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nWhen I said persistently that I didn’t want to sleep alone, he smiled brightly with a perplexed expression, I slowly stepped into the unconscious world, feeling his gentle touch.

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nWas it because I went to sleep, holding my father’s hands tightly? I sighed with relief at my childhood appearance in the mirror. Oh, how fortunate I am! Even if I haven’t awakened from my dreams yet, I can have a happy life at least today.

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nAfter reassuring my father several times, I headed for the temple. I had a lump in my throat when I found what I saw was so different from my memory. I prayed earnestly, folding both hands that this moment was the reality, and that I just had a long and vivid nightmare.

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nIn fact, even if I went to the temple, there was no guarantee that I could get a clear answer.

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nThey might not have received God’s prophecy yet. In that case, I would again suffer from anxiety because I wouldn’t know if this was a dream or just a nightmare.

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nEven if there was God’s prophecy, its meaning may vary depending on who interpreted it.

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nEven in my memory there was a competing view that the prophecy of God was me, not Jiun.

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n“We have just arrived, lady.”

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nWhile I was lost in thoughts, the carriage carrying me arrived at the temple.

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nWhen I got off the wagon, helped by the attendant, I saw the snow-white temple in the midsummer sunshine.

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nThe great temple Sanktus Vita.

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nThe great building before me was magnificent, befitting the guardian saint of the empire, Vita.

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nWhen I passed through the arched door to the entrance of the temple, one of the priests approached and bowed to me.

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n“May the blessings of life be bestowed upon you! Welcome to Sanktus Vita. Please state your name and purpose of the visit. ”

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n“I am Aristia La Monique, the eldest daughter of Marquis Monique. I want to see God’s prophecy. Can I see it?”

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n“Which prophecy do you want to see?”

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n“I want to know about the latest one. Did you receive on in the past few months? ”

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n“There is nothing like that. The last one we received was five years ago. ”

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nFive years ago? If so, it’s probably not related to my memory, but I asked him to show me all the God’s prophecies and lead me to the prayer room. As it would take quite a while, it seemed better for me to wait in a quiet space.

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nI entered the prayer room and looked up at the sculpture carved on the small altar. There was a tree shape entangled in several branches, a symbol of Vita, the patron saint of the empire. When I was left alone in a quiet space, all sorts of thoughts came to my mind.

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n‘What should I do? It looked like I couldn’t find the prophecy that I was looking for. How could I understand this situation?’

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nI’m 16 in my memory. If I’m really ten now, logically I would have spent seven years in my dream overnight. Is that possible? The emperor’s chilly eyes are still vivid in my memory, let alone my lonely and sad days.

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nThen, am I dreaming now? Or is it just God’s last mercy before I breathe my last?

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nI was trembling and getting more and more anxious.

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nHow much time passed? I opened my eyes at the unfamiliar space in front of my eyes.

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nWhere am I now? Although I looked around, I saw nothing. I just saw the endless white space before me. I sighed in despair at the extremely unrealistic scene.

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nWas I dead then?

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nI was stunned to hear some voice ringing through the white space.

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n“Who is it?”

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nI was very embarrassed by the voice that called itself God. Is this possible? Maybe someone is playing a bad trick on me? Although they were calling me the child of the prophecy of God, our family was not on good terms with the temple.

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nHow is this possible? It’s absolutely impossible unless I went back in time…

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nWhat? Turned back the time of my life? Can even God do that? If so, what’s the reason? It surely goes against the causal relationship.

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nWhat?

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nI was dumbfounded to hear that. In other words, the child of God’s prophecy, that woman, was the child also blessed and loved by God, and was she the one destined to be married to the emperor from the beginning? Was I just made to replace her?

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n“Haa… ”

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nLittle by little I was short of breath. I felt something like defiance was coming up deep in my heart.

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n“How ridiculous!”

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nMy anger raging deep inside burst out like a volcano. I vented by shouting loudly, which I had stored over the years.

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nI screamed in spite of myself. Did I have to be deprived of freedom since I was young for that reason? Did I have to be raised as a woman for him for that reason? Did I love him just because of fate when I felt I was most lonely in the world without realizing my father’s love?

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nDid he think he could justify ruining everything I had? Just because I wasn’t tied to him originally?

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nI screamed like crazy. I could hardly endure the fiery feelings rising in my heart. I felt like I would go crazy if I just kept putting up with it, so I screamed and cried until my throat was hoarse.

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nHow much time passed?. When I heard another voice echoing through the space, I burst into laughter in spite of myself.

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nGiving me a gift after having ruined my life so miserably?

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nGiving me a present?

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