[23.2] Something Borrowed

My eyes reopened to see a wooden roof above me.

It was a dream…

No.

It was a memory.

My memory.

I…

I remember it all…

How I got to this world...

Everything.

My face felt numb as I stared up at that unfamiliar ceiling.

I was back to that moment when I first arrived in this world.

In my chest, a crushing pressure was forced down upon my heart.

I didn't want to move.

I didn't want to breathe.

Why am I still being tormented?

Haven't I been through enough?

The door to the room opened and a woman stepped inside carrying a tray of soup and water.

My head slowly turned to look at her, but my expression never changed.

She was a beautiful young woman, perhaps around the age of 20. Despite her youthful look, her eyes were worn as if she had experienced the worst the world could offer.

Her light brown hair was placed into a perfect braid and her breathtaking eyes were the color of ice.

Her weary eyes raised slowly but froze when she saw me looking back. She dropped the tray which shattered and spilled soup all over the ground. She screamed out, "N-Nora!?! NORA!"

I snarled in disgust.

Nora?

She grabbed my hands desperately with tears leaking from her eyes, "Nora... You're awake… But they told me… They told me-"

I wanted to rip my hand from her grip, but couldn't even muster enough strength to flick my wrist.

The body I was in felt like it was made out of concrete.

I spat out filled with hatred, "My name is Reika."

Her pupils convulsed in shock, "W-What did you say?"

I repeated clearly, "My name is Reika. Not Nora."

Her brows furrowed, "I… I don't understand…"

"I don't know you. I'm not Nora. What don't you understand?"

She pinched her eyebrows together and ran her fingers through her hair. She turned back to me slowly, "But you're… You're in my daughter's body… You have to be Nora."

I glanced at the mirror on the wall and saw a toddler staring back.

I had no idea how it was possible, but I knew one thing for sure.

I stared back at her with a dark expression, "I'm not your daughter. I'm just a boring thirty-year-old who was working as an art curator."

"B-But that's… That's not… Possible…"

I let out a sigh, "I didn't think so either, but here we are."

She took a step back shaking her head, "...No. No. You're my daughter. This-This is just a misunderstanding."

I raised an eyebrow, "Are you an idiot? Think about it. How can someone this young speak so well? It's not possible."

I watched as the woman started visibly shaking, "It's possible! It has to be… This world is filled with magic we haven't even begun to understand yet-"

I raised an eyebrow, "Magic?"

"Yes! Yes. It has to be magic. You're my daughter. You are… And- and you're just a bit smarter than the rest."

I scoffed, "Now I know you're insane. There's no such thing as magic-"

She ignored me and casually pulled out a long stick. It almost looked like a chopstick that had been tapped together.

She gave it a wave with a serene expression, "-Mundare."

A strange light released from the tip of the stick and circled around the broken dishes on the ground.

My eyes widened as I watched the dishes reassemble and float back onto the wooden tray as if nothing ever happened.

She let out a sigh, "There we are. No mess, no problem. Everything is normal."

I felt my heart freeze, "T-That's… That's impossible!"

She raised her head to look at me, "Impossible? Oh. No, it's just magic. I know you've never seen it before but-"

Magic!?

MAGIC?!

Magic is impossible!

Magic isn't…

It's not...

No! This can't be right!

My breathing quickened rapidly as my fingers clutched the bed.

Did I really…

Was I…

No…

It can't be…

I grit my teeth as the fear overwhelmed me, "Why!? Why! WHY!?"

She flinched at my sudden screams and stared at me with concern clearly reflected on her soft features. Sensing something was wrong, she placed the dishes down haphazardly and rushed over to me.

She held onto me tightly, "It's okay! Don't panic! It's just-"

I took a gasp of air and watched in horror as a light blue haze with golden stars slowly emanated from her body.

My eyes shrunk back in fear as the light danced around me. It was as beautiful as the northern lights and as comforting as an embrace…

It was so comfortable that something far worse than fear nestled into my heart.

I desperately wanted to push her away, but my body was too heavy.

My lips trembled, "Get… Away…"

She felt my forehead, "You're warm… Are you okay? You might have a fever. I can go-"

"I SAID GET AWAY!"

She flinched reflexively and stared back at me as if she had no idea what to do.

At that moment, the door flew open and a young man ran in, "Della! I heard screaming! What's-"

He froze in his tracks, "N-Nora!?"

The woman called Della spun around and grinned, "She woke up Patty!"

He stared at me in doubt, "Della… That's… That's not possible! The Priests already said she was born without a soul and would never open her eyes!! If she does, then it means that something possessed-"

A crazed look passed through Della's eyes, "I knew they were wrong! I just knew it! I-I told them she would wake up! I… I knew it…"

His eyes softened as he let out a sigh, "Della…"

She slowly reached out to hold my cheeks, "My daughter… My daughter has finally woken up."

My pupils shook as I stared at the two of them.

…Where the hell am I!?