On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

The skies were crackling with crimson, amber, brown and violet energies, sparks raining down like multi-coloured snow. A faint humming set my teeth on edge, a pressure that seemed to pass through my entire body, stimulating the activity of my Chakras subtly.

“You should not gawp.” Arisu-san warned from behind me, her tone slightly warmer than her usual frosty precision. “You promised to let them surprise you. White would be upset if you break that promise.”

“And you hate liars, oathbreakers and betrayers, right? I’m not fond of liars myself.” I countered. “Still…” I gestured at the Rhyming Tree, as we momentarily appeared in the Ring Gate Hub in my Territory, before we would be transferring to the mansion in the Fae Realms. “It’s impossible to ignore, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so.” she agreed. We paused for a moment, taking in the spectacle. Even Arisu-san was impressed, as was Suzu, who had accompanied us, saying she was bored, and also Tsurugi, who was holding my hand tightly, as if making up for the time we had spent apart last night.

“I’m worried though… the Boundary… it’s not supposed to handle this sort of ether density, is it?” The sky itself seemed to be shuddering, the aurorae of dark, impossible colours that made up the Boundary skies seemingly replaced with the colours of the elements Asha’s Tree was attuned to, as well as the vivid violet of spatial element. Faint silver lightning could be seen crackling beyond, and it reminded me of when the etheric tide was at its deepest, just… localised.

“I remember we drew in a Wyrm by having too much ether around back then.” I reminisced. “Of course, a Wyrm of that level is no danger now, but…” I considered my worries carefully. All around us, weaselkin and ratkin were rushing back and forth through the large circle of mushrooms that made up the Ring Gate Hub, carrying Ixitt’s Artificial Ether Silos. The toadstools seemed a bit larger than when I last saw them, drawing my attention. “…even though we’re sending all the ether to be safety stored in the Silos Haru has inherited from Mount Atago, that… burns like a beacon.”

“True.” Arisu-san agreed. Beside her, Suzu giggled, sucking on one of her lollies idly. I noticed that Tsurugi was chewing on one too, and seeing my expression, Suzu shrugged cheerfully. Yeah, she’s definitely a free spirit. And… sure, she’s got her issues, but she’s kind to kids…

“But do take heart.” Arisu continued, gazing over towards the Tree, her obsidian eyes shrewd and missing nothing. “After all, Red must understand this better than any of us, no? And now… I find it hard to believe, but… she will not fail your interests. To think such a distrustful, bitter woman could fall so. You are an effective scammer…”

Indeed, Shiro had come ahead of us, Asha and Magatama accompanying her, and they had continued their work from last night. I felt the prickling of Shiro’s Berserk Blessing. At first it wasn’t in use, but as the night passed, it seemed Shiro was confident it wouldn’t hurt Asha, as she was now under the slowly ramping effects. Of course, I resonated with it, reducing the discomfort as much as I could, as the thought of Asha, pregnant or not, being hurt, didn’t sit well with me.

“Please don’t say I scammed her.” I complained, but her flat gaze did prick at my conscience. “Look, you know I’ll do everything to make her happy! Besides, if I piss off Tan, she could teach me a lesson.”

“Everything except be faithful… oh, I know, I know.” Arisu-san conceded, though I felt she was actually more amused and exasperated than actually angry. “I have grown used to your more exotic relationships. And if everyone consents, it is hardly my place to complain. But White is my friend, and I have few of those. Red too, I suppose, in a twisted way. And yes, you too, Suzanne-san…” Her exasperation was clearly shining through now. “I can see you pouting. Though in your case, much like Akio-san here, I see you as a little sister. One who needs advice and discipline.”

“Scary!” Suzu giggled, popping the half-eaten lollipop out of her mouth for a minute. “But in that case…” Her sapphire blue eyes were innocent and guileless, but there was a wicked twinkle deep within. “…if I’m sister to both of you, doesn’t that make you siblings… or partners?”

I paused, shocked by her cheeky insinuation, but Arisu-san merely stared at her, yet Suzu seemed immune to her stern demeanour, merely laughing to herself.

