Phantasmagoric

The Magician (1)

No matter how I look at it, there is no rice in front of me. All I can see… is bread and is that other kind of bread and jam?

“Is this… breakfast?” I asked Diane, who was looking at me as if I have grown another head, while I was pointing at the so called breakfast she gave me.

“Yes, my lady! For how many years now, you always have bread for breakfast together with jam and tea.” She said with a beamy smile.

Is this why this body is too thin?!

Awestruck, I thought to myself if this thinness could be normal. I guess it is by their standard and I just made it worst by not eating anything for a week. I finally realized that I don’t know anything with this body that I now own. This is something crucial especially now that I'm using this body.

So perhaps I could ask Diane?

I proceeded with consuming the breakfast she offered me, and wondered how I could open the conversation with Diane about Alzbeta’s whereabouts.

“What’s wrong, my lady? Diane asked me with a concerned expression.

I put the bread down and said, “Can you tell me… about Alzbeta?” I could see the concern deepening in Diane’s eyes.

“My lady, you shouldn’t say that. Don’t refer to yourself as a third person. And with what’s happening with you, I’ll help with everything that I can. I promise.” She finished it with a warming smile.

And then she proceeded on telling me everything she knows about Alzbeta. She loves the Variedad De Rosas Garden, where she takes walk every morning. She also likes to read, especially written by the butler’s brother, Julus Fredo. She doesn’t like romantic stories but more on the realistic side about hardship of people and responsibilities. She likes ribbons and laces which is completely explainable with her young age. She’s 12 years old who will turn 13 six months from now.

But if we consider my age, which is 16, that makes me 28. I’m already so old.

Her father, Adelmo Cyrilo, is the only Duke of the Karina Kingdom. The Duke is a powerful figure in the kingdom on both politics and military.

Wow, her father is a duke???

He’s a kind man to his friends but also a cruel man especially to his enemies. Meanwhile, her mother, Cassandra Cyrilo, unfortunately died while giving birth to her.  Her mother made the Duke promise her to always take care of her. She had red hair just like Alzbeta with a kind and considerate personality which made the Duke love her more. She used to host fantastic tea parties so she’s also popular in her own way. So when she died, the Duke was beyond devastated including her close friends.  

Maybe that explains why he married Miranda? To give the maternal love to her daughter whom he thinks he couldn’t give? Or perhaps he misses her and Miranda reminds him of her late wife?

Both I and Diane stopped talking when we heard a knock from the door.

Just when we were about to talk about Miranda…

“My lady, the Duke requests you to go to his study.” I heard the butler’s voice.

“Alright,”

“Do you know… how to get there, my lady?”

“I’ll ask Diane to take me there after I got ready”

“Of course, my lady,” The butler left and his footsteps soon faded.

 “You will, right? Cause if I go alone, I might get lost.” I asked Diane while still looking at the door. When I looked at Diane, I saw her looking at me tenderly with a little bit of tears in her eyes. As if she liked it when I asked her.

“I will always be by your side, my lady.” She said while wiping the tears in eyes that were about to fall.

Wait, wasn’t that too extreme? I just asked her to take me to Alzbeta’s father, it wasn't anything great.

After that, Diane helped me get ready. She made me wore a simple circular skirt gown which is coloured yellow that makes my hair more prominent and made my skin paler.

I guess I should have expected something like this. No way with this medieval setting that I’ll be allowed to wear a short and a hoody jacket. They probably don't even have one. And I’m actually a little bit relief that I don’t have to wear a corset unless going out or meeting a lot of people.

On the way to the Duke’s study room, I couldn’t help but be amazed with the extricate walls. The walls were colored maroon and the floor is carpeted both complementing each other.

My home would have been just like a cartoon box compared to this place.

“Were here my lady, should I knock for you?” I nodded to Diane and she proceeded to knock.

“My lord, the lady is here.”

“Come in.”

Diane opened the door and gestured me to continue.

