>>2199778
>Play with our cute pets, gently
>Other: talk to them about helping us in our official duties in Mantequira by working under Yin

>>2199778
supporting >>2199822

File: harpy rosa.png (2.59 MB, 1014x1500)

2.59 MB PNG

>>2199851
>>2199822
>>Play with our cute pets, gently
>>Other: talk to them about helping us in our official duties in Mantequira by working under Yin

We pick up Nikita and sit her in our lap with a 'poomf'-like sound effect, so we can gently squeeze her and pet her head as much as we'd like to.

Well, even if they're a bit more grownup now, they're still quite petite, you know? I don't think they will grow any more either.

Unlike Miel and the faeries, that fly completely through magic, or the dragons and the succubus, that are more of an hybrid, the harpies seem to fly solely through good ol' physics, so they can't really grow too big or too heavy.

Right now, our blue bird of happiness, whom is the tallest amongst them, is still a inch short of reaching our shoulders, you know?

Plus, they're really light. I think I remember reading that birds tend to have hollow bones and... was it air bags... fly bags...? Anyway, they're already petite, and way lighter than their size would suggest, so sitting Nikita in our lap is not heavy at all, you know?

She's sitting perfectly still while she looks up at us. Yup, she's such a cute girl, let's pat her head a little bit more.

"Ah... Master, me, too." - Nina looks over from her seat
"Later, everyone will have a turn. This is Nikita's turn now."
"Ah... " - Nikita herself looks quite happy

Feeling her wings, they're quite firm and soft, assuming we caress them downwards. If we'd try and do that upwards, we'd go against the grain of her feathers, and it may impair her ability to fly... probably.

We've been buried under the girls before, so we know their feathers are quite warm (downright hot, since they don't let air through, really). I wonder if we could make a comforter... we do have 10 cute harpies, so if we'd started collecting their fallen feathers, it should be doable, right?

>Ask them to start collecting their feathers for us
>Make time to brush their wings once in a while and collect loose/fallen feathers
>Other

>>2199877
>Ask them to start collecting their feathers for us

>>2199877
>>Ask them to start collecting their feathers for us

>>2199877
>Ask them to make time to brush their wings once in a while and collect loose/fallen feathers.
As funny as watching them leap at every feather would be, and same with brushing them ourselves, it makes more sense to have them do it mostly and then do it ourselves when not busy.

>>2199877
switching to support >>2199994

File: harpy 035.png (1.22 MB, 800x1131)

1.22 MB PNG

>>2200009
>>2199994
>>2199992
>>2199925
>>Ask them to start collecting their feathers for us

"Eeh... you want us to save them for you? ...I wonder if they'd stack in your inventory as feathers, harpy feathers, or on individual stacks based on whose feathers they are..." - as usual, Nina seems like the smartest one, though...

Do pets/monsters not have a inventory of their own?

Come think about it, I don't think they do. They have way higher base stats, though. We should look into storage items, I think. Now that they're proper office ladies, I think a cute, stylish purse would be alright?

Plus it'd be funny to see them draws their weapons out of it.

Right, come think about it, they need to go home to change before they can don their armor (harness) and weapons, don't they?

Alright, let's make time and look into it. It would certainly have useful applications for trade and transport of goods, anyway. I think there were some bags of storage in the Sbastian adventurer's guild, but they were fairly small. Let's buy a couple and play around with them.

As our lunch finally shows up, the old lady places the meal on the table (its actually three tables joined together. We're a pretty big group). Our dish is grilled fish fillete with white sauce on top, and accompanying mashed potaroes and vegetables, with a fairly small dipping bowl of sauce with red vegetable bits mashed into it, and some tiny leafs on top.

The girls all got noodles with fried, little-fish-shaped cuts of fish steak, deep fried. They look rather thick, really, almost a inch thick...

It seems they all like different sauces, though. This old lady is rather amazing for remembering everyone's taste in sauce, I think.

It's ten girls, after all.

>Let Nikita off so she can seat properly for lunch (lunch is not a time to play after all)
>Nah, is fine, is fine, we can cut her lunch for her and feed her this way (pampering extreme)
>Other

>>2200112
>Nah, is fine, is fine, we can cut her lunch for her and feed her this way (pampering extreme)

File: aura xcom.jpg (355 KB, 1920x1080)

355 KB JPG

What do you guys think? Since xcom2 happens in the future, I gave her a slightly punk, slightly ghost in the shell style.

