The sight from the past when she lay on the brink of death no longer felt bizarre as Evelyn opted to accept her fate.

The vain and lonely death. Evelyn approached her bed to see her such self. The courtiers who couldnt see her spirit, circling around her with their dreary face, as if they had foreseen her death.

[Sir Philip, how.]

She found Lily was already weeping hard. Philip, who looked older than she remembered, shook his head with a somber. Evelyn passed them and saw herself lying on the bed. A pasty complexion, bony-face, and doll-like body with eyes closed like a plaster figure.

I was like this? Evelyn frowned at the haggard and lonely womans face, and she didnt believe that woman was her.

I was alone.I dont want to remember this.

She called Fabian desperately just before she encountered the death. But her heartless husband didnt answer her until she died.

Still, it was fate that she couldnt choose. The moment of her passing, witnessed by everyone. The painful moment to her afterlife would have passed quickly.

[Evelyn!]

A voice that had never been heard in the past rang through the air. Evelyns spirit body hardened for a moment when she saw someone rushing in desperate steps into her bed.

No, it cant be

That person was Fabian, who was over 30.

No. I didnt remember this.

Because in her memory, Fabian never came until she breathed her last.

The past cant change.

Fabian came to bed and held her death-hand before Evelyn could grasp what was going on. She couldnt believe the sight in front of her, but his black eyes were moist with a droplet of tears. Desperateness frowned upon his touch as he swept Evelyns languid cheek.

Fabian couldnt have done that.

[Evelynplease dont leave me.]

Evelyn suddenly was confused and had a breaking headache.

[How do I live long years without you?]

She couldnt believe her 30 over-unfamiliar-husband, whom she saw right nowthe first time shed seen how pathetic Fabian was, who begged her so sadly.

Was this also a side effect of magic?

No, she thought it wasnt.

[You promised mefor the rest of your life you will live as my wife. That lifetime cant be this short.]

At that moment, Evelyns chest-who was lying on her bed, shook once.

[Evelyn!]

Her breathing was billowing, heralded the beginning of her death. Fabians hand, grabbing her, trembled as if it had convulsed several times.

[What are you guys doing! Save the Empress, save Evelyn!]

But no one could answer his ferocious cry.

[If she cant be saved, all of you will die as well.]

His eerie black eyes were mercilessly shined.

[But if your lives arent enough, everyone in this palace, all of them ]

His frustration had been thrown into the wrong place. Evelyns heart was stirred again for a moment when Fabian looked only at her.

These memories I dont remember it. Evelyns soul tapped Fabians hapless cheek. It was a sad touch that he couldnt feel. No, you didnt come to me. The past resentment came to her memory. Until I died aloneyou left me behind.

Repentance scratched her chest once more.

I called you till I died.

However, deep within her heart, Evelyn had a premonition. Evelyns soul began to cloud, and she stared at her dying body.

Ah.

Her subconscious refused to recall her death.

Why did I forget?

Evelyn was so afraid that she had twisted her memory.

I, already I couldnt say anything.

In her memory, Evelyn cried out Fabians name to the end. But he sent Evelyn dying alone without giving her a single answer. And that pain was unbearable.

[Theres no one who can live in a world without you, Evelyn.]

It was really torturous.

[Evelyn!]

His sooty eyes were eagerly glancing at Evelyn. The sound of her breathing, which faded with time, seemed to gnaw at Fabians chest.

[Your Majesty forgive methe Empress has already I cant hear anything.]

Philip, whose hair was white, opened his mouth because he could not see Fabians miserable figure.

[For three days, the Empresss consciousness hasnt returned. Because she was forced to use strong medicine in a coma state.. shes already]

Im. already?

Evelyns dormant memories came rushing back at that precise moment. There was such a vast and cold darkness. She had already lost consciousness once it unfolded.

This dark place .did it emerge from the depths of my mind?

Evelyn was staring at herself. Her other self screamed with pain and pleaded, trapping in her own body. Even though she cried alone, all she received was futility because no one could hear her.

What happened? Im so scared to be alone .. Am I still trapped there?

She couldnt understand her babbling, but the other Evelyns hands were twitching.

Evelyns soul had the chance to see it, and she unknowingly took the hand of that pitiful woman.

She found that both her mind and her vision had drifted far away as if theyd been sucked in. When Evelyn first became conscious of her surroundings, she had been enveloped in darkness.

[Your Majesty it hurts so much.]

She was able to picture herself crouching in the dark.

[Im so scared. No.I dont want to die]

Her heart was beating fast, writhing in soreness.

[Why did you leave me alone?. Fa bian.]

When she witnessed how miserable she was, it was difficult for Evelyn to look at herself.

[Im lonely, Im afraid . Its too dark in here. Why arent you by my side .]

Vaguely, she could hear Fabians voice coming from afar. Evelyn, who was lost in the darkness, tried to say something, but it felt like her voice couldnt be heard by him.

No. Evelyn approached herself, who was crouching on the ground and weeping in the silence. She wanted to console herself; Thats when she realized it was time to let go of her twisted memory and the pain she had been scared of. Dont be afraid. Evelyn whispered to herself. Youre not alone.

Although there was nothing she could change about her death in the past yet, she was still able to remedy something.

Stop crying, and listen to his voice.

Perhaps, Evelyn returned to save herself from the pain of her tragic past.

And open your eyes Hes looking for you.

