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Chapter Text

The situation I found myself in was definitely strange. I mean if you think about it every situation when you should be dead, but mysteriously waking up would be bizarre. I didn`t even wake up as a newborn which would at least be logical from some religious standpoints. No, I woke up in a body slightly older than I was. The another problem I had was that my memory wasn`t working properly. 

Okay, the period between death and reincarnation was quite easily explainable by the theory that the mind simply doesn`t remember a state of non-existence or that the afterlife is so unbelievable that my mind decided to delete these memories to avoid overcooking itself. 

But other memories were also blurry. The only theory for that was that the memories were blurry because whoever decided to reincarnate me here decided to write my memories over previous owners. And what the shocker, when the 1 and 0 are interloping with each other it becomes an unreadable mess. 

The last problem was that my thoughts were now spelled in two different languages in my mind. And the second had zero connections to any known language in the remnant. Finding that was quite easy since most of the languages in Remnant have similar vocabularies. By checking some words, I found that language has zero similarities to any from remnant. That wasn`t good since it meant that the world I am in has zero or almost zero similarities to the Remnant, and if I couldn`t able to decode memories of that body, I would have to learn everything from almost ground zero. 
 

Well, how I can decipher my memories? I saw currently two options. The first one is to look around the room I am in, hoping that associations of the room would bring back some of the body`s memories, and I could use them to decipher the rest. Or second option: if my age and body's age differ( which is quite likely) I could use it as a key to deciphering the rest. But first I should look around the room probably.
 

The room I was in was quite interesting. Firstly it was a very expensive room with a large king-size bed, quite masterfully made furniture and a huge shelf of books with expensive covers. Secondly based on the room design it was aristocratic(or at least of a wannabe aristocrat) interestingly not a warrior aristocrat since I haven`t seen any weapons( except one short saber) nor trophies, but I have seen a map meaning the owner probably came from seafaring mercantile aristocracy.
 Which is rare since aristocracy mostly came from warrior classes. Interesting does that mean that he is an exception or country I am in, structured around trade( probably of marine variation)? Well, I should probably look at what is on the bookshelf. 
 

Okay, we have a lot of books on history, some books on organization and economics, a couple on shipbuilding, even loads of different philosophy( or probably philosophy they always have some strange titles) books, and …… Oh "Tractatus de principiis magicis" or "Tractats on principles of magic". Well, shit, this world has magic, remind me of what happened last time people had magic: some witch got sad that her husband died and gods won`t resurrect him so she decided to start a rebellion against all-powerful fucking gods. You know that rapier on the wall starts to look more attractive as to pierce my throat and try my luck with another world. Stop did I have some association? I should try and restore my memories.
2 hour later
 

It seems that I managed to restore most of my memories. So let's recon: My name is Whitley Schnee, I am sixteen years old, I am a son of Jacque Schnee and Willow Schnee, and I have two older sisters: Winter and Weiss. I am(at least was before death) heir of the Schnee Dust Company the biggest dust producer and distributor of Remnant (also the least moral company in it) and I died trying to do the right thing and save the citizens of Mantle. Yup, as soon as I start doing things that could be called moral( if trying to save my family name by any method is any opposite) universe decides to kill me( honestly it was my fault I shouldn`t have run to the computer to start evacuation).
 

And I got sent in the body of the heir of Brudanian-Gurlan Trading Company. Well, let's hope that it is a very moral and humane company. Sorry, who am I lying to? That company has freaking colonies( I am pretty sure that they use slave labor not only de facto but also de-jure there.), and also uses Brudanian Royal Bank to do money laundering, oh did I talk about genociding native populations in colonies or is it already obvious? 
 

Well talking about changes to my "Emploi": Now my name is Ceriel (yes without surname), my mother is a mystery (small change from the previous situation) but my father is Claremont the chairman of BGTC, I am now 17 years old and I am also a privileged. What does this mean? That means that I have a magical talent and I am also part of the Brudanian Royal Cabal. 
Well goodbye to my hope to not get involved with this magical scheiße! You know all of it sounds like some kind of tragi-comedy on a multiversal level, which is surprisingly quite a logical explanation for what is happening. Go to theatres to see "Misadventures of Idiot Whitley Schnee" in which we put him in shitty situations and treat him like it is his fault. Yeah, because it is funny as fuck, isn`t it? Isn`t it !? Probably for everyone except me! Okay, I need to calm down. Inhale - exhale, Inhale - exhale, Inhale-exhale. 
 

Okay, so what do we have now? I am an heir to an extremely large company. I mean that's actually not that bad since it was what I specialized in my previous life. I still have some of the body's memories which allows me to quickly adapt to this world. I would need to get insight into the current situation in the world as soon as possible. Also, I would need to quickly get a grasp on how the magic works, I don`t want everyone to suspect me. Language problem I don`t have, Ceriel knows quite advanced brudanian and some other languages. 
 

What else? Paperwork probably. I would need to quickly master the company's paperwork and documentation. Also, I would need to remember as much information on the company's board, the history of the Nine (The continent on which Brudania is placed) and other places, government structure, cabal structure, diplomatic relationships with the company and country, and another load of extremely important things. Mid-short-term goals set? Good, time to set short-term. That means going out of the room and talking to the closest people. 
 

As I open the door I get greeted by quite a sterile corridor. Seriously, why do people have such a big fetish for those white marmour corridors? They could be pretty to look at a tour (at least that is my theory), but living with them is simply atrocious! Their sterility puts a lot of pressure on you and color gets annoying quickly! Well enough about coridors. I decide as I continue to have a stroll through the mansion. On the walls, I could see different portraits and pictures. 
 

Well at least most of them are portraits of ships and places from around the world, and not portraits of sad excuse of a family especially one very distinct person(Claremont gets one point over Jacques already and I didn`t even meet him.). The most logical move right now is to find some stuff, but of course, there are problems with that since with those memory problems I couldn`t orient myself in this mansion(which begs the question about how big said mansion is? Is it bigger than a Schnees one?). So I decided to walk straight ahead hoping that the mansion wouldn`t have an overly circular design.
 

Well for once the universe (or multiverse? or God? Whatever is actually true) decided to be on my side and after a couple of minutes of senseless walking, I finally met the head-butler Gilroy. Light-brown hair, 150ish cm in height which is slightly below average for the place he is in, approximately 45 years old if Ceriel`s memories are correct, looks 50, probably non-confrontational but is surprised to see me. I should probably hide my annoyance and play as I am happy to see him too(don`t get me wrong I am happy but not that much). So I decide to put on a smile, relax my left hand, and slightly focus sight on him.
-Young master! What an unexcepted sight! You are waken up! Is everything alright my lord? - He says excitedly. Which is probably how he truly feels. But I need to be careful not to reveal any changes to him( or at least for changes not to be atypical for the situation I found myself into).
- And could you perhaps enlighten me on how long I have been asleep? - In a happily-curious tone I say. Quite a predictable question to ask, but it is for the better since a more bizarre question could give me away.

- You have been asleep for 3 months and 10 days master. - Replied the Servant little more restricted this time, but I could feel a little suspicion in his tone. Okay but what might cause it? Definitely not the question itself since the period of my hibernation suggests at least some type of coma (or similar condition). What else might cause this type of reaction? Was my relationship with him strained before? That might not be true because he seems genuinely happy that I woke up. Maybe my nonverbal was strange? Yes, it could be it. But what was wrong with it? Probably overemotional expression? Yes from what I could salvage from memory of Ceriel he was not very emotional.

