Adailia's POV

I heard someone calling my name as I struggled to open my eyes.

"...please."

......Please what?

I again felt a light tap on my cheek.

"Wake up."

Oh okay.

I opened my eyes to see a wet Raashid.

Wait....wet?

I blinked a few times as my eyes trailed down from his wet hair to his white plaid shirt clinging to his body showing his well-defined muscles.

Oh my (not at all) innocent eyes...

But wait...why is he the one who is wet?

Wasn't it me who was tossed into the lake?

I slowly got up. I wasn't feeling cold, rather, I wasn't wet at all....until Raashid engulfed me in a bone-crushing hug, his cold wet clothes brushing against my dry one's.

"Thank God!" He sighed heavily, "I am so happy...so happy that you're a-alive." His voice cracked at the end as he placed his wet forehead on my shoulder.

Those words did something to me.

"Me too." I whispered, hugging him back tightly.

I was glad I was alive.

In the beginning, I didn't want to live in this world. I wanted to go back to my own world, where I had a family, friends and a cozy apartment.

But now, I have them in this world too.

While I was getting engulfed by the cold darkness of the water, I realised that I still had to see Aiden get married. Mother and Father wanted the wedding to be on an island so we were going on a short trip two weeks later to see how it really was. I was really excited about that. Then there was our fujoshi club where a new member joined just yesterday. And I just started enjoying Raashid's company, Mari's indifferent attitude and Caiden's weird jokes.

And then all this fun just had to be ruined.

"Get off of her. You're gonna make her clothes wet." Mari said, snapping me out of my thoughts as Raashid pulled away, looking at me with frantic eyes.

"Who did that you?" He asked as his indigo eyes just turned a shade darker.

"What?" I asked.

"This!" He snapped and untied the rope around my arms in a swift motion.

"Oh.." I mumbled as Mari untied the ones near my ankles.

"Who was it?" Mari asked, looking equally disturbed.

"Umm...Raashid, you should probably go change or something. It's really cold here." I said, avoiding the question.

"No. I'm fine. We have more important things at -", "How come I'm not wet?" I asked quickly as Mari replied, "I used magic."

"Oh wow. That's pretty cool. You should probably use the same magic on Raashid. Wouldn't want the Crown Prince of Obelia to suffer from a cold." And just when I said that, Raashid sneezed.

Sighing, Mari said, "Stand up." Raashid obeyed and Mari muttered something, his hands stretched and then the next second, a silver magic circle opened and a gust of strong wind passed through Raashid, making him stumble sideways, his eyes wide with shock.

"Done." Mari muttered as Raashid stared at him in shock, his hair looking like they were gelled sideways.

"What the hell Mari?" He muttered, while Mari just shrugged saying, "Well, you're dry now. So Adailia-"

"-Did you use that magic on me too?" I cut him off quickly. I seriously am in no mood to explain them why I was thrown into a lake. We all our friends now but Adailia was once hated by them. I really don't want them to think I deserved to be thrown in the lake for what Adailia did to that man because I don't. But Adailia did. She literally burnt that man's family and she had to pay the price for what she did to people around her. Unfortunately, instead of Adailia, I'm the one suffering.

Mari frowned, "No and stop avoiding the question."

Before I could open my mouth to retort, I noticed a mob of people gathering somewhere around the other side of the lake, where all the houses were built. They were making a lot of noise so it was hard to go unnoticed.

"Go check what's wrong." Raashid ordered Mari who nodded before teleporting which surprised me, "He can teleport?"

"Yes," He said, before sighing, "I don't know why you want to protect someone who tried to kill you but if you think we are going to say 'you deserved it' or some kind of other shit then no. You don't."

I raised my eyebrows, wondering how he knew what I was thinking, "You are trying to change and you're doing an amazing job at it. Everyone deserves a second chance, Adailia. Even Mari considers you as a friend and you scared the hell out of both of us just now. So stop trying to defend the person and tell me who tried to kill you?!" Raashid uttered in frustration.

"I just don't want to make a big deal out of it." I said, sighing.

I know what death feels like. I've experienced it once and it was terrifying. But experiencing it for the second time, the thought was a bit less terrifying. I was thrown into a lake, I was saved by Raashid, the end. I'm alive and that's what matters.

"Of course it is!" Raashid said grabbing my shoulder as he stared at me with a serious expression (I would've taken him seriously but his hair that still looked like they were gelled to the side prevented me from doing so).

"You almost died! How is it not a big deal?!" Raashid asked me frantically.

I stared at Raashid's indigo-red eyes.

He is saying this now.....

...but in the end.....

....he was the one who killed Adailia.

But that ending has changed.

I smiled as I brushed my fingers against his hair to straighten them.

Just like how he has.

"Your hair looks funny." I commented and he frowned opening his mouth to say something before Mari teleported back, saying, "Someone just jumped off the roof, dying after that." He shrugged, before looking at me, "It was a man with brown hair." He added and I flinched.

The guy died. Haah. He looked kind of tired of living, must be hard without his family.

"So it was that guy who tried to kill you, huh?" Mari asked and I stayed silent, what's the point in denying, the guy is too smart.

"Why did he do that?" Raashid asked looking at me with sad eyes.

"...He had his reasons. Whatever, just drop it." I said, "Let's get going. You probably have a lot of paperwork to do." He looked at me for a second before sighing, "Yes, but let me escort you back to your mansion."

I smirked, "You must like to waste your time like that. First, you come here for nothing and then want to waste another half an hour just to drop a lady back to her mansion. So unfitting for a Crown Prince."

He frowns, "Then so be it." He says and extends his arm. I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

He really changed a lot.

I take his arm.

"Ah- I almost forgot. Thanks Mari, for doing that magic and stuff to save me." I said smiling at Mari who was walking behind us.

