In the dimly lit palace chamber, Madeleine's eyes snapped open. Immediately, a violent seizure tore through her frail body.
She coughed—not an ordinary cough, but a horrific, wet one—and a spray of thick, dark blood erupted from her mouth, soaking the silk blanket and her thin hands.
The doctor attending her, an old man with steady hands, moved calmly to administer a sedative potion. However, as he approached, Madeleine extended her trembling hand and gripped the doctor's wrist.
Her touch felt as cold as ice.
At first, the doctor didn't react.
But soon after, he suddenly felt something wrong.
Something was happening!
A faint, pale green aura began to emanate from the doctor's body, flowing like mist into Madeleine's form.
His warmth and life force seemed to be sucked out through that point of contact!
A terrifying weakness spread through his body. He tried to pull his hand away, but Madeleine's grip was so strong, like a vise of steel.
Panic began to creep into his eyes.
He was witnessing a horrifying event with his own eyes!
The doctor's once-healthy skin started to tighten, becoming as pale as paper and clinging tightly to his bones. His gray hair lost its color in seconds, turning snow-white, then falling out in pitiful clumps.
In contrast, Madeleine's deathly pale face regained its color, the wrinkles around her eyes vanished, and her dull gaze now shone with overflowing vitality. Her bloody cough stopped.
A miracle was happening to Madeleine!
She drew in a deep breath, clear and strong. A tremor ran through her body, and she could feel the emptiness in her stomach filling up again.
It was as if she had become young once more!
Suddenly, the door knob turned, and Emilie stepped in. A relieved smile graced her face upon seeing Madeleine awake.
At that moment, her gaze shifted to the figure beside the bed.
Her smile froze.
Her eyes widened in horror at the doctor, who now looked like a desiccated living corpse.
She looked back at Madeleine, who was now smiling at her, with a face decades younger.
"Glad to see you're alright.
"Emilie."
***
In the middle of the empty city streets, Philippe and Armand, who were hurrying along, suddenly stopped. The night sky above the palace pulsed with a strange pale green light, painting the low clouds for a moment before vanishing back into the darkness.
Both of them narrowed their eyes.
"It seems like something bad has happened," Philippe muttered, his voice heavy.
"What do you mean?" Armand asked.
"Remember when you fainted? Emilie and I chased that stalker, then there was an explosion." Philippe paused, connecting the puzzle pieces. "To me, it's too strange to be a coincidence. That explosion, and now Madeleine's condition... there must be a connection."
Armand stared toward the palace, his jaw tightening.
"If that's the case, we have to get there right away!"
As they approached the palace gates, a chaotic scene greeted them. The guards, who usually stood tall and disciplined, were now running back and forth, shouting overlapping orders.
Something had indeed happened!
And it was happening inside the castle!
Armand quickly called over one of the guards he knew. After a brief, tense conversation, Armand returned with a serious expression.
"You're right, there's chaos inside."
"What's causing it?"
Armand shook his head. "They don't know. They just said some people in the palace have started acting strange... attacking each other."
"Acting strange...," Philippe repeated, his eyes sharply fixed on the palace walls. "If that's the case, then Emilie, who's inside...." He didn't finish his sentence. The air around him felt cold.
I think I'm starting to see where this is heading.
Strangely, amid this chaos, his mind felt incredibly clear!
"Do you think we can get in?" he asked Armand.
"I'm not sure. Maybe not."
"If that's the case," Philippe said, "use the item I gave you."
Armand nodded, then put on the bronze armband. The ancient runes on its surface seemed to pulse with a faint light for a moment.
"Good," Philippe said with a thin smile. "Now it's your turn to shine."
Armand looked at him suspiciously. "What do you mean?"
"It's your turn to infiltrate."
"Into the palace? Why not just go through the front?"
Philippe stared at him in disbelief. "That's why I asked if we could get in or not, you idiot! Go ask your acquaintance!"
Grumbling softly, Armand went to inquire. Philippe sighed, a rare genuine smile crossing his face. However, that smile quickly faded as he looked back at the palace.
I don't know why, but my gut feeling is really bad.
Soon, Armand returned with a pleased expression. Philippe didn't need to ask. "Alright," he said. "Let's go in through the front gate."
***
The palace corridors felt eerily silent. Not a single guard was in sight. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed on the cold marble floor.
The deeper they went, the colder and more oppressive the air felt.
"So...," Armand suddenly whispered, breaking the silence. "Do you like Emilie?"
Philippe choked on his own saliva and coughed violently. He stared at Armand in disbelief.
What is this guy saying at a time like this!
What's in his head?!
He tried to compose himself and kept walking, pondering the odd question in silence.
Do I like her?
After a few moments, he finally replied, "I don't know." He smiled faintly. "Maybe... who knows."
Armand clicked his tongue. "You're so indecisive! Have some confidence! Women like confident men!"
"Can you not shout? It's embarrassing," Philippe hissed.
As Armand was about to retort with his arrogant pose, Philippe suddenly stopped. Armand stopped too, sensing what Philippe felt.
From the end of the dark corridor, footsteps could be heard. Calm footsteps.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the shadows. The moonlight filtering through the high windows in the corridor illuminated half of her face, while the other half was swallowed by darkness.
Emilie.
It was Emilie!
Her eyes gazing at them felt so cold, devoid of any warmth or recognition.
In her right hand, she held a sword, its tip pointing downward. The moonlight reflected off its sharp, clean blade, except at one spot.
At the sword's tip, a thick drop of red blood dangled, then fell to the marble floor with a 'plop' that sounded so loud amid the silence.
Philippe and Armand swallowed hard, their bodies frozen.
At the end of the corridor, Emilie tilted her head slightly, a thin, terrifying smile beginning to form on her lips.
***
A/N: If you want to read the 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:
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