I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. No, not a ceiling, it's an upper bunk bed. I don’t remember Manal having bunk beds...

  Shit!

  The thought of poor Manal being blamed for my disappearance thoroughly stirred me up from my groggy state.

  She is an intelligent girl; she will figure something out. I hope...

  Thinking about Manal led to thoughts about my parents. I had already talked to my family about the possibility of Isekai. I am not entirely sure they understood me, or even listened. My mother always told me to study “real science” instead of anthropology. My father, who was absent most of my life, was surprisingly supportive. He even financed most of my travels, but I doubt it was for any other reason than to spite his ex-wife. I doubt I would be missed...

  I know, I know… I am being unfair to them.

  I can think about sending them a letter… if it is magically possible. But for now, I have a magical world to explore.

  I noticed I was still in my white blouse and black jeans. I had a tank top and shorts in my backpack, but I thought that would be too much for Holy people's sensibilities. I need to get new clothes today that don’t stand out. I also need to learn more about Soulbooks, preferably by taking Louis to a bookshop since she missed going to one yesterday because of me.

  I left the dorm room to find a group of children swarming Vena; they looked like they were offering her gifts. Although, if I’m honest, most of it looked like junk.

  "Here, you can take my favorite rock," said a gap-toothed girl.

  "What’s the deal?" I asked Louis.

  "We are celebrating Vena’s ascension," replied the dark-haired teen. "I tried waking you earlier, but you were out cold."

  "Sorry about that; I was exhausted. I haven’t slept for more than 24 hours." I smothered a yawn as I replied.

  "Luckily, you’re here for the best part. Mosha will sing Vena’s favorite song." She smiled and pointed to a younger girl, barely a teen, with big blue eyes and rough greenish hair. She also appeared to have neck scales extending under her shirt. She was alien enough to start looking uncanny, yet human enough to still be cute.

  "Wow, I’ve never seen someone like her," I said.

  "She has Siren blood," dropped Louis as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

  I stood next to Louis and Marca as everyone formed a half-circle around the siren girl. I was surprised that even the younger kids remained silent.

  The girl cleared her throat once and then started singing:

  Oh, people hear me... Hear my song!

  For I have a story... short yet long!

  Oh, Sir, holy knight... Sir, oblige me!

  For this tale is not... About thee!

  I sing of a man overlooked in history!

  The third of the two... forever a mystery!

  Oh, lost man… where have you gone!

  Since the holy wars… seen by none!

  Oh, timeless Lady, Lady the fair!

  Safer, we are all under your care!

  Strong and mighty… You are as well!

  Yet in your heart only... that man shall dwell!

  Through time and ages... unchanged regards!

  For love, we can grasp... we are the bards!

  What is the secret? The lady doesn't share!

  And asking the question... no one dares!

  Lonely is the Lady… in this big, vast world!

  And the voice she needs… shall it ever be heard!

  I was mesmerized. I was able to see images that accompanied each line:

  A bard holding a lute,

  A knight leading an army,

  The same man was standing back to back with a blonde woman who was trying to reach a flickering shadow,

  The same woman on a throne of tombstones.

  Was I daydreaming, or did this girl have magic?

  I turned to see Louis… she was blurred.

  No!

  I am tearing up... This makes no sense! I shouldn’t have any emotional investment in this story.

  "What’s happening…" I sobbed, barely holding back my emotions.

  "Mosha is touched by the Great Dreaming... sniff... She can project images and... sniff... and emotions with her songs," answered Louis, who was in a far worse state than me.

  I noticed that everyone was crying, including Mosha.

  Even Marca had a single tear on her cheek.

  "I thought the Lady was married. Who is that guy she is looking for?" I asked.

  "After the Second Holy War, the Lady spent 1,000 years looking for the man who would later become her husband," responded Marca.

  The story of the Lady keeps getting ridiculous. I need to read the full story one of these days.

  Wait! Can I even read?

  No, I can’t…

  I need to have one of the girls teach me soon. I can’t remain illiterate.

  We finished the celebration with a hearty meal made by Louis. The food resembled couscous but was made with pollen from some giant flower. It was served on the flower's big petals, and we all ate together like a family.

  I am starting to like it here, but sadly, I can’t stay too long.

  I might assimilate biases that would limit my understanding of this new world if I keep getting all my information from one place.

  I need a fresher perspective.

