Aeolian's Post

The world was pitch black. Where was I? The last thing I could recall was falling off a cliff. I had tried to use whatever power I had acquired to save myself from the fall, but perhaps due to my physical state or lack of control and experience, I wasn’t able to do so. So much for a power.

 

My first order of business was to assess the current situation. I don’t know what happened to me, but seeing as there was the sound of a wagon when I passed out, it seemed likely that I could’ve been captured captive. Slowly opening my eyes, I winced at the pain in my body. The bruises that plastered my body ached like hell. I really do hope I didn’t fracture a bone or anything. 

 

After focusing my blurry vision, presumably from fatigue, I checked my surroundings while still laying down. I seemed to be in some sort of traveling wagon. There were three benches in total. One at the back, where I was laying, and two on either sides of the wagons parallel to the walls. There was very fancy and comfortable looking padding on the seats which made me wonder just what kind of situation I had gotten myself in. An adult man clad in a black suit, which made me think he was a butler, sat on the right bench. He seemed well composed, which was a good trait for a butler I guess, but it seemed like he hadn't noticed me waking up yet.

 

“AH! You’re awake!” A female voice excitedly chirped, which caused me to attempt to sit up reflexively. I say attempt to, because I merely just groaned in pain as I vaguely mimicked a baby horse trying to stand up for the first time. It seems that fall really did a number on me.

 

“Blerghh” I let out. I feel like I want to throw up all the contents in my stomach

 

“Don’t move, you’re still very injured~”

 

Well no duh, even an idiot like me could figure that one out. Turning my head, I noticed the face of a very pretty girl on top of me. Well, it would be more appropriate to say that I was laying on top of her leg, sort of like a lap pillow. Oh, how I wish I had the physical ability to get out of this extremely awkward situation right now. 

 

Judging by her facial structure, she seemed to be around the same age as me. Maybe even a few years older. Her skin was very pale and smooth, indicating that she didn’t go outside much. She had a very vibrant light purple hair arranged in a sort of twin tail fashion, making her look very much like a rich girl. She wore a delicate smile on her face but her eyes were brimmed with curiosity and eagerness. Her hand reached out and brushed the hair off my face, as if to try to get a better look of my face. Okay, this is just… awkward.

 

“Where am I” I said with a raspy voice. It seems like I was malnourished and dehydrated as well.

 

Grabbing a glass of water, she lowered it to my mouth to drink as she explained.

“You’re on a wagon to the Lyraxlu Empire. You have no idea how surprised I was when I saw you fall off a cliff! I couldn’t just pass by an injured person, let alone someone with such an adorable face like yours!” She said as she pinched my cheek. 

 

Ow, that hurt you know! Oh well, it's whatever. She did save me from dying I guess. I tried to recall what the Lyraxlu Empire was based on what I heard from the village elders. If I recall correctly, it was one of the bordering nations surrounding The Sovereignty. They had a strong military power so it was a nation that, if they wanted to go into a war, could war with The Sovereignty. The Lyraxlu Empire was located near the ocean, so fish and the like were a huge source of income for them. Apart from that, I didn’t really know much else about it. 

 

As the water blissfully slid its way into my throat, I felt myself getting more and more rejuvenated. I hadn’t noticed this earlier but as I was laying down and feeling practically dead inside, my hair was normal. However, as I got more energy, it started to become more and more floaty again. I wouldn’t say it's back to how it was when I was brimming with energy, but it was still substantial enough to be noticeable. With great effort, I managed to push myself into an upright position. However, upon looking at the girl again, I noticed that her eyes were widened with surprise.

 

“A spirit…? No, it can’t be. You look human…” She muttered to herself

 

I titled my head in confusion

 

“Are you a mage?”

 

It seemed like she was confused about my hair aura thing. I knew it was weird but I didn’t think it was that weird.

 

“I don’t believe so…”

 

Gesturing to my hair, “Then what’s up with the whole… magical aura thing?”

 

“I don’t know. It just sort of happened one day. I myself don’t even know much about magic”

 

“Sebastian, come here” She gestured to her butler, “I need you to check if this girl has a conduit”

 

As I sat there in confusion, the butler approached me with kind eyes.

 

“I’m going to check if you have a conduit now, is that okay?”

 

Well, even if he asked if it was okay, I don’t think I really have a say in this given this situation and all. Having a butler is for nobles right? And I’m kind of in their care at the moment as well.

 

“What’s a conduit?”

