"In the novel, I never wrote that you have a twin."

Transmigrating into this world was a punishment for me, not a second chance in life. I already died thrice but kept reviving as an extra in this novel.

I was sick of it all. It made me feel like my life was worthless, that there was no point in trying to live as myself when my destiny was already decided.

For quite some time, despite not knowing who they were, I resented the author of this story.

This is all your fault, often times I thought.

To think that I would meet the author face to face.

"You," My jaw clenched. "What did you just say?"

"Hm? Nothing." The imperial princess eyed me curiously. "You wouldn't know even if I tell you."

I cautiously picked up the daggers that I dropped.

"You said something about the novel." I pursed my lips. "Are you, by any chance, a transmigrator?"

At that point, Princess Odette stood unblinking, trying to process what she had just been told.

Her expression was deceptively composed, but her shock was given away by a gasp. "Don't tell me-!"

"Yeah," I interrupted. "I'm a transmigrator, too."

The knight with an uncanny resemblance to me stepped forward, a chivalrous gesture to protect her master. "Your Highness, what's happening?"

Princess Odette ignored her knight and pushed her aside. "Are you really a transmigrator?"

My eyes narrowed into slits. "Yeah,"

"Oh, my!" The princess exclaimed in awe. "I never imagined that I would meet another transmigrator in my own story. I thought Ruth is the only one!"

My face hardened. Right. I met her once and she was Lady Camellia's friend, but I had no idea that she's also a transmigrator, and the creator at that.

In the end, it came from her own mouth.

That she was, indeed, the author of this novel.

"You're Kallen, the executioner, aren't you?" The princess asked. "You look so much like Ellis!"

I clenched my fists. "Why are you so happy?"

Princess Odette was taken aback by my query.

"Do you know how much I've had to suffer," My voice shook. "After ending up inside this stupid novel you wrote? What an insufferable bitch."

"Oh, my god." Princess Odette chuckled nervously at my words. "Her temper's worse than I thought."

Ellis, the knight identical to me, seemed to have sensed my hostility and immediately pulled the princess behind her. I was prepared to attack them again when Princess Odette screamed.

"W-Wait! Please listen to me!" She pleaded desperately. "We're supposed to be allies!"

I ignored her and prepared to lunge at them.

"I know your role in this arc!" She shouted in panic, her head protruding over the knight's shoulder. "You'll ignite the fire of a rebellion!"

I was momentarily stunned. What will I do?

"Are you willing to listen now?" Princess Odette grinned. "If you want me to tell you, then drop your weapon. I know you have a mission to kill me, but you shouldn't. We're on the same side."

"Says who?" I said through gritted teeth.

"Says me, the author of this story." she asserted without batting an eyelash. "If you had read the novel, shouldn't you know what happens next?"

I was rendered speechless, because it's my only weakness. Despite being a transmigrator, I didn't know the entire plot. I only recall fragments of it from time to time. There's no way I'm saying that.

For a moment, the princess and I locked gazes with each other. She must have felt that I had no intention of backing down, so Her Highness explained the novel progression in more detail.

"In the original storyline, I was the one who hired you to assassinate my brother and his lover." She pointed out. "However, I was tricked. Dion's lover was actually in the south. He captured Kallen and turned her into his own ally. That's how it went."

I hissed. "So you're telling me to submit to you?"

"Rather than submission, call it cooperation." Princess Odette sighed in dismay. "As much as possible, I don't want to use violence on you."

"I refuse." I remarked bluntly.

"Please, Kallen." The princess begged. "I need you to come with us. The plot won't progress if you don't abort your mission and switch to our side."

How can I be sure that they're not deceiving me? I've already made up my mind to follow the plot faithfully. She just happens to be a transmigrator as well, and the author of this novel itself.

What if she's just trying to change the story?

"Listen, executioner. I understand your doubts, but I need to bring you to the new protagonist." Princess Odette insisted. "Otherwise, the story won't progress. You're crucial to the rebellion."

I flinched. "You know about the new protagonist?"

"Yes, I have already met him." She answered with all honesty. "You're aware too, aren't you? That the story has changed. We're supposed to be lovers at this point, but the new main character is smitten with somebody else, so we just opted to be allies."

So I surmised correctly. The new protagonist is a man. I'm not sure who it is, but I do have a hunch.

"And who exactly is this man?" I inquired.

"Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to disclose his identity no matter what." Princess Odette said apologetically. "We formed an oath, Kallen."

Even if you don't say it, I think I already know who it is. Right now, Grand Duke Averill is the only male character left with the same level of importance. He must be the new protagonist.

The novel won't choose some nameless and random dude as the new main character.

My face scrunched up. In the end, I still have to return to him. The novel is pulling me back to Alistair, and I'm unable to escape our ill-fated relationship. Even our roles are intertwined.

I'm so tired. Why do I have to meet him again?

I sighed. "Give me a minute to digest all of this."

My legs weakened and I slumped on the ground.

"Sure." Princess Odette said considerately.

I glanced over Ellis, whom I caught staring at me.

"Put your helm on," I clicked my tongue. "It feels kind of weird to see my own face in front of me."

She raised a brow. "Why don't you put your mask on? I'm a respectable knight. You're an infamous criminal. You should be the one hiding your face."

A vein popped on my forehead. "What was that?"

"Wanna fight?" Her blue eyes glared at me.

"Now, now!" Princess Odette stood in between us and kept us away from each other. "Why are you two so riled up? We're supposed to be allies here."

