Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35 A New Namie

Chapter 35 A New Name

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” Riley asked.

Sylvie nodded so vigorously it looked like her head might pop right off.

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Riley paused for a moment, then lifted her right hand, thumb sticking up, and waved it slowly in front of Sylvie’s face.

“Here, copy me.”

She spoke slowly, pointing at her own hand. “This means ‘good job‘ or ‘awesome“.”

Sylvie blinked.

She raised her small hand, a little clumsily mimicking the motion. First she made a fist, then carefully stuck her thumb out, holding it at an awkward angle.

“Yeah, just like that.” Riley smiled encouragingly. “It’s a way to say someone did great. Good job!”

Sylvie glanced at her own thumb, then back at Riley’s approving face, seeming to grasp the idea.

She took a deep breath, as if preparing for something important, then opened her mouth and tried to repeat the words.

“You… you’re broad…”

Riley’s smile instantly froze.

“Pfft-”

She nearly choked on her own spit.

“It’s proud! Not broad!” Riley corrected her, shaking her head. “P–r–o–u–d, proud!”

Sylvie stared back innocently, then seriously gave another thumbs–up and announced loudly, “Broad!”

Riley sighed.

Alright, fine. Whatever.

Looking into Sylvie’s clear, earnest eyes, Riley couldn’t bring herself to explain that the words were totally different.

After all… in a world where everyone was starving to the brink of death, being called broad was probably the highest praise one could receive.

“Fine, fine. I’m broad. I’m broad,” Riley said, ruffling the girl’s hair in defeat. Clearly, language lessons weren’t going well tonight.

Asking deeper questions about this world would have to wait.

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Chapter 35 A New Name

By the time they were done messing around near the wall, the sky had begun to darken.

Sunsets on the frozen plains could be breathtaking.

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A deep crimson glow spilled across the snow, painting the newly built stone wall in shades of gold and rust.

Riley moved their small table in front of the main cabin’s wide window. They ate a simple dinner while watching the colors bleed across the sky.

“Here.”

Riley speared a piece of bread with her fork and held it out.

Sylvie happily opened her mouth, chewing with her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.

Watching her, Riley suddenly realized something.

“Oh man, I don’t even know your name.”

She set her fork down and pointed to herself. “Riley.”

Then she pointed at the girl. “How about you? What’s your name?”

Sylvie stopped chewing and just looked at her, confused.

Riley tried again, patiently. “Name. Me, Riley. You…?”

Sylvie seemed to catch on.

She swallowed her food and made a soft, mumbled sound. “Nee… kah. Nee–kah.”

“Neeka?”

Riley frowned slightly. It didn’t quite sound like a name–more like a filler noise, or maybe some kind of title.

“Neeka?” Sylvie repeated, pointing at herself.

Riley thought it over. The sound was sort of mechanical, almost like a click or a small creature’s chirp. A little strange, but maybe that was just how things were here.

Her eyes drifted to Sylvie’s pink–blue hair and the tiny flowers woven into it, petals shifting faintly with her mood. An idea sparked.

“Neeko”

Riley tested the name aloud.

The girl tilted her head.

“Neeko,” Riley said firmly, pointing at her. “That’s your new name now. Neeko. You like it?”

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Mon, Mas

Chapter 35 A New Name

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-one that meant curiosity and change. Fitting, for a kid who Back in her old world, it was a cute name- could shift forms and looked at everything with wide–eyed wonder.

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