CHAPTER 10 – ARC 2

It seems like in recent times, whenever I wake up, something has either gone wrong or I’m about to find out that something has gone wrong. Waking up today the exact thing happened. Honestly, Aion had warned me that time works differently on Arcadia, mum’s garden, and the divine realm. Each has its own variation of time. A day in mum’s garden would not even be a second in either Arcadia or the divine realm, but an hour in the divine realm would be equal to a day in Arcadia.

According to Aion, I spent sixteen hours in the divine realm, that makes it so that I had missed a total of sixteen days on Arcadia. So with that, you can imagine how shocked Erika would be, when she finds someone who has been passed out for the past sixteen days suddenly sitting up, while she was about to wipe down my body. I repeat while she was about to wipe down my body.

She was so shocked that she accidentally poured a basin filled with water onto me. I was completely drenched, and so too was my bed. Guess I am not sleeping in that bed tonight. Hopping out of the now soaked bed, I tried to calm the overexcited Erika who was hyperventilating.

She only calmed down when I told her that I was drenched, and that if I did not get a change of clothes soon, I would get sick. Pulling herself together Erika went to get a change of clothes while I went to my bathroom to clean myself up.

Now that I have my memories of my life on earth back, I cannot help but compare how different but similar the two worlds were. While Arcadia was not technologically advanced in areas relating to physics and chemistry, they were fairly advanced in magical technology for military purposes and daily objects. Let’s take my bathroom, for example, when I turn on the tap to fill up the bath it functions completely the same as those back on earth. However, the difference is where the water comes from. Back on earth, the water would most likely be pumped through great distances using high pressure to reach our homes and out the tap. Here in Arcadia or at least for people who were not dirt poor and could not afford a monster crystal to attach onto their tap to produce water.

Things like this water tap mechanism, were more advance than that of earth's technology in this regard as it means less of a reliance on public infrastructure that might I add were not always available. However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, that would be impossible. I'm not sure why it is such to be exact, but I think it may be due to how convenient magic can be. While not everyone can be good at it, most people can conjure a spark to start a fire or a cup of water when they are thirsty. This convenience is why I believe that people don’t try to explore further as they see no need for it. They only have one rune array for many appliances. If they work, they won’t change anything about it.

I am sure some people might have the heart of a researcher and attempt to change something, but that only leads to another issue, factions. People here are not willing to share what they know. Only leaving their knowledge down to one or two apprentices. This practice has greatly slowed down the distribution of knowledge.

Even in schools like the academy magic is self-taught with an instructor overlooking everyone and occasionally giving advice. They don’t teach anything in the magic course at the academy it's more for show, unlike the adventurer, knight, literature, and history courses where they actually teach things.

The bottom line is everyone knows the Standard Arcadian language and can count their own change so they do not get scammed. However, education was different, it was limited to the select few that can afford to go to the academy, which is also the only school in the whole of Kar.

While I was lost in thought in the bath, Erika returned with my change of clothes noticeably, she was much calmer than before. To be honest, I didn’t need her to bring me a change of clothes. I just need to think about it, and I would be completely changed into the dress that had appeared on my body during the claiming of my domains. I would not even need to brush my hair or take a bath as it could automatically clean me up and change me into that form kind, it was kind of like a magical girl transformation in the animes I used to watch. However, I was trying to avoid it as according to Theias anyone that sees me in that form would instantly recognise that I was a goddess.

When you are trying to calm someone who has known you for the greater part of your life, it is kind of counterintuitive when they find out they do not actually know you, and especially if you are a goddess. While I am not going to hide the fact that I am a goddess from her, and will tell her eventually now was not the time. I should wait until at least until Claude and Ingrid are here, it would be even better if my friends are present as well before I recount what happened. If only to spare me the trouble of telling this story to different people multiple times.

Finishing off my bath, it was time for me to find Claude and Ingrid. I was sure that they knew that I have woken up and would come to find me as soon as they were free, so I might as well go look for them and stretch my body for a bit. Additionally, I also sent a few messengers to ask my friends to come find me in the main palace where Claude and Ingrid would be.

Along the way I had Erika inform me about what had happened while I had been asleep for the past sixteen days. A few things had happened in time that I had been in the divine realm.

