Combat Artificer 3

The Combat Artificer

Chapter 3

(Alexandre Belmont)

The wards and barriers rang into my mind, immediately waking me up when someone knocked on my house’s doors. The sunlight passed through the windows in my room, forcing me to shield my eyes. I hefted myself out of the bed, put on some pants and slippers out of the wardrobe and exited my bedroom.

I descended the stairs quite loudly as I felt heavy; I stumbled when I reached the last step. But caught myself with my hands when I was reaching the ground head first.

"Lilith dammit…" I swore as I stood back up and walked toward the house's doors while crossing the foyer and avoiding the table and chairs in the middle of the room.

I needed a coffee to wake me up. Raising my hand to the handle of the door, I pulled it toward me. And much to  my surprise, I found a beautiful girl with tanned skin, soulful golden eyes and short black hair on my porch. She was wearing a black Asian themed dress with some kind of red cape. Her cat ears were standing erect on her head as she looked at me with an uncertain smile.

“Um, hello?"

Her soft voice and look were familiar… oh! I remember this girl, she was one of the would-be thieves. “Sienna, right?”

She opened her mouth in surprise, and then smiled warmly. “Oh, you remember me!”

There was no way that I would forget her, the event was still fresh in my mind. I remember seeing her with a ratty t-shirt, shorts and a dagger; her face had been a little dirty with her hair being messy and matte. She cleaned up well…

“Why are you here? No… How are you here?” Wasn't the bounded field up? No, it was. I could feel it being under the control of the house’s wards. How come that little girl could enter the house’s vicinity? Maybe Sienna exploited a loophole I’m not aware of.

Sienna shrugged while scratching her left cheek. “I just walked in.”

My eyes widened and my mouth became agape. She really did find an exploit! “Wait, what?!”

"I just walked here and knocked." The cat girl said.

I really became angry because I suspected that I botched something in the bounded field's creation. But my crafter ability was telling me that no, I didn't, then I frowned as I suspected something and looked Sienna in the eye. "You don't want to kill me, nor steal anything, right?"

They showed an affronted expression. "No."

I snapped my fingers. "This is a loophole in the bounded field. I need to perfect it later…"

But before that let's know why the teenage cat was here. The girl looked patiently at me, but after a while she asked, "Um, what's your name?"

Instantly, I answered, "Belmont, Alexandre Belmont."

She cocked her head and began saying my name silently, trying to pronounce it. It was French and someone like a cat girl might have problems pronouncing it; Sienna had an accent you see.

The girl nodded and said, "Alexandre. I've come to thank you for your help, I stopped following the others because I knew that they would try to foolishly get back at you later…"

Ah she came to warn me, the three boys were vengeful huh. The next time I would kill them or send them to the police. Criminal slaves were a thing in this Empire I heard. Looking straight at the cat girl, I saw the hesitation on her face…

So I asked as I leaned against the door. "And? I suppose that it's not just for that."

I saw an expression of determination when she looked at me. "I… want to become your disciple! I want to learn magic."

Ah? I stared at the girl with an open mouth. I was a novice and just starting my magical education, and barely knew my way around Western Magic. "Are you serious?"

Then she took my hand and nodded with big golden eyes. There was no way I could say no to that, what the fuck, how did she weaponize cuteness?!

"Oh…" Then I noticed that my hand was on her boobs.

I slowly took it back and said, "Let’s discuss this over breakfast, Sienna."

I didn't want to be done in for sexual harassment, she was just a kid too. But if she wants to learn alongside me, it's fine. I sighed and said, "Follow me."

Her smile was beautiful when she realized that I was caving in to her demand. "Sure."

I entered the house, and Sienna followed me with a spring in her steps.

