14 March, Year 5120
''Young miss Blackthorne, let's call off the engagement between us.''
Amina heard a voice.
''The Crown Prince wants to break the engagement?''
''Oh? This will be interesting.''
''He seems to love that C-class Guildmaster's daughter very much.''
She also heard many gasps and murmurs as though the owner of the first voice had given a shocking announcement.
I am not dead?
Amina wondered if her colleagues at the zoo had rushed her to the nearest hospital. Perhaps that was the reason she had been hearing voices for a while now.
However was she meant to meet someone? She wasn't aware of any prior engagement. She didn't even have close friends to plan meetups with. Her outings were mostly to the zoo and the grocery store after graduating from university.
So who was this person she had an engagement with?
It's dark. Amina realized as she wanted to see the person of her supposed engagement.
My eyes are closed
She felt a slight heaviness on her eyelids before she slowly raised them. Her eyes instinctively squinted at the sudden brightness streaming from above.
Were hospitals this bright?
She inwardly questioned, unconsciously searching for the source of this brightness, only to find chandeliers with their sparkles.
''...Huh?'' Amina let out a low, confused sound. Why was she staring at gold on the ceiling? As far as she's aware, hospitals did not have gold on their ceilings. At least, the small hospitals she has been to in her life. Perhaps this was the difference for other hospitals in big cities?
''Are you ignoring my words, Young miss Blackthorne?'' The same voice entered her ears again. This time, Amina traced the direction of the voice by lowering her gaze to a face.
A strange but handsome face.
''Who are you?'' She asked, curious about the stranger in a tailored suit with high collar and gold embroidery. Her social circle was practically nonexistent. There's no way she'd know anyone with a face like this, let alone someone in such an expensive suit.
The only handsome face she had spoken to was a guy voted as the most handsome male in her department at the university. The only conversation between them was a mere passing hello as he had been the one to greet her first.
Besides, that guy hadn't been that handsome compared to the celebrities she had seen on TV. However, those celebrities couldn't compare to the face she was staring at now.
Golden hair....Golden eyes....the hairstylist had done a good job dying his hair perfectly.
''Pfftt....'' Someone quietly laughed from the back, but Amina paid the person no mind. The identity of the handsome face had all her attention at the moment. She didn't even realize that she was not in the hospital gown she had instinctively assumed she was wearing, but in a fancy gown.
''Ha...''
Amina caught a flash of annoyance on his handsome face as he let out a frustrated sigh.
''This is not the time for jokes, Young miss Blackthorne.'' He frowned. ''I simply wish to call off our engagement.''
Jokes? Did she appear to be telling jokes? She didn't even know how to tell jokes.
''I do not tell jokes if you think I am.'' Amina was quite confused. She was merely asking for his identity. How did he conclude that she was playing him?
The handsome face twisted slightly at her words. ''How dare—''
''Y-Young Miss B-Blackthorne.'' A frightened, soft voice interjected between them, and something else instantly caught Amina's attention.
Cotton candy?
Pink-colored hair appeared before her gaze. Once again, she felt the hairstylist had really done a good job. The pink hair color was quite vivid to the eyes and instantly reminded her of cotton candy sold at the zoo.
''I-I'm truly sorry, Young miss Blackthorne!'' Amina lowered her approving eyes to the sight of a woman with trembling shoulders and teary eyes. Just like the handsome face, this woman was a beauty to behold, especially with tears glistening against her skin, her cotton candy hair with curls, and her light blue gown.
Anyone would have felt pity for the fragile beauty wiping her tears away, but not the confused Amina.
You're sorry?
Her confusion deepened more and more.
''H-His highness and I have been blessed to be fated mates.'' The beauty sobbed. ''A-As you are the future Crown Princess, I-I understand how you must feel about my existence, Y-Young Miss Blackthorne.''
Who was this woman?
Amina pondered as she watched the handsome face quickly consoling the beauty by embracing her body in his arms.
''Why are you apologizing, Rosaline? You are my fated mate and the real future Crown Princess of our Empire.''
Our Empire?
Amina frowned at the handsome face's words.
What did he mean by the Empire? Her mind momentarily drifted away from the pair of beauties before her.
The word 'Empire' belonged to historical terms. Why was the handsome face using the word when they were not in ancient times?
Wait.…
Amina repeated the words of the beauty in her mind and realized other historical terms have been used since she opened her eyes.
Crown Prince....your highness...Crown Princess....
Earlier, Amina had focused her entire attention on the identities of the pair rather than their words. The pair had spoken as though she were in ancient times with them.
''This is the last time I will repeat my words, Young miss Blackthorne." The handsome face warned. "Let's call off our engagement and part our ways.''
Young miss Blackthorne?
Amina also realized the pair have been addressing her with a different name. Her name was Amina, and not Young miss Blackthorne.
''Are you ignoring my words, Amina Blackthorne?''
Amina Blackthorne?
Amina stared blankly at the displeased handsome face, who was supposedly the Crown Prince.
''Did you just call me Amina Blackthorne?'' She murmured under her breath.
Amina Blackthorne….wasn't that the name in a novel her colleague had forced on her to read?
Throb
Before Amina could ponder why the Crown Prince had addressed her with the name of a novel character, her head suddenly began to ache.
''U-Ugh…'' A small, breathless groan escaped her lips. Her body wobbled slightly from the excruciating pain, her hand moving to her temple. Why did her head suddenly began to ache?
''Amina?'' The Crown Prince called out her name, his voice growing distant from her ears. The sight of him and the beauty suddenly stretched apart, appearing to be four in number rather than two.
What's happening?
Amina wondered as she tried to steady herself, but her body seemed to have a mind of its own.
I'm falling.
Amina felt her body dropping. It was at this moment she realized that she was standing on her feet.
At the same time, she watched the Crown Prince and the beauty staring at her with wide eyes through her blurry vision, but that wasn't what caught her attention
There was a tiger behind them.
A faint figure of the animal.
One with a scar on its right eye; same as the tiger that had attacked her at the zoo.
As if the unexpected appearance of the tiger wasn't enough shock for her, the animal parted its mouth.
Welcome home…Mother.
A voice….a deep and familiar voice flowed through her ears. Her heart raced uncontrollably against her chest as though the voice had stirred something dark and feral that had been slumbering deep within her for decades.
And then, Amina's world became dark the moment her body touched the floor.