The Soul Reborn: From Silence to Sovereignty Chapter 83

Chapter 83: The Red Chariot

I had focused hard, really hard, on where I wanted us to appear in Elarion.

Just outside the fortress was a quiet clearing, a place rarely visited yet open enough not to cause any trouble. The last thing I wanted was to risk appearing in the same space as someone else.

Whatever divine force was playing favorites with my life seemed to be on my side once again because when the golden light faded, we appeared just like I had expected.

I looked around and saw the rising towers of the fortress walls not too far off in the distance, the familiar silhouette of our huge castle nestled among snow-dusted trees.

“Yes!” I cheered as I half-hugged Noah from the driver’s seat, one hand still on the steering wheel. “YES… YES… YES! It worked! Everything seemed to have come along with us.

I quickly put Lyra back and fastened her car seat.

“Noah,” I said, voice brimming with joy, “do you know what this means?!” Without waiting for him to respond, I kept going. “This is basically a time machine. Like… ‘Back to the Future’ level stuff. We’re in the literal eighteen hundreds when you compare it to the other world. I’ve got a twenty-first-century vehicle under my foot.”

Noah just smiled from the passenger seat, watching me ramble with that same quiet pride he always wore when I got like this.

“You’re terrifying,” he said as the wind from the open window brushed his dark hair.

“Terrifyingly brilliant,” I corrected.

People had already started gathering. There was a literal golden light show, so who wouldn’t be drawn to the area?

The rumble of the engine sounded like an animal ready to pounce; I could see some fear in their eyes, not understanding what it was.

I revved it up a few times, creating a frightening atmosphere for all those around; some even reached for their weapons.

Is it a monster?

Have the demons finally invaded?

A cart possessed by a spirit?!

I leaned out the window and yelled, “Nope! Just your Archduchess, back from her secret adventure!”

After my words, I floored it.

The tires squealed across the grass and dirt. My new beast of a car surged forward like a bolt of red lightning. Sadly this place had no viable roads or pavement, so the ride was a bit bumpy.

With this realization, I decided on a new mission going forward.

We need better roads as soon as possible!

“Noah!” I yelled with pure, unfiltered joy, “There are no speed limits here!”

He laughed with a deep rumble.

As the castle came into view, the gates already starting to open from the alarmed guards within, I leaned forward with a grin.

“We’re definitely going home in style.” This wasn’t just about bringing a car back but about a future that felt more relevant than ever.

Of course I was only just getting started.

While approaching the castle gates in our glorious, red chariot of modern engineering, I finally started thinking more practically.

“Okay… so maybe next time,” I muttered, turning slightly in my seat, “we bring back something bigger. Like a truck or a Hummer. That doesn’t cry every time it hits a rock the size of my fist.”

The tires were holding up for now… But this wasn’t the terrain you would want for such a car. This was more for driving on Earth than here.

“We don’t have roads,” I sighed dramatically. “Not real ones. Just cobblestone and dirt, no proper flow at all. That’s going to have to change. I’ll build roads with pavement and eventually even highways. People will be thanking me for centuries.”

Noah glanced over with amused curiosity. “Highways?”

“Oh, hubby,” I grinned. “We’ve got so much to do.

I tapped the brakes lightly, because honestly, I didn’t fully trust anyone not to panic and rush at us with swords as we pulled into the castle courtyard. Fortunately, the guards had been trained not to stab first and ask questions later.

Several soldiers approached cautiously, eyes darting from the strange machine to me behind the wheel. Some looked amazed, while others were visibly nervous.

“Relax!” I called out. “It runs on science, not sorcery… probably.”

I parked with a satisfying click of the gearshift and then turned to Noah.

“You’re going to have to learn how to drive someday.” I teased, understanding Noah really had no desire to get behind the wheel.

His eyebrows lifted slightly, with intrigue, but also some fear.

New things are always scary when you don’t understand them.

“Are you sure I should?”

“Yes!” I nodded multiple times. “We’re in this together, and I shouldn’t be having all the fun, but I don’t mind being the dedicated driver if you’re truly against learning.”

I leaned back in the driver’s seat and looked out the windshield at the stunned crowd forming around us.

“This is only the beginning,” I whispered to myself. “I can’t wait to see what this place will look like in ten years.”

Once the knights realized who was inside the metal beast roaring across the cobblestone streets, they didn’t dare try to stop us… They couldn’t have, even if they wanted to.

Noah and I were the authority of this land after all.

The contrast was striking after where we had just been. I didn’t know how long it would take to gain real power on Earth, but the thought of it was something I eagerly anticipated.

After they waved us through, I hit the gas pedal once again and waved at them.

The BMW was rumbling happily beneath me like it was born to defy medieval roads.

“I’ll teach you sometime how to drive back on Earth,” I suggested to Noah as we sped forward, eyes flicking to him with a grin. “Not here… these roads would eat your first attempt alive.”

