"It's been a long day, West?"

"This shit is horrible. Good news for me, Portman. What was the verdict?"

"We're going to take over Swassam's case."

“…… Damn it. At least we have clues, right?"

"Not yet. In kidnapping, the first 24 hours are the most important. It's time for us to go. ”

"You think it's a kidnapping?"

"We can't rule anything out yet."

Thank you for texting me with every star in the sky and in the sky. No, seriously, text messages are bombs. This may seem obvious to you, but being able to talk quietly and quickly, and without face-to-face expressions and emotions? Sometimes that's really great. What's more, these are recorded.

I spent the morning combing through old text messages with one hand while munching on a few slices of toast. Of course, I still remember (mostly) of my friends. I've never been like Matt, I love to talk to people around me. But it's good to focus my memories on the current situation. Ke

Sey is going through her "I hate all men" phase, Ja

E is dating Steve, Ka

I like him (although I never told him). Mickey's band broke up after a stupid quarrel. My best friend Sara has been texting me all night, and until now she's telling me that she knows someone and that Avale Sildari is getting married

Await. That's not a good fit. Alvalet wasn't my high school classmate. First of all, she seems to be eighty years old. Even if she still looks beautiful. She insisted that I was prettier, but we both knew that was an outright lie. I can't be compared to an elf princess. I couldn't reach it even with half of the girls in my grade. It's a pity that she had to marry such a lazy man. However, no one has ever said that political marriage is easy.

But that's none of my business anymore.

"Hey, Jane," my brother's voice echoed in the antechamber.

"Dove?"

"I'm going to go out early. Can you wake up Mommy?" I could hear him slipping on his shoes and squeaking on the wooden floor by the door.

"Okay. What's the matter?"

"I told them I was going to see them before school today."

"Oh, do you have a girlfriend?" I teased, still looking through my old text messages.

"It's none of your business."

"Ah," I said, pouting. I stood up and leaned into the corner to look at him. "Won't you tell me, Dudara Sheila?"

"Nope."

"You know that means you know, right?" You're posturing. I snickered.

"Since you say so. Jane?"

"What?"

Matt stood up straight, wearing his favorite jacket and carrying a backpack over his shoulder. He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms. I froze, discomfort rising rapidly. I pushed it away, though the feeling of nausea crept up my chest, urging me to break free from his embrace. I consciously reminded myself that he was just trying to comfort me, to be kind to me – that he was my brother, that he would never hurt me, that he was on my side – but that feeling remained. But I can't tell him.

I fell into his embrace and hugged him awkwardly. After a few seconds, he let go, and my anxiety slowly faded.

"You know I've been looking for you, right?"

"Serno," I whispered.

He smiled, but it was a sad, lonely smile. This sentence was so much in line with my own feelings that I almost cried on the spot. I've gotten pretty good at hiding my emotions, though, and it's been an important tool in my career. There was no expression on my face at all. Right now.

"Remember," Matt chanted in a calm, cautious voice, "there is no Etolien here. I know it's hard for you, but stick to English, okay?"

I nodded. He opened the door and walked out, the outside world waiting for the two of us to finally reappear after all these years. "Don't forget Mom!" He shouted. He walked onto the sidewalk and disappeared over the edge of the fence.

He was right: it was harder for me. Let me be clear, I don't mean resentment. But after all these years, English is no longer my native language. After returning to this world, being surrounded by this foreign language is the strangest feeling.

Yes, I can understand what is written, what people say, etc. Most of the time, anyway. But I haven't said much in almost seven years. Sometimes it's hard for me to understand what it means. English may be my mother tongue, but Ettolin is the language of my heart. What's more, my brain. Until now, I mentally translated those text messages into Etoli

e。 It's automatic.

There's nothing like being thrown into a place where not only no one speaks the same language as you, but they don't have anything to do with Li

gue

Hostile places are better. This is simply the worst immersion learning. Or the best, I think, because I'm a fast learner. I have a good teacher. English disappeared for me almost overnight and didn't come back for a long time.

