Volume 7 : CHAPTER – 13 : THE AUCTION (2)

“Huhhh… Alicia asked you to sell these miraculous healing potions.” Regis shouts as she jumps from her seat.

Also, in the process, she might have attracted a few of the customer’s eyes at the pancake shops.

“I am sorry.” Regis laughs off at her carelessness as she settles back in her place with a puffed mad face.

Maia was totally focused on eating her fill as she had been working hard the last night. While Caige explained their purpose of coming to the port town of Gilde to Regis.

“I was busy making preparation for leaving Plum town, so I could not hear on your business talk. And when we reached here it was too late to realize that we had our hands full with a homunculi girl and a crazy Doctor who wanted to replace humanity. And now this, just what is she thinking?” Regis felt that she could rarely understand what was going through Alicia’s mind. How could any of this have helped if her end goal was to find that special person she had been searching for?

“I still do not want to believe that such a being could be made that can alter their cause of death. But I cannot ignore the giant ray of light that shot in the night sky last night, things must have been very serious after all.” Caige spoke while reminiscing how powerful Alicia’s magic could be when she last saw her in action.

“What is a homunculi?” Maia asks with a stuffed face to continue the conversation.

“In theory, homunculi are synthetic human beings created by alchemy. But no one has succeeded before in creating one and its said to be an inhumane practice.” Caige explained.

Caige too had a vast knowledge of magic even if she could not use it herself. After all, she had always believed in knowing her own weakness and limits to be her actual strength.

“But if miss Alicia, the boss has made one then I want to meet them. Isn’t she so amazing!” Maia spoke excitedly as she finishes her breakfast. Maia was as usual the most lively of the bunch.

“Would you take us there?” Caige asked. She too had started worrying about her Boss’s health being unaware of the particulars.

“No problem. I am glad to have help but… I am still worried.” Regis sighs off in the air wondering whether the homunculi girl Hana would be alright by herself.

.

“I am back,” Regis spoke as she opens the door to the castle’s room where Alicia was resting.

Regis was surprised to find no one in the room when she looked around.

“Caige look there’s someone dying on the ground.” Maia gave out a frightened yell as she and Caige followed behind Regis.

“What are you doing there on the ground Hana?” Regis rush towards Hana to get a hold of her condition.

Hana was lying on the ground alongside the door as if her hand was trying to reach the door knob.

“What happened to you?” Regis tries to lift up Hana not knowing what to do. She knew little about Hana’s constitution to be of medical help in an emergency.

“I don’t know, but looks like some strange force is not allowing me to move or stay up,” Hana spoke as if they were her last words before falling unconscious again.

Growl…

On hearing Hana’s stomach rumbling, Regis looks at her suspiciously and spoke with empty eyes, “So, you collapsed just before opening the door because you were too hungry.”

“I am not hungry but my stomach hurts.” Hana wakes up and protests in her awkward state.

“She looks more hungry than any of us orphans have ever been at the church.” Maia tries to sympathize with Hana remembering her own past.

“How come you're also stubborn like Alicia? I have brought food for you, now eat it and rest.” Regis scolds Hana stuffing the pancake in her mouth.

“I can live without food.”

Growl…

Hana mildly faints again.

‘If you are so hungry then just eat. Don’t tell me even Hana has rainbow and flowers for brains like Alicia.’ Regis thought to herself but decided not to speak out loud.

“Is she the homunculi girl?” Caige said in awe as she could not differentiate between a human being and a living doll on seeing her.

.

While Caige and Maia examined the cocoon of mystic webs in which Alicia was comatose for five days according to Hana they wished her good health hoping their voice and best wishes reaches her.

After Hana had finally decided to give up on her stubbornness and ate the breakfast which she did passionately and without holding herself back.

⸻It was time for introductions.

“It is our first-time meeting.” Both Caige and Maia looked at Hana intently.

“And yet I know who you both are… Caige and Maia. I know you from my Master’s memory and I am glad to meet Miss Alicia’s friend.” Hana smiles.

“She has eyes that sparkle like gold.” Maia could not contain herself after seeing how adorable Hana was.

“Since the boss is asleep I am interested in knowing what you plan to do from here?” Caige asked with a serious face.

Regis had already raised a similar question but she wasn’t sure of it herself at that time.

