The dining hall is a large but simple affair. Crowded but lively with more than enough food going around. As much as I like peace and quiet, this natural environment suits me more naturally than formal dining in a stuffy mansion. I'm just a normal commoner in heart and mind after all.

Lilyanne and I are still in the process of teething and the savory bread rolls served are the perfect thing to gnaw on.

The maids initially softened them with some soup but as I was missing eating like an adult I grabbed a whole one. Just for a little taste. It's a mildly surprising discovery that both Lilyanne and I enjoy. Compliments to the chef/ Can we get these deolivered or to go? The recipe?

After a relatively peaceful lunch, primarily because everyone was distracted with eating, the tour continues in more detail. While there are no exciting matched fights going on like I've fantasized ,it was still very worth seeing. Through the mess there's a sense of organization here. Like a graded cultivation school with many subjects. A univseristy full of majors that one can listen into to or join if they feel up to it.

There are obviously parts and places we're not allowed to see but it's been a more than satisfactory day, especially with my brainstorming. The maids are also more than ready to call it a day, their nerves caught up to them a few hours ago.

"Before you head home, I've taken the liberty of preparing a little something for the children."

"Oh? What's going on Geoff?"

"Nothing much, just a little game. Something nice to finish with."

Uncle Geoff makes a signal and a crowed of various school aged children appear out of nowhere. They're all carrying different items or baskets and placing them spread out on the once empty field in front of us. A particularly rowdy bunch of younger boys catches my attention.

The main reason being their overall playful rambunctiousness stands out among diligent students lining up the items. The second, being that I recognize that shock of amber carrot hair, which leads me to even more dread.

It's one of my conniving cousins, Phillip, and his disaster group of friends.

While Phillip carries a very gentlemanly but overly flirtatious appearance there's no cousin I'm more worried about than him. He never schemed against me, he never bullied me but he was the one who put his sword into my back. Worse than that he actually has a decent IQ and isn't easy to trick.

Roslia never trusted him and she was right, but it was still a shock. I recognize one of his little friends too, the overly pale boy. He knocked me down in a block when I first thought I could run and escape back then.

The rage in my heart stirs. If I was a beast, if I had fangs or claws, they'd be growing monstrously sharp right now. It's bitter but I don't care, I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to. I can't take my eyes away.

One of them must feel me glaring, one I don't recognize, at least not yet. What does it matter, he's with Phillip. Most likely a future enemy.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

But right now he's just a child and like a child he innocently waves at me. He can't be that much older then me but he makes those silly faces you make when you catch a baby looking at you in public. I can't help but deflate from my anger at that.

No good, I'm just baby. I have time to plan, to protect myself.

The brat keeps making silly gestures at me till uncle Geoff sends them away, complete with their task. Phillip and his friends laugh and tug at him but the playful little brat waves and mouths at me "bye bye" as if I could understand him. Stupid kid, normal babies wouldn't be able to.

"So are all these presents? For my little girls, oh you shouldn't have."

Grampa speaks in a teasing tone that says he already knows everything. I'm still confused what's going on, the ground is littered with random items, from toys to books to weapons that small children most definitely should not handle.

"Well one or two items. I missed their first birthday but just couldn't decide on a gift. Then I thought, why simply give them something? Why not let them choose?"

"Hmm I see, how very interesting."

I see it now too, it's that test.

The one where you place a few items in front of a baby and watch what they crawl too. The item they choose is a prediction for their future careers, say if a child picks up a pen they will be a sort of scholar or scribe. A toy sword for a soldier and so forth. I didn't know people actually did that, it's all nonsense.

"I see quite the spread here Geoff."

"Yes I've arranged a little bit of everything I suppose. You can never be too sure"

"Down you girls go then, I can't wait to see what you two will pick."

Umm is grampa talking in general or directly to me again?

This thing is all nonsense anyways but I'm not a real baby her. Isn't this like choosing my first starting pokemon then!? The rest of my game will be affected by my decision. Ack the pressure!

Luckily for me Lilyanne is taking the initiative and crawls off first. I'm more than ok with watching her choose first. She giggles and stops to clap her hands in amusement but after a short time the thing she picks up is.... a paintbrush?

The crowed ooos and ahs at her choice.

Ok I'd be a little more creeped out if she wasn't sucking the paintbrush like the drooly baby she is. In the later on future Lilyanne will be called an art prodigy. She was a very accomplished painter among such other thngs, and Rosalia could never catch up. Reaonsbaly and realistically she admitted defeat against her sister in this area as much as it hurt her pride.

Which is a stupid train of though by the way. You can't be good at everything, besides Rosalia was so busy attending all sorts of lessons and event where would she find the time to practice? What a strange inferiority complex.

But this is all a coincidence right? Right just nonsense...

My choice won't be nonsense, grampa knows about my mental status and he'll be judging carefully. It's nerve racking! I can't just pick randomly here!

I calm myself in the only way I know how, silly comparisons.

What would I do if this really was a game? What would I do if this was my starter item? ...Well this is not helping. I'm indecisive as fuck nor do I play fair all the time. I'd just find a cheat code online and get multiple items at once.

Oh can I do that here? Is that even an option?

Well here goes nothing.

I toddle off, scouting the items on the floor as if it's a buffet. You always have to scout out a buffect first and make your menu plan. The first things I grab are righ next to each other so I pick them up simultaneously, one in each hand. It's a gold coin and the roll of bread that I liked.

"Oh well that's new."

"...I never seen a child choose like that before."

"I suppose she'll never go hungry nor want for anything?"

But I'm not done and the crowed watched curiously as I place the items into my skirt. I hold it flared out and stock up on goods, adding a feathered pen, an exotic sheathed dagger, a small telescope and a pretty looking cup.

"Pffft! BHahahahaha oh lord isn't she's a greedy little thing?!"

"Isn't she just grabbing what she likes?"

"Oh that most definitely reminds me of you Ronald."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean!"

When there's no more room I gathered and bunched up the edges of my skirt, securing the items and grabbing one last thing with my free hand.

A whip

Yeah, that should do it.

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