Chapter 3 – Lune Charlotte Von Heinseberg (Part 1)
The orb of light hovered before Jack's eyes, growing steadily larger. Radiant beams spilled from its surface, spilling into every corner of the room until it pulsed with warmth—a stark contrast to the usual cold that hung in the air.
'Interesting,' Jack thought, his gaze narrowing. 'It's morphing.'
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the orb began to shift. The spherical shape elongated, bending, stretching, slowly becoming… human.
The transformation took less than a minute, yet the entire atmosphere of the room seemed to buckle under the weight of it. The warmth that had been comforting now turned oppressive. Jack felt it settle on his shoulders like invisible chains, and a chill prickled across his skin, sharp and sudden—like a cold blade brushing down his spine.
And then, the orb of light dimmed. The glow receded like mist in the morning sun, unveiling the figure of a real person beneath.
'A… woman?' Jack squinted, adjusting his position slightly.
She hovered in the air, surrounded by the last fading wisps of light. Her skin was pale, porcelain-like, almost translucent under the faint ambient glow. A crimson robe clung delicately to her body, outlining curves that seemed more imagined than real—beyond perfection, beyond human. Her beauty was otherworldly.
Even Jack, who barely reacted to anything, found himself momentarily stunned.
Her hair, long and golden, spilled down her back like a waterfall, shimmering softly in the dim light. Her face was flawlessly sculpted—gentle, serene, like a divine statue brought to life. Full lips, delicate features, and eyes like twin emeralds caught in the sun.
She floated gently, her expression distant, almost dazed as her gaze wandered across the room. Then her eyes landed on Jack—and stayed there.
Their eyes locked. And something shifted.
It was subtle, almost intangible. A spark of familiarity. Jack furrowed his brows. He was certain he had never seen this woman before—he would remember a face like that. Yet every fiber of his being stirred, as if drawn toward her by something ancient and unspoken.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, the woman's eyes widened. The daze in her gaze vanished, replaced by sharp emotion.
"...Eh?" she muttered breathlessly. "N-No…"
Jack frowned. "No?" he echoed. "What are you—"
Swish.
Before the words left his mouth, the woman darted forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She pushed him back onto the bed, her entire body pressing into his, soft and warm.
"Jack…" she whispered, her voice quivering against his ear, teetering on the edge of tears.
His frown deepened. 'She knows my name?'
"Is that… Is that really you?" she asked, pulling back slightly to study his face.
Jack turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable despite the overwhelming closeness. The scent that drifted from her was unlike anything he had ever smelled—sweet, floral, intoxicating.
"If you know my name, then yes. I'm that Jack," he said coolly.
She stared at him, lips trembling, her emerald eyes shimmering with barely contained emotion. And then, she smiled—a soft, radiant smile that seemed to light up the world.
"Jack… My Jack… It's you. I can't believe it. I finally found you. I've waited so long. Searched so far. I missed you so much… So so much."
Her voice came out in broken fragments, the weight of emotion pressing down on every word. He could hear the tears being fought back against as she tried to speak calmly. Whatever the reason she was feeling those emotions for, they were overwhelming for her.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Alright. I think this is a good time to ask… Who are you? And also, could you get off me?"
He was pinned beneath her—her hands resting lightly on his chest, her knees straddling his waist. It was an awkward position, one Jack had never even imagined he'd be in. Especially not with someone like her.
"Sniff… Can we stay like this for a little longer?" she murmured, laying her head on his chest again. "I missed this… your warmth, your scent. I missed you, Jack…"
She inhaled deeply against him, as if committing his presence to memory. It was far too intimate. Naturally, his body reacted to her closeness, but his expression remained the same: calm, distant, unreadable.
"If you continue, I may have to call someone," Jack said evenly. "I'm not fond of being touched."
"Mmm… Definitely still you," she replied with a soft giggle as she wiped her eyes. "Okay, I'll get up now."
