Elemental Magnetic Star

Chapter 93 Horizontina

"Actually, your brocade is very light and beautiful, very suitable for the women of the Bamboo family. But the people of the Bamboo family can't produce such beautiful cloth themselves. If they see it, they will definitely make a great effort to recruit you."

"But then again, they always look down on others with their high standards, full of tedious protocols and rules, surrounding themselves with a sense of superiority. Your background would definitely be criticized by them."

"I'm not disparaging your background, mind you. We of the Horizontally family are also looked down upon by them for smelling of copper. But I think they make themselves smell so-called fragrant, like butterflies, spending their days only trying to please men, which is utterly vulgar."

After getting to know her better, Raina Grace found that Horizontina, like all Horizontally family members, was very talkative. Because the Horizontally family communicates across all sectors and is accustomed to dealing with various people, they are well-informed and knowledgeable, which Raina Grace found very beneficial.

"But you don't like this kind of fabric, right? Not all women are suited for such soft textures." Raina Grace curiously observed Horizontina's attire, which was neat and efficient, yet steady, fitting her status well.

"Such romantic and impractical clothes are not suitable for those of us who work. They, on the other hand, love anything that's intricate and inconvenient," Horizontally said with a chuckle.

"Your clothes are from the Bamboo family, aren't they?" Being in the industry, Raina Grace could distinguish the origin of the fabrics and garments.

"Yes, the Bamboo family does represent the highest standard in the garment industry. Aside from the Surface Domain and the alliance, everyone else wears their clothes, or it seems not fitting their status," Horizontina adjusted her hem, "This outfit is of decent quality, and I'm too lazy to change it frequently, as my demands aren't high. We ordinary people are not like the Bamboo family, who have several sets of clothes to show off."

Because producing clothing is very labor-intensive, the output is very low. In the Water Realm where Raina Grace came from, she only had two sets of standard-issue uniforms, with no possibility of having different styles.

Even in the Sky Domain, where people could customize their clothing simply, custom-made garments were still considered luxury items, and having four or five sets for regular changes was the norm.

Raina Grace only had one uniform from the alliance and another more flamboyant set given by the Prosperous Gathering, which she left to Firefly.

Her current outfit was also the work uniform of the Wood Alliance. However, one of the girls she taught, who was very talented, had already been able to weave uniform, clear-textured, and thick fabric. She was so excited about mastering this craft that she promised to make clothes for Raina Grace.

Yet tailoring clothes was a monopoly of the Bamboo family, as different fabrics required matching tools for cutting and sewing. The Wood Alliance previously produced only one type of fabric and had only one kind of tool, which was utterly unsuitable for the new fabrics and could damage those delicate materials.

The Bamboo family had invested a lot of thought and money into these tools, not only in design and experience but also with the support of the Fire family from the Sky Domain—the only ones who could manufacture these complex and delicate tools. So now, even though the Wood Alliance could weave different fabrics, they couldn't turn these fabrics into garments, and they might end up having to send them to the Bamboo family for processing. As the steward put it with a frown, it was like making wedding clothes for others.

The Horizontally family had good relations with all the families, fulfilling everyone's needs through their connections, but at a usually high cost. Raina Grace didn't expect Horizontina to help much in this regard, but thinking of the disappointed looks of the weaving girls, she hoped to contribute somewhat. "Since the Fire family is so strong, wearing clothes must be costly for them, right? Do they have any special requirements for fabrics? Maybe we can help them create more durable materials."

"Ha, them? What they need isn't fabric; it's armor!" Horizontina mocked, but also spoke the truth. "Their annual clothing expenses are the Bamboo family's largest source of income. If it weren't for the Bamboo family's demands, the Fire family wouldn't want to spend half the effort on what they call 'fussy tools.' With that effort, they could manufacture so many weapons."

"Armor? Does that require metal to forge?" Raina Grace asked, "Wouldn't that be very heavy to wear?"

"Did you actually believe that?" Horizontina laughed heartily, "I was joking. They can forge armor themselves, but it's indeed too heavy and rarely worn. They're already peculiar enough without everyone walking around in armor. Thankfully, such behavior is banned by the Celestial Balance Fortress."

"If it were all made of metal, it would definitely be heavy," Raina Grace pondered, "but what if metal threads were mixed into animal fibers? Would that make it both strong and lightweight?"

"Ah, that idea isn't new. But mixing several materials requires more control over the elements, which almost nobody can achieve," Horizontina sighed.

"Maybe I can try," Raina Grace said.

"Really?" Horizontina looked at Raina Grace in surprise, "Honestly, for someone from the Water Realm, being able to operate a Wood Realm loom is already surprising. Can you also manipulate the fire element?"

"Actually, my eyes might look like those of someone from the Water Realm, but I can control both wood and fire elements," Raina Grace explained simply. Mentioning her mastery over all five elements would only complicate matters, as even she didn't fully understand how it worked.

Even for the widely experienced Horizontally family, Raina Grace's situation was unheard of, but they always believed in the vastness and wonders of the world. Horizontina's first reaction was to see the potential: "If that's true, we could talk to the Fire family. Having another supply source would be good news for them."

She didn't hide her enthusiasm: "Of course, it's good for our Horizontally family too; we would definitely support it strongly. Why don't you try first? If there's a product, that's irrefutable proof, nothing more convincing than that." Horizontina became more excited, "Then you might even incorporate other elements into miraculous fabrics, making clothes and armor trivial; you could even make tents. Right, if you weave the earth element in, could you build houses? And with the metal element, you could even make flying machines."

Raina Grace was overwhelmed by Horizontina's boundless imagination, acknowledging that no one could surpass the Horizontally family in associative thinking, "Let's not think too far ahead for now. Besides, I don't know much about flying machines, but surely they can't fly just because of the material."

"Right, they would also need fuel and some kind of sorcery," Horizontina mused, a bit disheartened, "That's beyond our understanding."

"So, what kind of metal would be suitable for weaving into fabric?" Raina Grace finally steered the conversation back.

"I know some materials used in armor, but for the specifics, we'd have to consult the Fire family. They've been immersed in this for years and could offer a lot of useful advice," Horizontina considered, "But they're really arrogant. Except for those good at fighting, they don't care about anyone else. If a textile craftsman from the Wood Alliance wanted their advice, they'd probably say, 'Sure, we can talk, but first, beat me in a fight.'"

A fight before negotiation? Raina Grace was astonished; she certainly didn't have that capability. But as she pondered how to persuade the Fire family without resorting to combat, the Bamboo family came knocking.