confession

Orphie eventually did make the journey back to his homeland, and to his surprise, he was welcomed warmly. The royal court wasn't the hostile place he had expected. Instead, he was greeted with open arms, especially by his sister, Queen Asterin. She had been ruling with grace and fairness, and her first action upon seeing Orpheus was to embrace him tightly.

"You're still alive, brother. You have no idea how much I've missed you," she said, tears in her eyes.

Orphie, usually stoic, softened. "I didn't expect this kind of welcome."

"Well, you're family. And I've kept your memory alive in the hearts of the people," she smiled, guiding him inside the palace.

Even though Orphie had been reluctant, it was clear that the bond with his sister made the visit worthwhile.

It really was heartwarming to witness their bond. Despite everything, Asterin had always held onto the hope that her brother would return, and Orphie, though he kept his distance for so long, clearly still cared for her. The way they interacted showed that time and distance couldn't break their sibling connection.

As they walked through the halls of the palace, Asterin kept stealing glances at Orphie, as if afraid he'd disappear again. Orphie, for once, didn't mind the attention and even smiled slightly when their hands brushed together.

"You've changed," Asterin said softly, a mix of pride and affection in her voice.

"Maybe I've had a little help," Orphie replied, thinking of Lior.

The palace, once a place of pain and betrayal, now felt like a home. The warmth between Orphie and Asterin made everything feel lighter, like the kingdom itself had been waiting for this reunion.

Orphie had gotten so comfortable with his sister, Asterin. Their conversations flowed easily, filled with laughter and lighthearted banter. They'd talk about anything—family, politics, and even old childhood memories. It was clear they had rebuilt their sibling bond, and it warmed my heart to see him so relaxed and open around her.

But with me? Female Lior? It was a whole different story. Every time I shifted into girl form, Orphie turned into an awkward mess. The guy who could effortlessly chat with Asterin like it was nothing suddenly struggled to hold a conversation with me. His face would go red, he'd avoid eye contact, and everything would become stilted and formal.

"Orphie, I'm still me, you know?" I'd remind him, but he'd only manage a flustered nod, too embarrassed to say much. It was like my female form threw him completely off, and while he could talk to his sister with ease, talking to me felt like a challenge he just couldn't figure out.

It was both amusing and a little annoying. We'd been through so much together, yet the moment I changed forms, he acted like he was meeting a new person.

One day, Asterin casually brought up the topic of marriage while they were having lunch. "So, Orphie, have you given any thought to settling down? What's your ideal type?" she asked, her tone half-teasing but with genuine curiosity. I immediately perked up, leaning in closer, eager to hear his response. After all, this guy had never shown even the slightest interest in anyone. The question seemed to catch him off guard, and to my utter shock, his cheeks turned bright red.

Asterin grinned, sensing something juicy. "Oh-ho! So there is someone, huh?" she teased, clearly delighted by his reaction. I was frozen in disbelief. Wait, what? This dude liked someone? And he never told me? Me, his bestie?

My mind was racing as Asterin tried to pry more details out of him, throwing playful questions his way, but Orphie shut down, shaking his head furiously and refusing to say anything more. "I'm not talking about it!" he insisted, his face practically glowing from embarrassment.

The only thing I managed to gather from that awkward little exchange was that he liked her a lot. And just like that, I was left reeling. Orphie had a crush, and he had been keeping it from me this whole time? I was so damn sad. How could he hide something like that from me?

Later that day, Orphie visited my soul chamber, and I was ready—fully prepared to investigate the truth. The moment he appeared, I got straight to the point.

"Who do you like, and why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my voice full of dramatic suspicion. I crossed my arms and gave him a serious look, determined to squeeze out every detail.

He didn't say a word. He just stood there, looking anywhere but at me, like he suddenly found the walls super interesting.

"Hey! I'm asking you something," I pressed, stepping closer. "Don't think you can avoid this!"

He remained silent, still avoiding my gaze. Oh, this guy was playing hard to get with me now?

Without thinking, I stepped forward and pinned him against the wall, my hands on either side of his shoulders. Unlucky for him, I was in my girl form. Orphie immediately turned into a red tomato, his face flushed from embarrassment.

"What's the matter, Orphie?" I teased, leaning in just enough to make him squirm. "Why so shy? Spill the beans, or I'll keep this up all day."

He looked everywhere but at me, his cheeks growing redder by the second. "I—I can't talk to you when you're like this," he muttered, trying to act calm but clearly failing.

"Oh, can't handle a little pressure?" I smirked, getting a kick out of his reaction.

"Y-you're too close," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Not until you tell me who it is!" I grinned, enjoying watching him squirm under the weight of my question.

I leaned in closer, raising an eyebrow. "So what's the problem with me being too close? We've been this close plenty of times before." I gave him a playful grin, but he avoided my gaze, clearly uncomfortable.

"You don't have a problem talking to Asterin, but you do with me? What's that about?" I asked, half-teasing but also genuinely curious. I wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily.

Orphie shifted awkwardly, still refusing to meet my eyes. "It's… it's different," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

"Different how?" I pressed, leaning in even more. "Come on, spill it, Orphie. What's the deal?"

His face was now fully red, and he was fidgeting like a guilty child. "You're… not her," he mumbled.

I blinked, taken aback. "Well, duh, I'm not Asterin. I'm Lior. So? What's your point?"

"It's just—you're… you," he said, clearly flustered, his words stumbling over each other.

I crossed my arms and leaned back a bit. "I was still me before all of this, you know."

Orpheus looked down, clearly flustered. "Yeah, but... it's different now," he muttered, barely loud enough to hear.

"Different how?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Just because I sometimes turn into a girl?"

