Posts from ☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- Darius, Dari… These foreign names are easily confused by an uneducated man from Margel. But I must admit, I am surprised; I sensed that this would disappoint or upset you more, but instead, I received compassion and encouragement… It seems I was wrong about you, Erefir; you are even better than I thought. But, alas, what a predicament… I think Naria could resolve this issue, but I wouldn't want to undermine your relationship with her. I haven't seen her often, but she seemed like a very stern woman to me. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be forced to abandon my beliefs and turn into a Scryme.

The girl turns to the other side, facing the hapless follower of Rishi.

-- Indeed, you were lucky to be wrong, or I would have already turned you over to the guards. Probably. I don't know how law-abiding paladins should react to such news.

-- You understand that I understand; I am also a killer. One can try to sugarcoat it with military duty and honor, but that is just a facade, a mere appearance that doesn't change the essence. And I haven't taken every life out of necessity, if I'm being honest.

Erefir fell silent for a moment, contemplating the situation once again. It was good that they were both surprisingly calm.

-- I see two paths. You can try to escape and hide, to most likely avoid negative consequences for yourself. If you decide to do so, I won't blame you; I will be saddened that we won't be able to see each other for a long time, but I will be glad that you will be safe. However, I will have many sleepless nights ahead, as I won't know where you are, whether you are alive, well, or captured, and overall, this path will be difficult.

-- The second… For the second option, you must understand that the Suzerain could not protect any newcomer from confession, including me, and even, if I understood the words of the servant-witness correctly, even the princess went through the same procedure. Her diplomacy extends only to the point where it could harm the country by triggering a conflict, and the Church does not answer to the state. This means that one can intercede for you, but not save you from contact altogether.

-- ... That is, I think it is possible. If I simply ask, there probably won't be any trouble. I assume, although it should be taken into account that She strongly dislikes otherworldly cults, and in general, my subordinates are judged more harshly than I am.

-- In any case, my thesis is that you will hardly avoid confession if you stay in Margel, but how it will go, what you will be allowed, and what not, given all the complex circumstances… I am sure that no one there wants to turn a full-fledged resident of Anuzish, who is making concessions in good conscience, into a Scryme.

-- By the way, I'm not sure where this came from. According to the general information I received, Rishi doesn't impose penalties for changing beliefs; she dislikes low faith. I don't know. I don't want you to be subjected to violence, and I don't want to lose you. The option with relatively little bloodshed would be if they imposed a reasonable restriction or oath. Maybe I am misjudging the situation somewhere, and you can correct me.

-- And can't we get married quickly? Perhaps, in the face of Anuzish, some incredible miracle will happen, and everything will be resolved, right? -- she said more as a brainstorming exercise than seriously.

-- Well. It is up to you to decide how we will proceed.

- I have no doubt about that,” the no-longer-alien creature readily agrees. - And I am absolutely certain that each of these notes will give both me and all other listeners something fantastic...

- He's a good boy. - She said to her with a bittersweet expression on her face. - And so are they all...

- There is some truth to that,” nodding to the dog, she looks with some sadness at the empty hall. - Your frontline sortie will probably not go so smoothly. They say that the governor himself was injured in this war. It is not so difficult to fight the undead if you know what to expect from them, but their number and tireless nature compensate for this. Sooner or later, but it can catch even the luckiest fighter. And there is also poisonous gas, curses, and much more... I would like to see you and your offspring alive again, but not as frequent visitors to the veterans' community.

—Come on. —he waved his hand. —Even if it were a hint from the universe, I would never be able to gather that much power anyway. So, it's better if you look out for each other than have it gather dust in your inventory. Besides, being a guardian is a dangerous job, so take care of yourselves.

—Well... Thank you very much, buddy! To be honest, with this armor, I feel a little more useful than a fighter who is hopelessly behind the more advanced comrades!

—Hmm, I thought it was planned as a "righteous" quest... —he mused. —Well, I'm glad to see that you took care of protection against all sorts of nastiness. And as for the rest... We wanted to get together sometime and just hang out. Now, the only question is whether it's better to do it before leaving, or on the contrary, after returning... Maybe even the latter, so that there is an extra incentive for everyone to return safe and sound. That's my first decree to you!

—I'll try to fulfill it! Although, statistically, a happy outcome for everyone involved... Ah, never mind. Ayaano, uh, Her Highness the Princess, already made it clear to me once that excessive deliberation doesn't lead to good things. And I think you'll find something to do without Neferia. There's Farella, the Calcite, the Haranian Empire...

Added 15 minutes ago

—Indeed, you were lucky to make a mistake, or would you already be handing me over to the guards? Probably. I don't know how law-abiding paladins should react to such news.

—You don't have to look far for an example, there's Tluassa. Although it could have been worse if one of her colleagues had rushed at me with a sword without trying to talk.

—You understand that I understand, I'm also a killer. You can try to sweeten it with military duty and honor, but that's just a facade, an embellishment, it doesn't change the essence. And I didn't take every life out of necessity, to be honest.

—Well. It's good that we're on the same wavelength. If we can go through something like this together and keep our cool, then there's no need to worry about everyday problems.
Having voiced this amusing thought, he smiled.

I see two paths.

—I would have left the city without hesitation before, but now I don't even want to think about it.

—... That is, I think it's possible. If I just ask, there probably won't be any trouble. I assume, although it should be taken into account that She doesn't like otherworldly cults very much, and in general, my subordinates are judged more harshly than I am.

—What do you think about the Empress in general? Unlike you, I don't know much truth about her.

—By the way, I'm not sure where that came from. According to the general information I received, it seems that Risha does not impose penalties when changing beliefs; she doesn't like low faith. I don't know. I don't want you to be subjected to violence, and I don't want to lose you. There is an option with relatively little bloodshed if they impose a reasonable restriction or oath. Maybe I'm misjudging the situation, and you can correct me.

—I wouldn't want to test that... Hmm, could you tolerate me if I turned into a Skrym?

—Can't we just get married quickly? Maybe something incredible will happen in the face of Anuzish, and everything will be fixed, right? —she said more as a brainstorming session than seriously.

—Maybe we can, but it's unlikely to satisfy her "representatives" among mortals.

—Well. It's up to you to decide how we're going to proceed.

—I need to think about it a little.

Added 4 minutes ago

—That's true, —nodding to the dog, he looks at the empty hall with some sadness. —Your frontline sortie will probably not go so smoothly. They say that the governor himself suffered in this war. It's not so difficult to fight the undead if you know what to expect from them, but their numbers and tireless nature compensate for that. Sooner or later, it can catch even the luckiest fighter off guard. And there's also poisonous gas, curses, and many other things... I would like to see you and your pups alive again, but not as regulars in the veterans' community.

—Well... What will be, will be. All that remains is to hope that everything will be alright and that we will all meet again in Margel alive and well, and then maybe even have mass weddings, heh-heh. I think Ahuri was satisfied with her meeting with Suyen. As far as I understand, romance is alien to her, and therefore she considers a potential husband pragmatically, and I think Suyen has all the necessary qualities. And there, Yun and Riikumerochka will get together, and many others... It will be great!

- And by the way, where is Ahuri? And in general. When you talk about weddings, you're raising an unnecessary flag, just so you know. But never mind. If you had gone to the park yesterday, you would have seen that there were other candidates for this "mass gathering." Maybe it's a fantastic coincidence, or maybe the crisis has affected everyone so much that they realized they need to start living now, not put it off until tomorrow. - turning her head around, looking near and around her feet, as if searching for a cat, Aiyano looks for Ahulichka. - So, what do you say? Now you've had a chance to take a more thoughtful look at young, promising people; you could even think that this whole event was arranged for you as a kind of "matchmaking." Which of them did you like the most?

- Well... Thank you very much, my friend! To be honest, with this armor, I feel a little more useful than a hopelessly lagging behind the more powerful companions!

—👍 You'll find better weapons with lower penalties, master Baldur, and you'll look much better.

- I'll try to do it! Although, statistically, a happy outcome for everyone involved... Ah, never mind. Ayano, uh, Her Highness the Princess, once made it clear to me that excessive contemplation doesn't lead to good things. And I think you'll find work even without Neferia. There, it seems, Farrellia is bustling around, Calcite, the Haranian Empire...

