Familiar Strangers, Unfamiliar World [NOEL]

The subtle sound of the footsteps.

The door is opened.

A maid is seen holding a plate, jug, and cup of tea. She opens the curtain of the window, and shimmering sunlight flows into the room.

“Young Lady” she is calling someone who’s sleeping in the bed.

She wakes up. Long silver-haired, young adult, and elegant in every way.

“Let me freshen up then you may pour the tea,” she said.

She does her morning duties.

Sits down on the table at the balcony and starts sipping the tea.

She is Noel. The only daughter of the Marquis family along with two brothers. She was raised to be elegant and graceful. Followed everything that a noble daughter should have followed.

One thing that she was most interested in was the books. There was a book thought to be fictional about an ancient civilization, that she was very intrigued by.

Metal objects flying in the sky, towering skyscrapers, none of it made any sense, so people decided to ignore such a childish fictional book. Yet, she would read it whenever she was free from her duties.

Same day same routine for a nobility, nothing interesting happened during the day.

In the evening, however, they were greeted by a moving comet. A black yet shining purple-colored comet was passing through which engrossed everyone in the mansion.

Yet the time doesn’t ever stop, So it faded into the other side after a while.

Noel completes her remaining duties and heads to sleep.

She was bored by this world itself and the daily life but what can she even do?

After a long thought, her eyes gave up and she fell into a deep slumber.

But that night was strange along with the events she dreamed of.

She opens her eyes and finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Towering skyscrapers and a massive crowd, it was a busy modern-day city.

She is shocked and frightened because of her situation. Even her dress is changed to her everyday attire instead of the pajamas she was wearing when sleeping.

Two girls approached her, engrossed by her noble attire. “

Are you a cosplayer? Such an amazing outfit, can I take we take a selfie with you.”

Noel is bewildered and a little concerned hearing words like cosplay and selfie for the first time in her life.

Even the girl felt that Noel was confused by their approach so they apologized thinking she was uncomfortable and left.

Then Noel thought to herself, that she had seen this surrounding somewhere, the objects were somewhat recognizable.

It was the same as that fictional childish ancient civilization book. Now her brightness slowly disappeared converting into amazingness and curiosity.

“So this is a dream”

Murky Sky, towering buildings, and metal objects flying away. As she was rounding in amusement, she noticed a man.

Standing immobile in the busy crowd, he was staring at her. Black-haired, young adult.

He was close. She was a little concerned and confused. She looked at his eyes and was even more confused. It wasn’t the eye of a predator rather it was the eye of someone who had found something they lost a long time ago.

“Are you lost?” he said after composing himself.

She didn’t know him, She never saw him before but something felt natural about his tone. Even so, She was a nobility, she thought she shouldn’t lose my composure to be vulnerable towards anyone.

“Who are you concerned about my situation? Be on your way stranger.”

Those words came out even though she didn’t mean it from her heart.

“Haha, I am just someone certified around here so no need to be so alarmed”

This somehow feels very natural, I don’t know the reason though. And all of a sudden he bows down like a gentleman asking for a lady’s hand.

“Young Lady, would you please grant a request of this lowly peasant? Please let me serve you with modesty today”

After hearing the words, something flickered in her heart, I don’t know the reason but it felt way too familiar for me to decline.

“My name is Leon, Leon Walder.”

“I am Noel Von Redlaw, the only daughter of Marquis Redlaw. Stranger, I want to ask you again, do know me? And what is this place?”

This is a little too bewildering to be a mere dream, she thought.

He replied with a smile,

“I know that you are marquis redlaw’s daughter, this place though, I don’t know how to explain it but this is different from your world”

A basic conversation about here and there goes on,

Leon asks Noel to accompany him to a tavern. After a short walk, they reach a restaurant. Noel didn’t know what the restaurant meant because she was from a medieval period, so she wondered “Res-tu-rant”

[The language barrier does not appear in this novel as when Noel dreams about another world she automatically knows the language so I didn’t move too deep into this particular section]

Noel is amazed by how beautiful the interior is.

Leon without asking for Noel’s opinion ordered stir-fried mushroom for Noel and lamb vindaloo for himself. The food is served after a while.

Noel is amazed by the taste but is suspicious of how Leon ordered meat for himself and mushroom for Noel as if he knew Noel didn’t like the meat and loved the mushroom dishes. But the unknown flavorful taste made her forget about her worries.

They exit the restaurant after finishing the food. He asked her to stay over, but she was a little uncertain about living in a stranger’s house.

“Don’t worry, I have two separate rooms, and one is unused.” Even after that, she was a little concerned but she didn’t know what to do else and that it felt natural and that it was a dream at most.

So she took the offer and they reached Leon’s apartment.

They had a lot of conversations about their respective world but Noel was amazed by each and everything because it was a very unknown feeling for her.

Night falls and they both lie down on their respective bed.

Noel was very much excited about today’s event as it was more amusing and refreshing compared to her dull daily normal days.

She could see the stars and moon as she lay down in the bed. She could see the lightened up buildings but none could match the shine of the moon.

Suddenly, she saw something that blocked the perfect moon, there was like a figure of someone, floating in the sky.

She couldn’t see it properly as it was far away but it was holding a long stick-like thing.

Suddenly it was more visible now. A reddish shine. Shining eyes are seen. Only that red hazy smoky shine was seen, other things were not that visible.

All of a sudden, it jolted. With that stick, rather it was a spear.

It jolted towards Noel. In seconds, before she could do anything, it reached her. And right before it hit her.

She woke up.

But to the reality….