"Oh, by the way, Aunt had called me yesterday saying that her sister in-law has found a perfect woman for you to marry." Mrs. Shaw said.
"It's pointless. Tell her she better stop her or else this will only cause harm to the woman that they're planning to introduce to me." Edric said.
"Why don't you tell her herself? My aunt's sister-in-law is your so called step-mother after all." She adjusted her position in the couch and continued.
"And besides, I thought she only has to fall in love with you and the curse would then be broken and you'll be mortal again. Then, isn't it great if that woman is your fated one?" Mrs. Shaw said because that's what she knew.
So if Jane was not actually that girl he was destined with, then she was already saved from having a tragic fate in love with him.
"It's not only her who should fall in love, the love should be reciprocated for it to work. And it will only work with the woman in the prophecy. I was not cursed by a cursed spell being casted on me." Edric sighed heavily before he continued.
For others, it's easy to fall in love to another person.
But the case was different with Edric.
"Because my entire being existed by feeding on the dead souls my heart only felt deep hatred and indifference towards people." He said.
"That's not true, you're no longer that person, you have saved a few just like me and Aunt. We would have been dead if not because of you. And we won't belong to the McWilliams now should you not allow my aunt to marry into the family of your trusted subordinate." Mrs. Shaw tried to convince him.
"It didn't mean that since I have developed sympathy it will be easier to develop the feeling of love. That also didn't mean that if a wrong person loves me she won't feel the most agonizing pain ever to the point that she would want to kill herself for the pain to be over." He said.
It happened many times in the past. He had witnessed those cases in the past and those women, he didn't want them to die because of him.
"Well, I'm glad I didn't fall in love with you. Or I'll suffer the same faith with those who loved you before." Mrs. Shaw teased as she tried to lighten the mood.
But then her face turned serious when she realized something.
"Also, if Jane is not the one, then she must not fall in love with you, right? So she won't experience the pain caused by loving you." Mrs. Shaw said.
"Exactly, and it is still uncertain if I will be mortal again or I will just die immediately. It was only written there that the woman would end me. It is not specified in the prophecy. Either ways, I'm sick and tired of being here. I just want to die." Edric added.
"Wow! Saying that the prophecy is very mean to you is really an understatement." Mrs. Shaw couldn't help but felt pity for him.
"I should have been dead a long time ago. It was a big mistake that they have tried to resurrect me."
"So, what are you going to do now? Since those old hags didn't know who you really are, your step mother too thought that you are a competitor of her son Adam and my other cousin." She could not help but ask.
"Let them be. Let them bark as much as they want. They won't do any harm to me anyways." He just said.
"I've heard that they're trying to involve the Patriarch with this, too."
"They can't force Patrick to agree. He knew the risk."
"Now, it seems like I'm about to watch a good show. I better prepare some popcorn then." Mrs. Shaw commented.
***
Jane woke up the following day with a good mood. Since she was on a mood, she had decided to do something productive other than doing meditation.
She decided to go out and familiarize herself with the new world that she was now in and not just rely on Jane's old memories.
After an hour of meditating, Jane took a shower and cooked her favorite breakfast afterwards.
She happily munched the food in her mouth while watching a show she had randomly picked on her laptop computer.
Not a good habit to start but she suddenly felt lonely after sharing her dinner last night with people.
She still found it amazing how this world was able to display another people on a small device.
She had not tried doing it with magic in the past as there was no spell for that.
She thought that the people in this world. She thought that the high technology and innovations in this world was equivalent to magic in her previous world.
And she was sooner or later going to be dependent with this technology, too.
She was only trying to watch one episode while eating her breakfast but she didn't know it was a series and she ended up watching the whole show until the afternoon.
She had even forgotten eating her lunch.
And now, her stomach was rumbling as it was complaining on her.
She couldn't help it. The series was not only addicting but most importantly, she could see herself in the female main character.
Marrying a king and becoming a wife only to find out that the king had to marry another wife that could produce an heir to the throne and for the nation.
She really thought that this setup only happened in her previous kingdom but it turned out to happen in the royals of this world, too.
Good thing the people here had already moved on in that tradition.
Treating women, especially the wives, better than before by allowing only one wife in the marriage and letting each other be free should the marriage fail or should they want to seek other relationship with another person.
