The Princess’s Final Wish Before Her Time Runs Out - Chapter 84

What should I even call this being?

Tericia realized something, she didn’t even know the name of the voice speaking to her.

[It’s been a while, Tericia.]

The voice smiled brightly as it spoke. The figure waved its hand playfully in greeting, its form still vague and shadowy humanoid, but far from solid, floating in the white space.

Tericia didn’t answer. She simply narrowed her eyes and stared, sharply.

[Oh? Still so guarded? That’s kind of hurtful, you know.]

“Isn’t that only natural?”

Her voice was clipped, edged. After all she’d been through, suspicion was the least this thing deserved.

She couldn’t help thinking back on all the strange, chaotic events that had happened since getting involved with it. The more she remembered, the more frustrated she felt.

“You’re the one who used Emily to bring Count Clu inside the estate, weren’t you?”

She finally asked what had been weighing on her mind for so long. From the moment she heard Emily’s story, she’d had her doubts—now close to certainty.

[Whatever do you mean?]

The voice laughed through its words, unable—or unwilling—to suppress the amusement. That reaction alone told Tericia all she needed to know.

She had suspected it already, but now that it was confirmed, she felt more than frustrated—she was stunned. What was this thing, and why did it meddle in such disturbing ways?

[You’re being unfair, Tericia. I’m only trying to help you.]

“Help? You call this helping?”

She scoffed—half laugh, half disbelief.

[I’ve never tried to kill you.]

“Oh really? You shoved me off a cliff. You used Emily to sneak Count Clu inside, then used him to ruin Rashid’s birthday banquet. How do you explain that?”

[Well, that’s just…]

The figure shrugged, laughing again as if she were being overly sensitive.

“You erased my name from the family registry too, didn’t you?”

[No, that one wasn’t me. I only helped Count Clu get inside the hall.]

“……”

[It was all for you.]

“For me?”

Tericia stared at it, her voice dry with disbelief.

She was starting to realize—there was no real conversation to be had here. No logic, no truth she could pin down.

This thing, whatever it was, wasn’t even something she could classify as a person. She didn’t know why it was following her—or why it had saved her and given her this second chance at life.

Yes, she was alive because of it—but why? What was its true intention?

“What are you planning?”

[If I told you, it wouldn’t be any fun.]

The white figure drifted slowly toward her. A chill settled over her skin as it came closer.

It giggled.

[I told you before, Tericia… a life for a life.]

As her face paled, the figure started circling her—gleeful, like a child dancing and singing around a game they were winning.

[The balance that was off… will finally be corrected.]

“……”

[In the end, do you really think you can fulfill your wish alone?]

“What are you trying to say?”

She stared at it directly, refusing to flinch.

The voice giggled again, playfully.

Then—suddenly—it stopped laughing, though a smirk still lingered on its face.

[That you’ll need my help eventually.]

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t need anything from you.”

[Not even with a war on the horizon?]

“…!”

Her hands turned cold. Her heart began pounding—a dark, heavy dread creeping in.

The figure felt it. It grinned wider.

[You already know, don’t you, Tericia? What kind of war this is.]

That voice was all too calm—far too smug.

Tericia’s eyes trembled.

[Yes. The war where Rashid died alone, with no one at his side. This one… you can’t avoid.]

Her entire body trembled. She opened her mouth to speak—but no sound came out.

The figure smiled with satisfaction.

[Do you really think he’ll survive it this time?]

And then, it laughed. Loudly. Cruelly.

“No!”

With a shout, Tericia sat bolt upright in bed.

Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. Sweat clung to her skin. She was still trembling.

The laughter echoed in her ears, long after the dream had ended.

It was just a dream. That’s all it was. A dream.

She tried to stretch out her fingers, but her hands refused to stop shaking.

“My lady, are you alright?!”

Footsteps rushed from outside, followed by Mandy’s anxious voice.

The sound of her maid’s voice—so real, so familiar—grounded her.

It’s okay. I’m still here. That wasn’t real. It was just a dream.

She focused on breathing. Slowly, her panic began to settle.

