“Welcome to my life,” Adelin replied, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “But now you’re in it too, Alicia… or whoever you are.”

His words hung in the air like a bitter aftertaste. Aelira watched as Adelin stood up, the weight of the burdens evident in his sad, dull expression. Without another word, he walked away, each step seeming to carry him further from the person she now inhabited.

Aelira remained still, her mind swirling with the chaos of the day. Who am I even fooling? I’m not Alicia… but I am trapped in her world, expected to navigate her relationships, her history… her mistakes. The enormity of it all felt like a noose tightening around her neck, each breath more difficult than the last.

“Get some rest. We will talk later,” Vaba suggested, her voice a balm against the storm raging in Aelira’s mind. Vaba guided her back to the house, their journey marked by an unsettling silence. There was a weight to the quiet, a mutual understanding that neither was ready to confront the truth yet.

They reached the house, and Vaba bid her farewell. Aelira hesitated for a moment, the words bubbling up before she could stop them.

“…I am sorry, Grandma, but let me get this off my chest before it gets too heavy to bear. I am not Alic—”

Vaba’s surprise was brief. She patted Aelira’s head gently, cutting off the confession before it could take full form. “Rest up. We will talk later,” she said, her tone carrying an unsettling calm, as if she already knew the secret Aelira was about to spill. With that, she walked away, her demeanor nonchalant, leaving Aelira to wrestle with the unresolved tension.

Why didn’t she react more? Does she know? Aelira wondered, her thoughts spiraling as she entered the room and flopped onto the bed. The events of the day weighed heavily on her, pressing down like a suffocating blanket. This has been so weird. What exactly happened here before I barged in? The image of Adelin’s tormented face flashed before her eyes. This Adam lookalike and this body… Harby, you really did a number on me this time.

She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow, trying to escape the barrage of questions assaulting her mind. What am I supposed to do now? She stared at the ceiling, as if the answers might be written in the cracks above. This isn’t just about saving my timeline anymore, is it? I’m stuck in this mess of a life, and I don’t even know where to start untangling it.

Aelira let out a long sigh, feeling the exhaustion seep into her bones. I need you to help me out here, Harby, she silently pleaded, hoping for a response, a sign, anything to guide her through the labyrinth of Alicia’s life.

But there was only silence.

Her eyelids grew heavy, the weariness of the day finally overtaking her. The darkness of sleep beckoned, a temporary escape from the turmoil she found herself in. I’m not Alicia… I’m not…

And with that, she fell asleep.

“You’ve been having quite a good time, haven’t you?” A deep, resonant voice echoed around Aelira, snapping her out of her sleep. She opened her eyes to find herself floating amidst swirling smoke, facing a cloud-like entity trying to assume a human form, though its features remained indistinct.

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Aelira muttered, her irritation barely masked. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Harby.”

“Ehh? What could you mean by that?” Harby replied, his tone dripping with feigned innocence. “Didn’t I save you from that Ryuu fellow? How ungrateful. Judging by how recklessly you handle things, you should be thankful. Tsk tsk.”

“And why this timeline? Do we actually have a shot at finding the fragment here, or am I just getting dragged into something pointless?” she shot back, her voice laced with skepticism.

“I didn’t choose anything,” Harby responded, his voice taking on a philosophical air. “Everything’s already written. What I do, what you do—it’s all part of a grand design. No one has any real control over it. There’s no such thing as ‘pointless’. Everything you encounter will steer you toward your goal. That’s how fate has woven its threads.”

“Or rather, that’s how you’ve woven them,” Aelira sighed, weary of his cryptic musings. “But I doubt you brought me here to listen to my complaints. Let’s cut to the chase.”

“Very well,” Harby said, his tone shifting to one of seriousness. “I’ve got a hint for your next task... and a gift.”

“A gift?” Aelira raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, but the time isn’t right just yet. We’ve got a little longer to wait. What I need you to do now is delve deeper into Alicia’s life. Get to know her, really understand her. It will lead to... something.”

