Tangled By Fate

At the ghost's complaint, Catherine firmly stated, "No! No! That's not true. This place reminded me of you. It was the last place where we had fun after all. I came here for you. I did not forget you."

Veronica's ghost seemed to like what she said. "Is that so? Prove it."

"Prove? How to prove it?" Catherine's throat was dry. She didn't know if it was for hiking or because she was frightened. "Do… Do you want to possess my body, or do you want me to die?"

Veronica's ghost replied, "You can die…"

Catherine gulped. She wished to cry but even her tears were scared to come out. Such treacherous action.

Veronica's ghost added, "…but it will be better if I can possess your body. Ahahaahahaha!"

'Omigud!' Catherine internally screamed. 

"Shall I?" It looked like Veronica's ghost was politely asking for her permission.

Despite feeling terrified, Catherine responded, "Hyesss! You are my friend, Ver. I can let you have my body. No problem. See you in heaven!"

"I'm coming!!!" The voice seemed to come closer.

'Eeekk!' Catherine's legs trembled. She fell to the ground as she had no strength left. Closing her eyes, she prepared for death.

However, nothing happened. There was pin-drop silence in the room. Only her heart was beating like a drum. Even so, she waited for her end.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Boo!"

"Aaaaaa!"

If someone didn't make the sound near her ear, she wouldn't scream that loud.

"Ahahaha!" Veronica burst into laughter. She couldn't stop it. Her stomach hurt so much but she still couldn't stop. She sat on the ground and kept laughing with all her power. She wanted to roll on the floor but held back her urge.

There was a reason behind it. Catherine was looking at her with a petrified expression.

Veronica wiped her eyes and touched Catherine's shoulder. "I'm not sorry for scaring you. I just wanted to surprise you, but you got so frightened, I had no choice but to make fun of you. Haha! Ah, my stomach hurts."

She didn't lie. When she arrived, she spotted Catherine and Vincent on the road. Since she was in the forest, those two didn't see her. 

She went to the resort before them and got herself the room she used before. She couldn't bathe for two days since she was on a journey. 

Not wanting to shower her friend with a stinky smell, she decided to take a bath. After taking a bath, she waited in Catherine's room. She had a feeling that Catherine would choose this room, just like her and she wasn't wrong. 

While waiting, she found Catherine running to the room and showering herself with cold water. She had to admit she was perplexed. 

When Catherine spoke loudly who stupid she was, Veronica understood what she was going through. As she spoke up, her friend became all nervous and scared. 

She could not let go of the chance to make fun of her friend. She had an urge to laugh a few times when her friend used weird words like "Hyess" instead of "yes" and so many reactions. She did her best to hold back.

Catherine stared at the laughing Veronica. Her face was ghastly pale. After a while, her eyes teared up and poured like a rainy day.

"Ver, I can't believe you can touch me after being a ghost. Did you gain a new power because you are the blessed child?"

"…"

Her question threw Veronica off her feet. 

'I can't believe she still thinks I'm a ghost!' Veronica wished to slap her own face. 'I wanted to run away from Arthur and I hurt Cathy in the process. I'm the worst.'

She put her other hand on Catherine's shoulder and jerked her body harshly.

"Wake up! I'm alive. I didn't die."

Catherine was dizzy when her body was swayed by her friend vigorously. She thought it was the process for a ghost to gain a body. 

When she heard Veronica's words, she tightly grasped her friend's both arms and gave her a weird look.

"You… are alive…" her voice quivered as she talked.

"Yes, I am."

"You are not a ghost?"

"I'm not."

"You didn't die."

Veronica shrugged. "How can I die leaving you behind. Next time I really die, I'll drag you with me. Does that sound nice?"

At that moment, Catherine threw herself at her. "Waaah! Ver, I was so sad when I heard you were gone forever. I couldn't imagine my life without you."

She wailed loudly and tears poured down, drenching Veronica's shoulder. 

'She is truly heartbroken. I should have contacted her before. But if I did that, Arthur and Ovior would notice something. That would be troublesome. What's the point? I have to meet up with him anyway.' Thinking all that, Veronica exhaled loudly.

When Catherine stopped crying, she wiped her eyes and stared at her friend. She pursed her lips. She was surely offended.

"If you didn't die, why didn't you contact me? Do you know how sad I was? I couldn't eat or sleep. I only worked. I lost my beauty because of you. Everyone thinks of me as a grandma. I can't date anymore. Do you want me to die single?"

"I'm so sorry, Princess Cathy. I never thought of hurting you. I went on a long journey, and I had no way of contacting anyone. And who said you lost your beauty. Who dares to call you grandma? Just you name it, my lovely princess. I shall cut down any person who dares to bully you."

Veronica's reply was dramatic. Her sudden change made Catherine perplexed. 

She touched her friend's hands and asked, "Ver, is that really you? Why did you change so much? You have become skinny too. Your skin is darker shades. What happened while you were gone? Did you suffer a lot?"

Veronica looked down. "I've just suffered betrayal."

"Betrayal?" Catherine was startled. "What betrayal? Who hurt you? I heard you were locked up by our king. Did he betray you?"

"How can he betray me?" Veronica's shoulders dropped. "He doesn't see me as an adult. I guess I gave them enough reasons to see me and treat me as a child...."