- Could you perhaps prepare some tea for me? I would like to rehydrate myself after my sleep. Could you also prepare some snacks perhaps? I am genuinely furnished.- I ask in a more strictly calm tone heavily restricting my hand movement. That seems to be the expected thing from me since I didn`t exactly plan to restrict my hand. Probably Ceriel's body has some natural instincts that persist. If you think about it, it is apparent that if the memory was written over other neural functions could be also affected by same thing. It seems that the tone and answer I gave were excepted by Gilroy if we take his facial expression as the main indicator of this.
- Right away sir! - He responded with a slight hint of relief and guided me to the nearest room before running off to prepare previously mentioned things. 
 

When he returned I had already managed to prepare for the next conversation. Firstly I shouldn`t show too much emotion. From what I managed to recollect from Ceriel's memories was the fact that he was always less emotional( or borderline psychopathic honestly) and even though he preferred to imitate emotions during meetings with other people, he didn`t do that with most of the mansion stuff. Secondly, I should probably play as if I have some form of amnesia, I would be able to get away with strange questions and behaviors(as if I technically didn`t have one). And finally, I should try to get as much information on Claremont as possible( if he is at least a somewhat responsible parent he would try to visit me as fast as he can).
 So when Gilroy finally sets the table I decide to strike up a conversation.
- Could you please stay with me for a while? I might have a couple of questions. - I initiate adding a hint of curiosity in my voice.
- As you please my lord. What question you might have? - Calmly asks Gilroy interested in what I am about to say.
- Could you please bring me insight on what happened while I was asleep? I also might have some issues with memory so don`t judge my questions too much. - I explain calmly waiting for an answer.

- Well the events that happened were quite significant. Firstly situation with BGCT intervention in the Adran-Kez war spiraled out of hand. Even though originally said intervention was largely a humanitarian mission to help civilians in Adopest, it quickly turned into a conflict with the Adran army because some person gave the orders for company troops and large parts of BRC to attack the Adran troops during the parade in honor of Richard`s Tumblar victory in elections for prime minister. The main suspect in organizing this attack is officially your father who was another candidate. - He continued to calmly tell me when I cut him off.
- Sorry for cutting you off but how could my father be the second candidate if he is Brudanian? - Genuinely I asked him since I am pretty sure most republics require citizenship to be a candidate for government position.

- Well Adran's constitution which where developed a couple of months old during the time of the elections had a loophole where you don`t need to have Adran citizenship, you just need not have any other. And your father might not had citizenship of Brudania - Explained the butler almost unfazed by me cutting him off. But interestingly enough he used past tense over Claremont meaning he either died or acquired Brudanian citizenship. I could pretty surely bet that he is probably dead which means that I might be CEO or chairman of this firm. Also, him saying that Adran's constitution was a couple of months old might imply that Adro might have just had a revolution then. Which seems strangely obvious to me.
- That explanation is good enough you may proceed. - I calmly replied

- The forces of the company and cabal lost the engagement even though one regiment managed to win the fight in the outskirts of Adopest. Your father died so as an entire higher echelon of the Brudanian cabal including grandmaster. So during peace negotiations, BGTC was presented as the losing side. Which had a lot of consequences for the company including but not limited: to losing a lot of contracts with different nations, reparation for Deliv and Adro, significant loss of reputation, loss of a lot of influence in Brudania, and finally crash of companies stocks. The position of chairman for a time of your inactivity was assumed by Lord Syk. Royal Cabal is currently headed by Mernix Bomhoff but since you are the legitimate successor of the previous grandmaster you will probably change him in this role. - Continued to explain head-butler when he stopped seeing me in a state of total shock which I couldn`t control. No seriously how the fucking hell I could be both grandmaster of BRC and heir of BGTC? It doesn`t make any sense. Who the hell would allow a person to get so much power in a country?

- Oh of course amnesia. Your father made a deal with the previous grandmaster so that you will be the next one. In exchange, 5% of the companies stocks was given to the grandmaster, and another 10% was given exclusivity for a BRC member. That deal is indeed very unorthodox, but you could say mostly fair. - Explained Gilroy which made more sense.

- Yes I assume it is right. May I also ask about the current company situation? Who owns the stocks? What about the reparation we must pay? The situation in colonies? - I asked curiously feeling myself in my element. After all, I was bred to be a CEO, so dealing with company politics and finances was my forte.

 - The company is currently facing probably its hardest crisis. Even the sinking of the Eighth Merchant Fleet by Gorgantis wasn`t as big as we currently facing. Stocks plummeted up to 40% of their previous value. The contracts with Deliv, Adro and Novi were terminated, and diplomatic relationships with them are almost beyond saving. The sum of reparations for the Deliv and Adro is in the range of 500 millions to 700 millions of adran crana. The merchant families that previously were the company's main investors and supporters are displeased by their financial losses. Some of them are even already planning on plundering some of our warehouses like the Follin family. 
 

The stocks are mostly distributed like this: 40 percent are your stocks, and another 30 percent are shared between merchant families biggest of them is the Follin family represented by Micenth Follin famous slave rights activist, 15 percent are property of different royal cabal members, and excluding grandmaster biggest stockholder is Agnes with another 5% percent of company`s stock she actually had 3,5% percents of stock before the crises but managed to buy another 1,5 percent when stocks dropped, and the last category is other stakeholders which have 15 percent of the stocks.
 

About the relationship with the government: King Liva II almost openly stated that he would try to oppose the company and already started some reforms in the country. He even tries to push an increase in tax rates for the company. Mernix Bonhof also always presented himself as a royalist and even after you may assume the position of grandmaster he still will remain one of the strongest people in the cabal with his experience. The situation with the council is better since most of them have additional paychecks from a company. And the people never liked our company very much, to begin with, but since most of them work for it they need to support publicly most of your decisions.
 

The colonies are on the border of rebellion especially Brudania-Fatra where their gubernator is actively thinking about mutiny. With other colonial properties situation are tad better. - Calmly explained Gilroy the situation of the company.

 You know I have given Claremont some points. Fuck that null his point and put him on the bottom of the list below Willow, below Jacque, below Siena Khan, and even below fucking Weiss!!! How the hell you could manage to drop the ball so badly!? 

 Why the honest fuck you even decided that it is a cool idea to start engagement after you lost the elections against an army that just won the war, on their fucking territory, with your much smaller contingent!? And now I must deal with your bull-scheiße! You know what! The reincarnation reroll using sharp tools is now looking extremely attractive! King hates us! Most of the cabal is either extremely pissed off that their strongest part died, or happy since they could advance themselves and gain influence which I am an obstacle to, or rather a combination of both! The merchant families are pissed and already planning to plunder the warehouses! 

 And how I should clean this mess while trying to also pay that amount of reparations? I can`t even print that since: first I don`t have control over the bank probably, and secondly the sum is in adran krana! That's just impossible no fucking company ever survived shit like this! SDC started to crumble from the embargo and that is 10 times worse! Okey breath in-out, in-out, in-out.
 

Well if anything cheap stocks may be a good opportunity to move from being chairman to full-on CEO. I would just need to buy more than 5 percent. Also, I would need to get the position to calm everyone down so they do not abandon the company. Probably also fix relationships with the king, and organize a plan to restore BRC to at least its previous strength. Fix relationships with Adro and Deliv, and ideally manage to get reparations frozen for some time. Also, think about how to calm everyone down in colonies. Yeah, that is definitely not an impossible task. Who am I fucking lying to? It is almost impossible. 
 

