Angelina was dumbfounded. She didn't expect to see this boy here!

"How are you here?" She asked, excitement was evident in her tone.

"His majesty the Emperor invited the top five students of the academy to attend his birthday celebration, which included me." Eric informed, clearly filled with pride and confidence as he told her his magnificent achievement.

Angelina's smile brightened hearing that. Then she noticed something. Eric seemed to have grown taller. Not only that, his originally cute puppy face has become more handsome. It's clear he's been doing very well in the academy.

"It seems the academy took care of you well." Angelina let out a soft laugh.

"Yes. But I didn't like the cakes there. They were so tasteless, I thought I had lost my sense of taste." Eric sighed. He was now taller than the young lady in front of him. He no longer looked like a starved tool like before.

"Well how was your time in the academy? Anything exciting? Have you made friends?" Angelina questioned with delight written on her face.

"Practicing and training my ability is much easier in the academy. They have prepared everything. I had fun. The academy is working with some students to develop a device that could prevent magic from affecting the user. It's still in the works though. As for friends, I'm afraid I have made none. The students there either talk too much or are too unapproachable. In fact, one of the students there, Len, is the strangest I've interacted with. He's always talking about how instead of entering the magic tower, he'll find a rich powerful master to personally work for." Eric answered.

"Oh, that's alright. You don't need friends!" Angelina felt pity and comforted.

"Yes I don't need them. I already have you, Lady Angelina." Eric nodded, expressionless as ever. But you could see a slight smile if you look carefully enough.

"Of course!" Angelina patted his shoulder and they hugged before she left to return to the Skyler estate for the last time.

As he watched the view of her back, he felt slightly embarrassed and ashamed. He thought as long as he becomes a respectable figure, he'll be able to be by her side forever. But it seems this silly dream of his is going farther and farther out of his reach. Sure he might become a powerful and well known magic user, but she'll be a princess. How could he compare?

He didn't care if she would ever view him in that way. He has long accepted the fact that the two of them would not be unsuitable in the matter of status. But as long as he could stand by her and not be abandoned, he'll be satisfied. He only wishes to not be left behind.

*********

"Do you not recognize me, big sister?" She whispered softly as she wiped the blood seeping out of her knees and smudged Evelina's white cheek with the bloody finger.

"An...Angelina?!" Evelina called, her voice shaking.

"Yay! You remembered me, sister!" Angelina clapped her hands and excitedly exclaimed. But then her expression turned cold once again and she pulled Evelina in for a hug.

"You probably didn't expect such a sudden family reunion, right? Evelina, do you feel guilty? After not only ruining my life, but also ending it."

"How...how do you know?" Evelina's pupils shrank as she tried to struggle free from Harper's arms.

"She told me. She was gracious enough to let me stay by her side after death." Harper paused before adding, "I've been watching. Watching everything. I know everything you did, Evelina. To me, to Lilith, and even to that Chase. It's unfortunate that none of us knew how capable you are in tricking people before. But that's alright. Because I'm no longer scared of you."

"What...what are you talking about?!" Stood up and backed away from Harper. Her face had turned incredibly pale and terror filled her eyes.

"Why are you avoiding me, sister? Harper slowly rose to her feet and asked, her eyes looked strangely obsessive. "What's wrong? Aren't you excited? Us sisters can now reunite after two lives!"

"No, no, no! I don't want anything to do with you!" Evelina's back hit against the wall and she was completely cornered. Harper just kept approaching her. Just as Evelina and her were close enough, Harper let out a soft laugh and appeared to have calmed down.

"I never knew I could scare you to this extent. Now I know why you loved the frightened look on my face. It really is satisfying seeing the person you despise the most scared of you." Harper sighed and played with a lock of her long brown hair. She smiled at the quivering Evelina before placing a hand on her bloody knee. Suddenly, a bright light glowed from her hand and the bloody knee seemed to have healed.

"What..." Evelina couldn't believe her eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize something.

Harper caught on to what was on Evelina's mind and sneered. She didn't say anything after and just left the room. She closed the door behind her and from the corner of her eye, she saw a feminine figure standing against the wall of the door.

"So you're really her?" Angelina questioned. Not appearing to be shocked.

Harper just stood there, silent. Only after a few seconds did she respond, "Yes. I guess this is the first time you've met me. But I actually know a lot about you, Lilith or... older sister."

"..." Angelina thought she had uncovered Harper's secret already, but it seems there's more to discover than what she had previously expected.

"... Why don't we go somewhere a little more private?" Harper suggested. Soon after Angelina agreed. They chose the empty lounge and locked the door.

"How do you know all of that?" Angelina asked.

"Well for short, I've been watching you. Um, not as in stalking! But more like... Hm, maybe it's better to just tell you the full story." Harper sighed, looking conflicted on how to go about explaining. She took a deep breath and warned, "This is going to take a while. You sit down, older sister."

