Secret Love Affair between a Former Saint and a Dark Hero - Chapter 60
“If–if this is cursed, then I should be the one to die. Why would Jiyeon die? It doesn’t make sense!”
Her grandmother explained as such. This was a story from a world that exists somewhere. But a woman who caught a glimpse of that world in a dream twisted its ending to suit her own tastes.
“Are you saying the author saw a story from an actual existing world, wrote it differently, and turned it into a novel?”
“That’s right. It gained power the more people read it. That’s how it became a curse. In that world, there must be an entity that needs to live, but she made it die so that she may benefit.”
Sol understood that “The Saint’s Flower” had a saintly female protagonist, an evil woman who envied her, a Crown Prince Ovid who loved the saint, and a villain, Vigros, who wanted Arcanda all for himself.
It was just that kind of story.
‘But if it’s different from the original story…’
The saint was someone other than Arcanda. In that case, Iora was the real saint who would die as a villain.
“Your friend will enter the body of a woman whose destiny has been twisted.”
By turning the original protagonist, who should have been the saint, into a villainous supporting character, the true saint of the world would die. Despite the happy ending, the altered ending of the novel would doom it. With the real saint gone, the remaining characters are left to meet tragic deaths in a crumbling world.
“But that world is resisting its destruction. It had to escape the compelling force of that book to continue existing.”
The world that was originally born and should have concluded for the sake of Saint Iora didn’t want to perish. As the book was written and the unknown binding force destroyed and broke the world, the world fought back in the same way.
To prevent its destruction and stay intact, unlike the story it had been twisted into, the genuine Saint Iora needed to survive.
“The disruption came from this side, so the other world started devouring the souls on this side. To save the original saint. To mend a broken destiny.”
The world drew in the souls from where it all began. The summoned souls settled in the body of Saint Iora. The first soul drawn in was the author who wrote the book herself.
“But when souls intertwine, the consciousness on this side becomes blurred, dominated, influenced by the characters. Even if you know differently in your soul, you resign yourself to the fact that you can’t change it.”
“So, does that mean she lost consciousness? That she just became Iora?”
“Yes, precisely.”
“Tsk tsk, she might think she has control over her body, consciousness, and awareness, but in the end, she’ll be dragged along with the flow.”
This meant being trapped in the persona of the novel. The original memories and personality fade away, living just like the saint Iora in the novel—oppressed, sad, and in agony. She would become suppressed, without any intention to change, passively succumbing to the role of Iora in the novel.
Sol gritted her teeth, imagining the world of the protagonist receiving all the love. From the perspective of the antagonist facing death no matter what she did, how terrifying and cruel it must be.
Her grandmother’s voice echoed ominously. The paper in her hand made a crinkling sound.
“For the one beloved by god—the one who communes with the divine—is the one who is laid low, who must hear dark things, who wounds herself, who accepts. And the soul trapped in that body is bound to die a miserable death.”
The drawn-in souls, despite the efforts to change the ending, cannot resist. And since the novel states that the saint is Arcanda, they can’t even think of themselves as the true saint.
Sol chewed at her lip, deep in thought.
Again and again, the book tried to draw in souls to change the ending. To find a saint who knew everything, who was aware and could break free from this cycle. The first soul failed, then the second, then the third, then the fourth, and so on. And so on.
Sol asked with a trembling voice, “You’re saying Jiyeon is the 99th soul?”
It couldn’t be true. Sol shook her head vigorously. Tears streamed down her face. She knew better than anyone how much her friend had struggled and persevered in life.
And now, to have it end just like this?
“I can’t let it end like this. I can’t, Grandma!”
“Child, there’s nothing that can be done.”
“It can’t be like this! Why? Why can’t I do anything about it? I can do something. I can help! Jiyeon has worked so hard. I can’t accept that she will disappear like this! Please let me help. Teach me. There must be something I can do. Right?”
“Fate cannot be changed.”
“She’s my best friend… truly. I can give anything. Please. If there’s any way I can save Jiyeon, please—isn’t there anything I can do?”
“The child will surely be dragged into the book.”
“If that’s the case, please tell me a way for her not to die in it—a way for her to become the protagonist!”
Sol shed tears like a rushing river. It was said that even her death on this side would not be peaceful. She would have to die with enough agony, pain, and suffering to gain the strength to enter the book.
The old woman’s face crumpled at her pleading.
But, finally, her grandmother gave in.
“All 98 souls didn’t know if they were the real saint and died by having their hearts pierced with a dagger. So, you need to make that child aware that she is a saint with power. Even if she’s stabbed with a sword, she should be able to create a miracle on her own.
“Sol, it’s up to you to show her.”
