Memory Fragment
A young lady dressed in a resplendent gown that exuded opulence and grace walked through the hallway, her maid trailing dutifully behind her. Her shoulder-length hair swayed gently with every elegant step she took, her almond-shaped eyes staring straight ahead as her mind was clouded with one thought and one thought alone.
Azalea.
It didn't make sense.
She didn't make sense to herself.
What's happening to me? she kept wondering.
Something had been happening for the last month—that made it two months since Azalea went missing. Barely a week remained before the academy would be in session again, but recently... something changed.
It was as though a veil over her had been lifted.
Voices.
Memories.
She didn't know where they were coming from, but if there was one thing that was clear, it was that they were tied to Azalea.
"Argh!" She suddenly collapsed to the ground, her hands clutching her head in pain. The voices—they were back again!
"What would happen if our bond broke?"
"Well... it can't. It's something tied to my blessing. Well... there might be situations."
"Like what?"
"The bond can't be permanently severed unless my heart stops beating, but that would also mean you die..."
"Tsk, I still don't understand how I got caught up in all this."
"Hehe, but don't worry, I can't die. However, what CAN happen is a long disconnection."
"Due to what?"
"Many reasons. It's like reception, but if it does happen, the bond will be affected, and there will be a... problem."
"MY LADY!" Her eyes opened, and there she found her maid, Freda, staring at her in concern.
"W-what happened?" she managed to ask.
"You... you just screamed and fell down. Are you okay? Should I get the healer?" asked the maid.
Instead of acknowledging her maid's evident concern, she sought reprieve in isolation. "I wish to be left alone," she said, making her way to her room. The instant she stepped in, she collapsed against the back of the door.
"What's happening?" she asked once again. She didn't get it—why, of all times, was this happening? Things were already seeming better for her. Even if she wasn't that infatuated by Ansley, at least she preferred him a million times compared to that weakling who was always cowering like a child. She hated him—not only for how he refused to recognize her as his fiancée, constantly following Isabelle like some idiotic simp, but for being a reason to be mocked by people. He didn't help matters, always the victim of bullying, always one step away from death, always crying like a fool.
She hated him.
God, she did.
But...
"What's changed? What's happening?" A question she had, but no answers would seem to come. What exactly was happening? Why was she hearing all these voices? Why was she suddenly feeling so strange thinking about him? It was as though a part of herself—even she was unaware of—was starting to rear its head.
Its ugly head.
"Kya!" She held her head as, in an instant, a flood of pain hit her in waves. She gritted her teeth, clenched her fists as a memory—or rather, a nightmare—flooded back.
She saw herself walking toward the infirmary.
She remembered this day clearly.
But now, she realized not clearly enough.
Just her going there that day after Camella had made it sound like she was the most horrible human in the world for not once visiting her fiancé who got injured in an experiment session. She went there that day annoyed, but decided to do it for the sake of doing it—Camella was starting to get irritating with her constant fixation on the imbecile, so she decided to get her off her neck. She remembered opening the private ward he was in, since it was just verified it wasn't something contagious that affected him, so he was yet to be moved to the general space. There he was, laying on the bed, eyes closed. He looked so peaceful.
However, the moment the door clicked shut, his eyes opened, but...
Something was strange with him that day. That look on his face as he saw her. It wasn't completely new—after all, there was the day she had mistakenly bumped into him outside the academy. He had this look on his face which contradicted the Azalea she knew. He seemed to be coming from the outside world that day. What made it weird was that he had called in sick that day and wasn't supposed to leave his dorm room, so him being outside only meant he went somewhere he didn't want anyone to know.
That day he looked at her.
And this day he also looked at her with the same blank eyes, but a grin that unsettled her.
"My my, Ria~ Didn't think you would miss me!" That voice. That strange confidence. Something told her he was not Azalea, that something was wrong with him.
Was he possessed? Not that it was unheard of.
But she found herself standing there. With mock concern on her face, she asked about his well-being. He replied with a smile, and before she knew it, all she saw was herself seated on the bed beside him, talking, an with time... smiling?
"W-WHAT?! WHAT WAS THAT?!" She held her head as she returned to reality, trembling.
That wasn't right.
She DIDN'T remember a day like this.
So how?
WHAT THE HELL WAS HAPPENING TO HER?!
"M-my lady?"
A voice from behind the door.
"I SAID I WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE!"