“My soul only exists for the sake of her happiness alone… that’s why I will forever stay by her side. That’s my condition for getting my wish granted.” Hana spoke gently as she put her hand against her heart, and felt a strong pulse from it.

Maia gave a full-blown smile and asks Hana, “Let’s be friends and play together.” Maia usually liked to play with her brothers and sisters at the orphanage so she had already started missing that. And after she found an instant liking to Hana who appeared to be around her age she could not hold herself back.

“Of course, you can play, but we have a lot of work too and the preparations of the Auction are still to be finalized.” Caige held Maia on a tight leash of work. She herself was a workaholic.

“Caige you are so stingy. I guess, Hana and I have to wait for that.”

“I will help with the auction too if that’s alright with you.” Regis offered. She wanted to invest herself in something meaningful if they were going to make a temporary stop in this town.

“Then let’s discuss a plan of action.” Caige had already thought of all the details in her mind, all that was left was to assign them correctly to the right person.

Hana started twisting her fingers while her legs shook. She was fidgeting in her seat and it didn’t go unnoticed by Regis sitting beside her.

“It’s alright. You can help us by keeping watch on Alicia till she wakes up.”

“Miss Regis…” Hana looked happy with that decision and that her inner desires were heard.

“But promise me that you will inform us the moment she would wake up. That’s an unbreakable rule.”

“Yeah.” Hana directly jumps on Regis and hugs her tightly. The two fall on the ground softly while Hana rubs her cheeks against the soft cheeks of Regis trying to get a feel of them.

“I always wanted to feel the softness of them.”

“What are you trying to do? Have you gone crazy…” Regis pushes Hana apart while she still sits on top of her. But she was overpowered by the strength Hana induced, which was totally overshadowed by the small frame of her body.

“It was not me, but Miss Alicia had always wanted to embrace you in her arms. Won’t you accept it if it was Master in my place?”

“Of course… wait. Wait. But why would she do that?” Hana took Regis by surprise and she could not properly respond to Alicia’s indirect confession.

“I told you that I can feel what Master feels because our souls are connected and so I have also inherited her desires and personal whims. Alicia has always wanted to hug miss Regis, so I decided to do it myself since Master is hesitant to do so.”

“I guess if she so badly wants to hug me then I won’t mind for once. But if you can tell me what else she thinks about me, I will let this slide for once.” Regis asks clumsily not trying to sound desperate. After all, she had always wanted to know what Alicia thinks of her as a friend.

“Regis you are my most precious friend. You are the most adorable and lovely girl. And you are the coolest when you shoot your arrows with full confidence and your beautiful long red hairs always catch my eyes. I am grateful to you for you always make me happy so let’s stay friends forever.”

Words of Hana were too emotional and had that typical character to not be able to deny that it was not Alicia and her young maiden heart speaking directly to Regis.

Regis's heartbeat only became faster and her face becomes red too with embarrassment. Shifting her glance around the room she makes vague gestures not knowing what to do in front of her guests. Also, she had started to play with her red hair simultaneously.

“That would be enough.” Regis stands up and takes a deep breath and goes to the right wall with the big window pane.

With a downward gaze so that no one notices her. She looks in the mirror with an ecstatic smile. “No one has ever called my hair beautiful… and I am adorable too.”

Regis checks herself out in her own reflection on the window pane while trying to fix her hair even though it looked normal.

‘Don’t pay attention. Don’t pay attention. It’s just the banter of an innocent child. But what if she is speaking the truth…” Regis could not hold her body straight while looking and blushed.

“Caige, even princesses need to fix their appearances by looking in the window.” Maia always wanted to learn more about the princess's ways, the only problem was that her role model turned out to be a tomboyish one.

“Why are you staring you two…” Regis asks Caige and Maia who then suddenly turned their heads away and started doing their own things.

“I really admire your friendship miss Regis who is willing to do anything for miss Alicia.” This time Hana’s words were too much for Regis to handle and she had to escape the room to stop showing her embarrassing face to all.

Maia on seeing Regis run could not help herself but speak, “But didn’t she just tell herself not to pay attention.”

“Listen Maia, the heart of a young girl is a very complex thing.” Caige said with a condescending face.

“But you are dear to me as well Caige and you are cute too.” Maia hugs Caige and unknowingly every time she had done this to Caige. Her fluffy ears always rub on Caige skin sending a warm tingling feeling.

“…How can you speak such frivolous things so openly in public. You need to have some restraint, Maia.” Caige’s own words did little to support her behavior as she looked pleased by the bear hug.

