Chapter 57: The One Who Repays Grace

When we left the camp, I was told to dig up that Valian flower or whatever it was called, but no one mentioned how dangerous it would be!

Why are they changing the story now?

Have I gone mad since entering this book?

What is this thought that keeps surfacing in my mind?

‘…This is starting to get a little scary.’

I got chills.

If it weren’t for Xavier, I would’ve dropped everything and run away.

I closed my eyes tight in fear. The image of a cat lying on a bed flickered in my mind.

“Ethan, I just received a divine revelation.”

“A divine revelation, you say?”

“Really?”

Ethan and Rosetta widened their eyes and stared at me. Their faces were filled with anticipation, as if something extraordinary was about to happen, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Tie a rope around my waist.”

“Why would you need a rope tied around you, Madam? Surely you’re not thinking of going down there yourself?”

Ethan’s dark eyes wavered. Rosetta covered her mouth with both hands.

“Why would you, Madam? I’m here, and so is the strong General.”

“It’s the divine revelation.”

“What kind of ridiculous—no, what kind of revelation is that?!”

Rosetta couldn’t hold back her temper and shouted.

“There’s no time. Ethan, hurry.”

At the sight of my resolute face, Ethan hesitated before putting down the bundle of rope he had been carrying on his shoulder.

“General! What are you doing? Madam, I’ll do it instead. I’m much stronger and have more stamina!”

Rosetta pounded her chest with her palm. Physically speaking, Ethan was far more suitable than a frail lady like me, and even Rosetta would be a hundred times better.

‘But the book warns that if I don’t do it, someone will die or get hurt.’

At this point, the original novel was blatantly slapping me in the face from all directions.

‘Should I be grateful it at least gave me a warning?’

“No. I have to do it.”

At my determined gaze, Ethan immediately began to move. He tied the rope securely to a large tree trunk and started fastening the other end around my waist. Though he added an extra towel around my waist, the thick, rough rope still chafed against my skin, making it sting.

“Madam!”

I smiled at Rosetta, who looked anxious, and stepped back so she couldn’t stop me.

“Ethan, hold tight.”

“Yes, Madam. Don’t worry…!”

As the rope tightened, my waist ached. As gravity pulled me downward, I gripped the rope harder and harder. Soon, my hands began to sting as if the skin had been scraped off.

‘I was too scared of heights to even take a high-paying rope-climbing job, and now I’m doing this.’

Fortunately, the spot where the Valian flower bloomed wasn’t far from the cliff’s edge. A few meters below, I could see a long flower stem and a round, pink, fluffy flower growing in a crevice.

I steadied myself on the ground with both legs and used a dagger to dig into the crevice, pulling the flower out by its roots.

‘Got it.’

It was easier than I thought.

“Rosetta! Ethan!”

“Yes, we’ll pull you up!”

Rosetta’s voice echoed from above. Carefully, I tucked the herb into the pocket of my workout pants and grabbed the rope. Climbing up required twice as much effort as going down, but with Ethan and Rosetta’s help, I slowly made my way back up.

As I neared the top, Rosetta, drenched in sweat, smiled and extended her hand.

“Grab my hand!”

Smack.

My scraped palm stung. Because of the sweat, my hand slipped, and Rosetta struggled to hold on to me. She barely managed to grab my wrist and pull me up. Just as I planted both feet on solid ground, a chill ran down my spine.

I was the only one who saw it.

The massive black bear that appeared behind Rosetta and Ethan.

It stood on two legs, roaring ferociously.

At the sound of its roar, Ethan quickly drew the sword at his waist, cut the rope tied to the tree trunk, and charged at the bear. But the bear was faster.

Were bears always this fast?

In the blink of an eye, the bear was upon us, rushing toward Rosetta and me like a bullet.

It growled as it raised a paw toward me. Its claws, sharp as skewers, glinted in the sunlight, stabbing at my eyes.

‘Am I going to die?’

“Madam!”

Rosetta and Ethan’s voices sounded muffled. As Rosetta screamed and threw herself over my shoulder to shield me—

Squelch.

Blood sprayed into the air like a fountain.

Rosetta’s body crumpled to the side. Her limp body spilled blood onto the ground in a continuous stream.

“Ah…”

With a slicing sound, the bear’s head rolled to the ground. Ethan, holding his sword, shouted something at us.

“Ro… Rosetta?”

My hands trembled as I held onto Rosetta.

Pale-faced, she smiled and spoke.

“…Madam, I’ve finally repaid your kindness.”

“What are you talking about? You didn’t need to repay anything! Why would you…”

She didn’t hear the rest of my words.

Slowly, Rosetta’s eyes closed.

“Madam!”

Ethan, pale as a sheet, rushed over. Behind him, the bear’s severed head lay on the ground.

“Ethan.”

“H-How could this…”

As Rosetta’s body went limp, I staggered as well. Ethan caught her in his arms, and more blood poured from her back as he held her.

“Rosetta!”

Ethan’s voice trembled. Everything was a mess.

‘Didn’t the book say everyone would be safe if I picked the flower?’

“She’s losing too much blood. If this continues…”

“…Ah, I see.”

I realized what I needed to do.

“Ethan, show me Rosetta’s wound, quickly!”

“What? Y-Yes!”

I grabbed a towel from my bag and hastily wiped the blood from her back, revealing a gruesome wound. Her flesh and muscles were torn apart, and her bones were visible.

The sight was devastating, but I steeled myself and pressed my lips to the wound.

