Volume 7, Chapter 12 – The Changing Master and Servant

Within the sun-drenched Blossom Library, an unstable, eerie blue portal rapidly unfurled. The aperture, initially only the size of a fist, soon expanded into a circle large enough for two people to pass through side-by-side. Immediately following, a tall girl and a shorter one stepped out from within the portal.

The slender girl with her black hair tied into shoulder-length twin tails and wearing a black formal dress was, naturally, Fia. The mature girl with flowing golden hair, dressed in a jade-green swordsman’s uniform, was Anastasia.

Originally, Fia had planned for Anastasia to explain herself to Claire, Liti, and the others during breakfast, after which they would return to Blossom together via teleportation magic while the army was led to the front lines by Erin Slate. However, Baron Yarua’s domestic servants were not like the maids of the Dusk Palace—who remained on standby even at night—and breakfast would not be ready until after seven in the morning. Consequently, the impatient Fia simply brought Anastasia straight back to Blossom.

Furthermore, Fia had instructed Baron Yarua’s servants to explain her whereabouts to Claire and Milu—who were of the early-rising persuasion—once they woke up.

“This is the Princess’s library…”

The scent of paper filling her nostrils invigorated Anastasia’s spirit. She instinctively took a step forward, looking around the quiet library filled with bookshelves, her azure eyes brimming with joy.

“It hasn’t changed at all. I never thought I would be able to return here in my lifetime. Blossom should have been swallowed by Chaos long ago… It really is another world…”

“I know you’re nostalgic for these things, but it won’t be too late to come back after we figure out what’s happening to you. I need to know the cause of the soul swap and how to restore it. Are you hungry? I’ll have the kitchen maids prepare something you can carry and eat as we walk.”

Fia’s voice snapped the nostalgic Anastasia back to reality, and she turned around in a flurry.

“Your… your subordinate can make it herself.”

Rather than spending time cooking, it would be better to come with me to see Laplace quickly or tell me about what happened in the other world, Fia thought to herself, though she didn’t say it. She felt an immense urgency to restore Anastasia’s soul, yet speaking too bluntly would be cruel to the current Anastasia, leaving her in a dilemma.

“It’s better to leave such things to the servants. Also, do you mind if I tell the others about your situation? The soul swap wasn’t your intention; you’re a victim as well. If you want to keep it a secret, I can tell only those who absolutely need to know—like Laplace and the magic scholars of the Elf Tower. I’ll also tell you about the usual Anastasia’s habits so you can cooperate in keeping the secret. After all, there’s no telling what might happen once your identity is exposed; I don’t mean they’ll take you for research, but rather some emotional issues.”

“That…”

Anastasia hesitated for a moment. Agreeing to Fia’s suggestion meant she could integrate into Anastasia’s identity and embrace a brand-new life. Although she hadn’t seen the full extent of this world yet, even a mere glimpse was enough to tell her that this world was far more beautiful than her own. The air was always fresh and clean, the cries of children were nowhere to be heard, and there was no need to worry about imminent disasters; peace permeated everywhere.

Most importantly, her sun had not been extinguished, which was more important than anything. However, she understood that she was an interloper. To pretend to be someone else in conversation would only be nauseating, especially lying in front of Fia—someone who knew the truth. She couldn’t do it.

Anastasia smiled wryly.

“From the moment the Princess told me to consider you as a sister, I didn’t think I could fit into my current identity. There is a fourteen-year gap between your subordinate and this world. Even if you tell me the habits of the ‘real’ me, I won’t be able to fake it. Subtle movements cultivated over a long time will always expose my identity.”

“So you’re unwilling, then.”

That’s good.

Fia felt a sense of relief in her heart. As expected, regardless of which world’s Anastasia it was, she always possessed a kind heart.

“But the ’emotional issues’ you mentioned… Does it mean the ‘me’ of this world has an extraordinary bond with someone else?”

“Not exactly.”

Standing around and talking felt too stiff, so Fia took the lead and walked toward the library doors, with Anastasia following close behind.

