Chapter 6.1

The two of them were staring at me, one with mournful eyes and on the other hand, eyes that were full of bitterness. While being held by Calix, my child burst into tears.

Mom! I want to go to my mom!

Then Calix’s mouth moved. I clearly heard every painful word that he said.

That woman is not your mother.

After that, Sia dipped her head down toward the child. Her black hair fluttered in the wind.

Smiling with a beautiful face like a fairy in the night, Sia whispered.

Child, I’m your mother.

‘No!’

In my dream, I was already the wicked villainess who was written in the novel. No! I’m her mother!

Calix and Sia turned to face me. I can see the raw emotions in Calix’s emerald-blue eyes. They display stifled anger, hatred, and disgusts that was undoubtedly pertained to me······. My heart sank.

Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes as my heart shattered. For I couldn’t bear the grief any longer, I burst into tears and screamed,

Sia. If only, if only you didn’t exist······!

If only you’re dead. I wouldn’t have been like this! It’s all your fault! It’s all because of you!

If only you hadn’t suddenly shown up!

It was all mine. My happiness, Calix’s affection, and my lovely daughter······. You took everything away from me!

Sorrow passed over Sia’s face.

But soon after.

‘Why is that my fault?’

As if mocking her, Sia raised the corners of her lips.

‘I’m the blessed woman who received the oracle from God, Phoenix. Both Calix, and the happy future with him, were all mine from the start. None of them were yours. You’re just stupidly mistaken. Poor Laure.’

Then, I clearly saw the soundless words her lips mouthed.

Yu. Ri. Joo.

The moment I recalled the name Sia discreetly whispered, my whole body froze.

I don’t even have any idea. Sia knew me. Not Laure Ecree, but me in my previous life. She knew Yuri Joo.

The soldiers pulled me roughly then knocked me down on the platform.

Wearing a dirty dress ripped in different places and a messed up pink hair with hollow-dead emerald eyes.

The citizens booed the evil woman, Laure Ecree. Somebody threw some stones at me, and the other one threw some eggs.

I was just absent-mindedly being beaten by them. I was in a state of shock that my brain doesn’t function anymore.

Lies·····.

You’re lying. How could you know me?

As if reading my inquiring eyes, Sia scoffed coldly. Once again, she spoke only by opening her mouth,

‘Stupid Yuri Joo. That’s why you should’ve recognized me earlier. You brought it all on yourself.’

Ah, Ah······! A miserly groan came out of my mouth. My head hurts as if it’s going to break.

‘The accident where your daughter almost died? I did it.’

‘······!’

‘And the fact that Calix misunderstood it as your carelessness, it was all done by me.’

‘You, you·····!’

As I tried to stretch my arms toward Sia, I made a distress groan, and the soldiers who were holding me down spit out with looks of disgust.

They raised my body and dragged me to the center of the platform. There, a burning stake was in place.

I stand upon the thorny firewood half-unconscious. The soles of my feet pierced by thorns hurt.

However, nothing registers in my brain anymore. Shocked by my stupidity, tears overflowed.

After the soldiers tied up my body onto the stake. A trumpet’s sound came from somewhere, and the priest slowly climbed up the platform, with the sacred fire in his hand.

The wicked woman who dared to harm God’s blessed daughter should be purified with a sacred flame. Only then can we avoid God’s anger. That was the verdict of the Temple of God.

Afterward, the branches of thorns that were piled up under my feet caught fire. The bluish fire slowly crawled up, burned the hem of my cloth, and started to wrap around my body.

It’s hot… It hurts so much… The more I struggled with pain, the more painful it was because of the thorny branches on my feet’s soles.

I could see him through the fluttering flames. Calix was looking at me with no emotions in his eyes as he watched me burn.

You said you love me, and that you wouldn’t let me go, all the words you whispered before, at the moment, seemed like it was all just a dream.

It was hard to believe that a person’s heart could change instantaneously.

Feeling betrayed, my blood boiled, and my heart trembled. Even before I was burned to death, my heart ached so much that in my mind, I wished to end this suffering immediately and to just die quickly.

I desperately cursed him and Sia. I will never forgive the both of you. I will become a wandering soul, and torment you until you die.

After you both die miserably, I will tear your souls apart and swallow them that they cannot be held in the arms of God!

I won’t forgive you, I’ll never forgive you······! I hate you, Calix!

In the last moment, before even her eyes start to burn, and the acrid smoke choke her, she struggle in pain and looked at her child’s face for the last time.

As soon as the two of their gazes met, she saw the child moving her lips······.

‘Mom.’

Mom, please don’t cry.

Mom, I’m going to save you·····.

Ugh!

The moment I felt my breath cut off, I woke up from my dream.

I sat on the bed and breathed heavily. Cold sweats rolled from my body and my heart pounded.

It was a terrible nightmare. I shook my head. I wanted to get rid of this bad dream quickly. But on the other hand, I thought that I should never forget that dream.

However, the more I retraced every content of my dream, the more cloudy it became as if I was in the water.

I left the bed with a throbbing headache. I poured some water into the glass, and as I tried to gulp it down, my hand suddenly lost its strength.

Crash!

The glass hits the floor and splits into pieces. The maid, startled by the sound, opened the side door and came in.

“Miss! Are you alright?!”

“Mm·····.”

“Please keep still! I’ll clean it up for you immediately!”

I nodded. Did my hand suddenly lose strength? An ominous feeling suddenly struck me.

I abruptly threw my gaze into the hallway. I could see the attendants busily coming and going.

What is it? I leaned my head in wonder. It’s still six in the morning. My father, a bureaucrat of the Imperial City, attends the meeting from nine o’clock.

“Miss, you can move now. I’ve cleaned everything up.”

“Yes. Thank you. But what’s going on? Why is everyone so busy?

“Ah, That!”

The maid opened her eyes wide as if she had only thought of it. And as if she was happy to be the first to deliver this news to me, the maid smiled widely.

“A Divine Lady appeared!”