Jane was crying as they sat in their small room,even Miguel looked sad. "What are you both so sad, I'm not dying." Althea said to the both of them.
"You are getting married to the Duke, so it looks like it." Miguel said. "I know but I have a feeling he is not as bad as they portrayed him to be." Althea replied.
"So you want to go ahead with it?" Her mother asked. "Yes, and if he is so bad, I can get a divorce and leave. Find something to do for myself."Althea told them.
" Anyways, who is hungry, because I am starving." She sat up changing the topic. Althea stood up and walked into the kitchen, rubbing her palm she got to work, Miguel and her mum watching her because every time it was fastinating to watch her conjure thing with her magic.
"Every single time, seeing you make things out of thin air is very amazing." her mum said. "True, and I have never seen a blessed person do magic like yours." Miguel added.
"No one else can do this? Are you sure?" Althea asked surprised.
"No one, maybe just some are lucky enough to use water or any other similar ability but conjuring things out of thin air have never been heard of before." Miguel told her.
Althea frowned, pausing as she set a loaf of bread onto the counter. "That's strange," she murmured. "I always thought every blessed person had some form of magic."
Her mother shook her head. "Not like yours, Thea. Your magic is… different. Stronger. More unnatural."
"Oh well. My luck. Let's eat, I have some other things to show you guys." Althea said.
She prepared garlic bread and a tomato soup, the drink for the night was a grapefruit juice, similar to wine.
As Althea set the last dish on the table, she glanced at her mother and Miguel, who were still watching her with a mix of awe and concern.
"Well, are you both just going to stare at me, or are we going to eat?" she teased, sitting down and reaching for a piece of garlic bread.
Miguel chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm just trying to figure out if you're truly my sister or some ancient sorceress in disguise."
Althea smirked. "Maybe I am."
They ate their dinner and Miguel was the one to clean up the table. The table was a tall one that Althea made to make eating easier, once the table was cleared.She took a deep breath and stepped back, rubbing her hands together as a faint golden glow shimmered around them. With a quiet hum, she reached deep into the wellspring of her magic, envisioning what she wanted to create. The air crackled slightly, and then—one by one—objects began to materialize on the table.
A soft gasp escaped Jane's lips as she watched. Miguel stood frozen, his eyes darting between the items appearing before them.
First, a row of toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste lined up neatly. Next came bars of soap—both for the body and face—each emitting a soft floral scent. Loofahs followed, then bottles of body lotion and small jars of deodorant.
But Althea wasn't finished yet. Closing her eyes, she focused on a separate set of items. More fabric wove itself into existence, forming simple but well-crafted underwear for both her and Jane. Then, another set for Miguel. The final touch was sanitary products—absorbent cloths wrapped in soft packaging, designed to be washed and reused.
When she opened her eyes, she found Miguel staring at the collection. "Okay… I take it back. You're not a sorceress—you're a goddess."
Miguel picked up a toothbrush, turning it over in his hand. "Alright, genius. What is this, and how do we use it?"
Althea laughed. "It's called a toothbrush, and this,"—she held up the tube—"is toothpaste. It's for cleaning your teeth."
Miguel made a face. "I already clean my teeth with charcoal and herbs. Why do I need this?"
She popped open the cap and squeezed a small amount onto the bristles. "Because this works better. Watch." She grabbed her own toothbrush and mimicked the motions of brushing. "You just scrub your teeth like this, and it keeps them clean and fresh."
Miguel hesitated before trying it himself. He made a face at the strong minty taste. "Ugh, it's burning my mouth."
"That means it's working," Althea said with a grin.
Jane chuckled and took her own toothbrush, following Althea's example. Soon, Miguel stopped complaining and admitted his mouth felt fresher.
"Alright, next," Althea continued, picking up a bar of soap. "This is for washing your body. It's better than the rough lye soap we sometimes use."
Jane sniffed the bar in her hands, her eyes widening. "It smells… lovely."
"I made them with lavender and chamomile," Althea said proudly. "It'll be gentle on our skin."
Miguel raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to smell like flowers now?"
She threw a loofah at him. "You'll smell clean, which is the important part."
He muttered under his breath but took one anyway.
Althea then picked up the body lotion. "After you bathe, you rub this on your skin to keep it soft and from drying out."
Jane tested a small amount, rubbing it between her fingers. "Oh… it's smooth."
Althea nodded. "It'll help keep your skin healthy."
She then grabbed the deodorant and handed it to them. "And this… well, you apply it under your arms to stop sweating from smelling bad."
Miguel opened his and took a sniff. "Smells fresh."
