NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: First steps
Chapter 3: First steps
“So, you’re from another world.” Kanami started while pouring some tea into a cup.
The place was smaller than what Luka thought but it was a good thing to him. The small candle placed on the table gave a faint light just enough to see the other’s face, giving a warm and soothing atmosphere to the small Japanese-styled house. The fragrance of wood mixed with the aroma of the tea leaves helped him relax after everything that happened today.
“Y-Yeah… I do.”
He wasn’t sure how to go about it. Sure, he wanted to give her his thanks, but seeing how she almost killed him on the spot just for saying hi. He could still feel the cold steel of the dagger against his neck, a sensation he already had a long time ago, giving him chills just thinking about it.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” Kanami smiled reassuringly. “I’m not used to having visitors here.”
She took a sip from her cup. Luka watched her from the corner of his eyes while pondering if he should do the same. He wasn’t used to drinking tea and most of all he hated it, but he couldn’t bring himself to let it go to waste in fear of what could happen. Still looking at her, he raised his cup to his lips and took a sip, if one could even call that a sip since he barely tasted it. His eyes widen in shock.
“This is…”
It was delicious. Instead of the usual herbal tea his mother used to make, this tea was sweet and fruity, which contrasted with what he was used to. Without realizing it, a smile flashed across his face.
“It’s my grandmother’s secret recipe,” Kanami smirked, enjoying his reaction. “It’s made with orange tree leaves coated in sugar and then dried.”
“No wonder it’s so sweet…” Luka pondered, looking at his cup.
He would need to ask the secret to the recipe as well, if she was willing to share of course.
“So, what’s your world like?” Kanami asked.
“My world? Oh, it’s not interesting, really….” Luka sneered to himself. “Just a lot of buildings everywhere and a lot of people too.”
“Is that so?” she raised an eyebrow, not convinced by his answer.
The room went silent. Each casually enjoying their tea while examining each other. The sheer awkwardness of the situation made Luka uneasy quickly and made him fidget in place.
“You’re not a chatty person,” Kanami pointed out, smirking again.
“Ahah, that’s true, I’m sorry about that,” Luka chuckled nervously. “It’s just that I’m a bit shaken by what happened today and I’m worried about a lot of things. Like how I’m going to come back home and why was I kidnapped.”
While he could not remember much, the remnants of his kidnapping were still flashing through his mind from time to time, making him feel chills down his spine.
“I don’t know why they tried to get you,” Kanami admitted while putting her cup down. “But I think they didn’t care whether you lived or not since the man looking for you gave them the instructions, dead or alive.”
“W-What? But why?” Luka shouted.
“Well… I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried too. Why did they know you? Do you have any idea who could possibly want you dead?”
She gave him a cold look, steeling herself to unsheathe her dagger again. But Luka looked completely lost at what she was saying.
"Of course not!” His voice cracked with emotion, tears welling in his eyes. “I don't know anyone here! Hell, I didn't even know traveling to other worlds was possible. This feels like something out of a fantasy book!"
Kanami relaxed herself, feeling a bit self-conscious about what she said. She had every right to doubt him, considering what was happening with the king and the possible traitor. And now that an unknown variable had appeared, something was telling her that the pieces were moving more rapidly. And there was also the fact that…
“I’m sorry for doubting you,” she said, bowing her head respectfully.
She pondered for a while, studying him intently. It was undeniable that in this world, he wouldn't last a day in his current state. Without magic or physical prowess, he wouldn't stand a chance against the dangers lurking in the shadows of the city. She couldn't protect him any more than she had today.
"What would you say if I offered to train you?" she asked, slamming her fist on the table.
Luka blinked, taken aback by her sudden intensity.
“Huh?” he stammered, his disbelief evident.
“I mean look at you,” she continued sharply. “I can barely see your muscles. If you want to survive here, you’ll need more than that.”
Luka nodded awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Was she saying that he was a weakling?
“I-I mean you’re not wrong but…” he stuttered.
“If you want to go back to your home, you will need to survive here,” she explained. “This world is full of danger and little guys like you don’t survive long, especially since you’re being targeted by unknown people. I can train you. And I can ask Uther to give you some magic lessons as well.”
