Chapter 74: 074: RAVEN.....LIORA IS DEAD [2]

"She’s dead!" Bibi said, yet I could only stare in utter shock...She can’t be.

"No!" I screamed and immediately placed my hands on her face.

"L-Liora... wake up," I said softly, gently shaking her body, yet she never woke up.

My stomach twisted painfully. "System!" I screamed in my head.

[I’m sorry, Host. There is nothing we can do. We can’t bring back the dead.]

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but tremble.

My hands reached for her face... then toward the spear. I touched it and it disappeared instantly. Her body collapsed against mine, blood soaked through my entire gown, and I could only stare frozen.

Tears gushed out before I even realized it.

"Liora, wake up..." I sniffed before turning to Bibi. "Why won’t she open her eyes?" I asked, still refusing to believe she was really gone.

"N-No... hhk... please..." I cried bitterly, my hand pressing against the wound on her stomach as if I could stop the blood from flowing.

"Please wake her up," I mumbled, choking on my tears.

Bibi slowly moved closer and hugged me softly. "Raven... she’s gone," she whispered, but my body trembled violently. I had never felt such grief in my life. I could still hear her laughter....Her giggles.....Her smile...

It made my chest tighten so painfully I could barely breathe.

"No... no..." I cried, trembling. "She’s not dead," I said and gently shoved Bibi away, holding Liora tightly without caring how swollen and red my eyes had become.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhh!" I cried bitterly, hugging her body closer.

"No... she can’t..." I mumbled weakly.

Mucus dripped from my nose, yet I still refused to let go of her.

[First character killed: Liora

Status: Existed novel.]

The hologram shimmered before me, yet I kept holding onto her body.

The rocks at the entrance had already been removed, and the Headmistress walked in with the other students.

They froze at the sight before them.

The students couldn’t help but stare at me. The sadness and silence on their faces were obvious, but I kept weeping.

Finally, Bibi managed to drag me away, but I only stood there confused... shocked... completely dazed, yet the tears still wouldn’t stop falling.

I watched as they dragged her dead beastman beside her, and my shoulders slumped coldly.

Just then, the Duke walked toward me. "What did you do?" she spat.

Yet my gaze remained fixed on Liora as a blanket of water was gently placed over her body.

"Answer me!" she roared, stabbing her staff into the ground.

My irises slowly shifted toward her.

Everyone turned to us, no one dared to speak. They only watched.

I stepped closer, and I noticed the flicker in the Duke’s eyes.

"If you dare shout at me once more, I’ll disregard you being my mother and a Duke," I said coldly, making sure everyone heard me clearl, then my gaze drifted toward Elowen.

Her eyes glistened beautifully beneath the light, and all I wanted was to walk up to her and slit that pretty throat of hers open.

But I didn’t dare. After all, this twisted world protected her.

I was sure she enjoyed watching me cry. I turned and walked away.

Bibi followed after me, but my steps were slow and uneven.

Veyra walked toward me, but I pushed him away and kept walking.

"She really liked that girl so much..."

"I liked her too..." a few students murmured softly.

After painfully dragging my feet forward, I finally reached my room. I shut the door. Then slowly slid down against it, burying my head into my knees.

The next second, the room filled with nothing but my sniffles and broken sobs.

I was so heartbroken. How did this happen...? Why did she have to die? There was still so much left to happen. I wasn’t even halfway through the novel with her yet. How was I supposed to survive without her?

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the wooden floor, droplets of tears fell endlessly against it.

Then I tilted my head toward the table beside my bed.

Her bowl was still there.

I had wanted to return it to her since she forgot it here after feeding me when I was sick.

The thought alone made me clutch my forehead tightly.

It hurt...Everything hurt, but my heart hurt the most.

"Come on, Raven... open the door," Bibi’s voice came softly from outside, yet I bit down on my lips, refusing to say a word.

"She was my friend too," Bibi whispered.

Her voice trembled and I placed my palm over my mouth instantly.

I had liked her. I shouldn’t have let her seal the gates. I shouldn’t have. I should have done it instead...I...

It was all my fault.

I killed Liora.

The thoughts crashed heavily inside my head and I buried my face into my knees again.

"Please don’t hurt yourself. You did nothing," Bibi said softly before finally leaving after all her words fell on deaf ears.

I clicked my tongue softly and wiped my tears with my sleeve, then I spotted Orange sitting quietly on the comfy sofa.

She wasn’t saying anything. Just staring at me silently.

"I look so pathetic right now, don’t I?" I asked, my voice breaking with every word, yet she still said nothing.

I sighed shakily.

"You’re right. Words wouldn’t help me. I’ll probably feel this pain forever," I whispered.

I slowly dragged my legs toward the sofa before collapsing onto it weakly. I reached for the pillow and buried my head into the softness. Then I stared blankly at the ceiling. My lashes slowly drooped shut...when suddenly—

"Liora wasn’t a character in this novel." I paused instantly.

"Huh?"

My eyes snapped open and I looked at Orange. The entire room had suddenly turned black and white.

"What do you mean? I read this novel almost till the last page, how can you sa—" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Throughout the academy era, was Liora ever mentioned?" she asked and my tummy churned darkly.

Liora never existed here. She was...Wait. What was she?

"She appeared in this world because of the changes you made. She was never destined to exist," Orange said softly. "So don’t feel bad."

I only sneered bitterly. "Was that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, resting my head against my forehead tiredly.

"Yes," she mumbled softly.

My eyes slowly closed again. "You are bad at this..." I whispered.

Everything faded afterward, sven my own voice echoed into nothingness until I could no longer hear it, and when my eyes slowly opened again...I wasn’t in my room anymore. It was dark pure darkness and cold.

"Orange?" I called out softly, but no response came. My voice only echoed endlessly around me.

I slowly climbed off the bed, but the second my feet touched the floor, my eyes lowered.

Blood!

The ground was covered in thick, warm blood.I shrieked in fright and immediately tried climbing back onto the bed, but it disappeared.

I froze.

I was standing in a field drowned completely in blood,

Then suddenly...

ripples spread through the blood as if someone was walking toward me. I stared at the footsteps approaching slowly before finally stopping right in front of me.

My gaze slowly lifted upward. "Raven..." Liora called softly with a smile on her lips, but I could see through it, behind her smile...she was sad and conflicted.

"Liora..."

I immediately stood up and hugged her tightly.

She hugged me back gently, but when she spoke again, her voice sounded cold... and painfully distant.

"You should forget about me now. It was nice being with you."

Her words felt like knives piercing through my chest, making me hold onto her tighter. "Don’t leave... not again... I wouldn’t be able to..."

My words broke apart before they could fully come out. Then she slowly took her eagle beastman’s hand and waved at me softly.

"Thank you. Maybe in another life... we’ll meet again and actually live longer."

I collapsed to my knees and then I heard a whisper beside my ear "You can bring her back to life!"