Why the hell I must always carry this type of burden? Why the hell I couldn`t just have a normal life without all this bullshit? Is this some type of punishment for me existing? Was I not meant to exist so this is how the multiverse punishes me? By giving something to uphold while others hypocritically gain benefits from it? While they tell how hard they try to save everything, it is me who doing the work. When they decide to abandon their duties it is I who pick them up. When they ruin everything that was built by the ancestors and treat me like it is my duty to restore its greatness(or at least prevent its total fall). If I shouldn't have even been born, why do you treat me like their mistake is always my problem? Why do they get to be known, to be someone others give a damn while I am always in the dark? Is that time something is different? Is that time something is different? 
 

But it is, isn`t it? They are no longer here. Claremont is dead. My previous "family" is in another world. I could finally try to be someone. I could become the greatest BGTC CEO! I could become somebody great!! Somebody about whom people care!!! Then it is set! No retreat into non-existence, and no running away from this reality!! I will become someone who is remembered!
 

 Young master were contemplating. It was obvious by him staring at the wall without moving. Well, the young master was always a contemplative person. Even from his childhood that he got from his father. But right now strange was that in his eyes were no longer void but something else. The young master wasn`t the same after the incident when he was lost to sleep. Is he even the same young lord? His movement was less mechanical than before. He showed at least some hints of emotions. So should he even serve him if it is not who he needs to care about? Lord Claremont asked him to serve him and his son as payment for saving him from the streets of Pyre. 
- Excuse me I spaced out a bit. Could you please tell me when will be possible to organize the meeting with shareholders? - Politely asked master Ceriel.
- I would be able to organize a meeting approximately a week from that day. Will it suit you, my lord? - I replied.
- Yes it will. Thank you. You are free to go. I would serve tea for myself and communicate with you when I would need the table cleared. - He politely asked.
 As I decided to leave I found it interesting that I don`t remember witnessing his shadow when he started contemplating. Could it be? But how?

Chapter Text

The Pyre was definitely an interesting city. Comparing it to Mantle and Atlas, it had a soul. Even though Atlas was a fantastically built city, it was simultaneously too sterile for me. If you look into the typical Atleasian building - it will be grand, technological, and even almost fully symmetrical, but nearly void of any individuality. Streets cleaned of every piece of trash, ideally scheduled public communication, and of course ergonomic walking spaces. But the houses looked the same, every street looked the same, everything looked the same. Of course, the reason for it was clear: strict laws prohibiting infrastructure customization.

But how can you prohibit owners of the property change of it? How can you prohibit the citizens of the city from changing their homes? It is because they are not. The army is the true owner of the city. That's how Atlas always worked. Atlesians do the intellectual work, and Mantleans produce everything( except for the most technological things), half-independent( before the military needed it to be not that way) frontier supplies them with resources, and nobles make some symbolic (because the military could always overrule them) decisions and give this system legitimacy. Because it is the kingdom of Atlas( even though it hadn`t had a king since the Faunus revolution). Why just not get rid of the nobles, the council, and other unimportant institutions and openly say that the army is ruling the kingdom? Well, frankly I don`t know. Because I could hardly believe that magic pedo wouldn`t carry their alliance even if they did something like that. The Atlesian army wants to keep the city clean like their barracks.

Oh but SDC has a lot of power! Yeah, that much power so that when the army decided to abandon the Vacuan campaign (The goals of which were allowing SDC to start more efficient mines in the region), the company did nothing but a couple of speeches by its father. Or when Ironwood decided to install a dust embargo without explaining the reason. He took the big metal dildo ( because I don`t believe that a tin man has biological parts in this region) in his ass like an obedient dog.

About Mantle? Well, let`s just say it out loud: architects and builders of mantle didn`t care about esthetics when rebuilding Mantle after the great fire. They cared about minimizing money spent and maximizing the amount of rats to house. Oh sorry, I said rats? I meant people of course which is definitely how they thought about those who live in Mantle. I of course don`t believe in equality. I mean would you also believe in equality, if they were people with powers that could defeat a couple of hundreds of people and some of that power is literally inheritable? Plus remind me: isn`t the percentage of huntsman whose parents also were huntsman is 80%? But honestly, even I see what they did to Mantleans as shity.

Mantleans didn`t help either honestly, because when your symbol and sole representative are a bunch of Wanabee vigilanties, who aren`t wiped out by the army for stealing supplies, because Tin Man has mercy ( or an unresolved crush on their leader). No, seriously Jacque Schnee vs Robyn Hill elections were literally outright evil vs incompetent. While Mantle chooses heroes like that they have no chance to deal with their problems. Of course, I doubt the Mantle and Atlas would even exist because our team of "world saviors" would probably fuck up even the plans I gave them on a silver platter.

You know what they probably deserve to fail. With their stupidity, assholnes, false righteousness, and my-way-or-the-highwayness it would be against any law of logic if they win. I should probably give a point to pedo because if I needed to organize a bunch of hypocritical, egotistical, narcissistic, and extremely stupid children, I would have put a bullet in my cranium faster than you could say "Your plan is crap".

Oh yeah, Pyre. Well, the city is natural. Everything is not some shitty project of an egomaniacal architect, but a result of natural evolution. The closest to the sea and the port is where the sailors and artisans live. They have mostly brick houses with wooden beams and unique coloring buildings. Their homes hugged tightly coastline of the city. The city bureaucrats and merchants lived behind them with similar but taller houses reflecting their better status. Between those two sides were commercial and administrative quarters including the church of the Kresemir and town hall.

Yeah, the design maybe wasn`t 100% natural, but still allowed proper growth of the city since if sailor's quarters would be needed to expand that would probably be due to new ports so they could just build around the port and coastline. And at least such design instead of separating people of higher social standing from lower. It encouraged them to interact. To learn new skills. And not to consider the lower part some kind of üntermensch (a thing which definitely guys with the idea to make Atlas a floating city lacked( I am pretty sure that it is useless since flying Grimm exist)).

That said the building I was headed to was in exactly administrative quarters. Lo and behold BGTC chamber in Pyre or the real headquarters. The square building with a courtyard. It was built with red bricks and a greenish rooftop. You could notice a hint of a style similar to the south-east Valean. Does close proximity to the sea affect architecture similarly? Maybe. Also, it had like four or five stories if you count by windows. Six if there are attic. Of course, it was quite big and easily visible ( especially since a lot of clerks work there).
So I should probably repeat my plan for a meeting. I thank Lord Syk for stepping up. I ask them for their opinion on the situation and let them tell me everything they want. I assure them that I am not my father and do not plan to start avanture for stupid reasons. I would try to see who is having an alliance with who.

I should probably spark conflict between Agnes and Mernix so at least one of them would support me if one of them would try to oppose me. The same goes for merchant families. From what I know Micenth is unpopular with her anti-slavery agenda. So if I need to I could just throw her as the bone for other merchant families to pick. Even though I would like to keep her as an ally. Also, De Vries and Smiths have a conflict over some Gurlan ports in which I could either act as a mediator or support one of the sides.
Who am I forgetting? Oh church of course has 2,5 percent of the stock. Well, working with the church is something new for me honestly, but I suppose I could make him support my side. After all the last thing he wants to hear is that I allowed the Reformed Church to actually do missions on companies territory of Brudania-Fatra. So yeah I think he wouldn`t be as much problem as he could be.

The grand meeting chamber was a magnificent room. High ceiling with two floors of windows. Marmor fireplace to keep the room heated. Paintings of different merchants and sea battles. Trophies from all around the world. This room truly represented all the greatness of the company. In the middle was a long table made from a high-quality oak. Honestly far better room than a monotonously white SDC meeting room.

