Crimes of transmigration

The fact that my family didn't have a spear art in my original timeline didn't really bother me that much. Clearly it must have been lost considering how much time would pass from now to then. What really bothered me was that it already existed, my family shouldn't have existed yet.

"Does my family already exist in this world?"

"I'm not sure, last names are not a thing yet."

Fair enough.

"You should also be thankful to me for making you speak English, you were just about to reveal your identity to that bastard."

"I have a feeling that last word was a curse at me."

Insightful bastard.

Odysseus approached us together with Eurylochus who was looking at me with sparkly eyes.

"Second Commander! Where did you learn to use the spear that way! Even The Boar is exited to see your spear art!"

"Eurylochus you are contracted to that constellation?"

Hold on, on a second thought it does make sense, this man is a maniac just like him.

"Of course Second Commander! We were chosen together, don't you… oh"

Sensing how the air was growing still again I completely changed topic.

Surely not because I don't want to explain where my art comes from, nor the fact that I trained for 3 years and only reached intermediate spearmanship. Definitely not.

"Odysseus, have you started building a place to cultivate greens inside the ship?"

"Yes! Actually Merlin had this idea…"

He begun explaining how Merlin blatantly introduced greenhouses in this timeline without even thinking of possible effects, and how shamelessly he plagiarised the idea even going far enough to call the greenhouse "Ambrose gardening". I noticed how he was using that incubus name easily and when asked, he said that Merlin was sick of him using his moniker, so he was threatened into using it.

"Well, whatever plans you had I'm not going to call it the Ambrose garden. Let's just go with greenhouse."

"Oh that actually makes sense, as expected of you."

Merlin was pouting, but at the end of the day he couldn't really do anything about it.

Looking at Merlin again I noticed how the mana moved, he and I had basically the same mana signature.

"Merlin what's up with our mana? We have basically the same mana signatures."

"Damn you adapted to the elven circuits faster than I thought. Anyway, strangely enough the salamander was also my second circle, so I unlocked it. As of now we have the same stigma and circles, should we plan you last 3 spirit formulas?"

Since Merlin was now speaking Greek I shot a look at Odysseus. He had 9 circles, why would I stop at 5?

As if sensing my questions Odysseus promptly answered.

"It's not what you're thinking. Seeing your talent for magic I forget you just became a mage sometimes."

He then proceeded to explain how magic circles actually worked, an important detail that nobody thought was important enough to tell me.

"From your first to fifth circle is when you chose an attribute from your affinities and chose on what to focus, usually people only chose one affinity because unless you completely form you territory creation after the 5th circle, you are stuck with low level spells. Let's say I'm at the 5th circle with no territory, when it was my time I had 3 circles of the wind and 2 of the water path of magic, so I would have been stuck with using at most level 3 wind spells and level 2 water spells."

He looked for any sign of doubt on my face and then proceeded.

"After you create you 1st territory all you circles will fuse their attributes, look."

He proceeded to show me his 9 circles and they were all identical. All 9 circles were designed like water spiraling on itself and were all a deep shade of grey in color. Then I noticed various other symbols around his circles: the egida, an owl and what seemed like a compass.

Touching his chest and then opening up my own to see the flowery thorny path around my circles I asked.

"Are these stigmas?"

Odysseus seemed more enthralled by my body than my question so I covered myself up and asked again.

"Yes, but let's talk about them another time seeing how your case is a little different. Where were we?"

"Territory creation, merging of circles I think I understood everything, but my circles will all be of the nature path of magic even if reinforced with spirit formula, they are still the same no?"

"If it's anything like I assume, correct me if I'm wrong Merlin, it's not your circle that will merge, but the spirit formulas."

"Brilliant! Worthy of being the champion of that brainiac."

I on the other hand was surprised.

"Finally showing off your wits uh? Good job captain."

Odysseus blushed a little and continued his lesson on magic.

