What In This World! Oh... Wait A Minute. It's Another World.

--Events of chapters 21-22 as told by Carmen Sen--

"Don't forget your end of our deal." (Adnal)

"I wouldn't dream of it." (Carmen)

With that said, I handed the mini-light core to Adnal, who immediately ingested it.

After playing with the new light magic for a bit, "Thank you for the trade, all I lack now is earth magic." (Adnal)

Wishing I could, "Too bad I cannot help you there." (Carmen)

"It's fine, I will wait until I find someone break through to god realm in earth, and then offer them a trade that will suit them." (Adnal)

After those words were stated, she immediately disappeared from our sights.

"So... does this mean that Carmen will live to be 1,001,140 years old?" (Dawson)

"Not guaranteed, but she will age at a rate that will make it to where if she does not die for another reason, she will die around that age." (Ernest)

Worried that Dawson would die before I did, "What about Dawson, I don't want him to die before me." (Carmen)

"Remember my special 'Blood Blessing'?" (Dawson)

"Yes?" (Carmen)

"I can gain way more life expectancy than you have, as long as I fulfill its requirements." (Dawson)

"I know, but do you really think you can? I mean, I know that the first two tasks are a given," remembering the tasks regarding s.e.x, and also the task of making someone hate you, I feel heat flooding to my cheeks, "but do you really think that you can do all of them?" (Carmen)

"Up to Stage 8, I know I could easily do. Stage 9 I am unsure, and stage 10 is something I could never do." (Dawson)

"You could force someone you love to hate you?" (Carmen)

"Remember, it never said that I had to keep them hating me, just to make them hate me... I would do that when they were already angered with me, then after I had achieved the next stage, I would undo what I did." (Dawson)

"If it's like that, then... I guess I don't have to worry about either of us dying before the other, save some unfortunate event." (Carmen)

"We will live together as long as we are both alive, that I promise you Carmen." (Dawson)

After a short pause, sitting back down on his chair, "Well, Dawson, Carmen, Ariko, Harrold..." sigh, "I need a bit to fully wrap my brain around what just transpired in front of me, and recoup from casting that spell. Please go somewhere else for the time being." (Ernest)

We did as asked.

After we left the room and were far enough from the door for father not to hear, "Dawson, do you two want us to stick around, or would you prefer us to go elsewhere?" (Harrold)

"Carmen?" (Dawson)

Not caring which they do, I shrugged my shoulders.

"Do as you see fit." (Dawson)

With those words, Ariko and Harrold left, walking a little closer than I would have expected... '𝘈𝘩, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦' I thought to myself, due to seeing them hold hands.

"Carmen, did you see what I just thought I saw?" (Dawson)

"Our personal guards are sure getting close, but is that a bad thing?" (Carmen)

"No, I was just making sure I was not seeing things... I am happy for them to be honest." (Dawson)

Grabbing my hand, "Follow me, I have a surprise for you." (Dawson)

"Oh? And this surprise is?" (Carmen)

"It's a surprise, why would I spoil it?" (Dawson)

Doing my best puppy-dog eyes.

"That won't work, you'll find out shortly." (Dawson)

Trying to hide my smile, "But I wanna know now!" then tried to act like a little kid throwing a fit by stomping on the ground. (Carmen)

"I see your hidden smirk, you are just trying to get me to tell you, but are actually happy that I'm doing this for you." (Dawson)

Finally, bitterly revealing my smile, "You got me." (Carmen)

As I finished saying this, we arrived in the flower garden, he took me to the gazebo in the midst.

When we got there, he turned one chair to where it was facing away from the table and towards the bridge. He then asked me to sit in the chair.

"Now as for my surprise." (Dawson)

After that, He recited the poem.

While he said this poem to me, I felt a little embarrassed, happy, and surprised. I was so moved by the poem that as soon as he finished I jumped into his embrace crying. I cried until I started feeling sleepy.

Looking up at him, while still hugging him, "Thank you Sone, that was beautiful... did you write this?" (Carmen)

"Yes, I wrote this for you." (Dawson)

Burying my head in his c.h.e.s.t to hide how sleepy I felt, "It was definitely a different way to do a poem, did you come up with that method too, or borrow it from another?" (Carmen)

"Well, I thought it up, and decided to try it, since I had never seen anyone else do such in the past." (Dawson)

I then fell asleep while standing in his embrace. I then started to dream. Well, it was not really a dream, but me witnessing what was going on around me while experiencing something different. I saw what happened to my body, how Dawson moved it to another room and heard what all he said in and directly outside the room. I also heard and saw everything that happened to the shadow. However, while the shadow was there and Dawson was gone, the shadow looked directly at me and spoke.

"I am the shadow that lurks within you... this is the first part of your trial... this part is a test. Do you trust your cousin, Dawson Sen, to save you? If not, I will go to your body of my own volition... however, if you do, then you shall have your ability to use your body in any way left to Dawson to make sure that you have." (Shadow)

I immediately replied, "I will always trust Dawson with my life." (Carmen)

After that, it went back to being in the exact position that my body was in before Dawson moved it. Then, as I said earlier, I saw everything that happened with the shadow, along with seeing everything that happened with my body.

Once the shadow returned to my body, I was immediately s.u.c.k.e.d back into my body. Upon entering my body, I went into a dream-like state. While in this dream-like state, I saw the shadow again, but this time it just looked like me with all its features darkened... like if 25% of the light was removed.

