5 Carnations Field Under the Moonlight

With all my family members leaving for their own room, we both left behind.

"Guess it only us now."

"Still it feeling weird to be called as sister-in-law by Lein."

"Well you can tell her on our way to the capital."

"Yes, I will definitely told her by then. Since she won't listen to you if you're the one who going to said it."

"So want to walk for awhile before going to bed?"

"S-sure."

She answered it bashfully. I walk to her side, then doing a curtsey bow while offering my hand out.

"Then this way milady."

She took my hand while I grip her hand gently as I guide her to  the garden. She starting a conversation as we walk hand in hand.

"Hey Zein."

"Yes?"

"You know, all this thing is kind of weird."

"Weird? Like bad weird or good weird?"

"Is there such a good or bad weird things?"

"Well there is unexpectedly. Like when you eat an ugly food that turn out really tasty."

She giggling as she heard my answer.

"Indeed, there also that kind of case. I guess it a good weird then."

"Well that is great then. So what you found so weird?"

"Hmmm... Many things, I never though it will turn out like this when you got an accident 2 months."

"Which part?"

"Everything I guess, from you woken up, your apology, the sparring things, then you found out I am girl after 8 years, then all this things about engagement and married. I seriously, I thought I won't be able to married after all those things with you and my feeling for you. Then finding out that you're such a great magician, and how kind you're to me right now."

She grip my hand tighter as she speak her mind.

"Also all this things make me afraid or even terrified. What if all of this is only a dream, or what if you turn back to the way you were before."

She trembling as she told me those.

"Just imagining it make me horrified."

At that time a tear streaming down on her face. I brush it off with my thumb as I pull her closer. I finally understand how much she fell for me, how much she care. Even in my darkest day she still stand by my side. Trying to cheer me up, holding me from crossing morality line. Held me back so I didn't do something that I will regret forever. All those memories from back there resurface, I am sure even the part of old Zein still staying inside of me. And that part crying right now. He is the reason I feel conflicted when I found out she is a girl before, and the one that made me fall for the girl in front of me.

"Fransisca, I promise you I won't ever left you or goes back to the way I was. I will be there when you need me, like how you're there on my darkest day."

Her eyes got mistier as I said those words. I held her in my embrace.

"So don't worry, everything is gonna be alright."

At that time I change my mind to go to the garden, as I activate my magic and move us to her favorite place. It a field full of a red carnations around 4 to 5 days walk from our territory. When we travel from capital to our territory from time to time she always ask us to stop by this place. She surprised when she look the field, then she finally cry in my embrace.

"Fransisca do you know the meaning of red carnations?"

While crying stiflingly she nods at my question.

"Whatever happened, where ever you are, I will always remembered you and reminiscing about us. You're that important to me. It my promise to you."

I put her back and caress her hair as I said that. Then I kiss her on the forehead. After awhile she finally calm herself. As I took out some carpet that I stashed in my storage. Then I roll it out, also I took some glass and a bottle of wine. I pour it for her and myself. She finally smile while looking at me. Her insecureness slowly fading away.

"Have you feeling better?"

I ask her as I give her the wine. Which she took bashfully.

"Since when... you're this romantic?"

"I don't know, I guess I just never got anyone to show this kind of thing. While it quite not right to do romantic things with your sibling. That why even Lein never know this. So I guess you are the first one to ever seen this side of me."

"I see. Well... Where did you get all this things?"

"Space magic. I can do teleportation, so of course I can make a storage."

"That make sense, and sounds useful. So Zein what do you plan to do from now on?"

"My plan...."

Now this is a hard question, I never thought any definite target since I got here. She look at me expectingly.

"I guess... I don't have any definite target yet honestly."

"You didn't? But didn't you always wanted to be able to beat Lein before?"

"I was in the past, but thinking about it now that seems so stupid. Although what you said is correct technically. But more than being able to beat my own sister, I think it more like I want to be able to stand side by side with her like how we did as a child. So yeah, it not beating her literally, but I wanted her to recognize my power at least."

I scratched my neck as I said it honestly, that was my oldself real thought. When she heard my answer she smiling at me brightly, then mess my hair. Our height is almost the same, so she easily mess my hair.

"I see, I guess you finally come back to your sense."

"Hey, is that question a test? Why do I feel like it was a test now."

"Maybe..."

She smile slyly at me. I laugh at her as I poke her cheek.

"It really hard to believe ey."

"I guess it is. I can still accept it, but I guess I didn't trust your words completely from the bottom of my heart. That is why, it doesn't mean I wouldn't keep my eyes on you! If you turn back to that jerk, I will throw you to the bottom of the sea by myself!"

"Good choice, because I am need someone to keep her eyes close on me. I am afraid many girls would come and chase me when they found out."

"Hey... Somehow you make it sound like I am a possessive fiancee!"

"Eh, you aren't?"

"Zein!!"

"Fine, fine..."

"You really took that mischievous trait of madam."

"Whoa, mother should heard this, her new favorite girl called her madam."

She aghast, before stare at me furiously.

