The city of Vinedenne was currently full of bustling business. Due to its proximity between two great mountain ranges rich in ores its mining exports allowed the city to flourish year round. There were also a great deal of lumber exports as well; though they paled in comparison to the income generated by iron, gold, and precious gems. Many a merchant traveled here to obtain the best quality metals the province could offer.

Today was a late summer day like any other the city had seen with a bright sun shining overhead. The mountainsides were blanketed in the heat with only the deep caves and towering pines offering relief from the searing rays. There was also of course the great Lake Ukanawa that many of the citizens used to cool off in the summer, though today there was less activity on its waters than most.

I was currently visiting an old acquaintance of mine: namely the owner of the mining company "Watching Rolling Rocks." Their office was in the business district of the city which was itself in the western half near the center. There was lots of busy activity as people went hither and thither on important business. Both Timothy and Ferherlyn were along as well and were standing beside me.

Inside the office it was pretty standard fare as far as cooperations went in this tech level. There was fancy wooden furniture with colorful rugs along the floor. On the walls were somewhat nice paintings or draperies with ornate torch holders for lighting needs. The staff here were all dressed nicely and helped with the paperwork, logistics, and financial aspects of the operation. Of course there were no miners working at this level.

One of the first things I had done when coming back to visit was inquire about how the miners were doing since I'd been here last. From what I was told, and had heard from their prayers, the miners are still doing good. As for the reason I was here again now it was to collect more iron ore. The owner of the operation Surgio Volo being an ongoing "business partner" of mine.

We were all standing around a large desk on which some paperwork regarding my batch of iron ore was laid about. I was actually standing on a chair to allow my child size body to reach the top, something I didn't mind and no one would dare judge me on. Timothy and Ferherlyn were standing on either side of me with Surgio standing across with his aide.

"So a whole metric ton of iron for me huh?" I said while rubbing my hands together greedily.

Surgio looked at me across the desk with a somewhat worried expression. By now he was used to being around a goddess but he still thought I had evil plans for this metal.

"Yes Goddess Jenna. As these papers describe its currently waiting in wagons at our warehouse not far from here in the city." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We weren't sure if you'd arrive um- large sized or not, so we left it loaded into wagons in case you sent humans to collect it."

I let out a laugh.

"No problem! No problem! I have a neat new storage space for my stuff now anyway."

Ferherlyn then turned to look at me directly, his hands clasped together and resting on the desk.

"I've heard some here and there about your plans for iron my goddess. The word 'boiler' was used once or twice. I'm aware this is some kind of object correct? I'm fascinated to know more."

Timothy was staying silent as he usually was in these kinds of situations. Either because of his age or poor upbringing he was hesitant to speak with powerful people around. Even though I was standing right here with him his nervousness still got the better of him. So while he talked he just watched mainly my actions.

I nodded my head and tapped my left hand on the desk. It was finally time to make a boiler and try out steam power. Not that I'd have it be widespread out of nowhere, this was just for small time testing for now. Later on as I figured out hands on how it all best worked we could implement it elsewhere. After all just because I remembered the general mechanics involved didn't mean I was an expert on steam engines.

"Yup yup" I replied. "It's an object for sure. I'll probably be able to whip one up pretty quick-like after getting that iron in my hands. You're free to watch."

Surgio gulped and nodded to his aide who started collecting the paperwork.

"Will you need an escort to the shipment goddess? Also this paperwork. Should it be delivered somewhere or just be given to you?"

With a flick of my wrist I created a thick yellow mailing envelope in the air above my left hand. It was of standard size and would easily fit all the papers here. After it was manifested I had it float down and land on the desk in front of the aide.

"You can just put it all in here and give it to my high priest here."

Timothy jumped when his name was called out by me and turned to look my way. He was basically here for the ride and I wanted him to feel important. I'd be collecting the paperwork from him later of course. My castle probably needed some kind of filing system. I jotted that down mentally to create later.

While I made my mental notes Timothy reached out and collected the papers in their new envelope.

"Th-Thank you sir." He then turned to me. "Th-Thank you goddess."

I just gave him a smile and then turned, jumping down from the desk and starting to walk away.

"It's good doing business with you again Mr. Volo. I'll be heading to collect my goods now."

