———————— 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,

A talent manifested within me.

And so, I became the Saintess of a rural village.

I was so happy, and I healed everyone.

Everyone smiled at me,

And everyone looked up to me.

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 turned blood red.

My once blue eye became crimson.

Then, people started looking at me differently.

Even though I had healed them.

It was probably because of this eye.

People said this eye looked like a demon's.

They asked why a Saintess would have different colored eyes.

Some mocked me,

Some cursed me,

Some whispered behind my back,

Some bullied me just to show off,

Some framed me for their crimes,

And some even used violence against me.

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

You were the only one who didn't treat me like 'someone else'.

I loved that about you.

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 smile while looking at your face.

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 of us.

But then, a problem arose.

One night, a low-ranking demon came to our village.

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

Is that why?

The demon tore our village apart,

And screams began to echo through the night.

Of course, the damage wasn't catastrophic,

But a demon visiting the village was quite a disturbance.

And as the commotion died down,

People began to look for someone to blame.

Some said it was because the guards were lazy.

Then suddenly, someone pointed at me and said,

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

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 how unfair it was,

I spoke up loudly.

I tried to explain,

I screamed,

I cried,

And I 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...

A sense of injustice 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 demons.

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 what I had done to deserve death,

I resented my parents for abandoning me despite knowing the truth,

And I felt betrayed by the people who ignored me after receiving my help.

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

I did it.

I am the one who made a pact with the demon.

Why are you saying that..?

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

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 victimized by the witch hunt,

And I began to be consumed by guilt.

Ah, I'm the one who killed Guest.

This thought dominated my mind.

Stuck in a dark room,

Disconnected from my parents and society,

Interacting with no one,

Not 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 myself alive again.

To be precise, should I call it reincarnation?

With this as a turning point, I began to reincarnate through life after life.

Wait for me, Guest.

I'll be there soon.