>>6447593
Placeholder before proper post, I have to have some stitches removed.

>>6447594
Welcome back QM!

>>6447594
Welcome back! Looking forward to the next adventure.

>>6447594
Get well soon

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Previously, you completed a rescue mission with the assistance of your fellow group therapy members. It's a job well done with Kiyotaka Chie reuniting with her young son Asato and driving off to Hokkaido. It ended with a rich reward and increased trust from the girls.

But the assistance comes at a price.

You have to tell these girls the history of your yearlong service to Lady Hathor of love and madness. A touchy and extremely personal story with some elements you've resolved to never share, not even with your godmother.

Then there's the fact that there's a gang war going on. Former members of the Sumi gang have allied themselves once more with the predatory Arkadian Kingdom. Given what happened last year, you would think gangsters would stay the fuck away from magical stuff. Any respect you had for the 'elder brothers' Kiyotaka Hisato, Maeda Sekine, and Kimura Toshimichi died. One of them might actually be physically dead too. Given the news reported a gas explosion that destroyed Maeda's office.

You're not sure which of the illustrious nobility supports the group. Could it be Lord Martel of agony and faith? His eternal wounds bleeding and anointing his victims to give their very lives and sanity for their desires? Or perhaps it is Lady Gracia of sorrows and patience? Her burning tears wetting those who tirelessly and insanely strive for just one thing they want? Maybe it's Lord Tieno of despair and courage, granting those he smites with burning audacity to reach secret goals locked within the Heart?

It must be one of those three. The Fool may craft magical tools and advise the great Lords and Ladies, but he prefers to tinker and caper about in the Arkadian Kingdom.

And it cannot be Lady Hathor...

Ah, you're doing it again. Mentally glossing over her faults and sins, magnifying her better qualities and virtues. It could be her. It's been a year. People can change in a year. She fervently believed Arkadia could change. A believer in change can certainly change themselves.

And her madness taints and twists everything.

Idle speculation will not bring you any closer to the truth.

The meeting breaks up and everyone bids each other good night. It's a weekday, and some members have school tomorrow. You decided to go back to Takamichi Group Home and go to bed. It's been a long day. The journey back unexpectedly has a fellow traveller.

"I want to look at that house the magical girls were using. My ability might randomly activate and learn something," 'Police Girl' Shinoda Takeo explains.

"Do you really want to explain how your abilities work to me? It seems like everyone is keeping that close to their chest," you ask while guiding her to the abandoned observation point. The house looms ahead, the strange illusion that distracted eyes away from it gone.

"I think it's fair since I know about your regeneration ability from Lord Tieno."

"Ah, that old gossipy fart."

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>>6448235
You share a chuckle with Shinoda. The other girl knows what you mean. Tieno, who told tales about his fellow nobles while recounting his glory days. As the oldest noble, he took it upon himself to be the quintessential Arkadian in the service. He embodied the loyal, ruthless, and arrogant manner of a true blue-blooded aristocrat can only be.

Shinoda begins to talk to you about what she knows about old Tieno. His sangfroid in the face of danger left a strong impression. She recalled no matter how hopeless the situation or the odds, Lord Tieno could summon ample resolve to face it. But his despair drove him to black moods of depression and fatalism, and he could infect humans with it too.

At the abandoned house, Shinoda wanders the empty rooms in the hopes her ability will activate. You carefully observe her eyes and catch sight of her pupils growing large.

Law and Order - I know the crime and the culprits!

"Did you really have to rob this place?" Shinoda exasperatedly asks.

"Other than knowing we looted the place, what else did you learn?"

"The Court of Stars stalked you intermittently from this location. Seer and Cygnus visited the most. I can't sense anything else," the short-haired girl answers. Her fingers touch the part of the wall where the enchantment used to be.

"That lines up with what Sword said." It's good to know that the main damage dealer of the Pretty Star Warrior still doesn't like lies.

"I learned you asked Sword directly about our Heart Crystals. I don't quite believe her on that. If it was something that simple, why not tell us? It would certainly make Aoi calm down," Shinoda states while wandering about the empty house for more clues.

"Or maybe Sword believes that is what the Court of Stars is doing. It's as you said; why wouldn't those magical nutters not tell anyone? You can't rule out the possibility of something more behind the scenes, and Sword doesn't know about it." You go outside to the overgrown garden. The thistle flower that marked the entrance when it was cloaked in illusion feels dry and crumbly under your finger.

You bid good and promise once more to attend the meeting tomorrow.

When you return and fall asleep in the dormitory, you dream of your time in Arkadia. You remember the recovery from your injuries; then, wandering through the streets of the Arkadian Kingdom, you talked with her and then earned the title of Chevalier after a harrowing test in the darkness...
>You were tested by The Fool...
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...
>You were tested by Lady Gracia...
>You were tested by Lord Martel...

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...

>>6448237
+1
Surely not all in the Kingdom are fucked in the head? No complete Lawful Evil here, right? Tieno seems like a super cool old badass, surely he could see the way the wind is blowing from on high?

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...
ayy last one mentioned first one remembered

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...

Vote called for Lord Tieno.

What do you guys think the last two ??? are? I think one might be another Arkadian thing and the other is another vanguard ability.

>>6449791
Not sure, but I picked Tieno to bond with our best friend a bit.

>>6449791
One is Arkandian
One is probably a side-effect from the PSW

>>6449801
I picked him because Tieno sounds like the most based noble in the entire Arkandian Kingdom

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Memory came stealing in through the door of sleep. That encounter with Sword at the illusion house after remembering the injuries that near killed you only encourage further remembrances of Arkadia. To that time just after Lady Hathor took you to her home and healed you from near death.

You were weak and sickly for days. It was a novel and unsettling experience. You had been entirely free from sickness since childhood and any minor wounds inflicted simply healed away without a trace, meaning each day you were full of energy and vigor unceasing. That is until you got stabbed in the chest by 'Celestial Dawn'. The physical unwellness was an alien experience, an undiscovered country of discomfort and slow recovery.

The numerous ghostly and living servants minding the house tended to everything you needed. There was nothing for you to do, but it didn't matter, you worked. Sweeping floors, making tea for the many visitors, carefully folding origami flowers to decorate, and whatever else came to mind that would please the mistress of the house and give her comfort.

"Sweetheart, get back to bed," the Lady of love and madness gently orders and smiles as though speaking to a stubborn child. Her wide and perfect smile immediately informed you how badly annoyed she truly was. She hadn't been home often after you woke up, much of her time was spent at the palace where she did whatever a Noble of Arkadia does. Even when she did return, she was tired and there was never a moment of privacy.

Fierce Loyalty - No, I will not go to bed.
Unnatural Toughness - I'm getting better! I feel a bit tired, that's all.

"My lady, aunty Eirene needs this hot water for her dyes. And I promised run another poker game for the kids. Probably will run a game for the adults after. Someone said they'll bring in tokens to make it a proper gambling session," you gesture with the kettle in your hand to the courtyard where numerous people sat about to gossip, sip tea, make bargains, or do a bit of needlework under the warm glow of stolen mana. The courtyard was safe and perpetually lit, and always crowded. Your lady invited all to enjoy it whether she was in residence or not. Practically the entire neighbourhood takes advantage of the invitation.

You had learned much from these gossipy people. It is comforting to know that old aunties and uncles in Arkadia are pretty much the same as old aunties and uncles in Japan. The conversations have the same rhythm of work and family, arguments and conversation, talking of the doings of the great and listening to the petty drama of the small.

"Aunty should know better than to order around my servant who needs to rest. Is it not enough I allow her and the others full access to my father's house and my mother's workshop? Next they'll be asking I pay guild dues," Lady Hathor petulantly pouted and folded her arms like a teenager.

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>>6449827
"I heard that! The barbarian wants to make herself useful, so let her. It's a good thing she earns her light and room," a brassy woman's voice in the courtyard carries over the sounds of work and conversation

"My name is Azami."
"Her name is Azami."

Both you and Lady Hathor shout back at the same time to correct the other woman.

Back then, no one called you 'Chevalier'. The very thought of it had yet to occur to anyone, including yourself. In fact, the Arkadians weren't quite sure what to call you at the time. Most settled on 'barbarian'. Apparently, that was them trying to be polite, and they failed spectacularly. They didn't want to use term 'traitorous rebel' since it seemed a touch too rude to place upon a Noble's servant.

"'Sblood. Very well, my ladyship. Now get over here, Azami. I need that hot water," Eirene ordered without looking up. She was a tall, thin woman with arms dyed blue and had been sweating over a cloth she dipped over and over in a pot filled with something dark. When you first saw it, you assumed it was a black dye since damn near everyone wears black and dark-coloured clothing. But the cloth dipped and pulled upwards was soaked with a pale blue colour akin to the skies of Earth. You carried the heavy brass kettle and began pouring a thin stream of hot water into the pot.

"Gentler and slower, love. Don't want to overflow the pot... There, that's it." Eirene ordered a stop to the water and then continued her dye work. It was fascinating how the white cotton fabric dipped into the mixture and came out pale blue.

Then the children who wanted to play poker came trooping in with fistfuls of small candies and a set of cards in hand. For the last few days of recovery, you decided to follow Master Kohaku's bakuto advice and entice the locals to come to you. A new novel game definitely attracted the attention of children who knew no better and adults who knew too much. Rather than being a remote and threatening 'barbarian', you disarmed them by being a helpful and entertaining 'barbarian' with strange new forms of entertainment. You even learned a few things about Arkadia from them.

