It's most likely going to target the Silent Hinterlands; we already basically know that it's over a Labyrinth entrance, what with the remnants being destroyed instead of made, the extreme weakness of the aura in the area, and the presence of secret barrows that have lord level treasures. Etaja is going to touch on something he shouldn't in his study of Cradle powers, and it's going to be enough to rouse a dreadgod to head that direction. I'm guessing it's path will happen to go through or near Great Crevasse.
We know that Etaja is the cause because he is why no Oracles can predict this one like they normally would; his ripples in the rivers of fate can only be seen from the moment the stone is cast. So only once he Does The Thing that will awaken a dreadgod will people be able to sense that a dreadgod will awaken.
Keras could also be the cause but through Etaja, as when we take Etaja's advice and knowledge it provides similar ripples in fate. But I don't think we are touching on any forbidden knowledge that could rouse a dreadgod.
One thing from recent chapters that I'm suspecting might end up becoming relevant is Ju Dao's semi-exile to go fight Dreadbeasts and Blood Shadows on the Kingdom's eastern borders. He'd be back in the city about half a year before the arrival date, which leaves a reasonable bit of wiggle room in terms of both whatever intermediate dominoes that sets off in turn and then the Dreadgod's travel time towards whichever location it targets as a result.
Maybe Ju Dao brings something back with him as a trophy or reminder (or parasite, in the unlikely case of a Blood Shadow getting involved), and after we happen to meet with him for something unrelated that becomes Etaja's first introduction to the ever-fascinating Hunger Madra? Could be that the main trigger is Etaja having Keras investigate it further and in the process we run an unwise experiment/ it accidentally touches our Fate Bracelet/ etc; or that he recognizes it as having something to do with to the Silent Hinterlands but which he'd previously dismissed before as just a background part of the world, leading to him poking the matter just a bit too hard and provoking a response; or that he tries to replicate or draw out a bit of it in his cave to study it where his senses are sharper and triggers some grave consequences; or something along those lines?
Man, Damir's great. He and Keras are basically co-conspirators, which is an odd relationship to have, but they make it work since they're actually very alike?
They're both very ambitious. They see the opportunities around them, and feel the desire to take as much of them as they can, to go as far as they possibly can. They want to progress, they want to be better, they want to be the best possible versions of themselves. Resources, advancement, station, wisdom, they want it all.
But they're also alike in that they both have strong senses of ethics and morals that they don't let their ambitions override. They want to do well by the people who helped them get where they are, they don't want to look down on people who are currently below them. Keras is better at showing it outwardly, but Damir has a pretty solid inner core himself (which was probably nurtured by his relationship with Keras, admittedly).
That's how you get scenes like in this chapter, where they're talking shop about politics and exchanges of resources and face, all things that would typically lead to a very cold, distant, pragmatic sort of conversation and relationship... But they somehow manage to make the topics friendly instead, since they just vibe together so well. They both know neither of them wishes the either poorly, that they both want all the same things, and they can be trusted not to stab the other in the back unless circumstance really forces their hand, so it ends up being two friendly social climbers talking about how they can help each other out instead of two evil schemers talking about how they can bend the world to their will or whatever.
I think the thing I like best is how casual yet business it is. Keras knows Damir is friendly with them for the benefits it provides him, but also knows it costs them nothing to call him Sifu and help him out. Damir knows that Keras knows these things and does it anyways, so he looks out for them and seeks ways for them to both benefit from it. It's a business relationship, but a very healthy one.
It's not like with Gardenia where I can imagine Keras talking about boys (or girls) and clothes and etc. It's where they can come together, share tips, talk about plans, and in doing so try to boost both of them in small ways, because they've acknowledged one another.
[X] Leaning more masc
Keras retains their identity, but has found that their presentation feels appropriate by leaning slightly to colors and cuts that the Kingdom reads as appropriate for a young man.
Male styles just tend to be more practical. Keras doesn't have a soulspace or void key yet, so pockets are still supreme.
I've actually been wondering if that's about to change. Venkata's an Underlord now, so she's got a soulspace of her own and doesn't strictly need a Key's use in effectively being an artificial one. If she doesn't end up keeping it personally, I'm sure there are plenty of purposes and professions that she could shift it towards throughout the Kingdom... but there's also a solid chance that she outright gives it back to us. Where better to keep the now-redundant Void Key than with the one who first found it, especially since they're now her very own child?
