18th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1100 Hours
A warm breeze blew across the deck of Liv Frodesdottir as it plied the waters between Oriculon and Seagate. Under a flowing ensign of the Draconic Kingdom, Sebas stood behind Queen Oriculus’ shoulder, scanning the surroundings as the Queen conversed with Countess Corelyn.
He had never journeyed or fought on a ship before, though Cocytus mentioned that combat aboard a marine vessel had major differences fro...
2022-09-22 17:08:59 +0000 UTC
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17th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1300 Hours
Emmad Zorlu strode through the corridors of Oriculon Palace, a sense of nervousness haunting his steps. Queen Draudillon had discussed his appointment to the Royal Court as one of its Marshals the previous day, ordering him to learn what he could from Baroness Zahradnik. The chief of staff of the Sorcerous Kingdom’...
2022-09-20 19:08:59 +0000 UTC
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He’s here.
Draudillon rushed through the corridors of the Royal Palace, her slippered feet pattering against the polished marble floors. Her favourite shawl trailed from her elbows like a pair of gossamer wings. Maids and footmen stepped aside and looked curiously after her passage.
He’s here!
Her steps took her to the western annexe and brought her in front of the Royal Archive’s doors. She paused for half a moment before placing her hand on the door...
2022-09-18 21:08:01 +0000 UTC
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Ludmila dabbed at her cheek with a handkerchief, wiping away another trickle of unbidden tears. Beside her, Clara let out a quiet sob. Ludmila reached out to place an arm over Clara’s shoulder, hugging her to herself.
Lady Aura stood several metres away, eyeing them with a frown.
“I know this might sound weird coming from me,” she said, “but should you really be that upset over hearing that Lord Ainz died?”
“Wouldn’t you be upset if you heard that His Majesty l...
2022-09-16 23:08:01 +0000 UTC
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“Shalltear-sama, about the meat shipments for the Zern…”
“Handle it.”
“Shalltear-sama, the Orcs need–”
“Handle it.”
Shalltear covered her mouth and yawned. Running a transportation network was exhausting work.
Her current assignment had her standing out in the middle of an untamed wilderness, without a single comfort of home. At least in the Sorcerous Kingdom, she could enjoy the company of the beautiful local maidens in her area. In the Abeli...
2022-09-15 01:08:01 +0000 UTC
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Florine leaned back in her seat, staring out the cabin window at a puff of cloud in drifting the azure skies above. Clara’s carriage conveyed them away from the E-Rantel’s Royal Villa, slowly rounding the bend to go down the central promenade. Spring blossoms still clung to the trees along the cobbled streets. Beneath the colourful display, the streets were busier than they should have been – a mark of the change that had come over the Duchy of E-Rantel.
“It’s strange to see s...
2022-09-13 03:08:01 +0000 UTC
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16th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1400 Hours
“So.”
“So.”
“So…”
A slice of sunlight swept through the cabin as Clara’s carriage turned and stopped in front of E-Rantel’s Royal Villa. It had been one week since the Sorcerous Kingdom started its relief efforts in the Draconic Kingdom. With rudimentary diplomatic ties established and the campaign to remove the Beastmen well underway, Prime Minister Albedo summoned them for a performanc...
2022-09-11 05:08:01 +0000 UTC
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15th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1100 Hours
The shadow of a Bone Vulture crossed the edge of the thicket. Thurgakr ducked back into the shadows. Several minutes later, she approached the threshold again, peeking out between the leaves. Her ears swivelled, alert for any sound. She tested the air for the odour of Zombies, but the recen...
2022-09-09 07:09:00 +0000 UTC
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14th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1700 Hours
“You,” Draudillon said, “are an idiot.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! I am an idiot!”
Draudillon fought to keep her regal mask from crumbling into incredulity as she gazed down at the top of Captain Inserra’s head. It was nice to see that he was an honest man, but she felt that he had crossed the line between honesty and idiocy.
Confirmation that Highfort’s garrison had survived proved to be a heart...
2022-09-07 09:08:01 +0000 UTC
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“Sella,” Vincenzo said under his breath, “you didn’t mention anything about this!”
“I did say they were on the bony side, sir,” Captain Sella replied.
Vincenzo gripped the scabbard of his arming sword and shot a glare at the Captain.
“I-it was an order!” Captain Sella said defensively, “She said not to mention anything about it!”
