Chapter 12: Unexpected Little Guest

AVA

Cold… Cold… So cold… So damp… So painful…

I don't want to die… I don't want to die…

Help me. Help me, Yukina.

Somebody help me.

My whole body felt paralyzed. I'm drenched all over. The rocks are digging into my flesh.

I don't want to be here. I want to get out of here. I'll do anything… Just get me out of here.

Somebody help me. Please help me.

"Please help me… I don't want to die… I don't want to die…" I could hear my own voice. Was that my voice? It sounds tinny. Like it belonged to a child.

Suddenly, I felt the sensation of soft cloth in my hand. I gripped it tight.

"Help me…" I said again. "I'll do anything…"

"I got it," somebody replied out of the blue. "I got it so you don't have to keep repeating. You sound like a broken cassette tape. And let go of the hem of my shirt already…" a boy's voice said.

I forced my eyelids open and my blurred vision slowly started to clear out. The first thing I saw was a pair of eyes. Grey, ash-like, a solid, cold color.

"Can't you hear me, little kitten?" the boy enunciated. "Get your paws off my shirt. You're wrinkling it," he added with emphasis on each word.

I impulsively obeyed the instruction in my shock and my fingers unclasped themselves from the hem of the boy's shirt. I looked around frantically the second I snapped out of my reverie.

"Where… why…" I stammered as my eyes scanned the blue room. It overlapped with my memories of the Krauser's sitting room where I was taken on the day I was picked up by the Duchess. The memory faded subtly as my mind kept up with what my eyes were seeing.

Right. I'm not in the Krauser's mansion. I wasn't taken in by them. I succeeded. I'm in a different place. The first step to changing the course of the storyline... I had been successful.

"Relax," the boy whom I now recognized as Lennox Albrecht said as he stood from the side of the bed. "You're not dying nor are you in a cold, damp place… So rest easy for now…"

I slowly raised my eyes to the boy's face. Cream-colored curly hair. Ash-grey eyes. And a preference of wearing white and blue clothing. Anyone who read The Lily and the Rose would not fail to recognize him. His features were described in utter detail in the story and it also happened that all three sons of Duke Albrecht had different hair colors, thus even a stranger can easily tell them apart.

"What?" Lennox remarked all of a sudden.

"Huh?" I replied dumbly.

"You kept on staring at me. Do you have something to say?" he added.

"No, I…" I said, sounding confused.

I can't be like this. I have to pull myself together. This is my first actual conversation with one of the Albrecht young masters; it won't be an exaggeration to say that this is a critical moment. What I would say to him may make or break the start of this relationship. I must make an impact, like the Ava in the novel.

All of a sudden, I thought of the scenario when Ava first met the Albrecht brothers. She almost died running away from the soldiers sent by King Alfonse and couldn't have survived if not for the Albrecht brothers whom she ran into while they were on a hunting trip.

Yukina's voice entered my head as I recalled the moment when Ms. Asano read the passage to her.

"Really, sensei? Isn't this line too cheesy?" Yukina laughed.

"Tsk, tsk. You don't understand Yuki-chan… Cheesiness is the foundation of romance novels. Collections of pick-up lines is a staple for romance novelists like me who has no dating experience," Ms. Asano replied matter-of-factly, twirling a ballpoint pen in her hand.

"Why do you sound proud while saying that, sensei?" Yukina said in exasperation.

"Of course I'm proud. Being single is so much better compared to my friends who's tied up by their boyfriends and husbands and kids. I shiver just thinking just how restrained their lives became after committing to their relationships. I'm so much happier right here with my collection of cheesy pick-up lines…" Ms. Asano answered. "Now, where was I?" she asked Yukina.

"Ava's cheesy pick-up line towards the Albrecht brothers…" Yukina replied.

"Ahh yes…" Ms. Asano said and went back to reading the passage she wrote.

So what if it's a little cheesy? Cringe won't exactly kill me. So let's just use it.

I opened my mouth slowly. "I just… don't believe you… Even if you say so, I don't think I'm still alive. You… You're an angel, aren't you? Did you come to take me away?" I said innocently and blinked my eyes a few times to feign confusion.

