Posts from ☀️ Arselia and Akonia Auto-translated

- Yes, she performs great, I wouldn't be able to do that.

-- Likewise.

"I was just thinking that arranging an exchange of experience between Aconia and Carneol might be very effective. I sense such persistence in Anpan, which may be a character trait, of course, but it may also be the result of training, possibly those very training sessions based on the otherworldly Remian Empire, which Alaria also underwent in her time. Yes... I'm very interested in how the left pillar of Sonata is handling this issue. Of course, if she agrees, I will have to meet the requirements myself, which is a great responsibility."

"However, it sounds as if I have the right to be inferior to the left pillar in something. No, for the sake of Carneol and the Crown, I don't. Just think, and they appointed me as the right pillar, and the foreign empress with several hundred points of beauty – as the left. Although I am left-handed myself, I perfectly understand what this means to most people..."

Only now does the knight realize with whom she will apparently have to compete. In her past life, she wouldn't even have thought about something like this, but now it has simply become one of many tasks... Impossible tasks, if Erephir had been asked objectively yesterday. Tasks that need to be completed, if you look at today: since the Suzerain, with her actions, made it clear that the redhead can do it, then it was so, and besides, she was supposed to. And the dragon was mentioned before the cult, everyone understood that this political gesture said the same.

So... How much beauty and charisma does the heroine need to acquire to make the task feasible? Ugh, let's set the bar at 50 for now, and write that down in the diary later, although it felt like it might not be enough. There was a lot of work to be done in front of the mirror.

Alaria - welcome!

She welcomes Alaria loudly, nodding at Anpan, as if saying, "Get ready to be dazzled, but it's better not to blink so you don't miss a single millisecond."

“...I think I already mentioned that I hadn’t been to a circus performance before today?” Klin said to Sanex, finishing off sending off his comrades with another round of applause. “Now I see that I missed out on a lot. And these guys put it together in less than 24 hours – it’s hard to imagine if you hadn’t seen it yourself.”

- I'm very glad to hear that, - Ayano smiled. - Yes, let's go ahead, - she bowed to her companions. - Please excuse me. Sonata-chan, could you entertain our guests with a conversation or something in the meantime? I'm sure you have a lot to tell them about our way of life. We'll be back in just a few minutes.

—...I think I already told you that I've never been to a circus before today? — Klin said to Saneksa, finishing off sending off his comrades with another round of applause. —Now I see that I missed out on a lot. And these guys put it together in less than 24 hours of preparation — it's hard to imagine if you weren't there to witness it.

- My respects to whoever organized all of this so professionally and in such a short time, - Saneksa clapped as Beate walked off the stage, - I wouldn't mind meeting all your friends sometime.

Added 17 minutes later

- I'm very glad to hear that, - Aiyano smiled. - Yes, please come in, - she bowed to her companions. - Please excuse me. Sonata-chan, could you entertain our guests with conversation or something for a while? I'm sure you have a lot to tell them about our customs. We'll be back in just a few minutes.

- Uh-huh, of course. - Waving to both miko, Sonata goes to help Onyata. - Dear guests, allow me to tell you a little about the noble history of Yanagi.
- Oh, what a beauty, - the old men were delighted, releasing Ahuli and Ahuri from their embrace, - also a student, like Minako?
- Phew... - Ahuli wiped the sweat from her forehead.
- Saved... - Ahuri repeated her sister's gesture.
Taking advantage of the situation, Kleona went to choose a talisman for herself and write an email.

In the Haiden.
- Aiyano... Please, tell me about your burden.

- My respects to whoever organized all of this so professionally and in such a short time, - Sanexa clapped her hands as Beate walked off the stage, - I wouldn't mind getting to know all your friends sometime.

—I think, since today turned out to be such a significant... or rather, meaningful... well, a special day in every way, we can definitely arrange that! Despite the fact that I've only known most of the guys for about a month, it feels like we've been communicating for ten years. - greeting Alaria, the former knight waved encouragingly.

Kneeling before Miko-san, Miko-sama bows to her.

- There is a certain young man. Physically, he appears to be around your age, though there may be a slight discrepancy. By a twist of fate, we had to interact, and as a result, a serious misunderstanding developed between us—or rather, as it seems to me, between him and me. Our acquaintance began with him asking me a question; I gave an honest answer from the heart, but he did not like it, apparently because it failed to meet some criteria. In the end, he trampled with dirty boots not only upon my personality—which is not the essence of the matter—but upon everything I hold dear and sacred, which seriously affected me, and then he ran away, refusing further conversation.
You know, throughout my life in Margel and beyond, there have been moments where hope dwindled during particularly difficult times. But people who are very close to me, as well as those less so but still highly respected—whose opinions I value greatly—eventually helped me stay on the right path. They taught me that the opinions of strangers do not matter as long as I remain true to myself, both in my own eyes and in the eyes of my loved ones and friends. It is a simple and seemingly obvious thought, but it is not always easy to keep in one's heart at certain moments.

