"This toy is too complicated," I complained and dropped the technology on the mini table.
"You weren't born when it was born, that's why. We all have timelines," Andrew reasons out. I'm running out of options. Their technologies aren't capable of taking us to our proper time. Every method I could plot about can only be done and—technically—can only be possible with my spellbook. Thoughts of my twins and mate who were left behind are torturing my patience and sanity. May the God of humans save my mind now that my goddess is depressing me!
I stood up blankly and requested, "Let me meditate about it... Alone... In the spring pool."
"... Sure," he mimics my lowly voice. Then he ordered Ruth to assist me.
The way to that spring is the same, the only changes are the doors with necessary beeping sounds or code that Ruth unlocks to open them. But on the right side of the way to the spring is a dim hallway of 7 rooms on both sides. At the end is an open lamp. "What are these rooms for?" I asked.
"Unoccupied seven rooms of the ancestor owner. It was recorded ma'am, these rooms were built but never used by an individual ever since. We now use it for preserving the records and storage."
“I see…”
Ruth takes me inside the spring pool behind the faded glass door and the changes in the interior design are fascinating; the rough glass floor has an aquarium underneath and I can walk above it, cherry blossom trees are planted on the sides of the pool, and underwater is a paved road with benches too. The water is crystal clear.
"Is it hot?"
Ruth enters another beeping code on a machine attached to the wall. "No, ma'am. Please wait for thirty minutes for the water to steam from the underneath heater."
"No need. Turn it off," I ordered, then I opened my hand in front of a pool to form an enchast. The water steams after a few seconds. Ruth prepares the clothes for me on top of a table and left. I explore the area further; it's covered with a roof and tinted glass walls. I can see the waters surrounding this house afar through it and it's a relaxing view.
Half of my body is submerged as I bathe my naked body and hair, and face respectively. Every drop is an unanswered question. Has the Moon Goddess erased the werewolf race? But why is Andrew existing? Didn't I bear 7 kids for Hessuel and lived here? What is happening with them in the past while I'm missing? What if I can't find the way back?
I washed my flushing face again and hugged my knees. I feel so foreign in my own house. The city I served feels unfriendly or complicated. Tears are shedding even faster as I imagine carrying my twins in my arms and feeling Hessuel's kisses on my neck. The bath took longer than an hour for a stable mind.
When I come back into the living room, Linly and Manjiro are embracing one another not affectionately but because of fear. They're too focused on watching the bigger screen of a smartphone attached to the wall. It's incredible how this thin technology releases realistic sounds and voices of humans being projected. My shoulders jerked when a terrifying ghost appeared, plus, the couple's scream made it more surprising.
"It's a television for your information." And I was startled again by Andrew's approach! He's sipping steaming hot chocolate in a teacup. "Do you want some?" He invites me into the kitchen. I followed him and along the way, there's a crawling machine! It's shining the floor on its own. Inside the kitchen, I'm clueless about the modern cooking tools. Andrew clicks a beeping button of another machine on the kitchen island and he places a teacup on its sieve, then the hot chocolate flows.
I took the teacup and a sip. He finishes his hot chocolate and speaks again saying "So, have you thought about your way back?"
"Yes. And it's a whistle in the wind."
"How did you get in here in the first place?"
"It's my father-in-law who took us here. He's an El— a more powerful enchanter than me."
He snaps a finger. "So it also means that your papsie-in-law doesn't vote for you."
"What—?"
"And what did he say before he transferred you here?"
"... He did not tell me the reason why he took us in your timeline. Or the only assumption I know is that he's trying to make us wander in time to avoid his opposers."
"So he has a plan and you were trying to contradict it? Have you seen the traces of his plan in our timeline so far?"
I nod blankly while staring at the teacup.
"Yap. Your mood tells that your papsie-in-law's plan succeeded. Would that be the reason why he took you here? to make it clear that he won?"
This child has become inquisitive but with a point. "Maybe."
"But you haven't confirmed it. You're jumping to a conclusion and reacting according to it, am I right? or left~?"
"... Are there any records that he failed? You said that werewolves were erased from history. It was his plan."
"Or maybe something else happened instead of your instinct?"