“See. Discipline.” Arisu-san insisted, and as Suzu made a show of shivering in mock-fear, Arisu-san turned her attention back to my worries. “I know you have spatial talents. You must have perceived the change here. The situation is rather perfect for mitigating the great effects of this Tree. Besides…” Her stern expression softened. “…White and the others merely wish to give you a gift. And hasten the upgrade of the Territory. After that, the pressure on resources should diminish while you save for Suzuki-san’s and Princess Eleanor’s Territories.”

“I’m not a genius like you, Arisu-san.” I disagreed, though my Eyes shone, taking the flow of spatial element into account. “Although, now you mention it, yes, I can certainly see what you mean.”

“Flattering me will get you no benefits. And I shall tell White and Red.” Arisu-san’s tone was dry. “It is rather fortunate. Firstly, I profited rather significantly from the storm of spatial element generated by the Migration of the Seelie Court. I still hold a great deal, which is fortunate, for… I am naught but a convenient taxi it seems.” At her complaints, I insisted she was a valued friend and member of the team, and she rolled her eyes.

“You should learn to let women complain, Akio-san. We express our feelings more openly than men. Though… not too frequently or truly, unless we wish to be exploited and disregarded. The world of working adults is harsh. Especially in some industries…”

“You say that like I wasn’t a worker…” I swallowed my words at her expression. “Sure, I get it. Showbusiness is brutal. And so is being a Chosen. I was a freelancer, doing odd jobs, so I didn’t have the same social constraints. Complain away…”

Suzu giggled again, as Arisu-san shot me a flat look. “The way you said that shows you did not understand my point. Poor White and Red. To fall for such a dull man…” She then switched to what I liked to call ‘lecturer mode’, and I rejoiced to see it. Arisu-san showed her brightest expressions when acting, or when talking about physics. “…now then. Follow the spatial flows. I trust you are absorbing what spatial element you can, it is a rare treat?”

I nodded. “Of course. And as much as falls on our Territory, we’re stashing in the Elemental Silos. Follow it, huh?” The flow of spatial element was a trickle compared to the greater torrent of earth element, and the lesser but still potent floods of water and wood elements, but my Eyes were keen enough to pick it out. “I see. It’s flowing towards the Ring Gate.”

“Exactly. It is like pressure, equalising in a way. The energies are dispersed. It might cause other issues…”

“Yeah, we were trying to lower Kyoto’s density, so this is undoing our work, but fortunately it flows out to Aiko’s Territory, and London too… so that’s one worry slightly alleviated…” I’m still concerned we’ll draw dangerous beings from the lower Astral over. It might be hard for them while the etheric tide is shallow, but it’s still a risk… but then, if we could get to Rank Four, we get a much stronger defence and can start developing again, after this long pause…

“If there are problems, we shall handle them.” Arisu-san insisted. “I am carefully studying the interplay of spatial and other elements, for it is giving me fresh insights into the best ways to manipulate my Room. Already the restraints on distance are becoming less relevant, as I imagined they would. After all, when one travels by folding space, it should not matter whether it is a hundred or a million miles, the distance is the same. Zero. So long as one has an appropriate beacon, of course…” I listened to her lecture for a few minutes, until she was satisfied, and I was grateful for her insights, as even just from her explanations, I felt my own knowledge grow. Finally, she wound down, and with some final words ordered me. “Now then… time is at a premium. Come.”

“Sure thing.” I agreed, hoisting the heavy luggage over my shoulder, containing a professional grade video camera, sound boom and some portable lighting rigs. Overall, it was more than a hundred kilograms in weight, but with my stats it wasn’t difficult, just awkward, due to the size. Nw ovel chaptrs are published on novel✦fire.net

“Poor Akio-kun.” Suzu chuckled, “Isn’t he pitiful, Tsurugi-chan, being worked like a pack mule by Arisu-chan?”

“Father can carry a mountain if he must. Such is nothing to him!” Tsurugi declared proudly, her grip tight on my hand. As Suzu pretended to be amazed, teasing her, I took one last look at Asha’s towering Tree, the skies above churning, the bright sparks of ether constantly condensing out, before I stepped back into the ring of mushrooms, and was swallowed up by the scattering ruby and violet energies, emerging after a long, frozen moment of dislocation into the Fae Realms.

