"M-Mingzh-"
"Hey, Minnie, wake up!"
"Ahhh! Mingzie!" Minnie suddenly woke up in a daze.
"Ming- who? Was my driving that bad for you to have such bad dreams?" Lyionel said with a matching scratching of his head.
"Uhhh-" Minnie acted innocent and tried to look away.
"Anyway, I think we're safe here, for now, come outside and help me hunt for food- err I mean enjoy the freshwater of the river! I can't let you get dehydrated especially when you just came back to life, right?" Lyionel said carelessly while keeping the wagon's curtains open for her.
"R-Right…" Minnie answered reluctantly and took a quick glance at him before leaving the wagon with his help.
"S-So what was so dangerous about staying in that place in the first place?" Minnie asked while looking away, trying not to look too suspicious about her dislike of the latter topic that the gentleman has raised, even if that was just a joke.
"That place… you mean the Exchamber forest?" Lyionel kept the conversation.
"Exchamber for- yes?" Minnie tried to sound confident.
'He can't know my real identity!'
"I don't know if it's because you haven't had the chance to step outside your house or you've been really busy with your life lately but haven't you heard about the mad mugglings lurking around that forest?" Lyionel looked at her with concern.
"No….?"
"Not even a single mention of their name from somewhere?"
'That's a trick question, I should answer yes to not look more suspicious!' Minnie thought to herself.
"Yes!" she shouted confidently before realizing what that just meant in accordance to Lyionel's question.
"Well, that's weird. Is that also the reason why you went through that road and ended up almost getting killed by those mugglings so cluelessly?" Lyionel muttered as if he was just talking to himself.
"I could also say the same to you," Minnie clapped back in hopes of getting the conversation somewhere else as they took their seats beside the warm and fresh river bank.
"What? Oh, you mean the reason why I also opted to go through that road instead of the safer one?" Lyionel took a quick glance at Minnie before proceeding to wrap a cord around some random stick, probably to use as a fishing pole for their breakfast- err lunch. Or dinner?
Minnie's brows suddenly met as she was looking at a rather peculiar sky above them.
"It's simple, that road is actually a shortcut for people who needs to rush through the forest like me-"
"Why is the sky pink?" Minnie couldn't help but ask as she got more mesmerized by the unique details in the sky that has captured her eyes.
"Oh, it's because the third moon is setting," Lyionel answered heedlessly before realizing what the question was.
"Don't tell me you also didn't know that," he added with a humorless chuckle.
"I… It's beautiful," Minnie turned to face him with a smile that sent all of his rational thoughts out the window.
"B-Beautiful, yes," Lyionel stuttered before looking away from her sparkling eyes.
"So why were you asking that question anyway?" Lyionel asked and tried to face her again but quickly turned around as he realized how powerful her charm has become since earlier.
'I'm sure I only gave her enough mana to survive that cold. Where did all that power come from? And more importantly, who is this girl exactly?' Lyionel wondered as he took another quick glance at her before focusing all her senses on the fish instead.
"It's probably because I almost died, but is it normal for me to not remember anything about my previous life at all?" Minnie removed her eyes from the moon and noticed how Lyionel was avoiding eye contact with her.
"Hey, is there something wrong?" Minnie slid to Lyionel's field of view after she realized he wasn't listening.
"I-I would really appreciate it if you avoid eye contact with me for a little moment please," Lyionel said while looking up and swallowing his dry throat.
"Oh, okay..?" Minnie said glumly before facing her back to his face.
"Did I do something wrong?" she said as soon as she settled down.
"Oh- no! It's just… you're eyes were sparkling, that's why," Lyionel said with a dismissive tone before standing up to remove the fish he caught from his hook.
"Sparkling?" Minnie's eyebrows furrowed, "What do you mean?" she said and accidentally looked at him again.
"Your eyes. It has the power that only the stars of our culture could obtain," Lyionel said before snapping out of her magic.
"You really should look away before I completely fall in love with you, Minnie," Lyionel said which tugged her clueless little heart of Minnie for a change.
"O-Okay…"
'What was that, young lady?! You've only known each other for less than a day and yet he says he's falling in love with you already?! He's crazy! But don't fall for it, please! I beg you!'
"Right, so where was I?" Lyionel continued on as if the words 'falling in love' was just a normal thing for him to say.
"Hmmm," Minnie pouted before composing herself properly.
"This scenery really reminds me of those fantasy stories I used to read as a child. And also the fact that I am no longer living on Earth," Minnie muttered to herself and sighed, "I really wish there's a way for me to get things back to where they're supposed to be," she added in hopes of getting to terms with the fact that she's now gone and there's another girl inside her body who was also asking for her help.
And of course, couldn't leave out the fact that Aphrodite would not be able to help her anymore after only blessing her with something supposedly special that she doesn't even have any idea of how to use.
"I need to go back to that chamber and learn more about this world through her memories," Minnie muttered determinedly.
"But how?" she bit her nails, "If I was able to go there earlier through my subconsciousness, then maybe I should try to fall asleep again and make it work!"
"Ah uh, where are you going?" Lyionel said when he noticed Minnie standing up.
"Uhhh, back to the wagon so I could disturb you less?" Minnie stopped and blurted out an improvised excuse without turning around to avoid eye contact.
"Hmm, good thinking. Just be careful with my babies there, alright? I still have to get them all back to their rightful homes before noon."
"Eww, what babies?" Minnie muttered under her breath as she crossed her distance from the wagon.
"Oh, he meant these?" she said and rolled her eyes after realizing that the 'babies' Lyionel was talking about were the ceramic jars filled with liquor all along.