Chapter 1
As you go through life, there are moments when the word “of all times” fits perfectly.
Like when you faithfully carry an umbrella every single day, only to of all times forget it on the one day it rains.
Or when you do your job diligently without fail, yet of all times make a mistake on an important day—ending up with a worse reputation than the coworker next to you who’s always slacking off.
At times like that, your thoughts turn extreme.
Wow. I really should’ve just never started.
That’s exactly how I feel right now.
I kept reading books as a hobby, and of all things, I ended up transmigrating into this one.
Wow. I’m insane. I shouldn’t have read that book at all!
Sunlight poured in through the transparent windows. A grand organ melody filled the air.
People radiant with joy surrounded me.
And among them, I was the only one standing there dumbfounded on the carpet.
I looked at the man standing beside me—my husband.
He had a face that suited this temple all too well.
Neatly tied black hair, deep crimson eyes that seemed to hold a story. Delicate features and a perfectly proportioned body.
“…Ha.”
A hollow laugh escaped me. With moist eyes, I gazed at the luminous light streaming down behind the officiant.
Oh, God.
The man I was about to marry was a murderer.
He tore people apart.
About ten minutes ago, I was pronounced dead.
“At 12:03 PM on March 17, 2021, the patient has passed away.”
At eleven years old, after losing my parents early, I lived under my uncle’s roof, surviving on scraps of goodwill.
My parents had left behind a considerable amount of assets, but my uncle and aunt claimed they’d “manage it for me” and promptly swallowed it all whole. I never saw a cent of it. On top of that, they didn’t even let me attend private academies properly.
I barely managed to find a part-time job that would hire a minor and saved money. Even then, I never gave up on my studies.
Because I worked hard without slacking off, I was accepted into the university I’d always dreamed of.
Once I’d grown a bit older, I fought with my uncle and aunt almost daily over my parents’ inheritance.
I scraped together every bit of money I had—even hired a lawyer. Then one day, my stomach started hurting like hell.
I brushed it off as stress-related pain, but as time passed, it became unbearable. When I finally went to the hospital, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer. At my age.
The doctor said it had already metastasized to the point where nothing could be done.
I struggled desperately to survive.
But effort doesn’t always bring about fitting results. If I’d known it would end like this, I should’ve just set my uncle’s house on fire. Regret comes too late.
They say that even after the heart stops, hearing lingers for a while. I think I vaguely heard my death being pronounced.
After that, there was nothing. It just… cut off.
Until a majestic, sacred bell rang somewhere.
What is this?
A beam of light struck my bewildered self.
I opened my eyes against the unbearable brightness and saw a temple so tall its height was impossible to measure.
The afterlife? Something like that? It doesn’t seem like hell…
The building was white, yet tinted with a faint blue, making it look overwhelmingly holy.
Have you ever heard of flowers being scattered in hell? No.
Have you ever heard of flowers being scattered in heaven? Yes.
Oh my god.
At the end of a long aisle stood an elderly man in white ceremonial robes on a platform. He held a thin booklet of some sort and looked at me with a pleased expression.
The one who’ll guide me to heaven… no, an angel?
Whether man or angel, his benevolent face lifted my spirits. I smiled back at him.
Without much suspicion, I walked forward confidently. As I did, I kept feeling something brushing against my feet, so I glanced down.
A dress? Why am I wearing a dress?
Not just any dress—an excessively long, flowing one that looked exactly like a wedding gown.
Is the road to heaven usually this flashy?
Even amid the confusion, a sense of unease crept in. The moment doubt arose, my right hand—perfectly fine until just now—began to feel heavy.
Warmth pressed against it. As if someone were holding my hand.
I glanced to the side.
A handsome man was holding my hand.
W-what is this?!
Normally, I might’ve whistled inwardly, but right now I was just flustered. I nearly shouted in shock, but thankfully managed not to.
I stared at him in disbelief. He, like me, was dressed to the nines. Once my surprise faded, I finally got a proper look at his striking face.
His black hair was neatly tied back, falling all the way to his shoulder blades. His red eyes—at once sorrowful and pure—were fixed on me.
He looked kind, yet deep, like someone burdened with a hidden story. His long limbs moved gracefully, and even beneath his clothes, his physique was unmistakable.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard that you have to hold hands with a stranger to enter heaven.
Who on earth is this guy? I tried to convey my confusion to the man on the platform with my eyes. He’s handsome, sure—but this is weird.
Unfortunately, he didn’t seem capable of reading minds. Ignoring my stare with ease, he began to speak in a solemn voice.
“Today’s wedding ceremony will be conducted within the mass of the Grand Temple’s rites. We ask that you join us in prayer, that through this sacred sacrament, these two may become one.”
…Excuse me?
What did you just say?
I scanned my surroundings in confusion. I’d felt a tugging sensation at my head earlier, so I reached up.
