Summon the Modern Lady!

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The trio became quiet, watching the maids serve delicate dishes—crisp green salads, tender roasted meats, and a variety of bright fruits— on polished plates.

Ayessa de Ruchuster-Glandza broke the silence, her expression growing somber.

"I would like to apologize," She spoke, her voice quieter while carrying the weight of her words. "For the summoning. We know it was an unsettling experience for you both."

Cheska acknowledged the apology, her expression softening, "It wasn't a good experience but we're taking it step by step... Also, it wasn't your fault."

She was used to dealing with high-pressure situations, though this world was new to her, Cheska knew she'll adjust fast. 

Still, she appreciated the princess's apology.

It was rare to see someone be sincere to a stranger.

"Even so... It was a misunderstanding on everyone's parts, the reason for your summoning... but we will definitely take care of you two and find a way to send you back home if you wish." The princess showered them with determined will.

Cheska's brows raised, her fingers trembled at the thought.

Amaranthe glanced at the surprised editor, answering for her. "We appreciate your concern, your highness," she accepted, wanting to move on.

Once the gloomy portion passed, their meals ready to be eaten, the light atmosphere came back.

Ayessa smiled faintly, faking a cough, her curiosity rising. "I've been meaning to ask— How does your world differ from here?"

Cheska, the only one eager to converse with the princess, paused to this. "Our world is, in many ways, beyond comparison? I didn't mean to diminish your world since we haven't seen anything it has to offer yet but, it does seem underdeveloped."

Despite the blunt words, Ayessa's purple eyes shone brightly. "How so?"

Cheska hesitated for a moment, her mind racing to find a way to explain the vast technological and scientific advancements of their world without overwhelming or offending Ayessa.

Finally, she settled on a simplified explanation.

"Well..." Cheska began slowly, picking her words carefully, "in our world, we've developed ways to make life easier using things like machines and a lot of... um, knowledge about how the world works."

Ayessa leaned in, her curiosity only growing. "Machines? Like contraptions?"

"Yes," Cheska nodded, encouraged. "We use electricity— an energy that powers machines, lights, even carriages. It's not magic, though it might seem like it."

"Electricity..." The princess followed, pointing beyond the window. "This, right?"

A bolt of light penetrated the sky from her finger, a hue of yellow mist covered the electric-charged shot.

"Woah!" Cheska stumbled forward, excitement running through her. "Is that magic?" Her blue eyes sparked with interest.

Ayessa's eyes curved, nodding in response as she enjoyed the reaction. "Magic is good, yes?" 

The editor raised her fist in agreement, "Magic is great!"

"Miss Cheska," Amaranthe sighed, cutting into her food. "You're too easy to impress." She gazed at the two with slight amusement.

Her eyes saying, Wow you're close to your sister-in-law already?

Cheska cleared her throat. Ayessa chuckled at their dynamic, "Your world doesn't seem to have magic at all, huh..." 

She went back to the topic, combing her hair that got messy from her performance. "Then how can you use electricity as power source?"

The editor calmed down when the princess did, straightening herself, but end up looking confused. 

"Well I've never really thought about it. It just harness natural energies and create a machine that can control it.... Sorry for the lack of explanation."

Ayessa's expression turned thoughtful. "Still, it is fascinating. Your world sounds very... efficient."

The princess' smile turned bright. "I am grateful for your explanation, Lady Cheska. May I ask something else other than your world?"

"Ask away, your highness."

"I already told you, you can call me Ayessa." She grins happily, "Then, what are your names and roles before? Both of you spoke eloquently, I was curious if you two were royals or someone along those lineage."

It was a harmless inquiry, and the warmth in Ayessa's voice made it easier to answer.

But... her compliment-like observation was met by awkward smiles.

"We're just educated, your highness Ayessa." Amaranthe clarified, "Education is open for everyone in our world though it does need quite the money."

Then the editor started.

"I'm Cheska Reyes," she said, "and I was a director— mostly in charge of organizing events, managing projects, things like that. I've worked with a lot of people, and… well, I'm used to calling the shots." She nodded to herself, checking if she was understood.

Ayessa smiled warmly, her curiosity piqued. "Organizing events must be hard, especially with so many people involved. How do you manage?"

The editor shook her head with a meek smile, "It's not that hard... It's just all about planning, and if you mess up, you just keep going. You learn to handle pressure fast when you're in charge of other people's projects." She shrugged nonchalantly, the ease in her voice betraying her experience.

Ayessa tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with interest.

She didn't seem to fully understand the modern concepts Cheska was mentioning, but the energy in her smile showed genuine admiration.

"She's like an administrative head, your highness," Amaranthe chimed in from her quiet corner of the table, her voice cutting through the conversation. "She handles plans and organizes things, making sure everything flows smoothly while checking on her associates."

Ayessa's eyes brightened. "Oh, I see! That sounds fascinating. Rather than just a head, I think it is close to being king, no?"

"In some way, since Miss Cheska can decide without consulting the upper echelon." Amaranthe gives a faint smile.

Cheska smiled, grateful for Amaranthe's intervention.

