egathentale

The Simulacrum - Chapter 99 - Part 1

"So Leo's been playing an Abyssal so much, he's becoming one," Elly mused aloud as she casually lifted the wooden crate in front of the door. "I didn't know that's how it works."

"Because it isn't," I objected just a hint sourly. "It's just Judy's hypothesis. Don't take it for granted."

"She's usually right about these things though, isn't she?"

"That's a fallacy, I think," I grumbled, and in the meantime, the princess put the box back where she originally found it and duste...

The second volume is out!

Or rather, the first half of the second volume, but who am I to pick nits?

You can find it right here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1039411185

That's all I wanted to say. Now, if you excuse me, I'll have to go and take some painkillers and pretend I'm not feeling like a poorly maintained tumble-dryer with one too m...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 98 - Part 3 & 4

Part 3

Despite mom-in-law's proposal, the meeting at the Dracis mansion somehow managed to drag on for more than an hour longer, with about half a dozen 'just one last thing' interruptions. I expected quite a bit more resistance to the merger, but by the end of it the clan leadership got so into it they were discussing things like coat-of-arms and mottos. They reminded me more of kids in the process of creating their own little tree house club than seasoned political le...

Tiny update

Hello Dear Readers.

Long story short, my father was feeling sick, so we tested the whole family, and turns out we all have the dreaded Koof19(R)(TM).

Seriously though, while I do feel under the weather, it's not that bad (after four shots, that's kind of expected), but the law is the law, so I'll be staying home this week. In other words, expect an extra chapter. :P

Cheers, and have a nice day and/or week.

The Simulacrum - Chapter 98 - Part 2

"Whit th' heel is wrang wi' ye? Ur ye it ay yer feckin' min'!?"

"Duncan! Language!" my sister hissed at the big dolt at her side, only to then look at Mr. Griffon and exclaim, "Uncle Roland! Are you listening to yourself? You're out of your bloody mind!"

"Kiddo, mind the language," I warned her, and while I was tempted to complete the rule-of-three template by yelling something about Roland's mind with some suitable expletives in tow, I restrained the urge and only uttered, "Pleas...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 98 - Part 1

The shouting, audible all the way from the other end of the hallway, died down the moment we entered the Dracis mansion's spacious conference hall. This was the same room where we brokered a peace accord with Penny's group, though the interior design was completely overhauled for the occasion.

The big table in the middle was taken out, replaced by a semi-circle-shaped one at the back of the room. Around the curved side sat the most important Draconian clan heads, or their representative...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 97 - Part 3

"Do we really have to tear it?"

"Yes, we do," I emphasized a tad morosely.

"But it's one of my favorite suits. It's a waste."

"You were the one who decided to wear it going into an epic duel of epic proportions," I responded, and then vigorously rubbed the piece of clothing in my hand against a nearby wall.

Naoren continued to give me a disapproving look, so I stopped and told him, "We've been over this. If we come out of this duel with only my clothes being worn down,...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 97 - Part 2

The amphitheatre finally looked its supposed age; namely, a ruin. Good riddance, I say.

In the span of less than an hour, about two-thirds of the seats got demolished, there were three huge holes in the dividing wall around the arena, and the fighting pit itself was wrecked as well, with multiple craters and trenches gouged into it. From a distance, it almost looked like a recently shelled battlefield from a world war documentary, made even more striking by the long shadows the combatan...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 97 - Part 1

Allrighty then. Let's take an account of what we accomplished so far.

Revealing Bel to the wider world, check.

Introducing the reformed Knights to the Draconians, check.

Bringing the grand elder's plans onto the open, check.

Establishing Bel as a credible and serious threat, check.

Wrecking the arena and disrupting the tournament... well, it was a bonus objective at best, but a check is a check.

In fact, I technically accomplished all the optional side obje...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 96 - Part 3

Okay, let's take a step back and look at the big picture…

"Raaaagh!"

Just as I thought that, the place where I was standing got hit by the dragon's tail, forcing me to get out of the way.

"I didn't mean that literally!" I exclaimed, mostly out of surprise.

