《An Incarnator's Path to Ascension》 Prologue She floated through the silvery mist, dazed and only peripherally aware of her surroundings. As the mist thinned, so too did the haze that clouded her thoughts. Shapes emerged from the mist slowly as she moved forward, unafraid of what might be hidden within. She felt remarkably at peace, which was a bit strange for the perpetually curious woman. It was that very sense of peace that drew her attention. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± she asked aloud, not expecting a reply. From the surrounding mist, a deep voice responded. ¡°Yes and no. What is a dream if not the manifestations of the soul?¡± The non-answer immediately put her on guard. She¡¯d learned long ago to be wary of those kinds of answers. Ashlyn Davis had never been moved by flowery speech. If this wasn¡¯t a dream, what was it? Ashlyn remembered sitting on a plane beside her husband, looking out the window at the expansive ocean below. Travis knew she preferred the window seat, so he always insisted she take it even though he was much larger. To make up for the comfort he yielded, she offered to hold their infant son during the flight. He¡¯d fallen asleep quickly, so it was hardly an inconvenience. They were going on their first vacation since their son was born and she had been looking forward to it. Then there was a flash of light and she was here, in this place. If it wasn¡¯t a dream¡­ She looked down, trying to catch a glimpse of her body. Though her perception changed, all she could see was a hazy, ethereal form vaguely resembling a human body. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She didn¡¯t panic, which would have surprised her had she not realized something was suppressing her emotions. Even recognizing that fact, she was not bothered. Rationally, she knew she should be freaking out. ¡°I died,¡± she said calmly. It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°Yes,¡± the voice responded, verifying her suspicion. ¡°My family?¡± she asked, her question clear. ¡°Those with you died as well.¡± She considered the new information. With severely muted emotions, Ashlyn wondered if she was upset they had died with her or was grateful they wouldn¡¯t have to suffer from her death. Considering the death was painless ¨C which was an assumption based on her own experience ¨C and the fact that there was obviously something after life¡­ Ashlyn found herself leaning toward gratitude. Part of her recoiled at her internal response, offended by her thoughts. Whatever dampened her emotions clamped down harder, smothering the budding sentiments. ¡°Are they here, in this place?¡± she asked after a few moments spent in contemplation. After a brief pause, the voice answered. ¡°No, they returned to the cycle of life to be born anew.¡± Reincarnation was a thing, apparently. That was good to know. But if they died together, why had she not been reincarnated as well? Sensing her question, the voice spoke again. ¡°You were selected to become an incarnator. Every billionth soul to pass through the gate is allowed this ability. However, with the boon comes higher standards for progression. If you accept, you will retain your memories henceforth ¨C including those of your most recent life. While the memories will remain, the emotions associated with be limited to allow you to embrace for future lives more fully.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®progression¡¯?¡± ¡°The purpose of life is to improve oneself. While improvement is somewhat subjective, there are metrics in place to gauge how a soul changes and how close one is to ascension.¡± She supposed that made sense, in a wuxia kind of way. ¡°What are the metrics?¡± she asked the disembodied voice. The voice shifted pitch, sounding almost mechanical. ¡°You are not authorized that information.¡± Well, that was crap! How was she supposed to pass a test without understanding the grading criteria? Still, keeping her knowledge would undoubtedly be helpful. ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡± ¡°No. Do you accept becoming an incarnator knowing you will be judged more harshly on your path to ascension?¡± With only a moment of hesitation, Ashlyn agreed, and the world around her disappeared. Chapter One Her consciousness faded in and out. At first, she only managed to stay awake for moments at a time, though the length gradually increased. The soothing sensation of being rocked made it difficult to bother trying to stay awake for very long. Her vision was extremely blurry, and she could only make out differences in light and darkness. Noises were muffled. She was normally rocked when the light was present and found most of her periods of wakefulness were spent in darkness. The ever-present sound of a heartbeat was her only companion. It was difficult to control her appendages in her new body. They often moved on their own when she tried to do something else, banging against the elastic barrier that separated her from the outside. The barrier slowly shrank ¨C or more likely, she was growing and filling the limited space. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she would be too large to remain. It was sad, in a way. Ashlyn knew that leaving this place would mean entering the world anew, which was good. But it was just so peaceful here. It was difficult to motivate herself to want to leave. Eventually, her desire to remain in the comforting place was overridden, and she felt the increasingly regular pressure informing her it was time to join the rest of humanity once again. The pressure shifted and light brighter than any she¡¯d seen thus far appeared. Having given birth before, Ashlyn was prepared for a long, drawn out process. Instead, she found herself freed in just moments. It was surprisingly cold, and she cried out in surprise. She was quickly bundled and handed to her mother. Ashlyn immediately identified her by the sound of her voice and the familiar smell. Well, that and the fact that she looked like she¡¯d just given birth and was smiling brightly at her. Ashlyn¡¯s vision made it difficult to see details beyond a few inches, but given their positions, that was all she needed to examine her new mother. She seemed nice enough. At least she appeared happy Ashlyn was there. She expected to feel awkward nursing, but felt nothing but comfort when offered the sustenance. It was hard to stay awake still. Given her knowledge of child development, Ashlyn expected it would be a while before she was able to maintain consciousness for any length of time. That was okay. She would take her time getting to know her new family. They didn¡¯t speak English, so she would have to pay attention when she was awake to figure out the new language. To her surprise, her grasp of the language came quickly. Maybe it was from the months her brain absorbing the sounds even when she wasn¡¯t awake, or perhaps it was a gift from whoever spoke with her after she died. Ashlyn really couldn¡¯t say one way or another. Languages had never really been her thing during her first life, so it wasn¡¯t a bleed over ability or anything. She struggled with her ridiculously uncoordinated infant body daily, trying to force improvement and increase her control. She had expected that though. It would take a while for her brain to develop those connections, along with all the other connections it needed to work out. Babies weren¡¯t born able to move and function like most animals were. Other things continued to improve as well, like her memory. Every day her memory improved, so she knew it was only a matter of time before she regained all the missing pieces. She just needed to be patient. At three months old, Ashlyn was taken to a temple for what her parents called a ¡®Naming Ceremony¡¯. Apparently, babies were not named until they were given a blessing at the temple after a season had passed. She was given the name Rayne. She liked it. Though she still thought of herself as Ashlyn, she tried to embrace the name. Ashlyn had died on a plane with her family. Both her son and husband had already been reborn according to the voice, so there was no reason to be sad aside from missing them. And she did miss them, but it was distant, like a pain from long ago that time had eased. She was Rayne now. That didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t keep an eye out for them both. She might not recognize either of them, but it was possible their souls would recognize each other. She smiled at the thought. Smiling was easy. Facial expressions in general were a lot easier than things like controlling her appendages. After giving her a name (provided by her parents of course), the [Priest] sent a jolt of energy through her and a strange screen appeared above the crystal he was holding. The jolt hadn¡¯t hurt, but it startled her and she couldn¡¯t help but to cry out until the screen distracted her. It looked like a hologram of a basic character screen in a game. She¡¯d played a few before, but her husband was much more into games like that than she was. Even with only a basic understanding of the language, Ash- no, Rayne could still read and understand the display.
