Chapter 1 : New world

Chapter 1: New World

A type of poison:’’Angel's Trumpets flower poison ’’

Aria's heart pounded in her chest as she surveyed the bleak surroundings of the damp and frigid room, the air heavy with a sense of desolation that seemed to seep into her very bones. It was the lonely abode of the Archduchess Princess, a place shrouded in mystery and sorrow.

Her eyes widened in astonishment as they fell upon a vial of poison, its lethal contents spilled upon the cold stone floor. Aria's mind raced with a flurry of questions, her thoughts whirled in a whirlwind of confusion and anxiety

"Did she try to commit suicide?" Aria whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the silence of the room. With a shake of her head, she turned her attention to the mirror that adorned the chamber's wall, her hand reaching out to touch its smooth surface.

Aria's reflection stared back at her, a ghostly image in the dim light of the room. Tilting her head slightly, she studied the reflection, feeling a pang of empathy for the frail and weary figure that glanced back at her.

"I can feel how weak and tired her body is," Aria murmured, her voice tinged with sadness. "And I can still feel the effects of the poison in her body."

Aria's heart ached as she contemplated the suffering that the Archduchess must have endured. "Have you been abused?" she wondered aloud, her voice filled with compassion. "Is this the reason for your despair, or have you effortlessly lost hope?"

As she pondered these questions, a sudden realization struck her.

"Can I take her body?" she wondered aloud, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

But before she could dwell further on her thoughts, a figure materialized before her, causing Aria to startle in surprise. "Am I hallucinating?" she thought incredulously, her eyes wide with disbelief.

It was Ethel, the original inhabitant of the body Aria now wore. Aria's expression softened as she gazed upon Ethel's familiar face, a mixture of bewilderment and sadness crossing her features.

Ethel offered a bittersweet smile, her gaze reassuring in its familiarity. And then, breaking the silence that hung between them, she began to speak, her voice filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation.

"I am Ethel  Merrifield, hailing from the Archduchy of Philadelphia. My lineage bears the distinguished honor of being the offspring of the Grand Duke of the North, whose noble blood flows from the same line as that of the Emperor himself, my esteemed uncle,"

Ethel stated, her voice echoing softly in the dimly lit room. Aria could only stare at her in silence, her mind reeling with disbelief.

"Aria, right?"

"I'm the one who called you here,"

Ethel continued, her tone solemn. "I know you're confused right now, and you certainly have a plethora of  questions, but as soon as I pass on my memory to you, you'll find solutions to most of them."

Aria's brows furrowed in confusion, but before she could voice her thoughts, Ethel Uttered. "I'm sorry for the sudden Summon, but I don't have much time. There is a letter on the table. Please forward it to your father. And Aria, don't ever feel guilty and live for me. In other words, if you don't have a reason to live, live for me Aria. This is not a request, but an order, so please do so."

Aria's heart pounded in her chest as Ethel began to fade before her eyes.

"Ethel! You can't dissipate like this!" she cried out, reaching out futilely as Ethel disappeared completely. Left in a state of disarray, Aria felt a flood of emotions wash over her.

"Thousands of unanswered questions," Aria muttered to herself, her voice heavy with frustration.

"What the hell happened!? Why do they appear out of nowhere and disappear like that? Didn't this Ethel think of the burden she left me? And what the hell does it mean to live for her?"

With a heavy sigh, Aria collapsed onto the bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over her. "Heck, I'm tired," she whispered wearily to herself.

"I'll think about that later," Aria resolved, closing her eyes and allowing sleep to claim her, if only for a moment of respite from the chaos swirling around her.

Aria's slumber was disturbed by the unwelcome sounds that pierced the early morning silence. With a groan, she attempted to block out the noise by burying her head under a pillow, but to no avail.

"Oh, the sound is still annoying," Aria muttered irritably, her sleepy eyes blinking open as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. As she glanced around the room, a sudden realization struck her—she was inhabiting Ethel's body in a new world, a new atmosphere, and a new life.

"Yes, that's right... I'm reincarnated," Aria murmured to herself, her gaze lingering on the unfamiliar furnishings of the room. Despite her weariness, she couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the breathtaking view outside the window.

"What a great view..." Aria marveled, her voice filled with awe. "Oh, how long has it been since I last saw clear skies? I wish I could always wake up to this sight... it makes me feel safe and comfortable like all my worries have disappeared."

With a deep breath, Aria resolved to make the most of her newfound existence, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead with courage and resilience. But her thoughts were interrupted by the presence of the maid at the door.

"Good morning, Princess," the maid greeted, her voice gentle and unassuming. Aria offered a faint smile in return, feeling a sense of warmth in the maid's presence.

"Can I know your name?" Aria inquired politely, her curiosity piqued by the maid's kindness. The maid blushed with embarrassment at the unexpected question, but Aria quickly reassured her with a laugh.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you," Aria teased playfully, causing the maid to apologize profusely. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I never thought of it that way," the maid stammered, her expression sheepish.

"It's okay, really," Aria chuckled, her smile widening as she learned the maid's name. "My name is Anna, and I don't have to say it formally. I'm just a maid"

"Nice to meet you, Annie," Aria replied warmly, feeling a sense of camaraderie with the maid. As Annie helped her with her morning routine, Aria's mind raced with thoughts of the events that had transpired the night before.

She remembered the letters Ethel had left—one for her father and one for herself. "Maybe Ethel's explanation is in the letter she left for me," Aria mused, her thoughts turning to the mysterious command to "live for her."

"Oh, I guess I was being formal without realizing it. Nice to meet you. Please take care of me," Aria said to Annie, her fascination evident in the maid's softly smiling expression.

after a while,

As she contemplated the events of the previous night, Aria felt a surge of anxiety. "The sheer amount of information she had wasn't enough for her," she thought, her mind racing with questions about Ethel's memories and the mysteries surrounding their connection.

"Suddenly, Aria remembered that Ethel had left two letters—one not sent to my father and the other to me," Aria realized, her curiosity piqued by the possibility of finding answers in Ethel's words.

"Don't forget, my name is now Ethel Philadelphia Merrifield," Aria reminded herself, her thoughts swirling with confusion about Ethel's knowledge of her and the meaning behind her command to "live for her."

Overwhelmed by her thoughts, Aria resolved to act as though she had amnesia and focus on gathering information about Ethel's life. But as she contemplated her next steps, Ethel's sudden awakening startled her.

"I have to tell you something feels weird, I can't remember anything other than my name, I think I've lost my memory," Ethel confessed, her words sending a shiver down Anna's spine.

Anna's grim expression mirrored Aria's anxiety as she lunged towards Ethel. "Princess, did you have an accident? Are you okay?" Anna exclaimed, her concern palpable.

But Ethel's reassurance only seemed to deepen Anna's distress. "How can you lose your memory?" Anna cried, her tears flowing freely as she grappled with the sudden upheaval.

"We must speak to the Grand Duke at once and call the doctor to check on you, Princess," Anna declared, her resolve unwavering despite her turmoil.

As Anna and Aria exchanged worried glances, Ethel's mind raced with theories about the cause of her memory loss. "Did she commit suicide for such a trivial reason?" Ethel pondered, her thoughts turning to darker possibilities of assassination or magic.

With each passing moment, the mysteries of their intertwined fates deepened, setting the stage for a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and the search for truth.

To be continued in the next chapter...

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