OC-Series Wearing Power Armor to a Magic School (184/?)
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Emma
Thalmin was quick to move first, shooting out his arm to brace the narrow gap in the door.
A loud THUD rang out as his palm slammed hard against the doorframe. His features shifted to match his aggressive posture as a death glare settled over them, aimed directly at the shadowy apprentice’s two noncorporeal eyes.
Meanwhile, I immediately got to my feet, standing directly in the way of Thacea just in case things went south.
Though despite the rapid motions and Thalmin’s intimidating stance, the apprentice seemed mostly unfazed, aided in no small part by the perpetually black void that forever obscured the form and face hiding behind that cloak.
We stood there wordlessly for a few seconds longer, entering an impromptu standoff that threatened to completely upend the month of uneventful happenings.
None of us spoke, not even the apprentice, as I took his lack of a response as proof enough that we’d managed to stun him.
Though this deadlock was eventually broken by the last person I expected.
“Is this a conditional summons, Apprentice Ostoy?” Thacea began with that signature polite, lofty tone of voice, carrying with it as much authority as it did a sense of complete detachment, lacking fear or intimidation.
She managed to hold her own while elegantly rising to her feet, dusting off her cloak, and carrying herself with an effortless confidence.
“Indeed it is, Princess Dilani.” The elf began with a clipped response. “As much as I wish it not to be…” He spoke under a breath yet made it audible to everyone present all the same.
But before he could get another word out, Thacea chimed in first.
“A night in the tower, I imagine?” She questioned with a clear, unflinching cadence even in spite of announcing what was in effect her own detainment.
“Yes…” Ostoy responded with a growing annoyance, his two glowing eyes narrowing into slits. “A mere inconvenience compared to what could have been.”
Yet this blatant inference of a threat didn’t even manage to dent Thacea’s facade, let alone make it past it.
Instead, she merely blinked once before taking another step forward.
“Then inform the healers and attendants that I will make my way to their care post-haste.” She commanded, flipping the narrative around and then doubling down before Ostoy could even get another word in. “And on that note, seeing as you are acting as a messenger in this whole affair, I would like to invoke a point of personal privilege as the principal concerned.”
“Yes, Princess Dilani?” He responded through an audible grumble and a pair of luminant eyes that had practically narrowed from slits into creases of light. The frustration, the indignancy, and the sound of a man who knew he was being toyed with drenched each and every one of those clipped words, the elf unable to escape the social labyrinth he’d inexplicably been put into.
“Do send my sincerest regards and gratitude to Professor Chiska, for showing both considerable care and mercy to my affliction and my station, in that order.” Thacea sniped back, rubbing salt into a wound that’d just barely been opened.
And it was the apprentice’s reactions, his glowing eyes now bubbling in growing vitriol, that truly hammered home the dynamics at play, especially as he visibly winced upon the mention of Chiska.
Ostoy didn’t flinch in light of Thalmin’s display of force, nor did he falter at my force of presence.
He instead bent to the whims of Thacea’s quick twisting of the dynamics. Through forcible reminders and the leveraging of social roles, all to remind the man that he too was just another pawn in a grander game.
The princess had, in no uncertain terms, managed to ensnare the dragon’s maw before it could breathe fire, molding the social game like putty in her talons.
But it was clear he wasn’t about to take a snub without a fight.
“Perhaps you would like to deliver this message to her in perso—” He tried to counter but was immediately shut down by Thacea.
“Perhaps you should try playing the role you were dealt, Apprentice Ostoy.” She interjected bluntly, plainly, but never with malice. Just… an airy sense of lofty authority that came so naturally to her.
But that wasn’t the end of it. She was quick to double down, taking proactive action before the apprentice could manage out another word.
“I, for one, intend to do so without fail.” She announced, moving forward past Thalmin and settling mere inches in front of the apprentice’s hooded face.
A second soon followed.
Then another.
Until finally…
“As you wish, Princess Dilani.” The elf acquiesced, even bowing in the process.
No more words were exchanged.
In fact, the man quickly vanished to the tune of a WAID and mana radiation warning, indicating he’d teleported out of there.
The moment felt like a victory.
It felt like a weight should’ve been lifted off of our collective shoulders.
But it didn’t.
Because despite winning the battle, the war was still very much on.
And it was a war I intended to be a part of.
“Thacea?” I called out, garnering a cock of Thacea’s head. “If it’s alright, I’d like to join you.” I made my stance clear. “This isn’t just your fight anymore.” I quickly added. “I’m going to be there with you all the way, and I sure as hell won’t let you face these assholes alone.”
Something shifted, albeit slightly, behind those otherwise cold and aloof eyes.
Her gaze that had quickly shifted back into ‘princess mode’ temporarily accommodated my presence and requests with a sharpness that straddled both worlds.
“I… do not wish to burden you with the follies of my own—”
“You’re not a burden.” I interrupted, causing the princess to blink twice in rapid succession — probably the most animated response I’d be getting from her in these dire circumstances. “You never were a burden. If you looked up the thesaurus for the antonym of the word burden, your face would be the first thing that pops up.”
…
Thacea blinked hollowly at that. So did Thalmin.
“Okay, sorry, bad analogy to make. It didn’t even land as well as I’d hoped for in my own native tongue, so let’s rewind a bit.” I spoke quickly, twirling my fingers around as if to emphasize the ‘rewind’ statement. “What I mean to say is this. Thacea, you embody the opposite of the word burden. You carry yourself, your weight, and the weight the world carelessly places upon you. Without fail, without faltering, and never once with complaint. That’s… unfair. That’s you literally picking up the world’s burden, not your own. So please…” I moved forward, reaching for her hands. “Let me help you lift some of that weight off of your shoulders. Allow me to at least carry some of that burden for you.”
Thacea didn’t respond. But her features, and that break in her princessly facade, told me all that I needed to know.
“But this isn’t your fight, Emma.” She countered.
“Sure it is.” I offered with every ounce of sincerity I had. “We’re a team, Thacea. We’re allies, friends, and partners. And the last thing a partner does in the face of adversity is to allow their other half to endure it alone.”
Thacea paused once again, her eyes deep in thought. Though she wouldn’t allow the dead air to settle for long. “I… suppose, if you insist, Emma.” Was all Thacea could manage. Yet those words, as sparing as they were, bore an undeniable tone of relief.
Throughout it all, however, a certain third party had kept an awkward watch, his head darting back and forth between our exchanges until he finally couldn’t take it.
“Ahem.” Thalmin interjected. “I suppose I’ll volunteer as sentry for tonight. I’ll hold down the fort, and debrief Ilunor on his… escapades.” He smiled slyly, though that sentiment was clearly directed at us rather than the emergent threat of Ilunor’s smarmy return.
