Daniel does his best to sit up in spite of an aching stomach from eating too many rich foods made by seven of his companions; the three Dragon Empresses, two Goblin Queens, Hekate, and Gwenesphia. Kaeralegeir, the goddess bound to the sword known as Nemaisol, just made a statement that Daniel can’t ignore.
“Have you really not figured it out?”
“No. Is it related to carrying you? Have I been leaching the magic power you have been shedding?”
The goddess’s voice laughs, and she replies jovially, “No. For someone so intelligent at times, Daniel, you can certainly be adorably naive.”
“And, for an apparent goddess, you can be surprisingly human. Youthfully human.”
“If I had a face, I would be scowling at you, Daniel. You just called me ‘immature’, didn’t you?”
“Me? Never. Please, oh great and wise goddess Kaeralegeir, most divine and beautiful of all the goddesses here at the moment,...”
“Hey! How dumb do you think I am!?”
“Please, oh please, grant me your knowledge about how and why I have magic.”
“Hmph! You’re lucky we’re friends, Daniel. I would have no qualms about smiting you for such insolence.”
Daniel clasps his hands, pretending he’s praying. “Wise goddess Kaeralegeir, I ask you to forgive my insolence and answer my question. Pretty please. Amen.”
“Ugh… Fine. I suppose it’d be difficult to notice, since no one else can detect your mana as accurately as I can. In fact, your mana is currently increasing.”
“I-It is?” asks Daniel. He looks at Xyreko, and the golem shakes her head. “I apologize, Daniel. Kaeralegeir speaks the truth. I can not quantify your mana; only detect that it is present and a rough idea of a lot or a little. You… still have little.”
“It increases daily,” replies the goddess. “In fact, it increases small amounts throughout the day. Unless I’m mistaken, and I’m not, it is consistent with times when Daniel drinks his favorite dragon juice.”
“Dragon juice?” retorts Daniel. He suddenly cocks his head. “Wait… th-their milk? It’s been the milk this whole time?”
“I told you you’ve been putting random alien food and fluids in your body, and you wonder how mana randomly appeared in you? They're among the most powerful magic beings on the face of Zenkon. And, they started producing milk, something they normally don't do. While I can’t say for certain why, it probably has something to do with you.”
Daniel sits up. His stomach still aches, but he is able to focus on Kaeralegeir’s words. He is stunned, but it’s also encouraging. He doesn’t have to change anything, and he’ll slowly build mana. He can’t drink much more than he already does, especially if they keep preparing meals for him as well. He’ll have to make a more comprehensive list of foods for variety, or they’ll be the death of him well before he can make real use of his mana.
Most importantly, though, he now knows where it’s coming from, meaning he can make sure he is continuing to increase his mana.
Daniel asks, “Can you tell if it has any other effects?”
“Nothing else immediately usable like the goblin milk,” replies the goddess.
“Anything detrimental?” asks Xyreko. “If so, I will inform the Empresses, and they will prioritize Daniel’s safety.”
“Depends on your definition of ‘detrimental’. The only other effect other than the permanent mana increase is longevity.”
“What did you say?” asks Xyreko suddenly. Daniel, too, is unsure if it’s what he’s thinking.
“The only other effect is longevity.”
“As in, shortening my lifespan?” asks Daniel cautiously. He glances at Xyreko, who twitches a little. She’s already displeased with Daniel’s potential lifespan being more brief than the average human of Zenkon by a significant margin.
But, Kaeralegeir replies with a scoff, “What? No. It’s dragon milk. It’s actively stabilizing your aging, so it’s increasing your longevity. I don’t know how much, but…”
Before the goddess bound to the sword can even finish, Xyreko vanishes. Daniel immediately realizes why. He sits up, clutching his stomach as pain fights his sudden desire to stand up. He murmurs distantly, “Oh dear God… We have to run.”
“What? Why?”
Daniel manages to get to his feet, picking up Nemaisol. “Because, Xyreko was pretty upset when she learned humans of Earth are even more short-lived than humans here.” He draws Nemaisol, fastening the scabbard to his belt as he limps forward. “We’ve created a monster,” replies Daniel distantly.
