Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance - Volume 19, Afterword

Abandoned by Fate, but Chosen by Chaos.A world where magic reigns supreme and the mightiest wizards stand at the apex.A world where one’s mana affinity, if one even had it, determines one’s status in society, whether one could soar through the skies like a dragon or remain grounded, scraping by like rats or chickens.This was the world Hal Fennec was born into.Raised in the poverty of a border village, Hal had one wish: to give his mother a better life, one free from the constant fear of beast attacks and invasions by the Fellkin.But fate seemed to be playing a cruel joke.Despite being the brightest and most confident among his peers since childhood, Hal turned out to be barely qualified to become a wizard.His natural talent, contrary to his expectations, was nowhere near enough to fulfill even his modest dream of a decent city life.But then, just when his final hope was snuffed out and the future seemed gray and bleak, a twist of fate—or more fittingly Chaos—granted him a system that would turn everything around.

After successfully graduating with a master's degree and passing the civil service exam, Chen Ying returns to his hometown's Forestry Bureau to become a wildlife rescuer.He thought his daily work would just involve saving animals and petting all sorts of furry creatures, but ever since he saved a leopard and her two cubs, his life has become incredibly busy.No one told him that the leopard's best friend was a giant panda!And that giant panda was pregnant with twins and couldn't eat bamboo because of inflamed gums.Chen Ying had to call a dentist in the middle of the night to help the pregnant panda with dental fillings and cleaning, also providing a prenatal examination.After that day, word spread among the animals in the mountains that a bipedal vet had arrived who could solve all kinds of ailments!Hold on, being single isn't a sickness and can't be cured!What's that, you wish to arrange a meeting with domesticated animals to fix your single status? Well, that might be worth considering.Unbeknownst to Chen Ying, the animal community throughout the country came to know that the bipedal vet from the Apmu Township rescue station could help solve the problem of being single.Seriously, can't we keep this on the down-low? He's a vet, not a matchmaker!

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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