I guess I’m on my own from this on forward.

An awkward silence filled up the room when the door was closed. We both looked at each other and looked away at the same time. He sounded his throat and said,

“Are you doing fine?” I breathed deeply, thankful that he stated the conversation. After all, he’s the one who called me to come here.

“Yes, my lord” His gaze didn’t leave my eyes after all for a couple of seconds.

“Don’t… Call me my lord. You’re not a stranger and you’re my daughter.  Just call me father or… whatever that may suit your taste.”

“Then, until I can be at ease with calling you father…. Can I call you Adelmo, my lord?”

He lowered his eyes as if wondering if he could do anything to change my mind.

“Maybe… I’ll get used to it after a while?” I said, wearing a smile that I hope he doesn’t recognize as a merely painted one.

He sighed and said, “Alright. Just until you get used to it.”

I smiled sweetly at him, “Thank you, Adelmo.”

“I called you to talk to you about what happened with your memories.”

Wait, what???? I’m not missing any memories though… Except how I got here but he can’t know that.

“The tower master of the Magic Tower is a friend of mine. He can probably help us recover your memories and tell us exactly what happened. After all, he’s excellent in his field and he have a skill that may be able to help us.”

This world is magical too?! I almost gasped and said my thoughts out loud. Who doesn’t like magic right?! Would there be fairies too? and witches? How about mermaids or mermans?

As if reading my thoughts, Adelmo smiled. When I saw that, I stopped thinking silly thoughts and cleared my thought.

So embarrassing.

“So… what do you need me for Adelmo?”

He continued to smile and said, “I want to have your opinion if doing this would be alright?”

I’m thinking of what might happen if he hears that his daughter is somewhere else, that the person in front of him is not really his daughter.  Just a girl with a lost soul that doesn’t know how to get home. Would he be sad? Frustrated? Would he proceed to… kill me?

My thoughts brought my mood down. After all, dying in medieval times is painful. Just thinking about it brings shivers down to my spine.

“I’ll be there by your side during the process. I will make sure that nobody gets to harm even a strand of your hair so don’t worry, Alzbeta.”

That’s just makes it worst!!!

Hearing the compassionate voice of this man for his daughter made my mood go to worst. After all, love knows no boundaries. But I couldn’t say no either. If I do, he might think that I’m acting stranger than I already am.

What exactly is stranger than having your own daughter lost her memories, ha? Yumi Rhee?

“Alright, as long as you promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“No matter what the result might bring, promise me you would not harm me and make sure nobody would too.”

“I promise.”

“Then when would the magician be here?”

“He’s just arrived,” At the same time the duke said those words, it got lost by the shadows that became longer inside the room.

“I’m already here, my lady.”

A strange voice covered the whole study room and a shadowy figure began to form on the right side of the Duke. A man that seems to be in his young twenties wearing a black cloak immerged, with his blonde hair and red eyes that seems to scream that he’s mysteriously out from this world.

As if my body is sensing danger, my defensive instinct immediately kicked in making me step back.

“Whoa whoa whoa, relax little miss.” He said while wearing a mischievous smile directed at me.

How can someone relax when someone just appears out of this thin air?!

The duke glared at the young man and said, “You didn’t eavesdrop with what we were talking about, right?”

“Of course… yes!” then he laughed maniacally as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

The duke and I looked at him coldly and as if sensing our gaze he stopped laughing.

“You both don’t have any fun bones in your body. You should enjoy living your life.”

“You shouldn’t eavesdrop with other people’s conversation and entering without permission is an offensive act.”

“Even though were friends and I’m about to help you?”

“Yes. After all, were in a give and take relationship.”

“Oh hoo… Give and take you say” He held his chin as if in deep thought. And then he looked at me.

“I haven’t taken anything as a payment for helping you for years. Right?.”

The duke glared at him for mentioning payment.

“What do you mean?”

“You see… This daughter of yours seems to have something inside her that’s unique and unknown…”

I gasped, shocked at his words.

