I still not believe that I transmigrated to a novel. as long as I remember there is no character named Anna in it. But some of names on that diary were definitely names of character from the novel that I read. Who am i? where am I? why? ... suddenly all of this existential question that rarely crossed my mind keep popping up. I walked back and forth while hugging myself. I didn't even aware that time had passed and Sain had already come home.
"What are you doing? Are you still not feeling well?", she asked while washing her hands.
"Sain, what is the name of the city are we in now? Are we in a country? kingdom? or empire? what year is it?" I ask consecutively.
"Are you quizzing me? Why do you look so panicked?"
"Can you just please answer me, and not giving me another questions. what year is it? Where am I right now?"
"What's wrong with you. you're so strange you know. You're in Sicilly, capital of Ethira empire and it's year 923. Do I need to tell you what day it is too?"
'... murmur murmur... '
''hey, don't mumble to yourself like that. You're scaring me. Do you have a fever? There is no wound on your head, is it an internal wound?", Sain pulled my arm and directed me to sit down. "Drink this and try to calm down", she handed me a glass. "are you still unwell? maybe we really need to see physician or something?", Sain got carried away in panic.
" ... mumble-mumble ... "
"I don't understand what you're going through, but maybe after we eat dinner you'll feel better. This is really the last time I will spoil you. Next time I will not serve you again," Sain grumbled, but prepared dinner for both of us anyway.
Once again, faced with this delicious food, all the turmoil I felt vanished. And as I heartily enjoyed the meal, I became calm again. It turned out that even though my body and surroundings had changed, I was still able to eat when the time came. Sain looked puzzled by my big appetite. She started the conversation when I looked more relaxed.
"hmm, I just found out that you can eat so well. I thought you only ate well this morning because of the hangover effect. I didn't expect you to eat so much. You usually eat very little because you used to sharing with your two younger siblings. has your appetite changed lately?".
I could only smile and shrug while chewing my food.
"Well, I am relieved that you eat well and I hope that your condition will be better tomorrow. You've been a little strange since this morning, but I won't ask any more for now. Get some rest so you'll feel better. You'll have to think about what you're going to do next,' Sain got up and started to wash our dishes. I helped her clear the dinning table. Before I returned to my room, I thanked Sain. She replied with a warm smile.
The next day... I wake up early in the morning. I still hoped that what I had experienced was just a dream, but I was still in the same room where I had fallen asleep. I left the room and walked slowly toward the front door. I still hoped that this was just a dream and that I was just lost in another part of Earth, still in my world. Suddenly just changing places, even though it's still on the same Earth, same world, still doesn't make sense. What if I actually transmigrated into the story I read? Or did i suddenly get the superpower to teleport, switch places, or even switch dimensions? I just wish i were still on earth, still in the place I'm familiar with.
Of course, this hope was dashed as I looked out at my surroundings outside the house. It was completely different place, different atmosphere. It was like being in the 19th or early 20th century; everything felt foreign for me.
If this world really was the setting where the novel I've read takes place, it was fortunate. At least, I'm not stranded in a fantasy world that's very different. There were no monsters, zombies, vampires, dragons or anything like that (as far as I know, and hopefully there aren't, please God!!!). I have enough with just the usual human problems.
Sain tapped me on the shoulder from behind. I was surprised.
"Looks like you're still behaving strangely this morning," she said in a mocking tone.
I just smiled and scratched my head, which wasn't itching.
"You still can't talk and explain what happened to you?", Sain asked.
"Hmm ... ahhh ..." I stammered, not knowing how to explain.
"It's the weekend and it's my off-time, let's slowly work out together what you're going through with all this weirdness," she said diplomatically.
I took Sain's hand with a emotionally look and gratitude.
"You're grateful to me, aren't you? You must remember my kindness for the rest of your life, okay?" she said proudly and I nodded quickly as I bent my body to greet her.
"Time to prepare some breakfast. I see you have no physical problems, I'm sure you'll be able to make some meal this morning", Sain put his arm around my body and led me into the house. I hope this isn't gonna be another disaster.
