AH -CH2- (Patreon)

Rene let his eyes rove over the walls and decorations that were spread throughout the office. Simple tapestries and strange odds and ends for the most part. A single portrait on a far wall of someone in a headmasters attire. Other than that it looked like any other office you could expect. Desk, chairs, cabinets.

Only feudal in nature.

Rene flexed his muscles and tried to keep himself from stiffening up in the chair. He’d lived as a normal person since being reborn, but he never fully let go of his previous life. At least all the things that didn’t require harming another person that was.

Tilting his head to one side he heard the faint footfalls of someone coming up the corridor behind him.

They were soft soled shoes, an unhurried gait, heavy and uneven.

It could only be the interviewer or a house-maid.

Rene straightened himself in the chair and laid his hands calmly in his lap.

The latch clicked as the door swung open behind him.

“Ah, Mr. Anatolis. Thank you for waiting,” came an elderly sounding voice from behind him.

Rene made no response. He didn’t like leaving the man behind him unchallenged, but there was nothing else he could do as the current young man he was.

There was also no need for him to respond to the statement. There had been no question and that seemed more a comment than an invitation to speak.

There was a soft tut from the interviewer as he passed by Rene’s chair to sit down behind the desk.

Rene looked him over quickly and dismissed him just as swiftly. Older, authoritative, more girth then he should have, with far more lines around his mouth than his eyes.

There was nothing there that meant any harm to Rene.

Picking up the paper that had been laid out on the man’s desk the interviewer read over it slowly.

“You’re the only son of Master Anatolis,” the interviewer said suddenly, looking over the top of the page.

Anatolis wasn’t a common name, but it wasn’t unique either.

“I am,” Rene confirmed. Most conversations came to this point eventually. His father was an extremely successful money lender. So much so that he had more wealth than much of the nobility that looked down on him.

“Your marks are top notch as well,” the older gentleman murmured.

“My father pays the entry fee, I earn the education,” Rene said smoothly. It’d been a long-standing agreement he made with his father.

All Rene needed was the possibility to demonstrate his intelligence.

The interview grunted at that statement and then laid the paper down.

“Eighteen years old, no clubs, no activities, no job, no stated plans. This isn’t just an education you’ll be getting if you’re accepted here, but the expectation to be a member of the alumni,” said the man.

“Of course,” Rene said easily. He’d expected to be sold that bill of goods and had counted on it. He imagined the man was quite excited about pulling in the Anatolis family.

Rene waited with nothing else to say.

He didn’t owe this man anything and honestly this was more out of politeness for custom than anything else. Supposedly everyone had to have an entrance interview and would be judged accordingly based on this.

Turning Rene down would be a career ender for this man and everyone he knew or loved, he imagined. Even if the interview went as poorly as possible and culminated with Rene emptying his bowels on the man’s desk.

Rene wasn’t concerned. He’d go here or elsewhere. It wasn’t as if there were a shortage of schools that wanted money. There were countless universities all more than willing to take in Rene, along with his money and his father’s support.

And knowing his father Rene had no doubt what the outcome would be. He was fair but strict with his debtors. Kind to his friends and family.

A terror of a monster to his enemies. Rejecting Rene would put them cleanly into that last category for his father.

As if sensing his thoughts the interviewer cleared his throat and looked back to the paper.

“And why have you chosen our prestigious Laetus University?”

“My family lives in Laetus. It’s the closest to home. I treasure my family. My friends. I’d be able to live at home while attending. It also met my father’s requirements,” Rene explained.

It was all the truth, too. He really did feel that way about his parents and his little sister. The friends he’d made here and grown up with.

This life had been nothing but a blessing for his wounded soul. Something he’d never had before and had considered to be little more than a silly dream.

In the beginning he’d wondered if this had been a poor choice he’d made. Being trapped in a baby’s body, then a child’s, all with an old man’s intellect and life experience.

He’d chosen to not draw attention to himself in addition. To instead perform to the average as closely as he could, even if he was beyond the curve. Making it seem like he was neither gifted nor behind.

Why give up his secrets for nothing but a pat on the head? That was a fool’s choice. A prideful choice.

That only changed when it came time to get grades that would matter for university. Only then did he change his stance and shoot for the best possible. He wanted to get into Laetus and didn’t want there to be a question or a concern.

Everyone attributed it to him studying so hard as well, thankfully. Which was something anyone could do.

