#edit: corrected typo. used wrong your

[gaitiem]

You know you're near your destination the more you're slip sliding away

[kdelarenta]

potential tw: slut-shaming, catcalling, misogyny, parental abuse

me when i try to break the cycle but the cycle breaks me 🙂💔🥀

name: claire coleman

li: alaric

story: debt of deception by @debtofdeception-if

[syluses]

HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS

𓍯𓂃 PART TWO (2) of the stepdad! sylus x reader series

(2) THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND

𓍯𓂃 CONTENT: stepdad! sylus therefore step/pseudocest, eventual smut, nsfw, dubcon, slowburn, yandere undertones, all characters are 18+ (mc is presently 23; sylus is in early forties), possessive & yandere behaviors, age difference, daddy kink, unreliable narrator, drinking, non-evol au, modern au, lowkey enemies to lovers, lots of (sexual) tension, loss of virginity, emotional breakdowns, some angst, some fluff, a lil bit of everything; tags will be added as story progresses— but know the story is relatively triggering

𓍯𓂃 SIDENOTE: ayyy finally got chapter 2 out ✨ apologies for the wait!! but i hope u enjoy this one my friends :] 💕 also sorry for any typos PLEASE overlook them i beg :,) i hate the edit/revise process it took SO long but i hope my sleep-addled brain did me decent as i went thru to correct stuff. oh also i made a teeny mistake in part one, but i fixed it and its very inconsequential (used wrong number: 6 changed to 7). but anyway just letting u know if ur very observant & noticed a difference lol!! [art credit: @/chimmyming on twitter/X]

It’s hard to be secretive, tiptoeing down the hallway toward the stairs, when halfway through it opens up into the living room’s overhang.

If someone were sitting on the couch, and they heard so much as a creak from above, all it’d take is a glance thrown over their shoulder to spot you with a hand hesitantly placed on the banister, leery of stepping down to the first floor.

Nervewracking.

Perhaps it’s a bit dramatic to compare it to walking into the lion’s den- but you’re not the most talkative of persons, especially not with him, and it does seem daunting in your head to be cornered into conversation. Like prey meeting predator. Small meeting big. One delicate discussion could do you in, but you won’t bet on your demise being brought along so… easily.

To your immense relief, when you you peek around the stone column and survey the area below (mainly the L-shaped sofa, facing the massive wall-mounted TV above the fireplace), you find it empty.

At that, you let out a quiet breath. Some of your courage returns.

If you had spotted the twins, it would’ve been manageable, more so than if it was their dad, anyway.

It was only an hour ago (well, an hour and ten minutes, but you hope they won’t hold that against you— and considering all their tardy slips in highschool, they wouldn’t have the right) that you’d held conversation with them, and it went alright.

It’s a bit harder for you to admit that it was actually pretty nice to see them again.

Cathartic, even.

There’s a part of you that’s vulnerable and girlish- carefully stowed beneath the tough skin you lay on in front of most of everyone else- locked somewhere safe- and yes, it did miss them.

But you’re meant to dislike the three of them. Your meddling stepfamily who slipped into the cracks of your home, your mother’s heart, no different than an invasive species would. Stuck a foot into the door of your life and pressed until the hinge gave.

Once, it was easy. As effortless as breathing.

You didn’t have to think about it, or deliberate on it, or make all the justifications in your head- no, you hated them and that was it.

That feeling was meant to be final. Set in stone.

You thought it was.

For a time you even likened Sylus to Cinderella’s evil stepmother and his two conniving sons to the insufferable stepsisters. Oh, it’s childish, you know; looking back on those moments, you don’t know whether you want to hug the teenage girl you’d been or laugh in the face of her.

As it stands, though, Anastasia and Drizella aren’t half the monsters you’d once liked to believe. Awfully enough, you’ve warmed up to them, maybe even came to love them.

You’re stubborn, not stupid: Luke and Kieran have a special place in your heart and you recognize that.

You’re sure that they do, too. It’s what makes them bolder during every confrontation; brings out the smiles where they once paled. Scared you’d yell or shriek for your mom to just—

Get these two idiots out of my room!

That was then, though.

Things are different now. Changed.

…The ‘Lady Tremaine’ in this picture is still a work in progress. If you’re being honest, you wouldn’t be too terribly upset if it stayed that way—

No. But no, because…

Your mother would’ve been happy if you got along with him. Made amends. It’s a truth as sour as it is undebatable.

“Baby, please- he’s a good man, really. Can you just try, for me? I know you miss your dad, I know you do, I do, too-“

‘Does she?’ To save your hide, you bite that remark down, but listen on just as grumpily.

“-but I think that this can be a good thing if you just-“

Her words echo in the walls of your head. Plangent, bouncing. Like a gunshot ringing out through a canyon, it’s still loud in your conscience, even more so now that she won’t be around to nag you on the matter any further.

—“Smiled.”

If you don’t like Sylus, you’re the bad guy, right? And damn it all if that doesn’t dredge up an ounce of bitterness in you, but—

…For the sake of this trip, for the sake of her no longer being here (and oh, what you wouldn’t give so she could be here), you’ll do your best to swallow down your misgivings about your stepfather.

And you’ll be good.

Two weeks.

Reminding yourself of that for what must be the millionth time, you push off the truffle-wrap pillar to continue into the lofty hall. Starting down the wide, marble staircase in silence.

You’re not so sure where their father is. You definitely have your guesses— A fancy-shmancy meeting or outing that’s called him outside of the estate, or perhaps he’s simply in his study working, running an errand— All of which you hope are correct for the sake of avoiding him.

This late lunch of yours and the twins’ should be just that.

Yours and the twins’.

✦

The further you press into the first floor, the more you smell whatever the private chef is cooking.

Delicious, whatever it is. And no surprise there- the man who hired him demands only the best of the best. He’ll brook nothing less.

As you get closer, the aromas (some too faint to label, others almost dominating your senses: garlic, a pinch of ginger, the mouthwatering scent of meat) blend into a savory potpourri. A cohesive, expertly-made dish, you’re sure.

It’s true that in the past five years since your moving out that your visits have become more sporadic, far and few in between, but meals gathered around a tabletop brimming with tasty sides and entrées will always be a distinct memory you hold of this place.

I mean, you were all but forced by your mother to endure them. Thus, dinner became a special time for you and your stepfamily to bond.

Even Sylus, the endlessly busy CEO of some lucrative company you pretend not to know the name of, made room within his schedule where he could.

However, bonding is not what generally happened.

Teenage you always thought those dinners were stupid. Awkward at the best of times. Smiles too tight to be polite, hands passing around bowls you’d stick your nose up to. Not out of disgust, no, the platters never failed to make you drool- but because you’d take your dad’s homemade roast chicken over your stepfather’s insincere, gourmet trays any day of the week.

To be honest? you’d been mean to them, you’ll admit that much. Cruel even. A big brat with an even bigger bone to pick. You and your family didn’t come from rags, but your origins were infinitely more humble than the twin’s, than what Sylus had— yet you were prissy and rude in a way that they somehow weren’t... Presumptuous.

So upset with the new arrangement you couldn’t think straight.

“Y/n, pick up the fork for God’s sake- can’t you see your father went through all this just to have a meal with us tonight?”

Placatingly, “Honey. It’s alright.”

It’s not quite a snarl that you throw her way, but it’s close. With no one here to spank you, you’re allowed to mouth off a little, be unruly. No one’s here to stop you— your mother’s never had the arm for the paddle and regardless of that, she clearly shouldn’t be responsible over you if she can’t even make good decisions for herself.

To date, her worst decision yet is bringing that asshole around…

Pointedly ignoring the attention that’s gravitated to you, you scowl.

Maybe you are pushing the part of brat a touch too far- a shock, taking your past obedience into play- but how else will you get her to see you? Your hurt? I mean, the twins misbehave endlessly at school and at best, they get a slap on the wrist, no doubt because of their mogul of a father, but you don’t miss the laughs or rueful glances tossed their way.

The positive feedback.

“…Father?” You snip, eyes laser-focused on the woman at the far end of the table. The twins juggle between watching you and their dad with bated breath, half grinning in mischievous delight.

For several moments, the latter doesn’t move.

Sure enough, though, that cardinal gaze finds its roost on you. Not that you’re paying it any mind.

The air shifts when you open your mouth again, rising from the table with a start. The finely-placed cutlery jumps as you do.

“I don’t care if you’ve married him, made him your ‘quote on quote’ husband, that’s not my father and never will be. And these stupid boys that trail me all damn day long aren’t my family, either!”

“Whoa-ho! We caught a stray, bro!”

A beat of stunned silence.

Galileo crosses your mind; mainly what he did when the spotlight fell to him. The point is that there’s still time to recant, the rational part of your brain whispers. To backtrack.

Your cheeks warm. Heart pounding in your chest at the embarrassment of voicing your emotions, making a literal stand. But you can’t stop now. It’s too late to.

“A-And…” A tremble. You’re- You’re trembling, comes the small revelation. Ignoring it, you barely repress a wince, standing there uncertainly.

Finally, your mother- finding her bearings- angrily sputters out your government name.

You almost cow to it.

But you can’t be weak, not now, not in front of them, and-

In a frantic moment, your eyes dart over opposite the table to collide with his, your voice shaking wildly as the twins, at either side of you, snicker.

You swallow down the dregs of your self-consciousness to uncivilly pick up your fork and wave it at him.

“And you! Don’t even get me started on how awful you are! What you’ve done to me!”

All along you’ve done your damnedest to ignore him, only adding in your two cents where it was absolutely necessary. The last month or two you’ve spent under the same roof as him has been nothing less than an excellent demonstration of the cold shoulder on your part. You want the credit for that.

So when you point a literal finger, staring him down like you would prey through a muzzle and furrow your brow as unbidden tears wet your lash-line, his eyes actually double in size. Your stepfather, having forgotten to breathe by the looks of it (albeit, you have too), straightens by a fraction.

Good. That’s...

That’s good, you think.

Something in the back of your mind says ‘heel,’ says ‘don’t poke the bear,’ warns in every possible language you can think of that this is NOT a good idea. He’s rich enough to fill whole swimming pools with cash and powerful enough to move people like chess pieces— probably nudge them out of the game and off the board, too.

But he’ll never be the man of your house. You won’t allow it. So call it sheer stupidity on your end or just a death wish but—

“Y-You’ve stolen everything from me!”

On your right, Luke blinks with hesitant awe, his amusement petering out. Kieran’s jaw shuts. The foot he’d been kicking you with under the table draws away from yours. He exchanges a brief, suddenly sobered look with his brother as everything you’ve been holding back on these past several weeks looses to the surface.

“Y/n-!”

“You took it all! My mother, my dad’s honor, even my fucking house-!”

For the second time, your government name flies across the panel of demurred faces, but you’ve reached your melting point. The watershed where fear and politeness, all the conventional little things you’re supposed to respect and operate by, warps into hot unbridled anger.

This is a cut that originated from your father’s death, one exacerbated awfully by Sylus and his two sly, obnoxious sons- so you think it’s due time to let it bleed.

Bleed, it does.

But then- “You ruined my life, you-“

A breath. Stuttering and shallow and tender. It’s horrifying to realize it came from you.

“Y-You….”

Through the blur is a low, gentle murmur.

Rich and thick. You think even if your ears ceased to work, something in your chest could still recognize it; the bass moves through your ribs and rattles them.

In your periphery, for as fogged as it’s become what with the tears that suddenly speckle the room- the ones you vaguely acknowledge but do all you can to hold, even if just for a few more moments- the silver-haired man sets down his utensil. Nonchalant per usual. With unrivaled class.

It pisses you off.

Without looking at your frazzled mother, he raises a hand to calm her. “Shh, it’s alright, it’s alright. Let her speak.”

Speak…?

Oh- Is that what he fucking thinks this is? That you’ve stood, clinking the side of your glass with a spoon to humbly direct the diners’ attention from the plates spread tastefully before them to you as you prepare a fancy speech of sorts-?

This isn’t an announcement you’re making. This is not even a conversation. It’s just-

It’s just-

The epiphany that every set of eyes is on you including the chef’s (still tucked in the kitchen, as poor as any man could be as he hurriedly cleans up)— and that you are being treated no different than a dangerous animal that needs patience and slow movement to be handled, corralled back into a fucking cage—

It’s so infuriating you go quiet.