I stand in the kitchen, frozen. I rarely do something in the kitchen before, except for accessing the fridge, using cutlery and washing it after used. I've even rarely used a knife, or any modern technology to cooking something like stove, oven or microwave. So how am I going to do this cooking matter by hand, manually?
I racked my brains trying to come up with a plan of what I could do step by step. I looked at the ingredients available; there was bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuces, mushrooms, eggs, flour, and milk. I looked around for sugar and salt or other spices that I didn't know about but then I might be able to use to add flavour. I found sugar and salt with a note on the container saying 'use sparingly'. It seems that it's not easy to get sugar and salt in this place, so it's important to use them wisely, I said to myself repeatedly.
After gathering the ingredients, i began to wash the vegetables i was going to use. occasionally i glanced at Sain, who was watching me like a superior watching her subordinates. I just smiled when our eyes met and immediately resumed my work. holding the knife in my right hand, I prayed 'may this not be the disaster that started the day'. Clumsily, I began to slice the tomato very slowly, resulting in uneven slices as the tomato juice began to splash everywhere. I sighed deeply after safely slicing one tomato.
Next was the cucumber. The texture was firmer than tomato, so it was easier to hold, but it took more pressure to slice. I took another deep breath as I prepared myself for what's to come. I managed to make one slice, two slices, three, four, until I was left with an end that I felt was no longer safe to slice in half. Once again with uneven slices. but I safely made it through. Then I turned to the mushroom. its shape made it difficult for me to know which part to slice first. I held it, looked at it, trying to decide which part and how to slice it without causing any accident.
Sain seems to be getting impatient with my step by step (very slow) work. She grumbles
"it looks like the sun will have gone down by the time this breakfast is ready to be served".
I turn my head and again can only smile strangely. I have managed to finish the chopping stage. Now I will start the cooking process, with fire, stove, pan. I paced in front of the stove, bending over several times and then standing up straight again. I don't know how to light the stove, but I feel bad if I have to ask Sain for help again. But Sain, who was getting impatient with her breakfast, grumbled again, "Have you forgotten how to use the stove too?"
I turned my head with a pleading look, "What if breakfast is just bread, milk and some vegies? I mean salad??"
"You're just suggesting food that doesn't need to be cooked, aren't you? but we still need to heat the milk though, so we still need to light the fire",
I looked down, sad and feeling guilty.
"hhhrgghhhh... well just let me continue, instead of us not having breakfast. I heard your stomach rumbling since earlier," Sain walked and took over cooking duties again this morning. I stood behind her, watching what she was doing.
After we finish our meal and tidy up the house, Sain took me to the riverbank with a basket full of dirty clothes that needed washing. Before, all I had to do was put the dirty clothes in the washing machine; add detergent (and fabric softener if necessary), press a few buttons and the machine did its magic while I do other things (usually surfing the internet or reading web-novels). But this time, I'm going to experience the manual washing process firsthand. I'm going to feel the pressure of the river water, and I imagine how much pressure I'll have to exert as I rub the dirty clothes to clean them. I also imagine the worst things that could happen to me; what if I slip while washing? what if the clothes get washed away in the river? what if the water is too cold and my hands can't handle the pile of clothes? with my head full of worries, we reached the downstream part of the river. we could see some women who had already started washing.
Sain found a shady spot and started to take out some clothes to wash. I was still standing there, wondering what to do.
"Anna…" Sain called to me, I crouched down beside her and copied what she was doing. And Sain's begin back to being chatty supervisor who micromanage her subordinate.
"Anna, there's still a stain on this part, you need to rub it again".
"Ana, it's still very wet, you need to wring it harder.
"Ana, you're rubbing it too hard, if you're not careful the fabric will tear easily. You have to be careful with your clothes". 'Ana, this…'. 'Ana, that…', 'blah blah blah…'
Sweat's pouring down on me, more and more. I can no longer feel my fingers, my back ache and prickling sensation on my leg. I felt like the world was spinning around me, my ears were ringing at the sound of Sain's voice. And her voice got fainter and fainter, I felt the cold water all over my body and then everything went dark.
"Anna,... Anna,... are you awake? Anna