The morning sun filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the marble floor of Ray’s room. The air held a faint scent of beeswax polish, mingling with the lingering tension from last night’s battle. Kai, in Ray’s body, lay on the pristine white bed, his right shoulder wrapped in fresh bandages. The wound throbbed, a constant reminder of the assassin’s blade. As he sighs, a note is passed to him. He looks over to the side, a tired look on his face. “Really?” he whispers, as it’s seen that Ray, in Kai’s body kept writing notes.

Ray, inhabiting Kai’s body, sat beside the bed in his wheelchair, his expression a tumult of anger, sadness, and worry. This time he had worn the wig Kai asked him to. He hurriedly scribbled notes, one-by-one, passing them to Kai. Picking up each note, Kai read them aloud, his voice cracking with emotion that Ray wished to let out.

“You absolute fool!” Kai’s voice trembled as he acts. “Why did you face that assassin alone? Do you have a death wish?”

He set the notes down, sighing. “How did it come to this?” he mused to himself, tracing the intricate patterns on the ceiling.

Back in time:

After the assassin had fled, Kai, in Ray’s body received treatment from the royal physician, the room filled with the scent of herbal poultices and antiseptic. Meanwhile, Maximus had urgently summoned Hiro and Sakura to the palace. Together with them, Ray—still inhabiting Kai’s body—had arrived. Hiro and Sakura inquired about Ray’s condition, unaware of the body swap. Later, when Hiro and Sakura left to assess the damage to the palace, Kai found himself alone in the room with Ray, who was dying to speak his mind.

Now to the present:

Kai sighs as he speaks up. “Can we stop this now…” he began. “Look, I didn’t exactly plan for it,” he replied, his voice raspy. “The guy attacked me out of nowhere. What was I supposed to do—invite him for tea?”

Ray’s hands clenched into fists, and he scribbled another note. “You could have called for help! What if something had happened to my body, damn it? You didn’t have to shoulder everything alone.”

Kai sighed. “Look, Ray, I appreciate the concern, but—”

“No ‘buts’!” Ray interrupted, thrusting another note in front of Kai, his eyes blazing. “Okay, okay. Fine.” Kai tried to assure him, but Ray sighed, rubbing his temples.

Ray scribbled another note, passing it on to Kai. “What if something had happened to you?” Kai stared at Ray’s question, while Ray was scribbling another note.

“I am not sure about how well you can use magic, but engaging in a combat with an assassin is something else,” he wrote.

“So, he was worried, huh.” Kai muses to himself. “Well, it is a given that being in a body which can’t walk nor talk, one won’t have any form of physical training or so…” He smiles.

“Don’t worry about me,” Kai put his hand over Ray’s shoulder, as he speaks. “I made sure to keep a proper distance, and your wind magic back then came really handy for it!” he declares, as Ray just smiles at him. “Kai really is an interesting guy,” Ray muse to himself.

As the conversation was going on, a thought structs Kai. He smiles underneath, a smile filled with mischief. “By the way,” he spoke up, “In just one day, I’ve learned many interesting things about you, Ray.” He says, as Ray looks at him with a confused tilt.

“Like how you used to wet your bed until the age of 7, I guess.” Kai speaks up, as Ray blushed, his cheeks turning crimson. “And how you used to lift the maids’ skirts while they were working, and—” Before Kai could reveal more, Ray pulled him by his collar, shaking him to stop.

“Deja vu?” Kai chuckled, holding back laughter as he tried to calm Ray down.

After some time, the room fell into silence. Kai laid back on the bed, while Ray sat on his wheelchair, getting his dress fixed. Ray picked up his pen and notes, as he scribbled another note. “By the way, how long are we going to be like this?” he asked.

To this, Kai sat up. Coming off the bed, he walked towards a drawer nearby, slowly pulling out the lower section to it. He picked up something from there, revealing the ancient artifact. “3 hours, 31 minutes and 49 seconds.” He replied, pointing at the timer in the artifact. Ray leaned back on the wheelchair; he sighs. “Still have a long way,” he muses as Kai puts the artifact on the table.

“Don’t worry, time flies,” Kai says while putting down the artifact, when the door to the room slightly opens, as Hiro and Sakura, with the royal couples are revealed. Both Ray and Kai unaware of it.

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“Soon, we will be back in our own body,” Kai says so, as Ray nods to him. “And you still have to tell me about your and Niatina’s story,” Kai says so, looking at Ray with a knowing look. Ray smiles to himself, when Kai’s memory stirred, and he sat down on the bed. “You know,” he said, “Niatina cares a lot about you.”

Ray’s attention snapped back to Kai. “She almost cried last night when she saw me—thinking it was you—fighting the assassin.” Kai added, studying Ray’s flushed face.

Ray’s internal thoughts seemed to short-circuit. “Whaaaa— She cried for me…?” his internal thoughts froze, caught off guard.

“Pfft!” A small chuckle escaped Kai’s lips, and he began to laugh, rolling on the bed. His laughter echoed off the marble walls, filling the room with mirth. Ray, still inhabiting Kai’s body, could only watch, his expression a mix of bewilderment and annoyance. He had never seen Kai react this way—so carefree, so unguarded.

