Chapter 1

It was when it was time.

With the emperor’s call, I left the territory for the first time in a very long time and headed to him. He was listening to a boring speech sitting in the scorching sun with a cumbersome dress and heavy jewels.

It was definitely like that…

I stared at the scene of the festival, which was a mess in an instant.

“Hello, Aisa. You really are alive. How did you live?”

The person who smiled at me immediately swung a blunt weapon at me, wondering if he was willing to hear the answer on the subject of the question.

A blunt weapon hit my side of the head. The pain was short. The front of my eyes flashed white, then red, and finally black.

‘This crazy punk again…’

Instead of a soaring blood pressure, I felt a sense of distance, I recalled that day with force majeure. It’s the day when my life, which was only a little unlucky, began to flow in a pathetic way.

As soon as I began to recall the memories of more than a decade that I had never looked for, they began to unfold as clearly as yesterday.

Soon, the memory flowed as fast as a panorama. Is this what a flashlight is? I ran away from that day for 10 years, and it’s funny.

The memory of moving on quickly stopped at one part.

“Aisa.”

A beautiful girl with bright blonde hair and blue eyes turned to me, calling my name.

‘Ophelia.’

I looked at Ophelia, whom I had not seen in a long time, and reflexively recalled her name. The mixture of resentment, longing, hatred, and love was so mixed up that even I couldn’t define my feelings.

My old sister-in-law. Beautiful and intelligent tomboy, Ophelia.

Ophelia had a huge pervert stalker.

No, there is one still.

Nick. That psycho-criminal bastard, who had been chasing Ophelia with a grin, rushed in in a way that ruined everything for her. In fact, the expressions to destroy and torment were quite pure.

His obsession wasn’t meant to be taken care of. It’s just an extremely perverted desire to see Ophelia, who always shines brightly.

It seems that it was close to obscene jealousy and endless longing.

Unfortunately, Ophelia was such a sweet and loving child that she would have been the target of many criminals.

Of course, what Nick destroyed included my family and I, similar to Ophelia’s. Inevitably, most of the things Ophelia lost were also precious to me.

* * *

That day, 10 years ago, when I was still 15 years old.

My family, McFoy, was destroyed by Nick. The only people who survived the mess were me and my baby nephew, Archie.

Nick, who Ophelia had gained with sincerity, was a person who used the power that remained only as a legend.

That day, the black hands that simultaneously rose from McFoy Castle and its territory penetrated the body of everything alive and breathing on the ground. No one could avoid the hand.

It was an evil power that I had never heard of. The sticky and clingy hands did not give me time to defend. While I was losing my mind, I heard Ophelia’s scream, and I blamed Ophelia.

‘If it weren’t for you.’

If Ophelia hadn’t come to McFoy, this wouldn’t have happened.

My caring grandmother, strict but respectful parents, a reliable older brother who would have continued the family, a beautiful and dignified step-sister, and an older sister who was delighted to become a new bride. And thousands of people living on the land of McFoy.

Everyone wouldn’t have died.

With these assumptions, Ophelia was considered terrible. It was clear that her kindness was the beginning of all misfortune.

Having lost everything in an instant, I needed something to resent. So, I decided to fiercely hate the nosy, cheerful girl who grew up with me.

Since I was left behind, I had to have hatred to live.

It was scary too. I didn’t know when I’d lose Archie, the only family I had left, if he stayed next to me.

So I decided to abandon Ophelia. I decided to kick her out of the land of McFoy forever.

Ophelia was not a real McFoy in the first place. It was my father who suddenly put the orphan into the family one day.

It’s Ophelia’s fault, yeah. It’s not strictly her fault. It’s all because of “Nick,” a criminal who is strangely obsessed with Ophelia.

That idiot who looks like a fool. The one who looks like a hawk. I thought it was somehow chilly to pretend to be clumsy and absent-minded.

Ophelia was an obvious victim. Nevertheless, I was not confident of seeing her anymore because she was considered terrible.

That day, Ophelia left the castle on her own before I kicked her as if she had any conscience left.

In fact, I didn’t know well whether she left or died. When I barely opened my eyes to the crying of Archie, there were no Ophelia or criminal genics.

However, it occurred to me that the perv psycho would not have killed Ophelia, his subject of obsession. Wouldn’t it be if Ophelia killed him and left?

I thought it was rather fortunate that she had disappeared.

I didn’t know how I survived. I just lost my mind and when I opened my eyes again, it was all over.

Inside the ruined castle, there was only a crying Archie a little away from me. I was in a chaotic spirit and hugged him. And I think I tried to find another survivor.

After wandering around the castle for a long time, I climbed the wall with Archie, where I think I saw McFoy’s land burning in the dark blue dawn.

At that time, I could tell instinctively.

That Archie and I are the only ones who lived and breathed in the wide land of McFoy.

Then, what kind of family was McFoy, who had only a 15 year old girl and a newborn baby left?

McFoy, a noble representing the West, has a history of producing many legendary knights, and thanks to his glory, the Knight Order was famous. Historically, we served as the head of the imperial knight the most. In addition, there is a sword method that only comes down to the McFoy family, which is one of the basics of imperial swordsmanship.

Less than half a century after the end of the 30-year war, the influence of nobles who were former knights was strong.

My great-grandfather, who was able to handle swords because he was McFoy when it comes to martial arts, returned with merit at the time. Thanks to this, McFoy was in its heyday as a family that was used not only in the west but also in the center.