If so, I'll be a bit curious as to whether Etaja'll pick up anything more from it now that he's spent years getting used to Cradle's systems and to sensing through the (recently-improved) Bracelet Relay. ...And on another track, I'm also admittedly curious about however strenuous it'd feel for present-Keras to make use of it compared to Copper-Keras's 'half of their entire reserves', as an unneeded but satisfying milestone of growth.
I've actually been wondering if that's about to change. Venkata's an Underlord now, so she's got a soulspace of her own and doesn't strictly need a Key's use in effectively being an artificial one. If she doesn't end up keeping it personally, I'm sure there are plenty of purposes and professions that she could shift it towards throughout the Kingdom... but there's also a solid chance that she outright gives it back to us. Where better to keep the now-redundant Void Key than with the one who first found it, especially since they're now her very own child?
If so, I'll be a bit curious as to whether Etaja'll pick up anything more from it now that he's spent years getting used to Cradle's systems and to sensing through the (recently-improved) Bracelet Relay. ...And on another track, I'm also admittedly curious about however strenuous it'd feel for present-Keras to make use of it compared to Copper-Keras's 'half of their entire reserves', as an unneeded but satisfying milestone of growth.
I could see it being a present for reaching Highgold? It'd double up as a way of ensuring Keras has a certain baseline level of strength needed to defend themself from anyone trying to steal it.
[X] Opposite of yesterday
[X] Leaning more femme
[X] Leaning more masc
Maybe this is just me being unobservant, but I genuinely have no idea what the 'masculine' and 'feminine' dress styles are in the Seishen Kingdom. I have no idea what anyone is wearing at any given time, other than maybe "robes".
Do men wear high heels? Is black feminine? Do men fold their robes right-over-left and women left-over-right, and in order to split the difference Keras invented the button-up?
Void Keys are still useful to Lords; indeed it's mostly Lords (and post-Lord advancements) we see who possess them. You can only keep one singular item in your soulspace at a time, though the size of the item can vary greatly.
Venkata isn't going to give us her Void Key easily, I'd bet. It's a supremely useful too; even more so because she can now keep it in said soulspace safely.
Maybe this is just me being unobservant, but I genuinely have no idea what the 'masculine' and 'feminine' dress styles are in the Seishen Kingdom. I have no idea what anyone is wearing at any given time, other than maybe "robes".
Do men wear high heels? Is black feminine? Do men fold their robes right-over-left and women left-over-right, and in order to split the difference Keras invented the button-up?
I don't remember all the details perfectly but it's been mentioned a few times what kind of special considerations have been made. One I remember was Keras wearing a unique Grey colored outfit to... the wedding? I think? When usually the color you would wear would be gendered.
And I believe they've also worn something with feminine coloration but tied in the masculine manner at some point?
There's been a few references to the difference in fashions, and how you can generally tell at a glance even when people are wearing similar types of clothes, based on color and how it's worn.
I don't remember all the details perfectly but it's been mentioned a few times what kind of special considerations have been made. One I remember was Keras wearing a unique Grey colored outfit to... the wedding? I think? When usually the color you would wear would be gendered.
And I believe they've also worn something with feminine coloration but tied in the masculine manner at some point?
There's been a few references to the difference in fashions, and how you can generally tell at a glance even when people are wearing similar types of clothes, based on color and how it's worn.
IIRC Blue and Grey are the gender-coded colors in local fashion, and everyone's least favorite Death/Destruction Truegold signaled that they were nobinary by having one sleeve blue and the other grey.
As far as I know Keras has never shown any particular leaning to either side.
The interactions whenever they correct others are interesting and I'd like to keep them.
And the fluid state somewhat indicates (at least to me) that the gender they identify as relies to a degree on how "masculine/feminine" their current emotions are. Going by what we saw of their family and situation up to now this does not seem to fit particularly well.
As Kitty explained, it would be very surprising if Venkata gives up her void key. Void keys are made by sages and there aren't any sages in the Seishen Kingdom. It's not just priceless, but irreplaceable and remains useful all the way through Monarch.
Venkata very much got the better end of the deal when Keras gifted/traded it. At the time, Keras needed the cultivation resources more than the void key though, so it was still a good choice for Keras.
Gender flux mirror where Keras swaps Gender presentation to match with whoever they're hanging out with. Sparring with Damir? Masculine Keras time. Hanging with Gardenia? Femme Keras time.
