"Isn't it polite to introduce yourself first before demanding someone's name?" I looked at this 'genie' incredulously.
She just blinked at me in confusion, staring intently as if my face would give away some kind of secret. "I am Jinn, spirit of the Relic of Knowledge." She hovered over the lamp, seemingly regaining her composure as she crossed her legs and crossed her arms over her breasts.
"Kay."
She frowned, as if to expect some other kind of reaction. "Who are you, why can I not see you?" She slowly descended, landing in front of me.
"First name -- Bob, last name -- The Builder." I was curious what she meant by not being able to see me, though I had some guesses if she was the spirit of this so called 'Relic of Knowledge'. Probably not the best idea to say my name to her before I know what's going on.
"No, you're not." She rubbed her temples, ignoring what ridiculous name I gave her. "You are – y-you—W—Wil—" Her eyes began to glow brightly as she stared at me. I could practically taste the magical power flowing around her. "You are infinite." Her eyes rolled back, and she went limp. I quickly moved to catch her, her legs wobbly as she seemed to need a moment to regain her focus. Her eyes unglazed, set on me again as her hand hesitantly reached out to cup my cheek. "You're real." She whispered, as she went to poke my arm and chest.
"I would hope so."
She just giggled to herself as her focus drifted back to me and she calmed down. "How did you get here?"
"Well, I was looking for the restroom, and one thing led to another, here I was."
She gave me a deadpanned look. "You came to this dimension by accident?" She said dryly.
"Yup." No idea what she's talking about.
"You're lying." She stated, tilting her head. "I'm being lied to." She whispered to herself again, turning back to me. "Do it again."
"Do what?" I just blinked in confusion.
"Lie to me."
"…I'm a giant purple platypus?"
She let out a cute little giggle. "I can't tell if you're speaking the truth or not, I don't know."
"I am missing context here." I interjected on her little laughing fit.
She smiled, turning towards me again. "I am Jinn, Spirit for the relic of Knowledge. I know everything past and present. Every century I can answer three questions about anything not pertaining to the future, two questions remain."
"Oh." Well, that isn't good.
"And you, are unknown to me." Her face invaded my personal space. "There are only two individuals that I cannot see, I cannot 'hear'. You are most certainly not one of the brother gods."
Welp, looks like you were right Ddraig.
[Knew it.]
How much you want to bet these gods are responsible for why the world is fucked up?
[Suckers bet.]
"So, like, you can hear people's thoughts?" She had a form of clairvoyance I guess, to see everything that's going on in the world.
"I know everything past and present."
"And you can't hear my thoughts."
"Correct."
"Oh, that's good, would be awkward otherwise."
"I don't have to read your thoughts to know what you're thinking." She rolled her eyes, her arms pushing against her breasts for added effect.
"That's fair." I nodded.
They were very nice boobs.
"I have two questions remaining for this Century, you may ask your questions."
"I'm guessing that I have to 'intend' to use said questions, otherwise they would have been used up already."
"That is correct." She stated.
"Huh, are you allowed to just tell me whatever you want?" If so, that would be a big loophole.
"I am not allowed to divulge information unknown to you, other than my purpose and my origin and anything that corresponds to my use." She iterated.
"That seems…..mildly exploitable if you were keen to." I pointed out, earning a small smirk from her. "But I don't really have any questions that need the use of magic to answer right now." I would think this over a bit, see if anything stuck out. I was not really hung up on any particular issue that needed this method to deliver an answer. "I'll see you later." I waived at her, turning around, only for her to block my way.
Probably best to not mess around with this thing if I don't need to.
"You're leaving?"
"Uh…yes? Places to be, people to see."
"And you aren't taking me?" She gestured towards the supposed Relic.
"I hadn't planned on it." Felt weird to take it now…..maybe if it were a weapon or something I would be more enthused, but it's probably useless outside of Remnant.
"Take me with you." She said sternly.
"That seems like more trouble than its worth." I replied. "I hesitate to ask why you want to come with me."
"How long do you think this dimension has existed? How long do you think it has been since another person has found and used me?" She asked, clearly getting around the issue of telling me information I 'wouldn't know'.
"So, you're lonely here?" I hazarded a guess.
"I looked at you." She pushed her forehead against mine, staring into my eyes. "So many colors, Remnant is just one tiny little speck."
My face hardened, realizing what she was talking about. "You tried to peek at something you shouldn't have." My eyes narrowed at her.
She hesitated for a moment, stepping back. "I am Jinn, Spirit for the Relic of Knowledge, I am supposed to 'know everything'. Never before have I not known something unless it was the hands of my creators, now something like 'that' was dangled infront of me..." She sounded excited.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Take me with you." She reiterated.
