After a few moments, she saw the orb of light slowly making its way towards a corner.
Afraid she might lose it, Ingrid hurriedly tried to run after it. But she immediately stopped in her tracks, slightly shocked by what she saw.
There were roses.
But not just a single rose, but a small enclosed field filled with them.
The sea of roses filled the whole place as the walls of the academy towers among them as though the walls were protecting the beauty of the roses from ill-seekers.
As the roses' magical particles flew around elegantly, their petals glistened under the bright moonlight from the caught raindrops. It made the place looked utterly ethereal.
Walking closer towards it, she noticed that in the middle of such beauty was a pebbled pathway that led to a small white pavilion. The pavilion looked greatly enchanting as well, truly fitting in with the beauty of the roses as their vines curled on its structure as though it was part of their own body.
Enjoying such a magnificent and rare sight, Ingrid breathed in the sweet smell of the roses. Then, she continued to walk towards the pavilion all the while basking in the scenery.
She'd never seen such a beautiful place.
All the places she's been to were either battlefields, forests, dungeons, marketplaces and the like.
There's never been a place like this… a place that seemed to have been heavily cared for.
It looked like a place where someone spent a great time maintaining. It felt like someone poured out his love and soul into making this place the beauty it was today.
In fact, just being there made her feel as loved, welcomed, and appreciated as the blooming roses around her.
And soon, she unknowingly began to smile and fully calm down. She even almost forgot her encounter with that strange man and that bright orb.
Well, until she saw that familiar orb of light once again.
It was now hovering over one of the roses blooming by the pavilion's pillar. Now with curiosity filling her up, she hurriedly made her way towards it.
She was mostly curious about what it was that made it so bright and what was behind the bright halo around it as well. And so she squinted her eyes to look closer and she saw a faint outline of a butterfly's wings behind the bright light.
Then, as if the butterfly noticed her looking, it seemed to have dulled down its light as it fluttered towards her.
With the light now not as bright as it once was, she was finally able to see the clear form of the butterfly. And well, she was mesmerized by its beauty.
It was light blue in color with black lines on its wings and seemed to be shrouded with a thin sheet of pale blue light. Whenever it moved, small glittering lights would sprinkle downwards making the butterfly look as pretty as the roses around them.
"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing…"
Ingrid mumbled as she observed it heavily. She'd never seen such a strange-looking butterfly. Then suddenly, as its halo of light decreased into a dim blue light, it suddenly increased in size and became as big as her palm while it lost its black lines.
It… transformed?
Now, it looked just like a normal but still considered rare, magical butterfly. With both eyebrows raised, Ingrid somehow felt that the butterfly was familiar.
Then, when it speedily fluttered away from her, she finally knew why.
Her room!
That butterfly was the one who kept banging on her window, wasn't it?
Ingrid suddenly broke into a laugh as she entered the white pavilion.
She must be crazy.
Claiming that all butterflies were the same...
There's no way that was the same one.
She chuckled at herself as she found a long cushioned chair to lounge in.
The whole inside of the pavilion was shrouded in darkness and since she didn't know any illumination spell, she made herself content with the measly light coming from the moon.
She made herself at home as she slowly breathed in and out. She felt sleepy and the minute pinpricks of pain from her bleeding only contributed more to her urge to sleep.
And so, planning to take just a quick short nap, she slowly closed her eyes.
But it seemed like her mind had a different plan.
'Are you sure you haven't lost your mind, little idiot?'
Those words echoed in her mind as she recalled that weird man she met earlier.
'I haven't seen you for days and you actually forget how my voice sounds like? Words can't describe how hurt I feel right now, Nana!'
What did he mean? He acted as though they knew each other.
She wasn't able to get a real clear look at his face but she was sure, from its outline, that she never met such a handsome young man.
In fact, she was never even acquainted with any Molians. She lived in Edseria most of her life so it wouldn't make sense for her to know someone here.
But he seemed so sure…
He even talked about the times they 'supposedly' hung out?
She furrowed her brows as she recalled.
Apparently she.. promised to be his friend? And she visited and sparred with him?
And apparently, she farted in the middle of lunch together with him because she ate too much??? And that she ate table decorations?
She had no recollection of ever doing those things at all!
The farting she'd probably understand but eating table decorations? She never even tried such luxury of eating lunch with table decorations much less have the chance to eat one!
Now that she recalled it, she remembered Solomon acting weird too along with those two strange men as well!
They acted as though they knew her for years!
One of them even hugged her with no regard for proper social etiquette!
Then, as if her mind was finally able to relax and work well, she began to recall words that she once failed to notice due to her cautiousness.
'You have been under my care for more than a year and you say that you've never met me?'
Solomon's voice began to fill her mind as she began to vividly recall their first encounter.
'…don't you remember? You wanted to study at Eldora Academy. We're at my private manor that's adjacent to the academy's administrative office building because you had a sort of attack that seemed to have rattled both your body, mind, and soul.'
Then, she recalled that handsome man that suddenly tackled her into a tight hug and his voice suddenly started to echo in her head.
'Inna?'
'Wha--what do you mean she's not her?! Look at her! She's obviously Inna!'
Ingrid clenched her head as she grew more and more confused.
Just what exactly was going on?!