  As I left the orphanage with Vena and Louis, I noticed something weird.

  "Why is the sun blue? I swore it was yellow yesterday," I asked, dumbfounded.

  "Yesterday? You know we are on the same day; this is just the second morning," said Louis.

  "The second morning?!" I blinked twice, looking back at the sun.

  "I understand your confusion," laughed Vena. "I was also surprised to see two suns when I arrived here. Back in the Mythic Realm, we only have one."

  "I am confused. What do you mean, two suns?" I asked.

  It appears that things are a little different around here. This world has two daytimes and two nighttimes per day. It goes like this:

  12 hours of daylight with a yellow sun, called Fireday,

  6 hours of night with no moon, called Shortnight,

  12 hours of daylight with a blue sun, called Waterday,

  And finally, 12 hours of night with a magenta moon. Called Longnight.

  This time configuration is roughly stable across the globe, and yes, it is a globe. I made sure to ask. The polar region seems uninhabited, or at least the girls don’t know about it.

  With 42 hours per day, 6 days a week, 6 weeks per month, and 6 months a year… It's a slightly longer year compared to Earth. But then again, I am not entirely sure about an hour’s length around here. I should time it using my phone later.

  "You do know that this world’s physics is impossible, right?" I told the girls.

  After that, I bombarded them with questions they could barely answer.

  "Physics? What’s that?" asked Vena.

  "Never mind that. Can you tell me about bookshops?" I brought us back to more important topics.

  "We are going to meet with Sara. She used to live with us at the orphanage four years ago. She now works at a prestigious Soulbook shop. She promised to help me pick up a magical book," said Louis.

  "Sara left before I arrived. But I did get to meet her a few times when she came to visit her brother, Calr," said Vena.

  "She is the best! The smartest person I know! I’m sure she can answer many of your questions better than we did," bragged Louis, who looked proud of her friend.

  "Yeah, but she’s also busy, so don’t waste her time with stupid questions like how big the suns are or where the absolute north is," added Vena.

  "Sorry about that. I guess I went a little overboard with the questions when I heard about two suns," I apologized.

  We entered an open area in the guild district resembling a fusion between military barracks and a university campus.

  "This is the freelancer guild. It’s similar to the mercenary guild, but instead of soldiers, you get bounty hunters," said Vena.

  "Unlike the mercenary guild, the people here are not neutral. They are associated with the government and the local military. The higher-ups of this guild practically run the city," added Louis.

  "I’m probably going to join them for a time now that I’m finally a cleric," said Vena.

  "Bounty hunters… sounds like an interesting place to be in. I bet all sorts of magic are used around here. Maybe I should join too," I said.

  "Can you even fight?" asked Louis.

  "Aren’t we getting books that provide magic, right? I’m sure I could find something useful in a fight." I shrugged.

  "But fighting isn’t just about powers. It’s also a matter of disposition," stated Vena.

  "I’m not sure about fighting people, but I hunted animals with my father," I said, remembering that one time when I was 12, when my father shared his hobby with me. He had me shoot a deer. It was fun to see him passionate about something other than work. Although I did feel a bit guilty for the poor animal.

  "Freelancers get to choose the jobs they take. I guess you can stick to fighting monsters if you don’t want to face people," said Vena.

  "What about you? Aren’t you a healer? Can you even fight?" I asked.

  "I have been training all my life," replied Vena. "My next step toward ascension is through fighting."

  "It’s said that it’s harder to become a Paladin as a cleric than a knight," said Louis. "But I’m sure if anyone can do it, it would be you, Vena."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Louis…" I hesitated before asking, "Are you also joining the freelancer guild?"

  "No, I want to be a cook! Either in some noble’s house… or maybe open a shop."

  "Your cooking is amazing. You would be a wonderful chef," I said, remembering the bizarre yet delicious dish I had that morning.

  "What does a chef need a Soulbook for?" asked Vena.

  "I don't know; I just want something unique to distinguish myself when hired. I’m hoping Sara knows something interesting."

  We arrived at a medium-sized building. A woman with blood-red hair immediately greeted us; it was unlike any shade I’d seen on Earth. She wore a flowing robe with oversized sleeves and glasses… glasses! The first I’d seen in this world.

  "Louis! I thought you would be here on the first morning," said the woman, Sara, I assumed.

  "Sorry, Sara, but something unexpected happened," said Louis.

