Chương 183: Thinly Veiled Truths

"Moreover, it would be more accurate to say that I'm something of a [Translation Confidence 98. 32%: third culture kid]!" She began with a sheepish smirk.

"All of which is to say, I was actually born in an adjacent realm!" That answer landed with the impact of a Jovian giga-hauler dropping out of warp and straight into an unsuspecting pleasure yacht sitting idly in a holding pattern. Which is to say, whilst I immediately registered those words, it took a moment more before my conscious thoughts managed to catch up to my frazzled emotions.

It was only when I was finally able to sync up with the proverbial relay squawkers, and really dissect what the EVI's auto-translate had displayed, that it finally hit me. And with it came an entirely new dimension of Nexian-adjacent social dynamics. I hadn't expected the concept of a third culture kid to be brought up, and in the Nexus of all places. But it only made sense.

There was an undeniable degree of cultural diversity when it came to the Nexus, and especially the adjacent realms, regardless of how strong the trend towards cultural homogenization was following the Nexian reformations. The sheer number of unique peoples, customs, and niche subcultures I'd encountered thus far was a testament to that.

Moreover, the reformations didn't inherently preclude the existence of local cultural quirks at the least, and flat-out cultural resistance at the most extreme, as evidenced by Thalmin. So the concept of third culture individuals popping up wasn't outlandish… it just wasn't expected. Though it was the explicit use of that term that probably threw me off the most, as it just felt so very… anachronistic. It was a concept that felt more at home, well…

back home, than anything; a definition that encompassed at least a fourth of all humans, if not a third, depending on the independent survey authority being referenced. And I, to an extent — as much as my spacer friends might deem it a stretch — counted myself amongst them. Transitioning from a heritage town to one of the largest and most cosmopolitan megacities was, by all measures, the moment that my personal life experiences were split into two.

And while my experience was not as dramatic as a 'station' spacer making a move to an O'Neill cylinder, it by no means meant that I couldn't 'relate' to it. Because the result of the two circumstances was the same — the kid in question would have established formative memories in the first culture, grown up immersed in the second culture, before eventually fusing both into an amalgamated 'third' culture, one they'd end up identifying with the most.

And given the sheer freedom of movement offered as a fundamental right, and the innate desire for change in many second and third generation families following their move to a new station, planet, moon, or so on and so forth, the phenomenon becomes almost expected. It was, of course, not what I expected from the Nexus. But Lovguard was here to prove me wrong. And I was all for it. Intel was intel. But what's more, it sparked a whole new wave of inquisitive interest in the Nexus' socio-cultural dynamics.

I quickly turned to Thacea and Thalmin, gauging their reactions, and saw… not much of a response at all from the pair. So this wasn't a completely foreign concept. Alright. I can work with that.

"You know, I can definitely relate to that, Lady Lovguard." I responded with a gesture of genuine outreach, smiling softly behind my helmet.

"Not everyone's born in the beating heart and vibrant center of civilization. Sometimes, your life starts in one place, playing at a familiar beat and softer tempo. Then before you know it, you're thrust onto a different stage, one that's operating at a different rhythm and a completely foreign tune." Lovguard's eyes lit up at that, a slight gasp and a small smirk forming in ensuing order. I allowed my words to trail off a bit there, knowing well Lovguard was intending on finishing my thoughts.

"Eventually, you manage to…

'split the difference' as it were! Reconciling the world you grew up in with the realities of another world so very divorced from it, until you stop trying to choose between them and instead become comfortable with something that resembles both. Forging something familiar yet entirely distinct." She spoke with a knowing grin.

"You kind of always end up thinking in one mindset that's become your own—" I continued.

"—while never quite forgetting the rhythms of the other, always stuck in between two worlds—" Lovguard continued.

"—and managing to both confuse and amuse your old and new social circles with quirks belonging to the other." I concluded.

"The only people who would 'really' understand you—""—are the sorts of people who've gone through the same experiences." The elf nodded, finishing my sentence just as well.

"Huh." We both exhaled in sync, causing both Thacea and Thalmin to momentarily glance at one another, as if trying to dissect exactly what was going on. It'd be Lovguard who'd take the next beat of the conversation, however, as she cocked her hip to the right while placing a single hand atop the left.

