1 Prologue

Life is short, enjoy it to the fullest. Be the happiest you can be for your time dwindles by the second. I had taken these very words for granted. Wasting away my life into labor and soon, dying for my job. Scraping the bottom of the barrel for any money I could make for the sake of my grandmothers healthcare, I took the job of a temporary security guard for an Idol. Of course, in my poverty stricken life and his rich upbringing, we collided in many ways. From simple things such as meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the mention of spending money. His idol life remained standing above my desperate struggles. Flaunting his money in any way he could deserved every bit of my malice and hate for his being. Even then, I needed the money he provided to keep the only family I have left alive. Who would have thought I'd die from multiple stabbing wounds by protecting the person I hate most?

And for this damned idiot to jump in front of me, taking the rest of the criminals attacks. For a moment, I had thought he hated me just as much, for the amount of hurtful words he's only ever directed towards myself. Yet, he risked his life for an already dying one. We both toppled over one another, the bleeding gushing out of the wounds the criminal inflicted on us. "Why..." I had asked, failing the one job I had. "...I-" But, by the time he started to talk, my eyes caught sight of movement behind him. Another attacker. It wasn't just one. There were two out to get his life. With quick thinking, I grabbed his shoulders, shoving him to the side as I rolled over, with myself on top as soon as the attacker revealed their knife, lifting it in the air to stab him. Only to fail and drive the blade into my back instead. It hurt. It hurt like hell to move, breath, as well as feel every inch of this knife enter my body. Yet, I still wanted to protect this asshole. Cough! I coughed up blood onto him, shutting my mouth when some other bodyguards tackled them to the ground. Our eyes connected, staring into each other. Except, as mine remained as calm as ever, his were wide, full of terror and fear.

"No..." He reached up, hands shaking as I felt his warmth caress my cheek ever so slightly. As if anymore pressure would make me crumble away. "Don't...Don't leave me....Don't-" His speechless expression left me with a slight smile. No matter what I did or said to him, he was never rendered speechless before. He always had something to say, a counterattack to my actions. For the first time, he looked like he had so much to say yet nothing. "Take care...of my....grandma-" Speaking felt like I was gurgling acid. Every breath I took, slowed. My body didn't want to keep moving. Then, after a few seconds of silence, everything became so tiring. Keeping my eyes open was tiring. So I shut them. "No! Don't close your eyes! Keep them open!!" I could hear his annoying yet wonderful voice ringing through my ears. "Please-!" Then sobbing. Feeling his arms around me as he continued to shout for help, tears falling onto my skin. I'm sorry, but it's just so...tiring.

Soon enough, his shouting started to muffle. Then everything turned off like a switch. The pain, gone. The cold, gone. The noise, gone. Everything just became numb. Then, unexplainably, a comforting warmth surrounded my body or should I call it my soul. As if the sun wrapped itself around me before its hopeful light blinded me. I had no idea the after world had a dramatic entrance to heaven. Still, I allowed to feel every bit of this comfort.

"Maria" A soft voice spoke a name. Although, it's a name I don't know nor go by. Leaving me confused. "Maria, wake up. We'll be late for work" I opened my mouth to speak, about ready to tell them a few more minutes wouldn't hurt until my eyes shot open, sitting up. "Oh my!" They exclaimed, shocked by my sudden movements. "You got up faster than I thought" A beautiful older woman smiled kindly, standing off to the side. "I made breakfast, be sure to eat quickly" Were her last words as she walked out of the room I stayed in. I gasped, looking around. The unfamiliar room was made out of wood. Pure wood. Unlike the almost cardboard like thin walls houses are usually made of these days. The interior was a lot more 19th century, maybe even 18th century. An oil lamp sat at a bedside table, dimly lit. "What in the world- OW" Slowly, I allowed myself to touch the said lamp, not expecting it to be hot but yanked way once I felt the burn. Hissing, I stared down at my finger. Pain. I'm very much awake right now.