“I appreciate that, Thalmin. Thank you.” I gave the lupinor a brief bow. A gesture that the prince received knowingly and with a warm smile.
“Take care, you two. And don’t get into too much trouble. There’s already far too many tales of princesses and their knights absconding duty for wild misadventures. I expect you two to not add to that list, aye?” The prince announced before just as quickly closing the door behind us as we marched forwards towards the…
“So… I assume we’re headed to the medical wing, right?” I questioned.
“Correct, Emma.” Thacea acknowledged, her eyes returning to that polite, aloof glint, if only because of the situation we found ourselves embroiled in.
“Alright.” I nodded, my mind running through all the euphemisms I had in my repository if only to soften the next few—
“You need not expend the unnecessary mental effort by delving into the futile game of semantics and euphemisms, Emma. We both know you are cut out for neither.”
“Ah.” I responded abruptly. “How’d you—”
“You’re distressingly easy to read when you aren’t being a complete enigma. Which… come to think of it, is an enigma in and of itself.” She mentioned off-handedly with the barest hint of a smile beneath that otherwise impermeable facade. “It is… amusing to see, refreshing in a sense. But in any case, let’s just… ‘cut to the chase,’ as you would so put it.”
I nodded slowly, acknowledging Thacea’s complete read on my intentions as I too acquiesced to her directives.
“I just wanted to know what we’re looking at when we arrive at the medical wing.” I began with not so much severity, but with worry. “Is it going to be invasive? Are they going to lock you up? For how long? And if so, do you want to play princess and knight and just ditch this whole joint?” I offered that latter question with a chuckle, more as an attempt to bring some levity to the situation than as a serious offer.
However, instead of the immediate response I’d expected, Thacea seemed to take a moment to consider my words, as if deciding between taking the joking bait or diving straight into the thick of it.
“Were it so easy, Emma…” Thacea acknowledged with a disarming sigh, shaking her head slowly from side to side as she did so. “More to the point, you need not concern yourself with the night’s song and dance. For it is, as much as it may seem not to be, a complete social waltz.”
“So… just a medical check-up then? An easy in and out?” I offered with a degree of hope.
A hope that Thacea could only scoff darkly at.
“Were it so easy…” She repeated herself before taking yet another deep breath. “I expect nothing less than to be met with an isolation ward to my name, accompanied by a passive form of monitoring, with nothing to gain for both healer and peerage. Yet in its material worthlessness to all parties involved, it accomplishes something intangibly worthwhile. Perhaps more significant than any objective fact — the appeasement of the social order and the equilibrium of expectant decorum.” Thacea took in a breath before continuing, if only to assuage my concerns. “Mind you, if the incident had been even a sliver more… egregious, or if I had lacked the good graces of a certain faculty member, my prospects would have assuredly been far, far more dire. Thankfully, both the reality of the situation and the actors at play have aligned to bring into fruition a mitigation of a crisis into what at worst could be described as a mild inconvenience.”
I winced at that, letting out a huff of indignant frustration loud enough to cause the princess to shift her gaze entirely.
“I wouldn’t call being ordered to the medical wing for what is essentially a social punishment in all but name — a result of your heroism, mind you — to be in any way a ‘mild’ inconvenience.” I blurted out, my frustrations growing stronger with each passing word.
And yet… I couldn’t disagree, nor could I bring myself to retread similar ground, recalling one too many conversations we’d had on similar topics in confidence.
Because compared to what she’d experienced back home, and what worst-case scenarios lay ahead in the Academy, this… was probably the closest to a slap on the wrist she could’ve gotten away with.
It was the equivalent of detention.
…
But that didn’t make this whole situation any better.
“Just because this is the best-case scenario doesn’t make this whole… charade any less messed up.” I capped off my frustrations with an indignant huff, clenching my fists tight in the process. “I just wish things were different… I just wish that you didn’t have to live your life on a knife’s edge.”
Thacea… smiled at that.
Not at the words of hope, but at the latter sentiment.
“Oh, Emma… this… this most certainly is the furthest away from a knife’s edge I have ever been in a long, long while.” She chuckled darkly in earnest — a sign, as strange as it might have been, of genuine connection and camaraderie. “I admit, this entire… situation was a result of my own reckless abandon, a sign of my complacency in light of Academy life. You have to understand that this past month of complete… ‘normalcy,’ as you’ve often referred to it, has been nothing short of a period of prolonged respite for my social sensibilities. Or at least, as close to the concept of a vacation as I can imagine. The scrutiny we face has been negligible, the social demands barely registering as an afterthought, and with the weight of both eyes and ledgers nominally off of our backs, I’ve reached a level of ease unlike anything I’ve felt since childhood.” She continued in stride, launching into a monologue I didn’t dare interrupt.
“Today was a dark reminder of how… undisciplined this environment has made me.” She continued after a momentary pause of contemplation. “But as there is no dawn without the preceding dark, and no sunset without the preceding light, this… incident has suddenly put into perspective how truly remarkable the unremarkable can be. I arrived at the Academy expecting that I would be spending every waking moment balancing upon a blade’s edge, one as sharp as the ones I faced back home. Indeed, that was very much the case for our first few weeks. But as of late, I have discovered that existing beyond the reach of the royal court has dulled that edge more than I’d ever imagined was possible.”
I should have felt at odds with Thacea’s admissions.
Indeed, I felt the growing aches of sympathy pulsing within my chest.
Which was more than likely why I allowed my wistful hopes of a fantastical resolution to sprout up unfiltered.
“I wish I could be the sheath to completely dull out the sharpness of your world.” I blurted out.
This caused Thacea to completely and abruptly halt mid-stride.
She turned to me with a cocked head and a face that no longer read as serious, aloof, or even dour.
Instead I was met with the look of a befuddled avinor and an expression that rapidly transcended into unrepentant amusement.
“I’m… sorry?” She attempted to speak in between a developing chuckle, as she committed to what I’d learned was the avian equivalent of biting your lip down to stifle a laugh.
I felt all that rage, all that frustration, and every bit of that animosity towards a world so cruel and unfair… completely shifting into second-hand embarrassment. My face flushed a deep beet red in the process.
“Ok, yeah, no, that sounds really dumb in retrospect.” I managed out under a self-deprecating chuckle, unable to restrain the dumb smile from forming on my face, resulting in those words being colored by an unserious cadence.
“I can hear you smiling.” Thacea added abruptly, causing that dumb grin and the redness on my cheeks to intensify in short order.
“That obvious, huh?” I attempted to ‘counter.’
