Zinless
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Chapter 30: Fated... What?
🕑 Added 2024-08-24 13:30:02 +0000 UTCI woke up to sharp stinging pain across both bodies.
““Ow! Ow! Ow!”” Both of my bodies yelped as I struggled to get up on both.
Eventually, I managed to sit upright on the soft white beds. I noticed several bandages on my bodies, add just a bit more and I might have the perfect Halloween costume.
The room we were in had several beds along with wooden shelves filled to the brim with what seemed to be various liquids and tools I wouldn’t want close to me.
Judging from the fact that my instincts were telling me I shouldn’t touch any of those, I slowly pieced together that we were in a clinic.
Trying to suppress the stinging sensation felt throughout my bodies, I tried to remember how I got here.
Right, I passed out of exhaustion the moment I was rescued.
I must’ve spent almost all my energy fighting that bandit leader. Makes sense, one small misstep and I would’ve lost my heads to his halberd. Both of my bodies were probably pumped full of adrenaline throughout the night..
The upside was the fact that I survived and made it back.
The downside? Now I can’t move my arm without wincing. Kinda regretted sitting upright, I couldn’t even lay back down in fear that might cause pain too.
The room was empty besides both of me, our beds situated beside each other on the far side of the room.
Both of us wore white clothes that felt smooth to the touch, along with a simple shirt underneath it on both of my bodies.
I thought it was weird, I didn’t expect my village’s clinic to have this kind of clothing for the patients. It looked brand new too.
As I was wondering where in the hell they got these clothes, a door creaked open to reveal a woman carrying a wooden tray.
“Ah?!” She widened her eyes in surprise, noticing us. “Excuse me!!” She quickly backed up, holding her head low.
“Huh? Why did she–?”
I listened to her footsteps as she rushed up the stairs into a room directly above us. She hurriedly slammed open a door and shouted.
“T-They’re awake!!”
“Wha–?! Really?!” A rugged voice responded, surprised by the sudden intrusion. “ Y-You gave the girl a proper greeting, right?!”
“W-What? Should I? I ran away the moment I noticed she was up!”
“You should! You know how stuck up those people can be!”
“H-How should I know?! This is my first time meeting someone like that!”
Judging from how panicked they were, I figured they were talking about Carine. I understood their worry about not offending me, this was just how social class worked in this world, but come on, I’m not that stuck up… Right?
The conversation upstairs continued.
“Tch, we’ll have to be quick! I’ll go meet up with her! You go and get the breakfast ready!”
“Y-Yes! Will soup be okay?”
“Of course not! Go have the tavern next door whip up something!”
“Got it! I’m heading out!”
H-hey, there’s no need to go that far… Soup’s fine…
Not like I could communicate with them from here though…
—
A tall, skinny man entered the room, his movement stiff as a board. A forced smile stretched across his face, and I could almost hear it creaking from the strain.
“Greetings, Lady Sareid.” He bowed at a 90° angle. “My name is Doctor Crossborne, and it is my utmost honor to attend to you today.”
I gave a small nod as I returned his greeting. “Greetings.”
The nod made me wince in pain a bit though. I really shouldn’t move.
“Lady Sareid?! Are you alright?!” He shouted all of a sudden.
He quickly passed by Feyt, ignoring him completely, and headed straight to Carine’s side.
Hey, don’t just ignore the other me, damn you.
“Are you hurt?! Where?! How can I help?!” He let out a barrage of questions.
“I-I’m fine, just need to… lay down…”
I tried letting both my bodies fall back onto the beds gently, but the pain stopped me.
““Oww!”” Both of my bodies yelped.
“Be careful, Lady Sareid! You shouldn’t move too much!” the doctor said with concern in his voice.
I appreciated his concern, but… He was only focused on Carine, wasn’t he?
Narrowing my eyes in suspicion, I decided to test him by slowly trying to let Feyt down onto the bed again, only to yelp in pain.
