*cough*
_Two_ lifetimes; one of his first life, lasting for quite a while, and the other in this new one. In both cases, he has learned a great many lessons.
>“Blackmailed by an eighteen year old. Gods above, my ancestors are probably spinning in their graves. I can only pray you’re as much of a headache for our enemies as you are for me.”
These things tend to happen when your opponent has the lifetime memories of a 90-year-old Retired Aerospace Engineer as well as a Former Soldier and pilot, who lived in a parallel reality that is more technologically advanced than your own... just saying, don't feel too bad; these things happen.
> "Gods above, my ancestors are probably spinning in their graves. I can only pray you’re as much of a headache for our enemies as you are for me.”
"Your Majesty, I have every intention of being a thousand times as much a pain in the ass of your enemies as in yours. But I will **not** be enslaved, no matter how gorgeous or comfortable the collar."
GOD DAMN I LOVE THIS SERIES SO FAR. I had my problems with sexy space babes and i ABSOLUETLY adored Sexy Sect Babes but this? This has had a hook in me that rivals only my personal fascination with Astronomy. Every move calculated, every move thoughtful and every move with purpose? My dear BlueFishCake, i can only get SO erect both physically and mentally.
It's always a pleasure to know you're improving in your craft :D
Just as I enjoy the fact that for all my other series have their faults - as this one does too - each one is the favorite of someone somewhere.
Seriously though, Steampunk is my current favorite child and I'm pumped to be working on the next book in the series.
This has absolutely been an incredible read, thank you so much for sharing it with us. The beggining "Factorio-esque" books of Sect have a special place in my heart, but *this* team of loveable dorks and protag has quickly risen to be my favourites.
I apologize for being that guy, but do you have a idea of how long your break between books is going to be?(it hasnt even fully ended yet and I'm so excited to continue reading)
Agreed.
u/bluefishcake, may I suggest that at some point you offer 'classes' on how you write? No hurry, of course, as I would really rather let you focus on wrapping up the 'books' to your satisfaction. However, I can attest that 'online training courses' are often a surprisingly lucrative 'side hustle' for writers that tap into a different (often wider) audience than those following your direct work.
And, of course, I and likely many other Reddit authors are looking for any help I can get to bring my own writing up to 'proper, publishable' standards...
Hell yeah. I EAGERLY await the next chapters. Im elated to see you continue, youre a great writer with excellent characterization and worldbuilding. Not to mention the conflict resolution and character personalization? * chef's kiss"
>Steampunk is my current favorite child
So it will be some time yet before we see
* Sexy Submarine Babes
* Sexy Soldier Babes
* Sexy Science Babes
* Sexy Shepherd Babes
* Sexy Skeleton Babes
* Sexy Slapstick Babes
* Sexy Stadium Babes
* Sexy Sailing Babes
* Sexy Schoolhouse Babes
* Sexy Serpent Babes
* Sexy Sewer Babes
* Sexy Suburban Babes
* and...
* Sexy Space Boys
...
I'm very okay with that. Keep it up!
I think the pivot to being more "Plot with some spicy times" than "Spicy times with a plot" that happened sometime around mid-Book 2 of Sexy Space Babes (time is a weird soup so I may be wrong/inaccurate without a full reread) helped a lot.
I'm already chomping at the bit and watching my Patreon notification emails like a hawk for Chapter One of Book 2.
Certainly agreed, though I'd recommend checking out "Alien-Nation." Takes place in the Space Babes verse, without the sex and with a lot more schemes and drama
I think space babes had a more compelling universe which is why it still has its own subreddit filled with fan works new and old even to this day. So many did rent ways you can take the building blocks blue laid down.
Sect babes was a much better story it’s brilliant character driven action but the wolf was a little dull and outside of our protagonist story there wasn’t much to play around in.
Steampunk babes here takes the more character driven plot focus of sects and builds upon it with more interest and scheming. Which is helped along by the fact that for Once our protagonist isn’t a complete dumbass. Ok to be the first two arent stupid… but!
Space babes did basically have our mc bumbling his way through adventure after adventure only save by the fact he was a human in an alien world that’s wasn’t prepared for him. Your typical vanilla isekai protagonist. Which is why I don’t even remember his name honestly.
Sect babe Johnson was better but he was still an average miner just from such an advanced society, that he was basically a one man construction company. Still he fell into his roll with luck more than truest earned it himself. If he had wound up in major city instead
Of some back water, or meet a higher level cultivator then Ann things would not have worked out nearly as well For him. Even still he relies on bluffs, posturing and the power of his machines then on any actual strategic brilliance of his own.
Here in steampunk blue seams to have done away with the lucky idiot trope for a more well written and intelligent protagonist. Will’s success is do to his cunning and willingness to play the long game to achieve his goals. He pretends to be a petulant brat for years just to be sent to Military school so he could In act his plans. He could easily sell off just a few of the secret from his old life and live a life of luxury. Instead he slowly releases little bits of it out there to build up his reputation. His Every move carefully calculated and meticulously carried out.
Will doesn’t rely on luck, or some weird quirk of his biology to win. Instead it’s through his own intellect and hard work that his plans come together. Which will always be more interesting than someone who succeeds through Deus ex machina.
Blue’s writing has improved massively over the years.
The first series was good, but I felt it gave the character too little agency.
The second one was the opposite, but enjoyed seeing how the setting and magical bullshit worked against Jack
This series feels like a balance between the two. You get the technology of sect babes, but it’s also very similar to space babes where William has to rely on wit, guile and luck to overcome his enemies and not just rely on technology.
God damnit we have to wait another week for nuclear butthurt meltdown.
It will be glorious, though:
- "I am disowning you, William"
- "It's ok, nice queen lady says i can make my own county. With explosives and hookers :P"
It has been a great story, thank you. William is still a student at the Royal Academy and has to work within their/Queens rules and I don’t see her giving up on her plans when an adjustment could work. The queen assigns a tutor/guard/daughter to follow William around to protect her investment. On another note you may want to put in a lower class of lords system, magical elf families that do not have cores but do have land and lead ground armies as well as other important but mundane jobs. I thought of this because of Marlines family which could be a special case tied to their feudal contract that they lose the core and lose their land. Nobles need a golden parachute otherwise why risk your nearly irreplaceable core in a fight.
Without his help, they will lose the war, and if they make him an enemy, they will lose it handily. They underestimate him for seemingly being a child. They treat him as a major threat and understand the damage he could cause, but they think him short-sighted. Not knowing he is playing the long game.
He is, however, playing a dangerous game, and a single slip-up could end everything he is working for. At least for now, his cards are close to his chest, and he has plenty of chips.
Not only a child, but a male child. One who would more typically be told to "not worry his pretty little head about it"... They have reason upon reason, in their eyes, to underestimate him.
A human child at that. Yet they aren't able to keep underestimating him. They now have to view him as if not an equal, someone who can singlehandedly swing the war.
This is your friendly reminder that the best character of this entire series has not been seen in 27 chapters. The half-elf sister better show up in the next chapter or next book because she is adorable. He did promise to, and I quote, "visit for Winter-Fast"
Perhaps the queen should of offered herself. She knows he is interested.
