I went back to my cabin without waiting for the commotion to abate. Well, I was tired. Playing against a storm was one heck of a strenuous activity. Especially when the said storm was freaking willful. Mother Nature and I need to talk, for real. I had to exert some effort to calm the chaotic natural laws and then set it into order. If it weren't for the vast number of natural laws I had control over then we would probably be suffering the same fate as those who stumbled onto the Bermuda Triangle. Either way, all's well that ends well. I had received benefits from it too so I'm not really bothered.
Anyway, I got to play around and experiment with the stone bracelet (which I should have given a name by now), reminisce music from Earth all the while saving the ship and easing our journey to Spice Islands. The thrashing of the ship was a f*cking torture, okay? I couldn't endure that for another day. Oh, and I also got to make new friends! All in a good day's work.
I was really interested in the musician couple. They really had top-notch looks. An eye candy couple. Aside from them being from Resse and in the same situation as me, I figured it wouldn't be so bad to have company. At least I would have people to talk to when I'm bored. Did I mention that they look really good?
Of course, there's always the matter of my identity. I cannot dismiss the hard truth that is the fickleness of the human heart. Though I could feel that they are genuinely good-hearted people, I can't carelessly divulge who I am. So I have to get them on the same boat. Well, we kinda already are but that's in a literal sense.
The couple visited my cabin the next morning. Pretty quick of them, to be honest. They do look like the type to love music to a certain degree of obsession. I should have expected that they'd want to meet with me as soon as possible since the Spice Islands are just a couple day's worth away.
"Greetings, Miss Toni. Thank you for taking the time to see us." Emily von Wilding greeted me with a formal curtsy as she stepped into my cabin followed by her husband, Li Jinhan. There was a sofa set and a coffee table in my cabin (which I painstakingly kept in one piece through spells in order to tide through the recent storm) so it was convenient to receive guests. I gestured for them to take a seat. I noticed that they were holding cases. Should be their instruments.
"There's no need to be so formal. Just call me Toni. I'm only 18. You being so formal makes me feel old." I said good heartedly. I mean, we're not even in Resse. So what's the point of sticking to conventions. I get that she's being polite and all, it was still something difficult to get used to.
I remember that there were honorifics that come along with higher attainments in magic. But I feel like they were used to instill distinction from other people. Thank god this couple seems to be unsure of what level I really am so they refrained from using those terms. Setting distance wasn't my purpose for my little talk with the couple. It was the opposite. Besides, those honorifics all sound like they're for old people. It doesn't go well with my appearance. Too much disparity in that scenario.
"18? Then if you do not mind Toni, I am only two years older than you while Jinhan is three years older. You can call us by our names as well." Emily replied with a slight smile. Her serious face brightened up. I gotta say she looks even better smiling.
"I'll call you Sister Emily and Brother Jinhan. How about that?" I compromised. They were still a few years my senior. At least, this body was. My mental age was way older but man, I'm young at heart so this works better for me. The two nodded in agreement, a complex smile in their lips.
I remembered that they wanted to learn the two songs that I played. So I stood up and took a thin stack of paper from a drawer. I noticed the curiosity in the couple's eyes when I set down the documents.
"These are the musical scores of the pieces I played previously. I'm giving them to you since you wanted to learn them. I arranged them to cater to your instrument." There was a surprised look in Li Jinhan's face while Emily held doubt in her eyes.
She's quite the sharp girl. This Emily von Wilding. No wonder they can escape pursuit from all over.
"You're giving this to us? Just like that?" Li Jinhan asked a bit incredulously at how nonchalant I was about.
Brother, I get that you think it's precious but seriously it wasn't originally my creation anyway. I'm using it to bribe...err... test you two. Besides it was a good thing to let the people of this world hear some of Earth's music.
"Toni this is too precious. They were given to you by those esteemed composers. There's no need to give us the scores. You can just teach us to play a part of it for experience." Emily gently shook her head as she said this. Her convincing tone held a little sternness to it as if an elder sister reprimanding her sibling for being so careless.
I was right. They were good people.
"I don't see anything wrong with giving it to you. I'm sure you won't do anything bad with it. That aside, I'm more concerned as to where you both are heading and what your plans are in the future." My eyes met Emily's who suddenly grew wary. Oops. Was I too quick in my questioning? No matter. I'll just explain myself and come clean.
"I'm not asking these because I'm planning to rat you both out. If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have sent those people to Hades that night. On the contrary, I want to help you since we're in the same situation."
Emily and Jinhan looked at each other. Sigh. Do they have to be so in sync? No wonder they were husband and wife.
"You are in the same situation?" Emily asked slowly as she stared at me. I nodded my head and spoke matter-of-factly.
"Yes. I ran away from home, you see. I don't have any plans on going back. I'm heading to Mirus to live a new life." Jinhan's eyes widened at my revelation.
"Mirus? You're going to Mirus too?" He exclaimed. I giggled at his surprise and nodded wordlessly in confirmation. Brother, you're focusing on the wrong parts.
"Who are you really?" Emily who had been silent for some time suddenly blurted out. I turned my head to her, my lips curving in an alluring smile. Yep, that was the question a smart person asks in this situation.
"Emily von Wilding, you're from nobility. I'm pretty sure you've heard of me. I'm quite infamous, after all. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the common people know of me as well." I responded languidly as my hand lifted up the butterfly mask from my face at the same time, willing my earring to revert my hair to its original color.
"Celestine von Trier, at your service." I continued in a frivolous tone, a smirk blooming in my lips.
Gobsmacked. There's no better descriptive word for the couple's reaction at my sudden revelation.