Emily brought a soup, and even though I wasn’t hungry at all, I forced myself to eat while thinking I would need the energy to run away later. In my mind, I traced multiple escape choices for when I was finally free.
Should I hide in the forest until the full moon was over? Was it a better idea than trying to go to town? Well, I actually didn’t know where the town was, so hiding in the forest might as well be my only option. Besides, it would only be a day, two at most. But, what if the viscount was so enraged at me for ruining his plans he kept looking for me just to have me killed? Or worse, what if he decided to execute my whole family as punishment? No, the heroes wouldn’t take that longer to appear and take him down. If I sidestepped this, then my survival and that of my family was all but guaranteed.
But not Lucas’.
I shook my head, willing the thought to leave my head. Since Mathias left, I couldn’t stop thinking about Lucas and how he was supposed to be the original sacrifice for the ritual. What would become of him if I escaped? Would the viscount deem me not worth the trouble and just use his son instead? My heart hurt thinking about that sweet boy getting killed by his own father in my stead. But then, what could I possibly do?
It didn’t occur to me that Mathias’ claim might be false. I did remember the necromancer and the viscount himself saying something about Lucas’ soul being similar to mine this morning. Besides, for all the evil in the world Mathias seemed capable of, I knew one thing for sure: he loved his younger brother, would do anything to keep him safe, even if that meant starving a family for a whole year to get my parents to sell me. He had no reason to lie about that.
And according to what he said, Lucas was aware of it too, which meant he knew that if he helped me escape, he was most likely going to be the next in line for the sacrifice. He was risking his life for a stranger like me, and that made me feel bad.
Wasn’t there a way for both of us to be saved?
“Miss, it’s time.”
I raised my eyes to look at the guard who came for me. I thought Emily would be the one to escort me to the place of the ritual, but I guess even she had her limit. Feeling lifeless, I nodded, walking behind him without opposition. While he wasn’t looking, I made sure the glass shard was on my pocket numerous times. I was glad no one seemed to notice. Nervousness was making me paranoid.
When we exited the castle and walked in the direction of a familiar garden, I was surprised, though I shouldn’t have been. The mausoleum was coming into sight. Torches were illuminating the path, and the doors were opened.
I gulped as we entered.
I had never been inside a mausoleum, but I wondered if all of them were equally as creepy. In the first place it was nighttime, so the place was illuminated only by gas lamps, leaving a play of light and shadows dancing on the walls and floor. Everyone was already reunited there; the viscount, Lucas, Mathias, the necromancer and Adela. I noticed with a start the door closed behind me as I took my first steps inside, and when I turned around the guard wasn’t there anymore.
So the viscount didn’t want outsiders to witness the ritual.
I bit my lips, glancing around, avoiding looking at any of the people present. If I looked at Adela or Lucas, I feared our mere eye contact would reveal our plan to the others. If I looked at the viscount or Mathias, I was going to crumble to the floor.
The necromancer cleared his throat.
“The preparations are ready. Stand closer Adela, to have a better look at the ritual.”
“Yes, master.”
She was a good actress, or at least I thought so. I couldn’t hear anything different in her voice.
I kept staring at the floor as I heard Adela stepping closer, and then a hand lightly pushed me from behind. I turned around expecting to see Mathias being impatient like always, but my face became pale when my eyes connected with the viscount’s.
“Go” he ordered simply. I went.
I didn’t know what would happen from then on. I vaguely remembered Adela saying I would have to be inside the coffin with the deceased viscountess, and I raised my eyes to look for it. It was at the back of the room, going up a few steps in a small platform. There were flowers on either side, as well as more torches. It was open.
I walked up to it and fearfully peered inside. I was supposed to enter there, be in a confined space with a corpse of over a year. I wondered, just what did a corpse that old looked like? It surely wouldn’t be just bones already, but I doubt it would be in perfect shape.
However, I was wrong. I gasped upon seeing the body of the viscountess.
If I didn’t know she was dead, I would think she was simply sleeping. Sure, she looked way too pale to appear natural, but besides that, she seemed like she could open her eyes at any moment and look at me.
Her hair was black, as dark as her eldest son’s, curly and long, going all the way down to her waist. She was small but graceful, with long eyelashes, a perfectly curved mouth and high cheekbones. She was wearing a light blue dress with lace and a choker with a small sapphire.
She also looked young. Too young, honestly.
I took a step back.
“Not so fast” the necromancer said, holding my shoulders from behind me and stopping me on my tracks. I unconsciously tried to shake him off, but his hold was strong. “Calm down girl” he leaned down to whisper in my ear; “it’ll be over in a second. Just close your eyes and lay with her for a while.”
“No!” I yelled, struggling even more. I knew that to get things over fast I should just comply and enter the coffin, but damn it! That was a corpse he was telling me to lay with! Stop joking! “Leave me alone! I don’t want to enter!”
“I know it’s not pleasant, but if you would just…”
“No buts! I don’t want to lay with a corpse! Just leave me already!”
“Enough” I heard the viscount say while stepping closer. He sounded exasperated. “Just throw her inside and get this over with. Midnight is approaching.”
“Fuck you!” I screamed at him, raising my eyes and focusing my blurry vision on him. “Just what are you asking a little girl to do?! You’re going to burn in hell for this! And then you won’t see your wife ever again!”
Apparently, those words were the limit. I didn’t even notice when he shortened the distance between us, grabbed me by the waist and threw me inside the coffin.
The world was deaf to my pleas as they close it, everything becoming black as the lid was put in its place. I started crying more.