"So… since all your circle will have the base of a nature circle you'll be able to use up to 5th circle strictly nature magic, and up to 3rd circle of eart, fire, water, wind and wood magic; but as soon as you create your territory, which I have no doubt you'll be able to do, you'll be set for success."

"Correction, the spirit formulas are stronger then you imagine. They actually are stronger then the elemental circle; he will be able to use level 6 magic for the elements and level 5 for the nature magic."

"What?"

This time I answered to Odysseus.

"Well that was obvious, I was able to cast [garden of illusory flowers] when I had 1 circle with it being a 2nd circle spell."

Odysseus was furious.

"YOU DID WHAT? DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES YOU COULD HAVE INCURRED YOU RECKLESS IDIOT?!"

What did this bastard call me?

"You dare to call me reckless? Have you seen in a mirror recently? I begged you not to accept that quest from that almighty sea constellation, where are we now?"

Odysseus was shut. Eurylochus who was listening attentively to our conversation froze on the spot and Merlin burst out laughing.

"Hahahahahahaha don't be so mad! You got a genius master after all no?"

"YOU ARE NOT MY MASTER! WHAT MASTER PUTS CUFFS TO HIS DISCIPLE?"

"Odysseus, Eurylochus, why don't you proceed to the ship and get ready to depart? We need to talk and calm this brat or he'll just destroy the morale of everyone."

The two men left, even though it was clear Odysseus wanted to listen my glare was so full of rage that he decided it'd be safer to leave us alone.

"Now before everything, I want to apologise for not conferring with you about this entire situation. It actually all happened right before you woke up that day. While your men were trying to convince me of taking action, I do value your freedom and would have never done anything to block you, but more than your freedom I value your life."

"What's that got anything to do with this!? You know damn well I'm more than capable of surviving alone!"

"That's not it Dimitris. You had no fate. If you left the ship and stayed alone for a long time you'd just disappear, without a fate you can't live. That's why we bound you to Odysseus."

"That only means that regardless of the quest or not I'm to stay with that man… is there no other solution?"

"There are 2 actually, you accept the fate old Dimitris had or you steal someone of its fate. To accept his fate you'll need to visit Delos, to steal someone's fate… you need to form your 10th circle AND develop authority over fate. Do you understand now?"

"You went for the faster and easier route. But why Delos?"

"You know you will only be able to cost islands from now on, Delos is the easiest target."

Fuck this bastard makes me look like an ungrateful bitch at this point.

"You still could have talked to me before acting."

"I was going to, but Loki, that bastard was too eager to receive a favour from me."

"What is it that he wants so desperately anyway?"

"A spell only I can perform, you don't have to worry about that. Now am I your master again or not?"

"Fuck. It feels like I'm the bad guy if I continue to refuse you, you bastard. Sure, be a good teacher."

Suddenly Merlin stopped me and took out a knife.

"Words are not enough, your mind is to volatile. We'll perfom the 9 bows to the master and officially state our relationship before the Akashic records."

"What the fuck are you talking about now?"

"With the ritual, you will be forced to complete the quests I'll give you and I'll be forced to teach you EVERYTHING I know."

Everything… I'd basically hold the keys to Avalon at that point…

"Ok, how do we go about this?"

"Just bow 9 times with a minute intervals, I'll do the rest."

So I started, although it was a bit embarrassing to bow to this sociopath, the temptation to learn everything he knew was way to big. At the end of the day, this too was for survival.

"I Emery Ambrose, the kingmaker, wizard Merlin, the mage of flowers accept Dimitris Damocles, the Defiant, as my disciple under the laws of the Akashic records."

[!attention! You have been recorded to be the mage of flowers first ever disciple]

[updating your status]

[Affiliation: Itaca, Avalon]

Damn.

"Why that nickname? Even that postman used it."

"Oh gods call you like that because you curse them at every occasion, at least is a good moniker, it will be helpful."

"Whatever, let's just go back now."