- ...So, given such a difference in age and status, it would be unwise and unseemly to hold a grudge against him, yet these words still stung me. I tried to appease my heart and mind, but in the end, I am human; emotions are not foreign to me—though that is no excuse for indulging in destructive feelings. Perhaps I was so appalled by the entire situation because it was a perfect synthesis: absolute misunderstanding combined with sarcasm and the devaluation of another's ideals. I tried to rationalize it: perhaps he does not feel comfortable around women, or perhaps he is simply immature, but eventually, I realized that this was not a solution either—for that would only be my negative presumption about a person whom I do not actually know that well.
If he were clearly a lost cause in appearance, it wouldn't have been worth worrying about, but I had heard a good character reference for him, so in the end, I concluded that we simply misunderstood one another.

- We were bound to meet again, and when it happened, I tried as best as I could to resolve the situation—after all, he didn't want to listen to me last time, so perhaps it could be done now. We had serious business to attend to, and I did not want to leave negative unspoken words hanging in the air. Perhaps I made a mistake again by not starting the conversation with an apology and a ninety-degree bow, but by being slightly abrupt—though still well within acceptable limits compared to everything he said to me last time. At least, that's how it seems to me, although I realize now that perhaps the pride of others—sometimes justified, sometimes not—leaves not the slightest room for deviation from the only course that is painful for you yourself. Either way, this conversation turned out to be no less negative and senseless. This time I did not let him slip away, and I heard roughly the same things—though this time I was fully prepared for it—as well as insults directed at me and some of my friends. Furthermore, as if confirming my presumptions, I heard arguments from him that painted him as a petty and reprehensible person, allowing me to practically snap my fingers with the emotion of "I knew you were a lost cause" and ease my heart. And yet, even now, it seems to me that in reality, he might not have actually believed those things, but voiced them solely to give his words an offensive sharpness.

- Since then, I have completely given up on him; for me, this person does not exist, and any efforts or attempts at a truce seem meaningless. Some things cannot be fixed, no matter how hard you try. Perhaps fate will cross our paths again in some whimsical moments of life, though it will bring me no pleasure. But that is not the question. Do you think there is any chance, however minimal or slight, of conveying one's emotions to such a person? To pull a relationship out of the mire and leave it on neutral ground. If so, how? Perhaps you know of some examples from your own life, among students or friends?.. I have given up on this in terms of our personal relationship, but you see... an unusual fate and a fairly responsible task have fallen to him, which must be approached with a cold head and a clean heart, and I cannot say that is what I observe in him. Sooner or later, life—in the manner of what occurred between us—will teach him a lesson; it would be good if the consequences are light enough and do not affect the lives of others, but that may not be the case. I would still prefer it not to be a cruel lesson; he is still a child, and despite everything that happened, he does not deserve such a thing.
My account sounds one-sided—from my point of view only, as I cannot climb into his head and do not know what drives him in life. But I also do not observe anything critically wrong in my own actions, and such a feeling in the precarious matters of conflicted relationships is a clear sign of a lack of understanding of the situation. Your fresh perspective from a third party would be of great help to me.

"This is all... for me? This is all... me? Really? So this is what a reward for an honest craft looks like? This is much, much more pleasant than a pile of money!"
 - Thank you, thank you! - she bows and blows air kisses, stealthily wiping away tears of happiness. - I love you, Margel!!!
Meeting Alaria's gaze, she smirked slyly. In her head, a text was feverishly forming — something that wouldn't remind anyone of the tragedy that occurred during the night.
 - Whew, it's a bit chilly today, isn't it? One just wants to return to the warm, gentle summer, that season blessed by Rufus. Alas, we are not powerful enough wizards to change one season for another, but if we cannot transport ourselves to summer, we shall invite a piece of summer to us and pay homage to the god of fire! After wandering through sunny Calcite, a truly hot piece of work has arrived among us! Get ready, it's going to be hot! On stage: a sultry woman, a poet's dream, Alaria — welcome!
"Still better than those passages about how we need to warm ourselves by a burning hearth and all that, which I had prepared initially," Beata's face showed that she regretted nothing.
Giyyon smiled guiltily at Alaria, apologizing for such frivolity on the part of his passion.

"Erefir and Garret demonstrated the swiftness of air. Laikos — the strength of earth. Beata, however, the flexibility and grace of water. It seems it is now my turn — time for fire!"
Alaria understood the looks of both her comrades, but she was not to be flustered by such a speech, so she only smiled slyly in response. Oh, if only Giyyon and Beata knew about those Reimi flyers... then, perhaps, Beata would have pushed for an alternative costume. Some kind of succubus look with a fiery whip, or something along those lines. On the contrary, the current speech was actually pleasant to hear. Even though the poet's dream was herself a bit of a poetess.

