Subaru just stared at the tower flabbergasted. How's that possible? Remembering how the tower looked from the view in the town, it wasn't that tall. But after travelling past the sand winds, it changed drastically. Subaru was looking at Flugel seeking for the answers.
"Oh? You are probably wondering, how is that possible?" Flugel spoke while enjoying the reaction of Subaru. "Well, it's a part of my defence mechanism. It's callled Sand Time. It creates an invisible field which bends and twists space. It's impossible to go through, well, you can under some certain conditions" Flugel brushed the sand off from his cloak. "Do you wonder why we didn't wait for the sand winds to calm down?"
"Eh? You said something about it being a "perfect timing", what does it exactly mean?"
"There is a single weakness in this mechanism. A rift appears during the sandstorms and you can easily exploit it to pass through the Sand Time." Flugel finished his explaination.
"i see, i see. Sand Time, Invisible fields and rifts. How magical." Subaru said while examining the tower, a question raised in his head. "Do you live here alone? I mean, this tower is huge as hell, it must be pain in the to clear everything up."
"My apprentice is living here with me." Flugel answered before continuing. "Sometimes a few certain people pass by..."
"Apprentice? You have apprentices?" Subaru stared at Flugel confused.
"She is not really an apprentice to me but more like a daugther figure. It's a bit hard to explain." Flugel scratched his cheek. Since he asked Daphne to create a mabeast with a human form, he treated her like her own daugther. He was teaching her, taking care of her and in the end she became his apprentice, star keeper and the guardian of the watchtower. But he was extremely clingy to him to the point she always tried to sneak to his bed while he sleeps or her bone-crushing hugs. "Subaru, i need to give you a small warning." Flugel made a short pause before speaking. "You might find her behavior a bit... Extraordinary. She's a bit quirky i must say."
"Huh? Quirky? What are you talking about" Subaru just gave him a questionable look.
"You'll see soon... Now let's get into the tower, shall we?" Flugel said before opening the 10 meter-doors to the tower.
Upon touching the door, it automatically opened. The room had no remarkable features, expect for the large door, large spiral staircases and its size. "Welcome to the entrace of the watchtower, the fifth floor called Celaeno. There is nothing special about this hall except it being an entrance." Flugel said while walking to the middle of the hall. "The tower consists of-" Before he continued, he was interupted by a loud voice.
"Master!" It was woman's voice and before Subaru could acknowledge her, she jumped at Flugel in order to hug him. But he just simply dodged her hug by walking a few steps to the right.
"Ouch! My face! Master, you are meanie! Why do you never try to return my affection?" Said the woman and Subaru could finally see her. She had green eyes and seemed like a three red dots around her pupil, long brownish hair which were tied up. She was tall and has nice physique and figure. She only wore a bikini-bra, a bow-tie, a necklace, black hotpants, and a tattered black-and-orange cloak, which were of the same colour pallet as Subaru's outfit. "Shaula, how many times i told you not to jump at me? The last time you hugged me i felt like my spinal column being broken." Flugel said half-annoyed.
While Shaula was being clingy to Flugel and he tried to restrain her from him, Subaru was flustered by her revealing outfit. It took a few moments before Shaula realised that they weren't alone in this hall. "Hm? Master? Who is that? Are you bringing homeless people to the tower again?"
"Alec wasn't homeless, and that is my friend and he is in similiar situation as me and Alec." Flugel explained while Subaru was a bit annoyed. "I am not homeless!"
"Oh! He is from another world like you! My master's friend is my friend as well!" Shaula said, before turning to Subaru striking a pose and thrusting her finger into the sky. "My name is Shaula, The Stars-keeper, guarding of the Watchtower and the favourite apprentice of my Master!" While Flugel was facepalming, Subaru had quite the opposite thoughts. "That's 10 out of 10 performance, now it's my turn!" Subaru spun on the spot, striking a pose as he thrust his finger into the sky. "My name is Natsuki Subaru, completly lost, barely survived his first day here and broke beyond compare!"
It took a few seconds before Flugel's eyes widened in horror. There is now... two of them...
"Eh? Flugel? What's that face for? Did i do bad? I think it was decent enough." Flugel quickly waved his hands. "No, nothing is wrong. Let's continue from where we stopped." Flugel cleared his throat. "So, the tower consists of-" Before he continued he was again interrupted by Shaula. "The Master's tower consists of several floors, each floor has their own role. We are now at Celaeno, known as the fifth floor. It acts as an entrance to the tower. The staircase leads to the other floors known as Asterope, the sixth floor and Alcyone, the fourth floor." Shaula proudly said.
