《Isekai Redemption》


 Prologue: Death of a monster

    I won''t deny the horrible things I have done: the families I destroyed, the armies I have slaughtered, the innocent lives I have taken, and the countless destruction that I have caused...


    My ears are ringing, and I can feel the adrenaline start pumping through my body. The dust around me starts clearing, revealing a dozen bodies. I can''t see out my left eye, my left arm feels numb, and I feel blood dripping down my face. I''ve been hit, but I can''t worry about it now. I need to leave now. As my hearing starts to come back, I can hear people screaming and crying. I shove off the body that was on top of me and push myself up. Without even thinking, I start running and nearly trip over a body. With the adrenaline kicking in, I feel no pain, so I don''t know how bad I''ve been hit, but I do know that I need to keep pushing forward. This is my only chance... no, my last chance at getting out of here. I stop dead in my tracks as I see the helicopter circle around and get ready to do another gun run. Then some anti-air rockets start chasing after it as the helicopter pops flares and tries to evade. One of the rockets manages to hit the helicopter, setting it ablaze and throwing it to the ground. I hear a loud explosion, and then a tower of smoke starts rising from that direction. I start running again as I hear more helicopters in the distance.


    ...There is no excuse for the things I have done. I can''t be forgiven, nor should anyone accept any atonement from me...


    *Huff.... huff...* I think I am safe for now. My left arm is throbbing in pain, and blood is dripping down from the left side of my face, covering my eye. Reaching up to my face, I start tracing the blood until I reach a sizeable laceration just slightly above my eyebrow. I try to wipe the blood out from my eye so I can see, but it isn''t helping. There probably is sand or bits of metal stuck in my eye. Looking over at my arm and see blood dripping all the way to my fingertips. I quickly grab a tourniquet from my belt and apply it to the upper arm. Squeezing the tourniquet tight, I am hit with shattering pain. It''s hard to move my arm, and it feels like something is lodged in it. Inspecting my arm closely, I see that there are a few holes in my jacket where blood is pouring out. I ripped one of the holes open to take a better look. My arm is covered in small holes, with some of the bigger ones having sharp metal poking out. Gritting my teeth, I grab some of the larger pieces and yank them out. I bite my lip to stop myself from yelling out in pain. Feeling light-headed, I decided to remove the other pieces later. Some of the shrapnel might have cracked some bones, or they are jammed so deep that someone else will need to remove them. I try to reach for the bandages in my bag, but I quickly realize the bag is missing. Damn it, my bag must have fallen off after I was hit. With the amount of blood I am losing, it''s not looking too good. I might have to go ba... Before I could finish the thought, I heard gunfire and explosions behind me. *sigh* Damn it, this was supposed to be my ticket out of here.


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    Suddenly, a shadow quickly flies past me. Drone!!! I quickly run and hide under some concrete rumble. Crouching down, I try to stay still and keep hidden, hoping I wasn''t spotted. This situation is only getting worse, and I''m running out of time. I need to keep moving. After all, this is my only chance to escape."Stop, Think, Observe, Plan, panicking or acting carelessly will result in death." Looking back on everything, those words of wisdom have been keeping me alive. *sigh* Ok, the plan failed, and now the army is hunting me, and my opportunity to escape is ticking away. My injuries are bad, but I can still move. There is a clearing in front of me that has some rubble I can use for cover. I don''t hear any gunfire in that direction, so it''s probably my best bet to push forward. I will wait for the drone to circle behind the ruins and then make a break for it. I wipe the blood off my face and grit my teeth. The shadow fades behind the ruins. Now! I get up and run as fast as possible to get out of the open. Moving cover to cover and hiding when the drone flies by. I need to reach the other side before... *bang*


    ...For I am nothing but a horrible monster that sold my soul to devils, that killed and conquered without any care, that tossed aside morals for self-preservation. I will go to whatever hell will take me. I will take whatever punishment I deserve. After all, monsters like me don''t deserve any peace...


    Am I on the ground? I don''t remember falling down. I try to stand up, but the most excruciating pain I have ever felt hits me. Turning back, I can see that my right leg is bleeding and bent in an odd shape. I grit my teeth and clench my fist as I try to push myself up to my knees. My vision is blurry, and my ears are ringing. I move my trembling hands to start Inspecting my lower leg and see a hole where blood is pouring out. It was a gunshot wound, and the bullet definitely hit the bone. With my broken leg and other wounds, it looks like I won''t be making it out of here. No, I need to make it out of here, even if it means that I have to crawl. I reach out with both hands, grab the ground, and try to pull myself forward... "well, well, well, look who we got here." A shiver runs down my spine as I look up and see three soldiers heading towards me.


    "If it isn''t the Angel of Death herself. You know a terrorist like you has quite the bounty. My boys and I can retire early and live in luxury with all that money. I can only imagine the stuff they will..." On and on, they ramble like some villain monologuing. I guess this is the end, but I will not give them the satisfaction of capturing me. Luckily, they''re stupid enough to ramble on in the middle of a war zone. Well, if I''m going to die, then I''m going to die the way I lived. I quickly grab the handgun that was hidden in my jacket and aim at the soldier in the middle. I squeeze the trigger *bang*


    ...There is no rest for monsters like me, only a never-ending struggle and an unforgiving fate...

 Chapter One: New life, new struggles

    Where am I? My eyes quickly dart around the room. This room was way too nice to be a prison or torture room. It''s nicely painted, has elegant drapes, a large comfy bed, and even the blanket is embroidered in a fancy design. There''s probably more, but the room was dim, and my body felt sluggish and unresponsive. Speaking of body, I push my sluggish body up and move to the side of the bed. I feel around my forehead but notice a lack of a gunshot wound, or any wound for that matter. Odd, I could have sworn that I was shot in the head. Looking down at my leg, and sure enough, there was no wound and no broken leg. However, something is off. It seems like my legs are shorter. How can my legs shrink? Maybe I''m just out of it, or perhaps the room and bed are just too large. Is this some kind of new torture technique? *sigh* Overthinking things will get me nowhere. Time to investigate the strangely large room.


    I jump down from the bed and quickly realize the height difference between me and the bed. The bed was so large that my shoulders barely peaked over its side. Why did they even make a bed this size? Hell, I can''t even imagine how much one would even cost. Looking to my left, I see a nightstand that is shockingly just as large. Alright, I guess I got taken by giants or something. Whatever, I turn around and start walking towards the other end of the room. At the other end, I see a large object reflecting light around the room. It''s a mirror... *sigh* a large mirror. Though the light is dim, it''s enough for me to see my reflection. I look into it, but the person in the mirror doesn''t look like me. The face lacks scars, the hair is straight and well-kept, and the eyes are blue, not brown. The only thing that seems the same is the cold, soulless gaze that my eyes give off.


    Just what in the hell is going on? Would the military go this far to mess with me? Ok, Stop Think Observe Plan. Take a deep breath and work this out. Let''s see, I was shot trying to flee from the military. Then, I woke up in a strangely large room without any injuries. My face and appearance are not mine, and this room is too nice to be a prison. Ok, I can think of two possible scenarios. Scenario one: I have been captured and turned into a living doll and sold off to some rich pervert as punishment for everything I have done. Scenario two: I have been reborn/reincarnated, like in one of those shows my brother used to watch. The second one is more plausible, considering it would explain the large room because the room isn''t bigger, but I have just gotten smaller.


    *Clap, clap, clap* I quickly turn around and see a tall figure slowly approaching me. "It hasn''t even been five minutes, and you have already figured out what happened to you." The tall figure slowly steps into the light. "You know, the last person I reincarnated panicked and cried for almost an hour before I had to step in." Now that the figure was entirely in the light, I could see her feminine features. I''m not one for fashion, but her clothes seemed to have the impression of the goddess or some divine being, and her ...assets... were very pronounced, and she wanted to emphasize them. "How rude to stare at a goddess''s body. To think I summoned another pervert." That kinda sounds like a you problem. I mean, you''re the one who put on that ridiculous outfit. *sigh* Whatever, god or not, an enemy is an enemy. "I wasn''t staring. I was assessing a potential threat. If you didn''t want people to look, then maybe you should have dressed more modestly." She gave me an annoyed glare. "Wow, would it kill you to at least play along? The last one was so fun to tease, but you have shown no emotion whatsoever. Then again, that cold, calculating attitude is the reason why I summoned you." The reason why she summoned me? So that means she wants something from me in exchange for a new life. "Bingo, there is something that I need you to do." Wait, did she just read my thou.. "yes. I can read your thoughts, even those comments about me being an enemy and how I dress. Well, as long as you are here in your dream." Dream? "Yes, technically, you are dreaming, but I have hijacked it to talk to you. My ability to interact with the world is limited, so this is the best way to talk to you." Great, now my nightmares will be filled with a skimpy so-called goddess. "Hey, I told you that I could rea..." "You summoned me here to do something. So what is it that you want?" She looked perplexed, almost like no one had ever cut off her useless ramblings before, or maybe she had never been talked to with such a stern tone. "You know you could benefit from not being so serious all the time, but fine straight to the point, I guess. Well, all of the gods are having a little game to see which of their followers will take over the world. War is inevitable, so I figured someone good at it would be a perfect summon, unlike the last one." "So you summoned me because you believe I am capable of doing that." "Correct, I believe you have the skills necessary to defeat the other God''s followers. After all, I''m the goddess of humanity, so you have quite a difficulty curve." That''s not something to be proud of. "You''re right, but humans are the weakest of the races and probably won''t survive wars that will eventually happen. That''s why you''re here, little Miss Angel of Death. With your skills of being a cold-blooded terrorist, you could turn our hopeless fight around." "And what makes you think I will help you?" "What do you mean? I brought you back to life." "You''re assuming that I want to live and, let alone be a pawn to some failure of a god." "Listen here, you don''t have a choice. You''re stuck here, and your new home will be engulfed in war whether you help me or not." "Then the choice is easy. I''m done being other people''s pawn." This is my dream, right? So, if I concentrate, I should be able to create a weapon. I focus my thoughts on the handgun that I always carry with me. Sure enough, the gun appears in my hand. Racking the slide back, I can see that the gun is loaded. I aim the gun directly at her head. "Do you think that''s going to work on me? I am a goddess, and you cannot physically hurt me." " who said it was for you." "Huh?" She had a puzzled look, like she didn''t know what I meant. That doesn''t surprise me. She doesn''t seem to be very bright. I take a deep breath, and I point the gun at my head. "Wait, what are you... " Without a single hesitation, I squeeze the trigger.


    I quickly sit up and gasp for air. Ow, even though that was a dream, it still hurt. There was no wound, but the side of my head was in quite a deal of pain. Looking around, sure enough, I was in the same room as the dream. Now, let''s see if the mirror shows the same thing. I get down off the tall bed and walk over to the mirror. Yup, it''s the same face I saw in the dream, but now that the room is lit by the sunlight coming through the windows, I can see much more in the reflection. I have been born into some type of nobility. My clothes were very elegant and frilly, and this room looked well-kept and was filled with expensive furniture. Just who am I? Where am I? What kind of world is this? *sigh * Don''t overthink things; the only way I''m going to get answers is to find the answers. Let''s start with what kind of world this is. Judging from the light coming from the windows, it''s probably morning. The windows are covered in elegant-looking curtains. By their looks, they aren''t silk but very well made. I open the curtains to reveal a bright light that blinds me for a second. My eyes slowly adjust to the blinding morning sunlight. Out the window, I see a sizeable town with buildings that have a late medieval or maybe an early renaissance look. Judging from the size of the town, I would say it probably has a population of around two thousand or more. Assuming that this might be a large town in this world, that would place my family pretty high in nobility. That would explain the extravagant bedroom.


