Delythena's POV
I am here now at the port, where there's a spot I usually sit when I have problems. My mind is so chaotic right now, I don't know what to do anymore. My fiancé got my cousin pregnant, my siblings were killed by addicts, my parents abandoned us, and now l've been fired from my job, falsely accused of being a thief. I really don't know if there's still a direction for my life.
"I want to disappear from the world" I cried.
"Miss, do you have any food there?" I turned around when someone, an old beggar woman, approached me.
I immediately looked at my bag to see if I had any food, and luckily, I had some with me.
"Sorry, this is all I have" I said as I handed her the food.
"You're very kind, this is enough to take away my hunger" she happily took it and sat down beside me.
"It seems like you're going through a tough time" the elderly woman suddenly said. I let out a deep sigh.
"It seems that way" I replied, trying to hold back my tears.
"What do you think is unfair, the world or people?" I turned to look at her as she asked this question.
"Both are unfair" I replied bitterly, because I couldn't really see any fairness in either, given the situation I was in.
"People are the ones who are unfair, the world is too fair to have someone who isn't" she suddenly said. "But maybe you're just not meant for this world, maybe there's another world waiting for you" she said. I turned to look at her, confused.
"In the afterlife?" I smiled bitterly, as if it were some kind of sign.
She looked at me and smiled. "Don't force yourself into a place that isn't meant for you." I didn't know what she was talking about. "And as they say, everything happens for a reason." I just stared at her, not knowing how to react. "The right place for you will come" she said, and I looked at her as she stood up. "You don't belong in this world because you're different." My brow furrowed even more at what she was saying.
Is she crazy? I thought to myself.
"Use your life in the world that is meant for you" she said, and I was left in shock when she suddenly disappeared in front of me.
"W-Was that a ghost?" I whispered, startled.
I was still shocked and confused about the elderly woman, but I decided to ignore it, thinking maybe it was just the alcohol I drank, and I was imagining things. But just moments later, I was startled when I fell into the sea, as if someone had pushed me. While I struggled to swim upwards, it felt like something was pulling me down,
making it harder for me to breathe in the depth of the water.
I want to die but I didn't say right now
My head hurts
I instinctively held my head and slowly opened my eyes. I was puzzled because the first thing that greeted my sight was a bright, luxurious ceiling light and an unfamiliar room.
Am I in heaven? Almost everything in this room looked dazzling.
Where am I? I slowly sat up from lying down and let my gaze wander around the entire room.
This room is so big that I couldn't help but be in awe. But I was suddenly shocked when I saw my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing a gown that made me look like a noble from a novel I was shocked when I saw that my hair was blonde instead of black, and I looked so beautiful almost as if I wasn't stressed at all.
"Is this the afterlife?... Have I finally found peace?" I muttered in confusion
"Lady Delythena, you're finally awake?!"
I turned to look at the woman who had just spoken. She was dressed in a maid's uniform.
Lady Delythena?
"Oh my gosh, Lady Delythena, you're finally awake!"
The woman ran toward me, looking as if she was about to cry.
Huh? What is she talking about? And who is she?
"Who are you?" I asked in confusion.
"L-Lady Delythena, don't you recognize me?" she asked, her voice trembling as if she was about to cry.
What is going on?
"Where am I?" I couldn't help but ask as my mind grew more confused by the situation.
She started crying. "This is my fault. I'm so sorry, Lady Delythena. I couldn't save you in time."
My brows furrowed even more.
Who even is Delythena?
"What are you even talking about?" I asked in confusion. "And who are you? Where am I?" I bombarded her with questions. She only cried harder, now kneeling in front of me.
"Stop crying" I told her, trying to calm her down.
"I will answer all your questions, Lady Delythena. Maybe you just lost your memories because of what happened" she said, her sobs gradually calming down.
"You are Lady Delythena Grimaldi, the only daughter of the Grimaldi family the second wealthiest family in our land."
My eyes widened at her words.
No... My name isn't Delythena. It's Reverie. And I'm not rich... What kind of world is this? I didn't know that afterlife would be like this– crazy
"You've been unconscious for a week since you fell into the sea" she continued.
Suddenly, memories flashed through my mind the moment I fell into the ocean, as if something had pushed and pulled me deeper. The last person I spoke to was an old woman, murmuring something about the world where I truly belong.
