abcnovels
Chapter 82 – Atonement
Chapter 82 – Atonement
[Translator – Peptobismol]
Chapter 82 – Atonement
“What is this…”
Isabel gasped for breath.
The last memory struck her head with fierce impact.
Everything was shocking.
She never even considered it.
No, she never sensed anything amiss.
Information broker Emily.
Who the hell was that damn woman?
Indeed, Emily in her memory had said it.
This world is fake, and she would escape it.
The protagonist of the original story, Derek.
His death was also unavoidable, she had said.
Wait a moment…
So, this means…
“This world… is fake…?”
Zing.
The moment she tried to think about it, countless truths about the world she never knew flooded her mind like a torrent.
The world within a game…
The Black Mist…
The Holy Relic…
“Ugh…!”
An intense pain, like being electrocuted, engulfed Isabel.
Her reason started to crumble into pieces.
The unbearable truths scraped her nerves like sharp blades.
She couldn’t breathe.
Tears streamed down her face from the excruciating pain.
And then, after a while.
“…….”
A fake world.
The protagonist of the original story.
The relentless flow of information gradually began to stabilize in her mind.
And when she finally pieced together the last fragment.
“…I see.”
Thud—
A deafening roar echoed in her brain.
A colossal confusion struck Isabel’s mind.
And at the same time, she suddenly recalled a memory from the past.
— Oh my, Madam.
— I was debating whether or not to tell you… but recently, the Master doesn’t seem to be in good shape.
One day, a maid had come to her room, reporting anxiously.
— Every night, he sleep-talks…
— He keeps repeating that he wants to go back, like a parrot.
— Where does he want to go back to…
At first, she didn’t think much of it.
She thought he was just having nightmares.
She thought he wanted to return to the Winfred because his married life with her was so dreadful.
“Ah.”
Isabel let out a sigh without realizing it.
She stood still for a while, then finally lowered her head and muttered something.
“To return to his original world…”
That’s why he was in such a hurry.
The annulment, leaving for the Imperial Palace, getting close to the Princess.
The Rosary.
He was trying to tear the dimension and return to his original world with that object.
She wanted to laugh like a madwoman, but even laughter wouldn’t come out as she wanted.
“Fake… Yes, it was fake.”
The realization washed over her slowly like a rising tide.
She felt as if she were sinking into a swamp, unable to move or breathe.
An overwhelming sense of helplessness consumed her reason.
And now, she had no choice but to accept everything.
So that’s how it was.
This world was all fake.
A world where all endings were predetermined.
I was just a chess piece being moved on a prearranged board.
‘Thank goodness.’
That this wasn’t Kyle’s world, that there was still a glimmer of hope in the life she had ruined for Kyle, she was grateful for that.
But…
‘What should I do now.’
Honestly, it no longer mattered to Isabel whether this world was fake or real.
To someone, this place might be fake, but to Isabel, it was reality, and she had no intention of denying it.
Her feelings for Kyle were the same.
Even if it had gone horribly wrong, at least she was sincere at every moment.
Even if he was another soul wearing Kyle’s shell, she didn’t care.
— Do you still see me as Kyle?
She had already suspected it.
Perhaps she knew all along but didn’t want to believe it.
But what if it was another soul?
In any case, the soul that whispered love to her, protected her from danger, and was ultimately poisoned by her was…
‘Lee Seung-jun.’
Yes, Lee Seung-jun.
That was his name.
Rather, she felt relieved.
If this world was fake to him, then she too was fake to him.
It didn’t absolve her of the sins she had committed.
Still, it meant he had a place to return to.
Yes, so…
‘Thank goodness…’
All she could do was sincerely hope.
That he could escape from here as soon as possible and return to his original world.
‘……’
It was strange.
The moment she realized the truth, all the obsessions and rage that had bound her scattered like ashes.
The near-madness, the boiling anger, the anxiety that gnawed at her reason.
None of it remained.
No, only one emotion remained.
‘Emily…’
Information broker Emily.
The woman who killed the protagonist of the original story and hindered Kyle’s return.
— Synchronization rate: 98%
— Synchronization insufficient
Kyle had fulfilled all the conditions for his return.
But Emily ruined everything.
Does Kyle know this?
No, he probably doesn’t.
So she’ll surely approach Kyle after my death.
She’ll urge him to open the dimensional gate and take her to Kyle’s world.
But.
‘I’ve already been stabbed by a sword.’
Yes, I am already dead.
Then isn’t it right to step aside here?
What is truly for Kyle’s sake?
I don’t want to block his path any longer.
At that moment, the space in front of her distorted.
And then.
[ Would you like to go back? ]
The system asked her.
Isabel didn’t answer.
She simply closed her eyes, feeling defeated.
“……”
Just, just like this.
Dying… to find peace…
But then… what about Kyle…
‘Damn it…’
Her thoughts wouldn’t connect.