I didn't know how important she would become to me at this point, she cunningly and patiently insinuated herself in my heart.

~~~~~~ Combat Crafter ~~~~~~

I cooked breakfast, made my best home-made French pastries, baguette, sausages, eggs and self pressed orange juice. The cappuccino was brewing in my magic coffee machine that always made the perfect blend, people would kill for it.

I may not have completed all the furniture for the house, but I made the kitchen and dining room a priority. It took me one hour to finish cooking, and Sienna had stayed seated at the diner table all this time watching me cook without blinking, well I assume she didn’t blink.

Once the food was done cooking, I placed everything on the dining table. It was made of the same iron wood as the house's structure. Putting a full plate before the cat girl, I said, "Here, eat up."

Sienna sniffed cutely at the food. "This smells… delicious."

She snatched the fork at her right and took a deer sausage with it, then bit into it. Her ears stood erect and her tail swished left and right quickly. "By the spirits! It's divine!" Sienna moaned in pleasure at the food.

Her reaction put a smile on my face. "Glad you like it."

It was while she was eating that I finally asked the question which has been burning my lips. "So you want to become my disciple?"

Sienna nodded after swallowing a sausage whole. "Yes, you're a really strong Magi." She pointed her fork at me.

Oh no. I needed to make her understand that I was just a novice at magic. "Okay… Sienna, you know that I just started learning?"

Sienna let go of her fork, but quickly caught it, then she stood up and said, "No way! You fight already like a pro! You'd do decently as an arena gladiator."

Did I make such a great impression on that poor cat girl? I cringed a bit, I just started studying magic. And I don't feel powerful. I sighed. "Unfortunately, I just started. But I can teach you the basics, I am confident in that at least. I am trying to look for a teacher in a specific area of magic to learn, Eastern Magic. I already got most of the Western Magic anyway."

I already know the basics and I should be able to build on them and create my own branch and style of magic. My word didn’t have the intended effect on Sienna as her eyes began to shine with excitement; her ears stood straight and her tails swished right and left in interest.

"Are you… some kind of genius?" She asked me with awe in her voice.

I raised my hand and declined.  "No, I'm not. The true genius are people like the Mage of the Beginning or Albireo Imma, those guys were scary smart when I read the books and treatises on magic they've left behind."

I cheated with Essences to give myself those abilities, I’m not a true genius. Sienna didn’t believe me one iota, and seemed to nod to humor me. "You sound like a magic nerd."

I smiled, considering my growing library full of magical books and texts. I shrugged, "I guess… I am one."

Sienna’s plate was empty, her ears flattened as I realized that she was sad that there wasn't more in her plate. I saw her lick her lips. "I see that you’re done with your food, do you want more?"

Her ears perked up, her golden eyes shone with joy. She slid her plate toward me. "Please, I do."

Damn she was cute! I gave her a bigger portion than earlier, while I did the same for me. Suddenly, I felt Sienna’s gaze lingering on me; when our eyes crossed as I glanced back at her, the dark skinned cat girl blurted out, "Do you have a wife? Are you engaged?"

I frowned at the question, it was rather personal and out of the blue. "No, I have no one, no family anymore."

Sienna threw me a warm gaze, and her voice was full of understanding. "You're like me."

I guessed that she was an orphan as well, the way she had looked before was more like a street urchin. But damn she cleaned up well, I guess she put the money I gave her to good use. I started to eat while thinking about Sienna’s proposal, having someone here with me would be a boon emotionally; then there was also the fact that she was not here to deceive him or steal from him.

We finished eating our food almost at the same time. I offered the girl some fruit juice and as she drank it in one gulp, she slammed the hard plastic mug on the table and said, "Okay. I decided, you'll be my mate."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Her smile was beautiful and warm, then she started counting my virtues. "You can cook, you're smart and know multiple trades and more importantly, you're strong. I will be your wife."

Was Sienna crazy? I didn't think so, then I stared at her clothes, jewelry and the tribal-like tattoos on her biceps. She looked more Indian in my eyes, and there was also the fact that she was a cat girl in a magical world. Oh I know what's going, if I used anime tropes as reference the situation was going to get dicey.

I sighed, “Let me guess… by your clothing style and how you carry yourself… you’re from a warrior or tribal culture.”

Widening her eyes, Sienna asked, “How did you know? I’m from the now defunct Tiger tribe from the Nyandom’s plains.”

Called it. “You want me as your husband because I can kick ass and build stuff?”

She eagerly nodded affirmatively. “Yes, in my tribe you’d be pursued by nearly all non-attached younger girls.”

Yeah not traversing that patch of Mundus Magicus…

