After one month, Kaye discovered that time and the year in her world hadn't changed—it felt as if she had awakened from a long dream. Yet, it wasn't a mere dream; everything in Serolf Empire, her family, was undeniably real.
Back in her daily life...
"Thank you for trusting me," Kaye expressed with a smile as the author departed.
This author had penned the latest novel adapted into a webcomic, and now, the webcomic was finally complete. The author was profoundly grateful to Kaye.
"Kaye!" her coworker Tin approached.
"Hey," she responded.
"Rubie is here, remember her?" Tin inquired.
Rubie was the author of 'The Evil Princess'. She had been in the midst of designing the book cover for her novel when she had accidentally found herself transported into the Serolf Empire. Kaye would always remember that encounter. To her surprise, when meeting Rubie in person, she noticed a striking resemblance to Jenny, which endeared Rubie to her.
"I came here to ask if you can be my illustrator for the webcomic version of my novel. Lots of readers and fans have been requesting a webcomic adaptation," Rubie proposed.
She smiled. "Then let's start discussing it."
As they delved into the story, colleagues invited her to join them at the bar to unwind. While sipping her drink, her mom called, prompting her to step outside.
"Okay, Mom, I'll visit you this weekend. See you," she assured, tucking her phone back into her bag.
As she looked up, she noticed the full moon.
"Mikhail..." she whispered.
Tears welled in her eyes once more. The pain lingered; she missed them deeply. "I wish I could see you all again..."
.
.
....
The following day, Kaye grimaced, "Argh! My head still hurts," and leaned down on the table.
"You drank too much last night, looked like a person with a broken heart while you were drinking," Tin remarked.
"I'm just happy for our team because of the successful result of the last adaptation we made," she explained.
"Hehe, you're right," Tin agreed.
Kaye reached for her tablet and started drawing again.
"Ohh, you've been drawing them for a month. Are they new characters from a novel?" Tin inquired, glancing at her drawings.
Kaye smiled. No, they're not. They're my family. I'm drawing my family in the Serolf Empire.
"Nope, they were my favorite characters from my dream," she replied with a smile.
"Pft..Haha, your dream? That's interesting," Tin chuckled and returned to her table.
Kaye continued drawing during every vacant moment, ensuring she wouldn't forget their faces. However, reminiscing made her melancholy again. She missed them terribly. Kaye stood up, excused herself to the ladies' room, and let her tears flow while hugging her tablet.
"I miss you all so much..."
.
.
"So tiring!" Tin exclaimed, stretching her body as they walked outside their building.
"Rubie told me that the first chapter of the webcomic adaptation was a hit. Many fans are waiting to see the next chapter," Kaye shared.
"Well, that's expected for you. You're a great illustrator," Tin complimented.
"Because her story is great," Kaye replied.
As they strolled, they stopped at the traffic light turning red. Tin noticed a car parked on the other side of the road.
"Wow, isn't that Mayor Timothy Villamayor?" Tin pointed to the man in the passenger seat, the newly elected mayor last month and the youngest in J City.
"Wow, he's so handsome," Tin remarked.
"Stop saying that, you already have a boyfriend," Kaye teased.
"C'mon, I'm just complimenting him," Tin defended.
Kaye stared at the young mayor, but she didn't anticipate that he would look in their direction. Their eyes met, and to her surprise, the mayor resembled Gilmesh. Anger surged within her.
"Let's go, it's already green," she said, holding Tin's hand as they crossed the lane.
Although the man wasn't Gilmesh, seeing someone who resembled him fueled her anger.
.
.
Timothy observed the woman crossing the lane, surprised by her striking resemblance to Aria.
Timothy Villamayor, the newly elected and youngest mayor of J City, harbored a secret. This body wasn't originally his; in truth, he was Gilmesh Wolfsbane from the Serolf Empire. When Mikhail killed him, he transmigrated into this world, now living as Timothy. Initially stressed and scared, he eventually adjusted to this new life.
But now, seeing her, he pondered if she was another version of Aria in this world. A smirk formed on his face. Failing to obtain Aria in his previous life, he resolved to make her his in this second chance.
.
.
Kaye, upon reaching home, instinctively opened her tablet and began to draw. Not a day passed without her thoughts drifting to the memories of Serolf Empire.
"If only I had the power to go back to Serolf Empire..." she sighed, a yearning evident in her voice.
Yet, the thought of leaving her family in this world held her back. She glanced at her drawings and then at their family photo hanging on the wall.
Questions tormented her mind. "Is it really a dream? Is Serolf Empire not real? Are they just figments of my imagination?"
That night, the weight of uncertainty overwhelmed her once more, and tears streamed down her face as she grappled with the haunting possibility that the life she longed for might have been nothing more than a fleeting dream.
.
.
....
Few days later...
As Timothy continued his duties as mayor, thoughts of Aria lingered in his mind. He discreetly researched her, discovering more about Kaye and her connections. He discovered that she was an illustrator, living alone in J City while her parents resided in another city.
Despite finding no direct link to Aria, Timothy's fixation on Kaye only deepened. His belief in her connection to Aria persisted. In his mind, Kaye was either a reincarnation or another version of Aria in this world.
His obsession deepened, fueled by an unshakable belief that their fates were intertwined across dimensions. His determination to make her his intensified with each passing day.
.
.
....
"Kyaahhh! Miss Kayeee!!!" Rubie exclaimed, enveloping Kaye in a hug. "The fans really love your art!"
Kaye smiled. "Thank you, but we all know that the adaptation was a hit because of your story. The novel reached millions of views; you're a great author."
"Hehe, thank you. Ah, here, I brought chocolate shakes for you." Rubie placed them on her table.
"Wow, Miss Rubie really adores you," Tin remarked.
"I brought one for you too, Miss Tin," Rubie said.
"Thank you! You're so kind." Tin expressed gratitude and eagerly grabbed the chocolate shake. "Free ones are always delicious!" she added with a sip.
"By the way, there's an art exhibition next week. Do you guys wanna come? I managed to get three free passes for us," Rubie offered.
"I already heard about it; I won't miss this chance to see different artworks from different artists," Kaye eagerly responded.
"Then let's go together! They said some famous artists will attend the exhibition too," Tin chimed in.