The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 244: Annora’s Secret

Chapter 244: Annora’s Secret

Adeline stared at Edward, her heart pounding in her chest. His stormy grey eyes were sharp, watching her every move like a predator who had finally cornered his prey. The weight of the oath she had just sworn pressed down on her. The deal was done. There was no turning back now.

She forced a smile, but it felt hollow even to her. "Once I solve my problems, I will become the Saintess." The words had left her lips, it was done now... There was no going back now.

Edward leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "’Once you solve your problems’—how vague." He rested his chin on his hand. "I see what you did there, Adeline. You left yourself room to wiggle out of it. But don’t think you can escape me. I have my ways."

"Oh my, I had no such intentions." She said with utter disdain. She was already considering the outcomes, if he tried to push her, she would kill him. There is no space to argue. If one of them is dead, would the oath still stand? Hah.

he didn’t have the luxury of refusing him.

Right now, he was the only person with any real information.

Who else could she turn to? Her father? He had an extensive intelligence network, but even he couldn’t find Annora when she went into hiding. If he had been able to, things would have been different long ago. No, Edward was her best bet, even if she hated relying on him.

She swallowed her pride and took a seat when he gestured for her to do so. She didn’t want to, but arguing was pointless.

She fixed him with a sharp glare. "Fine. You got what you wanted. Now tell me—who is backing Annora?"

Edward stretched his arms lazily before shrugging. "I don’t know."

Adeline’s fingers dug into her dress. "You—!"

Before she could explode, he raised a hand. "I don’t know yet."

Her anger simmered, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Yet?"

He nodded. "I have my suspicions, but I need more time. However," he leaned forward, a glint of amusement in his eyes, "now you know that they are targeting those who were involved with Annora in our past life."

Adeline froze.

Our past life?

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. The Goddess told her that Annora had come back in time... But she did not know that Edward had come back too. If that was so, a lot of things made sense to her.

Edward chuckled at her expression. "Oh, I guess I forgot to mention something rather important."

He tilted his head, his silver hair catching the candlelight. "Annora and I came back in time."

Adeline’s entire world shifted.

"What...?" Her voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Edward smirked at her reaction. "Oh? Now that got a real reaction out of you."

Adeline’s breath was shallow. Annora... And Edward... Were both reborn... What should she do with this information now? Her brain felt like exploding. Annora came back for revenge, so why did Edward come back?

She hadn’t considered the possibility.

She forced herself to take a deep breath, steadying her thoughts.

Annora came back for revenge.

Then why had Edward returned?

Adeline narrowed her eyes. "You came back, too?"

Edward leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. "Obviously."

"Why?"

Edward’s smirk didn’t waver. "Why does anyone want a second chance?"

Adeline clenched her fists. "Annora came back because she wanted revenge. But you..." Her voice trailed off.

What did Edward have to gain?

In the original story Edward does not end up with Annora, though many were rooting for him, she ended up with Cassian. So, did he come back for her? She was trying to understand the man in front of her.

"Was it for her... Annora?" Adeline cautiously asked.

Edward’s eyes darkened instantly, "Do not bring up that b- Hah. Do not bring up her name. Whatever you’re thinking. Stop. She is nothing but a pawn who dared to think she could become a player. I want her gone and you do too, she is our common enemy. That is the only reason why I made this deal."

Seeing how serious Edward suddenly became Adeline flinched. What he said is true, she wanted Annora gone, and if Edward wanted the same... That worked in her favour. She did not want Edward saving her when she was so close to getting rid of her.

Adeline’s eyes narrowed. "Is that all?"

Edward was a liar. She knew that.

If he was admitting he had come back, then it meant he had the upper hand.

Which meant he had already decided to keep certain things hidden.

Edward smirked again, but this time, it didn’t reach his eyes. "Who knows? Maybe I just wanted to see how things would play out differently."

Adeline didn’t believe him.

Edward didn’t do things without a reason.

And right now, he was playing a game she didn’t understand.

Edward leaned closer, his voice low. "Now, put your cards on the table, Adeline. Who are you?"

She stiffened.

"You’re not the same Adeline we knew. Annora is too dumb to realise it, but I’m not."

Her throat went dry.

He knew.

He didn’t know everything, but he knew she wasn’t the same person as before.

Adeline forced herself to breathe evenly.

She could deny it.

But would he believe her?

No.

He was testing her.

Her heart pounded.

Edward had come back for a reason.

And now, he knew she didn’t belong here.

Edward smirked. It did not matter where she was from. She was not the type to keep her best things hidden. Knowing all her allies and powers he knows where he stood. So what if she was not the same Adeline?

That will not change her ending. He will get what he wants. The vessel to revive his love. He wanted to drag her down to this world and force her to be with him, how dare she even think for a second she could escape him? He shook his head.

He did not force Adeline to answer. "Black fog. Forbidden magic. This was the cause of this. And Annora hah, did you wonder why she suddenly has holy powers? We both are holy power users, we can see how much the concentration used to be, but now it shot up. How?"

Adeline’s heart pounded as Edward spoke, his words sinking deep into her mind.

Forbidden magic.

She had known something was wrong—something unnatural had happened. The world had started fighting back, at least that was what she thought. The people closest to Annora in the past had been affected. The timeline had changed.

But hearing Edward say it out loud made it real.

She caught a glimpse of Annora but she was too taken by her emotions to notice any change in her. She waited for Edward to answer. He did give her the hint, forbidden magic, she just did not want to say it. It was something that went against the order of this world, and that was why it was forbidden in the first place.

"Say it, Adeline. What are you so scared of? Annora’s body is now pure forbidden magic, I do not know how she is able to wield Holy powers in such a vessel. That is how she made a comeback. Her backer probably did this for her. Her body was reconstructed." Edward kept pushing. He found her reactions amusing. Scaring her, it was even more fun.

Adeline’s eyes narrowed. "I asked about her backer. I don’t care about Annora so why are you telling me this?" Of course, this information was why she struck the deal in the first place. Asking why was stupid, but she was sure that he had a hidden agenda.

Even that was not something that was exactly hidden, he was always up to something. She did not why she was asking dumb questions, she just felt like it was a lot to take in at once.

Edward smirked. "Why not?" He shrugged, leaning back in his seat. "You and I both want the same thing, don’t we? Annora gone."

Adeline hesitated.

Did she want Annora gone?

Annora had wronged her. Annora had changed everything. But killing her...

Was that really the answer?

Edward noticed her hesitation and chuckled. "Ah, still so soft-hearted. That’s the difference between you and the old Adeline."

Adeline’s expression darkened. "Don’t act like you knew the old Adeline so well."

Edward’s smile widened. "Perhaps not. But I know you now, and you hesitate too much."

Adeline ignored him. She forced herself to focus on what was important.

Annora’s body was made of forbidden magic.

Forbidden magic was unnatural. It defied the world’s laws. That was why it was forbidden in the first place.

Holy powers and forbidden magic were fundamentally incompatible, they were the polar opposites so how was this even possible? Using forbidden magic to construct a body that could wield Holy powers...