In the stillness of night, the abandoned manor stood eerily in a distant and secluded land. As the moon above the night sky cast its silvery light, it created a ghostly picture of the old and silent manor. It was clear that the whole place had been abandoned for a very long time. As though forgotten by time and left alone, surrounded by vast meadows that stretched endlessly.
Inside the manor house, near the oriel window, a figure sat on a piano bench, dressed in a black silk nightgown. His fingers gently tapped the keys, producing a faint, sporadic melody that breathed a subtle life into the room. He watched his fingers move slowly over the keyboard, silently yearning for the melody to magically turn into a song.
Moonlight filtered softly through the oriel window, bathing the silver-blue-haired figure in its glow. He paused his playing and glanced outside. Pulling his robe tighter around himself, he stood up and strode toward the window.
In the silvery blue glow of the moonlight, a pale porcelain visage was reflected in the oriel window. His azure eyes, partially adorned by bangs, gazed up at the moon, his expression pensive and cold.
The silk black nightgown slipped slightly off his right shoulder, revealing faint white dotted lines imprinted around it—intricate symbols and patterns that were difficult to decipher. They flickered softly in the moonlight.
"I'm scared... The fragments of my soul are slowly disintegrating."
The vestige of his whisper turned silent. Amid the frigid night, he adjusted his sleeves and hugged himself tighter.
*
The next day, as the sun began to rise in the morning, it welcomed another day with another turquoise summer sky. It was the beginning of summer.
A person draped in a blanket jolted awake, kicking it off as he sat up. His eyes were still half-closed, a yawn escaped him as he stretched his arms above his head, groaning in annoyance at having to wake up from his sleep. As he opened his eyes, a blinding ray of sunlight hit him.
"Uggh—" He quickly shut his eyes closed.
It took him a few moments to soothe the prickling pain due to the sudden exposure to strong light before slowly opening it again. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that he was in a completely different room.
"This is not my room…"
Where am I... Did I wake up in some stranger's bed?
A surge of confusion invaded his heart. With abrupt movement, he looked to his left and then to his right to check if another person was sleeping. To his relief, he saw no one. Aside from him, only a single pillow lay on the soft bed.
"The bed... When did my bed turn so soft and comfortable?"
He sat there with his bed hair, puzzled. His lower body was still covered with a thick white blanket of expensive materials. Another yawn escaped from him, his whole being still groggy from sleep.
Suddenly, a gust of morning breeze entered his room through the open window on his right side and swiftly brushed through him, snapping him awake from his grogginess. This made him feel more confused, and panic started to take hold of his heart. He doesn't have a single idea of what's happening or what happened last night for him to wake up in a different room.
Turning to the window, he gasped as his eyes widened at the sight outside. An expansive stretch of greenery unfolded outside, where a few cows and sheep grazed on the lush grass. Beyond the pasture, rolling terrain led to a distant town, its houses and buildings dotting the landscape, smoke was traveling through the air from different chimneys of the residences.
He blinked twice. He couldn't believe his eyes. What's more, despite the long distance, he could see on the horizon a running train emitting a black gas from its chimney, although he couldn't hear it, he could imagine its whistle alongside its speed.
As he furrowed his brow, he brought his hand to his face. I... I can see from afar without my glasses…?
The outside breeze brushed through his stunned face. Not only he was in a completely different room, but it was also like he had also woken up in a completely different world.
Wait...This is not the country where I live!
He turned and gazed eyes ahead of him. Still sitting on the bed, he saw a closed wooden door across his bed, and next to it was a full-body mirror. A reflection of a completely unfamiliar person caught his eye—a handsome young man whose visage was filled with apprehension and perplexity.
The handsome figure in the mirror had long, wavy, dark hair—just below his shoulders, still disheveled from sleep. Thick eyebrows and long eyelashes that protect his amber-colored eyes, which glint a golden hue due to the sunlight that bathed his tan skin—he had a tan complexion.
Despite his position on the bed, he could discern that the man in the mirror possessed a well-built physique, and it was evident that he had an athletic body, too. His collarbone and upper part of his chest were exposed while wearing a white linen shirt. Upon meticulously examining the figure, he subconsciously ran his finger on his chest. He felt trembling, and a rather cold finger touched his chest.
Is... is that me?
Knock. Knock.
The sudden knocking on the door snapped him back to his senses. Staring at the unfamiliar figure in the mirror, his amber-colored eyes darted to the door and anxiously watched it open.
An elderly woman with an amiable and bright expression beamed at him, "Good morning, Young Master, good thing you're awake. Breakfast is ready, come downstairs and eat with us."
Without any idea how to act, he tersely acknowledged the kind lady and smiled back. Fortunately, she didn't linger any further and briskly closed the door, which made him feel relieved.
He scooted over the edge of his bed and strode towards the full-body mirror to assess his physical appearance.
Aside from this body, I'm still the same person... Although, for some reason, I can't remember anything from when I woke up. My consciousness and my thoughts are still my own, but...
He returned to his bed and sat on the edge. Focusing on his thoughts, he closed his eyes and attempted to ransack his brain to remember and search for the memories of the owner of his current body and his memory from the previous night.
If I can't remember my own memories, perhaps I should be able to at least grasp this guy's thoughts and identity.
A few moments later, he opened his eyes in dismay.
I can't even remember this guy's name, nor was I able to recall even a fragment of his memories. How am I supposed to act normal if I step outside this room and avoid suspicion?
Unable to get a positive result, he sighed in disappointment. He stayed in the same position, remaining silent.
Who am I right now? This is strange... I wasn't expecting anything of this kind. What was I doing last night? Did I die?
However, the apprehension he felt in his heart gradually vanished. A faint smile formed on his lips. If he died from his previous life, regardless of the cause, he realized he couldn't care less.
Finally, he stood up and stretched his arms, taking a deep breath. He walked to the window, feeling the sun's warmth on his skin. Leaning on the window frame, he gazed out at the lush greenery, his soft smile widening.
This is like a whole premium level of escape from that shit-ass life!
A faint rumbling noise reverberated on his abdomen.
He raised a hand to rub his stomach before he threw a sidelong glance at the door. And without any hesitation, he drew closer to the door, held the doorknob, and twisted it open.
Outside his room was a short corridor connected downstairs to his right where he stood. And across from him was a room with its door open.
Closing the door behind him, he entered the room across from him.
It was a study room. A piano was situated diagonally across the unobstructed window. Upon surveying the room, he saw a bookshelf stuffed with literature situated adjacent to where he stood. Near the door, to his left, a coat stand stood with a flat cap, and a black coat hung there. On the wall diagonally from it, there was a huge painting, and in the center was a coffee table with two sofas on either side. Scattered across the table were notes and letters, but before he could take a step closer to examine them, his stomach rumbled once more.
"I'm starving..."
Without further thought, he decided to leave the study room.