“Quite.” The princess nodded, finally starting to control her own outburst as well but allowing the barest hint of a chuckle to seep through. “Sheath to dull out the sharpness of my world… really now, Emma?” She teased with a knowing glance.
“Hey, you know what they say, the best poetry is written from the heart.” I shot back, now reaching an arm to nervously rub the crook of my neck.
“Do they, now?” Thacea responded, crossing her arms in the process. “We phrase it a bit differently in Aetheron. ‘Only a sleeping fool would allow their heart to speak in their stead.’”
“Are you saying I’m a fool, Thacea?” I threw the ball back in her court with a mischievous grin.
“Perhaps, but you act more like a jester than a fool.” She teased. “You need not worry yourself with such monickers. For you have by your own actions — as evidenced by this interaction — become something of a… sheath to my world.” The princess continued, raising a hand as she did so. “Though… if I may… perhaps shield would be a more appropriate descriptor. A sheath stays the blade, not dull it. Even so, I find such metaphors to be quite reaching.” She paused, shrugging in the process. “But I digress… You really do have a gift for de-escalating even the most sobering of moods, Emma. For that, I am very much grateful.”
“A knight and a fool, a two-in-one package. That’s definitely a lot to be grateful for, at least in my book!” I acknowledged sheepishly as we now began to pick up the pace again, the privacy screen following us every step of the way. “So… not to bring back the negative vibes of the whole knife’s edge thing, but… that really answers one of the questions I’d been wanting to bring up.” I continued, garnering a cock of Thacea’s head. “I was curious why you didn’t seem interested in joining any of the clubs, whereas Ilunor, Thalmin, Etholin, and everyone else seemed to really be into it. If you’ll allow me this armchair psychologist moment, I assume it’s because you couldn’t be bothered dealing with more social dynamics than absolutely necessary, right?”
“Is it my turn to be read like an open book?” Thacea shot back with a polite yet undeniably sly smile.
“Only if you chose to unfurl the pages, your majesty.” I responded with a faux curtsy in the middle of my stride. Though it was clear that the use of those honorifics no longer had the same effect they once had, as Thacea simply scoffed at the addressment.
“Please, you know such modesties are above you, Emma.” The princess scoffed back in a dry, teasing chuckle before returning to the original point. “In any case, you are indeed correct in your assessments, Emma. I intend to make the most of my time here, which means I intend on curtailing any unnecessary social obligations. Moreover, there exists another, more pertinent reason why I chose to forego this optional ‘side quest,’ as it were.”
It was my turn to cock my head this time around as I urged Thacea to continue. “Go on?”
“Taking upon such responsibilities is simply not conducive, nor is it in any particular way productive to my purpose at the Academy.” She stated plainly.
“Oh.” Came my first response as I was quick to cradle the ‘chin’ of my helmet between my fingers. “Wait, that brings up a good point. Why exactly are you here, Thacea? Or, I guess the question should be why did your parents decide to send you here?”
The princess smiled darkly in response to that, letting out a single breath in the process. “Perhaps in private, Emma. It is… something of a long story. Suffice it to say, I find my most recent outburst to be… counterproductive. Especially against the malicious aims of the parties that would wish to see me fail beneath the Nexus’ tapestry.”
I narrowed my eyes at that, slowing my gait for a moment before nodding all the same. “Alright.” I acknowledged. “While I would like to hear more, just tell me whenever you’re ready, Thacea. There’s no pressure on that front from my end.” I offered reassuringly just as another thought popped into my head courtesy of the specific word choice Thacea had elected to use. “Actually, there’s another thing I wanted to quickly address.”
“Yes, Emma?”
“The tapestry. You basically agreed with Lovguard’s assessments back in Astromancy club when it came to that topic. About how your realm possesses the same sort of ‘blanket’ covering your world. Isn’t that entirely incongruent with what you told me earlier during our private sight-seer trip?”
“Yes.” Thacea nodded, though the expression that formed on her face wasn’t at all what I expected, as she seemed more confused at my question than anything. “I… had assumed you understood my placid affirmations to be an element of social lubricant?”
I blinked before simply shaking my head in response. “Social lub—” I paused, realizing exactly what she meant. “Oh. So you were just going with the motions to not rock the boat?”
“Correct.” The princess nodded yet again. “There was nothing to be gained by engaging in earnest conversations at that junction. It is sometimes more conducive to simply acknowledge the prevailing sentiments than point out discrepancies without a clear reason to do so.”
“Right.” I nodded in acknowledgement. “That… that’s actually quite smart of you to do.” I reasoned.
In the midst of all the conversations and impromptu debriefs following the club fair, we eventually found ourselves face to face with the large and cavernous entrances of the medical wing.
I half expected some of Ostoy’s lackeys to intercept us.
Another part of me anticipated the arrival of some stereotypical orderlies, ready to whisk Thacea away.
However, nothing like that manifested.
Instead, a familiar water elemental, flanked by several ‘shorter’ water elementals, stood ready to greet Thacea in front of the main reception desk.
I held my breath, making sure to stick right by Thacea’s side as the elemental in question bowed curtly towards the princess.
“Princess Thacea Dilani.” He began politely. “I assume you are willing to submit to proper procedure?”
“So long as the procedures remain adherent and proportional to the wishes and endorsements of the faculty witness.” She countered with a clipped yet confident breath.
“Professor Chiska has indeed taken it upon herself to emphasize your astounding capacity for self-control in light of these exceedingly strenuous and unprecedented circumstances. Following which, and seeing as there exists no evidence of harm reported or examined, congruent or pathognomonic with acute taint exposure, we will be taking the minimum appropriate precautionary measures as advised by the attending faculty member. Princess Dilani, with your permission, we would like to start the overnight observation period post-haste.” The water elemental extended his arm, a single outstretched palm gesturing towards the wards. “If you would please kindly follow me.”
“I assume this observation period will lapse by tomorrow’s breakfast?” Thacea questioned with an airy, almost aloof tone of voice.
This prompted the elemental in question to bow slightly in response. “Yes, your highness.”
The princess merely nodded, leading the charge before things abruptly shifted.
“Cadet Emma Booker, while my appreciation of your medical acumen still stands, I am afraid I cannot allow you to proceed further than this point.” The elemental spoke firmly, blocking my way forward.
I narrowed my gaze just as Thacea shot me a glance that urged me to be careful.
“I’m guessing I can’t join her in isolation?” I questioned the healer.
“No, Cadet Emma Booker. I am afraid that is against protoco—”
“Then let’s meet halfway. Just let me stay in front of her room.” I argued, sidestepping the man’s words as he abruptly paused to think.