For a moment, the sandy dunes rise again before the unfortunate knight's eyes, and the sound of an approaching storm deafens his ears. Or maybe it wasn't the cry of nature at all, but a human one?...
—Hmm... —he tapped his ear lightly. —That's true about contemplation. The more I interact with people, the fewer notes and internal monologues I have. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I think you need to have both skills, and in life, you need to remain a realist. So, let's get together after all these quests, have a drink with the living, and honor the memory of the fallen. That's how I imagine it.

Would Beata accept Gillon if he became a Scryer? The opposite is also true, though.

- And where is Ahuri, by the way?

- Probably in his room with Cleona.

And in general, when you talk about weddings, you're raising an unnecessary flag, just so you know.

- I don't believe in such magical thinking.

they realized that they need to start living now, and not put it off until tomorrow.

- It would be great if you followed this universal wisdom too, my dear Ayanushka.

Well, what do you say? Now that you've had a chance to take a closer look at the young and promising people, you might even think that this whole event was arranged for you as a kind of matchmaking session. Which of them did you like the most?

Not wanting to hurt her mistress's feelings, Ahuli decided not to mention that the weeping Heinous repelled her.
- Suiyen, Miyuki, Hugon.

Added 25 minutes later

- 👍 You'll find a weapon with a smaller penalty, master Baldr, and you'll look good overall.

- Baldr... That sounds like a very long-term investment. I wish there was a teacher who was always within easy reach!

- Hmm... - he tapped his ear lightly. - The part about reflection is true. The more I interact with people, the fewer notes and internal monologues I have. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I think you need to have both skills, and remain a realist in life. So, let's get together after all these quests, have a drink with the living, and honor the memory of the fallen. That's how I see it.

- I swear, said Anpan, placing his hand on his heart.
- I swear, repeated the words and actions of Anpan, Bubben.

- Probably in her room with Cleona.

- I mean, it would be a shame to leave without letting them see each other... - the Nihon hand gently rested on the head of the mortal enemy of her people, at least in name. - Although, they're probably gossiping right now.

- I don't believe in such magical thinking.

- You should. I'll have to put so many "em" and throw so many "rem" into Saizen for your success that it will overwhelm your audacity and rip out all the flagpoles by the roots.

- It would be very good if you followed this universal wisdom too, my dear Ayanushka.

- Ahem, I... The situation itself... It's... In short, - leaning closer, she whispers something in her ear - or in the approximate area from which it can be heard by their pair. - So... - having finished the explanation, she looks away.

- Suiyen, Miyuki, Hugon.

- Interesting set. Hmm... - she tilts her head to the side. - Until this second, I hadn't even thought that the last two names are like two sides of the same coin. Hugon-kun is a man of few words, and for some reason, I have the impression that... But maybe I'm mistaken. I've been wrong in my assumptions in various situations more than once. And Miyuki-kun is from the islands. Doesn't that bother you?.. You're like you're looking for enemies, not allies, ha-ha.

- I mean, it would be a shame to leave without letting them meet... - the Nihon woman gently placed her hand on the head of the mortal enemy of her people, at least in name. - Although, they're probably gossiping right now.

- Then maybe we should join them? There's no such thing as too many ears in a ladies' conversation.

- Don't bother. I'll have to assign so many "em" and "rem" to Saissen for your success that it will overshadow your audacity and uproot all the flagpoles.

- Go ahead, but I'm 110% sure that everything will be fine with all of us.

- Ahem, I... The situation itself... It's... In short, - leaning closer, she whispers something in her ear - or in the approximate area from which it can be heard by both of them. - So... - after finishing the explanation, she looks away.

- O-o-o... I think we need to discuss this in more detail later, in a slightly more private setting.

- Interesting combination. Hmm... - she tilts her head to the side. - Until this second, I hadn't even thought that the last two names were like two sides of the same coin. Hugon-kun is a man of few words, and for some reason, I have the impression that... But maybe I'm wrong. I've been wrong in my assumptions in various situations more than once. And Miyuki-kun is from the islands. Doesn't that bother you?... My dear, it's as if you're looking for opponents, not allies, haha.

- I don't need what people call...? Ah! A doormat. So an opponent is just right, especially since he serves Sonata-same, which means that I and Ahuri will always have a common ground with him. Ahuri is not the only one who can come up with such clever military tricks!

- Baldr... That sounds like a very long-term investment. It would be nice to have teachers who are always within easy reach!

—It's a bit difficult right now, yes... Well, never mind, it will be another goal for the future.

- I swear, - said Anpan, placing his hand on his heart.
- I swear, - repeated the words and deed of Anpan, Bubben.

—That's great! And I, for my part, will do the same. —repeated the not-so-"realistic" statement in the context of the previous dialogue. —Oh yes, by the way. —rummaging in his pockets, he hands Anpan a deck of cards. —Since you're interested, it's better to be the master of your own destiny. And for good luck, this thing has stood the test of time.

After that, he nods towards the door:
—Okay, you probably need to get ready and all that... And your mentor will probably be back soon, I wouldn't want to interfere with someone else's timeline... It was nice to see you, guys. If you have a moment, feel free to visit us too.

- I don't need, how do people call it... Ah! A henpecked husband. So, an opponent is just what I need, especially since he serves Sonata-same, which means that I and Ahuri will always have a General connection with him. Ahuri isn't the only one who can come up with such clever military tricks!

- This... ... ... ...is very sound logic, - says Aiyano, suppressing the urge to add "for once" (especially since it wouldn't be true). - Well, in that case, I have something to arm you with for this battle.
She reaches into her bag, and through a wormhole in its depths, she pulls out a memorable photo of May Jingo, which she has since placed in a beautiful frame under glass.
- The greatest work of my former boss at the agency. If we are to believe the gray demons, then he... was one of those who suffered on November 5th, - lowering her gaze to the floor, she squeezed the edge of her dress with her free hand. - He was a man that I long refused to accept, given my natural distrust, but this did not offend or discourage him in the slightest. One of the brightest people of the highest caliber that I have had the honor to know. As it turns out, his words were prophetic... I suppose I have nothing left to do but continue to carry on his ideal, - Aiyano smiled and wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, shaking her head. - This photo does not depict me or Sonata, so it may seem meaningless to you. But believe me - gradually it can change your life for the better. It carries an idea, a spirit, something that gives you the strength to move forward. In part, it is what made me who I am today, and now I entrust it to you. Hang it up, and over time it will help you defeat both Ahuri and your chosen opponents.

- Then maybe we should join them? There are no superfluous ears in ladies' conversations.

- There is some truth in that. After all, something like this doesn't fall under the criteria of etiquette, does it? In that case, we shouldn't waste another minute.

- There's no need to look far for an example; there's Tluassa. Although it could have been worse if one of her colleagues had attacked me with a sword without attempting to talk.

-- Indeed, -- Fyr smiled sadly, seemingly already forgetting the incident and focusing on finding a solution. However, she was reminded.

-- You're right, it's not the worst option, and her frankness and dedication to her beliefs can be seen as positive. But... yes... -- pursing her lips indicated that Erephir's breach of protocol and aggression were not well-received.

- Well. It's good that we're on the same page. If we can get through something like this together and keep our cool, then there's no need to worry about everyday problems.
Having voiced this amusing thought, he smiled.

-- Yes ) But, if anything, I didn't mean that this situation completely suits me; I'm just realistically assessing the state of my soul. Ideally... I would like to become a heroine whom no one could reproach, no matter how hard they tried. The past is the past, but in every new second, I intend to act in such a way that at least meaningless sacrifices can be avoided. Maybe it sounds a bit naive after the realism I just expressed, but who's going to stop me from trying?..

- I would have left the city without a second thought before, but now I don't even want to think about it.

-- I noticed, -- the girl said softly, having already given Am an opportunity for a tactical retreat from the room, but he didn't even think to take advantage of it. Does he trust her that much? This thought both warmed and frightened her; the knight liked that Am had become brave, but she was afraid that this bravery would backfire on him.

- What do you think of the Empress in general? Unlike you, I know almost nothing about her.

