The woman looked over her shoulder, noticed Lia frozen in place, and also stopped in her tracks. “Lia?”

Lia stared back in horror. Something in the house jogged her memory. The blurred images became clearer, and they struck her as odd. Everything about this place, this woman in front of her, and this body was weird. That was where her nagging feeling came from. The woman had been calling her by her name even if Lia hadn’t introduced herself. She thought what a coincidence to have the same name as the previous owner of the body. And then, there were these memories. Lia knew them. She was familiar with them.

She had, in fact, read them before.

“No way,” Lia said, bringing her hand to her forehead as if that would prevent her head from exploding from too much information.

The witch called her, but she could not hear her over the onslaught of memories in her head. Images rushed back to her like a sledgehammer. It was as though the puzzle pieces finally came together and fell into place. She staggered on her feet, dizzy from all the information.

She really was Lia? Like the Lia from that damned book!?

The woman appeared on Lia’s side and steadied her, “Come inside first.”

As they walked, Lia focused on her surroundings. This was Linlin Grove? “How… how big is L-Linlin Grove?” What a stupid question. But she needed to confirm it without raising suspicion from the witch.

“Do you still have a fever?” The witch nodded her head towards the house, and Lia got her meaning to get inside first. She let the woman lead her. The smell of dried leaves welcomed her, and to her surprise, calmed down her nerves.

The woman sat her down to a stool and peered at her face. She suddenly looked stern and professional, like a doctor examining a patient. “The biggest in this part of the country.”

Lia took a while before she realized that was the answer to her question. Her suspicions were confirmed.

“You’re pale. Are you hurt somewhere? Did you bump your head?” The woman asked, but she didn’t wait for an answer and proceeded to check Lia’s temperature, her eyes, and her pulse. Once she was satisfied, she too, sat down and sighed in relief.

“Thank goodness it was nothing to be concerned about. Well, other than your extremely fast pulse, which might be because of our walk. You might have exerted yourself when you are recovering from your cold.” She stared at Lia pointedly. “What is happening? You can tell me. Though I guess I can understand why you ran away.”

She did not sound like she was coaxing a child like most adults in Lia’s world. It was as if Lia’s words mattered even though she was just a teenager here.

Lia stared at the woman in front of her, unable to decide what to do from here. “It was just-- just a headache. My head’s a little fuzzy. I probably shouldn’t have run like that,” she smiled sheepishly.

Now that she had gotten the memories back, it was clear who was this person in front of her. Yes, she was ‘The Witch’, and she was also Lia’s mother. In the freaking novel The Unparalleled General. She still couldn’t wrap her head around all of this

But calling the witch mother would definitely invite suspicions from the woman. The novel Lia didn’t like the witch. Just like the impression she got from the novel, Lia was cold and indifferent from this woman. Becoming affectionate immediately would be a no-no. Besides, Lia wasn’t one to trust anyone that fast. Better to stick with the indifferent act. So no ‘mother’ for this lady nor the insults Lia called her. ‘Find a neutral ground,’ she reminded herself.

“Sorry for running away like that,” Lia said. The novel Lia mistook the concoction the witch prepared as a poison so she fled. “I apologize, uh, T-Tamara.”

The woman gaped before recovering herself. She smiled at Lia, looking finally at ease to figure out what was wrong with her. “Rest on your bed while I prepare something to ease the pain.” She touched Lia’s head, full of love and care.

“Thank you.”

Tamara bit her bottom lip and patted Lia’s hand before leaving the room.