4 C H A P T E R T H R E E

I forgotten what I started fighting for.

~*~

Lyma sighed as she looked at the many books on the table. She had been working as Gustave's secretary for five days, and she was starting to feel restless. She had completed all her assigned tasks, including reading reports, writing summaries, and accompanying Gustave to meetings.

Lyma felt like she was a mere appendage to Gustave, always in his shadow.

Despite her feelings of restlessness, Lyma knew that she was fortunate to have the opportunity to work as Gustave's secretary. It had given her a unique perspective on the kingdom. She had seen the inner workings of the palace, met the most important officials, and learned about the kingdom's history.

Lyma stood up to stretch her legs. Gustave, who was holding a report, looked up at her and asked, "What is the matter?"

Lyma was feeling bored and tired, but she didn't want to say so. She remembered that she had not yet read the report of the Minister of Defense's office. "I'm going to go fetch the Minister of Defense's report," she said.

"No need," Gustave replied. "Robert can just go there." He was about to call for Robert when Lyma interrupted him. "But I can just go there myself!" she said.

Gustave put down the report he was holding and looked at Lyma. "You'll just tire yourself." he said.

Lyma protested. "But... I want to see Brother Crown Prince too!"

Gustave smiled. "Mushroom, you're still the same. You can just tell me directly if you're bored. But then that wouldn't be you."

Lyma didn't know what to say. She averted her gaze and chewed on her lower lip, a habit she usually did when she was caught.

Gustave relented. "Fine. You can go fetch the report. But no need to hurry. And let Robert accompany you there."

Lyma wanted to argue about bringing a guard, but she remembered Jackson, Pandora's personal guard. He was the one who accompanied her on her visits around the kingdom, but Lyma had not yet met him.

"Brother," she said, "I just realized, where is Jackson?"

"Jackson?" Gustave asked. "Who's that?"

Lyma was surprised. "My personal guard?"

Gustave fell silent for a moment. "Oh! Jackson. I don't know the details, but the King ordered him to do something and he won't be around for some time."

"Oh," Lyma expressed. "I see. Well, I better get going. See you later, Brother."

"See you later." Gustave replied.

Lyma walked out of Gustave's office, feeling uneasy. Gustave's answer about Jackson had confused her. She was sure that Jackson was her personal guard, but Gustave seemed to have no idea who she was talking about.

"He was genuinely confused when I said Jackson's name," Lyma thought to herself. "Like there was no one named Jackson that is my personal guard."

Now that she thought about it, Lyma realized that there were some differences between the Pandora in the book and herself in this world. In the book, Pandora was always accompanied by Lily, two other attendants, and her personal guard Jackson. She also had a personal security group that was scattered around her and moved in the shadows. However, Lyma did not sense any signs of these people, and Lily was the only one who was constantly beside her. This made Lyma feel uneasy, as it seemed that her knowledge about this world is different.

"I need to further investigate this," Lyma thought to herself. "The world might just be the same, but maybe the Pandora in this world is having a different life."

When they pass by the Main Palace Garden, a couple of attendants are busy preparing something.

"Is there an occasion?" She asked to Robert.

"The Princes will be arriving today. The King ordered for the reception to be in the Main Palace Garden Pavilion." Robert explained. "It seems that they were only allowed a short vacation and was asked to return."

'Princes? He would not be talking about Gustave or Guerrier, right? So, who are these Princes? I don't remember any Princes that stayed in the Palace written on the book.'

Lyma wanted to ask Robert about these Princes that he mentioned. But she doesn't want to reveal herself that she doesn't know things that the real Pandora should have known. So, she stayed silent and made a mental note to know about these Princes before the reception.

'Maybe after I handed the report I will excuse to retire myself and ask around casually.' With this Lyma walked towards the training grounds.

After Lyma left, Gustave immediately went to the King's office. The King was busy reading through the reports on the other kingdoms. And when he noticed that Lyma is not with the Second Prince he asked him. "Where is she?" The King asked referring to the Princess.

"She's with Robert fetching the report of the Minister of Defense." Gustave replied.

The king nodded. "What is it that you want, going here hurriedly?"

"It is about the Princess, Your Majesty."

"What about Pandora?"

