Chapter 4 : "I drown in this era of mannerism"- from a modern individual

When I managed to compose myself after drowning myself in guilt, my mother Vittoria hadn't stopped fretting over me, not even once. For a person not used to this kind of smothering, it was embarrassing. When I was was far too embarrassed to even reveal my face, mother's concern grew even stronger.

It wasn't a uncommon occurrence for Leticia to cry when she doesn't get the thing she wanted. But it was far too uncommon for Leticia to act like this.

But my mother seemed like she was convinced that I was too heartbroken, and therefore, my change was in tune of that.

I didn't have the heart, nor the guts to tell her that I didn't care for the stuck up prince who managed to put everyone in a compromise and simultaneously left unscathed after the situation had already took a turn for the worst. It was Leticia who cared for the prince, not me. But I have already resolved myself because I am Leticia now, and Leticia was me.

My memories as Natalia and my memories as Leticia was already starting to overlap, the change wasn't abrupt like I thought. It just felt uncomfortable, like there was an important thing that you have forgotten, and then you suddenly realized the thing that you have forgotten.

There was a feeling clawing on my chest, and a voice whispering in my ear. The guilt was still there.

'Tell them the truth.'

'Tell them that you aren't her.'

Guilt for what? For dying and living yet again? For acting like an imposter? For deceiving such kind hearted people? I don't know.

But the hand that held mine left me in silence, clammed up and unable to formulate words. The only thing I managed to do was sniff and let myself be dragged around in the end.

Vittoria dragged me along the winding hallways of the mansion, ignoring how the maids shot me looks of fear, obviously wary of my personality. Though our house was called a mansion, it was far more accurate to call it a palace. For it was far much bigger than a average mansion, but far smaller than the royal palace.

I was still in my nightgown, barefooted (again) as my mother dragged to a drawing room, far larger than my whole apartment combined. I was reminded time and time again that this was a ducal house, and everything here probably costs twice as much as my rent. It was blinding for poor people like me. But at the same time, such luxury also caused me a sense of familiarity.

When I entered the room along with my mother, there was a person sitting on the lounge chair sipping a cup of what looked like tea.

A odd sound left my lips seeing the face of the person. But my mother didn't seem to notice as she left my side to go and sit beside that man.

He looked too much like Leticia.

If drop-dead beauty was a person then it would have been no doubt this person sitting on the lounge chair sipping tea and flirting with my mother.

A twitch left my lips seeing the display.

"Dad." I unconsciously called out. This time, it felt natural calling this person 'dad'. My mental state had already adjusted, my memories before I died gradually merged with Leticia's memories.

Long blonde platinum hair, much like my own and eyes of pure amber— Leonardo Christiano Yva. Medicci is beautiful. And from the looks of it, It seemed like Leticia inherited her looks from her father much more than her mother.

In the novel, Duke Medicci was a mage. That's right, this person was a mage. The head of the Medicci family, the Duke of the South, as well as the sole inheritor of the title 'Grand Mage' that wasn't bestowed by the king, nor from anyone high up in status. For the title 'Grand Mage' is a title that one earns even without the interference of the nobles nor the churches.

In this world of magic, when a person reaches the pinnacle of magic, they enter the state of nirvana. The ultima enlightenment of magic comprehension. When they reach this stage they are first called 'the awakened sorcerers'.

They are dubbed as 'sorcerers' because they still use gestures, rituals, wands, incantations and such in order to summon forth the most fundamental thing in this world— mana.

When they transcend the name 'the awakened sorcerers', they become Grand Mages.

One of the example of this is, Leonardo.

If asked, 'Why is being a Grand Mage so different from an awakened sorcerer?' The answer was simple and straightforward. There was one thing that set the difference between sorcerer and a mage, and that was the ability to step into godhood.

When a person steps into the realm of Grand Mage, they earn the ability to have a Soul Arcane. Every Grand Mage has a different soul arcane, and all throughout recorded history, there's never been the same soul arcane recorded.

But what makes Leonardo stand out? Even earning him his current seat as the Duke of the South? And that was because Leonardo has one of the most terrifying, most strategic Soul arcane ever to be born out there. And what's even more terrifying was that, Leonardo was also the youngest person to ever earn the title of Grand Mage.

'These people are  seriously cheating in life.'

My lips twitched against my will, because it also meant that these cheating people who had looks, money and ability were my parents.

Leonardo looked genuinely happy when he heard me call out to him from where I stood frozen at the entrance of the drawing room near the door. His bright smile made me flinch, for I have never seen a person that handsome smile so brightly up close before.

'If I smile like that, would I be as beautiful? We practically have the same face but different genders.'

I could not help but muse inside my thoughts, my feel moving when my father beckoned me with a warm expression.

Much like Vittoria, Leonardo as it seems, also looked immensely relieved to see me outside my room after two whole days.