Transcendence?

by Andur

  I start to hop in order to protect my feet! It feels like they will freeze to the ground if I don't move for too long. White-mask just looks at me. Is that malicious joy? Bastard!Bastard!Fuck you!

  “Sis!” Liandra calls out for me but White-mask holds her hand with an iron grip. Then he turns and starts to walk. The burly guards shove me forward and I follow.

  At least there aren't many people on the streets. The few who come close enough to see my naked figure look away with disturbed expressions. This place seems to have more decency than Atten.

  After a short walk, we arrive at a big estate. There are many guards like the ones behind me. White-mask leads us inside and we enter something like a reception office. A small petite woman is sitting at a desk and looking curiously towards us.

  I am standing shivering and with chattering teeth within the office. My toes actually started to turn a little blue during the short walk and a burning sensation starts to spread from my feet.

  “Sarah. Prepare three rooms at my private quarters and clothing for them. They are not allowed to leave the estate under any circumstances.” White-mask starts to give orders to the woman called Sarah.

  “Y... Yes!” She jumps out of her chair and gestures for us to follow. I stagger after her while my feet rebel with every step.

  After Sarah led us deeper into the complex, she signals for Violetta and Liandra to enter two separate rooms and wait there. I take a look inside and both rooms are spacious with beds and writing tables.

  The next room is for me and Sarah takes notice of my feet for the first time. “Oh my! I will immediately get some enchanted clothes for you! Did you walk here without an environmental protection spell!? No, come and take a warm bath first.” She grabs my hand and leads me towards a bathroom with a bathtub of hot water.

  “Everything is enchanted here! The water is always warm. I will bring you some clothes!” Sarah runs off and leaves me alone in the bathroom.

  “Well. I guess it could be worse.” I take another look around and stagger towards the bathtub.

  As I sink my feet into the warm water, they start to burn like fire! Ah, how stupid! Never treat half frozen limps with warm water! But I don't care! A bath! A bath after two months of being sprayed with cold water! And no lecherous watching eyes! Tears well up in my eyes and I silently start to weep inside the water as the full weight of the last two months hammers down on me.

  After half an hour Sarah shows up again with clothes. They are simple and without decorations. But they fit and offer protection against the weather. For the first time, I get a chance to talk to her.

  “Where are we?”

  Sarah blinks. “You are in Sarn. We are located in Norfolk, close to the coast. I need to lead you back to your room. I still have to take care of the little girls.”

  I follow Sarah back towards my room. That's when I realize that there aren't enough people here. This is a big mansion! “Aren't there any other attendants here? Where is the rest of the nobles?”

  “There are no attendants besides the guards and a few employees who come for cleaning duties from time to time. I don't live here either. And master was always alone since he came here. I don't know of any family.” -Sarah

  I arch an eyebrow at that information. But Sarah seems to be truthful. After she led me back to my room, she leaves again to take care of the kids.

  While I am alone I use the time to take a look around. Outside are some burly guards patrolling the area around the mansion. How many of them are there!? It will be hard to escape without magic.

  There are some books in the room. The cupboards and lockets are all empty. I take one of the books and start reading. It's a cheap book about history. I sigh.

  After an hour Sarah shows up again and leads me towards a staircase. “Up and the first room left. The master awaits you.” She turns to walk away and I follow her with my gaze.

  “Aren't you coming too?” I call after her. I don't want to be alone with that White-mask fellow.

  “My free time is overdue today! And I don't want to be too close to master. So I will go home. Have a nice day!” Sarah sounds like she just threw someone to the wolves and dashes off.

  Without any better idea I walk up and enter the first room. It's a big and spacious living room with two sofas facing each other and a low desk between them. A warm fire is crackling in a corner to my left and I see snowflakes dancing outside the window.

  My sister is facing towards me with her lips pressed together into a small white line. She always does that when she doesn't know how to act.

  With their backs towards me are a guy who is patting Vio's head while reading a book to her. The white mask is on the desk between them.

  Violetta turns around and looks at me. Her face is bright and happy. It's the first time I see her smiling. “Big sis, Celes! Look. It's brother! Brother saved us!” She hugs the arm of the man and smiles brightly at me.

  Then the guy turns around with a smug grin on his face. It's that son of a bitch from the house of Arenzien! Dark hair, grey eyes and a sharp face which isn't exactly unpleasant to the eyes.

  “YOU!” I step forward but a wave of pain stabs into my mind and I collapse to the ground. Liandra jumps up and runs towards me.

  “No violence! Or I will do that.” -Ascathon

  Another wave of pain starts to shoot through my mind and my body begins to spasm uncontrollably.

  “Muahaha! Oh, I wished for that! This investment already paid off a thousand fold.” I look up and see a gloating grin on the bastards face.

  “Brother! Don't be mean! Big sister always took care of me!” Violetta intervenes with her brother.

  The expression of the bastard turns into a warm smile and he pats his sisters head again. “I am sorry. This sister and I have quite a bad history. But if you wish for it I won't hurt her as long as she doesn't do any harm.”