She was brimming with confidence, giving him a little wink.
“I’m not that out of shape you know.” he retorted sharply.
“Oh? Really?” she sang, her smile widening to her ears. “How about we test that out?”
…
“I give up!” he gasped, collapsing to the ground.
She decided to let him try some exercise outside of the house.
Kanami sighed, looking at him in disbelief. “We barely did ten push-ups… And you call yourself a man?”
Luka shot her a defiant look. “As if you know anything about what’s a man like.”
Kanami let out a snort of laughter. “That’s fair, but I wouldn’t be surprised if even a boy could outmatch you.”
“I admit,” Luka raised his hands in the air, “I’m out of shape. But I know I can do better.”
“That’s the spirit!” She held out a hand to help him stand up and he took it firmly. “Also, your form is pretty good for someone who’s not very athletic.”
Luka brushed the dust off his pants and replied, “I had someone teach me muscle training in the past.”
She snickered. “That’s nice, then why didn’t you train more?”
“...Let’s not get into that,” He said, forcing a smile.
“Whatever happened, you need to train more,” she schooled, “I want you to come tomorrow morning here so that we can practice some self-defense.”
“Really now?” he replied, feeling more exhausted.
“Yes! It’s not like you have anything else to do, right?”
“Fiiine…”
Having said that, she went back inside her house and waved goodbye. Completely exhausted, Luka didn't hesitate before collapsing into bed in his new room. The smell of old furniture made him a bit uncomfortable, but his heavy limbs soon dragged him into the world of dreams.
The next morning came early, as the maids entered his room at sunrise to wake him up. After a breakfast of fresh toast, kindly provided by a maid named Agathe, whom Luka thanked, he decided to check on Kanami, still wary of venturing elsewhere. She was already up and ready, meditating in the middle of a clearing near her house, attuned to the songs of nearby birds.
At this hour, the woods were far more welcoming, displaying shades of red and green as the leaves filtered the sunlight. The morning dew reflected the sun's rays on the grass, giving the place a charming and peaceful look. Luka approached her quietly, careful not to disturb her meditation.
“Good morning there,” she said, her eyes still closed and concentrated on her meditation. “I did tell you to come here, but I didn’t expect you this early.”
Luka was a bit startled by her sudden greeting but replied promptly.
“Good morning Kanami,” he said, making sure to use her name to not forget it. “I figured I would get some lessons since I don’t know what to do.”
She stood up in one swift motion and brushed the fresh grass from her exposed legs. Luka was used to seeing her wearing her black outfit that covered both her legs and arms, but today she was wearing a more casual outfit consisting of a black sleeveless tunic tied at the waist by a black obi belt, black shorts, and black knee-high socks.
“All black… huh?” Luka muttered. He wondered if she had any clothes that weren’t black. Though he agreed that it suited her long hair as well as her dark eyes, he thought that it felt a bit gloomy.
“Is something wrong?” She asked, giving him a confused look.
“Nothing. Let’s get started, teacher!”
“Okay, first off, please don’t call me that.”
They trained for a while in the clearing. Kanami taught him how to properly up his guard to protect his face and also some moves he could if he was fist-fighting someone. After the theoretical lessons, she decided that a little spar could do some good.
“Uryaa!” Luka punched in her direction but his fist only met the air around her as she dodged.
He followed with a rapid kick that surprised her, but Kanami blocked it with her arm, putting him off balance. She used that opportunity to step back a little bit and let him get his stance ready. He then tried again with a few punches, this time by changing the angles at which they came from, but the result stayed the same.
“You’re too fast!” Luka grunted in frustration, now wailing at her like a toddler rather than focusing on his moves.
“Once again, you’re too impatient, Luka.”
She disappeared from his sight in an instant and suddenly grabbed him from behind, blocking both of his arms.
“I give up! I give up!” He screamed, wincing at the pain of feeling his shoulders crack from the sheer strength of Kanami’s grip.
“Fine.” She let go of his arms, letting him fall face-first into the grass and groaning in pain and fatigue.
“That’s cheating…” he whimpered, his voice muffled by the ground. “You’re a super ninja and I can’t do shit.”
Kanami chuckled, standing atop him, blocking the sun. “A what now?”
