"Primeveire." Finvarra called out to his sister as he walked towards them. Primeveire looked up from polishing her sword and casted a questioning stare at him. "You don't have to take the stairs anymore. I found a portal, and we'll leave after Edmund finishes with his work."
"Awesome!" Primeveire grinned happily, then sheathed her sword back to its scabbard. "So, what do we do with her then? Do we leave her to the guild?"
Nova opened her eyes and looked at the siblings. Her fate technically in the hands of these strangers.
Finvarra lowered his eyes to the white-haired woman on the sofa. "She will be coming with us."
"What? Why? She'll be dead weight!" Primeveire grimaced.
He ignored his sister and anchored his attention to Nova. "The mark you saw on my chest earlier, it is the mark of servitude."
"Really Finn? Telling her your weakness? Gods above." Primeveire groaned in frustration, but could somehow piece together what her brother was getting to.
"You mean, that tattoo? What does it mean then?"
"It means for as long as I have this curse, for as long as you or I live, I am in your possession."
Nova searched his face for an explanation, but he truly was an inscrutable one to read. "I don't understand?"
"It means that I am at your mercy. I am bound by your words and my life is sworn to you. Anyone who dares harm you must come through me first. And it is also given that I can never raise my weapon against you. You are my master."
Nova was speechless. She couldn't find a reason for such a proud-looking man to swear fealty to her. Especially not when he still towers over her, his domineering aura challenging her to make him submit. It made sense that the mark was a curse, how he came to have it, she can ask later. Although frankly, she can't even think of daring to boss such a man around.
"I… I do not know what to say."
Finvarra did not answer and turned his attention back to his sister. "Now you know why we can't leave her in the hands of the guild or anyone else at the moment."
"Yes. It seems like we have no choice in this matter." Primeveire's lips were set in a frown, nonetheless, she understood what her brother was getting to.
Within a second, the frown turned into a sweet, honeyed smile. "Welcome to the party, Nova. I will have much fun getting to know you."
Primeveire's quick change of disposition somehow chilled her more than the stony countenance of her brother. She eagerly nodded, "Ma'am, yes ma'am!"
Her hair was ruffled and a demeaning chuckle came out of Primeveire's lips. "Good pup. Remember, before you could even think of commanding my brother, you will have to follow me first."
Primeveire let a sharp smirk in the direction of her brother, and all Finvarra could do was sigh.
"Nova," Finvarra showed her an open case with the piano inside. "Do you, by chance, know how to play this?"
Nova peered inside and found a beautiful keyboard. Her eyes lit up, then immediately chastised herself to calm down. "Yes, I do. Playing the piano has always been a joy for me. Why? Is there something wrong?"
He closed the case and handed it to her. "It is yours then."
She gingerly took the case, watching his face for any sign of deception. "Really? This isn't a joke or something?"
"It is yours in the first place. Also, I'm not fond of making japes. Remember that."
"Thank you?" She finally accepted the keyboard, the case cradled in her arms.
"I found a cabinet filled with clothes. I suggest you change out of that bloodied dress and pack necessary clothes for travel. After Edmund finishes his work, we shall leave."
"Understood." Primeveire clapped her hands and dragged Nova towards the cabinet. "Don't you dare peek, boys!"
"Nova! You really should be warier around Primeveire rather than us. That woman is the slyest fox in this continent." Edmund called out over his book.
Primeveire gave him the finger. "Oh hush you. I'm not hearing that from someone who's even tricksier."
The partitions were drawn, closing the space between the cabinet and the rest of the room. Nova changed out of her blood-stained dress and into a clean one. Primeveire was unexpectedly helpful. She helped her pack faster and choose appropriate clothes, and also combed and braided her long hair. As openly displeased she was to Nova, she wasn't a character that'd antagonize someone for no reason. For that, Nova was grateful, and it helped ease her first impression of the elven woman.
