The Mystery of a traveller.

Chapter 4

"Who the hell are you?, and how can you know something that no one else in the country knows?" she said fiercely, almost tearing my eardrums with her beautiful howling voice, "I am afraid I can't tell you that cherry," I shrugged "stop calling me that I am not your fucking cherry," she said spurring the knife harder I can feel the narrow stream of blood dripping down to my chest "Then tell me your name I will address you with that" I pouted "Answer me first about your identity, or you are fucking dead!" she said coldly.

SHOULD I DIVULGE HER? WELL, I HAVE ALREADY INFRINGED 2 RULES ALREADY HALFWAY, AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH REVEALING MY IDENTITY TO THE GORGEOUS WOMAN I AM OBSESSED WITH FROM THE FIRST SIGHT?

"You will probably think I am crazy," I said vividly. "Try me," she articulated in a low tone "I am a time traveler from the future, and I came here to film about how gunpowder was transformed into weapons, you know it's kinda historical how weapons were first used" I explained finally breaking all three rules. Damn. "It's really hard to believe you, but I am still a little inconvenient about this, but can you tell whether the weapons are defected or not?" She asked expectantly.

"Yes, cherry, I can," I smirked "It's Stephanie," she said dropping the knife back in her purse and stepping back while making her attire visible from top to bottom. She was dressed in classic medieval age clothing, a fitted dress called cotte, and a kirtle of ankle-length. Her fitted kirtle had wide skirts made by triangular gores to widen the hem without adding bulk to her waist and the material was also very distinguishable from the present timeline it looked like linen but more raw and smooth.

"Now that you know about me, it's your turn cherr- Stephanie to introduce yourself to me," I asked beaming warmly at her. "Let's go somewhere peaceful and then converse, alright? she said as we walked out of the factory in the backyard. She sighed and then began to tell me about her family business and how she turned down the offer and instead started her own business. I don't even know if she was telling me because I asked or because she wanted someone to vent to, but I nonetheless paid close attention to her words.

Author's POV:-
Stephanie Wellington is a vicious psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor. She wasn't like this from birth. Of course, her fathers upbringing played a significant influence in transforming her from a kind angel to a brutal devil. Her mother died while giving birth to her brother, and her father had preferred that her brother be the eldest one, but Steph turned out to be the first child. Still, her father wasn't mournful when she was born.

However, once she had reached her early adolescent years, her father became concerned that she was inadequate and indecent for their family business, which was about shipping opium, and since the first-born kid in their family had to be the following CEO of the firm regardless of gender.

Her father involuntarily began persuading her to become more proficient than she already was and threatened her and sometimes brutally abuse her that if she didn't act assertive and adamant and enhance herself in that circumstance, he will provide the ownership to her brother without overseeing the ancestral rule and she knew that her father was solemn about this.

So, in the name of self-improvement, she began to put pressure on herself, believing that she had to be the most pleasant. She was thinking that it is for her betterment but in reality, it was just her fear forming to take shape of vengeance, and therefore when the gunpowder reached China to Western Europe.

She thought of commencing a weapon manufacturing factory instead of taking over their family business while also killing her very own brother so that her father and family's last hope will be Stephanie meaning they have to agree with whatever she intends to do.

So, now Steph is that atrocious immoral bitch who doesn't care about anyone's feelings because no one cared about hers when she needed it the most and now, she sees it as a game to ignore other people's feelings or hurt and betray them, which is why she was so anticipatory to slaughter Joshua because he was the first person to prove her wrong.

She now only prioritizes and cares about her factory and nothing else. Even if it means taking advantage of someone, which is why she has assassinated a substantial percentage of the factory workforce as an outcome of their delayed manufacturing and inefficient product creation, as well as those who blabbed behind her back or if her name escaped their lips. She would never hesitate to murder someone. Never.

While telling Joshua about her journey, she skipped the murdering of her brother part entirely and instead covered it by saying he departed because he was a coward and wanted Steph to suffer. Likewise, she only reveals the part where her father was the only one at fault.

By the time they finished speaking, it was already past twilight. Steph's tummy grumbled, indicating that she was hungry. She asked Joshua to spend the rest of his days in this timeline at her house, and Joshua acquiesced without any reluctance. Steph introduced Joshua to her father and informed him that he would be dwelling here for the time being, and her dad didnt prohibit it. He never refused her for anything because he was frightened of his daughter annihilating his existence, like she did to her brother.

Steph and her father were having dinner with their new guest. Joshua isn't hungry, as he never is in this timeline, but the enticing cuisines made him eat it all. He saw that her father didn't say anything other than asking her about their weekly profit and how much personnel has been reduced. Joshua observed that Stephs father seemed nervous around his daughter and wasn't maintaining eye contact but Joshua shrugged it off and devoured his meal pleasingly.

Steph was escorting Joshua to his room after dinner, and as Joshua followed her. He explored the interior of the house since it was different and unique for him as there was a greater number of rooms.

The kitchen, buttery, and pantry were located at the far end of the hall beyond a carved timber or stone screen that supported a minstrels gallery. At the other end, there was a chamber perhaps with an upper room above it, that was used as a bedroom.

The red-carpet stairs were enormous, built with smooth concrete, and in the way, walls were perforated with numerous windows, typically of stained glass, and the chandeliers on the ceiling had a conceivable array of candles in them instead of bulbs. It was truly spectacular. There were no stipulated rules dictating proportion in the style, and embellishment was mainly the unfettered expression of craftspeople.

Although the house was still not planned as a whole it was enticing in its way. Joshua entered the room that Steph had just unlocked. There was one large window parallel to the entrance and a single bed made of sturdy wood. It was a four-poster bed that was about 6-inches thick and a whopping 12 square feet covering most of the room, with a cozy top sheet and a smooth blanket made of fine linen.

The floor underneath us was plain yet appealing, and extraordinarily substantial tables and chairs stood on the floor in the corner of the room, which was strewn with sawdust texture.

Steph then led Joshua to another door associated with this room, which was a wardrobe for storing curtains, hangings, bed and table linen, as well as the clothing and resources for the members of the household because they don't have closets at this time.

"You can wear any of these, they are my brother's clothes," she said while opening an oak chest consisting of some basic garments with woolen tunics, cloaks, hoods, boots, and shoes. Thank you for everything, Cherry, and I'll see you tomorrow," Joshua replied while deciding what to wear from the chest. "Tomorrow? We are sleeping together, this is my bedroom silly. Change and make yourself comfortable." She stated sternly, her gaze fixed on Joshua, who was now wide-eyed.

"Cherry, I know I am tempting but we merely met today," Joshua said, to which Steph smacked his arm hard and spoke, "A bed is a luxury experienced only by the prosperous, there are only two beds in this house, one of which is occupied by my father and you should be fucking privileged at least I am allowing you to sleep on the bed. If you have any objection go sleep on the floor in the hall."

Joshua being all red from embarrassment just nodded and laughed awkwardly, while Steph left for a shower leaving him alone in the wardrobe room.