Let's talk

"In the end you didn't get anything, huh?" Sein was now leaning on his hand while looking out through the window, his side profile now visible to me. His jaw was a sight for the eyes- wait… what?

"Y-yeah, I guess I expected too much." I said while averting my eyes from him. I was getting embarrassed by my own thoughts.

I had told him everything that happened during my time at the palace.

"Did it hurt?"

"Hmm?"

"When Althea cut you," Sein faced towards me. "Did it hurt?"

I blinked once. "Oh… that. No, it just stung a little." My mind was afloat. Have I still not gotten over from the incident earlier?

"What's wrong?" He placed his hand on my forehead. I couldn't help but flinch from the sudden contact. "Are you not feeling well?"

"Ah- no, I'm fine." I smiled but avoided his gaze, again.

Sein's hand went back to the table. His eyes returned to the picturesque scenery outside. Our knees were touching.

"Did you know that there's a small lake just a few walks from the gardens?"

"No, I haven't gone exploring really." I said as I rested my arms on the table. The sunlight felt good on my skin—and it was even more beautiful as it landed upon this boy's pale face. Sein glows when he's hit by the sun.

Where are these thoughts coming from? When will I snap out of this?

Sein chuckled sweetly. "We could go there now, Calla. Breathe some fresh air and rewind, you know? You look like you need it."

My eyes practically shimmered with sparkles.

"Sure, let me just go to my room and get some bandages-"

I was cut off by the loud opening of the door. Both of our heads turned to the wizard approaching us with a scary face.

I stood up. "Lavi-"

He left me no room to continue as he grabbed my wrist. He was now dragging me away. "Let's go talk. Now."

"W-wait, Sein and I still-"

My other hand was yanked away from me and we stopped. I turned behind me and saw Sein, his face straight and calm.

"What's going on here?" His voice was deeper than the one he used in our normal conversations. Or was this his real voice?

Lavi pulled me closer to him in a forceful way. Compared to his grip, Sein's was gentler. "Stay out of this, Dianthus boy."

"What will you do to her?"

"That is none of your business. It's between the both of us. Step out of it."

The both of them didn't break eye contact. Sein's jaw was clenched. Lavi's grip tightened even more.

The wizard smirked. In a second, there was already a glow beneath our feet. Wait, is he?

I wasn't ready when a white light took my sense of sight.

We were now in my bedroom. I turned to Lavi and mustered the angriest voice I could find.

"Why did you do that?! You just left him there!"

"He was being annoying." He said in a dry tone as he sat on my bed. It was the same excuse as before.

I didn't take my gaze off him.

"Unbelievable! How rude could you get?" I was the one getting irritated. My voice was so loud that I could feel that the veins in my throat might pop out at any minute.

Lavi just turned his face away like a sulking child.

It made me let out an exasperated sigh as I massaged my forehead. "What a pain in the neck."

A voice came out from beside me. "Now now, calm down, both of you." It was Erion, he walked towards Lavi and sat beside him. "Since when were the both of you close enough to start having fights?"

Because of his question, Lavi gave him a sour look that seemed to say, 'The heck are you talking about?'

True enough, we haven't been doing anything but fight lately. But that is not what's important at the moment. I should be the one sitting in my own bed right now.

Whelp, there goes my plans to go to the lake with Sein. I'll have to find him after I get out of here.

I heard a thud on the floor from behind me. I turned and saw the wooden chair with carved designs that I used on long study nights.

"Sit." Prince Alistair said.

Why does it feel like he's giving some dog a command?

I took the seat and saw the Crown Prince take his place beside the other two. Lavi was still not looking at me. Not that I'm concerned. He can stay that way until his head faces the other side permanently.

I crossed my arms as I faced the three of them. This suddenly feels like a noontime TV drama where I announce the child who got switched out from birth at the hospital. It would be Lavi, of course.

"So… you want me to tell you everything?"

"Yup." Erion replied while playing with Lavi's hair. The wizard kept swatting the second prince's stubborn hand.

"Before all that, I just want to ask. Why are you doing all this? Why take your time doing all this for me? Why not just leave this to the East's City Guards or whatever? My father, for example?"

"That's a lot of whys." Erion beamed brightly. "Well… just because?"

Prince Alistair shook his head once. "Don't get us wrong, young lady. We are not doing this just for you. Any kind of threat to our empire is a matter of concern to me. But I would rather prefer to keep this confidential between me, you and these two idiots than unnecessarily cause uproar among our subjects. Aside from that, there are just… complicated things you have yet to know about."

I just raised my eyebrows and nodded. The "two idiots" didn't seem to mind that they were just called idiots. 'Probably used to it', I thought.

"Alright, I'll tell you." I heaved in a breath before continuing. "Everything." But let's skip out the part that I came from another world, shall we?

It was like a story-time program as I relayed every uncommon experience, as well as High Priest Marcus' theory. I did the talking while all of them listened attentively. Lavi might pretend like he's uninterested and bored by wearing that stupid look on his face but I know better. Erion looked like he was listening to a fairy tale—nodding and letting out a number of "Oohh" and "Yikes". Prince Alistair kept a straight face.

I wanted to tell the Crown Prince that, 'Hey, your girlfriend just came by earlier.'

And he might be like, 'Yeah? How'd it go? Isn't she adorable?'

'The most adorable little imp there is, slicing my arm while smiling gorgeously and all. Wherever in the depths of hell did you find such a fine devil?'