Instead of collapsing into his bedroll like he wanted to, Alari had his opportunity to learn the basics of combat. He expected to be battered around with practice blades until he was so sore he couldn’t move. Instead, Elias had him spend an entire hour on basics: proper foot placement in his stance and how to hold his sword in a ready position. The term ‘good enough’ was not a concept Elias seemed familiar with, as even after the entire hour, Alari had yet to master those two things to his satisfaction.
A call announcing the stew was ready summoned the entire group. Alari was given a portion that practically filled the bowl, which he greedily dug into. It had a thick, dark whiskey-flavored sauce, with a generous helping of vegetables and goat. While it hadn’t simmered long enough to incorporate all the flavors, it was still one of the best things he had eaten in this life. Before long, he was wiping up the last of the sauce with a piece of bread.
Roland sat beside him and held out a flask. “Care for a swig?” he offered.
“I only just turned fourteen,” he pointed out, though he did miss a good whiskey from his previous life.
“Why would that matter?” the mountainous noble asked with genuine confusion.
“I’ve heard it's bad for brain development. I’m not opposed to drinking, but I think I’ll wait a few years,” Alari explained.
“Where would a farm boy have heard about such a thing?” Elias asked skeptically.
Alari winced; of course, there wouldn’t be the same level of knowledge on developmental science, but he hadn’t expected anyone to question it. He had told his family about his past life, and no one had truly believed him; they just assumed he was a child with a fanciful imagination and an abnormal intellect. If he explained everything to the Silver Blades, would they take it at face value, or would they assume something similar?
“Have you heard of abilities that allow people to be reborn after they die?”
“Reincarnators? As far as I know, those are only myths. Some say that before the last emperor died, he used a powerful spell that allowed him to be reborn into a new body. I believe he at least tried, because imperial agents were seen questioning the mothers of newborn children in noble families around that time. They didn’t extend the search to farmboys near the noon line,” Elias explained.
“Are you the reborn emperor? Should we take you back to the capital?" Roland asked excitedly.
“He would be about your age,” Elias added.
“I’m not some reborn emperor. I just have memories of a different world, one without magic. However, we had a deeper understanding of how things worked and could craft powerful devices with our ingenuity. That is how I know certain things, like drinking before fully developing is a bad idea. I lived an entire other life before this one,” Alari explained.
“I believe you,” Elias said without hesitation, a bit more exuberant than he typically was.
No one else said anything, but Alari could tell they were seriously considering it. The tense atmosphere was briefly broken when Elias flipped a gold coin through the air, and Maeve deftly caught it.
“You bet he was reincarnated?” Roland asked incredulously.
Maeve wiggled her hand in a ‘sort of’ gesture. “I bet Elias he wasn’t just a farm boy, that he had to have grown up somewhere else. I didn’t think it would be that, but a win is a win,” she said smugly.
“How old are you if you combine both lives?” Lia asked.
“I was in my thirties when I died the first time, so somewhere around fifty,” Alari stated.
“I still got you beat, kid,” Elias said smugly, putting extra emphasis on ‘kid’.
Alari’s jaw dropped. Sure, the man looked to be a bit older, but he wouldn’t have guessed he was that old.
“You look good for being so ancient, old man,” Alari quipped, his mind still trying to comprehend.
Seeing his confusion, Lia explained, “That's why many people invest heavily in the Constitution Attribute: It slows the effects of aging. There is also a Feat that does the same thing. That’s how the previous emperor lived for over a thousand years. Many nobles invest heavily in it specifically for that reason, but Elias did so for survivability; the aging part is more of a pleasant side-effect.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s all pleasant,” Elias said, a note of sadness in his voice as he stared off into the fire.
“What is it like being a baby twice? Did you have the desires of a little boy or an old man?” Roland asked, his sister giving him a disgusted look. “What? I’m just curious,” he said defensively.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“If your question is, 'Was I a horny baby?’, then no. I was lonely, and it was hard to connect with my new family, especially those my age. Even now, I can’t stand the thought of being with immature teenagers; we just wouldn’t have anything in common,” Alari said.
“Why tell us all this? We’ve only known each other for a couple of days,” Lia pointed out.
“I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to believe me; my family didn’t. However, the main reason is that I don’t want to have to walk on eggshells; Elias was already picking up on inconsistencies in my explanations.”
“You said there was no magic. How did you fight monsters?” Bashir said in a quiet voice that Alari barely heard.
Alari spent the next couple of hours explaining his past life: how there was no system or monsters, how they had science, and how it led them to the stars, only for their hubris to bar it for a century. That they lived on a world where day and night were cycles and not places. He did his best to describe the cities, and while it wasn’t perfect, few people went hungry. He then went into detail about his work, explaining that he had been an engineer at a company that pioneered the industrialization of space and had eventually risen to one of the youngest project leads for such a big initiative. The adventurers were enraptured when he described the final years and the mech project.
