Our New World - Chapter 2 Part 11

Author:

Yukkuri Oniisan

A bit of warning from the author: WARNING! HORRIBLE GRAMMAR IMMINENT!

This chapter is longer than I thought……

Also reading this chapter need your browser to be able at least support these Unicode characters:

Georgian, Armenia, Runic, Ge’ez, Glagolithic, Cyrilic

Chapter 2: The Heaven Lords in the New World

Part 11: Semiotics

The suddenness of how the event progressed, made the Girl hardly could collect her scrambling minds to react. But as the brute left the room due to one of his subordinate called to him, The Girl finally could dedicate her mind to what was important to her.

‘Sefi is hurt!’

This thought filled the whole space inside her mind. Without minding how her clothes were in tatters and that she was almost violated just now, the Girl stretched her body as far as the rope binding her permits, but she couldn’t reach Sefi from her current position. Looking at the sight of how Sefi lied faced down with blood flowed from her head and the bruise marks on her body from that brute kicks, the Girl was seething in anger. Both to the brute and also to her own helplessness. She couldn’t do anything to prevent the brute hurting her precious family member. The vexation tormented her even further after she realized the ropes and shackles surrounding her hands and feet prevented her from giving Sefi the help she needs. Her eyes started to get moist and her sight blurred, but the Girl held it and forcefully composed herself.

“Sefi, are you alright?” (Miss)

“Sis Sefi!” (Zira)

“Sis!” (Launa)

“Sis!” (Chiri)

As if incited by the girl’s first shout, her other family members, and the rest of the girls began to call out for Sefi.

*cough*cough*

As the sounds of coughs and wheeze could be heard from Sefi, the girls calmed their voice. Her breath was ragged as each air she inhaled cause sharp pain in her chest. It looks like some of her ribs had been broken. The brute didn’t hold back his feet. Even so, Sefi tried hard to put her tough face. After all, she is the eldest one in this room, and an older sister has her own pride to maintain.

“I am alright…… *wheeze*…… Are yourself alright, Miss? *cough*cough*” (Sefi)

Fresh blood spurted out from between her lips. Sefi didn’t know whether this come from her torn lips, or from the back of her throat or just the epistaxis that was accidentally gone into her windpipe. Seeing this, the Girl became more frantic.

“Sefi, I’m alright, you don’t need to push yourself!” (Miss)

“It’s alright Miss. My body is sturdier… *cough* than you…….” (Sefi)

Even so, Sefi used the rope that tied her hand as a support to right herself. Her head really hurt and the room was spinning or it was just her who does. The throbbing got worse as the seconds ticking by. Even breathing was painful. Nevertheless, there was something she needed to do. They couldn’t stay in this place any longer. Her precious “sister” and her other “family” were in danger. The brutes of this scum of bandits would torment them as playthings. The compromise principle that her “sister” held at the pedestal, won’t lead to any happiness this time. Putting her pride and responsibility as the eldest sister at stake, she won’t allow this to happen.

“Miss… I think… we need to escape…… These people are too dangerous…” (Sefi)

“Yes, I agree… But first, you need to be treated!” (Miss)

“That’s why…” (Sefi)

Sefi grabbed a loose stone from the jagged floor. She might not have a lot of mana, it was true that her attack magic was weak, but it didn’t mean she was stupid at magic. After all, amongst every girl in this place, her daily life magics were the strongest.

“бинчо тарми зохе БИГАЛВА” (Sefi)

The stone in her hand, shined, before slowly turned into a crude stone knife. As Sefi’s meager mana became depleted, her breathing became even more difficult. She weakly threw the knife near the Girl.

“For you…” (Sefi)

Then while putting a smile, she shut her eyes and fell to her side. Seeing this, the room became noisy again as the girls began to call for Sefi’s name.

The Girl frantically picked up the knife near her and used it to cut the ropes tying her hand to the chains in the middle of the room. The rope was thick and the stone knife wasn’t that sharp that it could cut the rope in one go. It took times, even so, the rope eventually gave up under the repeated slicing. The Girl then handed over the knife to Launa who spontaneously followed suit, and used it to cut her own rope and the others.

“Sefi! Open your eyes! Please……” (Miss)

The Girl kneeled near Sefi, hesitated to touch her. Behind her, one of the older girls approached.

“Don’t worry Miss Maya, Sis Sefi still breathing.” (Zira)

“Zira!” (Maya)

Zira, her other “older sister” figure, was the village’s healer apprentice, so the Girl, Maya, entrusted Sefi to her.

“Let me check on her.” (Zira)

The cut wound at the head was quite bad. There was a big lump on Sefi’s right temple and the bleeding were still active. Zira asked Launa who came along to press the bleeding. Launa ripped the hem of her skirt as faux-gauze while Chiri was standing behind in panic on what she should do. Since Sefi’s breathing was fast, shallow and erratic, Zira tried to examine her chest. When Zira opened Sefi’s outer garment, it might be hard to see due to her breast and large reddish bruises at her chest, her right side chest was hardly moved at all when she breathe. Based on Zira’s limited knowledge, the might be an internal bleeding in Sefi’s lungs. Healer Kanoro, her teacher, might know the method to cure her. With her limited resource, at least Zira need to keep her airway stayed open until she can be treated.

