As Elias walked home, he was still trying to process everything he'd learned since arriving in this new place.
Besides the currency system being a mess, he had come at a terrible time. The City of Lunaris was going through a tough period, especially for people in the lower class.
They were dealing with a massive issue, with the workers bearing the brunt of it all.
Never have I ever imagined I would be living in a victorian era, he thought. especially... a magical one.
The enchantment of labor was one of the main problems. Magic is increasingly being used to control and pacify the working classes. Enchanted automatons and magical constructs perform much of the labor in the factories and cities, and many workers, especially in the lower classes, fear that they will be replaced by these machines. Anti-magic movements may arise, advocating for the abolishment of magical constructs, or in some cases, the radical redistribution of magical power to the working classes.
The core principle of magic in this world revolves around the Aether—a metaphysical substance that permeates all of existence. The Aether is an invisible energy field that binds reality together and can be harnessed by those with the proper knowledge or tools. In this new world, magic is scientifically studied, but still mysterious, and most practitioners blend arcane knowledge with mechanical devices.
Seeking a means to survive is challenging enough, he thought, "And now, I bear yet another responsibility beside worrying how I ended up here," he muttered, glancing toward the door before him.
As Elias opened the door, he noticed Lily rising from the mattress. He was about to speak, but then he remembered she was deaf.
Right, I need to get used to this, he thought.
He gestured to Lily, indicating that he had brought breakfast and lunch for both of them. With money being scarce, his means of income was assisting workers at the factory.
And for that reason, Elias needs to be early and can only get home when dusk, leaving Lily on her own for half a day.
Elias prepared breakfast and set some water to boil in order to try the tea Evelyn had given him earlier.
After a while, noticing Lily had been observing his actions the entire time, he gestured for her to wash her hands and prepare herself to eat.
As Elias ate, his mind wandered back to the night he awoke in this unfamiliar environment.
In the middle of the night, Ethan had attempted to rise from the floor, positioned near the door. He turned onto his left side, having been lying face down. His body was battered, bruised, and his face was swollen with several broken teeth.
With each breath, he attempted to brace himself with his hands, but he couldn't muster a strength to rise.
Ethan was confused as to what happened and tried to think what could possibly be the reason why he woke up on the floor and beaten.
And that's when he realized that there's a problem.
I can't remember anything, he thought.
With no thoughts to occupy his mind, he repeatedly tried to stand, yet each attempt ended in failure, with each slight movement makes him grunt.
As he attempted to turn his head to the other side, his gaze fell upon a blurred image—a young girl sleeping in the corner of the small room.
In that instant, a memory surfaced within him.
Ethan was out drinking with his colleagues, celebrating his recent promotion to senior manager within the company—a role that was the result of his eight years of hard work and dedication.
After the celebration, he bid his colleagues farewell and began his walk home. Partway down the road, his mind suddenly went blank, and he awoke to find himself lying on the ground, beaten, which is where he now finds himself.
I don't understand, he thought, with a face full of confusion.
what happ-
As he pondered, a sudden jolt of pain surged through his head, so intense that he felt compelled to scream with all his strength.
The pain was so intense that every hair on his body stood on end. His ears began to bleed, as though the blaring horn of a truck was echoing within his skull.
The agony was unbearable, causing him to lose consciousness and involuntarily wet himself.
In the morning, he found himself lying on a mattress, his bruises being gently cleaned by a young girl.
When she noticed him open his eyes, she smiled at him. Now that his injuries had been treated, he was able to clearly see the little girl he had glimpsed earlier, resting in the corner of the room.
Then a sudden flood of memories overwhelmed him, cascading like a torrent, his eyes flickering as though he were being overtaken by a spirit.
All of Elias' memories, experiences, knowledge, and secrets were being seamlessly transferred into his mind. Throughout this time, the young girl stood by, visibly concerned and unsure of how to respond.
After a few minutes, Elias gradually begins to regain his composure as the pain in his head dissipates, fading away like smoke carried off by the wind.
As he opens his eyes, he sees the young girl attempting to reach the clothes hanging on a wire. Having spent most days alone, Lily had learned to wash their clothes and handle basic chores while waiting for her brother.
So that's what happened, he thought, remembering all the details that had come within him.
It was revealed that the source of Elias's bruises stemmed from his involvement in a brawl the previous night. This was a regular routine following his long shifts at the factory; he was one of the few young men who fought for money.
Each night, before returning home, Elias and his friend, Victor, would make their way to an underground arena where a large crowd would gather, primarily from noble families. These spectators attended purely for entertainment, watching as those from impoverished backgrounds risked their limbs and lives for a mere handful of coins.
Rising to his feet, he quickly approached Lily and gently lifted her down from the chair she had been standing on. Taking the clothes himself, he gave her a reassuring pat on the head.
Poor child, he thought to himself.
He then looked at Lily apologetically. "I'm sorry I got home late last night."
Lily smiled warmly at him and gestured, "It's okay; just be careful next time."
Now that Ethan looks at Lily closely, he can clearly see that she looks different from someone who lives in poverty her entire life.
She stood quietly, a small figure wrapped in the worn faded dress that once might have had a trace of color but now seemed drained and threadbare. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, making her large, dark eyes seem even deeper and more haunting. She wore her hair in a neat, low ponytail.
If not from Elias' memory, I would think she's someone from a noble family that had been abandoned, he chuckled.
Returning to the present, Elias and Lily finished their breakfast and tidied everything up before Elias bid her farewell and departed for work.