Also, do you have callsign suggestions? The system gave her Cairn on its own when she made it to liutenant.

>>2200122
Cairn fits with Aura's relation to a vampire/succubus, but might be too serious for her.

Though, don't you mean Dawn Accussa, not Aura?
Isn't Aura Okkaba's lover, and Dawn is Asmund's sister?

>>2200112

>Nah, is fine, is fine, we can cut her lunch for her and feed her this way (pampering extreme)

>>2200167
Yes but waaaay back when i was running 2e, they both were Asmund's sisters, and I named her based on that old campaign.

Also, anyone remembers the AD&D name for 1/2 succubus? I remember they had a specific race name but cant remember what it was.

>>2200200
Females were called Alu-Demons and males were Cambions.

File: 001.jpg (199 KB, 1000x1500)

199 KB JPG

>>2200216
There we go, I knew it from waaaay back but hadnt used it in... over a decade.

>>2200199
>>2200117
>>Nah, is fine, is fine, we can cut her lunch for her and feed her this way (pampering extreme)

"Uhm? Ah, Master is embarrasing m-" - she om noms noms on the bit of food we cut for her.

The deep fried fish turn out to be croquettes of a sort, with a juicy green veggie and ... cheese? Some sort of hot cream on top, all of it wrapped by the fried cover.

Actually, it looks really nioce. I get the feeling this is a children's meal, based on how colorful, juicy-looking and interesting it looks, though...

Well, its fine, its fine.

"Aaah" - we say as we bring the fork up for Nikita
"Aaaahn" - she repeats, then softly closes her mouth around the fork and starts chewing on it with a happy look.

We sort of want to try it out... no, no, hold on, me! We have our meal right there, don't we?

Alright, let's have a try of the red sauce...

SPICY!

Its so spicy, its sort of amazing that there wasnt any hp damage, you know!? Let's cool it down... ah, the fruit juice is nice.

Nikita accomodates herself on our lap, crossing her legs so they both hang down to the left, while her sisters look at her with somewhat envious eyes.

Lunch is pretty nice.

Come think about it, where had they been getting money to come eat here?

As we wonder on the mysteries of 10 cute pets eating outside everyday, we get the bill... worth about 230 meals...

...I don't even want to retort.

Is a lot, but at the same time, it looks pretty reasonable, you know? The elderly couple that has been feeding them, they're charging a pretty fair price.

At this point, I feel like they shouldn't have fed them, though. If a bird came into the garden to eat my stuff, would I let it do so forever... no, wait, there's people that actually like that sort of stuff, right? There's bird feeder platforms and bird watchers after all.

Let's just pay abediently, it's not like we can't afford it, but... this is the money Lyann gave us for this entire month's messing around, you know?

Now we're gonna have to go convince her to give us more... she's pretty strict when it comes to our finances, I wonder if we can convince her without cheating... (being lewd or using a order as her master)

I-is not like we don't have our own money, you know!? Ren and Mako are properly paying us for our work. Is just that Lyann manages that too...

I somehow want to complain, but I'm not sure how.

Well, we still have some money left over from our dungeon runs. I guess we can go dungeondiving some more to raise some funds.

"After this week, I want you girls to come work with me at Mantequira, alright?"
"What's that?"
"Is it tasty?"

Yeah, I saw that coming. Specially the tasty comment.

We explain things some more, and they look quite happy to go to work with us, so I think it will be fine.

It'll be fine, right?

...let's leave their training up to Yin. We'll invite her to dinner as compensation.

1/?

>>2200454


It seems our dinners always end in sex, though.

>Is fine, is fine, we'll just make it extra passionate
>Let's convince her we're promoting her since she has underlings now
>Other

>>2200455
>Is fine, is fine, we'll just make it extra passionate

Ill see you guys tomorrow, its past time we ended for tonight.

>>2200455
>Let's convince her we're promoting her since she has underlings now
Does she expect us to seduce her sister as well?

>>2200454
>Let's convince her we're promoting her since she has underlings now

>>2200455
Oh, and give her a raise, too. It should be in our office's budget to do that.

In fact, that's probably going to be the first time we actually did something like like Management without prodding.

>>2200455
>>Is fine, is fine, we'll just make it extra passionate

>>2201993
>>2200461
>>>Is fine, is fine, we'll just make it extra passionate
>>2201123
>>2200560
>>Let's convince her we're promoting her since she has underlings now

So still a tie, should I roll a dice?

