The Countess Lives Twice in the Apocalypse-Chapter 82: Eighty-one
"Yeah.." Princess Huenazia groaned, leaning her body on Jannah and pulling herself out of the Duke’s grasp as she grumbled, "Punisher and Devotion.. Those are the skills I got. The voice was unexpectedly loud, it was sudden."
Jannah blinked as she wondered. Those whom she put on flower bond will receive active and passive skills?
She looked at the system’s surface, eyeing the name of the princess with squinted eyes. Surely enough, among the things in the information provided by the system was the princess’s name, skills, and level—
Level? Jannah wondered.
[Flower bond:
Huenazia Le Mercuria
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Punisher
Devotion ]
Oh. Jannah’s eyebrows furrowed, eyeing the level of the princess. Why does it say that she has a bond level? Is it the same for the others?
Confused with the status of the princess, she immediately checked the others on ally and confidant.
Her eyes skimmed through the names of her people and her friends, pursing her lips as her concentration breaks away for a moment.
She looked at the knights and her married friends, then looked back on the system.
[Ally bond:
Marco
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Mind’s Eye
Arthur
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Elemental Wall
Polo:
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Rebellion
Clara
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Cure Rain ]
All of them are level one and each has one skill. The active skills she has were distributed evenly and seem to fit for each person so she doesn’t have much to say about that, but why does everyone have a level?
[Confidant bond:
Merlot
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Regeneration
Lucienta
Bond level: 1
Skills:
Life Wall ]
Both Merlot and Lucienta received a passive skill that is related to their physical state— endurance and durability.
Life Wall allows the person to receive any damage from an enemy, that damage wouldn’t hurt them, and gives the person the ability to throw the same amount of damage back to the enemy.
However, Life Wall has a time after its use before it could be used by the person again.
I don’t know why Lucienta got that skill, but if the system thinks that it’s suitable for her then it is what it is. Jannah thought, looking away from the social bonds window.
I’ll explain what the skills do later so sit tight for now. Jannah said through her communication link with Princess Huenazia.
The princess went wide-eyed, a shocked and bewildered look in her face as she turned her head to look at Jannah. Jannah only nodded her head to confirm the princess’s question because everyone asked the same question.
With the princess registered in the flower bond, she turned away and looked at the remaining people who still haven’t told if they’re willing to be put in the social bond or not.
She opened her mouth to ask, but Kirie had beaten her to it.
"Please put me in the same category as the princess, my lady." Kirie said, her lavender eyes gazing at Jannah’s arm that was around the princess’s waist with envy.
Whether the maid’s words have a double meaning, Jannah didn’t question nor dwell on it.
She inputted Kirie’s name on the flower bond before she held her hand out to her, asking for Kirie’s hand, "Come here. I’ll heal you just in case you have the same reaction as Princess Huenazia."
The green haired young woman brightened up when Jannah gestured for her to hold her hand and didn’t think twice to grab Jannah’s hand.
She was ecstatic, her eyes wide in happiness and excitement— the person she admired made the first move! How can she not be happy? However, as much as she’s ecstatic, that look was immediately replaced with a confused one when she heard something on the back of her mind.
Jannah noticed the sudden changes in Kirie’s mood and couldn’t help, but ask, "What’s wrong?"
Just in case, Jannah had casted the healing skill and tightened her hold on Kirie’s hand, hoping that it would offer the young woman some comfort.
Princess Huenazia merely leaned her body more against Jannah’s body, feeling like she had lost something important when Jannah turned away from her.
She can’t explain what she was feeling, but the hollowness in her heart was unbearable.
She pursed her lips into a tight line and grabbed Jannah’s sleeve, making herself look like she’s still feeling dizzy so the Countess wouldn’t pull away from her.
Duke Eulicies narrowed his eyes when he saw this, the ugly feeling of envy and jealousy creeping into his skin.
The princess felt something was pricking her, like she was being stabbed repeatedly by a dagger, so she turned to look at the direction where it came from and met the Duke’s pointed stare.