Your brain reaches a lapse and you shut up. Lips flattening into a pursed line immediately, you ball your fists and scamper back off to where it’s safest.

Your room.

“Sis, wait, Kieran said he’s sorry for kicking you under the table-“

You’d ignored it all and then you’d cried.

“Kieran,” an unexpected growl. “A word.”

…You suppose time has a funny way of soothing, though, because right now when you recollect the moment, you find the humor in it and scoff quietly.

“Dad, wait, I-I was just kidding around with her!”

Yeah okay, it was a bit embarrassing- you were a bit embarrassing- but you won’t hold that against sixteen year old you. She knew fuck all else how to navigate.

The big house is familiar and airy as you walk through the lower floor, as quiet as you left it.

Even if you’d forgotten the layout, whatever fragrance wafting from the kitchen would be enough to guide you there.

You wonder if it’s some kind of stirfry. A far cry from the humble PB&J’s you’ve been making yourself at home with chips sometimes as a side, but your tummy growls for it all the same.

You haven’t ate since sometime yesterday. As your tongue wets itself in anticipation, you’re made very aware of that now.

You spot the rice cooker on the side counter when you finally walk in and the blurred figures of the twins as they turn to look at you.

Luke, perched on a bar stool to eagerly watch the chef work his magic, hops off just to pull out another one at its right. The look in his eye, glittering, full of anticipation, tells you verbatim to ‘sit right here’. You don’t bother protesting- you’re already some minutes late after all- and climb up onto the seat between them.

Kieran, at your left, scoots closer to sling his arm over your shoulder. You let it happen with a small wince. The chair supporting the other twin gives a short screech when he, too, inches closer to fold his arms on the counter, lean his head on them, and angle his cheek to look at you.

“So, sis, how do you like Linkon so far?”

Not paying them much attention, you quirk an eyebrow.

Between watching the chef as he deftly tosses the pan back and forth (broccoli, you see now, with meat cubes he folds in) and glancing at the archways connecting the rest of the house into the kitchen- eyes peeled for someone- the twins are not your priority right now.

At the top, that list looks something like this: Eat a nice midday meal without any incident involving their dad.

“I’ve lived in Linkon almost all my life, don’t act like this is my first time here,” you poke back, albeit in a somewhat hushed tone. The walls might as well have ears.

Kieran reaches out to run an idle finger down the jut of your shoulder, his chin lazily propped up by his hand.

He looks at you.

“Sis, do you even realize for how long you were gone?”

His voice is light. Conversational. You’re not so deluded, though, by their indifferent, laidback act. You’ve known them not for a decade but not far off from that either, and you’ve learned to catch the whiff of trouble in the air before it blows its wind your way.

When you finally throw them each a gander, hesitantly prying your gaze from the open entries, the delight masked behind each placid set of eyes is absolutely there— just hiding well.

They’re getting much more amusement out of this than they’re letting on.

You’ll give them credit here: they’ve gotten better at pretending they’re not up to no good,… but there’s no bamboozling you.

You think about it for a few seconds before quipping back. “Almost seven months,… right?”

“Right,” Luke chirps beside you, “Seven whole months!” You turn your head to focus on him now.

(Ah, that’s right- you inwardly alert yourself upon notice- no matter who you’re facing, the other will inevitably be in your blindspot… Have to keep on your toes these upcoming weeks if you don’t want them pulling a trick on you.)

He pouts his lips, ever dramatic, to play up the kicked expression and make it all the more impactful as they guilt trip you. “Seven whole months where Kieran and I were left alllllll on our lonesome. Left to fend for ourselves.”

“Oh, you big babies.” With a huff, half-smiling, you lean out to flick his forehead. His hood slips off when he tries to nod away from your attack, laughing softly as wild, red tufts come loose.

“You’re plenty old enough now to care for yourselves. You can’t always rely on me for everything. Besides,” you start, thoughtful, and this is when your already quiet voice slinks into a whisper, one the boys draw in to hear.

Luke’s attention drifting past your shoulder, “you already have the big boss man covering your asses in every sense of the word.”

From the archway, a sonorous voice rings out.

“She’s right, you know.”

You and Kieran snap your heads over to look. The chef (and you don’t why you’re suddenly staring at him, or the ground, for that matter, nervous) gives a little glance his way, dipping his chin respectfully, but doesn’t note him beyond that. A big grin blooms across the lower half of Luke’s face. You’d smack it off if you could.

Beside you, Kieran suddenly lets out a chuckle, both of the twins once more very interested in you- particularly the reaction you’re trying to hide- as you swallow and look away.

Under the broad arch, their stepfather adjusts his sleeves before casually propping himself against the wall, arms folded.

You risk a glance over and instantly regret it when you catch his eyes on yours, a brow quirked teasingly.

…Directed at the boys, you realize when he speaks again. Of course. “You two lean on your sister far too much, don’t you think? I’d say you’re lucky she’s been so patient with you both.”

A huff from one of them. But they’re so similar it might as well come from the other. “Hah, I have the patience of a saint, especially when it comes to her! Don’t forget, dad, how long it took for me to get her to even talk to me-“

Frowning, you open your mouth to argue against that, to defend your past-self’s choices (because she had every reason to ignore the obnoxious pair), but to your suprise Luke beats you to the punch.

“Bro, you have to admit,” he starts with a sheepish laugh, “we were kind of annoying kids… I mean, we were pretty much always trying to find a new way to bother her…”

Curtly, you close your mouth. That deep, rumbling voice sounds out again- light in tone- and your heart skips a beat.

“Honesty’s not a bad start... Kieran, you might benefit from taking notes from your brother.”

“Eh…”

From behind the island, tucked in front of the stove- you swear you hear the cuisiner chuckle.

The pan sizzles. Your mouth waters and you’re reminded of how hungry you are, but the longer the silver-haired man lingers in the entryway the more you’re afraid he’s there to stay.

It was supposed to be just the three of you eating together. Not- Not him. And yeah, sure, this is his house at the end of the day— you wouldn’t be you if you weren’t already painfully aware of that- a fact that’s more obvious than ever now that your only real tether to this place, your mother, is gone— but why did he have to show up now of all times?

As every gripe starts to form in your head-

Two weeks. And then, and then it’ll be over for the last time.

-you silence them.

A moment passes and Luke, still studying you with the ghost of a grin, asks what you all really want to know.

“So, dad, are you staying for lunch?”

A beat. You furtively glance up in time to watch him check his expensive wristwatch, his brow furrowed.

“Lunch, you say?” He chuckles, ruby-red eyes practically sparkling when he lifts his chin, one corner of his mouth curved- though you can tell he’s trying to mask it. “And I guess this is the early bird special?”

“Sleepyhead Y/n here rolled out of bed late.”

You huff, crossing your arms, distracting yourself with the busy chef. “And these two all but barged in while I was still busy unpacking.”

Like clockwork, much of the mirth in his expression wanes. He frowns expectantly, voice neither stern nor flat but something in between. “Boys. What did I tell you about not pestering our guest while she’s still here?”

Luke and Kieran snicker. You bite down on a grin.

“Yeah, boys,” you murmur to be annoying, just loud enough for them to hear. That’s the hope, at least.

Sylus’s little smirk returns with a vengeance. He refolds his arms, adjusting.

“…Anyway, though. I can’t stay. I have a meeting I need to sit in at the main office, unfortunately. I would’ve…” A raking of his eyes between the three of you, interested, and a brief pause, “Enjoyed that, though.”

He hums, saying more to himself now than to any of you, “another time.”

For a number of moments, the air seems oddly tense. A miasma of something unsaid hangs between the four of you, thickening the air between, and in the split second before someone breaks the silence, you’re struggling to pinpoint the root cause.

It’s just the ice from last night, you decide quietly, the bits of it that didn’t break. The friction left over.

You’re still settling in, after all.

…And yet when his gaze finds yours again, something not to be uttered in it as cherry hues zero in on you, his lashes fluttering ever so slightly—

The pulse in your chest trips and picks itself back up again.

You blink, looking down to his chest. When your stare sweeps up again to his face, almost hesitant to find what may be waiting there, he’s addressing the twins and it’s already gone.

“Well. I’m out, then. Boys: don’t drive your sister crazy. And… Kitten…”

Your brow pinches unwittingly. There, again, is that strange yet patient twinkle in his eye and it steals all the breath from your lungs in one fell swoop.

Either side of you, Luke and Kieran trade off between appearing uncertain and then appearing just as eager. Behind the steaming stove, even the chef, cottoning onto the shift in atmosphere, tosses the briefest of looks over his shoulder to assess the situation.

You nervously wet your lip. “Y-Yeah?”

Promptly, your stepfather’s countenance smooths out into an easy, pellucid smile. A whit challenging; a whit encouraging— but not at all reluctant, no, the mite of intimidation in his gaze is a simple result of your clouded thinking these past few days. Nothing more.

“Don’t pull your punches if they do.”

A swallow. “Alright.”

The twins, no different than conspiring, bothersome little rats, slap a hand over their mouths to hide a laugh, and then their dad is skimming between all three of you in your row at the counter. Albeit, his tone is too gentle for them—

“Call if you need something,” he suggests.

And then he’s gone.

A tumbleweed blows through. Kieran turns to you afterward, Luke’s hand idly dangling off your shoulder, the pair far too comfortable with taking up your space- but for now, obedient enough.

“Well, chef, how’s it looking?”

Lunch is served on a silver platter.

Swallowing down your reservations, your typical discomfort with their casual, sumptuous lifestyle, you fold to your hunger and dig in.

Kieran, ever the pest, laughs when you finish before them, shoveling a share of his saucy broccoli onto your plate. His grin is shit-eating, but you can appreciate the generosity laced under his teasing remark for what it is.

“Wow, someone’s hungry, huh? Bet you’re wishing you ate during your flight!”

✦

In the hours after, you trampoline between idling through the massive home, revisiting various memories you hold of each room and long corridor, and sitting down with a hand over your full belly. Thinking.

Maybe all the reflection isn’t for the better, though, as much as you try to keep optimistic by playing dumb to your circumstances.

You don’t blame the boys for being so energetic, even amidst the doom and gloom that’s reared its head in just the past few days— it’s a lot to handle, everything with your mother, sure it is, but they’re known for their mischief, for being nothing but happy-go-lucky. Besides… sometimes grief manifests itself in strange ways. Whether it be through inconvenient fits of laughter or a stone-faced apathy, it’s all of the same brood: an interesting yet no less instinctual coping mechanism.

Considering you’ve been forcefully naive surrounding your reasons for being flown out, you know plenty about those mechanisms yourself.

It’s not impossible that they’re mourning her in their own way, the twins. Behind all the admittedly strange, insouciant remarks and the carelessness around such a delicate situation- tasteless at the best of times- you think you see it, the cracks.

The fleeting blips of unease in Luke’s eyes. The moments where the room goes quiet after a good joke makes its round through and he has to blink something away from his conscience. Or the gelidity of his brother, for that matter. The wide-eyed stare into nothingness before he, too, shakes it away like whatever it is is no more than an intrusive thought to be tossed aside and disregarded.

Not to mention they’re gentler with you. More… chivalrous, almost.

Exhibit A:

The boys approach you closer to sunset in your bedroom, their polite, small smiles and knocks before coming in pleasant surprises each.

Perched on your bedroom’s dormer window, you boredly flip through a book you’ve read at least thrice as they ask if you’ve found a dress yet for the funeral, as respectful as they ever could be.

On cue, your world weathers at the edges. Like paper thinning through after its corner is put to a lighter.

Right, right. A dress. The- The funeral….

You’ve not even been in the Qin estate for 24 hours but you’re already letting these things- these very paramount things- slip from your mind. They should be in the forefront of it, but the more you dwell on them (your priorities: using these two weeks to prepare for the ceremony, finding suitable attire, hopefully going through her belongings once you’re ready enough), the more it hurts, so you just shut it out.

See, all of this— the dreadful knowing that your veritable mother is gone and in terms of blood and bone family, you’re now left utterly alone (that maybe if you’d just- fucking hung around a bit more you somehow could’ve reversed her fate)— has obviously affected you as much as it has your stepfamily if not more- considering they were the ones who found her and all. But the twins, and even their father, are demonstrating a master class in composure, and you don’t know whether to find gratitude in their lack of flying off the handle (in this hell, someone needs to remain coolheaded) or be offended by it.