And so, the afternoon ended in a complete disaster with no discussion over the auction and everything was in complete turmoil because of Hana’s reckless and stimulating comments.

.

Finally, that evening Regis, Caige, and Maia found themselves in the port town of Gilde discussing the auction and how to conduct it in the most efficient way and spread the word.

“Aren’t we in a shady part of the town? This place has very few people and it's dark.” Regis looked around the place as she walks through a tunnel.

“Don’t worry miss Regis, you can say that all information in this town travels through this lane. It is filled with informants who work for the noble, merchants, and the city guards here.” Caige explained.

The tunnel now opens to another market area that Regis had never seen before as the three walk through.

“This is the local market where you can sell anything from simple everyday products to items that cannot be sold in an open market. I do know a lot about this town from my previous days working in the Dalton Gang.” Caige was the only guide Regis had for this so she believed in her words.

“But why do it here and not in the central market? Won’t there be more people who would stop by?” Regis thought she was being reasonable to at least ask.

“It’s because we still do not have a license from the merchant guild to sell this item. And getting the permission of the guards would take us forever going through all the paperwork in the town hall. Nor we are regular sellers here and so only an auction can get us the required attention.” Caige explained as she leads Regis and Maia to a small warehouse she had rented the previous night to carry out all the jobs.

Running to a raised platform on the other end of the warehouse and spreading her hands out Caige happily announces, “Let’s tidy this place and make it the most successful auction ever. I can just see the money falling from the roof.”

While for the entire day the three worked hard to make the place shine and add furniture and decorations.

It was Regis’s job to cut trees into proper furniture shapes of tables and chairs with her wind magic. While Maia carried them back to the warehouse.

They had also started making billboards and posters which was handled well by Caige.

“It’s finally done.”

“I am hungry.”

Regis and Caige collapse on the table while Caige was still examining some pamphlets.

“It’s far from being over. There are so many issues left to address. We need to inform the people of this town of our product and showcase it as something special. Unless and until renowned people visit it won’t be a hit.”

“So, when does the auction start?” Regis asked.

“I am planning to hold it in the last two days before you depart to the Human Continent. So, we have still two more days left to prepare.” Caige puts away the pamphlet and takes out twenty healing potions that Alicia had given her.

“I think this much should be enough for auction to make it identify as a rare item and generate demand overtime if we are able to get as many people involved. And when this will become the talk of the town and word will spread through the trading routes like fire. It will be a birth of  a new revolution.”

“Seems like you have really thought it through.” Regis comments.

“Caige has been greatly motivated to get the Boss’s job done,” Maia adds.

“Well, that was the deal we struck. And I am grateful to her for this opportunity and so I want to pay her back. That’s all there is to it.”

“She doesn’t show it to others but she has been really fond of the boss,” Maia whispers to Regis.

“If you two have time to talk then why don’t we get back to work,” Caige shouts as she cracks one of the pamphlets in her hands. Dispersing everyone before her secrets get out.

Two days passed and while it appeared that it was taking forever to get things done in the little short time. Caige had managed to hire some reliable girls who were in search of jobs to add extra hands and manage customers during the auction.

.

“Today is the day we open the doors for the customers.” Caige cheered.

“Yeah.” Regis and Maia followed who had worked hard these past three days.

It was early in the morning and the auction was about to begin in two hours. Since there were twenty bottles. First, 10 would be sold on the first day and the remaining on the final day of the auction.

At first, only a few people started collecting outside seeing the banners the three had put together.

“ The Miraculous healing potion. Are they selling it right here?”

“I have seen many phonies scam people with false effects and disappear afterward.” Most of people had the same view and no one would especially believe what they saw written on the board to be true without experience.

“But there is no loss in looking or seeing someone else give it a shot. And if the product turns out to be genuine you can buy it by placing the highest bid.” It was one of the fellows Caige had knowingly planted in the crowd to persuade people to come.

“Caige will it be alright selling these things here? People don’t seem to be that friendly.” Regis had a bad feeling from the people’s reaction. It was the first time for her working in such conditions and everything was new to her.

“Yes, it’s a fight of wits and negotiations after all. And I hate to say it but we are on the losing end if even one thing plays out wrong.” Caige responded to Regis’s worries with an even bigger problem at hand.

