A few years ago

A young blue-haired boy burst through the doors of the royal library, his steps echoing in the hushed silence of the room. He smirked, having a mischievous plan in mind. He made his way toward his brother's favorite spot in the gigantic halls of the imperial library. As he approached him, the other blue-haired boy noticed his brother's presence; he turned and adjusted his glasses and furrowed his brows in frustration.

"Brother!" Jellal called out, greeting his twin brother.

"Jellal, what are you doing here? Can't you see I'm in the middle of reading?" Siegrain asked as he resumed reading the book.

"Can't you play with me? I have something to show you!"

"What is it?"

"Look! I found this at my doorstep." Jellal said as he eagerly pulled out a magic item from his pocket.

"That's a magic amulet, Jellal. You should return that to the archmage's tower." Siegrain said as he reached out to examine the black amulet.

"No, it's mine now. Don't you want to see its magic, brother?" he asked as he closed his eyes, and soon the amulet started to glow.

"Wait, no!" Siegrain yelled as he tried to stop him from activating the weird amulet.

Gasps of awe escaped their lips as the amulet emitted a dark light, bathing the room in an eerie glow. Siegrain squinted his eyes as he felt the air around them to feel suffocating.

"No, b-black magic?" he gasped as he watched it enveloped Jellal.

The room was filled with a tense silence. Jellal paced anxiously by her bedside, his heart heavy with worry. He sighed, gently reaching out to intertwine his warm hand against her cold ones. His other hand reached to her face, brushing the strand of her scarlet tresses away from her face. As his hand trailed down to her tresses, he paused as his trembling hand clutched a strand of her hair.

"I will never forgive myself if you die because of me," he whispered, tightening his hand on hers.

He longed for her to open her eyes. He wanted to hear her voice reassuring him that everything was fine and it wasn't his fault. It's all my fault. He told himself as tears soon pricked his eyes.

"Please don't leave me like this. Not again."

He fought his back tears. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her because of his curse again. If he hadn't only used his magic last time, she wouldn't have been compelled to overdo using her magic to the point of draining her own mana. He felt helpless, unable to do anything more than wait until she gained consciousness.

"This damn curse," he bit his lip, remembering the first moment he used his magic.

As the glow faded, Siegrain gasped as he saw Jellal with the marks on his body. With a confused face on his face, Jellal turned to him, seeing the weird scarlet marks on his arms.

"B-brother?!" His trembling eyes shifted his gaze to his twin brother as he watched the amulet disintegrate into thin air.

Terrified with his brother's form, Siegrain shouted for help, but it only caused Jellal to panic as he saw his face in the distant mirror. He looked like a monster. He asked Siegrain to keep quiet as he heard a ringing sound.

"I said quiet!" he shouted, unleashing a dark magic that enveloped the whole library.

As soon as he felt the ringing stop in his head, he groggily opened his eyes as the magic caused a shockwave in the library. His eyes widened as he saw all the books disintegrating into pieces.

"J-Jellal?!" Siegrain said as he watched himself vanishing before his eyes.

"S-Siegrain!" Jellal outstretched his hand, desperate to stop his brother from vanishing, but it was too late.

He emptied his lungs, consumed by his emotions. The memory of losing Siegrain because of his curse haunted him his entire life. If he could turn the time back, he wished he was never curious about things and never had this curse. Tears streamed down Jellal's face as he recalled how many countless nights he ever attempted to kill himself for the guilt of killing his own twin brother at that time. After that incident, his life was painted in a monotone color; it was painted in darkness. He was doomed; he felt his whole life crumbling before his eyes. After a month, his mother got sick because of grief. She did not openly blame Jellal for causing the accident, but he could still recall how the maids would gossip about him in the halls.

"Don't get close to me!" he yelled as soon as he gained consciousness.

He ran away from the palace. He wanted to go where no one would find him; the guilt was gnawing him inside out; he wanted to atone for his sins for what he did to Siegrain, and he wanted to end his life by jumping on the falls, but it seemed that fate thought otherwise, now he finds himself in a cave somewhere far from the palace. He staggered back as he saw the lethal closeness of the scarlet-haired child before him.

"O-okay, but are you alright? You've been crying in your sleep." She said as she took a step backward.

"Please, do not come near m-me," he asked with his shaky voice.

"I'm Erza. You don't need to cry. I'm here." She said as she smiled, reassuring him that it was alright.