“You’re serious, aren’t you? Do you think she’s going to kill you because you’ll live longer? I was under the impression…”
“She didn’t leave to kill me. She left to find them.” Daniel says it ominously, lest naming them summon them to him immediately.
He of course is referring to the three dragon Empresses, two of whom are already regularly producing milk -and in Geirahoel’s case, she is still producing in spite of what happened to her-.
“We’ll have to flee the Fievegal. I’m thinking we can find a place to hide in the south. Maybe we’ll build a boat and start sailing. The further the better…”
Daniel wearily makes his way to the transport circle as quickly as he can.
“I’m genuinely not sure if you’re joking or not.”
Daniel tries to activate the transport station, but it doesn’t turn on. He looks at Nemaisol, the sword Kaeralegeir is bound to. Kaeralegeir, specifically, negates all magic around herself in an attempt to avoid detection by the Divine Realm. Daniel sighs. He braces himself, doing his best to endure the ache in his stomach. He sheathes Nemaisol, quickly trying to activate the transport station again.
The station flashes red at him.
“What?” asks Daniel in surprise. He tries again, but the result is the same. The transport station is rejecting him.
“No… Xyreko…” murmurs Daniel. He looks around urgently, trying to find an alternate escape route.
“Daniel, I think you’ll have to surrender. Otherwise, you’ll have to fight your way out, and I suspect that’s not an option.”
“No. But, they’re going to hook me up to tubes and tanks if I don’t get away. You’ve met them. You know I’m…”
“Daniel, are you trying to escape?” asks Xyreko’s voice from the ‘magic intercom’ of the Citadel. The transport station’s receiving circle glows, and five bodies appear; Xyreko, Hekate, Ryuogriar, Reignleif, and Geirahoel. Both Hekate and Geirahoel pounce Daniel, hugging him firmly. Hekate exclaims, “Daniel! Xyreko just told us! This is excellent news!”
“I had no idea, Mukori!” adds Geirahoel as she and Hekate hug him. Ryuogriar and Reignleif also crowd in, hugging him as well. He’s now definitively trapped.
Ryuogriar adds, “I will do my best to begin producing as well, Daniel. Had we been intimate sooner, we could be much further along.”
Daniel chuckles, and the four pull him to a kneel as they cuddle with him. Geirahoel is the first to start crying, and she squeezes Daniel urgently. He tries to comfort her, but Ryuogriar, Reignleif, and Hekate all soon join the orange dragon in crying against Daniel as they all refuse to let him go. “I… we don’t even know if it’s a noticeable change. It might be adding hours to my lifespan if I drink it for the entire rest of my life.”
Geirahoel retorts passionately as she looks into his eyes, “Then it’s worth it! Even minutes more are worth it! It means… It means we…” She breaks down again, hugging him again as she cries.
Daniel relaxes, giving in. It’s not that he desired for even a moment to not be with them for longer, but he knew something like this would happen. And, what’s about to happen as well.
Reignleif sniffles as she looks up, wiping her tears with her sleeves. “Let’s head to our sanctuary. We shouldn’t waste time.”
Daniel sighs. “You should all be asleep. We have plenty of time. More so now, right?”
She pouts her lips at him, and Hekate, who is now hugging his neck from behind as she leans on him, replies, “Reina’s right, Daniel. We have to make sure. We can’t afford to let you waste even a second.”
Ryuogriar pets his head, sniffling as well. “Yes. Let us pamper you, Mukori, and we’ll ensure your cup is never empty so you never have to leave us.”
Daniel sighs. “You’re all overreacting.”
Xyreko suddenly kneels, and she leans into the group hug, hugging Daniel as well. “Daniel… my cherished master, do you not understand? This is a dream come true for all of us. I… I couldn’t find… anything… But then, to hear those words…”
“We don’t even know what the factor is, though.”
“It doesn’t matter. Even moments more are fine.”
“Listen… I truly appreciate the love. But… I physically can’t drink much more than I usually do. Alright? I don’t want to get fat or sick.”