In addition, McFoy was blessed with the land itself. With a mild climate and fertile land, the land and the people of the land were rich in itself without being tied to other businesses.

People were not very worried and had many children. Young and competent knights knocked on the door every morning to become McFoy’s knights.

A peaceful place where wide granaries sway in golden color and rivers and seas gently surround the surroundings. McFoy was such a family. I loved McFoy like that.

When I stood there blankly, I think Archie cried as if he was going to faint with tears and runny nose on my neck. I mechanically patted the baby on the back and soothed him.

I would have cried because I was hungry, or because I missed my nanny or mother, but at the time, I had no idea what to do. I think I just held him in my arms and cried together.

Oh, it’s because of you. Ophelia, a nosy girl. I told you not to help because Nick is doing something crazy. I told you not to grow up because you were just a weirdo.

“Oh, it’s because of you. What happened to McFoy is…”

When Archie and I were crying, the sun seemed to have begun to rise. The appearance of the mansions and territories, where darkness had fallen, gradually began to appear. Wherever I looked, McFoy was full of people who were torn apart. I fell down on the spot.

‘It’s all because of you. You witch-like girl. Ophelia, I can’t forgive you and Nick. I will kill you.’

I don’t think anything could be more of a nightmare than this.

And then again-

Memories quickly passed by. As if searching for a memory from a long time ago, it was a very distant past.

* * *

A chatty sound and laughter were heard between the cicadas crying. It was a boring peaceful and everyday landscape.

Then the girl sitting in front of me looked back and asked me.

“Hey, did you read all 6 books?”

“Ah…”

I came to my senses and searched my bag.

“Wait a minute.”

There was no need to search, but a thick paper book wrapped in a hard cover was immediately held in my hand.

“Here you go.”

I handed over six books of ‘Ophelia and Night’ to my friend. ‘Ophilia and Night’ was a romance fantasy novel that all classmates have been reading hard recently.

“Oh, I was just wondering, did you really read it all already? You said romance fantasy wasn’t good. You finally opened your eyes to romance!”

“…This has less romance. I just read it because it seemed like a devastating fantasy.”

The friend who received the book said in a sly way. Famous for being far from romance, I muttered like an excuse because I felt somewhat awkward.

“Oh, I’m nervous. It’s a happy ending, right? I’m worried because this is a bit devastated.”

Whether or not, the friend looked at the book and asked. Volume 6 was the last one. The friend seems to be curious about the ending.

“…”

I carefully reviewed the contents of the six volumes. Um… Can you call that a happy ending?

When I frowned, my friend quickly looked like she was going to die and shouted.

“What? Why did you frown? No way, who dies? Isn’t that crazy?! This writer!”

“Is it okay if I tell you?”

“Oh, just tell me. I mean, I don’t want anyone to die.”

“…Aisa dies.”

I spat it out and felt a bit bitter. Only those who survived can see a happy ending, but it wasn’t for Aisa McFoy.

Aisa’s death was the culmination of the novel, a device that led all the characters to reconciliation and forgiveness. Her death lead the heroine, Ophelia, to an awakening, and Ophelia’s return to the McFoy family.

It is the beginning of this 6th volume that the criminal Nick kidnaps and kills Aisa, and the story progresses rapidly towards the end as it is.

“Ah, what is it? Aisa died? Then it doesn’t matter.”

The friend said with a smile. Seeing her greatly relieved expression, I felt my heart sink a little.

Was Aisa my favorite? Somehow I felt strange.

“If only the main characters live, it’s a happy ending. Aisa, well, there were a lot of dead flags… There were a lot of things that solved once she died. It felt like she was going to die.”

My friend’ tone was not so light.

“…Aisa is not a villain.”

“She’ not a villain, but… … . As Ophelia loses her powers, she barely survives, and Aisa made her a fugitive for ten years. Didn’t Ophelia suffer because of that? Ophelia fans will think of Aisa as a villain and a nuisance. And she’s a good character to kill. It’s also dramatic.”

A villain. A nuisance. A good character to kill. How is it okay to die? In an instant, emotions surged.

“Hey! Wasn’t Ophelia gloomy too? What would Aisa think if she disappeared without a word like that? Of course it’s annoying.”

So I spoke out without realizing it. I felt the attention of my classmates belatedly, so my voice lowered at the end.

“Isn’t Ophelia a victim? The family’s revenge should only be on Nick, that psycho! Why is she even tying up Ophelia and treating her like a criminal?”

“There is nothing wrong with it! Because they let an unknown person into her nature at will! TO be honest, Ophelia was not really a McFoy!”

“What’s wrong with you? People will think you’re a child.”

My friend said with a somewhat surprised face. Somehow, my heart fluttered and I couldn’t answer.

“Anyway, you’re weird too. Usually, you would join the main character, not the character who dies. It’s not good for your mental health.”

“…”

I don’t know. Did I like Aisa because I thought she was going to die?

Aisa was a major figure with many appearances. However, that didn’t mean there were many inner descriptions. Aisa was not the main character.

In fact, I’m not sure if Aisa is my favorite. Still, as I read it, I somehow joined Aisa. Rather than feeling sorry for her, it’s somewhat… Strangely, should I say that I naturally connect with her?

“You shouldn’t catch a character who dies.”

My friend’s last words somehow felt distant like an echo. The space where friends were chatting has also become farther and farther away.

Finally, I felt like I was floating alone in an empty space.

‘Ah, this memory…’