There was No One Beside Her

Cecile slowly lifted her eyelids. Although her mind had been hazy for a moment, she felt no particular trace of pain.

Surprisingly, her body felt refreshed, and the persistent headache that had always haunted her was completely gone.

“What’s this?”

It was not a welcome sensation; it was rather puzzling. Just as she believed this to be impossible, her own lifeless body appeared right before her eyes.

The corpse lying inside the coffin was pale, their face adorned with heavy makeup. Nevertheless, the unmistakable sign of death lingered upon their visage.

Cecile was lying in a white dress, surrounded by numerous chrysanthemums.

A black carpet spread in front of her dead body, and countless mourners stood in line.

Among the crowd, there was not one person sincerely grieving her.

If there was any emotion at all, it was simply their reaction to the news of the Empress’ passing, nothing beyond that.

Questions as to why a young woman had died so suddenly abruptly arose.

And now, hushed conversations revolved around the question of who would fill the vacant empress seat.

The reactions of those mourning her were generally as expected, and Cecile’s response to them was indifference.

‘Not one person is shedding tears.’

No matter where she looked, no one was crying.

Not even Cecile’s own family shed a single tear.

Instead, they slumped in the corner like criminals, clutching their heads, anticipating the tragedy that would unfold.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t shake off the sadness, considering it was her own family. Pondering on the depth of their sorrow, Cecile approached them to observe their expressions more closely.

Diesel, her younger sister whom she hadn’t seen in five years, spoke with a noticeable undercurrent of resentment.

“How could she die so recklessly?”

“Diesel. Be careful with your words. Many eyes are watching.”

“I don’t want to! Isn’t it only reasonable for me to act like this? Calling herself the daughter of a goddess, and yet, during our starving days, she was unable to do as much as provide us with meals. So why suddenly die and cut off our lifelines!”

Diesel’s words stabbed Cecile’s heart like a dagger. It felt as if someone was gutting her with a knife.

More heartbreaking was her parents’ response.

Her father’s brow furrowed sharply. His sigh was tinged with a mixture of resentment.

“How pathetic.”

“H-honey.”

Her mother’s eyes quivered slightly as if his words had shocked her. Nonetheless, he continued speaking, releasing the pent-up feelings he had harbored.

“Dying without a single warning? It is only right to hint at such a deadly matter. The imperial household is furious at the thought that they were toyed with.”

“…”

“What are we supposed to do now! Are we supposed to die together?”

Cecile’s mother could do nothing but droop her shoulders, her face soaked in melancholy. Despite this, her father’s lament did not cease.

“This time we will definitely starve to death. Look at how nothing occurred even after Cecile’s passing. It’s clear the myths were all lies, and we were just being exploited.”

Diesel and her mother’s faces paled at his words. They trembled, unable to utter a single word.

They seemed too preoccupied with worrying about their immediate future.

Despite attempting to reassure herself that they were merely human and prioritizing survival over anything else, Cecile couldn’t suppress the tears welling up in her eyes.

Her throat felt sore, as if soaked cotton was clogging her entrance.

She recalled the years she was incapable of expressing the pain she had experienced, the times where she existed solely as an emotionless doll.

One of the reasons she endured for so long was because of her family. Because of her worry that they would undergo such maltreatment again.

However, all of this turned out to be her burden alone. In the end, it seemed that no one had taken notice of her effort.

She longed to question how this could have happened, but the words remained trapped inside her heart.

With her body already lifeless, no matter how much she screamed, her desperate pleas would reach no one.

Cecile bit her lips and held back threatening tears.

Not a single sob escaped.

It was an old habit of hers.

A habit she had acquired during her childhood years spent in the imperial palace.

In secret, she would wait for her burning emotions to subside, and once they reduced to ashes, she would calmly pursue her daily tasks.

As if nothing had happened.

This time too, she clung to her composure and held back her tears.

Instead, she closed her eyes and regulated her breathing.

One, two, three.

After taking three deep breaths, Cecile managed to feign as though nothing had happened.

This time proved to be no different. Having extinguished her pent-up emotions countless times, she found herself numb to any reaction.

She simply existed as the emotionless doll they had longed for.

‘I can easily do it now too. I’m dead anyway. Nothing will change.’

But something strange happened.

Her surroundings started to shake, and abruptly, the occupied funeral hall began to crumble.

The pristine white marble collapsed and rained down upon the guest’s heads. The funeral hall was marred with blood from those unable to escape.

The colorful stained glass depicting the contents of the myth was mercilessly shattered, fragments scattering in all directions.

Of course, the disaster was not solely confined to the funeral house.

The ground quivered, the midday sun vanished, rivers that once overflowed ran dry, and all thriving plants withered away.

Chaos ensued as everything unfolded rapidly.

But heaven showed no mercy. All of this was just as depicted in the myth.

