"Matthijs, are you really going to join the army? The political tension right now is terrible. You might get deployed frequently…"
I shoved the last of my undergarments into the luggage, trying to fit everything in before using my weight to snap it shut.
"I…I need to do something to forget about Arlene. Every night, I can't sleep. Every waking moment, I think of her…"
"Matthijs…have you tried therapy?" Arlene's mother placed a gentle hand on my neck, her face etched with concern. "You might die out there…"
"I tried, Mother, but it just didn't work." I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, stepping in to give her a warm embrace. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, but thank you for everything this past year. I couldn't be more grateful for all the ways you've helped me."
She patted my back gently and whispered in my ear, "Say hi to Arlene for me." As she pulled away, she gave me a warm smile.
I jolted out of my daydream, trying to grasp onto any fragments of this man's past life, but there was nothing. Zero.
"Brother Vadek?" The woman before me looked at me with concern, her brows furrowed as she noticed my lack of reaction.
"Sorry, I don't think I know you." I quickly averted my gaze to the other side of the room. "Are you sure you've got the right person?"
She gently rustled her fingers through my hair, leaning in close, her eyes studying every minute detail of my face. She lifted my robe, touched my legs, and finally brushed aside my fringe, her fingers tracing over it. "You have the scar… It is you… What happened since you joined the military?"
"They told me I had a head injury. I don't recall anything before that."
I lied. There was no other way she would believe me. Besides, maybe I could glean something from this supposed sibling relationship between Vadek and her. If she holds a high position, it might be a valuable connection, especially among the Ubuians. I can't afford to mess this up.
"So… Brother Vadek is gone…?" She rubbed my neck with her rough, coarse hands. "What do you go by now?"
"Matthijs Geiger." She slowly backed away, walking toward her throne, her face still filled with regret and solemnity.
"Why are you here today?" she asked, passing a plate to one of the guards.
I glanced over at Joshua, who had orchestrated this entire encounter. "My name is Joshua Langs, the 2nd prince of Humanity," he said as he bowed. "Matthijs Geiger is my closest aide, and I would like for him to improve upon his rune-crafting abilities."
But it was clear his words didn't sit well with her. The woman's face lit up with pure anger, her eyes livid and her knuckles clenched tightly. "You fucking noble, taking advantage of my brother when he still isn't aware of his position, to be your closest aide?!" She stormed over, her hand shooting out to grab Joshua by the neck. "Oi, Fritz!"
"Yes!"
"You stood by, knowing Vadek and the 2nd prince are now colluding? You even dared to bring them to me in this situation? You let this 2nd prince trick Vadek into helping him?" Her eyes widened in anger as she stared directly at Fritz, who was standing at attention. "Better yet, you didn't even tell me you knew Vadek was alive."
"With all due respect, Head! I only just met him today—a few hours ago, in fact!" Fritz remained at attention. "I followed him and saved him from being killed by the 1st prince! The 2nd prince was apparently someone he kidnapped."
"Kidnapped?" She turned her gaze back to Joshua. "He said they're working together?"
"It just happened now!" Fritz's voice faltered as he continued, "Head, I've heard the 2nd prince's ambitions… at least hear him out."
She released her grip on Joshua, and he crashed to the ground with a thud, coughing as the impact winded him.
"Vadek, no… Matthijs. I understand you're a different person now, but you will forever be my brother. Therefore… follow me," she said, gesturing for me to follow as we entered another series of dark tunnels.
"Brother Vadek always researched runes. He believed they were the future, that there were limitless possibilities with them…"
"That was before they attacked."
"Who attacked?" I asked.
"The humans, of course. They led a strike through town, killing almost all Ubuians. But that was years ago. Vadek led a movement—a peace movement. He sacrificed himself and a few other Ubuians to be front-line soldiers while the rest of the humans promised not to pursue killing any more Ubuians."
She reached a door, which seemed oddly out of place in this sewer area. She hesitated, as if reminiscing about old times.
"Of course, we still don't walk the streets in broad daylight, but at least they don't kill us either. Only the nobility hunt us… I've heard that Vadek and his crew were tortured day and night, a way for the soldiers to vent their frustrations."
She shot me a solemn gaze, tears welling up in her eyes, but she managed to hold them in. "This is Vadek's desk. His diary and research are all in this room… You'll pick them up quickly, Matthijs." She muttered as she opened the door, revealing a rustic-looking room.
Each wall was lined with bookshelves filled with countless nameless volumes, varying in thickness and height. On the wooden desk in the center was an ashtray and a candle, now half its original height. Surrounding these were an incessant number of books, their pages cluttered with haphazard drawings of symbols and runes. At the center of the desk lay a singular, closed book with the word "Diary" inscribed on its cover. Not very obvious now, huh.
I glanced over at her. "Sorry, may I know your name?"
Her reaction was immediate, a frown growing on her face. "Mirella," she said as she closed the door behind her, but not before adding, "You're probably hungry. I'll bring you your food in a while."
I brushed my fingers over the dusty shelves, the rough wooden table, and the moldy pages. It felt familiar, evoking a sense of nostalgia, though I had never been in this place before. As I began to arrange the books into a neat pile, I sat on the stool before the table. The diary lay before me.
I opened it, and the first page revealed a collection of torn scraps of paper. But something about it caught my eye.
To Whoever Finds This,
If you're reading this from my body, then I was right. Haha, I was right! I'm sorry you had to inherit this body of all others, but I'm glad you made it this far. Honestly, I'm surprised. By the time you read this, five years will have passed since I joined the army. The truce agreement has probably already expired, and you should have retired by now. Regardless of how you ended up here, congratulations! Though, I must say, it seems to be a common occurrence.
I've noticed something peculiar—particularly among Ubuians—after they've experienced life-threatening events. It seems like only Ubuians undergo this kind of change. My friend, now called Fritz, was a good man before he had a close call with a guard. I managed to save him, but ever since, he's been so much more... cowardly. It's strange, but if you're here and have no recollection of me, then I must have guessed right.
Look around you—every book here contains runes for different uses. Study them, use them. All the knowledge I've acquired over a decade of studying, it's yours now. And please, help me protect Mirella... The Ubuians here cannot die.
I don't know your personality or character, but everyone I've met whose personality has changed—they've all become kinder. Perhaps too kind, as if they're seeking some sort of heavenly decree or redemption.
Anyway, thanks, my friend. And, uh, sorry I didn't take better care of this body. If you're wondering why you're so weak, well... I barely exercised, haha.
Cheers,
Vadek Thaloria,
Late Prince of the Ubuian Tribe,
Kingdom of Zirath
. . .
"Now you." Mirella crossed her arms. "Joshua Langs, was it? What are your intentions?"
Joshua dragged a seat over and leapt onto it, standing up and barely meeting Mirella's eye level. "I've read the stories," he began, his gaze locked onto hers as he puffed up his chest for confidence. "My mother told me that the Ubuians in our kingdom have always been led by a single person. Are you that person?"
"And what if I am?"
"Then…" Joshua hesitated before bowing deeply, an unexpected gesture that made Mirella flinch. "I would like to get your help. I need the support of the Ubuians for the future. I know it's a difficult request, but once I am king, I will ensure equal rights for everyone. However, to unite the 12 nations, we first need to reclaim every single human kingdom before we can extend to the other 12 nations."
"Let me guess, that's where we come in—cheap labor?"
"I need a special forces unit."