Aarick grinned and shook his head.

“This is what comes of relying on others for information all the time,” she muttered. “Usually, when someone is presented to me, I already know everything about them. I haven’t needed to do a proper introduction to a social inferior in… my goodness, at least a few decades.”

Lurona turned to him and smiled brightly, and if her smile and eyes seemed a touch manic, he certainly wasn’t going to comment on it.

“Well,” she said, “it was a good thing I decided to make this meeting as informal as possible. I seldom get the chance to do an actual informal meeting. And you, being from another world, are currently the definition of outside the social norms.

“Sadly, I was supposed to be teaching you good manners. Stand up for a moment.”

She stood up, and he followed; her yellow robes falling into straight lines. Even the natural folds in the garment created a set of beautiful matching geometric lines. Absently he wondered if she was causing the effect with qi, or the robes were simply that well tailored. Honestly, they reminded him of the art he had seen as he walked through her… home, manor, palace?

How skilled would a tailor get if they had been sewing for a thousand years?

Lurona’s posture went ramrod straight, her neck arching upward gracefully. She bowed her head slightly and then returned it back to perfectly straight.

She spoke in a formal voice, each word sculpted before it left her mouth. They resonated, each word throwing itself into the surrounding walls, only to be rebuffed by the indifferent stone and return.

“I, Imperial Agent Lurona, welcome you into my presence.”

Her voice and tone shifted back to normal.

“Now, in response, there are a few things you must do, if you do not intend to insult the other. First, you bow at the waist with your hands together.”

Aarick put his hands flat against each other, as if he was going to pray.

“Ah, not like that. Put your dominant hand into a fist, and then wrap the other hand around it. Yes, like that, now bow. Ensure that your lower body and upper body are both rigid lines.”

He did his best to follow her directions, and she seemed satisfied.

“One of your tutors will help you get that polished,” she said.

Okay, maybe not. I hope my tutor isn’t too much of a pain in the ass.

“Regardless,” she said, “you still need to do your introduction. Since you don’t have a title or position, state, ‘I,’ your full name, and then respond to my greeting.”

He mustered up his best attempt, channeling all the social events he had been dragged to by his parents. That, plus a little bit of what he remembered from reading cultivation novels, shaped his response.

“I, Dougal Aarick Perdita, am honored to be welcomed into so radiant a presence as your own,” he said, attempting to mimic her own gravitas, shaping each word as best he could.

Lurona flashed him a smile.

“Well,” she replied, a faint trace of laughter in her words, “if you are engaging in flattery, or flirting,” this said with a wink, “that was fairly good. If you ever meet one of the vast number of people overinflated with their own importance, but who are too powerful for you to ignore, that kind of line will do wonders. A simple expression of gratitude, or pleasure, would be better for most interactions.

“Now, you gave three names. Which one is your familial name?”

“Perdita,” he said, after a moment.

“And,” she asked, “what would a friend or someone you know casually address you as?”

“Aarick.”

“And the other name, Dougal, what is that one for?”

“That is my first name. Usually, people are addressed by their first name, or a shortened and more casual version of it. I don’t like my first name very much, so I chose to use my middle name. The middle name is, just kind of there to help tell people apart. Some people have very common first and last names, so it can help.”

“Generally people only have a given name and family name here,” she replied. “Since you prefer Aarick, that will be your given name in your records.

“What was the social status of your family?”

He thought a bit about how to express that one. The class structure of the USA was definitely there, but it was also an illusion.

“That is complicated,” he finally said. “The class structure of my country is, itself, complicated. Ostensibly, everyone is completely equal.”

He noted Lurona’s amused smile.

“Of course,” he continued, “it doesn’t actually work out that way. The laws are the same for everyone, but the execution of those laws in not equally applied. If you have wealth and influence, you cannot get away with everything, but the lines are flexible.

“We have no actual noble class, merchant class, and so on, but like I said, wealth, power, and fame act as stand ins. In that regard, my mom comes from old money, and is about as close as my country gets to nobility. My dad is head of the local…”

He paused for a moment, finding there wasn’t a local word for hospital.