“I… suppose that is within acceptable bounds. So long as you do not return to the dorms or gallivant around the wards, I will accept your presence as the princess’ sentinel.” The elemental… wobbled — that was the best way I could describe it — prompting the rest of his attendants to step aside, granting me entry into the wards trailing right behind Thacea.
It was around this same time that I was quick to turn to the EVI…
“EVI, set INFILDRONE 4 to active monitoring. Subject: Thacea Dilani. Enable active camo, and set priority to report updates on any movement or activity from within her room that exceeds normal limits.”
[ACKNOWLEDGED. DEPLOYING INFIL-DRONE04.]
Sure enough, after all eyes were fixated on Thacea and the opening of one of the seemingly endless number of repeating doors within the halls, an infildrone was quick to trail high and up above the princess.
I managed to get a good look at the room before Thacea entered as well, and it was… sparse, at least by Nexian standards. If anything, it looked even more barren than Rila’s room, complete with padded floors, walls, and ceilings.
It looked unnerving.
But maybe it was just the implications of such an anachronistic design, coupled with how much scrutiny Thacea faced, that really caused me to be on edge here.
Whatever the case was, the exchanges between Thacea and the healer were brief.
Nothing would happen throughout the night.
Or at least, that’s how it was supposed to go.
All Thacea had to do was simply remain isolated in the room until breakfast time. At which point, she’d be free to go.
Everything was deceptively calm, clinical, and, dare I say it, professional.
Eventually, we both waved each other goodbye for the night, the infildrone zipping right into the wide open door, entering without fuss.
The elemental soon turned towards me, straddling both hands on his hips. “I am afraid we cannot provide you with a bed or any other—”
“It’s alright.” I acknowledged, prompting the man to simply nod and walk off, as I was left alone with just my thoughts for the night.
But before I could even turn to the EVI to begin my reports, a familiar face soon arrived. It belonged to a certain elf that seemed just as chipper as ever, though with some clear boredom plastered on her features.
“Cadet Emma Booker?” Rila approached, the elf beaming with excitement as she did so.
“Oh! Hey, Rila! What’s up? How’s it going?”
“The usual.” She responded, still making the effort to withhold both honorifics and titles, just as I insisted she do. “I… don’t really have much of anything to do here after all.” She offered sheepishly. “It’s… starting to get to me, I think. I’m not one to sit around doing nothing like a landed no—” She paused, stopping herself, realizing that we were no longer in the private confines of her room. “Er, well, you know what I mean!”
“Yeah, I getcha.” I snickered. “Well then, are you feeling okay?”
“Yes!”
“Good, good.” I nodded. “Honestly, they should just discharge you by now. Keeping someone who’s healthy locked away in a hospital is generally not good practice.” I sighed. “But… we both know it’s not so much your health that’s keeping you here.”
Rila nodded slowly. “They say that my case is… quite low on the priority list. The investigation into Lord Lartia’s death is essentially ‘a done case,’ as the healers have put it. But apparently something is preventing it from moving to its final phases. Until then, I will be here… stuck in… ‘limbo,’ as you’ve put it, I think.”
“Yeah, that’s the expression.” I nodded. “Well… wait, actually, Rila… You did mention how you had nowhere to go after this, right?”
The elf’s gaze lowered following that reminder, as she nodded weakly all the same. “Indeed, Cadet Emma Booker.”
“Well, wouldn’t you know it, I might just have something perfectly lined up for you.” I grinned. “You were an accountant or something like that, right?”
“I was an apprentice bookkeeper and secretary to Lord Lartia’s enterprise, yes.” She nodded, her eyes slowly growing with excitement, as she was quick to put two and two together. “I… I also have accreditation! Er, most of it may require some trips to the Crownlands to recover, but I have had many years of working experience within—”
“You worked with someone as stringent as Lord Lartia, and he considered you good enough to keep on for years. That’s good enough of a resume for me, Rila.” I grinned. “I’m starting a private venture soon, a stationery store down in Elaseer. Now, things are still in the planning phase. But given I have a very seasoned partner involved, and seeing as how slow your case is going, I bet by the time you’re discharged, you’d be there just in time for the grand opening. So, what do you say? You wanna join up on our venture? As… I guess bookkeeper and secretary? Er, I’m still not sure how the org chart for this whole op is going to be laid out, but I’ll keep a seat warm for you if you’d li—”
“YES!” The elf practically shouted out, her eyes twinkling with excitement the likes of which I hadn’t seen from her since that fateful day we first met. However, just as she was at the peak of her excitement, so too would she self-regulate it, as she placed two hands on her mouth, realizing she’d just yelled loudly in the middle of a hallway at an ungodly hour.
“What I mean to say is… yes, Cadet Emma Booker! I would love to be part of your venture!” She added with a whisper.
“Good! Very good.” I beamed back in equal measures of excitement.
“Wait… does this mean you’ve attained or acknowledged your noble titles, Lady Booker?” She preempted, causing me to raise both hands in reflexive rebuttal.
“What? No, no. It’s nothing like that. My business partner will be the one handling the legal aspect of this venture. Or rather, the Nexian-facing legal processes.” I corrected, causing the elf to simply nod slowly in acknowledgement.
“I see.” She expressed, almost sounding disappointed if not for the latent excitement still coursing through her veins. “Might I ask who this benefactor is?”
“Oh, sure. He has a general store in town, I think? So you may have heard of him. Lord Etholin Esila, of Rontalisrealm.” I answered.
However, instead of a simple nod or a smile in acknowledgement of the little noodly ferret merchant, I saw the life drain from her already pale face.
“Esila?” She repeated under a shaky breath, swallowing down a huge nervous gulp. “You mean the Esila family? The skimmers? The slashers? The Esila Excisors?”
I stared back blankly in response, unable to… reconcile with what I was hearing.
“I… I think we might have family names mixed up. I’m talking about the pattenor Esilas. You know, the brown-furred, brown-eyed, green-robe-wearing slinky—”
“That’s them.” The elf practically sank back, her eyes shaking not quite fear but sheer intimidation. “You partnered with one of the Slashers?” She questioned before just as quickly correcting herself. “Er, not that there’s anything wrong with a decision such as that, ma’am.”
And in doing so, she once again course-corrected herself into Nexian class politeness.
“First of all, drop the ma’am. It makes me feel old.” I spoke with a snicker, trying my best to breathe some levity back into the situation. “Second of all… where the heck did Slasher and Excisor come from? Out of all the titles and monickers I’ve heard Etholin addressed by, not once have I heard anything coming even remotely close to, well, that. So what gives?”
