[40th Year of Foresai, Upper Fire Month, Day 16]

This is starting to make sense. So you take the width and height measures, divide them by the latitude and longitude circle measures respectively, and then from there you can find the radius. With that you can apply the frame-shift and work out the arcanic symbol problem from there. How devious, you bypass all that messing with corner-spans.

Renner leaned back, evaluating the new knowledge flowing through her mind. Following her meeting with Gazef, her near complete unpreparedness for the realities of magic and its scope had thrust her into an odd feeling of despair she had not known since childhood. Although she easily could have read the most basic of guides on spellcraft to understand the basic outlines of manatic forces, she had decided to examine the subject in-depth. She was unwilling to suffice herself with the surface of the subject, for this could cause her to miss connections she could otherwise weave, and so dove into breadth. Before now, she had only known the silhouettes of the natural studies, math, and thaumaturgy, but now subsumed herself in the physical knowledge. Her current subject was infantessimatics, though she felt herself near her end of that investigation, and she was soon to move on to quantity mathematics. Her mind drifted like flotsam back to the subject of her interpretation.

So he swapped in place with Gazef. There are a number of things that could be. A duel casting of mist-step, although the distance Gazef described would have required it to be cast at the fourth tier, and out of sight. If the math works out, that would require up to forty angdynes of mana at ah… nearly ninety rels? Scary. Most studied casters can’t do more than fourteen. At minimum, this Ainz fellow should be on par with the Monster of the East; Parodyne can do what, two-hundred rels? At least that’s if Imperial Academy propaganda is to be believed. Ah, these matters are so complex.

Renner rubbed her forehead in exhaustion. She had been looking down at manuscripts, scrolls, and books for the last few days, and a headache brought on by subsequent neck pain schemed to rob her of her focus. She closed her eyes and looked to the ceiling of her sitting room.

Perhaps I’m too deep in the weeds. The material complexities of this matter with Ainz is without doubt the lesser matter. The true issue here is the political question.

Renner sighed; she was loath to rip herself from her current object of study, for she had found it genuinely enthralling, but the matter of time loomed on her. She found herself forced to return to baser subjects, doing so with no small amount of irritation.

The political responses have been asinine from both sides. You would figure the architects of this scheme could come up with something better than asking for Gazef’s resignation as Head-Warrior, but no. Boullope or Lytton and company could do not but say that the object of their assassination attempt “was unfit to be Warrior-Captain”. Why not simply unite behind the King in this matter? Decry this attack on Gazef as a horrid event? You already know he can die, Slane should have rightfully slain him. The intervention of Ainz was nothing but a fluke. Do you have no confidence in your follow-up? Surely you cannot help but realize that by backing my father, you’ll increase your image among the people when you knock him off too? When you fabricate a King Andrean? How impotent; how utterly incompetent.

Of course it’s not as if the Royals have done much better. In fact, our response has been far worse. Rather, the lack thereof. Failing to take action is one thing, but outright pretending the matter was not a factional plot? That is a special level of incompetence on our part. I get the suspicion this was not the outcome Raeven wanted, but Blumrush seems to have forced his hand. There are penalties from ruling from the shadows I suppose. Depressing. How has this nation survived for north of two centuries?

“All things well to be…”

Renner whispered that phrase to herself, resigning herself to losing the rest of the day to matters of political origin. A number of visitors were coming to the palace today, mostly in followup to the last council with Ramposa, but also some of those from across the faction gulf (who had been summoned solely to bear ire from those Royal factions sycophants who wanted a stress release). This necessitated a welcoming ceremony, which necessitated Renner’s presence. Normally this would be something she would find attendance to at least palatable, but her expectations for actual progress this meeting were through the floor.

Renner rose from her chair, collecting her tomes, worksheets, and scrap parchment. This was normally something she had Climb do, not for any real need, but simply to watch his face light up at serving her. Of course, he was already doing that now, off in the palace library collecting some histories for her; so she sated her needs for his countenance with her imagination. The library was a loaded place for her, the reasons for such being two-fold. Beyond Yelta’s patronizing attitude towards her - his complete refusal to take her seriously annoying to no end - the true source of her vexxed thoughts lied in its very existence.

The fact that the nobility won’t support the creation of public libraries is near absurd. Come now, what possible evils could be found in literacy? How daft. How foolish and short sighted. Just because the true dividends will come with two-decades of lag time, you refuse to do so? Why do you limit your ambitions to the length of your own lives? Don’t you care - blindly so - for the status of your young? There is not a half-wit summed between the lot of you.