“Huh, you said you come from the plains, right?” I asked and decided in my heart to never step into that place…

With big sad golden eyes, Sienna lowered her head and her ears were flat. “My tribe doesn’t exist anymore, a wild dragon burned and ate everyone.”

I wanted to hug her, but I wasn't a simp; Sienna looked like a tough girl, she didn't need patronizing her. “My condolences… sorry for being insensitive.”

Just as expected, her eyes shone with sudden resolve. “That is why I want to become strong, when we have kids, I want to be strong enough to defend them.”

Fucking anime world, are you trying to saddle me with all those tropes?! I massaged my temples, this situation was giving me a headache. “Why… do you assume that I’m going to be your husband?”

“You don’t want to?” She tilted her head cutely with sad eyes.

Fuck, right in the heart, how does she weapon her cuteness?! “I mean you’re kinda young…”

She waved off my concerns. “I’m 15 years old, an adult in my tribe and prime marriageable age by the laws of Nyandom.”

“We barely know each other.” I insisted.

But it seemed that Sienna was a stubborn black kitty. She crossed her arms defensively and glared at me. “True, but it doesn’t matter. You’re a kind but practical man, just a bit naive about this world and how it works from what I’ve noticed.”

I averted my eyes, this wasn’t yet a deal breaker; I will just have to let her down gently, I wanted to focus on my studies. Changing the subject, I said, “Can we go back to you being my student?”

“Yes.” Sienna’s eyes said something else though, the matter wasn’t going to be laid to rest.

I asked, “Can you read and write?”

The tiger-tribe girl flinched and averted her eyes with shame and said in a little voice, “Ah… no.”

This won’t do at all, fuck, I wasn’t about to abandon a girl without some important skills. “I will teach you.”

Her eyes found mind and with a cracking voice said, “You… would do this for me?”

I nodded, then she made a sunny smile that showed how beautiful she was despite her current state of malnourishment. “You’re more and more attractive as we speak.”

I rolled my eyes at that, then continued her interview. “Can you cook?”

She was more eager to answer right now. “Yes! I can also hunt and fight a little too.”

Sienna seemed to know more about the common sense of this world, and about what to do and not to do. Gathering information about how people do things seemed to be capital for my situation; I didn’t intend to stay a hermit forever. “That’s… good. You can teach me about the common sense of this world, I guess.”

The cat girl frowned and asked, “What do you mean?”

This was now or never, I was going to see if I could trust Sienna. “I… can I be candid with you?”

“You can, husband.” She smiled and winked at me.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not your husband, Sienna.”

“Yet.” She added.

The girl was frustrating and too stubborn for her own good; I advanced the current conversation with, “I’m not from this world.”

Sienna widened her big golden eyes, stood up from her chair and said with an excited voice, “Are you from the old world?”

Technically I was a human from the old world, I couldn’t tell her that I was transported here by some Deity; that I was from Earth was more agreeable with my back story I guess? I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

It’s not like I could get back to my old world anyway. Sienna became more thoughtful and then said aloud, “Ah so that’s why you are so ignorant, very well. I shall instruct you like I was in the tribe.”

Ouch, I was more naive than a little kid in my current situation to her. “Thanks I guess?”

“So let’s talk about something else, the sharing of the chores in this house.” I changed the subject again, I secured her aid, having her as my fellow magical trainee was a done deal. Now that there was one more person with me, we should speak about how to organize ourselves.

I explained to Sienna what I’ve been doing since I arrived in the forest, the training, the hunting, and wood cutting. “We will have days when we do certain tasks, I will cook every two days, and you on those days I don’t? Is this good for you?”

Sienna was so serious right now, she didn’t miss a word of what I said. “Yes.”

“Cutting wood is going to be my task, are you good at doing the laundry?” There was a river not too far, but maybe I could make some appliances.

Sienna clapped her hands.“I excel at this, my mother taught me well.”

Smiling at her I said, “That’s great, just in case I will build a washing machine for us.”

“Next we will decide which room you’ll occupy.”

Sienna grinned. “Yours obviously, we’re husband and wife.”

I closed my eyes in frustration. “No… Sienna.”

Then she laid a verbal trap on me. “Don’t you find me attractive?” and positioned herself before me so that I could look at her breast.

I blushed, and tried to find the words to appease her… but I said thought ‘fuck it’ and decided to be blunt with her. “I… you’re very pretty. If you were a bit older I would have accepted your offer right away.”

Then something seemed to dawn on Sienna, she widened her eyes and stared at me. “Ah, you’re seeing me through the lens of your own culture. I see, I will work on that.”

With a sigh of frustration I said, “You’re stubborn.”

She reached for my hand and held it; the inside of her palm was callused. “I’m not letting you get away…Alex”

