THE SYSTEM I MADE
Chapter 13
"Whispers of the past"
"Young master, young master," came the urgent, slightly tremulous voice of Mirelle, her distress palpable as it echoed through the quiet chambers. Alex stirred, his eyes opening slowly, the world a blur of shadows and silhouettes as he blinked to adjust to the dim light.
"M-Mirelle? What's wrong?" he murmured, confusion lacing his voice as he noted her worried expression.
"Thank goodness you're awake! You've been asleep for days; I was so worried," she exhaled in relief, her hands clasped tightly together.
"Days? That can't be. Wasn't I asleep just a few hours ago?" Alex's voice was thick with disbelief as he struggled to sit up, his limbs heavy.
Mirelle shook her head, her eyes wide with concern. "No, young master, it's been nearly a week."
Frowning, Alex turned to the more reliable source of information. "AIDA, can you still hear me through the neural pathway communication?" he asked, attempting to communicate with AIDA with Consciousness/ (nueral pathway communication)
"Good day, Master. How can I assist you today?" the AI responded, its voice devoid of emotion yet reassuringly clear.
"How long have I been sleeping?" he queried, running a hand through his tousled hair.
"You have been in a state of rest for approximately four days and four hours, Master. Following your confrontation with the overwhelming enemy,the orc clan, you exhausted your strength significantly, resulting in this prolonged period of recovery," AIDA informed him clinically.
Alex let out a slow breath. "That explains the disbelief in Mirelle's face. I was so focused on the battle that I overextended myself. It felt more like a game than reality... I pushed too hard."
Mirelle nodded, a small smile breaking through her worry. "You have missed several training sessions, young master. If Lady Helena were here she would be concerned about her son falling behind."
"Let me go wash and get dressed there's alot I need to do today," Alex decided, swinging his legs off the bed and steadying himself.
....
Once refreshed, he stepped out to find Mirelle waiting. "You waited for me?" he asked, touched by her loyalty.
"Always, young master. I am here whenever you need me," she replied, her devotion clear in her gaze.
Together, they walked towards the library, but Alex's mind was elsewhere. "Tell me about Lady Helena, my mother," he suddenly asked, driven by a surge of curiosity about the mother who was supposedly his mother after being reincarnated in this new world.
Mirelle sighed, her expression turning somber. "She left the Eldraine Estate when you were still very young, and her reasons remain a mystery even to the other wives of the patriarch. When I asked Lord Gerald, he offered no answers. Since her departure, Lady Helena's name has seldom been spoken here, and her disappearance was as sudden as it was mysterious. But she loved you dearly, young master. She charged me to stay by your side and watch over you, to see you grow into greatness, perhaps even to assume the role of the next patriarch, despite being his fifth wife."
"I see... She is a kind soul I can tell , but her sudden disappearance seems so odd," Alex mused, feeling a mix of sadness and resolve.
"Yes, but we all hope she might one day return to see the fine man her son is becoming," Mirelle added, her voice soft.
"I wish so too," Alex echoed as they approached the library.
The distant voices in the hallway grew louder; they belonged to his father, Lord Gerald, clad in his battle armor, with two knights and his advisor by his side.
"Prepare everything for the road; we depart for the lands of the beast in an hour," the patriarch commanded, his voice resolute.
"Yes, sir!" the knights responded, their armor clanking as they moved swiftly to carry out his orders.
As Alex and Mirelle continued their walk toward the library, the atmosphere thickened with the impending sense of urgency emanating from the patriarch and his entourage. The clanking of the knights' armor echoed through the grand hallways, a stark reminder of the ever-looming threats outside the safety of the Eldraine Estate.
"The lands of the beast," Alex murmured under his breath, his curiosity piqued. "That sounds dangerous. What's happening there?"
Mirelle glanced at Alex with a concerned expression. "It's a perilous region, young master. Recently, there have been reports of monstrous creatures disrupting the outskirts, and now it seems the patriarch is taking matters into his own hands."
"I wonder what kind of beasts lurk in that region," Alex said, his voice tinged with both intrigue and apprehension.
