Alina bowed to my parents with courtesy, "Nice to meet you. I am Alina Mapisto."
I still couldn't process what was happening around me, and my mind became blank. When I looked at Count Mapisto, he looked extremely handsome. Unlike other nobles, he bore an aura of sophistication. His short white hair complimented his sinister red eyes. He was too good to be a villain. At least, that was what I thought.
Now, I know where Alina got her striking beauty. I thought as I looked at Alina.
How am I going to take revenge if he is Alina's father?
Time passed quickly after the encounter, and I was still dazed by it. Before leaving, I ran to Rowan and Zander. We put our hands together and shouted, "Long Live, Cupcake Gelato Coalition. "
We laughed at this for quite a few times and returned to our respective carriages.
The night came quickly. I was tired from the energy I spent at the Royal Banquet. I put on my night clothes and hit the bed. As soon as my body was on the bed, I fell into a deep slumber.
At midnight, my hand started pulsing, and when I tried to open my eyes, I noticed that the rune on my hand was glowing. Suddenly, there was a gust of wind, and I saw Alina standing near the window. The moon was shining behind her as she stood elegantly. She was holding a letter in her hand.
I bolted out of the bed, grabbed the letter from her hand, and furiously said, "You shouldn't read things that don't belong to you."
Unfazed by my anger, Alina met my gaze calmly and remarked, "You know, my dad isn't that bad." He might be your dad's enemy, but not to go far as to kill him."
I found myself frowning. I countered, "How can you defend him? Do you know what danger my family is in?"
Alina, undeterred, replied, "I understand the danger, Magnus. But my father has his reasons, and not everything is as black and white as it seems."
I guess it is common for a child to support her father. But my goal remains unchanged. I thought.
I crossed my hands and sighed, "I don't care, as long as he is my enemy. I will take revenge on him."
Suddenly, she got close to me and put her hands on my shoulder, gripping it hard, "Listen! My father never killed your parents."
As I tried to pull away from her, I thought. How is she so strong? Is she using magic? Wait Killed?
I asked while frowning at Alina, "My parents are still alive. What do you mean killed?"
Alina suddenly backed off, realizing that she said something wrong. I asked her again, "By chance, are you…?"
Without any warning, she shouted, "Yes! I am from the past."
What. She is from the past, just like the female lead of the original novel. It wasn't mentioned anywhere. How is this possible? I thought as I put my palm on my face.
I said skeptically, "You are from the past? How is it possible?"
She pulled me to my bed and asked me to sit there when she narrated her story.
A long time back, In my previous life, I was living happily with my with no worries about the world. But that peace didn't last long. When I turned 15, I saw Duke Thaddeus and Duchess Thaddeus; they were kind people, and my dad was very close friends with the Duke. But unfortunately, when the Duke and Duchess returned to their house, they died in an ambush. It was a tragic day. My dad never got out of his room for one month. Like that years passed, and my dad returned to normal.
Suddenly, the day after my debut ball, royal guards dragged my dad from our house and brought him in front of the King. I was shocked, and my dad, who never made any mistakes, was dragged away.
The person who accused my dad was the princess of the empire, Ariana (the female lead of the original novel). She stated things that were never associated with my dad and sentenced him to death. The day of his execution was the saddest day of my life. Then, I took over the title of count, and a year passed by, and everything was going well. But my dad's brother, Regulus, rebelled against me, and before killing me, he said happily, "Everything your father was accused of was done by me."
And on saying that, he stabbed me in my chest, and I died.
When she finished her story, she broke into tears. I went and hugged her and said with determination, "Don't worry. I trust you."
She pushed me, and said tear-eyed, "But how can you trust me? I might be lying."
I let her go and held her hands; it was cold, and said with a smile, "Because I am in the same position as you."
She looked at me hopefully, "What do you mean?"
I replied, feeling a bit hesitant, "The thing is, I remember my past life. But in my past life, I lived in a different world. This place we are living was in a novel."
Instead of judging me, she happily said, "So I was not the only one. What happened in the novel?"
I narrated the novel, how Ariana, the female lead, was reliving her life, and how we were just side characters, merely a stepping stone for the female lead and male lead.
Honestly, Alina didn't appear shocked. "Well, I sensed it in my previous life. So basically, people like my father and your parents were just people who were used in improving Ariana's image."
I replied, "Well, that is one way to put it."
Alina returned to her original self and said, "Looks like we both must take down Regulus."
Happy at her development, I said, "Yes."
Taking a piece of paper, she quickly wrote something down and explained, "Okay, so this is the plan: we infiltrate Regulus' stronghold and gather evidence within one week."
I was shocked because we were not adults yet, and it was pretty dangerous, "But isn't it dangerous?"
She replied with no hesitation, "Well, that is true. I notified my maid. If something happened, she would inform my dad. You better do that."
I was skeptical of the plan and said, "Fine, but if it becomes too dangerous, we are leaving."
Alina suddenly hugged me and said, "Thank you. Now got to go."
With that, she disappeared into thin air.
I still wanted to ask her something. Like why did she trust me? Usually, it will take more than 50 chapters for time travel to be revealed. Anyway, I have to practice swordsmanship, or else I will die on the mission.
Morning arrived swiftly, and I intended to visit Sir Gareth to commence my swordsmanship training. The training grounds were bathed in the soft glow of dawn, casting shadows across the courtyard. Sir Gareth, my guard, also known as the 'War Hero' stood in the center, clad in his armor.
I, dressed in a scaled-down version of a knight's attire, approached Sir Gareth with excitement and nervousness. I could feel my eyes gleaming with anticipation, and my hands clutched a wooden training sword.
Finally, I am going to learn swordsmanship. I have always seen it in dramas. I thought with excitement.
Sir Gareth acknowledged me with a nod and a warm smile. "Magnus Thaddeus, are you ready to begin your training?"
I straightened his posture and nodded. "Yes, Sir Gareth. I am ready."
"Very well," Sir Gareth said, drawing his sword. It was polished beautifully, as it gleamed in the morning light.
"First, we start with the basics. Grip your sword firmly but not too tight. It's an extension of your arm, a dance partner in the ballet of combat."
I adjusted his grip on the wooden sword, following Sir Gareth's instructions.
The seasoned knight circled him, observing with a keen eye. "Good. Now, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Balance is the foundation of any good swordsman," Sir Gareth instructed, demonstrating the proper stance. I tried mirroring the stance. Sir Gareth circled me, making adjustments to ensure my form.
"Now, let's talk about the cut. Swift but controlled," Sir Gareth explained, demonstrating a precise cut through the air with his sword. "Try to follow my lead, Magnus."
I mimicked the motion and saw my wooden sword slicing through the air. Sir Gareth provided guidance and adjusted my posture.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the training session continued. Sir Gareth introduced me to some of the basic footwork, parries, thrusts, and fundamentals of swordsmanship.
As the training session neared its end, Sir Gareth spoke, "You've done well, young Magnus. Swordsmanship is an art that requires patience and discipline. Remember, a skilled swordsman is strong and wise in combat."
Magnus, catching his breath, beamed with pride. "Thank you, Sir Gareth."
Finally, one week passed, and Alina arrived on the promised day. She teleported to my room, and said happily, "I hope you are ready."