I Reincarnated to An Chapter 318: Someone Else

Chapter 318: Soone Else

"I can do this. Yes. I can do this." Eirbhaen chants to herself, trying to believe it. She is standing in front of her mirror in her room, wearing a short cream-colored tunic dress that falls mid-thigh, fitted at the waist with a moss-green belt.

Beneath it, dark green fitted leggings allow ease of movent. Ankle boots complete her look.

A dark green robe is draped over the back of a chair. A half-filled open suitcase sits on the bed, with miscellaneous items scattered beside it.

Eirbhaen turns to the bed and reaches for a small dark green booklet with "PASSPORT" written on its cover.

She takes out another passport from her space pouch and holds two identical passports in her hands.

One looks more worn. The other is brand new.

She holds both passports against her chest.

"Please understand what I am about to do. Please don’t be angry with ."

She places the worn passport on top of the suitcase and returns the brand new one to her space. She finishes packing and closes the suitcase.

She sighs and tucks it into her space as well.

She turns toward the window, watching the night sky. It is moonless, dark and wide, with nothing but stars to fill it. Perfect for her plan.

She has been planning this for weeks. Tonight is the night.

"Yes, tonight. Not tomorrow night, or next week. Tonight. I can’t delay any longer. But... where should I go first?" Eirbhaen sits on the edge of her bed, sighing.

"I should have also figured out a destination. Done more research on it."

She taps her head softly. "Silly . Spent weeks planning how to leave the village undetected, and nothing on where to go first."

She sighs heavily. "Should I postpone? Do more research on the first destination?"

She pauses, pondering.

A few seconds later, she straightens up.

"No, this can’t be delayed anymore. I’ll figure it out once I’m in Arborel."

She pauses again.

Then nods.

"Yes, I might have to stay in Arborel for a while and do the research there. Okay."

She gets up and scans her room, making sure she hasn’t left anything suspicious behind.

Finding nothing, Eirbhaen finally takes out a letter she has written for Elder Maer and places it neatly on her table.

She gives it a gentle tap before draping her robe over her shoulders and pulling up the hood. She looks at herself in the mirror and smiles.

"I’m ready."

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"Are you giving up?"

Theo jerks awake. His heart pounds hard in his chest. Sweat beads on his forehead and dampens his back. His breaths are short and uneven. He wakes to a dark room, with only a sliver of light peeking through the curtain.

His eyes dart around, scanning the darkness.

Out of habit, he reaches his senses outward for a more thorough scan of the room, only to realize his mana has not returned yet.

He is still powerless.

Manaless.

Magicless.

Theo swallows and lets out a long sigh.

He slowly lies back down, staring up at the ceiling.

He blinks slowly.

"My world has gone mute for only twenty four hours, yet it feels like it has been years. How dramatic humans can be."

He goes silent.

He recalls what woke him.

He lifts his hand and looks at it.

"Am I losing control of this body now that I don’t have my mana? Was mana the glue that kept my soul anchored here?"

He puts his hand down.

Are you giving up? The mory of his conversation with Thea surfaces again.

"I’m not giving up, Thea. But I am lost. Lost at what my purpose is. Lost at why I was given a second chance only for it to be taken away again. Am I really supposed to live as a regular human? A young woman at that?"

Theo repeats the fears and frustrations he had voiced to Thea during their imaginary conversation.

"But you sound calr."

Theo sits up abruptly. He is sure now that he is not imagining it. He is sure he heard it.

His heart pounds hard again.

"Thea?" He whispers.

"Yes. It’s ." A voice answers from the air around him.

Theo’s heart pounds harder.

"How is that possible? You’re dead. And how are you here? Are you a ghost?"

A small, soft, lodic laugh fills the room.

"I’m here because you want

here."

Theo blinks, unsure.

"Show yourself."

Silence.

Theo doesn’t lie back down. He wants to know what is going on. He may not have his magic anymore, but he still has his brain and his curiosity. He is still Theo, even if Theo hasn’t realized it yet.

"Are you a ghost?" He asks again.

He wants to know. He needs to know.

He has had an entire conversation with Thea inside the Void. He knows the Void is real. As real as his pillow and everything he can touch. The Void is where his soul goes. He had a breakdown there and Thea showed up.

