It's already morning, I haven't slept that much because many questions are running on my mind. A lot of things happened last night, but they didn't even answer one of my many questions.
I checked outside of the window.
"Why did they built a palace beside a cliff?" I asked myself while looking at the cliff below. Aside from how dangerous this is, I can't deny that this is a good view especially if it is sunrise or sunset.
"We didn't built this place." I jumped out when I heard someone talked behind me.
"You freaking scare the hell out of me!" I shouted, "Oh. You were the soldier last night." I added and roam my eyes around the room. It is full of old fashioned materials and cushion.
"Yes. I haven't yet introduced myself, right? I am Verus Fortien. The inuitu of Harpia Auresia." He introduced himself.
"Verus Fortien. Alright. Wait, what's inuitu?" I asked.
"Rulers of knights." He answered.
"So it's you. The Verus that Friela and Yui are talking about. You're with that Illia, right? The one who's claiming to be a princess. By the way, I am Lucy. Lucy Zeffodir." I offered my hand as a handshake, and he took it.
He sighed, "I avoided thinking that it might be you, but I didn't expect that my intuition would be right." He sat on one of the chair inside the room.
"What the hell is happening?" I asked him. I really wanted to have some answer. What am I doing in this world? I thought I just have a mental illness? I mean, if this world really exist it mean that Illia and every stories that Friela and Yui said are real. "I really need an explanation." I said with some kind of authority in my tone.
He sighed again and stare at me, "You definitely looked like our princess, but I can sense that she's not here. Are you the Illia of Ingeum, Lucy?" He asked me, I feel irritated.
"Don't answer me with another question!" I shouted.
"Look, I have no idea what is the reason behind this. Yesterday until night, we were in the forest when I felt a sudden magic imbalance. I always need to check if there were some changes in the woods every night. I also have to gather woods for bathing, then a maid whispered through the wind that our princess was engulf with a light and disappeared." He explained.
I remember that. I was there in the forest last night. So, he's the person with full armor that I was following? I didn't recognize him because of the helmet, but I do remember the face of his companion.
"Whispering through the wind could take few hours. So we ran as fast as we can to see what happened inside the palace. She disappeared together with her staff that Licht created." He motioned his hand through a place where a lot of weapons are located. I went near to it.
"Is this all her staff?" I asked.
"Yes. In this world, staff is a symbol of authority and responsibility." Verus replied.
"When I was talking to the maid who saw what happened, a standing guard reported to me that one of our scouting guard witnessed you looking around the palace on top of a tree. She tried to talk to you, but you fell and lost consciousness." He explained.
"Who wouldn't be surprised when someone suddenly appeared and whispered on your ear?" I rolled my eyes, "I literally jumped the hell out of me when I saw someone sitting behind me, but you said 'she', a girl?" I asked.
"Yes. Scouting guards are usually women while standing guards are those you can see in front of the gate. They were all men." He said while pointing at his back, "All the guards panicked because they thought that you're our princess. We brought you here on Illia's room to heal your bruises and waited for you to wake up. When you woke up and speak, your language is different." Verus added.
I stared at him and let him talk.
"That was the moment where I thought there's something wrong. I looked at your outfit and everything, that's when I remembered what Lucy always say whenever she have Illia's consciousness. Lucy and our princess have the same face." He explained.
I blinked few times while trying to sink all of what he's saying in my mind. Hearing this with my own ears and seeing Verus with my own eyes convinced me that all of Friela and Yui said to me was real.
I walked beside Verus and pinched his cheek.
"Ouch! What are you doing?!" He shouted at me. I blinked again.
"Seeing you this near, you actually looked like Director John!" I exclaimed.
"Who is that?" He asked.
"That's—" I stopped talking for the mean time and tried to think how am I going to explain it, "A co-worker. That's it." I gave up and said.
"Can you remove that metal gloves of yours and slap me with your hands?" I asked.
"Why would I do that?" He asked.
"To make sure that I am not dreaming." I said.
He did what I instructed him and he slapped me. That hurts. So it means I am not dreaming.
"Did that gratify you?" He asked.
"Yes. I am not dreaming." I held my cheek where he slapped me.
He put his metal gloves back and sat again formally. My mind is still in a state of shock, but he doesn't looked like surprised or worried at all.
"Aren't you worried about your princess? I didn't even sense a bit of shock in your behavior." I uttered.
"Worried about Illia?" He laughed, "There's no need for me to worry about her. She can handle things on her own, and I don't need to feel surprised whenever this happened. I do sensed yesterday that there was an imbalanced magic that happened, maybe that's when both of you switched places." He explained, "I don't know who's responsible for this, but I am used having you here in our palace." He explained.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"As I always mentioned, you always take Illia's consciousness. I got used to it." He replied.
"Wait, we switched for just around four times, right?" I commented.
He laughed at me, "Are you kidding? You've been switching place with her every time. This might be your first time with your body, but you switched consciousness with her for more than a hundred times already. Who wouldn't get used to it?" He explained.
"Say what?!" How many times do I need to feel surprised, huh?
"Believe it or not that's the real deal, but it's not the thing that you should be worried about. For now you have to get used to living in this world." He stood up and went beside the window.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You really don't understand your situation, aren't you?" Verus asked.
"Then atleast enlighten me." I sarcastically replied.
"Erocile xe rae ivue rocum." Verus chanted and I was stuck on the ground.
"This is a world revolving around magic. You without magic power might be the weakest person and the most fragile person living here as of the moment. My princess will think of this as well right now." He motioned his finger upward, and the solid soil that stuck me on the ground became tighter.
I smiled, "Is this what you're doing whenever I came here? Surprise me with your magic?" I punched the solid soil that kept my feet from moving and jumped in the air. I've never felt so light in my entire life, this must be the work of their gravity. His smile suddenly faded.
"I am very sorry to burst your bubble, but my mind and body belongs to me. You're looking at Lucy, and not the Lucy inside Illia's body. Friela did said to me that you toy me with your magic under Illia's body, but you can't fool me. I am not afraid with your magic powers because I have my physical strength." I landed with my feet on the ground, "We humans who lived in Ingeum don't rely on magic because we have our own strength. That must be our difference with you, agmenagias." I added.
He smiled again, "You're interesting." I grinned to sync with his amusement.
"I think you should be worried with your princess, rather than me." I said.
"What do you mean?" Verus asked.
I smiled this time and sighed, "This world revolves around magic. Our world revolves around physical, mental, and logic. You rely on your magic, we rely on ourselves. Tell me, can your princess move without using her magic?" I asked.
"But she can use it there withou—"
I interrupted him, "Uh uh. You do not know how terrifying humans are. Tons of technologies are arising, and once they knew someone can use an extraordinary power like magic. I am not sure what will they do to your princess. Maybe kill her, dissect her and examine every bits of her." I smiled. I can see the fear engulfed his facial expression.
"What are going to do to go to your world?! Tell me?!" He shouted at me and I laughed hard.
"Chill, Verus. I am just scaring you." I laughed harder.
"That's not a good joke!" He said and went back to his seat.
"Actually, it is possible if she's not careful enough." I said.
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