Name: Rayne Body: 1
Level: 0 Vitality: 1
Age: 1 season Agility: 0
Class: N/A Mind: 3
Health: 10 Spirit: 2
Mana: 30 Resolve: 2
¡°It appears your daughter has been blessed,¡± the [Priest] said with a smile before his expression turned to one of confusion when he looked closely at her parents. Her parents must have noticed the shift too because they both radiated discomfort. ¡°Thank you, [Priest],¡± her father intoned, before stepping back and pulling her away from the now frowning man. They carried her away from the temple as another couple took their place for the naming of their own child. Rayne wondered what the exchange had been about. It seemed odd that a religious figure would seem unhappy about a child being considered blessed. There was so much she had yet to learn about her new community. Or maybe, a new world altogether? What was up with the status screen anyway? It reminded her of one of the games her husband had liked so much. Stolen novel; please report. She¡¯d played a few, but they¡¯d never really been her thing. Was this some kind of game world? Mana had been listed on the display, so did that mean magic was real here? If so, why were they living in such a rough setting? Wouldn¡¯t it be easy enough to create a nicer environment using magic? Then again, most of the games with magic seemed to have some medieval variant in their setting. Was that a requirement for magic to exist? Did it somehow limit technology? She really wished she¡¯d studied some form of engineering now. It would be amazing to bring new technology into a world, maybe mixing magic with technology to create totally new things! She could only imagine what kind of improvements she could make to the normal, everyday members of society who weren¡¯t part of the upper crust. She would have to study and see what was already available. Just because she didn¡¯t specifically know how technology worked, she at least understood the types of things that were possible. As her memory improved, it was even possible that she could remember even more about how things work. She knew you could generate some power with a potato¡­ there was a science experiment about it she saw one time. Would something like that even work here, or would the mana interfere? The weeks and months following her naming, Rayne spent most of her time listening to her parents and siblings talk to absorb as much information as possible. She¡¯d often daydream about her previous life, going through the memories and trying to extract as much information as possible. One of the biggest limiters to making plans wasn¡¯t the lack of memories to shift through, but rather the difficulty she had in staying focused. The smallest thing would distract her, causing her to squirrel like the dog in that animated movie ¨C except she wasn¡¯t able to immediately return to her previous train of thought. She was even distracted by her fingers once, much to her embarrassment. Thankfully, nobody but her realized what had happened, so it was fine. Her infant attention span was a legitimate issue though, and was not resolved by her steadily increasing mind stat. It took her a while to figure out how to pull up her status screen, but she eventually figured it out. When she pulled it up herself, more information was displayed than what the [Priest] showed. It even had a section for skills that showed she¡¯d gained a basic understanding of the ¡®Common Language¡¯. Apparently, that¡¯s what they spoke in this new world. She still was uncertain how she felt about living on a world other than Earth. It looked pretty much the same, other than the lack of modernization, but there were probably still pockets of communities on Earth that lived with little technology. Maybe. Actually, Rayne was pretty sure even the Amish people she¡¯d seen had cell phones and cars nowadays. Regardless, it was a little like growing up in one country then moving to another one and still feeling like your home country was home, even if you never planned to return. At least everyone seemed to speak the same language. That was helpful. It probably had something to do with the interfaces everyone seemed to have. If she had one as a baby, everyone else had to have them. When she finally gained control of her body enough to wander around, Rayne experimented with various activities to see what would give her a skill. To her surprise, she gained several seemingly basic skills, things like [walking], [running], [jumping], [dancing], [singing], [throwing], [climbing], and even [learning]. With every increase in skill levels, the activity got a little easier or she became a little better at it. Each skill level also gave her five experience points. When she reached level one at age three, her parents sat her down and talked to her about how levels worked. They had long since gotten used to her higher comprehension, and often spoke to her like she was a very small adult instead of their youngest child. She appreciated it since that was how she had been raised during her first life as well. Her parents in her previous life hadn¡¯t believed in babying her as a child either. They explained that it was unusual for a child to gain a level before starting school at five years old, so her advancement would likely gain attention from those who bothered looking. Though it wasn¡¯t often that adults would use an identification skill on a young child, it happened often enough. That was actually how they¡¯d learned about her accomplishment, since one of the people in town mentioned it in passing. Her parents were curious about how she¡¯d managed to gain a level so early, so Rayne informed them that she tried several activities to see if they would award her with a skill after noticing she¡¯d received a skill for learning to walk. She¡¯d then continued experimenting to gain new skills, as well as practicing with her existing skills to slowly improve them. There was not much she could do as a three-year-old, after all. Her parents told her about the different attributes and advised her to save her points until she was older since she was still growing. It made perfect sense and aligned with the loose plan she already had, so she saved the three attribute points she earned for each level. She also saved the skill points she earned since she had no idea what kinds of skills she would be able to learn on her own, and what would need points to learn. That was a thing in some of the games she¡¯d played, so she figured the logic likely applied. After their discussion, both of her parents agreed to teach her any of the skills they had that she was interested in. Rayne quickly found that learning skills from someone else was much easier than gaining it on her own. It was almost like whatever system controlled the interfaces recognized the sharing of knowledge better than it did when she just pulled skills from memory. She learned several skills from both of her parents, though they were often difficult for her to improve based largely on her diminutive stature. [Cooking], for example, was easy enough to learn, especially with her existing knowledge ¨C but the physical process of cooking was a bit difficult with how small and weak she was. Her agility, which apparently included fine motor skills, was so low that she had a hard time using a knife effectively. Further, she often burned herself when trying to cook over a fire since she was too small to reach the pot. Slabs of meat were also too heavy for her to handle easily. Similarly, while she learned the skill, [sewing], she had a difficult time improving the skill because of her low agility and short arms (the thread would often get knotted as she tried to pull the excess through). There was probably more limiting her, but she didn¡¯t put much thought into it given her struggles. Thankfully, many of the skills used on their farm were easier to do, though she worked much slower than the others. The only skill she managed to do well in that wasn¡¯t bleed over from her previous life was [trapping]. Even then, her exposure to modern media gave her enough ideas to be much more creative with traps once she got the general feel for how to set them up. Her traps were so much more effective than those of her oldest brother Devin, that her parents eventually decided that setting and dealing with the traps would be one of her responsibilities. Devin still accompanied her into the forest most of the time since she was unable to carry the larger animals that were killed by her traps and there were several dangers that she would never be able to handle outside of running. Though he was only eight, she suspected he had invested the points he had gained from his two levels into strength since he seemed to have little trouble carrying the animals and showed no fear of walking in the forest alone. He also assisted with the heavier or more labor-intensive aspects of managing the traps so he could gain some of the experience. She didn¡¯t mind sharing, especially since he often showed her the little tricks of how to process their kills that he¡¯d picked up from their father. During one such excursion, the two of them were headed toward one of the more distant traps when he suddenly grabbed her arm and made a motion to be quiet. There were all kinds of dangers in the forest, so Rayne quietly moved to a large tree and crouched down. ¡°There is someone up ahead,¡± Devin whispered. After a moment, she could hear the muted sounds of a conversation. Though she couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, it was clear there were at least two different men ahead. It sounded like they were close to where their next trap was set. The two youths crept forward, remaining as silent as possible to avoid giving their location away. When they got a bit closer, the words became clearer and it was obvious the two men were celebrating their luck in finding her trap, along with the deer it had defeated. She expected the trap to have been successful since both siblings had received an experience notification that was too high to be one of their normal yields. The men should know the person who set the trap would be notified it had been successful, so it wasn¡¯t like they wouldn¡¯t be aware that someone had stolen their kill. So why draw attention like that? ¡°I think they are bandits,¡± Devin whispered after the pair moved away. Neither wanted to risk drawing the attention of the men, so she was glad he hadn¡¯t spoken while they were close by. Besides, who knew what kind of hearing skills the men might have? She¡¯d convinced her parents to let her spend some time in the library to learn about some of the skills available and was surprised at the variety she learned about. Rayne had no doubt that was only the tip of the iceberg. After informing their parents of the event, they were forbidden to go as deep into the forest without an adult. Her father mentioned there had been an increase in bandit activity lately, and even rumors of people disappearing from