Huh, the density here really isn’t much higher than around Asha’s Tree right now… That showed just how fiercely Asha’s Tree was affecting the ether density. Obviously, it was slow to spread over my whole Territory and the surrounding area, just as adding ink to a bowl of water would take a while to dye it all, but if the Tree kept producing… If we get to Rank Four, it shouldn’t be such a problem. Repeating Arisu-san’s earlier thought reassuringly, we started heading towards the mansion, where a set of forges and workshops had been set up, mirroring my Territory.

“Curious, to think that a few hours or days matters to beings whose lifespans are measured in many centuries.” Arisu-san declared, discerning my thoughts. “Perhaps this is the most fascinating thing of all, the comparison between the pace of life between us. After all, we humans… our lives are but a flickering spark in the darkness, burning brightly for a moment, and then gone.” At her poetic words, Suzu listened quietly, and I nodded. Tsurugi didn’t understand, but I did, and the wistful, almost pained look on Arisu-san’s face saddened me.

“Don’t worry.” I reassured her. “You’ll have plenty of time to follow your dreams. Sure, things are crazy now, but they’ll settle down. I know you feel robbed of the best years of your life, when your career was blooming, but… Arisugawa Arisu will be the most famous actor in the world.” I paused, my own thoughts on the matter some I’d been considering a while now. “I just hope that we never fall into the ennui of having endless lives, wasting our time in idleness. I want us all to keep our mortal drives, to make the most of every moment, be that for a year, a decade, a century or a millennium. Life is for living, isn’t it?”

“You really think that’ll be a problem, Akio-kun?” Suzu asked, her blue eyes wide with curiosity, making her seem younger. “It’s not like we’re all going to be like you.”

“I don’t know about that.” I shook my head. “Even now, Suzu, your stats are such that you’ll likely live healthily into old age, I wouldn’t be surprised if Chosen break all the world’s longevity records. But that’s not the point. I already know it’s possible to significantly slow aging with certain Skills, and you can always become something other than human, although…” I scratched my cheek ruefully. “…it doesn’t feel great saying that. From what Tan’s told me, and from what I’ve gathered from my discussion with the Norns, a century would be quick for a world to find itself with an Astral Emperor, so logically, Chosen who reach a certain threshold of power would have to live extraordinarily long lifetimes. Besides…” I looked at the refugee from a disinterested family, feeling rather brotherly. “…I promised to take care of you, Suzu. I’ll see that you get to reach your full potential.”

“You hear that, Arisu-chan?” Suzu snickered. “Isn’t Akio-kun just oozing with the need to look after people? I don’t hate it though. Perhaps this is what it feels like to have an older brother who actually cares? I agree though. Life’s too short for lying around! I’ve songs to write, fans to perform for… and battles to win, right?” She winked, striking a pose, her blonde drill-tails bouncing, until Arisu-san sighed.

“Enough, Suzanne-san. You offered to help, so be serious for a moment. After all, we are here.”

As Suzu offered a joking apology, we had indeed arrived, and waiting for us was the High Kobold, Darkflame. His thin, almost childlike appearance was at odds with the rather portentous expression on his face. The strange lantern he carried was belted at his waist, sparking fitfully, and now he was wearing a strange set of work clothes, brown leather apron and short trousers, somewhat reminiscent of German clothing. Behind him stood a number of weaselkin guards, as there was no way we were leaving such a suspicious visitor unattended, even if he professed no intent to cause trouble.

“So, you have returned then?” Darkflame asked. “I have been waiting.”

“And I’ve been busy.” I countered. There was something hard to like about Darkflame, unlike the earnest Goblin who had brought Aine to us in her crystal coffin. Still, I was a politician now, in the abstract sense, so I had to work with those my interests aligned with. Besides, I do owe the Kobolds. They’ve been with me from the start.

“So I hear.” Darkflame agreed. “This is your answer then?”

“It’s a start. It isn’t like the Goblins, where there’s a tangible Woe to unravel. This is more complicated, and deeper rooted. But we can do it. Oh, and…” I paused, glancing at Tsurugi, who was holding my hand, looking around with some curiosity. “…is Bjarki here?”

