Lua’s punishment, after a thorough beating and yelled at, was to stay in the tower for the next month, the same tower that had been his room before his sister had died. The same tower that everyone was told was cursed as it was where Lucinda had jumped from. The only steps were on the outside now, but using Earth magic those steps became nothing but decoration leaving him completely isolated. Sitting up there he felt like he should change his name to Rapunzel. Sheena was the only one allowed to take care of him bringing him things via a pulley, or sometimes late at night he popped the stairs out himself and let her up. She brought him mail, already opened by his mother with a note of what his responses should be. He was to write that he had caught a summer bug, due to stress and all, and wouldn’t be able to do much. His letters were sent back down in unsealed envelopes so his mother could approve and then they would be mailed out. 

Truth was a week later he did get sick as he’d overheated up in the hot tower, it had been hotter than normal the first few days then he remembered it got. He was miserable with only his familiar who thankfully could summon water. He didn’t remember much of his time and once he thought he saw Ivan in the window but he must have just had a high fever. He missed Henri’s Birthday celebration because of it, not that he was sure that his mother would let him go. 

Soon after he started to recover and seeing how he was trying to appease his mother he was given permission to return to his room once again. Lua was just about recovered when he got an unexpected visit. He was sitting up in bed reading a book, his window open letting in a cool breeze when there was a surprising knock on his door. Most maids didn’t care, they came in and cleaned and muttered under their breaths, his mother never bothered him. So it was a surprise when there was a polite knock on the door.

“Come in.” He said after checking his appearance and straightening his night clothes. His voice was a bit croaky still but he could talk fine. In walked Henri with a small bouquet of flowers and behind him was Sheena with a cart. “Henri, Oh you shouldn’t be here.” He said worriedly. 

“Your mother said you weren’t contagious and it was alright if it was just a short visit.” He told him as he walked in and looked about. Lua went to get up. “No you can stay resting in bed, I don’t want you to over exert yourself when you’ve just about recovered.” He told him as he walked over to the bedside and then handed him the beautiful bouquet of flowers. They were his favorite, pink lilies and roses with little sprigs of baby’s breath.

“They’re beautiful, Sheena, can I get a vos for these for my nightstand?” He asked.

“Of course, I’ve brought tea and some light snacks.” She told him as she pulled the cart next to the bed and then she pulled a chair up for Henri to sit.

“You still look pale.” He reached out and touched his forehead and the warm sensation that felt really nice when he did. He leaned slightly into Henri’s hand, he just smiled and then gently caressed his face with his warm hand. “You feel nice and cool.” He told him as he sat down slowly removing his hand.

“That’s probably because you’re nice and warm, not like an uncomfortable warm but a nice warm.” He said already missing his touch. 

“I’m glad then,” He handed him the tea Sheena poured out for them. “I’m also glad you are feeling better, I’ve honestly missed you and I’ve been feeling like a horrible person ever since the Ball. I shouldn’t have danced with anyone else but you, I should have known better..” He told him sincerely. 

“It really hurt you know, I was really looking forward to dancing with you, we’ve already graduated from the dance classes so I wont get any more time to dance with you except at the few Balls I can go to, I’m sorry I missed your birthday though.” 

“You shouldn’t be sorry Lua you couldn’t help that you were sick. I feel like that was my doing as well.”

“No it was just the heat suddenly hit me, but I’m better now, I mean it’s going to get hot again but that was just sudden.” He told him as he flailed slightly trying not to spill his tea. 

Henri smiled as he did. He thought he was adorable whatever he did, it made him annoyed at how he hurt him. He should have been loyal to him, he would make it up to him for his birthday. He kept finding reasons to gently touch him just to get that warm feeling over and over again. They wouldn’t find out for another year after Lua turned 17 himself if they were soulmates or not, he wondered if they should wait for the winter ball or just do it on his birthday, although that went against noble tradition. He didn’t end up staying long wanting Lua to rest, but most of all he wanted to be out of there as it felt creepy, like they were being monitored or something. 

