Volume 1, Chapter 8 – Anastasia

A familiar voice—yet definitely not one she had heard before.

This description might seem contradictory, but it was indeed Fia’s thought. It was precisely this inexplicable sense of familiarity that kept her from immediately breaking free from the other person’s grasp. Otherwise, given her strength, forcing her way out would have undoubtedly broken the other’s bones or injured them.

Noticing that Fia in her arms had gradually calmed down, the woman who had been cushioning Fia’s head with her knees finally relaxed, her voice softening as well.

“I know Your Highness wishes to take revenge on the humans, but their numbers are overwhelming. A direct assault now would be unwise. Our priority is to return to our homeland and inform the King and Queen of your safety.”

An acquaintance of the elf princess.

Fia’s mind raced. Though the other had only spoken a single sentence, it was enough to deduce a great deal of information. For instance, this person was aligned with the elf princess—perhaps even her servant.

“Your Highness?”

As if confirming whether Fia had understood her words, the woman posed the question.

Fia’s response, of course, was a slight nod. The elf princess’s servant surely wouldn’t harm her. Since the other didn’t know her true identity, in her eyes, Fia was still the exceptionally intelligent First Elf Princess.

“Good. That’s a relief.”

The owner of the voice let out a sigh and gradually loosened her grip, allowing Fia to turn around while still crouched.

Their eyes met.

Vibrant, expressive blue eyes.

That was Fia’s first impression.

Like her, the woman wore a hooded cloak. Compared to the elf princess’s youthful, fourteen-year-old appearance, she was clearly older—at least eighteen, the age of adulthood. Beneath the purple hood peeked golden hair that matched the stereotypical image of an elf. Though her features weren’t as delicate as the elf princess’s, they weren’t far off. On the left side of her face, near her ear, was a pattern of intricate blue lines, lending her an exotic charm.

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The girl’s lively blue eyes locked onto Fia’s. Though she said nothing, Fia could read the joy of reunion and the relief of survival in her gaze. Her reddened eyes glistened with what seemed like tears, and her shoulders trembled faintly.

Not only that, but Fia also felt an indescribable sense of closeness welling up inside her. The instincts of this body told her that she could trust this girl completely.

A moment of silence passed between them—less than a second.

Then, unable to restrain her emotions any longer, the girl threw her arms around Fia’s neck and pulled her into a tight embrace. Had Fia not braced herself, she would have been knocked to the ground.

“Dofilia!”

As if afraid Fia would disappear, the girl held her with a force that seemed intent on merging them into one. She nuzzled her cheek against Fia’s, her voice choked with sobs.

“You’re alive… Thank goodness… Thank goodness…”

No, the elf princess is already dead.

After a brief moment of disorientation, Fia answered inwardly. But she couldn’t bring herself to interrupt this reunion that anyone could see was deeply emotional, so she kept the truth to herself.

She’s trembling so much.

She must have been terrified of losing the elf princess.

Though Fia could feel the warmth radiating from the girl, she felt nothing beyond sympathy and a faint sense of loneliness. Sympathy for the girl who didn’t know the elf princess was gone, and loneliness because the girl’s emotions weren’t truly meant for her.

Fia had never experienced familial love, which was why this scene left her feeling wistful. The few fragmented memories she retained made it clear—she had no family. That was why witnessing the girl’s joy at their reunion made her feel so acutely alone. Even though she had been reborn in another world, this fact remained unchanged.

She was merely an outsider, not someone starting a new life from infancy.

Only when she felt it had gone on long enough did Fia gently twist her shoulders, pushing the girl away.

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“This isn’t the place to talk. Do you have somewhere safer we can go?”

“Y-yes… I do.” The girl seemed to snap back to reality. She hastily wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and regained her composure. “Please follow me, Your Highness.”

Though her words were formal, the girl naturally took Fia’s hand and began leading her away, stepping backward cautiously, her expression alert as they distanced themselves from the city gates.

Unlike the elf princess’s delicate, slender hands, the girl’s grip conveyed strength and firmness. Just holding her hand gave Fia a sense of security—this was the hand of someone who frequently wielded a sword. Even without feeling calluses, Fia could make that judgment.

Led by the girl, the two moved swiftly through the overgrown outskirts in silence. Occasionally, the girl would slow her pace, seemingly concerned that the elf princess might not keep up with her stamina.

Avoiding the watchful eyes of the soldiers on the city walls, the girl brought Fia to the downstream section of the river that ran through the city. Finally, she stopped at an inconspicuous spot by the riverbank and softly chanted an arcane incantation. The earth-covered ground before them vanished, revealing a sloping underground passage.