With just one look, he already knows?!

“I want her”

And then a sword was on the duke’s hand pointed at the magicians neck.

I gasped when I saw the Duke holding a sword. It was like it appeared out of nowhere and just took shape in his hands. It was a silver sword that seems to shine too bright without even any light from the sun,with its hilt the same color of the sky under the moonlight. There seems to be an image on its hilt but I couldn't see it clearly from my distance.

Meanwhile the Magician continued to smile wickedly as if taunting the duke but his eyes exhibit some wary. I guess he nonetheless knows that even though he's a friend of the Duke, it wouldn't make him safe from the Duke's sword and the Duke's wrath.

Gone was the Duke who shows affection to his daughter and benevolence to his people, he was replaced with a cold-blooded man ready to kill even his friend.

I gulped and mustered the courage to speak. I have to stop them.

"Adelmo..." But they were still looking at one another, aware of the danger they could do to each other if either one of them looks away.

I know I don't want anyone to know who I really am... Specially now that I don't have anyone I could call a friend. I couldn't exactly put my trust on Diane when the person she's loyal to is Alzbeta... because I am not her. I am not Alzbeta. But still... I don't want anybody to get hurt because of me.

I closed my eyes when the tension from both their presence overwhelms my senses. It hurts. It made the air inside the room tight and harsh. It was too much for Alzbeta's frail body and it became unbearable.

"Father.... Please stop." I almost shouted due to the pain. After a while, like a miracle, the tension from the both of them stopped and together with it was the pain I felt a moment ago. I breathed a sigh of relief and open my eyes. In a flash, the duke was immediately in front of me.

"Alzbeta... are you all right?" he asked me as he held me by his big hands.

"Well, it was no surprise with the fluctuations from both of us running wild in this room" As the magician said that, he waved his hands and the windows magically opened. It was letting out the stale air replacing it with fresher ones.

"I apologise, my friend. And to you too my lady. It was meant to be a joke... but I guess it was not funny enough" the magician said, bowing to me and Adelmo.

The duke faced the magician, turning his back on me. I could see the tension on his shoulder. He's probably glaring at the magician too...

"If you are really sorry, you should always remember this. I would never give my daughter to anybody. Not even to the--"

"All right. Stop. Anymore and we would be punished with treason. And I will always remember that. Just like I remember Cassandra."

I guess the magician saw something with the Duke's face. Making him sigh with relief. I too sighed together with the magician when I could finally see the tension leave from the Duke's shoulder.

We sat at the sofa inside the study room of the Duke. It was colored red that seems to show no signs of fade away. I guess this is new. Heck, I could only afford something from a thrift store before and here I am, sitting on a sofa owned by my so called father.

" The introduction appears to be a little bit late but I am Magnicius. I am one of the three people who governs the Tower of Magic."

"It is nice to finally know your name, Magician."

The magician's face tensed up as if he's seeing something scary. But I don't think I looked that terrible... Though he was not exactly looking at Alzbeta... He's looking at the Duke's side.

"Three people?" asked the Duke.

"Ah... yes... You might not have heard it yet but the power is now divided into three. I assume it was their pitiful attempt to weaken you. After all, I am one of your closest friends or I might be your only friend." He said, smiling sweetly. Why do I feel as if that was meant to be sarcastic? Not that the Duke would care about sarcasm.

The duke clicked his tongue, "Tsk. I already expressed my thoughts about politics. Why must they include me into their power struggle when I do not even have any kind of interest?"

"Because you could have a reason in the future to take the crown. And when you are this powerful without even one, anyone who wants to maintain their standing would always cook up something to be able to get in your way somehow."

The duke only sighed as a response on what Magnicius said. He's not denying it?

"Now, onto what you called me here for. With my lady's permission, shall we start the examination now?" He asked me, smiling even sweeter than the smile he gave the Duke together with its sarcasm before.

Why does it looks like he's a mad scientist?