Another World

After settling affairs in the Toaru Majutsu no Index world, Selene left behind a doppelgänger. While this substitute's strength couldn't match that of her true self—likely struggling even against Accelerator—it should be sufficient for self-defense and guarding the estate, thanks to the virtually invincible phasing ability.

Then, through a spatial jump, crossing the vast cosmos, Selene and her butler Sebas arrived in a new world.

...

Night had fallen in the great forest at the southwestern border of the Empire. Amid the darkness, a flash of red light illuminated the surroundings, and a figure nearly 180 cm tall, with white hair, silently appeared in the forest.

Observing the dense vegetation around her, Selene couldn't help but remark, "Another forest... I really have an affinity for forests, don't I?"

As she spoke, Selene tested her abilities. Although her overall power was suppressed in this new world, the traits she had gained after becoming a Herrscher were unaffected.

"Is it because I've grown stronger, or is this world simply more accommodating to the supernatural?"

It was time to plan her main course of action. Given that the new world's upper and lower power limits far exceeded those of the Walking Dead world and had not been significantly weakened, Selene preferred not to deploy Honkai energy for a direct invasion. Instead, she aimed to preserve as much of the world's civilization as possible.

After all, Selene had no desire to inherit a "ruined world" devastated into wasteland. It was far more efficient to simply supplant the existing order.

With a snap of her fingers, accompanied by a ripple in the space behind her, a tall, 190 cm figure of an elderly man with a full head of white hair, dressed in a traditional butler's uniform, materialized behind Selene.

Relieved to see his mistress safely arrive after traversing the vastness of space, Sebas smiled and said, "Whew... My lady, that spatial jump was quite nerve-wracking!"

"Yes, you'll get used to it after a few more trips... Since we're in a forest with a flowing river and abundant wildlife, let's set up camp first and explore this new world tomorrow."

Though Selene herself had only experienced two spatial jumps (while fully conscious), she handled it all with an air of calm assurance.

"Let's go find a suitable clearing... Hmm? Sebas? What's wrong?" As they walked, Selene noticed that Sebas had stopped, staring intently across the river, seemingly frozen in place.

"Did you see something? A wild animal, perhaps?" Selene's excitement grew as she followed his gaze—given her current physical resilience, she could easily handle any wild game without worrying about diseases.

However, Selene's night vision soon revealed that the figure in the bushes across the river was no wild animal. "...It's a person?!"

The next moment, Sebas vanished, only to reappear holding a severely malnourished boy in his arms.

The boy's face was gaunt and cracked, his exposed skin covered with numerous small cuts, giving him a terrifying appearance. His body was stiff and emaciated; if not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, Selene might have mistaken him for dead.

As Sebas gently cleaned the dirt and insects from the boy's hair, he looked up at Selene, "My lady, I..."

...

The next morning.

"Hey, wouldn't it have been easier to just probe his memories, Sebas? Was all this really necessary?"

"My lady, it was just a small favor. Why not do it? ...Hmm? It looks like he's waking up... Hey, boy, wake up."

"Where... what happened to me?" A scrawny boy, dressed in rough, tattered clothes, slowly regained consciousness. He vaguely heard voices arguing, and then, at the sound of a deep, authoritative voice, he opened his eyes, finding himself in a luxurious tent.

The tent was spacious, and despite being a temporary setup in the wild, its interior was opulent and refined. The furniture was elegant, made of fine wood and intricately carved with double-headed eagle motifs. The soft, exquisite carpet beneath him clearly indicated its high value.

Realizing where he was, the boy's face paled in an instant. He scrambled out of bed, dropping to his knees in panic, pressing his forehead to the ground, not daring to look up. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude on your land, my lord! I'm sorry! I'll leave right away! Please forgive me!"

Suddenly, a cool, female voice cut through the tension, "Stand up. We won't harm you. We just want to ask you a few questions."