You should have seen my first interpretation between Mr. and Mrs. Silver and Ambassador Selman. That's a joke. It was the first time I spoke English in almost six years, and even heard it for the first time.

It didn't end well.

My phone rang again, bringing me back to reality. If I don't hurry, I might be late. I hurried upstairs to my mother's room and put my ear to the door. No sound. She must still be sleeping. Yes.

I knocked softly on the door with my knuckles.

"Mom?"

“N

gh。 ”

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, you have to get up."

"What multiplies it?"

"It's time for breakfast. Come on. "I smelled the coffee and started floating up the stairs and I wrinkled my nose. I've never liked coffee, and I don't like it anymore. It made a mess of my mind. "I'm going in, okay?"

I pushed the door open, with more force than I had expected. It shook wide and bounced off the wall. My mother turned around in the bed and raised a hand to block the sunlight coming in from behind me.

"Jenny, let me get some sleep."

I'm not mad for taking the wrong name. I was scolded even more badly. "Mom, if I do that, you'll sleep until work. Come on. ”

"What?"

I sat down next to her and helped her to sit up. She leaned heavily on my shoulder, blinking from exhaustion. "Did you forget to set the alarm again?" The question popped out of my mouth, but it immediately felt familiar to me. It's a strange feeling, like I'm acting out a play I've done a hundred times, but I've never read the script. All I know is what will happen next, even though the role I play is usually my brother's.

"All right," she said, her eyes finally open. "Go ahead, at least get me dressed."

“Nuh-uh。 You stand up. I put an arm over my shoulder and lifted her up from the bed. She swayed slightly, but quickly stabilized. Now that she's standing, it's unlikely that she'll fall asleep again. "On the bright side. You only need to do one thing today, right?"

“…… Yes. She smiled. Let's go on. I did. ”

"I'll go and warm up your breakfast. If you want to warm up, you'd better come down quickly. "I went downstairs, found the plate Matt had prepared, and threw it in the microwave.

By the way, microwave? It's amazing. Even though it usually tastes worse, convenience is much more important than that.

Refrigerator. I learned how to live without it, how to preserve meat and live off the land, but it would be too bad if I wasn't going to use it now.

I heard my mom thump down the stairs when the microwave went off. I took out the plate and put it on the table for her with silverware. I still remember where the drawer where I put my silverware was, and it made me strangely proud. It makes me feel comfortable and warm inside. Small successes are accumulating, okay? I felt like I was home, so much so that I forgot what planet I was on.

“Vei pol

a

a susvyla ta

a

a byla

, selaval," I said, picking up my dishes and rinsing them in the sink.

"Huh?" I looked up and saw my mother's confused expression. Oops. I hit myself a dozen times in my heart. English, damn it.

"I'm just practicing. Your food is on the table. I gestured to where the heat was coming out of her food. I can't remember the English name of her meal, which bothers me. I can call it Etoli

e name (kelbasal, for people who play at home), but that doesn't help much. I started pouring her coffee into the cup and she sat down to eat it. I placed the cup next to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"I didn't know you chose a foreign language." She picked up the newspaper Matt had left behind and said. Now that I've dealt with a lot of high-level politics myself, I suddenly find Matt's habit of keeping in touch with the outside world less strange.

"Well, why not? Maybe it helps. "To my eternal relief, she didn't ask for any language, just went back to her food. I took my bag off the table and carried it on my back. It feels balanced, but not as good as the quiver I usually wear over my shoulder. This is a very light but very strong material, which is Tethevalle

Syl

a

de

Handmade for my 21st birthday.

My throat was choking a little. My heart sank at the thought of the memories that surfaced. I miss him so much.

"Are you okay?" Mom's voice pierced through the veil that had suddenly cast in front of my eyes. I smiled and watched as she was ready.

"Of course," I replied, this time deliberately in English.

"You've been weird lately."

