"Zee, how are you feeling, my baby?"
The first thing that greeted Zerra as soon as she woke up was a tight hug from a middle-aged woman. The body, which had just recovered from a high fever, was slightly suffocated.
"Mom, I can't breathe." She struggled a bit, but her body was too weak right now.
Nerith Ashwyn let go of her daughter. Her hand reached to her forehead, and then she frowned. "How can you be so reckless, walking home in the rain like that? Your sister is also too heartless, isn't she? The driver is for both of you, but she dared wander alone and left you at the school."
Hearing that familiar tone, Zerra's heart jumped. She hurriedly calmed down her mother. "No, don't blame eldest sister, Mom. It was me who told her she can go without me."
Zerra watched her mother with complex eyes, especially when she remembered the last memories before she died. Usually, each reincarnation would end with Nyra digging out her crystal core.
Then, she died, with no consciousness left.
However, why did she get a glimpse of more scenes in the previous reincarnation? It never happened before.
Ever since the apocalypse started, everything changed. Her loving mother became timid and always hid the fastest whenever she heard the slightest mention of a zombie. Before the apocalypse? She was someone who always flaunted her wealth ever since she married into the Sylvaris family.
"You don't need to be afraid." Nerith had a deep frown on her forehead. "If anyone has wronged you, just tell Mom, alright?"
Zerra finally just sighed and nodded. She also remembered another point about this mortal mother of hers. The Sylvaris family were cannon fodders except for the second child, which is her elder brother, Laziel.
Her mother originally acted like an excellent mother to Nyra too, but that changed when the long-lost Nyra was found. Even their father acted so coldly toward the eldest daughter. Perhaps it was like a saying, if one got a stepmother, they would get a stepfather too.
Nyra and Laziel were children from their father's previous marriage. On the other hand, she, Zerra, was the biological daughter of the second marriage.
Her parents pampered her so much that she developed a spoiled personality. In her first three reincarnations, she acted like a total witch, like she was controlled by something. Then, she woke up at the last moment when she was nearing her death.
From then on, the time when she woke up became more and more early with each reincarnation. At this point, she managed to awaken before the apocalypse started. She also gradually found out that this world was inside a novel.
Every novel would have the protagonist, and in this case, the protagonist was her sister. Since the beginning and the ending had been determined, no matter what the route was taken, the ending would always be the same.
"Mom, you should rest too." Zerra clasped her mother's hand. She may not be the best person, but she was a decent mother to her.
"Alright. Do you want to sleep now? I will wake you up when it's dinner time." Nerith stood up and closed the door, leaving Zerra alone and her thoughts.
The heaviness began to settle down in her throat when she remembered her mother's ending. Originally, her heart had become much calmer. Whenever she found out that she had to repeat life again, she was desperate, but after countless reincarnations, she began to regard everything as a mere bystander.
If the purpose of her existence was to make the main leads happy, she would even take initiative to proceed the plot faster. Like willingly jumping into the horde of zombies. There was no need for Darren to shove her there.
However, now her heart was stirred because of Nerith's motherly love. What could she do to save her?
Oh wait, was it even possible when she couldn't even save hers? Zerra thought bitterly. She was as weak as chicken right now, no longer the powerful celestial fox spirit.
Perhaps she was so tired that she finally fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was near dinner time. Her mother had woken her up. She got up from the bed and cleaned herself, feeling slightly refreshed.
At the dinner table, there were already Nyra and Laziel there. Nyra glanced at her with pursed lips while Laziel snorted with a displeased look when he saw her.
Their father, Alaric Sylvaris, appeared not long after, wearing a concerned face as soon as he saw her. "Zee, how are you feeling?"
She smiled reassuringly at him. "I am feeling better, Dad."
Alaric was a good father, but that was only toward her. He cared a bit about Laziel because he would inherit the family's business, but he mostly paid no attention to Nyra.
She once thought that it was strange. The most feasible explanation she could find was that the setting of the world had forced him to act like that. In order for the female lead to strive to grow stronger, she needed to be as miserable as possible. So that she could make a comeback against those who had wronged her.
Remembering her father's ending, Zerra lowered her head. He was only an ordinary man in the apocalypse, and in order to feed Nerith and himself, he once stole bread and got one of his feet broken.
No matter how she had prevented the ending, like by helping him get some food, his feet would always end up getting broken somehow. It could be because he fell or a weird mutation.
Nerith also appeared a few minutes later, with a housekeeper in tow, bringing a bowl of porridge. Of course, it was for her.
"We will need to hire another driver for Nyra." Alaric announced before the dinner started. None objected.
Zerra also found it still reasonable. She had gotten sick because two days ago, she stupidly walked in the rain. Well, that was before she woke up and remembered who she was.
Of course, it was also for the plot. So that the parents would blame Nyra for being an irresponsible sister.
"Dad?" Laziel suddenly called out, attracting the attention of everyone at the dinner table.
"What do you want?" Alaric had just finished telling Zerra that he was giving her a gift to celebrate her recovery. She could retrieve it later in his study room.
Laziel glanced at Nyra. He sent Zerra a disdainful look before opening his mouth. "Dad, it's been a year since eldest sister returned. The marriage arrangement with the Virethorn family is between the eldest daughter and the eldest son of each family. Don't you think it's the time to honor the engagement?"
Oh, here it came. Just like the previous life. Laziel, who wanted a better life for his eldest sister, always brought up the topic of engagement.
"What do you mean by this?" Alaric's face turned stern. "Our Zee is already engaged to Cassias. We are already honoring the engagement that your grandpa's generation had set. Since Nyra wasn't there to fulfill it, Zee had to take on the role."
"They are already an affectionate couple." Nerith chimed in with a displeased look on her face. "Are you going to break the relationship between the Sylvaris and Virethorn family?"
They argued for a long time until Alaric called for the end of it, his opinion unchanged. The dinner continued after that.
Laziel left with a displeased face, sending a secret glare to Zerra. The next scene was just as predicted. After the dinner finished, someone called her.
"Are you available to meet tomorrow?"
It was Cassias.