“How is her, Zira?” (Maya)

“Her condition isn’t that good. The broken rib might have cause injury to her lung. She needs to be treated as soon as possible. If only we can take her to Master Kanoro.” (Zira)

“Can’t you do something?” (Maya)

“…… Sorry, Miss Maya. This is beyond my capabilities……” (Zira)

Maya’s face went pale after she heard Zira’s reply. Her head was in chaos.

‘No… It will just like 6 years ago.’

Maya didn’t want to see another ‘family’ died in front of her. Sefi need to get a treatment. This is Maya’s single-mindedness objective right now. But how?

“It’s noisy outside so someone might come!” (Chiri)

Chiri who had the keenest hearing among the girls raised her voice. Someone say quiet and then the girls strained their ears. They could hear a noise of indistinct yells and clatters. For some unexplained reason, the door and the walls were constructed in such way that the voice from outside couldn’t easily enter the room and vice versa, so all that they heard was no better than random noise.[1] Hearing her warning, the girls became alerted.

“Where’s the knife?” (Maya)

With a tone of surprise and in a rather whispering tone, Maya asked for the Stone Knife that Sefi had made before. One of the girls in the room quickly handed over the knife to her. After saying her thanks, Maya looked at the Mana Sealing Bracelets on her wrists. It would be hard to cast magic since it prevented the mana in her body from gathering properly, as it would be just sucked into the Bracelets instead and dispersed to the air. If only this thing didn’t exist, she can just blast the door off its hinge. The Stone Knife had been considerable dulled, however, it still enough to cause injury.

Maya grasped the knife with both of her hand (since her hand is cuffed together by the bracelet, after all) and brought the knife near the right side of her stomach. She lowered her posture a bit with her left feet at the front. This is the posture for lunging attack that she had learned before. Then she waited for the door to open. The other girls retreated to one corner of the room and help Chiri and Launa in carefully moved Sefi with them. Zira waited beside the door.

When the door opened, Maya would rush forward, thrust the knife and then wrestle down the bandit. Then Zira would use that time to steal the weapon and handed it over to Maya quickly, as she is the only one who can use swordmanship to some degree. Then they would use the bandits as the hostage to bid for their escape. The chance of success would be realistically low, they wouldn’t be able to defeat all the bandits in this hideout, even if they escape they don’t know where this place is and where to run. This is a hopeless endeavor, destined to fail from the start. Maya knew all of these things. However, she couldn’t just let Sefi suffer like this.

After waiting for untold minutes, the muffled noise from the outside subsided. Then there a sound of the door lock being opened. Just as the door moved at it hinges. Without any hesitation, Maya rushed forward and, with all of her strength, thrust the knife at her hand forward at the person who opened the door, and stabbed his stomach.

*clang*

The knife cracked and shattered when it touched the man’s coat. It was as if stabbing a metal plates. Maya and Zira were so surprised by this that they were dumbfounded for a moment. The man who was stabbed (technically speaking) by Maya looked at her and Zira with a rather unreadable expression. Before Maya and Zira realized, suddenly a group of armed people surrounded the door with weapons drawn. Maya knew inside her heart that this would end badly.

However, suddenly the man raised his right hand and spoke out unknown words. The group of armed men then sheathe their weapon and moved around the room again. The man looked around the room and then he showed a really gentle smile and patted Maya’s head. He then spoke out in a gentle tone.

“ዒትስ፡ዓልሪግህት:ኖው።” (Unknown Man)

Even so, Maya brushed the head off and reflexively moved back, and interpose herself between the unknown man and the rest of the girl as Zira escape towards the rest of the girls. Their wariness, unease and fear at the unknown people beyond the door was apparent.

Maya observed the young man in front of her who also observed her back. The young man had dark brown straight hair and purplish eyes and a foreigner’s face... Quite handsome to be honest. He wore a rather expensive looking dark coat of some kind of leather, behind the coat was some kind of buttoned shirt and smooth patterned black trousers. There was a sword in his waist with elaborate and expensive looking hilt and sheathe adorned by gold and silver pattern and gems. This was something a common bandit hardly ever wore, so Maya instantly judged that young man was a noble and not just any noble, but an affluent one. The armed men before must be his guards. Then what had become of the bandits? Did the bandits sell them to this man? Maya tried to analyze the current situation.

Then Maya noticed that behind that man was a young girl with brownish hair peeking out her head from the man’s side. The first impression of Maya about this girl was: very beautiful, but somehow look like a klutz. Maybe because she deemed the situation was safe the girl came out and stood beside the man. The girl was wearing a blue dress that somehow gave off a servant ambiance. However, her clothes could only be seen as something made from the finest silk and fabric that Maya ever see on high ranking nobles garment.

“ዓህ።ጤ፣ጤሬ፡ዓሬ፡ሶሜዖኔ፡ዒንጁሬድ፡ዓሬ፡ሎርድ፡ሂግህኔሥ።” (Unknown Girl)

“ዒ፡ሴእ።ቻን፡ዮዑ፡ሄዓል፡ሄር፡ፍሎሬዓ፧”(Unknown Man)

“ዒ፣ዒ፡ዊልል፡ትርይ፡ሎርድ፡ሂግህኔሥ።”(Unknown Girl)

“ጤን፡ዒ፡ሌዓቬ፡ጢስ፡ቶ፡ዮዑ።”(Unknown Man)

The man and the girl were discussing something in a language that Maya hardly knew. It’s not Palisan dialects, the Sastuhasan Language, or the Darashisan Language. She conjectured if they were using the language of the Lenkusnasan, or perhaps from Bersebasan?