"You're just tired. See you tonight, okay? Matt is cooking dinner. ”

Mom was very excited to hear this. Matt is definitely the best cook in the house and has saved us a lot of money. He was able to make it delicious with even the cheapest ingredients, and he learned a lot of new tricks while dodging the Selman Legion. I'm looking forward to going to the grocery store after school, even though it sounds weird. This has helped me in more ways than one.

"I have to go now. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Jenny. Have a nice time at school. She waved at me and returned to the back of her hand.

I gave her the best smile and put on a dark coat and walked out the door.

＊＊＊

The world around me opened up and it felt good to see the sky again (even though the sky was largely covered in layers of fluffy grey clouds with an angry look that signaled an impending downpour), but it was all completely ignored as the girl waited impatiently on the sidewalk. Her name is Sara and she is my best friend in this world.

Also because of her, my phone was buzzing all morning.

"Jenny, why did it take you so long?" She shouted. I was almost jumping on the sidewalk. I was so happy to see her, she called me Jenny, and I was almost stunned.

P.S. I stopped being called Jenny a long time ago. It's in another world anyway. If you're wondering if I've used some fancy Etoli

e name, the answer is no. Tethevalle

My last name was translated directly at royal meetings and formal occasions, but most of the time I was called Je

。 First of all, it sounds cooler, but it actually feels more like me. I think it's stronger, right? I don't know, that's what I thought. I'm sorry, but I can't give some kind of deep explanation that digs deep into my identity or soul or something. My name used to be Jenny, and now I'm called Jane. Here's the thing.

I decided it would be best to start trying to change now. I really don't like "Jenny".

"Hello, Sarah." We started walking towards the school, which was only a few blocks away. Our homes are close so I never have to walk very far, which means that whenever we decide to go for a walk together, my friends usually gather at the front of our house. Usually there are at least three or four of us, but today it seems like it's just Sarah. I'm a little happy. I'm worried that there's too much to deal with right now. Suffice it to say, I want to come back slowly. "It sounds weird, but can you call me Jane?"

"Well, are you alright?"

"I don't know, I feel like Jane now."

Sara looked at me strangely. "Did you have an epiphany overnight?"

"Of course." I'm not quite sure what "epiphany" means, but I think it should.

"Okay. Precious. She nodded. Well, remember when I played online with a guy?"

"Really?"

"Well, he's cool. I've also talked to him a few times in person, if you're wondering, so it's not romance or anything in a chat room. Anyway, you don't need to listen to me about him anymore, so I'll get straight to the point. I'm thinking about asking him out because I don't think he'll ever ask me out. ”

My eyes were a little dazed. I only vaguely understood what she meant by "chat room romance". "I was tired from what I had just experienced, and my mind wandered to the memories of the night deep in the woods. We sat around the fire wrapped in furs, looking at the stars and listening to the soft tunes that Roiret played for us, and fell asleep.

"—your permission, because he's your brother."

I jerked back to reality. "Dove?"

"Huh?"

Damn, here we go again. "Do you want to date my brother?"

"Yes." Sara bit her lip nervously, waiting for my answer.

I thought about it for a moment. I understand why she asked me, because my brother and I had been close until all this happened. We grew up taking care of each other, and because mom didn't have that much time, we were all very protective of each other. I'm sure I've deliberately blocked people who want to hang out with my brother on more than one occasion if I think they're threatening or something. Now it seems, it's all stupid. He is fully capable of making decisions on his own and taking care of himself. I saw it with my own eyes.

"It's up to you," I replied. "I'm just a bystander."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." I had a smile on my face. "As long as there is no change between us, right?"

"That's right." Sara smiled too. She looked genuine.

I didn't lie to her. She'll be happy with Matt. Who knows? They don't look like a bad couple. I didn't think much of it. Like I said, it's none of my business. I have a lot of other things to take care of when school starts, like Sara is going to show.

She just said something I didn't understand at all. I know every word, it's not a very long sentence, but I completely lost its meaning. I felt panic rise in my chest, making my limbs tremble. I tried to stabilize my spirit. Maybe I didn't listen carefully enough.

"I'm sorry, what?"