~~~~~~ Combat Crafter ~~~~~~

2 days later…

Life with Sienna was good but a bit strained, I felt like prey and the cat girl like a hunter. I gave her the room across from mine, but it may have been a mistake. That trope about anime girls waking you up and threatening to kiss you? It’s true. I was minding my own business in my way too comfortable bed, made with my crafter essence, it was so comfortable that it threatened to turn me into a lazy layabout.

But that won’t be happening because I heard the room to bedroom opened and the wards warned me of the presence of a certain cat girl. feelings hands on me, I then heard, “Hey, wake up, Alex. Or i will kiss-”

I looked at her, she was wearing the tunic and shorts that I made for her, which hugged her body perfectly. My eyes then went on the old clock I bought and made Mrs Shea configure for me to Martian time. 1 Mars-second is 1.027 Earth-seconds, 1 Mars-minute is 61.62 Earth-seconds, and 1 Mars-hour is 61 minutes and 36.968 Earth-seconds. And it was five in the morning, the sun wasn't even out yet.

“Sienna, it’s barely five in the morning… I need sleep.”

The cat girl pouted and shook me a bit more with her hands. “But you promised to teach me how to use that new reinforcement spell you came up with!”

Closing my eyes, I sighed and sat up. “Okay, okay. I’m waking up.”

I was exiting the bed, but Sienna helped me as she pulled me and hugged me with a chuckle. The random touch and sniff she took from my body were escalating. “When did you wake up? It’s quite early.”

“One hour ago, and I already did all my chores!” Sienna declared as she let go of me and thrusted her chest up.

“What about breakfast?” I asked, the girl was strangely chipper today, I was still half asleep.

“Already prepared, all you have to do today is teach me magic!” Assured me, the little cutie.

I yawned and started tying my long hair. “Aye, aye.”

Taking off my t-shirt before the full length mirror near my ironwood wardrobe, I was slightly aware of Sienna’s insistent gaze. Her eyes were glowing in the soft lighting of my bedroom, was this drool at the corner of her lips? I turned heel and asked my new tenant, "Sienna? Why are you looking at me like that?”

She averted her eyes, a blush on her face and she wiped the side of her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

With a frown I asked, “Have you never seen a shirtless man before?”

If not, I should have been more careful, I didn’t want to flash the girl. Sienna blushed even more furiously and stammered, “Yes I did, but… you’re very attractive, Alex.”

I looked down at myself, maybe I did too good of a job when I imagined and shaped the perfect body thanks to Miss Lilith.

With a boyish smile, I couldn't help but respond to the compliment with, “You’re not bad yourself.” My eyes roamed on Sienna’s tanned petite body.

“You’re just saying that.” She averted her eyes with a blush.

I shrugged. “You should believe more in yourself.”

After that I went to take a quick shower and put on my training slacks, when Sienna saw me exit the bathroom, she pulled me out of my bedroom and we went down the stairs. We had breakfast after arriving on the ground floor; Sienna had been adamant in letting her serve me the food, that as a wife it was her duty…

I was still half asleep and didn’t want to argue with her right at this moment and let do what she wanted. Sienna put a large portion of food before me and it wasn’t food I was used to. Wholegrain cereals, rice, fish, eggs, baked beans, bananas and some self-pressed orange juice. She had taken over my kitchen and forced a tribal-like diet on me in just barely two days.

When we finished we went outside in the front yard, facing each other. “We’re going to make you aware of your magic before anything else.”

“Okay.” She said with a big smile.

My method of sensing and manipulating magic was more intuitive than in the basic magic book I bought. I covered my hand with mana, like a glove and looked into the transfixed golden orbs of the catgirl. "I will have to touch you and channel my magical energy to show you what it feels like."

"Please, proceed!" She yelled with aplomb.

My hand moved from between her collar bones to between her breasts. "Do you feel anything?"

She blushed. "I feel warmth."

"I want you to seek a similar feeling coming from here." My finger slid up and down on her sternum.

With a sultry giggle, Sienna said, "Alex, you can touch my boobs if you want…"

It was as if I was scalded by the heat in her voice and I took back my hand. "Anyway, look for your mana and tell me when you succeed."

