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Danielle didn't know how to feel when she was faced with so many sympathetic gazes, as if she was some pitiful creature abandoned by its owner.
Clearly, everything had been going well for her before. She was engaged to the boy she liked so much, she got admitted to the best high school in the country, and even the prospects of her parents' company looked brighter than ever, with their increasing ties with the Black Tiger.
But the moment she saw those visions… she knew it was all fake. The momentary high before the deep, dark chasm of suffering, the instant of numb pleasure before the excruciating pain set in... the calm before the storm.
In the future, she would lose it all, and would be so thoroughly ruined that even her parents and big sister wouldn't be spared.
Danielle understood now that she was stupid to like Amos, who so clearly hated her guts once they grew up. But she wasn't stupid enough to deny the chance to be saved when it was offered.
The cost didn't matter, since she would lose everything if she didn't take it, anyway.
The yellow-eyed beauty didn't believe she had what it took to reverse her fate herself by rejecting that offer. Had that been so, she wouldn't be in that kind of situation to begin with, would she?
'But… I've only been gone for a few hours since then, right?' Danielle thought, confused as she followed the familiar butler deeper into the decidedly unfamiliar place.
At first, she'd thought that her 'savior' must have killed Amos, and whatever else it was that threatened her immediate future. Of course, there must have been something else they needed from this world to offer her this chance, but whatever it was… Danielle didn't really care.
She only felt torn and disgusted about her relief at having the boy she claimed to have loved... killed.
He might not have been the person she believed him to be, but didn't this show just how bad her own character was?
Her parents would definitely not be proud of such a daughter.
The fact that she felt only gratitude towards the killer only made it worse. But no matter how she thought about it… how could she hate her savior for doing what was needed to change her fate?
Based on the words of the strange people who escorted her, it had already been a few years since she left, and there were many things that had changed greatly since then. But Danielle only nodded along with their words vaguely without really understanding them.
To her, it had only been a few hours since her life was turned upside down, after all. It was hard enough to wrap her head around that, so how could she cope with the fact that even the entire world had changed?
Now, she only wanted to plunge herself into her mother's embrace, undeserving as she felt she was, and cry and confess all her sins, begging for their forgiveness.
Her parents were good people, and didn't deserve a daughter like her, who could have led to their doom.
Following the familiar butler through the decidedly unfamiliar corridors, Danielle clenched her fists in determination. 'N-No matter what, since now I am the only daughter they have left, I will dedicate this life to be the girl that they deserve, instead.'
Having listened to some of the glorious deeds of her savior, 'Emilia' as she learned the girl was called, the golden-eyed girl had already made up her mind so.
She may not be able to compare to her savior, who seemed to have done so much in a few years that she couldn't possibly do in a lifetime, but Danielle was determined to at least head in the same direction.
At the very least, she couldn't be worse than she already was.
Her gloomy thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a warm palm on her head, and an embrace so warm and loving, that Danielle knew without a doubt that it could be only be her father and mother.
All the servants and outsiders had already been dismissed while the golden-eyed girl was lost in thought, but she didn't even care about that kind of thing anymore.
The grievances and sorrow in her heart that she had been so determined to keep bottled up for the rest of her life instantly spilled out along with her tears, and Danielle… cried.
She cried so loudly that even her parents, who had both been practicing to remain 'strong' in front of their daughter instantly broke down.
For a while, only incoherent sobbing echoed through the room.
"O-Our baby has been wronged." Mrs. White sniffled. "B-But don't worry, with mama here, you don't need to be scared of anything anymore."
"We will definitely protect you, Danny." Mr. White nodded while hurriedly wiping away the 'stray moisture' in his eye. It must have been all the dust, he assured himself.
The two of them picked their daughter up and 'pampered' her for a while on the sofa, filling her in on all the little tidbits and funny exploits of their 'other' daughters with a smile.
Of course, the only reason they did so was to make her relax, and they definitely wouldn't have gone on if they saw even a hint of rejection in Danielle's expression. But thankfully, the golden-eyed girl was more fascinated than anything.
Coming to terms with losing the older sister she had been looking forward to reconciling with was not easy, but based on the fact that they hadn't even talked much for so long, Danielle couldn't blame the older girl.
If she'd been anyone else, she would also unhesitatingly leave someone like herself.
But for the sake of her parents, Danielle was determined to change into a better person.
'As much as scourge like me can, anyway.' She thought self-deprecatingly.
Naturally, while she was intent to change, the golden-eyed girl had no intention of following Emilia's example. She didn't think someone like her had the same level of ability, after all. She would only make things worse. It was better to just improve slowly, and become better than the mess she currently was.
But that didn't mean hearing about Emilia didn't fascinate her.
Up until then, even having heard about many of her deeds from the so-called 'knights', the image of her savior in Danielle's mind had been extremely imposing and infallible, like someone from a heroic tale, or a legend.
It was only after hearing about 'her' from her own parents that Danielle suddenly found Emilia being so… lifelike. Someone she could believe was possible to talk to, and maybe… befriend?
Her shoulders shook as she giggled at that thought, surprised by her own audacity. 'As if someone like me can ever resemble her…' She sighed. 'Emilia… I wonder… if I can ever see her again.'
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