The Villainess Refused To Die
Chapter 1
The heat was unbearable.
I could feel it even from the ground as flames consumed the upper floors of the building in front of me. Thick black smoke poured from the shattered windows, turning the night sky into a wall of darkness.
"There's still someone up there!"
I looked up.
A little girl was standing on the rooftop. She couldn't have been older than eight. She was crying, clutching the railing as smoke surrounded her.
My heart sank.
"Can we reach her with the ladder?" I asked Gavin, my fellow firefighter.
He looked toward the fire truck and shook his head.
"Not high enough."
I looked back at the rooftop.
The ladder was already extended as far as it could go, but it was still several meters short.
"Then I'll climb." I reached for my harness. Gavin immediately grabbed my arm.
"No, wait!" I looked at him.
"Let's wait for the rescue helicopter. They're already on their way."
I glanced back at the little girl. She was still crying, desperately calling for someone to save her.
"There's no time!" I insisted.
"Julie, the smoke is getting thicker. The fire could reach the rooftop at any moment." I looked up again. The floor beneath the rooftop was already burning, but the upper section hadn't caught fire yet.
There was still a chance.
A small one.
But a chance was enough.
"I can make it."
Gavin stared at me for a moment. He knew I wasn't going to back down.
With a reluctant sigh, he nodded.
"Fine, but don't do anything stupid."
I smiled and adjusted my harness.
"When did I ever do that?"
Gavin stared at me.
"You did it the other day." Gavin said, staring at me in disbelief.
I laughed. "Then today isn't anything special."
"Julie." His voice was serious, almost stern. The teasing look he usually had was completely gone, replaced by a warning in his eyes. I knew exactly what he meant.
"Be careful." Gavin sighed and helped me secure the harness, checking every strap twice.
I gave him a thumbs-up.
"Always."
I started climbing.
The harness pulled against my body as I slowly made my way up the building. The higher I climbed, the thicker the smoke became.
My eyes burned. Every breath felt heavier. But I kept going.
One floor, then another. I could hear the flames roaring somewhere below me. I couldn't see much anymore. Still, I climbed.
"Hey!" I shouted toward the rooftop. The little girl looked over the edge.
"Don't be scared!"
She was crying too hard to answer.
"I'm coming for you!" I continued climbing. "You're going to be okay!"
Finally, my hands reached the edge of the rooftop.
I pulled myself over.The girl immediately ran toward me. I caught her before she could fall.
"I've got you."
She buried her face against my chest.
"I was scared..."
"I know." I held her tightly.
"But you're safe now."
I looked toward the fire truck below. The ladder was still there. If we could just reach it, we'd be safe. I secured the girl against me with the harness.
"Okay. We're going down."
She wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Hold on to me as tightly as you can."
She nodded. I moved toward the ladder.
Everything happened so fast.
One moment, I was reaching for the ladder, thinking we were going to make it out.
Then—
A strange sound came from above.
Crack.
I froze. I looked upward. My heart dropped. The rope above us had caught fire.
"Oh no."
The flames spread along it frighteningly fast.
"JULIE!"
I heard Gavin shouting from below.
"GET TO THE LADDER!"
I tried. I reached toward it.
But before my hand could grab hold-
Snap!
The rope broke and we fell.
"Hold on!"
The little girl screamed. The ground rushed toward us. There wasn't enough time to think. So I did the only thing I could. I wrapped both arms around her. I pulled her against my chest and then I twisted my body in midair.
I positioned myself beneath her.
If someone had to take the impact... It would be me.
I'm sorry, Mom.
The ground came closer. Please let her live.
Closer.
Please.
Then-
CRASH!
Pain exploded through my body. Everything went silent. For a moment, I couldn't understand what had happened.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't even feel my body.
Then I opened my eyes.
The little girl was lying on top of me. I stared at her, barely able to focus.
"Are you... okay?" My voice was barely a whisper.
She stirred.
Then she lifted her head. A sob escaped her lips. She was alive.
Relief washed over me. A weak smile formed on my lips.
"Good..."
I coughed. Something warm filled my mouth.
Blood.
I couldn't move my arms. I couldn't move my legs. I couldn't even lift my head. My entire body felt like it had been crushed.
But she was alive. That was enough.
"Julie!"
I heard Gavin. He was running toward me.
"JULIE!"
I wanted to answer him. I really did, but my body wouldn't cooperate.
The sirens were still screaming around us.Yet they sounded strangely distant. Like they were coming from somewhere far away.
"Julie! Stay with me!"
I could barely hear him anymore. My vision began to blur. The flashing lights became streaks of color.
Gavin's face faded in and out. The little girl was crying. I wanted to tell her that everything was okay.
But I couldn't speak.
My eyelids became heavier.
She's alive.
That was the last thing I thought. That's all that matters.
Then everything went dark.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darkness.
I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't hear anything.
Slowly, my senses began to return.
I felt something soft beneath me. Something cool brushed against my skin.
I tried to move, but my body felt heavy.
Then I opened my eyes.
A beautiful crystal chandelier hung above me. I blinked.
Once. Twice.
"...This isn't a hospital."
I slowly pushed myself upright. The moment I opened my eyes, I knew something was wrong.
This wasn't a hospital. The room was enormous, decorated with silk curtains, golden ornaments, and paintings that looked centuries old. I stared at everything in disbelief.
"Where am I?"
Before I could get an answer, a woman rushed toward me.
"Lady Rishima!" I froze.
"...What did you call me?" The maid looked at me, confused.
"Lady Rishima."
I slowly pushed myself out of bed.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
I noticed a large mirror across the room. I walked toward it. Then I stopped.
A stranger was staring back at me. She had long silver hair.
Pale skin.
And beautiful violet eyes.
I touched my face. The girl in the mirror did the same.
"No..."
My breathing became faster.
"This isn't me."
The maid hurried toward me.
"Lady Rishima, please sit down."
I turned toward her.
"What's my name?"
She stared at me.
"Lady Rishima Grimaldi."
The name struck something inside me.
Rishima Grimaldi. I froze.
That name.....I knew it.
Not from history.
Not from a newspaper.
Not from anything I'd ever heard in real life.
But from a novel.
My mind raced.
The Crown of Ashes.
A fantasy novel I had read months ago.
A story about the Kingdom of Sylvania, its royal family, its saintess, and its magic.
And at the center of its darkest conflicts was one woman.
Rishima Grimaldi.
The villainess. The woman everyone hated. The woman destined to lose everything.
And eventually......
die.
My blood ran cold.
"No way..." I stared at my reflection.
"I'm Rishima Grimaldi?"
The maid nodded.
"Yes, my lady."
I looked at the unfamiliar face in the mirror.
Then I remembered what happened before I died.
The little girl.
My coworkers.
The flashing lights.
Gavin shouting my name.
I touched my chest.
"I died..."
The words barely escaped my lips. The maid looked horrified, but I barely noticed.
I looked at my reflection again.
I was alive.
But I wasn't Julie anymore.
I was Rishima Grimaldi.
And if my memories were correct.......
I knew exactly how this woman's story ended.
She was executed.
But that wasn't going to happen to me.
"Not this time."
I slowly clenched my fists.
Then I looked directly into those unfamiliar violet eyes.
"I already died once."
I took a deep breath.
"I won't die again."
.
.
.