The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 160

Time had rewound.

“You and the Ratsons will die more pitifully than sewer rats, not even understanding how things came to be or who set them in motion.”

Nyx spoke those words and then closed his eyes.

As if daring Karon to do whatever he pleased.

But Karon couldn’t respond right away. He trembled, pale and stunned, his eyelids quivering.

It wasn’t an illusion or hallucination.

Elodie had come to save him.

Those weren’t the eyes of someone looking at a traitor.

And she had even discovered the thoroughly concealed main palace of the Basilisk family...

Even while losing everything she had, one by one.

‘And just now, I... Elodie...’

...

His hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably.

At some point, hot droplets began to fall from his jaw.

Just like when he was tortured, it became slightly difficult to breathe.

She’s okay. Elodie is still alive.

He’d rewound time immediately.

That meant it had become something that never happened.

Thank god... thank god.

He wouldn’t repeat that horrible mistake again.

Next time, even if he were locked away in the Basilisk main palace, he would never let Elodie come looking for him.

“What the hell...”

Nyx muttered in disbelief.

It made sense. Just moments ago, the boy had been tearing him to pieces with killing intent—and now he was trembling in fear and crying.

“What a complete lunatic.”

Hearing that voice pulled Karon back to reality.

And before he realized it, he mumbled:

“...Maybe I am.”

The moment Karon showed uncharacteristic weakness, Nyx—who had previously acted like he’d already accepted death—signaled to his dogs stationed around them.

He didn’t know what had gotten into Karon, but if his guard was down, now was the time to strike and beat him into submission.

But while Karon was shaken, he wasn’t unguarded.

Before the dogs could even get close, Karon ripped Nyx’s heart from his chest.

“...No. You're no longer needed.”

And then, with effortless precision, he released his venom, wiping out every last one of Nyx’s dogs.

As he watched their remains scatter through the air, Karon thought:

Can I really say I’m still sane after all this?

Not that he’d ever truly believed himself to be normal.

But if he couldn’t even pretend to be composed in front of Elodie, that was going to be a problem.

He thought he was still okay—for now.

“Ah...”

Karon let out a faint sigh, his train of thought cut off.

The hand that had been absently wiping away blood and tear stains from his cheek froze in place.

No—maybe from the beginning...

I might not even deserve to be by Elodie’s side.

Not even to linger near her.

He had to find out whether the family head’s ramblings were true.

No. It’s not possible.

He wasn’t even human.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

It had to be nothing more than the ranting of a deranged fanatic.

And yet, the anxiety inside Karon kept growing, little by little.

In the end, Karon retrieved the sacred relic as planned.

It was time to return to the Holy Nation.

But he couldn’t remember a time when the path back to Elodie had ever felt this heavy...

***

The family head had been right.

It was impossible to know where truth ended and lies began in what he said, but one thing was certain:

Elodie lost her powers when Karon was near.

More precisely, from the moment people began to doubt the Ratson family, her strength began to slip away, helplessly absorbed into Karon.

The Ratson family’s healing ability had passed to the Basilisks.

To Karon.

How is this even possible?

How could the gods choose a malformed monster, defective from birth, over someone like Elodie—who possessed every noble trait, both in nature and origin?

Had the gods truly forsaken the Ratson line?

And chosen him in their place?

If so, could that even be called a god?

The moment they chose him, hadn’t they become something impure—something tainted?

“Um... hey, you...”

Elodie’s voice trailed off, flustered.

Because in Karon’s hand—he was holding the Holy Hammer.

“Karon... don’t tell me... did you gain healing powers?”

Normally, when anyone but the chosen bearer touched the Holy Hammer, it sparked violently and lashed out in rejection.

Everyone except the one selected by the gods.

But the hammer was calm. And Karon stood there, completely unharmed—eerily composed.

As if he were the true owner of the Holy Hammer.

For a moment, Elodie’s face flickered with a storm of emotions.

Shock. Fear. A fleeting moment of doubt.

And yet, beneath it all, unwavering belief that he would never betray her.

Finally, Elodie spoke.

“...Nyx must’ve done something to you.”

After a long silence, she’d reached what must have seemed to her the most plausible conclusion.

“Something’s been off ever since you went to meet him alone last time.”

She pinpointed the exact point in time when things had changed and continued:

“He must have set up some kind of device so you could absorb the Ratson family’s divine power, right?”

Karon couldn’t speak.

If there had been some clever trick, they would’ve used it on the Basilisk heir, not a mere test subject like him.

He could’ve avoided answering her. Could’ve turned back time immediately.

He had already absorbed Elodie’s divine power. That meant this round had failed too. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

But he didn’t want to.

Even if this moment would be erased, he didn’t want to deceive her any further.

With a voice cracking from emotion, Karon answered.

“Nyx... didn’t do anything to me.”

“...Then?”

“My very existence is poisonous to you. If I hadn’t been around, none of this would’ve happened to you.”

“But it wasn’t intentional, right?”

How did she know?

Without giving him a moment to think, Elodie pressed him further.

“Right?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“No. It matters more than anything.”

What a fool.

Elodie looked at him like he was being ridiculous.

“If you didn’t do it on purpose, then we just have to figure out a solution together.”

“Elodie... there’s only one solution. I have to leave, as soon as possible—before I absorb everything.”

“You’re not seriously thinking of running away just because things turned out like this, are you?”

Her casual remark hit him like a dagger.

Abandon her?

How could I ever...

Elodie, staring at him with narrowed eyes, sighed.

“I was joking when I said ‘abandon.’ What I mean is—don’t decide it’s dangerous to be near me and then disappear without a word.”

Her words seemed to soothe him—but they struck ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the heart with precision.

“You don’t even know what kind of expression you’re making right now, do you?”

“...”

You look like your heart’s being torn in two.

Elodie murmured softly and reached out her hand.

A tender but not weak touch pressed against his cheek.

Karon stared blankly at the droplet forming at the tip of her finger.

“Don’t cry.”

Was he really this bad at hiding his emotions?

He thought that had been thoroughly corrected in the Basilisk palace.

But around Elodie, every part of him malfunctioned.

“See? Nothing’s happened yet. Calm down. Honestly, I’m glad it transferred to you.”

“Glad? How could you possibly...”

“I couldn’t protect the Ratson family. But if you’re the one inheriting it, then I’m okay with it. You’re not really a Basilisk anyway, right? You can start your own house and serve as High Priest instead.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

There could be no divine agent who wasn’t of the Ratson line.

If that rule could be kept intact, Karon would do anything.

When he scowled and objected, Elodie chuckled softly.

“See? How could I ever hate you like this?”

“...”

“So don’t say foolish things like you’re going to leave me, okay?”

Elodie said again.

Let’s find a solution together.