Several days passed, and I learned more about this world.
Lion gave me an estimation of its scale.
To put it simply, based on my calculations, if the Earth were the size of Mercury, then this world would be the size of Betelgeuse, a supergiant star roughly a thousand times larger than the sun.
It's mind-blowing...
Lion further explained that much of this world remains unexplored, even though several millennia have already passed.
Time flows differently here than it does back on Earth.
Don't ask me the name of this world. When Lion told me, it didn't register in my brain immediately.
He had to repeat it several times, but I still don't get it. It's like those places on Earth with impossibly long names, only this one is even longer.
It's at times like these that I simply refuse to learn it.
....
There is no mandatory written word here, as they primarily use symbols, much like ancient Egypt on Earth.
While highly educated individuals tend to communicate through these symbols, there is no need for a specific written language because most of the creatures here understand each other instinctively.
The place where we live is ruled by a so-called "Chieftain Monarch."
This leader is usually one of the strongest predators and is rarely challenged unless they appear weak.
The current ruler has reigned for several centuries, and so far, no one has challenged them. This Chieftain Monarch has no gender and no mate, which is likely why there hasn't been a power struggle.
Every "citizen" goes about their own business, except when the Chieftain Monarch organizes an event that requires everyone to attend, or during the coronation of a new leader.
According to Lion, previous Chieftains had very short lives compared to the current one, so succession and coronations used to happen frequently. No one has any idea how long the current Chieftain Monarch's lifespan might be.
....
I asked Lion how long his lifespan was.
He frowned thoughtfully and cleared his throat before explaining that his life spans several millennia, though he doesn't actually know when it will end.
He added that this is why change happens so slowly here, that there is no sense of urgency.
Time has no power in this world, it simply flows without direction.
If time is meaningless here, what does that mean for me?
Am I still bound by the biological clock I brought from Earth, or is my lifespan the same as it was there?
Lion noticed my expression and asked, with genuine concern, why I looked so troubled.
I told him that, on average, humans only live for about seventy-five years.
He suddenly went quiet.
After several minutes of heavy silence, he told me he would do everything in his power to prolong my life.
The truth is, a human life is incredibly short, especially in a world as vast and eternal as this one.
I don't want to be a fleeting moment...
I want to live longer.
....
I'm starting to adjust to life here. I sleep whenever I'm tired, regardless of whether it's morning or evening.
Since there is no concept of time, the citizens are free to do as they please. It's a bit chaotic, but it finally feels like I can breathe.
My days are much more relaxed compared to life on Earth, though I have to admit I hardly do anything at all.
I can simply go to the garden whenever I'm hungry and there is no housework or castle maintenance to worry about.
The place is always spotless. Lion just snaps his fingers and... voila! Everything is clean!
There is no cooking to be done either, since all I have to do is go to the garden and pick some fruit... except for the "mating fruit," of course.
Sometimes Lion gets so busy with his work that I don't see him for several hours. During those times, I usually go to the library and look through the books, but after trying to decipher the symbols, I gave up.
Unlike the protagonist of a typical fantasy novel, I didn't magically understand the language upon arrival. And no, I don't seem to have any magical talent at all.
I play with Pinky whenever I have nothing to do, which is often, but I've recently begun to get bored... like, extremely bored.
There is nothing to read and nothing to occupy my time.
Lion is the only person to talk to, but he is constantly busy with his work and Ghost is away on another expedition.
Ghost did send a package the other day containing some fruits he recently discovered during his travels. Lion told me that Ghost loves his telescope so much that he won't allow anyone else to touch it.
I'm sooooo bored!
I've already explored the rest of the castle, and most of it is empty.
I finally figured out how to use the room portals and managed to explore the entire place.
Even though some of the rooms are unoccupied, they are all well-lit.
Of course, I don't go exploring by myself... I take Pinky with me, who seems happy to tag along.
He looks adorable walking on his roots.. it's like he has several feet. Honestly, if I had seen Pinky like this on my first day here, I definitely would have freaked out.
Somehow, I've just gotten used to the strangeness of this place.
I'm still afraid to go exploring by myself, though.
So far, I've counted thirty rooms, but only eight of them are currently occupied.
Pinky and I share one room that Lion gave me so I could finally settle in comfortably.
Lion occupies the room next to mine, while three of the other rooms are filled with the machines and equipment he uses for work.
Two of the rooms are bathrooms, which we use individually and the last occupied room is, of course, the library.
My room is empty except for the cloud-like bed and a cabinet for my clothes. Lion magically created it, but I designed it myself!
Pinky stands next to the bed while I sleep, which makes me feel safe.
I usually eat in the garden, but whenever Lion has the time, we eat together in the library. It's almost empty, except for a rotating bookshelf.
I really want to decorate the rooms. I need to design something... anything.. just to relieve this boredom.
So far, Lion has made two mirrors for the bathrooms, as well as a telescope for his own use, which he keeps in one of his workrooms.
Pinky and I were sitting in the garden when Lion suddenly appeared.
He told me that the shopkeeper we helped had apparently spread the word to others, and now several beings are requesting our services. He even received a summoning scroll that would teleport us directly to them.
Finally!
Something to actually do!
I'd been so restless, wandering through empty rooms and staring at symbols I couldn't read, that the idea of a "summoning scroll" sounded like the best thing in the world.