Isaac
After preparing a new type of food such as burger and fries for dinner. Something that his guard unsurprisingly came to enjoy, Isaac, decided to invite them for a dip to the lake a fair distance away. There though he noticed, the lake water was cloudy with a strange smell. Although he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was yet.
‘It doesn't hurt, it should be fine I hope…’
Not really wanting to sleep without being clean, Isaac went in anyway. Followed by sir Franz, both men decide to take a small swim around. With the small exercise, Isaac, wanting to clean off any grimes and sweat fully, went back to shallower areas. Soap and a body scrub on hand, watching the systematic cleaning, sir Franz was confused.
“A daily ritual Baron Isaac?”
Isaac was equally confused. “You could say that,” He asked. “Why? Don't you clean yourself daily?”
“Swimming in lakes when the opportunity arises, then I would,” sir Franz paused as he thought of his home in the city. “But everyday? That'd be impossible! it would be too much of a hassle fetching all that water.”
“Warm baths would be more impossible then huh?” Isaac confirmed while finishing putting soap all over.
“Correct, not unless I was a wealthy noble.” Sir Franz laughed.
Isaac on the other hand wasn't, he was getting shivers sent down his spine for all he imagined. People dropping their chamber pots onto the street, human waste mixing with the mud. It would be hell for any person from the 21st century.
‘This “city”... will be worse than those in movies…’
Giving the Knight a sympathetic look, Isaac, with a whistle to grab sir Franz's attention. Then threw the bar of soap he had to the Knight who admired the lake view. “Here, wash up yourself.” He insisted.
“Thanks my lord,” Franz thanked as he did his best to make sure the soap wouldn't slip out his hands and into the water below.
“It's nothing, also sir Franz, just call me Isaac, or scholar Isaac. No more of those barons or lords.” Isaac said to the Knight as he got out the water, hastily covering his privates.
Giving a nod for an answer, sir Franz with the soap given to him, scrubbed his body. Admiring the soft feeling and amazing smell of it. Isaac meanwhile dried himself with a towel and dressed up, in trousers, white shirt and a black steel toed boot. With the gray fleece robe he wore.
Tightening the robe on his person, Isaac turned back to see sir Franz also drying up with the towel he gave him earlier. Looking at the entire forestry and the lake, Isaac noticed a few strange things while avoiding the butt naked man. There were algae blooms on some part of the lake, the trees were a tad bit shorter and had thinner looking bark yet with lush and green leaves. And they were all sparsely spread out, similar to the view in front of the house, and that was at the outskirts.
‘Fertilizer run off?’
That was the only thing he could think of as to why the local greenery was like this. But how could fertilizer be ever present in such a medieval world.
‘Maybe it's the fog they're all so worried about…’
Now a fantastical fog was a great reason, at the end of the day, strange things were either science. If it wasn't possible, then it'd be magic, him being kidnapped to this new world was just straight magic. And a fog that killed people was also, straight magic. Strange as it was, his reality is filled with magic now.
Getting back to the house, Isaac his head reeled back while slumping on the chair of his study. He mulled over a bunch of things, the most important variable that bugged him is his possible way of life. From what the scroll said, Prince Altheon, for the mirror and luxuries he gifted. Earned him vast swathes of territory, and from what Franz told him earlier, a noble title.
‘All dues and debts of serfs of the Asch region are now owned by the new lord of “Eisenmark” henceforth…’
The Asch region was the land where he currently is, along with the territory he was given. The Prince conveniently named the new barony “Eisenmark”, a lazy naming sense he thought while reading through the entire scroll. But it was catchy, that Isaac could appreciate. ‘A named territory of importance, favor from a Prince, and owner of slaves…’
He was given a territory, one that could give him wealth to support the luxury he once lived in a 21st century world. However, via a paranoid speculation, his mind told him that a sudden rise to power of a ‘scholar’ coupled with favor from a figure of authority, would not end well. He could be viewed as a threat by those other lords around him, or an ally, depending on where he was.
At the end of the day, speculations were just speculation. Isaac truly didn't have a single grasp of what were to happen in the future. What made him uncomfortable the most at the moment were the serfs. He owned villages of indentured servants, his principles, belief, and personal philosophy did not like it. The humanist within him was raging at the thought. ‘If I truly am the overlord of these lands, then radical change is what I will do.’ With resolve he concluded the thought.
Staring at the last words of the scroll, Isaac noticed the dim lighting, the sun was setting. Not wanting to waste anymore time in the study surrounded by towering shelves. He left the room and went to his own bedroom just across the study. It was a cozy and homey bedroom with lots of space, lots of wood, and a large bed.