"I'll say, Cadet Emma Booker, I was not expecting… this from you, of all people. More than that, I wasn't expecting to encounter another who shared in the same experiences so… viscerally, especially from a newrealm for that matter! Such a complex phenomenon should not have had the prerequisite conditions to manifest in a realm so young. But… stranger things have occurred, and I am willing to overlook such 'impossibilities', for the sake of this shared… shall we say… sisterhood of othership, haha!"

She practically beamed before leaning forward with a single hand covering the side of her face, as if performing an exaggerated whisper. It was the sort of gesture you'd see on a stage show and not in real life.

"Because between you and me, there aren't too many Nexian elves who share in my unique experiences and I've been desperate to actually talk to someone who understands how it is to belong to neither, but a distinct third identity. And while I can't believe I found it in you, I will take all the wins I can get at this point because this scholarship and my foolhardy dreams of astromancy have pushed me this close to the absolute brink."

She practically rambled out, each and every word practically blending into the next as she accelerated exponentially towards a breathless, desperate grasp. I literally just threw out a single line… I hadn't expected to reel in a catch this cleanly and quickly … I thought to myself.

"You… okay there, Lady Lovguard?" I questioned warily.

"Y-yes! Please do not mistake my excitement for a princess in need of a fainting couch, Cadet Emma Booker!" She responded with an earnestness reflected in the twinkle behind her round glasses.

"R-right then. Well, to address your first point, you'll find that there's a lot more from my realm that isn't… let's just say, par for the course as it were." I began with a nervous smirk.

"But yes, erm, I am glad to have found a kindred spirit, I guess you could call it." I continued before once again shifting gears.

"So… I take it your experiences growing up in an adjacent realm are the reason why you're so invested in astromancy? As in, the boons for this whole endeavor are solely — at least to my eyes — exclusive to the adjacent realms. I imagine you must have some strong bonds to the realm you grew up in for this whole fixation to have even manifested in the first place."

"That it did!" Lovguard nodded.

"Though, it was more the realm's… unique flavor of local customs, so in-line, yet adjacent to His Eternal Truths, that sparked my obsessions for this woefully overlooked field of study! For you see, the realm in question possessed an innately spiritual calling, one that was reflected in their obsession over the stars, the moving tapestries, and the meaning imbued within the celestial bodies. In the past, this manifested as primitive and archaic beliefs in the form of pseudo-divination, fortune-telling, and whatnot.

Now? It all ties to His Eternal Truths, each constellation and every pattern, representing some aspect of his story and some element of his virtuous journey. Though somewhat misguided, this reformation was otherwise harmless. However, if you ask me, they're [Translation Confidence 95. 32%: missing the forest for the trees] here. Because I believe they were onto something in their primitive customs, its effects recontextualized, but ultimately beholden to the same principles under a different name.

This is reflected in often overlooked customs, traditions, and otherwise innocuous beliefs that are not only harmless, but beneficial. From harvest cycles revolving around the 'seasonal' movement of constellations, to rest and work cycles for builders, masons, smiths, and wainwrights all coordinating their workload dependent on the motions of the celestial bodies. I have seen the benefits of how the stars are able to enhance everything from the growth of crops to the strength of workers.

I've seen so much potential. And to see it squandered without further exploitation of its principles is so very infuriating!" She declared. I took notes, annotating, dividing, and manually divvying up the EVI's automatic dictation features so that my future self would have an easier time collating everything into a proper report. However, by the tail end of Lovguard's monologue, I ended up cocking my head as a single question — an admittedly unrelated tangent — rose to the forefront.

"That all sounds… fascinating, Lady Lovguard." I first acknowledged.

"So, before we get deep into this, do you mind telling me what realm this was? Is it one that we've encountered a student from?"

"Oh! Yes! You very well have!" She beamed brightly.

"It's Pronarthiarealm that I originally hail from! Lord… Auris Ping's realm, I believe that's his name!" I felt the proverbial record screeching to a halt as Thalmin's features said it all. Indeed, this was the most animated I'd seen his expressions get this entire night, trailing just behind his expressions during Articord's candidacy by combat. His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets while his mouth hung slightly agape, and despite it lasting only a brief second, the damage was already done.

