What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?

"This..." Runa looked around her, finding herself in a fairly large hall that resembled more of a living room.

Just as confusion set in, she heard footsteps once again, prompting her to frantically search for a place to hide!

"Where?!" With a quick twist of her body, she spotted a table near the sofa and rushed to hide underneath it.

After that, she heard footsteps, and the sound of those footsteps stopped right behind the table she was hiding under!

Curiosity getting the better of her, she lowered her head and peeked through the hole under the table.

Once again, she saw a woman in a maid outfit—none other than the woman she had noticed in the work space earlier!

"Mira..." Runa recalled the name as the man, who bore a resemblance to her young master, called out to her.

However, Runa noticed a troubling expression on Mira's face—it appeared dull and contorted, as if a sense of impending disaster loomed over her.

"Why does she look so worried and frightened?" Runa pondered to herself, feeling perplexed.

Soon after, she heard footsteps once again, this time at the opposite end of the living room, and then she saw a man named Zayn Welston, who bore a striking resemblance to her young master!

Runa observed the man's intense gaze fixed on Mira, who seemed utterly bewildered and oblivious to his presence.

Then, without warning, the man embraced Mira from behind, and Runa overheard their conversation.

"Mira, what are you afraid of?" The man's voice held a gentle concern.

Upon hearing his question, Mira broke down immediately, tears streaming down her face as she tried to explain.

"I don't know... but somehow I have a very bad feeling, young master!" Mira sobbed, clinging tightly to him and pouring out her thoughts and emotions.

Listening to this, Runa was taken aback and mumbled, "A bad premonition?"

Occasionally, she, too, experienced such feelings for her young master and couldn't help but notice the resemblance she shared with Mira!

After that, the man named Zayn continued to comfort Mira with unwavering care and affection.

Runa observed the two of them expressing their love for each other, and as she witnessed the man finally proposing to Mira, an unexpected pang of jealousy surged within her.

"Will my young master do the same thing for me as Zayn did for Mira?" Runa found herself envious, her initial purpose momentarily fading from her mind.

However, she quickly shook her head, snapping herself out of her daydream.

"No daydreaming!" She repeated it sternly, determined to refocus on her mission of finding a way out and disregarding all unnecessary thoughts.

After all, her young master was waiting!

Suddenly, she heard the maid's voice announcing the arrival of Zayn's fiancée!

"She came?" Runa was extremely puzzled, as she had heard earlier that his engagement with Charlotte had been canceled.

Reacting swiftly, Zayn instructed Mira to prepare some snacks, and they both departed in different directions, leaving Zayn already seated on the sofa and Runa concealed under the table.

Soon after, the living room door swung open, revealing a woman exuding an icy demeanor!

Runa's heart pounded rapidly because this woman emitted an incredibly intimidating aura!

Her red eyes, in particular, were especially daunting.

This scene triggered memories of a book she had read, recounting the legend of a Demon Emperor on the demon continent who possessed red eyes—and this woman bore strikingly similar eyes!

However, the notion of red eyes itself had only ever reached her ears through rumors about the still-slumbering Demon Emperor on the demon continent!

"Oh, Miss Charlotte, you have finally come; please take a seat." The man, sporting a gentle and handsome smile, stood up from his position on the sofa and warmly welcomed the woman.

After Charlotte took her seat, Runa found it challenging to observe Charlotte's facial expressions while she conversed with Zayn, as Runa was positioned below the table.

Despite this limitation, she managed to deduce from their conversation that Charlotte was requesting to reinstate their engagement!

"What is it? You always ignored Zayn before, and now you want to ask for it back?" Runa felt a surge of anger and hatred towards women like Charlotte, as she had gathered from their previous conversation.

Though she harbored these feelings, Runa knew she had to suppress them and continue eavesdropping on their discussion.

"I'm sorry, Miss Charlotte, but I can't grant your wish because our engagement has been canceled," Zayn firmly responded, causing the atmosphere to become tense immediately.

As Runa listened to Zayn's answer, she felt an inexplicable sense of happiness, even though she shouldn't know who this man named Zayn was!

"This feeling again..." Runa gently touched her chest and let out a deep sigh.

Although the man bore a resemblance to her young master, he was not Arthur Asvold!

Afterward, Runa overheard Charlotte's tearful plea, though Zayn remained resolute in rejecting her wish.

