Chapter 104 The Third Petal, The Fourth Reincarnation
Eleanor—
Andra...don't cry...
The sky sank into darkness the moment she closed her eyes, and even the sun disappeared.
A drop of water fell on Eleanor's forehead, and when she opened her eyes, she saw only a sky full of stars.
The girl's soul wandered in the river of blood; her color was not transparent, filled with white cotton-like fibers and rust spots. Especially at the center of her heart, a large rose-shaped red spot radiated outwards.
It's finally over...
Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief: her body was finally free of pain.
The pain from the poisoning subsided without a trace, but another feeling of weariness enveloped her, making her want to close her eyes... and fall into a deep sleep forever.
"My child, do you need to rest well?"
A gentle gaze fell upon her; perhaps the mother goddess's gaze had never left.
The words of the gods were clearly projected into her mind, and Eleanor could hear their true meaning.
If she agrees, the Mother Goddess will cast her soul into the deeper parts of the River of Blood, where it will soak for a period of time that is considered "quite long" for a deity.
The turbid soul trembled involuntarily: the Mother Goddess's concept of "sufficient rest"...
By the time she wakes up again, thousands of eras will have passed.
Forget about those old friends, the Moonlit Continent might be teeming with humanoid animals and mechanical life forms.
"Don't worry, I don't need to rest."
Eleanor sincerely thanked the Mother Goddess for her care, and insisted, "I already know where I went wrong, and I want to go back and correct it as soon as possible."
Her attempts in her previous life were undoubtedly failures.
If that timeline continues to extend, it will likely lead to an ending where no one can be happy.
Eleanor once vowed never to repeat her first life.
But if she had to choose between her first and third life, she would definitely choose the first life without hesitation. At least in that life, the future was promising and full of hope.
What wrong have you done?
The Mother Goddess's voice held a hint of doubt: "You have lit the way forward."
"......"
The soul in the river flickered twice, softly responding to its mother. "I...I am indeed not as lazy as before, but...I still made many, many mistakes."
She naively believed that a path could be paved without bloodshed for anyone, deliberately covering her ears and pretending that the inevitable conflicts could resolve themselves.
She ran swiftly along a thorny path, relying on the tolerance of others and the favor of the strong to rush far ahead, but many more were left behind, not even having time to cry for help.
How can this not be a mistake?
Even Andra was repeatedly pushed into valleys and deep seas because she believed in her.
The vengeful spirit climbed back with its powerful will, but the cowardly woman could only offer an apology.
...So what did that mean to Andra? Just... a heart utterly worthless.
The concepts of God and man are not the same.
The goddess did not refute the human's words; she simply extended her invisible yet tangible hands and gently scooped up her weeping daughter.
"You are in pain, and I hope you can be happy."
The Mother Goddess's gaze and long hair swirled around her everywhere, just like the rushing time and blood of the long river between heaven and earth.
She was high in the sky, far away from the earth's core, yet she nestled close to Eleanor.
"Child, there is no need to be so sad. Your initial radiance was beautiful enough."
The first glimmer of light.
Eleanor blinked and suddenly realized that she had almost forgotten all the details of her first life.
Yes, that was a long time ago. Her memory only retains the most crucial and memorable things, not many details.
...In that case, I'll forget about my past life sooner or later.
Eleanor tensed up; she couldn't forget so many useful things!
In her past life, she not only added many new research findings, but also memorized a large number of names, life experiences, coping methods for each person, and the changed future.
Although she was able to spend time recording the ever-decreasing knowledge on parchment after waking up, there were simply too many useful memories from her previous life, and she was likely to forget them as she recorded them!
"Mom." She looked up, tears welling in her eyes.
The Mother Goddess, of course, knew her daughter's request, and she replied gently, "It is best not to do so; memories are a weight that the soul must bear."
Eleanor understood.
If those marks and those heavy pieces of knowledge remained in her brain, they would probably cause her a lot of pain and inconvenience.
But it was necessary. She wanted to try—if she used all her memories and efforts to shine throughout her life, could she bring everyone a better future than in her first life?
"Would you be happy in such a world?"
The voice of the god was like a sigh. Eleanor hesitated for a second, then nodded vigorously.
"I want to try, please!"
When humans carefully crawled out of the cave and lit a small fire with a branch, the reflected light in their eyes was so lovely.
"Alright." A gentle breeze caressed him, and the deity's hand relaxed slightly.
A warm touch swept over the soul, washing away the rust and causing the blooming roses to shrink back into buds, but without removing the fluffy cotton.
Eleanor's soul became increasingly radiant and transparent. She could not see what her "body" looked like at this moment, but she could feel her five senses expanding rapidly.
Countless messages flashed through my mind, and every little detail and aspect of them continued to expand and spread at this moment.
Many forgotten feelings and details resurfaced, entangling all her senses.
It is a touch that is more sensitive than sensitivity itself, a "gift" that walks alongside hyperthymesia, a blessing that is also an invisible burden.
The Mother Goddess released her hands, and the heavy soul sank into the river of blood with a thud.
And so—time reversed.
......
Endless light and shadow, long yet fleeting time, and distorted space all collide before our eyes.
Waaah...!
This experience was far more impactful than any of my previous ones.
Eleanor's various emotions and memories, which she should have forgotten, kept flashing through her mind, and she knew that in this life, they would never be forgotten.
She will never forget.
Whether it's newly learned knowledge, text quickly glanced at, or a fleeting pattern.
Whether it's your most cherished lover, a friend you haven't seen for years, or a stranger you just pass by.
Or perhaps it's a promise kept in mind and a careless remark made in jest.
The third petal sparkles, and from then on, all feelings remain fresh and new, and all love and hate are reborn.
