Ernest's Troubles
1768 Words
In his carriage, Ernest was in deep thought, trying to analyze what just happened earlier. A werebeast speaking a language that shouldn't exist in this world gave him an uneasy feeling about this world. If a possibility of someone from his past world transmigrating here, then does it mean there are others other than her living here?
He thought that he was the only person from Earth to be transported here but her existence told him otherwise. That there is a possibility that there are others like him to be sent here after their afterlife.
Looking at the girl whose head lowered, body trembling. Ernest asked.
"Hey, that language you spoke of earlier, was that Japanese?
This question of him rouses Nicholas's curiosity about the identity of the girl.
Inwardly, Ernest was in DEFCON 3, he watched animes reads light novels where the MC is so freaking overpowered that they can cut a mountain in half, used explosion magic akin to the power of nuclear weapons, and immune to conventional weapons... If that were all true, then he is powerless as he thinks he is. His power is to summon modern technology and modern weaponry, if people like them were to exist in this world then they could be a problem in the future.
Ernest bit his nail, hoping that it was not the case. Her existence is a threat to the UNSP's future.
There he thought in the past where modern weapons are overpowered and overkill but it seems like it's not the case here. He had seen the power of this werebeast in front of him, her reflexes are fast, agile, and quick, and fast enough to outrun bullets. If he wants to survive in this world, he'll have to modernize and acquire absolute power fast.
After brief contemplation, the girl answered.
"Ho...how...did...you...know?" She stared at him, surprised at his question.
"So it's true huh?" Ernest was able to confirm it with her reply alone, Nicholas who had been sort of left out of the conversation interjected.
"Volksfuhrer? I'm kind of not understanding what's happening but what do you mean by Japa...what?"
"Nicholas, hand me the pistol."
"Sure thing."
Nicholas handed Ernest the M9 Beretta and showed it to her. The girl's body trembled at the sight of the gun as if she knew what he was holding.
"Hmm, that's an unusual reaction," Ernest said as he wiped out his cold sweat trickling down his face, agitated. "Normally, people would make fun first on this piece of metal but you seemed to realize what this is."
"It's a...gun…sir…" The girl answered apprehensively.
In this world where firearms are not yet invented or introduced, Ernest confirmed that this girl is from a world similar to his.
He opened the system and asked something,
"System, am I not the only one here?"
"Cannot answer, the system doesn't have sufficient data to formulate an answer."
"You have the data." Ernest inwardly raised his voice, "This little girl in front of me seemed to come from a world of mine."
[Cannot answer, the system doesn't have sufficient data to formulate an answer.]
It was no use, the system doesn't even know. It doesn't have sage-like knowledge about this world.
"Shit...shit...shit...shit," Ernest said inwardly, troubled at her existence.
"Volksfuhrer" Nicholas called, "What's wrong? You look pale."
"I'm going to hand the blueprints to Guilhem about the new weapons and have him produce it and armed our forces. Nicholas, I fear that we have an enemy stronger than us. So we have to adapt."
"Uhm...okay sir...but can you tell me about this girl?" Nicholas pleaded.
"No, you can't. This is not your concern. I will personally ask her questions to acquire information about this world…" Ernest realized the girl's background. "No, forget that, she seemed to have been isolated by her master."
"Uhm...sir? What's going to happen to me?" The girl asked, her hands still shivering from fear of getting transported to another place.
Ernest ignored the little girl's question as he just faced Nicholas.
"Nicholas, we are going to scale up our operation. I might summon the cabinets for an emergency meeting later so be prepared."
Nicholas saluted, "Yes, Volksfuhrer."
Arriving at the mansion, Ernest grabbed the little girl by the arm as they headed towards the entrance. The maids inside the mansion who were cleaning greeted him warmly.
"I want this girl cleaned and dressed." Ernest who just stepped inside the mansion ordered the maids.
They were some mixed-reaction at first but with his piercing gaze, they shrank and hurriedly complied with his orders. The little girl was taken away by the maids to be cleaned. Ernest heads straight to his office where he finds Sophia cleaning his desk.
As Sophia felt his presence, she immediately stood firm.
"Volksführer." Sophia saluted. "You were early, what happened? Did you managed to get some information about the one who ordered your assassination?"
Ernest walked towards his desk and sat on his chair.
Sophia noticed something strange about Ernest.
