Chapter Three

Months had slipped by since I woke up in Rosalind's body.

Months of futile attempts to return home, and to rewrite the fates of both Rosalind and Anastasia.

Months of forging an unexpected bond with the character I despised most from the novel.

Anastasia and I had formed an unlikely connection-not as Anastasia and Rosalind, but as Anastasia and Kim Seoyeon.

As my desperation to return home grew, I turned to Anastasia for help. Initially dismissing my claims as madness, she eventually came to believe me and offered to assist me in finding a way back, while I vowed to ensure her happiness.

So how?

How did it all turn out like this?

She was supposed to have her happy ending.

She deserved her happy ending!

I pushed through the crowd of common people, many of which cheered in delight as the executioner brought out a frail Anastasia bound in rope, so that she could not escape.

My determination only grew as I saw her being dragged up towards a large guillotine.

No!

Please!

I pushed through the people, uncaring of whether I hurt anyone or not. I needed to get to Anastasia.

The Emperor stood off to the side, dressed in military gear, ironic since the man had never even been any help in the war.

My eyes searched around wildly for Duke Vasilev, Anastasia's father or even Alexander, her older brother.

But they were no where in sight.

Anastasia Vasilev was going to be executed and her family was not even here to put an end to it.

"No! Stop please."

I shouted out when I finally made my way to the front of the crowd.

My voice was drowned out by the other hundred voices of the common people and nobles who cheered for the execution of Anastasia.

A girl who had not even lived long enough to finally experience the love she so desperately wished for.

"Please!"

I begged and pleaded, my eyes trying to catch those of the Saintess— who ignored my pleas.

What can I do?

She was supposed to get her happy ending.

I promised her a happy ending.

"I did it!"

I shouted as loud as I could, drawing the Emperor's attention towards me.

"It was me, take me instead. Let her go, please. She had nothing to do with it!"

"Enough Rosalind. We all know she gives you the orders." That fool of an Emperor said, his lips pulled in a scowl as he looked at me.

"Rosalind, stop. It's okay."

Anastasia soft voice drew me from the glaring contest I had with the emperor.

Okay? How was this okay?

When purple met green, I couldn't hold in the tears that fell from my eyes.

Here she was about to get executed, yet comforting me— a silly girl who couldn't even keep her promise, a girl who didn't even belong here.

Anastasia's eyes softened seeing the turmoil on my face as I shook my head. This wasn't okay.

"Seoyeon, it's okay." She mouthed to me as she offered me a comforting smile. "Just focus on going home, okay?"

The cheers and shouts of the people were drowned out, replaced with the rapid beating of my heart and the small voice in my head that grew louder.

I failed.

This was all my fault.

I broke my promise.

Anastasia was going to die, because of me. Because I couldn't fulfill my promise.

"Witch!"

Someone shouted.

"Burn her instead!"

Someone else screamed.

No. No. No. No. No. No.

I pushed my way forward trying to get past the guards as the executioner instead began to tie Anastasia around a large pyre.

"The witch deserves to burn!"

"No! Please! Please! Stop this Saintess!"

I shouted out towards her, "you know she doesn't deserve this!"

"Seoyeon!" Anastasia called with a teary smile, "thank you for being my friend."

Was the last thing she said to me before a large fire erupted on her, the cheers of the common people and the sound of her screams would forever haunt me.

This was never supposed to happen.

She was just supposed to be a character in a novel.

A villainous character who got the ending she deserved.

But all I saw on the pyre, was a young girl being burned alive because she desired to be loved like everyone else.

The smell of burning flesh brought yet another set of tears to my eyes, my stomach churned as I began to move back, overwhelmed with grief.

I couldn't watch.

I pushed through people as I tried to run away, to try and unsee the burning body of my only friend in this world I was trapped in.

Lost in my thoughts, I bumped into someone who grabbed my shoulders to stabilise me.

A sob wrecked my body as I fell to the ground, my knees to weak to carry my own weight.

My throat ached as I forced down a scream.

This was too much for me.

"Please, please just kill me."

I cried out to the person in front of me, their face blurry due to all the tears that fell from my eyes.

"I want to go home. Please just take me home." I begged and pleaded, my voice choked with tears.

If I needed to kill myself to go back to my world, I would do so without hesitation. Especially now since my presence served no purpose anymore.

And when I saw the hilt of a sword sticking out from the person who caught me, my mind was already made up.

And before anyone could stop me, I drew the sword out and slit it across my neck before I could be stopped.

As I fell back into the arms of the man whose sword I stole, I offered him a teary smile, my teeth stained with blood.

"Thank you."

Was all I could get out before death took me.