Chapter 48
“Felicia!”
Realizing she was there, I quickly ran toward the cocoon hanging from the wall.
I tore away the spiderweb covering her mouth.
“Fel, Felicia. Come on, wake up.”
I lightly tapped her cheek, but she still didn’t come to her senses.
“Let me handle this.”
Before I knew it, Claude had approached and cut the webs holding her with his sword.
He carried her over and sat her down next to Reedmore. Her limp head dropped onto Reed’s shoulder.
“She shouldn’t have been poisoned. She was only wrapped in spiderwebs, so she’ll be fine.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
Just as he said, although she had lost consciousness, her breathing was steady, her complexion wasn’t pale, and she wasn’t sweating.
Only then did I feel a bit of relief. I pushed myself up with my hands on my knees.
Claude’s figure, soaked in blood, was horrific to look at. His handsome blond hair was sticky with drying blood.
With a snap of my fingers, I summoned an undine to wash away the filth covering both him and me. Only then did his beautiful golden hair and proper features reappear.
“Thank you,” he said politely. It was the most exhausted and worn-out expression I’d seen on him yet.
Even though he had reached the level of a Sword Master, he wasn’t yet fully skilled, and just as he’d said before, using aura repeatedly had clearly drained him completely.
“I never want to come to a dungeon training session again,” I muttered in disgust.
“Shouldn’t this kind of academy be abolished?”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
Even if it was unprecedented for a strong monster to appear in a low-level dungeon and wreak such havoc, the risk was unacceptable.
“Let’s go back…”
At least now, everything was over.
Whoever was behind this incident, whatever scheme was lurking in the shadows—I didn’t want to think about it right now.
All I wanted most was a warm bath in my room at the ducal estate.
I carried Felicia, Claude carried Reedmore, and step by step we headed toward the passage hidden behind the plants.
Rumble.
Then, the same vibration we’d felt when slaughtering the swarm of spiders shook the ground again. The floor trembled ominously.
I quickly looked up. From the high ceiling, one, two—small stones began to fall.
Crack! A fissure appeared in one of the stone pillars supporting the ceiling.
“Damn it…”
There wasn’t a single thing about this dungeon that I liked from start to finish!
“Run!”
Claude, realizing the situation as I did, shouted. I gathered the last of my strength and ran.
Boom! Boom! Crash!
Soon, the broken stone pillar came crashing down. The cave, which had endured multiple impacts since we’d first encountered the swarm of seedroaches, began to collapse. The dungeon was caving in.
“Give her to me!”
Claude, faster than I was, had already placed Reedmore beyond the vines and came back toward me.
He took Felicia from my arms, carried her on his back, and ran, dodging falling rocks, before safely pushing her inside the tunnel. Felicia’s body lay atop Reedmore.
“Now it’s just you left! Take my hand!”
He stretched out his hand toward me urgently from in front of the vines.
Without Felicia, I was faster, but I was still a distance away from the tunnel. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself harder.
The ground beneath my feet trembled and began to split apart. A rock narrowly missed me with a loud thud! The floor behind me crumbled and sank.
“Hurry!”
I was almost there now. Hope shone in Claude’s eyes. He stepped forward, intending to grab me and pull me in.
I reached out my fingertips—they were just about to touch.
Then, my eyes caught a massive rock falling right above his head.
Claude didn’t seem to notice. He was focused entirely on me, his hand still reaching.
Ah.
My body moved before my mind could. I shoved him hard. Off guard, Claude stumbled into the tunnel.
“Kalia!”
No scream left my lips. An excruciating pain—one I had never felt even in death—shot through my spine.
Claude’s face was filled with despair. He kept his hand stretched toward me, as if unable to believe what had just happened.
My body collapsed. My vision blurred. The sound of the cave caving in wrapped around my ears like a grim lullaby.
I blinked. That was all I could do.
My mind drifted far away, and I felt warm blood leaving my body. I couldn’t feel anything below my waist.
Even through my clouded vision, I could see Claude running toward me, tears in his eyes.
Blink. My eyelids fell heavily once.
‘I wish he wouldn’t cry.’
I wanted to say something—because this would be our last moment.
Not to hate himself. That he had done nothing wrong.
That I wished for him to live happily, without dying.
Not to resent me too much.
