Chapter 308: A Not-So-Glorious Send-Off

“[Hide away what is blessed, and what is blessed will cease to be.]”

These are the words that were left behind on the floor of the hidden room when the Divine Light of Herith appeared, and the three Princess Saints vanished into thin air. Their very appearance in the Ahmpur Kingdom was a miracle itself. But, just as any miracle is ordained by the whims of the one true god Herith himself, so can they be vanished away on the very same gossamer, unknowable will.

That is all understandable, but with the Fievegal’s arrival and confidence that they will succeed, Harnavock was hoping to have something to solidify his own position and reduce the risk of extortion by the Empire and the Fievegal. Though the Empire has maintained a respectful balance with the other territories of the East, they will be expecting compensation for their aid. It’s only fair, but it’s also stacking up quickly with recent events.

And, something seems suspicious about the timing of everything. He can’t get it out of his head.

The Fievegal and the Empire showed up when the saints appeared? And, that maid was certain Hekate was the girl who intruded. She’s a known powerful mage. Could it be that they used the mine rescue as an excuse to steal away the saints? But how…?

Harnavock stands up suddenly.

Illusion magic. If she can hide her form, then she could hide the saints as she walked them right out the front door. What fools we were!

Harnavock rushes to find his knight Captain. “Captain! Send a rider to the western border. Inform them to halt all passage out of the country until I arrive.”

“Y-Yes your Majesty. Though, may I ask what we’re looking for?”

“I have reason to believe something extremely important has been taken from the Kingdom of Ahmpur. And, until I know where they are, I refuse to sit idly by. Go, swiftly, before they escape.”

The Captain bows, and he jogs out of the room.

Perhaps I’m crossing a line, but they are in my Kingdom. I won’t be robbed just because the Empress is standing next to them. If they are here as ‘mercenaries’, rather than a formal Royal Entourage, then they should expect treatment befitting their effective stations.

Harnavock returns to his room in the mayoral estate, having his servants summoned to help him dress for the occasion.

I’ll not be made a fool of in my own Kingdom!

King Harnavock kos Ahmpur sets out to confront the Fievegal. What he may never know is exactly how close he is to the truth.

Nor will he truly understand how precarious his position already is…

***

Daniel yawns as he leans back in his seat on the bus. They successfully made their escape while the miners and their families started preparing a feast in town. Sundenelle said she would normally serve as the guest of honor at a celebratory feast such as this, but because it’s so late, she has an excuse to depart for the inn she’s staying at in Kebel. And, because she’s the Empress, she can make any excuse she wants to leave whenever she wants.

This time, it was because she needs to return and address the Fievegal’s compensation for the rescue efforts, which is actually more about convincing Daniel to design models that can be put into mass production.

All in all, the mine rescue has been successful. Twenty six of the miners were able to walk out. Five more were still alive at the gathering area, and another three were able to be recovered in the various parts of the mine. In total, thirty four of the fifty three miners trapped or lost by the mine collapse were able to be rescued. Losing nineteen people is a tragedy, though most of them were instantaneous during the collapse itself.

Overall, it would be considered a success in either world, since any lives saved would ultimately take precedence over those lost, when all is said and done. Normally, nothing can be done for the dead, and even the Fievegal doesn’t have the means to revive so many people.

And, it would be dangerous to even consider it. Even the operation being planned for Baelok carries immense risk, as well as a literal sacrifice, if they can get all of the necessary consent needed; from Sundenelle and Byleathea most of all.

“Do some hard work, did ya, Mukori?” teases Jeavana from across the bus. She stretches and sprawls her legs out to rest them on Daniel’s thighs, and Wenlianna scowls at her lightly while she leans against his shoulder.

“Almost as hard as you,” retorts the Mechanic with a chuckle.

“Hey, I’ll have you know, I had to stay airborne all day! It would have been exhausting if I didn’t have magic.”

Zuzia chuckles dryly. “Don’t mind us, the real heroes. Poor Daniel had to stand around and watch.”

“And then, he whisked us away before we could even get to celebrate,” jokes Magnir.

Daniel laughs as he shakes his head. Everyone agreed to retreat before the accolades got too heavy. There’s always a chance that a mistake could be made and break the illusion of the ‘Saintess and Vuwashnia Peroona’. In their hurry to hide their new divine toys, the nobles clearly didn’t even ask for names, and they still hadn’t prepared a story.

Zuzia points at Daniel, saying, “Now, you know what I want as payment for all that nonsense, Harbinger. Beer! Lots of beer! And pierogis! And why the hell isn’t there fried cheese!? Oh! And, I demand weapons and armor for my future adventures! The best! If you have to, you can get your fiancee to pay for it! Hahahahaha!”