“We are at a disadvantage already. How’s that?” Regis gulped as she was surprised by Caige’s discouraging remarks.

“We need to give people proof of our product’s working effects from someone they truly trust. And we lack that kind of figure. Also, we still do not have the merchant guild’s approval and without that, no other merchant would want to trade with us.”

“Then what are we going to do about it? Isn’t it time to start?” Regis asked worriedly.

“Just leave it to me. Boss has given us the most exceptional item that no one in their dream would refuse to trade with us.” Saying that Caige entered the front stage which was a small raised wooden platform while a few of the people were seated on the chairs.

“Welcome people of the port town of Gilde. While I thank you for taking your time and stopping by our auction, today I have brought to you a special elixir item that can heal any and all kinds of injuries, and diseases no matter how severe. And because such a healing potion has never existed before we have decided to hold an auction and let the people decide its worth.” Caige spoke fluently on the stage and she was at least able to get her message across to the audience who had gathered in the warehouse for the auction.

“First show the thing to us….”

“How can we believe you that it even works?”

Caige had mostly predicted this general outcome and voices. People won’t accept anything unless they see it.

But surprisingly to everyone’s negative claim, Caige did not try to retaliate. As if she was waiting for something to happen.

“Stop this trading outlet this instant. We have not received any information or official papers of selling healing potions in this town.” A man in blue uniform entered the scene. And few people in a similar uniform followed behind him.

“It’s the city guard and even the captain is here. I guess this was a farce after all.” A murmur began to spread in the audience.

“Sir, if you would allow me to explain, you can check with the town hall administration that the papers have already been filed. But they have been awfully late in their response and because we are traveling merchants we do not want to lose money by staying at one place.” Caige tried to remain calm even when surrounded by guards.

“Little girl, if not for your age I would have already thrown you out. There have been many instances of people selling fake potions without certification and it puts a bad face of us city guards out there.” The captain of the city guard seemed to be a reasonable man but was unaccepting of the situation.

“But I assure you this is no trick. It’s a hundred percent working healing potion. Though it’s a secret technique of our company.”

“So, you are selling something and you do not even want people to know what they are really using.”

Clap…Clap…

Caige brings both her palm together and Maia enters the scene with a beautiful-looking table covered with a blue cloth. Caige had made a special request to Regis to make this woodwork attractive.

She lifts the blue cloth from the top and ten beautiful glittering bottles with the healing potion were kept there.

Everyone ogled at its brilliance and the beautiful design of the glass. That’s the first reaction anyone would have given on seeing a healing potion purified to this level of ingenuity.

“⸻This is…” Even the guards were shaken on seeing such a high-quality potion and radiating magic that can be seen.

“There is more to it than meets the eyes.” Then Caige addresses the audience, “It is not a hidden fact that the Captain of the city watch has defended the city from many bandits and monster attacks and how he valiantly injured his left hand and unfortunately it had to be amputated. Such a loss is irreversible, but God of light has not abandoned us because they have bestowed upon our community the secret to the most effective healing potion.”

“How do you know that?” The Captain was on guard because Caige had introduced herself as a traveling merchant. He would usually cover up his empty arm with a dummy and only the locals were aware of it.

“Stories of valor of great men travel faster than you think.” Caige smiles with her humble and witty remark.

“You flatter me, girl. I do understand now what you want. I will try this potion. But there will be serious consequences if it does not work and for fooling around with me.” The Captain appeared to be serious with his decision.

“What? The Captain is going to try the potion. We must watch this.” The crowd was of the same mind as they watched what was going to happen on the stage with discerning eyes and evaluating the product for themselves.

On taking proper instructions for using the healing potion. With little hesitation, the man holds the vial.

Scrunching his eyes, he breaks the bottle in his hand.

The glass was actually crystallized ice as it melts and evaporates on his hands leaving a cooling effect. And the healing potion disperses into a mist of blue light. The part of the cloth that hid his amputated arm slides off and the dummy part falls to the ground. A perfectly new fully grown arm was now fixed there.

“This….this… I never thought... I would get it back.” Tears began to leak from his eyes.

The Captain if he wanted to get his arms fixed would have to travel to seek the best priest or healer in the human continent and the price would be astronomical, not something a city guard could afford.

“But…. Why does a miracle feel so good?” the man whispers to himself and he remembers countless fights and battles he fought defending the city. Comrades and people he lost.

