“Phew.”
After Anak left, Julian sat down as if collapsing into his seat, letting out a short sigh.
It was true that he was overjoyed to see Anak again after so long, his heart leaping at how little he had changed.
But at the same time, the way Anak always pushed him away at crucial moments hurt just as much as it did in the past—like a dagger to the heart.
–Don’t be so heartbroken, Julie. It’s not like Anak treats only you that way.
But something was odd.
He should have been alone in the tent yet another voice had clearly spoken.
More strange still, the voice sounded almost identical to Julian’s own, only slightly deeper and rougher.
“Brother really doesn’t understand anything, does he? What’s upsetting is that I am no different from everyone else.”
And yet, Julian didn’t seem surprised by the voice’s presence.
On the contrary, he responded to it warmly and even addressed it as his “Brother.”
The voice came from a plain mirror standing against one wall of the tent.
Although ornate and elegant enough to suit the prestigious Cruze Guild, it wasn’t something uncommon in small-town furniture shops.
What was unusual, however, was the reflection within it.
“And though he tried to hide it, there was even fear in his eyes.”
–…I’m sorry about that. I thought it was the best way to avoid making him suspicious about how we switch places sometimes.
Inside the mirror stood another Julian—one who moved independently of Julian’s actual posture and position—and he was speaking to him.
“It was the worst. I can’t believe I just let you do that. What was I thinking.”
–Let’s be honest, Julie. Maybe you didn’t know at first, but you realized what was happening a few seconds before Anak woke up.
“…I’m not going to press the switch.”
Julian took a necklace from deep within his clothes.
At its center was a round ruby encircled by a golden band, which he now held forward as if it was a weapon.
But the Julian in the mirror only smiled, seemingly amused.
–Sure, sounds good to me. You’ve already had wine—might as well let me watch what you do in the bathroom too. And while we’re at it, don’t switch back when you change into pajamas either.
Julian blushed and said nothing.
Tears of frustration welled up in his eyes, and the mirror-Julian, seeing this, finally dropped the mischievous grin and bowed his head slightly.
–…Alright, alright. My bad. But are you really not going to tell him?
“And say what? That I’m not a boy, but the ghost of his friend’s sister sharing his body?”
–Julie, I’ve told you again and again. You’re not a ghost.
“Sure. I’m just someone whose real body is sealed away in ice and wards, after all.”
Julian del Cruze.
The first heir to the Cruzet Trading Company, and senior to Lowell and Anak from their academy days.
But to be exact, that name did not exist in the Cruze family registry.
In the family records under the current head, Kravat del Cruze, there were only two names: Damian del Cruze and Juliana del Cruze—twins born on the same day.
Both siblings were gifted with extraordinary beauty and talent from a young age and were the pride of the Cruze family.
But unfortunately, the younger sister, Juliana, was born with a rare and incurable disease.
No doctor, no priest, no healer could treat it, and the illness slowly devoured Juliana’s life.
It was a painful ordeal for both her and the entire family.
Eventually, the Cruze family sought help from the Mage Guild’s Tower of Sages, and together they decided to seal Juliana’s body within a magical ward to slow the disease’s progression.
But it wasn’t a cure.
Even with the ward in place, time would still pass.
She would continue to age within the seal, and the illness would continue to eat away at her life.
And until a cure was found—or until the illness took her—she would lie unconscious inside the seal for the rest of her days.
That was no life at all.
So the mages and Kravat del Cruze decided on another solution: using the artifact Laplace’s Eye, they transferred Juliana’s consciousness into a dimension between mirrors and reflective surfaces.
In this way, she could at least communicate and observe the outside world through nearby mirrors—though with limitations.
Everyone, including Juliana herself, accepted the plan.
Everyone except Damian.
Damian couldn’t bear the thought of his sister spending her life trapped between mirrors.
He locked himself in his room and refused to eat.
At first, they thought it was a childish tantrum—until he collapsed from malnutrition for the third time.
At that point, even the mages and Kravat had to take him seriously.
In the end, the mages revealed to him one final option they had previously withheld.
They believed Damian would reject it after hearing the cost, but instead, he embraced it.
Using the deep bond shared by twins, they would let the two share one physical body.
Thus, Julian del Cruze was born.
Two Souls in One Body.
When one consciousness used Damian’s body, the other would reside within the mirror-dimension via Laplace’s Eye.
They lived this way for sixteen years.
No privacy.
No real relationships outside of family.
Just the two of them, sharing one life.
“Brother, I’m always grateful, but I don’t even know how much longer my body can hold on. I really am nothing more than a ghost borrowing your body.”