She lugged the books into her bedroom, a small set of shelves filled with a number of other books. Dropping the papers on-top of a small pile, she set her current reading upright alongside the rest of her collection. None of the books at a glance looked anywhere near significant, all of them something Evileye had termed “airhead-reading”. Renner never actually read these books to begin with, simply using them as cover. She knew that there was no place she could hide critical things in this space, every portion of her room coming under the investigations of maids whenever she was out. Even if she could make a secret compartment or nesting place, there was no chance of it remaining undiscovered. She hid what she could in plain view, but things like the ledger seized by Eight Fingers were too dangerous to be left undisguised.

Evileye had provided a solution here, encasing the book in a membrane of hard shadow, advanced illusion magic that could falsify convincing visual and tactile sensations. She hid it as a copy of a makeup guide which Renner had previously owned, so in this way there was no sign that anything had changed in the scope of her possessions. Renner did not have the talent required to dispel or penetrate it, but her hand mirror (which had seemed so simple a gift to her at the time) could peer through the darkborn gauze and analyze its contents. As a consequence she had to read the entire ledger backward, holding her hand mirror at awkward and uncomfortable angles, but this was a small price to pay for total security. With that matter settled, Renner let herself sag, dreading what was to come next.

—

The Great Six are here, Urovana, Blumrush, Boullope, Pespea, Raeven, and Lytton. Counts, Bornbrook, Edwards, Secrin, Keveleos, Quint, Cailloux, Valliancort, Baschet, Malet, Rochefort; and men from Asselin, Verly, Larousse- ah that’s right, he’s a false Margrave now. Speaking of which, is Harlink here? I don’t see him- oh Salco is. Representatives from Pluff, Duroy, Poment. Many men of and from minor baronies, Gillian, Davadet, Mason, Goodman, Hayler, Delgen, Buerena, Phylen, Webbev, Burks- no Burkens; Burk lost his status, ironic that they look so similar. Oh even an Aindra; I’ll need to mention to Lakyus I saw her cousin here. So many more, I can’t bother to count. As far as military men go, Vellen, Helgrave, Theiern, Roland, Hueg, Lazzak and their men. Oh look, my sister-dearest Vena, come to see father? You have been so cleaved to Pespea I have not seen you in years. We’re but one away from having a full reunion of Ryles. My heart yearns…

Renner suppressed a laugh. She needed a little sweetness to blunt the bitterness of this meeting. She knew that this council would be an unbound calamity. She expected nothing but a few days of argument with the most cringeworthy of words; words she would certainly regret hearing for the mental damage they would cause her.

I ought to not be so negative. I feel like I did as a child, almost as immature in outlook. In a way this should make me joyous, these are the people I have to outmaneuver.

The throne room was near the apex of its capacity, at least with the amount of comfort nobles expected. Ramposa, Barbro, Zanac, and Renner sat stageright to left respectively at the head of the space. This was the beginning of a General Council, the first of such this year. The Empire's invasions had made these once rare events an annual occurrence, but the recent attack on the borderlands had triggered this day early. The danger of war saturated the air, and many feared this would soon become an outright strategic matter. Renner cast her gaze around, catching her Climb. He was along the wall stageright of the King, lined in a formation of Nobles’ Bodyguards and Adjutants.

I’m not the only one sneaking gazes at you, no? How many people here are so captured by you, and your dress. Gleaming plate like yours cannot help but enthrall. Watching people pay such attention to you is… sating. Or, perhaps not; this may becken greater need from me.

Gazef stood by the side of the King, and in an unusually pointed show of force, so did his second-in-command Vice-Captain Velthrop. Teloran and Alucian stood to their side, although this was a notably cheaper display from the princes. Moments like this provided Renner respite from constantly being talked of as the lowest sibling, Zanac bearing such a standard cross target this day. This was the throne room for the purpose of ceremony, and at a hand signal from Ramposa, the court-crier stood and began to deliver the message bidding the events to come.

“His Majesty, King Ramposa the Third, Defender of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, welcomes you all. The Kingdom of Re-Estize which His Majesty has so sought to protect, and for which you have sworn a vow of protection alongside, has fallen under undeclared and unjustified assault by the vile and wretched Empire of Baharuth. This attack against our sovereignty has been levied upon us by none other than the leader of the most worthless and pitborn nation that knows this world home, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix. The Bloody Emperor who so acquired his throne through treachery and murder is seeking yet again to expland his territory and lay cruelties upon the innocent peoples of Re-Estize.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Know that the acts were committed in the borderlands, in the domains of Margrave Harlink and Count Bajan. That these acts represent an escalation of all previous undeclared intrusions by the Empire. This was a threat not only to the outlying villages, but is also considered a threat to the defense and protection of E-Rantel. Know too that the unforgivable and reprehensible crimes of the Empire include the waylaying of hundreds of peasentry, the razing of villages - including Usamsara, Delberg, and Carne - murder, treachery, and disguise. Know too that the Head-Warrior who so proved his martial prowess at the Grand Tournament near eight years ago, Warrior-Captain Gazef Stronoff drove away the bloodless and mercenary ‘Knights’ of the Empire, and him and his men spent their lives as sentinels to the Kingdom.”

