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CHAEYOUNG'S POV
"What is all that ruckus I hear from outside our home?" My father asks.
"Do you want me to check downstairs, father?" I asked as I stood up from my seat, and walked towards the door.
"Alright. Be careful, sweetheart. Try not to get hurt."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I placed my hand on the doorknob.
It's obvious that I hear a mob downstairs. But why are they here?
'I will be quick, father. I will come back as soon as possible."
I quickly went down the stairs, as I hear the sound of the angry mob getting louder.
But something else startled me.
A woman.
Beneath me, lies a woman. Beautiful with her luscious purple hair and sparkling eyes, yet she is injured with three arrows struck behind her back.
I stood there, frozen, as she looked at me in the eyes. I could not believe I encountered an injured woman with my own eyes in our own home.
Of all the places, why here? And how is she just looking at me as if she isn't hurt?
I kneel down to her and asked...
"What happened to you? Why were you struck with arrows?"
She started to struggle in pain. But she kept her current position to avoid getting hurt more.
"I was... chased by the mob outside."
I looked at the door as the mob tried to break it down.
"You're the one they want?!"
She starts to cough up blood. She immediately covers her mouth with her hand, however, it was the hand that was supporting her. Before she could fall onto the floor, I caught her.
"Yes."
"But... why?"
GOEUN'S POV (FLASHBACK)
Good Lord. Can't the people from this village leave magic users alone? Every single one of the magic users living in this village, good or evil, they've driven out of the village, or worse, killed. For once a sorceress like me is trying to do some good around here after all the chaos I've caused.
I wanted to change for the sake of the village, that magic can be good too. But the damage has already been done. Now they want me gone.
Like any sorceress would do, I fled with magic.
But for some reason, they got track of me.
I was tired, and panting from all the running. I rested near a huge house, which I assumed belonged to a rich family.
I was too weak to use any magic to get myself out of this mess.
I need to get out of here. Until...
"There she is! Get her before she creates any more disaster around this part of the village!"
I hear the villagers rioting this way. They have found me!
"Na Goeun must be killed!"
I tried to flee from the mob when I got struck by three arrows on the back.
I screamed in pain.
"We got her! Get her!"
Are these people not satisfied with shooting me with arrows? I'll eventually die soon anyway now that I'm injured.
I ran and ran… until I found a house that has the door left open, and hid inside. I quickly closed the door before the villagers get here, and collapsed on the floor.
Have I not done enough crime already? I can't believe I ended up in someone's unprotected house.
I needed to get help. But would anyone even try to help me once they know that I'm a sorceress?
I tried anyway. I tried to get up, but the pain from the arrows started to spread all over my body, making any kind of movement unbearable.
And that's when I saw her…
A lady with blonde and red hair
CHAEYOUNG'S POV (BACK TO PRESENT)
"So, you're a sorceress?" I asked in disbelief.
"*coughs* Yes. I am." Her voice starts to turn hoarse.
"How will you confirm to me that you're really a sorceress?"
With all the strength she had left, she raised her hand, and magically a rose appeared with sparkles and everything.
"Woah."
"Convinced?"
"Well, yes! But I don't understand. How could someone as beautiful as you be a bad sorceress?"
"I was raised in a family of evil wizards and witches. Therefore I tend to do some mischief myself… here and there. I *cough* wanted to change for the greater good. I wanted to show the village that magic can be used for good too. But *coughs* it looks like I failed."
She puts the rose by my ear and slowly closes her eyes as a smile grows on her face. She looked more beautiful with that smile.
She was starting to get weaker.
"Hey, are you…"
"*coughs* Looks like my time is running out. I'm not going to make it."
"No, wait! Please! I can help you! Just stay alive for-"
The sorceress holds my hand.
"It's okay. I deserve to die anyway… after what I've done to the village."
"No, you don't! Those people outside? They're the real monsters! People like you can change!"
I hold her face dearly.
"I know I just met you, but I-"
But she hushes me.
"Enough, young lady. You're a good girl. *coughs* You don't judge a book by its cover. And I like you for that. However, I have... one last request for you."
"Anything."
"May I *coughs* know your name?"
"...it's Chaeyoung. Lee Chaeyoung."
She chuckles.
"What a pretty name. Thank you..."
She's running out of breath, and I can feel her hand losing its grip on mine.
"...for seeing the good in me. No one believed me, but you did."
It will be a lie when I say that I feel nothing for the dying sorceress.
"And I'll always… remember you… in the afterlife."
And those were her last words.
Alas, her hand lets go of mine, as her time in this world had run out. I looked at my hand stained with her blood and turned to her dead body lying in front of me.
"I wish you had more time. You could've been a better person than anyone thought you were."
I ran towards the door and opened it quickly. The angry mob right in front of me, shouting, looking for her.
"Leave, all of you! The one you are looking for is dead inside my home! Is that not what you all wanted?" I screamed as if I lost a loved one.
"And why should we believe you? You must be one of her helpers, are you?!" A villager angrily asked.
I showed them my hand with her blood on it. Everyone went quiet and in disbelief.
"I have the sorceress's blood-stained onto my hand. Now, please leave this innocent household. I'll give her a proper burial myself."
One of the villagers approached me.
"You will be rewarded for this, young lady."
He hands me a book. A spellbook.
"This belonged to the sorceress. It caused a fire in some parts of the village. To prevent any more trouble, I believe someone like you should keep it. You have our thanks."
I accepted the book from the villager, and they left without another word.
I accepted the book from the villager, and they left with nothing else to say.
How am I gonna explain all of this to my father? I didn't even get to know the sorceress's name.
A bookmark fell out of the book. It has a name, and her face drawn on it.
"Na Goeun..."
This must be her name. Even her name is beautiful.
"I'll remember you, always."
I took the rose off my ear and looked up to the sky. I smiled as the gloomy clouds fade away from the sunshine.
"I hope you do good deeds in your next life."