Build Time

"Careful! Careful!"

Helena waved a pair of glowsticks in broad daylight as a giant stone slab was lifted by wind magic and cautiously moved slowly into place to rest against another stone plate, completing the outer foundations for the house they were going to build around one of the former orc huts.

"There we go." Helena said as she lowered the glowsticks, "Never thought I'd be helping build homes in my career."

"This is a good lesson for us." Momo smiled as she walked over from the other side of the developing home, "Reminds us that there are no jobs that we are above doing even as princesses."

"Well aren't you the moral one." Helena said, "Still, we're not exactly doing this the way most humans have to do it."

"True. It was quite nice of Rivera to provide us with these wind bracelets to help move the material." Momo said as she looked at the golden bracelet embedded with a large jade stone.

"Shame they have to be recharged." Helena said as she looked at hers as well, "You'd think the elven city of magic would be able to make more permanent enchantments."

"Rivera said these were meant to be borrowed so these enchantments aren't permanent so you can't steal them."

"That makes sense." Helena replied, "But that also means we only have so much uses before it runs out."

"That's true." Momo nodded, "But, if there's any heavy lifting we still need done, I could probably handle it with reinforcement magic."

"It's still good for the rest of us when you aren't around I guess." Helena shrugged.

"Where is everyone else by the way?" Momo asked.

"Well, Corissa is exactly where you think she is."

"So what do you think Corissa does in her free time? Not that it ever seems like she has any." Momo smirked.

"Well, she'd probably just check up on us. Maybe watch us work a little. Help out where she could. Then go back to the kitchen."

"Sometimes I feel like I should take some of the cooking duties for myself." Momo sighed.

"Well, cooking and baking are two different things."

"I guess."

"Anyway, Kaguya has mysteriously disappeared."

"Didn't she say she was going to help set up a field for them to grow corps? She's probably off getting tools for that."

"Probably."

"Probably."

...

"...So where's Roland?" Momo asked.

"Roland's over there still trying to figure out how to build some of the furniture."

"Does he need help?"

"When does he not?"

"Are you sure you like him?"

"If you like or respect somebody, you'll be honest with them."

"Real."

"I'd say he's still better off than the dark elves. They're the ones trying to patch up the hole in the main chamber and refill the lake."

"We should check up on them."

"We could. Bout time we take a little break."

"Maybe we can help out."

"Doubt it but we can try."

As the two princesses walked off towards the cave, their conversation continued,

"By the way, where's Roko?"

"He's with Enlil and Eresh to help work out the designs."

"So Roko is an interior decorator now?"

"You can tell me Roko's an alien and I'd believe it."

"Well I have news for you."

"No. No, it's not news. I just forgot."

"Alright, if you really want to keep the orc throne, we can just keep it in your room." Roko said.

"Nice." Ereshkigal nodded.

"I don't know why you want that rickety thing." Enlil sighed, "You're going to get a splinter sitting on that thing."

"While it's not the most well made, it is strong enough to hold a giant orc so it's not the worst thing in the world." Roko said, "If you really don't want it around anymore, you can just donate it to Rivera. It'll probably be put in their museum."

"Museum? I want to go to a museum."

"Maybe later, dear." Enlil sighed, "I'm a bit tired right now. I'm going to go find a place to rest for a bit."

"Okay." Ereshkigal said as the old man shambled out of the cave chamber they were in.

"The old man's finally acting like an old man." Roko said as he leaned back on a crate.

"This whole moving business is probably more excitement than he's used to." Ereshkigal said.

"About that. I know the sanctuary enchantment will not let him continue his seer business, but do you know what's going to happen to all his research notes?"

"All the books he had? He said he was going to burn them."

Ereshkigal looked away, a hint of conflict visible in her eyes.

"I see." Roko nodded, "And how do you feel about it?"

"...It's great research." Ereshkigal answered, "I haven't finished reading everything but it's really unique magical theory. Is that not worth keeping around?"

