This is really, really good. (If I'd realized it was from the same person who wrote Lunium, I would have been even more prepared for it to be really, really good.)
I do appreciate the questions, and the frankness, about the use of AI art. (My take is "wellll it's maybe ok for noncommercial use maybe", which I also felt about The Roottrees are Dead. Maybe it's only OK for sufficiently good non-commercial works? This qualifies.)
Looking forward to whatever you do next!