the area. Since most of those missing were younger women and children, there were rumors that the bandits may be involved in slave trading ¨C a concept that she abhorred. Research in the library revealed that slavery became a popular method of dealing with serious criminals thousands of years before. Slaves were given a magical tattoo that ensured they were obedient to their master while also clearly marking them for all to recognize. Eventually, the practice bled over to include those from conquered territories and only expanded from there. The only thing that kept everyone from being at risk for being made a slave arbitrarily was the difficulty in creating and applying the tattoos. So, for the bandits to be involved in the slave trade, that meant they had to have access to the tattoos, as well as a method for applying them. Unless they simply sold people to those who had the requisite skills. She shivered at the thought. It was too bad the library she had access to was so small. She wondered if there was any kind of protection against the slave tattoos. Surely the nobility would have some way to ensure their children were not at risk of becoming slaves if they were to be captured. Since her options there were abysmal, Rayne decided to focus on the things that she had some hope of effecting ¨C her skills and her attributes. She¡¯d already learned that attributes would gradually increase as one matured. They also seemed to increase naturally through effort. She would focus on growing stronger and smarter, while acquiring as many useful skills as possible. Chapter Two Rayne¡¯s focus meant she reached level two shortly after her fourth birthday ¨C or birth season, as the locals measured it. When she reached her second level, she received the normal three free attribute points, as well as a single skill point. She had earned a few skill points based on the number of skills learned and their levels, but it was nice to know that advancing her overall level might also provide points to help her gain new skills or evolve the ones she already had. Because of her advancement, she was allowed to begin attending the kingdom-mandated school a full year early. Every youth was required to attend one of the supported schools beginning at age five and continuing until they were able to test out of the core topics or reached the age of adulthood, which was fifteen in this world. There was a minimum of one year of attendance, likely to keep the nobility from hiring tutors and allowing the less fortunate to suffer. There were also supposed to be other rules in place that affected only the nobility, but any details about them were scarce. That was probably because they didn¡¯t really apply where she lived since the only nobility in the remote section of the kingdom was a [Baron]. When she asked about it, the [Librarian] informed her that their town was too far away from any significant resources for other members of the nobility to want to be there. The [Baron] was only present because he was required to live within the boundaries of his barony. Even without the need to ensure the occasional noble child did not have to be bothered by substandard educators, the school she found herself in was surprisingly well equipped. At least, it was based on the standards she was using given their surroundings. The school was located next to the temple, sharing the property and building style, which made Rayne suspect the school was not a distinct entity. That was not all that unusual though. Many education systems began with church influences in Earth¡¯s history as well. There were four [Teachers], with each specializing in one of the four required topics: literature, history, math, and theology, though additional members of the community often came to teach various professional topics. The bulk of the early literature classes focused on teaching reading and writing, though later lessons eventually bled over into history and theology. History focused only on the kingdom she lived in, which Rayne thought was a bit odd, but not overly so. Luckily, there were several maps included in the lessons, which gave her a better understanding of the surrounding geography. The school only touched on the basics of math, not going beyond what an American student might have learned in fourth grade, but it was still significantly better than she expected. Given the medieval feel of the world, Rayne couldn¡¯t help but limit her expectations in a lot of ways. The only exception was where magic was involved. Even theology tied into the magical system since it seemed the [Priests] and other clergy members gain real power through their deities. The local temple was dedicated to Elimere, the Goddess of Bounty, though the other members of the pantheon were also covered (if only lightly) in their lessons. The students had easy access to the library since it shared a wall with the schoolhouse, which was great for Rayne once the teachers realized how advanced she was in literature and math. She learned the other topics quickly enough, especially after gaining the [learning] skill, which decreased the amount of time required to learn new knowledge or skills. After doing a bit of research, Rayne started targeting specific skills to learn to make the best use of her advantages. When she managed to learn the skill [memorization], her ability to absorb information only increased. None of her [Teachers] knew quite what to do with her. By the time she was seven, she was already well into level four and had exhausted the library¡¯s resources. Because she was too young to test out as a commoner, the [Teachers] had her assist other students, especially those just beginning their education. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. She didn¡¯t mind, especially not once the local [Geomancer] offered to tutor her in magic. She was surprised by the offer until she realized that he was married to one of the [Teachers]. No doubt the woman had mentioned her odd student to the mage and sparked his interest. She was excited since magic was something she had a hard time finding more information about. Sure, there were plenty of stories about famous mages in the kingdom, including [King] Ivers, but those didn¡¯t touch on the fundamentals behind magic. Rayne was actually surprised it was not a topic covered in their curriculum. Then again, magic gave power and those in power probably didn¡¯t want that power diluted too much. Regardless, she happily agreed to the task and tried to do her best with both tutoring and learning the new information. Rayne was introduced to the youngest kids entering the school as someone who could help if they had questions, and then she simply sat to the side and continued her own studies unless asked for assistance. [Geomancer] Stonecutter provided her with a few books that surprisingly looked similar in design to those created for their central lessons within the school. They were likely printed by the kingdom for bigger cities, not that it would take much to be bigger than their remote town. She suspected the basics of magic would be taught in larger cities to fill the demand for various professions that relied on some magical knowledge. From what she¡¯d learned from her research in the library, most of the professions used some mana, so the knowledge of its use had to be embedded in the skills given by the system for classes. She suspected gaining a mage-type class would require some knowledge in how magic works though, so she wasn¡¯t sure why the basics were not taught. Unless they didn¡¯t want people in her community to become [Mages]. There was only one person that she knew of nearby, after all. She¡¯d already covered the basics of mana ¨C the energy behind magic ¨C and had moved on to learning how to manipulate said energy to create spell effects when she noticed one of the newest students looking around as if searching for someone. He met her gaze and smiled with relief, so she put her book away and headed over to the student. He was dressed nicer than most of the others, which meant he was probably the son of someone important. With an added bit of caution based on the conversations she''d overheard from others, she asked if the younger boy needed any assistance. The boy had already finished most of the work given, showing he was well ahead of his classmates. She smiled at that. It was good to see other talented children. ¡°What does this mean?¡± the boy asked quietly as he pointed to one of the symbols. After she explained its meaning, she moved back to her chair and continued her personal studies, glancing up often to see if anyone else had a question. In the days and weeks that followed, the boy, who she learned was named Donovan, though he asked that she call him ¡®Donnie¡¯ instead, began seeking her out for any questions he had. She didn¡¯t mind since his questions were always well thought out and only asked after he made some effort to find the answer himself. She was surprised at his level of reading fluency, which was much higher than the other five-year-olds, and even exceeded some of the older children. He clearly had a tutor, which only highlighted the difference between him and the other students more. He would often smile and wave at her from his seat, which she always returned. Donnie was polite and nice to everyone in the class, though there were a couple of boys who seemed to follow him around more than others. Even some of the older children flocked to the charismatic boy. With no shortage of friends, she was surprised when he walked up to her during their mid-day break and shyly handed her a beautiful purple flower. ¡°It¡¯s a Jenabloom. They are my mom¡¯s favorite, even though she sells most of them to the [Alchemist]. I wanted to say thank you for all your help,¡± he said quietly as he stared at his feet. It was adorable. She smiled and thanked him, as she smelled the fragrant flower. The boy flushed slightly and hurried away, rejoining his group of friends. She¡¯d read a bit about the bloom when she¡¯d studied herbalism, and mentally recalled the information. The [memorization] skill often came in handy, working almost like taking a photograph except that she could process the information within the image. She hoped that the skill eventually evolved into something more like a computer with a search feature. Or maybe a low-level AI within her mind that could just pull information on demand. That would be amazing. Since she didn¡¯t want the precious gift to be wasted from lack of proper handling, she gave it another sniff before placing it gently between the pages of her book. She¡¯d moved on from basic mana manipulation ¨C a skill she¡¯d learned as she practiced the concepts within the previous book ¨C and was now reading about the various types of mana and what they could do. She was still reading the introduction books loaned to her by [Geomancer] Stonecutter, though this was the last one. Rayne was scheduled to begin in-person