As Selene tried to stay calm, she thought, I need to think of something... anything! If they find out I'm not really Selene and a spirit possessing her, they might try to exorcise me or worse.
She stared at the Duke's intense expression, and the memory of yesterday sent chills down her back. I need a story that sounds so bizarre it's believable.
The Duke, realizing she wasn't going to speak, moved his hand toward her forehead, likely to search her memories. She jumped back and shrieked, "Wait! I'll talk! Don't… don't look into my memories!"
Magnus paused, his expression unreadable. After a tense moment, he said in a low, commanding tone, "Then speak, Selene."
Her hands trembled, but she forced herself to remain steady, seizing an idea that popped into her head. "My name… is Kim Eun-Ji. I'm from another world called Earth." Her voice was shaky, but she looked directly at Magnus and Alaric.
The two men stared, utterly stunned. An awkward silence followed.
Ah, crap. Now what? she thought
Selene cleared her throat. "Are you two just going to keep staring?"
Magnus's eyes narrowed in suspicion but also interest. "Explain yourself," he ordered
She took a deep breath and then continued, "I… had an accident on Earth. When I woke up, I was… well reincarnated in this body. At first, I didn't remember anything from my previous life. Not until the day of my awakening ceremony."
Alaric let out a small gasp. "That actually makes sense… your personality was so different after the day ."
Selene nodded, mentally sighing in relief that he'd taken the bait. Magnus insisted she continue. "Go on."
So far, so good, she said to herself.
Gathering her nerves as she continued to narrate, "Back on Earth, some of people have this unique gift, they can tell stories about other worlds. Sometimes even events that are to occur on those worlds, though such stories are always told within either one or many perspectives."
The eyes of Magnus and Alaric both widened in surprise. Selene inwardly celebrated that it was working. She leaned forward, adding a touch of mystery to her tone. "There's someone in my world who could predict the future of this world. They call it the Saintess Chronicles."
Her voice dropped to a dramatic whisper, and she looked between the two men, making sure they could hear every word. "It all begins with a village girl named Eri. She was blessed by the goddess and awakened as the saintess."
Alaric looked intrigued, but Magnus's face paled. Alaric noticed his reaction, turning to him in concern. "Magnus, is… is what she's saying true?"
Magnus nodded slowly as he stared at Selene. "Yes. A girl in a village east of the Vancaster Kingdom recently awakened as a saintess, but that news was kept secret to prevent enemy kingdoms from targeting her. Only a handful of people know. Even her village believes she's simply a priestess."
Alaric's expression showed sheer disbelief as they both looked at her. It's working, she thought then continued, "After her awakening, Eri was taken to the temple in Vancaster for training. From there, she'd be sent to Ravenscroft Academy of Magic and Combat, where she'd join a team of five elite male students—all training to one day defeat the Demon King."
"The Demon King?" Alaric's exclaimed, looking both shocked and scared. "But… his revival was kept hidden to prevent public panic!"
Selene froze for a split second, realizing she'd nearly broken her dramatic facade. She quickly coughed, composed herself, and continued, "Yes, and these five young men aren't just her teammates—they're also her potential love interests."
Magnus leaned forward, intrigued. "Who are these… outstanding males?" he asked cautiously.
"The five are Cedric Hargrave, son of Baron Hargrave; Lucien and Leo Falkenrath, twin sons of Count Falkenrath; Damion Ravenscroft; and Aldric Vancaster." She watched their faces while trying to keep a straight face as she listed the names.
Magnus and Alaric shared a look of utter disbelief, then turned back to her. "And… who does Eri choose?" Magnus asked a bit eager.
Selene gave him a mischievous smile. "That depends on Eri's choices. The story shows what happens with each decision she makes, and these choices not only affect her love interests but the kingdom's fate itself. One wrong move, and the entire kingdom could fall into ruin."
Alaric's brows furrowed with worry. "Ruin?" he repeated, the anxiety clear in his voice.
Magnus, however, nodded. "And does she, in the end, save the kingdom from the Demon King?" he asked.
Selene hesitated, the truth being that she didn't actually know.
The game didn't make it that far.
Not wanting to lose her hold over them, she decided to lie, shaking her head slowly with a somber expression. "No… she… she will make so many bad choices. She has a naive, and twisted mentality and would eventually lose her powers, then drain them from the new saintess, and in the end… I—" she paused, looking up at them meaningfully. "I, Selene, end up dead."
