Inside the box rest a pair of silver earrings and a necklace set with a red gemstone.
The pieces are simple in design, but they're clearly well made. The silver has a soft, polished shine, while the ruby hanging from the necklace catches the moonlight with a deep crimson glow, almost like a drop of blood frozen in time. Even without knowing much about jewelry, I can tell these things are valuable.
But there's something else.
The moment I look at them, my chest tightens painfully.
A rush of emotions washes over me so suddenly that I nearly forget to breathe. Sadness comes first, deep and heavy, followed by a strange longing I can't quite explain. Beneath it all, there's something warmer, almost hopeful, like a faint memory of sunlight after a long winter.
It's such a strange combination.
The feelings are so intense that my thoughts begin to blur. I quickly close the box and lower my head, taking several slow breaths as I try to steady my trembling hands.
Somehow, the little room feels different now.
Smaller... heavier... as though the air itself has thickened around me.
And the worst part?
I still can't remember anything.
No faces.
No voices.
Nor any memories.
Only these emotions remain, clinging to me without any explanation.
Eris notices my discomfort almost immediately. Her expression softens with concern, and she moves closer before sitting beside me on the bed. Without hesitation, she gently takes my hands in hers.
"Felicia... are you alright?" she asks softly. "You suddenly went pale."
Her hands are warm, rough with calluses, and the simple contact somehow helps pull me back from the storm inside my head.
I swallow before answering.
"I'm fine. Just... overwhelmed, I guess."
"Did you remember something?"
I hesitate, then shake my head.
"No. Not really."
I let out a quiet breath and glance down at the closed jewelry box resting in my lap.
"When I saw those things, they felt important somehow. Like they mean something to me. But no matter how hard I try, I still can't remember anything."
The ache in my chest hasn't gone away. It lingers stubbornly beneath my ribs, and I'm not entirely sure what to do about it.
Eris listens quietly before giving my hands a gentle squeeze.
"Hey, maybe that's still a good sign," she says. "Sometimes emotions return before memories do. My grandmother used to say that the heart remembers things long before the mind does."
I look at her for a moment.
That's... actually a pretty nice way of putting it.
I give a small nod.
"I hope you're right."
Carefully, I hand the jewelry box back to her. Eris takes it and places it inside the chest beside the black dress, treating each item with surprising care. Then she locks everything away again.
After fastening the chains, she rests her hands on her hips and looks thoughtful.
"You know," she says, turning toward me, "even if you don't remember your past, I'm certain you came from somewhere important."
I blink at her.
"What makes you say that?"
"Well... look at those belongings!" She gestures toward the chest. "That dress alone must cost a fortune. I've never seen fabric like that before, and the jewelry was clearly made by a master craftsman. Ordinary people don't usually own things like those, right? Honestly, I'd expect that sort of stuff to belong to a noble or maybe even royalty."
She pauses.
Then her eyes suddenly widen.
"Oh, wait a minute!"
Her ears perk up, and she leans toward me with a look of sudden excitement.
"Felicia... could you actually be a princess?"
"Heh? A princess?" I repeat, staring at her.
The idea sounds absurd.
Me? A princess?
I can barely figure out how to survive in this world, and now she's suggesting I might have royal blood. It's almost funny, really.
And yet...
As ridiculous as it sounds, I can't completely dismiss the possibility. The dress, the jewelry, and these strange emotions tied to them... none of it feels particularly ordinary.
Maybe Eris has a point.
Or maybe she's getting carried away. That seems possible, too.
"Don't worry," she says, apparently noticing my uncertainty. "I'll keep your belongings safe until your memories return. Or until you decide you want them back."
"Um... Thank you," I reply.
And I truly mean it.
The more I think about everything Eris has done for me, the more grateful I become. If she'd wanted money, she could have sold those belongings already. Instead, she kept them safe and showed them to me without asking for anything in return.
That simple kindness means more than she probably realizes.
And little by little, the last of my suspicion toward her begins to fade.
After sitting in silence for a while, I gather my courage and speak again.
"Eris... can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Would it be alright if I stayed here for a few days? At least until I figure out what I'm supposed to do. I don't really have anywhere else to go right now..."
The moment the words leave my mouth, I feel a little embarrassed.
Great. Now I'm asking a girl I've only just met to let me stay with her!
I know I don't have many options, but still...
It makes me feel rather pathetic.
Yet Eris answers without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course! Of course you can stay!"
Her response is so immediate and sincere that I look up at her in surprise.
Then she scratches the back of her neck awkwardly and gives a small laugh.
"Though I should warn you... this room isn't exactly luxurious..."
"That doesn't matter!"
"Haha, then welcome, Felicia!"
Hearing that, relief washes over me so strongly that my shoulders nearly sag. I hadn't even realized how tense I'd been until that moment.
And as for the room, who cares? It's not fancy, but at least I won't have to sleep on the street tonight.
Honestly, that's more than enough for me right now.
"But are you really sure?" I ask again, just to be certain. "I don't want to become a burden."
Eris laughs and shakes her head.
"Hey, you worry too much. I might not have much money, but I'm not heartless!" Her expression softens as she looks at me. "And besides, There's no way I could leave a frightened girl alone in a place like this, right?"
For a moment, emotion catches in my throat.
I don't quite know what to say. After everything that's happened since I woke up in this world, having someone treat me with such genuine kindness feels almost unreal.
Before I can overthink it, I stand and bow toward her.
"Thank you, Eris," I say, my voice trembling slightly. "Really. Thank you for everything."
"H-Hey, don't do that!"
Eris quickly grabs my shoulders and pulls me upright, looking rather flustered.
"You don't need to be so formal with me!"
Then she smiles.
And for some reason, seeing that smile makes my heart flutter a little.
"We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Eh? Friends?"
"Yes! Friends!"
Her answer is so cheerful that I can't help letting out a small chuckle. Just like that, some of the tension that's been sitting in my chest finally melts away.
Ah... Friends.
She just said we are friends...
The word settles somewhere deep in my heart.
It's a simple word, really. But right now, it means more to me than I can explain.
I look at Eris for a moment before smiling back.
"Yes, we are friends! Hehe..." I say softly.
This time, when tears gather in my eyes, they don't come from fear or confusion. They come from relief.
Because for the first time since waking up in this strange, unfamiliar world, I finally feel like I'm not completely alone anymore.
And, honestly...
That's a pretty wonderful feeling.
*****
Character art: Eris Wildfang