lessons the following week when she finished the series, and she couldn¡¯t wait. Chapter Three The next day, Rayne returned home from school to find both of her parents nervously sitting at their kitchen table. It was unusual for either of them to be there when the children returned from school, and their nervousness immediately put her on guard. ¡°Rayne, honey, go wash up and change into a nice dress,¡± her mom said as soon as she walked in the room. Though she wanted to ask what had happened, Rayne simply nodded and did as she was told. After changing, she grabbed her school satchel that held her current book and a notebook. Her parents were used to Rayne keeping the satchel with her anytime she might find a spare moment to read, so they didn¡¯t comment on the addition to her attire. They rode the small wagon her family used to deliver produce to the nearby town instead of walking. Given the palpable stress her parents were feeling, Rayne almost wished they were walking back to town instead of taking the faster option. Her siblings did not come with them, which only increased Rayne¡¯s feelings of discomfort. She couldn¡¯t think of anything noteworthy that she might have done to have caused her to be singled out, but something had obviously happened. Finally, Rayne asked her parents where they were going, and learned they had been summoned to the [Baron]¡¯s estate without explanation. Her parents were given no information about the summons, except to say that Rayne needed to be brought there as soon as she was available. The fact that she hadn¡¯t been collected from school was a good sign, she supposed. It was possible that [Geomancer] Stonecutter had pulled some strings for her, considering they were supposed to start lessons the following week. Maybe the [Baron] wanted to meet her since being given lessons in magic was not common in their area. Especially not for a commoner. When she indicated a lack of knowledge about the summons purpose as well, the remainder of the short trip was completed in silence. The [Baron]¡¯s estate was by far the largest building in the town, with the temple reaching a distant second place. They were similarly styled, with smooth stone walls that looked like marble (though she didn¡¯t think that was what the material actually was), and high arches that made each entryway more appropriately sized for a giant than a normal human. They were rushed from their wagon into the waiting area of the residence, which was finely furnished with upholstered seating and thick rugs unlike anything else she¡¯d seen since her rebirth. The d¨¦cor was clearly made by expert craftsmen, since modern technology didn¡¯t exist to give such perfect proportions in this world. That meant the potters and glassblowers that created the various pieces had done so largely by hand. It was an impressive feat, she thought. Though, she admittedly did not know a lot about either craft, so it was possible that she was just easily impressed. After much less time than she expected, Rayne and her parents were summoned into the [Baron]¡¯s meeting hall and saw the man himself seated in a small throne elevated on a dais. The [Baron] was immaculately groomed and dressed much nicer than anyone else she¡¯d seen in their town ¨C a feat that was not altogether difficult given the lacking amenities. It was obvious the man was both wealthy and accustomed to being catered to based on his mannerisms and the casual way he dismissed the servant who brought them forward. She felt uncomfortably exposed as he looked blankly at her. Aside from his eyes, the nobleman looked utterly bored by their presence. His eyes, however, betrayed his keen interest in her. Unfortunately, Rayne had no idea what she might have done to warrant such interest. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the man nodded, and another man approached from the side. Though she¡¯d met him only once, and was merely an infant at the time, Rayne immediately recognized the man as the [Priest] that had conducted her naming ceremony. With a stiff smile, the [Priest] held out a hand. ¡°Please take my hand, girl.¡± She did so, and immediately felt the same pulse of energy flow through her as before. Again, an abbreviated status screen appeared above the crystal held in the [Priest]¡¯s hand.
Name: Rayne Body: 4
Level: 4 Vitality: 5
Age: 7 years Agility: 6
Class: N/A Mind: 9
Health: 50 Spirit: 7
Mana: 90 Resolve: 6
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Did you provide guidance for her attribute allotments, or did the girl assign them herself?¡± the priest asked her father, without looking at her. Rayne bristled a bit at being talked about as if she wasn¡¯t present, but was simultaneously relieved that she would not need to answer to the prickly man. She was also bothered by the deepening frown on the [Baron]¡¯s face as he looked over her status. Was he upset that she was advancing? Why would he be bothered by anything displayed on her status? As the noble over the territory, he should be happy to see those under him doing well. It wasn¡¯t like she could ever be a threat to him or anything. At most, any success she had could only serve to make him look better. At least, that¡¯s how she would think in his place. She¡¯d been taught early that commoners were little more than tools for the nobility, but still¡­ Her father¡¯s voice responded in a tone much more submissive than she¡¯d ever heard it before. ¡°We discussed attribute allotment when she gained her first level,¡± he replied cautiously. It was true, though none of the points displayed were assigned. Thank goodness whatever the [Priest] was doing gave only limited information. Given their reactions thus far, if they saw she still had all 12 unassigned points, it would probably be worse. All of her attribute gains had been earned through effort or natural growth, which was something she was proud of. Why spend points on something she was still able to impact through effort? She planned to hold on to them until her efforts reached a point of significant diminishing returns. The exception would be if she needed to make some small adjustment to gain a better class. It didn¡¯t show on the holographic display, but she was only a handful of points away from reaching level five and gaining her first class slot. The only other one in their family close to gaining a new class slot was her older sister and she¡¯d been apprenticing with the local seamstress since she reached level four two years before. Amelia was also fourteen and close to reaching the age of majority. ¡°Why did you allow the child to increase her mental attributes instead of something useful for her, like Body or Agility?¡± the nobleman on the throne sneered, surprising them all when he spoke from his dais. Her parents were much more effective at controlling their responses than Rayne, who physically recoiled at the man¡¯s words. The [Priest] released her hand and promptly wiped his with a white cloth he¡¯d pulled from somewhere. The act had no purpose but to offend, since she was freshly bathed and her palms had (somehow) remained dry. The modern woman inside was furious at the entire situation, but her reactions were tempered by the fear apparent on her parents¡¯ faces. It wasn¡¯t like they could have truly controlled her point assignments anyway! She felt like the nobleman¡¯s question had to be a trap, and she couldn¡¯t see a good way for her father to respond. Suddenly chilled, she thought about all the stories she¡¯d read about the nobles of Earth¡¯s history and how they treated the commoners. Hopefully it wasn¡¯t that bad here. Still, she was instantly glad that she was not the one being questioned. ¡°We sought only to serve, milord,¡± her father said with a deep bow, holding it until the [Baron] spoke again. It seemed to mollify him a bit, as the nobleman sighed and grumbled something too low for Rayne to make out before looking directly at her. The attention made her shrink inside a bit, almost like there was a physical weight attached. ¡°Be at ease,¡± he finally said, releasing Rayne¡¯s father from his bow. ¡°It seems effort deserves a response. The child will be sent to school in the capital since it is clear there is not enough to challenge her here.¡± Her mother pulled her to her knees and the trio dropped, her father managing to stammer, ¡°That is very gracious, milord, but the cost ¨C¡± The [Baron] made a dismissive gesture, cutting off his protests. ¡°It is but a small investment to ensure she gets what is deserved. Especially after the¡­ aid,¡± he added the last word with obvious distaste, ¡°that she gave to my son, Donovan. Say your goodbyes. She will be joining the caravan at dawn. I will ensure she is properly equipped for her future, have no worries.¡± Though her [detect lie] skill did not alert her to deception, Rayne couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something off about the offer. Maybe he had a much higher deception skill than her measly level one detection skill. It wasn¡¯t like the nobleman had made any effort to hide his dislike for her. Whether it was her personally or commoners in general, she was unsure. And how could he be Donnie¡¯s father? Donnie was a sweet boy who acted nothing like the man in front of her. Aside from his clothing and obvious tutoring, there was nothing to indicate he was the [Baron]¡¯s son. Was he angry about the flower, or maybe didn¡¯t want his son mixing with someone of low birth? That seemed a bit petty to her. Her family was shuffled into a private area to say goodbye. She was grateful for a bit of privacy for the last few moments she¡¯d have with them for a while ¨C or possibly ever. Who knew what might happen? As her mother embraced her, she felt something being placed into her hand. Looking down, she saw a small dagger attached to a strap. ¡°If you are going to be without us, you should make sure you are never unarmed. Even if you are traveling in a group, make sure you always keep this on you. It¡¯s better to be prepared, just in case. You can strap it to your leg under your dress or keep it in your satchel if that doesn¡¯t work.¡± Before she could say anything, her father pulled her into a hug. ¡°My daughter¡­ please be safe. Do your very best and make us proud. I know you are smart, too smart, perhaps. Use that brain to keep yourself safe. The roads can be dangerous, and safety is never guaranteed.¡± He leaned a little closer and whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we can¡¯t protect you from this. Don¡¯t trust anyone during the trip. The [Baron] is not known for kindness, so be wary of this ¡®gift¡¯.¡± It seemed her parents were getting the same feeling she was. Wanting to give them some comfort, Rayne remained stoic and nodded to both after saying goodbye. She was swiftly escorted to a small storeroom where she was given a bag and a few travel items. She tried to focus. ¡°Is this all I¡¯ll need until I reach the capital? I have no other clothes or anything.