The heck's this now? I- Kuch- knelt down to check out something odd I'd come across while digging up clay. A massive rock of similar color right smack middle of the deposit, how curious. Quickly dipping it into the river confirmed it wasn't just a surface coating of more clay, but something that ran much deeper. I definitely wanted to bring this back for study, enough so that I called the gathering trip off early.

  That had been a good call because the moment I used [Infuse] on it, my eyes widened in both shock, surprise, and glee.

  Kaolin Clay (Item Quality: 561) (Infuse Level: 633)

  I unabashedly let out a whoop and jumped in place, celebrating wildly! My two dolls caught on moments later, heads bobbing in agreed excitement at the find. This was huge. This was amazing.

  This was something that could be refined into puppet porcelain, the very stuff I was made of.

  I immediately directed Kuch to rush back and see if we could unearth additional quantities at the deposit, because I absolutely wanted- no, needed- far more than a single stone. In the end, we were able to amass a small tidy pile before finding nothing more, no matter what direction I dug. I checked, we might have very well find the extent of that clay deposit at the river.

  Might've also maybe made a mess of it. Oops. Kuch, could you- yeah, sorry for making the mess, then ordering you to clean up. But you know what this means, right? Of course you do and being eldest, you're first in line!

  However, it still might be a little bit as I knelt to examine the pile. By my estimations, I have enough to maybe make two bodies, which was definitely a lot. But that was it and I wouldn't know when I could find more. And I couldn't afford to make mistakes, which was why I wasn't diving immediately in already. I needed to be careful.

  I needed an actual proper plan. So I grabbed parchment and charcoal to immediately list out the requirements for what I need.

  First of all, absurdly high quality clay. The type that could be processed into an endgame material by the Harbinger expansion. Check. Next, a fuel source capable of firing ceramic ware to high levels. It didn't need to be the absurd level required for steel, but pretty close to it.

  I think that between the new high quality charcoal I could make from burning the better wood and the alcohol accelerant I just made, it would just manage. So fuel source sorted. But now came the difficult part that turned this from just really fancy porcelain into the stuff my own body was made of.

  Lifeblood, taken from a powerful being. We're not just talking about your average wild animal or roaming monster. I need something big, something that would have been worthy of being a unique dungeon boss. The more powerful, the better. But why?

  Because with it, that ordinarily fragile material would acquire the unique ability to rebuilt itself over time. It was something I noticed sometimes with my own body, how cracks in my skin from when I injured myself during crafting would vanish overnight. It would probably still shatter if hit hard enough, but that regeneration was a species lore that explained how puppets could heal themselves without needing to replace themselves every time.

  And because the developers of FLOW were cracked, they absolutely made it scale depending on whatever blood you used. It was how even some puppet players I knew in passing from other guilds had mitigated their traditional weak statures; they had picked character creation options where they were made with different bloods. So sometimes, puppet characters in martial roles did show up in game.

  Noel though- and Kai, now that I thought about it- had chosen a more typical option. We had been forged with the blood said to be taken from a fairy queen, a fae being with whom magic was laced into the very blood itself. It pushed our stats to definitely lean more into what puppets was good at and from there, our paths did divert. They had become a mighty spiritualist wizard while Noel- I- had sacrificed all combat ability to become the best crafter possible.

  So I had to acquire something on par with that to mix into the clay before firing. And I was going to be brutally honest: no way, no way, no way could I get that on my own!

  Look at me. Look at my dolls. Now look back at me. We are not going to be able to fight anything of that scale without resulting in a full party wipe!

  So I'll need to figure out some other way of acquiring the ingredient without risking a total game over for me. Maybe I could- oh, who was I kidding? From what I've seen of this era's technology level so far, they'd be wiped out even faster than me should they encounter something fitting the criteria.

  Ugh. So very reluctantly, and to the disappointment of everybody present, I'd have to set it aside for now. I scrawled and circled that issue several times on the parchment before reluctantly putting it away along with the quality clay. I definitely wasn't going to waste it on any sort of minor crafts until then.

  I groaned, feeling that familiar sting of setback. Sure, I was glad I had caught it while actually thinking things through, but it didn't ease the bitterness all the same. Guess I'll go and make myself some glass to drown the sourness in. And maybe perk myself up by getting lost in some dress-up.

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  When next I emerged from my workshop after the haze of blatant narcissism was over, there was a light dusting of snowfall beginning to coat the ground. Had fall really passed that quickly? This was probably getting a really bad habit where not needing to rest or eat meant I didn't even notice the passage of days.

