Chapter 199 Freeing Ted From The Lab
Lucy flinched at his words, her wings drooping slightly.
She looked away, her grip on her lance tightening. "You...brought her here. How do you expect me to trust you when she's standing there, acting like she knows you better than I do?"
Linsley exhaled slowly, trying to rein in his emotions. "Lucy, I'm here for Ted. For answers. You think I don't see what the Dominion's done? I'm not on their side."
"Then prove it," Lucy said quietly, her voice trembling. "Prove to me that you're still the Linsley I remember. Because right now, I don't know if I can believe in you."
The battlefield seemed to still again, the tension between them palpable. Aurielle, for once, remained silent, her expression unreadable as she watched the exchange.
Linsley's shoulders straightened, his resolve hardening. "Then let's settle this once and for all. You want me to prove myself? Fine. But not like this. Not with the Dominion's blood on your hands, and not with me holding back."
Lucy's gaze snapped back to him, searching his face for something—an answer, a promise, a reason to stop.
Finally, she spoke, her voice laced with defiance. "You don't get to tell me how to fight, Linsley. If you want me to stop, make me."
Hearing Lucy's stubborn reply, Linsley realized that her frustrations hadn't fully vented, and her misunderstanding of his relationship with Aurielle was making things worse.
In the previous god simulation, Lucy had always been clingy with him, but she had never reacted this strongly—likely because he had no close relationships with other women, keeping her as the only one by his side.
Now, with Aurielle acting close to him and even daring to talk back, while he allowed it all without protest, Lucy couldn't accept it. Her current state of mind only exacerbated the situation.
It didn't help that the Fallen Angel: Lucifer gift had side effects that amplified negative emotions when overused. Normally, Lucy could suppress those effects, but not in her current unstable condition.
In the previous god simulation, Linsley had been preoccupied managing the affairs of the Sinclair Order and training Lucy and Ted, taking on the role of their elder brother figure. But this timeline was different.
After his death in the simulation, Lucy had likely decided to take a more aggressive approach, no longer content with her passive role from before.
Aurielle's sudden appearance, coupled with the gift's side effects, had caused her emotions to snowball into this explosive confrontation.
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Understanding Lucy's state of mind, Linsley made his decision. "Lucy, I'll say this once: Aurielle is not what you think she is. You already know who I was in the previous timeline, so you should also know I have no reason to hide my love affairs. You know about Evangeline and Seraphina—my wives."
Lucy's expression flickered with hesitation at his words, but he continued, "I'll explain everything later. Right now, we need to focus on dealing with the Astral Dominion and saving Ted. But since you're not in the right state of mind, I'll restrain you for now."
Before Lucy could react, Linsley snapped his fingers, activating his Real Fantasy gift. "Heavenly Sealing Chains."
Golden portals materialized around her, releasing radiant chains that shot toward Lucy. In an instant, the chains wrapped tightly around her wings, limbs, and body, sealing her flux and rendering her immobile.
Lucy struggled against the bonds, her muffled sounds of protest barely audible as the chains covered her mouth, silencing her completely.
Linsley frowned as he looked at her. "Reflect on your actions and regain your composure. We're getting nowhere with you arguing like this. Ted is still inside Lab Theta-9, and we don't have time for distractions."
As he prepared to use his Real Fantasy gift to extract Ted from the lab, Aurielle's voice cut through the moment.
Pointing at the bound Lucy, she smirked and teased, "Oh, this is rich. Who knew the big bad Fallen Angel could throw such a tantrum? Honestly, Linsley, you're spoiling her."
Linsley's expression darkened instantly.
Lucy, who had been on the verge of calming down, flared with renewed fury at Aurielle's jab. Letting out muffled growls, she struggled harder against the chains.
Linsley sighed heavily and muttered, "You just can't help yourself, can you, Aurielle?"
Snapping his fingers again, he chanted, "Heavenly Sealing Chains."
Aurielle's laughter halted abruptly as portals appeared, and chains swiftly wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides and clamping her mouth shut before she could protest.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Her violet eyes glared daggers at him as she struggled, but Linsley only raised a brow. "If you still consider me a friend, you'll stay put and be obedient for once. I've tolerated your carefree attitude because it doesn't usually get in the way. But this? This is not the time for your antics."
Aurielle's muffled grumbles suggested she disagreed, but Linsley ignored her.
His gaze turned back to the lab, his focus sharpening. With both Aurielle and Lucy momentarily silenced, he could finally act without further interruptions.
Looking at the chaos below—the countless corpses of Dominion soldiers and those still struggling against the rampaging beasts—Linsley cast only a brief glance at the battlefield before shifting his attention to Lab Theta-9.
Activating his Real Fantasy gift, he quickly obtained a clear picture of what was happening inside the lab.
A faint sigh of relief escaped him as he confirmed that Ted was still alive, though his condition was dire. Both Ted's body and mind were ravaged by the inhumane gift transfer experiments conducted on him.
Despite the devastating state of Ted's health, Linsley wasn't overly worried. Even if the worst had happened, his Real Fantasy gift was capable of accomplishing almost anything, so long as it didn't exceed his power's limits.
Stretching his hand toward Lab Theta-9, Linsley made a pulling motion. A moment later, Ted's figure began to phase through the walls of the lab, moving as though he were a ghost.
In an instant, Ted was freed from the confines of the laboratory and safely in Linsley's grasp.
Ted's face was pale and gaunt, his expression a mix of confusion and fear as he took in his surroundings.
When his eyes landed on Linsley, there was no recognition in them. The memories of the previous timeline had not carried over to this one.