Auratic

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Even as he steeled himself for the worst, his strength of will still came out to be lacking and he could repress the quaking of his body as much as he wanted to. The common person would not be able to notice such small a detail, but discerning nobles with eyes like eagle however, would catch wind of it sooner or later, this he learned through experience. Although he doubted that Alicia’s retainers would be that percipient, he nonetheless was wary, knowing that they were no ordinary individuals. He thought that he was doing alright in that area, absolutely clueless to the fact all of Alicia’s lieutenants knew of the fact due to their refined sense of pallesthesia, catching each and every little tremors that raced through his body yet they feigned oblivion.

Alfred - Alicia’s aide that she introduced to him to guide him - wore a soft, tame smile on her indifferent face that rarely showed any intense emotion as she accompanied him. A beat behind his steps, at his side and trailing from the , maintaining enough distance to be unobtrusive but not too far away or lagging behind to drag him down or feel as if he was alone. It was a skill few attendants possessed, and fewer mastered, she on the other hand, demonstrated exemplary perfection of the practice. When appropriate, briefly stepping in to give concise explanations and details about the subject when he needed it, without prompt. Before he knew it, he had become so used to her presence that he had forgotten what kind of position she held, freely inspecting the selection of goods and indulging in the sample of foodstuff, as he frankly thought she was one of his assistants. It didn’t take long for a strange chill to shoot up his spine, as if to remind him of an important fact that he had forgotten… Thanks to a rather supernatural reminder from his own body, incited by some survival instincts, he caught himself going too far and getting overly comfortable with the situation. Surely… she could not have known what he was thinking about… could she…? As he looked over his shoulder to look at Alfred, she only smiled and asked if there was anything wrong. Thinking of the ordeal as just a strange occurrence, he recomposed himself and continued on.

Not in his wildest dreams thought that he would be blown away by something as simple as an everyday milk. Though it was anything but simple for Pyrinia. Due to lack of preservation techniques, fresh milk was difficult to access and weren’t commonly consumed except by the extremely elderly or the young and often in forms of whey. The thundergoat species that produced the milk were missing in the predominantly flat Kingdom of Pyrinia and even if they did, they must have resided in the mountains of Tol Rupeasa, unfortunately he had never heard of such creatures residing in the barren heights of the region. He had feared that the early settlers must have hunted them down or simply driven them out for easier access to the copious amount of silver found beneath. Although, wool and milk of the goats were abundantly present, the meat of the creature was nowhere in sight. He could taste the flesh of the animal only in his imagination. But after he noted that the Elves had great impressions of the creatures, bordering on zealous worship, he curbed his interest.

His astonishments would not end soon, from the soft lustrous textiles of woven wool and silk, and though only a mouthful, the luxuriously sweet taste of the viscid honey was still fresh on his mind and the stiff, vinous aftertaste of it had yet to fade from his taste buds. It was everything Alicia promised and then some; as there were still more on offer. Rich earthy bouquet of basketful mushrooms, clothes fashioned in foreign design, he was so absorbed in the needlework of the attire that he didn’t find anything off with all of them being in white. Dyes were expensive, it is only natural to save costs where possible, he thought. As soon as he thought he had concluded his inspection, more arrived.

This one though, he was familiar with. It was the very beast that had been slain right in front of them. The fur would take time to tan thus it was absent, nevertheless its flesh had been turned into a great feast. It was a great show of hospitality, meat was not so readily available or affordable for the average citizen, and merchants who had money centric mindset like Albertini, despite having the means and the coins to consume meat on a day to day basis, only reserved the use of meat for special occasions such as receiving an important business partners or nobles. It was rude to partake in the feast without the host, but when he inquired if Alicia would join, Alfred stated that she unfortunately had other businesses to take care of and had it not been for that she was sure that her mistress would have accompanied him personally. Satisfied with the answer he joined in, tentatively. He was no stranger to pork; he had no high expectations of it, yet again he was taken by surprise.