I stepped away from her, she smiled predatorily at me, "Okay!"

*That girl is going to be the death of me.* I turned heel and started doing some stretches; shoulders, neck, side, quad, calf, and cobra stretch, for over thirty minutes. Then push ups, hand-stand push ups, squats, abs… it’s right at this moment that I got the idea of crafting some weights for training. I’ve already accomplished everything that I can with just my body as a weight; at least that’s what I felt. I needed to keep pushing my limits. The blank essence would help in this, there was no cap on me anymore.

Jack Rakan from Negima was even more powerful and he was my current goal, I wanted to surpass him.

It was one hour later when I sensed magic next to me that I saw the purple haze of magic around Sienna that I knew that she finally unlocked her magic. The girl stood up and jumped up and down. "I can feel my magic!"

Standing up myself, I wiped some sweat from my eyebrows and said, "Excellent, Sienna. Now we're going to do a bit of experimentation."

~~~~~~ Combat Crafter ~~~~~~

Next day…

Brook Town

After training, I portaled myself and Sienna to Brook town. Now that Sienna was able to use magic and use my customized version of Cantus Bellax we needed to go look for a combat instructor. Our best bet was to ask Mrs Shea about a teacher and we would be set, the old lady knew everything about this town.

She directed us to the bounty hunter guild, her husband was the guildmaster there, she wrote us a letter of recommendation after I showed her that I could use magic now. After this, we went shopping on the way to the guild, Sienna was hanging on my arm the whole way, I bought clothes for her and new shoes and she kept calling me husband all the time.

The old lady with wolf ears in the cloth shop smiled at us. "Ara, how cute. You two look great together."

Sienna grinned, while looking from me to the old shopkeeper. "Thank you, ma'am! We will take that belt and shirt, Alex does look dashing in it."

It reminded me how my wife had been choosing what I wore in my past life; she did have an excellent fashion sense and I was grateful that she didn't allow me to look like a slob. With an embarrassed tone, I said to the catgirl, "Sienna, you're giving those people the wrong idea about us…"

She looked at me and took a red green shirt and put it against me. "Mhm, what do you think about this shirt? It would look good on you."

Putting the green shirt in the shopping cart, Sienna then moved toward the shelves full of pants. *She isn't listening…*

The silver haired wolf at my side patted my shoulder. "Boy, you already lost if she is living with you. She's not going to give up… that's how those tribe girls work."

I turned to the shopkeeper and with an exasperated look asked, "It's a done deal, is that what you're saying…?"

"Yes, you'll not be able to escape. You like her, yes?" The woman said as if I was fighting the inevitable.

I sighed and looked at the woman. "I just don't want to see her return on the streets again; I intended to teach her magic and how to read and write to be able to become an adventurer or be hired in a shop in town… but she took over my kitchen and-"

The woman seemed to have more knowledge about how people from the plains acted, were there things that I missed? She had mirth in her eyes. "Ah you're doomed, boy. She already claimed you. And right about now all the girls in town will know about it already."

I didn't like that… Sienna was robbing me of choices, but she was still a pretty girl in love, maybe she didn't know better? "Well it doesn't matter, I won't give in…"

The woman looked at me in commiseration. "Poor boy."

Sienna came back with two pairs of pants of different colors. She brandished them under my nose. "I am back! Those pants will be okay on you."

I couldn't stop smiling at the girl’s exuberance. "Thanks Sienna."

The shopkeeper who had moved back behind the counter shook her head. "I pity you, boy. You already lost… anyway, 300 silver Drachmas for everything."

I rolled my eyes, and paid with my magic bank card. The woman helped us pack the clothing into my magic bag; after this we left and the old shopkeeper waved at us, "Come again younguns!"

~~~~~~ Combat Crafter ~~~~~~

(Sienna Khan)

Bounty hunter guild
20 minutes later

Tiger-tribe women must be focused, assertive, dominant and do what's best for their men and themselves. There were so many hussies staring or drooling at Alexandre that it wasn't funny; how come her man kept being oblivious about it? He was entirely unaware of how handsome he was, she had to put an arm around him and call him husband for the other girls to back off.

