The soul has many depictions and names to go around by. Depending on what you believe in or where you come from, you would think a soul is a ghostly ball or a transparent version of yourself. With this relic from Anna, it has a really different take.

“Argh, this relic is defected!” Anna whined. “We were supposed to be naked souls and not floating heads that zoom around and be stuck somewhere! So much for a dumb sleepover party game.”

The merchant dumped said relic into a Dragon’s Gate that would lead to whatever world with it tumbling about in the portal. Treated like trash, it fell off in another portal as it descended down from the sky. Despite the height, it managed to land with it standing on top and without breaking.

…

Such an anomaly caught the attention of the Golden Deer with Claude, Ignatz, Hilda, and Lysithea being dispatched to investigate. It could have been an attack but all they saw was the strange and glowing goblet.

“What a particular relic!” Ignatz said. “I’ve never seen anything like it…”

“It's got kind of a weird vibe, doesn’t it?” HIlda asked.

“Hey, stand back a bit. Doesn’t seem too safe to mess with.” Claude said.

However, Lysithea was the only one who did not take heed of Claude’s warning. Instead, she looked tempted and curious about the relic as she walked closer to it. As if it were calling for her.

“Lysithea?” Claude asked.

“I can’t be sure, but this relic may…” Lysithea said. A part of her seemed interested in studying it but another for a more personal reason. She was often a person of logic but her gut feeling was really shouting loudly.

Before she could explain further, Lysithea felt herself feeling numb for some reason while racing through a gap. Everything but her head felt empty as her view shifted lower suddenly. The next thing she knew, she was floating around at high speeds while seeing her allies just standing there in a comatose like state.

The oddest part was that she saw something floating around them too. They appeared as blue floating heads with tails following them. The girl looked around and realized that she was in the same boat as everyone else.

“Huh-?!” Lysithia gasped.

All of their souls were flying around without any control. Zooming further and further away from their original bodies, they seemed to be going forward towards each other's bodies instead. Plunging into the mouths as their consciousness adjusted to having a body again.

“What… just happened? I… feel odd. And what is that overwhelming flowery scent…” Ignatz asked before talking one look down. Just one look was enough to have the knight gasped in shock. He had Hilda’s body. “Gh-hah!”

“Kah-! Why’s my face all itchy?!” Hilda cried.

Scratching further, she felt hair that she did not expect to appear on her face. She scratched it more as she managed to notice some hair on her cheek before looking at her gloves. It was clear that she ended up in Claude’s body.

With one of his hand behind his head, Claude was weirded out that he had Lysithea’s body and said. “Okay, this is weird… Ignatz, any idea what’s going on?”

“Uh…ahh…um…” Ignatz replied. “AHHHHHHHHHH!”

“Ignatz, get a grip! And you’re making me look weird.” Hilda cried.

“... guess not. Lysithea?” Claude asked.

“Isn’t it clear enough? That relic misplaced our souls into the wrong bodies.” Lysithea said in Ignatz’s body. “Ugh… we need to find out how to reverse this. Fast!”

“Agreed. I don’t really like being little.” Claude said.

“Shut it!” Lysithea said. “I don’t care about your position! I demand you take that back!”

“Alright, fine!” Claude said. “But weren’t you the one who started this mess?”

“I… just mind your own business!” Lysithea said nervously as she rather not go into depth of her reasoning.

“I saw you activating it, what gives?” Hilda said. “Kind of your fault that I am all hairy now!”

“I call it maturity.” Claude said. “Something that I lost.”

“Shut up! All of you! We are going back to the monastery and we can discuss my actions after fixing this!” Lysithea said.

“I agree… let’s just not talk on the way back.” Ignatz said as he looked really embarrassed.

“For the love of, have some pride with my body! It’s my body for crying out loud!” Hilda said.

…

Back in the monastery that was their base, the four returned while other members of the Golden Deer, Raphael and Marianne, appeared to discuss the situation further. Archbishop Rhea was present after everyone gathered as an advisor and ally, taking the role after she was rescued from the Adrestian Empire.

“Whoa, you really are Ignatz! Hey, what’s it like being a girl?” Raphael asked.

“Raphael, please… this is uncomfortable enough as it is…” Ignatz said.

“Y’know Ignatz, plenty of people would kill to have my body! You should consider yourself lucky!” Hilda warned.

“But Hilda, isn’t being in Claude’s body weird enough for you too?” Ignatz asked.

“Don’t remind me!” Hilda warned.

“If it makes you feel better, at least none of you swapped with me. I’d probably make you all look bad.” Marianne said.

“I much prefer your body right now…” Hilda said.

“I’d kill for your body.” Lysithea said to HIlda.

“See! My point right there!” Hilda said.

“It’s just because it feels funny between my legs!” Lysithea said.

“Can we not discuss that?” Ignatz asked.

“Yeah. A man’s…” Raphael said.

“Raphael, please!” Ignatz said. “You are not helping.”

“Well, as you can see, Archbishop, this relic’s put us in a bit of a pickle. Any way you could help us out?” Claude asked in a disappointed tone.

“I’m pleased that you brought the matter to me. This relic may be of considerable significance. Though as to its power, I am unsure-” Rhea said as she noticed the relic glowing.

“Not again!” Lysithea cried. “I swear it’s not me this time!”

“Ah!” Rhea screamed as her soul exited her body.

This was followed up with everyone in the room with their protoplasm popping out of their bodies. For Marianne and Raphael, it was their first time so the soul blasting experience caught them off guard. Unlike them, Rhea tried to remain calm but it made her seem annoyed as a result.

Like before, no one really went back to their original bodies during the swap. They mixed up once more and zoomed right into each other’s mouth, entering with a big bam.

“Huh. That was weird.” Raphael said with one of his hands behind his head. “Hey, why’s my hands feel so small?”

Taking his hand off behind his back, he got a better look at it. Not only was it smaller, he noticed that he was wearing a long sleeve as well. Turns out that he was in Marianne’s body, causing him to shout. “Gh-waaah?!”

“Eugh, no again! I’m Ignatz this time!” HIlda whined.

“Ah… sorry Hilda.” Ignatz said in Lysithia’s body as he then thought to himself. “This body seems a little more manageable for me, though…”

“Well I find Hilda’s body much nicer than yours, Ignatz. You clearly take good care of yourself!” Lysithea said in Hilda’s body before thinking to herself. “And a little extra weight is sort of nice too…”

“What were you two thinking?” Hilda asked as she noticed something was off with Lysithea and Ignatz.

“Nothing!” Both Ignatz and Lysithea said.

“U-um, Raphael, would you mind stopping that…?” Marianne said in Claude’s body as she saw Raphael touching himself out of curiosity and nervousness.

“Oh, sorry Marianne. It just feels weird bein’ so soft!” Raphael said while adjusting over the fact that he has boobs.

“My apologies if my body is too soft.” Marianne said.

“Hey! It’s not like that!” Raphael said.

“I still apologize, regardless.” Marianne said.

“What, I’m Rhea now?! This is getting out of hand!” Claude said.

“I would ask that you all retain a level head despite this predicament. We may need to adjust to this situation for the time being, until the relic can be safely examined.” Rhea said in Raphael’s body. “Even if our bodies smell.”

“No offense, Lady Rhea. Uncalled for.” Raphael said.

“My apologies.” Rhea said. “I too struggle with maintaining a level head despite my earlier claims.”

“No one can blame you, Rhea.” Claude said. “No one.”