004 ※ The True Evil [IV]

I don't have more time, so, please, I know I shouldn't ask this after every life my hands ended... but I can't help it. So, I'm asking for a second chance. One more chance and I'll do it differently. I swear I will.

Let me make it right. Just one more chance. I'm begging you, Mikla! Or whoever has the power to grant me this last wish-

I'm so scared of death... And I know I shouldn't be when I became so familiar with her, but I fucking am. I don't find my death attractive at all. It scares me more than anything.

As I saw Dalilah going back to Christopher's side, I finally let the tears fall, falling and getting mixed with the blood on my face.

When I turned to meet the cold and shining ruby-red eyes of the executioner under his pitch-black helmet, I saw the ax dangerously close to my precious neck. He held it higher. And when he was about to behead me, I swear that I sensed him smiling at me.

In his gaze, I saw something terrifying—amusement.

His eyes—those ruby-red eyes—felt like they were piercing through me, seeing deeper than anyone ever had. Why did they seem so familiar, so... safe? It made no sense. And yet, despite the bloodlust, I knew it wasn't directed at me. But why?

But if... it wasn't, why did he seem so delighted? It gave me goosebumps. My body trembled in fear with his creepy and unexpected reaction.

I swear that I felt as if his eyes could see through my soul. As if... he could see everything, the truth.

Shit.

What the heck is happening to me? What kind of feeling is this? Why am I so conscious about these men? And who the fuck is he? Why does this guy feel so strangely familiar when I have no memories of him?

I closed my eyes waiting for my death. Cursing Dalilah and the perverse 3rd Imperial Prince Christopher, my damn brother-in-law, who was a stone in my way and who organized my execution together with my nefarious twin. Cursing each person present who's happy with my death.

Preparing myself for the upcoming feeling of, literally, losing my once beautiful head.

Then I heard a voice telling him to stop, my eyes opened wide and for a slight second I had hope, but it was crushed the moment I saw my brother-in-law's disgusting face and then he spoke again, "Wait a little bit, executioner!"

My attention went to the red-ruby-eyed guy and maybe I saw it wrong, but I swear he seemed annoyed by the 3rd Imperial Prince. At least we must have that in common. "Honey, why are you interrupting her execution?" Dalilah asked faking sadness.

"I just remembered that the General asked for her eyes," he had a vicious smile on, and I felt my throat get dry. Who is this General? Why does he want my eyes?

"Your Imperial Highness, isn't that a bit too much?" The executioner spoke, surprising me not only for speaking up for me, for whatever reason but for having such a deep voice. Besides, his bloodlust was totally focused on my brother-in-law.

Christopher stared at him annoyed, "Excuse me? Do you think you have a saying on this? Who are you to interfere in such matters? Are you feeling pitiful for this criminal?" Ha, now I am the criminal. "Don't you know how many lives she took? Do you perhaps want to die with her?"

This bastard's too much.

The red-ruby-eyed guy only stared at him, and I believe the jerk felt his murderous aura, because he took three steps back, being the coward, he always was. "I believe you don't. So, step back and let me do what I need to," wait…

Is he going to take my eyes for real?

He came closer faster than I could predict and gave me an amused look from head to toe. Christopher bend down to face me and I glared at him, full-heartedly desiring to have murdered this bastard before, it'll eternally be something I regret. By the twitch in his blue eyes and how he passed his hand over his light green hair, I knew he hated my eyes, that he wanted me dead as much as I wished him the same.

"I've always loathed the defiance in those golden eyes of yours, Natasha Nicholai," he spit on the ground next to me. "You and your father's eyes had always pissed me off, you carried the defiance of an Emperor, as if you wanted to claim what your grandfather gave up for mine. It made me want to crawl out of my body, it sickened me to the core."

Father never wanted the damned throne, neither did I. I couldn't even if I dared to want that, I lost my magic and I wasn't born to rule an Empire, I was born to fight. He simply lacks the balls and confidence of a warrior, because that's what father and I have always been, even if we denied it at some point.

"That's why I was profoundly glad to give the General what he asked me to in exchange of an alliance," his lips widened in a wicked grin.

Nausea clawed up my throat again.

Who could this General he's talking about be?

He came dangerously closer and held my head with both hands hard enough to hurt, but I clenched my jaw and refused to flinch, knowing it would delight him further.

My gaze parted from his and I refused to look at him for any second longer, deciding to meet the executioner's eyes one more time, finding his eyes on mine, tempestuous.

"He wants those, so they shall be his," Christopher purred and began to press his fingers on my eyes, digging into my skull, forcing his grip with super strength to steal them from me. "How angry you must be," the asshole chanted, "to know that I'll be the last person you are going to see in your life!"

