Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 9 Slow Life

Two weeks had passed, and Alicarde had come to terms with his new reality. Though disheartened by the unexpected change in his name, he considered it a minor inconvenience. As long as his parents didn't mind or notice, it was fine.

To test the waters, he had called his mother, greeting her with, "It's your favorite son, Alicarde."

He repeated his new name a few times during the conversation, yet she didn't seem to notice anything unusual.

Alicarde was still somewhat bothered by the change, but he had accepted his circumstances.

"After all, it's not man who makes the circumstances; it's the circumstances that make the man," he sighed deeply, feeling as though he had been cornered into becoming a philosopher.

In the days that followed, he adjusted to life at the university, registering for electives and compulsory courses, and had begun to settle into his college routine.

He hadn't made many new friends, except for Anne, who had eventually become the class representative. It seemed more like she had been pushed into the role by the rest of the class; it was a stressful job, and no one had volunteered. Anne had been nominated and won by a landslide.

"She shouldn't have bombarded the professor with so many questions," he smiled, remembering her exasperated expression.

His life was surprisingly going well. He had finally explored most of the mansion, if not all of it, enough to find his way around. If he had to give a detailed description, it would be:

"The First Floor had a Grand Entrance Hall—a spacious foyer with high ceilings adorned with a chandelier and intricate molding. Next were the reception rooms: multiple elegant living rooms and a formal dining room furnished with plush sofas, antique furniture, and artwork, which, ominously enough, mostly consisted of weapons."

"Carrisa sure does love her weapons," he mused.

Still on the first floor, the entertainment areas included a large home theater with a state-of-the-art sound system, a billiards room, and a library filled with books and leather armchairs that stretched all the way to the third floor. The library caught his interest the most, well, second to the Game Room.

The kitchen was every chef's wet dream, with fancy gadgets, marble countertops, and a large island for casual dining. There was also an indoor swimming pool, alongside a fitness center and spa facilities complete with a sauna and jacuzzi. Staff quarters with separate living areas for the household staff. If he wasn't living here, he might have cursed the rich and their luxurious lifestyle.

Then there was the equally fancy Second Floor with suites—a luxurious retreat with a king-sized bed, a sitting area, fireplace, and a balcony overlooking the estate. Guest rooms and other posh accommodations filled the floor.

He remembered what Carrisa had taught him. She had given him a basic rundown of the life he would now be living. She was from the Demiplane, a world different from Earth.

She had informed him that the world was divided into Earth, also known as the mundane world, and the Demiplane, a largely unexplored dimension inhabited by a myriad of supernatural creatures and fraught with dangers.

'The mundane world is influenced by various powers exerting their influence from the shadows, including the Order comprising all religious factions, the Magicians' Guild which is mostly mages—seriously, what did I expect? Of course, magic is real too—and last but not least, the Truth Association, predominantly alchemists.

They're more neutral, though, considering they trade with both worlds and are quite wealthy. There's also the World Government, clandestinely managing esper powers, along with various magic cabals, rogue esper groups, and lesser-known factions.'

She had taught him about innate abilities, more commonly referred to as esper powers in the mundane world. He had seriously considered them nothing but urban legends, including racial traits, fear, magic, ki, and finally, ether—supposedly his natural bane since it could affect the mind and soul.

She warned him that even if his body and soul were immortal, his mind was still his weakness.

Destroy that, and he would be as good as dead. She also mentioned enchanted weapons, potions, armor, trinkets, and charms with wondrous abilities. Whitewood Ash Tree and holy water, among other things.

"What a mess," he sighed.

He had been sitting on the balcony overlooking the estate grounds; his tea had already gone cold. Carrisa was also with him—it was, after all, the balcony on the fourth floor, a place she favored. He looked over the stone rails and spotted something moving in the mansion grounds. At first, it looked like a dog, but upon closer inspection, it seemed different—bigger, akin to one he had seen recently.

"Is that a wolf?" he asked, addressing Carrisa and the maid by her side. Upon hearing his words, Carrisa rose to her feet, followed by the maid, and soon stood by his side. Looking down at the approaching creature, she said,

"Amena, initiate a scan of that entity."

Her eyes flashed a light green hue, and a few seconds later, she answered,

"My scans have detected the presence of a supernatural entity, more commonly referred to as a skinwalker."

"Activate the defensive barrier," ordered Carrisa, her gaze never leaving the creature below.

Immediately, a thin, translucent blue light flashed around the mansion. Sensing this, Alicarde felt as though the mansion had been cut off from the outside world. Down below, the wolf stopped and sat on its hind legs, raising its head to look up at them, smiling eerily in a way a wolf should never be able to.