Lua recovered quickly and it seemed his mother was pleased after their interaction and the fact that Henri wrote to him at least once a week and his letters made him blush. He did some personal training without his mother knowing as he didn’t want his training to get rusty. He also made dates to meet with his friends as well as to go on an actual date with Henri. His date was mainly to get him a belated gift. Henri took him out to dinner for his birthday and gave him a moonstone ring as a gift. This was the most precious gift that Lua had ever been given. 

He met with Ivan over the summer and it seemed like there was something bothering him. Lua put his tea cup down, it was just the two of them in the small room at a tea house. “Okay, What is bothering you?” 

Ivan looked about and then casted a spell that covered the room. “Lua, do your parents hate you?”

“Why would you think that?” He asked, swallowing hard.

“Because I know they locked you up in that tower at the beginning of summer.”

“So I really did see you then.”

“Yeah I came to bring you medication from Felicia and your parents said you’d already taken plenty, but they took it and according to the plants they dumped it out. So I went back in secret and the ivy told me you were in the tower, so I used Earth magic to pop out the steps and I saw you alone laying on that awful straw mat with nothing but a thin blanket and a large bucket of water nearby. Your fever was high, so I couldn’t leave you like that. You were babbling a lot, and yet you answered me, you told me it was okay and this was normal… You know it’s really not normal to put your kid in a tower with no real way in or out in slave like conditions, right?” He told him. Lua figgidded.

“I’m an Omega male in a dark elf society, a matriarchal society, so yes I’m hated by my parents. They had the perfect daughter and now all they have is me.” He said slowly. “The only blessing I have for them is that I can give birth and I’m intelligent, so I have a use to be able to replace my sister. Yet, I’ve been failing to keep the place that I was graciously given so they didn’t have to repay the crown for the money they spent on my sister. Before school I was self educated so there’s that.” He added as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt.

“That is still no reason to do what they did, what if you died too?”

“They’d blame Henri I suppose, say he broke my heart and I followed my sister’s footsteps. No one would find out, no need for an investigation.”

“I’d want one, you wouldn’t have done it. You are not that dramatic, you're very down to earth. I know you love him a lot just like how I love Marcus, and it’s not just for his fluffy tail.”

“Thanks, and you’re right, even if we broke up I think I’d move on, I’d leave this place, this country, go somewhere new, maybe start off as an adventurer, live the next hundred years alone and then look for my soulmate. I'd have the time after all.”

“I see well, we’re getting away from the subject, I gave you the other potion that Felicia gave me to give to you, I think that really helped but you kept babbling on about some odd things.”

“Thanks for that, but what did I talk about? I just remember seeing you in the window and thought that I was hallucinating.” He asked, picking up his tea again.

“You said you had a secret, and you said I could keep it since I was a hallucination, you said it was all a game but you would fix it and you kept talking about talking to the demon king because that gave the best ending the happiest one.”

Lua froze. “I said that?”

“You’ve mentioned it before, in passing, that this was a game but, you’ve also insisted it was your life so you were going to do the sane thing. So I want to know is this a game? Do you remember another life?”

“I have?”

“You’ve said ‘this isn’t the game this is my life’ like a mantra sometimes and then you start humming some song I’ve never heard before.” He told him. “Also if you’re scared to say so just know you’re not the first nor are you the last.”

“What do you mean?”

“There have been other’s in the past who have had memories from another life, it’s how our science and things like guilds, paved roads, medication, and schools have all come to existence. That’s how Felicia’s family became Dukes. Someone three hundred years ago who remembered how to make suprecents and other medications for Alpha’s and Omega’s. The medication used to be horrid and only Omega’s took it till then, they made it affordable for all and now her family continues the business.” He pointed out.

“Those people sound important, I have nothing to contribute like that, so what is the point of these memories?” Lua said frustrated. “I was an Omega who was taught etiquette and was kept locked away till my mate was chosen for me. I was married, mated, and died after giving them an heir.”

“You mentioned a game?”

“This all stays just between us for now Okay?”

Ivan nodded in agreement.