Ava's actual answer in the novel was actually, "No, I don't think I'm alive as I'm seeing angels right now." The cringe factor made me wince internally. The older Albrecht brothers loved getting showered with flattery. Perhaps it would also work with the younger Lennox.

I paid close attention to Lennox's reaction. His expression looked slightly surprised for a moment before the left corner of his lips turned up a little. Then he suddenly folded his arms over his chest and cleared his throat.

"I clearly told you you're still alive… And I'm not an angel," he answered with a nonchalant expression.

"Lies," I said. "You clearly look like one," I whispered, loud enough for him to hear. To be fair, he does look quite angelic with his meticulously engineered features. That's normal for a candidate male lead character. Ms. Asano often said that not many people would notice stories with main characters lacking in beauty. She has a point.

Lennox cleared his throat once again and pursed his lips. "You say such peculiar things… Clearly, you're not in your right mind yet."

"Indeed…" another boyish voice said along with the sound of a door opening. "Anyone who says or even thinks that Nox looks like an 'angel' is clearly not in their right mind…" he added.

"Or maybe she's gone blind?" a third voice followed.

I heard footsteps coming towards the bed and I instinctively turned my head towards the sound.

Two boys, one with silver hair, another with black hair walked towards us. I recognized them as easily as Lennox.

Alistair August Albrecht, the first born, the Albrecht's little duke and heir-apparent. I took notice of the straight silver hair that went down to his neck and the beauty mark on his right cheek.

The other boy who arrived with him, the third son, Nashiel Noblesse Albrecht, was the only one who inherited Duke Albrecht's dark hair color along with his mother's curly hair type. All three had the Duke's distinct eyes – grey as ash. Everything was exactly like what was described in the novel.

"What're you doing here? Weren't the two of you supposed to be accompanying Father in the auction?" Lennox told his brothers.

"We just arrived from there. What time do you think it is?" Alistair answered.

His remark made Lennox look at the grandfather clock at a corner of the room. "It's nine o'clock?" he said, mildly surprised. "I didn't even notice…"

"Father's calling you…" Nashiel remarked with a hint of mischief in his tone. "He's not in a great mood right now~ The first thing we hear upon arriving was that you picked up a stray kitten from who-knows-where and he's not happy with it~" he added in a singsong voice before turning his mischievous eyes at me. "This look a little too large to be a kitten though…" he said as he stared at me intently.

His gaze made me self-conscious and I covered the lower half of my face with the blanket. Now that I noticed it, I'm extremely clean. Lennox obviously had the maids clean me up thoroughly. Just how long had it been since Lennox picked me up from the alley? How many hours was I asleep?

Meanwhile, Nashiel shook his head and tutted while still looking at me. "What were you thinking Brother Nox?"

"I know right? I didn't know what came upon me either…" Lennox answered and turned to his older brother. "Is Father extremely angry?" he asked.

"Go see for yourself…" Alistair answered with a shrug.

Lennox sighed and turned to me. "Kitten," he said.

I was busy shifting my gaze from one face to another and didn't realize that Lennox was calling me. "Kitten, pay attention when I'm talking to you…" he added sternly when I didn't respond.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah, you… You're pretty slow on the uptake aren't you?" he commented. "Stay here and behave. I'll be back later," he added before turning to his brothers.

"You can cat-sit for a while, right?" he asked them.

"Sure," Nashiel answered whilst Alistair shrugged in response.

With that, Lennox made his way out of the room and I found myself stuck with the other two Albrechts. The silence was stifling and the fact that they were both staring at me didn't help.

All of a sudden, something broke the tranquility.

It was my stomach, emitting a loud growl. Despite of the young adult in me, I felt my face go warm and Nashiel burst in laughter.

"I guess cat-sitting involves feeding you as well huh?" he said in between chuckles.

"I'm not a cat," the child in me retorted. Thankfully, I caught myself and shut my mouth before I could say anything else. This feeling is clearly strange. I know I'm not a child, but I feel like one. I must remember that I'm already a sixteen-year-old. My body may have shrunk but my mind didn't.