Coziness and the homey feeling would've been a nice change of atmosphere from the one he always had. But being put in a new world and given another burden he didn't want was not something he wanted. He had some electronics and a great pc that he could be playing games on to relieve stress. But in a world with no internet, he couldn't even play, offline was an option. To play a game on his own however just saddened him. ‘I should sleep already…’
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
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Sir Franz
As a knight, a man of martial discipline, duty demanded of him to do what must be done, no matter the cost. “A bed made for kings…” the knight muttered as he opened his crusty eyes to darkness. Hesitation present all over as the knight's body ached to sit up.
Letting his sight get used to the darkness, sir Franz then looked over to the strange lights dimly lit up outside the manor. A magic of stones and thunder, as described by the scholar turned baron. The room he was in had one of it too, a lamp called by Isaac yet it had no features of such. “Yet it works like the magic of the Magisters.” Sir Franz said in amazement as he pulled the string of beads that lit up the strange lamp.
Wondering how such things could exist for a small moment, sir Franz then got up and went to a private latrine in his room. Another such luxuries, a marble privy, marble floors, marble basins, marble everywhere accompanied by another mirror and a generous use of metal accessories.
After another round of admiration, he cleaned his face via the water on the basin, using the soap gifted to him. His face appearing more clean and civil on the dim reflection of his face on the mirror. With his own morning ritual done, he donned some of his armor on, barring the legs and the surcoat with the coat of arms of the prince. Restoring the room as it was given to him by Isaac, sir Franz then made his way down the 2nd floor of the manor.
Through the windows of where he and the new lord ate, the ray's of the sun were starting to shine. All alone, he had a more liberal tour of the 1st floor of the manor, and just as he noticed before. Luxuries and exotic things were laden everywhere, while inspecting the weird humming box of metal. Sir Franz was confused like he always is in this strange manor, but now he didn't rake his mind over it. Instead he took something from the wonderfully furnished granite countertop and crushed it.
With his business done inside the manor, he went out the front door and tended to his horse. From reading the scroll of his Prince, the seasoned knight knew things were starting to brew up in this little backwater region of the Asch mountains. “Come here boy, let's get you ready.” Sir Franz said as he gave his horse water, readying the horse and himself for the days ahead.
****
Isaac
Looking quietly out of his bedroom window, he observed sir Franz tending to his horse. “He's up early…” he muttered while thinking up possibilities and reasons. Although he felt guilty at suspecting, the first connection he made in this new world. Ensuring his survival was just the highest priority at the moment.
To ease his mind, he left the window exactly at the moment when the automatic lights out of the house closed, and when the medieval knight became surprised. Heading down and out of the house, Isaac offered a friendly greeting. “Good morning sir Franz, you're up early today.” He said with a smile while looking past the knight and to the distant village ahead.
“Good morning my lord Isaac,” Sir Franz greeted back with a smile as he stopped brushing the mane of the horse.
Nodding in response, Isaac ignored the honorifics as he climbed up his porch. “Heading somewhere? Would you mind waiting for a bit longer? I'll cook up something before you leave.” He said with a smile when he turned back at the knight.
“Please my lord, a baron such as yourself serving a knight is below you!” sir Franz hurriedly and respectfully declined the offer.
“I thought you and I were friends sir Franz? A friend should be able to serve food to his friend, correct?” Isaac insisted, despite his bloodline and family back on Earth having noble lineage, he didn't like being referred to as one.
“Yet there are boundaries and traditions my lord–”
“Scholar Isaac, I insist. What is the use of traditions when a man starves?” With his eyes squinted at annoyance, Isaac gave a small tap with his boots, an exercise of authority, no matter how petty it may be. “Besides, I am still a day and a half old noble, I do not have servants yet do I?” Isaac reasoned to the uncomfortable knight.
“I understand, scholar Isaac…” Sir Franz relented, although he was relieved, a wealthy and favored noble considered him a friend, it was a lifeline that could come a long way. “But I ought to head right away, of course with your permission, scholar Isaac. I'd have hoped to announce their new lord, you, and to also fetch some willing servants.” Sir Franz revealed his intentions as to why he was up so early and ready to leave.
“Can't that wait until after breakfast?” Isaac genuinely asked, confused.
“If I head out now, I may be able to announce it to the townsfolk while finishing their morning prayers. If I leave later I might miss them.” sir Franz explained, hopeful at the idea of getting the permission to leave.
“This early in the morning?” Isaac muttered, amazed at the work ethic. “Then I give you my permission sir Franz, you can do what you think might be best.” He gave sir Franz what he needed with a smile.
