I Was Not Meant To Exist-Chapter 50: seventh day: first snow for them

The sunlight revealed itself through the gaps in the clouds above, while the wind carried a fresh, slightly cold breeze that pierced the skin.

The sunlight had already been painted across the city sky, yet the cold air came with it as well. The crowded streets were now filled with people wearing thick clothes, and among the rows of houses that all looked the same, a young man lay in one of the rooms.

The room looked dark, with only the sunlight trying to enter and illuminate it.

The young man lay on his bed, his body staring at the ceiling for several moments.

His black eyes blinked a few times, dark circles visible beneath them. Suddenly, his body trembled as he remembered something.

He bit his fingernails while rubbing his arms where goosebumps had risen.

The young man spoke in his mind.

’Damn... I can’t stop hearing it in my head when Katarina said I wasn’t supposed to be here...’

A laughing voice echoed in the young man’s mind in response.

’Hahahaha... looks like you’re about to get found out...’

The young man rolled around from side to side, punching his mattress.

’That princess... even though she’s weird too. But how could she guess it so accurately, damn it...’

The voice in his mind spoke again.

’You’re both equally weird, aren’t you?’

The young man scratched his hair.

’Yeah... she’s weird too. Can she really see the future? What do you think, Krystal?’

Krystal fell silent for a few moments.

’Yeah... I think that’s pretty certain, right?’

The young man stroked his chin, imagining something for a moment.

His thoughts were interrupted when his bedroom door opened. An adult man with gray hair stood at the doorway, looking at him.

The man spoke softly.

"Oi, Alex... are you still asleep?"

Alex let out a sigh, turning his body and revealing his messy face from staying up all night.

The gray-haired man was startled and shouted.

"Damn, I know you came home late last night, but did you not sleep at all?"

Alex chuckled, the smell of food reaching his nose.

"I couldn’t sleep, Dad."

Alex’s father chuckled and nodded in understanding.

"Was your vacation with the princess that fun?"

Alex fell silent for a moment, imagining what happened in the Golden Desert, his body shivering in response.

"No, it wasn’t fun..."

His father shook his head in disbelief and looked at Alex.

"How about a sparring match before breakfast?"

Alex’s face went blank after hearing his father’s request.

’What is my father even thinking?’

His father, seeing Alex only staying silent, was about to speak again, but suddenly someone kicked him and sent him tumbling into the room.

Alex burst into laughter at the sight, and even Krystal laughed too.

There, Alex’s mother entered. She was still wearing her cooking apron, and she was carrying Aisy, who looked delighted seeing her father fall over.

His mother put Aisy down, and she immediately ran toward Alex, her still-unsteady steps almost making her fall.

Alex’s mother looked at Alex’s father and clicked her tongue.

"Your son just got home late at night and you’re asking him to spar? Are you crazy or what?!"

His father could only lower his head weakly after hearing that.

Alex chuckled and stood up, carrying Aisy who was trying to climb onto the bed.

He gently shook her and pinched her cheek, then took out a lollipop wrapped in paper with his symbol on it.

Aisy smiled widely and hugged Alex, making him feel warmth, and he hugged her tightly in return.

His mother let out a sigh at the sight and spoke to Alex.

"Don’t keep giving her candy all the time..."

Alex nodded faintly, though he wasn’t really listening.

"Of course, Mom..."

His father slowly stood up and looked at Alex.

"Are you going to attend the trial in the capital tomorrow?"

Alex was silent for a moment, still playing with Aisy.

"Maybe? Yeah... my friends will be there too, and I have plans with Katarina..."

His mother exclaimed happily at seeing her son often meeting with the princess.

"Are you going on a date with the princess?"

Alex slightly turned his face away.

He spoke in his heart, words that his father and mother could not hear.

’As if I’d date that crazy fortune-teller...’

His father clicked his tongue upon hearing that.

"No way... that princess suits Julian."

Alex’s mother let out a sigh as she looked at Alex’s father.

"Don’t you want a princess as your daughter-in-law?"

His father chuckled, holding a plate with both hands as he answered loudly.

"Of course I do..."

The two of them kept talking, and their conversation grew wilder and wilder.

Alex decided to stop it before it got even more out of control.

"That’s enough, Dad, Mom. How about we just eat breakfast?"

His parents didn’t respond to Alex, too absorbed in talking about Alex and Katarina.