“Anastasia and Liti have a very good relationship, right? I mean, in your world.”

“Uh… how did the Princess know? When Princess Liti comes to find your subordinate, she always chooses a time when you aren’t aware.”

Fia, who was pushing open the door, froze for a moment. Then she realized that in Anastasia’s world, although she and Liti were sisters, their relationship was like that of strangers; Liti was terrified of her cold self. The current Anastasia wasn’t aware that she had already bridged the gap with Liti, nor that Liti secretly referred to Anastasia as “Sister.”

Thinking about it this way, it was almost unbelievable that Anastasia could adapt to her current, non-cold self—her adaptability was frightening.

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No, that wasn’t quite right. Thinking carefully, her own Anastasia was the same. After she lost her memory and acted like a different person, instead of doubting her, she helped her complete her self-identification; the two were identical in the way they adapted to her. Likely, the Anastasia before her also believed she was Dofilia because of habits she shared with the Eldest Princess.

Fia waved her hand with a smile.

“My personality changed drastically after I lost my memory, and Liti stopped being afraid of me. My relationship with her is very good now, and she talks to me about things she does with you. To get back to the point: what I wanted to say is that Anastasia and Liti have a very deep bond. So, I’m worried that after Anastasia says she isn’t herself, Liti might resent you and view you as an outsider. When that happens, Anastasia, don’t take it to heart. You know, when a family encounters something like this, anger is inevitable.”

It would even be reasonable for Liti to say “get out of this body.” In fact, that would be the normal situation. If she hadn’t known that the person replacing Anastasia was another Anastasia, she would have already rushed forward to seize her by the collar and ordered Laplace to drag the fake soul out and tear it apart.

Anastasia offered a deep bow.

“Your subordinate will keep that in mind.”

Thump.

Accompanied by the sound of the library doors closing, the two arrived in the hallway. Perhaps because it was still so early, the spacious corridor with its red carpet was completely empty. Fia quietly looked back to observe Anastasia’s expression; the latter followed with stiff movements, her right hand held over her chest as if she were nervous.

The estate maids and Colita soon spotted Fia and Anastasia. Since Fia returning home via teleportation magic was a normal occurrence in the eyes of Colita and the other maids, they didn’t act surprised. However, when they greeted Anastasia, she appeared very reserved. Although Colita and the others were puzzled, Fia was in a hurry, so the group didn’t come forward to inquire.

Silence reigned for the rest of the way.

It wasn’t until the two arrived in the open area outside the Royal Palace that Anastasia’s muscles grew stiff like a village girl entering the Royal Capital for the first time; even her walking posture became strange. Especially when a patrolling Imperial Guard walked past Fia, Anastasia would dodge behind Fia’s back. This happened two or three times until another squad of Imperial Guards clad in pitch-black armor approached them head-on, and Anastasia hid behind her once more. Fia finally couldn’t help but ask.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I—I’m a bit unaccustomed to this. My apologies, Princess.”

“Unaccustomed? Because you haven’t been to the Royal Capital in fourteen years?”

“No…” Anastasia hesitated for a moment. “It was unexpected. It turns out the Imperial Guards really don’t treat me like a criminal. In your subordinate’s world, because I escaped prison before my execution, I became a major wanted criminal in Silvar. Every time I encountered them, I had to dodge. After it became a habit… To be h-honest, I’m not comfortable with the way everyone looks at me. I always feel like I’ll be outed as Anastasia, and then reported…”

By the end of her sentence, Anastasia’s smile was filled with weakness. Because she had experienced such things so many times, she was exceptionally sensitive. Whether it was the way others looked at her or appearing in crowded places, she was hyper-vigilant, terrified of being discovered.

“I see.”

No wonder her whole body was stiff and she hid behind her whenever she saw Imperial Guards; it had become a psychological shadow.

Fia couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. If the soul of this current Anastasia could be separated and left behind, it would be better for her to stay in this peaceful world. Of course, she would ultimately have to respect Anastasia’s own wishes.

