Chapter Two: A New Beginning

“If the heavens will not allow me, I shall defy them.” That was her very first thought upon awakening, a conviction born of years of stubborn persistence and faith unlike any other. Xuan Xuan furrowed her brow—the collapse of her domain had left her reeling, the aftereffects too great to ignore. But then, under such a ferocious lightning strike, how was she still alive? She forced her eyes open. Where was this? Who had saved her? Ignoring the pounding in her head, she struggled upright.

“Warning, warning, patient Wanqi Xuan Xuan is attempting to leave the treatment pod. Disengagement in progress. Warning: physical restoration incomplete. Do not exit without authorization.”

Despite the pain, Xuan Xuan looked toward the source of the voice. Was that… a person? No, though it resembled a human, it was unmistakably an alchemical creation. It was astonishing—someone had crafted an automaton so lifelike it was nearly indistinguishable from a real person. So, it seemed she had indeed been rescued? Whoever possessed the power to save her from such a calamity had no reason to harm her further. With this realization, she quietly lay back down.

Though she didn’t fully understand her surroundings, Xuan Xuan could sense the headache gradually easing and energy emanating around her, subtly mending her body. She closed her eyes, enduring the turmoil of her fractured spirit, and probed her inner space. Still intact. Her mage tower was there, too. Slightly reassured, she calmed herself and began to carefully rethread her mental strength.

There were faint sounds from the outside, but Xuan Xuan kept her spirit within. Her soul was on the verge of unraveling—though the strange automaton could repair her body, it could do nothing for her soul; that task could only fall to herself. Even when she sensed she was being moved, she did not react, for she could tell no malice was intended. Immersed in the process of healing her soul, she devoted all her mental energy to gathering its scattered threads.

The soul was an arcane thing. Even as she worked, she managed only to barely hold it together; the rest would have to be restored with potions and by nurturing herself daily. At last, when the tremors of her mind settled, she opened her eyes again. After all, having been saved, it was only right to offer her gratitude.

Upon waking, she realized she had been moved elsewhere. The style of this room was entirely unlike that of her empire, but it was clearly a bedroom. She climbed out of the soft bed, confusion growing. Only then did she discover something was drastically wrong with her body.

This? She clearly had the form of an undeveloped child—three or four years old at most. A careful scan with her mental strength confirmed it: this was not her original body. Although the innate talent surpassed her previous self, this body had no magical ability at all. In the past, even lacking in talent, she had reached the saintly level with the help of potions.

She opened her eyes and frowned. It made no sense for someone to transplant her into a new body. Examining herself again, she found her bones fragile—obviously those of a child’s. Probing her sea of consciousness with spiritual force—hmm? There was a tangled mass of mental energy not her own. She surrounded it with her spirit.

“Useless!”

“Waste!”

“How can such trash attend school with us?”

“Kick her out!”

Voices multiplied, a growing chorus. A gang of children assaulted a single child. Even though they were young and weak, their blows still wounded the one on the ground. A heavy force knocked her head hard against the earth.

Xuan Xuan scowled. She despised the word “trash.” Sitting up, she instinctively touched her left wrist. A screen projected out, accompanied by a voice: “Smartbrain Cat is at your service, Young Mistress Xuan Xuan.”

What was this? It seemed that after the heavenly punishment, she had been cast into the body of another girl also named Xuan Xuan. The child had died from a head injury after being beaten by her peers. So she hadn’t truly been rescued after all?

But how had she come to inhabit this body? She frowned, still bewildered. “Your guardian has been notified of your awakening,” the Smartbrain announced before she could ponder further. Evidently, she was now a minor—with a guardian, no less?

Before she could process any more, footsteps approached, and a young man appeared before her—unfamiliar, barely past adolescence, his face tight with anxiety and concern. “Xuan Xuan?”

This must be the father of her new body. As he reached out to pat her head, she frowned but resisted the urge to turn away. After all, this man had the right to comfort his own child.

“Xuan Xuan?” He scrutinized her carefully, then, seeing nothing amiss, asked, “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

Xuan Xuan, brow still furrowed, obediently shook her head.

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, then lifted her into his arms. Being carried by a man her own size was a novel experience. She squirmed slightly, but then resigned herself. With these tiny limbs, escape was impossible.

“Are you hungry? Daddy will take you to eat something.”

She considered—she was a little hungry. If she had to let him carry and comfort her, he could at least feed her. With this logic, she nodded, declaring her hunger.

The dining table was laden with food, much of it unfamiliar compared to the Mata Continent, but Xuan Xuan found it appealing nonetheless. Abiding by the custom of eating in silence, she began sampling the dishes. This meat resembled the magic boar from Mata—this one, too, seemed similar.

Ding-ding-ding. She noticed his Smartbrain was ringing. “Eat your food, Xuan Xuan. I’ll take this call on the balcony.”

Without waiting for her reply, he stepped outside.

“Father, yes, Xuan Xuan has woken. She seems fine. You know she’s always been a bit withdrawn without a mother—now it’s worse; she hasn’t spoken a word to me since waking. The incident’s been investigated, the culprits dealt with, Xuan Tong sent home. Yes, I understand. Transferring schools is inevitable, but with Xuan Xuan’s mental level, she’ll be bullied anywhere. I’m considering keeping her home for a while; I’m rarely here, and leaving her alone with just the house bots might worsen her isolation. Send her to the old house? Wouldn’t that be too much for you? Very well, I’ll discuss it with Xuan Xuan. Yes, Father, goodbye.”

She blinked, realizing she was being raised by a single father. How exciting—perhaps her new life would be much better? Withdrawn? Well, silence was easy. Better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.

But this body was another “useless” one. Would she be abandoned again? There was no answer, for her—her father?—had returned from his call and carried her back to the bedroom. She squinted her eyes, feigning sleepiness as he tucked her into bed, uncertain how to act out the role of a child in this unfamiliar world.