ORDINARY VISAGE-17

"I want to rule this world."

I was speechless when Mr. Kaltain spoke like that. I had suspected he had intentions of world domination, but hearing him say it so blatantly made the hairs stand on end of my neck. "What's so special about this world?"

Mr. Kaltain smiled "Well, maybe you don't know yet. This world has something beautiful, I can't tell you."

"Why can not?" I asked, noticing Mr. Kaltain's strange movements. he shrugged. "You'll find out later."

I don't want to force him to talk again. "That time you said this is not on earth. Then where is this?"

Tuan Kaltain looked at the sky with both hands behind his back. "You know, this is behind the earth."

I gawked. "What do you mean?"

"Should I explain it to you?" Mr. Kaltain glanced at me, smiling seductively. I cleared my throat. "Of course you have to tell me everything. That is if you still want my trust."

Mr Kaltain chuckled. "I made a pact between the two of us back then. Of course I don't need your trust anymore. Whether you want it or not, you have to fulfill your promise if you don't want to burn to death."

I hissed, clenching my fists until my knuckles turned white. I sighed. "So you won't tell me?"

"I will tell you," said Mr. Kaltain. "In this world, there are millions of other planets coexisting with the earth. This world is one of them. Every planet is inhabited by beings like humans, but only Earth is the most normal life."

I silently listened to what he said, but curiosity burst out. "Have you ever been to Earth?"

"Do you think I did or not?"

"I'm not going to play the guessing game with you this time."

Mr. Kaltain just smiled, he showed an annoying face. "This world is called Orpheus. Since long ago, earthlings have moved here with a certain medium."

I still remember that time Amyas said he too used to be a city person like me. Even they know clearly what the Earth is like. Was it possible that Amyas had transmigrated here for some reason? Then how did he get here? Is it the same as the way I came here the first time? Get in the water?

Wait. I'm getting dizzy now.

"How can you know everything? Are you one of the earthlings?" I asked. I hope Mr. Kaltain answers my question, because I'm tired of guessing and feeling like I'm going crazy.

Mr Kaltain did not answer. He wanted to continue the story again, but I was going crazy. "Why don't you answer?! What species am I talking to right now, huh?!"

Mr. Kaltain was silent as I tugged at his shirt collar until one button fell off. He just let me vent my emotions until they faded, even though I just got angrier. "Why didn't anyone want to tell me even though I asked?" I muttered, tired. I longed to go back home and be lazy, not to go to some unknown world that interrupts my life cycle. "I am very tired!"

I screamed loudly. There's nothing I can trust here. Even Amyas, who I thought was really nice at first, kept so many question marks. I'd love to pull their tongues one by one to get them to talk but I'd be considered a mad monster.

"Calm down, Abby. You listen to me first."

I lay down on the ground, looking up at the cloudy sky above. I felt like I had no energy, but I still wanted to listen to Mr. Kaltain's ramblings which were not necessarily facts either. I could feel Lord Kaltain's sad eyes on me, he sighed as if I was about to breathe my last. "You can go back to your world again, Abby. You just have to keep your word. I'll tell you how later."

"Sir, let's not deceive each other. I'm not energetic."

"I'm serious." Mr. Kaltain looked at me emotionlessly. He indicated that he was not joking at his words. "Orpheus and Earth have a very thin partition. You can easily go in and out of the two worlds. There's nothing for you to worry about here."

I laughed at that. Nothing to worry about what? I almost conned everyone here. "I'm so sure, that you actually often go to Earth, huh?" I said, "why don't you take over the Earth, sir?"

Mr. Kaltain was silent again. This is what i hate about him. I don't want to open my voice to the spontaneous questions that I ask. I closed my eyes, letting go of my question not getting an answer, but who would have thought that Mr. Kaltain spoke softly, barely audible to my ears.

"Only the Orpheus realm I want. The rest doesn't matter."

I raised an eyebrow, put my hands behind my head. "May I ask one more question, sir?"

"Why do you want Orpheus?"

Mr. Kaltain smiled, his eyes fixed on me. I'm not even sure if it's a smile. But I tried hard not to be frightened, even though his face looked like a ghost now. "Why do you question that?"

"Well, I thought you would answer me," I said lightly, even though I wanted to keep my mouth shut because I kept asking. "Everything has a reason. It seems Lord Duke understands."

"Not everything has to have a reason, Abby."

"Why shouldn't I?"

Mr. Kaltain just laughed lightly, he combed his hair back and glanced at me with his sharp eyes. "I chose you for this, Abby," he said, "you're so lovely."

I sat up, giving him an annoyed look. "So if I'm not fun, you won't choose me?"

Mr Kaltain approached me. He grabbed a strand of my hair with his forefinger. "Of course not, Abby. I would have killed you the first time you appeared in front of me."

I squealed, pushing Mr. Kaltain's hand away from my reach. "Fun or not, I will not be killed by you, Kaltain."

Mr Kaltain laughed. He patted my head. "Then who's going to get killed, Abby? You or me?"

I looked up and glared at the man in front of me. "You just remember what I said that time. If you betray me, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Lord Kaltain nodded, he stopped this ridiculous talk and sighed. "Yes, I understand."

I glanced at him in disbelief. "It's good that you understand. I'm glad there's no need for rebroadcasts."

No more talks after this. I felt my stomach ache, funny sounds came out of my stomach. Mr. Kaltain laughed at that, while I pretended not to hear even though I felt very embarrassed.

"You haven't eaten yet?"

"If it's my stomach won't whine like this."

Mr. Kaltain held out his hand, inviting me to stand up. I whimpered, ignoring his outstretched hand and patting my dusty clothes. "You want to give me food?"

Instead of answering, Mr. Kaltain turned to ask. "What do you want to eat?"

I didn't answer the question because I was busy holding hunger. We walked away from that place—I don't know what place it was. Mr Kaltain walked in front of me one step with his stout upright body. Actually, Mr. Kaltain is not very old. Not even old. He looks younger with his current hairstyle. I watched him silently, admiring his pair of eyes which were shaded by long, silky eyelashes. If you look closely, Mr. Kaltain has dark eyes, but they will appear red when exposed to sunlight. I remember the color of Amyas's eyes turning red when he stabbed himself that time.

"Mr. Kaltain, let me ask you one thing today," I said, walking slowly up beside him. Mr Kaltain glanced at me. "What else do you want to ask, hm?"

"What exactly are you, sir?" []