The Soul Reborn: From Silence to Sovereignty Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Shopping Spree, Car, Milkshake

“Go ahead,” I said, gesturing toward the bathroom. “Take a shower and be amazed; you’ll never want to go back to our primitive one ever again.”

Noah glanced at the stream still flowing through the air, then back at me with a smirk.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll just watch some TV and go in after you. I’d say let’s shower together, but… well, you know.”
I glanced toward the bed, where our adorable little girl was flailing her arms and babbling like she had something important to say.

Noah chuckled softly, “Right… the baby.”

He grabbed a towel from the rack as I stepped out; the door was never closed because why would he care if we saw him?

“Enjoy,” I said from the bed as I started flipping through the channels to see if anything interesting was on TV.

Fifteen minutes later, a very refreshed Noah walked back into the room with steam trailing behind him. His expression was somewhere between impressed and dazed.

“That was…” he shook his head slowly, “an experience.”

“I told you,” I said, passing him Lyra so I could take my turn.

Once I finished and changed into one of Noah’s oversized shirts, which fortunately he often wore in layers, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and couldn’t help but think I should do this more often. The look suited me far more than I expected, and judging by the way Noah’s eyes lingered, he clearly thought so too.

Now I could finally do something I had always dreamed of. Cuddle up in bed with Noah and watch a movie like we were just a normal couple on Earth, free from all the chaos our world usually dumped on us.

Of course I could also nestle with my new favorite girl in the world, which brought a peaceful warmth to the moment.

For a while, the peace felt real. But even then, I couldn’t silence the part of me that kept reaching for home.

When the movie ended and the glow of the TV faded into darkness, I snuggled back against Noah, cradling Lyra on the other side of me.

“Hold me tight,” I whispered. “I don’t want to roll over and hurt her.”

We had no means to get her a crib or something safe to sleep in tonight with everything around us closed.

“Of course,” he murmured, pulling me into his arms. His embrace was steady and protective, carrying that familiar warmth that only he could give.

I smiled, relaxing as Lyra let out a little babble.

“Don’t worry, cutie, tomorrow I will get you something more comfortable to sleep in… possibly a stroller.”

“A what?” he asked sleepily.

"It’s something that makes it easier to move around safely with a baby. Earth has many conveniences for children. You’ll see tomorrow."

“I can’t wait,” he said with some rare excitement in his voice.

I smiled. “Once we sell a gold coin or two, everything will be easy. We can even buy a permanent residence in this world, so when we come back here in the future, we’ll have a home base.”

He hummed in agreement.

“I’m confident I know how to get us back,” I whispered, staring at the ceiling. “It’s about holding her close and focusing on that feeling, the need to return.” For a moment, I let the memory wash over me. “After Lyra was born, I thought about my old world, and then we were here.”

I swallowed. “I don’t know how much time has passed since we left the North, but… it’s probably insane over there right now.”

Silence stretched for a moment before I added…

"We can’t stay for too long, but after we show everyone that we’re okay, we’ll come back. Maybe next time we bring more help, someone like Livia to watch Lyra while we focus on gathering supplies."

“You think we can bring them through?” he asked.

“If they’re touching me, I don’t see why not.”

He hesitated for a moment before speaking softly. “We’ll plan carefully and make sure the North understands what it means to have you as their archduchess.”

I smiled, reaching down to gently stroke Lyra’s tiny head.

“For her and for the world we’re building, we must succeed.”

With that comforting thought warming my heart, I finally allowed myself to drift to sleep, safely wrapped in Noah’s arms and soothed by the gentle rhythm of Lyra’s breathing beside me.

Our world could wait for a bit because this moment was something I wanted to cherish.

Sadly, I found out what it’s like to be a new mother.

Lyra woke a few hours later with her first real cry, her tiny lungs filling the motel room with a helpless wail that crushed any chance of more sleep. She was healthy, loud, and already full of opinions—definitely my daughter. I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.

“Shh, it’s alright,” I murmured, holding her close and swaying softly.

Noah sat up groggily beside me, dark circles under his eyes for the first time in… ever. He rubbed his face and reached out to help, offering his arm so I could shift her into a more comfortable hold.

“So this is parenthood,” I muttered. “Joy.” While I do love Lyra, I still need my sleep.

All together, we might’ve gotten three and a half hours… combined. But I couldn’t even be mad at her. I just looked down into her squishy, pudgy little face and sighed in defeat.

“It’s fine, Lyra,” I murmured. “I’m not mad, just… delirious.”

Morning finally came, and I dragged myself out of bed with all the grace of a dying whale. My bloodstained gown was still my only option, so I made do.

Noah offered me a choice between his jacket and his shirt. I went with the jacket; it was large enough to hide most of the stains. We probably looked like a disheveled fantasy cosplay couple who’d wandered off from a convention.

“You’ll look suspicious if you keep carrying me around in broad daylight,” I said, while looking out the window at those walking by. “So be quick about it.”

Noah simply grunted, already slipping Lyra into a makeshift sling he’d fashioned from one of the hotel’s extra sheets.

I called an operator with the phone in our room to ask about information on certain stores nearby.

“Are there any pawn shops?” I asked, giving her the address of the motel we were currently staying at.

“Five Miles,” I told Noah after I hung up. “Not too far, right? That’s… what… an hour walk?”

“Thirty minutes,” he muttered with confidence.

“For you, but I still have no shoes, so it’s all on you, hubby.”

