《Governor》 Chapter 1 How long has it been? Four days or two weeks? Time seemed irrelevant now, not mattering as much as it did back when Robin attempted to wake up an hour early so that she could arrive to work on time. Motivation drained from her mind and she spent the ticking hours emitting long sighs and counting the small patterns from the ceiling. Another dispirited sigh escaped her, pushing back the dark strands of hair away from her face, before shifting herself around the loveseat with the goal of finding another comfortable position to mope for the next few hours. After the 234th pattern, her hand blindly reached for the glass bottle filled halfway with deep red liquid and brought it to her lips. She drowned it like it was alcohol, which it was not from the blue glow enveloping her body momentarily before dissipating. During the past few days, she found drinking health potions to be a fantastic way to momentarily heal her stubborn ailments, before it came crawling back like a thorny vine. Her complexion did not reflect how heart seemed to writhe in phantom pains, nor did it show signs of fatigue except the dimness of her dark eyes. She took another gulp finishing off her 40th potion before the empty glass tumbled down on the plush carpet along with its brethren. At the edge of the loveseat, the butler closed his eyes helplessly at his Master¡¯s despondency, plaguing her for the past two weeks. He could not blame his own Master¡¯s anguish from being suddenly ripped away from her own world, or so she explained. He recalled her trembling form as she if she saw a ghost and her near-hysterical cries. She had sat in the throne room crying with broken figments of wanting to return home and mumbled denials of their existence. Even now, she seemed to be long lost in her own little world.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Master, pardon my intrusion but what do you plan on doing from now on?¡± There was a slight pause before Robin turned her dim eyes to his golden ones. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, honestly,¡± she softly answered. Her voice was laced with tiredness, and her eyes gave off a dazed look. Robin turned to her side to avoid Dorian silent gaze, her mind drifting back into her own world, away from what reality currently presented her. Dorian, the head butler could only acknowledge his Master¡¯s unresponsiveness and turned to open the curtains. The moonlight spilled into the room through the long-paned windows, and the stars painted the deep violet and blue galaxy. She¡¯s been sleeping more frequently this past week. ¡°The night is beautiful today too. Won¡¯t you come take a look, Master?¡± Dorian gently asked the unresponsive body. His attempt to spur her into doing something, yet again. Sensing that Robin paid no effort to move from the comfort of the loveseat, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s okay to grieve for yourself, however, you cannot always lament at your loss. Eventually, the time spent doing nothing is as detrimental as losing the one closest to you.¡± Silence permeated the dark room with only the moon as its source of light. The small body had not moved from its initial position and Dorian could only lightly shake his head before heading towards the door. Only did he leave, did the seat shifted with Robin fixing her composure. She looked languid, but her eyes were not as dim as before staring at the darkened skies. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± she weakly whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve been pathetic this whole time. My brother would have scolded me until the other side of the world heard him if I were back home.¡± She clenched her hands. ¡°But I¡¯m not.¡± The moon glowed deathly pale, casting ominous shadows in the room. Compared to the moon back on Earth, this moon was twice as large and rendered it impossible for her not to look at it. Robin recalled Dorian¡¯s earlier statement. His words held a spoonful of truth; not wasting precious time moping around, but she found it so difficult to have any sort of motivation to carry on the day. Even waking up seemed like a chore, much less focusing on the exchange of conversation between her and Dorian. Her thoughts easily wandered and she spaced out quite frequently as though her mind seemed to be a bit unable to digest the reality of now. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make another effort tomorrow,¡± she mumbled, before letting out another exhausting sigh. Chapter 2 The very next day, Robin reacquainted herself with her future comrades or servants as they regarded themselves. Robin took it with a large cup of black coffee, or the lethargic and disgustingly slugginess would dull her mind, leading to her forgetfulness and inability to concentrate. As she gazed at the assortment of colorful individuals, she realized she never took initiative to fully understand her surroundings or her personally declared ¡°servants¡±. The idea of commanding a long list of loyal servants felt alien to her, so much that her shoulders were starting to ache from the stiff posture she endured when greeting them. Her brother¡¯s in-game servants were unique in their own ways, except they had only one thing in common: imprinted loyalty. Quite a bit unnerving. She couldn¡¯t help think, taking another gulp of the bitter coffee. The blood in her system tingled, notifying the caffeine was doing a splendid job at keeping her more awake than she had been for the past two weeks. She felt more awake unless it was all in her head. It occurred to be more peculiar that all of her new acquaintances were not her own servants from the same game she played. They belonged to her brother, yet revered her as their own biological Master who created them. As it wasn¡¯t unnerving enough, the thought of assassinating her in her sleep riled her alertness even more. She didn¡¯t care if they declared their loyalty to her, calling her ¡®Master¡¯ or bowing every time she entered a room. It was why Robin couldn¡¯t stomach such dramatized situation she was forcibly dragged into. They were alien to her, unable to connect with them considering they were from a game. So it seemed reasonable that Robin herself would think she was mad. Delusional even. However, upon glancing at Quinn, the stunning violet-haired woman, a single neuron in her brain flared up. It was definitely her brother¡¯s character, no doubt from the time she watched him play or in their frequent conversation brought up from time to time. A sense of heaviness always settled in her heart whenever she thought about her brother. They were nearly 10 years apart yet, they were very close, so much that Robin invested a lot of time to play the same games as him just to be a bit closer despite their age gap. Hence, Robin¡¯s current situation where she magically appeared from thin air in her brother¡¯s castle. Whether it was a stroke of luck or bad luck, she couldn¡¯t cry over it anymore as Dorian pointed out in a non-offensive way. Robin bitterly smiled at how ironic her situation was and glanced at his servants. This was the product of his effort from his invested time, borderline addiction. ¡°Master¡± Quinn repeated. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Her genial voice pulled Robin away from her wandering thoughts. ¡°Yeah I''m fine, you can continue.¡± Robin turned her attention back to the servants lined neatly in the throne room. This time she made more of an effort to listen to Quinn''s detailed report. Quinn nodded and continued, ¡°The perimeter has been secured. As for our location, currently, we are located on a grassy flat land. From the north of where we are, the mountains will be our natural barrier from any northern invasions. Towards the east, lies a freshwater river cutting through the plains and near the south lies a few small inhabitants.¡± ¡°Inhabitants?¡± Robin furrowed her brows. ¡°Correct, Master. I have already sent Ibaraki and Moei to investigate. They should be arriving in the evening.¡± Ibaraki? Moei? The names sounded familiar. It took her to momentarily figure out that Ibaraki was also a servant of her own account that she had luckily drawn from the gatcha banner. Apparently, he was quite overpowered after learning from her brother¡¯s enthusiastic and undeniable shock after drawing it on the first try.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He¡¯s an SSR rank and so is Quinn¡­Dorian, and probably Moei¡­ Her gaze unconsciously shifted to the violet-haired beauty. Just how much money did he spend on the game? She¡¯d rather not know. As for the inhabitants, Robin was quite curious about the nearest life sentiments. She wondered if they were the same as homo sapiens. She understood the fact that was no longer on Earth, but it did not mean she could be able to readily accept it. For all she knew, they may not be like homo sapiens or another species entirely. Robin frowned. Far away from Earth in an unknown land meant unavoidable fear of the unknown. Her jaw unconsciously tightened, and she wondered if this was how the first explorers felt upon stomping their foot in an unknown land. Was she scared, like the sailors traveling the seven seas? Very. However, Robin was no fool to let her fear of the unknown manifest into ignorance. Ignorance was far worse than fear, and she strongly believed knowing what laid ahead to be the only way to conquer her fears. Don¡¯t be so naive and ignorant around you just because you refuse to face your fears. Her brother¡¯s scolding resounded in her ears, her hands unclenched itself, and she visibly started to relax even if it was just a tad bit. ¡°Quinn, what do you think we should do?¡± Robin asked, turning to look at her purple eyes. The sudden change in her Master¡¯s composure caused Quinn to be a bit surprised. If Quinn were to put it into simple words, her Master matured a bit. A gentle smile graced her elegant face. ¡°As of right now, there is nothing necessary to be done. We can only wait for Ibaraki and Moei¡¯s report.¡± ¡°I see. Then, do you have any idea how I can go back to my world?¡± Robin questioned, even if she knew Quinn would be unable to answer her. It didn''t hurt to ask. ¡°I must apologize, Master. Currently, we are unable to find any clues of your apparent arrival or a way to send you back.¡± It was expected however, Robin wondered for what purpose was she brought into this world in the first place. Also, why was she placed as the master of her brother¡¯s in-game servants? The pieces did not fit much less have any relations with one another. It was as though Robin was trying to connect two puzzle pieces together but they came from two different boxes. Her head began to throb, trying to assemble some form of plan. No way to go home, and magically appearing in another world; the predicament seemed very? As she was racking her head, a thought flashed across her mind, making her internally cringe at the sense familiarity. Robin was slightly acquainted with a variety of Japanese light novels, mostly the worldly transportation amidst multiple overpowered protagonists and the notorious harem included. A hobby rubbed off on her from her brother. Brother...no ¡°Oh my god,¡± she muttered, unable to avoid the inevitable facepalm. Her face burned in embarrassment and her brain short-circuited at the incredulity of her situation. ¡°Master, is everything alright?¡± Quinn¡¯s motherly voice was laced with concern with her bending down to check on Robin. ¡°N-nothing!¡± Robin secretly hoped that her situation was not the same as the Japanese light novels she was well acquainted with. Another idea flashed through her mind. ¡°Status?¡± As she anticipated, a user interface appeared before her, with a downloading bar accompanied on the side. The bar filled up to 90% percent with an estimated one week wait before it completely filled. She attempted to access her inventory but found it was locked before a message popped up. Until world resources have been downloaded, all user functions will be locked. Perplexed, Robin scratched her head. Her eyes landed on her physical status with errors littered all over the specialized categories. It seemed she couldn¡¯t access them for now, and with the shake of her head the floating user interface dispersed. She didn¡¯t want to clutter her head with any more confusing information and decided to put it aside for now. The only option currently, was to wait for the program to finish downloading, or whatever it was. But, that allowed her to conclude her initial hypothesis. World transferring and status boxes were the eminent tropes from many ¡®isekai novels¡¯. Quinn took the chance to ask her Master if something was amiss. She had observed her muttering something under her breath and her eyes seemed to be wandering from left to right as if she had been reading something. Though, she had a feeling Master was checking something that could only be seen by her, she did not dare disturb her until she sensed her Master had finished. ¡°Master, is everything alright?¡± Quinn asked. She was quite curious as what made her Master looked so intrigued. ¡°No, everything is fine. I was just checking out my status,¡± she explained. She paused in thought, before asking. ¡°Are you able to access your status and inventory?¡± Quinn nodded. ¡°Yes. Shall I display them for you?¡± ¡°Please.¡± It seemed Quinn¡¯s status page was accessible compared her own restricted page. As she scanned through her stats, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp at how loaded her brother¡¯s servants were using Quinn as a basis. Quinn an elemental mage, was not particularly strong compared to a dimensional mage like Aninese, especially when it came to mobility. But as she scanned through her stats and equipment, Robin can see how much her brother invested his precious time grinding and refining the already top tiered equipment. Robin backed away and willed the status to disperse. A sense of awkwardness rushed over her, now that she possessed multiple of her brother¡¯s servants. It was as though she obtained a priceless treasure and felt stumped at how to proceed. For sure, she would not proceed like the main characters from the novels. They were not how real life worked, not some fantasy driven entertainment. Robin had a solid goal: going home. Another question occurred causing an inexplicable dread swelled in heart, and her face to drain of color. Did I die? Chapter 3 It was impossible...was it? Robin clearly remembered her last moments on Earth, taking a shower, calling her brother, and going to bed. There was no way she could have died, but then unexplained deaths were not uncommon. Biting the bottom of her lips, she reasoned with herself from panicking. Her health was exemplary, frequenting the gym during the weekends, eating three meals a day, and sleeping for at least 8 hours. Therefore, she crossed the idea of reincarnation from her checklist and stood by world transferring. As for why she was forcibly dragged into an unknown world, the reason remained unknown with question marks surrounding it. She forced the unanswered questions to the ends of her mind, knowing it would create a bundle of anxiety and paranoia. The evening passed by like a breeze, with Robin checking out the premises. Even after two weeks of her stay, she had holed up in the bedroom, either crying in self-pity or gazing blankly into space. Now, she took the liberty of checking out her brother¡¯s stash and speculated her brother was very well off in the online world, however upon entering the currency vault, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine the amount of gold and other exquisite miscellaneous piled up high could be enough to squash an elephant. It was embarrassing recalling her self-deprecating moments, but her mental state wasn¡¯t in the tip-top shape as any realist could get. Only a delusional fool could wholeheartedly ignore the rational panics and denial after being ripped through space and time to land in a mysterious world. Unless they suffered from¨C ¡°Master, Ibaraki and Moei have returned,¡± Dorian announced. As if the timing wasn¡¯t perfect enough, two figures swiftly arrived on the scene from thin air, nearly causing Robin to spill steaming hot tea over her thighs. A tall demonic man with gleaming red horns protruded from his long silvery white hair, with a fair and delicate brunette with long antlers, paid their respects. They kneeled on the plush red carpet and expressed their unwavering loyalty, placing Robin in yet another awkward situation of placating their exaggerated introduction. The formality would take time getting used to, for the sake of her own ego. ¡°We should head back to the throne room so that everyone else would be able to know the situation,¡± Robin suggested. ¡°As you wish,¡± Dorian replied with a bow, before leading the three into the throne room. It took not even five minutes before the throne room was filled with all of her brother¡¯s servants. She recognized a lot of them, especially the SSR ones since she could never summon them. Also, the thin film of golden ambiance given off from their bodies did nothing to hide that very fact. A mini census could be conducted at the amount of SSR characters her brother laid his hands on. She sighed internally in her heart at how lucky her brother was to summon such amazing characters from the seasonal banners and draw pools. Robin knew firsthand the draw rates were 1 percent for SSR characters, so being amazed about the sheer luck or unimaginable amount of intrinsic currency caused her heart to ache. It has to be from the money. There¡¯s no way he has this amount of sheer luck, considering his current circumstance... ¡°Your benevolence, we conducted a thorough investigation on the nearest life sentiment,¡± Ibaraki began. He handed Dorian a parchment scroll tied by a red string, before handing it to Robin. ¡°This is a map!¡± she exclaimed in surprise, dragging her eyes over the fine lines that resembled the human veins trailing over mountain peaks, rivers, and surrounding kingdoms. The scent of ink lingered slightly in the air, and the vividness could be seen making it to be freshly drawn. ¡°Do you have cartography as your side job?¡± Robin asked. Only cartographers had the ability to draw maps, thus why maps were always in great demand when scouting for new territories to exploit. ¡°No, Master. I brought along Titus, our cartographer along with us.¡± Ibaraki explained. ¡°Oh.¡± For a moment, Robin thought that Ibaraki, a demonic battle maniac had the unusual side job of a cartographer placed by her brother. But upon hearing the familiar name Titus, her questioning gaze subsided. Titus was part of the ¡°utility¡± players received upon upgrading their domain to level 15. She almost forgot about him, since Robin had only enough time to check the currency vault.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Quinn didn¡¯t inform me about taking Titus with you.¡± Wasn¡¯t Titus stationary just like in the game? How could he move him? But a thought appeared in her mind, washing away her initial notion. This isn¡¯t a game anymore. This is reality. Which means...no one is limited or completely restricted by a sequence of loops and sequential commands. ¡°I apologize in advance, but I came to the realization that Master may have wanted a series of records from our trip and a map, thus I took the liberty of inviting Titus along. I was unable to report it to Quinn since I didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on the given mission.¡± The silver-haired demon explained, his reverence shone through in every single word, allowing a troubled look to flash across Robin¡¯s face. Despite how he looked or how the description presented him as a battle maniac, Ibaraki was quite astute, so much that she praised him many times in her heart in being able to anticipate what was necessary. If he were to work at her company, he¡¯d be part of the board of directors managing the next project. ¡°That¡¯s very impressive. I¡¯ll have to thank you, Ibaraki You also have my thanks Moei and Titus.¡± Robin didn¡¯t forget to leave out the rest of Ibaraki¡¯s travel companions. ¡°Your words are too kind, your benevolence,¡± Ibaraki replied, kneeling on his knee to express his sincerity. Quinn however, seemed to be a bit upset as Robin saw her hands slowly clench from her peripheral vision. Puzzled, Robin could not think of anything wrong. Wait. Did he just say that he didn¡¯t want to stall his mission for even another second, yet he suddenly appeared in the office from thin air? Could he have left the fact that he purposely not mention to Quinn? A firm line formed on Robin¡¯s lips. Her praise was now directed at how sly and cunning the demon was. She could be wrong, but she highly doubt it judging from the small smirk appearing on his face and from the irritation emanating from Quinn at her side. She decided to ignore it for now and turned towards Ibaraki. ¡°What else did you take note of?¡± ¡°There was nothing particularly special from the small population of humans. They all carry some form of magical conduit and did not display any form of praise-worthy technological advances that G-Moon03 exhibits. From my observations, magic performed by the residing population were used to perform mundane tasks, while more complicated tasks require heavily on special artifacts such as displacing the landscape or removing large slabs of rocks.¡± Robin hummed before voicing out her thoughts. ¡°That''s very interesting. I can see why they choose to invest more in magic.¡± The fact also remained, dependency on one subject would hinder the growth of other subjects. Robin had often pondered about magic back when she was in middle school. Then in high school where she often daydreamed, but it became more theoretical after she learned about physics, biology, and chemistry. Magic is an anomaly in the realist world of hers. Magic brings in an endless supply of potential. I wonder if there is a limit or some kind of natural law and order. Just like how secular Earth had its own set of laws, Robin hoped that this world''s law would be more lenient. If so, it was not impossible to tear time and space to get back home. Yet the very outcome may not be as pleasant, but it didn¡¯t hurt to hope and try. A grin slowly appeared on her face. A sense of excitement and curiosity washed over her that had not been present for a very long time. Her fingers twitched in anticipation to test and try something. Robin now had another goal; dissecting the entity called magic. ¡°Ibaraki please tell me more about your observations.¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°You mentioned that everyone had at least some sort of capability to use magic. Were you able to gauge the strongest magic user?¡± ¡°Yes, Moei had scanned the area and recorded that almost everyone displayed their ability to use magic except for children around the age of 7 and younger. We also felt fluctuations of magic in different frequency, and only 5 displayed cases where their frequency ranged high. If we were to compare them to us servants, they''d be comparably weak.¡± ¡°That''s amazing. Good job.¡± Robin praised. The data recorded was very detailed and displayed their amazing diligence that even company managers would praise. ¡°Another thing, did you take any kind of census?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. Moei had been tasked with all recordings.¡± Ibaraki nodded. The stoic brunette stepped forward before taking out a gigantic stack of books thick enough to rival an encyclopedia. The books levitated and landed on the side of the throne. Magic is so useful. Robin hummed and carefully opened the first book before nearly choking on the number of detailed recordings. When she meant detailed, traces of unnecessary dialogues between the settlers and their actions were recorded that may as well be praised by a historian rather someone who wanted a quick summary. This was not close to a census, but it did reveal a brief context about the people. Robin concluded that she did not want to read this, no matter how endearing Moei seemed to be serious about her work. ¡°Moei I''ll read them later, but it''ll really help if you could summarize a few of my questions,¡± Robin said as she stacked the book back on the side. ¡°Understood. From Master¡¯s initial question, Moei has taken a census. There are around 15,000 humans, however, Moei was unable to deduce which were residents or travelers.¡± Though her face remained stoic, her voice was soft and delicate making her seem like an ideal maiden. Though Robin was slightly stunned at the young brunette speaking in third person, it nonetheless gave off a naive and innocent charm to her. Well that''s a relief. I don''t have to be as cautious if the sampling showed that only two of the 1500 people are avid at magic. ¡°About the 5 people, what level do you think they were in terms of the monsters in Afrein?¡± ¡°Moei thinks they are around level 45 slimes,¡± the brunette answered. Strangely Moei¡¯s answer brought a mesh of disappointment and happiness stirring in her guts. Level 45 slimes were pretty weak when the max level of every character was level 145 excluding evolution stages. Hypothetically, the settlers did not pose a threat, which meant it¡¯ll be easier to exploit and find answers quickly than her initial plan to build trust and do all kinds of unnecessary things. Wait what am I thinking? She quickly stopped in her tracks and vanquished her thoughts. It started to become muddled with her selfish and impulsive desires. However, it also meant she was starting to regain herself back; back to the same old habits of executing plans that only benefitted her. The impulse to slowly control that temporarily faded into the background started to reappear from the cracks. The trauma suffered upon coming to this world has caused a collapse in her confidence, but slowly it would emerge. Robin let out a breathy sigh before making up her mind. ¡°I want to go and see this settlement tomorrow.¡± Chapter 4 Robin furrowed her brows as she tapped her fountain pen against the parchment paper. She thanked the gods that pens were accessible in this world, as she didn¡¯t want to deal with the drippy feathered quill. Currently, she was taking notes about Ibaraki and Moei¡¯s report in the throne room. It was a habit to re-organize information, by taking down on paper for Robin during her time at college.