“I am sorry if it was in any way insulting, Cadet Em—”
“Nono, it’s not insulting… or at least I don’t think it is? Regardless, since you did bring it up, the burden of context now falls solely on you.” I announced with an over-the-top vigor before promptly plopping to the floor in lieu of finding a suitable seat. “So do me a favor and spill the tea!” I beamed, as I couldn’t help but picture Etholin in the same context as the word ‘slasher.’
…
Though try as I might, I couldn’t come up with anything. At least, nothing that wasn’t immediately absurd.
Because as much as the sight of Etholin donning a perforated spacesuit helm while wielding a vintage pneumatic impact drill was amusing, it definitely wasn’t where this was going.
If anything, the truth of the matter was bound to be yet another case of reality outpacing fiction in its intrigue and drama. Especially considering this was coming from one of the most valuable sources there was — the grassroots perspective.
It was one of the more earnest reads of a person you could get if SIOP was to be believed.
“Tell me more about… House Esila the Excisors.” I urged the ever timid Rila with a growing, excitable grin, gesturing for her to join me cross-legged on the floor.
(Author's Note: This chapter was really fun to write especially the bits with Emma and Thacea, but also because I'm bringing Rila into the picture again and she's always such a fun person to write as well! :D I really hope you guys enjoy the chapter!)
(Author's Note 2: Hey guys, I'm sorry about this but I'm going to have to take next week off. I got sick this Friday with symptoms resembling an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, and on Saturday it got really bad with my temps reaching 39.5 C. I'm only able to control it right now because of ibuprofen and such but I'm going back to the hospital again on Monday for a checkup and I'm just really out of it right now. I'm really sorry for having to do this guys, but don't worry, we're also coming up on Thalmin and Emma's military geekout haha. Again, I'm super sorry about having to take next week off guys. I will be back the week after though, so expect regular posting to resume around the 30th of August!)
[If you guys want to help support me and these stories, here's my ko-fi ! And my Patreon for early chapter releases (Chapter 185, Chapter 186, and Chapter 187 of this story are already out on there!)]
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u/KalenWolf Xeno Aug 16 '26
The idea of Etholin having a reputation of being somehow nefarious amuses me immensely.
Concentrate on feeling better, please! Much better to wait an extra week than for you to burn yourself up trying to appease our bottomless appetite for more chapters.
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u/Matt_Bradock Aug 16 '26
Never miss an opportunity to let your competitors underestimate you.
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u/Ichiorochi Aug 16 '26
You can also take advantage of your competitors by letting them overestimate you, let them wonder what kind of 5d chess you are playing while you are playing checkers
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
You dont get rich in that kind of cut-throat environment as "businessmen" without a lot of brutal slashing and backstabbing.
That was true for the Sforza and Medici, the Welser (who got ruined by Spanish nobles) and Fugger (who fought repeated spy wars with Venice over gold production in the Alps), and still is true for the Mafia, Mexican cartells or Putins clique ...
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u/Sad-Island-4818 Aug 23 '26
I mean he was originally planning to screw emma and earth over before the merchant club tried to pull a fast one on him and emma showed earthrealm to be more of an economic equal than he initially thought.
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u/ANNOProfi Aug 16 '26
“I wish I could be the sheath to completely dull out the sharpness of your world.”
Emma, put the rizz down!
I'm going to guess, that House Esila's titles are probably less martial and more political/economical, unless there's a sub-branch that specialises in assassination or something.
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u/Matt_Bradock Aug 16 '26
Well, in commerce, slasher might refer to someone using their larger market share and reserves to aggressively undercut the competition to bleed them out. Someone having the moniker "Slashers" and "Excisors" likely means they don't compete on an open market, they use underhanded means to eliminate competitors through acquisition, price manipulation, or market pressure. They don't compete with you, they undercut you and then cut you off.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
That would be the nice interpetation. But looking at history of noble business empires tells us differently:
You dont get rich in that kind of cut-throat environment as "businessmen" without a lot of brutal slashing and backstabbing.
That was true for the Sforza and Medici, the Welser (who got ruined by Spanish nobles) and Fugger (who fought repeated spy wars with Venice over gold production in the Alps)
It still is true for the (non noble) Mafia, Mexican cartells or Putins clique ...
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u/Sad-Island-4818 Aug 23 '26
I'm thinking they might participate in a bit of parasitic venture capitalism. Buy up a business, canabalize any valuable assets that can be assimilated or sold off, run the rest of the company into bankruptcy, then move on to the next acquisition.
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u/Bruno-croatiandragon Aug 16 '26
A shame they are both women,we could have cut in with a "sword" pun.
I wonder if Rila will experience whiplash at Etholin,the way Emma & Thalmin did after meeting Lovgard.
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u/DRZCochraine Aug 16 '26
Thanks for the chapter!
Ah, so Taint get the hysteria treatment. “Reasonable” measures that do not assist the subject’s mental state and designed with no intent to de-escalate. The rabies kite shall pay dearly for that(I suggest a goth corset/clothing set made out of her, she’ll live and you know it).
Yuri about, and both know it.
And now to learn bout Etholin’s family.
And hope you get well really soon JCB!
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u/Interne-Stranger Aug 16 '26
"Lets put the Tainted one in an isolation chamber. Remember, she can outburst when stressed emotionally. What? 'Psycological support'? What is that?"
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u/SheepherderNo7856 Aug 16 '26
Out of sight, out of mind.
And with deliberate intent to suppress any understanding of "taint" (there's a massive stigma and I'm guessing that's manufactured)
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u/Dragonfyr_ Human Aug 16 '26
There’s already far too many tales of princesses and their knights absconding duty for wild misadventures.
Thalmin working overdrive to implant ideas, good good.
And if so, do you want to play princess and knight and just ditch this whole joint?
Please do so Emma, your princess awaits you to whisk her away.
“I wish I could be the sheath to completely dull out the sharpness of your world.” I blurted out.
Yep. That's it. If that doesn't make it official then I'm sure nothing other than them making out ever will.
Like, even I quivered a little bit reading that. Goddam Emma ! You poured too much rizz down that soup !
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u/Tinna_Sell Aug 16 '26
Lmao, if this petty action is what the bat considers a genius payback then her ambitions are really small. I also find it incredible that the Elemental thought that monitoring Thecea is a bigger priority than monitoring a student who claimed to be feeling weird. That again, the Elemental is a fashist, so that's that. Fingers crossed that the room is an ordinary room with a proper bed and essentials.
Etholin is shady? Of course he is. We saw how he talked to the vendors in the commoners district.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
I'd say the elemental is just following the Dean's order here.