And if… if it were somehow possible—if I could dare to hope for one last wish—
I wished to have a small place in his memories.
“Kalia!”
But none of those words left my mouth.
I heard his anguished cry, and my eyes closed. I thought I felt a faint warmth touch my fingertips, still reaching for his hand.
I couldn’t be sure—it might have been just my senses mocking me. That was my last thought before everything went dark.
For the second time, death warmly embraced me.
***
The tip of my nose felt itchy.
My fingers twitched. Something seemed to be wrapped around them. I felt lukewarm warmth and a firm grip.
My eyelids fluttered. After a moment, they trembled open.
Bright sunlight poured in. My eyes darted around. They felt dry and gritty. After a few blinks, moisture returned.
“Ah, my lady?”
That action must have caught someone’s attention. A familiar voice reached my ears.
Turning my gaze, the first thing I saw was gentle brown hair.
Ayla was sitting on a four-legged chair beside the bed, staring at me in disbelief. She was the one holding my hand.
“My lady…!”
Her clear eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled. She suddenly threw herself onto me.
“I thought you were… going to die…”
Unable to contain her overwhelming emotions, she hugged me tightly, almost as if to crush me, then soon her strength gave out.
Her face buried against my neck felt damp. Ayla cried loudly, like a child. For some reason, her tears brought a faint smile to my lips.
I must have survived—again.
Thankfully, I hadn’t returned to five years ago or an even earlier time.
For the first time in my life, I offered thanks to God.
I weakly lifted my arm and patted my dear maid’s back. At the faint movement, Ayla stiffened, then began crying even harder.
Oh dear, I told her not to cry…
“Don’t… cry…”
My voice came out rough and broken. I cleared my throat.
It felt as if I hadn’t spoken in a long time—my throat was hoarse.
“Kalia? Kalia’s awake?!”
The noise must have reached outside, because the door burst open and a crowd of people rushed in.
“Kalia!”
The first to catch my eye was Reedmore. At the front of the group, he rushed in, his black hair flying.
The red-and-orange mix of his eyes was just as beautiful as I remembered—though unlike the last time I saw them, half-closed in fading consciousness, they now shone with life.
Tears soon welled in his eyes. He rubbed them roughly, choking back sobs.
“You, you really…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence, swallowing his tears instead.
“Kalia…”
Ayla sniffled and stood up. The next to approach my bed and pull me into a tight hug was Felicia.
“Fel…icia.”
Seeing her alive made me happy. The pale, unconscious figure wrapped in spiderwebs was nowhere to be seen.
Her arms and legs felt strong as she clung to me and sobbed, looking perfectly healthy.
“I was so, so worried. I thought you’d never… open your eyes again. Even after I woke up, days passed and you still didn’t, so, so…”
Her words dissolved into tears. She held me tighter and sniffled.
“Excuse me.”
Just then, the door opened again and another group of people entered.
They were priests in pure white robes and healers carrying various examination tools and medicines.
My friends stepped aside to make room.
The oldest priest approached, took my hand, and closed his eyes in prayer. A warm light spread brilliantly from him.
After a moment, he opened his eyes and said,
“Her life force has returned.”
“Oh, God…”
Ayla murmured in awe and prayed. Felicia sniffed loudly, wiping away tears of joy.
Next, a healer took my hand. He checked my heartbeat with a stethoscope-like tool, lifted my eyelids, and had me stick out my tongue as he examined my condition.
When he pulled back the blanket and asked me to move my limbs, I wiggled each toe in turn. Watching closely, he finally announced,
“All external wounds have healed, and the internal injuries seem completely gone as well. She’s a bit weak from lying down for so long, but with rest, she will recover fully.”
“Thank you,” Reedmore said in gratitude.
While packing up, the healer glanced around the crowded room with a troubled look.
“I understand your joy, but Lady Estel is still a patient. She needs rest.”
“We’ll leave soon,” Felicia said quickly.
“Just a few words before we go.”
Pogos added his plea. The healer hesitated, but after more earnest requests, he allowed it—reminding them not to overstay—and left. The priests followed him out.
Now only my friends remained in the room. Once things settled down, Felicia and Ayla sat on either side of my bed, each holding one of my hands.
“Kalia.”
When Felicia stepped aside, the figure standing behind her came into view.