"Sir are you okay?" Sophia asked concerningly.
"I already knew who ordered the six assassins to kill me. The ambassador, Peter." Ernest answered.
"Peter?" Sophia gasped in shock. "But Lex assured me that he won't turn his back on us as long as we gave him money?" Sophia said.
"It's to be expected Sophia, he is from the enemy's land for f**k sake." Ernest blurted out angrily.
Sophia gasped inwardly. This was his first time seeing Ernest this troubled or agitated. What could be the cause of his troubledness?
"Sir what's wrong? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"
"Look Sophia, I don't have time to answer your meaningless questions," Ernest said as he picked something from under his table. It was a blueprint. "Just give me some time alone and get this to Guilhem. That is the advanced weapon I came up with. I'll give him the real model so please just leave me here for a moment."
Having heard that, Sophia's heart tightened. There is clearly something troubling him but he can't seem to spit it out. She is worried and concerned about him so seeing him act like that makes her feel sad and agitated as well.
She grabbed the blueprints, saluted, and promptly left his office. Leaving Ernest alone.
"Shit...I didn't expect this." Ernest clenched his fist as he pondered the possibility of his kind transmigrating in this world.
There's a lot of ways like being summoned by ritual, transported after getting killed, a mysterious item that sucks you to another world, a portal that'll appear out of nowhere and sucks you to another world.
In his case, he was transported to this world after getting killed in an accident. Which is the standard route in the novel, manga, and anime.
Just thinking of that made him look somewhat stupid. Those media are just fiction and are not true and yet he is using that for reference.
The little girl's existence made him worried about his life there. He breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm himself up.
Fifteen minutes later, the little werebeast entered the door along with the maids. She was now cleaned and dressed appropriately enough to have an audience with him. Ernest beckoned the maid to leave them alone in the room with a wave of the hand.
Closing the door behind them, Ernest beckoned the girl to come closer and take a seat. The little girl apprehensively walked forward and took a seat.
"You're still wary of me huh? Just calm your nerves, I won't do anything to you. In fact, when I finish questioning you, you might get your freedom back."
"...Really?"
"I'm a man of my word. I treasure information a lot but you'll be exiled from another city after. That way you can have your freedom. Just answer my questions truthfully and I will give you what you desire."
"Okay…" She accepted without hesitation.
"Before we start to discuss something I want to know your name first. What is your name? And by name, I mean your real name."
"My real name?" The little girl tilted to the side, quizzically.
"Yes, your name, in the world you came from. What is your name?"
"My name is Saiki Aika…" She answered.
Her name is clearly Japanese. Ernest prompted her to continue.
"What else?"
"I'm from Tokyo Japan…"
"What year?"
"2037."
Ernest was surprised at her answer. 2037, so that means she came from another alternate Earth. So does that mean the multiverse theory is true?
No, he doesn't have time for such a theory what he needed right now is information.
"How old were you back then?"
"I was nine years old when I found myself here."
"How did you find yourself here in this world?"
"I was on my way to school with my friends. When we were crossing the pedestrian lane, we noticed a speeding car approaching us. They reacted and escaped but for me I was unlucky. I got hit by a car and then I found myself in a different place."
Ernest takes note of what happened to her in his mind. So he was transported in this world the same as him. Got hit by a speeding vehicle.
"Sir...why do you know what to ask? Are you perhaps from a world of mine?" She asked.
Of course, anyone would've noticed his line of question. This is expected.
"You can say that," Ernest answered simply, not wanting to give a child information so important that could backfire when leaked to the wrong hands.
"I see...so mister...came from a world of mine...that's a relief."
"No, it's not." Ernest countered. "Since you don't have the collar that controls your life, why don't you set out and be free and do whatever you want? I'm being lenient here after knowing your situation. You're lucky that I survived your attempt back there because if it wasn't we wouldn't be having this conversation because you would be dead." Ernest explained flatly.
"Your accomplices will be executed for the crime they committed as for you. Well, I think giving you freedom is a little bit overboard so I'm going to have you do something for me before you can become free."
"Do something?"
"Yes, with your assassination skills I think I can put it into use."
…
Outside the mansion.
"This... might be bad," the robed figure muttered after seeing the state of the city of Eighbury.
"I was just curious to see the city of Eighbury but to see that it changed drastically. I'll have Duke Gustav know about this...fufufu."
- Writer