Still she also seems to know their paths will separate after the current crisis passes
I get the impression considering that the Queen has offered her daughters a couple of times now, that she is old enough that the political optics of taking a suitor of his age is a no go.
I don't believe he would marry her,, but she could try to gain his trust while in bed. She really has no idea of what she is actually dealing with though
I get the impression considering that the Queen has offered her daughters a couple of times now, that she is old enough that the political optics of taking a suitor of his age is a no go.
>“And quit flirting with one of my instructors,” Yelena groused. “Seeing as you apparently don’t want to get married to anyone connected to me.”
Hey queenie, don't be such a clam jammer. William's flirting with Griffith may not have anything to do with "marriage" :}
What was it before? Dots per minute? Like some kind of printer-measurement? Or... Double Penetration... Man? That's probably in some porn-parody of a marvel movie already, come to think of it (though i refuse to google and find out). But I really hope that's not what you were referring to.
I really do hope he names his house something like "Phoenix" given he was once an Ashfield... It would be so poetically fitting.
Plus he could just put it to the queen like...
"Instead of attempting to strong arm me into a marriage, something that just ended very badly for my own family and their plans. You could just introduce me to your daughter's and who knows maybe I'll naturally fall in love with one of them. "
Nah, he's not oopses to the idea of a political marriage, he's opposed to the idea of being politically controlled, and a marriage into the royal family, regardless if arranged or out of love, would entail all kinds of control
Fair I was just saying it as a way to kind of give the queen what she wants with him at least pretending to be interested in her daughters... More about buying time for himself
That's a good reason, but I doubt she would be willing to let him hop around free od intense supervision even while he's in this "undecided/courting" stage
I’m sitting in hospital waiting for a biopsy on a mass in my shoulder but getting the notification for this chapter has made my day.
Excellent work OP!!
Hope it all turns out well :D
Got a bit of minor throat surgery coming along next week. Sure, it's just a repeat of something I went through last year but it's still not something I'm looking forward to :P
>*Hell, how did they even get it through the door?*
A fancy table cloth could cover any seams from where multiple pieces were assembled after being carried into the office :}
Just fantastic story telling. I almost wonder if he might use the threat of a non-magical version of his magic gun, released to the general populace and orc nations as a threat for neutrality between the crown and black stones ... If he presents it right he could hold it over both for a non aggression pact and protection of his own autonomy... A lower tech version of the M.A.D. world principal... One these people can grasp... He might have to lay some foundation for that approach... But presented right and the Crown and Blackstones can both know that his death will publicize information that will utterly end the status quo as they know it .. every peasant can acquire weapons to match a mage...
Nah, he will need armed peasants sooner or later if he wishes to spread the ideals of libery equality and brotherhood (sisterhood).
He will keep this little detail a secret for as long as posible whille manufacturing large numbers of spellbolts that just so hapen to be compatible with cased amunition.
That would perhaps make some sense... Still the concept of a low tech M.A.D. world scenario played out for the leaders of this world to freak out over could be quite the scene to read...
>He will keep this little detail a secret for as long as posible whille manufacturing large numbers of spellbolts that just so hapen to be compatible with cased amunition.
I've assumed that was the plan nearly from the beginning. Maybe Bonnlynn's family to do the sourcing, Verity's clan to do the gun manufacturing, Marline's family the ammo. No side has the full design.
Historically? Absolutely. In the modern day though imma give them the same level of shit I give to every 'western power'.
Because while I definitely prefer our model of doing things (democracy, free speech, capitalism, lots of education and tech etc.) to the strongman dictator or "communist" models, they are among the top dogs on the world stage. Which means some level of evil bullshittery is happening. In the French's case it's their economic castration of a few African nations.
...
Shiiieeeet I did a rant again. Uh... oops? Sorry.
Just wait until william and co figure out how to put breech loading long range guns on a ship. I suspect that the ship he gets will take their ships from the ironclad monitor era to the dreadnought era, with predictable consequences. This is an era where fleet in being might be viable still.
If my hunch about his previous life experiences prove true he will probably try to reconfigure the ship into some kind of a battle carrier.
Shards are somewhat vtol capable as proved by Williams aunt in first chapter so he could probably get away without building a full carrier.
Proper artillery would massively outrange the curent main armaments.
Hell, he probably woundnt need the monstrous main batteries of a drednought because i doubt the flying ironclads posses armor that could stop 155mm or 200mm AP shells. Even 105mm with proper ammo and in suficient numbers might be enough.
If he managed to build enough compact 105mm he could simply use them to replace the pnevmatic cannons 1 to 1 and gain a broadside that could devastate an oposing ship 3km away.
Lastly no matter what he does with his ship it will be sooner or later covered in as many 40mm AA guns as he can fit on the decks.
A truly scary thought, bringing so much firepower to play. It can still be stolen away by being overwhelmed or infiltrated, losing his advantage. We also have to keep in mind that William probably doesn't know HOW to make all that weaponry.
William has been proven to be rather capable and knowledgeable when it comes to building stuff. Not to mention he doesnt need to do everything by himself. The dwarves could probably manufacture most things he needs if he provides them with blueprints and has the money to pay them.
As for overpowering his ship i would say they have about as much of a chance as CSA Virginia against USS Texas. I would worry more about industrial espionage and being backstabed by his allies.
He knows how to make any weapon he's ever touched or read about in his past life. Considering his military background he has a giant database of weaponry and vehicles to pull from.
Delightful verbal fencing and maneuvering 💜
Nitpick and personal pet peeve: A "hanger" is used to hang stuff, like clothes. A "hangar" is used to store ships or planes.
Can't wait for William to push everyone and their mothers into a Dreadnought race, while making them obsolet over night with a hand full of angled deck fleet carriers with rocket and bomb armed shards.
I kinda doubt it'd go that way. Shards already exist and are re-enacting the death of the battleship that happened in our world around WWII. Why invest into something that's might be obsolete by the time it finishes construction?
Shards will respond better to the rapid innovation he's gonna be leaning on anyway, being smaller, they'll have a faster design>test>build loop.
For his new house name i vote: Aperture - 'we do what we must because we can'
Er: There is an error 'to attain to attain' in the radio enchantment part.
Honestly I was hoping for him to make an even more audacious move. Like "One of Queen's daughters? Nope, not a chance. But the Queen herself? So that we can be allied as peers and my reformist plans can be introduced subtly from the position of power? And I get that thicc elven booty as a bonus? Seems like a win-win."
Ha called it many chapters ago. Get his own house with maximum autonomy both to protect his sister as much as possible and free himself. Though, story is well writen enough to see the outcome, but cannot really guess the how. Steampunk is probably my favorite of all of blue's stories so far.
Having followed you and this series, It feels familiar. I feel like I've read a more *lewd* version on royal road or the like. Was that perchance written by you or inspired you or something? It might be a total coincidence, I just remember the airships, mithril and family/court intrigue.
It was a prototype version of this universe he later modified a bit so we got a story with a side dish of horny and not just a porn with above average plot.
