Chapter 179



179 Tensed Up

Selma Payne’s POV:

Ten days after I returned to the palace, Dorothy told me, “We’re going to the ruins of the witch clan today. Master Hayley will meet us there.”

I immediately woke up and excitedly said, “That’s great! Did Master Hayley reveal any good news?”

“Unfortunately, not yet.” Dorothy sounded a little disappointed. “She still hasn’t found Mullwica’s address. Every residence in ruins can be traced back to the past, but there is no Mullwica.”

“You’ve searched every house? Was there an open space or something? Maybe Mullwica’s daughter has hidden her home?”

“Not really. The houses in the clan have the characteristics of the old era. They are densely packed and close to each other, like rows of teeth suddenly growing out of the valley. There are no gaps at all.”

“Is that so…?”

I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“But things will work out when they come to it,” Dorothy said optimistically. “Since Leviathan has lured me to the Rocky Mountains to look for the ruins of the witch clan, I might be the key to solving the problem. Don’t laugh at me for being too self-conscious!”

“I’m not! On the contrary, I think what you said makes sense. Perhaps as a prophet witch, Mullwica has been waiting for a descendant who is also a prophet witch to solve her mystery.”

We hung up after a short chat.

After I made up with Aldrich, our training also returned to normal. At my request, we now had a full training plan, even in the morning.

I couldn’t relax for even a moment. The cold gaze I felt in the cocoon seemed to stare at me persistently. From time to time, I would have the illusion that someone was hiding in the shadows and peeking at me. This made my nerves extremely tense. I could only train as hard as I could to divert my attention.

Perhaps my state of mind was too stiff; even Aldrich, who had always been strict with me, couldn’t help but advise me, “You should let yourself relax a little, Selma. Your body won’t be able to take this.”

I listened to him to let myself relax, but that cold gaze would appear whenever I was about to fall into a relaxed state.

I gradually felt a little impatient. In the dead of night, I secretly complained to Maxine, “Is there a peeping Tom in the palace? This feeling is annoying!”

“You’re too tense. If this goes on, you’ll force yourself into trouble even if you’re fine,” said Maxine lazily.

“What’s wrong with being nervous? I’ve been quite relaxed for the past eighteen years, but in the end, I’ve raised myself into a good-for-nothing, a rabbit that can’t even truss a chicken.”

“Don’t say that about yourself. Your past life is just a miniature version of the life of most ordinary people. Are all the people in the world rabbits?”

“I didn’t mean that. It’s just that in my position, being a rabbit is not good.”

“Still the exact words, you’ve pushed yourself too hard. I know what you’ve experienced in the Rocky Mountains. Although we were separated then, it also ensured that I was sober. From the illusion in the snowy night to the rebirth in the cocoon, your mood has been pained all the way, even to self-loathing.

“But this has never been your fault, Selma. No one is willing to be a puppet manipulated for fun, but the puppet is not wrong. The wrong one is the one who directed this play. You should vent your frustrations on the real murderer instead of torturing yourself like this.”

How could I not understand what Maxine meant?

Even though I knew what I was doing was wrong, there had always been a torn barrier between understanding and action. If one could restrain their actions with their thoughts so easily, then everyone in the world would be a saint.

I knew that, but I couldn’t do it.

Out of the choices in front of me, the best and only way was to aim the blade at myself.

“Forget it. Let’s not talk about this,” I said. “We must think of a way to return to the Rocky Mountains.”

“The Lycan King and the Queen will never agree to this.” Maxine did not have much hope.

I had to try. I had a feeling that the Rocky Mountains were hiding a huge secret. If I missed it, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.

“You know I will always support you, but the decision is in the hands of the two majesties. If they disagree, we can’t grow wings and fly out of the palace.”

“That’s right. We must think of a way to get my parents to agree…”

As I anxiously pondered, I gradually fell into Slumberland in exhaustion.

Darkness.

It was dark everywhere.

I felt like I was lying in a shallow stream, the cold and soft water gently kissing my skin.

The fine sand brought about a slight but hard-to-ignore pain. I suddenly opened my eyes.

Where was this place?

The dark sky was filled with heavy clouds, and lightning flashed with a dim golden light. A beast-like roar came from an unknown distance, causing people to tremble and have goosebumps.