Angelina sat down on one of the armchairs and Harper sat on the other side. She took a deep breath once again and began explaining,

"The last thing I remembered when I was still... Um me, it's just cold. Very cold. Then I felt my eyes become heavy and my body was so sore after all the medicines I consumed for my illness. It reached the point where I didn't have the strength to keep my eyes open. My vision faded to black and the surrounding was still very cold. But then something warm held me into an embrace. It was akin to a warm hug. I was able eyes after my body cooled down and I was met with a very beautiful woman. Her eyes and forehead were covered by a white cloth but she was smiling. Even though I couldn't see her full appearence, I knew she was friendly and didn't mean any harm."

"Wait. Your, pardon me, at that time...dead, right? Is that woman possibly the... Goddess?" Angelina pieced things together and asked.

"Yes, that was the Goddess. She goes by many names in the tales people have created, however she told me she has no name but prefers to go by Tertisha." Harper patiently answered before continuing. "She held my hand as she toured her grand palace with me. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever laid eyes on. The heavenly palace contained an infinite amount of rooms and halls. I thought we were alone, but it turns out there were other people. They were the past Siennas."

"..." As she listened, Lilith felt overwhelmed. Harper's words seemed so unreal but she has every reason to believe her. There is no way she's lying.

"I was led to a large empty hall with nothing but a big mirror. The Goddess told me it was where the newly deceased saw how they died, with the exception that the Siennas were given the permission to see anything they wish in the mortal world freely." Just as she finished those words, it seems her calm composure began to crack and Harper's eyes reddened. But she still chose to continue.

"When I was shown how I died, I couldn't believe it. I could, but I never really expected it. Evelina had bribed the expert physician that was supposed to care for me, to replace my medicine with poison. It wasn't a powerful poison but when consumed daily will slowly cause the body to weaken and... basically decay. This type of poison isn't too noticeable, thus when my father, Duke Skyler, sent his subordinates to inquire about my situation, they wouldn't notice anything wrong with me." Harper sighed, her hands that held each other trembled slightly.

"I felt betrayed, sad, but most of all angry. I didn't want to let her get her way. After hesitating for a lengthy amount of time, I asked the Goddess for a favor. I wanted someone to avenge me in my place because I was too cowardly to face Evelina myself. I wanted someone who hated her even more than I did. That is why I chose you." Harper smiled at Angelina then continued.

" After time reversed, I kept watching you in the form of your shadow. I planned to merely watch but after witnessing your acts, I wanted to do it too. I wanted to play a role and not just be an unnoticed shadow like before. I felt regretful. But she told me it wasn't too late. Coincidentally, there was a commoner girl named Harper that was destined with a grim fate and was about to enter nobility. The poor girl fell while riding a horse in the Bailey estate and died. The moment she died, I took her body."

"My shadow...? I had a dream once..." Something suddenly came to Angelina's mind. That dream. That dream where she was stuck in the perspective of her own shadow! Could it be...

Harper seemed to have guessed her mind and she laughed. "Oh that! Hahaha! The Goddess did that just to tease you, I hope it didn't scare you that much!"

"..." ' Tease? The Goddess turned out to be quite the joker! '

Harper forced herself to stop laughing and changed the subject. "I did ask why she let me take Harper's body, but all she said is that I'm destined for something great."

"Alright, is there anything I still don't know about?" Angelina looked at Harper suspiciously.

"Well not that I know of. Oh! There is one though. But I don't think you need to know. I was helping you after all!" Harper clapped her hands, seeming to not understand how confused Angelina is at the moment.

"Just tell me..." Angelina sighed and messaged her forehead.

"Well remember the time bruises suddenly appeared and how you out of nowhere got a nosebleed? Um, that was me." Harper laughed nervously.

"Wha-" Just as she was about to continue, she was interrupted by a sweet familiar voice.

"Miss? Are you here? Hello?" Marie called from the other side of the door.

Angelina saw something flicker in Harper's eyes for a moment.

"I'm here." Angelina stood up and unlocked the door to let Marie in.

"There you are, miss! I was looking for you!" Marie joyfully grabbed Angelina's hand and looked at her with inexplicable excitement. She just heard the outstanding news! Her heart was about to pound out of her chest!

"Yes, yes. We'll talk later, I still have a few words to say with lady Harper." Angelina retreated her hands and glanced at Harper.

"Oh, alright!" Marie nodded obediently and stepped out of the room to wait outside. But before doing so, she bowed at Harper. Harper responded with a little wave, an unexplainable smile on her pretty face.

Once Marie was out, Angelina turned back to Harper. She never felt uncomfortable with Marie's intimate and childish behavior before, but now it felt strange with Harper here. She is Marie's rightful and real 'miss'.

"Do you perhaps... want her back? I mean, you two must've been close." Angelina turned back to Harper.

"We were. But I don't ask you to return her to me or anything. After watching you for such a long period of time, I trust you'll take care of her very well." Harper gracefully rose to her feet and walked over to Angelina's side. She said as she stood right in front of Angelina, "I'm not Angelina anymore. I'm Harper now and I want to continue living as Harper. Now you're Angelina. I want to start a new life. I don't want my past to drag me down. I want to let go of the past."

Harper opened the door, ready to leave. She stopped to look at Angelina and smirked. "But it doesn't mean that I'll be letting Evelina off."