"Normally, I would agree." Roko replied, "However, this knowledge does come with the caveat that it comes from a dangerous source. Grimoires contain magic that is unusual to our world. Who knows what might happen if it continues to be used."

"That magic is what allowed you to see into the past." Ereshkigal frowned, "It has value."

"It has consequences."

"So it's better off forgotten?"

"Information and power isn't inherently evil. It's how you use it that makes it so."

"Exactly! So-"

"However, this isn't power you command. It's power you bargain for. You may think you're in control but it's ultimately some unknowable being that is giving you power. You're under their authority. Their ideas."

"I don't understand, aren't you humans all about serving gods in exchange for magic? What's so different about this time?"

Roko crossed his arms. It had never occurred to him how differently he would see gods compared to people in this world who, presumably, actually met and interacted with actual gods. Even if it was so long ago that modern humans barely remember them, gods existed and people worshiped them. Perhaps he was the fish out of water, the first time he actually considered that since crossing over to this world. Perhaps he should ask his companions about this later.

"You okay?" Ereshkigal asked.

"Right, I'm fine." Roko nodded, "Putting aside the nature of power and knowledge, the possession of power requires the responsibility to use it properly. That includes the disposal of it when required."

"What if instead of disposing of it, we just...give responsibility of it to someone who wants it?"

"As nice as that would be, you're like 12."

"I'm like 87, but whatever." Ereshkigal rolled her eyes.

"Oh! It's Roko!"

"Hey." Roko said as Helena and Momo appeared at the cave chamber's entrance, "Are you guys done with the building?"

"Just taking a bit of break." Helena smiled, "What's going on here?"

"Discussing what to do with Enlil's research." Ereshkigal answered.

"Oh." Momo said, "I think Zadkiel told us to destroy it."

"Zadkiel talks to you?" Roko frowned.

"Yeah?" Helena raised an eyebrow, "Over the phone usually."

"She never talks to me." Roko frowned.

"Well you know..." Momo shrugged with a small grin, "We all know you're surprisingly competent."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

"That I'm pretty sure she's mostly talking about me."

"Well..." Helena looked away innocently, "It's not always about you."

"She's the one who sent me on this trip. I'm certain she's trying to keep an eye on me through you all."

"Now you're just sounding like Enlil." Helena said, still unable to look Roko in the eye.

"Look all I want is to know what orders everyone else is getting too."

"So you can defy them?"

"That's besides the point."

"You know, I don't actually know if Zadkiel knows your phone number." Momo smiled.

"She knows." Roko scoffed, "With the resources she has, she knows."

"That might be true actually." Momo laughed.

"Still, you should have more faith in your headmaster, Roko." Helena said in a facetious manner.

"Let me put it to you this way. Was I even supposed to know that you guys make reports about me to Zadkiel?"

"..."

"Exactly."

"So...is this Zadkiel like your boss?" Ereshkigal asked.

"Pretty much." Helena nodded.

"Hard to imagine someone who can bully around princesses."

"You were talking to one just now." Helena grinned.

"First of all, the only person I bully is Roland and only because he deserves it." Roko frowned.

"Valid."

"Second, don't you guys have anything else to do than sit around and talk?"

"What about you?"

"Depends on you."

"Well, I do have something I've been meaning to ask." Helena puffed out her chest proudly.

"Do tell."

"So, Ereshkigal. Can I call you Eresh?"

"Sure. Everyone else already does it." Ereshkigal shrugged.

"Right so, I just wanted to ask." Helena continued as she brought out a notepad and pencil, "Were you born a dark elf?"

"Huh? Why does that matter?"

"I'm studying dark elves and normal elves."

"Why?"

"It's my dissertation."

"What's a dissertation?"

"She doesn't remember anything before Enlil found her." Roko sighed, "That's what she told me anyway."

"Why? What happened?"

"She doesn't remember. From the sound of it, it sounds like extreme trauma."

