Inside a dark cell with nothing but moonlight to lighten the surrounding, there lies a woman on an old moldy bed that creaks with the slightest movement. Her once glamorous beauty that could bewitch even the most righteous of men and virtuous of women was now covered with a nauseating stench of filth left by the numerous men who had played with her to fulfill their twisted desires. Once, she was a noble daughter whom even the imperial family would not dare to make kneel, but now, she was nothing but a whore rotting in an imperial dungeon. Each day was a never-ending cycle of torture and humiliation, but she never had the will to end her pathetic life because it was her way of punishing herself for the sins she had committed. However, there would be no tomorrow for her, as there was a gushing wound on her abdomen, which was left by a delusional man who believed that she would become his wholly if he killed her.
"Is this the end," she whispered as her heart rate rose violently as if to explode at any time soon, and her breathing became shallow gasps.
'Ah, I really am a selfish person. After everything I have done to you, I still wish to be born as your daughter again. Will you forgive me, father?' She thought as a single tear left her shimmering golden eyes along with the last breath that she took...
... "Till the end, you never looked at me," a man muttered after seeing the woman, who had robbed him of everything that he cherished, lying lifelessly with her enthralling eyes that shut eternally. He walked to her side and slowly caressed her cold cheeks before saying, "The world has become mine, but I have lost everything, Seraphina."
That night, prince Reyan Crevaria usurped the throne, killed his younger brother, emperor Reagan Crevaria, and conferred the late Grand Duke Amaris Callenso's only daughter, Seraphina Callenso as his empress.
Seraphina's Pov
"What a foolish child you are."
What is this voice? Is it calling me? Am I not dead?
"You are and are not. Now, open your eyes, child."
What does that mean? Ugh, what is this bright light? She thought, while slowly opening her eyes as she was told by the majestic voice that she has never heard before. After taking seconds to adjust her eyes to the blinding light that she had not seen for weeks, she was astonished by the sight in front of her eyes because what she expected was everything but an ancient divine beast. In a white space, an enormous tree stood magnificently, and before it lay a nine-tailed fox with its gleaming red eyes looking at her. Its beauty and elegance are heavenly that no mortal could ever compare.
"Why did you bring me here?" Seraphina asked respectfully.
"Because you are my successor, child. I have been with you from the moment you were formed in your mother's womb." The nine-tailed fox answered in its flowing majestic voice that seemed to penetrate her soul. However, for Seraphina, its words sounded like a taunting that tore open her chest because, all her life, she felt alone, abandoned, and forsaken.
"Lies. If that was the case, why did you never help me? Why did you never tell me to stop? Why did you just leave me to be used by that man, hurt my family, and commit such sins?" she asked each sentence, desperately trying to hold back the tears and curses.
"Because you were never what I wanted. My last wish was to never let another nine-tailed fox be born in this world, but you were chosen as one."
"Then you got your wish. Everything is over." She said, ridiculing her pathetic life that was full of pain and regrets.
"Not necessarily. If you wish to live, I can transfer my powers to you, child. My life was a tragedy, and I did not wish my successor to follow in my steps. However, even without being a nine-tailed fox, your life was more miserable than mine. Therefore, child, if you wish to live on, take my powers."
"No. I can't. Even if I survive, there is nothing left for me to live for. And, the things that I did and the hurt I have caused, they will never be undone." Her answer was filled with deep longing, grief, and regret.
"What if you can undo them?"
"I will never be able to. Unless the time turns back."
As a response to her hopeless statement, the divine beast rose under the tree and slowly made its way until it stood in front of Seraphina and said,
"Take my powers, and turn back the time, child. Nine-tailed foxes have nine lives. Use them to turn back time, undo the regrets, and live on. This time, find your happiness."
"Can I really do that? Do I deserve to do that?" Seraphina asked with tearful eyes.
"Yes, you do."
"Then, please help me. I want to live."
"Seraphina, my child, when you inherit my powers, you will also receive one memory that I cherish the most. Find the man in the memory and not let him die the lonely death that he had. That's my only wish as your predecessor. Now close your eyes, child. The moment you open your eyes again, I will forever leave this world, and you will return to the time when your soul was damaged for the first time."