  1. Currency in Afrein holds the same intrinsic value of this world.
  1. Language foreign but can be understood by us. Written messages are auto-translated. English is auto-translated when speaking to others. Seems something like language acquisition type ability. Origin is unknown [need to figure it out]
  2. Residents are strangely hygienic and don''t seem to be as malnourished
  3. They have a centralized power and practice feudalism, with the king in power.
  4. An adventurers guild available like any other settings in world transfer novels.
  5. Is slavery legal probably two kinds?
  6. A lot of magical stones which is used for daily life.
  7. 8. A guild exists and so do adventurers.
As she finished jotting down the last word, she took the blue colored stone from the pile of colorful stones. Of the pile, some ranged in the size of a pebble to the size of a doorknob. She turned to the wooden container containing a viscous liquid that reminded Robin of honey. From what Moei described, it was magical glue used to stick magic stones on other inanimate objects and did not obstruct the flow of mana. However, it had other uses besides sticking magic stones together, like using it as a magical conductor. The merchants sold it for 10 silvers, and it could be seen sold in multiple stores. Just from the amount sold, Robin concluded that it may have been easily mass produced. The colored stones laid on the desk had their own unique functions too. She was acquainted with these stones because they were often used to upgrade and create low-level weapons and equipment. They had plentiful uses in Afrein and were quite cheap depending on the quality. The stones currently laid on the desk were not as bright and clear compared to the ones found in her brother¡¯s inventory. The blue stone was small around the size of a half dollar and held a dull blue color. The duller the color, the lower the quality the stone was. She picked up another dull looking stone of the same size and color and placed them equidistant from one another. Before continuing, she cleared the desk of any papers and had Quinn come closer. Taking the thick viscous liquid, she drew a line connecting the two stones. ¡°Quinn please touch one end of the stone and try to pour a little bit of mana.¡± In an instant, the stone at the other end, glowed lightly as water started to gush out from both ends. ¡°Master...is this how a conductor works?¡± Quinn asked, astonishment prevalent on her face. She quickly retreated her hands to prevent any more water from escaping. Robin nodded in response, a small smile rising up. ¡°I''m guessing you''re the battery while the glue is the conductor. When you transmitted your mana, the stone processed it and because the glue was present, the current of mana probably flowed until it reached the other stone.¡± She paused trying to think of how the process worked scientifically. To be honest Robin did not understand the inner workings of how the process occurred and even if it wasn''t related to mana, she still wouldn''t be able to explain what the ions were doing if it were electricity instead. She only had a general picture for now. As for the mana, Robin currently did not possess any. If she did, her body would have felt significantly different, but she did note consuming liquids or solids containing mana did not affect her adversely, hence she took health potions like it was a formidable painkiller. She turned to look at the amount of water that had formed, enough to be an accidental spill. It was quite a lot of water for a low tier magic stone. What would happen if she used a mid tier and high tier stone? Robin internally shuddered at the thought of using the high tier stones that were the size of a doorknob. The output may flood the entire place or at least fill up a resort swimming pool. She recorded the data on a clean sheet of paper before continuing to test the light element stone. She reached to replace the blue colored stone with the clear ones and found it was stuck to the viscous glue. Like hard plastic from a hot glue gun after drying, the glue kept the stone in place. The light golden hue turned a bit orange and was now stuck to the office desk. Luckily with a bit of force, she tugged at the blue stone before it popped and replaced it with the clear stones in its place.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. As expected, both ends flowed like two light bulbs and excreted mild thermal energy. She quickly jotted it down, drawing a neat table from her observations. Before long, she compiled her data regarding the low tiered magic stones. She decided to conduct more experiments later but for now, the present data collected would suffice.
Type of Stone [Low-Tier] Output Displayed
Water Stone
  • Creates a puddle of water, [measure amount later]
  • Pressure can be adjusted from the output of mana
Light Stone
  • Generates light and mild thermal energy [no instrument to measure lux]
  • Comparable to an incandescent light bulb
  • Grows hotter the more mana expended, and brighter
Fire Stone
  • Creates a small flame around the same size as a normal sized candle
  • As more mana is expended, the hotter the flame gets [blue flame]
Earth Stone
  • No initial reaction
  • Needs catalyst [soil and a seed needs to be present]
  • [conduct more research later]
Dark Stone
  • Creates a small vacuum
  • Similar to a black hole, but miniature
  • Absorb light? [Inconclusive conclusion]
Out of all the magic stones, the dark-colored stone was the one that gained the most attention. Robin held the small obsidian-like stone in her hand and held it up under the light. It gleamed due to its shiny luster, the dark color hiding much of the impurities lodged in the stone. Other than the magic stones, the glue was a peculiar interest for Robin. She couldn''t remember anything about the glue in Afrein. ¡°This glue holds amazing properties,¡± Robin muttered, tapping at her chin. She pondered for a moment staring intently at the dried line of glue on the desk. ¡°No matter. Let¡¯s move on.¡± Aside from the language acquisition that Robin had yet to unravel, she took out a few books that Ibaraki and Moei purchased. Like many Japanese world-traveling novels, Robin read the context with ease. Frankly, she was pleased because it helped overcome a tremendous barrier if she planned to travel and search for clues related to returning home. The first book was about the fundamentals of magic, with a short prelude about the basic history of Xaexaviel Empire. The cover was made from some animal skin, akin to leather and the pages were coarse but durable enough for the ink not to bleed into the next few pages. The borders of the each and every page were decorated with interesting monsters and weird hybrid animals coupled with a few robed people. The written language held a unique aesthetic and showed no signs of any oriental symbols rather it reminded Robin of ancient Arabic scriptures with a few alterations. After a few pages in, Robin had gotten the gist of the history behind the magic but remained skeptical of the authenticity relating to their founding. A few parts were over exaggerated, but this was expected since it was not a history book. A few writing errors were present when she read through some of the sentences because it sounded awkward and held noticeable spelling-errors when auto-translated. She disregarded those few errors since they were all handwritten, but it became troubling if any more errors occurred once she encountered the actual principles of the magic subtext. ¡°Magic is the manifestation that derives from mana used by all life forms of Cria. For magic to manifest, mana is a mandatory prerequisite. While all life contains mana flowing through them, the human body is a form of catalyst to utilize mana and transform it into a functional form, whether physically or mentally. [...] Depending on the natural law of each biome and environment, mana changes into different forms that correlate to provide environment adaptability. For example, in an area where volcanoes and lava are common, mana molds itself to be more compatible with fire and earth attributes. Thus, many species in this particular environment are mostly of fire and earth elements. This adaptability allows significant leverage and sets a basis of resistances, magic attack, and physical appearances.¡± The book held amazing insight than what Robin had initially given credit for. To a degree, the magic book contained very similar concepts Robin recalled from her biology course and familiar budding ideas of evolution and a little bit of basic chemistry. In other words, mana may be this world¡¯s form of the backbone of all life or an addition to the building blocks. Robin leaned back against the cushioned armchair, tapping her finger against the armrest. In her mind, she was pondering over if mana had some sort of relations to atoms and such. If mana is the building block of all life; if I forcibly exclude that from a living organism, will it still survive? The laws of the world are still undiscovered or premature, even if Robin did not finish reading the book. She had a hunch how the rest would be and decided to put it off for now. They had amazing potential, but most of it remained untapped. She had no wish to be like the protagonist of many worlds traveling novels, with simply accepting that magic exists, therefore its magic. Actually, Robin wanted to clash two totally different entity together and see what would happen. Time traveling and energy went hand in hand. The possibility of using mana to bend time almost as if folding a clean sheet of paper seemed feasible. Though that would require a numerous amount of energy and resources. As for where she would get the resources and research needed, required a large facility. Quinn and the rest of the servants were very bright, but they lacked the intuitiveness and creativity. They were like soldiers, occasionally thinking of themselves for the benefit of their leading commanders, and if not, listened to every command given. She needed eccentrics, amazingly smart eccentrics, the madder the better. If she ever scouted them and hired them under her wing, future expenditures would require lodging, food, and stress-relieving resources to keep them in shape, mentally and physically. Only a large country could support the tremendous amount of resources required, such as America during the Cold War and the Great Space Race. It provided a very good model of some sort. She suddenly recalled a very famous Japanese novel, with the protagonist having formidable skills from his game character, and building up his own country. The recollection suddenly introduced an interesting idea for Robin. If she were to follow in his footsteps, it may possibly allow her to research and gather data. The plan required a tremendous amount of resources, energy and research. Only a country was able to support that. It¡¯s not good to impulsively follow something from a book, but still a viable option. She sighed, resting her head on her hand her gaze lingering at the open window. The moon glowed brilliantly just like her first night, accompanied by a sea of stars. Her sudden plan to find a way home held gaping holes with failure etched in them. Even if she managed to successfully execute it, the correct outcome she wanted would only prove to be just barely a sliver. However, Robin firmly held her hopes in magic and science, so she may one day see her brother again. There is light at the end of every tunnel. Chapter 5 The next day, Robin prepared herself to embarked on the short journey to the small settlement with the intention to check a few things out. She wanted to verify a few things before taking the initiative in erecting a country. She hadn¡¯t disclosed this to any of the servants yet, but that was because she is currently still deciding. The idea of forming a country seemed unstable. There was no need to create a country, rather just a large research institute. That posed a pressing question in whether Robin should create a large research institute, but then she needed the exchange of ideas, contracts, treaties, large-scale food production, and consolidated power in order for foreign powers to resign to her demands. In the end, it was all about power, strength, population size, and economic force that allowed for successful research. She rather not focus too much on it during this time, but rather considered what her next step would be after experiencing what life was truly like out in this world. It would allow a great amount of context before any further plans could be conducted. In order to not be overly conspicuous resulting unwanted attention of the settlers, Robin decided dress plainly with a dark brown cape over her shoulders. She paired it with a set of breathable and comfortable high boots that reached a few inches under her knees. She also brought along a messenger bag, composing of 12 inventory slots, four slots occupied with a notebook, pen, snacks, and gold. She patted the area where the concealed pockets laid, feeling the outline of her pocket knife and pepper spray. From where the pepper spray came from, it was a special event item needed for some quests. It seemed the only redeemable part of Afrein¡¯s events were its unique set of quest drops that usually included weird modern miscellaneous. However, she could not deny their useful functionality that it provided. It may have been sheer luck Robin stumbled upon it and may help her greatly against physical assault. Since Robin did not have any mana running through her veins, nor did she display amazing physical strength like the rest, Quinn request to accompany her. However, Robin rejected her and offered Ibaraki and Moei to be her bodyguard and tour guide, which Quinn relented. Robin stretched her arms and headed toward the giant marble altar, its main use to teleport players to any location from where a previous landmark had been placed. Basically, any place a player had traveled to and took the liberty to embed a specific landmark stone on the ground would bookmark the location. Robin couldn¡¯t be any more amazed at the servant¡¯s insight, deep conflicting emotions arising from her. I¡¯m too undeserving of them. The thought of having formidable followers with a weak-willed leader leading them was disheartening. But it only made resolve her to work even harder. I¡¯m going to have to work overtime huh. She dryly smiled as Quinn and Dorian¡¯s figures faded from her consciousness. Only to wind up vomiting her breakfast upon arriving at the edge of the settlement. The world spun, as Ibaraki and Moei called out to her in worry etched in usual impassive faces. To think teleporting would have severe side-effects on her body, had sprouted a new type of PTSD. Oh god. Why is that big rock bending? Robin¡¯s face drained of color and struggled to keep her composure. Her head felt like it was being ripped apart, with the world swirling and bending. Luckily, Moei took out a status ailment, which Robin chugged down in an instant. Suddenly, everything stilled and her headache resided leaving with only a refreshing feeling. Robin was left gasping for large breath of air as her eyes refocused at the large brown wall from a reasonable distance. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she forced out, picking herself back up. She patted her clothes from any dust and reorganized any creases. Before taking another step, Ibaraki and Moei transformed into their more human appearances. Their horns and intricate markings faded away as though they never existed in the first place, and their oriental clothing were replaced with an outfit similar to her own. They retained the same hair color of silver and brown, however, their eyes were slightly duller than they were before, less demonic and more human. Even after hiding their original appearances, they retained a sort of allure and distinctive charm. ¡°By the way, did you guys explore the settlement with the same appearance?¡± Robin asked, stopping in her tracks. Moei shook her head, ¡°Moei and Ibaraki snuck in and assimilated with the rest of the people by changing our appearance different from how we look now. We didn¡¯t want the guards in the main entrance to search us for the fear of being found out that we are not human. Furthermore, Moei does not like others touching the body given by Master.¡± The brunette explained, the corners of her mouth frowning at the last sentence. ¡°I see. However, I plan to enter through the front gate instead of sneaking in. And about searching our body, we can always ask a female to search instead and maybe put away any weapons in your inventory.¡± Robin took out her dagger and handed it to Ibaraki. ¡°Could you please put this in your inventory. I don¡¯t want any miscommunication to occur if they found out I have pepper spray and a dagger hidden." As they reached the front gates leading into the settlement, they were halted by a few guards. ¡°Please show us your identification.¡± One of the guards approached her group, intending to scan if they held any sort of intent. Judging by his actions and language, the middle-aged guard seemed adept in his job.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°We don¡¯t have any sort of identification, sir. Is there any way to register for one?¡± Robin inquired. She made sure not to move her arms or move in any way that deemed her suspicious. The guard nodded, before answering, ¡°There is, but it will require a fee. You¡¯d have to come to the station to register and pass a few body searches.¡± She nodded in understanding before following the guard to the station. They entered through the gates but was strictly lead into a wooden building with a few open windows as ventilation. Upon entering the wooden building, a gruff man in his 40s welcomed the guard named Abel. He smoked tobacco from a pipe and one of his eyes was covered by an eye patch making his overall profile intimidating. His arms were bulky and hairy, with scars littering all over it probably a reminder of his younger and dangerous days. ¡°Able what brings you here?¡± the man took a quick look behind Able before coming to a quick understanding. ¡°New people to register for identifications?¡± He got up and headed back into the small compartment before bringing out a large white orb before placing it on the reception desk. ¡°Young lass, place your hand on the orb.¡± His voice was a bit hoarse, probably due to the tobacco. Robin did as she was told, placing her hand on the cool orb before it glowed a light blue. A few words appeared inside the orb, wavering in instability. They were automatically translated, revealing her basic occupation, race, and age. Cold sweat formed on her back as her heart trembled in anxiousness. Ibaraki and Moei were not human, so they would be instantly found out. Would they? As removed her hand per the request of the gruff man, she watched him take the orb back inside before returning back with a card. ¡°Keep this with you at all times, lass. If you lose it, you¡¯ll have to pay 5 silvers to get another one. This card is your ticket in and out of this town, and since you¡¯re not a citizen of this town some places will be restricted for travelers.¡± He explained, taking another puff from his pipe, before coughing in a fit. Her nose wrinkled at the dense smell of tobacco and also the pathogens from his mouth. ¡°How do we become citizens of this town?¡± The man pounded his fist lightly against his chest, before taking another puff from his pipe. He seemed more annoyed, probably from her pestering. ¡°Lass, if you want to be a citizen of this town, you¡¯ll have to take an examination at the Kingdom¡¯s bureau. But since you don¡¯t have any occupation it¡¯ll be harder for you. Mages and strong adventures have the priority to register as citizens first before normal kids like you. There¡¯s a long wait list, for people like you and usually takes up to a year or two.¡± The old man had turned his attention away from Robin and instead went to refill his pipe. Robin ignored his rude behavior, probably because it wasn¡¯t the first time he dealt with pestering people who asked too many questions. He seemed to be a man of few words and more of a man who didn¡¯t give a damn. She looked at the id card in her hands, flexing it to see if it retained its durability. It had the same sheen and texture of plastic but doubted it was made from plastic. After all, plastic required natural oil and would have to go through some sort of chemical process. However, she was slightly curious how the card formed in that small compartment using the orb. It was a shame the process was behind the small room in the back. Moei was up next, reminding of Robin¡¯s initial anxiousness. She mentally berated herself for not taking into account the identification process, may leave them more problems than sneaking in. She found herself nibbling the bottom of her lips in anticipation while racking her brain for any logical excuse. Before long, Ibaraki had gone up while her composure started to slouch. ¡°That¡¯ll be 15 silvers for your identification fee.¡± The old man coughed alerting Robin of her transaction fee. Surprised, she handed him the silver coins a bit absentmindedly before realizing he did not mention Ibaraki and Moei. The old man grunted taking the money. ¡°Since you guys don¡¯t seem like the type to cause trouble, I¡¯ll personally waiver the body search. Now scram.¡± What just happened¡­ ¡°How did you guys manage to escape from the identification process?¡± Robin questioned, feeling a bit light headed. ¡°Master, the orb could only verify anyone below level 60. Other than that, it was simple for us to revise the parameters the orb would reflect.¡± Ibaraki explained before adding, ¡°Would you like us to eliminate that rude insect?¡± ¡°A-ah that¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯ll cause more problems for us¡­¡± she mumbled. He nodded, an indescribable look flashing instantly before vanishing. It went unnoticed by Robin, but Moei quickly glanced at the silver-haired demon. ¡°As you wish.¡± As they walked down the cobblestone street, Robin hummed at the clean and neatly set stores along the path. The houses reminded Robin of the Gothic style houses seen in Germany, with timbered frames accented with bright clay-colored roofs. Compared to the actual medieval times depicted in history books, this town was comparably cleaner than what Robin had anticipated. There were no signs of horse dung on the ground, or human excrement and it seemed people took into consideration when building the roads for ease of travel. Currently, she was walking on the promenade and took notice of the street lamps neatly aligned in a parallel fashion. Greenery surrounded the pillars and even the two-story buildings had flower pots and vines wrapping around the walls of the buildings. The town as a whole emitted as a culturally vibrant area, as the people bustled to do business transactions. ¡°Moei, Ibaraki. Take me to the bookstore from where you bought the magic books.¡± Before long, they arrived at a quaint bookstore with two large clear paned windows. Robin scanned the towering number of shelved books through the window before entering. ¡°Ring¡± ¡°Customer. New Customer. Squawk¡± a high pitch voice sounded, before squawking yet again. The bright tropical colored parrot flew from the stand, circling the room before landing on the shoulder of a long-bearded man. ¡°Welcome dear customers, to Alden¡¯s Bookstore,¡± the man smiled, forming deep wrinkles at the edge of his eyes. ¡°Good day sir.¡± Robin politely answered. ¡°I¡¯m here to buy some magic books.¡± The man smiled even wider and stroked his long beard with bony hands. ¡°Then you¡¯ve come to the right place, miss. Come.¡± He gestured for her to follow him to the back end of the wall, where the tall shelves resided. From there, his hunched figure made way onto the ladder attached to the shelves. Oh man¡­ Robin thought watching as the fragile elder, take each trembling steps up the ladder. She winced watching his hands tremble as he grasped the side of the ladder, continuing his small journey up higher and higher. ¡°Miss, what magic book are you planning to buy?¡± the owner asked before Robin could announce her concern. ¡°Fundamentals of magic if you please,¡± she replied staring at the parrot perched on its golden cage. The owner gave a hearty laugh, ¡°Oh, you aspire to be a magician too, miss?¡± ¡°Um..sure.¡± Robin didn¡¯t know how to reply because she never considered becoming a magician. The thought didn¡¯t really pass her mind, until now. ¡°If you want to become a magician, there are some other books I can recommend to you, miss.¡± he turned to look down on Robin. His beady blue eyes glowed in either prospect riches or from eccentric thoughts. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take those too, mister.¡± Robin had a hunch the old man was trying to sell more books, like any other businessmen, but money was not a problem to Robin. She bought around 1 million USD worth of copper, silver, and gold. The amount of money she currently had right now couldn¡¯t even put a dent in her brother¡¯s financial assets. ¡°Also, is there like a school that teaches magic around here?