Flugel just blankly stared at her. "Yeah, exactly that Shaula said. Alcyone has living quarters, so you will be living there."
Subaru had a thoughful face. At first he thought the name of watchtower "Pleaides" was just a coincedence. But now, after getting the names of other floors. "Flugel, why did you name your watchtower Pleaides?"
"Oh? Why do you ask?" Flugel was surprised. "Well, you named the floors after the stars. The Pleiades cluster. Am i right?" Subaru explained.
Subaru could swear that he saw stars in the Flugel's eyes for a second. "You are absolutely correct! I am huge astronology nerd, you see-"
"My Master named me after a star as well! And I can transform into my scorpion form!" Shaula interrupted Flugel.
While Flugel was scolding her for interrupting him, Subaru's mind was influded with thoughts. To be honest, he was watching a TV show about astronology in the past. The show was about the constellation of Taurus. And of the things they discussed in the show was the open star cluster The Pleaides. He knew that it was easy to spot in the sky with a naked-eye. Does this world have different stars? Or are they the same?
"And i think i was named after a star as well..." Subaru was thinking out loud, which caught Flugel's attention. "That's right, your name caught my attention and that's why i immediatly decided to take you in." Subaru was confused. "Eh? So, you trusted a stranger only because he has a name after a star?"
"Huh? That's not true. As i said, you are otherworldler like me. And besides, i am sure you are not a bad guy." Flugel said
"What makes you think like that? Maybe I am some crazy sort of maniac who will kill all of you while you asleep?"
"Hey! If my Master said you are not bad guy, that means you are not a bad guy" Shaula put in hers two cents.
"Not like you can harm us in any way and besides it's not in your best interests, right?" Flugel shook his head before an idea came to his mind. "Hey Subaru, can i ask you a favor?"
"Hm? What is it?" Subaru listened to Flugel.
"You see... After some observations, i realised that this world has completely different constellations of the stars. And you don't have a place to stay or a job. So I've come up with solution."
"And what is it?" At first Subaru thought that Flugel would hire him some sort of butler, but what the man in the cloak said completely baffled him.
"Do you want to become my second apprentice?"
Subaru's eyes widened and he was bewildered. Him? An apprentice? He doesn't have any useful skills, nor information. How would Flugel benefit himself from Subaru? "Eh? Me? I don't think i might be a good candidate for an apprentice."
"That's not true. You have a basic understanding of stars and I need people like you, my task is to name every star in this world. Not sure if you can consider this as a task but more like a dream. Hehe." Flugel murmered the last part quitely.
"Does this mean I am going to have a big brother? Or a small one?" Shaula exclaimed.
"And besides, i'll provide you with food, room and salary. All you have to do is to help me and follow my tasks. Nothing too hard." Flugel added.
Subaru was thinking about his offer. He didn't expect that it would escalate this quickly. At first he thought that he would learn the language and Flugel would just give him some money and kick him off. He could become a merchant and make a lot of money creating modern technologies or food. Or maybe he could insist Flugel to hire him as a butler. Live peacefully in the tower with clingy stars-keeper and the Great Sage. But now he has an option to become his 2nd apprentice. After some time considering his offer, he gave his answer.
"Alright, I guess it won't hurt" Subaru answered.
Flugel gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Subaru. From tomorrow you'll start helping me. But now, let's head to the living quarters where you will be introduce to your new room. Shaula, can you bring him there? I have some business to deal with."
"I cannot deny my Master's orders!" Shaula exclaimed before grabbing Subaru's arm and dragging him towards the staircase. "Woah, woah! You're strong! Slow down! My arm hurts!"
"Hm? Oh, I am sorry. I just want to be a worthy apprentice to him, to complete his orders as quick as possible" Shaula said before releasing his arm.
"I get it, I get it." Subaru said.
For sometime they were walking in silence, the staircase was so long, that Subaru was almost out of breath. He decided to cut the silence.
"Hey Shaula." Subaru said "Can you tell me more about Flugel?"
"Oh? My Master? He is the greatest man i've ever known, he's smart, strong and wise. He's the one who gave me life I love him with my whole heart!" Shaula lovingly said.
"Yeah... I see..." Subaru tiredly sigh. Either she has a huge crash on Flugel, or she's just admiring him way too much. "What do you usually do as an apprentice?"
"Hmmm... Usually I just guard the watchtower from intruders. Yeah! That's it!" Shaula proudly said.
Where the apprentice position is coming from?! She is just a guardian of the tower. Or maybe there's more to that.
