Chapter-002

[Scathach POV]

"Hmm… Is it morning already?"

I said looking out the window, seeing the sun just above the horizon.

It is probably between 5 to 6 in the morning.

I always had a habit of waking up early, even though in the land of shadows there was no concept of day and night.

Hmm… still remembering the events of yesterday takes me with no small amount of surprise and awe as before.

To be able to cross worlds is difficult and deserves praise, but not unheard of.

But to cross the world outside of the influence of Gaia and Alaya is a subject of awe.

And this place, I can still feel the magic in the air as in my previous era.

Let us not forget about the summoner of this Scathach, Diluc.

Upon meeting him, I was of neutral opinion.

But slowly, after being with him throughout the day, I can say he is a mild-mannered person, somewhat childish in his enthusiasm.

One cannot say that he is a magus, or a magician as he would like to call him, based on the way he acts.

He does not act like a pompous fool who would not leave any chance to flirt with me, like Senata.

And neither does he act like those mages in my day and age who think that the world begins and ends at their feet.

He was patient in touring me throughout his property.

Hmm… I also remember his offer.

This Scathach would have left him if he were to force me to stay.

But after hearing his arguments, and proposition I decided to stay.

And also the fact that the method of payment was to train him in the way of spear also helped his case.

Hmm… let's get out of bed.

***

"~Ahh~~this feels comforting."

I was currently bathing in a large tub.

When I opened the door to my resting quarters, I saw a note left behind by Diluc, and a stack of clothes and towels.

~I guess I will have to thank him for that.~

Then after picking up the clothes, I left for the bathroom.

Entering, I saw a large room that screamed luxury with an unnecessarily large tub in the center, from my perspective.

The water was already drawn out.

I checked the water and found it suitable for bathing.

Then I stripped my clothes and got in the bath.

~It is pleasant.

When one lives in a cold and unforgiving place like the land of shadows, one learns to appreciate the small things. 

My brief time here still feels like a dream.

Previously, the wish I had was to die.

Not because of glory and recognition.

But to escape my prison.

Land of Shadows.

When I became powerful, I was contracted to remain in the Land Of Shadows as its protector in exchange for immortality.

An offer that my previous foolish self, accepted.

It was only after several years that while I became powerful, I lost my freedom.

So, to pass the time and leave my name in history, I started teaching how to fight.

Initially, I was looked down upon due to my gender but after seeing my prowess everyone relented.

It was widely spread that I was one of the strongest warriors of my time.

Then the students started to come, but after seeing the intensity of training only a few were left, the rest either died or walked away.

Among the students who stayed only a few, like Senata were able to leave their mark on the history.

But after several decades, people stopped coming.

Ether in the world started to disappear.

Phantasmal species started to die.

So I spent the rest of my days in that wretched place in isolation.

Until one day, I got some sort of message in my head, a question.

Asking for my assistance in exchange for giving me freedom.

At that point, I was just waiting to die, so I accepted it

Thinking that even if it is a trap, then the worst that can happen is my death.

Then upon accepting, I was whisked away from that place, and when I opened my eyes I found myself here. 

*** 

After taking a bath, I wore the clothes he made for me.

A sweater, a shirt and a pair of jeans.

Upon wearing them I looked in the mirror and found them to my liking.

Then I left the bath and started walking down the corridor.

I looked at the paintings adorning the walls while I walked wistfully.

After several minutes, I caught a scent.

A scent that I was familiar with but had not smelt in ages.

The smell of food.

I followed after the scent and found myself beside the kitchen.

I then looked inside and became pleasantly surprised.

I saw Diluc cooking.

"This Scathach never thought you were someone who would cook."

I said entering, catching his attention.

He then replied without turning back.

"What did you think of me?

A pompous rich kid, who can only scream court death, now did you?"

"I would not say that."

"Then what would you say?"

He asked looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you making?"

I asked, deflecting the question.