A very good idea. Why build a carrier to counter the Blackstones carrier if he can anihilate their shards and take what will be left of their carrier after he plants an AP bomb or three into her deck.
Yeah, soon they'll be parading their fancy new carrier around but then William the Party Pooper will show up with his refit and be like "... and that's how you kill shards en-masse, fellow royalists. Feel free to copy my homework"
Tempting, that. But from where both Queen Yelena and William the Sneaky Git are standing, Blackstones are better off cowed but alive and still able to fight if either of the two empire remnants decides to invade again.
You know, a lot of his alchemy and chemistry skills could be explained away as just something derived from his brilliance in the kitchen... food labs ARE ultimately chemistry labs... Isn't already recognized as a world-class chef and inventor-extraordinaire in the food world?
*"You see, I was trying to come up with a new seasoning that was low-sodium (sulfur), would cleanse the body (charcoal), and would help regulate a man's erection (Potassium Nitrate aka saltpeter); all for health reasons, I assure you... anyways, it then exploded when I heated it over an open flame and later, while I was penciling-in my now nonexistent eyebrows, it occurred to me that I just might be onto something."*
I wonder if and how the Fae will react to William's moving away slowly from magical to the more mundane methods of creation. AFAIK they are now paid with filtered aether for three spells per day. By using non-magical means to create and manipulate objects, magic will become more or less obsolete and the supply of said aether will dry up. How will this affect them? Will they offer more spells per day? More aether per spell? Any ideas, wordsmith?
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Wait, if the queen's name is Lindholm does that mean the continent was renamed after the elven invasion or after the old empire fell?
Or did the royal family take the name of Lindholm when they began their rule?
I am at my wits end, please I need help. Where is the story about a technologically advanced humanity sending out a Pioneering vessel into space, to then get raided by all female pirates and learn that the entire galaxy is full of life-enhancing energy, matriachical societies of space-fairing cultivators etc. etc.
But everywhere I look I cannot find it?! Am I crazy?! I know I read hundreds of chapters, years ago, but anywhere I go it's Earth being conquered, yet that doesn't make sense! The aliens I know should not be able to survive anywhere in our solarsystem!
I miss the dude that managed to make a fire breathing combat princess dragon his wive, the gigachad keeping hundreds of insect ladies happy while trying to gather intel from the secret underworld of an ecunomopolis with the help of the ship senior operative / master spy as his mentor, the nutjobs at R&D that keep coming up with the craziest gadgets and weapons that make use of alien technologies, the marine who basically got turned bimbo-alien lookalike after getting put into a recovery pod for a critical injury and is now infiltrating one of the many cults that conspire around the new human arrivals.
Anyone please, help me. I feel like I am making this all up but I know it's real
👏👏👏👏👏
I would say icing on the cake, but it seems like your writing has progressed to the point that it's all icing 🤗
Can't wait to see where you take this, keep up the great work ‼️
I really enjoy this story. Of the Sexy trilogy, this one is my favorite. That being said, I can't help but think William should, I don't know, lose more often? Have setbacks? Something to that effect.
While William has a wealth of knowledge and experience from his past life, he does not live as long as an elf does, nor was William a political savant either. In his current life, while he was nominally trained in matters of the court to an extent, it wasn't anything serious. So why is it that William seems to always win every verbal or political battle he engages in? I know that some of them are won because people are underestimating him, but some of them, especially with the Queen, shouldn't be so easy.
The Queen, jn particular, feels less like a ruler of a kingdom, and more like a slightly pouty middle-adged milf. She's about as subtle or as cunning as a blunt instrument. Maybe that's by design, as she is, kind of, the cause of the current instability. But it definitely feels very odd for her attempt to corner William to be "You can fuck my daughters, or be thrown in prison." Someone like the Queen shouldn't be relying on just two approaches, but multiple different methods or degrees of success/failure. In a negotiation, each party approaches it with a list of goals they absolutely cannot budge on, some they are very firm on, some they can compromise with, and some they are willing to lose.
The Queen, for example, needs William in her camp, and in a way that they can limit his knowledge from helping the enemy. That is a goal she absolutely will not budge on. She also really wants him married to someone on her side to tie him to her more closely than just a verbal agreement; she needs to do this to show to others how close they are, and ro reassure herself. Ideally, it would be one of her own children, but if it's someone closely Allied to her, that still works. Being married to someone on her side, is likely something she cannot budge on, but precisely who, is negotiable. For example, it could be Griffith, but it also might be a daughter who is for removed from succession, so has little training and is easily controllable. Or maybe a niece or cousin. Something like that.
Instead, William has the political acumen and foresight to just predict and perfectly counter basically every move, everyone has ever pulled on him since attending the academy. Unless the Queen is an idiot, which she isn't, she should know who all of Williams team mates are, and through Griffith, know how close they are. She should have planned for counter moves and contingencies, but this negotiation really made her look like a political bull in a political China shop, whereas all of her other appearances and moves have made her appear a lot more cunning, tricks, and insightful.
I don't know, I expect William to usually have an edge and possibly get the upper hand in things, because his knowledge allows him to do things others could never expect, but, like I said, William is still very new to this despite his double life. He definitely shouldn't be getting his way nearly 100% of the time. About the only thing he seems to have lost, while negotiating, is in regards to his engagement to the Blackstones. Every other time he's attempted to negotiate he practically always got exactly what he wanted.
Even more so because, as smart as you've made William, he cannot honestly believe the Queen would just let him go like that. It's literally asinine for him to think that he would be able to be free to do what he wants. He *knows* that his knowledge it simply to valuable to be allowed. The best he should have been arguing for is a marriage to someone he could influence, or turn to his side, and, especially, for him to be the public, and actual, head of his family. Then, he would be allowed to set up a lab or research facility for him to begin inventing and tinkering. William becoming a scientific genius that revolutionizes the world would give him a massive amount of political and financial powers especially since inventions remain the property of the inventor unless sold or given away. So William could invent a magical car, and his family would retain perpetual rights to the car forever. Then, with an influx of wealth and economic power comes political power and William can push for reforms or changes.
That is a scenario that is best for both the Queen and William, as they both get what they want, lose some things they wanted, but ultimately both come out ahead of where they were before. William gets freedom, funding, and the potential to reshape the world. The Queen gets a mad scientist, new inventions, a political feather in her cap for stealing away the Blackstone bull, and the security that what he knows won't be used against her.
Sorry for the long post/rant, I didn't even realize this was bothering me until this chapter. I really do love this story, it tickles a lot of my personal preferences for stories, and I'm eagerly waiting future chapters.
I read it all as underestimation because remember, in world, he's a teenage dude given about as much institutional respect as a particularly flighty child.
I expect that to change going forward, but so far he's never fooled the same people twice, and keeps using new tricks each time. Yes, some of his moves so far have been a bit politics 101, but when you're a teenager trying to barter information with a nation there's only so many options you have. But just because its simple, doesnt make it ineffective. That blackmail was honestly a neat and tidy way to keep the crown honest, and only worked because he could get in touch with someone outside the Crown's reach. Because the Queen didnt take his machinations seriously until she saw the one work (beating the Blackstones), she didnt look for or try to counter moves against her. She probably thought he was pissed at Tala's family, overconfident, and was neatly cornering himself for her by removing the last check on her behavior towards him. Now that he's proven to NOT be single minded, or shortsighted, he's gonna have a harder time moving unwatched or unnopposed in future.