    *knock, knock* Someone was knocking on the door to my room. The door slowly opens. "Pardon me, but breakfast is ready." A lady dressed in a maid outfit enters the room. She looked to be in her early twenties or late teens. Her hair was brown and put into a ponytail, and her eyes were a light brown. "Is there something wrong, Lenka? You look white as a ghost." Wait, she called me Lenka? That was my name before I died. Is it a coincidence or divine intervention? Either way, I should play along and find out more about who I am in this world. "I''m fine. I just woke up from a nightmare." "Another one? If you would like, I could go ask the physician for some remedies." "No, I''ll be fine. You said breakfast was ready?" "Yes." I started walking towards the doorway, but she stepped in front of me. "Lenka, you are old enough to understand that a lady shouldn''t go out in her nightgown." Right... I never really thought about my clothes. Guess I''m used to wearing whatever doesn''t have a ton of holes or is covered in blood. It didn''t cross my mind that people might have clothes just to sleep in. She let out a sigh. "Do you need help getting dressed?" "If you don''t mind." She walked past me to the dresser and started opening the drawers. "I don''t mind, but your father is worried that his only child is wasting her talents." Well, I just learned that I''m an only child in this world, but I am curious about what she means by talents. "What do you mean I''m wasting my talents?" She grabs a dress from the dresser and then turns to me. "What I mean is that you are eight years old and have been severely neglecting your studies. You can barely read and write. I understand that you may still be grieving the loss of your mother, but you need to put your cleverness to better use. You are starting to get a reputation for being this house''s fool." She handed me the dress and then went back to looking through the drawers.


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    There is quite a bit to unpack there, but now I know that I am eight years old, which would explain my size. If my old memories are anything to go by, it would explain a lot. In my old life, my mom wanted me to learn the violin, but I would always skip out on practice and visit my dad''s shop. We would both end up getting scolded by Mom. I do wonder why my life in this world started at eight. Does it have to do with the fact that my brain isn''t fully developed yet? I guess trying to cram eighteen years worth of knowledge into a baby would probably not be a good thing. The maid grabs a pair of stockings from the dresser. She took the dress out of my hands and put it on the bed with the stockings. "Turn around and raise your arms." I did what she said. She grabbed the bottom of my nightgown and lifted it off of me. This is probably the part that most people would freak out, but unfortunately, I am used to people seeing me in my underwear. I mean, it''s hard to fix battle wounds if your clothes are in the way. Plus, I don''t think anyone can invade my privacy more than a doctor digging into my chest cavity to remove a bullet and then draining blood out to reinflate my lung. The maid took the dress and put it over me and then fastened the strings on the back to tighten it. The dress was very nice. It was blue with black embroidered accents. She grabbed the stockings, kneeled, and started tapping her knee. Taking the hint, I lifted my dress a little and placed my leg on her knee. Grabbing my foot, she slid the stocking over my leg. The stockings are black with an embroidered design at the top. They were surprisingly comfortable and warm. In the past, I never had the luxury of having feminine clothes like dresses. It was always handy-downs or whatever was available. The maid walked over to the door and grabbed a pair of boots that were beside the door. She put the boots on my feet and tied the laces. The boots were oddly ordinary. I guess boots at this time are already somewhat expensive, or maybe it''s more a utility thing rather than being fashionable. "Now, Lenka, I do hope next time you will be able to do this yourself. After all, your father would like you to be a little less reliant on us." I''m a little surprised but also quite impressed. I didn''t think that a noble''s maid could talk down to their masters. Maybe my father allows them to scold me. "My apologies. I will do it by myself from now on." The maid gives me a very shocked look. "... you are?" I guess my sassy trouble making younger self got to her. I would feel kind of bad, but it''s not like I have any memories of what I put her through. "Well... I guess even a broken clock works sometimes, but let''s see how long you will keep dressing yourself." I must have struck a nerve with her.


    "Well, come on before breakfast gets cold." she opens the door and walks out of the room. I follow her out into a long hallway. The hallway has nice wood flooring and wooden paneling on the walls, and there are large paneled windows on one side, and on the other side is lined with a few doors. There were three rooms on this side of the hallway, and then there is a gap and what looked like three more rooms. The room I came out of is the last one at the end of the hallway. The gap in the middle of the hallway is for the staircase that leads downstairs. Downstairs, there is a large foyer with several rooms off the sides. I followed the maid downstairs into the room on the left. Inside was a large rectangular table with five chairs on both long sides and one chair on each end. The room has many cabinets with plates and drinking glasses in them. The maid pulled out the chair on the end closest to us and then gestured for me to sit. I sat down, and she pushed my chair toward the table. It''s an odd feeling to be so small again and to have my feet dangle from the chair. There is also a pillow on the chair to boost me up so I can properly see over the table. I would say it is nice to be a kid again, but years of war and suffering don''t exactly just disappear. After all, you can leave the war, but it never really leaves you. Another maid enters the room from a door in the back. She is carrying a tray of food to the table. The maid looks maybe in her mid-forties, has gray hair in a ponytail, and her eyes are a light brown. Both of the maids look alike, and they are probably mother and daughter. "Good morning, Lenka. Here is your breakfast. Please enjoy." She puts down a bowl and a plate on the table in front of me. Then she gives a bow, and walks to the side of the room, and waits next to the other maid. The bowl looks to contain some kind of oatmeal, and the plate has two eggs and bread on it. It''s not the extravagant noble meal I was expecting, but it looks a lot better than the MREs I used to eat. I start eating and quickly notice how bland the food is. It''s not bad. It''s just flavorless, but I guess I shouldn''t expect too much, considering the time period we are in. Salt seems to be a go-to spice, or maybe the only spice that seems to be used, unless they keep the better spices for special dinners. There is still a lot I need to learn about where I am and who I am. Lack of knowledge and information always leads to terrible things. I''ve had many injuries and near-death experiences in my past life from lacking crucial information. If I can help it, I would prefer not to relive those experiences.


    As soon as I finish my meal, a person walks into the room from the foyer. "Good morning, my lord." both maids say in unison as they bow. The man has elegant clothes, short salt and pepper hair, a small beard, blue eyes, and looks to be mid to late thirties. Judging by his looks and the maids'' reactions, I probably assume that he is my father in this world. He sits down in the seat to the right of me. "Sorry for my late arrival, Annabelle, but I was busy dealing with a problem that came up. Could you please get me my food?" "Not a problem, my lord; it will only take a minute." The older maid then quickly left through the door in the back of the room. The man looks at me and then at the food I have finished. "Mary, I see that your plan has started to work. You have my thanks." "You''re welcome, my lord; let''s hope that it continues to work." Both of them look at me and give a slight chuckle. "If you may excuse me, my lord. I will be taking Lenka to her lessons." "Ok, but do make sure that she doesn''t escape this time." She glares at me with a very hostile intent. "Will do my lord." She pulls the chair back and then grabs my hand, and pulls me along. I''m guessing that the food, as well as Mary''s attitude towards me, is some form of discipline for my actions. Whatever, I don''t care; I mean, food is food, and people treating me like crap is nothing new. If anything, this is a vast improvement from my past life. Plus, I got some useful information from this exchange. I learned that the younger maid is named Mary, and the older one is Annabelle. It''s a good thing to know. After all, it would be odd for someone you have probably known for your whole life to just completely forget your name. I''m curious about what these lessons entail. I will admit that I am feeling anxious about not knowing anything about the world that I am in. For all I know, at the moment, this world could be absolute hell. Well, at the very least, I know that Mary has a very strong intent to make me learn, judging by how hard she is holding onto my hand and pulling me along with her. We go up the stairs, and then she stops and looks at me. "You won''t be escaping me this time, so don''t even try it. I''m tired of getting lectured by my mother." She tightens her grip and pulls me along. *sigh* New life, new struggles.

 Chapter Two: Information is everything

    We entered the first room on the left if you were facing the staircase heading downstairs. The room was filled with bookshelves and a large table in the middle. It looks almost like a library, not that I have ever been to one. Mary guided me to the table and put me in the chair with a pillow for a booster seat. An assortment of papers, books, and a pen and quill is on the table. "Now, Lenka, we''re going to start with the alphabet again." She points to a paper that has foreign letters on it. I am surprised that Mary is the one teaching me. I would have figured that someone of her status would not be able to read and write. Then again, this is a different world. Maybe the literacy rate is much higher, or maybe there is a reason she can. I recall that the literacy rate in medieval times was a little higher than what was reported because you would need to learn if your profession needed it. For instance, a blacksmith and a carpenter might know how to read and write to fill out order forms, or a gates guard might know because he has to read documents. However, it does seem odd that a maid would know. Maybe she''s a lesser noble. I have heard that some ladies in waiting were lesser nobles and that being a lady to a high-ranking noble was a huge deal. Now that I think about reading and writing, it''s a miracle that we even speak the same language, and I guess asking for the writing to be the same would be asking for too much.


    Looks like the letters on the paper are based on a twenty-six-letter phonetic alphabet. Mary pointed to a letter and sounded out the letter. Following along with her, I realized that the letters themselves are different, but the sounds are similar to my language. If remembering new letters is all I need to do, then this won''t be too hard. Mary handed me the quill and a new paper and pointed to the letters. I began copying the letters while sounding out the letters. As I continued down the list, I caught a glance at Mary, and she was glaring at me with both surprise and annoyance. Well, it''s not like she knows that the me now knows another language very similar to the one I am learning. Then again, not to brag, but I am also very smart, so I probably would have figured it out even if it wasn''t similar. I mean, I didn''t become one of the most wanted terrorists by sheer luck alone. I finished the last of the letters for a third time and then looked at Mary. "Well, at least I know you''re not a complete fool. Why don''t we start trying to read." She responded somewhat dejectedly, as if she wanted to be mad at me but was also glad to be over it. Mary grabbed a book from the table and put it before me. The book was somewhat small but had leather bindings and embroidered letters on it. "The legend of the phoenix." I read. I wonder if a phoenix is real in this world or if this book is just a fairy tale. I opened the book and saw that the first page had a very nice, detailed drawing of a phoenix. Turning to the next page, I see that the words are pretty large and the passages are short, which would suggest that this book is probably made to help first-time readers. "The phoenix is a large, beautiful bird that is bathed in fire. It spends its life flying around the world searching for something. It never stops, it never rests, and even in its death, it will rise from its ashes and continue searching. No one knows what it is searching for, but people believe whatever it is searching for must be very important to this world." The rest of the book goes over stories of phoenix sightings and how people who witnessed the phoenix were blessed in some way.


    I will admit that it took me a little while to finish the book, and every time I got stuck on a word, Mary quickly came in to correct me. I look over at Mary. She is sitting there speechless. I guess hours, if not days worth of frustration, are finally over for her. Again, I would feel bad, but it''s not like I remember what my previous self put her through. I am curious about the story, and since I am technically a kid, it wouldn''t be too odd for me to ask a dumb question, right? "Mary, have you ever seen the phoenix?" "No, I haven''t, but I believe our mothers have." Wait, so the phoenix is real and not some fairy tale. That makes me wonder what other crazy things this world has. "When did they see it?" "I''m not sure exactly when, but I do know it was right before you were born." Of course, it was. It''s almost like there was some divine intervention. Then again, that failure of a god did say that she has limited control over this world, so maybe it was just a random event. Well, my name is the same in this world as the last, so maybe that failure of a god has some strings that she can pull. Well, sitting here questioning things won''t get me the answers I need. This room has many books, and I have a ton of free time in this world, so I guess I should get to work finding those answers. "Mary, is it alright if I start reading some of the other books?" She looks at me and gives me a smile. "Of course, all of these books belonged to your mother, and I believe she absolutely would enjoy you reading her books."


