Victoria Douglas is running.

She had a dream. A long, long dream. Her memory is still a few days ago. Fleeing from her family, she teleported to the distant border of Elrios, and then trekked into the territory of Elrios...... That was the end of Miss Douglas's memory. She was probably so tired that she passed out in the wilderness.

However, if you simply pass out, how can you feel such a realistic and immersive dream? She dreamed that she was rescued by a friendly mercenary guild. She also dreamed that she lied to them that she had lost her memory, and then marched with the caravan towards Thales, the capital of the French state of Elrios.

Victoria Douglas's thinking gradually returned. She suddenly realized that she was not dreaming. Someone else, or something, is controlling his body, acting as "Amnesia-stricken Victoria".

Miss Douglas was terrified. She wanted to break free from such a nightmarish situation, but she couldn't. She'd been a mage for a long time, but she had never been in such a desperate situation. She couldn't use any spells, so she could only watch helplessly as the imposter commanded her body's movements.

But even so, Victoria Douglas did not give up. She connected to the sea of clouds again and again, trying to mobilize its power, but only in vain consumed her spiritual power. Miss Douglas knew that this would be her last chance. If her assumption is correct, she has a deeper connection to the other soul who is controlling her body. Maybe his own mental consumption will also have an impact on the hateful "hermit crab".

Miss Douglas did not think she would win the battle. After all, it is oneself who is wasting mental power, and the burden of the other party must be far less heavy than oneself. Even the loss of the other party may only be one-tenth of its own.

But Miss Douglas had no choice but to continue this desperate war of attrition. The other party did not know that she still existed, and that was Miss Douglas's only advantage. Miss Douglas was not sure if her consciousness would become a real sleep once she had fallen asleep again.

She won the bet. The creature that took over his body was probably not a powerful mage or priest. Compared to the impostor, Miss Douglas herself is undoubtedly more powerful. What's more, the impostor also seems to have taken over this strange body unsuspectingly, and is invisibly under tremendous pressure, and the loss of mental power has multiplied. This allowed Miss Douglas to win the battle of mental power......

But Miss Douglas understands that as long as the other party really adapts to the identity of "Victoria Douglas", she will forever lose the opportunity to fight with the other party.

But Miss Douglas didn't know how to banish the other person from her spirit...... She was also very mentally tired, and she was just instinctively and helplessly running around.

It was at this moment that nightmarish voice rang in her head:

[Victoria Douglas.] Miss Douglas. 】

(To avoid confusion, conversations that take place in the spirit world are in square brackets [] instead of quotation marks, as appropriate—author's note)

……

The maiden was now very angry.

That bastard bald starman...... The traverser from Earth was furious and thought that there was really more than one trap he had planted for himself......

keenly discovered that her body had another prominent identity, but the girl never thought that the body she had seized was still alive and living in her own mind. And now, he jumped out and fought with himself for the ownership of the body.

It's like a pit with another pit behind it......

The girl has no worries about losing control of her body. A few minutes ago, his spirit was like collapse, but now, he has recovered as before. Obviously, compared to the tragic Miss Douglas, she has an absolute advantage. The girl even thinks that even if she leaves it alone, this "real Victoria Douglas" will quickly run out of mental energy, and then she will be able to happily retrieve her body - Miss Douglas does not know how long it will take to jump out again. As long as she further adapts to this body, she will be completely suppressed in normal times.

But the maiden did not want to do this: it would be troublesome if Miss Glass destroyed her spirit by suicide......

So, the girl "spoke". She speaks directly to Miss Douglas's mental world:

[Victoria Douglas.] Miss Douglas. 】

The girl was startled by her own "voice". I thought that the voice would become the state of an earth boy, but it turned out to be Victoria's voice, but the tone seemed masculine.

You thief...... Are you finally willing to speak? 】

Miss Douglas angrily communicated with the spirit of "mouth back".

[Your words are not fair, Miss Douglas.] You've been hiding in my mental world, looking for a chance to fight back—no matter how you look at it, it's up to me to question why you didn't speak, right? Could it be that Miss Douglas, you're actually a bit of a confused ......? The girl responded calmly.

[What do you say - the thief who steals someone else's body is not qualified to accuse me of anything at all!] Miss Douglas instinctively wanted to retort about the "confusion", and then realized that it was simply off the mark.

【Ha...... Sure enough, it was. You're not a very shrewd guy. The girl's tone was full of helplessness, [Miss Douglas, I understand your feelings very well. My body was stolen by an unknown person, and I would be very angry if I changed it. However, since the matter is irreparable, what should you do next, and it will not help to argue with me. You've done a good job so far, taking back ownership of your body for the time being, but what are you going to do next? 】

......Miss Douglas was momentarily speechless.

[You've probably noticed, too. Now, I am the one who plays the leading role in this body. Even if you can retrieve your body for a short time, I will soon take it back. Continuing to consume physical and mental energy is meaningless for both of us. 】

[I thought about it.] Miss Douglas also gradually calmed down, "You're right, probably I'm just resisting uselessly. But, unknown creatures, aren't you afraid that I will choose to kill myself now and drag you to death with me? 】

You cherish life. But the girl decided to take a gamble, and she saw Miss Douglas's memory, "You will not give up your life, but will choose to fight for it until the last moment." 】

[You read my memory, don't you......] Miss Douglas became melancholy, "I know my secret, but I don't know anything about you. It's not fair. 】

If I didn't want to be this voyeur, would you trust me? But the girl said sincerely, "Listen, Miss Douglas, it's not like we don't have a win-win option. 】

[You think I'm going to believe you?] Miss Douglas sneered, "Maybe you're a devil who is luring me down a path of no return. 】

[On the contrary, Miss Douglas.] The face of the bald star appeared in the girl's heart, "The person who has been bewitched by the devil is not you, but me. There was a devil-like guy who promised me a new life, and it turned out to be the way you see it. Honestly, I never dreamed of walking in this world with my body. 】

Miss Douglas's heart moved.

