Chapter 20 : Siegfried de Chauvegné

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A medieval world full of wars and battles. There were no magic, nor monsters. In this world, there was only a battle for supremacy.

In one of the many continents, a baby was born in a small cottage. His name was Siegfried. He was born in a poor, yet happy family.

He became an orphan at an early age. His father died in battle, and his mother died from an illness.

He was left in an orphanage. And he called it hell.

He hated the noisy kids around him, he hated the kids who always bullied him, he hated the nagging woman demanding him to clean the whole attic, he hated being slapped on the face whenever he did something wrong.

He left the orphanage. It was a rainy day back then. But he did not expect that a wild boar would appear. When he thought he was about to die, a man holding a wooden pole saved him.

It was still raining, making them soaked and wet. Siegfried was starting to shiver from the cold. Then the man beckoned him to follow him.

He followed him until he saw a two-story mansion. It looked very old, the design very outdated. Vines were crawling all over the gates and across the walls of the mansion. There was a huge black gate that creaked as they opened. Inside was a wide field that looked unmaintained. There were many weeds and shrubs that made the whole garden look part of the forest. Because of the rainy night along with the thunder, it looked more of an abandoned mansion than a noble's abode.

The man fed him and taught him how to read and write. The man became his pillar, his support, his family.

He later learned that the man lived with his wife. Siegfried hated the man's wife. She was always loud, there's never a day that she did not complain. She always nagged at her husband and blamed the man for all of her sufferings. Siegfried couldn't help but hate this detestable woman.

Thus, he wasn't surprised that the woman left her husband and married a noble with high standing. He was 11 years old back then.

When he became 15 years old, the man also left him alone in this world. Soldiers barged inside the mansion and asked for the man. They said he will be executed a week from now, orders from the king.

The man left Siegfried his sword, his ring, and his last name.

He became Siegfried de Chauvegné.

Siegfried de Chauvegné was a noble who hated the king. He hated the royal family to the very core of his being. Because of them, his mother and father died. Because of them, his teacher died.

They took everything away from him.

Using what was given to him, he became a powerful noble that revived the once dead de Chauvegné household. Slowly but surely he reclaimed the land that was stolen from their household. He ruled with ferocity and with an iron hand. He was ruthless but fair. He was cold yet wise. He became known as 'the Chauvegné devil'.

But he was still not content.

He wanted those royals to grovel on the ground in front of him, to plead him for forgiveness. So he ventured to the capital.

He was supposed to stick to his plan until he met a girl. This girl was being dragged away by men. When he saw she was struggling, he rushed to save the girl.

The girl thanked him and told him that she will repay this debt one day. With the girl's golden blonde hair and emerald eyes, he was captivated. His once dead heart beat again.

He told her that she can repay this debt by telling him her name. He later learned that her name was Bell. Bell Bethier.

He met her countless times out of pure coincidence. They came to know each other and became close. To her, he was a friend. But to him, she was much more. As time passed, they had a silent agreement of meeting at the same time, same place, every day.

But one day, the visits stopped. He wondered what happened to her. He thought it was only for a day. But then days, weeks passed and she did not show up. He searched for her everywhere. Using his connections he found a lead. Apparently, she was kidnapped.

He rushed to save her, but he was already late. Somebody already saved her. Someone he hated to the very core.

A royal. The crown prince - William Lucas Le Abbilevé.

Despite his hatred, he still felt relieved. At least she was safe, he thought. He tried to approach her but was blocked by the prince. They left the scene with him standing still, holding his sword.

It happened countless times. When he coincidentally met her by chance, he tried to approach her but was denied. She said the prince might get angry.

It hurt him, but he tried to accept it. As long as she was happy, as long as she smiled, he was content.

One day, she approached him on a rainy night. She was crying while being soaked in the rain. She told him that the prince was with another woman, the prime minister's daughter. All he could do back then was to hug her and offer her his home.

He was seething with rage. He gave up his love in order for them to be happy, in order for her to be happy. He did not expect that the prince will take for granted what he had painfully given up.

The plan that was once buried, the plan that will make the royalty pay for what they had done to him, the plan that he abandoned - he will pursue and finish once and for all.

But he was bound to fail. He was imprisoned and sentenced to live the rest of his life in prison. Originally he was supposed to die, but Bell intervened.

For the first time, he hated the girl. He would rather welcome death than solitude. He did not want pity, he just wanted to die. He already expected it but it still hurt - no one came to save him, no one grieved for him.

He died within the cold castle walls. He was forgotten by the people around him, he was forgotten by the woman he once loved.

In the end, he did not get what he wanted. But it was only natural; he was the second male lead after all.

--

'Is he even a second male lead? Why was his end so tragic?'

[Not everybody can get a happy ending.]

'...that's true...'

[You are now briefed of the plot. Your task at hand is to prevent the male lead from dying and to have a happy ending.]

Happy ending again?

'But the male lead didn't die?'

[The second male lead died. Technically, he is still a male lead.]

I feel like I'm at the losing end here.

[Do you know who you are?]

'I think I already know. You don't need to-'

[You are the blind man's wife, Diana de Chauvegné.]

My mind was struck with overwhelming pain. Memories entered my mind like violent waves. A brunette with crystal blue eyes being beaten, and abandoned by her family. Being wed to a blind man in a small church with a few guests. Having to live in a desolate mansion. Living a loveless marriage with a man she did not know was being replayed inside my head like a broken record.

The rain was pouring heavily above me, the thunder booming in the background. In front of me is an enormous black gate that is in the midst of being opened. I held the knob tightly, my other hand holding a rucksack.

Great, I'm soaking wet.

The thunder boomed yet again, making me jump. The frosty wind blew, the cold seeping into my bones. I turned around and looked at the familiar mansion that I saw just a minute ago.

I guess this was the exact moment the original Diana decided to leave.

In order to save the male lead, we would need to change some things.

I stepped towards the abandoned mansion, leaving the closed black gate behind.

[A reminder, your 'Heal' can only be used three times.]

What?

[Goodbye Ema. See you in the next life.]