About half an hour had passed since Oswald left the room. The tension in the air had eased considerably, and now there was a strange sense of tranquility lingering. Our jokes and banter had helped lighten the atmosphere, and gradually, we were beginning to adjust to our new realities.
Suddenly, the door opened again, the sound echoing through the stone room. Leopold, Oswald, and the king entered. The room, which moments ago had been filled with relaxed laughter, fell silent for an instant as we all turned to look at them.
"I see the effect of the age cut is stronger than I thought," Leopold remarked, a playful smile on his face as he analyzed our expressions and behaviors.
"Better this way, isn't it? It'd be even stranger if they all acted out of sync with their age," Oswald added approvingly, his eyes scanning each of us as if we were part of a successfully conducted experiment.
King Augustus sighed, running a hand down his face like someone who had already seen it all. "If the patriarchs of these families knew what their children were saying..." He paused, offering a tired smile. "They'd probably lose their minds. Do you have any idea how many noble traditions you've just shattered in only half an hour?"
"Or how many wars you'd cause?" Oswald quipped, clearly amused by the situation.
I felt my face flush as I looked down at the floor. The conversations had gone far beyond the bounds of common sense. Beyond discussing our new names, we had speculated about those of our families and other noble houses, made guesses about neighboring kingdoms, shared irreverent jokes about local religions, and even invented absurd rumors about important figures in this world—not to mention jokes that were far from appropriate, especially for children, let alone noble heirs. I realized I wasn't the only one embarrassed. Some avoided eye contact, others tried to hide a grin, but we all knew we had gone too far.
"I'm glad to see you're adapting well to your new memories and bodies," Leopold said, noting how naturally we now moved. His eyes swept over the group, pausing on me for a few seconds. "Although... some of you have had rather exaggerated reactions."
His tone, while calm, carried a hint of provocation. I averted my gaze, still feeling the emotional sting of the earlier confusion.
"The important thing," he continued, "is that the process was a success—not just for you, but for the entire kingdom, the world, and for me, Oswald, and the king himself."
Leopold's words echoed in my mind. I was still grappling with what it meant to be someone else, to live another life, but he spoke with such certainty that I found myself beginning to trust his words completely. I couldn't tell if it was because he was genuinely reliable and persuasive, or if it was an effect of the new memories and information embedded in my mind.
He paused for a moment, letting the gravity of his words sink in. "From this point on, you will be new people. Please avoid behaving in ways that are inconsistent with the personalities reflected in your new memories. Children do change their behavior, of course, but abrupt shifts might raise suspicions. You need to go with the flow."
He paused again, adjusting his posture with an almost casual air. "After all, we don't want anyone here being accused of being possessed by a demon, do we?"
His words stirred a slight commotion. I saw Luca arch an eyebrow, which made me wonder: 'What exactly isn't possible in this world?'
I glanced at Midori, who was standing beside me. Her posture had changed; she seemed less uneasy in the presence of the three men, but there was something in the way she looked at Leopold, as if she wanted to say something. When she finally attempted to speak, he raised a hand to stop her.
"Please avoid interruptions; we're racing against the clock. Once I'm done, there will be a brief moment to address your final questions." Leopold spoke, a small smile appearing on his face as he looked at Midori.
"The process isn't 100% complete yet," Leopold continued, his gaze sweeping over us as if gauging how much of his explanation we truly understood. "Certain memories will continue to emerge gradually, and information about this world will keep being added to your minds."
"So it's not over yet?" I asked, my voice a mix of exhaustion and curiosity. It was hard to process that this was still far from the end.
"Not completely," Leopold replied, his tone patient. "The full process will take about a month until the memories are fully integrated. During that time, you will continue to receive fragments of information—about the continent, the kingdom, key figures, your relationships, and even trivial details, like what you supposedly ate yesterday."
'Does that mean I'll have to endure that damn pain again?' I clenched my fists at Leopold's confirmation.
He paused, offering a slight smile as if trying to ease the tension. At the same time, I heard a stifled laugh escape from someone in the group, though I couldn't identify who it was.