The deck of cards they had was similar yet different from Earth. Cups, swords, wands, and shields are the suits with thirteen ranks. No King exists in the entire deck. Instead, the Queen replaces it as the thirteenth card. Curiously, depending on the suit, the twelfth card bears the title "Lord" or "Lady." A Lord on the red wands and red shields suit and a Lady on the black cups and black swords suit. They called the eleventh rank, the Chevalier. You mistook the Fool for the joker card at first, but the children taught you that it represents the ace instead. They called the joker in the card set 'Arkadia'. The drawing on the wildcard was a palace under a yellow sun, and there is only one of them.

>>6449828
"I must return to the Queen. Let me listen to your steadfast Heart," Lady Hathor says. She placed a hand over your chest, and the familiar sensation of her Domination washes over you. Your entrancement renewed once more, for she cannot bear the idea of letting you slip from her control and escape.

Fierce Loyalty - Damn it, another few hours and...

You need at least twenty hours away from the Arkadian noble. Your ability to resist is growing stronger each day. Before, it took twenty-four hours to break free from the magical control that chained you to obedience, and she knows the interval was growing shorter.

In time, you might be able to break completely free despite the full force of Domination bearing down upon you.

"Be good sweetheart, I'll be back."

"I look forward to seeing you soon, my lady. We can't stay away from the gang too long and must go back. They must be having a hard time without us." You then take her hand and bow; the locals taught this was proper manners toward a noble. The sudden use of Arkadian etiquette takes your lady off guard, and for a moment, she doesn't know what to even say.

"If you want to be a proper gallant, kiss her hand and then bow," a mischievous boy mock whispers for everyone to hear, and the crowd in the courtyard bursts out in laughter.

A strange look passes over Lady Hathor's face, not of embarrassment but something more like guilt. At the time, you had no notion why guilt would show. It was a mystery that would be solved afterwards, you were in utter ignorance as you watched your noble lady leave with a troupe of servants for the palace.

You had a poker game to run.

"Okay, kids, place your bets and get ready. Remember this for fun. If you need help with understanding the hands or rules, ask."

Deception - No need to make the kids sad. Master Kohaku said that a game needs to be kept tight and loose at the right moment for a good game.

Three anons, roll 1d20+4 to entertain the kids...

Rolled 17 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830
Gambling

Rolled 1 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830
Welcome back

ACK!!!!

Rolled 1 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830

wow this is fucked up

>>6449854
>>6449860
Now these are the rolls I remember from MSVQ. Zero surprise. God I hate how cursed this QM's quests are

>>6449889
We just need to channel his winter one shot. The rolls there were good.

>>6449890
Link?

>>6449891
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6291043/
Sofia, my beloved vainglorious runner

>>6449889
It's 3d20, there's a 14.2% chance of at least 1 nat 1 every time...

Hey OP I just recently found out about this game called Magical Girl Witch Trials (Manosaba) and what little I've been told about it makes me think you would be VERY interested in what this has. This is, so I'm told, a "DUDE TRUST ME" sort of game where you need to be as blind with as minimal knowledge as possible going into it.
Here's the english patch and here's the usual link
https://www.mediafire.com/file/v4vuqe0553a2zm6/Manosaba_ENG_Patch_V1.54.rar/file
https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6745999

>>6449953
Once you get the patch, you have to go into the game settings and change it to English yourself

>>6449855
>>6449861
>>6449889
>>6449889
At least it's just for a poker game, with children, in a flashback.

>>6449954
Oh thanks, sounds super interesting.

Also don't worry about failing so badly on this roll. As someone said, it's a poker game with children in a flashback.
Complete utter failure actually brings out another important character of the Arkadian Kingdom.

>>6450031
Do post your thoughts when you eventually play it. I'm curious what you'll think

>>6450042
I'm concerned of downloading it because it's posted on a russian forum. As for playing, man, do I even have time?

>>6450043
>it's posted on a russian forum
Just have a VPN, have a torrenting program, and use the magnet link. It's not hard, and I can confirm that download is safe because somebody else I trust verified it
>man, do I even have time?
Yeah good point...

>>6450043
It's rutracker
It's one of the main forums for piracy

>>6449953
>Recommended:
>Memory: 16 GB RAM
>Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060
Taken from steam
Holy shit

>>6450214
I haven't played it yet to judge if those specs are appropriate, as I have a 1650 Ti, but I have been repeatedly and emphatically told that this game is "peak fiction"

Sorry for the delay. My mother accidentally food poisoned the household. Niagara falls through a straw was the general state of the household.

>>6451631
Yet another instance of the QM Curse being real and targeting you specifically. I hope things get better for you QM

>>6451631
Yikes. Feel better soon.

Now that my mother and father has recovered. I can start writing again.
I now understand how much work it takes to take care of an entire family all day everyday. It's an astonishing drudgery.

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Children are smarter than most people think. This doesn't mean children are sensible or very discerning of what is truly important. Only time can grant that sort of wisdom through experience. They love to brag and show off, particularly to someone older and ignorant. A rare opportunity to be a teacher, and they lecture you on the many names of darkness and light. Arkadians appear to have as many terms for it as some natives of the far north would have for snow.

Umbra, a profound darkness from which dangerous creatures form. Light a wick immediately.
True Light, the protective mana-infused light that wards off Umbra. Arkadia and its people cannot survive without it.
Penumbra, the greyish border between light and shadow. The last warning before the failure of true light.
Gloam, a wandering white fog floating about in the air and lightens the darkness. Wicks lit within the fog have enhanced range.
Sepulchrave, a darkness that only ghostly forebearers can safely pass through. The living should avoid it lest they get touched with Disquiet.
Half-light, a non-magical light that grants no protection from the umbra. Only wicks lit with mana protect.
Greater Darkness, the devouring abyss chewing away at the very edges of the Arkadia. There is something in there looming over the Kingdom.

There was so much to learn. Your education entertains the adults because they're watching someone blunder about blindly about things they take for granted. This must be how Lady Hathor felt when she first arrived in Tokyo and explained most of her oddities like refusing to turn off any lights after dark.

Eager to tell you more, they talked of Arkadia. The campus where ecuyers learn the ways of the warriors; the port where the great galleys await their Noble patrons setting off to the dangerous rebellious provinces; the courtyard of the Palace where a constant stream of brave lamplighters go forth to the darkened city and so much more.

Arkadian Favor - You are always welcome to return to the Arkadian Kingdom. You're able to live in the city.
Fierce Loyalty - Silence! You were granted it at the Winter Ball, and not before that time.

During this give and take of information, you ran a poker game. It didn't go well. It felt like two players were keen on losing more than winning. One girl seemed immune to understanding the rules of poker. She constantly showed her cards to others and asked for your help. Her pile of candy disappeared quickly, which made her sad.

A more baffling player was a boy who seemed a trifle slow and completely unaware. No matter what he did, he just couldn't win. Your attempts to discretely deal winning cards and give decent hands on the sly always ended up a lost cause. At one point, you arranged to deal three Queens to end up in his hand, but somehow he would tilt and lose those cards.

Deception - What the hell? Why aren't these two losers winning any hands at all? Now they're out of candy!

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>>6453505
"I don't think I like this game." The clueless girl muttered as she looked woefully at her now empty candy pouch.

"Four Queens should always beat four Fools," the other loser announces with a vapid smile. No matter how badly he lost each round, he kept on smiling.

Despite your clandestine assistance, the three other competent players took everything. At the time, you were glad it was just a casual game over candy. In a real game, the two losers would be prime marks. You felt sorry for them and decided to keep the game going until they won a hand at least. You ask the servants to bring out sweets to replenish the stockpile of the losers. Being utterly ignorant as to what sort of candy exists in Arkadia, you asked the children for their preferences.

All eyes gleamed with greed, they couldn't hide their glee at the fine sweets brought forth, and that should have tipped you off that something was up. Instead of taking their joy as a sign to be wary, you reasoned they were only children excited about the game continuing. Lady Hathor basically said not to worry and ask for anything, so you asked the servants to bring out a large quantity of fine cookies, colorful candies, glowing sugar crystals, and creamy tarts from the manor. On silver platters, they placed the small mountain of tasty treats besides the two children who lost everything, and the game continued. The next rounds didn't go any better for the two losers, who soon lost it all again. The superior-quality confections disappeared into the piles of the other three players.

You stopped the game.

"Don't feel too bad, you'll do better next time. Just remember the hands," you tried to assuage the two kids who lost. Their shoulders were shaking and trembling, trying to contain themselves from laughing and crying.

While you patted them on the shoulders reassuringly, a piercing cackling laughter arose from your right. Startled, you turn to see the aged face of the Librarian. It's been months since you last saw the man, and nothing about his person had changed. His wide eyes and disconcerting smile directed at you only emphasized how off-putting he looked. You likely made a face, and that triggered a greater burst of laughter from the man that silenced the entirety of the courtyard as Arkadians turned to stare.

The Librarian was wearing his multicolored outfit with feathers, sequins, and strange, ever-shifting patterns. You tried not to stare too deeply at his clothing because looking too closely at the wriggling images caused nausea. He looked timeless, as though he had been old and never known the pleasure of youth. His neatly trimmed white beard and long white hair rippled with unsuppressed mirth. The last time you saw this man was at the end of the Great Hunt some months ago. You handed over the remains of a terrible monster you hunted for his personal experiments.

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>>6453508
"Oh, it's you. Shouldn't you be in that tower and ripping apart monsters?" You ask with boredom. An audible intake of breath from the onlookers showed you had just fucked up again somehow.