He bit his lips, remembering the first time he saw her. She was his light in his dark world. Only if that incident did not happen, Erza would not have turned into the Erschelle that despised him so much. If only he could've prevented that from happening, everything would've been fine.

"You don't need to cry. I'm here."

He wants to hear those words again. He felt guilty, a part of him wanted to be with the Erschelle that he knew, but he wanted Erza to stay like this. He doesn't care if she's an impostor or not; as long as she cares for him, that would be enough for him.

"Please wake up now, my Scarlet." He begged as he lifted his head, seeing her face.

Hearing a familiar footsteps, Jellal quickly composed himself, wiping away his tears and taking a deep breath. Caleb stood before the door, hesitating on disturbing Jellal. He cleared his throat and announced his presence before entering.

"What brings you in this hour?" Jellal asked as he greeted him.

"I don't know if this is an appropriate time to discuss this, but I found this in her quarters," Caleb stated as he lent Jellal the magical notebook that Erza had.

"A magic notebook?"

"If you allow me, I will try to decode the spell she had cast to unlock its content."

Jellal looked back at Erza's form once more; he hesitantly nodded his head. "Just make sure she doesn't learn about this," he said as he gave her the notebook.

With a deep breath, Jellal approached his wife's bedside again; this time, his gaze fixed on the azaleas he had placed there earlier. He adjusted the position of the flower, ensuring it sat just right. As he stepped back, he sat on the edge of the bed, watching her breathe again. His mouth went agape in surprise, tears staining her pale face.

"E-Erza?" he asked as he watched her furrow her brows.

Jellal moved closer, his hand gently reaching out to brush away the tears that stained her cheeks. His heart sank as her cries intensified. He soon froze as he saw her open her eyes, tears still streaming down her face.

"E-Erza?" He called out once more.

Erza sat up in bed and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. It seemed as if he was in oblivion; she hugged her knees, crying her heart out. Jellal froze, not knowing what to do.

"What did I do to deserve this life?" she whispered as she bawled.

His heart sank; her words were laced with such disdain and sadness that they pierced his whole being. In the quiet of the room, he allowed her to wail without even consoling her. He was too stunned to console her in such a vulnerable state.

"All I ever wanted is to be loved," she mumbled before falling back to her unconscious state.

As Erza slowly opened her eyes, she found herself in a quiet, empty room. Confusion clouded her mind for a moment as she searched for Jellal's familiar presence, but he was nowhere to be seen. She sat up, her gaze scanning the room. She clutched the sheets as her head hurt.

"What on the earth happened?" she asked herself as memories came rushing to her mind.

"Jellal?" she called out, hoping to see him as a sense of unease settled within her.

Receiving no response, Erza slipped out from her bed, her bare feet touching the cool floor. She wrapped a robe around herself as she slipped her slippers on. Where is he? I guess it's no use for him to be here since he knows I'm not his Erschelle. Erza feels sad somehow, she wants to see him first when she wakes up but finds no one in their room.

As she was about to open the doors, it opened and revealed Cedric's presence. The butler was relieved to see her well; he quickly ordered the maids to tend to the princess. Erza's eyes darted from side to side, hoping to catch sight of Jellal, but she found none.

"Cedric, where's Jellal?" she asked as he followed her inside as the maid assisted her.

"His Highness was deeply concerned that you have not gained your consciousness, Your Highness. He went to the northern mountain to fetch the priestess."

"Callista?" her eyes widened with the news.

No, if Callista's returning to the capital now, that means the prince's birthday nears. Her eyes widened in realization. That means my death draws near. She stood up as the butler tried to excuse himself.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Five days," he replied.

Caleb was surprised by the news. He hastily rushes to see Erschelle. Didn't the cardinal say that only Callista's magic can stabilize her condition? He knew that Jellal hated the idea of asking for favors from anyone, especially the temple, but he had no choice when it was his only hope to save Erschelle. Jellal could've easily sent him in his stead, knowing all too well that he wanted to stay by Erschelle's side until she woke up. However, considering his status, Jellal has no choice but to go in his stead, as the use of the teleportation scroll is limited to that of the ability of the royals.

"Y-Your Highness?" he greeted as he saw her rummaging through her things.

"You did not even announce your presence. How impudent!" Erschelle scowled as she hid the papers from him.

"I was just stunned by the news. You are indeed conscious now. D-Did the physician already check your health?"

"He already did. You can leave now." She ordered.