"But don't worry. There won't be any more side effects. The ones you experienced were caused by the massive influx of information entering your minds all at once, which was necessary to ensure a quick initial adaptation."
Phew, I sighed, relaxing my posture.
Oswald chimed in with a more upbeat tone. "That's right. The information varies greatly from person to person, depending on the personalities, families, and responsibilities each of you have. For example, some of you have received knowledge about political strategies, while others have learned advanced techniques in etiquette or combat. Some of you hold memories of magical formulas, forging, various languages, and much more. This was carefully planned to ensure you fit perfectly into your new lives."
"So… it's normal for one of us to know something the others don't?" Elizabeth asked.
"Exactly," Oswald replied with a satisfied smile. "And don't worry, because this only reinforces the dynamics you have with your new families and each other. After all, you're not a group of equals. Each family has its traditions, ways of educating its descendants, and specific roles. Every individual has their likes, dislikes, preferences, and unique traits. In short, each of you has a specific role to play."
"Also, don't be alarmed if the way you think and act changes involuntarily or abruptly. This happens due to the effect of the memories you've received. Some of you may even experience temporary mental instability, but that's part of the process. Another factor is your age. The effects are not just physical but, as you've noticed, mental as well. Certain impulses are amplified, and some childish behaviors will surface. So, if one of you suddenly becomes extremely childish, develops a sweet tooth, becomes grumpy, or exhibits age-typical behaviors… it's all part of puberty."
He cast a glance at me, almost as if to say I'd already experienced something similar when I chose fruit juice over the other options.
'Even if I weren't a child, I still wouldn't choose mead'. Even in my previous world, I was never a fan of alcoholic beverages, always doing my best to avoid consuming them.
"With that, we're done. I believe everything else can be resolved with the knowledge you've been provided. After all, I added a bit extra, just as a precaution," Leopold said, a mischievous smile lighting up his face as though he was quite pleased with himself.
I glanced at him sideways, my hands clasped in front of me. 'I really don't understand how someone over 70 can act so childish', I thought, holding back a sigh.
"And please, act like the nobles you now are!" King Augustus's voice resonated throughout the room. Despite its relatively calm tone, there was an undeniable weight to his words, something that seemed to make the very air heavier. His gaze swept over the group with the commanding authority of someone long accustomed to being obeyed.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" we responded instinctively, all at once. The reply came so automatically that it caught me off guard. Before I could even process it, I realized my hand had moved to my chest on its own, as if in a gesture of allegiance.
Uh?
I glanced around, noticing the same confusion mirrored on the faces of the others. Leopold, catching our reactions, smiled—not maliciously, but with a hint of amusement nonetheless.
Is this what he meant by changes in behavior? I wondered, feeling slightly unsettled. My posture felt different—more rigid, more restrained—like some part of me had been reshaped to adhere to an etiquette I wasn't even aware I knew.
"You've improved a little, but there's still work to do," Augustus remarked, his firm and evaluative gaze lingering on us. His eyes glimmered with a golden light, and in that moment, I felt something… change. It was as if an invisible wave of energy had passed through me.
An automatic reverence took hold of me, a deep-seated feeling compelling me to lower my head. Without realizing it, I had already begun to incline my torso slightly, as though I was no longer capable of directly meeting the king's gaze. It wasn't exactly fear but something far more profound, as if my very mind had been reprogrammed to comprehend the absolute weight of his authority.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the others respond the same way. Elizabeth, usually so proud, now had her shoulders slightly slumped, her head bowed. Midori seemed hesitant but ultimately yielded to the same invisible force. Nicole, who had never bowed to anyone, showed a mix of surprise and apprehension. Carlos, the irreverent one, looked bewildered, and Benjamin, always detached, seemed entirely out of sync. Luca, meanwhile, crossed his arms behind his back, maintaining a firm stance but avoiding direct eye contact with the king.
'Is this the — king's authority — ?' The phrase surfaced in my mind, drawn from the memories that now felt like my own, and in that moment, it made perfect sense. The title of King wasn't merely symbolic.
