The Novel's Sidekick

Q: What is a rift?

A: It's basically gap between dimensions. If the spatial nodes of some places are shattered or become unstable, it becomes an ideal place to form a rift.

- - -

Even though this world was in the mediaeval period, it developed pretty darn well with magic and applied science. Despite all that it can’t compare to my old world, however, it does have a few wonders of innovation. Like the train before me.

I stood in the station, along with hundreds of people, staring at the approaching train. It was a pretty big train that runs on diluted spirit stones—kind of like the fossil fuel of this world, but interestingly enough, the train does not make that much noise, though it works on air pressure and streams.

I kind of like the vibe of it just by the look of it. According to the book, it could go pretty fast, but it was only allowed to go under a hundred kilometres per hours in normal situations like this. The end of the Proudsmith, the first month, was coming, and so did the Night of Brilliance. I have two days to reach the mountain to take the dominion or I had to wait another month again, which I would initially like to, but the situation did not let me. I needed to grow fast.

My pondering got lost as I heard a voice from beside me.

"Boss," Julies called, nudging me. "Why are you staring at the train like you've never seen it before?"

They don't know, but I was the only person in this world, who might have seen the trains the longest time in their life—not that it was an achievement or anything. I was just thinking about the differences between this world and my old world, also the choices I have. Oh, right, I keep on doing that. Fine, I'll stop.

"I will be away for at least a couple of weeks," I said to Julies and Eran, who managed time to send me to Victoria. "You two got to look into the kidnapping matter. Something fishy is going on."

After they took in the kidnappers the other day, they actually found nothing about the bloodsucker. Luckily, there was no sign of psychosis in their mind, either. I was fearing for Julies for no reason. The only useful things the kidnappers told that they deliver the kids to another location where other people take charge of things. So what we found was another location. I suppose it won't be as easy.

"Boss, you are finally doing real mission stuff. Do you really have to go alone?" Julies said and Eran joined, "At least, take one of us with you."

"Nah, not this time," I said, though I would very much like to take them. Their skills would be greatly helpful in many areas that I lacked. "As I told you, you two got to work on the kidnapper matter. It's a serious issue, and more, you guys can get demoted if you do not work hard from now on."

Getting demoted was not only their fears, but mine too. I would not attend the classes for about a month, and though I could manage the knight department, the magic department was another matter.

Luckily, I have my sweet aunt. Though she was demanding in her teaching, she had helped me a lot of times, like how easily I got the leave of absence, not to mention the few stuff I took from her for this journey. She was really a sweet aunt. I wish I had someone like her in my original life.

I dropped those thoughts and looked at the two and the approaching train again.

"If things work well, then I'll be back in less than a fortnight," I said and nudged the shoulders of the short and tall guy. The three of us looked really weird together.

"Goodbye then," I said and heard the whistle. We bid goodbye as I walked towards the train. I have loads of packages with me as well as the new sword, so I did not rush, not that I would need to.

The train would leave in half an hour and I had already booked a ticket. Considering both worlds, the train ticket of this world is far more expensive. I will have to go to Victoria, which was on the other side of the mountain and would be a journey of four hours or more. The ticket had cost me three dyne and twenty tills—that was almost as high as the cost of food for a week of a lower-middle-class family.

Train was not for everybody in this world—not that I have a problem because of that. I walked almost to the end of the long train and was about to get into the compartment when another person collided against me from behind. With my constitution of a knight, I had no problem balancing myself. Sadly, the other person was not so lucky.

"Man, what's the rush?" I said and found the person who collided with me was someone I knew.

It was Althan Kimber, heir to the Princedom of Kimber. I had met him a few times after the transmigration in this realm, and from what I could tell, my relationship with him was not merry. Like about a month ago, I embarrassed him in the library for taking advantage of Yeriel, or the time next to mission hall.

However, he was not alone this time. A few lesser talents and warder candidates were with him, as well as a couple of apprentice mages. That’s odd. I wondered why the rich boy was going to the normal compartment; he should be in the first class.

"Oscar," Althan said and got up. Even though he was the one who collided and fell, he seemed to think all of that was my fault. Well, if it was any normal person in place of me, he certainly wouldn’t have to fall.

"You are going somewhere, Kimber?" I asked and got onto the train before him.

"On a mission," he said and got into the train and after me, the few with him followed.

I did not converse with him for more, as we don’t stare eye to eye with each other. I moved to take a window seat. The tickets I took were only for the normal compartment, so there was no seat booking or anything. Luckily, all the window seats were not filled.

I got my seat, and after putting the bags in the right place, I opened a thick volume of a notebook. It was where I wrote down everything I knew about the story, including the thousand questions, many of my speculations, and research. I had no fear of being discovered out; the reason was simple, nobody alive knew this language in the realm. This was going to be a long, boring journey, so I brought out another volume, this time a book on Higharts.

Thaumaturgy was something that was hardest to learn in all spirit arts. Even simple skills like tracking take years to learn. Though I have access to most of the theoretical books thanks to my sweet aunt, I still have not even touched the frame of the art. Sympathetic art came so easily to me, so I guess, I have not got the inner meaning of it yet.

As I was reading the books, some cacophony came to my ears. Normally, I would have ignored it like nothing, but I recognised the voices—most particularly, two of them. One was none other than the mighty son of Kimber, who was pulling the arm of a fair maiden. While the other person he was pulling was naturally someone I know.

It was none other than Yeriel, who was politely refusing the opportunity the mighty noble son was giving her, which was, of course, to sit next to him. What could be more glorious to her than sit next to our mighty Althan, as he take advantage of her?

Sometimes I wondered, Are I and Althan fated to be enemies?

Now I know why this boy had not gone to the first class. He still wanted to try his kingdom crashing charisma and charm on Yeriel. But how can I see one of my favourite female leads being courted by one of the detestable character? Moreover, it appeared no better than harassment in the public eye. I might not be her Knight in shining armour, but I was still a Knight.

Well, still a Squire, because I did not have the resolve yet, but that’s not important.

"Yeriel," I called, smiling. "I saved you a seat."

My tone was as if I was actually waiting for her to join me. Though Yeriel did not get what I was trying, Kimber let go of her hands.

"Come quickly," I said again, seeing her frozen. "Or someone else will take it."

I gave an iconic cold smile of Scar to Althan as I watched Yeriel walk towards me. While Althan gnashed his teeth looking at me. If eyes could curse, I would be dead already.

________________________

The book will go under paywall in this month, I don't have a date, but it would be sometimes in the middle.