Luka lifted his head. “A ninja… Wait, you don’t know what that is?”
She shook her head. “No, never heard of that before. What’s that?”
“Basically you. All dressed in black, stealthy, quick, assassins.”
His exhausted mind couldn’t process well-formed sentences so he just said what came to his mind.
She crossed her arms, not satisfied by the answer.“ I don’t see why you think assassins are ‘super’, though.”
“But they’re cool! They’re always doing superb figures in the air, they say ‘nin-nin’ and all that.”
“D-Did you hit your head?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“Maybe… Don’t sweat it. When I’m tired I say all kinds of stupid things.”
He lifted himself awkwardly, almost tripping because of the blood pressure loss from standing up too fast.
“Well, I don’t care about this ninja thing but, you’re not that bad.” She patted his shoulder admiratively. “For a guy that hasn’t been training at all, you have good instincts. I had to block one of your kicks.”
“You think so?”
He wasn’t very proud of what he showed her considering he felt like she was toying with him but that remark moved his heart a bit.
She nodded. “I do. Are you sure you never fought before?”
Some childhood memories were brought back to his mind but he dismissed them almost as quickly as they came.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I hate fighting. Or violence in general.”
“So you’re a pacifist then?”
“No. I wouldn’t consider myself that either.”
Kanami raised an eyebrow. “Huh? What do you mean? Aren’t pacifist people that hate violence?”
He took a moment to ponder the question. “It’s true that pacifists arbor violence. But the problem is that they hate it in any circumstances. I’m more of a guy that hates violence but thinks it’s necessary in some situations.”
“Hmm.” She looked at him intently for a brief moment before replying. “Hating violence is not a bad thing. But I don’t think you should skimp on that side of human relations, in case you need to defend something or yourself.”
“Well then, we think the same.”
“Then why didn’t you practice before?” She asked again with a smirk.
“Because my world is very different from this one. Violence exists, yes, but fighting with your fists is less common than fighting with words or your brain. If you know what I mean.”
“So… Your world is filled with politicians?” She asked quizzically, tilting her head
“Let’s just… Forget about it. Thanks for training me.”
“You’re welcome.”
He swept off the accumulated sweat from his forehead and decided to part ways with her since she had to prepare for the day.
“I wrote a letter to Uther and deposited it in his mailbox yesterday night,” she added just before entering her secluded house. “He’ll come up with some exercises for you during the day.”
He was curious as to what that meant, considering the man was responsible for his current predicament, and because he was excited like a child at the thought of using magic. Once back inside his room, he found some keys lying there on the table with a written note beside them.
This is the key to this room, use it as you wish
“I wonder who wrote this…”
He shrugged it off and then took the keys to put them delicately in one of the numerous pockets of his jacket. He still wondered where in the world the princess found those jeans and this jacket but he thought that maybe it belonged to the guy they were looking for. As he deposited the keys in an inside pocket, he felt something unusual.
That’s odd… I never felt anything in here before.
Tracing the shape of the mysterious object with his fingers, he pulled it out.
“What the…?”
It was a pistol. Not a normal one like a Glock or a revolver but an odd one with a crystal-shaped object shining inside of it. At the same moment, someone knocked at the door and opened it.
“Shit…!”
Luka hastily hid the gun back inside the same pocket, hoping the shape of the cannon wouldn’t be seen through his clothes. The door opened, revealing a man with long hair and a stylish outfit.
“Hello there, Mister Luka.” Uther greeted him, a broad smile on his face.
“Wow, you are early, Mister.”
Uther chuckled heartily and took out a book he was holding against his body.
“You’re right! I have some lessons to give this morning and I don’t have much time for you. But, I figured I could come earlier since Miss Kanami gave me a letter telling me you wanted to know more about magic.”
He then opened the other book he always carried with him, murmuring a chant under his breath. A hole formed in the air, and from it emerged a box. It was a cube-shaped object made of a strange white and blue material that Luka, watching the scene with wide-eyed amazement, immediately associated with the kind of metal you'd find in a science fiction laboratory.
“Also, since you’re from the same world as him,” he added, emphasizing ‘him’, “I want you to look for clues on how to open this box.”