A piece of summer born in spring, dressed in her performance outfit, stepped onto the stage and, waving with both hands, greeted the audience, after which she set to work, using previous developments in time with the new music.

Previous developments

Simply practicing the movements:

Closer to the current program:

New developments (how the flame looks), but not necessarily the movements themselves

New music

And now... to business! She had to demonstrate the flame of the very heart of Anuzish, its beauty, in all its glory to each of the gathered spectators. To be the conduit of this enchanting element, pleasing their eyes and multiplying her kinship with fire with learned tricks, pirouettes, dancing talents, and rich military experience. After all the rehearsals, it shouldn't be difficult, especially since the foundation had been laid long ago. But that was no reason to slack off or not give it her all! Beata, for her part, gave it so much that it was a joy to behold!

Sharp and rehearsed swings, each of which, like a flaming trail, left intricate fiery patterns behind. The movements themselves were fitting — swift and graceful, no less than the spinning spindle of a fire sword. And Alaria herself broke through these flashes of flame, harmless to her, circling the arena like a burning whirlwind. Even her hair fluttered like an uncontrollable element. At times she tossed her "sword" upward, and in that moment its glow flared even brighter — like a celestial body. Or, as Beata said, like the summer or scorching Calcite sun. But this sun was harmless and did not blind the eyes of the viewers, only pleasing their sight with its beauty. Only to temper its passion when it inevitably returned to the hands of the inquisitrix. A captivating and tense performance, a true dance of flame dedicated equally to comrades, colleagues, the residents of Margel, and the element itself.

At the end, the warrior once again held her weapon, whose "blade" flared in her hands as a column of harmless flame, only to be extinguished by the breath of the flame-tamer. After which, she smiled and gracefully bowed to the audience.

Seeing her friend, usually wise and bright as the sun, shrouded in confusion, was painful, and the young priestess now wanted nothing more than to hug her and comfort her, but that wasn't what Minako should do. With a strong act of will, Minako swallowed the lump in her throat and spoke in a serious, yet empathetic voice.
- Some people are simply incapable of understanding each other, just as oil and water cannot be mixed, even if there may not be anyone "wrong" among them. Therefore, there would be nothing wrong with letting go of this person in your heart, especially since, from your story, it seems that he doesn't appreciate your company either. However... knowing you, I don't think that approach will work. - The girl paused briefly, carefully considering her next words. - Forgive me, Kami-sama, and this person, for breaking his secret - even though he didn't ask me to keep it - but I sincerely believe that revealing his problem will be beneficial for everyone involved. - After taking a few meditative breaths to gather her thoughts, she continued. - You know, shortly before you came to me, a young man about my age came to see me. He swore terribly, was rude, and constantly brought up inappropriate topics. To be honest, I learned a lot of words from him that I didn't even know existed, but that's not the point. He told me, in a joking way, but with sincerity in his eyes, that he had never been accepted for who he was, that many might consider this natural given his behavior and speech, but he noted that he never intended to change, not wanting to betray himself... Well, he also said that he was "just too lazy." - Having said this, Minako smiled sweetly, momentarily returning to the role of an unburdened student. - Despite this, recently a woman appeared in his life with whom he could be completely open, and she didn't reject him, as if he were a baby in his mother's arms again. He concluded this story by saying that it was "the first time in his life that he truly loved someone." After considering his situation, I came to the conclusion that he was talking about you, Aiyano... At first, I thought he might be talking about another important woman in his life, but no, all the signs point to you. So, what I want to say is... I think that this lies at the very core of your being - your ability to understand others and respond to their feelings, and it is for this reason that you care about the fate of those around you, including the young man you just told me about. Therefore... even if he never accepts you, don't let that turn you away from who you are deep down. - Unable to resist, Miko-san took Miko-sama's hand in hers. - Your superiority over him, and over anything else, will lie in your kindness!

Beata's face showed that she had a joke about Alaria's talents on the tip of her tongue, but Gillon looked at her so sternly and disapprovingly that she bit her tongue and simply applauded her friend along with her fiancé. Beata was once again filled with a bit of pride – after all, it was she who brought such a valuable person to Carneol!

Lol, Loken, this is one of the questions I'm working through with my psychologist. Just write a letter to Anpan and burn it or tear it into small pieces. As for what to do with the letter itself – I don't know, it's up to you.