Bro while with bros, girl while with the girlies.
Then Damir can run into Keras while they're hanging out with Gardenia and not recognize them, and we can get funny scenes out him not knowing who this is, flustered by the cute girl who seems to recognize him.
Edit: My brain runs on rom-com meet cute moments and how to maximize the amount of them.
IIRC Blue and Grey are the gender-coded colors in local fashion, and everyone's least favorite Death/Destruction Truegold signaled that they were nobinary by having one sleeve blue and the other grey.
Wow, it's almost like the imminent and unforeseen arrival of a wandering immortal beast of Hunger which destroys everything in its path is being treated as a big deal or something. Couldn't imagine why; surely it'll just turn out to be a bump in the road for everyone. Maybe we can bait it away by having it get distracted by a laser pointer or something? I heard the new Grand Duchess has got a whole bunch of different-colored ones, I bet that'll help.
Gender flux mirror where Keras swaps Gender presentation to match with whoever they're hanging out with. Sparring with Damir? Masculine Keras time. Hanging with Gardenia? Femme Keras time.
Bro while with bros, girl while with the girlies.
Then Damir can run into Keras while they're hanging out with Gardenia and not recognize them, and we can get funny scenes out him not knowing who this is.
Edit: My brain runs on rom-com meet cute moments and how to maximize the amount of them.
Venkata's Path has rainbow aesthetics, maybe she can hook us up with some colour-changing fabric for clothing? (I know that's not how it works, but it sounds cool.)
Venkata's Path has rainbow aesthetics, maybe she can hook us up with some colour-changing fabric for clothing? (I know that's not how it works, but it sounds cool.)
You have discovered something unfortunate: while you can be very tidy with ink if you're doing equations or planning lists or something, if you're just writing a letter you sometimes start words before changing your mind and end up with a fair amount of smudging on your letters. Still, the loops of correspondence to and from your homeland have been going for years, now, and you and your family do stay in touch, especially when something major occurs.
I dont now what to say. Were proud of you, and your mom and I love you very much. If you think you want to promise to marry someone, or want to be adopted, we wouldnt of wanted to be in the way, but she wont love you the same way, I now. Now that you always can come home if you want to. Well try to come see you again soon.
Brayan has been bragging to everyone whether they'll listen or not about how far you've come. He's more worried than he wants you to know, but I believe that on some level he thinks it's very normal that everyone will see you and be impressed.
He asked for a candid discussion with me, because he wanted my opinion on his soul oath about you. He didn't feel like it was leading him one way or the other, but we discussed things to be sure it didn't trip him up later.
I also spoke to Ravess, to try to get her opinion, but she stated, "when a puddle awakens, it finds itself in a hole perfectly shaped to fit it" and seemed to think that was all the answer she needed.
For my part, I would advise you work backwards. Picture yourself in fifteen years, and think what that Keras would believe: Would they be happy? Would they regret risks taken or opportunities not seized? The more objective you can be, the better chance you have of finding your best path.
Do try to avoid putting yourself in danger again, however.
I read all the things you all ███▌ said, and thought about it very hard. I know Miss Venkata isn't going to be a real mom, but that's something we're both good with. This is ▐██▀ useful for us both. Mom, Dad, I love you and I'd love to see you again as soon as we can.
Thantiriiz, thank you so much!
I told Miss Venkata I wanted to accept her offer. The paperwork's been filed, and she told me I should call her 'Mother' in public. That's nothing like what I call Mom, so I suppose that works. I've been presented to the Luxe clan, now, and I have a big new bedroom. It's kind of silly. I have to walk very far to reach the closet, and I think it's going to be cold in winter because it's too big for heating scripts to warm quickly. There's also some new tutors and the servants expect me to give them instructions now.
A lot of things have been changing, here in Great Crevasse, but the city feels a little better, now, and the curfew's been lifted. We're also one more serious thing away from Underlord Cheng's ▄██▀ current project completing.
THE DREADGOD IS COMING.
THE DREADGOD IS COMING.23 months before the Dreadgod's arrivalTHE DREADGOD IS COMING.
THE DREADGOD IS COMING.7 years before the Uncrowned King tournamentTHE DREADGOD IS COMING.
THE DREADGOD IS COMING.