"Oh give me the web from that spider woman, I'll make something good from it"

Throwing Arachne's web to Merlin, I didn't wait for more conversation and blinking through the forest I made my way to the ship.

Everyone was busy, packing up the makeshift camp wasn't exactly child's play so I made a move to help out, but my men didn't want any of that.

"Second Commander don't worry and leave this to us! Eurylochus told us you've been sparring for 8 hours straight, please go rest!"

Are these chicks worried about my wellbeing?

"Don't worry guys. I've been healing myself throughout the match, I can help you!"

"Second Commander, don't abuse your body and go rest!"

These motherfuckers.

"Dim leave the men to do their job and come here, I've got something to show you."

Odysseus voice came from the ship saving my men from my wrath. I gave them a stern glance before teleporting away.

"Damn how high is your spatial awareness? Or is this spell that powerful?"

"It is powerful, but it's just as hard to use. The first time I used [flowery disperse] I broke my arm because I calculated wrong the distances"

"…"

"So, what did you want to show me?"

"The greenhouse, let's go."

Entering the inside of the ship for my first time, I was surprised to see how spacious it actually was. It was truly a work of art, Odysseus was an extremely capable magical engineer.

"Like what you're seeing? Can't wait to show you the greenhouse then."

My captain was smiling wildly while showing me to the greenhouse and explaining how he built every nook and cranny of the ship while imbuing runic formations to distort the space, like a child on a play date he was enthusiastically explaining all his favourite works, such as the training grounds and dining hall. I on the other hand was just as exited as him.

For how much he loved his craft, I couldn't help but admire his job, and my glee was clearly painted on my face.

"Are my chances rising?"

"Odysseus…"

"Let's go to the greenhouse."

Exhaling heavily I followed the man into the alleged greenhouse, but I wasn't ready for what was waiting for me. It wasn't your typical greenhouse, it was more like a full botanic garden, a beautiful one at that.

My breath got caught, my heart rapidly beating faster and faster. Fruits from the island where there, plants I didn't know and inside a glass case completely locked was even a flower from Avalon.

Pointing at the flower I said to Odysseus.

"That is extremely dangerous, why would Merlin give it?"

"You know that flower? I tried everything to understand what it is, magic simply doesn't work."

"That's why it's dangerous, that flower cannot be touched by the livings."

Odysseus complexion worsened.

"But your spell creates these flowers!"

"Illusory Odysseus, don't forget the most important part."

"Sure, either way, its a gift from Merlin, he said you will need it later on and the presence of the flower helps with the cultivation of mana herbs… I also have a gift for you, but I'd rather you not use it…"

"What's with the long face?"

"I made a private room for you on the back of the greenhouse… you could use it to sleep…"

I understood immediately what was going on. He wanted to respect me, but he didn't really want that either.

"Odysseus…"

"I know Dim, I know you don't have my same feelings. I also know you think of you and old Dimitris as two completely different beings, but except for when you talk different languages I've yet to find something you do not do exactly like him."

I stayed silent, there was nothing for me to say. What could I say even if I wanted to? Your man is dead and I stole his body?

"I also know how you hate the name Dim, how you respond easily and feel comfortable when Merlin calls you Damocles. I'm not stupid Dimitris."

He really is too smart for his own good.

"I know you are sure you are someone else, but do you want to know what I think?"

I just nodded, at this point I couldn't even think of how to talk.

"I think you've been cursed in the battlefield. I think some divine intervention gave you the memories of your past life and stripped you of those of this life."

"You want to know why?"

Again I just nodded.

"The constellation of love gave me your memory crystal from the time fissure, this means that someone is holding onto them."

"I don't know about the memories or if you are right. I have some memories, but I don't trust them at all. Also you should destroy that memory crystal."

I took out my grimoire and opened the page Dimitris wrote for me.

"See? He or I knew something was going on, but if one thing is certain, is that as much as I don't trust my memories, I don't trust the divine much more."