Transcendence?

***Norfolk, Sarn-Valley***

First hand! Second hand! Leg one! Leg two! One, two, one, two!

~Mwhahahaha!~ Guess what, you nasty world! I can crawl! Bow to me! From now on I can move on my own!

I have found out a lot about this world. First, unfortunately I am no princess. But my parents are nobles of some sort!

Second, there is magic! Hell, yes! My last world didn't have enough mana. That was quite a blow to me, because I am really good at magic.

Third, my parents are monsters! Yes! Monsters! When those inquisitors turned up and attacked us, I thought I was a goner. It was my first bad experience in this world. Mom started to scream and played the weak maiden. But when the inquisitor grabbed her, she showed her true colours.

The strike almost decapitated the guy. I learned one thing in that moment: To never, ever make mom angry. The blood sprayed everywhere. Since then I was happy for every day without being crushed by her strength.

Dad wasn't less frightening. He summoned icicles out of thin air and tried to nail the second inquisitor. But the guy was quick. It looked like a dance while he was evading the projectiles. When his friend went ballistic, in the true meaning of the word, he decided to run.

My mouth was gaping wide open while I watched the entire scene in shock. The gears in my head finally started to turn again when mom closed my mouth with two fingers and clumsily tried to clean me up.

She didn't even flinch because of the blood.

Since then I became more subtle in my attempts to play matchmaker for them. If they find out that I am not a normal baby and played with them … I don't even want to think about it.

Hahaha! Finally! I arrived at the corner of the bed! Uh, oh.... it's only half a metre, but it looks damn high.

I will have to use a little magic to float down safely. So let's concentrate! Spell for floating, formation, cast! And roll over like a ninja to throw myself off the bed!

*plop*

Outch. That didn't go very well. The mana reserves of this body are still too small. At least the fall was softened. So now the next exercise! The bookshelf. I need something to read or I will go insane. Being caught in a baby's body with an adult's mind is like you get crippled and can't do anything yourself.

One, two, one, two, … almost there!

The door opens and mom steps inside. For two heartbeats we stare at each other. “Kyaa! Sera! You can crawl!” Mom runs over and grabs me.

Damn! I was so close!

“But how did you get down from the bed? Did you fall off? That's dangerous. I need to get a cot for you.” Mom looks at the bed in dismay.

Noooo! Don't put me behind bars! I am not a criminal!

“Bubu... aga?” There! Take a look at my big pleading eyes.

“~Oh, you are so cute!~”

Urgh... bad idea! Don't crush me!

***

I am behind bars! … again.

Damn all worlds with such devilish customs! I fought a dire battle to escape the cage several times with my mother as the jailer! This went on for three weeks now.

She even tried to use the other people of the house as babysitters. But they all gave up very fast after I escaped them a few times.

Each time I got a step closer to the bookshelf. But it was never enough. Dad doesn't speak up to her, he just looks at me with pity in his eyes.

Her cage improved each time. The newest version is actually lidded! With a lock! Mother … you amaze me. I may not be able to escape this time.

The door opens and mom enters with a new person.

“I am so happy that we found someone! You can't imagine what a problem child she is. You turn your head away for a single second and she is gone.” Mom points at me.

“There she is. Hello sweety! How are you doing?” She kneels down in front of the cage and starts to fiddle with the lock. “This is the new nanny! Her name is Tori.”

I glare at mom and the new person. Tori is skinny and has brown hair. She isn't exactly a beauty, but she doesn't look bad either.

Right now Tori is looking at me with a forced expression. I am sure that she isn't sure of what to think about this situation either, isn't she?

The cage is opened and I am handed to Tori. “Isn't that nice sweety? No more cage from now on. Tori will be always there for you.”

Mom looks at Tori. “I will be working from seven to four. It would be nice if you take care of her during that time.”

Tori nods and mother leaves us alone. For a few awkward moments I stare at the new nanny. She looks at me with a pitying expression.

Then she looks around in the room. Her eyes fall on the shelf with the books. “I guess we will be reading books. Nothing else we could do here.”

One Hundred Points!

***

Daddy's secret laboratory is scary. I am almost one year old by now and I spoke my first words. For the time being I keep it simple. Otherwise I would freak out my parents. Tori doesn't have time today, so daddy took me with him. Although I doubt his judgement. You can't bring a little child to a place like this. There are lots of dangerous tools and artefacts!

At least he has me always on his lap while playing with magical circuitry. He is very adept at creating artefacts and I learn quite a lot just by watching him.

I even got him to explain what he is doing by asking with my favourite word, “How”.

Right now he is working on a small amulet. It looks really nice and is made out of gold. There is a heart shaped ruby enclosed inside the frame.

Though the ruby is currently removed. It just hides the magic circuitry inside the golden socket.

“Done!” He snaps the ruby back into position and fuses the frame with fire magic. Then a delicate golden chain completes the amulet and he fits it around my neck. “You always have to wear this from now on okay? It will protect you.”

I give him a questioning gaze, but he doesn't explain it further.

While he continues to work absent minded on another circuit, I decide that this is the perfect chance to play a little matchmaking.

I will use the innocent nature of a child for this! Kekeke … I am good! “Mom too?”

He pats my head. “Of course my dear. Why do you even ask?”

You are so dense! Concentrate on me for a second! “Mom love dad!”

“Oh? How did you get to that conclusion?” He turns me around and places me on the table in front of him.

“Said!” Curse it. I am already stretching the limits of what a one year old should be able to do! But daddy seems a little dense in that respect. Well, he is a mad scientist after all.

“Why should she say that she loves me?” He tilts his head and looks at the ceiling while thinking.

Haaah. Ok. Another try. “Sweet presents. Yummi!” There! That should strike your interest you chocolate fanatic!

“Sweet presents? But why? A present for me?”

Omg! Don't tell me that he forgot! Be glad that you have a daughter who thinks about everything! “Wed...”

“Wet? She is wet? What the hell is she teaching you?”

Haaah? How can your brain be so useless!

“... ding!”

“Wed … ding …” His expression drops.

You are really useless you know? You really forgot your own wedding anniversary? Really?

He places me on his lap again and wipes the magic circuit from the table. A small bar of gold and raw materials for a magic circuit are grabbed from the shelf above his working table.

“We have to make some extra nice jewellery for mom okay.”

Yes, yes. Be glad that you have me as a judge! I hope you put some extra effort into this. It was quite hard to coax mom into making chocolate for you.

And now I find out that you surely forgot your first wedding anniversary! And now the second one too! Mom will never start to think better of you, if you forget something like that!

.