Behind the door (1)

'I wonder what's behind this door?'

Adelaide stood still before the study hall's only door. This wooden door before her was the only mean to go 'outside'.

As for what 'outside' was, or where it would lead her, she had no idea.

'This study hall records everything that happened, but I think it also improves my memory as time goes on.'

'I'm not even reviewing Adelaide's past life and knowledge as much these days. I can also remember Portola's map quite well. I was bad at remembering these things before.'

'Should I really open the door today?'

Adelaide's small hand was holding the door's handle. Just from the sensation she felt from turning it lightly last time, she knew it would lead somewhere.

One of the reasons why Adelaide hesitated to explore the other side was because she did not want to turn herself into a PVS* patient. To Adelaide, the mind domain had always been human's most vital aspect.

(*persistent vegetative state: a condition in which a medical patient is completely unresponsive to psychological and physical stimuli and displays no sign of higher brain function, being kept alive only by medical intervention - Google. In short, you live like a plant.)

She felt like beyond this door was something outside of her consciousness. Stepping outside would not only mean stepping out of her comfort zone but also stepping out of her mind territory. One wrong step, and she could get lost forever.

'Our mind is our consciousness. Without it, we're nothing but pieces of meat.'

Adelaide also knew she was in the most ideal period to open this door. Her brother Alfred was sleeping next to her, so duchess Elicia and her little minions would not dare do anything funny.

However, once Alfred went back to school, she would have to be more careful when going on these types of mini-adventures.

'It's not like I have this strong desire to know, either.'

If it weren't for the fact that she needed to gather as much useful information as possible, Adelaide would not even bother about the door. If she were transmigrated into a happy noble family, she would just utilize the study hall for her future and live a rich and fulfilling life.

But the duchy was too unstable. Stepmother Elicia would show her true colors again soon.

'That woman herself isn't a problem, but the fact that the incompetent but powerful duke listens to her stupid whispers is a problem.'

Realistically, Adelaide was not in mortal danger. Yes, she would live a bit of a hard life, but letting the harsh words flow from one ear to another wouldn't be hard. And there would be servants, a lot of servants and maids in fact, whose entire mission is to serve her.

Listening to shitty complaints wasn't the issue. With the level of incompetence the duke had shown, Adelaide knew his glory days would most likely reach an end after Alfred's graduation.

But Adelaide hated enduring for no reason. Alfred would have to fight for the duke to step down, and in order to accomplish that, he would need time to gather his own forces. And if she wasn't prepared, then what would happen to her during that period of time? Being manipulated, threatened, and treated as some kind of hostage against Alfred?

Some sort of chess piece?

Hell no.

'No one knows what the future holds. Will Alfred's affection towards his sister stay the same after he reaches adulthood? I must ensure my own route first. Even if I endure, I will endure with a plan in mind.'

'Plus, there's this weird gut inside me.'

With a decisive turn, she opened the door.

ΘΘΘ

'…wow.'

In front of her was a wide space similar to how the galaxy looked. There was no ground. The study room was like a giant floating block within this wide space.

Shining spots of light could be seen from the distance. Adelaide thought the scene before her was beautiful. As she leaned her small body forward a little, she could even see the study hall's outside walls.

The only strange thing was that multiple red strings were hooked to the walls, making her study hall slash block seemed like the center of a spiderweb.

'Everything is beautiful and all, but what's with these strings?'

Each string led somewhere. There are three strings that led to three different places closed by covered by white fog. She could vaguely see a dark room in one of the places. The other two string's destinations could also be seen from the distance, but she could not fathom what the scenery behind them was.

Her gaze laid on the one closest to where she was. Her study hall and the place behind the fog were so close that the red string was only as long as her small arm.

With one hand holding the door frame, Adelaide leaned her entire body towards the shortest red string. Her hand got a hold of the string, and she 'floated' in the space with one hand still gripping the door firmly.

'I didn't fall, but float.'

Adelaide was proud of her own bravery. It's not every day you get to witness someone with such determination.

'…Ah. I'm doing this, I'm really doing this. You have to let go of the door, Adelaide. There's the rope. What's the worst that could possibly happen? You were transmigrated.'

Adelaide was not a brave person. She had always been a coward.

However, she'd rather fail because of her own decisions than be at someone's disposal.

'Fuck. Worse come to worst, I'll just wander around this space forever. I'll become a wandering traveler whose obsession is to look for the damn bastard that put me in this shitty place. My life was on track, damn it. I'm supposed to graduate with good grades, get a job at a big corporation, and become a manager in seven years while hoarding the company's stock.'

She removed her right hand from the door frame and pull herself towards the place covered by fog without hesitation.

The fog dispersed almost immediately after she got in, and Adelaide found herself standing in the corner of a dark room. When she turned her head around to take a look, what used to be fog a minute ago turned into solid walls. Fortunately, she could still see part of the red string poking out from said wall.

When Adelaide tried reaching out, her hand went through the wall without any obstructions.

'Now that's a relief. I won't be trapped in this…'

'Wait, isn't this Alfred's dorm?'

Before her was the familiar bedroom that she slept in a day ago at Western Imperial Academy. It was dark, but Adelaide was sure this was the room.

In addition, her brother was busying himself by the desk. Papers and letters were scattered everywhere. She was facing his back, so she could not tell for sure, but Alfred did not look like his usual calm self.

He was holding a piece of paper in one hand while his other hand curled into a fist. Adelaide could see him shaking a little in fury.

'Intelligence from his people?'

"Hah…" a self-deprecating short laugh echoed across the room.

"Father, you're brilliant, aren't you? Truly, truly one of a kind."

Alfred mumbled to himself with a tone full of mockery. He then stood up from the chair and turned back without a sound.

Adelaide was deep in thought about where she was, and what this place represented, so she did not pay much attention to his actions.

Before she knew it, she was already facing Alfred.

Both of them froze.

While Alfred looked genuinely surprised, Adelaide was quite perplexed herself.

"Adelaide?"

'Wow, what the fuck. Who are you? You are not my brother, aren't you? Wait, before that, I'm not supposed to be in the real world.'

'Then where exactly did the study hall lead me to?'

"B…but this makes no sense. Why are you in my room, Adelaide? Where have you been? It's been months…"

'What?'

Adelaide wanted to take a step back towards the wall with the red string, but the situation before her was not dangerous.

"Br-"

"Why aren't you talking? Ah… I see."

'What the fuck do you see? The duchy's only hope couldn't have gone crazy, right?'

"I'm hallucinating, am I?" Alfred gave her a sorrowful smile. Despite his visibly shaking voice, he did not even take a step towards her the entire time.

"Or maybe this is a dream? Whatever the case, I don't mind hallucinating. Right, this is good. This isn't bad at all."

Alfred disappeared from the spot and reappeared right before her. Adelaide was startled at the absurd scene.

Teleportation was impossible in this fantasy world.

'…I'm really confused, but at the same time, I think I know what's happening.'

"Adelaide" her brother smiled before squatting down and holding her hands. "Did you run around wearing this pink nightgown? It's cold outside."

A white shawl wrapped itself around Adelaide gently right after his words.

'Are you a fairy godmother now?'

It was fun.

Adelaide giggled. She reached out and gave Alfred a light hug as a lightbulb lit up her mind. She was not sure before, but looking at rays of sunlight pouring in real-time from her brother's transparent windows gave her a somewhat concrete answer.

'I know this scene isn't real, but now I guess I can narrow it down to two things.'

'Either I'm in Alfred's dreams, or this is his own subconsciousness land.'