"She mentioned about her personal guard named Jackson."

The King was so surprised to hear the name Jackson that he stopped reading his reports and turned to face the Second Prince.

Gustave confirmed that the princess remembered having a personal guard named Jackson. He was confused at first because the princess's personal guard was Samael, who died 'that' day. The Second Prince then remembered a guard named Jackson, but he was not sure if he remembered correctly. He asked the king if the queen's personal guard was named Jackson.

"Yes." The King answered. "Jackson was your mother's personal guard that she brought over from her Country."

The room fell silent for a moment before Gustave spoke again. "Your Majesty, I believe it is still too early for Pandora to do this pursuit. The healing magic may have had a negative impact on her health, as she had fainted on two occasions in the past two days. She still needs to rest and recuperate."

"Although I agree that the princess is still recovering from the events of that day and needs rest, we must be careful now that the last of the curse has manifested." The King reasoned giving emphasis on the predicament that they are facing right now.

The room became quiet and oppressive as they both considered the enormous responsibility they were about to place on Pandora's shoulders.

***

"It is an honor to be visited by the little star." The Minister of Defense reached out for his support and lifted himself. "I greet the star of the kingdom. May blessings shower upon thy throne." He said as he bowed himself.

Lyma had expected the Minister of Defense to be a grumpy old man, but he was actually quite warm and welcoming. He reminded her of a mug of cocoa on a winter night. She had met the Minister before, but she had never really interacted with him. This was her first chance to get to know him, and she was pleasantly surprised. Minister Obrana Forsvar Verdegarte is a person who is kind, friendly, and welcoming. 'He looks like an old neighborhood grandpa that give sweets to the little kids.'

"Please have a seat, Your Highness." The Minister invited Lyma to sit down and said he would call for a maid to bring them tea. Lyma walked over to the sofa and sat down. A maid entered the room shortly after. The woman bowed and greeted Lyma, saying, "I greet the star of the kingdom. May blessings shower upon thy throne." The minister then ordered for tea to be served.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit little light-bringer?" The Minister inquired as he sat across from Lyma. He spoke in a soft voice with a hint of intimacy. For some reason, the nickname he used for her made her feel familiar and at ease. She felt like she could talk to him about anything.

"Just a change of view, I guess?" Lyma said playfully. Lyma answered the Minister's question naturally, as if it was the obvious answer. This took her aback for a moment, as she wondered why she had answered that way. But then the Minister laughed, and Lyma smiled

"Ha! Escaping again, I see. You will never change, little light-bringer." He commented.

Lyma was intrigued by the Minister's nickname for Pandora. She had heard it twice now, and she was curious about how a war veteran had come to be so close to her. She wondered if there was a story behind the nickname, and if it might help her to understand Pandora better. Lyma was still having doubts about whether the world she was in was the same as the one in the book. She had seen many similarities, but there were still some things that didn't quite add up. This made her wonder if there were other differences between the two worlds.

But uncertainties aside, Lyma was proud to hear people say that she hadn't changed. This meant that she was doing a good job of not letting her lack of memories be noticed.

"So what excuse did you make?" The Minister asked looking pass her, to the standing Robert by the door. "I'm guessing it includes my report?" The Minister, and almost everyone in the palace, knew that Pandora has been assisting the Second Prince Gustave with his duties.

"Yes. I asked the Second Prince to let me get the report from your office." She answered.

"I see." The Minister answered, nodding.

The maid entered the room with a tea cart and served Lyma a cup of tea. "Please enjoy, Your Highness," she said, bowing and exiting the room. Then she had a thought. "What kind of tea does Pandora enjoy?"

Lyma took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes. The smell of the tea made Lyma feel more at ease. The taste was warm and comforting, and she felt herself relax even more. She took another sip and thought about Pandora. Lyma wondered if she would like the same kind of tea that she was drinking.

The Minister gestured to a stack of papers on his desk. "My report is just there," he said. "Your companion can take it and hand it over to the Second Prince. I would like to speak with the Princess in private."

Lyma glanced at Robert, who was standing by the door. He looked back at her and quickly looked away. Lyma smiled to herself. She knew that this was her chance to ask the man some questions without Robert's interference.