The boy trembled, seemingly unable to believe his ears. Slowly, he raised his head, only to lower it again immediately, his voice shaking, "Is... is that true?"

"It's true, I'm not lying. I'll even offer you a reward, how about that?" Selene, sitting on a Western-style single armchair, sighed as she looked at the overly cautious boy.

"No... no need, you... you can ask your questions." Although tempted by the mention of a reward, the boy's past experiences had taught him that rewards from "nobles" often came with dangerous strings attached—and sometimes even cost lives.

Indeed, in the boy's eyes, Selene and Sebas were undoubtedly nobles. It wasn't just the black butler's uniform Sebas wore, but also Selene's outfit—a combination of silver-white light armor with a deep blue inner lining—that left a deep impression on the boy.

Her intricate armor covered her entire body, with ornate patterns and golden threads decorating the luxurious skirt, making it resemble a ball gown. The silver boots on her long, slender legs shone with a metallic luster, accentuating her figure rather than burdening it.

Her waist-length white hair flowed softly, and the ornate accessories in her hair made her already stunning face even more striking. Her presence was imposing, exuding a commanding aura.

She was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

The only downside was that she was completely covered, with not a single inch of skin exposed below the neck—even her hands, which held her tea, were gloved.

From her attire to her speech, and even the opulence of her surroundings, it was clear—even to a starving refugee in coarse clothing—that they were people of immense wealth and status!

"What's your name? What year is it? Where are we? And why did you collapse in the forest?" Selene asked.

"My name is Terry... I don't have a last name. It's the Imperial Year 1014, and we're in the Hurst Province of the Empire's southwestern border, in the Great Southwestern Forest. I got separated from the people in my village while fleeing the war. I had no choice but to hide in the forest, but I got lost and passed out from hunger."

Although Terry found it odd that Selene was asking about things every Imperial citizen should know—like the date and location—he quickly answered. As he spoke, his stomach growled loudly.

"War?" Sebas asked, puzzled.

"Yes... There's been an invasion by foreign tribes on the southwestern border. Although the Empire has sent troops to suppress them, some small enemy groups have managed to cross the border and are looting everywhere. I got separated from the other refugees in my village..." Terry's voice trembled as he spoke, his thoughts turning to the people in his village, and he began to cry.

Sebas could only sigh in response. He handed Terry a bit of compressed bread and a bottle of water. "Here, take this. Stay strong and survive." After giving the boy the provisions, Sebas turned to signal that Terry could leave.

Terry immediately dropped to his knees, bowing deeply several times in gratitude. "Thank you..." he muttered before quickly turning and leaving.

As the boy's figure disappeared into the distance, Selene turned to Sebas, "I thought you might keep him with us."

"My lady, please don't tease me. You saw how worried he was about the people in his village—how could he possibly stay? Even if we offered to take him in, he wouldn't trust us." Sebas replied with a bitter smile.

"True, this is the Empire after all—life here is harsh... But why did you only give him a little food? And I noticed you seemed to take a liking to him."

Selene was curious. From the moment Sebas had first suggested saving the boy, to healing him and giving him food, and finally letting him go so easily—Sebas had been acting differently than usual.

"In these tough times, a little food is enough. Giving him too much would only make him a target—it would harm him more than help. Besides, that piece of compressed bread should last him a few days."

"So you admire him, but aren't you worried he might be robbed by bandits on his way?"

Sebas gave a knowing smile, "Heh... My lady, you don't know this, but the water I gave him was mixed with some T-R enhancement serum."

Selene nearly choked on her tea. "You really outdid yourself."

"I've done what I can. The rest is up to fate..." Sebas wasn't worried at all about Terry's ability to handle the T-R enhancement serum. From what he had observed, the ordinary people in this world were far more resilient than those in the Toaru Majutsu no Index world.

"Hmm, you seem deep in thought. What do you think of this world so far?"

After a moment of silence, Sebas replied, "Compared to our world... this world is truly a 'man-eating' world."