Chapter 4

"We are thankful for your offer and for thinking about us, your majesty and we can see your good intentions towards us but giving us the position or if we ever accepted your offer it will already sealed our future and I do not want that your majesty. I wanted to have a freedom where I could chose what I wanted to be when I come of age." Eve answered. The Empress laugh as she pat Eve's head softly.

"What a smart child. I understand your reason, Eve. I might be doing this after I saw my closest friend after a long time. I apologize for not thinking this through. What do you plan on doing then, Eve?"

"I wanted to take back what we lost, your majesty. We're saving the money we earned from farming and once we have saved a lot then we could start and take back the land and the name that we lost." The empress looked impress as she looked at the little child in front of her. It is the first time that someone have rejected her.

"You're quite brave, Eve. Not everyone would do what you have done. I taken a liking to you. I will support your decision but let me tell you, It won't be very easy to take the path that you have chosen. Let me sponsor you the the academy, you will need the education if you plan to do what you have told me. Pay me back once you already have the money." The empress said as she cupped Eve's face and caress her.

Eve just looked at the Empress, contemplating of what she would do. The offer seems like a fair trade but what would happen if she accepts to be one of the Empire's scholar?

"You would not hold it against us if ever that we agreed and accept your offer?" Eve asked in a low voice almost whispering.

"Of course not. I wanted to see where you will be going from here." The empress smiled and continued to sips her tea from her cup. Eve went back to her mother's side. Amelia who was just observing her daughter talk to the empress smiled and slightly bowed down towards the empress.

"I'm sorry about this, your majesty. But Eve seems to have a plan of her own and I wanted to support her with all that I have."

"You don't have to worry about it Amelia. I understand. I'm just so glad to see you well and you raised your daughter so well."

The two of them have kept talking, catching up for the years that they have not met. Eve then excuse herself to give space for the two adults and told them that she will just be outside the palace, In the garden. After she was given a permission to wander outside, Eve walks outside in a fast manner.

She sighed as she roamed her eyes around the familiar garden of the Empress' palace. She was always been here every time her mother was summoned to be reprimanded about the prince's attitude and then her mother would then be summoned by the Emperor to be punish for not teaching him enough.

Eve walks towards the tree where she would always wait for her mother. It was located in between of the Empress' garden and the Crown Prince's garden. She sat down under the tree and tried to remember exactly what have happened before she went back time.

"Jeon Hye-soo, Eve Gabrielle Baignard Ariston, I will grant your wish to have another chance in life in one condition." Even though she was unconscious, she heard a calm, warm voice.

"Take back my beloved child's soul."

Who's soul is she going to save? Was it the female and the male lead? How is she going to take it back and from whom? If she narrow it down, they were witches inside the novel that was believed to worshipped demons instead of Gods. It was said that they will take one's soul in exchange for a wish that they will grant for you. The soul would be either the wisher's soul or someone that the wisher offered. Who makes the wish and what was the wish he or she asked for? But there is no way she could know who was the witch. Witches were banned in the empire. They were supposed to be persecuted if they were happen to be found out.

If Ericapaeus wanted her to someone's soul, she could have been at least turn back after she became the knights captain, at least she could have a freedom to just go around and investigate.

'What would happen if I won't save your beloved child's soul?' Eve asked curiously but she was not expecting someone would give her an answer.

'You will continuously die at the age that you first die and go back time until you decide to save my beloved child's soul, Jeon Hye-soo. You will be stuck in a loop of life and death.' Eve heard that same calm and warm voice. She looked around to see if someone else was with her.

'That's like a curse. Is that the reason why you brought me here in this world in the first place?'

Eve waited for an answer but she did not heard another voice. She sighed before she stands up from where she was sitting and hold on to the tree for support as she was feeling dizzy.

"Who are you?" Eve heard a boy's voice. She looked up to where the voice was and saw the Crown prince looking at her.

"Greetings, your highness the prince. I am Eve Gabrielle Baignard Ariston." Little eve said and bowed down towards the Prince. The Prince flinched upon hearing Eve greets him.

"How did you know that I am the Prince when I am in disguised?" The prince looked at her bewildered that she knew that he was the prince. Eve observed the prince and tried to find what part of him was in disguised.

"Disguised, your highness? You still looked the same."