She said it again, a little more slowly. I listened carefully. It didn't help at all. My brain struggled to translate the words into something, even though I was already tired.

Frankly, I didn't sleep at all last night. Maybe a few naps, but I was too scared to let myself fall asleep. Add to that the hectic stuff of the last few days (and actually weeks) and I'm really running out of heat.

I desperately tried to decipher Sarah's words. Context didn't help at all, she was changing the subject. How many are idioms and how many are literal? This is not a problem. Maybe I can brush it off. No, Sarah is waiting for an answer.

"Of course," I said boldly and hopefully.

"Do you need help?"

Nonsense. Nonsense, nonsense. What does that mean? I was too scared to answer wrong. This problem can be everywhere. I racked my brains, but the best I could think of was that she was talking about technology-related things. Computer, possibly. I didn't use it much in the first place. That's her style.

"Hello?" Sara waved her hand in front of my eyes.

“Vack。“ I cursed under my breath. My face started to heat up. I suppressed it with all my willpower. I don't want to look embarrassed, at least not right now. I probably feel it, but it would be too bad if I was going to look so stupid in front of my best friend.

I didn't have any other choice at the time. I sighed.

"Listen, that sounds weird again...... But I don't know what you just said. ”

Sara raised an eyebrow. "Well, what? Why are you talking like that?"

I realized that I was no longer trying to correct my accent. Sarah was too attentive. Usually what I like about her, but it's really problematic now. I tried to mimic the more earthy accent of the Pacific Northwest. "No kidding, okay?"

"I'm not," Sara replied. "But we were still discussing it yesterday and the day before yesterday......" she muffled.

“… Can you keep it a secret?" No, I won't tell her. Don't be silly. But I've got to figure out a way.

"Of course." Sara leaned closer, full of anticipation.

"I don't have a good memory right now. Often forget the little things. "Sara looks really worried right now." Don't worry, I'm fine. I went to the doctor and they examined me. There's nothing wrong with me. "I may not have lied before, but I play a game of deception when I have to. I said, former diplomat.

"Doctor?" Sara pointed out coldly.

"Like I said, forgetful." And I was like an idiot. Doctor. That's the word. Doctors, nurses, surgeons, hospitals. Ambulances and 911. Instead of healers, rituals and magic. "What did you just say?"

"Your laptop. You know, your computer?"

"Okay, how?" What sound and broken records did you say?"

Sara shook her head. "What the hell happened to you?" Did you have an aneurysm or something?"

"Let's say so, okay?" If I hadn't felt so bad, I would have laughed at her words. This will definitely not happen on Earth.

"Okay, whatever". She took a deep breath. "What I'm saying is: I'm sorry if I repeat it many times, but ...... You need to boost your laptop's ...... Protection. She sighed. Did you hear that?"

"Yes." I frowned. I think I was spoon-fed by her. It's embarrassing. But I didn't know what a record was, and I didn't know what a laptop was, until she just explained it. In my book, "firewall" means something completely different. I looked away, and my face really turned red. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Sara is taller than me, which adds to my impression. She's older, taller, smarter, and has everything. I was just... Inferior.

"Jen, are you okay?" Is it serious?"

I nodded. "Yes, I'll be fine." I smiled again and turned to see her expression of concern. "It's just that I don't feel well today."

Sarah frowned. "Text me if something happens, okay? See you at lunch, shall we?"

"Yes. Wait, no. ”

"Didn't you?"

"I promised Matt to have lunch with him today. He needed to talk about something. ”

"Oh." Sara looked relieved. "Okay, good."

A car whizzed past us, interrupting our conversation. It scared the hell out of me – it was the first time I've seen a moving car in nearly a decade. Thankfully, I managed to hide my surprise when Sarah might have gone into emergency mode.

"Hey, Sarah," I added calmly. "Don't mention this to Matt?"

Now she looks more worried. "Jenny, what's going on?"

"Promise me, okay?"

"I promise." I could tell she was serious. Sarah, the good old man, is always reliable. I developed a feeling for my best friend.

I miss her too.

"See you in journalism," I said, trying to comfort her.