An hour has passed, and with Edmund's deft fingers, he was able to copy the entire magic circle onto his tome. After one last inspection and some cleaning up, the four of them entered the portal. For Nova, it was her first experience with a portal. She felt a strange matter of sorts wrapping around her, and then warped her entire being before being spat out. She had to take deep breaths and stabilize herself after they exited, the cold air nipping her skin helped her feel better.
The outside was a surprisingly ordinary sight. It was beautiful, but it lacked the fantastical pizzaz she thought this world would have. Thick, verdant trees, cold breeze, a huge serene lake, all very picturesque and common were it not for the massively imposing tower behind her.
"Woah… This is even taller than skyscrapers." Her mouth hung in amazement. She couldn't even see the top of the tower as it was hidden by the billowing clouds.
"Oh right. I forgot." Edmund realized that the spell's duration ended, but was quick to cast another one. "Can you understand me again?"
"Yes." She smiled warily at him. Edmund still made her feel uneasy. It was hard not to when he was rather daunting despite his innocent, welcoming features. Now under the bright sky, she could see how him being a wizard made sense, although an unorthodox one. The pink-haired man’s clothes were as pastel as his hair. He wore a flowy chiffon pink robe with yellow cuffs, tied by an aquamarine belt and brown leather belt pouch on his waist. His cloak was a sparkling pastel color of pink, blue, lilac, yellow, and sea-green, and as if his cloak wasn’t conspicuous enough, his wizard hat was of the same sparkly mess with white flowers adorning it. His pants and shoes were the only parts of his outfit that were dark. He was definitely… eye-catching. Maybe wizards in this world are as colorful as him.
"We were in there just a few seconds ago. Your royal highness was locked up on the highest floor of the tower. It was only through true love's kiss were you able to wake up from your deep slumber." Edmund joked, trying to lighten her up a bit.
"What? Really?" Nova stared at the magic tower, feeling even more amazed. The tower was responsible for bringing her back alive. Time will tell if she'll be grateful for the gift or brand it as a curse.
"Yes. We are adventurers tasked by the guild to inspect the sudden appearance of this monster of a tower. Lo and behold, we found you. A sleeping beauty. Sounds straight out of a book, am I right?"
Nova nodded. It did sound like something out of a novel. A genuine smile unconsciously crept out of her face. As any anime enthusiast would, she had daydreamed of being isekai-d many times, but never really thought it would come true. Then again, the pessimist in her never really thought of her being isekai-d as a positive outcome.
Edmund patted her head, taking in a deep breath and loudly exhaling it. "Life is beautiful. Aren't you glad that you're alive again?"
"Mhm. I don't know yet." She shrugged.
"By the way, I wasn't joking about the kiss and you waking up part." He grinned cheekily.
"What? No. Really?"
"The dashing Prince Finvarra saved thee, your highness." Edmund curtsied, and a blush crept through Nova's neck to ears.
"Is-Is that how he got that tattoo curse on his chest?"
He nodded. "Correct."
Nova groaned and hid her blushing face behind her hands. "I don't know how to face him now. He must hate me."
"Hate's a strong word. But you're right. How will you ever be able to face him now without looking at the lips that graced yours?"
"Gah! Fuck. Stop please!" At this moment, Nova wished she had magic so she could strike the cheeky asshole with lightning.
"Hey! You two! Stop dawdling!" Primeveire called out. While the two talked, Primeveire and Finvarra grabbed their horses.
Edmund walked to his horse and rode up. The siblings on the other hand were already riding their horses. Being a city girl, Nova never really had the chance to meet horses, and now she's seeing three magnificent steeds.
"Hey Finn, she should ride with you." Edmund teased. Nova immediately looked away and walked towards Primeveire.
"Uhm, can I please ride with you?"
Primeveire thought for a bit then shook her head. "Nah. Ride with Finn."
"Wah-- Why not?"
