Emisarry Of Time And Space Chapter 5: Lyrielle’s Dilemma

"Doran," he answered, his eyes widening. The mouth that had remained shut for hours was forced open by the woman before him, moving of its own accord before he could even fully comprehend.

Iris’s own eyes widened in astonishment before she tightened her fist further, her knuckles turning stark white.

’Just as I suspected,’ she mused inwardly.

"What is your objective here?" Aurora inquired once more.

"Mapping," he responded.

’She’s done it again, what kind of technique is this? It’s far beyond mere mind control; it feels as if she’s accessing my brain directly, bypassing any ability to resist.’

His apprehension towards the woman intensified.

"Mapping what, and for whom?"

He fought against it, desperately trying to halt the process, but his efforts proved utterly useless.

"I was dispatched to map the forest. I don’t know why or for whom," he grit out, his voice strained.

"How did you accomplish this?" she pressed further.

"I was provided with two devices. One served to enter the forest, and the other, I surmise, was for the mapping. My task was simply to move about undetected."

"And who issued these instructions?"

This was the critical moment he had been anticipating. All he needed to do was answer, and the contract would activate, setting him free.

Aurora instantly perceived the change in his demeanor. A sense of elation washed over him. Her eyes narrowed sharply; what could possibly bring him joy in this predicament? Iris also sensed it, subtly adjusting her stance in anticipation.

"I am affiliated with the mercenary organization... Re..." He trailed off, his voice hanging in the air. Suddenly, his entire body began to convulse violently. Foam escaped his lips, his eyes rolled back in agony, and blue veins contorted across his skin. Then, an unnerving silence fell.

Iris moved forward swiftly, positioning her body between Aurora and the man, a protective stance. The guards outside, witnessing the alarming turn of events, immediately stormed in, forming a protective cordon around Aurora.

Aurora’s gaze sharpened as she observed the last vestiges of life extinguish from the man.

"A mana contract. An exceptionally cruel one at that."

’It’s impossible to fully map the forest, but their confidence must stem from somewhere. We’ll need to proceed with extreme caution. Haa… what a nuisance. Please return quickly, Erevan.’

SIX MONTHS LATER

For the past half-year, Orion’s existence had devolved into a predictable routine. This remarkable consistency astounded those around him, leaving them to wonder how an infant could maintain such an impeccably structured life.

His body persistently engaged in what he termed ’Vacuum Absorption,’ regardless of whether he was asleep or awake. He sensed that something significant was on the horizon, something that would likely play a crucial role in his journey through magic. He had an inkling it might be an awakening, or perhaps, alarmingly, something far more dire. However, he resolved to face that bridge when he came to it.

When he wasn’t dozing and absorbing mana, he could be found immersed in the library, poring over books he shouldn’t logically comprehend. From Lyrielle’s perspective, his curiosity about the peculiar script was the primary driver. The two had formed a close bond; Orion required a means of transport, and Lyrielle, being readily available, filled that role. Meanwhile, she found her younger charge incredibly intriguing and endearing, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Meals arrived at set intervals between his diverse pursuits, much to his quiet dissatisfaction.

All in all, it was an interesting and fulfilling existence for a baby, and he was resolute in savoring every moment while he could.

Currently, Lyrielle was seen darting about, cradling baby Orion. He had already begun to walk, but his little legs remained unsteady, incapable of supporting him for extended journeys. Lyrielle paused at a corner, taking a deep breath. Glancing back and seeing no one in pursuit, she let out a sigh of relief. She then turned her attention to her baby brother.

"We made it, Orion! We escaped! Now we can visit the library in peace," she declared with evident excitement.

"Lyrii great, Lyrii great!" he babbled gleefully, clapping his hands together as if encouraging his preferred mode of conveyance.

Lyrielle beamed at his response, her pearly white teeth on full display.

They quickly proceeded towards the library. Upon reaching the entrance, they cautiously scanned the surroundings, confirming their solitude. Lyrielle immediately pushed against the door, attempting to open it, but it remained stubbornly shut. She turned to investigate the issue. Orion, noticing her struggle, turned to see what was wrong. Instead of a door, they were confronted by a solid, unyielding wall.

A look of bewildered amusement surfaced on both their faces. They were certain a door should be situated right there—specifically, the entrance to their cherished sanctuary. Yet, no matter how forcefully Lyrielle pushed, the wall remained impassive.

Had they somehow gotten lost? No, that was inconceivable. Even Orion, at barely a year old, knew the layout of this section of the mansion intimately, let alone Lyrielle. Suddenly, a soft snicker echoed from behind them. They whirled around to find their pursuer standing there, a smug smirk gracing her features.