She was pissed at herself. She was so preoccupied that she did not feel his presence as he burst through the door. Erschelle's notebook is nowhere to be found. She couldn't help but feel troubled when Caleb's prying eyes caught her suspicious actions. She knew he was trying to hide his shock. She ordered him to leave, wanting to be alone again so that she could find the notebook about Erschelle's memories. She wants to reconnect the memories she had dreamt of to that of her earlier recollection.

"Please understand that His Highness did not wish to leave you behind. Please don't detest him for this." He said, clarifying that Jellal was doing his best for her sake.

"I see. Thank you for informing me," she said, slightly relieved to hear about it.

As he was about to leave, Erza called out his attention and asked him if he had noticed a notebook back in her quarters in the north. She remembered bringing the notebook there.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know which notebook are you referring to?"

"N-Nothing. You may leave now. I want to be alone."

Jellal's figure emerged with the northern delegates as the gates swung open. His horse neighed softly, its hooves slowing down under his command as they drew near to the doorstep. Jellal dismounted first before assisting the hooded figure to dismount.

"Y-Your Highness!" Caleb rushed to greet him, eyeing the familiar presence beside him.

"Caleb, how's Erza?" he asked as he let his knights handle the stead.

"She's already conscious."

"W-What?" he furrowed his brows, darting to her quarters.

Erza sighed frustrated as she watched her room filled with scattered sheets and folders. She had been searching the notebook for a while now, but it was nowhere to be found. Feeling defeated, Erza sank onto her bed, she flicked her hand, and the papers soon arranged themselves back to their original position. She stared at the ceiling as she felt lost. I haven't memorized all the details that I've noticed from her memories. I won't lose it unless someone has discovered it already. Her thoughts wandered back to Jellal as she remembered the previous events at the northern mountains.

What if he has the notebook already? That must be the reason why he had reached out to Callista to ask for the magic circle that I had written on it. No, he must've known about that if that's the case. She jolted from the bed, hearing the door bursting.

"E-Erza?" He called out her name as he rushed forward, closing the distance between them, and threw his arms around her in a tight embrace.

"Jellal?" she whispered as she felt his familiar scent.

Jellal pulled back slightly, his hands cupping her face. She felt conscious as she felt his hot breath against her face. He whispered her name once more as he lifted her face, making her eyes meet his longing ones.

"Are you alright?" he asked, hands trembling against her pale skin.

"I am," she replied, looking sideways.

"Y-Your Highness?" a voice sounded from a distance making Jellal take a step back from her.

"Callista?"

"The cardinal said she can help you, so I thought of bringing her here in the meantime to check on you," Jellal said as Callista sat on the bedside, checking Erza's pulse.

"I'm fine; you don't need to worry. It's my fault for straining myself." She said as she lowered her head.

Caleb assisted Callista as they exited their quarters. Jellal sighed as he sat near her. He was troubled by the distant look on her face, remembering the incident three days ago. He wasn't sure why he felt the necessity to reassure her about it.

"Erschelle, can I ask you something?" he asked, seeing her zoning out.

"Oh, what is it?" Erza asked as she turned to face him.

"A-All I ever wanted is to be loved,"

He remembered her words. Maybe he could place his trust in this stranger, but the idea of loving her, like how he cherished Erschelle, the woman of his dreams, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was hesitant; he didn't want to initiate the idea of talking about it, and he felt insensitive to her feelings if he would bluntly say it out loud. It was a peculiar and confusing feeling that he couldn't muster the courage to talk about.

"B-by any chance…" he paused, balling his fist.

"…"

"N-no, never mind. Just rest for the meantime." He said as he retreated to the door.

"Is there something that I need to explain myself?" she asked, making him freeze before he could leave.

"No, it was just a fleeting thought. You need rest; let's talk about that when you've fully rested." He said, dismissing his thoughts before leaving her.

He knows. Erza thought to herself as she watched him leave. Her heart started to race once more. She bit her lips, remembering some contents of the notebook. Her life's messed up. Judging from his perplexed face, she knew Jellal had the notebook, and surely, he was now aware of Erschelle's schemes. I need to find that merger first before he can get his hands on it.

As night fell, Erza found herself in the same cave in Erschelle's memories. The cave's dark entrance beckoned her to use magic to create light to guide her inside. Dressed in a dark cloak, she warily scanned her surroundings before she dove deeper into the cave. Her footsteps echoed as she ventured deeper, finally founding the spot. She kneeled and cast an enchantment that made the magic circle glow before her. Its blue light reflecting in her brown orbs, she cut her hand, allowing the blood to seep through the magic as she undoes the seal. As the ethereal light dissipated, a magic chest appeared before her. She opened it, and before she could grab the mergers, she felt a cold blade brushed against her neck.