¡± Robin added. Considering this was a place filled with magic, a school was no doubt in existence. It may even be like H*gw*rts. The owner shook his head and brought back five books around the size of her high school calculus book. ¡°Miss, if you want to study magic, the capital has the most prestigious school. I once attend such school before,¡± he waved his hands in such vigor as to express his pride and enthusiasm. ¡°But, if you want to even set foot on the school grounds, you¡¯d have to be gifted in magic or have a backing from one of the lords in the kingdom.¡± Oh? She suddenly became more interested in the magic school. Her posture slightly straightened out and her ears were open in interest. ¡°Could you please tell me more about this famous school, mister?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± the owner happily exclaimed. ¡°Come, lets head to the back. I¡¯ll bring some refreshments for us.¡± ¡°Thank you for your generosity, but we should pay for these books first,¡± she reminded, pointing at the thick stack of books. Chapter 6 Robin seated herself between Moei and Ibaraki, sipping minimally at the juice? She couldn¡¯t tell, but it tasted peculiar almost like a breed of overwhelming spices. The saccharine fueled by the spiciness was a flavor to behold; too bold and much too different for her taste buds. They were taken to the back of the bookstore, where they met with the owner¡¯s apprentice. Her name was Maya, according to the professor. He ordered her to look after the shop and gave a cold glance at Robin. Maya rolled her eyes calling the owner ¡°old fart¡± before making way to complete her task. The owner didn¡¯t seem to mind it, but if Robin were to ever have the guts to call her professor that, she¡¯d be expelled before she could even spell it. Despite her youthful beauty, Maya seemed like a big ball of teen angst and anger enough to compete against the sun. It took away from her honey-colored hair, hazel eyes and light freckles dotted across her cheeks. Honestly, the particular personality displayed by Maya wasn¡¯t something Robin was very fond of. Rather, she preferred if people were more respectful, and displayed appropriate mannerism. After all, one¡¯s manner contributed to their attractiveness and maybe reflected their intellectual capabilities. The room lit up from the dangling magical orbs Robin had tested before, hanging by the thin chandelier. It gave the room a nice homey glow in shades of orange and yellow. Stacks of paper and books surrounded the room and even clothes and plates of moldy food were evident that the owner failed elementary hygiene. It made Robin not want to drink from the mug anymore, setting it down politely. In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to rinse her mouth thoroughly. ¡°About the magic school¡­¡± she commenced. ¡°Ah, yes. Well, the magic school in Xaexaviel Empire is the most renowned in the continent. Many kingdoms from all over the continent, send potential geniuses to polish their abilities. The school has an entrance exam, but the most talented are often waived from the exam. Even though many people are able to use magic, those who have talent are able to get in.¡± Alden explained. The thought of Harry Potter crossed her mind; trope evidently present, yet she couldn¡¯t deny the curiosity rising from her. At the same time, Robin did not want to be part of any school drama that may accompany through its competitive nature. High school had its misadventures, cut-throat competition, students clobbering you at any chance to rank a bit higher, and people who seemed to live off initiating meaningless dramas. ¡°There¡¯s going to be competitions correct?¡± A nagging feeling poked at Robin, causing the corners of her eye to twitch. ¡°Correct! Every year, the academy hosts a magic competition for each year. Many famous officials and royalty will be scouting for potential talents. However, to qualify for such competition, only the top 50 may be eligible.¡± Backings? Talent scouting? Sounds like college applications. Robin pondered for a moment, rubbing her chin. The magic school was like a debut for the world to see. It wasn¡¯t anything different from job interviews, internship, or college applications. Only the far talented individuals will get chosen and backed by strong countries and the not so talented will disperse and do their own things. In the light of this competitive world, it was great news for Robin. These were the geniuses she needed to help in her research. There seems to be more of a political incentive to all this. A clear visualization of a chess board appeared in her mind. But unlike normal chess, this spanned five times larger. The pawns would resemble the students, and the other pieces would represent the backers, with the King as each individual countries. It was why founding a country was very important as a stepping stone to the advanced stages. ¡°May I ask if there is a clear political incentive for this sort of competition. Like, any power unbalance, or hostility between kingdoms?¡± Robin cautiously inquired, staring directly into his beady blue eyes. The exciting twinkle dimmed, leaving only a solemn look. He sighed taking a sip from his mug, ¡°You seem to be very insightful of things, young lady. Xaexaviel is a leading contender of military strength governed by the six major families. With Xaexaviel as one of the strongest military power across the continent, it¡¯s inevitable for strong rivals to gut this kingdom out for its riches. Thus, the competition is as important as the king¡¯s coronation.¡± ¡°I see. However, if things are as is, it will only be time when the stalemate is broken. War will possibly be an outcome correct?¡± Robin watched as he smoothed out his long beard, a spark of wisdom prevalent in his eyes compared to their initial meeting. ¡°War will most likely erupt from it, however, this kingdom is protected by a mutual treaty between five other kingdoms. It¡¯ll be far off in the future when war occurs.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°But of course, I¡¯d be dead by then,¡± he chuckled probably at his blissful mortality. Robin could only offer a wry smile. ¡°By any chance, could you tell me the date in which the admission process will be held?¡± ¡°Of course. It will begin next month at the capital. The first of next month. As a matter of fact, I¡¯d gladly recommend you to the institution, but in return, I¡¯d like request if you could look after my apprentice.¡± I don¡¯t want to watch over her though. She seems like an annoying brat. Plus I don¡¯t have magic, maybe someone could go in my place. Robin was about to decline but held her ground. There were more benefits at stake, but she didn¡¯t want to tie herself to such troublesome requests. She recalled the way Maya treated the owner, babysitting her and keeping her out of trouble, especially with the kind of attitude she possessed Robin would be tagged as an acomplance. ¡°About your apprentice, you want me to keep a watch on her and protect her?¡± she questioned, skepticism present on her face. ¡°Yes. My form of recommendation will guarantee better housing and prioritize your ability to choose the teachers and classes you want. Of course, that includes, entry to parts of the school that normal students would not dream to enter.¡± ¡°But how can you guarantee, I¡¯ll pass the examination?¡± Robin continued to probe. She wanted to blurt out that she didn¡¯t have magic power, but held her tongue back. But then she did recall her locked status page and had a good hunch after the program finished downloading, something miraculous will occur. Probably. Hopefully. If not, I¡¯ll have someone else take my place. The owner smiled, ¡°I just have a hunch, or intuition that you¡¯ll do well on the examination. You give off quite a strong magical presence emanating off of you.¡± A visible frown appeared. That was not true, but Moei and Ibaraki did indeed have strong magic capabilities, so it must be from them and the old man assumed it was from her. Also, how could this man trust a stranger he just met? Robin pushed the thought aside and decided to accept his terms. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± With that, Robin got up thanked the owner for his time and left the quaint shop after she had received a formal letter written by the owner. This man holds more secrets than I do. Robin thought, glancing at the black envelope with golden borders. With a sigh, she placed it inside her messenger bag along with the pile of books. They said their goodbyes and left the store with the parrot sqwaking at them. ¡°Master, will you enter the school?¡± Moei suddenly spoke. Robin turned to look at the stoic girl. ¡°Yes, I had made the deal and intend to uphold my end of the bargain. Besides, it may be the first stepping stone to my long-term plan.¡± Robin smiled before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more after we return. But for now, let us taste what this town has to offer.¡± They approached the nearest tavern and went inside. A blonde waitress led them to their table and offered her recommendations for lunch. She would occasionally sneak glances at Ibaraki, but he showed no facial movement. After ordering, the waitress hurriedly ran into the kitchen only to come out with their cool drinks. Robin noticed clothing on her chest area seemed to be deeper than before. The waitressed laid the drinks on the table, before bending extra low when she placed Ibaraki''s drink on the table, enough for her ample cleavage to show. From the corners of her eyes, as she took a sip of her drink, Ibaraki¡¯s eyes seemed to twitch in agitation. The beverage reminded Robin of fruit juice but held more of a woody flavor to it. Before long, the food was served, and the waitress yet again attempted to seduce Ibaraki to no avail. Instead, Ibaraki emitted a threatening aura that had her hair stand on its very own, even more so with the young waitress paling retreating back into the kitchen. ¡°By the way,¡± she began, ¡°Do you have any idea why the store owner claimed I have a strong magical presence?¡± ¡°What the owner said is true, Master does give off a strong magical presence.¡± Ibaraki replied. Wait...what? It was impossible. She tested it before, during the second day. She attempted to cast a simple fireball spell, with only an error message. Furthermore, she was unable to transfer mana into the stones. Status. Everything was indefinitely locked, the bar still remained a stalemate with just a sliver of percent advancing. Her health bar remained the same, but her mana bar was full. Could it be that her mana was the cause of this? But I shouldn¡¯t be able to have mana in my body? Right? She pondered on this, creases forming on her forehead. The small icon redirected her attention from the corners of her eye. It was the Battlemage class emblem and mentally hovered over it until the info page popped up. Class locked. It probably explained why. With or without the class being locked, there was no specification preventing the hp bar or mana bar to remain the same as her own character. The notion came from the novels, so it became a normalized knowledge that did not hinder her in any way, but still... Slightly shaking her head, Robin took a bite of what seemed to be a salad. The leafy greens were not exactly ¡°green¡± rather it was violet and a few in the shade of red. A few blue leaves peaked out and there were pieces of cubed meat that delightfully melted in her mouth. It held a peculiar flavor, not terribly bad but still an unusual palette. Ibaraki''s face itched in protest. ¡°The food is fine, Ibaraki. You should try it. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that bad.¡± She pointed out, taking another bite of her salad. Ibaraki turned to his plate of grilled meat before cutting an elegant bite of the juicy meat. He took a bite and found the taste of human meat to be way better. Per the wishes of his Master, he diligently ate at the meat, not while giving a quick glance at Moei munching on a large piece of purple leaf. Moei slowly chewed on the piece of leaf with some sticking out from her mouth. At least she seemed to be enjoying her salad without restraint, from the sight of her puffed cheek and beaver like chewing. ¡°Artificial,¡± Moei spoke after finishing her meal. ¡°Artificial?¡± Robin she raised a brow. Moei nodded, ¡°Taste artificial.¡± Ahh...Robin didn¡¯t know how to reply. Moei probably had a sensitive taste buds. They paid for the food and left the tavern. The next stop Robin planned to visit was the guild building, where she planned to join but would have to placed on hold since she would be attending the magic school. If she could guess correctly, the higher the ranking in the guild, the more power guild groups would have. It was all based on a questionable source. Robin believed relying on such books held some form of merit, since most tropes that had occurred remained respectively correct. The magic school, world transfering, overpowered companions, and probably eventual political conflicts were... Linear plot line, huh? However, if she intended to go through with her plan, she would need a firm power hold whether it be in politics, military, or trade. A very particular novel followed the same path, but in retrospect, how will it pull off? What would they do? Humming to herself, she attempted to reach deep into her memory for any recollections the novels had taught her about traveling to another world. Establishing was the optimal option, and guild seemed to be another pathway toward the same end goal. Who better to do that then? ¡°Moei, Ibaraki. I need a favor from you guys. Actually more like a long term mission.¡± Chapter 7 The green haired-receptionist gave her signature smile whenever she saw potential customers. A group of three approached the reception window. ¡°Welcome the Adventurer¡¯s guild. How may I help you today?¡± Her joyous voice was light and airy, and her smile gave off a youthful feeling. ¡°My friends are here to register as adventurers,¡± Robin explained. ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to know the adventurer''s benefit for each and every rank if you kindly please.¡± ¡°Yes, of course! Please hand over your identification cards so I may register you as part of the guild. Furthermore, since your friends are first-time customers, there will be a non-refundable fee of 10 silvers per person,¡± the green haired youth explained. Robin handed in twenty silver coins and also took out her notebook and pen. ¡°Before I inform you about the terms and agreement, let me register both of you first.¡± The receptionist took off and after a few minutes came back with their ID cards. ¡°Congrats on being new adventurers.¡± The bubbly girl clapped her hands and grinned before continuing, ¡°Let me explain the rules and regulations¡­¡± Robin started to jot the terms and agreement down, and adventure benefits. Terms and Agreements
  1. Licensed adventures are not allowed to accept private or third party quests.
  2. Licensed adventures are required to pay a fee if the quests have not been completed within the given time frame.
  3. Destruction of guild property is strictly forbidden and will be punished accordingly.
  4. Disputes, violence, and any form of harassment are strictly forbidden between licensed adventurers.
  5. A membership fee must be upheld every year to retain any sort of member benefits
  6. Guild quest can only be taken up according to your adventurer rank
Guild Benefits According to your Adventurer''s Rank, specific benefits are provided by the Continental Guild of Adventurers
  1. Rank F does not have any initial benefits as it is the easiest rank to level up.
  2. Rank D includes - 5% discount on guild goods
  3. Rank C includes - 7% discount on guild goods, one free meal of choice per day, and one-day lodging at any accommodated guild branches
  4. Rank B includes - 10% discount on guild goods, free full course meal per day, and one full free week lodging per month at any accommodated guild branches
  5. Rank A includes - 15% discount on guild goods, free full course meal per day, indefinite lodging, and medium insurance coverage
  6. Rank S includes - 20% discount on guild goods, free full course meal per day, indefinite lodging, full insurance coverage, and full travel passes to available areas
  7. Rank SS includes - 30% discount on guild goods, free full course meal per day, indefinite lodging, full insurance coverage, full travel passes to available areas, and retirement benefits
Apparently, this guild was a branch of the largest Continental Adventurer¡¯s Guild, an intermediate junction for profitable job opportunity for aspiring adventurers. They differed from mercenaries and were unable to take up job offers other than the one the guild assigned over on the bulletin board. The peculiar Adventurer''s Guild remained neutral in times of war, and if any kingdom were to instigate hostility, operations would be halted indefinitely or even ceased. For a guild, it seemed more like a corporation, holding enough power to affect the smaller kingdoms and such.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Writing down the last few words, Robin placed her notebook and pen back in her bag. ¡°Thank you for the tips. Also, by any chance is there a sort of inn around the area?¡± With a big exhausted sigh, Robin flopped on the small bed. She looked out into the dark grey sky from the open window. They had decided to rent a night at one of the most expensive inn in the town, before heading back. Suddenly, small droplets fell from the sky, creating wet round marks on the window sill. From where Robin lay, she could see the view of the whole town, unaware of her stare. The window provided a nice frame for the watercolor-like picture of their quaint lives, a dramatic difference from Robin¡¯s contemporary life back on Earth. ¡°Master, the transmission stone has been set up. The transmission will occur momentarily.¡± Ibaraki notified and Robin turned to sit upright on the bed. The magical stone allowed distant communication between two parties, similar to a video call as long as the other end of the user had the stone with them. Quinn came into a view along with the rest of her brother¡¯s servants. It seemed they were all in the throne room, but Robin paid no mind to it. ¡°Quinn, Dorian. I¡¯ll be returning home by tomorrow morning. I have decided to enroll in Xaexaviel Empire¡¯s magical school for more exposure. Furthermore, I¡¯ve decided to assign Ibaraki and Moei a long-term mission to infiltrate the Continental Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which will be a good use of my future plans.¡± Robin paused scanning to see any response. When she was met with none she continued, ¡°As for my future plans, I want to build a country. As you already know, my long-term goal is to return back to my world no matter how selfish it may sound to me. There is someone I must return to, and establishing a strong country will enable me to direct most resources into researching that solution. If anyone of you decides not to partake in my plan, please tell me.¡± Both sides became relatively still, the silence penetrating both parties. Robin had closed her eyes waiting for their answers. She would not force anyone to partake in something they were not willing. Starting from now on, responsibility would be taken into her own hands. She spent too much wasted time dwelling on her depression. Her mind slowly wandered back to her childhood. Her brother¡¯s hand tightly holding onto her own, giving her a strained smile as she naively asked why they were leaving their parents. It then transitioned to her brother¡¯s sweaty back as he carried the large crates of shipment. The money went toward her education, and before long she recalled herself walking through the hallways of the hospital. The sight of his bright smile and long iv drip as she made her way into the room with another video game in hand. She didn¡¯t bother to take off her sunglasses, for the fear of him noticing the red eyes and pain reflected. They say the eyes are the window to one¡¯s soul, and sunglasses were exemplary tools for concealing. Don¡¯t worry brother, I¡¯ll get that CEO position very soon. And then, money won¡¯t ever be a problem again for us. They¡¯ll be transferring you to a better hospital near my workplace, so don¡¯t play too much video games. After all, you¡¯re starting to get better, you wouldn¡¯t want to lose sleep. Soon, she found herself in another person¡¯s bed. He was fast asleep, and she moved to his concealed laptop where all the classified information laid. Before long, she sat along the board of directors, the selection of a new CEO in tow after a few leaks of confidentiality from the previous head. The selection was finished and she was now the new CEO only for God to play a cruel joke on her, too much of what she deserved. Who knows how the jungle will change a person. Logic, honor, dignity, and humanity would be lost in context if it meant the prize was deeply in the heart of the jungle. Was it wrong to commit all those crimes? For Robin, dirtying her hands meant nothing if what she feared the most was losing her only family member. With that in mind, Robin slowly opened her eyes. She had made up her mind. So my comrades, what will be your answer? Chapter 8 After finishing her breakfast, Robin headed out into the streets. She pulled her hood over her head and strolled along the sidewalk watching as the townspeople began their busy day. They walked until they reached an unusual tent. Slaves? She had almost forgotten that this town allowed slaves upon glancing up at the wooden signboard, yet she did not see a single slave walking around town. Curious, she entered the tent only to be invaded by a putrid scent of excrement, pee, and blood. She instantly frowned, upon seeing the heinous conditions much like the kind seen at slaughterhouses. The rusted cages were barely 2 meters by 2 meters, stacking uniformly on top of other cages as well. She''d rather not imagine what occurred when the urgency to relieve themselves prevailed. ¡°Welcome, esteemed customers,¡± a robed man with two dark circles glasses laid on the bridge of his nose greeted. ¡°How may I help you today?¡± he asked, intending to butter up his potential customer. ¡°Just looking around,¡± she quickly replied heading to the end of the tented room. She noticed a particular youth, especially his long protruding ears and glaring golden eyes. It was hard to determine the color of his hair with all that grime, but it seemed he bared a vigorous hostility to anyone near his vicinity. Unknowingly Robin seemed to be drawn to this particular slave, walking toward him. He was in such miserable conditions, and slavery more than often would crush weak-willed individuals in accepting their hopeless circumstances. However, his glare became even more menacing as she closed upon him. ¡°Do you want to be saved?¡± She paused, confused as to why she would even ask him. Was it something about him that made her drawn to help him, or something else she couldn¡¯t entirely pinpoint. The slave stiffened in either shock or confusion. ¡°Do you want to get out of this place?¡± Robin repeated. His eyes narrowed in suspicion and shook his head. ¡°How can I be sure you won¡¯t treat me like all the other slaves. I¡¯d be better off dying here than to become another animal for you humans!¡± he growled, bearing his milky canines. Robin expectantly sighed. Quite the cliched response. There was no use to reason with another species when humans had obviously caged the youth in this miserable environment. ¡°I never implied making you into my slave like the one you¡¯re referencing to. I nearly gave you the option to live for yourself under a new identity, far away from this hell hole.¡± Robin reasoned. ¡°But it has lost its meaning already. I intend to purchase every single slave here, so whether you had agreed or not does not matter.¡± She said shrugging, changing her mind at that instant. They would be very good citizens, reliable, easily patriotic, and less likely to betray.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Robin turned to the entrance of the tent where the robed owner was grinning at her. ¡°Have you made your decision yet, dear customer?¡± ¡°I want to purchase all of these slaves. Furthermore, prepare as many wagons on my behalf for transporting the slaves and bring them to the town gates. I''ll pay for the wagons.¡± She tossed a heavy satchel of gold coins, a few rolled out gleaming under the dim lamplight. ¡°A hundred thousand should be enough.