“Well, I guess you would call it a healer’s or doctor’s association; a place where doctors who specialize in many areas of healing work together. Being a doctor is generally a very prestigious position, and the upper echelons can make a great deal of money, and acting as an administrator over many of them even more so.”

He thought for a moment about what that would translate to, in terms of social status.

“I don’t really know anything about what social dynamics are like here. If I counted where we lived, and the nearby towns, we are one of the most prominent families. That would make us some of the most influential people in… maybe five to ten million people?”

“How many people live in your country?” she asked.

“I am not sure of the number, but I think it was about 350 million.”

“So small,” she muttered. “No, wait, all the Outsiders from lower worlds have had smaller populations. That makes it fairly impressive. What would that equate to…”

He paused; what it would mean for her to consider that number low?

Maybe she is so used to having the world be divided into five empires, that she thinks each country is a fifth of the total world’s population. A fifth of the world would be a little more than one and half billion. Still, that is in modern times…

Right, don’t make assumptions, just because they use magic doesn’t mean they are unsophisticated.

The craftsmanship of the building should be more than enough to remind him of that.

Lurona trailed off, her finger tapping against her lips in absent thought. She shook herself slightly.

“That should let me place you as, at least, very minor nobility. I wouldn’t have falsified your equivalent rank, regardless, as that would have complications later down the line. Fortunately, we don’t need to. Being minor nobility will give you some small social perks, but no one should expect to know you, or your family, if you are from across the Empire. You can honestly tell people you are from a small place that none of them have ever heard of.”

Makes sense, enough social status not to be lowest person around, but not enough to be important. Hopefully that will save me some grief.

Her tone though...

“You emphasized the ability to be honest,” he said. “Is there a reason for that?”

For a moment, Lurona’s perfect poise broke slightly, her movements freezing for an instant.

She sighed.

“Yes,” she said, with a hint of exasperation. “And this is really something I ought to have told you before. There are two reasons, both important in their own way.

“Firstly, spirits cannot lie, theoretically. Of course, they don’t need to tell the whole truth, either. Instead… they tell the truth from their own perspective.

“As beings of pure qi, they represent a type of ideal for cultivators, and some believe that telling the truth leads to better cultivation. This has translated into a social tradition for the noble class. As a noble, you should get used to always telling the truth. However, like a spirit, it doesn’t need to be the whole truth.

“In fact, the noble game is almost the exact opposite of that. Deception via truth and shades of meaning.

“The second reason, is why the tradition persists. The ability to perceive truth or lies is not uncommon. Fortunately, for your purposes, more refined abilities that can parse deception out of truth are much rarer.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He nodded and sighed.

Some kind of magical truth detection...

“That does make sense,” he said.

At least I have some skill in prevarication. Social training for the win...

He considered what to ask next. There was so much he didn’t know. It was probably best to satisfy his curiosity, tutors should be able to fill in the rest. Perhaps something that might normally be considered rude...

He cleared his throat.

“Uh, your skin and eyes, they would not be found in my world. The same with some of the people I saw as…” he paused for a moment, “I didn’t speak your language before, so I don’t actually know the name of the man who brought me here. Anyway, some of the people I saw along the way had skin colors that I haven’t seen before.”

Well, technically, he had seen all sorts of colors and designs in games and movies, plus makeup, wigs, and hair dye around Halloween, but that wasn’t the same.

“Yes,” Lurona said, her voice drawing out the word, “I suppose that would be different. Most of the people in this world have some manner of spirit heritage, where their ancestors conceived with a spirit. A rare few have some form of beast heritage as well. That is less common, because beasts are primarily creatures of ziu; few of them manage to overcome the madness of its influence.”

She looked at him for a moment, her mouth pursed to one side, even as her brows furrowed.

“I honestly have no idea what that will mean for your cultivation,” she said. “A trace of the ancestral spirits influence often shapes what a person easily attunes to. As you can see from me,”

Lurona gestured downwards with of her hands, the fingers splayed out toward herself.

“I have a spirit in my ancestry within a few generations back. However, it is generally considered rude to ask. Many people will gossip anyway, of course, and some of the noble families will boast about it. If someone shares their heritage, or their family openly acknowledges it, you may comment on their ancestor; otherwise, pretend it doesn’t exist. It is merely a polite fiction, but social niceties are made of such.”