“That Dwarf? He is.” Darkflame agreed. “Quite the industrious fellow. Though he forgets what it is like to toil in the mines. The greatest craftsmen should mine the ore, smelt it, and then create with it. From first to last.”

“I see.” That way might imbue the created item with more of one’s adherence, but… it would severely limit the number of pieces one could craft. “Anyway, we should get started.”

I had to release my grip on Tsurugi, which made her pout, but it didn’t take me long to unpack the equipment Ginneka had sent to the Boundary for us. Initial tests had proved a little… problematic… as the digital video camera recorded colours and images that weren’t even present, the scene a garish blur of vivid aurorae and storms of light, but I had solved that problem quite quickly, surprising Arisu-san.

Imbued Filter Lens [Item Class: Sufficient] [Item Type: Rule]

This lens, crafted from thin bluesteel fibres made into a mesh, and imbued with Light Element, absorbs much of the interference the strange non-light of the Astral causes and converts it into the ordinary, Material light that the technology operates on.

A similar device was created for the microphone using wind element. Of course, sound wasn’t transmitted here, at least not in terms of vibrations of the air. I still hadn’t exactly worked out all the nuances, like whether there was actually air or not. Laverna’s Favour seemed to give the ability for whatever was sent over to function, but functioning didn’t necessarily mean it gave us what we wanted. I mean, we still get a recording, but it’s unusable. But with some tweaks…

“All right then! I’ll be your assistant again, Arisu-chan! It’s good publicity for me!” Suzu was excited for this, but I trusted Arisu-san to keep her in line.

“Just… stick to the script.” Arisu-san warned, and Suzu saluted, bouncing up and down on her heels excitedly, reminding me a lot of my sister. Yeah, Aiko… what am I going to do with her? I guess I can’t decide until after I’ve spent some time with her tomorrow. But… one task at a time…

“I do not know what this will achieve.” Darkflame spoke as we entered the large shed set up for the Kobold artisans. Inside, a dozen of the small, doglike Fae were working, finishing up the last of the Christmas gifts I’d commissioned, though I noticed a few that seemed unusual. I guess it’s not impossible some of the others might have asked the Kobolds to make some presents too…

“If you wish to break the image of the Kobolds as fallen, corrupted Fae, then showing them to the world this way…” he shrugged. “…I cannot fathom your goals here.”

“The media is not about truth. It never has been.” Arisu-san’s tone was sharp, bitter. “We present stories the public crave. In films and dramas, it is entirely fictional, but when it comes to news… there is a kernel of truth, but it is still… repackaged… in a way that is easy for the viewers to understand and accept. This is truer now than ever.” She glanced at me, and I nodded.

“Exactly. We have to manage public sentiment. If we build in resilience and understanding now, it’ll be easier for the world to remain calm and accepting when the real trouble starts. And it will.” I have no doubt of that. These are just the opening moves, and already there’s that damn toad in China, as well as the Church of True Revelation, chaos in South Africa and other countries… we need to prepare everyone.

“I still do not see the correlation. Though I confess, after your miracle with the First Goblin, I am prepared to give you some leeway.” Darkflame’s words were still arrogant, and after his revelation about the source of the Lanterns the Wild Hunt had obtained, we had decided it was better to keep him close and offer the information to the Way-Wardens, in the hopes it could make a difference to the Seelie Court’s defence. All the High Kobolds are foolish. Doing it this way will set back acceptance of the Kobolds, just when their stock was rising due to our Territory… though I suppose they couldn’t have known what was going to happen. Shaeula did treat them terribly before, and I know she wasn’t alone in that…

“It’s simple.” I smiled triumphantly. Simple? In theory, though… it’s quite the trial for me… All of my Split Thoughts barring the one I needed to run my Material body were concentrated here, and I wove light element into multiple displays, strengthening them with aether to fill in any gaps in the images. The Kobolds, who we had advised beforehand, paused in wonder at seeing themselves so changed, the illusion convincing.