Althea taught Miguel and her mum how to use everything and also the rule of brushing twice a day.
A week later, they looked even more better than some so called nobles.
ALTHEA
I was back at the forest,it has become my training ground. And now I am mastering my powers so well. After practicing that day, I wandered into the forest, doing more fruit hunting. It was easy because I could use my magic to see if the fruit was edible or poisonous.
I was bending down to pick some fruits I found, it tasted like strawberries but looked like raisins.
Then I heard footsteps, then growls. Standing up to my feet,i stored the fruits into the dimensional storage bag I made. Looking around for the source of the sound but it looked like it was coming from all sides.
I drew fire on one hand and electricity on the other, ready to attack. Then they jumped out. Goblins
The forest crackled with energy as I darted between the towering trees, my breath coming in sharp gasps. The goblins were relentless, their shrieks and howls ringing in my ears. I could hear the rapid thuds of their feet pounding against the earth as they pursued me. Flames still flickered in the spots where I had thrown fireballs, but the creatures kept coming, undeterred by the bodies of their fallen comrades.
I spun around, my fingers crackling with golden electricity. With a flick of my wrist, I sent bolts of lightning surging toward them. The first struck a smaller goblin, sending it convulsing to the ground, smoke rising from its charred flesh. Another bolt arced through the air, striking two at once, their shrieks cut short as they crumpled into lifeless heaps.
But there were too many.
Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fists and summoned a gust of wind, sending several goblins tumbling backward. I used the momentary reprieve to climb onto a fallen tree, gaining higher ground. My chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as I studied the horde.
The largest of them, the one wielding a crude axe, pointed at me and let out a guttural roar. The others surged forward, their clawed hands reaching, their grotesque faces twisted with hunger and malice.
"Fine," I muttered, rolling my shoulders. "Let's get serious."
I called fire into my palm, letting it grow hotter, wilder. With a powerful throw, I hurled a massive fireball straight at them. The explosion was deafening, engulfing five goblins in roaring flames. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air, but the rest kept coming.
A goblin leaped onto the tree trunk beside me, brandishing a jagged dagger. I dodged its clumsy swipe and drove a crackling fist of electricity into its chest. It let out a strangled cry before collapsing.
Before I could catch my breath, another goblin lunged at me from the side. Twisting, I conjured a blade of pure energy in my palm. With a swift slash, I cut through its arm, sending it howling backward. Another tried to bite me, but I blasted it away with a burst of wind, sending it flying into a tree.
The large goblin with the axe was approaching now, its beady eyes gleaming with malice. It swung the weapon in a heavy arc. I barely managed to roll out of the way as the blade cleaved into the tree trunk, splintering the wood.
"Alright, big guy," I murmured, rising to my feet. "Let's see how you like this."
I slammed my palms together, combining fire and wind into a swirling inferno. The flames twisted like a serpent, growing larger and hotter before I finally unleashed them. The firestorm surged toward the goblin, engulfing it completely. It let out an ear-splitting roar, flailing wildly as the fire consumed it.
But because I was so focused on that particular goblin, I did not see the other one that was about to bash my head in with a club, rolling away at the last minutes, I looked up to see that it was already launching another attack but I could not move.
Goddammit , why the hell am I stuck right now
I looked as it raised its weapon above it's head about to turn me into a bloody soup with human flesh chunks. But it never came.
I opened my eyes to see the arm cut off and a man standing holding a sword. With one more swipe of his sword, he cut the head off.
I stared at the strange man, he looks so handsome with black hair that reached his shoulders and his red eyes like ruby.
Finally getting up on my feet, I faced him. "Thank you for saving me sir." I said. "What is a lady like you doing so deep in the woods, don't you know how monsters roam around?" he asked.
"I didn't know that I wandered so far, I was only picking fruits."I replied.
" You should clean up, there are blood all over your face."he said and began to walk, I followed him." My name is Althea, may I know yours?"I asked him as we walked. "Alistair." he simply said.
We arrived at a small pond and I managed to wash my face, but not inside the clear pond to avoid contaminating the entire water body with the filthy blood.
Soon I was clean and I sat on a rock watching Alistair also clean up.
Two people appeared on a horse, while the third horse was without a rider.
"Why did you leave so quickly?" one of them asked Alistair, I guess they are his companion then. "Monsters, you will find the body not too far if you go in that direction, clean up" Alistair said pointing to the side we came out from.
"Who is she?" The other person asked. "Was about to be finished by the goblins." Alistair simply replied.
The men returned almost an hour later. Soon the three of them worked together and they began to cook something. Definitely one of the worst food I have ever seen since I got to this world.