The silence in Seraphina's office was deafening after Aric fled, leaving behind only the faint metallic tang of blood and the lingering echo of his anguished words.
She stared at the sword he had conjured—a weapon that didn't exist moments before—her mind racing with conflicting emotions. Her tendrils writhed angrily around her, reforming where they had been severed by his blade.
She turned slowly to face Evelyn, who stood silently near the doorway, having witnessed the entire exchange without uttering a single word.
"Evelyn." Seraphina began, her voice low but laced with unease, "How can a man like that cry?"
Evelyn hesitated, clearly weighing her response carefully. When she finally spoke, her tone was measured yet thoughtful.
"Your Grace… perhaps it's really the amnesia. If he truly doesn't remember committing those crimes, then maybe he's genuinely horrified by them. But…"
She paused, glancing toward the streaks of blood trailing across the marble floor.
"…there's also a high possibility he's faking it—to gain our sympathy."
Seraphina frowned, her gaze darkening as she processed Evelyn's words.
"And the sword?" she pressed sharply.
"Explain that. My husband should have no magic, yet he created something out of thin air. How is that possible?"
He did mention he has this 'Creation Magic' but he is supposed to be magicless no? But that wouldn't explain the complex generator either or all his other blueprints... She thought to herself.
Evelyn exhaled softly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It suggests he's hiding things from us, Your Grace. Whether it's genuine power or some form of manipulation, we can't afford to trust him blindly."
Seraphina nodded, though doubt lingered beneath her stern exterior.
Was that piece of shit telling the truth? He really has creation magic? She remarked in her head.
Turning away, she noticed a small bundle sitting neatly on the corner of her desk—the soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, and shampoo Aric had distributed earlier.
Picking up the lavender-scented bar of soap, she sniffed it cautiously, her brow furrowing slightly.
It smells...nice.
"Is this poison?" she asked bluntly, holding the item out for Evelyn to inspect.
"No, Your Grace." Evelyn replied evenly.
"Everyone has used them already. The smell, taste, and freshness are… quite pleasant, actually. Nice even. James admitted the minty toothpaste was far superior to whatever we have been using."
Seraphina stared at the items in silence, her fingers tightening reflexively around the soap. For all his faults—or perhaps because of them—Vayne remained an enigma.
Is he trying to make amends? No, it has be to some manipulation. Some trick.
She set the soap back down, dismissing the thought for now.
The next evening, Thorin approached Aric's chamber, his massive frame casting long shadows along the hallway. Before knocking, he noted the untouched tray of food outside the door—and the unopened bottle of whiskey beside it.
Food and alcohol huh?
Curiosity piqued, he rapped firmly against the wood.
When there was no immediate answer, Thorin checked if it was locked and knowing it wasn't, Thorin pushed the door open himself, peeking inside cautiously.
What he found surprised him.
Aric sat cross-legged on the bed, idly twisting a Rubik's Cube between his hands. His grey eyes were hollow, devoid of the spark Thorin had grown accustomed to seeing.
Despite the playful nature of the puzzle, there was an unmistakable weight pressing down on him—a heaviness that made Thorin hesitate before speaking.
"You haven't eaten." Thorin observed gruffly, stepping fully into the room.
"Or touched the whiskey. Not exactly the behaviour I'd expect from someone like you."
Aric glanced up briefly, offering a weak shrug. "Not hungry. Besides, alcohol solves nothing."
Thorin arched an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself.
"Fair enough. But what about this?" He gestured toward the cube. "How does it work?"
"It's simple." Aric replied absently, continuing to rotate the colourful squares.
"Each side represents a different colour. The goal is to align all the pieces so each face matches perfectly. It's… soothing, in a way."
Thorin studied him closely, noting the emptiness in his expression.
"You seem… different today. Hollow."
Aric chuckled bitterly, setting the cube aside.
"That obvious, huh? Guess I'm not as good at pretending anymore."
Thorin leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Who are you, lad? Really. And how can you switch personalities so effortlessly?"
Aric met his gaze, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
After a long pause, Aric sighed heavily, running a hand through his disheveled black hair.
"Fine. The truth is… I'm not Vayne. Not really. I woke up in this body days ago with no memory of who he was—or what he did. Everything you see now is just me trying to survive in a world I don't understand."
Thorin listened intently, his green eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the confession. While skepticism lingered, he chose not to press further.
You woke up in your own body? How does that even work? Is this Vayne not him? If that's the case, maybe the body really has two souls.
Instead, he changed the subject, opting for lighter territory.
"What about the cube?" he asked again, gesturing toward the Rubik's Cube.
"Show me how it works."
Aric obliged, explaining the mechanics of the puzzle while demonstrating its functionality. As he spoke, some semblance of life returned to his eyes—a fleeting reminder of the brilliance Thorin admired.
Once satisfied, Thorin smirked, clapping his hands together.