    I get down from my seat and start browsing through the bookshelves. After reading some of the books'' titles, I noticed a large variety of books. There are story books, political, history, medical, and even books on plants and animals. My mother in this world had quite a collection of books. I grab a few different subjects and place them on the table. "Lenka, you know these are some pretty advanced books to read." "I know, Mary, but I would like to be able to read all of the books here." She looked at me and gave me a smile and a soft chuckle. "You are just like your mother. She read almost every book in here. Well, I will leave you to it then. I still need to do a lot of cleaning, so if you need me, just call out." Just like that, her attitude toward me changed. Maybe it''s because I am showing interest in learning, or maybe it''s because I reminded her of my mother. Either way, I have a lot of reading to do, but before she leaves, I might as well tease her a little bit. "Aren''t you worried that I might escape?" she turned around and looked at me, then laughed. "That sounds more like you, but I do believe that something in you has changed. I only hope that it''s for the better." On that note, she turned around and left the room. I may have the wrong impression of her; she is a very diligent person and serious person when it comes to work, but at the same time, she seems more like a caring sister who is just trying to make sure I don''t turn out as a bad person. Well, if she knew how horrible I was in my past life, she would be acting a lot differently to me. Either way, these books won''t read themself. Time to get to work. After all, information is everything.


    It''s been about a month since I was reincarnated, and I have learned a lot about this world through reading many of the books in the study. It was a lot to process, but at least this world isn''t some hellscape full of monsters. From what I read, there are only a few creatures like the phoenix. However, the other ones don''t seem real or aren''t around anymore. I learned that this world has other humanoid races. The races of this world are humans, elves, dwarfs, beastkin, demons, and sirens. There were a few more, but it doesn''t seem that they are around anymore. First off are the humans; despite the fact they have no advantage like other races, they do, however, have one of the largest kingdoms. The elves are just what you would expect, pointy-eared people who can use magic, and from what the books say, they are very prideful and arrogant. The dwarfs are a little different than what you would expect. They are hardworking, strong, natural-born craftsmen living in underground caves. The thing that makes them different is their height. You would expect them to be very short; however, in this world, they are just somewhat short. The average height of a dwarf is about five feet, which would definitely make them on the short side but not the small people you would normally think about. The beastkin are humans with some animal characteristics like cat ears and tails. They seem to have enhanced senses, but other than that, there is not too much information on them, and that is likely because the beastkin empire is isolationist and very rarely goes outside of their empire. The demons are a very strong and tough race. They are basically built like tanks with hardened skin and bones. Apparently, they also have some type of magic, but it is somehow different than the one the elves use. Again, there seems to be little information on them, and what I can gather is that they are a very loose group of clans that are constantly at war with each other. Lastly are the sirens, which seem to be the most dangerous of them all. The sirens look very angelic and have wings that allow them to fly. They also have some type of psychic powers that they use to manipulate people, and the reason for that is that they are an all-female race. They use their psychic powers to make men have children with them. However, it seems that their powers work on everyone and every race. Truly terrifying people luckily, they seem to only randomly show up to places to attack one person and then leave everyone else alone. Their home is somewhere in the ocean on a floating island.


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    That pretty much sums up the races of this world, and for my family, local politics, and the town I''m in. My family is of higher nobility and manages the Blue Coast as well as the Blue City. I was wrong in assuming this was a town, but it is considered a city, and the Blue Coast is a large territory that has some of the best farmland and a major port. Needless to say, our territory''s main export is food, and with that, we are considered the backbone of the human kingdom. My mother of this world was the heiress to the Bluerose house, and my father was married into the house. I don''t know too much about the marriage or what my father was before he married, but since there is no other family in the picture, that would make me the heiress of the Bluerose house. From poor terrorist to the heiress of a major noble house. Not that I mind, but that whole you can''t escape the wars that will come hasn''t exactly made me happy about my new position. Also, the reason this place is called Blue Coast and Blue City is because there is a blue rose that blooms here. Apparently, when they do bloom, they cover most of the land in blue, hence the name. I have also heard that sometimes, at night, when they are in full bloom, they will glow blue. This world is unique and full of crazy things, but it''s not unwinnable like that god was saying. The road ahead may be difficult, but I believe that with the right planning and people, I can survive the wars that will come. The humans are at a complete disadvantage compared to the other races; however, the humans are still stuck in the past. If I want a chance, I must find a way to advance their technology. The problem with this is that it would take a long time and a lot of resources, and I also don''t have the power or influence to make it happen yet. *sigh* Maybe I should just enjoy the time I have here. No, I can''t allow myself to do that. I mean, I can''t even feel emotions, let alone continue on like my past never happened. I could just end it all and jump off the roof, then tell that failure of a god to screw off, but I don''t think I would be able to do that. It''s not that I fear death or pain. What I fear most of all is the possibility of meeting my family again. I don''t think I could handle the guilt and their disappointment. I did whatever it took to survive but, at the same time, lost everything that made me human. So, my only option is to push forward into whatever hell awaits me. There is so much to do, but let''s hope that I have the time to do it.


    I walk past the study to the door on its left. This room is my father''s office, and to the left of this room is his bedroom. I knock on the door to his office. "Come in." I open the door and walk into his office. This is the first time I have been here. The room was somewhat smaller than the study. It had a big desk in the center and several chairs and sofas in the front of it. On the back wall were a set of windows and bookshelves. There was also a fireplace on the left side of the room. My father of this world was sitting at the desk with some papers scattered around it.


    "Oh, what is Lenka." "Father, I would like to learn what it is to be a noble and how to run the court like you do." He gives a long pause. "Lenka, you are still young. You shouldn''t worry about it yet." I figured that would be the response; however, I''m pressed for time in this world. "I understand, father. However, I have been excelling in my studies to the point where there is nothing left for Mary to teach. This is why I want to learn from you. It will not only benefit my future but could also help reduce your workload." He let out a sigh and put his hand to his forehead. "You know you''re just like your mother. Never know when to back down, and always have some logical reason that I can''t deny." He sat there quietly for a while, thinking about what to do. "Fine, but you are only here to shadow me. During any meeting, you are not allowed to speak. Understand." "I understand, father." I bowed as I said it. He stood up, grabbed a chair, and moved it beside him. Then he grabbed a pillow off one of the sofas and put it on the chair. He patted the chair to gesture to me to sit there. I sat on the chair and could see the many documents that he had on the desk.


    My father grabs a few of the documents on the table and shows them to me. "These documents with the golden stamp are order forms for food. The ones with red stamps are letters of importance from other cities, guilds, or lesser nobles. The purple stamps are letters of high importance from the king or other nobles. The last one is black, and they are usually letters of complaint or recommendations from the guards or local citizens." That seems simple enough. I guess you would need some sort of organization when you get so many letters. He hands me some of the order forms. "The order forms will have the place that ordered and the amount of goods they ordered. The price for the bill will depend on the item and the supply and demand of that item." I look at a few of them, and they are just basic trade things. We need ten bags of flour and two barrels of smoked fish and deliver them to this place. I did see one that stood out because it was marked with a gold and purple stamp. I took a closer look at that one, and the person who ordered it, as well as the large amount of goods, was odd. It says that it is for the elves, and they are ordering ten times as much as the other orders. "What about this one?" He looks at it and then lets out a sigh. "Don''t worry about that one." He grabs it and sets it to the side. "It said it''s for the elves." He let out another sigh. "You saw that?" He thinks for a second. "That order came from the king, so I can''t turn it down." "Why is the king ordering for the elves?" "It''s... complicated. Let''s just say that it''s to keep the peace even if it makes us poor." It seems like someone is already pulling the strings to start a war with orders that large; it''s no wonder father is always working and holding meetings. It seems that I will have a lot more to learn and a lot more to deal with.

 Chapter Three: A nightmare and a bad storm

    "Lenka. LENKA!" I round the corner into the shop. "Yes, Dad." "I need your help. Can you try and start the car. "Okay, Dad." I walk over to the driver''s seat and take a seat. I''m not tall enough to see over the steering wheel, but I can still reach the petals with my feet. "Okay, Lenka, go ahead and start it." I push the clutch down and turn the keys. The car cranks loudly but fails to start. I can hear Dad messing with something in the engine. "Try it again." I try it again, and after a few loud cranks, the car starts. "Hey, Lenka, come over here." I leave the car and head over to him. He puts down a stool so that I can see into the car''s engine. "Lenka, take a look right here," he said as he pointed to a part of the engine. "This is the reason why it wasn''t working. You see when..."


    Why am I here? Wasn''t I planning for something? What happened to the manor and the maids? "What''s the matter, Lenka? What, you don''t want to watch me die again?" That''s right, he''s dead, and I must be dreaming. "I can''t believe that you joined those terrorists that killed me." Stop, I don''t want to hear that from you. I close my eyes and cover my ears. This nightmare just needs to end already. "Why? Are you too scared to face your own actions?" Another voice echos out to me. I open my eyes to see a black, foggy void and a figure approaching me. "Who are you?" I call out. "What? Never looked in a mirror before." I looked at the figure, and sure enough, it was me, or should I say the past me. "What''s wrong? Is what our dad said wrong?" I can''t deny it; what he said is true, but I... "You what, you didn''t have a choice? THEN WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU KILLED DID THEY HAVE A CHOICE?" She grabs me by the collar and drags me to her. "LOOK AT THEM." She grabs my head and forces me to look in a direction.


    All I see is an endless horizon of corpses and a sea of blood. I try to turn away, but she grabs my head and forces it back. "Actions have consequences, but you never faced your consequences, have you? Well, it''s time you face them." She shoves me down into the sea of blood. I stand up and see that my hands and body are covered in blood. "Do you not hear them? The cries of the ones you killed." I hear a bunch of screams and cries. Some of them are calling out for their mothers. While others cry because they won''t get to see their children again. "What got nothing to say? Do you even feel any sorrow or regret?" I... don''t know. I... don''t know if I can anymore. This place was just another day for me in the past. "Then what about the future? Aren''t you planning for war?" I am speechless. I can''t deny what she is saying. She lets out a sigh. "I guess I expected too much from us. We were given a new life, but in the end, we are going to end up in the same place." ......... "Still nothing to say? That''s right, talking wasn''t really your style. This is something that better suits you." She pulls out a handgun from her holster and points it at me. "Until us monsters meet again." *Bang*


    I wake up to the loud sound of thunder, and my body is completely drenched in sweat. Another nightmare. They are always so vivid and detailed. Most people would be scared of nightmares like that, but to me, it was just like revisiting the past. That scene wasn''t anything new in my past, and I can''t tell how many times I have seen dead bodies. There were nights after the military bombed the city when you couldn''t walk a few feet without seeing a dead body. The worst times were the ones when you would find people alive and critically injured. There was no help for them, no one was coming to save them, and the only thing I could do was end their suffering. Killing and death are nothing new to me, hence the nickname they gave me. Angel of death, because I would be the last thing they see before they die. As for the other me, I don''t have an answer for her. I can only plan for the wars that will follow. I don''t have the power or influence to avoid them. I can not change the future, but I can, at the very least, plan for the worst. A loud crash of thunder echoes out, and I walk over to the window. I look out and see large dark clouds covering the horizon. It seems like there''s going to be a bad storm today.


    I got dressed and headed downstairs halfway down the stairs and stopped. At the front door, there were several guards, as well as my father. "My lord, we made sure that all the equipment is put away and everything is tied down." "Good; make sure that the citizens know where to run to if the water level starts to rise too high." "Understood my lord." The man talking to my father was the head guard. I don''t think I have ever heard his name, and I have rarely seen him. I think that he is probably just as busy as his father and only shows up to give important updates or documents. A bright flash shines through the windows, and then a loud crash of thunder. The storm is picking up, and I can hear loud gusts of wind and rain hitting the manor. Annabelle comes out of the and looks at me on the stairs. "O there you are Lenka. Breakfast is ready."


