I LOOKED UP TO SEE WHO IT WAS—it was a girl in a blue royal dress, holding a fan in one hand. Her right arm was crossed over her chest, while the other hand rested on top of it—like a mean girl about to bully someone.
I had an idea who it might be. I didn't know her well, but I had met her a couple of times at tea parties she hosted. At first, I was curious why she still invited Seraphina, despite clearly harboring ill feelings toward me.
Later, I learned that she loved to dominate anyone she thought was beneath her status. She was the daughter of a marquess.
Clearly, she's at the top of the chain here in the East Region—she's the it girl, so naturally, she has her alipores following her around. A queen bee, in our world's terms.
But she's too insecure, especially after this girl, the body she's in, Seraphina, who apparently became me. She's insecure about me because I'm close to the "heartthrob" of the East Region—Raiven Thorne.
We're childhood friends or at least, that's how Sera described it in her diary.
After learning how they used to bully her, I tried my best to avoid them, but they were the ones who kept coming to me just to harass me.
I don't really get the point. Why do they even need to harass me? From what I see, Raiven doesn't even like me, not even a little.
Maybe he does… but only because I'm my father's daughter.
"Raiven isn't here right now to come running after you because of your tantrums, so don't act like a child, Sera."
She didn't even bother to hide her hatred towards me, she even called me by my name. As if to say she's the kind of girl who can do that, and no one would dare question her, even if she doesn't address me the way she should.
I smiled at her. I didn't want to deal with them right now. I stood up from my seat to greet her, after all, I still needed to show proper etiquette, because that's how this world works.
"Greetings, Lady Diana. It's a great pleasure to see you here again. Can I help you in any way?" Her face twisted into a grimace; she didn't even bother to fake a proper reaction.
"Why do I need your help? You can't even help yourself, delusional!" And she stormed away, her two alipores followed her right away, showing off their smirk as if they had done something so great that they should be proud of.
"Arrogant bitches." I whispered.
When they left me alone, I couldn't help but make a deep, heavy sigh. Using the spell I learned from the book—I enchanted a basic rune to lift the book so I don't need to lean on the table just to get it.
IT WAS ALREADY DARK OUTSIDE when the train announced that we had arrived at the border of the Northern Region.
It was said that the North destroy the train station in their area.
When I looked out the window, I saw how busy everyone had become, station workers unloading cargo, travelers rushing to switch trains, lights flickering across the platform like fireflies in motion.
The cold fog clung to the glass, a reminder that I was no longer in the familiar warmth of the East. Everything felt distant and foreign.
When I turned my eyes away from the window, that's when I saw a man standing in front of the door. I don't know who it was, but I have an idea who it was.
His mischievous smile was smug, yet it suited him, making him appear charming rather than boastful.
"Hey there, Sera girl. Long time no see. I've heard about your loss of memories. How was it?" he said with a smirk, which made me raise one eyebrow at him. He laughs and sat across from me.
"So the rumors must be true, you really have lost your memories," he said, staring at me. I remembered from her diary that Craige loved to stare directly at her just to tease Seraphina, because she always felt awkward when he did.
I evade his gaze, my eyes drifting to the window and freeze for a moment.
A familiar figure stands there. I am not expecting to see him here, all I heard from my maids is that he needs to attend some important meetings. Never did it occur to me that it would in the North.
I once visited the Duke of the East, Lord Thorne and saw a portrait of their son, Raiven Thorne.
"Raiven." I whisper his name as he turns away.
He did not smile nor give me any emotion, even though I am sure our eyes met for a second. He once visited me or let us say, he visited Seraphina after hearing I have woken up from my long slumber.
He's probably going in the train.
"Are you still in love with him?" I look at him, Craige, who speaks such delusions or maybe, Seraphina was really in love with Raiven. I smile at him as I lean my back.
"Am I?" I say as I smile while looking at the ceiling.
"Maybe I was," I say again. He did not say anything about my remark. Again, I reach for the book to read for the long journey that we will take.
A mage and a sorcerer…both are called wizards, yet magic flows from different sources.
In this world, every wielder of magic is known as a wizard, a bearer of power beyond the mortal realm.
Yet, beneath this shared title lies a deep divide. Evil and good—two terms that are simple yet encompass what the world has become because of magic.
Some wizards chose the path of darkness. These are the sorcerers, who draw their power from shadow and fear.
Their magic curses and corrupts, spreading unrest wherever they go. Others walked the path of light. Known as mages, they channel the energy of the sun and nature. Their magic heals and protects, working to keep peace and balance.
"I want to know what the forbidden curses are...the ones the tower forbids us to learn," I blurt out, making him stop mid-sip of his coffee.
"For what reason do you want to learn those ancient curses? There are basic curses taught at the academy and you were the last student to actually enjoy them, from what I remember—" He stops, as if realizing something, or maybe reflecting on why I'm suddenly interested in learning those curses.
