It’s over, but I’m not taking any chances. Who knows? A dragon could swoop down from the sky and Marcus could escape in the chaos. I’m sure the prince will find a way to blame me for anything that goes wrong.
Kierra gives in to my paranoia and sends one of her helpers to report the incident. Someone should be around shortly to collect the troublemakers. Lucky me, thanks to my perfor...
2021-09-22 19:40:28 +0000 UTC View PostI am in one of Kierra’s personal hells. This time, it’s endurance training. Alana and I were made to strip off our normal practice garbs and are given thin linen substitutes before being tied to wooden posts. Her helpers are currently hitting our abs with wide, wooden pallets, and not gently either.
Apparently, this is supposed to make our muscles stronger. Personally, I think my wife...
2021-09-20 17:18:42 +0000 UTC View Post“Lou,” Geneva says as we step on the dirt road leading up to the house. “Maxine has returned. She appears to be distressed.”
Don’t even stop to ask what she means before I’m running, eating up the distance to the front door. “Bell!” I shout as I throw it open, eyes bouncing over the room.
Distressed Maxine? Tough! What about my imp?
“Coo!”
I scoop up ...
2021-09-20 16:56:27 +0000 UTC View PostI wait until they are several meters away before relaxing my act, letting out a groan. “Oh, thank the saints that is over with.” I drop down to the blanket and lay my head on Geneva’s lap. Just to save space. “How did he even find me?”
“You are quite known throughout the initiates and he is a prince,” Cecilia answers while accepting a glass of wine from Geneva. “There were...
2021-09-17 17:36:02 +0000 UTC View Post“You should probably get out more. Geo’s been saying I should visit the city’s red-light district. Want to come with?”
“I’m starting to hate you in a good mood. It’s annoying.”
Geneva finds us as we’re still sniping at each other. I can see Alana is curious about her load; in one hand, she’s carrying three square black boxes stacked on top of each other and a tal...
2021-09-17 17:30:54 +0000 UTC View PostThe next morning, I’m met with the same mix of scorn and fear from my fellows in Mana Work but the me of today is different. I’m determined to have a good day and nothing and no one is going to get in the way. That’s right. The sun rose this morning just to light my way and I won’t hear someone trying to tell me otherwise.
I ignore them as I set up for my daily meditation. I’m g...
2021-09-15 19:47:23 +0000 UTC View Post“Mm! Mmph mmhmm!”
Alana ignores me as she pulls me out of the dining room. Hey, Geneva! Your summoner is being assaulted! Aren’t you going to do something about this?
[You seem quite safe, Lou. And I don’t think you want me raising a hand against your little sun. I wouldn’t want to leave a mark on your treasure.]
What kind of—no, take a breath, Lou. Take a breath. ...
2021-09-13 18:25:03 +0000 UTC View PostMy plan to let my innocence spread in my absence is a failure. I arrive a little later to Mana Work, I blame the late night, and the group collectively rears back at the sight of my succubus. Mano seems ambivalent, giving me his usual serene smile.
Alana breaks away to stand at my side. She gives me the same “tell you later” look and we settle in for the lesson. After almost an hour o...
2021-09-13 18:17:50 +0000 UTC View PostKierra comes back early in the afternoon to find me in the front room, sprawled on one of the couches with a summoning record in hand. The declaration of my innocence had indeed made its rounds but I didn’t appreciate all the stares. Luckily, my paper on the incompetent imps, the Tome family legacy, and my good relationship with the Hall’s summoners gives me the leeway to take the precious ...
2021-09-10 17:39:49 +0000 UTC View Post“Gajin?” I guess as we go out the front door.
“He can wait. Master is seeing to his education. He is already very grateful to you for the opportunity to do what he loves and I don’t expect the gardener to be entertaining. Nomad won’t be awake until the afternoon either.”
“So…Anna.” The little girl well on her way to becoming a lunatic. “How is she?”
“Ve...