It's a season of reconstruction, but not everything is immediately better. The official legal roll-out happened a couple weeks ago and is apparently spreading to the rest of the Kingdom according to a schedule you don't fully know. Among the changes that the King's "Declaration of the Rights of All People" makes are caps on tax burdens and stronger legal protections regarding violence and the seizing of property, limiting the right of those with nobility or advancement to hurt those without them.
This had actually led to a week or two of notable increases in violence, up through a couple days into the new laws having taken effect according to news people, but it had subsided quickly. You have to hope that that will stay true.
The King, Prince, and Meira are all long gone, though you had a chance to hang out with Meira a little more before they left. The Lady of the Night Sky and Ju Dao are also gone. This means that there are only two Lords left in Great Crevasse: your adoptive mother and the one you assist.
Among the many changes this state of affairs has brought is that you have more spending money. You are, technically, kind of decently well-off already, but most of the scales are handled by Luxe accountants who until recently weren't that interested in taking orders from you until you turned sixteen and would officially receive the funds.
Since your allowance, or whatever it is, is higher now, you're going back to Cheng's place with a Jade-level Sky-Climbing Toad in a tank, the whole thing of which you purchased for Beti. It's on your way back that you're accosted.
You glance at Damir for guidance. The general thrust of what Garrin is doing isn't unusual: small, unofficial public scraps between members of the powers is common enough. It was less common for a few months, but now that's starting to return to normal. You usually weren't part of them, but until recently you didn't actually wear anything with the Luxe symbol on it, either. And now apparently one of Damir's posse has challenged you, while also dictating terms, which isn't how it's supposed to go. The one who receives the challenge gets to say that.
Damir looks a little annoyed, but the annoyed look is at Garrin. When he notices you're watching him, Damir gives a small but very clear flick of his hand: go ahead.
You size up Garrin. He's also Lowgold: his Goldsign appears to be a complicated earring of Forged sword madra on his left ear, and you watch him as he gets into a ready pose, gauntlet-armored left hand forward and sword held down and away from you. Clearly, he doesn't want you to watch his sword attack, which means he's fairly confident in his skills with it. You take a more neutral pose, with your axe in front of you in your right hand, your other three hands spread and ready. Your Goldsigns are still notably inferior to your physical hands as far as your Iron body is concerned, but they've been getting better for manipulating madra as you advance though Lowgold.
You summon the Desiccated Valley, in a much wider area. The death aspect of the technique makes a couple of Damir's other friends take a step back, and you can hear a couple of small exclamations from other people: there's maybe two or three dozen people who have stopped to watch the challenge, clearly just to enjoy the show, no matter how it turns out.
A death technique is a pretty intimidating thing to toss out even by Sacred Artist standards. Also this type of brawling being free entrainment is culturally important.
Garrin takes that as the opening signal and attacks, sliding forward in a quick, controlled manner. He was trying to open with a backhand from the armored gauntlet, operating on the assumption that you'd be watching the sword more. You respond with a flat slash of your axe and force him to abort the attack: it out-ranges his arm alone. Blades of wind lash at you, but barely even mark your skin thanks to the Field's Strength.
Garrin shifts his stance and brings the sword to the fore. Half a dozen slashes are exchanged in moments, him feeling out your defenses without overcommitting while you pressure him with the forward-heavy weight of your axe. It's largely inconclusive, though it does give you something to go on. You see his eyes on the edge of your axe, watching it intently.
It ends when you land a Goldsign hand on his armored left hand and twist. Garrin cries out as you leverage his arm against him, but before you can force him to the ground he pours more power into his own Enforcer technique and stabs out with the sword. You break off to avoid the blade, letting him get distance.
He's in the middle of your Desiccated Valley, though. You shift your grip on your axe and summon Dandelion Rain with your Goldsigns. He watches intently, clearly able to sense that you're doing something with your madra, but his spiritual sense isn't refined enough to track what it is until a Striker technique hits him on his back.
Garrin tries to whirl to find the new threat, then spins back as you charge in. His eye is on the edge of your axe. His sword is ready to block that. It's entirely out of position for what you're actually doing, though, as he didn't notice you'd choked up your grip on the axe all the way, hand up against the metal. The butt of the handle he doesn't see until it cracks against his nose. He rocks with the impact.
You jump on him and bear him to the ground with your weight, handing the axe to your Goldsigns as you do so. His Ruler technique grows stronger, starting to cut your skin, but it doesn't matter. Not when both of your hands call forth Clinging Vines with the support of the Desiccated Valley.