It almost feels like she was never here.

Like nothing went wrong... But you can’t really blame them for their cool and collected behaviors, because you’re putting up a strong front yourself.

Maybe your mother wasn’t the twins’ given at birth, sure... But they operated as a true family. Even when you were bitter and stuck-up and rude, the four of them were tight-knit, so much so that eventually you felt like the fucking interloper in it all, the outlying number in the equation.

So you quietly understand that there’s hurt involved on their side around her death- whether they’re being loud about it or not- and choose not to tally it against them.

…Perhaps, you think, it’s high time for you to retire your childhood grudges, anyway.

You close the book, smoothing over the cover.

If the five-second rule applies— you use four and a half to pick up your pieces off the floor and formulate a reply, not hiding how crestfallen you are.

“No. I… I haven’t even went shopping yet. I mean, I figured-“

A thick swallow on your end- and an exhale that sounds more like the stirrings of a panic attack and the boys are at your side in a moment. Their softer facets coming through as they join you on the loft window.

Luke takes the worn stuffed animal he almost crushes, dutifully ignoring its matted fur, and places it in your lap to distract you as you struggle to articulate your emotions. Kieran does his best to not scrutinize you too much, knowing you typically don’t like the attention, while you fidget with the plushie and give them an odd show of vulnerability.

I mean, fuck it. They see you as their sister, and you’re tired of pretending to be too tough to rely on them as your brothers, so—

“I- I figured we had two whole weeks, you know? And… And that’s plenty of time to just get a dress later. Have- Have you two gotten everything ready for it?”

“Yeah,” Luke murmurs back, taking your hand in his to swallow it up in warmth. It surprises you but you don’t make a comment. As if wanting to be included as well, or maybe he’s just mad his brother beat him to the punch, Kieran quietly nudges the plushie from your other hand and intwines his fingers with yours.

Your cheeks warm.

Your heart, ricocheting in your chest, whispers something you don’t quite catch as one of them sluggishly props his chin on your shoulder, mumbling a hey, it’s alright as you furiously blink, and you’re inundated with a foreign sense of- of—

Security? …Is that it?

“We went with dad yesterday to buy the suits.”

“Before he picked you up at the airport,” Luke clarifies in a light tone.

At your back, the sun glares over a chilly courtyard, lighting the fountain and iron-wrought gates with liquid, reflective gold. It only makes the near identical visages either side of you look all the more daring and impish— boyishly handsome— as dusk washes its hues over the three of you.

It’s just a little jarring.

A set of knuckles, almost experimentally, caresses your toasty cheek.

…For perhaps the first documented time in history, you don’t bite.

“We can take you, if you want? There’s a place in town that can tailor something perfectly for you. We can go tonight to get your measurements, sis, what do you think? Just get it done?”

It’s… not a bad idea. Far from it, actually.

You’d be able to quiet the restless part of your mind. Accomplish this seemingly easy task that’s become gargantuan in your head all within the span of just one night. To top it all off, it’d be with the added bonus of the twins’ brotherly support.

“A-Actually,” you start, lifting your chin to look at Luke, and then Kieran, voice thin, “I was, um, wondering if you two could take me somewhere else.”

They wait, owlish.

You meekly continue, “I’ve already read all the books I have here. I was thinking if you could drive me to that store downtown, just so I can pick up a few. Something to, um, fill in the time while I’m here, you know?“

Kieran blinks at you, dark eyes examining your face carefully, like he’s taking it in in a new light. You’re sure they don’t know what to make of you right now: for most if not all of your teen years, you played the part of distant stepsister very well, never wore your emotions on your sleeve and hesitated to be open with any of the members of your stepfamily.

Perhaps they think you’re taking a page from their book— setting them up for some grandiose joke so you can cackle in their faces.

Luke, smiling faintly, nudges your shoulder with his and leans in. “Sure, sis. Me and Kieran will take you. I guess you haven’t changed too much while you’ve been gone, huh? You’re still a big bookworm.”

“A big nerd.”

“Alright, you two,” you chuckle lightly, jabbing them both playfully- to which they both offer up a fake, dramatic grunt of pain to- before wiping the tear that almost beads at your eye. You hope they don’t notice. But if they do, they don’t make any sly remark about it. For that you’re thankful.

It seems you’ve all matured quite a bit since pre-adulthood, but it’s somehow more obvious this time around.

This visit is different from the last in more ways than one.

Looking between them both, hardly able to hold their respective gazes as your pulse swings in your throat— “Thank you”— you murmur, gentle.

For as embarrassing as it is to be vulnerable, you let yourself be just a little sweet with them... Considering your mother is gone, and the unsteady grounds you stand on with Sylus especially- the veritable owner of this home- you think you’re less of an inhabitant here and more of a… guest.

Once these two weeks are up and the funeral concludes, you’ll be going away again. Probably for the last time. Nothing will call you back.

(You’d been such a brat. What would want to?)

The twins, unable to hide the little, genuine smirks rippling across their faces, regard you inquisitively when something like sadness flashes across your gaze.

You clear your throat. That thought of finally escaping your stepfamily- your stepfather and all he represented- for good shouldn’t make something in your heart tremble. But oh, it does.

Politely, you brush off their hands and rise to your feet. You’re not sure what’s gotten into you, but you plaster on an awkward yet no less friendly smile and cross your arms.

“So, boys? You ready to go now? Or…?”

Kieran, the utter moron he is, comments something about how he was born ready, jumping up, and then they’re ushering you out the door and into the hall, towards the stairs, in a two-person stampede.

✦

You buy a book.

Three, for good measure, each thicker than the one before. Just something to occupy your mind in the windows of silence you’ll no doubt spend idling around the mansion before the ceremony.

On the way back, the sky is black underneath a cladding of clouds. Ash as far as the eye can see. The stars are hiding, but you lean your cheek against the car window and look up as if trying to spot them, anyway.

Lost in your mind, your own musings holding you close as the bag sits atop your lap, you don’t pay much attention to the boys when they ask if you wanna stop somewhere to eat because they’re getting munchy.

Without looking, though, you do tell them ‘no thanks, you’re getting kind of sleepy’ and Kieran makes the turn home— albeit not without a dramatic sigh.

It’s… pleasant though, surprisingly. Being with them.

It’s like luck is finally shuffling over to your side. Like things are finally looking up- no matter how trife or trivial they seem. For as shitty of a week it’s turned out to be, you need all the silver linings you can get. So (although with some reluctance, some… confusion) you’ll count this time with them as a small blessing.

Maybe, just maybe, this impromptu trip to Linkon is finally taking a turn for the better. Maybe each and every one of your efforts to remain patient and open-minded and mature with your stepfamily have actually begun to pay off. Maybe you won’t be tearfully pulling hair from your scalp after all, driven mad.

The twins’ harmless griping is a backdrop you smile at as the gates of the estate come into view through the woody road.

In the warmer seasons, it’s a monolithic modern thing erected atop rolling lawns striped green. As it stands now, though, the courtyard is a dull, frosted sage, quiet and cold. The fountain will need to be turned off soon before everything freezes, before the snow comes. You vaguely wonder if one of the workers or bush trimmers that come along every week or two will remember before Sylus even gives them the order. It’s likely.

A thud. “Are you sure, sis?” Your door closes behind you.

Hand still on the wheel, Kieran waggles his eyebrows as his sibling hollers from the passenger seat, thinking you’ll take his lilts as an invitation to get back into the vehicle.

“I’m sure,” you murmur fondly, actually stopping at the driver’s window for a moment to hear them out. You adjust the plastic bag in your grasp and throw a look down the rest of the driveway, towards the house.

“You want us to bring something back, at least? We found this cool new place that opened up that has the best—“

A chuckle. “I’m alright, really. We had lunch and dinner together, ‘member?” Then, you give your throat a soft, innocuous clear, scuffing your shoes over the pavement. “By the way, uh… Do you think your dad’s home yet?”

With the garage closed, the path empty and only the lights you left on in the house warmly shining through, it’s hard to tell if anybody else has come by.

Kieran actually snickers at your hesitance, the little bastard.

You reach forward to flick his forehead and he reels away with an excited shout. “Calm down, sis, I didn’t even say anything!”

“Yeah, but I see you laughing you dummy-“

“It’s just cute, is all. You’re always so worried about our old man and what he’s up to.”

You huff at that, maybe even visibly fluster. But before you can say anything, hop to your own defense, a puckish voice overlaps yours. “If you were in a cartoon, you’d have steam coming out of your ears right now.”

“Ugh! You two are unbearable-!”

“Hey, Kieran said it, not me-“

“But you thought it, didn’t you? You two share the same handful of braincells after all!!”

They both laugh, more endeared by your insults than offended- much to your dismay- and you put your tongue in your cheek. Your narrowed eyes drift back to the titanic of a home. Maybe it’s your imagination, but you almost swear you see a shadow flutter by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the bottom level and—

“Did you see that?” You untuck your arms from their weave at your chest and squint. The boys, still sniggering, follow your gaze. “I think he is home.”

A beat of silence passes.

You turn over. Luke faces ahead in his seat, wetting his lip wordlessly, but Kieran dangles his arm out the side of the fancy, sleek car (that his father surely bought for him as a toy) with his eyes set on you.

Holding your gaze with a shake of his head, his smirk is a tenuous thing, but it’s there. “Nah, I’m pretty sure he’s gone, sis.”

If you ever write a guide on surviving the Qin family, the first page would say: step one, do not believe the twins if they utter anything even a stone’s throw from the two words—

“Don’t worry.”

You frown, uncertain.

He laughs at your pouting. “Kieran- just tell me the truth-“

“I’m serious! He’ll be back later tonight, probably midnight. You know how it is. His schedule is spotty.”

A wind sweeps through and you shiver ever so slightly, clasping either of your arms as you hug them close to your body. Your lips are getting that uncomfortable dry feeling but you know it’ll only worsen if you run your tongue over them. So you don’t.

You eye the lavish, yet unassuming front of the home, ruminating. “Kieran-“

“Now go back in before you catch a cold. Dad will really kill me and Luke if he finds out you were standing out in the dark just to bicker with us.”

“I’m innocent in this,” his brother murmurs before exaggerating a yawn.

You analyze the crafty duo one more time before sensing no dupe on their end and sighing, marching up towards the house.

“Fine,” you call over your shoulder, just a little testy. You don’t want to be fooled, but there isn’t a big reason for them to lie about whether their dad’s returned or not- and even if he did make it back already, it’s no major thorn in your side. There’s a fat chance you’ll just casually, quietly, pass him by as you head to your room- and that’s even if you bump into him in the first place. The place isn’t exactly small or conducive to chance meetings.

“But if you’re lying,” you start, before blushing because you can’t quite think of a good threat. “You’ll- you’ll regret it.”

The engine purrs and the car pulls off- thank God- carrying the harmless yet bothersome mocking words of your stepbrothers with it. “Ohhhh so scary! See you later!”

You cluck your tongue, shaking your head at no annoyance of theirs in particular as you hop up the steps and fish for the key in your pocket.

Giggling under your breath. Idiots.

✦

You’re not giggling when you enter the open foyer, locking the door behind you, and spot a figure in the living room, splayed out on the large L-shaped sofa.

No, you’re not even thinking about the boys anymore, just the dilemma laid out before you as you press your lips together in a thin line and turn your feet into feathers to begin making your way through.

God’s hand must be over your life though, because upon closer, very furtive inspection, tiptoeing towards the archway, he’s…

Asleep.

You let out a soundless sigh of relief at that, shoulders slumping.

…And you should take the opportunity- glad it’s even come to you- and go, you know. It’s as good a moment as any to slip off, undetected, and retreat into the privacy of your bedroom.

It’s all but waiting for you.

What you told the twins was as much of a truth as it was a good excuse— you’re tired and it’s encroaching on that time where you want to plop into bed and curl up under the covers.

Not because it’s past your curfew or anything, no- honestly, you usually have a penchant to stay up late- but because you’re still a little jet-lagged from the flight and you’d prefer to sleep instead of loaf the evening through with the unwanted company of whatever thoughts that might creep in.