Mirelle nodded, her face serious. "I'm not sure, but I heard you have to be strong to enter there. Maybe you'd have to be A rank and above. There are high-ranking beasts all over the place."
"Wow, I'm surprised you know all of that stuff," Alex commented, his eyebrows raised in admiration.
"Yes, I tend to spend my time on books," Mirelle replied with a shy smile. "While I may not wield a sword or conjure magic, I believe knowledge itself can be a formidable weapon."
[Eldraine Estate; Library]
Alex was engrossed in his studies, surrounded by thick tomes on magic and swordplay, when Mirelle approached him with a curious tilt of her head. "What are you reading about, young master?" she inquired, peering at the open book before him.
"It's about magic," Alex replied, his eyes not leaving the page. "Magic really is an interesting concept, and I think it'd be great to start learning if I want to join the academy."
"Indeed," Mirelle chuckled softly. "It's really strange seeing you so absorbed in a book, young master. You always used to cry when it came to training and reading," she teased, letting out a light laugh.
Alex managed an awkward laugh in response, a bit embarrassed. "Hehe, well, you know..."
"Well, since you seem occupied, I'll go find something to read as well," Mirelle said, glancing around the vast library shelves before wandering off to pick a book for herself.
Alex muttered to himself as he turned the page, "If only she knew. In my previous life, I'd be reading a novel by now, but all I have here are books about magic and swordsmanship. Though, they do have their advantages."
He thought about his need to surpass his half-brothers, Damon and Victor, the sons of the first wife, Lady Vivienne, who were probably dominating the academy with their formidable magic and sword skills. "I'll need to be strong to surpass them," he whispered to himself, determined. "Better get started."
Just then, AIDA's voice chimed in, "For a more effective and fast development, the master can scan the books he wishes and activate Augmented Reality projection. The projection will visualize the concepts, allowing the master to deeply understand the training and magic-related subjects."
"Oh, right, that's brilliant," Alex said, brightening up at the suggestion. "I should get started right now."
....
Meanwhile, a line of fancy horse-drawn carriages rolled through a wooded area, one of them carrying Lord Gerald. Abruptly, the convoy came to a halt, causing some commotion among the riders and passengers.
"What's the holdup?" Lord Gerald inquired sharply as he leaned out of his carriage.
"I don't know either," replied Simon, his advisor, as they both stepped down to investigate.
Simon approached one of the knights who had dismounted to inspect the scene. "Hey, you, what's the holdup?"
"Lord Gerald and Sir Simon, we apologize for stopping so suddenly, but there are bodies of dead orcs all over the road," the knight reported, gesturing to the scattered corpses that littered their path.
"Orcs? Are we at Emberfall?" Lord Gerald asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Yes, master, we are currently at The Emberfall, the territory of the orc clan," the knight confirmed. "Rumors say that all the orcs were killed four days ago. As you can see, there are dead orcs everywhere. Some say they were all burned by a fire that was spotted here four days ago, but others have sword wounds and stabs, contradicting those claims. No magical traces have been found, and some even suggest it was a one-man raid."
"A one-man raid? Don't be ridiculous," Lord Gerald scoffed. "Who could possibly handle an entire orc clan on his own?" His disbelief echoed the sentiment of his advisor, who also shook his head in doubt.
"Clear the bodies from our path so we can continue our journey," Lord Gerald ordered firmly. The knights nodded and began the grim task of moving the orc bodies to clear the road.
As Lord Gerald and Simon returned to their carriage, the patriarch's mind was troubled. The strategic significance of the orc clan's abrupt demise could not be overlooked. If indeed it was the work of a single person, such a warrior would be both a valuable ally and a dangerous foe.
.....
Neural pathways communication refers to a form of direct communication between a person's brain and an external system or device. This concept is often seen in science fiction and advanced technology contexts. In the case of this novel it likely involves Alex communicating with the AI system, AIDA, through a neural interface, which allows for seamless, thought-based interaction without the need for spoken words or physical input.