Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 276

Chapter 276: Ramona VII

Ramona von Panso, born as the most talented heir to the Panso Kingdom, carried more than just the weight of her family’s legacy. She was the reincarnation of the most powerful Martial Spirit in existence—a force of nature feared by many. But beneath her reputation as the kingdom’s prodigy lay a deeper, more personal secret, one that not even her twin sister, White Celestial, knew: Ramona was a reborn soul.

In her past life, Ramona had lived as a human, and in that life, Aiden had been the one she loved. However, Aiden hadn’t been the remarkable genius he was now. He was ordinary, someone whom others overlooked, but Ramona had always sensed something in him. There was a quiet, profound brilliance within him that drew her closer. She had pushed herself beyond limits, reaching heights unimaginable even to those around her, but in doing so, she left Aiden behind. She had chased after power, fame, and success, believing they would fulfill her, but once she stood at the top, she realized something crucial was missing: Aiden.

Her heart had ached when she finally returned to find that Aiden had passed, taken by the slow, relentless hand of time. He had waited for her, never marrying, never finding another, his life lived in quiet patience. The regret had shattered Ramona, knowing that he had died alone, always hoping she would come back.

Eventually she herself died, grieving on his grave and when she opened her eyes she found herself in this new world, a world she came to learn of Aiden existence.

This life, this new chance—Ramona knew things were different now. Aiden was no longer the same man from her past, but the feelings lingered, shaping her decisions and emotions. As she bathed in the calm waters, preparing for his arrival, memories of her past life resurfaced. She felt the conflict building inside her—the love she had never let go, the power she had sought that separated them, and now, the chance to make things right or watch history repeat itself.

As Ramona sat in the bath, her thoughts were a storm of emotions. The cool water did little to calm the fire inside her. Aiden was back—he was back. But the man who would soon enter her chambers was not the same Aiden who had once patiently waited for her in their past life. This Aiden had changed. He was more powerful, more determined, and—most painfully for Ramona—more distant.

She traced her fingers through the water, watching the petals swirl in soft patterns, but her mind was fixated on him. Would he even recognize the weight of their shared past? Did he still hold the same feelings she had harbored for lifetimes? Or was she, once again, chasing after something she had already lost?

The maid entered quietly, breaking Ramona’s thoughts. “He’s on his way, Princess,” she said in a hushed voice, her eyes avoiding the intensity of Ramona’s gaze.

Ramona nodded. She had already made her decision. This wasn’t about revenge or bitterness anymore—it was about something far deeper. She wanted answers, closure, and maybe, just maybe, a second chance. She wasn’t sure how Aiden would react. He had his own reasons for seeking her, reasons likely tied to the destruction she had wrought upon the kingdom. But those matters felt distant now, secondary to the emotional war raging inside her.

As she rose from the bath, her long hair trailing behind her, she waved the maid away. The moment needed no audience.

The grand doors opened with a soft creak. Aiden stepped inside, his usual confidence tempered with hesitation. His eyes fell on Ramona as she stood, wrapped in a simple robe, her gaze locking onto his. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them felt thick, charged with unspoken words, unresolved emotions, and a shared history neither could fully articulate.

Ramona was the first to break the silence, her voice soft but firm. “You came, Aiden.”

He nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “I had to,” he said quietly. “After everything… I had to see you.”

Ramona’s heart tightened at his words. She had expected anger, accusations, maybe even indifference—but the tone of his voice held none of that. It was something else entirely.

“And now that you’re here,” she said, stepping closer, “what do you see? Am I still the Ramona you once knew, or have I become a stranger to you?”

Aiden’s eyes flickered with something—regret? Pain? She couldn’t quite tell. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I see the past when I look at you. But I also see the present—the destruction, the blood on your hands.”

Ramona flinched slightly, but she didn’t look away. She deserved that.

“Do you regret it?” Aiden asked, his voice low. “The choices you made? The lives you took?”

“No” a sharp rebuttal, “For you I can even burn the whole world not just an Kingdom” She replied staring directly at his yes.

“I regret not being able to tell you sooner,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “About us. About the life we had. About the way I left you.”

Aiden’s eyes widened slightly, clearly taken aback by her words. “What are you talking about, Ramona?”

“You don’t remember, do you?” she asked, stepping closer to him, her voice tinged with both sadness and longing. “The life we shared in another time, another world. Where I was foolish enough to leave you behind… to chase after something meaningless.”

Aiden’s brow furrowed as he searched her face, trying to make sense of what she was saying. “I don’t… I don’t remember anything like that.”

Ramona’s heart sank, but she pressed on. “I was reborn with the memories of that life, Aiden. I remember everything—how we were together, how I left you. I reached the top of the world, but by the time I came back, you were gone. You waited for me, and I never returned in time.”

[Now, that is something even I never expected,] Nexus exclaimed at her confession.

‘A love that transcends life—how cute,’ Myne added, cheerfully teasing.

‘Shut up, this is serious. Don’t forget I am Jake not Aiden, the previous owner is already dead,’ Aiden said grimly.

Nexus and Myne fell silent, knowing he was right.

Aiden looked at Ramona, whose eyes were now wet—not from the bath but from tears. They streamed down her face silently.

“I… I am not Aiden. My name is Jake. The Aiden you knew or loved is already dead. He died during the awakening of his Martial Spirit,” Aiden confessed, his head hanging low. He could have lied to her, but seeing her like this—vulnerable and broken—he couldn’t bring himself to deceive her. Eventually, he admitted the truth.

“I’m like you,” he continued softly. “Memories of my past life remain with me. In my previous life, I was known as Jake, and then I died and was reborn in this body.”

Aiden didn’t looked at her, knowing she would be even more broken, he waited for he to lash ut but..

A warm, damp hand touched Aiden’s face, slowly caressing it. “I know,” Ramona said softly.

Aiden raised his head, surprised. He looked at Ramona, wondering what she meant.

“From the day I first saw you, I knew you were someone else in this body,” she continued. “But you were still my love—my Leonis, the Leonis who I left for fame and power.”

Aiden’s eyes widened as she spoke. “I never loved this body of yours, but your soul—the same soul of Leonis, who died and began the cycle of reincarnation multiple times, now standing in front of me.”

Her words left him speechless, and he instinctively stepped back, his mind spinning from the revelation. “The… what?” he muttered, disbelief flooding his thoughts.

“My life was already messed up even before I met that cube?” he wondered aloud, the weight of everything crushing him. “What in the world is going on?”

Nexus, who had known for some time that Aiden was special, finally spoke. [Aiden, what if she’s right?]

Aiden stood frozen, his mind overwhelmed by everything unfolding. Ramona’s words, Nexus’s question—everything clashed within him.

“I know it’s too much to handle,” Ramona whispered as she stepped closer, wrapping him in a warm embrace. Her touch was gentle, yet her presence was filled with determination. “But remember, I will always be there for you.”

Her voice was soft but resolute, a promise that transcended lifetimes. “No matter what this fate wants of us,” she continued, her words coming from the deepest part of her heart. “Even if it keeps messing with us, again and again, I promise I will never leave you behind. I would rather live a mundane life than enjoy a life of glory without you.”

Aiden’s heart beat painfully as her confession echoed around him. Her warmth seeped into him, but the weight of her words left him conflicted. A part of him longed to believe, but another part questioned everything.

But… He hesitated, focusing not just on her, but on his own chaotic life. A life that kept getting more and more convoluted with every revelation, every twist.