"Extreme trauma..." Helena nodded, "Hmm..."

"Are you trying to figure out ebonization again?"

"Well, we know it's basically up to no actual person." Helena frowned, "It's dependent on the king's own judgment and he's dead now. But I've been thinking and the automation of thoughts is extremely high level magic. We have golems with simple intelligence to a little more complex automatons. But we've yet to actually create anything capable of complex thinking patterns with magic. And that's in modern day! So I have to imagine there is some sort of guiding principle behind it."

"Reasonable enough deduction." Roko nodded, "But do you really think you can narrow down an answer?"

"I mean, I've got nothing else to do."

"What about actually writing your dissertation?"

"I can multi-task!"

"Well, you're not going to get any answer out of me." Ereshkigal sighed, "I don't even remember being around other elves, dark or not."

"Have you never been curious, Eresh?" Momo asked, "About your own past?"

"I have but Enlil always says that doesn't matter and I should focus on my future rather than my past."

"Hmmmm. Maybe I'll try to see if your dad has any answers." Helena nodded.

"If he does, you be sure to tell me. I don't like the idea of my dad keeping secrets from me."

"Aw, cut your dad some slack. He's getting up there in years."

"That just means he won't be around to tell me anything anymore. Not about myself or how to continue living by myself. He acts like everything will be alright after he dies like he has enough money from his career as a seer to set me up for life but it's really not as much as he thinks it is."

"I guess 'enough money to set you up for life' is kind of different when you live as long as elves do."

"Exactly. I need some way to make a living for myself but he just thinks I'm too young for that."

"Well we do have Aida." Momo said, "She is around your age in human years and she doesn't have to worry about a job yet."

"I mean to be fair, the entire school is kind of taking care of her." Helena shrugged.

"And Aida has gone through her fair share of trauma." Roko added, "She had to eat some of those tentacle monsters to survive."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Helena cried.

"Wait, are you telling me that Aida was the last living thing in the Paramnesia Wildwoods that wasn't an eldritch monster?" Momo grinned, "Damn, I should see if she can teach me anything."

"She can teach you woodcarving." Helena said, "She learned that from her dad."

"Let's not forget the time she helped Corissa out with her slime." Roko added, "Apparently they used to keep monsters as pets way before we did."

"And she knew the locations of so many different monster nests too!" Momo gasped, "I'm only really starting to realize how crazy that is!"

"Damn, Valrinians are built different I guess." Helena nodded.

"You really don't want to mess with anybody who can do what you do with magic or technology with their hands." Roko agreed, "They're going to be the last people who will know how to do anything when the world ends."

"I never thought of that. Damn, maybe Aida should be the one teaching classes instead of us teaching her anything."

"I don't think anything she knows would be make a good skill for a school of princesses."

"You never know. I mean woodcarving's basically like sewing right?"

"No. No it is not."

"Whatever. I mean apparently for a bunch of princesses we still don't know how to do some of the things we're supposed to know. Like cooking."

"A moment of silence for Corissa." Momo nodded solemnly, "Namusan."

"She's not dead, she's just forever relegated to the kitchen." Helena laughed.

"I should go help her." Roko stood up, "I'm apparently the only other person who knows how to cook."

"And I can make dessert." Momo smiled.

"And I'll watch!" Helena proclaimed proudly.

"Weren't you going to go check up on the dark elves?" Momo asked.

"This is more important. I declare today, Corissa Appreciation Day!"

"I'm pretty sure there are tons of people 'appreciating' her every day."

"Shut up. Come on, let's go. Eresh, you coming?"

"..."

"Eresh?"

"Huh?" Ereshkigal looked up, snapping out of her thoughts, "Oh. Yeah, sure. I'll come along."

"Then let's go!"

