>>5378692
>>Male
>>not cover yourself. They isekai’d you naked, they got to deal with it. You’re confident in your body.
>write-in: "Alright, let's get this started. What do you need and what do you offer. I don't have all day, and most likely, neither does your sorry lot."
As you said QM, we're not some NEET with no social skill. We're a mostly normie guy who maybe was promoted into a management position. We can at least exude confidence. And we might as well discover if we speak the language now.

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>>5378692
>Female
>Do not cover yourself
>Point at the nearest person and bluntly *tell* them to give you their clothes, boots, and weapon.
Terminator roleplay?
Might as well.

>>5378692
>Female
>not cover yourself. They isekai’d you naked, they got to deal with it. You’re confident in your body.
>say, “sorry, the person you isekai’d is currently not available, try calling a different person.”

>>5378692
>Male
>not cover yourself. They isekai’d you naked, they got to deal with it. You’re confident in your body.
Penis confidence
>wait and see what they do.

>>5378692
>Female
>Do not cover yourself
>Point at the nearest person and bluntly *tell* them to give you their clothes, boots, and weapon.

I can dig it.

>>5378692
>Female
>not cover yourself. They isekai’d you naked, they got to deal with it. You’re confident in your body.
>ask them, “Let me guess, demon king problems?”

>>5378696
>>5378698
>>5378701
>>5378770
>>5378928
>>5378976
4 - female
2 - male

unanimous - don't cover

Ja, Ich bin da Törminäta

writing

As you look around and find the gender ratio of your onlookers to be quite skewed the reality of the situation is still slowly creeping in on you and that ‘Perry Piper surrounded’ before-picture floats awkwardly into your head. Not that you were a tiny woman, nor lack confidence in your body.
Because…
>you were one of those lucky few people who could almost eat as they pleased without getting fat.
>you have a bit of pudge, but you try to stay on top of it with a small workout routine.
>ever since you were in line for a promotion your job became mostly desk work. Therefore, you needed to get your physical labor in at the gym, and it has shown fruit already.
>against your parents’ wishes, you have worked physical labor. Not quite Xena, warrior princess, but these people likely haven’t seen muscle on a woman before.
(the later two will lock some later choice of career)
Still, you should maybe get dressed. You quickly scan the room, which didn’t quite have the selection of Hot Topic. And since nobody has tried to talk to you yet while they continue to stare at you and talk only with one another, you point to the nearest person.
“I need your clothes, your boots and your weapon,” you declare in a faux Austrian accent.
The person in question wore a blue robe, some wooden ornaments, and a sturdy looking pair of boots. But what caught your eyes the most was a wooden staff with an egg-shaped gem on top that ever so slightly glowed in a dark blue.
He’s not the only one dressed like that either, and if you were to guess they needed a group of mages to summon you. However, you target him because he was by far the youngest of them (younger than you as well) and the one who most obviously ogles you.
On cue his eyes snapped to yours, and – he said something in a language you were sure you never heard before while pointing at him.
“Your clothes?”, you repeat hesitantly.
He shook his head and said something else. The confusion in his voice was clear. At least shaking your head still means ‘no’. Even if he is likely not denying you his clothes but telling you he does not understand you.
Looking around their muttering has stopped and they are watching you intently. Not everyone was armed, but one of those who were already had his hand on the hilt of what was likely a blade weapon. Further in the back, and by the only exit to the room you also see some guards with polearms.
This is going to be a hassle…
>Try to gesture to the young mage to take off his robe and give it to you.
>Just go up to him and take his robe off yourself.
>Wait and see what happens. You just hope they have procedures in place for isekai’ing people.

>>5379264
>Just go up to him and take his robe off yourself.

>>5379264
>ever since you were in line for a promotion your job became mostly desk work. Therefore, you needed to get your physical labor in at the gym, and it has shown fruit already.

>Ask the morons what they have summoned you for

>>5379264
messed up my empty lines there, should have spaced lines. Off to a good start

>>5379269
you have a second thing to vote on

>>5379291
>ever since you were in line for a promotion your job became mostly desk work. Therefore, you needed to get your physical labor in at the gym, and it has shown fruit already.

>>5379264

>>against your parents’ wishes, you have worked physical labor. Not quite Xena, warrior princess, but these people likely haven’t seen muscle on a woman before.

We JUST made construction manager, gawddammit!

>>Just go up to him and take his robe off yourself.
Not because I think it is a wise decision in the slightest, but because it will a) be funny and b) what this character probably would do.

>>5379264
>>ever since you were in line for a promotion your job became mostly desk work. Therefore, you needed to get your physical labor in at the gym, and it has shown fruit already.
>>Ask the morons what they have summoned you for

gonna need a tiebreaker

>>5379264

>against your parents’ wishes, you have worked physical labor. Not quite Xena, warrior princess, but these people likely haven’t seen muscle on a woman before.
BECOME GIGACHAD

>Wait and see what happens. You just hope they have procedures in place for isekai’ing people.

>>5379272
Supporting

>>5379423
counting that as the tie breaker
writing

Okay. Fuck it, let’s remain naked.

“So, what was it you summoned me for?”, you ask into the room, while looking around, trying to find someone of a higher rank. As these stories go, the king is present, isn’t he?

Oh god no, please don’t let this be a off-brand isekai where some nebulous group summons you for their own nefarious purposes. At least you don’t think they skim off the top of other worlds for a slave market, the looks you were getting were at least hinting at the fact that they wanted to give you some sort of dignity. Even if you wanted that dignity to come in the form of clothes in the near future.

A few seconds pass until finally someone steps forth to address the young mage. Again, in their own language. The mage in return snaps out of his confusion, says something in return, then to you, and lets go of his staff. The staff remains standing upright albeit it having no physical reason to stay upright. He continues with removing his blue robe, all while repeating the same phrase a few times. You can only guess it to be an apology of sorts.

The person who likely told the mage to undress looks at you again, thinks hard for a moment and stutters out, “You – “, pointing at you, “– of comprehension, err… speech – “, points to his mouth, “– of I?”

You cringe at his pronunciation, but at least you were able to do exactly as he asked, understand him. The man in question was maybe in his fifties, but you are not convinced this was a good estimate, figuring the lack of skin care products and access to lack of a balanced diet. Plus, you had no idea what ethnicity you would place any of them at. Hair colors in the blonde to dark browns, longer faces with quite defined jaws and broader mouths.

This one had pockmarks, and you already dubbed him ‘Pocky’, in your head. Pocky too was dressed in a blue robe, although he wore it with more dignity and his ornaments were made of metal, which makes him clearly higher rank, if age hadn’t already been the deciding factor on that one. ‘Woody’ finished taking of his robe and awkwardly hands it to you.

“Thanks, I guess” you give him a weak smile before looking to Pocky again. The thought of messing with him shoots through your head but you quickly dismiss it. “Yes. I comprehend your speech”, you say rather slowly, all the while pointing from yourself and them to him as he did as well.

Pocky sighs in relief and turns around to say something to the rest of the party, and you take the time to put on the robe. It wasn’t comfortable by any means to have it scraping against your bare skin, but at least your decency is protected.

“But you don’t understand English when I talk it at full speed, do you?” You ask and make Pocky snap back around. “Yeah, didn’t think so…”

Just your luck to get isekai’d in a world where communication with the literal aliens won’t be easy. Then again, you are the alien in their world. But for whatever reason they do understand some English, at least one of them does. Conversation is going to be a fucking chore.

“You are hero?”, Pocky eventually asks.

What do you say?
>write-in

>>5379505
>"Yes, yes. Give me a weapon and point me to the Demon King or whatever. But I my own palace and servants for this"

>>5379505
No, builder, constructor, artisan.

>>5379505
>I can fight. Doesn’t know magic.

>>5379505
>Nope, now send me back to the world of warm toilets and Internet.

>>5379505
>Nope, try again.

>>5379505
>No heroes here , nope.

thought I could finish before work, I was wrong
update in ~10 hours

You shake your head. “Nope. No. I’m no hero,” you repeat while pointing to yourself.

Pocky looks like you just slapped him in the face.

“You send me back,” you explain again by pointing from him to you, “and send me back,” gesture as if putting something on a high shelf, “and you summon your hero”, and take something else off the shelf, “yeah?”

Another man asks something of Pocky, and you don’t have to understand the words to comprehend that he’s asking what you were saying. Pocky himself doesn’t answer though, but repeats the words from earlier, this time with less hesitation and more authority.

“You are hero,” was not a question this time, “big arcane,” some word you don’t understand, “hero, woman hero…” A headshake, then turns to Woody, asking him something in their language which suspiciously ends with “Anglic?”

While you wanted to protest not being a hero again, that word seemed oddly familiar. “Anglic?”, you repeat. “Do you mean ‘English’?” This got his attention again, so you try to specify in words he already knows. “I. Speech. English. I speak English.”

“You, Speech, Anglic. Anglic – English?” There was certainly some hope in Pocky’s eyes.

The people around you had begun to talk to each other again, and once more the same person speaks up, catching Pocky’s attention. That guy was likely the leader, since he has both good clothing, a weapon, and spoke the most loudly. Let’s call him Brute.

Brute’s tone was accusatory, occasionally pointing at you, while Pocky is clearly on the defensive, still trying to probably save face in the mess up. If you were to guess they were mad that the hero they were promised turned out to be a woman. As if you didn’t get enough of that back where you’re from. You’re even glad you don’t understand what they were saying, but you cant help but roll your eyes and sigh.

Another blue robed mage in the meantime had put out a book and was talking about it’s contents with the only female mage you were able to spot. They occasionally drop English words, so you can only assume that they…

“Got a dictionary there?”, you ask them, not really expecting an answer, but to your surprise they do.

“Dictionary, yes.” The female mage confirms. “Book ee-kwal dictionary.”

“Book ee-kwal dictionary”, you repeat. “The Book ‘equals’ dictionary?”

Dutifully she flips to the first page and shows you what was on it. There were only a couple of words hand-written as large as to fill the whole page. One of which was ‘Kantil - English dictionary’, while the other two were likely the translation and transliteration of dictionary in their language and script.

“Kantil?”, you read aloud, and ask, “My speech English, your speech Kantil?”

“Ai. Yes.”, she confirms.

“’Ai’ equals Yes?”, you ask.

“Yes ee-kwal ‘Ai’! ‘Ai’ ee-kwal Yes. Yes.”

“Equals, not ee-kwal”. Why are you even correcting her?

“Equals!”

She’s very excited, like a puppy with a new plaything. It’s been barely a minute and the language barrier is already getting really annoying. ‘Puppy’ goes back to the page she had been on, shares a few words with the other mage and addresses you again, but not before clearing her throat. “Big arcane choice hero. Big arcane choice you. You are hero. Hero equals you.”

“Seriously?”, you groan. “Don’t I get a say in- *chrm* I no choice in being hero? I don’t choose to be a hero. I-”

Fuck, how would you best describe yourself?
>Builder. Build metal machines. (project manager in mechanical engineering)
>Builder. Build metal machines. (project manager in electrical engineering)
>Builder. Big bridges over water. (project manager in civil engineering)
>Overseer of scholars. (project manager in software engineering)
>Merchant. Leader in business. (senior sales associate)
>Justice. Law. Government (junior partner in small-time law firm)
>write-in

>>5380571
>Builder. Big bridges over water. (project manager in civil engineering)
'ate architects. Luv me infrastructure. Simple as.

>>5380571
>>Builder. Build metal machines. (project manager in mechanical engineering)

>>5380571
>>Builder. Big bridges over water. (project manager in civil engineering)

BAKA I just wanted us to be a blue collar type working grunt and you guys had to mess with higher education

Oh well, next shot I can at least vote we be from Texas.
Or Alaska.

