Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Nora's POV
Without any other choice, I started my exploration, moving around the place and trying to figure out where I could go and where everything was. I came across a couple of passageways that I entered, and soon enough, I found myself in what I considered to be the seventh quarters. It was only now I was starting to realize that it was very similar to the ancient palace, but in its own right, this one was a large mansion. It had staircases going up and down many floors also, and it was going to take me a very long time to go through, but at least it had a seventh quarter, and that was something similar in its own right.

I came out and saw that there were estates, and there seemed to be nobles living in the place in general. I soon found a way of moving and one particular landmark I could always return to in order to continue moving, and that was a large major front door. It was actually two doors, but only one was open for some reason, and I could tell from the large amount of light coming through it and how big it was that I would always be able to find my way back in no matter where I was. And as long as I followed the general central direction, trying to go out of the house, I would get out through this large door.

I made my way around the estate, looking at the terraced floors and how there didn't seem to be one single grain of sand anywhere at all. It was very surprising how the place could be so clean. But soon I knew that it was supposed to be so when I saw the number of cleaners around—servants who had nothing more to do but to keep on making the place shine. They weren't using a broom. It was something different, something very strange.

"What's this?" I said, coming to one of them and tapping on the large machine that was making a little noise as it roamed around the floor, sucking up all the dirt beneath.

"It's a vacuum cleaner, my queen," she said in response, bowing slightly.

I took a step back, letting her continue her job. Now that was the attitude they were supposed to have when talking with me. It was supposed to be simple, and they weren't supposed to question why I was asking. I was pretty sure that if it was Stella or someone else that I asked, like maybe Camilla, then I was going to get a couple of snide remarks and a couple of questions in response to my question before I finally got an answer that would satisfy me.

I looked at the job that she was doing and smiled. She was doing it well, I had to say, and this machine—vacuum cleaner or whatever she called it—it was making sure that the ground was sparkling clean. If only it didn't make such a noise, but then could I blame it? Brooms made noise too, and this wasn't any louder than the noise that brooms made against the floor.

I smiled, turning around and continuing my journey. There were a couple of people talking, benches were around, and large machines also that I had long known to be cars. I had figured that one out myself; yes, and something not that difficult either. I looked at myself in pride at my progress in learning everything so far. I was going to learn even more.

It was good also that somehow once I looked at something and tried to figure out what they were, it just came back to me—the memories of the previous Nora. They resurfaced, and they were helping me out one way or another, and I was using that in order not to be so oblivious as I was supposed to be. The little assistance was necessary, and I was grateful for the fragments of her memory that remained, only needing to be jogged back by some kind of experience in order for me to remember a couple of things. It was because of that that I was able to talk so fluently, and I was also able to communicate at all with the nobles and have the basic vocabulary of things around.

"I should get myself a phone, although didn't the previous Nora have one already?" I questioned myself, frowning as I looked at the device in everyone's hands. I didn't need to ask about it. The name just came to my mind when I thought about it. It was something that seemed to be owned by everyone here. Even the servants seemed to have their own personal ones. They were of different sizes, big and small. I couldn't help but be amazed at how it seemed to be taking over life here in general, how people seemed to be completely invested in it, and they didn't seem to be able to survive without that little device.

I guess it's actually that important, I thought to myself. Sharing a little might as well be very useful to them, so I should have one just for that reason. I smiled to myself as I started making my way towards a shop in the distance. The place felt like a fortress, but I knew it was called an estate here. However, it was completely shut off from the world in its own little way, but at the same time, I was pretty sure that it could survive on its own even if nobody at all was present to live here. Just being in itself, it could provide the food that we needed. The people needed to eat, and I was pretty sure that already there was enough food here for an army or some kind of major blackout or something.

I made a point of roaming around the place in search of what I wanted to buy because the phone device thing, even though it was looking as if it was very important, somehow the people didn't seem to have it enforced so easily. That only goes to show that it's also valuable and not just important, I thought to myself, frowning as I looked at what was going on and considered the situation for myself.

I decided to go against that now and instead continue my mission since I didn't seem to be finding anyone to buy from. I should continue trying to get familiar with the terrain because that was one thing that lasted. I remembered my goal to get to the library and take a lot of books there to get myself up to date, but suddenly, someone appeared walking up to me with a brilliant smile on his face.

"Hello," I called, turning to look at him when I saw him stand right in front of me. He wasn't intrusive, but he kept a responsible distance away. I wanted to know why he was following me and why he stopped me. He bowed, somehow smiling at me like he expected me to bow also, but I kept on waiting. With that same smile on his face, he spoke, extending his hand.

"My name is Jake," he said. "I saw you from a distance away. I thought I would speak with you," he said once again.

I raised an eyebrow at him. He was speaking casually—did he not know that I was the queen, or was there something wrong with him? He waited for me, so I decided to introduce myself.

"I'm Nora," I said quietly.

He smiled. "Nice to meet you, Nora," he said. "You seem to be looking for something?"

I looked at him in surprise. Now that was someone that had solid observation skills. I couldn't help but feel relieved to have met him finally. It's all good who would not hesitate to lead me to the place since he was the one who offered in the first place. That was literally what I saw him as—a guide—but I think I valued him already because I was in desperate need of one right now.

I smiled at him. "I am indeed looking for something. I don't know if you can help me, good sir."