-- She is the most generous and the strictest person I have met in both worlds. The Sovereign saved me from death by bringing me here, because my real body had already turned to ashes as a result of one not-so-successful "draw." She immediately entrusted me with a squad, even though she had never seen me before, and all my modest successes are rewarded as if I had really performed some miracles... And yet, we both know that I am always on the verge of a precipice and barely manage to meet the minimum requirements without completely failing.

-- At the same time, the Sovereign immediately made it clear that if there is no cooperation, she doesn't need outsiders here, and this is not just an empty threat to increase loyalty. Again, we both know that my loyalty cannot be built on fear, so this was more of an information session. Twice this has already come to pass: at different times, two of my subordinates were exiled for not meeting Her expectations. One even... Just yesterday.

-- If we add to this the fact that the Sovereign inherits many of Akonia's predilections... Rituals of summoning, for example, are indicative. These are probably the result of Her own research, but it seems very likely that the interest in this area is dictated by a singular soul -- because Akonia herself in the past concluded a corresponding agreement with another singularity, known to us as Miss Cosmos; this was a measure to win the war against the celestials. And based on this example, you should understand that Akonia once fought against Rishi; therefore, although you and I have considerable experience in mutual assistance, if it comes to the question of "Can he be an exception to the rules, and the terms of the mandate not be observed?", then... It is unlikely that this will be in accordance with Her wishes. If we turn to Her for help, I can hardly imagine how to do it without taking appropriate steps on our part.

- I wouldn't want to test that... Hmm, but if I turned into a Skryme, would you be able to put up with me?

-- Put up with it? -- Erephir was surprised. -- You know in general how I lived for twenty-three years, and what sometimes happened to people I knew, and you think that the greening of my fiancé's skin will make me change my attitude towards you? To be frank, even if you turned into a slug, I would "put up with it."

-- The question is, it would damage your soul, and therefore I wouldn't "put up with it" in the sense that I wouldn't be satisfied with such a situation. If the worst were to happen (although I hope it doesn't), I would study all aspects of the world, biology, medicine, and anatomy, learn any magic, whether it's body alteration or creating artificial bodies with soul transfer... I would find any artifacts, but I would restore your appearance. Or... It is possible, of course, that the Sovereign is capable of something similar, -- she added, although she was not sure that it would be rational to increase her debt to the Empress, with the risk of refusal.

—That's great! And I'll do the same. —repeated the not-so-"realistic" statement in the context of their previous conversation. —Oh yes, by the way. —rummaging in his pockets, he hands Anpan a deck of cards. —Since you're interested, it's best to be in control of your own destiny. And for good luck, this deck has stood the test of time.

—Thank you! And here, this is for you.

Kunai x8
Damage: 55%
Accuracy: 45%
Causes a stunning effect.
Critical hit: damage is doubled.
Slot: other.
Range: 8

—Just in case your opponent is out of reach of your sword.

—Alright, you probably need to prepare and all that... And your mentor will probably be back soon, I wouldn't want to interfere with someone else's timeline... It was nice meeting you, guys. If you have a chance, come visit us too.

—We will. The Pillars need to support each other.

—That's... a very sound logic, —says Aiyano, suppressing the urge to add "for once" (even though it wouldn't be true). —Well, in that case, I have something to arm you with for this battle.
She reaches into her bag, and from the wormhole within, she pulls out a framed photo of May Jingo, which she had placed in a beautiful frame.
—The greatest work of my former boss at the agency. If we are to believe the gray demons, then he... was one of those who suffered on November 5th, —looking down at the floor, she squeezed the edge of her dress with her free hand. —He was a man I had long refused to accept, given my natural distrust, but it didn't offend or discourage him in the slightest. One of the brightest people of the highest caliber that I have had the honor to know. As it turns out, his words were prophetic... I suppose I have nothing left to do but continue to carry on his ideal, —she smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, shaking her head. —This photo doesn't depict me or Sonata, so it might seem meaningless to you. But believe me, it can gradually change your life for the better. It carries an idea, a spirit, something that gives you the strength to move forward. In part, it is what made me who I am today, and now I entrust it to you. Hang it up, and over time, it will help you defeat Ahuri and your chosen opponents.

—Aiyano-sama, thank you! Even though I am not as wise as Ahuri, I hope to be useful to you, because you have given me more than I could ever repay!

—There is some truth in that. Something like this doesn't fall under the criteria of etiquette, does it? In that case, we shouldn't waste another minute.

—Of course. Girl talk is sacred.

—Another question is that it would destroy your soul, and therefore I wouldn't "endure" it in the sense that I wouldn't be satisfied with such an outcome. If the worst were to happen (although I hope it doesn't), I would study all aspects of the world, biology, medicine, and anatomy, learn any magic, whether it's body modification or creating artificial bodies with soul transfer... I would find any artifacts, but I would restore your beloved appearance. Or... it's possible that the Suzerain is capable of something like that, —she added, although she wasn't sure if it would be rational to increase her debt to the Empress, with the risk of refusal.

—That's encouraging...
In the end, Amamius decides to leave the decision about his fate to Erefir...

__________

I'll be posting the ending now.

--

— And so ended the saga of Arcelia and Aconia: historical injustice was rectified, Aconia was rehabilitated, and Anuzish was protected from cosmic ill-wishers. The end. — No, Mother, wait, but what happened next and how did you and Father meet? Cleona leaned back in her chair, reminiscing about her life — perhaps not the longest, but certainly rich in the most varied of events. — Mother?.. — I’ve already told you about my first love, haven’t I? — Yes. — Well then, I never admitted this to any of my new acquaintances, but in my hatred and anger, I nurtured the hope of getting revenge on that damned homewrecker, of pulling her down from the heavens to earth and settling the score for everything she put me through! But you know, Pira, when Naria severed Anuzish’s connection with the rest of the universe, for some reason a weight was lifted from my heart. I suddenly wanted to worry about nothing and live only for the day. Yuisis, Sophia... To hell with them all. — Speaking of which, Mother, why did you and Father give me such a name? Pyrotessa. — That was the name of the founder of our dynasty, and the idea of continuing her legacy on another planet somehow seemed very amusing to me. Here followed a story about the ancient dynasty of Cleona. — Amusing, you say... — What’s wrong, don’t you like your own name? — No... The name is good, it sounds pleasant, but it doesn’t go very well with the surname. — Pyrotessa Crim Zom, what’s wrong with that? — ... — If you want, you can call yourself Pyrotessa Sin Ash Shamash — no one on Anuzish will punish you for your origins. — No way. With all due respect to the founder, I have no desire to associate her life story with my own. — Oh, come on, remember I told you about the time I spent in the coven? — Mother, please, no! — Ha-ha... Fine, I’ll finally answer your question: there were no romantic premises between me and your father, but we lived together because of work and over time realized our characters suited each other, and decided to try playing at being a family. Just like that, simple. And you should know, after his tournament he was quite a popular young man — everyone knew he could earn money, was good-looking, and could stand up for himself and his loved ones if necessary. — Oh, Mother, first you want a prince, then a promising entrepreneur... — Well, what can I do, that’s just how I am. You got your eyes from him, and your hair from me, by the way. — I see...

The door to the room opened and Matthias Zom entered.
— Father! — Rejoicing, Pyrotessa ran to hug him. — How are things?
— Everything is fine, but we need to sail from Shiho by December. On the eve of the new millennium, the “Dahlia Petals” treaty expires, and warships of the islanders have already begun to appear on the sea horizon.
— The Shogunate? — His wife asked.
— Strangely, no. Asahina. — Looking around the room, he tore himself away from the nagging thoughts about politics and the upcoming commotion. — What were you doing while I was gone?
— Remembering the past. If you want, you can take over the historical relay from me — you’re better prepared for these topics anyway. We stopped at the death of the fifteenth apostle.
— Oh, I see.
Digging through his hefty bag, Matthias pulled out a thick notebook with pasted images — sometimes photographs, sometimes drawings, depending on what could be obtained. Having completed his training and service under Sonata Reim, in addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Matthias Zom also became very interested in history, and besides studying others’ works, thanks to his numerous trade expeditions, he managed to gather and correlate even information that his colleagues did not have.