"Then what are you?" Alistair said as he flopped down on a chair with a book from one of the shelves. He turned towards me with amused eyes.

"Ava," I answered, looking straight at him. "I'm Ava."

"Hmm…" Nashiel said and nodded thoughtfully. "Kitten suits you better."

"It does," Alistair agreed. "Go send a maid to get Kitten some food. A light meal for the sick, like porridge or something…"

And just like that, I found myself eating milk porridge and chicken soup while still being watched by Alistair and Nashiel.

"Since you're eating and all, you must believe now that you're alive and Nox is not an angel…" Alistair commented, flipping to the next page of the book he's skimming through.

"Not really…" I answered. "I heard that heaven is a nice warm place with lots of food to eat," I added before sipping the chicken soup. It warmed my insides delightfully. For now, I'll play the role of the pitiful eight-year-old slum child that I currently am. I'll pretend that I don't know where I am or what is happening, innocently, dumbly; and see how things would unfold from here.

"You're a tough nut to break aren't you? Do you only believe in the conclusion you make?" Nashiel commented.

"Yes… Because adults are either liars or slave-traders and other kids are thieves… I can only believe in myself," I answered.

My reply seemed to shut them up and they stared silently at each other for several seconds.

I decided to continue rambling. After all, I want to make an impactful impression. What I lacked the most compared to novel-Ava was the fact that novel-Ava was very good at swaying people with words. She rarely kept her mouth shut. If she wasn't subtly insulting someone, she's busy brownnosing higher nobles or manipulating others to do her bidding using her cleverness and eloquence.

"I guess I don't regret dying anymore since I get to stay in a warm place like this and even eat good food…" I said and blinked at the two boys. "But if it's not rude to ask, what's going to happen to me after this? Will I get to stay here forever, or will you send me somewhere else?"

"I don't really know…" Alistair was the one who answered. "We're not the absolute authority in this place, so we can't decide what's going to happen to you."

"Then, is god the absolute authority here? Can you ask him nicely for me to stay here? I don't want to go back," I told him and lowered my eyes, trying to look as sad as possible. "I really don't…" I added for emphasis.

Nashiel snorted at my response. "I guess Father indeed resembles a god… The god of darkness perhaps…"

Alistair nodded in response. "It suits him… Others do pertain to him as Lord of Darkness…"

"The Lord of Darkness arrives…" came a sudden declaration from the door by a deep manly voice.

My eyes widened at the sight of a tall man with dark hair and grey eyes resplendent in a velvet robe entering the room. Lennox was barely visible behind him.

"All hail the Lord of Darkness…" Alistair said as he bowed to his father. Nashiel stifled a laugh and made an exaggeratedly deep bow to join in his older brother's joke.

"Enough it with your mischief; how dare you call your own father Lord of Darkness," the man said as he stood intimidatingly just a foot from the boys.

"But you like it Father…" Nashiel pointed out.

"Shut up boy," the Duke said. "Yessir," Nashiel answered and pursed his mouth. The older boys held their tongue as well and the Duke turned towards me.

He stared down at me with a cold gaze. "You…" he said with a very deep authoritative voice. "Don't you remember what happened before you found yourself here?"

I nodded in response. Duke Albrecht was more intimidating than I originally thought. But I'm not in any position to back down. I must stay here. I must make them take me in. No matter what, I have to get things to play out the way I want them to.

"Well, what was it you remember?" the Duke said, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I died. That's what I remember… Sir…" I said, displaying the conduct of a clueless child from the slums.

"I see… You deluded yourself with that thought," he remarked. "Well, believe me, child, when I say you're still alive. You clung to my son's foot and begged to be saved. You told him you'd do anything for him to help you… That part, you don't remember?" he added, staring straight at my eyes.

This won't do. I have to drop the clueless façade and stop acting like I think I'm dead and went to heaven. I'll make them let me stay here. After all, I still have a trump card I can use.

I acted smoothly, making an expression as if finally realizing something. Then I pushed the bed-table away from me and hopped down the bed from the covers. My legs were still weak and I stumbled and fell on the floor.

