Chapter 133
The giant Anaconda, its torso leaning against the cave, was just about to turn its head in my direction, having noticed my movement.
Whoosh!
From afar, Eunji unleashed a massive burst of flames, drawing attention. The Anaconda shifted its gaze back towards her.
Watching Enoch and Sir Diego struggle against another Anaconda in the distance, I climbed onto the incredibly thick torso of the Anaconda before me.
The scales were slippery, making it quite difficult to ascend, but thanks to the creature's lack of significant movement, I eventually reached its head unscathed.
Kneeling on the Anaconda's head, I shouted towards Enoch.
"Enoch!! Get away!!"
Enoch, who had been frantically stabbing the Anaconda's head with his sword, belatedly noticed me. He quickly withdrew his sword and slid down the Anaconda's scales.
Avoiding the head area where Sir Diego was caught, I aimed the Flares at the torso and pulled the trigger.
Fwoosh-! Bang! Boom!
The Anaconda's torso, struck directly by the ignited bullet, shattered. The creature screamed and writhed in agony, causing Sir Diego's clothes, caught in its teeth, to tear, sending him plummeting below.
Without a moment to check on Sir Diego's condition, the Anaconda beneath my feet moved.
If Zenas was watching us through the eyes of these Anacondas—,
If he really was the architect of the island—,
I had to show him.
That whatever he desired wouldn't go as planned.
"Screw you. I have no intention of dying so meaninglessly."
I swiftly moved forward, sliding down the Anaconda's head. And the moment it opened its mouth, I hooked my foot on its lower teeth, grabbed its upper teeth with my hands, aimed the Flares into its mouth, and pulled the trigger.
Boom-!
Kuaaaaak!
The Anaconda's head exploded with a monstrous roar, and I was thrown back by the force.
As its head burst, a putrid-smelling purple gas spread, and I inadvertently inhaled some of the fumes.
However, I had no time to dwell on it as I plummeted towards the ground.
Just as I squeezed my eyes shut before the approaching rough dirt floor, someone barely managed to catch me. It was Enoch and Kaiden.
The two men, having caught me with outstretched arms, examined my condition with concern. My back was a bit stiff, but I was still alive.
It was still unclear what had happened to Sir Diego, but everyone else seemed to be safe.
'Thank goodness.'
Of course, it was fortunate for them, but not for me.
The putrid smell that had accompanied the purple gas seemed to linger in the air. I felt nauseous and my head spun as if I were about to vomit.
I lost consciousness in Enoch and Kaiden's arms.
\ \ \
When I awoke, it was midday under the scorching sun.
I was lying on a bed of soft leaves, with the hem of Kaiden's robe gently draped over my shoulders.
My body felt incredibly heavy. Had I caught another cold? It seemed I had finally succumbed to the accumulated fatigue. My body felt as heavy as waterlogged cotton, making me unwilling to get up.
'My head hurts too much.'
I felt a terrible headache and a dizzying sensation as if my mind was tangled in knots. My consciousness was hazy.
A foul odor wafted from somewhere.
'What's that smell?'
It was definitely the same smell I had detected just before losing consciousness.
It smelled like rotten mold, and it felt as if a hazy smoke filled the air.
I wondered if everyone was alright, but my desire to alleviate this nauseating headache was more pressing. In the end, I closed my eyes to sleep a little longer.
Just then, I heard a faint noise behind me. It seemed everyone was gathered behind me.
"Margaret, is she awake?"
"Doesn't seem like it."
Kaiden and Enoch's voices followed in succession. Along with the rustling sounds, I could hear the crackling of firewood.
"What about Sir Diego?"
"He hasn't regained consciousness yet," Luzef replied to Enoch's question. I hadn't been able to confirm Sir Diego's condition after he fell, and it seemed his condition was indeed serious.
I wanted to get up and hear the details, but my eyelids were heavy and my body was heavy. I decided to quietly listen to their conversation.
"What exactly happened?"
Enoch calmly explained to Luzef's question.
"Sir Diego and I were patrolling around the Barrier when we encountered a group of Anacondas. They seemed to be looking for something. This area wasn't originally their habitat, but it seems that due to evolution, they no longer have habitat distinctions."
Upon hearing that, Luzef spoke.
