A wide promenade paved with white stones stretched out before her once she left the train. The broad walkway made for a beautiful setting, with lush trees standing beside benches lining it.
Lisa, however, was in no mind to appreciate it, as she stared in a daze at her left palm. Other people leaving the train went around her, glancing at her confused before moving on. Lisa didn't mind them and touched the nail marks on her palm with her other hand. The touch caused her to wince a bit. It really hurt…
Earlier, as she had talked with Veronica, she had dug her nails into the palm to keep herself calm, even if it didn't really work. The result, in the end, was only some really hurting marks on her hand, while she still lost most of her calm. She just couldn't help it as Veronica just looked way too familiar, apart from her eye color.
With a sigh, Lisa let the hand drop, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Exhaling, she opened her eyes again and smiled a sweet, small smile. Her usual reserved smile.
A semblance of her normal composure restored, Lisa exited the small train station and walked towards the tall tower she could see not too far away. Just like Mister Knight had said, she only needed to walk in the direction of the tower, as the promenade seemed to go directly there.
While walking along the promenade, Lisa tried to clear her head of everything she doesn't want to think about. Especially not about the familiar face she didn't want to see. A face she didn't expect to see in another world. With a shake of her head, she threw those thoughts away and instead focused on the scenery while she walked.
The tall trees provided shade for those sitting on the benches enjoying the peaceful afternoon. They enjoyed the view of the glittering lake beside the walkway, the same one she had seen earlier from her new terrace.
Others also strolled through the promenade, a peaceful expression on their faces as they either walked in silence or conversed with their accompanies.
Of course, there were also families having picnics on the grass patches scattered throughout the promenade. The laughing kids and playful pets along with their smiling parents just added to the nice atmosphere.
However, Lisa thought the majority of those going about here were couples. At least, from what she could see. While basking in the sun, they held hands, whispered sweet nothings to each other, and generally enjoyed each other. She even saw some couples of the same gender having dates and relaxing together.
It kinda made her glad for them, that they could be so open about it. The fact that this world was seemingly accepting of such relationships made her a bit happy. It sadly isn't a given everywhere.
Even though she would have liked to continue observing the scenery and people, her stroll eventually came to an end. Now before her stood the very tower she had marked as her destination, and Lisa could only raise her head at it in fascination. The pure white tower engraved with runes glowing ever now and then seemed to be endlessly tall, as if she would never be allowed to climb the top it the tower stretched on endlessly.
Strolling towards the doors of it, Lisa felt as if the majesty of the tower bore down on her. The closer she got, the more it pressed on her, making her feel as if she had to crawl to the entrance, to show awe and respect. At least, until the silver ring on her left hand pulsed with a dim light and the pressure vanished.
Lisa stopped to stroke the silver ring and muttered a quiet ‘thank you’. It seems she had discovered another function of this all-purpose ring.
Of course, Lisa didn't let this stop her and walked forward to the doors of the tower. Era and Veronica both had called the owner a grumpy old man, it really made her curious. How could two people of so different dimensions have the same disgruntled description of someone?
Coming closer, the lack of any guards or anything similar perplexed her a bit. Even the passersby seem to take a detour around this tower. Just what had the owner done to draw such behavior?
A small smile still on her face, Lisa didn't linger on it and slowly opened the ornate wooden door to come to face with an old man standing inside a small hallway. Dressed in a long brown robe while leaning on a wooden cane, the old man stared at Lisa with exasperation. He snorted once and opened his mouth to speak. However, Lisa was faster, and with a smile as well as a tilt of her head she softly said.
“Good Afternoon, Master~”
“Hmpf, I don't remember taking any unruly disciple in, especially one who comes in at such an hour and disturb their master's nap!” The old man snorted again and hit the ground with his cane. A shockwave traveled from the cane to Lisa, as if it wanted to push her out, however, the silver ring once again pulsed with dim light and kept her from harm. The old man narrowed his eyes at the ring before switching to Lisa's eyes. His eyes visibly softening for a moment.
“Say what you have to say. Since that unsatiable Queen decided to sacrifice her own relative by sending you to this country, I will at least grant you the pity to speak your mind,” The old man leaned on his cane as he said with grandeur. He looked with a hint of pity into Lisa's mellow blue eyes and waited for her to speak.
“Master, aren't you confusing your dear disciple with someone else?” Lisa said with a calm yet somewhat mirthful voice.
The old man wanted to get irritated again at her words, yet, when he looked at the demeanor of Lisa, his atmosphere softened and he stopped. She stood at the entrance with fingers interwoven before her, a tilted head with a natural smile on her face as she spoke softly with a melodious voice.
“Master, forgive me for the earlier joke but I really don't know what you meant. I just arrived here in this world this morning. So, If there is something bothering you about this body, I apologize, but I really don't know anything about it. This world and body are both completely foreign to me and as accepting as I may am, I'm still confused.” Lisa's voice softened as she spoke, barely a whisper at the end.
A breeze came through and slowly lifted a few strands of the blonde hair framing Lisa's face. Her smile and round eyes with their special attribute invoked a feeling of leisure and comfort. The old man's expression loosened up at least until he narrowed his eyes at Lisa again.