The man and the girl keep talking in the unknown language while Maya tried hard to search which language they had used. Then suddenly there was a bright light and out of nowhere, silk and fine fabrics dresses appeared in the man’s hand. She had heard about dimensional magic, but Maya couldn’t detect any mana flow from that man when he took out the dresses, so she was surprised at how it could suddenly appear. After handing the dresses to the girl, the young man left the room, leaving the blue dress girl in the room. The blue dress girl approached Maya and then she smiled.

“ሄልሎ።ምይ፡ናሜ፡ዒስ፡ፍሎሬዓ።ዒ፡ሜዓን፡ኖ፡ሃርም።ውህዓት፡ዓሬ፡ዮዑር፡ናሜ፧” (Unknown Girl)

Maya couldn’t understand a single word though, but she could feel that the blue dress wished no harm to her. Seeing that Maya didn’t answer, the girl in blue dress began to speak again.

“ዑም፤ዶ፡ዮዑ፡ዑንዴርስታንድ፡ምይ፡ዎርድስ፧……ጢስ፡ዎዑልድ፡ቤ፡ሃርድ።… დო ჲოუ უნდერსტანდ მყ წორდ?… դօ ըօւ ւնդեռստանդ տհիս?… ⰄⰑ ⰉⰑⰖ ⰖⰐⰄⰅⰓⰔⰕⰀⰐⰄ ⰏⰀⰋ ⰖⰑⰓⰄⰔ…… ᚨᚺ…… ᛁ ᛞᛟᚾᛏ ᚦᛁᛜᚲ ᛃᛟᚢ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᚢᚾᛞᛖᚱᛋᛏᚨᚾᛞ ᚦᛁᛋ ᚹᛟᚱᛞᛋ ᛇᚦᛖᚱ…… ᚹᚺᚨᛏ ᛋᚺᛟᚢᛚᛞ ᛁ ᛞᛟ?” (Unknown Girl)

The girl in blue dress seems to speak in different languages, the last one was with a sense of exasperation. However, Maya didn’t understand at all…

Then the girl in blue dress began to speak slowly.

“ምይ፡ናሜ፡ፍሎሬዓ(Nimeni no Florea *point at herself*)! ፍሎሬዓ(Florea)! ፍሎሬዓ(Florea)!?” (Unknown Girl)

The girl in blue dress, said Florea repeatedly while pointing at herself. It seems that it was her name.

“Furorea?” (Maya)

“ትሃት፡ዒስ፡ሪግህት፡ፍሎሬዓ(Tu ni nikeio. Florea)! ዓን፡ዮዑር፡ናሜ፡ዒስ(Ja nisa nimeni no *point at Maya*)?” (Florea)

“Mayana. My name is Mayana.” (Maya)

“Mayana. Mayana, saka? Kaus’ha Tafata!” (Florea)

Florea shook both Maya’s hand. It seems that Florea looked happy as she and Maya can somehow communicate although it was only about the name.

“Mayana. Mahta no lenusil jah’la sita Fatsya Raho, kasko kokme no pereitiniti. Syakavihi sehse.” (Florea)

Florea offered Maya one of the silk dress to her. It seems that she wanted her to wear it.

“Is this for me? But…… why?” (Maya)

Seeing that Maya is hesitating, Florea then point at Maya’s currently almost exposed body that was barely covered by clothes.

“Fatsya Raho inosa, etta foi nanme solu nisa sanosku. Joten Mayana, syakafihi sehse.” (Florea)

Then Maya understood what Florea means. She was so absorbed with saving Sefi that she forgot that her clothes had been ripped off by the brute. So she had been given the young man quite a pleasant view. A sense of embarrassment began to appear.

“Syakafihi… Thanks, Miss Florea… umm… I thank you.” (Maya)

“…… Thenk gyuu… sotki tuken mahta, saka?” (Florea)

Florea smiled as Maya seemed wanted to receive the dress. But then, Maya realized that the bracelets in her wrist prevent her from properly changing clothes. She then raised her hand.

“Sorry… But this thing is in the way. So I can’t accept this.” (Maya)

“Kahmi mahta no? Mahta kasan ye foi afata? Lankaha no ma.” (Florea)

Florea examined the Mana Sealing Bracelets and seems confused on what she should do. Then she draped body Maya with a dress like a coat so the important bits couldn’t be seen. She then beckoned Maya to near the door.

“Mayana, letu nenta! Letu nenta! Se no sanosuku.” (Florea)

Seemed like Florea wanted to do something, so Maya timidly approached her. Zira and Launa also followed, several steps behind Maya, some of the curious girls also did the same. Meanwhile, Chiri and most of the girls stayed beside Sefi.

“Fatsya Raho Yusis. Koisisfo nisama.” (Florea)

Florea seemed to call for the young man who was giving orders to the group of armed men. Somehow, her tone seems to hold fear and timidity, unlike the cheerful tone she used to talk with Maya. The young man soon moved towards the door of the room and approached Florea and the girls.

“Kahmi se no, Florea?” (Unknown Man)

“Fatsya Raho, no kasan Mayana sadeska’an. Foi se tapautefa’an amaseka.” (Florea)

“Sikmikas ye. Solvere.” (Unknown Man)

The young man, then tapped his finger at the bracelets that shackling both of Maya’s hands together. The bracelets shone for a bit, then fell to the floor. Maya was rather astounded seeing how the bracelets that were famous to be hard to destroy and opened without the key could that easily detached, and the most shocking was, it happened just with a single finger tap.