>>5380645
I put you down as a write in for:
>>Builder. Big bridges over water. (blue collar site manager in civil engineering projects)
so people can support you
but I will count you as is would it come to a tie

>>5380645
A real Texas girl wouldn't be scared of going commando

>>5380571
>>Builder. Big bridges over water. (project manager in civil engineering)

>>5380571
>Builder. Build metal machines. (project manager in mechanical engineering)
Thus could lead to some interesting projects down the line

>>5380645
Agreed straight up blue collar would make for an interesting twist on iseki

>>5381457
>straight up blue collar would make for an interesting twist on iseki

I'll put blue vs. white collar to an extra vote, but civil engineering takes the preliminary win

>>5380571
>Merchant. Leader in business. (senior sales associate)

“I’m a builder,” you tell her, “of big bridges over water.” This language barrier thing is getting really annoying really quickly. “You comprehend? I am no hero. I don’t want to be here. Unless you want to build a bridge over your demon king, I don’t think I-”

“Demon king?”, Pocky burst out suddenly and focused your attention back to you. Some words in their language and then again, “demon king, demon king. You- big knowledge.”

Dangit. You probably shouldn’t have known that. Well, you guessed it. Now they truly think that you’re their hero.

Shit shit shit. Reality is catching up with you. For a little while you thought you might be having a stupid dream, then you would have wanted to go back immediately, but neither is going to be the case, will it?

Did you really just lose your life? And is magic freaking real? If it is and can affect the real world, your world, then what else is real? Okay, mild panic attack. Focus on your breathing. short in, long out. You got this.

What’s the best course of action that you can take right now? Likely play along in being their hero but spin it in a way that lets you be nice and safe. You can probably build a trebuchet, some siege equipment, usher in an industrial revolution, even though you were not educated in that direction, you still know how a car engine works fundamentally.

>“Fine. I’m your hero."
>"Again, I'm no hero."

You continue, "but I big knowledge, as a builder, not as a fighter. I'm-"

>"Forklift certified.” (Blue Collar)
>“Scholar.” (White Collar)

(that took longer than I meant it to take)

>>5381639
>"Again, I'm no hero."

>“Scholar.” (White Collar)

>>5381639
>"Again, I'm no hero."
>“Scholar.” (White Collar)
The locals already have all the blue collar skills their technology level allows.

>>5381639
>Scholar
White (s)collar for the win

>>5381639
>>"Again, I'm no hero."
>>“Scholar.” (White Collar)

>>5381639
>"Again, I'm no hero."
>"Forklift certified.” (Blue Collar)

>>5381724
Ok, so? What does that have to do with who our character is?

Also, don't underestimate the practical skills that have been created in the half millennium that separares us from the Middle Ages. Local masons have probably never even thought of a theodolite.

>>5381639
>"Again, I'm no hero"
>"Forklift certified.” (Blue Collar)

>>5382344
I have no personal preference between white and blue collar, so I'm choosing based on what will allow us to enact the biggest changes.

Regarding theodolites, it's irrelevant that we know what it is if we can't make one.
(Btw, IRL Romans had really sophisticated surveying tools, so the locals may yet surprise us)

>>5381655
>>5381724
>>5381851
>>5381918
writing...

>>5382344
kinda would have wanted to see it too.

"Again”, you sigh in frustration, “I'm no hero." Any advantages that being the hero may have will certainly be overshadowed by even just the probability of you being sent to fight some sort of grand evil. Plus, you despise people who lie on their resume, and this was basically the same.

Still, you need to reiterate on why you shouldn’t be sent to fight. "but I big knowledge, as a builder, not as a fighter. I'm a scholar.” You can shake differential equations out of your sleeves left and right, and they weren’t even your sleeves at the moment. “Big knowledge.”

While you also hate to make decisions based on the circumstance of being stuck in this world for an extended period of time, getting a desk job was probably your best bet. Even if you need to learn their language. No, wait, they have a translation dictionary, so you could write in plain English, and they can figure it out after the fact.

What about working at a construction site? Pretty sure their labor laws are not what you’d like them to be, and OSHA is still a dimension away. Then again, they have magic, so you have no idea how they actually construct stuff. What about magical materials? Surely the periodic table of elements would be the same if physics still works. But enchantments could strengthen materials or soften them for easier construction. So many options… Hmm…

Maybe there is a way for you to have fun in this world. Hopefully the meals won’t suck. Well, it’s ride or die, at least until you can properly communicate with them that you want to be sent home. Confidence. Never let them see you as lesser. And while you did just zone out a little, they were only talking in their own language to each other.

Soon though they seem to come to at least to some sort of conclusion, that they should name themselves. There go your nicknames.

The first one, the leader guy whom you already nicknamed Brute was “MacLaird Ronan et Carruth” and the older blue mage’s, Pocky’s, name is “Bowan Neal”. Then a lot of other people introduced themselves, but since you’re bad with names and they were bombarding you with them, none really stuck immediately. You were sorta distracted by their names itself.

It all sounded super Celtic. The prefix ‘Mac-’ means son, and a laird is a Scottish version of Lord. Freely translated his title means he’s the son of a lord. And nobody else has that ‘et’ syllable in between their given and family name, if they even have a family name at all. But the real disconnect happens with their faces, since they, for sure, are not British islanders.

Eventually they ask your name.

>write-in a name

And separate vote
>fake yourself a noble title, or
>don’t fake yourself a noble title

Rachel Schwarz of Texas

>>5382546
Do you think being named something like Siobhan Doyle would be too improbable?

Also,
>No title
See "lying on the resume"

>>5382546
>fake yourself a noble title

Duchess Aurelia Ross of Texas

>>5382546
>>5382553
>>5382557
sorry, I meant to imply noble lineage, not to be holder of an actual title

>>5382546
>don’t fake yourself a noble title

>Texas Chawarma
I can be whatever I want, right?

>>5382656
I want you to have fun with the quest.
I don't want you to turn it into a joke.

>>5382666
Alright.
Diane Vesprit?

>>5382546

>Karen Doherty

Yes, we are literally Karen but we will use our powers only for good.

>don’t fake yourself a noble title

I know it worked for Whoopie Goldberg, but Karen doesn't like padding the resume, apparently.

>>5382383
>Regarding theodolites, it's irrelevant that we know what it is if we can't make one.

As long as the locals have basic telescopes (or magic equivalents) we absolutely can build one. And if they don't, we can start by making telescopes for them.

>>5382624
>Aurelia Ross

>fake yourself a noble title

>>5382546
>Shayne Kruza
>don’t fake yourself a noble title
We haven't been bullshitting yet so let's not start

>Aurelia Ross, no title
writing

For a moment you played with the thought of claiming some nobility yourself but decide against it. It might give you some preferential treatment, however you might be expected to show some etiquette. Even if you can claim ignorance due to being literally unworldly to their society. Still, you had a family name, which already might virtually elevate you in their hierarchy.

“My name is Aurelia Ross,” you state, even though you don’t quite like your given name. You know your parents meant it to sound regal of sorts, but it’s just unwieldy for regular use. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to meet ya’ll but I was kinda kidnapped, so… yeah.” If you talk fast enough you can insult them to their face which gives you a bit of satisfaction, even if the entire situation sucks.

“Aurelia Ross,” Ronan repeated and added something in Kantil and then some more, to which you just nodded with a smile and a shrug. He then turns to his men and apparently starting to clear out the room.

Since everyone seems to be going you don’t expect he wants to be alone with you but decided to take this party elsewhere. Just when you thought your feet had warmed up the stone somewhat you get to traverse over cold sharp rock.

You snap your fingers at Woody, who was not important enough to get to share his name, and point down. “I so hope you’re only into tits and not feet too.” A moment of confusion, then he sighs in defeat and takes off his shoes. “Thank you.” The least you could do was give him a smile.

New Inventory object GET! Pair of boots (poisonous), condition: worn by feet have probably not been washed in a month. That’s not this world’s game mechanics at play, that’s you narrating to yourself.

Dis-gus-ting. Well, it’s this or get your feet wrecked. Thankfully, before you could put them on yourself you were offered a pair of sandals from one of the bystanders that neither named himself nor was one of the blue mages. His words were bashful but changed into reassurance. You figure it meant that ‘they aren’t much, but there’s something better at camp’, hopefully.

You thank the man who introduces himself as “Slaine” and put on the sandals… which were almost exactly your size. Now that you step of the stone slab or altar thingy that they summoned you on, even though it was only raised half a foot from the rest of the ground, you find that they were all shorter than you. Maybe at most your height.

After everyone has left the room some of the mages turned back to seal the entrance and dirt and rock accumulated from around the dungeon to make the entrance to that chamber completely invisible. The tools they were using were their staffs and some powder they carried with them in a pot. You almost missed it as you were not prepared to see magic, and didn’t pay to close attention to the beginning of it, but apparently reciting large poetic spells was not a part of magic.

While you walked some people tried to converse with you and ask you questions, but nothing of substance could really be conveyed with neither of you knowing the words well enough. “Other time, Fort, much time. Sun, good light”, while pointing at the dictionary, because, sure enough, the light in this dungeon sucks.

That’s another thing. What the fuck is a dungeon? They only make sense in terms of game mechanics, but why would anyone actually build one? Then again the place you are in right now… It doesn’t seem like it was supposed to be under ground. The architecture suggests there were windows to the outside. It’s as if a castle has simply been buried, been left there for a few thousand years and then excavated. Eventually you go up a spiral staircase inside a “tower”, and out the window to a staircase mostly carved into stone and dirt. And a little while later you finally get above ground.

The entrance had a small stone structure built around it with security that looks more like it is designed to keep something in and quickly plug up the hole. And, finally in the light of day, you find that this small building was too in the middle of a fort. While it may not be a good equivalence, the architecture style down below was vastly different from the one up here. Likely not build by the same culture.

Now, after some more gesturing and bad translations they understand that you want some proper clothes. And soon you have some options available to you.

How do you want to dress yourself? Impressions count and if you go for something with armor they may perceive you as such.

Style?
>Armored
>Robed
>Plain
>Fancy

Gendered?
>Male
>Female (cant be armor)

(took longer than expected, but as it seems I can only output one post a day, so I might as well do longer posts with more happening)

>>5383526
>Fancy
Going around in armor outside of a battlefield is an ignorant trope, robes are lame and plain clothes don't match our status as a sage.

>Male
Because female fancy clothes are probably inconvenient AF. Our fashion revolution begins now.

>>5383526
>Female

>Fancy

Fashion is serious business. What kind of fancy are we talking about here?

>>5383587
the fanciest female clothing you can find in a fort!
No ball gowns, but certainly dresses good looking dresses.
Why would those be there? Who knows.
any guesses I can incorporate into the next post too

>>5383605
Preferably sleeveless and thin then.

>>5383526
>Fancy
>Female

If we can't go back then at least we can look *pretty*

>>5383526
>Robed
>Female
Functional dress, with soft fabric as a belt that can become a scarf.

>>5383526
>Fancy
>Female

>>5383526
>Armored (light)
Some protection is better than no protection in a potentially dangerous situation and learning to move properly in heavier armor will take time

>Male
Female stuff of this period is going to be seriously restrictive and if we're meant to play hero that's likely to involve physical activity

>Fancy
>Female
writhing

You were led to a washroom where some maids were scrubbing away at clothes already. Well, ‘maid’ is likely not the right word. Female servants. And they were not wearing French maid outfits either, not even coordinated with one another. Just greens, browns and yellows functional dresses over white undergarments. Plus, something to protect them from the water they were washing with right now.

A short explanation was given, likely as to who you were, and you soon thereafter seem to have free choice. As free as your stature allows, at least. In terms of female undergarments, you had to take the largest available to not cut off your breathing, while still cutting out the sleeves, as it put pressure on your armpits. You’re not fat, you’re just 5’10” (1.78m) and got proper nutrition during puberty.

