The Side Character Turned Villainess - Chapter 253

We arrived at the end of the hall which had a table set up and a heavy velvet curtain behind it. I saw a table with a small ceramic incense pot filled with ashes from previous offerings. I could tell the pot had been there for generations and was a living relic.

I put the incense stick into the pot and lit it with the sacred candle. I raised an eyebrow, “Do I really need to pray?”

I heard something crash into the wall causing me to jump. It sounded as if something had hit the wall with full force. However, nothing was out of place.

I panicked, “Okay! I will pray! I will pray!”

I squeezed my eyes shut, “Dear Gods, or Holy Empress, or whoever. Uhh… I don’t really know how to do this. But… How’s it going? Is the weather nice?”

The Original Seri giggled, “That’s how you pray?”

“Well, I don’t know! It’s not like anyone has ever instructed me how to do this.”

“Didn’t you grow up at a church orphanage?”

I shivered, “Yes… But I don’t like to be reminded of that.”

“Right… Sorry.”

I sighed, “Plus that was a different religion.”

“Then… Speak from the heart?”

I nodded and took a deep breath. I spoke calmly, “If I could speak to the Holy Empress, I just want to first start out by saying sorry. I am sorry that your son Simon killed you. That was pretty cruel of him. He was brainwashed into doing it, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter to you that much. You have every right to be upset too. I’m sure that you must feel conflicted over knowing that he was the one to kill you…”

I smiled gently, “But… I also wanted to thank you for giving Dante to me.”

The Original Seri glanced at me with an unreadable expression.

I continued, “I know that it resulted in your death, but I really am thankful to you for trying so hard to keep him alive. I have never had anyone who has accepted and loved me before. Everyone has either tried to change me or has told me to change myself. But not Dante. He seems to actually see me. Whenever I am hurt, he was there to comfort me. Even though I was terrible and killed so many people, he still accepted me.”

I felt my eyes sting with tears, “Even though he was so wonderful to me, I still kept so many secrets from him. I was so worried that he would toss me aside that I couldn’t even tell him the truth. I kept his father’s identity a secret. I didn’t tell him my life as Leia willingly. I even conspired with Simon behind his back which inadvertently made him get caught up in this situation to begin with!”

I started sobbing, “And now I have even got into an unwanted marriage with a bandit and allowed Simon to kiss me. Can he still love me after all this? All I want is for Dante to be free. However, I’m not this omniscient being that everyone seems to think I am. The truth is that I’m terrified and hanging on by a thread. I have no idea what I am even doing! Am I doing the right thing? Can I really save Dante by making all these sacrifices? Will it really be enough? What if I put myself through all of this and lose Dante along the way?”

“I can’t! I can’t lose Dante… I don’t care what happens to me, but Dante must be saved at all costs. Even if Dante hates me, as long as he is alive and safe that is all that matters…”

I wiped my tears with my sleeve. I looked up at the empty hall and spoke in determination, “Don’t worry, your Holy Empress. I WILL save Dante. No matter what happens to me, I will succeed. I must succeed. If anyone deserves to live a happy life, it is him.”

The Original Seri had watched my prayer silently. She spoke timidly, “Seri… Please do not worry too much. If anyone can save Dante, it is you.”

I chuckled in a low voice, “Yeah… That is what they always say, isn’t it? If anyone can do it- it is you. But I am not as great or all powerful as people think. Hell. I act confident, but the truth is that I know deep down I am nothing more than trash. I only got this far because I was lucky. Now my luck is gone and I only have misfortune.”

“No… I do not believe it was luck.”

“Why not?”

“You got here today because all that suffering you faced turned you into the resilient person you are now. No matter how much you are knocked down, you stand up again. This pain is your strength. You are capable because you have been through worse. You will succeed because everything you’ve been through has prepared you for this moment.”

I gave her a faint smile, “I wonder.”

I cleared my throat and looked away from the offering table, “Well I guess I should return now.”

As I turned, I accidentally bumped the table. The bowl of ashes fell on the ground and started rolling. My face was stiff as I watched it roll under the table and go behind the curtains. I stared at the trail of ash for a moment in silence.

I heard the Original Seri break the silence, “You dropped it.”

I rolled my eyes, “I can see that. Do you think they will get mad?”

“You mean mad that you scattered ashes belonging to generations of their ancestors praying to the Holy Empress? No. There’s no way.”

I pouted, “You don’t have to be so sarcastic…” I clapped my hands together and rubbed them, “Well this is fine. I can just grab the ceramic pot and sweep the ashes back in. No one will be the wiser.”

I bent down and looked under the table. I couldn’t see the pot, but I could see the trail of ash from when it fell and rolled under the table. I followed the trail of ash and froze when I saw it go behind the curtain.

“Is there something behind this curtain?”

“I don’t know. Why are you asking me? I’ve never been here before.”

“I’m talking to myself. Stop interrupting my inner monologue.”

“I think Millie is right. You really are off in the head.”

“…”

I closed my eyes in irritation, “I’m going to ignore that.”

I reached forward and pushed the curtain aside. My eyes lit up in surprise when I saw another hallway. It was much narrower than the one I was currently in. I had thought that this hallway ended, but I had no idea the curtain behind the table was hiding another hallway.

I sat up, “There’s a-”

*BONK*

“Ow! Ow ow ow OW!”

I held the top of my head which had hit the burnt sienna table above me.

“There’s a table there.”

I crawled out from under the table indignantly, “I know that.”

“Then why’d you hit your head?”

I wagged my finger in the air, “I think you are becoming too cheeky lately. What happened to that timid girl who was always so polite?”

“She died.”

“…”

I cleared my throat awkwardly, “Anyway… I think we should see where this hallway goes.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Nope!” I grinned, “But we are doing it anyway.”

I moved the curtain and stepped behind the table ignoring the ashes and pot I had knocked over minutes before. I carried the sacred candle to illuminate the dark hallway that had no windows.

I approached the end and saw a strange tapestry on the wall next to a large statue on the wall. I shined the candle over it and looked closely. It seemed that the tapestry was hand woven. On the top were clouds with buildings over it. Coming from those clouds appeared to be lightning in the shapes of snakes. Below that was a woman adorned with jewels and a peaceful expression. At her feet were many people seeming to clamor to touch her feet.

I ran my hands over it and found that there was a thick layer of dust. It was obvious this place hasn’t seen any attention in years. Why hadn’t anyone come and tended to it? The Head Priest said only women were allowed in this part of the church, but surely there had to be some female servants they could hire to at least clean.

I stepped back and looked at the statue next to it. It looked like it was made from an expert craftsman. It was a woman with a flowing skirt and bells on her wrists and ankles as well as along her waist. She looked to be in the middle of a dance. Crawling along her arms and body were several snakes.

I tilted my head as I reached out for one of the snakes, “It seems the Sanki Kingdom really likes snake’s imagery.”

*Click*

As soon as I touched the snake, I heard something click and start to rumble behind the statue. I quickly stepped back and watched as it lifted from the floor.

My eyes lit up, “No way! Hidden doorway!”