The sun was already high when Yumi finally opened her eyes.
Soft rays filtered through the curtains, lighting the room in a warm haze.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Ugh… what time is it?"
Just then, the door creaked open. Eliott stepped in with a tray balanced in his hands — the usual breakfast: fruit, bread, and tea.
"You're finally awake, My Lord," he said with a teasing smile. "I thought you were planning to sleep till noon again."
Yumi stretched, yawning. "Maybe I was. Dreams are more fun than palace life."
Eliott chuckled as he set the tray down beside her. "You really talk like someone who's lived too many mornings already."
Yumi blinked, then smirked. "Maybe I have."
As she reached for the cup, something suddenly clicked in her mind.
She frowned. "Wait a second…"
Eliott looked up. "What's wrong?"
She stared at the tray, then at him. "Why are you always the one bringing food? Aren't there supposed to be, like… servants? Maids? A whole staff running around this castle?"
Eliott froze for a moment, then laughed a little too quickly. "Ah, well… it's just easier this way. You know, less trouble."
Yumi narrowed her eyes. "Less trouble for who?"
He avoided her gaze, busying himself with pouring tea. "For everyone, I guess. Some parts of the castle aren't… open to everyone."
Her curiosity deepened. "Not open? What, are the kitchens in another dimension or something?"
Eliott snorted despite himself. "You could say that."
Yumi leaned back, her tone half-joking, half-serious. "You're hiding something again, aren't you?"
Eliott smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Me? I wouldn't dare. You just woke up — don't start interrogating people before breakfast."
Yumi rolled her eyes but couldn't shake the odd feeling that settled in her chest. The silence between them stretched as she stirred her tea, watching the steam curl upward.
She finally said softly, "You know… sometimes I feel like this body isn't mine."
Eliott stopped mid-motion. "What do you mean?"
Yumi frowned, searching for words. "It's like… my hands, my reflection — it all feels familiar, but wrong. Like I borrowed it from someone."
Eliott said nothing, only looked at her quietly.
Then, with a forced laugh, Yumi brushed it off. "Forget it. Maybe I'm still dreaming."
Eliott's voice was gentle. "Maybe. Or maybe you're remembering something you shouldn't."
Yumi blinked, startled. "Huh?"
He smiled again — that same easy, teasing smile — but his eyes held something she couldn't read. "Eat before your tea gets cold, My Lord."
Yumi sighed and picked up her spoon, muttering, "You're terrible at changing topics, you know."
"I learned from the best," Eliott said with a grin.
The morning light lingered, soft and golden, as laughter and silence danced together — the kind of morning that felt ordinary, yet strangely fragile, as if one wrong question might break the calm.
The magician glanced at the prince.
"Seems she found it," he said quietly.
But the prince didn't answer. His gaze stayed fixed on Yumi, as the sunlight caught her hair and the scent lingered between them like a secret