My first night in this new room as Feyt felt… surreal. Through the window, I looked up at the same night sky that Carine could see from her room, and yet, despite how close we were physically, the divide between my two selves felt impossibly wide. 

Feyt’s room, though simpler than Carine’s, held a sense of grandeur I hadn’t yet adjusted to.

A soft knock on the door broke my thoughts.

“Sir Feyt?” Eliza’s voice resounded from the door. It was gentle as usual, I wouldn’t mind hearing her talk all day.

I opened the door to find her holding a tray. “I’ve brought your dinner. Please enjoy,” she said with a slight bow.

“T-Thank you,” I managed, still not sure if “Sir” and I would ever be on good terms, but I stepped back to let her in. She placed the tray on a small table by the window, where the candlelight flickered just enough to make the meal look extra fancy.

“After you finish, just place the tray outside, Sir Feyt. We will take care of it.”

And just like that, she was gone as quickly as she’d arrived, leaving me alone with a tray of food I could probably trade for a small house back home. The aroma alone was enough to make my stomach clench. 

Roasted meat, potatoes with fresh herbs, a little loaf of bread; oh, and a silver cup of tea. Not a mug. A silver cup.

I sat down, letting the weight of the meal sink in. This wasn’t food Feyt would’ve seen in the village. Nope, not by a long shot. For Carine, though, meals like this were everyday fare, practically old news. But eating it now as Feyt? I felt like a kid at a candy store.

Hesitantly, I took a bite of the meat, savoring the burst of flavor, spices mingling in a way I’d almost forgotten to notice as Carine. Here, in Feyt’s body, every flavor seemed heightened, richer. The potatoes were buttery and perfectly soft, and the bread… I never noticed just how soft it was!

Each bite was like a rediscovery of just how spoiled Carine’s life was. Meals like this? Yeah, I’d have sold my shoes for a taste back in the village.

When I finished, I sighed happily, placing the cleaned tray outside the door and sinking back into bed. I was full after dining like a king. I closed my eyes, and soon enough, sleep claimed me.

…

Morning light filled the room, and Feyt’s eyes blinked open first. Carine, meanwhile, was still asleep, breathing peacefully as if she didn’t have a care in the world. I was used to it; Carine could sleep through a marching band.

Stretching as Feyt, I looked around the room and had that moment of confusion all over again. A bath would be nice. Actually, a bath would be glorious. I pulled a towel and a change of clothes from my bag, ready to go… until the practical side of me threw a sudden question.

Was Feyt even allowed to use the baths here?

Our family’s bath was off-limits for everyone but, well, the family. That meant the bath was meant for Mother and I—Carine, I mean. Maids were allowed to enter, of course, but I definitely wasn’t one.

So where did that leave Feyt? Maybe there was a bath for the staff? That made sense, but if I just waltzed in there, I’d look like the new guy who didn’t know what he was doing. Or like I was lost. Or both.

I decided on a quick splash of water from a pitcher instead. After all, no need to complicate things. I could figure out the bath situation later. Probably. Or maybe I’d just get used to splashing cold water on my face.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

“Sir Feyt?” a voice called from the other side. It was Eliza, the maid from yesterday.

“Yes?” I replied, opening the door.

She dipped her head in greeting. “I’ve been asked to show you to the morning dining hall. The Duke and Duchess have invited you for breakfast.”

My stomach did a small backflip. Breakfast with the Sareids. Mother, Father, Leila, me… this wasn’t just going to be some nice morning chat over toast. No, this was clearly one of Mother’s moves. Or maybe Father’s? Either way, it wasn’t likely to be just a friendly meal.

“Thank you! I’m ready,” I said, giving her a small nod as I followed her through the hallways. I reminded myself to keep Feyt’s movements a bit stiffer, a bit more awkward; it wouldn’t do for him to appear too comfortable yet.

As we walked, I noticed Carine beginning to stir in her room. She was groggy but starting to wake up.

—

In Carine’s room, I sat up, rubbing my eyes, when a knock came at the door. Right on time. It was Leila, naturally, who always seemed to know the exact minute I’d wake up. She wasn’t my personal maid for nothing.

“Lady Carine? Are you awake?” came Leila’s calm, steady voice.

“Yes, I’m awake. Come in.”

Leila stepped in, but without the usual breakfast tray. She gave a respectful nod. “Forgive me, Lady Carine, but today’s breakfast will not be served here.”

“I know,” I replied, stretching. “I’ll be eating with Mother, Father, and Feyt, right?”

Leila blinked, visibly surprised, which was as rare as, well, a surprised Leila. “How did you know?”

“Just a lucky guess.”

—

It didn’t take long for both of me to be seated at the dining table. There it was again, that quiet amazement—this time, with a side of nerves.

“How was your first night here, Feyt?” Father asked, his voice warm but with that unmistakable undertone of inspection. “Comfortable, I hope?”

I gave a polite nod, aiming for something humble. “Yes, sir. I’ve never slept on a bed so soft.”

Complete lie, of course. Carine’s bed was like a cloud, nothing could beat that! But hey, I needed to butter up Mother and Father somehow.

Just then, the maids filed in with silver trays, setting down breakfast. The aroma was ridiculous: warm bread, fresh fruit, perfectly cooked eggs. I forced myself to look modestly surprised, like I wasn’t used to this; like Feyt would be.

As the family started to eat, I tried to keep up, while simultaneously keeping one pair of eyes on Father and another on Mother, who was watching Feyt with a laser focus. She barely touched her plate, eyes narrowing as if she could see through me.

“So, Feyt,” Mother’s voice sliced through the clinking of silverware. “What do you think of the estate so far?”

I swallowed, scrambling for an answer that wouldn’t make me look too naive but wouldn’t scream “Carine in disguise” either.

“It’s… like something out of a dream, really,” I said, with what I hoped looked like honest awe. “I’ve never seen a place so… grand.”

Mother raised an eyebrow. “Appreciation is only one part of it,” she replied coolly. “Discipline and skill will determine how well you actually belong here.”

Translation: “Impress me, or get out.”

I began to dread the upcoming training…

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