Aestra would be lying if he said he hadn't missed her. The last month, spent navigating this strange new world alone, had been a mix of learning, surviving, and trying not to feel the emptiness of being separated from the one person he truly connected with.
Elera felt the same. Seeing Aestra now, in this body of a tall, handsome young man, his midnight-black hair cascading down his back, and eyes glowing purple like amethysts, made her heart skip a beat. She had been preparing for their meeting without knowing exactly how it would feel, and the sight of him, grown and strong for his age, left her momentarily speechless.
"Aestra, come with me," she said softly, her tone gentle but commanding.
He nodded, wordless, following the king through the grand halls of the palace. Every step he took made him more aware of the difference in their statuses: Elera, the future queen, and he, a commoner—or at least, in appearance. Yet her gaze toward him was warm, almost protective, and he couldn't help but feel drawn in.
When they reached her room, the tension of anticipation finally broke. Aestra stepped inside, and Elera closed the door behind him. For a moment, they just looked at each other, as if measuring how much the other had changed.
"So," Aestra asked, breaking the silence. "How did your first month in this world go? And… how did you find me?"
Elera smiled faintly. "As you can see, I'm royalty. Future queen of this kingdom. I have resources, servants, connections… I didn't need to struggle. Finding me? That wasn't difficult for you to imagine, given your ability to track through your system." She tilted her head, eyes twinkling. "And you? How was your month?"
Astra sighed. "It was… the worst. The body I inhabit was abandoned by his parents at age five, struggled to survive, and finally… he died of exhaustion. But I got to know two amazing people, Miss Ema and her granddaughter Aria. They treated me like family. In a way, it was the first time I felt truly cared for in this world."
Elera's eyes softened. "That's… comforting, actually. I'm glad you weren't completely alone."
For a moment, they just looked at each other, silently acknowledging how much they had missed one another. Then Aestra leaned forward, curiosity burning in his eyes.
"Do you have a system too?" he asked.
She nodded, a small approving smile on her lips. "Of course. That's why you could find me—and why I could find you."
"Then… you've finished the quest too, right?"
"Yes." Her gaze met his directly, steady and confident.
"Can you show me your status?" Aestra asked.
They activated their systems simultaneously, and the screens appeared side by side in their minds. Only those with a system could view another's status, something he had confirmed earlier when he had tried to share it with Aria.
[Name: Aestra / Elera]
[Age: 14]
[Status: Anomaly]
[Elements: Ice / Lightning / Shadow / Space / Void and Heal / Light / Soul / Fire / Crystal]
[Job: Magicswordsman]
[Class: Awakened]
[Strength: C / C+]
[Speed: C+ / C]
[Resistance: C / C+]
[Intelligence: C+ / C]
[Magic: 3000/3000 / 3000/3000]
[Quest Completed: Find Each Other]
[Ability: Telepathic communication between system users]
Instantly, their minds connected, strange and surreal at first. Hearing someone else's thoughts directly was disorienting, yet incredibly useful. They experimented cautiously, exchanging silent words.
"So… do you have a plan for the future, Elera?" Aestra asked, still adjusting to the sensation.
She nodded. "We're going to join the academy. There's no better place to grow stronger and learn to control our powers."
He frowned slightly. "But… my first month, I trained as best I could, but I couldn't use my powers. Six times the normal magic of a beginner mage… I couldn't risk destroying everything."
Elera studied him, thoughtful. "Yes, but we don't have to wait until we turn fifteen. There might be a way to test our abilities safely." She paused, thinking back to the memories of her body. "As royalty, I'm required to participate in a hunting expedition with a group of mages when I turn fifteen. That could be our chance to safely experiment with our powers before the academy."
Aestra raised an eyebrow. "Do you think your father will allow me to come along?"
She smiled confidently. "Don't worry. My father will allow anything I decide."
"Alright," he said, nodding. For the first time, he felt a plan taking shape.
They sat together, mapping out a year's training. Elera's mind was precise and calculating. "We need to grow strong enough to beat the protagonist at the start of the story. But we don't need to stand out too much. Just enough to reach S-rank and earn special training."
"That was my thought as well," Aestra agreed, his mind racing with possibilities.
Elera looked at him intently. "So… what did you do during this first month?"
Aestra leaned back, recalling the last four weeks in detail. "After asking Ema for a job, I started working at the restaurant. Cooking, serving, cleaning… but it allowed me to train my body secretly at home. I met Aria, a girl my age. She became like a little sister to me, and she helped me feel like I belonged somewhere."
Elera nodded. "And for me? It was… not as mundane as yours. Do you remember how the first chapter of this world's novel starts?"
"Hoo, yeah. The protagonist goes to the palace to meet the king and—"
Aestra stopped, realizing the truth. "No way… don't tell me you actually met him?"
"That's right," Elera said with a small smirk. "I actually met the protagonist."
His mind reeled. So she had already encountered the original story's main character, the one destined to cause chaos and conflict. That meant they needed to be even more careful in their training and planning. They were no longer just surviving—they were playing a delicate game against fate itself.
Together, they sat in the quiet of her room, the weight of their shared knowledge, systems, and extraordinary powers filling the space. They were no longer just two kids in a strange world. They were anomalies, chosen by fate, with paths intertwined in ways neither fully understood yet.
The first steps of their real journey—the one that would lead to the academy, mastery of their powers, and the confrontation with the story's protagonist—had begun.
And neither Aestra nor Elera intended to fail.