While it was tailored to your needs a chest was brought in which contained a few dresses. Usually, when you are forced to wear a dress for some formal event you like something asymmetric or a tight tube dress. But again, the choices were limited by your physique. So you go with a very loose red one that was designed to feature ruffles and frills from having it pulled back over itself and tied down with bows.

Through the whole ordeal you wonder why there even is a chest full of dresses in a fort like that. Though you do know that medieval treasure chambers are not filled with gold, but with other valuables, and fancy dresses can certainly be considered as such. Then again, it wouldn’t be forts that should have treasure in them. But there was no point in pursuing that sort of thought process, but rather what you’ll be doing from now on.

>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly
>You need to learn their mathematics ASAP and extend on it to show what you can give them. They don’t speak English in any sort of fluency, but can likely translate written text easier.
>You need to try and make friends with people ASAP, just hang out with people to get a gist of their general culture and behavior, while learning their language a little bit more naturally.

>>5384397
>>You need to learn their mathematics ASAP and extend on it to show what you can give them. They don’t speak English in any sort of fluency, but can likely translate written text easier.
TEACH

>>5384397
>
>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly

Pantomime ain't us, chief. Plus the mote we do it the more chance we inadverently challenge someone to a martial contest. Or marital congress.

>>5384397
>>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly

>>5384397
>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly

>>5384397
>>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly

>>You need to learn their language ASAP to communicate properly
writing

You’ll not be able to get anything done if you can’t communicate with them properly, so your first and obvious priority should be to learn their language. Kantil, or what’s it called. Your younger brother would know what to do. You’d shoot him a message and he’d send you a plethora of memes while explaining the concepts of isekais like the autist he is. Even though being sent to a different world and everyone putting expectations on him would cripple him mentally.

One of the washroom girls approaches you as she notices your grimace. And whatever she says you snap back. “I just don’t want to fucking be here, okay?” Deep calming breath. Don’t show weakness. Smile. Soft voice. “I’m sorry. Getting kidnapped and being forced to be a hero or whatever in a distant land, you know how it is.”

Foreign languages have never been your strong suit, and you tried in Spanish and French. Your failed high school attempts aside, you’ve seen a video once on how to learn any language. Move to the country that speaks that language and be forced to speak it, check. Pronouns, numbers, prepositions, descriptors for people, everyday objects, emotions. And always ask people to correct you.

“You can tell them I’m ready,” you wave her off to the direction of the door.

---

A little while later you were escorted again to a larger office with various people who also had summoned you. The office had one large desk, and a small other table that was almost like a coffee table to sit around and discuss things with more people.

Behind the desk was a more luxuriously dressed older man with ‘MacLaird Ronan et Carruth’ at his side. You can only guess that to be his father, the lord, or ‘laird’ of Carruth. On his other side was Bowan Neal, probably the head mage. Some others you recognize, and some you don’t.

Only few had the chance to be seated and there had surely been some chairs that were brought over from other rooms. You were surely expected to take seat in the center of the room that had been left empty, but from what you can gather, being allowed to sit seems to be a sort of privilege.

>Sit down.
>Wait until you’re prompted to take a seat.
>Ask if you can sit down.

While some spectators were still shuffling in the lord begins to read to you from a document that was prepared for him.

“Greetings Aurelia Ross. I am Cormac Carruth, son et Fergus, father et Ronan,” he gestures to his son, “and laird et Carruth.” While he only had to say a few words in between the names, his pronunciation of the rest was horrible. Clearly he already had a few statements ready made for him. After he was done with his little sentence he was expectantly waiting for your response.

Form a sentence
Part 1
>“Greetings Cormac Carruth,”
>“Greetings Laird Cormac et Carruth,”
>“Greetings Cormac Carruth, son et Fergus,”

Part 2
>“I am Aurelia Ross,”
>“I am Master of Civil Engineering, Aurelia Ross,” and later “That is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at an university.”

Part 3
>“daughter of Damian and Laura.”
>“daughter of Damian.”
>“daughter of Laura.”

>>5384583
>>Wait until you’re prompted to take a seat.

>>5384585
>“Greetings Laird Cormac et Carruth,”
>“I am Master of Civil Engineering, Aurelia Ross,” and later “That is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at an university.”
>“daughter of Damian and Laura.”

>>5384583
>Sit down.
>“Greetings Cormac Carruth, son et Fergus,”
>“I am Master of Civil Engineering, Aurelia Ross,” and later “That is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at an university.”
>“daughter of Damian and Laura.”
Our dad have a chad name. Our mom have a pretty woman, nicest stay-at-home vibe name

>>5384585
>Wait until you’re prompted to take a seat.
>“Greetings Laird Cormac et Carruth,”
>“I am Master of Civil Engineering, Aurelia Ross,” and later “That is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at an university.”
>“daughter of Damian and Laura.”

>>5384583
>Sit down.
It may be a faux pas, but it's also a power play. We don't play by their rulebook.

>"Greetings Laird Cormac et Carruth, son et Fergus. I am Aurelia Ross, daughter of Damien."
Short, to the point.
Something tells me women are probably expected to be "daughter of [mother]", so again, power play.

>>5384585
>Wait until you’re prompted to take a seat.
>“Greetings Cormac Carruth, son et Fergus,”
>“I am Master of Civil Engineering, Aurelia Ross,” and later “That is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at an university.”
>“daughter of Damian and Laura.”

>>5385235
and that's the tiebreaker I needed
>Wait until you’re prompted to take a seat.

I messed up the order a little as I had a different idea when I chopped up the vote sentence.
It's gonna be

>“Greetings, Laird Cormac et Carruth. I am Aurelia Ross, daughter of Damian and Laura, Master of Civil Engineering." to mirror his greeting with the title at the very end.

writing

You decide to return the phrase in the same style as he did. Greet, name, heritage, title.

“Greetings, Laird Cormac et Carruth. I am Aurelia Ross,” you say with a tiny hint of a bow, just lowering your head shortly. Since you don’t know if you should give your fathers name like he did, or if, since you’re a woman, should give your mothers name, you decide to give both, “daughter of Damian and Laura.” And you do have a title, even if they likely don’t know what to do with it. “Master of Civil Engineering.”

All the time you try keep eye contact with Laird Cormac, even if you really wanted to look off to the side where one person was frantically writing down what was said. Everything you say can and will be used against you.

You clear your throat and explain the last part you said slowly. “Master of Civil Engineering is a title granted to me for scholastic achievement at a university.” The whole situation gives you major job interview vibes. Only the rest of your life is at stake. No need to worry.

He doesn’t miss much of a beat and gestures to the chair. “The chair is to lie on.” Wrong words, but the grammar has a sort of flow. As you sit down (which was a bit of a hassle with the dress) he already continues, “Ask forgiveness to language. Anglic no easy to speech.”

“It’s okay,” you shrug and wonder how to phrase it before settling on, “use what you have.”

“You make claim to you be no hero. Why?”

“A hero is a person of a story, a legend, a myth. Fights evil and always wins. No real person can be a hero”, you explain, “I am a scholar, I sit in an office, like this one. And I design big bridges that go over big rivers.”

It took them a while to consult with one another and compound the next sentences until finally: “A hero is not a soldier. A hero carry knowledge for soldiers to fight evil and win. Knowledge for wealthy kingdom. Always the Grand Arcane carry hero to us, today the Grand Arcane carry you to us, humble Master Ross, title of scholar. You have grand knowledge.”

So maybe they did not make a mistake, that doesn’t mean you weren’t isekai’d in inadequate inclination. “So it would seem”, you press out, and cross your arms. They isekai’d you without your consent and expect you to serve them. “I would like to go home. Undo the grand arcane.”

The anger in your voice was barely hidden, so again, they scrambled to both interpret your words and then to come up with a reply.

“We activate the Grand Arcane. We no control the Grand Arcane.”

“Are you fucking kidding me, right now? You don’t know how to work the fucking spell that got me here?”

They did not need time to interpret your words as your tone was quite obvious.

“We ask forgiveness”, Laird Cormac says and lowers his head. He was not, in fact, kidding you.

How should you respond?
>“You took my entire life from me. Everything I ever worked for.”
>“Why did you summon me?”
>“You better be making it worth my time.”
>“What do you want me to do?”
>write-in
Multiple answers possible

>>5385292
>>“What do you want me to do?”
>“You better be making it worth my time.”

>>5385292
>“You better be making it worth my time.”

>>5385292
>You took my entire life from me. Everything I ever worked for

I'm guessing someone who builds bridges for a living has some attachment to their achievements on the other side.

>>5385359
and add
>"Why did you summon me?”

>>5385292
>“You took my entire life from me. Everything I ever worked for.”
>“Why did you summon me?”

>>5385292
>>“You took my entire life from me. Everything I ever worked for.”
>>“Why did you summon me?”

I need to make up some rules for conversations
Quest rules are not too well thought out yet.
My apologies, first time.

but writing for now.

There was some outrage going around. A laird had just lowered his head to you. But you really didn’t care for their honor system and how he’s losing face by lowering his head to you. Well, maybe a little. Sure, you don’t know their culture yet, but he had to give out the gesture to a woman. While satisfying, it was still useless.

“You better be making it worth my time”, you demand before realizing they will have a hard time translating that. “Reward”, you say firmly.

A word that they do seem to recognize. “Yes, reward- “, Cormac just says, but couldn’t freestyle an entire sentence, so you continue.

“And reparations. You took my entire life from me, everything I ever worked for.” By now it also grows more obvious to you that you may be pressing your luck. Some of the people around you do not exactly seem pleased with your attitude, so you decide to calm your voice down and ask: “Why did you summon me?”

The have a lot to work with now so once again you had to wait for the official response. During that time, one angrily gestures at you and clearly gives his opinion on your character to which Cormac responds almost equally angry. Now that could be either an ‘I know, she’s horrible’, or an ‘how dare you, she’s the hero’, either way you’re not making a plethora of friends right now.

It was Bowan who talked next. “Is ‘summon’ the Grand Arcane carry you to us?”

“Yes, why did you activate the Grand Arcane? Why do you need me?”

After a moment of hesitation, Bowan again, responds: “War. Fight evil. Use you grand knowledge.”

>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins
>“I have more questions.” Write-in

>>5386344
>“I have more questions.” Write-in
Who are you fighting against? What kind of help do you require? Why should I care about the fate of your dinky like kingdom?

>>5386344
This >>5386349, except without insulting their kingdom. Our well-being depends on the people here not thinking we're too big an asshole to bother with.

>>5386349
>>5386360
Supporting

>>5386349
>>5386360
>>5386407
drifts towards unanimous
writing

“Fight evil?”, you repeat skeptically. Pretty sure that painting the opposition as an evil that must be cleansed is out of the fascist playbook. Well, while you’re not gonna fall into the trap that whatever believe you hear first is the correct one, it’s still the best card you have to play right now. Then again, you need more information. “Who – “, or is it whom? Not like they could tell the difference. “Whom are you fighting against?”

The answer came quite quickly and was what you had already let slip yourself once. “Demon. Demon king.”

“Yes, but what does that mean?”, you ask. “What are demons?” You don’t think their confusion stems from them not understanding you but the question itself, so you elaborate. “My world has no demons.”

After they collected themselves, they explain: “Not human, but human knowledge. Only war, no diplomacy.”

“And this world is spilt into humans and demons? Are there others with human-like knowledge?”

“Yes, but diplomacy. Some war, but peace and diplomacy. Demon only war. Demon war with human, demon war with Fae, demon war with Praias. Demon war with all.”

Fae? Fairies? Are those Elves? And Praias… doesn’t sound like anything, really. How did this world evolve. Humans killed anything to not have competition. That’s how apex predators work. Alternatively, we fuck the Neanderthals into extinction, so the species becomes homogenous. Multiple sentient species on one planet simply doesn’t make sense… Okay, maybe on two far apart continents. But this…? You don’t know.

