"By now, Dion must have realized that you've aborted the mission and switched to our side."

I was slouched on the post-chaise when Princess Odette pointed that out. Ellis, on the other hand, was throwing me distasteful looks due to my bad posture. Seriously, what an austere woman she is.

"Is that so?" I drawled, staring at nowhere.

"Yes." She smiled. "I'm sure he'll be sending his knights soon. Make sure to protect me, okay?"

"Don't order me around." I yawned lazily.

"How dare you talk to Her Highness that way?" The knight hissed. "Also, be seated properly!"

"Leave me alone, bitch." I glowered at her.

The two of us exchanged heated looks as our carriage rattled on the way to the south. We've only been traveling for half a day but it doesn't seem like Ellis and I will get along any sooner.

Even the princess had given up on trying to make us amiable towards each other. It feels so weird to bicker with someone who looks so much like me.

That aside, now that I've taken a closer look on her, Princess Odette is such an absolute beauty.

Unlike the two men in her family who boasted of crimson red eyes, she had a pair of amethyst orbs, something she inherited from the late empress.

She was a tall woman with a slender figure and porcelain skin. Her proportions were perfect.

I still don't trust her, though.

"So," I eyed her. "Can I have my answers now?"

Princess Odette got nervous at my demand.

"How and why do you know the identity of the new protagonist?" I queried with a straight face.

She averted her gaze from me.

"And since the storyline has changed, how are you still able to predict the next events so accurately?"

The imperial princess thought for a moment, as if she were carefully choosing her words. When she saw the impatience on my face, she sighed heavily.

"I suppose there's no point in trying to sugarcoat things. If you must know, then I will tell you." She crossed her arms. "You see, there are two versions of the novel. The original, and a plagiarized one."

This is my first time hearing about that. I'm aware that I didn't originally belong to this world, but it's not like I have any memory of my past life, either.

I only knew one thing.

That I've already read this novel once.

"Which one did you write?" I curiously asked.

"Of course, I'm the author of the original." Princess Odette confidently answered.

Sure, if you say so. I don't believe you, though.

I'm not the same person who foolishly trusts anyone without any proof. I'm listening to her words now, but I ain't buying them right away.

"Have you read this novel in your past life, too?"

"I did." I said reticently. Well, I think so.

"Which version did you read?" Her Highness eyed me with mild interest. "Surely, you remember?"

I frowned. "How the hell am I supposed to know which is which? I've only read the novel once."

I decided not to disclose the fact that I actually don't remember the entire plot. That's a secret.

"The plagiarized one has Ingrid Nala Marchetti as the heroine of the story." The princess indicated.

"Ooh," I said dramatically. "That's the one I read!"

"I see," She looked disappointed. "Anyway, the reason why the storyline keeps on changing is because the plot is reverting back to the original."

I tilted my head, urging her to elaborate further.

"The one who plagiarized my story didn't even bother to change the names. They just switched the roles of the characters and stole the novel."

After saying those words, there was no trace of anger on her eyes. I only saw sadness within.

"The original version was targeted to the male demographic, since it had a male protagonist." Princess Odette sighed. "The plagiarized story changed the main character into female and picked an existing woman from the story."

"So they plagiarized the story by retaining the plot and switching the roles of the characters around?"

Her Highness nodded in agreement.

"How dumb," I commented, shaking my head.

She pursed her lips. "Indeed, it's ridiculous."

Well, if what she said is true, then it makes sense why the novel strictly follows the story even if the characters take on a different role. In reality, it's returning all the roles to their rightful owners.

"Your Highness," I raised my hand. "Question."

"Yes?"

"Do you know who plagiarized the story?"

Princess Odette stared at me, her mouth shut.

"No." She looked away from me. "I don't know."

I smirked. Lying blatantly to my face, huh?

Well, since the princess answered all my questions so far, I'll let that slip and won't press for more.

"What about you?" Ellis asked. "The princess has told you everything she knows. Don't you think it's proper courtesy to tell us about yourself as well?"

I shrugged. "Even if you ask me, I have nothing to tell you. I don't know anything about my past life."

