Chapter 80

Adeline paced restlessly in the living room.

Her lips were so bitten that they were almost bleeding.

‘How did she escape that underground pit?’

The Panopticon was both a prison and a maze. To escape from there, one had to know the exact path. However, the designers and guards who knew that path had all died long ago, making it virtually impossible to escape.

But, how on earth did she manage it?

‘How could someone like Lily Everett possibly…?’

She didn’t have the ability to do so.

…Of course, there was one thing that bothered her.

The fact that Lily had elemental sensitivity.

‘…Could the rumors about the Panopticon be true?’

The rumor that a legendary spirit slept deep within the Panopticon.

In recent years, some fools had rushed into the Panopticon, believing only in that rumor, but none of them returned alive.

So, she thought the rumor about the legendary spirit was nothing more than a superstition…

‘…If Lily had made a contract with that spirit, escaping the Panopticon would have been easy.’

But how could someone like Lily Everett, such an incompetent bastard, make a contract with a spirit? It’s absurd. How dare she.

She never assumed that Theodore would go down to the Panopticon himself to bring Lily back. Theodore wouldn’t do that.

It was surprising that Theodore searched for Lily so much. But still… he wouldn’t risk his life to save someone like Lily. There’s no way Theodore could care so much about someone like Lily.

‘He’ll forget about Lily Everett after they break up.’

Adeline smiled slightly, though she was a bit tense. Her hands and feet were cold, and a little sweat was breaking out on her forehead, but she tried to remain calm. She had to show a composed appearance when Theodore arrived.

‘Lily will die soon from the poison and curses. Then she’ll be silenced forever, and my actions will never be revealed. Even if they are…’

Adeline glanced around and pulled a small crystal vial from her pocket.

A transparent liquid with a subtle pink hue.

It was a love potion.

‘If I just give this to Theodore… then everything will go my way.’

Actually, she didn’t want to go this far.

Originally, she wanted to win Theodore’s heart fairly… and even if she couldn’t, she thought it would be fine as long as she could be by his side.

Over time, Theodore would get used to her, and they would become a happy couple.

But the moment she witnessed Theodore showing genuine affection to Lily…

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

From then on, Adeline devoted all her efforts to completing this love potion. She was confident in her potion-making skills. The poison she had given to Mrs. Seymour to feed Lily was also her creation.

That poison wasn’t ordinary; it contained a special magical power that enhanced the curse. Even if Lily had taken an antidote and recovered by now… the magical power in the poison would strengthen the curse, leading to her death.

Adeline eagerly awaited that moment. Damn Lily Everett, she had to die this time, disappear completely from this world.

‘If Lily is gone, everything will be perfect.’

She was muttering this obsessively, biting her lip out of habit, when she heard it.

Thud, thud…

“…!”

Low footsteps came from the corridor outside the door. It must be Theodore.

Adeline quickly opened the teapot and poured the love potion. The red tea completely masked the potion’s color, and since the potion had no taste or smell, there was no way Theodore would notice.

Now, all she had to do was… get Theodore to drink it.

Just one sip, one sip would do.

Adeline quickly sat down, maintaining a clean, innocent face as if she had done nothing.

Click.

The door finally opened. Adeline, who was tense, swallowed hard. Beyond the open door… Theodore appeared.

She instinctively smiled and stood up, carefully observing Theodore’s expression.

As expected… his complexion was not good. It’s all because of Lily Everett. She kept him up all night, searching for that woman.

‘It’s so sad…’

If she had been his wife, she wouldn’t have made him suffer like this. Lily is clearly a source of trouble for Theodore. A woman who brings misfortune. She couldn’t let such a woman stay by Theodore’s side. Adeline steeled her resolve and approached Theodore.

“Ted, how is Lily? Has she recovered? I’m really worried… She needs to be safe.”

“…”

As always, Adeline’s acting was top-notch. Her worried voice, expression, and gestures made her seem genuinely concerned about Lily.

However, Theodore just stood there, not reacting at all. Normally, he would have responded immediately.

“Ted…?”

Adeline, sensing something was wrong, called Theodore’s name softly. Only then did Theodore blink and walk past her to sit down.

Adeline realized too late that Theodore had been staring at her without blinking.

…A chill ran down her spine. Adeline was inwardly flustered but tried to act calm as she sat opposite Theodore.

