The various treats displayed were to some degree shocking. Liana had heard of some of the sweets the upper crust of society got to enjoy. The sheer amount and variety however were staggering. The row of tables that served as a platter was at least fifty paces long and two deep.

The treats presented reached from chocolate, a treat from the far south, to bee stings. Besides the curious type of cake with honeyed almonds on top and a cream filling, there were a plethora of different pastries for all sorts of tastes. The name bee sting though didn’t fit what she expected but it stood out. Neither visually nor flavor-wise anything like a bee sting, instead a pleasant experience all around.

The combination of sweet, soft, and crunchy was divine and all three were ready to go for seconds after sharing one.

They didn’t, in favor of exploring the rest of the uncountable desserts. During their short-lived culinary marathon, they heard people talk about trade rights, newfound regions, political relations, and so forth.

Nobody bat an eye at three girls hushing by to obtain a few more candied fruits, allowing Liana to snap up a few tidbits that were in hindsight utterly useless to her.

Listening to well-dressed and mannered ladies and the gentleman made her feel like a fairytale heroine. She had to figure out who had captured the prince and rescue him from the grasps of

That was until she actually started listening.

“... seen increased production in South Forlonde. Intertwining the plantation with the livelihood of local populace has…”

“...liquidation and repurchase of an astuurm mine in the Greater Archipelago of Trosa has been a great … increasing demand by a large margin”

“... monopoly on transport to Greenhill has been threatened. But we have dealt with it united and …”

Each and every single one was of financial nature. No kidnapped prince. No war, and least of all intrigue. Not that she would have noticed anything.

After another hour, when the light coming from the outside grew dimmer with each passing minute, Monika and Teira join their friends.

“That was soo strenuous. If father would have asked us to greet one more guest or accept one more gift that was intended for father I would have fallen asleep,” Teira said good-naturedly.

“It wasn’t that bad. We did get that voucher for a voyage down to Trosa. Which is gonna be great. Margret raves about her visit to Torsa every few months,” Monika began and so they drifted further on a conversation about fantastic places where the upper crust of society spend winters and summers. Where the social and financial elites would mingle with each other while enjoying the benefits of money and power to gain even more.

Eventually, Monika and Teira had to leave again, for they were to be introduced to the amassed people as adults.

In the eyes of commoners, they wouldn’t be adults yet but the nobility, and by extension, capitalists followed different customs. Liana too found the notion a bit silly and unfair, mostly unfair though.

The twins would have to wait until a later point to get access to classes just like all the other children. However, that didn’t matter much if you didn’t need a class for what you were needed to do.

Further musing on the unfairness of life was interrupted when most lights in the room dimmed. Which was unexpected, but not as unexpected as the suddenly loud voice vibrating throughout the room.

“Masa’s blessing to all of you. Thank you for gracing my daughters’ coming of age celebration. I am glad to see so many old friends and dear business partners among you. I welcome the new faces, future friends I am sure, just as much.

The introductory speech seemed to be mostly directed towards other influential people in attendance so Liana stopped paying attention fairly early. Having been found by their parents the girls couldn’t even talk to each other without being hushed, so they just stood around idly.

Telepathy as a trait would be awesome right around now, she sighed. At least she didn’t have something detrimental, so she was content for now. In the most recent lesson with Mr. Tosien, they had been informed about divergent traits. Her’s might be too. But it was too early to tell.

For the most part, people had traits that were primarily or even purely beneficial, about one in ten however were designated as divergent with overwhelmingly bad or useless effects. Such included traits like Many-Toed, and Blue-Haired but reached all the way to Pain-Immunity and Thirsty.

The former two were just kind of useless. Only cosmetic in nature and weird in emergence. They could even be hereditary, giving their descendants an additional cosmetic trait to their own trait.

The latter was difficult, Pain-Immunity seemed good at a first glance but a loss of feeling to all things pain was detrimental in the long run. You wouldn’t notice injuries and illnesses, frequently resulting in premature death. Thirsty was just one of the annoying ones Mr. Tosien had mentioned, because one of his pupils in his class from two years ago had apparently developed it, making them have stomach aches from drinking too much frequently.