You’re not… incredibly close with Sylus. Unbidden feelings of safety and peace in his presence nudged aside, you’re not chummy with the guy and you really have no reason to stick around especially when you’re growing tired but—

Approaching the archway, you slowly reach a hand to rest on it, and you watch.

A half-touched mug of coffee sits on the table before the couch. Strewn beside it is his laptop, mousepad and mouse, and one of those yellow, lined notebooks that you quirk a brow at only because it’s deceptively cheap for a man so expensive.

It’s closer to something your own father- your real, now deceased one- would use to mark out measurements for his woodworking projects, or keep on the fridge under a magnet as a note to himself.

…Huh.

A mite amused by the sight of your generally very awake, proactive stepfather, you fight off a grudging smile- all too entertained by the languid display- and rest your shoulder against the wall.

Dim, golden lights fall over him in a gentle haze, but the shadow cut by his bumped nose is sharp.

You know they’re not related, Sylus and his unruly sons. The twins are splitting images of each other, but they mirror nothing of Sylus’s face— so when you heard the casual murmurs between him and your mother behind closed doors one evening about their ‘adoption’ long ago, you shouldn’t have been surprised. Yet you were.

For as much as you disliked him, it was never because he was a bad father.

The opposite, if you’re completely honest.

He’s always been good to the boys. Nothing short of nurturing (in his own indirect way, of course), paternal, and teacherly. Offering a hand of guidance where it was needed but never ironlike or suffocating with how he used it. If anything, he was even a smidgen lax with them- which you’d quietly admire but only in absolute secret.

Every parent has their faults, that’s a given.

Sylus had very little.

A head full of silver (and some grey, albeit it’s hard to notice his age just because he handles it so gracefully, so boldly) tipped against the back of the couch with an arm resting on the side of it- the shaggy throw blanket on his lap with the wintry chill kept in mind— he’s more than just peaceful. He’s…

Domestic. Relaxed.

This is his territory, you’re reminded again.

You’re just passing through it.

A five o’clock shadow dots the slant of his jaw. His lashes don’t even flutter in his sleep; you reckon he’s deep into it. A pen hangs between his fingers, limp.

Interest dashes through you as you quietly observe him.

You’re not… spying, per se, it’s just- You’re just curious, alright? And to be fair, he wouldn’t have any right to call you out on your observation even if he wanted to, because the number of times you’ve felt and ignored his patient, hopeful, or outright (for whatever reason) amazed stare is too high to be logged.

A pair of glasses rests on the tip of his nose, sloping off. There’s no way to tell just when he got home, but it’s obvious he had been hard at work with something on his computer.

Humming thoughtfully, you pull your gaze away before sluggishly pushing off the threshold.

You shake your head at yourself, readjusting your bag as you find the trace of humor in your desultory actions. Why you let your curiosity get the better of you, you don’t know. It’s very possible at this point that something’s possessed you. Either that, or your cold, guarded heart is thawing out at rates National Geographic needs to get an angle on ASAP.

In any case- you really ought to head up for bed now.

Quiet as a mouse, careful lest you wake and alert him to your presence, you pad behind the couch and across the width of the massive living room to the just as opulent stairs.

You look up to them—

Looming. Dark.

In your mind’s eye, so unrealistically steep- so dangerous—

Breath suddenly hitching, you glance down to your feet, planted firmly beneath you- unmoving- and remind yourself of good things. Other, things.

Puppies. Kittens. Rainbows with pots of gold waiting at the other end with leprechauns to greedily guard them- varying flights of fancy.

Awfully enough, in all your attempts to distract and soothe yourself, four portraits pop up into your brain and three of them belong to none other than your stepfamily.

You want to be callous. But it’s not working this time around.

This wound of yours that your mother’s death left behind is too open, too fleshy, for you to pretend that your skin is so hardened.

Reopening your eyes, you swallow down the bad gut feeling that twists like a knife- the inexplicable unease disappearing as quickly as it came- and reach a hand for the railing.

Bed. Bed. Clearly, you need the rest—

“Kitten?”

A groggy voice. That, and a shuffle.

You flip around.

You’re too shocked to even remember you’re meant to dislike him, hand flying over your heart in a trice. “Y-Yeah?”

Your stepfather, looking sideward over the couch at you, blinks away sleep casually.

Oh, God. It’s just him…

“Oh,” he mumbles, “Sorry, Sweetie. I didn’t mean to scare you…” lazily tossing a glance to the unoccupied space around him, even the banister overhead; checking for something, you realize as your heart slowly takes its foot out from your throat.

You sigh out, visibly deflating.

You think you see his gaze drop to the bag in your hand, giving you a once-over, but his ruby eyes are catching the light in a way that makes it near impossible to discern. You can only tell he’s looking at you because he’s facing you.

“Where’s the boys? You left with them, didn’t you?”

Your lashes bounce against your cheekbone, rapid as you collect your bearings. “Oh, they…”

His tone gets a little stern, then, his eyes a little clearer now as he dips his chin and quirks a searching brow. Incredulous, very. “Is… everything alright? They behaved themselves, didn’t they?”

“Yeah, no- the boys were fine,” you shake your head, rubbing nothing from your eye. Fatigue, maybe, as it drapes itself over you. It takes a second for you to remember the events that led you here before opening your mouth to speak on them. “Um, they just wanted to get a snack and I wanted to be dropped off, so…”

He takes a moment to ponder that.

Unconvinced, “But everything went well?” His attention skims over you hastily. You see that, now. The intense glitter in his eye, wholly transfixed, as the dregs of his slumber wear off- however, the gravel in his voice is more stubborn to go.

He sighs, long-suffering. “You can tell me. I won’t let them know it was you.”

You struggle to imagine how that would go, but shake your head in the next moment anyway.

“Really, it was fine. Everything went well.”

“Good.” He hums, then, seemingly satisfied.

He pores over you, curious all over again as a tiny bunch forms between his brow, wrinkling it slightly. “You’re… heading up for the night now, I guess?”

Oh, yes actually, you think to yourself in time with his reminding you of it- but you go to reply and hold off on it when he glances down at what you correctly assume to be his wristwatch, pausing thoughtfully.

“Oh, my. It’s gotten pretty late out now,” he drawls. “Hm. I must’ve drifted off while I was waiting for-”

You quirk a brow. “Ah. Waiting for this spreadsheet to get interesting,” he smoothly chuckles, looking at the screen of his computer and the low battery sign that pops up as a window on it.

Before you can think to respond- “Goodnight then, Kitten,” he lilts as high as his sleep-addled voice will allow, “I’ll see you in the morning. Should I,” a pause again, “wake you for breakfast?”

You swallow, momentarily glancing at the top landing of the stairs. “No thanks.”

“Are you sure?” He breathes.

Persistence is needed in business, you know that; it’s why you don’t hold it against him when his first instinct is to push rather than pull away. His realm is different than yours. And anyway, he’s just being polite— playing the part of the concerned, doting, yet nonetheless hesitant stepfather who is terribly uncertain with how to best handle his grouchy stepdaughter. He does it well.

“You’re not afraid of missing out?”

You offer a mildly amused huff, choosing to indulge him just this once- just for these two weeks. “On my sleep, maybe.”

He chuckles. It’s a full and rich sound. There’ll come a day where Luke and Kieran will coax more of the same out of him, and you’ll give them genuine, congratulatory claps on the back each for the achievement.

For now, though, that feat is yours and yours alone. Not that you’re… exactly proud of it.

“Alright, alright, I get the hint, little miss night owl… I won’t disturb you tomorrow. You have my word.” He smirks just barely. Just safe enough.

“Sleep tight, Sweetie.”

The ice is melting between you both, yes- a phenomenon you both curiously, warily observe— but he will watch his step.

You set your foot on the first stair, “T-Thanks. You too.”

…As will you.

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[dunmeshistash]

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & ''Delicious in Dungeon'' Exhibition pamphlet

Transcript under the cut

Disclaimer is that I used an image to text website and then proof-read it myself and made corrections where it got the text wrong. There was a few typos in the original text (like writing fied instead of fried) but I kept those in just in case I interpreted something as a typo but it wasn't.

[page 1]

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition Introducing Ryoko Kui (1) Manga artist. After working through her website "Nishi ni wa ryū ga ita" (A dragon in the west) and her own dojinshi (self-published works), Kui made a debut with "Ryu no gakko wa yama no ue: Kui Ryoko sakuhin-shu" (The dragon's school is on top of the mountain: Ryoko kui works) published with EAST PRESS in 2011. Then published "Kui Ryoko sakuhin-shu: Ryū no kawaii nanatsu no ko" (Ryoko Kui collection: Seven Little Sons of the Dragon) in 2012 with KADOKAWA, and "Hikidashi ni terrarium" (Terrarium in Drawer) in 2013 with EAST PRESS. In 2014 she started her first long-running series "Dungeon Meshi" (Delicious in Dungeon) in KADOKAWA's magazine Harta. In January 2024, she released her book, "Kui Ryoko rakugaki bon Daydream Hour" (Ryoko Kui's sketchbook: Daydream Hour) of illustrations she made while working on "Delicious in Dungeon" as well as illustrations from before her debut. She has a diverse range, from science fiction and fantasy to historical dramas. The world building in her fantasy works is particularly unique, as they merge the extraordinary into the everyday to create an overwhelming realism and persuasiveness through meticulously refined settings. Kui won the Excellence Award in the Manga Division for "Terrarium in Drawer" at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and "Delicious in Dungeon" has been awarded numerous accolades, including the 2015 Comic Natalie Grand Prize, TAKARAJIMASHA's award for This Manga is Amazing! 2016 Men's category 1st place, the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' most Recommended Manga of 2016, and the 55th Seiun Award in the Manga category, which is awarded to outstanding science fiction works. Introduction (2) Delicious in Dungeon" is a hugely popular manga; over 14 million copies have been sold.* To celebrate its anime adaptation, the large-scale exhibition "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition was held in Tokyo and Nagoya from April 2024. This exhibition is a continuation of the touring "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition, with the addition of the Ryoko Kui Exhibition; the first exhibition of artwork by the original artist Ryoko Kui. In the Ryoko Kui Exhibition, you can see her outstanding character designs, realistic settings and the unique narrative developments which have captivated readers, through reproductions of manga manuscripts and interview exhibits. We hope that you enjoy exploring the fascinating world of Ryoko Kui. In the "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition, you can enjoy photo spots, and impressive three-dimensional monster displays from the labyrinth adventures undertaken by Laios and his companions in the first season of the anime. We hope you will enjoy the fun of the original manga, the anime, and the exhibition to your heart's content. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ryoko Kui and the original editorial team, including everyone involved in the anime production and everyone who helped with the planning of this exhibition.

Ryoko Kui Exhibition & "Delicious in Dungeon" Exhibition Executive Committee

As of April 2024, including digital editions.

The dragon's school is on top of the mountain (3) This is Ryoko Kui's debut work, and her first collected volume of works. Published in 2011, it collects seven of her stories previously published on her website and in doujinshi (self-published works), as well as two new stories. It includes a trilogy of tales which may have taken place behind the scenes of the heroes' adventures in a Role-Playing Game; and which follow the conventions of an RPG. These are "Kikyō" (Return home), which portrays the sorrow of a hero having returned to his hometown after defeating the Demon King; "Mao" (The demon king), which tells the tale of the Demon King from his birth to his downfall; and "Maō jō mondai" (The problem of the demon king castle), which depicts the course of events surrounding the demon castle having lost its master. The story "Gendai shinwa" (Modern myths) depicts the daily lives of coexisting horsepeople (centaurs) and ape-people (homo sapiens), told from the perspectives of a centaur and homo sapien married couple, and a female homo sapien company employee and her junior male centaur. It comically depicts real-life issues such as anti-labor regulation demonstrations, and the disparity between retirement benefits and life expectancy, and as such can be considered satire of the diverse issues faced by modern society. The title story "The dragon's school is on top of the mountain" is set in a university that has the only "Faculty od Dragons" in Japan. It depicts the members of the dragon research society who seek out ways to use dragons, which apparently have no demand in modern society. They explore uses for dragons, such as for food, as pets, and as advertising media. Other highlights include Kui's sad love stories, told from unique perspectives, such as the fairytale-esque "Daikon yama no yome sagashi" (A bride for Daikon mountain) which tells the tale of a man's efforts to marry a female god in order to bring fortune to his poor village, and "Shingaku tenshi" (School-going angel) which depicts the woes of a high school girl with angel wings.

