[Day 1]
Location: Planet Aitera
After Abel was set off from the Starship, his Evacuation Pod made it to Planet Aitera. His Pod was currently inside the planet, finding itself near a forest.
The forest was peaceful as you can hear birds chirping, leaves from trees were shaking in the wind, water flowing from a river east to west. Suddenly everything went silent, then
BOOOOOOM!!!
*rumble*
A young woman who looked to be in her twenties was in a moderate distance, picking fruits off trees. She had short blonde hair, emerald colored eyes. Her ears were small but the ends were pointed. She wore a light green colored dress, it was a bit tattered at the ends and she had a joyful expression on her face. She was a real beauty to where if someone saw her, their hearts would jump out of their chests.
The young woman heard the loud explosion. She looked to where the explosion came from and felt light winds approaching her. The winds started to pick up its pace forcing her to cover her face with her arms, trying to block the massive shockwave from approaching.
After some time when everything started to settle down, the young woman carefully and silently went to check what the loud explosion was. As she arrived at the location, what greeted her was a dust cloud. The dust cloud quickly dissipated showing a huge crater that looked like a foreign object in the center.
'W-What is that thing?!' the young woman thought to herself.
Some time had passed and she realized that nothing was happening so she put down her basket outside the crater, carefully approaching the foreign object.
Why did she approach it when she obviously knew that it could be dangerous? She didn't know either...It was like it was calling to her.
As she approached the object, she stopped a few meters away from it. Then she started to stare at it for a few minutes like she was in a dazed state.
<"Scanning Target...">
The object emitted a robotic voice snapping the woman out of her daze. She felt a chilling feeling down her back and her blood felt cold. She dared not to move an inch because her senses told her that if she moved something dangerous was going to happen.
<"Scan Completed.">
<"Name: Sylvie Trismyar. Sex: Female. Age: 65. Race: Half-Elf. Personality: Kind, Cheerful, Courteous, Friendly, Good-Natured">
'WHAT?! How does it know me?! I've never seen or heard anything like that!' Sylvie panicked inwardly
<"Target: Sylvie Trismyar acceptable to leave Master Abel in their care">
'Master Abel?' Sylvie thought to herself
<"Disintegrating Evacuation Pod... Sylvie Trismyar!">
"HAH?! W-What... Are you talking to me?" Sylvie asked
<"Correct. I am not programmed to have long periods of conversation. I was programmed to find a suitable target to leave Master Abel to. You are an acceptable target. Please protect Master Abel with your life as he is very important">
Sylvie glanced around the Evacuation Pod then asked
"Where is this Master Abel then?"
<"After I disintegrate, you will find Master Abel. You are forbidden to tell him or anyone else of what transpired today">
"O-Okay" She said nervously
The Evacuation Pod disintegrated, leaving behind a beautiful wooden basket that had a baby lying in it. The baby seemed to be sleeping peacefully with its thumb sticking in its mouth.
Sylvie approached the wooden basket then glanced at Abel with a confused expression on her face. This is the first time in her 65 years of life where she felt so confused. If she told anyone anything about what happened today, no one would've believed her.
She picked up the wooden basket carrying Abel. She was surprised that the Evacuation Pod was nowhere to be seen. She glanced down at the peaceful sleeping baby.
"Where did you come from?" she then started to look around to see where that foreign object could've been launched from, but she knew that no one, to her knowledge, would've been able to make that object and also knew that throwing something that well built was foolish. She then glanced at the sky but she could only see flocking birds flapping away from her position.
She glanced down at the Abel for a few seconds then smiled and said
"...But I have to admit, this baby is pretty cute"
She held Abel's hand for a few minutes, looking to see if he was alright. She then quickly left the crater picking up her basket then entered the forest again.
She made her way outside the forest, walking to a village that was in front of her.
She saw two guards standing outside the gate who looked like they were on high alert because of the loud explosion in the forest. She continued to walk to the village gate only to be stopped by the guards.
""STOP!"" demanded the Guards
"What's wrong? You two never stopped me before" said Sylvie with an immediate frown appearing on her face.
"This...You were in the forest when the explosion happened right, Sylvie?" said the Guard on the left
"Yeah, so?" asked Sylvie
Sylvie knew what the guards were about to ask but she still remembers what the foreign object told her. She dared not speak about what happened because she didn't know what could happen if she did.
The guards looked at each other then glanced back at Sylvie, then the guard on the right asked
"Did you see what the cause of the explosion was?"
Sylvie gripped the wooden basket that was carrying Abel. She looked at the guard on the right and said
"I'm sorry, I have not. I was just picking fruits from the trees" She picked up the basket carrying the fruits.
The right looked at the basket carrying the fruits. The Guard on the left looked down and saw the basket carrying a baby. The Guard on the left had a confused expression on his face.
"Say, Sylvie... When you left the village a few hours ago, you were only carrying one basket for the fruits, you didn't have a second basket with you nor was there a baby..." said the Guard as he paused for a brief moment. He then continued "...The other basket you're carrying looks really expensive for someone who's just a village girl. Where did you find the baby and the basket?"
Sylvie had an indifferent expression on her face but her blood started to race from feeling nervous from the words that the left Guard spoke. She knew that they would ask but it was still nerve racking. She was quickly trying to find an excuse then she thought of something
"You know that sometimes I leave the village to visit my friend, Fayeth, who lives south in the forest, right? She just had her baby but due to personal reasons she's unable to take care of it..." Sylvie paused for a brief moment, then continued "...She asked me to care of the baby until her issues are dealt with"
"..."
"..."
Sylvie only hoped that the guards would believe her made up story. If they didn't then she knew that it would be a headache to clean up after.