As he had not expected a dinner¹Note, Dinner as in lunch; because dinner is lunch and supper is the ‘dinner’ in this context., he was not carrying his personal utensils with him other than his knife and dagger that he always carried along, though cutlery was offered, he politely turned it down instead opting for the small wooden platter to serve himself. His knife easily cut through the charred exterior dressed in glossy viscous fluids, revealing a white pork with just the faintest hint of pink. Clear juices that were trapped inside by the crispy exterior dribbled down onto his platter. Combined with the aromatic scent of herbs, the anticipation was unbearable. As the teeth tore through the flesh effortlessly and the savour burst inside his mouth, astonishment naturally came over to him. The mellow taste of the pork was not too unlike what he knew. Though scarcely seasoned, the fact only became testament to its freshness. The texture was marvelous, incomparable to the food from countless banquets engaged in, the meat seemed to crumble away the instant it was placed inside his mouth, barely needing to be chewed. He realized what the glossy sheen was from, caramelized honey glaze adding further depth to the sapidity to the meal.

After consuming a fair bit more than he had intended, he was content with his full stomach. Although he had hoped for a fine wine to cut through all the food he had ingested, he felt a minikin of disillusionment for what was served. Water… plain water. Due to concerns about purity and sickness, water was considered a bondsman's drink; filthy and unfit for even the common man. Ale, mead or diluted wine was preferred and widely accepted as a superior drink due to its taste and body belief that it was more nutritious and healthy. Or so he'd had thought. Poured from an ewer into a drinking glass he had no high hopes for it, still he courteously accepted it, declining would be an unnecessary affront. Albertini thought he would only take a small sip, put it down and not touch it again until the time for his departure. Without realizing, he had gulped it all down in an instant, surprising himself. It wasn’t any ordinary water from a well, it simply didn’t feel like it. Whilst he could not grasp the reason behind it, setting aside its taste that was the same as any other water’s, yet the flavour of this water seemed just different from what he knew as ‘water’. Cool and refreshing, it felt as if some unseen burden was lifted with each mouthful he engluted. The mere waters of this forest gave him such a rejuvenating sensation. Mixture of emotions were swirling inside him, braving the infamous forest where men were exiled to die within its depths, he had come seeking to monopolize undiscovered luxuries and acquire marketable goods, that was his primary goal, but now he had a mission to carry out. To secure even the smallest supply of riches and wonders of this secluded place and bring it back. And finally, near the tail end of the festivity the hostess finally came back from her business and the chance was upon him…

However, on the other side of the curtain leading up to this point…

• ‘Alpha are you sure about this…?’

• ‘Yes and pretend to be busy and could you stop stalking us…?’

• ‘But I am not busy.’
• ‘That’s why I’m telling you to pretend, are you daft?’

Alfred while guiding Albertini was siphoning rumors and information as well as impressing certain favorable ideas about Velauhart into his consciousness. It was Alpha’s scheme to place her mistress on a high podium, Alicia however wasn’t quite convinced of the idea just yet, worried about something going awry she stealthily followed them. During this she listened in on their conversations, getting small bits and pieces of the culture of this world.

• ‘They don’t like spice and seasonings…? Why they don’t like flavours?’

• ‘It appears that spices are often used to mask the odor and the foul taste of inferior quality food, especially of rancid meat, and are usually associated with salt-preserved provisions used by travellers, adventurers and vagabonds. The middle and the upper class prefer their food seasoned lightly or even without any seasonings. It also apparently comes with the benefit of being difficult to mix in poison as it has to be perfectly tasteless and odorless.’

• ‘Hm… I suppose that’s true…’

• ‘Are you still going to stalk us? Why not make yourself useful and fetch some water for him?’

• ‘Hey, now, who’s the master in this relationship? Aren’t you supposed to be doing that sort of stuff?’

• ‘Oh? I thought you disliked being called such.’

• ‘No! Wait… I meant, aaaaagh.’

• ‘Please, could you ask Miss Llynbel for her waters? She should be at her usual place.’

• ‘Couldn’t you ask someone else to do that…? I mean I could make some water right now.’

• ‘I wouldn’t dare, it is my understanding that the spirit trusts you, my lady, more than anyone else. She will know what I am asking for.’

