────────────────────
Calistropus' words lingered, their weight carrying the solemnity of ages, as if they were etched into the very fabric of existence. The choice lay bare before Charlotte, like a forked path leading to distinct destinies, and she could feel the enormity of her decision weighing heavily upon her.
"Your will is what matters the most," Calistropus had intoned. "Your choices are the ones that will dictate what and where they will bring you."
As her mind swirled with thoughts and the echoes of her past, Charlotte grappled with the profound implications of her decision. The mirrors before her offered a tantalizing glimpse of diverging paths—continuing her life into the future, or venturing back into her own past to rectify her mistakes.
Yet, beneath the allure of the mirrors, the voice of the deity resounded with unwavering authority. "Remember the Balance rule," Calistropus had warned. "You're not allowed to tell anyone about your rebirth or travel back to the past, for such transgressions will invoke the most dire consequences."
Charlotte's gaze shifted between the two mirrors and Calistropus, her eyes reflecting the depths of her determination. While she heard the rules of the cosmic balance, her heart was pulsating with a different intention—a burning desire for revenge against the Al Hère family for the wrongs they had committed.
"Remember that once you're alive again," Calistropus emphasized, "you have to repay every wrongdoing, violence, or crime committed against others, and it will be visited upon you."
A weighty silence hung in the chamber as the truth of the cosmic rule was revealed. "You can't hurt someone physically," the deity continued, "and torture would be a path to your own demise."
The deity's final words held the wisdom of ages. "Always know that there's no good revenge..."
Charlotte glanced at the mirrors and back to Calistropus, her thoughts churning like a tempest within her. "It looks like you have already made up your mind," the deity observed. Charlotte nodded, acknowledging her decision, even as she knew that her quest for revenge could be hindered by the very rules that governed her rebirth.
With those words, the two mirrors, their surfaces aglow with ethereal light, slowly converged into a single, grand mirror that seemed to embody the entirety of her potential future. It depicted scenes and images from the life she was about to experience and mingled them with fleeting glimpses of her past, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of her existence.
With unwavering resolve, Charlotte stepped forward, 'No matter what life it is... I vowed to bring the Al Hère family to my knees.' Her feet carried her toward the enigmatic portal.
She entered the mirror with steadfast determination, embracing the mysteries and challenges that lay ahead. As she crossed into the inky blackness, her senses were suddenly awakened by the familiar sound of birdsong.
*Chirp... chirp...*
The melodious tweets enveloped her, echoing through her being, and she felt her soul stirring in response. Startled by this newfound sensation, Charlotte opened her eyes, greeted by a surreal sight. Delicate, colorful birds were perched on her outstretched hands, pecking at seeds that she unknowingly held.
Her heart raced with a blend of emotions—astonishment, wonder, and an overwhelming awareness of life coursing through her. With gentle breaths, she encouraged the avian visitors to take flight, and they obliged, soaring gracefully into the cerulean sky, following the seeds she had tossed into the air.
The vibrant, otherworldly realm she found herself in seemed to embrace her with an enchantment that transcended the boundaries of her understanding. As her thoughts began to shape words, she murmured to herself.
"This must have been the body of the heir that he was talking about..." But her words were abruptly silenced, as her unexpected fall from the tree branch sent her into a brief, heart-pounding descent. "Yah!" she cried out, closing her eyes, bracing for the impact.
However, her fall was interrupted by two strong hands that caught her, preventing her from hitting the ground. As she opened her eyes and looked into the eyes of her unexpected savior, a sense of gratitude filled her.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw the person she never expected to see. She thought that she got rebirth into a new person, but instead, she went back to the past, and the first thing she saw was her older brother.
Cesare...
"Charlotte, what are you doing on top of a tree with that dress?" Cesare asked, looking at Charlotte with an angry gaze.
"I...."
Charlotte's words got stuck in her throat; she didn't know what to say as she just looked at her older brother who was once killed and poisoned by his own lover.
Cesare shook his head in disappointment as he dropped Charlotte down from his arms slightly to the ground. Her dress got stained because she was on top of the tree. A not-so-ladylike appearance for the eldest princess of Sserfène.
"Look at you," he said, pointing his whole hand to Charlotte, "Your dress is now all dirty and messy; this is not how a lady should react, little missy."
"I was on top of a tree just like you said, so... it just makes sense," Charlotte smiled and winked at Cesare with an attempt to sway her brother to stop scolding her.
"I will not get swayed by you, little miss," Cesare chuckled, placing his hands on his waist with a smirk on his face. "Now go clean yourself and climb up that tree again without wearing proper clothes."
Charlotte nodded. Although Cesare was scolding her, she couldn't help but feel happy that he was in front of her once again, healthy and alive.
She then smiled and hugged Cesare tightly with a wide smile embarking on her face, "I missed you, brother." She looked up at him and released him from the hug.
Cesare just looked at Charlotte with confusion on his face, "But we live together..."
"Doesn't matter! I just missed you! I'll go change now!" Charlotte waved at him while running. Happiness and pure joy could be seen on her face as she entered the palace once again.
'Does that mean my other siblings are alive too?'
She roamed her gaze and went upstairs to check on her youngest sister's room, Luna. She stood in front of the cute purple door with purple curtains in them. She wanted to knock, but she knew that Luna was a prankster and would do everything to prank her older siblings.
Charlotte sighed, wanting to make sure if her calculations were right. She took a deep breath and held the doorknob, but as she was just about to open the door, a servant suddenly interrupted her.
"Princess Charlotte, I was looking for you. The private jeweler has already arrived." A servant approached Charlotte with a polite tone, "He already has the Avmarine Pearl Necklace ready for you to wear."
Charlotte was stunned. The Avmarine Pearl Necklace was a gift that her mother had given as a prize for her after playing a role in a major contest in the kingdom and ranking first.
The necklace arrived days before the major event that turned their lives
The arrival of the Al Hère family and Isabelle's debutante...
────────────────────
To be continued...