"No problem great goddess!" Surgio replied quickly. "Thank you for blessing us with your presence."

He was clearly just saying that as I could tell he was still pretty afraid of me. Regardless he did understand at a base level how much of an honor it was for his mining company to be chosen by me. Surely he bragged to his business friends about it.

Ferherlyn and Timothy walked up behind me and began following me out of the building. It wasn't hard for them to keep up with me as I was the size of a little girl right now.

Timothy clutched the envelope close to his chest and tried to avoid eye contact with the old man next to him as he addressed me.

"So goddess... The warehouse is still pretty far away from here isn't it? Are we going to teleport over there?"

He was used to me teleporting him around places and didn't know the rules on how it worked. That was fine and I'd keep it that way for now. Because there weren't any worshipers near the ore right now I'd just be running over there with them in tow since I couldn't teleport.

I shook my head and kept my hands on my hips.

"Nah! I'm gunna run over there with you two goobers. Close your eyes will you?"

Both of them closed their eyes obediently as I let vines grow out of my sleeves. The plants twirled through the air and began wrapping my two companions up like Christmas presents. They both trusted me enough that they didn't struggle.

Ferherlyn did squirm a little as the vines twisted him up.

"Ooh! This does tickle goddess! Are you sure I couldn't just fly us over there? I'd think that would be a-"

I held my finger up over my mouth even though they couldn't see me with their eyes closed.

"Shuush! This will only take a moment."

With both of them properly strapped in and with their eyes closed I turned to the exit of the building. Due to my internal map I had a course all laid out to get to the warehouse and took off running at super speed. I've been getting faster thanks to my running practice. Now I could run so fast time stood still around me, possibly even reaching the speed of light.

Regardless of how fast I was actually going the trip to the warehouse was almost instant for my humans. From my perspective I had to still run along the streets physically which still took time for me. Anyone watching me run would likely have seen nothing at all and only felt a small gust of wind come from nowhere.

Upon arriving outside of the designated building I came to a sudden stop, my passengers protected form the effects of such travel by my magic. The next thing they knew was opening their eyes to find themselves standing behind me in an entirely new location. My vines were already dropping from around them and retreating back into my shirt sleeves.

"Well here we are!" I exclaimed putting my fists on my hips.

Ferherlyn shook himself to collect his senses. He had never traveled like this with me before and was looking around with a good deal of shock.

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Timothy on the other hand had experinced this before and was actually getting used to it. All he had to do was readjust his clothing after the vines dropped away.

"That- That certainly was an experience" Ferherlyn said catching his breath. "If that's what teleportation is like its certainly something I don't think I'd get used to."

"We didn't teleport" I replied correcting him.

It was Timothy that actually chimed in and explained it to the older mage.

"Goddess Jenna actually just ran here."

He looked at me for approval and I nodded. This made him stand a bit taller and confidently before he continued.

"The goddess can run so quickly that it makes time itself stop! Just another way she proves her all powerful nature!"

This made me blush a little though they couldn't see it as I was turned away from them.

Ferherlyn finished adjusting his own robes and looked ahead at me with reverence.

"Well I certainly won't doubt your words young man. If anyone would know such things it would be the high priest."

Hearing such praise from someone that's an elder to him made Timothy swell up with pride. He deserved to feel that way sometimes, as long as he didn't let it go to his head anyway. I'm sure he wont.

While they talked among themselves I was already walking around the side of the building to find where the iron shipment was said to be kept. It was supposed to be outside the building and not inside it. Sure enough after peeking to the side of the building I could see half a dozen large wagons loaded up with a dark and chunky rock.

My plan was to go goddess size and just move the wagons into my goddess domain for now. I started walking away from my tagalongs while calling to them over my shoulder.

"Ok stay back you two. I'm gunna move the wagons away now."

Both of them were obedient and didn't follow me as I stepped away from them. Once I was far enough I grew back to full goddess size, the two of them now tiny bugs at my heels. The warehouse itself was now a small model the size of a shoebox while the wagons were now tinier than matchboxes. Even now I was still getting used to these drastic changes of perspective. It was enough to make me dizzy sometimes.

"Now I'll just pick em up..." I said softly to myself.