"Okay." I'm not sure if it worked, but she looks much better now. At the same time, I felt terrible. I felt guilty for hiding it from my best friend. Maybe Sarah should know at least something. Even if I wanted to tell her, I couldn't have told her everything, but if she knew some of the details, it might make our lives a lot easier. I'm sure I can make her believe me.

I just need to get Matt to agree.

* * *

After a long and thrilling panic, our conversation returned to the topic of safer. I can handle these things better. By the time we arrived at school, I had returned to my normal self. At least I'm close.

I waved goodbye to Sarah, who was attending classes on the other end of the school. My first lesson, algebra or something, was just a few steps away. Interestingly, I don't remember the name of the class, the teacher, or more than two students, but I know exactly which room it was in and when it appeared on my schedule.

Something you'll appreciate when you're not good at a language: math is almost universal. Different symbols, but the others have been preserved. I was able to take this class effortlessly and easily. At the same time, as more and more English flowed through my brain from the conversations around me, the memory of language came flooding back. It still doesn't feel right, but at least I won't be an idiot like I am in front of Sara anymore.

I'm not a super math fan, but I don't have a problem with math. I've made it through the day so far, and dealing with symbol and logic puzzles is almost a breeze. Of course, my satisfaction only lasted a few minutes, and then I remembered that it was still work and that I was still stuck in a class full of people I didn't like. Since then, the class has seemed to go on endlessly. I fell asleep about three or four times, all of which were naps that no one noticed. As soon as I came out of the last hole, I was awake again.

My gaze seemed to flicker slightly, and all of a sudden, everyone looked ...... It's all different. I can't say why. Nothing has changed. Physically, everyone is exactly the same as before. But everyone seems to be a little unpleasant. hostility, even.

Their faces are all blank masks. They may be hiding something. What to plan. They are twenty times as numerous as mine. They can take me if they want to.

My chair rested against a wall. I slowly turned around, as subtly as I could towards the crowd.

If any of them move, I'm ready.

I may not have a weapon, but I know dozens of ways to escape, or quickly knock out people bigger than me, and I'm confident that I can escape most of them.

They will never take me again.

What the hell am I doing?

That moment passed. No one in the room was looking at me. No one has any intentions against me. My mind is playing tricks. I felt a sense of relief in my head again, but still with a lingering sense of fear. For a minute, I completely disappeared, trapped in a corner of my mind that I never wanted to go again.

As soon as the bell rang, I went out. The second class was journalism, which I remember very well. Again, I'm not a news fan, but there are a lot of my friends in this class – and most importantly, Sara is there. Friendly faces. I needed some friendly faces. Someone my age.

Relatively. By any standard, Neflin is much older than I am. But now that doesn't matter. She was in another world, and I had to go to the newsroom.

A large crowd of students poured into the hallway, creating a crowded labyrinth that seemed impossible to navigate. I clinged to the wall, avoiding the main body and clinging to the locker by the wall. This meant that I was going to bump into more individual students, but I could more easily get around them than trying to navigate through the ever-changing pattern in the middle of the hall.

Why is it so difficult for me all of a sudden?

Oh yes. I hadn't been to high school in over 7 years, and I was suddenly back in my 16-year-old body. This kind of thing can throw anyone off balance. Actually, literally. More than once. My brain wishes I was a little taller, a little stronger. There were a few times when I almost tripped over.

Over there. The doorway to the newsroom is within easy reach. Long before the bell rang, I was in the classroom, in the corner we frequented. So, I was one of the only kids there. Some normal early arrivals cast strange glances at me, but I was basically alone. We are a close-knit group here, top journalists, elite. Or something like that.

Let's be honest. This is high school news. We fool around together most of the time.

I was exhausted after a long walk through the school to get here. Aside from sleep deprivation, the body is not tired; I may not be in the best shape anymore, but at 16 years old, I'm still healthy. I had a nervous breakdown. I closed my eyes, put my head on the countertop, and carefully oriented myself so that the corner was behind me. I can still make out the sounds in the room, the slight drafts in the air as people move around.