"Ugh! Stop calling me that!" He grumbled, "By the way, it was Raashid who jumped in the freezing lake for you, so I think he deserves the thank you part." He says.

"Well, I was coming to that." I said and looked at Raashid, "Thanks." I said.

"No problem." He said, giving me a light smile and I smiled back.

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____

When I got back to the mansion with Seanna (who was bombarding me with questions as to where I disappeared), I ran into Jasmine and Aiden, they were picking out the layout for their room. After teasing Aiden a bit, I went straight to my room and called the reaper.

"If you're gonna let me die, just say so. You really don't need to give me this ring and pretend that you're going to protect me when you're not." I snapped as soon as he appeared. Really! What was the point of all that 'I'll save you when the time comes' talk?!

"And don't say 'you weren't going to die and get out of that on your own' because I was not!" I snapped again when he opened his mouth and then he sighed, "I did save you."

"Lies." I said angrily, it was Raashid and Mari who saved me when he was probably getting distracted watching birds poop or something.

"No. I did. I sent Raashid to save you. I told him that you were taken to the lake by a man." He said and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. Well, I didn't really ask Raashid how he got there. But I'm not about to trust this liar.

"You can ask Raashid if you want." He said confidently.

"But wasn't it your job to save me? Why would you leave it to them? What would you have done if Raashid didn't know how to swim? Or Mari messed up his spell? I could've died either way!" I yelled at him in frustration.

"Haeun, Raashid has been taught to swim since he was three and Mari is like the smartest kid in this world." He said calmly before adding, "Besides, I don't know how to swim."

I looked at him incredulously, "You don't have to swim if you can just snap your fingers and my body would've appeared right in your hands!"

He paused and looked deep in thought.

Bastard knows I'm right. Ugh this lazy idiotic piece of dumbass!

"I don't know how to do CPR." He said after like ten seconds!

"You don't have to know how to do CPR when you can just snap your fingers and all the water can just come out -", "Oh God! Haeun! I'm a reaper, not a magician! I can't do that much complicated stuff!" He cut me off.

I huffed and he rolled his eyes, "Anyway, that was how you were supposed to die if Raashid didn't kill you. Luckily, I already knew when you were in danger because of the ring and managed everything. And even if Raashid would've failed to save you, I would've done something so stop thinking so negatively. At the end of the day, you're alive and that's what matters." He said before disappearing.

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The next day the results for the Empress selection contest were going to be announced.

All the ladies were waiting outside as the Emperor was going to announce the future Empress. I had my fingers crossed.

Please let it be Seanna.

"We are sorry to announce that no lady has been selected as a future Empress. The event has been cancelled."

My jaw dropped.

What were those tests for?!

Oh thank God I just skipped those! Otherwise, I would've murdered the Emperor right here in front of everyone.

All the ladies looked as if they were punched in the stomach.

I felt bad for them. They tried hard.

"You can't do that to me!" Olivia was the first one to scream, "I studied so hard! I worked so hard! I didn't sleep for days! You can't do that to me! I am the Empress!!"

Oh poor her, but she is being too much.

Emperor looked annoyed at her outbreak and said, "Well, Lady D'Elia, you weren't going to be the future Empress even if I didn't cancel the event. Your score was one of the bottom scores."

I snorted.

Olivia's face flushed with embarrassment before she glared at me, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's all your fault!" She screamed at me.

Oh look. She finally lost it.

"Sure. Whatever." I said but then she just lunged at me and I scrambled away.

What is wrong with her brain?!

Soon the guards came and got hold of her.

She really loves to create scenes and involve me in it.

I sighed but frowned. Seanna wasn't selected as the Empress. But so was everybody.

At least she still has a chance. I have to find a way to get these two main characters to make up with each other.

__

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Next week was a special one.

A lot of high nobles and aristocrats were called from all over the capital city of Obelian Empire for Raashid's Coronation (which was called Emperor's Coronation by most of the people) which was on Raashid's birthday. The day he'll be announced as the Emperor.

With the inland guests, also came international guests from neighbouring and allied countries.

Olivia and the other members of D'Elia family and our Perinius family, the two highest-ranking nobles in the Capital were supposed to greet the international guests.

They were going to reside in the Royal palace till the time they were staying here. So we were currently standing near the entry gate, giving our greetings to the arriving guests.

Most of the international guests had huge families with their sons (some really old) usually hitting on me, which made Aiden and father so mad they almost took their sword out, but luckily they had some senses (that this could turn out to be a war) and just silently gritted their teeth in annoyance.

Almost all the invited guests had arrived and I was about to go back to the mansion (because I was tired from standing all day) when a bright aura came from somewhere.

Huh?

Bright aura? Really?

I looked at the person from whom the aura was coming.

This is still a novel world.

Aura doesn't just come from any normal person.

My eyes widened when they landed on the said person.

So. fucking. handsome.

His purple eyes met mine and stayed there.

I quickly shifted my gaze away from him and greeted the guest from the Southern Kingdom.

Who is this handsome guy? Is he the second male lead or something? Did this novel have a second male lead syndrome?

I searched a bit in Adailia's blur memories but I couldn't remember him anywhere.

I could feel his eyes on me all the while.

And when the time came where I was supposed to greet him, he bent down on one knee and took my hand. I stared at him wide-eyed as he kissed my hand, his white-silverish hair brushing against my hand. Then he lifted his head and his beautiful purple eyes met mine as he smiled a heart-throbbing smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet a charming lady such as yourself on this eventful day." He said as he kissed my hand again, before smiling and saying,

"I'm the Second Prince of the West Kingdom, " he introduced himself.

"Hayden Wynknight."

And then it clicked me.

He was not the Second Male lead.

He was the villain of this novel.

Who was madly in love....

......with Adailia!

Oh fuck my life.