"Allies, my butt." Ellis said through gritted teeth. "I do not trust this hitman, Your Highness. Just a while ago, she was hellbent on killing us both. Do we really have to take her with us to the south?"

Princess Odette was flustered. "I already told you, right? The plot won't progress without her, Ellis!"

"Why does she have to look exactly like me?" The knight asked in a querulous manner. "Did you run out of ideas, Your Highness? Or was my character so unimportant that you decided to just recycle an old character design? Is blonde hair and blue eyes the default description for any extra in the novel?"

"O-Of course not!" The imperial princess said defensively. "Look, I'm just as confused as you, okay? I don't know why you two look so alike!"

While the duo was busy blabbering between themselves, I formulated my own theories.

Seeing their genuine surprise at the fact that Ellis and I look identical, it means that they don't know about my roles and the nature of my existence.

I only met Princess Odette once, and she doesn't seem to remember me as Lady Camellia's maid.

How much do they actually know of this world?

"Princess," I called, catching their attention. "How do you know the identity of the new protagonist?"

For a moment, she stared at me, contemplating.

"Well, that's something I can tell you." She tilted her head. "But only if you decide to join our side."

I pursed my lips. "Is that so?"

"Yes. I answered all your questions so far, but you have yet to give me anything in return." Princess Odette scoffed. "Well, even if you refuse to come with us, we will just have to take you by force."

A fellow transmigrator, huh?

The last one I met betrayed me heartlessly.

Who knows if I'm being used again? Still, if she were telling the truth, then I need to come with her and meet the new protagonist. If I want the novel to end as soon as possible, then I must go with its flow. Even if it means getting hurt again.

I've already been through the worst. I lost my friends, I lost my child, and I lost the one I love.

What else could hurt me? Nothing at all.

Even if these people betray me, I'd feel nothing.

"I'll come with you." I blurted out. "However, I need to bid farewell to a dear friend of mine before we go. If you don't let me, I won't come."

The princess stared at me intently. It felt like she was gauging my sincerity. After a few seconds, Princess Odette resigned to my entreaty.

"Fine," She sighed in defeat. "Ashen, right?"

I nodded. So she even knows about him.

"If you're concerned that my brother would kill him once you join us, don't be." She stated in all seriousness. "Ashen Fellini is a central figure in the underground world. Even Dion knows that, so he won't kill him. He will hunt you down, though."

Her words made me sigh out of relief.

"I'm glad." I lowered my gaze, trying to hide my eyes watered with tears. "Seriously, I'm glad."

I was genuinely worried for Ashen. If I failed the mission that the crown prince entrusted on me, I was afraid that he would suffer the consequences.

After being betrayed by my own brother and lover in my previous role, I told myself that I won't bear any attachment to anyone else again. But it's hard not to be attached to people when they have been nothing but kind to you. Ashen was just like that.

Both the princess and her knight were taken aback by my reaction. The two exchanged meaningful glances, but said nothing.

"Wait here." I told them. "I'll make it quick."

As soon as Her Highness nodded in assent, I took my leave and visited the Solstice for one last time.

---

When I arrived there, the tavern was full of men drinking the night away. Thankfully, Ashen was outside, smoking a cigarette in deep thought.

"Hey," I hesitantly greeted him. "I'm back."

"Oh," His face brightened. "Welcome home!"

I never thought that a plain and simple phrase like that could make me tear up. I am so sentimental.

"How did it go?" Ashen threw away the cigarette and stepped on it. "Did you kill the princess?"

"No."

His brows arched upwards. "You couldn't?"

"Sorry," I swallowed hard. "In the end, I didn't kill the princess, and I decided to follow her instead."

For a moment, we were engulfed in silence.

I couldn't get myself to look at Ashen. I was afraid to see the disappointed look on his face and I was scared to find him looking at me as if I failed him.

"So it's not that you couldn't, but you chose not to." His voice was calm. "I'm proud of you, Kallen."

I was stunned by his words.

"Once you've had a taste of killing people, it's hard to stop, you know?" Ashen watched the night skies with a contented smile. "That's why scums like us give up on living a normal life. But if you can still leave such a wretched world like this, why not?"

Before I knew it, my tears fell uncontrollably.

"Losing my lucky star would be a big loss to my business," The ginger smirked then raised his thumb. "But it's fine. I'm richer than you think."

I lowered my head to him. "For everything that you have done for me until now, thank you."

I received no response. When I lifted my gaze and took a peek on Ashen, his face looked so emotional and he was barely holding back his own tears.

"Raise your head, Kallen. I ain't your boss." The ginger smiled sentimentally. "We're partners."

He clenched his hand and initiated a fist bump.

"Yeah," I bumped my hand into his. "We are."

Transmigrating into this world was a punishment for me, not a second chance in life. That's what I used to think. But despite the novel depriving me of a normal life, it gave me a lot of encounters.

Encounters that broke me. Ones that shaped me.

With every person I meet in this story, I learn.

"You're back!" Princess Odette chirped when I returned. "I thought you changed your mind."

Ellis was wearing her helm once again, but I could feel her glaring at me. "How I wish she just did."

I bowed to them curtly. "I'll be in your care."

"Hmm." Princess Odette smiled. "Ready?"

Both Ellis and I nodded to Her Highness.

"Okay." The princess led the way. "To the south!"

It's time to meet the new protagonist of this story.

---

Happy 20k reads to this story! I'm so happy.

Stay safe and happy reading, everyone!

Yours Truly,
Aomine-san