Luka took the box carefully and replied while examining it. “And what’s the book for?”
“It’s to learn the arcane arts, of course! Well… If you know how to read.”
That sentence made Luka tick. He didn’t think too much about it since he arrived here but he was able to read what was written on that little note on the desk. The people here, for some reason, were using the same language as him.
“Yes, I know how to read Sir.”
He opened the book given to him on the first page. It was a very heavy book, beautifully handcrafted and handwritten from start to finish. Numerous schematics and explanations could be seen on each page as well as explanations on the side. The paper seemed a bit fragile though, so Luka made sure to manipulate it with care.
Uther leaned closer and explained. “This book is everything you have to know about magic and everything we teach at the academy. We have several like these that we give to the new students each year.”
Realization kicked in. “Wait… You mean…”
“Why, yes of course!” Uther shouted happily. “As compensation, it’s only natural that I take you as a student.” He then coughed, a bit embarrassed. “Besides, I also need your contribution to find a way to take you back home.”
“You’re trying to help me?”
“Exactly. The princess’s orders and it’s also my responsibility. ”
“T-Thank you…”
Uther looked at him intently and realized something when suddenly, something touched his left cheek of Luka.
“Come on now, don’t bother him,” Uther said to the little thing.
Luka turned his head to see what was bothering him. A little ball of light was floating around him, casually hitting him for a reason he did not understand.
“W-What is that? A firefly?” He said, backing off.
Uther raised an eyebrow. “You can see it?”
“Yes, of course! I mean, it’s a floating ball of light!”
“Oh, so you can only see its exterior, hmm.” Uther stroked his chin. “Those are my companions, they are called fairies. They’re usually not visible to anyone else except…” He trailed off, deep in thought.
“Their exterior? I can’t see them?” Luka was genuinely confused by what the professor was telling him.
But he just went on, murmuring under his breath. “Perhaps your flow is not open… That would explain why your world doesn’t know about magic… Yes, I see…”
He then opened his book a second time and approached Luka. Multiple balls of light emerged from it, forming a circle around the young man.
“Woah! What’s going on?”
“Stay still. Otherwise, it will hurt.” Uther warned.
The book’s pages started flipping, light enveloping Luka in a warm embrace. He did as he was told and stayed as still as possible. After a while, it felt as if the light entered his body, making him warm and fuzzy inside.
“I’m opening the flow of mana inside you,” Uther explained while carefully directing the fairies around him, like a conductor. “Hmm, you have very few mana inside you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Luka screamed, seeing that the fairies were disappearing inside his body one by one and coming out a second later.
“Mana, magic, chi, energy, no matter how you call it, in this world, something is sleeping inside all of us.” Uther lectured. “Some mages use it to create miracles to help the lives of the people while others use it to cast destructive spells.”
“And I have little of it?”
“Yes. Just like the people living outside of the desert, you have very little mana inside you. It probably has something to do with your bloodline and your environment.”
The light subsided, and the fairies vanished. Uther closed his book, looking satisfied.
“There, all done.” He smiled.
Luka touched his arms and legs. “What can I do now? I feel like something is coursing through my veins, it’s weird.”
“Not much I’m afraid.” Uther chuckled nervously. “I thought that since the guy before you was a strong mage, you would be too, but I was perhaps too optimistic. You might be able to cast a spell or two but don’t expect to be a top mage.”
“That’s still better than nothing.”
Luka showed off a big smile. The weird feeling started to subside and he felt like he could use the flow inside him to some degree, or at least control its direction. He looked at the first page of the book, reading the first spell that came to his eyes.
“Well then,” Uther said as he closed his book. “I will get going. I have a lecture soon. I will come in the evening to see your progress and if you’ve opened the box or not.” He turned around one last time to give a warning. “And please do not touch anything weird inside the box if possible. There might be dangerous things inside so be careful.”
“I can’t believe you’re trusting me with this then,” Luka smirked.
“I banged my head on the wall way too many times trying to figure out how to open it. I would be glad if anyone could take it off my hands.”
“So… You’re just laying your work off on me…”
Uther laughed awkwardly. “Ahah! Well, see you at the end of the day!” And then left in a hurry.