 

“A magical conduit. It is a force within a human body that allows it to cast magic. Without it, however hard you try, you won’t be able to cast magic”

 

“...alright then”

 

“Now please, take off your shirt”

 

“Okay”

 

Wait What!?!? What did he just say!? He said it in such a calm and serious voice that I just complied without thinking. What the heck, take off my shirt? Are you trying to do some heinous act against me or something? Battered up as I may be, I still have the right to defend my dignity you know! After visibly showing my surprise, confusion, and bashfulness, he calmly explained.

 

“I’m unable to access your magical spirits without direct physical contact to the chest. Normally one with the same gender would do this task, but as my lady here cannot cast magic, I have to do it as a last resort” He gestured to the girl next to me who let out a pout. I wonder what’s up with that?

 

“Umm, okay then” I said, a bit shy.

 

Removing my outer garment, which is just composed with a bundle of rags, he placed his hand on my chest. His hand was surprisingly warm, or maybe I was just surprisingly cold. Closing his eyes, I saw him take in a deep breath, as if to concentrate. 

 

Suddenly, my eyes widened as I witnessed what happened next. A strange form of energy started to appear out of thin air as it wrapped itself around his arm. It looked like if the air was a cloth and something was tugging it inward. I could see the air wrinkle and fold. As it got more and more condensed, I could make out a slightly yellowish hue. The energy gathered in his hand and then pulsed into my chest. And that’s when it hit me. 

 

A sudden rush of dopamine and excitement raced through my heart. A sweet honey-like nectar feeling could be felt circulating through my entire body. It only lasted a brief moment unfortunately, as it quickly retracted as Sebastian drew his hand away. Handing my back my clothes, he addressed the other girl.

 

“It seems like she indeed does not have a conduit. All I could detect was an over-abundance of spirits within her body. Strangely enough however, I could still detect her heartbeat.”

 

The girl furrowed her brows in thought. After a while, maybe 2 or 3 minutes or so, she came to a conclusion.

 

“You’re not human” She said with the most deadpan face ever.

 

“... what?”

 

“Hmm, how do I explain it... When Sebastian was sending magic through you, did you see anything?”

 

“Uhm, there was this fabric-like thing that was being pulled towards him. It’s kind of hard to explain”

 

“We couldn’t see any of that. What you saw is known as the fabric of magic. The fabric of magic envelops the world like a blanket. It permeates every surface, every object, everything. When one casts magic, they draw from the blanket, also known as the current. To the human eye, it is near invisible. However, since you could see it, it means you are a spirit. Not to be confused with the spirits within your body which help you conjure magic, a spirit is sort of like an aberration. They live throughout the world without abiding by the laws of humanity”

 

“...”

 

“Though I can’t say you’re not entirely a human. Spirits, aberrations as they are, don’t have a heart, or blood, or anything biological like that. They simply just exist.”

“But… Sebastian said I had a heartbeat right?”

“Exactly, which is why makes you so strange. Like I said, you’re not entirely not a human. You’re a somewhat, half human half spirit”

 

“...”

 

I didn’t really know what to think of this. The fact that I wasn’t human anymore didn’t really spark that much of a dichotomy within me. Maybe the information shock just desensitized me from things like this?

 

“Ahh! That doesn’t matter when you’re this cutee!” She explained with a sudden change of expression as she leaped towards me with a hug.

 

“Lady Christine, please refrain from such actions that should disgrace yourself as a noble”

“Ah, who cares! It’s just the three of us here!”

 

Christine snuggled herself into my body. I was so taken aback by her sudden shift in personality that I didn’t know how to react to this situation. 

 

If what she said was true, then that would explain a lot. During my time at the village, whenever The Sovereignty’s soldiers came to collect our goods as a tax, they always brought with them a mage just in case. The mage looked at us with disgust and filth as they were a noble. However, not once did I notice anything supernatural about them. They looked and acted like a normal human being. Even when they were casting small spells, I never observed anything like I had just witnessed currently. Just what exactly had that flower done to me?

 

“Anyways, I’m Christine, what’s your name?”

 

“Lyrah”

 

“Ooh, what a pretty and cute name! It fits you so well!”

Honestly, I have no idea how I’m going to be able to keep up with this overly abundant energetic vigor of hers. We continued talking for a couple hours, telling her where I came from and why I was in this state, before succumbing to the numbing tiredness that gripped my being. It seemed like all that running from earlier had started to catch up to me.

 

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“I can’t believe you removed my clothes while I was sleeping, you monster!” I proclaimed

 

“Like I told you before, that was the only way we could get you through the gate! We’re not going to be able to smuggle an entire body, even with your body size”

 

“Nghh!!”