While Maya and the other girls was a bit surprised by this situation, Florea then bowed down to the young man.

“Sotkimase, Fatsya Raho.” (Florea)

Maya also imitated Florea and bowed. Seeing this Zira and Launa also bowed.

“Thank you very much. Sotki..ma..se, Fatsya Raho.” (Maya)

The young man then patted both Florea and Maya’s heads for a moment, before suddenly retract his hand back and moved back towards the group of armed man without saying anything. Florea then took the girls back into the room. Then while Maya was changing, suddenly Florea yelled when she looked at the bruise in Maya’s cheek.

“Ah, onuhdan. Elot fa’ha! Na’an numin taranpa’a nisut.” (Florea)

Maya then felt mana flow from Florea, as she began chanting something in high speed. Before Maya could do something, Florea already raised her hand towards Maya and activated her magic.

“Oh philanthropi mitera, parakaloume namas parachoresei tis eulogies, kaina therapeusei tis pleges mas. Parum Curare.” (Florea)

Then suddenly a white particle of light swirling around Maya. Then she realized that the bruise on her cheek from the brute’s slap and various scratches on her body disappear. No, rather disappear… The better expression, is healed.

“‼ Miss Florea is a Healer‼!” (Maya)

Maya couldn’t hold her surprise. Seeing Maya surprised like this, Florea showed a smug expression as if saying, “I am something, right?”. Suddenly Maya pulled Florea towards Sefi. Somehow, the smug-like expression in Florea’s face disappeared and replaced by a confused expression as if saying, “Um… What’s going on?”.

“Please, Miss Florea, I beg of you, please heal her. Umm… Let’s see… amaseka. Mahta. (*point at Sefi*) heal, magic…” (Maya)

Florea looked over Sefi and seemed to understand a bit of Maya’s frantic attempt for asking her help.

“Ah, onuhdan, mahta seijo. Taranpafa’a, saka? Elo lehuoti. Sanosuku.” (Florea)

“Sotkimase, Florea.” (Maya)

“Tietisti!” (Florea)

While saying something like, “Leave it to me!”, Florea raised up her hand. With a bright light, a staff appeared in Florea’s hand from thin air. This made Maya and the other girls surprised once again. As Florea started to chant a magic, Maya could feel that the density of mana flow in this spell was greater than the healing magic before. When the magic activated, Maya could see Sefi wrapped by a white light. Her breathing then became much better, even Zira was astonished by this.

Sure, Maya still didn’t really understand the current situation, as there still many questions unanswered. What had happened in this place? Where are the bandits? Who are Florea, the young man she called Fatsya Raho, and the group armed men? What will happen to herself and the girls now?

But the important thing was that Sefi is safe now. She didn’t know which Gods or Spirits she should send her gratitude to. But she was really feel glad by her struck of unexpected luck. She couldn’t hold back the moist feeling at the corner of her eyes anymore as she hug Sefi. Florea saw this with a magnificently satisfied expression.

✿❀✿❀✿❀

When Yuuto thought back, ever since his great-great grandfather established Shizumoto house back in Meiji Era, it seemed that the males of Shizumoto family had a higher chance than common populace to have ‘trouble’ with women for some unknown reason. But their misadventures was quite famous in the neighborhood, that some even turned into best-selling novels (his paternal youngest aunt was a romance novelist).

It was a given that when Yuuto was still 6 years old, he had been warned, “be careful so you won’t get stabbed with a knife by a girl”, by her mother as she was staring daggers and spears at his father for some reason he still didn’t know, even until now.[2]

This was just a figurative way to remind young Yuuto to not playing with a girl’s heart. The young Yuuto took her mother teaching into his heart. Well… When he had grown up and looked at how his cousin received his karma for dating seven girls at the same time, Yuuto couldn’t more agree.

Even Stella had twice warned him that someday he would be stabbed with a knife by a girl. Yuuto didn’t know what make Stella saying those words, as he had treated the girls nicely, right? It’s not like he was some kind of dense LN protagonist who ignore all the girls around him.

So when Yuuto was stabbed by an unknown rather half-naked girl who rushed into him when he opened the door, Yuuto was really thunderstruck. The knife dealt no physical damage to him as the crude knife wouldn’t be able to penetrate his coat, but his psyche had taken a critical hit.

‘Who thought that what Stella had said really eventually happen?’

Yuuto made a sigh deep inside his heart as he rewind the event that happened several minutes ago and the dark ocean blue haired girl that stabbed him. She seemed to be in her late teenage years from her height and face; by the way her appearance had relatively high score in Yuuto’s scoring.

There were some bruises at her cheek and her body; her clothes also so tattered that Yuuto could enjoy the scenery…… well, Yuuto is a man, after all. But with such condition Yuuto could hardly imagine what had happened to the girl. There even another blue haired girl that seemed to be injured in the room. Yuuto thought that perhaps he need to punish the bandits even more for this.

By the way, Yuuto put the girl’s strange shackle into his inventory to be analyzed by the scholars later.

After handing the spare clothes (luckily he had so many unused women dress in his inventory… don’t ask why) to Florea, he left Florea to deal with the girls. After all, this is a field where a man hardly useful. Although Florea seemed timorous and rather klutzy, she is a kind and friendly girl. This was Yuuto’s impression after spending more than two weeks with her. He left the girls in good hands, so now he turned his attention on the matter in hand.