[page 2]

Seven Little Sons of the Dragon (4) This collection of short stories includes self-published works and short stories published in KADOKAWA publishing's magazine Fellows! throughout 2011 and 2012. The collected volume was published in 2012. The stories are set in different countries and time periods, featuring supernatural beings such as dragons, mermaids, gods, and werewolves. "Ryū no Shōtō” (The dragon turret) is set in two neighboring mountains and sea kingdoms. A dragon builds a nest and lays eggs on the border at the only crossroad connecting two warring nations. The nations declare a ceasefire in fear of the dragon, but as peddlers are also unable to come and go, supplies become scarce. A Sea Kingdom soldier who was taken as a prisoner of war by the Mountain Kingdom is tasked with transporting supplies between the kingdoms, and in time he becomes close with a girl of the mountain Kingdom. But the time for the dragons to leave their nest is approaching, meaning that the war will begin again. “Ōkami wa uso wo tsukanai" (Wolves don't lie) starts out with the premise of being a parenting manga by a manga artist whose son has "werewolf syndrome", then suddenly turns into a story told from the perspective of the son, who is a werewolf. The feudal drama "Kane nashi Byakuroku" (Byakuroku the penniless) tells the story of an elderly gifted artist who always leaves out one eye because otherwise his creatures come to life and pop out of the paper. He is deceived by his apprentice and left penniless, so paints both eyes into the only work remaining, counterfeit picture of a samurai. He enlists the somewhat incompetent fake samurai who has come to life, to help him raise money, and misadventures ensue. Each of these precious seven stories depict the bond between parents and children, family members, and loved ones. While humorous, they are also emotionally stirring.

Terrarium in Drawer (5) This is a collection of short stories that were published in the literary web magazine MATOGROSSO (EAST PRESS), as well as the cat anthology “Nyansolo” (EAST PRESS), Aoharu (Shueisha) and doujinshi. The story “Ryū no gekirin" (Wrath of the dragon) portrays the process of cooking dragon cuisine from preparation to seasoning with trivia about the ingredients. "Kigō wo taberu" (Eating symbols) depicts unique ways of cooking symbols such as circles being fied whole, while squares are sliced thinly and served with sashimi soy sauce. A motif that is also common in "Delicious in Dungeon" can be found in these stories. Other chapters include “Kawaiku naritai" (I want to be cute) which depicts the makeup techniques of a cat who wants to be beautiful; "Shōtoshōto no shujinkō" (A short, short story's protagonist) which is a meta perspective comedy while having many twists and turns; and "Yume no aru hanashi" (A dreamy story) set in a Santa Claus temping agency during the busy season. You can enjoy 33 diverse stories with creative perspectives and approaches, ranging from science fiction to fantasy and fairy tales. Another charming aspect of this book is the wide variety of styles it showcases, from shojo manga, to horror, gekiga, and even a simple touch of experience-based manga. The homages to famous authors and their works are also quietly amusing. In 2013, this collected volume won the 17th Manga Division Excellence Award of the Japan Media Arts Festival, organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, which is awarded to outstanding works of art and entertainment.

Delicious in Dungeon (6) This is Ryoko Kui's first long-running series. It began serialization in Harta published by KADOKAWA from February 2014 to 2023, spanning a total of 14 book volumes. The story is set in an expansive labyrinth that suddenly appeared on an island one day. The main character Laios is an adventurer whose sister Falin is devoured by a Red Dragon while exploring the labyrinth. Falin casts a final magic spell which lets Laios and the rest of his companions escape the labyrinth, but they return to rescue and resurrect Falin. However, having lost their equipment and supplies, the group decides to become "self-sufficient” by cooking and eating the monsters they defeat along their way, as they adventure deeper into the labyrinth. Grounded in the familiarity of classic fantasy RPG elements, the series adds its own unique settings and meticulous world building. Its monster cooking scenes are illustrated alongside detailed cooking instructions, making it a never-before-seen labyrinth gourmet manga, which has become an overnight sensation. According to Kui, the motif of "cooking monsters" was born from an idea she had of wanting to depict what falls between the lines of adventures, such as meals and camping, which are typically not depicted in roleplaying games*. The manga has been adapted as a television anime series to run for two seasons from January to June 2024. A second series has also been announced. The series was produced by TRIGGER inc., who also produced and animated a commercial for the manga in 2019.

First published in an interview in Newtype, February 2024 issue.

[Map showing the numbers from each ection from 1 to 8]

[page 3]

"Delicious in Dungeon" Artwork (separate post with pics) Cover illustration draft, vol. 1 Since this was the first volume, I tried out a few different drawings and had the editor and designer choose which ones they wanted, then made small adjustments. I personally liked the top-down draft, and the one of the cooking processes (back cover) the best. But looking back, I sincerely think it's good that we didn't go with those. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 2 The format was decided for volume 1. So, volume 2 came together quickly. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 3 I thought it might be cool to make the character Chilchuck darker in the foreground, and the background brighter! But it didn't quite work out the way I had imagined. I think it could have been a bit better. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 4 I remember that the overall shape of volume 4 came together very quickly. The character Senshi's hands didn't fit nicely, so I moved them backwards and to the side. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 5 I thought people might start to think "how many have I bought?" so I wanted to create a slightly different impression with this volume. I decided to put the character right in the center and try putting it together all in blue and green hues. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 6 With the Red Dragon defeated, have we reached the halfway point in the story? With this in mind, I thought of how many volumes were left to go, and the number of characters, and decided to pair up the characters Namari and Shuroiro. In hindsight, it would have been fine to have them on one cover each. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 7 The image is of focus lines converging on the character Izutsumi. This is the kind of cover, with upside down characters, which I've always wanted to try once(?) I submitted it as a trial, thinking that at this point the cover wouldn't dramatically influence sales. However, in the end, we decided it would be better not to have it upside down. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 8 I tried blurring the mushrooms in the foreground, then I accidentally saved over it, and couldn't go back to the original. I remember apologizing that it was probably tacky, when I submitted it. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 9 I don't think snake meat is marbled at all, but if it has an unfamiliar look, people might not recognize it as meat… so I made it look like beef to make it easier to understand. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 10 I thought it might be interesting to have more than one of the main characters on the cover again, so I added the character Falin. I remember it wasn't badly received, but it still ended up just being Thistle on his own. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 11 I wanted this cover to be covered in shiny gold. After I finished it, it didn't have enough color, so I painted the tablecloth green, and it ended up looking like Christmas colors. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 12 Up to this point, the covers have featured one of the main characters holding cooking utensils in the foreground and a monster in the background, but I thought it might be interesting to reverse the format just before the final volume, so I drew this cover with that in mind. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 13 volume 13 was meant to be the final one, but it was too thick to be published as a single volume, so we decided to split it into two. The question of “so, what should I draw next!?" may be at the forefront of volume 13. (Kui)

Cover illustration draft, vol. 14 I had decided that the final cover definitely needed to have everyone eating together on it, but because I was publishing two books at the same time I was pressed for time, and it was difficult to have a cover with so many characters on it. I also submitted a rough for an illustration that didn't need me to draw any crowds, but such obviously easy ideas are never adopted. (Kui)

TV anime "Delicious in Dungeon" About the ending illustration. I drew these based on the director's instruction "This kinds of pictures." I hardly ever have the chance to draw color illustrations, so it was a valuable experience for me. (Kui)

©Ryoko Kui ©Ryoko Kui,KADOKAWA/Delicious in Dungeon PARTNERS ©Ryoko Kui/ EAST PRESS CO.,LTD. Translation by Kyoto International Manga Museum

[page 4]

Interview to celebrate the opening of the Ryoko Kui Exhibition (7) (separate post) About Delicious in Dungeon: Story making

Q1. Your first long-running series has lasted for about 9 and a half years. Has it been different from your previous experience drawing short stories? A1. Compared to short stories, the series has been easier because the same characters appear each time. But I was surprised to find that I got tired of drawing the same characters too many times.

Q2. You have said before that the overall structure of the story was decided before serialization began, but how much of that had you communicated to your editor? Also, what kind of communication did you have during the series production? A2. The goal was something we discussed and had decided on from the beginning. The goal itself was simple, but the path to get there was more difficult and took longer than imagined.

Q3. Regarding the overall story concept and development, did you write out or put anything down in writing (such as the plot)? A3. I did, but it was simple.

Q4. Did you come up with the dishes based on the monsters you wanted in the story? Or did you come up with the monsters based on the dishes? A4. It depended on the story, but usually the story came first followed by the monsters or food. I feel like that was most often the order.

Q5. As you progressed in drawing the series, what elements of the characters, story, or world expanded or grew in the most unexpected way? A5. Nothing particularly unexpected perhaps. When I used to draw web manga, I tended to think up inconsequential settings. So, from the beginning I tried to restrain myself as much as possible and not expand too much. I was surprised when my editor said "Let's expand it more," in the second half of the series.

Q6. "Delicious in Dungeon" starts with a relatively simple setting, but as the series and the labyrinth exploration continues, the map slowly expands little by little in the readers' minds. It becomes more three-dimensional, revealing the secrets of the world, and taking on a multilayered structure. Are there any sources that you used as a reference, or which influenced you in creating this multilayered structure? A6. A long time ago, when I was working on my personal web manga (fantasy), I drew it however I wanted, thinking that "Only people who can read this will read it," but I regularly received feedback that it was "unreadable", so I tried to make it as easily. accessible as possible.

Q7. The series combines many elements, including "fantasy", "gourmet", "battles", and "puzzle solving", but I think it's also important that it is a "comedy" which makes people laugh. Could you let us know if you have a creative commitment towards depicting humor? A7. My hopes are that I can make it fun for people to read.

[page 5]

About Delicious in Dungeon: Drawing manga

Q1. Please tell us about the drawing tools you currently use, both digital and analogue. A1. In terms of analogue tools, I use a light box, a G pen, a round pen, and a brush pen. And for digital, I use CLIP STUDIO PAINT and a Wacom LCD tablet. Screentone pasting is always done on the computer, so ultimately it all ends up as a digital manuscript. Q2. Do you have any rules or reasons for using digital and analog separately? A2. I'm always looking for ways to draw better and save time, so the exact approach is probably different for almost every chapter. Personally, I feel that analogue methods create more appealing lines, but I feel like digital saves time, so maybe I'll do a digital rough sketch and do the inking by hand… I might have been using a G pen, and maybe I'll try out a turnip pen, or this time I'm short on time so I'll draw it entirely digitally, but with digital I can redo it over and over, so maybe analogue is still faster, and so on and so forth. I'm indecisive in this way and so haven't developed a consistent process.

Q3. I understand that you prepare 3D data for your assistants to draw the backgrounds. What kind of data did you make for "Delicious in Dungeon" ? A3. You could call it 3D, but it's not a proper model, just something to help with the rough sketching. I line up cubes to share the perspective and sense of scale, and they use it as a reference.

Q4. At the beginning of the series, the characters and backgrounds were somewhat simply drawn, and it seems like they became richly detailed over the progression of the story. What was your intention behind using these different styles? A4. It's simply that my technique isn't stable. I thought I'd put a lot of effort in at the start. I remember being confused when my editor asked me to add more in to the drawing, and I wondered "Where…?"

Q5. Thinking about the food, were there any menu illustrations that you were particularly satisfied with, or which you struggled with? A5. I've never liked my own food illustrations. But the times when I read other people's manga and thought "That looks delicious," I think it's been more an influence of the movement, the staging, and the situation than the drawings.

Q6. For the world maps and the terrain of each continent, did you refer to any maps of the real world? I feel like the shape of the 'island' is similar to the shape of Fukuoka Prefecture or Kyushu. A6. I didn't reference any specific geography, but I did try to put thought into things like whether a developed city would be near a river or the sea, and what the coastline would look like. I'm pleased if it feels similar to a real place, because it means my interpretation was pretty accurate.

About Delicious in Dungeon: Other

Q1. Which is your favorite monster? A1. Nightmare.

