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Arc V Chapter 23

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26th Ignis Solar 753 AAC

Aurora continued her tale, “Anyway~, night followed next. I was tired, and I took refuge under a nearby tree. Sleep came easily to me. I woke up in the morning. I then explored the area in search for food and supplies. Survival was my priority. It didn't take long until I stumbled across an abandoned carriage. Corpses and death littered the ground. It was the place where the ambush had taken place the night before. Judging by the sight, I doubt that anyone survived the carnage. The assassins certainly knew their craft.”

“Hmm ...” Little Aurora looked unsure.

“I was able to secure the necessary supplies. I acquired some food, some money, a useful pouch, a pair of fresh clothes, a dagger, and not to mention you.” Her stare fell on her doll.

Little Aurora blinked, pointing at herself. “Me?”

“Amidst all the chaos, I discovered a wooden box, and not just some wooden box. Its mere sight attracted my attention to a degree I could not understand back then. It was as if something was triggered within me. As if my subconsciousness was inevitably drawn to it. I only realised later as to why when I gained access to more of your memories. Inside the box, there was you, or rather our doll. No wonder that the box provoked such a strong emotional stimulus. Your attachment to your doll, the bond you formed between each other, was strong enough to survive even your death. Your body yearned for your doll.”

“... ... ...” Little Aurora fell silent, processing the new information. “The more I gained access ... What is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, that~.” Aurora giggled in response. “Surprised, aren't we, Lady Aurora? Though, I would hardly call it a surprise. As I told you, we joined in more than just one way. The more our soul consolidated. The more I gained access to your former memories. And not just them. Your memories, your emotions, your feelings, your thoughts, your fears, they all gradually resurfaced as time went on. They returned the longer I inhabited your body. And I must confess, I was truly grateful for them. I must thank you, Lady Aurora. Your memories proved to be a priceless trove of knowledge. They helped me a lot to adapt to this world. Without them, I would have been probably lost. Much we have in common. Much is similar. Much is familiar. As people say, nihil novi sub sole. There is nothing new under the sun. And yet, there is also much new, much alien, much unfamiliar in this world.”

“...” Little Aurora pondered her words. “So I gather that you knew about me. You knew about my identity. You knew who I was when reawakened.”

Aurora nodded. “I did indeed.”

Her doll clenched her tiny fists. Her glare hardened. “If you knew, then why did you deceive me? Why? Why did you hide your identity? Why did you pretend to be me?”

“... ... ...” Aurora folded her hands. “That is all true. I did deceive you, but in my defence, it was the right decision. It was a necessary decision. I had my suspicions, but I had to ascertain your identity beyond any reasonable doubt first. Furthermore, it was wise to not tell you immediately. I was not sure how you would react. Imagine being told not only that you have turned into a doll, but also that your former body has been occupied by another person. That would have been a bit much. So, I did my best to soften the blow and give you some time, instead of throwing you directly into the cold water.”

“I see ...” Little Aurora lowered her gaze. “What happened next then?”

“I followed the road. The reasoning was simple, roads lead somewhere. They would lead me sooner or later to civilisation. I was not disappointed. My assumption was correct. It didn't take long before I stumbled across a group of ignorant adventurers. They would prove suitable for my purposes. I infiltrated the group successfully. I pretended to suffer from amnesia. A useful pretence, in retrospect. It was only appropriate to prevent undue questions. The less they knew, the better. That we are the heiress of the House von Schwarz, the daughter of Duke Aurelius, who has just barely escaped a nefarious assassination attempt the previous night ... That was something that they didn't really need to know.”

“Hmm ...” Little Aurora neither agreed, nor disagreed.