The interesting thing was also the place where I would need to sit. Because the position of my place was somehow unusually thought out. It was strangely asymmetrical towards others on the table. And also it had an interesting position to a window and fireplace which meant to create visual illusion. But what type of illusion exactly? Make presence grander? Hide my face? No. Ahh, that feeling when you know something is there but you don`t know why. Or what by the way?

And if we talking about whats and whys we need to talk about whos. Because some of the stockholders were already here. Lord Syk was sitting close to my place. Bald and sickly man with a face covered by a veil. If I guessing right some of it is due to the stress of running a company plus weak genetics. Even though I should give him credit when the credit is due: he is an effective businessman if the reports are right.

Close to him is on the other side sits a couple of merchant family representatives excluding Mincenth Follin who still hasn`t arrived. Next to Syk is a sitting representative of the Church. Little bit chubby man in the high-rank church uniform. And opposite to me is sitting privileged from cabal including Agnes and currently grandmaster Mernix Bonhof. He is probably 40 years old, has lightly-brown hair, a strangely strong complexion for his profession, a black coat with gold shoulder pads, family herb on a chest, and wears a glove on his left hand with gold as a secondary color. From what I see of him he is sceptical to my entrance into the BGTC operations.

And finally, there is Agnes. And she is most problematic there. 30ish years old, dark blond hair, higher than average, well-cared skin, quite a lot of quality makeup. If you ask 4/5 people people what they think about her: they would reply that she is beautiful. And the 5th would say that she is dangerous. Her eyes give her off. Her brown deep eyes could attract many people but they also contain sparks. The spark that the producer had watching actors play in a film or a Theater. The kind that chef d`orchestre has watching his orchestre perform. And I would probably need her support. This situation is bad. But well I have to play with the cards I have.

I sit down at my place and check my pockets making sure I have grabbed gloves. Yeah, I don`t remember exactly how to use them, but I could hope that muscle memory would save me this time. About time, what was Minceth doing so long that she couldn`t get to the meeting already it would start in under a minute.
- Well it seems that everyone except our little activist is here already. - In a joking manner said Agnes. - Do you think that it would be proper to start our discussion already or should we wait a little longer? - Curiously said, Agnes
- I think we should give her 5 minutes to come. After all her being late might have a serious reason for it. - Calmly replied I because it is too early to choose a side right now.
- Well if our young heir might say it I guess I could wait a little. - Replied Agnes overplaying the gratitude.
- Excuse her sir Ceriel. She likes to play a fool even when serious things are discussed. - Politely apologized to his subordinate Mernix.
- Non offense taken sir Bonhof. - I replied as politely. Interesting power move from his side. He tries to show that he is in control of a cabal at this moment. I might play in it for a while.

I am pretty sure that more than 5 minutes passed when Minceth finally arrived. And honestly, I almost sighed when this happened. No seriously: black hair, freckles on the face, white coat, and attitude like she is better than everybody in this room. Could Gods or whoever created the multiverse be a little bit more original and not copy-paste Blake fucking Belladonna? Is it that hard? No really you just add cat ears and voila our favorite(no) cat hypocrite. I mean the fact that she is half-fatran ( which is obvious for whoever has eyes) instead of being a dumpster cat is the only difference. Seriously I could already hear talks about how she is oppressed ( even though she is minor nobility), finding discrimination in every piece of dust(not that type of dust). Trying to fight her way into everything and run like a coward when she fails.

Even Adam Taurus had some admirable qualities ( like his sheer willpower) but not that girl. Instead of thinking about how to really change the situation she joined the terrorist group, when the push came to shove run from their group, and decided to enroll in Beacon while saying that her goal is to achieve equality. Bravo genius move. You couldn`t think of a more moral method than terrorism and then you couldn`t even proceed with this method.

Okay, you know what? I should probably give Minceth a credit of trust. After all, she hasn`t done anything too bad yet. Yes, she is probably planning to plunder some of BGTC's warehouses. But she is probably smart enough to negotiate with. Plus if she truly wants to abolish slavery in colonies that means we could collaborate on this. That means I shouldn`t try and strike a conflict with her right away.
- Mincenth could you give us a reason why you were late for this event, please? - I calmly ask her trying to sound maximally unconfrontational. I don`t need her to try and attack me.
- My cab driver was a little bit late. I hope you will excuse me for my situation. - Trying to sound polite said Minceth. Well, she at least tries to be polite. One punkt over Blake.
- Well that is definitely a proper reason. You are excused even though that hasn`t been the thing you needed to be excused upon. - I give her a couple of signs that I am in control there.
- With that said I would like to open our meeting with thanks to our Lord Kresemir and Lord Brude. - I say as I do the rope sign. After all, I need to present myself as a good believer to win over church approval. Others do the same except Minceth who does it another way. Didn`t know she is part of the Reformed Church. That might be an issue. As soon their done it I decide to start properly.

- My partners. As you know I awakened from my long sleep, a week ago. The time while I was asleep many bad things happened to the company. But I must thank the person who stood for the company in that dire time. The protector and the savior. Lord Syk. - I continue to say my speech while also pointing my hand toward the substitute chairman. - Without his wit and smarts that company might not existed at this moment. And repercussions for the Brudanian economy would have been massive. - I say to remind royalists out there that we are in the same boat. And that they are not interested in full-on destruction of BGTC. - I would ask for applause for his achievements. - As I say this the room erupts into reserved aplouses. Did some of that aren`t sincere but that probably doesn`t matter at the moment.

- Thank you sir Ceriel for such praises. I fear I do not deserve some of them, but still thank you. - Sincerely replies Syk
- Don`t be too humble sir Syk that praise is well deserved. - I positively reply to him.
- I also wanted to assure you that I would try to continue saving this company and your finances. I learned from my father's mistakes and I would never try to make such a risky move like he has done. My priorities for the moment are stabilizing companies situation and restoring diplomatic relationships with Adro and Deliv. As for the royal cabal, I would likely prioritize creating the program for the restoration of the numbers and power of the cabal. I would like to get more professional opinions for the program later when the meeting of the royal cabal is scheduled.

Also, I am planning to restore BGTC forces when I manage to stabilize the company. Our forces demonstrated themselves poorly against the adran army which should be a sign for modernization and standardization of our forces. That may include slight cuts in the Navy budget but the current situation opens possibilities of ground invasion of Brudania and threat to company facilities. - I explained some of my plans to them.

The main idea is that I would also be able to push the king to sign the contract so that BGTC forces would be responsible for protecting Brudania but also be partially financed from the kingdom's budget. And for the manpower? Well since I want to get rid of slavery I could start by allowing for slaves in Fatra to mobilize themselves for freedom and payment. Which could be the first step on the way to full abolishment. You could say that my decision is not exactly moral. But I honestly don`t care that much.
- Does anyone have questions about my plans? Maybe propositions? - I ask them to know what are they thinking. After all some of them maybe are a little bit confused on what I am planning to do.
- Where do you plan on getting manpower for the restoration of the company's forces? Where do you plan to get it? - Asked the De Vries family representative.
- I am thinking about mostly Gurlish colonies even though Fatra or Strenland remains an option. If somebody from Brudania would want to serve the company of course I wouldn`t oppose him. - I responded with a half-lie to this question but managed to make it believable. I can`t right now put anti-slavery positions since I risk losing support.

