Half-step Purgatory

For a long time, Malin always felt that Fate had been quite generous to him. Although he had to face that life-threatening job every day, as long as he had the lovely Leopard Girl cooking delicious food for him daily, and as long as there was meat to eat and cats to stroke, life wasn't too unbearable. Working a bit harder and facing some difficulties on the job weren't really an issue for a man.
Moreover, being able to live two lives meant one shouldn't have too high demands, right, Mr. Different-Kind?
Having said that, and without waiting for an answer, the young man snapped his fingers, and the white flame on his fingertip lit the tobacco in his other hand, then he flicked it towards the non-human entity on the stake.
Welcome to Abield, to witness the last splendor of the steampunk era.
And the madness.

Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

Elisa glanced at the messenger from the Royal Palace, a standard Gnome in every sense of the term, who looked at her with a hint of subservience, awaiting the answer she would give.


As a daughter of a side branch of the royal family, Elisa actually didn't have much in the way of choices. For instance, when His Majesty the King inquired about the dining scene involving Malin and the two young members of the Svenson family, she could but tell all.


That was the sorrow of being from a side branch, she thought to herself, while she involuntarily remembered Malin—a man of such incredible accomplishments. Although he didn't really look like a man now, any one of his military records was the stuff of legendary stories that only heroes from history books could achieve.


How wonderful it would have been if he could take her away... Alas, she wasn't born in the Purple Chamber, unlike Lulu and the two young members of the Svenson family.


Fate had been too cruel to a weak woman like herself.


The Shape of Voice (Part 1)