but it was useless. Blood continued to seep through my fingers.
I needed to stop the bleeding with healing power, but no strength came to my hands.
“No, don’t! Stay conscious! You idiot!”
Franz barely lifted his head to look at me.
His trembling hand gently cupped my cheek.
His hand was cold, without even a trace of body heat.
Franz looked at me through narrowed eyes.
His lips trembled. It was a sad smile, like glass fragments shattering in the last rays of sunlight.
“Still, I couldn’t watch you die. So make sure you survive with your power.”
“Ah…”
My throat choked up, my heart felt like it would burst, and I couldn’t say anything.
I could only embrace Franz as he collapsed in my arms, my whole body trembling.
“No, this isn’t right.”
Crash!
At the same time, the ice wall crumbled powerlessly.
Beyond the shattered ice wall, Berdin and the black knights rushed toward me.
Just then, with the sound of a door breaking, someone entered the underground hall.
“Shuvelia! Where are you!”
That familiar voice is always calling for me.
For a moment, I wondered if this was a dream.
Through my wavering vision, I could see Karden in brilliant silver armor running toward me.
Behind him, I could see Yudis and soldiers. Yudis spotted me and shouted.
“Shushu! We’ll save you! Hold on!”
Seeing them, Berdin ordered the black knights.
“It’s Grand Duke Helleide. Stop him!”
Dozens of black knights attacked Karden with their swords.
Fierce battles broke out throughout the underground temple.
The sound of clashing swords echoed, and sparks flew.
“Shuvelia!”
Karden’s desperate voice calling me while fighting the enemy felt increasingly distant.
My mind turned blank, and my vision was tinged red.
All I could hear was my heart beating frantically.
A massive power surging through my body penetrated from head to toe through my bones and blood vessels.
Crack!
The shackles binding my wrists and ankles instantly shattered into powder.
The powerful force sealed deep within my body rose through me like a massive barrier.
My silver hair spread in all directions, and the air around me vanished in an instant, even gravity stopped.
My power mixed with the dimensional barrier magic circle and turned into a vortex of light.
A red pillar of light swirled and slowly rose above the magic circle.
With all my strength, I threw Franz out of the light vortex.
He was flung outside the magic circle, unconscious.
The air tore apart with a ripping sound, and a tremendous storm swept in.
It was so powerful that it was difficult to maintain balance.
“Ugh!”
The magic circle began to rotate more fiercely, and the light surrounding me whirled violently.
The vortex of light and hot heat pressed down on my entire body. The pressure from the vortex made it hard to breathe.
“Shuvelia, it’s dangerous!”
Karden’s urgent cry reached me.
I could see him running toward me after defeating the black knights.
No! If Karden got caught in the light vortex, too, he could lose his life.
I had to protect him. I couldn’t lose him either.
I gritted my teeth and released my last bit of strength.
To destroy the massive dimensional barrier magic circle in one go.
Boom!
The massive vortex of light stretched up into the air.
There was a flash of light so intense it could blind everyone, then it shattered.
With the sound of the earth splitting, cracks began to form in the massive magic circle engraved on the underground hall floor.
Terrified black magicians fled from the magic circle.
Berdin ran toward the disintegrating magic circle, screaming.
“It can’t end like this! The barrier mustn’t collapse!”
Engulfed by the massive light, Berdin collapsed without a chance to resist.
He transformed into a gray wolf and fainted powerlessly.
The vortex of light gradually disappeared in the air, and the dimensional barrier closed completely.
In the crystal ball rolling on the ground, a blurry image showed the monsters attacking the walls, instantly turning to black ash and disappearing.
Thank goodness. Everyone is safe.
I could feel the massive power within me fading away.
Like the flow of a great river being cut off.
“Shuvelia! No!”
Karden’s desperate cry echoed, and the axis of my world tilted.
My hands and feet instantly shrank, and my body changed into a small cotton fox.
Unable to support my body properly, I was about to collapse to the floor when large hands caught me.
I saw Karden’s broad, warm embrace. I could vividly feel his scent and heartbeat that I had missed so much.
Karden was wailing as he held his wrist to my mouth.
“Quickly, eat my magic power! You can’t lose consciousness, Shushu!”
Ah… don’t cry, Karden.
Tears were flowing endlessly from Karden’s bloodshot eyes.
I wanted to wipe his tears with my tail, but it was drooping and I couldn’t move it.
With my last strength, I barely moved my small mouth.
“I’ve already eaten… too much. I’m full…”
Strange. Why am I feeling so sleepy?
Suddenly, a snowflake fell on my head.
Countless snowflakes fell on my head like dandelion seeds.
It was just like when I first opened my eyes in this world.
Am I having another strange dream?
Through my blurry vision, I could see Karden’s anguished face and Yudis crying.
I wanted to hug them, but my body was sinking deeper and deeper.
As I fell into a deep, cozy sleep, I thought:
I want to tell them not to be so sad because of me, not to hurt so much.
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