A giant red mechanical doll could be seen in a crouching position, locked away in chains residing deep within my subconscious. It looked far more advanced than what normal humans could achieve in a lifetime. In my past life, we couldn't even reach this far, but in Zemuria they managed to achieve this feat.
Without a doubt, this being Roselia and I were now standing in front of after showing her my past life memories, was none other than the Vermillion Apocalypse, or what eventually become the Vermillion Knight, Testa-Rossa. Testa-Rossa was currently locked away inside my subconscious. The heat it was releasing was quite strong, even with Roselia's calming spell currently active.
"To think you would be one of the chosen ones to pilot a divine knight...An Awakener. And perhaps your reincarnation is tied to this knight as well. I have no idea what that other place of yours was called though.", Roselia uttered to herself with interest, observing the chained Testa-Rossa.
"That place is called Earth. Back there, we were quite alone comparatively to the rest of the universe we resided in. Magic was essentially non-existent there as well.", I said, explaining Earth's situation to Roselia, causing her to raise her eyebrows.
"A place like that exists?"
"I am not sure anymore thanks to my reincarnation. I am now here with you beside me, Roselia."
"Umu, I still see you as a brat though. Regardless of both your lifetimes, I've lived for over a millennium after all.", Roselia retorted back at me.
"Haha, over a thousand years? Shall I change how I should address you then? How does Grandmother Roselia sound?", I responded with a chuckle.
The moment she heard that, Roselia's pupils turned into two slits again and and she spoke back at me in a cold voice.
"Please don't. Just call me Rose. We are far past pleasantries now.", Roselia said. "And the people at me village call me that.", Roselia said.
"Is that so? I'll call you Rose then.", I answered, smiling back at her
"Umu.", Roselia nodded with her head in agreement.
I guess Roselia no longer wants to kill me after showing her what I wanted to show, seeing her behave like this. She even told me to call her Rose. Those informal with Roselia often call her that. So I guess that is a good sign?
I saw her head turn my way before speaking again.
"From what you have shown me, there are a couple things for concern, especially with that crazy timeline of yours. I do not know how accurate it is, but before that..." Roselia to me.
"..Before that?"
"You wanted me to have a look at this knight, right? 'Tis be called Testa-Rossa. The Vermillion Knight. Its abilities to wield weapons is said to be uncanny. It has met no match. You know the name already.", Roselia explained.
"Yes. But shouldn't only those of the Arnor line of Erebonia's imperial family be able to pilot this knight? My father mentioned that he is a commoner. I came to learn of mother's situation a bit as well."
"It only means one thing, boy. You possess the blood of the Arnor line as well.", Roselia explained.
"How can that be? If its anything in relation to my mother, I am a member of a different royalty, but not part of the Arnor line.", I spoke back, confused.
"It is your eyes.", Roselia continued to explain. "Those eyes, I have not seen them since that blasted war over two centuries ago, the same one that took Lianne's life away from me..", Roselia said, looking back at me. A hint of sadness was carried in her voice.
"My eyes...I knew they were something. I went to several doctors in my past life, but they could not determine the cause for them to look like they do now."
"Erebonia likely kept it under wraps after that War of the Lions ended. After all, a single house of a Dukedom was wiped clear off the map. I hadn't expect its bloodline to continue in secret though.", Roselia explained of what happened during the War of the Lions.
This war was one of the more well-known wars, as it was mostly internal strife within Erebonia, allowing Emperor Dreichels to seize its land in its entirety, rising up to become its next emperor. It was this Emperor Dreichels that Roselia was currently looking for, and to which I showed that result through my past memories. Several princes at the time had an immense power struggle, which resulted in that war.
"I only recollect the Four Great Houses. I didn't think there would be a fifth. Not even father brought that up.", I responded back to Roselia. Even that surprised me. Don't tell me did my existence alone in coming here alter the past to that extent? To think there would be a fifth house....
"That's because your father is a soldier of that empire. And a high rank one. If he revealed such a secret, it would not look good for him.", Roselia said.
"That is true...As a soldier he would be forced to keep his lips shut, but I guess you aren't part of the military, Rose. So that doesn't apply to you.", I said with a smile.
"That's right. As a reward for showing me what to focus on next, I will tell you the name of that fallen house.", Roselia said with a nod.
"Really!?", I responded in excitement.
"I do not go back on my words. Listen carefully, as I'll only say it once. The dukedom that was wiped off the map back then was called House Phoenix. Through their relations to the emperors of the past, they once shared the same blood of the Arnors. On top of that, those that were blessed were granted the Vermillion Eyes, which allowed those to see through the lies of any bastard.", Roselia explained, drawing my interest.