Seconds after the fight started, he's bound tightly to the ground with you holding him in place. You've got a few cuts with minor bleeding on your arms, but not much. "I... I yield," Garrin says, letting his techniques drop.
It's really great to see Keras fighting age peers they just absolutely stomp due to their superior stats, skills, techniques and ability to leverage all those things.
Damir bows again and then turns to Garrin. "I work with three sorts of people, Garrin," Damir says, in the tone of a schoolteacher losing patience. "Those with talent, those with insight, and those who are useful. Which one are you?"
Garrin looks a little sulky as he works through the question. If he says 'talent', then Damir points out that he lost. If he says 'insight', then Damir points out that he started a fight with a friend of Damir's, who calls Damir sifu and has been adopted by the only Underlady in the city. "I'm useful, young sir," he says, after working that out.
Damir sighs dramatically. "If I tell you not to fight someone, it is because it's for the best that you not, and at a bare minimum you should know why I think that before contradicting me. You need to learn to judge your battles better, before you get in over your head with someone who is less good-natured than my friend Keras. Reflect on that." He raises his voice to the others in the group. "Finish your shopping trip. I'll see you all this evening."
Risshon doesn't talk to you much any longer, not unless you ask him a question. If you do, he promptly attempts to answer it and sometimes there's a flicker of what he used to be like while he does, but outside of that...
He's mostly quiet. He's taken to shaving his head. The cut on his face didn't completely heal, so it's got a little bit of a scar you can see when it catches the light just wrong.
You don't know the full details of his sentencing, but he's at least not executed, which you know had been possible. He has limited ability to meet with people, his movements are limited, and Lyn has to pre-screen mail both in and out. It's something just barely shy of official imprisonment, not to mention most of his property was seized. That's still more than you think he expected to get away with, but... he's not doing well.
You don't think you could help him do any better, which makes your feelings even more complicated. Would you want to help if you could? Or should you keep separate now? This is someone who isn't even particularly apologetic about the fact that he hurt Dad.
That's the sort of thing that you need to sort out at some point. It won't be today, though. Today... Cheng completes his work.
Everyone is here. You're all in the middle of the side yard, with you in Beti's boughs, Risshon facing you, and Lord Cheng in front of you to your right. Lyn is keeping the area cold to prevent reactions from going off faster than intended and is the only one who's going to be moving around to adjust things. Surrounding all of you is a massive scripted circle meant to push away unwanted aura and particulates—it might have been impressive to you once, but it's a lot less so now, after you've seen the Lady of the Night Sky create something this size to choke a Truegold without the Truegold even noticing it existed. This is comparatively simple, scripting to prevent anything from complicating your shared work.
This last stage has four steps. The first and third are chemical filterings provided by Beti. Between them, Risshon has to apply Truegold-level force madra to compress things down and stabilize it. Lastly, Lord Cheng will seal it in place with his soulfire.
The most difficult parts of the refining process are already behind you. This part is vital, and had to be scheduled carefully, but this one isn't as complicated or as easy to mess up as some of the earlier work.
Eventually, with almost no ceremony, things conclude. There's a final container of what looks like water in front of Lord Cheng. There's no more work for you or Beti or Risshon or Remelyn. "Right," Cheng says. "That's done."
You gently probe it with your spiritual sense. Throne still is the first thing you think of. That impression is stronger, sharper, than it was when you were first shown the raw materials and half-made intermediate steps. This is an elixir worthy of a throne. An elixir that looks like a small barrel of water. "I don't get it," you say. "That's too much. No one could drink that even if they could have all day to do it. Did you figure out how to make it work even with a long ingestion period?" It's not like Cheng wants ceremony, so you don't dress that up.
Cheng laughs. You can sense the endless pleasure behind it, even if it has a slight manic edge. "Nope! Or mostly not. It must all be taken in within about thirty-eight minutes. I'm angling for thirty minutes, with the remainder as a safety margin."
"I don't think most people could drink that much in that time." Even Dad, with an Iron body meant to let him eat massive quantities of stuff, would struggle. Beti could probably manage it, but you're pretty sure this isn't supposed to be for Beti.
