Hiding Behind Her Superficiality by Kyla Olson

It hurts… It hurts.

Elspeth opened her eyes and found herself lying in a magnificent room. Everything around her was shining gold and she thought she had entered a room made of gold. She remembered that she had jumped into the sea before she woke up. Unfortunately, she was not a strong swimmer and passed out after swallowing some water. Although she was lying on the bed, she still felt slightly dizzy, and the room seemed to spin around her.

But… Why am I here now?

Not long after she opened her eyes, and before she even had time to move, she heard a commotion coming from outside the door. She immediately became alert and her hand under the quilt reached out to touch the dagger that was kept by her hip, only to find that someone had changed her clothes at some point when she was unconscious.

Creak…

The door was pushed open, and a pair of white sneakers came into view. Looking up, she saw a young man dressed in gray sweatpants, a white shirt, and a blue and white striped jacket. He looked like an athletic and cheery man. When Elspeth saw his face, she was immediately dumbfounded.

“Edmund, why are you here?”

Truth be told, this man looked exactly like Edmund but in a different style of clothes! She actually wondered if Edmund had two sides to him. He was usually dressed in a well-fitted suit and leather shoes, but now he had become an athletic and sporty guy.

“Edmund? Are you mistaking me for someone else?”

Elspeth rolled her eyes. “Do you think I won’t recognize you? Tell me where I am. I’m really shocked!”

“Edmund” came over, leaned against the bed, and reached out to touch her forehead. “Let me see. Isn’t the fever gone? Why are you still talking nonsense?”

Elspeth pushed his hand away and glared at him fiercely. “What are you doing, Edmund? Don’t you know that a man and a woman mustn’t be so close together? I asked you a question. Where am I?!”

“Edmund” sighed helplessly, put his hands in his pockets, and sat on a chair by the side of the room. “This is a transoceanic freighter. We are going to Sunholde soon. Also, let me say it one last time, my name is not Edmund. My name is Elias, Elias Cole. Are you sure your brain is fine?”

Elspeth thought her head was going to explode.

Elias Cole? Is he really not

me the details of how you

and crossed his legs. “To be honest, this matter has nothing to do with me. You suddenly surfaced on the ocean. Maybe, you drowned and became unconscious somewhere. But when I found you, you were holding onto a wooden stake, and the men on the ship

have I

far from Sunholde. The freighter will arrive in 10-14 days. So, this

Five days?

shocked at this fact, she still calmed

“Thank you. I see.”

doing at the moment, so she needed to get in touch with him as soon as possible. “Can you lend me

is the ocean. The signal here is

could only forget

glanced at the man in front of her and frowned. “Are you the one

that a man and a woman mustn’t be so close together? How could I change your clothes for you? Although you

then.” Elspeth wrapped the quilt tightly around

the ship arrives in Sunholde, I will take you to the embassy and let them

a bit annoying, he was kind and helped to make arrangements for her. A

karma to save a life. I’m

saying that, Elias stood up and prepared to

minute. I have another

unable to hold back herself, Elspeth glanced around the room again, then asked curiously,

outrageously expensive. As such,

about that. My dad designed it this way himself. It’s really tacky

Elias raised his eyebrows slightly