Author Notes:
First of all, Aurea is cute and does nothing wrong.
Second of all, welcome back to another OBOM Chapter! By this point, you must have know that I can be quite descriptive on what I write. So, hopefully, you will get to see things shape up bit by bit around Aurea and Umbra. It's a little adventure of theirs before things can truly get going. Let's watch them enjoy it, shall we?
Moving on, shout out to Private Christoph Mechlinski! Thank you for supporting the pair's adventure~!
Now then, in case you haven't been able to catch the notification, my Discord server is up! And it's shaping up to be quite lively server, if my Mods have anything to say for themselves lol.
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https://www.webnovel.com/book/reich-marshal-of-the-belkan-reich_23809095505377305
https://www.webnovel.com/book/in-the-grimdark-sector-with-a-system_31596105108346205
https://www.webnovel.com/book/my-soul.-occupied-body---please-the-other-me...!_35377211308783905
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Pffft
The quiet hiss, akin to a pneumatic release, soon vanishes into the windy hills and rustling trees. Yet, the subsequent impact of a subsonic, albeit big and heavy slug, is unmistakable, even if I am crouching at roughly 100 meters away. A good chunk of the quite ancient flora that I have been targeting exploded into fine chunks of wood chips and sawdust. The tree, with a base diameter of around two meters, tilts on one side. Its half-destroyed base is unable to support the rest of the weight above it.
Ka-crack
It takes a hot second, but the sound that echoes to my position isn't that of a supersonic cracking, but of the old tree breaking and groaning under its own heft.
"Sorry, mate." I mutter a soft apology as I operate the bolt with little to no effort, slowly and deliberately.
An empty casing pops out, only to disappear midair into my Inventory. Idly, I think that this would be an ability assassins and snipers would gladly kill for.
With the bolt resting backward and the chamber opened, I inspect the internal before my hand moves to unload an empty 10-round Magpul magazine. Leaving it on a nearby weathered rock surface, I reach into my vest and pull out a fully loaded one. Picking it up, I eye the long, glossy tip of the 350-grain Solid Copper Hollow Point bullet. Since the Q Fix only comes with six magazines, the rest of the bullets are stored in cardboard boxes with, helpfully enough, brand names and bullet specs splattered all over. The same can be said for the RSh-12 as well, but honestly, I don't think I need to explain more on that, right?
Hand cannon goes boom, Waaagh~!
Anyway, back to the 8.6 ammo boxes. These specific rounds are made by Steinel Ammo for both hunting and tactical purposes, apparently. My limited experience, after burning an entire mag-worth of these supposedly PREMIUM ammo, is that these rounds seem to be doing what they're advertised for, which are: accurate, reliable, to be taken seriously, get the job done, and pack a punch. They are also optimized for suppressor use as well, which goes great with this titanium suppressor that comes stock with the Fix.
My honest opinion? 69/10. Totally wicked rounds. Can't wait to hunt some games with them.
Both the Q Fix and the Steinel munition go well together, too, quite fitting for my current physicality. Still need to train on holding it aloft and stably without support, but for now, I am liking this great combination more than my sidearm. Still, this opinion of mine is subject to change as this body of ours grows stronger, or I can successfully employ the more magical aspect of this world.
"D-Don't worry, Umbra! I-I can teach you...!" Comes the voice of my dear Other Me, pulling me out of my monotone.
"I appreciate that, Aurea. Now, where were we?"
"E-Ehm, I was introducing you to the Fortskritt Theoreracy...?"
"Ah, yes, that one." I nod as I load the Fix and top up the empty magazine. "An Empire in all but name. From what I understand from your memories, the Fortskritt Theocracy is this world's top hegemony. Other than its extensive spiritual influence among the known territories, it's also the largest nation, having been the only among its peers to unite an entire continent. Am I missing anything so far, Aurea?"
"Ehm... Theocracy is the most progressive...?" Comes Aurea's cute, if unsure, reply.
"Right, that as well, as if its name ain't a play on the word Fortschritt, which is synonymous with Progress. And then there's the nation's spiritual leader, the Ember Goddess, Sapientia. Analitically speaking, Sapientia translates to the capacity for high-level wisdom, deep understanding, and sound judgment, often distinguished as a profound form of intelligence. If the Theocracy ain't progressive just from those two cues, I don't know what is anymore."