"Hey you…" Nashiel said as he and his family watched me scramble on the floor in a panicked state.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" I said. "I'm sorry Milords…" I added and groveled before them.

"I remember now, the kind lord who saved me from the alley… I'll… I'll ke-keep my word… I'll do anything… Please don't return me to the slums. I beg you please… I'll do whatever you want… Please… Please…" I begged with my forehead on the floor. I raised my head a little and looked at them pleadingly.

The three young masters seemed a bit surprised at the sudden change of mood but none of them responded and they merely looked at their father and waited for him to say something.

"Child, 'anything' is a strong word. Do you mean what you said?" the Duke asked.

"Yes! I meant every word Milord. I didn't want to die; I still don't want to die. I'll do anything for Milord to help me," I said. "I'm… I'm not useless. I can do chores. I can learn to be a maid. I can run errands. Milord can order me whatever; I'll do anything and everything you say…" I continued nonstop, pleading with my whole being.

The Duke stared at me with no change in expression, but he was quiet, as if he's deep in thought.

This has to work. After all, I'm replicating the very same thing that happened to the Duke decades ago, when he was but a small boy almost as young as I am. This scene will strike a chord in him for sure. I didn't know I'll have to use this information this early upon the transgression, but I have no choice.

My trump card, 'The Nameless Black Lion', the prequel of The Lily and the Rose was a short novel detailing the history of the Albrecht Dukedom, centering on Nickolai Adrian Albrecht, the father of the three Albrecht young masters who stole the hearts of a majority of the novel's readers.

Nickolai himself had been a huge character in the novel. The Albrechts were Ava's strongest backer and Ava considered Nickolai the father she never had. When she became Empress, Nickolai was her closest advisor and aide as the new prime minister of the newly-formed Gouveia Empire. However, Nickolai also had a bad ending. He would die protecting Empress Ava from assassins and his death contributed to her final decision and demise of ending her own life.

The Albrechts piqued the interest of the readers so much that they started pestering Miss Asano for background stories about them, especially since the Albrechts only appeared in the novel half-way. Miss Asano was almost bullied to write the prequel and she was not very enthusiastic about it but because of Yukina's help, the prequel turned out very colorful and exciting.

