There was a disturbance at the academy. 

During lunch when everyone was outside enjoying the afternoon breeze, Camilla came to Ayan with unmasked hatred. Driven by desperation she no longer bothers to hide her true thoughts and set off to hasten her plan. 

This is when Ayan realized that a person can do anything possible--- including harming oneself just to bring her down.

It started at peaceful tea time. Camilla was still happily receiving the compliments of everyone. Since the debutante’s ball, the gossip of her atrocious behaviour has spread outrageously more than a wildfire but she, Lady Elford, had little care about people’s opinion anymore.   

“Shameless, how could she still show her face around here?”

“How brazen! Even if she is the daughter of Earl Elford, she cannot willfully act in the palace.” 

“That’s what you get for raising a child without a mother.”

“Huh, who knew who her mother was? Perhaps it was the rumoured enchantress from a certain tribe. They say that their women come down to seduce men from all over the world!” 

“True, look at that vulgar face. Be careful not to get your fiance snatched, she’s an expert at seducing other people’s men.” 

Ayan turned and smiled at the girl who spoke loudly. “Expert? I’d pass on the privilege, thank you. I’m not as courageous as you to fornicate with her friend’s fiancé in the empty classroom.”  

The girl jumped to protest, but Ayan was no longer there. 

“N-No, let me explain…”

When she turned back, her friend’s heavy palm struck her mercilessly. “You damn slut!”

There was screaming, hair pulling and conflict that ensued in her wake. Ayan ignored them all and sat primly to have tea. It was when Camilla blocked her way and grabbed her hand. 

“Ayan…” she uttered the word as if chewing a blade. 

“What do you mean by this Lady Bane?” she asked frostily.

Camilla’s eyes were stuck on the mark on her left pulse point. It was a bright red and gold rosette tattoo shimmering with warm lustre under the sun. With a painful expression, she stretched a finger to touch it…  

Ayan had never shown such open revulsion due to her upbringing but Camilla grazed her bottom line this time. To profane the emblem of hers and Clayton’s union by wanting to touch it sparked her fire. She grabbed her hand back harshly causing the other to catch air. 

“You have no right!”  

The girl in front of her was trembling, “H-How could… how could you..?”

Ayan let out a soft giggle, “How could I what? Does my marriage have anything to do with you?” 

Marriage. One word crashed at Camilla like a mountain and she glared at Ayan with disbelief.  

“Yes, I am married. It was hastily done since my husband was called to march. You don’t have to continue harassing me with your tricks anymore, you and Adelheid can live a good life for all I care. In return, please stay away from--”  

Ayan was caught off guard when she was pulled from her seat all of a sudden. The next thing she knew, Camilla was already falling down the steps of the balcony. 

“Ahhh, someone fell from above!”

“Help, help, call a physician!”

“Goodness it’s Lady Bane, she fell from up-- Lady Elford…?”

“Lady Elford, I saw her push Lady Bane down!”

There was a large clamour of students and teachers below. The crowd stirred like ants gathered in less than seconds surrounding the unconscious Camilla. Blood was flowing endlessly and her right leg was tilted into an ugly posture. Ayan was late to react. It was only when someone repeatedly shouted her name in condemnation did she recover. 

Below her lies a broken girl, but through Ayan’s numb eyes, she saw the corner of her lips lift into a victorious smile.  

You lose. 

The incident sparked another scandal. Because she was accused of harming another, the penalty is going to be heavy this time. She was mercilessly put into the spotlight to be ridiculed and insulted. In order to shield his daughter, Earl Elford had to shoulder everything for her sake that no matter how much she implores, the earl would not listen. 

The family is in disorder. 

“You know that our house is going to fall.” her father said. “I have made enough preparation to secure your future. My dear girl, you only have to follow my last request.”

Ayan choked on her tears, she never cried when she was repeatedly slandered and insulted by her peers. The rain of verbal abuse fell on her numb self but she stood firm. She never cried when they called her a motherless waif but her father was different. She had seen him bring her up alone. He was good and tolerant. He deserves to live a life better than this. Not under the oppression and scornful remarks from his fellow nobles. 