"Exactly. Why not?" Primeveire turned around and began to trot her horse ahead.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
'I really don't know what to make of her. She's as unreadable as her brother.' Nova sighed mentally.
Finvarra climbed down his horse and offered his hand. "Come."
"I don't know how to ride a horse."
"That's exactly why I'm offering my hand right now. To help you up."
"Oh." Nova hesitated, then accepted his hand. "I apologize in advance for my inexperience."
Thankfully, her love for historical fiction gave her some idea of how to ride horses, so she knew that she should step on the stirrup and climb up the horses. Trouble was that her new body is short, and therefore had difficulty in raising her foot to the stirrup. Without a word of warning, Finvarra lifted her up and helped her situate on the saddle properly. After a few shifting and so, Nova was able to smooth out her dress. Still, she found riding the horse equal parts awkward and exciting.
"So high." She smiled, looking around her surroundings in fascination.
Finvarra climbed up his horse and sat behind Nova. "Scoot."
Nova obeyed, and his arms leaned over to grab the reins. With a tug on the reins and a kick, the horse began to move. Their closeness made her feel nervous, but she convinced herself to disregard her nerves through the memories of being squished by a crowd in a train. She was born a city girl. She is used to getting her personal boundaries violated by strangers.
Riding a horse was nice, and the speed didn't bother her. What bothered her however is what Edmund told her earlier. As embarrassing as the question was, she couldn't help but wonder what prompted him to kiss a corpse.
"Uhm, Mr. Finvarra?"
"Finvarra will do."
She nibbled her lower lip, antsy. "Mr. Edmund told me about how you got that tattoo. He said you kissed me and I woke up?"
Finvarra tensed for a second, then continued on steering the reins. "Yes."
"But why? Was I cursed? Was there a plaque that said I must be kissed to be able to wake up?" She joked, finding the whole thing quite funny.
"No. I stuck a sword to your chest thinking you were a vampire. Due to my recklessness, I didn't notice the huge magic circle underneath and it compelled me to feed you blood. I was coughing up blood and that seemed to be a better option compared to killing my sister and my friend."
Whatever humorous jokes Nova thought, it was quickly erased after hearing his answer. Apologies formed at the tip of her tongue but quickly vanished when she opened her mouth.
'Shit. I am basically sitting with my almost-murderer. I knew being isekai-d has its consequences.' Nova sighed inward. The whole ride was silent. Only the loud gallops of the horse and the wind blowing against them was heard.
It didn't take too long for them to reach the town as it was near and hard to miss, with the array of windmills and the tufts of smoke coming out the chimneys seen from afar. Despite the uncomfortable ride, the beautiful view took Nova's mind off the conversation. It was a rustic little town that reminded her of one of the many villages she built on building simulation games. If they decide to leave her here, she will have no complaints.
Curious eyes here and there viewed them with interest as they passed through the main road, but the trio didn't seem to mind. Nova however felt anxious at their stares, not used to inquisitive gazes outside of performing. The horses stopped by a tavern and they began to climb down. Finvarra helped her down without a word, and they tied their horses to the available posts. She looked at the signboard, and there she saw a caricature of a goose holding a fork and the tavern's name, The Hungry Goose.
'What a cute name.' Nova smiled.
They entered the tavern, and Nova couldn't help but feel giddy at the sight of such a classic place, and several tavern scenarios played in her mind like a reel. The sun was starting to set to the horizon, so there were patrons who began to settle down with drinks while they waited for dinner.
"I need a drink." Primeveire said and headed up to the bar. Edmund picked a table that was a little obscure on the corner and waved to both Nova and Finvarra to come.
Nova chose the seat beside Edmund. She figured that it was better to sit with her interrogator than the man who stabbed her. Granted Finvarra isn't capable of harming her anymore due to the curse, but it doesn't make him any less intimidating.
Edmund's chair creaked as he faced Nova. "So, Nova, do you drink?"
