Calixte XIINo, they weren't complete traditional robes. They looked like a combination of traditional Oyashimese robes and a modern suit. It was a taste look and an interesting one. All the staff at the Oyashimese embassy in Aquroya wore modern suits and clothes, but this man was different. It wasn't a bad look honestly, but the people of Europe still tended to see Asians as backward. I know my brother Xavier did and he was the Viceroy of Vietnam. The Oyashimese seemed to want to escape that association and quickly modernized; that was to say, westernize themselves, in the same way, the Japanese did in my first world.This means clothes seemed to undermine that effort. I couldn't imagine the imperial Oyashimese authorities would let him wear something like that if he was an ambassador to a European country. He might not be an ambassador now, but his colony bordered three different colonial powers, Whoever he was, the man was obviously important, so I would assume he would uphold the

Calixte "I can see why you'd feel that way," I said. "Your father is kind. Certainly a lot kinder than mine." "Is the Emperor of Aquitaine so unkind?" Kaya asked. "He's an emperor. By his very nature, he is unkind." Whatever the emperor chose to do was the right choice. However, how he acted was the best way to work. That was the nature of emperors. They were the highest authority and how they chose to act was the best way to go forward. "My father is a kind man and he was born to be emperor." "Your father is an enigma. A strange creature draping himself in the cloak of an emperor." "I wouldn't go that far." I shrugged. Her father was the odd one out. He didn't act how an emperor should act. "Your father is the strange one out. If I'm to be completely honest with you, Princess Kaya, I'm jealous." "Jealous? Of what? The strange father out?" "He might be the strange one out, but emperors aren't good men by nature. Absolute power absolutely corrupts, or so the saying goes." "Wh

Euphemia"May I speak you to alone, Your Highness?" Damon Frey asked. He was polite enough to Dahlia, but there was a certain contempt for Elena Ordel that I hadn't seen before. Maybe there was something to the rumors that Dahlia told me about.The contempt was mirrored in Elena Ordel's eyes, but the two appeared to be civil. "I'm sure you won't mind me sitting in on these important matters, will you lord Damon? Since this does concern the three of us."Damon Frey's smile became frosty. "Not at all, Lady Elena. I have a penthouse ready for the three of us.""But of course. Your house owns this building, don't they? You will forgive me, Lord Frey, if I ask that we attend somewhere more neutral.""We are already here, Lady Elena. Where would you have us go?"There was an underlying current between them. These two were familiar with each other."I can arrange a car ride for us. A limousine-""Affiliated with your house?""There are a few limousine operators across the city," Elena snappe

Calixte ArcThe Nayoshi airport was full of planes, both commercial and military. My plane was the only foreign one among the lot that wasn't commercial. Most of the planes were from North America, but I did see a few from overseas. There was an Egyptian plane down at the end of the long runway.The OSI officers were dressed in common Aquitese military uniforms. Karafuto, wisely, didn't allow the OSI to set foot on its soil. Not that it stopped the cloak and dagger organization, there were dozens of cells active in the colony, but it was still wise to ban them officially.The OSI soldier saluted me. I offered one back. Why were they here as my escorts?"She's pretty," Princess Kaya said, pointing at Mireille. My wife was dressed in the common uniform, bearing little resemblance to the woman from my wedding photos or the film real. Did Kaya recognize her and this was her way of telling me? Or was she just making an observation? Mireille was beautiful."I'm going to miss this place," I

Chapter VIIIThe room was a good place to hide. Hidden from the streets and the gangs and the blue-clad watchmen. If she hadn't brought me here, I never would have found this place. It was the perfect place to hide. No one would bother with a husk of a burned-out building. This city wasn't built by the Logresi, so this underground cellar might be completely hidden from the authorities. It was a place I wished I had found. It would be sleeping in an empty crate, worried about someone finding me.Not the Blues. They only cared if we were doing something illegal in the view of the fine, upstanding citizenry, or if the aristocracy or officials ordered them to care. The real danger was the gangs of roving thugs. Some of them would go out of their way to look through empty crates or other hideyholes for victims. Normally to robe them of any meager possessions, but I had heard horror stories about being pressed into one of the gangs. Or worse.Kanade wouldn't have to worry about that down he