Two souls had now become one. Iris, now Irelina, slowly opened her eyes. She raised her right hand, gently playing with her slender fingers, and gazed at it for a minute, I can’t believe this is happening. It really is real. I am alive in Irelina’s body. She felt calm. Her face was modest, staring at her glowing hand. She could feel the black veil touch her skin and breathe the fresh air from an opened window to her right. 

The white-laced netting curtain swayed in the spring wind. Irelina could hear the trees rustle in joy. Slowly, she sat up from bed and looked at unfamiliar things around her. Everything seemed so strange and antique in her eyes. What an extravagant room she had, she thought.

A place that was not her world, but she found peace within her heart with Irelina’s soul within it. She felt relieved, gently moving her head from left to right, Right, Iris Jin is no longer my name. I must live as Irelina Mercius, just like she said. And I must do what is right while I survive in this world. I wanna see what’s outside—

The door opened, and Ella was surprised to see her on the bed, sitting, breathing, and alive. Iris, now Irelina, was not surprised. Oh…she must be Ella, the one and only servant I have.

“Lady Irelina! You’re awake! I must call the regent at once.”

“No! Stop right there!” said Irelina, feeling a sudden anxiety, and gripped the blanket from her legs.

Ella was astounded by Irelina’s loud tone. 

Irelina realized she was not in her world anymore, and her tone must have surprised Ella. She sighed, Geez, how am I going to tone down my voice? This is the natural me. I better explain to her since she had been with the real Irelina for over a decade. But—how will I start a conversation where she won’t freak out?” 

Ella tilted her head. She felt concerned about the sudden change in Irelina’s behavior. 

“I’m sorry, Ella. I might have startled you. I’ll explain. Can you please close the door and come closer?” said Irelina.

“Alright, Lady Irelina.” She closed the door and went closer to Irelina’s bed chamber.

Irelina tapped the right edge of the bed. “Here, sit down beside me.” She smiled, She kinda reminds me of Colleen. I better not get emotional and try to adjust to this new world. 

Ella sat beside Irelina in tears. She couldn’t believe Irelina had woken up after a long time in deep sleep.   

“Hey, when are you going to stop crying?” said Irelina.

Ella wiped her tears. “I thought I would never see you again, Lady Irelina. All of us were so worried about you because you hadn’t woken up for so long.” Ella sniffled and continued, “Sir Medicius comes here every other day to check your condition. Regent Robina has been visiting you almost every day. But now my heart has calmed down because you have come back. I am happy to see you again, Lady Irelina.” She smiled with her pinkish-tip nose from crying. 

She held Ella’s right hand. “I’m sorry. I made you all worry about me. Now that I’m back, I’ll be more careful, but there are things that I need to ask you.” 

“I understand, Lady Irelina. What is it then?” 

“Because I was in a coma for so long and came back so suddenly, my thoughts are muddled. There are things that I have forgotten. Can you tell me how we got here? Who are the people I met, and what happened during the days I was in a coma?” Irelina thought she would not find it strange, right?

Ella smiled. “Of course, Lady Irelina, if that will help you remember.” 

Thank goodness. This is easier than I expected. Irelina felt relieved.

And so, Ella explained how the regent took them into the palace after the shadow demons destroyed Mercius that killed her parents. The people she met during her stay at the Regent’s palace, and what happened after she got poisoned. 

While Irelina listened to Ella’s story, she was bewildered, Wow, I can’t believe she lives such a boring life. Gosh, Irelina, what did you ever do apart from reading books? 

She was then dumbfounded to hear the novelty's peculiar names that she never heard of before. 

And what are these feudal names I’m hearing? Who the hell gives such a name so difficult to remember and pronounce? Were their parents have a twisted brain? And what the heck—?! Demons? Monsters? Magic spells? What in the world am I living in?! 

Irelina’s temples tensed as she closed her eyes, trying to grasp all the information in her brain. She inhaled deeply to calm her thoughts. Will I be able to survive in this Era? Ugh, whatever. Let’s try to live for once. 

“Thank you, Ella, for telling me all this. It’s a great help.” 

Irelina smiled, and her thoughts pondered what to do next. But there was one thing she wanted to do first: not to tell everyone that she had woken up. The culprit that the real Irelina mentioned before must have been living somewhere in this palace. She considered telling the regent and the doctor who had been checking on her. She thought she could trust them since only Ella and these two had been with her since they set foot in the Regent’s palace. 

“I’m glad, Lady Irelina.”

“One more thing, Ella.”

“What is it, Lady Irelina?” 

“Do you mind bringing the regent and that doctor to see me?”