"Maria..." I whispered to myself, getting out of bed as I stared down at, probably, the most beautiful feet I've ever seen. Definitely not my feet. I walked to a drawer, opening each and every one hoping to find a mirror and thankfully, I did. A hand held one. Bringing it up to my face, my eyes widened. Beautiful silver like irises stared back. These don't belong to me either. The black soft and silk like hair was also not mine. The beauty of this woman's face left me dumbstruck, at least before I lifted my hand and touched the very face that I now have. "This is bad" I told myself, setting the mirror down on the dresser top gently. Trying to keep my cool. Not only was I killed saving some asshole from an attack, I was transmigrated into the body of Maria, the daughter of Estria, Duke Argo's beloved maid. I know this because I literally finished the novel a few minutes before dying.

Sliver eyes that resembled the legendary holy armor of the greatest paladin to live, hair as dark as the evil abyss shining as brightly as the night sky adorned with stars. Despite being the daughter of a maid, Maria was so beautiful, almost all men in the Empire must stop in their tracks, admiring her from afar as every elegant move she made only left the sweet smell of roses behind. Men lusted for her as women of all statuses brimmed with jealousy of both her good looks and fame. But the only thing keeping her from living to her full potential was her birth. If she had been born to even a Count or Marquis daughter, she could've been the absolute talk of the entire Empire. Which is why Maria's pretty looks was all she had going for her when her personality started to rot from the core. Mainly aiming at her own mother. As a maid, she couldn't be with a noble. Although there are exceptions, the best she could become was a concubine. The lowest class of all concubines. Because of this, she went mad.

And I am about to go just as mad as her but for an entirely different reasons.

Why? Well, as any cliche novel of reincarnation's or transmigration, Maria dies young. Not by the cold hearted male lead or some male lead in love with the female lead, no. It's by the female lead herself. Although it was more of an accident than full out murder.

So, to summarize the whole novel, the male lead was once a popular idol from the modern world of the 21st century. He's as handsome as can be and loved by all. The talents he has only sky rocketed with his dancing and singing as well as producing. His especially handsome looks played a huge part. He was happy. Until he died in the helicopter hijack when a crazed fan of his tried to get to him. Crashing into the sea and drowning after the helicopter exploded, finishing him off. Who would've thought his death played a part in the powers he obtained in his next life?

He awoke in a world full of monsters, magic, knights, and aristocracy. Retaining the memories of his past life as an idol, he was enraged with what he went through. Vowing to take his anger out here. Thing is, unlike the usual transmigration into an already existing body, he actually transferred into this world with his own body. All injuries healed nonetheless. However, because he had no idea how to survive in the wilderness, he almost died after finding himself stranded in the deep forest mountains. On the brink of death, he meets a retired legendary paladin who defeated the demon king a couple of decades ago. Rather, he saw this man as a grumpy old fart rather than a legend.

Still, despite the anger shrouding the male lead, deep down within his heart, he remained a just and kind person, aiding his savior in anyway possible. Noticing, the knight decided to teach him a thing or two. The thing or two showcased his immense talent for the sword and amazing affinity with Fire and Water attributes. Not able to let go of the young man worthy of learning his own personal swordsmanship that he created after his 1 vs 1 fight with the demon king, he forces the male lead to stay for 2 years. After those 2 years, he finished his training and learned a lot more about the world he ended up in. Off on his own after thanking the old man in the mountains.

He travels all over, becoming a mercenary for a few months when he ends up in an abandoned village after signing up for a job to check on the village from a few residents. Once he did, he was astonished to see two people still residing there despite the amount of monsters around. And as you've guessed, the female lead and her sickly mother. Although she disguised herself a male because she was scared men would take advantage of her when they passed through the village. Here, the male lead and female lead start to become acquainted. It was the female leads mother that started to move their relationship from mere people who simply speak to one another to friends. Her mother reminded him of his own parents back in Korea, thus, she brought out the long forgotten smile he hardly showed the female lead.