I then stop, mulling over the bits and pieces Aurea knows about the Divine Nation, which amounts to common sense from where she hailed from.
"Well, I'll be damn, the Fortskritt Theocracy is a Divine Nation that actually works? They embrace unity, peaceful coexistence between races and nations. They actively promote technological progress while treasuring origin and balancing tradition. They are more than willing to throw hands if the situation calls for it, but are inclined to use diplomacy first..." I pause, commenting wryly. "Had the Theocracy existed in my universe, more than half of the World War on my homeworld wouldn't have occurred. Still, there must be a dark side to the Theocracy, all nations must have one. Otherwise, it will be an impossible Eden."
"Uh..."
I giggle before standing up with all my gear in order.
"Don't worry, Aurea, it's just me spouting nonsense."
Looking up the hill, I start making my way to the spot where I think there's a suitable natural shelter.
"Talk to me, Aurea. I want to know more about this world." I then take a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. "You only miss clean air and pure atmosphere when you have lost them, huh..."
As I make the uphill climb, Aurea's soft-spoken voice kickstarts my brain into full-digestion mode, allowing me to understand more about our places in this big, beautiful world.
For all intents and purposes, Arcadia, the name of this planet, is a quite massive archipelago planet. Despite the Theocracy's best attempts, it has been impossible thus far to map this predominantly ocean world. The best-known map that contains all Theocracy-discovered continents, nations, and landmarks may truly map only a small region on the vast blue of Arcadia. Coincidentally, the continent that the Theocracy occupies is the largest and central one on this well-circulated map of theirs. The continent's name is Saber. The name is not to be mistaken for a type of blade; however, it's a direct implementation of the Spanish word Saber, which correlates to Deeper Knowledge.
Again, the Theocracy is really hitting that nail on the head. I am not sure if this is an attempt to assert dominance over something or if they're trying to make a point about whatever else.
Regardless, even the ingenious Theocracy, in both the magical and technological, is unable to make much sense of the rest of the wider world, going as far as to dub the rest of the unexplored region with the catchy and familiar phrase:
Here be Dragons.
By this point, I have half the mind to acknowledge the existence of another, or at least multiple reincarnators or transmigrators roaming this world. Otherwise, there can be no other reason why I can trace so many similarities between this world and my former one. The knowledge that there are towering magical constructs: Knights, or Pilotable Combat Mech in all but name, out there only further my hypothesis. It's hard for me to imagine that, even with magic and the Theocracy, the conglomerate of Medieval societies on Arcadia would invest in a heavy, mostly landlocked bipedal platform on an otherwise oceanic planet. Really, it is indeed more effective to build a massive, combined arms invasion fleet than to have mechs ride up on lumbering barges for an amphibious invasion.
Like, what if the sandy beach turns muddy and all that?
Aurea, though, hit me with the additional information that is actually quite detailed. Mechs aren't as heavy and cumbersome as I would imagine. Unlike the approximately 17-meter height that I am familiar with from where I came from, the Knights on Aurea measure up to 8 meters on average. This, combined with a smaller bulk, less sophisticated requirements, and different construction materials, results in a bipedal combat frame that is arguably realistic for multi-environment warfare. Of course, that is not to say the Knights are more advanced than the mechs I know of. The Knights are only made simpler because, for the most part, magical warfare on Arcadia is more straightforward than a war that is fought on an interplanetary scale. Given the opportunity, a mass-production mech from back home would squash the entire Army of Knights in less than half an hour, provided no pilot fatigue is involved.
I have heavily digressed, however, but can you blame me? Live long enough to reach two lifetimes like me, and you will ramble on and on. What I am missing right now is some rice wine and old friends.
"Umbra... Are you ok?" Aurea's concerns are palpable in her meek words.
"Don't worry your pretty head over it, Aurea. You will get used to my monologue soon enough." I mentally reach out for a mental headpat. "Do not hesitate to pull me out of it, else I would look like a dumb-dumb, thinking all to myself while ignoring the wider world."
"O-Ok..." An image of Aurea nodding is transmitted into my mind.
