Transmigration Into The Beginning After The End

CHAPTER 31 - BROKEN DOWN HOUSE

"I feel weird…"

The boy with auburn colored hair turned to me along with the little dragon on his head. "Well you are not the only one, in fact, I am excited and nervous." 

"Kyu" Sylvie responded second. 

I agreed with his comment, he wasn't the only one feeling like that, but I hope nothing goes wrong. Well there shouldn't be anything out of place, since I still haven't done anything to affect Xyrus city or Arthur's family, right?

The dull sound of metal clinging on metal ran surprisingly loudly. 

What is more surprising, there were two voices of children, more specifically, girls, saying, ""Coming~!""

Huh…?

A maid opened the door together with two little girls. Immediately upon seeing us, they hid behind the maid.

The maid looked at us curiously, confused to see two eight-year-olds knocking on the door of Vincent. 

I leaned a little towards Art's ear, whispering, "Go ahead, introduce yourself before we get kicked out."

"Ahem, nice to meet you. My name is Arthur Leywin. I was informed that my family is currently residing in this manor. Do you mind if I speak to them?" Arthur finally spoke, giving me the sensation of calmness. 

Before the bewildered maid could even respond, I heard a familiar voice–which I am dumbfounded, since I have never met her in my life–in the background. 

Yet, I soften my face upon seeing the azure eyed boy expression lit up like a candle. 

"Eleanor Leywin! There you are! You have got to stop running to the front door every time someone…" Alice stopped mid sentence and dropped a small bowl of what seemed to be baby food. 

Somewhere in my mind, I felt a huge rock just lift off my shoulder. It felt just right to see everything that was in the novel, go as the novel, its original timeline if you will. Nevertheless, I can't get this other little girl out of the way, why?

In the corner of my eye, Arthur and Alice ran towards each other, crying after not being able to see each other for some time. Next was Eleanor, who went because she saw her mother cry so she did as well. After Eleanor, it was the other small child, the same age as Eleanor I'm guessing. 

Another child?

However, my suspicions were destroyed when the little girl spoke to Alice. "Unt Awice, wy awu cying?"

She tried her best to speak even though it seemed beyond her at this moment in age. I was no different, I think. 

"You are alive! The Voice….I knew it was you! *sniff* You're back now! Yes, you're home now. Arthur, my baby!" Being all that she said in between her sobbing and sniffing, made me shed a tear as well. Alice Leywin began to break down into a bawl. 

She wasn't the only one, as her son tried to open his mouth and reply to her but he held back in order to sustain his sobs. 

Shouldn't this be the part where he— Never mind…

"Arthur!" Behind me, a strong voice managed to pull Arthur out of his mother's shoulder. It was his father, Reynold Leywin. And behind him was the maid who went to call him that his son had returned. 

Still when did she go? I didn't even sense her leave the big double doors in the first place. 

Reynolds didn't stop until he reached his dear family, slid into his knee and hugged all of them who he almost toppled over. 

Maybe I should just leave them. I thought, still not being able to get that blue eyed girl with white hair. Whatever, maybe just a friend that Eleanor made here in Xyrus. 

"Hey, miss maid, if Arthur asks for me, tell him that I am going to be walking around the place for a while. Thank you." I said with a smile. The maid, clearly crying from seeing the separated family together again, only nodded like she got the memo, which clearly she didn't. 

Then, without interrupting the wholesome moment, I walked out of Vincent's estate and headed towards the most common place after arriving into a new town. 

Having such a small luggage was a blessing. I could walk around without having my arm tired after holding my clothes in one bag while in the other I had my precious items. Speaking of items, I now had two dimensional rings at my disposal. 

One that Elder Rinia told me was my early birthday present and mine to keep–it was the one she let me borrow for the elemental books.

And the one that Elder– Gramps told me to use if I was ever in the elven forest. 

Enough about that. I've reached Xyrus City, how about a treat for me after enduring all those years of intense training? 

A wide smile, ear to ear, visible enough for anyone walking by to notice it and even question such a vile smile from an eight-year-old. A boy that has red eyes similar to the mana beasts in the Beast Glades.

I heard murmurs around me, but I ignored them and instead went my way. I had the chance to try food from Sapin, many food stalls—which offered great service—made my stomach feel better. 

Now I had about enough to pay for an inn. 

When I arrived at the inn, it was lively, with the receptionist woman being a mage. I could see what affinities she was more inclined towards. The blue hue around her—more like her body radiated the blue color—was strong enough to make me believe that she would at least have her deviant unlocked. 

"Hey there child, are you lost? Where are your parents?" The short blonde girl who was eyeing behind me in hopes of seeing my mother and father walking up. 

Then she realized that I was alone. Igniting her pity and disappointment in seeing only me. "Look kid, you might be here alone but this isn't a place where you can stay without money, do you understand?" 

"If that is the case, can we say that I am allowed to stay here as long as money is involved?" I said, not looking at the attendant and instead focused on finding my allowance that the Lances would give me after our training. 

I placed one silvery coin on the table, and said, "Hopefully this is enough for the room, after all, that is what your advertisement says outside this place." My hand pointed backwards, simulating the sign just outside the inn. "And as for the meals, would another silver coin make it up for you to come to advise me when the food is ready?" 

*** 

I let out an exhausted sigh, sitting on my bed, trying multiple times to detect the mana affinities around the room but it was impossible right now. My fingers felt rusty, like I had been in a cold place for some time and now that I've gotten a taste of a warm environment everything changes. Or at least that's what I could explain it to. 