“Everything was suspended for this moment,” he said kindly. “I was ready to return my title during my youth and live a simple life in the country. But the arrival of your mother changed everything. I have to hold on to it for the sake of giving you a good life… who knew I would be able to persist for sixteen years.”

She did not understand what he meant by then. It was only when she heard her father went to the palace to abdicate his title and wealth back to the kingdom in hopes to lessen her punishment. 

Her father gave up his glory. His hard-earned wealth to keep her safe. 

King Oz was overjoyed with the exchange absolving her almost immediately. The kingdom needs a lot of funds, and anything that can fill the treasury is most welcomed. But the news did not delight Camilla who was still pretending to be recuperating. 

She did not sacrifice so much just for this meagre result! 

That evening, her chamber echoed with a deep heartbroken scream. Like a maddened animal cornered and suffering. 

Unfortunately, her position as a Diviner does not allow her to be stingy with forgiveness when faced with a huge gesture of apology like this. Who told her to act pure and magnanimous? House Elford did such a move to soothe her, even the critics were surprised and she could only swallow her anger in the end. 

As the scandal gradually died down, it was the day for Clayton to return from war. The oppressors were driven back to their country but at the cost of many lives of soldiers in their ranks. There was no celebration this time, and the court was stagnant.  

House Rozenberg was in more profound silence. The marquess was heavily injured and Clayton was the same. Intrigues began to sprout and the stagnant court began to boil. 

Despite the victory, the families of those who died suddenly clamoured for an explanation. The enemy took advantage of the situation, fanning the flames even more until all the hatred and blame were pointed to the commander. Marquess Rozenberg was planning to pass on his title to Clayton at that time. But as the commander responsible for the lives of his men he pushed his injured body to stand up to appease those families and to deter those who plan to play tricks. 

Lattice’s army is divided into two factions, one held by the Rozenberg family and the other by the Dorian. The turmoil was aimed to discredit and weaken their side. To pressure the king in uniting the troops under one banner. Regrettably, the strategy fell before it could even be realized. The successor was long decided and enemies can only watch in regret as Clayton became a young commander at seventeen. He had been building his foundation over the years of battle and what’s even more daunting was that the last victory was due to the young man’s credits. Honed by experience, he was ready to take on his predecessor’s mantle.

When Clayton took command, his father withdrew to travel in search of the cure for his curse. He hadn’t seen him since. 

Because of Ayan’s earlier offence, she was demanded to retire at their fief and not to return to the capital unless by special invitation. Clayton also chose this pretext to retreat from the frontlines to guard the back border of the kingdom. For everyone in Lattice, it was the defeat of two noble houses but for them, it was a skilful manoeuvre to plan their future beyond prying eyes. 

Although he was holding the troops under Rozenberg name, those with ill-intent had already begun their move. Infiltrating and stealing people. Clayton was aware that what he held now was only the remnants of their army’s past prestige. Before everything collapses under their hands, Clayton removed the core and chose to scatter them on his own. 

 

Ayan woke up in the middle of the lawn and the blue sky above her. Here is the fairy ring, a surreal world that she didn’t know how it existed.  

She must have slept for long, her neck felt a little stiff. 

Ayan patted her clothes then walked leisurely around the yard, under the pergola of flowers. Her mind cleared… or more accurately, her memory returned. Unlike a dream, this one is more like a memory. Her very own memory. There was no longer a distinction or a sense of alienation when thinking about Lady Elford. Everything seamlessly merged rather than viewing it as an outsider. 

She had now completely become her. But Ayan in the modern world was also her. A child born in another time and space.  

Soon her walk ended in the pavilion at the side of the quiet lake. 

The rest of the fairies were there hunkering on the steps, dipping their feet in the cool water teasing the fishes.

“Awake finally?”

“I felt like I had the longest dream…” Ayan sat on the chair, “Coco, you lied. You said I have to fix the sins of my past but as far as I can remember, I did nothing to harm anyone or those closest to me.”