I smile, before making the last few steps toward a gouged-out part of the hill. From the get-go, this spot has formed unnaturally, and for some time, at least. I reckon something big or explosive must have hit this spot, thus cratering a gaping wound on the side of this hill back then. Now, though, overgrowths have covered the opening of this inlet deeper into the center of the hill, forming a cushion of small flowers and greenery. The soft, natural blanket only stops due to a lack of sunlight when you reach halfway into the uneven, spherical space. While I don't know yet, or if I will ever know, why this alcove is formed, I appreciate its existence as it's a good place for Aurea and me to be tucked away from the sun and rain.
After making sure that this hilltop cavity is unoccupied by any dangerous beast whatsoever, I boldly step into the quite luxurious natural camping spot for a closer inspection. It's a dead-end space, with only one way in and one way out, which may or may not be a disadvantage. The winds from outside, while providing good ventilation, don't quite reach the deepest recesses in the alcove, thus making those spots ideal for beddings that are away from the possibly cold night environment. I just need to make sure that whatever fireplace I light up doesn't accidentally choke the whole place up with toxic fumes. Regardless...
"Aurea, welcome to our home away from home." I comment with a soft exhale.
"Un... Home..." Comes the Other Me's small replies, tinged with melancholy.
Thus far, Aurea hasn't touched upon her homeland or origin. It's still too soon for that after what she endured. Nevertheless, just the parts I inferred from her memories are more than enough for me to get a good grasp on the general situation of the Kingdom of Durandal. Other than its renowned martial focus and close ties to the Fortskritt Theocracy, the Kingdom is well-known for its messy internal politics now that its reigning King is nearing Death's door. Multiple factions vying for the thrones and all of that Jazz. Aurea, being an orphaned, if talented, commoner, just happened to fall into that quagmire with no end. Fortunately or unfortunately, the ship Aurea was raided by pirates near the end, thus saving her from an even grimmer fate than death.
Then, the rest is history. Aurea got thrown into the sea before winding up on this seemingly expansive island. She met me then, and here we are, with me working up a shelter while Aurea softly and patiently teaches me how she sees the world and more. My questions are many, but Aurea never seems to be tired of answering my queries, taking her job as my guide very well. The more I hear Aurea speak about Arcadia, however, the more Aurea drives home the point that yes, she is in fact a very well-learned person despite her lowborn status. If I am to call myself an adept in the technological side of things, then Aurea can be said to be a budgeoning master of the magical side.
No wonder she invests so heavily in Aurea when she has been nothing but a common scholarship student. If she is to build herself a truly powerful faction to contend for the throne, or to break new ground elsewhere, Aurea's talent is indispensable in this world where a good Knight and its Rider may very well decide the course of an entire war.
I swear, man, magic plus technology, Magitech(?), is such a cheat. It breaks so many laws of physics that my former world has to take them into account whenever we need to do something.
But anyway, back to finalising my shelter. Thankfully, the Military Survival Kit has a deployable heat-preservation single-occupant tent and a sleeping bag. I use them to set up a little resting place in a deeper part of the alcove. Additionally, I have a solar lamp propped up in a spot that should give me the best lighting during nighttime. With a bit of effort, I prep a spot in the ground to build a smokeless fire pit. The shovel really comes in clutch in this part. I draw inspiration from the ancient Hoàng Cầm stove as I craft a system that will hopefully increase the fire pit's efficiency while directing smoke outside the alcove. Even with good tools, this effort still takes me more than an hour to complete, and by then the sun has seemingly hit midday.
I wipe my sweat before sitting on a rocky outcrop. There is more to be done to ensure the liveability of this shelter of ours. But for now, I at least have a real place to rest.
"Y-You've worked hard...!" Aurea cheers me up inside my head.
I smile, feeling content that I am not alone in this endeavor to survive. God knows how important it is to ensure good mental health by having companions in situations like ours. After thinking that, I take out my canteen and a small pack of compressed biscuits. I have to energize myself to finish the remaining survival tasks. I may even try to see if I can hunt or forage for some additional food if the day is still early. All in all, lots of work to be done before Aurea and I can start figuring out things like the System or how to get out of this place.
Heck, do we even want to get off this island when that mad princess is still out there, probably wanting us painful deaths?