    We went through the normal breakfast routine, but mid-way through, the head guard rushed in and interrupted. "Pardon my intrusion, my lord." We all look at each other and then at him. He is soaking wet and out of breath. "What''s the matter, Godfrey?" "My lord, there has been a shipwreck." My father stands up, and Annabelle runs to grab his coat. "Which of our ships wrecked?" "That the thing, my lord, it wasn''t our ship." Father stops dead in his tracks. "Then whose was it?" "The beastkin''s." The beaskins? That is a surprise, for sure. The beastkins rarely leave the empire, so why did one of their ships wreck here. "Are there any survivors?" "One, my lord, and we''re not sure how many or what was on board." If one person lived, then maybe we could get information out of them after we help them. After all, it would be bad if some envoy ended up dying on our watch. Then again, we don''t know if they are an envoy. They could easily be merchants or even wanted criminals trying to escape the empire. Either way, this situation is pretty dire, and it seems Father is thinking the same thing. "Where is the survivor, and are they okay?" "Other than a few cuts and bruises, she is fine." "Then bring her here at once." "Yes, my lord." Godfrey bows and then runs out the door. Annabelle puts the coat back on the coat rack while Father returns to his chair. He lets out a sigh. "Let''s hope no one was important on that ship."


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    A few minutes pass by, and then Godfrey enters the manor with the survivor. "Here she is, my lord." He gently pushes her forward and removes the hood that was on her. The survivor was a child, and she looked around my age in this world. She had red hair and eyes, what looked like fox ears, and a tail that was barely poking out of her cloak. "O dear, are you okay?" Anabelle runs over to her with towels and begins drying her off. "Mary, go get her bandages and some dry clothes." "Yes, mother." Mary then runs to the backroom. My father, just like Anabelle, quickly realizes that the questioning can wait and then walks up to her and kneels down to be at her eye level. "Are you okay, child?" She doesn''t speak but slowly nods her head. "That''s Good. You have been through a lot, so please stay here while we sort all of this out." She again nods. Father then grabs his coat and starts heading to the door. "Annabelle, Lenka, look after her. Godfrey and I will go and see if there are any more survivors." "Yes, my lord." "Yes, father." We both said in unison. Annabelle puts down the towels, grabs a chair, and puts a towel on the chair. "Have a seat, dear." She takes a seat and starts to shiver. Annabelle grabs another towel and wraps it around her. Mary enters the room with bandages and disinfectant and gives them to Annabelle, then goes to the side room to get some dry clothes. "Show me your arms so that I can disinfect them." She nods and shows her arms. They were pretty cut up, so I grabbed some of the bandages and started helping Annabelle. She winces in pain when Annabelle rubs the disinfectant on her wounds, but she doesn''t cry. Mary arrives with some old clothes, which look like Mary''s old clothes. "Come on, let''s go get you dressed." Annabelle reaches out her hand, and the girl nods and grabs it. "Mary, please go fetch some water and something for her to eat." "Yes, mother." Annabelle takes the girl to the back room while Mary goes to the kitchen.


    This situation could end badly. Let''s hope that the girl and the others on the ship are unimportant to the Beaskin empire. That girl seems to be in a state of shock, which would explain her blank look and her not speaking. Judging by how bad the storm was, I could only imagine how rough the waves were and how much she got tossed around out there. She probably just coming off the adrenalin high right now and only now processing what has happened. We should give her some time to wind down before asking her questions.


    About an hour passes, and all of us are sitting in the living room across from the dining room. The Living room has several sofas, chairs, and a fireplace. This room is typically used for meetings, which is why it has so much seating and nicer furniture. The storm was finally starting to die down, and the room was starting to warm up with the fire going. I glance at the survivor who is sitting across from me. Her arms and legs were covered in bandages, and the old dress she was wearing looked a little big on her, but that seemed like a good thing because it helped add room for her tail. Beastkin must have custom-fitted clothes that accommodate their tails. Her tail was red and fluffy and was poking out from the bottom of her dress. She seems quite resilient, considering what happened to her and whoever else was on board. Father returned earlier to give the bad news that no one else seemed to survive, but she didn''t cry or get upset. I don''t know if she is trying to hide her feelings or if she has already accepted what has happened and moved on.


    We all are sitting here, passing glances at each other, not knowing what to say or do. Anytime someone asked her a question earlier, she wouldn''t answer or would only give a nod or shake her head. Even Annabelle, who seemed like a very sweet and motherly person, couldn''t get her to talk. Looking around, it seems that the others are at a loss. Fine, I guess I will try, but it''s not like I am that great with words or sympathy. I do know a lot about loss, so, at the very least, I can relate. I stand up, walk over to her, and crouch down so that we are both at eye level. We both look each other in the eyes for a few seconds before she turns away in embarrassment. Well, at least she isn''t an empty shell like me and can show some emotion. "My name is Lenka Bluerose. What is your name." She doesn''t respond and just sits there quietly, trying not to look me in the eyes. I''m starting to think she might have some reason for not talking. She could have been ordered not to speak, but I don''t think that''s it. It almost seems like she wants to but doesn''t know if she can trust us yet.


    Well, if I can''t get anywhere by playing nice, then I guess I need to try a different approach. I reach out and grab her cheeks and start pulling on them. She starts to squirm and tries to pull away my arms. The others shout my name, but I ignore them. "You would think after saving you, feeding you, giving you clothes and shelter, you would have the decency to at least give us your name." My father and Mary quick run over and pull me off of her. "Lenka, why would you do that." My father scolds me, but I ignore him. This is starting to annoy me. If she wasn''t an enemy, then she would talk, but for some reason, she willfully remains silent. I guess I will have to be a little harsher and gamble on the fact that she might be a fugitive or political prisoner rather than an envoy or merchant. "Beastkin, you are the only one who survived. The only one who knows who you are and why you''re here. Everyone else is dead, and to us, you are nothing more than a walking disaster that could lead us into a deadly war. You sur..." My father had enough and slapped me, but that didn''t stop me. I needed to finish what I was saying. "You survived because you had a reason to live. If you still have the will to live, the will to continue on, then join us so that you can not just survive but live free from the shackles that are holding you down and honor those who sacrificed everything to get you here." There was a moment of silence. No one knew what to say or if my father should hit me again. I was taking a gamble on this and assuming that she is a fugitive/political prisoner rather than an envoy, but it would make more sense why she was so silent. I will admit that what I said was stupid and cheesy, but the only person that it mattered to seemed to take it well. She was no longer adverting her eyes to me, and tears began to flow down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes and looked at me with a smile. "My name is Kate."

 Chapter Four: A new maid

    Kate took a few minutes to regain composure after opening up to us. "Kate, why was your ship heading here?" Since she is starting to open up, I might as well be direct. She looks at me and thinks for a bit. Her ears start to sink down, and she starts to avoid eye contact. "Well... I..." She pauses for some time. I guess she doesn''t know or may not want to discuss it. "Do you not know?" I ask. She looks at me with teary eyes again. "We... we ran away from the emperor..." Well, I see why she was hesitant to talk. It would be a political nightmare if the Beastkin Empire were to find out that we took her in. Wait, there aren''t too many major ports on this side of the kingdom, so were they heading for the capital? "Were you heading to the king?" She nods. "Yes... but..." I see then that maybe there was some secret deal going on in the background; however, that is absolutely the dumbest thing the king could do. Is he trying to start a war with the Beastkin Empire? Well, it''s not my problem right now, but having a beastkin around could be beneficial. Learning about beastkin could help if war were to break out. Kate looked to be on the verge of tears again. I guess she doesn''t want to go to the king. "It''s okay. You can stay here and work as a maid." Her face lit up, and I couldn''t blame her. I don''t know what their deal entailed, but I know that I don''t want to meet with that foolish king. However, it seems like my father and Annabelle didn''t like my choice. "Lenka, are you sure we should do that?" Annabelle asked before my father could. "Yes. I don''t think sending a beastkin child to the king would be a good idea." Father thought about it for a second and then sighed. "I.. think you may be right." I wasn''t trying to insinuate that the king was like that, but by the way Father responded, I might have to reconsider. "My lord, you can''t seriously be considering this?" "If that''s what Lenka thinks is best, then I trust her judgment." With that, the conversation is over. Annabelle can only accept his decision.


    It was a long day for all of us. Father and the guards spent the evening checking on the town and clearing the beach of the washed-up bodies from the shipwreck. The maids spent the rest of the day cleaning up debris from the storm and moping the wet, muddy floors. I spent the rest of the day finishing the order forms. Kate quickly warmed up to us after that dumb little speech I gave her, as well as accepting her into our house. I tried to get Kate to talk more about the beastkin empire; however, she didn''t want to go into complete detail about it, but from what I could get out of her, it seemed to be some political struggle between her mother and the emperor. The sunset shines through the office windows. I am almost done with the last of the order forms. From what Godfrey said, none of the food supplies were damaged by the storm, so I figured I might as well make use of the little bit of the day left and finish the orders. Right as I stamp the last order, Father walks into the office. He looks exhausted and lies down on one of the sofas.


    "Lenka." "Yes, father." "Are you sure that we should take in Kate?" I guess he is scared that the king might do something if he finds out we took her in. "Yes, father. I am aware of our situation, but I do believe taking in Kate would benefit us." I said us, but I mainly meant me. Kate seems willing to join us, and learning about beastkin and their unique abilities from her will be valuable information for the future. Then again, I could also train Kate to be my assistant if she has the talent for it. He lets out a sigh. "And what do we do about the king? He will eventually find out about her." "No need to worry about it because he won''t find out." He looks annoyed at me. "We can''t hide the news of the shipwreck and its survivor." "I don''t know what you''re talking about. No one survived the wreck." He looks at me, puzzled. I guess I have to explain it to him. "Only this house and a few guards saw the survivor. The survivor, however, died shortly after we found them, and as for the person Godfrey brought to our manor, she is our new maid, Kate. Kate is a noble''s bastard child, and that noble will not be named for reasons we can''t talk about. We were trying to keep her away from the public eye, but she ran out in the storm to try and save the people from the wreck." Father lays there and thinks for a while. "And if the king does find out?" "Then his elf friends won''t be getting their orders." He lay there in silence for a few minutes. "I understand. I will send out the letters tomorrow. Lenka, you should get some rest, too."


    The bright morning light was shining through the windows. I move the curtains to a bright, sunny morning. It almost makes you forget that there was a big storm yesterday. There was a knock at the door. I guess breakfast is ready. Mary and Kate enter my bedroom. "Pardon me, but breakfast is ready." They both bow. Kate is wearing what looks to be one of Mary''s old maid uniforms. Her tail seems to be sticking out from the back of the uniform. Maybe Annabelle or Mary refitted it last night. "Understood, I will be down after I get dressed." They both bowed and left my room. I''m starting to get used to living here. It''s so easy that I will admit that it is somewhat dull. I don''t have to clean, cook, or fight. My days are just meetings and paperwork. I guess I shouldn''t complain too much. After all, the world will be consumed by war at some point. There is still a lot of planning to do, but so far, the only thing I managed to do is help our financial situation. Other than that, I haven''t done much of the things that I need to do. This city doesn''t even have a defensive wall or any siege equipment. Heck, the city barely has the basic necessities like water and sanitation. They only have basic wells and a simple garbage pit. *sigh* The first thing I should do is fix the city''s terrible infrastructure.


