Kylian hugged Anais, who was trembling as if she was going to lose her mind. He was afraid to breathe seeing his wifeâs condition, clinging and clenching his shoulders tightly.
âNow look! The correct soul must have entered!â
âWife! PleaseâŠ! Are you okay? Wife! Open your eyesâŠ!â
Kylian shouted, looking at Anais like someone who couldnât hear anything else. Anais vaguely realized that she was now back in her original body.
She barely turned her head, wanting to know if this was real, even though her whole body was powerless.
At the end of her gaze, she saw Lilithâs limp body, being held by Phileal.
Phileal didnât look this way at all, and he was saying something to the High Priest of Death as he held Lilithâs body precariously. The High Priest of Death shook his head at him and was refusing something.
âHigh Priest! Lilith is being strange!â
Philealâs pleading voice overlapped with Kylianâs.
Anais seemed to hear her own breathing. Along with the thumping of her heart.
It soon took away her mind like a black curtain.
Kylian bellowed. He feared that would lose Anais at any given moment. She had completely lost consciousness in his arms.
âYour Majesty! I will recover⊠! Ack!â
Captain Lacey grabbed the nearest High Priest of Life by his neck and dragged him to Kylian.
The people of the Goddess of Life were unable to harm people. With the ability to purify, the only thing they could harm was monsters.
âRight now, my wife⊠No, get him out of my sight right now.â
Even Kylian knew that in his headâthe High Priest of the Goddess of Life could not harm his wife. But what he had just done had made his wife lose consciousness.
âBring another priest! Now!â
âI just need to recover her body!â
âShut up. Before I slit your throat.â
Kylian said coldly and dragged Lilith. Lilith opened her eyes slowly.
Lilith began to stand up slowly, pushing Philealâs arms with her palm.
âDonât touch me, Second Bishop.â
Phileal frowned. For some reason, Lilithâs voice seemed to have changed a little. Itâs the first time he had heard her speak so menacingly.
âRestore my wife, Lilith Isadora.â
She moved her feet annoyedly, brushing her hair. As she walked towards Anais, Phileal walked after her, worried. Lilith, though she was dizzy, seemed to recognize that it was something she had to do. She stumbled and walked slowly.
âWill you please donât not follow me?â
âItâs me whoâs rotten, so get out of here. Canât you understand?â
Phileal was surprised to hear those words come out of Lilithâs mouth, and his body stiffened. Itâs apparent that Anais was not inside that body anymore.
Phileal knew that Anais was not the kind of person who would insult him for no reason.
Kylian shouted in urgency. Then Lilith approached with a genuinely troubled face and reached out her hand.
She reached her hand over Anaisâ body and began to pour her power. A very strong light came out in an instant, and everyone couldnât see anything properly as if they had gotten blind.
Moments later, Lilithâs body fell back like a collapsing rock. Phileal quickly caught her. She vomited blood and passed out.
Anaisâ body was finding its complexion. Reassured by that, Kylian placed her ear against Anaisâ chest, checking her heartbeat.
âYour Majesty! I can heal her!â
Raviel shouted and Kylian said again, regaining his sanity.
âRestore the saintess, High Priest Raviel.â
âWhat? But even if you leave her aloneâŠ!â
As if Kylian didnât want to listen to the words of High Priest Raviel any more, he carried Anaisâ body and headed for the bedroom.
Back in the bedroom, Kylian said to the priests of Death who followed him.
âGo and find Lewarren and the High Priest of Death. They shall immediately check on my wifeâs condition.â
When Kylian put Anaisâ body on the bed, Leviathan went outside. He knew that it was time to bring a living sacrifice.
Kylian looked closely at the high priest who came to the bed and checked Anaisâ condition. The High Priest of Death indifferently confirmed her condition with his holy power and spoke to Kylian.
âThe body is not damaged. It seems that she fainted from shock.â
Kylian was relieved at those words.
âWhat about the ceremony? I read that it has something to do with magic?â
âI donât think you need to prepare it. She still has enough energy. ButâŠâ
Even as Kylian spoke impatiently, he couldnât take his eyes off Anais. Because she frowned for a moment.