The Guards heard what Sylvie said and thought of the person named Fayeth. They knew she would visit her on numerous occasions, but they haven't seen her as most of the people inside the village didn't associate with anyone that isn't a part of the village.
The village was a very remote place located in the forest and because of that they barely get any visitors. That was because the people who lived outside the forest called it "Death Mist Forest". You would have to be a criminal or a fool to enter the forest willingly.
The guards dared not ask further because anyone who lived beyond the village in the forest wasn't someone they wanted to afford to mess with. They looked at each other then looked at Abel and back at Sylvie
"Right...Make sure you let the village chief know, Sylvie" said the left Guard
"Yeah, make sure that the next time you leave the village, you at least carry some kind of weapon to protect yourself" said the right Guard
"I know, thank you boys" said Sylvie then smiled beautifully
The two guards averted their gaze and blushed. If anyone else had seen the smile she made, they wouldn't be any better.
Sylvie then entered the village and observed her surroundings . The village was practically empty. The reason why is because everyone felt safer in their homes rather than roaming around the village. They feared that while they were outside of their homes, the village would get attacked by bandits or something worse.
'Sigh...Thankfully they didn't push any further, saving me the headache' Sylvie inwardly said
Sylvie made her way to the village chiefs house, then stood outside in front of the door for a brief moment and sighed.
*Knock Knock Knock*
"Village chief, It's me, Sylvie" Sylvie paused for a moment then continued "Can we talk for a moment"
"...Come in" said the village chief
Sylvie opened the door then glanced around the room. There were numerous furniture made of wood, the fireplace was lit, birds chirping in cages hanging from the ceiling. The room felt comfortable.
After looking around, she focused her gaze at an old man sitting in a wooden rocking chair, reading a book. He looked peaceful, rocking back and forth flipping through pages.
The old man was the village chief. He had long white hair that was in a low ponytail. He wore glasses that looked like they were well made. Behind those glasses was his maroon colored eyes. He wore a plaid shirt with red and white stripes which looked decently tailored.
"...What is it, Sylvie" said village chief snapping Sylvie out of her daze
She set the baskets with fruits on a countertop that was on her left. She walked towards the village chief. She was working up the courage to say what was on her mind, she breathed in and out and asked
"Uh, If I may ask..."
"I'm waiting" said the village chief as he continued to read the book while rocking his chair. It was as if anything she was about to say didn't have any importance to him.
"Right...You know my friend that lives south of the forest, right?" Sylvie asked
"Yes...What was her name...Fayeth, right?" said village chief as he still flipped through pages
"Correct. I haven't told anyone but she was pregnant for a time and just recently had her baby..." said Sylvie
"Get to the point, Sylvie" said the village chief. He was getting annoyed from being interrupted from his reading time
"R-Right! Well she asked me to take care of her baby at the orphanage due to personal issues. Since this baby is an outsider, I want to ask for your permission for him to be placed in the orphanage" said Sylvie
Sylvie was very, very nervous because it was not uncommon knowledge that the village chief wasn't a very patient man. The village chief wasn't known for helping the weak. He didn't care for anyone but himself. The village had a certain flow going on as if it was a simulation. Anything that dared threaten that flow, he would try to get rid of it.
The village chief stopped rocking and flipping through pages. He was processing everything Sylvie had just said. He first got frustrated because Sylvie was interrupting his reading time, he then got angry from what she just said. He turned to look at Sylvie with a glint of annoyance in his eyes.
Sylvie froze as that one look from the village chief paralyzed her. She felt goosebumps running down her body. A small bead of sweat appeared on Sylvie's forehead.
The village chief then glanced at the basket that she was holding. He stopped reading and closed his book, he then sat up and looked at the baby that was in the basket. He looked at Sylvie again then back at the baby.
The village chief was angry at the situation but kept an indifferent expression on his face. He focused on the baby's face and felt some sort of weird comfort. He wasn't sure why he felt that from the baby but he was really confused.
He pondered for a bit leaving the nervously Sylvie in her head anxiously waiting for his response. He then slouched back down in his chair and started to rock his chair. He opened is book back up then he said
"The baby can stay at the orphanage..." said the village chief
Sylvie felt relieved and a warm feeling started to bubble up in her chest. A bright smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you, Chief! said Sylvie
'I didn't think it was going to be this easy!' Sylvie thought to herself.
However, the village chief wasn't finished.
"...But since the baby is an outsider, its portion of food will be less than the other kids. When it grows up, it'll have to work if it wants to be fed...Understood?" said the village chief in a cold tone.
When Sylvie heard him, that smile rested and the warm feeling went away as if it never happened. The whole room was silent, the only thing that could be heard was the fire in the fireplace crackling.
"...Understood, chief" said Sylvie
"Alright then. Let me continue my reading" said the village chief as he started to read
"...Yes" said Sylvie as she went to the countertop. She picked up the basket and walked to the door. As she was about to open the door, she took one last glance at the village chief.
'How can you be so cold-hearted' Sylvie thought to herself
She then opened the door and left the village chiefs house. She then made her way to the village orphanage. Before entering, she looked at the orphanage. It was in pretty bad shape. There were holes in the walls, the roof looked like it could collapse at any second. The place practically looked abandoned.
However, Sylvie warmly smiled then said
"Were home, Abel"
She opened the door and entered the orphanage.
...
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Thank you for reading! If you have any questions/issues/comments please write a comment and I'll try to answer as best I can.
If any Illustrators want to make a cover art and/or draw characters, DM [ AuthorZotton#2585 ] on discord.
Check out my other novel:
'Reincarnated as a Horned Rabbit' (Ongoing)
2337 words | Chapter 2: "Where did you come from?" |