"It's good that you understand this," Augustus continued, his voice low, almost a whisper, yet brimming with significance. "In the world you now inhabit, respect and obedience are not merely expected; they are demanded. Every move you make will be observed."
"Every word you say will be weighed. Do not forget: you carry the weight of your families, and your actions reflect on everyone around you."
I felt my palms grow clammy, a physical manifestation of the nervousness building inside me.
"And remember," Leopold interjected, his tone softening some of the tension lingering after King Augustus's words. "You're not alone. If you have any doubts or difficulties, turn to your families. Just be careful about mentioning certain facts. There are things only those of us here know—such as the fact that you were originally from another world."
He paused, letting his words resonate through the room, his pink-hued eyes scanning our reactions. When his gaze met mine, I felt a strange mix of challenge and reassurance. He smiled, but this time, it wasn't a provocative smile. It felt almost… comforting.
"Well then, before we all say goodbye, any questions?" he asked, tilting his head slightly as though expecting a flood of inquiries.
The silence that followed was deafening. Not because we didn't have questions—on the contrary, there were so many swirling inside me that it felt impossible to pick just one. But the strange authority of the king still lingered, making it difficult to speak without his implicit permission.
"No one?" Leopold asked again, feigning confusion with a playful tone that betrayed his amusement. The mischievous smile he failed to hide only fueled my irritation.
'I guess that's why they call him eccentric', I thought, clenching my fists slightly. Part of me wanted to lash out—whether with words or action—but the rational part knew it would be pointless.
"My king, I believe they've understood," Oswald finally interjected, stepping in like a mediator ready to bring an end to the game.
Augustus relaxed his posture, and his golden eyes dimmed back to their normal shade. With that, the oppressive pressure around us lifted, and I felt my muscles gradually ease, as though I had been freed from invisible chains.
"Yes, we have questions," Elizabeth was the first to recover, straightening her posture with a confidence that seemed natural. Her expression was serious, as though she had already organized her thoughts and prioritized her questions.
Benjamin was next to speak, though his approach was far less composed. "Yeah, about what you said regarding the memories—does that explain why I feel an overwhelming urge to punch you?" He stared directly at Leopold, fists clenched, visibly restraining himself.
Leopold let out a short laugh, but before he could respond, Oswald stepped in with a more analytical tone. "Perhaps. The Magnum family has never been particularly fond of Leopold. You've likely inherited some instinctive aversion from the new memories implanted in your mind."
Maybe my family too, I thought, feeling a pang of identification with Benjamin's comment. But before I could reflect further, Oswald turned his gaze directly to me and the others.
"I know what you're thinking," he said with a faint smile, "but it's only the Magnum family that harbors such an aversion."
I sighed, somewhat relieved not to be alone in that feeling, but still intrigued by how much these memories influenced our reactions.
"This room is unused, correct?" Elizabeth asked suddenly, steering the conversation in a new direction.
"Yes," the king replied, looking at her with curiosity.
"Then can we use it again to meet?" She paused. "Specifically, five years from now?" she continued, her voice steady and optimistic.
"Five years?" Nicole asked, confused.
"Yeah, what do you mean by five years?" Carlos added, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow.
"Explain yourself. We don't understand," Benjamin said, raising an eyebrow.
Elizabeth sighed, speaking with the patience of someone who had anticipated this reaction. "According to what Mr. Oswald said, we'll be separating and will only meet on specific occasions. Of course, we might visit one another from time to time, but my memories suggest that our families schedules will keep us busy. Some of us might not meet more than a handful of times over the next few years. So, when we're fifteen, we'll have more freedom. We can meet here again, discuss our progress, and address any lingering questions that can't be dealt with publicly or in letters. Plus, we can use the opportunity to resolve anything that arises with Mr. Oswald, Mr. Leopold, and…" She hesitated before finishing, "…my father."
"That's a good ide—" Luca began, but Carlos interrupted him.
"Wait. Father?" He sounded confused, but before he could press further, all eyes turned to Elizabeth.