20 years in the past, before I set foot in this world…

The loud beeping sound of a rampaging tanker truck that lost control deafened me, a sound that I would never expect giving me goosebumps. I only had a second to jump into the middle of the road to push away the passing elementary student who was unaware of his tragic future.

With my leg power, I accomplished my goal. He flew away from the trajectory of the incident, replacing him with my figure. Spotting the lights of the high-speed truck blinded me. For once, I became the public’s hero before my soul departed Earth.

I never knew the reason I was still alive for twenty years. I never had a family nor a motivation to continue living, yet it doesn’t mean that I want to die earlier than an average smoker. However, the assassin’s blood ran down my veins, forcing my body to avoid danger. But for once, my instincts felt relaxed.

THE END… Or so I thought. I’ve experienced various near-death situations far more vicious than the cliched Isekai truck. Behind the face of an innocent college girl, a menacing aura of the perfect assassin hid in disguise. I’ve had countless plans to escape a meter-length collision. But this death raised suspicions in my mind. It’s unacceptable.

A meter away before the truck rams me, darkness overtook my vision, rendering me unconscious. I never felt pain or misery. I once thought, Oh, this may be a dream, not until the real dream invaded my memories, a vision of living in peace, marrying a proper man, and raising my own two children… It’s like I’ve held something dear in my life, but the puzzle pieces are missing.

I woke up and found myself overstepping the crimson-tinted clouds under the crimson moonlight, facing a fallen God... Or should I say a fallen propagator. Before I knew it, tears already flooded my eyes as my heart hastened, nearly exploding like a detonated bomb.

I hyperventilated never knowing the reason. The breeze came onto my skin, hardly telling me that I was in reality. Numbness took over my body, and I lost control. She approached me, giggling holding a wine glass of freezing water in her hands. I'm known to have a sharp memory. However, her blurry figure made it difficult for me to remember what she looked like.

Once she halted before me, she pulled out a napkin and wept my tears off my face. I asked with my childish but menacing voice, "Is it already my end? Karma is real."

She giggled. "Who knows? Maybe every end sparks a new beginning."

"Hmph! Impossible. I have made my pranks go too far."

She pulled the napkin back in her pocket and smirked, "Oh? Pray to tell, dear Saori. I know every inch of you, even those you have forgotten."

I narrowed my eyes, thinking how crazy this woman was. "You're kidding, right? I'm not the type to forget easily." Nobody knows me more than myself… or so I thought.

That annoyingly blurred smirk appeared on her face again. "Do you believe we have two minds? A scale could weigh the pros and cons. Between the hammer and the anvil, where were you?"

I sighed, tired of hearing her nonsense. "Why am I here?"

She slightly pinched my chin, raised my head, and smiled. "......Legal benefits." Even with our faces up close, I can't distinguish her appearance.

"You a manipulative capitalist," I whispered.

"Aren't you the same?"

I swung my head away and asked, "Who on the wanted list are you?"

She raised the glass of water. Every second, its cold fog turned too hot to handle. The breeze that shivered me became the thermal iron that nearly burnt my skin. "People called me the unwanted existence. Believers named me a miraculous person. You shall be the one who names those you saw. Your world, your rules."

"'I'm too lazy to let others name me,' is that what you’re saying?."

She chuckled and walked back as I faced her back while she looked at me. "Even for a dead young girl, you're showering with humor. With your life skills, you should be able to determine who I am."

"Maybe you're familiar with the Internet."

She turned back and walked away. When she stopped midway, she looked at the distance between us. "I'll save time for the introduction. I'm Roze, the one who granted your satisfactory wish. I’ve come to request the price.”

What wish? As far as I know, I never had a wish in my life. “You’re crazy.”

She had the skills to treat an insult. Not faltering at my harsh words, she came back before me and pressed my forehead with her finger. I screamed, echoing my cries across the heinous atmosphere, not because of pain… It’s the feeling of loneliness.

My uncontrollable tears crawled down my cheeks. It reminded me that there should be something that I shouldn’t do… I’m doing this for the sake of someone whose name and face can’t be forged within my memorial fragments. In a simple touch, I felt desperate.

“WHAT DID YOU DO!?” I growled not because she touched me, but due to these uncertain feelings scrambling my heart.

“I just reminded you that even those who take memory supplements for breakfast can forget. I told you. I know everything about you.”

“W–What a creepy stalker.” I controlled my voice lower not to be bought by her antics. “What do you want me to do for that price of yours?”

She pulled off a laugh like what I always do for each successful prank I made.

She raised her two fingers and said, “I can give you two options. You can collect the stones for me, and I will give you all the answers you need… only if you want to retract your wish.”

What is the vision I’ve seen? What’s the reason my heart felt heavier for something I didn’t have a memory of? What is my wish? Those are the questions that once answered would provide me with the bigger picture of my existence in her realm. Hearing this, she may not answer any questions that I will raise.

“And the price?”

“To end this world.” Somehow, the emphasis fell into place.

