Episode 121

The first Emperor and King of the Monsters, who reincarnates every few centuries — Herz.

As Jenna smiled at him, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea.

“Cough, urgh….”

She hastily covered her mouth with her hand, and her eyes widened as she saw blood seeping through her fingers.

“W-what is this…?”

Seeing her reaction, Herz spoke casually, as if it were no big deal.

“Ah, looks like the reaction is starting.”

When Jenna turned to him with wide eyes, Herz merely shrugged.

“Now that Sierra Drenihan has regained her health, it’s your turn to become sick. I told you, didn’t I? You two are like a pair standing on a scale without a balance point.”

“……!”

“This must be the first time since you fed Sierra Drenihan that poisoned fruit thirteen years ago.”

“…So, you mean now that Sierra has cured her illness and regained her strength… it’s my turn again?”

“Something like that. Actually, it was only because of your desperate begging that I broke causality and swapped your fate with Sierra Drenihan’s in the first place. But destiny can always return to its rightful course, foolish child.”

With a trace of a smile, Herz spoke, and Jenna’s face twisted in horror.

* * *

Thirteen years ago.

In the Selber family, there were two beloved five-year-old twins.

Arzen, who was born a few minutes earlier, and Jenna, who was the cherished youngest of the family.

Jenna, without a doubt, was the one who received the most love.

The Duke and Duchess of Selber doted on her as if she were the most precious thing in the world, and Arzen was no different.

She got everything she wanted, and anything she disliked was kept far away. Nothing was impossible for Jenna.

It wasn’t just because she was the youngest.

From the time she was born, Jenna had always been frail.

While Arzen, who was born alongside her, was extremely healthy, Jenna had to live her life with a constant regimen of bitter medicine.

“It’s time for your medicine, little sister.”

“…….”

Seeing the medicine and water Arzen brought, Jenna pouted.

“I brought chocolate too. Take your medicine quickly, and then we can have some sweet chocolate.”

“…Why was I born with such a weak body?”

Jenna said gloomily.

“You’re so healthy, but me? What if you stole all my strength when we were born?”

“J-Jenna….”

Arzen looked flustered, and Jenna finally laughed, saying she was only joking.

Ironically, Arzen often felt guilty for things that weren’t his fault at all.

And sometimes Jenna enjoyed poking at that guilt, finding amusement in his reactions.

She felt a little resentful at times, a little envious, but it never lasted — she received enough love that the bitterness quickly faded.

Then, one day, during a period when the Selber and Drenihan families were working together on a magic mine development project, resulting in frequent visits between the two houses…

“Would you like to visit the Duke of Drenihan with me? They have a child about your age, Jenna.”

The Duke of Selber had suggested it, hoping to give the sickly Jenna a friend.

“A friend… my age?”

Jenna, tired of being cooped up at home, nodded her head.

Thus, holding her father’s hand, Jenna visited the Duke of Drenihan’s estate for the first time — and met Sierra.

“Hi! You must be Jenna. It’s nice to meet you.”

Sierra, seeing Jenna hesitating in the unfamiliar surroundings, approached first and held out her hand.

Though Jenna was too frail to run or play much, Sierra didn’t mind.

She walked at Jenna’s pace and helped her get along with another squire boy around their age.

Thanks to that, Jenna, Sierra, and Desar quickly became close.

The Duke of Selber was delighted by the sight, and after that day, Jenna often visited the Drenihan estate, always in her father’s company.

Day after day, week after week — until a whole month had passed.

Having a friend her own age for the first time, Jenna gradually grew comfortable with Sierra.

Sierra was a girl who shone brightly just by existing.

Naturally, everyone in the Drenihan household loved her.

The young squire, Desar — a few years older — also liked Sierra.

He treated Jenna politely too, but the warmth in his voice toward Sierra was unmistakably different.

His vibrant, healthy face, the faint flush of life on his cheeks, his sturdy, energetic body…

All of it was a stark contrast to Jenna, who was always hidden away in the mansion, living on medicine.

What she thought was friendship slowly turned into admiration — and then into jealousy.

For the first time, Jenna felt robbed.

She had always thought she lived without lacking anything — but it was a lie.

Jenna was like a frog in a well, protected inside the safe walls of the Selber household.

She instinctively understood she would never live like Sierra.

At some point, spending time with Sierra stopped being enjoyable.

One day, feeling overwhelmed, Jenna hid herself in a remote corner of the garden.

[There you are.]

A voice suddenly spoke from behind, and Jenna jumped.

Sitting on a branch was a small yellow bird — but no person in sight.

“C-couldn’t be… did the bird just speak?”

[Correct.]

When the bird spoke again, Jenna almost screamed — but strangely, her mouth wouldn’t open, as if something were holding it shut.

“Mmph, mmph!”

[If you promise not to scream, I’ll let you speak again.]

Jenna, struggling for breath, nodded.

Instantly, her mouth could move once more.

There was no doubt — this was no ordinary bird.

She had heard of wizards who could take animal forms. Maybe this was one of them.

“Wh-who are you?”

[Me? Hmm, think of me as your savior.]

“You want to help me…?”

[That’s right. It’s obvious — you won’t live past ten.]

“……!”

The bird flew down and perched on Jenna’s lap.

[The adults around you won’t say it, will they? They hush it up, saying it’s for your sake, but it’s really just pity.]

She had never heard anything like that before.

They always told her if she listened and took her medicine, she’d eventually get better.

She had believed them, endured all the bitterness…

Jenna felt as if someone had struck her in the head.

[Do you want to be healthy?]

Did she want to be healthy? Of course she did.

She wanted to run freely like Sierra. She was tired of being coddled.

“Jenna! Where are you?”

Sierra’s voice called from far away.

Startled, Jenna looked around — the bird pecked her hand gently.

Something heavy landed on her palm.

Looking down, she found a strange fruit she had never seen before.

“W-what is this?”

[You said you wanted to be healthy. Feed this fruit to that friend.]

“You want me to give it to Sierra, not eat it myself?”

[Exactly. It’s a poison fruit.]

Jenna trembled violently, dropping the fruit.

“W-why would you give me something like this…?”

[Feed it to her, and you’ll become healthy. She’ll become as weak as you. Think of it as switching your fates.]

The bird’s silky voice whispered temptingly.

“…That’s crazy.”

Switching fates? Ordinary magic couldn’t possibly do that.

[Well, the choice is yours.]

Unlike Jenna’s panicked state, the bird’s voice was disturbingly cheerful.

Soon, the bird flew off.

Not long after, Sierra found her.

“Jenna, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere.”

Sierra beamed at her brightly.

On instinct, Jenna picked up the dropped fruit and hid it in her clothes.

“Nella made some delicious cake and cookies. Let’s go have some.”

Sierra smiled as she offered her hand.

“The cookies you said you liked last time — they bought them again.”

“…….”

The bird’s words tangled in Jenna’s mind.

There was no guarantee the fruit would work.

But…

‘It’s Sierra who’ll be eating it, not me… I won’t be the one hurt.’

Once she thought that, the hesitation disappeared.

She was sorry toward Sierra — but she couldn’t let this chance slip away.

‘It’s worth the risk.’

Instead of taking Sierra’s hand, Jenna smiled harmlessly and offered her the fruit.

“Sierra, doesn’t this fruit look tasty?”