"I started to breathe heavily since I could not feel anyone's presence. Even though I was still in that headspace where the animal was, I kept calling it until..."...until finally, I heard a faint whimper in response, leading me to approach cautiously, my heart pounding with both fear and anticipation. "Since this has never happened before, I didn't quite know how to respond. My mind raced with uncertainty, trying to assess the situation and determine the best action. And then there it was, a hit on my shoulder, so strong that it shook me from my feet to my head. "I jolted, and stood up quickly, but then began to faint, and she caught me, my maid came rushing to my aid. 'Master, master, take it easy.' Still out of breath and in a panic, I fell to my knees. That was a loud thud too because Sir Michel could hear it, and he too came bursting through the door into the room. The maid held me down until I calmed down, but at the same time, Twilight seemed a bit weary too. Poor him. While I could hear Sir Michel running to me, crashing into me, and— 'Ohh, young master, are you okay?' He was shocked at what he was seeing. From what I could hear from his tone of voice, his expression was both confusion and worry.
"'I am fine—cough, caught. No need to worry,' I reassured them. But as soon as I said that, I could feel something was wrong."A lingering unease settled in the pit of my stomach, refusing to be ignored. Twilight started to bark, and then I could hear his voice in my head—a very deep yet soothing voice. 'Master, you dumb child, you have internal injuries; you are coughing blood.'"I was confused and surprised that Twilight shared a telepathic touch with me. And then I passed out again, I think because I could feel even more blood coming out of my mouth. I thought, 'Damn, am I that weak, or is this just a second-life curse?' "As consciousness slipped away from me once more, a whirlwind of thoughts engulfed my mind. Fear gnawed at me relentlessly, intertwining with the uncertainty of my condition. Was I truly so weak, or was there something more sinister at play? Doubt and desperation mingled within me as I grappled with the possibility of a cursed existence, each heartbeat a reminder of my fragile mortality.
"Time passed, and once more, I found myself waking up in my bed, the sensation of a wet towel resting on my forehead, and Twiglhigh peacefully sleeping on my numb arm. As I stirred, I noticed a discomfort in my eyes, a dull ache that demanded attention. Instinctively, I reached for the towel, intending to wipe my face, and as I did, a sudden burst of light flooded my vision, piercing through the grogginess of sleep. Blinking rapidly, I felt a wave of clarity wash over me as my eyes adjusted to the newfound brightness.
"Hey, Twilight, I can see," I exclaimed, turning to him. I saw a beautiful black wolf with a silver scarf lying beside me. He yawned and gave me a somewhat reproachful look, perhaps annoyed by my disturbance of his rest. Nonetheless, he approached me, and I hugged him tightly.
"Twiglhy, it's just me and you in this world. You cannot trust anyone else, you hear?" I said firmly.
"Yes, master," he responded in a soft, raspy voice that sent a shiver down my spine. I looked at him in awe, struck by the gravity of our connection.
"Listen, we can't let anyone know that I can see just yet. Around this time, people will come to kill me. We need to put on a show, okay?" I explained, watching for his understanding. He nodded in agreement.
"So, master, what's the plan?" he inquired, his eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and determination.
As I was about to tell him my plan, the doors burst open, and a maid I had never seen before in this lifetime burst in with a basin of water and some food that looked like what you'd give to a beggar.
"Here, master," she said in a condescending tone, almost mocking me, as she threw the food on the bed. With a smirky grin, she added, "Well, now since our master is all mature and blind, I can maybe poison him easily, right, sir Michael?"
Then Sir Michael entered the room, looking imposing and mighty.
"Careful, he might hear what we're doing," he warned.
She laughed dismissively. "He's blind, our master is a blind nobody. He won't hear a thing, you hear."
Sir Michael's gaze flickered between the maid and me, his expression unreadable. "Nevertheless," he said in a low, measured tone, "it would be wise not to underestimate him. Blind or not, he is still our master."
The maid scoffed, tossing her head dismissively. "Oh, please, Sir Michael," she retorted, her voice dripping with contempt. "You always were too cautious for your good. We have nothing to fear from a blind man."
Then she turned to me and said, "Right, sweetie."
I could see her evil expression clearly, and it dawned on me that the man she was speaking to was not Sir Michael. He looked familiar, but from where? My mind began to wander, weaving in and out of memories until a light pierced through the fog of forgetfulness. That was Magician Hans. He was in my previous life, the archmage, second only to the grand mage. He was evil. I wondered what he was doing here and why he was posing as my guard. Then I heard the two whisper not far from me, near my fireplace where inside, I had years of hidden treasures and magic stones.
"So, here is where he keeps the stones that will bring our master fortune. Since our master was not able to receive them because he was banished, this will help clear his name. Your mission is to make that kid, that illegitimate child, trust you, and he naively will show you his most possessed treasure. But you have to be careful not to push him too hard, you hear?" The man nodded in agreement.
"Um, I'm done with my plate," I said aloud, trying to act nonchalant as I looked around the room, hoping to distract them. Meanwhile, I subtly signaled to Twilight to move the rocks and magic runes elsewhere, dispersing them throughout my room. He understood, and as soon as the two people posing as a maid and my guard came walking towards me, Twilight was able to grab each artifact from the fire-hidden place one by one and hide them around the room.
"Well, master, how was your meal?" she said in a condescending tone, almost mocking me.
"It was pleasant. Can you leave now?" I said in a mean voice, though I smiled innocently at them. "I have to get ready to train in a few minutes," I added, trying to maintain my composure.