It's better to leave than stay in a very toxic relationship that would end up harm either or both parties.
And also, they had given women more room to speak out compared in the past.
How she wished she could bring that reform in her past world to free women like her who were bound and oppressed by tradition. And also those who were so weak (non-magic user) that they could not protect themselves.
But she knew that even in this world, men are treated far better than women. But at least women now have a voice which was far better than having none in the past.
At least there's hope that gender equality could now be achievable than being close to none in the past with no consideration of having any double standard.
But she knew that there would always be loopholes in these ideals.
There's no perfect system. Because if there was, people would finally stop complaining.
Hearing her stomach repetitively complaining to her, Jane had immediately went to the kitchen and opened her fridge to cook something that won't take that long to prepare.
"Geez! If I'll make this into a habit, then I'll be a lazy fat pig during the entire semestrial break." She told herself.
Tomorrow was the official start of the semestrial break. Since Country P didn't have four seasons, they didn't have those winter break or spring break in other country.
Tertiary level students had this break in between semesters that's why it was called semestrial break. It usually lasted for two weeks to give time for students to settle the things they lacked from the previous semester so they could successfully enroll in the next semester.
And for those who decided to not have classes during the two summer months of the year, they could enjoy their summer break.
However, students in all levels got the chance to enjoy a week or a couple of days of day off from school prior to the celebration of All Souls and All Saints Day which happened to fall in the first and second day of the eleventh month of the Julian calendar.
Not only that, students were also given a two week off to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
The country also had a list of legal public and special holidays that would mean that classes would be suspended that day and students could do whatever they wanted.
And Jane would be enjoying a day off from school starting tomorrow.
However, she was asked to report on Monday because tomorrow would be the welcoming day for their new professor in the university.
As a scholar and per suggestion by Director Lopez, she should be there. And it's a must.
Well, that would mean she would meet her moody boss tomorrow who seemed to have his first day of period yesterday.
She wondered which department he would be teaching though.
She really hoped she won't be any of her professor for her final semester.
Jane found herself cooking dry and hot instant noodles with the remaining rice she had earlier that morning. She had also boiled three eggs and sliced them.
After she was done, Jane looked at the time and saw that it was still four in the afternoon. She still have time to roam around in the park until night came.
Jane grabbed her jeans and jacket with hood and changed into them. She paired it with her white sneakers.
Jane had decided to wear the same disguise she had worn yesterday except for her eye glasses.
She then wore her face mask, grabbed her wallet, keys, phone and then shoved them in her pocket.
Jane decided to visit the park where Jake's milk tea shop was nearby.
She kind of missed having a cup of milk tea.
Jane was thankful that the hallway was empty and the entire dorm was silent. Probably because they had all gone home to their families in their respective towns and provinces.
Jane road the bus to get there in the park.
When she arrived, she saw families having a late afternoon picnic in the park.
Jane settled on the park bench and she looked around the entire view.
The park was near a bay so the view was quite good.
An street ice cream vendor came to her and offered his product.
Jane gladly bought one cone of ice cream and she enjoyed it.
Jane sat there until the sun set on the West.
When twighlight came, the families slowly left the park and only a few remained.
Jane suddenly heard a click of a camera accompanied by the flashing lights coming from it.
Jane immediately looked towards the direction and she saw a man looking at the screen of his camera.
Then he slowly approached her and politely asked.
"Ahm, excuse me. Is it okay if I'll take photo of you?"
"No. And please delete the photo you have taken just now." Jane immediately told him.
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I don't want to waste such a masterpiece." The man said.
"But I didn't give you the permission for that. I can sue you if I wanted to." Her statement angered the man.
"Ha! You should be thankful that your face is in my camera."
"Really?!" Jane then snatched the camera from his hand and then delete the photo.
When she was done, she tossed the camera back to him not minding if he would catch it or not.
"You ungrateful brat!" The man said.
Jane decided to ignore him and walked away but before she can totally leave the place, a man came to stop her.
He introduced himself as the companion of that photographer.
"Excuse me. I'm sorry if my companion angered you. Look, we are talent scouts and we are looking for a model for print ads. We have been observing you for a while now and we can see your potential as a model. Are you interested?" He explained and asked in one go.
But Jane's response was only, "No. Thank you."