§  “You’re really not having a fight?” The discussion over dinner went on for nearly two hours, with not only Rod but also Ryuu and most of the others persuaded to their plans while I continued to object to them. The only thing I managed to gain in the end was their agreement to require the few Servants who were …

§  Back in the days when we thought Ged’s accession to the throne was far in the future, before the southern lords shattered the peace of Orestania, Rod’s role, besides being spare prince, was to train as a military man. Ged also had to train, but his trajectory was a little more straightforward, as future king. In a kingdom where …

§ “Her Grace, Tiana, Duchess of Pendor and Bride of the Southern Viceroy, is entering!” I managed not to roll my eyes at the overly formal declaration as I approached the formal dining room of the Ducal Residence. This would be the first ‘official’ time that I entered since this chamber ceased to be the temporary War Room, so the …

§ I canceled the [Blood Presence] spell that linked me to the world inside the Training Network and opened my eyes in my real body… § I noticed motion in my peripheral vision and turned my eyes from the reflection in the mirror of Genette doing final touches to my hairdo to catch Pasrue’s airship passing the window that overlooks …

§ Spirit Folk tents are amazing.  When the threatening storm arrived at last, the Fire Folk were preparing to unearth some sort of buried barbecue, the kind where you cook your food in a covered hole, like at a clambake or a luau. They downed tools, secured the scene and hustled into the tents, whisking their guests along without letting …

§ Curator set up the celebration according to Ceria’s wishes, which left me terribly curious.  “A cat girl from 33rd century Orestania would not know what manner of celebration might be available in the Elder Age Southern Continent,” I pointed out. At that moment, Curator, Kanon and I were Willing the rest through the ‘Background’, a canvas of abyssal black …

§ 1000:1 compression is the limit for which Curator can maintain a wide ‘world’– out to continental size, say– at Huadean spiritual density. The simulation which Ceria and Oberon entered is an example of that, being a replica of all ten million square miles of the Southern Continent during the last millennium before the Elder-Demon war. But Curator can decrease …

§ Ceria’s face greeted me upon my entry, but I was seeing her on a monitor of sorts. The basis for it was a [Water Mirror] spell, except it displayed a remote image rather than a reflection. A familiar group, seated in an idyllic field of moonlit daisies, starry sky beside a tranquil pond, was watching her through it as …

§ I kept my dissatisfaction off my face as I ‘woke’ and sat up in bed. It wouldn’t do, to let the woman with whom I was sharing it see how I felt at the moment. I mean, it had nothing to do with her, after all. But while pulling my yukata on, once I confirmed that she was indeed …

Dated 8/25/2024 I’ve mentioned this in my notes, but the free readers may not be far enough along to see it mentioned yet. My work has, for pretty much the duration of this summer, turned into something of a nightmare due to some scheduling issues outside my control (or to be frank, my management’s control, as the problem is elsewhere …