[If Serendi’s daughter no longer exists in this land, the continent will sink into the depths of the sea, and the blessings bestowed upon the Empire will cease to exist.]

It played out exactly as written. The continent shook even more violently, claiming more lives. The once-solid ground split open, inundated with seawater, and screams echoed from all directions.

As more lives were lost and more land submerged, Cecile’s body ascended higher into the sky.

No matter how strenuously she attempted to plant her feet on the ground, it was futile.

Even gripping onto something didn’t alter the outcome. Her body continued its way above.

Cecile witnessed firsthand as the imperial palace, her former house, crumbled into nothing.

There was no time to discern whether this was a dream or reality. Meanwhile, the continent was entirely engulfed by water, rendering it uninhabitable.

“What is this?”

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips. Cecile observed the crumbling empire in a daze.

While doing so, she felt as though something within her had completely shattered. It seemed that all her efforts to protect those she held dear held no meaning anymore.

‘Why on earth have I lived like that?’

A sense of futility washed over her. Cecile’s eyes lacked focus. Both her anger and resentment slowly dissipated. This was her end, and now was her time to depart from this world without regrets.

As she drifted on, her body grew infinitely lighter. If things persisted in this manner, it felt as if her soul would disperse into fragments, leaving not even a trace of her form.

Perhaps it didn’t matter. Cecile closed her eyes and relinquished her body to its final peace.

At that moment, a sweet voice resonated a short distance away.

“Don’t you loathe this ending? You despise it so intensely that it’s unbearable, right?”

Cecile’s eyes flashed open at the sudden voice. There was no one around.

The only discernible change was her ascending body that had suddenly come to a halt.

Once more, the sweet whisper reached her ears, interrupting her puzzled thoughts.

“You can’t leave like this.”

Cecile glanced around once again. However, her surroundings remained vacant, with no one by her side.

Only then did Cecile raise her hand to touch her lips. It was her. The words from a moment ago were her own.

As soon as she realized the fact, a new voice reached her ears.

“Go back. Let’s go back and seek revenge.”

Revenge. The word caused Cecile to take a deep breath. Then, as if such an emotion had been lingering within her for a while, the temptation of her unresolved feelings clung to her.

“Poor Cecile. Will she die like this after all?”

Emotions surged within her upon hearing those words. Her own life was undeniably pitiable.

Suddenly, the hatred she had concealed deep within her heart erupted.

“I hate you, I hate you so much.”

She harbored both hatred and resentment towards those who had brought her to this state. A natural disaster of such magnitude would not be enough to quell her anger.

“I will never forgive you.”

Those who sought to exploit her presence, and those who disregarded her as a mere superficial saint—Cecile had no intention of granting forgiveness to any of them.

“Never.”

The moment she made her decision, her body grew heavy. Her ethereal form, previously soaring freely in the sky, abruptly plummeted downward.

If this current action persisted, her body would descend into the ocean which was now blanketing the land. She tightly shut her eyes. Eventually, her mind became dizzy.

And as she opened her eyes, a familiar sight greeted her.

____

Red cloth enveloped her from every side. Amidst the darkness, the only illumination emitted from the glowing candles.

Cecile sharply inhaled and opened her eyes.

Her maid, anticipating her sudden reaction, inquired in a calm tone, “Are you alright?”

“…”

“His Majesty will be here soon. Please be patient.”

Although she didn’t quite understand what was being said, Cecile nodded obediently.

She didn’t even have time to question what was going on.

Cecile lowered her eyes slightly and surrendered to her thoughts. This was a scene she had definitely witnessed somewhere before.

‘Red lighting, stuffy clothes.’

She quickly pieced together her thoughts. It was the day of her enthronement ceremony. She was certain of it.

Otherwise, there was no need for the scattered flower petals in her bedroom, or the pure white robe she was currently dressed in.

Cecile raised her hand once more, seeking reassurance.

A silver moon pattern adorned the back of her delicate hand, concealing all the hardships she had gone through.

The moon symbol, representing the God Serendi, was an emblem engraved during crucial moments within the affairs of the empire.

The only occasion for such elaborate dressing and the engraving of this pattern was typically a wedding.

‘I guess this is the first night.’

A thin sigh escaped Cecile’s lips as she realized her situation.

‘Why did I come back alive?’

Returning to the past seemed unrealistic. She didn’t know if what had happened to her was real.

But none of that mattered. Her body felt as heavy as wet cotton. All she wanted was to lie down and rest.

In a familiar space, on top of a cozy bed, Cecile stood on the edge of falling asleep.

However, the need to confirm whether she genuinely returned to the past or if everything was simply a dream prompted Cecile to muster the strength to barely lift her head and ask the maid.

“What about His Majesty?”

_____________

Note: Happy New Year!