When his fingers got a little separated, I got a last glimpse of the executioner's beautiful eyes, then my last tears rolled down and I felt my eyeballs being ripped from my skull. My screams couldn't be heard, they only sounded like growls from an injured animal. And I could only feel the blood tears wetting my cheeks.

There was no fight left in me as he reaped my eyes off of my skull, blood drenching my cheeks and the ground. I was helpless when the next wave of nausea hit, but I was conscious enough to make sure I would vomit on his feet, which gained a disgusted curse from his.

"Worthless wrench," he spit on me again, jumping away. "Kill her, executioner," Christopher ordered furious, and I heard his steps getting further away from me.

At that moment, a freezing wind surrounded my body and entered me through my mouth. I gasped, coughing up blood that tasted like iron and fear.

I felt the insides of my body freezing little by little, as a familiar feeling filled me at once as well as the pain, and when the pain became unbearable, it grew worse.

Then it finally happened. I felt my flesh and my neck being torn apart and my head getting slowly separated from my body when the executioner's ax hit me. His moves were fast, I knew it was but the sharp sound his blade made before touching me, but it felt like it took him hours to cut through it.

Unexpectedly, after a second that felt like a billion torturous years, my eyes opened out coldly, the mysterious and apologetic executioner with his stunning bright ruby-red eyes was nowhere to be seen. As well as I wasn't in front of the crowd, being executed in front of the Imperial Palace anymore.

I was somewhere else.

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Second and Current Timeline

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I felt my tongue intact, whole, and wet in my mouth, my eyes back to where they belong, gifting me sight again. The scream came before I even realized where I was. My neck and arms are intact. There's no blood on my face, neck, or body whatsoever.

Is this for real or am I dreaming?

I stopped screaming the moment I realized that I was no longer in the center of the square in front of the royal palace but in my childish light pink room from our manor at the Imperial Capital. Where we only came when the spring began and we, as members of the Royalty and Nobility, had to spend the season in the capital.

"This can't be a dream! Is this for real? Was my wish granted?" I shouted, already crying with happiness. "I'm still alive..."

I let out a deep breath.

"Or should I say that I'm back to life? Because I came back... I am back..." I whispered to myself, trying to make myself believe in what had happened.

I touched my neck, my thin arms, short legs, not-so-flat but not-so-big-yet chest, long and messy hair, and my soft face trying to have the confirmation I needed.

The overbearing pain was gone, replaced by a strange lightness. My limbs—whole and unscarred—felt impossibly young. I flexed my fingers, touched my face. My skin was smooth, unmarred by the brutal life I'd lived. It felt... wrong. How could this be real?

Had the Goddess od Death herself heard my plea? Was this a gift—or a curse? I don't care. Whatever power had given me this second chance, I would use it. But would there be a price for such a gift?

"Thank you, Goddess! ...Or whoever saved me. I owe you everything. My life, my soul—whatever it takes. When I discover who saved me, I'll make the possible and impossible to thank the person or deity... or whatever creature did this! But right now, I need to know how old am I."

I got up and ran to the mirror, and what I saw shocked the shit out of me. No scars or broken bones and purple eyes on my face, neither on any part of my body and all my body members were indeed intact. This is my thirteen-year-old self.

How can I tell? Simple, a month before my fourteenth birthday I got in a fight with an apprentice of the Knights back in the Nicholai Grand Duchy in Leopenia, in the northern region of the Empire, and that left a scar on my left forearm.

When I looked at my reflection again, there was still some light in my eyes. After staring at my reflection with my jaw on the ground for what seemed to be an eternity, I ran back to my bed before anyone could come here.

I'm back and with thirteen years again according to my body, and I'm not fucking letting the story repeat itself.

This time, I won't let Dalilah use me as her pawn. I'll win over the people she'd fooled, starting with the court. And I'll keep Valerian safe—no matter the cost.

I won't just live for myself—I'll live for Valerian. My brother's death in the 1st timeline won't be in vain. This time, I'll protect him, even if it means tearing apart the world to do it.

Things are going to be different this time, or my name isn't Natasha Mary-Anne Ludwick Nicholai.

You made me a villainess by controlling my mind, Dalilah. Now I'll be the villainess of your story! I'll destroy you and that Goddess-damn 3rd Imperial Prince. I'll use my second chance the best I can. You said that we would see each other again in hell, so don't worry, sis, I'll make your wish come true, making your life a living hell.

You will pay for what you did, dear sister. This time, things are going to change. I'm going to live for myself and Valerian, and I'll make people see your true colors.

The Goddess may forgive you, but I never will.

Let's see who will end up beheaded this time.

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