Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 30.2

She couldn’t understand why Jade was acting this way, but one thing was clear: she couldn’t waste any more time. Lobelia needed to escape from the young Jade’s presence.

“Let’s put an end to this conversation with the Duke,” she said, signaling that she wanted to stop playing games and leave.

Jade seemed to sense the prickly undertones in Lobelia’s words and took a step back.

“Alright, I’ll be honest. It’s not exactly love at first sight, but I can confidently say that I find your appearance quite appealing.”

Lobelia was momentarily speechless. “He finds my appearance appealing?” It was a useless piece of information that she had learned.

“Well, it seems there’s no need for further conversation,” Lobelia sighed and turned away decisively.

With her firm departure, Jade no longer held onto her.

“Let’s head to the garden first,” he suggested.

Lobelia changed her direction and walked out of the hall. She planned to find a secluded spot in the garden and hide until the crucial event unfolded.

The cool breeze of the late spring night brushed against Lobelia’s bare shoulders as she searched for a place to rest. Spotting a bench, she settled down, feeling a sense of anticipation. Tonight, in the garden, the pivotal moment of this dream would unfold—the seizure.

Lobelia grew drowsy as she waited for Jade to join her in the garden. The music from the palace changed several times, building up the suspense. Finally, the time she had been waiting for arrived. Jade, wearied by the festivities, sought solace in the garden.

Lobelia watched him intently, holding her breath. Jade seemed oblivious to the eyes upon him, loosening his cravat and strolling through the garden. Seizing the moment, Lobelia rose from the bench, careful not to make any noise, and followed him.

Jade paused briefly, his head tilting slightly, before continuing on his path. Lobelia trailed behind him, deep into the garden. As they moved farther away from the palace, the light diminished, and the presence of others became scarce.

Finally, they arrived in an isolated area, completely devoid of people. Jade turned around, his gaze focusing on Lobelia.

“Shall we stop now?” His words were clearly directed at her.

Despite being caught following him, Lobelia remained composed. She had never intended to deceive Jade from the beginning. He was a skilled investigator, perceptive to the movements of others. All Lobelia desired was to be by his side when the time came.

Without much to say, she bent her knees slightly and greeted him. A puzzled expression crossed Jade’s face.

“After abruptly leaving the party hall, what’s all this about?” he began to ask but couldn’t finish his sentence.

Suddenly, his face twisted in pain, and he struggled to breathe. It was beginning—the curse was taking hold of him. Jade doubled over, as if convulsing uncontrollably.

Lobelia observed him closely, her eyes tracing the manifestation of the curse around his neck. Jade stared at his own hands in disbelief, perceiving them as monstrous appendages.

“Ugh… Gah…” He clenched his fists, uttering words of agony.

“What is happening…?” he managed to gasp out.

Lobelia approached him cautiously, observing the curse’s mark spreading around his neck. As Jade’s knees buckled, he collapsed to the ground. Taking advantage of his vulnerability, Lobelia reached out her hand toward his neck, knowing she had to act swiftly.

But in an unexpected turn, Jade grabbed hold of Lobelia’s hand.

The strength with which Jade held Lobelia’s hands was astonishing. She attempted to free herself by grasping his other hand, but her efforts were futile. It was surprising to Lobelia that such power remained within him.

“Wait. You know, don’t you? What’s happening right now?” Jade spoke, expecting no response from Lobelia.

There was no need for words. Once she could break free from his grip and remove the curse’s mark, everything would be resolved. That was what Lobelia believed as she composed her expression.

“Help me,” Jade pleaded, freezing Lobelia in place.

“I hope you won’t simply pass by someone who has reached this point. Ah, I must be frightening. I know,” Jade continued.

In Lobelia’s eyes, Jade appeared as a perfect human figure, unaffected by the curse. But in his own eyes, it was a different story. Frowning, he clasped Lobelia’s wrist and looked down at his own hand. He saw the white, monstrous hand tightly holding her delicate wrist.

“But I won’t harm you. I promise,” Jade assured her, his breathing becoming heavy.

“So please, summon someone,” he pleaded desperately.

As Lobelia realized that the second dream was set in the palace, she understood the importance of being by Jade’s side when his curse manifested. Originally, she knew she would witness the suffering that Jade endured alone. However, she never anticipated that he would ask her for help.

“Quickly… Answer. I’m starting to feel dizzy,” Jade urged, confident that Lobelia would assist him, as helping those in distress was natural in his world.

But in Lobelia’s world, it was not an expectation. Marlon, despite seeing Julia and Lobelia in distress, had not extended his help. On the contrary, he set malicious traps, pushing the mother and daughter into an inescapable abyss.

“…We argued about this before,” Lobelia recalled. Jade and Lobelia clashed due to their differing perspectives on what constitutes natural consideration.

To Jade, it was only natural to aid someone who had been insulted, while Lobelia insisted that he need not do so and urged him not to treat her as a person. Yet now, the situation has completely reversed.

“However, given the gravity of the situation, it is only natural that I should help,” Lobelia concluded. Although she had previously regarded it as idle chatter, Jade’s life was now at stake, even if it was an illusion. Thus, the circumstances called for assistance.

However, the problem remained that helping Jade would not eliminate the traces of the curse.