I am alone here, sitting at an isolated table in the dirigible's cafeteria. Everyone around me is talking to each other, but no one invited me to join. It's not like I was expecting to, but the feeling of exclusion still weighs on me.
According to my memories, my room, without any luxury or extravagant comfort, is simple. Nothing like the chambers of the princes and high-status figures traveling with me. I have no complaints, after all, I'm not here by my own choice, but I can't deny that my loneliness becomes even more evident in this environment full of young people.
I leave my plate on the table and, as I prepare to leave, an idea comes to mind. Curiosity has always been my greatest drive, and in this new world, it seems to be even sharper. A mental command flows naturally from my thoughts.
"Laboratory, how many people are in this cafeteria?"
The response comes quickly and precisely, with the familiar sound of the "Beep!" followed by instant calculations.
["Beep!"]
["Calculating..."] And soon, numbers begin to appear before my eyes in a floating hologram, the interface of my mental laboratory guiding me as it always has.
["1"]
["2"]
["3"]
["4"]
...
I watch the counter rise, my gaze fixed on the screen that only I can see. The number grows, and before I know it, it's already over fifty. My eyes narrow as I see the categories starting to form.
["56 apprentices"]
["25 magical academy servants"]
["Some men in white robes... with the highest status"]
An involuntary smile appears on my lips, but a strange sensation begins to grow within me. The scene from just moments ago, when I realized I was noticed from afar, still lingers in my mind. As if a shadow of interest had been cast upon me. My hairs stand on end at the mere thought of being observed so closely, and I can't help but question what this means.
But it's not just that. A series of alerts from the mental laboratory echo in my mind, interrupting my thoughts.
["Unknown radiation source discovered"]
["Interference detected due to an unknown force field, scanning impossible."]
"Even with the laboratory, I am extremely weak in this world," I murmur to myself, the shadow of doubt becoming more present.
But then, a spark of determination ignites within me. I know what I must do. If I am weak, then I need to seek power. Not ordinary power, but the power of magic. The possibilities are endless, and my mind fills with excitement. If there is a key to my ascension, it would certainly be fascinating magic.
So I become even more eager to reach the magic school, yet my body speaks louder, and fatigue sets in.
With a determined expression, I get up. "I better go to sleep now. I need to rest, I'm completely exhausted," I think, although the desire to learn more still burns inside me.
I walk towards the cafeteria exit, the corridors of the dirigible now lit by Steampunk-style lamps that cast mysterious shadows on my solitary journey.
.
Two months later.
.
More than Two months have passed since our journey began. The steam-powered dirigible continues to impress me, but not in a positive way. We have passed through dozens of realms, some more fantastical than others, but nothing seems to bring us closer to our goal.
The cold wind blowing through the gaps in the cabin of my room and the sound of steam mix into a cacophony that prevents me from truly resting. The gears creak, and I can barely stand the thought of spending more time in this confinement. The air, heavy and stuffy, doesn't help. I close my eyes and fall into a deep trance, trying to find some relief amidst the exhaustion.
The sound of the door opening with a sudden crash causes me to sit up quickly in bed, staring at the entrance, confused. Before I can process what is happening, my nose is filled with a sweet, intoxicating aroma of strawberry. It is a fragrance that floods my senses, so delightful it seems almost unreal. My body, instinctively reacting to the scent, stirs, and some memories escape from the depths of my mind, images of something distant and almost forgotten.
"Eclivel. Are you okay?" The voice calling me is soft, melodious. A voice that is strangely familiar to me.
My heart skips a beat, and as I look toward the entrance, I see a figure that freezes me for a moment. "Cleo? Come in, please!" My voice comes out stiffer than I would like, but I can't hide the impact of this appearance. The young woman who enters my room has a stunning charm, something that resonates deeply within me, although I try not to show it.
She is beautiful, and her presence seems to fill the room. Her skin, porcelain-like, the sweet scent of strawberry still lingering in the air, her slender and voluptuous body in a university miniskirt that accentuates her curves perfectly. The white knee-high stockings and boots she wears make her look even more imposing. Around her waist, there is a belt, and a white cowboy hat rests on her head, completing her cowgirl look.
Her breasts, quite ample, almost seem to want to escape from the baby-doll shirt she's wearing. But what stands out most are her golden hair and her red eyes, which shine with an almost supernatural intensity. It's the kind of beauty that stirs the spirit, that draws the attention of everyone around. She has an exotic charm, and for a moment, I find myself unsettled.