She slowly pulled away, rising into the air again with graceful ease. Floating a few feet above the ground, she looked down at him with that same radiant smile.
"Better?" she asked.
"Certainly less invasive," Jack said, sitting up and brushing his hair back. "Now, again: Who are you?"
"My name is Lune," she replied. "Lune Charlotte Von Heinseberg."
Jack tilted his head. "That sounds like nobility. Are you some kind of royal?"
Lune gave a small chuckle. "Perceptive as ever, even at this age…"
"Hmm?"
"Yes, I'm what you Earth people would call nobility. I come from a very particular lineage and…"—she floated a little closer—"I'm not from this world."
There was a pause.
"I see," Jack said with absolute calm.
Lune blinked. "That's all? No shock? No questions?"
"You're hovering in the air and materialized from an orb of light. I already deduced you weren't human—at least, not from Earth."
She laughed lightly. "Hehe… Only you would take that so casually. Anyone else would've screamed or fainted."
"They just lack the capacity to comprehend the unexpected," Jack replied. "Back to the matter at hand—you've been acting like you know me. I don't believe we've ever met. That leaves two options: either we have met and I've lost the memory, or you know me and I don't know you."
Lune tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Hmm… Neither, actually."
Jack blinked. "What?"
"I don't know you—not this version of you," she clarified. "But I do know another version. One from the future."
His eyes narrowed. "From… the future? Wait, does that mean...?"
"You catch on fast," she said, smiling. "Yes. I'm someone who comes from twenty years ahead. The Jack I know is you… twenty years from now."
Jack stared at her in silence. Processing. Then, he exhaled slowly.
"So… you're a time traveler now."
"Is it that hard to believe?"
"You can float," Jack replied flatly. "Time travel doesn't seem too far-fetched."
"Hehe, I like how your mind works."
"So, how do you know future me? Who are you to him?"
Lune crossed her arms beneath her chest, her expression turning slightly pouty. "It's a bit tragic that you don't recognize me… but I suppose we'll just have to start over."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"I'm your wife," she said, matter-of-factly. "In the future. We've been married for nearly ten years."
Jack blinked.
"Wife?" he echoed.
"Absolutely. You're the love of my life, Jack. My dear husband."
'This is getting absurd,' Jack thought. 'A time-traveling alien from another world appears in my room, claiming to be my future wife. Either I'm dreaming or I've lost all grip on reality.'
But deep down, something inside him stirred. Despite the madness of it all… her presence felt real. It was as if his head had already accepted that she was indeed real and that this was reality and not some kind of a dream.
Lune floated downward, gently extending her hand toward him. On her ring finger rested a breathtaking ring—one unlike anything Jack had ever seen. Its gem shimmered like a fragment of the cosmos, a galaxy contained in glass.
"You gave this to me," she said softly. "You said it was an Earth tradition to give your spouse a ring before marriage. It's the most precious thing I own."
Her fingers brushed the ring with reverence, eyes shimmering with affection.
"It's the proof of our love. And I plan to treasure it forever."
"..." Jack looked at the ring for a few moments. 'And that's supposed to be me who gave this to her? What became of me in ten years?'
"But..." Jack then realized something. "If you're not from this world and we met in the future. Does that mean..." Slowly, he looked up at Lune with his eyes wide open. "Did I become a Chronist?"
And Lune's response was to simply smile.
"..." Jack understood what she wanted to say. "So... I have truly become a chronist. A bit surprising, but, not too unexpected. My chances weren't too low to begin with."
'The number of people sent every time isn't counted precisely as it varies, but it's in the tens of millions, so I'm not completely spared.'
"And was I sent in the batch next week or is it ten years from now?" Jack asked.
"By the time we met, you told me you have been a chronist for almost 10 years. So, I assume it is the batch next week." Lune replied. "Congratulations on becoming a chronist, Jack~"
With a playful laugh, Lune touched his chin. Jack stared at her in silence. 'What am I even seeing?'