After rounding up the bandits and locked the surviving bandits (lack arms and legs) in one of the backrooms, Yuuto asked the Knights to check all the rooms of this fort. His map showed no other yellow dots except for the bandits and the captives, but there was a chance that there still enemies hiding. So while Yuuto remained in the lower hall to guard the captives and the captured bandits, the Knights scoured the fort that they completed less than 5 minutes.

The Knights had found a room where the bandits seemed to store things taken from their plunder and rooms where they stored their supplies and weapons. Yuuto then went into those rooms and put them into his Inventories. The remaining objects would then be loaded into the captured carriages that the Knights had appropriated from the stables. The plunder caches and the supplies would be taken back to the village, while the weapon would be sent to the scholars in Neuschwanensee, so they can learn the degree metallurgy and mechanical technology in Neuewelt. After all, the repeating crossbow that Yuuto saw was unlike the repeating crossbow he had read back in Japan. What with small chains, springs and arrow feeder, the construction was quite elaborate.

Anyway, he also asked the Knights to prepare carriage to bring the catives back to the village and to cook a hot Delvi fruit drink (taste like actual milk chocolate) and a hot meal (meat soup) for the captives to have. After all, warm food and drink was the best cure to calm the mind.

When Yuuto returned back to the hall, he could see the sight of Florea and the girls opened the door to the other room for captives. It seemed that the room was where the bandits held the boys. Compared to the girls, the boys side didn’t get hurt too much.

When Florea saw him, she quickly approached Yuuto and began to report what had happened since she entered the room.

“……… and then Mayana and the others seems to be glad and happy that I healed the sleeping girl. I think her name is Sefira? At any rate, it seems that they have trusted me now.” (Florea)

“Good work, Florea.” (Yuuto)

Yuuto unconsciously patted Florea’s head since she seems to flaunt her achievement and wanted to be praised. When he came to his sense, he retracted his hand back and put a poker face. He really needs to do something about his hand. But, maybe because Florea had been patted numerous time by him, she didn’t show any strong expression.

“Then, please lead the girls and the boys back to the surface. There are warm meals and drinks prepared for them. Then asked them to board the carriages that will take them back to the village. For the injured girl… I will ask Gastrad to send some Knights to bring a stretcher. Can you do it?” (Yuuto)

“As your wish, Lord Highness.” (Florea)

“I’m glad to hear it. There is something I need to do in this place, so please go first. I will join with you later.” (Yuuto)

“Eh? I understand. Lord Highness.” (Florea)

✿❀✿❀✿❀

Leaving Florea with the captives at the surface, Yuuto went to one of the fort inner room where the bandits corpse had been stored. The room was dim with the only light in the room came from the cracks and gaps of the door. But this didn’t trouble Yuuto, since his Racial Characteristic as the Subterranean People of Agartha the Entombed Continent granted him Low-Light Vision, he can see relatively easy.

There was 15 corpse there, 3 was from his mishaps in the surface, while the other 12 was from the battle in the room. Even after Yuuto pulled his punches, use full limiters, and a weak weapon, some of the bandits still die. By the way, Florea killed 5 when she used magic to destroy the barricade and from her self-defense when she was attacked by bandits.

Yuuto selected three corpses amongst the bodies. These were the corpse of the bandits that he first killed or what left of them. He placed them into a magic circle that he drawn into the floor. Some way or another, he just knew how to perfectly drawn this circle, as if this was something he had known since long ago. Must be his skill granted the knowledge into his mind. In the game, it will be represented by GUI diagram of a magic circle where the components would be placed, but in this ‘reality’ Yuuto must draw the ‘GUI’ himself on the ground. How rather inconvenient.

On the magic circle was a two-tiered circle with a graphical representation of Sephiroth inside the circle with Hebrew phrases from Sefer Yesirah adorned the outer circle, there was a Unicursal Hexagram at the Daath position, while the corpses were at Malkuth position. He placed the mana crystals and the other catalysts at every the other Spheres. Then he finished the ritual preparation by placing the Cage of Soul atop the hexagram. This green-blue shining hazy orb gave forth a faint shine at the dim room, was the center of this ritual magic. The game lore described it as containing a pure soul that never entered material world before… Well in the game they were just an instance boss rare drops. Yuuto possessed 56 of these things of various quality, he thought that Stella and Ichiko also had some. For this ritual, Yuuto used the highest class of Cage of Soul he had.

What the ritual that Yuuto attempted to do? Greater Homunculus Creation. A subset skill of Alchemist Job. Since Yuuto Alchemist job mainly revolved around Potion creation and material transmutation, his other Alchemist skills were rather low, including the Homunculus Creation subset skills. Unlike some other higher ranked players that focused at Alchemist jobs, Yuuto couldn’t create strong Homunculus with skills on par with players, his Greater Homunculus Creation only can make Homunculus as strong as the Maid Guardian. Nevertheless, it already sufficient for Yuuto’s objectives.

He needed an intelligent subordinate that can obey a set of rather complex instructions from him, so a Golem is out of option (Yuuto couldn’t create AI Golem yet, his Golem Creation skills are too low). But he couldn’t let any of the NPC did the task, since well…… Let just say that the task is of a morally dubious nature, and truthfully Yuuto didn’t think the NPCs can do it. So, Yuuto decided on creating a homunculus tailored specifically for the task.