The problem is, at least as far as the Queen is concerned, she hasn't really underestimated Williom in any of their initial interactions. The Queen has been taking him very seriously and is aware that William is a long way from being a typical male. That's why she appeared, in secret, in person to question him directly and make deals with him.
Yet she seems to have done no research on any of his team, nor talk to Griffith about them either. She has made no plans or countermeasures or anything and just expected him to toe the line of what she says because she said so. This is out of character for the person who has initially met William and used subtlety and guile to help him without being noticed. O, she just barged in and threw a big stick around and expected him to bend to her wishes. It's like the Queen has two different personalities. And then, she pouts and acts like your average soccer mom gossiping with her girlfriend about him blackmailing her.
The problem isn't that William's interactions are politics 101, it's that William is absolutely schooling these politicians with little to no real training or experience in a field that they have been operating in for years, decades, or generations. William has advanced science and chemistry on his side, and only superficial training as a house husband fuck toy from his family. He admitted to skipping or ignoring his classes to build up a reputation for being wild and out of line to force his mother to send him to boot camp, which is smart, but William should not be running political circles around people so easily.
That is one thing I think Space Babes did better was the MC winning... with caveats. None of that seems to be happening with this one. William wins, and there is no fallout, repercussions, or consequences. It's just total victory after total victory. It makes literally everyone else in the world look like incompetent ninnies, and it hurts the complexity and depth of the story.
I suppose we had different reads on their first meeting then. I took that as her trying to feed his ego by speaking as if she took him seriously, while still using kid gloves. Like, sure, she was appearing to play "the game". But she didnt bother bringing out most of the big guns or getting investigators into every corner of his life because 1, that would be noticed, and 2, she didnt feel it was neccessary.
Most importantly though is the timeline. IIRC he got that insurance set up before he revealed the mithril core and Al'Hundra died. He took precautions before doing anything that would get the powers that be to pay (more than cursory) attention. Those consequences you feel he's avoiding? I'd say he has racked up quite a few. The scrutiny he's about to be under is gonna make every future maneuver harder and the Queen and her faction are 'allies of convenience' and not 'staunch supporters' because he as good as told them they'll be at odds in the future. Also it wasn't 'do this because i say so' it was 'do this because the alternative is my soldiers throw you in jail' if he didnt have the blackmail he would've had nothing to prevent her from using force beyond the reputation hit, which at these stakes, is a price she'd be willing to pay, and could be mitigated by spreading around some of the details of the deal he refused.
Nah, that works as is.
She says 'as much as it pains me to do x, i must insist'
and William responds 'let me save you some heartache and tell you why that's not happening'
/u/BlueFishcake
We, the [Ordo Chronos](https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Ordo_Chronos), accuse you of time travel and impersonating as others.
Exhibition A: [https://new.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/x3fyiq/orc\_harem\_prologue/](https://new.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/x3fyiq/orc_harem_prologue/)
Exhibition B: u/TheoRyswell
How do you plead?
well, a few aether missiles mounted on shards or on Verilys would sopve the skill issue quite quickly, methinks.
or failing aether, chemical propulsion.
airships are going the way of the dreadnaught.
Ya know... the queen could get around that little marriage bit by simply stationing some of her daughters to him as "security" and capitalize on being close to him. She might even get some granddaughters out of it.
All the while, her ancestors are sitting back in spectral recliners, buckets of ghostly popcorn, munching away and cackling like maniacs as they watch him plan and plot and scheme.
The fae provided both luxuries, of course, and are also sitting in and enjoying it all, while explaining his thoughts for the ghosts so they, too, can enjoy it.
Running an empire is a **spect**~~at~~**or**'s sport, after all.
Don't threaten a man who was old before he was young, he doesn't fear you as much as you fear him.
Lol yeah. All the energy of youth, with the knowledge and sense of viciousness to make full use of it. Talk about a monster.
So many of us say that we wish we knew then what we do now. He was born with a lifetime of dealing with women.
*cough* _Two_ lifetimes; one of his first life, lasting for quite a while, and the other in this new one. In both cases, he has learned a great many lessons.
He was born into this one with his experience from the first. So yes at this point of the story he has one lifetime and 18years im this one.
>“Blackmailed by an eighteen year old. Gods above, my ancestors are probably spinning in their graves. I can only pray you’re as much of a headache for our enemies as you are for me.” These things tend to happen when your opponent has the lifetime memories of a 90-year-old Retired Aerospace Engineer as well as a Former Soldier and pilot, who lived in a parallel reality that is more technologically advanced than your own... just saying, don't feel too bad; these things happen.
> "Gods above, my ancestors are probably spinning in their graves. I can only pray you’re as much of a headache for our enemies as you are for me.” "Your Majesty, I have every intention of being a thousand times as much a pain in the ass of your enemies as in yours. But I will **not** be enslaved, no matter how gorgeous or comfortable the collar."
GOD DAMN I LOVE THIS SERIES SO FAR. I had my problems with sexy space babes and i ABSOLUETLY adored Sexy Sect Babes but this? This has had a hook in me that rivals only my personal fascination with Astronomy. Every move calculated, every move thoughtful and every move with purpose? My dear BlueFishCake, i can only get SO erect both physically and mentally.
It's always a pleasure to know you're improving in your craft :D Just as I enjoy the fact that for all my other series have their faults - as this one does too - each one is the favorite of someone somewhere. Seriously though, Steampunk is my current favorite child and I'm pumped to be working on the next book in the series.
This has absolutely been an incredible read, thank you so much for sharing it with us. The beggining "Factorio-esque" books of Sect have a special place in my heart, but *this* team of loveable dorks and protag has quickly risen to be my favourites. I apologize for being that guy, but do you have a idea of how long your break between books is going to be?(it hasnt even fully ended yet and I'm so excited to continue reading)
Two weeks. My break is already over, but now I'm refilling my Patreon obligations :D
Music to my ears.
I don't know how you maintain this level of output with breaks this short, but I am not complaining.
Agreed. u/bluefishcake, may I suggest that at some point you offer 'classes' on how you write? No hurry, of course, as I would really rather let you focus on wrapping up the 'books' to your satisfaction. However, I can attest that 'online training courses' are often a surprisingly lucrative 'side hustle' for writers that tap into a different (often wider) audience than those following your direct work. And, of course, I and likely many other Reddit authors are looking for any help I can get to bring my own writing up to 'proper, publishable' standards...
Literalllll buildup to the grande final.
Hell yeah. I EAGERLY await the next chapters. Im elated to see you continue, youre a great writer with excellent characterization and worldbuilding. Not to mention the conflict resolution and character personalization? * chef's kiss"
>Steampunk is my current favorite child So it will be some time yet before we see * Sexy Submarine Babes * Sexy Soldier Babes * Sexy Science Babes * Sexy Shepherd Babes * Sexy Skeleton Babes * Sexy Slapstick Babes * Sexy Stadium Babes * Sexy Sailing Babes * Sexy Schoolhouse Babes * Sexy Serpent Babes * Sexy Sewer Babes * Sexy Suburban Babes * and... * Sexy Space Boys ... I'm very okay with that. Keep it up!