 

Okay, I should probably explain a bit on what was going on. A couple hours after I passed away from exhaustion, we arrived at the gates to Aeolian’s Post, which was a small outpost near the border of the Lyralxu Empire. 

 

As it wasn’t in any of the main cities, the security wasn’t as strict as it otherwise would’ve been. However, we still had to show all persons entering. There was the option to smuggle me in, however they decided to just introduce me as a new person. Since it would be strange for nobles to come with a dirty girl dressed in rags, they had to wash me up beforehand and give me new clothes. 

 

The clothes I received were Christine’s spare clothes. I thought I was a light sleeper, so I should’ve woken up while they were changing me, however perhaps since I was just that exhausted, I didn’t have the energy to wake up.

 

“You know, you could’ve at least woken me up!” I said defiantly. I knew I was going against logic, but I still had to defend my dignity as a woman!

 

“Tch, even after we put in the effort to knock you out too”

 

“What did you just say!?”

“You would be too talkative. Look at what you’re doing right now!”

 

“If you explained everything to me properly, then I would’ve acted the part!”

 

“Pfft, you don’t even act like a noble. I can’t risk you screwing up. Did you forget who you’re traveling with?”

 

“Hell you talking about? You don’t act like a noble either”

 

“Hmpfh, do you really dare to talk against Lady Christine like that? You commoner” She said with a sudden high and mighty air to her. It was a stark transformation to her normal personality.

 

Flabbergasted, I replied “Whatever” as I got up, escaping the situation. I was in a rather fancy room. Given my brief looks at the exterior of the outpost, I would say we were in one of the wealthier rooms of this place. It would make sense as well, considering I was traveling with a noble. 

 

We were high up in a tower, as could be seen through the large windows. Red curtains draped across, leaving a reddish light around it, giving this room a particularly warm and comforting feel. The room itself was decorated with a lovely carpet. Drawers lined either side of a comfy bed in the center. There was a desk near the window that could be used for work related purposes. You could see a closet that housed the wardrobe. A mirror was leaned against the wall which just so happened to show a full body shot of me. 

 

Elegant light blue hair draped its way down as it caressed my neck. Coupled with the slight floating, it really looked mystical and captivating. One could see my almost peachy amber colored eyes reflecting off of the incoming sunlight. It contrasted my pale skin tone almost too well. I had a pinkish flowy oriental looking dress that made me feel like some sort of priestess. With the flute sleeves around my arms, if one didn’t know who I was, it made it seem like I was a dignified rich girl. I almost didn’t deserve these kinds of clothes. Just what lifestyle have I wandered into?

 

“Why did you bring me with you…?”

 

I had no idea why a dignified noble would acquaint herself with me. I’ve been ignoring it this whole time but, it really went against all my preconceived notions of how nobles acted. All my life I was told that nobles are terrible people, that they’re only there for self gain. However looking at Christine, she didn’t seem like that at all. She saved a poor village girl like me from death, she took the time and effort to save me from security, and now I’m sharing a room with her. What did I do to deserve this?

 

“I couldn’t just leave a little girl like you abandoned on the side of the road like that. Everyone else wanted to just leave you there but I persisted through. And now that I’ve found out that you’re an anomaly, I can’t just leave you alone to be snatched up by other people”

 

I was met with a bright and carefree grin. I still harbored a few doubts of her ulterior motives but for the time being, this was good enough for me. I vowed to myself that day, that I would repay this debt to her, to my dying breath.

 

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The sun was low in the sky even though it was noon. This is just the consequence of winter it seems. I huddled inside my thick brown cloak. Despite the super fancy dress I got, I had to wear a hooded cloak when I went outside. This is to avoid suspicion with my whole hair ordeal. We couldn’t do much about the draft that constantly surrounds me, so until I could control my powers, I had to wear this cloak and care not to get too near people or objects. 

 

*sigh* what a pain. 

 

Despite being winter, it was surprisingly busy outside. Perhaps it was because snow itself was not a common occurrence in these parts. Back at the village, we would get the occasional snowstorm, but due to how south we were now, snow was less common. This coupled with the fact that this city wasn’t extremely far from any of the main cities induced a very upbeat and crowded atmosphere. Christine and I were strolling in the marketplace, looking for a weapon to buy so I could defend myself if the need arises. 

