***The World***

***Angrod***

I start feeling a little uncomfortable when all the attention focuses on Celes and me. Nobody says a word, as if they are expecting us to impart some great wisdom on them.

What? Stupid idiots, I will not start revealing the secrets of the multiverse to them here and now. They would forget all of it anyway once they die, so where is the point? Let’s not even talk about the deeper mysteries of the elemental dimension, those would just shatter their minds.

Celes is the first who can’t take the silence any longer and decides to give them the official explanation. “Don't look at us like that. Yes, the perverted goddess happened to show up at our ceremonies. Apart from turning around the priests’ heads, nothing of interest happened. She gave us a stupid smile and disappeared again.”

“Hoh? But shortly after this incident, the diplomatic exchange between Tirna and Stricc increased to another level and a year later the joining of the leading houses was announced. How do you explain that?” Samarin asks.

“When I met my cute, little Celes I just knew that she is my future, hahahaha!” I laugh, trying my best to sound genuine.

“He was so bold, even though we just met! It was like my pure beauty had stabbed his heart!” Celes covers her cheeks with both hands and actually blushes.

Bitch! She stabbed me for real!

Samarin doesn’t let go of the topic. “Still, I find it strange that-”

I cut him off, deciding that enough is enough. So I lower my voice to a tone and earnestness that’s totally unbefitting of a child my age. “Do you really want us to spout out secrets of state which belong to both Tirna and Stricc? Who do you think you are, a mere teacher, trying to poke your finger into a diplomatic powder keg?”

Samarin coughs, clearly lost for words by the sudden change in my demeanour.

The silence that permeates the room now is of an entirely different nature.

I nod when Samarin fails to come up with a proper reply. “Anyway, I fear that we know nothing more than you already do.”

The teacher clears his throat when it becomes clear that we have said our piece. “Well, I still expect great things from you. To continue on, Stephen, it was those talks with the goddess which led us to the conclusion that there must be more than one god.”

Luckily, Margerie’s next question changes the topic completely. “What do you know about levitation? Tell me all you know!”

With that, a painful conversation between Samarin and Margerie ensued. It didn’t take long for me to lose interest, my mind drifting to other things. Their discussion is old knowledge to me.

From time to time I notice Stephen looking at us as if we could be the key to some of his questions and I find myself disliking his curiosity.

Celes quickly gets bored of the magitech-talk and starts scribbling in her notebook. Curious about her pastime, I try to steal a look but she slams the notebook shut before I can see anything.

“It is bad taste to spy on a woman,” she whispers.

“I didn't think of it as spying?” I reply. Honestly, I just wanted to take a look.

Celes gestures towards Samarin and Margerie who are drawing magical circles and formulating corresponding calculations on the chalkboard behind the teacher’s desk. “Why don't you give them the answer to their question, stupid hermit. I am not into this stuff, but even I know that if they follow their current train of thought, the cute Margerie will be old and grey before her wish comes true.”

“I am not a fountain of knowledge for charity cases. I want something for my marvellous help,” I answer, waving my hand in the air.

“I know that this is nothing more than one plus one for you, so send my friend Margerie on the right track. If you do, I will owe you one. And I want to talk to you about something important after school.” Celes returns her attention to her notebook and starts scribbling again.

“Can you explain to me what you two are talking about?” Stephen butts in, having apparently listened in on our conversation.

“Nothing in particular. Just be glad that the great 'Me' will offer your sister my assistance!” I stand up and head over to join the two ignoramuses. Having the witch owe me one can't be something bad... I hope.

Samarin and Margerie filled the left side of the chalkboard with many formulas and designs for a theoretic magic device that should levitate itself and an object placed above it. Their idea is to use a cushion of summoned air to hold itself aloft. Their design aims at being very cost-effective, not needing most rare elements and materials that are necessary for magitech.

A nice idea, but not really a good solution.

A steady stream of air like in a hovercraft would be required. The necessary magical circuit to construct such an artefact isn't much different from the one they would need to levitate something directly. Well, at least resource-wise.

Margerie seeks something that eases the strain on the resources of this world. Everything comes down to materials that are hard to get. Stuff like Yttrium, Scandium which is hard to extract, metals like gold, rhodium, and iridium.

An artefact lacks the nervous system and therefore the mana channels of a living being. Hence, the artificer has to use various metals to regulate and direct the flow of energy as precisely as possible to mimic the creation of a spell matrix that results in a permanent effect.

So if we use a magic circuit, it has to be a very small one. The rest has to be pure science. Hmm.

I walk to the unused part of the board and scribble down a simple circuit to control the temperature.