    I finished getting dressed and headed downstairs to the dining room. The breakfast today was eggs, steak, and some biscuits. Kate is standing next to Mary, shadowing her work. I start eating, but I am interrupted by a loud grumbling. Both Mary and I look towards Kate. Kate''s face lit up a bright red that matched her red hair. "Mary, go and get Kate some breakfast." "Yes, my lady." My lady? That''s odd. She usually just uses my name. Oh, I get it. She''s trying to be a good example to Kate. It is too bad that Mary is more like a sister than a good maid. Kate was just standing there with a face so bright red that I was starting to get worried that she might pass out. "Kate, go grab a pillow off of one of the sofas in the living room." "Ye...Yes, my lady." She nearly trips as she quickly walks out of the dining room. A few seconds later, she comes back with a pillow. "Here you go, my lady." She offers the pillow to me while bowing. She''s kind of a ditz, but she''s also somewhat cute. She reminds me of the stray cats that I used to play with in the past. I reach over and rub her head. Her hair was soft, and her fox ears felt silky smooth. "Silly, that pillow is for you. Put it on the chair next to me and take a seat." She lifts her head to show her very bright red face, and it almost looks like she wants to cry. Odd she didn''t cry over her dead mother, but me petting her and treating her nice nearly does. Kate, almost stumbling over herself, puts the pillow in the chair and takes a seat. Too embarrassed to say anything, Kate just sits there quietly and waits.


    Mary walks into the dining room with a plate of food but stops after a few feet and looks at Kate and then at me. I guess having a servant sitting at the table with a noble would be an odd thing to see. Oh well, I don''t really care about class and noble elegance. I gesture over to Mary to give the food to Kate. Mary looks disappointed but understands and puts the plate of food in front of Kate. Kate looks at the food like a hungry predator, then looks at me for approval. "Go ahead and eat, Kate. You''re going to need the energy for later." They both looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Mary, I want you to teach Kate to read and write." Mary again looked at me with disappointment. "Why Lenk..."She paused and gave a slight cough. "Why, my lady, would Kate need to know?" I think I get what she is thinking. Why would a servant need to read and write? Well, pot meet kettle, it is odd that you know Mary. It''s almost like the made-up story for Kate about a noble''s bastard child was about you. Well, whatever her indifferent mood is about, it doesn''t change the fact that I need her to learn. "Mary, I don''t value my subordinates based on status. I value them based on potential, and I believe Kate has great potential. I have been thinking I need a personal assistant, and if Kate shows promise, I would want her." What I said wasn''t a complete lie. I do need an assistant, but I want Kate not for her potential but because it gives me an opportunity to learn more about beastkin. Mary rolls her eyes at me and sighs. "Fine, I will teach Kate." Kate was busy devouring her food, and by how her ears and tail twitched, I could tell she was paying attention to our conversation. She''s just like a stray cat, and I almost reached out to pet her again, but I stopped myself. Mary would scold me again for being unladylike.


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    I have finished today''s documents and looked more into our financial situation. Despite the elves and king draining us of money, we still have a good amount of money, and with the new deal with the king, we will have quite a surplus of funds. With the money, I could buy tools and other supplies needed to help rebuild this city. I will admit this will be a major undertaking, but if war does break out, our city will be effortless to take. Our enemies can just walk in and fight the very few guards we have. Might as well just surrender now and get it over with. *sigh* Unfortunately, my life will never be that easy. Well, I might as well take a break. I leave the office and end up running into Annabelle in the hallway. "O pardon me, Lenka, but have you seen Kate and Mary?" "If I recall, Mary was taking Kate on a tour of the manor." "O, I see. No wonder I couldn''t find them." The manor itself is pretty big, but we also own some smaller buildings off to the sides of the manor and a large garden on the backside of the manor. Needless to say, it may take them a while to tour our property. "Why are you looking for them?" "I just wanted to check on how our new maid was doing." That''s Annabelle for you. She is a very kind, hardworking, motherly woman who constantly checks up on people, but I don''t see her that often because she is always so busy. After all, she is our only cook and also does a lot of the housework, like the laundry and keeping up with the garden. "Pardon me, Lenka, but why don''t we have a little chat." Huh, she had never gone out of her way to talk with me before. My old habit of trusting no one and questioning everything is kicking in, but her expression is the same motherly smile. I don''t know enough about her to say what her angle on this is, but I feel like I shouldn''t refuse her invitation. "Okay."


    We both sit outside in the gazebo at the back of the garden. It''s on a small hill, and right under the backside of it, there is a small cliff that leads into a small lake. The view is quite breathtaking, with the almost mirror-like lake below us reflecting the blue of the sky, the view of the ocean and its waves in the distance, and the beautiful blue flowers blooming in the garden. Annabelle pours some tea into the cups and then passes the cup over to me. I take a sip of it, and it''s somewhat sweet and quite refreshing in this summer heat. The oddest thing about this tea is its light blue color. "The tea''s good, isn''t it? I brewed them with the blue roses in the garden." She said it with a calm voice and a gentle smile; however, I could tell that smile was fake, and her words were sharp. She seems too sharp to be just a maid, and this chat appears more like an interrogation. What are her intentions? Is she trying to see if I am the Lenka of this world? I need to choose my words carefully. "I know Annabelle. Mother loved this tea, which is why she made this garden. I''m not that fond of this tea, but I have always loved its pretty blue color." Her face remains unchanged as she takes another sip. I guess I passed the first test even though my answer was only an educated guess. "Why did you take in Kate?" Right to the point, I guess, but something tells me there was more to that question, but she decided to only ask part of it. Should I answer how I would now or how I would before? What''s the answer she wants? "She simply needed help, so I helped her." I took the middle road and answered it in a way that would fit both narratives. She gave a puzzled expression. "Then what about the king''s orders?" My guess was correct. She does know more than what a simple maid would know. Just who is this woman really? *sigh* "Father lacks the... stubbornness and ability to take risks that a noble requires. To put it simply, he''s not great at his job. He''s just too nice to make the hard choices. Which is why I needed to step in and help him make those choices." "I see..." She gave another fake smile. "Well, then, I should get back to work. Please enjoy the tea." She gets up and walks towards the manor. Why was she questioning me? Was she satisfied with what I said? I don''t know, but I should keep my guard up around her. She seems more than just a simple servant.


    A few minutes have passed since Annabelle left. I might as well enjoy this view and the weather. The heat of summer reminds me of my past life. Even now, the humidity here is much higher than in the desert I used to live in. Luckily, the gentle breeze from the ocean helps with the humidity. I take another sip of the tea, and yeah, I''m not a huge fan. I''m not really into sweet things. If it was spicy, on the other hand, I would enjoy this. Looking over at the manor, I see Kate come through one of the side gates with a basket of clothes. She probably was bringing in the dry laundry. "Kate," I call out and gesture for her to come over. Her ears point up in surprise, and she turns around and sees me. She starts walking over here with the basket still in her hands. "What is it, my lady?" "Take a seat." She puts down the basket and takes a seat across from me. I didn''t realize until now that another empty cup was on the table. Did Annabelle plan this encounter? Well, whatever, I pour some tea into the empty cup and pass it to her. "Here, have some." She looks at the tea, and her eyes light up in amazement. Then she looked at me with a confused look, and I could already tell she was about to ask if it was okay. "Annabelle brewed all of this tea for me, but I can''t drink it all by myself. So go ahead and have as much as you want." She nods and takes a sip of the tea. Her tail stands straight up and then starts waging uncontrollably, and her ears sink down and relax. "I take it that you like the tea." "Yes. It''s so sweet and refreshing. How is it blue? Can you mak..." She cuts herself off and covers her mouth. She just realizes that she is being too energetic and loud. "It''s fine. I''m glad you like it. It''s blue because of the blue roses used to brew it. If you would like more, then just ask. I will have Annabelle brew it." Her eyes started to water, and she nodded her head. "Thank you." Kate is covered in bandages and has just been through a lot right now; she is all smiles as she sips her tea. I know I shouldn''t spoil her, but part of me sees my younger self in her, or maybe I am just envious of her ability to have such vibrant emotions. Either way, this beautiful view and her warming smile are not something I thought I would ever see. My world has always been black and white, and kill or be killed. Maybe it''s the small things like this that make us human. Not that a monster like me is human. I take another sip of the tea. Maybe this tea isn''t so bad.

 Side Chapter One: Marys Frustrations

    It''s been a few months since Lenka has completely changed. She was always a wild child and a constant source of my anger. Not too long ago, she would refuse to get out of bed, refuse to get dressed, and would often sneak out of the manor and cause trouble. I can''t count the number of times my Mother scolded me for not keeping an eye on her. Her father would just laugh it off and then push the work of disciplining her onto me. There were far too many days that I would go to sleep angry and resentful of that child. Then, one day, it all changed. I don''t know what happened to her, but one day, she woke up from a nightmare and just changed. Now, she is trouble in the worst of ways. Just last month, her father let her oversee the food orders. THE FOOD ORDERS, the thing that keeps this entire city alive. What was that man thinking, not only leaving a child to do this task but Lenka no less. Of course, not a few days into it, she broke one the biggest laws in this, no any kingdom. She refused the king''s orders and then told him that they would no longer give the elves supplies for free. If that wasn''t bad enough, she then extorted and blackmailed the king. She told the king that if he didn''t pay, she would tell the people that all their hard work goes to the elves for no pay. Then, she claimed that if the citizens knew about this, then they would rebel and burn all of the farms and supplies to the ground. The worst part about it is that the king agreed to send money for the supplies; he even sent money for some of the previous orders. My Mother has been constantly complaining about it to me, and every time she brings it up with Lenka''s father, he just shrugs it off and does nothing. Sometimes, I wish she would return to that wild child; at least during that time, my life wasn''t at risk.


    Lenka has done it again. I honestly don''t know how the king hasn''t sent an army here to deal with us. She forced the guards to keep quiet about Kate being the only survivor of the beastkin shipwreck that was heading to THE KING. Then, they made up a story about how Kate was some noble''s unwanted, illegitimate child that they had taken. Of course, without even realizing it, Lenka made up a perfect lie. It''s not the first time that her family has taken in an illegitimate child, and considering how many bodies were washing up on shore right after, it makes for an easy-to-believe lie that no one survived. It annoys me to no end how clever and cunning that child can be. Heck, there are times when I swear she is reading people''s minds and knows exactly what will happen and how people will react. The problem with taking in Kate is that I am going to be the one who has to train and teach Kate. My Mother tried to talk her father out of it, but he refused and said. "If that''s what Lenka thinks is best, then I trust her judgment." Does he not understand that Lenka is trying to get on the king''s bad side and get us all killed. Why does he trust that child so much, like she couldn''t even read, let alone dress herself, until a few months ago. "... don''t value my subordinates based on status. I value them based on potential..." I constantly repeated those words in my head ever since I heard them. Maybe there is more to that child than I can''t see. I can''t deny her intelligence and the way she conducts herself. It''s almost captivating how she shows no emotions no matter what happens. She could be facing death itself and not even bat an eye, and she always does these crazy things and just acts like it''s a normal everyday thing. There was one time that I thought that I saw her simile, so maybe she is not completely emotionless. It was very brief, perhaps only a second or two when she looked at Kate eating her meal and almost reached out to pet her head. She seems to be somewhat fond of Kate for some reason. I just hope it''s not because of the fact that she looks and even sometimes acts like a pet. I don''t really know yet what potential Lenka sees in Kate, but I hope that Kate has the potential to ease that troublesome child.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I really don''t want to admit it, but Lenka was right about Kate. Kate is a quick learner and is an excellent help with the chores around the house. She is a very hard worker and is trying hard to learn everything as fast as possible. However, she does have a few flaws that she needs to work on, like the fact that she is terrible at hiding her emotions and tends to be somewhat clumsy. Her tail starts to wag whenever she is excited, and when she is scared, her tail spikes up. The oddest one of them all is when she is with Lenka, and she has a bizarre mix of emotions. It''s like she is excited, honored, scared, and embarrassed all at the same time. That''s also where her clumsiness comes in. She is composed and on task by herself, but around Lenka, she''s completely different. Maybe it''s because they are around the same age, or maybe she feels that she has a huge debt to her. I don''t know anymore; Lenka''s odd behavior has clouded my judgment of these things. Kate''s is just acting like a normal child while working under someone who is anything but normal. I do feel bad for Kate, considering that Lenka wants to use her as a personal assistant, whatever that means. I just hope that Lenka doesn''t put that poor girl through hell.


