"Awaken? With Arenox?" Lucien was perplexed. "But you could only awaken with live spirits–"
His eyes widened as he realized something.
"Exactly, your highness," Arthur confirmed his doubts. "One of the spirit generals you 'slayed' was still alive and was morphed to this state."
'But I made sure they were dead, though.' Lucien rubbed his temples, unable to believe what he had just heard.
Arthur wanted to give him time to digest this, but they had been here for quite a while. "So, here's the plan.
"I would take you back to the royal palace, and you would just say that you suddenly went unconscious last night, and you woke up in this building with this mirror."
"But, wouldn't they know that this mirror is yours?" Lucien queried.
"No, Arenox was the Albrecht family's artifact," Arthur said casually, then added with a smirk, "And we're influential enough not to report every little thing to the government."
"And what if they know about your involvement in this building?" Lucien didn't pay his smugness any attention and instead asked about the more pressing question.
Arthur answered coolly. "I have already handled everything. You don't have to worry about it."
"You wouldn't be questioned much, and they wouldn't take away Arenox either." This time, his tone was a tad bit down, but Lucien caught that instantly.
'He is jealous of the privileges provided to royal family members?' He mused and nodded to Arthur's further explanation.
For a while, they just talked about possible questions and situations Lucien might find himself in back in the royal palace, and then devised possible solutions to them.
Finally, after a few minutes, they had finished planning, and it was time to leave.
They turned around, just about to leave, when suddenly, Arthur snapped his finger, as if he wanted to add something. "Ah, and one more thing."
Lucien turned his head towards him as Arthur continued speaking, "Make sure to put in good words about me with the Solstice monarchs."
Silence.
Neither of them spoke for a while, and finally, Remiel gave him a small nod. "Anything else?"
Arthur fixed his expressions and with a grin he finally nodded and said, "Welcome to your new life, Lucien Callastre."
…
'Lucien Callastre.'
'Since when was I acting like I am him?'
'Since the memory assimilated?'
'Why was I calling myself Lucien ever since?'
'Are his memories affecting me and my psyche?'
'I am acting so naturally around things I didn't even know about before I gained these fragmented memories.'
'I didn't even think twice before sitting in this motorized carriage called a car.'
'Ah, it happened again. I just said motorized like nothing.'
'My speaking style and vocabulary have also evolved.'
'Would his emotions and memories invade mine, and eventually replace them?'
'No, I cannot let that happen.'
'I still haven't attained my goal yet.'
'That bastard spirit is still alive after nine centuries, and I still have a lot of secrets to uncover.'
'Just what happened on that day?'
"Your highness!"
Suddenly, a loud voice, along with a slight shake, pulled him out of his daze.
It was Arthur, sitting in front of him, as the white limousine was slowing down.
"You don't have to scream like that, Arthur. I have ears that work just fine." Lucien scowled, his fingers rubbing his ears.
"Do they? Because this was the fifth time I called you." Arthur's face was dead serious, rendering him speechless.
'Was I really dazed out this much, thinking about myself?' Lucien mused, finding it hard to believe that he wasn't attentive.
Just how much has he changed due to this reincarnation and memory assimilation?
"Forgive me. I just had a lot on my mind, and I am tired as well." Lucien apologized, taking Arthur by surprise.
A royal blood apology? It was rare.
But he soon remembered that Remiel St. Clair was more of a warrior than anything, and there was a basic line of respect that warriors had for each other.
"Oh-hmm! Anyways, we are here, look outside. The Starlight Palace."
'The Starlight Palace,' Remie mumbled under his breath, 'The name hasn't changed after 900 years.'
He looked outside, the soaring, grand building which he called home just 2 days ago, now belonged to someone else.
Gold and silver accent spires towering over everything around it, while layered domes lay atop the many grand towers.
A literal waterfall cascaded from the terraces surrounding the palace, flowing between the marbled courtyard and the ethereal gardens.
A palace so grand that it made one feel inferior just standing against it. So huge that it needed bridges connecting all of its towers and buildings.
The building was exactly as he remembered, but the terrain around it had changed.
It was something Lucien called home just days ago, but now, it no longer belonged to him. Now he wasn't a resident, but a mere diplomat to his own palace.
They moved beneath the sigils and banners of the Republic, not the St Clair's, as he remembered.
A strange emotion brewed inside him as he dazedly watched the Starlight Palace, not paying attention to his car passing multiple checkpoints.
"Let's go!" said Arthur, as their car stopped and an army of workers rushed to welcome them.
One of the butlers respectfully opened the door of the limousine with a deep bow, and Lucien stepped outside.
He had already changed into better clothes back in the car, and his blood and gore stains were also gone from Arthur's magic.
His attire and current condition were in no way near royally aesthetic, but the quiet authority Lucien carried with him stopped anyone from saying anything.
He was still a royal blood, and he walked like one as well.
Arthur had called ahead of time, informing the palace that the prince needed some time before he met anyone.
That's why none of the higher-ups showed up, but Lucien could feel all kinds of eyes on him from different sections of the palace.
People were constantly watching him, but he didn't even flinch.
Lucien's steps slowed for a moment, looking at the grand pillars and the towering arch where his family once stood to welcome him.
But now, there was no one.
He felt a bit down but he didn't let it show.
He walked inside the palace, unbothered, letting the butlers guide him, as Arthur left to report himself.
'Sigh! I wanna sleep.'