He sighed heavily, and then smiled slightly, a laugh blowing out from his nose. He was in a dangerous world, yes. He missed his family and his friends, for sure. But he was surrounded by interesting people ready to help him.
“I’ll go home, no matter what…”
He looked at the box sitting on his desk as well as the book. The priority was to learn self-defense, as Kanami said, and that reminded him of the gun he found in his pocket. He locked the door with the keys he got and sat on his chair before pulling out the strange weapon.
This is so strange. It has no magazine.
He examined it from every angle. His first thoughts were that it was a magic-fueled gun, considering what Uther said about his predecessor if he could call him that.
Magic. While Luka was unfamiliar with the world he was in, the word magic wasn’t. Fiction, legends, myths, stories that have been passed down from generation to generation, magic and mysteries were commonplace throughout his world’s history. From tribal shamanism to medieval witchcraft and alchemy, he was aware of those many legends from a broad perspective. That's why, in a fantasy world like this one where he was summoned, he didn’t find it hard to believe it existed. What shocked him the most was that magic was, perhaps, existing in his home world too, this gun being the proof.
With the flow unlocked inside him, he could feel something twirling inside the jewel stored in the middle of the gun. It felt like a storm of energy, so dense and packed, that he couldn’t help but gulp in fear and awe at the sheer power it could hold. What also struck him was that he didn’t feel the weight of the gun at all while wearing the jacket. He looked inside the pocket once more but found nothing. His mind racing, he thought that maybe the jacket had magical properties as well.
“What if I do this…”
He picked up the keys as well as some furniture. A small feather from his pillow, a quill, a piece of paper he rolled up, he took everything and put them inside the same pocket.
I can’t feel the weight at all…
He felt up the pocket from the inside but couldn’t feel anything. It was as if the objects he had put inside disappeared. He then rummaged his hand through it but…
“They disappeared?”
The objects had disappeared.
“Where is the quill?” he asked himself, panicked.
He rummaged through it when suddenly he felt the quill in his hand and took it out.
“Wait a minute…”
He then thought about the piece of paper he rolled up and stuck inside, and immediately felt it in his hand.
“No way… That’s crazy…”
Luka repeated the process multiple times so that he could be sure of what he was doing. Each time, the objects disappeared when he put them inside, but once he thought of them with his hand inside, they reappeared magically.
“A subspace? I genuinely don’t know how you can do that…”
All he knew now was that his jacket had pockets that could store anything as long as it could fit in. During his experiments, he also realized there were almost no limits to the number of crumpled papers he could fit inside, making him realize that the storage capacity was perhaps infinite.
Luka couldn’t help but feel some weight crushing him. “That fucks up every law of physics...” And after a while, he still chose to leave it at that and focus on the book instead.
After a few minutes of reading attentively the instructions written on it, Luka decided to try out the beginner spell of fire: Esfelto.
That took way more effort than he thought. While he could feel the mana build up at the tip of his fingers, he had yet to realize a good flame.
“Those instructions are dumb! What do you mean by ‘imagine a flame and then you’re done’? Who wrote that?”
According to this book, magic was just a matter of converging the mana to the right spots and chanting a spell, but Luka could feel that it was way more complicated than that.
I’ve always been bad at school anyway…
Almost giving up, he tried one last time, but this time instead of imagining the flame pouring out from his hands, he imagined the process of a lighter, thinking that it was more appropriate for him. While Luka didn’t think highly of himself, he was well-versed in chemistry and physics and always liked learning in this particular matter. He knew that fire needed three things to exist: a good supply of oxygen, a heat source, and fuel.
A match gives friction for the heat source and wood for the fuel while the air is the supply of oxygen needed.
With this image in his head, he tried to grasp the real identity of what the mana is, an energy, the professor had said. The heat coursing through his body made him think that maybe it was the heat source he needed to make the miracle happen. He poured towards the tip of his fingers, feeling them warm up gradually.
But what about the fuel?
What if the fuel was the mana too?
He thought to himself, closing his eyes to concentrate better. While the mana he had was hot itself, he thought that perhaps he could use it to make it burn as well. That’s right, burning and consuming, were the keywords Luka needed. It wasn’t about creating fire from thin air, it had a cost, an exchange—his energy.