In the game, Homunculus was a player created NPC that will follow the player around. They had a higher degree of intelligence programming than a golem, in exchange that they are squishier, also a homunculus is not reviveable, unlike Golem, so great care was needed for Homunculus. The advantage was that Homunculus also can use skills and magic while a golem can’t (AI Golem can though) unless equipped by magic weapon. How ‘smart’ a homunculus is determined by the quality of the Cage of Soul used in it creations, while the physical quality were decided by the Homunculus Creation skill level.

In the game, a homunculus basically needs some amount of physical body materials (monsters’ corpses), the Cage of Souls as the soul source, Sap of the Worlds Tree to bind the body, Essence of Three Lights to bind the soul, and heaps of Mana Crystal (quality needed depend on the skill) as the fuel. Also, Yuuto thought that the graphical designer read too much Kaballah books since he made the GUI as sephirot tree.

Anyway, the ritual was ready to start.

Yuuto stood at the Keter position of the magic circle and activated the magic circle.

“I am the one who rule over creation.

Let these flesh and bone reshapes

And brought forth one of my images and thoughts

Hereby create a visage of my own intention.”

The mana crystals shine while floating. The Essence of Three Lights shined into the Cage of Souls who then turned into a vague shimmering fog that enveloped the corpse, as the bottle that held the Sap of the Worlds Tree broke and subsumed into the magic circle. The corpse of the bandits at the Malkuth position then began to shine and started to melt away, all the flesh and the bone, leaving only the clothes floating at a pool of rather pinkish red indiscriminate liquid held aloft by invisible walls. In the game, the GUI would asked the players to specify the homunculus appearance and skills. But as if the magic already know what Yuuto had wanted, a figure of a nude young woman appeared from the liquid pool.

Her shoulder short hair was jet black, her face was of an oriental beauty, her figure was the envy of all women, with flawless marble white skin, ample bosom, and slim waist. All in all, even Yuuto was a bit surprised by his own creation as the figure was much better than what he had imagined. The figure stood there unmoving with closed eyes. Yuuto might want to admire the young woman a bit more (and saving screenshots inside his mind), but he needed to finish the ritual.

He took a dagger and slashed his right palm, making trails of blood between the Keter and the Malkuth. (In the game some of his HP would decrease) Then he placed the bloodied hand at the young woman’s forehead head and a Tilaka in the shape of Agya Chakra appeared. (Yuuto thought why the ritual didn’t just stick at the Kaballah, but whatever)

“I shall grant thee knowledge.”

He then put his bloodied hand at the top of her head, and a thin veil of blood appeared with the shape of Sahasrara Chakra appeared.

“I shall grant thee intellect.”

He then put his bloodied hand at the young women chest (a but left of the chestbone, over the heart, not the double mountains).

“I shall grant thee a name: Nisani. The first of the sisters. And now I command to thee : Breathe!”

There was a flash of light, the blood mark on her chest and head had disappeared, and the young woman, Nisani, opened her eyes for the first time and made a great gasp, as she fell to her knee to the floor who was still wet from the liquids,  which then magically disappear together with the magic circle. Nisani made a few coughs and wheezes before calmed down.

“How do you feel?” (Yuuto)

Yuuto asked out of concern. After awhile Nisani stood up, made a maid-like posture and showed Yuuto a wonderful heartstealing smile.

“I am feeling fine, Lord Master. I am just still unfamiliar with breathing at first, but I am alright now. Thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

“I am glad to hear that. But first, wear this. You know how to wear it, right?” (Yuuto)

Yuuto took out underwear, innerwear, and the 『Ahornrot-typ Standardisierte Neuschwanensee Dirndlgewand』 (or SNseDg-Beta for short) an oriental looking maid uniform with maple red color as the base. After all, he couldn’t possibly hold a civil discussion with a nude woman, right? Right?

“Yes. I had been granted basic knowledge and intellect, including how to wear clothing articles. Thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Nisani, quickly finished wearing the clothes. Of course, Yuuto looked away while she doing so. For his own mental health’s sake.

“I am finished. Lord Master. Although it would be fine even if Lord Master watching, however, thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Yuuto turned around and he felt proud at how Nisani looked great with the red maid uniform. After all, good clothes are important for a worker’s well being. Oh, by the way, it’s screenshot time. After his common sense once again taken over his mind, Yuuto began to brief Nisani about the nature of the work she will perform.

“Then do you know how to use the skill and magic that had been imparted to you?” (Yuuto)

“Yes. Lord Master. Resurrection Magic, isn’t it? I know how to cast it. Thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Well, Yuuto didn’t know how wide the knowledge that the homunculus Nisani had, but as long as she can use Resurrection Magic, then it’s alright. Nisani was a homunculus that her existence solely revolved around Resurrection Magic. She can use all standard Resurrection and Healing Magic up to Tier 8, and had auto-Rebirth passive magic. But because all the points were invested to magic, Nisani’s physical capabilities was even signigficantly weaker than lowly Gate Knights on par on Neuschwanensee common civilians. Since there were still points left, Yuuto just threw it into Household Skills. By the way, all of the skill choosing happened inside Yuuto’s mind when he put the his hand over Nisani’s head.

Yuuto then brought out a paper memo from his coat pocket and hand it over to Nisani.

“Then please follow the instructions written on this paper. You know how to read right?” (Yuuto)

Nisani received the paper. Yuuto wrote the letter in Loransian alphabets and language, just in case the homunculus only understand in-game languages.