"How could I stay amongst my books and works of wonders when I see that you are auditioning for my title? What a riot! What a trick! What a conspiracy!" He whoops and then turns his gaze upon the five shocked children. You noted they looked incredibly chastened for some reason. The boy who lost every hand had discarded his glassy, unfocused look. Instead, he was sharp and alert, looking like the craftiest fox of foxes.

"Barbarian, you shouldn't address Ser Fool so familiarly," the boy coolly comments, unsurprised at the presumptuous familiarity displayed by you to a member of the nobility.

"Fool?" You turn to gaze upon the strange old man who leapt from your side to take a seat amongst the players.

"Indeed, I am the jester of nobility. The mocker of ritual. The keen eyes and ears of the Queen. For her, I laugh in anger, for her, I weep with mirth. What? Did you think I was a mere reader of books and peddler of trinkets? Nay, my credulous foreign acquaintance."

Here he plucked a card cast away from a player and pointed to the corner. You had not noticed a subtle pattern there until that moment. You slowly realize that the Fool was holding a marked card.

"I must say, you're not a deep thinker. Do you understand the situation now? No? Then how about this?" The Fool plucks a card out of the apron of the girl who lost every hand.

Then he plucked out another card from under the cushion of another boy. Then another card. Then another card. Then another card.

Deception - Well I'll be damned.

These children had conspired to fleece the shit out of you. You should have been suspicious the moment they brought in the cards. A casino would never allow players to bring in the deck of cards they want to play with. Not only are the cards marked, you realize the boy and girl who always lost were a distraction, and these sneaky kids swapped spare cards between themselves. They played on your kindness and sympathy, guessing you would take pity and give extra sweets to allow the losers to continue playing. The plan was to divide the gain between all five conspirators. They played you like a fiddle.

Children are indeed smarter than most people think. The scammers immediately begin stuffing their pockets and lunchboxes with their ill-gotten gain.

"You're dumb enough to snuff the lanterns and let umbra in before going to sleep. So I knew you'd be dumb enough to fall for our tricks," the boy states as his friends scrambled to get away. He plays his role as a distraction to the hilt and continued to shill.

"Shouldn't you gloat when you're not in arms reach?" You could not decide whether to admire the audacity or get annoyed at who you assumed was the ringleader.

The boy thumbed his nose and smiled.

>>6453509
"Nah, you're a softie. Not the type to hit women and children is my guess." The cheeky brat had your number and measure. The group flees as though hell were on their heels with their loot. You didn't bother to chase after them; they deserved those sweets for managing to pull a fast one.

"What a comedy. How dearly would I have loved to see it to the very end, but things are moving apace, and I would have words with you," the Fool said while twirling his fingers in the air idly. The cards the children abandoned floated up into the air and danced. "Has your mistress said a word about her doings at the palace? Ah, that look tells me all that I need to know. Tsk, tsk. So naive and trusting that her accomplishments and title will ward off harm."

"Harm?" You asked with surprise.

"The Queen doesn't allow outsiders to reside in Arkadia. The most she'll tolerate is a brief visit. Your stay here for many cycles has caused uproar. You lived on sufferance for one reason. While the young mistress asserts her rights and argues before the throne, residents of the quarter and I was here to ward off the assassin's dagger away from your Heart. Even the boldest Ecuyers would loath to harm a fellow Arkadian to just get at you," the Fool said while tilting his head towards the street with a sharp jerk.

"Why didn't she tell me!?" You cast your eyes past the courtyard as the murmurs of the crowd built again and the gossip flowed between Arkadians. Outside the limit of the courtyard, there is a wide cobblestone street with lit lamps lining it. Under the protective true light of the lanterns, a number of uniformed Ecuyers were standing and waiting. They had been there a few days, but they never attempted to enter the courtyard nor speak. You recognized a few of them from the Great Hunt and tried to approach them, but Lady Hathor firmly ordered that you remain well away from the street. Those were the daggers waiting and watching patiently for you to exit the noble estate to murder you. Your open association with the Fool clearly made them nervous and their hands rest on their sheath.

"Bah, you've been in her service for months. You know why. The young lady thinks she has it all under control. What need is there to inform you of the danger when her charms will save you? The pride and arrogance of youth aren't strangers to her. However, in this case, it is justified. I am honored to report, you won't die under the daggers of eager Ecuyers seeking to defend Arkadia and make a name for themselves," the Fool stopped playing with the deck of cards and tossed it aside.

"Good to know. I better get ready to go back to Tokyo. The faster I get out of here, the less chance some glory seeking punk will do me in to impress their boss." You glared hard at the silent group of would be assassins outside in the street.

>>6453510
"Oh dear, you don't understand. You've been granted your life, not your freedom. You've seen too much, and can never leave. As a servant of Lady Hathor of love and madness, you will reside in her estate and serve in Arkadia forever. Let me be the first to congratulate you on this most singular honor and make an offer. You did well during the Great Hunt. I could do with another hunter seeking out materials for me in the dark regions. Good pay, plenty of opportunities to learn, and first choice of my wonderful toys. Well, how about it?" the Fool asked smiling. The crowd in the courtyard take an intake of breath and openly cheer to celebrate. The Arkadians press to congratulate your salvation and make you welcome.

Amidst the tumult, you didn't know how to react. Abandonment in the Arkadian Kingdom was an appalling idea. Now it became clear why she always avoided the subject of going home and looked guilty. She was going to abandon you here in a strange land of darkness without family. You aren't worthless, you're useful and she has no right to throw you away. You had served her so well. You fought the Pretty Star Warriors, gathered mana, advise her, took care of her and more.

Fierce Loyalty - Who cares about that! If she's willing to fuck us over, then she'll definitely fuck over Godfather Sumi and the gang despite making a deal with us.

"Come now, are you willing to work for me? You can start right away," the Fool asks once more.

You make a decision.

You need to get to the palace and demand an answer from Lady Hathor. You immediately get up and start marching towards to the street. Behind the Fool squawks with surprise and he tries to stop you. He reacted too slowly, for you came out of the courtyard and fully on to the street. Several young Ecuyers await with their hands on the hilt of their dagger but none dared to make the first move. Each of them waited for their comrade to first draw blade.

Threatening Aura - I have nothing fear from cowards who didn't have the balls to come right at me. They stood around for days waiting for me to come out.

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>>6453511
"I am Senjou Azami, associate of the Sumi clan led by Godfather Sumi Masatoshi! I don't have time to deal with those who don't properly introduce themselves and confront me like someone with honor. Out of the way or pull out your dosu knives and fight! No matter what you do, I'm going to the Palace." You grimly announce and walked straight through the crowd of cowed Ecuyers who didn't know how to react. The target they had long waited to leave the protection of the noble estate simply didn't care about their presence and strode forth without even glancing back. At any point, one of them could have stabbed from behind but instead they tamely parted to let you through. They lost their chance and now simply looked ridiculous as they began to trail after you, unsure quite what to do. Behind these Ecuyers, curious Arkadians from the courtyard followed upon hearing your intent to go to the Palace. The procession was large but silent as they tramped on cobblestones.

>>6453377
I'll post the rest later.

>>6453505
This Arkadia lore makes me wonder if their entire realm is such shit with monster spawning darkness hell all over on a daily basis, and if other magic worlds like the ones the PSW come from or are tied to exist, then why don't the Arkadians locate a prospective one that doesn't have ultra advanced pure evil darkness inhabiting it and simply move their entire population over? Surely it'd beat having to stay here and suffer in collective shadow. Even then Earth is a huge place. Surely there's an uninhabited area somewhere that can easily support a whole kingdom of immigrated magic beings from a different world? Surely there have to be certain nobles or maverick men of magic and science eager to investigate easier options for the kingdom's survival, morality be damned.

>>6453508
>>6453509
This Fool guy seems reasonable. Also as a certain man once put it:
>Kids are cruel, Jack. And I'm very in touch with my inner child.

>>6453510
I love the bit of the courtyard civilians reacting to all this drama and plot going on in front of them. I wonder if the truth of Azami being a loyal captive held against her will will be made known eventually, and how the regular population of AK will feel about her in light of everything else. Based on what the AK is based on, I don't think the Queen or AK have lesbian marriage legal or viewed favorably here. Too bad for Lady Hathor and her plans for Azami

>>6453511
>>6453512
I love how the Fool is straight up trying to hire Azami on the spot knowing she's trapped there with the Arkadians forever. He's 100% right that Lady Hathor is in over her head.

>>6453632
> simply move
I would guess the Queen has a madness that prevents her from leaving her kingdom and is a fisher king deal where her status afflicts all citizens.
> regular population of AK will feel
I think they’re operating on dark age morality. They might honestly not bat an eye since it’s happening to a ‘barbarian’/slave.
>No marriage
Huh?

>>6453512
The audacity and recklessness of this march to the Palace didn't occur to you at the time. The heat of indignation and fear of abandonment screened any thought of stepping back and thinking things through. The Godfather and Godmother always tried to teach the value of discipline and keeping your cool to consider strategic options, but they also largely accepted that a teenager was going to do exceedingly stupid things.

You marched straight up to the main gates of the Palace where confused guards barred your path. The crowd of Arkadians who followed watched with anticipation for further entertainment. They were not disappointed.

"You there! Go find Lady Hathor and tell her to come out!" You order one of the guards.