“My lady?”

“…I’m alright, Mandy. Just… a bad dream.”

“Should I bring you some water?”

The door creaked open and Mandy peeked inside, worry written all over her face.

“No, I’m fine.”

Tericia tried to smile gently—but her face was still pale, her expression stiff.

“Sorry I scared you. You can rest now—really, I’m okay.”

“But…”

“It’s late, Mandy. Really, go get some rest. We had a busy day. I was just tired, that’s all.”

“…Yes. Please, call me if you need anything—anything at all.”

Mandy looked back several times, her face filled with worry. After checking one last time if Tericia was truly alright, she gently closed the door behind her.

Silence fell.

Tericia let the forced smile fall from her face and exhaled a long, weary breath.

It was a small mercy that Mandy hadn’t seen her face clearly in the dark. Under the moonlight, Tericia’s expression had been pale—far more than usual.

[Don’t forget, Tericia. A life for a life.]

Whether it had been a dream or not, the words spoken in that place lingered.

From the beginning—or at least, from the moment she started remembering that being—the voice had repeated the same thing.

A life for a life.

Whose life is meant to be lost, and whose is meant to survive?

Tericia thought deeply.

Though many memories had faded with time, some remained painfully clear.

In the past… Mandy had died. The Duke. Her mother. Even Sir Heinz had died.

She couldn’t remember clearly if Sir Adler had survived.

And then—Rashid.

Tericia clenched her fists without realizing. A sharp pain shot through her chest, like something piercing her heart.

“…It’s okay. Not now. Not yet.”

She took slow, steady breaths, calming herself. But the thoughts wouldn’t stop.

In this life, Leah had died. Her mother was gone too.

But the Duke and Sir Heinz were still alive.

If “a life for a life” meant what she feared… then someone else might still have to die.

She shook her head.

She had people now—people she could call friends. People who supported her. The staff at the estate, too, were warm to her now. She didn’t want to lose them.

I won’t let them die.

And more than anyone—

“I can’t lose you.”

I will save you. No matter what.

She exhaled slowly and climbed out of bed, stepping onto the balcony.

Once her heart had settled, the world came back into focus.

The moonlight glowed gently, casting a soft sheen over the stillness of the night. It wasn’t as bright as day, but not so dark that the world was hidden.

It would be nice to see this with Rashid.

“…Ah.”

Suddenly, Tericia realized what had changed—what had changed the most.

“I… let you in.”

She had shown him her heart.

If there was one thing that was completely different from her past life—it was that.

This time, she hadn’t hidden her feelings. She had acknowledged them. Admitted them to herself—and to him.

These weren’t new emotions. They had been buried deep inside her in the last life, hidden behind tears and silence.

All she had done now was stop running from them.

Her cheeks flushed with heat. Her chest felt full—too full—as golden eyes flashed in her mind.

She remembered how solid his arm had felt beneath her hand when they walked side by side. How large and warm his hand had been, wrapped around her waist when he kissed her.

So many times, she had turned away from his gaze, afraid her burning cheeks would give her away.

Leaning on the balcony railing, she let her eyes drift downward.

Her heart was racing—not from fear, but something softer.

The anxiety that had crushed her when she woke from the dream was gone. All that remained was this sweet ache in her chest.

As she thought of him, her lips curled into a faint smile, tinged with a rosy blush.

It was always like this.

Even when fear threatened to consume her, even when the world felt too heavy—Rashid could calm her, just by existing.

Just by imagining him telling her everything would be alright, warmth filled every corner of her heart. Like he was always there—holding her, guarding her.

“Rashid…”

The name slipped from her lips like a whisper, soft and warm. And then—

“Tericia?”

It was a voice she hadn’t expected to hear. A voice that answered her as though summoned.

She startled and leaned over the railing, eyes wide.

And there—he was.

Standing below her balcony, bathed in moonlight.

As if her longing had taken shape.

As if the night itself had conjured his image for her.

“…Rashid.”

Why? Why are you always… always right there?

Her heart clenched, tight and overwhelming. Tears welled up before she could stop them.

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