Alex let out a sigh and looked at Aisy, who was eating her lollipop.

"How about it’s just the two of us who eat?"

Aisy paid no attention to Alex and only focused on her lollipop.

Alex only nodded to himself and left his room.

His parents, who had finally come to their senses, followed after him.

—

The blazing sunlight had now reached its highest point, though even so, the air still felt cold.

On the streets of the capital, people had started wearing their winter clothes, and in the middle of the road, a magical limousine started revving its engine as the red light turned green.

Inside, four people sat facing one another.

Silence filled the space between them, like the sunlight shining brightly yet still failing to bring warmth in the early winter.

One of those inside was a girl. She had long black hair, and her golden eyes kept glancing at her friends.

She spoke to lighten the unfriendly atmosphere.

"What’s with this? Why does the mood feel this cold?"

The girl’s question went unanswered for several moments. She moved closer to the person beside her, where a long red-haired girl sat with her eyes closed.

"Hey... Rina, what’s going on?"

Katarina opened her eyes, revealing her blue irises.

"Nothing? What’s wrong, Mira?"

Mira let out a sigh, rubbing her face in frustration. She pulled at the skin around her eyes, making herself look wide-eyed, and stared at the two people sitting across from her.

"Hey! What the hell is going on, bastards? Cleanliness psychopath, you talk first!"

Arthur, who was sitting there, merely shrugged lazily while slightly glancing at Katarina.

"It’s nothing, useless brat..."

Eve, who sat beside Arthur, didn’t say a single word.

Mira, seeing that, could only scratch her forehead in frustration.

"Whatever."

The magical limousine returned to silence.

After several boring moments for Mira, the magical limousine finally arrived at the lobby of a building.

They got out one by one, starting with Katarina.

Katarina’s white dress flowed as she stepped out, and she was also wearing a denim jacket whose color contrasted with her dark red hair. She walked ahead without waiting for the others.

Two middle-aged men approached her along with several others wearing white suits.

Katarina smiled faintly at the group.

"There’s no need to welcome us, we only want to visit Julian..."

The two middle-aged men were silent for a few moments, then finally only stepped aside to let Katarina and the others pass.

Every step the four of them took sparked curiosity from the people in the hospital lobby.

It was very rare to be able to directly see the daughter of the human king and the children of the four great families.

Katarina’s steps led her to a special elevator, and the attendant standing guard pressed the floor Katarina and the others were heading to.

The elevator doors opened, revealing an interior dominated by gold and glass surrounding the elevator, reflecting the images of the four of them.

Katarina entered and leaned against the very back, with Mira beside her, while Arthur and Eve chose to turn their backs to them and face the closed doors.

The elevator doors reflected the figures of Arthur and Eve.

Arthur was wearing a black shirt and loose black pants, his white hair standing out sharply against his clothing.

Meanwhile, Eve wore white pants and a jacket the same color as her hair.

The elevator slowly moved upward, and once again only silence enveloped them.

Arthur and Eve slightly glanced at Katarina, who was leaning behind them.

Katarina, noticing it, let out a sigh and looked at Arthur and Eve’s reflections.

"What is it? Is there something you want to ask?"

Eve looked at Katarina through the reflection, slightly turning her body. Her voice sounded flat.

"How was your vacation? Was it fun?"

Katarina brushed back her dark red hair, her face expressionless as she answered.

"No. It wasn’t fun..."

Eve nodded slowly and turned back around.

Mira, seeing their interaction like that, almost laughed like crazy, but she held it in.

She gripped her brown pants.

’What’s wrong with them? Is it because Rina wasn’t there during yesterday’s incident?...’

After several moments without a single sound between them, the elevator reached the floor they were headed to.

A gust of wind brushed past them, and the smell of medicine began to fill the floor.

Arthur and Eve walked out first, followed by Mira and lastly Katarina.

Their steps led them to one of the special rooms at the end of the hallway.

The nurses greeted them several times as they passed by.

After a while, Eve stood in front of the door, knocked on it several times, and called out to Julian.

From inside the room, Julian’s voice was heard, allowing them to enter.

Eve opened the door and stepped in first. A fresh fragrance reached her nose. The room was spacious and had a giant glass wall that showed the city view, but the sunlight trying to enter was blocked by large curtains.

A bed could be seen there, and Julian, in his patient clothes, looked at Eve as she entered, followed by Arthur and Mira.