She let out an annoyed laugh and left, followed by the supposed Sir Michael, who said, "I will wait for you outside."
I nodded. "Now, leave, please."
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They both stormed out of the room. I waited a moment or two and then got up from the bed as quietly as I could.
"Okay, Twilight, are you done?" I whispered.
"Yes, master," he replied. "What do we do now?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Now, we wait until one of them is bold enough to come to my room while I am training and steal one. But to their surprise, all of the mere fakes," I said with a smile, noticing Twilight's confusion at this new revelation.
"How?! How is it possible for a human to make fake artifacts and modify them to look like real ones?" he began bombarding me with questions.
A knock on the door interrupted us. It was Sir Michael.
"Is everything alright, master? I heard loud barking," he inquired.
"Yeah, it's fine. It's just Twilight excited for his walk," I quickly improvised, hoping to allay any suspicions.
After a few minutes, I emerged from the door, dressed in an orderly fashion. Twilight wore a collar and a leash, along with a stealthy earring on one of his ears.
"Sir Michael, we are ready for our daily walk," I announced confidently. The guard looked at me, smirking. "Okay, master, let's go."
With Twilight at my side, we headed toward the forbidden gardens, where he and I could enter without drawing suspicion. Before I walked in, I hesitated.
"Is this the back garden? It seems that Twilight doesn't recognize this place," I remarked, trying to gauge Sir Michael's reaction
As we entered the garden, I couldn't shake off the feeling of suspicion. Twilight's behavior only added to my unease; his keen senses seemed to pick up on the tension in the air. I maintained a facade of calmness, but inside, my mind raced with questions.
Sir Michael's unease didn't escape my notice either. His attempts to conceal his discomfort only fueled my doubts. With each step, I remained vigilant, ready to uncover the truth behind his deception.
As we ventured further into the garden, I seized an opportunity to act. Quietly, I feigned a sudden injury, stabbing myself and letting out a cry of pain. Sir Michael swiftly turned around and rushed to my aid, attempting to wrest the knife from my grasp. In the scuffle, I managed to wound him as well. Meanwhile, Twilight, following my orders, began to bark loudly, adding to the chaos.
The guard's fury grew as he pointed a knife at Twilight, threateningly. I heard the sound of approaching footsteps as people rushed to the scene. Stepping in front of Twilight to shield him from harm, I pleaded, "Stop this, please! I'm sorry for not being able to give you my stones."I cried out in vain as many royal guards and maids came rushing in, and even Father joined us too. That maid rushed in to help, not me, but the guard. I don't think he saw that the king was there too, because she said, "You bastard, how dare you yell at people with higher status than you!" Then she kicked me.
The betrayal stung, but I remained determined to uncover the truth, even in the face of adversity. I stared at her with my so-called blind eyes, devoid of fear.
"Don't you dare touch Twilight, and don't you make jokes of me. Just because I am an illegitimate child doesn't mean that I can't prove my worth in other departments too," I asserted, my voice steady despite the turmoil within.
As she charged towards me, in that split second, a loud voice shouted from the crowd. The maid froze in her tracks as royal guards moved, the crowd surrounded me, and the king emerged from them. The maid, embarrassed, tried to speak, "Well, you see, it's not what it looks like," but my father interrupted her.
"Is it now? Let's see. You have hurt my son and his wolf, and now you are begging for forgiveness," my father declared sternly, his voice echoing with authority.
The maid's attempt to shift blame was met with skepticism from both my father and the gathered crowd. As she pointed accusingly at the man whose facade had faded, and then at Sir Michael, he stepped forward to defend himself.
"I am here. I have been away on patrol because the king assigned it to me. This is not me. You can prove that by asking the town guards and the king," Sir Michael asserted confidently, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. He approached my father and bowed respectfully.
My father's expression remained inscrutable as he considered Sir Michael's words. The truth was elusive amidst the chaos, but one thing was certain: there was more to this situation than met the eye.
The catch that broke the slice of the crowd silenced everyone momentarily. I looked at my father one last time and asked in a weak voice, "Please take care of Twilight. He is badly injured and needs help." Another catch seized me as I struggled to get up and bow to him, seeking his assistance. At that moment, I could see his face shift from coldness to concern.
My father's expression softened as he recognized the severity of the situation. Without a word, he nodded solemnly, a silent promise to attend to Twilight's needs. With a sense of relief, I surrendered to the darkness that threatened to consume me, trusting that my father would ensure Twilight's safety.
As the darkness closed in around me, I felt a sense of resignation wash over me. The events of the day had unfolded with dizzying speed, leaving me battered and weary. Yet, amidst the chaos, my father's unwavering concern provided a beacon of hope a silent prayer for Twilight's well-being, I relinquished control, trusting in my father's care. As I was closing my eyes, I could feel my father's reassuring touch enveloping me. Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, I saw my father cradling me gently, while the real Sir Michael carried Twilight in his arms. An attendant approached my father, offering to take me to my room, but my father refused, his protective instincts kicking in.
At that moment, despite the turmoil, I felt a sense of peace wash over me, knowing that I was in good hands and that Twilight would receive the care he needed. Surrendering to the darkness, I allowed myself to drift into a state of rest, trusting that better days would come. Before I closed my eyes, I whispered, "Thank you, Dad," a smile gracing my lips as a sense of gratitude filled my heart. With that simple expression of thanks, I surrendered fully to the embrace of sleep, knowing that in my father's care, there was hope for a brighter tomorrow. maybe not.