“End this world?” I chuckled as I continued my conversation with Roze in somewhat of a dream. “You crazily have a problem in the head. It’s rare to see a fully developed drippy faucet with Down syndrome. I suggest you keep your jokes aside. I didn’t prepare any tissues at this moment.”

Roze laughed, “As a cheat, you can pay for the price with just a click, the ability that I gave you. To spoil what your wish is, it’s not world peace, and it never will. I can make you the queen of the new world that I will create, and you can do everything you want with it.”

“Shut your mouth, blurred mosaic. There’s too much censored content in your mouth like a twitching genitalia. Now I wonder what my wish was, an unlimited supply of ice cream. I may or may not have terminated an entire elevator of people. Either way, a wish is the first in my bucket list that I don’t deserve.”

“Wondering? You knew your real wish. However… you only forget.”

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“An Aleppo moment (A mental lapse)? That ain’t my style. Memory supplements are my breakfast. I’m no brainfart to forget every centimeter of the doors in my home. There’s no way a stalker would know how I cook boiled eggs more than I do… Unless you're the internet itself.”

“I told you, my existence far surpasses your ‘Internet’ that everyone wished me death. I have eyes on everything.”

“Ooh, scary…” I mocked, partially covering my mouth with my hands. “Really, I wanted you to die right now. My pranks have more sense than your words. Why don’t you do the flicking trick to destroy the world like Thanos did?”

“Those words wouldn’t make sense by now. You’re the only one who can dominate this world. Soon, you’ll find answers. This may be the only time that we’ll meet. But don’t worry, I gave you a spectacular ability for the job.”

“And what if I don’t do as you please? To waffle is to do exactly this. If you’re in a novel, I would’ve scrolled away from your murmurs.”

From the hazy mist, her lips came into focus - a sinister grin spread across them, a taunting laugh escaping her throat like wisps of smoke. She put her head over my shoulders and whispered, “I told you, I knew everything about you… Everything important, even those you forget.”

I continued to disguise the courageous superwoman even if I hyperventilated. “You played me like a fool. I would rather take the red pill than be blinded by the truth. Even if it’s absurd, if a truck hits me, that’s it.”

Her venomous words bound me to a destiny she had no choice but to embrace. "You are tethered to this place, Saori," Roze whispered, her voice like a caress that sent shivers down my spine. "The price for your escape is more than you can bear. Those you hold dear shall suffer the consequences of your actions."

Beneath my feet, the ground silently shuddered and crumbled, revealing a gaping maw of darkness that led me to the abyss itself. Roze's gaze pierced through me, her enigmatic smile never faltering. As consciousness slipped away, my senses were consumed by the void, enveloped in the chilling embrace of oblivion.

In the final moments before the darkness claimed me, Roze's voice echoed through the void, a haunting melody that promised torment and despair.

"The choice you have made shall forever haunt your soul, Saori. Soon, you will learn the true meaning of regret."

And with that, I vanished into the abyss, my fate uncertain, my future intertwined with darkness itself. Countless questions cycled through my nerves as I never satisfied my contentment. I’ve never been interested in becoming the ruined Queen. There’s only one way to settle things with her.

However, I lately realized the tone of her voice was far from what she intended to say, on what it really meant. As soon as I nearly lost her view, a teardrop from her face followed me falling. To end the world, what does she really mean by that?

Answers… I only need answers…

***

Life is full of complications. When you’re born, there are strings attached. In my case, someone already cut it before I knew it.

On the cusp of existence, a veil lifted from my nascent eyes, revealing a world of blurred shapes and distant echoes. The symphony of screams reverberated through the ethereal void, painting a canvas of chaos and despair.

Amidst this sensory bombardment, clarity emerged. I perceived a hooded woman, her tear-streaked face etched in my mind, as she relinquished her hold on me, leaving me in the unforgiving embrace of the woods. In that fleeting moment, I realized I was not merely a newborn, but a vessel carrying the weight of past memories from a realm beyond.

I bore witness to a heart-wrenching lament, a melody of despair that echoed through my very core. Though her words remained foreign to my ears, her love manifested in the gentle caress of her warm hands, a silent language that transcended words.

As chaos erupted around us, she boarded me in a small vessel that glided across the river's surface. With each ripple, her image grew fainter until she vanished without a trace, leaving me adrift in a sea of bewilderment.

Fury and frustration reverberated through the footsteps that shook the earth, transforming the once peaceful sanctuary into a treacherous landscape. Yet, amidst the tumult, a strange phenomenon occurred - no one crossed my path.

No matter how desperately I cried out, my anguish fell on deaf ears. It was as if I existed in a spectral realm, ignored and forgotten by the world. Solitude enveloped me like a suffocating shroud, casting a veil of isolation over my soul.