That created an entirely different line of questioning. Apparently humanity was not alone on this planet. He felt strange about that; a sense of wonder and awe mixed with fear.

How different will they be? Obviously humanity can get along with them well enough to fuck, but that doesn’t really say much.

“Do spirits and beasts marry humans?” Aarick asked, “What are the relationships like?”

“How to describe this…” she said. “The beasts that manage to become spirit beasts, will carry the nature of the beast that they come from. The transition to spirit beast grants them greater intellect, but they don’t stop being a beast. Sometimes, this means they integrate into society very well, sometimes not. Still, the relationships are not quite equivalent.

“Spirits, are more complicated. Spirits… are more like ideas made manifest. The greater the idea, the more they can encompass and the more they understand. The great spirit of the heavens can act as human as you or I; they can also be completely enigmatic. A spirit of dreams constantly shifts, and is never quite real. A spirit of a valley or mountain will reflect the people who have lived there, if they have been there long enough, but they will still carry the aspects of the place itself. Many relationships with spirits are brief and intense. Few spirits can form a lasting relationship with a human. Each side has fundamental difficulties dealing with the other.”

Aarick thought for a moment, before he decided to ask something a little more personal, and a touch riskier. However, while they were on the subject of relationships anyway… he might as well go for it.

“You mentioned that if I were a noble they might offer women, men, etc… whatever would keep me happy,” he said. “Are relationships between men common, or between two women?”

“Having a gay relationship, you mean?” she said.

Lenora looked at him with eyes that felt a little too knowing, accompanied by a small smirk.

“People may love a man, a women, or both, as is their inclination. Most people end up experimenting with both sides. Even if gay, nobles are likely to have one or more wives for the purpose of lineage, while having the informal role of ‘companion’ for one or more men. Even then, sometimes they will formally marry both a man and a woman.

Once you get outside the nobility, people engage in whatever pairings, or more, that they choose. People who try to form enormous groups may get ridiculed, but it is more often about their hunger exceeding their capacity, or their indecisiveness.”

Thank God. I don’t need to pretend I’m straight.

That… was actually far better than he could have hoped. The sexual dynamics here were more progressive than home. Honestly, he had no idea what to do with the idea of polyamory, because it hadn’t even been on the table at home. However, he didn’t need to worry about the fact that he was gay. Here bisexuality was the norm, or at least experimenting with it.

“That is good to know,” he said, trying to keep his voice mild.

Judging by the look he got from Lenora, she was unimpressed with his equivocation, but she let it lie. It was probably not polite to pry.

Honestly the formality, paired with the accepting attitude, felt wrong to him. When he went to large formal gatherings with his parents, he was far too used to the performance of acceptance. A few of the people running the charities seemed to really care, but all too often even they fell into the role of the gracious wealthy individual deigning to extend their hand downwards, preferably while wearing a glove so their hands wouldn’t get dirty.

And he was far too used to bigotry, as well.

I got plenty of practice making ambiguous and potentially insulting comments at bigots. I was certainly more subtle than their thinly veiled disdain. When they bothered to veil it at all.

Of course, then scandals would hit and it seemed like half of them were getting pegged by a dominatrix in secret...

Oh well, human nature being what it is, getting away from politics was a pipe-dream. If I want to have any power or prestige in this new world, I will have to play at least some politics. Better to be a player than be played.

He was bound to run into some issues with this society, but he didn’t know what they were yet. No… he knew one, nobles would exercise their power to collect individuals (and presumably objects) that were status symbols.

People in power being corrupt. Surely, I shall die of shock.

Corruption… was not exactly news; he would need to see how deep it went.

For now, he had more immediate issues.

“Enlightenments, what are they exactly?” He said.

“Oh, you like to pick the hard questions, don’t you?” she teased him. “That is another issue that has many answers, none of which are complete. Since that is the case, I will give you one of the theories that seems to loosely fit what happens to everyone.

“In that interpretation, enlightenments come from two parts. The first is literal understanding. The better you understand what something actually is, at its core, the greater likelihood you are to have a moment of enlightenment, where that understanding crystallizes into something more. Where it becomes a connection on a fundamental level.