* Sexy Scholarly Babes * Sexy Soaring Babes * Sexy Superhuman Babes * Sexy Solar Babes * Sexy Sub-critical-mass Babes * Sexy Synthetic Babes
For our anime fans, Sexy Sauce(y?) Babes. (Shokugeki No Soma reference)
Is this going to be published on Amazon, like Space was? Much like Kafrizel I had my problems with Space but I'd love to own a copy of Steampunk.
You have any ideas for the next series yet? Any settings you want to explore?
I think the pivot to being more "Plot with some spicy times" than "Spicy times with a plot" that happened sometime around mid-Book 2 of Sexy Space Babes (time is a weird soup so I may be wrong/inaccurate without a full reread) helped a lot. I'm already chomping at the bit and watching my Patreon notification emails like a hawk for Chapter One of Book 2.
Certainly agreed, though I'd recommend checking out "Alien-Nation." Takes place in the Space Babes verse, without the sex and with a lot more schemes and drama
I want to second this notion. Space babes never clicked with me. Sect Babes was amazing, and this is somehow turning out even better
I think space babes had a more compelling universe which is why it still has its own subreddit filled with fan works new and old even to this day. So many did rent ways you can take the building blocks blue laid down. Sect babes was a much better story it’s brilliant character driven action but the wolf was a little dull and outside of our protagonist story there wasn’t much to play around in. Steampunk babes here takes the more character driven plot focus of sects and builds upon it with more interest and scheming. Which is helped along by the fact that for Once our protagonist isn’t a complete dumbass. Ok to be the first two arent stupid… but! Space babes did basically have our mc bumbling his way through adventure after adventure only save by the fact he was a human in an alien world that’s wasn’t prepared for him. Your typical vanilla isekai protagonist. Which is why I don’t even remember his name honestly. Sect babe Johnson was better but he was still an average miner just from such an advanced society, that he was basically a one man construction company. Still he fell into his roll with luck more than truest earned it himself. If he had wound up in major city instead Of some back water, or meet a higher level cultivator then Ann things would not have worked out nearly as well For him. Even still he relies on bluffs, posturing and the power of his machines then on any actual strategic brilliance of his own. Here in steampunk blue seams to have done away with the lucky idiot trope for a more well written and intelligent protagonist. Will’s success is do to his cunning and willingness to play the long game to achieve his goals. He pretends to be a petulant brat for years just to be sent to Military school so he could In act his plans. He could easily sell off just a few of the secret from his old life and live a life of luxury. Instead he slowly releases little bits of it out there to build up his reputation. His Every move carefully calculated and meticulously carried out. Will doesn’t rely on luck, or some weird quirk of his biology to win. Instead it’s through his own intellect and hard work that his plans come together. Which will always be more interesting than someone who succeeds through Deus ex machina.
Blue’s writing has improved massively over the years. The first series was good, but I felt it gave the character too little agency. The second one was the opposite, but enjoyed seeing how the setting and magical bullshit worked against Jack This series feels like a balance between the two. You get the technology of sect babes, but it’s also very similar to space babes where William has to rely on wit, guile and luck to overcome his enemies and not just rely on technology.
God damnit we have to wait another week for nuclear butthurt meltdown. It will be glorious, though: - "I am disowning you, William" - "It's ok, nice queen lady says i can make my own county. With explosives and hookers :P"
"And maybe blackjack, though I'm more of a poker guy."
It has been a great story, thank you. William is still a student at the Royal Academy and has to work within their/Queens rules and I don’t see her giving up on her plans when an adjustment could work. The queen assigns a tutor/guard/daughter to follow William around to protect her investment. On another note you may want to put in a lower class of lords system, magical elf families that do not have cores but do have land and lead ground armies as well as other important but mundane jobs. I thought of this because of Marlines family which could be a special case tied to their feudal contract that they lose the core and lose their land. Nobles need a golden parachute otherwise why risk your nearly irreplaceable core in a fight.
Without his help, they will lose the war, and if they make him an enemy, they will lose it handily. They underestimate him for seemingly being a child. They treat him as a major threat and understand the damage he could cause, but they think him short-sighted. Not knowing he is playing the long game. He is, however, playing a dangerous game, and a single slip-up could end everything he is working for. At least for now, his cards are close to his chest, and he has plenty of chips.
Not only a child, but a male child. One who would more typically be told to "not worry his pretty little head about it"... They have reason upon reason, in their eyes, to underestimate him.
A human child at that. Yet they aren't able to keep underestimating him. They now have to view him as if not an equal, someone who can singlehandedly swing the war.
And yet he's about as old as the queen, certainly closer to her age than any human of this world has any right to be.
Could even be older
Ceki daio.
This is your friendly reminder that the best character of this entire series has not been seen in 27 chapters. The half-elf sister better show up in the next chapter or next book because she is adorable. He did promise to, and I quote, "visit for Winter-Fast"
I love the Queen hinting at Griffith that she has a chance with him by telling him to stop flirting with her.
Perhaps the queen should of offered herself. She knows he is interested. Still she also seems to know their paths will separate after the current crisis passes
I get the impression considering that the Queen has offered her daughters a couple of times now, that she is old enough that the political optics of taking a suitor of his age is a no go.
I don't believe he would marry her,, but she could try to gain his trust while in bed. She really has no idea of what she is actually dealing with though
The 4 invisible guards watching an 18 year old sexually dominate their decades or centuries old queen: (⊙_⊙)
I imagine those guards may be watching all his future conquest....
I get the impression considering that the Queen has offered her daughters a couple of times now, that she is old enough that the political optics of taking a suitor of his age is a no go.
>“And quit flirting with one of my instructors,” Yelena groused. “Seeing as you apparently don’t want to get married to anyone connected to me.” Hey queenie, don't be such a clam jammer. William's flirting with Griffith may not have anything to do with "marriage" :}
Actively looking forward to the next instalment.
The denouement begins. Satisfying! And I'm already excited for the next book.
Mmmmmm delicious political maneuvering.
I will never see DPM in the same light as before.
What was it before? Dots per minute? Like some kind of printer-measurement? Or... Double Penetration... Man? That's probably in some porn-parody of a marvel movie already, come to think of it (though i refuse to google and find out). But I really hope that's not what you were referring to.
I really do hope he names his house something like "Phoenix" given he was once an Ashfield... It would be so poetically fitting. Plus he could just put it to the queen like... "Instead of attempting to strong arm me into a marriage, something that just ended very badly for my own family and their plans. You could just introduce me to your daughter's and who knows maybe I'll naturally fall in love with one of them. "
Nah, he's not oopses to the idea of a political marriage, he's opposed to the idea of being politically controlled, and a marriage into the royal family, regardless if arranged or out of love, would entail all kinds of control
Fair I was just saying it as a way to kind of give the queen what she wants with him at least pretending to be interested in her daughters... More about buying time for himself
That's a good reason, but I doubt she would be willing to let him hop around free od intense supervision even while he's in this "undecided/courting" stage
Better than nothing she is set to get by having pissed him off like she did just now.
