Chapter 17

After that, I notice a squad approaching me, it's the Marfesterian coming to save the damsel in distress

I tear up.. I'm back but at what cost?, I lost her. An important part of myself.. Holly..

Exhaustion came to me, my head feels dizzy and soon enough, my vision turned black, I felt my head hit the ground

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

I opened my eyes with a gasp, a figure shaking me

I sat up, I don't where I am, a white canvas, a void. I felt where I was sitting damp, water. So this is.. the void of emptiness?

I look up, Her blue eyes looked at me coldly

"Are you.. Reillana?"

Her eyes narrowed before she nodded, "You have tons of questions, right?"

Her voice.. sounds so sweet! Yet she's rumored as an evil lady?

I stand up, facing her, I'm back to who I was before, with my blond hair and hazel eyes, my dark red cloak

"Follow me"

I walked with her, my boots in the water

"I am the daughter of Duke Millaber, the favorite lady of the Emperor."

Tell me something I don't know.

She sighs,

"You are my half sister, Daughter of my Father, produced and mated in the border of both Empire"

My eyes widen, So my theory was right?

"The Emperor. Why is he so attached to you?" I asked

"..Love. The Emperor loved your mother, but my Father was with your mother, And your mother had chosen my Father, It angered the Emperor so badly that he ordered for my Father to have an arranged marriage with my mother."

I listened intently, Reillana is the key. The answer to all questions.

"...They kept meeting in the border, their love for each other grew everyday, When my mother found out, she wanted the Duke to be hers and hers alone, so she told the Emperor the truth. When he found out, your mother was pushed away, guards sorround the borders, only your mother knew about her pregnancy."

"She chose to marry someone else from Kallister Empire, hiding the truth of your birth. The emperor, who has a suspicion of her sudden pregnancy and marriage had an investigation, and connected all the dots that you are, indeed my father's child."

"When I turned seven. The Emperor told me all this, the truth. He told that I probably despite my Father, because of his child outside the Empire. I hated my father, but, he still tried to make it all better, I thought it's okay beca-"

"It's not. He's using you for his own gain, to have you in the Royal Family and him as a higher ranking." I spoke, interrupting her

"I know about that. But I don't want to be abandoned. I wanted to bear Jerome's heir to be in the Royal family" she continues to walk

"Is that why you have yourself to him? Seduce him?" I asked, walking side by side with her

"Yes. Because Jerome could give me that power, the power of satisfaction that will cause for my Father to be proud of me."

Her eyes stared at the water that's damping our shoes, she lifted her feet and walks faster,

"This is a piece of my memory, the lake of the Imperial Palace."

I sat on the bridge while she remains standing

"The Emperor uses a mage to swap our bodies, you're dead. That's why we're here currently, in the afterlife."

"Why would he swap us?" I asked

"To use your soul, his daughter. And my body, his daughter too. To kill him, My Father would've treasure you if he knew, afterall, you look exactly like your mother. That will bring him so much pain."

"...Jaehan Kruzul. She's the one who swapped us, am I wrong?"

She shakes her head

"You're correct. That's why she took in Jaehan Kruzul."

My eyes narrowed before she leans down and wrap her arms around me

"Choose me, Haru. Avenge me."

Time's running out.