“Anyway, in the end, the adventurers took me in despite some minor reservations on their part. Understandable. After all, I was just some unknown girl they found lying on the road in the middle of the forest. A girl without memory, without name, without history. They didn't know who I was. Ultimately, though, their sense of humanity and duty prevailed. They took pity on me, a small, weak, little girl, suffering from amnesia, lost in the middle of a dark forest. They are good people. They could impossibly leave me behind. Thus, I joined them, accompanying them for the coming weeks. It was a decision that I did not come to regret. Especially, as they adventurers and their friends provided me with a steady supply of biscuits. Superb biscuits, if I might add. They were truly delicious. Their sacrifice was certainly not in vain.” Aurora raised her index finger to emphasise the superbness of Arwing's biscuits.

“Hmm ... I guess so ...” little Aurora mused, tilting her head pensively. “Though I must say that you have a point, biscuits are indeed delicious. I always liked them as well.”

Aurora returned a joyous smile. “See~, something else that we have in common, isn't that wonderful? You like biscuits. I like biscuits. We all like biscuits, don't we?”

“...” Little Aurora nodded hesitantly, her little head moving up and down. There was the trace of a content smile on her lips. It was a weak smile, and yet it was unmistakeably there. Its sight filled Aurora with a sense of relief.

Aurora continued, “Anyway, as said, I joined the group of adventurers. They were led by a man named Lambert. He was a swordsman and their leader. He seemed like a nice guy, together with the rest of his party. Time proved me correct. They are all nice people. Not to mention, helpful people, very helpful people. They have been providing for us all this time without much complaint. Lambert is footing most of the bills. He is paying for our food, our clothes, our breakfast. He is even shouldering our tuition fees.”

“Tuition fees?” Little Aurora raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Yes, ... tuition fees. It is a long story. But don't worry, we will return to it. Later. Where was I again? Ah, yes, Lambert ... Truly a kind hearted man. Now that I think about it, I should certainly thank him and the rest of his party properly for their continuous support and benevolence. One day. Not today. Not tomorrow. But one day, for sure. When it is appropriate. As a matter of fact, the woman there ... The one sleeping in the bed ...” Aurora's hand motioned at the bed, pointing at Iris' sleeping figure. “That is Iris. She is the party's domestic magic practitioner, or mage.”

“Oh ...” Little Aurora glanced past her, studying Iris intently.

“We are currently sharing a room to limit lodging expenses. You know, Freyburg ... It is an expensive place to be these days ...” Aurora explained.

“Hmm, I understand”, little Aurora commented.

“Long story short, they were on a mission. Lambert and his party were heading for Valentia. They escorted two elves, a man and a woman. They were some kind of scholars, some kind of archaeologists, ... No idea what they were exactly. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things.”

“Elves ...” Little Aurora narrowed her eyes, her fists clenched. Her voice was laced with rightful indignation and anger. Her mood deteriorated drastically the moment they were mentioned. A reaction hardly surprising, considering past events.

Aurora maintained a polite smile. “Judging by your reaction, you don't seem to particularly like them and their kin, do you?”

“I don't.” Little Aurora crossed her tiny arms and puffed up her cheeks. “As a matter of fact, I hate them. I hate them all, every last of them, and why shouldn't I? These wretched elves are the ones who murdered my brother in cold blood. They took him from me.” Anger and resentment spoke from her tongue with such vehemence, and yet ... Her crossed arms ... Her puffed up cheeks ... Despite the hatred in her voice, despite the harshness of her words, there was still a certain adorable cuteness, a certain childish innocence, a certain naive kindness that resided deep within her. Aurora possessed a gentle soul. No wonder that she got bullied at the academy. She was the perfect prey.

Aurora merely nodded, folding her hands. “Understandable. They took from you the brother you loved. It is only natural to hate them. Not that I would judge you. Quite the contrary, I approve. Hatred is a very human response. It is an exceedingly potent emotion, not to mention, an exceedingly potent weapon. One that is quite useful to have, at times, if I might add.”

Little Aurora met her with a blank stare, a stare of patent confusion. “I don't ... understand ...”

“Trust me, you will. Eventually. When you are older and wiser.” Aurora returned an enigmatic smile.

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