"Who are you?" a baritone voice asked, making her freeze.

Startled by the sudden appearance of a mysterious figure, Erza's heart raced with fear. Without a second thought, she knew that voice. It's no other than Jellal. How come? She thought as she tried to let go of the documents, making him think that she was harmless. When she felt him loosen his sword, she hastily used her magic to blind them enough to grab the chest and disappear.

"Damn it," she cursed as she stumbled to her knees.

Her teleportation skills are terrible, and she hates herself for it. She was only teleported outside the cave. Her instincts kicked in, and she pushed herself to run faster. I'll be dead if he knows. She thought as she sprinted, panic surging through her veins. A blinding light soon struck her, stopping her in her tracks. She staggered backward as the two hooded figures towered before her.

"If you want to live, give me that chest." He said, pointing his blade, this time grazing her skin.

She hissed as she felt the blade scratching her neck, drawing some blood. The chest fell to the ground; he towered over her and grabbed her hood, revealing her face.

"Erza?" The voice said, utterly shocked to see her face.

"Your wounds are bleeding!" Jellal yelled.

His anger was palpable; he didn't even mind that it was already in the middle of the night. Jellal's voice echoed in the halls as he followed her to their quarters. His voice trembled with frustration as he confronted her.

"Erza, what were you thinking?"

"…" She did not answer; instead, she grabbed the bandage on the corner, tending her wound.

"Stop being reckless! You are making me worry!"

Struggling to find the words to express his concern, he grabbed her hand and stopped her from tending her wounds. His shaking hands gently tend to the injury he had caused. He looked down, seeing her gaze glued on the floor.

"Look at me," he said as he waited for her to turn her head to face him.

He was not angry at her. He was angry at himself, had been reckless, and couldn't imagine hurting her again. She lifted her face; he furrowed his brows as tears started to burn the corners of her eyes. Concern etched lines of worry on his face as he brought his forehead against her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

His words sounded sincere. She closed her eyes as she felt his burning tears streaming out from his eyes into her cheeks. She wanted to believe it was genuine, but she knew it was all a façade; he cared about not hurting Erschelle's body. You would not hesitate to slit my throat if I was in my real body.

"Lies," she said as she closed her eyes, having enough of the drama.

She doesn't want to play anymore. Besides, she knew he already knew everything; she found it pointless to lie and pretend. Before he could say a word, Erza distanced herself, and her gaze fell to the floor.

"You only cared about Erschelle's wellbeing." She felt bitter.

Her words tasted like medicine on her lips. She wanted to keep it to herself and play along with this character that she had possessed from the novel, but she had enough of being used.

"What are you talking about?" Jellal's expression turned sour as he faced her.

"I had enough of this bullshit. You know I wasn't her." She bitterly chuckled as she bit her lip.

"I had enough of this novel. Stop acting like you care for me, Jellal. The only thing that settles you into this fucked up relationship is to protect your Erschelle."

"N-Novel? What on earth are you talking about, Erza?" he asked as he tried to reach for her hand, but she brushed it aside.

"Stop playing dumb. You wanted me dead the moment you knew I wasn't her. You almost choked me to death, Jellal." She exclaimed, making him freeze.

Jellal's heart pounded in his chest as he listened to her words. Shock and disbelief washed over him as he realized that she knew about that night. His mind raced, trying to process the implications of what she was saying.

"How I wish I had just died back then instead of taking over this fucked up life of this woman. How I wish I had never reincarnated into her body so that I could've-"

"ENOUGH!" He yelled profusely, not wanting to hear more from her.

A sense of guilt and shame flooded his conscience. It was too much for him to hear about her sudden confession. He had enough of this outburst; maybe it was just a side effect of the spell Callista had used on her. He doesn't want to believe her.

"See, you're denying it. H-How I wished I was just a reader so I didn't have to feel these feelings for you. You have no idea how conflicting it is for me to distinguish who Erschelle was and who I was." She continued before storming out of their chambers.

With a heavy heart, he watched her leave. His heart shattered into pieces. He was never prepared for it nor anticipated such words coming from her.

As she closed the door, her strong façade broke. She slumped on the floor, her back against the closed door, her mind reeling from the events. She hugged her knees as tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to make sense of the situation.

A/N: Thank you for waiting for this update. I'll update you soon.