Either way, demon do sound bad. Even if that’s how you just described humans and how they got to be top dog of Earth. No, you’re still missing something. But you can agree that demons are bad news, at least if you chose to drink their kool-aid. You concede that point at least.

“What kind of help do you require?”

This time the answer comes rather quickly as something was already prepared. “Knowledge of the hero. Knowledge to fight, knowledge to wealth, knowledge to build. You ate scholar of building.”

You decide not to laugh at the mistranslation and ask further: “Only my knowledge?”

“The wisdom of application of you knowledge.”

Well, damn, if that isn’t what engineers do. The whole world coming to you for knowledge? If that isn’t a dream come true. But it’s not because you’re a genius out of your own accord, you only stand on the shoulders of giants where you’re from. It’s not exactly earned. But the moral dilemma can come another time, if you decide to pay it any heed at all.

>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins
>“I have more questions.” Write-in

>>5386610
>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins
A workshop, a dozen male servants, a GOOD and HYGIENIC bath, several sets of fancy dresses, and all the books you have.

>>5386610
>>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins
Time to supercharge the GDP. Once cities get more interconnected, the efficiency of the economy is going to skyrocket with people becoming more specialized.

>>5386610
>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins

>>5386642
This requires safe travelling environment though, and it's something that ancient societies already tried to establish. So if they didn't manage to do it, it may be beyond our power.

>>5386610
>>“Then let’s get started. I’ll need an office, lots of paper, a Kantil teacher…” +write-ins
>Gift me a construction crew, the best among the best. An already working team.
>I also want three of your smartest among young. Men, women, I just want skill. Taught them. Propagate knowledge.

>>5386623
>>5386680

Supporting

>>5386680
This one. First order of business is to train people we can delegate business to.

Also for the love of god, nothing about male servants or building a fucking harem. Let's not make this *that* kind of quest.

>>5386610
If it's unclear, I'm supporting >>5386680

I am me (>>5386680)

Also, the first thing is to check how they are doing things, and why. We have to understand how and where our knowledge is useful, their limitations, and what to research to be the most efficient.

>>5387531
But anon, we have to get good railings for out projects!

>>5387573
>good railings
I agree, and safety nets!

>>5386623
Support, because we require all kinds of support!

>>5387606
ahh, you tie it again!
But doesn't matter, I'll include most and will leave demands and wishes upen to begin with.

That being said I did mention the other day I should make some rules for conversations.
The way I think would work is that they basically get a ranking of importance by what people vote on, but we can get always interrupted, or lose our train of thought when a different topic comes up so those of less importance fall through.
So when we have a write-in of a nice speech, NPCs can always interrupt you.
Sounds fair?

>>5387612
Good enough. I don't see why all our wishes and demand cannot be accomated.

“Alright then”, you clasp your hands together, “let’s get started. I will need an office”, you announce, and begin to list off while pantomiming a bit. “Loads of paper, papyrus, parchment, whatever you are using. Ink and charcoal pen. Compass and a straight edge. Tools to write and draw, whatever everything.”

“Also, a Kantil teacher. I’ll need to learn your language ASAP.” And to make your point clear you add in more primitive terms. “Knowledge of Kantil. Speech and writing.”

“I’ll also need a construction crew. A good one. I need to know how you’re building things. Uhm…”, you snap your finger as you get an idea. “A bathroom. A good and hygienic bath. Don’t worry, I’ll draw it up.” Draw a bath…

“Master Ross!”, it was Bowan who interrupts you. “Less speed of speech. You are speech… of work? Many item to bring you to work?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Other time”, Cormac shakes his head, “Today, we- speech of problem. You are the hero. You bring knowledge. Future you are grand human of kingdom. We. Kingdom of Kanterns.” They want you to be loyal, don’t they? Well, he is reading from his notes again. “Many kingdom desire hero. Future, other kingdom bring you to other kingdom, violence.”

Okay, maybe this is more complicated if other kingdoms may kidnap you… like they did.

“Diplomatic protection. Grand Arcane brings man hero. Kanterns reward princess.” Cormac tells you. “You- woman hero.”

“Oh.”

They want to tie you to their country with marriage. Well, at least you know now that women can be objectified and thrown around as rewards.

>“I’ll not marry anyone.”
>“Is there no unmarried prince?”
>“We can’t just pretend that I’m a man, can we?”
>write-in

>>5387687
>>“Is there no unmarried prince?”
I refuse to marry anyone lesser than a prince or a duke.

>>5387687
>>“We can’t just pretend that I’m a man, can we?”

>>5387704
Way too many people have seen us in the nude. It will leak out.

>>5387706
it was to get the princess anyway. We can still propagate lineage with power word : polymorph.

>>5387687
>“Is there no unmarried prince?”

>>5387687
>“Is there no unmarried prince?”

>>5387687
>“I’ll not marry anyone.”
At least until we meet someone we want.

>>5387687
>"Can't the King just adopt me if he wants me that bad?"

>>5387687
>>5388095

This might work... or well, it probably won't, but it needs to at least be brought up.

I'm not totally opposed to getting a for-show marriage to some nerd fifth prince or some ancient old uncle, but we should definitely explore every other available option first. I can't imagine anyone taking "welcome to our world. We need your help. Also get married" well.

>>5387687
>“Is there no unmarried prince?”

I'm so tired

>“Is there no unmarried prince?”
writing

“Is there no unmarried prince?” Since they didn’t exactly specify marriage, you’ll use their words. “Woman princess for man hero. Yes? Then man prince for woman hero.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have said that. You want to go home. You don’t want to play hero, and you don’t want to marry anyone. And you don’t want to get fucked by a dude you don’t know with medieval hygiene. Then again, you may get a young one who has no fiancé yet, and you can mold him to be a good lover? Great, now you are thinking about grooming a kid.

But even a legal college freshman now seems like just a boy to you. You’ve been out of college for quite a while now and…
>write-in 28+

“You have no man?”, Cormac asks, with confusion in his voice.

Is he asking whether you are married, or whether you… well, were still an untouched woman and kept yourself for marriage.

“I have no man in this world, and I had no man in mine.” At least you weren’t in a committed relationship. Still, you should hammer home the earlier point you made. “But prince only if he has no woman himself.”

It’s clear why they want to tie you to their royal family, and you think that the kidnapping plot-point is too farfetched. Another kingdom kidnapping the hero would be just as outrageous as them kidnapping a member of the royal family. Unless they want to assure a just casus belli in the eyes of third parties when it does happen. But that doesn’t concern you at all.

On one hand you don’t want to get married, on the other you also don’t want to get cucked by a guy with multiple wives and or concubines, or would that be better since he can leave his fingers of you?

While you were considering the pros and cons of getting cucked, they discuss with one another and throw around random names. You don’t know how their titles work either. Laird, that just means lord. Lord of what? Well, at least one county.

Which stands to question how high up the food chain he actually is. He is apparently powerful enough to offer you a princess. Unless he kidnapped her, did a bootleg hero summoning, planned to offer the kidnapped princess to the male hero to make her “unfit” for real marriage. Like that wouldn’t fall apart. So that probably wasn’t it.

Before they decide whom to marry you to, you interrupt them. “Why the rush? News of you bringing a hero to this world will need time to spread. That’s enough time to find diplomatic protection for me.”

You need to give them a reason to think you wouldn’t betray them. You can only think of standard business transactions. If they offer you a good salary so you won’t leave.

>Tell them you are not worried about having diplomatic protection
>Make some demands, write-in
>Ask them if there are other problems
>Ask anything, write-in

>>5388678
>Tell them you are not worried about having diplomatic protection
>Ask them if there are other problems
>Ask anything, write-in
A title like Laird or Count, with a piece of land and counsel on how to deal with that land

>>5388678
>30

>Make some demands, write-in
A noble title

>>5388692
Woops; forgot age.
>28

>>5388678
>Tell them you are not worried about having diplomatic protection
>Ask them if there are other problems

>>5388678
Oh, and
>30

>>5388678
>30
>>Make some demands, write-in
A title as the others have brought up
>>Ask them if there are other problems

>>5388678
>32
>Tell them you are not worried about having diplomatic protection
>Make some demands, write-in
still think adoption is our best bet
that way we get a title without having to take land away from anyone, then again it would be cool to do our experiments in our own reign

three for three for three

that order of importance
>Ask for noble title
>Ask them if there are other problems
>Tell them you are not worried about having diplomatic protection
writing

>>5389669
no update today, but I'll try to make it up the next few days as I have more time on my hands

With all the time they give you to weigh your options while they translate what you said, you have plenty of time to think and change your mind.

“Actually, you know what?”, you start “Just give me a noble title. I have the title of a scholar. I have the title of a hero. You can give me title of-“ You don’t know any of their noble titles. Well, except king, prince(ss) and laird, but you don’t know how high a laird is to be wanting to claim laird. “land. And people to govern and test economic ideas on.”

“Give you land?”, Cormac asks, again with some confusion in his voice.

They seem very upset with you asking for a title. Probably because you haven’t even earned your stay yet. Confidence is key… Right now, you actually have very little power. But it’s not as if you’re bluffing. You can put your money where your mouth is. Time for the reality check, “Is there a problem with the hero being a woman?”

This took probably the longest for them to discuss. That alone is enough for you to know the answer.
“The hero carry change. Change the future, long future. Change Kanterns and change other kingdom. Change be fight with status today. Easy method to fight change be fight person to carry change.”

“Are you calling me weak?” You cross your arms and smile. “Don’t worry. But you are saying that people will have additional reason to disregard my advice. ‘Change from woman? Change Bad!’, or something like that?”

You’ve always been a woman in a man’s world where you have to dodge both the silent accusation AND the very reality of quid pro quo sexual harassment, and then double and triple prove yourself for your achievements.

>“I will not compromise. You get a woman hero and I will, when they follow my ‘changes’, make my allies obscenely rich.”
>“I will need a proxy. Someone to take credit for my ‘change’, ...
> >... until I have proven myself and take over.”
> >... I can sit in the back row, out of harm’s way while still getting rewarded handsomely.”
>“I can pretend to be a man in writing, not make many public appearances and dress up when I need to.”
>write-in

>>5390636
>“I will need a patron. Someone to lend his authority to my 'changes'"

>>5390636
>>“I will not compromise. You get a woman hero and I will, when they follow my ‘changes’, make my allies obscenely rich.”

>>5390713
I also do not mind if we take an influential man as husband to be our patron. As long as that man is single, and isn't unbearable.

>>5390713
>>>“I will not compromise. You get a woman hero and I will, when they follow my ‘changes’, make my allies obscenely rich.”
I won't pimp MC.
Although, I am for the MC having a thing for men of power

>>5390636

Supporting >>5390718

>>5390636
>“I will not compromise. You get a woman hero and I will, when they follow my ‘changes’, make my allies obscenely rich.”
They want to rip us from the life we'd built and our friends and family then they're going to have to show us some goddamn concessions if we're going to be cooperative

>>5390718
You honestly think any noble with a medieval mindset isn't going to resent the fuck out of us if we take anything other than a subservient role?

>>5390636
>>“I will need a patron. Someone to lend his authority to my 'changes'"

“I will not compromise,” you declare. “You – this kingdom – get a woman hero and I will, when they follow my ‘change’, make my allies obscenely rich.”

This is the first time they pick someone else besides Cormac and Bowan to speak, but someone else behind the desk. He too seems like a noble as he wore similar clothing to Cormac, and fancier ones than Ronan. “You promise wealth and you demand wealth. Land! Say reason we trust you.”

“Is it not in my best interest to not disappoint you? You summon hero for change. I can give you change. But are now afraid it being the change of a woman. Trust the hero, trust the grand arcane that carried me here.”