"Wait, I know you! You're Lady Hathor's servant. The one from the rebellious provinces. How dare a mere servant presume to give orders!" One of the guards bellowed; he was bewildered at your nerve. The other guards laid their hands on the hilts of their swords and watched. Things didn't escalate, luckily.

"By the light and the missing stars! Forgive this ignorant and reckless fool in training. She just has a spot of Disquiet staining her Heart and she's manifesting mania," Eirene lies while grabbing the scruff of your neck with her callused, indigo blue stained hands. The powerful grip tightens just enough to show that if you tried anything, then you wouldn't like it. The older woman drags you away from the main gate of the Palace, scolding you with a salty tongue equal to any hostess club manageress handling a stupid working girl. The crowd of Arkadian onlookers dispersed or went back to their work since it appeared your antics were over.

"Her Majesty the Queen has granted you life and honor to remain in the Kingdom. What are you doing throwing that all away!?" Eirene bawls at you and grounds her knuckle on the crown of your head. "If you wanted to have a private word with your Lady, then I could have easily arranged it!"

True to her word, the dyer guides you to a humbler gate of the Palace where seemingly never-ending streams of lamplighters issued forth with fresh tanks of mana to refuel the lanterns with true light throughout the city. The place was bustling with so much activity that for a moment you doubted it was even a part of the Palace at all. The deathly serene and cold silence of the grand edifice from the front made you wonder if anyone alive actually lived or worked inside. You watched with fascination as the lamplighters called out for refuelling, cut new wicks, updated the status of lamps on the city map and polished their brass equipment. Eirene urges you to enter after speaking with a number of hardened-looking lamplighters who hurried away to places deeper inside.

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>>6453799

You did not have long to wait; there was a sudden rush of voices. Striding down the hallway amongst a crowd was Lady Hathor of love and madness. She smiles and laughs with the lamplighters, and you immediately went to greet your Lady. You can tell she was displeased despite the geniality she showed to everyone. You got the feeling the displeasure centred mainly on Eirene, who staunchly remained standing outside.

"Right, I'll leave you two be. Remember to use words, my Lady. You can't just leave your servant in complete ignorance." With those words, Eirene swiftly retreated and did not look back.

You learned Lady Hathor used to be a lamplighter, and that there was a tradition. If someone passed through the Lamplight Gate, then they had the right to demand a specific lamplighter they know to train them. Tradition was strong in Arkadia and your Lady felt the oppressive weight of it. For the first time in days, you could speak with your Lady in private and walked the streets of Arkadia with her.

You learned you possessed a single unique ability....

>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...
>The Stones of Arkadia: Sometimes in the quiet, the Kingdom talks. More practically, it tells you of secret paths and hidden treasures if you come close to them. Don't listen too closely though, you might hear something you don't want to...
>Ghost Calling: Arkadians sometimes don't rest peacefully after death. They return as ghostly forebearers and linger in the Kingdom until they mysteriously depart. Not all ghosts are made equal, some are quite mindless. Ghosts listen to you for some reason...
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...
>Piercing the Veil: Darkness is everywhere and hides things from view. Usually... By concentrating and using your own mana, you can see in shadows and darkness and umbra. One reason why you knew precisely what Takeoka stole...

>>6453801
>The Stones of Arkadia

>>6453801
>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

to be a light in the dark

>>6453801
>>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

>>6453801

>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian
Then can't any human with mana do this?

>>6453632
I don't think Hathor wants/wanted to make an honest woman out of us, or would be allowed to do so even if we were a male barbarian. I think her intent was to keep us as her loyal bodyguard and/or sex slave indefinitely.

>>6453801
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...
Fits our vibe best IMO.

>>6453801
Changing vote from >>6453903 to
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...

>>6453935
>indefinitely
Completely untenable. But it fits how she is, making grandiose plans and gestures and coasting on by with a smile while everything crashes around her.

we have a tie between being scarier than the monsters and becoming a human night light

>>6453976
Truly the duality of a magical girl.

>>6453801
lurker tiebrek
>Fearsome

>>6453801
>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

Rolled 2 (1d2)

I guess I will have to roll
1 for illumined
2 for fearsome

>>6454342
The in-character choice WON

>>6454342
The extreme flanderized choice WON

all choices are good for the quest, the QM wouldnt put them there otherwise

>>6454310
>>6454674
(sorry, didnt mean to samefag, both of these are me, phone posting is a bitch)

I won twenty dollars betting against my cousin. The negotiations between Canada and US collapsed. I'm working as a minimum wage jobber while living with my parents so I'm probably not going to lose my job and become homeless.
I am writing and mostly done, but man I don't really feel like writing...

>>6455665
Feel better soon, QM.
Unless you're in an industry directly impacted, it's only a few tenths of a percent off Canadian GDP. I don't think this is going to be a catastrophe by any means.

>>6455665
At least you're not dead, right? Please don't leave us

>>6455665
I’m sorry to hear that, qm. I do hope things get better for you.

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"You choose to become a lamplighter?" You asked once more, just to make sure you heard Lady Hathor correctly.

"For the last time, yes. You sound like my father when I first told him I walked through the Lamplight Gate," the Noble answered with exasperation.

"You choose to become a lamplighter," you repeated in disbelief. Less of a question and more to convince yourself that the answer given was true. It seemed unbelievable because the job of a lamplighter was everything that the neat, fastidious and physically unfit Noble hated. It was smelly, dirty, and, most of all, physically demanding. You rapped the tank with a knuckle and heard something liquid slosh around inside. It was finally half-full, but still incredibly heavy. There was no way the other girl could walk around with even a quarter-full tank of mana on her shoulders.

"I didn't want to spend the rest of my life sewing. I became a lamplighter to walk the path of honour. Only those willing to sacrifice and endure danger can change their rank," Lady Hathor answered.

Your lady was in a rare mood to explain and teach. Not only did you learn the basic operations of the lamplighting and the equipment, but also a bit more about her mysterious past.

You had always been curious.

How could the daughter of a mere embroiderer become a Lady of the Arkadian Kingdom? You inquired into Lady Hathor's life before she was ennobled. Not with any deep or sinister intent, or even with any particularly good one either. Your intent was with the inexhaustible curiosity of a devotee, for whom every last detail of the beloved's life is precious and charged with meaning.

If you couldn't be equal to the Arkadian noble, then at least you could know more about her.

"If it's supposed to be the 'path of honor', then why the hell won't anyone help your fellow Arkadian? The ghost of that old man's wife is supposed to pass on tomorrow, right? It'd cost only a tank of mana to show some jingi and compassion to delay moving him out for one more day," you say while manipulating the long lighting pole. You pull the trigger so that the striking mechanism sparks a flame of true light at the end and then moved that flame towards the lamppost to refill. Fuel dripped into the lantern above while you pumped.

"The Queen agreed with the lamplighters that residents of this quarter need to leave to a safer area nearer to the Palace. They should be honoured and grateful for the compassion shown to them by her majesty. Also, the cost of this isn't just a tank of mana. Every round you do is dangerous. A lamplighter shouldn't do a task like this because it has little merit and comes at their own personal cost," Lady Hathor impatiently explained.

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>>6457233
She turned and looked behind her to see former residents of the quarter scrambling to take advantage of the extra time by moving out more belongings from their homes. They had months to devote themselves to the task, but moving an entire life away was difficult and time-consuming. When they had heard that a lamplighter was willing to illuminate the streets of their former city quarter for a bit longer, they scrambled to call upon friends and former neighbours to help remove more things.

The street was full of carts pulled by determined Arkadians with small personal lanterns. They spoke in hushed voices and never stopped to rest, for this was the final round of lamp lighting. After today, the Greater Darkness shall conquer yet another part of the Arkadia. They entered their homes and began their work.

Unnatural Toughness - Getting tired is a problem for other people.

"Good thing I earned a bunch of mana before and don't care for merit."

The lantern burned bright with true light. The sensation of danger lingering around the circle of illumination rushed away. The glaring eyes of the monsters lurking in the umbra snapped their jaws, hungering for the feast of flesh parading before them.

Then one of those monsters decided to strike despite the glaring true light warding it away. A thing with too many eyes, arms, and mouths slithered into view. Its skin sizzled like fat in a pan under the protective circle of light. You immediately put yourself between it and Lady Hathor as the thing prepared to strike.

"Fuck off," you growled. A strange feeling burns as the words escape your mouth. Within the depths of your Heart Crystal and soul, something invisible pours forth. It is as though you were spitting invisible fire at the monster.

Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...

You had never done that before.

The thing faltered and coiled like a snake in confusion. For the first time in its unnatural life it was afraid and didn't know how to react. It smoked under true light until it made a belated attempt to retreat into the umbra to reassess the situation. But it never made it back to safety. A flash of black crystal whipped past from behind and pinned the stunned monster to the ground. The creature whined pathetically and attempted to rip out the Black Thorn. It was all too late.

You pulled the trigger of the fuel pole and made the wick at the end flame brighter. The lamp lighting equipment doubled as a miniature flamethrower and doused the monster in burning mana. The ugly squeals and screams soon stopped, and it became a pile of ashes.

>>6457235
"I also don't care about danger either." You say to Lady Hathor. The Arkadian Noble dismissed her weapon, a Black Thorn crystal she held in her hand.

"If you don't care about danger, then there's a place I want to go. It's close by." She pointed down a darkened street where an abandoned quarter lay. You were surprised to realize that Lady Hathor made no comment on your new power. She must not have noticed because it was too subtle. You decided to keep it a secret, a nice ace in the hole when needed.

Fearsome - You'll never make me talk!

