I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 256: I Am Safe

When Alicia opens the door, the smell of coffee grows stronger, rich and warm, and it calms nerves she does not even realize she is carrying.

I am a Sentinel. I do not get nervous.

She exhales slowly.

I cannot believe I am nervous.

She takes a steadying breath and walks toward the kitchen.

She hears their voices before she sees them.

"Good morning, you two. Am I interrupting anything?"

Her voice is steady, but her heart pounds hard against her ribs. Her lips twitch. Cold sweat gathers at the back of her neck.

This is ridiculous.

Not once in her life does she remember feeling this anxious walking into a room.

And yet here she is, waiting for a response from a teenager and a woman about her age.

Somehow, their opinions matter to her.

Theo and Maeve only pause for a second before smiling.

"Good morning!"

"Morning, Alicia!"

Alicia’s smile widens before she can stop it. She never thinks a simple greeting could make her feel this relieved.

She steps closer, her movements more certain now.

"I heard you’re hungry. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll whip up your breakfast?" Maeve says warmly, as if the kitchen belongs entirely to her.

Theo hops onto one of the stools by the counter, and Alicia follows, sitting more carefully.

"What are we having for breakfast?" Theo asks, clearly trying to keep the atmosphere light. He notices the faint stiffness still lingering in Alicia’s posture.

Maeve’s smile grows. "Pancakes."

Theo’s brows lift dramatically. "What toppings?"

His tone is so serious that Alicia glances at him in surprise.

Maeve stops what she is doing and leans closer, lowering her voice as if accepting a challenge.

"All of them. Any topping you want, I have it."

Theo smirks. "Maple syrup. Chocolate chips. And mint chocolate chip ice cream."

He says it with complete confidence.

Maeve narrows her eyes playfully. "I have them all."

There is a beat of silence.

Then both of them burst into laughter.

The sound startles Alicia at first, then she finds herself chuckling too.

The exchange is small. Meaningless, even.

But something about it warms her chest.

Five minutes later, Maeve places a plate in front of Theo. A tall stack of golden pancakes sits there, steam rising softly.

Another plate is placed in front of Alicia.

Alicia stares at it, eyes shining.

Maeve almost asks, "Is this your first time seeing pancakes?"

If she asks, she would be shocked to hear the answer is yes.

Alicia has eaten pancakes before. Thin ones. Flat ones. Sometimes half burnt. Sometimes barely sweet.

But never like this.

Never thick. Never fluffy. Never generous.

Her family has always struggled. Money is tight. Every expense calculated.

That is one of the reasons she and Alex become Sentinels.

It pays well.

It promises stability.

It promises that someday, breakfast can look like this.

She keeps looking at the pancakes and does not make a move. Slowly, almost cautiously, she reaches for her fork.

"Which topping would you like?" Maeve asks gently.

The question startles her.

She looks up at Maeve blankly, fork frozen in her hand. If Captain Chambers sees her right now, he would probably collapse on the spot, convinced his chief has completely lost her mind.

Beside her, Theo is already spreading butter over his pancake. His hand pauses when Alicia does not answer.

He turns his head toward her and nudges her lightly with his elbow.

"Look," he says seriously, "I know pancakes are already delicious on their own. But if you add toppings, I promise you, it’s beyond heaven. There is nothing wrong with eating it plain, but add toppings. Trust me. It will change the way you view the world."

He says it in such a grave, mentor-like tone that it catches her off guard.

Alicia suddenly laughs.

Freely.

Loudly.

A little too loud.

Theo and Maeve exchange a quick glance before looking back at her.

They do not laugh along.

Because the laugh does not sound quite right.

And their instinct proves correct.

The laughter cracks.

It trembles.

Then it breaks.

Alicia starts to sob.

No.

She does not sob.

She wails.

The sound rips out of her chest before she can stop it.

Theo immediately gets up, but he hesitates, unsure what to do.

Maeve does not hesitate at all.

She rounds the counter quickly and pulls Alicia into her arms.

Alicia clings to her.

Tightly.

Desperately.

She breaks down completely.

Her cries are raw and uncontrolled. Her breaths hitch so violently that her whole body shakes. It is as if something long restrained finally tears loose inside her.

Maeve holds her firmly and pats her back in slow, steady strokes.

"I’m sorry! I’m sorry!" Alicia gasps between broken breaths.

"Shh, it’s okay, child," Maeve murmurs softly. "Shh. Don’t worry. Just cry. As much as you need. Just cry."

And she does exactly that.

She cries.