Weeks had passed, yet everything still hadn't sunk into my mind. It felt like I was trapped in a dream but a dream I never wanted to wake up from. My life here was breathtakingly beautiful, completely different from the one I had in my old world.
But little by little, I began to accept that maybe this was my second chance to change my life and start anew. So, I decided to blend in, to go along with whatever people here believed. I just wanted to forget the life I once had.
"Lady Delythena, it's time for you to go to the academy."
I turned to look at Evely apparently, my personal maid.
"Academy?" I asked in confusion.
"I forgot to tell you... You're actually a student at the academy" she said, which completely shocked me.
Seriously? Even in this world, I still have to study? I already finished school in my previous life!
"What kind of school is that?" I asked.
Evely no longer seemed surprised by my endless questions, probably because I had told her I lost my memories just so I wouldn't seem suspicious.
"It's the Academy for Enchanters."
I stared at her in shock. "For real?"
She nodded. "A school where magic exists well, actually, in this entire world."
Her words stunned me even more.
For real? I thought magic was just a myth!
"But I don't have any powers" I said, because I was just an ordinary person.
"That's exactly the problem, Lady Delythena" Evely replied, making me frown in confusion.
"But you still have to attend. The fortune-teller said you might eventually discover what your true power is."
I remained frozen in shock.
"Oh, I almost forgot there are a lot of bad rumors about you. People say you're the worthless enchantress of the Grimaldi family because you don't have any powers."
My mouth fell open in disbelief.
Wow. So even in this world, I have haters too? Tsk endless bashers
I had no choice but to attend the academy she was talking about. But in fairness, the school was breathtaking massive and grand. As I looked around, I could see that the students truly had powers. Some were floating, others were moving objects with a flick of their hands, disappearing, and doing all sorts of things I had only seen in movies.
It almost felt like I was in Hogwarts, except there were no flying broomsticks.
"Ouch!" I yelped as pain shot through my head when a glowing ball hit me.
"Hahaha!" Laughter erupted behind me. I turned and saw three girls snickering.
"Look who it is worthless Delythena. Good thing you even woke up" the girl in the middle sneered. She had long, violet hair.
"We actually thought you were gone for good" said another girl with short, straight brown hair.
"Not like you're of any use, anyway. It would've been better if you had just disappeared" added the third girl, who had curly black hair.
Wow. So even in this world, I can't escape bullies, huh?
I forced a smile. "I appreciate how invested you all are in my life" I said mockingly. Their expressions immediately darkened.
"The audacity of this worthless person" Violet Hair scoffed.
My eyes widened when it suddenly started raining only on me. A small floating cloud hovered above me, drenching me completely.
"Hahahaha! That suits you perfectly!" they laughed.
This is so annoying!
"What are you gonna do? Cry?" Brown Hair taunted. "You can't fight back anyway you have no powers."
Instead of fighting back, I just walked away. They were right I had no way to defend myself. After all, I was just an ordinary person.
As I wandered around, I found myself in a place with a massive tree surrounded by countless flowers. I couldn't help but admire its beauty. Not only was it breathtaking, but it was also peaceful, and the air was fresh.
I sat on a bench nearby, even though I was still completely soaked from the rain caused by those three brats earlier.
As I sat there, lost in thought, I suddenly felt an unusual gust of wind. The bright and peaceful surroundings were instantly swallowed by darkness.
What's happening?
I quickly stood up when I saw a shadow pass by.
"Who's there?" I asked in confusion.
My eyes widened in shock as a floating knife, engulfed in flames, suddenly appeared right in front of me its sharp tip aimed directly at my neck.
What the hell is happening?!
"Who are you?" A cold voice sent shivers down my spine. It was a man's voice calm yet terrifying.
"D-Delythena" I stammered, my whole body trembling with fear.
Moments later, footsteps echoed in the silence. A tall figure probably around six feet approached me. He had jet-black hair, piercing red eyes, a sharp nose, and fair skin.
In short, he was ridiculously handsome.
Is he real?
I could barely swallow with the flaming knife still pressed against my neck. His sharp gaze never left me as he stepped closer.
"So, you're Delythena" he said in a husky voice.
Is Delythena really that famous?
"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
His eyes darkened even more.
"How absurd that you don't know me" he smirked.
Who is this guy? Evely never mentioned someone like him...
"Get this knife away from my neck" I said, my voice unsteady as my body trembled.
He smirked. "And why would I do that?"
This guy is insane.