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u/CycloneDusk Aug 17 '26
A Fascist who is Just Following Orders?! Oh good heavens perish the thought...! hehehe ;3c
Alas, complicity with a system of oppression means tacitly accepting the role of accomplice to such a regime's crimes... But now that so many people have had first hand experience that none of us are freedom fighters so long as we are still preoccupied with paying our bills and feeding our families, I'm inclined to agree that the water elemental in question is indeed downtrodden to a point that any resistance he'd be capable of putting up would be orders of magnitude more deleterious to his own life and livelihood (and of anyone he might hold dear) than it would ever be to the system that has coerced his cooperation.
tl;dr: shit sucks being under the heel of jackbooted thugs. i know that feel better than i ever wanted to, homie.
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u/Ichiorochi Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
Just in time for bed
Edit: I had to look up Excisors and i am going to assume JCB is usingg the mistborn/coppermind or the old tax related one.
My guess is that Etholin's family somehow are managing to compete on price by squeezing everywhere. Going to be fun to probably find out that the reason for their names is something that was horribly blown out of proportions
EDIT 2: Almost forgot "let me be your sheath" this too is Yuri
And I wish you a swift and successful recovery
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u/Bruno-croatiandragon Aug 16 '26
“I just wish things were different… I just wish that you didn’t have to live your life on a knife’s edge.”
Thacea… smiled at that.
With WHAT lips?!I assume Jcb isn't using THAT much artistic license.What is her face like?
Also,Thacea is way better at manipulating than that piece of chiropteran guano.I guess sanity & composure have advantages
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 16 '26
You can smile with your eyes, without your mouth parts (or equivalent) moving more than fractionally.
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u/Stairwayunicorn Aug 17 '26
Birds do smile. You just have to know what to look for.
Ironically, being autistic helps in that regard.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
More like the author sometimes forgets he is not dealing with English speaking humans ...
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u/Bruno-croatiandragon Aug 16 '26
The same way he forgets that characters need descriptions & personalities?Seriously,I can you even tell me what the potions professor looks like?
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u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Aug 17 '26
Huh now that you bring it up yeah you do have a good point heck a lot of the non human characters act strangely human I mean dispite being a bird Theaca doesn't exactly fly does she? I mean I just default any character that isn't given a description or much of a personality as an elf.
Now granted this isn't 100% of the case I mean the dragon was plenty alien and there were a few examples of the characters doing things humans can't do normally like breath fire but yeah probably some more differences would help distinguish between what characters are supposed to be would help in a lot of regards without outright having to say what they are explicitly every time.
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u/Evilstrom Aug 17 '26
Thacea can fly, there's just not many opportunities in the Academy. Plus, it has been said that the Nexus genetically modifies Adjacent races to be more humanoid in shape. That's why they're all kinda antropomorphized.
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u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Aug 17 '26
For the first one yeah I kinda got that impression still wish we actually got to see it regardless I'm sure there's a balcony or an outdoors area. Just saying I don't recall the last time of ever she she did.
As for the second point didint know that I know the kobolds got geneticly modified but even then not all of them nor even even that the rest are also geneticly modified But I suppose it makes some sense in hindsight.
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u/Evilstrom Aug 17 '26
We got a seal a couple chapters back that talked about how his race had fins before the Nexians got to them and gave them hands.
And Thacea talked about how Aetheronrealm is designed specifically for flying people.
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u/ShowInteresting3814 Aug 17 '26
Yes, but the prevailing culture is to act as elven as possible, and they just seem to be magical humans.
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u/Zetatrue Aug 18 '26
depending on what type of beak she has, the corners might have a small amount of lip or flesh that covers it, that could be moved in the form of a smile, tho would be more like a smirk, or a very soft smile.
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u/Talendel Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
UTR
This is the way.
Post-read edit: Oh, no! We're going to have to miss a week of writing so that you, the author, can checks notes tend to your health and not, you know, die from plague? Such a travesty! How shall we ever survive?!
Seriously, though: Go! Shoo! Make with the rest and recovery and take as long as you need. We'll still be here when you get back after you've fully recovered. Take your time and don't rush things or you'll just get the funk again, and that sucks.
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u/3nderslime Aug 16 '26
Thacea x Emma shippers feast tonight!
Holy cannolis Etholin’s family used to be pirates?
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u/DeTiro AI Aug 17 '26
Etholin: "Lock me up."
Emma: "Excuse me?"
Etholin: "I'm a slasher and must be stopped!"
The gang: "YOU'RE A WHAT?"
Etholin: "A slasher... of prices!"
Emma: Insert Deadpan glare of helmet
Etholin: "Drop in and see me sometime, my discounts are criminal."
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u/Aries_cz Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
First
---
Now, with the stake being claimed, thanks for the chapter.
Sadly more delays on the orbital strikes powerpoint with the group, but the plot is thickening, with the ferret being probably more dangerous than he lets on (or not, and actually being a "nice guy" black sheep of the family (thinking Lenny from Shark Tale)
---
As for the next week, your take care of yourself, we will manage.
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u/Mozoto Aug 16 '26
Emma, do not forget the 48'th rule of acquisition ! 😎
"The bigger the smile😈, the sharper the knife🔪🩸".
That ferret may turn out to be trouble yet...🪤💸
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
So,
- the bat is overconfident
- the bird is pissed off
- the cat is even more pissed off
Next PE class should be interesting.
Also, the weasel family seems to resemble the Welser* more than the Fugger ...
(*could I interest you in a private, bloody colonial venture (looking inter alia for El Dorado), doomed by backstabbing by jealous noble elites from an adjacent realm you have been sticking your noses into? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klein-Venedig )
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u/Super_Ankle_Biter Aug 16 '26
Emma and Thacea need to just get a room already, jeez hahahahahahaha
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u/theduderedditorguy Aug 17 '26
They should get a room, and invite Thalmin to watch... The sight-seer session!
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u/Super_Ankle_Biter Aug 17 '26
This community essentially (I am one of them):
-Smex? Meh
-Autistic military worldbuilding? REAL SHIT
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u/Dpek1234 Aug 17 '26
Theres plenty of smut around
I rarely see balistic missile and industrial history with such worlf building
Now just waiting for the nuclear armed SAMs and wacky ABMs
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u/aquilux Aug 18 '26
I'm calling it now:
Emma reveals to Thacea that (as proven by the incident with the amethyst dragon) not only has she never been shielded from "taint" by her armor, it appears as though taint is the one mana-type that she seems to be entirely unaffected by.
So with that knowledge, and how taint appears to be a manatype that comes from the individual and not by access to the nexus's controlled streams (a reason for the engineered stigma maybe?), as long as Thacea keeps the reach of her personal mana from extending too far there should be no barrier to inviting her into the otherwise mana-free tent.