“Ow! Ow! Ow!”
“Shall I get a drink for you, Lady Sareid? Warm tea, perhaps?” He asked me nonchalantly as if nothing at all happened behind him.
Yep, he’s totally ignoring Feyt.
As I was judging the doctor, I heard footsteps approaching the door. It creaked open revealing the woman from before, carrying a wooden tray filled to the brim with various dishes.
“E-excuse my lateness!”
“A-ah! Just in time!” The doctor clasped his hands. “Lady Sareid, we have brought your breakfast! Please, recover your energy so that you may recover properly.”
“R-right…”
The woman quickly rushed to Carine, placed a small wooden table, and presented the food she ordered from the tavern next door.
It was a simple steak, but the presentation made it seem like it was the most expensive dish in the village. It was coupled with a plate of bread, dried meat, and a glass of warm water.
Is this something you should serve someone who is sick?
Despite the health concerns, my mouth almost drooled at the sight of it. I didn’t know if it was due to hunger, my lack of energy, or both.
The woman turned around and pulled out a table for Feyt as well.
Oh! You didn’t forget about me! Thank you—
She placed one bowl of warm soup and then frantically left the room.
…What did I even expect?
“Please enjoy your meal, Lady Sareid! We shall be waiting outside!” He gave a deep bow before leaving the room at a hurried pace.
I was left alone to my own devices.
That guy, he was trying too hard to please me, and it kinda pissed me off instead.
Oh well, at least I got food.
It took quite a while, but I managed to eat half of the steak and a small piece of the dried meat. But, I stopped eating as Carine for two reasons: One, I was already pretty full. Second, my jaw hurts every time I chew.
Chewing the dried meat was torture.
In contrast, I cleaned my bowl of soup as Feyt quite easily.
“...They should’ve stuck with the soup…”
I looked back at my unfinished dishes. Should I just throw them away? It felt like a waste. Maybe I should just stomach it? That’ll be hard…
I looked at each other. Maybe I could just share it?
The soup for Feyt wasn’t that filling, after all.
As I pondered that though, something hit me. I was in front of myself.
This was the first time I could appreciate my own company, since the first chance I had to do that, we were kidnapped.
Looking at my own faces, I couldn’t help but find both of me looked… mesmerizing.
I definitely didn’t get this feeling staring at my own faces in the mirror, so why was I feeling it then?
I couldn’t take my gaze off once I focused, a weird feeling of connection was welling up between both of me.
I mean, both Carine and Feyt were me, of course I would feel some sort of connection. But this was a lot more… compelling, than I expected.
It was as if meeting myself was my fate.
Realizing how cheesy that line of thought was was what pulled me out of my trance. I shook my heads fervently, trying to clear up the confusing daze in my head.
What is this feeling??
I theorized a bit. These bodies, they seem to react strongly to each other. I didn’t understand the why of it, all I knew was that I couldn’t shake the weird warm feeling whenever I looked at myself through my other self’s eyes.
Then, I remembered something, something I thought I left behind already, my past life.
Luke and Kloe, the two people I rescued.
I at first theorized the reason I had two bodies was because I saved those two from their deaths, and I had somehow stolen their spot in this world.
I recalled their conversation on the balcony, right before everything went downhill and I had to sacrifice myself.
Luke mentioned that meeting her was like fate, love at first sight if you will. Kloe then confirmed that she felt the same way.
I pieced things together with the assumption that my theory was right.
Carine and Feyt were meant to be their bodies.
They were ‘fated lovers’.
They had a ‘Love at first sight’…
No… There’s no way…
I looked between myselves, the horrifying realization kicking in.
Carine and Feyt… Kloe and Luke...
I shook my heads in horror, I refused to believe it.
Carine and Feyt were meant to be together? That's nonsense!
Both of them were me, after all!
I-It was just a theory.!
Yeah… Nothing more than a theory…
I think I'm going insane...