“Finally I would like to inform you about the entertainment for tonight. All of you will have heard about the respected bard troupe Resonance from the capital’s very own Academiae Musicae, no doubt. They will be performing their most accomplished pieces for your entertainment alone. The respected members of Resonance have been awarded the title ‘Artist of the Decade’ three times in the last thirty years. Let us enjoy their skill together. With no further to do, take the stage,” Mr. Sanonborough finished.

“Aww’s” and “Ohh’s” spread throughout the gathered people while the capitalist was still talking. Liana, and her friends not quite sure how to react just stood still and eagerly awaited the first tunes.

The first keys played were enough to get the girls excited. The music which started was entrancing, exciting, and fast-paced. Different from every sort of tune they had experienced. Nothing demonstrated to them on phonographs was even remotely similar.

The beat of the music thrummed in their veins, flowed through their breaths. It was exciting and felt good.

After a few pieces, Monika and Teira joined the three commoners again. They danced together, enjoying the music and the free forms of dance they all were experiencing.

Until something changed.

Liana's body suddenly moved differently. She knew she wanted to move the way her body was guided. But the movements weren’t strictly hers. The movements were more akin to a puppet on strings, less human than how she moved previously, and something itched all across her body. She couldn’t stop and she didn’t want to. It felt wrong regardless.

They weren’t her own anymore.

As the same movement patterns repeated each other and became more familiar Liana embraced the liberating and envigoring movements once again. They became her own, even though she was not able to move differently.

Ever moving not stopping Liana felt something drain out of her and the compulsion to move stopped. She sagged for just a second, then became energized once again.

By the smell of salt and water, of life and death - of blooming flowers, and decomposing wood and fish - wafted through the hall the time seemed to slow down. Liana's focus switched sluggishly to worry, away from the music, and she grew scared.

We don’t have an ocean here. What’s going on?

The scent enticed her, prompting her to take a deep breath and enjoy the feeling spread in her body.

The rich and flavorful air rushed over her head - faster than before - from behind.

The world shifted, the ceiling moving in front of her, the wall and people down towards her feet.

Then there was darkness.

For just a brief moment. Then as though opening her eyes, her surroundings got brighter.

Curious, so attuned to my concepts. It has been some time.

“What?” Liana squeaked. The shock from seeing a huge mass of water in the form of a human had made her lock up. Tension made her whole body tingle, all sense of reason was lost. I am dreaming.

She tried to take in the rest of her surroundings but her vision was reduced to a thin cylinder, the form of water taking up most of it.

The smell and feelings she had experienced before falling over slowly swelled and ebbed. The smell of rotting fish, algae, salt, and something more exotic - almost pleasant - wafted up her nose. Then disappeared, before slowly appearing again.

An interesting skill you have just unlocked. I shall bless it if you were to wish so. It would be better than what you have right now?

“I… no. I don’t know what you mean. I don’t have a blessed skill,” the girl stuttered. Thoughts drifting through her mind, incoherent and unsettling. She couldn’t grasp what was happening.

The mass of water approached her. She felt a drop of spray on her forehead. The cold sensation and smell of seaweed were oddly comforting.

Trauma to the Head, I see.

Restore, was not a spoken command or a word, just an impression.

Waves of pleasant heat and cold pulsated all throughout her body. The tingling sensation disappeared and her vision grew clearer and broader. But before she could respond her thinking slowed and the voice swelled once again.

You’ll learn soon enough. It is a boon, not a curse. Trust me and trust yourself.

Now wake up child.

In the blink of an eye, Liana was back in the festival hall, with five worried faces hanging over her. Before she could take stock of what was going on one of the faces opened its mouth.

“Liana, are you alright. We were so worried for a second,” the face she slowly associated with Monika asked.

“Relax, give her a moment to come back to herself. She fell on her head. Don’t stress her, that’s dangerous. Do me a favor, child. Liana is it? Follow my finger with both your eye,” a face she couldn’t identify asked.

She didn’t follow the finger though. Something unbelievable happened, requiring all her attention.

New Traits gained

Blessed Skill [Ocean breeze] gained

Blessed Skill [Ocean breeze] removed

Blessed Skill [Panous’ Cycle] gained

New Skills available

“I fear she is not doing well whatsoever. No dilation of her pupils and they are not following my finger. We should get her into a calmer room, with less noise and lights. Lady Sanonborough would you know of anyone present who is accomplished in the healing arts?” The unidentified face asked. Liana was still too distracted to follow the conversation and clear up the misunderstanding.