Magnus and Alaric's faces turn pale.
Magnus narrowed his eyes and, in a stern tone, asked, "What do you mean, Selene? How will you… die?"
Selene let out a dramatic sigh, trying her best to look pitiful, and said, "It depends on the choices Eri makes… and which love interest she chooses," she explained, purposefully dragging her words to build tension.
Magnus's tone grew even colder. "Elaborate."
Selene paused, then continued, "If Eri picks one of the love interests, another will become a rival. And if the rival loses… he'll take his anger out on me, blaming me for them losing Eri." She dropped her gaze to the floor, making herself look small and pitiful. "For instance, if Eri chooses Cedric, Lucien becomes his rival. If they become a couple, Lucien… will kidnap me and sell me as a slave to an enemy kingdom." She paused, then added in a whisper, "He'll stab me to death."
She glanced up at them to see their reactions. Alaric's face was dumbfounded, while Magnus's cold expression returned, hiding any emotions he might have had. She smirked inwardly, then quickly looked back down to hide it.
Selene continued, "If Eri chooses Lucien, then Leo becomes her rival. And if Lucien succeeds, Leo… he'll bribe the coachman at Ravenscroft to break the wheels of my carriage and send it over a cliff."
Magnus clenched his jaw, his face growing darker.
Perfect, Selene thought.
She kept her tone mournful, pulling the men deeper into her story. "If Eri chooses Leo, then Damion is her rival. And if he loses, he'll torture me until I…" She trailed off, pinching her leg hard enough to force a tear, and when she looked up, Alaric's eyes were colder than she'd ever seen and veins bulged along Magnus's temple.
Nervously, Selene continued. "If Eri chooses Damion, then Aldric becomes her rival. And if he fails, he'll place false charges on me, lock me in a dungeon, and… forget about me." Her voice shook a little. "I'd die from starvation."
"If Eri picks Aldric, then Cedric becomes the rival," she continued, her voice breaking as real tears began to fall.
Wait… real tears? She didn't understand why she was genuinely crying now. She wiped at her face, but the tears kept coming, her voice shaky.
Magnus noticed her distress and moved closer, his face softening. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Continue, Selene. What happens?"
Selene nodded, trembling as the tears kept falling. "If… if Aldric wins Eri's heart, then you… you…" She looked directly at Magnus, her voice trembling. "You disown me. And Cedric… Cedric drags me to a deserted alley, where he… where he…" She burst into sobs, unable to finish.
Magnus paled, his hand falling from her shoulder. He opened and closed his mouth, stunned. Alaric looked between the two, visibly shaken.
After a long pause, Magnus whispered, almost to himself, "Disown you? Why… why would I do that?"
He reached out and, after a few moments, managed to calm her down. He asked quietly, "Selene… tell me why I would do something like that."
Selene took a few shaky breaths and answered, "There was a party at Ravenscroft Academy, and someone framed me for trying to poison Eri. The crown prince broke off my engagement in front of everyone. When I returned to Ravenscroft Mansion… the Duchess locked me out." She gasped, her voice cracking in a break. "She wouldn't let me in."
Magnus's face had darkened now, his fists tightening once more. "And… where was I during all this?"
Selene's gaze shifted. "You were away… in the Kingdom of Eldoria, conducting business."
Magnus muttered something under his breath, "That woman…" he growled.
Selene cocked her head. "What did you say?
Magnus shook his head, masking his anger. "Nothing. Just… you know who framed you?"
She was silent for a while before she nodded. "Yes. It was one of the maids who plotted to steal my jewelry some days ago. Her name was Else."
Alaric's eyes narrowed. "That maid… she belonged to the Duchess."
Magnus's fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "That bloody woman!" he bellowed.
The sudden outburst sent Selene and Alaric both jumping backward, eyes wide at the fury contorting his face.
Selene thought. Why is he so mad?
However, Selene realized something and cursed in her mind, Evangeline Ravencroft you brainless woman!
Magnus took a few deep breaths. He met Selene's gaze and said firmly, "I don't know if what you're saying is true, but I will not let any of that happen to you. Not while I'm here." He stepped closer, pressing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Selene was confused at first but then froze as he brought his other hand toward her forehead. "No!" she screamed, trying to back away, but his fingers made contact with her skin. Everything around her flashed white.
I guess this is it, she thought. I'm sorry, Selene. I failed to give you a longer life.