On the ring that Elder Rinia gave me, mana infatuated into it, bringing it to a shining glimmer. It blinded me for a second but it died down with seconds passing by. When I focused my attention on the ring, in the background, two books and a bag filled with silver coins and a short sword. 

Next to the sword was a note. It read like this, "Dear, Luke. If you are reading this then that means you've found what the ring contained and from the looks that you may have, there is a possibility of you trying to go on your own and find out about the 'being' that placed that spell on you. I may be on the side where you don't have to go, yet, knowing you that would be the least favorable thing you would do. And let us not talk about how you are in an inn right now."

She saw a glimpse of me didn't she? My eyes rolled as I decided to finish reading the note. 

"I respect your decision, however remember that you have people who are still looking for you. Try not to get into life and death situations as there will be no one close enough to reach your pleas of help. Enough of that, now what is important is for you to get ready for your next mission…"

***

A dark, small, house that looked like it was broken down and abandoned, had smoke coming from the window just next to the slanted red wooden door. 

"Is this really necessary?" I spoke to myself, loud enough only for me to hear as there was no one around me. It was mid-day and not one soul was close to this rundown place. The only thing I could call alive were probably the mold and plants that covered the path towards the house. I gave myself some seconds to prepare, inhaled big and exhaled in one single burst. "Let's go in." 

In case of any small mana beast or a hostile rodent size beast, I let my body be coated by mana as a shield. My body still struggled to pour mana even for itself. Come on Luke, you got this. I momentarily thought, moving my feet against the weeds whose heights reached waist. Many things played on my mind. Thoughts that were uncontrollable for a child like me whose mind was already at its prime, I think. 

My mother and father were the main concern that I had, that being my time here with them wasn't grand but it wasn't something I was planning on letting go. In my past life, after getting to the middle school my parents wanted me to go, their lovely and affecting love and care suddenly vanished. They'd stop contacting me for days, then it went to weeks, and before I knew it, it had been years since I last heard their voices. 

They would be working overseas for me, and of course I was grateful, but all I wanted was love or at least an understanding of it. There were times where I would see my classmates smile and laugh with their parents, all while I lived alone in an apartment complex that they bought with the money they saved since before my birth. 

The whole building was owned by them, and I all alone stayed there. No one else rented or even couldn't. Every bill was paid by them in some sort of banking account they created for me as my living expenses. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed everything I could. Sometimes I would be happy with the time alone I would get when I arrived home, but it started to feel different as I grew up. That is when I started to get into fantasy books, mangas, manhwas, manhuas. Then it was light novels, but I really never found them interesting. I would read one chapter and fall asleep or maybe even scroll into social media because it wasn't entertaining. 

Until I read The Beginning After The End during my second year of middle school. The first chapter was intriguing that waiting for the next felt exciting and intoxicating. After, more and more, many other chapters came out and with those years did I also grow until I had reached college. 

I wouldn't say that they were the best days but it was something I enjoyed doing. Reading how Arthur's life came to development and into the war. After the war and his arrival into Alacrya, later to be a professor…

I can't help but to wonder, what would have happened if I was still on earth? Would I still go for a different career? Or would I just become a shut in neet?

Before I could settle on what would have been my choice. I was already in front of the slanted wooden door. 

I tried knocking, but no one answered me. 

"There shouldn't be any problem with me opening this door, right?" with the physique of a child, I tried my best to open the almost broken door only for me to fail. I leaned my body against the door in hopes of trying to get better support but nothing. "Just what is behind this door!" 

I greeted my teeth and indulged in mana, all around my body, even my feet so that I could move this even for a little. 

For over a minute I pushed with all my strength until I was finally able to budge it and fully open it. 

As the door swung with my transferred strength, the force of the door made all of the accumulated dust that had been here for what seemed like a century, fly up and cover my vision. 

Entering my nose and into my lungs, the dust settled on my throat, making me cough like a dad who had been sitting on the couch, drinking beer all day while watching his favorite sport on the television. 

Mana flared from my dominant hand into the surroundings. The vast greenish streaks of wind magic cleared up the dust, pushing them to the walls. "That should be good enough," I spoke with a tinge of pride in my voice as I pushed the particles of the dust away from my vision. 

I ignited my sensory spell but I didn't pick up anything, nothing hostile, nothing alive. 

Weird…

As I scattered my attention to everything there was in this house, I realized that even though the light didn't give it justice for the marble and wooden furniture, it was still all very pretty. 

[Torch] 

A small fireball spell appeared in my left hand while I held the short sword on my right, with the scabbard still covering the blade. 

Every step I took, the wood beneath my shoes would creak like a scary movie.

"Mister Dinzel Brook, are you here?." My voice was loud enough for any adult–or anything alive–to hear me loud and clear. This is creeping me out. I thought. Looking at the furniture that looked recently used but at the same time it wasn't. 

Spiderwebs lingered around the legs of the two chairs facing each other with a table between them. On the table, there was a tea set. Two cups and the tea pot. 

What is going on? 

As I walked closer to the table to investigate further, a loud thud of metal with metal clashing together came through a floor trap door. 

"This is definitely a scary movie scene…" I said, gulping down my saliva that had been stored in my mouth for a last minute-and-a-half. "Let's not cower out of this."

With my resolve set in stone, I walked down the stairs that lead to a basement…or at least that's what I thought it was. 

"Mister Brook?"