Reincarnated as the mother of an otome game's villainess?!

Chapter 25. Knights of Cydonia.

Note: Sorry for the late update, I was having a case of the writer's block and I wasn't so sure about some of the things I was adding, but I think I'm back in my groove again, and I have already started to write the next chapter. This one is narrated from Maxwell's perspective. I hope you enjoy it. 

After having only slept a few hours, I was woken suddenly by Sylphie licking my ear. She had somehow managed to slitter her way up the table, and through all the books I had on it. I glared at her disapprovingly, but it seemed like she had taken a liking to mess with me. This was a relatively recent problem, she used to be so small just a few years ago, so she sticks to whatever surface I left her. But she had been growing quite a lot as of recently. If that continued at the same rate, I would start having troubles carrying her around for my examinations.

It was still raining, like it had for almost a week up to that point. I could hear the rumble of the water hitting the roofs and ground, the wind howling through the streets, and the occasional thunder roaring in the distance.That day was probably the worst it had gotten until then. That kind of climate was perfect for staying inside and keep on doing my research with a big cup of warm coffee. But I had more important plans. That day we would be visiting the Black Tower.

It was still pretty early, the sun still hadn't risen. Not that I would have noticed through the thick dark clouds anyways. But the trip to Rosanne's home would take quite some time considering the current situation, so I started to prepare at once. Had I not been too focused on my research, I might have contacted Sir Adrian to ask him to take me there. After we parted ways at the Academy, I had gone straight to the royal's library and borrowed as many books as I could carry with me, and then locked myself in. I ate and slept properly, though, at least the bare minimum required.

I had a quick breakfast and I hurried up to the outside, wearing a magical-enhanced raincoat that I had received during one of our end of the year's gift exchanges. Sylphie was coiled around my neck, peeking from under the hood of the raincoat. There was almost no one outside, except for those that passed through with hurried steps, and shop owners starting to set up their stores. Even with this climate, people still had to eat and buy stuff for their daily life. Many of the streets were now covered with tarps, creating some safe havens from the rain. Still, if this continued, it was only a matter of time before the cities and fields started to flood.

When I arrived at the piers, I noticed the situation was perhaps more dire than what I had originally imagined. The river in which the dock was built was already flooding, but the water was kept away from the city due to the use of magic barriers. Still, it didn't seem like anyone was brave enough to go out in those conditions. At least I thought so until I saw a massive horned tortoise slowly making its way towards the exit, pulling behind it a cargo boat almost as big as the creature that was pulling it. On top of its shell there was something resembling a palanquin, where the tortoise's driver sat.

I tried to call her attention, as she was the only realistic option I had. Thankfully the driver saw me and approached the pier in which I was standing. She was an older lady, maybe in her sixties or seventies, but she still looked quite youthful. Her hair was completely white, but her skin was darker than Rosanne's. Not quite as much as that of the elf child I had seen at the Astral Observatory though. Her clothes were also a bit unusual, something resembling a wrap dress, pinkish white, with wide square sleeves, and a broad sash as a belt.

—Good morning, Sonny. Can I help you with anything? —she said with a gentle smile.

—Excuse me for calling you so suddenly, are you perhaps traveling downstream? I need to go to the Dragonroot's estate —I told her— I'm a physician, my name is Maxwell Conrad.

I showed her my legal permit to practice medicine just to convince her I wasn't someone suspicious.

-—Oh my! Is there a medical emergency?