She saw Theodore lift his teacup.

Adeline’s heart raced. The teacup contained red tea, which she had poured herself since there was no maid around. And in that tea…

‘…Just one sip, Theodore, just one sip. Drink it quickly.’

The love potion she had worked so hard to complete.

If Theodore drank it…

“…!”

Theodore slowly tilted the teacup, bringing it to his lips.

Adeline watched him, holding her breath. Swallow, Theodore’s Adam’s apple moved. The movement seemed very slow to her. Cold sweat broke out on her palms. Her lips twitched involuntarily, but she tried to control her expression.

It’s done, it’s done… Theodore drank the tea! Soon, the effects would kick in. The first person he saw after drinking the potion would be her, and he would crave her madly.

Her heart was pounding with anticipation. She longed for Theodore to look at her with desire. Adeline waited anxiously for Theodore’s reaction. And after a moment…

“Adeline Albinis.”

He called her name in a cold voice.

“…?”

Confused by the situation, Adeline’s face turned blank. Why… why is Theodore calling me coldly? Why is he looking at me with such eyes? Why?

The potion should have worked for sure…

‘…Was there some mistake? It can’t be. Maybe the effects are just delayed?’

At that moment, Theodore’s voice, cold as winter, rang out again, this time with clear hostility.

“Did you try to kill my wife?”

Adeline’s heart dropped. It wasn’t just because of that question. The way Theodore was looking at her… it wasn’t just cold…

‘…It’s… murderous intent…’

Clearly, he wanted to kill her.

Thump, thump, thump. Her heart beat wildly. She wasn’t dreaming. She wasn’t hallucinating. Theodore’s killing intent was palpable. Her body hair stood on end, and cold sweat trickled down her spine, sending shivers down her back.

Adeline stared at Theodore, her mouth opening and closing. The man in front of her was the one she had long harbored a secret love for. But now… he felt so unfamiliar.

He looked like he could twist her neck at any moment.

The savagery, cruelty, anger, and madness… were so vivid, it made her skin crawl.

‘This… this can’t be…’

Terrified, Adeline lost her composure. Her sturdy mask crumbled, revealing her true, fear-stricken face. She stumbled backward, but the sofa behind her blocked her path. She had to get up from her seat. Quickly…

‘…I have to run…’

A red alert sounded in her mind.

I’m going to die, really die.

Her body trembled as if exposed to a cold wind.

“You were the one who pushed my wife into that underground pit.”

“…”

“You were the one who cursed her, weren’t you?”

“…”

“I don’t care why you did it.”

“…”

“The important thing is…”

Theodore drew his sword from his waist. The silver blade glinted, and a pale blue flame coiled around it like a snake. The man who seemed incapable of such actions pointed the sword at Adeline.

“You have to die for the curse to be lifted.”

Adeline couldn’t believe this was happening.

Of all people, Theodore Valentine…

was about to commit murder.

And the reason was for Lily Everett?

“…This can’t be…”

“Is that your last words?”

“…I, I’m making a mistake. Theodore, don’t you remember who I am? I’m the daughter of the Duke of Albinis…!”

“So what?”

Theodore sneered coldly. So, that’s all you have to say?

Terrified, Adeline frantically searched for an escape route. But before she could even get off the sofa, a blue flash aimed for her leg.

“Squeal!”

Fortunately, the protective magic her father, the Duke of Albinis, had layered around her saved her leg.

But how long would the protective magic last? Adeline’s trembling hands searched her pocket. She needed a magical tool, a teleportation device, to escape…

“The Duke of Albinis did something unnecessary.”

Theodore, who muttered this, seemed completely out of his mind. He was completely mad.

Adeline, gripped by extreme fear, crawled to the wall, tears streaming down her face. Theodore can’t be trying to kill me, it’s impossible, it’s a lie, a nightmare… She dropped the teleportation device she had found in her pocket due to her trembling hands.

“…The Duke of Albinis is a powerful magician.”

“T, Theodore… please… s, save me…”

“But even his fancy protective magic can be burned away.”

Soon, the sword’s trajectory, like a bombardment, flew toward Adeline several times, as if determined to shatter the protective magic.

“Screeech!!”

Adeline’s sharp scream echoed loudly through the closed door and into the corridor.