Tenth day after the couple’s visit.

Waiting in this place is boring, but I guess it can’t be helped since they didn’t want me to leave in the first place.

Click.

Rose enters my room, a neat folder with some papers in hand. “Good news, Miss Elizabeth,” she says as she gives me the clothes that were in her other hand. “You are being discharged right now,” her expression changes to one of nostalgia. “I can’t believe you woke up just a couple months ago and now you are able to return to society,” she leaves the folder in a metallic table by my side. It no longer had vials and tools nor was I connected to mysterious concoctions. “Here are your official papers; make sure to never lose them, ‘kay?”

Nodding, I grab the clothes given to me by the hospital. Once again, I’m amazed by the quality of the textile used for these clothes. I was measured since I didn’t know my sizes and so this mysterious and glorious ‘bra’ was given to me. My previous clothes did the same thing, but it was wonderful to know such invention was procured in this world. Oh, how would the nobles react by this simple piece of cloth? Unfortunately, the design was very plain and not of my liking, but I guess it couldn’t be helped.

“I will wait outside of your room, so knock on it once you get changed,” with that said, she leaves the room. Letting out a sigh, I manually change my clothes to the ones given to me. Of course they didn’t give me my previous clothes. Fufufu, who was the naughty boy that stole a lady’s used clothes? It matters not, I can just call them when I need them.

Once I change clothes, I knock and the door; it opens mere moments after. She was supposed to give me compliments, but the envy in her eyes were clear as day. So cute! A shame you are but a mere dog, otherwise I would have taken you home with me! “They look good on you!” She manages to say.

“Thank you, Rose-san, although it is quite tight around my chest, they are indeed lovely clothes.” They gave me a long-sleeved, long-necked, warm shirt of sorts, ‘sweater’ is what they called it? It was white as snow and had lines going down from the top, which accentuated my bosom quite a bit.

Next was a long, gray and dark blue skirt that reached my knees. The material was just as thick as the shirt. Because it was ‘Fall’ and therefore chilly outside, they gave me white, comfortable stockings that reached up to my upper thigh. For legwear they compromised with small, black, and simple boots.

“Please follow me,” and so I followed. “Some were against your quick discharge but legally we can’t keep you here any longer since you have proved to be capable of operating normally,” she changes her expression to one of pity for a moment. “Although it’s a shame about your memory loss, you at least have someone willing to take you in.”

We went through the same sets of halls and, before going into the elevator, a surprise welcomed me.

“Congratulations for your recovery, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Congrats, Miss Elizabeth!”

“Ara! But what could this be?” Right past the corner was Maya and her assistant, both clapping and with a pair of weird floating things tied to their hands. Maya runs up to me and hugs my legs for dear life. “Is this perhaps for me, Maya-Chan?”

The little child nods as she looks at me with glee. “That’s right! We couldn’t buy you a cake, but we managed to sneak in some balloons for you! Since you can’t remember a lot of things, I wanted to give you something special!” Maya offers me the string of this ‘balloon’ is attached to, which I gladly take. Her assistant proceeds to give me hers, so I take that one, too.

Hmm… Seems like it worked just fine, now she won’t have to worry about anything! But maybe I was a little too generous? Hmm… Nope! I can tell we will meet again, and once we do, she will have become a great woman.

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time, Miss Maya. Would you mind letting go of Miss Elizabeth?” She does as told but pouting all the while. Waving her once final time, we go into the elevator and slowly descend to the base floor. “Sorry for not letting you have a chat with Miss Maya, but you know how she gets once she gets going.”

I smile and nod, knowing full well that that is not the reason why we were in a hurry. After a ‘ping!’ the metal doors slide open and we go through more halls before arriving to the reception.

It wasn’t as lively as the last time, so finding the couple was easy. “Miss Elizabeth!” Nate waves at us, almost immediately turning red as he sees my alluring form. “Y-you look lovely…” Although this was said in whispers, it was still heard by his loving wife by his side, which garnered a punch to his arm. “Ow! What was that for!?”

“Nothing… Stupid Nate…”

Once in front of the couple, we bid our goodbyes. We indeed had little time left -some piggies were going to arrive at this place at any moment and I didn’t want any more complications. “Take care, Miss Elizabeth. I hope you can remember more about yourself.”

And with a nod, I finally, physically, stepped out of this prison. Ara, Violet-Chan, do not look at me with those wary eyes! I promise I will try to restrain myself from devouring your cute husband~.

“I guess this calls for a proper introduction,” Nate says as we stop in front of a fountain of sorts. “My names is Nate… Amore, pleased to make your acquaintances,” he offers a handshake, which I accept.

“While I might not be able to tell you my real name, you may call me Elizabeth Bathory. I hope we have a joyous relationship, Nate-Sama.”

“I sure hope not.” Fight hard, miss wife! Or I will sweep your man right off your feet!

However, we didn’t move since Nate was perplexed by my towering figure. “You are really tall, Miss Elizabeth,” says the man that could only reach up to my bosom, so he had to look up quite a bit in order to meet my eyes.

“Fufufu, that is indeed right, Nate-Sama, when I was measured, I was told I was ‘Six foot’ and ‘Three inches’, although I do not quite know how those measurements work,” those units were foreign to me, so I had trouble comparing me and my people to the folk from this world. “Do you perhaps like tall women?” Huge success! The boy looked away!

But the legal wife was not going to accept my attempts. “Come on, Nate! Your mom is waiting for us!” She hurries us as she tugs on Nate’s long-sleeved shirt.

