Posts from The Empire of Reimia (3) Auto-translated

— Thank you, Mia,” Eli said with a wide smile as she accepted the gift, “and Her Majesty... But why are you asking?

— Well, my gift surprised me so much... It touched me deeply! I thought that if Her Majesty is so considerate towards us, then you must have something incredible too. But... if it's too personal, then don't tell me! — Xenomia corrected herself. — I mean, it might not be appropriate to ask about gifts, I just didn't think about it.

It wasn't quite what the girl had expected. No romance, no offer of a branch, or ambiguous phrases – Shogo came to her because he needed emotional support. Nevertheless, Linnea didn't panic and, after closing the door behind the guy, she sat down next to him.
— Tell me, — she said softly, gently stroking the mage's back.

— Hmm... No, I won't tell you! It's a secret!

— Mmm... No, I won't tell you! It's a secret!

Miya nodded in response, not insisting further.
The next day, she plans to continue improving.

Shogo tells Linnea about his childhood spent in the empire's research center, about the cruel experiments that were conducted on him and other children (including Galmee), and about how it all ended with the rise to power of Yujin Reima. He also mentions that he has only about nine years left, at best. He told her all this very calmly, but rather listlessly.

Linnea listened intently to the young man's story, not interrupting and trying to grasp every last detail. She was not at all happy with what she heard, and she was even afraid to imagine what Shogo must be feeling right now. His childhood was the complete opposite of what the girl was familiar with. And that explained many of the young mage's oddities – after what he had experienced, he must have developed a very unique perspective on the world. And yet, the young man continued to move forward and did not become embittered. Although, he certainly didn't look very well at the moment.
— I didn't even realize how much you had been through and what thoughts you had to deal with. Thank you for being so open, — Nei's voice was full of support and sympathy. She wanted to say that everything was behind him now, but no – the problem with the remaining nine years of Shogo's life still remained. And, judging by his reaction, whatever he received from Her Majesty did not help at all against the side effects of the experiments. — It might sound silly and naive coming from someone like me, but you shouldn't give up. Yes, you haven't found a way to extend these nine years yet. It's slipping away from you. But that doesn't mean there isn't a way. Or that you won't create such a way yourself – you are a smart and capable guy. And in our world, new discoveries are made every day. You have great potential – you are not only a successful student at the most prestigious academy in Enclessia, but also a mage. You will have the money and influence needed to find a cure. And I will be there for you. If you ever find it difficult to move forward, I will be your support. If the search in Enclessia does not yield results, I will go with you, even to Thiaral, to look for the mythical Grail. Or to the Fronghvar, shrouded in mystery. Either way, I will be with you on your journey and I will do everything in my power to help you achieve this goal. We will go through all of this together.
Linnea thought it would be harder for her to say all of this out loud, to make such promises, but it turned out to be much easier than she expected. Apparently, it was because her words came from the heart and were sincere. She wasn't pretending and was truly ready to dedicate her life after the academy to finding a cure for Shogo. In a way, this even coincided with her ideals of heroism. What could be more noble than dedicating oneself to saving a person? Especially when that person has become dear to your heart, even if you have only known him for a little over six months.

— Thank you, Linnea, I appreciate hearing that, and I'm very grateful to you, but right now, the problem is a little different. I've long since come to terms with my fate and accept whatever it throws at me, as it is, but... — He placed a black box on the bed next to them and opened it slightly; inside were a small syringe and an ampoule containing something white, resembling yogurt with currants. — A gift from Her Majesty. This is, of course, not a medicine, but it should help me live a few more years. Isn't that thoughtful of our merciful empress?

Nea examined the Empress's gift with interest, but then turned her gaze back to Shogo. "Indeed, Her Majesty is extremely generous," the girl nodded. "But I suppose there must be some reason why you haven't used your gift yet?"

