Her left hand was suddenly scalded, losing all sensation, with her ring finger becoming doubly burning, as if about to completely melt into the liquid. She gritted her teeth, forcing her stiff fingers to slowly explore, searching for the basin’s bottom.
But no matter how deeply she spread her hand, she could not touch the hard stone surface. The liquid had already covered her wrist, yet the basin appeared only half a palm deep from the outside.
After a moment of shock, Nelly steadied herself, certain that the stone basin contained a magical space. She closed her eyes, concentrating on sensing the breath emanating from the boiling water.
At that moment, the liquid transformed from boiling to freezing, a bone-chilling cold rushing in, instantly immobilizing her hand.
A cold and hot collision transmitted from her fingertips throughout her entire body, triggering an extraordinary wave.
Her stomach churned, waves of nausea surging to her throat.
Nelly shivered, feeling the liquid invading her blood vessels, circulating through her body. She wanted to struggle, to call out, but her entire body seemed bound, her throat blocked, unable to do anything or make a sound.
Moreover, this strange cold connected to many memories she had deliberately pushed away, unpleasant scenes flashing through her mind, forgotten memories reviving with their original sensations.
It was as if a ruthless, cold eye was staring at her, browsing her memories, retrieving her painful recollections and laying them before her, making her relive the experience of despair and death.
Yes, this liquid’s sensation was incredibly similar to the moment of near-death!
But she had had enough.
Nelly spread her fingers, tensed her entire body, exhaled, and used her mind to expel the internal cold. In that instant, her five fingers regained consciousness; something fell into her palm. Without hesitation, she grasped and pulled it out, looking down to find a dagger with a pointed blade, longer than usual, with a black edge that absorbed all surrounding light. Looking at the basin, the liquid had silently disappeared, revealing a bottom etched with a strange circular emblem.
Nelly looked questioningly at Gerard, who seemed surprised. She could only look at the duchess, who swept her golden curls back and said lightly, “You wanted the most powerful weapon.”