The prequel's main highlight was Nickolai Albrecht's backstory which exposed a huge secret of the Albrechts, a secret so shocking that the short novel ended up selling out even more than the original novel. That secret was a conspiracy that could have impacted the original story if it was ever discovered and that was the fact that the current Duke of Albrecht, Duke Nickolai Adrian Albrecht was not the real heir of the Albrechts but merely a replacement to the real Nickolai who died at age twelve.

~~~

NICKOLAI

I stared at the little girl groveling before me and listened well to her words; such reckless words, words she's using foolhardily to cling to her own survival… It struck a chord inside me, a part of my past that should forever be kept buried.

"Child, 'anything' is a strong word. Do you mean what you said?" I asked her.

"Yes! I meant every word Milord. I didn't want to die; I don't want to die. I'll do anything for Milord to help me," she said as she hesitantly looked up at me. Somehow, she was able to look straight into my eyes without flinching. It's the first time a child other than my own children was able to look at me that way but the manner she did so was not out of fearlessness but of the opposite. The was so scared that she mustered enough courage to look at me squarely. It wasn't ironic. It was just that the fear of going back to the slums outweighed her fear of the scary, powerful man in front of her.

"I'm… I'm not useless. I can do chores. I can learn to be a maid. I can run errands. Milord can order me whatever; I'll do anything and everything you say…" she rambled on and on, and continuously tried finding other things to say regarding what she could offer.

This was a very familiar sight, except that things had reversed and I am now the person who had the upper hand.

I had said the same things this little girl is saying, thirty years ago, in this same house in a similar-looking room.

"I… I'll do anything, Madame… I can be an errand boy. A servant boy… I can work in the stables… I can clean, do kitchen work, I can learn every chore. I won't be useless… I promise… I-I'll do anything; j-just please don't make me go back to that place… Please, I'll do anything…" my ten-year-old self said, groveling near the feet of Duchess Diana Albrecht.

I was hit by a carriage that the Duchess was riding and to take responsibility of the accident, she had my unconscious self tended to by physicians in her own home. I was a slum child; she could've just left me or tossed me over somewhere. But the Albrecht duchy had always been a very upright household. It didn't matter if it was a commoner or a noble, the Dukedom would take responsibility for the consequence of an incident that they had caused.

I stayed there for almost two weeks, cared for, fed, with a warm place to sleep among the servant's quarters. Surprisingly, it wasn't just the Duchess who was kind-hearted, so were the people serving under the Albrecht Dukedom. No one treated me like trash; the people were welcoming, approachable and very loyal to the morals that the Albrecht duchy had been upholding.

Thus when I was well enough to go, I didn't want to leave. I begged the Duchess to let me stay as a servant. She was hesitant, telling me that being responsible for a child for two weeks and taking him in even as a servant were two very different things. But one person's words changed everything. This person, a child my age, stood up for me. He was the only son of the Duchess – Young Master Nickolai Adrian Albrecht.

In the streets, I've caught wind of some rumors about the Albrecht duchy's heir. People say no one had seen him since he was a baby and that he had been born with a weak body and thus being raised protectively under his mother's wings. The Duke of Albrecht had died a hero in the battlefield when the heir was only four, and thus his mother took on the role of the head of the family as everyone waited for the heir to grow up old enough to take the title of Duke.

It was this child who saved me.

"Why not let him stay Mother? I do want a boy my age to be around the house. He can be my assistant," the boy said just as his mother was about to cast me outdoors.

And that was how my fate changed completely.

I accompanied Young Master Nicky, that was what everyone called him, and I waited on his hand and foot. There were only a handful of servants present in the mansion where he stayed; only the most trustworthy of the Dukedom's servants – the head maid and butler, his nanny, a couple of knights and a coachman. The outside world should not know about the real condition of the duchy's heir. Young Master Nicky was not only born with a weak constitution; he actually doesn't have many years to live.

Young Master Nicky was a very intelligent person. He read a lot not because he couldn't play outside but because he liked it. He loved acquiring knowledge; he loved learning even about things that would not be deemed useful to him like candle-making and reading Braille. He absorbed the contents of books like a sponge and it seemed like his brain capacity was infinite. I enjoyed hearing him talk about many things. He taught me how to read and write.

Because I don't have a name, he gave me permission to use his second name Adrian since no one ever called him that. Everyone had been calling him Nicky or Nickolai since his infanthood. He was a very impressive person and I was very grateful towards him. The Duchess may had been my lifesaver, but it was Young Master Nicky who taught me that surviving and truly living were two very different things.

That's why I thought it was a pity that he wasn't blessed with good health. He had no lack of any material needs and wants, and yet he can't make full use of his blessings because of his poor health. Perhaps it was the first time in my life I felt sympathy for another person, far more than I felt sorry for myself.

He was twelve years old when he passed away and the day he died was the day I was reborn.

I remembered that day vividly. The mansion was turned upside down for more than a week because Young Master Nicky collapsed. On that day, it was raining. I was brought to the young master's room by his request. Only three other people were in the room – the Duchess, the family physician Dr. Hope, and the family lawyer Baron Wakefield.

When I approached the bed, I saw the young master in the grimmest state I've ever seen him. Very pale, as if he was translucent, and thin, as if he hadn't been eating for months. How could someone wither that much in just over a week's time? I couldn't understand…

He spoke to me in a weak voice, but his words carried strength.