He didn’t argue.

Not long after, the familiar silhouette of the now Royal Castle of the North came into view. Standing at the front, as if summoned by sheer, almost maternal rage and concern, was Livia.

It was like she’d sensed me or something through a telepathic link between us. Maybe she just knew her lunatic mistress would make a scene the second she got back.

She was waiting by the front entrance with her arms crossed and brows furrowed; but that expression shattered the moment she saw who was inside the vehicle.

Livia’s mouth fell open and her eyes went wide. She was showing more emotion than I’ve ever seen on her.

I pulled up right in front and came to a complete stop. The moment I opened the door, she shouted, “SERAPHINA!”

She lunged at me before I could even step out of the car. I was given no time to brace myself before she wrapped her arms around me like a vise, burying her face in my shoulder.

“Where have you been? You just vanished into thin air! I thought something had happened to you… I was so scared…” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know,” I whispered, stroking her back the best as I could. “It wasn’t planned, not exactly.”

“What do you mean?” she growled, still not letting go.

While I soothed her with hugs and apologies, Noah was doing the same thing on the other side with his men, who had sprinted out the moment they heard the screech of the metal beast.

I could see the confusion and concern on everyone’s face, and Noah, the ever-composed archduke, was fielding questions like a king returning from another realm.

“We’re safe,” he told them plainly. “We’ll explain everything later. For now, make sure no one touches the car.”

One of the men looked at it like it might bite him; I snorted with laughter.

“Don’t worry,” I called. “It only bites idiots.”

That earned a few nervous laughs.

Livia didn’t let go for a long time.

She clung to me like I might disappear at any moment, her usually composed face buried in my shoulder. I don’t think I’d ever seen her look more shaken than right now. Not even during the assassination attempt or the court drama.

I had always known Livia cared deeply for me, but this was the clearest sign yet of just how deep that affection ran.

“I’m here,” I whispered gently while still rubbing her back. “Everything’s alright now, Livia.”

When she finally pulled back, her eyes were glassy, and her mouth opened with about a hundred questions she didn’t quite know how to form.

So I helped her out.

“We… went to my old world,” I whispered. “This red beast, as everyone seems to call it, is something I brought back. It’s a machine that runs without magic, powered only by science—just as I’ve always preached. And it’s all thanks to my cute daughter, Lyra…” My voice softened as I trailed off, my gaze falling to the sleeping baby in the back seat.

I said nonchalantly, “I now have the power to travel between worlds.”

Livia’s breath hitched, “You… what?”

“I’ll bring you next time,” I said with a smile. Of course I had planned on her coming with us from the very start. Maybe Elowen as well, depending on what happens over the next twenty-four hours. I don’t plan on staying here for very long.

There is much to be done on Earth.

“Noah and I already talked about it. We’re going to need more hands, and you’re always my first pick… right after him.”

That finally broke the tension in her face. She exhaled, looking completely overwhelmed but also undeniably touched. As always, she didn’t say the words out loud but showed them in her actions.

With a lull in our conversation, I opened the back door, reached for Lyra, and pulled her out. I held her out toward Livia with a big smile.

“Meet our little miracle, our daughter named Lyra.”

Livia’s lips trembled as she took the child carefully, her hands steady despite everything. She stared down at her like she’d been handed a sacred relic. It was very similar to how Noah cradled our sweet girl.

After some back and forth with Livia, along with Noah handling his things, we didn’t plan on wasting any time.

Not with rumors sure to explode any moment and more than a few overly curious guards whispering about the giant red “demon chariot” that had arrived at our gates.

So Noah gathered the core people that worked directly under him. Those who were the most trustworthy and would never backstab him, no matter what.

Everyone was brought to the council chambers used only for the most sensitive matters. Thick doors with heavy walls, a room made for secrets.

We had plenty of those to share.

Noah stood at my side as I looked around at the familiar faces. His shadow guards, some of his highest-ranking commanders, a few of my chosen staff, and my most trusted ally, Livia.

Elowen was still recovering from what I understood, so I didn’t bother bringing her.

“Alright,” I said, settling Lyra into her carrier beside me. “Let’s make something very clear before we begin.”

I leaned on the table slightly, eyes steady.

“We obviously can’t really lie about the current situation. Disappearing in a golden flash of light and reappearing in a machine not of this world is going to have people talking.”

“But,” I continued, “What we can do is try and control the narrative.”

I glanced at Noah. He nodded once, confirming he was completely with me.

“Only those in this room will know the complete truth for now.” I paused; the room was dead silent, waiting for my following words. “I’ve received a divine blessing that allows me to move between different worlds.”

The looks on everyone’s faces screamed disbelief, but how could they argue with the sight of my car sitting out front of the castle?

“I hope we can trust all of you going forward because this will open up the North to so much innovation it will shock the entire world.”