She wasn't going to lose out in looks either. Sienna was wearing a white Qipao with red trim and tight black shorts complimented with open toe red boots that were bought by Alex. Sienna resolved to make something nice for him tonight to repay him, she knew he liked meat pies so she resolved into making one.

Sienna was happy, she was taught how to channel her magic throughout all her limbs without a focus, something judged rather impossible by some people, but Alex had assured her that some people, really powerful ones could do it and they didn't spread the practice. She believed him, but it showed her that Alex was really a genius.

Her hands tightened around Alex's arm, his muscles were really hard. They were standing before the four story building with the sign of the Bounty Hunter Guild, at least that’s what Alex told Sienna, they still hadn't started her lessons yet so she can't read. But Alexandre did buy a primer at his friend's shop, Mrs Shea.

It was a rustic building made of wood, stone, and other materials Sienna didn't have words for. Alexandre pulled them inside by passing through the doors. Inside was well lit with the windows opened and letting the air pass. Alexandre stopped, because everyone was looking at him and Sienna, there were many men and women who gave the catgirl a bad vibe.

They got right back to being ignored. Sienna felt her hand being taken by Alex's own. "Stay near me, don't wander."

"I never intend to." Sienna smiled.

She was patted on the head for that and her heart beat faster. The redhead had no idea of what he was doing to her, only their mates were allowed to touch a catgirl's ears.

Alexandre and Sienna walked to an empty counter where no one was queuing. Behind the counter was a man with antlers on his head, he wore a black suit with white shirt and red tie. He looked rather bored, the rest of the receptionists were all women and had way more attention than him who had none.

As the two arrived before him, the man said with a nasal voice, "Client or Hunter."

Alex put his hand in his bag and fetched the letter with a red seal on it. "None of that, we are here to see guildmaster Hajime, here is my letter of recommendation."

He handed it to the man whose eyes widened when saw it. "One moment."

He left the counter and walked toward a green door next to one of the shelves near him. He returned five minutes later and said, "Please follow me."

They did, and walked toward the stairs leading to the next floor. The deer beast man led them to the fourth floor where the administrative work of the guild happened. He stopped before a grandiose set of doors.

Knock. Knock.

The Deer beastman said with a deferential tone after straightening his uniform. "Sir, I brought them."

"Enter." A strong and serious voice said from behind the door.

The door opened, the deer beastman ushered us inside; then once inside we saw tasteful study with living room and many shelves bursting with books. It seemed that taxidermy was going strong even in this world as Sienna and Alex saw the mounted bodies of monsters on the walls, a white wyvern’s head in particular. Under the head was an old man with white hair, an eye patch and a lone red eye. He wore a black suit in good fashion.

The man's gaze sharpened as it settled onto Sienna and Alex. “Ou, boy. You're here, I've been waiting for you. Heard from Shea that you’ve finally got teeth?”

His attention was now fully on the short catgirl. "And would you look at that, got yourself a wife already?"

Sienna’s cheeks burned, but her heart broke a bit when Alexandre denied it. "She's my student, not my wife."

The old man chuckled, then he looked at Sienna and then at Alexandre in turn. "You really have no idea how things work here, boy?"

Sienna had tried, really tried to explain her tribe’s rule but Alexandre always changed the subject. A light briefly shone from his eyepatch; then his expression changed. “Oh, now I see… you ain’t from here.”

The catgirl saw Alexandre’s body stiffen; and his scent changed, he was about to say a lie and a truth at the same time. “No I am from…”

The old man stood up and  interrupted the boy she loved by saying, “Another dimension completely.”

Sienna saw Alexandre’s magic flare; whatever this dimension place was it made him afraid. The old man said with a wave of his hand. “No need to be so defensive, boy.”

The catgirl put a hand in Alex’s, he visibly relaxed but he was still wary. He looked at the old man, “Might I ask…”

The old man smiled and took something from his breast pocket, a picture that he unfolded. “I’m sure you know me, I am aware of a great many things, the multiverse is real.”

Sienna had no idea what the multiverse was… was it something someone could eat?

Alexandre looked at the picture of the old man in his younger days, surrounded by women, and Alex stared at him as if he saw a ghost. “You’re Hajime Nagumo. The fuck are you doing in Negima?!”

Hajime, it is the name of the old man. He was suddenly before Alex and flicked his forehead. “Language, boy.”

