Chapter 5: Prove the concept.

The hallway bustled with activity, filled with lively conversations, giggles, and the shuffling of feet. Children in hospital attire scampered about like mischievous sprites, darting between gaps and dodging the diligent cleaners swiping the floor with their long, wet mops. Some children paused to press their noses against the high windows, peering out with giggles that rang like wind chimes, filling the air with playful energy. The infectious laughter and liveliness permeated the space, until a young caretaker with short brown hair raised their voice in reprimand, momentarily breaking the lively scene into a hush.

In the midst of chaos, a cluster of elderly folks settled into chairs along the walls, sharing untold stories. Meanwhile, a lively group of friends strolled arm in arm, their animated laughter seemingly endless. The scene was alive with movement and chatter, everything felt normal but Yusciel couldn’t shake the feeling that something about it was off.

‘Is this because of that girl playing the cello?’ Yusciel pondered silently as she walked along the long wooden floor in her socks. Her eyes wandered absentmindedly as she searched for a sign leading to the outside world. ‘That sounds plausible… I mean, she was there when I woke up—the chance that she was the one who cleared my mind with her instrument is high. But how? Does she have an ability that can manipulate minds?’

The idea weighed heavily on her, each step muffled by the snug black socks hugging her feet. Lost in deep thought, she unconsciously whispered to herself, “No, that is not possible… That’s… but there’s magic… Magic that is different from the logic and laws of my previous world… Something that could hold endless possibilities. So it might be possible.“

As Yusciel wandered down the corridor mindlessly, she suddenly felt a strange pull, almost like an invisible force guiding her. Her steps, heavy with contemplation, seemed to lighten and slow as her eyes caught sight of an intersection ahead.

At the center of the junction, Yusciel spotted several arrow-shaped signs suspended in mid-air like beacons. They read ‘Canteen’ pointing to the right, ‘Garden’ to the left, and ‘Library’ in the center. The letters etched in blue, shimmered with a faint glow, offering easy readability from a distance and causing her to come to a sudden stop.

Yusciel pondered, ‘Should I just go to the canteen and meet up with Lexine?’ However, that idea was quickly dismissed as her feet instinctively carried her towards the garden. ‘I really want to meet that girl.’

Motivated by the idea, Yusciel quickened her pace and turned left down another winding corridor. The wooden floor was marked with traces of dirt, and on her left, the white walls transitioned into a stone railing that offered a view of the outside world, with lush green trees and mountains shrouded in fog and white clouds. Just above the trees, heads of stone golems were found moving, albeit slow. The once bright blue morning sky, adorned with fluffy white clouds, now darkened as gray clouds loomed on the horizon.

‘Rain?’ Yusciel mused, halting her steps as she gazed skyward for a moment that stretched like eternity. ‘If I meet her, then what? Why do I want to meet her again? To seek silence from the voices? To learn how she was able to do that?’

Conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind as she found herself slowly drifting towards the railing, her hands coming to rest on the warm, freshly basked earthly stone. The warmth on the surface slowly dissipated, replaced by the passing chill of the air that brushed her skin, fluttering the fabric of her one-piece dress. Letting out a sigh as she gazed into the seemingly endless forest, she noticed a familiar figure with black hair sitting on a nearby branch. The person was staring at the Yusciel with a small grin, their bare feet playfully dangling down.

“Nemneseia…” A soft whisper slipped from Yusciel’s lips as she recalled her name, before feeling the gentle raindrop fell on her cheeks. Suddenly, the rain intensified, filling the air with loud pitter-patters. The bustling noises around her faded into a solemn silence, a stark contrast to the lively sounds just moments before. Yusciel remained unfazed by the rain splashing on her body, her gaze fixed on the figure seeming to enjoy the rain. However, there was something strange in the droplets of the rain—they slowed to a halt, giving the impression that time itself had paused, yet oddly enough, the sounds of the rain continued.

“Are you running away again?” Nemneseia muttered, her voice clear as if piercing through the rain that muddled everything.

Shocked, Yusciel’s eyes widened, repeating the words in a trembling voice, “R-running away?”

Nemneseia’s lips formed a smile, but it held a mocking manner. She said, “You know, this Seed Project of yours will never show results if you keep avoiding it.”

“W-who says, I’m running away?”

She scoffed, “Look at you, always running,” she insisted, “Have you ever considered the effort it took to reach this point with your project? Now you’re wasting it—wasting the sacrifices made for this moment. Are you not being a bit selfish, Yuel?”

“Please, don’t call me by my name, and I’m not running. I’m merely waiting… Waiting for the Seed to be ready,” Yusciel responded hastily, her hands clenched into fists, her eyes frowned.

“But you could have accelerated it—utilizing all your knowledge to speed up the process, exploiting everything—achieve the result—prove the concept—complete the project.” Nemneseia mocked, resting her chin on her hand. Her wet hair fluttered by the passing wind, dripping cold water as she stared devoid expression.

