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I could feel a foreign sensation of power surging through my veins as if I had enough strength just this moment to overcome this predicament. The strength bubbling within me had become too much for my body as the vessel to hold.

With a final peak, the rush of power immediately repulsed out from my body, sending a wave of pure raw magic power outwards. The unknown man had collapsed to kneel on one knee and was coughing up crimson blood, yet that was only the beginning of the peculiar events.

The previously dark blue sky illuminated with bright white specks and a crescent moon abruptly glitched to form an ominously dark sky, skyscrapers made with black bricks and red lights, trees ashen without leaves and a crimson moon but was quickly switched back to its original state as if there were never any changes.

A piercing pain had rapidly shot through my head, as an anonymous voice rang through my ears.

‘Hello young one, you must be my heir if you have been able to access this message, I’m sorry for making you take up this role in my place.’

‘I am your predecessor, I was the person who was originally in your position, the position where a happy ending is a fleeting desire that we can only dream about, the title of the villainess.’

‘You see, this world is not what it may seem. If you know too much you will be shipped out, if you know too little you will be killed within these confines, if you follow your heart’s desire you will be chained again.’

‘I was killed because I knew too much, they send humans who don’t follow their agenda to the Dela Morte, a place where humans are pitted against each other to fight to the death, they bet on which human will win the match and simply spectate the battle going on down below. If neither the humans are willing to fight, the starved wild animals are sent into the arena, here in this world, us humans are treated like livestock.’

‘Little one, carry on my will for me, let my wandering soul become your guide to survival.’

…

I woke up to see the sun shining in my face, I remember everything that happened last night yet it feels as if the disparity plaguing within my soul is merely a dream. Despite such a fantastical development in my life, I will believe it with my heart and soul. If there is even a sliver of a chance that what that spirit said was true then I will resolve the regrets she had when she left this world so she can move on from this wretched prison.

I was just lucky. I’m only able to still have my free will because of a stroke of luck that I was born with magic that is able to counteract the magic they used. I need to figure out the motive behind their attack and the catalyst that caused them to act, my gut feeling tells me that it was not an act carried out by an individual but rather an organisation.

Although, I don’t know if I can place all my effort into an assumption made from my gut feeling since I don’t know how reliable it is.

I will without a doubt, unveil the truth behind the lies of this world. That incident opened my eyes to reality, I can no longer view the world through rose-tinted glasses. I can no longer dream, dreaming is a privilege given to those who can disregard reality.

People like Evie Luxiere have the ability to dream, she can strive for unrealistic ideals and dream of a life better than what she has. She is blinded by her dreams, ignoring the brutal reality. Some part of me envies her but logically she has nothing that I should be jealous of, perhaps I wish I were able to look at everything with rose-tinted glasses. Possibly I envy her ability to escape from the clutches of reality, yet since she is blinded by her dreams, she can achieve those dreams.

She does everything within her power to achieve her ideals, even to the severity of stepping on others as a pedestal for her success. But that isn’t what leaves me with the most bitter emotion, I feel an uncontrollable rage brew within me when she uses the lives of others for her own benefit, treating the precious lives of others as mere pawns, yet everything is ignored simply because of her façade.

Everything is disregarded merely because she is a ‘good’ person, but in my previous lives, any minute action that was potentially considered bad was magnified into a calamity, causing me to be permanently labelled as a bad person.

This made me question myself, at what point does a good person become bad?

Why is it that when a good person does something bad they are still good, but when a bad person does something good, they are still bad?

At what point does a good person become bad?

Why is it that when a good person becomes bad they are forever a bad person?

Who is it that decides these labels? Why is it that we are restricted by these labels? Why can’t we break free from these labels?

Why? Why is this world so messed up? Is it because we are humans? Ha, I’m really becoming pathetic, using human nature as an excuse for my shortcomings and for justifying my lack of will to find out the answer to everything, I’m really descending.

It’s time for me to move forward, I have more on my plate now.

“Young Miss, it’s time for breakfast,” called a maid from outside my room.

“I will make my way there soon.”

Every day passed quickly after that, in the morning I would wake up, have breakfast with my parents, go to the library for classes with Sir Edmond Von Francaise, have lunch with my father, go to the knight’s training ground to learn from the head knight Tristan Lionel, then I would do some self-study, or rather stay up to date with the politics of this world, have an early dinner by myself, afterwards, I would do undercover research into the truth of this world and then finally I would return home to my precious bed where sleep would greet me immediately.

Just like this, 2 years had passed in the blink of an eye, I wasn’t able to do anything too major for investigations since I couldn’t draw attention to myself so the progress wasn’t as rapid as I had hoped. Some pieces of the puzzle slowly started to piece together but in most cases knowing a part of the whole is more detrimental than knowing the entire truth, so I can’t jump to conclusions.

This morning marked a major event in my life or every person’s life, whereas for others this event is where more doors open yet for my life, this is the catalyst for my downfall.

The magic awakening test.

I don’t believe in any gods but, if there’s anyone out there, please, from the bottom of my heart please lend your help to my meagre existence so I can change my path even the slightest.

“Cor~, the carriage is here!” my father called out from outside towards my open window.

“Okay, I’ll be there quickly!” I responded.

Another page in my life will be turned over, I must do everything in my power to fulfil the goals I have steeled my resolve for.

“My little daughter is growing up now,” exclaimed my father with tears welling up in his eyes as we were seated in the moving carriage.

“Papa, don’t worry! I’ll always be your daughter and you’ll always be my Papa! No matter what happens, these feelings won’t change!” I commented with a rare bright smile, ‘even if you choose Evie over me, these feelings won’t falter, I will never hate you Papa. I don’t mind any torture I am subjected to, I’ll even accept death if you so wish for it, just please let me live as your daughter for a bit longer,’ though that was left unsaid.

On the carriage ride to the Holy Temple, Belzarhina, where the awakening tests are held, father and I had a content relaxed conversation. There was no stress or pressure, there were no labels that caused people to scorn me, it was like a momentary paradise, like heaven on Earth.

Yet all good things have to end. It’s time for me to fight against my supposed destiny, I will pave my own pathway even if it is ridden with thorns.

Bracing myself for the worst, the large mahogany doors to the temple opened where chatter ceased immediately.

“The Duke and Young Lady of the Veronique household have arrived!”