Inna groaned as she tried to move her arms. But every muscle on her body screamed in protest and in every minuscule movement she made, she could hear her bones cracking as well. Her body felt so heavy that she ended up laying back down on the bed with a loud thud, abandoning the thought of doing any more movement.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck."
She mumbled as she winced. Her mind was pounding so hard, it was like she just had the worst hangover ever.
She wanted to clutch her head but her body didn't seem to obey her.
She inhaled sharply as she clenched her eyes shut.
"Ugh…Fuck… it hurts… everything… fucking hurts…"
She hissed while trying to get her mind off of the pain. Then suddenly, she heard voices by the distance that grew louder as though they were approaching her. The voices were indiscernible at first but they soon began to sound familiar.
"Esh yi Inña? Iñgryd? Esh yi Rai Oyi Koye?"
Inna furrowed her brows as she tried to concentrate on what they were saying.
"He? Eshni worundye. Ust shyepin. Raghnall, eshi shyepin tu?"
"Unno. Ewiak vot onyeshponsib. Supyerin. Furvoi."
Inna couldn't make out what they were saying but she did recognize Raghnall's name being mentioned as well as the name Ingrid.
Ingrid…
That was the name she goes by in this world, wasn't it?
'Who are you?!'
A voice screamed in her mind, making her jolt violently.
What the fuck was that?
Was there someone communicating with her telepathically?
But… she had her barriers up!
'I-i can't move but I can hear you… Tell me, who are you?!'
The voice repeated, making the pain in her head worse. Inna winced harshly as she tried to answer back to the voice with irritation in her thoughts.
'Girl, I should be asking that! Who the hell are YOU?'
Inna waited for a response but the voice no longer spoke in her mind. It seems like the voice seemed to have disappeared already.
Confused, Inna's furrowed eyebrows furrowed even more to the point that she could feel her eyebrows soon fusing into one unibrow. Then, she suddenly felt a wet cloth pressed on her forehead making her jump.
"Esh yi… awake? Hello? Can you hear me? Do you feel any pain? Can you get up?"
Inna finally understood what they were saying. She sighed and she couldn't help but curse under her breath to express her relief.
"Fuck."
Inna could hear Granny Zai's chuckle beside her ear.
"Ah, yes. It's the little brat."
Granny Zai's tone was kind and soft at first but when she heard Inna's usual words, her tone immediately became a little flat yet playful.
"Figures. Making that ridiculous face. It could only be the little brat."
Hearing Granny Zai's muttering, Inna opened her eyes to glare at her sudden change of attitude. Her headache was slowly being soothed by the wet cloth on her forehead so she was now able to think and speak straight without the distracting pain.
"What happened?"
Inna began to blink furiously as her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the room. It was that same familiar white ceiling she saw in the mansion back when she still lived there. And looking around, it looked to be one of the guest rooms.
Was she back at the Sun Breeze Mansion?
Then, as she looked around, she saw Granny Zai by the opposite end of the room doing something. She was sure she heard two sets of voices but it seemed like the other person must've already left.
"Hey, c'mon. I know I was annoying back then but are you seriously going to ignore Lil' ol' me?"
Inna groaned as she tried to sit up.
Hearing the sounds of the sheets shuffling, Granny Zai hurriedly made her way to Inna's side.
"Don't move, brat!"
"Ow! What the fuck!"
Inna cried out as she immediately fell back flat on the bed. She glared at the old lady in front of her as she pouted.
"You didn't have to slap my forehead! I'm an injured person! Have mercy on the sickly!"
Granny Zai huffed as she rolled her eyes dramatically.
"I was told by the Master that you shouldn't move for the moment, little troublemaker. You passed out just mere hours ago so you're not in any condition to start moving. I'll be preparing the materials needed for the spell here so don't bother me for the moment or else I'll have to start from the beginning. That'll delay your treatment if that happens so, shush."
Inna groaned in protest but after a few seconds, she huffed in surrender as she clamped her mouth shut. She tried to hold all her questions back by focusing on the comforting coldness of the wet cloth on her forehead instead.
After a few long moments, she could finally hear Granny Zai cleaning up and figured she must be done.
"Okay, I can tell you finished already. Can you tell me what's happening already? Also, what treatment? You can just fix me up with some healing spells and I'll be fit as a fiddle. What's the preparation for?"
Granny Zai could hear the irritation and confusion in her voice making her take pity on the girl.
"You're Inna, right? What was the last thing you remember?"
Inna thought hard to recall her last memory. It felt like she was asleep for such a long time that she still felt a sense of disconnection from the world and her memories.
"I remember being… in a pavilion at dawn… I was being tickled by Raghnall and I felt sleepy so I slept. I think… yea, I was drunk at that time. Anything beyond that, I was completely blacked out."
Granny Zai audibly sighed as she grabbed the bowl with the prepared ingredients. She set it on the bedside table as she mulled deeply on what to reply.
Hmm… So, this little brat doesn't remember about the things that were happening when she was the young lady Ingrid…
"Well, the Master found you passed out together with Raghnall and we immediately took you here. You had most of your magical energy consumed and although you're recovering fast, the amount you have right now is just enough for you to… be alive. That's why moving your body would prove to be challenging for you right now."
Inna furrowed her brows in confusion.
"What made my magical energy become so drained? I… I just drank…"
Granny Zai didn't know how to reply without hinting on Ingrid's experiences so she decided to play dumb instead hoping Solman would answer the question instead when he arrives.
"I don't know why as well. I'm just an elderly maid."
Inna rolled her eyes at her blatant refusal to answer. She had no idea why this old granny wouldn't answer her question when it was just so simple!
Does she still have the grudge from back then? When she blew up that granny's precious garden?
Bleh, if that's the case, she better ask Raghnall instead.
Surely he would give her a straight answer.