[page 6]

Q2. I'm sure you have received a lot of feedback from readers in countries and regions outside of Japan. Please tell us if there was anything from them that made you happy, was unexpected, or which made a lasting impression on you. A2. When you play foreign games, there are times when you think "Why did they translate it into Japanese like that?" But having been on the side of having something translated, I've realized some things are unavoidable, or endless, and there are many things that don't matter either way from the author's perspective, so it was interesting.

About Ryoko Kui's short story collections and herself Q1. Dragons are a consistent and important motif in your work. Was there any particular work or experience which inspired this? Also, are there points about drawing dragons which you find interesting or have had to work hard on? A1. It's less about liking dragons, and more that I'm interested in the worlds in which dragons exist. When I draw dragons, the depiction in itself has a sweet feeling to it. I have never had a pet reptile, so I don't have a very good understanding of them.

Q2. Unomiya University in your story "The dragon's school is on top of the mountain" has a Faculty of Dragons, Department of Environmental Studies, and Department of Technology Studies, and a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. If you were to enroll in the university, which department or faculty would you like to enter? A2. I probably wouldn't be accepted….

Q3. The collection includes a short story staged as an essay manga. Are you a fan of essay manga? Please tell us about any genres of essay manga that you like. A3. I love all kinds of essay manga. I read them often.

Q4. If you were to make your own game, what kind of game would you like to make? A4. I prefer being a player when it comes to games.

Q5. When did you first start drawing illustrations (doodles)? A5. I don't exactly remember when I first drew a picture, but I think I started drawing manga around the fourth or fifth grade of elementary school. in my notebooks and had my friends read them.

Q6. What is the most fun part about drawing manga? A6. Every part is fun and hard in its own way.

Q7. Please tell us if there is anything you "just can't stop no matter what". A7. My procrastination habit.

Q8. Could you please tell us if there's something you want to draw now? A8. I've been working continuously since the serialization, so I'd like to take about 2 to 3 months to just draw whatever I want.

[end]

[olderthannetfic]

Vent. I *hate* having my works beta read, the emotions of going through the suggestions and comments and nit-picks. Especially when what they're 'correcting' isn't wrong but something stylistic I did on purpose. I get a beta reader for exchanges or gift fics, because I feel like I *should*. But if a reader genuinely cares that much that I used a hyphen instead of an em-dash, or that a single line of dialogue is missing a comma. Fine, they can leave. It's not worth making myself hate and second guess something I already worked so much on already. Yeah yeah, I know I'm actually the one with the problem here, acting irrationally. But it's just a miserable process.

--

Good lord. Beta reading shouldn't be like that.

To be honest, I usually do everything at the last minute, so I rarely bother with betas for exchanges. And when I do get a beta, they're usually worse at spotting typos than I am and not that great at suggesting stylistic changes. It's some combo of me being a fairly good writer and fairly lazy about finding the right beta.

Let's be real: in a good story, no reader, including me, cares that much about a couple of hyphens in place of dashes. And I'm someone whose dashes are all correctly formatted in the first draft. You're being defensive and weird about something that isn't the heart of the issue here.

The issue, to my eye, is that you want some basic proofreading out of a sense of duty, and people are offering you bad quality stylistic advice.

I see no reason why you ought to use betas. They don't make your writing better just by existing. Every writer could get better with good editing, both good editing they do themselves and a good editor who's another person, but the whole thing is a creative collaboration. Finding a good editor you mesh well with is like finding a co-author you want to work with or the right therapist or a significant other. Just filling that slot with a person will usually do more harm than good.

Betaing—editing—is a skill the same as writing is, and most people suck at it.

[hypokeimena]

like the thing is if someone wants to have a conversation with me about tone in image descriptions i am happy to have that conversation. i have obviously pretty strong feelings about the role of the person-interpreting/translating but i think it's fair that not everyone feels the way i do. i actually often think the faux- or sincerely-"objective" tone of image descriptions is often an incredible tool for comedy! e.g. posts like, my little nephew just gave me what he calls his "duck" [image of a lemon] image id: a lemon.

that's fucking funny! deadpan can be funny! however, sometimes other forms of description are more important. image descriptions MUST BE short,* which means you are limited in the amount of extraneous description you can include. if your description takes more than ten seconds to read out loud you're pushing it.

this can GENUINELY cause problems. the description i wrote about that stupid tswift pic was me actively choosing not to do research and source it more effectively, because to ME, part of what made the op funny was not having any idea tf was going on and that was the part of the experience i wanted to focus on in my description. it doesn't necessarily matter WHAT IS IN the photo, it matters what it is adding to the post (i think all of us now understand that for e.g. memes it's more important to describe the memes and what they're doing in the post than it is to carefully describe the type of armchair someone is sitting in while saying 'why are you booing me. i'm right'.)

so someone else who experienced the post differently - i.e. by recognizing it as from the music video - is going to describe the post differently from someone who would have to do research to source it. they're going to produce two different descriptions. your experience shapes what you understand. which is necessarily going to be subjective! and i get that it's scary to add your own experience into the description, but you ARE ALREADY DOING THAT.

which is to say that i think if someone had added a description about the ME music video that's fairly detailed that would also have been both accurate and funny, but it would have been a different joke. you know? because different people have different experiences of that image.

i do, genuinely, think there is a real issue in things like description in that i do think it is genuinely aversive to expect people to do 10 minutes of research every time they want to write an image description. i also do think that people being wrong in image descriptions is a problem, which is why i do often end up doing research or deciding not to describe certain posts if i can't be sure i know what i'm talking about. but not every post is like informing you about art historical fact or something where it really matters which specific artist produced an image, or if it is a modern reinterpretation, or various other things where you need to be sure you're conveying information that will seriously alter the meaning of a work.

image IDs should accurately describe reality. but like, sometimes people are going to make a mistake. the way you react to mistakes matters! sometimes you just edit a post to fix a typo or to correct a white guy actor you misidentified and i think different people have different ideas about what level of confidence you should be feeling to write descriptions - i've acknowledged different levels of confidence being necessary for description writing in this post! i get it! reasonable people can disagree!

however being like "well you're not wrong but what if you HAD BEEN wrong" ---- i'm going to eat you. i wasn't wrong!! and even if i had been, being wrong isn't the scariest thing in the world to me! seems like it'd suck to live like that though!

*obviously transcriptions of text will be long and transcriptions of text/art mix like comics will be even longer but i think a lot of comic transcriptions are not very good, in that they often don't effectively summarize the art component of the description.

[munkussy]

[[ a monkie blog

muses: wukong, mk, macaque ]]

[[ Info: I can play with anyone except minors [minors do not interact or follow]. Follows from @tepperz-rp (which is also a hub/OC blog). Run by @tepperz, he/him. Other blogs are @nezha-taizi @bigbluekittypapaa. Art blog is @tepperzart.

Warning: While I'm not exclusive to one genre, one of my favorite genres is psychological horror. That means is blog will contain dark and challenging themes. Posts that may contain gore or explicit horror will be tagged.

mun is run by Tepperz who is 18+ and has dyslexia and anxiety. Sometimes i'll answer asks about me or my muses with art. I can match any roleplay style but there might be typos and occasionally misunderstandings. sometimes im slow to reply so bare with me its not personal. srry if im awkward as fuck. feel free to message me.

Personal Blogs can interact, like, send asks, reblog my posts and my art. However, I roleplay with people who are uncomfortable with personal blogs so do not reblog my roleplay threads without doing your research on my roleplay partner's comfort level. If they are cool with it then its fine, otherwise do not do it.

I wont rp pet death or lost pet scenarios and i have a phobia of realistic insects. blood, gore ok as long as its not the sole focus.

Oc/duplicate friendly: The way roleplay is that my default muses have the collective knowledge and feelings from all aus at once, and specific tagged aus will be distinctively in that universe.

Shiping info: the monkeys are open to new relationships but we have to start from the beginning of the new relationship and I want to be able to test the chemistry in roleplay before clear coupling. Things may happen naturally and that's fine. I'm cool with bdsm within safe measures for my muses. The sexuality of my monkies are this: Wukong is a-romantic and pan-grey-sexual-leaning-towards-guys (basically not on his mind but will go with the mood unless it gets overstimulating), MK is pan-demi-sexual heavily leaning towards men and a-romantic, Macaque is pan-sexual romantic. My personal fav ship is Wukong and MK (peachynoodles), but my two aren't explicitly together. If explicit sexual encounters happen they will be always tagged appropriately as nsfw, and often under a read more.

if i godmod or intrude, sometimes i get carried away, so let me know so i can edit or delete the post. I'm just doin my best in this weird new space.

Disclaimer** I would like it noted that I did not grow up with the original canon of the Journey to the West story, and even though I have done research/reading, my disabilities can prevent me from retaining details. Primarily I'm going to be going off LMK and some retained lore. So I might get JTTW or even lego monky kid lore wrong, occasionally, from small things to even names. I promise this is not intentional thing or done out of disrespect. If it's something that bothers you, feel free to (nicely, I hope) correct potential mistakes in a DM or something, If this is a deal breaker for you I get it, you can just move on.

About the muses: [their blog identifyer will be before the name]

["Wook"] Wukong is also known as The Monkey King -- a powerful entity that is known throughout the lands for causing mischief and destruction. He'd tell you he's done with all that, as he has reached enlightenment after his journey to the west. Wukong has many powers such as the power of 72 transformations, cloning himself, super strength, and more. He also has a magic cloud that can carry him through the sky, and used to have a special growing staff that he has since passed on to his disciple. Wukong's personality is that of a charismatic patriarch figure. There's no specific canon time period for this Wukong yet established, but he's probably around the beginning of season 4.

[[ AUs: Heartmending!Wukong [tag] is a Monkey King who is affiliated with @6em4k 's Macaque. They are currently trying to navigate a relationship together (shadowpeach).

EyesofBlue!Wukong [tag] There is an uninvited intruder on Flower Fruit Mountain, and Wukong intends to get to the bottom of it. The rogue demon turns out to be @worldclassmenageriie 's Chunhua, and her and the Monkey King make a provisionary truce.

["M'Kay"] MK is the disciple of Sun Wukong. His personality is curious, haughty, and caring. Despite being naturally a positive person, MK has trouble wrestling with his survivor's guilt and past traumas, which can lead him to lashing out and becoming withdrawn. I play him as having depression, anxiety, and adhd. His age is around 27 and his canon takes place somewhere around season 4. He has all of the same powers of Wukong as well as his staff, and is quite skilled, although he can be clumsy at times. MK is not yet comfortable with being a monkey or what that means for him, and this stress of that can make his body unstable. MK has other hobbies, such as drawing with crayons and fanboying to various things (including over Wukong).

[[ AUs: Sapphire!MK [Tag] is an au that may be asked for: this is an au for an MK who is attached to @cosmicxblossoms RH!Wukong, and currently has trauma with @swk4k s Wukong. "Running away from his home in pain and misery, MK gets lost and finds solace and kinship with an unlikely ally -- a broken Wukong in another world."

Jade!MK [tag] An AU where MK is stuck in trauma mode after a traumatic encounter with @swk4k s Wukong. "After bottling up his emotions and unsuccessfully reaching out to those he cares for, this MK has become deeply resentful of himself and his powers, leading him to embrace his primate form permanently."

Lapis!MK [tag] is an MK who is affiliated with @giibbonbeng 's Tongbi and her canon.

Emerald!Mk [tag] Affiliated with @radiantxfruits 's Wukong and Macaque. An AU where MK woke up knowing he was a stone monkey, while Monkey King is still sealed in the mountain without having had the journey. Without family, friends, or mentors, MK still finds the staff and saves the world. Grew up on FFM as part of the troupe and heard stories about Monkey King, and always felt like he was following in his footsteps, and so named himself monkey kid as a title. Generally, Emerald!MK is mad at the world and is constantly getting stronger. He has complete control over his powers, but they are constantly growing to a frightening degree. One day, it is Emerald!MK that breaks Sun Wukong from his prison under the mountain single-handedly -- to finally meet his predecessor at last.

