When Zadhea opened her eyes again, she was shocked to find herself inside a dark cave. When she tried to stand up, she was pulled into the same position as the iron chains that tied her wrists and ankles, made an ugly 'slan slan' sound, reminding her of the dangerous animals caged in her father's zoo. They were also locked up using iron chains. By any chance, did she become one of them?
Zadhea knew it was useless trying to break free from those chains. Instead, she thought of staying there calmly, saving her strength, waiting for the perfect opportunity to escape.
As she remained silent, a dark figure appeared in front of her, whom she recognised quite easily just like before. Unlike the first time when she exclaimed his name excitedly, she was actually quite disappointed this time. "Dewinn," She called out to him coldly and tiredly. "What's the point of doing this?"
Dewinn laughed at her question. It wasn't a friendly laughter. Instead, it sounded evil. "Who's Dewinn?" He asked with a cruel smirk that didn't fade away from his lips. "I'm Devill. More devilish than the devil himself with an extra L. DevilL! Got it?"
Zadhea was scared when she saw his different, psychopathic personality. He looked like a nut case, making her soul shiver inwardly. "What are you..."
Before she could finish talking, an old man interrupted her by coming towards them with loud strides. Zadhea's gaze fell on him as her brows furrowed. Is this old man his teacher?
The old man also spotted the girl and wore an ugly expression on his face. "Doesn't she agree with you? Shall we move on to next plan?" He asked the young wizard while putting the old wooden box he brought with him on a table carefully.
"Aye, aye. You prepare everything. Meanwhile, lemme clarify the misunderstanding she's having. She trusted me so much after all."
Dewinn or maybe 'Devill' smirked at Zadhea and squatted on the ground, close to her.
Zadhea felt like she was having a terrible nightmare as her heart panicked at his close presence. She didn't want to believe what was going on. Her two blue gems like big round misty eyes fell on Devill's black eyes as she kept her mouth shut, asking for an answer, her eyes screaming pain. She felt... Betrayed.
"First of all, let's talk about king Foneth. My story needs some changings if you don't mind." Devill smirked wider. "He's not at fault actually. He never killed innocent magicians. It's a sweet lie I told you. Very sweet, isn't it?" He winked.
Zadhea widened her eyes as disbelief flashed across them. "That means he didn't kill families who were engaged in magic and sorcery?"
"Smart." Devill clicked his tongue. "Continue guessing."
Zadhea looked at him and his master respectively when she suddenly realised something terrible. "That... That wizard who tortured the people in Rodwef, is actually... Your master? King Foneth only wants him?" Her eyes unconsciously fell on the busy old man.
The old man, in fact, looked kind and gentle but if someone observed him closely, they may find out the darkness in his heart through his eyes that looked like two faintly twinkling stars, hidden beneath two wells as his eye sockets were hollow like in the near future, his eyes would bury inside them forever. His sunken cheeks showed how old and rotten he was.
"My father," Devill corrected her as he pointed his chin at the old man who was busy mumbling something. "He's my father and of course, you are correct, love. We are the true villains here." His words ended with a sinister laughter.
Although she guessed it, Zadhea still felt shocked. She shook her head in disbelief. "You... Do you think I'll help you after everything you did?" She asked, almost yelling. "Not in this lifetime!"
"Awww! So cute!!!" Devill pouted his lips as he tilted his head, looking like an ugly puppy. "Don't be so impatient, my beloved. I didn't enter the interesting part yet."
Zadhea gritted her teeth. "I'm not your beloved, you douchebag!"
Devill ignored her completely as he said, "You are such a weak woman who's like a stick in the mud, always changing what's in your tiny little mind so pathetically. You know what, when you said we are in a book world, I got a nice idea, thanks to you, baby."
Zadhea looked at him speechlessly, not daring to guess how much of a terrible thing his idea might be.
Devill snickered at her depressed look. "Aww, don't worry, my love. I'm not gonna kill you. I just want to kill that bastard prince and that little meat inside that woman's womb. That way, the princess will be the only heir to both Edwina and Rodwef throne. As the princess's loving husband, won't I be the future king? I meant... The emperor?"
Zadhea's blood boiled when she heard him. "Over my dead body!" She roared. "You can marry a dead body!"
"Oh." Devill puffed a yet another laughter. "Don't be so narcissistic! I didn't say I'll marry... YOU. I said I'm going to marry the royal princess, Mimosa Edwin. The real princess. Not a damsel like you who'd steal others' identities! You are just a weak woman who can only steal what others have! What a shame! Tsk, tsk." He gave her a look filled with pity.
Mimosa Edwin? Zadhea was about to ask him to explain it clearly when the old man interrupted her again, as he came towards them, this time holding a silver ring.
Zadhea's eyes flashed when she realized that it was her engagement ring. "That's mine," She exclaimed subconsciously, interfering the father and son duo's secret conversation.
Devill let out a "Pfft!"
"So possessive! If it's yours, then take it!" He grabbed her wrist and forcefully thrust the ring on her finger, paying zero attention to her struggles. Zadhea felt disgusted when he put it on her. She despised his touch.
When the ring touched her skin, she felt as if she got struck by lightning. Zadhea's body trembled in pain as it turned bloodless within a blink of an eye.
Devill watched her suffering with a wide grin. Minutes later, he realized she stopped moving as her head hung down, her eyes closed tightly. He blinked and with a straight face, poked her right shoulder, asking, "Hey, you fine?"
The girl lifted her head and glared at him fiercely. "You dare to ask I'm fine?! Filthy dog, release me from these chains NOW!" She showed him the iron chains which locked her up.