You had more than ample fuel for the side trip, and it was indeed a short one. The evidence of decay and entropy was evident. Gaping holes in the street, roofless buildings, and rusting lampposts were everywhere. Though living beings were a few streets away, it felt like you had entered a dead world far away.

"I remained in Arkadia by order of the Queen because it's the anniversary of my ascension. We're about to visit the place where it happened," Lady Hathor spoke lightly.

"Congratulations, my Lady. I'm surprised you aren't celebrating such a happy occasion," you said while lighting a rusty lantern hanging on a lamppost.

"Happy? Ah, that's right. I always forget you know nothing about Arkadia and its ways," the other girl said, taken aback by your comment.

"Now you know how I feel when you're in Tokyo. Remember when you asked if the turtle in the pond was a fearsome monster?"

You share a quick laugh at the memory with her. Her laugh was brief, though; she soon had a somber smile. You entered a stone square broken with dark gaping holes of pure blackness. The true light of your wick was unable to penetrate the bleak darkness. Looking at it made you ill, and unnervingly you could feel something moving beyond your sight. Some living thing was swimming out there in the blackness unseen, readying to strike.

And it did strike somewhere. A stone cracked loudly in the square and crumbled into a heap. Pitched directly into the maw of darkness and disappeared from existence. You saw nothing but felt it, heard it, and smelled it.

"Where are we? What is this place?" You ask while frantically pumping more mana to brighten the area. You lift the flaming fuel pole high in a vain attempt to cover more area with true light.

"This is where I ascended. My predecessor committed suicide here."

She had said it so casually. You stared at the Arkadian noble and saw the soft, delicate curl of an unsettling smile. The young noble reached into her robe and pulled out a paper flower. It was one of the origami flowers you had folded to adorn her bedroom.

"Predecessor?"

You couldn't think of anything intelligent to say.

"Lady Hathor of madness and love. She couldn't endure any longer and cast herself into the Greater Darkness."

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>>6457237
As though to demonstrate what had happened, she carelessly tossed the paper flower. It glided in the air towards the perfect blackness, chewing at the edge of Arkadia. The luminous whiteness of the paper reflected the true light of your wick until it winked out of existence. Quick as a flash, like it had never been. You immediately reached out to the Arkadian noble's scarred hand and held onto it tightly.

"What's this, sweetheart? Scared I'll do the same?" A soft chuckle and the unsettling smile disappeared from her face and morphed into an eerie calmness.

"What was your name before you became Lady Hathor?" You quickly asked to change the subject.

"Only you would be so daring to ask my old name. Do you want to hear something interesting, Azami? My old name had a meaning. The willingness and readiness to submit to whatever finished shape of fate is allotted to me. Whatever share of glory it dictates and what limits I must not pass until my appointed end. My name was Moira." Here the girl once named Moira laughed drily and then continued. "My dear predecessor wasn't mad, you know. The 'madness' in the title was a lie to her. She was perfectly sane. Too sane. She saw too plainly, and that denied her the shelter of insanity. It was her greatest failing. It's why she chose me to light the lamps to her death."

You led her away by hand from the crumbling square as quickly as possible. Away from the hypnotic oblivion wearing away at the stones of Arkadia, away from that place of death and loss. Back to where there was more light, back to where life was still sweet. The stones echoed with your footsteps, and you glared at any idiotic monsters who looked at you funny.

"Sweetheart, it's okay."

"It's not fucking okay. Let's go home. We have plans in Tokyo, and---" You began but didn't get to finish.

"I have plans in Tokyo. You have a new job as an honorable lamplighter. Congratulations, my dearest Azami."

You had a hard time believing what you heard and stopped. This Lady Hathor of love and madness was going to abandon one of her enthralled slaves? Nonsense, she once ordered the Sumi gang to hunt down an absconding associate who fled to Malaysia. The amount of money spent to force him back to Tokyo was absurd, and it was all because she couldn't stand the idea of even one mere underling escaping her power.

"Moira, do you realize that I will be free from your control once you leave?"

"Oh my, how bold. Using my old name so freely. Know your place. I am your mistress. Show me proper respect. You will remain in Arkadia and serve here," she smiled, and you panicked at the sight of her resolve. She was really going against her obsessive madness and leaving you here. The idea of never seeing the sun, or your godparents, or her filled you with dread.

>>6457238
The Fool had warned you that this was going to happen. You had been cudgeling your brain to formulate a desperate plan. You weren't sure how Lady Hathor would react, but you decided it was worth a gamble.

"My lady, I learned from the Arkadians that changing allegiances is possible. If you no longer require my service, I shall accept your decision and swear an oath to another august person," you began without skipping a beat. Your response surprised the other girl. It had gotten her full attention.

"What nonsense is this? You swearing to someone else?! Just who do you have in mind?" The annoyance in her voice was undisguised.

It was time to trigger the lurking madness within Lady Hathor

"Lady Gracia. You know my weakness to blondes. I heard she's looking for some Ecuyers. If I become her Ecuyer, then I can become a Chevalier and leave Arkadia. Since you no longer have need of me as a useful tool, I should go where I'm wanted. I am going to be free at last."

Triggering her madness did not go the way you thought it would. It was like touching a live wire and discovering that you were touching death itself.

There was a long pause of silence from the noble and then----

Obedience - I will not be defied. I will not be denied. I am your mistress. A single word commands thee.

"Kneel."

That single command dropping from Lady Hathor's lips was the first clue that her powers had increased somehow. This new power-up took you completely by surprise. You fell on your knees roughly, a shock of pain shivering through as you hit the cobblestone and palms smack the ground. The wounds from the sudden drop healed instantly, and pain disappeared. When you looked up, you saw the silvery glow of madness shining from her eyes and her delicate hand at her cheek.

"How dare you? Swear loyalty to Lady Gracia? That old bitch who keeps on weeping and moaning about the terrible conditions of Arkadia but doesn't consider how to improve the Kingdom's conditions?"

There was more to the rant, but it seemed your Lady prioritized punishment.

"Crawl."

You resist the order and---

Fierce Loyalty - Oh shit.

Then succumb. Stunned by the command and the sudden obedience, you crawl like a loyal dog. Lady Hathor began physically quivering with joy at the submission she so long craved and now realized. You reached the feet of the girl once known as Moira and stopped just before her.

"Oh, I see what you're doing. Clever girl. You're right. Of course, I couldn't abandon one of my precious tools. You're too useful! Too amusing! I want you as my devoted, thorny defender. That matsuri festival plan was a brilliant one."

>>6457239
A mad giggle of ecstasy echoed through the darkness and empty streets. A delicate foot pressed down on your back and forced your body to the ground. You could feel the muscles of her foot flexing and shifting through the sandal as it pressed and twisted. Like she was stubbing out a cigarette on the ground, the pressure was almost comforting, and your skin tingled from the friction. Then suddenly the point of her big toe dug sharply and viciously between your shoulder blades. The pain was brief, and soon the feeling disappeared as the foot lifted off your back. You moaned from the abrupt change in sensation and longed for its return. It was the worst moment to learn interesting aspects about yourself.

"See how good it feels to just obey and give in? My sweet pathetic flower, why not just let me Dominate every thought of yours and let me command? You want to be a good girl and earn praise for being so clever and smart. You are such a glutton for approval."

You hate how right she was. Praise, to feel important, and to earn the approval from your superiors were things you desperately desired. That she knew was more than a little terrifying. Did she deliberately use that knowledge to manipulate you?

"Stand."

She was just giving one-word orders for the sheer joy of it. You stood up immediately. The wounds on your knees were gone, but the blood still stained the cloth of your pant legs.

"Beg."

Fierce Loyalty - Wait a second. Ah, there we are. So if she uses it too many times in too short of a time, it has no effect. Good to know. Usually, I'd suggest slapping her for humiliating us like that but we need her crazy desire to keep us under her thumb.

You remained silent and looked steadily at the Arkadian noble. Her transformation from joy to confusion to anger was unforgetable.

"Beg," Lady Hathor softly ordered, sounding like a child denied a toy. She gripped the collar of your shirt and pulled it with a vicious twist. She intended to draw you closer, but you stood firm, and the cloth tore instead.

"Moira, you overplayed your hand." You used her discarded name and that seemed enough to bring Lady Hathor to her senses. She reluctantly let go of your shirt and rubbed her forehead, the silver in her eyes fading away to red. The Arkadian took deep, calming breathes and looked straight at you.

"You win, Azami. You probably already learned about it from Eirene that there's a way to leave Arkadia with me. Become a Chevalier. I will declare you my Ecuyer and allow you a chance to become a Chevalier through a trial. Try not to die, sweetheart, because I can't be the one overseeing your test."

"So who will oversee it?"

"Lord Tieno."

You blink. A noble who sent Ecuyers to wait for an opportunity to assassinate you. A noble who sent one of his Chevaliers to kill you during the Great Hunt. A noble who argued for your immediate execution when you first visited Arkadia.

>>6457240
"You say 'try not to die' but choose the guy who tried to kill me several times before. Choose someone else. Like Martel. Or even better, Gracia. She doesn't seem hellbent on killing me. Is it because I joked about serving under her? Really, I only said that to piss you off."

"Don't be ridiculous; you did not anger me. It has to be Lord Tieno because he is the only one planning to test Ecuyers for possible promotion this year. You're in luck. The test begins tomorrow. If you want to leave Arkadia, then we need to return to the Palace so I can sponsor you. If we don't, you'll be left here until the next time they want to promote more Chevaliers and I happen to be back at the same time to sponsor you. Come along, Ecuyer Azami, your trial awaits."