¡± The statement was not a question but rather a warning directed towards the owner whose mouth was twitching in a covert fashion. As if on cue, Ibaraki and Moei¡¯s eyes glinted dangerously their body hidden in the shadow but enough for their silhouette to be eerily made out. ¡°Y-yes, i-it¡¯s more than enough,¡± he owner stammered slightly, gulping down the protest. He could feel beads of sweat forming on his brows. His eyes quickly darted between the two dangerous figures behind the black haired woman. In reality, he had planned to raise up the price of the slaves like any other businessman on the block, yet his initial plan had been seen through. However, a hundred thousand worth of gold coins was a reasonable price maybe a little bit more than the actual cost of all his current wares. He then offered the young woman to sit, as he brought each and every slave to draw up a contract using both party¡¯s blood. She turned her head away, being unable to stand the sight of blood. It made her queasy, the very thought of draining blood from the veins created made her knees weak and light-headed. Alas when all the contracts had been formed, did Robin let out a big sigh. She took the offered hand and stepped inside the wagon. The passengers of varying races revealed blank looks as if accepting their supposed bleak future. ¡°Moei, how many health potions and all cure potions do you have on hand?¡± asked Robin, intending to use them on the slaves. The whip-like scars, burn marks, a few missing limbs, and deformities gave way for Robin¡¯s empathic feelings and a sense of moral responsibility. It was slightly hard to relate, but at least she emphasized but the divide still laid. Her school''s teaching and society''s decorum were a bliss from the past, making Robin fully realize how easy it was to fall at the very bottom. She took a clear look at them, wondering if death may have been sweet liberation for them. The living should not envy the dead. Compared to their initial setting in small contained cages, they sat in a slightly better environment, clean air and open space to spread their limbs. Her shoulders brushed up against another slave; they trembed at the sudden contact and a flash of fear across their face as if she had smited them. ¡°Moei has 500 health potions and 300 all cure potions, Master.¡± They brunette took them out of her inventory, all neatly lined up and held in a wooden crate. Robin ripped her attention away from the fellow slave turning to ask why she had a tremendous amount of potions. ¡°Moei knows Master likes drinking health potions, so she brought some along,¡± she simply explained, as if it was normal. Ha...she misdirected my coping mechanism as something I enjoyed¡­ ¡°Quickly bring them out and give them it to them to take,¡± she pointed at the slaves. A few turned to give looks of confusion and worried glances. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll heal your wounds and scars. Please drink these at my request,¡± Robin gently ushered them to consume the two potions as she handed them out. One courageous slave, with trembling fingers, removed the glass cork and move to swallow the deep red liquid before repeating onto the magenta colored potion. As slave finished, the scab on their eyes slowly healed at a visible rate, the first layer of dead skin falling off of his face while the surrounding skin receded before shriveling into big flakes of dead skin cells. With unsteady hands, the slave carefully touched where should have been his right eye and nearly choked out in joy as his vision slowly came back. ¡°T-thank y-you! T-thank y-you Master!¡± the slave cried out, Robin grabbing onto his shoulders before he intended to kowtow. Robin provided him a small smile for his comfort, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I am responsible for you after all. By the way, what is your name?¡± ¡°O-Orion, Master,¡± he managed to stutter out. As he sat down, he found it difficult to keep his legs from trembling even with a firm grasp on his knee. He left hand to clutch the worn rag where his heart palpitated loudly, so loudly he could hear it drumming against his ears. An unfamiliar sensation rushed through his body that seemed to make him light and airy in a good way. It led him to ponder over the familiar yet distant feeling as if he were reuniting with his longtime friend. He was not alone, as he scanned around the inner wagon. Where the missing limbs were noticeable, scars that remained till a dog¡¯s death, or the deformities committed from atrocious experiments, their new Master was benevolent enough to help treat lowly slaves. Like a dam broken through, tears streamed down their faces. Their cries could be heard from the outside as signs of sorrow, but only they knew they it was the cry of a long dormant renascence awaiting to arise from their hearts. Chapter 9 I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t try to escape after being bought. Probably because he knew it would have been futile anyway. She brushed the cloth over her head and went inside only to be met with a pair of brilliantly glaring eyes seething with hostility. ¡°I heard crying from the other wagons. What did you do to them, you savage human!¡± He made an attempt to get up, wavering as his legs failed to support the sudden movement, but did nothing to stop the hatred from boiling over. To the humans who caused such traumatic experience for this fellow, I thank you for making my job easier. Robin quickly assisted him but was swatted away. ¡°I gave them a health potion and all cure potion,¡± she simply affirmed, a bit frustrated at how he always jumped to conclusions. ¡°And as for why they were crying, I think it was because it seemed like a miracle?¡± she shrugged passing the potions out. She acknowledge the hate was due to the traumatic experiences inflicted by her own race, but Robin was no psychologist to deal with the annoying behavior. Rather she was someone who helped for the benefit of herself or for her loved ones. Dealing with him and his hostility was something she was not often accustomed to. However, she retained her level-headedness and sucked in a deep breath. She brought out two potions before placing it on his lap. ¡°Drink this. It¡¯ll heal most of your injuries.¡± And maybe your personality too. Ignoring his suspicious stare, Robin continued passing out the potions. Compared to the earlier carriages, the suspicion and unease caused by the fiery man, caused a tentative urge to drink the potions. None dared to be the first, thus the situation became a stalemate for quite some time. It was fine because Robin could be patient if it meant they would eventually lower their guards. Eladis glanced at the two potions resting on his lap. He knew very well the expense of these outrageous potions. A red health potion of high grade like the one he had received costed around 500 gold a pot. However he had no idea what the other magenta potion contained. It seemed that the plain girl in front of him hid more secrets than himself. The question remained: why go through so much trouble and expense to offer slaves these invaluable concoctions. Eladis removed the glass cork before sniffing for any potential spikes. When it seemed nothing was out of place he stole a quick glance at his ¡°Master¡± finding no change in expression, before swallowing the red liquid. The dull pain from his old scars on his back eased considerably. A light airy feeling surrounded his body and he quickly touched around his chest. Flakes of dead skin from where his large scab resided came off to reveal a new patch of smooth skin. Even the scars on his arms prior being enslaved faded away as though it never existed in the first place. Upon seeing Eladis miraculous change, the other slaves followed suite. Robin turned to leave the last wagon before being stopped. ¡°What is your purpose in helping mere slaves and what are you intending to use us for?¡± he interrogated, tossing the empty health pots at her. She caught the empty glass with ease and stored it in her messenger bag. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she smiled and left. A loud sigh escaped her when she sat down on the cushioned seat. The wagons were neatly lined up all carrying around 250 slaves to the entrance of the town. She raised her arm to sniff at the fabric and let felt relieved she did not smell. She did not outwardly show it, but she could not stand the stench emanating from inside wagons. There is no fault in how they smelled, mostly because they were slaves and it ushered Robin to suggest they take a bath before being fed. ¡°Ibaraki, please message Quinn to prepare a two large separate baths and a banquet enough to feed 250 people. Also, make sure the food is mellow and digestible for victims of starvation,¡± requested Robin. It deemed troublesome if they were to die from refeeding syndrome. ¡°Yes Master.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Moei on the other hand had taken the reigns of the carriage and headed off to the front gates. Before long they arrived at the front where the same soldier, Abel who Robin had first met and greeted them with a nod. They showed Abel their ID, notified him about the dummy drivers, and showed him the receipt she received from the slave market before making their way out of town. Uneased spread throughout the soldier''s body as the shadow puppets he had been initially warned passed by him. It seemed powerful magic casters would occasionally pop into town, but never did he regard the plain girl who registered for an ID card would possess such unseen magic. Luckily he was kind enough to keep his mouth shut as per the contract term of confidentiality. As they headed their way towards the landmark, Robin compiled a To-do list with number one being the most important. It was hard for Robin to keep track of everything, and as a habit, she created an agenda or some sort of organizer that allowed her to compile her thoughts. Consider it as a milestone goal, much like what she did when advancing to her CEO position. Of course, she made sure to burn the book, if authorities tracked her. To do List
  1. Find information about any branch of magic that has a possibility to aid in returning home.
  2. Go find the book keeper in the next month and attend the magic school.
  3. Structure foundation
  4. Try to cultivate the land and grow cash crops?
  5. Research surrounding natural resources.
  6. Create a source of income in the Xaexaviel¡¯s capital as a leverage to assimilate to politics.
  7. Educate the slaves, and hire skilled workers from other kingdoms.
  8. Create a secret intelligence and spy network.
  9. Achieve branch control in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild
Long Term Goals
  1. Find a way to return home.
Robin had thought of plenty more ideas, but for now, her To-do list sufficed. Glancing at her notebook, she estimated number six to be her biggest asset in infiltrating the royal city and eventually its politics. Her prior knowledge during her time as a blue collar worker, manager, and eventually a CEO would make it doable. Manipulation and strategizing were her prowess, but sometimes she would make hasty decisions due to anxiety or deadlines. Well as long as I review and carefully plan them, I don¡¯t think I will have an issue... Regarding item six, she intended to make a shop with no particular focus in the commodities she planned to sell, as long as they were unique and different from this world, fulfilling the production possibility curve. Health and mana potions were on the top list of commodities that she estimated would make up 65% percent of the shop¡¯s income. After all, a world where magic and unknown dangers exist especially if the context came from novels, potions were a necessity for survival. What other commodities were popular back on Earth, but expensive luxuries in the early days of history. The goods also had to be easy to uphold consumer demands too. Cacao beans, tea leaves, silk, and paper were historical goods back then. Cacao beans and tea leaves were an excellent choice in introducing tea and coffee. If the world had them, selling them cheaply would shift the demand far right, and still bring in more profit. Silk would provide a renowned revolution into the European-like civilization unless they already had contact with an oriental civilization. Even so, silk had been ancient China¡¯s most guarded secret and their cash cow. However, a problem persisted in that Robin would have to expend resources to create all of these commodities and even she was unsure if her brother¡¯s endless storage carried these materials on hand. After all, Robin still hadn¡¯t had the chance to check the storage space just yet. At least, even though the resources needed for such goods may turn up scarce, there was a chance to plant cacao beans, tea leaves, trees, and maybe culture silkworms for their materials. She could simply ask a few servants to till the land and create a sample garden in order to continuously culture raw materials needed for production. After opening the shop and putting her goods on display for potential customers, her business practice would come into play. ¡°Master, we have arrived.¡± Ibaraki got off from the wagon and assisted her down the wagon. Her thoughts were cut short, but she had more time later to think it over more thoroughly. The shadow puppet drivers created by Ibaraki dissipated in the air as though they never existed in the first place. The slaves exited the wagon curious to why suddenly stopped and the dense forest created a covering that allowed even the bulky wagons to be concealed. Ibaraki went to destroy all the wagons with his black flames, with flawless precision it engulfed each wagon as if they were wrapped in a thin veil leaving not even ashes behind. A few uncontrolled gasp escaped from the crowd and Eladis narrowed his eyes at the large display of magic. Elves in general had far better sensitivity when it came to magic, yet he had been unable to detect it from the strange individual. However, his new owner was a different story. It was as if the magic was coming off in waves, rather than continuous ripples to beings inferior to magic. Eladis unintentionally became alert. The amount of control demonstrated rivaled even a grandmaster no less the unusual type of magic. He forced his prying habits down, less he may accidentally demand answers about their strange origins. It was not good to probe into dangerous individuals especially now that he was bound to one. ¡°Brother!¡± A young girl barely in her teens approached him. Her eyes were like warm molten honey and her smile gave away to her adorable dimples. Upon seeing her, the tension in his shoulders lessened a bit. ¡°Did the human do anything to you?¡± His eyes had soften at the sight of his younger sister. It¡¯s been too long since they were able to have proper contact with each other even if they were held in the same dirty location. She shook her head she as a way to reassure him. ¡°She''s not bad as you think she is. Actually, she gave a really expensive health potion and another potion that cured even the scar I got when we played near the river and tripped myself over a rock!¡± Eladis smiled patting her head, "Don''t let down your guard. Humans are the most deceitful race and will kill their own kin just to satisfy their unrelenting ambitions.¡± He quietly warned. Ibaraki frowned overhearing their little conversation and went to relay it to his Master. ¡°Master...that slave,¡± he began only to stop shorty after seeing her shake her head. ¡°Don''t worry about it. He''s not fully wrong,¡± reassured Robin. The elf was quite sharp, she''d have to give him kudos. Upon noticing Moei finish preparing the teleportation landmark, Robin ushered every single slave to walk over the magic seal. After all the slaves had entered into the magic array, Robin and her companions were the last to enter. ¡°Brother this couldn''t be¡­¡± his sister quickly glanced at him, disbelief written all over her face. Eladis could not even utter a word as the large group suddenly disappeared from the forest leaving not even a strand of hair. Chapter 10 Robin quickly drowned the potion for the fear of suffering another side effect. Only when she could feel her bowels and mind calm considerably, did she heaved out a sigh. It seemed the others were not even affected in the slightest. How enviable. ¡°Master, welcome back.¡± Greeted Quinn. A few sharp sucks of air came behind the trio. If she had not addressed Robin as Master, they may have assumed Quinn was the master of the residence. They way she elegantly carried herself showed an enormous comparison to how Robin casually walked. Robin took noticed how she changed her previous white flowing gown to an open high to low gown. There were golden accents trailing from her shoulders until it reached the ends of her pelvis. Her deep violet hair was tied in an intricate braid and it made Robin wonder why she decided to dress different compared to all the other times. She decided not to think too deeply into. ¡°I¡¯m back. As requested, could you please guide our guests into the baths and then take them to the banquet after,¡± instructed Robin before leaving the courtyard. Expecting for Quinn to lead the newly arrived guests, Robin was a bit surprised to see violet-haired woman trailing after her. As if noticing her Master questioning, Quinn quickly spoke up, ¡°I have already prepared a few capable servants to escort our guests. I find them more suited for these kinds of job.¡± Of course, those were not her real intentions, rather she wanted to spend more time with her Master, knowing she would be gone indefinitely after attending some irrelevant magic school. Taking a peek at her face to only find no facial change, Quinn internally sighed. She didn¡¯t want her Master to think she was forcing her job onto someone else or a bit sticky. Besides her Master¡¯s intentions to go abroad, she recalled her other goal in building a country. The thought greatly excited her, and she dreamt of standing beside her Master as she commanded the whole country and its subjects. It was enough to make her drool of all that power and prestige effortlessly in the grasp of their hands. They made a sharp turn and arrived at the grand library, where the higher echelons had quickly saluted upon seeing their Master¡¯s appearance. Startled at the imposing sight, Robin quickly regained her composure and sat down. Her heart continued to thumb in anxiousness under such pressing stare, enough to give a normal person an anxiety attack. She also took noticed how they were dressed in a similar fashion like Quinn with eye-catching and almost militaristic themed clothes like faux fur over their shoulders and plenty of gold accents. If Robin were to simply describe the type of clothes they were wearing, it was similar to the overly lavish costumes from concept arts of famous artists. Well, they were because Robin knew they were a pvp ranking reward from the top 100 global players. She frowned. Her older brother had spent too much time over the course of his treatment playing video games. She should have kept a better eye on him, knowing he may have been addicted. But now, she was not at his side and could only disperse those thoughts away. ¡°It¡¯s nice that you all gathered here.¡± She swept her gaze across the room before continuing. ¡°You¡¯ve already heard that I¡¯m planning to build a country; the faster the better, and before I can do any of that, I need all of your cooperation for this large-scale project.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Their voices synchronized perfectly reflecting their amazing loyalty.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Taking out her notes, Robin began explaining, ¡°There a few kingdoms scattered around this continent. Our job is to absorb them if possible.¡± She pointed at the enlarged map from the projector. The magical and almost steampunk like projector allowed the map to be absorbed to create a more accurate depiction of the continent. However, this map only showed the continent she was currently residing and the places she had already been. The rest were undiscovered, covered in a gray haze and would eventually be cleared upon discovering them. ¡°In the next month, I¡¯ll be in Xaexaviel attending their magic school. As for why, it''s because school is the breeding ground of ideas, exchange of ideas, and a better way for me to get more exposure. During this time, Dorian and Quinn will oversee all operation regarding the castle. Also, the slaves that I purchased in the nearest town will be the first generation citizens in our newly founded country.¡± She then turned to where Xaexaviel laid, only for it to be concealed in a hazy gray cloud. Robin was not worried, because one of the books she purchased from the eccentric book owner had the map included on the very back. She carefully ripped the page out and fed it into the apparatus. In an instant, the kingdom and all its inner roads were clearly displayed for the group to see. She drew a large red circle around the kingdom. ¡°This will be our first target.¡± ¡°Declaring war is not an option,¡± assert Robin. She shook her head assuming they may have the idea in mind. She was raised civilized, or at least to an extent. The concept of war was a moral line that Robin did not want to really cross over unless needed. Furthermore, many valuable resources would be consumed by the process, and curtail the guilt she may face knowing full well her brother disliked violence, wars, and upheld questionable justice. She¡¯d rather avoid suffering the same guilty conscience from when she had framed the previous CEO, trying to fool herself that it was all for the sake of her brother.War also meant an imaginable sum of resources being wasted and money. In the end, war would decimate an economy, not that Robin¡¯s side would have to worry, but the citizens would suffer the most their hatred directed at her, the perpetrator. Plus, Robin had very great examples during her time on Earth about wars; mostly fueled by oil and other natural resources. Just thinking about the amount of PTSD patients, even potential rebellions, or terrorist shifting behind the scene was enough to bring a gigantic headache. ¡°Declaring war and finishing them off will only create hostility and lag behind research. If I am correct, many mages¡¯ lives will be wasted along with many men coming from impoverished families and they are very important. Any intellectuals in this continent are important if they can bring benefits. I think the best way to apprehend Xaexaviel is to infiltrate the inner circle,¡± explained Robin. ¡°Of course Master. We will follow your every order.¡± Most of the servants had already assumed war was the best possible choice, but it seemed their Master had more plans. The pointer then traced back to their residence. She outlined the surroundings, ¡°Before continuing, I want to assign a few people to search the area and bring me detailed information on the natural resources. I hope to see if there is any fertile land and convert it into a large plantation where resources used to make commodities can be cultivated. As for why I want these commodities, it is to create a large company that will serve as a pathway to infiltrate the inner circle of Xaexaviel.¡± Her eyes landed on the torn book, the golden crown gleaming under the sunlight. It exemplary thenearest kingdom practiced monarchy with a few other branches of primary powers at the very top. It made it susceptible to bribe and take root in their affairs like parasitic worms. Controlling their economy seems to be the best bet as for now. This is starting to be morally ambiguous. It was probably an understatement, but she would observe how the higher echelon played in their respective roles. If they were corrupt as she guessed they were, she''d gladly get rid of them and absorb the kingdom into a more centralized power. Oppression proved to be worthless if it caused a stalemate in ideology, individualism, and new intuitive ideas to take birth. A great example may have been George Orwell''s 1984, however, power should still be centralized in order to keep a firm hold of order. Robin quietly pondered in her head and continued to go over the plan she had in mind. She decided to figure it out later when she actually reached that point, but for now, she wanted to create a main shop located in the capital and a smaller shop outside of the capital. It would be the first parasitic worm to take rootin the kingdom and she devised a list of goods on a separate whiteboard. Goods
  1. Health Potions
  2. Mana Potions
  3. Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, Sweets, Alcohol
  4. Other potions
  5. Apparel
  6. Paper & Pens