- How are you planning to better the relationships with Adro and Deliv? - Asked Mernix
- I am planning to tell the truth that the incident wasn`t planned by the board and Claremont has done that behind your backs. After all, wasn`t that what happened? Secondly, I am planning a quite close time visit to Adopest in order to pay my respects to those who died during the incident. Thirdly I am planning to sign a cooperation pact with them which should divide colonial spheres of influence between our company and those two nations and put conditions on our cooperation. With this, I am planning to ask for a freeze on our reparation payments for 2 or 3 years. I might need to ask Novi diplomats for help with negotiations. I understand that it might sound blapshemic but I hope you can understand me. - I explained to them. Freeze for 3 years would be quite enough to allow the company to recover and be able to pay off all reparations.

- What about slaves in Fatra? What do you plan to do about them? - Asked Minceth. Did she understand that she shouldn`t ask me this type of question right now? That gives me no other choice than to jump feet-first into conflict. Okay, I might have some idea how to counter this.
- I think this type of question is still too early to ask. After all our decision would barely matter if Brudania-Fatra declares independence for example. - I don`t this discussion now Minceth. And you don`t need it because now it is most logical to side with your opponents.
- I think this is the right time to ask this type of question. - Decided to push her position further. Okay it is her fault now.

- In this moment I couldn`t change Fatran's situation too much without putting the company at massive risk. I think nobody here would like me to repeat Claremont`s mistakes by trying to risks with so little reward. And if I try to push now without restoring the company`s forces gubernator might try his chance at independence. Which means everybody here might lose property in Fatra. Does anyone here, including you Minceth because I know about the Follin family property in Fatra, want to lose their property in Fatra? - I direct questions toward everyone. Oh, but I am not done here.
- Or maybe Miss Follin here already made a deal with the gubernator and wants to get her hand on the properties of other merchant families? After all Follin`s lost a lot of money due to the Adran crisis. - I smugly say. And every other representative of merchant families starts glaring at her. Check Minceth.

- Such accusations are baseless - Tries to retort Follin starting to get angry. And now time to mate.
- How could such an accusation be baseless if you are trying to destroy the company right now? After all, it is not I who placed ships close to the Bornian storehouse. And from what I know storehouse in Bornia never was a property of the Follin family. So I must think that what you want is to destroy the company. But if the company is destroyed the most power in Fatra has Gubernator so you probably already tried to make a pact with him. Or with Novi administration after all you have the same faith with them. -I say as I see everybody especially the church representative glaring daggers at her. Oh, she is getting angry. And discovered the check.
- Yes she is probably a Novi spy. - Shouts one of the representative of the merchant family.
- She is planning to rob us all. - Shouts another.
- Heretic - Shouts the church representative.
- Quiet, please. - I say in a stern voice and put my hand up. - Does Follin has something to refute such an accusation - I sternly ask her.
- I do not think that there is a sense in refuting such baseless accusations. I didn`t think my fate was enough argumentation to put me as a Novi spy. - She tries to calmly retort but anger sips into her words.

- I do not suggest that you are a Novi spy merely that you have a mutually beneficial relationship with them. Oh also wanted to state that even though I would gladly accept advice from specialists of the royal cabal, my drafts of the restoration plans required some recruiting from Brudania-Fatra and Gurla - And I need not let her unite with royalists so I should throw this so Mernix wouldn`t try to use this to find support.
- I think that is fair enough. - Calmly replied Mernix
- Well with that out of the way does anybody else have perhaps questions or propositions? - I asked preparing for the vote to start. And after I was greeted by silence I decided to start the vote. - Then I think we should start the voting process. If anybody wants to put himself as a candidate for chairman they might raise their hand. - As I said this only one person raised their hand. Agnes. Does she expect to win this? But she is not that popular and quite a small investor. What is she trying to do?

- Well with that out of the way. We might start a vote. Everybody would be given a piece of paper. You should write the candidate you vote for name on it. After that, they would be collected and counted. - I say as a servant give everyone including me a piece of paper. I write my name and turn it upside down. The others also write the name of the candidate. Agnes quickly glances at me and smiles. Did she think she would win? She almost didn`t talk during the meeting about how she is expecting to win. Does she plot to kill me during the break and take the position? As everyone's paper gets collected the break gets called for counting and I go for a walk in the corridors.

And I couldn`t even get a walk without a problem. Because after a couple of minutes, I come into contact with Minceth. She is angry at me for the humiliation which I made her suffer during the meeting. But honestly, she just got what she deserved for trying to push her position while I communicated to her that it wasn`t time for it. Well now try to explain it to angry women who already has a pistol on ready. I slide my hands into my pockets to stealthily put the gloves on before starting a discussion with her.
- You little brat! What the hell you did during the discussion? - She angrily asks.
- It was not my fault you decided to start this discussion even though I told you it wasn`t a time. - I calmly respond to her. And she tosses her glove at me.
- Duel here and now! - She shouts.
- No, I refuse - I calmly respond

- You can`t refuse! - She continues to push.
- Do you want to get burned to death? - I decide to counter-push her.
- You won`t be able. That is against duel rules. - She replies surprised
- Did I say anything about a duel? Or you don`t think I could burn you right now? - I bluff. I couldn`t be sure that I could successfully perform such a thing. But it is the best bet.
- And what if I shoot first? - She smugly replies.

- Everybody would know you did this. They would probably kick you out of the company and probably try to go for your family. Or knowing how much you care about slaves, they might massacre a couple of thousands of them. Maybe even find one of the more interesting to you person. Who is it, mommy or daddy? Was it a little servant daddy had an affair with or a plantation worker with who your mother had fun? - I mockingly ask her.
- How do you know? - She shockingly questions.
- Your face has freckles characteristical for Fatrans on it. But I assume my theory is right. - I smugly reply to her.
- But it wouldn`t matter if I killed you, would it? - She asks trying to restore her position.
- Probably but your antagonism is illogical I didn`t deny your goal and if you had given me time to restore company I might have started to listen to you. - I explain to her trying to de-escalate. - But at that moment discussion with you didn`t make sense to me. Have a good day. - I say as I turn my back and walk away from her. The world would hate me if I couldn`t even have a break at peace.

After the break ended everybody again gathered in the meeting room to see the results. And they were quite good for me. 2 people voted for Agnes and others voted for me. Those 2 people were probably Agnes herself and the Minceth. Strange was that Mernix Bonhof suported me or probably suported me. But well that is not bad. I also got information that the meeting with Cabal would be next Tuesday. But thank god I wouldn`t need to sail to Bruden for it and it will happen in Pyre. Well for me the only thing left was to return to the mansion. So I decided to slowly walk away to the entrance of headquarters when one particular person stopped me.
- Never expected young prince to actually return - playfully said Agnes while leaning over the wall.
- Well, I have been told that I often go against expectations - I calmly replied.
- You know watching you was an interesting experience. I do not expect you to manage to get support from all of them you know. - She continued to say curiously. And honestly, I was a little afraid since she is a dangerous person. What she is planning to do?
- Well I am happy that you were entertained by it. - I reply and she gets closer to me. Shit, I can`t possibly deal with her. Did she plan to kill me in front of this many people?
- You know you are actually cute when afraid. - She purrs leaning over me. Is she trying to flirt with me?
- Maybe. - I try to sound calm but hints of fear and nervousness could be heard. She smiles and kisses me on my lips. Stop what? What does that mean!? Why the hell are you doing this while a lot of people can see? But she tries to deepen the kiss and get me into her hug only.
- I voted for you. - She whispers when she breaks the kiss. And walks away waving me goodbye. They don`t pay me enough for this shit!