The group arrived at the modestly equipped kitchen inside the cave. The orcs weren't one for extensive cooking ability so there wasn't much to build off of to begin with. The main issue was that there wasn't much room for ventilation in a cave network but they had managed to open up a small vent along the stalactites. Corissa was there, standing over mini-stoves and cutlery and what not, absentmindedly stirring a pot of soup. So absentmindedly that she never noticed the group's approach.

"Hey!" Helena shouted loudly, "We're here to help!"

"Wha-?!" Corissa was so suddenly startled out of her thoughts that she dropped the ladle she was using to stir and splashed a few drops of hot soup on herself.

"Sorry!" Helena casually apologized as Corissa quickly wiped the soup off her hands and face, "I didn't think you were so focused."

"It's fine." Corissa smiled as she turned to face them, "What's going on? Lunch is in a few minutes."

"We've come to help!" Momo said as she put aside her sword and the more cumbersome parts of her armor, "Well, I've come to make dessert for tonight."

"I'll help with whatever I can." Roko nodded.

"And we'll watch!" Helena said.

"We could help." Ereshkigal frowned.

"Eresh, it's time you learned something about too many cooks in the kitchen."

"Aw, thanks guys." Corissa grinned as Roko and Momo went to work around her, "It's always nice to have someone working besides you."

"We do tend to leave our meals to you." Helena said, "So it's about time we help out for once."

"Oh, I don't mind." Corissa said as she fished out the ladle from the soup with a spatula, "I'm just glad everyone enjoys my cooking."

"Yeah but it can't be an easy job. I mean you already have a few band-aids on your hands already.

"O-Oh, this?" Corissa looked down at her mildly dressed hands, "Just a few incidents. Nothing major."

"Still, you should be more careful." Momo said as she began to crack some eggs.

"I-I'll try to be more aware next time." Corissa smiled.

For a while, the three continued to work in the kitchen, expanding the menu from miso soup with curry chicken to add in noodles with thin slices of beef in a beef broth. Or what Roko recognized as a Vietnamese Pho though he doubted any of the others would know about that. As Corissa and Roko watched over the broth, Roko spoke in a slightly lower volume,

"Are you okay?"

"Hm?" Corissa looked up innocently, "I'm fine! If anything I'm delighted to have anybody working with me in the kitchen."

"But you have been distracted haven't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The cuts. You're not usually one to make that many mistakes while cooking."

"O-Oh..." Corissa cradled her hands, "It's nothing. I just..."

"Been trying to remember that incantation?"

"...Yeah. I can remember what I might have said in a general sense but the exact wording eludes me."

"Does it have to be the exact wording?"

"Rivera seems to think so. Though she did say there is some wiggle room in the wording."

"What do you recall?"

"...Something about the world...or the earth?"

"Hmm. I can take over cooking duties for a few days while you take a break."

"No! No, it's fine, I can continue just fine!"

"Still, this incantation's important. Without it, all our efforts here will be pointless. You should take a break to try and figure it out."

"...But..." Corissa looked down.

"Something wrong?"

"...I don't know where this magic comes from. Rivera says it's a unique spell that only humans know but...what if it's the same type of magic that the monsters use?"

"It destroys the eldritch doesn't it? Why would their magic be effective at destroying themselves?"

"Maybe it's Because it's their own magic that makes it so effective." Corissa mused, "I mean...the monsters can eat magic now so that's kind of like holy right?"

"Well..." Roko thought it over for a moment, "Do you remember coming across any grimoires?"

"Not until recent events."

"Not even when you were a child?"

"Not at all." Corissa nodded, "I...I don't know what of magic this is anymore and I...don't know what that makes me as someone who can use it."

"...Take the next few days off."

"But!"

"I can't answer those questions for you. You need to come to your answers on your own. Until then, I can take some of the work off your hands before you accidentally slice your fingers off."

"But..."

"If you really need to distract yourself you can help with the remodeling. A change in duties can help refresh your mind."

"Okay..."

"...And don't worry. No matter who or what you think you are, there will always be people who accept you."

"...Thanks."