“If you get fat, then you will be able to drink more,” points out Reignleif. This causes the other three to perk up with eager smiles.
“Geez… you ladies are clowns. I won’t forgive you if you try to force me to drink more than I can handle. And, I don’t want to get fat.”
They gasp, and Hekate squeezes his neck as she presses her head to his collar. She mumbles, “Daniel… please?”
“I’m telling you…” He glances at all five of them, who are staring at him with urgency in their expressions. He sighs. “Go easy on me, alright? I’m only a man.”
They all grin, smiling at each other as they happily celebrate.
Hekate then adds as she nuzzles Daniel’s cheek, “Daniel, my beloved Daniel, we should find out what mine will do as well.”
“No. Not right now. Your time will come, Hekate. Patience.”
“Graaah!” She chews on Daniel’s shirt, grumbling through her bite, “But, wha ick iss soo-er you-hol? {But, what if it’s super useful?}”
“Then, it’ll be super useful in a couple of years. That’s no reason to rush anything. Seriously, I’m just as surprised and excited as you ladies. I just know we have plenty of time to appreciate this gift. Alright? So, relax. I’m not going to vanish on you.”
They all deflate a little, though they are content at Daniel’s words. Kaeralegeir made it sound like the factor might actually be pretty significant, but it doesn’t become relevant until later anyways, like she said. It’s not an immediately useful change. It’s just one that these five, specifically, have been anxious about since they learned of Daniel’s expected lifespan.
“Now, we can go to bed, but don’t expect me to stay there. My stomach’s bothering me.”
The three dragons gasp, and Ryuogriar asks, “D-Did we do something wrong? Is it my fault? I knew I cooked it too long! Please forgive me, Mukori! I’ll do better!”
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Reignleif and Geirahoel nod in agreement, and he quickly comforts them as they crowd him once more, “No! No, nothing like that! I promise! It’s just because I ate too much, I’m sure. I’m fine, truly. I just might have to answer nature’s call.”
“Nature’s call?” asks Hekate. The others also look at him for an explanation.
He sighs. “It means I’ll need to find a place to… clear myself out.” He gives them a look of ‘Please understand’, and they think for a moment. Geirahoel gets it first, and she replies, “R-Right! But… are you sure that’s all?”
Daniel nods. “Yes. I still have most of each of the meals you made me in my bag for later. It was too much food all at once.”
“What do we do?” asks Geirahoel innocently as she looks at her seniors and Hekate.
Ryuogriar replies, “It’s difficult to make too little for a portion…”
Daniel sighs, and he suggests, “You could take turns.”
They all look at him like he just told them their faces are inside out. Daniel gives up, just letting them come up with their own suggestions, which include cooking the same amount for Daniel, but not making any for themselves so they can simply share Daniel’s meals. This suggestion wins, and Geirahoel takes Daniel’s hand. “Now, let’s go back to our sanctuary.” She pulls Daniel to his feet, and the other four rise with them. “We’ll think of a way to celebrate tomorrow while we go to sleep.”
“Sure sure,” replies Daniel, going with the flow at this point.
Kaeralegeir teases him, “Heh heh heh… Sorry, Daniel. This whole exchange has been amusing, so I don’t feel bad.”
“I’m throwing you into the lake,” retorts Daniel.
“Bring it, Daniel. You can’t get rid of me now.”
He scoffs, and the transport station magically works now that Daniel is being held affectionately by five of his companions -one of whom is the one who controls the transport stations and who has access-. He remarks as they arrive at the personal quarters floor, “You know, Xyreko, I never thought you’d lock me out of the transport station.”
“You were obviously trying to hide, Daniel.”
“Yeah! We really should hook you up to a funnel or something,” replies Hekate. “We’ll let you go when your lifespan is a million years. No, three million. That should be enough.” She nods confidently at her own suggestion, and the dragons chuckle warmly.
Reignleif adds, “Thank you, Divine Kaeralegeir. We won’t be able to thank you enough.”
“I didn’t do anything. The important part was already being done long before I said anything.”
“Any idea of a factor by which his lifespan increases?” asks Xyreko directly.