Lisa wanted to speak again when she felt a weird energy trying to enter at her chest area. At the same time, the silver ring on her pinkie lit up and tried to expel whatever the energy was. However, with a snort from the old man, it quickly became quiet and docile.
Without any obstruction, Lisa felt the weird energy enter and course through her body. Unlike the one from when she ate those buns earlier, this energy felt much more refined, much less raw, but she couldn't linger on it as it disappeared the next moment.
Coming to her senses, Lisa found herself staring at a white empty scenery. Then, the next second, the scenery shifted and she saw the terrace, Era, and the buns. Then, it changed to the school with her talking to her friends. Then, it was her sitting alone at home listening to music. After that, it went on repeat. At school, at home, at school, at home, or at occasion out with her friends. It went on and on endlessly, showing her repetitive life, as it had never changed for years.
Until it showed the memories of long ago, those she never looked back to. She saw herself, a bit smaller, clutching her sister's body as it slowly faded out of her grasp. Then it was her in the warm embrace of her sister. Then it was both of them living a peaceful life. Only the two them happily together as a family. She saw the years she spend with her sister, till the scene faded to black and she saw a very small her sitting alone in the dark. Her sister before her looking down at her with those lovely grayish pink eyes. She reached out a hand and from then on the two were a family.
Lisa stared at her memories with a serene expression on her face. It really has been a long time. She had already cried herself numb to these images long ago. Any other feeling, she had hidden deep within herself, locking them up leaving only the usual calm and easy-going Lisa. Although, just like in the case with Veronica, a bit of the wrong stimulus and her calm facade begins to crack.
While she was in a bit of a daze, the memories began to change, as if someone had poured a bucket of water on a fresh painting, the colors began to fade. They left leaving only the white empty space, she had seen earlier, behind.
Then, one last time, her vision shifted and she was before the old man again. Like before he stared at her with pity. This time, however, it was a different kind of pity. It was more direct and stung much more. She really disliked being stared at with such eyes.
“Master, do you now believe your dear disciple?” She said with a soft voice, breaking the quiet while smiling just a little. The old man looked her once over and then turned around.
“Follow me. And close the door!” Leaving behind these words, the old man began to walk through the short hallway and disappeared into a wide room.
After closing the doors and taking a deep breath, Lisa followed the old man leisurely. As the hallway was quite short, she reached the room at the end of it quite fast.
Now standing at the entrance of a wide circular-shaped room, Lisa opened her mouth a bit in shock.
Similar to her new home, the walls of the building were filled with bookshelves along with a staircase going all the way up to the top of the tower. Wide windows occasionally in between the bookshelves illuminated the interior of the building, giving just enough light for comfortable reading.
However, what caused her shock wasn't the scenic and somewhat peaceful view of such a grand tower-library, but rather the messy state the building was in.
Books scattered across the furniture and ground. Papers and random glass objects littering everywhere. Lush green plants growing on the walls, climbing them up and down. There were even colorful birds flying in and out of open windows. If it weren't for the only clean path leading to the stairs and the old man, Lisa would have thought this building was abandoned a long time ago.
“What is taking you so long, hmph?!” The grumpy old voice sounded from above, urging her. Reigning her surprise, Lisa walked along the only empty path to the stairs.
While climbing the long staircase, Lisa let her eyes follow a red-colored bird flying around. It flew with grace throughout the building, stopping here and there to peck at something, before taking off again. Eventually, it settled on a nest built on a vine growing near the wall and began to work on expanding it.
Lisa thought this could be quite the picturesque view if it wasn't so sad that someone actually lives here.
She wanted to take her time and enjoy the weird isolated environment while climbing the stairs leisurely, however, someone wasn't so patient. Lisa suddenly felt as if she was forcefully displaced and a blink later she found herself standing in a spacious, circular room.
Walls entirely made of glass showed the scenery of the white and red Rivanel City. In the middle of the room stood various furniture such as a table, a few sofas as well as shelves filled with books and drawers. The rest of the room was empty aside from a white cat strolling about.
Looking behind her, she saw a staircase very similar to the one she was climbing up. In fact, it was the same as she could the rest of the tower from up here, but instead of being at the bottom looking up, she was at the very top glancing down.
This was the kind of magic she came here to learn! Turning around with a refreshed smile, Lisa walked towards the old man. He was at the moment placing some unlit candles down on the only table in the room. As she got closer he waved at her to sit down on the sofa near the table.
“First tell me your name,” the old said after he had finished arranging the four candles on the table.
“Lisa Fane,” replied Lisa a bit perplexed.
The old man glanced at her and lightly harrumphed. “I only saw the images of your memories, nothing more, so of course I wouldn't know your name.”
“I see, Master. Then can I know your name?” Lisa tilted her head as she asked.
“Hendricks, more you don't need to know and Master is enough for you anyway.” Hendricks took his cane and walked up to a different sofa to sit down on it. The white cat also jumped up and settled down beside him.
“Thank you, Master~” Lisa rested her elbows on the table and put a cheek on one hand. A monologue was surely up next, so she made herself a bit comfortable.
The afternoon lights of the two suns filtered through the glass while a comfortable breeze came in from an open window and eased both of them. Even the cat purred with satisfaction as Hendricks began to speak in a much less grumpy tone.