— Well... First of all, it means that the experiments have resumed, and someone is now going through the same thing that I and the others went through. Of course, I should probably be glad that I wasn't locked back into some laboratory, — he pondered, — I should also check on Galmey, in case I was just lucky because of my uselessness to the state. In any case, it was nice to realize that he and I were the last generation, but even for creating this serum, someone probably paid with their lives. And secondly, accepting it means not only taking advantage of others' suffering and sacrifices for personal gain, but also bending over, spreading your buttocks, and accepting the imperial strap-on. Of course, sometimes it might not be that bad, but right now, unfortunately, I'm speaking figuratively.

29-30

- Intense Fire (automatic) (125)
+5 to the number of shots (intercepting fire)

- Suppression (automatic) (175)
Character attacks reduce the movement speed of the enemy by 5. The enemy's resistance is checked against a value of "5".

A lump formed in the girl's throat, and no matter how much she didn't want to, it was difficult to get rid of the unpleasant feeling. She, like a fool, was happy about the privilege granted by Her Majesty to wear trousers at the academy, completely ignoring all the dubious things that the Empress was doing in pursuit of her ambitions. This was not about instilling strict discipline in future soldiers who had voluntarily joined the academy and sworn allegiance to Rinza Reim and her Empire. She was literally turning innocent children into living weapons, just to gain a small advantage in the war with Larian. Someone might say that this was a sacrifice of a few lives to save thousands. But Linnea could not agree with this position in any way. Of course, one could deceive oneself that the Empress did not resume the aforementioned Shogo project, but launched a new and completely different one, designed to make the lives of the experiment victims easier, but the Reimi girl perfectly understood that all this sounded like utter nonsense. "Yeah, I didn't even think about that. Well, here are your New Year's tidings," Nea took a deep breath and then exhaled, "I'm not sure what to say about this. Although, I think you already have a pretty good idea of what I think." The girl was silent for a few seconds, occasionally glancing at the black box as if gathering her thoughts. "As for the serum, if we set aside emotions, refusing it won't turn back time. Sacrifices will still be made, but in vain. No one will benefit from this. However, this is not uncommon in life. But at least it will give a few years to someone who wants to end this cycle of suffering. As for pride... you have already sworn allegiance to Her Majesty. You have to fight and take lives in the glory of the Empress. Cause suffering, if you want. In any case, the strap-on is now so deeply ingrained that it couldn't be deeper. No matter how cynical it all sounds. I'm not trying to convince you to use the serum. I'm not even sure I would if I were in your place. I'm just offering an alternative perspective. The main thing is that you don't regret the decision you make, whatever it may be.

“We’re not a company competing in a free market, so there’s no need to think about winning or losing,” Shogo smirked. “Maybe it doesn’t seem that way, but I take these decisions seriously, though more out of selfishness than any noble intentions. You see, I don’t believe I owe anyone anything in this life. I’ve already ‘paid my dues,’ so to speak, while I was being dissected and pumped full of who knows what. Aside from a few minor indiscretions, I haven’t really harmed anyone, and I haven’t benefited from anyone else’s sweat or blood. And that awareness makes life easier. My conscience is clear, and I can move forward without a care. But this…” He picked up the vial and casually turned it over in his hands. “This changes everything. To be honest, I don’t harbor any hatred or animosity towards Her Majesty. She hasn’t personally done anything to harm me, and, setting aside the moral implications of this dilemma, her gift is actually quite useful and exactly what I need. Besides, I’ve always preferred a beautiful empress to any emperor.” Shogo chuckled and sat up, still holding the vial. “However, I don’t really harbor any ill will towards her father either. No one specifically targeted me, and, in essence, I was just unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like I ended up in that research center, someone was crushed by a tree that fell during a strong wind, someone was struck by lightning, someone died from diseases acquired at birth or during their life, and so on. But that doesn’t mean I approve of what happened to me or what’s happening to others. Therefore, accepting this gift means accepting the validity of these methods, and that’s the crux of my little dilemma.” Still sitting on the bed, the young man wiggled his feet, which were dangling over the edge. “I think that for people with a different mindset, all of this might seem rather silly, but I perceive it this way.”