Observing their expressions, Isolde offered a smile and departed without uttering a sound. Lyrielle, having bumped into the wall once more, a familiar occurrence, swiftly followed Isolde, cradling Orion.

"Isolde, where might the library be?" she inquired, her eyes wide with concern.

"Isolde, the library is gone!" Lyrielle repeated, her voice laced with an urgency as if the very world teetered on the brink of collapse. Orion, meanwhile, found this turn of events quite intriguing.

Isolde, without so much as a backward glance, continued her stride, a playful smile gracing her lips. This moment of quiet retribution brought her considerable amusement.

The trio soon reached a garden situated just outside the sprawling mansion. There, they found their mother, Aurora, engaged in conversation with another maid. This maid was attired even more elegantly than Isolde, exuding an aura of command and deference, as if sculpted for perfection. She wore the maid's uniform with the grace of a noblewoman draped in a gown, her dark hair and eyes framing a visage so breathtaking it could eclipse the fame of the most beautiful Oirans on Earth.

Isolde, with practiced deference, bowed. "My Lady."

The head maid offered a simple nod to Isolde, while Aurora’s smile was directed at the two youngsters beside Isolde, who appeared as guilty as thieves caught red-handed.

Under Aurora’s watchful gaze, Lyrielle seemed to momentarily forget their earlier predicament. Orion gently nudged her, as if to rouse her from her daze. She quickly recalled their dire situation and hurried towards her mother.

"Mom! The library… it’s vanished! Just like that!"

Aurora let out a soft laugh and turned her attention to the head maid.

"I believe that will be all for now, Cordelia. We shall resume our discussion later."

Cordelia offered a serene smile, her eyes lingering on her young lady, before inclining her head and departing.

Aurora then shifted her gaze back to her two children.

"I believe we had an understanding, Lyrielle. No library for the time being. You will be turning five in just a month, and you must undergo your awakening, as well as commence your etiquette lessons. Your time with Orion will be considerably more limited than it is now. It's time you began to adjust to this."

One of the primary reasons for Orion’s skepticism regarding his purported awakening was this very fact: children were expected to undergo their mana awakening at the age of five, the period when their Nexus would fully solidify, granting them the rudimentary capacity to begin manipulating mana.

Instances of individuals awakening prior to the age of five had been documented throughout various generations, yet such occurrences were exceedingly rare, and certainly not at the tender age of one. This anomaly caused Orion considerable unease; it could signify either a groundbreaking achievement or merely his heart’s desperate attempt to cope, but his intuition strongly suggested the former.

"I know, Mom, but Orion really wanted to go to the library, and I couldn't refuse him. I mean, who could resist such an adorable face?" she exclaimed, playfully stroking her brother's soft cheeks.

"Do not shift the blame to your brother, young lady. Orion’s desires are not your responsibility to manage. I trust Isolde is more than capable, am I not correct, Isolde?"

"Indeed not, my lady," Isolde responded swiftly, puffing out her chest with pride.

"But… but…" Lyrielle struggled to formulate a suitable retort.

"Enough. Promise me this will be the final instance. As much as I cherish seeing you and your brother together, you both have distinct roles to fulfill and duties to attend to. He is your younger brother, and that will never change, but you must grow accustomed to spending time apart from him."

"And remember, Lyrielle, you bear the title of elder sister, and as such, you must embody maturity. Promise me you will conduct yourself with maturity and responsibility from this moment forward, as your esteemed position demands, much like your mother."

Aurora observed the subtle transformation on her daughter’s countenance, shifting from sorrow to reluctance, and finally, to acceptance. She embraced this acceptance with a smile. 'Truly, my daughter,' she mused.

Having assimilated her mother’s counsel, Lyrielle stepped forward and, with a hint of reluctance, handed her brother over to her mother.

Orion found himself marveling at the adroit manner in which his mother navigated the situation with Lyrielle, seemingly containing her boundless energy with mere words. It evoked a pang of nostalgia for his own mother and sister back on Earth. He would be disingenuous to deny the profound longing he felt for them. However, he was now bound to this reality and compelled to persevere. Thus, he braced himself and continued his journey, harboring a faint hope that perhaps, one day, he might reunite with them.

'Wait a moment,' Orion suddenly realized, his eyes widening. 'It seems we've all overlooked my sacred sanctuary, which vanished into thin air.' He harbored a strong suspicion that his mother was somehow connected to its abrupt disappearance.