>>2202620
I suppose yes.

dice+1d2

>>2202726
Wrong place.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

1 - extra passionate
2 - its a promotion!

>>2202734

Well, lets send the girls back to work, and head over to explain Yin that she is going to get subordinates soon.

We smooch everyone before they go, and ruffle their hair and headfeathers gently. Yup, they sure look like they love it, such cute girls.

"Thank you for taking care of them for so long." - we thank the elderly couple that owns the restaiurant for... well, feeding our pets for free for almost a month - "You didn't had to."
"Its alright, we enjoy it when they show up and cheer the place up. It was a little surprising at first, but they are good girls, aren't they?"

>Ah... we should tell them they're not going to keep showing up after this week
>Just quietly thank them
>Other

>>2202788
>>Ah... we should tell them they're not going to keep showing up after this week

>>2202788
>Ah... we should tell them they're not going to keep showing up after this week

>>2202788
>>Ah... we should tell them they're not going to keep showing up after this week

>>2202844
>>2202818
>>2202789
>>>Ah... we should tell them they're not going to keep showing up after this week

The color seems to drain off the old lady's face, but she should know in advance. I think.

"We'll throw them a goodbye party." - says her husband as he rubs her shoulder
"Oh! T-that will be nice." - she says with a somewhat trembling voice

As it turns out, her husband explains that their four daughters joined the army, and none of them came back from the war with Alquia.

Uhmm... it looks like the right personal motivation or history can help you look past the world's correction effect, after all.

There's not much we can do for the elderly couple, so we thank them again, and leave their restaurant.

>Go to the college lab
>Go to the office in Alquia
>Go to the office in Mantequira
>Go dungeondiving for loot. We're sort of broke
>Other

>>2202898
>>Go to the office in Mantequira

>>2202898
>Go to the office in Mantequira

>>2202898
>>Go to the office in Mantequira

>>2202960
>>2202912
>>2202902
>>>Go to the office in Mantequira

Leaving Eopolis behind, we [Treestride] over to Mantequira. With the time zone difference, its actually quite early in the morning, though not too early, so we can see people already moving about when we arrive.

Well, of course the lion guards are already up and around. They may in fact be from lastnight's shirt, come think about it.

General Li is coming down the hallway, though of course its not as if he's coming to greet us (we didn't say anyone we were coming to begin with), As he spots us, his ears flatten against his head for a moment, and then he smiles, slightly, and walks towards us.

"Ah, minister" - he greets us - "I had been wanting to talk with you."
"What can I do for you, general?"
"You authorized extra budget for new material research, and it led to palladium" - he says in a low voice - "But I believe at least one of the researchers is hiding something. They won't talk to me, for some reason, but since you control their budget..."

>I will talk with them about it
>I will pass on to you anything the reports have to say, general.
>Other

>>2203016
>I will talk with them about it

>>2203016
Being the top general of the Imperial Armed Forces, wouldn’t he have the security clearance to access anything the Empire does?

>>2203069
Anything militar-related, yes. But research is technically civilian. They're not researching weapons per se, just materials, which can be used for a lot of things.

>>2203042

Well, looks like you're the only one voting solets go with that.

***

We promise the general to talk with them about it, and continue on our way to the office.

We find Yin standing by the small stove near the back, pouring some mana into a heatstone to prepare some tea.

Not everyone is a mage, but nearly every job uses mana in a way or another, and so things like heatstones are convenient utility items for everyone's daily life in the Empire.

>Grab her from behind and surprise her
>Wait for her to turn around and see us
>Greet her
>Other

>>2203130
>Greet her
Don’t wanna surprise her when she’s essentially handling hot water.

>>2203130
>>Greet her

>>2203130
>>Grab her from behind and surprise her

>>2203425
>Good morning
Eh. I trust Yin to explain herself.

>>2203441
well, im goin out, see you guys tomorrow and onwards.

>>2203425
>>Good morning

>>2203425
>>Good morning

>>2203425
>Good morning

We should occasionally bring the Harpies back to the old couple's restaurant.

Has Fleur gotten enough Social XP to Rank Up?

She needs more social interaction.

And I'd like Tanis out more. Maybe not including herself into conversations, but having side conversations with other Pets or people.