"If the Princes commanded," He said in between fake coughing. "I apologize, I may be coming down with a cold."

Lyma smiled to herself again. Robert had just suggested that she dismiss him. She had only been Gustave's secretary for five days, but she had already learned a lot about Robert. He was a discreet man who supported the whims of the stars of the kingdom. He had been Gustave's personal attendant since the prince was a child, and so he was well-acquainted with the personalities of the royal family.

"That would be terrible, Robert. Colds these days are not the same as way back then. And not to mention, our bodies are not getting any younger." The Minister commented and then laugh. It was a carefree laugh that happens when you tease a friend.

"Indeed, Minister." Replied Robert, smiling.

Lyma cleared her throat and said, "Robert, please tell the Second Prince that I will be retiring early from the office today. And take the report with you as you go."

Robert nodded. "Yes, Your Highness," he said. "I will inform the Second Prince immediately."

Lyma smiled. "Thank you, Robert," she said.

Robert nodded. "You are welcome, Your highness." Lyma can hear the smile on Robert's words. He grabbed the report on the Minister's table. "I shall take my leave now. Please enjoy, Your Highness." Robert bowed and left.

After Robert left the room, the Minister laughed out loud. Lyma was surprised by his sudden outburst, but she quickly smiled.

"Say tell me honestly little light-bringer, how are you this past few days?" The Minister spoke gently and with a hint of worry in his voice. Lyma didn't know how to respond. She wasn't sure how close Pandora was to the Minister. She had assumed they were close because of the sense of familiarity she felt.

"My body's must be recovering. If not, the King would order to confine me to bed." Lyma answered.

"That's understandable with all the chaos that day."

Lyma remembered what Guerrier had told her when she first woke up in this world. Something had happened to Pandora just before Lyma arrived. But everyone in the palace seemed to avoid talking about it. And so Lyma did not pry since she thought it is of no significance.

"Yes. That day was remarkable indeed. It's just that my memories of that day are a little hazy." She said carefully.

"Hazy you say? I suppose that's because of the healing magic."

Lyma was intrigued by the Minister's words. She had not paid much attention to what had happened before she came into this world, but now she was curious. What would merit her receiving healing magic?

Previously, she had focused on learning about the world she was in and trying to blend in, hoping that Pandora's memories would come naturally to her.

"No one seems to tell me things these days. I have no recollection of receiving healing magic." Lyma answered as she thought that she needs to get more information.

"They might just miss the chance to tell you." The Minister answered.

***

Lyma's conversation with the Minister of Defense turned out to be more beneficial than she expected. She learned that she had slept for two whole days after her coming-of-age ceremony, and that something chaotic had happened that day. The Minister did not go into detail, but Lyma was determined to find out more.

'The novel did not mention an event like coming of age. Actually, the novel started when Pandora found out that her illness is worsening. And then later she started to convince her father to let her travel and eventually traveled the continent.' Lyma thought that the more she digs in into what happened during that day I will be crucial for her stay in this world. And she realized that the inconsistences of the book and the world she's currently in are the key points that she should focus on.

Lyma was lost in thought, but she was suddenly brought back to reality when someone jumped on her. She turned her head and saw the smiling face of the Crown Prince. "Brother Crown Prince!" She exclaimed, surprised.

"What brought my Padin here? Are you missing the sword training already? You know Father is still forbidding you to do it. But if you want to we can try convincing him."

Lyma grew more surprised the more the Crown Prince talked. 'Wait! What? Sword training? The Pandora who is supposed to have a weak constitution is doing sword training?' She can't help but to unconsciously held her head with her hand. She just got a plateful from the minister and now something is going to add up to her thoughts. Though this is what Lyma have wanted, to know more about the Pandora in this world, but with the sudden surge of new information Lyma cannot help but to wave the white flag.

"Is your head hurting, Padin?" The Crown Prince asked worriedly.

Lyma shook her head and look back to her brother. "No. I am fine."

"You know ninety-nine percent of people that says they're okay are actually not. Tell me honestly or I will assume it myself." He said seriously.

"I really am fine. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed right now." She responded.