The test was a thing of nightmares. Lady Hathor did not foresee the severity of Lord Tieno's test...

>You had to kill one of the Ecuyers to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a number of Corrupted human to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a Denizen of the Court of Stars to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill several Ecuyers to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a human to become a Chevalier...

>>6457241
>You had to kill a Denizen of the Court of Stars to become a Chevalier...
I can't resist such drama given the PSW.

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
One for one. A seat for a seat. A knight for a knight.

>>6457239
>You know my weakness to blondes.
Real or fake? There are no blondes in Japan outside of hair dye delinquents, and there's no sympathetic Arkadian noble with blonde hair here. So much for a straight romance option for Azami, unlike Haruka back then. Guess all that awaits her the yuri tragedy of
>forced to fight Moira 1v1 duel to the death
>win and impale her through the heart
>kiss her (with or without tongue) as she's bleeding out on the blade
>exchange mutually not-entirely-genuine "I love you"s
>watch the life leave her eyes forever
>break down into tears
>warp into a grief-fuelled final boss monster requiring all the PSW and the therapy group to work together to return to normal

>>6457256
>hair dye delinquents
Is that still a strong Japanese perspective nowadays?

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
How does one even fall?

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...

>>6457263
Japanese delinquents do dye their hair and tattoo themselves.
However, it's hard to know since Japan is in a period of flux and I'm not connected to their culture as much as I used to be. I'm definitely a decade behind their times and also Japan is becoming more like south east asia (ie thailand) because they're falling behind economically. I seriously offended by Japanese relatives with a casual observation of how poor Japan is. Pride is a huge thing and they haven't been coping well with the rest of Asia's rise.

The decades of stagnation and this current energy/oil crisis amongst other things seem to be really transforming the place.

Anyways, time to kill a Chevalier.

>>6457565
Can't believe Japan is turning into SEA.... no wonder japs like gacha so much

QM?

>>6460566
Sorry, I have now the equivalent of two part time jobs.
One that pays, one that is domestic because my father is far lazier than I thought. The man is still a workaholic but not at home... When we got food poisoned I really got to see how incredibly burdened my mother is when running a household. As a result, the extra time I would spend writing is spent doing domestic labor.

As you can imagine, writing even for a few hours uninterrupted has become an luxury.
Slowly chipping away at the post.

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You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...

No, you're skipping ahead too far again. Memory is a funny thing. Time has distorted the feelings and sensations, dulled the details of some events and sharpened the prick of others. It is as though being stuck in a dying Kingdom of bigoted, desperate people seeking to tear down the Court of Stars and reclaim their preeminent dominion was a fond visit and not a fraught excursion. It is like the memory of the first sunrise you witnessed as a child when your parents were still together. The hazy pink of the sky fading way to the blue and golden colours of light crawling over the concrete buildings of apartments. It was a magical and beautiful sight, far from the mundane and dirty reality of life.

You remember visiting the old man who begged for a lamplighter for one more round of true light. The home was barely bright enough to ward off the umbra and monsters. He sat holding the fading hand of his ghostly wife surrounded by his children. The ghost was a human-shaped fog barely holding together and unable to speak. No one was even sure if she had even an inkling of awareness of the situation. The ghost remained completely silent and still. The family thanked Lady Hathor for giving the ghostly forbearer time to move on but didn't know how quite to react when the Noble corrected their assumptions. Then the Arkadian jerks commented that thanking a dark-skinned barbarian was beneath them. Your sun-tanned skin made it obvious you were from the 'rebellious provinces'.

Only when the Lady casually mentioned your upcoming status as Ecuyer and intent to become a Chevalier tomorrow did an immediate change in attitude follow. The family fell over themselves to apologise and thank you profusely, yet you felt little pleasure from something so tainted with fear and self-interest. The sort of 'gratitude' that the Godfather had warned against, as it was something only offered by the weak to the powerful because they were afraid of retaliation. The moment the roles are reversed, then insolence and insult are sure to follow.

This family feared censure from an insulted Ecuyer.

And if you became a Chevalier, they feared revenge.

You remained resolutely silent during the entire exchange and left them trembling. Lady Hathor burned with impatience to officially enrol you as her Ecuyer, but the weight of tradition dictated that the lamplighters had to anoint you as their own. Not even a noble could protest against it. You recited their precepts and wrote your name on their membership rolls before several witnesses. Then came to the part of the ceremony the Arkadians all looked forward to.

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>>6461235
"Brethren brothers and sisters, let us consecrate another lowly spent wick to the ranks!" The ghostly master of the lanterns cried aloud. He was a startlingly tall ghost with an incredibly long beard that floated in the air like a cloud. You accidentally called him 'Arkadian Guanyu' because he had kept his beard in a bag of some sort and unveiled the glory of this hair for the ceremony.

The assembled lamplighters tossed ladles and cups of mana remaining in your fuel tank. It stank, and you were warned in advance by Lady Hathor to keep your eyes and mouth closed as much as possible until the tank was emptied.

"Any comments, spent wick?" The master of lanterns asked as he dumped the last ladleful of mana fuel over your head.

"I am starting to appreciate my Lady's opinion on reforming the traditions of Arkadia," you answer while wiping the liquid away from your eyes.

"Don't let a miserable radical like her spoil the fun. You'll appreciate our ancient ways eventually. Now it's time to drink the cup of light!" The Arkadian Guanyu called out for the presentation of the strongest brew from the cabinet. A dark bottle was popped open and poured into the dirtiest cup you've ever seen. Then they set the drink on fire. The initiation ceremony was simply hazing, in your opinion. You found it hard to appreciate, as this lively lamplighter initiation ceremony was the opposite to the solemn sakazuki initiation ceremony of the yakuza.

Unnatural Toughness - It's not as if they can get you drunk.

You drank the flaming cup to the cheers of the multitudes. Another was poured, then another until the bottle was drained entirely. The cheers for each successive cup petered out and gave way to confusion and shocked silence as the last drop disappeared.

"Well hang me up and call me a lantern. The last lamplighter who managed that was me some twenty years ago!" The giant ghost loudly laughs as he places a broad-rimmed lamplighter hat on you. "Now brethren, carry her aloft and race her through the halls to the Regina Aureum! Make sure everyone knows of our newest spent wick before she becomes a paltry Ecuyer!"

Many grubby hands grab hold and lift you above their heads amid laughter and cheers. The large group raced forward into the Palace from their humble section. They careened here and there, dipping and bobbing, and made obscene jokes and shouted at any Palace denizen to get out of the way. You could see nothing but the ceiling of the Palace from your position as it raced past and realised that Lady Hathor must have been completely drunk and utterly miserable during her initiation. This racing passage through the halls would have sickened a drunk utterly.

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>>6461236
The noble lady was waiting for you in the Regina Aureum audience room. There was no time to spare, the trial to become a Chevalier was tomorrow. Since the ghostly master of lanterns asserted his right to present you as his lamplighter first, you had to become an Ecuyer immediately afterwards. It greatly disturbed the master of lanterns to present his filthy lamplighter in stinking mana fuel and then watch them rise as an Ecuyer. There was no precedent but he allowed it. It wasn't against strictly against tradition after all.

The riotous lamplighters arrived into a brightly room decorated with gold inlay and tossed you bodily to the hard floor with a loud wet smack with a cheer.

"Presenting the spent wick, Senjou Azami! Kneel lamplighters, we are before the true light of Arkadia! Her Majesty, the Queen of the land east of the sun, west of the moon and above the stars," the master of lanterns' loud voice filled the room entirely. It was not a small room, and your ears were ringing, but you scrambled into position with other kneeling lamplighters and removed your hats.

"To your Kingdom and honour, I carry the true light to the furthest reaches of darkness," you recited with the group in sync. It was rare for low rankers like lamplighters to enter the Palace inner chambers like this. Tradition only allowed them here during the presentation of one of their latest members. They were not able to witness the ascent of an Ecuyer even if they came from their ranks of lamplighters typically.

Except this strange situation where a freshly initiated lamplighter immediately ascends to Ecuyer. Your situation was so novel that virtually every free lamplighter rushed to participate in your initiation upon hearing about it. Your very presence was part entertainment and part revolutionary in the eyes of the Arkadians.

"Come forth, Senjou Azami. I, Lady of love and madness, declare before this court and all witnesses my confidence and choice in you." Your lady looked especially young and out of place in the crowd of older nobles. She had somehow found time to dress even nicer than usual and looked beautiful in a dress of black and gold. You could only imagine how you must have looked. Drops of mana dripped from your hair, and the only dry thing you had was the new lamplighter hat in your hand. You sneaked a quick glance at where the Queen sat. There was nothing to see because a thick curtain blocked the view of everyone. You wondered if there was anyone even behind it, but the curtains billowed as though there was a presence.

You barely remember the Ecuyer ceremony. It was more formal and sumptuous, yet the staleness and rigidity of the process barely left an impression compared to the boisterous lamplighter initiation earlier. The great Lord Tieno, Lord Martel, and Lady Gracia watch carefully with their train of Chevalier and Ecuyers. It was then you realized that Lady Hathor stood alone with absolutely no one significant in her train.

>>6461237

"Arise Ecuyer Senjou Azami and tell us what you shall stand for in life and in death," Lady Hathor gently asked and wiped away some of the mana off your face with her hand.

Did she expect some sort of vow of loyalty?

Fierce Loyalty - That's not happening! Time to go off script.
Sacrifice - Ah, but you can promise to protect her with everything you've got. Aren't I proof of that?