A plain cooling system, but it should suffice to keep the temperatures of a less efficient circuit in check. I don’t have any desire to do all the optimization myself.

Scribbling down a formula to check my memories, I verify the circuit. Yeah, like that. They just need a tenth of the elements normally needed for a direct levitation circuit. The spell effect just has to span the entire object we wish to levitate.

All they need is a small introduction to superconductivity, easily achieved thanks to the cooling system I just designed. Some materials of that category need ‘rare earth elements’, but they just need them in a highly diluted form. Should be easy enough to get.

I sink into my own world as I do my best to reinvent a levitation platform from my jumbled memories.

The funny part is that this will work with some completely common materials like aluminium or lead, once they get the operating temperatures under control. Thankfully, I don’t have to come up with this completely on my own. Some of my previous worlds used similar machines for transportation. The principles are so basic that I burned them into my memory.

Maybe I will give them a little prototype design to connect the dots.

Like that. Hmhm. “Lalala.” I start singing and bite my tongue when I realize that I am behaving like a child drawing flowers onto the pavement. Still, this feels so nostalgic. Just like my old times as a teacher, with the difference that there are no stupid students who interrupt me every few seconds.

Doodling away with my chalk, I don’t notice the passing time until I hear the bell which announces the end of the lesson. Damn, I wasn't completely done. Anyway, Margerie should be smart enough to correct the bugs and missing parts of the design. I finished the rough outlines of the artefact and it isn’t like the artificers of this world are completely incompetent. They can solve a few things on their own.

After putting down the chalk, I turn around and find Margerie, Samarin and Stephen looking at the board as if it contained the holy grail. It’s almost as if they understand the formulas which I shared so generously. Normally, my audience doesn’t understand the mystical knowledge I impart on them.

At least Sven looks at the board as if it depicted a pretty picture, totally uncomprehending, and therefore restoring my faith in people. Yes. That’s exactly the look of a student whose brain capacity doesn't suffice to understand my divine greatness! At least there is one normal person in this room.

“Next time, get yourself someone who actually understands how to design a spell-matrix before you start designing artefacts. Ah, and don't bother me with the details! I hate those!” I turn to leave the classroom and Celes follows me.

The princess is still writing in her notebook and didn't care about my ingenious solution to the problem, having complete faith in my ability to solve the problem.

I am not sure if I should feel flattered or ignored.

“So, care to explain to me why I had to help them in this matter?” I ask Celes while we walk to the next class.

“It’s a plan to save the world! Isn't it obvious?” Celes answers while she is still concentrating on her own work.

“Yes, but I could have made a fortune by selling this. Why should I give it to someone else for free? If you hadn't said you would owe me, I never would have done this!”

She doesn’t look at me, her eyes focused on that damned notebook. “That's the problem, stupid hermit! You are already in the highest possible position, assured that you will have any resources you could ever wish for, and you still just think about grabbing more, more, more. That has always been your problem. What do you need money for if you are already the heir to the king?”

“Sometimes I ask myself how people like you ever became gods. It is illogical to rise that high without the motivation to grab every bit of power you can get,” I complain.

I am beginning to dislike her attitude, and worse, I hate that notebook.

The rest of the way we walk in silence and during the other lessons we don't talk either. The remaining classes are just stupid introductions and no teacher calls Celes to attention for having her eyes elsewhere.

Well, I hope the witch doesn't have something troublesome in mind. She has already been at it for half a day and I have a creeping feeling that her behaviour spells a bad future for me.

I play with the thought of breaking off my horns and running away to live my life as a normal civilian. Sadly, there are my eyes, so I would have to gouge them out. No good! Magic to change my appearance is hard to entertain. There is also this irrational issue that I actually developed feelings for the rest of the family despite their shortcomings. Aside from everything they did, they are just trying to be good people and prevent a war.

Save for Nicosar. I wouldn't cry a single tear if someone told me that he had a heart attack.

I guess that I have to wait and see what the future has in store for me.

۞۞۞

At the end of the day, we are back at the school gates. A luxurious, black car with mirrored windows stops right in front of us and Rose gets out, but I know better than to think of it as a simple car. My father turned out to be quite the nerd for transportation on four wheels, showing me the newest limousine he acquired especially for us. It took us half a day to go over all the different safety features and reinforcements which essentially turn the car into a tank.

“Did you two have a nice day?” Rose asks, smiling.

“It wasn't so bad. I took care of a nuisance and made some plans for the future,” Celes comments while getting into the car.