¡± The servant glared at her for a moment before her eyes softened a touch and she sighed. ¡°I was directed to provide you with the basics needed for two days of travel, not the two weeks it would take to get to the capital.¡± Two days? There had to be some mistake. ¡°The caravan is heading to the capital, correct?¡± The servant thought for a moment then frowned. ¡°I believe so. Actually, yes. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± The woman turned from her and mumbled, ¡°Did I mishear? I must have.¡± Coming to a decision, she nodded. ¡°Take the bag for now. I¡¯ll show you to your room and have dinner brought to you while I check on my instructions. I don¡¯t want to get thrashed for causing the [Baron] to fail to meet a promise, after all.¡± The servant took her to a small room and left. Even being small, the room was still larger than the one she shared with her older sister. Rayne tried not to worry and pulled out her book, determined to finish it before leaving. Unfortunately, she was unable to focus enough to make any headway. After a half-hour of frustration, she welcomed the knock at her door. Dinner was simple, but good quality, though her stomach protested as she forced herself to eat. Rayne worried that the other female servant forgot about bringing her additional supplies, leaving her to struggle with hardly enough to get by for two days. Thankfully, the servant returned a bit later and uncomfortably handed her a storage ring. ¡°This is likely more than he intended to provide, so please don¡¯t let anyone know you have it.¡± She looked afraid, but oddly determined. It was very different from her previous behavior. Rayne wondered what had changed but was distracted from the thought by looking inside the ring. The items within had likely been used by Donnie or another important youth at some point since there were several well used child-sized weapons and clothing sets, as well as two minor health potions. It was unlikely the older items would still be used by the family members, so they probably wouldn¡¯t be missed, though the health potions might. Hopefully not. The ring also included a sewing kit, travel rations, and various used camping gear. She wasn¡¯t sure she would need some of it, but it was always better to have something and not need it. Besides, she had no idea if they would be staying in tents or what the sleeping arrangements might be. She¡¯d never traveled via caravan in this world. There was no way she would be able to wear the ring openly. It was too likely it would be found and taken from her. It wasn¡¯t like she could protect it from someone stronger than her. The best she could hope for was to hide the ring and ensure nobody learned of it. Just like the surprisingly nice servant suggested. Rayne used the sewing kit to attach the ring to the inside of her dress, ensuring it was well secured and would not be lost. Preparations complete, she decided to attempt to sleep while she could and crawled under the covers without bothering to do more than remove her shoes. Chapter Four Rayne felt like she¡¯d barely fallen asleep when she was abruptly woken to depart. A small bag of coins was thrust into her small hands by a grumpy [Baron] who told her to put the money in her travel bag and give it to those who came to collect her. Though his comment could be taken to imply someone would be waiting at the capital for her, Rayne was becoming more and more certain that there was something else going on. Between his demeanor, the odd comments, and his instruction to only provide her with two days worth of supplies, she had no confidence she would arrive at the capital safely. With that in mind, Rayne carefully observed those around her during the first day, watching for anything that might stand out from within the packed carriage. Though the carriage was made to seat six comfortably, one of the travelers was unusually obese in a way that went beyond mere indulgence. Consequently, she was relegated to sitting between the large man and another passenger due to her small size. She would have had much more room flying coach with a discount airline! She could barely breathe in without touching someone. After the first stop, Rayne climbed atop the carriage and stayed there. Since nobody complained, she opted to stay there and work on improving her mana control. The books she¡¯d read described various ways that mana could be used to improve senses temporarily without the need of specific spells. She¡¯d practiced augmenting her senses with mana before, but figured the journey would provide her with an opportunity to improve her control. Besides, there was much more to see and hear now that she was traveling. Rayne spent the rest of the day doing just that, listening to the various travelers talk about random things, trying to identify any animal sounds around, looking into the landscape surrounding the caravan for anything interesting that she would normally overlook¡­ The only real limitation she found was that she could only focus on one sense at a time. Even then, too much stimuli would overwhelm her easily. When they set up camp, the carriage driver claimed most of the roof but did not force her to leave. Thankfully, he ignored her presence at the back of the carriage and allowed her to place her bedroll against the stacked luggage. Nobody spoke to her, though she was handed a bowl of stew for the evening meal. Settling under her blanket, Rayne looked up into the night sky and examined the stars. None of the constellations were familiar. As the rest of the travelers settled down and fell asleep, the sounds slowly decreased until only whispers remained. She decided to take advantage of the quiet darkness to attempt to augment both her hearing and vision, hoping that the limited input would allow her to grow more accustomed to the effects. The stars became brighter and the sounds louder. She could hear the rustle of animals in the forest nearby, the flapping of wings as a bird flew by, and the quiet conversations of the small groups around the various campfires. ¡°¡­ get a couple more levels and join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Arlinton ¡­¡± ¡°¡­ shouldn¡¯t be any high-level beasts between here and the river ¡­¡± ¡°¡­ haven¡¯t had any issues with bandits since the [Baron] sent his [Guard] ¡­¡± ¡°¡­ don¡¯t care what he said, I¡¯m not marrying ¡­¡± ¡°¡­ going to be a problem with the luggage blocking the back ¡­¡± ¡°¡­ not sleep there tomorrow night. That way it¡¯ll be easier grabbing her ¡­¡± The last comment caught her attention as she was dozing off. She homed in on the speaker, channeling a touch more mana into her ears so the conversation was clearer. ¡°I don¡¯t know why the [Baron] is so bothered by the girl anyway. Whatever she did can¡¯t be bad enough to get Brandell involved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my business. The boss said to make sure she¡¯s collared and sold. So long as the payment is in the bag like he promised, I don¡¯t care what they do with the brat.¡± The blood drained from her face and a knot formed in her gut. Her nerves had increased since she caught the first part of the conversation, but now something was screaming inside of her to run. She needed to run away fast. There was no way she could let herself be captured by people like that. If she understood them correctly, she was meant to be sold as a slave. But why??? It didn¡¯t make any sense. Her mind ran through several scenarios. She could leave that night, or try to sneak away during the day, or even wait until the next night and escape while the others wait for her to go to sleep. But what if that was too late? And how exactly was she supposed to survive alone if she did manage to escape the slavers? She was hardly able to sleep at all that night, constantly jumping at every noise. Consequently, she was exhausted the next day when they set out just after dawn. After grabbing a bite to eat from the caravan¡¯s cook, she quickly fell asleep with the rocking of the conveyance. A few hours later, she woke up, but stayed laying down. She listened, searching for the voices she¡¯d heard the night before. Eventually, she picked them out. They were riding behind her, which made things a bit more difficult. Making the decisions she¡¯d agonized over the night before, Rayne carefully rolled up her bedroll and stuffed it in her bag before covertly placing the entire thing into her hidden ring instead of tucking it in with the rest of the baggage. At the same time, Rayne casually looked around, hoping to identify who the two voices belonged to. She noted the face of the lone rider directly behind the carriage, but she couldn¡¯t be sure he was one of the two who planned to kidnap her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. After a few minutes of riding silently, Rayne climbed down and entered the carriage, hoping that her observers would just assume she was going to remain within for the remainder of the day. They should be stopping for the mid-day break soon to allow the people within the caravan to relieve themselves and stretch their legs. As the carriage made its way along the surprisingly smooth path, Rayne considered the possibility of seeking the protection of others against her pursuers. Would it be worth it? Sure, she might have some measure of safety, but what if her actions led to those individuals being hurt by the slavers? Would she be able to live with herself? Even if she made it all the way to the capital, it wasn¡¯t like the promise of a school slot was real. Her showing up would do little more than alert the [Baron] that she was alive and well, possibly prompting some backlash against her family. No. It would be better for her to sneak away like she planned. She¡¯d camped before on Earth and had plenty of experience with traps and cooking. Even with her small size, it should be fine as long as she found shelter. At least this way she would be the only one impacted by her actions. When the carriage came to a stop, Rayne followed two women from the carriage ahead of hers as they headed into the lightly wooded area beside the road to relieve themselves. She hung back to draw less attention to herself and made a wide arc around the others in search of a place to hide. Luckily, she¡¯d spent a lot of time playing hiding games with her siblings in the woods next to their farm. So much so, in fact, that she¡¯d earned skills like [stealth] and [camouflage]. They were low-leveled, but should be enough to facilitate her escape. Activating both, Rayne carefully hid beneath some underbrush and waited for the caravan to depart. When she heard movement nearby, Rayne trickled a bit of mana into both skills, willing them to become more effective. She¡¯d read about using mana to empower skills, so it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise when she saw a notification that she¡¯d improved both skills. The surprise came with the notification that followed.