“Know that His Majesty has called you here to discuss a plan of action to thoroughly counter these despicable acts, and to deliberate the responses of your domains. Know too that His Majesty has summoned the ambassadorial staff of the Empire, and that they in their unbound shamelessness have played party to the lies of El-Nix, and have so claimed these were not his acts. His Majesty, King Ramposa the Third, will now speak.”

Oh? I suppose this was expected, but it still ought to sell the whole performance.

Ramposa stood, and with little of the struggle expected for a man of his age. He was above all else dedicated to his nation, and his heart reignited with the fiery vigor of youth in moments like this.

“Our enemy is cowardly beyond measure, but be wary of cunningness in the back-facing men of our opposition. Those who commit such treachery as they find themselves blinded by ambition and sum yields above anything else. In this, they are foolish and may be hunted down. All enemies of the Kingdom, all those who would scheme against its Head-Warrior will know their ends painfully, and mourn their fate. The Gods do not take kindly to such treasons.”

Ah father, what a biting attack! If words could split the skin, then a score of men would be sliced open in this room. How many here have so schemed as described? At least two of the Marquis in attendance, whether Blumrush’s companion in such betrayal be Lytton or Boullope is still in question. My brother is of no doubt in this, as are his men. Bajan and Harlink most certainly. Still, by no means are they the only ones in attendance. After all, I could only have interacted and marked a few as such. Men of the new moon scurry like rats in this chamber; no, even rats have greater cunning than they.

A second laugh fought its way up her gullet, yet could not breach her lips. Sounds of clapping and assent came from those gathered, but this was a typical reaction and bore no special meaning. She saw no bucks of note among the crowd, any foolish enough to so reveal themselves having long since been selected out of this world. Renner repeated her mockery in her head a few times over.

“Even rats have greater cunning than they”… “than they”… “than they”? Are they not men? They are, yet they seem so foriegn to me; other enough to be beyond a crossable gap. So different in composition. Why?

“To His Majesty, we renew our pledge of unending devotion, and our duty to aid all those who fall in the realms of the Kingdom.”

Urovana bowed, and the whole chamber soon followed in genuflection. For half, the act was hollow, but did indeed bear burdens. The King could demand they march with him to war, and no matter how they schemed, they could not resist that call. Their domains, titles, and blood depended on their loyalty to the King, and loyalty to him was entwined with those to country and the Four Gods. Renner went through the motions too, nodding her head as did her two half-brothers, yet this was a near subconscious act, her being lost in the depths of her min

—

The strategy council found itself in its third hour, yet war still drifted as a specter over its entreatments. The news of Baharuth’s attack - which in truth was Slane acting on Re-Estize’s wishes of self destruction - had shocked many noblemen to their core. At least they were pretending to be shocked. Renner was distracted, but she sought to wet at least a little attentiveness from her mind. She staked herself in the moment, evaluating the clownery of the affair.

Father is claiming openly that this was an act of Baharuth, which would have been - in theory - the correct move to make. Anything else antagonizes Slane, and making your opponents think their schemes against you have laid ungazed upon is undoubtedly correct. Still, you should have kept this in the tightest breaches of your inner circle, not pass it out with abandon and haphazard execution. I will grant you Barbro; for you to think he would be in league with the enemy is something of a different level, and I would not expect you to be able to distinguish his crossed loyalty. But Vellen? Blumrush? How are they not clear in their disunity?

“If a direct military counter is not yet an actionable goal, then we must at least commit an expulsion.”

“I can have a force of knights in Baharuth within two days.”

“But they’ll be without proper support, they won’t be able to function as anything but a raiding party. We would need a force nearing a legion to achieve any true action, and neither I nor Larousse are willing to commit such a force yet. Representative Feldon is that-”

“Gods dammit that’s all we need right now!”

“Which would trigger an open war!”

“Some farmers are still planting, we can’t afford one yet. We’re at least six weeks out from-”

“Eight weeks. Count Duroy entrusted me with some figures on this matter-”

“So?! They crossed into our territory and-”

“We can’t do that yet! Think of the consequences Baschalt.”