Because I too found myself incapable of closing my own jaws in solidarity.

"You know, you're incredibly fortunate to be in the same year group as the man! He possesses an incredibly noble soul!" Lovguard continued, and despite those fighting words, the audacity lay not in its contents, but in its absurdly earnest delivery. I felt a stutter leaving my mouth, a gasp of complete disbelief.

"Ahh…" I managed to repurpose that gasp, twisting it into a voice of thoughtfulness.

"H-how fortunate, yes." I mimed her response, though not without a slight hint of facetiousness baked within.

"Oh! So you've met the man, I presume?" Lovguard rapidly followed up.

"Yeah, I have." I responded plainly.

"You could say he's quite the [Translation Confidence 99. 32%: go-getter] —""Y-yeah…"

"—an incredibly honorable peer—""S-sure…"

"—a saint in all but name—""Totally…"

"—and an exceptionally wise man for his age!"

"Oh yeah, exceptionally so, but only when the 'wisdom' is forced into that thick head of his through a firm knock upside his forehead…" I mumbled under my breath, my quick glance towards the mute button ensuring those words never left the confines of my helmet.

"We rarely had the chance to interact, unfortunately." Lovguard continued swiftly through her monologue.

"You sure you didn't mess up the translations, EVI? Are you sure she didn't mean fortunately?" I mumbled inside my helmet yet again.

"Negative, Cadet Booker."

"Alright then…" I sighed deeply before turning back to Lovguard, following her conversation without fail.

"It was mostly a matter of fate and circumstance, you see. Despite my birth and upbringing in an adjacent realm, I rarely had the time nor opportunity to truly interact with much of the local populace." My eyes perked up again.

"Oh?" I urged her on.

"Yes, you see, both of my parents belonged to the Mages of the Ministry for Pronarthiarealm's Royal Court. My mother was a royal gate magister, and my father was a magister of the currents. This entitled me, and many others in a similar position to myself, to tutelage within what's known as a Crown Charter School — an elite preparatory school for children of the Royal Service, Crown-assigned envoys, dignitaries, and so on and so forth.

As you can imagine, the academic workload demanded from such a prestigious institute greatly impinges what little leisure time we have. And what's left of said free time is mostly taken up by a mandatory quota of retention hours to be spent within the artificial pockets of Nexian-grade manastreams. To ensure good health and developmental milestones and whatnot. As a result of all of this, we often did not stray too far from the ministerial compounds and the school walls."

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. My mind ran at a thousand meters per second. This… this had so many far-reaching implications, the likes of which I struggled to unpack all at once. But the long and short of it was obvious — the extent to Nexian reach was massive, far bigger than I at first envisioned. So much so that entire overseas compounds had to be built to sustain their activities. Then came the question of the so-called pockets of Nexian-level manastreams.

If they could maintain discrete zones of self-sustaining mana-rich environments there, then that may — emphasis on may — imply that deep-strike ops, and even bridgeheads in manaless realms, could potentially be a possibility. Yet it was in that growing unease that a completely antithetical thought emerged. Because as with all developments, there always existed a silver lining to the unimaginable horrors.

The existence of sustainable pockets of mana-rich environments implies not just Nexian operations in manaless realms, but the possibility of mana-bound visitors to actually reach Earth. Which means there is a possibility for the gang to—"You may be wondering why Lord Ping did not attend my school." Lovguard continued, as if poking me for a response. That was not the direction my analysis was going, but okay…

"Er, yes." I acknowledged reluctantly.

"Well, he was! For you see, our Crown Charter Schools do open their doors to the local inhabitants of any given realm!" Lovguard beamed, but before she could continue, Thalmin was quick to chime in.

"Correction. They are open only to those who have been screened for loyalty, obedience, and who pass stringent exams that confirm as much." The lupinor interjected coldly.

"Moreover, the tuition fees are exorbitant, even to those of the middling nobility."