“Yes, this was a game I was permitted to play to occupy my time while I was bed ridden and pregnant, I was the first one to get pregnant of his 4 wives so he indulged me and let me do something different. The thing was the game was from the point of view of the Light Magic User Marissa De La Cove. It was a romance game, she was a special chosen one from a Barron family and she romanced well everyone she’s been hitting on now. Usually she just chooses one and stays with that one, the most popular and the default choice was always the crowned prince. My sister in this life was always the Villainess for that reason and the fact that she really was kind of an evil bitch.” He explained.

“Well A) that sounds like a romance novel I’d read, B) I’m sorry about your past life sounds crappy, C) what do you mean ‘usually’?”

“Well, there was a friendship ending where you didn’t end with any one and you left to become a famous adventurer and found your soulmate amongst your team, and then there was the reverse harem where you technically married Henri but you were in a relationship with all the other members, they all agreed to ‘Share your Love’ together. That I found was the worst ending. I mean it doesn’t work like that, the reason for pligamy is to make multiple offspring with many. It doesn’t work if it’s just one female who could have kids from each one of them, but let's be honest it’s not gonna work that way. Not to mention that the other’s don’t interact except as friends.”

“Agreed, but hearing you say that, do you think Marissa has memories too? Because it seems like she’s trying to go that way.”

“I’ve noticed that too, and you could be right.”

“So what was the best ending for you?”

“Oh the best ending was where instead of the players going against the Demon King in the end they went to see him early on and made peace talks rather than fighting and you got a happy ending. That and you ended up with Henri… he was always my favorite route.” He admitted softly his cheeks darkened with a blush.

“So there’s a peace option?”

“Oh yes, and since this is my life and I know he is indeed waking up I’ve wanted just that, Ten thousand years of peace verses only a few hundred before he wakes up again because the only thing that fighting him can do is use the Light magic to put him back to sleep.” He told him. “I’m going to live a long life. I'd have to see this happen again and again if I don’t do something about it.”

“I see, explains why you took all of those diplomacy classes, even though Evan should be more than enough.” Ivan pointed out.

“Evan is supposed to be the top of the class but I noticed he fell in ranking, he’s been too preoccupied with Marissa, I don’t understand it they should be smarter than this, and Marissa is supposed to be smart but she’s dumber than a sack of bricks.” 

Ivan almost spit his tea hearing that. “Lua, it might be true but that was mean.” He told him as he tried not to laugh. 

Lua grinned seeing his reaction. “Yeah I know, I’m allowed to be mean I’m just a dark elf, a real being not some NPC, that’s Non Player Character they’re usually controlled by the game, no real personality, average in appearance, and average intelligence kind of people.” He explained.

“I see, well you’re right, and if you need any help you know all of us are willing to help, after all as you’ve said it’s our life.”

“I appreciate it, it’s kinda nice to get that off my chest you know? By the way, not even my parents know about this, and I’m not likely to tell them any of it. They’re… not good people.” He said choosing his words carefully, he knew there were still a few spells on his collar.

“Well, it’s good to know that you’ve got a solid plan or are seriously working on one. You’ve always been smart, and yet if Marissa also remembers, why is she so, well, dumb?”

“I know she slacks and expects everyone to do everything for her. It’s hard work being a noble, we still have to fight monsters and take care of our people and other nobles, the higher up on the poll the more work there is to do. Do you know all the things I have to learn just to be a candidate? I’m lucky I’m smart enough to have skipped a grade which is why it’s also been okayed otherwise I could be dropped. The only exception is to be a soulmate but then you’re put through the ropes to be educated to some degree. No one just lounges about being served food and what not on a silver platter.” He sighed and finished his tea, Ivan nodded in agreement even though he was currently a Barron engaged to Duke he too had to go through a lot of training and education during the summers. 

“Speaking of killing monsters, do you think we should do a dungeon crawl with the other’s before school starts? Or even just you and me today after this? I’m itching to get rid of some of this stress.”

“We can do both if you want, I have plenty of time and worst comes to worst I just crash here with you, there’s a couple Omega only inns around here.” He told him.

The two of them spent the afternoon leveling up in a dungeon and then sharing a room together. It was nice to have a close friend to do so, with them both being Omega’s there was no real worry if they shared a room or a bed. The rest of the summer went on without much trouble and soon school started up again.