The power of the gods is unfathomable. Although it was only the first day she awakened this talent, the moment she possessed it, all the memories of her previous lives were recalled.
She can search her memory at any time and turn to the page she needs.
As long as she can persevere with her will and spirit, she will not make the same mistake again.
That's really great, but there's a problem, a big problem.
Why is it so bright outside?
......
Crackling sound, crackling sound.
Splash, splash splash.
Countless roars filled my ears, sometimes like the ebb and flow of the tide, sometimes like the howling of a gale.
Eleanor opened her eyes and quickly closed them again, her eyelids unable to block out the dazzling, multicolored light.
Where am I...?
Her memory faithfully told her that, based on past experience, she was lying in her own bed with Myrcella fast asleep beside her.
That rumbling sound...was it my sister's breathing?
"Glug."
Eleanor swallowed hard, the sound of the liquid sliding down her throat and bobbing against her eardrums was so sharp it made a crisp sound.
She struggled twice, and with great force, she slapped the person next to her.
"Awooooo?!"
Myrcella let out a strange cry, and her voice made Eleanor cover her ears and curl up into a ball.
So noisy!
"Hey Lily, why did you hit me?!"
It's so noisy!
Eleanor frowned, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She opened her mouth and whispered, "Keep it down... it's too loud."
"?"
Myrcella raised her little head, looking at her sister's furrowed brows and tearful face with some concern.
But eventually, his playful nature prevailed.
"Haaah—" She took a deep breath—
"Your Highness, Third Prince!"
Coral lowered her voice and pulled Misé outside the tent. The scream she had been holding back turned into a series of howls as she struggled.
The attendants heard the princess's painful murmurs, so they began to tiptoe around.
Eleanor curled up in bed, breathing rapidly.
She closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands, as if trying to isolate herself from the world.
Coral shut Mysella out the door and began to observe the bed with everyone else.
Her Highness was covered in sweat, and they carefully wiped her face with warm water. Eleanor did not resist, and her expression seemed to relax a little.
It's still very noisy and bright, but not as noticeable as it was at the beginning.
Eleanor slowly released her grip and gradually relaxed her limbs by lying prone.
"Phew..." My body seems to be getting used to it, but it's still very, very difficult.
She began to understand the weight that even the gods found "heavy," and how the human soul and spirit seemed to find it difficult to bear this state of constant overload.
Countless scenes flashed through Eleanor's mind.
There are past lives, previous lives, and this life—just now, the scene of Mysera yawning.
She could smell the taste in Mysella's mouth at that moment; the child must have sneaked out for a snack last night and hadn't rinsed her mouth.
"Your Highness, are you alright?"
Coral carefully leaned against the bed with her arms outstretched to prevent Eleanor, who was lying face down, from accidentally falling off.
"...Coral, I want to sleep a little longer. Please ask everyone not to make too much noise."
Eleanor squinted and said softly, "Also, let Andra go back first and tell her that I'm not feeling well."
"yes."
Coral nodded immediately. She knew that the princess would not lie, and her current state was clearly not right.
Although the specific reason was unclear, the always reliable attendant gently lowered the curtain, allowing the darkness to return.
Crackling sound, crackling sound.
It turns out that the dense tearing sound was the sound of the thin gauze moving.
breathe.
Eleanor clasped her hands over her chest, trying to adjust to the sound of her heartbeat and blood flow.
She can receive an overwhelming amount of information whether her eyes are open or closed.
Some of these messages are very clear, such as how many servants just passed by and what color clothes they were wearing.
Some are inferences that are perhaps not so reliable, resulting from the influx of a large amount of information.
For example, the moment Coral left, she thought Coral would first comfort Mysella, and then bring a pot of hot tea with sugar and place it aside for later use.
The latter is indeed not reliable.
Eleanor overheard Coral comforting Myrcella and telling her to study hard, but a little while later she brought back a bowl of goat's milk.
"Your Highness, please have a little drink before you go to sleep."
"Um."
Each spoonful of goat milk carried a strong, slightly fishy smell... and a comforting aroma that filled the air.
She's back.
This feeling is indeed very painful. The combination of high sensitivity and hyperthymesia keeps the body in a state of constant overload.
Such talent is extremely useful.
Eleanor wasn't in a hurry this time; she didn't need to get up and copy her memories anywhere again.
Whether it's a day, a week, or a hundred years, she will never forget.
In my memory, the hateful, trustworthy, and lovable faces of those nobles intertwined, and love and hate, loyalty and betrayal lost their meaning in the ever-changing space and time.
She only wants to be the one who can bring happiness to more people.
......
Eleanor fell into a deep sleep on the bed.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she fell completely silent.
Coral carefully placed her palm on the little princess's forehead.
"?!"
Her face was deathly pale as she rushed out the door, shouting to the servants in the corridor, "Quickly! Quickly inform the princess and find a physician! Her Highness has a high fever—"
Upon hearing her voice, Manzhu and Jingji, who were guarding the door, rushed out immediately.
A figure trembled slightly and peeked out from behind the tree.
Young Andra frowned and looked at the tightly closed window.
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Author's note: Good news! I've applied for the illustration project! [Sprinkling flowers] It's expected to be released on Friday! You can check Friday night to see if you can win a prize. If not, just wait a little longer, hehe.
Here comes the shortest, most superficial love story—this petal is a quick puzzle-solving loop (Eleanor: it's not open until it's closed), most of the plot will be written quickly, with more intimate interactions between the young couple. (Andra: Really? Don't lie to me [cracked])
But how should I put it... if the second and third petal Andra were to meet and read each other's memories, the second Andra would grab the third Andra by the collar and shout that she wanted to switch places with her! The third Andra, while refusing to switch, would only sneer.
That's roughly the feeling—a fake romance! [Cat emoji]
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