"I will. Thank you, my predecessor."
On a bed inside a dim room furnished with overly exaggerated tacky furniture, a little girl with delicate features lies deep in slumber. It was obvious that once grown up, she would charm both men and women as her little immature face was far more enchanting than that of the mermaids, who are said to be the most alluring. Her long curly red hair made a fascinating contrast to her pale ivory skin, and her peaceful face looked so captivating that no mortal would dare to wake her. However, soon her peaceful slumber ended as the little girl squirmed her lovely brows and slowly opened her eyes, revealing the shimmering orbs that seemed to have molten gold brimming inside them. Unfortunately, her peaceful and innocent expression morphed into fear and terror as she looked over the room.
This place, this room, this bed... it is where all hell broke loose.
It only took a second for Seraphina to recognize this place because all the nightmares that haunted her until the end of her life had happened here. She immediately rose from the bed and looked for a place to hide in a frenzy as her tears were falling non-stop, and her limbs were shaking uncontrollably due to inexplicable panic and horror. However, as soon as her reflection in the mirror caught her eye, she was startled motionlessly and slowly staggered closer to it. She stood in front of the mirror and gently put her hand on it to feel the coldness seeping into her palm, which gave her an unfathomable sense of relief.
That's right. It's not a nightmare. I have returned to the past, and it's my present now. Let's calm down, Seraphina. Look at the mirror, I am back to the time when I was untainted, unbroken, and innocent. She thought while taking deep breaths, trying to soothe her agitated nerves, which unexpectedly helped her discover something different in her body. As she was taking deep breaths, she started feeling immense energy circulating inside her tiny body, along with three little flames burning inside her chest.
Do I have three lives left? She thought amusedly as the little flames gave off a warm and ticklish feeling that reminded her of her mother's embrace. Unfortunately, she was not given time to reminisce about her mother as the door opened abruptly to reveal that hideous face, which she could never forget even after leaving this goddamn place.
In her last life, Seraphina's mother, Rosaline, left her daughter in the care of a friend whom she considered a sister. She asked her friend, Jia, to bring the young Seraphina to Grand Duke Amaris Callenso, who was the father of her child. Unfortunately, her affection and trust were only one-sided as the said friend, Jia, never took the child to its father but sold the little girl to a debt-ridden heinous noble, who was notorious for having twisted pleasures for little girls. The first time Seraphina was sullied, Jia was listening to each and every whimper, scream, and plea that had left the young girl's mouth from the room next door while sipping a glass of wine as if to celebrate a victory. To her, it was the perfect revenge and relief to unburden the inferiority she felt towards the renowned dancer Rosaline who even caught the eye of the Grand Duke Amaris Callenso, whom Jia secretly desired but could never dare to approach nor dreamed of obtaining.
"Look who's up," Baron Teivel said excitedly with his sickening eyes running up and down the little girl's stiffened body.
Pull yourself together, Seraphina! Pull yourself! Do not panic! She chanted desperately, trying to make her frozen body move as the monstrous man closed in step by step and all the calmness left her body as the memories of the past overlapped with his gigantic greasy body.
"That bitch acted all high and mighty but still gave birth to a bastard," he cursed while reaching his hand to caress the soft cheek that looked extremely appetizing. When his oily hand landed on her cheek, even breathing became difficult as the suffocation and terror paralyzed her fully. Her mind was going blank, her vision turning black, and her ears started ringing due to the lack of air. When all hope seemed lost as she was on the verge of losing consciousness, suddenly, she heard a distant voice in her memory that finally calmed her collapsing nerves and gave the much-needed air back to her lungs.
"Seraphina, never forget that you are a Callenso. And, remember, Callensos do not fear the insignificant," his soothing voice echoed in her head.
Father, I really miss you, she thought before slapping away that fat heavy hand from her cheek and wiping the area he touched with her sleeve until it turned bright red, resembling her hair.
