Afterword - Book 5 - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

Chapter 13: Embracing the Arts III

Okay, so competitive dancing wasn't quite as terrible as Ranthia feared it was—but she still has her reasons to avoid getting caught up in the rankings.

Unfortunately for her, [She who Dances with Chaos] is a class meant for combat. The experience that it offers for a performance, even a competitive one, just isn't great; no matter how much [True Grace] likes it.

Ranthia's ongoing spat with [Sexy] and exhibitionism wasn't really something I consciously planned—it just kind of developed on its own. Personally, I think it's kind of a display that Ranthia's idea of what is sexy and her own personal comforts aren't 100% aligned, but I'll also accept that the System is actively messing with her and found a lever with which to do so. But hey, like I said, this is just my personal theory; so don't fret if your own headcanon differs!

This chapter also showcases something that's a... really difficult question to grapple with, for me. It's not a major moment in the chapter, no, but Ranthia faces justice for an infraction that she never knew about. To be fair to her, she had no idea that the bugs counted under the hazardous materials rules. But should genuine ignorance of the law be a valid defense?

This is something I sometimes see novels try to handle offhandedly. It's easy, in a vacuum, to go "that doesn't sound very just" and make it an absolute defense. But like I tried to suggest in the prior paragraph, I don't think it's that easy. Say someone carries a knife into a recreation center for children—just something they keep in their bag and never think about. There's a firm rule against bringing weapons, just for the sake of what happens: a child ends up finding it and gets hurt or hurts another. Should the owner's lack of familiarity with the rule (most people don't read legalese before they sign something) matter one whit? I'd say no, because there's obvious and severe potential repercussions to flaunting the rule. And ignorance isn't a valid defense against actual harm when there's a clear expectation—that's basic tort law.

But where should the line be drawn? There are some extremely random laws and rules out there, both from governments and organizations, and assigning extreme penalties to something that's generally harmless and unexpected is absurd. That's the kind of abuse that most people imagine when they hear that ignorance is no excuse.

Ultimately, it's something of a moot question in this chapter; Ranthia faces a minor penalty that just cost her a little coin she hadn't yet made. Who cares? But it is a topic that I grapple with a lot, so don't be surprised if you see other similar moments in the prose from time to time.

Anyway, moving on, one thing that's really freaking hard to balance in a story is personal trauma. If it's resolved too quickly, it feels incredibly shallow and tacked on. And even I've read more than once story where I want to scream at the character (and/or author) for harping on and on about the same thing ad nauseum. Worse, I'm sure every reader has their own threshold for the balance as well!

Ranthia's earned her progress, to me. And I hope that's true for you as well. But she's far from cured of her fears and old scars. Things heal, but scars itch. And sometimes things you thought you had found your peace with haunt you anew, at least for a little while.

And there's a new fear growing in her heart.

But at least she gets to show off a bit! It's been a long time since Ranthia had a party she could rely on, and that's starting to change.