Second Female Leads' Playbook

Announcing to Father about breaking off the betrothal had to wait until Rachelle showed her worth in the temple, but I was still glad to break off any connection with the stupid Henri. 

Now with our signed contract, Henri had to lay low when he was courting Rachelle. My happiness was built on him suffering as he watched Rachelle getting more and more suitors. He was the one who tricked me in my first life. Granted, I was stupid, but if he hadn't led me on, I wouldn't have fallen into that trap. Then I wouldn't have been burnt alive on a stake. Now it's just a little prank on him. If Henri was really Rachelle's true love, no matter how hard the process was, love would win, wouldn't it? 

"Odette, I can't believe I get to study in the wind god's temple! It's one step closer to my dream of becoming a priestess! How long does it take for us to go there? Will Henri come along with us?" Rachelle said the last bit shyly. 

"Around a day's journey on carriage," I said as Sarah helped me get into the carriage. "As for Henri, from what I heard boys like to ride out there." 

"Aww... I thought we're going with Henri," Rachelle said dejectedly and then she clapped her hands excitededly. "So we're going to spend the whole day sitting in the carriage together! That's great! I have a lot to ask you!" Rachelle's eyes brightened. 

My head ached at the thought of staying in an enclosed area with Rachelle. Others might not know, but I who once acted as her best friend knew better. Rachelle was really talkative. I made sure I didn't have to stay with Rachelle during the journey. Adding to the fact that this one day carriage journey was in fact a cornerstone of Rachelle's life. 

Oh you might think it's the common, thieves jumping out to rob a young noble lady in the middle of nowhere, prince coming to save the day? No, it's Rachelle being kidnapped by a band of heroic outlaws and then they, or the leader of the band of outlaws, fell in love. 

In my first life, I of course did not go together with Rachelle, I hated my stepsister, how could I bear staying with her? I begged Henri to take me with him when he set out one day before. So when she was kidnapped, I was rumored to be the one conspiring it. And then in my fourth life, I was Rachelle's great sister, of course I went with her. And then I was kidnapped with her. It's just a very bad experience. It felt like being a third wheel or someone transparent. Everyone was so focused on Rachelle, I could just run away if I could. They treated her like a queen. 

So, no I decided not to go with Rachelle. I don't want to be kidnapped with her. 

I leaned out of the window of my carriage and grasped Rachelle's hand, "I am sorry, Rachelle, I don't know you're so excited about us going together." I dabbed my dry eyes with my handkerchief. "You see, I am planning to visit my mother's grave. It's a hilly and rocky road." 

"I can..."

"I have some secrets I want to tell my mother." I hid my face behind the handkerchief like I was embarrassed. "I am sorry, Rachelle." 

"It's alright!" she said in a fake cheerful tone, but I could see the dejection in her eyes. 

"I know it's your first trip to the temple, you must be frightened. So Sarah is going with you." I smiled elegantly. Sarah widened her eyes and was about to refuse when I glared at her. "So you have both Sarah and your maid to keep you company. Sarah can also tell you more about life in the temple." 

"Odette, you don't have to..."

"I will try to catch up with your carriage. Maybe we can meet on the road after lunch." 

"That'll be great!" Rachelle's face brightened. 

"I'll set out first." I gave her a tiny wave as good bye. 

Now that I had gotten rid of both Rachelle and Sarah, the buzzing around my ears finally stopped. You had no idea how noisy the two of them could get. 

I was gazing out of the carriage's window when I was passing through a forest. That's when I saw the carriage coming from the other direction. It was a carriage in the darkest shade of black. The horses pulling the carriage were also black. But what made it stood out was that there wasn't a coachman, just a crow standing on top of the carriage. When the sunlight shone on the crow, the black feathers glittered like gold. 

That couldn't be. That's...

"That's the carriage of the priest of the god of darkness," the guard riding next to the carriage muttered anxiously. The coachman also drew our carriage to a stop. 

The guard knocked on the carriage's window and said, "Lady Odette..." 

Why was he here? Shouldn't he be all the way in the north? He shouldn't be here. I did not remember him coming all the way down south at this time in my previous lives. But who knew, I didn't visit my mother's grave today in my previous four lives. Maybe he did come this far south and I did not know because I never ran into him. 

Stay calm, you two don't know each other. He is just a priest from another temple. Greet him and then he will be gone. This might be the only time in this life you get the chance to see him, Odette. Find yourself lucky! I thought to myself. 

I asked the guard to open the carriage door and I got out of my carriage. I placed my right hand over my heart, with my left hand I lifted my dress to curtsy. My head slightly bowed. The common greeting for priests. 

When the carriage was getting closer and closer, I was suppressing my urge to look up and catch a glimpse of him through the window. That's when the carriage halted in front of me. Someone jumped down from the carriage and then my chin was tilted up.

I widened my eyes as I took in his familiar lazy grin and the mask covering half of his face. 

"See who I found on the road, a perfect candidate for serving the god of darkness."