“Yes. Lord Master. I can read and write in all languages of All Creations. Rest assured and thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Nisani made a small curtsy and showed her heartstealing smile again.

“Then, that’s good. You can use 『Message』 right?” (Yuuto)

*ping*

The sound of message arrived. Yuuto opened the message.

『Yes. Lord Master. I can write and read with the Message. Do not worry, and thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.』

“Well. I will leave 6 Steel Golems under your care. If you hungry or need food for the prisoners, I left the food on the second inner room. The potions are there too. If you need something don’t hesitate to message me or ask the Knights outside. Don’t forget to lock the door to the lower level and don’t talk to a stranger without asking my permission.” (Yuuto)

“Yes. Lord Master. I will surely follow your advice. Thank you for the consideration, Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Well, Yuuto can’t help feeling uneasy to leave Nisani behind. After all, her age is still under one hour. Maybe this is what a new father felt when leaving his first daughter behind? Oh well, he will visit this place often so maybe he should not worry too much.

“Alright then. I need to attend other business, so I will leave right now. I will leave this place to you.” (Yuuto)

“Wait Lord Master.” (Nisani)

When Yuuto wanted to leave, Nisani pulled the hem of Yuuto’s coat. Yuuto was a bit confused by Nisani’s action. Especially when Nisani’s brought her head closer to his chest. (She is one head shorter than Yuuto. Well since her appearance was from Yuuto’s consciousness, this wasn’t strange at all)

“Yes, Nisani? What do you want?” (Yuuto)

“Please pat my head. Lord Master.” (Nisani)

Well, this is rather unexpected… But since she was created under Yuuto’s consciousness, Yuuto could only smile wryly and patted Nisani who seems to enjoy being patted by Yuuto as she began to rub her head to his hand.

He really needs to do something with his tendency to pat girl’s head…

✿❀✿❀✿❀

Meanwhile, near the village.

“‼‼” (Kiyomi)

“!?” (Stella)

“‼…” (Chie)

“??” (Mizuki)

“!?” (Tsukimi)

“‼” (Ichiko)

“???!” (Saki)

“Do you feel that now, Tsuu-chan?” (Mizuki)

“I feel it Mii-chan, too. What is it I wonder” (Tsukimi)

“Tsuu-chan and Mii-chan, feel it too?” (Saki)

“You too, Saki-chan?” (Mizuki)

“Oh my, how strange.” (Ichiko)

 “I feel a great disturbance in the force……… I don’t think you girls get this reference… *sigh*” (Stella)

“……I think we should have a talk with Dear Husband about this…” (Kiyomi)

“……… Agree…” (Chie)

“……Can’t argue with you on that…” (Stella)

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

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EXTRA STUFF BELOW

Well… If you are wondering, the ages of the named villages girl:

Mayana : 17 years old

Sefira :  19 years old

Zirana : 18 years old

Launama : 14 years old

Chirina : 13 years old

In case you wondering Soiporan Female names follow the Eastern tradition of 3 syllables but follow old form of Ramian tradition of consonantal taboo. The Soiporan ones are simple without any ending consonant (except for the lateral sound: L/R, and fricative: S, the next syllable must of similar lateral or fricative), for example: Jassami or Jasis a valid name, but Jasmani or Jaslari are not valid name. Marrauna (or Marlauna) is a valid name but Marsauna or Markauna are not. The Zekrian name also of 3 syllable and then to be quite complex in consonantal complex: such as Pri-sist-ka and Rans-ti-a.

Also, Sefi actually plan the escape by first using the knife to free the girls and then she would try to pick the lock at the bracelets on Maya’s hand or pick the lock at the door, but she fainted first before she able to do this. Yeah, her plan also had low chance of success… They didn’t think much about how they would deal with all the bandits in the fortress………

Also… Sefi got a massive right pleural hemothorax due to rib fracture that caused bleeding of intercostal arteries. She also got subgaleal hemorrhage at her right temporal cranium, with simple underlying linear right temporal bone fracture and subarachnoid hemorrhage. She also had 5 broken ribs but without flail chest due. Luckily the numerous beating that Sefi had in her stomach didn’t cause any internal bleeding. Actually, Guffatar would be scolded by slave traders as Sefi would easily die from this before able to be sold. He really need to tone down his hobbies…

Also… Florea is actually very friendly and a bit silly girl when she deal with people other than Yuuto. She also a bit weak in her head. In other words: a dojikko.

Also about the languages that Maya mentioned:

Palisan : A family of mutually intelligible dialects (relative) that was widely used by the countries in Midzu as official language (like Nordic language that is somewhat mutually intelligible between the Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish). It had a Formal Standard (Norai) form (only used for writing or formal speaking) and Vulgar form with 5 major dialects:, Eastern (Zekir), Middle (Ram), Bay Region (Khas), Peninsular West (Shiti), and Northwest (Fohel).

An Palisan Vulgar Eastern speaker would hard to understand what a Palisan Vulgar Northwest speaker spoke, while they can understand each other if they use Palisan Formal Language. It usually agreed that Bay Region speaker can mostly understand other dialect speaker, while Northwest speaker although can understand other dialect relatively well, their own dialect can be hardly comprehended by the other dialect speaker (due to different phonology).