I've witnessed the Sun's fiery embrace and the Moon's gentle caress, twice. Devoid of life-giving water, I should've succumbed to death's embrace long ago. Yet, I find myself trapped in a cycle of uncontrollable tears and bodily spasms. If this were a mere tale of Isekai, I should've silenced my pursuers' wrath with a mighty fireball, my power unleashed upon them.

Amidst the ethereal realm of dreams, where colors danced and whispered secrets, a flamelike blue flower unfurled its delicate petals before me. Wherever my gaze roamed, this enchanting bloom reigned supreme, a vibrant beacon amidst an otherwise nebulous dreamscape.

As I embarked on my arduous journey across the expansive water body, fate intervened, entangling my boat in the gnarled branches of an ancient tree. My cries echoed through the air, a symphony of despair and longing. It was then that a vision emerged from the river's depths—a woman, her body adorned with glistening water droplets, bathing in the river's gentle current. Fortune smiled upon me, sparing me from the treacherous waterfall that lay downstream.

In a swirl of foreign words, her tongue danced an unknown melody, like a traveler from a distant land. Her language was a tapestry woven with threads of unfamiliarity, beyond the reach of my understanding. From the depths of the cleansing waters, she emerged with a renewed purpose, carrying me in her embrace towards an uncertain destination that soon became certain… her home.

As the echoes of their argument with her husband reverberated the moment she brought me in, I found solace in the company of a curious three-year-old boy. His playful spirit and infectious laughter offered a brief respite from the unfolding drama.

When the storm of emotions subsided, their faces softened, and they turned to me with gentle smiles. It was an unspoken invitation, an acceptance into a world that was once foreign but was now becoming my home.

For years that have passed, I never regained control of my body. I wasn’t here to become a spectator for Roze. In these years, there’s only a repeated word that I recognize, Quimora. That’s my name… or rather the name of the kid that was adopted.

Amidst the swirling vortex of Quimora's mind, I danced as a specter of mischief and wit, a stark contrast to her clumsy grace and gentle heart. Her feet, like wayward butterflies, would stumble upon irregular footings, sending her tumbling into fits of laughter. Her negativity clung to her like a ghostly shroud.

Yet, as an inseparable part of her being, I bore witness to the hidden depths of her soul. I never get tired of cursing her, but there’s no indication that she can hear me.

In my fourth year, I embarked on a linguistic exercise alongside Quimora. Her blunders were as colorful as her personality, and my mother, Azalea, being the seasoned farmer that she was, became our guide through our linguistic maze.

Our father, Lucas, a noble who oversaw agriculture in our sector, engaged in deep conversations with my mother each evening after work. Their words danced in the air like enchanting melodies, yet their meaning remained a mystery to me.

My brother, Zeus, would engage in playful pursuits of tag with me. He possessed a unique gift to keep boredom at bay, effortlessly captivating a child's attention. I would pay him a hefty price if he became a clown.

A year later, Quimora was still learning how to read. However, I already learned the basics. Her favorite word is ‘suppose,’ another way of saying that a thing’s uncertain. One day when my father came home, I heard their conversation.

“We’re rapidly losing, Azalea. I don’t know what to do,” my father cried.

My mother rubbed his back and comforted him. “It’s fine. As long as our family is still complete and living, it’s more than enough for me.”

“I’m sorry if I promised you that I will make you my princess. I’m the worst man in history.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Lucas. The world is unjust, to begin with, and nothing’s your fault.”

“If I shouldn’t have served the empire if we’re only going to drown in debt. We don’t deserve the treatment that we pay using our taxes. This is my land. I should be the only one having benefits, not some greedy assbub.”

“Don’t say such things! Quimora may learn it from you. We can still enjoy living a simple life. You don’t have to provide us with luxury to survive. Our family is complete, and that’s more than enough. If we leave here, we won’t be having these issues in the future.”

“But how can we leave here!? This land has been governed for generations by my family. My name and my grave were already tied in this place. There’s no other place that we can go where they will accept us. It would only become harder.”

“I respect your decision, Lucas. I know that you’re doing your best to provide for the needs of your family. But… don’t overexert yourself. If you’re tired, you can always lay on my lap and rest.”

Like Mom said, Dad put his head over her lap and sobbed, “It shouldn’t have become this. If only I’m not the inheritor of this place, we wouldn’t become a mess.”

Taxes are like our sense of humor—painful to deal with and always taking more than we’d like. At least with taxes, we get to contribute to society. However, in most cases, it’s the necessary evil in life that's as popular as a skunk at a perfume convention. It's the ruling body’s way of saying, "Hey, we need your money to function, so hand it over."

My father stood as a testament to the absence of this illustrious skill. It seemed as if his lineage had neglected to pass on the wisdom of ruling a land, leaving us in the clutches of a twist of fate. Mother and father's hushed conversations were filled with echoes of this matter, ever since my arrival into their family. Their whispers painted a tapestry of regret and longing, as they yearned for a leader capable of guiding our kingdom to prosperity.

I never expected that this familial thing would last for eight years. I wouldn’t have the urge to take over my own body if Quimora didn’t do something stupid.