The sound of hurried footsteps echoed sharply through the palace halls.
"Why now… why here?!"
Her breath came out uneven as she ran.
Just a few hours ago, Eileen had been walking home from work, exhausted and half-distracted as she reread her favorite novel on her phone, The Last Ember of Valor, and she still remembered the scene clearly, the execution scene, the part where her favorite character, the villain Yorumn Hethenfor, faced his fate
Suddenly, everything went dark.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the city. Instead, she woke up beneath a silk canopy bed, surrounded by unfamiliar walls decorated with gold and intricate carvings. Before she could even sit up properly, a group of maids rushed toward her.
"Lady Elshvire."
That name struck her like lightning.
Elshvire Alcatraz.
She became the story's female lead, the hero's beloved, the woman who would stand beside justice, and the woman who would witness the villain's death.
Transmigrating into her favorite novel had once been her greatest fantasy.
But not like this.
Not on the day of the execution.
Her heartbeat pounded violently against her ribs as she lifted the hem of her dress and ran faster. The palace guards stared in confusion as she passed them. Some maids called out to her, but she ignored each one of them.
From beyond the corridor, she could already hear the crowd, their cheers and shouting, excited cries echoing from the colosseum, and her stomach twisted painfully as she realized it had already begun.
When she finally reached the massive doors, she pushed them open with trembling hands.
Blinding sunlight poured into her vision, forcing her to squint. The noise from outside struck her all at once. It was overwhelming and deafening.
And then she saw him.
At the center of the palace colosseum, kneeling on cold stone, chained and restrained, was Yorumn Hethenfor.
The Sovereign of Destruction.
His silver hair was stained with blood, strands clinging to his forehead. Dark bruises marked his skin, yet his posture remained upright. Heavy iron chains wrapped around his wrists and shoulders, but they did nothing to diminish his presence.
Even in defeat, he did not look broken.
Two royal knights stood beside him with swords resting near his neck as the crowd roared with fury, shouting words like "monster!", "execute him!", and "justice for the kingdom!".
Each shout felt like a blade stabbing into her chest.
In the original novel, this was the moment when the hero would step forward and deliver justice.
She knew exactly how it would end.
Her feet moved on their own, desperate to reach the platform.
However, a familiar voice stopped her.
"Darling, why are you here?"
She froze.
She did not need to turn to know who it was.
Calix Archestra.
The main protagonist of the story, the kingdom's pride, and most importantly, her fiancé.
He approached her calmly, dressed in white ceremonial armor that gleamed under the sun. The people cheered even louder at the sight of him.
She grabbed his sleeve tightly, her fingers trembling.
"Calix! Stop... please, you can't do this!"
Her voice cracked, trembling like it could shatter.
Calix looked at her, confused but gentle. "El… what's wrong?" he paused, "You shouldn't be here, just go back and rest"
"No," she shook her head, her grip tightening. "Do not execute him."
For a brief moment, silence passed between them.
Calix studied her expression as if trying to understand the fear in her eyes.
"I know how good-hearted you are, El," he said quietly, his voice steady but heavy with concern, "but someone as cruel and unforgivable as him does not deserve your sympathy."
She knew that.
She had read every chapter.
She knew Yorumn was labeled a villain.
But she also knew the parts the world did not.
"Please," she said, as if she were about to cry.
Calix's expression softened, but it did not change as he gently removed her hand from his sleeve.
"It will be over soon."
He stepped forward towards the platform, and the crowd erupted into deafening cheers.
One of the knights handed him the execution sword, the sunlight glinting sharply off the blade.
Elshvire's breathing became shallow.
No.
This was wrong.
This was not how it should happen.
Yorumn slowly lifted his head, and for a brief second his golden eyes met hers across the distance. There was no fear in them, no anger, only something unreadable, almost amusement, as if he had already accepted this ending or perhaps was waiting for something.
A trembling chill ran down her spine.
Her hands clenched into fists, wanting to scream, wanting to reach out and pull him away, wanting to change the story with sheer will, but she didn't know what to do
Calix raised the sword.
Time seemed to slow as the crowd held its breath.
"No!!" she screamed, her voice breaking.
Then a sudden beam of light swept across the platform, cutting through the sunlight, and in an instant everything froze, the cheers, the movement, even the beating of her own heart.