>2:35 PM The King of all nights dreaming: please post in >>2199778 and tell them Im banned until thursday
>2:35 PM The King of all nights dreaming: I regret nothing. It was a nice pic

So looks like the games on holds for awhile. Thank you all for playing

>>2199778
Was your job system based on that jobless isekai?

>>2212285
thanks for the heads-up.

Are we using this thread or making a new one?

>>2220750
test

I wasnt sure at what hour my ban expired so i had been posting from time to time. Lets continue this one since it isnt too long.

typing

We greet Yin and give her a good morning with a nice smile. She loosens up a little bit and bows slightly as she returns our greeting.

"Oh, so this is the lord minister? Isn't he my age!?" - her sister seems rather surprised.

I guess we its normal for her to be surprised, after all.

"Y-yan, don't be disrespectful!" - Ying cries out and hits her sister with her folded fan

This isn't a for-comedy-purposes paper fan, either, it is a real life lady's fashionable fan, with wooden rods and colorful silk cloth between them. Folded up, its quite thick and rather heavy, so the solid whacking sound is a rather good representation of how much it must have hurt a low-level ordinary girl.

Well, to be honest, I guess they aren't low-level as much as 'normal' people, right? Neither of them is an adventurer, and so their levels are obviously going to be normal for their age.

Well, from the tears hanging from Yan's eyes, it is easy to see that it really hurts.

"Ah, I'm sorry..." - she says to us with tears hanging from her eyes
"It is quite alright, you did not utter a lie."

All she said was that we were the same age, we're not full enough with ourselves to be offended by that much.

"Well, I was lead to believe you would arrive the day after tomorrow." - we comment while taking a seat
"Well, the wagon did good time."

It can't be helped if this age's land transport is rather unreliable. She may have just as well have arrived a few days late, after all.

"Well, your sister has arranged for you to enter work in the eastern continent shortly after your arrival there, but the rockitship tickets are already bought and paid for, dated two weeks from now, so ..."

>you're welcome to stay at our manor together with your sister
>tell us if you need money for a inn
>Other

>>2221057
>you're welcome to stay at our manor together with your sister
We have to start showing some thriftness and being careful with our money.

>>2221062
But seriously, we're broke right now. We need to go dungeon-diving for loot. We should powergrind with Sykia, Tiel, and Fleur out so they can get lots of XP while we blast through monsters for loot.

>>2221057
>>you're welcome to stay at our manor together with your sister

>>2221057
>>you're welcome to stay at our manor together with your sister

>>2221146
>>2221092
>>2221062
>>you're welcome to stay at our manor together with your sister

"Is that so...? Thank you, my lord." - says Yang as she looks at her sister out of the corner of her eye

Oh, Yin is apple-red. I have this feeling that she hadnt let her family know she had moved in with us.

"Anyway, I assume you expected to spend the day with your sister, so why don't we get started with work?"
"Ah, yes my lord." - Yin presents us several documments and we start looking through them

Yang is helping by ordering some files and replenishing the pastry and tea... she looks like a rather patient girl, really.

"Do you have the latest reports from the forgemasters? General Li wants to know about their latest progress."
"Ah, yes, please wait a moment."

Well, looking at the report, they're a bit too orderly. What I mean is, they are doing research, so its normal for them to "waste" a bit of materials as they try stuff and if tails. The cost of doing business and all that.

Yet this month the report perfectly matches the "in" and the "out."

>Go over there in person
>Ask for a new report. It should take a day if we send Yin to do it herself
>Other

>>2221208
>Other
Have our Harpies come out and inform Yin that we are promoting her, and these are her new subordinates.
Then we will go over to the forgemasters in person.

>>2221229
they're still working on the ticket sales booths. They delivered their resignation letters but will finish the week first

Unless you're ragequitting your job and doing something like shitting on your boss' chair before you leave, you usually finish a short period before leaving.

>>2221246
Oh, I thought we were transferring them since we own the company and are the Minister of the Right.

But we should still let Yin know so that she has a week to prepare the onboarding packets and Employee Handbooks.

>>2221249
that seems fine

>>2221208
>>Go over there in person
also supporting >>2221249

"Alright. You can handle the rest by yourself, right? I will go visit the forge labs and see what is going on over there by myself."
"Yes, my lord."
"Also, make sure your little sister is comfortable in the manor. We'll have dinner together, though that's quite far away today still."

We also explain to her about the harpies, and finally leave towards the forgeworks.

The sisters nod and bow, respectively.