"Alright, I'll go to the toilet first," Zayn apologized as he walked out of the living room, leaving Charlotte with a desperate expression on her face.

Immediately after Zayn's departure, Runa's curiosity shifted towards Charlotte.

She noticed Charlotte lowering her head, and her complexion turned pale in an instant.

"This aura..." Runa sensed an incredibly terrifying change in Charlotte, a feeling she found somehow familiar!

"Isn't this the aura from mana?" Runa was surprised to recognize the energy emanating from Charlotte.

Suddenly, the aura vanished, and Charlotte raised her head, glancing towards the door.

Witnessing this, Runa inexplicably felt fear and goosebumps rise on her skin.

As Runa observed everyone, she didn't sense mana from anyone, be it Zayn, Mira, or Chloe; there was no trace of it!

After all, she had already broken the seal on her core and become an elemental!

"How can she bring out mana?" Runa felt puzzled but remained eager to see what would unfold next.

Suddenly, her attention was drawn to Charlotte, who was staring at the teacup prepared for Zayn.

With a dreadful smile, Charlotte poured something into the teacup!

"Poison?!" Runa's knowledge of herbs and poisons was considerable, thanks to her hours spent studying in the library.

Although she couldn't identify the exact type, she was certain it was poison!

Soon, the door opened, and Zayn, wearing his usual expression, re-entered the room, resuming their conversation.

Feeling at ease, Zayn brought the cup to his lips, intending to take a sip.

Observing this, Runa's body immediately tensed up, and a wave of anxiety washed over her.

"No!" She attempted to shout, but her voice failed to escape, and her body remained frozen!

"No! No!!!" Runa screamed within, yet her voice remained trapped, as if her vocal cords were paralyzed! 𝙗𝙚𝒅𝒏𝒐𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝙘𝒐𝒎

As expected, within a few minutes, Zayn's body stiffened and slumped, falling onto the sofa.

"Charlotte! How could you do that?!" Zayn managed to shout, but his voice strained with difficulty.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, with her beautiful face adorned by a twisted smile, swiftly moved to Zayn's side, gently caressing his face.

"Oh, my dear~ since I can't have you in this world, let us go to heaven, where no one will bother us!" Her crazed smile persisted as she retrieved a knife from her handbag and, without hesitation, thrust it into Zayn's heart!

"No! Don't!" Runa felt as though her heart was being sliced by a knife at the sight of this, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

Desperately wanting to move and intervene, she struggled against an overwhelming force that seemed to hold her back!

Suddenly, she felt the force that had held her captive dissipate immediately, and without delay, she emerged from under the table, fixing a hateful gaze upon Charlotte!

"Ahh! I won't let you!" Overcome by an intense emotion she couldn't quite comprehend, Runa immediately shouted hysterically.

However, just as she was about to advance, she suddenly felt time come to a standstill around her.

Everything froze, including her own movements!

Even so, her mind continued to race at a frantic pace, and a surge of murderous intent overwhelmed Runa as she fixated on Charlotte!

Until suddenly, in disbelief, Runa witnessed Charlotte, with her dreadful smile, turning her head and gazing directly at her, as if aware of her presence!

"Hahaha... I win, and you lose, Mira, or should I call you... Runa?" As Charlotte whispered those words, it felt as if a bomb had detonated inside Runa's head, shattering her soul!

And after that, the surroundings suddenly cracked like glass, including Zayn's lifeless figure cradled in Charlotte's arms and everything else!

"Boom!"

In an instant, everything shattered into pieces, leaving Runa surrounded by darkness.

Her expression turned blank, frozen like a statue, and then tears welled up in her eyes.

Overwhelming pain gripped her heart as she placed a hand over her left chest, feeling the intense ache.

"I remember everything... I remember everything now..." Runa's voice came out hoarse as she brought her hand to her head.

"Young master... I remember now..." She cried, her face contorted with a desperate expression that appeared to be both laughing and in anguish.

Until suddenly, she felt a pulling force, as if something was drawing her away from the pitch-black place.

...

In Arthur's room.

The afternoon sunlight filled the room, and a purple-haired girl with an exceptionally beautiful face slowly opened her eyes.

A tear rolled down her cheek, glistening at the corner of her eye.

"Young master..."