After Switch left, I went straight to Ervine's room to check if he was awake. When I opened the door, Ervine was floating in mid-air, right in front of me. He was already awake, sitting and floating in nothingness.
"E-Ervine?!" I exclaimed in surprise.
"Charlotte, you're still here," he said as he approached me and handed me a bottle of potion.
"W-What's this potion for?"
"Drink it, it's a 'Levitation Potion.' You'll be able to float and fly in nothingness when you drink it, just like what I'm doing now."
I followed his instructions and drank the potion. After a moment, I suddenly felt lighter. My feet were floating, and I couldn't touch the ground. Ervine held my hand and guided me as we floated in mid-air.
"So, are you enjoying it?" he asked with a smile.
"Uh, y-yes! This is my first time experiencing this. It's so cool to float in nothingness!"
We moved slowly since his room was not spacious enough for us to fly around. Ervine paused for a moment and took something from his cupboard.
"What's that?" I asked curiously.
"Just watch."
He opened a long wooden box and pulled out a magic wand. I was amazed by its unique design. There were unusual engravings on the wood.
"This was a gift from my mother when I first started studying witchcraft. Charlotte, take a look at it!"
He pointed the magic wand towards the wall and recited a magic spell, "Hellelus Bopilus!"
The tip of the magic wand lit up, and a dazzling light filled the room. I had to close my eyes for a moment due to the intense brightness. When I opened my eyes, I saw a fascinating large bubble in front of me.
"Wow! It's such a beautiful and huge bubble!"
"Come on, let's go inside!"
He held my hand and pulled me towards the inside of the large bubble. I felt a slight dampness. As we entered, I was amazed. It was like there were colorful fragments of light floating inside the magical bubble.
"It doesn't end here. Hold on to me tightly, and I'll open the 'Vacuum Portal.' This is a different kind of portal, unlike ordinary ones. Through this, we will be sucked willingly to the place we want to go. Are you ready?"
"B-But, is it okay to use that? What if Switch gets angry?"
"Don't worry, we're just going up, not far away."
"Up?"
He raised his magic wand again and recited another magic spell. It was different from the previous one they used to open the passage to their magical home.
"Orea ilaihya vacumus nepertum openum!!"
As soon as the vacuum portal appeared, it quickly sucked us inside. I instinctively held onto Ervine's waist tightly, and I felt him embrace me tightly in his arms. In these moments, even my heart was being carried away by the man holding me. I closed my eyes.
"Charlotte, look!"
"W-Wow!" I exclaimed when I opened my eyes.
We floated in the sky, and since it was nighttime, the lights from buildings and houses were clearly visible! They were so beautiful, like twinkling stars on the ground. Suddenly, a cold breeze blew, and I felt the chill seep into my skin. Then, I suddenly felt a warm blanket covering my shoulders.
"W-Wait, where did that blanket come from?" I asked, taken aback.
"I quickly grabbed it earlier. I knew it would be cold outside, especially at night."
"Do you always do this? It's like you're so used to it."
He chuckled slightly as we floated and circled through the vastness of the sky.
"I often do this, especially when I'm alone and feeling lonely. I just hop into the magic bubble and admire the beautiful scenery below from up here. It brings peace to my heart."
In these moments, I saw a different side of Ervine. Despite carrying a heavy burden and the weight of forgiveness, he remained strong... even though the burden still weighed heavily on him.
"By the way, thank you, Charlotte!" He suddenly focused his gaze on my face.
"T-Thank you for what?" I stuttered, nervously tucking away my loose hair.
My heart was racing now, and despite the cold breeze, I could feel warmth coursing through my entire body. It felt like my chest was about to burst from embarrassment.
"Thank you for accompanying me tonight. I know Mamita has already told you about the curse that resides within me. I am going to face my destiny and try to... find my parents. They don't know me, and they don't know that I'm alive."
"Ervine..." I felt a sense of sadness in the air.
I could deeply feel the pain he was experiencing. Even though he said he would try, I knew it would be difficult for him. So, I did what I could and held his hand tightly.
"I'll help you! I'll accompany you! Just tell me when..."
We locked eyes seriously, and I could feel his broad palm resting on my shoulder. Neither of us spoke after that.
We sat together under the same blanket inside the magic bubble, gazing at the lights on the ground. Then, I suddenly felt a jolt in my chest, and...
When I woke up, I was inside our own house. I quickly checked the time on the clock—it was already past midnight. I touched my body—it turned out that I had swapped souls with my sister!