Sienna glared at the man; who looked behind him and at her, then he smiled at the catgirl. ‘“I know you have questions, boy. But what I can tell you is that the others and I are from this dimension but we kinda overshot when we came back. At least 100 years or so in the past.”

Alexandre flinched. “Well fuck, that shit can happen? Are you trying to complete a temporal loop by staying away from Earth?”

Mister Hajime nodded. “Yep, so… there’s no need to hide shit from me.”

They kept talking about things Sienna couldn’t understand; Dimensions? Time Loop? Negima? “I am lost, what are you two talking about?”

Sienna put on a smile when Alexandre passed an arm around her shoulder. “Well, the Guildmaster is a fellow transportee.”

“He is from Mundus Vetus as well?” Sienna seemed to understand.

His arm tightened around Sienna. “Yes, Sienna.”

The catgirl then turned to Hajime, she understood that the old man had been here longer than Alexandre and that he could help educate him and understand her. “Please, help me teach him about the common sense of this world. He is already attracting too much attention…”

With a knowing smile, the white haired man said, “From the other girls?”

“Yes! I mean no!” Sienna cursed her slip of the tongue.

Alexandre looked at the two with denseness thick enough to dent trees.

“Your reasons are transparent to me, girl. You remind me of Shea, she was exactly like you, pushy with all this husband nonsense.” Hajime added. "But I understand why you're alarmed."

Alexandre changed the subject. Not wanting to discuss his love life. “Wait, Shea is that Shea? But she doesn’t…”

Hajime laughed. “She’s not such a ditz like in her youth?”

Alexandre looked meaningfully at Sienna. The cat girl yelled accusingly, “I feel really offended!”

The two men ignored Sienna’s protests. The lady doth protest too much. Hajime took off his eyepatch and said, “Boy, I’m going to show you a secret.”

The age lines on his face faded and were replaced by completely smooth skin. Alexandre reeled back, the man just said he was hundred of years old and he looked to be in his twenties. “HOW THE HELL ARE YOU STILL…YOUNG!?”

Hajime said nothing, until Alexandre snapped his fingers in realization. “Wait, regeneration. You got it from the Ocean dungeon… This means that you’re faking being old.”

Hajime laughed. “All my wives and kids have it unfortunately.”

“Tio, Kaori, Shizuku, Shea and Yue. Wait there’s more than that?!”

The white haired man made a proud smile. “Way more. So you come from one of those realities with my life being a story.”

“Well yeah, personally I would have simply died in your place…” Alexandre said with compassion lacing his tone.

“Do you know about Crossroads?” Hajime asked abruptly.

Alexandre nodded, this must be a good place. “Miss Lilith comes from there. It is the city where all travelers capable of dimensional travel go.”

“Yue and I go there yearly to get new stuff…you can come.”

Alexandre became like a boy who was being told Yule was finally coming.  Then he said, “You’re waiting for the time loop to stop to get back in your position right?”

Hajime patted Alexandre’s back. “You’re smart, good, you don't get distracted easily. This will serve you well.”

Ouch… it must hurt, Alexandre looked as if a truck had run him over.

“Huh, Mister Nagumo…” Sienna started to ask.

Hajime lit a cigarette. “Yes, girl?”

Hesitantly she began to say, “We’ve come here to ask you about someone who could help train us.”

Hajime looked at the two of them with a disturbing smile. “Interesting, how powerful are you boy?”

Alexandre scratched behind his head. “I can blast people with lightning easily and enhance myself physically. I can build anything as well.”

Sienna felt her hair rise at the back of her neck when Hajime said, “That’s a start. I’m going to take some leave and get some of my friends to take you on.”

Alexandre grabbed Sienna and tried to run away from the room. The door closed with finality on them.

“Nothing is free.” Hajime laughed like a french villain. “There’s a war brewing, Cosmo Entolocheia.”

Alexandre sighed. “Ah fuck, you didn’t take care of them? I had hoped… Well, I’m not going to fight. But I have some special abilities which can fix the problem with Mundus Magicus…”

Hajime took a notebook. “Oh… I’m all ears.”

Then they started on a rant about terraforming and magic awakening and dust. Sienna whined while still being perched on Alexandre’s back. “You guys keep saying stuff I don’t get.”

~~~~~~ Combat Crafter ~~~~~~

A/N: Yes I did it, I added Hajime and his people in it xD