"But most certainly not for royalty such as yourself, Prince Havenbrock!" Lovguard shot back with a genuine smile, causing the lupinor to be completely taken aback, as if expecting some sort of rebuttal or dismissal of his claims, but finding only the bubbly personality of the elf as his only response. The prince, however, was not swayed. Not in the slightest.

"I opted not to." He rebutted firmly.

"I was far too busy putting down rebellions and hunting down traitors to concern myself with such frivolities."

"That is an incredible shame…" Lovguard responded with what was the first true extension of sympathy I'd seen from an elf that wasn't a commoner, merchant, or layperson thus far.

"My deepest and sincerest condolences for the state of your realm, Prince Thalmin." She continued, even dipping her head slightly in the process, taking Thalmin doubly by surprise now.

"I've studied realms such as your own — their hardships, their struggles, and the unbearable scars formed as a result of such instability — and I can only hope that with the light and wisdom of the Nexus, your children, and your children's children, will one day be free from all of this strife! With the hope that one day, they too may have the opportunity to put down the sword, and equip in their hands the quill in its stead." I was floored. And so was Thalmin, for that matter. There was just…

something so incredibly off when it came to Lovguard. And it wasn't the sort of mind-controlled 'off' or sarcastic 'off' or even the sort of… strangeness that came with magical soulbinding shenanigans or any coercive social maliciousness. No. What was really off about this whole thing was how utterly sincere she was. It was almost like looking at a mirror of myself, or any Venutian for that matter… I was never escaping the 'Emma, you're such a Venutian' accusations…

but the crossover between heritage town idealism and Venutian utopian exceptionalism was there, so I digress… What's more, it was almost like I was looking at an entirely different angle of the Nexus, one that wasn't so overtly and blatantly antagonistic. In fact, it was a far more subversive one, if anything. Lovguard… had just demonstrated that there was an active segment of the Nexian population, of the elite, that saw their actions as an irrefutable act of good.

And it wasn't the sort of 'good' that Ping spouted, or the 'good' that Rostario had offered, or even the 'good' that Articord blabbered on about, no. This… was someone who truly believed in the good that the Nexus was doing, in all honesty, in complete sincerity, from a moral and ethical and, most importantly, sympathetic and empathic standpoint. While Articord might have believed the 'good' of the Nexus as a domineering force, Lovguard saw it from a more novel angle. She saw it as a truly benevolent force of good.

I didn't know what to think about it. Heck, Thalmin had simply pulled back entirely, not wishing to dive any deeper into Lovguard's whole schtick. However, I still wasn't done. Not when Lovguard was so excited to share, and I still had so much to learn.

"So, erm… you mentioned that Ping attended your school?" I offered, breaking the awkward silence that was starting to get to Lovguard.

"Ah, yes! See, the reason we never really crossed paths was that we were simply too far apart in years!"

"Ah." Was my only response. Lovguard once again knew just how to subvert not just expectations, but the impact behind her little 'reveals'.

"Moreover, the man wasn't known as Pious Ping for nothing!" I couldn't help but let out a small snort at that.

"Lord Ping was typically far too preoccupied with his spiritual affairs, socially too, given his father was an Arch-Cardinal, and plenty of other such obligations! We rarely had the chance to meet, but when we did, the man was an incredibly cordial, deferential, and courteous fellow!" She continued, reaching the tail end of this unexpected window into Ping's life and Lovguard's own unusual upbringing.

Ping's tangent notwithstanding, this whole rabbit hole netted an incredible amount of insight into an otherwise completely overlooked topic. What's more, it gave some much-needed context necessary to explain Lovguard's otherwise uncharacteristic interest in a field many of her contemporaries would've raised their noses at.

"I appreciate you introducing me to… all of this, Lady Lovguard." I offered politely.

"Oh, please, it was my pleasure, Cadet Emma Booker! Rarely do I have the opportunity to revel and share in the experiences of such a narrow band of niche lifestyles!" She beamed before just as quickly shifting her gaze to her timepiece, her pupils dilating as she saw the time.

"Oh, by His Eternal Graces, it's almost midnight! I… ahem, I apologize, Cadet Emma Booker. It's just—""We can leave if you'd like." I extended courteously.

