Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 31

A curious thought fluttered through Lobelia’s mind, teasing her with its implications. “I wonder what would happen if I were to release my grasp…?”

Testing the waters, Lobelia twisted her wrists, attempting to free herself from Jade’s firm grip. Yet, her efforts proved futile, as Jade’s hand remained resolute, unyielding to her subtle maneuvering.

A tinge of apology tinged Lobelia’s voice as she attempted to explain her inability to comply. However, before the words could escape her lips, Jade’s eyes widened, and the pressure on her wrists intensified, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from her trembling lips.

“Call for assistance. It’s all I ask,” Jade’s demand reverberated, refusing to relinquish her hand until Lobelia pledged her aid.

Confusion washed over Lobelia as she grappled with the unforeseen predicament. What course of action should she take to extricate herself from this impasse? Searching for a solution, she contemplated employing deception to coax Jade into releasing her grip. Yet, much to her chagrin, Jade, like a phantom, perceived her ruse with uncanny acuity.

“No falsehoods will sway me. I shall summon aid,” Lobelia’s voice trembled, her melancholic tone resonating as she pondered how best to deceive Jade.

“Trust me,” Lobelia whispered, her words carrying a vulnerability and earnestness seldom bestowed upon others. The mere act of appealing for trust felt foreign and peculiar to her, for she had rarely extended such faith to anyone, nor had she herself been entrusted.

Understandably, Jade clung to Lobelia’s hand with unwavering resolve, convinced that her words held little veracity. Everywhere she turned, deceit seemed to cloak her intentions.

Lobelia, feeling the weight of futility, fell silent, her gaze descending upon Jade, who remained steadfast on bended knee. And in that pivotal moment, as their eyes locked, tracing the ethereal tendrils of the curse entwined around Jade’s neck…

Jade released her grip.

“Please,” Lobelia’s eyes widened, bewildered by the sudden change. Encouraged by Jade’s plea, a wrinkle etched upon her forehead, Lobelia swiftly mustered her resolve, her grip on truth not faltering even in the face of searing pain.

“I will place my trust in you. Proceed,” Jade uttered with effort, his body wracked by torturous spasms, his terror-stricken eyes scanning his hands, arms, and body, as if witnessing a ghastly metamorphosis unfold within his very being.

Grimacing, Lobelia gazed down at Jade, contending with a profound realization. Without hesitation, she pressed her teeth into her thumb, coaxing forth the crimson flow of life. And with determination, she tenderly applied her bloodied hand to the nape of Jade’s neck.

Jade convulsed, his gaze gradually regaining clarity and brilliance, gradually shedding the veil of his internal struggle.

Lobelia maintained her position beside him, patiently awaiting his return to lucidity. And as the haze lifted from Jade’s eyes, a transformation occurred. A subtle shift in his countenance, marked by a familiar gleam that Lobelia had come to recognize all too well.

Jade’s gaze descended to his hand, which had reverted to its ordinary state, and then rose to meet Lobelia’s unwavering stare. Her resplendent silver tresses, illuminated by the ethereal moonlight, captured his attention, casting a silvery sheen upon their clandestine encounter.

“Bereft… once again,” he sighed, his voice tinged with a hint of exasperation, as he carelessly ruffled his disheveled locks.

A furrow etched across Lobelia’s brow as she observed Jade rise to his feet, arrogantly brushing off the dirt from his attire. Shaking off the remnants of his fall, Jade withdrew a dull silver pocket watch from within his body, its polished surface shimmering enticingly.

With meticulous precision, he opened and closed the pocket watch, meticulously checking the hands of time. Satisfied that the hour and minute hands had exchanged their respective positions, Jade promptly returned the timepiece to its pocketed abode. Then, his gaze returned to Lobelia, locking eyes with her unwavering composure.

“You…” Jade’s voice lingered, his words laden with a mix of accusation and admiration.

Lobelia involuntarily flinched. She had assured the young Jade to place his trust in her, vowing to save him from his curse, only to eradicate all traces of its malevolence. But the more she ruminated on her choices, doubts began to creep in, casting shadows upon her once unwavering resolve.

Yet, Jade’s lips curled into a faint smile, as if privy to some hidden knowledge.

“I almost succumbed to your artful deceit,” he mused, his tone laced with a touch of mischief.

Lobelia arched an inquisitive eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “You were deceived. Is that why you released your grip?”