“Not for certain. I can only tell that his aging is slowing. It’s difficult to describe how I see it. Ryukana might be able to explain. Oh, but don’t tell her who I am. I can’t risk discovery yet.”
“Anything for you,” replies Ryuogriar. “You are our ally in the goal of keeping Mukori alive forever.”
Daniel scoffs. “Forever? That sounds like a really long time.”
The white dragon puts her finger to his lips, saying tenderly, “Shhh, Mukori. It’s what we all wish for. Just let us have it.”
He sighs and nods. “Sure.” He then asks, “So, can we feed it to everyone else, then? I’d feel bad being the only one to benefit.”
The five women -including Xyreko- glance at each other briefly. It genuinely hadn’t crossed any of their minds.
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up too high,” adds the sword-bound goddess. “It is an anomaly, as is Daniel’s presence in this world. The two could be directly linked.”
Daniel suggests, “It could merely be a factor of mana. That would make sense as well, since everyone in this world has more mana than me.”
“Possible, but I don’t think so. Regardless, the goblins would be easiest to tell. So, why the heck not?”
Hekate adds, “Daniel is priority over all of us, I hope. There are only three of you. But, maybe mine…”
“Hekate,” warns Daniel. She groans in frustration, but gives up on trying to pressure him once more.
“The solution is easy, then,” replies Ryuogriar. “We simply need Daniel to sire children with the other female dragons.”
Geirahoel and Reignleif nod in agreement, but Hekate is off-put by the suggestion. And, Daniel objects as well. “No. I promised the other dragons could do what they want in regards to romantic partners. I don’t really want anyone who doesn’t want me.”
“But, if more dragons produce milk…”
“Geez… relax, alright? Didn’t you ladies object to being compared to cattle? There will be plenty. I encourage you all to share. Let’s find out if it benefits everyone else as well before we worry about quantity.”
The three dragons huff, finally giving up on pressuring Daniel about that as well. They all pile onto his bed once they reach his room, and they cuddle close to Daniel, making it difficult for him to escape.
Fortunately, he is comfortable with them, and they all peacefully fall asleep for the night, including Daniel.
***
Rikuto oversees the assembly of the loading rings for the void artillery so they can be reloaded in the field. It’s a delicate operation, making use of every magic artisan and magic artificer he could contract from all over the allied territories. Not all countries were willing to loan their engineers and technicians out, even for the many things Rikuto has been offering, including all of his collected wisdom from Earth, which he has been working on publishing for just this purpose.
More than once he has been asked about the technology behind the water pumps, the dragon slaying weapons, and commissioning an airship.
Aramellianna has two, now, that have neared completion, but she has kept the technology close to the vest, fearful of spies around Rikuto.
It irritates him that he constantly has to deflect such requests. Daniel brought conveniences to Zenkon, but it’s not the only thing he brought.
Ahok, the half-goblin Court Magic Artisan, approaches the otherworlder king. “Your Majesty, we have three reload rings complete, but we've run into a problem.”
“What problem?” He doesn't mean to be short with her, but he’s hanging by a thread and far too few hours of sleep.
Ahok keeps her composure, though, replying honestly, “The fourth and fifth rings are too brittle. Crystal mounts have snapped off in various places with just a little pressure. The last ring we have possesses too few crystal mounts. It won’t be able to provide enough power to cycle the core pillar and project the spell.”
Rikuto groans as he massages his temples. “How can this be happening…?” He confirms, “But, we have three good rings, right? The spell can be fired three times?”
The half-goblin nods. “Yes, your Majesty. The first two have been used for testing, but they show no signs of wear or damage from the firing, so their crystals have been recharged and reinstalled. The third ring has also been checked, and it is solid. I’ve personally double-checked the charge on all of the crystals. It will fire as intended.”
Rikuto nods, pondering his options. He only planned on sending one of the units out for the campaign, and one to defend the castle if Daniel tries to retaliate; the last line of defense. He paces a few steps away, looking at the horizon as he deliberates. He has to determine how to allocate the reloading rings. If he sends two of them to the front, he’ll have to rely on a single shot for defense. If he keeps two at the castle, then he has only a single chance to defeat Daniel in the field.
