Free Web NovelChapter 2: When the realization hits
"What... is that, master?"
Lexie, the young maid in her early thirties. She had looked after me ever since I was a toddler.
She had a motherly vibe. Her short hair was something I had remembered for a long time, even after leaving this place, and her deep blue eyes, full of astonishment, were something I simply couldn’t forget.
Even as she looked at my bare chest that now had an intricate pattern depicting a bird covered in fire, she was more concerned about the small red spot on my forehead caused by the poking of the little white bird.
"Are... you hurt, young master? You seem hurt."
She did not care what I was doing, holding an essence card when I had a red spot on my forehead.
She quickly ran up to the other side of the room and brought some ointment.
"What is this small bird? We should throw it out–."
"Chirp!"
"Don’t be like that. She’s just worried about me."
The bird was tired, so he was resting in my arms. I could clearly understand everything it was saying. In fact, I could feel everything it wanted to express.
"Haaaa. Lexie, I know you understand what is going on."
She was sharp and someone who had taken care of me for a long time. She must have guessed what was going on the moment she saw me in this state.
"Young master... I must not assume anything as your only maid. Besides, I have never seen a bird like that around."
She had a concerned look while looking at me and a suspicious look while looking at the small bird in my arms.
It almost seemed like she wanted to kill this little thing. But we cannot have that.
"I don’t know how this happened either. I just woke up and... wait."
If Lexie were here, then there was only one meaning to all this.
’I have regressed.’
My household fell when I was thirty. Lexie died on the day I left this house. I was badly injured shortly before I was kicked out of the house, and seeing how that had not happened yet, seeing how I did not have that certain scar on my back, it seems like I have arrived at a good point.
"Lexie, what day is it today?"
"Are you really alright, young master?"
She was really worried. It has been a long... really long time since I felt this worried gaze of hers.
"I am fine. In fact, I am happy right now."
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[The mythical silver phoenix.]
- The creature that predates the world. An existence born at the dawn of the universe. One of the very first beings that were created by the [Laws] at the Dawn of Creation.
- There are very few folklores that have any mentions of these creatures, but each of the folklore mentions how these beings possess a strange power that could interfere with ’time’.
- Said to reside in the rivers of Space-time, the Silver Phoenixes are beings, or probably a being that resides on the very law of what we call [Time].
- They are said to be beings who stand above all the other phoenixes in existence. As a [Primordial], they are a myth that was never supposed to actually exist.
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The stories I had heard from the old folks of some of the oldest tribes were no exaggeration.
I could clearly feel the strange omniscience that I perceived through those endlessly wise eyes. I could still feel the dangerous warmth that possessed the power to obliterate and recreate anything at the same time.
’I do not know why that being sent me back in time, but this is a chance that being has given me.’
If I’m not wrong, that being wanted me to take care of something. And looking at the unique essence card of this little white bird, it seems like he is the one I am supposed to be with.
’But still... How did we bond?’
The composition of my body degenerates all the energy that I could gather in my body. Without a stable flow of energy, a stable bond connection cannot be established.
Without a stable connection between the master and the beast, it is impossible for them to truly connect with each other.
’A body that degenerates all energy it gathers makes it impossible for a stable bond mark to exist as well.’
Without a stable bond, an essence card cannot form, making ’taming’ impossible in practice.
Furthermore, the decaying energy makes it impossible for me to get much closer to the creatures, either. So, technically, it is impossible for me to bond with the creatures.
Then, what was this?
"I don’t know how this is possible. But, all kinds of miracles do happen around the world, right?" I looked at my caretaker, guardian, and friend with a bitter smile on my face.
I have come to a past I have already lived before. Much like the folklore with heroes who travel back to the past to save things precious to them, I have come to correct my mistakes as well.
However, I am not alone this time.
"Haaa... I see." Lexie shook her head with a bitter smile on her face as well.
[Miracles.]
Yes, they existed. But they were so rare that realists like us never actually hoped for them.
Still, a miracle had taken place here. And now that something so unique had happened, the maid who had seen all kinds of absurdities of the world could not help but shake her head with a smile.
"It’s 1/6/1515 of the Goric calendar. Eleven days from now, you are to prove your worth before the family head and elders."
It was today.
It was today that I was ambushed by the assassins sent by my elder brother and barely escaped with my life, thanks to Lexie.
Today was the day I received the ugliest scar I had carried throughout my life.
"The family only values those who can command the powerful beasts, young master. We should prepare to walk away."
She knew the reality of this family as well.
And yes, it certainly was logical to leave before we lose once again.
It was... logical.
"Lexie. I want you to do something for me. And you must do it as discreetly as possible."
If I have really come to the past, then I have far more to do than I have ever wanted. This one chance was not merely about me doing what I could not in my previous life, but also living a life different from the one I knew.
’I will not live like a coward anymore.’
A strange warmth burned in my heart, giving me the courage to face even a demon.
I could not save the person who had taken care of me all this time, I could not beat up the bastard brother who tried to take my life, and I could not avenge the death of my mother... I could not kill the damned ’father’ who killed her.
"But first, Lexie... I need you to bring me to the Cradle."
"...?!"
If this was a new start anyway, I wanted to try everything I could not do before.
Everything, including ’taming’ a beast and using the skills that only a ’tamer’ could.