"Luckily, they won't need to. Behold!" With a flourish, Cheng holds out his hand and a shining pill of vivid gold and green bands appears in a waterproof pill case. It feels... like the water. "The lynchpin of all my labors. The lucky recipient will rest in a bath of the elixir and take this pill, which is the key to the rest. It will allow any Lord's Iron body to fully absorb and benefit from the madra matrix embedded in the elixir, reducing it to ordinary water and avoiding the need for the digestion system to be involved. Also, the pill is flavored with mint." He combs through his thin beard with one hand. "The recipient will have to cleanse themself thoroughly beforehand, though. Skin oils or even dense body hair will contaminate the procedure."
The barrel and pill both disappear, which is slightly disappointing to you, because you had hoped to learn more by observing the finished product. You decide to prompt him, in case he reveals something more for you to learn, although you don't think it's something he overlooked. "I assume the overall... treatment... is going to be fine sitting in your void key?"
You get a slightly different response than you expected, though. "Eh? No, it's in my soulspace. I don't have a void key."
"You don't?"
"I did, for... what, three years? Had to sell it to afford some of the raw materials for this elixir. Something like half of my wealth is tied up in Heaven's Facade, meaning the finished product, now."
Cheng waves her away. "Never mind! I can hold it there until I get to the Forest Sage, that's the point. It will take a few more days before I'm ready to travel to him, though."
He doesn't give her any, though. He just speaks to you. "I heard you were adopted." It's an awkward, quiet croak, his voice sounding funny after being too long disused.
"I was," you confirm, equally quietly.
"The more perspective and power you have, the more responsibility you'll feel." He hesitates. "Don't regret whatever you have to do."
You don't get a chance to respond. Risshon lurches as far away as he can across the work site, Beti's and Lyn's eyes still on him. Clearly he felt it was important that he tell you that, but overall it was kind of a nebulous piece of advice.
You don't yet have a dedicated tutor or personal servant. You've met with several people serving as both, because Venkata wants to be sure that you have a good, well-rounded education. There's still work to be done on etiquette and history and geography and administration, but you've gotten way ahead on math and madra theory, which isn't in any way surprising given that you need to know that to do refining work.
Having someone try to serve you, on the other hand, still feels weird. You try not to make it awkward for them, because they're trying to do a job, but it's weird to have it be something normal instead of only if you're meeting with someone important.
Like today. You're just coming in from morning cycling with Beti, this day being one of the ones you took a Waxing Moon Elixir to help train your spirit to generate madra more quickly. It's not really getting you to a place of comparative advantage. It's just keeping you up to where you're expected to be. The elixir had been fine when it got to you, but you'd still filtered out a bit of unnecessary residue that would otherwise have hung around in your body for a day or two. That had basically just been practice: it didn't matter. You had added a banana flavoring, though, because the default flavor was very thin and fruit flavorings wouldn't complicate anything.
I didn't really think a lot about the education aspects of Keras's adoption but I am very happy about the fact Keras is learning more and more, it feels like the Scholarship Icon is possible for Keras, also it's good to know their math and madra theory is their strongest point.
Adapting to having servants and enough resources to start abusing elixirs is going to be a big change for Keras. Keras is a noble with all the wealth and connections that implies.
As she shares all this, Charitra gathers some things: cosmetics, hair things, and a little scripted light so she can see you better as she works. Your Goldsigns are less independent as you move closer to Highgold, so you haven't had any issues with them playing with your hair when they really shouldn't. "How's your baby's ear infection?" You ask Charitra as she has you take off outer clothing and begins to get to work on your hair.
"He's fine," Charitra says, and you can feel a little bit of uncertainty in her tone. "The salve you made worked excellently. He's not crying and everything seems fine."
"How much do you have left?"
"About half."
"Oh, good, that's what I expected. My dad said when I was young that I'd get ear infections regularly, so I know sometimes things come back. If you run out, you can let me know."
"I understand, Young Scion." You know she feels a little awkward about it, but someone out of her and her fellows will eventually take you at your word that they can ask for things like that. You're not a refiner for no reason, and you've been careful not to express anything as a command. This is a new situation for everyone, and that means that you all need to understand each other. You know (now, at least) that Charitra and others are happier taking refuge in being proper with you, and you'll try to respect that, but this is part of you that you need to express at least a bit, too. For now, she keeps focused on her task. "Which style of outfit was the Young Scion looking to use today?"
This is not new for her. She knows what you're going to say, but now that you're getting a new group of outfits, most of them tailored for you, you've had a chance to think, really think, with full understanding and a bit of experience, about what sort of look you'd like to project when you're in an important scene, and the last month or so has helped clarify things that you had been thinking over in the back of your mind ever since Luxe Jyothi opened your eyes to a new realm of possibilities.
