The wind rustled, making the leaves dance and fall to the floor. The young ones still clung to the branches, but some didn't fall and instead landed on a chiselled jaw.
The owner of this chiselled jaw was none other than Kaid. The sky looked cloudy, as if it was going to rain, but Kaid lay on the huge tree trunk, leaving his feet dangling like a drunk youth.
Maybe this was what he had wanted for a while now: this freedom. The only attire he wore was a cotton white shirt and fitted breeches; unlike the tight ones they normally wear, he preferred ones that let his skin breathe.
Kaid stared at the moon through the opening of the leaves where he lay his head, and though he had steady breathing and a calm expression, there was something—or rather someone—on his mind.
"Ugly? Scary?" He scoffed in a deep but quiet voice, his eyes rolling as he thought about all the rumors he had heard from the commoners while coming here.
The person who had completely occupied every corner of his mind was Meliora. The only thing left for him to do was wait.
'She said I should marry her, and then the next minute she wants to get rid of me. What exactly does she want?' Kaid pondered, furrowing his brows and pressing his lips into a thin line.
His eyes sparked with interest, and Kaid knew from that moment on that there was no way he would get his mind off someone as intriguing as her because no one had ever mentioned marrying him first.
Just then, the wind blew again, and Kaid's eyes narrowed, still fixed on the shining moon. Someone landed beside the tree. The person was on one knee with his head bowed in reverence.
"Speak!" Kaid commanded, continuing to swing his leg without sparing the person dressed in pure black a glance.
"Your— I mean Kaid, the palace has run into an issue and they need your attention. Please return and address the situation," the strange man informed, his head still hung low.
Kaid rolled his eyes, feeling bored already, but after pondering whether to leave, he dropped from the tree and landed on his feet. His boots crushed the dead leaves on the floor.
"Let's go," he drawled and was about to disappear with the wind, but then he halted and looked behind him. His eyes settled on the small window where a subtle light leaked out.
'If she wakes up and doesn't see me, would she miss me?' he wondered before leaping toward her window.
*****
The sun peeked out from the silk curtains draping the old window, disturbing Meliora's sleep. Her lashes trembled from the disturbance, and she squeezed her eyes as a frown marred her face.
[Master! We must leave now!]
Crucifix pestered, and Meliora gritted her teeth drowsily. The anger forced her to pull her mind out of the beautiful dream she was having. Flowers surrounded her with her console, big TV, desktop, and beautiful keyboard all chasing her. It was a magnificent dream she didn't want to wake up from.
But once she snapped her eyes open, the sight of the bland ceiling made her feel sick once again. She groaned in complaint as she sat up.
The sun had set, and it was already early morning. There was no way for her to check the time in this world since there was no technology here.
It was absurd.
[The time is 6:00 am here, and the outside is still damp, but it's quite okay to walk around. It would be best to leave now before Lucie comes in to dress you for the registration event.]
The ticking time flashed before her eyes, and she clenched her teeth as she stepped down from the bed. She froze in place once she found a piece of paper sitting pretty on the bedside table.
She picked it up and found a language that was out of this world. Her eyes snapped open as she combed through her memories. She had never seen this language before.
[Master, I can translate it for you. It is a language widely taught in the Clariant Empire; they call it the Language of the Sun: Clarian.]
Crucifix informed excitedly, always happy to aid Meliora in whatever way possible. This only made Meliora feel dumb. "Go ahead," she signaled.
A blue ring light flashed in her right eye, and when she squinted a little, the words pieced together in English: "I will be back soon, Kaid."
Any normal lady would be beaming from ear to ear, but Meliora just tore the letter into pieces and tossed it into the air so the wind could spread it all over the floor.
"Who cares if he leaves?" she shrugged. Maybe because she was right, she thought she liked Kaid—he was hot and all—but he was cold and pissing her off so much she felt like strangling him.
Though he made her remember all the handsome characters she was tripping over, she wondered why she didn't meet him while she was playing.
Meliora shook her head violently to shake off the thoughts. She washed her mouth with the basin of water beside the bed and then washed her face.
As much as she wished for a tub filled with rose petals, there were no such luxuries here.
She put on a plain long-sleeved gown and a cloak, looked outside the window, and decided to jump.
Once her feet landed on the floor, she sighed in relief, lifted her head to look at the window, and gave a forceful smile. "Don't worry, I will be back very soon!" she whispered.
She had taken an intricate pouch where she kept the gold coins in case she wanted to buy some stuff. In this world, gold was too much to get something, so some silver crowns and copper bits were more than enough.
Because it was so early, the streets were partially empty. It was only her and the vendors who were about to open their shops. Meliora didn't focus on them and instead focused her eyes on the screen in front of her.
The pulsing arrows told her which direction to follow and which turn to take, and Meliora followed them while running. Her expression was so serious that she didn't notice the people who looked at her.
They wondered, 'Who is this girl who got up early in the morning and ran across the streets?' They had never seen her before.
While the people were curiously discussing her, Meliora finally reached her destination: the alley where the special commoners resided.
She stood outside the entrance and gulped, her breathing heavier from running so much. Her hands clutched the side of her dress.
The eerie feeling she got from the alley told her not to go, but if she didn't, her chances of meeting Meliora's nanny were slim. So she dragged her legs through the crooked pathway.
Meliora's head turned at every sound, even if it was a cat meowing from a distance. This place wasn't as busy as the outside; it was dead quiet. It felt like thousands of eyes were watching her.
[I have never seen you scared like this before.]
Crucifix started, trying to quench the fear in her mind. Her heart was already beating fast, and she was trembling. If anybody were to appear before her, she would probably faint.
"Don't tease me! Those were just games. I didn't know this place would be so dark!" Meliora hissed in a hushed tone, following the arrows.
But just then, a shadow flashed in a corner when she wasn't looking and extended its hand toward her. By the time Meliora turned and screamed, it was too late.
The figure grabbed her by the arm. The last thing Meliora said before disappearing into thin air was, "Who are you?!"