"It's damn hot," Edwin muttered. The sun was hanging over their heads. Isabella and Mateo carried the injured Edwin, ascending the stone staircase of the gentle shrine hill.
"Did your near death turn you into an uncultured idiot?" Barlelina asked, following behind. Molai had already been escorted home by his bodyguard.
"Kid, what the..." Edwin screamed. "Take a step slower." He was in pain.
Mateo's head tilted closer to Edwin's ear. "Idiot, you have been cursing the whole way here. Lady Barlelina is disgusted."
Edwin's lips curved up; he smiled.
Mateo loosened his arms. Edwin's back smashed into the ground.
"Young master," Caterina, the younger lady grabbed his upper arms, taking Mateo's position.
"Mateo, Isabella, and Lady Barlelina, thank you for bringing the young master. I'm grateful."
"It's a small favor, Mama Valentina. Edwin is our friend. That's what friends do," Berlelina said with a smile.
Mama Valentina and her daughter Caterina were house maidens.
Before his death on Earth, Sundiata, a disabled young man with cancer, had lived almost all his life in bed. Instagram was his go-to platform. He only followed models with a cougar vibe.
After Edwin's friends left, they carried Edwin toward the shrine. The shrine sat atop the hill, visible from every path through the surrounding fields. Its pavilion-like structure was simple yet elegant: woven bamboo walls forming a perfect square.
Inside the shrine, Zara knelt, his eyes closed, deep in prayer. They slipped behind him, exiting through the other opening, descending down the hill toward the farmhouse.
"Ma! Does he need a healer? Is he going to get better? Was it that dog William again?" Caterina asked.
"Caterina, a little slower." His head sank in-between her bursty chest
"You need to be clear on who you are asking," Mama Valentina scolded Caterina.
They walked into the farmhouse through the kitchen. They carried Edwin to his room on the upper floor. The farmhouse had two floors.
"Mama Valentina, I'm okay. I just need a quick nap. Wake me up when lunch is ready."
"Young master, are you sure?" Mama Valentina's hand assessed Edwin's body. Even though he was beaten to death, his body seemed to have healed a little during the transmigration; without that, Sundiata Tewodros would have moved from one death to another.
"I'll go prepare lunch. Caterina, prepare a hot bath for the young master." She exited the room.
"Young master, how was school? Of course, despite you being beaten. Is Teacher Walath doing fine? My old teacher. I didn't ask them at the shrine. How are your friends doing?"
"School is boring. As for Elder Walath, she seem fine. For my friends, you should ask them yourself." His response was shrewd.
"Don't bother with preparing a bath. Just give me a wet towel."
Caterina stood up, leaving the room. Edwin's eyes were on her backside, escorting her out.
"My first day in another world. No isekai goddess welcoming me. These two still count though. If this world has no goddess, then these two count as one."
"My head hurts. I need a quick nap." His thoughts drifted back to Earth.
Life was not that amazing. His mother died during childbirth, just like old Edwin. His father was from Ethiopia, a place many Africans claimed had goddesses everywhere. His father died in a car accident when he was eight.
Luckily enough, his dad was rich. He was a trust fund kid. A corporate law firm managed the assets left by his father. He hated the firm; it capitalized on his cancer and disability to walk.
Edwin blinked back to the present and fell asleep.
After a good time had passed,
"Knock, knock." Caterina came to wake him for lunch. "Hurry, the food will get cold." She had with her a wet towel.
---
Six people sat around the table. The warm smell of roasted boar and fresh vegetables filled the room.
"Edwin," Zara said, face serious. "Are you the blasphemous idiot who passed behind me in the shrine earlier?"
Mama Valentina's and Caterina's eyes met.
"Zara, my brother, what evidence do you have to accuse a humble and benevolent devotee of the mighty Venerable Mola?"
"The fact that you immediately pointed at the evidence proves you're the idiot. How many times must I say it? Stop using the shrine as a shortcut. Use the path around the..." Zara coughed violently, food still in his mouth.
The entire table froze. Eyes drilled into Zara.
It was taboo to speak with food in your mouth.
Caterina, sitting to Zara's left, quickly poured water into a wooden cup and passed it over. Jefferson, the livestock keeper, sat beside Shaman Zu, Edwin's great-grandfather.
"No matter how delicious the food is," Shaman Zu said calmly while continuing to eat, "if you don't show respect and gratitude while it is in your mouth, it will turn bitter."
"Huh?" Jefferson blinked. "Master, why is this the first time I'm hearing these wise words?"
The room went silent. Even Zara forgot to cough.
"Brat, how old are you?" Shaman Zu replied dryly.
The whole table burst into laughter.
---
After lunch, Zara and Edwin sat on the veranda facing Third Igarape. The relaxing sound of flowing water drifted up from the stream.
"What did you learn today? Was it interesting?"
"What's with people in this house? They can't ask just one question; they flood you with them," Edwin complained.
"At least mine are only two. Mama Valentina goes up to three. Caterina? I don't even count."
They looked at each other and laughed.
"Well… how was it?" Zara asked again.
"I'd say it was good. Though a certain lady flooded our senses with new knowledge."
"You fool, calling Miss Walath 'a certain lady'?"
"I didn't mention her name. There are other female teachers at the academy… wait… she's a miss?"
"The academy does have other female teachers, but Miss Walath teaches the pre-awakening class. And what's weird about 'miss'? In fact, the Great Venerable is keeping her for his humble, devout servant." Zara raised his hand dramatically as if in worship.
"Hahaha! You're just a daydreaming zealot, brother. She's way older than you."
"Anyway," Edwin continued more seriously, "she talked about this thing called Myrr and that our souls have an invisible vertical line from birth called the Inner Lattice."
"She said Myrr is like energy for the soul," Edwin recounted.
"Even though I'm sure Miss Walath didn't say it exactly like that, your dumb head got most of it right," Zara remarked.
"What do you mean 'dumb'? I'm smart."
"Alright, have it your way. Let me correct you."
"Myrr is not energy for our souls. You got that confused, though beginners sometimes hear it that way. Myrr is more like essence, and our inner chamber inside the soul generates a small amount of it, just enough for the soul to function."
Edwin stared at Zara. Zara simply shrugged. "You don't have to think about it too hard. Just take it as I said."
"I won't say anymore," Edwin nodded.
He understood. Zara had already broken the village rule: no one was allowed to speak deeper of seekers before the awakening and coming-of-age ceremony, except in the academy.