Hold Me Tight, For I Am Unlovely

Chapter 5 : "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

My feet padded on the cool tiled floors as I made my way to my father who was awaiting me at the lounge chair. There was a gloomy expression on my face that I didn't have to fake at all, meeting my parents expectations of a image of a brokenhearted girl with ease.

I was indeed brokenhearted, but for all the different reasons.

There was pity on my father's face when he saw my visage, and underneath the pity I could see a glimpse of his anger that he tried to hide. Before I could go and take a seat though, the man pulled me into an embrace, I would've blushed if I was still the same old Natalia.

But the sense of familiarity in the hug made my lips quiver as much as Vittoria's hug made my eyes sting.

I was truly Leticia now.

"Dear, it seems like you were very upset." My father started, he guided me to sit down in between him and my mother. Who was more than teary eyed for me. "Dad is also upset for you too." He patted my back, his hands were warm much like his expression towards me.

You would've known this people were one of the most powerful in the kingdom with how they were acting like this around me.

"Well I'm glad that my daughter is better now. Right?" Vittoria took my hands in hers, her affection towards me was palpable that it was almost suffocating. In response I could only hesitantly nod my head. But after seeing my hesitant nod the smile on Vittoria's face faltered, and there was a somber look that slipped pass her expression.

Leonardo pursed his lips closing his eyes for a bit before sighing. "Well I'm glad that I could see you today dear Letty." He started, aiming a small smile towards his wife, "Even if Ria had to drag you to get here."

There was a small awkward smile on my face upon hearing what my father said to me.

Sensing that the atmosphere in the room shifted, it was almost instinctual how I straightened back to receive the somber mood more accurately.

The Ducal couple seemed surprised at my shift of expression, and it was then I realized that this wasn't how Leticia would've reacted in this situation. However, I have never been good at acting, so I didn't change my stance in the end.

The couple seemed surprised, but they looked like they were pleased with how I acted. Especially my father who looked like at me deeply, as if he was considering something that I don't know.

"Letty looks so much mature now, who knew all it took was one heartache and you would finally show that expression to your parents." Leonardo shook his head with a laugh. Vittoria on who also looked at me with a similar expression to her husband, merely patted my hand softly.

There was a fond smile marring Leonardo's face. It was after a moment later, that he raised his hand and drew a circle in the air, blue light followed his fingers. My eyes couldn't help but be drawn unto my father's actions as he conjured up magic without a chant nor a wand in his hands.

But with the way he was sipping his tea as he did so, made me realize how easy it must have been for my father to do this.

My lack of surprise as Leticia was expected, in my memories I have seen my father did this a hundred times in my presence. But as Natalia, it was like seeing new technology. You know what they say after all, sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and once in my life I believed that.

That was until I saw the real deal with my own eyes that I realized how that saying was just a bunch of jumbled nothing.

The circle that my father drew in the air rotated and started to branch out, forming a familiar magic circle. Leticia who was never interested in magic never touched a single book about about it. Which was probably why despite how much I tried to recall anything magic related from both the novel and Leticia's memories, only the usual common knowledge was supplied.

However, looking closely at the rapidly spinning magic circle, I couldn't help but find something familiar not as Leticia but as Natalia.

'Are those... English words?'

I felt my jaw slacken before I heard the 'huh' sound that came out of my lips without my permission. But it seems like my parents didn't hear me, because they were more focused on the papers that my father brought with his magic.

'Those were totally English words no doubt.' I rapidly blinked my eyes trying to comprehend why in this foreign world, a world where they have their own standard language, their own standard culture— would have English words in their mana circles?

Sensing that I shouldn't be lost in my thoughts in this moment, I closed my hanging mouth and transfered my attention to the papers that was placed in front of me.

'I have ample of time to investigate this matter later, for now let us focus on those papers first.'

When the papers were handed to me by my father, I registered the foreign symbols first before I realized that I could understand them like it was my second language. I have heard many languages before when I travelled for business trips (the song corp isn't exactly a small company after all), but this one is just another level of wonder.

"The king has made his stance, the engagement shall be annulled." Leonardo started heavily, earning him my looks and also my mother's. Despite the irritation that was painted on his visage, and my mother's forlorn gaze towards my direction, he continued to flip the papers on his hands, which I realized was the same copy of my own.

I already knew that negotiations with the king regarding my marriage was a bust, and that this fact has been established days prior; but it seems like announcing it like this brought its own kind of legitimacy.

And it looks to me like my father was aiming for this, judging by the gaze he was shooting me. Acting as if I was about to open Pandora's box and reveal all of humanity's plights in a form of a tantrum.