  9 - Three pets!

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  “I am sorry. This sister and I have quite a bad history. But if you wish for it I won't hurt her as long as she doesn't do any harm.” I pat my little sisters head while I fight the urge to unleash another wave of pain on Celestial.

  Haah. What have I gotten myself into? This morning everything was fine and now I have to take care of three pets.

  And I can't even have my proper revenge against Celestial because my sister grew fond of her. I don't want to destroy the new impression my little sister has of me.

  For the moment I am the shining hero who came to save her.

  It took about an hour to convince her that I am not the monster my parents made of me. From what I heard, her fate wasn't really better than mine. Though her impression of mother wasn't as bad as the one I got. I hope she doesn't get the idea to go back to our family.

  Yeah, I guess they survived the raid on their mansion. If I learned something during my reincarnations it's that bad people never die when they should. They are like cockroaches. Crawling out of some sewer when you already believe them dead.

  I watch Celestial as she struggles towards the sofa with Liandra's help. Hooo, those slave-rings are really effective. Though it was a little let down that she didn't scream. How stubborn does someone have to be to keep silent in a situation like that.

  Well, I just have to look at myself if I want another example for being stubborn. “That reminds me that you are still just eight Vio. You will need a proper education.”

  Violetta starts to shiver. “I don't want back into the facility brother.”

  “I didn't mean that torture chamber! I meant a proper teacher. I will get a home tutor for you. Unfortunately I don't have a proper school for you in my city.” Yeah, at least no safe one. I am afraid that the people who are aiming for my life could get the idea to switch towards an easier target.

  “-Your- city?” Celestial has a doubtful expression on her face.

  “That's right! Call me Master! Or Lord. I am a noble of Norfolk now and this whole area from one mountain to the next bel
ongs to me!” I turn the book with the map towards Celestial and draw an imaginary circle around my principality.

  I showed it towards Violetta earlier.

  When Celestial realizes that the area isn't small at all, her eyes almost pop out of her face. “Whom did you kill for that!”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I bought it. And the money I got from the Nation of Mist. They were very happy about my new spell.”

  “Th.. Then send us home! Our parents surely are worrying about us!” Liandra calls out.

  I shake my head. “First, I don't want to. I paid a large sum of money for you! I want that money back before you go anywhere to get yourself killed! Secondly, I can't. There is a complete lock-down on Mislow. They closed their borders and shut down their Gates in response to the Jamaian raiding parties.”

  Celestial's expression turns grim as I explain the situation. I continue talking while I stand up and walk towards a tray with food. Then I roll it to the table and lift the metal cover. I had it made earlier and the rune-system inside the metal kept it hot as long as there was enough mana in the environment.

  “Both countries are arming up now and I bet that the war will start as soon as someone twitches into the wrong direction. The king of Mislow isn't happy about Jamaian's attempts to steal the bloodline for mind magic.” I start to serve them the food which consists of a little meat and rice. Nothing special but for someone who was a slave for two months it should be heaven.

  While I can almost imagine the drool coming from their faces. I sit down again. “Please eat. I don't need anything.”

  Then they dig in while forgetting about any manners. I guess they forgot about their own hunger due to all the stress at the auction?

  Just Celestial keeps staring at me and I can't stand it. “What?”

  “Why are you so nice?” -Celestial

  I pat Violetta's head while she is wolfing down a piece of meat with her bare hands. “Because little sister has taken a liking to you.”

  She keeps staring at me.

  My expression turns a little sour. “If I would want something from you I would use the slave-ring instead of dabbling with your food.”

  “Maybe..... or you are a pervert who likes little girls?”-Celes

  I fight the urge to zap her while she slowly starts to eat and I watch Violetta licking her plate clean. “Those are quite some manners you learned from being a slave.”

  Vio turns red and puts the plate back on the table while arranging the tableware in a proper manner.

  “You don't have to be so tight around me, I don't care. But try to control yourself while guests are present.” I stand up and take the plates away.

  “I will go to sleep now. Please don't try to leave my property. It's for your own safety too. There were already quite a few assassination attempts on me and I am sure that the mansion is being watched. I guess that they would like to take the opportunity to harm someone who is close to me.” I take the tray and walk away.

  “Since when are we close?” -Celes

  I turn around and smile. “I am living here alone for a few months now. No regular interactions besides the guards. And now I come back through the Gate with three girls. After some investigation, they will find out that one of them is my little sister and the others are a former schoolmate and her little sister. What will they think? Even though my parents aren't likely in trying to kill a daughter whom they could marry off to another house. Others will jump at the chance. And it's unlikely that anyone knows about our ~relationship~ Celestial.”

  Both children snap their heads in unison at Celestial with questioning gazes which demand answers.

  “Relationship!”“~Relationship?~”

  I turn with a grin while I try to burn Celestial's expression into my memory!

  Then I leave the room and walk towards the kitchen. I like to cook from time to time, so I had one made for me. After I throw everything into the automatic cleaner, I turn again and head towards my basement.