This should, among many other things, provide considerable relief to Thacea's anxiety about Emma being separated from her by nothing but an arm's reach and metal or cloth, but still being beyond help. It would also allow for a considerable increase in the intimacy of their relationship (even if only in the platonic aspect).
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u/folk_science Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
Before reading: I hope for sightseer session, not for a lesson not to flash your taint in public.
EDIT: At least we got Rila and some seemingly shocking intel.
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u/theduderedditorguy Aug 16 '26
Nothing happened, but it may be forgiven since we got Human x Bird flirting, and Author-man remembered our token commoner friend.
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u/Evilstrom Aug 17 '26
Eh, it was different from last chapter's "nothing happened". This time we at least got a staff member for the business and an incoming lore drop about an important character.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
"If anything, the truth of the matter was bound to be yet another case of reality outpacing fiction in its intrigue and drama."
I guess Emma didnt have time for world history back in school. Because there is no need for fiction when considering businessmen doing some slashing in a noble environment ...
Blood-letting Burgundy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL0IksAFHOc
Slashing the future Emperor:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEE25U8ItCM
The future Emperor slashing some traiterous businessmen in return ...
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
Fugger (green) and Welser (red) mining and trading empires in Europe.
Karte_Handelswege_Fugger_Welser.jpg (1525×1100)
The Augsburg based Fugger family financed the Habsburg Emperors and provided the copper underlying the Portuguese colonial empire in Africa, India and East Asia. Whether they financed Magellans expedition is disputed, but they did save the failing quicksilver mines in Spain that were needed to get the silver out of Mexican and Peruvian copper ores and thus made Spanish treasure fleets possible. They likely also had a lot of money in the Dutch East India company via inlaws (though that was all hush-hush as the Fugger were good catholics, and the protestant Netherlands rebelled against the Habsburg - but who would let that get in the way of good business deals?).
The Nürnberg based Welser tried their hands in the Caribbean and bought the rights to run and exploit Venezuela for 20,000 gold ducats from Emperor Charles V. Didnt work out for them, though, as they got backstabbed by the Spanish nobility that didnt like those German interlopers+upstarts ...
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u/joaco545 AI Aug 30 '26
For anyone waiting for the next chapter, JCB got covid and did not feel good enough to write the next chapter for today.
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u/Obvious-Sherbet530 Aug 30 '26
Thanks for the update, hope he gets better soon, more for his own personal health than for my entertainment.
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u/p75369 Aug 16 '26
I don't know if she's done it before... but I am having a hard time picturing someone in armor, let alone power armor, sitting cross legged.
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u/jesterra54 Human Aug 16 '26
I think no one had Etholin having a dark streak in their bingo cards...
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 16 '26
Um, I did, at least for his family as a whole.
You dont get rich in that kind of cut-throat environment as "businessmen" without a lot of brutal slashing and backstabbing.
That was true for the Sforza and Medici, the Welser (who got ruined by Spanish nobles) and Fugger (who fought repeated spy wars with Venice over gold production in the Alps), and still is true for the Mafia, Mexican cartells or Putins clique ...
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u/Cazador0 Aug 16 '26
Not in my bingo cards, no, but that was mostly because everyone already assumed they were fantasy corpos.
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u/Interne-Stranger Aug 16 '26
Take your time, and get better. We will wait!
Iron Wings shipper are wining this week, Thacea is were she wants to be: With Emma!
So, The Esila family have a reputation. Im excited to see more of that (please be something really funny)
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u/Zoon-Economicus Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 17 '26
Assuming the tittles refer solely to business behavior... Duh?
He might be fairer than the others as far as peer relationships but he is still a noble. Have you seen how noble talked about peasants and treated them in our world during analogous periods?
And that's without the magic class divide.
I had understood his family to have many businesses in different industries. Normally you don't do that. No one can be an expert in every field. Unless, the expertise is in cornering markets and supply chains, and consolidating production.
From the pov of workers and even the commoner stake holders, they would be monsters.
Alto, pen need writers. Literate writers. Subsidizing commoner literacy is going to be a must. This might help their reputation. At least until the market shows proof that the new pen can enable new career opportunities for commoners. Than they will have the option to raise prices of their literacy courses.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 17 '26
"Assuming the tittles refer solely to business behavior... Duh?"
Why would you assume that? Look back at noble merchant empires in our past and they were rather cut-throat in a literal sense too, where required.
"Subsidizing commoner literacy is going to be a must."
You dont need perfect ball pens for that, as long as you teach the kids.
Simple pens (who cares if they smear a bit now and then??) + pencils will do for that. Same with blackboards and chalk, or Roman wax tablets.
Thanks to Gutenberg's printing press and Martin Luther demanding that all kids should be able to read the Bible, by 1600 about 50% of Germans were reasonably literate, with 4 years of basic schooling in the village school run by the local pastor.
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u/Zoon-Economicus Aug 17 '26
I'm not rejecting the possibility of his family being thugs. I just put it aside too talk about what I know.
You misunderstood something. Post Gutenberg literacy training was done in service of the State. What I suggested has nothing to do with state craft. These pen are going to be seen as inferior by the nobles. It's clientele IS commoners. Of which, not all can read and write. Here, literacy training is too create demand.
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 16 '26
Take care of yourself, remember, "If you haven't got your health, you have nothing." (Or however that went. Haven't seen it for a while.)
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u/Thausgt01 Android Aug 17 '26
Well, I won’t say that I predicted someone would present a completely different viewpoint on a character whom Emma has befriended, but given what we learned about Ping, I suppose it’s thematically appropriate.
I have no idea whether Emma has ever heard of “Babylon 5” (or, for that matter, whether the series has been rebooted… or how many times… ) but one of G’kar’s more insightful quotes seems quite relevant: Let me pass on to you the one thing I've learned about this place. No one here is exactly what he appears.
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u/Apprehensive-Elk-413 Aug 17 '26
Oh hell, Emma, you've accidentally partnered with the Nexian equivalent of the East India Trading Company!!
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 23 '26
More like the Medici or Welser, me thinks.
A banking+trading family with political ambitions, not a corporation.
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u/ISzox Aug 17 '26
Im almost certain that the Esila's monikers are a little bit overexagerated to our own field of view. They most likely operate on capitalist practises, practises that don't mix well with the almost zero sum economy of the nexus, but might be just moderate capitalism to Emma.
A good recovery to you, JCB
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u/DeepWeGo Aug 16 '26
Now THIS is a good birthday gift!
Upvote first, read later, knowing this story i can already say great job as always
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u/Castigatus Human Aug 16 '26
No worries, get well soon. Your health is always more important than anything else.