Sastuhasan : What the ‘civilized nation’ of Midzu Continent used to refer for the language of nomads and tribes of the Great Grasssea Plains and Central Desert. This is not a monolithic language, although they were descended from the northern dialects of Old Common Eastern language, they had diverted in such way that the languages became mutually intelligible with each other. The major language of the nomads is Shehirgorodil (Language of the Cities), the lingua-franca for the Great Central Tradeway and Kolpusdotir (Language of the Oases), the lingua-franca of the nomad tribes of the Central Desert.

Darashisan :  What the ‘civilized nation’ of Midzu Continent used to refer for the language used by the people in the far east Darashi Peninsula. Never integrated themselves into the Holy Empire, Darashi Peninsula still retained their culture and language from Midzufication. The people of Darashi Peninsula preferred to refer their own language as Bidnikhel, though.

Funfact: The ancestor of the people of Zekir spoke a language that had something in common with Darashi language called Old Common Eastern language, but after the Midzufication, it get replaced by Palisan, and its descendants language only spoken in certain remote village in Zekrion (Zekirian) nations and as Sastuhasan.

Lenkusnasan : What the ‘civilized nation’ of Midzu Continent used to refer for the languages used by the nations and the tribe that lived near the South Frozenland of Lenkusna. As the region was covered by Tundra and Taiga, it never properly integrated into the Holy Empire, and only has proper political and economy ties just several hundred years ago, but even so, this region is still considered as backwards and uncivilized (just like how average American or European look at African or South America Nation...) Just like Sastuhasan, Lenkusnasan actually refer several different languages that is not mutually intelligible with each other, and actually came from different ancestral language.

Barsebasan : What the ‘civilized nation’ of Midzu Continent used to refer for the language used by the trade cities of the Northern Coast of Barseba. Closely related with the language once cosmopolitan in Central Plains (or Ram Plains; now extinct due to extensive Midzufication for the last 700 years). Since Barseba cities had economic and diplomatic ties with the Pacrux, the ‘civilized nation’ of Midzu consider them as ‘heathen’ or ‘traitor’ of the Prena race.

Also, There are also several other languages that didn’t get mentioned by Maya, like the languages of the Pacrux race and Marshyel race, and the languages of the archipelago nations that lied on the west and the minicontinent in the east.

Also, The Simplified Language Family of the Prena race:

Northern Midzu Languages : EXTINCT. No modern language descendant. Displaced by Barsebasan and Rugha (Pacrux language)

Western Midzu Languages: Modern Palisan. The languages of the western archipelago. Some of language of Lenkusna

Middle Midzu Languages: Barsebasan. Some languages of the Lenkusna

Eastern Midzu Languages: Sastuhasan, Darashisan

Southern Midzu Languages: Most of the language in Lenkusna

Oceanic Languages: Languages used in the island chains between Midzu and the minicontinent of Aipa and in the western tips of Aipa minicontinent

Aipa Languages: Languages spoken in Aipa minicontinent

Wisreck Languages: EXTINCT. No modern language descendant. Well... the reason of why this language is extinct is *major spoiler*

By the way, for the Remna (Human Race) in RAHO there are 16 Nations mostly of stereotypic culture found in game:

1. Glorious Kingdom of Loransia, the Land of Progress – based on Middle Age French and Germany (most people of Neuschwanensee)

2. Valorous Empire of Morena, the Land of Grandiose – based on old Roman Empire, ancient Greece and Renaissance Italy,

3. Naturalist State of Redont, the Land of Guardians – based on Pagan Baltic, Gaul and Celtic culture (Florea is from this race)

4. Trading Cities of Thalassa, the Land of Bounty – based on Netherland, Spain and Portugal

5. Stalwart Republic of Valgard, the Land of Valiant – based on Scandinavia and Russia

6. Spiritualist Union of Mahavisna, the Land of Peace – based on South and Southeast Asia (This is Ichiko’s PC race)

7. Celestial Throne of Penglai, the Land of Balance – based on Eastern Asia (This is the Twin’s PC race)

8. Ancient Nation of Beth-Nahrain, the Land of Tradition – based on Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt

9. Subterranean People of Agartha, the Entombed Continent – based on Industrial Britain and Colonial America (This is Yuuto’s PC race)

10. Stratospheric People of Lemuria, the Floating Continent – based on Native American and Aztec-Maya-Inca

11. Submarine People of Atlantis, the Sunken Continent – based on Polynesia and Maori

12. Desert People of Mu, the Burning Continent – based on Arabia and North Africa

13. Tunguska, Hunters of the Frozen North – based on Inuit, Sami and Siberia

14. Xiongnu, Wanderers of the Eastern Steppe – based on Mongol and Turkic

15. Zanj, Builders of the Jungle South – based on various African tribe, especially Great Zimbabwe and Ethiopia (you now, standard game African stuff)

16. Zigan, Travelers of the Western Plains – based on stereotypic Romani and for some reason Amish

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[1] The room was actually an officers sleeping room when it still a functional Fortress hundreds of years ago that had been turned into makeshift prison by the bandits. The soundproof quality was there so the former residents could sleep without bothered by the sound from outside.

[2] It was at the early decade of Smartphone and Social Media. Let’s just say his mother was a bit unhappy by the large number of underage girls in his father contacts, and how most of them asked to meet with him once again. His father defense was mostly: I only help them once! (from street thugs, ex-boyfriends, traffic accident, something falling down, drowning, house fire, falling from 6th floor, attempted kidnapping, armed bank robbery, tutoring for mathematics) His mother than made his father wore a T-Shirt: “I am a happily married man with 2 children” for the rest of the year. It still didn’t work…