Speaking of- you still have no idea how magic works but leaning into the hero thing and the magic having a big plan for the universe. Maybe it’s a religious thing for them too. Like a ‘divine right of kings’ sort of deal. They were placed in their position by a higher power, and challenging them is like challenging that higher power, which is blasphemy.

Bowan seems like the only one who gives you a smile after they deciphered your declaration. Or at least the only one of them who was right in front of you as you didn’t quite dare to look around to read all of the room. The most important people were right in front of you.

Eventually Cormac too gives you a smile and announces, “You past question. Woman hero difficult. Yes. We trust hero.” He raises a finger. “Change you bring good, future, all Kanterns trust hero.”

You still get the strong feeling that this was not the end of that, but at least he was honest in saying that it is ‘difficult’. It’s a start. But it’s not like, for every project, you wouldn’t draw up an investment portfolio.

The meeting slowed down from there as Cormac then mostly read from his cue cards. They didn’t plan for the hero not to speak Kantil, but in retrospect should have expected it. And the reason they have written English is because the previous hero spoke it.

The plan was to move away from the fort and to the Carruth residence, where you’d get a teacher and your own office as requested but were denied your own construction crew or workshop yet. That way you’d learn about this world and where best to apply your knowledge first.

If you have any more questions…
>write-in

There is also the matter of an attendant. They say you’ll need someone to stay by your side to help you navigate the world and maybe also run errands for you. That sounds an awful lot like someone to spy on you. But you get to at least request what sort of skills and personality they may have.

What kind of person would you prefer?
>write-in (be as specific as you want, they can only get you the closest thing anyway)

>>5391567
>>write-in (be as specific as you want, they can only get you the closest thing anyway)
A young squire. Preferably clever and open minded. Someone we can teach and rely on.

>>5391578
Support. Boy or girl?

>>5391648
Boy of course. Their medieval brains will short circuit if they see two girls working closely together.

>>5391578
+1 to a young lad

>>5391567
Supporting >>5391578

You didn’t have many demands for an attendant. What you maybe need was a copyist, a professional scribe that can multiply what you made quickly. They should also be familiar with the use of written language for scientific publications, so what you do end up publishing will find broader appeal to the already established academic minds of the kingdom.

You could have probably come up with something else, like someone with magic or whatever, but you just want to fucking leave this meeting. Still, you had to take your pick between a few suggestions, and opted for the younger one whom you were told was already married. Not that this would be of your concern.

Living at the nebulous area at the edge of normiehood, where you can properly pretend to be a one, while at the same time still treat the whole ‘getting isekai’d’-situation as beyond bullshit. You must admit that you did get a little swept up by the possibilities, there’s still the massive number of things you now can’t do anymore and never again.

With every passing second you grow more and more aware of the fact that you’re cut off from your usual means of recreation and recharging your social batteries. And you really need to vent some frustration. You have an unspecified amount of time (they literally weren’t able to communicate time units to you) on your hand before everything is ready to move to the Carruth residence.

Your attendant, Fergus, looks up to you and asks something to the gist of “What do you wish to do?”
>start learning their language
>just explore the fort and get a sense of their architectural style
>see what their cuisine is like (stress eating)
>work out (change clothes?)
>go talk to someone in private, who? write-in (every person you met so far is available)
>write-in

>>5392277
>>start learning their language

>>5392277
>work out (change clothes?)

>>5392277
>>work out
>change clothes?
Are we proficient with any form of martial art?

>>5392295
>Are we proficient with any form of martial art?
TBD
Aurelia went to the gym and that it's "starting to show", but it wasn't specified in what way exactly.
I'd argue against "proficiency" at any martial arts tho.

>>5392277
>>see what their cuisine is like (stress eating)
We haven't eaten since we arrived here.

>>5392277
>work out (change clothes?)
This should help us work through some stress while also being beneficial. If possible we should see if there's anyone who can tutor us on local martial arts

>>5392292
>>5392295
>>5392338
clothe change preference?

File: Mosaïque_des_bikinis,_Pia(...).jpg (4.46 MB, 2903x1897)

4.46 MB JPG

>>5392354
I don't think these people have sport bras so something like this

>>5392361
Aurelia is still wearing a dress tho

>>5392363
Then strip down to it. How you even exercise on a fancy princess dress?

You could totally start learning their language, but you need time for yourself. Something to turn your brain off. You’ve got to work out, and so you make your way to the washroom again where you had picked out your dress. While the sports bra has probably not yet been invented yet – (And even if they were, you doubt this fort would carries your size. Literally every woman you have seen so far was at least a head smaller than you.) – you still need to get something in which you can move around in more properly.

With Fergus you are also running out of ways to tell him that you don’t know what he is saying. You should have specified someone with some sort of English skills. Still, he follows you around dutifully and even helps you look for something you pantomimed to be long to wrap around your body. The washroom ladies weren’t very helpful either as you couldn’t communicate that you were trying to impede the natural laws of jigglyphysics.

You have no qualms simply annexing whatever clothes you could find that fancy you. They invited you to get whatever you wanted before, and you could simply argue that this offer had not lost effect.

The new outfit you threw together was now a makeshift sports bra, and a simple pair of pants.
>Plus, a white shirt to keep your decency more when you go out.

Then you’ll…
>… get some more clothes to do simple exercises there in the relative privacy of the washroom. (Squads, push-ups, lunges, … the usual)
>… run some laps through the courtyard. (cardio)
>… find a tree to climb and do some pull-ups. You figure they wouldn’t allow you to scale the walls for some bouldering. (arm and upper body strength)
>… practice some archery. You’ve tried it before, but never gotten seriously into it.
>… join some soldiers training in the courtyard.

>>5392425
>>… run some laps through the courtyard. (cardio)

>>5392425
>… find a tree to climb and do some pull-ups. You figure they wouldn’t allow you to scale the walls for some bouldering. (arm and upper body strength)

>>5392425
>… get some more clothes to do simple exercises there in the relative privacy of the washroom. (Squads, push-ups, lunges, … the usual)

>>5392425
>>… run some laps through the courtyard. (cardio)

>>5392361
>Picname
>French Spotted

>>5392425
>… practice some archery. You’ve tried it before, but never gotten seriously into it.

>>5392493
>>5392428
writing

(I may have started writing before calling that I start)

Cardio. That’s probably one of the most ‘turn-your-brain-off’-iest things to do. Just run till you drop. Well. Only pay attention to the uneven floor so you don’t sprain your ankle. No music. Mental playlist engage.

All was quiet in the mushroom kingdom, ~ till the big bad koopa stole the princess away ~
You gotta run~ and then stomp~ you gotta run~ in order to save the day~
I’m sorry, but your princess is in~ an~other castle.~
I’m sorry, but you’ll have to beat another fort~ in order to save the day~

“Master Ross!”, someone calls out to you.

You suck in air through your teeth and stop but remain running in place to look at the culprit. “Bowan Neal,” you say his full name as you have no idea how to address him otherwise.

“You run?”, he states the obvious, while looking at your getup for maybe just a moment too long. But he has already seen you naked… God, you have to live with the reality of the things that happened when you didn’t yet accept the reality of things…

You don’t really want to explain, but likely have no choice in the matter, so you face him while keep running in place. “Training”, you tell him, “when head too much work, then work body.” You don’t know if you’re getting better at baby speak or not. But imparting Greek wisdom like that feels wrong.

Bowan approaches you and smiles. “Wisdom of hero,” he says after interpreting your words.

Why do you always have to be on your fucking toes. Fuck it, time to impress. “Wisdom of my father.” People always trust fatherly wisdom.

He nods. “Damian Ross. Wise man.” Now please fuck off. “I run with you?” Dear god no.

>“Sure…”
>Let him down easy somehow, write-in

>>5392656
>>“Sure…”

>>5392656
>Let him down easy somehow, write-in
Just shake our head and pretend we don't have enough words to let him down easy.

>>5392656
>“Sure…”
What a transparent attempt to forge camaraderie, let’s do it.

>>5392656
>“Sure…”

>>5392656
>All was quiet in the mushroom kingdom, ~ till the big bad koopa stole the princess away ~
>You gotta run~ and then stomp~ you gotta run~ in order to save the day~
>I’m sorry, but your princess is in~ an~other castle.~
>I’m sorry, but you’ll have to beat another fort~ in order to save the day~
wait, did I actually post that? I meant to delete it

>>5392665
>>5392804
>>5393124
socializing it is!
writing

“Sure,” you tell him, not having too good of a reason to deny his attempt at forging camaraderie. With a gesture and another “yes”, he awkwardly joins you.

His robe was not at all suited for jogging, so he started out with lifting it up at the expense of free arm movement. All the while still holding onto his staff. Bowan only managed to get a single lap in, but finally gave up. A word of his, which you interpret as ‘wait’, you were once again jogging in place while he tries to make up his mind.

There were enough places to take off and keep his robe out of the dirt. You figure the issue was something else. “Robe and jewelry, symbol of status, title?”, you ask him. You’re sure he was the one who instructed the young guy to take off his robe for you back in the chamber. But if you are low in the food chain it probably doesn't matter. “Removing not possible for your title?”

He doesn’t quite get what you say. And eventually after pantomiming to take off the robe he shakes head, and gestures you to be allowed to keep running without him.

You don’t run off but take a deep breath. It’s all about networking. He wants to make a connection, and you need allies. “You want to talk? Talk, two people, you and I?”

With his “yes”, you finally stop your standing jog. “Laird Cormac no knowledge of you and I talk, future?”

He’s asking you to keep quiet about this…

>Agree to not tell Cormac (Truth)
>Agree to not tell Cormac (Lie, and act depending of the conversation)
>Don’t agree and tell Bowan it depends on what he has to say.
>Don’t agree and don’t have the conversation
>Is this a test?

>>5393344
>Agree to not tell Cormac (Lie, and act depending of the conversation)

>>5393344
>>Agree to not tell Cormac (Lie, and act depending of the conversation)

>>5393344
>>Agree to not tell Cormac (Lie, and act depending of the conversation)

writing

Both Cormac and Bowen have been relatively nice to you. At least both played good cop in that meeting earlier, while that other noble (if you heard his name you already forgot) was playing the bad cop. They arranged who gets to say what, so you are not exactly sure what is and isn’t genuine or not.

You can’t really trust anyone. And you weigh your options of this being a test and telling him in advance that you’d have to know what he’s about to say before making the decision. But the language barrier being what it is, and day one being to early to be recruited into the peasant revolution, you decide to give the fake promise.

“No tell Laird Cormac in future, got it.” You nod. The very least you can do is to hear him out. Because if he does try and do his recruitment day one, the revolution is dead in the water anyway with incompetent recruiters.

He gestures around. “Arcane in plant, arcane in stone, arcane in I, arcane in sky. You comprehend?”

“Yeess?”, you say slowly, not sure why magic 101 would be something Cormac wouldn’t want you to know. But he’s probably just laying down the ground rules.

“Plant touch stone. Arcane in plant change arcane in rock. Arcane in rock change arcane in plant. Yes?” He waits for you to nod before continuing. “Touch, touch, touch, future, future, future, arcane in rock equal arcane in plant.”

“Okay…” If you get it right then magic is a property that every object has that, through the interconnectivity of the world levels out. Striving for homogeneity, status of least energy. That makes some sense. “So it levels out?”, you ask and raise your hands up at different heights. “Arcane, other arcane,” you name each hand, “then time”, slowly raise one and lower the other until they are the same height. “Future, the same. Equal.”

“Yes!” Bowan seems genuinely surprised that you understand the concept.

You still don’t see why it’s something that you knowing should be kept from Cormac. You also don’t see how that magical property is useful…

Bowan continues. “Divine creation. Grand arcane. New person, child. Arcane in child grand. Future, arcane in man-”, he gestures down. Probably trying to remember a word for ‘low’. “no grand.” Then he points to you. “Arcane in you. Grand. Grand grand! Time bad.”