    I have recently been seeing my mom brew blue rose tea. This is odd because the only one who used to drink it was Lenka''s Mother. Did Lenka acquire a taste for it, or is she feeling nostalgic for her Mother? Nope, it couldn''t be Lenka; there has to be another reason for it. KATE, that has to be the reason, but why? Now that I think about it, wasn''t Mother questioning me about them the other day. Hmm... I can''t remember what she asked, but knowing my Mother, she was probably sticking her nose into something she shouldn''t. That''s my Mother for you; it''s her fault that we are even servants, to begin with. Oh, right, now I remember her asking what their relationship was like. I just said, "They''re fine, I guess." I have no clue what she even meant by the question. Her response was just a simple "I see." Then she had that devious smile she always gives when she''s up to no good. Well, it''s not my problem. I''m just glad that Kate is now watching over Lenka, which gives me a lot more free time. With my new free time, I can always check out how Leon is doing... Just as I finished that thought, I could feel my Mother''s devious simile behind me. "Where are you going, my precious daughter."

 Chapter Five: A merchant arrives and a proclamation

    "We are here to fight not only for our home but for our families, our friends, and all of the ones we lost. We must fight for our freedom to not only survive but to LIVE!!!" The crowd erupts in cheers. "Now grab your weapons and let''s show them what us Duskins are made of!!!" The crowd erupted even louder and started gathering their gear. I walked into the back room where the nameless man was waiting. "Excellent speech Lenka. It always amuses me how such petty words makes people willing to die for you." "That''s because of their idiots." He gave a small chuckle. "You''re right, but they are useful idiots. People like them will cling to anything hope that passes them by. Whether it be a charismatic leader, some religion, or even an ideology. Those who simply can''t think for themselves will always be the most useful pawns. On the other hand, you are smart enough to stay alive and see through all of the bull s***. Which is why I am going to continue to train you." "Why me and not one of the veterans?" "It''s simple Lenka. I don''t value my subordinates based on status. I value them based on potential, and I believe you have the potential to surpass me one day." I can''t deny this man''s skills and knowledge of the battlefield. I hate him, but at the very least, I can respect his wisdom and teachings. "Well, Lenka, go ahead and gear up. This next mission will be a big one, and I need your skills to pull it off."


    I woke up in my bed drenched in sweat again. It wasn''t a nightmare this time, but it might as well have been. That man was the last person that I ever wanted to see again. He was my mentor, and I can''t deny that he taught me almost everything I know. All of my skills, strategies, tactics, and even my ability to get people to follow me. He may have helped me when I needed it, but the cost that it took will always haunt me. He''s the one who made me into the Angel of Death and sent me down a path to a never-ending war. "...you have the potential to surpass me one day." He is still taunting me to this day. I may be a monster, but he was far worse than any monster, and I can''t fathom ever surpassing him. He was on another level when it came to planning wars and gaining intel. *sigh* Not that I ever want to be like him, but if I had the skills he did, then I could probably find a way out of fighting these future wars. Well, there''s no use moping about the things I can''t change. I can only move forward to whatever hell awaits me.


    It''s been over a year since I have been here in this world. I am nine years old, and in a few months, I will turn ten. Time flies by here when your day consists of eating, sleeping, and the occasional meetings and documents. However, I''m going to start getting a lot busier soon. I have a ton of plans on how to improve this city''s infrastructure and quality of life. For the past few months, I have spent time studying and reading about what resources this world has to offer. Luckily for me, this world seems to have almost the same elements as my world.


    The only real difference is there are a few magical items and some different metals, but other than that, iron is still iron, and sulfur is still sulfur. That means with the right resources, I can make things like concrete, bricks, and gunpowder. Making mortar and bricks will be necessary for rebuilding this city''s homes and roads. Other than the Bluerose manor, which is built mainly of cut stone, every other building is built using wood. Normally, building with wood wouldn''t be a problem, but since we don''t have a fire department, and this place seems to have frequent storms, it does seem like it would be a problem in the future. There is also the fact that building with bricks would help reinforce buildings during a battle. That''s only one of the many problems with this city. I also need to have a sewer system, water reserves, and city defenses built. Let''s just say this city needs a complete overhaul. With the money we are now receiving from the king, I have been placing orders to have supplies delivered to us so we can start the overhaul. I just hope that the citizens can keep up with my demands. Maybe I should consider getting more people to come to this city.


    Today, I am in the study researching medicines. Medicine is one of the few subjects that I know little about. It will no doubt be a massive help in the future, but there seems to be very limited information on medicines. The books in the study only have fundamental things and nothing that I will need. I take a break from reading and look over at Kate. She is sitting at the other end of the table, working on her writing skills. Not a second after looking up at her, I see her ears twitch like she has become aware that I am looking at her. Those animal instincts are a strong asset and would do great in battle. After about a minute, her face started to get red, and her writing worsened. What an odd girl, she always seems to fumble around me. Maybe that''s just normal for kids, or perhaps it''s normal for beastkin. I really don''t know, but at least she is not some cold-blooded monster like me. Right as I go back to my reading, Father comes through the door.


    "Lenka." "Yes, father." "A merchant is here to see you." Oh, I guess my order has arrived. "Understood, I will go meet with him." I get up and head for the door, then stop myself. I look back over at Kate, who has stopped and is staring back at me. I might need help carrying things, so I might as well bring her along. "Kate, come with me. I need your help." She paused there for a few seconds, then stood and almost tripped over the chair. "Ye... yes, my lady." What an odd girl.


    We were in the living room sitting down on the sofa when Father brought the merchant and one of his helpers in. The merchant was on the older side with a short gray hair and beard. Despite being on the road for a long time, he seemed well dressed and well-kept. "So you were the one who made such a large order." The merchant spoke with an old, raspy voice. "Yes, that was me. Now let''s talk business." I gesture to him to sit on the sofa in front of me. He and his helper take a seat while Annabelle walks in with a tray of drinks. "Thank you for the hospitality, my lady." He and his helper, who looks to be his grandson, take the drinks, but I''m not here for drinks and chit-chat. "Is everything I ordered here?" The merchant looks somewhat stunned. Maybe it''s my stern attitude and emotionless gaze, or it could be the beastkin fidgeting next to me. Either way, I need to ensure I received everything I ordered and that they are all in good shape. The merchant puts down his cup. "Yes, my lady, everything you ordered is here. It may have taken a while to get some of the more unique items, but they are all here." I stand up. "Good then, let''s go inspect the items." He and his helper look at each other, and then both nod their head. "Yes, my lady. Right this way."


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    The merchant and his helper lead us out in front of the manor, where three carriages are lined up. The guards and the merchant''s helpers were already at work unloading the carriages. We walked over to the first pile of goods. The merchant gestured for his helper to open the crates. Inside the crates were pickaxes, shovels, plows, saws, chisels, and other tools needed to quarry stone and build a clay pit. All of the tools were here, and they all looked in good condition. I nodded to the merchant, and we proceeded on to the next pile. The next pile was full of hammers, nails, tool belts, brick molds, towels, and metal buckets.


    I again nod, and we move on to the last pile. This one was the unique one. It was full of books, papers, ink, and a few other items. Most of the books I ordered were about things like medicine and history books. There were a few old ones that caught my eye. I picked one up, and what was left of the cover read the Anatomy of all Races. "That one was very hard to get. I have been told that it is a golden age book." That would make this book very rare and also very hard to get. The golden age refers to a time very long ago when everyone lived under a single government. However, something happened, and it nearly destroyed the world. Most items and books from that age are rare and considered taboo. "You have my thanks, merchant. Kate, go to the office and fetch the chest and bag next to it." "Yes, my lady." Kate runs off towards the manor. "Aren''t you going to inspect the dresses?" The merchant was right. I almost completely forgot that I ordered some. Granted they are not for me, so it may have slipped my mind. I looked into the crate, grabbed the dress, and took it out.


    The dress was red with some black embroidered accents, resembling the one I often wear. The back of the dress has a hole with ribbons tightened down to make it smaller. This hole was designed for Kate''s tail to fit in. The other items in the box are some nightgowns and work clothes. "Very nice merchant. My order is fulfilled, and nothing is damaged." He chuckles. "Of course, my lady. I only offer the best goods." Kate arrived with the chest and bag. "The chest is your payment, and the bag is a bonus for not having anything missing or damaged." His helper takes the payment and bonus and starts counting it.


    After a few minutes, they confirmed that the price was right and handed over the documents for me to sign and stamp. "Thank you, my lady, but the bonus is way too much for me to take." "The bonus is to also ensure repeat business, and I also have another special order for you." "Whatever would you like, my lady?" "I need you to spread the word that Blue City is looking for more citizens." "I understand, my lady, but convincing people to leave everything behind and move to a new city is not a simple task." "Then tell them Blue City has something no other city can offer." "What is that, my lady?" "Freedom." He and some of the helpers, guards, and Kate look at me, puzzled but interested in what I am saying. "Freedom?" "Yes, the freedom to not only survive but to live, the freedom to choose your family''s future, the freedom to prosper regardless of status and class, the freedom to take on the world and show it what we all can create together. That is what this city can offer to anyone who has the determination to live here."


    At this point, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me with undivided attention. I may have said it a little too loud, but everyone seemed to take what I said to heart. Even the guards looked at me in amazement. Then there was Kate, who, for the first time in a while, stood perfectly still and with eyes full of joy. No one knew what to say or do with my proclamation. Well, I guess I might as well continue with this half-assed speech. "To show proof of the possibilities that this city will offer. Look at Kate." I point to Kate, whose tail and ears spike up from everyone looking at her. Sorry about this, Kate, but you will be useful in proving my point. "Kate was abandoned by her family and tossed aside like trash. My family took her in as a ward and gave her the opportunity to become something more. Kate, in the short time she has been here, has learned and accomplished so much. That is why today, Kate will no longer be a simple servant. Today, Kate will now be my lady and waiting and personally assist me in my duties." I grab the dress and hand it over to Kate, who is already starting to cry. "Anyone in this city has the opportunity to become someone great and break out of the class system that was built to hold us down. With hard work, determination, and grit, we together can build a city that would make even the king, nay the gods themselves, envious of us." With the ending of my little speech, there was only silence until one person started to clap. Then slowly everyone joined in. "... It always amuses me how such petty words makes people willing to die for you..."


    I spent the rest of the day sorting through the goods I bought. Since I will start city planning tomorrow, I decided to head to bed a little early. Once I entered my room, I put down the books I was carrying on my desk. I could read a little before I go to bed, but I''m not really in the mood after remembering that man''s words. Just thinking about it annoys me, and it''s mainly because I realized just how much of a hypocrite I am. I said to that failure of a god that I''m done being other people''s pawns, yet I''m here using everyone else as pawns. "..You, on the other hand, are smart enough to not only stay alive but see through all of the bull s***..." Am I smart, or am I just trying to copy him? *sigh* I sit down and rest my head on the desk. Whatever, it''s pointless to think about it.*Knock knock* Who could be at my door at this hour? "Come in." Kate walks through the door. "Sorry to interrupt your reading." "Don''t worry about it. I''m too tired to read anyway." "I see... I just wanted to thank you for what you did today." Is that all she wanted? It''s a little too dark for me to see her, so I can tell what her ears and tail are doing. "You should be thanking yourself. After all, it''s your hard work and dedication that led me to make you my lady in waiting." She paused for a long time while she processed what to say next. "You''re right, but I still wanted to thank you." She bowed and then started to leave. "Have a good night, my lady." I would say that conversation was odd, but it''s Kate, so that''s just normal for her. Did she really need to tell me that tonight? Well, whatever, I should get to bed.