“In the forenoon, I was almost beaten up and in the afternoon I gave away something precious,” I follow Celes into the car while giving Rose the bare facts.

“Oh, my little lord is very generous!” Rose closes the car door for us and gets back into the driver’s seat.

Surprisingly, Celes stops her scribbling and turns her attention to me. “I didn’t want to say so on school grounds, but nice job with shutting up Samarin. I didn’t know whether I should laugh or reprimand you for being so rude to a teacher.”

I wet my lips, uncertain of how to react to her change of attitude. “Thanks, I guess?”

“Yeah...” She nods. “But you probably botched any chance that he might’ve given you a positive evaluation at the end of the class.”

Leaving me to my darkening thoughts, she returns her attention to that damned notebook.

۞۞۞

We had dinner with our parents and I decided to retreat into the study to play with the new toy which I wished for as a present to enter school. An engraver’s toolkit and various raw materials to make my own artefacts.

While working on rebuilding my power, I actually think that this day wasn’t so bad, everything considered.

Celes got her own present, an alchemy-kit, and seems to be occupied with whatever she has in mind with it. The longer she is off my turf the better.

‘BAM’

The door flies open and Celes storms into the room, shocking me. I was so surprised that I almost slipped with my engraving tool. Admittedly, doing engraving work on the couch of a study isn’t the smartest idea, but it worked out for me and was reasonably comfortable.

She spots me and closes the door, locking it with a ‘click’.

Looking up, I can’t help but stare like a deer caught in the headlights. Did she just lock the fucking door? Did she find out what I am making? I have to hide the amulet somehow. Knowing no different solution, I decide to sit on it.

Celes plants herself in front of me with her ominous notebook in her hands.

“I want to confess!” she blurts out.

“WHAT!?” Did she mess up with her alchemy kit and kill off her brain?

“I- I- want to...” she mumbles something incomprehensible.

“Pardon me?” I relax a little. It doesn’t seem to be about my amulet or confessing her love, so I should be relatively safe.

“We are stuck with each other, so I have made up my mind.”

“Hah?”

“I want us to make peace, stupid hermit!”

“Ahem… Okay.” I squint my eyes at her. “Didn’t we already do that?”

She sighs in an exasperated manner. “I don't want to live the rest of this mortal life full of stress, so be grateful that I consider this! What I mean isn’t a simple truce between us, but a new beginning. An attempt to let bygones be bygones and look into the future.”

I pack away my tools, sensing that this is one of these female ‘we have to talk’ moments. “Yes?”

“I have made plans for us!” She shows me her notebook, her tail curling behind her in a curious manner.

“Plans? For us?” I may have been wrong and this situation is direr than I thought. It’s never good when a woman is making plans. Have I missed something important about our relationship? Hmm. Nope. Don’t think so.

“Here, I have planned everything!” She sits down on the sofa next to me and opens her notebook, allowing me a look. “Our whole life together and the future of the world.”

“Together?” I know that parroting her doesn’t make me look like the brightest person in the world, but that woman has to give me some slack. Especially when dropping a bomb like that. Is she actually considering to go through with our parents' plan?

“I know. We have a lot to work on in our relationship, but we will be stuck in the current state of affairs forever if we don't act, so I decided to take the first step. I’ve gone through various scenarios of how we could manage our relationship. From blowing off the whole marriage thing to having secret affairs.”

“Ow, wow.” I raise my hand. “Hold your horses, lady. Aren’t we a little too young to think of stuff like that? Ten years may be nothing to a god, but it’s a long time for a mortal. There’s no telling who we might meet or what might happen. Don’t forget that Seria could come down on us at any moment.”

Celes looks reluctant, but she nods. “Of course, you are right, but I am planning for a worst-case scenario.”

Sooo… I am a worst-case scenario?

She continues, ignoring my hurt expression. A man still has his pride.

“If we don't make plans for the future, we can't have children. It’s that easy. Why are you looking at me like that? Did you bang your head somewhere?”

“CHILDREN!?” I blurt out. “Have you ever considered what I think about following our parents’ wishes?”

Celes rolls her eyes. “Yes, and this is the only viable path that leaves us with as few complications and heartbreak as possible. I don’t want to turn into an old hag who has to live in the same house with her worst enemy. I don’t want to consider what might happen if we don’t go through with our parents’ plan. I certainly don’t want to sneak around the embassy, hiding some lover who warms my lonely nights because I can’t have one in the open. The easiest way to solve all our problems is to do our best to team up and tackle the future together.”

That was… quite the speech. Even in my abject horror at the idea, I can’t help but be intrigued.