"I swear to follow the ninkyodo chivalrous code as my godfather and godmother taught me. I will be there for you when danger threatens."

There's a murmur amongst the crowd as each tries to puzzle out what exactly you promised. Their concept of chivalrous conduct didn't match those who followed the way of a yakuza gangster.

"For Arkadia and our Queen, you dog. Vow to the rightful Queen of the Court of Stars," Lord Tieno called out.

"Hell no, I don't know anything about your Queen," you answered back. That caused the room to erupt with outrage.

"You are making this difficult, Ecuyer Azami," your sponsor speaks calmly. Her red eyes showed amusement at the novelty of the situation, and her scent of flowers grows to an almost suffocating level.

"I made a deal with you. I will keep it," you remind the other girl.

She, who was once known as Moira, turned to face the curtains where the Queen of Arkadia sat behind.

"Did I not say this will happen, Your Majesty? I ask you, last Queen of the rightful realms under the sun and above the stars, for your judgement."

"We shall allow it."

The voice was not of this world.

3 anons, roll 1d20-4....

Rolled 16 - 4 (1d20 - 4)

>>6461239
but stranger still is
lost Arkadia

Rolled 19 - 4 (1d20 - 4)

>>6461239

Rolled 17 - 4 (1d20 - 4)

>>6461239

>>6461241
>>6461243
>>6461287
Above average result.

>>6461345
Hey for how our rolls go in your quests? This is a big win

>>6461121
That sucks... I'm sorry to hear but glad to have you back and the quest continuing.

Hoping to post soon, but I have to reconsider how to write the story because of the long gaps between each decision. A week is far too long...

>>6464264
Out of trepidation, I gotta ask: will the other unselected flashback options be covered eventually?

>>6464289
They'll be covered, but less choice in them. This one is important because it sets the allies and enemies of Arkadia particular to Lady Hathor and you.

It was the voice of heartbreaking sincerity, ready for every sacrifice except renunciation. It was the voice of something dead. Something forever mourning the lost past that can never return. Something that remembered the old glories and valiant deeds it once performed. Something has fallen from empyrean heights to this abyssal depth because of traitors.

It vowed to climb upwards to where it rightfully belonged.

Obsession reached out to touch your Heart and showed something glorious. It didn't demand your loyalty, or pity, or sympathy. It wanted to show you what Arkadia once was and will one day be again. A night that passes and finally breaks into day. The stony streets are awash with light, banishing darkness and keeping its people safe from danger. Your Heart ached at the powerful emotions of content and triumph. Faith renewed, patience rewarded, courage reawakened, love requited.

You are startled out of the vision by a sticky sensation of sickness. A strange churning of the Heart as though the world flipped itself upside down. There were whispers rotting the beauty and nobility of the vision into something else. The voice promised bloody vengeance, to cast down her foes and scourge them into obedience. The kingdom they banished into darkness will rise again. On the backs of the rebellious provinces and its people, if need be.

But not you, oh no, not you. You're one of the good ones.

Fierce Loyalty - Remember when the godfather taught you that weird term? Fifth column. That's what this freakin' Queen thinks we are!
Arkadian Favor - The Queen knows of you, servant of Lady Hathor. You are always welcome to return to the Arkadian Kingdom.

The vision falls apart and makes you shudder with revulsion. Technically, you were trying to preserve the Sumi gang from utter destruction by betraying the world. Your Heart rebelled at the notion, and disgust churned against the bargain you made with the enemy so many months ago. The Queen's influence retreated reluctantly and with much disappointment. Luckily, no one was paying attention to your reaction. The Arkadians seemed to be in the throes of ecstasy at the vision of their Queen. What they've lost must be regained. There was a clamor and cries vowing to restore their kingdom mired in the depths of darkness to higher planes.

In the midst of this emotional moment, Lady Hathor was dry-eyed. All her fellow Arkadians were in the throes of joy and whatever else upon hearing the voice of the Queen, but she looked lost and depressed. Then she sees you staring, and for a moment surprise flickers in her face before she sets it to a bland smile. That mask was sliding seamlessly over how she truly felt at that moment.

You weren't meant to see that.

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>>6464760
The noble told you at the Winter Ball months later that saving Arkadia was pointless, even if she persisted to keep it alive for another day. To snatch a bit more mana, corrupt another Heart to battle against the Court of Stars, squeeze a bit more efficiency from outdated methods, and try to love her obsessed Queen because to do otherwise was to accept oblivion and death.

You left that Regina Aureum audience chamber an Ecuyer.

When returning to the estate, the crowds of Arkadians congratulated you on your ascension, but you weren't in the mood to receive acclamations. Lady Hathor tried to lighten the mood but soon realized that you weren't interested in making conversation. Even as you prepared to sleep, she made valiant efforts to converse.

"I thought you'd be happier. Tomorrow you'll become my Chevalier and return home. Your 'father' and 'mother' will be so proud of you," the other girl said as she checked the fuel in the lanterns. No one in Arkadia slept without light to ward off the umbra. You didn't answer her and simply drew blankets over your head to sleep.

"Did her Majesty show you the old glory of Arkadia and where it should rightfully be?" She continued speaking, and you lost all patience.

"Moira, your kingdom intends to shake down my world like a shop in gang territory to achieve that," you bite out an answer. Throwing off the blanket, you glare angrily at the other girl. She was dressed in a simple nightgown, and her hand was paused midway in the air towards a lantern. Her face was a perfect mask as she hummed for a few seconds to consider what to say next and started checking the lantern.

"Azami, never use my old name in Arkadia. There is only Lady Hathor. As for your concern on the safety of your world, think hard on how you can prevent that by assisting me. If you can think up something that---"

You turned on your side and looked at her directly. With all your will, you were trying to telepathically communicate how utterly stupid her bullshit was. She must have gotten the message because she became silent and lay down on the bedding. She idly takes some of your dark hair to twist loosely into a rope with her own brown with white tips.

"I haven't broken my promise to you, sweetheart. None of the Sumi gang and their families will fall to the Disquiet and lose their Heart Crystal. They will be wealthy and sheltered through Arkadia's magic. You are protecting the people you care for; it's all you ever wanted. What changed?"

"You didn't seem all that impressed by your Queen's vision. And your authority is built on a pillar of sand. All you got going is the favor of your boss. What happens if you lose that? You are alone in this Kingdom."

She stopped weaving and thought hard about what to say.

"I've got you," she finally whispered.

You abruptly turned away, and the sudden movement parted the loosely linked hair, obliterating the other girl's work.

more to come later

>>6464761
Oh man, that's sad as a flashback, knowing how things ended up. Poor Moira. Sort of.

>>6464761
>She idly takes some of your dark hair to twist loosely into a rope with her own brown with white tips.
What an endearing yet actually maliciously manipulative display despite how sincere it is on her end. How she resisted the absolutely deranged urge within her, to pin Azami to her bed and go all the way to the end outcome of yuri, for a full year or so... I'm amazed at Lady Hathor's display of restraint.

Sorry for the delay. I ended up not liking what I wrote and now have to think around my writers block.

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You didn't want Lady Hathor to see you were blushing like some maiden. The master manipulator chuckles with amusement at your reaction before speaking again.

"I'm aware that my Title depends upon the Queen's favor, but I will never lose it. Now. Rest," the noble girl commanded.

Obedience - This is for your own good.

You heard and obeyed.

Unnatural Toughness - But you don't actually need to sleep!
Fierce Loyalty - I swear I'll figure out how to resist this new bullshit!

There is technically no day or night in Arkadia. They had cycles and turns and rounds and twists to denote time passing. It gave the impression that time was simply a circle going round and round, with no beginning and no end. A circle turned until it had gotten back to exactly where it started. Like there was no advancement at all. A full round passed, and it was time to wake.

The servants brought out the old livery of the Lady of Madness and Love from storage and made ready an Ecuyer, preparing to ascend. It all passed in silence. You didn't know quite what to say to the other girl who watched the ceremonious dressing raptly. The close attention Lady Hathor gave to your clothing, the accoutrements, and even jewelry was intense. The young noble claimed that it was important to dress as sumptuously as possible since you were her first Ecuyer and soon to be first Chevalier. Arkadia was going to watch very closely and judge very harshly a poor presentation. It could undermine her position as a Lady if Arkadians got the impression she didn't care for or valued her servants. Also, the young noble girl wanted to show off beautiful things and people such as yourself.

You joined the parade of eligible Ecuyers to the Palace dressed so finely that the peanut gallery of Arkadians was impressed. The crowds pressed to watch and comment on each candidate like punters betting on horses. Children watched wide-eyed and admiringly as the brave warriors and future conquerors marched past in a column. You didn't have a good time in the parade. Ecuyers radiated with hostility and suspicion at your presence. It didn't get much better at the Palace either. It was like going to attend a high-stakes council meeting of yakuza bosses, and the underlings were suspiciously eyeing each faction. Violence was in the air, and hands were on hilt of daggers.

The Ecuyers were a varied lot and uncomfortably young looking. The Arkadians were desperately short of manpower, and the pool of potential warriors capable of crossing over to your world to harvest Heart Cyrstals was sparse. The golden audience chamber was crowded once more as Lord Tieno took stock of the candidates and began his speech.