"Ah, it's not that, it's… ah, it's quite alright! Now, was there anything else you'd like to ask? I can most certainly make the time when it comes to new aspiring members such as yourself!" I paused for a moment, hesitating as another, far more pertinent train of thought came up from the depths. One that had been cooking in the background and was now ready to come out of the proverbial oven.

"I am curious about something else, Lady Lovguard."

"By all means!" Lovguard insisted.

"I know you mentioned how some realms can harness the powers of astromancy, whether they're actively aware of it or not, like in Pin—, er, Lord Ping's realm. But you've also mentioned the existence of other realms that either don't conform to the principles of astromancy or outright lack any observable signs of it. I was curious if you had any working hypotheses on the reasons behind these discrepancies, or if a unified working theory of astromancy and its inexplicable variability is still a work in progress?

Lovguard's features darkened, but in a more serious and back-to-work sort of way, coming straight down from the highs of a more colloquial conversation.

"I admire your critical mind, Cadet Emma Booker." Lovguard began as she ushered us to a wall on the far side of this room. On the wall were three murals separated vertically, each depicting a different patch of sky with faint mana signatures that the WAID was struggling to visualize.

"My predecessors have, in fact, studied this in depth. Yet all their combined efforts have only resulted in this." She gestured at the murals.

"An attempt to categorize our conundrums. So at least we have that going for us." The elf snickered self-deprecatingly.

"What you see before you — or at least, what I've been able to gather thus far — are the three distinct states of tapestries as have been observed throughout the adjacencies." Lovguard sighed before pointing at the first mural.

"The first is what should be — realms that conform to the norm. Realms with tapestries and a clearly defined set of principles reminiscent of Lord Ping's realm, where earthly and astral mana synergize to empower the manastreams and the denizens that dwell within it." She then shifted to the next mural, one that depicted an entirely different patch of stars, but otherwise nothing else worth noting.

"The second is what is often seen instead, a mess of a tapestry. A complete [Translation Confidence 99. 32%: free for all] of conflicting energies all resulting in a negligible increase in synergistic qualities between the mana of the stars and the mana of the earth." Lovguard grumbled as she weakly pointed to the third mural. Here, tucked away on the far right of the wall, was yet another mural much like the rest. With the sole defining characteristic lying not in its contents, but in its serious weathering.

This specific illustration of the night sky seemed to have suffered much heavier wear and tear compared to the first two. So much so that entire sections of paint had been peeled off, some patches suffering what appeared to be scratches, scrapes, and even burn marks. Suffice it to say, it obscured much of what could have been the defining characteristics of this mural, leaving only a bland patch of stars underneath layers of caked dust.

"The third are realms that simply refuse to yield to any form of academic and scholarly assessment. These are the ultimate enigma, a true and irreverent state of affairs. Tapestries that, at closer examination, seem to be completely impermeable to primavalic, let alone mana energies, yet still so clearly allows for starlight to bleed through. The visible markers of tears are there, just like any other adjacent realm! And yet… they still defy all known models, by stubbornly refusing to yield any primavalic energy."

Lovguard spoke with an increasingly exasperated breath before finally letting out a protracted sigh.

"Thankfully, these realms are exceedingly rare, but as with the case with much of everything else in the guild, I have yet to have the time to truly dig deeper." A theory slowly formed in my mind. Then again, I knew better than to dive straight back into the lap of the conspiracy theorist without more data to jump off from. Yet the discrepancy and the clear issues present just tickled my mind, if only for the glimmer of hope that all was lost within the adjacent realms.

Because perhaps all was not what they seemed on the surface. Because that third option, that third type of tapestry… could mean more than what the Nexian narrative might have been leading most to believe. However— THWACK!

"OH CLUBLORD, MY CLUBLORD, WE HAVE A SITUATION DOWN IN THE VAULTS!" The boarish Patlowe came in with an urgent cry, forcing Lovguard to act immediately.

"Ahhh… AHHHHHHHHHH… Cadet Emma Booker, I am so sorry, but I must take this as my call to depart! I have, however, left the ashes on the desk in the other room, so please take that on your way out, okay bye!" She spoke with increasing haste before just as abruptly zipping out of the room to the tune of a handful of mana radiation warnings.

