Exploring The New World

The first thing I saw when I climbed the stairs was Lira waiting for me, ready and waiting.

Lira: "I have prepared your clothes, young master."

Gilbert: "How can you be that fast?"

Lira: "I have done nothing to deserve my young master's praise."

Gilbert: "Are you using a spell to speed yourself up or something?"

Lira: "No sir, it's just handy, I don't use any magia."

Gilbert: "Well, I'll get ready and you get ready in the meantime."

Lira: "I am ready, sir."

Gilbert: "What, you're going to come like this."

She was wearing nothing but the maid's uniform she wore for work at home. That was not getting ready.

Lira: "I thought this would be the best option, it shows I'm still on duty."

Every time I talked to this girl I didn't understand her more and more and all I could think about was what a strange person she was. How was I supposed to spend time with someone I didn't get along with. I have no idea. I guess we'll figure it out.

Gilbert: "O-okay, whatever you want."

Lira: "Yes, sir."

I quickly went to my room and changed into the clothes Lira had prepared for me. I was wearing a white shirt, a light tan shirt and a pair of trousers tied with a brown belt. I couldn't wait to explore the city.

Lira: "Allow me to accompany you, sir."

I rushed out of the house, and as I was running towards the gate of the garden, I suddenly saw a horse-drawn carriage with a man in a fedora and a long black coat, I think it was the driver's seat.

My father came to me

Benedict: "Here's a taxi to take you to the city."

Gilbert: "Taxi?"

Were these old people-carrying horse-drawn carts also called taxis? In my previous life, I was always asleep in high school history class, so I didn't know much about it, but if it was called a taxi, it certainly transported people from one place to another.

Benedict: "Yes! This big boy will take you to the city. Take another taxi on the way back, okay Lira?"

Lira suddenly appeared behind me: "Yes, sir."

Gilbert: "Huh?!"

My father took a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to me.

Benedict: "Here you go. This is your allowance for today. You can take whatever you want, but don't touch any assault weapons you don't know how to use yet."

Turning to Lira, Benedict: "Lira, take care of him, okay? She might not remember some things yet. I'd appreciate it if you explain it to her properly."

Lira: "Understood, sir. I promise to watch over the young master, sir."

Benedict: "Great! Have a safe journey then."

My father opened the carriage door.

Benedict: "Get in! Bring them back safe and sound, Gustav!"

So the driver, who looked slightly older than middle age, was named Gustav.

Gustav: "Aye, aye, old friend."

Lira and I got into the cabin, and Lira took the seat opposite me. As usual, she had a flat face, like a robot. The carriage suddenly started moving, and when I looked out of the window next to me, I caught the silhouettes of my parents waving side by side as they quickly passed by.

I didn't realize what was happening at that moment, and when I looked at the window behind me, my parents were still looking at us and waving, so I immediately started waving back.

After a while, I stopped waving at their shrinking silhouettes and took a proper sitting position in my seat. When I sat properly the only thing I saw in front of my face in the cabin was Lira's dull face. This situation didn bother me a bit.

Gilbert: "So, Lira. Tell me, don't you ever get excited?"

Lira: “What do you mean, young master?”

Gilbert: “ Whenever I see you, you only make that face. Don’t you experience other emotions. Does nothing mean anything to you.”

Lira: “I actually got told that a lot...”

She had a lump in her throat mid sentence

Lira: “Well...Act....Actually”

She suddenly started playing with her hands, her eyes started to gaze down, she pressed her lips as if something was forcing her to stop the words from coming out of her mouth. It was the first time I saw her making an expression like this.

Her hands sarted to sweat to the point that just by looking at her everything became obvious. I felt bad for making her feel like this. It was clearly something she did not want to talk about. Honestly? Why I always hit people’s depressing memories. Did I not learn anything in my whole life? After experiencing so many incidents like this.

As I wanted to change the topic somehow I tried to look around from the window, but the only thing I could see was farm fields, grasses and dirt road. I kinda panicked and looked at Lira.

Gilbert: “Look, I am sorry. I did not mean to make you something you would not want to remember.”

I continued to look for a way to change to topic.

Lira: “You don’t need to apologize young master. Honestly...I thought that It would not be a problem if I tell..”

Gilbert: “Look, there are sheeps with weird horns. Look how their horns are shaped, they are weird, aren’t they.”

Across the road I saw a sheeps that have angular horns, instead of circular. That was so weird to the point that it also took my attention and interest. Lira also seemed to be looking this way.

Lira: “Young master. They are not weird shaped, this is the way usually they have been ever since.”

Wait..WHAT! Don’t people think it is weird. Wait a minute...Oohh...I....Forgot...that...I...am in an anoterh f*cking world. Great, now she thinks of me as someone with memory amnesia. I wanted to avoid this at all costs, and now. I can’t believe it. Why could not I keep my mouth shut for at least a moment.

Lira looked at me with a little bit of smile in her face.

Lira: “Young master. İt is okay. I don’t mean to judge you, you may have suffered from short-term memory loss. But don’t hesitate to call for my help when you are in trouble, that’s okay. I will help you anytime.”

I accidently destroyed my plan in the first chance but after hearing her words. Somehow it made me feel at ease a bit. I did not know she can become this reassuring.

Gilbert: “Thank you lira. It feels good to have someone you can rely on.”

Lira: “ No problem, young master. After all, I am your personal maid.”

She was my personal maid? I thought she worked for my family, that still can mean I am her boss, even though indirectly. But wouldn’t a male butler would be a better option for a young child, if one needed of personal assistant. Anyways I can ask after we return from the city.

Gilbert:“But do not tell my family. Okay? It should stay between us.”

I still think I should hide this fact as much as I can. To prevent bad things happening in especially near future.

Lira: “ As you wish, young master.”

I don’t want to mess things anymore. İt kinda became a reminder to me, a lesson to not overlook on. I don’t want to imagine the panic it would create on my father, let alone my mother. She would probably go crazy. While I was lost in thoughts I heard the driver from in front of the cabin.

Gustav: “Are you ready, youngsters? ”

Gilbert: “ What, is there something happening.”

I tried to look to see if something was happening. I turned my eyes to the windows and got surprised by what I saw. We were already in the city, while I was lost in thoughts did we came this far. I can’t believe it.

The stone roads, the crowd of people walking on the pavement. The merchants, shouting to promote their goods. Elegantly dressed people, men with suits and women with dresses. İt felt somehow amazing to see and bear witness to.

While I was amazed by the view of the city, the driver got down from the cabinet, and came to open our door.

Gustav: “Welcome to the city of magic, the capital of Aetherium, Aetheria. Do not lose your shoes, what you are witnessing is the greatest and most beatiful city in the country.”

As I stepped down I the first thing I see was the church-looking building. The crowd and hurry of the people reminded me of my life before. That city was also full of people and hurryful crowds trying to get in time to somewhere. There were all kinds of people from different races, hell not only humans, I could also see elves, dwarves and animal-hybrid people.

Being and seeing the this city, feels like bearing witness to the history of humanity, I don’t know if it was because this city reminds of a certain european city of a certain time period I read in history books before. Or because I am getting way too impressed by this city alone.