Sundenelle smiles as she watches Zuzia playfully suggest that the Empire is wealthier than the Fievegal. While it’s probably physically true in terms of liquid capital that can be moved from coffer to coffer, the Fievegal can make use of new methods and the raw magic talent they have at their disposal to set them apart. Though the Fievegal is in the process of implementing a currency system and payroll to go with it, their real ‘wealth’ comes from the sheer physical force, helpful or destructive, that they can muster.

“If I can call on you for aid, future Sister-in-Law, I would happily bankroll national treasure-quality equipment for you.”

Zuzia flinches with a “Hrk!” as the young Empress calls her ‘sister-in-law’. It’s technically true, since she’s now the adoptive sister to Hekate, technically, but insists on being considered Daniel’s sister as well to avoid misunderstandings. She doesn’t care about the rank of Grand Princess itself, but it provides her a great deal of protection on its own.

Sundenelle smiles and relaxes in her own seat. “Since you seem to be going through regular equipment on a daily basis, it seems like it will be money well-spent.”

“I have some plans, so until we hear about our other mission, we’ll work on those. If I’m not mistaken, I’ll need your help along with Neith’s.”

“Making me work for the payment you already owe me… Diabolical.”

Daniel scoffs, but everyone perks up when the bus comes to a stop.

“What’s going on?” asks Sundenelle.

Hekate’s ears are rigid, tilting back and forth as she listens intensely. Likewise, Veiranoei and Treia are listening as well. Treia says quietly, “Sounds like we’re being stopped.”

“Yes,” confirms Veiranoei softly. “It sounds like a border checkpoint. Though, I don’t remember there being one on the way in.”

Daniel sighs. “Neith, suit up. Jeavana, if you would, stay by my side with barriers up. Hekate, you protect Sundenelle. Our goal is to maintain our cover, but if it comes to it, safety is the number one priority. And, I’m tired of being pushed around.”

“Yes… If this is happening with his Majesty’s knowledge, I fear we may be forced to take more strict recourse,” replies Sundenelle with disappointment. “Accusing Hekate was one thing, but stopping an Imperial convoy flying our banners as we are leaving… The disrespect is rapidly stacking up.”

“Does that mean we have to kick his butt?” asks Hekate.

Zuzia and Jeavana scoff, and Sundenelle groans, while Wenlianna says, “Please don’t, Hekate. It would be an act of war.”

“So is pointing their spears at us,” replies Daniel. “And, it has happened far too many times for me to keep being passive about it.”

Sundenelle is quiet, since the Empire isn’t innocent on that front.

Daniel stands up and takes his equipment belt to put it on. Sundenelle’s attendants watch nervously, unsure if they should help him. Veiranoei is the first one to stand up and help Daniel put his equipment belt on, and Hekate gasps, but she realizes it’s too late, and the job is too simple to fight over.

Daniel says softly, “Thank you, Veira.”

“Of course! I know there’s not a lot of room here. Though… be careful, please.”

“I’m the Harbinger of Calamity. I don’t fear trouble. I bring it.”

Jeavana, Neith, and Magnir laugh, while Hekate gasps in wonder. “Daniel! That was so cool!”

He chuckles at this, while Zuzia retorts dryly, “Yeah… real cool, Daniel. But, are you sure that’s something to be proud of?”

“Listen, Kera’tai, Aoloan, and Baeka eat that stuff up. Can you blame me?” He puts his grim face back on, saying, “Now, let’s go put a King in his place.”

Daniel disembarks first, followed by Magnir, Hekate, Jeavana, and Neith. Sundenelle also steps down with Ecklevon’s help, and Daniel asks, “What seems to be the problem?”

The trio of buses are surrounded by knights from the Kingdom of Ahmpur, some mounted and others standing with spears in a half-ready position.

“By order of his Majesty, King Harnavock kos Ahmpur, disembark the carriage and prepare to be searched.”

Sundenelle replies, “This is a diplomatic relief envoy, and we’ve upheld our end of the request. Now, you deign to search our carriages? What accusations do you make this time?”

“Kidnapping of Royalty,” replies Harnavock’s voice as he steps out of the crowd of knights. He is flanked by two more of his elite soldiers and a mage bringing up the rear. “Three of Ahmpur’s Princesses have been kidnapped, and their disappearance regrettably aligns with the time the Fievegal’s unique carriages were located within our borders.” He approaches rather diplomatically, but it’s pretty obvious that he’s making accusations.

“So, you still suspect and accuse us for no reason?” asks Hekate with a scowl as she crosses her arms. “I’m really feeling a strict urge to never interact with your kingdom ever again.”

