I Will Die As The Villainess √

49: Reality Vs Illusion

"Is death really something to smile at?" The witch furrowed her brows as she clenches her dress. People who heard the rumors surrounding her wanted to know the reason behind her rare smile.

The prince widens his eyes as he gripped the arm of that chair. He knows that death is the worst punishment of all since your existence on earth will be erased. He wasn't ready for those thoughts to be shattered by her.

"Is life really something to smile at?" She retorted.

Confusion once again filled the room as the noble's gasps and turn to look at each other. The priest looks aggravated at her answer as he throws the quill he was holding towards her.

"How shameless!"

He shouted while scowling at her.

"Life is something to smile at since it is a gift from the goddess! Don't you dare corrupt and share such despicable thoughts!"

'No freedom of speech?'

"It is a gift and a curse, a heaven, and hell." She retorted, her eyes glowing. Her enigmatic smile appeared as her face leans towards the right.

"Shame on you! May the goddess curse and burn you forever!"

"I don't think we need to be cursed for the second time." Silence engulfed the cathedral and the priest stop shouting. The witch and Celestine felt the suffering behind her words but Knile didn't leave any.

"Knile, tell me what you think about life." The witch ordered. "Tell me why you choose this path."

The villainess shifted her gaze towards the ceiling with gothic and intriguing designs.

"Life is meaningless."

Knile flatly spoke while her eyes went blank. It wasn't radiant like it used to. The emptiness of her words causes outrage and disgusted replies but she chooses to ignore them.

"But, mine isn't. Having dark magic at such a young age, encountering sufferings and feeling tons of distress. It just feels like my life is cursed. Realizing no one is there for you; the loneliness waiting for you to break and scream. Why must I suffer for someone? Why do I need to sacrifice myself so that you guys receive a happy ending?"

There was no emotion on her face; no sadness to support her words. It was a lie after all. She was speaking on behalf of the previous villainess.

"I don't even know it myself. What do I want? Why did I choose this path?" Her sight fell on the heroine who was surprised by the sudden ranting. The villainess' blank stare terrified the heroine. She somehow felt like it was her fault, that part of this situation was caused by her.

'I wonder.... Without the responsibilities of a villainess, who am I?'

'Will I be able to live normally like the heroine? With butterflies surrounding me and affections chasing after me? Do I even want that?'

Stillness engulfed the room and everyone was overwhelmed while waiting for her to answer the question. Was it because she was crazy she choose that path or did something push her to do it?

She was a walking paradox, a messy contradiction. She told herself the role of a villainess is an honor, a source of satisfaction yet she also believes it's the source of her miseries. She knows that's how her life should go yet she isn't that satisfied. What's more, she's starting to compare her past life and current life. The conclusion?

It was no different. She believed it back then, this life was something much desirable but that was just an illusion to make her feel better.

Now that the illusion shattered, she can now view how both lives are the same.