Learner’s Notes, day 271 On Romance Novels:

I was introduced to something called Romance Novels by Kala today. My reading skills have come very far over the time that I’ve been here, but I did have to clarify a few words with the princess, to her mild discomfort.

Let me see if I can condense Romance Novels into a short sentence.

Wacky hijinks that result in misunderstandings, that result in hurt feelings, that result in reconciliation, that result in breeding.

Nadia drifted by our shady spot under the tree, her toes dragging on the dirt as she wasn’t able to get enough lift. She scoffed at the book cover displaying the abdomen of a male specimen with low body fat, then called it ‘dross’.

I’m not….sure I understand this reality better than Kala, but it seems to me that Kala might have been using this emotional rollercoaster of fictionalized drama to serve as a template for a normal marriage, which seems obviously wrong.

I mean, if everyone were constantly killing out of jealousy, committing sexual blackmail, stealing each other’s wives and dueling to the death over her favor, there wouldn’t be anyone left, at all, would there?

Kala’s been married for almost a month now, and nothing even close to these scenarios has played out. It’s just…normal life.

I wonder if I should talk to her about this.

Edit: I talked to her about it, and she says that she reads the stories about convoluted paths to breeding for fun, and is aware that they are in no way real or even advisable models for appropriate behavior.

Still, I’m not quite sure she understands. I expressed an interest in reading these wacky breeding excuses, and Kala went into her cottage and produced fifty pounds of imaginary breeding stories, dropping them in my arms.

Ella came by around this time and gave a smile and a very slow nod, making heavy eye contact with Kala, most likely some kind of hidden message.

‘I see you’re corrupting the youth again,’ she said. I may only have been around here for a few months, but I’ve stalked my reality since the dawn of time.

Now, to read these contrived breeding novels. Hopefully I’ll figure out what makes Kala tick and also figure out what humans find so fascinating about trying to make more humans.

Kala and Ella were trying to make humans with each other last night, even though everything I’ve learned tells me that would have no chance of working…I don’t get it.

I spent the night reading the books, but they didn’t explain a thing. It was just more convoluted breeding patterns following the exact same pattern as the others. Why on Marconen would a young girl read the same story over and over again like it was amusing?

I’m starting to fear for Kala’s sanity.

I went to Calvin and asked him why humans like making humans so much. His eyes glazed over for a few minutes as he had an internal dialogue with Elliot, the person living in his head. Once that was over, I finally got a decent answer.

Since human’s traits are often expressed in their children, an individual who likes to breed will have many children who also like to breed, eventually becoming the general population.

In essence, sluttiness is a self-selecting trait, so humans are just naturally slutty.

Good to know. Explains a lot.

***Calvin***

“That was weird,” Calvin said as Learner left the workroom, leaving him alone with Jinsei.

“What’s Dee Enn eeey?” The skinny glass smith asked.

“Damned if I know,” Calvin said, turning back to him.

“So,” Calvin said, flattening out the plans for the water condenser “Air goes in, gets concentrated and pushed through this cylinder here, which is composed of layers of glass and air, as tight as possible to ensure the highest possible surface area we can manage without restricting the flow too much.”

“These leaves that the wind go between are made of crushed icefish bones mixed into the glass and worked at the lowest possible temperature to preserve the properties of the bone dust. This is technique is some kind of family secret but I’m pretty sure you can copy it.”

“Each successful sheet is wrapped in nem-coated glass to preserve and moderate the effects. The glass has to have a precise ratio of icefish bone to nem. Too hot and it doesn’t condense water, too cold and the whole contraption will gum up with ice.”

“I see,” Jinsei said, taking a bite of Kupa fruit as he spun the diagram around to face himself. “This is kids stuff. I thought you were gonna come at me with something harder.”

“I want them shrunk. One in every home in the city, no more than ten feet tall. Still sound easy?”

Jinsei winced. “ten feet? This thing’s supposed to be ten stories.”

“Oh, and I want you to increase the efficiency of the design.”

Jinsei stared at him, his jaw slackening.

“If anyone can do it, it’s you.” Calvin said, clapping him in the back.

“Really?”

“Yep, and if you find yourself wallowing in despair again, I’ll be sure to send Nadia to cheer you up.” That was equal parts promise and threat. The man was infatuated with Nadia, but also terrified of her.

Jinsei shuddered and clutched the blueprint to his chest like a frightened child with a stuffed bear.

“No, you don’t have to do that.” He said hastily, backing away from Calvin. “I’ll get started on this right away…Is Nadia actually here? In the camp?”

“She’s usually on the second floor of the town hall helping out with experiments, but I give her the nights off. She usually goes to the saloon.”

“Really?” Jinsei straightened his shoulders, nervously combing his fingers through his hair, coughing into his hand.

“I’ll get started on this right away.” Jinsei said, his voice a touch deeper.