The space was too small, there was a smell of decadence in the air, and I could definitely feel the dead woman next to me, cold and hard as stone. I fought more, but it was becoming more and more suffocating as I continued to struggle.
Calm down Elaine. You have to calm down.
I tried to even out my breathing, my hand instinctively reaching for my pocket. This was part of the plan, I had to remind me of that. Just a moment, and it would be over. I would be far from here, from this people, forever. If I could just calm down…
“Ouch!” my hand connected with the sharp glass and I winced, but I quickly shut my mouth, afraid they would hear me. My breathing was still harsh, but I concentrated on the sounds outside. A muffled voice talking in a slow cadence. Good. I wasn’t heard.
I closed my eyes, taking another deep breath, and raised my hands to my throat, positioning the glass as if about to slice it open. I pursed my lips, still hearing the necromancer’s voice mingling with my breathing, and while doing the best to ignore the corpse beside me, I prayed for a miracle.
If there was a God out there, please let the plan work.
-Did you obtained two chapters in a day?
-Yes
-At what cost?
-The biggest cliff hanger that could exist
-Did you just binge all of the chapter in 1 sitting?
-Yes
-At what cost?
-The biggest cliff hanger that could exist and about 3-4 hours of work I will have to do tomorrow
@ZaTrox damn it I'm right here with you.
If I was her I would definitely stab and cut the body so that even if the woman
That way even if the ritual succeed she would die soon after.
I am a petty person and I definitely wouldn't ever let someone trying to sacrifice me get what he wants even if I didn't manage to flee
yeah. im thinking the same thing. if im gonna died, i would just ripped out that corpse heart. but since mc still cling to hope, she would not do the same.
I made an account exclusively to leave you a review, I binge read all the chapters last night, and I AM IN LOVE!
I read MANY 'reincarnated into another world' novels/mangas/etc. (because I adoore this genre), reincarnated in the world of a book/otome game/manga/fantasy game/anime as the big villain/villainess, minor villain/villainess, supporting character, cannon fodder, second male/female lead, sister of the villain, etc. and I can say that your story is without a doubt one of the best I've read.
I adore the way you wrote the characters, the reason for his actions (whether they're good or bad), the development of the events and I love the protagonist! I'm so looking forward to see: if Mathias interferes somehow with their plans; if when the hero's group arrives, they'll fight or not against the Viscount and the necromancer; and what will Elaine do after she's no longer in danger (she says she wants to go home but at the same time, she was going to ask the necromancer to be his student, and I wonder -and hope- if she'll join the hero's group).
About your question about what Elaine did that changed Adela's vision: I'm pretty sure it was when she defended herself when Mathias and Lucas were talking about her like a dog. I mean, in the interlude Lucas said "In that moment in the courtyard, he was about to heed his brother’s advice and just let her be, but hearing her defending herself, standing up for her life when Mathias was threatening her brought him back to reality. This was a person, a human being...", so I was thinking that in the original she didn't defend herself, and while Lucas may have tried to help her a little at that moment, he then listened to his brother and gave up trying --> no further contact between them and so Lucas never decided to save her = she died
Thank you for writing this story and I'm totally looking forward to the next chapter!!
Thank you so much for your adorable comment, it really made my day I also read a lot of reincarnated into another world stories, which is partially the reason I used that theme as the main of this webnovel. Wanted to make my own version, haha.
And you're right! That's what changed Elaine's future! Congratulations on guessing right
There are still a lot of surprises waiting, so hoping to see more of you later on
Until next chapter!
Oooo thats a cheeky lil cliff hanger ain't it?
*bites fingernails*
You know all of this goes to show that evil is a matter of perspective, anything is justifiable if you try hard enough and innocently naive & selfish people can be truly frustrating.
I mean what's more evil: working diligently to find another solution to a problem and striving to reduce collateral damage maybe even preventing the ritual altogether (why did it take 11+ months to get to this point if nothing delayed things?) or trying to kill your own father?
Frankly I think those were Mathias' major options when his abusive father went obsessively into denial with a kin killing solution to his grief.
I'm not saying that Mathias is all sunshine and rainbows, because he is definitely being caustic and worried but...
...maybe someone who has never had to make a choice between bad options then live with the consequences (like our sheltered mc) might do well not using her emotions to judge people until she gains a bit of perspective.
After all, Lucas is a special soul and has an overprotective brother and she too is special with an overly attached brother. Whose to say that he wouldn't get a bit carried away protecting his sister if he had the means and opportunity?
Mh but that dude even after all this sh*t wanted the mc dead so he is rotten to the core lol
@RhiaReader I like the way you think.
@A.P.R.L. Thank you
@Takehiko It was for @RhiaReader, but I like the way you think too
@A.P.R.L. Thank you for the 2nd time
@A.P.R.L. thank you
Nah. Mathias is a pu**y shit. He don't mind to kill an innocent little girl, but too scared to kill his evil father. You don't need some bullsh*t called "perspective" to judge the people and their accomplices who want to kill you. If someone aim for your life, then they definitely f*cking bad guys. So she should do what American's do. Mass shooting that whole castle. If only they have guns tho.
@BroFreeze decisive, nice.
Which character would you choose to be and why?
@RhiaReader it's just my opinion. btw what do you mean "Which character would you choose to be and why?"
@BroFreeze cool.
Just curiosity really. Mostly wondering which character you identify with the most whose not the mc?
I've been reading something from a villains point of view which was a bit of fun
Mostly curiosity and a bit of fun speculation...
@RhiaReader identify with the most whose not the mc? sry. i really dont get what u tryin to say
@BroFreeze OK then, it was only a whim on my part so, all good