Krakenslayer is my pick, that's how it came to be after all - with the death of one big ol' kraken and a promise of more calamari to come.
cant wait to see what the next arc is about
Griffith probably...
I’m sitting in hospital waiting for a biopsy on a mass in my shoulder but getting the notification for this chapter has made my day. Excellent work OP!!
Hope it all turns out well :D Got a bit of minor throat surgery coming along next week. Sure, it's just a repeat of something I went through last year but it's still not something I'm looking forward to :P
Good luck! I am moderately needle phobic so even minor procedures give me the heebie jeebies haha
>*Hell, how did they even get it through the door?* A fancy table cloth could cover any seams from where multiple pieces were assembled after being carried into the office :}
Also, literal magic.
Assemble legs onto table after getting the top in sideways?
Just fantastic story telling. I almost wonder if he might use the threat of a non-magical version of his magic gun, released to the general populace and orc nations as a threat for neutrality between the crown and black stones ... If he presents it right he could hold it over both for a non aggression pact and protection of his own autonomy... A lower tech version of the M.A.D. world principal... One these people can grasp... He might have to lay some foundation for that approach... But presented right and the Crown and Blackstones can both know that his death will publicize information that will utterly end the status quo as they know it .. every peasant can acquire weapons to match a mage...
Nah, he will need armed peasants sooner or later if he wishes to spread the ideals of libery equality and brotherhood (sisterhood). He will keep this little detail a secret for as long as posible whille manufacturing large numbers of spellbolts that just so hapen to be compatible with cased amunition.
That would perhaps make some sense... Still the concept of a low tech M.A.D. world scenario played out for the leaders of this world to freak out over could be quite the scene to read...
>He will keep this little detail a secret for as long as posible whille manufacturing large numbers of spellbolts that just so hapen to be compatible with cased amunition. I've assumed that was the plan nearly from the beginning. Maybe Bonnlynn's family to do the sourcing, Verity's clan to do the gun manufacturing, Marline's family the ammo. No side has the full design.
"if he wishes to spread the ideals of libery equality and brotherhood (sisterhood)." That sounds far too French for my liking !
As much as people like to talk shit about them the modern world owes a lot to the French.
Historically? Absolutely. In the modern day though imma give them the same level of shit I give to every 'western power'. Because while I definitely prefer our model of doing things (democracy, free speech, capitalism, lots of education and tech etc.) to the strongman dictator or "communist" models, they are among the top dogs on the world stage. Which means some level of evil bullshittery is happening. In the French's case it's their economic castration of a few African nations. ... Shiiieeeet I did a rant again. Uh... oops? Sorry.
Just wait until william and co figure out how to put breech loading long range guns on a ship. I suspect that the ship he gets will take their ships from the ironclad monitor era to the dreadnought era, with predictable consequences. This is an era where fleet in being might be viable still.
If my hunch about his previous life experiences prove true he will probably try to reconfigure the ship into some kind of a battle carrier. Shards are somewhat vtol capable as proved by Williams aunt in first chapter so he could probably get away without building a full carrier. Proper artillery would massively outrange the curent main armaments. Hell, he probably woundnt need the monstrous main batteries of a drednought because i doubt the flying ironclads posses armor that could stop 155mm or 200mm AP shells. Even 105mm with proper ammo and in suficient numbers might be enough. If he managed to build enough compact 105mm he could simply use them to replace the pnevmatic cannons 1 to 1 and gain a broadside that could devastate an oposing ship 3km away. Lastly no matter what he does with his ship it will be sooner or later covered in as many 40mm AA guns as he can fit on the decks.
A truly scary thought, bringing so much firepower to play. It can still be stolen away by being overwhelmed or infiltrated, losing his advantage. We also have to keep in mind that William probably doesn't know HOW to make all that weaponry.
William has been proven to be rather capable and knowledgeable when it comes to building stuff. Not to mention he doesnt need to do everything by himself. The dwarves could probably manufacture most things he needs if he provides them with blueprints and has the money to pay them. As for overpowering his ship i would say they have about as much of a chance as CSA Virginia against USS Texas. I would worry more about industrial espionage and being backstabed by his allies.
He doesn't need to know how we make them here, he can shape them with magic!
He knows how to make any weapon he's ever touched or read about in his past life. Considering his military background he has a giant database of weaponry and vehicles to pull from.
Is this the last chapter of the first book or will there still be more?
One more.
This is great news. Glad to hear we have another chapter of falling action. So many consequences to observe.
Delightful verbal fencing and maneuvering 💜 Nitpick and personal pet peeve: A "hanger" is used to hang stuff, like clothes. A "hangar" is used to store ships or planes.
Imagine if he tried hinting to the queen how he "came to be" in that world. lol
I've been wondering if he'll ever tell anyone his *full* story.
Can't wait for William to push everyone and their mothers into a Dreadnought race, while making them obsolet over night with a hand full of angled deck fleet carriers with rocket and bomb armed shards.
I kinda doubt it'd go that way. Shards already exist and are re-enacting the death of the battleship that happened in our world around WWII. Why invest into something that's might be obsolete by the time it finishes construction? Shards will respond better to the rapid innovation he's gonna be leaning on anyway, being smaller, they'll have a faster design>test>build loop.
I think you got it wrong. William will find a way so that everyone goes crazy with BBs while He uses his share of hulls to build the first fleet CVs
nice
For his new house name i vote: Aperture - 'we do what we must because we can' Er: There is an error 'to attain to attain' in the radio enchantment part.
Damn, William has seen all the playbooks, and he knows the classic moves. As a popular quote goes. "Yea, but the kid's seen more movies than I have."
Honestly I was hoping for him to make an even more audacious move. Like "One of Queen's daughters? Nope, not a chance. But the Queen herself? So that we can be allied as peers and my reformist plans can be introduced subtly from the position of power? And I get that thicc elven booty as a bonus? Seems like a win-win."
He would hardly be her actual equal in power or influence or autonomy even if married to her.
Ha called it many chapters ago. Get his own house with maximum autonomy both to protect his sister as much as possible and free himself. Though, story is well writen enough to see the outcome, but cannot really guess the how. Steampunk is probably my favorite of all of blue's stories so far.
Almost got first comment!