• ‘Okay, okay, fine, just don’t mess up anything.’

• ‘Thy will be done, mistress.’

• ‘Stop that.’

Alicia had no idea why Alpha sent her to Llynbel to get water. The new well that was dug up should have been just fine for the occasion. But without thinking much about it she went to find the local Nymph regardless. Not far from the woodland hamlet a tranquil lake calmly shimmered with the sun, mirroring the blue sky upon its surface. ‘She’s not here…?’ The lake was the ‘usual place’ aforementioned; as it still held some sentimental value for the spirit that watched over it. Alicia, carrying a wooden bucket she borrowed, could not find her, even after carefully looking around the premises. ‘Gaaah, I guess she went somewhere else…’ Right as she turned around to go looking for her, distinct bubbling sounds preceded a greeting in a familiar voice.

• “Pardon me…”
• “Ueayayayaa…!!!”
• “Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to surprise you.”
• “Don’t do that to me, I don’t know when you’re going to grow out of the water, behind me. Give me some sort of a warning next time?”
• “If you stepped into the water you would have known that I was submerged.”
• “I don’t have the habit of regularly waterlogging my shoes… Besides, I would’ve gotten back at you if I could turn into a suspicious amorphous liquid.”
• “But… you can…”

Alicia displayed utter disbelief and shock on her face. Silence took hold as wordless communication took form, not through Telepathy, but by expressions alone. From seeing Alicia’s confused display, Llynbel herself had an unamused impression, seemingly to ask; ‘Seriously…?’

• “No, wait wait wait since when?!”
• “Since you’ve formed a covenant with me… Come here.”

Llynbel took only a few steps to wrap her hands around Alicia’s head beforing shaking it vigorously before stopping to lend her ears against it.

• “Ow, stop, what are you doing?”
• “Checking if there’s something inside that nogging of yours other than water splashing around in it.”
• “No, I really mean it, I don’t know how to do that…”
• “Fine, come here…”

Although struggling with a few key concepts, once she had gotten over the hurdle it didn’t take long for Alicia to grasp the particularity of the magic.

>Antiquated elements able to be modernised. Updating…

Propelling through still water, flowing freely within the lake felt liberating beyond anything she could have hoped for. It took her a while to get used to the whiplash of quickly transitioning between flesh and blood, and chitin and haemolymph, to hydrogen-monoxide often getting disoriented when exiting the waveform.

• “Seems that you picked up on it quite fast.”
• “It's fantastic! I just don't like the feeling of being… naked… while I'm using it.”
• “Whatever that is supposed to mean? You still have your clothes over your shoulders.”
• “That is only when I’m paying attention…”

As it turns out, the magic by its nature only turned her body into a liquid, ignoring her clothes. She had to pay extra attention to also include her attire otherwise she would come out, disrobed.

• “I am all for a variety of options but this one is not something I’m very enthusiastic about employing… I can’t see many tactical advantages I would give myself by stripping naked…”

Unconcernedly:

• “I cannot help with that aspect as it is a very ‘human’ problem that I am not familiar with.”
• “Right. Water doesn’t need clothes… I get it. Now stop rubbing in your exhibitionism.”
• “Water spirit.-

She corrected.

-You should try swimming without the constraints of clothes.”

• “Maybe later.” ‘Preferably never’
• “It is only your loss.”

After shrugging and right when she was about to take the first step to leave, Alicia remembered the purpose of coming to look for Llynbel before she got side tracked.

• “Uhm, Alpha mentioned that I should go get water from you… what is that about…?”
• “Alpha…? Ah that new girl of yours?
• “Well she’s the oldest one but that’s not the point.”
• “Must be about the infusion. It’s not quite done, but I have some ready for use right now… I hope you got something to carry it?”
• “I brought this wooden bucket…”
• “It will do.”

After handing the bucket to her Alicia expected her to just scoop up some water from the lake. Against her expectations she held the bucked close to herself in her embrace. Though she was mystified by what she was doing, it soon became clear to her. Glittering water welled up from the bottom of the bucket, soft blue dots of light swirling within. When she was done, she handed the bucketful of water to Alicia. Peering into it the container and focusing onto its depths the said blue dots were in fact lesser spirits of water, drifting in a concentric manner, like school of minnows swimming.

