It had been a couple of weeks since the three random travelers had taken up residence in Elder Ileas' hut. And with each interval of ti spent there, Rachel's condition worsened more and more.
One day, the girl barely made it through until Leriana and Maxie went into town to do so shopping. Lloyd Ileas had purposely sent them there for the ingredients for the elixir, though really, it was only a chance for Rachel to get so respite. The old man was well aware of her condition.
Once in the cabin alone, the girl's feigned appearance imdiately fell away, and she coughed up very dark blood. It was a clear sign that poisoning had already begun in her system, due to the prolonged use of Blood Callia's ability. Rachel was literally on edge.
The healer did everything he could to reduce the effects of the symptoms sohow. But it all turned out to be for nothing. Exhaling tiredly, he rolled his sleeves back up, and declared that he was completely useless in this situation.
— I don't know what this is all about,» said the old man, «but if you don't want to be exposed, you'd better leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, in a couple of days, you won't be physically able to maintain this appearance anymore.»
Rachel grinned bitterly.
«So I only have a couple of days left…?»
— So you're saying it's over? — She sumd it up.
— 'At best,' the man sighed, 'For such a young age, you've lasted too long. It's very dangerous. If you want to live, end this performance before it's too late.'
— «Performance?» — Rachel let out a chuckle as the color of her real skin increasingly resembled transparent,» Only an idiot would do that for fun.
Although… Saying it out loud, she thought her reason didn't really stray much from that frawork. She was probably even more stupid for putting it all on the line for one person.
— Maybe I really don't know what's on the minds of these young people these days,» he said with a chuckle.
— …
— I'm only helping you because we made a pact. You can't die before you find my daughter's killer.
— I know.
Rachel sighed heavily, trying to bring herself to her senses as quickly as possible before Leriana returned. She took every healing potion she could find in the cabin, hoping it would do sothing to prolong her condition. Lloyd Ileas watched her in amazent.
— Aren't you going to leave? — he asked as the girl forced herself to eat the disgusting but effective herb. Even the elder could not consu it without prior preparation, while she simply shoved it all in her mouth.
— 'Not so fast,' Rachel replied, 'I won't give up while I still have one last chance.'
— «Chance…?» What chance can we talk about in a situation like this? — The elder was perplexed, truly unaware of why the heiress of the Cassius clan would so easily play with her own life.
In spite of her unconventional lineage for the average person, this girl was still a bit older than a teenager. Even a grown man like her father would have a hard ti bearing such burdens.
So why…? For what does she continue to make such sacrifices?
Lloyd Ileas, for the first ti in years, caught himself thinking that he couldn't clearly discern the intentions of the person in front of him.
But Rachel herself never thought about it, and simply did what she thought was right. This ti, despite the physical pain she was experiencing, she found the strength to grin and look the old man in the eye.
— Don't you have any idea? My only chance, from the beginning, was your granddaughter.
***
Rachel Cassius's ultimate goal in being a fake was to get Leriane to reciprocate her feelings, which would rid them both of the curse.
It was the only peaceful way in which to stop the Blood Callia blossom. True, almost no one believed in its success except Rachel herself.
Her father had warned her of the consequences from the beginning, but the girl had not listened. And now she was ready to answer for her mistakes on her own. Or rather, sought to prove that she had not made the wrong choice.
For the sake of finally getting Lerian to reciprocate, Rachel had made every possible effort. Not daring to approach her in her true form, Rachel eventually risked deception. Believing that in love as in war all ans are good, she was not afraid to completely reincarnate into another person.
Elsa behaved so gallantly and courteously, which was completely uncharacteristic of the true owner of the body. She never got angry, always smiled, and acted friendly even to those who didn't deserve it.
All to make Leriana think she was a good person.
During their forr association, having studied the Archduke's daughter deeply enough, Rachel knew in advance that this was the kind of person she liked.
So that in the end, one day, when she brought it up, she could have no doubt at all about the answer.
Elsa beca for her the standard of the perfect girl that never really existed. But even so, she had no regrets at all about what she had done.
Rachel believed that all her hard work would pay off with Leriana's sincere feelings. After all, that was what she had co all this way for.
And so, that night, when the elder told her the news, Rachel knew it was ti to act. Tonight she hoped to get what she had wanted for so long.
Rachel had invited Leriana to an important conversation that was not to take place here.
Once in the privacy of a nearby cabin, Leriana couldn't help but ask why Elsa had called her so suddenly.
— It's late,» the daughter of the Archduke was embarrassed, «Did you want sothing?»
— Yes,» Elsa smiled, «I have sothing to tell you.»
The words that the girl had been hiding in herself for so long were about to burst out today. Rachel was going to officially declare her love.
Since the beginning of their relationship, they had never confessed to each other before, though they had done many other things. This was a mistake. Rachel was saying it for the first ti in her life, and she was a little worried.
The contract united their souls and bodies into one, and therefore, Bloody Callia could tell instantly at the level of instincts whether a person was sincere or not. If their feelings for each other were mutual, then the flower would stop devouring Rachel's life.
The easiest, yet most difficult way to reverse the Blood Callia bloom is to get honest sympathy from the person on whom the mark has been left. In other words, to override the previous betrayal.
If it succeeded, Rachel could return to her forr life, while Leriana would also return to her original state. It was a perfect match for both of them. And Rachel believed in its success with all her heart.
When they found themselves alone in such an exciting environnt, Leriana felt sothing was going to happen, too. And she looked forward to it.
Finally, Rachel made up her mind to do it.
To confess her feelings and to deny all the previous lies that had been between them. Soon, the girl was honestly going to explain everything to her.
The brief period of familiarity under soone else's identity would be a thing of the past, while Leriana and Rachel could step into their bright new future.
— Leriana, I love you.
The Archduke's daughter flashed when she heard these words. It was all too sudden for her. But in the anti, redder than a radish, she still uttered an answer:
— I… I love you too!
It finally happened.
For only a fraction of an instant after that, an unprecedented surge of emotion was born in Rachel's soul. They had finally confessed to each other and could live happily ever after.
Rachel had never felt so elated. She wanted to throw herself into Leriana's arms right away, but she couldn't do it.
Because at that very mont, a terrible pain began to tear through her body. Unbearable and like a poisonous vine digging into her skin. Exactly the sa as Rachel had first felt the day Leriana had left her in the library.
But why?!
Wasn't it different this ti?
Leriana had accepted her feelings, after all!
Rachel bent in half and clutched at her chest, on which the second petal had already disappeared. The bloody Callia had «consud» another part of her life.
Leriana, noticing that her girl was suddenly sick, imdiately rushed to her aid.
— Elsa, what is wrong with you?!
But Rachel couldn't answer. She had to get out of here. As soon as possible.
It was as if everything else had already passed her ears when Rachel finally realized one bitter truth. Bloody Callia couldn't be wrong. Which ant…
Those words were a lie.
Leriana doesn't and never had loved her.
Rachel thought it would just be enough if the Archduke's daughter could treat her sincerely. And it didn't matter at what cost or under what guise.
After all, it would still be her, wouldn't it?
But… As it turned out, it was a big mistake.
After all, the person Leriane had actually fallen in love with was not Rachel at all.
The girl grinned bitterly as the pain that had just overtaken her remained much stronger than physical. Her heart was literally tearing apart, and there was nothing she could do about it.
In that mont, Rachel realized that with her own hands, she had «created» a rival that she could never defeat.
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