Jasmine Point of View 
"Let me go! Where's Yvette, bring her here!" I screamed, my nails digging into my palms.
 
I couldn't understand how Gracia had sabotaged my mission. When I was reborn, the system appeared to guide me. It told me my mission, the perks and punishments. Above it were the skills I acquired and the favorability ratings of those around me.
 
"I managed to manipulate Mathias, why can't I do the same with others?!" I yelled, frustration bubbling over.
 
"You bitch, Gracia!!" I roared, my voice hoarse. I was consumed by anger, wanting to kill Gracia.
 
I wanted to torture her before she died.
 
"Jasmine Pheonifillia, the heroine of the story I created." Suddenly, the Royal Advisor, Nathaniel Hortinson, appeared before me.
 
"Heroine? Story you created?" I questioned, bewildered.
 
"Yes, I created this world for you. You are the reason everyone here exists. Moreover, you are destined to succeed," he explained, causing me to burst into laughter.
 
"I thought I was the only crazy one, but there's someone even crazier than me," I scoffed, but I stopped when he mentioned my rebirth and my first life.
 
"To escape your destiny, you tried to change, and you met your savior, Knight Commander Mathias. It turned out he was your first love, so you developed feelings for him in the camp. You were disappointed to learn he was married with children. But when his wife died because of bandits, your life as his second wife began," he narrated, his voice detailed and precise.
 
"Who are you, really?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
 
"The one who will help you," he replied.
 
"The truth is, Gracia should be dead, but a crazy person like me merged with her, bringing her back to life. And the thing we have in common is that we both know what will happen in your life, which is why she sabotaged what was supposed to happen at the banquet," he explained.
 
"I don't understand everything you're saying, but if you can help me, just do it! I'm not patient!" I yelled, my impatience growing. He suddenly appeared close to me and choked me.
 
"That's not the kind of attitude a heroine I created should have. This is Gracia's fault; I need to set things back on track," he said firmly before releasing me.
 
"There's a system that pops up in front of me, only I can see it. It helps me with my missions. Are you the one who created it?" I asked, but judging by his expression, he wasn’t.
 
"System? I didn’t create any system in the plot," he said, confused.
 
"I failed to secure my mission, so no new mission appeared after that," I added.
 
"You're relying solely on the mission. The wine you were supposed to serve the royal family was meant to be consumed by Dana and Josh. They would have died because their mana levels were too high for their bodies to handle. All their mana would have transferred to you, making you a true Saintess," he explained.
 
So the children were the key. I hadn’t realized it. Gracia was incredibly powerful, so her children must be too.
 
"I need to kill the children to become a true Saintess?" I couldn’t help but smile, my ambition taking hold. If that happened, I would torture Gracia.
 
Gracia's POV
 
Jasmine was imprisoned, and the children were safe. The Empress promised to issue a decree to allow me to take Dana and Josh back. Finally, everything would be back to normal.
 
"Wait for Mommy, my children," I whispered, hugging my pillow.
 
I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep...
 
"Mommy, why do I have a birthmark that glows on my birthday?" Dana asked.
 
"Me too, Mommy. It’s cool," Josh added.
 
"I want you to promise me that you won’t tell anyone about the birthmark. It’s a special mark, only a few have it," I explained.
 
My dream was interrupted by my alarm. "Lady, Lady Gracia. I heard the Empress is convincing the Emperor to approve the decree about you," my lady-in-waiting informed me.
 
"It’s just about my children," I replied.
 
"Wait, Gracia, I don’t get it. Wouldn’t it be better for you if you didn’t have children? You could find a new family. And with your family background, any legitimate bachelor would fight for your hand," she said, her voice laced with confusion.
 
"I have no intention of getting married again. I just need to get my children back. That's it," I explained.
 
Days passed, and finally, the decree was issued, and I was summoned.
 
"Due to her loyalty, Lady Gracia Matilladious is elevated to the position of the 3rd most powerful woman with the title of Royal Princess. She will be recognized as royal blood and, as a member of the nobility, Princess Gracia has the right to take custody of her children, Dana and Josh, without any interference from their father," the announcement declared. I was overjoyed.
 
I never thought I’d rise to such a position. The politics I rejected had become my path, all for the sake of my children.
 
Without a word, I rushed out, boarding a carriage to reach my children. But my smile vanished when I learned they were missing.
 
"Where's Mathias? Why did he leave the children?!" I screamed.
 
"A war erupted between the two empires, so Sir Mathias left in a hurry."
 
A maid rushed into the mansion, breathless and frantic. "Bad news, Madam Jasmine escaped from prison. They say she was struck by Heavenly Punishment, so she’s probably going to do something to endanger the empire," she reported.
 
"She’s not the reason for the war!" the nanny yelled.
 
