After a few minutes walking along the tree-lined path, I arrived at a small wooden barn, where the air smelled of hay and damp earth. The sound of animals and the metallic clanging of tools greeted me, as if this place had been waiting for me my whole life.
“Hmm...” The man scratched the back of his neck as he looked at the stable with a frown. “This isn't working.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked, approaching cautiously.
“At least you showed up,” he snorted, without looking at me. “Forget about the job, your brothers did your part.”
Before I could respond, a faint neigh echoed inside the barn.
“What was that?” I peered inside, curious.
The man sighed.
“Just what I thought... I'm no good at raising animals.” He dropped the sickle to the ground with a thud and rubbed his forehead.
Inside, a mare lay sprawled on the straw. Her breathing was labored, the muscles in her legs trembled, and her hooves were worn and cracked.
“Don't tell me you made her work without shoes?” I asked incredulously.
“Ho... what?”
“Shoes, man,” I snorted, approaching the animal. “Horses are heavy. If you make them trot over rocky terrain, their hooves wear down quickly.”
I searched through the remains of the stable until I found some pieces of old metal. I crouched down and, with a branch, drew the curved shape of a horseshoe on the ground.
“Look, something like this. They're like... shoes for horses. They protect their hooves.”
The man narrowed his eyes, looking at me curiously.
“Shoes for horses?” he repeated, confused. “Where did you learn that, Liang? Did you see it on one of your trips with your brothers?”
“Y-yes, let's say so,” I lied, not wanting to explain the impossible.
His face suddenly lit up. He took the sickle decisively.
“I'll talk to old Hao to have him forge this design for me. Maybe I can sell it.”
“Well... if you can, go ahead,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
“Well said, son,” he laughed as he left the barn, cheered up.
I watched him leave and then looked at the mare, who barely lifted her head.
“Horse shoes... at least something from my world is still useful here,”
I thought, stroking her forehead gently, until a voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
“You think you're very funny, don't you?” A young man's voice sounded from behind the stable, “making me do your extra work.”
A young man with brown hair and white spots appeared.
“There you are,” he yawned as he ruffled my hair, “what were you doing while we were taking care of the plants Dad asked us to look after?”
He pointed to the drawing on the floor.
“A plan for a tool for the mare.”
“We saw this when we went to the capital,” he yawned again. “I'm surprised our old man didn't know that domestic mares need hooves to work.” He petted the mare. “At least now you'll be okay, little one.”
She whinnied happily.
“By the way, Liang, did Mom tell you about today?”
“What's happening today?”
“What do you mean, what's happening? Today is your 12th birthday, and Dad's wife is coming to pick you up.”
“Wait, what?”
Confused, I could only blink in disbelief. I walked with my “brother” through the farm while several workers greeted us and mentioned his name.
Zac, from his height and way of speaking, I suspect he is the older brother of this body.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
We walked along the path through the rice fields, and in the distance, we could see a huge mansion among the mountains. It was gigantic and very glamorous... it really had character.
“Looks like the old lady is here already,” he sighed, somewhat exhausted, and pointed to the boat.
It was huge... almost the size of the house. I couldn't believe it.
“I guess I have to take you,” he said, kneeling in front of me and brushing the dust off my body. “Listen, I know we were always distant with you, but it's on Dad's orders. We appreciate you a lot, and if you have the option to stay, do it. Believe me, you won't like your fate if they take you with them. Don't fall for the luxuries, okay, Liang?”
I didn't understand anything. I couldn't even come up with a plan or anything...
“H-hey...?”
“Don't be tempted, that's all, brother.”
He patted me on the back and took me to the mansion. There were two guards guarding the door. They pointed at Zac and gave me the go-ahead to cross.
He said goodbye with a smile and a wave as the doors closed behind me.
In front of me, however, my space opened up with gigantic marble columns, crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and red carpets that seemed to stretch to the horizon. Everything sparkled with an almost insulting exaggeration. Even the air smelled expensive.
“W-woah...?”
“Well, it must be young master Liang,” a woman with a rather sharp and distrustful face sighed as she looked at me. “Please come with me. Your father and Mrs. Elizabeth are upstairs.”
I kept looking around me, analyzing the situation, and still nothing. I couldn't figure out why I was here. As we walked through the endless corridors, the feeling of familiarity grew inside me. The floating islands, the flying ships, the farm animals...