For starters, my body had started glowing soon after I opening the chest and collapsed. Claude had seriously been blaming himself for making me open the chest. He felt that he had caused me to fall into a permanent sleep. Stuck with the guilt he became severely depressed getting worse by the day. He only pulled himself together when general Harlow sent news that the situation in Zenith was more dire than we originally thought. Knowing that the sooner I got to him the sooner he would feel better I decided to walk a bit faster, but due to the size of the palaces, it would still take me a few minutes to get there.

Thus, Erika continued recounting the events that had happened. My friends have been taking turns visiting me and helping to massage and stretch my body, so that it would not be stiff when I woke up. Their actions were highly touching. On a normal day, they were all traitors the lot of them, and did not place my status as a princess in their eyes, but when it matters, they would leap at the opportunity to support and help me in any way they could.

We finally arrived outside of Claude’s office seeing Gil and Alec standing on guard outside I wonder if there have been any updates on the situation in Zenith or if he was in a meeting.

Gil and Alec were glad to find that I was up and well. Now that I think about it, they were also in the room when it all happened. As Claude’s most trusted knights I think it would be fine for them to find out as well. They could be considered my first instructors in the way of the knight, and they did watch me grow up.

Claude must have informed them ahead of time as Alec let me in without knocking on the door. The first thing I saw looking into the office was a haggard but still handsome man in his twenties, along with a beautiful and heroic-looking woman by his side, and a common soldier. They were Claude and Ingrid as well as what I assume was a messenger from general Harlow army going by the winged emblem and the number three on his armour.

The messenger stopped when he noticed that someone had entered the room, but Claude indicated for him to continue. While I hadn’t heard the whole story, it would seem that Zenith was still holding strong now, but would only for six months if they were lucky and three if more monsters showed up.

While I was not familiar with large military manoeuvres and developments as general Harlow had not taught us about it yet, from Claude’s face, I could tell that it was bad. Claude leaned back in his chair as he massaged his temple thinking about what to do. Finally, he sat up straight again he voiced his decision.

“Messenger hear my command. Inform general Harlow that due to the dire situation in Zenith he is to coordinate with the Zenith military. Additionally, I will also allow for the mobilisation of the third army under his command in support of the Dukedom of Zenith against the monster army under the control of the vampire lord. You are to go immediately, dismissed.”

The messenger quickly saluted and rush to complete his task without a second to lose. With so many lives at stake, I don’t blame him.

Sitting in front of Claude, I didn’t know what to say and neither did he. We just sat there in silence for a full minute. It was then that Ingrid standing beside Claude couldn’t stand the silence anymore pocked him in the waist. With a jolt, he quietly whispered as if any louder and I would be frightened or hurt.

“You are fine now?”

“Yes, I am fine, sorry for worrying you.”

As if not completely believing me he showed a look of doubt. To prove to him that I was fine I got out of the comfy chair and jumped around for a bit. Only then did he believe me that I was fine.

“Claude, I am really fine. You do not have to feel guilty about it. It was not even your fault to begin with. You had no idea that it would happen.”

Ingrid completely agreeing with me was nodding along.

“That is right Claude, it was not your fault. I kept telling you that you just did not believe me. See, Ayra is completely fine now.”

“Claude, I think you should have a rest you look like some who has not slept in days.”

Through my domain, I instinctively knew that Claude hadn’t been sleeping well in the past half a month. Even without it, you could easily tell.

Giving a nod Claude got up and left his seat. Heading to the bed he had in a side room made for situations like this when he needs to rest while working. As he went past me, I grab his hand and channelled a bit of my divinity into him as I knew that it would help him sleep better. He looked a bit confused about my actions, but I masked it by loudly pretending to whisper in his ears that he should clean himself up. Because if he did not, Ingrid would leave him for someone that did not look like they had been through a warzone.

Ingrid having heard what I said, giggled a bit but did not deny it either. Feeling scared that his beloved wife would leave him, he rushed to get himself cleaned up. I honestly felt that he was being silly it was plain to see that Ingrid really loved him and would not leave him for some superficial reason like his looks. I guess when you truly love someone you just cannot help but worry about these things.

Once Claude left it, was Ingrid turn to fuss over me. She had only been acting like she was not worried while Claude was around, to not stress him even more. Now that he had left Ingrid started to check on whether I was fine.

After half an hour of fussing, she finally let me go, when Erika informed me that my friends had arrived and were waiting for me in a guest lounge down stairs. We decided that I would go meet my friends first, while Ingrid would wait for Claude to wake up before we gather for lunch as I had something to tell them all.

Even with seeing me awake and well my friends still bombarded me with their concern all the way until lunch.