2 44

Memories played like a movie in fast-forward, absorbed into the mind before the contents were even fully comprehended. Language, experiences, faces and names swam in a haze. Twelve years worth of a stranger's life condensed into a few dizzying moments.

The original occupant of Li Mei's new body didn't have a proper name. She was called 44, one of many slaves serving in a rustic valley estate belonging to a merchant who owned a fleet of trading vessels. The number 44 was branded on her upper left arm surrounded by a circular design of several aesthetically pleasing spirals and whorls, spelling out a phrase in a foreign language. 44 was only taught the most commonly spoken vernacular, so she had no idea what language the phrase was in or what it even meant.

Considered by others to be a bit dim, 44 kept her head down and quietly did her job day after day, never doing anything about the vicious bullying perpetrated by proper servants and even other slaves. Unlike other slaves who were assigned to dormitories, the girl gave up her bed to sleep in a different closet every night, changing location to avoid late night beatings and harassment.

The overall technology level on the planet, called Elysium by the inhabitants, seemed reminiscent of Earth's at the start of the digital information era. Cameras, cell phones, television and radio, even flying ships were various types of magitech powered by mana running through spell circle formulas, or Circuits.

Magitech were forbidden for slaves to use so they did everything by hand with primitive tools like brushes and brooms. Cleaning up after their owner's many animals and fertilizing vast gardens was messy and filthy work pushed onto the young and frail 44. She did the worst jobs around the estate without complaint and never talked back no matter how ridiculous the demands made of her.

44 had a hidden backbone others failed to notice. Regardless of the harsh treatment she received, the girl never once pleaded for mercy. She memorized faces and temperaments, silently adjusting her behaviors to avoid people who were the most cruel. Dealing with indifference and disdain was easier than open hostility, so she kept near those who pretended she didn't exist.

The rustic estate didn't employ security cameras on the premises, just personal guards and patrolling beasts. 44's owner had a great fondness for antiques and his entire estate was built with that in mind, using old blueprints and techniques from past eras. The layout of the entire property, including countless secret corridors and passageways, was as familiar to 44 as the backs of her calloused little hands.

She could get from one end of the main house to the other faster than anyone without being seen or heard, and used that to pilfer rations when the hunger was too much to bear. Just enough to survive, not enough to be noticed by kitchen staff.

Li Mei found herself admiring the clever girl, feeling a spark of anger at the thought that someone killed her for no reason after forcing her to live a life of hardship and mediocrity. For as long as the girl could remember she'd been treated the worst of all the slaves, and none of the memories Li Mei sifted through gave any reason as to why. It'd simply always been that way.

And then while 44 was sick with one of her many fevers, probably caused by all the malnourishment and abuse, someone came in and stabbed her to death. The poor thing never even saw the face of her killer.

When Li Mei finally reoriented herself, she swore colorfully and clenched her stomach. The dress covering her scrawny body, a horrible thing little more than a burlap sack, was torn across the middle to reveal a gaping abdominal wound knitting itself shut at a speed visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately the grievously injured sack dress was immune to her new body's temporary regeneration.

She lay on a thin moldy bed roll in a narrow closet mostly occupied by a metal shelf holding cleaning supplies with strong chemical scents. A single buzzing lightbulb illuminated the closet with a flickering yellow glow. Sticky warm blood clung to her waist, legs, and pooled on the bed roll. The dagger used to stab the body's previous occupant lay on the ground nearby. A crude, cheap thing with a frail chipped blade and no handguard.

Li Mei, who was not actually a twelve year old uneducated slave girl and was in fact only inhabiting the body of one, felt suspicious about the whole situation. Since she was stuck to the bed waiting for her wound to heal, she decided to grit through the pain and check out her new life cheat.

"Open Interface," she muttered.

Cyan blue light filled her vision before arranging itself into something resembling a video game interface display. In one corner was a circular minimap showing just the closet, a tiny arrow in the center representing Li Mei's position and directional facing. Focusing on the minimap brought up a holographic screen showing the map enlarged and with more detail.