This wasn't a dream or some kind of paranoia... I know exactly what kind of world this is, and my theories will be confirmed when...
After several minutes, we passed through a huge double door that opened with a metallic groan. Behind it was an office that looked like something out of a painting: colossal paintings, a crimson carpet leading to the central desk, and an ornate chair where a woman was sitting.
Next to her was the man who claimed to be my father.
The woman had sky-blue hair pulled back into an impeccable bun, steel-gray eyes, and an expression of superiority so pronounced that it filled the room. Her dress was a statement of status in itself: pure silk, golden brocade, discreet but expensive jewelry.
Her gaze alone was enough for me to understand something: she was a dangerous woman to be wary of.
“So this is the little tadpole you went to such lengths to hide from me, isn't it?” She sighed as she looked at me.
My father remained silent, sighing.
“A full-fledged Naerun, just like that slave.” She sighed, standing up as she approached me. “I can see why you were hiding him.”
Naerun... it was the last clue I needed to confirm my suspicions. The sound of her heels echoing through the room made her seem intimidating.
“Hm...” He sighed again and tapped his foot lightly on the floor, agitated.
“Well,” she looked at me as she held my chin, “he did inherit quite a few traits from that commoner. He has very feminine features, and yes... the absence of your genes did wonders for this child's face.”
“Can I know what you're doing?” I freed myself from her grip as I wiped my cheek.
She looked satisfied.
“Well, he'll serve as a bargaining chip for the future, Enrique.” She looked at the man as she smiled. “You know how things work.”
“How things go?” “Chip?” What the hell is this witch talking about? Does she plan to trade me for something?
“Hmm?”
“You can't turn a blind eye to this one? He's our last child... I don't think Angi can take any more...”
He looked very distressed, and sweat was running down his forehead.
“What does that have to do with anything, Enrique? You know the agreement we have.”
Now I understand everything... My mind began to connect the dots in this world.
“I lent you my surname under that marriage agreement in exchange for being able to use your children for arranged marriages and maintain my fortune.”
“I understand that, Elizabeth, but...”
“No buts, Enrique.” She smiled. “At least it will be a commitment to a young woman and not an old woman. Look on the bright side, Enrique.”
“H-hm...” My father sighed.
“Excuse me,” I raised my hand and looked at her, “may I know what you are planning to do to me?”
“As soon as you turn 16, I will engage you to someone, child.” She smiled.
“I totally refuse what you are saying, witch,” I said with a sigh.
Her fan broke into pieces.
“Oh...?” Can you repeat what you just said?
“Witch?”
A slap at full speed hit my cheek, sending me flying several meters, and the impact with the wall knocked the wind out of my lungs for a moment, but well... that served to confirm my suspicions.
“Hmm... hmm...” I touched my cheek, which was burning, and looked at the old woman's hand.
Her hand glowed a violent blue like wildfire.
“Elizabeth!”
“Silence, Enrique!” She stood in front of me. “I'm surprised you have a will, little Naerun. Normally, your kind is only good for one thing: slavery!” She pulled my hair hard. “Now listen to me.”
I got up from the floor, and with the pain of her grip, I could only sigh, not giving her the pleasure of hearing me scream.
“You will come with me and marry the oldest, richest aristocrat so that all your fortune will be mine. Is that clear?”
“Uh-huh...” I laughed as I grabbed her hand. “I have a proposal for you, old woman...” Gasping for breath, I could only scratch her hand weakly.
“I'm listening, little cockroach,” she said with a laugh, but without letting go. “I'm surprised you have any willpower. Who did you inherit it from, that loser of a father of yours back there who doesn't have the courage to help you?”
“Those are... details...” I said quietly, “but listen to me for a moment... I have the formula to make a lot of money. I just need time.”
“Stupid kid!”
“W-wait, wait... on my trips abroad with Zac,” I mentioned my brother, “I bought several alchemy recipes to make very extravagant potions... good for beauty...”
She raised her eyebrow, intrigued.
“They prevent wrinkles and increase the beauty of... agh... your skin.”
“Try it, brat.”
“I just need time... come back in a week and I'll have the cream ready, I promise!”
She let go of me and gave in incredibly easily... although, well... I am her merchandise, so of course she wasn't going to hurt me too much... he stared at me, smiling, waiting for something, but I really didn't know what to do, so I just swallowed hard and grabbed some notes and a pen to start with the formula that would depend on me at that moment....
