The room remained silent.
Kayle is standing in front of me, not even saying a word. He seems completely oblivious to the situation, he doesn't even dare look me in the eyes and only stares at the floor, totally looking empty.
'He really looks desperate and sad.' I thought. How can I convince him? He's the one who is really loyal to Dern in THFABW, even if Dern died, Kayle would avenge him and after that, he would kill himself to be with Dern again. In that arc in the original, I was really surprised by his loyalty and way of thinking. He's hard to understand because I don't really know a lot of information about him or his past though but it's sure, Dern is really important for him.
I don't want to hurt him either even though I know he's a bad person here and would obviously kill me at every moment.
I get up from the office chair and approach Kayle. After being closer enough to him, he looked at me with his blue spirits eyes with an expression that said he really hates me right now.
"Kayle Alt, I... I know it's hard to accept but I'm now in Dern's body so that would—" I was hardly trying to talk calmly with Kayle but then Kayle grabbed me by my neck, he was actually strangling me at the same time.
'What the—!?' I was surprised by the sudden attack and Kayle continued to grab me by my neck and I was slammed against the wall brutally, always grabbing me, as if I was a bag of potatoes.
I was starting to lose my breath a little now. Kayle didn't even move to let me go. "Who do you think you are to telling me such a thing like that?" Kayle was currently really upset about me, every single word I said made him really angry at this point. I can't catch a breath now because of Kayle.
"Kof— uff! Kayle... Let go of me, please..." I begged Kayle but Kayle wouldn't let go of my neck. My hands were trembling under Kayle's arm and his hand that was suffocating me. It's even worse than being killed with a sword, being strangled, doesn't even have to breath, your lungs that are slowly getting less air. This fucking bastard. He wants to torture me at this point.
Even if I know Kayle wouldn't kill me in this situation, it still hurts. Of course, I'm not Dern but I'm still in his body and if someone precious to someone like him was replaced by someone else in his body. It wouldn't be the same but Kayle is a character I don't really know very well but in my expansion, he is someone who cares about their loved ones and would do anything for them. He's such a character.
My monologue in my head went on a little too long I think. I'm not very good at public speaking or human relations, and how to define that. I'm such a person, why am I even thinking about this in this situation?
Meanwhile, I'm still strangled by Kayle and I tried to calm the situation. 'Violence or fake manipulation are just for the more complicated situation.' I thought.
"Kayle... Calm down please... we just need to talk properly..." But Kayle didn't even listen to me, his hand tightened in the grab on my neck. My vision began to blur because of Kayle's grab.
I'll really die like that? Besides, dying by suffocation is really painful, when I can't breathe, it's the worst kind of torture... Even if I have Dern's body, he doesn't let me go. Is he a psychopath? No, I can't even insult him, even in THFABW, they were not really explicated. They were just showing as the antagonists and there were not enough informations, fu##. Why am I thinking about that in a situation between life and death..? I'm such an idiot.
It's actually weird, why am I feeling like my soul is sucked in? Did Kayle use a spell and use it while strangling me with his hand...? He's genuinely a smarta##. At this point, he is going to kill me...
'I couldn't even defend myself... like always, tch.' I think while actually trying to push Kayle away from me but he didn't even move an inch.
And after a few seconds, I passed out while Kayle was still strangling me.
Finally, after I passed out, Kayle released his grip on me. Dern's body fell to the ground. Kayle knelt before the unconscious body and looked at Dern's left hand and looked at Dern's ring finger, there was nothing on it since yesterday. And Kayle said.
"Tch, pathetic. He doesn't even know how to act well like my Dern."
Kayle looks at Dern's body again and then, something moves. "Dern..?"
*****
[Meanwhile, Jein....]
My eyes opened slowly, I couldn't see anything in this place, it was really dark.
"Where am I...?" I spoke, but nothing answered me. Just the echo of my voice in that darkness. It feels like a dream. My body feels heavy and I have trouble getting up.
When I finally got up, I saw something before me, I didn't really know what it was because of the dark; I tried to go to this thing but instead, my head hit a wall. "Ouch..."
Suddenly, when I turned my head on the left and saw a light. I walked towards it and I was surprised because it started to talk to me.
"Well, well, who do we have here? You're Jein right?" It speaks to me with a syrupy tone. It was a male voice, who was this thing in front of me? Who did it now me?
I took a step backwards and said, "Who are you...?"
The light in front of me didn't say anything but second by second, the light started to form a human's body.
His features are beginning to take shape; pale, fair skin with soft, slightly feminine features on his face. His hair is dark brown and wavy, and his eyes are luminous golden like the light earlier. The dim light covered his body, which made it difficult for me to see him clearly but I recognized him instantly. If anyone else would see him, they'll say, "Damn, he's so gorgeous, sublime, magnificent and angelic, even words couldn't describe him."
Even I didn't recognize him at this point, when I was in his body, it was not that majestic. I understand now how Kayle fell for him.
The guy in front of me finally spoke up, "Seriously, dear Jein? You don't recognize me? I'm obviously Dern." He said this in a mocking tone towards me. Dern obviously heard everything that I said when I was still in control of his body.
I was still shocked by his sudden appearance but I immediately asked him, "How did I end up here? Why aren't you here?"
Dern stopped me mid-sentence, his empty i emerald eyes staring towards me.
"Jein... We're in my body. Are you really that stupid?"
"Huh...?" I was frizzed by his insult.
"Ah... Okay, I don't have time. So, let me just be clear about something." Dern said in a serious tone and looked at me.
"What..?" My body, or perhaps the body of my mind, suddenly feels heavy, and I was on my knees before Dern; I can't move. Dern held my face with both hands, forcing me to look into his eyes.
