Chapter 35 – Episode 35. Astrid and Astrid (1)
It would have been very difficult if it was a solo, but fortunately it was a duet.
Besides, since Leopold was proficient in martial arts, he had no problems leading Astrid. Does that mean that he danced with many women? Astrid had a sudden thought, but quickly erased it.
【It can’t be. I’m the only one telling you.]
‘What is the basis of that confidence?’
He said that invitations were rare because he didn’t attend balls very often. For that matter though, invitations from her often came even after she woke up, and she probably sent them out with no expectation that she would attend.
Astrid’s mind got complicated.
Instead of solving the problem, she rather got bigger.
She can’t believe that suddenly someone else is sitting in her head, in fact she’s not even herself. Maybe this is why she was mentally ill and created another personality with zero defense, she thought.
Suddenly, I heard a voice telling me to release the power from her body, and I was startled and unconsciously followed the words to release the power from her body.
Then, as if changing channels on a TV, my view switched, and I was able to look outside as if I were really watching TV.
She says her body moves against her will. She could read all the thoughts, and all the emotions she was feeling came through. Plus, you could even talk through her thoughts!
How could this be?
“Astrid.”
“Yes yes?!”
“What are you thinking?”
The sight was spinning around.
Suddenly, the dance was reaching its climax, and her body swayed back and forth as Leopold moved, spinning and lying half-lying in his arms.
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Before I knew it, the kindness in Leopold’s voice had disappeared.
Even in Leopold’s eyes, Astrid is strange today. In the opening dance, she showed a little clumsiness at the very beginning, but soon she danced freely, so familiarly.
Then, even after returning to her seat, she shot Arkemilla the way she looked, exactly the way Leopold remembered Astrid before. Was it just Akemilla, Emily, or Violet?
And while she was saying that, Astrid suddenly evaded her words…
She was odd anyway.
*
“Gentlemen, did you all enjoy it?”
“Yes!”
A booming voice filled the auditorium.
The cadets, who were clumsy at the time of admission, now show a rather pious appearance after 4 weeks of training, and Ortega looked around at the cadets and smiled with satisfaction.
“There is a graduation ceremony tomorrow morning. After this graduation ceremony, there is a one-month waiting period in the base, after which you officially become a cadet of this academy. Of course, you can freely leave during this period. Those wishing to leave school may visit the instructor at any time. Check-out outside of this period… Everyone knows, right?”
Ortega grinned. The golden teeth instead of fangs glistened in the light, and a somewhat intimidating feeling in that smile overwhelmed the cadets.
“Well, to say more would only make it longer. Above, let’s finish the eve of the graduation ceremony. Everyone, disband!”
“Dissolution!”
Reciting Ortega’s declaration, the cadets began to disperse.
Between the cadets who gathered in groups of two and three and returned to their lodgings, Astrid alone opened the door to the terrace on the other side of the auditorium.
If I had to go out now, my complicated hair would get more tangled because of the crowd of cadets.
As she opened her terrace door and stepped outside, her cool night breeze greeted her.
The night view outside of her was quite worth seeing. In her northern Mitterien mansion, when she went out to her terrace in her room, there was a snowfield covered with pure white snow, but here instead of such a snowfield, buildings filled with wide open ground and her parade ground greeted her.
“… What the hell is going on… “
“What do you mean?”
Astrid looked behind her at the sudden sound of her voice.
Her Leopold, leaning against the wall at the entrance to her terrace, was staring at her.
“Can you tell me how something works?”
“…”
Astrid shut her mouth.
Actually, I think there’s someone else in my head, but I think he’s the real Astrid, and I’m the fake Astrid- I can’t say.
【Change! Swap with me, quickly! Get out of your body!]
The real Astrid raging in my head.
Astrid let out a small sigh inside her and relaxed her body.
It changed when I did this before. I did, but now, no matter how much I wait, I don’t feel like my vision is changing like before.
In front of her eyes, her Leopold was staring at her with her puzzled face.
【Do you want to change quickly?】
‘It doesn’t change. I want to change too.’
No matter how many times I remove the strength from the body, it doesn’t change. Astrid felt that if she lingered here any longer, she would arouse her suspicions in Leopold.
Besides, what if, on the other hand, she confessed that Astrid loved Leopold? So what if she decides to get married?
Goosebumps ran down her arms. No, that’s awkward
“Something is strange about you today, Astrid. Don’t you think so?”
You know that better than anyone.
But it was a situation where she couldn’t bear to explain it out of her mouth.
【Ah, why doesn’t this change… !]
Leopold in front, Astrid in my head.
‘It’s annoying, really.’
【I’m annoyed too!】
“Nothing happened. It’s just that her head is complicated-“
“If.”
Her Astrid interrupted her and Leopold stared at her.
“Lady Ureid, Lady Georgien, and Lady Autria. Is it because of these three candidates for the Crown Princess?”
【That’s it!】
“… No. Just tired I will go in first.”