For a few months, he views the female lead as a good male friend until the day her mother passes. She reveals she's a girl after going into a massive mental breakdown. Telling the male lead of her special healing powers that could heal anything and everything except her own mother. This drove her into depression and the male lead couldn't leave her by herself because he knew exactly what she was going through. He had lost his family and friends and basically everything he valued precious, although not dying in front of him, he had to cope with the fact he'll never meet them again. Thus, he remains in the village longer and after too much time passes, he forces her to leave with him.

He couldn't stand watching her sit at her mothers grave for days on end without eating or drinking. After this, their relationship becomes rocky and they always argued. But the male lead couldn't watch her suffer after having viewed her as the first friend in this world. Plus, he saw this as repaying the old woman's kindness by taking care of her precious daughter she used to tell stories of all the time. Despite the harsh words and treatment directed at him, the male lead remained by her side. Soon, she slowly started to warm up to him again as he opened up to her. After awhile, they both decided to become a duo party and become mercenaries together. Over time, the female leads raggedy cut hair and lack of care started to morph into her true beautiful self. Everyone awed at her more than Maria of the Duke estate. They avoided the empire though, not wanting to deal with nobles.

A year later, the war started. The male lead and female lead both decided to participate after a long discussion. During the war, they save countless people as well as the male leads abilities shinning during battle. The female lead received the title of saintess after saving more than 60,000 people during the war. Here, they gain many allies, the main leads all start falling for the female lead, garner enemies, and finally, realize their love for each other. Due to the male lead becoming the main leader for all mercenaries and knight brigades, they decide to make him and the female lead ride first into the celebratory welcoming of the Empires war heroes.

When they arrive in the Empire, due to the male leads absolute achievements, he becomes the 2nd Duke of the Empire. The saintess female lead's beauty then over turned the empire, even the emperor himself tried to take her for himself. Then Maria who always had eyes on her, felt for the first time how it is to be inferior to another. Not only was the female leads beauty out of the world but her kind and modest personality only made it worse for her. Since she was as mean as an ox. All attention she had, went to her. This triggered her hatred and dislike for her. Then a different jealousy took place after the male lead had saved her once, showcasing a smile he never usually showed unless it was the saintess. This lead Maria to become not only madly in love with him, but obsessed with him. Slowly, these factors grew, leading to her stupid demise.

Knowing the saintess is in love with the male lead, she lured her under the guise of him being captured near the cliffs. Getting there, she realizes Maria lied and both get into a fight. The female lead accidentally shoves Maria too hard and she falls off the cliff. Female lead caught her just before she completely fell but too weak to pull her up. Maria, knowing she can never compete with her, even after she just tried to kill her she saves her, realizes her worth is nothing.

"I'd rather die than watch the love of my life marry you" she muttered with tears in her eyes. Yanking her arm away, Maria fell to her death, along with the mad obsession of the new duke. Her silver eyes resembling the holy light shone one last time as she looked into the moon. Stars twinkling, as if saying bye to her. She smiled, happy she can find peace once more. Then dies.

This left the female lead in shambles. The male lead once again, helps her while Maria's mother, Estria is sentenced to death for her daughters immoral actions. The saintess of course helped her escape the Empire before she is executed, not wanting her lovely mother to die. But Estria is doomed to live the life of a run away criminal. As well as the Argo Duke paying for the sins of Maria since she was associated with them. Having to give up his position to the male leads best friend, his eldest son. The happy couple lived happily every after. The story had 2 volumes. The first was about the male lead and female leads first encounter as friends. The second regarded their relations and desires for one another during the war before entering the Empire and adjusting to their positions as Duke and Saintess.

Just before dying, I finished the last book. Now, here's what's got me messed up. In the authors note of the last published book, they hint there's going to be a 3rd release. The real ending. The return of the Demon King and the struggles of Anakin and Yulia.

Now as Maria, must I suffer the same fate? Must I learn first hand how the Demon King is? Hell no. I'll run away. I'll run away as fast as I can after figuring out what part of the timeline I transmigrated in. At least that's what I wanted to do anyway. If the demon king is coming, then the safest place to be is in the capital. So long as I don't fall in love with the future Duke Anakin then things should be fine.

I hope.