3.8

Body snatching

Momo-chan opened his eyes, something he hadn’t done in a long time now. He reached up and looked at his hands, or more like Hiro’s hands. Where was the young man? Was he still sleeping, it seemed like it.

The voice sat up groggily, his body never felt more refreshed. Yesterday after returning from witnessing the Edict, Hiro’s body ached quite a bit.

It was too embarrassing to admit but Caron, as eagle eyes as she was, noticed something wrong right away. And so, the healer gave him an ointment to help with the ache and it felt wonderful. So much so that the voice could remember his host drifting away.

Now here they were, neatly tucked in and the ointment all applied somehow. Momo-chan looked at the only other person in the room, Suiren. His face reddened at the implication, he had never felt more self-conscious.

No, it couldn’t be her, she wouldn’t do something like that without an order. That was a relief but also so sad.

Nevertheless, Hiro was still asleep and he had somehow gained control of this body. Perhaps he could take it out for a spin once more. The voice changed into a foreign but familiar attire. A normal business man look, a white shirt and black trouser completed with a plain looking tie.

What a strange feeling, this was the first time Momo-chan had slipped into this outfit and yet it felt like a second skin, the body remembered.

Talk about original attire, Malcolm rarely wore anything new or different. Conrad and Willow looked the same, but who know if they changed their inner layer or not.

Suiren, on the other hand, didn’t touch her komon once. It was brief but a hint of her identity at least, the woman would never pick her original attire. Even though Momo-chan dearly wanted to see her in that again, he never requested it out of respect for her rare instant of self-expression.

Technically he did get to see her like that again as that Roman’s aide. That masked woman, however, didn’t feel like Suiren. They looked the same, they moved the same but Momo-chan could feel nothing thinking back about her.

When Suiren brutalised her lookalike, he was more horrified at the level of violence displayed than the target of that violence. Even though that woman looked just like her…

Anyway, this was no time to dwell on that. Besides, that komon was boring anyway, Momo-chan would rather Suiren wore something that suited her youthful look more, like a furisode perhaps?

Momo-chan made his way downstairs to find the place empty, it was too early. In the silence of dawn, the voice could hear something. A grunting noise, coming from a door he had never gone through before. Although he was sure that it led into the workshop. As he approached, the grunt was getting louder.

“44, 45, 46, …”

Curious, the voice opened the door. Behind it was Caron, doing pulls up with her left hand only.

“… 47, oh good morning Mr. Hiro, 48, 49, 50!”

With that the young woman dropped to the floor, her body exhuming a faint smoke in the cold morning. Wearing only a tank top, Momo-chan could see his host rather muscular arms and physiques. It was actually rather… attractive.

What was he even thinking about now.

“Good morning, Caron-san. Am I interrupting something?”

The young woman looked at him strangely. Had realised that he wasn’t Hiro, just from that? It didn’t seem to be the case though. Caron looked at him and smiles.

“No, I just finished my morning ritual actually”

“I see”

“I’m going to pick some herbs for breakfast, perhaps you could give me a hand?”

“Of course, it would be my pleasure”

The two went through the glass door into the garden within. A pleasant smell immediately engulfed the voice, it was most soothing. Caron then told him which ones to pick while she watered them all.

“So, do you work out every morning?” Momo-chan asked.

“Yes, it is a habit of mine ever since the Academy”

“Does Owain-san also work out frequently?”

“Oh, Divine, no. You would never see him anywhere near that pull-up bar”

Come to think of it, Hiro did go to the bath once with Owain. That guy was nowhere as built as his fiancé. Momo-chan didn’t want to continue along this line of conversation though. For some reason, he felt rather embarrassed to talk further about physiques.

There was something Caron said that jogged his memory, however.

“This Academy you talked about, it is called Vaswani right?”

“Yes, it is named after the Divine who overseas all of our education”

“Owain-san told me that he used to study there”

“So was I, it was the only higher academic institution after all”

“I see, come to think of it, can I ask something about the Divines?”

“Sure”

“By now, I have heard of Vaswani who, as you said, handles Eden’s education. Then there is Gottfried, Willow’s father, what does he do?”

