Yumiko jolted awake with a start. "What?!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. She shot upright, scanning the room and her surroundings. The villagers, all scattered in bizarre and awkward positions, were frozen in shock at her outburst. Some were even clutching their chests as if they had just been attacked.
She blinked, staring at them in confusion. "What the hell is going on here?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
Her gaze shifted to her hair, and she let out an exaggerated gasp. "Huh?! My hair! It's... it's so much longer! How did this happen?" She tugged at the strands, staring at them like they were alien tentacles. Half of her face was practically buried in it, and she struggled to see past the cascade of hair that covered her right eye.
She hurriedly stumbled over to a nearby mirror, her mind racing. As she peered into it, her confusion only deepened. "Wait... what the...?" She rubbed her face, feeling the smoothness of her skin. "Why does my skin feel like... like I just stepped out of a spa?! What is happening?!"
Her gaze darted back to the villagers, and panic set in as her finger shot out to point at them one by one. "Who the hell are you people?! Where am I?!" she demanded, her voice cracking with disbelief.
The villagers, all looking like they'd just seen a ghost, dropped their heads in unison, tears welling up in their eyes. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, sniffed loudly. "She doesn't remember us... after all we've been through... after all the times we ate together... after the festivals and the singing..."
Another villager, an elderly woman with a shawl, sobbed, clutching her heart. "She doesn't even remember our shared moments... the times we laughed, cried... you... you really don't know us?" Her voice broke on the last word.
A child, clinging to his mother's skirt, wiped his tears away and looked up at Yumiko. "You were our hero... our protector..." He hiccupped, his tiny lip quivering as he stared at her like she was a stranger. "Why did you forget us?"
Yumiko, still blinking in confusion, looked at the miserable villagers, their sobs filling the room like an off-key chorus. She opened her mouth to say something but only managed a weak, "Uh... sorry?" before she flopped back into bed, feeling the weight of their despair settle in the air around her.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Yumiko quickly grabbed a hair bow, tying her long, messy hair into a ponytail. However, this time, it was fluffier and much longer, with half of the strands still hanging over her right eye. She took a moment to inspect herself in the mirror, and to her surprise, it suited her. "Well, guess I'll keep it like this," she mumbled, nodding to herself before walking into an empty room to change. She swapped her royal-like uniform for something more comfortable, a casual outfit that felt much more her style.
As she stepped back out into the hallway, she was met with the unmistakable sound of muffled voices and the creak of a door hinge. Her eyes narrowed as she approached, realizing the citizens had been peeking through the keyhole. Her face flushed with annoyance, and with no hesitation, she threw open the door and screamed, "Get your heads out of the gutter, perverts! Anyone who saw anything will meet my blade if it happens again!"
The villagers, a mix of men and women, jumped back with shrill yelps of surprise, their faces a mix of horror and embarrassment. In a flurry of movement, they scattered in every direction, leaving her standing in the doorway, feeling only slightly embarrassed.
Yumiko huffed and crossed her arms, muttering to herself, "Geez, I'm glad I changed out of that weird royal uniform. I hate wearing all that fancy stuff. Casual wear is way better." She stretched her arms high above her head and yawned, noticing the sun had started to rise and the day was turning bright.
But as she stretched, something caught her eye. Her gaze drifted downward, her eyes going wide in confusion. "Wait... has my butt gotten rounder?" She immediately began feeling the area, her face heating up with embarrassment. "What the hell?" She shook her head, trying to ignore the sudden self-consciousness that had taken over her. "How old am I, anyway?" she muttered, clutching her head in pain from the sudden onslaught of questions. "Ugh, I'm overthinking this..." She tried to shake the thoughts away, but the moment was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
As she opened it, Yumiko found herself face-to-face with the villagers once again. This time, they weren't peeking; instead, they were all kneeling before her, their heads bowed in reverence.
"Your Grace," one villager spoke, his voice thick with admiration. "We are honored to have you with us."
Another villager, an elderly woman, placed a hand on her chest. "You've given us hope, Yumiko. You've restored our spirits, just by being here."
Yumiko blinked, her face still flushed from earlier embarrassment, but this time, there was no anger in her. "What... what are you all doing?" she stammered, unsure of how to react.
"You are our light," a young man added, his voice trembling with gratitude. "Our savior, our hope... we live for you, Your Grace."
Yumiko blinked in surprise, her mouth slightly agape. "Wait... I'm just some random girl! I don't—" She broke off, realizing that this was the life she had stepped into. The villagers weren't seeing her as just herself. They saw something else, something that they believed could bring them hope and strength.
"We will follow you," the elderly woman said, tears in her eyes. "We'll do anything for you, Your Grace."
"Please don't—"
Yumiko's eyes softened as she looked at the kneeling villagers. Their sincerity and devotion hit her in a way she hadn't expected. Despite the bizarre situation, she found herself standing there, caught between the role they wanted her to play and the person she actually was.
A long, awkward silence hung in the air before she finally managed to say, "Okay, okay, you can all get up now. I'm not some kind of goddess... but, uh, thanks, I guess."
