Nelia’s calm words led Ton to finally ask in resignation.

“How do you intend to stroke its head?”

Nelia glanced sideways at the snake.

The snake could easily devour the small human before it, but for some reason, it hesitated.

Nelia entertained a hopeful thought that perhaps the snake’s ferocious instinct was at odds with some memory of the people around, but that idea seemed farfetched when confronted with its menacing silver eyes.

It looked more like it was pondering how to play with and eventually eat an interesting toy.

“Ton, come behind me. I’ll go first and provoke the snake.”

Once provoked, the snake will take some sort of action, whether it comes closer or tries to eat her.

When her hand was close enough to touch its head, that’s when she planned to stroke it.

A simple and extremely risky plan, but there were no other options.

As Nelia cautiously stepped forward, the snake slowly moved its head.

Thinking about how to provoke it, Nelia shouted loudly.

“Your Grace!”

The Duke wouldn’t hear her, but she had to try something to touch the snake’s towering head.

Suddenly, the snake that had been swaying its head side to side, lifted its body straight up.

‘Could it be…did calling its name work?’

However, she soon realized that she was mistaken.

A shrill hiss.

The snake was screeching painfully again.

What provoked the snake was unknown, but it shook its head violently as if shot by a flaming arrow.

And those sparks flew towards Nelia. The snake’s head targeted Nelia in its wild thrashing.

“Danger, Miss Nelia!”

Thump! Ton, who had hurriedly jumped in, took the hit and was thrown far away.

“Ton!”

Hitting the wall, he gripped his waist.

“Cough… I’m fine… look ahead…”

Nelia urgently looked forward.

The snake, who had been in pain, was slowly straightening its body.

‘It feels like I’ve seen this scene somewhere…’

The increasing scent of burning filled the air as Nelia felt a peculiar premonition.

But her thoughts were interrupted.

The snake quickly approached and coiled around Nelia.

Nelia struggled to regain consciousness against the overpowering force that suddenly seized her.

Barely opening her eyes, she saw the snake’s face right in front of her.

The snake came so close, the burning smell was thick as if surrounded by flames.

The snake’s eyes looked vacant, as if its soul had been stolen.

Nelia knew what this premonition was.

It was the dream she had early this morning.

Though a bit different, the current situation unfolded almost identically to the dream.

‘Did I… actually have a premonition?’

There was no time to revel in the discovery of this unknown ability. She felt like she’d be swallowed and die a screaming death soon.

If things went as in her premonition, the snake would soon open its mouth and gulp her down in an instant.

But the snake simply stared at her, without making a move.

Nelia thought this was a good opportunity to touch the snake’s head, but she couldn’t move. The snake’s steellike body was tightly coiled around her.

Nelia felt like she would suffocate, even if the snake didn’t eat her.

Breathing was difficult as her body was constricted.

“Your Grace…”

All she could do was open her mouth.

She wanted to mutter something, anything, even if she couldn’t deliver grand and beautiful last words.

Struggling, Nelia spoke.

“Don’t grieve over me when I die…”

It seemed like the snake’s eyelids flickered, but maybe it was her imagination. As oxygen became scarce, her consciousness began to fade.

“I… am not killed by the Duke, but by a monster.”

Upon finishing her words, Nelia realized her thoughts were not mistaken.

The snake’s eyelids were hesitantly opening and closing.

‘…Is it wavering?’

Finally, the snake’s body, which had been tightly coiling her like a fortress, loosened its grip slightly.
Huff, huff. Thanks to that, Nelia hastily caught her breath.

Thinking this was her chance, Nelia, who had regained a bit of strength, quickly wriggled her hand out. Her hand didn’t reach its head but rather landed on what would be the snake’s cheek.

A chilly temperature was felt.

Thanks to always sticking around Duke Hart, this temperature was no longer unfamiliar.

With a heavy heart, Nelia gently stroked its scales.

That was when it happened.

Flash–!

A strong force burst from the snake, and the scales her hand had touched vanished.

Additionally, the overpowering smell that made breathing difficult gradually lessened.

Curious about what had just happened, Nelia lost consciousness as she collided with an inexplicable force.

(This is a time divider.)

Blink, blink.

When she opened her eyes, Nelia knew this place was again not reality.

‘Is this heaven…?’

Not sure if she had done anything good enough to deserve heaven, but at least she hadn’t been a burden to anyone, so it couldn’t be hell.

The scene before her eyes confirmed it.

Where Nelia stood was a vast meadow where the wind gently dispersed.

The endlessly spread grass moved to and fro in the wind, a sight to behold.

However, Nelia’s admiration didn’t last long.