In the comment section, one post has been standing out since the ending of a certain novel on the popular web-novel site.
The words were written full of emotion by a reader, sharp and desperate, as if you could hear the words coming to life.
"Author, why!? WHY WOULD YOU KILL MY FAVORITE CHARACTER?"
A barrage of eye-catching red, angry emojis poured out, so dense, they nearly swallowed the next following average comments in the section.
As the scroll bar moved down further, the reader's rant continued in between.
"I have spent so many coins on this book, on my beloved treasures, and this is how you repay me? Really? By unaliving my favorite character! Cruel! Heartless! Damn it. Author, couldn't you just let them live happily? My babies don't deserve that!"
The stream of angry emojis continued after that, the fully covered red faces with a sad smile glowing like a warning at a stoplight.
At the very bottom of the comment, one final sentence stood out like a bad omen.
"I hope the mean Author wears this book and rewrites the story—because if she doesn't, she'll never have a happy ending ever in her life!!!"
This certain angry comment, liked by many readers and disliked by others, continued lingering at the top, as if daring anyone to ignore it, if they could.
Erika Ciau, the author, of course, was able to read the comment.
Her black eyes stared calmly at the screen, her face peaceful, wondering what she could be thinking, and she slept for a night with a lot on her mind.
The next time her consciousness returned, Erika Ciau found herself staring at someone else's ceiling.
The plain white ceiling had now transformed into the view of a wealthy family—a sparkling diamond chandelier, gold damask walls, elegant furniture filling the room, and a four-poster bed with a golden silk linen canopy draped over it.
Everything in the room screamed wealth.
Erika Ciau closed her eyes, hoping to end this ridiculous dream—that's what she thought.
But no matter how many times she opened and closed her eyes, the sight remained unchanged.
"One... coin... two coins... sixteen coins..." And more were counted after, a she were having a staring contest with the ceiling while mumbling.
It took several long minutes, and after growing tired of counting, she finally accepted the fact that she seemed to have become someone else in another world.
However, she cannot help asking herself where is this place?
The sound of the door swinging open came abruptly, pulling Erika Ciau's keen attention toward the entrance. A soft noise of distress shattered the room's utter silence, ragged sobs mingling with small hiccups that shook the tiny chest of a frail-looking girl, stepping in with quivering steps.
"I want... to see my Mama. I want to see my Mama—sobs—Mama...mama." The child's small face stained with crystal tears sliding down their drawn, hollow cheek.
A pair of little arms hugged an old, dirty-looking ice cream plushie as she kept calling out for her mother between her trembling lips.
Having trouble seeing where the little girl was walking due to her tears, she wiped the water from her eyes with the back of her little hand, thinking that this way she could finally see her mother.
But two rounded black eyes slowly widened in fear, and she froze in her tracks.
Such an obviously hard sight—a crying baby landing on her face—Erika Ciau didn't know what to do.
She began panicking deep inside, yet her face remained calm, devoid of any emotion.
Her mind had already run through countless ideas, whether she should call the young one to comfort her or simply stare back, but she had already seen the fear written all over the child's face.
The reluctance in Erika Ciau's heart lingered. She had little experience with children and was afraid she might scare the little girl even more.
Just as she was about to ask the little girl's name, another little girl wearing the same colored dress stormed into the room.
Her face was flushed, her small fists clenched, and her lips pressed into a thin line as she yelled warily.
"Little Orchid! I told you never to enter the evil woman's room again!"
"No... I want to see my Mama! Mama!" Not knowing where the little girl, called "Little Orchid," found the spark of bravery, she ran on her little legs toward her mother, screaming in fear that her sister might take her away again.
Erika Ciau's heartbeat began to race, her black pupils slowly widening at the little girl's sudden screams, yet without a second thought, her hands had already moved to form an open-armed gesture, ready to catch her.
"Orchid, what—what are you doing!?" The other little girl shouted, terrified by her sister's actions, afraid their mother would be furious with her.
As if waking from a daze, Little Orchid reluctantly looked up to meet her mother's eyes, only to find a pair of kind yet distant ones.
But before she could process her mother's expression, Erika Ciau had already taken her into her arms.
The child's small, fragile hands clung tightly to Erika's shoulders, her tiny frame trembling uncontrollably.
Her weak breaths hitched with ragged gasps as sobs poured out, her cries breaking the tense atmosphere.
For the first time, the little girl was finally able to hug her mother again.
"Shh... shh... what's wrong?" Erika Ciau coaxed softly, having no idea why the child in her embrace was crying so hard.
Seeing the little one like this made her heart ache, the profound sting of emotion felt firsthand, yet somehow familiar, as if she had been born with it.
Erika Ciau couldn't help but offer more comfort, lightly tapping the young child's back as if silently reassuring her. Their mother was here, holding them close, and there was no need to be scared anymore.
For being called "Mama," a term equivalent to "mother," she already had a rough idea of the situation.
It seemed this new body of hers belonged to the mother of these two children.
Mama?... Really? She had suddenly become a mother after just one night of sleep, eh?
Speaking of being a mother, Erika Ciau's gaze shifted to the little girl who stood frozen in place, staring at them with a hard gaze impossible to ignore.
Stunned, shocked, and confused—those emotions seemed to mix, and Erika Ciau couldn't help but feel a strange urge to laugh. A child's expression was so easily read on their face.
Of course, she would never actually laugh.
Not when one child was crying her life out and the other had her little fists curled at her sides, now looking down at the floor.