We “set up”, so to speak, inside. Or rather that I just left everyone inside and went on to scout the surroundings for any other changes.

The other me planned to pass on the consciousness to Il as soon as she awakened, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to happen any time soon, so he just left her unconscious body sitting in the corner in the room and connected with me, helping me look.

Plus, we wanted to not be separated too much, and sharing senses would assure that our “data” would be synchronized. Mostly.

Meanwhile, the rest was just taking their time getting their deserved rest and time for themselves.

The area around the house has not changed much. Well, besides the garden being missing, of course. Everything else seemed in place, and I was not feeling any presence nearby.

Well… “nearby” is maybe the wrong way to put it…

After that many changes to my body, my range has definitely increased. It was rather large before, but now I swear I could feel whole kilometers around if I stood still and focused on it.

Why even leave the house then?

I mean, I also wanted to have a peaceful moment just for me.

Sure, I was still connected to the other me… but I guess it still meant I was just alone, right?

At least with no one else than myself.

-Can’t see anything interesting. Can you? - asked the other me, making sure we have the same idea of the place.

-Can’t say I do - I shrugged.

-I guess that’s good…

-Well, sort of.

-Eh… this is getting problematic…

-You don’t say. I thought that by now she’d be awake. Or at least closer to being awake. But her state didn’t change at all.

-Yeah, it looks the same to me as well. Even after you used magic, it didn’t seem to have drained her…

Right. During our trip, the other me was using magic a couple of times. None of them were really big ones, but still. There should be at least some change in her mana, but nothing happened.

-I mean, that’s kind of good… - I pointed out. - At least we know you’re not powerless, even if she’s out.

-Sure. But so what? We have enough firepower as it is in our party, and not like we are going to need more anytime soon. Hopefully ever.

-True… Speaking of our party, what do you think about Il?

-What, you need to ask me? I am pretty sure you have the same idea as me…

-Humour me.

-Eh… My guess is that Il has really absorbed more than she should. On the question “how” though, that’s not something we can answer right now… If at all, really.

-Mike.

-Yeah, exactly. Without his input, we can only guess and hope.

-Not like we’ve been doing much else this entire time.

-Not incorrect. Not that I like that.

-You don’t have to tell me that.

-Eh…

The next few minutes I just spent in silence, walking larger and larger circles around the house everyone was stationed with.

But, when it got to the point where I finally was almost unable to see the building through the branches, I suddenly felt For and her voice invaded us both.

-Mor! Get back here! We’ve got something!

-”Got…?”

-What do you mean?

Other me quickly dropped the contact with me and left back to the house, to check up on things.

I also started making my way towards the house, but it was going to take a lot longer before I was going to get there.

I was thinking about doing the same trick that I was just doing, but in reverse, targeting the other me, but before I was able to make up my mind, he came back.

-What’s up? - I asked, feeling his presence.

-Long story short: we don’t have to worry about having an empty place to stay.

-Like that was something I was worried about.

-I mean, same, but that’s Kon’s words, not mine. What happened?

-Just look inside. You’re close.

I was a bit annoyed that he wasn’t just going to tell me, but I knew better to not complain.

That was definitely something I would’ve done.

-Okay, I am back, what’s up…? - I said, entering the door, but as soon as I walked into the room, I had to do a double take, because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The room was not only no longer empty: it was furnished better than the palace or mansion we’ve not so long ago been sitting in.

The room was… larger? Or just looked that way. It got divided five ways, using fancy wooden dividers that looked like they'd been stolen from the palace itself.

Each “room” had one bed, looking very comfortable and, dare I say, modern.

Sure, the sheets were still made out of the familiar green material that I knew was created using green magic, but besides that, the frames were sturdy and almost looked like something that used to be back in my own house.

Each bed had its own shelf along with a small candle made out of wood.

I doubt it was going to be actually able to be working like an actual candle, but there’s been more than once that I’ve been surprised before.

The other wall was filled with cabinets. Although every single one was empty, it definitely was not there before and was surprisingly nice-looking. Especially, if you were to compare it to the beds.

I was about to ask what the hell was going on, but the answer appeared right in front of my face.

Il, sitting in her wooden form on one of the beds, was holding… a piece of wood, I guess? It looked strangely round, just like a ball. Both her and the thing she had was full of mana.