"You have successfully passed the first test, however, that test was a double-edged sword. There were two ways to pass, and one way to fail. You fail if you said you trusted your cousin and then your cousin proved to be untrustworthy. But since that did not happen you passed." (Shadow)

"Let me guess, if I had said that I did not trust Dawson, then I would have also passed?" (Carmen)

"Yes. Now, for your second test, defeat me." (Shadow)

"What do you mean? Defeat you? I don't even know much in the way of magic, how am I suppose to do that?" (Carmen)

"It's a matter of will, we have the same skills and knowledge... the only differences are our personality, how we will execute our knowledge, and our will to defeat the other. As of yet, I am but a mere shadow of you, but if I defeat you, I will become you. So, to not cease to exist, you must defeat me." (Shadow)

"So, in other words, this is a fight of life or death, against my clone no less." (Carmen)

With a menacing grin, "More or less." (Shadow)

With that said, I started doing some exercises to warm up, and sure enough, so did the shadow me. After we were done warming up, the shadow me spoke again.

In a stance like she is ready to fight, "Are you ready?" (Shadow)

Taking a similar stance, "As I'll ever be." (Carmen)

After that, we both gave it our all. We were even accurately predicting what the other would do since we both had the same knowledge. I just so happened to be the first one to predict what the shadow would predict I would do, and therein gained the upper hand... but only for a moment. Shortly thereafter, the shadow was able to predict what I would predict it to do next and level the playing field.

This fight seemed to last for 2-3 hours before it seemed clear who would win. I was so close to defeat, having only a little energy left, and a blade made of water going at my neck.

Racking my brain for a solution, I actually thought of something that might work. I first used fire to nullify the water, creating a smoke screen of steam (a steam screen). I then dashed directly at the shadow of myself, and, hoping it would work, cast what I hoped to be a purification spell... like the type used against undead in RPGs. When the spell hit the shadow, it immediately screamed out in pain, and the spell enveloped the shadow. I held the spell until it seemed to me that the shadow no longer had the strength to do anything against me.

After the fight was over, the shadow looked as if it was dying.

In a raspy voice "Your third, and final test. Wake yourself up. You will be trapped in your dream until you do." (Shadow)

As soon as the shadow finished her words, she vanished. I thought to myself, How am I suppose to do that? You never even gave me a hint.

After that, I just wandered around in this dream world. It was a large maze of halls with many doors, each and every door went to a place I have been in the past, with that place looking exactly as it did the last time I saw it, but no one else in any of these places. I decided to look for a door that looked different from the rest, since, knowing myself if I were to create such a labyrinth, the way out would be a door that looked in some way different from the rest. I also know that the rule of thumb of staying along one wall would not always work, so I decided to use my memory skills and watch the doors since they were all different from each other in one specific way, they each had a date, being the date I last visited that location. So with that knowledge, I kept track of which dates I had passed in what order, and if ever I was passing ones I passed before, I'd take a different turn after that repeat, or backtrack to before that turn and take a different path instead.

After what seemed like a day or so spent inside the labyrinth, I finally found the door I was looking for. It had today's date, but that door also had the time, and that time was very slowly changing. It took about 1 minute for a single second to pass. With that knowledge, I calculated that although it seemed like I had been in this dream world for what seemed like 28 hours, I had probably only spent just under half an hour in this world in real time.

I awoke to find that there was a maid here waiting for me to wake up.

"Good evening Miss Carmen, is there anything I can get for you?" (Maid)

Grabbing the cup that I keep next to my bed, and filling it with water using my water magic, "To be honest..."

I pause because of being interrupted by my stomach grumbling.

With a small smile, "I am a bit hungry." (Carmen)

Giving a curtsy, "Then, would you like to take dinner in your room, or elsewhere?" (Maid)

Sliding my hand from my forehead, over my nose, to the bottom of my chin, "Well, I am still exhausted, after recent events, so please, have it brought to my room." (Carmen)

"Understood milady, I will do so right away." (Maid)

The maid then departed. Now I was honestly tired, but that was not the only reason I wanted to eat in my room. I wanted to think over the events that had transpired today.

I was so lost in thought that it took the maid tapping me on the shoulder to bring me back to my senses. When she did, I noticed that there was a meal waiting in front of me.

"Miss Carmen?" (Maid)

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought... Thank you for bringing me my food, was there anything more than calling out my name that you said?" (Carmen)

"It's no problem, and yes, I had informed you of the fact that I brought you your food and asked if there is anything more you wish of me?" (Maid)

"I would like you to return around the time I would likely be finished to collect the dishes, and if there is anything more, I'll let you know then." (Carmen)

"Understood," turning to head out of the room, "I will be back then." (Maid)

"Please and thank you." (Carmen)

While I was eating, I kept thinking about how to react to what happened. Near the time whereas I was finished eating, I decided upon upholding the promise Dawson made and telling him what all happened to me during that time.

Shortly before the maid returned, I started to fall asleep. I stopped myself from completely falling asleep as to ask the maid to pass a message on to Dawson.

"Miss Carmen, have you finished?" (Maid)

"I have. I apologize, but I would like to ask one more thing of you." (Carmen)

"It is no problem, how may I be of service?" (Maid)

"I would like to ask you to come back here once you finish with returning the dishes, and wait here until either Dawson comes to check on me or until there is no sun left for the day, whichever comes first." (Carmen)

"I have no problem with doing this, may I ask why?" (Maid)

"I would like you to pass a message on to him if/when you see him... I want you to tell him that I am fine, have eaten, and will uphold the promise he made to the royal sorcerer." (Carmen)

"With p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e." (Maid)

"Also, he may wonder how I know about that promise, tell him I will inform him in the morning." (Carmen)

"Understood milady." (Maid)

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