These unusual commodity offered, will definitely attract the inner circles and maybe gain the support from the nobles. As for Ibaraki and Moei, in the next month from the time she would depart for the school, they will be completing all sorts of quests for the Adventure Guild. There wasn¡¯t much to worry about them, as they were very capable. They both excelled in physical combat and also magic given their levels and had been enhanced many times by her brother. For the development of the country, she requested Quinn to find assign a group of scouts and record details about the surroundings and the resources it provided. Quinn had recommended Blair a fellow elvish summoner for her amazing affinity towards nature. She could summon high-level guardians from the earth element and they would be able to reshape the land if necessary. Furthermore, Robin tasked her to find a way to cultivate coffee beans, tea leaves, cotton, and cacao beans in the greenhouse for greater yield. For now, Robin decided to check up on her guests. Chapter 11 The dirt, grime, and soot sticking to his body slowly vanished from sight. His dark skin gleamed under the open light revealing a silky smooth texture. He was amazed at the bath water, as did everyone else in the open bath. The servants standing on the sidelines kept their facestight without a slip of emotion and did not seem to mind the groups cautious but merry banters. Their change in moods was a breath of fresh air, accompanied by an amazing spa treatment and much needed hygienic care. The servants had separated the large group into male and female before ushering them into a large open bath with a waterfall accompanied by an endless stream of floating flowers white near the middle and pink at the edges that Eladis had never seen before. The room gave off a very tropical feel, with trees and bushes surrounding from all sides and the glass dome ceiling let in enough light to reflect across the water¡¯s surface, creating a myriad of gleaming radiance. No matter how much dirt their bodies had, the water still remained in its purest turquoise color. Even the weird soapy and slippery substance in his hair did nothing to contaminate the miraculous water and instead gave off a healing and calming effect. He watched as his uncut hair reveal a stunning glossy shine when he dipped his whole head into the water. It¡¯s been so long since he¡¯s been fully clean and wanted to spend a few more minutes lying around in the large bath. Before long, the servants came to round them all up and performed a large-scale magic spell that automatically dried their bodies. They handed them a fresh batch of cotton clothes and slippers to wear. Even though many were malnourished, the clothes were enchanted to fit into everyone¡¯s body sizes. The clean cotton shirt held a warm clean scent and rubbed softly against his skin, making it a perfect pair of nightwear in the evenings. Seriously, who was this mysterious woman, Eladis couldn¡¯t help ponder over. He still had his suspicions at large, especially knowing that many slave owners loved to clean and doll up the slaves before committing audacious acts upon them. ¡°Brother, look!¡± her sister ran towards him only to stop and twirl her white cotton dress around. She gave a wide sunny smile, making the corners of his mouth twitch. ¡°It¡¯s so comfortable, and the water from the bath was amazing!¡± her cheerful chirp caught the attention of the onlookers who also seemed to agree. He patted his younger sister¡¯s now fluffy silver hair, the last remaining trait passed from their deceased mother. ¡°Remain cautious, Ena. We can¡¯t let our guards down just because they bathed and clothed us. There¡¯s more than what meets the eye,¡± he whispered loud enough to be heard by Ena. He kept her close afraid he may lose her, the only resemblance of their dear mother. He promised to protect her at all cost and needed to constantly remind her to be alert. The last time they let their defense slip caused them to be chained in the back of a slave cartel and beaten near death. They passed the long halls, illuminated by the wide paned glass windows that spanned endlessly. Eladis secretly scanned his surroundings, in case escape was ever necessary. It would be hard with the slave contract binding them, but it was not impossible to remove as long as either the master died or if the master¡¯s level was significantly lower than that of the slaves. If Robin had known this very fact, it may help solve the question to why there weren¡¯t as many slaves walking in broad daylight in the town compared the to the amount she¡¯ll eventually meet in the capital. The large group was led to a grand dining hall where the table stretched so long it could leave a human out of breath if they were to run to the very end. On top of the elongated table lay an unimaginable amount of warm steaming food. The amount could feed even the largest of town, not to mention the peculiar food never seen in the capital or anywhere else. Eladis could feel Ena trembling with excitement at the sight of the scrumptious meal. It made him wonder how long it had been since they last ate something this fancy no less edible. They seated themselves and couldn¡¯t help but dig in like starving beasts. Forget common etiquette, the slaves have been given the barest minimum to live off of, and sometimes diseased or unworthy slaves were not fed and left to rot painfully. The servants kept on the sides watching as the guest gobbled up the food prepared, their expression remained ever glued to the one unmoving appearance. They were not at least once bothered at how delicious the plate of food smelled and continued to stare straight ahead. It wasn''t as if some of them neededsustenance to survive so common human food did not look appetizing at all. It was only then when Robin entered the dining room, did everyone pause. The servants bade their way to bow before leaving the room. Behind Robin was Quinn whose eyes twitched at the untidy sight. Dorian on the other hand simply closed his eyes probably his own way to scorn the guest¡¯s inadequate etiquettes. ¡°How¡¯s the food? I hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡± She asked receiving quick nods, ignoring the stuffed face and crumbs stuck to their mouths. A few shy individuals did not answer, but the delight in their eyes proved otherwise. She scanned the vicinity and met eyes with Eladis and took notice of the girl who had the same skin color and hair color as him. She assumed the girl next to him was his sister recalling the conversation she overheard. ¡°Take your time to eat. There¡¯s more food if you request for it, but overeating will cause severe stomach aches.¡± Or even death. ¡°After you finish eating, the servants will lead you to your temporary quarters for a good night¡¯s rest. And if you¡¯re curious about tomorrow, I¡¯ll inform you of your purpose in this residence and start preparing you all as new citizens,¡± Robin explained before leaving the vicinity. With the brief appearance, Robin headed back to the library to read the books she had bought the other day. Upon entering, she was greeted by a familiar yet unfamiliar man. She remembered him being part of the meeting earlier today, yet could not remember his name or his job. After all, there were too many of her brother¡¯s servants to keep track of even if they had introduced themselves before. ¡°You are¡­¡± she struggled to recall his name. ¡°Cain, Master,¡± he finished and bowed like how the others had. They seemed to bow so much Robin had accustomed herself to their hard to change habits and let them be.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Cain...I see. I¡¯m just going to read up on my books. Please continue whatever you are doing,¡± and made her way onto the plush sofa. She searched through her mind to see if she remembered anything about Cain. Even though most of the servants could be recognizable through summoning from the gacha machines, it was hard to tell apart the original servant. For example, Quinn¡¯s actual name was Coraline an SSR servant under the mage job an original creation of Afrein. Her original appearance before any cosmetics or awakening was a green haired womanwith dark brown eyes. Since the game allowed name changes to some servants, her brother had changed Coraline¡¯s name into Quinn. Robin knew of this because, she also obtained a copy of Quinn, but opt not to customize her. There were exceptions such as special gacha banners, where the game company would often do collaborations with movies, characters from a book, historical figures, fictional characters, or gag characters. Their names could not be changed but, their personal looks are exempted with a few limitations. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Cain, but could you show me your status page?¡± Cain paused and placed the book back on the shelf, ¡°Of course Master. There is no need to apologize.¡± He approached Robin and with a flick of his finger she ultimately received a detailed information of all his stats, inventory, and equipment. Dark Fencer class, and a vampire¡­ Cain was a creation of the game''s original story, in some update she did not remember. Like Quinn, he was also an SSR servant with an insane amount of critical damage and rate. His main weapon consisted of a rapier, classic of Spanish origins and if she recalled correctly, upon summoning Cain he had the possibility to branch out into other classes besides a fencer. Maybe her brother found the fencer class to be the most suitable, but it was undeniable at the amount of heavily enhanced armor and accessories the vampire had on him. It must have cost him billions to continuously upgrade, knowing that the stat boost was near "random number generator", with each continuous rerolls costing a hundred thousand. In reality, Robin regarded her brother to be a perceptive individual and calculative towards things he was interested in. However, his impulsiveness may have been his ultimate weakness when something arose his interests. Likewise, the unknown sum of money spent on this game may have been overwhelmingly high, even though Robin turned blind eye to it. As long as it made him happy, she didn''t care always keeping his health in check when he displayed signs of addiction. A particular tab from Cain¡¯s status page stood out to her. Much like a character¡¯s lore, it also contained their likes, dislikes, hobbies, and talents. From the looks of it, the devs probably created this tab as a way to make their characters stand out, making them as humanly as possible. Other than that it was often ignored however, Robin found it useful in a merit system. If it were only that easy. Having a tab displaying a person¡¯s likes or dislikes would have been amazing back when she was promoted to a manager. Using their weakness to her advantage, and gifting the upper bossesgifts without having to put any thought into it. If she remembered correctly, rewarding positive behavior allowed a certain behavior to be reinforced. This model was often used in the workforce as a way to encourage productivity and a sense of worth within the workers. Higher rewards also meant less frictional unemployment and raise good morale. But how do I apply this to the slaves? They aren¡¯t driven by consumer demand just yet, and their past treatments make them hesitant to want more. Maybe Quinn and the rest may find some merit in the reward system. She scanned through Cain¡¯s hobbies, which turned out to be reading during his leisure time. It explained why he was in the library and brought up another question. ¡°Cain, are there any books on math, science, or history?¡± she asked, looking at the towering shelves against the walls. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t master. There only seems to be only ability books, alchemy recipes, crafting recipes, and other miscellaneous.¡± Of course, it couldn¡¯t be so easy. Having science and mathematics books would allow research to be relatively more efficient, but then research itself wasn''t any faster. ¡°Is there something bothering you, Master?¡± he asked. His bright aqua eyes sought out any traces of uncertainty. His Master had been silent for a while staring blankly at his status page.Is there anything displeasing written on his status page or was Master displeased at his capabilities? ¡°I¡¯m just thinking of a way to utilize the slaves. After all, they will be the first citizen and residents.¡± She rubbed her chin as if deep in thought. ¡°Many of them are probably illiterate assuming they haven''t seen daylight in years, and I was thinking to educate them a little bit before having them establish a small community outside the castle. However, they are a diverse group of people with ranging cultures and language, so it may serve as a small complication. Universal language may be beneficial, but we''ll see how they are able to absorb the materials or earnestly learn.¡± ¡°Master there is no need to worry about this sort of issue,¡± imparted Cain. He curled his lips, placing his hand on his chest, ¡°If you would please allow me to impart my knowledge, I¡¯ll dedicate my time polishing them into first class citizens.¡± Robin blinked a couple times, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Teaching was a strenuous job that requires the utmost skill to control a large group of diverse individuals with different strengths and weaknesses. A teacher can easily impart their knowledge to a student, but it was up to the student to understand and they may be unable to no matter how many times the teacher explain the materials. ¡°Of course, as long as I can provide myuse for Master,¡± insisted Cain. It seemed he was adamant about his decision, much to Robin¡¯s puzzlement. She shrugged, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing and it makes you happy.¡± What a weird guy¡­ ¡°As for the subjects, teaching them basic arithmetics, and English is a very good start. It¡¯s also better if we separated them into different grades after a week of universal teaching. We can give them an assessment to see how much they learned after giving something like an orientation? I¡¯m not sure how to conduct the whole process, but hopefully, I can place that in your hands.¡± ¡°Of course, Master. Leave those small details with me. I won¡¯t fail you.¡± Cain bowed before quickly leaving. She could see a little bounce in his steps. A strained smile emerged on her face and went to take a look at the books, before accidentally stumbling on another curious piece of information regarding the blonde vampire. An immortal being shrouded in mystery. Humans remember the infamous immortal comparable to the demon king himself, as an incomparable intellect and monster who feeds on the blood of his preys. Disguised as a famous teacher in the Imperial Academy located in Crestshire, he preys on young students and imparts his collective knowledge in broad daylight. Not even the headmaster knows of his secret as he continues to haunt the school grounds when the sun sets. ¡°...¡± The game may overexaggerate a bit of their biography, but it had its uses. Hopefully, Cain will not attempt to drain his new students dry, but it also explained why he wanted to teach so badly. She made a mental note to remind Cain not to suck the blood from his students. As soon as Cain left, Quinn entered the premise, a troubling pair of eyes met with her own thoughtful ones. "Master, If I may voice out my thoughts," the violet-haired woman began. "Why do you insist on going to that magic academy?" she asked, seating herself across from Robin. Her Master''s desire to attend a school was a bit troubling for her andshe continued to puzzle over it after their adjourned meeting, besides the fact that she didn''t want to use force and outright take what she needed. Quinn had pondered over this for quite a while. Robin gave a wry smile. It wasn''t as if she wanted to go to school, but schools were important cultural areas to understand the environment more. "My main goal is to find a way to go home. That requires a person who is an expert of this world, and where better than a collective place where the most outstanding intellectualsgather, exchange information." Robin leaned closer, "It''s where I can create my own skin, after learning their customs and social etiquette. A spy to put it in simple terms." That made sense, Quinn nodded. "I''m no expert in this plane, so I need to seek information my own way." "Why not use force than?" Quinn pointed out. One of her brows rose, "I''m not some barbarian. Violence doesn''t always solve everything. Even if necessary, it has to be falsified in a way that the other party think it will benefit them. What use dounlimited resource, physical power, and manpoweraccomplish if you can''t even use it efficiently no less rashly? It only makes people fear you, run away, and resist. And you know what that creates? Inefficiency." Her voice had gotten louder only to tone it down upon realizing irritation was leaking out of her. "Sorry." She ran her hand over her head. "I just want to go home faster, without having to spill a lot of blood on my hands," she honestly voiced. She already committed a sin back on Earth, her future straying off into a morally ambiguous path. It wasn''t right to inflict harm on innocent bystanders for her benefit, but now it felt as though she were teetering at the edge of chaotic good or something. Her society''s teachings still bound her, furthermore brother''s law-abiding and positive outlook troubled her to an endless degree. "There''s no need to apologize Master. I understand you''re troubles more clearly now." Quinn said about to take her leave. Robin shook her head, laying down on the sofa, "No, you''ve worked the hardest out of everyone. You deserve better and a much-needed break." Chapter 12 ¡®All living things have a specific amount of mana that can be drawn from their inner body. This is called a mana pool, a storage of an individual¡¯s mana capacity. If the mana supply is completely dry, symptoms of haggard breathing, difficulty seeing, and lightheadedness will occur. Under critical circumstances, wizards who are unable to draw from their mana pools will forfeit a bit of their life force as compensation.¡¯ Wait a minute, that made no sense. Robin scratched her head. Was mana not any way similar to the basic building blocks of all life? If there were no mana, it indicated death according to the first book she had read. Slowly using up their internal storage seemed like a death sentence especially if their capacity was very low. ¡®However, this is only one way to draw mana. Mana can also be drawn from the natural environment. Every skilled mage is able to successfully draw in mana from their surroundings; the more mana is drawn if the environment¡¯s affinity corresponds to the individual¡¯s affinity. In order to draw mana from external forces, magic veins present in every individual capable of harnessing mana is required to absorb and convert them back into a variety of spells.¡¯ The second half brought allowed a clearer picture to be formed. Magicians had other outlets to absorb mana, so it was not always a threat to their health if their mana tank was not exhausted below fifty percent. Still... How could she put it in plain words after reading the first few chapters? A lingering reminiscent of how a fan who was so deeply into a form of subculture; taking it and transforming it into a whole blown theory. However, it was still part of a fantasy, and a pastime for many until it was not. The more she read, the more it reminded her as though she was reading through a long Wikia page revolving around how a specific world a novel was set in worked. It seems weird and foreign to assimilate such an interesting knowledge and perspective and to accept it as a known fact, but Robin had no choice. The faster she learned this type of unusual material, the faster she would be able to find a way to go home. In some way, mana and magic were anomaliessorted under Robin''s ownmiraculousgroup she created in her head because they couldn''t really fit anywhere else, scientifically normal. According to the books, mana followed a few sets of law that the residents of this world discovered, yet at the same time, it hovered near the threshold of an unexplained phenomenon capable of distorting space and breaking down fundamental laws of gravity. She heaved a loud sigh before continuing. She even decided to record decent notes like any other student because her contemporary and realists knowledge often clashed with the phenomenon explained in each book. At least the subject held a compelling uniqueness that allowed the reader to read it as more of an entertaining novel rather than a textbook like material. It was beginning to feel more like an English class, intensive reading, rigorous annotating, and convoluting analysis. She turned to the next page, scribbling down another piece of the vague topic yet to be fully developed, as the moonlight spilled in through the large glass windows. The amber light from the lamps did nothing to hinder the amazing view of the night sky, yet Robin faced away from the beautiful view re-reading the second paragraph again. ¡°It¡¯s as if our goddess is staring down at us. Do you think Mother is watching from above?¡± Ena quietly asked. A few clear droplets formed at the corner of her warm eyes. When she raised her hand to brush them aside, she was pulled into a warm hug by her brother. Overwhelmed by the sudden embrace, the bottled emotions came pouring in. Her heavy sobs carried all of her clan¡¯s pain, anger, and sadness echoed in the long endless hallways. The young elf turned to look into her brother''s golden colored eyes. ¡°Why us? Why did it have to be us?¡± she asked between broken sobs, hiding her face into his bosom. Her delicate hands fisted and twisted thecotton shirt, while Eladis gently rubbed her head. The fire, shouts, screams, her mother bathed in red flashed in her mind, the event still heavily soaked in her mind. It would stay there forever like a permanent tattoo, like yesterday''s memory. ¡°I will protect you,¡± he softly replied, running his hand through her silver hair. The once dark dull hair was clean of any grime, making it pale in comparison to the moon and shimmered more brilliantly than any stars in the sky. The image of his mother flashed behind his closed eyes, her tender smiles, long pale hair, and the calming voice especially when she sang her lullabies. He missed all of those small nostalgic moments and their mother the most. Ena was the last memory of her, and he vowed he would protect her at any cost. As she walked down the halls, Robin overheard faint muffled sobs, enough to make her pause in place. She adjusted the pile of books in her arms, her brows furrowed in confusion. Who¡¯s crying at this hour? Curious, she headed closer to the source of the muffled sob only to find it was the same siblings she had met earlier. It pained her that she had gotten herself in an awkward situation, especially when the brother cracked opened his eyes and gave her a threatening glare. However, this hallway was the fastest travel to her destination: the kitchen. She could retreat back and pretend she never witness such intimate scene, making a roundabout to the kitchen but it meant expending more time than she was willing to give up. The best thing Robin could do was completely ignore them and head about her way, until she was stopped by the snarky elf, again. ¡°Yes, can I help you?¡± she gave him her best customer service smile at being stopped. Imposing, but effective against annoying people. Ena had removed herself from her brother¡¯s embrace and looked at the woman in front of them. Realizing it was theowner who bought them, she quickly shied away from her penetrating gaze; especially her smile.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Thank you for the food and clothing. That¡¯s all.¡± he simply stated. Eladis was not the one to disregard his helpful benefactor and prided himself to retain a bit of his dignity if one were to ever provide help. ¡°Oh. You¡¯re welcome,¡± replied Robin, takinga quick glance of the young girl behind him. She thought for a moment, noticing the slight cautious doe-like eyes observing her. They were puffy and the edges were visible red along with her small nose. ¡°Would you like to come to the kitchen with me? The chef can provide a few snacks if you¡¯re hungry.¡± She offered, observing how the girl hesitated but pulled at her brother''s sleeve as tourge him. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll have to trouble you," Eladis spoke at his younger sibling¡¯s request. Food seemed to always cheer her up and gratefully took up the offer, especially the fuuko pancakes he made for her whenever she felt down. They would eat the pancakes together, sitting on the very tops of the trees while stargazing. It wasn¡¯t as if Robin had problems with shy people, but rather it would be hard for them to fit in the real world. The workplace needed charismatic and confident people that retained their humility making her wonder a bit. Now that she thought of this, were all slaves this timid and anxious? She guessed being enslaved for so long had affected their mental health. If so, she would have to hold back educational classes and quickly create an effective counseling session first that included psychological care and rehabilitation for abuse and PTSD symptoms. Upon entering the kitchen, Robin sat at a large counter while the kitchen staff greeted her. Eladis and his sister followed suit but remained a good distance away from Robin as if she had the flu. ¡°Master, how may I serve you,¡± a plump man adorned in a chef''s attire greeted her. His cheeks were like two ripe apples, and his handlebar mustache gave off a classic French aesthetic. He held a heavy French accent for some unknown reason and recalled serving as the head chef for some dead queen according to his character biography. ¡°Could you serve some light snacks for the three of us and a glass of warm milk for the young girl,¡± she said, pointing her finger to where the siblings were. ¡°Of course, Mademoiselle,¡± and went off his merry way behind the back room. The game made him more stereotypical than necessary. She couldn¡¯t help but state in her mind. Though Robin was a bit surprised at how an NPC that usually remained stationary displayed such interesting personality, it was nonetheless amusing to watch. Chef Jacques was a provision when the player bought their first castle and would be grouped along the NPC who helped create potions, armors, and other miscellaneous when given the ingredients. A loud clambering resounded deeper in the kitchen away from her view, but she paid no mind to it as she continued to skim through the second book. Ena however curiously stretched her neck, curiously wondering what was going on behind closed doors. She winced upon hearing what seemed to be someone slipping followed by another loud clang of cooking utensils. Robin however, turned to the next chapter with the topic composing of simple spells such as igniting a flame, creating a ball of water, forming a breeze, and molding a pile of dirt. Apparently, in order to activate spells, concentration and chanting were required. It meant memorizing a long list of nonsensical phrases, with even the most basic water spell requiring the length of a compound sentence. In the meantime, the snacks were laid on the table a whiff of hot steam coming out from the freshly prepared macaron, cookies, tarts, eclairs, and other European sweets. A cup of hot milk was given to the young elf and fragrant tea was served for Robin. Lavender probably. Her nose twitched at the familiar scent. I wonder if I can formulate my own spells. The idea suddenly occurred to her,seemingly plausible. It was a shame she had no way of using magic in her current situation, but she had a hunch she may eventually be able to after the strange update completed. If it occurred in most novels she knew of, there was a high possibilityit may be true. If not, at least she had capable comrades to support her, not leaving her totally handicapped. Her hand reached for a macaron and turned to quickly glance at her fellow guests. They silently munched on their midnight snack, talking amongst themselves as if she didn¡¯t exist. Robin could feel her pride slightly dent, and envy crawl its way up. They reminded her of how she would talk closely with her own brother, playing games and traveling around the area to discover interesting cuisines. That was before he became ill but nonetheless, she had enjoyed the little time they were allowed to spend together. And she wanted to go back. She wanted to experience them again... She hated to admit it, but Robin felt enclosed by her own surroundings. Having even a thousand servants to her every need, there was was a clear invisible divider between them. They were like soldiers, and it was hard to relieve herself from the thought that they were not NPCs but now people? It was hard to discern or even categorize them creating a visible gap as if trying to befriend someone far above their own level with a below average person. She paused, staring at the bitten macaron. It has no taste. It was plain, a chewy texture with no flavor, sweetness, or pleasure. The bluntness of chewing out any sort of flavor remained unsolved, and eventually, Robin discarded the half-eaten macaron. Her taste buds must have gotten dull from the change in her mood. Before she knew it, she had called for Jacques for a health potion. The chubby man quickly went back into the small inner room before returning with a potion in hand. His forehead gleaned in sweat even if there was no reason to, and his handsclasped together as if he was worried about something. She wondered what there was to worry, before downing half of the potion. Eladis watched her as she got up and made towards the exit, taking a peek at the antsy chef. Even his sister seemed to sense something was off but continued to snack on the treats. It wasn¡¯t until she stopped to rest in the spacious garden gazebo did she realize she had nearly finished the potion. Her habits had reverted back to when she had arrived here, and it made her feel pathetic and weak. ¡°What is wrong with me?¡± she weakly whispered, inspecting her trembling hands. Her back rested against the marble slab, the cool sensation created small bumps to form on her skin. She assured herself she would no longer linger in self-pity and be swallowed by such discomforting thoughts. Yet she unconsciously reverted back to the same old habits when she initially arrived here? The weakness crawled back like an inescapable hidden layer of skin. A glance at the sibling¡¯s happy conversation amongst themselves, their intimate bonds, and if that wasn¡¯t enough ignoring her as if she was some sort of reject. Though they may be slaves, they had each other, something she lacked. But they were slaves. I was better off than they were... Crash! The glass shattered upon the harsh impact. She found herself breathing heavily as though she ran a marathon. The unprecedented anger spontaneously erupted, surprising even Robin and retracted back realizing the burning jealousy lodged in her fickle heart. She cursed herself. She considered herself to be self-disciplined, but what remained facts turned out to be lies. Robin was terribly weak to the emotions controlling her, much more than when she was back on Earth. The only way toconstrain down her mind now was to meditate just like she often did before a big exam. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. For a moment, the palpitating heartbeat seemed to steady; the anger present became yesterday¡¯s story. She continued for a few more rounds, before she regained her composed posture and menial expression thatsmoothed out the frown on her face into a thin line. The bubbling jealousy was still there, milder than before. However, she had more self-control than that, bitting at her lower lip until blood trailed down her chin and her nails digging deep into the inner palm of her hands leaving visible crescent marks enough to be seen tomorrow. Her books were left on the table, but felt no need to retrieve them rather she wanted to stargaze right now as a way to clear her clouded mind. She shifted her body where that she laid on the cushioned seat and tilted her neck to stare out into the sky. Don''t be jealous. I''ll eventually go home. My situation is better off. Don''t be jealous... A cool breeze brushed across her body, causing a shiver to erupt. The sky in this world was beautiful, clear to be discerned by the human eye compared to the city lights back home. Slowly Robin found herself washed over by a wave of tiredness and sleepiness continuing the silent mantra over in her head. Chapter 13 The morning provided an abundant amount of sunlight streaming from all corners of the castle. The garden and the courtyard were wet with morning dew and created a myriad of glittering light when the sunlight refracted against the small droplets of water. It pained Robin''s sensitive eyes to see such blinding sight in the early morning from above the balcony. Even more so when her body felt like lead and the sagging of her eye bags were heavy under her eyes. Her skin was still a sickly pale color and for some reason, her mind was exhausted and swayed to stay awake. Breakfast was served separately on the open balcony. Fresh fruits, slices of bread, eggs, sausages, and tea provided by the chef allowed the best of the best to be eaten by Master. Or so Quinn had explained; it was hard to completely comprehend the mage. ¡°Who carried me back to my room?¡± Robin asked, chewing on the small sausage. Breakfast wasn''t her most favorite meal of the day, because all the food were hard to stomach after waking up, plus she didn''t feel hunger in the morning but rather in the afternoon. But she still forced herself to eat, the school slogan ''breakfast is food for the brain'' running in the back of her cluttered mind. ¡°I believe Dorian had been addressed by chef Jacques of what had occurred. He went to find you only to find that you had fallen asleep out in the garden and took the liberty to carry you back into your quarters,¡± explained Quinn. ¡°I see,¡± she murmured her head bobbing to stay awake. ¡°Also could you call Cain in here for me?¡± As per her request, Quinn quickly disappeared before reappearing with Cain behind her. ¡°You requested for my audience, Master?¡± He bowed a small smile etched on his face. As for how genuine it was Robin was unable to tell. ¡°Yes, I want you to delay the educational program and instead offer counseling sessions for the guests. If it deems complicated to offer counseling, I can find another person suited to counseling and then approach the educational program from there.¡± Cain thought for a moment, puzzled at her words. There was no need to provide counseling as it didn''t really bring any benefits. ¡°That isn¡¯t necessary, Master. I am fully capable of executing your orders. There is no need to recruit another member to fulfill a task given to me. However, may I inquire about this sort of counseling session?¡± The unmoving display of loyalty counted as another reason Robin felt alienated. Sometimes it was hard to discern whether they had their own inner thoughts or not, so talking about how she really felt made no difference. She craved for some kind of social interaction preferably human or else she may go insane. ¡°Mental health is important,¡± she started, internally scoffing at the irony of her own mental health. She would worry about herself later. ¡°The slaves will have some mental trauma to an extent, and it affects their efficiency, work ethics, and ability to trust. If all those factors are not fulfilled or even missing, do you think educating them will be as efficient compared to class filled with confident students?¡± Her eyes darted to the blonde vampire, a bit bewildered to why he wasn''t bothered at the sun. As if enlightened, Cain came gave a curt nod for Master''s insight. ¡°Of course, I will dutifully oblige to Master¡¯s wishes. How should I carry this out?¡± he asked, unsure if his Master had any other notion to execute her plans. That¡¯s actually a very good question. She thought of it, leaning back against the cushioned seat. How did modern psychologist and psychiatrists treat patients suffering from depression or PTSD? There were multiple ways for sure, but Robin was unaware of how the actual process itself. She never took any counseling session herself, but it may be she would put that under her derelict to-do list that will never be touched. Psychiatrists may often prescribe prescription drugs, while psychologists offer a variety of therapies. She was stumped. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD often required intensive treatment, but what kind of treatments? Prescribing drugs may help but was unsure of what kind of drugs would help. Addiction would also be a problem if the drugs become abused. She sighed, the idea was easier than taking action and decided to explain to Cain about the very little she knew about mental health, psychology, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Hopefully, he may formulate a plan to alleviate this predicament. The vampire nodded a few times, during her explanation. Robin paused multiple times to see if he was able to follow and it seemed he was, which was interesting considering the mental health was in some ways linked to human emotions. Were vampires able to feel the same set of human sentiments? Are they able to feel the same pain, fear, sadness, and despair? Are they even capable? Their expressions make it believable, but I can''t fully read them... ¡°I see¡­¡± he hummed. ¡°How about we provide them with status removal potion. According to my basic knowledge, when an individual is affected is strained through some sort of emotional turmoil, it counts as a debuff. For example, depression may cause an effect on individual¡¯s health, behavior, appetite, and mood. These all sound very similar to debuffs induced by curses and potions.¡± Cain suggested, prompting Robin away from her wandering thoughts. As ridiculous as it sounded, curing mental health with a potion; Cain''s hypothesis could very much be plausible. However, Robin lacked the ability to scan another¡¯s status even as their owner and required the other party''s consensus, so knowing which debuff was difficult. Skepticism fixed its way on her face. Using status potions as the one time cure for mental health seemed to denounce mental health. It did not sound at all logical, but it was worth a try. Her brows furrowed and she rubbed her chin,¡°I think you may be onto something. We can test out this hypothesis.¡± With a light clap of her hands, "Quinn, please bring in each and every potion that has the ability to remove debuffs and Cain please gather all the guests into the courtyard.¡± finishing her breakfast and making her way out of the room. Not even twenty minutes later after her breakfast, Cain started to inspect the status of the quivering person in front of him. Cain¡¯s imposing aura caused the slave to visibly shrink back, allowing Robin to take the advantage to reassure the terrified slave. ¡°Be at ease. He will not hurt you or anyone here. I will give you my word,¡± assured Robin. At her words, the fear lessened but remained visible when suspicion reflected in the slave''s eyes. ¡°Master, she suffers from trauma most likely from her previous master. I believe this may be a sign of PTSD caused by the physical abuse of various kinds. The debuff will drain the user of mana over time and eventually their health while creating nightmares as well as hallucinations.¡± Cain reported. He quickly glanced over where Quinn stood, nodding to her to bring over the potion. He uncorked the potion and passed it to the young female slave, not forgetting to smile. The smile managed to successfully cause the young female to blush, and also made her more susceptible to accepting the unknown potion. The thought of ¡°curing¡± mental illness with a potion seemed outright ridiculous and illogical. However, Robin had to remind herself she was no longer on Earth, where most of the common diseases back on Earth may not even exist. Judging by the nearby town''s inhabitants, most of them did not show signs being ridden with diseases or desperately malnourished. Maybe the mana flowing through their veins acted as some sort of guard against these small microorganisms. Robin could always test this with some mice around the local area, and retrieve harmful bacteria from animal feces. But that was also time-consuming and did not occupy the top her to-do list, and the last problem she needed was assuming theories without actually testing them. She lacked basic questions, more like inconspicuous question such as why are plants not green but rather violet, why is the average lifespan longer than 60 when the nearest inhabitants do not have a decent lavatory.Stolen novel; please report. A dark strand fell in front of her face, before being brushed aside a burning frustration gnawing at her. For now, Robin stood at the sidelines, crossing her arms over her chest spectating for any physical changes appearing on the female slave. ¡°I-I? Something happened. I feel different as my head is cleared up,¡± said the young slave touching her head. Her eyes widened visibly shocked at what had transpired before her. ¡°How do you feel?¡± asked Robin. She uncrossed her arms leaning forward to take a better look. The dark under bags of her eyes seemed to be gone and her complexion seemed visible clearer compared to the ghastly paleness. In conclusion, the slave looked healthier than even herself. Even if the potion did work, it was highly likely the young girl would need to take more than just one pot and weekly therapy session. Her lips trembled to utter a word. ¡°I-I don¡¯t k-know how to d-describe it¡­¡± she softly spoke. The girl toyed with her fingers afraid to make eye contact. ¡°I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.¡± Robin nodded. ¡°Cain, I think you may have to hold a therapy session for all of them even if they took the potion. Make them take the potion again next week and start weekly therapy sessions for all of them. You can group them up depending on their conditions and rotate them around through the weeks to ease up your workload. "Conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety are nearly impossible to fix in just a day. They take time, and if those conditions start emerging again, it¡¯ll be more difficult to fix in the future,¡± explained Robin. But still¡­ What the fuck! She looked at the empty bottle, her eyes narrowing just slightly, mouth slightly agape in shock. The event that had transpired seemed like it was a fake infomercial about an equally fake miracle drug to help dissolve body fat. It scared Robin on how effective these potions were, nearly impossible for her to stomach. However... Just maybe... The empty glass bottle shined under the light and found herself clenching the neck of the bottle in a chokehold. Could this also? She shook her head stopping at the threshold to where her mind may have wandered. This suffering of hers is something she had to conquer herself, even if it killed her. It was too easy, all too easy to be true, a joke perhaps. The hold on the bottle lessened and handed the bottle to Quinn. Stupid. Idiot! "Cain, please record any unusual changes or symptoms for each and everyone who takes the status removal potion." She ordered before huffing. There was no possible way one potion could act as a miracle drug for mental illness unless it came with undesirable consequences. She nearly fell into the temptation too without knowing what the consequences were. While it became harder to deny magic as a miracle too, not everything can be guaranteed or be place the utmost hope into magic. Robin hoped not to depend too much on magic, much how humans had depended heavily on fossil fuels. She wasn''t well informed about magic and its properties explained in books were vague in regards to their makeup. She could only conclude that this world had yet to fully understand its basic foundation, much like how Earth''s scientist knew more about outer-space than the ocean floor. She walked down the halls with Quinn tagging behind her. Like a secretary, Quinn carried a clipboard that had a few basic blueprints for her Robin¡¯s next plan. ¡°I¡¯ve formed multiple landmarks surrounding the castle, Master. The first landmark we will be traveling to is near the bank of the river.¡± They took a sharp turn and arrived at the left wing of the castle. Each wing had their own garden, and Robin would eventually turn them into experimental greenhouses for cultivating cash crops, on a later date. For now, she was to meet with another mage who Quinn had referred to as Blair, their future botanist. They arrived in the west wing of the garden, identical to the east wing with Blair awaiting them. What stood out most of the fellow mage was her pointy ears poking through her emerald colored hair enough to camouflage within the sea of trees if ever needed and ashy grey eyes. Her height was comparable and gave off a scholarly look dressed in very long modest robes, in contrast to Quinn''s more revealing dresses. ¡°Master, I am humbled to be in your service,¡± Blair curtseyed, her eyes brightened upon meeting her. Robin nodded, unsure how to reply and walked into the magic formation. Her eyes widened upon remembering the most important item. Shit, I forgot¡­ Before uttering another word, the trainwreck of pain crashed into her with the little breakfast consumed rising up from her throat. Upon noticing the color draining from her face, Quinn handed the potion to Robin to which she downed like it was an alcoholic shot. How stupid of her to forget the one thing necessary to safely travel without having to vomit to death. After taking the last gulp, she handed the glass bottle back to Quinn and surveyed the surroundings. The streaming river provided a cool breeze against the searing heat of the sun. The crystal-clear water gleamed brilliantly as the light reflected across the surface of the river. She could even see a few unusual fish swimming around creating more ripples. Freshwater rivers meant a good sign of cultivating farms to sustain a large population. The history of rivers trailed back to why hunter-gatherers had stopped becoming hunter-gatherers in the first place. Without worrying about tracking down their source of food every day, domesticating animals and crops prevented hunger and provided culturally significant art to flourish. ¡°Master, according to the scouts, the soil deposits near the river is highly packed in nutrients and suitable for cultivating a variety of plants,¡± Quinn reported, the clipboard in her hands had appeared from a vortex. ¡°That¡¯s great news. I¡¯ll have Blair take control over the area so that she can grow all kinds of cash crops and food for the country.¡± Robin walked around the river bank, watching the abundant amount of red scaled fish going about their day. Since the river was untouched by humans, it remained its natural and clean ecosystem. Tall trees and long grass stretched across the river bank and Robin hesitated to excavate the area. The trees provided shade away from the sun, and helped prevent the river from drying up during times of drought; it also provided a small niche of a variety of animals. I may have to use this amount of resource sparingly otherwise, depletion of these fish will be too fast for a growing population. Human population in general grew exponentially. That was a fact Robin knew very well and at some point, overuse of resources may create a web of future complications, hindering further progress. Before she could touch any of these natural resources, she had to find alternatives to prevent a food crisis from happening. After all, a large population meant a large labor force and preventive care for the fragile nature of how the future may take hold. Instead, Robin decided to preserve the river and the mineral-rich water it provided in reasonable amounts for the large plantations. But before she planned to create the large plantation she needed to explain to Blair about genetically modifying a few plants. In her mind, genetically modified plants would be the first step in an accessible food source and strong iron link forming as the foundation of a proper machination in population control of all aspects. With that checked off, there would be more free time to worry about other re-occurring problems. In short, before Robin could begin conducting a large-scale plantation, the acres of land had to be used the most effectively. For example, if Robin were to cultivate non-GMO wheat on one-acre long farmland (half the size of a soccer field) the yield may probably be less than 6000 pounds. However, if she were to plant modified wheat, the yield would be twice as much and required a shorter amount of time. She could use leftover wheat to feed the livestock, making the net amount of food to be more than what she could have previously had. It was why altering the staple crops was the highest importance. Plant rotations were also another obstacle and soil erosion, but with Blair''s affinity towards earth magic, it not be much of a problem. Robin sighed realizing multiple little but important factors that contributed to the working cogs of a large machine. While pondering over a multitude of ideas, Quinn led Robin to a large tree where a desk and chair had been set up. It was odd seeing such detailed desk and chair in the middle of the wilderness but nonetheless thanked Quinn for her aid. She quickly drew a sketch of how a greenhouse would look, a bit crappy but after she explained the purpose of it, they mostly got the gist of it. ¡°The glass allows the sunlight to go through and absorbed by the plants afterward, the air inside the glass house becomes warm because the glass keeps heat inside. Of course, this would also provide insulation for the plants in cold weathers especially winter.¡± She explained, drawing how the greenhouse was supposed to work on another paper. "These greenhouses will be the subject of experiments, and the land," Robin pointed towards the overgrown grass and trees, "will be cleared for large plantations." ¡°Oh, I see!¡± exclaimed Blair. Her eyes shone with excitement upon discovering such unique ways to cultivate plants. Robin merely smiled at her before moving onto the next topic. ¡°I also want to genetically modify a few of these plants,¡± she wrote down the list of cash crops and showed it to both of them. ¡°I know this may sound like a difficult task, but figuring you have a high affinity towards nature or general earth magic, I was hoping you could use your magic to somehow alter plants. For example, some plants yield a higher number of fruits, are more resistant to diseases, and mature within a short time. If you can find a way to fulfill all three requirements, it will greatly help.