12
In mid–June, floods ravaged the southern provinces.
Eric decided to go in person.
As an emperor, his reputation at court in the capital was poor. The officials feared him, and I’d even heard them call him a tyrant. But to my surprise, he was revered among the common people. In his ten years of rule, the nation had prospered, and the people lived in peace. Even during the lean years, the government granaries were opened to provide for them. He was a man who dared to
kill anyone, without hesitation. Any official thinking of lining their own pockets had to first consider how many heads they had to
spare.
The flooding was severe, and he was personally overseeing the relief efforts.
I had wanted to go with him. I’d spent my whole life in the capital and had never seen the famed beauty of the south.
But just before we were set to leave, I had an “accident” and told him I couldn’t go.
Eric was deeply worried about me and wanted to postpone his departure.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “The journey will be too rough. I’m not going.”
Eric’s eyes darkened. “Ava, be good. Come with me.”
I shook my head. “No.”
Seeing he was about to get angry, I took his hand and placed it on my stomach.
“The baby and I will wait for you to come back.”
He froze. “What?”
I smiled. “The royal physician checked my pulse yesterday and said I’m with child. So, I can’t go with you.”
He was so excited he spun me around several times and even considered canceling the trip. The empress was pregnant with her
first child; it was understandable for him to stay.
I sighed and stood on my toes to kiss him. “Go. Everything is already prepared. It would be a waste of resources not to.” The cities
along the route were already prepared to welcome him, and the disaster–stricken south was eagerly awaiting his arrival. It was
what the people wanted. And I wasn’t a child; I could take care of myself.
Eric hugged me gently. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I stood on the city wall, watching Eric’s entourage leave the capital. The long procession eventually shrank into a line of pixels and
vanished over the horizon.
Once I was certain Eric was truly gone, I heard the System’s voice for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
[Host, Eric has left the detection range.]
You’re clever. Lying that you were pregnant so you couldn’t go with him. Otherwise, he’d have dragged you everywhere, and we
would never have been able to contact each other again.]
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would never have been able to contact each other again.]
I looked down, stroking my stomach, and forced a weak smile. “Right.”
[The mission has completely collapsed. He stripped me of my power, and now I only have a sliver of energy left. Host, do you want to go back?]
Perhaps it was because I had been obediently drinking the medicine, but Eric had let his guard down. I hated the bitter taste and had secretly poured it out a few times. One night, while Eric was deep in sleep, I heard the System’s voice again.
That’s when I learned the truth. On the day I was first sent to this world, Eric had captured me. He found mystics and sorcerers who wiped my memory and hypnotized me into believing I was a woman from this era, and that he was my husband.
[The heroine of this world is dead. The world’s core has vanished. It’s only a matter of time before it collapses.]
I stared blankly at the horizon. “But why? Isn’t he ruling the world well?”
Aside from being the complete opposite of the benevolent and wise monarch from the original plot, he was only a tyrant to the court. The common people were living peaceful, prosperous lives. The number of ministers and generals at court was negligible compared to the entire population of the world.
[He tried to make you replace the heroine, to take on the identity of the “General’s daughter.” The General only had one daughter. To make a place for you, he killed her. He is now using the energy he stole from me to sustain this world, but that energy will only last for a year at most.]
I didn’t understand.
The System explained.
[This is a female–protagonist world. It can survive without a male lead, but it must have a heroine. The heroine is the core of the world. When the heroine dies, the story ends.]
It didn’t matter if the heroine was strong or weak, noble or vile. The moment her consciousness ceased to exist, the story would reach its final chapter.
[Uniess you are willing to stay and become the new heroine of this world, as he wishes.]
[You could be this world’s savior.]
I looked down at the people coming and going below the palace walls. Some were dressed in fine silks, clearly of high status; othe rs wore coarse cloth, simple merchants and laborers.
Every single one of them was alive.
Every single one was a precious life.
And…
I placed a hand on my stomach.
The System’s energy was too weak to gather any detailed information about my body.
What it didn’t know was that I hadn’t lied to Eric.
I really was pregnant.
And inside me was our child.
I held up my hand, spreading my fingers. The June sunlight streamed through the gaps.
I vaguely remembered the first time I came to this world. I was dropped into an ancient society with a rigid hierarchy The System gave me the identity of maid. And even among maids, there were ranks. As a young maid in a desolate, forgotten wing of the
palace, I was at the very bottom. Anyone could step on me.
Chapter 2
palace, I was at the very bottom. Anyone could step on me.
14.00
As my designated “master,” Eric was initially not my protector. He just wanted to watch. To see how I would endure the cold stares, how I would be bullied. He was so pitiful, he needed someone else to be just as pitiful as him. He wanted to watch me become a rat, to rot and fester alongside him in the dark.
What a shame. I would never give him that satisfaction.
He was beyond saving.
I was only a freshman in college.
I had survived the brutal, soul–crushing college entrance exams. I had chosen my dream university, my favorite major.
I was only eighteen.
I shouldn’t have to give up my own life just because some man “loved” me.
None of this was my fault.
I was a victim too.
I closed my eyes.
And I said to the System, “I miss my mom and dad.”
My parents were waiting for me at home.
I refused to spend the rest of my life with a murderous rapist.