We were left speechless, so much so that we were at a loss for words from the moment we left the dilapidated clubhouse to the moment we entered the familiar surroundings of Dragon's Heart Tower. Dragon's Heart Tower, Qiv's Peer Group Dormitories. Local Time: 0100 Hours. Rostario Rostarion the XXI There was a lot to answer for. Far more than I had the energy to countenance at this junction.

This humble space, what had once been a small retreat from the hustle and bustle of the world beyond its walls, now felt like a waiting room the likes of which I took no joy in occupying. Yet despite this, and with my mind struggling to come to terms with the two new obstacles that had manifested from my single failed gambit — namely my bid for merchant guild membership, and the investors I still had to answer to — there existed another concern that abruptly entered my conscious thought. Ka-thunk.

One that had just as quickly made itself known, amidst the awaiting eyes of both Qiv and Uven.

"Where have you been, Lady Airit Airus?" Qiv spoke up first, Uven nodding in affirmation soon after.

"Oh… just… taking care of business is all." The shatorealmer grinned maliciously, a fangy, toothy expression instilling within me little confidence in her vague gambit.

"Exactly what do you mean by that, Lady Airit?" I chimed in, prompting the self-assured noble to simply lift her nose in my direction.

"Rectifying certain injustices, in a prompt and expeditious manner, much unlike yourself, Lord Rostarion." She responded, causing my gaze to narrow and a sigh to inevitably escape the confines of my already exhausted form.

"You cannot be serious…" I muttered out. Dragon's Heart Tower, Level 23, Residence 30, Living Room. Local Time: 0100 Hours. Emma The couch. Oh, how the couch called to me and the rest of the gang following our return to the dorms. And it wasn't as much an issue of tiredness of the physical sort, no. I'd stood for far longer and trekked far harder than this. It was more so the mental exhaustion that was getting to me. An exhaustion that seemed to have gotten to Thalmin as well…

though he had more reason to be exhausted, given the whole combat trials. Thacea, however, managed to once again stand out amidst all of us, remaining composed and completely unaffected by the rigors of just… life.

"So…" I broke the silence yet again, turning to Thalmin.

"How's the shirt?"

"Excuse me?" The lupinor asked.

"You know, Cynthis' shirt. You sure she didn't like, sneak in some sort of a love charm or something on it?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Emma." Thalmin rebutted with a huff.

"That sort of magic is easily detectable by even the most novice of mages."

"Hey, I wouldn't know! To me, anything's impossible, so it's better to point it out than to accidentally wake up tomorrow with Cynthis sitting on this couch next to you." I jabbed, garnering a disgusted sigh to emerge from Thalmin's throat.

"I would rather not imagine such a sight, Emma." He shot back.

"Though, I have to admit, credit to the would-be seamstress, this fabric is of exceptional quality…" He noted with sincerity.

"I could almost see myself thanking her in person, maybe with a note, a card, perhaps some flowers and a bardic show…" He paused, glancing in my direction, as if attempting to gauge my reaction despite my helmet.

"Tell me I got you." He snickered. I attempted to hide my reactions… but it just wasn't sportsmanlike.

"Okay, yeah, you got me there, Thalmin." I managed out under a chuckle, one which slowly evolved into a laugh in short order.

"So. There's… a lot to unpack here. Do you wanna save it for the morning or—""I am more curious about the whereabouts of Ilunor. Though, knowing fate, just the mere mention of his name would more than likely incur—" KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Aaaand there he is." Thalmin grinned in personal satisfaction, standing up as he approached the door.

"I'll get it. He probably just has too much in his hands to bother opening the door himse—" CRRREAAAAKK … Standing in the doorframe wasn't our expected hero of the hour, no. Nor was it his room service, package delivery guy, or anything remotely related to him. In fact, it was a face we hadn't seen in a while… if ever, technically speaking.

"Ahem." Apprentice Arlan Ostoy spoke, his face still perpetually hidden behind the impossible dark of his hooded cloak.

"I have a summons for Princess Thacea Dilani."