"Or maybe you've hit your head too hard, and it switched your personality. That's possible. I've read about cases like yours—they start to change. Sometimes it's minimal, and some experts say it's the unconscious mind taking over when they wake up…" he continued, that's what he remembers when he paused a while ago. I just shrug my shoulder at him, I don't wanna say anything that could make him doubt if I am the real Seraphina.
The sharp chime of the train's signal cuts through the air, announcing that we're approaching our destination.
"Attention, passengers. We will be arriving at our destination shortly. Please prepare your belongings and exit carefully. Thank you."
It was the announcer of the train that we heard through the speaker—a glowing crystal embedded in the train. The shape of it is in diamond—the glow that it emits when someone is speaking is the color of blue—like the sky.
Carrying my luggage and other things—I can't help but wonder what kind of academy this is, a prestigious school of wizards.
The sky was covered in darkness, yet the moon never lost its glow with the stars that lit up the sky with so much beauty I always adore.
"Name."
"Seraphina Virel." I gave my reply, the lady in her black dress, looks at me, up and down as if judging and wondering why I am here. I can't help but raise an eyebrow at her, she smears at me as she hands over the envelope.
"17B, west wing of the dorm. Refrain from having a detour Virel and Wintervale …" she also hands over the envelope to him, Craige smiles at him.
"As you wish Miss Ferer." He smugs at her before snatching my luggage from me, leaving me the handbag. When he knows I am not following him, he turns as he smiles at. He moves his head, urging me to walk now.
I followed his steps.
"That's Miss Ferer, old single lady, there's a rumor about her choosing her career over her first love so…you have a guess—" I turn to see Miss Ferer for one last time before giving the envelope to another teacher that's in the gate. He puts the seal on it that made the envelope set on fire but it was not burnt at all.
"Putangina—" I can't help but curse at what I saw. I will go crazy here.
"What?" I shook my head at Craige. He placed our luggage on the cart and, within a minute, it was gone. I still hadn't recovered from seeing the envelope engulfed in fire that revealed our schedule and now this.
He probably saw my reaction.
It was like I was really lost. He burst into laughter seeing my reaction. I pointed to our luggage.
"It was transported to our room," he explained.
"Miss Veril… is that you?" I couldn't answer Craige right away when a woman suddenly spoke. I wasn't sure who she was, but judging from her royal dress and her blue eyes, she must be one of the princesses of this empire.
There's only one bloodline with those fucking blue eyes, royalty.
As a way to greet her, just as I'd learned in my etiquette classes, ever since Father, or rather Seraphina's father, noticed the shift in how I spoke and carried myself. They assumed that, along with my memory loss, I had forgotten how to act, how to behave.
I wanted to greet her the proper way, but my urge to use my memory loss as an excuse not to do it was stronger than etiquette.
Besides, if I'm not mistaken, one of the academy's rules is that all positions must be set aside, and everyone treated as students, at least while we are within the academy grounds.
"Yes," I answered simply.
Everyone is shocked.
It's Diana, just a mere alipores of this princess whose tongue can cut you when she speaks. That's how I want to interpret Sera's description of her—a sly fox. When Diana is about to say something, she is stopped by the Princess— Avelyne.
"It must be true that you have lost your memory, Sera," she said, calling me by my name.
Well… she's royalty. She can address me however she wants.
Yet, even though positions in society are set aside here, there's still a clear boundary when it comes to calling someone by their first name that much I know. You're only allowed to do that if you're close, or if you're friends and there's an agreement between you.
If I am not mistaken—Seraphina isn't allowed to call her by her first name.
"I apologize, but may I ask, what is our relationship? Are we close enough for you to call me by my nickname?" At that, she didn't just call me by my first name, but by my nickname,a different matter entirely if I had been the one to ask.
The people who hear it gasp for air as if I've just uttered the most obscene words they would ever hear. I wish I had my phone here with me so I could capture everyone's reaction. The boy beside me coughs, I look at him.
I wanted to roll my eyes so badly at them. Smeared at them.
Having my memory lost is my advantage. Why don't I use it?
"She's from the royal family, Sera," he says. I glance at Craige before turning my eyes back to the woman standing in front of me, she even smiles at me.
Pretentious.
"From what I remember, you often refer to me as your friend, so if that counts, then we are…" I raise an eyebrow at her words because she's unable to hide the irritation building in her voice.
She makes it sound as if Seraphina is the only one who's ever claimed they were friends.
"So you never permitted me to be friends with you, Lady Avelyne, then forgive me for my past actions, for crossing such boundaries that somehow led you to call me by my nickname. Don't worry, Your Highness..." I cut myself off before I say what I'm really thinking.
Avelyne Veloria (Ey-vie-lay-ne)
"I hope we can both remain within our boundaries to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. If you'll excuse me, I shall be taking my leave."
I turn on my heel before they can react or say anything. As I face the path ahead, my gaze catches on a man staring at me as if I'm nothing more than a rock in his way. I still wonder why Seraphina likes him so much.
"Amazing… strange…you truly have lost your memories. Lost memories can even change a heart, huh," says one of the men, his pink hair catching the light. His pink eyes glance between me and Raiven or Lord Thorne standing at his side.