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Chapter 2

A Rose On Her Grave

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Opening music - Click to play🎶

                                                         

(a distant memory)

Little Rose lost her father before she was even born. Her Mother, Evelyn was her only family. She was a beautiful lady with a noble heart. She helped everyone with her bright magic. She was her first teacher and taught her how one should follow a righteous path no matter what the cost. She would tell her stories of heroes and their adventures. Rose used to laugh and play around all day with everlasting childhood energy.

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Dear Brother Evan,

I know, it has been years since I

.

.

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"Mum, what ya doin." Jumped a little girl.

"Writing letters, dear" 

"Letter... Hm, Mum has a big brain."

"Well, if you study, one day you will also have a big brain"

"Study... But I want to be an adventurer just like father was.."

Evelyn looks at her little girl and pats her head. 

"Mum, was father also a great adventurer.?"

"Yes, dear he was.." (cough..)

Rose knew she was ill. So, she did everything to help her with housework and be a good girl. 

But her mom kept sleeping. They told her she had some mana disease and she had to move to her maternal uncle's house soon.

She did not know her uncle, but her mum told her he was a good person. A family that will love her and take care of her sleeping mum until she wakes up.

..........................

(a distant memory)

(After Rose recovered from her injury she asked Kathryn about the accident)

As a young child, Rose's innocence shielded her from fully comprehending the depth of what had occurred during the swing incident. To her, Kathryn was her sister, someone she admired and loved, and the incident seemed like an unfortunate accident rather than a deliberate act. She wanted to believe in her, as she was part of her new family. She saw them as kind people, Uncle Duke Evan, Aunt Duchess Carol (Kyrol), Brother Alex and Elder Sister Kathy.

Rose: *approaches Kathryn with wide eyes* Hey, Kathy, can we talk?

Kathryn: *scoffs* * kneels to be at eye level with Rose* Of course, sweetie. What's bothering you?

Rose: *twists her fingers nervously* Well, umm, I was thinking about the time we were on the swings. You pushed me, and I got hurt.

Kathryn: *puts on a gentle smile* Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry about that. You know, accidents happen sometimes.

Rose: *pauses, trying to find the right words* I know, but... it felt strange. Like you were mad at me.

Kathryn: *feigns surprise* Mad at you? Oh no, dear. I could never be mad at you. You're my little sister, and I love you.

Rose: *still unsure* Really?

Kathryn: *nods reassuringly* Really. Sometimes things just happen, but it doesn't mean I don't care about you.

Rose: *sighs in relief* Okay, that makes me feel better. I like it when we're happy together.

Unbeknownst to the innocent Rose, this seemingly heartwarming conversation was just another layer of Kathryn's elaborate manipulation.

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(Present day)

[Lady Kathryn's Room]

The best defence is the best offence. Or was it the other way around? Anyway, this will be her best weapon against the doom. She held the makeshift book high up in her hand, admiring her craftsmanship. Maids are indeed very handy, all she needs to do is say her commands and run to complete them as if their lives depend on them. Though she felt guilt for bullying them she knew if she showed weakness, she would suffer.

 Kathryn opened the book by undoing the leather strap. Its contents were papers with mind maps and various scribbles on them.

While writing it, She noticed something uncanny. She could not remember how to read, write or speak her native language form earth. It seems as if the characters she used to write in these papers were the only ones she ever knew. She felt dizzy whenever she forced herself to remember details from her past. Details like her real name, her best friends' names, her parent's name, her home address, her... But she knew they were real, she could remember their faces, the experiences... She knew she was not a bad person, she could never be the Kathryn. No, No, her life before was not an illusion. "I am real, so was my life." 

"What a headache this is..." She screamed as she tried to read jumbled and overly complex notes about Rose's timeline that she made while keeping herself awake last night, just in case she was in the bloody Rosemary (Halloween special) timeline. No one likes being stabbed in their sleep.

Once she reviewed the survival book, she found herself holding her head, Internally she complained about her fish-like memory as she found that there was missing information with blank spaces. Well, I sort of expected it. It is humanly impossible to remember that much data word by word. Good enough.

She threw the extra papers she used for rough work, into the hearth(fireplace) to dispose of them. 

Burning paper

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Rosemary Aveguard

The total number of regressions is 38.5

Wins regression 10

Loss regression 8

Draw (mutually assured destruction) regression 20

Current changes: Brother Alexander alive, duchess pretending or is nice?? , Duke.... (The paper continues to Burns)

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For now, her objective was to observe Rose closely (but not too closely) and find the exact timeline. 

'Once I lock in which timeline Rose are you, it will be game over for her. Sorry Rose, though I might have rooted for you while reading the novel. But I am not the Kathryn you are looking for. I will use everything possible to survive. It is just your bad luck that you encountered a binge reader this time.'

Placing a hand over her face, she smiled menacingly. Then, blushed once she realised she was not in the body of a high schooler to give that pose.

"Why me... why it cannot be that glutton ponytail."

...........................

(somewhere far far away)

Girl (#-_-#) : (sneeze) Someone must have been missing me.