  "I ascended to cleric!" shouted Vena as she jumped in for a hug.

  "Congratulations! Wow, that’s soon! What a surprise!"

  "This is our new friend, San Alice. She’s staying with us for a while," Louis introduced me once the girls separated.

  "Hi, nice to meet you," I nodded to the redhead.

  "San, huh? You girls are making some important friends," said Sara.

  "Alice is not important! She’s just a lucky idiot," Louis quipped.

  "Yeah, don’t worry about Alice; she only became a San today after winning a stupid bet in the merchant guild," added Vena.

  "Hey! I’ll have you know I was an important scholar back home," I said, feigning offense.

  Sara laughed at our antics.

  "Do you also need a Soulbook, San Alice? Or are you just here to accompany Louis?"

  "Ah, yes! I’m new around here, and I know nothing about Soulbooks. Do you offer paid consultations? We’ll probably eat up a lot of your time, and I don’t want you to get in trouble with your superior because of me."

  "I can offer you the full beginner check-up. It’s one bronze coin each. That will free me up to spend a couple of hours with you."

  "That would be acceptable. Thank you!" I nodded.

  "Ki’i, I’m doing a check-up! Take over the front desk, please!" Sara called before leading us into a side room.

  "So! What realm are you from?" Sara asked as she looked inside a closet.

  "Sorry, I don’t know... I arrived here after a teleportation accident," I replied.

  "She didn’t even know there were multiple realms before meeting us," added Vena.

  "Oh! That’s unfortunate. I assume you’ve never had your affinities tested," Sara said, pulling out three paper scrolls and placing one in front of each of us.

  She also placed a needle in front of Louis.

  "No, I never had my affinities…" I stopped as Louis pricked her finger and dropped some blood onto the paper, then passed the needle to Vena.

  "You can’t be serious! You don’t expect multiple people to share one needle! A lot of diseases are spread through blood. That’s how plagues start!"

  "Really!" asked Louis.

  "She knows a lot about plagues, apparently," responded Vena as she looked at the needle with doubtful eyes. "She was even lecturing Lady Sana about it when I first met her."

  "I am sorry! We only have one needle around here," apologized Sara.

  "Bloodletting devices should always be boiled in water before reusing," I said.

  "Or cleansed by a cleric," added Vena, her hands glowing.

  "I guess that also works," I relented.

  With a smile toward me, Vena stabbed her thumb, dropped her blood on the paper, and then healed herself.

  I watched the blood spread across the paper, leaving distinct patterns that looked like writing in a language I couldn't read. A similar thing happened to Louis's scroll, except the bottom half of hers turned a pale shade of brown.

  "As I thought," said Sara while looking at Vena's paper. "Since you aren't from the Bloodlines, you don't have an elemental affinity. Louis, on the other hand, has a weak Earth affinity."

  "Huh... I thought my mother was from the Kindred, not the Bloodlines," said Louis, confused. "My father was Holy, for sure."

  "You could have a grandparent from the Bloodlines. Some people also speculate that it's possible to get an affinity even if you are from the Kindred Realm, but I am not sure about this information."

  "I thought since I was a cleric, I would have a Life or Light affinity," said Vena.

  "Miracles operate separately from the ten elements," Sara explained.

  "Ten elements?" I asked. "I only know about four: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth."

  "That's what the Mythic people perceive as the four fundamental elements," replied Sara. "But we are talking about the ten elements that encapsulate the Elemental Bloodline’s abilities: Fire, Water, Sky, Earth, Light, Dark, Life, Death, Kinetic, and Psychic. People from the Bloodlines get innate power depending on their affinities."

  "And people with Fire affinity can't use Water Soulbooks?" I wondered.

  "They can. It's just harder for them," Sara clarified.

  "How do you make those scrolls?" I asked.

  "They are made by Soulscribes. The art of their making is a secret. From my understanding, they are a less complicated Soul Map that shows only your affinities."

  "There are more complicated versions. Can I use one of those instead?" I asked, curious to get more information about this soul magic.

  "I'm sorry, we don't offer that service here," Sara replied. "You may book an appointment with lord Ko’i Outspring when he is here or visit another Soulscribe in the main store branch."

  "Too bad." I sighed.

  "It's also quite expensive. I don't recommend it unless you have a full gold coin to burn."

  "Are they worth that expense?" asked Louis.

