Ow. I hissed to myself, kneading my arm that hit the wall first when something that seemed to be a spell which purpose is to send me flying was cast onto me just after I took more than a few steps towards Beatrice. Me intruding her chambers must've really frustrated her.
I groaned, my brows furrowed, and I looked at her. I wasn't angry, but I was irritated. "You could've just told—" but then again, it was my fault I got thrown across the room. Breathing, I forced myself to calm, ignoring the stinging pain on my arm. "I'm sorry for barging in your private... Space." I said at last.
She still looked flustered, breathing heavily with light red tinted on her cheeks. Perhaps she hadn't been in close contact with people in a while...? I'm not sure.
Groaning, I stood up and tried to dust my pants and gave the small lady a nod. Hoping it would lessen the tense air around the room— I waved my hands as if saying Hello.
"My name is Y/N." I paused. "Nice to meet you."
As I said the last words, Beatrice adruptly turned sidewards and humphed, apparently displeased, but she looked more composed now. After many seconds, the lady still did not give a reply. I thought that I did not want to keep the silence, so instead, I spoke again. "I heard your name was Beatrice. . . It's a pretty nice name."
In the corner of the space between us, the lady's shoulders slightly shook, but I failed to notice if my sight was telling me truth or not, so I just gave my attention to the shelf of books on my right. With my hand inches from a particular book, I was already thinking of how I should borrow it for a read— but it seems Beatrice spoke first.
"Everyone has a good name, if not a ridiculous one. Do not try to flatter me."
I turned to her, my hand still in the air. ". . That's true. Then, I must say you have a good name."
Seeing that I was persistent in saying she had a good name, Beatrice clicked her tongue, but approached me, her hair bouncing delicately with each step. "Don't."
"Don't what?" I asked.
"Don't feel so free to touch my books. You aren't even really welcomed here."
Taken aback by such sour mood, I retreated my hand and looked down at her. "Then what do you want me to do?"
Beatrice looked at me with a blank expression. "Why? What is your real goal to be here to start with?"
With that question, I dug my mind abd looked for a couple words to convince— but what is the point when I am not sure of my goal?
"I..." my voice trailed off.
"Is that really needed?" I asked.
She looked at me with the same indifference. "I suppose. In fact, people like you won't get anywhere without even having a goal."
My face twitched. What arrogance. "Everyone won't get anywhere without a goal." after saying that, naturally i have to come up with an answer fast.
Should I say: I am looking for a book to kill time reading.
What kind of answer is that??
Then, should I say: I am looking for a cure to a poison. Maybe there's hope for an antidote.
. . .that answer seemed fine. But,
Should I say: Every time I die, I go back to life. I want to know why it's happening.
...
The last time I did that with Crusch-san, there seemed like a hand seeping through my bones and pulling at my heart with the intent to piece its nails, or tear it out. It was a painful experience, but does that mean everytime I tried to say the truth about this damn ability, it happens again? What if it's not applicable when I say it to different people?
It would be worth a try, right? I just have to endure...
"Say, if a person dies and goes back to life he lived a few days ago, what's the problem with him?" I closed my eyes tight, bracing myself for the pain that will come.
But there was none.
Inwardly, I jumped with joy.
Beatrice replied, her brows furrowing. "What do you mean. You... Do you also go back to another life when you die?"
There was a metaphorical bucket of ice poured down on my head, and cold blood rushed through my veins. I felt it coming, the hand in the color of nothingness seeping through my bones, taking hold of my heart and squeezing— squeezing, squeezing— I couldn't breathe anymore. I clutched my chest, and felt myself collapsing, and finally losing consciousness.
Like a person who was drowning and only managed to get on the surface, desperately filling the lungs that lacked oxygen— I woke up sweating. I was on my feet, standing, and my hand was on the shelf. In front of me, Beatrice stood impatiently, but she looked shocked too.
"What happened to you?" she asked. Not really in a gently and worried tone.
I gasped, and panted. Took my time to breathe. I only answered with a shake of head. "I just. . . I just forgot to breathe there." I made an excuse.
... Forget about telling anyone. There's no hope at all.
Beatrice looked at me with squinted eyes, her mouth was opening and closing, as if she wanted to say something. I was looking for what she had to say, but turned her back on me and walked farther away. With a wave of hand but not turning back to face me at all, she gave me a farewell that evening and sent me crashing outside the door once my breathing was steady again.
The next day, I woke up in bed after collapsing on it and thinking until I dozed off. I put on my glasses— nothing in my sight really changed. I put the glasses down again. I sighed.
Another day wasted.
"Oh? Y/N-san." a lady in maid uniform spotted me walking outside, admiring the glasses. I flinched, taken off guard by Ram. I scratched my head bashfully. "You can just call me Y/N, you know..." since she's older than me.
.
Surprisingly, and bluntly, she looked at me with none of a certain emotion and gave a thumbs up. "Y/N it is, then. What are you doing there?"
Internally, I choked. She was pretty blunt and straightforward. That is nice, to be honest. I gave a low chuckle and answered.
"Hmm.. Enjoying the air, I guess. It's all right to take some time here, right? If I'm in your way though, please do tell me." I said.
With a blank face again, she replied. "Oh. If I needed you to get out I wouldn't be wasting time exachanging few words with you. You said something's in your mind?"
"Well... Yeah."
Ram swept the floor once, and talked to me again. "What is it about?"
Scratching my head once again, I prolonged a hum, not sure how to proceed. If it's just a normal question of curiousity, it should be fine, right?
"You know... Beatrice, right?"
Ram's eyes widened slightly. She nodded, and asked. "Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering what kind of...."
Wait, was Beatrice a spirit?
"Spirit?" Ram continued after me.
I nodded, and asked her if it was okay to tell me some facts about the spirit with cream hair and blue eyes. Forntunately, it was. And she started with small infos.
"She's a magic user. 400 years old. Master at Yin magic. Pretty powerful, I must say."
"and??" I prompted her to continue.
Ram looked in a distance, her petite hands caressing her chin while she hugged the broom unconsiously.
"She can detect and remove curses."
I was speechless. If that was true, then. . .
"Do you also go back to life when you die, too?"
I was too preoccupied that night. I didn't remember what she said at all.
Beatrice knows. . . .
Beatrice knows about this curse!!!
I thanked Ram and hurried inside, letting my feet drag me where I am supposed to be, and turned the knob of a door.
Henlo guyssss sebasnyanchi here owo
First of all, thank you for the support! Huhu, i wouldn't have gone this far without yall i swear.
Second!! Im so sorry for being so inactive. For a lot of times, i lose interest in writing what i have started to work my way into finishing it. But hey, we're slowly getting into the middle...? I hope you all bear with me huhu
Also, if the characters seen OOC, please do let me know in the comments!!! You can also request some interactions from me too.
Thank you all again and i hope you all stay safe!!! Lots of love.