“Oh, Sir. Von Brandt, he is the leader of the Divines, the one closest to God. He overseas all of Eden’s administration”

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“Hm… Yesterday, Victor called out a name in the Edict, was he also a Divine?”

“Of course, he is responsible for coordinating most of our infrastructure. All of the Divine could create an Edict but this land is actually in his land. And so, it was his words that was issued”

“Then who is the final Divine, I have never heard of him?”

“Oh, his name is Silas Greaves the Peacekeeper, I am surprised no one told you about him”

How come this particular Divine had a title? Momo-chan had no idea. Caron continues.

“So what does he do?”

“Well, Divine Greaves the Peacekeeper is the one who wrote the most popular book series in all of Eden!”

Firstly, that was too long of a way to refer to someone. Secondly, something was seriously wrong about this role compared to the others. Still, Caron seemed to be most enthusiastic talking about him.

“He wrote so many stories but my favourite is definitely his only current long-running series, Far West. It’s about his time as a bounty hunter before coming to this world! Come to think of it, maybe you have heard of his exploits!”

“Perhaps, I don’t really recognise that name though. You said he was a bounty hunter?”

“Yes, the best one that ever graced the Wild West. He took down dangerous outlaws like Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, Billy the Kid and many more!”

“I have only heard of the last name. Although to be honest, I am not knowledgeable about that period. It was another continent”

Heck, Momo-chan didn’t even remember where did he hear about Billy the Kid even. But still, it was the first time he saw Caron this enthusiastic about something. She looked just like the other townsfolk now, fangirling.

The young woman continued with her watering.

“Can I ask you something?” She said.

“What is it?”

“Who are you?”

Hiro: {So she found out, good job, Momo-chan}

Momo-chan: [Wait, you are awake?]

Hiro: {Of course, I don’t even think one of us could sleep while the other is awake even}

Momo-chan: [Then why did you keep quiet?]

Hiro: {I just wanted to see what you would do, turn out that means exposing your identity}

Ah, Momo-chan needed to address that quickly. But he had been silent for a while and that was as good as an straight admission.

“How… do you even know?”

“Mind telling me who are you first?”

Momo-chan: [What do I even do now!]

Hiro: {Just be truthful}

“This may sound strange… but Hiro but from a few years back. I share this body with the current Hiro, he… let me use the body for now…”

“I see” Caron seemed to believe it strangely enough.

“Then would you tell me how did you realise I am not the Hiro you know?”

“If you want to. But first, what should I call you?”

“Um, Momo-chan” Somehow he had come to expected that as his name here.

“Well then Momo-chan, your way of speaking is a bit different but that isn’t much. You also stand taller though, Hiro hunches slightly. But the most telling is your attire”

“What about it?”

“Even though Suiren fixed the shirt it and I washed them all, he never touched it. Or more like, he deliberately avoids it”

“So you called me out with just that?”

“Well, it was just a small hunch of mine, turned out it was true. Anyway, can you wash those herbs with the pipe over there?”

“Of course”

Momo-chan scurried away. Caron didn’t mind the fact that he was effectively a stranger. To be fair, they did accepted Hiro and Suiren quite easily but still. Perhaps there was more to this hunch of her…

___

Momo-chan and Caron returned to the living room just in time to answer someone knocking on the door. It was Malcolm and Conrad, who had come over. Ever since the battle with the Roman, they had been having meals here.

“Huh, you are awake?” Mused Malcolm.

“Is it that surprising”

“Well, I have never seen you this early before, that’s all. Although to be fair, the people here don’t seem to be the early type”

Momo-chan took a peek outside and saw that the street was completely deserted.

“There really is no one outside” The voice commented out loud.

“Well, your princess is probably practicing at the courtyard”

“Wait, she is?”

Malcolm just shrugged his shoulders, Caron answers instead.

“Willow did tell me that she usually trains around this time”

“Huh, I kind of want to see that”

“Then go, I am sure that she would love to see you there”

After some hesitation, Momo-chan decided to go and said hello to Willow. Malcolm and Conrad followed him for some reason. When asked, the youth just said that he wanted to ‘take a stroll’ anyway.