Finally the Mansion after the long day. I could rest and finally eat something. Yeah, I need to ask Gilroy to cook me something. I open the door to my room to be greeted with darkness with a couple of rays of sunlight. It is normal since it is evening so I go to start the oil lamp. Strange it feels like someone in this room. I start the lamp only to find figure standing in the corner. With white gloves.
I have no choice but to try and quickly prepare my gloves. And after I did this I ask him.
- Who are you? - I ask not able to suppress my fear.
- I wait for you here and you meanwhile get kissed by some girl. - He whines about it.
- I asked who you are. - I try to say it more sternly.
- Oh you know, First Lector of Adopest University.

Chapter Text

- Oh you know, Prime Lector of Adopest University. - Said a little bit chubby, bald, older man with a purple birthmark on his head. Okay, that raises the questions. Firstly, why is he even here? Secondly, how did he get inside the room? Did he kill anyone from the staff? And thirdly, what does he need from me?

- So what might such an interesting person want from me? - I asked, trying to flatter. I decided to start with that question while circling to the room exit.

- You shouldn`t try to flatter me. It is indeed quite obvious that you are in a stressful situation and do not possess such an opinion of me.  - he says, empathetically pointing at the door - Also trying to go out of the room, wouldn`t be effective because I could always shut the room semi-permanently. I could actually shut it using a couple of methods. - He quickly pauses trying to remember something

- Oh yes, why am I in your room? - He says with a slight Eureka in his tone like he has just remembered about it.  

- Well, you see, the Adran crisis could have had much worse consequences than it already had. So as soon as all the omens were there, I decided to pack my things. Well, as you probably understood, the result of the crisis wasn`t that drastic, so I decided not to go to Fartrasta, but to remain here. Of course, by here I don`t mean Pyre, but a small city near it. Named Tholen by the way. - He continues his monologue. Also, how the hell crisis, which started one of the bloodiest wars, started a civil war in Kez, put the legitimacy of most monarchies in Nine into question, and finally ruined everything for BGTC - could have been worse? Just how?

- And yes, trust me consequences could have been worse. - He says seriously, interrupting my thoughts. Can he read minds? But he is privileged, not knacked. Could you read mind as a privileged? Through changes in presence? Or electro-magnetically?

- Oh, and about you. Well, you see your person has been interesting to me for a long time. And when I got the news about your awakening, I decided to check on you. I have seen something interesting today, so I decided to meet with you. You see Ceriel didn`t have a soul before. - Stopped his monologue, privileged allowing the information to sink in. And I thought Ceriel was just a psychopath. Scheiße! But shouldn`t it be too obvious for every privileged, knacked, or marked that I don`t possess any since souls could be seen in the Else? Or they have just been pretending this whole time? Like some kind of theater where nobody actually believes in what they say?

- No, that's information available to me or someone with skills similar to mine. And I would need to trust my knowledge on this: that is not a lot of people. As you know, skilled privileged could manipulate their presence in else. Ceriel used some techniques to create the illusion of such a presence. But the technique is not ideal and the presence looks too perfect if you analyze it more thoroughly. - He continued telling shocked me, but his vision drifted towards the half-opened book.

- Oh "Tractatus de principiis magicis". Do you read this book? - Prime Lector asked - Not much. - I replied while trying to contemplate what I heard before. So Ceriel managed to support such a complicated technique without it slipping out, for a couple of years. Is it even possible? Also, how the being without a soul could exist, moreover use such complicated sorcery. 

- Yeah that shit is unreadable. And they still use it to teach the basics of sorcery? I thought only Adran Cabal used it since I made a translation with commentary. I never thought somebody would read it without those. Gods, it was probably the worst book written by me. I decided instead of writing more technically, to try a more esoteric style with a huge amount of metaphors and symbolisms. And also I was bad at explaining most of the things. I often assumed the reader would know some non-obvious things. And yes, I made a couple of mistakes in my formulas. What? I am still a person. - He kept talking while I was in a state of total lack of understanding. 

The "Tractatus de principiis magicis" was released before blackening. More than 1000 years ago! Does this mean that he is predei? But Ceriels memories suggest that they were all wiped out. So I decided to take some risk and ask him. Well, let`s go!

- Are you a predei? - I ask him with the tone of not understanding what is even happening.

- Yes. And yes, I am actually somewhat of 1500 years old. I do not count honestly. What? Try to not forget when is your birthday after 100 years. And I don`t even have my documents. - A little bit whiny answered answered First Lector. He is probably not pleased with this. - Oh, but if I give away information, you should probably too. So who are you? - Decided to use this situation to his benefit predei.
 

And what should I tell him? Lie? He would probably see through it. I mean 1500 years of experience doesn`t just go away. Tell the truth? Would he even understand? I mean one thing is to be more than a millennia-old sorcerer and another to be from another world. From my experience, every world has at least two of the previous, but I have never seen anyone in Remnant with my situation.

Is it a multiversal punishment for calling Ozpin pedo? What should I have thought, he runs a school with one of the students being 15 years old when admitted. Does it not sound like he had other reasons to admit her? It is a fair assumption! Okay, stop about the tastes of a certain director. What should I do in this situation? Okay, maybe try with a more risky option.

- Do you believe that other worlds exist? - I ask.

- May I ask you what exactly you mean by other worlds? - Tries to clarify lector - Because, do you mean celestial spheres, which is an obvious fact? Or something else? - asks privileged.

- Multiverse theory? - I decided to ask him more directly.

- Elaborate? - Asks Prime Lector with sparks in his eyes.

- Imagine there are an infinite amount of worlds that exist all simultaneously. They are all fully physically separated from each other. Some of them are more similar to each other. - I try to explain the theory to the more than millennia-old sorcerer. 

- Ahh, so like Leucipus's theory? - Excitedly answered Prime. Excuse me, who? In memories of Ceriel, there was no information on this person. More so, this name doesn`t ring any bells.
- Sorry, forgot that he is not very popular with cabal scholars. -  Calmly excused himself predei. - Well, that means he was right. Eh old times. I was a proponent of his theory when he was alive. -Nostalgically said, sorcerer.

- Well, I am from another world. - I decided to finally lay all of my cards. The Lector made a long pause, thinking about what I just said.

- Hmm, so the name Brude doesn`t ring any bells? - He asks

- What of course I know about Brude from Ceriels memory! He is one of the Nine obviously! Brudania is named in his honor! - Is he considering me some kind of idiot?

- Sorry. Well, if the name doesn`t ring any bells, I think I would go. Have a good day, young heir. - He says as he starts to make some hand movements. I instinctively open the "third eye" to see what is happening. The whitish-yellow streams of energy start to circle him. Is he serious? He barged into my room, scared the crap out of me, and now says adios.

- And you aren`t interested in the information about my world? - I say in disbelief.

- Well, you seem to not wish to tell me about this. And I don`t plan to get information out of you with force. Goes against my principles. - He stops his hands and the energy destabilizes creating sparks that burn a circle on the floor.

- What about exchange? I will tell you information about my world, you on the other hand will help me understand some basics of sorcery. My question for three yours. How about it? - I ask him, hoping that this will be an acceptable deal.

- Well am I first? - He asks curiously. Yes, I would at least get some things from it.

- Go on. - I calmly answer, preparing to answer the questions.

- What is your full name? - He asks the logical first question.

- Whitley Schnee. And if you are interested in the naming convention of my world. It follows the color naming tradition where the name is also often connected to color.  - I answer.

- Okay interesting name. Do you come from the aristocracy or the middle class, if you have a surname? - He tries to push the theme forward, probably expecting me to give away more information.