At least this was not taken away. I train myself to try to find every clue in every sensation in my body. I can keep a perfect picture of the room and everyone in my head, even with my eyes closed. It's very, very difficult to sneak up on me - Sarah will find out right away.

"Shasi, vis hila," I said, raising my hand to grab hers. She wanted to pat me on the shoulder and wake me up. "What do you want to tell me?" Dov litev dou seddeka level

ala

d vei. "

I opened my eyes and grinned. I thought she would be frustrated and maybe make fun of her before going back to class, but all I got was confusion. In my sleep-deprived state, it took me a few seconds to realize that I had made another mistake in my English.

"I think it's my turn," she said slowly. "I don't know what you're talking about." Sarah's anxious expression in the morning returned, like a nasty pest that wouldn't let us go.

It's not that I find Sarah annoying. The phrase is badly worded. Overall, I really didn't do well.

"Oh, uh......" I fumbled for a moment, picking out the first thing I could think of that sounded somewhat believable. It's a fake language I made up. ”

"Well," Sara replied, apparently not convinced. I flinched. My best friend disagrees. I really, really don't want to lie to her.

Matt will understand. I hope.

I sighed, mostly to myself, and then took a deep breath. "Okay, Sarah. See. And it did happen. I can't tell you. Not yet. ”

The final bell rang and the students began to pour in, Sara raised an eyebrow. She glanced toward the classroom door. I could tell that we were both thinking the same thing. Two other members of our small group will be there soon. I love both of them, but Sarah has been my best friend since we were four years old. That kind of friend, you know? The only person I can think about telling her my story.

"I guess you have a good reason, right?" She asked softly, moving closer so that she would not be heard.

"I promise I'll tell you. I just can't yet. ”

"Are you okay?"

"Yes," I replied. It took me a few seconds before I spoke. I had to write exactly what I wanted to say in English and make sure I got everything through clearly. "Honestly, I'm fine. I didn't die, and I didn't get into any trouble. But my mind will be very strange during this time. I can't remember a lot of things. I'm sorry to push it all to you, but I need a lot of help for the time being, and you're the only person I can really trust. ”

I waited impatiently because she seemed to be considering my words. She wore an illegible mask on her face. I've never been good at reading people, I'm only good at hiding my emotions. Finally, she spoke again.

"Okay." She nodded. "I believe in you. But I do want that explanation. ”

"I promised, didn't I?"

"I'm still waiting for the pony you promised." She added with a reluctant smile. Even though it was an old joke and none of us thought it was funny at the time, it worked. I laughed too, and soon we all laughed, even Ke

sey and Mi

The AI came along, and they all craved to hear a joke that none of us could explain.

But eventually, everything started to go back to normal again. We went into class, divided into small groups, and everything went smoothly. Ke though

sey and Mi

The ai still calls me Je

y。

I've got to fix that.

It didn't take long for me to feel that way again. discomfort, and the feeling of adrenaline rushing into the body. I felt like I was overwhelmed by something I couldn't see. There were too many unfamiliar faces in the room. They shouldn't be strangers. Seven years ago, I knew the names and looks of everyone here. Today, they may be complete strangers.

But this time, I found a way out.

I poked Sarah. "Hey. Shall we go out for a walk?"

"Of course."

Two minutes later, we were hanging out on the playground behind the school, supposedly now to interview a staff member who had free time, but was really just going outside for a while. Media passes, isn't it the best?

Even better, I didn't have to explain it to Sarah. This is completely normal. We use this excuse to go out all the time. We didn't talk about anything special, we talked and laughed as usual. Luckily, the rain I was expecting had arrived. Patches of sunlight shine on the rain-soaked lawn, which becomes heavier and heavier as the clouds clear. A few birds hovered in a tree at the end of the field. It looks like today is going to be a good day after all.

We walked and walked, I was busy looking at the sky, and as we rounded the corner behind the mobile classroom, I almost missed Carl, who was sitting in the shadows with his hands over his face.