Intermission:

  “Hello. This is Chronos, God of Time (and space). I've been asked by the author, Royal Reader 2023, to host this lovely Q&A session, since they're a bit backed up and suffering some Writer's Block for the next chapter.” states the self-proclaimed god while holding an hourglass in one hand and a scythe in the other. “Now, there have been quite a few nice questions from readers old and new, and I'm going to be keeping things anonymous so even newer readers don't feel left out.” (And because I can't be bothered to go back through all the chapters to get everyone's name right.)

  “Now for the first question, oh. Someone wants a bit of world-building! They want to know why beast-kin have such short lifespans! Is it a matter of lacking technological prowess or simply a fact of their biology?! For that, we'll have Alura answer.”-Chronos

  Alura suddenly puffs into existence.

  “W-what the...?! Where am I? How did I get here?!”-Alura

  “Relax. You're outside the flow of time. Nothing that happens here will affect the story, and you won't remember it anyway.”-Chronos.

  “Um...”-Alura

  “Anyway...”-Chronos goes on to tell Alura the question.

  “Oh. OH! Hello out there, imaginary people!”-Alura begins waving in random directions, trying to greet the “readers” she doesn't believe are actually there, but you never question a god to his face, especially in his own realm. “Okay. It's a bit of both. We don't really know how our bodies work too well, and whenever there's a problem, we just spam healing magic at it until it goes away, presuming healing magic is available in the first place. Since we also have animal traits, we tend to have shorter lifespans as a result, regardless. So we have to start...ahem... trying to procreate quite early.”

  “Next question. 'Why does Alura act like a full-grown woman instead of the 10-year-old she's introduced as?' Hmm. Interesting. Alura, if you please.”-Chronos

  “Oh. That! Um.. Not entirely sure what you're talking about. Yeah. When Jade used a System reward to make me his first [Boss Monster], he clearly changed my body to look like more like an adult human woman, but remember, I'm a beast-kin. I'm not human, and the way we mentally mature is different. Sure, I am, or was, 10-years-old when he met me, but I have the mental maturity of a 20-year-old human, more or less. Of course, now that my body's been restructured by the System, I'm not sure how much has changed, if anything.”-Alura

  “Thank you, Alura.” says Chronos who then just waves his hand and makes her go “poof” sending her back to her reality. “Now as to our next question, someone wants to know why Bishop Ferdinand let Priest Frandoh do what he did. I think it's best to let the bishop himself answer that one.”

  Ferdinand appears in a puff of smoke, but the shock quickly fades “Er, what? Oh, Lord Chronos! To what do I owe this honorable surprise?”

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  “Well, you see, a petitioner wants to know why you let Frandoh do as he did.”-Chronos

  “Ah. Well. It's rather complicated, but... oh. Is it one of those petitioners?”-Ferdinand

  “Indeed.”-Chronos

  “And we haven't reached that point in the timeline yet, have we?”-Ferdinand.

  “That is so.”-Chronos

  “Oh well. That complicates it. But to be brief and avoid 'spoilers,' all I can truly say is that Frandoh isn't in my direct chain of command. I don't like his attitude nor his actions, but I have no authority to do anything about it, even though I do have a higher rank than him. It's a jurisdiction thing, among other reasons. There's more, but I can't say that here.”-Ferdinand.

  “Thank you, Bishop.” Chronos says before once again gesturing and making Bishop Ferdinand disappear back to his place in the timeline. “Now for the next question. 'I'm shocked you had repeated the dialog between Serena and Duke Deokk exactly!' Hmm...”

  Royal Reader 2023: “Oh, what the? HOW DID I GET IN HERE?!”

  “Did you think I wouldn't have the power to reach through dimensions and drag you in?”-Chronos

  Royal Reader 2023: “Well. This book is a work of fiction that I dreamed up...”

  “Were you aware of the theory that all books of fiction might, just might, be a real universe somewhere, or at least related to a real universe somewhere?”- Chronos.

  Royal Reader 2023: “I have heard of it and seen it used a few times in other series as a gag, or even a pivotal plot point... Oh no.”

  “Indeed. Now, this question requires both our answers. In universe explanation: It's my job to deal with temporal paradoxes of all kinds, time loops, temporal hiccups and other such anomalies, and I can't do it alone. So I draft mortals to help me every so often, like so.”

  “What the.. where am I?”-Duke Deokk.

  (Poof)

  “Wait! What's going...”(Poof) “Now look here!” (Poof) “Will you let me finish?!” (Poof) “This is getting rid-”(Poof) “Will you please tell me..” (Poof) “Look!” (Poof) “I” (Poof) “Don't” (Poof) “Know what” (Poof) “This is about” (Poof) “But” (Poof) “Could you tell me what's going on?” (Poof) “Please!” (Poof) “For the love of” (Poof) “God!!” -Duke Deokk

  “Oh. Yes?”-Chronos

  “What's all this then?!”-Deokk

  “Ahh. Just need you to help me fix a temporal wrinkle. Shouldn't have to repeat that dialogue with Serena, I think her name was, for longer than a day.”-Chronos

  “Wait, God, please no!”(Poof)-Deokk.

  “I do that with people who annoy me for one reason or another, although sometimes I get volunteers and I reward their service. Your turn, Author”-Chronos

  Royal Reader 2023: “Ah. Thank you, Lord Chronos. Look. I was intending to have a split POV between Serena and Duke Deokk regarding the event where the Duke arrives to rescue her from the mine collapse triggered by a certain Walrus Man, but by having Serena and the duke speak during her POV and then showing the duke repeating the conversation with her a full day later, there's no easy way to fix it, so I'll let Chronos have some fun with the character.”

  “And it's a good idea to keep me happy, isn't it?”-Chronos.

  Royal Reader 2023: “Oh yes. Absolutely!” (Poof)

  “If I'm doing my maths right, it's been less than a month since Jade was brought in as a dungeon, tried to dodge human supremacists, laid waste to a snake god, nuked the snake god's daughter, and is now owning King Sydonia's armies! (Smilie)” Quotes Chronos “Hmm. That's odd. I could have sworn Set was the mother of that snake god whose name cannot be pronounced.”

  (Poof)

  Royal Reader 2023: “Um. Yeah. I double checked, and I definitely put Set saying 'I'm avenging my son' or something like it when fighting Jade. I just wrote it off as the comment being a mistake.”

  (Poof)

  “Not your fault then. Now this wraps up the first Q&A session. Hopefully we'll get plenty more feedback to play with over the course of the series. See you all soon!”-Chronos

  (Timeline returns to normal.)