MHHC Chapter 26

Resolve

'Don't think too deeply. Just think about how to solve what's right in front of you.'

Adelheid squeezed the hand holding the blade tight. She carefully brought the dagger to Valentin's forearm. With the sharp tip of the blade thickly coated with the horrific-looking green medicine, she carefully pierced the skin.

The sharp blade dug into the skin more easily than she had thought.

"...Ngh, ugh..."

In that moment, Valentin's lower back jerked. Adelheid was so startled she snapped her head up. She wondered if he might have regained consciousness, but no matter how long she waited, there was no sign of him waking. It seemed to have been a half-instinctive rejection.

"......"

Adelheid swallowed the saliva pooled in her mouth. She barely squeezed out the courage to make a shallow, thin scratch. She was afraid she might inflict an irreversible wound on Valentin's body. Cold sweat had already beaded on her forehead.

When she put a bit more strength into the hand gripping the blade, the blood droplets that had only been beading on the surface of the wound suddenly gushed out.

"Hah...!"

At the same time, black smoke shot up from the wound. Adelheid urgently covered her nose with her sleeve. Before she could block it, sneezes burst out repeatedly. Tears involuntarily streamed down from the acrid smoke that made her want to wash her face.

'The, smell...'

It was like inhaling ashes. Was this what a burnt field smelled like, or the middle of a war where corpses were being burned? It was as if bleak death itself was rising.

She couldn't keep her wits about her from the pungent, acrid scent. She struggled to pull the blade embedded in Valentin's forearm out. Her husband's face looked even paler than before.

'Something has gone terribly wrong.'

She threw down the bloodied knife and staggered to the brass basin filled with water. The thought crossed her mind that she should check the mirror, but washing her face was more urgent because her eyes stung. After wiping her face several times in succession, she turned her head toward the vanity mirror.

A gust of cold wind blew in behind her, instantly extinguishing all the candles in the room.

"......"

The surroundings were clearly dark. Even the moonlight seemed blocked by clouds—there wasn't a single point of light in the room. The acrid smoke that had bewildered her had also vanished without a trace. Adelheid staggered backward.

"Your Grace?"

No answer came. Valentin on the bed didn't move a single finger despite her call. Adelheid, who had tensed for a moment, gradually relaxed.

'If Padre's words are true, he won't wake up. Don't panic—just calmly check the mirror. It's almost over now...'

Adelheid examined the mirror again, but only a woman with a face ruined by tears was reflected in it. Adelheid barely tore her gaze from her own pale, exhausted-looking face. She wiped the remaining moisture from her face with her sleeve and raised her head again.

And she realized that Valentin, who had been on the bed, had disappeared.

"What the..."

Adelheid whirled around in shock. The person who had definitely been there just moments ago had vanished without a trace. As if he had never existed from the beginning. If not for the impression of his weight on the bed, Adelheid would have thought she was dreaming.

Or else she was being subjected to a terrible prank...

Her legs trembled at the situation that far exceeded her understanding. She was so shocked that she couldn't scream or even make a proper judgment. First, she should hurry out of this room...

'Get out, and go where?'

There was no safe place anywhere. The moment she realized that, her legs became as stiff as logs. She had barely taken a few steps and was about to sink down trembling when it happened.

A chilling sensation brushed the nape of her neck. She froze with her tearful eyes wide open.

Fingers slowly crawling out of the darkness covered her lips.

Mmmmph...

Adelheid felt the scream flowing up her throat. Unable to pass her tongue, it crumpled into a moan inside her mouth. The palm—hard as steel, cruel, and ice-cold—didn't seem human at all.

"......"

Adelheid twisted her body to look at whoever had grabbed her. But a rough arm pressed firmly below her chest and pulled her into an embrace first. Her upper body slowly bent forward and was pressed down onto the vanity.

The statue of Morig, holy water, cosmetics, and pearl earrings were quickly swept to the floor. The glass bottle containing perfumed oil shattered and rolled at her feet. The scent of crushed wildflowers was strong.

"......"

Adelheid turned her head to the side to look at the mirror. What was crushing her was a massive shadow. She didn't know how else to describe it. Not a human shape, but as if gathered smoke had been condensed...

She suddenly felt breath touching her back. It slowly traveled up her hollowed spine, passed her nape, and reached her temple. Adelheid panted with her shoulders heaving like someone who had finished running.