Keras is a very kind and generous person they're also treating people the way they'd want to be treated which matters. The whole letting people be proper/formal with them for their own comfort is something Keras has had to adapt to.
*looks at invisitext*
Wow, it's almost like the imminent and unforeseen arrival of a wandering immortal beast of Hunger which destroys everything in its path is being treated as a big deal or something. Couldn't imagine why; surely it'll just turn out to be a bump in the road for everyone. Maybe we can bait it away by having it get distracted by a laser pointer or something? I heard the new Grand Duchess has got a whole bunch of different-colored ones, I bet that'll help.
Some interesting parallels to our old Iron Body acquisition method; and a really neat way to get around the absorption rate problem. Despite how anticlimactic it felt, the completion of this elixir marks a huge milestone. I wonder if Cheng's going to rework the recipe of the second dose using things he learned in the process of making this first one, polishing his masterpiece even further while also giving Keras the opportunity to observe it from the very start this time.
He'll probably need those improvements, honestly - on one side of things he's now got a fully-effective Walking Tree with a Partner that can understand his requests available right from the start; but that's countered by the fact that he already spent the majority of his money creating this first dose, isn't exactly likely to get money from delivering it to the Forest Sage, and he described some of the ingredients that already went into the first dose as one-of-a-kind opportunities that he didn't expect to be able to access again. It's gonna be a challenge to square that up, and one that I expect we'll be playing a major role in working out. At least until the Dreadgod comes through completely upending our new life, at least.
...Also, to go back to the instructions on how to actually take the Heaven's Facade for a moment: I can't help but imagine that your level of cleanliness going in is something that you absolutely do not want to take chances on, after the many, many resources a hypothetical buyer would have spent acquiring a dose of the stuff.
So I've just got this image of the equivalent of an online shop page -
The Heaven's Facade: the Advancement Elixir of Lords, Valued beyond all Measure, Masterpiece of Underlord Cheng
(Customers frequently bought this item alongside: Refining-grade Shampoo, Cheng-branded. Add this item to your cart and get a 0.00(...)05% discount on your final purchase?)
It is very similar to the Iron Body stuff and likely works upon similar and more advance versions of those principles. I do agree that it was very anti climatic though.
Keras' sudden social status shift is definitely going to lead to some level of changes they have to get used to. Their actions are now representative of something bigger than just themselves after all.
Damir continues to be the best. I will definitely vote to work with him a bit; maybe it'll help build Luxe/Brightflare relations up with our status and him pursuing greatness.
Heavens Facade is interesting. A part of me almost wants Cheng to deliver it and get laughed out of the room by the forest sage despite how much time, money, and effort he put into it. After all, the resources someone in a Monarch faction has, even a loose one, probably goes far, far beyond what a simple kingdom or Underlord could produce. I could see him getting a 'good job, for a backwater underlord' level compliment, instead.
Keras, being nearly Highgold isn't nearly enough. Hunger for more! Seek higher heights! I have a lot of genuine concern for how big a player we can possibly be for when the Dreadgod comes. Obviously we cannot do anything to the god itself, but our ability to help fight off their cult and save people from the aftermath depends greatly on our power.
I don't super care how Keras presents, personally, though I do sort of feel like we've pushed them to be sort of Femme just with votes we've made to be more similar to Mom. I don't, generally, find myself all that enthused by male protagonists on the whole, but I don't think a single person has voted for Masc leaning, so I see no reason to vote against it.
The social status shift is a huge thing for Keras to adapt to. Cheng will probably get some praises from the Forrest Sage an interest but there's better refiners out there then him, Cheng's advantage is that he's only indirectly tied to a faction.
Sure, but that would be terribly boring for something that has been a looming deadline since the beginning. It might be somewhere hundreds of miles away; but somewhere important to us.
This is all speculation for the most part, but I think it's pretty solid speculation personally;
It's most likely going to target the Silent Hinterlands; we already basically know that it's over a Labyrinth entrance, what with the remnants being destroyed instead of made, the extreme weakness of the aura in the area, and the presence of secret barrows that have lord level treasures. Etaja is going to touch on something he shouldn't in his study of Cradle powers, and it's going to be enough to rouse a dreadgod to head that direction. I'm guessing it's path will happen to go through or near Great Crevasse.