“For example, if you wanted a connection to the element of earth, you might go out into the fields. You could study the dirt, the stones, what they are made of, how they form. How the soil is layered, and the stone that lies beneath it.

“The other side of the coin is about what something means or feels. People divide this into their own separate categories, which is why this model is only good for a loose analogy. The earth is a symbol of fertility, of abundance, but it is also a symbol of danger. It is the spiritual representation of foundation, but also corruption, the source of ziu. It has opposing elements, and coming to understand them may help to form the same connection.

“You might do this by looking at a piece of art, or looking at the fields at different times of day, trying to understand what it means and how it feels.

“And then there are the literal feelings something gives. The dusty grittiness of a dry stone, the wet slickness of a stone polished by a river’s embrace. The smell of harvest and the fresh smell of damp earth, turned over before being planted. All of these are part of the physical sensation that something brings. Which half of the two sides they belong in is fiercely debated by those who have nothing better to do with their time.”

Aarick snorted a little. He had certainly met some pseudo-intellectuals who fell into that category. Usually at those same parties.

She continued, flashing him a brief smile.

“Then, you might connect to a number of those concepts. To the aspects of stones, dirt, fields, harvest, fertility, and so on. Eventually, you would hope to combine those into the larger aspect of earth.”

“Do you have a theory of your own you subscribe to?” he asked, suppressing a yawn.

“I do, actually,” she said, with an arch look. She paused for a long moment, before slumping slightly. “I was tempted not to tell you, but it is more than an academic debate for you right now. I so seldom get to talk with anyone as a peer.

“Anyway. I follow a theory that is still well known, but not quite as popular. I believe that the natures of the enlightenments relate to the three spiritual cultivation methods in some manner: the body, the spirit, and the soul.

“The body’s connection to one is obvious, the physical senses. The problem is that the body relates too well, to two of them, because the body would also connect to the physical nature of what something is. And then, which of the two aspects should be assigned to soul or spirit gets debated.”

Lenora shrugged and sighed.

“Ultimately it becomes a question without any particular distinction. The only reason I find it relevant is that I use it to help me understand. In the end, the more comprehensive the knowledge of all these types, the easier it is to be enlightened.”

For a moment, Aarick considered. He didn’t actually know how much people here knew about how the universe actually worked. Could that be an advantage for him? And… there was something that was bothering him about her explanation. It was a feeling he knew too well, unfortunately. His subconscious had caught something he hadn’t, and was working on the problem. Eventually, whatever it was would coalesce, or it would fade away as his mind dismissed it.

He sat thinking for a moment, before jarring into wakefulness at the sound of Lurona’s voice.

“This had been quite enjoyable, but it appears you are falling asleep.”

He wanted to protest, except he was fighting the urge to fall over.

“The room you came from was a sick room. Better rooms will now be assigned to you with your recovery. Something appropriate for your social status. I will also arrange for your identification papers to be drawn up.”

She stood up, and he scrambled to follow suit. She smiled a bright and sincere smile at him, her teeth flashing white between her red lips.

“I hope to have another chat with you later, but I will be busy most of the time. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask the servant assigned to you. Also, money…”

She paused for a moment, absentmindedly looking off into the distance.

“You have no idea how our money works… Well, no matter, I will remind the servant that you have lost your memory of even the most basic things. For the time being, unless something you desire is truly extravagant, all your needs will be provided for you.

“When you join a group of students in the creche, I will arrange for a stipend, in addition to your lodgings.

“Your tutors will handle most things, but if you attune to qi fully, let your servant know. I will want to talk with you.”

She trailed off for a moment, looking thoughtful…

“Also, ask to see me before forming your dantian. Keep a single socket open. I will have something for you.”

Before she continued, Aarick interrupted.

“What is a socket?”

“For now,” she said, “don’t worry about it. Your tutors will explain, and you need rest.”

She bowed to him, and then spoke.

“Thank you for heeding my summons.”

He bowed in turn, and replied, a standard phrase from home rising to his lips.

“It was my pleasure.”

She smiled at him again, the corners of her eyes crinkling.

“That was a perfect response.”

She swept out of the room and he followed behind.