Of course, considering spell activation time, firing time, and reloading time, it’s probable only a single shot will be possible. He nods as he comes to the obvious decision, now that he thinks about it, “Lady Ahok, prepare one of the units for deployment with one ring. The other one will remain here.”
“Your Majesty, if we can get a little more time, I’m sure we can get replacement rings made.”
“See it done anyways, but we don’t have time.”
“I-I understand, my King. It shall be done.”
“Also, take care of your own affairs here.”
“Y-Your Majesty?” asks Ahok, caught off guard.
“I’m deploying you with the void artillery unit.”
“M-Me, your Grace?”
Rikuto nods. “We’ll need one of the primary artisans that developed it to make sure it functions correctly.”
“I-I-I have no combat experience at all, your Grace. I-I ran away from my tribe, and had to steal to survive. I-I… I would be a burden to the soldiers.”
Rikuto replies calmly, “The soldiers will be tasked with your safety as their first priority. I’ll issue orders to take you and run if need be.”
“I… Count Baumalde has commanded several military operations. C-Couldn't we draw lots at least?”
“There’s no need. I've made my decision.”
“I… I see… I shall… endeavor to do my best, your Majesty.”
Rikuto nods. “Good. I expect great things.” The otherworlder king then makes his way back into the castle. As he’s passing through the doorway, a voice whispers from just inside, “Your Majesty.”
Rikuto looks. A hooded figure is standing off to the side, leaning with his back against the wall. He approaches, and the guards ask defensively, “State your business.”
“I have information on the otherworlder traitor.”
“Daniel?” asks Rikuto.
The hooded figure nods, keeping his appearance hidden under the hood. “He had an audience with Empress Sundenelle a couple days ago. I have an even better piece of information, though.”
“Your Majesty,...” cautions one of the guards, but Rikuto asks with his hand held up, “What is it?”
The man chuckles. “I think you know how this works, your Majesty.” A toothy grin appears under the shadow of the hood, and Rikuto sighs in disgust.
“This world…” He gestures, and the guard carrying a pouch of gold for Rikuto’s use looks at him. “Your Majesty?”
“Pay him. If he has something useful, I want to know it. If not, he’ll have trouble finding business in this kingdom again.”
The man nods. “I’m certain you’ll be satisfied, your Majesty.
The guard reluctantly tosses the pouch of coins, and the man catches it, tossing it briefly up and down to check the weight. He then tucks it into his bag underneath his hooded mantle and says, “Daniel of the otherworld has landed at Fort Twilight to inspect the fortress. He’s remaining there for a period of time because he’s awaiting a message from the Empress. Apparently, his audience was quite the spectacle.”
“What happened?” asks Rikuto. “Did Daniel launch an attack?”
“No. From what I was told, he arrived on a ship that sails in the sky, and he proposed to the Empress in front of the whole audience. The audience was interrupted by the Grand Prince, and Daniel left after that, telling her Grace that he would remain at Twilight to await her answer.”
“Do you have proof of this?” asks Rikuto.
The man hands over a scroll, which is sealed. Rikuto cautiously opens it and inspects it, not noticing his guards trying to interrupt him too late. Usually, they go through a meticulous process to open even simple letters, and Rikuto doesn’t have time to worry about baseless fears.
The scroll contains a message from one of the high-ranking lords of the Empire in command of the military, ordering for Daniel to be monitored by the reconnaissance teams near Fort Twilight. They were told to expect a messenger from the Empress in a week.
“How old is this message?”
“Two days; day of the audience. It’ll take two more for word to reach the recon teams, and a week for the Empress to issue a formal reply to Daniel.”
Rikuto nods, thinking. Twilight is about five days from the capital of Mornistae using normal travel speeds. If they push it and travel day and night, they should be able to arrive by the third day.
Suddenly remembering Erimaya, Rikuto almost asks the informant, but he thinks better of it.