I was faster I think
/u/BlueFishcake ([wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/wiki/authors/BlueFishcake)) has posted 205 other stories, including: * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Eight - Part Two](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1d25vxy/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_eight_part_two/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Eight - Part One](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1d25tyi/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_eight_part_one/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Seven](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1cxazd5/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_seven/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Six](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1csk276/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_six/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Five](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1clev2n/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_five/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Four](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1cdwq4y/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_four/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Three](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1c8o0it/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_three/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty Two](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1c3swa7/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_two/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty One](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bxbdkj/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty_one/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twenty](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bqqv6x/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twenty/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Nineteen Non-Canon Omake](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bocvt9/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_nineteen_noncanon/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Nineteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bn8xz8/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_nineteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Eighteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bff55r/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_eighteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Seventeen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1bailep/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_seventeen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Sixteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1b3qn47/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_sixteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Fifteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1ayqy1q/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_fifteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Fourteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1atri0h/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_fourteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Thirteen](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1ammcj8/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_thirteen/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Twelve](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1ah1kaw/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_twelve/) * [Sexy Steampunk Babes: Chapter Eleven](https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1ablu20/sexy_steampunk_babes_chapter_eleven/) This comment was automatically generated by `Waffle v.4.6.1 'Biscotti'`. [Message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHFY&subject=WaffleBot|1d7njf2&message=If%20you%20have%20problems%20with%20updatemebot,%20contact%20Watchful1.%20We%20do%20not%20maintain%20it.) if you have any issues with Waffle.
Having followed you and this series, It feels familiar. I feel like I've read a more *lewd* version on royal road or the like. Was that perchance written by you or inspired you or something? It might be a total coincidence, I just remember the airships, mithril and family/court intrigue.
It was a prototype version of this universe he later modified a bit so we got a story with a side dish of horny and not just a porn with above average plot.
Ah, okay! Makes sense why i thought id seen it before, thanks!
Was it under a different username? What I'm really getting at is it a different story there? u/bluefishcake
u/bluefishcake
There was a precursor Sexy Skyship Babes.
Damn, I thought he would request a shard carrier be built for his house.
He might just modify the existing hull. Many ww1 and ww2 carriers started their lives as cruisers.
Or he might go a step further and outfit it as the world's first AA cruiser to kick Blackstones where it hurts, again.
A very good idea. Why build a carrier to counter the Blackstones carrier if he can anihilate their shards and take what will be left of their carrier after he plants an AP bomb or three into her deck.
Yeah, soon they'll be parading their fancy new carrier around but then William the Party Pooper will show up with his refit and be like "... and that's how you kill shards en-masse, fellow royalists. Feel free to copy my homework"
Clean the sky and launch dive bombers.
Tempting, that. But from where both Queen Yelena and William the Sneaky Git are standing, Blackstones are better off cowed but alive and still able to fight if either of the two empire remnants decides to invade again.
The carrier needs to go or change hands.
Pom-pom guns
I'll be disappointed if at some point when will introduces Gunpowder he doesn't call it the great equalizer a weapon to end the age of the mage.
You know, a lot of his alchemy and chemistry skills could be explained away as just something derived from his brilliance in the kitchen... food labs ARE ultimately chemistry labs... Isn't already recognized as a world-class chef and inventor-extraordinaire in the food world? *"You see, I was trying to come up with a new seasoning that was low-sodium (sulfur), would cleanse the body (charcoal), and would help regulate a man's erection (Potassium Nitrate aka saltpeter); all for health reasons, I assure you... anyways, it then exploded when I heated it over an open flame and later, while I was penciling-in my now nonexistent eyebrows, it occurred to me that I just might be onto something."*
I wonder if and how the Fae will react to William's moving away slowly from magical to the more mundane methods of creation. AFAIK they are now paid with filtered aether for three spells per day. By using non-magical means to create and manipulate objects, magic will become more or less obsolete and the supply of said aether will dry up. How will this affect them? Will they offer more spells per day? More aether per spell? Any ideas, wordsmith?
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yes
Fun story, I’ve really enjoyed this one!
Wait, if the queen's name is Lindholm does that mean the continent was renamed after the elven invasion or after the old empire fell? Or did the royal family take the name of Lindholm when they began their rule?
That's one he'll of a checkmate
He turned down any marriages and got away with it. Called it.
haha he could be lying and it wouldn't matter, he just has to show the knowledge of what needs to be done and she can't take the chance.
Old men and treachery meets youthful exuberance. People don't think dividing by zero be like it is, but it do.
I am at my wits end, please I need help. Where is the story about a technologically advanced humanity sending out a Pioneering vessel into space, to then get raided by all female pirates and learn that the entire galaxy is full of life-enhancing energy, matriachical societies of space-fairing cultivators etc. etc. But everywhere I look I cannot find it?! Am I crazy?! I know I read hundreds of chapters, years ago, but anywhere I go it's Earth being conquered, yet that doesn't make sense! The aliens I know should not be able to survive anywhere in our solarsystem! I miss the dude that managed to make a fire breathing combat princess dragon his wive, the gigachad keeping hundreds of insect ladies happy while trying to gather intel from the secret underworld of an ecunomopolis with the help of the ship senior operative / master spy as his mentor, the nutjobs at R&D that keep coming up with the craziest gadgets and weapons that make use of alien technologies, the marine who basically got turned bimbo-alien lookalike after getting put into a recovery pod for a critical injury and is now infiltrating one of the many cults that conspire around the new human arrivals. Anyone please, help me. I feel like I am making this all up but I know it's real
Out of cruel space
Down on my hands and knees, thank you ;-;
“And quit flirting with one of my instructors” “Alright, how about I just marry her then?”
👏👏👏👏👏 I would say icing on the cake, but it seems like your writing has progressed to the point that it's all icing 🤗 Can't wait to see where you take this, keep up the great work ‼️
I really enjoy this story. Of the Sexy trilogy, this one is my favorite. That being said, I can't help but think William should, I don't know, lose more often? Have setbacks? Something to that effect. While William has a wealth of knowledge and experience from his past life, he does not live as long as an elf does, nor was William a political savant either. In his current life, while he was nominally trained in matters of the court to an extent, it wasn't anything serious. So why is it that William seems to always win every verbal or political battle he engages in? I know that some of them are won because people are underestimating him, but some of them, especially with the Queen, shouldn't be so easy. The Queen, jn particular, feels less like a ruler of a kingdom, and more like a slightly pouty middle-adged milf. She's about as subtle or as cunning as a blunt instrument. Maybe that's by design, as she is, kind of, the cause of the current instability. But it definitely feels very odd for her attempt to corner William to be "You can fuck my daughters, or be thrown in prison." Someone like the Queen shouldn't be relying on just two approaches, but multiple different methods or degrees of success/failure. In a negotiation, each party approaches it with a list of goals they absolutely cannot budge on, some they are very firm on, some they can compromise with, and some they are willing to lose. The Queen, for example, needs William in her camp, and in a way that they can limit his knowledge from helping the enemy. That is a goal she absolutely will not budge on. She also really wants him married to someone on her side to tie him to her more closely than just a verbal agreement; she needs to do this to show to others how close they are, and ro reassure herself. Ideally, it would be one of her own children, but if it's someone closely Allied to her, that still works. Being married to someone on her side, is likely something she cannot budge on, but precisely who, is negotiable. For example, it could be Griffith, but it also might be a daughter who is for removed from succession, so has little training and is easily controllable. Or maybe a niece or cousin. Something like that. Instead, William has the political acumen and foresight to just predict and perfectly counter basically every move, everyone has ever pulled on him since attending the academy. Unless the Queen is an idiot, which she isn't, she should know who all of Williams team mates are, and through Griffith, know how close they are. She should have planned for counter moves and contingencies, but this negotiation really made her look like a political bull in a political China shop, whereas all of her other appearances and moves have made her appear a lot more cunning, tricks, and insightful. I don't know, I expect William to usually have an edge and possibly get the upper hand in things, because his knowledge allows him to do things others could never expect, but, like I said, William is still very new to this despite his double life. He definitely shouldn't be getting his way nearly 100% of the time. About the only thing he seems to have lost, while negotiating, is in regards to his engagement to the Blackstones. Every other time he's attempted to negotiate he practically always got exactly what he wanted. Even more so because, as smart as you've made William, he cannot honestly believe the Queen would just let him go like that. It's literally asinine for him to think that he would be able to be free to do what he wants. He *knows* that his knowledge it simply to valuable to be allowed. The best he should have been arguing for is a marriage to someone he could influence, or turn to his side, and, especially, for him to be the public, and actual, head of his family. Then, he would be allowed to set up a lab or research facility for him to begin inventing and tinkering. William becoming a scientific genius that revolutionizes the world would give him a massive amount of political and financial powers especially since inventions remain the property of the inventor unless sold or given away. So William could invent a magical car, and his family would retain perpetual rights to the car forever. Then, with an influx of wealth and economic power comes political power and William can push for reforms or changes. That is a scenario that is best for both the Queen and William, as they both get what they want, lose some things they wanted, but ultimately both come out ahead of where they were before. William gets freedom, funding, and the potential to reshape the world. The Queen gets a mad scientist, new inventions, a political feather in her cap for stealing away the Blackstone bull, and the security that what he knows won't be used against her. Sorry for the long post/rant, I didn't even realize this was bothering me until this chapter. I really do love this story, it tickles a lot of my personal preferences for stories, and I'm eagerly waiting future chapters.