By issuing those orders, Captain Zahradnik had gained a grasp of how he would otherwise interact with her. A s...
2022-09-05 11:08:59 +0000 UTC
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13th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 0500 Hours
“I can’t see anything…”
“What?!”
“I said I can’t see anything!”
“WHAT?!”
Olga sighed, wiping her goggles with a finger. It didn’t fix the fogged-up insides. She lifted the goggles, wiping the rain from her face.
She always tho...
2022-09-03 13:08:59 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 2300 Hours
“Oh, bless you, Thurgakhr, bless you! You’re a miracle worker!”
Snarls filled the air as three Urmah cubs tore into the carcass of a modestly-sized dog. The animal was a fortunate find: it had been standing out in the village where they had lured a group of Blood Meat Hulks. The lumbering Undead monstrosities had unexpectedly emerged from the shore, too close for the refugees they were escorting to escape. Thur...
2022-09-02 14:08:01 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 2000 Hours
“Eh? Another one? How hungry are these guys…”
Far below, a Lion Beastman left a long trail through a green field of spring grain. Raul raised his goggles, looking ahead to a farming village about five hundred metres away. He pointed with a leather-clad hand.
“Beastman headed to that village there. Five hundred metres northwest of it.”
“Contacting the nearest sergeant,” the Elder Lich riding ...
2022-09-01 15:08:01 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 2000 Hours
Ioena settled into a leathery couch with a long sigh, closing eyes weary with strain and sleepless nights.
“The invincible Ioena slouching in defeat,” a voice said to the side. “A painting of this scene would surely be one for the ages.”
Her eyes rolled over to a figure framed by a window of the lounge. Seated on a tall stool was Salacia Soruel, dressed in the pale silks that she was wont to wear when o...
2022-08-30 17:08:59 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1800 Hours
Ugh…I’m going to die. I need a drink.
Draudillon placed her pen in its inkwell. She flexed the fingers of her cramped hand, reviewing what was somewhere past her hundredth missive to the various organisations and districts of Oriculon. This particular one was to be sent to the Guild of Shipwrights, whose members had been working nonstop to repair the damaged vessels moored at the city’s piers.
Sh...
2022-08-28 19:08:01 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1600 Hours
『Okay, now I’m starting to feel sorry for these guys.』
After reassuring Lady Delerose for the third time that the distribution of goods wouldn’t present them with any insurmountable challenges, Liane and Florine escaped before the palace staff realised that they would be dealing with Merchants for the next ninety-six hours straight or however long it would take for them to collapse from ex...
2022-08-26 21:08:59 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1000 Hours
Wisps of pipe smoke drifted through the air of a dimly-lit tavern in the crowded bowels of Oriculon. Liane waved a hand in front of her face.
If there was one thing that she didn’t like about places like this, it was all the stuff that the patrons smoked. Now that she had an item that conferred poison immunity, she didn’t have to be all paranoid about something like getting a lungful of Laira, but she ...
2022-08-24 23:08:01 +0000 UTC
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11th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 0700 Hours
The cries of gulls mixed with the lapping of the waves against the rocky pier. Ludmila alighted on the wooden walkway beside Ruin’s Wake, touching her fingers lightly to her hull.
“Good morning,” she said.
A light glow played over the Ghost Ship’s length in response. Booted steps sounded from above and a tall figure looked down from the railing.
“Baroness!” Captain Iškur called down ...
2022-08-23 01:08:59 +0000 UTC
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“Hmm…keep harassing them, but make sure that those warriors manage to beat what you send. Have the Elder Liches with the lowest number of surviving dominated forces act first so they can head back to Katze and replenish their troops.”
Flying high above the dissolving Beastman camps, Ludmila issued orders while intently observing the unfolding chaos. With the Beastman forces reaching a breaking point in the valley battle, she ordered her forces to eliminate all of the identified Lo...
2022-08-21 03:08:00 +0000 UTC
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A great din rolled up from the valley, permeating the air with the roars and shouts of urmah Kisher. Goro’s ears lay flat at the sight – or perhaps the feel – of the ongoing battle.
“Il-Enhorshr,” he said, “you must pull the tribes back and restore order.”
The Urmah Lord stood on a flat boulder roughly halfway down one of the contested approaches. He looked down at Goro.
“Why?” Il-Enhorshr’s tail swished lazily, “We’ve seen a few reversals, b...