So, you, like a newborn, have magic that has not yet leveled out yet with the world. Which means you’re powerful, and the older one gets (or in your case the longer you stay in this world) the worse of a magic user one becomes. And children are the best magic users, is that right? There must still be something missing from the puzzle.

“Child powerful in arcane,” you repeat what you think you understood, “I powerful in arcane?”

Bowan grimaces a little bit. “Yes, but no. Difficult, but yes.” He sighs, realizing his explanation fails at his English skills.

“Why no tell Cormac?”, you ask as he was struggling for words.

“Laird Cormac, noble. Arcane man”, he points to himself “no noble. Arcane man and noble… difficult. No war!” Again, he’s at a loss for words.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what this is about. Class systems. And he is trying to win you for his class. Maybe they have a non-compete contract for the hero or something.

“I think I understand”, you nod, “I have to- uhm… I ask for knowledge of arcane, yes. But you no…” You are also at a loss for words this time. How can you say that he’s not allowed to offer you to teach you magic with simple words? “You no ask to give me knowledge of arcane?”

He was again grimacing, similar to you. You both know that you’re hitting your heads against the language wall.

“You ask Laird Cormac knowledge of magic. You no give Cormac knowledge of talk you and I. Yes?”

You still don’t know enough of the larger picture. What if you unintentionally ask to go to Hogwarts and consequently must spend 7 years there?

“Time,” he says again. “Future bad.”

>Ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic
>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.

>>5393502
>>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.
I'd like to know exactly what magic does to us before deciding

>>5393502
>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.
Let's wait until we speak the language, at least. In the meanwhile we can try to learn more about the situation.

>>5393502
>>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.

>>5393502
>>Ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic
I think the reason is mainly political.
Child are not great caster as they might lack the skill to actually learn properly. We can use the opportunity to get a cheat skill. After all, we can already theorise Mana Osmosis based on entropy. This raises many questions : does separate materials have separate indices of arcane transmission? Can this be weaved into building?

Also, I'd love to know if last hero had a journal or anything. Let's start our own journal in english for future-hero.

>>5393502
>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.

>>5393661
if there is a transmission rate, it stands to reason that this arcane radiation is dependent on the material like thermal radiation

i won't claim I made a complete sensical magic system that is supposed to be understood completely for satisfying problem solving. But I hope it will hold up to medium scrutiny.
but if Aurelia understands it more I will supply you with better suggestions.

I wonder where and how new organisms get their magic from. If the background magic of the environment really is raised by the leakage out of living things, this would mean they take the magic out of the environment when they're born. Or maybe there's no conservation of magic and the global magic level is constantly increasing? Or the environment also loses magic to somewhere else, like Earth radiates its heat into space?

>>>Don’t ask Cormac for someone to teach you magic, or at least postpone decision.
writing

>>5393661
>Also, I'd love to know if last hero had a journal or anything. Let's start our own journal in english for future-hero.
In consideration

>>5394056
ahh, when the players ask exactly the questions I want them to ask.

You have a lot to think about… on top of having other loads of things to think about. You better start writing your thoughts down so you don’t leave any plot threads hanging. What you do know now is that you are not going to ask for magic lessons immediately and wait until you have at least a grasp on their language so you can start having conversations about what shit means.

The way Bowan explained it made it seem like with every birth extra arcane is added to the world, and you kinda have to choose to believe that there was not some god that made that exclusive to humans, but since you do not believe in a god, you have to assume that this would be true for every new life. Or there is a god, and he did choose you to come here as a hero, and he loves humans for some reason to make them increase the world’s magic levels for whatever reason.

Eventually you shake your head tho. “I can’t. Not now. I- knowledge of Kantil first. Future, proper talk about arcane. Not now.”

Bowan looks greatly disappointed, but nods. “I comprehend.”

“I won’t tell Cormac tho. As promised.” You still give him a smile once more. “Cormac no knowledge of talk you and I.”

He says a small rhyming phrase, almost like a prayer, but leaves you to go. “Master Ross.”

“Ah- What do I call you? Title? Bowan Neal?”

He shakes his head. “No title.” He hesitates. “Title from man of arcane to man of arcane. Not title from man-” he pauses, says something in Kantil and continues “- to man of arcane. Man tell me ‘Bowan Neal’. Friend to me ‘Bowan’.”

>You know he offered but let’s keep this safe and professional. “Bowan Neal.”
>Since he offered. “Bowan.”

How should he call you?
>Don’t mention it. ‘Master Ross’ seems fine.
>First name basis.
>Since you don’t quite like your given name, offer him your nickname: ‘Aura’, (optional: but only when you’re alone)

>>5394305
>Since he offered. “Bowan.”
Friends are good. Even if they potentially have ulterior motives.
>Don’t mention it. ‘Master Ross’ seems fine.

>>5394305
>Since he offered. “Bowan.”
>First name basis.

>>5394305
>>Since he offered. “Bowan.”
>>First name basis.

>>5394305
>>You know he offered but let’s keep this safe and professional. “Bowan Neal.”
>Don’t mention it. ‘Master Ross’ seems fine.

>>5394305
>Since he offered. “Bowan.”
>Don’t mention it. ‘Master Ross’ seems fine.

>Since he offered. “Bowan.”
>Don’t mention it. ‘Master Ross’ seems fine.
writing

He wouldn’t have said that friends get to call him Bowan if it wasn’t an offer. “Bowan”, you say with a smile and nod, but you don’t mention how he should call you. This worlds etiquette is still beyond you, and the last thing you need is starting out with good old accusations of taking a little quid pro quo, so it’s probably best if he continues to call you ‘Master Ross’, even if that’s not how a master’s degree works.

You wonder if they know what ‘master’ means, since you gave it as ‘master of civil engineering’, and if they know the female version of the word itself. You are not looking forward to being called ‘Mistress Ross’, though.

Bowan hesitated for a moment longer, likely waiting to see if you were to give your consent to for him to be on a first name basis with him, but after it didn’t came, he gave you a nod again and was off. Well, it was a little bit awkward, but you think you made the right decision.

You continue your run, now more at ease as the thoughts of magical entropy are more fun to think about than anything else. Even if thoughts of them having stolen your fucking life still creep in. You’ve never been good at going Zen, but you can tune out the thoughts when you exert yourself.

You were able to get in a good pace and got familiar with the path you take with all the bumps and stones on the ground, when you slowly feel your stomach making itself known. Makes sense, you haven’t eaten anything since arriving in this world.

“Fergus”, you call out to him as you bring your laps to an end. He was there in the courtyard with you, having been unable to talk you out of your jog. He also didn’t approach you while you were talking to Bowan. Maybe they talked to one another beforehand, you didn’t pay attention. He’s probably going to be like that horse in an RPG that gets summoned whenever you need it.

“Food?” After some pantomiming he understands, and guides you back to the washroom once more, then disappears. Hopefully to get people to prepare something without you being invited to a candlelight dinner, even if the sun is still high up in the sky.

That begs the question of what time it is… and when you even got isekai’d. Well, there is no reason to believe this world has the same 24 hours. Gravity seems the same, or at least unnoticeably similar. There is no second moon in the sky, but that doesn’t say much since the singular moon on earth isn’t always visible either. Grass is still green, even though you don’t recognize any flowers or trees. Then again, you’d only recognize the deco plants you have in your apartment like peace lilies or snake plants. And the animals you see that they use like horses look more like slim cows. And you know cows are closer related to goats than they are to horses.

You’re lost your train of thought. When did you get isekai’d? What’s the last thing you remember before? You didn’t die, did you? Why would your memory be blank? It was Summer. Weekend, too hot to work even though you had deadline to meet next week. Most of what you had to do was motivate others to meet the deadline. But you’re no tyrannical overlord, the deadline can be met without working weekends. You stayed home, there was no reason as to why you would have died. But you don’t know what the last thing you actively remember is. Maybe your morning coffee, but beyond that you’re drawing up a blank.

You finish dressing before Fergus returns, so you wander the fort a little, not straying too far. There wasn’t even a far to stray to in that fort, so you just end up looking over the scenery of the land it was built around.

There doesn’t seem to be much of note nearby that’d warrant this fort. Not even elevation, but there were elevations nearby. Only the fact that it’s build upon a buried castle where you can summon people from other worlds. Sticks out like a sore thumb, almost like they are hiding something here… Or maybe you just already know that.

The area around the fort has probably been cleared of forest, so it’s harder to sneak up on it. But it still looks way too weak to withstand a siege, figuring what it protects. Then again, some of the fortification was aimed inward. Maybe they are more afraid of something coming out than going in.

Fergus finally finds you and beckons you to come with him and leads you to a private room where you see a row of food prepared for you. Cooked meats, different breads and pastries and fresh fruits and vegetables. None of the later you could definitely name, even if some look familiar, although there’s really only so many forms and colors that fruiting bodies on a plant could make. There was a two-pronged fork and a knife prepared for you, too.

Problem is… It’s way too much for a single person to eat. It was too much for four people even. And you’re pretty sure that this wasn’t regular stock of the fort, but something that was prepared for the arrival of a hero.

What do you eat?
>write-in
Order of operation and method (but there is nobody here to judge your manners but Fergus)

>>5395095
>Astonish Fergus with exotic otherwordly customs and make a sandwich or three
>Offer something to Fergus too, the food mustn't go to waste.

>>5395118
Supporting. Don't eat too much, we want to keep in shape in this world.

>>5395095
+1 >>5395118

>>5395118
>>5395133
>>5395193
Operation Sandwich is a go!

Alright. That’s… ingredients. Maybe snack food, depending on what those veggies are like. Well, you just gotta cut into all of those and test all of them for taste and texture, and then make a few sandwiches.

There’s no cheese, and nothing lettuce-like either. Not even smaller ones where you’re supposed to eat the leaves like aurugula. Generally no herbs and spices… You did find something close to an tomato, with hollow and moist interior for seeds. But it’s taste was nothing like a tomato.

All the fruits and vegetables were mostly something you can imagine yourself eating in isolation or throw in a stew or casserole. Or would go well in a real salad with oil, vinegar and some real fucking spices. The only thing you dislike was the entire genre of those fruits that had a sandy texture like coconuts. So far you only got to slightly disappointing bread with poultry-like meat inside.

You sigh, which prompted Fergus to asks you something. “Operation Sandwich is not going well”, you answer him truthfully, whatever he might have said. “What of this stuff do you like?” Picking up one of the untouched fruits and throwing it to him (but not before you knew he was ready to catch), you ask “surely they don’t expect me to eat all that alone, right?”

So far he only spoke out to tell you the names of the stuff, but you didn’t even see the point in remembering any of the names as none even stand out to you. Most of them were perfectly okay, but not overtly domesticated and bred to modern day sweetness… or exotic.

You almost submit yourself to a bland culinary life when you remember that at least the meat was somewhat seasoned. So they must have some spices in the kitchen. Hmm… You wonder if this world has restaurants yet. Taverns and inns were not exactly what dungeons and dragons would like us to believe. You don’t think restaurants were much of a thing before the Renaissance. But you also don’t exactly know what level these people are, and it wasn’t like culinary development, colonialism and inventions of gunpowder must happen at the same rate. Then again, the British tried to conquer half the world because they wanted spices because their food sucked…

Every corner you think into, being in this world is bad. You were like Robinson Crusoe or that one Australian dude that makes primitive technology videos on YouTube. Even if the later is super relaxing and would feel rewarding to do yourself, it’s frustrating to know there is a better way.

You sigh again, resign to your fate and start eating the excuse for a sandwich. You’ve already ate your hunger away during the food tasting phase of the whole thing, and now find yourself with simply too much leftover.