After listening to the story about the "guy," Ayano simply smiled without commenting on its content. After Minako finished speaking, she held the gaze of Miko-san for a while, contemplating what had been said, and then, with a sigh, lowered her eyes. "Perhaps there really is no magic solution. It's sad, but that's life, and there's nothing we can do about it," she was about to add something else, but after hesitating for a few seconds, she changed her expression to one of annoyance. "…But what if I don't want to do that? What if I leave him in his own reality instead of erasing him? It's not about superiority. Just imagine – what sane person in such a situation would go out of their way to be kind? At best, it won't be appreciated, and at worst, there's a risk of another misunderstanding that will only make things worse. It's just not rational – pointless, even harmful work, possibly capable of causing some kind of neurosis. Surely my "self" won't suffer from this? Surely it will be much better for him too, won't it? Not to see the object of his dislike at all. If the feelings are unrequited, isn't this mathematically and scientifically the best option for both sides, huh?"

Apparently, she also has something superhuman, like Laikos. Only endurance, not strength.

She has a superhuman dose of stubbornness, plus a little coffee. And doping in the form of a needle in the butt.

My respects to whoever organized all this so professionally and in such a short time.

Beata, speaking: well, with God's help...
Rhubarb: I like how you call me.😎

Laikos is the strength of the earth.

Well, you have to admit, it just fits.

"Wow, I'm really on fire," thought Beata. "Coffee, adrenaline, and stubbornness – the best performance enhancers. The most challenging parts of my act are behind me; I can relax a bit. But I also want to run around the city! I don't know how much longer I can keep this up; I'll probably sleep until evening tomorrow." "Beata, don't drink any more coffee or strong tea today," suddenly said Guyon, without taking his eyes off the audience, entrances, exits, and other key areas. "Huh?" "I'm sure you can handle a lot more caffeine and not even flinch, but nothing can replace a good rest." "I doubt I'll be able to rest today... There's so much interesting stuff in the city! Besides, I mostly worked on the bars; juggling was just a light warm-up, even if it looked cool." "But I insist that we go to bed early, if possible. And get a good night's sleep. And don't forget, you still have a scene with the sorceress." "That mostly requires acting from me." "But there will be magic, so..." "Okay, Dad," Beata rolled her eyes. Guyon was right. The show wasn't over yet.

During Alaria’s performance, all other light, including sunlight, seemed to dim, highlighting the multitude of sparks that showered from her blade. It was… simply fantastic. I wonder if her flame could be used in a forge in some way? The first and most obvious answer seems to be no, because the materials need to be processed, not destroyed… But on the other hand, under a rune of invulnerability or in the case of a very flexible, space-based ore, one could conduct an experiment to see what would happen, and whether an even stronger alloy could be created, without using a blast furnace. Well, for now, Riya looked as if she was going to live in a world with three (hmm, but why exactly three?) peoples, but she could also declare war, and that spectacle was enough to further elevate the already high spirits.

He greets with a resounding nod to Anpan, as if saying, "Get ready to be dazzled, but don't blink, or you'll miss a single millisecond."

Anpan, with his characteristic suspicion and critical eye, observed the performance, sometimes nodding approvingly, and sometimes frowning.
"They chose a strange time for something like this. The fire element has a good contrast with the evening, but now the sun is almost at its zenith. They could have waited for night. Are they in a hurry? But she certainly has good athleticism. I wonder how many people she had to kill to learn to wield a sword with such confidence? And she doesn't seem to be afraid of fire at all; such courage is bound to inspire some respect. Although... for some reason, I have the impression that it's harmless. Maybe it's not real? Maybe they used some kind of lighting effects. Or did she train herself to have high resistance? If so, does that diminish the coolness of the show? It's very strange. The music, by the way, is quite good. Do I imagine it, or did I see that musician among Erefir's fans? What is she doing here? Or is she just a Karneol spy who has infiltrated the ranks of the fans? I don't understand."
- Yes, it was... something.
As he saw the performer off, the young man joined in the applause.
- Well done! - came a voice from the medical staff who had been watching the performance. - You should perform for our patients sometime!
- Fire is the foundation of health, - Laikos nodded to her.

Hearing the loud applause, Alaria felt even more invigorated. It was very pleasant to see that her contribution to Beata's endeavor was also appreciated. That she had met the high standards set by her comrades. Even outside of the dragon hunt, they worked skillfully and cohesively as a team, although this time the leader was the acrobat, not the redhead. It instilled extra pride in the efforts they had made.

- Well done! - came the voice from the medical staff observing the performance. - You should perform for our patients sometime!

"I will definitely perform," the Tanarian nodded in the direction of the voice, "the main thing is to prepare everything properly. And I'll bring my comrades along, if they don't mind!"

- Fire is the foundation of health, - Laikos nodded to her.

Another nod.

Thanking the audience for the enthusiastic applause, Alaria left the stage and, after tidying herself up a bit, began to take care of the remaining, previously agreed-upon duties, which were now being handled by Guyon, Garret, and Erefir. However, in case Beata needed anything for an impromptu performance, she was always nearby and ready to act.