I Decided to Kidnap the Male Lead

CH. 4: The Second Start

— Imperial Calendar Year 588. April 16th. Afternoon.

Ophelia Bolsheik, the first of the second infinite regression.

Ophelia opened her eyes. Whenever she returned after her death, her vision always spun for a while, but she got used to it, so she immediately grasped her surroundings.

First return, the second start of infinite regression.

Richard was poisoned by tea, and she was decapitated by someone she did not know.

'The face of the damn bastard who cut my head off... I should have seen it.'

Ophelia clenched her teeth.

The nightmare of the day of the founding anniversary, which was the first infinite return, began to rewind in front of her eyes.

Her stomach was churning and she felt very nauseous. She had to cover my mouth, but as she was holding her neck with both hands without realizing it, a dry voice fell from above her head.

"Are you okay?"

Unlike Ophelia, who had turned so pale as though her body didn't have a single drop of blood, Richard was just as calm as if he was a monk.

'No, could that expression be called calm? ...Should I say that all the emotions have weathered and disappeared?'

Ophelia shook her head violently, and he opened her mouth again.

"You said you did your first infinite regression at the National Founding Day celebration."

"...Yes."

"You know now that it's just the beginning."

She could understand why he gave up, even without hearing him say it.

The reason why he readily reached out.

The reason why Richard gave up.

Regression was not important. Even death could pass. Simply.

The fact that there was no end in sight.

Realizing that.

But...

She didn't want to live a life of misery and death in that way, suddenly possessing a character in a novel.

'If I had died at once, it would have ended while I was just stumbling around like when I just possessed!'

The process of death was harsh and painful. In addition, the pain and despair felt as five internal organs were twisted and blood spurted from the body remained in Ophelia even after returning...

Ophelia resolutely clenched her fists and shouted.

"I won't give up though!"

Richard's eyes lit up for a second.

However, it was such a brief moment that Ophelia did not see it, and even Richard himself did not realize it.

"If I felt like giving up, I would've already given up at the national celebration! Thinking about the hardships I went through while living and dying without knowing why, I can't give up even if it's unfair!"

"Didn't you say your only purpose is to survive?"

Ophelia crossed the arms in front of her chest, making an expression that said 'why are you asking something so obvious?'

"That's right. And it's still unfair."

At that, the corners of Richard's eyes crinkled slightly, as if smiling.