"Adrian… Listen to me…" he said as I sat by the bed holding his hand. "I'm dying, Adrian… But Nickolai Adrian Albrecht must not die. I am the only child of this household. I am the rightful heir to the Albrecht Dukedom. And if I die, many people would surely do whatever they could to steal this position. They're bad people Adrian… The duchy must not fall in their hands… This is not only for the duchy but for the sake of the whole Gouveia Kingdom. The Albrechts had been keeping the neutral faction stable since it was founded, and if greedy people happen to control the Albrecht duchy, the balance in this kingdom would fall apart…"

His words were halted by a coughing fit and he spat out some blood. Only then did I realize just how grim the situation was. The Duchess and doctor ran to his side and cleaned up the blood. It took more than five minutes before the young master was able to continue with what he was saying. I felt pathetic just standing and watching as a precious person suffered in front of me.

"I don't have much time…" the young master told me and gripped my hand tight. "Take my place, Adrian. Mother and I already talked about it… No one outside knows me. No one knows what I look like. We're the same age, we're both dark-haired; your grey eyes can be explained as a trait coming from my great-grandfather… You'll be a convincing Nickolai, the rightful heir to the Albrecht duchy…" he said.

"W-what're you saying, young master? Thi-this is ridiculous; this is blasphemy; it's fraud!" my twelve-year-old self exclaimed, quite horrified.

"If no one knows about it, we can make it the truth," the Duchess suddenly interfered. Her eyes looked sore and tired. She must've been crying for so long but kept her composure at that moment even when her child was dying in front of her.

"This is my last wish Adrian…" the young master continued. "Grant me this wish… You're the only one I trust enough with my name and identity. I've been with you for these past two years, and I know how much you can grow if only you had been given the right environment. You're smart, you're upright and you work hard. And you know best how it is to be desolate and hopeless. You'll make a good nobleman who prioritizes the weak and the poor. Do you remember the book I lent you? 'Noblesse Oblige…'" he paused and squeezed my hand as he looked at my eyes sincerely.

"You weren't born noble but you understood that book better than anyone. This kingdom needs someone like you to lead. Take my name, and be a good Duke. Protect the Albrechts and its people with your whole being. I ask this of you not as someone you serve under but as a friend. This family needs a healthy boy like you… Not a dead boy like me…" he added with a sad smile on his pale face.

Everyone in the room started crying at his words. The Duchess couldn't take it and had to leave the room. I was weeping the most in my whole twelve years of existence. I ended up saying yes to everything and after two days and three nights of further suffering and holding onto the thread of life, the young master passed away. I stayed by his side until he drew his last breath and did not let go of his hand even as I felt it go colder and colder.

As I stood by Young Master Nicky's body, the Duchess approached me and held my hand. She thanked me for agreeing to the ridiculous final wish of her son and we shared laments with each other as if we were real family.

My training to be a worthy replacement for Young Master Nicky started only a day after his very small funeral, held in utmost secrecy. I was to replace him and protect the Albrecht duchy in his stead. I had never regretted my decision even once, and if I were to be taken back to the past, I'll make the same decision over again.

Thus, the real Nickolai Adrian Albrecht was buried inside a greenhouse in the duchy with a nameless grave while I lived using his name.

Everything started out just like this, with a small insignificant child groveling by someone's feet. I brought myself back to reality and looked down at the tiny forlorn figure on the floor.

"I'll do anything please… Don't send me away please…" the little girl pleaded, hands rubbing together, forehead touching the floor.

I couldn't take it anymore and so I knelt down and placed a hand on the girl's head.

"Stop this nonsense right now and get up. The floor is cold," I said firmly.

"Do-does that me-mean you're turning me out-outdoors?" the girl stammered; her wide strangely-dazzling emerald-colored eyes were full of fear and close to tears.

"Was that how it sounded to you? You're not very bright are you?" I told her.

A tear dropped from her left eye as I told the boys to assist her standing up. But her knees buckled like a newborn calf. She might still be too weak to stand yet.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" she kept apologizing for being unable to stand up as if it was all her own fault.

Without much thought, I leaned down and scooped the tiny thing to my arms. I was mildly surprised. She weighed absolutely nothing. It felt like I was lifting a pillow.

She looked surprised when I carried her and apologized once again.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"She's Kitten, Father…" Nashiel interjected.

"Shut up boy," I said as I pushed a knuckle on my naughty youngest son's head. I turned to the girl. "You answer."

"Ava, sir… My name is Ava… I was told it meant 'life'," the girl answered.

"Well, I'll let you stay here for the meantime Ava, until I think of what to do with you," I told her.

Just as how quick fear landed on her eyes earlier, happiness radiated in her emerald green pupils and she threw her little arms around my neck. "Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you, I'll keep my promise! Thank you!" she chorused over and over, like a broken cassette tape. A second later, she fainted.

It was the first time I saw my sons get worked up over a stranger they've barely known for an hour at most.

"Father, you must've held her too tightly, she ended up fainting," Nashiel scolded me.

"She's like a twig, Father's arms could snap her in half…" Alistair commented as he poked the little girl's arm.

"You got her too excited; just look what you've done to poor Kitten. Where's the doctor?" Lennox remarked.

"She's not Kitten apparently… Her name's Ava she said…" Alistair told his brother.

Lennox kept silent for a second. "Kitten suits her better…" he commented.

"Right?" Alistair and Nashiel chorused in agreement.

I couldn't help but smile at the uncanny behavior of the boys. I watched Ava get treated and had a maid tuck her to bed. I stared at the girl's face some more before I went upstairs to my office, thinking seriously about what we should do about this unexpected little guest.