¡± Blair nodded and held the list of plants her Master wanted her to experiment. They included cacao beans, grapes, tea leaves, coffee beans, and wheat. ¡°May I ask Master why she needs these crops so that I can alter them to your preferred taste?¡± Blair earnestly asked. It made sense to explain what Robin would have in store for each crop. If explaining it to Blair helped create an outline of how the plant should be grown, Robin would gladly explain each commodity for her. She was glad Blair asked such question or else the process may have taken longer without a solid idea to direct her. Taking out a new sheet of paper, Robin went over each crop starting with cacao bean. Cacao beans allowed chocolate to be manufactured as an expensive commodity, in the case where this world has yet to discover. Cacao beans were not restrained to just only chocolate but could be used in a variety of pastries and desserts. Grapes would obviously allow the procedure of wine and disgusting raisins, but mostly for fine wine targeted to high ranking nobles. As for the coffee bean and tea leaves, they served as beverage drinks much like how tea became England''s most quintessential drink and symbol of royalty after its rough adoption. If Robin were to successfully release such invaluable goods, there was a high possibility for tea and coffee to be integrated into their culture and habits. These commodities were nearly invaluable and even wars, empires, and colonies were erected because of some of these commodities. They were the pleasure houses of delicacy, a strong narcotic far more potent than opium or any narcotic. It was only time until she introduced it to them. A small smile emerged from her lips. This felt so much better than trying to come up with an original project design without having to check through every lawsuit and companies that had already patented the design. Well, a few alterations would avoid some pesky lawsuits, but in such primitive age, new ideas such as a pen were revolutionary. Finally, she moved onto wheat where it was simply used to support a growing population as well as a way to feed cattle for their meat, milk, and offsprings. Corn could be used too, but she decided to put it off for another time. She handed the paper to Blair before quickly heading to her next destination: the mountainside. Chapter 14 The cold frontier with a few scattered bits of snow on the very edge of the mountains required Robin to change into a thick coat, leather boots, mittens, and earmuffs. She drowned another potion and shivered in the biting cold scanning the lush greenery some concealed by the snow and a few large jagged rocks protruding at the very edge where the mountain began. As her eyes trailed up to the tip of the mountain she realized the utmost top was concealed by a few hazy clouds. This could have been another Mt. Everest back on Earth and would make a good tourist spot. She took one more glance at the snow capped-mountain and followed Quinn into a makeshift shed. In contrast to the numbing coldness, the inside of the shed provided a comforting warmth from the amber lights. Her company this time was Vulcan the castle blacksmith. His beard was bushy and long, a staggering difference compared to chef Jacques¡¯ own handlebar mustache and had arms bulky enough to crush a man¡¯s head between it. He adorned a brown leather apron with a few unusual tools protruding out from the large middle pocket, wondering what interesting uses he may have for it. He wasn''t very tall for sure considering he was a dwarf? ¡°Good day Miss,¡± he greeted, the thick beard moved slightly as he spoke. ¡°Good day.¡± She replied sitting opposite of Vulcan. Vulcan took out an assortment of crystals some the size of a grown man¡¯s palm. They resembled the same kind of color and oddity like the magic stones she had experimented just not long ago. Like uncut gems, a bit of faceting would allow the inclusions and other flaws to be cleaned away, forming a natural gem. Vulcan pointed north, her eyes trailing to where the thick index finger directed. ¡°The mountains Miss brings in one of the largest mines, but better inside is laden with an inconceivable number of uncut magic stones like these.¡± He held the large uncut gem in his hand tossing it around. ¡°As I was scoping around the area, I noticed a large magic leyline. I was lucky enough to stumble upon an unusual indicator; a glowing vein among a few slabs of rock, that led me to the small opening of these veins.¡± He leaned back, letting out a loud hearty laugh. This was an incredible discovery however, magic stones did not really hold much use for Robin until a later date. Considering her brother¡¯s castle had their own mining operation, and garden for the sake of materials, it wasn¡¯t really necessary, but more is never enough. Greed alluded her, much like many humans viewed enough is never enough. Her initial goal was to see if there were any interesting mineral deposits like iron, coal, and copper. However, even those materials were not needed, because the castle would provide these raw materials as long as she hunted them in the mini-dungeons. Having another outlet as a source of resources may benefit productivity, especially if she planned to make technological innovation. In the end, her brother''s castle was more valuable than the mine itself as it provided unlimited resources at the expense of a bit of time. However, the mine still had its uses, like refining them into effective magic stones and reselling them for a higher price. Robin hoped to use these magical ores to create a more eco-friendly fuel that her future country would rely on, so they would not ever have to suffer the same problem like global warming and sudden rise in price levels due to a drop in fuel and resources. She chuckled at the thought. How could a business minded person have time to think about the environment, yet she felt compelled to protect this unblemished world. Maybe the natural beauty urged her to preserve it. The nagging problem still remained in her mind. If the castle did not have a replenishable source for these raw resources, the magic stones will automatically dry up much like steel, gold, and other resources. It was logical to assume that each refined magic stones held their own amount of mana like batteries and would require recharging from a person''s own mana pool if it ever ran out. They would be re-usable for sure, but it was almost like a hassle to constantly recharge them if the main energy came from mana holding individuals. No matter. This issue could be dealt with later. As long as she knew what the land provided and an effective way to use the raw resources, not much else mattered for now. ¡°I¡¯ll trouble you to start dispatching a few capable servants to help start the mining of these precious ores. They¡¯ll be very useful in the near future, so stocking them out right now will provide extra inventory reserves.¡± With that, Robin took her leave again, this time heading towards the East. At her arrival, Robin was a bit disappointed to see a sea of endless trees. The mountains from before stretched up as long as the Himalayan mountain range, with the west side where the large freshwater river resided cut through the land. A large forest covered a bit of the pathway where the river laid but with the East side, Robin could only see the path to be a densely packed forest after forest. ¡°Master, we¡¯ve cleared a path for you.¡± Quinn gestured toward the only pathway leading to nothing. Well, it was very hard for Robin to view that far with her terrible vision, but what was noticeable was the number of trees that had been cleared for just one long endless path. As if it wasn¡¯t imposing enough, the towering trunks of the trees were neatly stacked on top of one another resembling the kind you see at the lumberyard, enough to provide a continuous fireplace throughout Russia''s long winters. She made a mental note to teach her companions about the importance of environmental science after she got back because they were wasting precious resources. At least the towering pyramid of thick tree trunks could be used for building new dwellings or they would rot. Two horse like apparitions galloped out of the dark mist, pulling a sinister looking carriage behind them. Their hooves were engulfed in blue flames matching their equally fiery manes, while their eyes glowed in a bright neon blue. It took a while for Robin to clearly recognize they were a pair of nightmare stallions from one of the various mounts available in Afrein. ¡°Please,¡± Quinn gestured her into the carriage, before wearily passing by the imposing horses. Unlike other normal sized horses using the scale from a field trip she took during her elementary school years, these were far bigger in size and had bulging muscles. If one were not careful or incurred their wrath, a kick from their hind legs would be the death of an adult man. In an instant she made herself comfortable inside the carriage seats before her body jolted, lunging forward until her face collided into the chest of Quinn. ¡°Shit. Are you alright?¡± Robin quickly removed herself from Quinn. The amount of force created by the sudden movement of the carriage caused her to jerk from her seat. The forehead buzzed slightly at the hard impact of Quinn¡¯s breasts and the size didn¡¯t help ease the force behind the impact either. ¡°There is no need to apologize, Master.¡± She showed a reassuring smile, before knocking against the walls of the compartment. The blurring background from the windows of the compartment slowed comparably to allow for a much comfortable travel. When the arrived at the destination, a familiar scent of saltiness hit her nose. The air was wet with the sounds of waves rolling in and out of the sandy beach. Compared to the inland, the beachside resembled that of Massachusetts during a cloudy day. The small cliff-like ledge from where they stood allowed a panoramic view of the oceanic scenery, unblemished by human intrusion. Brother, look! Come look at this crab! It looks funny! Her eyes softened at sudden reappearance of her distant memory. The biting nostalgic sentiment ached, wanting to travel back in time and experience the small unique things in life with her brother again. Slowly, her body descended down from the ledge, uncaring of any sharp jagged rocks protruding on the side. Her shoes sunk a bit into the soft sand, before slipping them off to feel the softness cradling her feet. Wiggling her toes, a small smile rose from her lips. The waves created a nice loop, breaking against the beach before ebbing away back into the ocean. The hypnotic sounds seduced her as she approached closer until the wetness touched her toes. Brrr. The water is so cold, brother. I can¡¯t stand it. Hey, wait! Her eyes trailed after the image of her younger self, running blissfully away from her mischievous brother. Her younger self laughed out loud as she splashed water back at her brother. The aching became more prevalent, and Robin unconsciously touched the place where it throbbed in a phantom pain. She continued walking down the shoreline only stopping to pick up a small clam. Quinn watched her Master comfortably from the sidelines fading into the background. She felt it was necessary to provide her space, whenever the tell-tale signs of longingness and shadowy shimmer reflected in her eyes. So she stayed quiet until one day, her Master would be willing to tell her. For now, she could only watch as a stranger.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The beautiful coral color stood out pleasantly against the dusty gray wet sand. She couldn¡¯t fully understand why looking at the small shell brought an inexplicable melancholy. We collected a lot of shells! I¡¯m gonna put them up on the wall and the ceiling! She swallowed thickly, a constricting sensation forming in her throat. Aww...I can¡¯t keep the shells, because I¡¯m stealing the homes of the crabs? ¡°Yes, because if the crabs don¡¯t have homes, they¡¯ll be sad. And I¡¯ll be sad.¡± She softly whispered, tracing over what her brother¡¯s words. The stinging of her nostrils burned, but not as much as her eyes. She ran over her thumb against the coral colored shell wiping away the wet sand. Can I keep at least one then? The shell distorted in a blur, the beads formed from the corners of her eyes slid down her cheeks, before slipping into the sand leaving a dark circular imprint. How beautiful. Quinn couldn¡¯t help but think. What she lacked, her Master had. She envied the topic in which her Master showed such tenderness and care a contrast to her constant brooding expression that seemed to be permanently tattooed on her face. Even if she smiled, it held a forced contemplating sentiment; unsure and deliberate. For once, the waves became a lovely lullaby drawing Robin into the sea of memories: deep, cold, and suffocating. The small coral colored clam laid inside loosely in her palm, while Robin desperately crushed the rising heartache, before treading over to the shed. The redness of her watery eyes hid nothing. Warm air surrounded her the moment she took a step in the same exact shed she had met Vulcan in, but instead was greeted by a blue transparent almost gelatinous figure. The blue blob had a visible green core and slowly molded itself into a young female frame while remaining in its blue viscous form. ¡°Greetings, my liege,¡± the form spoke but its mouth did not move an inch. Understanding Robin¡¯s puzzlement it offered, ¡°I am speaking telepathically. Please ignore my inability to mimic human vocal cords.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. However, I find it surprising that there was a coast near here," she forced out. Her voice was shaky and the intent to cry still remained deeply rooted. She gave a light cough to clear her throat and occupied her thoughts on more pressing matters. Her eyes glided to where an open window laid unintentionally zoning in at the dark blue sea and the rolling waves. The saliva lodged in her throat traveled its way back down the moment she swallowed and attempted to come up with any significant use of the ocean. The ocean allowed sea travel, salt to be harvested, fish and other marine life to be consumed. If she remembered clearly, the ocean also helps act as an air conditioner during the day and heater during the night from her biology class in high school. It was a good indicator to for the development of a settlement and to see changes in the weather patterns. Of how Robin recalled the amount of knowledge was a contribution of her own hard work during her high school, and college years. ¡°I did not consider such amazing uses of the ocean, Master¡± the slime figure spoke, startling Robin from her thoughts. ¡°What is biology and high school?¡± it asked. ¡°Oh! My apologies for startling you, Master. I should not have intruded on your thoughts.¡± The makeshift brows curved as a way to express its regrets. Robin became a bit nervous, at the slime''s ability. Its gelatinous figure was one thing, but reading a person''s inner thoughts were another, especially if the mind held the person''s insecurity, fear, and almost everything. ¡°N-No need. I was just startled, but what I thought is true.¡± Robin quickly nodded, a slight slip of her character. ¡°Salt is another good commodity to harvest from the water, and easier than producing normal table salt. As for the type of marine life, I still don¡¯t know what dwells in this region.¡± She hoped her explanation masked her hidden turmoil, to convey respect for the slime and to prevent it from prodding into more of her thoughts. ¡°Oh! I see.¡± The gelatinous form stretched its arm and pulled out multiple metal buckets with its tentacle-like forearms. ¡°I caught all these near the beach. There were multiple unusual creatures living in these large indents filled with water.¡± The slime knew for sure, and so did Quinn with them both providing brief telepathic exchanges. However, Quinn reminded it to be respectful, and the slime did not prod any further considering its curious nature. As for Robin, she assumed the slime was probably referring to tide pools, a natural habitat supporting an abundant number of diverse species. However, it didn¡¯t bring in anything beneficial in such medieval times, but the species that lived there contributed to the food pyramid that could lure in potential seafood. Robin took a look in the buckets. The first bucket seemed to be what resembled sea urchins, but they dimly glowed in a blue light. The faint glow may have been the product of mana, but nonetheless still like sea urchins back on Earth except slightly larger and its needles gleamed dangerously. At least sea urchins were edible, therefore, it had a purpose to be eaten, with extreme caution and care for the needle-like spines. The next bucket contained mussels, tightly enclosed from its predators with the same faint blue light. It was also edible, but starfish were not in the next bucket or the next five buckets until the sixth one. A lobster larger than any she had seen before stared at her with its large bulging eyes. It was her favorite seafood and witnessing its enormous claws bounded by a magical restraint unintentionally elicited a gulp. It was magnificent with its beady eyes staring threateningly at Robin, and the long antenna twitched as if trying to convey its agitation. I found tonight¡¯s dinner. The color remained the same, except the purple glow surrounding the poor thing and its exoskeleton had sharp extensions. The slime flipped the lobster over revealing the multitude feelers and the soft almost translucent abdomen. Its small feelers wriggled in an attempt to be turned back upright, however, Slimy curious of the unusual creature started to poke at the meaty abdomen. ¡°This creature is quite a peculiar Master,¡± Slimy said, continuously poking at the poor lobster making it writhe in helplessness. Death and served on a silver platter seemed to be its bliss compared to it being vigorously poked and prodded by Slimy. As for the slime''s new name, Robin decided to name the slime like creature Slimy, because why not. Actually, the lobster was a bit similar to something she had seen before, but Robin could not pinpoint from where. She decided to ignore it for now and assigned Slimy to harvest the ocean water for its sea salt. It was actually an idea she remembered when watching a Y**T*** video along with other weird unrelatable videos that turned out to have more uses in this world. ¡°I¡¯ll go back for now, but choose a few people to help you harvest sea salt. Just simply boil a bucket of sea water until the salt crystals remain at the very bottom.¡± With that Robin left, boarding on back on the carriage. ¡°Tired¡­¡± She plopped down on the sofa, weariness washing over her whole body, but when she glanced at Quinn¡¯s unwavering posture she straightened herself. Quinn worked harder than her, which was unacceptable for Robin to say she was tired. For an instant, the memory of the beach flashed in her mind and as fast as it came Robin had already forced the memory down. What had been a happy moment now remained a painful memory of the past that longed to be revived. ¡°Tea is served, Master.¡± Quinn elegantly placed a cup of steaming hot tea in front of her, the floral fragrant instantly clearing any signs of exhaustion and a great distraction. Gray clouds started to settle and in a few moments drizzles fell from the dark clouds. Smooth static erupted in the quiet room before the slow jazzy music from the gramophone played in the background. Quinn must have turned it on, and accompanied nicely in this calm rainy atmosphere. Since she would be attending the magic school, she¡¯d have to assign Quinn as the pseudo-ruler to keep away any unwanted attention. In short, Quinn would be like a puppet ruler while Robin would be planning in the shadows and quickly explained the brief idea to her. Quinn nodded in understanding because placing such a troublesome role on her shoulders required a great amount of trust between them. Robin was a bit worried Quinn would have denied the request but was glad she accepted it. In reality, it may have been a way for her to avoid distractions and preventive measure to remain safe. On the other side of the spectrum, Quinn was absolutely delighted because playing the role pre-assumed Robin¡¯s most trusted aid was herself. ¡°You seem quite happy about this¡­¡± muttered Robin. Her brows furrowed and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. ¡°You do understand, that it would mean assassination attempts in the future, political delegations, and being monitored by the masses,¡± she listed. As if her posture isn¡¯t straight enough, she seated herself even more rigidly, a proud expression making its way up Quinn¡¯s regal face. It reminded Robin of a soldier taking orders from their generals; never questioning them or thinking for themselves. ¡°There is no need to worry about me, Master. I will complete this task dutifully and I swear it on my honor and name.¡± She gracefully placed her hand on her chest swearing into allegiance. Robin felt bad, but if it made Quinn happy she¡¯ll let it slip. She was kind of using Quinn, but it wouldn¡¯t be deemed as being used as long as precautionary measures would ensure her safety. Or maybe it was her own selfish excuse however, part of her wished they would think for themselves sometimes. Maybe that way the seeding guilt would die. ¡°As for the shop¡­, I hope to assign someone who is rather cunning, and business-minded handling the affairs in Xaexaviel. Furthermore, they would have to be beautiful and excel in coaxing.¡± Robin requested. She tasked Quinn to search for any servants that fulfilled these requirements and asked to send them to Robin when she found them. But for now, Robin decided to check up on Cain, and then start the foundation process with the fellow castle advisory. While walking down the halls, her feet guided her to the unison sounds of school children speaking English making her pause in her tracks just outside of the door. ¡°Ah, Master, please do come in.¡± Cain stopped his lessons and bowed in greeting. She did not realize she had opened the door for a glimpse and scanned the room finding it to be a large makeshift classroom dragging her gaze towards the beautiful handwriting scribbled on the blackboard. ¡°How is the educational program going?¡± Cain pushed up the thin wire spectacles, ¡°Splendidly. They are all well-behaved and starving for education. The second batch of students will be coming in within the next thirty minutes. As for the materials covered today, I¡¯ve taught them a few basic arithmetics, discipline, counseling, and now English.¡± Robin hummed in delight at the progress but paused realizing teaching science was more of a heresy in the world of magic. Science was a fickle matter to teach in a world filled with magic, but still possible in the future. Physics may come in handy, but that required a higher degree of mathematical understanding. Teaching English was not a problem since Robin hoped it would be the main language used for all communications and because Robin knew English the best. It didn¡¯t mean other languages were forbidden and in fact, Robin encouraged a variety of other languages to be learned at a later date. ¡°Keep up the good work,¡± she praised, before whispering something into his ears, ¡°Please refrain from drinking the blood of the students and give them frequent breaks with snacks to refill their energy.¡± A small sinister grin crept up from the vampire¡¯s face before disappearing, ¡°As you wish, Master.¡± Before she took her leave, Cain handed her a brown cardboard-like notebook. She scanned through the pages while walking down the hallways. It contained slaves grouped in their academic capabilities as well as their names, age, and race ranging from dark elves, beastkins, humans, and demons. So far, Cain has been doing very well at his job, and Quinn was also exemplary nearly tending to her every need. I should give them a raise, but will they accept some metal as an exchange? Maybe I¡¯ll impart Cain on my modern knowledge and Quinn... As she was pondering over her thoughts, another idea occurred to her?identification cards. Her steps became brisker, heading to where the castle advisory laid. It was where upgrades were available, crafting unusual miscellaneous for events, and summoning low-level monsters to high leveled monsters. It was located next to the castle dungeon where players could kill monsters for their usable drops and carcasses with a fee and refresh time. ¡°Hellooooooooo! Masssssttttteeeeeeerrrrrr!¡± The singsong voice penetrated the dark room with the bright spotlight randomly moving around until it landed glaringly at Robin. She winced at the sudden blindness before bright colorful confetti blew from all corners of the room, and the whole room lit up again. A dark flash stuttered across the room and the figure tumbled in continuous flips before perfectly landing like a trapeze artist enough to gain perfect 10s in the female gymnastic competition. ¡°Welcome, mademoiselle. What can I do for you today?