*Two hours later*
This has been the longest day of my life Anna thought as she dumped the handful of thick, leather-bound hardcover books on the table.
She paused, wiping sweat off her brow and staring at the work laid out in front of her. Piles and piles of books. Somehow she had to study all of them as fast as possible.
How did I never think of getting information from the library? She laughed at her own ignorance. And to think I was such a reader! Well, before I got my job that is.
[Hostie~ won't you say something to your favorite System?]
Ever since the system told Anna it would take five years to gain 2.5 million points, Anna went gray rock on it.
[Hostie~ Say something. Are you mad at me~]
She promptly sat down at the table, picked the closest and largest book, and began to read. She recalled the words of a a wise business man: if you eat the largest elephant on your plate before you eat the ants, you'll feel confident.
Or something like that.
Anna didn't remember the exact words.
[Hostie~]
Anna flipped a page. It was written in a strange and unfamiliar text that she was somehow able to understand. Muscle memory?
She found a blank notebook and a feathered quill, taking notes as she read.
Hours passed.
The pile of books diminished. Then grew larger as she picked out more books.
Outside the massive floor to ceiling windows, the sky went from black to blue and eventually pink.
By the time Anna was done, she had dark eye circles, all her spores and orchid marks had wilted, and it was morning outside.
She reached out, her hand shaky and her skin dried out. "I can't…" she groaned. Her hand slammed on the table in front of her open book, and her head followed next, her hair splaying out like a wilted flower petal.
Above her head, hidden safely in the ceiling, was Ray.
He had been there all night, watching her devour book after book yet the pile continued to grow.
He even saw when she was mumbling to herself and laughing like a crazed woman, then educating the air on what new information she'd learned. She also did some weird gymnastic at a point, hopping and cheering into the air.
The Flower never did any of that.
She never stayed up all night whispering over books and talking to herself. The Flower Princess rarely read books, unless, she got a new rare book shipment from the south.
The library was hers. She built it. She read every single book in it twice.
Why was she reading it again and acting like she didn't know each word?
Ray shivered.
Scientists are scary people. The Flower was a prime example of that.
He leapt down from the ceiling and landed gracefully. Upon closer inspection, she was even worse than he'd thought.
Seeing her gray and dry skin, a bout of panic flared in his heart.
This silly Flower! Did she forget the number one thing about her physiology?
Ray left the library in a hurry and returned with a watering can of special medicated water.
This woman. She wants to die before atoning for her sins? Not on my watch.
He positioned the nuzzle over her head and tipped it down.
Anna stirred. A refreshing spray of water coated her head and back. Rain? In the library? Wow, this world is crazy…
She moaned, blinking back heavy lids crusted with sleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a familiar body wearing dark clothes and silver jewelry.
"Good morning, your highness." A familiar voice greeted.
Anna screamed, rising in a start.
Ray!
He held a watering can…was he watering her?!
"What are you doing?! I'm not a—"
Her words caught off.
First, she noticed that she didn't feel so tired.
Second, her skin was back to life, rosy and smooth, her orchid marks glowing ever so faintly. She touched her hair and it was silky smooth.
"Woah," she marveled, her eyes widening. So, the original body wasn't just an orchid hybrid for vibes…she was also a functioning flower that needed to be watered!
This beast world was so hardcore!
"Thank you, you can stop now."
"Not yet." Ray replied, his voice full of irritation. He was dumbfounded that she truly forgot.
Anna sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I just need to—" she started to say before her eyes fell on the books in front of her. She jumped to her feet. "They're wet! Oh my goodness stop! Ray stop!"
Ray pulled back the can.
Anna sobbed, reaching out shakily for the soaked books. "My hard work! All my notes! They're gone nowwwww!"
Ray watched her have a breakdown over soaked notes and he couldn't decide what to feel. If the Flower lost some notes, she simply rewrote them with 100% accuracy.
She wasn't called the 'Once in a Thousand Year Genius' for nothing.
Why was she crying so hard over stupid notes?
At first, Ray thought she was joking. Then he saw the big fat tears rolling down her face. He set down the watering can and moved closer.
"I'll help you dry them out."
Anna looked at him, sniffing and wiping her tears mingled with water. "T-thank you," she whispered.
Her eyes went to his neck which was hidden under the high collar of his shirt. She wondered if there was a collar similar to the one Cael wore underneath. Her brows furrowed and she felt sick again.
Ray already packed the wet notes, holding them carefully so they wouldn't tear. "I know a good spot that gets the sun." He said.
"Thank you," Anna said, truly meaning it.
Was the Orchid less evil to him? Is that why he's so nice to me now? She wondered.
Meanwhile, Ray also tried to understand why she was acting so strange. Maybe she did hit her head.
"You should know about the sunny spot," he said as they walked out of the library.
"Oh right! I should! Hehe," Anna replied, her cheeks pink and ears twitching.
Ray didn't glance at her when he said; "that's where you'd put me whenever I was disobedient. The last time, you left me there for three days."
The smile on Anna's face vanished and she halted.
"What?"
But Ray was already moving ahead.
The original body locked him, a bat type beastman, in the sun for three days?!
Anna's stomach rolled and she felt like she'd throw up again. Who the hell does that?! Bats are extremely sensitive to the light! Who would Orchid do that?
And here I was thinking she was less evil to him! If someone locked me out in the sun for three days knowing I was weak to it, I'd plan their murder!
It dawned on Anna. The truth that sometimes, people didn't need a reason for evil.
People like Princess Orchid.