No, it's not public knowledge that she's missing. If he hasn't tried to ransom her, he's not going to drag her around on his tours flaunting his strength. But, it's probably best not to tell Heralesse.
Rikuto nods appreciatively to the informant. “I appreciate you bringing this information all this way. Do I have the Empress to thank for this windfall tip?”
The informant scoffs. “I think you know I can’t answer that, your Majesty. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
“Thanks. Same.” Rikuto allows the informant to leave unchallenged, and his guard captain asks quietly, “Do you want us to have him followed, your Majesty?”
“No. This was very useful information. If we’re to receive more tips like this in the future, it’s better that we prove trustworthy as clients.”
The guard captain nods. He does cautiously start to say, “If I may, your Majesty…”
“Speak freely. I’ll allow it.”
“The Lady Magic Artisan was right, your Majesty. Count Baumalde is the better choice for the deployment. He has the experience with the device, but he knows how to handle himself if a battle starts. I don’t see Lady Ahok being able to keep from freezing up.”
Rikuto sighs. “I don’t owe anyone an explanation. My decision is made, and it’s the best for the kingdom.” He then heads towards his office, leaving it at that. His guards quietly follow.
***
Ahok timidly approaches Count Baumalde, who is checking over the cart that will carry the void artillery into battle.
“Count Baumalde?” asks the half-goblin.
He looks away from the other artisans he was speaking with, and they excuse themselves briefly. “Lady Ahok. What can I do for you?”
“My lord, I… don’t know if his Majesty King Rikuto spoke to you, but… um… He has assigned me to the deployment with the mobile unit.”
“I’m aware. You’re the best choice for the job.”
“I… I don’t know if that’s true. I… I’m not… a soldier. I… I’m worried…”
“You won’t be a combatant. Artisans are regularly deployed to the front to repair magic devices. Just focus on your work, and let the soldiers do theirs, which will include ensuring your safety.”
“I… I… Yes, I understand, my Lord. But, what if… someone with more experience…?”
“The only two who know the mechanisms of the spell at this time are you and myself, and the cold hard truth of the matter is that the Empire may require an explanation of the weapon. To have a goblin, even a half-goblin, stand before the Empress would never be accepted. I’m sorry. That’s just the way it is.”
“I… but I…”
“The king has made his decision, and you will be well-protected. If that’s still not enough, you’ll have to try to convince King Rikuto to allow someone else to accompany the weapon. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m overseeing final preparations to make the artillery unit mobile.” He nods at her and then heads back to the group of artisans and artificers.
Ahok is left with a deep anxiety that won’t let up. She only met Daniel the one time, but he had the fierce loyalty of the Stalvaltan family, the second most powerful family in Mornistae by authority and very probably the first by actual military prowess and territorial economy.
But, Rikuto is king of Mornistae, and as Court Magic Artisan, Ahok has to obey his orders. She could quit, but it’s as Baumalde says; goblins aren’t looked upon favorably in general, and even though she’s a magic artisan, she struggled to get reliable work before Wenlianna suddenly retired and Rikuto selected her as replacement.
She didn’t choose her parentage, but she suffers regularly from it. She managed to survive this long, and she’s afraid to lose it all on a far away battlefield after all of the struggle.
She sighs, resigning herself to her fate. She doesn’t have anyone to back her up in Mornistae, except maybe Wenlianna. The only problem is that Wenlianna has returned to the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy, and in spite of several attempts to summon her back to the capital, Aramellianna has refused, saying Wenlianna is busy working on assets to the Grand Duchy that outweighs whatever project Rikuto could be working on.
With Wenlianna, Ahok would likely have been overshadowed as the developer of the spell. Wenlianna has more experience, and she even led the design of her ‘Iron Wyvern’, which was armed with an anti-dragon weapon. According to the rumors, they successfully shot down a dragon before the dragon’s allies retaliated.
Now, the Grand Duchy has two of the airships nearly ready for deployment, leveling the playing field that much more between the dragons and the kingdom of Mornistae.
Ahok sighs. She heads for her personal quarters to begin packing what she needs to travel. By the sounds of it, they’re going to be deploying very soon.
***