He might be right. The traces I found are aligned with Haiban's plan. But I haven't found the whole picture that every puzzle pieces create. In all unanswered questions, there's only one question that I'll have to find the answer to. In relation to Haiban's purpose of taking us here... "I think I know how to return to our time," I said.
☪ ✧ ✧
He leads the way outside the house, down the veranda stair, to the wheeled machine shining in black. "Check this out~" He rubs his hand there and on the embossed silver logo of the machine's facade. The words dropped my jaw. "This is the family's business. The Silver Wolf company where every number 1 smooth brand new car is made! Her name is Hessuel." He clicks a tiny remote button from the key, then my shoulders jerked when the car horned twice! "It's a greeting from her."
I rub my hand on his car's embossed name: Hessuel GG8 along with a silver wolf logo. "This is the name of my mate. Not including the GG8."
"Really? This wholesome business started because of him, the very first CEO in this family business. Witty, the idea started with a humble beginning of his wooden cart where he used to sell veggies. Now his legacy continues with his puppies today. I'm tasked to manage the ward here in Plandreas but the main office is from Cardozen City. My eldest brother rules there. And we have many more wards in the nearby city! Tell this to your mate when you come back~"
"I couldn't be more proud," I mumbled. A diligent merchant can make it this far. My humble mate has something to brag about in this future. I cannot forsake that man again now that I know his future! Down beneath the pit of thorns from an incorrect timeline!
"Of course, you are." He opens the door of that car for me. "Shall we?"
I carefully came inside and it's very close compared to our carriages. Andrew takes the seat beside me and he instructs me how to wear a seatbelt. The car runs quietly and smoothly and there's a small television that sings for us. For the first time in the future, I got the chance to travel; crossing the bridge of my island and entering the modern city.
Houses are taller and bigger but Andrew said that these are condominiums. The floral tradition didn't diminish through time. The roads are occupied by cars instead of people walking on the sidewalk, and Andrew brags that almost every car came from them in this country. Still, I don't feel at home.
He's appealing the way he controls this ride—or because he looks like my mate. He parks the car in front of a wide gate of a university. Youth are coming in and out.
"That's the Venduque University of college. It's part of the hidden and creepy history of that university. A certain dead enchanter has risen and slaughtered every student and professor in that university because of his stolen spell, then he killed every mage in the world which led to their extinction. No one dares to continue the study of witchcraft in our day nor talk about it because when they do, they will die mysteriously."
"Andrew!" I grabbed his shoulders in a blink.
"Don't worry! I'm friends with this enchanter! The rumor isn’t true~"
"What...?"
Then he entreats me not to talk about the killer lest we'll die in a car accident. He parks the car underground basement where other cars are parked too. He takes me inside another ride that twirls my stomach and I clasped on the handles! "What's going on!?"
"Relax, granny. This will take us to different floors up to the fifteenth."
We're going up. The glass wall makes me see the city from this ride, faster than the airships. The slip door opens for other people to ride and the outside changes. It's like a portal taking us to different places. Humanity's intelligence has greatly evolved even without enchantment—the kind of intelligence the moon wants for her children to adopt. Through the magnificent view, I saw the palace of Plandreas standing out in its beauty. Nothing changed, including the land of the city. Does this mean that Haiban restored the city?
I was busy enjoying the view and lost my attention to Andrew who had already unloaded with the rest! The door closes and I'm left alone! I'm trying to pull the door, kick it, and release my enchast but halted when my stomach twirls again. How could he leave me behind!? I just click any of the buttons. People kept coming in and out whenever the door opened, but Andrew is missing—or I am the missing one!? I get out of that ride for it makes me sick the longer I stay—worse than Acro's back ride.
However, the floor is unbeknown to me. I walked around searching for Andrew until a guard found me. "Excuse me, ma'am. Customers are not allowed on this floor. Are you lost?"
"I was with Andrew but he lost me. And I'm looking for him."
"Do you have any ID?"
"ID...?"
"Identification card, ma'am."
"I... don't. I left it in the past but I swear I'm not lying."
He politely touches my shoulder. "Let me take you to the lobby, ma'am—"
"No. Just take me to Andrew—"
"The boss is on leave."
"He took me here— Fine."
"I know her," a strange guy—at first sight—in a black suit approaches from behind. "I'll take care of her."
"You!?"