"First tell me your name." Devill said, putting his arms on his chest, huffing and puffing.
The red hair girl somehow crossed her legs although she was sitting on a dusty floor with an uncomfortable posture. Her white calves were shown as a result, attracting the young man's dark eyes like a magnet.
"Fool, you don't know me? I'm princess Mimosa Edwin from Kingdom Edwina, the daughter of King Edwin Steffein." She raised her chin proudly.
"Oh, you are that beggar!" Devill clicked his tongue, ridiculing the proud young lady. "I've seen you begging for food."
His words made Mimosa's face turn pale as her pride vanished into thin air. She dug her fingers into her palms as her eyes flashed with deep hatred. "That son of a bitch!" She roared and tried to stand up only to get pulled into the same position. "Release me! I wanna kill that dog!!!"
"Heidith?" Devill smirked as he started unlocking the chains. "You wanna kill him?"
Mimosa gave him a look of disdain. "Who else, fool?"
"Hey, watch your mouth, your highness." Devill became angry. "I'm the one who gave you the opportunity to come here again. So show some respect."
The old man pushed him away and unlocked the chains himself. "He's wrong. I'm the one who gave you a second chance and I also know how to take it back. So better to listen to me. Don't worry, I won't disappoint you. I have a great revenge plan. Let's cooperate with eachother like friends, okay?"
Mimosa sighed as she tried to calm down. "What's that? Explain your plan."
"With a condition, of course."
Mimosa squinted her eyes at his words. "What is it?"
"Marry my son." He pointed his finger at his Devill. "Make him the king."
Mimosa nodded without a hesitation. "That's it? No problem." She smiled sweetly at Devill. When I kill that bastard and that slut, I'll kill you both as well and be the one and only empress.
Devill smiled back at her and nodded at his father. When I become the emperor, I'll wait for a perfect opportunity to kill you both and be the only righteous heir to the throne. Then I can enjoy luxuries with no one meddling.
The old man smiled too. I'll cast a spell and make you appoint me as the king and then... Kill you both. He glanced at his son. Sorry, son. I want to be the one and only. Don't mind it if I kill you. I'll make it less painful.
Devill gave Mimosa an apple and a sword and said, "Zadhea knows how to cut an apple into hundred pieces. See whether you have that talent as well."
The girl raised her eyebrows. "Zadhea?"
"The girl who stole your identity."
"That bitch!" Mimosa circled the sword. "At least she trained something beneficial for me. So I'll forgive that thief."
She threw the apple in the air and raised the sword before cutting it into tiny pieces skillfully without a difficulty. Soon, the apple pieces dropped on the floor with a faint sound, as if they applaused to her.
Mimosa smirked as she examined the sword. Not bad.
It wouldn't be too difficult to kill that son of a bitch who ruined her life.
Her rebirth... She was ready to cherish every second of it.
"Ewww, what is this dress?" She wrinkled her nose in disgust when she finally remembered to pay attention to herself. "So plain!"
Her gaze fell on her silver engagement ring. "And what's this? Eww, what the hell is this thing?" She tried to remove it but Devill swiftly stopped her.
"Don't take it off," He warned. "If you remove it, you'll have to go back to wherever hell you were from."
Mimosa's face filled with black lines. "I wasn't in hell, asshole! I was born into a poor family who only knew how to curse other people." She sighed. "Maybe you are right. It's a hell, somehow..."
Devill laughed at her words. "I see where you learned how to curse, my beloved princess. You've really changed. Tsk. Tsk."
You've lost your manners.
Margaret blinked her eyes a few times as she felt numb all over her body. She touched her aching neck and looked up only to get flinched by her daughter's intense stare. She tried to hide the nervousness she felt as she smiled at her weakly, "Heh, what happened?"
Mimosa smiled at her widely. "Mom, I'm back."
--------
Lucas asked for Zadhea's luggage thinking she might refuse his offer since it was her nature. But to his surprise, she almost threw it towards him with a frustrated look on her face.
"Why? What happened? You don't seem to be okay..."
"I'm supposed to be okay?" Mimosa snapped at him as she touched her skirt. "Look at my dresses! Look how plain they are! You think I can go there looking like a little piece of dirt? A poor bitch?"
"Whoa! Zadie! Calm down!" Lucas blurted out, surprised.
"Call me your highness Mimosa." The girl rolled her eyes, annoyed.
"Mi what?"
Lucas let out an awkward chuckle when he saw her murderous glare. "Ha ha, I'm sorry, your highness Mimosa. It's actually a very beautiful name. Please forgive my carelessness," He stated jokingly but Mimosa took it seriously as she nodded at him solemnly.
Lucas's mouth twitched. Wait, she thinks I'm serious? Tsk, nevermind.
The teenager's silver hair shone under the sunlight as he stood beside the princess on the deck of the ship, watching the ocean waves together. His yellow eyes resembled sun and his silver hair simulated the beauty of the moon. Over all, he was both sun and the moon himself.
Mimosa felt pity as she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Tsk, what a shame! This handsome guy is just a servant of mine.
If he was a prince from a huge empire, she might think of giving him a chance.
"What do you think?" Lucas's sudden question broke her reverie.
She frowned at him. "Think of what?"
"Going to that academy? You seem to miss him."
"Miss whom?" Mimosa was clueless.
"Your future husband. Prince Heidith Rodwef." Lucas kinda felt bitter when he pronounced that name.
"Oh." Her eyes sparkled in pure malice as they turned red when she heard the name she despised the most.
"So badly." She replied. "I miss him too much!"
Wait for me, my beloved former fiancé.
You might have missed me too...