“I… see.” The man picked up his quill and scratched something onto the paper.

Rene kept silent and waited. The only thing that would disqualify him was his answers.

The man’s face puckered up as he read through the rest of his paperwork.

“I’ll just, move this along. Do you have any questions for me?” the interviewer asked. He stamped the bottom of the paper and slid it into a folder.

“No.” Rene blinked and then stood up.

“Welcome to Laetus University, young Anatolis,” said the man, extending his hand across the desk.

Rene nodded his head and accepted the hand in a brief shake. Turning on his heel Rene moved to the door, opened it, and left the office. He’d never bothered to learn the man’s name and it didn’t matter.

In the world there were few realities. One universal truth was that money opened doors and eliminated obstacles.

Problems weren’t the same for those who had money versus those who didn’t.

That was just how the world was.

Right now though, Rene had a lunch date with his sister and a few of her friends. There was nothing else on his agenda for the day and he enjoyed spending time with his sister.

By next week he’d be spending most of his time here at the University which meant he wouldn’t see her that often. So he needed to see her more often before that happened.

Rene managed to leave the administration building without incident or having to talk to anyone. There’d been a lingering fear that someone would attempt to stop him to talk to him about his father and their business.

Walking without haste he made his way out of the area where many of the universities and schools made their presence. His goal was where most of the middle to upper class merchant families lived in Laetus. A home his family kept there despite everything that’d changed.

It just happened to be the home he had grown up in as well. Wealth hadn’t changed their family so far and they tried not to display their affluence as some might. Keeping their “ancestral home” as his father called it was part of that.

A feeling Rene hadn’t experienced since coming to this world swept over him.

His skin itched, his palms cooled, and his feet tingled.

Someone was watching him. Tracking him.

Rene bumped into someone as if he hadn’t been paying attention and apologized. Dropping his satchel in the process. Casting a surreptitious eye down the street he caught sight of what he believed was his pursuer.

Both of his pursuers.

One happened to be his sister and her friends. Watching him. They were probably trying to arrive after he did or perhaps play a prank on him.

Neither option would be out of character for his sister. She could be as shifting as the wind at times.

He dismissed her group as the concern immediately.

What he felt was a threat on his person or his life.

There.

Rene spotted someone who was far more likely to be the problem. A man who looked ill at ease in his own clothing near a shop window that drew Rene’s attention.

The man fidgeted with the collar of a clean smart looking shirt. As if he’d never worn such a stiff collar before. A slight bulge at the mans hip indicated a weapon of some sort as well. More than likely a small club or a dagger.

Laetus’ guard wouldn’t disguise themselves as such. Which meant private security or someone who didn’t belong here at all.

In either case, it’d be best for Rene to break contact and move off. Away from his sister and her friends.

Standing up he slung his satchel back over his shoulder and adjusted it for a moment. Getting it sat right on his person he set off at an easy pace. Continuing down the street as if he hadn’t noticed the man or that anything was wrong at all.

When a small group of people passed behind him Rene ducked his shoulder and sprinted down an alley he was crossing at the same moment.

Rather then turning right, and moving in the same direction he’d been traveling, he kept straight. Running down the alley in a perpendicular fashion to his last known approach.

Unfortunately for Rene, someone had done their homework on him. They knew his schedule.

And knowing that, they’d mapped out his route, knew his time-table, and had even taken the time to have people stationed accordingly in the alley ways between that location and where he’d be.

Even as he identified the ambush, saw the blow that would be coming, and how to dodge, deflect the attack, or even subdue his enemy, he was physically incapable of doing so.

He was a gangly teen who hadn’t put any effort into his reaction speed, strength, or agility. All the training and combat reflexes he’d given himself in his previous life were old. Rusty.

Unmaintained.

Damn. I got lazy.

That was the last thought Rene had before the black jack cracked against his temple and sent him into the void.

***

Consciousness returned slowly to Rene.

On top of that, he felt like he’d been out for a while.

Or so he guessed since his hands felt like he’d slept on them and his feet were throbbing. His head felt like it’d been stuffed with cotton in addition.

Poisoned. Sedated. Bound and tied.

Someone who doesn’t know how to tie someone up without hurting them though.

Novices.

Cracking open an eye he saw little of the room he was in. It was dimly lit and reeked of mildew with no windows and only a single door. There was no sound of anything other than his own breathing. It was a simple room that had the appearance of a stone cell.