“Look.” I chuckled. “Kobolds! Just like you.” Indeed, the illusion was changing their heads and hands into those similar to Darkflame. We had the Kobolds wearing workwear that fully covered their bodies, which brought their looks closer to the High Kobold, but more importantly, was to make weaving and sustaining the illusions vastly easier. “In fact, you could almost mistake them for Dwarves. Maybe Disney could hire you all for the next Snow White rerelease.” The only difference is that Dwarves tend to be burlier, stocky. Oh, and they have a lot more facial hair, of course.

“This…” Darkflame seemed to be taken aback, before he realised my plan. “…you say you can reach all the humans of the vast world…”

“In theory, though obviously not everyone will watch, but…” I grinned at Suzu and Arisu-chan, and Suzu nodded, her hair swaying almost hypnotically. I know my sis told me Suzu spends a stupid amount of time styling that each morning, but… it’s a fantastic hairstyle to see in real life. I thought it only happened in anime…

“Leave it to me! I’m totally ready to put on a wonderful show. An idol has to have great screen presence.”

“All right then…” I began to set up the equipment, modified by the filters I had crafted, Arisu-san once more displaying her expertise. Once everything was in position, we ran through the sound checks and footage testing, and I tweaked the balance of light and wind elements within the bluesteel, until we were effectively recording.

“It seems good. To think the problem would be so easily resolved…” Arisu-san mused, and I shrugged.

“Easy? I had to rush these out, since it’s not like Bjarki would understand what we wanted.”

“Take heart.” Arisu-san surprised me by sympathising, though her smile was rather mocking. “Once Christmas is done, you will be freed from your endless crafting of gifts. Though I believe your sister’s birthday is soon?”

“Yeah, early next year.” I agreed. “But damn, I know what it feels like to be a slave in Santa’s workshop…”

“I have little sympathy. This was what you chose.”

“Oh Arisu-chan, you shouldn’t bully Akio-kun.” Suzu’s smile was bright and guileless. “I think it’s something to admire. Just like I knew I had to be an idol, the best idol, and dedicate myself to achieving that goal, he knows what he has to do.”

“That’s right!” Tsurugi balled her fists, glowering at Arisu-san. “Don’t bully father! Father works hard!”

“I see. It seems I am quite defeated.” Arisu-san backed down with a slight smile curving her lips. “Though if you think I am bullying him, you are mistaken. I simply lack sympathy for his choices. After all, nobody forced him to make all these treasures. But while I do not sympathise, I respect it. Alas though, for the wicked, there is no rest. Now then… we shall begin.”

Arisu-san quickly briefed the Kobolds, and soon I was filming, Tsurugi beside me.

“Today, we bring you an unprecedented first. Here on World Tree Television, we have finally managed to secure footage and interviews from… another world. Though calling it that is a misnomer.” Arisu-san’s perfect diction and ability to infuse emotion into every word was captivating, and for a moment I forgot what I was even doing, before my Resilience kicked in. Yeah, if we have to do retakes, I’ll be in trouble, both because I don’t have time, and also because Arisu-san will kill me…

“Instead, we should perhaps call it the spiritual world, a mirror to our own, where creatures from myth and legend have long dwelt, hidden from our human eyes. But those times have passed.”

“That’s right.” Suzu jumped in. “Oh, let me introduce myself. I’m Suzu, centre for the idol group Suzumebachi, and also good friend to Arisu-chan here, as well as Akio-kun, who owns this land!”

Not technically true, this is Shaeula’s, and still part of the Seelie Court. But no need to worry about complicating things.

“As to why I’m here… it’s an idol’s job to entertain our fans, and what’s more entertaining than this?” She giggled charmingly, and addressed the first Kobold, who seemed nervous, but was sticking to the script. “Kobold-kun… can you tell me what you are making? It looks gorgeous.”

“Oh… yes… I am carving, am inlaying…” the usual Kobold doublespeak came out, but the odd yips and growls the Kobolds made could be edited out from the footage a lot easier than changing the visuals so it was fine.  “…a treasure brooch.” He lifted it up, showing it to Suzu, who made appropriate impressed noises. “It is a rank insignia, and a gift, a present. I am just… doing the finishing touches though, it was made, was forged, by another.”