“You knew her?” Aelira asked, her curiosity piqued.

“She was a remarkable girl. Just... don’t judge her too harshly in the days to come. That’s all I can say.”

Aelira scoffed, the weight of her situation pressing down on her. “As if I have any choice in the matter. Fine.”

Harby gave her a mischievous smile, his form flickering like a flame in the wind. “Until we meet again, then.” He struck a dramatic pose, throwing in an anime-style wink for good measure.

And with that, the smoky, cloud-filled void dissolved, leaving Aelira back to sweet dreams again.

*

IN THE MEETING ROOM OF THE HEAD’S MANSION

“This is the overall progress of the village currently, my lord,” one of the elders concluded, his voice steady as he summarized the financial and military status of the village.

“We've lost quite a bit of military power in the past few months,” another elder, dressed in knight’s attire, added. He was younger than the others, a sense of urgency in his tone, a slight tremor in his voice indicating his concern.

“It’s likely due to the escalating tension with Momoko Village and Yakuno Village,” the man standing beside Aldric responded, his voice measured. He wore a butler’s attire, round glasses perched on his nose, and his brown eyes reflected the gravity of the situation. “They’ve been attacking our soldiers while denying any involvement. A cowardly tactic, indeed.”

“As expected, Mr. Belvedere,” the knight acknowledged with a respectful nod, his brows furrowing as he considered the implications of their military losses.

Aldric finally spoke, his voice carrying authority. “Send a peace treaty to Yakuno. Belvedere, you’ll lead this mission.” The room fell silent, tension palpable as they all absorbed his words.

Belvedere inclined his head, understanding the real intentions behind those words and the weight of the task. “As you command, my lord,” he said.

“About Momo—” Aldric began, but his words were cut off by a knock on the door.

“Can you open the door for me, my child? This old body is growing weak, ha ha ha.” Vaba’s familiar voice floated through the room, causing everyone to immediately rise to their feet. The door was swiftly opened, the mood shifting as her presence filled the room with warmth.

“Forgive the interruption,” Vaba said, a gentle smile on her face, though her eyes hinted at something deeper, a flicker of concern. “But could you spare a moment for me, Aldric?”

The room emptied at once, leaving Aldric alone with her. He studied her as she approached, his head tilted slightly, knowing full well where this conversation might lead. Vaba took a seat beside him, her gaze dropping to the floor, as if she were searching for the right words among the grains of the past.

“I don’t blame you, my child,” she began, her voice trembling with the weight of her words. “But despite everything… despite all my efforts… I’ve failed completely.” Her eyes filled with tears, memories of lost hope flooding her thoughts. “I couldn’t save even a single child… That girl… she’s not Alicia anymore.” Her voice broke as she began to sob, the pain spilling over like a dam that had finally burst.

Aldric, unable to bear seeing her in such pain, wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. “It’s fine, Mother. It’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right.” His words were meant to soothe, but he felt the tremor in his own heart as doubt crept in.

“No, it’s not,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “It was wrong from the very beginning. That evil… it tainted everything. From the moment it appeared… everything was doomed.”

Aldric’s grip tightened, his own heart heavy with memories he wished he could erase. “We did what we could. We tried to protect her… protect them all.”

“But it wasn’t enough,” Vaba choked out, her tears flowing freely now, each drop a testament to her grief. “The darkness… it took her away from us, Aldric. It took her and left us with this... this shell.”

Aldric’s eyes darkened with the weight of their shared past. “I always had a feeling that it would turn out bad, and so did Celine.” He thought of the many warnings they had overlooked, the signs they had ignored.

Vaba shook her head slowly, her face etched with sorrow. “I thought she could grow out of it. Just when everything was looking bright… I don’t know if there’s anything left to fix now…” Her words trailed off, hanging in the air like a haunting melody.

“It was a mistake to get involved with Alicia in the first place. It was a cursed fate for her and for those around her.” And they began to reminisce about the past, their shared memories a bittersweet reminder of what once was, the laughter and the love that had been overshadowed by grief.