That Feeling When

It was now winter which is my most favorite time of the year. I lived in the south-east, a tropical country before I got here, so I only get to experience it once in a while during my travels. It was a season full of warm memories to me.

'What is that ridiculous looking shoe? I saw you sketching and commissioned a smith and shoemaker for it before.' Juli asked as I opened the box.

"Oh this? It's ice skates."

'Ice... skates?' she said, confused.

"These metal blades glide with minimum friction across the ice surface, allowing for smooth and swift movement."

'You meant you can walk on ice with those?! Won't you fall?!'

"Well, not walk. These metal blades made it hard to really walk but rather it allows you to skate or slide through the ice. I'll show it to you when a lake nearby completely froze up."

'I don't understand. Why did you make such a useless thing?'

"Hey, it's not useless! Back in my world, these were used by some natives in the north to easily travel to places. These can get fast as a horse! Plus, ice skating is a really good workout. It really helped in keeping me active and in shape when I was in cold countries. My original body isn't as sturdy as yours to workout during winter, you see."

'That's fascinating. I never thought of that. Your world is that advanced?'

"Well, the world I lived in were indeed advanced than here. We commonly use complex machines called cars that can travel faster than horses. We have so many skyscrapers that comprised of even a hundred floors. And-"

I stopped talking and burst into laughing when I saw how excited and curious Juli was. She looked like a child watching or looking at her favorite cartoon characters.

'Why? Why did you stop? Tell me more~'

"I thought you could at least know other worlds."

'Obviously not. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm merely a normal spirit, not a higher being. We probably only get to know other worlds if we got reincarnated into a new body or transmigrated with our old memories like you. Now, stop the chitchat and tell me more about your world!' she said almost without pausing and shook me aggressively.

"HAHA... OKAY, OKAY! STOP SHAKING ME!"

I spent the whole evening telling her stories and things until I got tired and fell asleep. After that, I spent time doing my normal routines. Waking up, eat, go to work, train, and so on. It was pretty boring until I heard some exciting news.

"Your grace, we were told that a lake is now ready. I heard that it is about 6 inches thick." Paolo, my vice-commander, said.

My eyes glowed up and immediately finish my work after that so I could get changed and have my time to skate.

"Okay, done! I'm going out!" I said excitedly as I wore my coat.

"Um, commander," Paolo said.

"Yeah?"

"Can I... come with you?"

"Hmm? Why?"

"I just got curious about your idea and seeing you this excited made me even more curious."

At this point, he was flashing some puppy eyes at me in which I eventually gave in and we went together at the said lake. When we got there, I was so happy to see how big and clean it was.

"This is probably the biggest ice skating rink I could ever get on!!!" I yelled excitedly and get out of the carriage, carrying the box of my ice skates.

I noticed everyone, even the guards whom the king sent for me, were looking as I wore my skates.

'Can you really get up with those? It looks risky to even stand up on a firm ground.' Juli said, concerned.

"It's going to be fine," I said and stood up which scares everyone a bit.

They look at me as if they were looking after a baby who is about to attempt to walk. I walk closer to the lake and slowly get on the ice.

As soon as I felt the skate touch the ice, I felt nostalgic and immediately warmed up, doing some spins and jumps, in which I could hear them gasp in between. I laughed at how cute they were and slowly began to do some routines.

My heart began to pound with a mix of excitement and nervousness. I took a deep breath, feeling the crisp winter air fill my lungs, and stepped onto the frozen surface.

As I glided across the ice, my worries and doubts melted away. The sound of the skates cutting through the ice echoed in the silence that surrounds me. With each movement, I felt a sense of freedom and joy that I hadn't experienced in a long time.

'Moving with a natural elegance and fluid yet effortless movements.' I heard Juli mumbled, causing a smile in my face.

I twirled and spun, my arms outstretched. As I gained my lost memories on ice, I began to experiment with more daring moves like my usual practice. I leaped into the air, executing a double axel, my body spinning and twisting before landing on the ice. The sheer exhilaration of the jump sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins.

'The skates traced intricate patterns on the ice, leaving behind a trail of beauty and artistry. How amazing.'

Hearing Juli's words caused an even more excitement, much like the same excitement I felt when I first skate and won in a competition. I weaved in and out of imaginary obstacles, my body moving in perfect harmony with the familiar music playing softly in my mind.

In that moment, I felt truly alive. The worries and conflicts that had plagued me seemed distant and insignificant. All that mattered was the pure joy of skating, the feeling of the cold air against my face, and the sense of freedom that came with each movement.

I continued to skate, my energy and passion never waning. I pushed herself to new limits, attempting more complex jumps and spins, each one executed with precision and grace. In that moment, I knew that I had reunited with ice. It was a place where I could be herself, where I could let go of my worries and fears for this new arduous path ahead of me, and simply be free. The only place on this world where I could be... Leona.