“As you can see…” Arisu-san took over. “…these Kobolds are small yet dexterous beings, who delve deep in the earth and have skilful fingers and delight in crafting works of art. They are not to be confused with Dwarves, though. Dwarves are a different family of spiritual beings, and their tastes run more to… armour and weapons, the heavy pounding of iron and the heat of the forge…”

Yeah, there’s going to be a fair few fans of Arisu-san who sleep badly tonight thinking of her saying ‘heavy pounding’.

“…the etymological roots of their name comes from old Germanic, I believe.” Arisu-san continued, though I did detect her eyebrow twitch as she looked at the camera, and I held in a chuckle. Yeah, she’s sharp as ever… “…though they are not so much house spirits, Goblins, as they are dwellers in mines. There is some confusion between the terminology, which is only natural. After all, it has been more than a thousand years since these beings were seen.”

“Look at this!” Suzu piped up, now with the second Kobold. “This is beautiful!” She picked up an ornate fountain pen, crafted from a polished, silvery metal, and the delicate engravings that the Kobold had added were truly beyond anything I could do. Sure, I have the precision and ability, but… artistic talent is something you have or you don’t… so I’d rather leave the finishing touches to the professionals…

“It’s gorgeous. Look at the patterns. Cherry blossoms, sunlight, strawberries, it’s like a scene straight out of a fairytale, all carved so beautifully it seems alive!”

“It… is supposed to represent spring, so I was told, was advised.” The Kobold was nervous, but his eyes were bright at her praise. “It is a gift, a present.”

“Spring, huh? Oh, I get it.” Suzu tittered. “I know who this is for. Very… practical. But I hope that Akio-kun’s thought of something that isn’t work related, or he’ll be in trouble…” The singsong way she intoned ‘trouble’ made me grin to myself. Of course I’ve prepared another gift. Several, in fact, but… I have to be careful to keep maintaining the boundary between us. To do anything less is just wrong.

As the filming continued, I smiled at Suzu’s obvious enthusiasm, and while Tsurugi seemed bored, snuggling up against me, she didn’t cause trouble, and soon Arisu-san was taking charge again, directing this careful play…

***

“…of course, modern media has a very wrong impression of many spiritual beings, both native and not. After all, princess Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan is a Faerie, but a more archetypical Faerie as per Western and Japanese myths would be someone such as Princess Estallian. Of course, WTV will be the only station to bring you profiles and information on such storied beings from myth. We shall not forget famous Yōkai too, of course. But I digress. My point is…”

We had talked to all the Kobolds, showing off their work (and a number of presents they were desperately finishing the engravings on for me) and Arisu-san was now giving her closing arguments, combined with Suzu’s work earlier, designed to lead public opinion and perception of the Kobolds worldwide. I doubted it would have an immediate impact, but Fae were at their core, inherently mutable, so with enough belief, and the adherence that generated, and perhaps some conscious manipulation of that on our end, it was surely possible to reverse their degradation.

“…thinking of Kobolds as cute, dog-like creatures, or even reptilian beings, similar to wicked Goblins, is simply outdated. Only on WTV can you find out the real truth behind these creatures. Consider it… a travelogue, of sorts. Suzu here…” Arisu-san used her stage name when on screen, her professionalism shining through. “…as an up-and-coming idol, who had a successful performance at the charity concert, as well as being a Chosen, has graciously agreed to take over this series, and hopes to make it both entertaining and informative.”

“Look forward to it!” Suzu’s cheerfulness shone through. “Though you might not get to see so much pretty jewellery in other episodes!”

“In any case, sadly, this is all we have time for. I dream of the day WTV has other staff who can handle its affairs, but as a broadcaster, we shall strive for fairness and truly informative reporting. I was your host, Arisugawa Arisu…”

“And I’m your co-host, Suzu!”

“…wishing you have a pleasant day, and remember, the unknown is only knowledge we do not yet possess. Stay calm and stay inquisitive.” She then paused, before declaring the broadcast over.

“Finally.” I let the illusions I was weaving fade, the Kobolds returning to their true appearance. “That was tough. Having to keep the illusions steady, as well as film…”

“Girls don’t like complainers, Akio-kun.” Suzu snickered, clapping her hands eagerly. “Arisu-chan, you were great as always. You could narrate documentaries with that voice.”