The Prince's brows furrowed at her response. "And why would that be? What are you stressing about? Is Second Prince giving you a lot of tasks? You fainted for a total of three times within just two days. I think Father needs to reconsider making you the Second Prince's secretary. He has Robert for that role. You can just be mine instead. You won't be doing much. You'll just have to stay inside the office and you can do whatever you want."

"No need, brother. I think Father wants me to be familiar with the Royal Court since I am the only female in the family and the Queen's responsibilities should be mine in the first place. Brother Second Prince have been shouldering the job for a long time now."

In the Kingdom, the Queen's job should be taken by a female member of the royal family in her absence. However, King Andorran appointed the Second Prince to the job instead. When Lyma read about this in the book, she was puzzled as to why Pandora didn't get the job and why the King appointed Gustave himself.

"Still, it would not hurt for you to rest some more, will it?"

"Okey. I'll ask for a time off." Lyma wanted to argue with the Crown Prince, but she knew that it would be pointless. Guerrier was the kind of person who would always put himself in harm's way to protect others. He was the opposite of the Second Prince, Gustave, who would always try to remove obstacles from Pandora's path so that she could walk safely.

"Now that that's settled. Why are you lost in thought a while ago? I called you several times but you ignored me. I say, I was hurt by that honestly. But what are you thinking? Is something upsetting you?"

'Here we go again. He wouldn't stop being over bearing, will he? Any minor details would not escape him, and I know he will keep pestering me until I give him the answer he wants.'

"I just thought no one cared to tell me what happened during my coming of age." Guerrier was surprised by this, and Lyma saw his expression. "I honestly don't remember much of what happened," she added. 'I can safely say that I don't remember anything about that day. I'll just blame it on the two days I spent sleeping. Yes, I'll be safe.' Lyma tried to reassure herself but she didn't notice the dark expression that flashed across the prince's face as she thought this.

"Why are you asking about your coming of age now?" Guerrier asked Lyma.

Lyma was confused and asked, "What do you mean?"

Guerrier replied, "You woke up after two days and didn't ask anything. And then you acted like that day didn't happen. If you don't remember much of what happened, then you should be curious just like what you are now, right? And ask questions right after you woke up. So why now? Why asking this now?"

Lyma stared at the prince with an unreadable expression. 'Did I just dig my own grave? No. Don't panic. Excuse. Think of an excuse.' She thought to herself. But before she can even think of something she heard the Prince called her.

"Cygni." The Prince's called.

Lyma felt a coldness spread through her body, as if she had been thrown into an icy lake in the middle of winter. Her heart started to thump loudly, and she could feel panic crawling up her spine, weakening her knees. She could no longer hold the expression on her face. Lyma instantly admitted defeat. How could she not? The Prince had already called her by that name.

'So, this is the 'guilt' that the book was referring to.' Lyma thought as she struggles to keep her body up despite the coldness she felt. She's just thankful that they currently outside and the warm wind is helping her.

The Royal Family has two names: a birth name and a sacred name. The sacred name is given by the divinity, and it signifies truth. When someone uses their sacred name, they are swearing upon the divinity that they are standing for the truth. If the owner of the name is not in the truth, they will feel guilt. The more one is away from the truth, the more guilt they will feel.

Some people believe that the sacred names are a leash for the Royal Family. They believe that the names are used to control the Royal Family and keep them in line. However, the one good thing about the sacred names is that not just anyone can use them. Only the Royal Family themselves can invoke the names.

"Iuro in mea sacra nomen, Cygni." The words came out of Lyma's mouth fluidly as if an auto-response to a question.

Upon hearing the reply, the Prince then proceeded with his questions. "Now tell me. Why are you just asking now?"

The Prince's question hung in the air, and Lyma took a few heartbeats to respond. "Brother, you're cruel," she said finally.

Lyma knew that she couldn't avoid answering the question. If she didn't tell the truth, the guilt would only get worse. And if she refused to answer, the guilt would still be there. The only way to make the guilt go away was to tell the truth.

Guerrier's brows knotted. He knew that he was being hard on Lyma, but he also knew that she needed to tell the truth. "That is not-..."

Lyma was surprised to find herself saying the words, "I lost my memories." She had not planned to tell Guerrier the truth, but the sacred name had forced her to.