— With the unexpected and clumsy demise of the Many-Faced Monogat, the plan to partition Welfern among his ill-wishers failed, but it was already too late to put everything on hold: a large-scale military conflict had begun and brought nothing but destruction and suffering to the inhabitants of the involved countries.
— And who tried to partition Welfern?
— Nephiria, Pharellia, the Kingdom of Calcite, and the Harran Empire. The Arcelian Church also thirsted for revenge.
— They agreed to form an alliance with the undead?..
— Sounds unusual, but as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well then, upon learning that Aconia, filled with malice (as they believed), had gathered her last crystallized parts, Bruno and his Arcelian allies decided to retreat and return to Renfu, the main city of their religious organization. No matter how much they wanted to strike down their ancient enemy, under the circumstances they chose to wait for her natural and inevitable death rather than participate in what promised to be a hopeless conflict. Unlike the original Aconia, Naria did not have eternity at her disposal, and therefore, like any other mortal, her fate was sealed. For the Arcelians, the only question was how much trouble she could cause in her allotted time, and they were primarily concerned with minimizing that damage.
— Father, what do you yourself think about Aconia... Naria.
— If not for her, you wouldn’t be here now, so personally, I am grateful to her, but there are also those whose fates she destroyed, so you will hear as many conflicting opinions about her as people you meet. Speaking of conflicting historical figures, there was also a man named Lance, also known in narrower circles as Lide Rihok. He was a very powerful alien warrior, capable of snapping a katana with his teeth!
— Wow!.. — Starting to clap her hands, Pyrotessa suddenly stopped. — What use is such a talent?
— Not much, really, but his opponents knew that unless they enchanted their weapons with indestructibility, they’d better not get close to him. I think he was no less powerful than Erefir, and certain features of his might even have made him more dangerous than her.
— And what happened to him?
— Before withdrawing from Pharellian lands, Bruno banished him from the face of Anuzish. By an irony of fate, while many aliens managed to find a new home on Anuzish and gain friends or even family, he was driven away like a stray dog, but his numerous descendants will forever leave a noticeable mark of their father on this planet.
— Numerous descendants?
— Falet, for example. Or remember Aria?
— The one who was Naria’s friend?
— Yes, that’s her. Aria recovered after her unfortunate incident and gave birth to a daughter from our banished villain. She found the courage and wisdom to accept what happened as a fact of life and felt no negativity toward her own child; she named her Georgia after Naria’s favorite flower. Later, she handled the security of Ayano and Lunamaria.
— I see... I don’t think I could come to terms with something like that. And what became of Bruno? He seems to be the leader of the Arcelians now.
— Uh-huh. He took the post of new head of the Church of Arcelia in 983 and thus became the counterpart to Patriarch Eugene of the new Church of Anuzish. They, by the way, met publicly in 988 to leave their differences in the past. They didn’t plan to unite into a single religious entity, of course, but they agreed to conduct their struggle for influence in the spiritual sphere exclusively through peaceful means. What else... Ah! In 976, following a fateful meeting, he married Regina Bridable. I even found a photo of the bride from the wedding.

— She moved to him in Renfu and over the course of a long and happy marriage bore him seven children.
— Seven! — Pyrotessa was surprised. — And I’m the only one in the family...
— Well, sorry, — Cleona suddenly rolled her eyes, — I’m not a planting bed after all.
Cleona cast a displeased look at her husband, as if trying to say “you’d better continue the story.”


— ... Despite the loss of a key figure in Monogat, Nephiria and its king resisted stubbornly until the very end. Only by the autumn of 976 did its capital, Atropos, fall under the onslaught of the Welfern army, then under the command of the supreme commander of the empire’s armed forces, Draco Mellis; in carrying out this military campaign, he was aided by Patriarch Eugene and us, the “Aconia” battle squad.
— The name of that mustached gentleman still appears in newspapers to this day, it seems.
— Uh-huh. After the war ended, a very major scandal occurred with him.
— The one when it was discovered he had an affair with his subordinate? — Cleona strained her memory, recalling events of days long past. — These Puritans are always the most susceptible to what they condemn others for. What was her name? Something with an “L.”
— Levi Leonhart.
— Exactly.
— Be that as it may, it didn’t stop him from becoming the representative of the people of Margel in the first elections. He held that post all the way until the spring of 995. Apparently, not even such an event was enough to tarnish his post-war reputation.
— And who is this? — Pyrotessa pointed at a small portrait of a blonde woman with a ponytail.
— That’s Ruby, one of the saints. I told you about them once. During the anti-Nephirian campaign, when Naria was burdened by inconveniences related to childbirth, on her orders our boss and teacher, Sonata Reim, borrowed Azarina’s sinister family sword and briefly left us to fight Ruby, who was traveling through those parts. Unlike Stalia, who is already well known to you, Ruby couldn’t fly, couldn’t control portals, or create miniature worlds, nor did she have what seemed like an endless arsenal, but in return, a single swing of her sword could easily destroy both “Carnelian” and “Aconia.” Sonata, however, due to her coven state, was nearly immortal, and so ultimately gained the upper hand over the saint. Neither Ruby nor Sonata was satisfied with this duel, and both understood perfectly well that there was no honor in their battle. Nevertheless, it was on this note that the long life of the perfect sword of Arcelia ended.
— Tell her about Zephyr, since you brought up the topic of singularities.
— Zephyr? — The name seemed unfamiliar to the daughter.
— The windy saint who founded Heles, protector and progenitor of its people. Well, since Naria set a strict goal to destroy all the ancient saints, Zephyr did not escape conflict with her either. By a cruel irony of fate, during their cataclysmic confrontation, that island nation, like the original Minjin of years long past, sank underwater, and those of its inhabitants who survived had to seek a new home in other parts of Anuzish. This event affected many people. For instance, the Knight of Serenity, Kilika of Carnelian, was so shocked by what happened that she could no longer view Margel and Welfern as her new home, since it was the very cause of her homeland’s destruction, and so she left the borders of the empire. Whether any of her comrades managed to contact her, I don’t know, but I hope her story’s end will not be as sad as that of Heles itself.
— And where was Carnelian during the war?
— First, they were sent south, where they repelled a Calcite attack on Elise and a Harran attack on Kororat.
— How did they manage to be both in the east and west at the same time, Father?
— I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one front line was held entirely by Erefir alone. It’s not for nothing that the Right Pillar is called the strongest warrior of Welfern.
— So she’s stronger than Sonata?
— Hard to say. After the war ended and both organizations were formed, due to the specifics of our duties and powers, you could say we were the Moon of Margel, and they the Sun, so Erefir’s valor was more visible. Well, at least Sonata was the champion of the Welfern Grand Prix for ten years in a row. I even have a photo from the first championship here.

— Well, what an outfit she has here. — Pyrotessa looked at the photograph with a mix of surprise and disapproval. — How is she not ashamed to appear before people looking like that?
— I don’t recall us raising you to be such a Puritan. — Cleona smacked her daughter on the back of the head. — There’s no shame in showing off such beauty.
— Ow, that hurts... Mother, doesn’t it bother you that Father carries around photos like this?
— No. Should it?
— It’s still... Another woman.
— So what? I don’t have neurotic-schizoid complexes, and beauty is beauty, especially since I had my own first love too.
— Love?..
— You didn’t tell her? Well, in short, your father was in love with Sonata.
— Who wasn’t? — Matthias asked rhetorically with a smirk, recalling his confession to Ayano.
— It’s hard for me to understand. And Mother, what will you do if she suddenly tries to steal Father from you?
— If she tries, then I’ll think about it, but until then, it’s pointless even to ponder. Besides, it’s impossible.
— Hm? Why?
Matthias turned several pages and stopped at a newspaper article, authored by himself.
— I wrote this after reading her memoirs, — he explained to his daughter and wife.


She was never truly alone. Even after leaving her native world and finding herself in a completely foreign land, Sonata Reim very quickly gained a large number of friends and simply admirers. Perhaps, even if she weren’t an ex-empress and weren’t associated with various titles and achievements, but worked as a low-paid saleswoman at “Abundance,” she would still remain the center of attention. Her mere presence behind the counter of that store would increase its sales better than any advertising campaign, and parameters like quality and demand for the displayed goods would become secondary. Could anything be more impressive than such an attractive and captivating personal force?
And yet, although there were close and dear friends in her life, and despite the smile that never left her lips, deep in her soul she felt an indescribable longing.