“Look, let's hold the subject of a declaration of war. Can we at least agree on an expulsion?”

“Who?”

“Ambassadors Agricola and Silva, as well as their staff. They were the ones who lied to our faces anyway.”

“I say we kick out the entire embassy, the Empire has never been so blatant in their action.”

“I agree, Mercat and his men need to be out.”

“I still think we should cross the border, burn a few of their villages.”

“Like we’ve been trying to explain, if we were to do that, we would need to prepare for a war.”

“We can’t let this pass without retaliation!”

“Thats why we send the lot of them back to their fucking country. Eucundus too!”

“That language is crass! It's not befitting of a person of your-”

“My station grants me the right to say what I damn will please; I say we expel the lot of them!”

“Godsdammit that’s not enough, and this Ainz fellow! How do we deal with him?”

“I thought we were tabling him until the end of-”

“He stepped in to save Carne, so clearly he’ll stand by and let us enact our justice.”

“What?! How does that make sense? Would he not defend villages in the empire with the same zeal against us? Considering what the Head-Warrior has-”

“He didn’t stand sentry in front of Ulrena or Delberg.”

“What are you talking about Webbev? Ulrena never fell under attack?”

“Yes it did! We just went over that in the general summary, and that’s Baron Webbev to you, representative Jonque”

“It was Usamsa-”

“Usamsara Village!”

“It was Ulrena, you’re misremembering.”

“It was Usamsara! I think I would know what villages are in my master's domain.”

A chorus of voices rushed to correct the mistake made by Webbev, many of those present using the opportunity to claw back at least a little face. Renner could bring herself to listen to no more of that conversation than that, truthfully struggling to distinguish between the more than a dozen voices feuding.

It's a futile effort to try and map sense onto their actions, it's a hazard to cognition. I choose to ceed my attention. I think I do see them as akin to rats. Not disgust, not even smugness, but a deep foreknowledge that I am above them. An almost literal viewing of such. My feelings are nigh identical betwixt the two. Is that right in an objective sense? Is such a view correct?

Renner found herself set upon by new confusion, suddenly struggling to sort out her thoughts. Her internal admission of her feelings of self superiority to those nobles around her led to a cascade of follow up questions. It was as if an errant lightning bolt found itself striking at the ground upon which she stood, throwing her into the air without anything to hold steadfast too.

What about others?

Renner began to pass faces past her mind's eye, accelerating in pace as she increasingly realized how little she could distinguish them from beings she considered lesser. She could think of a few exceptions to the rat rule, finding comparison in ants and other such social insects.

I see them as no different from animals. I suppose all mankind are physical creatures in nature, or at least prey to the same needs; in a physical sense that remains true for me too. Both men and the baser creatures of this world still fall prey to hierarchies, birth, eat, breed and love, grow, strife and chafe against each other, fall prey to greater creatures, die, decompose. Does there need to be a difference? Does it matter?

The highest of such is Zanac, but I have so often referred to him as a pig. Never as an insult, for pigs are brilliant animals, but surely that name is diminishing none-the-less. Raeven also rises to the level of pig. Barbro and the rest of my family breach the rat barrier, but many further distant do not. Lakyus, Tia, Tina, Gagaran, and Evileye all seem as wolves to me, or perhaps lionesses. Is this a pretension of royalty? With no doubt does Barbro struggle to empathize with commoners, he probably sees them as objects. Have I fallen prey to some foolish conception of the world only possible for those who receive such attention? It would be a grand folly on my part if that was the case.

But where does the breach between humanoids and beasts lie? Divine mandate? The only barrier I can see between us and other kinds is that we received instruction from the Gods. Other species have Gods too. Races both fair and foul have their tales and entreatments of heavenly dictate.

What about Climb? I… I see him as a dog. I always have. The question of his obedience was one of the first I raised to myself upon seeing him. Is- is that bad? No, I love him. I love my puppy so very deeply. For him to be a dog is for him to be the apex of all I know, all I care about. It's not simply a term of endearment, but rapturous enthrallment.

I suppose I see none of these terms as insults, merely as realities. The royals, nobles, knights, maids, guards, merchants, citizenry, paupers, horses, cattle, chickens, insects. I struggle to distinguish any of them. I have asked myself this before, but now I feel as if this is a question of greater meaning than I have ever assigned it in any turmoil prior. Who am I? What do I see myself as? I am certainly human, but if every other of my kind I can consider is dissimilar to my personhood, then can they be considered ‘my kind’?

Am I something else born to womanflesh?