Chapter 69

The Macul dragged me into the door of darkness.

What are they trying to do with me. I couldn’t even breath properly because I was overwhelmed by fear.

At that time, the Maculs who were descending at a tremendous speed, slowed down little by little and laid me down gently on the floor as they got off my body.

“Thank you.”

I thanked them, because even though I was suddenly kidnapped, they didn’t hurt me.

Then the Maculs, which is shaped like a bean sprout, gently move its body side to side, as if to say ‘you’re welcome.’

They didn’t seem to have any intention of hurting me.

[Argh!!]

The scream of the goddess was heard again.

The Maculs shook its body nervously and began to fly to the left.

I stood there and looked at them, they wagged their tails as if telling me to follow them.

“Do you know where the goddess of light is?”

The Maculs shook their heads.

They brought me here for the goddess of light.

I also wanted to save her so I followed the Maculs immediately.

This place is very dark, I followed the light from the Maculs body.

The floor was also muddy so it was hard to walk. The muds kept getting inside my shoes. One of my shoes had disappeared without me noticing. I ended up taking off the other shoe and lifted my long skirt.

[Argh! Argh! Laontel! Save me! It’s too hot!]

Tears were mixed with the scream of the goddess. Whenever she cried, the earth shook, all her feelings, grief, anger, despair turned into a poison here, and the poison came to my body,

My legs are heavy and my hands are numb.

The more I walked, the stronger the stench is, it became more difficult to breathe because of the murky air.

Just how far is she?

I’m thirsty, out of breath and my legs are heavy.

Every step I took, my body became more painful, I need to hurry and save the goddess.

***

How long did I walk for? One hour? One day? Two days?

I continue to walk while relying on the light of the Maculs. I couldn’t even feel the flow of time.

My sense of direction had also disappeared.

Am I going to the right way?

I’m not circling this place right?

I could see nothing but the light from the Macul.

Except for the occasional screams of the goddess and the sound of the footsteps, I couldn’t hear anything.

As time went by, I grew more afraid and forgot about the pain in my body.

I was afraid I would be buried in the dark or die without lifting the curse.

When my body and mind were at the limit, a blue lake appeared in front of my eyes.

It is a beautiful place full of various flowers. I ran towards the lake without thinking of anything.

And the moment I put a hand into the water, I can hear a woman saying something.

***

“Goddess, is that you?”

“Laontel, you have finally arrived.”

There is a woman standing on the lake, I knew who she is.

She’s the goddess of light.

“Are you here to see me?”

“Yes…”

The goddess of light smiled shyly, but I am not Laontel. Why?

I saw how the goddess of light and Phillip looks like before, but I never what Laontel looks like.

Laontel is the ancestor of the Bellacian family and the owner of the light.

Among them, Ancia should be the one who is the most familiar with Laontel, but why can’t she see her face?

At that moment, a face was seen in the lake.

Am I finally seeing Laontel’s face?

A girl with blond hair and peridot eyes came to view.

She looks a bit like me, but a little older…

As soon as I looked closer, I instinctively realized.

That woman is me. I am Laontel Bellacian.

I thought that by someone’s power, I was able to see what happened a thousand years ago, but it wasn’t like that.

This is a memory of my previous life. That’s why I couldn’t see Laontel’s face. This is also why I can hear Laontel’s voice.

I am the wizard of light.

The goddess of light and I often met in the lake.

“Laontel, how long are you going to call me a goddess? We’re friends.”

“But you’re a goddess…”

“My name is Serphania.”

“Serphania…”

“You’re the only one who knows, it’s a secret okay?”

“Okay.”

“Call my name.”

“Okay, Serphania.”

She smiled brightly.

“You finally became my friend.”

“Not really, I am always your friend even before. Huh?”

Then suddenly, I can hear someone from behind

“Who is it?”

I shouted carefully.

I was preparing to attack the person but suddenly, a boy came out of the bushes.

He have a silver hair and crimson eyes, thin lips and slightly angled jaws.

When she saw the boy, Laontel relaxed and burst into laughter.

But I froze.

That boy is Richard.

No, not only the face but the soul is also the same person.

“Phillip!”

Laontel calls him Phillip

“Why are you here?”

Phillip…

Phillip is Richard.

I didn’t like Richard ever since I met him. It’s not because he is a scheming man who used to do evil things in the original novel.

It was because I instinctively realized that he is Phillip.

As soon as I realized that I am Laontel, memories from a thousand years ago came to mind.

“I came to find you because you suddenly disappeared. The count is worried about you. Let’s go back quickly.”

I grew up with Phillip. His mother is the emperor’s mistress.

Zelcan’s emperor touched many women. The one who had a Roum blood may become the empress, but majority were not and they stayed as a concubine.

The emperor did not recognize the children from those concubines.

Phillip’s mother is abandoned by the emperor as soon as he made her pregnant, she stayed in Count Bellacian’s mansion because he felt sympathy for her.

But, his mother died early because she was too depressed being abandoned by the emperor. Phillip and I grew to treat each other like a sibling.

“I told you I would be late today.”

“Who do you say that to?”

“To the eldest brother.”

I had two brothers. They also cared for Phillip like he was their younger brother.

“Let’s go back for now.”

“No, I’m going to play with my friend now.”

“Friend?”

Phillip turned his head and saw Serphania.

“Oh, hello.”

She spoke shyly.

“It’s an honor to meet you. My name is Phillip.”

Phillip reached out his hand to her.

She gave her hand carefully.

As soon as he held her hand, Serphania’s face turned red.

There was a smile on Phillips’s face, which was usually expressionless.

I thought they fell in love with each other at first.

Turns out, Phillip knew and approached her on purpose.

***

I was stuck in the memory of the past and I could feel my hand was muddy.

I thought I touched the lake, but there was mud all over my hands. This is not the lake.

It is all an illusion.

I saw the lake where me and Ser first met, and we always played together there.

Is that an illusion I created?

If so, did Ser show me those to recover my memory?

I didn’t know about the truth, I couldn’t just sit still like this.

I continue to walk.

Suddenly, a lake appeared again.

But unlike before, it is like a lake in autumn.

As soon as I went there, I remembered something again.

***

“Ser’s hair is really beautiful, I’m jealous.”

I brushed Serphania’s hair.

There are two people sitting in the fallen leaves near the lake.

Serphania remained the same but I grew up.

“Laon is very pretty too.”

We became close friends and have nickname for each other.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I’m sure Rakshul would think so too.”

“Why are you talking about Rakshul all of sudden!”

I screamed in embarrassment.

“You’re getting married soon.”

“Oh no… something like that is…”

“I heard about it.”

“Who said that?”

“Phillip.”

Serphania and Phillip became lovers.

Because she hid her appearance from everyone except for us, I was the only one who knew about their relationship.

“It’s not like that…I’m the only one who likes Rakshul.”

I liked Rakshul. I even applied as the imperial wizard because I wanted to see him often.

But he only saw me as a friend.

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s just a one sided love.”

“Having a one sided love must be hard.”

Serphania sighed.

“Are you making fun of me now? How do you even know about one sided love?”

“I know.”

She laughed bitterly.

Come to think of it, Ser knew of Phillips true feeling even at that time.