That is to say...... a new idea came to her mind, "We can use spells to create a new body for you. Then, you can give me my body back. 】

"You're really smart, Victoria," the girl was amazed, "You preemptively said my proposal, it seems that I don't need to ask for your consent anymore.] 】

[Not so! Miss Douglas was annoyed and angry, [After all, aren't you afraid that after you get your body, you will be killed or detained by me in turn? 】

Can you do it? The girl asked rhetorically.

[As long as my mother makes a move......]

[I'm sorry,] the girl said quietly, "You don't have a chance to ask your mother to help. 】

Miss Douglas was silent.

[Similarly, you will not be able to gain the trust of the Elrios Legality right now.] Making a new body and then transferring consciousness into it is not something that can be done casually. We must have the confidence of a great Power...... Ask for their help. 】

[One body and two souls are unheard of, and we may report directly to the High Mages,] Miss Douglas seemed to be talking to herself, "but in that case, they might be more than willing to study a ready-made specimen than to separate the souls of the two of us.] 】

The spell that creates the body of a living person is a thoroughly difficult spell, and some of the links also involve forbidden spells. On the other hand, both souls exist only in theory, and it is even more difficult to separate the two souls. Although Miss Douglas believed that the legendary mages could do it, she was not sure what the eccentric legendary mages would do: she was not even an Elrios, and perhaps the legendary mages of the French Power would have dismantled her......

[Word of caution, you can't talk to yourself in mental communication...... the girl complained, "I think if we tell them the truth directly, they will either not believe it or lock us in the lab. Our only chance is to gain a certain status in the French Nation, and then you will have a chance to have this body again. We could have broken up amicably. 】

"Your tone sounds strange," said Miss Douglas, "and it's going to take a long time. And, how can you be so sure that I will accept your offer? 】

[Because you don't have a choice.] The girl said, "It's an unequal game between you and me. Your resistance has given me narcolepsy at most, and I will continue to have this body. You see...... Accept my offer, and you still have a chance to turn the tables around. 】

"Well, you win," said Miss Douglas hatefully, "I really don't have a choice. But, unknown creature, are you so sure that you can take enough place in the French kingdom of Elrios? You should understand that traitors are not taken seriously anywhere. 】

[You're the famous genius mage, Miss Douglas. Let's cooperate and make a little famous in the French country, and it will be easy. The girl said neatly.

[It sounds like I'm doing my job...... Wait, you seem to know some secrets that even I don't know. Miss Douglas said alarmedly, "You don't seem to be a mage. How did you do that? No, who are you? 】

[When the opportunity is ripe, I will tell you.] The girl pretended to be deep and said, "Moreover, it is more polite to ask someone's name first than who I am. 】

Miss Douglas held back her anger and asked...... What's your name? 】

Calm down, Miss Douglas hinted to herself. The other side also needs to rely on their own strength. Only by building a good relationship with the other party can you have the opportunity to continue to control your body.

At least, judging from the other party's tone, this creature of unknown origin is also a human.

[The pronunciation of my surname is "Wei", which is somewhat similar to the first sound of your name. Just call me Wei. The girl thought for a while and reported her Earth surname, [And you, it's too troublesome to always call you Miss Douglas.] 】

If you call me "Victoria"...... Miss Douglas protested. She searched her stomach and thought about what race had the surname "Wei", but found nothing. She had heard a lot of weird elves and dwarves, but the monophonic surname "Wei" was not among them.

"Now I am the "real" Victoria," said the young girl Sensen, "until we part, I will have Victoria's name." Only you have the right to call me by my real surname. 】

[I don't have a choice, anyway. Miss Douglas muttered.

As for you...... Well, when communicating in the spirit world, Miss Douglas, I'll call you Vicky, okay? 】

[You! Miss Douglas is really getting a little angry this time.

[In my hometown, it's just a common term of endearment. The girl said gently, teasing the real Victoria made her happy, "I don't mean to offend you. You're like ...... to me Belch...... Sisters alike. 】

[Okay.] Miss Douglas—presumably Vicky—sighed, remembering what her mother had called her when she was a child, though not exactly the same, but someone had called me by a similar nickname before. Whatever. 】

She didn't know, just as she hadn't fully trusted the earthlings, and the time-travelers from Earth hadn't fully trusted her. In fact, the girl—as we can now call her Victoria—wasn't entirely unfiguring out how to kick Miss Douglas, or Vicky, out of the game.

It's a pity that the girl's conclusion is that in the current situation of her own lack of strength, it is unlikely that she will expel Xiaowei in the short term - on the contrary, she can get a lot of benefits by making good use of Xiaowei, the "spirit behind her". Thinking of this, the girl's depression that was originally pitted by the bald star has also been alleviated a lot.

[Then, Xiaowei, give me back your body. The girl said.

[Okay...... Wait a minute! Xiaowei suddenly realized, [Someone is coming! 】

"I'm really curious," a familiar voice sounded in the distance, "what are you doing here alone in the dead of night, Miss Victoria Douglas." ”

John Goth's thin figure came into Vitoria's sight. His face was as deep as water, and his pale golden pupils stared at Victoria.