- Neither. If I would put my family in a higher class, but not the aristocracy. Even though they tried to pass as one. - I answer, giving away more information than needed. If I gave away more information, he probably wouldn`t notice any gaps that I decided to leave out. 

- So let me guess, the society where you were born has a strong aristocracy or at least had one. But your family is new money. Am I right? It was a rhetorical question by the way. Okay, what's next? - He paused putting his hand under his chin while thinking. - Your family is not warriors since you don`t carry yourself as one. Of course, that statement might be shit if you were ought to be married off.  

But are you though? - He thinks for a second - But what about your age? - Predei asks me. Seriously, that easily gives away three questions?

- 17. Have a birthday on the second of February. - I gave him information about it. - But now it is my turn. - I say to him, preparing to ask Prime a question. - Could you explain the basic principles of privileged sorcery? In your book, it was very vague. - I ask him.

- Don`t count as a question, please. What do you know already? - He decides to ask me to understand my level of understanding.

- That every privileged uses the right hand to bring energy and matter from else into this world and the left to manipulate. Every finger corresponds to one out of five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and aether, which allows to bind or split matter. But I forgot the loadout of my glove. Privilegeds also have the strongest presence in else even though able to manipulate it. Have allergies to gunpowder. - I lay most of the information that I know.

The old sorcerer thinks for a moment. - Could you give me your glove for a second? - He asks with a more concentrated tone. I gently pass him my right glove, trying not to leave any rip in fabric. He takes it and starts to study it. Study it with a little shocked face. - Wow, how interesting! It has a bizarre rune pattern that makes energy spin around your right glove when you pull. It would probably allow you to magazine it for a short period and to build it up. The problem is to actually manipulate energy, you need to factor rotation into your calculation. Strange, I never saw such gloves since... - He trails off - Sorry, started talking too much. So your elements are such: thumb - earth, index finger - air, middle finger - fire, ring finger - water, and pinky - aether. Well, I answered your question. It is time for mine. - He says with a hint of excitement while passing me the glove. I take it trying to digest all of the information.  

- What is the political regime in the country you are from? - Asks the Prime Lector.

- Formally Monarchy, technically democracy, really a military dictatorship. - I answer with irony in my voice. I mean it is a Kingdom without a king. Democracy with a pretty weak council and two out of 9 positions reserved for the military, ( let`s just say it is obvious that the headmaster of Atlas would be someone from the military). Democracy, which was built ignoring every previously established institutions, devolving into a military dictatorship as soon as it could. Like it was built artificially by some shady cabal whose couple millennia years old leader who couldn`t learn that you can`t just establish institutions from nothing? And even I fucking understand it! Or maybe the old snake wanted the Atlas to run the way it runs? Then why try to pass it off as a democracy?

- You are trailing off a bit. But the system sounds quite interesting. I would have asked more questions about it, but currently, I have no desire to waste questions. Okay, what your previous family was doing? - He asked me. And puts me into a hard-to-solve situation. How I would explain that my family mines dust? Fucking dust which also means shit ton of other things in this world? Okay, maybe I should start by explaining what dust is.

- In my previous world there is a very interesting resource - dust. It possesses a crystalic internal structure similar to carbonic crystals.   It has four basic types: fire, water, electricity, and earth. Also a lot of advanced types that I wouldn't touch upon.  It could be naturally active or activated: kinetically, electromagnetically, terminally, or even spiritually using an extension of a soul. - I tell him with quite a flavor of excitement in my tone. After all, I needed to know all of the theoretics if I ever planned on inheriting the company. But Prime Lector interrupts me.

- Crystalized magic probably. It is quite obvious if you think about it. If we assume magic is a constant across the universe, we might also assume it has similar basic elements. Three out of four here match out. There is no aether, but ether is an element less connected to matter per se, but rather to the relation of matter between itself. Also being activated spiritually by, how did you call it - "extension of the soul", is a dead giveaway. - Says Predei with slight pride in his tone. 
 

That man just tangentially got to know a concept, and he is already making quite realistic theories? It makes sense! If brother gods used their magic to wipe out first humanity that magic had to go something, if we assume the rule of conservation of energy applies to it. It either: got absorbed by gods, got absorbed by the air, or concentrated into the earth's crust.  If thinking like this it actually looks obvious! 

- You are too high in the clouds. You still don`t answer my question: what was your previous family occupation? - Half-satisfied half-irritated he reminds me about the question.

- They owned the company which does everything with dust. Mining, refinement, macro-distribution, research, synthesis of new dust types. The only thing they weren`t doing was distribution on a micro level. - Prime pauses for a time before busting into laughter.

- Sorry, it is just your situation didn`t change if you think about it. You were heir to some extremely big company, now you are the chairman of an extremely big company. It`s like...
Imagine I just got killed and instead of the afterlife or some new life I got to be a professor at another university. Well, at least shock would be a little less since you understand what to do.  - Jokingly said, sorcerer. He fucking having fun about this! I get into this shitty situation and that is shits and giggles to him! I really hoped someone would stab him with a rusted knife in the dark alleyway! And instead of death, he would get reincarnated into alternative( good bet with all of the multiverse bullshit)Ozpin, right before the fall of Beacon.

- Okay, okay sorry! I understand the crisis, adaptation period, and other things. Not the best state to be in.  But if you think about it: not the worst. -  He tries to play the joke back. - You know what? Let's get rid of that stupid deal you said. Let's talk normally. - Sorcerer proposes enthusiastically.

- Fine. - I say a little grumpy. What? His joke was really that bad.

- O by the way tell me about the "Extension of a soul" thing you mentioned. - He asks more relaxed than before.

- Firstly in our world it is called aura. Secondly, it usually awakens either in an extremely stressful situation or could be awakened artificially by using the "awakening ritual". This usually looks like a person with an awakened aura placing a hand on an affected head and pushing the aura into the person while saying the incantation. The incantation part is not necessary, but it helps to concentrate and to stabilize the soul. Mechanically such a process works something like this: active aura gives it kinetical energy into the low-active aura field forcing it to activise. - I explain to him the principle and make the pause to let the information sink in. 

- It could be used to either activate dust. It also creates a force field, which could block damage but not pain. And yes predating the question: you could turn it off, and yes it would only block things an organism considers a threat and that such an organism could detect. It also automatically heals a person since it is intrinsic to every soul to desire to live. So aura will restore you to your most alive state. But it couldn`t heal poisons and infections. Why? I don`t know honestly. - I explain.

- Wow, that is such an interesting thing. Soul as a protective barrier? It is simultaneously very impossible but also very obvious. - Replies Lector struggling to pick the right words. After a couple of minutes of thinking, he enthusiastically continues: 

-Well, your information was quite entertaining, so it is time for the first lesson for you. You know the basic theory, so let`s get to practice. - As he says that, he does a couple of swirls of his hand tearing off a couple of small pieces of stone from celling and placing them on a table. 

- Since your strongest element is earth your first task would be to crack those stones. But let`s start with the third eye. "Open" it and do not close it. - He energetically commands. And I open the "Third eye" allowing my vision to be bombarded with thousands of pallets of colors. It feels like being hit with a sledgehammer in the head! Sledgehammer which expands into thousands of needles as it enters the brain! The feeling almost forces me to get into my knees but I force myself to stand. Concentrate on stones! Concentrate on stones! 

 And after two minutes my mind slowly adapts to information flow. And I can finally distinguish the objects. And the first object that catches my eye? Prime Lector. Or if I being correct his presence. Impossible geometrical patterns replace impossible geometrical patterns, into the endless cycle of everchanging colors and shapes.  It is definitively not chaotical! It has that feeling of order! But not the type of order that is possible for humans to understand! No! The infinitely complex underlying cosmic order, that governs all of the things that existed, exist, will exist, may exist, and could exist!!!

