MARI'S POV

"This must be a joke. No...it must be a dream! Yoshiko speaking a weird language, this weird place, and now this book I don't totally understand, this ain't funny!!"

I opened my purse and reached out for my smartphone. I quickly checked my Contacts list: it turned out empty.

"WHAT IS THIS!!? NO CONTACTS?!! HOW FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!?"

I angrily scrambled my phone for anything. Nothing! There's no wifi connection, no GPS, my map application does not recognise my location, NOTHING!!

I sat down in total hopelessness and began to complain like a kid.

"How did it come to this!!? I just wanted to go buy a special clothing for Kanan's birthday! Just a little walk outside and now I am in the middle of nowhere!"

I feel like I got lost at camp or something. All I have with me are my clothes, purse, shades, and smartphone. I don't have any food with me - good thing I just recently ate lunch so I am not hungry. Pathetic, right?

I thought over my situation again. I am trying to guess how I got here somehow.

"Was it that fog I just went in earlier the cause why I got into a place like this? It would make sense considering it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I doubt I can actually find my way back just by looking for a fog. Oh my....I guess I can't find any possible way to get back home."

I looked at my surroundings. The crowd of people stayed the same, looked the same, and acted no differently as how I first saw them. I could have simply talked to them straight away, but I doubt they will understand me nor can I understand them. Not even this book that Yoshiko gave me will solve that problem one bit.

"Oh well....let's see what happens. Better to do something at least than to sit here and whine all day."

I decided to say "HELP ME" as walked through this town. Literally. I am hoping someone who can understand me recognises it. It makes me look like a fool towards everyone who sees me, but I have no choice. I can never ever progress if something as trivial as language barriers is something I can't solve.

At least I won't understand whatever insult they might say as they look at me.

Besides, I have gone through a similar situation like this before. If I hadn't learned Japanese when I got transferred to Japan, I would have never met Kanan, Dia and everyone.

I did my best to scroll through the book while shouting "HELP ME". I am such a multi-tasker, right? But no matter how hard I try, I can't understand any of the alphabet. It looks somewhat Arabic arranged in top to down order.

I kept travelling. The farther I travel, the more I saw the depth of this town, which actually looked bigger than what I initially had in mind. I started to see some fountains, statues, carriages with most likely rich people in them, some musicians, and everything else you would regularly see in a fantasy show. Although at some places, the bulidings looked a bit Oriental and somewhat familiar in my eyes.

Along the way were a lot of markets with fruits. At this point I am not yet hungry. Nor do I have an actual currency to buy anything.

My travels were safe and sound so far, as the calm wind remained as comfortable as I normally feel everyday. The smell is so far pretty nice. Nothing seemed dangerous at all.

The people around here are quite jumpy, positive and optimistic. It looks like there's a celebration everywhere. So far, no one understood my "Help Me!" message, which sucks.

"Sigh....I guess I am totally alone here....."

Then out of nowhere, I heard bells ringing all over the town. Bells rang loudly all over somewhere, that everyone seemed excited about it. Not long after, everyone started running in huge crowds and I was forced to stay by a narrow corner to get away from them. I saw them shouting words I don't understand as they moved to someplace nearby.

"What is all the fuss? Let's see....bells ringing, people shouting while seemingly happy, crowds flocking to one location...."

When I think about the situation, I am shocked with realization: this is just like when there's a fan convention for an idol coming near the vicinity!

Or in this case, it could be that someone important is in town? And those shouts might mean praises for that one person? Even if I were wrong, people will gather up for some purpose, right? And I can take advantage of that.

"Alright, I dunno what all this is about, but time for me to go with the flow and do what the crowd does! This might be my opportunity to find someone who can understand me!"

I immediately moved in and followed the crowd. The result was I got dragged into a big street which was filled with so many balloons and party props. Almost like a literal festival! I hear the sound of trumpets and horns all over the place. A huge crowd lined up either shouting or quietly waiting for someone. I just looked at the everyone and everything.

"Oh my, the sound of all these instruments and cheers definitely blows my chance of shouting "Help Me" to anyone who might somehow understand me....", I despairingly whispered.

"Everyone! She's here!!", someone said in his foreign tongue as he pointed at a large carriage and entourage coming this way. I saw it too and soon after, the cheers and music intensified.

As the entourage closed in, I am astonished. A bunch of people walked along the entourage wearing bright, striped clothing covered in armor wielding either swords or halberds - they were soldiers!! For some reason, they kinda look like the Swiss Guards of the Pope if my memory serves it right.

So it looks like what the people are waiting for is a general or royalty of some kind? At this point, I am starting to feel like this is literally a new world now. Never have I seen a festival like this. Nor have I seen a society and a bunch of people like this. All these are completely different!!

But the biggest surprise ever was what came next.

The carriage suddenly stopped. The soldiers said something and positioned themselves in some kind of formation. One of them said shouted something and then the carriage's door opened. Two people came out. The first one wore a large red hat and red outfit filled with checkered colors of white, blue, and red. The second person that came out wore an even more aristocratic kind of dress, the main thing that stood out is the crown on the top of her head. That second person seemed to raise her hand to address the crowd, and the crowd cheered at it's most intense voice.

OH. MY. GOD. NOT JOKE, right?

"I....I....I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS?!!", I uttered in total astonishment.

What I saw is absolutely stunning and unbelievable! Gorgeous, but beyond the realm of possibility!! I am filled with both great confusion and great hype at the same time!!

I recognise those two! I totally know them! Everyone in Aqours particularly Chika, Dia, and Kanan knows them! I can't help but shriek!!

Those two are none other than Nico Yazawa and Maki Nishikino! And judging by their look and crowd appeal, Nico seemed to be a bodyguard, and Maki is the Queen?!!!

The crowds continued praising beyond my understanding:

"ALL HAIL QUEEN MAKI!!! PRAISE BE TO THE CONQUEROR OF THE NORTH!!"

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A/N: And yes, their outfits are exactly from SIF! The first reveal into this new world has begun, so expect more immediately in the coming pages. See ya tomorrow or sometime soon!