She cries until her chest aches and her throat burns. She cries until the tight knot inside her loosens, just a little.

------------------------------

A few minutes later, Alicia grows quieter. The sobs fade, but tears still stream down her cheeks. Maeve continues to hold her, and Alicia continues to cling to her as if letting go might drop her back into something dark.

"I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to. I just... It was just..."

Her words fall apart before they form.

"Shh. Alicia, it’s okay," Maeve murmurs gently. "Don’t worry about that. You can cry as much as you need. You’re safe here."

The room grows still.

No sound comes from Alicia.

She suddenly stops.

Completely.

She slowly releases Maeve and lifts her head. Her eyes are red and glassy. There is something almost childlike in her expression as she whispers, disbelief woven into every syllable.

"I am?"

Maeve freezes for a second, caught off guard by the question.

"Huh? Yes... of course. Yes, you are safe, Alicia."

She grips Alicia’s shoulders and looks directly into her eyes.

"You. Are. Safe, Alicia."

Alicia swallows.

"I am safe," she whispers.

She says it again, a little louder.

"I am safe."

She turns toward Theo, as if seeking confirmation.

"I am safe."

A small giggle slips out between her tears.

"I am safe."

She keeps giggling as she wipes her cheeks. The tears continue to fall, but now they mix with soft, breathless laughter.

Maeve quickly hands her a tissue.

Alicia takes it and wipes her nose, still giggling.

The sound lingers too long.

Theo does not laugh with her.

To him, she looks fragile.

Fractured.

And it unsettles him deeply.

He does not know how to step into this space. He does not know whether to reassure her, to joke, to stay quiet, or to pull her into his arms. For once, his magic feels useless.

He exhales softly, feeling strangely helpless.

Maeve, however, does not look as alarmed.

She watches Alicia carefully.

Yes, she looks small right now. Raw. Worn thin.

But her eyes still hold clarity.

They still shine with intelligence. With awareness.

Maeve does not see madness.

She sees someone finally allowing herself to feel.

Alicia is not breaking.

She is processing.

She is riding the waves of her own emotions instead of drowning beneath them.

Between her giggles, Alicia finally looks down at her plate of pancakes.

"I’m hungry," she says, still half laughing, half breathless.

Maeve reaches for the plate instinctively. "Let me change it. It’s already cold."

But Alicia quickly places her hand over the edge of the plate, stopping her. Her face is still wet with tears, her grin uneven but genuine.

"No, it’s okay. I’ll eat it like this. I’m hungry. Later, I’ll ask for the hot ones."

She turns to Theo, eyes still shimmering.

"And I’ll add all kinds of toppings."

Then she looks back down at the pancakes in front of her.

"But this, I’ll eat it cold."

There is something deliberate in the way she says it.

She picks up her fork again.

Her hand trembles slightly, but she steadies it and cuts a piece.

She brings it to her mouth.

Chews.

Swallows.

No ceremony. No hesitation.

Just eating.

Just being.

The pancake is no longer fluffy and warm. The butter has stopped melting. The syrup has not been added yet.

But she eats it anyway.

And for the first time since she woke up, she does not look like she is running anywhere.

--------------------------------

"Okay, Captain. Calm down. It’s early in the morning. Please, calm down." Arthur yawns.

He is still half asleep when his phone vibrates relentlessly against his bedside table.

It does not stop.

When he finally reaches for it and squints at the screen, he sees the caller ID.

Captain David Chambers.

The interim chief of Solarys DEU.

Arthur rubs his face before answering.

Captain Chambers is already in full panic mode.

Chief Lutherford is missing.

She is not at her apartment.

According to the security footage, she left sometime last night. Barefoot. Wearing only shorts and a sleeveless shirt. She appeared disoriented.

And she was carrying a knife.

"It’s ten degrees out there and it’s getting colder!" Captain Chambers shouts through the phone. "Montrose, help me find Chief Lutherford! She’s missing! Don’t you care? You saved her once. Are you just going to ignore this?"

He has been yelling for nearly thirty minutes.

He does not pause.

He does not breathe.

He does not give Arthur a chance to speak.

Arthur’s head pounds.

He barely slept.

He only managed to close his eyes when dawn was already creeping through his curtains.

Arthur II stood in the corner of his room for hours, unmoving, unblinking.

Watching.

Those unblinking eyes made Arthur’s own eyes water from the strain of pretending not to see him.

Now his skull feels heavy. His patience thinner than usual.

"Captain!" Arthur finally snaps. "Calm down! Alicia Lutherford is here!"