I wonder why the occupation forces haven’t searched it yet since I do remember that she might have left the door open.
OR maybe once they hear the news from Scarlet and one soldier might be curious (excluding if they did but have no idea about secret switch).
I’m sure they tried, but they couldn’t open the portal. Maybe only Scarlet can open it, or maybe some special conditions have to be met. Now we’re all eagerly awaiting the next panel! I published some of my thoughts a long time ago (two years ago!) in “Time to Speculate”.
Interesting! At the time I took that, her comment on arrogance, and his reaction as her stating that she could be the only person in the world intelligent enough to activate the machine. It didn’t occurr to me that she was implying there was something distinct about her to allow her to access the machine or even open the door.
>>>> I wonder why the occupation forces haven’t searched it yet since I do remember that she might have left the door open.
The house is now occupied by another family of Grondan origin. There has been no confirmation in the story whether Grondar investigated anything or not.
—
>>>> OR maybe once they hear the news from Scarlet and one soldier might be curious (excluding if they did but have no idea about secret switch).
They have clearly heard from it at the latest when the Oris Post had a front page article about the “Machine Girl from Kirkiok”.
I think Amos Allrick is waiting in the coach, ready to dash into the house once the doorway is clear, and possibly wondering why those otherwise intelligent folks are having a conversation in the rain.
There might be some confusion between Scarlet’s house and Tibor’s street conversation and loan shark scene in the nearby town. Though it shouldn’t warrant a “meanwhile, back at the ranch…” interstitial. You already established multiple characters having to travel between the two locations by forest path.
What is worrying me is that there has been a long enough interval for the occupying nation to have found the access and either set a trap or otherwise have sabotaged things.
They may have sabotaged things. But why would they have set a trap? That makes no sense. Scarlet is just a normal citizen of Kirelia. And she’s accompanied by the Avernian ambassador. It would be a catastrophic political mistake to kill her. Avernum would be furious. And while Grondar is definitely stronger than Kirelia, it’s still no match for Avernum, the most powerful country on Lavarel.
Novil wrote that he expects Scarlet to last for about 500 pages in “https://www.sandraandwoo.com/2023/10/01/concept-art-and-info-for-my-new-comic-scarlet/”. That means we’re at about 40% of the comic.
Amos Allrick seems to be missing in the second panel, not the third. And the tree on the left of the house seems to be missing as well (which is much more disturbing: trees are not supposed to move that quickly)
She keeps telling everyone there’s a machine behind a secret wall in the basement of her house…why are the walls still there ? I’d have expected someone to show up with sledgehammers and shovels long before now, just to make sure…
Old Eastern European saying: “The only way for two people to keep a secret is if one of them is dead”
It depends hugely on the nature of the secret. If the half-keeper of the secret has made a life insurance, it means, in case of his/her death the secret is made public (or known to who are interested in it), the only way is him/her being alive. And there are a lot of ways of doing that. In fact, the best way by far to keep a secret for two or any amount of people is putting the secret in plain and public sight, in front of the eyes of anyone. For instance, the logo of Carrefour is a “C” inside a rhombus which is the French flag. It was made on purpose. Or Poe’s Dupin’s letter. Or…
Chances are nobody knew where exactly her house was. An invading country would have no records of where which family lived (if the countries of this world would even have such information at all) and all the original occupents of that region may be largely dead or not in the area anymore. So as long as Scarlet didn’t publicly spread her address, they possibly only learned the location when she arrived.
>>>> Chances are nobody knew where exactly her house was.
I don’t think Grondar would have had any trouble finding Scarlet’s house. Information about her family was stored in Karsth’s town hall. They wouldn’t have just destroyed the municipal archive for no reason.
45 thoughts on “Machine Girl 062”
Rafael Lago
Oh my God! This cliffhanger!!!!
Novil
Imagine how it must feel for Scarlet.
El Príncipe Austral
I really like the gradual shift from snowing to raining
T.Chicken
I wonder why the occupation forces haven’t searched it yet since I do remember that she might have left the door open.
OR maybe once they hear the news from Scarlet and one soldier might be curious (excluding if they did but have no idea about secret switch).
Damoinion
Surely someone must have been living there in the intervening years.
Novil
Correct.
Hegel-Marx
I’m sure they tried, but they couldn’t open the portal. Maybe only Scarlet can open it, or maybe some special conditions have to be met. Now we’re all eagerly awaiting the next panel! I published some of my thoughts a long time ago (two years ago!) in “Time to Speculate”.
Novil
Scarlet also speculated in https://www.sandraandwoo.com/scarlet/comic/a-sky-full-of-stars-009/ that only she may be able to open it.
Thomas
Interesting! At the time I took that, her comment on arrogance, and his reaction as her stating that she could be the only person in the world intelligent enough to activate the machine. It didn’t occurr to me that she was implying there was something distinct about her to allow her to access the machine or even open the door.
Gonfrask
Clearly the planet had a more advanced tech status seems like centuries ago, the door could be gene coded even
Novil
>>>> I wonder why the occupation forces haven’t searched it yet since I do remember that she might have left the door open.
The house is now occupied by another family of Grondan origin. There has been no confirmation in the story whether Grondar investigated anything or not.
—
>>>> OR maybe once they hear the news from Scarlet and one soldier might be curious (excluding if they did but have no idea about secret switch).
They have clearly heard from it at the latest when the Oris Post had a front page article about the “Machine Girl from Kirkiok”.
Jim Gettman
I think Amos Allrick is waiting in the coach, ready to dash into the house once the doorway is clear, and possibly wondering why those otherwise intelligent folks are having a conversation in the rain.