He seemed to catch on and with a smile said,

"Omelet, Pancakes, and Sandwiches.

I didn't know what you would like so I made different things.

If you have something specific in your mind, then do tell."

After taking a quick glance behind him into the pan, where a certain thing was being cooked I said, "No, I wish to try something new."

"Very well, where would you like to eat, here or dining table?" He said glancing at me, then turned back and began plating the food.

"Hmm…dining hall is unnecessarily big, and so I think I would prefer to eat here instead."

"Understandable."

And saying this he snapped his finger, and in the empty place in the kitchen appeared a well-sized table along with two chairs, beside a well-lit window.

"Your ability is really envious." 

I said to him, not hiding my appreciation.

He then turned around with plates in his hands and rest floating in mid-air and said,

"I know."

With what I assumed to be a smug expression.

Then the scenery around us changed, and I found myself sitting near a waterfall, surrounded by trees, and fresh air.

"Teleportation?"

I asked, eyeing him.

"No. I changed the surroundings around us, mimicking that of Angel Falls."

"Hmm…"

"Would you like orange juice or iced tea?" He asked carrying a jar in his hand, and two glasses.

"I haven't heard of iced tea before."

"Then iced tea it is."

*** 

"So did you sleep well?"

He asked me while eating a sandwich.

"Yes, it was pleasant."

"Good to know."

He replied before sipping on the orange juice.

"The clothes you made, fit quite well."

I said, with a sly grin.

*cough*

*cough*

He started to cough, wearing a somewhat embarrassed expression.

"You are welcome."

He replied curtly after stopping his coughing.

~Heh, guess my time here won't be boring.~

"So have you given thought to my offer?"

He asked looking back at me.

"Hmm…I did."

"And?"

"Yes."

Hearing this he had a small smile on his face.

"So what do you plan to do today?" I asked him.

"Hmm…I will hit the library, lots of books to read.

Especially about the history of this place.

Don't want to run around like a headless chicken."

He said after a bit of thinking.

"Good decision, maybe I will do that as well." I replied.

"Well let's divide the work, I will read the history after your time, and you can read the book about the time period you know of.

We can then discuss what is different from our world and make notes about it."

He half asked and half told looking back at me.

Mulling over his offer, I found it suitable.

"Okay, let us do that."

*** 

"And this is the last book, no difference from our world." I said closing the last book of my bundle.

"Nothing here as well in my bundle." He said closing the books in his bundle at the same time.

"So, what now?" I asked him.

It was obvious that all things were not the same.

The magic in the air, the presence of phantasmal species in the air, not to mention the Aether.

"Hmm…I have an idea."

Saying that he perked up, and closed his eyes while going into a meditative posture.

Seeing that, I didn't disturb him and waited.

After 2 or 3 minutes, a crimson hue surrounded his hands, and stacks and stacks of paper fell in front of us.

Then he opened his eyes and looked at me, and seeing the questioning gaze I threw at him he said,

"Newspapers, they have records of every single event, no matter how minor, in them.

Typically, the quality of information changes from place to place.

So we can cross reference it."

Then after taking a look at numerous stacks, I threw a deadpanned expression at him.

"What? Gotta start somewhere."

"Huff, let's get this over with." I said getting up from my seat. 

*** 

"Take a break you have been at it for hours." I heard beside me, where Diluc walked up to me with a cup of piping hot beverage.

"What is this?" I asked pointing to the liquid in the cup.

"Coffee, made from dried coffee beans,

Good to keep someone awake when feeling sleepy."

He said passing one cup to me while taking a sip of the other.

Seeing him, I took a sip and found it refreshing.

"Thank You." 

"No problem." He replied in return.

"Fou!!" Shouted Fou who pretended to read as if understood everything.

Diluc then stretched his hand towards the little furball, who jumped at him and nuzzled him.

~Cute.~

"*Slurrp*

So how about we both take a break and do something else?" He suggested.

"Like what?" I inquired in return.