You have reached Level 5! New class options are available!
Rayne knew she would be offered a choice of classes when she reached level 5, but was still surprised to get the notification. Since she was well hidden and had nothing else to do, it made sense for her to at least review the options available. Based on what she¡¯d been told by her parents and [Teachers], she should have between three and five options available based on her actions and skills thus far. Feeling more excitement than she expected, Rayne examined her options for her first class.
Trapper ¨C Uses a variety of traps to defeat opponents. You do not have to be stronger to defeat your opponents, just smarter. Provides 10% extra experience when opponent is defeated through the utilization of traps. Grants additional +2 Mind, +1 Agility per level. Scholar ¨C Focuses on growth through learning. As your knowledge increases, so does your experience. Provides 25% added experience from all skills. Grants additional +2 Mind, +1 Resolve per level. Teacher ¨C Shares knowledge with others. Your students¡¯ growth is your growth. You gain class experience through teaching others. Improves the rate of learning for those being taught by 15%. Grants additional +1 Mind, +1 Spirit, +1 Resolve per level. Mage ¨C A generalist of mana. You use a variety of magic types to defeat your opponents. Grants additional +2 Mind, +1 Spirit, +1 Resolve per level. Rogue ¨C Seek your path or your prey. You often work alone and hidden. 10% bonus experience to experience gained while undetected. Grants additional +1 Body, +2 Agility per level.
The last one was a bit of a surprise, and Rayne wasn¡¯t sure exactly why it was offered to her. Was it because she had escaped from the slavers? Maybe her improved [stealth] skill? Regardless, Rayne didn¡¯t see [Rogue] as being a good fit for her. Both [Scholar] and [Teacher] fit her well, but neither would be beneficial to her current situation. While she¡¯d rather plan for the long-term, survival came first. If she couldn¡¯t survive, the future was moot. That left [Trapper] and [Mage]. She couldn¡¯t deny that [Mage] was the more appealing of the two. Who didn¡¯t want to be a [Mage]? Magic was awesome! She¡¯d always fantasized about magic and being able to control the elements, and now she was being given the opportunity! But she had to consider the possibility that taking the [Trapper] class might be more helpful for her short-term survival. If she was going to be alone in the wilderness for a while, it would be good to gain a class that allowed her to obtain food more easily. Yet, it wasn¡¯t like she was going to lose her ability to make traps just because she didn¡¯t accept the class. She could always take the [Mage] class and gain new skills while still using those she had to survive. It might be better if she was granted the ability to make water or fire through magic. Both water and fire would be important to her continued well-being. And the class would also likely give her much more offensive options. Besides, it was the class that offered the most bonus attributes on top of the three free points she already got per level. However, she did note the other options gave bonus experience ¨C something the [Mage] class did not provide. Ultimately, she had to go with her gut, and her gut was screaming at her to follow her dream. Was it immature? Probably. But that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t the best choice for her. Making her decision, Rayne selected [Mage] as her new class, immediately gaining a better understanding of mana and how it could be used. She also gained two new spells. The first was [Fireball], which allowed her to make a small ball of flames that could be directed at an opponent. Both the strength of the flame and the distance it could travel were impacted by the amount of mana spent and her Resolve, which functioned like willpower and directly influenced how easily spells could be cast and controlled. Her second new spell was [Minor Heal], which pleased her more than she wanted to admit. Most of what she¡¯d learned indicated healing spells weren¡¯t provided until later unless they were taught to a young [Mage] by someone else. Maybe whatever system controlled the world was more observant than she thought. Unfortunately, the cost of the spell was pretty high at 75 mana per cast. She would need to increase her mana if she had any hope of being able to use her spells effectively. She heard the sounds of the caravan pulling away, so she still had some time left before she could move. Rayne still hadn¡¯t assigned any of her free attribute points or skill points yet, but now that she had a class it made sense to start considering where they should be applied. With 15 attribute points available to assign, she added six to Mind, bringing it up to 15 and granting her 150 mana. That would allow her to cast the healing spell twice. She also added two points to Resolve since it seemed to be critical for spell creation and control. With seven points left, Rayne considered her stats and decided to shore up her physical weaknesses for now in order to improve her survivability. While she¡¯d like to just dump everything into her mental stats to make her attacks more effective, being a total glass cannon was not something she was comfortable with. Hopefully adding to the stats now wouldn¡¯t keep them from naturally increasing as she grew. After adding five to Vitality and two to Body, Rayne gasped as the changes began taking effect. The pain was overwhelming and she quickly found her vision fading as her consciousness retreated. Chapter Five Rayne opened her eyes. It was dark out, but she could see well enough to realize she was no longer huddled beneath the underbrush where she¡¯d lost consciousness. Instead, she found herself laying on a solid floor, surrounded by bars. Though nothing was hurting, she was afraid to move since she could hear others breathing nearby. Tears sprang into her eyes as the weight of defeat crashed down. She¡¯d failed to escape. Unable to stifle her sobs, Rayne cried. She wanted to be brave and strong, but she was just too weak. How had she been captured? She was well hidden! Even unconscious she should have been relatively safe. Maybe she could still get away. She¡¯d gained an offensive spell, after all. She could try to create a weak fire and burn through the wooden floor of whatever cart she was in. The thought slowed her tears, allowing her to breathe a bit easier. Even if she was burned a little, it would be okay since she could heal herself. Everyone was sleeping. She could ¨C ¡°There ain¡¯t no escaping, girl. Just settle yourself,¡± a rough voice sounded out from the darkness. She looked toward the voice and saw a shadowed form standing outside of her cage. The voice spoke again quietly, likely trying not to wake the others. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did, and don¡¯t care. Your life before is over and it¡¯s best you accept it. Do what you¡¯re told and life will be a lot easier for you.¡± She watched as the shadowy figure moved away. It felt like her throat was closing in on her as she tried to keep from making more sound. She was not comforted in the slightest by the man¡¯s words. Then again, comforting her might not have been his intent. She continued to sob, curling into herself to form a small ball. There was nothing else she could do. When her tears began to run dry, Rayne wished she could just go back to sleep. At least in sleep she would be free. It was only a matter of time before she figured out how to bring that freedom into reality. She would find a way, she was sure. Maybe this was supposed to be her challenge in this life. There had to be a purpose, right? She was supposed to progress somehow. That¡¯s what the voice had said anyway. It was supposed to be harder since she remembered, so this could just be the game of life in hard mode. She would figure it out. It was only ¨C She felt a nudge. ¡°Hey, wake up. It¡¯s time to go.¡± Rayne blinked. Somehow, she¡¯d actually managed to fall back asleep. Though, did passing out from leveling up actually count as sleep? Someone yanked her from her cage and deposited her roughly by a tree next to a crying child. She turned around and found herself face to face with a dark-haired woman who looked like she hadn¡¯t bathed in weeks. A small part of her brain felt relieved to be near another female, though that part was quickly overwhelmed by the reality that not all women were going to have positive feelings toward children. The woman sneered at her. ¡°What¡¯re you lookin¡¯ at? You like my tattoo or something?