The Heroic Spirit Bar was as half-dead as ever. It had neither much business nor much bustle, yet the drinkers kept ordering. But calling it prosperous would be a stretch—half a day could pass without a single new customer entering.
For Mr. Olavier, owner and bartender alike, that was a welcome bit of leisure.
The planet he had bought cheaply decades ago had happened to enter a season of bumper radon glutinous harvests. This year, he was swimming in money.
If he did not genuinely love the bar, and if so many customers did not adore his creations, he would have long since lived every day like New Year's—otherwise known as "each day feeling like a year."
He wiped down a glass while the customer at the bar slowly savored his drink, occasionally scooping up a spoonful of ice cream, his attention entirely fixed on the old transistor television.
"News from our station: Four hours ago, the 65th Brigade of the Imperial Guard of the Heroes Empire crossed the Timeline and arrived in the Galaxy Eye Region, announcing that it would assume sovereignty over the Crystal Tower Civilization and station troops there permanently to protect Galaxy Eye residents from the Evil God-Society Allied Forces. Since the outbreak of the war, more than 67,652 civilizations have declared their abandonment of sovereignty, joined the Narrative Civilization, and offered up their land and population..."
"Today, the high-level management meeting of the United Company concluded in the capital, Red Capital. The meeting made personnel changes to certain positions and elected Zorula Verrazzi as chief executive officer. Over the past twelve years, the Verrazzi Group has continuously expanded and strengthened. Under the guidance of its chief director, Andrew Verrazzi, who had the backing of the 'Red Chosen,' it achieved consecutive investment and acquisition victories. By