“We’re all a little strange here,” Linnea hugged the young man, trying to cheer him up a bit. “Although, of course, this prospect makes the situation much more complicated. On the one hand, if you take the serum, you’ll gain valuable time. Perhaps these couple of years will be enough for you to find a more effective cure and deal with the consequences of the experiments. Moreover, I would like you to live as long as possible. On the other hand, if you’re afraid that accepting such a gift will change you for the worse, then things don’t look so good. Because all your remaining life, even the time you have now, will belong to the ‘new Shogo.’ Not the one who is sitting next to me now, not knowing what to do next. And I understand this reluctance to lose yourself, to change your principles. Especially since I really like the current Shogo – he’s a good person, no matter what anyone says,” the girl gently stroked the mage’s head. “And it would be even more unpleasant if a cure is found in just a year or two. Of course, there is also a third option – to postpone the decision. But I don’t know how long the serum can be stored, I don’t know if its effect will weaken with each year of waiting, and I don’t know if even this will be a deal with your conscience for you.”

After spending the evening with Imeer, Parphinora returned to her room. She felt as if she wasn't walking, but rather floating through the corridors – she felt so light. When she finally entered and closed the door behind her, she didn't even have the strength to reach the bed – she immediately slid to the floor, leaning her back against the door.
She kissed a boy! She, Parphinora von Flexia, a descendant of a noble family, engaged in such an intimate act! And the most surprising thing was that, at the moment it was happening, it didn't bother her at all. She only felt pleasure. Well, and a little disgust – Imeer didn't know how to kiss, and the kisses were very slobbery – the girl smiled weakly at her thoughts – she would have to try to learn how to do it differently somehow. But that wasn't the main thing. The main thing was – who was she after this? Parphinora was sure that she would only have her first kiss with her future husband, not before the engagement. And, of course, her husband should be from the same noble family as she was. And what does she know about Imeer's family name? Nothing, except that he is clearly not an aristocrat. And what should she do now? Maybe she has turned into a "bad" woman, embarked on a slippery path of moral decay and decline? Maybe Imeer also considers her such a woman? No wonder he almost forced himself on her, not asking for consent or permission. But he said he loves her... Of course, he could be lying – the girl shook her head at this thought – no, Imeer couldn't lie to her. In fact, he probably couldn't lie to anyone at all. So, he really loves her. And his kisses are a sign of his love, not a perception of Parphinora as an accessible girl – she felt relief and joy, realizing that a man truly loves her – such a kind, such an open, such a beautiful man – a little, femininely beautiful, but it was pleasant to look at him. Parphinora felt as if her soul was soaring somewhere high, high above. With effort, she forced herself to return to earth.
And what then? Where will this lead her? What if he starts to get too familiar, allow himself liberties? What future awaits her with him? How will she introduce him, a commoner, to her parents? And what if they don't give their consent to the marriage? Suddenly, as if from nowhere, another thought burst into her mind – but their children will be very beautiful... – Parphinora immediately blushed – and what is she even thinking about? She touched her cheek to the scarf that was still on her. It seemed to her that she could feel a faint scent of Imeer coming from it. So pleasant, so intoxicating...
Again, her thoughts went in the wrong direction. She needs to think about the future, not the present. She shouldn't think about Imeer, about his smile, about his eyes...
Enough! Parphinora began to frantically scan the room, thinking about what she could focus her attention on in order to stop thinking about her beloved. Suddenly, she looked at her hands, in which she was still holding the package with the Empress's gift. She had completely forgotten about it, carrying it in her hands mechanically. Without much interest, just hoping to distract her thoughts, she unwrapped the package.

Shogo sat back down on the bed, looking tiredly at Linnea, lay there for a couple of minutes, and then, without much enthusiasm, put the contents of the box back in place and got to his feet. "Okay, Neya, thanks for your help. Sorry for bothering you with all this on a holiday." With these words, he headed towards the exit.

Without much interest, just hoping to distract her thoughts, she unwrapped the package.

Inside was a sword. Parfinora immediately recognized it, as it was considered legendary among the followers of the Cult of Flame. Lacuna If used by a follower of the Cult of Flame: +500 to stamina, +10 to willpower, +10 to resistance, ability to use the same orders in the same turn; has no combat application.