¡± Now that the woman mentioned it, Rayne noticed she did have an elaborate tattoo across her forehead. It looked a lot like some of the magical symbols she¡¯d seen in the pictures within the books she¡¯d read. Was her tattoo magical? If it was, what did it do? ¡°You¡¯ll be getting your own soon enough,¡± the woman scoffed. ¡°Do your business and hurry up. Don¡¯t even think about trying to run. If you do, they¡¯ll just break your legs so you can¡¯t.¡± After quickly relieving herself, Rayne was promptly shoved back into one of the caged carts with a handful of other children and ignored. She noticed that the captured adults were kept separate from the children and segregated by gender since there was a caged wagon for each. She also noted there were several more women than men, making Rayne wonder just how potential slaves were chosen. Were they simply crimes of opportunity, or was there something else going on? She was certain her abduction was planned by the [Baron]. Perhaps some of these others had been betrayed by their supposed protectors as well. She tried talking to the other children with her, but quickly gave up after being threatened by the [Slavers] every time she spoke. Consequently, the trip to their destination was long and boring. The forced silence did give her plenty of time to covertly test out one of her new spells though. She couldn¡¯t do much with [Fireball] since the light would draw too much attention. [Minor Heal], on the other hand, she was able to study and manipulate without anyone around her noticing. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Eventually, she managed to use her knowledge of the human body from her previous life and combine it with the inherent understanding of [Minor Heal] that she received along with the spell to create a new spell: [Directed Heal]. Unlike [Minor Heal], there was no set mana cost, allowing her to channel however much mana was needed to heal the injury focused on. [Directed Heal] did require her to know what the problem was though, as opposed to providing general healing like the other spell. Still, it would be immensely useful¡­ eventually. By the time they arrived at their destination nearly three weeks later, each of the cages was filled with slaves to the point that there was no longer any room to lay down comfortably. The slaves had only been fed one meal per day, though even that was better than Rayne expected. Even with the lack of sustenance, she didn¡¯t dare access the hidden storage ring for fear of having it discovered, though she did covertly heal all the children in the cart with her. Rayne felt like it was the least she could do since she had the ability to help. They were forced to clean themselves in a cold river outside of the city in order to ¡®make them more presentable¡¯, then promptly deposited into pens like they were nothing more than livestock upon entering. There were already tens of others there, waiting to be sold. Each of the adults were scanned with a crystal and separated into groups. Rayne wasn¡¯t sure what kind of categorization the [Slavers] used since the younger children were not subjected to the same kind of scan. It was most likely something like the [Priests] used to check her status, which made sense if you were looking at people like commodities. They probably wanted to split the groups into different class-types to make it easier for those looking for specific skills in their slaves. Not that the crystals had ever displayed actual skills, but knowing someone¡¯s class and level would be enough to infer their usefulness in certain fields. The slave auction was held a day later, with the men being sold first. As suspected, the first group of males auctioned were those with professional classes (of which there were few), followed by several men with servant-adjacent or laborer classes. The final group of men were those that could be used as a fighting force. After the last man was sold, the adult women without children were auctioned based on their classes, followed by those with children present. Buyers were given the option to purchase family groups (which they only considered as mother and child), though several opted to simply purchase the mother instead of keeping them with their children. After all the adult slaves were sold, the remaining children were brought to the platform. Unlike the adults, the children were not scanned and categorized based on their profiles. That was probably because nobody would expect a young child to already have a class. Rayne looked out at the crowd nervously. There were many more people than she anticipated. She thought the majority would have left already after making their purchases, but it appeared she was incorrect. As her ¡®turn¡¯ approached, Rayne looked over those in attendance, noticing a few who seemed interested in her. Recognizing the gaze of a few of the men made her stomach clinch and her skin crawl. There was no way she was going to leave with one of the creepy ones, even if she had to burn them with her weak [Fireball]. One man looked angry as he stared at her, his face growing redder the longer she looked. His anger confused her since it seemed focused solely on her. Did he know what she was thinking? When her turn came, she was pulled over to the man running the auction like those who had gone before her. Before the [Auctioneer] could even begin, the now livid man interrupted, his voice resonating above the crowd. ¡°How dare you attempt to sell a [Mage] as a slave!¡± he bellowed, causing a hush to fall over the crowd. The [Auctioneer] jumped away from her with a gasp before pulling out the crystal he¡¯d been holding earlier. The blood drained from his face as he stepped further away and raised his hands. ¡°I had no idea,¡± the [Auctioneer] exclaimed. ¡°We don¡¯t typically identify young children. It was a mistake.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were darting around, as if looking for a route to escape. His hands were shaking so badly that Rayne thought he would have likely dropped the crystal in his hand if he hadn¡¯t been holding it with a death grip. Rayne wondered if the same thing would have happened had she chosen one of the other available classes. Somehow, she doubted it. It seemed that [Mages] were treated differently than the rest of the population. Was that why commoners were not normally taught the requisite skills? She was quickly ushered off the stage and to the side while the [Auctioneer] was questioned by the other man. Rayne didn¡¯t catch everything that was said, but it seemed like the [Auctioneer] was blaming the whole thing on the group that brought her to the slave auction to be sold. It made sense. She wondered if the [Baron]¡¯s involvement in her attempted enslavement would be discovered. Would that even be a good thing? What if he took out his frustration on her family? The thought of them being targeted because of her caused the knot in her stomach to deepen. Was there anything she could do? Not only that, but what was going to happen to her? She had no idea what was going to happen to her now. Was she safe from becoming a slave, or was there some special format or process for [Mages] to become slaves? Even if she was free, where would she go? Going home would almost certainly cause more problems than it would solve. She just needed somewhere she could lay low for a handful of years until she was old enough to do¡­ anything, really. Whatever discussion the men were having must have ended since the [Auctioneer] was once again on the stage. She found the man who had yelled at him making his way toward her, a deep scowl on his lined face. When he reached her location, he stared at her for a moment before grunting. ¡°Good thing I picked out my new maid before I noticed you,¡± he grumbled before addressing her. ¡°Come on then. I guess you¡¯ll be coming with me too.¡± With no better options, Rayne quietly followed the man as he paid for and collected a woman who had been sold earlier, then climbed into a waiting carriage. Chapter Six Several long minutes of awkward silence passed while the man looked at Rayne with curiosity before he cleared his throat. Unlike [Geomancer] Stonecutter, the man¡¯s robes were not simple earthtone garments. Instead, they were embroidered with shining thread that seemed to illuminate intermittently as he shifted. The robe itself was black, causing the silver and yellow accents to stand out in sharp contrast. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being abrupt earlier. I am [High Mage] Elon Storm, representative of [Viscount] Manahel in the kingdom of Grant. Can you tell me about yourself and how you ended up here?