  "They’re often helpful to check the parentage of a nobleman or help people understand their innate Bloodline powers."

  "Ah, they’re soul DNA!" I gasped.

  "DNA?" asked Vena.

  "Never mind that... now it's my turn," I said, reaching for the needle.

  Knowing a healer was on hand, I didn't hesitate to stab my finger this time. My blood once again turned into the words “Alice Abbott”: my name written in English. The upper half of the paper turned cyan while the left half turned faint red. Where they intersected, a deeper violet appeared.

  "What language is that?" asked Vena.

  "What affinities are those?" I asked, dodging the question.

  "You have strong Sky affinity and a weak Fire affinity. They often combine into a lightning power," explained Sara.

  "Does that mean I can summon lightning or just that I’ll perform better with lightning Soulbooks?"

  "The former, if you're from the Bloodlines. The latter, if you're from anywhere else."

  "Can you explain how affinities work? How do you get them?" I asked.

  "In the Bloodlines, people are always born with two affinities; one from each parent. Sometimes, people can switch or strengthen their affinities through something called Evolution," added Sara.

  "Evolution?" I tilted my head.

  "It's when you gain sudden powers after intense contact with an element," explained Sara. "I heard of people dying after setting themselves on fire trying to gain Fire Powers."

  Major contact… So maybe I gained a lightning affinity from lifelong exposure to electricity back on Earth? Or is the Sky affinity tied to my wish upon a star before getting teleported?

  No, no… don't jump to conclusions. I need more data.

  "Why would anyone risk death when they can just use a Soulbook that gives Fire Powers?" asked Louis.

  "Because Soulbooks are either weaker or less versatile than innate Powers. And you can only bond with three books at a time," said Sara.

  "So, let's talk about the books," I said. "What are they, and how are they made?"

  "Soulbooks are crafted from the soul of a creature, trapped inside a book made similarly to a Soulmap," Sara explained. "A Soulscribe then modifies that soul to define the abilities the book grants."

  "Wait! Does that mean you could’ve stolen my soul with that scroll earlier?" I asked, alarmed.

  "No, I can't do that," laughed Sara. "I’m not a Soul Dealer. I can’t separate a soul from its body. That scroll only uses a trace of your soul contained in your blood."

  I made a mental note to research Souldealers later. Anyone who can take souls out of people sounds terrifying.

  "Where were we… Ah, yes. There are two types of Soulbooks. Static books offer a fixed list of abilities. These abilities may have a limited number of uses per day or a cooldown. Dynamic books simulate a weaker version of a bloodline’s innate powers, but they are affected by affinities. For instance, someone with Water affinity might weaken if they overuse a Fire-aligned Dynamic book."

  "For someone like me, who doesn’t have innate powers, why would I want a Static book instead of a Dynamic one?" I asked.

  "Let me give you an example," said Sara. "Extra-Arms and Thousand-Punch are two Soulbooks derived from the same type of creature. The first is Dynamic and gives you airy extra arms. How many and how strong depend on your practice and Kinetic affinity. The second is Static and gives you three techniques from the Thousand-Punch martial art, each a different kata. You can use each technique ten times per day. With enough practice and affinity, you might be able to replicate them with Extra-Arms… but that takes time. Static gives you results immediately, though it’s less flexible: you can’t, say, carry groceries with it."

  "I think I get it! Can we see a list of what’s available?"

  There were a lot of books! Four hundred twenty-three, to be precise, or at least, that was the number of books accessible to people outside the freelancer guild.

  Although I was confident in what I wanted, we still spent a couple of hours discussing the available books for Vena and Louis’s sake.

  "So, since Vena is planning to see combat as a freelancer in the future, an offense book is in order. I know you want the Seven Light Strikes, but please consider one of the Poison or Venom books. They would go well with you since you can undo your attack in time if you want to capture rather than kill," I said.

  "I understand what you're saying, but poison feels unholy. Those powers fall under the Death affinity," hissed Vena.

  "Aren't miracles independent of affinities? It should be fine, right?" I asked, turning my eyes from Vena to Sara.

  "I only know that affinities are independent of miracles. I’m not sure if miracles are affected by affinity or not," replied the magical librarian. "Maybe you should consult Lady Sana or Sir Gray."

  "Luckily, I don't have to choose now since only Louis is getting a book today. Lady Sana gave us enough money for just one book anyway."