 

When questioned about why she was doing this for me, she simply put a finger to her lips and said “It’s a secret”. I didn’t want to be in much debt to her so I persisted that I didn’t need one. In which she responded with, “you would be in even more debt if I were to have to save you again.” And so that’s why we were currently walking outside.

 

“Comonn, show me some of your powers!” Chrstine’s whiny voice ringed in my ear.

 

“I already told you, I can’t control it. Didn’t you see how I fell from the cliff? I went in every direction possible”

 

“Ha ha, that was actually pretty funny. I was wondering what that flying object was as I peeked out the window!”

 

She has been pestering non stop ever since we got outside.

 

“You’re not very acting like a dignified noble girl right now you know”

“Oh that’s alrighttt. The people don’t know what I look like anyways so as long as I dress in normal clothes, I’m just another weirdo wandering the streets. Kind of like you!”

 

“I’ll have you know, I’m not a weirdo. I don’t want to be compared to someone like you when it comes to weirdness.”

 

Our banter continued back and forth as we entered the stalls. I was slightly self conscious about keeping my hood on when viewing items but it couldn’t be helped. Darn, why can’t I just tell it to stop and have it become normal again?

 

“So, what do you have in mind?”

 

“I don’t really know much about weapons… but I would like something that’s not too heavy.”

 

“Ooh, how about this then?”

 

Christine picked up a short sword from one of the racks. Holding it in my hand, I immediately felt the weight plummeting down on me. It was seriously heavy! The blade itself was a nice one. It was jeweled encrusted, giving it a really royal feel. I didn’t really care for the looks of the weapon though. All I needed was for it to be functional. I handed it back to her and she decided to look for other weapons.

 

As Christine was browsing through all the other armaments, something caught my eye. There was a staff leaning against the wall. It was a rather plain staff and normally, it really wouldn’t catch one’s eye. However, compared to all the other fancy weapons, it really stood out. It seemed to be a bit over two and half feet tall, which was a bit over half my height. Walking over it, I picked it up. It had a bit of weight to it, but nothing I couldn’t handle with some practice. Gesturing over to the shopkeeper, I asked how much it cost me.

 

“Oh that? Are you sure you want something like that?”

 

“Yup”

 

“Hmm, that’ll be 30 flates”

 

I shot a glance over to Christine to take care of the transaction. Even though I was given a brief rundown of the monetary system, I was still unfamiliar with the value of things. The physical currency that were called flates looked like smooth wooden tablets with ornate yet simplistic markings etched into them.

 

“Are you sure you want something like that? It won’t help you kill anything… Maybe you should get something else like a backup weapon? How about these daggers?”

Christine handed me some daggers that looked like giant needles. I was hesitant at first but she then leaned in and whispered in my ear, “You’ll be able to use your wind power to propel them accurately over long distance in the future”

 

At that, I nodded. It was true. Once I become more aware of my power and can control it better, I could probably use this with accuracy and precision. They would become vital for keeping at a range so I don’t get caught up in unnecessary conflict.

 

“That’ll be 60 flats in total”

 

“60!? You’re ripping us off. 50 at most” Chirstine said in a serious voice. I heard the shopkeeper tsk as he submitted. Christine then pulled out 5 red tablets and placed them on the table. The shopkeeper took the tablets and swiped each one of them over a white rock with a very smooth surface. The second the tablet passed over it, the etchings on the tablet gleamed a bright yellow, as if some energy was coursing through it. Seeming satisfied, the shopkeeper gave us our goods and we left.

“Ugh, I can’t believe that the shopkeeper tried to rip us off. 50 flates! That wasn’t even worth that much.”

 

“What was the yellow light that shone on the carvings on the tablet when he scanned it over that rock? I don’t recall you telling me what that was about”

“Oh, that’s a mark of authenticity. Every tablet is etched and infused with a bit of magic. When that magic reacts to the rock, a yellow light is shown. That’s how we prove that our money isn’t fake.”

 

That was actually a pretty good system. Back in The Sovereignty we used precious metals as currency, so when I heard about the tablet system I was concerned about how they were going to prove its worth.

 

“You pulled out a red flate but I saw there were other colors in your satchel. What’s the difference?”

 

“10 brown flates is equal to 1 red flate, 5 red flates are worth 1 blue flate, and 2 blue flates are worth 1 purple flate”¹It would be easier to think of flates as similar to US dollars. Brown flates are 1s, reds are 10s, blues are 50s, purples are 100s

 

She said it like it was the easiest thing in the world, however I didn’t want to pry too far into it and I just nodded along. There was going to be a steep learning process adjusting to this new world.