Chapter 67 Amazed by a Modern Future She Couldn't Imagine
Alex and Astrid pressed onward toward High Hrothgar, their path winding ever upward in the direction of the Throat of the World. The road beneath their boots was long and uneven, carved through ancient stone and frozen soil. With every step they took together, the distance between their hearts seemed to shrink. Their shoulders occasionally brushed, their pace unconsciously syncing, as if neither of them wanted to walk ahead of the other.
They were already far along the journey now, nearly within sight of Whiterun. At first, delicate snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, catching in Astrid's hair and melting against Alex's cloak. The air was crisp and sharp, carrying the scent of pine and cold stone. But as they continued forward and the terrain gradually shifted mountains giving way to open plains the snowfall thinned, then faded entirely. The sky lightened, and the world around them felt calmer, quieter, almost welcoming.
Along the way, Alex remained focused on one thing: grinding his Alteration skill. Without breaking his stride, he repeatedly cast Telekinesis, lifting pebbles, loose chunks of ice, and stray branches into the air beside him. Objects floated, spun slowly, then dropped as his mana ran dry. Each time, he exhaled, rolled his shoulders, and waited patiently for the familiar warmth of mana to flow back into his body.
The moment it recovered, he did it again.
Invisible force wrapped around another object, dragging it into the air as if held by an unseen hand. Alex's expression was calm but intent, his eyes slightly narrowed in concentration, fingers subtly flexing as he maintained control while walking.
Alteration 32 → 33.
He stopped for a brief moment, planting his feet firmly on the path. His breath fogged in the cold air as he waited, feeling the last traces of mana drain away. A few heartbeats later, energy returned and once more, objects rose and trembled in the air around him.
Again and again, the cycle repeated.
Alteration 33 → 35 → 37 → 40 → 42.
With each increase, the spell felt smoother, more responsive, as if the magic itself was becoming an extension of his body. Stones floated higher, steadier. The strain on his mind lessened. Even Astrid could feel the subtle shift in the air around him the pressure, the hum of controlled power growing stronger with every step they took toward the mountain.
Astrid slowed her steps slightly, her gaze lingering on Alex instead of the road ahead. Her brows knit together as she watched stone after stone rise into the air beside him, hovering obediently before dropping back down. The faint shimmer of magic around his hand never seemed to fade, and the spell didn't falter even as he walked.
She tilted her head, arms crossing over her chest, curiosity clearly written on her face. After a few more moments of silent observation, she finally spoke.
"Ah…" she said slowly, eyes flicking from the floating object to Alex's focused expression. "So this is why you're so obsessed with spells and magic, huh?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Because in your world, none of this exists, right?"
Alex turned his head slightly toward her, though his hand remained outstretched. The object he was holding with Telekinesis trembled for a moment, then steadied as he tightened his control. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Yep. Exactly," he replied casually. "If people from my world were here, they'd probably do the same thing I'm doing right now."
Astrid's eyes widened just a little. She slowed even more, boots crunching softly against the gravel as she imagined it. One hand rose to her chin, her fingers tapping thoughtfully.
"Hmmm…" she hummed. "A world without magic sounds… kind of difficult."
Alex let out a soft breath through his nose, still watching the object float and spin. His eyes never fully left the spell.
"Not really," he said. "Our world is already modern. We've developed a lot of advanced tools."
He flicked his wrist slightly, sending the object drifting forward before letting it fall. Then he glanced at her again.
"For example can you communicate over long distances in this world?" he asked. "Let's say you're in Whiterun and I'm in Winterhold. Can we talk to each other?"
Astrid stopped walking altogether. Her eyes drifted upward as she searched her mind for an answer, lips pursed in concentration.
"Hmmm…" she murmured. "Smoke signals, maybe?"
Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! Oh! What about something like the Greybeards!?"
She paused mid-thought, her expression twisting as realization hit.
"Eh… but that still uses magic," she muttered, shoulders slumping slightly. "Hmm… how would that even work?"
Alex couldn't help but smile. He shook his head lightly, amusement clear on his face.
"If we used the Greybeards' method," he said, "the sky would be unbearably noisy. And besides, they only shout out a single word."
Astrid groaned softly, rubbing her temples as if trying to force the answer out of her own head. She stared at the ground, then at Alex, then back at the sky thinking, thinking, thinking.
Finally, she let out a long sigh and raised both hands in surrender.
"Okay," she said, shaking her head with a small laugh. "I can't imagine it. I give up."
She looked at Alex directly now, eyes bright with curiosity and challenge.
"So… how do you do it?"
Alex let out a low, amused chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as his shoulders relaxed.