  "It's five silver for a yearly subscription, right? I’m planning to pay for both of your books, so you can still get one if you want," I said.

  "Are you serious?" Louis gasped, overwhelmed.

  "It's the least I can do for all the help I received from you," I shrugged.

  "If I get an offensive book, I can join the freelance guild much earlier. However, I prefer to talk with Lady Sana first," said Vena.

  "As you wish! Louis, you can either pick two books or pick one and save the five silvers for next year’s subscription. Vena, I’ll accompany you next time you choose a book."

  "Thank you!" Louis bowed.

  "Here now, no need for that. We’re friends. I would be alone in this world without either of you."

  "Louis wants to be a cook; what do you suggest, Sara?" asked Vena.

  "Let’s see! Growth would go well if she wants to keep a garden. Second Wind is also popular among cooks working for nobility, as they need extended stamina. Flamehand is an option, too," suggested Sara.

  "The static book Cut-Throat or the dynamic book Knife-edge," I said confidently.

  "Why Cut-Throat or Knife-edge?" asked Louis.

  "They offer rapid razor-sharp cuts. With practice, I’m sure you can use them better than traditional knives. Their main weakness is armor, but potatoes don’t wear armor where I come from."

  "Cut-Throat wouldn’t work," said Sara. "It has a targeted aspect that helps the user find vitals. Knife-edge would work, but she’ll need a lot of practice or high Kinetic affinity."

  "I’ll practice as much as it takes," vowed Louis.

  "Okay, so Knife-edge for Louis. For me, it will be the dynamic book of Lightning."

  "Why Lightning?" asked Sara. "It’s infamous for needing an enormous amount of Mana compared to other offensive alternatives like Fire or Death. You may have a Lightning affinity, but it isn’t strong enough. I wouldn’t recommend letting that influence your choice."

  My translation ability chose the word mana for some reason, but I could feel it didn’t fit one-to-one.

  "It’s not because of that. I need electricity," I replied.

  "Electricity? What is that?" asked Vena.

  "Where I come from, we harnessed the power of lightning for everyday life; we call it electricity."

  "So that’s where your affinity comes from," Sara mused, echoing the theory I’d considered.

  "Probably," I shrugged. "I’ve been exposed to electricity my entire life."

  "You still have two slots left for Soulbooks, although most guilds require their members to use specific ones. I recommend keeping one slot open if you want to join a guild."

  "That means I’m all set, since I use the Temple translation book."

  "That book isn’t perfect, you know. We have something better if you want it."

  "People keep telling me the book I’m using isn’t ideal. Why is that?" I asked.

  "That book keeps the translation separate from your mind, so one of your three book slots is always occupied. I have a book that dumps the knowledge directly into your head and then frees the slot after a day, your soul becomes unburdened."

  "That sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?" I asked.

  "It’s a single-use item, and it costs one gold coin," said Sara, regretfully.

  "Ah… I can’t afford that. I guess I’ll have to learn the language the tedious way." I sighed.

  We finalized our decisions and bonded with the books. With a little instruction, I was able to produce a tiny zap. I was told that after a week of practice, I’d be able to fling actual lightning bolts. Louis could barely cut through paper; she’d need more training than I, especially since she lacked Kinetic affinity. Vena, as expected, decided to wait until she’d spoken with Sana.

  I used my bank badge to pay ten silver and three bronze. I thanked Sara for all her help and promised to meet again over food to talk more about magic.

  "I’m so excited," I told the girls as we left the freelancer guild and returned to the market district. "I can now do real magic! Lightning!"

  I started a small electric charge and made it travel from hand to hand between my two index fingers. The spark was still active when I suddenly sneezed. The current surged up through my torso and into my head, then flung outward, almost hitting a bystander.

  "Sorry!" I apologized sheepishly while both girls laughed at me.

  "Oh no, this isn’t good. I think I might be getting sick."

  "Maybe…" I hesitated.

  "Do you want a Heal?" asked Vena, already reaching out with that eager new-cleric glow in her hands.

  "No, not yet," I answered.

  "Are you sure?" she asked again.

  "Yes. I’ll ask for help if it gets too bad. Let’s go to a tailor. I need new clothes."

  With new magic at my fingertips, I was ready to explore what this world’s fashion had to offer.

  Here is an illustration that depict Sara the magical librarian