At the same time, the urgency in Fia’s heart intensified. Heaven knew if her own Anastasia was still in this world or had gone to the other world. If it were the latter, the situation would be dire. If Anastasia tried to find her and went before Elf soldiers, the result would likely be her getting thrown into prison.

Her pace instinctively quickened as she pressed for more details.

“What about your daily life? Anastasia, you lived in a village far from the battlefield. That should have been safe, right?”

“Reasonably safe…”

“How safe is ‘reasonably safe’?”

Because Fia’s pace had quickened, Anastasia also had to accelerate to keep up with her.

“The fourteen-year war forced every country to give their all. Many supplies couldn’t be maintained, and the shrinking defensive line made us lose a vast amount of land. There’s no telling how many families were shattered as a result. The Alliance territories were full of refugees. Even villages hidden deep in the mountains would be found by refugees with nowhere to go. Then, the village would gradually attract more and more refugees until food ran out. The refugees would go into the fields to destroy the crops the villagers planted, causing disputes that eventually turned into armed brawls. It wasn’t unusual for refugees to kill everyone in an entire village to steal their belongings.”

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Perhaps noticing Fia’s expression gradually darkening, Anastasia quickly snapped out of her disastrous memories.

“However, the village where your subordinate stayed had no problems. It was a stronghold for Eternal Daylight Mages. Lady Calista, the Holy Son of Eternal Daylight Mages, looked after me and arranged for me to stay in a village where no one would disturb me. Regarding food, I could be self-sufficient with the vegetables I grew. Your subordinate is a Near Fifth Rank warrior; simply by using magic to ripen plants, I earned the respect of the villagers there. Additionally, Lady Calista arranged a maid for me. If you’re worried about the Anastasia over there getting into trouble, that maid can certainly help.”

She likely meant that if her own Anastasia went to look for Elf soldiers, the maid would stop her.

Fia felt a slight sense of relief, but another question arose in her mind.

“Anastasia, did you just mention Calista?”

“Ah, yes. The Magic Stone studies founded by Lady Calista allowed ordinary people to use magic with the help of items. Lady Calista deserves the most credit for the Alliance being able to resist Chaos for all these years. The Princess may not know, but Lady Calista is a Holy Son truly recognized by the Gods. Oh! If you go to find Lady Calista now and help her, she will surely be grateful to the Princess in the future!”

Ignoring Anastasia’s expectations, Fia asked hesitantly.

“Let me confirm something: is the Calista you’re talking about a blue-haired Stellacryst Beast?”

“Eh? You know Lady Calista?”

More than just knowing her—she hadn’t even sent Calista back to Eternal Daylight Mages from Cold Night yet.

This was because Calista had much preparation to do in Cold Night—not just preparations for capturing gods, but also for making money.

Not everyone lived without worry for food and clothing like Fia, able to buy whatever they wanted. Eternal Daylight Mages wouldn’t give Calista infinite resources, so many personal researches had to be funded by herself. For example, purchasing a large quantity of magic ores in Cold Night—where they were plentiful and cheap—and then bringing them back to the Southern Continent, where wars frequently occurred. This way, she could earn a staggering amount of money. Had Calista not insisted on staying in Cold Night to make money, Fia would have sent her back long ago.

Fia’s expression grew complicated. She hadn’t expected to be able to peek into the future this way. If she had enemies, they would surely be furious if they knew Anastasia was leaking information.

She let out a massive sigh of relief.

“As long as you’re okay. On the bright side, maybe the Anastasia I know is simply sleeping within the mana surge. In any case, you don’t need to fear the Imperial Guards—speaking of which, if you’ve been a wanted criminal all this time, that must mean Yelido didn’t die for the country when the Holy Tree was destroyed?”

“Yes. I’ve heard reports of His Majesty being active on the front lines. Silvar is a premier power; even though it was the first nation to be encroached upon by Chaos, it hadn’t been completely swallowed even by the day I came here.”

