Chapter 49

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My head hurts so badly, it feels like it’s going to split. As my consciousness slowly surfaces, the first thing I think of is that.

“...Ugh...”

“Saidi, are you awake?”

When I open my eyelids slightly, dazzling blonde hair rushes into my field of vision. My blurry vision gradually clears, and I eventually realize that Gerald’s face is right in front of me.

I feel like I’ve been asleep for a very long time. This unfamiliar room is strangely luxurious and cute. Why am I here?

“It must be painful, I’m sorry. Since you were unconscious for so long, I had to crush the antidote and mix it with water, and give it to you little by little. Please try to drink as much as you can.”

“...”

Gerald helps me sit up in bed, and a glass of water and a small pill are brought to my lips.

– Ah, right. At the party, Mabel and I, who had entered Eliza’s body, drank the poison and collapsed.

Due to the medication, my mind is fuzzy and I can’t think clearly. With Gerald’s help, I manage to drink the antidote mixed with water.

“It will stop hurting soon, so don’t worry.”

I am laid back down on the bed, and as I close my eyes, I can feel the headache gradually subsiding. At the same time, a strange sense of discomfort spreads throughout my body.

Gerald sits in a chair beside the bed and has been holding my hand the whole time.

“Eve... ryone...”

“They’re probably at the Arkwright family’s house by now.”

Gerald, still smiling, says this as if it’s someone else’s business, and I feel a sense of discomfort in my hoarse voice.

I sit up again as my consciousness becomes clearer. My head still hurts a little, but I feel much better.

“Hey, where are we?”

“It’s Eliza’s room.”

“...What?”

Eliza’s room. I don’t understand why Gerald and I are here together.

And the voice I just heard feels strange.

“Why... is my voice...”

This voice is not mine.

I have a familiar feeling of hearing someone else’s voice from my own body. Even if I wanted to forget, I couldn’t.

Desperately retracing my memories, I recall the last thing I saw before losing consciousness, and I am speechless.

“–!!”

I hurriedly place my palm on my face. The contours and the long, beautiful blonde hair flowing down my back are not mine.

My heart beats loudly and rapidly.

“...C-an’t be...”

“You and Eliza’s bodies have been switched.”

Gerald, with his usual smile, says this as if it’s a casual greeting.

At that moment, my mind goes blank.

“Why...”

This was definitely not part of the plan. But there’s no sign of confusion on Gerald’s face.

The magical artifact was supposed to be with Mabel. The fact that he doesn’t find it strange that it was used is clearly odd.

The worst possible hypothesis comes to mind, and I look at Gerald as if clinging to him.

“Gerald, did you betray us...?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would you do such a thing...!”

My voice trembles, and I grab Gerald’s arm with both hands. He says it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

– Because I love you?

‘Thank you, Saidi. I hope we can remain good friends in the future.’

‘Likewise, I hope we can continue to get along well.’

We had this conversation just the other day. I never imagined that Gerald would betray us.

“Saidi, as you are, I can’t have you anymore. But if I lock you in Eliza’s body, the obstacle will be gone.”

“Why...”

“Mabel is probably pretending to have some memory loss and is now ‘Saidi.’ No one will think I betrayed anyone.”

Gerald is right. Not just me, but everyone would never doubt each other. The bonds and trust formed in that place were the strongest of all.

“Gerald, please, change me back.”

“It’s impossible. Mabel has the magical artifact.”

“That’s...! Why would Mabel take my body?”

“Since everything has been exposed, she probably thought it would be safer to become the beloved Saidi. With my support, she can successfully deceive everyone.”

I’m completely confused. Only now do I notice the thick iron shackles on my feet.

Gerald is serious about keeping me locked up.

“Besides, she’s obsessed with Rufus Langridge and believes he’s the one for her.”

At the mention of Rufus’s name, my heart leaps. What does Mabel, who is now me, intend to do to him?

Does she plan to confess her love to him using my voice and my mouth?

That’s absolutely unacceptable. Sadness and frustration well up inside me, and tears start to fall from my eyes.

“Don’t cry, Saidi.”

“Don’t touch me...!”

When I push his hand away, Gerald looks like a hurt child about to cry.

“Gerald, this is wrong...! Because I’m in Eliza’s body, I’m not me.”

“Saidi is Saidi.”

In contrast to my agitation, Gerald remains calm. He continues as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“I don’t care what container you’re in as long as you’re Saidi inside.”

A shiver runs down my spine at his words.

Recalling the past, I remember that he said he fell in love with me when I was in Tabitha’s body.

Gerald might really not care what body I’m in.

“I love you, Saidi. Let’s stay together forever.”

Tears spill from my eyes again.

Gerald, gently wiping away my tears with his fingertips, smiles as if he is incredibly happy.