Chương 2: What to do now?
Austin wakes up the next morning to the sounds of birds chirping but he remembers that he's not in Pasadena anymore, as he walks out into the village there are kids playing with small scale ships and this catches Austin's eye.
Austin walks up to the children and asks where they got those ship models and they would tell him that they got them from a merchant who travels between the city and the nearby villages, this gets Austin thinking.
"Would you be ok with it if I could look at your toy ship?" Austin asked
"Sure thing" the child replied as Austin looked at the ship he was surprised to see that it was an iron clad. The Iron Clad was a ship designed in the 1850s and built and constructed from 1859 to 1890 the ship was covered in steel and iron plating with ships such as the HMS warrior carrying 110-pounder 7 inch breaching loader cannons. Austin looked surprised as he examined the Ironclad but he saw something different there were no engines or furnaces.
"How does the ship move if there's no engine?" Austin asks
"I don't know but I remember my papa telling me it moves on magic crystals" the child replied
"Thanks for letting me look at it" Austin says as he hands the toy back
"No problem mister" the child says as he runs back to play with his friends.
Austin began to think that this world really does run on magic because there was no use of fossil fuels meaning that everything in that world ran on an energy source he knew nothing about, Austin would return to the inn and he saw Alvin have an argument with someone at the front desk.
"What do you mean you won't enlist?" The soldier asked Alvin
"like I said I'm not going to enlist in the military I understand were at war but I have a family I need to protect" Alvin shot back
"Then enlist so you can protect them and the nation" the soldier responded
"Hey what's going on?" Austin asked
"It's nothing you need to worry about" Alvin told him with a stern look on his face
"Hey you how old are you?" The soldier asked Austin
"I'm 17 why do you ask" Austin responded
"Then here take this and sign it" the soldier said as he handed Austin an enlistment form.
Austin looked puzzled as he could read what was on the page despite it being in another language which made him think how could he understand the people if their language was entirely different from his.
The soldier and Alvin would continue arguing until the female officer from the other day would walk into the inn.
"what is the commotion about?" She asked
"I-its nothing officer memerla" the soldier responded while standing at attention
"I apologize for anything my subordinate had done to cause you trouble" Memerla responded
"Well, alright as long as he knows he can't just tell people to enlist" Alvin responded
"Austin hand that form back to the soldier" Alvin said, Austin was looking at the form still and thinking to himself that this could possibly be the opportunity he was waiting for to become someone in the navy.
"are you interested in joining the navy?" Memerla asked
"W-well uh I'm thinking about it but I don't know" Austin responded
"well if you do want to join then fill out the form and bring it to the city recruitment center we will process you there" Memerla said while leaving the inn and closing the door behind her.
"well you going to join?" Alvin asked Austin
"I'm not sure yet I don't know if it will be a good idea" Austin responded
"I can't tell you whether or not it's a good idea but I can say that right know we are at war with the Empire of Valos." The Empire of Valos is an empire in the desert continent and a very strong one with it being mainly a commercial empire but fielding an army of 300,000 men and a navy 250 vessels strong. Austin was puzzled
"I thought we were at peace with the nation's?" Austin asked
"Well not this one, they see us as rival's in trade since Neptune is a resource rich continent we make steel and iron along with jewelry which are our main exports" Alvin replied
"Then they're at war with us because we have more commercial items then they do?" Austin asked
"It's mostly for that reason they want control of some of our mines" Alvin replied
"If they get control of our mines then they can compete with our jewelry prices and possibly surpass us" Alvin added
"Then the navy is currently engaging them on the sea to prevent them from getting here right?" Austin asked
"Yeah but the problem is that from what I've heard from soldiers dining here they aren't doing so hot" Alvin replied with a worried look
"My guess is that we don't have enough men to field a larger navy since we only have 100 laid ships" Alvin added
"So that's why that soldier was being so persistent?" Austin asked
"Exactly and they're against conscription seeing it as a way to lose the trust of the people" Alvin replied
"I'll give it some thought then" Austin said while looking at the enlistment form.
Austin walks to his room thinking that this could be his calling in the new world, as time passes throughout the day Austin laid on his bed weighing his choices and their possibilities with him making the decision to join the navy of the kingdom.
