"SIGNIFIER OF AGREEMENT:

I, Second Matriach MADELINE of the Watch-Library, Grand Magister Arcanum to the Kingdom of Straskey, do hereby commission ROLAND CHONG YIWEN, known henceforth as the 'Outsider', as advisor, acting magister, and other roles as needed in my personal service as a Matriach of the Watch-Library.

These roles as such include the transfer of knowledge from his world (known henceforth as ' Earth/Terra') into Hristomver, to educate others under the Watch-Library's bondage, and act as assistant to all tasks set upon our current employer (the Arcanus Mallebrium of Straskey), in all his available capacity.

IN RETURN, various renumerations, including (but not limited to) the education of aetherial studies, compensation in any forms transferable to Earth/Terra, and accommodation.

May the aetherial winds calm the union of two worlds, and may Great Soetheras bless our hunger for knowledge."

- Excrept from a Spellbinding agreement (note that unlike most other Uiatachian agreements, which are made and blessed in bulk, this one has been altered significantly)

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It had been a long, difficult, tedious day for Livia Weltzen, and as such the Princess Royal and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Straskey wasn’t in a very good mood.

Her father’s court was in session, and thus the Grand Hall of the Crystal Castle was filled with her father’s courtiers, her own courtiers, and the nobility of Straskey - or at least, those who lived within the borders of House Weltzen, and the capital of Orismuth. Two minor nobles had brought forward a certain disagreement, and for the past hour, the monotony of the court’s proceeding had been heightened by their bickering.

As she stood by her father’s throne as an observer, she kept her simmering irritation in check behind a calm smiling facade, as the men slowly began to escalate to verbal taunts and insults.

“Well, this son of a wh-”

“Enough.” King Aigulf tapped a small hammer - an elven-smithed tool, laden with a gentle set of ocean pearls and the Straskey Crest - on his armrest, silencing the two men with two sharp knocks. The King had grown fond of the tool, especially seeing his growing age meant that his arms were a little too weak to hold his staff of office for a long period - which was currently held by one of the royal guards. “Both of you came to settle a dispute, not to continue the fight. Behave as per your stations as Lords of Straskey.”

Both men - barely ‘Peers’ on the ladder of Straskey nobility - became silent, cowed by the quiet anger of their liege. With that, the old king turned to his courtiers. “Advocatus Leudas, speak to the court, what does the...New Code, on land disputes say?”

Livia sighed, her mind turning blank as the court began its long and meandering chorus of endless prattling between nobles over the pettiest of land feuds. As the droning continued, she paid them as little attention as she could, thinking of the performance she had prepared instead.

“And thus, I declare this situation settled.”

At those words, Livia snapped back to attention. King Aigulf knocked the hammer - or as the Outsider called it, a ‘gavel’, Livia remembered - twice again, and the two minor nobles returned to standing at the rest. “Now, what other matters do we need to discuss?”

“Your Magnificence, no other pressing issues await the court as of this moment,” one courtier called out. “If, by your grace, should you wish to dismiss the court -”

“One moment,” Livia called out, raising her left gloved hand. As the eyes of the court looked upon her, she stepped down from their shared dais to face her father, lowering her head. “Your Magnificence, I do have a...demonstration to call in.”

Whispers around her started up. Her father turned to look at her, eyes raised. “And what would that be, Princess Livia?”

“As you may be aware, I have been overseeing the Arcanus Mallebrium for some time now, ever since the arrival of the Uiatachian Magisters,” Livia noted.“It's been sometime since their great Summoning, but they have finally produced something beautiful, capable of changing Straskey in great ways. I ask that you permit the Mallebrium’s magisters an audience in the court.”

“Very well.” King Aigulf raised one unsteady hand, before pushing himself higher in his seat. “Summon the Grand Magister Arcanus.”

Livia took a sharp intake of breath, quietly tussling her fingers together as she returned to her father's side. From a corner of the hall, a young woman walked around one group of courtiers, carefully walking up towards the King.

Contrary to what most of the Straskian gentry wore, the Magister was wearing a striking red cloak with matching capelet, the metal clasp attaching the robes to her neck ornately decorated with symbols of her rank. Underneath the cloak was a set of strange raiments - a corset bound over a long dress made from a material even Livia couldn’t recognize, looking nothing like the textiles foreign merchants brought into the Orismuth markets, along with a pair of tough, black cross-laced footwear. With her, she also brought her staff, the symbol of the Watch-Library of Uiatach - two crossed wings, under a stylized eye, engraved on a six pointed star.

The Magister threw back her robes of office - and with them, a few Uiatachan runic patterns flickered in the air and disappeared. “Yes, my lord, what is it that you want to know today?” she spoke, kneeling in front of the sovereign.