With a couple careful steps I set my feet in the two streets adjacent to the loading yard my iron was in and started crouching down. I also had to bend over somewhat in order to reach down and get them, barely scraping the top of the warehouse with my right knee. Touching it would surely collapse it so I wasn't going to use it as support to kneel on or anything.

After getting the loaded wagons in range to pick up I started grabbing them one at a time. Then I summoned one of my books and used it as a portal into my goddess domain. Each of the wagons was carefully lifted in my fingers and delicately put through the portal. It didn't really matter where in my house they were put but I had decided to arrange them all on the floor of my bedroom.

Once they were all loaded in I stood up to full height again and let out a sigh. Its not like that was hard work or anything, just annoying to have to crouch down and be so delicate with everything. I took this moment to look around the city and take in the view. Everything was so tiny and it made me feel really powerful, something I had to constantly keep in check lest I hurt the tiny beings I swore to protect.

I stood there looking around for about a minute before deciding to return to the two that were waiting for me. With another sigh I changed back down to my human child size while turning on my heel. It was like falling down off a high place and landing without ever leaving the ground. Both Timothy and Ferherlyn were already running over to meet me as I shrunk.

"So you're all done then goddess?" Timothy asked curiously. "Are you making the object now?"

In response I shook my head.

"Not immediately no. I have to get you two back where you belong first."

Ferherlyn raised his right hand to protest.

"You don't have to worry about me dear goddess. I can make my own way to the castle." He then sighed weakly. "It is disappointing I wont get to see this boiler though. Will I get to chance to in the future?"

I nodded with a grin, my arms crossed over my stomach. The gleam in my eye betrayed my excitement to show off cool things.

"Yeah of course! I'll show you when its done!"

Our little conversation continued without me as I suddenly got an alert from Sub-chan. Immediately pulling up my internal map in the corner of my eye I could see what she was telling me about. There was an object approaching my location at high speed, traveling over the rooftops as if flying. It was a human of some kind for sure but not a worshiper of mine.

I turned around to face the direction it was coming from and prepared to deal with whoever it was. The other two stopping talking when they noticed me and looked up above the rooftops with me.

Timothy spoke sounding a bit nervous.

"What is it goddess?"

His question didn't have to be answered by me as within a couple seconds the person arrived into our eyesight. It was indeed a human: a man in his thirties dressed in a green robe with long dark green hair, reddish brown eyes, and crème skin. He was obviously a mage due to the mode of transportation he was employing.

Spouting out of the flowing sleeves of his robe were thick green vines, their waxy length covered in sharp thorns. He was using them like legs to lift himself up above the buildings and pull himself along, looking like some kind of green spider or octopus. Why didn't I think of this? I guess cause I didn't really need to use vines this way. Regardless he was just about to us.

As this man reached the warehouse he lowered himself down off the roof by digging the vines into the street below and flexing them slowly. Once he was standing in the street in front of us the vines ripped up out of the cobblestones and slurped up into his sleeves like spaghetti noodles. He stood tall and full of confidence, a glint in his eyes of imagined superiority.

Timothy had stepped closer to me and stood several steps behind me, clearly using me as a shield against this newcomer. Not something that particularly bothered me, he should feel safe and protected by me.

Ferherlyn on the other hand had stepped forwards and stopped to stand on my left. His own face full of confidence and his posture displaying confidence as well. As the head mage of a council he was used to dealing with other mages and probably knew this guy.

"And you are?" Ferherlyn asked firmly.

I guess he didn't know who this guy was. Who was he then?

The man adjusted his posture before replying.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Though I'll answer first to show off my kind nature."

He then did a flourishing bow before standing upright again.

"My name is Liamtri! A mage of green as you can plainly see! I've traveled here from Pheoa to find the goddess I'd heard rumors about and I believe I've found it."

Pheoa? That's the kingdom to the north-west of here isn't it? If news of me has traveled that far already this could be both a bad or good thing. Maybe or actually hopefully only the mage types have heard about me. I'm not sure I want to be world renowned yet, or at all honestly.

My internal dialogue was keeping me distracted that I didn't say anything verbally. I was fine with Ferherlyn handling this conversation for now anyway as I wasn't sure how to approach it yet. He seemed to pick up on this and was in magical official mode.