~~~

Two days later

GREYSON

Strange… Just why?

I must had been staring at the canopy of my bed for hours. I tried going out again this afternoon after lessons. But I got caught and dragged back to bed. Because I had been acting strange for two days, always trying to go outside like Mother, people thought I was sick and called for the physician. But there was nothing wrong at me, at least not physically.

Did I remember the time wrongly?

No… Lottie had been lost for six months and eight days on that day, I was marking the calendar before we got called to the sitting room by Head Butler Caesar. If I remembered right, she should have arrived two nights previously. But Mother returned with just the servants. There was no child.

There were other things that turned out differently as well, like how Brother Landon insisted on accompanying Mother on her trips out to the streets of the capital, and how Brother Brandon had been preparing early for his swordsmanship lessons and going out earlier than scheduled. If I remember correctly, they didn't do that before.

Father had been the same, working on his ducal duties and conducting investigations and searches in hopes of finding Lottie and Mother went out almost everyday to scour the capital's alleyways in a futile effort to ease her own mind.

I don't understand. It was different from what I remembered. Was everything really just a dream? A hallucination?

I got up from the bed and walked towards the dressing mirror to look at myself for the thousandth time.

I turned young. To be precise, I went back to being ten years old. It was all too peculiar. Mother and Father were alive. Brother Landon was not twenty-years-old but twelve. Brother Brandon was not nineteen-years-old but eleven. And Lottie is still missing. And most importantly, there was no Ava. She can't be found anywhere.

It could've been a lot easier for me to just think of everything as a dream, but I know as hell it wasn't.

I walked towards my dressing table and opened the top drawer. All sorts of small toys lay there unkemptly. I had never been an organized child so I drop my belongings in marked places so I only have to look at certain areas when I needed to find something. I took the box at the very top and took it to the bed.

I opened the box and inside it lay a green silk scarf, with the emblem of the Magic Tower – Ava's farewell gift, along with the card with her own hand-writing. 'To Young Master Greyson, From Ava.'

She was real. She was very real.

She embroidered this scarf. She wrote on this card.

She can't not be real.

But she wasn't anywhere.

Why wasn't she anywhere? She should've been found by Mother already and brought to the house. But things played out differently from what I remembered. Thus, I started to doubt my own mentality.

I think I'm an eighteen-year-old inside my ten-year-old body. Was it all my thoughts? Have I gone crazy? I don't know what to think anymore.

All of a sudden, there came a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked aloud.

"It's Landon. Brandon's also here," my brother's voice came from behind the door.

I walked towards the door and opened it a gap. "Sorry, brother… I'm not feeling well… Maybe some other time—"

I was surprised when Brother Brandon cut me off by shoving something to my face. A piece of paper; no, a card.

'To Young Master Brandon, From Ava'

My eyes widened and I almost snatched the card away from my brother. But he withdrew it quickly and held it protectively to his chest.

"What're you doing? What if you rip it?" Brother Brandon said before tucking the card inside a box he had been holding with his other hand.

"Let us inside. We have to talk," Brother Brandon said and opened the door wider for him and Brother Landon to go through.

"Lock the door," Brother Landon told me and I did what he said before numbly following them to the bed.

I felt my knees almost gave away. What's happening? Just what in the world is happening right now?