A vague response escaped Jade’s lips, as he glossed over the subject with a veil of ambiguity.

Lobelia yearned to probe further, to unearth the truth obscured within his enigmatic words. Alas, the opportunity slipped through her fingers, for the curse’s remnants had been effaced, and the world surrounding them dissolved into an ethereal mist.

Their time together had drawn to a close.

“Extend your hand to me,” Lobelia implored, her voice tinged with an air of urgency.

Lobelia extended her hand toward Jade, a peculiar sensation surging through her. She found herself in a perpetual role as his guardian, a circumstance that left her with an indescribable unease. Jade, however, accepted her outstretched hand with a composed demeanor, embodying an air of tranquility.

Drawing a deep breath, Lobelia envisioned herself being lifted off the ground. The expansive imperial palace, shrouded in an ethereal mist, gradually faded from view. As they ascended through the swirling kaleidoscope of hues, Jade’s voice broke the silence.

“Give me your hand,” Lobelia requested, extending her hand towards Jade. She had grown accustomed to being his escort, a duty that often left her feeling unsettled.

Jade, in contrast, accepted her outstretched hand with a composed demeanor. Lobelia took a deep breath, envisioning her feet lifting off the ground. The colossal imperial palace, veiled in a cloak of mist, began to recede as Jade led the way through the vibrant haze.

A sudden remark escaped Jade’s lips as they traversed the ethereal fog. “I did not catch sight of that child today.”

“Is that the child?” Lobelia inquired, her curiosity piqued.

“The girl who wandered barefoot in the snow,” Jade clarified. Lobelia found herself at a loss for words, her mouth awkwardly sealed shut. Jade cocked his head, examining Lobelia intently.

“I was intrigued, but what is the true identity of that child? I have no recollection, so I do not believe it was part of my dream,” Jade pondered aloud.

Lobelia mustered a faint voice. “Someone else’s dream intertwined with the Duke’s unconsciousness.”

“Is such a thing possible?” Jade questioned, his tone laced with skepticism.

“It goes beyond mere dreams; it is a creation born of witchcraft, a state of bewilderment, if you will. It occurs frequently,” Lobelia explained.

“And whose dream is it?” Jade pressed, seeking answers.

“I do not know,” Lobelia replied, her words concealing the truth. In reality, she held precise knowledge of whose dream the disheveled, silver-haired girl was a part of.

Jade silently observed Lobelia’s profile, then nodded. “Very well. It is a fusion of dreams.”

He no longer pursued the enigma surrounding the shabby girl’s identity. Lobelia redirected her gaze to the water’s surface, offering herself reassurance. Soon, within a short span, she would awaken from this dream.

One, two, three…

“Open your eyes.”

Jade’s voice rang out, awakening Lobelia from her slumbering state. As her consciousness returned, she found herself within the familiar confines of Jade’s chamber. She released Jade’s hand and erased the mystical markings on the back of her own hand, remnants of the incantation.

“How do you feel? Lighter, perhaps?” Lobelia inquired.

“Indeed,” Jade replied, readjusting his body and confirming his newfound freedom from the dream’s clutches. Satisfied that they had successfully escaped its grasp, Lobelia rose from her seat, preparing to move onward.

As Lobelia regained her senses, she noticed Jade seated at a distant table, his gaze fixed on the window. Slowly, she began to remove her clothes, performing the task with practiced ease. However, as she attempted to neatly fold her garments, she hesitated.

“It would seem odd to have perfectly folded clothes after a night of debauchery,” she mused to herself.

With a moment of hesitation, Lobelia uttered, “Forget it,” and carelessly tossed her clothes to the side of the bed. Her dress cascaded to the floor, disheveled and untidy. Clad only in her slip, she slid beneath the covers, concealing herself from view.

“It is finished,” she declared, just as a knock echoed through the room.

Jade rose from his seat and opened the door. The maid, bearing a silver basin filled with washing water, widened her eyes at the sight of Jade partially undressed.

“We will handle it. You may leave,” Jade informed the maid.

The maid nodded, swiftly placing the silver basin inside the room, before hurrying away. Lobelia caught a fleeting glimpse of the maid’s gaze skimming over her bare shoulder exposed upon the sheet, just before the door closed behind her.

“Have rumors of our decent conduct begun to circulate?” Lobelia pondered, her thoughts lingering on the maid’s curious glance.