Together

Ranav found himself outside the ring. The shock was too much for him. As he tried to process the situation, Jessica's voice echoed in his mind.

"Ranav, I didn't want to invade your privacy. I already knew you've hidden many things from me. At first, I was just curious… curious about you, your life before me, your strange language... I never imagined that one day I'd develop the ability to read your thoughts so clearly that everything in your mind would transfer to me."

She paused briefly before continuing, her tone heavier. "I'm not a mindless tool. I see myself as a person. I'm not sure how you see me, but from the way you've treated me before, I thought you felt the same. I believed we were one… you and I, bound as host and partner. But now, seeing your reaction, I realize I was wrong. I need to respect your privacy and establish boundaries. This situation is just as embarrassing for me as it is for you."

Jessica's voice faltered slightly. "I can't change the bond we share, but I can withdraw. I'll sever the mind link entirely. You'll still have access to the storage space and other facilities through the ring, but I won't intrude on your thoughts anymore. That's the least I can do."

Before Ranav could respond, Jessica cut the mind link. He could no longer feel her emotions or presence, only a faint connection to the ring, similar to the connection he felt with his sword.

"Jessica?... Are you there?... Answer me!" Ranav called via mind link, but there was no response.

He stared at the ring in silence, his thoughts spiraling.

"What do I do now? Jessica was always with me. She saw every action I took, yet I never felt she was distant from me. She was my partner, my confidant, my first true friend in this world. Without her, I'm back to being alone, with no one to rely on but myself. After bonding with me, she's done nothing but help me. And now… I've driven her away. I'm such a jerk!"

Ranav thought and sighed deeply, his mind heavy with guilt.

"I have so many secrets… my previous life. How could I possibly explain to her that I came from another world? What if she regains her memories as the family heirloom and resents me? Would she think I've stolen the possession of the ring? But cutting her off like this... it's cruel. She'll be lonely. And honestly, I need her too. She was the one who helped me leave behind my own loneliness. I used to talk to her about everything… serious matters and trivial ones alike. She needs me just as much as I need her. I can't let her isolate herself."

Ranav clenched his fists. "I need to tell her the truth. It's time. Gods, give me strength."

He took a deep breath and spoke aloud. "Jessica, we need to talk."

Her voice echoed faintly in his mind, distant and formal. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you been crying?" Ranav asked softly.

"No… no, I haven't," she replied, though her voice betrayed her emotions.

"Don't lie to me. I'm sorry for being such a jerk earlier. Please understand… I was overwhelmed. Forgive me."

"You don't need to apologize," she said, still distant. "You're my host. It's my duty to serve you."

"You still don't understand," Ranav said, his voice became more gentle. "You're not just a tool to me. You're Jessica… my partner, my only true friend in this world. I won't lie to you anymore. I want to come clean, but I'm scared. I don't know how you'll react or if you'll even believe me."

Jessica's voice softened. "Thank you for saying that. I don't harbor any ill will toward you. But words can sometimes be deceiving. Memories, however, do not lie. I'll show you mine so you can understand."

Before Ranav could respond, a flood of memories surged into his mind. He saw every moment of Jessica's life since she regained consciousness, the doubts she harbored, her astonishment at his actions, her silent pain, and her current sadness and loneliness after severing the mind link.

Ranav was stunned. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you bury all this pain alone? You should've known… I was always here for you."

Jessica didn't respond immediately, and Ranav sighed. "From now on, please don't keep your pain to yourself. I'll always be here for you. You're not just a tool… you're Jessica, my partner."

Jessica's emotions shifted, and Ranav felt her happiness through their connection. Encouraged, he began to speak.

"This is my second life, as far as I remember. In my previous world, I lived for thirty-eight years before I died. The language you sometimes hear me speak is called English. I had a family, a fiancée, and a stable job with a decent salary. But one day… it all fell apart."

He paused; his voice heavy with emotion. "It's hard to talk about my past. It's painful. I wish I could share my memories with you the way you did with me."

Jessica's voice chimed gently in his mind. "You can, if you want. I didn't want to intrude on your memories without permission, which is why I shared mine first via the mind link. If you're willing, you can merge with me. Through the merge, we can experience each other's lives fully."

Ranav's eyes widened. "Really? How do I do that?"

"Just relax and open your mind to me," Jessica instructed.

Warmth enveloped Ranav as he felt Jessica's presence merge with his. Her memories flashed before him once more, but this time they felt deeper, more vivid.

On the other hand, Jessica was living through all the memories of his life. From his childhood on Earth to his school days, family, his sister Susan's death, his love life with Sarah, his father John's death, his university life, his job, his marriage, Sarah and her father Toby's death, the farce of a trial, his grandfather Paul, his grandmother Margaret, and his mother Patricia's sequential deaths, his cancer and retirement, finding the culprit and his rage, his final moments, and the fall of the last Smiths.

Then she saw his rebirth at Nanima's shop, his denial, his loneliness in this world, his acceptance of this family, learning magic and bonding with her, and finally, just now, his choice of action… thinking about her sake. Jessica lived through all of Ranav's life in one flash.

By the time she regained her senses, she found herself crying uncontrollably. In the mind space, she gave Ranav a big hug in her mind while still sobbing. She realized that Ranav was also crying.

"I am sorry. Sorry for all the losses you suffered. The gods shouldn't have let you retain your memories in this incarnation. No one should endure such continuous suffering. Now I understand why you didn't want to reveal your secrets. It's a lot to bear. I will always stay with you until the day you die or until you want to go away from me. I promise," Jessica said, her voice trembling.

"And thank you for the name 'Jessica.' Now I understand how much it means to you," she added softly.