- Shit!!! I am sorry, I forgot to mask my presence. Always forget what effect it has on humans. - He says as a cloak-like aura down on him completely hiding the mystery under it. And I return from my stupor induced by witnessing such a thing. 

- Well, we get the "third eye" part. How do you feel? - He asks in a little bit embarrassed tone. 

- Dizzy, but generally okay.- I try to respond calmly, even though shock, excitement, and existential terror slip into my tone.

- Okay. Now try to break the stone. Use your thumb to bring earth energy and your hands to guide it to the stone. - He gives me a task. I concentrate on my right hand thumb to tug the invisible threads of "Else" and bring some energy from the "Else" which starts rotating around my hand. And I extend it into the direction of stone setting course for it. But instead of crushing the stone, the energy goes into a spiral pattern leaving a small arc of cracks on the wall. 

- Good, but now factor in rotation. - Gives advice Predei. And I follow it by adding movement of the wrist to counter the rotation.  Even though energy still moves like a spiral it is slower expanding so it leaves a spiral pattern of cracks in the stone but still does not break it.

- Add movement of the elbow. But do not overdo this to not start rotation to the other side. - And I repeat taking advice that allows me to finally crush the rock, exploding it into a couple of parts. 

- Good work. But now I would try to reinforce the rock and you will try to break it. - He directed his hand with a quick movement, and I could see flows of energy entering the stone. 
I decided to start by repeating the previous action. The energy surges toward the stone, but instead of breaking the stone it only creates cracks which instantly get repaired. I try to add more energy but the flow breaks midway.

- Try to use your hand to create more flows and guide them to the stone. -  I tug more threads of "Else" but now I separate some of them between the first and second flows and use both hands to guide them.  The stone starts cracking and I try to add more threads to it. But when I at least halfway through my finger skips out and flows instantly dissolve.

- Good try to add more stabilization with the left hand. -  Advises me the Lector. But I already have an idea. If I put my flow in the way of his magic, would I be able to disrupt it? I again pull the treads but instead of quickly releasing I let it spin around my right hand, before guiding some of it towards the stone and what`s left to the left of the stone. The first connects and starts cracking the stone, so I put most of my focus on guiding the second.  It makes sorcerer magic flair, crackle, and quickly destabilizes both allowing me to crack the stone. Yes. I fucking done it! I broke the stone! I couldn`t prevent myself from shouting.

- Yes!! Even sorcery can`t oppose the one and only Whitley Schnee! - I happily shout.

- Ehh! Kids these days. You give them advice and they do everything their way. You should have used your left hand to stabilize both or only flows. Not to do this maneuver. - Grumpily says Millenia, old sorcerer.

- Ahh. Well, at least maneuver is fairly useful? - I ask him disappointed.

- Not actually. Real sorcerers rarely keep their energy in such a neat flow for so long. Maybe in melee, but sorcerers rarely fight at such close distances. So yeah. The creativity of course is admirable quality but you would have to redo this. - He says in an educating tone.

- Scheiße - I kuss. Well, It seems that I would get in bed later than I expected.

1 hour later.
I tiredly look at the cracked stone. My eyes aren`t closed only because of my willpower. Sun already is going in the sunset. Well to summarise: typical end of the daily routine.

- See, I have done it. Cracked your goddamned stone! (yawn) - I say satisfied even though I already started feeling some spasms in my muscles. I even decide to close the "Third eye" not to overload my mind further. I should probably get used to this since I doubt the next month I get enough sleep.

- Good. No, actually good! That is not the easiest control exercise. Also, we usually say Kresimirdamned or godsdamned - He says with a little pride in his voice. - So it is all for today. Get some sleep. Oh and also I would recommend you to start reading this book. - He points at the book stash. - " On the Web of Else" is a far more easy to understand book. There you could get basic theory. So yeah bye. - He says starting to prepare a spell again.

- Stop, let`s make a deal. I would help with your research if plan any. You meanwhile help me with learning sorcery. - I interrupt him. Prime Lector thinks for some time before answering. 

- I guess that's fine. Next week same time I guess? - I reply with a nod. - Good. Also, is your harem in your wing in the King's castle? - He asks almost like it is an ordinary thing and gets my eyes filled with not understanding as an answer. - Excuse me. Sometimes forget your entire situation. You see since you often touch else it leaves some energy in you. Which yes boosts your libido. So every cabal issues it every member a harem. Especially quite high-ranking like you. - Explains sorcerer

- Okay, that sounds like bullshit, but pretty plausible if you think about this. But honestly, I don`t know and don`t believe that acquiring such knowledge would be the primary priority right now. - I answer with a light lie. Fucking harem! Not only I must manage the company during the crisis and catch up on my sorcery, but I would also need to manage from 5- who the fuck knows how many women! I couldn`t keep relationships with my sisters! Fucking sisters!! What the hell I should do with at least five random women!? 

- Well, you would need to deal with it later. Goodbye. - He says as he disappears in a flash of light to not be found again.

The day of Erwin started as usual for his situation. In his small house in Pyre. He bought a house in the merchant quartal when he was a captain. He didn`t plan to sell it anytime soon.  Even though he probably should have since the time he got kicked out of BGTC forces. For what exactly? Well, for following the orders and actually managing to give Adrans a couple of small-scale defeats. But no they have to get rid of him. 
 

He decides to grind some coffee and put the kettle to a boil. Erwin always loved coffee or more correctly ever since deployment in Gurla in brudanian forces. Before he decided to become a mercenary to better serve his country. Brudanian army was always lesser than BGTC forces. He puts some of the coffee beans in the grinder finding out that coffee almost has gone. After grinding it he adds boiling water and enjoys coffee trying to think about the future.
 

What will he do? Of course, he could enlist in the army. But he doubts that they need a new month to feed seeing Brudania suffering an economic crisis. Become a mercenary: the new companies are not created, and from existing only "Wings of Adom" are recruiting. What else is left? Fartrasta since they need new soldiers to deal with their Palo problems? Erwin concluded that the only viable variant is Fartrasta in the current situation. And so he ended up finishing the coffee.
 

But of course, something decided to ruin his morning: someone knocking on a door. So he needed to open it up. At the other side of the door was standing a 17-year-old. Brown hair, higher than average height, white marble-like skin, green eyes - it was Claremonts son. 

- Is it Captain Erwin I am talking to? - Asks calmly and even relaxed, the boy. Like he isn`t standing before a guy who could pretty easily kill him. Because Erwin knows that in this situation he is the one in danger.

- Yes. You are right. - Answers Erwin masking fear with annoyance.

- Well, I would like to ask for permission to enter your house for a talk. The young man asks politely.

- I permit you to enter the house. - Coldly replies previously captain, and allows the son of Claremont to enter.  He enters and goes toward the kitchen to find a chair to sit on. Meanwhile, Erwin tries to go towards the nightstand but gets interrupted:

- I know that you have a pistol in that nightstand. It would be useless since if I wanted to, I would have already killed you at any moment. - Says Ceriel seriously while showing half of his gloved palm.

And watching Erwin with observant eyes that seem to register every smallest movement. The captain understood that the life of Erwin stopped being in his hands since Claremont`s son decided to knock on his door.
 

Ceriel decides that Erwin understands the situation and looks around.

- Could you perhaps make some coffee for myself? I belive we have a lot to discuss. - More friendly says privileged making this devilish smile.