 Chapter Six: Community Service

    "One eighteen... One eighteen." I turn the knob on my radio off. The message was a code to let us know the ambush was ready. I start walking down the road towards the ambush point. It was on a narrow section of the road, and we destroyed part of the cliff to make it even narrower. Then, we placed the explosives under the road, where we would stop them. I stand there at the point in the middle of the road. The engines of the convoy are starting to come closer as the rocks around me begin to rumble from their weight. Two IFVs, an attack helicopter, and several armored vehicles were in the convoy. The explosives won''t be enough to destroy them, but they will be enough to throw around the people inside and injure them. As for the attack helicopter, we have several men with some old twenty-millimeter anti-tank rifles waiting for it to fly over."They were given good equipment and vehicles but don''t know how to use them effectively." At least, that''s what that man thinks, and I hope he''s right. After all, I''m the one who will be staring down the barrel of an auto-cannon.


    A few minutes pass, and the lead IFV rounds the corner and then slams on the brakes as it sees me. The IFV stops about ten meters in front of me, and its gun aims right at me. I slowly raise my arms, and a very long minute passes as I stare down its gun. Luckily, I am wearing a cloak, so it can''t see my mini assault rifle on my back. One of the hatches on the IFV opens up, and a man peaks out from it and starts yelling at me. I ignored him to continue, staring at the helicopter, waiting for the signal. Then I see sparks and fire come from the helicopter''s engine, and with that, I clench both fists, signaling to detonate the explosives. A loud boom and shock-wave hit me. The entire road was engulfed in dust and debris. I grabbed my gun and ran up to the opened hatch of the IFV. I jumped into the hatch and started shooting the concussed men in the IFV. Then I grabbed the dead body of the gunner and dragged him out of the seat. I got into the gunner seat, and the controls were just as that man said they would be. Grabbing the controls, I spin the turret around towards the other IFV. I then switch to the anti-tank missiles and fire both of them at the IFV in the rear of the convoy. Two large explosions send molten metal everywhere, and flames burst out of the top of the IFV as the ammo cooks off. I then switch to the twenty-five-millimeter auto-cannon and start firing at the men who dismounted their armored vehicles. Loud explosions can be heard as the HE shells hit the ground all around the men. It''s a good thing that so much dust was being kicked up because I can only imagine how gruesome it must be to get hit or even be near one of those shells when they go off.


    After a few more bursts of the gun, I decided that it was time to bail before air support showed up. I take the explosive charge from my bag and place it in the ammo rack. With the fuse set, I retreat out of the hatch and run down the road. A few minutes later, the IFV explodes in a fireball as the remaining ammo cooks off. I run back to a safe location and turn my radio back on. "It''s done." Then I turn off my radio. A large shadow quickly moved past me. It was a drone, and considering I''m still alive, it probably won''t shoot at me. It circled around me for a few minutes before it left and started to chase down some poor saps who forgot to drop their weapons and run. It launched a few missiles into a group of them. What idiots. They should have followed the plan rather than trying to steal some gear and weapons. I wait until the drone leaves, then I hop into one of our escaped tunnels and make my way back to base.


    That nameless man was waiting for me to give a report. However, he already knew exactly what had happened. I had to ask how he knew that the hatch to the IFV would open. "You want to know why they were so foolish enough to open the hatch that was keeping them safe? Simple, that man felt sympathetic to you. You probably reminded him of his own daughter, or maybe he would have felt bad killing a young girl. Whatever he was thinking ended up getting him and his men killed. People think they are complex creatures full of logic and common sense, but ultimately, they always let their foolish emotions guide them. That''s why we can easily exploit them. For you see, even smart men are rendered dumb by foolish emotions like sympathy in war. That''s why these emotions can be easily manipulated and used for your benefit." I don''t want to admit it, but he''s probably right. After all, I''m also doing all of this for an illogical reason, and he''s exploiting that. "You did well today, Lenka." He pats me on the back and hands me a syringe and a vial of insulin. "Lenka, your reason for fighting is foolish, but..."


    I wake up to someone knocking at my door. Kate opens the door. "Pardon me, my lady. Breakfast is ready." "I will be down after I get dressed." Kate hesitates for a second, as if she wants to say something, but then bows and leaves my room. I remember that day from my dream well. It was the day that I became the Angel of Death. I didn''t know it then, but that drone and the cameras recovered from the IFV took pictures of me, and they determined that I was one of the leaders. At that time, I was nothing more than a special card our real leader could play. That day, I realized just how good that man was at war. The plan went off exactly how he planned it to. He was a master at using people, including me. *sigh* I''m a hypocrite again. I will be using the people of this city much like that man used me. Whatever, it''s pointless to think about it since I have never been a good person.


    I may have gone too far with my little speech yesterday, but it seems it was so well received that even my father has officially made it a real proclamation with my signature and our house''s stamp. He then copied it, sent it out to other cities, and gave a copy to Godfrey to read to the city. Well, if it means more manpower and citizens, then fine, but it makes you wonder if some half-assed words are all it takes to move these people. Maybe it''s this world''s lack of education that leads to this, or perhaps these people just lack role models. In the end, it really doesn''t matter. I get what I need, and they will have a better life. Well, I should add school to the list of things I need to build. I don''t want anyone else to use this method to move my people. Plus, with educated citizens, it would be much easier for them to adjust to the new technology I will introduce. Let''s just hope that they have the capacity to learn. *knock knock* "Enter." Kate walks into the office. She is wearing the dress I gave her. The red color suits her well and matches her hair and eyes. I guess she finished her morning chores. It''s funny that her status has changed, but her work really hasn''t. Well, a servant and a lady and waiting are very similar. The only difference is she is now a lady of our court and not just a simple servant. I think Mary is happy about it because now Kate is fully responsible for me and now she will have more free time. However, Kate''s new title means that Kate is a higher rank than Mary and Annabelle. I doubt Kate will abuse that power, considering how much they have helped her. The sunlight was starting to hit the desk, meaning it was afternoon. I stand up and start heading for the door. "Come on, Kate, we have a lot of work to do today."


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    We were in the storage building right next to the manor. The guards moved the things I bought yesterday into this building. I go through the crates and grab a notebook, a quill, a tool-belt, and ink. I give the belt to Kate and have her put it on. "What''s this for?" Kate asked. "You will see." After she put on the belt, I put the ink into a pouch on the belt that was made to hold the ink. Then I put the quill into a little loop next to it and then gave her the notebook. She still looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Kate, you will be in charge of taking notes." She still seems a little confused but then bows. "Yes, my Lady." I grab another belt, put it on, and then grab the same things. "Oh, and Kate, you can drop the my lady part." Her ears are sticking up, and her tail starts to wag a little. "Then how should I refer to you?" "By my name." "Will do... Lenka." Her ears calmed down, and her tail started to wag more. Why was she so excited about calling me by my name? I was just getting tired of everyone calling me lady. Whatever, we have too much to do today to worry about the small things. I walk outside the storage building and head towards the city''s center. Let''s hope that the citizens will be willing and understand what I am doing.


    We reached the city''s center, where there was a well and a sizeable clearing. Honestly, this city was built more like a small town. The main roads were all dirt, and the buildings were wildly thrown together. Even the well has seen better days. It makes me wonder how the manor is so nice while this city looks like it was built by a bunch of drunken fools. *sigh* I guess I have a lot of work to do. It didn''t take long for people to start gathering; after all, it was not every day that I would show up. That or they were here to stare at Kate. It''s probably the first time any of them have seen a beastkin, and by the way, Kate''s ears and tail are reacting; they are definitely looking at her. Some citizens start trying to whisper to each other but are clearly failing. "Isn''t that a beastkin? Why is she here? She''s dressed so nicely. Do you think she''s the lord''s mistress? Maybe she''s a beastkin spy. Isn''t the other one the lord''s fool? Yeah, the fool that the servants always chase around." If I can hear them, then I know Kate can. Her ears droop down, and her tail is tucked between her feet. Well, I can''t let this go on; it would make my job harder. I get ready to shout out, but I am cut off. "YOU DARE SPEAK ILL OF OUR LORDS." It was Godfrey''s son. I can''t remember his name, but I do recall that Godfrey was training him to be the next head guard, and I think he was around the same age as Mary. "YOU ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. I WILL MAKE SURE ALL OF YOU WILL RECEIVE PUNISHMENT." I reach over and pet Kate''s head to calm her down, then walk over to Godfrey''s son and tap him on the shoulder. "That''s enough. I will take it from here." He looks at me, then nods and takes a step behind me. Some of the guards heard the shouting and started to surround the crowd. The crowd before me was drained of color as they realized what they had just done. The punishment for this usually is a lashing, which could be deadly depending on how many lashings you receive. However, I can use this opportunity to my advantage. After all, I need people for work, and it seems I have found them. "Listen up. All of you from a line in front of Kate. She will take your name and then wait on the side to hear your punishment. Guards, please assist if necessary." "Wait, that''s Kate? The one in the proclamation?" One of them quietly said. I guess they weren''t aware of Kate being a beastkin.


    "...That''s why these emotions can easily be manipulated and used for your benefit..." I don''t like to think about him, but he is always right. I can easily use this situation to my advantage. There were about twenty of them, and most of them were men. They were all speechless, and the three women there were crying. I look over at Kate, who has finished writing their names down. She calmed down, but she even looked worried about them. I walk over to her and ask if she is all right. "Yes, Lenka... don''t worry about me." She says in a quiet and sad voice. I turned and faced the group that was anxiously waiting for their punishment. "Listen up. All of you have committed the crime of insulting not only your lords but also my lady in waiting. The punishment for this crime is a severe lashing." All of their faces are entirely drained of color, and one of the women fell to her knees. "However, it seems my lady in waiting Kate wishes to show you mercy. All of you should be thankful to her. I have decided to lower your punishment to community service. Tomorrow morning, all of you will meet us in front of the manor. You are all dismissed." They all looked shocked and also very glad. They all start bowing and apologizing to Kate. Kate also seems glad, and Godfrey''s son still seems slightly annoyed but quickly disperses the crowd. What a day I came here to do a simple survey of the city to see where I needed to build things and ended up causing a scene. I walk over to Kate and pet her head again. "Let''s go, Kate. We still have a job to do."


    I started looking over the map of the city that I had made, as well as Kate''s notes. It makes me want to pull my hair out. There is almost nothing in the current city''s layout that is usable. I pretty much have to rebuild everything. The roads are crap, the buildings are crap, the farms are crap, hell, a child''s scribblings are a better layout than this city''s. *sigh* I rub my eyes. This is going to be a lot of work. No wonder humans are so weak in this world. They can barely build a city. Hell, I''m honestly surprised they even got far enough to be able to build a city. The door opens, and Father and Godfrey walk in. "Lenka, I heard about the incident from Godfrey. I will personally make sure..." "Stop." I called out, "I already have a punishment ready for them." They both look at me, puzzled. "They will do community service." "community service?" I guess that concept hasn''t been made up yet. "It''s a nicer way of saying they will do forced labor." "I see... Then we will leave it up to you." They were pretty quick to accept that outcome, or maybe they were aware of how hard I am going to work them. Godfrey stepped forward. "It was my fault for not properly disciplining our people. I should also receive punishment." How noble of him. It''s too bad that people like me will easily take advantage of that. After thinking about it, I probably shouldn''t punish him too. I feel like that may have some unforeseen consequences. "''No, Godfrey, it''s not your fault but mine. I''m the one who did not mention that Kate was a beastkin in my proclamation. I also acted like a fool and caused trouble to the city and our house. The citizens had a right to be distrustful and gossip about us." Godfrey looks at Father, who nods, and they both look back at me. He still looks guilty, like a kid awaiting his punishment. "Godfrey, if you want to make up for it, then grab some guards and come with us tomorrow." "Understood my Lady." Again, with that, my lady stuff. I honestly wish they would just use my name.