When he saw the last person entering, one of his eyebrows rose.

"Rina?..."

Katarina smiled faintly as she looked at Julian, whose body was wrapped in bandages, especially his right hand.

"Are you alright?..."

Julian let out a sigh and showed the hand wrapped in bandages.

"I don’t think so..."

Katarina followed Mira and Arthur, who sat on the L-shaped sofa, while Mira helped Julian raise his bed upright.

The five of them only sat in silence for a while, with only the sounds of magical medical machines and the room fragrance sprayer being heard.

Julian looked at Katarina, who only sat there staring at him.

"How was your vacation with your new friends?"

Mira swallowed nervously when she heard Julian speak like that, looking back and forth between Julian and Katarina.

Katarina let out a sigh and scratched her eyebrow.

"Not very good..."

Julian scratched his ear, his head tilting slightly.

"Why did you never come, even though I was at my lowest..."

Katarina leaned back into the soft sofa and shrugged.

"Forgive me for not being there... I really had to go."

Julian chuckled faintly as he looked to the left toward the sunlight blocked by the giant curtains.

Slowly, the shadow of falling snow could be seen outside the room.

The room fell silent again. Eve only stood beside Julian’s bed, watching him quietly staring into space.

Julian opened his mouth while looking at the shadow of the falling snow, his voice sounding soft.

"That night was a very heavy night for me...."

Everyone looked at him, listening without speaking.

"....I’ve never been treated like that before..."

Julian’s breath caught in his throat, and he held his chest, which still trembled with anger when he remembered that night.

"...I couldn’t protect them... after my father was gone, I was the one who should have protected them."

Julian clenched at his chest, and Eve, seeing him like that, gently patted his shoulder.

The sound of the room fragrance machine was heard, its scent filling the entire room for a moment.

Katarina, seeing Julian like that, felt bitterness at the tip of her tongue, her heart feeling as though it had split in two.

Meanwhile, Eve and Arthur remained silent.

Julian tried to calm himself and continued what he wanted to say.

"Do you know? What was all of that for? All the deaths, all the slander, all the sacrifices of the guards and servants?"

The veins bulged on Julian’s forehead as he tightly gripped his blanket.

"All of that was only for the Bone of Malakar stored in Mansion Overmas..."

Julian’s trembling blue eyes looked toward Katarina.

Katarina returned his gaze with a cold, expressionless stare.

The snow outside the room fell more heavily.

The room fragrance machine sounded briefly, making the room smell nice again for a while.

Julian gritted his teeth.

"What did the kingdom do?..."

The room became far quieter. Everyone knew who Julian was asking, and they only glanced at Katarina.

Julian’s breathing became heavier.

Every word that came out of him grew harsher.

"....why? Why did the king put the Bone of Malakar there? Why didn’t he guard it himself?!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Katarina only swallowed hard, gripping the white dress she wore without anyone noticing.

Julian’s hands trembled as he tried to hold his forehead.

Julian’s voice was heard again, now much softer.

"Why does there still have to be a trial? Why?! Everything is already clear..."

Julian took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

The room fragrance machine sounded.

".....the Overmas family was framed."

Katarina swallowed hard, and she and Julian only stared at each other.

Meanwhile, the others only waited for Katarina’s answer.

Katarina, feeling that she had to explain it, wanted to open her mouth.

But Eve, frustrated by Katarina’s silence, spoke first.

"Why did you only send Sahir as help?"

The room fell silent again. Eve didn’t realize what she had just said, nor what consequences it would cause.

Katarina smiled faintly and closed her eyes.

Arthur only shook his head and tried to lean back on the sofa.

Mira only scratched her hair, not knowing what would happen.

Eve, confused by her friends’ reactions, turned toward Julian.

There, Julian only looked at her, his brows furrowed.

"What? What are you saying, Eve?"

This time Eve answered Julian hesitantly.

"Rina was the one who sent.... Sahir?"

Her eyes widened after she spoke, and she unconsciously covered her mouth, having revealed something that should have been kept secret.

A smile slowly appeared on Julian’s face, and that smile turned into a faint laugh. He chuckled.

In that silent room, only Julian’s chuckling could be heard.

Meanwhile, outside, the shadow of the snow still fell.

After several moments, Julian finally stopped laughing and took a deep breath.

His blue eyes, filled with anger, slowly turned toward Katarina.

"What does that mean? You sent that beastman?"