"Alright. Enough distractions. Show me this air conditioning stuff and heated floors you mentioned earlier in the blueprints. Let's renovate your room with it."
Aric blinked, caught off guard by the sudden suggestion. "Why are you doing this? Why help me?"
Thorin shrugged nonchalantly,
"Hmm, well, the you right now is quite hard to hate. Besides, I adore building stuff—it's the dwarf in me."
Despite himself, Aric managed a faint smile.
Thorin wasted no time getting to work. With a deep breath, he extended both hands toward the floor, his earth magic rippling outward like waves across water. Solid stone shifted seamlessly beneath their feet, revealing hidden conduits snaking through the walls from the kitchen wiring they'd installed earlier.
Moments later, thick copper wires dangled neatly beside the door of Aric's chamber—perfectly positioned for connection.
Aric crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow as he watched Thorin flex his unparalleled control over earth magic.
"Show-off." he muttered under his breath,
"Jealousy doesn't suit you, lad" Thorin teased, smirking confidently.
"Besides, you're the one who conjures things out of thin air."
True to his word, Aric reached into his waistband and manifested a three-pin plug along with a screwdriver. Tossing them onto the bed, he gestured toward the wires.
"You already know how this works. Let's get started."
Together, they extended the wires further into the room, positioning them strategically near the wall where the air conditioning unit would eventually face the bed. As Thorin handled the wiring, Aric retrieved the detailed blueprint of the air conditioner from his mind, visualizing every component with precision.
"Before we install it," Aric explained, pointing to the diagram, "we need to create an exhaust outside the room. Otherwise, all the hot air will just circulate back inside instead of being expelled properly."
Thorin nodded thoughtfully, clearly impressed by the technicality of the design.
"Makes sense. So what's next?"
Aric didn't respond immediately. Instead, he focused intently, channelling his Creation Magic to bring the intricate machine described in the blueprint to life.
Within moments, a sleek air conditioning unit materialized before them—a masterpiece of engineering combined with aesthetics. Its polished surface gleamed faintly in the dim light of the room.
"Now this is impressive." Thorin admitted, inspecting the device closely.
"Alright. Teach me how to wire it up."
Using the ladder conveniently stored in Aric's room, Thorin climbed up to handle the installation while Aric guided him step-by-step. Each connection was made with meticulous care, ensuring the system functioned flawlessly once activated.
When it came time to install the exhaust, Thorin demonstrated yet another level of mastery over his abilities. Reaching out with his earth magic, he pulled a pillar of solid stone upward from the ground outside the window.
With effortless precision, he flattened and shaped it into a stable platform several stories high, creating the perfect spot for mounting the exhaust vent.
As they finalized the setup, Aric couldn't help but marvel at Thorin's adaptability.
For someone unfamiliar with modern technology days ago, Thorin sure learns fast.
"All done." Thorin announced triumphantly, stepping back to admire their handiwork.
"Let's see if your mini-winter contraption actually works."
With a flick of the switch, the air conditioner roared to life, emitting a steady stream of cool air that filled the room almost instantly. Aric felt the chill wash over him, momentarily forgetting the weight of his sadness.
He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.
"This is incredible!" he told, running a hand through his hair.
"I can't believe it actually worked!"
Thorin chuckled warmly, ruffling Aric's hair affectionately.
"Your stuff is cool, pun intended. I'll buy this later, no question about it. It's like having a piece of winter whenever you want. Efficient, practical, and downright genius."
Turning their attention to the heated floors blueprint, the task became significantly more complex. Unlike the straightforward mechanics of the air conditioner, the heated floor system required careful integration of heating elements beneath the floorboards without compromising structural integrity.
"This one's trickier." Aric admitted, pulling up another set of blueprints using his Creation Magic.
"We need to embed coils underneath the flooring, connected to a central thermostat controller. These coils generate heat evenly throughout the space when powered."
Thorin studied the schematics carefully, nodding slowly.
"Got it. But won't embedding these coils damage the existing structure?"
"Not if we do it right, your magic and my knowledge, we can make sure of it." Aric replied confidently.
"Your earth magic comes in handy again. You'll need to lift sections of the floor temporarily so we can install the coils without causing permanent harm."
Thorin grinned, cracking his knuckles dramatically. "Okay. Let's try it."
Working together, they began the painstaking process of lifting portions of the marble flooring, installing the coiled heating elements, and reconnecting everything seamlessly afterward. Thorin's precision ensured minimal disruption, while Aric's expertise guaranteed optimal functionality.
After hours of laborious effort, the final connections were secured at 11pm. Flipping the switch on the thermostat controller, the room gradually warmed to a comfortable temperature, radiating gentle heat through the floor.
Thorin crouched down, pressing a hand against the newly heated surface.
"Feels even better than sitting by a fire!" he remarked approvingly.
"And much safer too. No risk of burning the place down."
Aric smiled faintly, exhaustion creeping into his features. "Yeah… worth every second of frustration."
Thank you Thorin. For helping me.