"Uh, occasionally. I think this is one of the occasions that I would want one." While she may not be fond of hard liquors, having a drink or two to ease the confusing whirlwind of events would be of much help to her.
"Great. Are you able to hold your liquor or are you a lightweight?"
"I'm not much of a drinker, but as long as it's not a heavy drink, I think I can hold myself pretty well." She shrugged. If there's one thing she's proud of, it is her self-restraint around alcohol. Hence why she's always assigned by her friends as the designated driver, much to her dismay.
"Good, good. I'm a lightweight but hey! With Finvarra around, I can always drink to my heart's content." He grinned then leaned close to her, mimicking a whisper. "Somehow that man, no matter how many bottles I give him, he never gets drunk."
"Someone has to watch over you and Prim. You both have horrible drinking habits." Finvarra clicked his tongue. "I'll go to the bar and get us dinner. Anything you want?"
"Oh, oh! Fish and chips for me please. Ale too."
Nova looked at them, unsure. "Mead with roast sandwich? Is that okay?"
Finvarra nodded and went to the bar, standing right next to Primeveire who was already drinking from a mug.
"Huh. I guess food's not too different here. I've never tried mead." Nova twirled her hair around her finger, admiring the loose white locks.
"Really? I thought you drank?"
"I do. Usually, wine, cocktails with tequila, gin, or vodka when partying. But mostly I prefer rice wine mixed with juice or soft drinks or cultured milk. As you can see, I have baby tastes."
Edmund chuckled. "Baby tastes? You've listed quite a variety of foreign drinks. I'm assuming you were a noble?"
"Me? No. These are common drinks in my world. Perhaps a century or so ago it's reserved for those with money, but with the might of technology, it's mass-produced and shipped around every corner of the world."
"So, you really are from a different world huh?" His elbow rested on the table, and his cheek leaned to his hand.
"Yeah." Nova sighed and rested her head on the table. "I thought getting transported to a different world was just fantasy y'know. I fully expected to be dead and just stop existing."
"We weren't expecting for a corpse to come alive. Truly alive. Not as a living dead."
"Hm. You know, if I can add to your guesses on how I came to be in this world, isekai stories aren't just about getting reincarnated to a different world. It's also about being summoned to a different world, either as yourself or in a completely different body."
Edmund's brows arched in unity and pointed his finger to Nova. "That's a good guess. I'll keep that in mind."
“So, should I call you mister? Or Mr. Edmund? Or by your surname?” She asked.
Edmund chuckled and shook his head. “No, Edmund’s fine. You can also call me Ed if you like. Also, my surname is Bennett.”
“Okay, Ed.” She smiled. If she isn’t jumping ahead on her own, then it means Edmund’s her first friend in this unknown world.
Primeveire set her mug of beer on the table as she took a seat. Finvarra sat beside her and placed a tray of drinks on the table. He grabbed his glass of wine, while Edmund took his mug of ale. Nova took the remaining mug which she assumes is the mead.
Finvarra gave a key to Primeveire. "I have acquired two rooms. Edmund and I will take one room, while Nova and Primeveire will take the other. Food will be ready in ten or so minutes."
"So. How do you do in a battle?" Primeveire drank from her mug and stared at Nova.
"I've never fought?"
"Well, shitballs. What do we do with her?" They sat in silence, contemplating an answer.
After a while, Nova broke the silence with a tentative question. "Don't you guys have like, uh, some identification shit? Or a class system? Job system?"
“What do you mean?” Edmund asked.
“I mean, how do you guys take up your professions?”
“We all went to the same school, St. Lyra’s Academy. I studied Magical Engineering, Primeveire and Finvarra both studied Battle Sorcery, but Primeveire took Enchantment Studies while Finvarra just focused on honing his sword skills and channeling his innate magic in battle."
"Here are your meals." A waitress came to their table and set down their food.
