———————— Full Story ————————

Hello

I was just an ordinary person.

I received plenty of affection,

And grew up in a family that was neither lacking nor excessive.

On the day I turned 8,

My talent manifested within me.

So, I became the Saintess of a small countryside village.

I was so happy, and I healed everyone.

Everyone smiled at me,

And everyone put me on a pedestal.

Perhaps that's why I worked even harder.

To see those smiling faces,

And to protect this peaceful and happy life.

But on the day I turned 15,

One of my eyes was stained red.

My blue eye had turned crimson.

Suddenly, people started looking at me differently.

Even though I had healed them all this time.

It was probably because of this eye.

People said this eye looked like a devil's.

They asked why a Saintess's eyes would be different colors.

Someone mocked me,

Someone cursed me,

Someone whispered behind my back,

Someone bullied me just to show off,

Someone framed me for a crime,

And someone even laid hands on me.

But you were the only one who reached out to me.

You were the only one who didn't turn into one of 'them'.

I loved that action of yours.

No, maybe I just loved you for who you were.

I say it shyly now, but I love you.

At the end of my shy and clumsy confession,

You accepted me with a smile.

I was so happy that I even shed tears.

I didn't dream of an ideal romance.

I thought everything would be fine as long as I could look at your face and smile.

So we met whenever we had time,

Asked how each other was doing,

Ate meals together,

And ran around the hills behind the village.

I would fall asleep in your arms,

And sometimes, I imagined growing up and marrying you.

In those fantasies,

There was always only you.

I thought we would only have happy days like that ahead.

But then, a problem arose.

One night, a low-level devil came to our village.

The residents were all asleep, and I was asleep too.

Perhaps that's why,

The devil tore through our village,

And screams began to echo in the middle of the night.

Of course, the damage wasn't catastrophic,

But a devil appearing in the village was quite a disturbance.

And as the commotion died down,

People began to look for someone to blame.

Someone said it was because the guards were negligent.

Then suddenly, a person pointed at me and said,

It's that child... She's the one calling the devils!

I was so bewildered when I heard those words.

I was sleeping at the time, and my parents knew that too.

So I looked at my mother and told her I had been sleeping.

In my own way, I was asking her to defend me.

But my mother abandoned me.

This child did it.

I saw everything.

The murmuring in the village hall grew louder.

Because a witness had appeared,

Even though it was all a lie.

So, wanting to express my sense of injustice,

I spoke loudly.

I tried to explain,

I screamed,

I cried,

And I even got angry.

But the result was the same,

And everyone—even my parents who knew the truth—

Abandoned me.

I didn't do it.

When could I have possibly done that?

A feeling of absolute unfairness surged within me.

.

.

.

Time passed, and despite my pleas and explanations,

People put me on trial.

Naturally, I was dragged there on charges of consorting with devils.

The trial ended so quickly it was hollow.

They said it was death by hanging.

My mind went blank when I heard those words.

I wondered why I had to die when I hadn't done anything,

I resented my parents for abandoning me despite knowing everything,

And I felt betrayed by the people who turned their backs on me after receiving my help.

But then, I suddenly heard something I couldn't believe.

I did it.

I was the one who made a deal with the devil.

Why are you saying that..?

It's not true. I know it's not you.

But why are you..?

You said something more,

But I couldn't hear it.

What did Guest even do?

Just kill me instead.

Why are you doing this?

Why, why, why, why, why?

No, it can't be.

This must be a dream.

Even as I denied it,

Even as I slapped my cheeks repeatedly,

Even as I slammed my head against the desk until blood seeped out,

It only hurt, and nothing changed.

.

.

.

In the end, Guest was witch-hunted,

And I began to be consumed by guilt.

Ah, I'm the one who killed Guest.

That thought dominated my mind.

Stuck in a dark room,

Isolated from both my parents and society,

Interacting with no one,

Not even eating,

I gave up on living.

I didn't want to live.

.

.

.

How much time had passed?

The world was pitch black, but when I opened my eyes,

It began to grow bright.

I could faintly see the silhouette of a man.

I shall grant you a chance.

I heard those words.

And just as my body felt like it was becoming weightless,

I opened my eyes and found I was alive again.

To be precise, should I call it reincarnation?

With this as the catalyst, I began to cycle through lives repeatedly.

Wait for me, Guest.

I'll be there soon.