The day before the execution...

In the dark corridor, two figures shine underneath the moonlight.

It was Kieran carrying Estorea bridal style. Her arms were around his neck and she has a stoic face while Kieran could be seen so satisfied and happy that you could have thought he just won the lottery or something. Even though that doesn't exist in this world...

"Earth to Kieran? Hellooo, can you let me down please?" Estorea waved her hand in front of his face, snapping out of Kieran's daydreaming on their future life together as a married couple.

"..." Estorea stayed silent, avoiding his eyes as she carefully unwraps her arms around his neck and struggled around in his arms in order to let her go down. However, she couldn't move even one inch as Kieran was holding her far too tight.

And after a nice 4 seconds, Kieran realised what was happening and quickly bend down and slowly put Estorea down on the ground.

"Sorry, Uhm, you were really nice to hold in my arms so I didn't want to let you go..." He muttered, his face flushing.

"Okay..." Standing up, she dusted her dress and gave a small smile to Kieran. "Thanks for bringing me here. Remember, tomorrow is when the war will start. Pick me up 2 hours later."

Kieran nodded, "Of course, I already got everything prepared." He was told that there was gonna be an obvious trigger to when to start the war, Estorea didn't tell him exactly what it was, and when he tried asking her, she shook her head and just said, "You will know. Just put a spy in the palace tomorrow and you will figure it out."

Kieran could only sigh and nod, he did not like being kept in the dark, but if it's Estorea, he wouldn't mind anything.

And reluctantly, with one last look at Estorea, he climbed onto the window and leapt into the darkness.

...

Estorea cast one look at the window, and quietly turned and started walking down the corridor.

Walking further into the corridor, eventually, she saw two white double doors. She walked over to it, and gripped the golden doorknob, she took a deep breath.

Before this day had come, Estorea had plotted with Kari and informed her of all the schemes that the original Estorea had done under the orders of her sister, the true villainess.

Kari agreed easily, saying she wouldn't mind helping her accomplish it.

And soon, incidents of the crown Prince's beloved mistress getting hurt by Estorea had spread throughout the kingdom. The crown prince was curious hearing upon it, along with the other male leads.

Meanwhile, her dear sister just watched on the sidelines seeing her sister take all of the knives from society. Her parents were mad at her as well but decided it would be good as this would be the perfect situation to finally cut them off from their family.

So amidst all of this chaos happening, Estorea and Kari had arranged a meeting on this date.

And thus, it was time for that meeting.

...

The door swung open, and a white-haired girl could be seen lounging on the bed, she turned her head to see Estorea enter the room, and she sat up and grinned. Bandages could be seen on her arms and legs, as well on her neck.

The injuries Estorea had caused to the heroine in the novel was severe. No mercy from the hidden villain after all.

But, the injuries on Kari was fake. She had faked the injuries successfully.

"Hello, Estorea! Is tomorrow your execution?" She asked in a cheerful voice like it wasn't anything serious or worrying.

Kari gestured to Estorea to come to sit on the bed next to her. Patting the bed, "Come, come! Sit down next to me!"

Estorea complied, her posture is stiff and she sat down next to Kari.

"You're going to fake your execution right?" Kari lay down on the bed, looking at the ceiling.

"I guess it is very obvious what my plan is..." Estorea replied.

"Haha, after reading so many novels, I can roughly guess what you're going to do! You want to stay alive right? And it's because of something, but have you never thought about dying in order to return to your world?" Kari questioned.

Estorea nodded, "Yea, I did, but... What if it doesn't? I rather not take that risk..."

"Do you have some reason why you are so adamant to keep yourself alive?"

That question made Estorea furrow her eyebrows. She tried to remember the reason, but only got an aching headache in return.

"No... I can't remember... But my will to be alive is very strong... I'm not sure why, but there should be a reason."

"And you don't want to find that out?" Kari asked, raising her eyebrow.

Estorea shook her head, "No... What about you? How do you plan on getting out of here?"

Kari grinned, "My husband will be coming to get me. It's just taking a while for me. I suspect that the time passing by here is much faster than the universe I'm in."

"How did you even get here...?"

A dark look crossed Kari's face. "My friend sent me here as a birthday gift, saying I should experience something new. I think he got beaten up by my husband back in my world." She shrugged.

Kari took a glance at the clock, its ticking sound echoing throughout the room.

An hour had passed.

They sat in silence. Before Kari spoke up, "How was your previous life like?"

Estorea blinked, "Born to wealthy parents, grew up, went to school and graduated. I was just some worker of society. Earning money. Just a law-abiding citizen. I apparently died because of some bad luck. "

Kari clapped, "Wow! I always wondered how someone normal always grew up. With family and everything!"

Estorea looked at Kari, leaning back, "What about you? Assuming you had no one to raise you when you were younger on your previous comment."

Kari smiled, "Yea. I was an orphan and became a world-famous hacker! Earned millions every request I completed. Yea, it seems great to live such a rich life. But, I'm kind of an outcast, couldn't find many friends that was okay with hanging out with me. It was kind of lonely, so I'm glad that I have a new life, different from the old one I had. I'm not lonely anymore."

Estorea stiffened hearing that word.

'Lonely'

Was she lonely? Even in this life?

...

Kari spoke up and advised, "Whatever your choice is, I hope you won't regret it."

"..."

She can only hope so.