"I don't even know who you are, so just let me go. There's nothing you can gain from me anyway" I snapped in frustration.
He smirked before finally making the knife disappear. Only then was I able to take a deep breath, though I winced when I felt the sting on my neck there was still a trace of blood from where the blade had pressed against my skin.
Damn it!
"Why are you here?" he suddenly asked.
"Why do you care?" I retorted, still irritated as I held my neck.
"So, the rumors were true you really lost your memories."
I frowned at his words.
"This is the first time I'm seeing you, and it turns out what they say is right you really are worthless" he said with a smirk, but his tone was deadly serious.
Ouch. That was a bit harsh though!
"Are you done insulting me? Because I'm leaving!" I snapped at him and turned to walk away.
But before I could take a step, he suddenly teleported right in front of me, making me jump in shock.
"And where do you think you're going?" he asked, blocking my path.
"That's none of your business! Can you all just stop ruining my day? I just wanted to have a peaceful time at school!" I huffed in frustration.
At this point, I didn't care if this guy had powers or not. Nothing could be scarier than what I had already been through in my past life.
He crossed his arms, his sharp eyes still locked onto me, unwavering.
Annoyed, I stomped on his foot as hard as I could before dashing away.
"Agh!" I heard him grunt in pain. "Your audacity."
Serves him right!
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything that had happened today. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake off my encounter with that arrogant guy.
"Who even is he?" I muttered to myself.
I couldn't help but feel curious. Why was he such a jerk? And why did he immediately threaten me with a knife when I hadn't even done anything?
Seriously, what is wrong with the people in that academy? Is that place actually a school or a gathering for witches and villains?
But I also thought about Delythena and what the old woman told me back then, if Delythena is alive in this world and looks like me, it means I really belong in this world.
"I wish I had been here from the start, maybe I would be rich and wouldn't have struggled." I said "But our situation isn't really different from Delythena's because she's being oppressed. She's being oppressed even though she's rich, so what about me? I don't know, I'm confused now. But fine, I'll live here and I won't make the same mistakes, and I'll live peacefully here." I'm talking to myself now.
Suddenly, someone is knocking. "Lady Delythena, it's time for your dinner" Evely called from outside.
I stood up and went outside. We headed to the dining area, and as usual, I was eating alone. My parents, they said, were far away on a business trip and wouldn't be back until next week. To be honest, it's a bit boring here because there are no gadgets in this world, no internet, and their mode of transportation here is by carriage. The people here aren't normal either; they have powers. It's like I'm in the old times, in some kind of novel.
After dinner, as usual, I went back to my room to sulk again.
"Doesn't Delythena have any friends here? Her life must be so boring, always just at home" I asked myself while observing the whole of her room. By the way, Delythena is already 20 years old, that's what Evely said, and I think Evely is the only friend Delythena has in this world.
While sulking in my room, I noticed something strange from outside the window, as if someone was watching me. I stood up and approached the window, opened it, and stepped out onto the balcony. I carefully observed what was out there and saw something unusual not far from a tree. I didn't know what it was, but based on the shadow, it looked huge. But to my shock, it suddenly came closer to me, right in front of me, and a violet phoenix floated before me.
"Is this real?" I whispered.
For a moment, the phoenix and I just stared at each other. 'She's beautiful' I thought to myself. It was the first time I had seen a phoenix, because in my world, they were just mythical creatures. I was startled when the phoenix suddenly bowed to me, then it vanished and appeared on my hand. In the blink of an eye, I found myself wearing a glowing purple bracelet.
"You had amnesia right? Evely told me, I'm Savena, your best friend" she introduced herself, and I nodded in amazement.
So, Delythena really did have a friend. I thought she didn't.
"Oh, Savena" I muttered.
She smiled and nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you" she said with a smile, which made me smile in return.
"Come on, everyone's already there" she suddenly said, which confused me.
"Where?" I asked.
"There's a gathering today for all the Enchanters students" she explained.
I just nodded in response. "Let's hurry up, we might be late. The Supreme is coming" she added.
"The Supreme?" I asked, confused.
"I'll explain later, let's go" she replied.
I just nodded again and followed her as we made our way to a large auditorium.
We sat at the back, but we could still see the stage clearly because of how huge the place was.
"What's going on here?" I asked Savena.
"All the Enchanters are gathered here because there's an announcement" she replied.
"And who is this Supreme you were talking about earlier?" I asked, still curious.