 Chapter Seven: Building a Future

    I finished my morning routine and started heading outside towards the front of the manor. The people from yesterday were waiting out front for their punishment. There were also some guards, Godfrey, his son and... Mary? Why is she here with them? After looking at her a little closer, I see her eyes are fixed on something. I walk up behind her without her realizing it and look over where she is looking. Her eyes were locked on Godfrey''s son. I guess she has a thing for him or something. I walk over to her and tap her on the shoulder. "What are you looking at, Mary?" She somewhat stumbles. "Nothing... Lenka." Her face starts to get red, and she clearly tries not to look at him again. I think this is the first time I saw her lose composure, and with that expression of hers, it''s pretty clear she has a crush on him. Well, it''s none of my concern, but I guess I could help her a little after all my previous self put her through. Not that I know anything about romance or crushes. "Mary, why don''t you join us. We could use an extra hand." "No, I couldn''t. I have too much work that I need to do." That''s a lie. I am fully aware that her workload has been cut in half ever since Kate took over caring for me. I look over at Godfrey, who is talking to his guards and son. "Hey, Godfrey!" He turns and looks over at me. I then gesture for him to come over. He and his son start walking over here. Mary starts trying to compose herself. "What is it, my lady." *sigh* "Godfrey, please drop the my lady part and just use my name." "I understand my..." He gives a slight cough. "I understand, Lenka" "Now that that''s settled. Godfrey, don''t you think Mary should join us?" He looks at her and then thinks for a second. "I don''t think..." I elbow him in the side, then shoot glances at his son and Mary. He looks at me and then nods, understanding what I am getting at. "O, right, that sounds like an excellent idea. We definitely could use her." He sounded very forced, almost like he had never lied before. "Yeah, that''s a great idea. I''ve heard that you''re a good cook, Mary." Godfrey''s son said. Mary starts losing her composure. "I..I...I only help my mother with cooking. I don''t really cook that much." Godfrey''s son gives a slight chuckle. "Well, it can''t be any worse than my dad''s cooking," Godfrey smacks him on the back of the head. "You little..." Mary starts to laugh. "Okay, I will join you then, Leon." Well, I finally learned Godfrey''s son''s name, and at least this forced labor trip will be somewhat lively.


    I stand on top of a crate that was placed in front of the crowd of people. Behind me were Kate, Mary, Godfrey, and Leon. In front of me were some guards and the people silently waiting for their punishment. "Listen up. Today, we will be going outside the city to mine and dig. All of you will be given the tools to do the job. You will work until sunset, and I will allow you a one-hour break for lunch. I will give you more instructions when we arrive at our destination. With that, all of you board the carriages." There were several carriages brought to the manor. They were typically used for delivering food and supplies, but today, they will move all of us to the dig site. The carriage that I will be taking is different. It would look bad for a noble to not ride in their nice personal carriage. Not that I really care for noble elegance, but at least it was a lot more roomy and more comfortable than the other ones. The carriage is fully enclosed with windows, a door, patted benches, and nice curtains. I step inside and take a seat on the padded bench. Kate follows me in and takes a seat right next to me. Her tail was starting to wag, and she had a big smile. Why is she so excited to do hard labor? Mary begins to step inside, but then I stop her. "Mary, why don''t you ride upfront so that you can learn how to drive a carriage." Mary looks at me, confused. "Why would I..." Then Godfrey cuts her off.


    "What a splendid idea. My son will teach everything." "But I..." Godfrey ignored her and gently escorted Mary to the front. On his way back, he winks at me and gives me a thumbs-up. "What was that about?" Kate asked, "Don''t worry about it." As I said it, I petted her head. It was a bad habit of mine, but I couldn''t help it; she reminded me too much of the stray cats I used to take care of. I know I am bad for thinking like that, but Kate doesn''t seem too bothered by it. In fact, she seems to oddly enjoy it. She''s definitely an oddball.


    It took about an hour to reach our destination. The ride was bumpy and uneasy since we had to go off the road. We all exited the carriages into a field with whitish-looking rocks covering the hills. The rocks were limestone, and if you remove the grass, you will find a reddish dirt that has a high clay content. I paid someone to survey the area for the clay and limestone, and this is the spot they found. This spot is perfect; the limestone can be used for mortar, and the clay can be used for bricks. I stand on one of the rocks in the field to stand above everyone.


    "Listen up. I will be splitting all of you into two groups. Group one will start mining the rocks, while group two will start digging. Are there any questions?" "What is this for?" One of them asks. I''m not surprised by the question; after all, farming is about all these people know about. "The things you gather today will be used for the city revival project." "City revival project?" a few of them question. "The project will be a multi-step project to help rebuild our city''s homes and infrastructure. That lack of good roads, wells, sewers, and homes is a major detriment to our otherwise great city. That is why this punishment is called community service because all of your work will benefit everyone in our city." They look at each other, puzzled. I would say that they are puzzled by the project, but something tells me they are confused about how the dirt and rocks will help. I need to make education a higher priority; that way, they can start thinking for themselves. "The dirt here can be made into clay, and then we can turn the clay into bricks for homes and roads. The white rocks are limestone that we can break down and use for mortar, or to put it more simply, it will make a glue to hold the bricks together." After explaining it, they seemed to understand what they were doing and seemed to be a little enthusiastic about it. Well, as long as the job gets done, then I couldn''t care less about how they feel about it. I have way too much to do, and I don''t know how much time I have before the wars come.


    It''s been a few hours since we started, and I have to give it to them. They may be lacking in the knowledge department, but they are very hard workers. By the end of the day, we most likely will have done most of the prep work for the clay pits, and we have a good amount of limestone mined. We won''t be able to make anything yet, but if we continue at this rate, we will have a full production line in no time. Well, the only problem is that I only have this workforce for today. I bet if I offered payment for their work, then they would come back and maybe bring more people. I''ll see how well received that would be when we have finished for the day. As I started thinking about it, I saw a carriage heading this way in the distance. I sent Mary and Leon to get food for everyone here. The food won''t be great, after all, it''s just hardtack and a thrown-together stew, but it will be free for everyone here. Godfrey, who has been keeping an eye on everyone, walks over to me. "Lenka, is it true that you want to rebuild the city?" I guess that question has been eating at him for the past few hours. It''s a reasonable question, considering rebuilding the whole city is a big undertaking. "Yes," I answer, but the look on his face says that he isn''t fully satisfied with that simple answer. "We are building for the future." "Why?" It''s not like I can tell him a so-called god told me that wars are in our future, but I guess I can tell him a half-truth. "I believe that our city will not survive in the future if we don''t do something to change it. We are undermanned, under-supplied, undefended, and lack many basic things. We have been stuck in the past and stagnated ourselves while our adversaries have been quickly advancing and preparing. If we don''t strive to improve not only the city but ourselves, then we will be nothing more than a pawn to not only the king but also to the world. That''s why we must do all we can, when we can, to build this city into something more than just a home for us." "I... understand..." He responded slowly, but I could tell by his expression that he was in deep thought. It seems that my words may have hit a little too close for him, but he did ask me why, and I gave him an answer. It''s not my fault that this city is so inconvenient. I mean, they have everything they need to make a great city within arms'' reach, but they have used none of it. Whatever, this is just another impossible mission for me to do.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    It was lunchtime, and Kate and I were sitting on padded stools that were brought with our carriage. Kate was devouring her food like she hadn''t eaten for days. Our food was better than what everyone else got. It was real bread and a stew that had meat in it. Not that I really cared; food is food, and it all tastes the same to me. Looking over at Kate, I can tell by the small cuts on her hands that she has been working hard. She didn''t need to help, but she insisted that she had to pull her weight. Not that I mind her helping; after all, she could use some muscles on her, but I do wonder if it will affect how people see me. It''s not every day you see a lady in waiting carrying heavy rocks around. It''s a good thing I brought work clothes so that she doesn''t get that nice dress ruined. I would have helped out, too, but I needed to supervise everything since no one here knew what they were doing. Kate finishes her food and finally realizes I was looking at her. She somewhat panics and almost drops her empty bowl. Then, she looks at me with a face that is nearly as red as her hair. I grabbed my handkerchief and wiped away the drops of stew that were speckled on her face. Her face grew redder, and she almost fell off the stool. What an odd, clumsy girl. It almost reminds me of another clumsy girl. I Look over to see Mary stirring a pot of stew and talking to Leon. When she got here, she almost dropped the pot of stew. To think that a simple emotion can make even that strict to the book maid lose composure. Hmm.... does that mean Kate? That couldn''t be it; she was way too young for emotions like that. Plus, I''m also a girl, so I''m pretty sure that''s not a possibility. Maybe it''s a beastkin thing? I haven''t got to read that book the merchant gave me. Perhaps that has some info on Beastkin''s childhood development? Well, it is about time for lunch to be over with.


    It was about dusk, and I had everyone gather in front of me. They all looked tired but also seemed somewhat satisfied. "You all should be proud of the work you did today. You all should rest up. The day after tomorrow, we will begin working again. However, next time, it will be voluntary and for pay. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors that if they want more money and are willing to work, then meet in the morning at Bluerose Manor every other day. Please board the carriages. You are all dismissed." They seemed to receive the news well. I could hear a few of them talking about bringing their brothers and sons.


    I took a seat in my carriage, and Kate took a seat next to me. It has been a long but productive day. After a few minutes, Kate slumps over and rests her head on my shoulder. She must have been tired after working so hard. I gently move her off my shoulder and place her head in my lap. She would usually panic, but she was so tired that she fell asleep only a few seconds after moving her. I am very good at reading people and their intentions, but I can''t seem to get a read on Kate. Why did she work so hard today? Was it to make people believe she was more than just a noble''s lady in waiting? Maybe she just wanted to prove herself or impress someone? I really don''t know. Kate has always been an oddity to me. I hope the book the merchant gave me might have some answers.


    I finished my nightly routine, which involved dinner and a bath. I also exercise before bed because I would rather be fit and ready for combat. My muscles have been getting more toned, and no one has realized this because my dresses cover most of my body. After finishing my set of push-ups, I grab the book the merchant gave me and take a seat at the desk in my room. Normally, it would be too dark to read, but luckily, I received a crystal lamp as a birthday present last year. The crystal was called an energy crystal, and it glows a faint blue. It''s not as bright as a light bulb would be, but it''s enough to read at night. I did a little research on the energy crystal, and it glows a blue color due to some magical energy that is stored in it. It is common in the caves dwarves live in, so luckily, the blue glow isn''t some radioactivity that is slowly killing me.


    The Anatomy of All Races, I start turning the pages in the book. Most of the pages are torn and faded, but there are a few good pages in the book. Flipping through the pages, I stop on one that reads Beastkin''s Childhood. It reads that beastkin is unique in the fact that they tend to mature both physically and mentally faster than other races. They will undergo a big growth spurt around the age of ten, which can lead to emotional instability, eating large amounts of food, and growing pains. They also tend to have fevers and hot spells during this time. This is likely due to an early onset of their heat cycle...


    Alright, I think I read enough. It would explain Kate''s odd behavior, eating a lot, and frequent red face. I really don''t want to keep reading about that kind of stuff, so I skip a few passages until I get to one that states there is a medication for it. Taking a blank sheet of paper, I copy the recipe down onto the paper. Well, I don''t really want to deal with this kind of problem, so I take the paper, walk over to Annabelle''s room, and pass it under her door. I didn''t want to rely on her, but I felt like she would be better at dealing with those kinds of problems. When I return, I get ready to close the book, but something odd catches my eye. It seems that the book is on a different page. Did a gust of wind move the page? I took a closer look, and it looks like some pages might have been torn out. I could have sworn that there were more pages in the beastkin section. Well, I am tired, so maybe I didn''t realize that there were some missing pages. Well, it is an old book, so maybe they tore it out a long time ago. Oh well, I guess I should just go to bed and read more another night.