“Forgive me, your Greatness, but as you are in a mercenary capacity at present, you are not acting as Royalty, correct? After all, arriving unannounced as the sovereign of another nation would be most disrespectful.”

Hekate scowls at him, and the King continues, “Naturally, if you have nothing to hide, then this will be nothing more than a routine search. If it were your own siblings or children, you would wish to be certain in your own territory, would you not?”

The feldrok teen is quiet for a moment, but Sundenelle states coldly, “Even if the Fievegal’s involvement was meant to remain mercenary, this was intended to be to your benefit, your Majesty. As they are acting under my orders and my payroll, responsibility for this convoy falls to me. So, I ask once more; are you accusing me, the Sovereign Empress of the Grand Zenkon Empire, of crimes against your people, particularly ones so egregious as to include the kidnapping of royalty?”

“Your Majesty, I notice that your men are outnumbered by the Fievegal’s by a great deal. I would not expect you to be cognizant of everything the Fievegal is doing, and as they demonstrated, their abilities stretch belief. I assure you, you may accompany my men during the search. We only wish to confirm that the Princesses are not present.”

Daniel knows he’s referring to the ‘Princess Saints’. They came up among the miners a few times, in spite of the nobles trying to hush them about the matter. Of course, all three of them are in the middle bus at present, but he hopes Senn and Doephluev can evacuate them or otherwise hide their presence.

But then, that assumes Daniel would simply roll over and cooperate.

“The Fievegal has many proprietary technologies, your Majesty. Since you have no reason to suspect us, and as Hekate said before, we have no use for mere ‘princesses’, since I already have these three, and four more in my carriage, plus, like ten more at home… If I wanted any of your princesses, it would have been as a cause for union. Kidnapping them would be worthless to me. Regardless of their status as ‘saints’.”

Harnavock narrows his eyes, and Daniel can see the knights grip their spears more firmly. “I never said they were saints,” growls the King.

Daniel’s pretty sure it came up during the first round of accusations, but it doesn’t matter.

“Your people have been talking about them all day long. Between the not-so-veiled implications earlier that could easily be mistaken for accusations, your current suspicions really do leave a bitter taste in the mouth. So, I’ll tell you this once and only once. Stand down. Let us pass. If you attempt to board our carriages, we, the Fievegal, will consider it an act of hostility. And, I’ve gotten especially tired of acts of hostility against us.”

“You dare to threaten this country’s king on his own land!?” asks Harnavock a little dramatically. It’s clear that he’s relying on the fact that he is the sovereign, and they are ‘guests’ at best.

“There are two kinds of nations in any world,” starts Daniel coldly as he starts to reach for his revolver. “The one I came from has a storied history as both a weaker nation and a stronger one. But, one of their greatest mistakes…”

Before he can finish his thought, which is very quickly going to turn into a genuine threat, a new voice breaks through.

“Brotherrr! What’s taking so long!? I want to get back to the inn so I can sleep!”

Everyone looks as a princess descends from the middle bus. It’s ironically exactly one of the ‘princesses’ Harnavock is looking for, but her official title now is Grand Princess.

Zuzia approaches as she rubs her eyes.

Harnavock is speechless. He probably does easily recognize Zuzia, or he thinks he does at least. But, she is dressed in the Fievegal’s finest, with jewelry, a finely crafted tiara, and her very own decorative sword that Daniel doesn’t recognize. It looks like a ceremonial saber more than a weapon of war, but it gives the point that she is a sister to the Fievegal.

She approaches and slides her arms around Daniel’s arm. “Brother… Are these lowly country knights daring to impede us?”

There’s a moment of shock as Daniel looks at the young Polish woman. She’s obviously in character, rather than her normal self, but he’s surprised she decided to go this route. He replies quietly, “I did tell you that you didn’t have to come, dear Sister.”

She groans and waves her hand dismissively, “Hekate, Sundenelle, shoo these fools away. I’m tired and irritated. If they disrespect two Empresses, that’s as good as death, isn’t it? What is authority for if mere peasants and lesser knights can openly disrespect us?”

This leaves an awkward silence across the entire area.

“Y-... It’s you…” whispers Harnavock.

Zuzia cocks her head. “What are you talking about? Wait…” She looks at Daniel, whispering loudly, “Daniel, is that… supposed to be this country’s King?” She grimaces as if she just smelled a particularly gross scent, and she mutters, “Apologies for not recognizing you, your, uh, Majesty.”

“This… What is this?” asks Harnavock, suddenly becoming more impassioned. “That’s her! That’s my princess!”