“I-I know,” Yusciel stammered.

“How selfish… This isn’t like you. Have you gone soft? Didn’t you deny the people who opposed your project?”

Yusciel couldn’t maintain her gaze any longer, her head lowered, eyes fixed on the ground below the balcony as she weakly whispered, “I know… Don’t think I never thought about it. Every single day—ever since I came here.”

“Don’t forget where you came from, and why you are here,” Nemneseia’s voice faded, prompting Yusciel to return her gaze, only to find nothing but the trees under the relentless heavy rain.

“—To prove a concept,” Yusciel murmured before turning her gaze down the corridor.

Conflict filled her eyes as she stared down the long corridor, droplets of rain splattering across it. A chill spread through her body as whispers of the echoing rain hitting the ground reached her ears, and she thought, ‘She’s right… I can’t delay this any further. I have to focus on the Seed.’

Her throat tightened as something caught her eye—a pair of feet. She shifted her focus and followed the sight to a familiar figure with red hair. The wind tousled her hair as it passed by, and the figure smiled proudly at Yusciel.

“You—” Yusciel attempted to recall her name, but it escaped from her memory. However, as she noticed the long white laboratory coat fluttering, embellished with an ID coat, covering the simple uniform of white sleeves and a dark skirt with purple trims, she hesitated. “Someone from my team… I can't quite recall your name. I apologize.”

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“That’s alright,” the figure replied. “Just finish the project, boss?”

“I know… I know…” Yusciel trailed off, her voice turning into a whisper as she repeated, “I know, I know…”

Yusciel took a deep breath, her soggy socks soaked from the rain splashing as she walked along the wet and dirty corridor, passing the red-haired woman. Heading back to where she came from, she noticed several dejected-looking children walking across the intersection. A female cleaner who was following the children turned towards Yusciel, her expression shifting to one of surprise before she hurried over to Yusciel.

“You’re soaked, miss! Are you alright? Please come with me,” the cleaner asked, taking Yusciel’s hand and leading her inside the building. Turning around to see Yusciel’s eyes gazing to the ground, absentminded, worried washed the cleaner as she asked, “I’ll call your guardians—what’s your name?”

“My name…?” Yusciel repeated, tilting her head as her eyes slowly shifted to the cleaner. Discerning the stranger’s presence, she replied, ”I am Yuel—No, wait. I mean, Yusciel. I’m Yusciel.”

“You seem like a patient,” the female cleaner commented before taking out a small purple pebble in the shape of a circular orb with her free hand. Fiddling with her thumb, the peddle glowed faintly before projecting a holographic screen that appeared between her and Yusciel.

“A patient…” Yusciel muttered, turning her gaze away as she stammered in her reply, “L-Let me go. I know where I nee—”

“Yusciel?”

Before Yusciel could finish her words, a distant voice interrupted, causing her to turn towards it. She saw Lexine approaching with a tray in her hands, carrying several cups of drinks, empty glass cups, and two glass pitchers filled with orange and blue liquid.

“Yusciel, what are you doing? Wait, you’re soaked!’ Lexine’s eyes widened in realization before moving closer to Yusciel. She quickly set the tray aside, causing it to float in the air, and took over Yusciel’s hand, “You’re so cold! Come on, let’s go back to your room and warm you up.”

Just like that, Lexine led Yusciel back to their room where she was helped with changing into dry clothes. They passed the time by the fire pit, watching as the rain ceased and the skies quieted in a faint gray dim. Before noon, Kaine arrived with the essential documents that required sorting at the hospital, prompting them to depart immediately.

Unlike other hospitals Yusciel had visited in this world, this particular location was nestled within a dense forest, each trees bears a glowing symbol in dark blue. Traveling on foot to nearby towns proved to be a lengthy and difficult task for civilians. However, with the aid of slow-moving moss-covered stone golems, safe passage was facilitated with each deliberate step.

Unlike the typical golems controlled by magical Casters, these beings were volunteers born of nature, who now guided the group on their rocky heads forming a circular seating area. Among them stood Lexine, effortlessly controlling the floating baggage that accompanied them.

Golem heads were shaped rough, undefined yet closely resembling tree stumps. These rock-like forms, with feet resembling thick logs, easily traversed the cold, blue rivers before crossing the other side where the ground littered with stones and noticeable cracks, moving on their familiar paths that led them to the nearby settlement perched atop a nearby cliff.

The golem stopped at a massive boulder, its side carved with stairs and platforms of wooden floors, surrounded by fragile fences on its rim. After landing and expressing gratitude to the golem, the group, draped in black robes, made their way down the stairs and followed a paved path leading to the quaint settlement. The ground was covered in haphazardly placed lumbers tied with mossy ropes, surrounded by numerous wooden native houses that were raised from the floor and a dock at the edge filled with small airships.