Once, during what was ordinarily a mundane conversation with Naria, in gratitude for loyal service and friendship (Sonata was one of the few with whom, due to their origins and some other traits, she could communicate on equal terms), the empress offered to summon the soul of her husband to Anuzish. At that moment, all her common sense and principles faded into the background, and without a second thought, she agreed with a thrill in her heart.
Just as in this world the brother of the Basilisk Knight was materialized, so did #### come into being, and the catalyst for this was the wedding ring that Sonata reclaimed during the raid on the coven of Passion and had since worn on her finger without removing.

But it didn’t end there: Naria also offered to “naturalize” her and rid her of all the consequences of her time in the coven, but warned that in her current state, she could live forever and know no equal in battle and other spheres of human activity — something many would envy. Sonata, however, agreed to this as well, and soon after the touching reunion with her husband, she became pregnant for the second time.

— Why is the name written with hash marks? — Was the daughter’s first natural question about what she had read.
— Because she keeps his name a secret from the general public. Why — only she knows.
— She still retained a trace from the coven, — Cleona noted, — the ears didn’t go away.
— Perhaps Naria left them as a keepsake? — Matthias suggested.
— Yeah, or just for fun, because they look interesting.
— That would be quite in her style.
— Mother, Father, wait... So she gave up immortality just to be able to get pregnant?
— I think so. That, and she probably didn’t want to outlive her husband.
— That’s... Strange. You once told me the point of having children is the continuity of life, but if you’re immortal, why would you need it?
— So you’re suggesting we trade you for immortality?
— No, but... I mean... I would hardly give birth if it meant parting with such a useful trait.
— Look at this photo, — Matthias shows another snapshot in his notebook.



— This is Sonata with her daughter, taken by ####.
— Please, enough with the hash marks...
— Ha-ha, sorry. But doesn’t this picture move you?
— I don’t know... Let’s move on to the next topic. How about Pharellia?



— Contrary to everything going off plan, the military might of little Pharellia turned out to be a surprise for the empire. The glider squadron under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Heidi broke Welfern’s first line of defense and wreaked havoc on the cities of Upper and Lower Lunaria, forcing most of the population to take up arms or leave their homes. Thanks to this revolutionary method of aerial combat (bombing ground targets with fast and maneuverable pilots, as well as using firearms/cold weapons to fight airships and other air units), Pharellia’s ground soldiers managed to occupy Lapis, Lenheim, Lucilis, Luciel, and Lunalia, but were pushed back several months later. Despite this, Welfern’s warriors failed to set foot on Pharellian soil — General Trude, though she fundamentally did not take part in her country’s offensive operations, destroyed any enemy who dared to come to Pharellia with weapons in hand. Presumably, Naria abandoned the idea of engaging in conflict with her upon realizing that Rufus’s daughter could inflict mass destruction on the empire just as she could on Pharellia.



— Throughout the war, the Imperials never managed to shoot down Heidi, which caused the stories about the “Pharellian harpy” to take on legendary status. I didn’t see it myself, but the spectacle of her combat sorties was surely breathtaking.
— And what does she do in peacetime?
— Before the war, she worked as an instructor at a glider school, and after it ended, she became an air courier, delivering various parcels through Pharellian airspace and far beyond. As for her personal life, it remains a mystery for the overly curious like me. Oh yes, she also has a work colleague named Ella, who gained a controversial reputation in the country when she organized a socio-political campaign urging unmarried Pharellian women to have as many children as possible.
— What’s the point of doing that while unmarried??
— As a result of the war, there were more women than men in Pharellia, so not every woman could find a partner, and this campaign was needed to recover the losses suffered in the war.
— I see... And did she herself contribute to her own initiative?
— Yes. As far as I know, she gave birth to five.
— Hm, and what city are they from?
— From Mittena. I’ve been there, a very picturesque place, and Anpan told me a lot about it.
— Is that your classmate... What was he doing there?
— During one meeting, Lord mentioned the existence of a beautiful mermaid in the rivers of Pharellia; Anpan, for some reason, became interested in this story and set off to find her, and when he found her on his own, he saw she had fallen into the nets of a skilled fisherman named Salmon, and he freed her — that’s how love began between them. As far as I know, she always dreamed of a knight like the sun with a radiant smile, and Anpan turned out to be exactly that for her.
— And who is this? — Poking at other small portraits.
— Even before hostilities began, Tristan and Emil were conscripted into the Pharellian army, the first as a simple soldier, and the second as a field musician. To boost morale. Both were lucky to get through those turbulent times with their lives intact. Later, Tristan married Lina from the Berneintz inn, and Emil married Ingrid from the Bergönigin general store. Both families maintain very good relations and work together for the benefit of Mittena and its other residents.
— And who is this nice-looking blonde?
— Oh, that’s Radgrid! In this photo she’s still very young, but don’t be fooled — she is now the queen of all Pharellia!
— How so?
— The alliance with the undead and the futile war against the empire were not warmly received by Pharellia’s inhabitants, and in the chaos that followed the war’s end, the new king became the previous monarch’s nephew, Siegfried, and by some coincidence, he married Radgrid.
— And what became of Trude?
— Alas, I don’t know.
— Too bad. Then tell me more about Naria.


— In Margel, Empress Naria’s rule was perceived as the beginning of a second golden age for the country (after Sillion), but in other regions of the empire and abroad, it was met with significantly less enthusiasm, and her Aconian reputation was only worsened by localized displays of cruelty on her part and the complete neglect of the empire’s senate and council.
— How so? As far as I remember, in Welfern the monarch’s voice equaled 33% of the total government power, didn’t it?
— De jure yes, but de facto no — Naria was too powerful as an individual. But you’re right, this state of affairs didn’t please everyone, and after the war ended, many regions of Welfern expressed dissatisfaction with the imperial family’s behavior — the failure to protect Cridear, the empress’s autocracy, the destruction of Heles, and so on — and thanks to the efforts of statesmen like Shen Tao, Bianca Crow, and Utulg, the question of the empire’s viability was sharply raised on the agenda.
— So it was they who split Welfern?
— Not exactly. At one government meeting, the empress herself proposed it.
— Proposed what?
— To disband Welfern. The terms she announced were quite harsh toward the regions, but drunk with the opportunity to gain long-awaited sovereignty, the local rulers nevertheless agreed to sign the treaty she proposed.
— Is that the very “Dahlia Petals” treaty?
— The very one. I even have a summary of it written down somewhere... Here, look.

According to the “Dahlia Petals” treaty:
・The Welfern Empire ceases to exist; the title of Emperor of Welfern is abolished.
・Margel, Sever, the Skryme Tribes, Luensia, Minjin, Subin, Lauria, Buruaca, Wallen, Villa, Shiho, Renn, Helm, Upper Lunaria, Lower Lunaria, Noir, Sheria, Minua, Marcell, Kumari, and Cridear are recognized as sovereign states.
・The lands of Elizia pass into the Kingdom of Margel.
・Nephiria, captured during the war, is divided among the bordering Skrymes, Villa, and Renn in exchange for large annual payments to Margel.
・Similarly, all former imperial regions are obligated to make large annual payments to Margel in exchange for their acquired independence.
・Within a month after the signing of this treaty, the former imperial regions must transfer to Margel all their artifacts and rare items of a magical or high-tech nature.
・The entire existing imperial fleet comes under the management of Margel; the former imperial regions are obliged to keep their ports open to all ships of Margel; in return, Margel is obliged to maintain security on all trade and sea routes of the former empire.
・All parties to this treaty are obliged to support each other in the event of an external enemy attack on any of them; they are also forbidden to wage war among themselves or interfere in each other’s internal affairs.
Duration of the treaty: until December 31, 999 inclusive.
Perpetual condition: the former imperial regions recognize the authority of the Patriarch of the Church of Anuzish in Margel and may not hinder his religious activities on their controlled territories.