¡± the young gentleman asked, kissing the front of her hand. She didn¡¯t even realize it until the light feathery sensation fluttered across her hand, instinctively pulling back away from the eccentric man. It seemed the castle did have a few particular servants that stood out. But out of all castle advisories, why choose him, brother? Chapter 15 The man had unusual orange hair fading into bright blue at the ends, a dark green top hat with deep purple flowers as an accent and multiple cartilage earrings.His clothing was questionable too, but that didn¡¯t matter to Robin.After all, he was... ¡°Mad Piper, doyouthinkyou¡¯ll beableto produce identification cards for all 200 people?¡± Thenameis cheesy too. Saying hisnameleft aweirdtaste in her mouth almost as ifcallinga person whohadthename,Helga.The game offered a hybrid breed between Alice¡¯s Mad Hatter and the classic nursery rhyme whichmayormaynot have a darker theme as the castle advisor.But why did her own brotherchoosehim as the advisor? He retreated his long row of spectacles, as in a glass layered on top of a few other lenses, which seemed really unnecessary looking through the notebook.¡°Ah yes!Of course, I can!¡±Andwith a spring in his step, went inside a hunky compartment rivaling that of Dr. Seuss''s fictionalmachines. Themachinerumbled, a few clanks and engine grunts could be heard.As a matter of fact, the whole room was filled with theseweirdmachinesand whatnots.As the rumbling became louder, Robin took a few steps back worried thelargemachinewould explode at any moment. It was only until a loud boom resounded throughout the room, did Robin gave a small yelp. A puff of gray smoke came out of the cone-shaped opening, the stench of CO2 diffusing into the room tickling at her nostrils.Piper came out from thesmallcompartment with a loud swing of the door.He gave her a huge grin showing his perfectly straight teeth, and the circular goggles enlarged his eyes presented an almost comical view. With long strides, he went to theveryend ofthe machine where the finished product laid andquicklyhandedthe box of plastic identification cards. ¡°These?¡± ¡°Faces!And their country of origin, plus their date of birth!¡±hefinished.Hehappily clapped his gloved hands at the stunned expression etched across Robin¡¯s face. ¡°Explain.¡± Hedeeply bowed to the point whereitseemedhewas trying to touch his toes, ¡°Of course Mademoiselle.TheMachinotron6000,hasthe capability of identifying and producingnumerousamount of things from the informationitis given.AllIhave to do is press some buttons totellitwhatIwant and the thing is made!Amazing isitnot?¡±Hewiggled his brows in delight, displaying a satisfying grin. ¡°...¡± Forget it.It¡¯s like trying to ask Suess of the actual science behind his machines or where babies come from. ¡°Furthermore, these plasticcardscan¡¯t be cut, ripped, burned, drenched, or harmed in any way!¡±he added. Thecardshad the same sort of texture like the identificationcardsshe received but also included a picture, country of origin, and date of birth.Basically, it was exactly the same as any other residentcardor driver license. ¡°By the way,youwouldn¡¯t mind if I cameto consultyouabout the starting foundations just outside of the castle, wouldyou?¡± ¡°Oh!Of course!What do you plan on creating?¡±heponderedout loud. ¡°I want to create a basic community or something along the lines of a capital if possible, but for now focus on the underground structure of how the city will be, including waste disposal, an underground waterline, a large-scale public electricity generator and recreational areas.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. If Robin were tocreatea country, she mightas wellexpend thebestresources like anyone would inS*mC*tyon cheats.Happierpeople meantbetterproductivity. ¡°If possible, I alsowantyou tocreatea team of researchers tocreatea way for harvesting magic power continuously and connect it to all parts of the city.Essentially, an electricity grid but instead uses mana, if that makes any sense."Robintook a nearby pen drawing a box that representedwherethemainsource of energy was created and connected it to thecrappilydrawn house. What Robin imagined wascreatingsectors in parts of theto-be-citythat produced some form of reusable energy to be used in homes and such.Shestoppedand tapped the pen a few times beforerealizingsomething very important. Could Iusethe dark magic stones as waste disposal?Createasmallvacuum and isverysimilar to a black hole. Itwas if an epiphany struck her at odd times, butnonethelessaveryinterestingidea.Hypothetically she coulduseit, as long there was a magic outlet connecting toit.As for whetheritposed a threat or not, made Robin think of future implications. ¡°Actually,fornowIwantyou to test a little hypothesis for me regarding the dark magic stones,¡± she tore away the page andhandeditto Hatter.He simply hummed looking at the wrinkled paper. ¡°Interesting.Mmhm.Interesting.¡±Tappingat his long painted nails against his cheeks. Shequicklyglanced at her own nails before speaking, ¡°I¡¯llleavethat to you for now.Ihavesomething to do for the meanwhile.¡± Robin left Hatter toponderwith his own thoughts and would eventually consult him at alaterdate.Itwas dusk, at leastit¡¯s what Robin assumed from thedarkskies.The rain stopped a long time ago, with the sky clear and darker than ever.Maybeitwas evening but one thing was certain, Robin was starving. She headed towards the kitchen and was greeted by Quinn again halfway to her destination.A faintscentof rosesalwaysaccompanied Quinn,a bitof an addictingscentthat distracted her hunger for just a tadbit. ¡°Master, dinner has been served in the dining room.¡± ¡°What about the guests?¡±Robin asked, redirecting her route towards the dining room. ¡°They will be served in their respective rooms thistimearound andprohibitedto leave for thetime being,¡±Quinn replied. Robin hummed in response.¡°I¡¯ll head to their quarters to give them their identification cards after dinner then.As for the candidates I requested¡­¡± ¡°No worries, Master.I have found two very suitable candidates and are currentlyawaitingyour arrival in the dining room.¡± Great.Thentheplancan be settled faster than I expected. Shehoped herplanwouldbea success because Robin did not make or propose aplanB.Shefelt as thoughshewas pushing herplansa bit too fast, but time was precious after all. Chapter 16 Afterhanding offthe cards, Robin rushed into the dining room, a pang of hunger pain gnawing at her stomach.Upon reaching her destination, two figures were standing idle at the edge of the long table. Stunning would be an understatement, looking at the pair of identicalsiblings.Hornsprotrudedfrom the side of their heads resembling that of a ram.ArdatLiliandIrduLiliweretheir names and of Mesopotamian roots known best as being succubus/incubus. Robin remembered the pair well since they were part of a themedgachabanner when shestartedthe game.The pair came as one,Ardatbeing the female andIrdumale.They dressed in fine qualityleather,Ardatbearing atightleathermini skirt with fishnets, while her chest hid little to nothing for the world to see.Thelongpinkish hair curled delicately near her midsection, round oval face accompanied by large eyes with equallylongeyelashes and pink petal lips as the cherry on top of her unearthly appearance. The brother of the pair fashioned the same leather outfit, very tight leather pants with patches of tight-fitting leather wrapping around his chest area and abdomen.Elaborate detailing was engraved in every corner, compared to Quinn¡¯smilitaristicthemed dress, but it offered a cool vibe oozing out.His pink hair gave away the fact thatArdatwas indeed hissibling,howeverhis eyes were less enlarged and more narrow causing sirens to blare inwarningif you were to approach even three meters inside his space. This will work for sure¡­ Robin had not expected Quinn to pick a pair of sex demons as the face of their start-up businesshowever, looks were more powerfulwhenitcame tolife landing third just before experience and intelligence. That was according to what she looked on the employee applications. She gave a mental applaud to the game developers and their team of freelancing artist who sculpted these almost Adonis-like figures.Their looks would definitely sell and both men and women will flock to them like moths to a flame. ¡°Perfect.This is exactly what I want.I thank you for the helpQuinn.¡±Robingot up and went to examine them more closely, only to stop a meter away. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind taking up animportantmission thatrequireshuman interactions andbeguilingyour way into the upper echelon of nobility.¡±shesimplyexplained, simplifying what was going to be in store for thepair of twins.Maybe it sounded like underhanded prostitution, but Robin was not less different. If selling her body made her just a tad closer to her goal, she would view it as a small price to pay.Looking back at the times whenshestarted as an intern, her dignity lied in whatshecould do for her brother, rather her sense of morals and dignity were twisted in an uncanny matter. ¡°We shall gladly obey,milord,¡±Ardatkneeled, her silvery voice was light and clear enough to be superb in customer service.Itbrought Robin back into the present, smiling at thepair of twinsthough her eyes were not. Itwas fortunate that there was a makeshift blackboard that allowed her thoughts and ideas to be better portrayed by the other party in the dining room. Itmust have been Quinn¡¯s idea.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You will disguise yourselves along with a few other servants as rich entrepreneurs intoXaexaviel.There may be a fewlegalimplications at first from setting a shop, but minimallyusingyour abilities wouldn¡¯t cause any harm to help establish yourselves in the capital.Furthermore, you must promise not to do anything risky that will revealyourtrue identity, unless granted permission to do so.¡± Shewroteit down on the board before conducting on how business transactions work, advertising through the use offreesamples, and handling competition.As for restocking, it shouldn¡¯t bemuchof a problem with the help of Blair¡¯s ongoing research. Quinnquietly entered the room and settled a cup of steaming tea for Robin.Besides the floralscentof the tea, adifferentscentemanated fromQuinn. Robin couldn¡¯t help but curiously ask, ¡°Did you change perfumeQuinn?¡± Quinn¡¯s heart thumped loudly in her chest at the sudden question but muttered shyly back, ¡°Yes, Master.Is the fragrance not to your liking?¡± ¡°Oh no.I wasjustasking.It smells nicesoyou don¡¯t have to worrysomuch.¡±Robinreplied not realizing what she had done, allowed a million flowers blooming inside of Quinn.She didn¡¯t realize thesmallting of red dusting the violet-haired woman¡¯s ears. Ardatwatched at the sidelines, glancing at her Master¡¯s obliviousness toward Quinn¡¯s deepening affections.As asuccubus, she didn''t¡¯knowwhat was love andfelta bit of envy rising upknowingQuinnhadthe pleasure tofeelsomething so amazing.Irduglanced at his other half andclosedhis eyesknowingfull wellwhatArdatwasfeelingcurrently and silently scoffed. Robin held the chalk in her hand but paused before ittouchedthe board.Anotheridea sprouted in her head, but couldn¡¯t really recall it until she tookanotherwhiff of the fragrant tea and the lingering scent of Quinn¡¯s perfume. Perfume!How could I forget? Perfumes were forgotten on the list of commodities, so shequicklywroteit at the edge of the blackboard.Many more ideas would eventually pop back into her mind, but perfumes would definitely be a hit within the circle of nobleladiesand also well off middle-classladies. As for the particular group she wanted to target, the wealthyclasswastheirmainfocus and maybe the richer middle-classpopulation.Thelower classwereadifferentproblem, but will eventually be addressed at alaterdate.For now, sheneededagoodbrand name for hergoods, something elegant foreign but easy to identify. In the end, shenameditLaoenin remembrance for her brother;the username in which he used. ¡°Master...thisname¡­¡±Quinn¡¯s head buzzed like static.The name was familiar, but an unnatural force kept her from recalling the significance of the name.Themoreshe attempted to recall thisname, the static becamemoreprominent in her head. ¡°It¡¯s my brother¡¯sname...and it will be the shop¡¯snameand future brand of our company.¡±Robinquietlyspoke. Quinn eerily glanced at the chalky written name, an unnatural foreboding rushing through her veins.She said it was her brother¡¯s name, anewpiece of information that connected her existence and also her Master.Anurgencyto question her Master filledher, yet no words were uttered out from her mouth.It was as though she became mute;the same unknown force preventingheror even threateningherfrom beingtoocurious for her own good.It¡¯s as though they were mockingherinto knowing her own place. She helplessly watched. ¡°ArdatandIrduwill come travel with me to themaincapital in thecomingmonth,howevertokeepdiscretion, I¡¯ll have tokeepmy distance to prevent our relationship from being discovered unless necessary.¡± Robin sat down and began to eat her dinner, having forgotten her hunger until now.She felttooweaktocontinuethe conversation, her hands trembling and her body aching in fatigue.There were so many little details needed to be traced over, a wrong step may lead to an unsightly problem. Chapter 17 For the next few days, she assisted Blair in cultivating coffee beans, tea leaves, a variety of floral flowers, and wheat. It was difficult to explain genetic engineering to alter wheat, rice, and soy, so Robin opted to explain about Mendel¡¯s pea experiment. This became Robin''s own way to take small but steady steps before integrating into a full-blown plan. For now, the experiment she had in mind, was a solid foundation in fulfilling the supply source of everything she needed to tread more smoothly onto the next step of her plan. She was slowly cultivating a nice little parasite, hoping to it would be resistant to the future antibiotics. They set up coordinated pea plants with the parent generation being pure breed purple flowers and white flowers. It came to a surprise pea plant existed in the storage located in the fridge, but it was something the chef used apparently. Robin gave Blair a quick lecture about phenotype and genotype and was surprised to see she was able to absorb such theory without any other form of knowledge and able to regurgitate it effortlessly. During their first test, Blair used her magic to advance the germination process into the flowering cycle within an hour. If Mendel were to see such an amazing event like this, he¡¯d soil his pants or Blair would be burned to death. During the one-hour period, Robin gave a brief improper lecture on the genetic inheritance knowledge from her ap biology class and taught her the Punnett square, only because it may be one of the last things she recalled, besides ''the mitochondria being the powerhouse of the cell''. Blair¡¯s eyes continuously gleamed in exhilaration at the new knowledge passed to her by her Master. It allowed all sorts of ideas to manifest in her mind and apply it towards the other crops. Robin carefully explained how pea plants have both male and female reproductive organs so it meant cutting the male organ from the female would basically make the plant completely female. It left the ovaries and the stigma intact and Robin moved to collect pollen from the developed male pea plants. She scooped the pollen out from the male plant and made proceeded to pollinate the female plant. ¡°Now we just have to label it and wait for the seed to develop fully. After the seed is fully developed, we can plant the first generation of crossed-breed pea plants.¡± Blair thought for a bit. According to the Punnett square her Master showed her, the dominant purple colored alleles, would make the pea plant display a purple phenotype after the first-generation seeds germinate. ¡°Master, this process?could further study allow other plants to significantly alter favorable traits?¡± That is a good question. Robin knew only the basics of biology and couldn¡¯t really provide many in-depth answers within her realm of expertise. However, she did recall famous companies like Mons*nto genetically altering plants to resist diseases, produce higher yield, and tolerate harsh conditions. The pea plant experiment was to introduce Blair about genetic inheritance and eventually genetics itself. As for explaining DNA and the other microscopic concepts, it was harder without the necessary tools. Even with the tools, it would deem too difficult for Robin to dive in and required too much time. ¡°The pea plant experiment I just explained to you is by Mendel, the father of genetics. If I recall correctly there are three laws governing hereditary: Law of Segregation, Law of Independent Assortment, and Law of Dominance,¡± recall Robin, surprising even herself in retaining such old knowledge but she did intensively study in her Ap biology class in high school. As for what each law included, that required time digging deep into her memories. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about those details for now, but just know I¡¯ll provide more solid answers at a later date. I can¡¯t really recall most aspects as of now. However, what you are able to do is target a specific trait deemed favorable and eliminate the unfavorable traits.¡± This was natural selection to an extent, but Robin didn¡¯t want to introduce another lengthy topic. ¡°Eliminate unfavorable traits?¡± Blair tilted her head a bit confused. Robin pointed at the group of roses. ¡°Which color do you like best?¡± she asked. ¡°White roses, but what does that have to do with elimination...oh.¡± Something clicked in her head. Did removing of the other colored roses have to do something about trait elimination? ¡°Flowers transfer their traits through pollen which are usually carried by bees, butterflies, and other insects that feed on nectar. It¡¯s the same as cross-breeding with peas, except we control which traits we want. However, white flowers are recessive traits, meaning the probability of the first-generation offspring to have a white flower is zero. However the second generation there is a 25 percent possibility for a white flower. You can eliminate all other colored roses from contaminating the white roses, but there also other colored roses with recessive traits, and it''s not limited to their color but yield, scent, and survivability.¡± She reminded. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Master, do you mean continuously breeding the same kind of plants besides the desired color until the most favorable traits pop up. Then take that trait and breed it with the same kinds of traits? That¡¯s almost incestuous!¡± she blurted, clasping her hand over her mouth. Partially that sounded correct. ¡°Basically.¡± Robin paused, was that incestuous? But most flowers had both male and female parts and reproduce asexually. She quickly shook the lagging thoughts away redirecting her attention back. ¡°Furthermore, plants are more flexible than breeding animals, so you can breed two of the different species as long as they are compatible.¡± She continued. This isn''t guaranteed to work since they had no way of separating genetic traits from the DNA. Actually, it seemed nearly impossible from a scientific standpoint without the necessary tools, but if Robin¡¯s ancestors were able to properly domesticate corn and bananas, it provided hope to isolate favorable traits for her crops. ¡°Try applying magic to aid in your research,¡± Robin suggested wondering what it would result in. She took off the white coat and exited the greenhouse. The servants were quite efficient in their work and saw the acre-wide field neatly plowed and ready to be used. A few low leveled monsters oversee by fairy sprites of the earth attribute instructing the continuation of another acre. As she approached the dainty fairy half her size, it fluttered to where she was and gave a cheery greeting. Its wings were pale green, with matching her wide green eyes. ¡°Could you please set up a barrier for each acre to prevent any trespassers and any pollutants in? I don¡¯t want pollen to contaminate the next acre, but the barrier should allow only sunlight and water to enter,¡± she instructed. The fairy nodded and left to do its thing. Dorian accompanied her back into the castle where she met up with Cain. She arrived just in time for the class¡¯s thirty minute lunch break. Today was the advanced class, composed of ex-slaves who were more academically advance compared to the others given some of their pedigree but unlucky circumstances. From what the notebook recalled, many of these slaves were well educated during their childhood but fell into tragic and unfortunate events that led them to the situation they were in now. ¡°How¡¯s the class going?¡± He gave a light smile, pushing up the round thin wire framed spectacles up his slender nose bridge. It gave off a scholarly look partnered with the white collared dress shirt and plaid slacks. ¡°There are no problems, though a few students in the advanced courses have a bit of trouble staying away and paying attention.¡± Were the subjects too easy for them? She frowned. Something must be wrong with the supplements. ¡°How are their test scores?¡± she questioned, thinking of ways to make the class more engaging. He went ahead and took out the stack of paper from the locked drawers and handed it to Robin. 85, 88, 91, 79, 90, 85¡­. It was quite impressive, but the materials too easy only consisted of 6th-grade English vocabs, sentence structures, and grammar. The math ranged around basic algebra and had a bit of a better score than English for some. However, Ena scored the highest with 98 in the math section and 95 in the English section. Impressive. ¡°I think we should start adding in more subjects, such as history, basic science, higher math, and English.¡± Robin planned to put off science since this world was governed by the laws of magic, however it didn¡¯t mean there was no science involved. As long as it was the basic fundamentals, it could enrich the scope of learning and knowledge. ¡°As a matter of fact, I was just discussing Mendel¡¯s Hereditary laws with Blair for creating or at least attempting to modify a few crops. Hmm, maybe I should introduce a few kiddy science experiments to make the classroom environment more interactive and introduce art classes,¡± Robin suggested and half laughed. ¡°That sounds splendid, Master. I will enact our your suggestions in the next rotation.¡± ¡°Brother, what do you think they are talking about?¡± Ena asked. Her face was stuffed with the white bread filled with leafy greens and thin pieces of lean meat. The food in this place was so different compared to the nuts, fruits, and deer meat she often ate at the temple. As a moon priest, her life could be considered as a luxury from the outside world, but now it was hard to be compared to the life in the beautiful castle owned by the mysterious woman. Eladis shrugged. He heard them clearly with his sensitive ears, but could not digest the topic of their discussion except making the classroom environment more engaging. He questioned why the master of the castle did not put the slaves at work and instead fed, clothed, and even educated them. His heart itched to understand the motives of the human, and yet she always found ways to surprise him in an irritating way. Robin almost forgot to ask about the counseling session that Cain was in charge of. He sighed and chuckled in amusement. ¡°They went absolutely well.¡± He paused a bit before continuing, ¡°Though, a few ladies are developing a bit of a fancy towards me,¡± he finished a casual smile formed on his face. It seemed to Robin Cain was a bit flattered at all the attention he was receiving; leaning towards a cunning wolf in sheep''s clothing playing at its food. She gave a sigh. ¡°Well, as long as your professional about it. Though you are a vampire, so it''s expected to garner a few admirers,¡± she replied. That would come in handy. Manipulation at its easiest. Easier to gain trust royalties. Robin scanned the room and noticed the same dark elf from before. Well, that¡¯s surprising. I underestimated his intellect and mistook his brash personality as having a bit of an intellectual defect. It was a very mean thought, and inexcusable habit formed by fixing incompetent intern¡¯s mishaps back in her workplace. The marketers were also stupid, along with the investors sometimes, but the unruliest people in her opinion were the ones who sought refuge away from their problems in religion or any sort of otherworldly force. Robin did not hate religion, nor did she want to promote it. It just never occurred to her how it helped in most of her situation and instead opted for self-reliance and a person¡¯s own hard work instead of waiting for something miraculous to drop from the sky. For a moment, Robin looked out into the window deep in thought. Life¡¯s not fair, so you have to make it fair.