"Ha! I see your lowly mother did not teach you well," he laughed before swinging his hand hard to slap her for the disobedience. However, his hand never reached the place it should have, but instead, was grabbed tightly with a strength that a mere child could never muster. Baron Teivel was shocked and tried to unfasten his hand, but the strength only increased as the pressure almost shattered his bones which caused him to sweat profusely. In a panic, he raised his other arm while cursing loudly to intimidate the little girl, but before his hand could even be lowered, a sharp tearing pain shot through his chest, causing him to freeze immobile.
When he walked into the room a moment ago, he was brimming with sinister perverted intention and overwhelming confidence to break the poor child, but now, the only emotion surging in his heart was fear, which he never expected to feel under the hands of a six-year-old delicate little girl.
"Shhh. Don't move a muscle, or I might just crush your heart," she said lightly while giving a squeeze to his heart that she held in her small palm inside his chest. In fact, she never knew that the nine-tailed foxes have such tremendous physical strengths as almost all tales and stories only depicted the holy flames that could turn a man into a pile of ashes within seconds. However, because she had just awakened her powers, she had no idea how to use the flames nor to fully shift into a fox and could only sharpen her nails to mimic that of a predator and use them directly as a weapon.
"Please, don't, don't do it," he stuttered weakly as the surrounding was filled with a disgusting smell of urine.
"Put more effort. Beg until your tears run dry, scream until your throat splits open, and struggle until your bones become a broken mess, just, like how I did," she beamed, revealing an enthralling smile. Unfortunately for the Baron, the moment he saw that smile, he realized that he could not escape death.
"Please-
His words were never finished as the heart, which was filled with nothing but wickedness, was pulled out with sheer strength, dyeing the little girl's clothes bright red that almost seemed to blend with her locks.
I spend two years under your loathsome body, withstanding all that egregious torture. If my elder brother was not inspecting that damned gambling site where you spouted your nefarious activities, I would have died in this hellhole.
Now, I will consider the debt paid, Baron Teivel.
She threw away the heart that finally ceased thumping in her hand and walked out of the room to greet another debtor who betrayed her mother's affection and put a start to all her tragedy.
Inside a dark cell with nothing but moonlight to lighten the surrounding, there lies a woman on an old moldy bed that creaks with the slightest movement. Her once glamorous beauty that could bewitch even the most righteous of men and virtuous of women was now covered with a nauseating stench of filth left by the numerous men who had played with her to fulfill their twisted desires. Once, she was a noble daughter whom even the imperial family would not dare to make kneel, but now, she was nothing but a whore rotting in an imperial dungeon. Each day was a never-ending cycle of torture and humiliation, but she never had the will to end her pathetic life because it was her way of punishing herself for the sins she had committed. However, there would be no tomorrow for her, as there was a gushing wound on her abdomen, which was left by a delusional man who believed that she would become his wholly if he killed her.
"Is this the end," she whispered as her heart rate rose violently as if to explode at any time soon, and her breathing became shallow gasps.
'Ah, I really am a selfish person. After everything I have done to you, I still wish to be born as your daughter again. Will you forgive me, father?' She thought as a single tear left her shimmering golden eyes along with the last breath that she took...
... "Till the end, you never looked at me," a man muttered after seeing the woman, who had robbed him of everything that he cherished, lying lifelessly with her enthralling eyes that shut eternally. He walked to her side and slowly caressed her cold cheeks before saying, "The world has become mine, but I have lost everything, Seraphina."
That night, prince Reyan Crevaria usurped the throne, killed his younger brother, emperor Reagan Crevaria, and conferred the late Grand Duke Amaris Callenso's only daughter, Seraphina Callenso as his empress.
Seraphina's Pov
"What a foolish child you are."
What is this voice? Is it calling me? Am I not dead?
"You are and are not. Now, open your eyes, child."
What does that mean? Ugh, what is this bright light? She thought, while slowly opening her eyes as she was told by the majestic voice that she has never heard before. After taking seconds to adjust her eyes to the blinding light that she had not seen for weeks, she was astonished by the sight in front of her eyes because what she expected was everything but an ancient divine beast. In a white space, an enormous tree stood magnificently, and before it lay a nine-tailed fox with its gleaming red eyes looking at her. Its beauty and elegance are heavenly that no mortal could ever compare.
