Transcendence?

by Andur

  Kane looks at me like I am a maniac. “And you are sure that you can defend yourself from the other countries? And what's the use of a box to cool your food?”

  Ah. I forgot that this world's people don't know how to conserve food by cooling it. “~Sugar cat?~ I will be in the kitchen for a while. I have to show Kane some of our products.”

  “Sure ~honey bear~.”

  I walk outside and Kane follows me with a gaping mouth. “Is something wrong?” I look back while walking.

  “You called her sugar cat! And she called you honey bear! What's wrong? Aren't you hating each other? The child alone shocked me! I thought she had raped you! This didn't sound like you were playing it! And … and the atmosphere was so pink! What happened to you two?” Kane follows me while waving his hands.

  I stop for a moment and scratch my cheek while thinking. “To tell you the truth, I am not really sure. But I think our relationship improved a lot since Sera joined us. Hm …”

  ***

  “Zzzzzzzzz …”

  We are back inside the living room and Kane is playing with my magical shaving tool. There are just shaving knifes in this world and I am horrible with knives. Every time I tried to use one on myself, I ended up with cuts. Afterwards the bath always looked like I had slaughtered a pig.

  So my only option have been time consuming visits at a barber. Something I always disliked. So the magical shaver was one of my first creations when I started to live alone.

  “We are surely able to sell this.” I can perfectly imagine Kane's eyes turning into gold nuggets right now.

  “So what do you think? Will you carry my ideas out into the world?” Flooding the world with harmless devices is the perfect path to undermine the Inquisition. They will make a joke out themselves, each time they say something against my products.

  Kane's expression becomes serious. “Of course I want the assurance to be the only one who is allowed to trade with those goods. And I will need a certain percentage of the sales for transportation, profit and marketing.”

  I smile and give him a thumbs up. “But don't forget that I want resources and money. My industrial base is eating the raw materials faster than I can acquire them.”

  “Why are you putting so much effort into your forges and sawmills? You already have twenty times the amount of what I would expect from a city of Sarn's size.” Kane looks a little confused.

  “Because wars aren't won by men. Wars are won by industrial superiority!” I nod at myself and smile.

  “Kane?”

  Kane starts to chuckle. “We will see … we will see …”

  “Kane!”

  Tanith calls out for Kane, who wasn't paying attention. He straightens and turns towards his girlfriend. “Yes, my love?”

  She has Sera on her lap. Apparently Tanith was playing with the girl the entire time, while we were talking. “I want one too!”

  Kane becomes a little pale and his expression drops. “Want what?”

  “A baby of course! No, two are better. If you put some effort into it, we might even manage three.” She smiles and turns back to Sera, who grins a little strangely into Kane's direction.

  Did she have a hand in Tanith's decision? No, that isn't possible. She is too young and can barely speak a few words. Though that expression was definitely strange.

  “M … My love! That's a really important decision! Maybe we should discuss that when we are alone. That … are …”

  “Preparations!” I whisper from the side to assist him.

  “That's right! There are preparations to be made! Such a decision can't be rushed!” Tanith and Celestial are looking at Kane like he is scum.

  Sera is perfectly imitating them from Tanith's lap.

  “Why don't you stay here tonight? We have several guest rooms.” I nod and smile at everyone. Kane looks at me like I am his saviour.

  The gaze of the three furies wanders into my direction.

  “There are even double beds.”

  Kane expression drops again. I am sorry brother! But I can't have Celestial mad at me!

  My eyes meet Sera's.

  “And I think the walls are sound proof!”

  “TRAITOR!”

  38 - First Adventure.

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  “~Shananana.~”

  Being able to read books on your own is the ~best~! If someone would ask me what the worst thing about reincarnation is, I would answer that it's the time as an infant. Even if you get taken care of, lying around as nothing more than a lump of flesh for the greatest part of one year is torture.

  Torture I say!

  At least Tori saved me by reading books to me all day long. When she opened the first book to read it for me, I got a huge shock.

  I may have known the language, but the writing was completely different from what I had seen before. All my attempts to reach the bookshelf were useless from the beginning. I couldn't have read anything anyway.

  But by following the lines which Tori read to me, I got the trick behind it very fast. Though it took me a while to make clear that I wanted to sit on her lap. Supposedly to watch the pictures.

  Suddenly the door is opened and Tori steps inside. “Ah! Look at you! Why do you always create such a mess with the books! You are such a fidgety child.”

  “~picture!~” I point at one of the pictures in my book.

  She sighs and starts to sort the books back into the shelf. Sorry, but I think it would be awkward if I sorted a book I read back into the shelf.

  “How did you even get up there?” She places a book back into a shelf which is three times my height above me.

  Ooops. Please don't become wary of me. I got that one with magic, that was lazy of me.

  I decide to ignore her and look back into my book.

  Tori kneels down in front of me and offers me a cookie. “You want one. It's delicious.”

  Oi. Why does she have such a conflicted expression? Is it because of the cookie? Eat it yourself if you like it. “nno!”

  My book is way more interesting than a cookie.

  “Then we have to do this the harsh way.”

