The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 154: Anna’s Joy

Chapter 154: Anna’s Joy

Once the Duchess was dead... Wouldn’t this give way for her? She could become the Duchess now! No one was in her way now!

She clenched her fists, determination hardening her features. Why should she remain a mere servant? The offer of gold and land that the Duchess had extended to her earlier seemed laughable now.

Anna wanted more. She wanted power, respect, and a place among the elite. She had played a role in this tragedy. And she could not be more pleased. She was a pawn in the hooded man’s games... But she got closer to what she wanted.

She was not going to let this chance slip away from her now.

She needed to be cautious, to tread carefully and avoid drawing suspicion. The man had warned her against revealing his involvement, and she didn’t doubt his threats.

Her gaze shifted to the mirror, where her reflection stared back at her, wide-eyed and dishevelled. The faint glow of the rune on her face was barely visible now, but she could still feel its presence, a constant reminder of the power the hooded man wielded.

"This isn’t the end," Anna whispered to herself. "It’s only the beginning."

Back in the vault, the maids and doctors tried to make sense of the Duchess’s death. The Holy Sword gleamed ominously on the podium.

"Do you think... it’s cursed?" she asked her companion in a hushed voice.

"Don’t be ridiculous," the other maid replied, though her tone was uncertain. "It’s just a sword. It couldn’t have caused this... Could it?"

The head maid silenced them with a stern look. "Enough. The sword stays here, and no one speaks of it. Do you understand?"

Anna saw an opportunity. She threw on a hooded cloak, concealing her identity, and slipped out of the estate undetected. The night cloaked her in shadows as she moved through the bustling streets, her heart pounding with a mix of trepidation and exhilaration.

Things were finally going her way.

Her destination was an inconspicuous bakery in the quieter parts of town.

The bakery, a place of warmth and simplicity during the day, held a darker secret. Beside it, a narrow alley led to a hidden compartment in the wall. The brick she sought was unassuming, just like the rest of the facade, but it slid out easily with a firm push.

Inside was a small hollow where messages were exchanged. Her contact had promised to deliver updates and instructions here. Anna reached into the cavity, her fingers brushing against parchment. A letter.

She quickly opened it, she didn’t read it yet but she knew that the person was getting antsy... They wanted to abandon her, didn’t they?

The letter was short, but the tone was clear: her ’master’ wanted her to stay put. They were unaware of the Duchess’s demise and seemed to regard Anna as a disposable pawn. They weren’t going to spend any more resources on her!

Anna’s grip on the letter tightened, her knuckles whitening. Her ’master’ had dismissed her as if she were nothing more than a tool, easily discarded. A wave of fury washed over her. How dare they? After everything she had risked and endured, they were abandoning her.

Her thoughts turned manic as a twisted smile spread across her face. They don’t know about the Duchess yet, she realized. But when they do... They’ll have no choice but to come crawling back to me.

Anna seized a fresh sheet of paper and began to write a response. Her handwriting was bold, her words charged with a mix of triumph and venom.

She would inform them of the Duchess’s death and remind them of her value. They couldn’t afford to ignore her now, not with this critical turn of events.

She will carve a place for herself in the Empire’s history. She stayed by the Duke’s side for so many years, rejected so many proposals, wasted her prime years for this! She will be the Duchess!

Once finished, Anna placed her letter into the hollow, ensuring it was secure before replacing the brick. The act felt cathartic, as though she were sealing away her frustrations and declaring her intent to rise above her circumstances.

She lingered in the alley for a moment, her mind racing. What if they didn’t respond? What if they truly intended to discard her? The doubts gnawed at her, but Anna shoved them aside. She wouldn’t let this chance slip away.

So what? So what if they abandoned her?! Once she became the Duchess... Once she became the Duchess she wouldn’t need them! The Duchess of the North, just thinking about it filled her with a feeling she couldn’t describe.

The morning air was brisk, and Adeline sat by the window, sipping tea. She barely had time to enjoy the peace when a servant delivered a letter sealed with the crest of the Holy Temple. Adeline’s heart skipped a beat. She recognized the symbol instantly- Edward.

She expected him to be discreet just like she was, but he did not. He sent it in a formal way, making sure others knew of their correspondence. Adeline gritted her teeth.

Her hands shook as she broke the seal. Finally, she would get the answer to the question she posed. What did Edward want?

The contents made her blood run cold. Edward’s words were polite, but the undertones of control were unmistakable.

"I know of your gifts, Adeline. You are chosen by the divine, and the Holy Temple needs you. Come, take your rightful place as Saintess. It is your destiny. How long did you think you could hide?" He was confirming that she was the reason why this entire war started.

She gripped the letter not minding the paper was getting destroyed in her hands.

Unbeknownst to Adeline, Edward sat in his private chambers at the Holy Temple, staring at a relic- a small, glowing orb that could sense holy power. Whenever he used to hold it, it would glow so brightly.

But now, it was dimming. He withheld the urge to destroy it. This would be the key to exposing Adeline after all.

Years ago, he had loved another, a woman whose soul resonated with his own. She made him go crazy... Yes, it was her fault. How dare she leave him like this? She was gone now... Did she think she could escape? How naive.

He will bring her back, no matter what it takes. It didn’t matter if he died in the process. Letting her live knowing she caused his death was a fulfilling fate for him. She can live hating him...

To resurrect her, he needed a perfect vessel, one capable of withstanding the process without disintegrating. Adeline was that vessel.

He kept thinking about how Annora ruined his plans in his past life. It was her wasn’t she? She gave him another chance. Because of her, he came back to the past. Why did she do this? A chase, a push and pull.

Why not give and come to him? She clearly cared about him. As much as he tried to understand her, he couldn’t. Why give him hope and cruelly take it away?! She needed to be held responsible.