Saving My Sweetheart

Chapter 3

“Do not leave that room until I tell you, no matter what. You know what will happen if you disobey, yes?”

Those were the words that Josephina had said to Leticia on her wedding day in her previous life. Leticia had been trapped in the bridal reception room for three days, suffering from cold and hunger, and fearful of the curse that plagued her.

Eventually, she’d collapsed and lost consciousness from the extreme stress. When she’d woken up, she’d found herself in a pitch-black room, accompanied by only her breathing. It was enough to nearly drive her mad.

“Please, Mother, let me out! You can beat me if you’d like… but please!”

She’d begged and begged to the point of almost fainting when Josephina had finally appeared. Only then had her mother smiled with satisfaction—when she’d desperately clung to her skirts and groveled. Josephina had grasped her frightened daughter by the shoulders and whispered in her ear.

“It will be even more terrible if you leave, Leticia. The delegation from Genos despises you, and every one of them wants to kill you. I made it so.”

She cruelly told her what she’d done as if she were boasting.

“Do you still wish to leave?”

Her mother’s first victim had been Enoch, a member of the delegation from Genos who had fallen gravely ill along the way. He would have fully recovered had he received treatment in time—but it had not come to be.

When the delegation was refused access to the capital city, Ditrian turned his attention beyond the walls and sent his men to nearby villages to bring back a physician. However, this decision led to irreversible consequences. Upon Josephina’s orders, the village physician gave Enoch poison instead of medicine.

To make matters worse, Josephina had started a false rumor that it had been Leticia who was responsible for his death. She’d hoped that Ditrian would be so blinded by hatred that he would kill her on the spot. As planned, the entire delegation abhorred Leticia on sight and would have happily killed her, except for one person—Ditrian. Shockingly, he had been courteous to her from the moment they’d met.

“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Ditrian.”

It had been so long, but she still vividly remembered their first meeting. His cheeks had been slightly gaunt from days of hardship, but it had made his features even more distinct—especially those black eyes, which seemed to draw her in. She could still recall the firm hand wrapped around hers, the cold touch of his lips on the back of it, that faint smile on his face…

How had she reacted to him?

“Don’t touch me!” She’d sharply slapped his hand and even thrown water at him. “Don’t come any closer!”

She’d believed that Ditrian hated her and that his kindness had been a facade to get her to lower her guard.

“I seem to have troubled you, my lady. I apologize.”

Ditrian had remained consistent, despite her conviction. He had always been unfailingly polite and had even punished subordinates who had treated her poorly.

“She is to be my bride. I will not forgive anyone who treats her disrespectfully.”

Ironically, this had made Leticia even more wary of him—she hadn’t understood his kindness. Rather than comforting her, it had filled her with fear. An incident had occurred on their journey back to Genos, and Leticia had injured him.

“I told you not to come near me!” she’d shrieked, trembling as she gripped a shard of glass.

The desert wind pierced her through her clothes. Ditrian merely wiped away the blood running down his cheek.

“I only meant to check on your injury,” he said, his voice low.

“I’m not injured. Please get out of my sight!”

“You injured your foot…”

He’d stepped closer before she could ask what he’d meant. When she’d reflexively stepped back, she’d screamed in pain at the sharp sting in her foot and collapsed to the ground. Ditrian had scooped her up easily. Although she was petrified and frozen by his touch, he’d explained the situation kindly.

“It’s a common injury for those who walk through the rocky desert for the first time.”

He’d sat her carefully on the ground and, removing her bloodied shoe, tenderly cleansed her blistered foot. The feel of the sand against the thin cloth on her foot had been so smooth that it sent shivers down her spine. Perhaps that had been why she could not bring herself to push him away.

“It does not matter what you do to me. You can do even worse, if you’d like. However…” he said, as she stared into his deep eyes, feeling entranced. “You must not get hurt.”

The blood had still been dripping down his face.

* * *

Now, Leticia had returned to the past before her death—a second chance at life. She said a quick prayer of thanks before hastily getting up.

I need to hurry and save Enoch. Right now, he was likely hovering at death’s door. If things continued this way, he would die in three days.

I’m the only one who can save him. She didn’t know why she’d come back to the past, but the one thing she was sure of was that she knew what was waiting for her in the future.

In this life, I must protect Ditrian with everything I have. She took off her wedding dress, resolute in her determination. In just her chemise, she rummaged through her dresser until she found a gray robe worn by the priests and priestesses in the Holy Palace. She removed her veil and hairpins while running through all the information she remembered.

The delegation should be inside the castle by now. Only after poisoning Enoch had her mother opened the castle gates. After relentlessly tormenting the delegation from the outside, it was her intention to torment them from within.