Good to hear.

Fia felt a bit more at ease.

“What about Erin Slate and Liti? And Estelle, Nola, and Tilulu? If Father is still alive, Erin Slate and Liti should be fine as well. Even if Estelle, Nola, and Tilulu aren’t a match for Chaos, they should have been able to run away in time.”

“That…”

Anastasia’s expression suddenly stiffened, and her voice became hesitant, as if she were weighing how to word her response.

“There has been no word of Lady Erin Slate since she let me go. Other officials who served in the Royal Capital vanished along with her. Princess Liti also disappeared after being kidnapped by traitors. Miss Estelle is indeed still alive, but as for Nola and Tilulu…? Forgive my ignorance, Princess, but I do not know of those two ladies.”

Tch.

I shouldn’t have asked.

Since the development of that world had changed, it was understandable that Anastasia didn’t know Nola or Tilulu. As for the others, it was probably best not to keep asking.

“Right, and Prince Kalse—ugh.”

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Suddenly, Anastasia—who had been trailing just a step behind Fia—hurriedly backed away. Just as Fia was about to look back, she heard approaching footsteps and a familiar greeting.

“Good morning, Eldest Princess.”

The newcomer was a young man leading a squad of Imperial Guards.

Fia remembered this man; his name was Kirill. He had been Anastasia’s adjutant when they were in Aurora City. After Anastasia stepped down from her position as Captain of the Second Squad, he had been promoted to the role. Duty-wise, the Second Squad was directly responsible for Fia’s safety and followed her commands, which was why Fia had run into them here.

Fia gave a slight nod in response.

“Mm. Is Father in the Royal Palace?”

“His Majesty has returned from the front. He should be preparing to handle the administrative affairs reported from across the regions right now.”

“I see. Continue with your duties.”

“Yes!”

The man named Kirill stood at attention and bowed to Fia. However, he didn’t walk away; instead, he looked hesitant, his gaze shifting toward Anastasia behind Fia as if he wanted to say something.

“Do you have something to say to Anastasia?”

Kirill bowed his head slightly, looking ashamed.

“Yes. Since your return to the Royal Palace, I haven’t had a chance to speak properly with the Captain. In truth, I believe I lack the ability to lead the Second Squad; everyone hopes for the Captain’s return. Sitting in the Captain’s seat makes me… restless. I am too ashamed to face the Captain.”

Fia looked back. Normally, she would have gone with the flow and said something like, “Look, even Kirill says so. If you want, I’ll arrange it.”

However, the current Anastasia wasn’t the real Anastasia. Making an unauthorized decision would lead to a very delicate situation when the true Anastasia returned.

Anastasia’s reaction was unexpected. As if she hadn’t heard Kirill’s words, her azure eyes widened slightly, and a look of deep emotion surfaced within them.

“Kirill, you’re aliv—”

“Ahem.”

Fia promptly interrupted Anastasia’s remark. If she had let her continue, she probably would have said, “Kirill, you’re alive!” While saying that wasn’t strictly forbidden, it would have been very strange.

“Captain, you…”

“Anastasia has urgent business with me. You can talk later when there’s time. I will consider the matter of her returning to her post as Captain, but not right now.”

“As long as it’s a possibility, as long as it’s a possibility! Thank you, Eldest Princess!”

Kirill was full of gratitude, bowing repeatedly to Fia. The soldiers behind him also looked delighted, their excitement plain to see.

“Dismissed.”

“Yes!”

Overflowing with joy, Kirill walked away, looking back at Fia and Anastasia every few steps until he vanished around a corner of the palace.

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“Kirill is alive…”

As if discovering a lost treasure, Anastasia spoke with relief, her breathing quickening.

Fia looked helpless.

“I knew you were going to say something like that. Did Kirill die in that world?”