Katarina swallowed hard and looked at Julian with her blue eyes, her face still expressionless.

"Yes..."

A smile was carved onto Julian’s face as he leaned his body forward.

"Did you know about that lizard? The lizard who disguised himself as my head servant?"

The room was silent, only gazes fixed on Katarina.

Katarina’s heart beat fast, her blood heating up.

She slowly nodded in agreement with what Julian asked.

Julian’s blue eyes widened, and he covered his mouth.

Meanwhile, Eve and Arthur could only stare at Katarina in disbelief.

Mira only remained silent after all of that.

Julian’s body trembled, his blue eyes trembling along with it, and an unconscious growl escaped his mouth.

He stood up from his patient bed, paying no attention to his still-injured body. The medical machine sounded louder as Julian forced himself to stand.

He approached Katarina and repeatedly pointed at her.

Arthur, seeing that, tried to restrain Julian’s weak body, and Eve also helped hold him back.

Katarina, still sitting on the sofa, tried to explain what was in her mind.

But Julian kept responding and cornering Katarina, while Eve and Arthur also joined in speaking.

The room became noisy with human voices, mixed with the sounds of the medical machines.

But silence still remained in the corner of the sofa.

Mira only looked at her friends one by one in silence, hearing everything they said, but their words couldn’t reach her ears.

The sounds of their argument over their own opinions stopped when Katarina stood up.

Mira looked at Katarina, who had risen, and she heard her voice clearly, mixed with the sounds of the medical machines.

Katarina looked at Julian with her blue eyes, and there was no more hesitation there.

"Know this, Julian..."

Julian, whose eyes were still filled with anger, looked at Katarina in silence.

Katarina let out a sigh.

"You can hate me and curse me for the rest of your life. But I will still do the exact same thing."

Katarina raised one finger.

"Realize this, Julian... you are human."

Julian loosened his strength slightly, causing Eve and Arthur to relax their bodies a little as well.

"In this world, we can easily gain things, and just as easily lose them in an instant."

The sounds of the medical machine and the room fragrance machine were heard at the same time, and the room smelled fragrant again.

Katarina’s heart beat fast.

"It wasn’t the king who ordered the Overmas family to guard the Bone of Malakar..."

One of Julian’s eyebrows rose, and the anger in his gaze slowly began to fade.

Katarina continued what she wanted to say.

"....it was Clay Overmas who was ambitious enough to protect it."

Julian’s lips twitched as he wanted to speak, but Katarina cut him off first.

"I’m not blaming him..."

Katarina’s heart nearly exploded with every word that came out of her mouth.

"But when your family failed...."

Katarina’s voice became softer and softer, forcing herself to keep speaking.

"....you can’t blame other people, Julian."

Katarina took a deep breath.

"Learn to grow up... the world is no longer the same as what you saw when you were a child."

Katarina began stepping away from them toward the room door.

Her steps trembled slightly.

Mira, seeing that, finally spoke for the first time.

"Where are you going, Rina?!"

Mira stood up and followed Katarina.

Julian, Eve, and Arthur only watched her without saying anything.

Katarina stopped for a moment, holding the doorknob but hesitating to open it.

She spoke one last time, her voice sounding cold.

"Don’t stay too long in the darkness, Julian..."

Katarina let out a sigh.

"....or your dark side will take over."

Katarina opened the room door and walked out, with Mira following her.

Katarina’s footsteps echoed through the hallway, and no nurse dared greet her after seeing the cold expression on her face.

Several times, her hurried steps nearly caused her to trip.

But Mira helped her, and the two of them walked together until they entered the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed, Katarina’s legs lost their strength. She held her chest, which felt painful, and her breathing sounded rough.

Mira helped Katarina so she wouldn’t fall, feeling Katarina’s cold skin as she looked at her, her golden eyes filled with worry.

"Are you alright, Rina?"

Mira swallowed hard, her own hands trembling as she saw Katarina like that.

"Shouldn’t you get checked first?"

Katarina smiled faintly, trying to control her breathing.

"I’m fine, Mira..."

Mira looked at Katarina doubtfully, but eventually she let go of her support.

She glanced at Katarina, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Katarina, sensing that she was being watched, turned to look at Mira.

Katarina let out a sigh and glanced at the elevator numbers that were almost at the lobby.

She took out two items from her smart bracelet and handed them to Mira.

