Transcendence?

***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 belongs 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! Impossible 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......

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