CHAPTER 319: BACK TO HUMAN AGAIN

Curiosity was natural, Gabriel knew that. Anyone would wonder what she looked like beneath that veil. Everyone in the guild had wondered since the day she joined them.

But he wasn’t that kind of man.

His fingers lifted slightly, almost touching the veil, before stopping halfway.

He could feel the pressure of countless eyes on him, watching, waiting, expecting.

But he wasn’t thinking about them.

His thoughts were fixed on the unconscious girl lying on the cold stone floor.

’If she wants me to see her face,’ he told himself, ’she’ll show me one day—by her own choice. By her own will.’

He wasn’t going to cross that line.

He wasn’t going to uncover something she clearly wanted hidden.

That wasn’t who he was.

Slowly, he let his hand fall.

The tension in his chest eased a little.

He didn’t take advantage of helpless people—not for curiosity, not for desire, not for anything. If Sophie ever wanted to reveal herself, she would. And until then... he would wait.

He pushed the lingering temptation aside and forced his attention back on what mattered.

There were more urgent things to handle.

He reached for her jaw instead, gently prying it open—not to remove her veil, but to pour the elixir she desperately needed.

Everyone held their breath as he grabbed her jaw.

SCCCCH

He forced her mouth open with one hand.

"Cassie..." he called out.

"Huh?" Cassie snapped out of her daze, not expecting to be called all of a sudden.

"Hold her."

Cassie immediately bent down, hands shaking but firm as she held Sophie’s shoulders. Anna also placed a hand on Sophie’s forehead, making sure she didn’t jerk unexpectedly.

Gabriel uncorked the small bottle.

The scent alone sent a ripple through the air, sharp, metallic, almost burning. A few disciples actually flinched.

Drip. Drip. Drip—

The red liquid slid into Sophie’s mouth.

At first, nothing happened.

Then—HISSSSSSS—!!

Sophie’s body arched violently, her back bending off the ground as if electricity ran through her veins. Cassie gasped and almost lost hold, but Anna pressed down harder.

Her veins pulsed black, red light swirled behind her eyelids.

Everyone instinctively stepped back.

"What’s happening?!"

"Is she dying?!"

"No... look—look at her face!"

Her fangs began to shrink.

Her darkened pupils trembled violently, the crimson glow flickering like a dying flame. The black veins slowly faded under her skin, retreating layer by layer.

Her breathing steadied, and the madness in her aura dimmed. Right before everyone’s eyes, she was reverting.

Her skin tone returned to normal first, gaining that radiant glow once again. Then her lips lost their reddish tint.

Finally, her eyes fluttered open, revealing her usual soft green color—confused, tired, but unmistakably her.

"S... Gab... riel...?" she whispered weakly.

A collective gasp tore through the crowd.

Cassie burst into tears on the spot. The Martial Palace disciples froze, eyes wide and mouths hanging.

Even Evelyn covered her lips, stunned into silence.

Liang’s eyes widened; he had read about vampires, but this was the first time he’d ever seen one turned back into a human.

"She’s... normal?" one disciple whispered in disbelief.

"That’s impossible..."

"No vampire returns to normal! That’s... that’s unheard of!"

Even the elder who had been glaring at Gabriel earlier took a step back, his expression cracking for the first time.

Gabriel didn’t react to the shock around him. He simply lowered Sophie gently as her breathing stabilized.

Anna, who knew the truth behind the elixir, watched silently with admiration.

In the livestream studio, Doodle Brambleton actually choked on his drink.

"HE DID IT?! SHE REALLY TURNED BACK?!"

His co-host stood up like he’d been electrocuted.

"H-How is this even allowed?! Isn’t this against the game’s logic?!"

On the forums, the chat was buzzing once again...

Nickatnite: HE SAVED HER WTF

ThejadeBooty: Broken Heaven IS HIM

Geronimo_Roum: So he had a cure all along??

BrokenHeavenHater: BRO THIS IS CHEATING. THAT MUST BE A CASH ITEM.

Adrian_Hardin: Shut up bro, your tears are showing lol.

Kamynyx: THE SHIP IS BACK BABYYYYYY

In-game, as Sophie’s strength returned little by little, Gabriel stood.

He didn’t look triumphant or relieved either. He was calm and cold, as if he had expected this outcome.

Liang stepped forward, disbelief in his voice.

"A potion that reverses vampirism...? That shouldn’t exist. Not even the Vampire Kingdom has developed something like this."

Gabriel said nothing. He glanced at the potion, there was still a bit left in it. He planned on giving it to an alchemist to study and see if there was a way to replicate more of it.

Closing the bottle, he slipped it back into his inventory.

The Martial Palace elder clenched his fists.

"Even if she is back to normal," he growled, "she killed my apprentice—"

"And vampires killed members of Broken Dawn," Gabriel replied, his voice quiet but sharp as a blade. "I didn’t ask for compensation. I moved forward. You should too."

The elder opened his mouth, but when Gabriel turned, those electric-blue eyes struck him like lightning.

His tongue froze as he swallowed hard and subconsciously shifted his gaze.

"...I understand," Liang said. "If she’s reverted, then she’s no danger. I have no further objections."

A few Martial Palace disciples looked like they wanted to protest, but Liang shot them a cold glare and they shut up immediately.

Meanwhile, with Cassie and Anna’s help, Sophie was led to a corner where she slept peacefully, with Cassie keeping a close watch on her.

Some time later, she woke up with a pounding headache. Moments afterward, she began to recollect everything that happened, and instantly a wave of guilt washed over her.

It took a lot of consoling from Cassie before she finally calmed down.

When she did, her eyes found Gabriel.

"Y-You saved me..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why...?"

"You’re still pretty useful," he replied calmly. "Besides, I still need someone to oversee the running of the camp."

Cassie rolled her eyes immediately, while Anna’s lips twitched. But Sophie... smiled faintly.

’Was that his way of telling her that he cared about her?’ she thought.

Broken Dawn members breathed easier. The Martial Palace disciples backed down reluctantly. The livestream chat calmed—no, it didn’t calm; it exploded even more.

Daniel_Daye: THE KING SAVES HIS QUEEN

ImmortalSM: HE SAID SHE’S STILL USEFUL LMAOOO THIS COLD MAN

Christian_George: Scarlet vs Sophie incoming??

Doodle wiped his tears dramatically.

"My God... I love this man."

Back on the 60th floor, Gabriel turned away.

"Get ready," he said quietly. "We’re clearing the next floor."

As he walked forward, Sophie looked at his back, her fingers slowly curling over her chest.

Just moments ago she had been a monster.

Now she was alive. Alive because he chose so.

Cassie leaned close and whispered:

"Please don’t fall for him again."

Sophie’s cheeks reddened as she quickly retorted in an unconvincing voice, "I... I’m not—!"

...