"Also, should i call you big brother or small?" Shaula asked.
"Hm? Can't you just call me by my name?"
"You are now apprentice of my Master. And i was thinking it would be cool to call you my big or small brother! Yeah!"
"Alright fine, and i am not small brother! I am turning eigthteen this year" Subaru exclaimed.
"Oh? I was created recently, that means you are my big brother! Yeah!"
"I guess you can call me that..."
After sometime they reached the end of the staircase.
"We reached the fourth floor! To your right is a dining room with the Green Room. To the left is living quarters. Also there is a balcony which i usually occupy." Shaula pointed.
"Green Room? What does it mean?" Subaru asked.
"Oh! There is a Spirit which heals you while you hanging out there! My Master built it as well, he is amazing, isn't he?
"Yeah, yeah. Indeed he is." Subaru said. He remembered about the spirits when Flugel was explaining to him the important things he needs to know about this world.
"You can head towards the living quarters. And i am going to continue guarding the tower. Goodnight big brother!" Shaula waved before making its way to the balcony.
"Night" Subaru yawned.
Subaru tiredly stumbled towards the living quarters. He entered one of the closest rooms which seemed to be unoccupied. The room was average at best. Medium-sized bed. A bookshelf which were filled with books. A drawer near the bed and another door which seemed to lead to the bathroom. Subaru took off his boots and flopped down on the bed.
Tomorrow is going to be a big day...
***"Subaru, you used wrong ink. Use this one instead." Flugel handed over a bottle with ink to Subaru.
It's been two weeks since Subaru became an apprentice. Two weeks since he was summoned to this world. By far he was doing great. His new job wasn't too hard but wasn't exciting at all. It was dull. Extemely dull. His job was basically to redraw stars from his black book. Speaking of the black book. It caught Subaru's interest when he saw it the first time in the inn. Flugel told him it was his Star Atlas. He drew and named the stars from this world in this book. For example. Constellation of Keres. It was a shape of the rose. Or this one. Constellation of Eurydice. It was the shape of half-moon. To put it simply. It was hella boring.
"Ugh!" Subaru annoyedly sighed before plopping down on the table.
But not everything was so boring at least. When he wasn't drawing, he was hanging out with Shaula. She seemed to be pretty fun to be around, despite being loud and always praising Flugel. Also Subaru learned the language and now was able to read. He read the magical book which Flugel gifted him and also a bunch of stories. Flugel told him that soon he will be teaching him magic. But now, he was drawing those stupid stars. "Flugel. How do you find drawing these stars so exciting!?"
"Oh Subaru. I am sure you'll soon understand the beauty of the constellations. It's natural art! Absolutely magnificent!" Flugel dreamingly said while redrawing stars from his black book.
"I feel like i am going to die from boredom." Subaru tiredly said.
Flugel put his hand on his chin. "I might have a solution to your boredom."
"if it's to redraw more stars, i am going back to my room."
"No. Soon one of my men coming here to grab some books from my library. They are going to expedition to the Elior Forest."
"What are you suggesting?" Subaru was Intrigued.
"I might send you with them, so you could breath some fresh air? I can see you are tired from this repetitous work."
"Yes, thank you! When are they coming?" Subaru was excited from the thought of going outside, exploring the world.
"I think tomorrow... But now... Let's continue redrawing my stars! Just look at this constellation! It's so-" Subaru couldn't bare to hear more of his ramblings about the stars, and just plopped down on the table covering his ears.
***"Yeah! My Master told me a lot of stuff about Tweeter and Reddit! He said there are lot of weird people in there!" Shaula said while nodding her head.
Subaru was currently explaining Shaula about otherwordly things, such as social media and why they can be dangerous. Flugel taught her a lot of things from his world. For example, a lot of slangs, modern songs and even memes.
Flugel seemed to be coming towards them, which noticed.
"Master! Good morning!" Shaula happily exclaimed
"Good morning, Master Flugel." Subaru jokingly said.
Flugel cringed at that part. "Subaru, please don't call me that. It gives me weird vibes. Anyway please, let's get to fifth floor. I have some great news for you."
So the man who Flugel was speaking about arrived? Subaru quickly followed Flugel down the staircase.
In the middle of the hallway stood several men in the dark-purple robe. One of them seemed to stand out from all of them. His hair was bit lighter shade of green and tied to a small ponytail. He was a rather tall and thin physique with brown eyes.
"It's pleasure to make your acquaintance, Subaru-sama. Flugel-sama told me a lot about his second apprentice. My name is Geuse. An archbishop of the Witch Cult."