"Umm…I don't know.

You can see my abilities to help you formulate a plan to teach me."

"Hmm… sounds good." I nodded to his preposition in return.

"Wonderful."

*** 

"You ready?" I asked Diluc, getting in my combat suit, and equipping my spear.

Twirling it in my hand I gave him a look.

"Wait, how are we going do this?

Should use my magic too, or just spear?

I haven't trained in spear, so it would just be a stick in my hand."

After mulling it over I said,

"First let's fight with spear.

In the end, I need to train you in the spear.

As far as magic goes, both of know you don't need my help in it."

I said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Don't sell yourself short.

I would still love to learn runecraft from you."

Listening to his words I could not help the smile from forming on my face.

"Sweet words won't get you anywhere."

"Was worth the try."

He said shrugging his head.

Then he materialized a spear in his hands.

Gae Bolg.

Seeing it, I unconsciously gripped my spear tighter.

"Fou!!!"

And as soon as the little furball shouted, I lunged at him.

*** 

[Liam POV]

After Fou shouted, I felt a feeling of fear wash over me.

And by instinct, I jumped back, barely avoiding the spear that swiped the place I was previously at.

"Well, at least you are quick on your feet."

Scathach commended off-handedly and twirled her spear and attacked me again.

I avoided the tip of her spear but was forced by the butt of her spear into my chest, which caused me to feel a bit winded.

No, it didn't make me feel winded.

I didn't feel anything from it.

'Do I have pain immunity?

Guess we will find out.'

Seeing the opening, she kicked at my face which I blocked with the shaft of a spear, but what followed was another kick at my chest, which caused me to skid on the ground a bit before stopping.

"Hmm…you are really weak with a spear.

All of your movements are driven by a desire to survive rather than to retaliate.

Did you never train for even a single day?"

She said, finishing her statement with a question instead.

"No, I mean, I trained my body.

But just enough to keep it in optimum shape.

Nothing more than that.

My focus was always more on my magecraft."

Listening to which she shook her head in disappointment.

"A foolish decision." She commented.

"Which I am correcting now." I said quickly after her, as a sort of excuse.

"Let us stop this activity.

I have already gauged your level and have prepared a training plan.

We will start after a week." She said releasing her spear and combat outfit and changing into her old clothes.

*** 

(Sometime later)

"What are you doing?"

Scathach asked after seeing me rummaging through my items in the workshop.

"I am trying to create some servants of sorts."

"Heroic Spirit?!?" She asked as soon as I answered, with no hidden amount of intrigue in her voice.

"No, artificial life."

And upon hearing it, her face twisted into disgust.

"Not homunculi."

"Then what?" She asked after seeing me reading her face easily.

"Well think of it like a machine of sorts.

You know trains, like you saw in the newspaper.

But instead of it, it performs functions like, cleaning, cooking and gardening, etc."

"But can't you do the same without them?" She asked with raised eyes.

"It's about aesthetics."

"You do the most useless of things." She said with an exasperated sigh.

"Keep the praises coming." I replied with a cheeky smile.

"It was not a praise." She said with a deadpan look.

"Yes, it was."

"No, it was not."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

She said the last part hurriedly.

"Thank you for the praise." I replied with a grin.

"You have a very punchable face right now."

"I would reply, but it would count as sexual harassment and I have read enough material of East origin to know that I will most likely end up with a swollen bulb on my head, and you would leave by saying something along the lines of stupid, baka or whatever the word is in your language."

I said in one breath, and she looked at me weirdly, then burst out in a fit of giggle.

"Dur."

She said when she was leaving.

*** 

A week is about to end since the day that Scathach was summoned.

Our interaction was harmonious.

We decided to leave the formalities and talk with each other comfortably.

A notion which was suggested by Scathach, saying that there was no need to refer to her as Queen of Land of Shadows.

Something which I had no problem in accepting.

"Scathach, want to go for a walk?"

I asked her.