Near water.

Cold stones without any heat.

Under ground then?

Realizing he was alone in this room Rene opened both eyes. Working quickly he cataloged anything else that was useful or notable about the room.

Which was nothing.

Testing his bindings as he laid on his side, he felt no slack in either his wrists or ankles.

Grunting he began a mental checklist of his condition and gave himself the full once over.

Left hand ring finger was probably broken. Right thumb jammed. Left wrist felt like it had a hairline fracture but it could be the bindings. Bruised ribs on the front of his torso. Probably from being dumped on a horse if he had to guess.

There was no need to urinate, or empty his bowels.

His clothes were different and clearly his possessions were long gone.

I’ve been kidnapped, haven’t I?

A sharp chime sounded from nowhere and everywhere.

The box in the bottom left that he normally avoided as much as possible flashed twice.

Before he could even think of reading the log as he called it to try and get some answers it flashed a third time and went black.

Right in the middle of his view was an icon. An hour glass, and it was turning itself end over end as it filled and emptied itself.

Then it vanished and then a flash of light blinded him.

When it cleared, he was fairly surprised.

In the top left he could see what looked like three different colored bars and a portrait of himself.

The alignment bar, predominantly blue, remained in the same place it had always been.

The bottom left box that had served to help him eavesdrop and gave him subtitles to the world at large returned.

There were new messages in it now. Except everything previously in there had been removed. There was no record for him to read of what hapened to him while he was unconscious.

Grimacing, Rene read the new messages.

Failsafe conditions-met

Contract-activated

Effect-immediate

Duration-unlimited

System activated

Reloading…

System reloaded.

Ready.

A message box popped up directly in front of him once he got to the last message. Below it there was a green yes and a red no. He had the distinct impression he’d need to select one or the other.

Would you like to view your character sheet before you begin?

Yes/No

Rene opened his mouth and then closed it. Then he let out a slow breath.

“Yes?” he said, not entirely sure if he wanted to or not.

Status: Lightly wounded, thirsty, hungry.

What a chance meeting! Seasons it’s been, and you thought me fin. I return anew, a yearn to burn, and much bone to hew. Blood to drink, and bodies to… eh, fuck it. Let’s kill some shit.

“Be quiet, I’m busy,” Rene muttered, trying to mask the shock he felt.

He hadn’t heard that voice in his mind since the moment he’d arrived on this world. The rasping, muttering, hissing, screaming voice that’d dominated his previous life. Something he’d considered gone and had done his best to forget it ever existed.

And it was back.

Don’t be so rude at our reuniting, I find it immeasurably joyous and whole-heartedly exciting.

Rene let out a shuddering breath and shook his head.

Not happening, not happening. Not happening. He said he fixed me. Fixed it.

Fixed you.

He did! He did, alas he did. But hence I’ve come, despite being unbid.

Taking a deep breath, Rene pushed hard at the voice. Pushed and shoved and heaved at it. Slowly it gave way. It’s muttering and rambling growing softer by the second as Rene exerted his control over the monster.

When it was finally silent, he closed his eyes, and laid there against the cold stones. Trying not to lose his control. To not let himself slip back into the madness.

Opening his eyes he looked to the log.

Unfortunately, he found exactly what he didn’t want to there.

Even the voice in his head was subtitled and listed out for everything it said. Except it didn’t say Monster or anything of that.

The name next to it was his own.

I really am the monster and the monster is me.

Blanking his thoughts, Rene tried to re-set his mind. He needed to be in control of it to figure out what he could do. 

And to know what he could do, he needed to re-evaluate his situation.

Slowly, he started working his mind through the problem.

His bindings were tight, the room sealed, and he felt tired. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything he could do to change any of those at this moment.

At the back of his mind during all of this, it felt like hundreds of thousands of doors were opening. One after the other as things he’d learned in his life of murder and death.

It all came back. As if none of it had ever left. As if every lesson were seconds fresh.

Every single training he’d ever had. From hand to hand combat, knife fighting, shooting, sniping, poisons, assassinations, to building a working insurgency cell to overthrow a foreign government.

Staring at the door as his mind began sorting through it all he lost track of time. Reliving things he’d long since forgotten and trying to figure out what would help him.

It wasn’t until the door slammed open that he was shaken from his thoughts. His mind tumbling away rapidly from the heights it’d been at.