Austin walks down the stairs and goes to Lilia and asks about information on a nearby library "Lilia is there a library in this village by chance?" Austin asked
"Well there is but it doesn't have many books" Lilia replied
"Then do they have books on naval vessels or naval history?" Austin asked
"I don't believe they do. Books like that would have to be found in the city" Lilia replied
"Then where is the nearest city?" Austin asked
"The nearest city would be the port city of Nara its also a navy base too so there is an enlistment office there" Lilia replied
"why mention the enlistment office?" Austin asked
"Isn't that an enlistment form in your hand?" Lilia asked
"O-Oh yeah it is" Austin replied
"I've given some thought since this morning when I was handed it and I've decided to join" Austin added
"I'll wish you the best of luck then, as the training is gruesome" Lilia said
"Thank you Lilia, I'm heading out to the city tomorrow morning" Austin said
"Well to get to the port city is a day on foot so it would be a good idea to grab some camping gear and food before you leave" Lilia said
"I'll lend you some camping gear since my husband isn't using it anymore" she added
"Thank you Lilia" Austin replied with a smile. The night would go on with Austin eating with the family and then bathing before going to his room.
Austin laid on his bed staring at the ceiling thinking about his enlistment nervous about the thought but resolves himself to follow through while drifting off too sleep, as Austin slept he felt a light touch on his forehead and as he opened his eyes he saw a woman with fair white skin, eyes as blue as the morning sky, and hair as white as the clouds.
Austin looked at the woman thinking that she was a goddess, as he was lost in his trance the woman spoke to him. "Hello there young man and welcome to my domain" the woman said,
As Austin got out of his bed it slowly vanished and a chair appeared in its place. Austin looked confused and turned to the woman
"What do you mean by your domain" Austin asked
"in my domain I control every aspect of what goes on in it" the woman replied
"My name is Salacia and I'm the goddess of the sea" Salacia said to Austin as she sat in chair she conjured up
"I'm Austin Hernandez" Austin replied.
Austin looked at the goddess and thought that there is no way this is real, but remembering that he is in another world and the existence of magic he was having a hard time processing the sight in front of him.
"So why am I here?" Austin asked
"Well its hard to say why. When someone enters my domain it normally means that they have a divine purpose for being here" Salacia replied while manifesting a table between them
"would you like some tea?" She asked
"Yeah sure" Austin replied, as the goddess shaped her fingers a cup of tea along with many sweets appeared
"Wow this is amazing" Austin said excitedly
"It's nothing much really" the goddess said with an arrogant look
"Now as for your purpose being here, you are my champion I'll grant you my blessing" Salacia said
"Your blessing what does that mean?" Austin asked
"My blessing will allow you to harness the power if the sea" Salacia replied
"So I'll be able to control the sea like the waves?" Austin asked with a surprised look
"Yes, but I will warn you not to solely rely on it as it drains significant mana" Salacia said while getting out a contract
"When you sign this contract you will be my exclusive champion to obey and carry out my will" Salacia said while handing Austin the contract.
Austin looks at the contract in his hands and begins to think and asks
"So what would happen if I were to question whether or not I should do something you ask of me" Austin asked
"I wouldn't make you do something that would make you question its morality, but if that does happen then I will strip you of the title" Salacia responded in a authoritarian tone.
Austin then begins to think to himself that this will he a defining moment for his life in this world and he wants to take every opportunity he's handed.
"Then ill sign the contract" Austin says while picking up the quill, as he then signs the contract he cuts his finger and stamps the seal with his blood to finish it, as he finishes signing the contract it begins to glow
"Now with the contract signed it's time for you to wake up" Salacia says while waving goodbye "farewell and good luck my champion" Salacia says.
Austin wakes up and it's already light outside he gets out of bed and proceeds to get dressed, as he takes off his shirt he notices a sigil on his chest over his heart in the form of a hippocampus and thinks that this world's God's are probably similar to that of Rome.
Austin finishes getting ready and heads down stairs where he sees officer Memerla and her subordinates enjoying a breakfast meal from the inn.
"Alvin this food is to die for I don't know how your wife is able to cook this good with the wartime taxes on crops" One of the soldiers says
"Well she's a damn good cook is all I can say. How she makes these dishes is her secret" Alvin responds.
"Oh well look awake" Alvin says while smiling at Austin.
"Hey kid you make up your mind about joining or not?" one of the officers asks.
"Yeah I did and I'll be joining" Austin says with a serious look
"Well alright then your basic training starts in a week you need to have your uniform and basic gear by the time you go. You can purchase them at the port give them this card and they'll give you the gear." The officer tells him.
Austin looks at the card and sees his basic training starts on the 25th meaning today was the 18th.
"Hey Alvin, do you have a calendar I can use?" Austin asked
"Yeah I do Let me get it for you." Alivn says while walking into the storage room.
"Austin are you sure you want to join?" Lilia asked
"Yeah I'm sure" Austin responded "I know it will be dangerous and rough but I want to make something of myself" Austin says with a look of fire in his eye.
"I know that look, my husband had the same look when he met me"Lilia tells him
"Don't let that fire burn out" she says to him as she smiles.
"Alright I got the calendrer for you" Alvin says while handing him a map.