“Esfelto!” He shouted, pouring every bit of conviction he had left.
A small flame, the size of a candle, flickered to life atop his hand, dancing with his movements.
“I-I did it!" Luka exclaimed, standing up in triumph.
He moved around happily, looking at the tiny flame like an innocent child for a few seconds before snuffing it out and trying again. He did it, again and again, manipulating the flame as he pleased. Content and proud of himself, he decided to show it to Kanami, the only person in this world that he felt like he could talk to without issues. But once he arrived at her house, he saw no one. He then decided to search throughout the castle until he stumbled upon a bunch of guards who were resting and playing a card game at a table in the inner courtyard.
“Have you seen Kanami?” Luka asked them, sheepishly.
“Kanami?” one of the guards repeated. “Nope, haven’t seen here around here. Why?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to see her, that’s all.”
But as Luka was about to leave, one of the guards took him by the shoulder.
“Hey, hey, you can’t be serious, right? Why on earth would you want to talk to that thing?”
That thing?
Luka was puzzled by the man's choice of words. Another guard chimed in.
“That dog is no good, man! You shouldn’t talk to her.”
“That dog?” Luka echoed unconsciously, the words slipping out of his mouth. “What do you mean?”
The last of the guards spoke up while distributing the cards to his colleagues. “You don’t know? She is called the dog of the princess, a real monster that girl. She gives me chills just looking at her.”
“You mean she is scary?”
“No! I’m just saying that she has this weird vibe around her. Everyone hates her around here.”
Luka acknowledged their words and went on his way, considering their warnings. It was true that she was somewhat superhuman, considering her speed and strength that he witnessed during his training, but, she was a nice and kind person, that he was sure of it. If there was one thing he was sure about, it was his capacity to judge someone’s character. And while that girl had a scary side, he was certain that there was more to it. He kept that thought to himself and continued his search until he stumbled this time upon a young maid that panickingly was cleaning a room and its entrance.
“Hey, you! Could you give me a hand?” she asked, huffing heavily.
“Y-Yes of course, what is it?”
It was true that he was looking for Kanami but technically he had nothing to do. So, what could possibly go wrong in helping a maid in need of a hand?
Everything.
Turns out she was preparing this big room called the council chamber where most of the nobles and governors were to meet in a few hours to discuss. And she was all alone to do it.
“Where are the other maids?” Luka asked, shocked by the absurdity of the situation. “You don’t give such a big task to only one person!”
“Two of them are sick and the others are preparing the rooms of the people that will stay in the castle for the night.” She explained at a fast pace as she swept the dust on the floor with her broom.
“Fine! Tell me what to do!”
Somehow, the panic started taking Luka over too. Cleaning the tables, the floor, and every corner of the room so that everything was spotless, perfect for them, Luka thought it was a Herculean task.
“They have magic and guns but no vacuum cleaner!”
Of course, he wasn’t reasonable with his complaints. The presence of magic and advanced weaponry seemed to overshadow the mundane conveniences he took for granted back home. As he scrubbed and dusted with fervor, the absurdity of the situation gnawed at him.
“Why do they need everything to be so perfect?” he grumbled under his breath, wiping sweat from his brow. “It’s not like a bit of dust will kill them.”
But despite his irritation, he felt the duty of doing a good job pushing him to his limits. For the sake of that overworking maid and of the shame it could bring to the people who are lodging him here, he gave everything he had in him. He continued his relentless cleaning, brushing the tables until he could see his own face reflected in them.
Finally, with the room gleaming and spotless, Luka took a step back to admire his work. The room now looked pristine, the brown wooden furniture now shining under the light coming from the roof, the marble statues representing each house were as white as they could be, and the velvet carpeted floor was without a speck of dust.
The maid sighed heavily while resting on her broom. “Phew… Finally… Over…”
“You said it… Was this room even used before? It was as if it hadn’t been cleaned in ages!”
“The council doesn’t typically use this room,” she explained. “It’s reserved for special occasions.”
Luka sighed, wiping his forehead. “Well, it certainly felt like it. I don’t think anyone’s touched this place in years, there were lots of cobwebs around the corners.”