"{What are you talking about? Wait, don't answer. I have to focus on Amelia's group.}"

To be fair, I wasn't in a position where I could answer my dear assistant's question, as I was pushed even further back b...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 96 - Part 2

Grand elder Xinji definitely had seen better days. With his eye swollen, clothes ripped, and his fancy top knot undone, he was in quite a story state. It was marginally surprising, as our designated bad guy for our theoretical arc, I expected a bit more from him. But then again, he was ganged up on by two Knights at the same time, so maybe it shouldn't have been 'that' unexpected. It's easy to forget, but the Knights in prime were supposed to be serious bad news, so in retrospect, losing to t...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 96 - Part 1

Dramatic entrances are more of an art than a science, I'd say. If you asked a moviegoer, they would probably say they needed a panning shot with trailer music, followed by a snappy one-liner. For the more anime-inclined, a good entrance was all about the timing, with the star appearing just in the nick of time to turn things around, usually with the opening theme of the show blaring in the background. However, for a wrestling fan, they would probably say a good entrance required dramatic them...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 95 - Part 3

The oppressive silence in the locked-up Purple Zone lasted only for a few seconds. Overcoming his initial shock, the grand elder demonstrated wuxia trope number seventy-four by rising to the air and slowly descending to the field, all the while glowing with a pale yellow aura. Grim and stoic on the surface, it was still plainly visible that the unexpected situation rattled him quite a bit.

In the meantime, the squires finished their encirclement of the contestants, and after the initial...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 95 - Part 2

The curse of the underground facility strikes again!

No, seriously. What was up with this world's weird fascination with putting absolutely everything underground? I mean, maybe I'm not one to talk, considering I had a base built into the side of a mountain, but in my case, at least it made sense. Bomb shelter, therefore needs to withstand bombs, therefore was built underground. The logic is straightforward.

On the other hand, what sense did an underground stadium make? Sports are...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 95 - Part 1

"I can't believe you did that…" my dear assistant, still dressed in her winter coat and boots, continued to grumble even while she was fixing my hair. "I can't believe we have to start implementing anti-harem countermeasures even for your Bel persona."

It was early in the morning, and it was only the two of us in Fred's workshop, but I still put a finger in front of her lips.

"Careful, Dormouse. They are literally next door," I reprimanded her, then added, "Also, why are you jum...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 94 - Parts 3 and 4

Part 3

"You're early," Naoren noted without even bothering to up from the table in the side room attached to his makeshift hotel-suite-office.

"We both have things to do, so I figured we should get this over with as soon as possible," I answered nonchalantly and walked closer to him. As I did, I couldn't help but notice a sweet floral fragrance in the air.

The young clan head let out a relaxed hum and finally turned to me, with two traditional-style Chinese ...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 94 - Part 2

"I'm not saying the auction is going to be fun per se, but it's something I can't just attend alone," I told my dear assistant and helped her set her hair bow straight. "Just smile, and pretend you're having a good time."

"Don't be silly, Chief. We're attending an event together. I don't have to pretend anything."

Hearing that, Elly let out a touched 'Aww!'. As for me, once I was sure the bow was firmly in place, I lightly poked Judy's nose.

"Leave the flirting for later, Do...

The Simulacrum - Volume 4 Extra 3: Roll for initiative, Santa!

"Wow! Your Christmas tree is really cute!" Angie exclaimed the moment she entered the living room, and she rushed over to the decorated pine in the corner. "Are those angels homemade? Kyaa! I love 'em! I wanna take them home!"

"I made more than we needed, so I can give you the ones that didn't fit on the tree," Snowy proposed, and the Celestial girl immediately locked down on her like a hungry cat.

"Really? Can I really?"

"Come on, Angie. The others are waiting," Josh, carry...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 94 - Part 1

"Welcome, future young master, and I wish you a Merry Christmas."

"Good evening, Melinda," I responded to the curtsying maid a tad late, slightly baffled by the plushy reindeer headband she was wearing.

Before I could ask what that was about, I noticed the sound of hurried footsteps coming my way, and just as I turned to face it, my girl-catching-reflexes activated on their own, right as Elly lunged at me with her arms open.

"Leo!"

"Whoa! Easy there, princess. You've a...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 93 - Part 3

"You know, I thought your father would be more worried about all the magical malarkey over us being in a poly relationship," I quietly grumbled as I walked up the stairs in my house, and my dear assistant in front of me lightly shrugged.

"It was probably the most comprehensible of the outrageous things we talked about," she whispered back.

"I guess it was also in character," I mused, and she nodded with a hum.