"House Phoenix...Vermillion Eyes...", I uttered softly. It was true, the Gamer System did call my eyes Vermillion Eye. Even though I had leveled it up a bit, it only had two skills that it could use. Detection and Hide. Detection allowed me to detect anyone around, letting them appear on a minimap inside my head. Hide allowed me to Hide my presence from those. Hiding in plain sight wasn't a thing yet, but if I were sneaking around, I could do so successfully. It still had a bit of a ways to go, but I guess the more I level it up, it would eventually give me the ability to see through lies?
It was no wonder House Phoenix was doomed to be wiped off the map if that were the case...
Being in the Trailsverse, that would be a really handy ability, especially where I want to head into next, the DG Cult.
"I can confirm that my eyes are called the Vermillion Eyes. Such a name was given them through that interface I have.", I said to Roselia.
"Is that so? Perhaps your blood is more impure than it suggests. You said you were related to another royal line, correct?", Roselia asked me.
"That's right. I was already introduced to Grandmother. My mother was apparently her sister before she died giving birth to me. Grandmother is the current Queen of Liberl.", I decided to say my situation to Roselia.
"Umu, if that's the case then your blood reeks of impurity. I almost feel sad for you.", Roselia retorted me, shaking her head.
"Haha, tell me about it...", I retorted back at her. "A person with born with the blood of two different royals, it truly wonders who exactly my mother was...", I uttered to myself.
"Perhaps Testa-Rossa found sanctum in your heart, granting you its pity to become its Awakener. From what you have shown me, it sounded like another was destined to become its Awakener.", Roselia spoke with interest.
"That was the case. And going back to earlier what you asked, can you see if this Testa-Rossa is the real thing?", I decided to ask Roselia.
"The real thing eh? Are you suggesting it's not?"
"Not exactly, but you saw it, didn't you? The rise of the Infernal Castle...only within there is where the real Testa-Rossa is slumbering.", I answered her.
"You think this one is not the real one?"
"I am not sure, but it wouldn't hurt to try it out."
"The heat its releasing is real, but very well.", Roselia said, only to fly forward a bit. "Since it is flames, let me extinguish them.", Roselia said, pointing her staff at Testa-Rossa.
"Glacio.", Roselia chanted. In the next moment, dense ice crystals began to form in front of her staff. Fwoosh!
A large pillar of ice crystals shot out, streaking deep within the darkness, heading right at Testa-Rossa. It would clash against the heat, creating steam clouds along the way. The closer it got, Testa-Rossa showed no reaction.
It didn't take long before her spell reached the giant mechanical doll. Both of us were expecting a collision. But to our surprise the large ice pillar phased right through Testa-Rossa's body, as if it was an illusion. Roselia's eyes rose up seeing her attack completely ineffective.
"Were you expecting this?", Roselia asked.
"I guess it's true body is still within the Infernal Castle after all...", I also uttered to Roselia.
However, at this moment, after her attack quieted down, we saw a reaction from Testa-Rossa. It's eyes glowed a crimson red for a brief moment before the two of us.
[Intruder detected. Invoking ejection process. Mana release in 3...2...1.]
"Oh shit--", I tried to curse out only to see Testa-Rossa lash out at Roselia. Roselia quickly accepted her fate and spoke out to me.
"Boy, we are not done here yet--!?", Roselia tried to say, only see Testa-Rossa flash a bit of mana from it's body.
In the next moment, Roselia's body twisted and distorted from my mind, causing her to vanish as if she got ejected...
Seeing this happen before me, I blinked my eyes at Testa-Rossa.
"...Was that you, Testa-Rossa?", I couldn't help but utter at the giant red mechanical doll.
It remained quiet for a good moment, but unexpectedly, it let out the same voice it had spoken just a moment before, causing another wave of surprise to reach me.
[It is not yet time. Grow stronger, my future Awakener. Let that witch guide you in your Trials. Only then will you be able to reach me.], Testa-Rossa said, letting a voice reach deep inside my mind. In the next moment, the red glow in its eyes dulled, as if it returned to its slumber.
"Testa-Rossa...", I uttered softly to myself, seeing no further action from Testa-Rossa.
Seeing nothing else happening here, I too decided to leave my mindscape, slowly returning to the real world. As I did, anticipation of the future appeared in my eyes.
*
If MC's sister did show up would you guys prefer her as an OC?
Don't forget to drop those power stones!
For those newer, I typically release 3-4 chapters a week. I typically post them when I can, but I may stick to a schedule of Sun Tues & Fri. Any chapters written more will be posted likely on Sat.