That kid’s got it bad. Don’t you think you should tell him that it’s hopeless? Not only is she a crazy sadomasochistic bitch who treats other people like toys, who’s eager to abandon her humanity in order to distance herself from her previous shithole of a life, she’s also not even really alive, in the classic sense. That’s doomed to failure.

Yeah, but it’s better to let him figure that out on his own, don’t wanna make him more crazy about her by telling him he can’t be with her.

Ah, the Romeo and Juliet paradox.

*****

The city grew visibly daily, with construction constantly underway, reshaping the valley into the cradle of a new civilization. Knick-knacks dug the septic lines under Gulad’s supervision, while others built wooden housing at an astonishing rate.

Calvin’s experience building his castle last year came in handy, allowing him to sidestep many of the setbacks that had plagued him last time, but there was still so much that was new about the whole situation.

Luckily he had more people to cover for him this time.

In a matter of days, Jinsei came back to Calvin with a prototype, a three foot tall cylinder of scintillating colors, constantly dripping water out the bottom, enough to fill a cup in a minute

“How much did this one cost?” Calvin asked, watching water condensate on the turbulent inner chamber. It seemed to house a miniature tornado inside of it that was spinning the water out like a man wringing a rag. Calvin watched the water drip down and fill a cup in real time.

“A couple dust, it shouldn’t take more than two stone to scale it up to the size of a pillar.”

“Excellent,” Calvin said, holding his hand under the trickle of ice-cold water, reveling in the sensation of cool water under his fingers.

Perfect. Three solutions in one. The answer to the humidity problem, a way to cool homes, and extra water to support our city without disrupting the Ooze-weaver’s land.

Calvin’s territory was squarely situated on one of the primary tributaries of the Garavel river. If he went around diverting all of the water and shitting in it, his neighbors would notice, which was why he was looking for other ways to get water into the city.

In another week, the water and septic was taken care of, with a tunnel leading to the septic processor and then on to the soon-to-be farms. The tunnel was big, wider than two grown men with their arms outstretched, fingers touching. The walls were several feet thick, all the way around, with pipes leading in from centers across the valley.

The sewer was built to withstand a literal avalanche of shit. Far more than they would need with just a few thousand men and women.

In a hundred years, though, it’ll fit the valley just right.

Once that was taken care of, Calvin was able to divert the Knick-knacks from septic systems to cutting the mountain into shape.

Calvin had them excavate layer after layer off the mountain, peeling the top off like an onion until he had a nice, wide base to place his tower once roughly half of the mountain had been stripped away and fed to the CMCs.

Once Calvin had gotten three stories built in the tower, people stopped asking him if his tower really needed to be that big. Not when they could see the monolythic structure beginning to take form. It was a skeleton of Abyssal Steel that jutted up into the clouds above, providing just enough of a hint as to the eventual shape of the tower, curled around itself at the top like a strange helix. The rest of it was going to be filled in with glass and steel, like the towers he’d seen inside the window into Elliot’s past.

My kingdom will be greater than any seen before, on this world or any other. The gods will see my tower from space and envy me, Calvin thought as he looked up at the construction disappearing into the sky. He had to stand halfway across the valley before he was able to take in the scale of the entire thing.

That’s the spirit.

There was the padding sound of bare feet on dirt and a second later, Goob flew by, gangly arms and legs flinging out at odd angles as he sprinted, head down and going for speed.

“Goob! Nobody will ever love you like I do! Eat all of me and we can be together forever!” Kim Curdashian shouted, rushing by Calvin without a second glance.

“Bro, I told you to stay away from my girl!” a deeper voice shouted, followed by a sentient geyser of tomato soup, chasing after the first two. “Now you gotta die!”

“AAAIII!” Goob screeched as he ran.

“What did we learn about trying to play god?” Calvin shouted after his fleeing apprentice.

Isn’t that a bit hypocritical coming from you? After what you just said?

Oh, it’s quite simple. I already know I’m better than the gods. He isn’t.

Attaboy.

***Tzen Chu***

Tzen Chu sat, staring at a rotting fruit he’d placed on his desk nearly a week ago.

Tzen Chu was no stranger to being a hostage. His whole family had been held hostage by his uncle until the old man had died without an heir at the age of fifty-two. He’d been imprisoned from his birth until his well into his twelfth year.

He sniffed as he looked over the room. The accomodations were ostensibly the best these western savages could afford as they haggled with his family over his return.

It was pointless. His brother had set him up. Nobody would pay for his return. Not for years, and in the meantime, Tzen Fi would have free reign of the palace, able to grow his influence, and sway others to his side.

Tzen didn’t know how what hold his brother had on his most loyal servant, but it must have involved the man’s family. Tzen’s influence must not have been enough to keep all of them safe, and his power had crumbled from within.

The thought of his failure to protect the dead man stung more than the betrayal itself.

Just one more crime his brother would have to answer for.