“Magister Madeline, I have heard that you have used gold straight from my coffers to purchase certain arcane materials, to a rather exorbitant cost. The Advocatus Tremis has been rather...pointed in this regard.”

“Indeed we have, and we have so as you have allowed us to,” the Magister replied cooly.“It was indeed very fruitful for our ‘research’.”

Livia smiled. ‘Research’, a word that the Magister had used more and more often, covering the increasingly growing scale of the Magister’s own office and designs, a feature that had certainly not escaped notice.

“And indeed, the Court has been abuzz with the dealings and the works of your household in Orismuth, not least since you helped us create the Whispering Steeles.” King Aigulf nodded. “Perhaps, on this day, it would not hurt to demonstrate the fruits of your labour, for the court to see.”

“‘The acts of arcanus are long and difficult, and prone to disaster if disturbed,’ as Great Soertheras once spoke.” The Magister spoke with a flourish, quoting a long-dead but revered philosopher. “With such considerations in mind, perhaps it is possible for the court to pause its curiosity for a while longer?”

“I’m certain that none of your current projects, as reported, would bring disaster as you have foretold.” Livia’s father pushed himself up, adjusting himself to sit better in his throne. “Perhaps you should be a lot less...secretive, given that you are expanding more of the crown’s treasures. Do remember that you are a guest of the Mallebrium, which makes you a guest of mine. You should be all the more willing to share your discoveries.”

“Very well,” the Magister bowed again, raising the left side of her cloak in an almost jester-like motion, as if both deferring yet unconcerned with the implied threat. “But I request the presence of a special person. I ask, your Magnificence, to invite into this Hall...the Outsider.”

There was an eruption of whispering throughout the court, as the gathered audience reacted to the Magister’s declaration.

The Outsider indeed. I wonder if that has finally piqued Father’s interest?

Princess Livia felt a rush of excitement, even as she continued to keep her calm facade. Stealing a look at her father, she noticed the ghost of a smile creep into his face.

“He’s, in fact, taken the liberty to prepare and present something for Your Magnificence, and in fact, awaits outside the Hall.” The Magister nodded again, raising her voice above the hubbub.

“Very well,” King Aigulf raised one withered hand, gesturing to his guards. “Bring him in.”

At the back of the court, two armoured sentries wielding a ceremonial halberd guarded the finely decorated double doors of the Grand Hall. At the command, both of them stepped forth, grabbing a whole of a door each and dragging them wide open.

A man stood at the ingress point, a table next to him. As the crowd watched, he stepped into the hall, guiding the strange table into the hall. He seemed normal - he wore ceremonial white robes similar to the Magister Madeline’s, although they lacked the markings of rank and office of the Watch-Library. Under them, he wore a similar dress to the Straskian gentry, well made but not finely decorated with extravagances. The aspect of him that really stood out, however, was that under a crop of neat, combed hair, a strange pair of not-glass was perched on his ears and nose, an instrument that no one had seen before, and his arm bore a large black bracelet that she could not recognize.

As he reached the Straskian monarch, instead of kneeling, the Outsider merely placed a hand over his chest, making a curt bow. “Good afternoon, Your Magnificence,” he spoke in crude Strovian, “Thank you for allowing me to speak in your court.”

Livia felt the tension rise in the court, noting the newcomer’s lack of decorum, or royal reverence.

“So you are the Outsider.” King Aigulf noted, a hand returning to the gavel. “Rumors of you have been passed in these halls, but today is the first day that I have seen you for my own eyes. So tell me, are you truly from another world as the Magister claims?”

“Indeed I am.” the Outsider replied coolly. “First off, I must apologize - I am the citizen of another nation, and bound to service to it even separated from my own world. Thus, I’m afraid I cannot pay you your official royal courtesies, Your Magnificence.”

“Very well.” the Straskian monarch relaxed, and so did Livia. “Let us dally no longer - show us your wonders.”

The Outsider bowed again, turning to his moving table. From under the strange black cloth, he took out a single-cylinder, one ornately decorated, and a piece of glass.

“In our world, there is the art of learning and understanding the world around us - and we call it ‘science’.” The Outsider began, as he carefully displayed the two objects upon the black cloth. “There are many...realms of science, and you may see me as a magister in some of them - and today, I will show you one of these realms - the realm of optics.”

The Outsider took the piece of lens, and offered it to King Aigulf. “Please, to demonstrate what I mean, hold this piece of glass up and look through it - and tell me what you see.”