“I probably will have to.” Arisu-san’s tone was dry. “Though that is the sort of work we can pass off when we finally accumulate a trustworthy staff. Most of the original FujiTV contractors are… unsuitable for our needs. Fortunately, the nobility are vetting new applicants. We should be able to put together a skeleton staff able to do at least some suitable programming by the new year.”

As I showed Arisu-san the record footage, Darkflame was looking at us with curious eyes. “Your words… they give the Kobolds great respect.”

“And why would they not? Just because they are different to us, we should disdain them? Nobody is crueller to humans than other humans, trust me.” Arisu-san was nodding as she played back the recorded scenes. “Besides, there are other benefits. While Akio-san is not one to neglect his allies, there are… practical… reasons too, yes? This is an experiment. One that fulfils both aims.”

“I can’t get anything past you, can I?” I chuckled wearily. Suzu and Tsurugi didn’t seem to understand, but Arisu-san had caught on, of course. “Yes, this further tests out just what we can do with adherence. Spiritual beings seem far more malleable to being changed, so… what if we can harness the power of all the belief on Earth, directing it to making us stronger? Particularly someone like Shaeula. As a princess of the Fae, who already has a good public image… or longer term, Asha and her Tree…”

“Ambitious. And fraught with peril.” Arisu-san proclaimed, and Darkflame narrowed his eyes.

“You are putting the Kobolds at risk?”

“Hardly.” I disagreed. Satisfied after scrolling through the footage at twenty times normal speed, Arisu-san handed me the camera and I stowed it, ready for transportation back to our mobile studio. “In fact, the only peril is not understanding just how adherence can be used, not on the smaller scales we have so far, but on a planetary, or perhaps even greater scale. It makes me wonder…” I frowned. “…no, it’s probably nothing.”

I didn’t want to speak of it in front of Darkflame, nor Suzu either, though for a different reason. It gives me a bad feeling, that the goal of the Church’s foolish attacks which brought them so much condemnation wasn’t entirely just to sow terror… but… I hope I’m wrong, yet if I’m not, we can try the opposite move…

“Regardless of what you think, Darkflame, just as the Goblins are our citizens now, so are the Kobolds, and I don’t mistreat my own. But we will need to assess how it all works.”

“Making a control group, or even measuring changes and tangible beliefs would be troublesome, but essential if we are to build a model of what can be achieved, and how much of the populace we would have to sway for that…” Arisu-san was now back in her scientific mindset, and Suzu and I exchanged wry glances.

“Father…” Tsurugi suddenly pulled at my arm. “I… smell… it’s like that bad sword you didn’t need before.” The door to the shed the Kobolds were using for their work here banged open, and in walked a familiar face, just as Tsurugi finished her grumbling. “I’m glad I got rid of it. Father doesn’t need a trash sword like that, not when he has me! I’m the only sword you’ll ever need, father!”

“What’n ye be saying, little scamp?” Bjarki’s eyes narrowed, his craftsman’s senses clearly alight with curiosity. “Nay be calling m’sword trash, that’n be the pinnacle of m’Dvergr Arts. It’n took many an iteration tae make a blade that nay broke every time he wielded it. Tae speak of that… ye’ve nay been back for maintenance. I made it damn strong, ye ken, but nay weapon be invincible. Proper care be vital…”

“Hah! That’s wrong!” Tsurugi shimmered and was suddenly in my hand, her blade long and elegant, glowing with powerful energies. Even in this form, she could talk. “I’m father’s unbreakable sword, the only one he’ll ever need. Your stupid trash sword was only holding him back and occupying the hand only I should hold!” She then made a disparaging sound grumpily. Mom called it ‘blowing a raspberry’, if I remember right.

As Suzu was giggling to herself at the scene, enjoying my misfortune, Arisu-san strode out, leaving me to my fate. I don’t blame you. I wish I could walk out too. But I’ve been avoiding this long enough, and… my Eyes, keener than ever, were offering me glimpses of a new possibility. “Bjarki, yes, about that… I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your sword. I just… haven’t had the time…”

Darkflame watched on with a mocking grin, perhaps enjoying that now I was on the back foot, but I paid him no mind. “So, the thing is…”