(Jennette POV)
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We've finally arrived at Ludia.
It's been rough– having to travel with a smart-ass, sharp-tongued kid who doesn't act like a kid.
As we arrived at the sparsely furnished room that smelled like wet wood, we settled down, and arranged our things– though we didn't carry much, I had a few clothes and other important stuff in my sub-space bag but the boy had even less, three or four clothes, Maybe.
The room had two beds, just like I discussed with the waitress. As I and Charles talked and settled down for about thirty minutes, I told him to wait for me, that I needed to collect our food from the waitress downstairs– and when I came back, we'd talk about his mercenary enrollment and the merchant business plan he had in mind.
That's what happened, but now I'm on my way downstairs.
I arrive downstairs, my head held high and my back straight, these days the teachings and lessons I learned in my family are seeping out much more, making me act like a refined young lady of sorts.
But I can't help it, it's not my fault. Etched lessons don't fade away easily. They're like permanent bonds.
I can feel the gazes of the perverted, thirsty and drunk men on me.
I sigh solemnly.
They're all lucky I'm used to it now... If it was 10 years ago, I'd have sliced their limbs off.
I feel a familiar pang in my head as I walk toward the counter and I raise my hands to touch my forehead softly.
It's that feeling again...
Anytime I feel this pain, it's like my entire soul is being read and my body feels lighter, like my steps and actions are controlled– like a puppet with strings.
A chill crawls up my spine at the thought and I shake it off.
That's a stupid thought. I just need to get this food and go talk with Charles, enough thinking about strange things.
"Oh, you're here for the food?"
The waitress asks me, her voice expectant but her facial expression neutral.
"Yes. Is it ready?"
I ask, my voice tinged with anxiety.
I must still be feeling anxious because of that thought.
"Yes ma'am, please wait for me."
She says as she rushes inside to bring two plates of warm food.
I'm standing here waiting for her and I hear the whispers of some of the men.
"Yeah, that inn was our favorite spot." One man with green, long and flowy hair says.
"It's a shame." Another one with black hair and sharp eyebrows replies.
"Truly... But nothing we can do about it but wait for it to be rebuilt."
"Exactly. Curse that bastard Alexander!" The one with the black hair says as he slams his mug on the wooden table.
"What I'm curious is who the hell the swordsman was that could keep up in a fight with the ruler of fire for over two days!"
"I heard rumors that it's an S-rank mercenary. But rumors are rumors."
"Tsk, still... Fuck Alexander that asshole! He razed a whole street!"
The men are hurling curses at Alexander, it seems he came here on one of his past missions and from what I'm hearing... Did he fight with someone? That must have been quite the sight.
"Here's the two plates of food ma'am."
The waitress– with a bow, gives me the tray of food.
I nod and take the food from her.
"Here."
I slip a five bronze coin from my sub-space bag and give it to her.
Her face lights up with awe.
"Thank you, ma'am!"
I smile warmly, nod and walk upstairs.
I open the door.
"Ed! The food you've been waiting for is here!" He's asleep. "Oh, he slept off."
That's disappointing, after being all giddy about wanting to eat, and now he's sleeping... Well, it is understandable. He's exhausted.
I drop the plate of food on a wooden table next to his bed.
I sit on his bed, next to him and I caress his hair.
"He's so cute when he's sleeping... As long as his mouth stays shut."
I wonder what he's dreaming about, it must be something sweet.
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(Charles POV )
It's a dream. I know it's a dream because of how absurd what I'm seeing now is.
It's a dark, endless expanse.
I don't think the concept of direction applies here, it's... Just, a directionless and void form.
And the worst thing? I... I'm not... I'm not me.
I'm floating through the space devoid of light.
But I see something... Something with light at a corner– corner? Corner doesn't exist here. It's more like the middle of nowhere.
My senses are blaring at me and my eyes keep twitching I don't know why, it's twitching and shaking as I view the light.
HeeHeeHee
What... Was that? No.. that light...
It's light... A spotlight– No, two spotlights, shining on something.
I squint my eyes to view what's under the shining spotlight.
It's...
What? How? Why...
Marcelle?
I want to run, I want to scream, I want to shout, to cry but I can't.
What the hell!! Why can't I scream?!
I can't scream, talk or... Move my body.
Come to think of it, since I found myself floating around here, I've not moved my body.
That's when I realized it... I'm a floating eyeball, hovering in the endless space.
But as soon as I saw Marcelle standing under that warm light with a beautiful smile on her face– waving at me... I couldn't even float anymore.
It's like I've been paused. I can't float or hover. I'm just an eyeball suspended in motion.
But there's something off...
What's that?
I see strings on Marcelle's body...on all her joints.
When I traced the strings, my gaze ascended upwards and I saw where the string connected to.
I don't have a heart so I can't feel anything... but if I did, It'd probably sink down my stomach right now.
I see a giant, toothless, eery grin, stretched wide like it'll swallow everything.
And the entity's two eyeballs are the source of the spotlight that shined on Marcelle.
The strings on Marcelle's joints that control her are tied to the tongue of the entity.
It's bodiless, floating unnaturally high above and chilling in an otherworldly sense.
HeeHeeHee
The sound of a heart-stopping giggle echoes throughout the endless void.
I squint my eyes and look closer at Marcelle. She's still smiling beautifully, but...
That's not... Th.. That's not Marcelle.
Her eyes are hollow, spiraling like an endless abyss and dead. Her smile isn't beautiful... It's spine-chilling.
She's waving at me.
From her mouth... I hear a deep, chilling voice, I don't know how I'm hearing as I have no ears. But... I can hear.
It... Knows?
As I hear its voice, I feel a weight on my soul, a chilling and terrifying pressure that's weighing down not on my body or the floating eyeballs I am... But... my soul.
Its voice drops to a low whisper as Marcelle's head tilts.
HeeHeeHee
The eery giggle echoes once more throughout the expanse.
With that, the floating eyeball– me, starts getting sucked into the mouth of the being, like a vacuum sucking in dirt... I can't control my body and I can't even scream at this horror.
I jolt in shock as my eyes snap open immediately.
Huff Huff Huff Huff
My breathing is heavy, hard and filled with struggle.
My heart feels like it's been hit hard with a hammer.
My face is filled with sweat and the entire cloth on my body is drenched with sweat.
I look at my hands and I clench and unclench my fist to verify...
I'm... I'm awake.
"Lucifer?"