This time, I won’t let my mother get her way. Josephina would have her guard down, feeling content in the knowledge that her daughter bore the curse in her heart. Still, Leticia would use this opportunity to help Genos flourish and give Ditrian enough power to stand against the empire.

I have six months ahead of me. From one perspective, six months was a long time, but from another, it was relatively short. She felt restless, knowing how much work she had to do.

Gathering her long, golden hair, Leticia tucked it inside the gray hood. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. After ensuring the hallway was empty, she boldly stepped out of the room. No one would come this way for three days, so she would not have to worry.

My mother is probably announcing that I have refused the marriage and have shut myself up in the palace. Leticia would bear all the blame for the strife and humiliation experienced by the Genos delegation. That wasn’t the only false accusation her mother had made against her.

She claims that I am a murderer who has killed countless people. In her previous life, the sheer injustice of it all had nearly driven her to madness. Now, it did not bother her in the least. Trifling things, such as rumors, could no longer harm her because she had something that was much more important to her than her reputation.

I need to protect Ditrian. I’m going to protect him and all his people. She was determined to obtain the antidote that would heal Enoch. Leticia walked briskly through the hall, her eyes fixed ahead with resolution.

The antidote is likely in the medicine storeroom managed by the priests… but someone will recognize me if I go there. That left only one option.

The storeroom for sacred artifacts is next to the western annex. I’ll go there.

* * *

Leticia had only learned about this storeroom after Genos had been destroyed, and Ditrian’s death freed her from the curse. In her previous life, she had been unable to kill him by the end of the six months. However, on the night before the six months were up, the Holy Empire’s army had suddenly invaded Genos. Despite their best efforts, Ditrian and his soldiers had been unable to protect their homeland, and Leticia had thought that she would soon die as well.

However, that hadn’t been the case. Leticia had been freed from her curse at the exact moment Ditrian had died in battle. Alive, she’d been dragged back to the empire and imprisoned in the palace—the start of yet another hell.

The palace servants treated her like a ghost—none had even tended to her wounds. Eventually, she’d taken to wandering the palace grounds with her festering wounds, which was when she had first come across the storeroom of sacred artifacts.

* * *

When she slipped out, she saw people walking across the palace grounds. Leticia kept her head down as she walked, hiding her long hair.

Blonde hair stands out too much. Unlike Genos, where there were many blond-haired people, most of the empire's citizens had dark hair. She walked for a long time until she arrived at a garden with knee-high grass. Her face brightened when she spotted an old, gray building standing in the corner.

I found it! The old storeroom was exactly as how she remembered it. Leticia quickly lifted the hem of her skirt and approached it.

I need to find the key first. She bent low, reaching through the gap under the locked door, and felt around for the key. When her fingers found it, she grabbed it, carefully pulling it out. She inserted the rusty key into the lock—it turned with a click. The door was creaky from having been locked for so long, but Leticia could still push it open and enter the storeroom.

Under the dim sunlight streaming in, she could see piles of ancient relics covered in thick layers of dust scattered everywhere. She quickly scanned the room, looking for what she needed. Her green eyes sparkled.

Over there! Holding her skirt with one hand, she rummaged through the relics, not stopping when her other hand became covered in dust and started bleeding from scratches.

At last, I found it! She carefully opened the small, gold-plated box, which revealed a plant full of leaves that released a refreshing scent, tickling her nose.

“It’s a detoxifying herb,” she murmured to herself, voice trembling.

The wooden box she’d found was a sacred artifact that enhanced the herb's effects. Though the box had long since lost its power, the herb retained its potency. She touched a leaf to the tip of her tongue to ensure it was sufficient, and her face brightened.

“This is good enough. Now, I can save Enoch.”

Leticia quickly tucked the herb away and stood, but paused to look at the pile of artifacts once more before she left.

Even if these artifacts have lost their power, they could be restored with the right methods… It was difficult, but it wasn’t impossible. She knew they could be beneficial to Ditrian, but for now, she had no choice but to leave them behind. She swallowed her regret and walked toward the door.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed in her peripheral vision. With a cry, she instinctively shielded her eyes, still clutching at the herbs inside her clothes to protect them.

What was that…? The light momentarily vanished, and she cautiously opened her eyes. Her heart pounded, and she was full of dread as she looked around. It was then that she noticed something strange.

A ring? On top of a pile of relics in the corner was a ring sparkling in the sunlight. Her eyes widened when she spotted the black gemstone glittering at its center.

“This… is the Eliksar!”

The Eliksar was the most powerful sacred artifact in the world—it contained a fragment of the goddess’s soul.