Second Female Leads' Playbook

"Are you happy?" the god of order asked once again. 

"Is... is this..." I lost my voice. I wanted to cry, but I would not allow that to happen. 

"This was once your hometown." 

I tore my eyes from the sea and took in the town surrounding the sea. The buildings, the roads... Not one thing was similar to the town in my memory, except the dazzling sea. The words the god of order said sank in, this was once my hometown... He had said before that the town I lived in had been destroyed, I had nothing to return to. My hometown had been destroyed by the gods, invaded by mortals. A new town had been built on the ruins of our land. A new town for mortals. 

Chuckles bubbled up from my throat. "Of course I am happy, it's the sea." My usual smile was back onto my face. "Who thought of imprisoning a mermaid in a lake?" I rolled my eyes. 

"You're not a mermaid." 

"That's right. I am a beast," I muttered softly. I poked at the god who's carrying me. "Why, what a lovely gift for your well behaved pet. It'll be even better if you allow me to swim in it." 

He tapped his finger on my forehead as punishment, as if I had said something wrong. He carried me back into the room. There a wheelchair was waiting for me. He placed me onto the wheelchair. 

"That is if you're not afraid I'll escape, of course," I whispered into his ear as he lowered me onto the chair. 

He eyed me with his disguised grayish eyes. I returned a daring smile and curled my hair absentmindedly. 

"You won't escape."

"Because you're going to place a spell on me, like leashing a dog?" 

"Because I trust you." 

Was I giving up? Was my pride as a beast finally being eroded as well? I had been struggling, trying to keep my pride intact. Please don't treat me so well, the god of order, I had thought. You're supposed to be my enemy. You're my enemy. We're from opposing teams. I could not give up my pride... that's the only thing I had. The only thing I had left. 

"You're right, you can trust me," I said, smiling. "I won't escape. But don't worry, I'm just bidding my time. When I recover, I will escape again." I poked him again.

"Lorelei, if you don't want to smile, don't smile," the god of order heaved a sigh. The smile I had on my face froze. "You look ugly." 

He then pushed the wheelchair out of the room. 

I dug my fingers into my palms. Don't show anything, Lorelei, I chanted to myself. Finally I cried, "Pardon me? How can you say such words to a lady?" 

"I can give you a mirror." 

"Excuse me?" 

When we had arrived at the beach, the god of order carried me again and walked towards the shore. He then placed me into the sea.  Without turning back, I dived into the deep sea and swam away. 

-------------------

This wasn't normal. The time he brought me out to meet Rachelle could be explained because he was afraid I would run away. The next trip to the sea could also be explained because that was his promise. But what about the others? 

For three thousand years, we had never set foot out of the prison. Not once. Why now? Because I had one failure attempt of escape? Because he thought by bringing me out of my prison and letting me see the world, I would no longer attempt another escape? Because he was bored? 

Nothing seemed to be the answer. Until the answer finally showed in the form of a trashed prison. My room under the lake was being turned upside down. The culprit was very clearly trying to find something. 

The god of order was hiding from someone. Or maybe the god of order was hiding me from someone. That's what I thought when I saw my room in disarray and the tiny note waiting for me. 

'To the Siren:

We're going to collect your life at midnight of winter solstice. 

We know you have attempted an escape. You broke the pact.

The consequence of breaking the pact is death. 

If the god of order is not doing his job, we will in his place.

The gods' 

Tomorrow would be winter solstice. They really didn't leave me any time to escape. 

"Do they think I care about the lives of the other beasts?" I chuckled softly. "Seems like the other gods are not satisfied with you, god of order. Now this time, it's not me. I didn't spread any rumors." I muttered to myself silently. 

I destroyed the note before the god of order saw it.

I turned around and asked the god of order, who was standing at the other side of the room, with a smile, "A thief sneaked into the place of god. Are you getting weaker?" 

The god of order took in this mess with lines between his brows, fingers tapping by his thɨġh. He looked furious. 

He snapped his fingers and everything returned to order. Just like that, all traces of the thieves seemed to be removed. 

"It seems like you're getting weaker," I chuckled. "You're really getting old." 

"Lorelei, you said you wanted to see snow?" he asked suddenly. 

"I am tired. I don't want to set out today," I said like a spoiled child as I always had. "I want to play chess." 

I turned my back to him. If he saw my face now, he would probably say I looked ugly again. "I am going to beat you this time," I declared.

And this would be our last match.