  Huh? Why did her voice suddenly become so fearsome? Tori stabs her index finger at my forehead. I instinctively try to evade but this body isn't able to do so!

  Killed by the nanny! Damn! That was a first … and I was doing such a good job with mom and dad.

  … everything goes dark as I loose my consciousness.

  ***

  I open my eyes and try to move. But it's dark and the air is stuffy! Am I inside a bag? Seriously? What's going on? I feels like I am being carried.

  “Tori?”“Tori?”“TORI!”

  “Silence!”

  The bag is opened and I see Tori's face. Uwah! She looks a little haunted. Right you are! If mom and dad find out what happened … mom will dissect you!

  Tori gets me out of the bag and I realize that she dressed me with thick and furry clothes for children. And the second thing is … that we are in the wilderness.

  For real? I got abducted? Tori is still carrying me in a princess carry while running at full speed and jumping over obstacles. Is she something like a ninja?

  What should I do? Um. Does that mean that Tori is an enemy of mom and dad? I guess a normal child would start to cry.

  “Mom?”

  Tori doesn't react. Such a bitch!

  “MooooOOOmMM!”

  “Silence! Or I will put you to sleep again!”

  Urgh. I am not sure if being put to sleep is better than being awake and see what happens to Tori when mom and dad catch her.

  What can I do? What can I do? Damn! This body is too weak! Should I try to attack Tori with magic? A well aimed telekinetic strike may do the trick and severe her spinal cord.

  But if I fail, she will be warned. And I will be alone out here. Wherever I am.

  While I fight for a decision, a small hut is coming into view and Tori slows down. We seem to be high in the mountains, which tells me tha
t I was out cold for a long time.

  Tori slows down to a walk and sets me down on a fallen tree beside the hut. There is a steep snowy meadow under the hut and I look around while Tori starts to rummage through the stuff inside.

  She doesn't seem to fear that I would run away. Probably she would catch me in no time if I tried to run.

  Her strange silence is awkward. But I guess there is no point in trying to explain anything to me. She thinks of me as a one year old child. Nobody you could hold a conversation with.

  Should I try to reveal myself? No. Bad idea. That would give away my only trump card.

  I watch while Tori assembles a para glider on the snowy meadow! The fuuuck!? Since when does this world have such concepts? In this world I never heard of flying before.

  After she is done, Tori starts to lash me to her chest like a caterpillar. I still don't say a word and Tori skilfully uses the meadow as a runway.

  Urgh! Did I ever mention that I am afraid of great heights? It can't be helped, I start to squirm in fear and Tori shuts me down again.

  ***

  HOT! So hot! I think I will get a heatstroke! It's dark and the air is bad! One moment! That feels like a deja vu.

  The bitch bagged me up again! And she gagged me up too this time!

  “Tjena! You are back! Took you long enough. How is the situation in the north?” I hear a female voice.

  Tori's voice answers. “Something is definitely going on in Sarn. There are strange artefacts wherever you look and even the commoners have access to them. But it will take a lot of time to inform you of everything.”

  “Then please stick to the most important points for the moment.”

  “Very well. It actually hard to find something to start with. I will go with the Asceron household first.....” From there follows a lengthy explanation on my family and how Ascathon seemed to be the source of the inventions.

  “Hmmm. That seems to prove my theory. It looks to be much worse than I thought. He is really trying to advance the world by leaps and bounds. Anything else?” The voice doesn't sound exactly happy with the report.

  “Yes. I brought something of value to Ascathon. As you ordered.” I feel my bag being lifted and placed somewhere else not exactly gentle.

  Then I am being unpacked again and look straight into the eyes of a smiling beautiful woman. She has white hair and wears a really stylish dress.

  Her expression drops as she recognizes me, or better 'what' I am. She looks at Tori whose real name seems to Tjena and then the white haired woman headpalms herself.

  I take a look around and realize why it's so hot. Outside the window I see desert and a big city. The room around me looks like an office. There is a writing table with a chair, a couch is in the corner of the room and multiple shelfs with books are at the walls.

  The white haired woman in front of me points a finger in my direction and an accusing gaze wanders towards Tjena.

  “Please explain ~THAT!~”

  “You said that I should bring something of importance to Ascathon as a bargaining chip. His daughter was the ideal choice. Small, easy to carry and important to both, him and his wife.” Tjena answers without any remorse or hesitation.

  The white haired lady gives me a forced smile and pulls the gag from my mouth. “Haaah. Tjena … Tjena. What should I do with you. How can we have a normal discussion with them after abducting their child. You are so smart most of the time. How can you get such stupid ideas occasionally.”

  “It wasn't a good idea? I thought that we could blackmail him to do as we want, as long as we have his daughter as a hostage.” Tjena looks confused.

  “Tjena! Abducting someone's child is a sure fire recipe to direct their wrath at you. Even I know that.” The white haired lady starts to absent mindedly pat my head.

  Maybe I should push some tears out and start to scream now? It feels like an opportune moment!

  “M...”

  The white haired woman turns her attention towards me. “M?”

  “MmmamaaAAAAAAA!”