***

At the forges, we find the forgemasters and sages standing near the furtherst furnace as they talk. That's the experimental furnace they requested extra funds for.

>Approach quietly with our [Shadow] job and overhear them
>Approach and greet them
>Other

>>2221543
>>Approach quietly with our [Shadow] job and overhear them

>>2221654

"-hat do you want to do about the general's request?"
"What can we do? We already agreed, remember? The price is too expensive in the long run."
"Hmm..."

It looks like they're having a rather serious discussion. From what we manage to learn from this point onwards, they're basically 3/5 parts convinced that they should keep quiet about their latest discovery.

It seems that they managed to further purify palladium, which turns it into a indestructible material, but at the cost of crystallized magic. Which is to say, it permanently absorbs magic from the world, trapping it in the form of the finished product until it was successfully destroyed.

And remember, it is indestructible.

"The common theory is that magic flows through the world without end, without increasing or decreasing, a fixed force that is eternal and ever present. This material perverts the law of the world, but a military leader would probably only care about the indestructible part."
"We don't know that for sure. Its the accepted theory, but if it was correct, then creatures wouldnt be able to level up, right?"
"Why not? Assuming that strong creatures die and release mana back into the world, its possible. And you certainly cant level up without taking down strong foes..."

It looks like quiet a headache-inducing discovery, uh?

>Inform Ren. As the empress, its her responsibility to decide
>Keep the secret
>Inform the general
>Other

>>2221706
>Inform Ren. As the empress, its her responsibility to decide
>request Ren increase our budget to secretly research this phenomenon
Maybe we could weaponize this against the [ERROR] world by draining their world of mana?
Or maybe mana flows from their world and that’s why can’t close the portal?

well im going to wait for more votes

also, i wanna get a cute hat with puppy ears for Mako

https://youtu.be/LHSRUzYmdlU

>>2221706
supporting >>2221733

>>2221733
Supporting

>>2222603
>>2222534
>>2221733
>>Inform Ren. As the empress, its her responsibility to decide
>>request Ren increase our budget to secretly research this phenomenon

***

"Ah, the duke came to play~ " - a very relaxed-looking empress greeted us as we interrupted her history lessons

The teacher bowed and left the room. I am sorry, it wasn't my intention to get in the way of your job.

*cough*

"Ah, your highness Ren, I did not come to play, you know? Its about serious issues."
"Is that so? Would you like some tea?"

She takes on a more serious look... or should I say a less relaxed one? Either way, she offers us a seat next to her as she collects herself and picks up her fan.

Hn. She really likes to appear as cool and mysterious using that fan, doesn't she? But, we already know that if you push it out of the way, she's actually a rather timid girl. Sometimes.

"What is it?" - she asks as a servant pours us some tea from the side

>Surely, the servants can be trusted, or they wouldnt personally attent the empress. Lets tell her
>Ask the servants to step out
>Other

>>2222992
>Ask the servants to step out

>>2222992
>Ask the servants to step out

>>2222992
>>Ask the servants to step out

>>2223043
>>2223010
>>Ask the servants to step out

"Eh, if you want to do naughty things, we don't need them to retire, though? Everyone knows I have chosen you to be my partner already, so it is just part of your duties now, and..."

We actually karate chopped the empress (softly) to shut her up.

Seriously, is she so honest as to be lewd, or is she lewfly honest? Either way, its bad. Its bad... I think?

*cough*

"The forgemasters have succeeded in creating a indestructible material, yet it consumes magic in its creation."
"Is that so?"

She looks at us with a 'so what?' kind of expression.

"No, you see, because it is inde--- no, wait, lets start from the beginning. As you may know, the creation of many materials, specially the new glassteel and palladium, require magic to go into the refining process."

She nods nods while looking at us from behind the fan as if it was a castle wall, and feeling her head with her other hand.

Don't make a thing out of it please. It was a really soft blow. It was so soft its hard to call it a blow, even.

I get the feeling that if you make a thing out of it, the general is likely to have me killed, you know? Something along the lines of "How dare you hit my dau- *cough* empress, you villain!", you know?

Ah, her eyes are smiling. That's her 'I'm going to milk this blow for all its worth' look, isn't it? I see, I see. I better play with her a lot or else. That kind of thing.

*cough*

At this rate, it'll look as if im catching a flu or something.

"While most high class materials require magic during their refining process, thay are not indestructible, and the craftsman works under the belief that the magic will eventually break free once again. This is not the case with a indestructible material, though... what are you doing?"

