The Archaic System - 52 Clarity

“Ugh”

I rolled over in my bed. I just couldn’t seem to get a decent nights sleep tonight. After dealing with the trouble caused by Sylvia, rest just didn’t come as quickly. I decided to get up and go for a walk. No sense in rolling around in my bed all night.

I left my manor and headed to the garden in the backyard. I asked Matilda to build the garden specifically so Valerian would have a place to stay and hide in Black Lion Village. G’eth weren’t an uncommon sight in Black Lion Village, but one coming and going in the Captain’s Manor would undoubtedly draw attention.

The two moons of Agartha were high overhead. Both full and shining bright. It was this feature of Agartha that likely saved my life the night before tonight. Sylvia was a well-trained assassin, she was probably taught from an early age how to use shadows to catch her opponent unaware. However, the two moons of Agartha cause shadows to be cast differently here. Everything here is more complicated than Earth. It takes time for people to adjust to that.

I found a bench in the garden and took a seat. A large tree with beautiful pink blooms stood tall in front of me. Its petals slowly fell, dancing with the wind in their descent. The gentle sway of the branches, the falling petals, and the low buzz of nearby insects created an entrancing atmosphere. My mind, which had been operating at max capacity since I was reincarnated, became empty. In that moment, I thought nothing and let all my worries and machinations slip from my mind. I felt a simple kind of pleasure, one I hadn’t enjoyed in a long time. The ease of being in the moment and letting go of my burdens.

As much as I wanted to relish the feeling, it was fleeting, and it quickly passed. The knowledge I possessed made living a simple life impossible. No one in my position could be satisfied remaining normal. That is why I always planned, trying to turn everything into my advantage. So far things have worked in my favor. My strength, whether individually or socially, has risen at a breakneck pace. However, I couldn’t let my quick rise lead to an equally swift fall. That moment of clarity calmed my mind, gave me a chance to objectively observe everything I was planning and the reasons why.

I quickly realized that what I really wanted the most was to become strong. I still wanted to find Brad and protect my friends, old and new. However, I acknowledged that, in the end, strength was what really mattered. Strength takes many forms, it isn’t limited to your combat power. Even with ten years of experience on Agartha, I just don’t know enough to reach the peak on my own.

After taking a step back, I was able to see where I made mistakes. I was so focused on my plans that I failed to take action when I should have. That focus is one of my advantages, but it’s also one of my most significant weaknesses. Even though I wasn’t ready to start altering my plans, I made a few decisions that I believed would make me stronger.

First, I need to find people I can trust with varying experiences and knowledge to help me see what I alone cannot. Essentially, I need a team. A team with varying strength in both combat and society. Multiple people came to mind immediately. Obviously, I could already count on Valerian. Matilda was the next person to come to mind, her military background and commanding skills would be invaluable, but her loyalty is questionable. Another person quickly came to mind, although he is a bit of a mystery. I will have to keep a lookout for more people that would be a good fit. These aren’t people that are merely useful like Barry. These are people that are capable of thinking and taking action, people I will help become stronger, people who I can trust that will become essential to my team.

Additionally, I decided I could not let my last life hold me back. While it provided valuable information, I can no longer make decisions that are influenced by actions that have technically not occurred. That doesn’t mean I will ignore the insights I have on who people really are. However, I can’t allow my personal feelings to get in the way of developing my strength.

Lastly, I must set aside my desire to turn everything into an advantage. I have to acknowledge that certain things must be handled decisively. The decision that bothered me the most was letting Cratagus go at the Arena. At the time I thought letting him go without drawing attention to ourselves was the better decision. I didn’t want him to reveal mine and Valerian’s connection or identity. Also, I thought I could use him against Ward at some point in the future.

I failed to properly evaluate the risk and benefits of that decision because I was too focused on my plot to kill Sauer and earn Morrow’s trust. Now Cratagus poses a significant threat and must be dealt with. Guards have been on the lookout for him since yesterday, and no one has reported anything. Moving forward I must be more decisive in removing things that provide greater risks than benefits. Speaking of which, I walked around the garden and after spotting a group of yellow colored flower I picked one. I gently held it in front of me and focused my eyes.

[???]

[Connecting to host for more information]

After a brief moment text began to appear.

Name: Adarna

STATS

Before the rest of the information could appear, I looked away. I just needed to confirm this plant was what I thought it was. The built-in ability ALIC has that searches the host brain for information rarely results in misidentification. If there is not enough information for it to be 99% sure it usually goes back to the question marks. It is capable of analyzing memories you had thought you forgot which typically produces accurate results.