2021-09-10 17:33:47 +0000 UTC View PostSide story 3! For the time, we are between Arc 2/3. This is a glimpse into the mind of Geneva about her summoning and subsequent contract with Lou.
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Geneva watched her summoner as the human girl, Lourianne Tome, bent over a table, happily scribbling away while she told st...
2021-09-08 20:49:17 +0000 UTC View PostThe interrogation leaves me fed up with the whole situation. Honestly, I’ve reached the point where I’m ready to leave the prince to the wolves and wash my hands of the affair, damn the consequences.
“Perhaps you should take the day off, my summoner.”
Lying in a warm bed with the sun barely over the horizon, I look at the succubus standing at the side of the bed. Kierra is s...
2021-09-06 17:37:51 +0000 UTC View PostMiss Talia looks over her shoulder to Dunwayne. He gives her a subtle nod and she turns back. “The same as before, try to answer my questions completely. You are married to Kierra D’Atainna, are you not?”
“Now and forever.” I turn to give her a smile. She purses her lips in a false kiss before grinning back.
“Where did you meet?”
“We met in the Enchanted Forest...
2021-09-06 17:31:10 +0000 UTC View Post“Your excitement relieves me.” Dunwayne waves to Miss Talia and she moves over to me. Her eyes open, revealing the strange, inverted colors that still send a chill down my spine. She holds out a hand and I grab it.
“This is a simple process. I will ask a series of questions. You will answer them to the best of your ability and I will validate the answers. My magic is painless as lon...
2021-09-03 16:49:52 +0000 UTC View PostAs we come to a stop before his desk, Dunwayne puts down an elegant metal quill. “Lady Tome, Miss Kierra. Thank you for coming. I apologize for taking up your time so suddenly.”
The Harvest Hero just apologized to me. Is this a dream?
“Please, have a seat. No need to be uncomfortable for this small talk.” He gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. Kierra has to pull me ...
2021-09-03 16:48:35 +0000 UTC View PostBeing “escorted” so forcefully, I can’t help but imagine the worse. They’ll throw me into some saints forsaken cell, dark and dank and smelling of death or rat feces, while I await my judgement. Hopefully, not at the hands of Aurelius. If so, I’m sure I’ll be found guilty no matter what.
Kierra’s grip on my arm tightens as we move toward the ground. Huh, we’re headed for t...
2021-09-01 19:06:08 +0000 UTC View PostA loud silence lingers after my outburst. Lots of different reactions. Kierra looks amused. Alana and Marcus are watching me with wide eyes. The prince is dumbfounded at being interrupted and insulted at the same time. Browyn is completely unfazed, vigilant for the first signs of violence.
I take a deep breath. “Now that I have your attention, let me make this clear. I did not, have not...
2021-08-30 15:45:11 +0000 UTC View PostWe arrive early to find Kierra and her usual group of lightly armored helpers readying today’s torture. I can’t help it. I rush over. “Kii!”
My lovely wife turns and catches me, holding me tightly as I bury my face in her chest. “Aw. Did someone bully you, dedia? Perhaps a certain cornered animal?”
“You were right, I was wrong.” The admission is bitter but t...
2021-08-30 15:39:39 +0000 UTC View Post“Whoa.” Alana reaches out for me as I hunch over, legs shaking. “Lou? Lourianne? Come on, you’re alright.”
“Of course I’m fucking alright!” I push her away, hands trembling as I run them through my hair. Kierra is right. A cornered animal is the most dangerous. I let my guard down and he went for the jugular. “That gutless, scheming, shitty snake of a man. He thinks he...
2021-08-27 17:24:02 +0000 UTC View PostWhat a beautiful morning. The sun is shining brightly, despite the approaching autumn, and birds chirp happily as they flit through the garden. Kierra is seated at our dining table, sipping a cup of tea, a masterpiece come to life as the golden light plays across her. Bell is adorable as ever, balancing on her little toes in a chair as she begs for slices of fruit from Geneva who dangles them a...