–Julie, I’ve told you: you’re not borrowing anything. Think of it like this—we’re just always together. Like any other close siblings. Besides, I can offload all the boring and annoying stuff to you.
Her expression softened slightly at his lighthearted tone.
“So that’s why I always attend the Amusbian tournaments under my name?”
–Of course. And afterward, the hunting trip is under mine.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
–Next time, let’s explain everything to Anak. He’ll understand. And he’s discreet—he’ll keep the secret.
“And what would that change? At the end of the day, this body is still yours.”
–He could wait. Honestly, I think he’d wait as long as it takes.
She gently rubbed the ruby on the necklace, and the playful look in the mirror vanished, replaced by a serene and composed expression.
It was a sign she didn’t want to talk anymore.
–…I’m a bit tired. Please change into pajamas for me.
“Yes, yes, as you command.”
The reflection turned its back, and she, as if used to it, walked over to the wardrobe and began removing her skirt.
–But Julie, what exactly do you like so much about Anak?
“Are you going to be like that too, brother?”
–No, I know Anak is a good guy. I also know he’s much more capable than he thinks. He’s a good junior, and I like him too. But I just can’t understand why you like him that much. You’ve never been like this before. Not even when you saw Lowell—you didn’t feel a thing.
“I told you. Love has no reason.”
–But there has to be some trigger, right? I’ve always been by your side, but I don’t recall anything that could have been a turning point for you.
She turned only after changing her pants and snapping her fingers lightly, her reflection in the mirror finally facing him.
“Oh my. I liked him from the very first moment I saw him. And the more I got to know him, the more I grew to like him.”
–Don’t just say that. Come on, try to persuade your brother. What exactly did you like about him when you first saw him?
Looking at Damian, who asked with a curious expression, she smiled faintly and murmured softly:
“Hmm… if I had to say, maybe… a sense of kinship?”
***
“Will you be alright?”
I could only smile at the careful question.
When I arrived with the guide, I saw not just a cart but a small transport wagon.
It was loaded with three wooden barrels, presumably of Antares, and crates full of pel.
Of course, it’s not that it couldn’t be pulled, but seeing it all hitched up behind just one horse made me feel oddly guilty.
“Shouldn’t I get another horse…?”
That would be the usual course of action.
At this rate, there’s no way I would gain speed, and eventually the horse would tire and I couldn’t travel far.
“No, it’s fine.”
But it didn’t matter to me. No matter how much cargo there was or how heavy it got, I only needed to go where there were no watching eyes.
“There’s a place I need to stop by on the way.”
“Ah, I see.”
Leaving the guy behind, I lightly mounted the horse.
Despite all the heavy goods hitched to it, the horse didn’t seem bothered at all.
Most warhorses or those unfamiliar with pulling carts would react nervously to the unfamiliar weight and sensation, but this one—whether experienced or not—was truly a good horse.
If only we had a horse like this on our first journey, how much easier it would have been.
That slow, aggressive beast we had back then constantly tormented me.
I should’ve either fed it to a summoned creature or eaten it myself—but I didn’t, and I still regret that.
“Then I hope you’ll visit us again.”
He bowed politely and even escorted me all the way to the street lined with general street vendors.
He stood there until I had nearly disappeared into the crowd.
From a personal standpoint, he’d done more than enough.
Yes—strictly from his personal standpoint.
He was the one who guided me here and paid for the goods, but he wasn’t from the Cruze Guild.
I don’t know exactly what his merchant group is called, but in this Amusbian area, Cruze uses pink tents.
Since I deliberately approached a green tent, he’s clearly from a different group.
Even if he hadn’t known my identity at first, he finished the deal alone even after finding out who I was.
Cruze Guild sent their deputy chief to meet me directly and even gave me three barrels of Antares as a gift.
On the surface, they treated me as well as they could.
But what about this side?
I wasn’t expecting special treatment, but this group didn’t even show any notable reaction.
Just that one guy finished the deal from start to end.
Even if my name doesn’t have the same weight as my fellow heroes, and even though I’ve often been treated worse, I couldn’t help but feel a bitter twinge in my heart.
Even without comparing myself to my comrades, I’ve seen how these merchants treat high nobles from major countries since I was young.
…Well, I guess it’s natural. Unlike me, who’s just selling a few horses, they can offer various benefits and monetary gains.
TL Note:
Before someone starts complaining about genders. I am intentionally using he/him at the starting because at that point we as a reader didnt know that one of them was actually female. Things are gradually revealed so I switch to female mid way once its revealed to maintain good story flow.