An airship arrived at the docks, visible through the narrow gaps between houses. On board were two adults and a child with small luggage—a stark contrast to the group burdened with multiple heavy bags. It was only thanks to Lexine’s ability to float objects that made the transportation of bulky bags, which would have required eight strong men to carry, much easier.

Kaine led the group, with Lexine guiding the absentminded Yusciel by the hand. Their footsteps echoed on the wet ground as they weaved through the randomly built structures until they came to a stop in front of a building with an open entrance. Its curtains of sticks were drenched, obscuring the view of the inside. Atop the entrance, a sign made of white cloth with black painted letters declared it as a ‘resting point’

Kaine turned over his shoulder and said, “Wait here. I’ll call for him.”

Lexine nodded in reply and silently watched as Kaine pushed aside the bamboo curtain to peek inside. There, he saw several people filling the wooden stools, some occupied tables littered with beverages, dirty plates, and half-eaten bread.

Kaine quickly scanned the room, noting resemblance to many diners he had visited before. The space was filled with tables and chairs, and in the far corner, an old woman sat behind a small wooden counter. Next to the counter, a large log cut in half showcased their food, still freshly cooked as a hot plume rising from the cooking pots and steel cookware. Above, a steel lantern bathed the room in a warm glow, its flames flickering like chandeliers and safely contained by the protective orb hanging above, preventing any spread to the wooden beams it was attached to by chains.

Kaine’s eyes finally settled on a familiar figure—a man with brown hair, larger than himself. The man sat with his arms crossed, dressed casually in a white sleeveless shirt and black pants, his damp black robe resting on the table. With a booming voice, Kaine’s booming voice rang out, “Joseph! We’re here.”

Many people heard, startled as they turned their heads towards him, including Joseph. Their attention quickly waned as Joseph stood up, exclaiming, “Great, it took you quite a while. Wait, I’ll have to pay.”

“There was a brief rain shower.” Kaine replied as he stepped inside the stick curtains. “The river bank was slightly affected, and made the stone giants move slower than yesterday.”

“Is that so?” Joseph responded with his back turned as he approached the counter.

For a diner place almost filled with people, yet an odd quietness hung in the air, as if the room itself was listening in on the conversation between the two foreigners. Suddenly, breaking through the silence, an elderly man spoke. “Young lad,” he addressed from a nearby table.

Kaine’s attention was drawn to an elderly man in the diner, seated with his feet propped up on a stool. The man possessed a bald head with sparse white hair on the sides, and his weathered brown skin bore the marks of age. With one hand holding a cigar that dangled on the edge of the stool, the other hand tenderly moved between his wrinkled toes. A haze of smoke surrounded him as he rasped, “Young lad, did yer came from up top? The Seinteris? Wer the waters came black when ye passed?”

“We just arrived from there actually, though the waters were not quite dark, but they were faster than yesterday’s,” Kaine answered.

“Oh, good!” The elderly man exclaimed, turning his head to the folks as he yelled, “Did yer hear that? Yer lads can go check the golems now and see if they can transport ye to the top! Kindly that is! HAHA! I don’t want to hear any of ye say yerl take the airship over the forest! Not anymore! Got that?”

As the crowd grew loud in response to the old man’s words, Joseph arrived moments after, now draped in his wet black robe, and simply said, “Let's go,” before the two exited the building.

They were met by Lexine, who greeted with a smile, “Good morning, sir Joseph.”

“Hello, Lexine,” Joseph replied. He then noticed a figure behind Lexine—Yusciel, also covered in black robe, and tilted his head slightly in her direction, observing her absentminded state. “How is she? She seems a bit more lost than usual,” he remarked.

“What are you talking about sir? It’s the same as always,” replied Lexine. “She’s like this because we’re not on the ship. So, yeah.”

“I see,” Joseph nodded in understanding. “Shall we take the Kleinboote ship to the isle’s port, or would you prefer to visit the town below for a meal first?”

Lexine shrugged when Joseph’s stern gaze landed on her, before glancing at Kaine, who snapped his fingers in front of the girl whose face seemed to be in another world. Yusciel blinked, turning her gaze to the man with a nonchalant and tilting her head in response.

“Are you hungry?” Kaine asked, “We’re about to board the Kleinboote ship to the nearby town for lunch. If not, we can head to the post’s isle instead.”

“Ah…” Yusciel muttered, slowly taking in her surroundings with a glance before replying meekly, “No, not yet… I suppose we can head straight to the port isle.”

“You seem spaced out for quite a while,” Joseph remarked, raising a brow as he leaned forward. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I… I suppose,” Yusciel’s voice trailed off, her eyes wandering for a moment before focusing on Kaine. “I was wondering who the girl playing the cello earlier at the hospital was.”

“That girl…?” Kaine responded, titling his head and furrowing his gaze as his eyes rolled. Suddenly, snapping his fingers, he exclaimed, “Oh! I remember her! Her name is Astero Carmilla, the daughter of the Sanzonne family.”