What should you do with the rest?
>Try to pack up and take with you for the ride later
>Share with some of the soldiers outside
>You don’t want to commit some faux pas, better just leave it
>write-in

>>5395518
>>Share with some of the soldiers outside

>>5395518
>Share with some of the soldiers outside

>>5395518
>Share with some of the soldiers outside
Is a harem really the only good thing we can potentially expect from this world? Were the isekais right from the start?

>>5395518
>>Try to pack up and take with you for the ride later

>>5395518
>Share with some of the soldiers outside
Establishing a rapport with the blokes with stabby things is always good, plus it’s a generally nice thing to do.

>>5395591
>make a harem, starting with the soldiers outside
writing

Well, you’re not gonna let food go to waste, even if it’s a fake sandy apple thing. So after pushing as much food down Fergus’ throat as he would take you start pick up some stuff, motion him to do the same and head out. There are more than enough soldiers around, and a little snack never hurt anyone. Figuring how fast fruit spoil, there is usually not a large window for regular people to get fresh produce in this variety.

Waltz on out, act like you belong, and distribute food like you’re Jesus. Well, by their worlds standards you probably are. Otherworldly hero, possibly selected by a deity, here to make the world a better place. There better be no crucifixion in for you at the end of this road.

You can’t hold a conversation with any of the soldier, but from body language and tone of voice alone you could tell they are thankful. You didn’t notice with the stilted conversation where everyone tried their best to find the right words to communicate before and therefore wrecking the natural use of language. But if you were sincere enough, it is actually quite easy to talk to someone even if the words themselves are not understood.

That being said, you didn’t try to flirt with anyone, even if some were quite forthcoming. You were glad at least that you were still desirable in their eyes, because that wasn’t exactly a two-way road. As many racist comments you’re gonna preface that with. You’re not racist, but… they all look the same to you. Their facial features, you very much have to still get used to and then some to find them attractive.

The women on the other hand were much prettier… Huh, guess being bi was not a phase you’ve grown out of, even though you hadn’t been with a girl since you left college. But that’s likely not gonna happen, and they probably don’t have a hook-up culture to begin with, so you have to condone yourself to a dry spell for the foreseeable future. Ugh…

But back to the soldiers’ numbers. You definitely feel like the fort was overcrowded. Probably due to this special occasion of a hero summoning and maybe two separate noble houses being present at once. You were rather quickly out of food to share. Which kinda sucks because people already started to notice, and you can’t pull a literal Jesus to duplicate their bread and fish.

“First come, first serve”, you say with a shrug, and had to leave it to Fergus to explain. You should treat him better. It’s just that you’re generally frustrated and he’s a bit of a doormat, so the instinct is just there to bully him.

Fergus is the first member of your team, and you plan to stick with him for at least a while. But you also know that he’ll never be your second in command. He’s too much of a wimp and lets people walk over him. That’s probably also why they thought to give him to you. Any man worth his salt would likely not easily be taking orders from a woman. But you’re not worried. You’re sure you can show people why I’d be wise to follow your command when the day comes.

You look down to the courtyard where they were finally preparing carriages for the ride and it seems like you’ll have little time left here in this fort, and you don’t know who will come with you to the Carruth residence.

>do or get something before departing, write-in
>try and recruit somebody, who?
>depart

"named" NPCs present in the fort (unless they have departed before you:
“Woody” – youngest of the Blue Robed Mages you have seen so far, has had a good time looking at your naked body.
“Puppy” – one of the few women in the Blue Robed Mages present at your summoning. She has a Kantil-English Dictionary.
Slaine – a man who gave you a pair of sandals unprompted

oh, and I'll depart/timeskip either way and try to fill in most of what you wtill want to do or get if it gets at least some support from someone else.

only way not to timeskip is if you write something in that would need another decision before departing

>>5396441
I'd do the same thing if isekaied desu

>>5396585
>try and recruit somebody, who?
All of them, we're building a large harem

>>5396607
Support

>>5396585
I don't want Woody.
Puppy and Slaine are cool though

>>5396585
>Don't recruit anyone

>>5396749
>don't invite the teen to the orgy
writing

I'm not yet taking any calls for harem seriously

You think about the people you’ve met so far, and which of them you’ll likely not see again anytime soon if at all. But so far not very many people have left a lasting impression.

There is that man named Slaine who gave you a pair of sandals unprompted. Well… he saw that you were displeased with the boots you had demanded off someone else. It was a kind gesture, and whether he did it to score points with the hero, points he scored. Even if that was his reasoning, he is accepting of the fact that the hero is a woman. And selfish people are simple. As long as being loyal to you is the best option for them, they will stay so.

There is also that female mage you dubbed ‘Puppy’ because you never learned her name. She doesn’t speak English as well as Bowan but has a dictionary in her possession. Being a woman herself she surely had no qualms with the hero being female either. And she was very excited to talk with you, or at least try to. Pretty much all the way up from the summoning place she tried to read the dictionary to ask you questions but failed due to light constraints. You figured the conversation would continue eventually, but you never met her again after you went into that washroom to get changed.

The problem was trying to find them, being equipped with only the name of one person, and even then, being only able to communicate with the other. You’re not even sure what you want to do once you meet them. You kinda want to start finding people that would be useful to you in the future, but you already used that attendant spot on Fergus. Well, you were just coming out of a stressful situation and said what made sense in the moment.

With a bit of pantomiming, you think you manage to tell Fergus that you were looking for at least a Kantil-English dictionary, and that it was with someone who also had a staff with a blue glowy thing on top. You have to trust where he leads you, because as confident as you are, you’ll not be not going around opening and closing doors like a creep.

With as few seemingly ‘private’ rooms there are in this fort there was only one where the guards outside weren’t regular soldiers, but also blue robed mages. Fergus explains the situation, or at least what he understood of the situation. Something something Aurelia Ross something something.

“Uhh, Bowan Neal?”, you ask, having just had a good idea.

Eventually he emerges. “Master Ross, good to see you.” Wow, that was a complete and normal sentence.

“Bowan, good to see you too. I have a request now – time – before I depart – future – to the Carruth residence”, you start softly, “and I have no knowledge of when you and I meet again.” Just have natural flow of voice, use some words you know he knows, and hope the meaning becomes apparent.

“We meet again in future far.” He solemnly says. “What request you have?”

“The request for a friend”, you say, catching his attention. “the woman with the dictionary.”

“Maeve,” he tells you her name while putting a hand on his chin.

“I didn’t catch her name. Maeve. She- young, my age… probably expendable.” How do you get double meanings across properly without tipping people around you off? “She was friendly with me. And I could use a friend at the Carruth Residence. I was wondering if she could accompany me. I got to have Fergus here,” you point over your shoulder, “but the hero needs a female friend, a confidant, playmate, whatever you want to call it.”

How many chances does one get to plant a spy at a noble’s house? Or whatever. He wants you to learn magic, so having a magic user close by will work for him. You still don’t know anything really about the politics of this world. Maybe you are making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be in your head, but you rather be a more paranoid than you need to be. On the other hand, you are putting some eggs in the mage faction basket. You need to curry some favor with the nobles next.

“You friend with woman you no knowledge of name?”, Bowan begins to laugh and nod happily. You figure the laugh was not entirely based on his joke. There was a fire in his eyes that you ignited. He knows what’s up. “Yes. Good.”

As he turns around to look back into the room you exchange a glance with Fergus who was entirely confused by the situation. Bowan calls out to Maeve who soon joins with you, explains something to her in few words, laughs again, then gestures her to walk forward and tells you, “to you.”

Maeve awkwardly steps forward and gives you a small equally awkward curtsy. “M- Master Ross.”

“Greetings, Maeve,” you try to be friendly, but her demeanor was now much more awkward than it had been back down in the dungeon.

She asks something of Bowan who has to think for a while but manages to translate to you. “Maeve worth good for hero?”

You shrug. “People don’t need to be worthy to start making friends.”

While you’re rather certain none of the people present knew what you just said, but from your tone Bowan answers. “Hero’s grand wisdom.”

“Sounds more like fortune cookie wisdom to me to be honest.” You give a small laugh. Just as an icebreaker. “Maeve very good.” You give her a thumbs up as well, which, immediately after you do so, you think if it even has the same meaning in this world.

She’s still at a lack of English words and the awkwardness increases. Eventually she does speak up though. “I equals friend of hero.” You can’t quite place her tone of voice. Is she honored to be your friend? Can’t believe her luck? No, it’s weird. Well, she’s at least using the ‘equals’ you taught her, even if she is not quite using it correctly.

You’re not sure what to say, the conversation simply wouldn’t flow. Thankfully Bowan announces something to Maeve and she nods and after some Kantil words of good bye she disappears into the room again.

Bowan then assures you that she can accompany you to the Carruth residence, which is kinda weird, since you figure it to be a big deal to get invited to a noble house. But maybe you’re just overthinking this.

While you wanted to look for Slaine you had no luck as your time ran out and you surely enough, it seems no problem for Maeve to come with you. Maybe a small problem, as you see Bowan argue with Cormac, but the argument was over within only a few sentences. She was the only one of the blue robed mages to put some of her belongings into the carriages.

In what carriage will you go?
>See for a private one for yourself, Fergus and Maeve
>With Laird Cormac
>With MacLaird Ronan

>>5397843
>With Laird Cormac
Borrow Maeve's dictionary and establish contact.

>>5397843
>>With Laird Cormac

>>5397843
>With Laird Cormac
Funny isekai Celt

>>5397843
>With Laird Cormac
We need to score points with noble

You set yourself a goal before. You need to manage each faction, strategy game style. Stats are trust and favors… maybe loyalty and relative power? No, how did that go? Doesn’t matter, this isn’t a game where you can minmax numbers, you’ll have to deal with people’s emotions, which are not based on logic. Like probably the ingrained sexism Cormac even admitted to.

At the moment there is a slight imbalance, not entirely of your own fault tho. Bowan approached you first to establish connections, and you were happy for the networking opportunity when it is freely given to you. Now, however, you need to try to make your own.

You grab the dictionary from Maeve, whom you once again manage to confuse by your behavior, and head on over to the coach that Cormac was about to enter… together with a woman who was wearing one of the dresses you recognize from the chest. You talked normally in English (which wasn’t understood, of course), but you believe they only think that you only want to wish them a good ride.

Once you opened the dictionary to look through it you quickly see again that Kantil was written in their script while English was in latin letters with their Kantil phonetics, but not the other way around. While you could see the written word for a particular translation, you had as of yet no way to pronounce that word.

You’d be able to point to a word you want to say, but navigating the dictionary is not easy, as it wasn’t sorted in a way that looked apparent to you. Awkward… don’t make decisions based on incomplete data. So you had to go back to pantomiming yourself to go into the coach with him.

Cormac seems surprised but shakes his head, then extends his hand for you to lend him the book, which you willingly give him. It’s easier to translate back to English. And he only had to find two words to get his point across with his tone and a hand gesture of interweaving his fingers together. “Man et woman…”

“I could watch, but I won’t join you.” You give a nervous laugh but put your hands up in defeat. “That wasn’t what I meant to offer. My apologies.”

You don’t know if they were actually going to get it on, but you can see why the implications of a man and a woman alone together can be misconstrued, and, again, you want to not get a reputation of sleeping your way to the top. Even if it is just rumors. But it’s likely bad enough that you even live with them at their residence.

Eventually you make your way back to the carriage where Maeve had stored her belongings and figure out that it had been especially reserved for you. Or rather for ‘the hero and his guests’, because another woman also joined you. Who was probably just barely legal.

She introduced herself as – and it took you a little to get it right – “Sine”, which was pronounced more like ‘Jane’ with an ‘S’. Sine was sent by Laird Fillip et Gilleas to be your ‘friend’, like Bowan sent Maeve. And like the woman who joined Cormac, this one too was wearing one of the dresses you would have been able to pick from in that chest.

