Deep in the forest, surrounded by an abundance of lush greenery, a boy and his slime glided through silently. The boy had extraordinary features that seemed to draw the attention of the world. His dark blue hair and clear blue eyes contrasted with his pale skin. His shabby attire couldn't contain the radiance that was hidden within him, almost as if it was ingrained in his bones. His eyes seemed like they would cut down anyone who stood in his way.
Jade white feet stepped on the grass noiselessly, and if anyone saw him right now, they'd have thought they encountered a ghost in the middle of the night, with how silently and gracefully he was moving as the moonlight shone down gracefully.
The Magic Beasts and monsters hidden in the darkness fearfully shrunk back, warded off by a faint sense of fear, though they didn't know why.
In the darkness of the night, Nine frowned. She'd been walking for more than an hour and had only seen trees. She warded off any curious creatures and monsters using magic, but she hadn't had a proper grasp of it since she hadn't experimented on it yet.
Nine sighed faintly in her heart. Picking a random direction, she continued in a straight line. Inwardly, she called the previous Nine senseless once again. The little girl had left the house and wandered around with only an escort that was clearly up to no good and hadn't brought even a map, water, or anything else.
Nine, "…"
She stared at the useless silver interspatial bracelet dangling on her wrist. She flicked a few charms, satisfied when the charms didn't make any noise no matter how much she shook it. When she sifted through the various memories, she realized that the stupid girl hadn't even put anything inside. Not a sword, not food, not water. She was simply brainless! It was a wonder she even managed to survive that long.
She'd left everything to the escort, only bringing the clothes on her back. Honestly, it wasn't surprising she'd suffered a calamity. Nine shook her head at the previous host's naivety. In this world where the strong ruled, she handed her life over to someone on a silver platter.
After an uncertain amount of time, she finally reached the edge of the forest. Eyes narrowed, she spotted a faint dust beaten path. She looked at it. Truly senseless. Why did the path lead straight to the forest and not in it? It practically stopped right at the edge. If they were going to make a path, they should do it properly! Suddenly, she had many doubts about the common sense of the people in this world.
Step by step, Nine walked on the beaten road. Her expression didn't change in the least. Through the night, her steps never faltered. She simply seemed like a machine that only knew how to go forwards.
Slowly, the sun started to rise. Nine's eyes firmed when she finally noticed the gates in sight.
High walls made of shining white marble surrounded the capital of the Cosmos Empire. Nine could see the city that seemed so familiar in the memories of the previous Nine. At this moment, the sunlight hit the city, casting it into splendour as the white marble walls gleamed and glistened, blinding whomever stared at it. It gave the city the feeling of light and purity, causing those who looked at it for the first time to exclaim in wonder.
The walls were made so well they looked seamless, each block was precisely measured and crafted, fitting together like it was made that way. They were engraved with runes of magic, causing them to be unbelievably tough. Even a hundred Magicians would find it hard to bring the walls down. A single block of this took a good thirty days to make.
A guard on duty squinted his eyes amongst the harsh morning sun as he spotted what thought to be a suspicious figure walking alone on the path to the gates. He lifted a hand to block the glare of the sun, squinting harder before exclaiming with shock when the figure disappeared. Puzzled, he glanced around before realizing he couldn't see the figure anywhere. Instantly, he alerted the rest of the guards, causing all of them to stay on high alert for the rest of the day.
Already past the wall and safely inside the city, Nine was pleasantly surprised at how well trained the soldiers were. They didn't dismiss something simply as their imagination, instead taking their duties seriously.
Casually, Nine made her way into the waking city. Merchants were setting up their stores, kids were coming out to play. The adults were starting with their day, the kids were out to play. The city seemed like a typical city, but the true secrets lay beneath.
Cosmos City was the heart of Cosmos Empire. What lived in Cosmos stayed in Cosmos. Truly, once a member always a member. The citizens of Cosmos City were very proud of their citizenship. Their loyalty to their homeland was particularly noteworthy.
What you saw on the surface was only a small fraction of the otherwise bustling capital. Merchants who visited never realized. Tourists only marvelled about the beauty of the surface, but everyone who lived in Cosmos City knew that the true beauty lay underneath.
Untouched by pollution, Cosmos City was in fact an underwater wonder. As grand as things seemed on the top, the bottom was actually at least twice as large and twice as majestic.
The water was clear and transparent. The sea life under coexisted peacefully with the humans. Everyone in the city knew how to craft a certain set of runes. They lived and died in this city, and it was their pride and joy.
Everyday, you could spot people of all ages having fun in the water. They chased and dashed, propulsion spells or not, human or not. Everyone of all ages used spells to keep their clothes dry and breathe underwater. If they didn't want to use it, they could use swimsuits or oxygen tanks. They were free to choose and free to live.
Their homes built on the surface was indeed beautiful, but it was sorely lacking as compared to what was seen below. Citizens of Cosmos City treated the upstairs like an attic. You stored things there, and you went there for a little break at times, but you spent most of your time in your home below.
Cosmos City seemed deceptively small, because the real life started below. Adults and children alike fell asleep to the swaying waters and wandering sea life in their home below. By the glass, they slept. Exquisite scenery was just out the window.
Why ever would the people of Cosmos City leave, when their home was the most beautiful?
Nine touched a public rune on the side of a lamp post, her figure disappearing as the rune reacted to her magical signature.
Surrounded with water, Nine took a careful breath. She relaxed slightly when she realized that the runes were indeed still working as they had been intended to. Sharp eyes glanced around as she inwardly marvelled about the beauty that lay in front of her. Never before had she seen such a sight. Knowing about it from memories and experiencing it first hand was a world of difference.
She could only describe it as magical.
This was her city. As a Crown Prince, Nine would have a duty to uphold whether she liked it or not. Or rather, Nine had just decided that she would uphold her duty as was expected of her after seeing the waking people go about their day with a joy in them that seemed very real. She didn't decide to do it because it was her 'duty' but because she didn't want the beautiful scenes in front of her to vanish.
Duty or not, Nine would have fought and watched the world burn rather than do something she didn't want to. She could be coaxed but not threatened.
Slowly, Nine took her time as she enjoyed the sights in front of her. Something like this would never have been possible back on Earth. Magic was truly a wonder. It could cause people to live freely like this underwater, hidden from above.
Nine drifted, keeping her indifference on her face. No matter how much she was amazed in her heart, she wouldn't show it. Showing emotions were the greatest signs of weakness. As a Crown Prince, she would have many enemies.
She would do what she wanted in this life. She only had one more, after all. Free and unfettered, that's what she would be.