Was it because her eyes had adjusted to the darkness? From the shadow, a straight nose bridge suddenly protruded, sculpting cheeks, neck, shoulders, and waist.

Adelheid was pinned beneath its chest, convulsing as if in labor.

It. That is, it.

'It' looked to be in pain. At the same time, it looked excessively seductive and beautiful. Large beads of sweat forming along the contorted brow, clenched lips, and elegant jawline dropped drip, drip onto the vanity. It writhed with a long, drawn-out groan.

"Kh, nngh, ngh..."

Between eyelids collapsed with pain, golden irises flashed. Slit pupils, chiseled cheeks and nose bridge, black scales covering the backs of hands and nape, the lean and solid body pinning Adelheid down. As if on cue, moonlight scattered brilliantly over it all.

That wondrous sight overwhelmed even fear. A beautiful monster with her husband's face was there.

"......"

It simply stood upright holding her captive and did nothing else to harm her. When Adelheid's struggles subsided, he carefully removed his hand from her lips.

Adelheid scrambled out of his embrace. Clutching the front of her gown, she retreated to the wall and looked at him with wary eyes.

"...Ugh..."

When it swayed for a moment, Adelheid almost reached out without realizing it.

But she overcame the impulse and immediately came to her senses.

That was unmistakably a demon. No matter how beautiful and splendid it was, she shouldn't pity or be bewitched by it. It wasn't human to begin with.

Look at those scales brazenly revealed and those elongated pupils...

It, which had been looking at its own body with confused eyes, finally raised its head. When their gazes met, its lips formed a faint smile.

"Adelheid..."

The voice calling her name was as smooth and sweet as usual. It was her husband's face and her husband's voice. Adelheid stared blankly at that smile for a moment.

Why did it have to be Valentin? Had someone cursed him? Whatever the reason for his resurrection, how did he know her name?

'And... why was he so kind only to me?'

When she realized there was a part of her heart that mourned Valentin's kindness, she felt deep self-loathing.

It was horrible. The past when she had cared for him without knowing anything.

Despite being suspicious, unable to trust, thinking he might be a demon, constantly tense and wary, she had ended up growing attached to him anyway. Perhaps Padre had already grasped this feeling of hers and sent the warning.

Unjust anger swelled in her chest.

'What did I do so wrong?'

Adelheid's gentle eyes contorted miserably.

'I was lonely and wanted to rely on someone. I was grateful for the first kindness I'd ever received. Was even this too much greed for me?'

Anger pushed out fear. Adelheid barely controlled her eyelids trembling weakly. She asked with a dry mouth.

"Who... are you?"

"......"

"What kind of wicked demon are you, to so brazenly usurp His Grace's body and commit such acts?"

"......"

"What was your purpose? Did you... harm him?"

"......"

"Answer me!"

Tears that had pooled without her knowing streamed down her cheeks. She had missed people. She was curious about that unconditional affection that everyone supposedly receives at least once in their lifetime. When she desperately needed it, it never came, but when she didn't even want it, it barged in and tore through even her soul.

If she had never known it at all, it would be one thing, but after filling that hunger once, she didn't have the courage to return to how things were before. She wasn't angry because it was a demon. What made her most miserable was the fact that the warmth mimicked by the demon was the warmest thing she had ever received.

"Without even knowing, I..."

How much that demon must have laughed inwardly, watching her gradually lower her guard. A hollow laugh filled her lungs.

"While I couldn't even recognize... my husband's enemy, you must have been greatly amused mocking me alone. Look at that foolish, stupid thing..."

She bit her lip and swallowed the rising emotions. Betrayal, sadness, regret, self-reproach. Showing them would only make her more miserable.

"......"

He took a step toward her. Adelheid remained upright with resignation even before the massive shadow cast over her. Either way, it was a life destined for death.

Holy water, the priests' blessings, even Morig's Veil were useless. Wherever she fled in the castle, there was nowhere this demon couldn't reach, no sanctuary it couldn't find.

"I'm sick of... running away..."

Adelheid wiped her crushed eyes with the back of her hand. Lifting her chin high, she looked directly into the golden eyes. Whether it was abandonment or resignation. Her gentle eyes lifted coldly with a different light than usual.

"So answer me, demon."

"......"

"What are you, what was your purpose in committing such acts, and at whose instigation?"

The 'thing' standing before her gazed at Adelheid with calm eyes. Eventually, its head slowly tilted.