Awakening

I am invincible, even in this dream, yet I feel I don't belong here either.

I lie in this endless darkness, immersed in the fractured memories of Erana.

But the memories are fleeting, fragments of a life I can never fully understand. I see her adoption, the cruel bullying she suffers in the Solandris mansion.

None of it makes sense, none of it helps me. I don't want to see any more.

Then, a crack appears.

The memory screen shatters, splintering into pieces.

On the other side, a figure stands.

I rush forward, my heart racing, and pound at the screen.

"Erana!" I shout, my voice raw with desperation.

"Look at me! Please—come back!"

"Look at all the people who love you!" I cry, my words trembling in the stillness. "Come back!"

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, her eyes meet mine.

And for the first time, I see the girl I have always glimpsed in the mirror. Her eyes are tired, weary from the pain she has endured.

She raises her hand, slamming it against the screen.

"I want revenge," she says, her voice cold and resolute.

"Erana, no," I whisper, my heart aching. "You can have your revenge, but I don't even know how to take revenge."

"I want revenge," she repeats, her voice steady and unyielding.

I realize then—she can't see me. I am just a fleeting presence in her world.

"Then, will you let me go… if I carry out your revenge for you?" I ask, my voice breaking.

And with those words, the dream begins to dissolve.

The darkness swallowed me whole, and I woke up.

I saw the Duke sitting beside me, his eyes closed. I looked outside the window—snow was falling. It seemed summer had finally come to an end.

Then, the Duke gasped, waking up when he saw me stir.

He spoke gently, his face soft with concern. "Selene, are you feeling okay?"

I looked at him. He looked so tired, his handsome face now shadowed by dark circles under his eyes. How long had it been since he last slept?

"I'm fine."

It was true. I didn't feel any pain. I never thought I would see his face again.

I glanced at his status screen: [Love 93%].

He truly loved his daughter. Now, considering everything, should I ask him to take revenge for Erana? But what if, after taking revenge, Erana's spirit says she wanted to avenge herself?

I looked at him as he gently held my hand. "It's okay if you've lost your memory. I'll tell you everything—how you were born, how we raised you, how much your mother loved you."

"But promise me," he continued, his voice firm but caring, "you won't do something like this again. I will do whatever it takes. I'll take revenge on those who hurt you."

He truly loves his daughter. Now, I no longer fear him. It seems that Erana has finally accepted her father.

But I can't take revenge for Erana alone—I need help, and the first person I need is her father, because he wants this too.

But the problem is, I remember so little of Erana's life. Should I begin with the first memory I can recall?

"Father," I said, the word feeling strange, "I want revenge. And I want to do it with my own hands."

Calling him "father" felt uncomfortable.

His eyes widened for a moment when I addressed him that way.

Then, he smiled warmly and said, "Anything, my daughter. Anything you want."

Ha...

Erana had longed to hear those words. But now that I had heard them, I felt nothing.

"Now, you should eat and rest. I'll come to see you again soon."

With that, he left, his footsteps fading away.

Then Fiona and Clara entered, their faces still marked with the traces of tears.

I checked their status screens: Fiona's was [Love 61%], and Clara's was [Love 67%].

They quietly served me food, their movements gentle, as they explained that I had been unconscious for a whole week.

But something was off. Where was Serra? I hadn't seen her at all.

The entire day passed, yet no sign of her. I couldn't hold back any longer.

"Where is Serra?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

Fiona flinched slightly, as though caught off guard. "Serra is in the maid's chamber," she said quietly.

"Call her."

"Yes, my lady." Fiona hurried off to fetch her.

Clara hesitated, her expression pained. "My lady, the first person who found you like that... was Serra. I think she blames herself for not noticing sooner."

I furrowed my brow, trying to process her words. That didn't sound like Serra. She wasn't the type to blame herself for things beyond her control.

Before I could think more on it, Fiona returned with Serra. She stood silently in the doorway, her head bowed, her posture stiff with guilt. She didn't speak—just waited there, as if unsure of what to say or how to act.

I checked her status screen: [Love 24%]. It was low, much lower than I expected.

"Both of you, leave the room," I said, my voice steady but firm. "I need to speak with Serra alone."

They bowed their heads and left the room without a word, leaving the air heavy with tension.

"Serra, come here."

I patted the space beside me on the bed, my voice barely a whisper, trembling with emotion. Serra hesitated, her eyes filled with uncertainty, but slowly she moved toward me. She sat down beside me, her body stiff with guilt and worry.

I reached out, my hand brushing her cheek gently. "It's not your fault," I said softly, the words tumbling out, as if I could ease her pain with just a touch. "You couldn't have known what I was feeling. You couldn't have read my heart."

Her trembling hand grasped mine, her tears welling up, the weight of her regret clear in her eyes. "But lady—"

I interrupted her, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead, a gesture to comfort and quiet the storm in her heart. Her eyes widened with shock, and she froze, not expecting such tenderness from me. Her cheeks flushed a deep, crimson hue, and for a brief moment, the world around us disappeared, leaving only us in the silence of the room.

The wind stirred, causing the room to warm with an unexpected heat. I closed my eyes for a second, letting the warmth of the moment settle around us.

When I opened my eyes again, the person infront of me had changed.

A man was sitting before me, his presence overwhelming.

His features were sharp and striking, like a finely sculpted statue. His jawline was defined, his nose straight and perfect. His broad shoulders tapered into a slender waist, and his muscular thighs hinted at a strength that made my pulse race.

His black hair gleamed like midnight, and his crimson eyes burned with intensity, locking onto mine with an undeniable force.

Crown prince Caelus Cealither.

The future emperor.

My future husband.

And the man I had once killed in my last life.

I smiled softly, my heart racing, as I whispered,

"Caelus… nice to meet you."

His gaze was full of shock, disbelief painting his features, as if the moment he saw me, he realized I had uncovered his true form.

I shifted in the bed, pulling the blanket from my body.

My heart pounded as I reached for him, my hand gently caressing his cheek, fingers lingering on his skin.

Slowly, I moved my hand down to the back of his neck, pulling him closer, as though nothing could keep us apart.

My lips met his in a kiss—gentle, but full of longing. A kiss that spoke of the things we hadn't yet said.

As I pulled back, my lips still lingering near his, my thoughts raced: I can't be afraid of you. If I fear you, I'll fear every man, and I'll never be able to take Erana's revenge.

I could feel the shift in the air, the pull between us growing stronger, as his eyes burned with something deeper now, something unreadable.

And in that moment, I knew: I had made my choice.

Fear would not control me.

I would take my fate into my own hands.