— Building a huge empire over long centuries and then just dismantling it like that... — Pyrotessa stared blankly at the text of the treaty she had just read. — I don’t understand...
— She understood that at this historical stage, a civil war for the regions’ independence was inevitable and decided to resolve the issue preemptively, — suggested Cleona, — at least for a time, internecine strife was avoided, and the Imperials didn’t have to drown each other in blood.
— But she is Aconia, the strongest of all! She could have solved this problem some other way.
— Well, she isn’t eternal, so after her passing, the enmity between the regions would only have intensified. — Matthias returned to the story. — After the empire was abolished, the monarch of Margel received absolute power over its territories; the guard, armed forces, both pillars, and other similar organizations now answered directly to the queen, and she also held supreme authority in the country’s legislative mechanisms, but at Naria’s wish, the resolution of many social, cultural, and economic issues was delegated to elected positions, the highest of which is the representative of the people of Margel. As you may remember, the first elected to this position was Draco Mellis.
— Hmm, an interesting system. And what prevents the king or queen of Margel from removing such people from office and performing these functions themselves?
— Absolutely nothing, dear.
— I see... Interesting, to say the least. And what about her personal life?
— On August 26, 976, she gave birth to a daughter, Lunamaria. The question of the crown princess’s paternity would stir the imagination of the crown’s subjects for a very long time but would never find an answer. In the winter of 981, Naria left this world — due to the appearance of relentless strength, few knew that the miracles she performed, like naturalizing alien souls, healing the undead, summoning aliens to Anuzish, and so on, adversely affected her lifespan. They say that because of her subjects’ good wishes (eternal blossoming), she lasted a little longer than expected, and in contrast to her public image, she was very gentle at home, especially toward her two daughters — Ayano and Lunamaria.

— Father, do you by chance have a photo of Lunamaria? I’ve seen her in the newspaper and, I think, in some magazine — an imposing person — but I’d like to refresh my memory in the context of this story.
— Here you go, the twenty-first queen of Margel.

— Beautiful, I must say.
— And she looks like Naria, — Cleona nodded in agreement.
— I wonder, did her eyes come from her father, then?
— Maybe, but not necessarily, given the Aconian quirks.
— Okay... And what happened to Naria’s sisters?



— In Minua, the abolition of Welfern was not understood — “How can it be that the empire ceases to exist?” “To whom did the warrior clans swear allegiance then?!” In short, Minua was against the split, but ultimately their voice of protest at that fateful imperial government meeting decided nothing; Naria proposed resolving the situation by “giving” them Naera, saying let her rule if they want her so badly. The middle sister did not object to this proposal and carried out her assigned role, taking along Falet, her former kidnapper. She brainwashed him with magic and made him her obedient slave.
— Was she always like that?
— No, but the incident that happened to her forever changed her character, worldview, and attitude toward others.
— And these portraits?..
— She hired Martina Liberation as her personal chef: after a certain incident, he lost interest in his family restaurant in Margel; Kimika as her personal maid; she took Manin Tai from Naria as her secretary. She offered Linette Saturnia Ulysses the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces of her new kingdom, and she readily agreed; she hired Crimson and Fasan into her personal retinue for matters requiring physical force, but didn’t forget to enchant them so they could not harm her or disobey her.
— According to some rumors, Linette and Crimson are having a romance. — Cleona decided to add her two cents. — And according to other rumors, her romance is not with him, but with Tai.
— A woman of mystery... And these two?
— These... Doctor Zlobyn always had not the best reputation, and when it came to light that he was sleeping with his own patient, continuing his professional activities in Margel became problematic, so he decided to move somewhere no one knew him.
— Huh... It gives the impression that all the most abnormal people of Margel gathered here. Let’s move on to the youngest, Revania.



— Revania’s story is similar. Unlike other regions of the empire, Marcell never had its own historical identity — it was created and settled by Emperor Naer. For this reason, when Welfern collapsed, a political struggle began among the inhabitants of Marcell: some wanted to proclaim a new republic, while others wished to remain under the wing of the es Dier Afrual family; in the end, the monarchists won, and consequently the reins of power in this country had to be taken by Revania es Dier Afrual, the youngest of Purian’s daughters.
— By the way, Pira, have you read Toskaslav Kholodnozimov’s book about the spouses of the monarchs of Margel? — Cleona asked her daughter.
— Yes, why?
— Eogan Lamarck, a teacher from the Margel Art Academy, shared the fate of Queen Lorencia: one day, Revania presented him with the fact that he was moving to Marcell with her, and after some time, he also had to marry her.
— I spoke with him once; I got the impression that all he wanted in life was to paint, but by the will of fate, he had to become the king consort of Marcell.
— Oh, come on, I think he’s only happy — not only did he shoot up the social and economic ladder to the heavens, but he also got a beautiful wife. — Cleona rolled her eyes, smirked, and shrugged. — That’s why I don’t share the longing that history enthusiasts voice when mentioning Lorencia’s fate.
— Father, let’s continue.
— Since otherworldly entities could no longer influence Anuzish, the church’s persecution of their followers ceased. For this reason, followers of Rinzé began returning to Thais, and it became something of a capital for all of them. Saras Rainabaris returned to administrative work as the mayor of Thais, and Gelanor Rainabaris restored his beauty school, “The White Lily.” Climbing the career ladder with rapid strides, over the years Crissa led the guard of Marcell, and Shina its armed forces; Azalea was responsible for the new queen’s security; Rinsara Valertser reopened her workshop and continued to be a worthy competitor to Alice from Margel. Peony Ssinars took the helm of the cult of Rinzé’s followers, and his girlfriend named Arar, due to her external resemblance to the otherworldly goddess, became something of an idol to them.
— That’s also their classmate, right? Wouldn’t Rinzé punish them for finding a false idol?
— Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea. And even if she would, now, on Anuzish isolated from the rest of the universe, Rinzé has no power here. Speaking of my comrades... Hiding from the disapproval of relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors, Bresia and Gilo also moved to Marcell; for her vast knowledge in the field of medicine, Revania appointed Bresia Minister of Health, and Gilo opened his own clinic in the city of Neft.

— Let’s take a little break from history, — Cleona suggested, — listen about some interesting people of Margel, okay?
— Yes, fine.

— See this Calcite guy? That’s Mazda Pazuzu. What exactly attracted Tsvetana and Belyana to him, I don’t know, but both women agreed to live with him, and their shared home became “Grace,” well known to the residents of Margel. Mazda taught Tsvetana to take care of herself as a woman should and to dress properly, so those who knew her before could easily fail to recognize her if they saw her in the city. Mazda doesn’t work and devotes all his time only to what interests him, while the trio lives off Belyana, and household chores lie on Tsvetana’s shoulders.
— And why would anyone need such a husband? — Pira asked with disapproval in her voice and expression.
— Well, he’s not their husband — the Church doesn’t recognize polygamy. But Belyana bore him two children, and Tsvetana bore several more, so they must love him for something.


— Remember this trio?
— Of course.
— A couple of months after Naria’s coronation, Gaheris Bors moved in with Kayasa Morax, and gave his house/shop to Azarina. Both Phantom and the sorceress treated her like their own daughter and, with such a gift, hoped it would be easier for her to start her own family, but that never happened. Having miraculously preserved her innocence after her stay in the coven of Passion, she began to feel a strong personal aversion to everything related to intimacy.
— That’s kind of sad... She’s so sweet.
— Indeed. After her release, she also became very concerned about the safety of herself and everyone dear to her, and for this purpose, she took up studying the ancient craft of her ancestors.
— What craft?
— Better you don’t know. — Matthias joined the story. — Be that as it may, Gaheris left this world in 992, completely satisfied with life, but Kayasa had to continue her journey alone.
— Wait! — Cleona hit him on the top of the head with the edge of her palm. — What “alone”? They have a daughter, after all.
— That’s true, but she’s hardly ever home.
Matthias shows Pira a new photo.

— Lolita Morax, also known in narrow circles by the alias Phantom of the Silver Moon.
— Mother, Father... I don’t understand. Gaheris and Kayasa don’t have cat ears and a tail, so where did she get them? I’d sooner think she’s Sonata Reim’s daughter, not Kayasa Morax’s.
— Oh, Pira, — Matthias became embarrassed, — don’t say that, it has a very bad implication... She was born without those “accessories” and acquired them after stealing the remains of Zephyr and her sword from the Heles settlers. Whether it’s a curse or a blessing, I don’t know.


— Let’s move on, — says Cleona, turning the page of Matthias’s notebook, — Eugene Kripov continues his work of understanding Anuzish and enlightening its children to this day, and his wife Bronislava helps him in every way. And here are their children.

