Chapter 110: Flames of Rebirth

Roaring flames surged skyward in an instant, yet the marble floor remained untarnished. A magical shield of pure transparency kept not only the blaze but even the smoke from escaping. Amid the steadily rising grey mist, a writhing flash of crimson at the tip of a leg stirred into motion.

Octopus—no, Lara raised her head. Beyond the piercing glare of the chandelier’s light, a heat haze shimmered. From beyond that veil, the puzzled gazes of hundreds of onlookers streamed in.

“…If I have sinned, it is only in having loved him.”

Inhaling the hazy smoke, Lara recalled the pristine coast. A sudden clarity swept through her mind, as memories of herself—and yet not herself, but as the Octopus—engulfed her.

Deep beneath the sea, she met him for the first time. The majestic octopus, with eight agape tentacles exuding an air of dignity, had lovingly encircled her waist with its sturdy suction cups—only to abandon her later.

Her figure, ensnared in its net, was left behind as he fled desperately between coral reefs. Had he spared her even a forlorn glance, her heart might not have shattered so painfully. Salted tears welled in those dying, dark eyes.

“If born again, I shall not love an Octopus. I shall not be born as one.”

For the first time in her life, she felt an intense heat. Lara fought desperately within a burning rope that dug into her flesh.

“It’s burning…! It’s burning…!”

Flames licked furiously at her toes. Overwhelmed by a dreadful numbness that even made her mute, Lara could hardly cry out. Although she lacked the means to shout, the once rosy, vibrant skin of her arms was gradually turning pale.

If God exists, please have mercy on this mere wretch. The light of life in her dark, deep eyes began to fade, yet the fervent flame of desire refused to be extinguished.

Quietly, Lara closed her eyes. Tears of resolve trickled down, dancing across her suction-cupped skin and reflected on the shimmering golden floor. Through the haze of her fading consciousness, she thought she saw a solitary beam of light.

“…Lara!”

“What’s that sound…?”

“…Lara!”

In an instant, a brilliant light burst through the deep darkness. Only then did Lara gasp and open her eyes wide.

“Lara, are you alright?”

Gasping for breath, Lara moved her limbs tentatively—both arms and legs felt intact. The moment her eyes met Karlahee’s worried gaze, tears welled down her cheeks.

“Were you dreaming some terrible nightmare…? I couldn’t bear to wake you up, it seemed too painful.”

Feeling the gentle brush of his fingers wiping away her tears, Lara silently took a deep breath. Under other circumstances, such tender contact would have thrilled her, but now it left a strangely uneasy feeling. Noticing her slightly tensed expression, Karlahee softly called her name.

“…Lara?”

“I… I’m still disoriented. It feels like a dream—though it must be a dream…”

But could it really be a dream? The searing pain, the vivid scenery, even a glimpse of him from childhood—it all felt disturbingly real, as if she’d witnessed a past life.

“You know, Rahi…”

“What is it? Need a drink?”

“No, it’s fine. I just need to ask you something. Do you remember ever roasting a Giant Octopus at a ball when you were a child?”

At Lara’s tense question, Karlahee paused as if recalling an old memory. After a moment, he clapped his hands and said,

“Ah, that was something else. Was it your seventh birthday? We roasted it as a performance—I never actually ate it, but it remains an unforgettable childhood memory.”

His eyes sparkled as he spoke, which made Lara cover her forehead in disbelief. Seventh birthday? Considering their age difference, perhaps that was the day she died as an Octopus and was reborn as a human.

“My past life was… as an Octopus?”

Most female leads are said to have been human in their previous lives—even if they were once burned at the stake or cherished by an Emperor—but I was, in essence, merely Octopus barbecue. Though my end was cruel, it was such a ridiculous fate that I couldn’t even empathize.

I’m not much of a seafood fan, yet I have eaten octopus before. Now, to lament over having roasted one seems utterly overblown.

Lara struggled with the unbearable truth of her previous existence. As she flung aside the blanket in distress, Karlahee could only watch helplessly.

Since discovering her past life, Lara’s spirit had sunk. She lost her appetite and struggled to sleep. Reluctantly, she couldn’t shake the vivid memories of that dream. In her current human form, she found it agonizing to think that even her coral-red hair might be the Octopus’s legacy.

