I entered the room and bowed.
“Today’s the day you and Irene go to the academy.”
I sat in a chair and nodded my head.
“Yes father.” Irene said
“I’m going to be so lonely!” Percy yelled
“We’ll be back during the break.”
“But that’s so far away!”
“We haven’t even left yet haha”
A servant brought us all steak and potatoes.
“Eat well, the trip there takes about 10 days.”
“Yeah! You two better not go hungry!”
Irene laughed.
“Don’t worry, Kevin can hunt us some food on the way there.”
After we finished eating, we all headed to the gate.
“Irene, Kai.”
“Yes, Father?” Irene asked
I tilted my head
“I love you both so much. So much so that I don’t want to see you go.”
“Stay safe both of you.”
Irene’s eyes got a little watery, even mine slightly did.
“Brother! Sister...”
Percy ran up and hugged both of us.
“Come back soon!”
Irene hugged him back while I patted his head.
“We will.”
“Kevin.”
“Yes, duke?”
“Make sure they get there safely.”
“Even if I die, I promise they’ll get there safe.”
“I trust you.”
Father turned around and started heading back into the manor before saying one last thing.
“Visit Gina before you leave as well.”
“Come back safe.”
Those words were his final words before he went inside the manor.
“We will.”
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Irene and I bowed our heads.
Irene got on the carriage first after saying goodbye to Percy.
“I’ll be waiting!”
I waved goodbye to Percy and got on the carriage.
We had a squad of people around us guarding the carriage and we set off.
---
Though, shortly after the carriage stopped.
“Young Master, Kai, Young Master Irene. We’re at Gina’s grave.”
I heard from father that Gina was our mom, he never told me how she died though.
“Let’s visit mother, Kai”
I got off the carriage first and helped Irene off. Jane had said I was supposed to.
“Ever so noble, Dear Brother?”
I nodded my head. After all she grilled this useless- I guess it’s not so useless knowledge into my head.
Kevin led us to the entrance of a small fenced-in area.
“I’ll be waiting here, Young Master’s.”
The place looked well-kept and beautiful. It was clearly a precious area.
Irene led the way and I followed.
We soon arrived at a tombstone. It read-
[Gina Steel]
May you rest in peace.
So, this was Kai’s mother. From what I’ve heard about her, she was a well-respected, loved by all, type of lady. Irene and Percy also inherited her red hair. She was also apparently very beautiful.
“I’ll go first.”
Irene bowed in front of the grave and then kneeled.
She started to speak about everything that happened, what she was thankful for, and more. She also said that we all miss her, but we hope that she can rest in peace. She was kneeling for a few minutes before she got up.
“I’ll leave first Kai, take your time.”
Irene went back to the way we came.
I didn’t really have any emotional attachment to Gina. I wasn’t Kai. But I thought I should say a few words of grace in respect.
I bowed and then kneeled.
There wasn’t anyone around so I could speak freely.
“Mother-No... Gina.”
“I may not be Kai, but I hope you can forgive me being here.”
“I woke up suddenly in your son's body and have been here for around 2 months.”
“From what I’ve heard, you were a very good person, loved by all.”
“Percy, Kai, and Irene have grown up well, Duke Steel has given them plenty of love.”
“I may not be able to protect Kai.”
“But I will do my best to protect Irene, Percy, and everyone else.”
“So, I hope you can forgive me for being in Kai’s body.”
“I hope I can live as Kai from now on until he wants his body back, so please forgive me.”
“I promise I won’t let anything happen to your family. May you rest in peace.”
I stood up.
Now I don’t know if ghosts, and superstitions are real in this world, but what happened next may have been a coincidence or something to do with Gina.
A dozen birds suddenly flew around me, and eventually 1 of them landed on top of the tombstone while the other landed on my shoulder.
They had flower petals in their mouth. The birds dropped the flower petals, and the bird on my shoulder dropped a petal on my head before all of them started flying away.
My eyes opened wide.
“If that’s a message from the dead... I will make sure to keep my promise... If not, I’ll still keep it.”
“Goodbye, Mother.”
I walked off.
---
We had gotten on the carriage again and left for the Knight Academy. On the way there we passed through the town which was filled with people waving at us.
“Stay safe! Young Master Irene! Young Master Kai!”
“Come back safely!”
“Make sure you eat well!”
“Stay safe! Young Master Irene!”
“Don’t forget to eat!”
“Do your best!”
As we were about to leave the town, the kid who bumped into me before screamed
“Do your best! Young Master Kai!”
It was a friendly set off- No in fact, it was probably the happiest set off I’ve ever had.
“Did you hear that, Kai?”
“One of them specifically waved you goodbye.”
Irene smiled.
“...Yeah.” I spoke
Irene’s eyes shot open wide; she was shocked.
I didn’t know it, but I was smiling.
On the way there we didn’t have any problems, we mostly slept inside an inn when we could, but if there were no inns nearby, we camped out.
There weren’t any problems. We eventually arrived at the capital, where the Knight Academy was.
We wouldn’t have any bodyguards or escorts while we were here.
“Young Master Kai, Young Master Irene. We’ll have to leave now, but please stay safe.”
It was Kevin, he was sending us off with a teary face.
“Don’t worry Kevin, if anything happens Big Brother Kai over here will protect me!”
I only recently learned that we were twins, I was a few minutes older than her.
I gave a thumbs up.
I waved them off and yawned.
For the first time in this world, I’d practically be with any help other than Irene.
“Well then, we still have a few days before the academy starts, shall we head to an inn?”
I nodded my head, and we started to walk.