âI think it would be good to bring High Priest Ravielâs energy as Her Majesty requested.â
âIt is unreasonable in Lady Anaisâ physical condition. Itâs safe to do it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow when Her Majesty comes to her senses.â
Kylian believed in Mephist, the high priest of death. Even though he was a priest of the God of Death, he was the one who made it possible for Anais to be saved.
So Kylian acquiesced. In the name of saving Anais, the priests of Death would be seeking sacrifices for the God of Death in the Imperial Palace for the sake of increasing their power.
âWhen will my wife wake up again?â
âShe will regain consciousness perhaps tonight or early tomorrow morning.â
He sighed in relief hearing those words and brought a over his face.
Kylian stayed by Anaisâs side until she woke up. He would hear Anaisâ breathing going faint and then returning a few times, and each time he feared so much that his heart would sink.
The clock in the room was ticking. He sensed that his heart might be beating faster than the ticking of the clockâs second hand.
As Anais was lying on the bed she frowned and grimaced as though she was having a terrible nightmare. He used to be nervous that if she frowned, she would wake up soon, but that didnât happen.
It was still raining hard outside.
The terrible sound of rain hitting the window still frightened him. None of the lights in the room were left on. He was accustomed to the darkness, so that the priests of Death could come in and see his wife at any time.
He was fine with a greater darkness than this, as long as he had Anais by his side. She was always his light. Even if it would come to the point that heâd have to offer his soul to the God of Death, he would not hesitate as long as he could save her.
The drizzling rain hit the window and trickled down. Inside the room, the sound of the ticking clock mixed together with the sound of rain, along with the sound of Kylianâs wildly beating heart, trembling with anxiety. His head throbbed so much that it felt like his pulse was beating in his ears.
Anxiety seemed to eat away at him and pull him deeper into darkness.
What if Anais doesnât wake up?
The sound of his beating heart was loud, like drums beating inside his ears. His wifeâs face was still lovely, and it was clear that her presence was what kept him alive.
Anaisâs hair was originally platinum blonde. It was now as blue as water due to the side effects of being forcibly revived.
He looked down at his wifeâs face, where even the eyelashes had turned blue. Beneath the gently closed eyelids, there must be beautiful blue eyes that melts his insides. Transparent yet dark like sapphires.
On top of that, the pretty corners of her eyes and her tall nose. However, her cheeks and lustrous lips, which would normally have been a peach color, lost their original color and took on a pale hue. Kylian deliberately looked closely at his wifeâs face, trying to find stability for himself.
Then, in an instant, he saw Anaisâ hair color return to platinum. He felt like his insides were melting. As if his blood was cold and the cold blood ran out through his fingertips and toes.
Even when called, she didnât even flinch. He tried to listen to the sound of Anaisâ heart. Maybe because of the clothes, she couldnât tell if the heartbeat he heard in his ears was hers or his own. It was just beating like crazy.
He put his hand on Anaisâ body with an impatient hand. He couldnât feel her heartbeat beating under his ears. It was ominous, thinking that the heartbeat he felt through his fingertips was also his.
He grabbed her wrist. He wasnât even sure about the slight pulse he felt in her wrist.
Every time he gulped, it was as painful as a needle stuck in his throat.
Kylian clutched his chest as if he was going mad with anxiety, then put his hand on Anaisâ clothes. After waking up, she enjoyed colorful outfits. It looked like he would have to peel off the several layers to hear the heartbeat over her chest.
In desperation, he grabbed her clothes with both hands and tore them off. When the outer dress was ripped open, the inner dress was revealed.
He tore it up and pulled it down to Anaisâ waist. Then he put his hand behind her back and cut the laces of her corset. The string that had been one became several because he had torn it, making a mess on the bed sheet.
He hurriedly called her back and took off her corset as well. Then he put his ear over her negligee. He still couldnât hear Anaisâ heartbeat.
Kylianâs eyes lit up. He tried to place his hand over her chest, unable to bear the apparent silence. He needed to hear her heart. He leaned down to listen hard.
He heard the erratic beating thatâs out of sync with his own heartbeat.
He let out a sigh, relieved by the faint sound of her heart.
Anais called his name in a hushed voice.