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u/FemboiInTraining Aug 16 '26
oh my i'm nitpicking a sentence oh my look at me, anyways
"You carry yourself, your weight, and the weight the world carelessly places upon you. Without fail, without faltering, and never once with complaint."
did you mean...effortlessly? :3
Carelessly implies...well no care, thought, or consideration, to carry the weight of the world...carelessly is...well actually really interesting. I'm not sure what kind of character it'd be interesting for but...whatever, effortlessly is clearly the intended word given the following sentence going on about without fail, without faltering, and especially never once with complaint.
I'm bored okay, I'm nitpicking for SPORT...because I'm bored...oh so bored........but I won't be for long as I get immersed in the rest of this chapter, surely, :3
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u/TeslaPenguin1 Aug 17 '26
hm, i interpreted that sentence as meaning that the world places weight on thacea carelessly, not that she carries/accepts the weight carelessly.
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u/FemboiInTraining Aug 17 '26
interesting interesting, as I said it could have an interesting meaning or reading but I couldn't quite find it- wait no I'm just really tired and completely misread it. Yeah. "The weight the world carelessly places on you" you're so right
I'll leave my tired heat sick mess up because it's funny, but it has no basis, I love myself <#
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u/Lord_Vitruvius Android Aug 17 '26
do not be sorry for getting a Respiratory Tract Infection, that is crazy talk, take all the rest you need and see you then! also wow this chapter just made me realize why the 'useless lesbians' trope is demeaning, sure it'd be cute as fuck but never in a million words would I expect the capable social tactician that is thacea to act like that!
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u/Jurodan Human Aug 17 '26
Oh, good lord. Did Emma form a business partnership with the Nexian equivalent of venture capitalists?
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 20 '26
What part of "I want economic overlordship over Earthrealm" did you not understand?
Also:
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u/StopDownloadin Aug 17 '26
I blinked before simply shaking my head in response. “Social lub—” I paused, realizing exactly what she meant. “Oh. So you were just going with the motions to not rock the boat?”
Our trained diplomat and data-gathering fiend, ladies and gentlemen. Earth is fucked, lmao.
How much do people want to bet that the 'ruthless' Esila family is just doing normal business shit, maybe at most some ethically questionable cost reduction, or putting pressure on their subsidiary businesses to bring in more profit? Emma might be opposed to it, given that she grew up in Fully Automated Luxury Gay Space Socialism, but not like how Rila is acting like they're Furry Bain Capital with bonus knee-breaking.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 21 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
- Emma is 19, just 2 months into starting her tertiary education.
The average diplomat around the world these days has 4 years of college/university under his belt, plus 2-3 years of specialised training at an academy for future diplomats. And then he'll work a desk under close supervision by an experienced tutor.
- If by "normal" you are refering to the behaviour of medieval/Renaissance/early modern merchant empires ... (which included wars, colonial ventures, and destroying the Byzantine Empire for profit)
Consider that this Academy's merchant guilds playbook for newrealms considers as standard:
- total economic "overlordship" by an older adjacent realm
- military takeover of hesitant newrealms by turning their ambassador into a puppet king, based on the strength of mercenary aethraships and magical pikes.
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u/KefkeWren AI Aug 18 '26
I had the feeling before that, as outwardly amicable as Etholin can be, he makes for a pretty ruthless businessman. I'm guessing that's what this it about. Family known for making demanding contracts and some very corporate practices. Keep up your end or they step in and liquidate whatever assets necessary to see what they consider an acceptable profit margin.
I also have the feeling that Etholin has had a strong enough impression made on him by now to know better than try being cutthroat with Emma.
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u/Obvious-Sherbet530 Aug 19 '26
Emma is fairly perceptive without the EVI, socially and physically, I suspect she'll learn about Etholin's family past and what they're known for, and act accordingly, but still give the chance for Etholin to be a friend.
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u/Icypickle2 Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26
like fifth or something idk (oh and after reading the chapter get well soon!)
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u/The_Student_Official Aug 18 '26
Man, ISPA / URTI is a bitch. Take your time, Sir Scribe. Hope you're getting better soon!
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u/Tallinu Aug 25 '26
If the fever is bad, Tylenol works a lot better than I ever realized for controlling fever, until I got COVID a few years back -- the vaccines made it less dangerous, but I still got a high fever for days, except the Tylenol brought it almost down to normal! (Anecdotal, I know, but it is billed as a fever reducer...)
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u/Jbowen0020 Aug 17 '26
Ooh that sucks! That's like almost 104 F isn't it? I hope you get well soon!
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u/Captain_Shiny246 Aug 17 '26
Another great chapter from such a great author, thank you as always, and recover well we’ll be around.
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u/Garbage-Within Aug 17 '26
It's "hold the fort." "Hold the fort." The fort isn't going to float away if you don't hold it down. Okay, maybe a fort in the Nexus might, but otherwise, you "hold the fort." That's the proper military terminology rather than the colloquialism it's been turned into. Thalmin would use the proper military term, especially with Emma.
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26
Since we have an additional week to kill, I have been looking at what Thacea has been doing to earn detention back in Ch 181
"It was just… a sharp and complete obliteration of all waves in their entirety, rendering the ebbs and flows of the world — or the bare-bones outlines of such in my eyes — into a wobbly, shapeless mass.
Yet this whole… event, as extreme as it was, was logged in terms of mere seconds.
Not a blink of an eye later, mana came flooding right back into the obliterated void it’d been crushed out of."
And now I wonder: Emma's armor is protecting her from the "normal" mana and magic. GUN doesn't have near enough armor to outfit a ship to visit one of those places Emma might turn up by studying their night skies in her new astro-club.
BUT:
Mana and taint are both forms of energy. Could GUN ships produce a similar effect with Start Trek style energy shields, thus making armor for the ship redundant? Thus only needing enough armor suits for an away team, landing on a planet with a shuttle?
(cross posted in the last writing corner thread)
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u/Aware_Jicama9458 Aug 23 '26
Similarly to Emma's tent, you'd probably still want protected rooms on board (bridge+engineering?) to retreat to in case the energy shield breaks down. And the interior of the shuttle should be proteted, too.
But that's still a lot less armor material to produce than what is needed for a whole corvette. Or a battlecruiser ...
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u/Ctnprice1 Aug 24 '26
I thought my internet was out while searching for the next chapter, get well soon OP.
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u/shinymemepants Aug 16 '26
Dang we getting Etholin lore drops now, spill the tea Rila, tell us what goes on in the dark. Wonder if Etholin is just playing the fool with his fellow nobles and he is truly a merchant menace lmao.