Coco was silent. “You remember?”

“All of it.”

The fairies looked at her expectantly, but Coco shook his head at them. They can only turn away reluctantly. 

“The book, what about that one. How come it exists?” 

The fairies looked at each other worriedly. Red was about to open her mouth when Green patted her shoulder. “Leave it to Coco, he knows her enough.”

Red unwilling shut her mouth, her crimson flame hair danced scaring the fishes away. “It’s only because I respect him as our elder. Humph!”   

“Your memory was chaotic, in order not to push you into madness I can only separate them temporarily and gradually restore them along with your growth.” As for the book, he refused to say a word.

It was still a mystery to them after all and it is a very volatile existence closely attached to Ayan’s fate. That thing appeared inside the fairy ring unexpectedly along with its words like predictions. But Coco would like to take those as warnings.    

“So which one came first? Me in the Ourea continent or me in the modern world?” She switched questions after noting his silence.  

Coco schooled his features, “Well, as we all know, the void space is a completely unpredictable place. Obviously, you were born in Ourea first, you have the fairy ring after all. From young to old until your last days, it should have been that way until you reincarnated but after your pregnancy, something happened. You nearly died.”

Ayan’s heart seemed to take a tumble. 

Yes, she remembers. She gave birth to the twins way too early because of an accident. A letter was sent to her that Clayton was fighting a bitter battle with the bandits around their fief. It was said that the enemies were very cunning choosing the time of the month where his curse is at its peak. 

Ayan knew that once the Hellfire comes, Clayton falls into mania. He could not distinguish between friends and foes. She hurriedly packed and rode to the camp but before stepping out of their home, she fell on the steps. 

She had no memory of what happened next. 

Clayton made it in time for her to deliver the babies but as the days went by she grew weak. The last thing she remembered was when she heard the babies crying in their crib, she woke up in the middle of the night to check on them and then suddenly, the floor lit up and seemed to collapse. 

“Soul devouring spell,” she murmured remembering the structure and every inscription on that magic circle. 

“Yes,” Coco nodded, “The ring cannot be without its master so it forcibly dragged you out and brought you to the Rose family in the modern world.”

Ayan unknowingly touched her face and began to chuckle. And here she thought, she was just some unlucky girl who was chosen by this fairy to be thrown in another time and space to suffer. 

“Those dreams...”

“They were your memory,” Coco confirmed her suspicion. 

What would you do if you suddenly recovered from amnesia and realized that your family seems to have grown after a blink? Modern girl Ayan who just got heartbroken in love because of a jerk is in a dilemma. She missed them, at the same time she grew hesitant and shy. 

“I-In those years I have gone…” Ayan looked at him, “I may not have much recollection of it but I can sometimes see flashes… Coco, when I was gone that night there was someone. Someone was trying to enter my body.”

Perhaps it was the main purpose why a soul-devouring spell was placed in the children’s room in the first place. 

Her revelation was akin to a huge quake. The fairies looked alarmed. Coco especially. 

“Are you sure?”

She nodded her head firmly. “I felt it.” 

The recurring dreams showed her that the impostor intended to hurt the babies. If Clayton hadn’t shown up, the impostor might have… 

There are others more. Not just wanting to ruin the children, but wanting to replace her by claiming her identity. She will never forget the feeling of walking through the fog while wrestling with an unknown power for dominance. But no matter how hard she fought, she could not make a breakthrough and the fog hindered her more. 

The same was true for the impostor. Her resistance made it fail to completely possess her body.

Coco fell into a thoughtful silence. 

All this time he thought that Ayan’s memory recovery was affected by the void causing it to loop and delay. She fully believed she was a person from the modern world. But after hearing this, it may not be the case.   

“So it was like that...” the fairy boy clenched his fist. 

Vile… who could be so sinister to have such plans of snatching her body? 

“I’m sorry, it was my negligence Ayan. I did not know that my departure to search for your soul has caused someone to…” he could not continue. He felt very disturbed. 

Old White patted his back, “None of us expected this, do not burden yourself too much.”

But the consequences could have been dire!