"The Supreme Ruler, Zadkiel Vanderbilt. He holds the highest rank and is the most feared in the entire Obsidian Citadel. In other words, he's the one who leads us" she explained.
I was amazed by what she said.
"Good afternoon, Obsidian students" greeted an older man from the stage. He seemed like the director of this school. "I'd like to announce that there will be a Battle of the Enchanters next week."
My eyes widened at the announcement. Wait...What? A Battle of the Enchanters?
"The battle will begin the ranking process," he added. "The battle will be by sections" the director continued" and based on the rankings, whichever section wins the most will move on to the next level."
Hearing this, my mind went into a frenzy.
What kind of world have I stepped into? Why is there a battle happening? Is this a fight to the death?
"Savena, I don't understand anything" I said to her, my mind completely in chaos.
"The time has come for the Battle of the Enchanters, where the strength of the students' powers will be tested" she explained.
"Will anyone die in this?" I asked, feeling a bit nervous.
I really had said in my past life that I wanted to die, but my mindset had changed ever since I woke up in this world. Now, I didn't want to die.
"There won't be any deaths, just injuries" Savena reassured me, which made me breathe a little easier.
"But I don't have any powers," I said, feeling uncertain.
"You're smart, I know you can do it" Savena said as if it's not a big deal.
I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not, but what's the use of being smart if I don't have any powers to show for it? I was about to ask another question when Savena suddenly spoke again.
"The Supreme is here."
I immediately turned my attention to the stage, and my eyes widened in shock when I saw the man. It was the same person I encountered the other day by the tree the one who had pressed a knife to my neck.
He's the Supreme?
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.
I silently prayed that he wouldn't see me, because if he did, I was as good as dead for what I did. But honestly, what I did was valid he had pointed a knife at my neck even though I hadn't done anything wrong. I kept my eyes on the Supreme, who was sitting at the side, and my heart stopped when our eyes met.
Oh no, he saw me.
I saw him grin, and a chill ran down my spine. I'm doomed.
I told Savena that I needed to grab something from the locker area, but really, I just wanted to get away from that spot. Zadkiel, the so-called Supreme, was staring at me, and it felt like I was going to lose my breath.
''I can't breathe in that place" I muttered as I walked towards the locker area.
But then, I heard a voice.
"We meet again, Lady Delythena."
I jumped in surprise when Zadkiel suddenly appeared in front of me. He grinned. "Why did you leave so quickly?"
I didn't know what to say, and no words came out of my mouth.
"A-ah, I just need to grab something" I stammered, trying to make an excuse.
"You don't know me, right? Oh pardon my ignorance for not introducing properly...Well, let me introduce myself now" he said, slowly stepping closer to me until I was backed against the wall. "I am Zadkiel Vanderbilt, or more commonly known as the Supreme Ruler."
My body went cold at the sound of his words.
"Now, I'll ask you, Lady Delythena," he said, his tone serious, "Why did you step on my foot the other day? You stepped on the Supreme Ruler of this country."
I swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of his words. "I... I didn't mean to" I replied, my voice shaky.
He leaned one hand against the wall, cornering me to the side.
"Lady Delythena, you need to pay for what you've done" he said, and I bowed my head in silence at his words.
"You need to marry me" he added.
"Wait...What?!" I asked in shock.
"Yes, you heard me correctly" he said, grinning.
I was speechless, unable to believe what I was hearing.
"Are you insane?!" I couldn't stop myself from blurting out.
His thick eyebrows furrowed, matching the audacity of his grin. "Did you just call me insane?" he asked, his voice cold and sharp.
"Yes! And why would I marry you?!" I asked him, frustrated.
"You've got my attention" he replied, unfazed.
"I don't care about your attention!" I snapped back, my irritation growing.
"You have to marry me. Don't you want that? You'll be marrying the ruler of this country, the most powerful and feared one" he said, his grin widening.
Woah, the audacity of this guy! How dare he
"Seriously, the nerve of you! How shameless!" I said, my voice full of annoyance.
His eyebrows furrowed even more, and his grin only widened. "You really have nerves" he said, still grinning. "You're quite bold."
I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing from this guy.
"I'll give you some time and wait for your answer, My Lady Delythena" he said, and just like that, he disappeared, leaving me standing there, in shock.
"What's his deal?! I thought. And what's with the 'My Lady'? Is he out of his mind?!"
I couldn't help but shout in frustration, "What the heck?! Is he crazy?!"