"Finally!" Primeveire began to dig through her food, which was steak and mash. Finvarra ordered the same meal but ate with less fervor than his sister.
"Look at her. You wouldn't even think she was a noble. But in front of other aristocrats, she is the epitome of elegance and grace. What a two-faced snake." Edmund snickered, taking one fry at a time.
"Unlike you, I have the social grace to appear appropriate of my status. You make no effort or so in appearances hence why you are often misjudged and belittled. That is a humiliation I cannot bear."
He shrugged. "Hm. Perhaps. All the more reason to not care for petty things such as keeping appearances. The shallow will keep out of my way and those who are less prejudiced will be welcomed."
"Naive thinking." Primeveire rolled her eyes.
"So, uhm, back to the previous topic," Nova cleared her throat as she drank from her mead, "You have to go to school to get a job?"
“No. It depends. If you dream to be a wizard or just learn from the finest, education is a must and academies offer that. Other than that, it's just natural that your class is from your line of work. Classes are general professions and from there you branch out into specializations. Take me for example. I’m a wizard, but I specialize in technological innovations so I’m more akin to an engineer. Finvarra here was a paladin for Oras, the God of Law and Order. But he also was a colonel in The Order, the branch that oversees and ensures peace between the Allied Nations. Primeveire on the other hand just jumped into the adventuring life after graduating from the academy. Technically speaking, all three of us are adventurers now.”
Nova nodded her head in understanding. She thought this new world would be more game-like, with a system based around stats and numbers. It seems like it’s closer to fantasy novels. However, it means she wouldn’t have a handy floating window that shows her status or assists her in finding a class suitable to her. That would have been convenient.
Primeveire pointed her fork at Nova, gulping her food before speaking, “If what we saw and heard wasn’t a hallucination, you are a spellsinger.”
“Ah. That makes sense. She came to life through her spellsinging after all. Honestly, what happened earlier still boggles my mind.” Edmund agreed.
“What’s a spellsinger?” Nova asked.
“Spellsingers are a kind of mage whose medium is their singing abilities rather than using the usual wands or tomes.” Edmund answered, his mouth stuffed with food. Primeveire looked at him in disgust and he chewed loudly in retaliation.
“Dickwad.” Primeveire whispered underneath her breath, then said it again but this time loud enough for them to hear.
It didn’t take them long to finish their food. Primeveire and Edmund ordered another round of drinks while Nova declined.
“Primeveire. Can you refrain from drinking and report our findings to the guild first?” Finvarra handed a small, smooth obsidian tablet.
“Ugh. Why me? I thought you’re the leader.”
“The guild recognizes you as our party’s leader. I only take the lead in fights, nothing else.”
Primeveire rolled her eyes and took the tablet as she went outside. “I’ll be back for my drink.”
“How exactly am I a spellsinger?” Nova asked, but the spell ended and her words were left untranslated.
Edmund grabbed his wand and cast Understanding for the third time. Unlike the first time he cast the spell, the spell works immediately. “I won’t be able to cast this spell as many times as I’d like.”
“She needs to learn to speak our language.” Finvarra said.
“I can work on a simple trinket that would store a permanent understanding spell. You’ve got any jewelry on you?” Edmund asked, looking at Nova.
She shook her head, and Finvarra spoke. “What kind of jewelry do you need? A bracelet, or a ring?”
“I think a ring would be good.”
Finvarra grabbed a sapphire ring from his bag and gave it to him. Edmund inspected the ring and gave a nod of approval.
“This’ll do.” He pocketed the ring and looked back to Nova. “So, what were you saying?”
“I was asking if uhm, how I’m a spellsinger? How did you guys know?”
“The resurrection spell, you didn’t just wake up. You sang yourself back to life, and we were able to see some of your memories. It’s why we believe your words of being from another world.”
“Oh. That’s...” She eyed the two, then facepalmed. “What memories did you guys see?”
