Basil stood in the middle of the training grounds, his sword slicing through the air with fluid precision. The rhythmic sound of his movements echoed in the quiet morning, his focus unyielding. Sweat glistened on his brow as he pushed himself harder, the weight of his thoughts driving him.
"Master Basil!"
The sudden voice broke his concentration, and he turned to see Lira hurrying toward him. She was slightly out of breath, her usual composure replaced by an uncharacteristic urgency.
"What is it, Lira?" Basil asked, lowering his sword.
Lira hesitated for a moment, as if unsure how to deliver the news. "The dress designers are here," she said, her tone careful.
Basil blinked, confused. "Dress designers? What for?"
Lira looked at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "You didn't forget, did you? Next week is your marriage."
For a moment, Basil froze, the words not fully registering. Then, with a surge of shock, he asked, "What are you talking about? Marriage?"
Lira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as if dealing with a particularly troublesome child. "Yes, marriage. Don't tell me you forgot. Last year, during the royal banquet, your... well, your drunken self took a liking to a baron's daughter from a rural area. You insisted on marrying her and even went as far as to demand her father's approval on the spot."
Basil's grip on his sword tightened, his jaw clenching. A flood of anger rose within him, not at Lira, but at the version of himself—no, the character he had transmigrated into—who had made such a reckless decision.
"And this baron," Basil said, his voice low, "he agreed?"
Lira nodded, her expression softening. "He didn't have a choice. The baron is from a small, powerless region. He couldn't refuse the son of the most powerful family in the kingdom."
Basil took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside him. This wasn't his doing, but it was now his responsibility.
"Who is she?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lira hesitated for a moment before answering. "Her name is Celeste Verdant."
The name hit Basil like a lightning bolt. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he felt the world around him blur.
"Celeste..." he murmured, the name stirring something deep within him.
Lira noticed the change in his expression and frowned. "You know her?"
Basil didn't answer. His mind raced with memories from the game, details about Celeste Verdant that he hadn't thought about in years. If this was the same Celeste, then his life had just taken an unexpected and dangerous turn.
Without another word, Basil turned and walked away, leaving Lira standing in the training grounds, her confusion growing.