“Because they are not free…” Caige whispers in his ears so that nobody could hear her.

“….” The Captain was stubbed realizing he never asked the price because he fully suspected the item from the start.

“Don’t worry I can consider this paid in full if from here on we can carry our simple auction without any more trouble. What do you say Sir captain?” Caige had a defiant smile on her face.

While to other people it looked like a sweet helpless girl begging the Captain, the Captain was now sure he had crossed paths with someone who had controlled and led the situation from the start till they had served her purpose.

“Hmm...mm.” The Captain clears his throat. “You may do as you please as long as it does not interfere with other traders and you promise to continue to follow the honest trading policies of the town.”

The Captain hurriedly leaves before Caige could make other demands from him and because he wanted to see how his new arm works and show it to his comrades.

“Hey girl, sell them to me.” Someone from the audience came running to the front.

“No, me…. You were the one complaining about its authenticity. But I had faith from the start.” Another jumped on top of him.

“I will place the highest bid anyway, so sell it to me.” The flow of the crowd was moving forward as the place became slowly chaotic and crowded around Caige.

Caige who withheld the same smile from the start covers back the remaining nine vials and makes a second announcement.

“Since, the demand for the potions has considerably risen. We will allow the participants of the auction a one-hour break to prepare well for the bidding. You are free to leave and join us later.”

And in the next few minutes, the warehouse became empty.

“Where did everyone run off to?” Regis walks to Caige wondering what was really happening and how Caige dealt with the Captain guard when she thought everything would have been over.

“Phew! That was rough even for my first time. It’s tough to please people and give them what they want. Most probably they are off to accumulate money to place the highest bid. The most important targets are those who went to inform their rich noble masters and merchants who would go to any lengths to get this potion. This is definitely going to work out.” Caige though was sweating from the sides, she was too restless to relax.

“I am glad that the Captain Guard did not put us in jail. Otherwise, my father would have really given me a good scolding.” Regis would have been traumatized in case she was put in jail and her father was informed because it would be very much humiliating for the king of elves. And Regis never wanted to represent her family and her Royal Status in a bad way even though she did not like to exert her status around and live a normal life during the timespan of her journey.

“It wasn’t just a coincidence. Caige herself made sure to leak this information in a corrupt way to the Guard Captain through his own informants. And Caige through them also learned of his injuries. Making him the best pawn to play in her hands. Believe me or not she has always worked like this.” Maia explained proudly as if she was proud of her friend’s misguided deeds.

“Hey! Don’t go on making me look like a wicked schemer. See, miss Regis is already scared.” Caige complains about Maia’s mighty remarks about her.

‘Of course, it’s scary with the way you used him and manipulated everyone.’ Regis thought to herself but made sure to not make her feelings be heard by anyone.

“Well, there is less time before we start again. So, everyone be prepared because from here on it will be total chaos.”

“Yes, Mam.” Everyone spoke in unison.

Within half an hour alone, the warehouse was packed tightly with bidders and it had to be extended to the outside space. The residents around did not mind, as everyone was interested to know what price the bid could be raised.

As Caige started the bid, it phenomenally rose from 10 gold coins to 100 within a few hand raise. A normal intermediate-level healing potion cost was around 50 silver. And one gold was equivalent to a thousand silver.

That’s how high the value of such a rare healing potion was placed in the small trading town of Gilde.

Regis was shocked to realize that the number might roll up to thousands on the human continent.

While Caige had already realized the value of the product. She had made sure that the bids would go only to those who were in immediate need of the healing potion. People who were ill or had serious injuries from battles.

This way she was able to make people believe in the miraculous power of the potion and also keep the potion’s constitution a big mystery.

“We have finally reached the end of the auction. 10 bottles have been sold. With the highest bid of 200 gold coins. Please do come tomorrow for the final day of the auction and thanks for your patronage. The house is closed for today.” Caige announced on the stage.

Most of the people were motivated to participate the next day again.

“I am definitely going to get one of those tomorrow and resell it later at an even higher price.”

“I think I can gift it to my lovely fiancée as a wedding gift.”

“My adventurer friend in a nearby town can reuse it to restart his career.”

“Maybe I can get one of those to an alchemist and make several copies of these and sell them for a great profit.”

There were all kinds of people from rich merchants, to haughty nobles, and those who really needed the item.

“As if I will ever hand such a rare potion to those scums.” Caige made sure that during the bidding even though she had to be partial she was going to distribute it to those who really needed it.

