CHAPTER 51: ROSALIA’S IDENTITY IS REVEALED

Rosalia — POV

I felt as if I were being roasted alive.

Was it because I was so furious with Cassel?

I didn’t know what was happening to me. It was as though I had been thrown into a dark, sealed space—no light, no sound, nothing but my own presence.

Just like always.

Alone... unwanted, isolated.

Shut out by society, by my family, by the world itself.

As if my very existence had been a mistake—an error so intolerable that the only way to correct it was to cast me out.

But I didn’t regret it.

I didn’t hate it.

Isn’t it because I was kicked out that I ended up in Cassel’s world? That I met him?

But... but that idiot still loves Mary?

Why?

I hate that.

I feel angry, and sad, and I feel like crying.

"Don’t cry."

A voice echoed—distant, yet clear and unmistakable.

"Please, don’t cry. I’m sorry... please forgive me."

Again, the voice sounded as if it were pleading... as if he were the one crying.

Is that Cassel’s voice?

Why does he sound so devastated?

No.

I need to reach him.

I need to be with him.

I can’t leave him like that. I want to wipe his tears... I want to comfort him.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the darkness surrounding me. I couldn’t feel my body. I couldn’t see Cassel, even though I could clearly hear him.

My frustration grew.

Why am I being kept from seeing my villain?

Why...

I want to see him.

I want to hold him... to comfort him.

I forced my mind to calm down, focusing all my energy on trying to feel my surroundings.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally sensed a glimmer of light.

I opened my eyes slowly—but the brightness stabbed at my vision, forcing me to squeeze them shut again.

"Rosalia... Rose... Rose! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Once my eyes adjusted, I opened them again, and the first thing I saw was Cassel’s face hovering over me.

But...

Why does he look like that?

I lifted my hand toward him, though the movement felt so weak that it drained almost all my remaining strength.

"Are you okay?"

Cassel grabbed my hand tightly, brought it to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss onto my skin before raising his eyes to mine—eyes filled with relief and joy.

Did my collapsing in front of him scare him that much?

That was my first thought... until I learned I had been asleep for four and a half days.

I mean—"..."

...

Some time later, I was sitting upright on the bed, with Liz standing in front of me.

"You’re saying I slept for four days?"

"Yes. During this time, the boss was in a really terrible mood. He took care of you the entire time—feeding you, giving you medicine, and providing food."

As for how he fed me while I was unconscious...

I felt it was safer not to ask any stupid questions.

Honestly, part of me still didn’t believe it. I didn’t remember anything except the darkness—and Cassel’s voice calling me. Liz said I had been in terrible pain and groaning nonstop.

That was... unfortunate.

"So where are we now?"

My question wasn’t without reason. I was lying on a soft, warm bed in a beautiful room.

"We’re in City Y. Originally, we tried to enter the safe base, but when they saw you were sick, they refused us entry—they feared you might be infected with the zombie virus."

"So we’re—"

"This is a hotel the boss found. He wiped out all the zombies nearby—turned them all into charcoal in under a minute. Our group stayed here while waiting for you to wake up."

Liz’s expression twisted with anger.

"As for the others who were with us, they refused to stay—claiming it wasn’t safe for them. They rushed into the base the moment we arrived. The only ones who stayed, aside from our team, were our men, the family that asked for our help before, and the people the boss brought along."

I kept talking with Liz, learning everything that had happened over the past few days.

About an hour later, Cassel returned.

Earlier, this man had disappeared the instant I woke up—I had no idea where he’d run off to.

And now he was back... with someone behind him.

Henry.

"Hey, bunny, are you okay? Does anything hurt? Your body? Anything?"

Henry stepped forward, looking like he was about to sit on the bed—only for Cassel to yank him back by the collar.

"Did you do everything I told you to? Didn’t I tell you to prepare everyone? We’re entering the safe base soon."

"Boss, everything’s ready. We just need to move."

"Oh, really? Then go check again, and tell me when you’re completely sure."

With no way to stay, Henry had to leave—tail between his legs.

But of course, he didn’t forget to turn around, wink at me flirtatiously, and say while leaving:

"See you later, bunny. It’s good to see you healthy again. Don’t forget to eat your carrot."

"You sly fox—take your carrots and shove them!"

I threw a pillow at the door. Henry closed it as he ran away.

Liz also left after saying goodbye, following Henry out.

And then... it was just me and Cassel.

Alone in the closed room.

The silence grew awkward.

Just as I was about to say something to ease the mood, Cassel spoke.

"I don’t like Mary."

"What?"

"I hate her. And I hate Cecil. And I hate my father. They’re all scum. They’ve hurt me more than once—and I despise them."

"Excuse me? What?"

His sudden confession shocked me—completely out of nowhere.

But then... indescribable joy filled my chest.

Did my villain just say he hates Cecil and his father—and he doesn’t love Mary either?

Doesn’t that mean he’s no longer following the original story?

Doesn’t that mean I’ve taken a step forward in saving him?

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes. I’m going to cut ties with them soon. I don’t want any connection with people like that. And that girl—she’s Cecil’s lover. I’d never fall in love with someone like her."

My eyes sparkled.

All my exhaustion, my hunger, the shock of having slept for days—none of it could compare to Cassel’s words.

This meant he didn’t love her.

He would never love her.

If he didn’t love her—and if he cut ties with that family—then half the battle was won.

So many future problems and conspiracies could be avoided.

I was overjoyed.

So happy that I didn’t notice when Cassel quietly approached me like a silent panther and sat beside me.

"I never have—and never will—love anyone but you."

Those were the words he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss me.

In my shock, I instinctively pulled back, covering my mouth with my hand.

It wasn’t intentional.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to kiss him—

But—

I just...

Panicked for a moment.

The look on Cassel’s face instantly shifted—hurt, then anger. He stood up and spoke in a cold voice:

"There’s food on the table. Eat, change your clothes, and come out. We’re leaving the hotel in a few minutes."

"Wait—Cassel, I—"

"It’s fine. We’ll talk later. Just hurry. I’ll be waiting outside."

And with that, he left the room and closed the door.

...What an idiot I am.

"Idiot. Fool. Brainless. Why on earth did I dodge his kiss?!"

Damn it.

I was furious with myself for hurting Cassel’s feelings like that.

Ignoring the original story and its destined events—Cassel had hinted at his feelings for me many times.

He’d even kissed me before.

Clearly, he had real, warm feelings for me...

Yet I always ran away from him, hiding behind excuses—fear of a future that hadn’t even happened yet.

I was so angry that I ended up shouting my thoughts aloud in the empty room:

"To hell with the future! To hell with this world and my fear of it!"

I stood on the bed, pointing dramatically at the ceiling as I declared:

"From now on, I will chase after my villain—I will be with him, be his lover, love him, protect him, and live happily with him forever!"

"I don’t care about anything that hasn’t happened yet! So what if I’m from another world? So what if this body isn’t mine? No one will force me to leave him. No one will take my villain away from me!"

After screaming all of that with every ounce of strength I had, I felt... relieved.

This burden had been weighing on my heart for so long.

But now, I had finally decided what I wanted—and the fear and anxiety that had haunted me faded away.

I sat back on the bed, quietly eating the porridge and canned milk on the table.

I didn’t notice the shadow standing silently behind the door...

Nor the sudden tremor that made the entire building sway back and forth.

I assumed it was just a weak earthquake and ignored it.

All I wanted was to eat, get dressed quickly, go meet my villain, comfort him, and hopefully make him forgive me so he wouldn’t stay angry...