Leopold stared at her disappearing back.
Her appearance changes from time to time. Akemilla’s unexpected appearance after her candidacy.
Perhaps, he hadn’t expected that Leopold would really select another young lady as a candidate. Maybe he didn’t know how to do it. Could it be that she is suffering because of the number of crown princess candidates that have increased with her three?
Maybe, I just gave her her hurt again.
Leopold was lost in thought.
*
“How was it? How was it?”
“What.”
At Astrid, who showed signs of exhaustion, Eranya bombarded her with a barrage of questions, giving her no time to breathe.
What the heck was it like? You have to do something and you have to do something. Astrid waved her hand at Eranya, who was bombarding her with questions, and turned around.
“You’re asking how I was with Leopold, what is it?”
“I don’t know… I’m tired.”
Her Eranya’s hand touched her back, and before long the buttons on the back of her dress came undone one by one with a thud.
This was the reason why the dress was not flashy, but still needed someone to help. There are buttons attached to the body here and there, and it is impossible to unfasten the buttons on the back like now.
I was really tired.
My body wasn’t tired at all, but my mind was so tired.
What should I do if I just walk away from there, and Leopold looks cool in agony, and Astrid, who was muttering such a noise, was so loud that I was mentally tired.
“I will wash first.”
“Uh, yes.”
After folding the dress and putting it in the return box, Astrid took a towel and a supply of face wash and went into the shower and turned on the water.
With the sound of rushing water, warm water started flowing.
After getting some water in the basin, he scooped it up and started wiping her face with a whooshing noise.
【Ji, what are you doing now!】
‘Why again?’
【What if I rubbed her face like that?! Your skin is all damaged!]
‘…’
I have nothing to say.
Then how do you wash your face like this?
【Move her hand up and down to diagnose wrinkles… ! It should only move in one direction!]
I didn’t even want to answer.
How do you wash your face by moving your hand in one direction?
I scooped up the cleanser, rubbed it with my hands, and started painting on my face.
【What else is this brand?! No, you’re a woman too, so why do you take care of your skin like this?! You’re saying it’s not your body, what the hell!
… It’s not even a woman in the first place.
‘Noisy. Shut up.’
【This is such an rude person… !]
Without answering, Astrid wiped off all the foam from her face, dried herself with a towel, and came out.
In the meantime, there was nagging that a towel shouldn’t be rubbed against the face like that, but Astrid didn’t answer.
After Erania took turns to wash up, Astrid sat down on the bed,
‘Let’s talk.’
【It’s a coincidence. I was also in a situation where I needed to talk.]
‘Since when have you been watching?’
It was one of the important stories.
As for Astrid, when did she start seeing her, and why did she suddenly appear today after not talking to her? And why can’t she be replaced after being replaced?
【I was awake right after you took over my body.】
In other words, she was watching everything from the beginning.
【But no matter what I said, you didn’t seem to be listening.】
I couldn’t actually hear anything.
【But I could see and hear what you were doing and saying. As if dreaming of something, something vaguely, though not clearly seen and heard.]
Then, it wouldn’t mean that she clearly knew everything that had happened.
It’s not like there’s anything that shouldn’t be known to the real Astrid, though.
‘Why did you suddenly be able to talk to me?’
【That I don’t know. Because at that moment, everything suddenly became clear. I could hear what you were doing, saying, and thinking as clearly as if I could hold it in my hand.]
‘Suddenly it happened… ‘
【Anyway, that’s what it means. So I know you’d like to avoid marrying Her Highness Leopold at all costs, but unfortunately I must. Give up on that.]
It’s a warning.
The real Astrid who wants to marry Leopold no matter what.
A fake Astrid who promises that it won’t happen no matter what.
‘By the way, isn’t your tone very different when you talk about Leopold and when you talk about other topics?’
【Don’t you think it’s strange to treat Her Highness with other people?】
No answer.
Astrid felt a throbbing headache.
– It’s sweet.
The shower door opened, and Eranya came out with a towel wrapped around her head, smirking.
Her eyes turned to Astrid, who was sitting on the bed, and from Eranya’s eyes, Astrid looked like she was getting ready to sleep, so she spoke without hesitation.
“Still, the way Leopold looked at you was a bit different today. No matter how you look at it, it’s true that my dress strategy worked well. Astrid, don’t you think so?”
However, those words were not heard by Astrid, who was having an in-depth conversation with Astrid in her head.
【Let’s see. Because I’m definitely going to get married.]
“Under… You are really talking nonsense.”
“… Huh? Oh, isn’t it?”
When Astrid came to her senses at the sudden words of Erania, there was Erania with a slightly puzzled face.
“I’m sorry if it wasn’t. I used to look like that Well, if it’s not you, it’s not. Anyway, don’t worry, I won’t trick you into wearing something like that from now on.”
“Yes? Uh, ah. OK… Yeah huh.”
If you say you won’t cheat, that’s a good thing anyway.
Astrid just nodded her head.
