Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

35. Sai and Kai

"Yuki..."

"Princess Yuki..."

"Is she sick?"

"Apparently, the princess has been cursed."

"Who could have done such a thing? Show yourself right this moment."

"It can only be the three kings."

"What's going to happen to us now? The war must go on."

"Yuki, you better rest. I'll be handling everything for now, so you don't have to worry..."

"Blake...!" I whispered to myself.

I think it was him because of the voice, but I'm not really sure if it is him. Although I might embarrass myself if it didn't turn out to be him, I was determined to find someone I'm familiar with. For some reason, I get the distinct impression that this has happened to me before. Even though I was quite certain I'd seen this situation before, I attempted to squeeze my way into the mob. Just as I was about to give up, a familiar face yanked me out of the room. I tried to get a good look at the person's face, but I couldn't see anything.

Déjà vu...

"Who are you?" I asked, and his grasp on my wrist suddenly became firmer the minute. "Let me go!"

I kicked him in the stomach and ran away as quickly as I could. Because he was chasing after me and matched my pace, I was frightened. My attention was drawn back to him because he was addressing me by an unknown name, which led me to fall over a rock. Everything turned dark as soon as my face touched the ground.

"Fuyumi!" a who looked like me shouted, worried as she looked at me. When she saw me looking back, she smiled at me. "It's me, Yuki!"

Oh, I suppose Fuyumi is my given name here. I slowly got up as I looked around, unsure of where I was. And then my gaze fell on a guy who seemed to be gazing at me as if I had done something wrong to him. My brows furrowed as I struggled to recall who he was, only to realize that he was the guy I had kicked earlier in the morning. He has a similar appearance to Blake...

"Ah, hello..." I greeted awkwardly, guilty because of what I did.

Yuki chuckled and instructed the man who looked like Blake to leave for the time being. And then she looked at me with a grin on her face. What if Yuki discovers that I am not the true owner of this body? What would she do now that we are in this situation? Will she believe that I'm a time traveler from the future and that I'll be taking over her body in the near future? Right now, nothing seems to be certain...but it seems that this is my moment to know about the truth of Artemia.

I gave Yuki a kind grin, anxious about every move I was going to make. She took a seat next to me carefully. I couldn't take my gaze away from her face, which was filled with an overwhelming aura. She has an elegant and powerful demeanor, and it made me realize how little I am in comparison to them. Even though I am beginning to develop confidence because I resemble her, I am aware of my impotence.

Yuki sighed as she fiddled with her index and middle fingers. "As you are probably aware, I have been cursed. Recently, I've begun to get the impression that my body is on the verge of giving up..."

My eyes widened as I looked at her. "What? We have to go and discover a cure-"

"No. There is no treatment for this, Fuyumi. Everyone is well aware of the situation. I have to hurry up, and that is exactly why I must put those three idiots in their proper places since they are making me look bad."

"Then, how much longer?" I asked. As I stared at her, I was filled with fury and despair at the same time.

Yuki snorted a little. "It'll probably take half a year or less."

Looking at her caused my heart to tighten in fear of her fate. "In such case, we must move quickly!"

"Mm. But are you prepared to fight beside me at this point? Are you prepared to put your life on the line now?"

I tilted my head to the side, unable to understand what she was trying to tell me. "What are you talking about?"

"Fuyumi, I'd want you to be completely honest with me. Your refusal to fight beside me has been a recurring theme in our relationship since we were children. Have you, by any chance, changed your mind about something?" she asked, a little nervously.

I'm willing to wager that the genuine Fuyumi would have declined. But I'm Ivory, and I'm a completely different person than Fuyumi. It's possible she refused to join the battlefield, but that's something I can't say no to. Yuki's question was met with a nod from me, which caused me to bite my lower lip out of anxiety. She seemed to be taken aback by what I said, perhaps because Fuyumi would never say anything like that.

Yuki's lips gently parted to reveal a grin as she enthusiastically clasped my hands in hers. She had the appearance of a child, which was quite...surprising to me. I mean, it's almost as if I'm seeing myself! No, that's not it. In fact, I'm staring in the mirror right now. Following the princess of Artemia's deeds, I was struck by the realization that we are much too similar in almost every way.

"At long last! My beloved Fuyumi, I have been anxiously awaiting this moment for as long as I could," she replied, her voice full of excitement as always. "In the past, you've consistently shown excellence when it came to wielding two swords and the skill of ice magic at the same time."

The thought of her being upset if she found out that I am not Fuyumi made me pucker my lips a little more tightly. When I was listening to her describe Fuyumi, I became a little frightened. Because of that, I felt much more under pressure than usual since she had clearly raised her expectations. I'm rather certain that I won't be able to put on a convincing show in front of everyone as Fuyumi!

Ivory, you've gotten yourself into a massive mess of your own making. I've returned to the period of the war, and I need to find a way to go back to my own time alive. My current circumstance is making my brain ache, but I'm going to attempt to figure out what the secret of Artemia is for the time being. Whatever happens, I'm not worried about what could happen to me as a result of all of this. I'm willing to put everything on the line.

"Oh, wait a minute. Is there anything specific you need right now?" I asked as I examined her physical state.

"I believe that is the case."

Yuki seemed to be dehydrated, so I assumed she needed to eat or drink something. As far as I'm aware, she has been bedridden for quite some time. She raised her eyes, unable to determine if she desired anything or did not. I got to my feet and dusted my dress, ready to do anything she asked of me. I was ready. At the end of the day, I'm meant to be her assistant or something like that.

