Chapter 433 Aurora... a broken soul
???'s POV Explore more adventures at empire
'Hmm? Where am I?'
I wondered as I found myself staring at a familiar ceiling, one I had seen countless times before. The initial confusion clouded my thoughts, but then a sharp clarity struck me. I was in that room again, the same room that had once been a sanctuary but had quickly turned into a prison.
I-I was truly shocked that I was somehow alive...
'D-did someone save me?' The thought crossed my mind, but it didn't bring little comfort.... Instead, my heart sank deeper into despair.
If Lucian knew what I had done, there was no way he would let me go... no chance of mercy.
'I need to run away...' The thought was frantic and desperate. I attempted to move, but my body felt heavy and unresponsive. It was as if invisible chains were holding me down... no, more accurately, it felt like I was trapped inside another's body, unable to command my own limbs.
I tried to lift my hand, but it was in vain. A deep sense of dread settled over me. Something was terribly, fundamentally wrong with my body.
Did Lucian do something to me again?
The question echoed in my mind, filled with pain and fear...
I couldn't handle that pain anymore... the constant torment had worn me down. I desperately wanted to escape, to find freedom from this nightmare.
Then, miraculously, my hand finally moved... but the sight that greeted me was horrifying.
"What the..." My voice came out not as words but as incoherent sounds, "Waaah, waaah...."
The realization hit me like a tidal wave.... I heard my own voice, but it was the voice of an infant. My hands were tiny, my fingers barely more than little stubs. I couldn't speak properly, only able to manage cries and whimpers.
N-No, No....! Please!!!
I screamed internally, my horror overwhelming. I wanted to deny whatever twisted reality I found myself in, clinging desperately to the hope that this was all some delusion.
Please, anything but this!!
T-This must be a dream... What else could it be? How could this be happening to m-me?... to my daughter?
I didn't want to believe it...But the truth was undeniable..
'Knock'
Suddenly, I heard a knocking sound that broke the silence.
"My lady?"
It was the voice of a woman... if I remember correctly, she was the midwife who had handled my delivery. Her voice carried a mixture of concern and urgency.
I couldn't see her clearly because it was difficult to move my head to the side.
"My lady?"
"..."
"MY LADY!!!!"
She suddenly shouted and called for others.
"She killed herself?" Lucian's voice carried a hint of disbelief as he frowned.
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty, her soul crystal was broken beyond repair."
"...." Lucian simply stared, his expression unreadable, but then,
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!" Rose's voice burst into the room as she rushed in, grabbing Lucian's collar with both hands. "Y-YOU KILLED HER!!!" she screamed, her eyes wild with fury and grief.
Rose furiously screamed at Lucian, tears streaming down her face, her anguish palpable. She was helpless, unable to do anything for me... and yet,
"I didn't kill her... She died because she couldn't handle her child's death," he replied, his face cold and impassive, as if the tragedy meant nothing to him.
"Waahhhhh!!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
I cried out, my infant voice filled with anger and helplessness.
Hearing the unexpected sound of a child's voice, everyone in the room froze in place, their faces etched with shock. Slowly, they turned to look in my direction.
"C-Child is alive?" Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief. Rose immediately rushed to my side, picking me up with a mixture of astonishment and overwhelming joy.
"S-She gave her life for her daughter...." Rose mumbled through her sobs, holding me tightly against her chest as she wept.
So... It's me.... ah?
I... I didn't want to believe it, but the reality was inescapable. I was in my own child's body.
..... DISGUSTING!!!!
How did this happen?
..Why did this happen?
...Why on earth am I in my child's body?
These questions tormented me, but there were no answers.... But I knew I needed to survive... So I started my act like a child.
I wanted to know what happened and why am I given a second chance.
Memories of the time after my death slowly came back to me, clouding my mind. It was then that I realized the truth: I had received a blessing from a god.
"I am sorry, child. I know this is cruel, but this is the world's choice... I hope you understand... I bestow upon you, The Apollo/Judgement Eyes!"
Those were the words of the god, spoken with a solemnity that left no room for doubt.
It was an unimaginable burden and a bizarre twist of fate. The god's blessing felt like a curse, chaining me to a destiny I could never have foreseen. I was trapped in the body of my own child, a constant reminder of the life I had lost and the life I now had to endure.
I didn't fully understand the significance of the god's blessing at first, but I believed... This was my chance to get my revenge.
My revenge on Lucian... That fucking bastard!
Ever since I received the blessing, Lucian started to act all cosy and gentle, as if he could erase the past with false tenderness. He even took me to my own burial place, standing there with a feigned expression of sorrow and love, telling me that my mother (me) had loved him dearly.
"I-I am sorry, my precious love, but see, our daughter was blessed by a god... 'Sob', 'Sob' I hope you are happy seeing your child's happiness," he said to my supposed grave, his voice dripping with insincere emotion.
I stared at him blankly, my face showing indifference, but deep inside, my hatred burned fiercely. I quickly resumed my act, feigning innocence and gratitude. I couldn't afford to get caught now... I needed to bide my time and tread carefully around him.
I tried to use my Judgement Eyes on him, hoping to see the darkness and pain he inflicted on his victims, but no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing. No hint of the screams or agony of those who fell victim to his schemes.
But... it did work on others... This puzzled me. Why didn't it work on him?
Even though I was blessed and all, I couldn't possibly do anything to him because... that fucking Sentinel was always behind him, a shadow that loomed large and protective.
After the revelation, he showed me. Since I was chosen as a Saintess, I finally understood why the Sentinel protected him so fiercely.
..... It was because he was the only man who possessed the same unique holy power as Lucifer Dawn, the revered ancestor of the Dawn Kingdom.
Not the same level of power, but a unique quality of the holy power he had... This power marked him as the Sentinel's successor. The Sentinel guarded him, ensuring he would inherit the Sentinel's position once he increased his cultivation power to match that of the current Sentinel... all to protect the door.
The door...?
I didn't fully understand what it was, but I knew one thing for sure: I would kill him, no matter the cost.
The Sentinel was nearing its limit, and they needed a descendant from their respective kingdom to hold the door. This revelation only fueled my determination. Even if I didn't know what this mysterious door was, I knew it was integral to their plans.
My mind was set. I would find a way to destroy Lucian and everyone who supported him. My life now had a singular purpose: to avenge the suffering he caused and to ensure he could never harm anyone again.
My path was fraught with danger, but I had the god's blessing and my relentless drive for vengeance. I would play the long game, pretending to be the dutiful daughter, biding my time until I could strike.
Lucian may have had the Sentinel's protection and the power of our ancestor, but he underestimated the strength of a mother's fury and the determination of a soul reborn. He would pay for everything he had done, and I would be the one to end him.
No matter how long it took or what I had to endure, I would see this through to the end. My revenge was inevitable, and his downfall was certain. I would not rest until Lucian was nothing but a memory, a dark chapter closed forever.
But,
"Dawn Hero!!"
It was then that I received an oracle proclaiming the birth of a New Hero... one blessed with the Holy Body!
Though shocked, I couldn't control the smile that spread across my face. A path had been laid out before me, a divine intervention creating the perfect opportunity for my revenge on Lucian.
God had sent me a replacement for my plan.
"Hahaha... I am so happy," I screamed with unrestrained joy.
So, the gods were truly on my side... That was what I believed.
When I saw him for the first time, the New Hero, my heart fluttered unexpectedly, as if this hero would take care of me for the rest of his life. It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling, one I hadn't experienced since my previous life.
A small love started to bloom within me...?
What the....!!!