Tzen’s hand snaked outward and plucked a fly out of the air, placing it gently in the jar with all the others.

He needed to gain whatever power he could, however he could. If that meant turning to his mother’s shameful Skill, then so be it.

His mother had been a born Companion, a woman of such empathy that she had barely needed any training before being gifted to his father as a concubine. She was a gentle woman who loved her husband and her children to a fault.

But, she was also good at keeping secrets. Her unrivaled talent as a Companion had lead to the growth of Skills that the emperor was unaware of. Skills that she’d chosen to share with her youngest son once she knew she would never bear a daughter.

It irked him to use the skills of a Companion, but it was the only thing he had right now.

Tzen took the Tarak out of its container and held it aloft. The ugly flying mammal stared at him with beady, accusing eyes.

Assist Break He thought, activating the skill as he plunged the cap of the jars downward, killing thousands of flies simultaneously.

The flies had a miniscule amount of Warp within them, but Tzen was able to gather those tiny amounts and concentrate them for an instant, barely enough to trigger the Tarak.

The creature fainted, still clutching his finger with its claws.

Normally creatures were unable to access the System, but when he helped a creature Break, it got access to the System, and he got access to it.

Senior Official

Mind: 1

Intuiton: N/A

Stability: 1

Will : 1

Body: 2

Endurance: 2

Strength: 1

Skills: None

Warp: 3/3

Tzen waited patiently for Senior Official to wake up, then gave it a treat in a box with a latch.

“Here, Senior Official, get the treat,” he said, shaking the box in front of it, making sure the Tarak smelled what was in the box.

The creature’s eyes fixed on the box and it began struggling to get in.

In a matter of minutes, it figured out the puzzle, undoing the latch and opening the box, gaining a point of Mind in the process.

And everyone always wondered why the palace birds seemed to favor my mother, Tsen thought, a hint of a smile blooming on his face.

It took weeks to raise the Tarak’s Mind to the point where it could understand him, but Tzen had nothing but time as the scandal surrounding his imprisonment grew cold. Months into his capture, he enacted his plan to escape.

That night, Senior Official and several rats went out to steal the keys to his cell and free him.

They didn’t come back.

Tzen spent the entire night anxiously awaiting the return of the animals he’d awakened, and befriended, yet not a single sound came to him from the long hall beyond the confines of his lavish room.

Not until morning.

A soft squeal of tortured metal sounded as something ripped the massive padlock off the heavy steel door of his silken cage, causing Tzen to rise to his feet.

Had his plan been discovered? They couldn’t afford to punish him severely, but that didn’t stop his heart from quickening it’s pace.

The steel door swung open, revealing a figure cloaked in this black cloth, covered from head to toe. Even their eyes were concealed behind a thin cloth.

Tzen couldn’t tell if it was male or female, but it was big. Seven feet tall at least as it stooped to enter, scanning the room methodically.

“Who are you?”

“Your mother could understand the animals too,” It said, tossing a small furry shape onto the floor in front of it. The limp form of Senior Official rolled once and came to a halt in front of Tzen’s boot.

It’s voice was unnerving, deep, and thrumming with an underlying energy that reminded him of the wings of a wasp.

“I imagine that helped get messages across more effectively. This little guy panicked and got himself killed. The rats abandoned you.”

“What do you want?” Tzen asked, his heart pounding as he stared at this monstrous figure that seemed to move with an inhuman gait.

“I’m looking for something, and I need someone unattached, resilient, and educated to…speak for me. I’d ask the other one, but I don’t work well with puppets.

The other one? Tzen thought to himself.

“You seem to be mistaken,” Tzen said to the creature. “As a prince of Boles, there is only one above me, I cannot play valet to someone beneath me.”

“Wrong.” The creature growled, raising a hand covered in black rags.

Your Stability is not strong enough to shrug off the effects. Your Will has begun digesting the foreign Bent, ETA 47 minutes

Foreign Bent flooded Tzen’s system, rendering him immobile. Tzen’s heart began to beat madly, trying to leap out of his chest as the Bent continued pouring out of the creature, filling the room with a claustrophobic sense of suffocation.

The Bent began to condense into black mist, visible to his very eyes.

How much Bent does it take to fill a room, visible to the eye? A tiny part of Tzen’s brain noted, behind all the screaming in terror.

The painting of his mother on the desk yellowed and curled from the sheer weight of the Bent in the air. The entire environment was laden with the potential for change, and it began experiencing random shifts in reality, objects appeared and disappeared around him, the walls changed color three times before the paint began to simply melt away, exposing the bare stone beneath.

The room was so suffused with Bent that it felt for all the world like a keg full of Devil Powder with a match hovering over it.

The creature’s fingers closed around Tzen’s face, each one the length of Tzen’s entire hand.

The creature examined him for a moment, its strange spice-like odor filling Tzen’s nostrils, before the cloth over its face warped, concealing a smile.

“I implore you to reconsider.”