As I opened my mouth to say something, the wooden ball started rotating and… she started sculpting it?

Just like clay, it started changing shape in her hands, and just like clay, it soon formed a pot. Quite simple-looking, but still.

Looking happy with her creation, she extended her hand and it looked like she was about to drop it on the floor, but before she managed to release her grip on the newly created item, from the ground a couple of branches sprouted.

They started wrapping themselves on each other and in a blink of an eye, next to her was now standing a new table, on which she placed the pot, not even looking at it.

-What the fuck.

-Yeah. Good question.

It was For.

Both her and Kon were observing Il from the edge of the room, unsure what to think about this.

Neither was I, to be honest.

-She just started doing that a moment ago… - thought Kon. - She didn’t even speak a word or anything…

-Well, he said it… - confirmed the other me.

Although he was now again in control of the body, he was already sitting on one of the beds, next to her.

-When I came back here, I was lying on this bed. I mean, she was. - he corrected himself. - How did this body get here…?

-I don’t think you’re going to believe me… - started For.

-Try me.

-Well… as soon as you went ahead and left us, we started inspecting the empty room.

-There wasn’t much to find here, I am afraid… - I mumbled.

-Well, true, but not like we had much to do. I think she thought of the same thing, because she sat next to you… I mean, next to the vacant body and it seemed like she’s fallen asleep, because she stopped moving.

-So she’s unconscious through all this…? - I asked, but as soon as I tried looking at her, I realized that it was not the case.

-No - confirmed Kon. - She was still herself. Her mana never changed, I am sure of that. It’s just… that she started creating stuff.

-Just like that?

-It seems so! As she sat next to the… well, other you, the floor suddenly started moving. And just like that, from the ground roots sprouted that started forming beds and those walls. After that, the shelves appeared. And now, she’s making small decorations…

Yeah. As he was explaining that, Il moved from creating that pot of hers to making more.

The pot that she made was now full of water and inside there was a nice and colorful bouquet of flowers.

I think now she started making actual silverware… or well, it was made out of wood, but still…

-She never said a word to you?

-Nope.

-Have you tried talking to her?

-Not yet. We waited for you.

-I honestly thought that was something that you told her to do… - admitted For. - So I didn’t want to interrupt. But after… you returned and was as stunned as the rest of us.

-Well, no, we never… I never told her to try something like that…

-Neither did I - confirmed the other me. - That’s her initiative. Or, at least let’s hope that’s still her.

-You think something has taken over?!

-I doubt that - immediately said For. - I can tell her mana did not change. I told you.

-There’s been weirder stuff going on, remember? - I pointed out.

But she was right.

Her “change” should have some outside… indications.

At least I hoped so.

-Well. Here goes nothing.

-Il. What are you doing?

I said that directly towards her mind, carefully trying to not send any emotions with that question. Who knows what state she was in?

I honestly was wondering if that was even going to reach her, but apparently did without any issue.

She stopped, mid-movement.

In her hand she was holding a half-formed fork.

-Hm?

Her voice was still the same. Although, it seemed like she was… tired? No, that’s not it. It was more like she was just lost in her thoughts.

-I asked what are you doing?

-What do you mean…?

She finally looked around her.

-What the fuck?!

-What the fuck, indeed.

-What happened?! Did I do that?!

-Did you really not realize what’s going on?

-No! I mean… I had this thought… but no!

-What thought?

She promptly explained what happened. Or, what she thought had happened.

As soon as I left to clear my mind, she sat down in a corner, next to the vacant body of Il and started idly thinking.

About how the place lacked any furniture. How would anyone be able to live here? Or even stay for more than a couple of minutes?

She was hoping to let Il’s body rest on some bed that she was sure was supposed to be there, but apparently not.

“It would be nice to have a bed. Maybe not for each of us, but still. Even a simple one would be enough.”

“But would that make the room cramped? Probably some kind of divider would be nice, since there are no walls…”

“Maybe some shelves… and a few knick-knacks… I think that’s how this place was supposed to look, right?”

She didn’t realize that, but as she was thinking on how this place could be better, she was also creating the same items she imagined.

Or, rather the house was responding to her, creating those for her.