But then, a wave of memories crosses my mind, and my heart beats faster. This woman… She makes me remember Label. But, unlike Label, Cleo led the original Eclivel to death. She surely ordered other young people to beat him to death, creating a failure before myself, and that beating, that humiliation, ended up being the catalyst for my reincarnation.
Now, in a new life, my perspective is different. I am no longer the same Eclivel. I have control, experience, and a sharp mind that I can use to manipulate situations to my advantage. I am no longer the fool who succumbed to her charm.
She is attractive, yes. But now, I am more. I don't need to humble myself. I won't kneel or beg for scraps of her attention. No, now I am smarter.
My response to her is cold, distant, almost indifferent. I make an effort to keep my expression impassive, even though I can feel that she is shocked by my reaction. The words she was about to say seem to get stuck in her throat. The tension in the air rises.
After a long moment of silence, she breaks the impasse. With hesitation that I can't ignore, she takes a small glass bottle and places it in my hands. "This… this is a medicine for wounds. If you drink it, it will help with your pain!"
She bends down to do so, and in an involuntary movement, her breasts become more prominent, exposed for a brief moment, revealing her full curves. I can't deny that my heart quickens with the gesture, a flash of desire sneaking into my mind. But that desire is fleeting and dissipates just as quickly.
With a subtle smile, I close the bottle and look at her. "Thank you, Cleo."
The door closed softly behind Cleo, and the sound of her footsteps fading away was all that remained. I was still standing there, the glass bottle in my hands, watching her figure disappear into the distance, like a small frightened deer fleeing into the unknown. The sweet fragrance she left behind still lingered in the air, and I found myself absorbed in the sensation. But soon, my mind returned to the moment when she apologized and ran, with an urgency almost desperate.
"It was clearly the previous Eclivel who had disturbed Cleo, why did she come to apologize?" I murmur to myself, a look of doubt overtaking my face. Something didn't add up. I had prepared myself for a confrontation, or even some kind of manipulation, but none of that happened. She seemed genuinely remorseful. "Is something wrong with her brain?" I wonder, perplexed. As much as my logic and reasoning told me something was wrong, her expression seemed too sincere to be just an act. Whatever it was, it was still unclear to me.
My gaze fell again on the glass bottle. The vial she handed me seemed simple, but now, with the scent of strawberry replaced by something more pungent and medicinal, I began to doubt everything. "Did I judge her wrong earlier?" I thought. "Could Cleo be a kind-hearted girl?" I couldn't stop asking myself if there was something I wasn't seeing, some aspect of the situation I still didn't understand.
The bottle was colder than I had imagined. I held it closer, analyzing the details. It seemed that this world already had the technology to produce glass, which was a good sign. But upon closer inspection, I still noticed some flaws in the quality. It was rough and not as refined as I was used to, but the manufacturing was at a decent level. Maybe the material was common, but the processes behind it were still in a primitive stage.
Curious, I opened the cap of the vial, and a medicinal fragrance floated in the air, a scent that was clearly different from the sweet strawberry perfume. My mind immediately turned to analysis. Following the old habits from my previous life, I didn't waste any time and spoke softly:
"Laboratory, analyze this medicine and its components."
The familiar "Beep!" filled the space, and the information began to flow.
["Beep!"]
["Task established!"]
["Starting Scan!"]
["Unknown components."]
["Starting simulated experiments!"]
I watched closely as the results began to appear. The mental laboratory was quickly performing the scan. When the results started showing up, I noticed something alarming.
["Components identified..."]
["Poison detected."]
["Poison compounds found: neurotoxic substances and agents that interfere with the function of the optic nerves."]
["Effect: Permanent blindness after prolonged contact."] ["Duration: 5 years"]
"Wait, blind for five years?" I said aloud, my disbelief reflecting in my expression. Surprise and anger began to surface. The bottle that Cleo had given me, which seemed so harmless, had a devastating effect. If I had drunk this unknowingly, blindness for five years would have been the least of my concerns.
"I was wrong... this girl is very sinister!" I never imagined Cleo was capable of something like this. The sincerity in her behavior before leaving suddenly seemed like a facade, and what she had handed me wasn't medicine, but a weapon disguised as help.
....
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