¡± Rayne was surprised at the change in the man¡¯s demeanor. Though he tried to seem approachable, the underlying tension had not fully dissipated. She wondered how much she should tell him about herself. Clearly, she was no longer in her home kingdom. From her studies, she knew that the Grant kingdom neighbored the kingdom of her birth to the west, though she was unclear about the actual distance between the village she¡¯d grown up in and the border. Considering how long it took to travel the distance, it was likely quite far. Her being in a new kingdom might even be a good thing, considering the actions of her local [Baron]. Still, it wouldn¡¯t do any good to voice her assumptions regarding his actions. Making her decision, Rayne explained her background, the meeting with the [Baron], the conversation she overheard enroute to the capital, and her capture. She kept the details to a minimum but answered honestly when the [High Mage] asked about her class and spells. After a bit of consideration, Rayne also mentioned the additional spell she¡¯d learned while covertly practicing her spells during the long journey. [High Mage] Storm¡¯s eyebrows lifted as she spoke, especially when she mentioned creating her own healing spell. ¡°So, you have no formal training in magic but managed to qualify for a [Mage] class based on your own studies,¡± he said slowly. ¡°Then, you not only obtained a healing spell as one of your initial spells, which is very rare by the way, but you also managed to modify the spell to create a new healing spell on your own, with no guidance or assistance.¡± It sounded about right, though she didn¡¯t see what the big deal was. Did nobody experiment with their spells here? When she simply nodded, [High Mage] Storm made a strange noise and withdrew from the conversation. Rayne didn¡¯t mind, she had enough to think about from their short exchange. Knowing that healing spells were somewhat rare gave her a bit of confidence about the future. When they arrived at the [High Mage]¡¯s manor, he gave instructions to the man who greeted the carriage before abruptly departing. The [Majordomo] introduced himself and guided the two new arrivals inside the residence. While the new maid was led deeper into the home, Rayne was taken to a private room where a bath was being prepared. She sighed in relief, not bothered by the implication at all. Having experienced life in a modern world, Rayne hated being unclean for any length of time. She was grateful that the servants left her alone to bathe since it also gave her the opportunity to retrieve the spatial ring from the folds of her ruined dress. She didn¡¯t dare leave it sewn in since the dress would most likely find its way into an incinerator shortly, given its condition. Rayne fiddled with the shimmering ring for a few moments as she considered where she could hide it as she soaked in the warm water. The ring was much too large for her tiny fingers, but she slipped it on anyway out of curiosity. When she sent a thread of mana into the ring to look through the items, the ring immediately pulsed and shrank down to fit. Rayne couldn¡¯t help but to giggle a bit at the overt magic. Sure, she knew there was magic in this world. She had even interacted with it a bit since the world used magic instead of electricity to do things like cook and store food. Even so, this was the first time she¡¯d used something that was clearly magical. She still had a smile on her face when a female [Servant] knocked lightly on the door before entering with a small pile of clothes. Rayne quickly dressed in the provided dress and robe, both of which were white with small red accents. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. She wondered if the colors correlated to her spells, which would make a certain level of sense for identifying specialties. Still, it was a bit odd that the [Servants] were able to procure appropriately sized and colored robes so quickly. When the female [Servant] returned, Rayne asked how they managed such a feat and the [Servant] blushed shyly. ¡°I¡­ I have a skill for sewing. The Master left instructions. There is a meal prepared for you as well.¡± With a nod, Rayne followed the woman. ¡°You did a lovely job with the clothing. It fits perfectly. Thank you.¡± The [Servant] flushed once again but said nothing as she led Rayne into a room containing a small table. As soon as she sat, plates loaded with a variety of options were placed before her. There were several different cuts of meats with flavorful sauces and gravies, fresh fruits, slices of various cheeses, and a handful of different cooked vegetables, along with fresh bread that was still steaming. It was more than she would be able to eat in five meals, and for a moment she was a disappointed that her ring didn¡¯t have stasis. With a chuckle, she began eating. Everything was so good that she nearly cried in happiness. It had been so long since she ate well. Most of the time she¡¯d spent in captivity she was given scraps, so fresh food was a welcome change. When she finished, she was hit with a wave of exhaustion. Though she wanted to explore the manor, especially if there was a library she could peruse, she asked to be shown to a room so she could nap. The stress of the prior three weeks had finally broken, leaving her in need of a mental reset. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t given nearly as much time to nap as she¡¯d hoped. After what seemed like only minutes, Rayne was woken by a light knock on the door and summoned to the carriage waiting in front of the manor. She followed a bit reluctantly, though she was still grateful for the short rest she¡¯d been given. [High Mage] Storm was in the carriage waiting for her and smiled as she climbed inside. ¡°[Viscount] Manahel was happy to hear there was a new [Mage] with healing spells in the county, though he was upset to hear about the circumstances that brought you here. He wanted me to assure you that you will be valued and respected within our kingdom, and you need not worry about any unsavory business occurring as it appears to have before,¡± he said with a smile before his face became more serious. ¡°Unfortunately, there is little we can do about the situation in our neighboring kingdom. It would be for the best that your prior liege does not find out about your location for a while to avoid potential conflict.¡± ¡°I understand. It is safer for my family if they do not know where I am,¡± she said sadly. [High Mage] Storm frowned and shook his head. ¡°For now, at least. Let¡¯s get you settled here and we can readdress potential options after some time has passed. A carefully worded letter could serve to soothe any worries without drawing undue attention. I will discuss it with the [Priest] when we get to the temple.¡± The mention of going to the temple made her breath catch a bit. Aside from her school being located near the local temple, she did not have a positive feeling toward temples. The limited exposure to the [Priest] she¡¯d met before had not left a good impression. Seeing her discomfort, [High Mage] Storm began explaining the temple of the God of Healing and its purpose in helping those in need. Apparently, the city she was now in housed several temples dedicated to various members of the local pantheon. Since she had healing spells, she had been tentatively accepted by the Temple of the Healer. There was no mention of her having to become a [Priestess] or worship the god over the temple, though she remained a bit skeptical. According to the [High Mage], [Healers] taught at the Temple of the Healer had the strongest, most effective healing spells available, even if they later left to become [Adventurers] or for other reasons. Her other discomfort came from the knowledge that members of the pantheon were physical beings in this world, unlike what she¡¯d been taught during her life on Earth. Apparently, gods and goddesses would sometimes show up in person to interact with their followers. Rayne was unsure how to feel about that, unsure if their physical bodies made them seem more or less like deities. When they arrived at the temple, she was surprised to find it was much simpler and more functional than what she expected. There were also several individuals waiting at the entrance for them to arrive, each with a look of excitement. At first, Rayne was confused about what everyone was so excited about, until she realized that the people gathered were there for her. When she stepped out of the carriage, several people surrounded her, eager to say hello and welcome her to the temple. She was gently guided forward, away from where the [High Mage] had stepped aside to speak with one of the [Priests]. When she crossed the threshold under the archway of the temple, she felt a sudden rush of energy. The people surrounding her immediately fell silent and dropped to their knees. Rayne looked around in confusion, seeing no reason for the odd behavior aside from an older gentleman in pure white robes who stepped into the room. Unsure how to respond, Rayne was about to go to her knees to avoid offense when the man spoke, throwing her into a bit of a panic. ¡°An incarnator, huh?¡±