We were talking in a low voice and walking on tiptoes because it ...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 93 - Part 2

"[It's cold in here.]" 

Rabom sounded almost absent-minded as he propped the Gorgon Knight against the wall. I had to agree with him, but I also had a question: why was the warehouse so warm, considering it's the middle of December, and they only had a single camp stove in there?

It was a rhetorical question, of course, as I was sure it had to do with that thing starting with 'n' and ending with 'arrative convenience', but I would've preferred some consistency. At least it on...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 93 - Part 1

It was an especially cold night. Snow fell in fat, fluffy flakes, yet not a single one landed on me; the effect of another superfluous enchantment on my armor, but one I didn't mind. For the moment, I was doing my best echo-locating-mammal-man impression, though only in moderation. My armor was mostly covered by the customary back long coat, but I made sure to stay a few steps away from the edge of the roof anyway. The last thing I needed was a stray reflection to alert my targets inside the ...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 92 - Part 3

The moment I walked into the room, I threw my phone onto my bed with a flick of my wrist, followed by placing Cal next to it a touch more carefully. Side note: they still didn't have a scabbard, because as it turned out, while the mini-shoggoths can easily assume the shape of one, the transformation gets easily undone if they are, say, poked by the tip of a sword while being disguised as a sheath. Big surprise, I know.

But putting that aside, I placed both hands on my waist and carefull...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 92 - Part 2

The student body of Blue Cherry High exhaled a collective sigh the moment Lord Grandpa finally finished his long-winded speech on the podium. It echoed but for a moment in the gymnasium, still covered in the decorations left behind by the Christmas Ball, as it was soon replaced by the bustling sounds of a wave of teens streaming out of the place in a hurried yet organized manner. It kind of reminded me of an ant hive.

We had no reason to stand around either, so our little group also fol...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 92 - Part 1

"We're home!"

I turned an unsurprised look at the trio entering the living room, and uttered a flat, "It's half-past five."

"I ask for forgiveness, Leonard-dono," Mountain Girl apologized with a bow that incidentally made the half a dozen paper bags in her hands drop to the floor. I also had no idea why she did that, as I sincerely doubted being this late was her fault.

"We know it's late, but teacher was showing us around town, and we lost track of time in the restaurant. S...

Another small update

Hello Dear Readers,

Well, this is terribly embarrassing to admit, but I messed up big time. Long story short, I slipped up with the dates within the story, and because of this, there's literally no time for certain crucial events to happen in the time frame I set up. Due to this, I now have to rebuild the whole second half of the volume from the ground-up before I actually start writing it. The next couple of chapters aren't affected too deeply by this, but I want to make sure everythin...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 91 - Part 4

There was something oddly relaxing about the sizzling of oil early in the morning. It was one of those things that screamed 'cozy', and the fact that I was the one responsible for it made it feel even better. In fact, I kind of zoned out listening to it, and burned the bottom of the last sunny side up egg.

"Well, I guess that's mine..." I whispered under my breath and slipped it onto the middle plate on the counter, already holding a pair of fried cheese sandwiches. The eggs were just a...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 91 - Part 3

"From today onwards, you are a lamp," I declared as I pointed at the rotund, flesh-colored mini-shoggoth in the corner of my living room, and it let out a happy 'nyuu' sound, that kind of reminded me of a cat's meow, but wasn't quite right.

It hopped in place without taking its one large eye off me for a moment, and after waving a pair of its stubby tentacles around in a fashion that vaguely reminded me of a salute, it abruptly disappeared in a puff of smoke and was replaced by a simple...

The Simulacrum - Chapter 91 - Part 2

"We'll be right back, don't go anywhere."

"I wasn't planning to. Now, hurry up. It's already half-past four."

Judy nodded, and followed after the princess, leaving me alone on the roof of the school. Relatively speaking, of course, as the place was already crowded with students in anticipation of the upcoming fireworks display. Because of this, I was volunteeredby the girls to hold a spot while they changed into something warmer, lest we would miss our chance to view the ...

Small update

Just to avoid confusion: after some thinking, I decided to shift the fourth part of Ch 90 into the first part of Ch 91. This means Ch 90 is going to be slightly shorter than usual, but in retrospect, ending it on the high-note of the concert feels much better on the pacing front. I just wanted to properly communicate this before things get confusing.

That's all folks, have a nice weekend!