It's wonderful how fate can sometimes bring miraculous changes, and how one's life can be easily changed overnight.
Every single human had at least once experienced a miracle in life, a sudden shift, an abrupt outburst of fortune.
But the question was this: What do people call a miracle?
The answer was different for each person.
One would call it winning a lottery, the other sees it as their sick parents regaining their health, or one would refer to it as finding the love of their life... It differed from person to person.
And for Alaric, it was the chance to live a brand new life.
Wrapping his mind around the reality that his life had changed overnight was difficult, yet not impossible. Not for him. He managed to quickly adjust himself to this situation, to this new life.
It was a dream come true, after all.
Such a miracle has forever been deeply hidden, yet always thought after dim hope. A pale candlelight barely burning after the candle's body has melted all, persisting through the wafts, insisting on illuminating the tiniest bit of darkness... The last droplet of water left in a bottle, not sufficient to quench his thirst yet enough to drive his legs forward... A narrowly survived fantasy, the last bit of strength to keep him moving.
And then he opened his eyes to his dream. Something he'd jokingly think of, like a child, then be embarrassed by his own foolishness. He'd dwelled in fiction for so long that he'd also become a dreamer. Such a way out only existed in unreal stories.
But now, that didn't seem to be the case.
Maybe he'd wake up one day to find himself back, back at the life he managed to escape.
But now, for now, he was here, and he had to live the dream to the fullest even if it meant he'd wake up one day. He couldn't waste this one as well, couldn't let this one slip out of his grasp.
"Slow down, Ian, you're going too far a-a-achoo!"
Sniff sniff. He rubbed his itchy nose, rushing towards the blue head. The boy ignored him like he always did, but Alaric knew that he was paying attention to him.
Ian appeared somewhat cold and indifferent on the outside, not caring about the others, and hating Alaric the most... He didn't get close to the others, didn't join their conversations much, and kept watching everything from the distance. Mean, sometimes, mischievous, liar, not deeming others worthy of his attention...
But was that really the case?
Alaric had seen many people who hated him, and he knew that one with such emotion towards him wouldn't shield him from a sword attack with their own flesh.
Was he the cold, indifferent person that he tried to act like?
He was truly a difficult person to know, and Alaric wasn't the type to give up so easily.
"Why aren't you listening to me? Slow down a bit!" Rushing to him, Alaric wrapped an arm around Ian's shoulder. "You might get lost if you wander around alone."
Why did he wake up in this body? In this country? Besides this character? Someone he knew nothing about? He'd contemplated much, but reached no clear conclusions.
Still, it was perfect.
So he had to try his best to use these newfound opportunities.
"Hmm?" Bending his back, Alaric peeked at the silent Ian through the gap of his hood. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"
The bluehead usually wore an uninterested, tired face, to the point that he'd sometimes seem sad, yet today he appeared different. Sunken gaze, sullen, swollen lips. He'd bit on them so much they were starting to bleed.
"... Nothing."
As usual, he couldn't get a response from him.
Alaric used to think that Ian just wasn't comfortable enough around him to express himself, but maybe that wasn't the case either.
"Are you feeling unwell? Did you also catch a cold?"
"No..."
"Then what?"
"Nothing."
Alaric's gaze moved from Ian to the wolf pup that was dangling from his neck. The child appeared somewhat worried, yet he kept wiggling around excitedly, his whole body showing how happy he was.
'...Is it perhaps about Zal's offer?'
"Achoo!"
This cold... It was really annoying.
-Alaric, move aside! Move move!
A soft forepaw pressed against his cheek.
-What if Master catches a cold as well? He might die!
"Huh? Who dies from a cold?"
"Lior!"
At Ian's call, Lior reluctantly pulled back, closing his mouth. He sprawled atop Ian's head like a piece of jelly, secretly peeking at him from time to time.
"Did you have a fight?"
"No."
Even if not a fight, then it was something similar, he thought. Alaric didn't delve deeper into the topic, not wanting to raise any unpleasant feelings.
"So, um, about last night's meeting..."
It's been a whole day and yet he didn't dare bring up the topic. He was too scared to do so. If he asked something, he would be asked something as well. And Alaric wasn't courageous enough to reveal a lot of himself... Neither was he capable of living a life filled with lies and secrets.
He had to make a choice.
How did he want to live this new chance and what was he willing to offer in exchange for his desired outcome?
"What about last night?"
He'd been thinking about it for a while now. Was he just going to follow others around and wait for the plot to unfold?
First of all, what plot? Was this really his story? Then how did someone else end up in this world? Or maybe the author of that notebook too, was a character. Maybe he was missing a huge part of the puzzle, unable to see the whole truth. Or perhaps all of this was just an illusion.
So what if it was?
'I don't want to be passive about my second life as well.'
What if he wanted to be daring this time? To shape this life with his own will? With his own hands? What if he acted out from time to time, sought the things he desired, and chased the dreams he had? What if he did the things he'd yearned but not dared to touch in his previous world?
"Do you think... You can make him my teacher?"
"Yes???"
"I-I want a master. I need someone to teach me magic. Doris as well. And who's a better choice than Zal?"
"...."
To be daring... It was harder than he thought. Scarier, more energy consuming. A heavy desire burning inside of him told him not to waste his time and effort, to sit back and watch what life would bring him, like he was used to. And Alaric fought against that desire.
Tap- Ian's right hand touched Alaric's forehead, the other resting on his own face. He then tilted his head.
"You don't seem to have a fever."
"Of course I don't!"
Was his wish to learn magic from an expert so absurd? Chuckling, Alaric raised a finger in front of Ian's face.
"Don't you know? There is always a very powerful character that shows up somewhere between the journey and ends up becoming either future support, a master, a guide, or some sort of that. It's literally a cheat character created to force the plot forward, and we MUST use him!"
"...."
The bluehead's face crumbled to an unsightly disgust.
"Still the same fool."
Letting out a disappointed sigh, Ian took a few big steps to distance himself from his stupid master. Alaric went running after him.
"So, is it a yes or a no? Do me this favor, please? Please?"
Contrary to his expectations, Ian appeared willing to accept his request. Why didn't he ask Alaric any questions? Like where that language came from, how he knew him, and the origin of his mysterious capabilities.
He'd prepared a lot of questions in advance in case Ian proposed a trade of secrets... But he seemed completely uninterested.
He couldn't have guessed it, right?
'How dissapointing.'
He really, deeply, dearly, wanted to know about this man more even if it meant that he had to reveal some secrets about himself.
"I'll think about it."
"Then it's a yes!"
Maybe another chance would arise soon.