  Gods help me the day I got my hands on silk or cotton. Then I reckoned I probably wouldn't even emerge until the world probably exploded.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Speaking of which, I should probably check to see how things were going elsewhere. I checked my bird scouts, beginning first with the one to the east at the fortress city. It still watched from afar, idly noting the new addition of lit braziers alongside the massive wall to presumably warm the shivering guards. The light snow added a slightly mute feeling to the only proof of civilization I had found so far, that sort of lazy feeling one got when dozing off. I can't imagine the chill did well for the various peoples inside with their lack of fire crystals.

  I wished them the best, then moved on to the south. The seas appeared to be churning and tossing more violently now than before, so I was guessing there were seasonal storms in this region at least. There probably wouldn't be any sails to spy in the horizon for the time being. The same also seemed to be happening in the north, just now with a severe blizzard that already buried the mountain caps with thick layers of snow. My bird doll would have to descend and nest in the forest to avoid getting stuck in a thick snowdrift if I didn't pay attention.

  That would be an embarrassing way to lost my first one.

  When I swapped then to my eyes in the west, I nearly let out a gasp when I saw it. Another settlement! It was definitely some ways off and looked considerably far smaller than the city to the east. It didn't even have stone walls, but low wooden ones that were more like stakes than barriers. I noticed too how they apparently pitched up tents for buildings instead of any more permanent construction, how curious.

  Then I noticed the massive pens filled with a herd and realized this wasn't a settlement- it was a camp. The people here, or the ones I had found, followed a likely pastoral life. What a stark contrast to the apparent empire to my east. If I had to guess, they likely decided to pause their nomadic roaming and pitched their tents the moment snowfall began. Best to wait out the winter in suitable campgrounds than try to brave whatever the bitter season tossed at them. Smart!

  I then recalled how I had noticed plenty of herds before in this area and frowned. Were those actually part of other roamers in the area? It was possible that I just didn't notice people guiding or following along. What a curious development, now I was so tempted to see if I could learn more about these people. Make contact and see if I could trade with them if they were friendly!

  But again, if any of them could cast [Detect], I was cooked and probably branded a prying spy. Sure, I did have that deep forest between them and me should hostilities emerge but I just didn't want to risk it. And I didn't want to start my social life here by making enemies.

  Maybe I was just being shy or cowardly. I sighed and directed my scout to stay put while I briefly reflected and faced this apparent issue of mine. I really had to consider when, or even if I wanted to finally break this isolation of mine and try to reach out to...anywhere, really.

  Was I unsociable? No, being part of Lighthouse definitely prove otherwise. I never turned down an invitation to spend time with the Ten Lights if I didn't have anything better to do. But at the same time, I recalled never ever developing so tight a bond when I began to dabble with other games. Sure, I had fun and made some acquaintances in those, but...I was more excited whenever I could play with any member of Lighthouse in another game.

  So maybe I was just picky about my friendships. Yeah, that sounded a bit more right about me. I didn't necessarily bond easily but when I did and it was reciprocated, then they were a bud with me for life. I'll stand with them even when times got rough and grit my teeth to power through together.

  Then what stopped me from forming new friendships in this new era of Shin? I racked my head, thinking hard. In FLOW, I spent most of my time either with Lighthouse or with my retainers. So either with the friends I trusted dearly, or with just myself with my own creations. I didn't really go and partake in any of the player-run clubs in the server, nor did I partake in roleplay sessions some folks had. I could appreciate either, but I didn't seek them out necessarily. Not unless...a member of Lighthouse invited me….ah.

  Ah, I knew why I was hesitating.

  I still thought myself as one of the Ten Lights, just waiting for a friend to pop online anytime for us to just shoot the wind or have an epic adventure. And since that happened yet, I was just solo adventuring. I just didn't have the push to...move on.

  Maybe that was then when it finally hit me. I didn't know how long I had been lost in these thoughts, being perfectly still for what very well could have been days. My head turned to glance out the newly installed glass panes I made to finally finish the exterior of my manor's main building, noting the way a snowstorm was whipping up. Everybody affected out there likely shivering and moving to huddle around fires in groups, chatting lightly with one another.

  Everybody out there...but me. The one who stood alone.

  The last player of Lighthouse. The puppet who outlived all their comrades. Noel.

  Me.

  I let out a hollow sounding laugh and let my head fall fall into my hand. Ah, this was now almost funny. Had I gone insane? My mind fracturing? I couldn't know how much was my own thought process, and how much was my crystal brain. Where did human madness end and puppet genius begin? I exhaled loudly, thinking that I had to make a choice.

  Do I stay alone forever, my only companions my creations?

  Or do I break out and try to find new, worthy friendships in this new era?

  The world answered for me, as the ground began to shake. I immediately snapped out of my rut and leapt to my feet, eyes widening. "Kuch! Frie!" I barked, mentally grabbing at their strings. "Get ready for...anything, really!"

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