I woke up staring at the now-familiar ceiling. Two and a half days had passed since we arrived in this world, and so much had happened. I felt more confident and calm after spending time reading the books, but I couldn't linger in bed today—I had plans. First, I intended to return to the library to find more information, and second, I needed to figure out who the red-haired woman was. I had a nagging feeling she would cause trouble in the future.
As I mentally reviewed my plan for the day, there was a knock at my door. "Who is it?" I called out.
"It's me, let me in," a familiar voice answered. It was Noah. I hadn't spoken much with him since we arrived, but he was like a brother to me back in our world. I quickly got up and opened the door. He looked anxious, and without saying much, asked if he could come in. I nodded, and we sat down on the bed. Noah took a deep breath, his tone serious.
"What do you think about everything that's happening? I'm almost at my limit," he admitted, looking utterly exhausted. The cheerful, easy-going persona he had in front of others was almost shattered.
I looked at him for a moment before responding, "It's unbelievable. I still haven't fully wrapped my head around it, but it's our new reality now. We have to adapt the best we can, for everyone else's sake."
He nodded, but his expression remained troubled. "Yeah, I've tried to put on a brave face for the others. I don't want our parents, or Grandma to get even more shaken up than they already are. I can't imagine what's going through their heads, and honestly, I'm scared to ask."
Noah's voice softened. "Grandma's been looking worse every day. I'm worried that all of this is taking a toll on her, and the others are getting more anxious too. I came to you because, out of all of us, you seem the most normal right now. I need your help."
I nodded, understanding. "Of course, what do you need?"
He sighed in relief and continued, "Do you remember what we talked about yesterday? We were given a noble title, and we're supposed to rule some place. We both know I have no idea what I'm doing. You've always been the smartest one in the family, and I was hoping you could help me figure things out."
I smiled, trying to reassure him. "Don't worry, I'll help you with whatever you need."
We spent the next few hours talking, venting about everything we were going through. Noah told me he would be taught some basics about his new responsibilities, but that also meant he wouldn't be around as much. Apparently, all of us would be given lessons on how to act and think like nobles.
When he finally left, his face looked brighter, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I hadn't told him everything I knew. Of course, I kept my secret about Aerithan to myself, and I still had to keep certain other things hidden, but it was good to know that our family had someone to rely on. With that resolved, I grabbed the books scattered across my desk and headed to the library.
On the way out, I spotted one of the maids who had been attending to us since we arrived. I informed her of my plan to visit the library and, to my surprise, she told me that I no longer needed a guard to accompany me. I could now go wherever I wanted within the palace complex grounds. I couldn't help but smile at this newfound freedom. It felt like my options had just expanded dramatically. With that thought, I bolted toward the doors, where the guards gave a slight bow and opened them for me. I rushed out, almost as if I was being chased, only stopping once I was far from the palace.
I took a deep breath, savoring the moment, until I realized I had gone the wrong way in my haste. As I turned to head back, I froze. Standing before me was the last person I wanted to see—the red-haired woman. She was staring at me.
Panic set in, and I stood there, paralyzed, as she approached. She stopped inches from my face, her tone authoritative but youthful.
"Have I seen you before?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
"I-I don't know, maybe?" I stammered, trying to sound unsure. "I don't really remember."
She scrutinized me, her eyes moving from my head to my toes. Up close, I noticed the unnatural red hue of her eyes, which matched her hair, and the horns on her head were not ornamental as I had first assumed—they were real. A rattling sound from behind her drew my attention to what looked like a lizard-like tail swaying back and forth.
Before I could process any more, she spoke again. "You've never seen a dragon before, have you? Are you one of those fools the king summoned in his ridiculous ritual?"
I nodded automatically, unable to form a coherent thought. She sighed before introducing herself.
"I'm Seraphira Ash, First Princess of the Kingdom of Kurgaz. And you are?"
My mind raced, but I managed to answer, my voice shaky. "I-I'm Raphael Blom."
There was an awkward silence as neither of us said anything for a moment. Finally, she cleared her throat. "If you were summoned, I suppose we haven't met before. I won't take up more of your time, but I hope we meet again. You smell... interesting."
With that cryptic remark, she walked away, heading toward another palace in the distance. It still seemed far due to the sheer size of the complex, but her presence loomed large in my mind.
Once she was out of sight, I hurriedly continued on my way, trying to process what had just happened. A strange sense of relief washed over me, knowing that she hadn't recognized me from our earlier encounter. My thoughts were spinning as I finally found the familiar path to the library.
As I walked through the gardens, I noticed that more people were out and about. It seemed everyone now had permission to roam freely. Some of the faces I recognized from the hall where we were summoned were cheerful, while others couldn't hide their worries. Eventually, I arrived at the library. The guards at the entrance greeted me with a small bow and opened the doors. This time, the library was much busier than on my first visit, when it had been nearly empty.
I placed the books I had borrowed on a small desk near the entrance and looked around. There were too many people here for me to search for the information I wanted without drawing attention. I'd have to return at night when I could search more discreetly. And now, thanks to Seraphira, I had a new topic to research—dragons and the Kingdom of Kurgaz.
On my way back, I wandered through the gardens, reflecting on my encounters with Seraphira. Her ability to detect me, even when I had been invisible, the way she had looked at me before, and now this chance meeting—there was something strange about her. My curiosity was piqued, but there was also a sense of unease that I couldn't shake.
As I approached what had become our temporary home, I noticed a commotion near the entrance. Dina was being berated by one of the Hall family members—a woman in her forties, if I remembered correctly. I was about to mind my own business when I heard it—a loud slap. I turned just in time to see Dina on the ground, clutching her cheek.
I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I approached the woman and tapped her on the shoulder. She whirled around, furious.
"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" she shouted.
I struggled to keep my temper in check. "Yes, I can see that you're causing a scene. Why don't you go inside and calm down? Clearly, you're not thinking clearly right now."
Her expression darkened as she crossed her arms. "Are you trying to protect this maid from facing the consequences of her mistake?"
"And what mistake would justify such a reaction?" I asked, my anger rising.
She scoffed. "Did you know they threw away our clothes? I'm sure you don't care, considering the rags your family probably wore, but our clothes were worth more than this maid will make in her entire life."
Dina, now back on her feet, responded in a quiet, trembling voice, so different from her usual cheerful tone. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but as I've explained, all clothes from your world had to be destroyed for safety reasons. It wasn't my choice."
The woman raised her hand again, preparing to strike Dina, but I quickly grabbed her wrist. "That's enough," I said firmly.
She reacted by slapping me with her free hand. After that, I let go of her wrist, and she took the chance to flee inside the palace. After all that had happened, I couldn't care less and turned to see Dina, still quite shaken by everything. After a few more seconds of silence, she finally spoke.
"Thank you," she said—simple but sincere words.
I felt a little bashful but still kept my composure. We began slowly walking toward the door, and once we got inside, we parted ways. I was truly angry at that woman. I understood some of her anger, but this was too much. As I made my way toward the dining room, I thought about what had just happened and the consequences of our little scuffle.