“Yes, of course. They would be happy to hear that you woke up.”

“Please don’t.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Don’t tell them that I woke up. Just bring them here tomorrow, quietly,” Irelina requested. 

“Oh…Of course, Lady Irelina. I will bring them to you after you freshen up.” 

“Thank you, Ella.” Irelina said, adding, “Now, I need to bathe.” Sniffing her underarms, I smell gross.  

“Ah…Yes. I’ll prepare the bath straight away. Wait here, Lady Irelina.” 

***

In the concubine's palace, Dianthus was angry upon hearing that Irelina was alive and in a coma. She threw her teacup on the floor, splattering the tea while her servants watched her outraged. Why is she still alive?! No one gets out alive with the death poison spell. Despite offering my healing spell, the regent didn’t even allow me to see her. Are they planning to keep her safe? Ha! I hope she never wakes up, which will suffice my frustrations.” She smirked and thought, But if she wakes up, I can just kill her again. She grimaced. 

Meanwhile, in the Emperor’s Palace Council Room, Apollis, the Archmage, reported the completion of the new barrier spell.

“Even though the new barrier spell has been completed, we still need the blue blood from the Emperor of Horos to make the barrier dominant for a couple of years,” said Apollis.

“We already know that, and we sent the invitation letter to the Emperor of Horos to attend His Majesty’s birthday celebration,” Castaeus said. 

“Did we receive any reply?” Doris asked.

“Yes, we did. He will come with his right hand and spend a week with us. Then, Your Majesty will speak to him regarding that matter after the party,” Devin said. 

Viktor Lan clear his throat, “So, did he mention what he wants in return?” 

“No. And that’s what's bothering me.” Zeddrick frowned, adding, “It looks like he plans to say his demands during the gathering.” 

Everyone kept silent for they knew that the Emperor of Horos was difficult to deal with.

“Since we’re here, I heard that the 9th Concubine was in a coma,” Castaeus asked impassively. 

Devin glanced at the emperor’s dispassionate face, wondering how Castaeus found out about the 9th Concubine’s health condition. 

“So you’ve heard. I don’t care what happened to the 9th Concubine. What I’m interested in was someone in this empire is using dark magic,” said Zeddrick. 

“That’s irrelevant, Your Majesty. Isn’t dark magic forbidden in this empire? It doesn’t make any sense,” Doris said. 

“I agree that dark magic is prohibited in this empire. Irrelevant or not…it was the same death poison spell used to the 9th Concubine,” Zeddrick said. 

They looked puzzled. 

Zeddrick added, “You all knew that the spell used to kill the empress three years ago was the death poison spell.” He furrowed, “And yet, after three years of silence from the former empress's death, the death poison spell was used again by an unknown villain to the 9th Concubine. As puzzled as you are, it truly doesn’t make sense why it must be the 9th Concubine this time.” 

They pondered.

“But how come she’s still breathing?” asked Earl. 

“That’s right. No one survives the death poison spell. But knowing she’s not dead, Isn’t it something we need to look into?” Castaeus said curiously, thinking, I assume that the 9th Concubine is no ordinary person.

“Good question. That’s what we are trying to figure out. The last time Medicius checked on her condition, her plum skin was slowly returning to normal. So, it means she will wake up soon from the coma,” Zeddrick said. 

“Is it possible to see her, Your Majesty? With Apollis’s help, we might be able to figure out her condition. Knowing that she’s resilient to dark magic would help us find some answers for its immunity.” Doris suggested.

“I agree with what Doris is suggesting, Your Majesty. Once we find the reason for her immunity to dark magic, Apollis can make an immunity potion for us,” said Viktor Lan.

“No,” Zeddrick opposed, “Until she wakes up, no one is allowed to go to the Regent’s Palace,”  

They looked at him, sealed lips and eyes in disbelief. 

Viktor Lan and Doris looked at each other, stunned for they couldn’t believe a roundabout change in His Majesty’s behavior toward his concubines. 

Did I just hear right? Earl thought, looking at everyone’s baffled expression. 

Castaeus secretly glanced at Devin. Devin shrugged his shoulders because he was also not expecting what His Majesty was planning to do with the 9th Concubine. 

They couldn’t assume either. 

Doris cleared his throat, “Fine…we’ll abide by your orders, Your Majesty.” 

“Good,” Zeddrick added, “Then prepare for the upcoming visit of the Emperor of Horos soon. Ensure everything is in place before he arrives in the Guest Palace.” 

Devin slightly bowed his head, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The council meeting adjourned with doubts in their minds, for they never knew what the Emperor of Horos would ask in return.