The three arrived at the courtyard near the Pryce’s house. In the empty foggy open, there was only Willow, practicing with her blade.

Her slashes were strong and precise, her footwork was quick and nimble. Momo-chan couldn’t help but be impressed. Willow concentration was so strong that she didn’t even notice her audiences.

Not wanting to distract her, Momo-chan clapped slightly.

“Whoa”

“You are impressed with that?” Said Malcolm.

“Yes, what about it!”

“Nothing, it is impressive. It’s just that all her moves weren’t all that useful”

The youth was no doubt referring to that time when Willow practically incapacitated herself. It was all so chaotic that Hiro didn’t notice it but Momo-chan had all the time in the world to see. The girl’s face at that moment was of pure pain, of frustration.

He could remember when she told them that she would try her best together with Hiro, when she was beaming with such pride and confident.

Now, hearing Malcolm’s mockery made his blood boils. But the voice tried to keep his calm.

“She is just inexperience, that’s all”

“And?”

“And she will get better after more encounters!”

Apparently, that was very amusing for Malcolm who tried to hold back a chuckle. That didn’t escape Momo-chan’s eyes of course.

“What’s so funny about that” About slandering one’s effort like that.

“Everything, Mr. Hiro, everything you said couldn’t be more wrong”

“What?”

“Get better? What a joke”

“Just get to the point”

“Mr. Hiro, can you see the weapon that girl is holding, it’s a longsword. And as you have no doubt notice, all of our pursuers had quite lethal weaponry. Just look at your ‘Suiren’”

“What about them”

“Mr. Hiro, that girl was incredibly lucky to have survive that. What happens next won’t be fist fight, if the princess isn’t experience by then she will die. There is no room for improvement”

“Uh…”

“But still, that isn’t exactly her fault” The youth mused.

“What?” Momo-chan was taken back by Malcolm sudden change of tone, the youth sounded almost understanding.

“It is her trainer’s responsibility to provide her with experience. Of course, after encounters one would improve but she is too green to even survive, much less learn”

Come to think of it, Willow was trained by her father, the Divine Gottfried, the leader of the Divines even. If what Malcolm said was the truth, then did that mean he wasn’t serious about training her?

And as strange as this may be to Momo-chan but he couldn’t help but believed in Malcolm’s words this time. He lasted quite a good while against that Roman, the youth was definitely more experienced than him or even Hiro for that matter.

Malcolm was impressive, but there was still someone else he could ask, someone better.

Momo-chan turned to Conrad.

“Conrad-san, can I ask you something”

After a painful silence, the man finally replied “Yes” nervously.

“Seeing this… I don’t know it’s not much to go on but what do you think about Willow’s technique?”

“This is more than enough” Conrad replied was of a normal conversation’s speed, this surprised both Momo-chan and Malcolm. The man continued “It is very precise but lacklustre”

“Maybe you can clarify on that” Momo-chan asked.

“All of her repeated movements are precisely the same, which required a great deal of precision. But her grip, stance, the way she holds her sword, her movements, all of them are unpolished. If all of them are improved, she can shave off a second of a swing”

“But wouldn’t that get better with practice, she would be more efficient over time, right?”

“No, she must have had plenty of practices to be this precise. Those are on the teacher”

“…”

“Don’t take me wrong, her level is higher than most. But from what we have encountered, this won’t do at all”

“You are talkative all of a sudden”

Malcolm commented and Conrad didn’t say anything at all. Or at least, not at that moment. After some more silence, the man finally replied.

“Sorry”

Why did he even have to apologise for that! Conrad seemed to shrink, he just stood there clicking his finger in that same tune.

Momo-chan didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help Willow but how? While the voice was lost, his host had an idea. Hiro spoke again.

Hiro: {Momo-chan, can I borrow the body back for bit?}

Momo-chan: [Of course, it’s yours… What are you going to do?]

Hiro:{Oh, I’m just going to ask Malcolm a favour}