"I cast a magic on me. I should look like a commoner." The Prince said as if it was the fact and Eve should believe him.

"Are you learning magic, your highness?" Eve asked. Magic is forbidden in the Empire the same way as the witches. They said that wherever there is magic, there is witches and evil will only be the consequences.

"No! I was just lying. I'm not curios about magic. I am not, absolutely not learning magic. Don't report me to the Emperor." The prince is in a panic. He's face was flushed and he looks afraid the he will be persecuted.

"You don't have to worry, your highness. I do not plan on reporting you that you are learning magic to the emperor. I have to go now." Eve said and slightly bowed down to the boy in front of her.

"Where are you going?"

"To her majesty the Empress." Eve turns around and started walking when her hand was caught by the prince.

"Wait. Are you going to report me to the Empress? I was just lying to you." The Prince's face looks so flushed and his eyes are also red as if he will cry any moment. Eve shrug as she tries to free her hand from the prince.

"No, your highness. I'm a visitor of the Empress along with my mother. It is time for us to go back home."

"Will you come back here?"

Eve finally freed her hand from the grasp of the prince. She then looked at the prince's face. The Prince is now twelve years of age. Two years older than her at this time however because of the privilege's that he have as a part of the Imperial family he sometimes act so spoiled because he receives a lot of affection from everyone.

"We're not coming back here."

"Then, I won't be able to see you again? When will I see you?" Eve sighed and remembered the first time that he saw the prince in the past. It was the same however it was also different from this times encounter. What was so different about today?

The prince step near her and smiled at her. She blinks her eyes multiple times to clear her head and focus on what was happening. Eve felt her heart beats faster than it's normal rate but she knew that what she was feeling is what was written in the novel and not what she truly felt.

"I... What are you doing, your highness?" Eve steps back and clutch her hand near her chest. Her heart is beating faster for the prince but she knew, in her mind that she does not like him. 'It is just the flow of the novel, don't get carried away.'

"You're pretty, Eve. Like an Angel." Eve's face flushed at what she have heard. She heaved a heavy breathe and she averted her gaze away from the prince.

"T-thank you, your highness. Y-you look d-da-dazzling too." She said before she turns around and run fast, away from the prince. When she looks back and did not saw the prince, she stops running and just walks towards the Empress palace like nothing had happen.

"How was your walk, Eve? Did you like the garden?" The Empress asked as soon as she seated beside her mother.

"Yes, your majesty. The Palace garden is very beautiful." She answered politely as she smiled towards the Empress.

"Have you met the prince? I heard he was also taking a walk. I presume that you cross- path?" as she heard the Empress asked about the crown prince, she remembered the past that she was trying to fixed. Everything was exactly that same, every sequence of events that she was trying to avoid and every questions that she don't want to answer.

"I have met him, your majesty." Eve answered in a neutral tone unlike in the past that she was a fool in love and giggly.

"How was the prince?"

"He was... great, your majesty and very... dignified." Eve complimented the Prince. The Empress smiled at her as she puts down the tea cup on the table.

"I'm glad that you have taken a liking to the Prince. He will be the next ruler of this Empire. I hope that you will serve him well, Eve." Eve heave a deep breathe before nodding towards the empress direction indicating that she have agreed.

"I won't be taking too much of your time here. I will be awaiting for your response to my offer." The Empress gracefully stands up from the sofa and was about to walk out of the room while the others inside the room including Amelia bowed down towards the Empress.

"Wait, your majesty!" Eve said, stopping the Empress to walk away. The Empress looks back at her with a smile plastered on her face.

"What is it Eve?"

"Can I..." Eve looked at her mother who was also staring at her, wondering why she stopped the Empress. She gulped before looking back to the Empress. "Can I take your offer, your majesty? I want to study at the Academy."

"Why, of course, Eve. I will recommend you admission to the academy then." The Empress smiled at her and patted her head softly. Eve bowed down courteously.

"Thank you for your generosity, your majesty. I will forever be in debt with you." The Empress nodded once before she continue going out of the room. Eve raised her head and walks towards her mother.

'I need the Empress on my side if I wanted to learn more about magic and how to save God's beloved child soul.' Eve thought as they walk out of the palace and go home. Eve knew that she needed more knowledge. She may be still tangled with the Imperial family but she'll make sure to stay away from the prince as far as possible.