A sheer veil slipped through my fingers.
How can you do something like this without my consent?!
I tried to raise my hand to protest.
Why does my head feel like this…
A splitting headache struck me.
As I stood there silently grimacing, unknown memories began flooding into my mind.
[An oracle has decreed that you are to be betrothed to the Deputy High Priest, Vivi! Every engagement has fallen through until now—perhaps it was all fate, leading to this day!]
[So that’s the Deputy High Priest. My goodness, he’s even more handsome than I’d heard. But now’s not the time—go on, hurry up and greet him!]
[Once you go up to the capital, be careful at night. They say there’s been a string of brutal murders lately. Still, the Deputy High Priest will protect you, won’t he?]
…Wait. Don’t tell me—
Even as my head spun, the officiant continued the ceremony. In this bewildering and terrifying situation, fragments of his words drifted into my ears.
“We have gathered with joyful hearts in the temple of Lord Elbrado to witness the wedding of Deputy High Priest Seniel MacCurt and Lady Vivi Jezline. We stand here today as witnesses to this most precious union.”
Wait a second… my husband’s name is Seniel MacCurt? And I’m Vivi?
The pieces in my head clicked together. Before I could even fully process it, I knew I was screwed.
A siren blared in my ears.
This is exactly like the novel Two Flavors!
Only then did everything make sense.
The husband with the timid expression despite his handsome face. The sacred Grand Temple. His name. Vivi’s memories.
This was a novel—there was no other explanation.
“Please pray for this couple.”
I didn’t know why I’d possessed a woman from a novel, nor how I’d ended up here—but that wasn’t what mattered right now.
By day, Deputy High Priest Seniel. By night, the murderer who tore people apart—Kidd. A male lead with a completely split personality.
And I was an extra who died the moment I ever made eye contact with that killer, Kidd.
I have to run!
Only belatedly did I realize that while everyone had their eyes closed in prayer, this was my one and only chance to escape.
I hurriedly turned around.
The exit stood wide open.
It’s far… but screw it.
Grabbing the hem of my dress tightly with both hands, I cautiously took a step toward the exit. Countless people stood with their eyes closed.
If they open their eyes…
This was a world where gods and religion mattered above all else.
People who believed disobeying an oracle invited a curse. If a bride defied a sacred revelation and ran, they wouldn’t let her go.
The moment my escape was discovered, I’d become everyone’s prey.
Goosebumps broke out across my body. My foot slipped.
And at that moment—
“Ahem!”
Mom!
Suddenly, the officiant cleared his throat loudly. As if on cue, everyone opened their eyes.
Before I could meet the gaze of the person behind me, I quickly looked forward. I fidgeted with my dress, smiling awkwardly as if I were just fixing it.
My lips trembled. My heart pounded so hard I felt like I might throw up.
“May those joined by this marriage contract be bound by the ties of love, bear the fruits of love, and be united as witnesses of love.”
No, sir. There’s been a mistake.
It’s not me—someone else is supposed to marry this man. I just died, and I don’t want to die again. And that guy—he rips people apart and skins them alive…!
But the kindly looking officiant had no way of reading my thoughts.
“…Thus, we stand here as witnesses before Lord Elbrado to affirm this union. And now, we ask the two of you for your consent.”
Don’t ask.
With a gentle expression, the officiant turned to Seniel.
“Seniel MacCurt, do you enter into this marriage of your own free will, without any coercion?”
“…Yes.”
Seniel’s complexion was poor.
Yeah. That makes sense.
Unlike Kidd, Seniel was a good man. He vehemently opposed Kidd’s killings.
To stop Kidd, he endured every kind of suffering, using every means possible. He was probably anguished even now, unable to prevent this marriage.
But at this moment, I felt no sympathy for him.
“…Vivi Jezline? Lady Jezline?”
“H—Huh? Yes.”
“Do you also enter into this marriage of your own free will?”
My mouth opened, then closed.
If I said no, they wouldn’t respect my wishes—they’d label me a heretic and drag me to the execution stand. Could I really say no?
Holding back a sob, I answered.
“…Yes.”
Tears blurred my vision.
Is this what it feels like to walk into hell on your own two feet?
I stared out the carriage window at the imposing mansion flaunting its grandeur.
So this is the infamous…
As if to warn me not to even think about running, there was no wedding reception after the tearful ceremony. I was immediately stuffed into a carriage and brought straight to Seniel’s home.
The path from the front yard to the mansion entrance was absurdly long. The carriage kept its speed, rolling on and on.
Perfectly symmetrical lawns stretched on both sides, angel statues heavy with religious symbolism lining the way. Rather than admiring the beauty, my survival instincts made me scrutinize every inch.
At last, beyond the lawn extending from the main gate, the mansion came fully into view.