Pearlescent!MK [tag] A bodhisattva MK from the distant future. He's worldly, kind, and very powerful -- but secretive about the experiences he's been though. (He's so changed that he's almost an oc at this point lol) ]]

["Mac"] Macaque, also known as the 6-eared-macaque, is another powerful monkey from the Journey to the West story. Macaque has the power of illusions, can control shadows, and make portals to wherever he likes. Macaques personality is that of a stoic chaotic-neutral antagonist. He has a jaded and complicated relationship with Wukong, and wears that baggage wherever he goes. It's hard for him to trust others or settle down, and he often makes a bad impression on those he meets. He likes theater but isn't a very good artist. Macaque has a scar on the right side of his face and three sets of colorful ears, and he glamors both of these things away most of the time. He cannot see out of his right eye, but makes up for it by using his other senses well. His canon is unclear, anywhere from season 2-3. ]]

[[ AUs: ReluctantDouble!Macaque [tag] -- A Macaque that has connections with @cosmicxblossoms ReluctantHero!Macaque. "Macaque's portals are on the fritz and he gets zapped into a parallel dimension where Wukong is dead. Another Macaque, one who has been through the Journey to the West adventure, is the only one he can turn to."

WhatColorIsRevenge!Macaque [tag] -- A Macaque that has connections with @swk4k s Wukong. "In a heated argument where things went too far, Macaque pins down Wukong and takes what belongs to him. An eye for an eye." ]]

[aawomenzine]

Hello. I just saw your physical proof post for the Ace Attorney Women zine (so excited for the project!) and I happened to notice a typo. I don’t know if you’re still doing text edits, but I thought I should let you know in case you are.

A place where records are stored is an archives, NOT an “archive.” The singular form of the noun is “archives.” Take it from a person with a degree in library and archives administration: the word “archive” is commonly misused in the place of “archives.” (I’m still waiting for AO3 to get back to me about when they are correcting their name, too.)

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk. May you have an wonderful day ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hello! Thanks for spotting that! Our writers used the same language as canon—in PLvsPW, that location is officially called the Great Archive. Right or wrong, we wanted to be faithful to the games!

[reineyelah]

Fanfiction Editing

I am going on a rant here, and I don't give a singular shit about who gets offended by this. (Because somehow the suggestion that writing not have any or minimal errors is offensive.)

There are two main arguments I see against people editing their own work.

Writing is supposed to be fun, and editing makes it not fun.

It's their story, they can publish it however they want.

Fine.

But reading is supposed to be fun too, and when someone can't spell fucking envelope and they include the world envelope 38 times in the first 10 paragraphs, reading isn't fun anymore.

'Envelop'.

FUCK.

So close.

Or when they don't understand how a fucking comma works.

Or when they fuck up their tenses.

Or when they can't use THEIR, THEY'RE, and THERE correctly.

Or when they write dialogue like this: "I like that",

Or when they are so uncomfortable writing smut that they write "his spot", like fuck off.

Or when they refuse to capitalize things that need to be capitalized.

Or when they arbitrarily get character appearance wrong for no reason.

Or when entire words missing. Like that.

I mean, when I am reading a story, and there is a fucking typo in the actual fucking summary of the story, I want every author everywhere to know that I will not bother reading your story if you can't even get the damn summary correct. I will not.

And then if there is a typo in the first paragraph of the story, same thing.

Here's the thing. I understand that editing is kind of annoying, and I understand that you just really want to get that chapter published. But editing also isn't hard, and I am eternally convinced that some people just enjoy having typos, or they literally don't glance over their writing even once before publishing it.

I am going to repeat. I am convinced that people just fucking enjoy having their stories littered with typos. They like it. They must.

Because if you call them out, they have an entire bitch fit about how they can't be forced to fix them, and how if you don't like them, just ignore them.

But what they don't understand is that when a story is edited and polished, it makes it SIGNIFICANTLY easier and more pleasant to read.

The people who are calling out typos are NOT doing it to make you feel bad. They are doing it because they WANT to read your story, because the summary sounded interesting, but the typos and mistakes are too goddamn distracting to make it enjoyable.

I will N E V E R understand the instance that authors are just never allowed to be called out on poor editing. It simply makes no sense to me. If you put out a story with mistakes, you ought to be prepared for people to point them out. If you didn't want that to happen, you would fucking fix them.

And it has nothing to do with "not being a professional writer", because guess fucking what, high school kids aren't professional writers either, yet they didn't put typos in their papers, because if the did, they got docked points.

It is not that difficult or complex. All we want, as readers (and writers for that matter) is for other writers to make an effort to edit their work. Don't just say "ignore the mistakes" because as soon as I see that, I trash bin the story.

Because in my opinion, if you don't put in the effort to edit, why the fuck should the audience put in the effort to read? Why should you expect readers when you don't give enough of a shit to make the story pleasant to read?

And to that end, I have literally BEGGED authors to let me edit their stories myself. I will do it, because I want to read that story so badly myself without typos that I will just put in the work they didn't want to bother with. And they still bitch fit.

Which brings me to my original conclusion. Some people must like having typos in their work.

And my final point is that if you are so fucking sensitive that you get triggered over this post, either as a fellow reader or as a writer, the internet is not a place for you, and neither is the world of fanfiction.

Typos is not a hill to die on. It really isn't.

(I am not talking about people who have three typos in a 100k+ word story. I am talking about the people who have 86 typos in the first chapter.)

My patience with this has been absolutely lost, as you can see.

EDIT. YOUR. GODDAMN. STORIES. PLEASE.

READERS EVERYWHERE ARE BEGGING YOU.

And if you don't want to edit, I will HAPPILY EDIT YOUR STORY FOR YOU. I really will. Just inbox it to me and I will do it. For free. HAPPILY.

I care about typo-free stories that much that I will literally do it for you.

[manonamora-if]

Project Status and Plans

All projects and their relevant links are listed here or here.

2023 Resolutions:

Get things off my desk and shelf it for good.

Avoid starting new ones, or at least starting new WIPs

Continue to do Word Crimes (and maybe Code Crimes)

Under the break:

Project Status and Current To-Do's

Future Projects

/ . /

Project Status and Current To-Do's:

Meeting the Parents

Remaster Completed - Maintenance when needed

Crimson Rose & White Lily

Hiatus - Correct bugs - Redesign the Codexes - Complete Scene 5 (and Scene 2 variations?)

Exquisite Cadaver

Hiatus - Fix UI - QoL update of textbox and translated text - Add missing scenes and Endings - Fix Endless Mode - Look into French localization (unlikely) - Fix the blog

SPS Iron Hammer

Complete Future: remaster with complete story and gameplay

The Thick Table Tavern

Complete - Update Planned - Fix UI (look into mobile scaling) - Fix coding bugs (esp. Arcade Mode) - Re-writes of current text - Add missing storylets - Include recurring characters

The Trials and Tribulations of Edward Harcourt

Work In Progress - dependent on writer - Complete next round of edit and code - Package as a completed product

La Petite Mort

Completed - Update in the Works - Fix UI - Add missing rooms, content and endings - Correct the Inventory Mechanic - Fix display of elements - Translate into English

Goncharov Escapes!

Remaster Completed - Maintenance when needed

P-Rix - Space Trucker

Hiatus - Fix animations (esp text) and autoscrolling - Add the missing content - Look into French localization

DOL-OS

Remaster Completed - Maintenance when needed

The Rye in the Dark City

Hiatus - Fix UI - Double check Act 1 and fix errors - Add Act 2 and 3

The Roads not Taken

Complete - Update Planned - Iron-out the UI + display element - Fix parser gameplay (esp direction) - Add missing element/actions - Look into French localization

Entre-d’œufs coquilles An Eggscellent Preparation

Complete - Update Planned - Fix current bugs and issues (wrong text display and main puzzle) - Retranslate to French - Repackage into one page - Upload to IF Archive + GitHub

The Dinner

Complete - Update Planned - Complete missing courses and Final Beat - Add alternative options + rewind endings - Look into French localization

Templates and Guides

Work In Progress - unlikely to be complete - SugarCube Guide: add missing APIs, commonly used blocks of code, functionality, UI changes, JavaScript code; fix some small errors, add SGDocu theme - Templates: make more for fun; planned: title page. Also add the missing pictures of the templates on itch.

Complete - nothing will change here - Tweego Guide - CScript to SugarCube Guide

Tiny Games

Le Jeu de la Dévotion: fix the typos + English translation

À La Campagne

Collision

Intersigne

Clarence Street, 14

Other To-Do's

Prompts: put them in separate collection

Empty Inbox

Re-design itch pages: consistent style between main games

Re-format Tumblr intro posts: consistent style between posts

Continue to Host Jams

Continue to Play and Review Games

Take care of those damn wrists and hands.

Future Projects

Those projects are TBD in everything. They would probably start then the above To-Do has decreased. The titles are WIP titles. This is not the complete list I have hidden in a drawer or other desk bunnies. They might not be Twine games, or IF games either...

Quest Town

A RPG-style adventure, where you play as a beginner adventurer on the road to greatness and treasure. Along the way, you encounter people needing your help, with promise of rewards in return.

This would include a leveling system, inventory system, combat gameplay, travelling back and forth between location, storylets...

Project Status: Not Started

IFComp/SpringThing 2024-5?

A puzzle-focus escape-room, in hypertext/visually interactive form. Multiple rooms with different puzzle and interconnectedness. Story with mystery.

I technically have a title for it, and the pun is still making me giggle. But keeping this in my sleeve.

Project Status: Mock-up, some puzzles coded.

CRWL Side-quel

A Razac-focused story, either as a prequel, during the event of the games, sequel, or plain alternate universe. Mainly because I've been playing him in a TTRPG session and he's a fun character I want to explore further.

Project Status: Not Started

Sword Vigilante F/F Rivalry

Because there are not enough of those, and I can just go all in with the humour, camp, gushing, innuendos and puns, and of course... betraaaaayyyaals. Think Zorro but with more sword ladies.

Project Status: Not Started

TTTT Sequel - Bron(m?)'s Quest

Essentially a similar gameplay from TTTT but with food instead of drinks. Help Brom(n?) prepare food for the customers.

Project Status: Not Started

[wrestlingexchange]

Deadline is coming up!

Final deadline is this Sunday, 14 January, 23:59 UTC. Please reach out ASAP if you are struggling to make that!

The collection is now open! View it HERE: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/ThreeCountExchange/

❓ Post instructions

Visit the collection page and choose 'Post to Collection' at the top and fill in all tags, metatext, and work text as normal.

Under 'Post to Collections / Challenges', make sure it says 'ThreeCountExchange'.

Under 'Gift this work to', put the name of your giftee. You can find their AO3 name on your assignment sheet.

(Sidenote: make sure that in your account Preferences, you have checked the box 'Allow anyone to gift me works.')

Artists: here is a guide for posting images on AO3. Image hosting sites that allow NSFW recommended by artists in the Discord community are Catbox and Squidge.

❗ Good to know

After posting, your work can be viewed by going to your Works and clicking 'Works in Collections' at the top of the page. Your work will not be revealed until 21 January 7PM UTC.

Only you and exchange moderators can view your work in the time between posting and reveals. We will use this time to make sure everybody's receiving a gift. You can do minor editing, correct typos etc. in that time, as long as the gift you submit by the deadline adheres to the minimum requirements!

In case of anything going wrong, work reveals may be delayed for the time it will take to get someone to pinch hit a gift.

Need a beta for SPAG? Use Discord channel #helpdesk-and-beta and do not give any details. Please don't respond to fellow exchange participants' requests for a beta so we can all avoid awkward situations lol.

Need a more in-depth beta and details like character/ship are relevant? DM Vera to put the question up for you anonymously.

Author and Artist Reveals are on 28 January, 7PM UTC: please try to stay anonymous until then! ;) Want to stay anonymous after that? At time of posting, add a permanently anonymous collection next to the ThreeCountExchange one, or make your own. Details can be found here.

Lastly:

Have fun, don't stress too much, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any issues or questions! ❤️

[thegreatimpersonator]

I know you aren’t a fan of You’re Losing Me, so of course you won’t think of the song fondly, but I think it’s catchy and I listen often. But. One thing I’ve always thought is weird about it is the changing tenses within the song. Lots of switching between past and present tense.

It opens with “you say”/“I say,” (not “said”), so it’s present tense. Like, okay, she writing this as the relationship is crumbling, got it.

But then she sings “every morning I glared at you with storms in my eyes.” Glared. Past tense. And that’s followed by “my face was gray but you wouldn’t admit that we were sick.” Her face WAS gray and they WERE sick. But it isn’t anymore? It sounds like this is right after a breakup, dissecting what went wrong, not what’s happening NOW.