You start to piece some things together. Why there was a chest with pretty dresses as an offering to the hero. It had been the women wearing those dresses that were the offering. Every faction got to send a concubine, and then they meant to appease the female hero with pretty dresses. Then you asked for a friend from one of the factions, which was just hilarious to Bowan. And now that you have gotten a ‘friend’ from one faction, the others want to chime in as well. Only Cormac himself was… well, he was indulging in the present he meant to give a male hero.

Question was if Maeve actually fits the pattern. She’s not wearing a dress, she was present at your summoning, but she did act properly awkward when Bowan had his laugh and gave her to you. Which also was way too quick of a development to just reassign someone without consultation of the entire team. Well… unless Bowan was higher of a rank than you suspect, because the Lairds themselves didn’t dare to be present at your summoning, therefore you suspect him not being the top dog mage.

You are running on way too many assumptions here…

>Let’s wait for more info and a better understanding of the language
>Ask Maeve if she was meant as a concubine. “Woman to man hero,” and Cormacs hand gesture.
>Ask Maeve if Sine was sent as a concubine. “Woman to man hero,” and Cormacs hand gesture.

I hope it doesn't feel to railroady as both last votes didn't pan out as they were meant

We could totally have gone to Slaine first last time, but wouldn't have had a way to communicate so Maeve was the only one really choosen.

This time you did miss an event with Laird Fillip, but figured some pieces of information together that may or may not be accurate... so I don't know
People keep moving behind the scenes.

>>5398495
>>Ask Maeve if Sine was sent as a concubine. “Woman to man hero,” and Cormacs hand gesture.
>>5398498
Would you look at that, a world where our choices matter based on the context and things that make perfect sense but are out of our grasp? That's not railroading but more a definition of a good quest, and we got the "concubine" lore element out of that.

>>5398495
>>Ask Maeve if she was meant as a concubine. “Woman to man hero,” and Cormacs hand gesture.
>Ask him he wants to present us with male concubines instead

>>5398495
>Ask Maeve if Sine was sent as a concubine. “Woman to man hero,” and Cormacs hand gesture.
>Ask Sine what happened to the poor girl whose dress we unknowingly snatched.

Well, you’ll not learn if you don’t ask. You waited until you were all neatly inside the coach to spring the question though, as to not pull too much attention. You have no idea of knowing if the hand gesture Cormac made was considered rude or not.

“Maeve?”, you begin by simply calling her attention to you. Even if it was almost entirely useless as everyone inside the coach had almost only one thing to pay attention to – you. “When Laird Fillip, uhh… prepared Sine here. Was she originally meant as – “, you pause and switch to easier vocabulary. “Woman to man hero?” Then you repeat the gesture of interweaving your fingers.

Sine, of course, heard her name and the name of her lord, so she did pay close attention to what you were saying, even if she doesn’t understand a thing. She did understand the hand gesture though, as she quickly turned her head away.

Maeve’s eyes widened, and she quickly hides herself in her dictionary, trying to look things up. Eventually she does formulate two entire sentences: “Lairds bring gift of woman to man hero. Gift of Laird Fillip, Sine.”

You flinch slightly. Well, it was as you suspected, so hurrah for your deduction skills, but you hate the literal objectification of women. For a moment you want to ask if they will gift you male concubines instead, but that’d just make you just victimize the other gender. Even as just a joke.

You also don’t think that she unintentionally used the plural of ‘Laird’ here, so Cormac gifting you the women he was getting it on right now (had you been a man) was certainly possible. But you are going to his residence, and if the plan has changed from gifting you concubines to gifting you playmates, he might have a different person in mind. Maybe even a woman from his own household.

You know women had their own social circles in Victorian times, but you are almost required to go into both the male and female networks. Getting someone who was meant to be a concubine as a friend doesn’t do anything for you, nor does it for them. Not really. Unless of course, they were always meant to double as a spy.

What you also had to wonder about was what makes someone volunteer as concubine. Are they really that boring to spend their life (or youth) just someplace to get fucked on command? It is an easy life, but still… Maybe they didn’t even volunteer. You have no way of knowing that.

>dig deeper
>leave it at that, you can have such conversations once you know the language

Even through that entire train of thought you were hypocritical enough as to judge Sine for her appearance. You had an easier time finding the women attractive in this world than the men. But maybe they were just brought here because they were outstanding? Maeve was also on the more attractive side, but at the same time, she was a proper mage. So likely they had a harder time finding a pretty girl from their own ranks.

You don’t even know if Maeve was meant as the concubine from the mages, but in retrospect, those three (including the woman with Cormac right now) were the only women who were present at your summoning. But maybe it was also your memory that was failing you.

Either way, you were not going to indulge in the concubines that they meant to give the male hero. They didn’t give them to you with the same intentions. But you won’t discard them either. Maeve can be useful for all her knowledge of magic, and Sine can be useful to test your teaching methods on. And having friends won’t be so bad either. Even if the relationship starts out to serve someone’s purpose.

“So…”, you begin with a new train of thought. “Let’s learn some Kantil.”

(timeskip here, I'm already writing on the next part, but you can vote with specific quiestions in the previous post, I'll interweave in the meantime)

>>5399660
>>leave it at that, you can have such conversations once you know the language

>>5399710

Support, let's overcome this language barrier

This. Ouch. Coach. Ouch. Doesn’t. Ouch. Have. Ouch. Suspension. Well, it’s not that bad, you have a pillow, and they are not moving very fast. But suspension is one of the first things you’re going to invent.

Nice spring steel would need… iron and carbon, of course, then also nickel, manganese and chromium. But figuring out the names of metals is going to be a chore. Well, wood can serve the purpose as well. The basic principles of elasticity are used in a bow, but having to remember directional elasticity in a material… Nah, it’s not going to be that difficult. You can do that.

You had been given a blank book to write in as a journal, and you started using it as your own dictionary with your own way of arranging words so you can find them more easily. Their script was a regular alphabet with 29 different letters with each having its own pronunciation, even if there were exception to the rule. And 7 were vowels with two A’s and three letters in the O/U territory.

They had no pronoun distinction between genders, but pronouns for people, things and animals, and concepts. The first is clear. The second you can also derogatorily use for people you dislike, slaves, and… you guessed it, women. While the last one is for emotions or nature, ungraspable things like air or the sun, but also high-ranking people, like Laird Cormac. You already see yourself committing pronoun faux pas in the future.

Pronouns taken care of you wanted descriptors for people. Man-woman, boy-girl, mother-father, son-daughter, husband-wife, cousins, etc. With no real surprises other than the fact that there were more precise words for half-siblings that weren’t just compound words of half + brother/sister. Speaking of halves, numbers were pretty much the same. Base 10, with decimal points. And Maeve uses math to calculate how much material needs to be sacrificed for certain magic.

That immediately piqued your interest. Unfortunately, it seems like only rules of thumb are applied, and they always prepare more ‘sacrifice’ than they need and often hope for the best while adjusting any misalignments with real physical forces.

She told you the example of lifting something heavy with magic. You’d take a flower from a mountaintop that has magic with an altitude property, bring it down to the valley, where that height property can be activated and used to lift something else up. The thing was that altitude wasn’t the only magical property within the sacrifice that gets activated which then needs to be compensated.

You already see the system of equations in your head. Each ingredient a vector, representing different properties. Multivariable calculus. Newton method optimization. Oh, those poor people won’t know what’s going to hit them. No, don’t get ahead of yourself. This is going to be more complicated. Like mixing up an alloy. You can’t just combine two things and hope that the mixture will have the exact average properties. That’d be stupid… right?

What you focus on was words and their pronunciation… Even though you’ve already doodled a wooden suspension and Newton’s method at the side of the page. Focus all your attention on learning their language. Only when your mind needs a rest from language, you can go into math. And don’t even ask about magical or magically enhanced materials, don’t lose focus.

You need to pee. You should have gone in the fort, but among other things you really didn’t want to find out how their medieval bathrooms are like. You may rather go in the wild if you had toilet paper to clean yourself up, but you think people just used whatever. Leaves, hay, whatever. But you don’t really want to risk rubbing what was potentially this worlds poison oak onto your nether regions.

>Speak up to your people you need to go relieve yourself somehow.
>“Are we there yet?” Try to learn their time system and see if you can hold it.

(more ideas flowing around, why can't I timeskip properly?)

>>5399858
>Speak up to your people you need to go relieve yourself somehow.
I had to perform optimization by Newton's method in just one dimension by hand once, and I feel for our MC.

>>5399858
>>Speak up to your people you need to go relieve yourself somehow.

>>5399858
> and hope that the mixture will have the exact average properties. That’d be stupid… right?
Guess we'll see either those vectors are linear or non linear.
If non linear but still following a not-insane curve (exponential? Polynomial? Logarithmic?) still easy to create a calculus table.

>Speak up to your people you need to go relieve yourself somehow.

>>5400495
I have a hunch that measuring the exact property content if an ingredient will be a bigger problem than optimization

Mothers Birthday, social obligations, etc etc.
writing

>>5400589
*ding* *ding* *ding*

One’s a doormat, one was a designated concubine, and the remaining one could have been as well. There’s no need to be ashamed of your bodily functions. Why’d you get shy about that, confidence!

Your vocabulary was still insufficient, but you were able to get your point across. To which Fergus gets out a night pot from under the seating, complete with a wooden toilet seat and a few softer pieces of cloth to wipe with. That’s better than what you were expecting. But they made no move as to stop the carriage. Fergus just awkwardly stares out the window, while Sine would move to help you with your dress and undergarments. Not to remove it completely, but just get it out of the way.

Okay, this is happening.

And it’s awkward.

You have someone help you undress in a cramped space, only to then go to the toilet right in front of them. This was not a particular fetish you have.

How do guys do that at like a pissoir?

Okay, close your eyes, ignore the movement of the coach, hold your breath for a little while… and let go. Hold your breath and leeeeet go.

When the waterworks finally started to go you open your eyes again. You weren’t exactly maintaining eye contact but must treat it as just a regular event in life. The deed is done. Nothing to worry about.

Maeve has a hand before her mouth, hiding her silent laughter, but her eyes give her away.

>It’s not her fault or anything.
>You’ll have to get her back for this. She doesn’t have to enjoy this.

You’re properly cleaned up, even got a bit of drinking water to wipe your hands off.

This was very awkward, but if travel is something you’ll have to do a lot in the future – and you think you will – then you’ll just have to get used to it. Unless you get a custom-made carriage modeled after an RV with its own separate toilet. That, and suspension. And not all wheels on axels. Rubber too if you can get your hands on it.

So many distractions. No, you have to focus on that language, it hasn’t completely powered you out yet. Time to continue…

---

Your head hurts. You haven’t had a coffee besides the early morning one, and you feel the withdrawal coming. Brain is powering down…

Thankfully you were arriving at the Carruth residence already with the sun getting closer to the horizon. You missed out on something. You were too focused on the language that you missed out on etiquette.

What fast crash courses do you want to take and in what order of importance?
>introductions
>table manners, meals
>table manners, snacks
>table manners, alcohol
>courtesy
>religion
>being a house guest general

>>5400677
>It’s not her fault or anything.
>introductions
>being a house guest general
>courtesy
>table manners, meals

>>5400677
>You’ll have to get her back for this. She doesn’t have to enjoy this.

>introductions
>being a house guest general
>courtesy
>religion
>table manners, meals
>table manners, snacks
>table manners, alcohol

>>5400677
>It’s not her fault or anything.
>introductions
First impression matters.
>being a house guest general
Avoid faux-pas
>religion
Avoid taboo

>>5400677
>It’s not her fault or anything.

>introductions
>courtesy
>religion
>being a house guest general