Mira’s eyes widened when she saw one of them.

It was the Flower of Life and Death, and the other was a strand of golden hair sealed inside a transparent tube.

Mira looked at Katarina in shock.

"Did you go to the Golden Desert alone, Rina?"

Mira swallowed hard.

"I’ve been looking for it too, but after the king started banning this flower, the price became insanely expensive..."

Katarina chuckled, already feeling a little better now as she handed over both items.

"It wasn’t me who went there, but Alex and Ken..."

Mira froze for a moment, then let out a scream.

"That liar?! And Ken?!...."

Mira suddenly remembered the gossip she had heard about that desert.

She covered her mouth, her voice sounding restrained.

"Wait, wait, if the two of them went there, then they..."

Katarina cut Mira off while she was speaking.

She smiled faintly.

"They both survived..."

After hearing that, Mira’s body relaxed.

Katarina swallowed hard and spoke to Mira again.

"The other one is Saint Azara’s hair."

Mira’s face turned confused.

Katarina quickly explained it.

"Mix the two together with the other ingredients. It might work to create that potion."

Mira’s golden eyes trembled as she looked at Katarina in shock.

"How do you know that, Rina?"

Katarina lowered her head slightly, averting her gaze from Mira.

"My friend, he managed to make it. He managed to create that potion..."

Mira stood frozen in silence, almost screaming as the elevator doors were about to open.

But she held it in and immediately stored the Flower of Life and Death and the strand of Saint Azara’s hair into her smart bracelet.

Katarina walked out, and Mira beside her kept whispering to Katarina about what she had just said.

Their steps reached the hospital lobby, where the snow was still falling.

A cold gust of wind brushed against them, but neither of them was bothered by the cold.

They waited for the magical limousine that had brought them there.

Mira kept whispering to Katarina.

Katarina finally looked at her and spoke.

"Come with me to the palace, I’ll teach you how to make that potion."

Mira looked hesitant after hearing that, lowering her head and thinking for a moment.

She let out a sigh, smoke escaping from her mouth.

"I’ll make it myself instead. That way I can show it off to Mother."

Katarina looked at Mira in silence.

She nodded faintly in agreement with what Mira said.

Katarina spoke again, trying to convince Mira.

But Mira kept refusing her until the magical limousine arrived.

Katarina tried once more to convince Mira to come with her to the palace. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Mira, who was gradually getting more annoyed, clicked her tongue and boasted about herself.

"You miss me that much, huh? Let’s just gather one day after the trial instead..."

Mira hesitated a little but continued.

"....and of course with Julian, Arthur, and Eve too."

Katarina took a deep breath, her blue eyes trembling.

She nodded in agreement.

"Yes... one day after the trial."

Katarina swallowed the bitterness in her throat.

"I’ll come pick you up..."

One of Mira’s eyebrows rose.

"That’s surprising, Rina..."

Katarina chuckled, and slowly Mira entered the limousine, but Katarina did not follow her.

She only stuck her head inside for a moment.

"Go home by yourself, I have something to do..."

Mira’s shoulders drooped, and she nodded.

Katarina spoke one last time.

"Wait for me the day after tomorrow... I’ll come pick you up."

Mira nodded proudly at the thought of being picked up by a princess.

Katarina closed the limousine door and watched it drive away.

Her breath came out along with smoke.

Her white dress fluttered when the wind blew.

A presence appeared behind Katarina, and a gathering of mist slowly transformed into an adult woman—it was Maya.

Maya took out a coat from her smart bracelet and tried to give it to Katarina.

But Katarina only refused it and walked away.

Maya hurried after her.

"Where are you going, Your Highness?"

Katarina spoke without turning around, beginning to walk out of the hospital grounds.

"I want to ride the bus, Maya..."

Maya let out a sigh and followed Katarina without asking anything else.

The two of them walked toward the bus stop near the hospital. Everyone’s eyes were on Katarina, not only because she was a princess, but also because of the clothes she was wearing, which were unsuitable for falling snow.

But Katarina paid no attention to their stares. She only looked up at the sky, which was still showering snow.

’After this, that will happen...’

’Tomorrow is the trial and my dinner promise with Alex...’

Katarina swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

’And there’s still that person too... what will he do next, after failing at Mansion Overmas’

Suddenly, Katarina remembered something and pressed her smart bracelet.

’I also forgot to inform the principal and give him the potion.’