“Yes… Kirill was ordered to capture me along with the other Imperial Guards. But Kirill was fiercely loyal to me; although he found me, he didn’t report my location. Later, I heard that he was swallowed by Chaos during a battle to protect the Queen’s retreat…”

“Stop. Just treat it as if I asked a foolish question. We’ll pass through the market once we leave the palace and meet some Witches. They are my subordinates in name now, so don’t treat them like the evil Witches of the past, Anastasia.”

“Witches? How did witches sneak into Silvar!”

“Calm down. In your world, did the Witches not help protect the World Tree Continent? Names like Friede or Lianne, for instance.”

“No. Witches are capable of every evil. While Lady Calista and the others fought on the front lines, those Witches were causing chaos in the rear. They are a group even more detestable than the Darkborn!”

Fia showed a moment of confusion, then after thinking about it, she understood the likely development. It was probably that when Friede returned to the Witch Sanctuary, she failed to convince Lianne to root out the evil Witches. This resulted in the Dusk Palace remaining as it was, failing to contribute during the disaster to save the continent.

However, this level of “foresight” didn’t actually help her much. If Anastasia had told her this six months ago, she could have used the information to destroy The Sovereign’s base in the Weeping Mountains ahead of time. But now, she had already stopped Chaos from encroaching on the continent—it was like dumping a bucket of water on a fuse before the fire reached the powder keg. Therefore, any intelligence Anastasia provided from here on out might not align with reality, as developments had already shifted.

But this raised another question. Since Chaos was an apocalypse that even Absolute Evil couldn’t handle without joining forces with the Queen of the Kingdom of Death, wasn’t it too strange that she had extinguished it with a single orbital strike? The amount of Chaos that appeared in the Weeping Mountains was indeed vast, but it was nowhere near enough to swallow two-thirds of the World Tree Continent. Furthermore, she had encountered Chaos many times, and it had never shown any ability to multiply.

More importantly, even the Chaos with the densest mana Fia had encountered wasn’t exceptionally strong. Even in great numbers, they couldn’t compare to the quantities in the Sea of Chaos on the original continent.

If Absolute Evil, the Queen of the Kingdom of Death, and the others took turns clearing areas of Chaos with wide-range magic and then had soldiers garrison the area while they recovered their mana, they should have been able to solve the Chaos problem slowly. To put it simply: even a million ordinary people are no different from ants against wide-range magic if paired with an effective defense; one must possess a certain level of individual strength to withstand wide-range magic.

I’ll have to go back to the Weeping Mountains to confirm this again later.

“Princess, you really have changed…”

Anastasia’s sigh of wonder rang out beside her. Fia turned her head; at some point, Anastasia had moved to a position nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with her. She was carefully observing Fia’s profile, her previously despondent eyes regaining their spark. Those blinking azure eyes almost made Fia think her own Anastasia had returned.

She’s too close.

Fia backed away slightly.

Perhaps because she missed the Eldest Princess too much, the Anastasia before her had no concept of personal space. Those eyes staring at her profile looked as if they could never see enough.

“The ‘you’ from before would never have spoken so much to a servant, let alone explained so much to me. Even though your habits and micro-movements are identical, your personalities are worlds apart… Ah, could—could it be that in this world, Queen Veronica was very kind to you? Although I shouldn’t say such things, I think the current you is much cuter and more understanding…”

“It’s simply because I lost my memories,” Fia answered.

Perhaps it was due to fourteen years of life as a fugitive, but she noticed that the Anastasia before her wasn’t accustomed to using formal self-references. Fia couldn’t help but feel a sense of irony. She had been working so hard to make Anastasia act like a Sister and get her used to saying “I” instead of “your subordinate.” Yet, what she had failed to achieve, fourteen years of exile had managed by making Anastasia forget her old habits. It left her with mixed feelings.

Let’s just get to the Witch Sanctuary quickly. Laplace had no need for sleep and should be with the Knowledge-Seeking Demon General right now.

Hopefully, Laplace—who was skilled in manipulating the soul—could restore Anastasia. Or at the very least, tell her where her own Anastasia was located.