We know that Etaja is the cause because he is why no Oracles can predict this one like they normally would; his ripples in the rivers of fate can only be seen from the moment the stone is cast. So only once he Does The Thing that will awaken a dreadgod will people be able to sense that a dreadgod will awaken.
Keras could also be the cause but through Etaja, as when we take Etaja's advice and knowledge it provides similar ripples in fate. But I don't think we are touching on any forbidden knowledge that could rouse a dreadgod.
The Silent Hinterlands is the target and Keras is going to have to deal with the fallout of that. And if it isn't the target it'll likely still get hit by it and there's not going to be any preparation. I can kinda see Keras eventually having to take over the Silent Hinterlands which would be interesting, not sure how I'd feel about that.
We are way too early for it to be Lindon's Bleeding Phoenix meeting, because that happened within a couple years (i think a year?) of the Uncrowned King tournament that's still 7 years away.
At this point in the Timeline Lindon is still in Sacred Valley thinking he's cursed as Unsouled.
According to most timelines, all of Cradle from the start of Unsouled (besides the childhood prologue section) takes around 3 years. Lindon goes from Foundation to Truegold in a year.
One thing from recent chapters that I'm suspecting might end up becoming relevant is Ju Dao's semi-exile to go fight Dreadbeasts and Blood Shadows on the Kingdom's eastern borders. He'd be back in the city about half a year before the arrival date, which leaves a reasonable bit of wiggle room in terms of both whatever intermediate dominoes that sets off in turn and then the Dreadgod's travel time towards whichever location it targets as a result.
Maybe Ju Dao brings something back with him as a trophy or reminder (or parasite, in the unlikely case of a Blood Shadow getting involved), and after we happen to meet with him for something unrelated that becomes Etaja's first introduction to the ever-fascinating Hunger Madra? Could be that the main trigger is Etaja having Keras investigate it further and in the process we run an unwise experiment/ it accidentally touches our Fate Bracelet/ etc; or that he recognizes it as having something to do with to the Silent Hinterlands but which he'd previously dismissed before as just a background part of the world, leading to him poking the matter just a bit too hard and provoking a response; or that he tries to replicate or draw out a bit of it in his cave to study it where his senses are sharper and triggers some grave consequences; or something along those lines?
Man, Damir's great. He and Keras are basically co-conspirators, which is an odd relationship to have, but they make it work since they're actually very alike?
They're both very ambitious. They see the opportunities around them, and feel the desire to take as much of them as they can, to go as far as they possibly can. They want to progress, they want to be better, they want to be the best possible versions of themselves. Resources, advancement, station, wisdom, they want it all.
But they're also alike in that they both have strong senses of ethics and morals that they don't let their ambitions override. They want to do well by the people who helped them get where they are, they don't want to look down on people who are currently below them. Keras is better at showing it outwardly, but Damir has a pretty solid inner core himself (which was probably nurtured by his relationship with Keras, admittedly).
That's how you get scenes like in this chapter, where they're talking shop about politics and exchanges of resources and face, all things that would typically lead to a very cold, distant, pragmatic sort of conversation and relationship... But they somehow manage to make the topics friendly instead, since they just vibe together so well. They both know neither of them wishes the either poorly, that they both want all the same things, and they can be trusted not to stab the other in the back unless circumstance really forces their hand, so it ends up being two friendly social climbers talking about how they can help each other out instead of two evil schemers talking about how they can bend the world to their will or whatever.
I think the thing I like best is how casual yet business it is. Keras knows Damir is friendly with them for the benefits it provides him, but also knows it costs them nothing to call him Sifu and help him out. Damir knows that Keras knows these things and does it anyways, so he looks out for them and seeks ways for them to both benefit from it. It's a business relationship, but a very healthy one.
It's not like with Gardenia where I can imagine Keras talking about boys (or girls) and clothes and etc. It's where they can come together, share tips, talk about plans, and in doing so try to boost both of them in small ways, because they've acknowledged one another.
Damir and Keras both know the score they're both talented social climbers who are growing through their own talent, hard work and earned connections. They're not assholes about it but they know how things work and are both pratical and friendly enough to have a good business relationship.
[X] Intentionally ambiguous
Keras will continue to dress in ways that are in the middle of gender presentations. This is a fully intentional and desirable state for them, and they will continue to remain in this type of style even as they grow up.
