Revelation

Ciela's eyes trembled, betraying her inner turmoil, as Napoleon unraveled the web of deceit she had carefully woven. A veil of silence enveloped her, rendering her voiceless, as if a lump had materialized in her throat, blocking any words from escaping.

Napoleon leaned forward, his gaze fixed upon her, genuine curiosity etched across his face. "Ciela," he implored, his tone filled with earnestness, "I genuinely desire to know the truth of your origins. My mother's account of your past only heightened the enigma that surrounds you. Please, confide in me. I promise, your secret shall remain safe with me."

A hesitant sigh escaped Ciela's lips as she weighed her options. The fear of disbelief gnawed at her, but her heart yearned for trust, for someone to comprehend her remarkable tale.

"But, Napoleon... what I have to share may defy belief," she murmured, her voice barely audible, teetering on the edge of confession.

"I don't care," Napoleon said firmly, his gaze unwavering. "As long as it is the truth, no matter how extraordinary or improbable it may seem, I want to know."

Ciela swallowed the lump in her throat, her apprehension mingling with a glimmer of hope. She found solace in Napoleon's resolute support, feeling a growing trust that she had never experienced before. Taking a deep breath, she mustered the strength to speak her truth, her voice gaining a touch of conviction.

"The truth is, Napoleon, I came from the future," Ciela revealed and Napoleon's eyes widened at the revelation.

***

In the 21st century, in one of the high-end condominiums in Seoul, South Korea, a lady was singing in her room. The song was French and her soothing and lovely voice was like an angel softly whispering to the viewers listening to her live.

As she sang, she read her fans' comments, filling them with praises and complementing her skills in speaking French. Her heart swelled in gratitude as she absorbed the love and support from her virtual audience. As a virtual idol, or "Vtuber," her digital presence reached across borders, transcending physical limitations and connecting with people from all walks of life. Her soothing voice, paired with her charming personality, had garnered a dedicated following, and she cherished the interactions she had with her viewers.

But one of the audience members asked her one question.

"I'm from France and I'm wondering, how can you speak French so well? Your pronunciation is impeccable as if you were a native speaker," the comment read.

Soo Yun's heart skipped a beat as she read the inquiry. She had anticipated such questions, knowing that her fluency in French had raised curiosity among her fans.

The truth behind it was simple, is that she fell in love with a historic figure living in France whom she had discovered by stumbling in one of Youtube's historical videos by Oversimplified. Napoleonic Wars.

She was bored at that time, browsing Youtube to pass the time. And when a cute character pin of Napoleon in a thumbnail passed by her screen, she clicked. And from there, she was impressed and awed by Napoleon's humble roots and his rise to power.

She can't explain it to herself, she was drawn to his stories the moment she laid eyes on him. His charisma, intelligence, and audacity fascinated her, and she found herself delving deeper into his life and accomplishments. She devoured books, documentaries, and online resources, immersing herself in the world of Napoleonic history.

At one point, she even went to France and visited the historical sites associated with Napoleon. Standing in awe before the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles and walking the cobblestone streets of Paris, she felt a deep connection to the past, as if she could almost sense the echoes of Napoleon's presence.

And from there, she got influenced by Napoleon so much that her content revolved around the history of France where she shared her knowledge with her subscribers and audiences. It was fulfilling for her and even despite facing criticism for simping hard for Napoleon, she didn't let it deter her.

Not only that, her admiration for Napoleon led her to change her lifestyle. At first, she was eating what Koreans normally eat, but now she ate French cuisine like the famous Baguette, croissants, and escargot. She decorated her room with posters and memorabilia from the Napoleonic era.

Though she admired Napoleon, she couldn't deny that there were aspects of his character that she found deeply troubling and, at times, even repulsive. It wasn't just the fact that he simp hard for Josephine, who had betrayed him multiple times with her infidelity, but it was also the toll his ruthless ambition took on the lives of countless soldiers.

Well, all people have their own flaws, so Soo Yun stubbornly clung to the belief that Napoleon's imperfections were simply part of his complicated and captivating persona. She chose to focus on the brilliance of his strategic mind, his innovative reforms, and the significant impact he had on shaping modern France.

She even thought at one point that if she were to die in the future, she would like to be reincarnated back in time where she can meet Napoleon personally, make him hers, and perhaps even influence his actions for the better. The idea consumed her thoughts, blurring the line between fantasy and reality.

Returning back to the comment, Soo Yun smiled and replied to the comment.

[I studied French]

After that, Soo Yun bid farewell to her audience and ended her stream.

She leaned back in her gaming chair and hugged the pillow with Napoleon's image printed on it.

"I'm getting hungry," She mumbled. "I think I should head to the mall and buy some bread on Brioche Dorée. Okay! That's decided."