If she could change the last moment of her life, she would, for both of them. Even if it was meaningless, she definitely wanted to.

Fabian, hes there.

Slowly, the woman who was soaked in tears lifted her head. Little by little, transparently, the outside world began to show itself to her. Evelyn saw the very same thing as if she opened her own eyes. She saw Fabians dark eyes, which were overflowing with heartbreaking grief.

[Evelyn, Im here. Here Im here, please dont leave me.]

Fabian cried as he clenched her dying hand. Evelyns soul, which was previously divided into two, had fused into a single being in his sight.

Fabian.

The time magic that sent her back in time worked perfectly as she had hoped. When Evelyns soul opened her eyes, she was already in the body of her previous life.

Evelyn, are you awake? Are you able to see me? Im right here.

Evelyns blue eyes hurt as she peered at the face of her husband, someone she had once despised.

She wanted to tell him a lot of things that she couldnt talk about. Even though she was in extreme pain and was unable to bear it. Just as her time was up, Evelyn had one final breath to utter one word.

[There are so many things I want to say.]

They had plenty of time to spend together until they were 30. But they wasted a lot of precious time without ever conveying any meaningful words to each other.

It was not someones fault. It should not be used as an excuse to justify awkwardness and difficulty being honest. Its just, all this time, they failed to fully appreciate the value of their time together.

Evelyn, I cant live without you.

Fabians eyes were filled with nothing but true sadness. There seemed to be the same regrets in his heart as those of her. Regrets that led him into the darkness, where his rationality was swallowed in the depths of the abyss. It was an awfully momentary sacrifice before his blood-soaked insanity spread across the continent.

Fabian.

Yes, Im listening.

Evelyn had no idea what to say if she could pick one word to tell. And though she knew that the past would not change, she could not keep herself from desiring what she genuinely wished.

Evelyn?

[Thank you, and Im sorry for misunderstanding and always hated you one-sidedly. Actually, I love you too.]

[Really, I didnt want to break up. Maybe Ill miss you forever.]

Please Forget me.

Evelyn had already left her heart to Fabian in another world. So she gave her last breath to another him, who would be all alone.

Only then did her regret-laden chains that had been binding her heart wholly loosened up and disappeared without a trace. Yet, in her heart, there was something that felt very empty and sad.

Then, Evelyns breathing came to a full halt.

And now, once again, they had separated for the umpteenth time.

***

Theres no darkness after her death, but instead, Evelyn saw an outpouring of light. And her fear of pain and death was starting to fade.

Poor woman.

Evelyn was aware of the owner of the voice. Youre here, David..

The man with purple-iris eyes didnt conceal his shocked expression. No way Ive already used the time magic how could this be? Who are you? After a moment of speechlessness, David regained his composure and was able to speak again.

Im another Evelyn who existed in a world that was twisted by the time. I made some deal with you back then and came back.

Time magic cannot be used repeatedly, even if it is used, the perfection will.wait, no..

In Davids eyes, there was a sense of confidence. Perhaps, something was displaced and couldnt return to its original place. Meaning that a particular circumstance occurred where everything appeared to be falling apart.

Do you mean, the end of what I am trying to do is not right?

I dont know about that. But your magic didnt really succeed. Thats why Im here.

David didnt know that much about the human mind. Evelyn was still so resentful of him because he ended her relationship, so she didnt want to see him again. He lacked the mental ability to grasp what it felt like to be in love.

I never thought my presupposition would come true.

Its you who sent me back but youre not sure yourself .

So what should I do for you then? Are our purposes still the same? David had a quick understanding of the situation.

He had it easy, just like a piece of cake for him. The way he thought and how he dealt were all just the same as he did in the past.

It was the reason behind him using time magic.

Yes. To avert the extinction of the continent, which is Fabians only escape because of my death.

Then what you want me to do, or what Im supposed to do.?

Same. Evelyn said as her wish was still the same, even though she had lived at different times now. But,. dont erase my memories, because theres something I shouldnt forget.

Back then, did I failbecause I erased your memory?

Maybe.

And because, I dont want to erase it either.

Now it was David, however, who was confused by Evelyns request, starting to wonder what had gotten into her.

Listen. You cant turn back the time before Fabian and I met.

I expect there would be some error, but .

Send me to a time when I was 20, a few years after I married him.

Can you erase your relationship with him?

No, I dont want to erase it.

Even though it tormented her, Evelyn wanted to keep her relationship with Fabian, however painful it might have been, for the rest of her life.

Just send me back.

What will happen then?

I I will ask His Majesty for a divorce, and he will accept it.

Thats all?

Evelyn nodded. At the time, they were both in their young. Their thought about marriage was too simplistic, so they were likely to end the relationship with no trouble.

After that I will hide my presence. Then, His Majesty will soon forget about me and live a different life. Hes a cold man who can barely open his heart He will stay as steady as a rock even if he loses something precious.

Even so, whenever she thought of the life he would spend all alone, Evelyn felt pain in her heart.

You said it was a deal. What deal did you make with me in another world?

Something more precious than my life.

Davids eyes began to shake, but he quickly held his ground. It wasnt just a coincidence that they both had their own purposes.

The magic of time. He already did it once. Another him had cast the magic spell at different times.

If this is also fate I have no choice but to follow.

David followed the tide of flow, as Evelyn had expected, and he granted her wish.

The only way to move forward was to return to the beginning.