  Everything in my house is enchanted in one way or the other. I couldn't stand the medieval life any more. Although everything works with magic, I guess I would have a hard time to explain everything if the Inquisition from the Academy would show up.

  Magical artefacts are seen with suspicion. They require extensive scientific knowledge about the world. A properly educated archmage from the academy would scream for blood after spending a little time in my house.

  But I hope that it won't cause a problem if someone just takes a fast look. Sarah didn't complain about anything so far and I tried to make it look normal. She hasn't that much magic ability and never visited the Academy. So she has no idea of what's within the capabilities of a normal noble mage and what's not.

  In my basement I open the heavy iron door to my laboratory. It can only be accessed if you draw the correct symbol onto the door. I chose an omega, symbolizing the end. Because the stuff behind this door will end the ignorance in this world.

  Behind the door are various machines which I started working on. They are all hybrids between magical and scientific knowledge. Although I emphasized the point that everyone should be able to use them. Most of the people in my valley have no magical abilities.

  But once my dabbling in forbidden knowledge becomes known to the world my subjects will have to be able to stand up and fight for themselves.

  For the time being most of the artefacts here are for agricultural purposes. The biggest weakness of my principality is food. We are dependant on external sources. So I will have to introduce greenhouses. That requires an extensive glass production first, which I already instructed my employees with.

  Then the machines and light-sources to create the needed environment. There are plants and animals up here which thrive despite the cold weather. Unfortunately none of them are a proper food source.

  Then I will work on a fleet of fisher-boats. I am not sure but on most other worlds the cold oceans were rich with maritime life. If we could get proper access to that food source I would have one problem less.

  I enter another room in my basement and close the door behind me. Then I turn towards my test subject which is chained to the wall on the other side of the room. He is gagged and starts to wriggle in his chains as he sees me.

  Den informed me of his capture when i returned home.

  “Dear friend. I am sorry that I couldn't talk to you earlier. You see, my men explained to me that you were lingering close to my property for a long time. Suspiciously long. So they decided to catch you for further investigations.” I grab a chair and pull it in front of the man to sit down.

  By closing my eyes I begin to concentrate on his mind. But he seems to be trained in evading mind magic. So I start to probe his memories with brute force while he twitches a little in his chains.

  Looks like he doesn't have much magic power...... He was sent by the Phenex Empire? I stab a little deeper and see flashes of his school life. Too deep. A little later....

  ***

  I am standing in a long row with other people. We are at a port and not far away are the merchant ships which will take us to our destination. The ships carry a familiar flag. A highly decorated general starts to walk up and down in front of us.

  “The immortal Empress wishes for information about the main continent! Gather every detail like you have learned. We need to know their population centres, their magical knowledge, resource locations. Investigate their noble families and their abilities! Everything that's valuable for the coming w....”

  ***

  "AAaaahh!"

  A sharp pain stabs into my mind and I fall out of my chair. What happened? Why? Ow, man! My head hurts like it's splitting apart!

  I grab the chair to right myself and realize that my test subject is hanging limp in his chains. His head is bend in an awkward angle.

  Did he break his own neck to avoid the interrogation! Ow! Bastard! Being in someone’s mind while he dies isn't pleasant at all.

  Graah! Everything is spinning! Im
possible to cast healing magic like that.

  I get to my feet and touch the prisoners chest in order to feel for the elusive something which is called the soul. It's there! A fading light which always evades my grasp.

  This mystery called soul. I want to decipher it! Why am I the only one who remembers his past lifes? Am I damned to wander the eternity forever alone? Why is everyone else allowed to take the easy way out while I am not!

  I reach for the fading light but then it's gone completely.

  “Come back you bastard!” I scream at the dead body! Suicide is cheating! Fucker!

  For someone to break his own neck against those chains deliberately! Next time I have to bury them in sand.

  I turn and stagger back towards the exit. Headaches! That will cause me quite some headaches! Oooh... tomorrow will be such a pain! The magical backslash of the death of a mind always has nasty side-effects.

  Maybe I will stay in the bed tomorrow......

  10 - I am the villain?!

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  Great! Just Great! I am lost!

  This mansion is a fucking maze! Three floors and more rooms than I cared to count! What does he need so much space for? I thought he lived alone?

  When I awoke this morning I thought to myself that it wouldn't be so bad to know the layout of the mansion a little better.

  Well. Let's see. I will just try to walk back the way I came. Originally I just wanted to explore the mansion to get a feeling for it. But then I must have taken a wrong turn without noticing it.

  So annoying! And yesterday was annoying too! Liandra and Violetta continued to question me about my time at the Academy until late in the night.

  In the end they looked at me like I was the villain and told me to apologize! Haaah....

  Well. Sorry for being angry! My little brother was assassinated by his family and he walks up to me and proposes like nothing happened!

  But from my current knowledge I may have been in the wrong. I overreacted and I even kept playing bad tricks on him while he never retaliated. Which I found strange.