I think I understood what she wanted. "You don't just mean from this place, do you?"
"I don't know what I saw, but there was so much, and I want to know it all." She moved her arms, letting me see her body fully. "Anything you want, I'll give it to you, just please take me with you."
This is not how I expected today go. I guess she more or less parsed that I'm not from 'around here', even if she couldn't quite understand what she peeked at. And how she did that in the first place? Some kind of divine magics woven into her creation, perhaps.
I rubbed my temples, forcing myself to look away.
[Are you going to take her?] Ddraig asked.
I'm considering it.
[Should I remind you not to think with your dick?]
Honestly, I'm not…. I actually have an idea of how she would be useful. My home needs something to hold together the magics to overlay it on multiple world-lines. That Lamp is holding this dimension together, my guess is that it would work for my needs. And from what she's talking about, I don't think she would mind looking after everything as long as she can continue to learn new things.
[So, you want her as what, your maid?]
If she's fine with that? And that's a bit pedantic compared to what I explained.
[And you don't think there would be any issues in taking her with us?]
I have no idea what she was created for, what her true purpose is beyond just answering these 'questions'. But, she's a sapient creature, a 'person' who expressed her own will, if this is what she wants and she's okay with the terms, I would have a clear conscious in anything that happens afterwards.
I turned back towards Jinn. "Are you're not abandoning your duty by wanting to come with me?" Honestly had no idea what she was intended for, so I was just taking a shot in the dark here.
"I am only obligated to answer questions when the quota is available for whoever holds the relic." She stated.
I rubbed my chin at her words. "So as long as I keep your 'answers' at 0, that means no one would ever be able to force something out of you." She smiled brightly at my statement as I paced lightly around the area, thinking this through.
Admittedly, she checked quite a few of my boxes….
Fuck it, what am I even being hesitant for? "I'm a greedy person." I turned my gaze back at her. "Once you agree to this, you'll be mine and I don't give up what's mine." I made sure she knew what she was getting into.
"I already said I would give you everything." She smiled. "Take me with you. I want to see everything, know everything out there."
"Fine." I conceded. "I'll have a job for you soon, for now, return to the relic, I'll take it with me."
She gave me a smile, quickly placing her lips against my cheek before dissipating and turning into smoke that got swept back up into the lamp. I didn't take it yet, less this dimension come crashing down on me.
[I have a thought.]
"Is it about how I just accepted a genie as my employee?"
[No, its something else.] Ddraig spoke. [I remember looking at the book you read, the one about the Kingdoms.]
"Yeah?"
[Well, wasn't the symbol of this kingdom a Lamp…..similarly to this one you just obtained?]
"You don't think….?" I mean, it could be a coincidence. But, then again, it is a divinely created item, hidden under the city of the kingdom that uses it as a symbol....
[And there was one Kingdom whose symbol was a sword.]
"Oh." I took a moment to contemplate what he just said. "Well, Ddraig, I think I should pay a visit to Vacuo." Coincidence or not, definitely going to check this out. The relic was on the kingdom's flag, under the kingdom's Academy. Other Kingdoms have objects on their flags as well, each also having a huge Academy....not a big leap in logic.
[Ah, that was the Kingdom's name.]
"Yup, I feel like there are some very educational reasons that I can't care to make up to rationalize stealing that sword." If It exists, that is. Well, guess it's time to pay a visit to the big desert to the west.
[Well, she did say that she doesn't get visitors, so it's likely this sword, if it does exist, is also sealed away.]
"Wait, she said three wishes a century and only two remained, that means she was visited within the last century." I rubbed my chin. I don't think she can actually lie…..so there appears to be more going on than what I know, but at the same time Jinn wouldn't be much help unless I used her 'questions'. "The plot thickens." I muttered, pushing away thoughts for now. It really didn't concern me for the moment.
I yoinked the Relic quickly, opening up a new passage out of this sub dimension.
My day was far from over yet.
***
Sorry for the late post, didn't get home until around midnight from work. Okay, so I may have accidently lied last chapter and said Power of Destruction was this chapter, it's actually next chapter. I blame that on how tired I was yesterday when I posted. So Jinn joins up and is going to solve the issue with his house needing something to hold the magics together while also taking care of it for him. She sees a tiny bit of what the MC is hiding, decides she wants some of that, MC is only....partially thinking with a certain part of his anatomy.
Anyways, if you want to read 5 chapters ahead or support me, visit my pat.reon.com/astoryforone.