Novil
Elli has provided the fixed version with Amos visible in the third panel.
They don’t have a conversation in that panel. Scarlet is just making a very short statement while waiting for the others to follow.
Duh
… wasn’t this supposed to be a farmhouse in the middle of the forest, plus some acres of beet farming? And now it seems to be in a city?
Damoinion
Not exactly in a city but there has been an interval of 9 years for things to change.
Especially under a new regime.
Macareux Moine
City? It’s still surrounded by nothing but trees. The house in the first panel is somewhere on the road.
Novil
Correct. The house in the first panel isn’t part of Milik.
Novil
The third panel in https://www.sandraandwoo.com/scarlet/comic/the-machine-of-eternal-summer-002/ shows that it’s the last house of the village / small town. How did you come to the conclusion that Milik may be a city from this page? Scarlet’s house is literally the only building in Milik shown in it.
Werwolfe
There might be some confusion between Scarlet’s house and Tibor’s street conversation and loan shark scene in the nearby town. Though it shouldn’t warrant a “meanwhile, back at the ranch…” interstitial. You already established multiple characters having to travel between the two locations by forest path.
Damoinion
What is worrying me is that there has been a long enough interval for the occupying nation to have found the access and either set a trap or otherwise have sabotaged things.
Novil
They may have sabotaged things. But why would they have set a trap? That makes no sense. Scarlet is just a normal citizen of Kirelia. And she’s accompanied by the Avernian ambassador. It would be a catastrophic political mistake to kill her. Avernum would be furious. And while Grondar is definitely stronger than Kirelia, it’s still no match for Avernum, the most powerful country on Lavarel.
Damoinion
Fair enough.
Probably my old TTRPG habits thinking.
After all, I used to run CoC games.
ToBeFree
“Click? It’s not supposed to make ‘click’!” — San de Vertis
Novil
Actually, it is, if you check out https://www.sandraandwoo.com/scarlet/comic/the-machine-of-eternal-summer-022/
York
Happy to see a new page! 🙂
If you don‘t mind me asking – how far into the story are we percentage-wise?
Novil
Sorry, but I can’t talk about this. A concrete percentage value would be a spoiler.
b_jonas
Novil wrote that he expects Scarlet to last for about 500 pages in “https://www.sandraandwoo.com/2023/10/01/concept-art-and-info-for-my-new-comic-scarlet/”. That means we’re at about 40% of the comic.
Macareux Moine
Amos Allrick seems to be missing in the second panel, not the third. And the tree on the left of the house seems to be missing as well (which is much more disturbing: trees are not supposed to move that quickly)
Novil
No, he’s missing (only) in the third panel. He entered the carriage behind the border and accompanied Scarlet during the rest of the trip.
Elli fixed the missing tree in the second panel.
Macareux Moine
I guessed Allrick was the one in purple. Apparently there are unnamed people in panel three.
Gonfrask
The best and worst thing about this cliffhanger is the actual (and happy) irregular update. We are going to be anxious when it is uploaded.
Gloria
@York
We are at the half.
robert
have i mentioned how much i love the artwork in this comic? i want a printed copy when it’s finished to sit next to my gaia and S&W books.
ToBeFree
This.
No-1
If the comic updates continue at this pace, I might be dead before ever seeing the final outcome.
Miranda
By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.
ME
Better than reading impatient fools like you complaining about the pace of a free story.
Miranda
Details of your incompetence do not interest me!
Llywenna
She keeps telling everyone there’s a machine behind a secret wall in the basement of her house…why are the walls still there ? I’d have expected someone to show up with sledgehammers and shovels long before now, just to make sure…
Old Eastern European saying: “The only way for two people to keep a secret is if one of them is dead”
Poyntre
It depends hugely on the nature of the secret. If the half-keeper of the secret has made a life insurance, it means, in case of his/her death the secret is made public (or known to who are interested in it), the only way is him/her being alive. And there are a lot of ways of doing that. In fact, the best way by far to keep a secret for two or any amount of people is putting the secret in plain and public sight, in front of the eyes of anyone. For instance, the logo of Carrefour is a “C” inside a rhombus which is the French flag. It was made on purpose. Or Poe’s Dupin’s letter. Or…
Tauben
Chances are nobody knew where exactly her house was. An invading country would have no records of where which family lived (if the countries of this world would even have such information at all) and all the original occupents of that region may be largely dead or not in the area anymore. So as long as Scarlet didn’t publicly spread her address, they possibly only learned the location when she arrived.
Novil
>>>> Chances are nobody knew where exactly her house was.
I don’t think Grondar would have had any trouble finding Scarlet’s house. Information about her family was stored in Karsth’s town hall. They wouldn’t have just destroyed the municipal archive for no reason.
MegaJar
Aaaaaarrgh! Come on, come on, come on, post the next page already! The suspense is killing meeeeeeee!
Cyndayn
Same! I need to knooowww!!!
Sophie
Whoever has control of The Machine of Eternal Summer, will control the world.
Characters
Amos Allrick Ariana Carolus Athamas Baako Bolin Clara Graybold Cyril Darius Leyh Elwin Flammt Emelia Evelina Ferrus Gale Nenawa Gavin Carolus Iona Irvin Janos Zaisthra Jehona Shardyk Julius Mirkning Kala Silverspring Kenan Orege King Protos Lauro Levon Goldwood Leyton Wayt Ludis Graybold Luitpold Marik Marton Princess Elodie Raymond Reto Mirkning Reva Rodar Rosetta Greenleaf Scarlet Carolus Severin Silvana Mirkning Tibor Frey Vidal Viola Vreni Xaver Yerim Zach Ilkin