Worried about Lara’s rapid decline, Karlahee visited her Mansion day and night.

Every time Shumorud Viscount and his wife saw the young man—her boyfriend—enter and exit, they would jovially remark, “You really take after His Highness. Hahaha! What a refined figure!” and add, “Our daughter has a keen eye. How can our future son-in-law be so striking? He looks like he could rule the world!”

Karlahee preferred being seen as a comfortable young man rather than drawing attention as the prospective son-in-law of the Emperor, so he never mentioned his true identity. Every day he dutifully stamped his seal, solidifying his role as the future husband, even though Lara felt increasingly uneasy about him.

It wasn’t just his incessant smiling or his outrage over the octopus barbecue—it was that the octopus in question was, in fact, herself. The conflicting feelings left her restless.

“Oh dear, Lara! Isn’t it time to welcome Mr. Ka from downstairs?”

“Who’s Mr. Ka?!”

Peeking out from her room, Lara shouted back. Even if she didn’t come down, the first floor was already filled with cheerful voices urging her to eat something.

After sitting quietly for several minutes in her room, Lara finally stirred at the sound of a knock on the door. Since her not-so-bright brother would never knock properly, it was obvious who the visitor must be.

“Come on in. I’m sorry for not coming down sooner to greet you…”

“No, it’s alright. I just thought you’d been feeling under the weather… I came by to see your face.”

Seeing Karlahee fidget anxiously at the door with worry etched on his face, the irritation she’d just felt melted away like snow. Yet, a surge of indignation began to build up within her.

Lara grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room, nestling herself into his embrace. Then, like a petulant child complaining, she clung to him and pounded his chest lightly.

“Lara? What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? Hmph.”

Karlahee was both startled and secretly pleased by the unexpected affection, though a hint of uncertainty laced his tone. Lara deliberately withheld a reply before exhaling a deep, earth-shaking sigh against his chest. At this, Karlahee’s expression darkened noticeably.

“Lara, have you been troubled by something lately…? Can’t you open up to me?”

“Rahi.”

“Yes.”

“I just can’t stand you sometimes… I mean, it’s complicated.”

At her words, the large hand that had been tenderly stroking the back of her head froze. When he looked up, his face seemed to shatter into a solemn, icy mask. Lara felt that his reaction was not enough, but she did not want to hurt the man she loved, so she decided to drop the matter for now.

“But if I keep staying cold, you’ll just be left confused—and that wouldn’t be fair, so I’m going to be honest.”

“…So, what did I do wrong that night? Was it my inexperience with compassion, my clumsiness…?”

“No, not at all!”

Lara snapped, startled that his awkward gestures had felt all the more provocative to her.

“Anyway, that wasn’t it. Rahi, do you believe in past lives…?”

“Past lives?”

“Well, recently… I saw my past life in a dream.”

Taken aback by her unexpected confession, Karlahee’s pale face brightened slightly. As he looked at her intently, waiting for her to continue, Lara struggled to speak again.

“But… but listen. Please don’t be shocked. Rahi, you killed me.”

“…I-I killed you?”

“Remember that Giant Octopus you roasted at your birthday ball when you were seven?”

“Why would that…”

“That Octopus… ahem, that was me.”

“…Are you saying that Octopus was you?”

Karlahee was at a loss for words, unsure whether to laugh at her absurdity or grieve her sorrow. Studying her face in silence, he finally realized she was speaking from the heart and softly replied,

“Uh, I… I’m sorry.”

“No… it’s all in the past. Besides, as long as you’re not roasting me now, that’s enough of a change,” she replied.

“Ah, I never ate it anyway. We only roasted it… Oh, I must have been oblivious. I’m sorry.”

Trying to excuse his actions by blaming the tyrannical days when life was cheap seemed feeble. Karlahee swallowed hard as his throat burned with regret, then slowly knelt before her, clasping his hands and pressing his head to the floor.

“I am truly sorry. I have committed a crime against you.”

“It’s alright. It’s all in the past,” she murmured.

“But still… I killed you. I am the one who must pay with my life…”

Karlahee’s contrition left Lara awkwardly scratching her neck as she helped him to his feet. A heavy silence fell between them—a state where both parties felt remorseful yet awkward about apologizing.