  Tjena starts to raise her hand with a pointed finger and I immediately shut up. Okay. That wasn't a good idea. But I press out some tears just in case.

  “Tjena? What do you intend to do with that finger?” The white haired woman looks a little angry now.

  Tjena's expression becomes a little doubtful and she thinks for a second before answering.

  “Shut her up?”

  *Smack*

  Whoa! The white lady gave her an epic clout! Tjena is wriggling on the floor. Then the white lady turns back towards me.

  “~Haaah. So what do we do with you?~”

  39 - To the rescue.

  Jamaian Union, Jamai-Capital

  “~Haaah. So what do we do with you?~”

  The white lady sits down in front of me and looks deep into my eyes. “~Who are you?~”

  “Sera …”

  Uwah. Somehow she has a very strange look in her eyes now. I look at Tjena to avoid the eye contact.

  “~And how old are you?~”

  “She is a little older than one year.” Tjena answers for me while she is still on her knees and holding her head.

  But the white lady ignores her. “~And your real age?~”

  I think a few pearls of sweat are forming on my forehead right now. Did I make a mistake somewhere? Where did I screw up to arouse her mistrust. “... age?”

  “Empress, she is just …” But Tjena is interrupted by the white lady.

  “No. She is not. The way she looks around is too purposeful for a one year old. And when you threatened her, she immediately went silent. A one year old wouldn't be able to control herself like that once she started crying. And a little child like that wouldn't accept a gag either. Her whole behaviour suggests that she is much older than she looks.” The white lady's smile becomes a little dangerous and I look to the ground.

  “So? How old?”

  Damn! I guess there is no point in denying it. “I don't know exactly. About one thousand lifetimes?”

  Tjena's mouth falls open. “You played me!? The shelf! All the time you did it with purpose! But she is a baby! She can't be that old!”

  “I told you about reincarnation. Didn't I? She is an ~immortal~. You may have done well in the end, Tjena. Probably she was the driving factor behind the rise of Ascathon's principality.” The white lady nods to herself.

  “But she wasn't even born by then!” Tjena has a valid argument against it.

  The white lady tilts her head. “So we have two immortals? What are the chances for that? I never met someone like me and now I meet two on this world? They even belong to the same family? The odds against that are just too high!”

  She takes another look at me. “You should take off that fur. You will get a heatstroke. And later we'll talk.” Without my consent, she starts to undress me. “Tjena, get some servants to take care of her.”

  Tjena nods, opens the door to the office and calls for assistence.

  “Can I go back home? Mom and dad will turn around every stone to find me.” I look at the white lady.

  She shakes her head. “After finding out who you are, I can't let you go. I have a goal for this world and someone like you could seriously hinder my efforts.”

  “Mom and dad are scary you know? If they find out where I am, they will …” But the white lady interrupts me.

  “I am not afraid of mortals. And forgive me if I crush your bubble, but even if you are an immortal, compared to me you are nothing more than an infant. Your parents may be talented, but a mortal is still just a mortal. I have to find out the secret behind their knowledge.” The white woman starts to gnaw at her fingernail while two female servants and three guards enter the room.

  Shit. I want to go home! Unconsciously I reach for my amulet and hold it tight. This sucks … my happy life with mom and dad is going to become unreachable at this rate.

  Dad said that the amulet would protect me! But nothing happens, even if I infuse my mana into it. Cr
ap.

  The first servant touches me and suddenly a powerful wave of mana erupts from my amulet and wanders into the servant who freezes up like a statue.

  Everyone inside the room felt the strange wave of power and all eyes are set on me and the servant who is touching me on my shoulder. Then the servant's numbness stops and she starts to look around like not knowing where she is while trying to get a grasp on the situation.

  “Arrest her!” The white lady is the first to speak and points at the servant. One of the three guards steps forward and grabs the blond haired woman at her upper arm.

  The woman says nothing and smiles at the guard. With a casual and relatively slow movement she reaches for the knife in his belt, draws it and stabs the guard.

  All three guards are wearing chest pieces and leather armour. Full body armour doesn't seem to be practical in this climate, so their armours are very light and protect only vital spots.

  The woman stabbed the knife into the weak spot below the chest armour, where the leather trousers start. The guard looks down in shock. Obviously not fully comprehending why an obedient slave suddenly attacked without remorse.

  The smiling blonde twists the knife and draws it out of the guards side.

  That's the moment when the room unfreezes and everyone starts moving! The other guards draw their swords and the other female servant runs out of the room while screaming.

  The blonde who touched me steps forward to attack the next guard, but the other two guards are warned and the next target parries the knife with one armoured hand.

  A thrust of the sword impales the woman right through her chest! In a vain attempt, the dying blonde reaches for the guard's arm while falling over.

  Everyone is still stunned while the guard retrieves his blade from the dead servant. The guard who was stabbed earlier is kneeling on the ground while trying to stop his wound from bleeding.

  After having retrieved his weapon, the guard who killed the blonde draws his own knife and embeds it into the throat of his unwounded comrade who let his guard down after the servant was taken care of.