Lyma could still feel the lingering effects of the guilt. Her heart was no longer thumping hard, and her body was no longer cold, but her knees were still shaking. She felt like she might collapse at any moment.

She had not expected the guilt to be so powerful. She had also not expected to experience it so soon. The book had not said much about the sacred names. In fact, it had only been mentioned and used once, when Pandora went to convince her father.

"How severe is it?" Guerrier asked as if he already anticipated the response on his first question and the answer to the second question is what he wants to know.

"All of it." Lyma replied.

Guerrier's expression changed as if a bomb had exploded in front of him. "What?! But you remember us! How come?" he asked, grabbing Lyma's shoulders.

'How can I answer that? I'm still under the influence of my sacred name.'

"I... only remember mine and your names after waking up. Anything prior are all gone," Lyma said.

"So that explains your blank stares awhile back. You can't even remember our faces," Guerrier said.

Lyma nodded. "Yes."

There was silence for a moment.

"Why did you hide it from us?" Guerrier asked calmly, but his voice sent a chill down Lyma's spine.

Lyma looked at Guerrier, and she could see the pain in his eyes. It was as if he had just been betrayed by the person he loved the most. Guerrier's eyes were filled with sadness and hurt. His lips were pressed together in a thin line, and his jaw was clenched. Lyma felt a pang of guilt. She wanted to reach out to him and hug him, but she was afraid that it would only make things worse.

"I..." Suddenly Lyma felt like crying. The sight of Guerrier's face made her chest tighten.

Guerrier turned and walked away without waiting for Lyma to answer. Lyma stood there, watching his receding back, and she couldn't help but to question everything again.

Lyma was not an emotional person. She had lived by herself for two years after her grandmother died, and she had learned to thrive on her own. She knew that being emotional would only make things harder for her, so she had trained herself to suppress her emotions.

But now, she couldn't help but feel affected by Guerrier's actions. She didn't understand why she was feeling this way. She should be able to handle this, she told herself. She was strong. She had been through worse. But still, she couldn't shake the feeling of sadness and loss.

Lyma asked herself, "Why am I here?" She did not know why she had been brought to this world.

She tried to remember how she had gotten there, but her head started to hurt. She remembered waking up in this world, but she couldn't remember anything before that.

Lyma felt a sense of panic rising in her. She tried to calm herself down by taking deep breaths, but it didn't help. She still couldn't remember anything.

She started to cry. Her voice was muffled by her hands, but anyone who was close enough could hear her.

The people who heard her cry didn't dare approach her. They had seen how the Crown Prince had walked away from her, and they thought it was some sort of a family matter. They didn't want to get involved.

Lyma was in a state of shock. Her head was aching, and her vision was starting to blur. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

"Why can't I remember?" she cried.

Lyma fell to the ground, her hands clutching her aching head. She tried to squeeze her head for the information she wanted, but it was no use. She couldn't remember anything.

The knights who saw the princess immediately ran to her aid. They started to call for her, and a maid who was passing by was dragged to check on her.

"Princess? Your Highness?"

Lyma could feel that familiar feeling of losing consciousness. She thought to herself, "Lyma... I'm Lyma," as she closed her eyes.

'System Notification: Body Adjustment Measures complete. Post Memory Removal complete. Pre-Reincarnation World Data Modification in progress.

Transitory Memory Package Downloading

Transitory Memory Package Downloaded

Transitory Memory Package Installing

Transitory Memory Package Installation Error

Error 10101. Memory Alignment Error

Running System Security Scan

System Security Scan complete

Checking Diagnosis: Pre-Reincarnation World version 1 found. Post Memory Residues found.

Removing Pre-Reincarnation World Version 1. Successful.

Removing Post Memory Residues. Failed.

Removing Post Memory Residues (Attempt 2). Failed.

Transitory Memory Package Installation (Attempt 2).

Transitory Memory Package Installation Error

....

....

....

Removing Post Memory Residues (Attempt 99). Failed.

Transitory Memory Package Installation (Attempt 99).

Transitory Memory Package Installation Error

Transitory Memory Package Installation (Force Installation)

Transitory Memory Package Installation Successful

Opening Transitory Memory Package

Transitory Memory Package Running

Transition Phase Complete.'

(Edited)