Earth magic. Fia noted this inwardly. It went without saying that this tunnel led into the city.

They entered the passage.

The journey was silent.

Had it been anyone else leading her into such a pitch-black place, Fia would have refused outright. But this girl was the elf princess’s confidant—along the way, Fia had recalled the source of her sense of familiarity. It came from the elf princess’s residual memories, like fragments of a fading dream.

When the elf princess had been impaled by the humans’ violet spear, this girl had been among the panicked onlookers. She must have been separated from the escort carrying the elf princess’s remains after the tragedy.

However.

Now that she had deduced the girl’s identity, Fia found herself at a loss.

How was she supposed to respond to this girl, so utterly devoted to the elf princess?

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If she were the real elf princess, she would undoubtedly be moved by this life-and-death reunion and accept the girl’s loyalty without hesitation. But she wasn’t. Even if she pretended to be the princess, her lack of the princess’s memories would soon betray her through differences in habits and speech. She didn’t know what kind of person the elf princess had been.

Rather than being exposed after a poor imitation, it would be better to tell the girl the truth from the start. Namely, that the elf princess was dead, and she had only ended up in the princess’s body by accident. Of course, now that the body was hers, she had no intention of returning it—a body wasn’t a tradable commodity. Giving it back would mean her own death.

Even if it would inevitably sadden the girl, even devastate her, it was an unavoidable reality. The most Fia could do was try to comfort her—Fia was the type who couldn’t help but sympathize with tears.

Thinking this, Fia glanced at the hand holding hers.

This is so embarrassing.

Regrettably, in all her life, she had never held a girl’s hand before. In her memories, she had always been alone—like that student who sat in the far corner of the classroom, forever detached from the group, watching as others discussed where to go on weekends.

Though the sensation wasn’t the slender, delicate touch she had imagined, it was still a girl’s hand. The tight, protective grip, as if afraid she might slip away, left Fia’s usually calm mind flustered. This entirely new experience made it hard to focus. Through their joined hands, she could almost smell the girl’s fragrance. She couldn’t tell whether her unease stemmed from shyness around the opposite sex or a longing for familial affection, but she found herself unable to pull her hand away.

This thing called “bonding” was as intoxicating as a drug.

As they say, people always yearn for what they don’t have.

Fia pressed her lips together.

For a moment, she couldn’t help wishing she were the real elf princess. Or, perhaps, that she could simply keep pretending and immerse herself in their world. How wonderful that would be.

This wasn’t lust for the opposite sex’s body but a craving for something deeper—emotional connection.

Sadly, this moment didn’t last long.

Soon, Fia felt the girl leading her upward. The sounds of bustling activity gradually reached her ears, and faint light seeped into the narrow, pitch-black tunnel. Finally, the girl stopped, listened for any outside noise, and then released Fia’s hand to lift a wooden plank, guiding Fia out of the passage.

“Your Highness, we’re safe now. This is a temporary hideout my companions and I found. The merchant who manages this place claims you once saved his life. He’s willing to assist us.”

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“Ah…”

The sudden loss of warmth from her hand helped Fia quickly regain her composure. She swallowed and nodded vaguely before turning to inspect the hideout.

“Hideout” was an overstatement—it was more like a bedroom.

Like something out of a medieval wooden inn, the less-than-ten-square-meter room contained only a bed and a table, with a thick, obstructive pillar in the center supporting the ceiling. The lone window was set high in the wall, reachable only on tiptoe, and the only light came from a candle lamp hanging on the wall. It was undeniably crude.

“My deepest apologies for the fright you’ve endured, Your Highness. Anastasia Yushir takes full responsibility for the failure of this campaign.”

Without hesitation, the girl removed her cloak, revealing the pointed ears and golden hair beneath her hood, and knelt on one knee before Fia.

As Fia had initially guessed, this girl—Anastasia—was around eighteen years old. Her features bore some resemblance to the elf princess’s, but her aura was entirely different. Where the princess was noble and elegant, this girl exuded steadfastness, reliability, and maturity. The straight sword at her waist marked her as a warrior.

There was no denying that if she were dressed in an evening gown, the deep blue markings on her left cheek would lend her a uniquely alluring charm.

As if ashamed, the girl’s face flushed red, and she gritted her teeth as she asked:

“Are you… are you alright?”

This moment was inevitable.

As long as she remained in the elf princess’s guise, she would have to face it.

Fia stiffened slightly, sighing inwardly. After a brief hesitation, she feigned calm and replied:

“Anastasia… That’s a lovely name. But I am no longer the elf princess.”