She's writing something with a serious expression, and melting wax to seal it with her personal signet ring. Its a imperial-level order...

"We are having a sword and shield comissioned out of this new material, of course. We wish to solve the age-old riddle and see what happens if a indestruvtible sword hits a indestructible shield..."

I want to karate chop her (gently) again.

"Please don't."
"Eeeh~..." - her eyes show that she's clearly unsattisfied, but she puts down the pen for now.
"You see, the forgemasters are worried about what will happen if this technique sees use and magic begins decreasing as a result of it."
"Eh?"

She looks at us with a clear 'wut?' look on her.

"Magic is generated by living beings, it gathers in your meridians and moves from one to another in order to gain an element..." - she proceeds to give us a really, really complicated explanation about magic, qi energy and dou qi.

Is this information a imperial family secret knowledge, or is it just classic theory? I feel as if the sages and forgemasters would know about it if it was classic knowledge.

Then, should we treat it as cprrect. hidden information, or as just superstition?

1/?

>>2223070
According to her explanation, the MP of warriors is Dou Qi, while casters use mana. We just use mana for all our classes and skills, though.

>Lets explain to her that we use mana for all our different job skills
>Lets ask her for time to look into this
>Lets trust her explanation
>Other

>>2223071
>Lets explain to her that we use mana for all our different job skills

>>2223071
>Lets explain to her that we use mana for all our different job skills

File: Ren Combat.gif (3.01 MB, 480x270)

3.01 MB GIF

>>2223125
>>2223078
>>Lets explain to her that we use mana for all our different job skills

"Yes, Mako has said as much. Isn't that just what it becomes so you can use it? That's like saying ice is not water." - she replies as she leans her head slightly to the left
"..." - it is our turn to go 'wut'?
"Just because you draw water from the sea, it does not mean that rivers, rain and lakes are not real. There are various sources of energy that lead to what you call a mana pool."
"Hmm..."

I think we need to think about this for a little bit.

"See, I have seen the schematics for your mana 'generators' but all they do is gather the excess energy of the citizens and give it a purpose before it fades into the air around them, does it now?"

She even stopped using the royal we.

"So you are saying that the sages are wrong."
"They believe in an elegant but incorrect idea of the world. You do know that there are more than a handful of elements, but we build our magical system around them, right?"
"Yes, but they are not really elelements, so much as they are representations of different states of matter and energy."
"Right, the problems start when you take old masters who enjoy using metaphore to explain things, and put them together with students that blindly accept their words as literal truth." - she says

In other words, mana is just the final gathering point for multiple sources of energy, then.

"How do you know that?" - we ask
"How do you NOT know that? If the old explanation was correct, wouldnt mana somewhat diminish as you pass it from vessel to vessel? There are no records of times richer in mana than the present, as there should be if that was the case. Honestly duke, those sages like to spend their time inside libraries and studies, not fighting monsters and leveling up from it, so if their explanation for the mana increase upon leveling up was right, how do they level up over time thanks to their studies? Shouldnt adventurers and other violent professions be the only ones that ever experienced that phenomena referred to as 'leveling up'? Also, you replenish mana while you rest, do you not? Are you killing monsters while you rest?"

She sounds pretty certain...

>Alright, lets return her scroll to her and let her sign it so she can have her unbreakable sword and shield to play with...
>...wait, isn't she just trying to sell us on the idea so she can have a indestructible sword and shield to play with? *gentle karate chop her and tell her she almost got us*
>Other

>>2223241
>Other
However that still doesn't get around the idea of mana, if crystallized, can no longer be a part of the energy ecology.

If we look at mana like it was water, like she originally said, turning some water into ice would not be a problem, but if there's too much ice to water, then there is a problem.

>>2223302
Supporting

>>2223416
>>2223302

so, you want to say that to her, or what? Im not sure I understand your post reply

>>2223425
Yes, I want to say it to her, because it doesn't make sense to me. Sure, she's right in that mana comes from different sources, and the old idea that it is released from creatures that build it up is probably wrong.

Is Ren saying that mana is simply another state of energy and matter, and that biological bodies convert matter into mana as part of the metabolic process?
Or is it like water that follows a cycle?
I mean, her explanation of
>Just because you draw water from the sea, it does not mean that rivers, rain and lakes are not real. There are various sources of energy that lead to what you call a mana pool
ignores the fact that there is an overarching water cycle, and that just because rivers and rains exist, that doesn't mean taking water out of the cycle doesn't reduce the overall amount of water in the system.

