Faced with indignity and potential death, Maze had to make a quick decision. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she tore open the peculiar packet under the cover of her skirts.
She pulled out some of the contents and forced them into her mouth, ignoring the inquisitive gazes of the guard close enough to see her actions. The instant dinner tasted surprisingly good, given her current predicament. The ultimate magic started to seep into her and around her. Something changed within her, and suddenly, the pain in her leg became a faint throb, a cool sensation swirling from within her core to envelop her body in an ethereal iridescence.
Everything froze around her - the lecherous laughter, the guards, even her fear. Everything except the magical transformation unfolding within her.
As Queen Maze transformed under the magic of Reinhart's essence, back in their pocket realm, Bocchi watched on with a knowing smile. Things were finally happening as they should...
Meanwhile, Reinhart could feel his body starting to unravel, the essence within him resonating with the newfound magic contained in Maze's body. Underneath his cardboard form, a connection was building between Reinhart and Maze as the magic dinner started its transformation.
As the guards continued their crude banter unaware, Maze clinched her abdominal muscles, a peculiar warmth spreading throughout her form, starting from the center and flowing outwards. Her physical body blurred into a mesmerizing dance of light and color as Reinhart's magic enveloped her. She felt every cell in her body hum with a sudden surge of raw, untamed power.
The guard closest to the tree squinted up, a puzzled expression on his ugly, scraggly face. "What in the seven kingdoms--"
And then it happened. The veil of light faded away to reveal a stunning transformation - Maze stood, utterly healed and imbued with overwhelming energy. Her leg was no longer bleeding, the wound mended seamlessly, and her physique was marginally improved. Each muscle was better defined, her reflexes seemingly sharper.
Next to her, Reinhart reformed from the packet, his consciousness residing in a human body. For a moment, he marveled at his mortal form, complete with functional limbs and, to his relief, no tremors. Working fingers. It was a gift he didn't think he'd ever appreciate again. He was startled when Maze turned to him, her once placid eyes now blazing with an intense light.
"You… you did this?" she asked, clarity replacing the earlier shock in her gaze.
Reinhart nodded, his fingers clenching and unclenching by his side. He felt, well – human again. More than that, he felt powerful and free, a sensation he hadn't known for years in his previous body.
"I did, but we can't waste time. I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but those meatballs won't sit idly for much longer," he warned, hoping to relay the urgency of their situation.
He was right. One of the guards, the one who had been getting closer to the base of the tree, pointed at them. "Look! Look! She's healed!"
Reinhart offered a smirk at the stunned guards. If anything, being a magical dinner was definitely a step up from Parkinson's disease. He wasn't weak anymore and had no intention of letting these men lay a hand on Maze.
Meanwhile, Maze felt the new magic coursing through her veins, an intoxicating rush of power and potential. She didn't know how it was possible, but she felt stronger, faster, and more alive than ever before. An earth-shattering roar of laughter left her lips, filling the air around her, the gust of pure magic sending shivers down the spine of her inevitable assailants.
"Stay back!" One of her newfound tormentors shrieked, an unnatural fear seeping into his tone.
Bracing herself, Maze launched off the tree. Her new strength and agility took her by surprise, and she climbed high into the air, her skirts billowing around her. As she descended, she saw Reinhart's transformation. Gone was the awkward floating packet. In its place stood an imposing figure with striking features, dappled sunlight streaming through the tree and onto his face... And naked... Body?!
Suddenly, Mazed tripped over her own feet as she unconsciously backed away from this new naked man. This was the first time that she had ever seen a man without any clothes, and her mind didn't know how to process what she was seeing.
She shook her head fiercely, trying to regain her sense of reality. "Put on some clothes!" She snapped, turning her gaze away from Reinhart's surprisingly muscular physique.
Blinking in confusion, Reinhart looked down, realizing his nudity. A jolt of embarrassment rushed through him, and he quickly covered himself with the remnants of his old box. Just as he thought his life couldn't get weirder, here he was, a resurrected dinner trying to hide his privates. But he found himself trying to hold back a chuckle over the absurdity, grateful for the sensation of humor that he thought he'd lost.
"I'm sorry, Maze. I didn't realize I'd forgotten my breeches in another dimension," he retorted, pulling a lopsided smile.
Maze didn't dare to look at him, but the odd chuckle escaping her lips masked the grim scene for a moment. "It's a bit chilly, isn't it?"
Caught off guard by her quip, Reinhart burst out laughing. The situation was dire, but the unexpected banter eased the tension around them.
The laughter died when the guards stepped towards them, their lecherous grin replaced with frustration. The guard leading the party, a hefty man with a scar running down his chin, sneered at them. "Enough of your mockery, princess. You are coming with us."
His threat echoed in the quiet streets surrounding them. Maze eyed her enemies coldly, a newfound confidence building within her. Meanwhile, Reinhart searched for something that could serve as makeshift clothes and found only leaves and twigs.
"Over my dead body," Maze retorted, her gaze firm on them.
Unknowingly, the chain of events had set the stage for an epic saga that none of them could predict. In a world brimming with magic, dinner packets, and a dash of fate, the stage was set. Now, all that was left was to face whatever came next with valor and the strength of a magical dinner.
The spark of war had all but ignited. The only question was, what side would luck favor? A young queen, thrown into the face of adversity and a transmigrator, or the enemy out to capture her world? Only time would tell. But for now, the skirmish for survival had only taken its flight.