Not the real Thea, of course. She is dead. Theo knows that.

But it was his own thoughts that took her appearance. As for the reason why, Theo doesn’t know. But he is positive it was his own self taking her form. That much he is sure of.

But now Thea’s voice is here, in the real world. What does that an?

She said it is because he wants her here. Again, what does that an?

Theo keeps looking left and right, trying his best to scan his surroundings with his non-existent mana, half convinced he has gone insane.

Then, near the foot of his bed, a silhouette appears. Not quite clear enough to make out.

Theo frowns and squints.

"Thea, is that really you?"

"Yes. It’s ." The silhouette speaks.

Theo takes a sharp breath.

"So you really are a ghost?" He is still confirming.

The silhouette slowly grows clearer, but with so little light in the room, Theo still can’t make it out.

"No, I’m not a ghost." The silhouette speaks again.

"Then what are you?" Theo presses.

"I’m here because you want

to be." Her voice is soft, just like Thea’s. Theo would know, he’d recognize it anywhere. He’s been using that voice for a few months.

"I don’t understand." Theo says.

A lodic laugh fills the room again.

"Why are you stuck on sothing so insignificant?" Teasing him.

Theo is stunned.

"Wh... what? Did you just tease ?" He says, disbelief clear in his voice.

Another light laugh.

"Why? You don’t like that? This is what Thea is like."

Theo’s blood runs cold.

’What Thea is like?’ So she’s not Thea! Then who is she?!

Theo grips his blanket. A fear he has never known creeps into him. Cold sweat begins soaking his back and forehead. It is deeply uncomfortable, but he dares not move, afraid it would alert whoever... no, whatever it is.

"What do you want?" Theo tries to suppress his fear.

"And don’t give

anything about

wanting you here. I never called upon you. I never wanted you here. So tell

the truth." Theo swallows hard as he speaks, his grip on the blanket tightening as he braces for whatever cos next.

But before ’Thea’ can answer, there is a light knock on the door.

Knock. Knock.

Theo’s head whips to the door and whips back to where ’Thea’ was standing, only to find nothing there.

Theo feels his heart is about to jump out of his chest. His hands are shaking.

"Thea? Can I co in? I have your breakfast." Liam’s faint voice carries through the door.

Theo opens his mouth to answer, but no sound cos out. He exhales a shaky breath and tries again.

"Co in."

To his own ears, his voice sounds squeaky.

Click.

The door slowly opens and Liam’s head peeks in.

"Oof, the lights are still off. I didn’t wake you up, did I?" Liam says.

Theo shakes his head, realizing too late that it is too dark for Liam to see it.

"No, you didn’t." His voice still sounds rough to his own ears. He clears his throat.

"No, you didn’t wake . I was already up. Co in."

Liam straightens up and pushes the door open with one hand, balancing a breakfast tray in the other.

He enters the room and turns the lights on.

Theo blinks, his eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. His gaze flickers around the room, searching for ’Thea.’

She is nowhere to be found.

No, not ’she.’ It. Theo corrects himself inwardly.

He looks up at Liam and smiles. Genuinely happy to see him.

"Hey, Princess. Good morning." Liam sets the tray on the table and begins preparing it for Theo.

"Liam, you don’t have to do that." Theo flips back his blanket and moves to get off the bed.

"Whoa, stop. Don’t get off alone. I’ll help you once I’m done with this. Hang on, Princess." Liam quickly finishes what he is doing and rushes to Theo’s side.

He holds out one hand while his other hovers near Theo’s back, ready to catch him.

Theo looks at Liam, faint frustration apparent on his face.

"I’m not so doll that will shatter if I fall, Liam." He rolls his eyes.

"That you might not be. But I’d hate to see you fall. So do it for my sake. Please, Princess." He is half begging.

Theo lets out an exaggerated exhale and places one hand on Liam’s, slapping it hard.

"Ouch." But Liam doesn’t flinch and doesn’t close his hand around Theo’s. He lets Theo use his hand as a support, nothing more. He knows Theo doesn’t want to be helped. And Liam understands that. He respects it.