[IFITAOAMV] Chapter 39

Beryl’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting me to know that. 

As he hesitated, unsure of what to do, Seth stepped forward. 

"Sir Hyman, please step aside." 

"Steward?" 

"The Master is in danger." 

"How do you know that?" 

"Because she made a blood pact with him." 

Beryl stared at me intently, eyes wide at Seth’s calm response. 

"There’s no time. Let me in." 

Feeling increasingly anxious, I urged Beryl, who quickly opened the entrance to the tower. 

"I will guide you."

The moment I stepped inside following Beryl, my resolve to meet Edwin wavered instantly. The seemingly endless spiral staircase before me was daunting even to look at. 

*When will I ever get up there?* I thought, *Can I even make it up?* 

I felt like I might collapse before even reaching Edwin. 

"This way, please." 

Contrary to my expectations that we'd head for the stairs, Beryl guided me to the opposite wall. When he touched a protruding, dome-shaped stone, light emanated from it, and the wall opened. 

"Huh? It wasn't a wall?" 

"It's a transport device," Seth explained. 

The device reminded me of an elevator from my previous life. Was this a hidden mage tower? Otherwise, why would such a magical device exist here? 

"Hurry and get on," Seth urged as I stood there, bewildered. 

As I stepped onto the transport device, my ears popped, and I felt the sensation of moving upward. After a moment, the device stopped, and when the door opened, an ear-splitting roar filled the air. 

"Kraaaaagh!" 

I reflexively covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut. 

*Could they have locked up a monster in here?*  

Fear welled up inside me, making me crouch down. But then, I remembered that Edwin was here and mustered the courage to lift my head. 

"...!" 

The moment I saw what was in front of me, I froze. 

Taking up the vast space, large enough to fit dozens of men, was a monstrous creature, black blood dripping from its body. Its skin was swollen with black veins that looked ready to burst, and its eyes were bloodshot, with black capillaries making them appear grotesque. 

"Rrrrgh!" 

Sensing our presence, the monster suddenly lunged toward us. Thankfully, its limbs were bound by restraints, preventing it from reaching us. However, its violent thrashing was enough to make the entire tower shake. 

*Those chains aren't going to snap, are they?* 

My heart pounded as I watched the chains, anchored to the ceiling and floor, stretch tight. I took a few shaky steps back, trying to steady my trembling legs. 

"My lord…" 

But at Seth's quiet utterance, I froze in my tracks. 

*…That’s Edwin?* 

It seemed impossible, but Seth's trembling eyes were fixed on the monster. Beryl, too, was staring at it with a pained expression. 

I forced myself to turn my creaking head to look at the monster. Though its body was covered in black blood, I noticed traces of golden hair upon closer inspection. The eyes, though mostly blackened, still had a hint of aquamarine in the remaining clear parts. 

My mind went blank for a moment. 

*Why? How?* 

"I thought he could hold out longer," Seth murmured in a subdued voice. 

"What should we do? If this continues, our lord will…" 

Beryl couldn't finish his sentence, wiping his face in despair. 

Their words, hinting at Edwin’s imminent end, snapped me out of my daze as if cold water had been thrown over me. 

"Seth, what’s happening here?" 

Seth turned to me with a helpless look and then fell to his knees. 

"Please, save him." 

"My Lady, please save our lord." 

Beryl also knelt before me, pleading. 

I just stood there, blinking in confusion. 

*Why are they asking me? I have no power.* 

"The only one who can save our master is you, my lady. Please…" 

Seth’s desperate plea made me shake my head as I stepped back. 

"I—I don’t know what to do—" 

"But you’re a Jueri, aren’t you?" Seth cut me off, lifting his head to stare at me intensely. 

"Y-yes, but I don’t know how to use Gemcraft." 

"Are you just going to let him die?" 

"My Lady, please save him. We can’t lose him like this," Beryl’s earnest voice followed Seth’s anguished cry. 

*I want to use Gemcraft, too. I want to save Edwin!* 

But I wasn’t Jueri. I had only taken over this body, so what should I do? 

The pressure weighing down on me made me want to cry. 

How did things end up like this? In the original story, Edwin was alive until nearly the end. Why! Why! 

Overwhelmed by frustration and fear, I buried my face in my hands and collapsed to the floor. 

I wanted to run away. 

I wanted to scream that I couldn’t do it and just escape. 

Was Edwin going to die? If he did, what would happen to me? 

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. 

If Edwin dies here, maybe I could run away and live in hiding forever. 

No one knows I’m a Jueri, so I could quietly live a second life. 

*Let’s just pretend I don’t know. After all, I don’t have any power.* 

Another part of me whispered temptingly. 

"Kraaaaagh." 

Then, a deafening cry filled the air, so loud it made my head spin. 

No, it wasn’t just a cry—it was a scream. 

A desperate scream, full of pain, begging to be saved.