• “What’s this…?”
• “Remember the story of healing waters…? Well, here it is.”
• “The waters were filled with spirits?”
• “Specifically water spirits, you can do the same with other types if you’re insistent enough, for varying degrees of effectiveness and outcomes.”
• “Are you sure this is safe for human consumption?”
• “Better than most things they do to cure ailments. If I remember correctly… Human churches, monasteries and what elses often conduct days long, complex rituals to bless waters to make a small chalice of holy water. Then apply only a few drops, just enough to temper the pain to those who need it the most, whilst they hoard the rest. A pale imitation of what we can provide. If only they could understand us.”
• “I can see why people tried to force you.”
• “Do you relate to them?”

Alicia felt a small quivering in her voice.

• “Just because I understand their reasoning doesn’t mean I’ll agree with them.”
• “I see… thank you.”
• “I should head back now, I don’t know how things are panning out. I need to hand this to Alpha somehow.”

When she returned, she noticed Paxton driving her fangs deep into a Warhog carcass, outside the perimeters of the hamlet.

• “Ah, my lord, have you come to grace us with your presence?”
• “Uh, hey… What are you doing to that thing…?”
• “By instructions of the first, I am to fill with acid, until it is firm yet mellow. For a tribute to the tradesman.”
• “Retch is back on the menu huh… since you’re going to bring that to Alfred, be sure to give this to her.”

Alicia left water in possession of Priest, to continue her covert observation. To her relief, nothing seemed to have come up and the negotiations seemed to be going well. Before long she was called on by Alfred to make ready and  wrap close things up. Although impromptu, a lively feast composed of mostly elves, the freed girls and a few troll representatives had been set up and she was asked to present herself in the middle of it, according to Alfred’s plan.

At a relatively quiet and unoccupied part of the feast where Alicia was watching from, Alfred came guiding Albertini to her. After the usual back and forth dance of dialogues, the topic eventually drifted into the crucial part.

• “First I must give you my thanks for lending me such a well versed aide. It was an overwhelming experience for me at the beginning. They have provided great assistance to me in getting accustomed.”
• “My pleasure, I’m sure Alfred is glad to hear that as well.”

Unlike her typical demeanor, ‘The First’ showed no cynicism this time, but rather faithfulness, as seen by her pristine bow surprising Alicia. The merchant then finally said the words she had been waiting to hear for a long time.

• “Secondly… I can't say enough good things about the goods you have on display. I wish to have a steady supply as soon as possible, but first we must address the matters of price.”

Auratic

Shoutout to Quillbot for literally saving my writing because I am a dumb motherfucker.

My psu basically died and almost took another component with it. I mean its like at least 7 years old and waaaay past its warranty. Besides I use my computer basically every waking hour of my life and a often push my CPU and GPU hard while playing so yeah. Had to replace it, with a 600W one. My old one was 800 watt and an absolute unit but it was on a borrowed time. The new on has enough juice to fuel all my other components to it's not that big of a deal since I'm not planning on upgrading anytime soon. Unless the 1080 prices crash to the floor or something.

I'm also under self quarantine because I've come in contact with the couff. No symptoms yet, except the occasional coughing but I think that's just because I sleep without a shirt with the balcony open...

I've encountered a little bit of a snag with the tool I use to create my images that was an infuriating experience.
I am aware that I've lost quite a bit time and behind schedule. I'll try to close that up over the next two weeks. Also I was bit preoccupied with Rimworld Ideology DLC making catgirls the superior race on the planet. Aaaand inazuma... that also happend, and punishing gray raven.

But wait I have something to show from Inazuma, I've skipped over kuzuho for this.

Spoiler

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For a trivia, much like many other animals, spiders can show intersex qualities or be hermaphrodite[modern_footnote]or as futanari as the degenerate community likes to call it[/modern_footnote]. Although very rare it has been documented both by scientific and hobbyist communities.