A handservant came forth and held out a finely embroidered pillow, and the Outsider placed the glass upon it. Livia watched, as the courtier turned to the King, and offered the glass in turn. He raised it to his eye, and looked through it.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Hmmm. The Grand Hall…” King Aigulf’s voice trembled with curiosity. “It looks distorted, twisted through this strange glass.” Placing it gently back upon its pillow, he asked, “Is this glass enchanted with arcanum?”

“Not so, Your Magnificence.” The Outsider took the glass back with a flourish, placing it back upon his table. “You see, that piece of glass is what, in my world, we call a lens. By its unique shape in itself, by the curve of the glass, it is able to distort the world you see through it.”

“Interesting. But, how does it work, if not by arcanum?”

The Outsider said nothing, instead fixating his his attention on his table - which on it, stood a jug of water, along two tall, straight cups made from a crystal clear material, similar to the ‘lens’. He took one of the cups, and passed them to the handservant.

“These cups were taken from my world, made from a sort of purified glass, hence their see-through nature. Now if you would look through that one glass, you would notice that you could see through it completely.”

As the KIng finished inspecting the glass and handed it over to his courtiers, the Outsider filled the other partially with water, and handed it to the handservant.

“Now, if you look through the water...you would see the same distortion as the lens.”

Livia stared through the glass, and sure enough, the world through the glass became distorted at the point where the water began.

“Now, as you have seen, that’s ordinary water, although boiled and cleansed, and drinkable.” The Outsider explained. “This is because, when light passes through any see-through material, or liquid, its speed changes, bending and hence creating a distorted image. Of course, as to why it changes as such...that is far more difficult to elaborate, but if you wish, I can discuss it with anyone willing in private.”

The two glasses were passed around the court, the various nobles nodding, impressed.

“That was a...most enlightening demonstration, Mate Outsider...but this phenomenon is not exactly unaware to us.” One of the other Advocatus began to speak up. “The first records of reading-glass were made using a shard of see-through rock, two hundred years ago...we do know of this...optics, this art of light-bending.”

“You are indeed correct. But - I would correct in, that what you know of optics, is limited to knowledge of this small phenomenon, but not the wider scope of its possibilities?” The Outsider answered with his own question.

“...As much as it pains me to say, You are right.” The Advocatus nodded, drooping his head in a small form of shame. “But even the Colleges of Nictor, I believe, do not know either.”

“That is fine, I would not have presented this if your world did indeed understand optics already.” The Outsider nodded, carefully placing the objects in his hands back on the black cloth. “As I mentioned, my world’s mastery of optics - and the numerological arts that are needed to make its system of geometries work - are far, far, far greater than what the magisters of this world have reached. And I offer you...a taste for such.”

“Fascinating, but I must ask,” said King Aigulf pointedly. “Is there more you can do than just mere court tricks?”

“Indeed there is,” The Outsider, from under the cloth, produced a simple, blue box. “Allow me to produce the first fruit of our labours.” He opened the box, and pulled out a simple, blue tube. “Forgive its...simple construction, for we were hoping to show it at the Feast of the Volverie, and did not improve on its exterior. But, it should be a good enough…” he paused to look for the right word,”...’prototype.’”

“‘Pro-to-type?’” The King asked, not understanding the foreign word.

“Ah, my apologies, your Magnificence.” The Outsider hastily corrected. “A word from my world - it means the first model of a device that will be made.”

“And what is this device?”

The Outsider pulled one end of the tube - and it slid open, revealing another section within. Pulled to its end, it stopped with a soft click. “This...in my world, we know as a telescope, or a ‘spyglass’. Using a set of lenses embedded inside, it allows one to see things that are afar.”

“By afar…”

“I mean far, far, far further than the length of this hall.” The Outsider stretched a hand outwards. “Considering that Straskey is a maritime nation, I thought it would be a great gift to your mariners. It would greatly improve the distances they could see at, allowing to inspect ships, the stars, and hostile shores. Larger variants, if you would allow time for their construction, could, perhaps, allow the diviners to see the stars.”

“Such wondrous claims,” Aigulf muttered, rubbing a hand on his chin. “If they are true, indeed, they would be a great boon to our captains and shipwrights.”

“If you would follow me to a balcony, you can see its strength for itself.” The Outsider smoothly proposed.

Ah, he didn’t say he was going to ask Father to do a full demonstration...

Quickly Livia looked down at her father, who was gripping the edges of his throne. A pang of worry hit her as she turned to her father’s physician, who, standing among the group of Advocatus, was shaking his head. “Father, I could go in your stead instead. Your injuries are yet to finish healing…”

“With such an intriguing gift, how can I not go and see it myself?” The old monarch insisted. Pushing himself up with a grunt, two attendants rushed to hurriedly drape a cloak over his shoulders. Livia quickly walked by her father’s side, while a few guards and members of the Advocati quickly followed in their sovereign’s wake. The court stepped back, as the entourage began to leave the hall.