"Something? However, it's more like someone," she murmured, but I could make out what she was saying.

"Is it him?" I asked, lifting my brows as I peered through the doorway. "You have a hot-headed guard, I see."

"Yeah-" She glanced at me with horror in her eyes. "Oh, how did you found out?"

"It's just a wild guess."

Yuki let out a sigh. "I suppose I don't have much of a choice now that you're aware of our situation. Please bring Kasai in here."

I walked out with a chuckle on my face. Kasai was standing at the front entrance, a bit sulky in his demeanor. I despise the fact that he reminds me of Blake. When he stared at me, I instantly turned my gaze away from him. I'm so f*****g frustrated to see someone who looks like Blake, yet I can't cling to him. I took a big breath and told him that Yuki was waiting for him inside the house.

He seemed surprised. "Thank you," he said as he walked inside the hut.

"Sure..."

Kasai walked inside the house, completely oblivious of my stare. I'm very certain that he's been waiting for the opportunity to speak with Yuki. Because of him, I'm suddenly starting to miss Blake. Yeah, even though it's only been a little over an hour since I last saw him! I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm already missing him. Ivory, you need to get your act together! It is inappropriate for me to be thinking about him at this time and in this location.

"Fuyumi," someone called my name.

Dylan...

"Hey. It's me, Enkai. Is Yuki still in the hut?" he asked with a beautiful grin on his face.

"Yeah. Kasai is accompanying her."

"Ah, I understand," he replied as he looked at the hut again. When he heard what I said, his normally lively expression became melancholy.

Oh, I understand now. There's also a weird love triangle going on between the three of them. Yuki, on the other hand, would most likely prefer Kasai. Ah, poor Enkai. He's most likely been doing all he can to assist Yuki, but he's not going to have his feelings returned. Plenty of things seems to be comparable to the events that have transpired or are now taking place in the lives of my team. The only thing left to do is track down the person who is now in possession of the body that Freya will use...

Anyway, I think I should try to console Enkai...

"Enkai..." I called out to him. "Uhm, are you okay?"

He cracked a grin. "Yes. Don't be worried about me. It's nothing by now."

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. "Do we want to leave the two of them alone for the time being?"

"Yes. That's most likely the greatest solution available..."

I strolled behind him as he made his way towards a place that seemed to be far away from the hut. To be quite honest, I have no idea where we are going. I just followed him, entirely believing him even though I had no idea who he truly was at the time. I only know him as Enkai, the former owner of Dylan's body, and that's all I know about him. Because it's him, I'm rather certain that it's safe to put my faith in him.

After walking for as long as I can remember, he sat on the brink of the cliff. In fact, his face seemed to be completely relaxed, as if he had no anxieties. However, when I looked into his eyes, it became clear that he was very frustrated. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that Yuki, the woman he is madly in love with, is now with Kasai.

"Enkai-"

"Why do you call us that way now?" he asked, his brows wrinkled in concentration as he gazed at me. "Kasai, Enkai...what's with that?"

"What are you talking-"

"Are you upset with us? If so, did we make a mistake? You never use our complete names while addressing us. Or is anything wrong with calling us Sai and Kai bow? You don't want to address us in that way anymore, do you?"

I locked my gaze on him, trying to make sense of all he had said. However, after witnessing his glum expression, I could no longer take him seriously. The way I addressed him had made him pout like a duck, and he was annoyed. As I patted him on the back of the head, I smiled at him. He does act like a kid at times, I guess?

"No. I was...just trying to get used to address you in that way. Because you guys are my superiors, I decided it would be best to address you by your first names rather than your nicknames."

His eyes widened as he fixed his gaze on me. "You're going to join us now?"

"Yes. What is it about me joining the resistance that has you so taken aback?"

"What exactly do you mean by "why"? This is something we've all been looking forward to! Fuyumi, if you joined the rebellion, you'd be a valuable asset. I promise! Especially because of how well you get along with Yuki."

That sounded wonderful to hear if only I hadn't been addressed by a name that wasn't mine. Ah, I wish they'd start referring to me as Ivory. It's a little strange to get a compliment that is intended for someone other than yourself. My body is just a living place for another person, so I don't believe I have the right to be upset or anything like that.

I smiled at Enkai, hoping to tell him that everything was alright with me. I turned away from him since he was still looking at me. Enkai had Dylan's face, which was enough to make me feel uneasy. Oh no, not again. I need to find a way to stop seeing them in the shape of Enkai and Kasai since it's not healthy for me to continue to do so.

"I'm sure my twin would be thrilled to hear the news!" Kai said as he took my hand in his. "But I am certain that the princess has already informed him of the situation."

Did he mean...Kasai when he said, twins? I guess the two of them are twins? Given that they weren't similar, it never occurred to me that they might possibly be siblings! When I first heard what he said, I was on the verge of letting out a gasp, but I managed to keep it under control. I don't think he's noticed anything out of the ordinary about me, so I simply ignore it.

Kai started telling me tales about their early experiences with Fuyumi, and I couldn't stop listening. And it was at that point that I realized what was going on! He is aware that I am not Fuyumi, but he chooses to act as though he is unaware. Right now, Kai is beaming...but there was something odd about his expression. I'm worried that they will try to have me removed from the premises! That's something I can't afford!

As I glanced at him, I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. "Kai..." I called.

"It's all right. You most likely have a legitimate motive for taking over her body. But I need to know where Fuyumi is, so please tell me," he said with a serious tone.