"Risking your life there aren't you?" Ferherlyn asked curtly. "If I'd heard of a goddess in another kingdom I'd be curious undoubtedly. But rushing off to confront her directly? An unwise decision." He then began gesturing to each of us. "This is the Goddess of Knowledge and Light Jenna, her high priest Timothy, and I myself am the head of this land's mage council Ferherlyn."

At this point I had turned to fully face this newcomer and stood up straight. My hands were placed on my hips and my face was emotionless save for narrowed eyes that were looking straight at this foreign mage. I'd wait to see what he said next before speaking up.

Liamtri chucked and smiled in a way I didn't quite like. When he bowed to me it seemed less than genuine.

"Greetings! I expected to find an actual goddess and instead I find but a child goddess. One who's perhaps too young to speak for herself? I apologize if I've startled you with my sudden appearance. I swear I mean you no harm."

The words in my head blurted out my mouth.

"What the fuck's your problem mate?"

This caused the foreign mage to jump into an upright position again, clearly surprised by my sudden outburst. He looked at me with bewilderment as if he expected my aptitude to be more like a human child. His presupposition clearly shattered by my reaction and leaving him at a loss for words.

Both my companions had seen I had taken control of the situation and remained silent as to avoid getting in my way. Ferherlyn also took a couple steps backwards either out of respect or fear for what came next.

Liamtri stammered a bit and took a step backwards.

"I-I beg your pardon young goddess! I expected a small child goddess to b-be a bit more-"

I cut him off before he could finish his sentence with an angry shout.

"A bit more what?"

While speaking I took an advancing step, my face full of annoyance and just a bit of fury. Swirling into existence on either side of my head came my two books, their long shining ribbons twirling in the light breeze. Once they were out I took another step forward and the books snapped open.

"Childlike? Stupid?" I continued. "Is that what you expected?"

Liamtri was in full on retreat now, taking continuous steps backwards away from the menacing little girl as she advanced. His hands were thrown up in a defensive and apologetic manner as he backpedaled both verbally and literally.

"My apologies Goddess Jenna! I meant no offense!"

At this point I didn't even want to question him about the other kingdom. I just wanted him gone and I didn't care what future implications that resulted in. My books snapped shut and then open again as I glared at the man before me.

"Offense taken you shit! You've met me so congratulations! Now fuck off before I actually get angry!"

Now in a full blown panic the mage twirled on his heels and took off running as fast as he could away from me. The vines once again burst forth from his clothing as he began scrambling over the buildings like the little insect he was. In only a few moments he had disappeared from view entirely, his signal rapidly retreating on my map.

Once he was gone I let out a long and deep sigh, my books slipping back away as the ribbon twirled around my waist again. I turned around and walked back over to my two friends with my disappointment clearly visible on my face.

Even Ferherlyn was looking a bit shocked at what he'd just seen.

"Are you sure you should've sent him away like that goddess?"

I replied to his question by raising my left hand and dropping it again. Another sigh escaped me as my anger cooled down further.

"Honestly I'm not sure Ferherlyn. I actually would've liked to ask him about Pheoa. But oh well, it can't be helped. What did he expect anyway?"

Timothy pitched in with his innocent obvious observation.

"I think that mage thought you'd be like a regular child. You know... Since you look like one."

His pause before finishing his thought showed he realized the silliness of his comment. I wasn't in the mood to be angry anymore though, much less at my favorite little guy.

"Yeah I guess" I replied softly. "There's probably gunna be future consequences for that, but at least I didn't kill him. I'm sure the goddesses of old would've just done that in response to his insult."

Ferherlyn nodded solemnly.

"The historical precedent is there goddess. I apologize if I took the lead when it wasn't my place."

I walked over to him and put my hand on his gently with a soft smile on my face.

"Nah. If I hadn't have wanted it you would've known, trust me. Anyway I have some iron ore to play around with. I'll invite you to take a look at my project when I'm done." Then I turned to Timothy. "Come on then Timtim."

After saying a brief goodbye to Ferherlyn I took Timothy's hand and opened a portal to my goddess domain. This meeting of a foreign mage would have a ripple effect into the future. I suppose all I could do is prepare for unforeseen consequences. Regardless I had something to immediately take my mind off such things in the form of my awaiting iron. Finally I'd be making this world's first steam engine prototype!