I take the notebook from her and skim through it. The room is silent, just the open fire in the chimney at the wall opposite from us sizzles a little. Normally, it would be lunacy to have a fire in a study, but everything in here is warded.

She is watching, waiting for my response.

Everything is there, with date and time, from the moment I take this book into my hands. Ways for us to build and improve our relationship.

From the current state of the world to the state it ‘has’ to be five, ten and fifteen years from now. The development of economy and culture. Changes in society? Healthcare and education policies? Tax-management? Now that's what I call a control freak!

Ten years and a few months from now, we will have our first time in a certain position. Hm. Hm. So that's how she likes it. Ooh, you are so dirty. Sigh, the cute little girl next to me is just a shell. I knew it, but having the proof on paper destroys every last illusion of innocence I had about Celes.

And there are at least three children planned, one as the main heir and two as reserves? She is so cruel, I want to cry. Who has kids, thinking of them as nothing more than reserves? They are planned as spares from the very beginning! Being labelled as a spare even before being conceived...

What bothers me is that we will do it just three times? I know it is childish, she will just write a new one but...

“I want to rip it!”

‘Snatch.’

“No!”

Aw! She took the notebook back. Anyway, my brain is still in short-circuit mode. I have to order my thoughts. How did it come to this? We were enemies for centuries and now the witch wants to forgive and forget out of nowhere? I am not ready for this! We are just ten years old!

“What is it? If you don’t like something, we can make some sort of compromise.” She takes out a pen to make changes.

My thoughts spin as I try to find a way out of this situation. The window? No. Throwing myself out of the first floor wouldn’t solve the problem.

Besides, they are reinforced. I would just bounce off.

Then I have an idea and turn to face her. “First of all. We may have been living under the same roof for about five years, but that doesn’t mean that you can force anything to happen between the two of us.”

“That’s true, but love is something you have to put work into. I think that if we start working on it now, we could build up something similar to a decent life? I hate the thought that the perverted goddess will win in the end and succeed in punishing us.” She shakes her head. “Imagine us being old and grey on our deathbeds while laughing about each others’ deaths! And that after a life of scheming against each other while pretending to be the perfect couple.”

Okay! That is a disturbing thought and it may come uncomfortably close to what Seria intended for us. I will admit this. A lifetime may not be long for us, but it would still be extremely disturbing if our lives would take that route.

“You are sure that you don’t just want to find someone else for a liaison and be fine with it,” I ask.

‘Whack!’

“Ow!”

The witch hit me with the notebook!

“That's absolutely not possible! What if we get found out! Worst outcome ever! You and I are old enough to know that a lasting relationship needs more than hormones and sex. Are you some kind of pedophile child abuser? I am the only possible partner in this world anyway! Even an old grandma is too young for you!”

O. M. G. I never thought about it like... that!

“A- anyway, I wouldn't get it up with you in any case. The whole discussion is void,” I explain.

“Uh... I... if... I think... we... could ask... our mothers for... h- help?” Celes suddenly turns red all over her face.

“WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF ME!?” I scream.

“I even tried to arrange everything as much to your liking as possible. I made great concessions here! See? It's hard for me, but doing it three times is absolutely necessary for three children. I know you don't like doing it, but this world doesn't have in vitro fertilization. I looked it up. Inventing it would probably take too much time. You are a monk after all.”

I cover my face with my hands. My head aches with slowly pulsing waves. What is going on here?

“No parents. Whatever misunderstandings you have about my sexual preferences, wipe them out of your mind. Or stop messing with me. If I wanted any relationship at all, it would be a normal one with a normal amount of intercourse. The other problem is the notebook!”

“F- fine! If you can do it more often, more children are possible! But the notebook, what's wrong with it?” She looks down at the notes.

Hah!? More children? No! Now I am sure that she is messing with me! “You set the exact time and date for delivery in there! I know you’ve been a god of Order, but are you some kind of machine? And we are like fire and water!” I have a serious headache now!

“It's fine to have differences. We can watch out for each other’s weaknesses. I don't expect it will work out from one moment to the next. First, we need to understand each other.”

“That sounds too good to be true? What is your plan? How did you even get this idea?” I gesture at the notebook.

She presses her lips together, then bites into the lower one. “It’s hard to say this.”

“Just do.” I cross my arms in front of my chest.

After a moment of thought, she confesses. “It’s the dreams!” Then she spills everything, how she keeps having these weird dreams of Seria which as well could be memories. As a whole, her dreams don’t make much sense, but they seem to indicate that Seria might not be entirely on the Council’s side.