Under the minimap were three icons aligned in a row: a cute little smiley face, a backpack, and a book. Li Mei glanced at the smiley face first.

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NAME: Li Mei

HEALTH: 43% (Malnourished)

AGE: 12

SPECIES: Human (? ? ?)

JOB: Slave

MANA: 0/0

M. QUALITY: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

EXP: 0

STR: 1

CON: 1

DEX: 1

INT: 3

WIS: 8

TITLES: [Experiment 44] [Illegitimate Child]

TRAITS: [Enslavement Bind] [Sickly]

SKILLS: [Archive] [Scan Lv.1] [Storage Lv.1]

SPELLS:

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"There's a lot to unpack here," Li Mei grumbled to herself. "Am I not human after all?"

When she glanced at each of the stats it brought up brief tooltip explanations in smaller screens. Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom - all normal stats for a video game. Experience could be gained in a myriad of ways and used to purchase stat points, or upgrade skills and spells. Stats could also be raised through old-fashioned training or study. The average for a human child her age was apparently three, so they were incredibly low aside from Intelligence and Wisdom.

"Mana is used to cast spells. M. Quality is mana quality, which determines how powerful my spells are and how much mana they cost to cast. But I don't know any spells or mana so not having any quality isn't important right now. And I don't know what to do with all that anyway. What worries me the most are those titles and traits... And the skills..." Li Mei pushed herself into a sitting position, pressing her back to the wall. Her stomach ached but the wound was almost entirely healed on the surface. She took a few deep breaths before examining the titles thoroughly.

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[Experiment 44]

???

(You don't have enough information to view details about this title.)

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[Illegitimate Child]

???

(You don't have enough information to view details about this title.)

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[Enslavement Bind]

A magic spell binds you. You are confined to a designated property and are compelled to follow direct orders from your Owner or individuals authorized by your Owner. You cannot harm your Owner, or any authorized individuals. You cannot leave your designated property.

Disobedience will be punished. Higher amounts of infractions facilitate more severe punishments.

Infractions: 0

Owner: Adalrich Agilo

Authorized: -

Current Orders: -

Current Restrictions: -

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[Sickly]

A life of malnourishment and abuse have left your body frail and prone to disease. A proper diet and exercise regimen can nullify this effect with time.

-60% resistance to disease, poison, pain

-50% to STR, CON, DEX stat gains

-70% to EXP gained through physical activity

-50% health regeneration

+200% cost to purchase STR, CON, DEX stat points

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[Archive]

Stores all data you come across, as well as recording memories in video format. Information, notes, and more will be stored and sorted. There's also a convenient search function, and custom sorting for organization.

Archive can translate documents in foreign languages through the use of EXP. It also allows for editing memory videos to save important moments or peruse them later. Interacts with Scan to keep data displayed relevant.

Can be easily accessed via the book icon on the minimap.

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[Scan Lv.1]

Passive effect. Focusing on people or things brings up a screen that displays information. At higher levels, information previously unknown to you may be displayed and recorded in the Archive.

Scan keeps the Interface minimap updated. As the level is upgraded, more functionality will be unlocked.

At Lv.1, only the name of items or people are shown if you don't know anything about them already.

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[Storage Lv.1]

Active effect. Allows storing of items in an extradimensional space. Items stored exist in stasis, allowing the preservation of perishables. Multiple items placed in storage will not interact or mix with each other.

Opening the Storage window and intentionally focusing on an object within arm's reach will store it if there's enough space to do so. Likewise, focusing on an item displayed in the Storage window will queue it for removal. You will have to designate an appropriate area, also within arm's reach, for the item's removal.

At Lv.1, the space available for storage is 1 cubic meter.

Can be easily accessed via the bag icon under the minimap.

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In 44's memories she never actually saw her Owner. Whenever he visited the estate - which was infrequently - she was assigned to work the fields, muck the stables, or scrub the cellars. He never gave her any orders or restrictions. And there were no authorized individuals listed under the enslavement title. Which meant no one actually had the authority to treat 44 the way they did, or even order her around, despite her official status as a slave!

Li Mei's eyes flashed with a sinister light.