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>>2223446
Are you taking the water out into space? Because thats the only way I can think of that would really reduce the amount of water within a planet's water cycle.

Anyway...

***

"Puuu~ The duke is being mean...!" - she somehow manages to pout with just her eyes as she looks at us over her fan - "I want a unbreakable sword, I want a unbreakable shield! S-shut up and get them for me, I'm the empress, you know!?"

Alright, she was completely trying to fool us, after all.

>No, but if you stop now, I'll stay and play with you
>Alright, I guess its fine to have just a little bit of magic removed to keep you safe behind a unbreakable shield, after all.
>Other

>>2223461
>Are you taking the water out into space?
Taking into space or freezing it and keeping it out of the water cycle, which is what turning mana solid and making it unbreakable would do.
The effect is the same, even if the reasoning the forgemasters has was wrong.

>Alright, I guess its fine to have just a little bit of magic removed to keep you safe behind a unbreakable shield, after all.

>>2223461
>>Alright, I guess its fine to have just a little bit of magic removed to keep you safe behind a unbreakable shield, after all

>>2223531
>>2223494
>>Alright, I guess its fine to have just a little bit of magic removed to keep you safe behind a unbreakable shield, after all.

"And a sword!" - she insists
"Are you a child?!"
"So stingy... at least get me a spear's tip, then."
"That sounds fine."

To begin with, her unique [Dragoon] job wields spears in combat, so it makes a lot more sense for her to carry a spear than a sword.

And so, we sigh and smile and nod and leave back towards the forgemasters.

They are understandably surprised, but when we explain that it will be the empress' personal shield and spear, they decide to cooperate and proudly produce an elegant spear's head, and a buckler... yeah its pretty small, but if its indestructible, does it matter?

I guess it matters if you are trying to block arrows being shot at you, but given how damage is calculated in this world, she could use it as a hat and it would still work. Probably

And so, we make it back to Ren, whom happily replaces her own spear's head with the new one, and has the shield placed on a straw man's chest in the garden...

...she really just wanted to try this out, eh?

*** fifty seconds later ***

"Tell the cooks not to give any dessert to the sages or the forgemaster for a week." - says Ren as she crosses her arms in displeasure

What happened? Both the spear and the shield turned into light and dissapeared, leaving the straw man unharmed, and the shaft of Ren's spear, on the grass.

Well, at 0.00001 seconds after the impact, their structures began phasing through each other as if they were transparent or made of myst.

At 0.0001 seconds from impact, both objects existed in the same spot at the same time, and they both disintegrated without any big explosion or fuss.

It seems, the 'indestructible' material is really only an unstable force that collapses when clashing with itself, which means that, even if it would give any army a (very real) edge on first clash against the enemy, as soon as technology began spreading to the other side, or just as soon as the enemy somehow acquired a weapon or armor of the stuff, both would be rendered completely useless.

With some more testing, it was revealed that while other materials really cant penetrate armor plates made with it, the simple clash of a plate with another, as inevitable with sectioned armor, would cause it to collapse.

Of course, chainmail was also impossible, as just rubbing two rings together caused them both to collapse. You could make a lid and tie it across your chest if you wanted, but that was it.

*** A few hours later ***

"I see" - says the general with a sigh - "How about building material, then? A indestructible foundation stone would be a boon for architecture, right?"
"You still need to have screws or mails able to attach beams to it. And it can't even be used for a door, because a tiny ring made with it would be enough to cause the whole thing to dissapear."

1/?

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>>2223603

Truthfully, it would only ever be useful in situations where very small quantities of it required use, such as scalpels or the tip of drills.

Still, even if it is useless for weapons, armors, constructions or most military uses, perhaps it can see civilian use? Farm tools that do not break nor require sharpening, though clanging a how with a scythe by accident would instantly destroy the both of them, so they would need to be stored as if they were incredibly delicate objects.

>Lets leave it up to people to figure out a use for this extremely fragile 'unbreakable' material by releasing the formula to the general public
>Lets see if Asmund and Okaba can come up with anything. Maybe ask Dawn too
>Other

>>2223612
>Lets see if Asmund and Okaba can come up with anything. Maybe ask Dawn too
Don’t want too much of this stuff getting created.