— Vsemila Kripova, born July 11, 976. Special agent of the Church of Anuzish, travels the world, solves or reports supernatural problems, collects dangerous ancient artifacts for storage by the Church.

— Dobromila Kripova, born November 15, 977. Former student of Alice from “The Rabbit Hole,” now has her own atelier.

— Iskra Kripova, born January 1, 979. Problem child, dropped out of school and went traveling.

— On February 27, 982, Bronislava gave birth to quintuplets. This is Zima. Eugene taught her everything he knew and sent her to run the affairs of the Church of Anuzish in Minjin.

— Krasa. Same story, but in Shiho.
— Wait a minute... So it turns out the patriarch appoints his own daughters to such important positions?
— So it seems.
— That’s a bit... Okay, never mind, please continue.

— Lyubomila, studies at the Margel Art Academy.

— Mstislava. Studies at the Margel Academy of Magic.

— Siyana, heads the geological mission of the Church of Anuzish.
— Good grief... That’s something. Looking at this family, Bruno’s family, Ella, and the like, there won’t be any room left on Anuzish soon.
— Ha-ha, — for some reason this phrase greatly amused Matthias, — Anuzish is big, there’s enough for everyone!

On this amusing and somewhat endearing note, Cleona turned another page.

— Oh, that's Celeste Wida Asukan! — Pyra immediately recognized the face from her father's book.
— Correct. She continues to work in the Margel government to this day.
— And how does she not get tired of such bureaucratic work? — Cleona frowned unfriendly.
— She deals with history and culture, often organizes a wide variety of events, learns new things... — Matthias tried to defend the honor of an old acquaintance. — Moreover, her activities never negatively affect the inhabitants of the kingdom, so, in my view, she deserves only respect. And, to tell you the truth, I feel for her on a human level.
— Hm?
— ...The Coven of Passion was not the only organization of its kind. She and three other people became victims of similar experiments. Their bodies require nourishment from a corresponding element: Celeste needs her abdominal cavity to be saturated with air, which is aided by an accessory specially designed for this purpose.
— O-o-oh! — Pyra was greatly surprised, her eyes becoming as round as rems'. — So that's why she always walks around with an open stomach in any weather, even in winter! And now the piercing makes sense!
— Yes, that's how it turns out.
— And what about the other three then?
— Now look, I'm not telling you this just to satisfy your curiosity...
— Oh, fa-a-ather!!
— Fine. One of them requires her bare feet to always touch the ground.
— Tiles, tatami, and other surfaces aren't suitable?
— Nothing critical will happen, but she will feel unwell after spending a long time on such surfaces.
— And shoes?
— Shoes are absolutely not an option. Most likely, she wouldn't even be able to walk.
— ...That's sad.
— It's not that bad. The second needs very large volumes of water and spends most of her day in the bath. The last one has it even worse; the need for the fire element forces him into various painful procedures, although in recent years, to combat his symptoms, he seems to smoke cigarettes specifically manufactured for this.
— They should learn "Baldru," — Cleona voiced what seemed to her the most obvious treatment option.
— You know, I think that could work, but it's not done in a single day, especially since they are all busy and sick people. But something else saddens me. It seems that because of her condition, Celeste convinced herself that no man would be interested in an "abomination" like her, and therefore she never even tried to start a relationship with anyone.
— Nonsense! — Noticeable astonishment was written on the face of the youngest of the group. — She is so beautiful even at her age, and besides, she is so educated, well-read, and competent! Surely in Anuzish there are plenty of worthy men capable of building a happy family with her!
— I believe so too, — the father agreed, — but apparently, complexes are hard to overcome. Especially when you have such a heavy past.
— Let's get back to the story, father, otherwise this is... A very sad topic for such an evening.




— I recognize this bearded man, though he looks younger here. This is the King of Mindjin, Shen Tao, right?
— Correct. This photo is almost 30 years old, so you understand. By the way, he wasn't always an autocrat.
— I know. He was a senator of the empire and a representative of the Mindjin government, though I'm not entirely sure how he came to his new position.
— Well, when he reformed Mindjin into a kingdom and appointed himself its autocratic king, it came as a surprise to no one. By the time of the empire's schism, he was too influential and popular in his native land for anyone to be able to gather enough force to oppose him, whether political, economic, or military. Even now, he is already in his seventies, and he clearly doesn't plan to loosen his grip on the country. Even when his physical shell expires, the work of his entire life will almost certainly be inherited by one of his sons.
— Credit must be given to him, — Cleona was not in the habit of flattering anyone, and therefore her point of view was almost always as objective as possible, — of all the former regions of the empire, in terms of overall state indicators, Mindjin is second only to Margel. And even then, if it weren't for the predatory treaty imposed on the regions by Naria, it would likely be first.
— I wouldn't call it predatory, but yes... As far as I know, this man never rests, in the sense that governing the state is the most fascinating pastime for him. The government he assembled functions with extreme efficiency; even Margel can only dream of such a thing. Although, of course, far from everything in a person's life is measured by numbers in statistics.
— I would never have thought that you two would praise an old, bearded uncle-autocrat so much...
— Oh, look what I'll show you.
Matthias shows his daughter another photo.

— Who is this?
— Brahea, his bodyguard and secretary. Your mother had the honor of knowing her in their home world.
— The word "acquaintance" is hardly applicable to our superficial, or rather non-existent, relationship with her, but the fact is that before Naria isolated Anuzish from the rest of the universe, the fat man managed to establish close ties with Visteria and somehow summoned people useful for various tasks from there. For example, Felicia Lungwort went to one of his sons; a very stern woman.
— I see... I see that he really is a man of many talents and ambitions.
— Yes, in that regard, I can only envy him. — Father patted his daughter on the head. — Let me tell you about some other Mindjinians. This is mostly secret information, so it's better not to discuss it aloud outside this room, alright?
— Alright!
Nodding approvingly, Matthias named those whose portraits were depicted on these pages, told briefly about them, and then summarized:
— The pupils of the "Constellation" followed the path in life prepared for them by their benefactor, and only Chu Han was an exception: the guy ran away to Tais, where many of his brothers in faith gathered. Ye Shui led the secret police of Mindjin, Xiao Bao and Lai Huang work as her trusted internal agents, while Carla and Adele are external ones. Antoinette does the same as the eldest daughter of Patriarch Eugene — searching the world for various curiosities, but she does so in secret from the Church. The School of Serenity founded by Lans thrives under the leadership of Liu Shuren and her children. Na Lim rose to the highest rank of intelligence, Ho Yin retrained in firearms production and currently his brand "Thanglong" is in great demand both at home and in the foreign market! And Quan Yu continues to manage the "Feihua" restaurant and enjoy life. I think we have something to learn from him.
— How did it happen that after the isolation of Anuzish, firearms are still used everywhere? I thought there should have been a technological regression.
— A regression did indeed occur, but not everywhere, and alternatives were found for many lost things. For example, in mechanical engineering, instead of precious stones, they began using "Anuzish sweat" discovered in the mountains, a colorless flammable liquid. Airships, cars, and trains were refitted with new engines and fundamentally nothing changed, although the spread of these vehicles did indeed slow down.
— What then no longer works?
— Well... For example, at the Golden Date of 975, at one of the competitions, the winners were awarded pair compasses, however, a new energy source alone cannot replace the lost functionality of magic stones.
— And besides that, what changed?
— The number of mages decreased, magic became slightly less effective overall, the Lunarian reproductive trait naturally disappeared, although I am not sure about their current lifespan. Perhaps they lost more than they were deprived of?