"Why did you bring me here?" Seraphina asked respectfully.
"Because you are my successor, child. I have been with you from the moment you were formed in your mother's womb." The nine-tailed fox answered in its flowing majestic voice that seemed to penetrate her soul. However, for Seraphina, its words sounded like a taunting that tore open her chest because, all her life, she felt alone, abandoned, and forsaken.
"Lies. If that was the case, why did you never help me? Why did you never tell me to stop? Why did you just leave me to be used by that man, hurt my family, and commit such sins?" she asked each sentence, desperately trying to hold back the tears and curses.
"Because you were never what I wanted. My last wish was to never let another nine-tailed fox be born in this world, but you were chosen as one."
"Then you got your wish. Everything is over." She said, ridiculing her pathetic life that was full of pain and regrets.
"Not necessarily. If you wish to live, I can transfer my powers to you, child. My life was a tragedy, and I did not wish my successor to follow in my steps. However, even without being a nine-tailed fox, your life was more miserable than mine. Therefore, child, if you wish to live on, take my powers."
"No. I can't. Even if I survive, there is nothing left for me to live for. And, the things that I did and the hurt I have caused, they will never be undone." Her answer was filled with deep longing, grief, and regret.
"What if you can undo them?"
"I will never be able to. Unless the time turns back."
As a response to her hopeless statement, the divine beast rose under the tree and slowly made its way until it stood in front of Seraphina and said,
"Take my powers, and turn back the time, child. Nine-tailed foxes have nine lives. Use them to turn back time, undo the regrets, and live on. This time, find your happiness."
"Can I really do that? Do I deserve to do that?" Seraphina asked with tearful eyes.
"Yes, you do."
"Then, please help me. I want to live."
"Seraphina, my child, when you inherit my powers, you will also receive one memory that I cherish the most. Find the man in the memory and not let him die the lonely death that he had. That's my only wish as your predecessor. Now close your eyes, child. The moment you open your eyes again, I will forever leave this world, and you will return to the time when your soul was damaged for the first time."
"I will. Thank you, my predecessor."
On a bed inside a dim room furnished with overly exaggerated tacky furniture, a little girl with delicate features lies deep in slumber. It was obvious that once grown up, she would charm both men and women as her little immature face was far more enchanting than that of the mermaids, who are said to be the most alluring. Her long curly red hair made a fascinating contrast to her pale ivory skin, and her peaceful face looked so captivating that no mortal would dare to wake her. However, soon her peaceful slumber ended as the little girl squirmed her lovely brows and slowly opened her eyes, revealing the shimmering orbs that seemed to have molten gold brimming inside them. Unfortunately, her peaceful and innocent expression morphed into fear and terror as she looked over the room.
This place, this room, this bed... it is where all hell broke loose.
It only took a second for Seraphina to recognize this place because all the nightmares that haunted her until the end of her life had happened here. She immediately rose from the bed and looked for a place to hide in a frenzy as her tears were falling non-stop, and her limbs were shaking uncontrollably due to inexplicable panic and horror. However, as soon as her reflection in the mirror caught her eye, she was startled motionlessly and slowly staggered closer to it. She stood in front of the mirror and gently put her hand on it to feel the coldness seeping into her palm, which gave her an unfathomable sense of relief.
That's right. It's not a nightmare. I have returned to the past, and it's my present now. Let's calm down, Seraphina. Look at the mirror, I am back to the time when I was untainted, unbroken, and innocent. She thought while taking deep breaths, trying to soothe her agitated nerves, which unexpectedly helped her discover something different in her body. As she was taking deep breaths, she started feeling immense energy circulating inside her tiny body, along with three little flames burning inside her chest.
Do I have three lives left? She thought amusedly as the little flames gave off a warm and ticklish feeling that reminded her of her mother's embrace. Unfortunately, she was not given time to reminisce about her mother as the door opened abruptly to reveal that hideous face, which she could never forget even after leaving this goddamn place.