When he was done, Bashir commented, “That sounds like a wonderful place, free from monsters.”
“Do you miss it?” Lia asked.
“Every day,” Alari admitted before adding. “There would be things about Ouras I would miss too.” He didn’t say most of those things came in the past few days.
Alari answered questions for a while, but eventually the conversation died down. Lia looked like she was working herself up to say something, but eventually decided against it, with her brother giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Given the time spent, he had few opportunities to craft. However, not wanting to waste all his mana, he quickly transmuted some of the larger weapons to perfect steel. They would be more than functional as is, but he wanted to make more improvements. However, that would need to wait until tomorrow. The system, reading his intent, awarded him no Class experience, holding off on its evaluation until he considered the work done.
The next day, he awoke, still sore, but feeling much better. He was a bit nervous as he approached the campfire: would they look at him differently now? Would he once again be ostracized as an outsider? The rest of the party was already awake and greedily devouring generous portions of porridge. Lia, who seemed to do most of the cooking, handed him a laden bowl.
As he sat down, everyone greeted him or gave him respectful nods. He was quickly pulled into an argument between Maeve and Roland, and was asked to adjudicate an inconsequential bet. He smiled, glad to be included.
When they were done eating, camp was packed up with the same efficiency it had been set up. Elias explained what everyone was responsible for as he worked, and what Alari would be expected to do in the future. The chores rotated between them, and for the next few days, Alari would be responsible for washing the dishes.
Their goal for the day was the same as yesterday's: to reach the fort near the noon line. According to Elias, they had covered more than half the distance already, so it was a relatively leisurely pace, at least by their standards. It was still a strain for Alari to keep up, and the blisters on his feet ached in protest, but he endured.
The fort came into view well before they reached it. It stood atop a slight rise, giving it a view of the surrounding area. A series of wooden spikes surrounded the main keep with a palisade wall. As they got closer, he could see the corpses of monsters piled nearby, with a group of soldiers loading them onto a cart. They were slightly larger than a person, with a bodybuilder-like physique. However, the rest of their features were not human: they had matted fur covering their bodies. Their legs were slightly bowed and powerful, ending in goat-like hooves. Their face had a wolf-like snout, but with horns atop their heads, ranging from a single curled ram's horn to many pointed antlers. The closest comparison Alari could think of was a cross between a satyr and a werewolf.
“Algran, they are a type of lesser demon commonly found in the waste,” Elias said when Alari looked at him questioningly.
“This many should not have made it out of the wastes,” Bashir said, a note of concern in his voice.
“We’ll speak with the commander, but we are not soldiers; we have our own job to do,” Elias stated.
Bashir seemed to mull over the proclamation, then hesitantly nodded. They didn’t get much further before a group of riders approached them. The men were clearly on edge, though Alari couldn’t blame them. In contrast, Elias seemed in control and unbothered, respectfully explaining who they were and why they were here. Despite this, the men still insisted they be escorted into the fort. Since they were going there anyway, Elias simply nodded and motioned for them to lead the way.
As they got closer, the stench of rotting flesh became almost unbearable. A moment later, Alari was retching what remained of his breakfast. The soldiers snickered but didn’t say anything. Roland put a reassuring hand on his back, and a moment later, they continued.
The smell only got worse as they entered. Moans could be heard, as the central courtyard had been set up as a field hospital. Lia surveyed the scene, then looked back to Elias, who inclined his head. She rushed off, her brother following protectively, while Elias explained to their agitated escorts that she was a healer. Even they had the good sense not to argue.
The remaining four of them were led to the main keep. Anxious soldiers moved about frantically, with only a few glancing their way. They were eventually led to an office-like room, where several senior officers were engrossed in conversation. At a lull in the conversation, their escorts stood at attention and announced their presence. A middle-aged man with a gray beard and a shaved head waved the men away.
“So, you're the ones the adventurers' guild sent. I see you're still working with a pale woman, and now a dark tribesman, and now a dirty boy. How the mighty have fallen,” the commander said with a sneer.
A knife appeared in Maeve’s hand, and every one of the officers tensed. Instead of doing anything aggressive, she started using it to pick at her nails, a knowing grin on her face. “Why so tense, boys? You afraid of a pale woman?” she taunted them.
“Maeve, don’t taunt the soldiers,” Elias ordered. He then turned his attention to the commander, his gaze boring into him. Something about the way he held himself was terrifying, and the officer flinched away. “I would take any of mine over any of yours. Now, what the hell is going on here?”
It took a moment for the man to regain his composure, and his voice cracked when he spoke. “It’s worse than you can imagine.”
Novicius in Arte Medica A Novice in the Art of MedicineMedical School is a Warzone. Ashrahan was failing. Then, the System woke up.
Quote: Synopsis: Sleepless nights, borrowed notes, and caffeine. When exhaustion drags Ashrahan to the edge, a silent system awakens, transforming patients into interactive lessons and textbooks into living networks of surgical precision.