Taken out of his shyness by his wife -and a bit reluctantly, he motions me to follow. The view was fantastic! The cars still startled me a bit, and even more so the bigger variants of them, but the street was filled to the brim with people! The clothes were so exciting to see! So many colors and designs!

Our walk was done in total silence as we fast approached the car they came in. On the side with the weird control wheel was a mature lady of similar features like Nate. Although not as small, one could clearly see their resemblance. “Mom, open up,” hurries the young boy to his parent.

Beep-beep!

“…!” The sudden, loud noise startled me, making me prepare a spell inside my head. After seeing no more movement, I dispelled it. Noticing the weird looks from the couple and the mother, I say, “I apologize, I must not be accustomed to these kinds of… Transportation beasts…”

“Pff!” Violet laughs mockingly. “Beasts? Where are you from? The medieval time?”

“Violet!”
“Violet…”

‘hmph’ing away, the girl opens up the mechanical beast and sits on the second front seat, putting a weird harness across her body. “Well, are you going to get in or what?”

“Dear, I don’t think you should be so hostile of her,” the mother comments. “After all, any competition is good competition!” Ara, even the mother is allowing me to make my moves~, I must thank this kind lady!

“Thank, Mother-San,” I do a slight bow. “For allowing me this opportunity.” The vagueness of my sentence is the key for her smile and laugh, followed by her invitation to get inside the beast.

I managed to step inside and sit on the comfortable seats from the back, seeing as miss Wife took the second seat from the front, I was left with the back, comfortable seats. To think that this world has this much progression as to put cushions on every means of transportation! But my curiosity is short-lived as Nate gets in besides me and the beast roars awake, the menacing noise making me almost cast a spell on this thing.

“Are you fine, Miss Elizabeth?” Ara, seems like my worries showed on my face by ‘accident’~. Oho? Holding my hand already? Such boldness~.

“I’m… Fine. Thanks to Nate-Sama’s warmth, I feel at ease,” however my teasing proved to be too much, and the young boy removed his hand as he looked away.

I was starting to calm down when suddenly a terrifying voice came out of the beast. “…!” For once I tensed up by reflex as the sound of loud instruments and demonic voice shouted and screamed. Was this beast possessed after all!? Was I tricked!? I quickly chanted and-

“Violet! Stop with that nasty music! You are scaring her!”

Before I could freeze this thing to death, Mother reprimanded the little wife, who answered with a click of her tongue and somehow changed the voice and instruments the beast was emitting. The noise was now of a cheery tune the voice of an upbeat lady. Was that a… Recording? Was this beast able to record plays and reproduce their symphony at any given time?

A sigh leaves my lips. Seems like I was too tense from previous events. I almost damaged this tamed beast. Although once dead I could examine it even further. “I’m going to drive slowly at first, Miss Elizabeth,” Mother announces. “If you feel motion sick then tell me so that we can stop.”

After a nod, there was movement. We were in a section where dozens of these ‘cars’ remained unmanned and motionless, so first we had to somehow maneuver ourselves out of this place. And much to my surprise, Mother did so with such finesse it made me impressed by her skill of controlling this mechanical being.

Looking out of the see-through glass, I could see how we rapidly moved through this metallic maze right before going through some sorts of gate and getting on the stone-like road. I might have seen this place with my Wards but being there in person was always better and more exciting.

The building were tall and some even made out of pure glass or some crystal of sorts, I could even see one attempting to reach the clouds! Some buildings were smaller, of course, but those still looked magnificent on their own. I was too perplexed by the city to speak.

“So,” Mother begins, finally breaking the music-induced silenced. “Elizabeth, how about you tell us about yourself? Surely you can remember at least your hobbies. Any boyfriend? Any husband?” Those last questions seemed a bit too eager for Violet’s liking.

“Hmm… I’m afraid I do not know what ‘hobbies’ are, and I do remember my experience with men and women,” at the mention of ‘women’, everyone’s attention peaked. “I met a lot of people during my travels, but never managed to get close to them, so I’m still chaste.” This last part was ignored by Mother but clearly heard by the couple.

“So you used to travel a lot?”

I let out a nostalgic chuckle. “Why yes, Mother-San, I used to travel quite a bit by myself, sometimes with other people, but mainly alone.” Looking out the glass I could see the environment change at a rapid peace. While she said we were going slowly, we were going far faster any horse with carriage could.

“My, my, then do you remember any interesting place you have visited? Maybe we could go with everyone someday.”

‘Interesting’… I admit that word had wore off long, long ago, but there was a place I liked to visit whenever I fell to my nightmares, although that place might no longer exist, I’d like to remember it as ‘interesting’. “There is one, but my memory is quite fuzzy,” I began. “It was an outdoors hot spring at the top of the tallest mountain. There you could see all kinds of… Lizards. Big and small, black and white…”

“That sounds like an interesting-“ My startled scream interrupted her as a deafening roar of a metallic beast rang past us, the origin of said howl none other than a miniature version of a car without walls, glass, and with only two wheels. But the torment didn’t end there, Mother cussed at the smaller beast and pressed on the steering wheel, making our beast shout at the passing two-wheeler.

My chant was quick, but my reflexes quicker; the thunder aimed towards the speeding entity landed instead on an empty spot on the stone road, making everyone jump into panic.

“Oh God!”
“That was so close!”
“Are we in storm season already!?”

Mother slowed down the beast, and after some moments of reassurance, she picked up the pace. It took some time for them to calm down, and even more so for me. Once settled, Nate held my trembling hand with his own while showing me a serene, warm smile.

Even if he is shy and prude, sometimes he can be quite reliable. I can’t wait for more of these moments between us. With a smile of my own, I closed my hand with his as we waited for our arrival to my new residence.