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>>6466891
"Ecuyers of Arkadia! By the infinite wisdom and virtue of Her Majesty, I have called out to Ecuyers seeking to offer their loyal swords and stalwart shields in the restoration of our Kingdom. If you pass the trial I set, you shall ascend as Chevaliers. To you, brave warriors, I shall bestow a hard task, a vicious enemy, and endless toil in the faraway rebellious provinces as the reward. Know you will help shoulder the heavy burden that weighs upon Her Majesty! I rejoice to find so many brave Ecuyers answered with such zeal and readiness to serve the Queen---."

Lord Tieno of despair and courage blathered on with what he must have imagined was a rousing speech. Parts of it genuinely were inspirational, but the effect was lost by the sheer length of it. The candidates knew how to disguise their impatience and remain deferential, but their eyes and focus wandered. Perhaps they were vainly hoping that the Queen would tell Lord Tieno to stop, but the throne remained quiet. Servants quietly placed chairs for tired courtiers to sit upon but none for the Ecuyers.

Something very odd happened during the speech after awhile. A door quietly opened and in slipped a strange man wearing garish multicolor clothing. In a room filled with darkly clothed people and walls shining with gold and true light, the Fool exaggeratedly attempted to sneak, which only served to grab the attention of everyone. Lord Tieno noticed not, worked up in his speech that nothing could possibly redirect his attention. The Fool pulled out a party popper and aimed it carefully at Lord Tieno, then pulled.

Instead of a pop and explosion of confetti, the room had blessed silence. Lord Tieno kept on gesturing and speaking, but not one word escaped his lips.

"Methinks that our great Lord of despair and courage will prattle on until all of Arkadia falls to the Greater Darkness. Relax, ladies, lords, chevalier and ecuyers, he'll recover soon. For I shall say what truly must be known by our young Chevaliers to be in a very short speech," cackled the Fool as he tossed the popper over his shoulder and grabbed a chair from under a fat courtier with incredible strength. A low murmur of laughter rang out from the Ecuyers as the fat man tumbled onto the ground; they were relieved that they no longer have to suffer from a long speech.

The Fool stood upon the chair so that the entire audience chamber could see him. The way he gestured and screwed up his face was superb; even you cracked a smile at the comic elasticity displayed. Then he froze in a moment of mirth and transformed into a figure of menace. Everyone flinched at the sudden transformation.

"Beware of pity," the Fool gravely intoned. The face of the old man was hard as stone and his voice unflinching. There was no humor to be found in the Fool any more. He glared about at each person from his makeshift pulpit.

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>>6466892
"Beware of pity. You are young, You are inexperienced. You are full of life and pleasure. Within each of you is a Heart and soul that esteems honor and valor. It's why you decided to ascend as Ecuyers, after all. Thus I tell you, beware of pity. Wipe away the illusions that the traitors of the Stars understand the depths of our great anger and grief. They had cut Arkadia off like some diseased limb and buried us in the depths of Darkness where umbra lurks and Mania maddens. Cut us off and cast us down, after all we had sacrificed for them! We must restore Arkadia to her true homeland, and our Queen must rule once more to save the world. Beware of pity. Gird yourself to the trial ahead, for it is not an easy one," the Fool croaked.

The silencing magic cast terminates, and all could hear Lord Tieno once more. This time, the Lord got to the point and presented the trial.

Blood in, blood out.

You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier. What was a 'fallen' Chevalier? A Chevalier who failed to remain loyal to Arkadia and their Queen. There are many ways to fall. Lord Tieno harangued and spoke of the crimes of the traitors awaiting execution in the presence of the Queen.

It was like a gang initiation, but there was a problem.

You had never killed anyone before.

Not until that terrible day.

You remember the sickly horror you felt as Lord Tieno revealed more details to the test. Take your dagger and kill someone who can't fight back. No one in the golden room expected this as the test. Executions are done behind closed doors or where no one could see and hear the doomed fallen Chevalier. Some acquired unrecoverable amounts of Disquiet and transformed into a monster. Some were treacherous scum who betrayed Arkadia. Some of them were just idiots who made a mistake like a stupid fool who secretly went AWOL for a week of camping at the base of Mount Fuji. This absconding idiot was in no way equivalent to a bastard who shanked his brother at arms for a promotion.

Then there were the ones who indulged in mercy. A young Chevalier who decided not to steal some kid's corrupted Heart Crystal. He simply explained he felt sorry for the boy and apologized for failing.

You realized then that no Ecuyer in that room was over the age of eighteen. The fallen Chevaliers sentenced to death were their former friends and comrades barely older than them. Some were even mere Ecuyers just last year.

Lady Hathor was taken aback at hearing about the test. Her smile had dropped completely, and a studied look of neutrality took over. She wasn't alone; more than a few Ecuyers shared the same look. A mask that no one could see their true feelings. Yet you can guess how they must have felt. To fight against enemies is one thing, to kill a traitor is also acceptable, as was giving a fully corrupted comrade the peace of death... but to murder a comrade who made a mistake...

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>>6466893
That crime was only worthy of cutting off the knuckle of a pinkie finger in the yakuza. Hell, maybe even two knuckles.

What the hell was wrong with Arkadia?

There weren't enough fallen Chevaliers for every Ecuyer in the room. Meaning less than a third of the group will ascend and become proper Chevaliers by killing one of the condemned. No one dared to move as the victims were dragged forth except your Lady who serenely walked through the crowd of waiting Ecuyers.

She was by your side, the scent of flowers filling your nostrils. You breathe deeply and try to think of an appropriate apology to her. You won't be joining her in Tokyo. You aren't going to stab someone completely defenceless and tied down. They might not have even committed a crime worthy of the sentence. You watched as the chained and hooded victims writhed as servants tied them to a black stone pillar rising from the floor by magic. Their cries for mercy and appeals for forgiveness filled the golden audience hall.

"Azami, I'm so sorry," Lady Hathor whispered to you.

"I'm the one who is sorry. I guess I'm stuck in Arkadia," you whispered back.

"You don't understand the danger. Fear not, I shall take full responsibility. Do you see that man?" Lady Hathor asked with utmost seriousness. She pointed to a bound fallen Chevalier struggling with all his might against his chains, bellowing with rage and ranting with hatred as ghostly servants finished tying him to a black stone pillar.

"What about him?" You asked.

Obedience - My orders are absolute.

"Go. Stab. Kill." She ordered in a rapid-fire staccato without doubt or hesitation.

Fierce Loyalty - WHAT!?!

You felt your hand immediately go to the dagger at your waist while pushing Ecuyers out of your way towards the bound victim. The blade in your hand was such a beautiful one. A length of blue steel with swirls of red that flashed in the bright true light and plunged straight into the condemned Chevalier. Your mind was racing to remember the best and quickest way to stab a man dead painlessly. An elder brother stated stabbing a blade point upwards from below the hard sternum, the soft area just before the joining of ribs. With a long enough dosu blade, it was possible to stab upwards into the heart and bleed a man out quickly.

It took you several stabs to kill the fallen Chevalier. The body slumped forward limply with flowing rivers of blood streaming from the wounds you made. The memory of the moment haunts you even now, and you thank god that the hood was still over his head. The hood hid his face and muffled his dying screams a little. He was a tall young man in filthy, torn clothing that once was very fine. The livery suggested he was once a Chevalier under Lord Tieno, and his large, well-callused hands spoke of many hours of training. The fine clothing you wore was heavy with blood.

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>>6466896
The shock quickly wore off, and some Ecuyers began to move forward. They knew which fallen Chevalier was worthy of death for treachery and decided to at least ascend knowing they put down a bastard. Then after the laggards rushed forward with daggers drawn, realizing that hesitation to partake in the bloody task would brand them suspect before the Queen and others. Only ten Ecuyers ascended as Chevaliers. The rest bloodied their daggers to prove their zeal and loyalty.

There was blood everywhere, splattered on the golden walls like a new addition of a point. In the heat of the room, the iron smell of blood hung in the air like a miasma. You stood near the man you just killed in shock, unable to move with dagger still in hand.

The scent of flowers soon cleared away the scent of bloody butchery. Numbly, you turned to look upon Lady Hathor who gently prised the bloody weapon away and cast it to the floor with a clatter. With her scarred hand, she took your bloodied hands and started to lead you away from the audience chamber.

You woke up and groaned miserably at the memory of the past. Nausea pressed hard on your stomach as the phantom smell of iron blood lingered. Takamichi Group Home's bunkbeds are empty and it's clear that you've overslept.

You don't want to do anything important this morning...

>Go fishing, there's a cheap place to rent rods and buy bait you know...
>Take your suit to the dry cleaners and then take a walk around town...
>Cook some food in the kitchen and have a picnic at the park...
>Watch kpop music videos and mindlessly scroll on the internet...
>Go sit in the massage chair and watch a crappy morning drama...
>Rent a bicycle and pedal out to an ice cream shop you like...
>write in...

>>6466897
>Take your suit to the dry cleaners and then take a walk around town...
Style and clean air
Also Arkadia a shit, but are the PSW any better? Would they be if they hadn't destroyed the gang in the name of the law?

>>6466897
>Cook some food in the kitchen and have a picnic at the park...
>>6466904
I suspect PSW probably suck in their own special way based on previous comments by those mahous in the chat room. As above, so below.

>>6466897
>Take your suit to the dry cleaners and then take a walk around town...

>>6466897
>Take your suit to the dry cleaners and then take a walk around town...

>>6466897
>Take your suit to the dry cleaners and then take a walk around town...
Welcome back

We're going to dry clean and have a walk.

I had to change up things because I can't write as quickly now since of time constraints. Once a week means we gotta make our story move move move with each drop and make it more significant.