Austin looks through it and sees that it's similar to the Gregorian calendar back in his original world with there being 12 months and 365 days.
He would begin to think to himself that he would need to get himself mentally and physically ready for his basic training.
"Hey Alvin do you know any good work out routines I could use?" Alvin asked.
"Well for you I would just say running is your best bet, since you should have some stamina to make it through your training" Alvin responded
"You should start small with running around the village its big enough to get a decent work out" Alvin added.
Austin had begun to think about the training the navy went through in his original world and thought that this worlds training couldn't be as bad as they're still using pre world war 1 ship technology and began to think about how he could introduce his worlds ship knowledge to this world.
"What about ship designer's?" Austin asked with his hand on his chin
"Ship designer's? Well they're mostly hand picked from the royal academy in the capital if you want to design them then you need to go there first." Alvin replied
"But not to be the bearer of bad news, but the academy is only attended by Nobels and the only way for you to get in is through a referral either from a Noble or a high-ranking military person usually its captains and Major-generals that guarantee your admission." Alvin added.
Austin began to think further that if he can impress the higher-ups with blueprints of pre-dreadnought warships then he could get a referral to the royal academy.
Austin and ALvins family would sit down for breakfast which filled Austin for the day, he walked back to his room to change into some exercise clothes and begin running around the village taking in the sights with the large mountain range dense forests and rich plains where animals graze even know its still a lot to take in as he's in a world untouched by industrialization and urbanization.
2 hours after he began running he would stop by the entrance to the forest out of breath and wheezing regretting that he never exercised in his original world, as he caught his breath he heard someone in the forest asking for help.
Austin would quickly jump to his feet and follow the sound with a girl and her sister being attacked by a goblin the older looking sister had a deep cut on her back and the younger sister was crying out for someone to help them.
Austin would stare as his thoughts began to move a thousand miles in his head trying to find the resolve to help them until he finds the courage to help them as the people of the village helped him when he was confused and lost.
Austin leapt from behind the trees and delivers a punch to goblins face causing the goblin to stumble back and drop its short sword with Austin picking it up and delivering a blow to its head splitting it and getting the sword stuck.
"Who are you?" the Younger sister asked while trying to make her words coherent
"I'm Austin but proper introductions can wait first we need to get your sister to a doctor" Alvin said while picking up her sister.
Austin would carry the younger sister on his back and start to run again has his legs would start to hurt due to his run earlier and him not getting proper rest, nevertheless he would keep running through the pain his calf's and thighs were enduring he kept running until he got to the doctors home.
"Mr. Zebres are you here!" Austin shouted, Zebres rushes into the room after hearing his shout.
"Austin what happened to her?!" Zebres asked after seeing the state the older sister was in
"They were attacked by a goblin, but I killed it when I helped them" Austin replied
"Put her on the bed and lay her on her side make sure to have back face towards me" Zebres ordered.
Alvin quickly moved to the bed a did what Zebres told him he would move the younger sister to the other room and helped her calm down while Zebres was healing the older sister.
"So what were you and your sister doing in the forest?" Austin asked
"We were looking for herbs that we could sell to the guild" she replied with tears falling down her cheeks
"Is my sister going to be ok?" she asks Austin
"Zebres is the healer for a reason and there's no doubt he can't save your sister" Austin tells her in a re-assuring tone
"What's your name?" Austin asks
"It's Mira" she responds.
"And my older sister is named Mariana" she adds.
Austin and Mira would wait an hour until Zebres came out of the room and delivered the news
"I was able to heal the flesh wounds and I put some herbs on them to help keep out infections. She should get some rest right now." Zebres said while cleaning his hands
"Thats good to hear-" Austin said as he lost consciousness the lack of rest after running so much caught up with him and he collapsed on the floor.
Austin would awake to be in a bed beside the still sleeping Mariana and Zebres was in the room writing in his logbook.
Austin would sit up but his legs were in pain as he started to feel the soreness of nonstop running. "You're awake? And only after 3 hours of rest" Zebres said as he stood from his chair.
Zebres walked over to Austin and would use his healing magic on his legs "This will help the pain but you should really take a day to relax and not strain your leg muscles further" Zebres said
"Doctors orders" he added
"Go back to the inn for now I'll let them now who helped them and where to find you to thank you." Zebres said while walking back to his chair
"Thank you Zebres you're really amazing" Austin said as he stood up. He began to walk back to the inn and when he entered he was met by Alvin and his family worried about him
"AUSTIN ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Alvin shouted
"Yes I'm fine but for right now I need to rest" Austin responded as he walked up to his room. Austin would drift off into his bed while thinking about what happened today, he did something he never thought he could do, Be courageous.
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