He gave a small nod, his face still bright red. "It's... hard to explain. You're still Lior, but now it's like..." He hesitated, searching for the right words.

I sighed. "So, let me get this straight. You're fine talking to your sister, but when it comes to me, things get weird just because of this new form? That's what's bothering you?"

He finally looked at me, his expression a mix of confusion and embarrassment. "It's not just that, Lior... it's more complicated than it seems."

I shook my head, offering a small smile. "Well, you better figure it out soon because I'm not going anywhere."

"This has been going on for days now, and I'm getting annoyed," I said, closing the distance even more between us.

Orpheus's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he instinctively pressed his back against the wall as if trying to create some distance, even though there was none left. "L-Lior, c-can we not do this?" he stammered, clearly flustered.

I smirked, enjoying his reaction. "What's the big deal? I'm still the same person, just with a little extra flair sometimes."

He swallowed hard, his gaze flickering between my eyes and the floor. "It's just… it's different now," he said, struggling to find his voice.

"Different how?" I pressed, leaning in a bit closer. "And who is that girl you like?"

Orpheus opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it, his embarrassment evident as he fought to maintain his composure.

"Tell me now, or I won't talk to you again," I said, holding his face firmly so he couldn't avoid my gaze. My heart raced, but I was determined to get the truth out of him.

His cheeks flushed deeper as he stammered, "Lior, it's just… different now."

"Different how?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, clearly flustered. "It's just that you're… a girl sometimes, and it makes things complicated. With Asterin, it's easier because she's my sister. You're my best friend, but now it feels… different."

"Okay, I get that. But who is the girl you like?" I pushed, refusing to back down.

.

"Let me guess," I said with a smile as I let him go. He straightened up, but still avoided my gaze, staring at the ground.

"So, in your previous lives, whenever you liked someone, you had a specific way you acted in front of them," I continued. His face grew more flushed, but he didn't say anything.

"Hmm, in your third life, when you liked that girl, you were awkward around her and could barely talk. It was the same in your second life too, right?" I watched him, feeling a bit amused at first.

"But here, in this life, you seem to have normal conversations with everyone," I said, slowly piecing things together. The thought crossed my mind, but I brushed it off. Then, realization hit me—hard.

My eyes widened, staring at him in disbelief. "Wait... no way..."

My face flushed bright red as the pieces fell into place. I glanced at Orpheus, searching his expression for confirmation, and the realization made my heart race. Without saying a word, overwhelmed by disbelief, I turned and quickly made my way to my sleeping area.

I threw myself onto the bed and pulled the blanket over my head, covering my face in a mix of embarrassment and shock. What the hell just happened? My mind was racing, but I couldn't bring myself to face him again—not right now.

I could hear Orpheus approach, his footsteps hesitant as he stood near my sleeping area. "Lior, let me explain..." he began, his voice soft, but it was just too much for me to handle. My entire body was practically on fire from how embarrassed I was.

I stayed buried under the blanket, feeling the heat rise to my face, which was probably glowing bright red by now. I couldn't even bring myself to respond. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was sure if I tried to speak, it would just make things worse.

"Lior, please," Orpheus tried again, his tone a bit more desperate. But I stayed hidden, hoping the blanket could somehow shield me from the reality of what I had just figured out.

I finally managed to mumble, "Why?"

There was a long pause. I could sense him shifting uncomfortably, probably trying to find the right words. But no answer came. The silence between us stretched on, making the air feel even heavier.

"Orpheus, why?" I asked again, a bit louder this time, my voice shaking. Still, nothing. He stood there, quiet, while I lay there, wrapped up in disbelief and confusion.

I peeked out from under the blanket just enough to see his face. He was staring at the ground, his usual confidence completely gone. He looked... vulnerable. But even then, he didn't say anything, and that only made it harder for me to process. Why couldn't he just explain?

Just as I was trying to wrap my head around his confession, a loud explosion erupted outside, shaking the ground beneath us. Orpheus immediately snapped into action, rushing toward the door. "We have to go!" he shouted, urgency lacing his voice.

I followed closely behind, my heart racing as I caught sight of the chaos unfolding outside. A full-on war was raging against the Noor creatures, their grotesque forms emerging in overwhelming numbers. The air was thick with the sounds of clashing steel and the cries of battle, a stark contrast to the moment we'd just shared.

And then, as if the universe were mocking me, the one thing I hoped wouldn't happen so soon came to pass. Emerging from the shadows of the chaos was the same villain who had orchestrated the demise of all previous Orpheus. His presence loomed large and ominous, a cruel reminder of the threat we faced.

"Of course, he had to show up now," I muttered under my breath, a mix of frustration and dread coursing through me. Orpheus, unaware of the full extent of our shared history, locked eyes with the enemy, his expression shifting from determination to sheer anger. The air crackled with tension as we prepared to confront this dark force together, even as I silently cursed the fate that had brought us back to this moment.

Even though I couldn't see the villain's face clearly, I felt it in my bones that he was the same one who had taken the lives of all previous Orpheus. The weight of our shared history pressed heavily on my chest as I warned Orpheus about the danger he posed. "Listen to me, Orphie," I urged, urgency lacing my voice. "That guy is trouble—he's the one who killed all the other Orpheus. We can't underestimate him."

Orpheus nodded, his expression a mix of determination and fear. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to lend me your body," I said, my heart racing at the thought. "I can channel the magic from your previous life. It's the only way we stand a chance against him."

Without hesitation, he agreed. "Just do what you have to do. I trust you." As we connected, I felt a surge of energy flood through us, ready to unleash the power that had lain dormant for too long. Together, we would face this villain and fight to change our fate once and for all.