>>2223612
>>Lets see if Asmund and Okaba can come up with anything. Maybe ask Dawn too

>>2223711
>>2223631
>>Lets see if Asmund and Okaba can come up with anything. Maybe ask Dawn too

Well, let's see if our friends have any ideas.
In the meanwhile, we did end up staying and playing with Ren all day.

Is not as if its a chore, anyway. By the way, she can be surprisingly pure about some things. The games were just that, and mostly chess, but there were some ball games as well as ring tossing involved.

Well, she would be the absolute definition of an isolated child, except for the lewd novels she found and read in the palace once before starting to write her own.

That's why, in a very real way, she was completely unaware of how alluring she looks as she crawls on her room'sto pick up the rings across the floor, her dress pulled up for ease of movement, showing off her milky white legs, while her hair cascaded around her with every move.

"Uhn. We don't have any ranged jobs, that is why..."

She was horrible at ring toss.

"Yes, yes."
"That is why!" - she repeated while bright red.

>Play some 'fun' games
>Go back to check on Yin
>Other

>>2223785
>Go back to check on Yin

>>2223785
>>Play some 'fun' games

>>2223834
>>2223876
What if we played some “fun” games with Yin and Ren?

So what are we calling this material?

And I can see some uses for it in our dimensional probes, protecting them from the [ERROR]s.
Maybe even build a drill of the stuff and put it on the front so that the probe can drill out of an [ERROR]’s stomach if it gets swallowed.

>>2223925
Yang is staying with Yin in the manor, though.

>>2224097
Well, its impossible to destroy unless it runs into itself, so I sort of wanted to call it theology, but I blame my wh40k side for that.

Also, im still waiting for a tie breaker.

Suggestions for a name for the stuff?

>>2223785

>>2223785
>>Play some 'fun' games

>>2224325
I'd like to call it something like "quantum foam" because like a quantum wave signature, it collapses into existence/non-existence when observed (or in this case, it contacts another piece of foam).

For a more fantasy-like name, maybe "Aetherium"?

>>2226288
Or maybe "Vaporite"?
"Mistite" or "Mistium"?

>>2224325
manatite?

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>>2228123
>>2227897
I liked mystium and aetherium

***

"Hnnn..." - The young empress cooed softly as she was kissed.

No, rather, as she enjoyed the kiss. Adding a kiss penalty to each failed ring toss had sent her already poor accuracy way down the probability curve, but she wasn't upset about it in the least.

Her soft, clear skin was blushing gently as she shared a kiss with the young man she loved. Yes, she loved him, but was unwilling to fight for him and hurt her precious sister in such a way.

"Uuuh... duke, I can't throw the ring if you hold me..." - she complains softly as we hold her gently with our hands resting around her waist, ready to kiss her as soon as she fails her current toss.
"Is fine, you're just too good, so its a handicap. A handicap."
"Alright, duke." - she replies softly as she does her best to stand on the tip od her feet while throwing without looking

Without looking, she raised to kiss her beloved duke.

>Oh, you made it. (tease her gently) (also, she actually made it)
>You are terrible at this game. (Kiss her)
>Other

>>2228196
>Oh, you made it. (tease her gently) (also, she actually made it)
>"As expected of Her Imperial Highness." (more teasing)

>>2228196
Supporting >>2228291 but with our lips tantalizingly close to hers. Maximum tease.

>>2229508
>>2228291

"...s expected of your imperial highness...!" - we say as we pull back
"T-the duke is a meanie!" - she looks at us as she starts tearing up a little bit

[You feel 5 killing intents on your back]

The hair at the back of our neck stands on end as we hear for snikt-like sounds...

"Well, I failed, so I guess your highness should punish me instead?" - we throw and we miss
"...t-that's right!" - she nods with a little smile as she rises up to kiss us

[Congratulations, your "Common Sense" has leveled up!]

Eh... what a dangerous girl to tease.

We hold her and gently caress her waist during the kiss. The empress really liked to cuddle, you know?

***

After lunch with Ren, it is still 1/2 through the morning back at home, so we still have time to ...

>Show up at the university
>Take the Aetherium to our lab in Eopolis so Asmund and Okaba can take a look at it
>Other

>>2233487
>Show up at the university

>>2233487
>>Show up at the university

>>2233487
>Show up at the university

>>2233550
>>2233536
>>2233495
>>Show up at the university

Lets stop here until thursday. I want to try teaching myself to draw again. Any requests? And dont expect much. Blind, remember?