He shot me a sidelong glance, amusement flickering in his eyes as we traded smiles. I patted his arm, letting my hand linger on the warmth I’d missed. Something we’d both been longing for was slowly finding its way back.

“Okay,” I continued, sitting cross-legged on the bed with Lyra resting in my arms while staring up at the ceiling. “So the plan is… We go to this pawn shop and try to sell just one gold coin at first. Gauge the guy’s reaction. If he’s chill, maybe offer more.”

I started giggling, probably from sleep deprivation.

“God, if he buys the whole bag… we’ll be rich.”

Noah raised a brow. “Is that a problem?”

“It’s a suspicious problem because these have never been seen in this world. If he gets greedy or starts asking questions, we might get the kind of attention we really don’t want.”

I bit my thumb in worry…

“But I mean, seriously… one gold coin could get us, like… two thousand dollars. That’s… a cheap car, but I want something far more efficient and safe considering our circumstances. I wonder… Do I need a license to buy a car?”

Noah blinked. “A what?” Despite being surrounded by things he didn’t understand, he took it all in stride. He seldom asked questions unless I began explaining, content to let me think through the problem. He was more of the supportive type than someone who'd give solid suggestions.

“Never mind, it’s not important.” I waved my hand. We can’t go back until I purchase a car because of how amusing it will be to see everyone’s reaction back at home.

I looked over at the bag of coins that was now sitting on the bed. It gleamed faintly in the motel light as the heat of the sun started coming through the window.

“Ugh, I’m too exhausted to plan anymore. Let’s just see how this pawnshop guy reacts to our gold coins and go from there. We’ll either make his day or Noah… You might have to stretch your intimidation muscles a bit.”

He reached for my hand and kissed the top of it. “I’ll do whatever my queen commands.”

Before our thoughts could wander too far, I spoke up. “By the way, Noah,” I said, shifting in his arms as he lifted me into a princess carry, Lyra still nestled safely against my chest. “Don’t let me catch you checking out any girls here; I’ll get mad.”

Noah raised an eyebrow. “What… girls?”

“Exactly,” I said with a grin. “But seriously, people here dress a lot more openly. No shame at all when it comes to showing skin. If anyone flirts with you, just… intimidate them. Use killing intent or something.”

“You’re territorial,” he muttered with satisfaction written all over his smug face.

“Damn right! You're mine, after all!”

The pawn shop wasn’t much to look at—dusty windows, a flickering neon sign, and the kind of place that sold both engagement rings and hunting knives in the same glass case.

As we neared the door, I asked Noah to set me down. Walking into a pawn shop while being carried and holding a baby was a bit much. I’d just have to pretend the bare feet were intentional.

He stepped in close behind me, arms folded and cloak draped over his shoulders like some kind of fantasy warlord’s bodyguard.

“Just stay silent for now,” I whispered. “Let me do the talking; you just loom and be intimidating.”

“I’m good at that.”

Noah held the door open as we stepped inside. The air was stale, thick with dust and the faint buzz of old electronics.

A middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair sat behind the counter, looking at us with the same suspicion most people reserve for cursed artifacts and wandering witches.

“Hello,” I said, unbothered. “How much would you give us for this?”

I placed a single, heavy gold coin on the glass counter.

He squinted at the coin, picked it up, and gave it a cautious bite. Weighing it in his hand, he then carried it over to some equipment, tested it under a light, and scraped it against a tile.

He seemed to be going above and beyond just to see if it was real gold. It felt a little strange, though maybe he was just an odd one.

“Huh,” he said finally. “Solid twenty-four karat gold… Probably from an old mine, but there’s no official stamp I can trace. Still, with gold prices where they are, it’s worth quite a bit.”

I looked at him with a smirk trying to form at the corner of my lips, “How much?”

“Twenty-five hundred,” he said. I tried hard not to squeal in delight. Even if it wasn’t a fair price for this quality, I didn’t care because we had plenty of it at home.

“Yeah…” I said, trying not to seem overly enthusiastic. Then I dropped our current entire gold stash on the counter with a satisfying clink.

He stared, blinking a few times, and then started counting, understanding my intentions.

I’m not sure if what I just did was smart, but I couldn’t help myself. In my last life I was always poor, and this seemed like a quick way to make real money.

“You’ve got thirty gold coins here. That’s… yeah. I’ll give you seventy-five grand for the lot.”

I blinked, then again…

“Really?” I asked. “You’re not even going to ask where we got them.”

The clerk gave me a knowing smile. “Must have been a gift or inheritance for the little one,” he said dryly, nodding toward Lyra. “Cute kid… Starting off life right, huh? You must have some generous relatives.”

“Right… right…” I grinned. “They totally are; we’re so lucky.”

He smirked but didn’t press. Professional discretion, I guess, or he just didn’t care… Either way, I like him.

“Look,” he added, lowering his voice slightly. “If I melted this and sold it off, I’d probably make a hundred grand or more. But I’m guessing you want quick cash, no questions.”

I leaned on the counter and nodded towards him. “You’re good.”

“I’m fair.”

Thirty minutes later, I walked out with Noah holding Lyra, my pockets filled with seventy-five thousand dollars in fresh bills and a receipt for legal sale tucked away.

I was practically glowing like I’d just won the lottery.

“Noah,” I said, half-laughing and half-crying, “we’re rich. Okay, maybe just entry-level rich, but still. I want a shopping spree, a car, and a milkshake… in that exact order.”

He glanced down at me with amusement. “So… we’re good?”

“We’re better than good; this is a great start to our otherworldly life!”