"Huh, where to?"

"Nowhere particular.

Just around the places where I was familiar in my previous world.

It will also help to quickly get information and a better understanding of surroundings."

I gave her my reasoning.

Then she, after mulling it over, nodded to me, and asked,

"Should I change or something?"

"No, we will go to an isolated area first, probably some ruins.

Then if we see people, we will change our clothes according to them."

"Acceptable notion."

She said and got up and stood beside me.

"Ready?" I asked her.

"Yes." She gave a curt answer.

Then my eyes shone in a golden light and we disappeared from our place.

*** 

I opened my eyes to find myself standing in the place where the fabled castle of Camelot was supposed to be in my world.

Upon reaching this place, I spread my senses to find no sign of a castle but sensed a rift, giving way to another world.

"Where are we?" Asked Scathach.

"Place where the castle of Camelot was supposed to be." I replied still observing my surroundings.

"King of Knights?" She enquired while looking at the scenery herself.

This place, by no means, was bad.

It had a very pleasing atmosphere and a beautiful shimmering lake.

A perfect picturesque view.

"Fou!! Fo fou fouuuuu!!!"

Little furball started to become restless coming here.

"What is wrong with him?" Scathach asked me.

"Don't know?

Maybe was a native of this place.

No way a being coming from summoning having summons of divine nature would bring a normal squirrel."

"Fou!!!" Said Fou, as if offended.

"A normal Fou." I said correcting myself, looking at it apologetically.

"Well, do want to stay here?" I asked Scathach.

"Maybe later. 

Can you mark this place?" She commented off-handedly and then asked me while looking at the lake.

"Done." I said.

"Okay, ready to leave?" She asked eyeing me.

"Yes, hold on tight." 

And then we teleported again.

***

We teleported to various places of historical significance.

After a while, we decided to visit a civilization.

Knowing about the year, I decided to teleport us to the city which was the center of the evolution of the world of this time.

America.

…

Kidding.

London.

I teleported us to a suitable place where no one had any eyes on.

Upon reaching there I scried the place for people and upon spotting a crowd, I looked at the clothes they were wearing.

After observing it, I changed both clothes for me and Scathach.

My clothes changed from that of nobility to a more professional look.

Wearing a black suit, tie, pants, and shoes, while the shirt remained white.

I wore a hat and carried a cane with me.

As for Scathach, her clothes changed from modern-looking to a more pretentious one.

A skirt, falling below her knees, a blouse yellow in color, and a crème color jacket.

"Well, how does it feel?" I asked her, while hiding Fou inside my hat.

"Comfortable…" She said slowly then turned towards me and asked "How do you know my exact size?"

"Let's go, so much to see in this big bright world."

And saying that I tugged at her and started walking faster.

Not going to touch that hornet's nest.

Half of the questions spoken by a woman are traps, which young innocent men fall in.

And I am not planning to join their number.

"Heh~" 

Okay, I am feeling a shiver down my spine.

*** 

After that episode, we joined the crowd.

Soon I observed numerous flags hung over the place and an unhidden amount of glee.

Now, if it had been a national festival then it would have made sense but what caught my eye was that on the newspaper stalls, on the front page was the Flag of America instead of the Flag of London.

So out of curiosity, I bought a newspaper, an action which did not go unnoticed by Scathach who was observing people with a discerning gaze.

Seeing this she looked at me and raised her eye questioningly.

I gestured to her, promising to tell her later, to which she nodded in understanding.

*** 

We were now sitting at a corner on the roof of a restaurant, which by no doubt was for the rich.

The water here was so expensive, that it made me falter thinking if what they were serving was water or something else.

Both of us ordered our food, which was being prepared.

Then I created a barrier to stop sound from going outside and simulate as if we were on a date.

Perfect distraction.

"So, what did you see?" She asked as I set the barrier.

"Several things." Saying that I gave her the newspaper.

"World War 2 ends.

Captain America and Howling Commandos nominated for the highest level of honor.