2022-08-19 05:09:00 +0000 UTC
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“Wha–! So fast!”
Olga helplessly watched the last of her Zombies tumble down the slope. It flopped and bounced like a rag doll before vanishing beyond her goggles’ Darkvision range.
The Beastmen who beat them up didn’t even need to destroy her soldiers directly: they just had to send them careening back down the valley and the fall would break them apart. She could imagine one of the Elder Liches at home informing her that she had lost all of her points while her opponen...
2022-08-17 07:08:00 +0000 UTC
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10th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 2100 Hours
“Goro, it’s been a while.”
“Thurgakhr,” Goro’s tail waved lazily. “I haven’t seen you since we started this job.”
His clanmate’s ear twitched.
“Job, huh…I don’t recall ‘fight Undead hordes’ in the job description.”
Goro’s tail stopped. His gaze went over the cliffs of the valley and across to the other side. In the dying light of the dusk, a vast army of ...
2022-08-15 09:09:00 +0000 UTC
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『We must apologise for the conduct of Lady Soruel.』
The echo of Ludmila’s footsteps slowed as she made her way back through the polished marble corridors to the western palace. She glanced over her shoulder, but it was already clear that Queen Oriculus was using a Skill and not chasing her down the hall.
『Worry not, Your Majesty. It’s something of a common reaction everywhere we go.』
『Ah, so you can communicate like this. We were curious how well-verse...
2022-08-13 11:08:59 +0000 UTC
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10th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1900 Hours
“Keep our infantry in the river off of the capital for now. The general staff wants us to focus reconnaissance on the north side of the Oriculon for the next few days.”
“What of our cavalry, my lady?” Saiko asked.
“They’re fine on their current...
2022-08-11 13:09:00 +0000 UTC
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Liane squirmed a bit under the gazes of the two footmen who joined them in the carriage’s cabin. They had the good looks that came with being a Noble and being foreigners gave them an exotic flavour that she couldn’t help but be drawn to. Their attention to her was pleasing, but her serious experience with that sort of attention was next to nonexistent and she wrestled with how she should present herself.
Beyond that…
This is weird right? This is definitely weird. Why ar...
2022-08-09 15:09:00 +0000 UTC
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“Evil.”
The traces of a frown appeared on the Countess of Corelyn’s face.
“It wasn’t ‘evil’.”
“Eeeeeeevil,” Liane said.
“It wasn’t evil,” Clara’s frown deepened. “It was…it was just business!”
“Uh-huh,” Liane rolled her eyes. “That’s what evil people say. As the evil person of the group, I am fully qualified to make this assessment.”
Back in their state room in the Draconic Kingdom’s R...
2022-08-07 17:09:00 +0000 UTC
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10th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1500 Hours
Following her afternoon appearance at the royal square, Draudillon took a carriage with Ioena, Lina and Sebas to the section of the riverfront that Countess Corelyn had proposed for the Sorcerous Kingdom’s exclave. The rows of warehouses had long been emptied and the few citizens present had been cleared away by the city’s makeshift militia, giving the place a dilapidated, abandoned feeling.
As the carriage turne...
2022-08-05 19:39:09 +0000 UTC
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10th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 0900 Hours
“My Queen, the delegation from the Sorcerous Kingdom has arrived.”
Draudillon looked up from her paperwork with a furrow on her youthful brow.
“When will they arrive at the palace?” She asked.
“They are already in the palace, Your Majesty,” Captain Scavo said, “but none of the palace guard noted their arrival outside.”
Did they fly? Considering the apparent strength of the S...
2022-08-03 21:08:00 +0000 UTC
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10th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 0200 Hours
Ludmila alighted on a merlon of Seagate’s modest wall, right in front of a worried-looking sentry peering out into the night with an arrow nocked to his bow.
Are they all normally so low-levelled, or were all of the higher-level sentries killed by the Beastmen?
Certain aspects of the Beastman invaders’ behaviour felt akin to the Demihuman tribes that she was familiar with. One of her expectations c...
2022-08-02 20:09:00 +0000 UTC
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9th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1900 Hours
Olga’s hacking filled the air as a thick cloud of dust blew over them. Raul’s coughing joined hers shortly after.
“The books never said anything about this,” he croaked.
She wiped away her tears and blew her runny nose. When it came to ...
2022-08-01 23:16:47 +0000 UTC
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