The maid chuckled. “You did a great job, though. Thank you for your help, mister…”
“Luka,” he offered a tired smile. “No worries, I’m glad I could help.”
Just then, the door burst open with a loud thud. A young man strode into the room with an air of arrogance, his polished shoes clicking sharply on the floor of the hallway. His gaze swept over Luka and the maid with disdain.
“What’s going on here?” he demanded, his voice laced with impatience. “I hear this room was being used, why?”
The maid was seemingly unbothered by his mannerisms. She met his gaze with a calm demeanor and bowed slightly. “Sir Archibald, this room is reserved for special council meetings and it was cleaned per orders of the princess.”
The well-dressed man in a blue uniform raised an eyebrow, apparently disappointed. “Special council meeting? Father never heard of this.”
Luka stayed completely still, preferring to let the professional talk. But when he bowed slightly, Archibald turned his sharp gaze on him, assessing him with a hint of curiosity and disdain.
“And who might you be?”
“My name is Luka, sir.”
The sophisticated man looked at Luka from head to toe, his expression unreadable, before nodding and swiping one of his fingers on the nearest table.
“I see you’ve done quite the work. It’s spotless.”
The maid bowed. “Thank you, sir.”
Archibald then gave a dubious look at Luka. “Did you help clean the place?”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
While the man looked the same age as him, Luka couldn’t help but feel pressured by his stature and innate charisma.
“I don’t recall the princess employing you to take care of chores.”
“I was just giving a hand, that is all.”
Archibald deliberately paused, letting an awkward silence settle in the room before pointing accusately at Luka.
“Or perhaps… you are a spy?”
The young man stared aghast at the accusation, his mind racing as he struggled to find words.
“I’ve heard of you, Luka.” Archibald continued, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’re a meddler brought here after a miscalculation of my cousin, the princess,” He began to pace around the room, his eyes never leaving Luka, like a snake staring at its prey.
Luka’s heart pounded in his chest. “I-I’m not a spy,” he finally managed to say, his voice trembling slightly.
The young noble sneered, stopping right in front of him, towering over him with an imposing presence. “And how can I be so sure about that?” he said, his tone dripping with contempt and disgust. “If I remember correctly, the last time a meddler from your world came here, we had multiple knights murdered, our country almost fell to ruin, and now our king is sick as if cursed by the will of the dragon gods themselves.”
Luka felt a chill run down his spine at the accusations. All those pieces of information coming at the same time gave him a headache, making him uncertain of what he should make of it. But he knew better than to try and anger a noble.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and answered. “I… Didn’t know about that.”
“It’s easy to say. Perhaps my cousin took pity on you but I won’t, I do not trust you at all, and I think we should move you from the castle for everyone’s safety.”
Before Luka could respond, the door opened again. This time, Morgann entered the room in her white royal garments, the lion emblem of the king’s family displayed on her robe. While still young, her presence still commanded respect.
“That’s enough, Archibald,” she said firmly.
He straightened himself, though his expression remained fixated on Luka. “But Morgann—”
“Enough,” she repeated before turning her gaze to Luka. “Please don’t mind Archibald, he is a bit overprotective sometimes.”
Luka nodded but said nothing. His intuition was telling him that Archibald was genuine in his will to protect the princess but something about the young noble gnawed at him, an unease he couldn’t place.
“With all due respect, your majesty.” Archibald began again, his tone less confrontational but still insistent. “I believe we already had been fooled one too many times. Perhaps it could be safer to lodge him elsewhere? And besides, I’ve heard from sir Uther that he was just a regular human, he is no use of—”
Morgann sighed and held up a hand to stop him. “Archibald, I understand your concerns but it is as you say. Luka is harmless, it was confirmed by our magical advisor. You have no right to step into his expertise and my decision.” She then turned to face Luka, softening her expression. “And besides, it is my duty to make sure I repair my mistakes.”
Biting his lower lip, Archibald bowed his head. “As you wish, your majesty.”
Morgann clapped her hands. “Good. Now, let’s get this meeting started. I believe it’s about time they arrive. Luka, please step aside. You can observe if you wish but I must insist that you stay quiet.”
“Wha—” Archibald stared at her in disbelief.
“It’s only natural.” Morgann continued. “Some of our discussion will concern him directly.”