The Knight smiled and gave a small bow in response, and wasted no time to get on his horse. Quickly putting his stead on a steady gallop to the village in the distance.
Sitting on the rocking chair, Isaac had a lot in his mind, but other than the fog of confusion on what to do for the future. Things, at the moment, were stable, sleep had miracles that a normal sitting time couldn't cure. “Prince Altheon von Altus, Holy Altum Empire, Administratum, Altusian House…” unfamiliar figures, states, and dynasties were what Isaac muttered. And they were all mentioned in the scroll left in the Prince's scroll.
Those were what plagued him, ‘this is no longer Earth’ the reality that it really wasn't Earth. He had a hope that although he wouldn't be in modern time Earth, it'd be at least Earth but in the medieval times. Just like those novels where the characters get put in a regressed time period. That could have made things bearable, he thought. But no, instead, now he's in a different medieval world, probably with magic.
With no other coping mechanism but to accept his situation, his goal now, is to live through it all. ‘Learning magic and being a wizard would be fun…’ Isaac day dreamed at the thought, flying through the air, casting spells. Those were interesting and new things, along with the fact that if magic was real in this new world, it meant that chances of being accused as a witch or warlock as a man would be considerably lower.
Exploring the endless possibilities if he had magic, Isaac didn't notice the passing of time. His daydream only being cut short when the rays of the sun were starting to get too bright. The day dream for him was fun, it made him happy, and actually gave him something to look forward to. The things he could do and change in this blank canvas of a world was many.
Ending things in a good note, Isaac, with a more energetic stride. Went back inside the university house that was given to him, now it would be his home in this unfamiliar world. With that fact realized, he went to the kitchen and cooked himself a meal befitting kings, waffles, a glass of milk, and a side of bacon. Accompanied by a very generous spread of maple syrup, modern staples that as time went on, would slowly go scarce.
Finishing his breakfast, Isaac, with nothing much to do and the fact that sir Franz and whatever he would be doing would take a bit of time. He thought of why not check up on what were inside the boxes left by his friends when they used the university house as a storage unit. There were a lot of those boxes, dozens upon dozens. “I hope those assholes at least have something useful for me here…”
Although he probably jinxed himself, Isaac still went in the piles of boxes with hope. But seeing the name on the box, Isaac didn't have much hope, “Grace… please don't be useless…” and he was disappointed, all he saw were fabrics. With most of the box having his friend's name on it, Isaac didn't have much hope.
So with much less hope, he opened more of the boxes, ignoring those with the name Grace on it. Opening a more sophisticated box from an astronomer friend of his. Isaac struck gold, a telescope, one that could be used for many things. The next was that of a chemist friend, and another gold it is, a periodic table with actual elements inside it. On the side were microscopes, a couple of them that just needed to be set-up.
He didn't know how useful a microscope would be in a world like this, but at least he had two of them. Much more hopeful at the thought of getting useful stuff other than fabrics. Isaac gathered all of the next most numerous boxes, they were a fellow mechanical engineer friend of his. This he was sure of having very very useful stuff inside. “Joshua… I hope to God you've got something important.”
With another silent prayer he mulled over on what box to open from the several in front of him. He knew the things inside would be useful, this friend of his, ever since they were getting their bachelor's was already talking about working for the military industrial complex. And Joshua did not disappoint like grace, the very first box he opened revealed a bunch of drones, he was giddy.
With a wide grin he opened another box, and there more drones, “Christmas is early today!” He exclaimed all excited, and to the next box he opened, there were radios, another box revealed another set of radios. Things were looking great, and to another box there were a bunch of binoculars, then to another box, he opened, a scale and a bunch of small green boxes, like they were one handed binoculars, although he didn't know what they were, Isaac thought they'd be useful later on.
With the last box, the very cherry on top, battery cells, packed together and with wires popping up. Hundreds of them, and at the very bottom were several solar panels. The portable kind, perfect for field work, with all the things he got from Joshua, Isaac's mood could fly to the moon if it could. “Josh wherever you are, bless you.” Isaac's joy leaked as he thought of the annoying face of his friend.
In a much better mood, Isaac did not bother to open the other half of the boxes. Leaving it all with a jolt in his step back to the living room and out of the garage. He didn't know how much time he spent there, and knew sir Franz would be back soon. Isaac, now more joyful and optimistic, went outside and sat on the same rocking chair.
“Magic or not, I can always use my knowledge and expertise…” Isaac said out loud as he once again thought of the future, this blank canvas of a world had a great potential he thought.