Trapped in Another World With No Magic

Chapter 175: Glowing Coals of War

"Daniel!"

It's not a voice that the mechanic would normally expect to be calling out to him so suddenly. He looks to find Heralesse lifting her dress as she 'runs' as quickly as she can towards him. The dress is one of the new ones made by Aramellianna's tailors using a fabric that his best attempts to translate for himself comes to 'cuddlewool'. According to Aramellianna, it is the single most expensive and luxurious fabric known to Zenkon, harvested from a species of 'hairy serpent' known as a glalia. It has a feel somewhat like silk, but even more comfortable. The Stalvaltan Grand Duchy had a not-so-small stockpile that Aramellianna chose to use for the summit, though Daniel urged her to convince her merchants to try to find a way to shear the beasts without killing them, which is easier said than done.

That said, the ones already slain can't be brought back, and she decided to make their sacrifice worth it.

Heralesse is wearing one such dress, but the mechanic has a pretty good idea what she's really upset about.

Adorning the young Queen's shoulders, neck, wrists, and even her waist are strings of pearls. Heralesse has some of the smallest ones, but there are easily 200 or more pearls on her person, accented by light blue diamonds that match her eyes.

Her face is red and her eyes are desperate. "What is this!?" shrieks the young Queen as Gold follows a ways behind with a cheeky grin.

Heralesse emphasizes the multi-string necklace. Daniel holds his tongue from the joke being left on the table, which he's pretty sure doesn't exist on Zenkon yet, giving an innocent smile. "It appears to be a necklace," replies the mechanic dryly.

"Obviously! I'm asking how this is reasonable!" She gestures behind her, where every woman that's part of the convoy that's about to head out is wearing similar elaborate strings and even mesh adornments made of pearls. Wenlianna, Aramellianna, and Yanidere are all wearing mesh hair pieces that combine the gold chains, diamonds, and pearls as if to represent their command of the greatest wealth in the world.

"I'm not a noble myself," starts Daniel with his same sarcastic edge. "But, I believe it's quite common to demonstrate one's wealth, as well as to support local economies by doing so."

"You know that's not the issue! Where did you get so many pearls!? The diamonds were one thing, but pearls!? PEARLS!? And, they're all so... perfect!"

Gold snickers deviously as she approaches. "I told her it's a secret. After all, if we revealed where our source of pearls is, we'll undoubtedly be invaded again."

"Hrk!" grunts the Queen, knowing that it's not a completely unfounded assumption. If the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy didn't have the known backing of the Fievegal after all but officially declaring their separation from Mornistae, they would have almost immediately been invaded by one of the other kingdoms in hopes that their military would be too small to defend against a full kingdom, even if it is the Stalvaltan Guard.

Daniel avoids her question by saying, "Don't forget that you're a captive at the moment, Queen Heralesse kos Mornistae. I do believe we've been above and beyond generous and hospitable to you."

She deflates a little, looking away from him. "I know... I just... It doesn't seem... fair. How can the Fievegal be so lucky?"

Daniel gives a soft smile as he appreciates the irony. He's not sure how life might've gone if he had never been banished from Mornistae. He might've eventually led the Grand Duchy to making pearls the same way, especially after they claimed the gulf-accessible land from Bromlund. Even the technologies he allowed Heralesse to steal via her own observation and, if she worked hard enough, reverse engineering would have been among the things he would have worked towards for Mornistae. The only difference would be the level of urgency being much lower, and the limits of the Stalvaltan wealth and the world's technology without the Citadel allowing him to shortcut some of the problems that would have taken much longer to deal with.