The Outsider and the Grand Magister Arcanum followed suit, walking beside the entourage. As they passed Livia, she locked eyes with the both of them, frowning hard. This was not what we agreed on for Father, she mouthed.

The Outsider, for his part, returned an apologetic nod, while the Magister just made a confident smile.

Walking through crystal-lined corridors of stone and a large central staircase, the whole entourage stepped upon the main battlement at the castle’s top, only overlooked by the Stargazer’s Spire. While the rest of the contingent waited behind, King Aigulf, Livia and the Outsider walked towards the parapet, allowing the whole of Orismuth - its many stone and wooden buildings, the great Catechy to Everlasting Findriel with its great tower, and the Harbour with ships of many kinds - to come into view. Under Findriel’s harsh glare, the magnificent landscape of Orismuth shone like a bright, beautiful tapestry. A gentle sea breeze began to play with the robes of those present.

The Outsider took out the Spyglass again, bringing it up to his eye and pointing it towards the city proper. Moving it about a few times, he took it off and offered it to King Aigulf. “Try it for yourself, Your Magnificence. Don’t forget, however, to not stare at the Sun with it.”

Sun? Livia wondered, before grasping its meaning. Oh indeed, he means Findriel.

King Aigulf took the device, and the Outsider stepped back. Raising it to the landscape and covering his left eye, Livia heard a soft ‘ah’ escape his lips as the King began to gaze into the far distance. He began to look around, the end of the spyglass pointing left and right as the monarch moved it around.

After a while, he took it off, turning towards Livia. “Try it, my daughter. Demonstrate that I’m not merely being tricked.”

Gently, the Princess Royal took the proffered device. Raising it to her right eye and following her father, she found herself looking at the harbour docks. Raising it out and about, she found herself gazing at the work of the harbour-men, as they went about loading and unloading goods from vessels, or relaxing lazily in between shifts. One rambunctious sailor tried to approach a maiden and was promptly rejected, causing Livia to have to stifle a laugh, taking off the spyglass in the process.

“This is...certainly quite the tool.” She looked down at the spyglass, marvelling at its features.

“We calibrated it that its maximum magnification reaches the boundaries of Orismuth, at the moment.” The Outsider returned, walking back with a very confident smile. “Future versions should be able to reach further, provided that the lens can be made to fit.”

Hearing this proclamation, King Aigulf turned back to face the Outsider. “This is...a fine device. But you say you can make more, and with improvements. How are those numbers?”

“Allow me to speak.” This time, the Grand Magister Madeline walked up to explain. “The lens inside these spyglasses were made in my quarters, using arcanum assisted methods based on the Outsider’s calculations, and sand procured from Srijavat traders. The reason why the expenses have been great was that we had to find the right materials to allow us to get the crystal clear glass that we needed, as well as finding the perfect shape and sizing for our use. In fact, the prototype that you hold in your hands…” as she explained, the Grand Magister made a not too subtle glance at Livia, “...was just completed yesterday.”

“I understand, and I thus forgive your spendings, as they have brought fruit.” The old King simply nodding as he grasped the situation. “But when will you be able to produce them? Do we not have artisans that can perform this on their own?”

“In due time, your Magnificence.” The Magister replied cooly. “We will need to educate on these arcanum methods, and finalise the designs of the spyglass itself, but it will come in time.”

“Very well.” King Aigulf walked back to his entourage, carefully picking the spyglass up from Livia’s hand. “Advocatus, what do you think of this...device?”

Livia watched her father’s courtiers examine the spyglass, some even using it for themselves to gaze into the horizon. As she watched them slowly grow impressed with it, discussing animatedly with each other about it, Livia smiled to herself.

They wouldn’t resist, as I guessed.

“Your Magnificence,” one of them spoke, “indeed, the spyglass works as the Outsider said it would. Of course, the cost is of some trouble, if the ledgers are correct...but I daresay it would be worth it, to have such an advantage over the Srijavats and the Nictorian trade fleets.”

“Then it’s settled.” The King looked very pleased with the arrangements. “Then, we shall return to the Hall. Outsider, Magister Arcanum,” he turned to the duo, “Findriel bless you both for this gift that you have delivered to Straskey.”

The Magister Arcanum dropped to a knee, raising her hands in gratitude. “We thank your Magnificence for your kind generosity and considerations.”

Meanwhile, the Outsider simply stood, making another curt nod. The King stared at him for a few moments, as if wanting to say something else, before merely handing the spyglass back, which the Outsider accepted with both hands.

As the winds grew in strength, the King and his court began to depart the rampart, leaving only Livia, the Outsider and the Magister.