"Hehehe… honestly," he admitted, his tone light and a little sheepish, "I don't really know how to make it either."
Astrid stopped in her tracks. Her eyes narrowed, a sharp glare locking onto Alex. The air around her seemed to tense as she lifted her hand, fingers curling into a half-fist, clearly preparing to smack the top of his head.
"Idiot!! "
Alex reacted instantly. The Telekinesis spell vanished mid-cast, the floating object dropping harmlessly to the ground. He ducked slightly and threw both arms up, covering his face and head defensively.
"H-hey, hey! Wait!" he blurted out. "I had the tool back then, okay!? Don't hit me yet at least let me explain first!"
Astrid clicked her tongue, her raised hand trembling with restraint before she finally lowered it. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, tapping her foot against the ground in irritation.
"Then how are you supposed to explain it," she snapped, "if you don't even know how it's made?"
Alex straightened up, letting out a slow breath as he regained his composure. His expression shifted less playful, more thoughtful.
"I don't know how to build it," he said calmly, meeting her eyes, "but I understand the concept behind it."
He cleared his throat, rolled his shoulders back, and lifted a finger as if beginning a lecture. His tone became more deliberate, more serious.
"Astrid," he said, "do you know what waves or vibrations are?"
Astrid paused. Instead of answering with words, she smirked slightly and turned her body sideways. With a sharp breath and a sudden thrust of her hand, she released Unrelenting Force.
The air exploded outward. A nearby tree shook violently, its branches whipping back and forth as leaves scattered across the ground.
Alex watched the display without surprise, nodding in approval once the wind settled.
"Yeah," he said, impressed. "It's kind of like that."
He gestured toward his mouth as he continued.
"But in my world, we can't produce waves that powerful with our mouths. Instead, we manipulate the sound waves that come out when we speak."
Astrid frowned slightly, her head tilting as confusion crept into her expression. Seeing this, Alex took a step closer and continued gently.
"You've been in a cave before, right?" he asked. "When you shout, your voice echoes back to you."
Her eyes widened, and she snapped her fingers as realization struck.
"Ah right!" she said. "In caves, your voice repeats over and over."
"Exactly," Alex replied, nodding. "That's sound waves bouncing back. Every word we speak travels through the air as waves."
He lowered his hand and looked ahead at the road, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia as he went on.
"Long ago, information in our world became incredibly important. News had to be delivered quickly, no matter the distance. Because of that need, people found a way to solve the problem."
He turned back to Astrid with a small, confident smile.
"And that solution," he said, "was something we called a telephone."
Astrid's eyes sparkled with pure amazement, the earlier irritation completely gone. She leaned forward slightly, hands clasped in front of her chest as if she were afraid to miss even a single word.
"Wow…" she breathed, her voice soft with wonder. "What does a telephone look like?"
Alex answered casually, but there was a hint of pride in his tone. He lifted a hand, gesturing as if holding an invisible object.
"It changed a lot as technology advanced," he explained. "But in my era, telephones were small small enough to fit in one hand and easy to carry anywhere."
He mimed slipping something into his pocket, then continued.
"Not only could we talk to people over long distances, but we didn't even need to bring books anymore. Everything knowledge, maps, stories was stored inside the phone itself. In the modern age, we called it a smartphone."
Astrid slowly looked up at the sky, her eyes reflecting the drifting clouds above. A faint smile formed on her lips, as if she were trying to picture that distant world.
"That sounds incredible…" she murmured dreamily. "I'm really curious about your world. I wonder… could I ever see a phone or a smartphone here?"
Alex watched her quietly for a moment. There was a trace of sympathy in his gaze regret, perhaps, that he couldn't simply hand her one. Then his eyes suddenly brightened.
"Ah," he said, snapping his fingers. "I've got an idea."
He turned to her with a playful grin.
"Want me to show you how a telephone works?"
Astrid's head snapped back toward him instantly. Her eyes lit up, shining with excitement, and she leaned closer.
"Yes! Yes!" she said eagerly, nodding so fast her hair swayed. "I want to!"
Alex laughed, the sound light and warm.
"Hehe, alright. Let me take this out first."
He reached into his inventory, and with a faint shimmer, pulled out two thin metal cups and a long piece of string. He held them up like a magician revealing props.
"Okay," he said, placing them into Astrid's hands. "We need these materials. Can you help me make a small hole in the bottom of each cup? The hole has to fit the string perfectly."
Astrid's lips curved into a confident smile. She drew her dagger, positioning the cup carefully, then gave it a precise, controlled strike. Clink. The metal pierced cleanly.
She handed it back proudly.
Alex nodded in approval.
"Yes, that's perfect."