Luka nodded slightly, feeling a bit of apprehension.“Alright, I hope I won’t be a bother then.”
The room soon began to fill with the different council members while Luka moved to a corner, quietly observing each individual. Most of them were nobles, members of the Sora family recognizable by the emblem displayed on their clothes. The maid he had helped earlier stood silently next to him, which made him a bit anxious at first, but then she spoke up.
She timidly pointed at a relatively old man in a striped navy blue military uniform, sporting a perfectly groomed grey handlebar mustache. “You see that man over there? He is the elder brother of the Sora family and head of the military.”
“Oh...” Luka nodded attentively.
He felt a sense of unease being in a room with so many important people. It was like stepping into another world entirely, a realization that struck him with irony. In his own world, among government officials or influential figures, he would likely have felt similarly, he thought to himself.
The maid kept pointing at people.“There’s Mister Uther Faeborne, did you meet him?”
“Yes, I did. He is a very kind individual.”
“Yes, he is. And very down to earth. Did you know that he was one of the old knights before the group was disbanded? He was such a dashing hero back then.”
She… She really does enjoy gossiping, doesn’t she?
“Wait, knights?”
“Indeed, the ones your predecessor massacred under the pretense of being one.”
Luka turned around to see once again Archibald, a disdainful expression on his face. He was grating on his nerves.
“Desmond was his name. You wouldn’t know about him, would you?”
But despite his provocations and knowing that Morgann was there as well as Uther, Luka was more confident. “I don’t.” He replied, bluntly. “I told you earlier that I didn’t know a single thing about what you told me.”
Archibald snorted, a smirk playing on his face. “If you say so. But if it weren’t for that otherworlder, the knights would still exist.”
“I’m sorry for your loss but I truly have nothing to do with it.”
But Archibald ignored him, only monologing what came to his mind. “And now it’s as if they don’t remember the mistakes of the past. Allowing you here to talk with Morgann. Mister Faeborne teaching you magic, how stupid can they be?”
“Come now, son! Don’t bother our guest.” a bubbly voice interrupted the young noble from his thoughts.
What looked like a parody of a chubby noble from the Renaissance era in his forties had just entered the room, wearing a striped navy blue uniform as well as red breeches, creating a jarring contrast with his top. Stroking his long handlebar mustache, he let out a loud laugh before slapping Archibald’s back.
“F-Father?” Archibald squealed out, jumping in surprise.
The older man’s jovial demeanor was a stark contrast to his son’s sternness. “Yes, it’s me! Now lighten up a bit, would you? We’re here to solve problems, not create more.” He turned to Luka and smiled at him, extending his hand. “I am Safaran Sora, brother of the king and head of the merchant’s guild. A pleasure to meet you, young man.”
Luka shook his hand firmly, just like his father had taught him. Archibald stepped aside, leaving him and his father alone.
“I’m sorry for his manners,” Sir Safaran spoke. “He is a bit jealous, you see.”
Luka tilted his head in confusion. “Jealous?”
Safaran laughed heartily. “Well yes, of course! He is a big fan of Sir Uther, you see. And knowing he is not the only one learning from him might’ve caused a bit of jealousy to spark up within him.”
Luka blinked in surprise. “I didn’t realize. I thought he had his reasons to suspect me but…”
“Oh, he’s not very good at expressing himself,” Safaran said with a grin. “He’s been training under Sir Uther for years and sees him as a mentor. When he saw someone else getting the same attention, especially someone from another world, it ruffled his feathers a bit.”
Luka nodded, starting to understand. “I see. I’ll try to be more patient with him.”
“That’s the spirit!” Safaran exclaimed, clapping Luka on the back again. “Now, let’s focus on the meeting. There are important matters to discuss, and your presence here is more significant than you might realize.”
Luka gulped loudly. He didn’t know that the news of him coming from another world had spread so fast amongst the people close to the crown.
“One of these people is…” he muttered under his breath.
“Is something the matter?” the maid asked, giving him a concerned look.
He was sweating heavily. While he thought that his performance against the son’s accusations was lacking, he didn’t say anything wrong. But he knew that, deep inside him, in this room…
Was the one responsible for his kidnapping.