The scarcity and the miraculous effects of the potion would become an intriguing story that would be more than enough to catch the wind.

“Miss Regis you can take the day off tomorrow. You have really worked hard and we can take the rest from here. You should return to the Boss’s side and look after those two. You are completely exhausted and the count of worries keeps increasing with every mark on your forehead.” Caige pointed out Regis’s failing health.

“I think I will fall dead on the bed. Take care.” Regis bid Caige and Maia farewell and left for the castle.

“As if I can find rest if those two are still around,” Regis whines on her way back, but at the same time, she was happy to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. Before she wished for every day to pass by quickly.

But now she wanted to enjoy every moment of it, little by little. And it was all possible only because she met Alicia and decided to tag along with her on her adventures.

***

Five days later….

Ahhh... My head feels heavy.

Upon waking up my brain replays the last few scenes of my memories.

I had no idea unthreading even a small part of my soul and transforming it into a new core for Hana would trigger a hibernation reaction from my unique skill.

I guess I pushed myself a bit too far this time. But I am glad I was able to save Hana and fulfill her wish.

I could sense the homunculi girl close by and Regis too is near. I am glad she made it out safely.

And as if the day was kind enough to come softly into focus with golden light rays encroaching on my face. Slowly grating my eyelids open, but feeling relaxed at the same time.

Waking up next to someone I had started caring about is like moving from one dream to a better kind.

“…Hana.” I tried to call out her name, seeing that she was dozing in front of me.

Waking up suddenly, not because of any noise or interruption, I think it was because my dream had come to its conclusion.

“Master… you are awake.” Hana was no longer a doll acting on orders or because she had no mind of her own.

She had become a living and breathing human. I wonder what Flora the humanoid Homunculi I made would talk about if they met together.

“I have something important to ask you Hana which I was not able to because of the short time we had.”

“Yes, ask me anything.” Hana seemed cheerful even after just waking up.

But this could not wait. As should not my journey either.

“Hana you now have your own identity and so you are free to do whatever you want. You should know that our hearts will always be connected but you do not need to be bound to me and I will be…”

“NO…no. No. No.” Hana bawled.

“Hana,” I called out her name to tell her that I was listening. A similar ache in my heart formed. Our feeling might have really connected.

“I do not want to leave Miss Alicia’s side. Never. I already know your heart. And so, I have already decided to forever stay by your side, master. ⸻And I also know this is the only thing that will make me happy.”

“Then how about a maid role, you definitely look that part.”

“I would love to. I am not exactly sure what it is. But I am ready to do anything.”

Hana cheered for moments.

Maybe, I should let her do what she wants, and I can be a little selfish too this way. To keep us both happy.

With fascinated gazes, Hana looks at me.

“I want to know what a maid does?”

“Hmmm… maybe to keep their master happy and fulfill their demands?” I wasn’t so sure myself. I did not want to turn myself into a bad employer by forcing Hana into child labor. So, I decided to keep things moderate and simple.

“Then that means you can already praise me? For Hana has already told miss Regis what Master had been holding herself back from telling her.”

“Ehhh….” For a moment I was in the blank and then it hit me. “You did what?” I yelled.

Why can I tell that Hana wasn’t lying and she was serious? Is it because of our attached connection?

Just what kind of secrets has she revealed to Regis? But if Hana said those things to Regis she is just a kid. But because Hana says something from my conscience it makes me the weird one.

“Did I do good?” Hana was impatient to hear me praise her.

“Listen Hana let's be a little more careful before you speak out my feelings in public next time. I think we have a lot to work on. Right.” I spoke in a stiff manner. I was pretty sure I was not angry with Hana but was not going to be completely easygoing on her from now on.

Suddenly the door swung open with force and Regis enters.

Is she going to call me weird, I have always held myself back because I thought Regis would not like it.

“Listen, Regis, I have a good explanation. Hana was just trying to learn how to be funny so… yes and…”

I could not speak further because just then, Regis had for the second time taken me by surprise. Leaping forward and then she tightly embraced me in her arms.

“You have made me wait so long. But you are awake.”

“Regis…” I was surprised. “Am I still dreaming?”

“Guess what it’s not. Never ever leave me without a word. I did not know what to do without you.” Holding my sleeves tight Regis whispered in my ears again, “You hear me. Never.”

***