— Now this is an interesting story, the Gentlemen of the High Road!
Matthias pronounced this name with emotion of approval on his face and in his voice.
— Never heard of them, although some of these faces seem vaguely familiar to me...
— Once they were a gang of bandits operating in the vicinity of Risserlang, but that is long in the past. Their noble transformation began on the day they learned that Ayano was Naria's daughter and a princess of Margel.
— And what relation does she have to them?
— Right, you probably haven't heard about this before. In short, when the coven was finished with and the guys and I headed home, Ayano, Sonata, Ahuri, and Ahuli set out to find Azarina's family relic, and during this adventure, the Gentlemen of the High Road tried to rob them!
— And, for lack of a better expression, "got their butts kicked"? I think that quartet could easily deal with a much greater threat than simple bandits.
— Actually, no, that didn't happen.
— Did they actually rob them?..
— That didn't happen either.
— Then what happened?
— They kept them company and escorted them to the place our quartet was seeking.
— ...In what sense?
— Ha-ha, literally!
— I don't understand, but I still want to know what happened next.
— When they realized they almost had the Princess of Margel in their hands, they reacted differently. Some lamented that they had so ridiculously lost a valuable hostage; others, conversely, began to fear that their faces and names were now known to royalty; but Melti Sambrosia thought in different categories and was very inspired by what happened; the man turned out to be very sharp and figured out how to use the abilities of his group for something worthy of legends.
— Ah-ah-ah! I remember! Isn't this the King of Carnia?
— Yes, that's him.
— How did that happen?
— Their gang moved to Carnia, where they began robbing the rich and giving their goods to the poor. In the conditions of that time in that country, this was especially relevant. Over time, many locals began to join their side, and eventually, Melti's movement overthrew the authority of the time.
— Like some era of kingdoms... And what fate befell his comrades?
— Melti appointed Geondana Escape II as commander-in-chief of the army and guard of Carnia, and... Before I forget, let me tell you this: once, employees of the hospital of the 69th district came to Gladia, the capital of Carnia, for a vacation, and the new king and his friends were simple people and often spent time among the common folk. In short, after an unexpected but pleasant acquaintance and subsequent meetings, Melti took Clidna Protos as his wife, and Geondan married Maryu.
— It feels as if the universe itself rolled the dice to bring them together.
— Ha-ha, maybe so. Or maybe their souls were drawn to each other like magnets. So, as for the others... Katsukoy Queensglory organized his own analogue of an adventurers' guild, the "Guild for Helping the Residents of Carnia." Unlike the GP, they were sponsored by the royal treasury and citizens could post their announcements there for free. Technically, it's not quite free, since taxes are taken from people for this... But effectively, such a state of affairs completely pushed adventurers out of the country. Jurtre Clearhunter carries out various assignments directly from the king, also married and lives happily, repenting of his bandit past. Ors Massage built a massage parlor in Saga, on the border with Novella, east of Renn. He called it "At Massage-san's"; clients come to him even from abroad, he loves his work very much. Pipdorm Managerovich similarly manages a dormitory of some institute in Rapunzel.
— Isn't that a women's academy of sports and magic? — Cleona struggled to recall unimportant information. — I think so. What a dog. — Shaking her head disapprovingly, she decides to finish the brief story about Carnia herself. — Tomsak Ordermaid, their priest, headed the church of Arselia in their country and engages in activity typical for his position. Next!


— And next we have Villia. Adrian Spite, its criminal grandmaster, was a more strong-willed person than the other victims of the underground abomination in the coven and came out of the coma in the autumn of 985. Since imperial law did not allow judging unconscious people, he was exiled to his homeland, and by the time he came to his senses, the empire no longer existed, so he remained unpunished. Moreover, due to Villian customs and preserved influence, he retained his title of Grandmaster of the Knights of Villia, and when he unexpectedly woke up, he returned to the administration of now independent Villia, replacing his temporary deputy.
— Which of these two is Adrian?
— Neither. I have neither a photo nor a drawing of him.
— Pity. Though maybe not; often people with ugly moral qualities are ugly in appearance. And these two?
— These are Lexicon and Villiana; they were colleagues at the "Golden Hole," first got married, and then moved to Villia after Adrian returned to the political scene. I have nothing more to say about them, but perhaps if someone among our acquaintances showed a bit more interest in them, they would turn out to be as pleasant and involved in our lives as, for example, Bazhena? — Sighing, Matthias brushed away the encroaching dark quasi-philosophical thoughts. — And this is Nayke; he used to have a pharmacy on Emerald, but since then he also moved to Villia; I don't know what connects him to Adrian.
— Adrian's return, by the way, added quite a bit of headache for Tluasse from Carneol, — it was evident from Cleona's voice that she disliked the Grandmaster of the Knights of the Order of Villia, to put it mildly, — Patriarch Eugene appointed her head of the Church in Villia and she worked steadily to improve the moral atmosphere in the country, and then Adrian started rolling everything back into debauchery, corruption, and the like.
— Sad... By the way, since we brought up the subject of the coven, how are the other victims doing? Well, obviously I know about Iraola, but the others?
— Lifa is still in a coma, Altina passed away during childbirth, but her daughter lives in wealth and wants for nothing; she was very lucky that Yun and Rikumer decided to adopt her. Matthias, show her.
Obeying the request, Matthias shows another photo.

— Eugenia Almond at the Welfern Grand Prix 999. — he explained. — They named her after the patriarch, obviously.
— Are these definitely races?.. Looking at this outfit and Sonata's outfit before, one might think that these competitions have absolutely nothing to do with cars.
— Beautiful cars and beautiful women go very well together. — Matthias looked at the time. — Okay, now let's do a blitz, I'll quickly tell you the rest and close the gestalt about the coven at the same time.


— Lovra Untroye, freed from the curse of passion and obtaining the long-awaited body immune to aging and other biological inconveniences, fled from the empire, realizing that staying in it was risky. Her new place of residence became Asahina, on the Islands, where foreigners are treated most warmly provided they have something to offer. What she offered the ruler of Asahina I do not know, but now she seems to rule in Hakozaki. I believe she became the first foreign daimyo in Misurugi.


— Dia was very upset that she didn't get first place at the Golden Date. You'd think there was only a 0.4 point difference between her and first place, but for some reason, this fact affected her very strongly. After a few weeks, she quit XXX, and then the roads of life led her to Yokoyama. This is in Toyokawa, where the locals allowed vampires to settle. Dia seemingly entered their service in the hope that they would make her one of them. Ironically, considering that it was her boss who once dreamed of something similar.


— After the "Hearth" burned down, Faemire had a difficult time emotionally, and emotional support was provided to her by one of the few other dwarves she knew in Margel, Orros. Later they married, and after the schism of the empire, they returned to Noir.


— Salmon Zimbari categorically refused to tie his life to a representative of the same people as himself and tirelessly tried to seduce human women. After a hundred failures, one little fish finally fell into his net. It was Leona Gissles, although now it's more correct to say Leona Zimbari. They still live in Margel.


— Craig died on January 10, 981, a week after Naria. He had no students, known children... Also?.. Hmm...
— Father?
— No, nothing. Memory of him will be preserved for centuries and millennia ahead in the amazing masterpieces that his mountain-like hands brought to Anuzish. Alice, a Lunarian of a similar level to him, works in the "burrow" to this day. She is still unmarried.


— Let this couple be an example to you that miracles are born from simple chance and a bit of human initiative. Dionisa and Anna were brought together by Erephir, and although they were not closely acquainted before, they managed to find a common language and live happily. They are eternally grateful to the Right Pillar and are always glad to see them in their home... Homes, rather, they have quite a lot of real estate in the capital. Their children are also very beautiful... But, of course, you, Pyra, are still the most beautiful of all.


— As a result of the precious stones losing their magical properties, Quentin Quant's "Chronos" almost went bankrupt, but the clockmaker had enough enterprise to change his line of business. He began to earn even more than before producing engines for cars, ships, and trains, and made clocks as a hobby — for himself and close friends. Penelope bought up everything that wasn't bolted down and currently owns a profitable business in various sectors of the economy. Quentin and Penelope met through mutual acquaintances and one day decided to marry. Whether this was another business decision or something based on mutual sympathy, I do not know.


— Creon began breeding and selling cats... To the surprise of the ascetic himself, this business, combined with his special talent for attracting cats, proved to be very profitable. He still sends all his income to Cridear.


— Once Tawawa left Margel, but consistently appears there every December thirty-first to visit her old acquaintances. I know nothing else about her.


— Having taught everything she knows, Kalinka left Sidonia to manage the affairs of Ikigaya, and she herself preaches throughout the world, spreading her faith to all corners of Anuzish. She is supposedly married, but I have never seen her spouse... But maybe they'll visit Margel for the celebration of the new millennium?

...

— Dears, it's time for us to prepare, otherwise we really will end up between two fires, and we still need to make it to the square on the thirty-first.