Why am I here?

Upon awakening, I discovered myself lying in an unfamiliar room. Adjacent to the bed sat a table adorned with a ceramic kettle, its pristine white surface embellished with a golden-outlined swan, symbolizing purity and rarity. Beside it, a lightweight cup painted in a warm wood color displayed a delicate floral pattern.

Pouring some jasmine tea into the wooden cup, I took a sip, finding both refreshment and solace in its soothing flavor. While I remained uncertain about my situation, my fervent hope was for the safety of Veer and my family. This single wish dominated my thoughts. Amidst my contemplation, the faint sound of a door creaking heralded the entrance of a young woman into the room where I presumed I was convalescing.

The girl who had left a profound impression on me during our encounter in the cave, radiating an angelic beauty, now approached. She greeted me with a subtle smile and began to speak, "Hello, miss. I'm Lily. I've come to convey something to you, though it's not just a message—we're in need of your assistance."

I asked, "Well, how can I be of help to you, miss...?"

The girl answered, "My apologies for my lack of manners. I'm Lily. May I inquire about your name?"

Reluctant to divulge any information about myself, I responded, "Is it possible for me not to answer?"

Lily replied with a firm, "No."

Eventually, I comprehended the futility of my resistance and acknowledged that understanding the situation was paramount. Recognizing that cooperation might be essential for my unscathed escape from this ordeal, I offered, "I'm Maya. Miss Lily, thank you for your assistance. Could you kindly tell me today's date?"

She replied, "Oh, you've been here for almost a week."

I questioned her in disbelief, "Are you saying that I slept for an entire week?"

She affirmed this with a nod. Initially, I considered it a jest, but judging from her expression, it was evident she spoke the truth, and there was no need for deception. The situation seemed utterly nonsensical. For the first time in my life, I felt a profound sense of foolishness. Could I not have simply accepted Veer's proposal? Instead, my stubborn nature led me to reply, "This is too sudden; I need a month to consider." A month to consider, what a futile stance. If not for my own imprudent decision, I wouldn't find myself in this predicament.

Lily inquired, "Maya, I hope you might be able to impersonate someone who is missing."

I inquired, "Is it because we share some similarities?"

Lily replied, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, my mind went blank for a moment, and then, after a short while, I managed to find my voice and asked, "Well, if you'd excuse me, could you please inform me why I'm here and what's happening?" Before I could finish my question, a voice interrupted me, saying, "Miss, you'll need some time to comprehend all of this. Your task is to play the role of a girl who has lost her memories."

I turned my gaze toward the source of the voice to find three men and a child entering the room, all fixated on me. My face bore the pallor of confusion, a reflection of the unanswered questions that swirled in my mind.

The child, seemingly grasping my predicament, approached me and greeted, "Hello, sister. My name is Nemo, but you can call me Lil'Nemo. The one standing in the left corner is Parth," he added with a hushed tone, "He's 50, so you can call him old man." To his right in the center stood Jay, and in the left corner was Jai.

Parth began, "You've likely already heard of Lily. We serve as the personal bodyguards, assistants, and companions to our young Miss Tara. Some of our adversaries stirred up chaos in the sacred forest, and our misled a group to confront them. However, they launched a treacherous ambush, employing forbidden magic that incapacitated her abilities. We managed to outmaneuver the assailants, but tragically lost track of our miss during the skirmish. Remarkably, you happened to be in the forest at the same time, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Miss Tara. It appears they mistook you for her and subjected you to their attack. Fortunately, your friend intervened just in time to save you from a lethal magical strike. Had they recognized your true identity, the force of that attack might have consumed you entirely, reducing you to ashes. Yet, one question remains: how can you possess the aura of pure magic?"

Those words only deepened my perplexity. While I'm far from comprehending everything fully, I find myself in a state of profound confusion. Up until now, I had lived an ordinary life, regarding magic as little more than a form of entertainment. But in this place, I'm surrounded by individuals who possess an intimate understanding of the mystical.

What frustrates me the most is that we've spent nearly two years together, and yet, Veer never disclosed any of this to me. Is it because he couldn't trust me, or have we not grown as close as I thought? I yearn to ask him these questions directly, but where is he? He promised to return and take me home, so why hasn't he come back yet?

These individuals are pressuring me to impersonate someone, a role I reluctantly accept. My reluctance doesn't stem from fear, but rather from a deep-seated concern that my family may suffer the consequences of this turbulent situation into which I've been forced.

After careful consideration, I responded, "I will agree to assume the role of Tara until her return, but I have two conditions that you must absolutely meet."

Parth questioned, "What made you think that we will have to do as you wish?"

I replied to him, "You seem to be the elder one here. I don't think you would be foolish enough to lose the opportunity that's right in front of you to save your Young miss."

Jai asked curiously, "Miss, You are just someone who can't protect yourself if you leave here. How do you think you are useful to us?"

I expected his question and was more than happy to answer that. Because my father taught me that we can't overcome adversities just by strength but also wits. Although I am never weak when it comes to strength, I am no magician like them to fight. So I need to know what they want from me too in order to not let myself be in a passive position. I answered him confidently, "It's because you need me more than I need you."

Parth was amused by my answered and asked, "How so?"

I replied, "You said it yourself. That Tara was injured while fighting and now her power is sealed. If your enemies were to know that she is missing, do you think you can reach her before them and bring her unscathed?"

Listening to my answer, he smiled brightly and said, "Ok. Let me know what you want. I will do everything that I can to make your wishes come true."

Although I don't know what he found amusing in my words I said what I want, "My first condition is that under no circumstances shall my family be implicated; you must ensure their safety. The second condition is that I must be allowed to meet Veer, so we need to make our way to his house."

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