"Liar!" The ironclad knight fumed.

I yawned. "Sure, whatever."

As if I'd tell them that I always die and revive as a new extra. That's my only trump card, you know.

Anyway, I slumped back on my seat, earning the ire of the upright knight once again. I ignored her nitpicking and drowned in my own thoughts.

Despite everything the princess said, it still doesn't explain why I'm the only one who keeps on dying.

"What did I do in my past life that I'm being punished like this?" I mumbled to myself.

More importantly, why am I the only one who has no recollection of anything? Both Ruth and Princess Odette remember their previous lives.

I groaned. "This is giving me a headache."

This world is simply enigmatic beyond reason.

---

After three days of traveling by carriage, we were finally nearing Surinam, the southern lands. Based on what I heard, it was home to natural-born warriors that the empire boasts.

Compared to the civilized Muehler, the south was more raw and untouched. There was less infrastructure, and the season of autumn was more evident here with its abundance of trees.

"Huh?" Ellis looked around. "What's happening?"

The sun was just about to set when our chaise suddenly stopped. The knight signaled us not to move as she tried to question the coachman.

"Sir, why did you stop?" Ellis asked without opening any of our windows. No response.

The three of us traded meaningful looks.

As we sat there in dead silence, I focused on our surroundings and sharpened my senses. While doing so, I caught on a sound outside our chaise.

"Get down!" I held onto Princess Odette's head and forcibly lowered it down. At the same time, a sword pierced through the wall of our carriage.

Instead of hitting the imperial princess, the blade grazed my cheekbone. Her Highness panicked.

"K-Kallen!" she stammered. "Your face!"

"Ellis, take cover!" I shouted with urgency.

The knight swiftly complied and covered Princess Odette with her ironclad body. While the two of them were curled up inside the carriage, I booted through window and propelled out of the chaise.

As soon as I threw myself out, I saw one, three, four... no, more than ten men dressed in black.

I initially thought that Prince Dion would send his most trusted knights to pursue us, but to think that he sent assassins instead. What a heartless man.

"Princess," A smirk tugged on my lips. "Looks like the crown prince is hellbent on killing you, huh?"

I cautiously eyed the carriage. If the knight leaves Princess Odette to help me, Her Highness would be in peril. I gotta take them down on my own.

"Well," I seized the twin blades strapped on my boots. "As usual, I just have to kill these flies."

I charged towards the bevy of assassins and threw my forearms to defend myself. One of them tried to grab me from behind, but I smashed an elbow into the side of his skull, hitting the soft spot high on the temple. The man was then knocked out.

Another one came into my right side and swung his sword, but I managed to dodge and swipe my dagger across his face. Blood splattered from his eyes and the man bellowed in excruciating pain.

"Look at these men, ganging up on a fragile lady!" I laughed manically while being surrounded by the group of men. "Come at me, you fuckers!"

One of the men lunged at me, but I grabbed him swiftly and ensnared him on my arm. Without an ounce of hesitation, I yanked back with my forearm and snapped his neck like a tree branch.

Ah, the sound of death. What a satisfying sound.

"More," A feral smile formed on my lips. "More!"

Among them, someone mistakenly tripped and fumbled towards me. I welcomed him with open arms. "What? You want a kiss from me, my boy?"

His eyes was instantly filled with horror.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. However, instead of giving him a kiss, I pulled him to me and broke his nose with my head. While he was wincing in pain, I joyously slitted his throat.

"Don't charge in recklessly, you fools!" One of the guys shouted. He seemed to be the leader. "That person is the notorious Kallen, the executioner!"

As soon as he finished speaking, I leaped towards him and effortlessly locked my legs onto his head. As the man tried to shake me off his neck, I buried both of my daggers on each of his eyes, smiling.

"That's right." I lifted my gaze to the setting sun, feeling high. "Kallen, the executioner, at your service! I'm going to kill all of you for free!"

I was just about to charge towards the remaining pursuers when something cold and hard firmly held me on the shoulder. To my surprise, it was Ellis, still clad in her armor from head to toe.