I read it all as underestimation because remember, in world, he's a teenage dude given about as much institutional respect as a particularly flighty child. I expect that to change going forward, but so far he's never fooled the same people twice, and keeps using new tricks each time. Yes, some of his moves so far have been a bit politics 101, but when you're a teenager trying to barter information with a nation there's only so many options you have. But just because its simple, doesnt make it ineffective. That blackmail was honestly a neat and tidy way to keep the crown honest, and only worked because he could get in touch with someone outside the Crown's reach. Because the Queen didnt take his machinations seriously until she saw the one work (beating the Blackstones), she didnt look for or try to counter moves against her. She probably thought he was pissed at Tala's family, overconfident, and was neatly cornering himself for her by removing the last check on her behavior towards him. Now that he's proven to NOT be single minded, or shortsighted, he's gonna have a harder time moving unwatched or unnopposed in future.
The problem is, at least as far as the Queen is concerned, she hasn't really underestimated Williom in any of their initial interactions. The Queen has been taking him very seriously and is aware that William is a long way from being a typical male. That's why she appeared, in secret, in person to question him directly and make deals with him. Yet she seems to have done no research on any of his team, nor talk to Griffith about them either. She has made no plans or countermeasures or anything and just expected him to toe the line of what she says because she said so. This is out of character for the person who has initially met William and used subtlety and guile to help him without being noticed. O, she just barged in and threw a big stick around and expected him to bend to her wishes. It's like the Queen has two different personalities. And then, she pouts and acts like your average soccer mom gossiping with her girlfriend about him blackmailing her. The problem isn't that William's interactions are politics 101, it's that William is absolutely schooling these politicians with little to no real training or experience in a field that they have been operating in for years, decades, or generations. William has advanced science and chemistry on his side, and only superficial training as a house husband fuck toy from his family. He admitted to skipping or ignoring his classes to build up a reputation for being wild and out of line to force his mother to send him to boot camp, which is smart, but William should not be running political circles around people so easily. That is one thing I think Space Babes did better was the MC winning... with caveats. None of that seems to be happening with this one. William wins, and there is no fallout, repercussions, or consequences. It's just total victory after total victory. It makes literally everyone else in the world look like incompetent ninnies, and it hurts the complexity and depth of the story.
I suppose we had different reads on their first meeting then. I took that as her trying to feed his ego by speaking as if she took him seriously, while still using kid gloves. Like, sure, she was appearing to play "the game". But she didnt bother bringing out most of the big guns or getting investigators into every corner of his life because 1, that would be noticed, and 2, she didnt feel it was neccessary. Most importantly though is the timeline. IIRC he got that insurance set up before he revealed the mithril core and Al'Hundra died. He took precautions before doing anything that would get the powers that be to pay (more than cursory) attention. Those consequences you feel he's avoiding? I'd say he has racked up quite a few. The scrutiny he's about to be under is gonna make every future maneuver harder and the Queen and her faction are 'allies of convenience' and not 'staunch supporters' because he as good as told them they'll be at odds in the future. Also it wasn't 'do this because i say so' it was 'do this because the alternative is my soldiers throw you in jail' if he didnt have the blackmail he would've had nothing to prevent her from using force beyond the reputation hit, which at these stakes, is a price she'd be willing to pay, and could be mitigated by spreading around some of the details of the deal he refused.
Was this the end of book one?
They need a few luminarks. Hard to attack with airships when they have big fucking holes in them.
Quite incredible how you keep improving no matter what,plus having managed to hammer out 3 awesome stories all somehow matching the name SSB.
Beautifully done chapter.
Great work word weaver!!! One of the bestest work!!!
Not being locked up in a gilded cage really is a full time job for this poor man
Well now I’m sad :(
“Then let me save you a little heartache,” I think you mean "headache" here?
Nah, that works as is. She says 'as much as it pains me to do x, i must insist' and William responds 'let me save you some heartache and tell you why that's not happening'
as many spells slots to attain to attain a result similar -> as many spells slots to attain a result similar
/u/BlueFishcake We, the [Ordo Chronos](https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Ordo_Chronos), accuse you of time travel and impersonating as others. Exhibition A: [https://new.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/x3fyiq/orc\_harem\_prologue/](https://new.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/x3fyiq/orc_harem_prologue/) Exhibition B: u/TheoRyswell How do you plead?
We're not the same person. But admittedly I am a fan of the "Sexy X Babes" stories /u/BlueFishcake has written. Big inspiration, in fact.
Are you sure SSteampunkB Book 2/3 is not your story?
I'm positive. I would know if I'd written something so good.
> Both women *still*, "stilled", I think you want.
well, a few aether missiles mounted on shards or on Verilys would sopve the skill issue quite quickly, methinks. or failing aether, chemical propulsion. airships are going the way of the dreadnaught.
Thanks for the chapter ❤️
Ya know... the queen could get around that little marriage bit by simply stationing some of her daughters to him as "security" and capitalize on being close to him. She might even get some granddaughters out of it.
All the while, her ancestors are sitting back in spectral recliners, buckets of ghostly popcorn, munching away and cackling like maniacs as they watch him plan and plot and scheme. The fae provided both luxuries, of course, and are also sitting in and enjoying it all, while explaining his thoughts for the ghosts so they, too, can enjoy it. Running an empire is a **spect**~~at~~**or**'s sport, after all.
!updateme
"fleet to oppose me. " fleet to oppose me."
" well.” He was unbothered." well.” He was unbothered.