Her mind wandered as the minutes stretched on. She sighed for the tenth time, her stomach grumbling from hunger. She hadn’t eaten anything since early morning, and the thought of food was making her even more impatient.
How much longer do I have to stand here? Ruby thought, shifting from foot to foot. It felt absurd, standing in front of her own house , but she reminded herself it was for the spirits, for the house, for tradition.
Angeline, stretching as she stepped out of her house, noticed Ruby standing impatiently in front of her new home. A mischievous grin spread across her face as she laughed loudly.
"Haha! I did this ritual before. I had to wait for three hours, but looks like you’re going to wait a lot longer!" Angeline said, her laughter echoing in the air.
Ruby rolled her eyes, a sour expression crossing her face. "Are you laughing so much, Angel? Wait until I tell Hugo about what you said about the ghost dancer at the restaurant... then we’ll see if you’re still laughing like that!" Ruby said, her tone playful yet teasing.
Angeline’s eyes widened in shock. "You’re quite ruthless! You’re not the same Ruby I know."
Ruby chuckled, "You’re acting like you’ve known me for years!"
"Hmph!" Angeline muttered something under her breath and quickly walked back inside her house, shaking her head, but the smile tugging at the corner of her lips betrayed her.
Ruby stood there, chuckling to herself, but her thoughts drifted back to the ritual. Time seemed to stretch on. She could hear the soft rustling of vines leaves in the wind, and her impatience grew. She had been standing for so long that her feet were beginning to ache.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a soft breeze brushed past her. Ruby lifted her head, her eyes wide as she felt the wind stir around her. A wave of relief washed over her as the breeze swept across her face.
She smiled as she stepped forward and pushed open the door, entering her new home.
Julian, who had been waiting patiently inside, smiled warmly at her. "Welcome home," he said, his voice rich with warmth.
Ruby nodded at Julian with a smile, appreciating his warmth and kindness.
"Wife..." Milo shyly called out to her, his voice soft. "You must be tired after standing outside. We’ve prepared breakfast for you." His words were filled with concern.
Ruby’s stomach growled in agreement, and she chuckled. "Thank you, Milo, and Julian. You both are so lovely. Where are the others?" she asked, as she felt her hunger grow.
"Wife, they’re cleaning the rooms," Milo replied with a shy smile, peeking at her with an expression that seemed to say, praise me. "They already had breakfast, but we were waiting for you."
Ruby smiled warmly at them both. "Thanks for waiting for me, little Milo, and Julian," she said as she finally sat at the dining table. Milo and Julian had already prepared everything, and Julian served the food with his usual gentle smile.
The breakfast was delicious, and Ruby felt a deep sense of comfort from the simple meal. As they finished, Ruby looked over at Julian with curiosity.
"You said I have to do two rituals. I’ve already done one—tell me about the other one," she asked, hoping for something that wasn’t too crazy.
Julian smiled softly, clearly pleased with her willingness to learn. "The next ritual will take place this evening, wife. It’s called the Offering of the Nine Candles."
Milo, who had been sitting beside Julian, leaned over and rested his head on Julian’s arm. Julian smiled down at him, clearly fond of his cute gesture, before continuing with the explanation.
"New residents must place nine candles at the main entrance and light them at dusk. Each candle represents a different guardian spirit of the house: protection, warmth, health, clarity, peace, wealth, dreams, wisdom, and patience," he explained. "If any candle extinguishes on its own, it’s believed that the guardian spirit associated with it is dissatisfied. In that case, the resident must make a small offering, like food or leaves, to invite that spirit back."
Ruby listened carefully, absorbing the information. "So, each candle represents a different spirit, and if one goes out, we need to make an offering to restore balance?" she asked.
"Yes, exactly," Julian confirmed, his voice soft. "It’s a way to show respect and maintain harmony in the house."
Ruby smiled, feeling reassured. "That doesn’t sound too difficult. I think I can handle that."
Milo, who had been quietly listening, suddenly perked up, his cheeks flushing with excitement. "We will do it together, wife!" he said, his honey brown eyes bright with eagerness.
Ruby laughed softly, her heart swelling with affection for the young boy. "I look forward to it," she said.
Although Ruby didn’t fully believe in these rituals and spirits, she couldn’t deny the strange forces that surrounded her in this world. She had experienced too much that defied explanation, from her sudden transmigration to the inexplicable things happening around her.
Sometimes, it was hard to believe in such concepts, but when she thought about her own existence, about the fact that she was breathing, thinking, and living, it didn’t seem so far-fetched. The invisible forces that controlled everything in this world were beyond her understanding, but they were undeniable.
She didn’t know what the truth was, but she respected it. Nature, after all, had a way of handling everything without causing imbalance. The seasons changed, the winds blew, the sun rose and set—all with perfect order, as if guided by a force greater than anyone could comprehend.
And in this strange world, it made sense to believe in certain things, even if they didn’t make sense to her at first. Ruby had seen enough to know that sometimes, not all things needed to be understood—they just needed to be trusted.
So, she quietly accepted the rituals and traditions, knowing that there was something bigger than herself at play. In this new life, she would learn to respect the forces around her, even if she didn’t fully understand them. After all, nature itself seemed to operate in a way that was beyond logic—and perhaps that was all the proof she needed.
Ruby looked at both of them with curiosity in her eyes. "Hmm, so who is sharing room with whom?" she asked.
—To be continued...🪄