WAV 36

chapter 36

“Ugh… ugh…!”

I had never realized how excruciating it is not to be able to breathe.

My chest felt like it would burst, dizziness swept over me, and my vision kept flickering between white and darkness.

Without thinking, I dug my nails into my neck, scratching frantically—but he, unmoved by my pitiful state, asked calmly:

“You’ve always hated and tormented the Purifier, haven’t you? Admit it.”

Blink… blink.

I trembled violently, forcing my eyes to flicker open.

“Please… let me live…”

My eyelids were soaked. Tears streamed down my face before I even realized it.

“And you’ve already kidnapped the Purifier once before and dragged him all the way to Tollen.”

“Ugh… inh…”

“But then you heard he went missing and came to check—and sure enough, he was gone. The room was a mess, and the princess was hiding in the wardrobe?”

“Hngh…”

“Do you think it’s reasonable to suspect the princess as the mastermind behind this kidnapping? Or not? Huh?”

Bzzt—

He babbled on, but the ringing in my ears made it almost impossible to hear.

My legs gave out.

Yet even that—maybe because he controlled it with psychokinesis—didn’t let me collapse.

This was my limit.

I instinctively knew that within seconds, I would either pass out or die.

“One last question, princess. This time, you’d better answer carefully.”

“Hngh… ugh…”

“Are you truly not involved in this incident?”

Blood rushed to my eyes; tiny capillaries popped.

My whole body felt numb, as if all the blood drained to my toes, leaving me limp.

Even the fingers scratching my neck went weak.

People always say you see your life flash before your eyes before you die—but when death is actually at your doorstep, that’s not what happens.

“…I don’t want to die.”

In that instant, all that remained in my mind was rage and sheer determination.

“I escaped that damn house… I even climbed up to the lab director! And now I’m supposed to die so pointlessly?”

That was impossible.

Even as my vision darkened and my breath grew ragged, I grit my teeth and stretched out a hand.

Thud! Thud, thud!

After several failed swings, I finally managed to strike the man standing before me.

It wasn’t to hit him for revenge—it was a desperate attempt to reach him, to get his attention.

“What?”

“Ugh… I… need to… s-say…”

“Say?”

I forced my lips to move, and Serje’s face twisted in confusion.

“Something to say?”

By some miracle, he understood what I meant.

Blink, blink, blink—my eyes flapped rapidly in a frantic ‘yes.’

Half of it was a gamble.

He could have easily crushed my neck without a second thought.

But the male lead 4—Serje—was notoriously curious. Perhaps he had let his guard down because I was unawakened.

“…Hah! Hngh, cough, cough!”

The invisible force constricting my throat snapped abruptly.

I coughed violently, gasping for the first real breaths I’d had in what felt like forever.

“Ugh… huff! Hah…”

Kneeling as though I’d just run a hundred meters, Serje impatiently pressed me:

“Now, speak, princess.”

“Haah… hngh… the Purifier…”

I forced the words out, my voice rough as if scraping iron.

Blood and tears, snot and sweat, poured freely.

And that made me angry.

“Yes, the Purifier. So?”

“Instead of… worrying about… hngh, worrying about him…”

“Huh? Worrying?”

“Take care of… your own damn body… Xgh… huff!”

I raised a hand to wipe my face, shivering, and barely pulled myself upright.

Thump!

I gripped his coat sleeve tightly, as if to tear it.

The support alone gave me a little strength.

“Instead of worrying about the Purifier, take care of your own damn body…?”

He was too busy trying to understand my words to knock my hand away.

“Hmm. Are you talking to me, princess?”

97%

He had no idea how I was feeling, and the bewildered look on his face was almost comical.

I wasn’t scared of him anymore.

Maybe because I couldn’t even see him clearly.

“Yes.”

“What?”

“You’re bleeding, you bastard!”

“What…”

“Purifier!”

I had no time to explain to the stunned man. Opportunity comes once.

Whoosh—!

The moment I shouted, green light exploded from my hand clutching his coat.

A fresh, pine-like scent filled the room instantly.

“…!”

Male lead 4’s eyes widened. His lips moved, as if he wanted to speak.

But it was brief—soon the focus in his eyes vanished.

Fwoooosh…

Black, wavy energy leaked from Serje’s body like mirage-like fumes.

It swirled with the green light from my hand, encircling him in a whirling storm.

‘All I could do was Purification…’

A pitiful thought.

For the first time, I resented my ability.

Some people were choking me with psychokinesis, while here I was, inadvertently helping that bastard!

But there was no other way.

This was my only chance to escape his death grip.

‘Why does Purification just make you sleepy afterward? It hurts like hell, and you don’t even get to enjoy it?’

Just as Purification seemed to end, Serje’s eyes drifted closed.

The serene look on his face made my blood boil.

Whether from anger or the strain of using his ability in such a poor state, my stomach churned violently.

“Ugh…”

I gagged, glancing at his head.

86%

77%

69%

The Rage meter had dropped so quickly it now read “6” in the first digit.

“Damn, I overdid it.”

Snap!

Clicking my tongue, I released my grip on his coat.

Slump… thud!

As soon as the green light vanished, Serje’s massive body collapsed like a ragdoll.

I hadn’t planned on being crushed, so I quickly stepped back.

Boom—!

His face slammed into the marble floor.

“Ouch! That’s gotta hurt… serves him right.”

My own neck was burning and swelling, but it felt satisfying nonetheless.

I stepped forward to check, nudging his head with my shoe.

Tch… he’s fine?

Even after the slam, his polished face wasn’t scratched.

‘Damn it… awakened body.’

Awakened people were naturally tougher than normal, and an S-rank one? Of course their skin was unyielding.

I had expected it, but the disappointment was real.

‘No choice. I’ll have to do it myself.’

I crouched down, unfastening the cravat around his neck.

I wanted to strangle him back as payback, but I had to resist—he might wake up.

Instead, I grabbed the ruby brooch holding the cravat.

‘This is a nice one… must be worth something.’

I muttered a curse, then rubbed the cravat under his nose.

The pristine white fabric quickly turned sticky with black blood.

It was less than with Aston, but enough to serve as proof of his Rampage.

Shriiiik!

I tore the tainted cravat in half.

One piece went into my dress pocket, the other into his pants pocket.

“Ugh…”

I straightened up, heading toward the vanity, my throat aching in fury.

“Bastard.”

Rrrr—

I dragged the stool over and returned to the sprawled male lead 4.

The iron stool was heavy—perfect.

It would be enough to leave a mark on an S-rank awakened body.

“Ugh…!”

I lifted it above my head, arms trembling violently, nearly collapsing backward.

But my desire for revenge, my thrill, granted me superhuman strength.

I looked down at him, smiling wide, fully, unapologetically.

“…Serje Belnac.”

“…”

“You got ambushed and fainted like a fool.”

But you can’t kill the culprit.

Because that culprit has proof that you went on a Rampage.

“Exactly. You should’ve let me leave when I said I would.”

“…”

“This is all your fault.”

So if you want to blame someone, blame yourself.

Muttering that, I slammed the stool down onto his head.

Thwack—!

A single jet of purified red blood shot into the air.