What about it?

Didn't this war happen in your time?"

She asked after reading the headlines.

"War? Yes.

But the Captain America and Howling Commandos? Never heard of them.

And given the fanfare they are receiving, it is impossible that I glossed over them.

I mean, I even know of Astolfo, and that says something."

I said with an unhidden excitement in my voice.

"So a deviation from your world's history starts now?" She inquired.

"As far as I have read, yes.

Something different may have happened in the past and I did not read about it here due to numerous reasons.

But this is the biggest clue."

"Fou!!"

"Yes Fou, you are right."

"What did he say?" Scathach asked.

"I don't know?"

"Then why?"

"Because you just need to look like you know to make someone think you know, even if you don't know, you know." I said with a straight face looking her in the eyes.

After several seconds she burst into laughter.

"You are a funny person."

"You have a blazing talent for pointing out the obvious." I replied with a shit-eating grin.

"Ohh… I am very much looking forward to our training session."

"Meep."

*** 

After a while of banter, food finally arrived.

Both of us used our cutlery and took the first bite.

The steak was…not bad.

"How is it?" I asked her.

"Your's is better." She replied quickly.

"Ohh my, don't stroke my pride too much, I feel like I am about to burst." I spoke with a dramatic flair.

"Would it help, if I were to say, pierce you with my spear?" She replied with a smile that promised pain.

Well, I am nothing if I am not shameless.

"Sorry darling, but I don't swing that way.

But I am sure you will find someone wh-" She kicked my leg under the table as I was about to continue my sentence.

Then we looked at each other and ate our food like this.

*** 

Right now we are sitting on the top of the Great Walls of China.

Watching the sunset without saying a word.

I personally made sure to keep away the young masters.

We did find one young master though.

He was some rich kid, shouting at some poor children.

So being the righteous person I am, I did something.

I shoved my snake down his ass in public, in front of everyone to see.

He cried and tried to remove my snake, so I buried it deeper in his arse.

"Hehe." 

"What are you laughing about?" I asked Scathach who suddenly giggled.

"Just remembering the scene of you conjuring a literal snake, and making it go in that snobbish child's arse." And recounting it she burst into laughter.

"Well, he deserved it."

"You went too far."

"He had it coming.

And if anything thing I did him a favor." 

I said trying to sound serious and failing miserably.

"Which is?" 

"I took away his virginity." 

Saying that we both cackled like idiots.

"I mean, seriously, people lose their virginity to a girl, but he lost his to a snake." I added.

Hehe

"My favorite was seeing his servants who were literally trying to suck the poison out of his arse, I don't think I can forget this image."

She added.

"Mine was seeing his hop as if he had a tail.

I think people who were there are going to develop some strange fetish."

"Hehe, I don't remember the last time I laughed this hard." She said with a good natured smile.

*** 

After a series of laughter, we were finally silent.

I then looked at the sun shining off of Scathach, making her red eyes, brighter than before.

Then broke her out of the trance she was in watching the sunset and said,

"You know Diluc, I am truly thankful to you.

It has been centuries since I saw the sunset." She said looking at me with an expression of pure innocence.

It made me swallow all the cheeky words I was about to say.

"A-as long as you know."

I said like a teenage girl.

Ohh god kill me.

Seeing she merely laughed.

We then sat for a few more moments before something struck me.

"Scathach, close your eyes?" 

"Why?"

"Just do it." I asked in a pleading voice.

"Fine." She relented.

Then I willed my magic, to cover her.

She shone in brilliant light which faded away.

She then opened her eyes, which were wandering around her figure.

"How does it feel?" I asked her in a soothing voice.

"I feel…alive." She said with a healthy complexion.

Then turned towards me and asked, "What did you do?"

"Just bended the reality to give you a body which you had in your prime, rather than letting you live like a spirit."

And then she tackled me…

And hugged me.

"Thank You, Diluc."

_________________________________________

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