She knew she had a tendency to get caught up in her explanations, and it helped to have the writer's calm presence to balance things out.

Then Ayessa's gaze shifted to Amaranthe, her curiosity turning toward the quiet woman sitting across from her. "And you, Lady Amaranthe?" she asked softly, leaning forward a little. "What kind of role did you have before?"

Amaranthe paused, the question clearly catching her off guard. "My name is... Amara Lee... and..." she trailed off, fiddling with the edge of her napkin, avoiding Ayessa's gaze for a moment.

Cheska knew Amaranthe didn't dislike her job, even more so, she was in love with it. But for some reason, she looked distant as if she didn't want to tell her.

"Are you uncomfortable sharing it? You don't have to mind me." Ayessa reassured.

"It's not like that. I just..." Amarathe sighed, lowering her head.

Cheska, her number one reader, jumped in before the silence could grow awkward. "Miss Amaranthe is a writer," she said, a proud smile on her face. "In fact, she's my favorite author."

"A writer?" Ayessa's smile faltered for a split second, a brief flash of something unreadable crossing her face before she fixed her expression. "I see... a writer, huh?"

She smiled softly.

Cheska raised an eyebrow, sensing a shift in Ayessa's mood.

It was subtle, but there was something in her reaction that made Cheska wonder if she disapproved.

Seeing the sudden change in the atmosphere, Amaranthe's number one fan leaned forward, her tone light but probing. "Your highness, is there something wrong with being a writer?"

Ayessa blinked, looking a little flustered. "No, of course not!"

She flinched and cleared her throat, "Excuse my tone... um..." she exclaimed quickly, her smile returning albeit a little more strained.

"I just… well, it reminded me of someone. I'm sorry for seemingly unwelcoming."

The momentary awkwardness faded as Ayessa's smile brightened once again, though a flicker of something curious lingered in her gaze. "In fact I love stories. May I ask what genres do you write about?"

Amaranthe's calm tone lingered in the air, her words deliberate as she described her supposed work.

"I write about the things people fear most." She started with a low voice.

Sunlight poured through the tall, arched windows of the dining hall, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow.

Yet, as the writer spoke, it felt as though the light dimmed, and the air grew just a degree cooler.

"Not just in their minds, but things you can see, touch, and hear. Like the sound of heavy breathing when you're supposed to be alone in your room… or footsteps echoing in a hallway that was empty just a moment ago."

Ayessa's fork clinked against her plate as she stiffened, her composure visibly cracking.

Cheska's eyes darted to the princess, noticing her knuckles tightening around her utensils, and then to the author whom she knew was lying.

But Amaranthe didn't stop.

Her gaze seemed to drift, her voice taking a haunting quality, almost as if she were recounting something real.

"There's this one story I wrote where someone wakes up in the middle of the night and feels something cold grab their ankle from under the bed. And then there's another about a shadow behind a curtain..."

Just then soft rustle of curtains shifting in the breeze barely broke the stillness that had settled in the room, the princess flinched subtly as Amaranthe continued.

"The shadow watched silently… until it starts to move closer."

The wide windows, which moments ago seemed to invite the outside world in, now only framed an unsettling quiet.

Ayessa's smile grew strained, her purple eyes drifted to the window behind her, as she forced a small laugh. "That's... very vivid, Lady Amaranthe," she managed, her voice faltering slightly.

Amaranthe tilted her head, her expression unreadable as she continued. "Oh, and then there's the story about the whispering voice that calls someone's name over and over… until they realize it's coming from behind them!"

She pointed behind Ayessa intentionally, "Ah!" The princess made an unconscious gasp.

"Miss Amaranthe..." Cheska intervened, laughing awkwardly, trying to defuse the growing tension. She waved her hands in mock protest. "I think you've scared her enough for one meal. Let's not give our lovely host nightmares, okay?"

The author chuckled a bit, "Sorry I'm passionate about horror too," her blue eyes softening for a moment as she gazed at the princess. "But it's good you can stomach scary things, your highness."

"I see... haha..." The princess nodded, laughing awkwardly. "Me? Not so much. But I am trying to get a glimpse of its greatness."

Amaranthe smiles at princess Ayessa's reply then returned to her plate.

Cheska exhaled a quiet sigh of relief, flashing Ayessa an apologetic smile.

"Author Amaranthe doesn't really write scary stories, per se," she explained gently. "There might be eerie moments in her work, but the heart of her stories is actually drama.."

Ayessa's expression improved slightly. "Oh?" 

Cheska nodded, glancing toward Amaranthe, who was now eating in silence. "She's a writer who captured, technically, our whole world's hearts. Though depending on the demographics..."

"I see. What does she write about?"

"Her best-known series is about a tragic love story between a prince and..." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully, "...a Demon King. Well, technically, it could have been a Demon Queen too, but 'king' sounds a bit more general, don't you think?"

The mention of the Demon King sent an unnatural chill through the room.

Cheska felt it too, but it was Ayessa's pale, frozen expression that truly unsettled her.

What could a story about demons mean in this world?