The villagers, still overwhelmed with emotion, slowly stood, their faces lighting up with smiles as they looked at her like she was something miraculous.
Yumiko, now more uncomfortable than ever, rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "I'm just a girl who got lost and ended up here... But if you guys really need someone to lead you, I guess I can try... just don't expect me to be some grand hero or anything."
The villagers, clearly not hearing a word she said, cheered and raised their hands in praise. "Our Grace!" they cried, their voices full of adoration.
Yumiko blinked a few times, unsure whether she was in the middle of a dream or if she'd somehow been sucked into a role she wasn't prepared for. But one thing was certain—life here, in this strange village, was going to be a lot more complicated than she thought.
"Damn it. Where the hell are Temoshí and the others when I need them? These people are freaking me out. I'd rather face off with a hundred pirates than stand here dealing with this mess," Yumiko muttered under her breath, fighting the urge to tear her hair out from the frustration of being surrounded by all these villagers.
Before she could finish her thought, a woman crawled forward, her face contorted in desperation. "Please, our grace! Is there something we can do to satisfy you?" The woman's voice trembled, and Yumiko felt an unsettling chill creep down her spine as the villagers' eyes remained locked on her, filled with awe and hope.
Yumiko pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to hold back the overwhelming annoyance. "Can you all just leave me alone for a minute? Seriously! Unless you know where my crew is, I've got nothing to do with you!" Her voice cracked with frustration, and she felt the weight of their gazes bearing down on her.
"But... our grace...?" The villagers' voices wavered, a mixture of confusion and sadness filling the air. "You won't stay here with us as our guardian? The Moon Knightess we've all been waiting for?"
Yumiko's expression soured further. She wasn't sure how to get through to them. "Obviously not. I've got no business here. I've got other things to do—like meeting up with my crew." She threw her hands up in exasperation, shaking her head.
The villagers, who had been waiting for her to fulfill some sacred role, now began to cry out in despair, their faces filled with sorrow. "Please, don't leave us, your grace!" one woman cried, her voice cracking as she clutched her hands together. "We need you! We believed in you!"
"We've waited so long for you!" another villager shouted, her eyes brimming with tears. "How can we live without you, our protector?"
The commotion grew louder as the villagers wailed, their voices echoing through the village in collective heartbreak. Yumiko stood frozen, taken aback by the sheer emotion they displayed, their cries shaking her to her core.
The elder man stepped forward, his face calm but kind. He gave a soft, understanding smile and gently placed a hand on Yumiko's shoulder. "Child," he said, his voice steady and warm. "You do not need to be what they hope you are. But... you cannot walk away from the path that has already been set for you. They believe in you, whether you want them to or not."
Yumiko frowned, her gaze shifting to the elder. "I'm just trying to find my crew... I don't know anything about being a 'guardian' or whatever it is they think I am."
The elder's expression softened as he saw Yumiko's frustration growing. Sensing that her patience was wearing thin, he stepped closer, his voice calm and measured. "I understand your confusion, child. You don't have to wear the mantle they've placed upon you. But sometimes... fate doesn't wait for us to catch up."
Yumiko crossed her arms, her frustration mounting. "I don't need any of this. I just need to find my crew. The rest of this, I don't care about."
The elder, sensing Yumiko's impatience, softened his approach. "The road ahead is straightforward. You won't encounter any obstacles or challenges, just a simple, clear path."
Yumiko raised an eyebrow, eyeing the empty, flat trail before her. "A simple path? Well, that's a relief."
The elder nodded, a slight smile on his face. "Indeed. The road from here to Cascade Cradle is calm and uneventful. Just keep walking straight ahead, and you'll reach the city soon enough. Your friends are already there."
Yumiko looked down the road, her eyes scanning the path that stretched out before them. It was wide, well-trodden, and undisturbed—no rocks, no dangerous terrain, just a normal road that curved gently through the landscape.
"Seems easy enough," she muttered, her frustration easing slightly. "Finally, something that doesn't feel like a mission."
The elder gave her a reassuring glance. "Sometimes, simplicity is the best path. No need for complications."
Yumiko gave a small nod, half-relieved, half-suspicious. She wasn't used to things being this straightforward. "Alright, alright. I get it. Just… no more detours, okay? I'm not interested in sightseeing."
The elder chuckled. "No detours, I promise. The city awaits you."
With that, Yumiko started walking down the path, her feet crunching lightly against the snow. The air was cool, and the sound of birds in the distance filled the silence. The path before her was as normal as they came—no twists, no turns, just a long, unbroken stretch leading toward Cascade Cradle.
As she walked, Yumiko kept her thoughts on her crew, imagining the reunion that was to come. It was a quiet journey, no interruptions, no surprises. Just a simple walk towards her destination.
After a while, the elder turned and waved, his voice calm as he called out, "You're on your own now, Yumiko. Follow the path, and you will reach the city. Your crew awaits you."
Without a word, Yumiko nodded, her pace quickening. The elder's figure grew smaller in the distance as she continued down the road, no longer needing his guidance. Cascade Cradle was near, and soon she'd be reunited with her crew, and whatever else awaited her there.
To be continued...