[Translator – Peptobismol]
A terrible anxiety crept up her neck and wrapped around her whole body.
I have to stop her.
I can’t let that dangerous woman go to Kyle’s world.
‘But how?’
The relationship between herself and Kyle was already so strained that no matter how much she talked, there was no chance he’d take her seriously.
More importantly, she had no face to show him again.
The unbearable truth was like a deadly poison.
Isabel glared at the system with bloodshot eyes.
Then, she clenched her fists.
A beam of light began to ripple in the air.
Slowly, very slowly.
Isabel moved toward the light.
As she walked, the light converged into a single glow, forming a door.
‘I can do it.’
Just once more.
One last time.
[ You may lose… something precious… ]
Because it’s a chance to atone.
[ You may lose… ]
So, this time, I won’t make a mistake.
[ … ]
Please…
****
It was just a moment.
Having chased her to the valley because he couldn’t let the memory-lost Isabel go alone, he had turned his back, lost in thought, to kill time.
And in that brief moment, trouble struck.
Why Luna Winfred was there, and why she was attacking Isabel, were no longer important.
Luna’s sword had pierced Isabel’s abdomen.
Thick streams of blood dripped from the blade onto the ground.
‘This is insane…!’
When Luna pulled out the sword, blood splattered everywhere.
Isabel staggered for a while before losing her balance and collapsing.
He hurriedly checked her pulse.
As expected, the once-strong pulse was weakening.
“Kyle, my dear brother.”
Luna spoke as if entranced when their eyes met.
“You’re really… alive.”
Her deep voice echoed in his ears.
But now was not the time to care about such trivialities.
He glanced down.
Isabel could barely breathe.
Her condition was so severe that she wouldn’t survive at this rate.
‘If Isabel dies, the Papal See will…’
Damn it, things were messed up.
Since the moment Isabel arrived here, and when Luna attacked her, all plans had gone awry.
But above all…
“…Cough.”
Isabel was coughing up dark blood.
It was as if he was watching himself when she poisoned him.
Her death wasn’t as satisfying as he’d expected.
Rather, it was disconcerting.
What the hell, is she really dying?
Could the Saintess, blessed by the world, die so easily?
Should I use the last remaining Elixir?
But, I need to save that for unexpected situations…
He let out a bitter laugh.
And then.
Wuuuuuung—!!
Suddenly, the air around Isabel shimmered, and compressed holy power began to emanate from her.
The space distorted chaotically with the outburst of holy power.
The amplified holy power vibrated irregularly.
Soon, the glowing aura tore through the space with a thunderous noise.
At that moment.
He saw it.
The massive wound that Luna’s sword had left on Isabel’s abdomen was miraculously healing.
And then.
“…!”
Isabel’s tightly shut eyelids lifted.
He was so surprised that his mouth hung open.
At that moment, a chilling voice came from behind him.
“Kyle, come here.”
Luna glared at Isabel with wide, fierce eyes.
A murderous intent shimmered behind her blue eyes.
“I’ll protect you.”
Protect? Protect what?
Just when he was about to retort.
“Ugh.”
Isabel regained consciousness.
She slowly got up from her fallen state.
“Ha, you disgusting bitch.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed.
Murderous intent, anger, hatred.
All sorts of dark emotions flickered and then faded.
“…Ha.”
Isabel let out a derisive laugh, staggering as she stood.
She spoke coldly, steadying herself with difficulty.
“Luna Winfred, you’re out of your mind.”
“You’d better shut your mouth if you don’t want to be stabbed again.”
“Do you even understand what you’ve just done?”
“Of course, I know very well.”
She glanced sideways.
Isabel’s face looked too calm for someone who had just come back from the brink of death.
An inexplicable sense of unease crept up his spine.
No way.
Could she have regained her memories?
‘This is driving me crazy.’
At least she wasn’t dead, so the worst had been avoided.
But how to smooth over this situation…
“Kyle Winfred.”
Then, Isabel called him.
“What are you plotting?”
Her unexpected question left him speechless.
“Plotting?”
“Yes, did you approach me from the beginning with this in mind? To kill me?”
“What are you talking about… Why would I go to such trouble…”
“Ha, this is exhausting.”
As usual, Isabel kept speaking her mind.
That confirmed it.
She hadn’t regained her memories yet.
He barely managed to swallow a sigh of relief.
“Answer me!”
Isabel screamed, her voice strained.
A brief silence followed.
Her ragged breathing filled the air.
While he carefully considered his response.
“Never mind. I’ll just leave.”
Isabel gathered her clothes and turned her back.
What’s with her? Why is she acting like this?
Her sudden action left him blinking in confusion.
“Thank you for everything.”
Her body glowed faintly, and shortly after, with a brief flash, she vanished.
“…”
She disappeared just like that.
He stared blankly at the spot where she had been, then let out a hollow laugh.
“…What the hell?”
[Translator – Peptobismol]