The forest stretched endlessly around me, shadows twisting between the trees. My legs burned, my lungs gasped for air, but I had to keep running. Somewhere behind me… someone was chasing me.
"Lady Lucia… wait!" a voice called. Panic lanced through me. I didn't even know why I was running.
Before I could make sense of it, everything went black.
When my eyes opened again, the world felt strange. Everything was hazy, edges blurred. My head throbbed, and confusion clawed at my mind.
"Lady Lucia… please wake up," a gentle voice said.
I blinked. A man knelt beside me, his expression both worried and cautious. "Who… who are you?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"My lady," he said, bowing slightly, "my name is William. I'm your tutor. You've… had an accident."
"Accident?" I frowned, trying to stand, but my legs wobbled. My memories felt fractured, like pieces of a shattered mirror.
Wait—my name. It used to be Kazuma Katsui. I remembered… a different life. I had been someone else entirely—a delinquent feared by everyone. The Devil's Right Hand.
How had I ended up here?
William seemed to sense my turmoil. "It's alright, my lady. You're safe now. I'll take you home."
Home. The word felt foreign. My mind flickered with fragments of familiarity—walls of stone, polished floors, servants bustling about—but nothing concrete.
Before I could protest, William lifted me with surprising ease and started running. The forest blurred past, and my mind spun. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at a grand, imposing building—the castle.
The massive doors swung open, and a group of servants greeted us. A young maid stepped forward, bowing deeply. She had long black hair and eyes as grey as ash.
"My lady, welcome home," she said.
"W… who are you?" I asked, pointing hesitantly.
"My name is Maria," she replied softly, and a hint of a smile touched her lips.
"I… I'm Lucia," I said. The word felt strange on my tongue, yet familiar. Maria's expression softened immediately, as if she had been waiting for me to say it.
Before we could linger in that small moment, a deep voice called from the stairs. Everyone bowed instinctively.
"Lucia! Where have you been?"
I turned to see a stern man striding toward us—my father. His presence filled the room, commanding respect, yet I felt a flicker of fear.
"She has amnesia," William said quickly, his tone cautious.
"Amnesia?" my father's eyes narrowed. "We'll see about that." He reached for my hand. I took it, but my legs betrayed me, and I stumbled. Maria's hand was there in an instant, steadying me.
"Lady Lucia, are you alright?" she asked gently.
"I'm fine, thank you," I said, trying to smile. But my father studied me carefully, his brow furrowed. "She's… different," he muttered to William.
"Maria, please show Lady Lucia to her room," my father instructed.
"Yes, my lord," Maria said, bowing slightly before leading me through the halls.
The castle was vast, its corridors filled with portraits and polished marble floors. Despite my confusion, I felt a strange sense of safety in Maria's presence.
Finally, we reached my room. "This is your room, my lady," Maria said.
I looked around, taking in the lavish furnishings. "It's… beautiful."
Maria smiled softly. "If you need anything, I'll be nearby."
I nodded and sank onto the bed, exhaustion weighing me down. The events of the day, the forest, the memory flashes—it was too much. Sleep claimed me almost instantly, and for the first time since waking, I felt a flicker of peace.
Outside the door, Maria whispered quietly to herself, She's finally asleep.