"Okay, okay I am going to stop! Don't stare at me like a tiger that going to pounce at it bunny prey. I don't mind tho being preyed by you, my body is ready to receive your fierceness."

"Hey you still doing it even now! Geez..."

She throw a playful punch at my arm while having a really red face until her ears.

"So Zein, would you show yourself at academy now?"

"What do you mean? Didn't I always show up in there? Like how I make a mess on class, or shaming other students in dorm. Then getting called to the teacher office."

"... You better not do those things anymore."

"Fine, fine... And to answer your question. No, I won't show my real face or my power at academy. Except I needed to, well someone already found out tho."

"Why so? Don't you want to be equal with Lein? From our last spar, I can tell that you took it easy against me."

"That more reason to not doing those. For short it troublesome to mingle with all those people at our academy, also too much trouble to clear all my bad reputation in the academy."

"Why do I feel like, you just don't have the motivation for it."

I grin at her answer.

"You're correct about it. I do come back to my sense, but I don't have anymore motivation to be the best. All I wanted is to took care of you, father, mother, Lein and everyone that close and care about me. I don't need things like reputation or publicity."

She frown when she heard my answer, but I can see a small smile when she heard the last part.

"So you prefer to be working from the shadow?"

"Exactly. Whoa, I guess that what my future plan is. Let's see the bright side, since I am not going to be the future Marquis, we can spend our time together more than ever."

"If you said that way, it indeed sound like a good plan. Although I won't be able to join you for those. I am going to be a knight when we graduate remember?"

"Ow, what a shame. I thought after we graduate I finally be able to snuggle you the entire time. I guess I would be the house husband then."

"Hey! Do you plan to leech your wife money your entire life?!"

"You're genius! I guess that would work too!"

"Zein!!"

"Okay, okay... I'll told you, I plan to build my own business after we graduate."

"Business? Why not assigning for court magician?"

"Didn't I told you that is too much trouble. I don't want to stand on the lime light anymore. I preferred to work behind my desk while making people work for my case."

"Zein... You sound like a lazy bum now."

"Technically you can't do business alone, except you're a travelling merchant."

"I guess you got your point there. Still your reputation is stink, most of noble family in our kingdom know how bad you're... At everything... Who would want to make a business with a stink noble?"

"That... True... Do you want me to clear my name that badly?"

She giggle when I said that words.

"It not only me I guess, even Lein and your parents wanted that for sure."

"Sigh... Fine, I hope that won't make me on the lime light tho. But I won't promise you that!"

"Why you dislike that idea too much?"

"I am afraid, that Lein would become like me from the past if I suddenly become hidden prodigy. Also people at the academy would talk bad about her "

"Talk bad about her? Like what?"

"Like how she earn the most prodigious title in the academy just because her brother holding back. Or she only at her brother mercy. I am afraid those kind of rumors would appear if I goes flaunting my skill right away."

"Ho-hold on... You're that good?! I mean I know you are stronger than Lein in magic. But your body potential shouldn't have surpassed her."

"Not surpassed her yet, but at least almost equal as her."

With that words I took her 20 m away from the spot in a second.

"Yo-you... Ho-how did you do that?! Did you just teleport us again?"

"Sadly no. I only used my own feet. Right now, I can hold up against father for an hour if he only used 30 percent of his power."

"Wha-what?! How did... Since when?"

"Since I earn my past memories, I also earn his skill and his potential. But if you ask the exact date, it a week ago then when I woke up. I can only used it recently tho, and I finally leveled up again after stuck on lv 7 for two year."

"O-okay... This starting to scare me Zein. You seems like a whole other person, if I didn't see you laying on bed before, I definitely won't believe you're Zein."

I scratched my neck as I heard her.

"Technically, I am the combination of me and my past life. So you can said I am different person, but not completely different."

"I... I see, all this new fact about you really confused me."

"Just think as he give me his power so I can woke up from my comatose. That me is a good guy that always love to help other people, and never let those around him down. He is a dutiful kind of guy, the mischievous part of him was the same as me. But he never hurt his loved one. When I met him he said 'I really disappointed of you my other self'. It such a weird things to heard someone that exactly look like you saying those things. It hard to believe isn't it?"

"It is... But it made sense why you suddenly got yourself back."

"And that's it about me for now. Did that answer most of your questions milady?"

"It did, thanks for sharing with me Zein. But I think I need time to digest it."

"I am glad I could share these with you. So let's just enjoy our picnic under the moonlight shall we?"

I hold her hands as we moon gazing, while exchanging small talk. This world got two moon which shining brightly. I cuddle her in my embrace, and kiss her neck few times until she try to struggle away from me. She hit me couple of times because of that, as she guard herself from me. I could only smile mischievously. After the wine empty I escort her back to my family manor. Then before we go to our separate bed room.

"It was a long day Zein."

"Indeed it is. Good night Fransisca."

I kiss her forehead as I said those.

"Nnn, Zein. Sleep tight, I'll see you by tomorrow morning."

With that I took my leave and rest for the day. It was a really long day, the soul of previous Zein finally got it peace. We finally merge as one soul, that what I feel at that moment.