AT THE SAME TIME
ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:
Pain. A dull, aching pain throbbed in my skull as I slowly stirred awake. My body felt… strange. Heavy, yet light. Numb, yet tingling. As if I were floating in a dream. Wait. I wasn't supposed to wake up. My last memory was of my apartment, the faint glow of my computer screen casting a dim light in the dark room. I had been playing Saintess Who Wants to Escape the Reverse Harem Game, the infuriatingly addictive otome game I both loved and hated. I bolted upright, my breath hitching as I took in my surroundings. Gilded walls, soft lace curtains swaying in the breeze, and an overwhelmingly luxurious bed. Panic surged through me as I scrambled off the bed, only to catch a glimpse of myself in the ornate mirror across the room. A face I knew but had never worn stared back at me. Pitch black hair cascaded down my shoulders, and my blue eyes, no, her light blue eyes widened in shock.
"No way..." I whispered, voice trembling. "This can't be happening."
I knew this face. This body. This cursed role. Isabella Everheart. The fake saintess. The one doomed to be chosen as the 'Saintess' at the grand temple ceremony… only to be exposed as an imposter and executed in front of the entire empire. I was inside the game.
"No, no, no. This is bad. This is so bad."I whispered to myself.
A knock on the door made me jump.
"My lady?" A soft voice called from the other side. "The attendants have arrived to prepare you for the saintess selection ceremony. His Holiness awaits."
I swallowed hard. Today was the day. The moment the game's plot officially began, the day the real saintess and I would be "chosen." I had to think, fast. If I stayed on this path, I would be dead in a few weeks. I gritted my teeth, my hands clenching into fists. If the real saintess wanted this cursed fate, she could have it. I wasn't about to die in her place. I forced a steady breath and schooled my expression.
"Tell them I need a moment to pray before the ceremony. I'll prepare myself."I said.
"Of course, my lady. I will return shortly."Talia said.
I waited, heart pounding until her footsteps faded. Then I ran. I shoved open the window, wind whipping at my nightgown as I peered outside. The drop was steep, but the ivy covered stone walls offered footholds. Gritting my teeth, I climbed out, gripping the vines as I carefully descended. My muscles ached, but adrenaline kept me moving. My bare feet hit the grass just as shouts erupted from inside. I turned and bolted, heart hammering as I sprinted toward the thick forest bordering the estate. I didn't have a plan. I didn't have supplies. But I was alive. And I intended to stay that way.
The sun had long since disappeared behind the horizon, leaving the forest cloaked in darkness. My breath came in short, sharp gasps as I pushed forward, branches clawing at my arms and legs. My thin nightgown was torn in places, dirt was smeared across my skin. My feet throbbed with every step, but I couldn't stop. I had done it. I had escaped. No temple, no ceremony, no humiliating trial where I'd be dragged before the world as a fraud.
A bright, golden notification flashed before my eyes.
"Congratulations! You have successfully escaped the Saintess Selection Ceremony!" System said.
I flinched, nearly yelping.
"Reward: Beginner's Survival Pack has been granted"
Out of nowhere, a small brown bag materialized in front of me, landing with a soft thud on the ground. My heart nearly stopped. My hands shook as I reached for it.
"Is this… a system?" My voice was hoarse from running.
I had played this game dozens of times, and never, never had there been a system like this. But right now, I wasn't about to question the mysterious, game breaking power that had just handed me food. I untied the bag and peeked inside. It had a small loaf of bread, a handful of dried fruits and nuts and a tiny flask of water. Not much. But enough to get me through the night. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and immediately tore into the bread, my stomach aching with hunger. The taste was plain, dry, but it was the best thing I'd ever eaten.
The system. It had rewarded me for escaping. Did that mean… if I kept surviving, I could earn more?
I swallowed the last bite of bread and leaned back against the tree, staring up at the stars. I wasn't safe yet. I had no idea where I was going. But one thing was clear. This world expected me to die. And I was going to prove it wrong.
AT THE SAME TIME
THIRD PERSON'S POV:
The temple was silent. Too silent. The grand marble halls, usually filled with murmured prayers and flickering candlelight, felt like a tomb. High Priest Alastor Vellemont. His golden hair, usually immaculate, was slightly tousled, though not a single priest would dare to point it out. His emerald green eyes burned with something cold and unreadable. His pristine white robes flowed around him as he stepped forward, his presence casting a heavy shadow over those who knelt before him.
"Gone?"Priest asked.
The trembling maid before him, Talia, Isabella Everheart's attendant nodded frantically.
"Sh- she told me she wished to pray before the ceremony, Your Holiness. I thought-" She swallowed. "I thought she was simply nervous."
Nervous? No. A nervous girl wouldn't plan an escape.
Alastor exhaled slowly, his fingers twitching at his sides. Isabella Everheart was a noble daughter, pampered, sheltered, fragile. And yet, she had fled. She had run from him. He wasn't sure whether to be intrigued or irritated.
"You mean to tell me,." Alastor spoke, his voice smooth but laced with steel. "That a girl with no survival skills, no supplies, and no allies managed to escape from the temple unnoticed?"
The weight of his words pressed upon the gathered clergy. No one moved. Alastor turned, his green gaze flicking toward the open balcony. The night wind whispered through, carrying the faint scent of the forests beyond. She was out there. Alone. Vulnerable. She wouldn't last long. A slow smile curled at the edges of his lips.
"Send the knights." He commanded. "Search the temple grounds, the city, the roads leading beyond."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added,
"But she won't go to them willingly. She knows she is a fraud." His gaze darkened. "She knows she is running from judgment."
"And I will be the one to bring her back."Priest said.
The search lasted from dusk until dawn. Torches burned bright against the temple walls, knights and priests combing through the grounds, the city streets, even the outer roads leading into the countryside. Hounds were sent into the forests, their howls piercing the night. Messengers rode in every direction, orders given to every watchtower and guard post. It was as if Isabella Everheart had vanished into thin air. Inside the temple, the air was thick with tension. The clergy murmured prayers, their voices laced with fear. No one dared to speak too loudly, lest they draw the attention of the one man whose patience had worn thin.
Alastor Vellemont stood at the grand balcony overlooking the temple courtyard, his emerald green eyes fixed on the distant tree line. The early morning light bathed the world in gold, but to him, it was meaningless. She was gone. Unacceptable. A mere noble girl, a fraud, had slipped through his grasp. Impossible.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the marble railing.
"Report."He said.
A knight hesitated before stepping forward, clad in silver armor.
"Your Holiness… we have searched the temple, the city, and the surrounding roads. There is no sign of Lady Everheart."Guard said.
"It is possible she has perished in the forest."Guard said.
A hollow excuse. One that Alastor did not believe for a second.
"No." He said, voice calm, measured. "She is alive."
He didn't know how but he knew. He could feel it, a quiet, nagging certainty at the edges of his mind. Isabella Everheart was still breathing, still running, and for some reason… that realization sent a sharp thrill down his spine. She had not accepted her fate. She had defied it. Fine. She would slip eventually. She was alone and inexperienced, and soon, she would have to seek shelter, food, or aid. And when she did he would be there to take her back.