The two of them had a staring contest, both sizing up the other with their heated and offending gaze.
Princess Huenazia didn’t back down, instead of letting go of the Countess, she had held on her arm tighter and even had the courage to shoot a smirk in the Duke’s direction.
Seeing what she did, the Duke’s hands clenched into a tight and hateful fists, shaking slightly as he tried his best to not let the jealousy consume his mind and body.
He did his best to hold back and look away instead of letting the princess win.
"It’s Salvation and Regeneration, my lady."
The princess and the Duke snapped their attention back at the situation at hand, Kirie was still holding the Countess’s hand and was smiling quite fondly as Jannah smiled back softly, as if she had just heard something amazing.
Jannah surely smiled at the others after they told her about the skills they got, but their mind was clouded with envy so how could they know that, right?
Jannah, on the other hand, was completely clueless about what’s happening and proceeded to turn to Duke Eulicies, "How about you, my lord? Do you want to be on the list, too? Or would you rather not be included—"
"Please put me in the same category as the princess." Duke Eulicies quickly interrupted Jannah and cut her off before she could finish what she wanted to say.
"Ah, yes, yes.." Jannah nodded her head hesitantly and trailed off, shooting him a reluctant look.
He was having a showdown. Jeriel cackled maniacally through the mental link, her voice obnoxiously loud as she laughed, outwardly, she has a neutral and straight face, but Jannah knows better.
Showdown? Jannah wondered, raising her free hand to input the Duke’s name on the flower bond because her other hand was being held by Kirie.
As soon as Jannah finished putting the Duke’s name on the list of the flower bond, the man known for his strong and powerful physique who didn’t suffer nor experience any illness for the past five years, and survived for three years in the outbreak, suddenly stumbled forward.
Kirie and Princess Huenazia flinched in their spot when Jannah lunged forward, dragging them towards the Duke.
Jannah catched Duke Eulicies, his body slamming against hers quite roughly, but she didn’t show any sign of struggle. Princess Huenazia is still holding her right arm and Kirie is still holding her left hand while the Duke is slotted perfectly in front of her.
His face was on her shoulder, buried to hide his pained expression, a strained grunt escaping his lips as his eyebrows furrowed.
Jannah casted the healing skill, cursing under her breath because the Duke seems like he was suffering more than the others.
He was sweating slightly and clutching her dark coat, his face pale, from what she could see from her peripheral vision, and it seemed like he’s in pain.
The Countess couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with the Duke so all she could do was heal him with all her might.
The sight for the others was confusing yet amusing.
The maid, the princess, and the Duke were clutching the Countess tightly as if their lives depended on it and the Countess herself doesn’t seem to have a clue about it.
Jannah placed her hand on the Duke’s back, the red glow her hand emits expanded to the man and enveloped his body fully.
She looked at the system window, eyeing the information it provided about the Duke, hoping that it would give her answer as to why the Duke was in pain.
However, instead of feeling a sense of relief, a feeling of dread and confusion washed over her like a waterfall.
[Flower bond:
Eulicies Devonio Zacharias
Bond level: 5
Skills:
Punisher
Petrify
Endure ]
Her mind raced with questions, her heart beat fast inside her chest, feeling the Duke’s body shake lightly as he continued to press his face on her shoulder.
It hurts. The Duke said, unconsciously using the mental communication link, alarming Jannah and making her look at him.
"He needs to sit down." Jannah spoke after being silent for a while, her words made Arthur and Polo stand up from the couch to let the Duke take their spot.
Princess Huenazia and Kirie reluctantly and begrudgingly let go of her, standing beside each other as they watch Jannah lift the Duke bridal style and lay him on the couch.
The men inside the room shifted in their spot, feeling overwhelmed by Jannah’s sudden display of strength.
You’ll be fine. Jannah assured the Duke through their link, grabbing his hand to offer some comfort as she continued to heal him.
I know. Duke Eulicies said weakly, unable to open his eyes, but squeezed her hand in return of reassuring her.