“Well, we really couldn’t understand what we were seeing so it was hard to know what was going on.” Edmund patted her back. He decided to keep quiet about what he saw. It seemed like something she wanted to forget. Finvarra looked at Edmund with a questioning look and decided to stay silent too.
“How about tomorrow, I teach you some basic arcanis phrases? Do you know how to use your mana?” He offered.
Nova raised her face from her palms, her frown visible. “What? I don’t think I have any mana. My world had no magic, and even if we had, I still don’t think I have mana.”
Finvarra shook his head. “Every living thing in this world has mana. If you had none, you would’ve died from birth. Or you would have burst into flames as soon as you were resurrected.”
Edmund patted Nova’s shoulder, his face smug. “Alright. This kind and handsome personage shall teach you the ways of controlling what is already within you. Today you are a nobody, tomorrow you shall be a god with power in thy hands, or in this case, your voice. Rejoice, my student! Rejoice!”
“Huh. Cool.” She tried to stay cool, but deep inside, Nova was hyperventilating. What nerd wouldn’t look forward to being able to use magic? In fact, her attempt of keeping a cool face slowly broke into a wide grin. “Oh no. I’m so fucking hyped... FUCK YEAH! MAGIC SHIT’S THE BEST! LET’S GO! Barkeep! Another one of your shitty mead please!”
“That’s the spirit!” Edmund laughed. Finvarra rubbed his temples and sighed, already worried about the future of his peace of mind. Edmund and Primeveire constantly bickering was already a headache, now the new addition’s being corrupted.
The man tending the bar glared at Nova, cursing under his breath as he poured her another mug of mead. This time it’s from his personal reserves. The good kind. “Fucking travelers and their snotty ass. You think you can come into my bar and tell me my drinks taste like piss. They ain’t shitty. You’re shitty!”
The mead arrived and Nova gulped a few down. “Oh? This tastes… better? I can actually taste the honey.”
“Damn right it tastes good. You’re paying extra for that missy.”
Nova quickly turned to Edmund and Finvarra. She had zero money after all.
“Don’t worry. I’m paying for everything tonight.” Finvarra finished his second glass of wine and ordered another round. He needed a few more to loosen the stress from this maelstrom of a day.
Primeveire returned and they wasted the evening away with drinks. At least Primeveire and Edmund did. Nova had to stop after the third as she felt woozy and wanted to have some semblance of sobriety to wash up before going to sleep. Thankfully her new body wasn’t as lightweight as she thought it would be. She went upstairs ahead of them, Finvarra reassuring her that he’ll take care of the two drunkards.
‘I’ll ask tomorrow if there’s a public bathhouse around here.’ Nova mused. She sat on her bed and played a simple tune on the keyboard. She was amused by the many options the little piano gave, just like an electronic keyboard, only it’s magic. She traced her fingers at the black lacquered wood of her keyboard. There were a few intricate carvings on the side, and in the center was a smooth glass that displayed what buttons were activated and the notes of whatever song she's playing. Much to her relief, the musical notes of this world and her world weren't all that different. In fact, she suspected it’s similar. Nova found one button that made the keyboard float, and she could already imagine its battle potential. ‘I’m guessing that a spellsinger is like a bard. I’m not entirely sure if I can seduce and fuck a dragon, though it never hurts to try.’
Nova giggled, feeling relaxed at the company of music. Other than her dear dog, playing the piano had always brought her a great deal of joy. She always wanted to be a singer, a musician, but of course, her parents never approved and forced her to study medicine. Three years in college, studying for a job she doesn’t want to have bled her soul dry. To be able to play music as a profession, to be a bard in this world, it felt like she’ll finally have the freedom to do what she wants. The three people that rescued her, while she’s still cautious of them, it didn’t seem like they were bad company. They were a little weird, but their interactions with each other made her feel like they could reach a common ground. If she really was able to be a spellsinger like they’d say, maybe living in this new world wouldn’t be so bad.