Kai wiped tears from his eyes, gasping for breath. “Man, look at that expression!” he managed to say between fits of laughter. “That’s so hilarious!!” Ray sighs, but smiles at the same time. “This is the first time I see him laughing like that,” he thinks to himself. “Even if it’s in my body,” he muses, “But I got to see a new side of him. Even though he keeps teasing me…” But just then, a voice cuts through the laughter in the room.

“What are you two talking about?” The question hangs in the air, as Kai stops laughing. Alerted, Kai and Ray both looked behind. Standing by the door was Hiro, who had asked the question. Sakura stood beside him, flanked by Maximus and Celestina. But they weren’t alone. Montina and Niatina stood behind them as well, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern.

“What do you mean by ‘back in our body’?” Maximus stepped forward and asked, prompting Kai and Ray to exchange glances. The room fell into an uneasy silence as Hiro, Sakura, Maximus, and Celestina stared at the two. Montina and Niatina exchanged puzzled glances, while Ray and Kai shared a knowing look.

Everyone’s attention remained fixed on them. Then, Kai—still inhabiting Ray’s body—stood up. “Guess there’s no choice left,” he spoke up. The others were clearly confused. “What do you mean, Ray?” Celestina asked, while Ray, in Kai’s body, silently wished that things would turn out all right.

Kai smiled. “Sorry, but I am not Ray.” He finally said it.

The revelation hung in the air, leaving everyone in the room momentarily speechless. “W-What do you mean… you are not Ray?” Sakura finally broke the silence. Kai pointed at Ray, who now occupied his own body. “He is Ray.” Ray, now in Kai’s body, nodded in confirmation.

Confusion deepened, and Hiro interjected. “Then… you are…”

All eyes turned to Kai. He met their gaze with a smile. “Exactly what you all are thinking.” He finally said it. “I am Kai.” The room remained silent until a collective exclamation burst forth:

“HUHHHH!?!?!?”

As the truth got revealed in the palace, chaos erupted among them. Everyone started bombarding Ray and Kai with questions, whether what they are saying the truth and how it all happened. While the two just waited for them to calm down, thinking in sync. “I knew this would happen…”

But at the same time, in the magic academy. In the principal’s room, Justin sat on his chair. Desk filled with bundles of papers, an antic designed lamp, and the smell of ink was filling the air. The sun rays fell from the window, as Justin was kept busy in his own work. He held a report, studying it with unwavering attention.

“A bounty of 100 million gold on Hiro’s son,” he whispered as he turned the report to the next page. “Then there’s the kidnapping of his son again,” his eyes scanning each of the words, turning to the next page. “And lastly, the girl who not only killed the kidnapper’s leader but also possesses the uncanny ability to dismantle any attacks aimed at her.”

He leaned back on his chair, sighing. “Anyone with half a brain could connect the dots—the bounty and the kidnapping, orchestrated by the same hand. Whoever this mastermind is, they wield a formidable network.” He murmurs, “To know about the Archduke’s son’s existence, even before it was officially made public.” He sits in silence for some time, until he finally decides to look into it later.

“Well, leaving these two reports behind, the main concern right now is her…” He muttered to himself, looking at the third report. “I checked the books from the magic tower. But yet, there’s no mention of any form of such magic.” His brow furrowed as he considered the implications. The magic tower’s extensive library had failed to yield any answers.

He recalled what Hiro had told him—the existence of a magic that could dismantle attacks aimed at the person. “The magic she possesses is telling me…” His voice trailed off, and he glanced around the room. “She’s someone we wouldn’t want to be on bad terms with.”

Just then, someone knocked on his door. “Excuse me, sir. It’s about the entrance exams result. They are ready and can be handed out tomorrow.” The man behind the door said so, as Justin stood up and commanded. “Good, make sure to send them to each of the students.”

Back in the palace, where the crowd had finally calmed down, the room was filled with silence. Maximus broke it with a pointed question. “So, what you’re saying is that you are not Ray, but Kai in the wheelchair is Ray. And the one in front of us is not Ray, but Kai, right?”

Kai chuckles to the sum up story. “Sounds a bit confusing, but yeah. That’s the whole scene.” His eyes shifted from Maximus to Ray, who offered a small smile. The tension in the room remained palpable.

“Now that you mention it,” Celestina spoke up, “the way you’re speaking and how you’re sitting with your hands folded—it’s different from how Ray behaves…” She made her observation clear.

“Yup,” Kai agreed. “But when did this happen?” Hiro’s question cut through the air. “And why didn’t you tell us about it?” Sakura added, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

Kai’s gaze flickered to Niatina, who noticed the glance. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Yesterday, around this time,” he finally confessed.

To his confession, Niatina’s eyes widened. She recalled the incident—the confrontation with Kai, thinking it was Ray—and the confusion that had gripped her. She looked at Kai, who met her gaze with understanding. Then her eyes shifted to Ray, who occupied Kai’s body, avoiding her gaze. The whole world around her started to crumble, as she realized what actually happened, and why Ray was talking comfortably with her back then.

-To be continued