A brilliant golden light spread over Rosetta’s back.

Unlike before, I felt an enormous amount of holy power drain from my body.

‘Ugh, I feel dizzy.’

Unable to withstand the dizziness, I collapsed, and the world went dark.

＊

“She likely used too much holy power all at once. She also doesn’t know how to control it properly. With a little rest, she’ll recover quickly.”

Hmm… Whose voice is this?

“Is that so?”

That’s Viscount Rexton’s voice, isn’t it?

The voices, which sounded distant and muffled, gradually grew louder. When I finally managed to open my eyes, the first face I saw was—

“Madam!”

Rosetta.

“…You’re alive?”

My voice was hoarse, but I was relieved.

Rosetta was alive.

“Of course, Madam. You healed me. I’m not even in pain.”

Her round, black eyes glistened with tears as she held my limp hand, laughing and crying at the same time.

“Sniff, I thought you’d died trying to save me.”

“I didn’t die. I just took a nap.”

“Did you know? You’ve saved me twice now, Madam. I’ll repay this debt for the rest of my life.”

“Alright.”

Both times were because of me, though.

I’m sorry, Rosetta.

“Ma… Madam.”

“Maya.”

Maya approached the bedside with a swollen face.

“I-I should’ve been there with you. I thought you were going to… Sniff.”

“I’m fine. Sorry for worrying you.”

I weakly grasped Maya’s hand. I had no strength, so my grip was limp.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

Rexton stepped closer, his worried gaze fixed on me. His eyes were sunken, as if he hadn’t slept all night.

“Thank you.”

‘Is Xavier alright?’

Even while exchanging pleasantries, this thought was firmly lodged in my mind.

“You’ve slept for an entire day.”

Behind the exhausted Rexton, a taller man appeared.

“It’s been a while, Your Eminence. Or should I say Duchess now?”

A man in white priestly robes with gray eyes.

“Your Holiness has come.”

Pope Melvin had changed his route to come here after receiving Rexton’s message.

I was dying to ask about Xavier, but first, I smiled softly at Rosetta and Maya, telling them to rest in their quarters.

After Rexton led the two reluctant women out of the tent, I immediately asked Melvin.

“What about Xavier?”

I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. It felt like an empty shell.

“Don’t get up. It’ll take time for your holy power to replenish. I was going to teach you how to control it, but things escalated too quickly.”

“Ah…”

“You must have released all your holy power in the heat of the moment. The golden light was visible even from here.”

“I see.”

Feeling dizzy, I grabbed the Pope’s hand for support and lay back down.

“After some rest, your holy power will replenish in a few hours.”

“Yes, thank you. But…”

Seeing me bite my lip and lower my gaze, Melvin spoke.

“If you’re worried about Duke Xavier, don’t be. Thanks to you, the antidote worked.”

“Ah, he’s alive.”

Relief washed over me, and I gripped the blanket tightly.

“He’s not just alive—he’s a Swordmaster, after all. He absorbed my holy power like a sponge and recovered quickly.”

“That’s such a relief. Truly.”

Xavier was alive.

He didn’t die because of me.

“Where is the Duke now? He’s human again, right?”

Since the curse must have been lifted with the antidote, he should be human now. I glanced around the tent, searching for Xavier, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, about that…”

Melvin opened his mouth to explain when—

“Yuria Auguste.”

A deep male voice pierced my ears.

Over Melvin’s shoulder, at the tent’s entrance, stood Xavier.

He looked at me intently, standing tall despite having been at death’s door just a moment ago.

His usually neat hairstyle was disheveled, and his pale complexion bore evidence of his brush with death.

The moment I saw him, a wave of relief crashed over me.

“Xavier!”

Overwhelmed, I called his name, and his teal eyes shimmered deeply.

Xavier quickly strode toward me from the tent’s entrance.

Before I could think, he embraced me tightly. He smelled of life. The strong beat of his heart chased away the remnants of death, and his warm body reassured me he was alive.

Slowly, I raised my arms and gently stroked his head.

“Xavier, thank you for surviving.”

I wanted to say those words so badly. When I added them, Xavier lifted his face and gazed straight into my eyes.

“I thought I’d go mad, thinking you wouldn’t wake up. Why did you do something so reckless?”

“I didn’t want you to die.”

“What?”

“I couldn’t imagine a world without you.”

I was sincere.

Setting aside the contract, I genuinely wanted Xavier to live.

His arms tightened slightly around me.

“Yuria, thank you.”

Xavier buried his head in my neck and inhaled deeply.

As if wanting to confirm I was truly alive, his hot lips trailed kisses along my shoulder.

His breath, warm and intoxicating, traveled up my neck, heating my earlobe.

Unconsciously, I closed my eyes and murmured his name.

“Ah… Xavier.”

Overcome with the joy and excitement of finding him alive, I couldn’t bring myself to resist.

Perhaps I had come to cherish Xavier Auguste.

As a man.

I wondered if he felt the same.

Not as a saintess or because of this body, but could he love me?

“Yuria…”

His breath, soft as mist, brushed against my lips. The heady, sensual feeling made me dizzy, and I closed my eyes.

Just as Xavier, his voice thick with emotion, was about to say something—

“Ahem. I’m still here, you know.”

The voice stopped Xavier’s tempting, crimson lips in their tracks. My tightly shut eyes snapped open.

“If you act like this in front of a clergyman, it’s going to be very troublesome, isn’t it?”