"Jein, you're such a good person. I really want to see what will happen if you do what would change the story."
Dern then moved closer to my face, whispering in my ear, "Don't worry, I'll help you. This is gonna be fun, dear Jein."
Dern was smiling in a strange happy way, and his smile was terrifying, he looked at me like I'm some new toy for him.
__
Thus, I ended up waking up in Dern's bed, I was still in Dern's body when I saw the mirror on the wall and I was still shaking from that kind of dream discussion with Dern, sweating slightly and my head hurts, and my neck was really hurts because Kayle strangled me earlier.
But my neck didn't really hurt that bad, maybe Kayle healed me; but why would he even do that? He hates me.
I looked at the horloge, it was past 1PM, I slightly realized that I didn't even eat anything since the morning already since I just talked with Rhun and went with Kayle. There's no one in the room except me, the sound of the horloge echo in my ears while I was sitting on the bed.
'Where is Kayle?'
And when we speak of the devil...
Kayle enters the room with a tray of food and water. He looks at me with icy eyes. Why does he bring me that? Is he trying to console me after he strangled me and made me faint?
'I know this situation is hard for him but... No, I think it's logic that he reacted like that.' Kayle approached the bed and placed the tray on the bedside table. There was rice, chicken, and water on the tray, it's been so long since I've eaten normal food, I used to eat nothing but instant noodles and since I arrived here, I haven't eaten anything, not even yesterday at the party at the royal castle. I'm so hungry, I hope Kayle didn't poison this dish.
I looked up at Kayle who was still standing, as if he was waiting for me for something. An awkward silence passed as we looked away, a little embarrassed.
I finally decided to speak after a few awkward minutes. "So... uhm... Is this for me?" I asked this while pointing at the food tray.
Kayle sighed in irritation, he's probably angry just from hearing me open my mouth. "Yeah, it's for you... Eat this before I kill you—uh, I mean, before it gets cold."
'Woah, very good impression of his kindness.' But even if Kayle tried to kill me, he wouldn't because I'm in Dern's body after all.
I take the tray from the bedside table and start eating even if I don't trust Kayle. Kayle watches me eat like a guard watching a condemned man, his gaze on me is very insistent, it scares me a little. The food didn't taste bad though, I think he didn't poison it after all.
After a few long minutes, I finally finished eating this delicious lunch. Kayle stood like a statue, still staring at me for at least the past 13 minutes. And before I could speak, Kayle said, "I'm on your side. I'll help you to save this world."
"..."
"..."
"What?!"
Wait. This can't be possible, this is a dream, right? He can't be for real, he must be messing with me. Just a few hours ago, he was strangling me, and in the morning, he threatened to kill me with his sword.
It must be a joke (even if Kayle doesn't like jokes) but even if he's serious, it's really suspicious. Why did he change his mind this fast? There's definitely something I don't know.
With what little courage I have, I ask Kayle, "Are you losing your mind or something? After how you reacted, you're just telling me you're on my side!?"
My question was clearly logic but Kayle seemed surprised by that. Did he think I was dumb or something? I was even about to stand up for confronting him but he then spoke in an exhausted tone (because of me), "Okay, let me explain. First, yes I thought you were that dumb for just trusting me and don't have any doubts but unfortunately, you're not that weak."
'What..?' Does he have a malediction for being such a person with brutal honesty?! I think I'm about to get upset at this point but well, let's listen to what he has to say.
Kayle continued to speak, "But I didn't change my mind this easily because I trust you now. It's just that..."
Kayle didn't finish his sentence during an instant. He looked at me with his blue spirits eyes, his sky blue streaks hiding a bit his eyes, he looks like he's seeing a ghost while staring at me. He must be feeling a bit weird like that because he's seeing Dern's face, body and everything but not his soul. Maybe Kayle is feeling really sad right now.
Kayle finally speaks up again, "Dern... Dern, he is... his soul is still here. He talked to me when your soul was elsewhere, he's still here, still alive. And he told me that... he will be on your side. He wants to see a new form of this world because of you.. So... I just want to say that I wanted to help you in this thanks to Dern. I'll do anything for him. I need him at least in this world."
...I couldn't even say something. So, Dern and I can switch our souls and be in control of this body? I was genuinely confused for one minute but this is probably what happened. And Kayle's declaration was something else, it's not really important for me, they're together after all but I really like seeing that, I could cry of joy.
My emotions were really confused in this situation. But for sure, this story finally started.
A few moments passed, Kayle is now on my side and I started to order him to be Rhun's master and to teach Rhun the types of magic important in combat and the technical aspects of swordsmanship. I didn't really know about these things but the explanation in THFABW was really detailed and long, so I could remember that.
And also, Kayle was actually one of the four strongest characters in THFABW and he even had the luck to do a combat training with Grand Master Exigone when he was 19, so it was easier with Kayle on my side.
In order, the situation with Rhun was rather easy to manage.
But that was not over. Even if I was with Rhun and I can begin the story with him.. and Kayle. I should do my role too. First, I'll try to deal with the emperor of this kingdom.. thanks to Dern, they have a close relationship and I can pretend to have changed my mind and explain things with lies if I can.
*****
[5January XXXX, 10:37 AM]
[Kingdom Orinus, Royal Castle]
I get out of the carriage and I'm now in front of the entrance to the royal castle. It looks much more different in the daylight.
'I'll finally meet this je— the emperor.' He's really important in THFABW's story after all,
I should be careful. If not, he will find out I'm not really Dern. Of course, it will be easier because he is not that close with Dern but they did know each other.
'Okay, here we go.'
I opened the door.