"That's enough, Kallen." It was the first time she ever addressed me by my name. "Thank you for protecting us. I'm sorry for making you do this."

I blinked twice. "Hm?"

For some reason, I could feel the sympathetic look beneath her helm. Ellis stared at me from head to toe, as if telling me to take a look at my own body.

I was covered in blood, specifically the blood of our pursuers, but my body was also full of wounds. My bodysuit was all torn up, too.

"Are you really someone who finds pleasure in violence, Kallen?" Ellis questioned earnestly.

I glanced over my bloodied hands. "Yes."

"No," She refuted. "You are someone who finds comfort in violence, because that's the only way you can assuage the pain and rage in your heart."

I stared at her absentmindedly. Am I?

"But that's going to stop from now on." The knight stepped forward. "You don't need to do things like this to forget the past. You're not alone anymore."

"You have us," Princess Odette also appeared beside me and smiled. "And you have him."

At that moment, it felt as if time stood still.

There was a man who appeared with small and careful steps, like the sun slowly setting down.

He was a tall and slender man clad in a white coat embellished with golden and purple accents, and a black turtleneck underneath. He also wore white pants and a pair of black boots with gold buttons.

But the most notable thing about him was the hat on his head, where translucent black veils draped and covered his face all the way down to his waist.

"Ellis," The man spoke softly. "Cover their eyes."

My heart stopped the moment I heard his voice.

The knight tried to cover my eyes along with the princess, but I refused her hand and kept my gaze on the man. I watched him as he unsheathed his blade and engulfed it with a purplish ray of light.

Magic. When was the last time I saw it?

Without even moving an inch, the man swung his sword on the direction of our remaining pursuers. As if on cue, a malevolent wind cut through them and the men collapsed all at once, badly wounded.

"Callista," His purple eyes gleamed behind the translucent black veils. "I finally found you."

I was rendered speechless. I wasn't prepared.

Every time the sun rose, I always prepared myself for the fact that you were no longer in this world, but I couldn't get used to it. I just couldn't get used to losing you. Your name left me a lifetime of grief.

I couldn't understand. The time we spent together was only fleeting, but it felt like decades worth of happiness condensed into one season of summer.

The memories we shared made my heart flutter.

But they also felt like a thorn in my chest.

I cried for you every night until my tears dried.

I even prayed. I wished you were watching me up there. I hoped you could see how much your existence meant to me, how much I missed you.

I begged you to watch from wherever you are.

So that you would know how much I actually loved you, because I didn't realize it back then.

"Haniel?" I called in a small, delicate voice.

Tears streamed down on my cheeks.

Before I knew it, my body moved on its own. The blades that I've been treating as my world easily slipped from my fingers as I ran towards him.

The pallid glow of the sunset gave me a clearer view of his face underneath his veil. He stood there with a soft and emotional expression.

And, as soon as he was an arm's length from me, Haniel removed his hat and embraced me into his arms as the autumn leaves fell over the two of us.

I broke down into tears. "Haniel!"

"Yes." He whispered to me with so much longing.

"It's you!" I said in between sobs. "You're here!"

"Yes," He lovingly cupped my face. Haniel looked like he was about to cry. "It's me. I'm here, Callie."

I wasn't prepared for this at all.

Because I never thought I'd ever see you again.

My tears fell uncontrollably. "Haniel!"

So I hope you would forgive me if the only thing I could say is your name, because that's the only thing my heart has been holding to all this time.

You know, there's nothing really special about the way I love you. I am simply a woman who wants to make you smile, keep you safe, and grow old with you. That's the kind of love you taught me.

Just like you said, quite boring, isn't it? Even so, that's just how it is. That's the way I love you, too.

---

Idk but these two make me so emotional lmao.

Cried like a baby while writing this part lol Alistair who? I only know best boy Haniel Calypso Astana.

Anyway, I'm gonna be really busy soon, so I'm not sure if I can still update regularly, but I will try.

Thank you for your votes and comments!

Yours Truly,
Aomine-san