III.V Remainder

I sighed in relief as tied my dagger to the back of my thigh once more. It's over. We're getting out of this hell hole.

"B-Big sis?" I turned my head towards a reluctant Olivia, her blue eyes filled with... regret?. "I-I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Fo-For not trusting you." Huh?

That's it?

"It's fine, 'Livia." I ruffled her hair as I gave her the brightest smile I could possibly give. "I'll make sure you're safe, okay?"

I felt the soothing, familiar grip of her hand on my own as she replied with her sweetest tone.

"O-okay."

My mental faculties shuddered at such a weapon. It was more than enough to give me the strength to tolerate potentially living with the person that killed my father.

With mind resolute, we followed the bluenette up the stairs. Her constant humming cut through the silence as we slowly approached a bright, open exit.

"Welcome!~ To the Division Branch of the Imperial Barracks~"

I blinked my eyes at what amounted as my first intake of vitamin D in weeks as I felt the cool fresh air of the outside world flow through my body. I stopped myself from crying as I realized that the days of languishing in a souped-up sweatshop was finally over.

"S-Sis..."

Beside me, Olivia was less resistant to the call of emotion as tears flowed freely from her eyes. I gripped her hand harder; a sign of reassurance for the new normal that we'll now live in.

"Ignore the fact that there's nobody in the courtyard at the moment~" Our benefactor prattled on as she lackadaisically walked through the open walkway. "Just follow me to our room~"

We acquiesced as the Numerator guided us through the winding hallways of the barracks. The walls and the floors were still made of cobblestone, albeit of a higher quality than that of what I saw down at the Furnace, and overall the place looked like an overall improvement; with candle holders in between draped windows and the wooden doors no longer looking like it'd fall over with a single gust of wind.

"Here we are~"

We stopped at a particularly decorated door. It stood out amongst the others that we passed along the way, a big 'XII' emblazoned at the top of the doorway.

"Don't be shy now~" Arya coaxed as she opened the door. "There's nothing in there that'll bite you~"

Pushing myself to enter, what greeted me was a far cry from what I was used to in the whole seventeen years that I've lived in this world.

Luxuriously large bed, a chandelier filled with unlit candles, and a fully stocked wardrobe. Those were the things that immediately caught my attention.

"Woah!" Olivia exclaimed in wonder as she stared directly at her own reflection. "Look, sis! I can see myself!"

I felt a tear fall in my other eye as I realized what I was looking at.

A fully functioning mirror. Oh how I've missed you.

"Pretty neat, don't you think~"

Arya twirled in the middle of her- our room, her armored... dress? flaring and clinking as she then took our hands in hers. Her smile was sickeningly infectious as she led us deeper into the room.

"And this'll be your new workshop~"

My jaw dropped as she opened another door located a ways away from the large bed. Inside was a fully functioning forge, complete with any medieval tool I could ever imagine.

It was a smith's wet dream.

"It's so shiny!"

Olivia, like a kid in a candy store, couldn't help herself as she frolicked around our would-be workspace. It was an endearing sight, a memory that I'd want to preserve for years to come.

"Glad to see little cutie appreciates my investments~"

As do I... My eyes wandered away from all the shiny new toys and towards my patron's supp-

No! This was my father's killer we're talking about here! What the hell is wrong with me?!

"We'll be sharing the bed, by the way~" My heart pounded as my thoughts struggled to process my conflicting thought processes, already too stunned to even register whatever the hell she said. "It'd be a welcome bonding experience~"

I stood frozen as I felt myself being pulled back towards the main room.

"You'll be expected to work on demand, okay?~"

What was I thinking just now? Seriously, thinking one of my parents' murderers were hot?

"We understand, Lady."

I felt the bile rise up in my chest just thinking about my own urges. Since when was it the time to start thinking about batting for the other team?!

"Uhm... Crimson?~"

"Y-Yes?" I felt my cheeks flaring up against my will.

"You're my partner now, is that okay?~"

"Y-Yes, ma'am..."

"Odd word choice, but I like the sound of it~" What? "I order the both of you to call me Ma'am henceforth~"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Y-Yes, Ma'am."

*Clap!*

"Splendid!~ Do help yourself to a new pair of clothes~" La- Ma'am clapped her hands before moving towards the door. "I'll be off now~ See you later~"

The door closed as both Olivia and I were left to our own devices. Seeing as she did insist on it, I made a beeline towards the surprisingly expansive wardrobe and plucked out a set of clothes for myself and my charge.

"Here you go, 'Livia." I handed her a modest dress suitable for her size. "Let's change out of our clothes."

I didn't even think twice as to why the blue bitch even had something in my apprentice's size as I deftly replaced my torn dress for a more complete and modest peach-colored dress.

"Big sis," Olivia grabbed my attention as she held the dress that I gave to her. "Should we really-"

"She offered." I nonchalantly threw out. "Might as well take her up on it."

"Okay..."

With a small twirl, I studied myself in the mirror now available to me for use. My red hair was still matted with soot and grime, but it still flowed down towards my back. My face was marred with black spots from the ashes of the forge, and my cheeks were somewhat hollowed from the lack of food intake these past few weeks. I raised a brow at my current state.

Could be better, but overall what I honestly expected out of my ordeal.

My thoughts flew back to those that we left behind down at the Furnace. It was inhumane, for modern standards, that we work our ass off day and night, on top of living in sweltering heat twenty-four seven, all to get a chance at being fed a single piece of bread and water for the day. It screamed inefficiency and greed, and my OCD just can't handle the blatant waste of resources. Not to mention the child labor!

And did I mention child labor?

"Big sis?"

I'll have to devise a way to get a revolution going. Perhaps introduce some basic engineering tech that any monkey can figure out? Or maybe actual medicinal care that works? I know enough to teach a class, at least... Or-

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just thinking, 'Livia." I ruffled the brunette's hair in affection. "You can go sleep on the bed."

"But-"

Lest I forget, my parents' murderers. I can easily kill Arya in her sleep now since she insisted that we all sleep in the same bed. The problem would be her brother? Arjay, if I recall. He's bound to show up eventually. The problem would be on how to tackle this particular conundrum.

I paced the room in contemplation, a hand on my chin as I weighed all the options.

It won't be easy. But I guess... No. Too risky. Maybe... Or should I...

Hmmmm......

...

.....

........

"Laying low..."

My eyes widened as a flash of brilliance traveled through my head.

The long game.

Yes... That could work. If I recalled correctly, there was some form of discord between the two; a disagreement on the job. Plus, Arya seems to favor me a tad too much, considering everyone else above my status treated me like dirt. There's something there...

I nodded my head in satisfaction as I found my new path forward.

Ingratiate myself to my patron, no matter how sickening it may be. Gather information that could be useful in the right circumstance. Hone my combat prowess seeing as apparently, nobody expects a Den like me to know how to fight. And finally, either stage a revolution or inject modern sensibilities to a backwards-thinking society.

I stared out at the midday forest behind the barracks as I hummed in approval of my own plans. It might not work, but at least I have some sense of direction in this life.

God knows I didn't in my first one.

But at the very least, I actually had the knowledge necessary to make an impact on this world. It might be entirely focused on my interests and medical knowledge, but it'll be leagues better than living without indoor plumbing.

"I can make a change..."

Uplift an entire medieval state, all while being designated as a lowly common Denominator.

"Heh." Wordplay.

Sounds easy enough.

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