But then the actual “you’re losing me” is what’s happening now. Present tense. He hasn’t lost her yet.

But it’s past tense AGAIN when she sings “how long could we be a sad song before we WERE too far gone to bring back to life.” And then it’s back to present tense with “and I’m fading, thinking ‘do something babe, say something.’”

Note that there are other uses of the past tense in the song that I didn’t mention, but those are memories (like when they looked at the room and loved the light), so of course that isn’t happening now——But the examples I mentioned above are things that seem like they’re supposed to be happening NOW.

And listen, I’m an editor, so of course I picked up on this. I’m sure most people truly do not notice or care. But Miss Americana had the clip of Taylor figuring out which word was correct, so you know she pays attention to this, too. None of her other songs are this inconsistent. And when it seemed like this was a freshly written song right after the breakup with Joe, I was like “still a surprise that it’s inconsistent, but hey, heartbreak makes us all cut a few corners.” But now that the song was supposedly written in 2021, and she had 1.5 years to edit it… how did this happen? Idk, it still feels SO much like a rushed smear campaign, and the fact that it was written even longer ago just makes me more confused.

Anyway, sorry for the long analysis lol it just always struck me as odd, and I wondered if anyone else noticed.

Hope your dermatology appointment went well!

I actually have warmed up to it recently, I just have to block out all the parasocial noise attached to it.

I’m not a grammar expert, see every post I’ve ever made having typos, but I personally always took it to mean they’re in an argument in the present and she’s looking back at all the things the other person didn’t do in the past but I’ve only listened to it a few times tbh so idk

[txttletale]

I'M NOT LEARNING TO PLAY MAGICAL GATHERING

A subtractive game for three or more players.

First, decide who's the JUDGE.

Each non-JUDGE player should click the following links to assemble Magic: The Gathering cards representing, respectively their GUY, their guy's STUFF, and their guy's SPECIAL TECHNIQUE:

https://scryfall.com/random?q=t:creature

https://scryfall.com/random?q=t:equipment

https://scryfall.com/random?q=t:instant+or+t:sorcery

Each round, you may reroll one result. Once every player has decided whether to reroll, take turns to ATTACK (explain in 90 SECONDS why your GUY would beat the others in free-for-all combat with their STUFF and TECHNIQUE).

After each ATTACK, the other players may each DEFEND (spend 30 seconds explaining why the ATTACKING player is wrong).

You are only allowed to refer to the name, art, and flavour text of relevant cards to make your arguments; you may not refer to any rules text on those cards or to any Magic: The Gathering rules concepts or lore.

Once all ATTACKS and DEFENSES are finished, the JUDGE decides a winner under the same criteria. That winner is the JUDGE for next round.

ADVANCED EDITION

To add more variables, go to https://scryfall.com/random?q=t:land to generate an ARENA and https://scryfall.com/random?q=t:enchantment+-t:creature for a BATTLE SCENARIO each round. These apply to all GUYS & can be invoked in any ATTACK or DEFENSE.

a game by w.s. healed.

go ahead and archive this, full permission granted, etc.

if anyone else wants to reference this or remix it or whatever you can do that too.

i like the idea of a 'subtractive' game, a game that is produced entirely by removing parts of another game. the 200 word limit providing an obvious utility to a larger (in this case, much larger) intertext seemed like a perfect opportunity to play in that space. i have made the executive decision to consider each link to be a single word--i could have used hyperlinks to make this more clear-cut, but i think actually having the links written out increases playability.

PATCH NOTES: shortly after posting, i altered the advanced edition rules to remove enchantment crteatures from the battle scenario pool, as they're not really in the spirt of it.

PATCH NOTES 2: after graciously being informed of a typo in the TECHNIQUE link, i have corrected it to (as intended) pull up a random instant or sorcery

200 Word RPGs 2024

Each November, some people try to write a novel. Others would prefer to do as little writing as possible. For those who wish to challenge their ability to not write, we offer this alternative: producing a complete, playable roleplaying game in two hundred words or fewer.

This is the submission thread for the 2024 event, running from November 1st, 2024 through November 30th, 2024. Submission guidelines can be found in this blog's pinned post, here.

[checkpostcardwithapi]

How Address Verification APIs Help Prevent Fraud and Reduce Failed Deliveries

Inaccurate addresses are more than just logistical problems—they’re gateways to financial loss, fraud, and customer dissatisfaction. Address verification APIs are the silent workhorses behind successful shipping, billing, and identity verification. This article explores how they safeguard your business.

What Is an Address Verification API?

An Address Verification API automatically checks and validates addresses during data entry or prior to shipment. It corrects typos, standardizes formats, and flags incomplete or fraudulent addresses.

How Fraud Happens Without Address Validation

Fake Addresses Used for Promotions

Stolen Credit Cards with Mismatched Addresses

Synthetic Identities for Loan or Benefit Fraud

Shipping to Abandoned Warehouses

Fraud Prevention Benefits

Address Matching with Payment Methods

Geolocation Cross-Checks

Instant Blacklist Notifications

Reduced Chargebacks and Identity Fraud

Failed Deliveries: Hidden Costs

Every failed delivery incurs:

Reshipment fees

Wasted materials

Customer support time

Lower satisfaction scores

How Address Verification APIs Reduce Delivery Failures

Autocorrect Minor Typos

Suggest Valid Alternatives

Ensure Address Completeness

International Format Normalization

Address Verification vs. Address Autocomplete

FeatureVerification APIAutocomplete APIPurposeValidate + CorrectSuggest + CompleteBest ForShipping, ComplianceCheckout UXPrevents Fraud?YesNo

Popular Address Verification API Providers

Lob

Smarty

PostGrid

Loqate

Melissa

Compliance and Security Benefits

PCI DSS Alignment

HIPAA for Healthcare

GDPR for European Data

Data Encryption and Logging

Industry Use Cases

E-commerce: Reduces return-to-sender rates

Banking: Validates KYC (Know Your Customer) addresses

Insurance: Ensures property address accuracy

Logistics: Reduces routing and delivery errors

Integration Workflow

Capture Address

Call API

Receive Standardized + Validated Address

Update CRM or Proceed to Checkout

Sample API Call

jsonCopy

Edit

{ "address_line1": "742 Evergreen Ter", "city": "Springfield", "country": "USA", "zip": "62704" }

Output Response

jsonCopy

Edit

{ "status": "verified", "suggested_correction": "742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, IL 62704" }

Best Practices for Implementation

Validate before checkout

Offer user overrides only if confidence score is high

Show real-time correction suggestions

Measuring API Effectiveness

Failed Delivery Rate

Fraud Detection Rate

Customer Satisfaction Score

Cost Per Delivery

Conclusion: Protecting Your Bottom Line

Address Verification APIs are not just optional—they’re essential. Preventing fraud, reducing delivery errors, and enhancing customer trust starts with clean, validated data. Integrate it right, and you’ll avoid the costs of wrong addresses and bad actors.

SITES WE SUPPORT

Check Postcard With API – ​​​Wix

[wooexpert]

Autofill Address: A Quick Guide for Tumblr Readers

Why Autofill Matters Filling out a long address can feel like a chore. Typing street names, suburbs, and postcodes eats up time. Autofill solves this by suggesting your saved address as soon as you start typing. One click, and the form is complete. It’s like having a personal assistant for typing.

How Autofill Works Web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari remember your address details when you first enter them. Next time you see an address field—on Tumblr’s contact form or any other site—the browser drops down suggestions. Pick your address. The browser automatically fills in every required line (street, city, state, postcode). No more mistakes from typos or missing parts.

Setting Up Autofill in Your Browser

Google Chrome

Click the three dots (⋮) in the top right.

Go to Settings → Autofill → Addresses and more.

Click “Add” and type your full address.

Next time you start typing, Chrome will suggest it.

Mozilla Firefox

Click the three bars (≡) in the top right → Settings.

Select “Privacy & Security” → Forms & Autofill.

Click “Saved Addresses…” → Add a new address.

Firefox will then offer it when you fill out a form.

Safari (macOS)

Open Safari → Preferences → Autofill.

Check “Using information from my contacts.”

Make sure your own contact card has the correct address.

When you type in a form, Safari pulls from your contact card.

Benefits for Tumblr Users

Faster Contact Forms If you use Tumblr’s “Ask” or any custom form, autofill cuts the time you spend typing. Instead of wrestling with the cursor, you tap a suggestion and move on.

Fewer Typos Human error is a fact of life. A quick typo can send packages to the wrong house or stall a delivery. Autofill ensures your saved address is perfect every time.

Better Mobile Experience Typing on a phone keyboard is slower and more prone to mistakes. Autofill on mobile swoops in to save the day with one-tap suggestions.

A Tiny Anecdote I once spent ten minutes typing my parent’s holiday home address on a phone—switching between letters, numbers, and special characters. By the time I finished, I almost needed a coffee break. After I set up autofill, it took just one tap. Instant coffee, instant joy.

Tips to Keep in Mind

Update Regularly Move houses? Change suburbs? Open your browser’s autofill settings and edit your address. This way, you avoid sending cookies (or actual letters) to an old place.

Security First Don’t save your address on a public computer or a device you share. Keep it only on your personal phone, tablet, or laptop to avoid misuse.

Multiple Addresses You can save work, home, and holiday spots. Just add each one with a clear label. When you start typing, the right suggestion appears.

Wrapping Up Autofill address is a tiny feature with big impact. It turns a mundane task—typing long addresses—into a single click. Whether you’re filling out a form on Tumblr, shopping online, or entering your details into a newsletter sign-up, autofill makes life easier. Take two minutes to set it up. Your future self will thank you.

[ladyinbooks]

Hi! Hope you're having a good day and sorry in advance for potentially making it worse, but I just wanted to let you know that I found your profile on goodreads with IB/Tales/PtoP while searching for IB (not goodreads, just the basic search). I heard that many authors don't like having their works listed there and often get them removed so I thought you might want to do something about it.

Hello lovely anon! No apology necessary, and thank you for letting me know. ❤️

I was vaguely aware that someone had put IB on Goodreads (I stumbled across it two or three years ago, when I was being lazy and trying to get to my ao3 page). To be honest I'd completely forgotten about it, but I'm surprised my profile has expanded to include Tales and P2P as well!

My thoughts about Goodreads are... kind of difficult to articulate, but I've popped them behind the cut and tried to explain as best I can.

So firstly I have to be quite honest: I don't particularly like Goodreads as a site. I have used it approximately once (to look up reviews for a book I was thinking of buying), and quite frankly I found it unhelpful. Everything seemed incredibly polarised. People either loved the book I was thinking of buying, or they despised it. For those who despised it, there also seemed to be a need to prove that the author was a Bad Person, and quite frankly the whole thing reminded me of why I'm not a massive fan of social media platforms, as reviews (and reviewers) mostly seemed to be trying to prove the other side wrong. 😅

However. None of that means Goodreads is bad - it just means it's not for me. I can see why others like it, and find it useful. I was just put off, as I didn't find it helpful for what I wanted.

As for my works being on there, I must admit I'm completely torn down the middle. On the one hand, I get it. Goodreads is a site for readers, not for authors. I'm not going to go on there and look at my works, because quite frankly I'm not sure I want to know what people are saying, and the space for reviews about my books isn't designed for me. It's designed for readers to share their thoughts with other readers. To recommend things or to say why they didn't like them.

However.

I think (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong!) Goodreads is also meant to be a site for readers to discuss formally published books, which mine are not (at least, not yet). None of my works have gone through any kind of rigorous editing, beyond me going back over each chapter and prodding around for typos or continuity errors, so I'm not sure it's entirely fair for them to be judged by the same criteria as a book that has gone through several rounds of editing (often by professionals), and on the same platform. I also write for fun, and to hopefully share that fun with other people. I am not sure that readers who may find my works through Goodreads would feel the same, especially if they have an expectation that any of my work is at a professional level.

I suppose all of this is my long-winded way of saying: I'm not entirely comfortable about my works being on Goodreads, but equally I'm not going to go looking for them so I'm not going to worry too much. I will likely leave it alone for now (and in the event I do publish anything then, of course, the formally published works would be fair game for Goodreads anyway). I'll also add, that if you spot anyone on there claiming to be me - it definitely won't be!