Soo Yun quickly changed into casual clothes and grabbed her bag, eager to satisfy her craving for French cuisine. As she walked out of her condominium, she couldn't help but feel a strange sensation, as if she were being watched. Glancing back, she caught a glimpse of a man wearing a black hoodie standing at the corner of the street, his eyes locked onto her. A shiver ran down Soo Yun's spine, and she picked up her pace, trying to shake off the feeling of unease. She convinced herself that it was just a coincidence, that there was no reason to be alarmed.

But when the unknown man started following every step she took, Soo Yun's unease escalated into fear. Soo Yun's footsteps quickened, her heart pounding in her chest as she entered one of the dark alleys, hoping she could find a way to lose him. But to her surprise, the man rushed towards her and caught her.

"Help! Help! He—!" Soo Yun cried but the man covered her mouth and held her tightly, preventing her from making any further noise. Panic surged through Soo Yun's veins as she struggled against his grip, her mind racing to find a way out of this dangerous situation.

"You…how dare you love someone huh! Do you know how much I suffer whenever you utter that dead man's name in your stream?"

What is this…a stalker?

"What do you want from me?" Soo Yun managed to muffle the words, her voice strained against the intruder's hand covering her mouth.

But instead of receiving an answer, Soo Yun felt a sharp pain in her stomach, she looked down and saw a knife glinting in the dim light. The blade had pierced her abdomen, and a gasp of pain escaped her lips.

The stalker removed his hand from Soo Yun's mouth, his eyes widening in shock as he witnessed the gravity of his actions. Soo Yun's body trembled, weakened by the excruciating pain surging through her. Blood stained her clothes, seeping from the deep wound inflicted by the knife.

Fear and desperation mingled in the stalker's eyes, realizing the irreversible consequences of his impulsive act. He had succumbed to his own jealousy and obsession, driven to madness by Soo Yun's devotion to a historical figure. The weight of his actions crashed upon him like a wave, leaving him overwhelmed with remorse and regret.

Panicked, the stalker stumbled backward, his face pale and his hands trembling. He never intended for things to escalate to this level, to cause harm to the person he claimed to love in his twisted way. Guilt consumed him, tearing at his conscience.

"Forgive me... Please, forgive me. This isn't supposed to happen!" he pleaded, his voice barely audible, filled with anguish. He took a few faltering steps backward, distancing himself from Soo Yun's wounded form, as if he couldn't bear to look at what he had done, and ran away.

As the stalker vanished into the night, leaving Soo Yun alone and bleeding in the dark alley, her body weakened with each passing moment and her vision blurring.

She laid there, her hand trembling as she reached for her smartphone. The pain radiating from her abdomen made it difficult to focus, but she refused to give up. With one final effort, she managed to grab her phone, her fingers smearing the screen with her own blood. Her vision faded in and out, but she mustered all her remaining strength to dial the emergency number.

As the call connected, there was no energy left in Soo Yun's voice, her eyelids growing heavy—and closed. To think that she would die due to her admiration for historical figures. The one that changed her life and the main reason that ended it. It was a tragic irony that she couldn't comprehend in her final moments.

***

That was her story but that isn't the version she told Napoleon. She started her story by telling Napoleon she reincarnated as one of the daughters of a high-ranking noble in Spain and escaped from her residence at the age of thirteen to look for him.

"How is this possible? You are saying you came from the future? Why did you come for me then?" Napoleon asked.

"Because you are the only person I believe that can help and protect me," Ciela answered, but that was a lie. Before she passed away from her original world, she hoped that she would be reincarnated back in time when Napoleon is alive. Someone must have heard her wish and granted it.

"Protect you from who?"

"From this world," Ciela replied.

Inside Napoleon's mind, one of the hypotheses has been confirmed. That Ciela isn't from this world as there was no account of Napoleon having a personal maid. But just because she confessed doesn't necessarily mean he must, he must maintain the lie that he isn't also the original Napoleon.

So Napoleon acted shocked and surprised at the revelation, wrapping his head as if he couldn't make sense out of her story.

"But I also have doubts about you, Napoleon. How come you know a lot about things that aren't supposed to exist at this time. The steam locomotives, your knowledge in thermodynamics. I have studied you and the history of where you lived, you are not the man who introduced those concepts, it was others."

Inside Ciela's mind, the Napoleon in this world is different from the ones she learned in her original world. In this world, Napoleon was cool, talented, and a genius. Could it be that her reincarnation triggered some sort of butterfly effect?

Meanwhile, Napoleon gulped. Well if she came from the same world as him, it is understandable that she would be suspicious.

'This changes a lot of things' Napoleon thought to himself.