-

"The stars... they're so... pretty..."

Arial kept crying as she felt very weak and helpless looking at Ashlan.

"Stop talking nonsense! The Saintess is almost here! Ju-just hang in there! I can't lose you! Not now!"

"How come there are so many stars every single night...I kept dreaming of having one, but it fatefully never was, and never will be mine"

My heart no longer felt as if it belonged to me. It now felt as it had been stolen, torn from my chest by someone who wanted no part of it. But still, till my very last breath, if there's another life beyond this, I hope that you can finally choose me. I'll wait.

As tears continued to stream down his pale-looking face, he spoke his parting words to Arial.

Now, the love that last longest is the love that is never returned >

"Wha-what?!? That's it?? She doesn't even care if you die? Hayyshh! Why risk your life for someone who doesn't even love you back? I hope the Female Lead would just stop using this innocent people just to protect herself! Even the male lead is one of them! tssk, author's one crazy biscuit..."

*Throws the book at the edge of his bed*

"Azh, if you don't want to read this kind of book why don't you just throw it? or give it to the patient next door? I heard he's also a bookworm like you"

*Crawling to the end side of his bed to get the book back*

"No! It's just that...I think the author has a pretty messed up life. Innocent characters are dying, leaving the manipulative one on each surface of the pages. If I become an author myself, I'll make sure that none of my characters will suffer, only those who deserves it"

" Azh..."

"There are times where you can turn every pages inside a book, read them, then *BAAM!* Close them! Now, go to sleep, you aren't allowed to stay up late remember?"

~*~*~*~*~

*Huff, hah, huff

"Those dreams again..."

*sigh~

It's been two weeks since I've collapsed and I'm still...well, confined in my bed prohibited to leave..

~*flashback*~

*glass shatter*

"Young Duke! What hap- Ahh!! your bleeding! Call the physician!", a man wearing a suit of high quality and a monocle suddenly screamed at his subordinates.

"Ah...Oh! I'm bleeding?", well, I'm not really surprised to see blood anymore and my pain tolerance improved a lot since I've been practically living in the hospital in my last life.

*Clamouring*

"Duke Arthsden and Lady Esther has come!"

I flinched from surprise as heard those oddly familiar names.

All servants bowed their heads respectfully at the seemingly two important figure in the household...One of them is the person who claims to be my sister earlier.

Behind all my confusion, one thing's I know for sure now....

"This. is. not. heaven",I uttered as I drooped my head looking gloomy...

*Step, step*

An old man with a noble stature rapidly walked and stood in front of me. He held my bleeding right hands and tore a piece of cloth from his suit that's obviously from a high quality fabric. He calmly wrapped my hands well, then....

"Heaven? Est what happened here?"

Est? Those names were very familiar.

"Ummm....Father it's a long story but I'll tell you later after we skip this scenario okay?...Sebastian, please escort everyone out, leave us"

Sebastian?just where did I hear these names?

"Yes, My lady...Everyone, come along"

"Ashlan", a deep and soothing voice coming from the very old man who treated my bleeding hand.

---Snap---

Right! it all make sense now.

"Be honest! I know you're at your age where you wanted to be as rebellious and wild as you can be..."

This is-

"Your mother was quite a rebel too, you know. You're 15 years old now and it's hard for you to grow up without her and I know and felt that pain..."

THIS IS THE--

"But please! Stop causing me more problems...Be honest! Did you really risk your life just to see the daughter of that scandalous Baron?"

IM INSIDE THE "THE SHIELDS OF QUEEN"!!! And Im--

"Ashlan! Are you listening?"

Ashlan!?! The second male lead that'll eventually die just for Arial?!?!

*Deep Breaths*

*Thud!*

~*end of flashback*~

"My last life...I hope Brother Yuu is doing fine...Well! I know that he will be doing fine... Wherever he is, I know that he's hoping for me to be happy as well"

"So, what now? Surely, the novel will change now that I've replaced Ashlan...plus, I can't do anything now that his soul has vanished".

Boredom strikes again as I unconsciously stared at the ceiling.

*sigh*

I walked towards the mirror near my bed and observed every single detail I've read about him.

I had to say...Ashlan is so dashing in real life... I guess being the second male lead has its own perks...

"Augh! I've always wanted a taste liberty but who knew liberty with no goals are so boring! I guess I just have to make one"

*tic toc tic toc tic toc*

"I wish I could talk to the original "him". I wanted to tell him to avoid that snake lady...and there's the Main male lead too."

Right! The main male lead!

......~tbc~......

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