He threaded the string through both cups, fingers moving deftly, then tied the ends securely. He lifted the finished creation with a flourish.
"Tada it's done."
Astrid stared at it in silence. Her excitement slowly faded into a flat, unimpressed look. Her shoulders slumped.
"…Huh?" she said. "What's so amazing about this?"
Alex grinned brightly, clearly enjoying her disappointment. His eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Alright," he said, chuckling. "Now step far away from me and pull the string tight. Make it completely straight."
Still doubtful, Astrid did as he said, walking backward until the string stretched fully between them, taut and straight. Once she stopped, Alex raised his voice.
"See!?" he shouted. "I need to shout for my voice to reach you like this!"
Astrid cupped one hand around her mouth and shouted back, her voice echoing across the open road.
"Yeah!!"
She still didn't quite get it but curiosity had already taken hold, and she leaned closer to the strange little device, waiting for what he would do next.
Alex raised his voice again, one hand cupped around his mouth while the other kept the string taut.
"Now put your ear against the cup!"
Astrid hesitated for half a heartbeat, then obeyed. She lifted the cool metal cup and pressed it gently to her ear, her brows knitting in concentration. At the same moment, Alex brought the other cup close to his lips. His posture relaxed, his voice dropping from a shout to something soft and intimate.
"Astrid… I love you."
The words traveled through the string.
Astrid froze as if struck by lightning. Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened. Heat rushed to her cheeks, turning her face bright red, while goosebumps rippled across her arms. Her grip on the cup tightened, heart pounding wildly as excitement and embarrassment tangled together in her chest.
She swallowed, then spoke back into the cup, her voice shy but trembling with joy.
"Alex… you're right," she said softly. "This thing really works! Haha… I didn't even need to shout loudly!"
Alex's grin widened, his chest swelling with pride.
"See?" he said confidently. "Of course it does. But this is just a crude imitation. The real thing is far more advanced."
Astrid could barely contain herself now. She bounced slightly on her feet, clutching the cup like a priceless artifact.
"Alex?"
"Yes, Astrid?"
"Alex!"
"Yeah?"
"Alex! Alex! Alex!"
She tugged on the cup again and again in her excitement, unknowingly pulling the string too hard.
"Yeah, Astri- "
Snap.
The tension vanished in an instant.
Astrid didn't realize what had happened at first.
"Alex!" she called into the cup.
No answer.
"…Alex?" Her smile faded, confusion creeping into her voice.
She tried again, louder this time.
"Alex?? Yoo-hooo?"
She stared at the cup in silence, her reflection faintly visible on the metal surface.
Then
"Boo!!"
Alex suddenly popped out from behind her.
"WAAH !"
Startled beyond thought, Astrid spun around on pure instinct and delivered a sharp kick straight into his side.
"AH!!" Alex cried out, stumbling back and clutching his ribs.
"Alex I'm sorry! You scared me!"
Alex dropped to one knee, groaning as he held his side.
"Ouch… why did I have to get kicked…?"
Astrid's face instantly drained of color. She rushed to his side, kneeling and rubbing his waist frantically.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" she said in a rush. "But that's your fault too you suddenly sneaked up behind me!"
Alex forced out a weak smile, wincing as he spoke.
"Yeah… yeah, it's fine. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have tried to scare you."
After a short pause, Astrid looked back at the cup, then at Alex.
"By the way…" she asked, tilting her head. "Why did your voice suddenly disappear earlier?"
Alex lifted the broken string between his fingers.
"This is why."
Astrid's eyes followed it, and understanding dawned.
"Oh… I see." She nodded slowly. "So… everyone in your world uses tools like that?"
Alex shook his head.
"No. Something like this was only used to teach children," he explained. "It was created long before truly advanced technology existed."
Astrid's jaw dropped.
"What!?" she exclaimed. "That tool is just for children!? Wow… I can't even imagine how smart I'd be if I lived in your world."
Alex smiled, a hint of smug confidence slipping into his expression.
"Well, that's how it is," he said lightly. "Everyone's smart, so you have to compete just to survive. But honestly, even if you lived in my world, I think you'd be just fine."
Astrid tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Alex answered without hesitation.
"You'd be an amazing athlete javelin throwing, sprinting, lots of things."
Astrid's eyes shone with curiosity and admiration, her mind clearly racing with possibilities. From that moment on, as they continued their journey toward High Hrothgar, she kept bombarding Alex with questions about culture, technology, games, and entertainment from his world.
Some things Alex could explain.
Others… even he couldn't fully put into words.
Status
Main Level: 36 → (37 after sleep)
Perk Points: 4 → (5 after sleep)
Alteration: 32 → 42
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