2021-08-27 17:19:45 +0000 UTC View PostAlright! Side story number 2! For the time, we are at the end of Arc 1/EF, right after Lou returns home. This is a brief glimpse into the mind of Luke Tome. I had to step carefully, didn't want to give too much away.
Also, I've decided that on side story release days, there will be no regular update for the Reader tier. It throws off the update schedule and kind of ignores th...
2021-08-25 19:40:51 +0000 UTC View Post“Alright, my little imp.” I grab Bell off my shoulders and hold her in my arms as I walk away from the Gold Dorm. Lunch ended on a pleasant note. I’ll never be able to relax around them, for more than one reason, but there’s hope we can be friendly. Especially after I save the prince’s life. “Let’s hear it.”
“Coo~” [The plan is rather simple. It seems the prince is pre...
2021-08-23 17:58:52 +0000 UTC View PostI smile smugly as I enter the dining room carrying Bell, Alana tense at my side. It’s not that I don’t trust Cecilia’s invitation but if something were to happen, I want some muscle with me to make sure I come out alive. Unharmed would be nice too.
It’s easy to find Prince Samuel and his entourage. They have the largest table, close to the windows so they can watch those coming an...
2021-08-23 17:53:14 +0000 UTC View PostManaday, right after Mano dismisses us, I spot Fina lurking at the edge of the field. I can feel her eyes on me as Geneva helps me to my feet but she looks away when I look over.
“A friend of yours?” Alana asks, coming to stand next to me. “I feel like I’ve seen her before.”
“You have. She was standing beside the impeccably dressed noblewoman when Prince Samuel was verba...
2021-08-20 17:54:02 +0000 UTC View Post“Um.” Saints. This took a strange turn. “Ten years? I rarely think that far.”
“You should. After all, everything we do today shapes our tomorrow. For example, the carefree days of my childhood has brought me to where I am today, at the Grand Hall.” She turns away, eyes filled with an emotion I can’t make out. “A long time ago, I was brought to the royal palace to play in t...
2021-08-20 17:44:21 +0000 UTC View PostAs expected, someone of Cecilia’s status is granted more than a room, though nothing she’d want to brag about. The welcoming room is decorated with a round table with two chairs off to the side and a comfortable armchair in front of a fireplace. One with symbols carved all around it. A magical fireplace? Suppose it makes sense with the expensive looking rug in front of it. Would hurt to hav...
2021-08-18 18:42:59 +0000 UTC View PostThe most important thing about meeting Cecilia is that no one gets the wrong idea. It’s already presumptuous to appear on her doorstep without forewarning. A king wouldn’t do such a thing as it is plain rude. For someone of a lower status, like myself? Eh. There’s some leeway as I’m not a man. That wouldn’t go over well with anyone but, with my reputation, it’s very close.
Thi...
2021-08-16 15:34:46 +0000 UTC View PostThat night, we’re seated at the dining table for once when Bell comes bolting into the room, tail swishing like mad. I pause in the middle of feeding Kierra a piece of steak, opening my arms as the imp jumps into my lap. “Ooooh, there you are! Did you do a good job?”
“Coo!” [I have completed my job with no problems, Master Lou.]
“Good, good. I knew I could count on you....
2021-08-16 15:27:20 +0000 UTC View PostThe patrons have spoken! By popular demand, the first side-story is dedicated to Morgene D'Atainna. This is mainly lore with a little foreshadowing, something I considered tacking on the end of EF but decided against.
More polls to come. For now, I'm thinking side-stories every other week? Let me know what you think.
Time: the night before Lou and Kierra'...
2021-08-11 16:54:59 +0000 UTC View Post“Take all my love, take it all. What more do you have than before? Nothing, my love, nothing. It was yours, now and before. It is yours, forevermore.”
Kierra blinks her sleepy eyes, giving me a slow smile. “That was terrible.”
I huff. “You’re the one asking me to recite poetry first thing in the morning. Did you think I’d come up with something good?” I make to roll ...
2021-08-09 16:16:08 +0000 UTC View Post