"STOP! I don’t care about her. The important thing is to find the children!" I commanded.
 
They nodded and dispersed to search for the children. I started in the garden, heading out of the mansion, but I stopped when I remembered Jasmine.
 
The red color had disappeared from the system, along with the note "Mission Failed," making me think deeply.
 
Secure the Saintess position?
 
The death of my children.
 
The system reset.
 
"Jasmine doesn’t have that much mana to become a Saintess..." My eyes widened in shock, and I froze, cold sweat breaking out on my skin.
 
"Jasmine kidnapped the children!" I screamed, rushing back into the house.
 
"She must have used mages to enchant the children, take them away from Jasmine if you see them!" I ordered, rushing to the palace to seek help.
 
"I can do tracing magic," Samantha volunteered.
 
Despite my trembling, I tried to calm down.
 
"They’re outside the city, heading towards the border where the war is taking place," she said.
 
"She didn’t succeed at the banquet, so she’ll announce her Saintess status where there are many people," I said, my anxiety escalating.
 
"I can’t travel that far. I need teleportation magic." I felt myself losing control.
 
"Cia, calm down. The border is too far; teleportation magic won’t work!" the Empress yelled at me.
 
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN MY CHILDREN’S LIVES ARE AT STAKE?!" I roared.
 
"I don’t understand. What do the children have to do with Jasmine?" Samantha asked, confused.
 
"The t-truth is, they’re not normal humans. They’re lakrima. They’re alive because of my magic. They’re my first sin," I confessed, my hope dwindling.
 
I thought it was over.
 
"Why can’t I escape this plot! Why does everything keep going back to this point, even after I’ve tried to change things?!" I screamed, slamming my fist on the floor, cracking the tiles.
 
"Blood sacrifice," I muttered.
 
Without a word, I sliced my wrist and drew a magic circle.
 
"Cia, stop! You’ve lost too much blood; you’ll die!" Samantha yelled, but I ignored her.
 
"I need more," I murmured, and as I finished the circle, my parents arrived.
 
My eyes were swollen from crying, and I begged them not to come closer.
 
"Cia, we’ve sent troops to find them. Please, stop," my mother pleaded, but they screamed as I started to harm myself.
 
"Cia!" they yelled, but the magic circle activated, preventing them from approaching.
 
"Cia, they’re not real people, they’re just your creations. It’s enough! Stop! Your real children are dead, they’ve been gone for a long time!" my mother shouted.
 
They thought that, so they weren’t helping me save my children.
 
"I r-raised them. They’re my children."
 
I looked at the glowing magic circle, but it seemed like the Blood Sacrifice wasn’t enough. Without hesitation, I stabbed myself in the chest.
 
"CIA, STOP!" - Mom
 
"HAVE MERCY ON YOURSELF! You’re the real person, you should be the one to protect yourself, Cia!" - Samantha
 
"Don’t underestimate a mother’s love. You don’t get to be a mother just because of blood! THEY ARE MY CHILDREN!" I roared, plunging the dagger deeper into my chest.
 
"Art of Magic: Blood Sacrifice Teleportation!" I chanted. In seconds, I was in the middle of the battlefield. I immediately searched for Jasmine.
 
I closed my eyes, drawing on my mana, and I arrived at the foot of a mountain.
 
"Mommy!" I opened my eyes to the scene I had feared most.
 
Josh lay lifeless beside me, his throat slit by the person standing next to Jasmine. "N-Nathan?" I called out, my voice choked with fear.
 
"They’re not human. They don’t have blood like you," he said, his voice laced with amusement.
 
I rushed to Dana’s side before she could die. They glowed, their bodies maturing.
 
"Mommy, thank you for letting us experience life as ourselves. You did the impossible, and I’m happy to have been your daughter. Thank you for everything," Dana said, her form fading.
 
"NO!!! MY CHILDREN!! DON’T LEAVE ME!!" Agony tore through me as I held them, watching them disappear.
 
Nathan pulled me away. "What are you crying about? They’re not yours! They were created to make the Heroine stronger. What’s the point of crying! We’re transmigrated, we have no connection here…." He trailed off as I punched him in the face.
 
"Transmigrated or reborn, I’M NOT EITHER OF THOSE THINGS!" I screamed.
 
"W-What?" he asked, bewildered.
 
"I’m one of the characters you consider to be intelligent enough to escape your plot, Author TOP! And those children you consider objects… THEY ARE MY CHILDREN! MY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD! I RAISED THEM, SO DON’T TELL ME THEY’RE NOT REAL! THEY ARE REAL! AND THEY ARE MY CHILDREN!!" I roared.
 
We stopped as Jasmine levitated, glowing, and the system changed. 'Mission Accomplished'.