Normally, I would say that Celes is turning nuts, but our situation is a little unique. And Seria was capable of messing with souls. There is no way to tell what she did to us in order to take our godhood away. I wouldn’t outright accuse Celes of going off the deep end, at least not without a proper check-up.

Which needs equipment. Equipment which I don’t have. At least not for another two or three decades.

I may have been silent for a little too long because Celes continues. “Without me, you would be stuck to be alone for all eternity. And I don't want the world to be destroyed. I am living in it after all! It almost ended today, when the perverted wolf girl dug her claws into you! I decided to give you a chance!”

She is the same goody two shoes as in the past… throwing herself in front of certain death to save a world. Back then, she could have easily escaped my last attack. And now she is trying to do it again. At least from her point of view.

I think about the situation while the fire in the hearth sizzles nicely. I still don't understand her reasons completely. What's the problem anyway? You die sometimes, resurrection, death, resurrection, death, it goes on and on and there is no way out.

So why does she even care about this puny world? It's just a prison for us anyway. The only reason why I don't ram a dagger into my heart is that Seria likely has safeguards to catch my soul and set up this whole scenario again.

“What are you thinking?” Suddenly Celes nudges closer. Too close! There has to be some space between us for comfort!

“That you are a masochist?” I shrug. “That this will never work out.”

Suddenly, something wriggles around my hips, up my torso, and around my neck. It’s creepy enough to send shivers down my spine.

“Celes?”

“Yes?”

“What is your tail doing?” I want to fight and get her off of me, but I am still sitting on top of my amulet.

“Oh, I have to put it somewhere. I hope it doesn't inconvenience you. And as long as I have a leash on you, you are less likely to run away,” Celes answers cheerfully. “So, why do you think that this won’t work?”

“Is that why you locked the door?” I ask. “You think that I would run away?”

“Nobody will leave this room until you have given me an answer!” Celes informs me.

“You shouldn't try to adopt the educational methods of our parents.” What will happen if I really try to run?

“Then choose your answer wisely!” she huffs. “What’s the problem?”

I sigh, deciding to play my trump card. “Celes, this relationship that developed between the two of us, it’s like a love-,” her face brightens, “hate relationship.”

It’s suddenly like someone dumped a bucket of cold water onto her head. “Oh.”

I nod. “I hate to break it to you, but over the past years you became to me like a loved and hated... sister.”

Her eyes widen and she coughs. Then she coughs again, throwing up a smidgen of blood, but she quickly pulls out a handkerchief to cover her mouth. She coughs again, staining the white fabric.

Blinking, I touch her shoulder, surprised at the effectiveness of my verbal attack. “Celes? Are you okay? Should we call a doctor?” Then this damned discussion would be finally over.

She raises a hand to stop me. “It’s fine! It’s fine. I was just so surprised that I… I think I broke one of my internal mana channels!”

Ouch! I wince. I did that once when I played with the thought of becoming a martial artist in a world with cultivators where everyone only trained their inner Ki. That hurt like a bitch and I decided to use plain old magic. Blasting enemies with fireballs and force blades is effective enough.

Cleaning her mouth, Celes takes in a deep breath. “It’s alright, just a minor setback. Might cost me a month of training, but I’ll be fine.”

Darn! Is she really not letting go of this topic?

Drawing in another deep breath, Celes concentrates on me. “I understand, but it shouldn’t be an insurmountable hurdle. So, what’s your position on at least trying it step by step?”

“F- fine. We will go on dates and try to make this work out. If it does, good! If not, the world can burn for all I care! But there are requirements! First, if I ever get the idea that you are trying to regulate my life, this whole thing between us is void! Second, if we find someone else, we also stop. Third, get rid of that notebook! It's just too detailed!” I gesture at the accursed thing in her hands.

“The notebook!? I don't want to! I have put my soul into it!” she complains.

“No agreement until the notebook is gone!” I will not budge in this!

This is my last hope. She will surely not comply with this! She put so much effort into this fucking thing.

“F- F- FINE! Then we have an agreement!” she throws the notebook into the open fire at the wall.

As it starts to go up into flames, she pulls out some kind of list and ticks off an item on it.

“Step one is done, just a few more until it gets interesting.” Her eyes have a strange fire in them, causing me concern. I have seen that look a few times on Katrine's face. The first time was when she bondage tortured us into agreeing not to harm each other.

“Why does it feel like I just lost a fight?” I am not happy here! Not happy!

“Oh, darling! Don't think of it as losing a fight, but opening a new path to the future! Sometimes you have to give away something in order to gain the thing you want.”

Her tail tightens down on me and Celes puts on a disturbing smile.