In her last life, Seraphina's mother, Rosaline, left her daughter in the care of a friend whom she considered a sister. She asked her friend, Jia, to bring the young Seraphina to Grand Duke Amaris Callenso, who was the father of her child. Unfortunately, her affection and trust were only one-sided as the said friend, Jia, never took the child to its father but sold the little girl to a debt-ridden heinous noble, who was notorious for having twisted pleasures for little girls. The first time Seraphina was sullied, Jia was listening to each and every whimper, scream, and plea that had left the young girl's mouth from the room next door while sipping a glass of wine as if to celebrate a victory. To her, it was the perfect revenge and relief to unburden the inferiority she felt towards the renowned dancer Rosaline who even caught the eye of the Grand Duke Amaris Callenso, whom Jia secretly desired but could never dare to approach nor dreamed of obtaining.
"Look who's up," Baron Teivel said excitedly with his sickening eyes running up and down the little girl's stiffened body.
Pull yourself together, Seraphina! Pull yourself! Do not panic! She chanted desperately, trying to make her frozen body move as the monstrous man closed in step by step and all the calmness left her body as the memories of the past overlapped with his gigantic greasy body.
"That bitch acted all high and mighty but still gave birth to a bastard," he cursed while reaching his hand to caress the soft cheek that looked extremely appetizing. When his oily hand landed on her cheek, even breathing became difficult as the suffocation and terror paralyzed her fully. Her mind was going blank, her vision turning black, and her ears started ringing due to the lack of air. When all hope seemed lost as she was on the verge of losing consciousness, suddenly, she heard a distant voice in her memory that finally calmed her collapsing nerves and gave the much-needed air back to her lungs.
"Seraphina, never forget that you are a Callenso. And, remember, Callensos do not fear the insignificant," his soothing voice echoed in her head.
Father, I really miss you, she thought before slapping away that fat heavy hand from her cheek and wiping the area he touched with her sleeve until it turned bright red, resembling her hair.
"Ha! I see your lowly mother did not teach you well," he laughed before swinging his hand hard to slap her for the disobedience. However, his hand never reached the place it should have, but instead, was grabbed tightly with a strength that a mere child could never muster. Baron Teivel was shocked and tried to unfasten his hand, but the strength only increased as the pressure almost shattered his bones which caused him to sweat profusely. In a panic, he raised his other arm while cursing loudly to intimidate the little girl, but before his hand could even be lowered, a sharp tearing pain shot through his chest, causing him to freeze immobile.
When he walked into the room a moment ago, he was brimming with sinister perverted intention and overwhelming confidence to break the poor child, but now, the only emotion surging in his heart was fear, which he never expected to feel under the hands of a six-year-old delicate little girl.
"Shhh. Don't move a muscle, or I might just crush your heart," she said lightly while giving a squeeze to his heart that she held in her small palm inside his chest. In fact, she never knew that the nine-tailed foxes have such tremendous physical strengths as almost all tales and stories only depicted the holy flames that could turn a man into a pile of ashes within seconds. However, because she had just awakened her powers, she had no idea how to use the flames nor to fully shift into a fox and could only sharpen her nails to mimic that of a predator and use them directly as a weapon.
"Please, don't, don't do it," he stuttered weakly as the surrounding was filled with a disgusting smell of urine.
"Put more effort. Beg until your tears run dry, scream until your throat splits open, and struggle until your bones become a broken mess, just, like how I did," she beamed, revealing an enthralling smile. Unfortunately for the Baron, the moment he saw that smile, he realized that he could not escape death.
"Please-
His words were never finished as the heart, which was filled with nothing but wickedness, was pulled out with sheer strength, dyeing the little girl's clothes bright red that almost seemed to blend with her locks.
I spend two years under your loathsome body, withstanding all that egregious torture. If my elder brother was not inspecting that damned gambling site where you spouted your nefarious activities, I would have died in this hellhole.
Now, I will consider the debt paid, Baron Teivel.
She threw away the heart that finally ceased thumping in her hand and walked out of the room to greet another debtor who betrayed her mother's affection and put a start to all her tragedy.