"I've been thinking this for a while, but Monsters seem particularly aggressive towards Lady Flone. Perhaps Monsters are drawn to her. I'm not blaming her, it's just a question. Why is that?"
A long silence descended upon Luzef's question.
Enoch and Kaiden remained silent, and only the crackling of the burning firewood filled the air.
After a long while, Kaiden spoke first.
"It's true that Margaret is suspicious. I even wondered if she was a spy wearing Margaret's skin."
"That's plausible. Lady Flone has certainly changed to the point where she could be considered a different person."
Listening to Luzef and Kaiden's words, I quietly swallowed.
I had naturally expected them to be suspicious of me, and that's why I had once tried to run away alone.
But I thought that after spending time together, we had long passed the stage of such suspicion…….
It seemed I had been too careless.
After Luzef finished speaking, Kaiden lowered his voice even further.
As a result, their voices faded in and out. The conversation was fragmented, making it difficult to grasp the flow, which was frustrating.
"When the time comes…… Margaret is definitely the Key……."
The words I could vaguely hear were ominous.
"It's also suspicious how freely she handles Magical Artifacts……. Frankly, the Eastern Continent language……."
"……Perhaps the most dangerous person is Margaret……."
My mouth felt dry as I listened to the fragmented conversation.
"……Temporarily Seal Margaret's Mana……."
"Test her……."
And the flow of the conversation that followed was utterly bewildering.
I felt as if my mind had gone blank.
Was this really the conversation of the people I had come to know? Was I dreaming?
No. I must have misheard. There was no way the men who had shown me such unwavering trust would suddenly suspect me, test me, and say they would kill me if they didn't like the results.
I must be mishearing things, surely.
"How do we Seal the Mana……."
However, the ensuing conversation only heightened my anxiety. I couldn't even tell who was speaking anymore.
My lips trembled. The smell of rotten mold continued to linger at the tip of my nose, and my mind grew hazy.
"The Magic implement that Crown Prince gave us……."
"And lure the Monsters…… To confirm if the test is successful, then…… we kill her."
Wait, what?
Was I hearing correctly? Were they saying they would lure Monsters to kill me?
"……Agree with Lord's words……. ……Seal her…… Margaret……. ……When she wakes up tomorrow…… let's do it."
With those words, the conversation ended.
I wanted to dismiss it as a misunderstanding and ask them what they meant.
But it was as if a small spark that had remained within me had been ignited.
'The law of unchanging original work.'
The law that, no matter how the story twists, the flow will eventually proceed as in the original work.
Was I perhaps destined to be killed by the male leads in a different way?
'……No, get a grip.'
As confused as I was, there was no way Kaiden and Enoch would do that. Absolutely not.
These were the men who had shown me unwavering faith and trust until just yesterday. Yes, there was no way.
'But if they were driven to the extreme and felt their lives threatened, wouldn't their judgment be clouded?'
Such ominous thoughts kept creeping in.
'Let's see how the atmosphere is and ask them directly tomorrow.'
If it were the Enoch and Kaiden I knew, they would surely laugh and say what nonsense that was. And they might even hug me, telling me not to worry.
Thinking that way made me feel a little more at ease. I quietly fell asleep.
\ \ \
The next morning,
The headache persisted. The foul odor I had smelled yesterday continued to linger at the tip of my nose.
I scanned the surroundings, but I couldn't find the source of the smell.
'Is it just a feeling?'
I yawned and tilted my head. Perhaps my senses had become heightened because I had a restless night's sleep.
'Yes, everything I heard yesterday must have been a dream.'
I tried to dismiss it as such, but the atmosphere among the group was unsettling.
Even if I overlooked Enoch, who was always difficult to read, Luzef and Kaiden were definitely suspicious.
Luzef was obviously glancing at me, and Kaiden was intently observing me, while Sir Diego was still lying down with bandages wrapped around his body, unable to open his eyes.
It wasn't the right atmosphere to ask about the conversation I had heard last night.
"Margaret, are you feeling alright?"
Enoch approached me. At that moment, I felt a terrible headache and my vision blurred.
And suddenly, bizarre horns sprouted from Enoch's head as I looked at him. His face twisted fiercely, his lips stretched into a long, eerie smile.