The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 65: Support You

Chapter 65: Support You

The Marquess stepped in front of the children and used his powers. The earth blockade that the Duke summoned was melted away by the raging fire.

There was intense heat but it soon faded away.

"Alistair..." The Duke narrowed his eyes. This was blatant disrespect.

"I didn’t want to do this in your territory but it was needed." He crossed his arms, "I was in the same position as you. Don’t make the same mistake."

The Duke’s clenched fists were released... He turned his attention to the kids.

’This must be his daughter...’

Considering how the Western Marquess brought his daughter, it was a personal matter... He took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Your Grace," Adeline says softly but firmly, stepping toward the Duke. "I know you don’t trust me, and I don’t blame you. But I’ve come here because I can help."

How could this child help him?

The Marquess sighed and explained. "My daughter... Possess Holy power."

Taking this as a cue, Adeline summoned some holy power to show it to the Duke.

The Duke was taken aback by this display of power, "How-"

"Don’t ask." The Marquess shook his head.

"Someone from the Holy Temple has already tried. She is..." He took his wife’s hand. "Beyond saving... Was this your idea Benedict?"

He finally spoke to his son who was standing inconspicuously in a corner.

Seeing how the attention was on him, he shook with nervousness. But he put on a brave face, "Yes, father. I brought them here."

An awkward silence ensued. No one said anything, the Duke just looked at his son with complicated emotions.

"Just let me try!" Adeline took a deep breath and yelled.

Both the fathers stared at her with wide eyes because her outburst was unexpected. She rushed over to the bed and climbed on.

"Adeline!"

The bed was huge and she wouldn’t be able to reach the Duchess otherwise, not with her short stature at least. But still, it was rude to do so!

’Goddess, I hope I don’t blast her with Holy Power and hurt her...’ She remembered how she made Aaron fall down with her blast of Holy Power.

She takes a deep breath, and then lifts her hands. A soft, pure light begins to glow from her palms...

The Duke stares in stunned silence, and even Benedict’s eyes widen in disbelief.

Her Holy Power was so bright it lit up the simply lit room.

They could barely see each other, they had to close their eyes due to the intensity of the light.

Then, slowly, the Duchess’s shallow breathing begins to deepen. The colour starts to return to her skin. Her chest rises and falls with more strength than before.

Adeline pushes forward, feeling her energy flow into the Duchess like a river of light. She sensed not just the healing of the body but the restoration of something deeper, a soul tethered to life that was slipping away.

Adeline frowned. She got flashes of some memories... Or was it happening now?

A dark fog started to envelop the Duchess, trying to pull her towards death. It was actively fighting against her. Adeline got annoyed and blasted some power in its direction.

Like it had a physical mass, it was pushed off the bed. The black fog shivered and hopped away from Adeline.

She did not understand what just happened but she was glad that it worked. The Duchess’ soul was now properly attached to her body!

Once the light had died down, the others could finally open their eyes.

Adeline hopped down from the bed and looked at the Duchess. She could see her eyes moving under her eyelids. The Duke was baffled. It worked... It worked!

He ran to the side of her bed and held her hand as she slowly regained consciousness.

Benedict felt like he had it all wrong. Anna had lied?

This wasn’t a man who was willing to move on and take another wife. Just looking at his desperation, Benedict understood how much love he had for his wife. He gulped and slowly walked towards the bed.

He was nervous but mostly excited. His mother was back!

"Mother," he whispers, stepping closer but stopping just short, afraid to disrupt his father.

Adeline slowly whispered from the end, she didn’t want to disturb them but she didn’t want them to disrupt the Duchess’ healing process. "She will need more time and more care. But she will live."

The Duke stares at his wife, then at Adeline, speechless. For the first time in months, hope blooms in his eyes. He dropped his guard and his hardened exterior cracks.

Benedict, unable to contain himself, rushes to Adeline, "You did it! You saved her!" He hugged her and let her go.

He coughed hard. He didn’t follow the etiquette and hugged her in front of both of their fathers.

The Marquess’ smiling face cracked. He is happy to help them but he wouldn’t let any boy near his daughter. The Duke let out a light chuckle.

Adeline smiles softly, but behind that smile, she feels the heavy weight of her actions. She had exposed her power and soon, word would spread. The Holy Temple would eventually find out.

Eventually, they would have to find out that the Duchess is alive... It would only be a matter of time before they figure out who saved her.

"I trust your Grace knows the implications." The Marquess’ smile disappeared and he shot a knowing look at the Duke.

The Duke glanced at his wife who was still in the process of recovering. He then glanced at Benedict and said, "We will be keeping her powers a secret. Right, Benedict?"

Benedict nodded, he thought they were hiding it only because his father wanted to keep his mother’s recovery a secret... Until she is up and about.

He wasn’t aware of the fact that he could lose his friend if the Holy Temple finds out about this.

"If this matter gets out... The Northern Duchy will stand beside Adeline no matter what."

Adeline’s smile widened. She got what she wished for. A powerful backer. One down, two to go...