“What!?” asks Hekate, letting her offense be apparent. “Zuzia is my sister by law! What a disgusting prank… Daniel, how long do we have to put up with this.”

“You dare call me a liar!?” snaps the king.

Just as he steps forward, Daniel’s hand lands on his chest, halting the king as he places himself between the man and Zuzia. Ironically enough, Zuzia is the tougher one with a much greater ability to resist harm. But, Daniel’s instincts wouldn’t let him simply do nothing, even if virtually every single one of his friends and family are far stronger than he is in almost every possible way.

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“Your Majesty, I have tolerated a great deal of barely-veiled insult from you, and the message is loud and clear. You don’t like us, and you don’t want to deal with us. More importantly, you think you can treat us like barbarians and we’ll just hand over whatever you think you want just because you’re a king of a very old dynasty.” Daniel grips the King’s collar, which causes the knights to angle their spears in preparation to attack, but this prompts the Fievegal guards to ready their firearms, with Magnir unholstering Tranquility and Serenity.

“Let me finish my thought from earlier. The one mistake my home country often made was suicidal empathy as a national policy; choosing the wellbeing of other nations over the continued prosperity of our own. Though, this wasn’t actually for the charity.” Daniel scoffs. “Third world countries could disrupt the economy of the world because the developed world who could squash them in an afternoon was instead merciful. How ironic is that?”

Daniel shoves King Harnavock back, and he’s caught by his two guards to avoid falling. The mechanic then holds his head high, saying sternly, “I am Emperor Daniel kos Lawson, the Harbinger of Calamity and the Silencer of Magic.” He steps closer to the King, and the guards move to protect him.

“And, the next time you threaten someone or wish to wield your authority upon them, make sure you’re actually in the position of power. We’re leaving now, your Majesty. If your men don’t stop pointing their spears at me, there won’t be a declaration of war in your future. Just a foolish old man that was slain by wild animals. So, go ahead. I’ll give you to the count of three for your men to decide your fate. One…” Daniel cocks the hammer back on his revolver, which makes a distinct, unnerving, mechanical ratcheting ‘click’. “Two…” His hand closes around the grip, finger ready to engage the trigger.

He can see that Harnavock is probably on the verge of having an actual heart attack with the terror Daniel alone is inflicting, and that’s without any of his companions flourishing their strengths.

Daniel narrows his eyes, growling out, “So, you have all chosen death… So be it.” He holds his head up, ready to snap his revolver out as he starts, “Thr-...”

CLANG!

It starts with the closest soldier that isn’t one of the King’s immediate guards, who are still supporting him. A spear hits the ground hard, flung away as if it started to burn. This starts a cascade of weapons hitting the ground, as one of the senior knights tries to cry out, “Wait! Men! Stand your…!”

The goblins cackle as they brandish their sub-machine guns, aiming at the few knights still holding their weapons, particularly the higher-ranked leaders.

And, for all of his brazenness in accusing someone like Hekate, Daniel notices liquid dripping from beneath the King’s robes. He grimaces slightly and closes his eye for a long time in silent disgust.

Though they don’t drop their weapons, the knights guarding and holding up the King relax their weapon posture, so that the weapons are no longer pointed at Daniel. One of them whispers, “Your Majesty, please say something… Give us your orders, my King.”

Daniel can see his lips move before sound is audible, but he does notice a few of the closest gatonines and shenwulves twitch their ears. He holds off saying ‘three’ for another second longer.

Having ‘not heard’ anything, Daniel starts to repeat, “Three-...”

“Yield!” croaks out Harnavock quickly and urgently. “I yield. Lower your weapons. Let them pass.”

There’s a single second of hesitation, and Daniel starts to draw his revolver.

“Damn it, put down your weapons!” booms Harnavock. “Drop them if you must!” His legs falter, and the guards with him do their best to keep him on his feet, even dropping their weapons.

The unorthodox Emperor keeps his hand on his revolver until the last of the guards either drop their swords and spears or stow them to their sheaths. He slides it back into its holster and says quietly, “If you have a shred of honor or sense, you will present yourself at the Citadel to make reparations and a formal apology for these continued farces, your Majesty. You can choose not to without fear of retaliation. I’ll pretend all of this never happened. If you fail to catch my meaning, that will not be my problem.” Daniel finally turns away, saying loudly, “Anyone who is in front of the buses will be run over. No exceptions. If you think your buckrokhs can stop them, go ahead and try. Otherwise, you have thirty seconds to clear the road. All hands, mount up. Captain Muindis, set your timer for thirty seconds. You have my permission to go at time zero or sooner.”

“Aye, your Majesty! You heard his Grace! Board and lock! Go, go, go!”

The goblins chatter, while the dattakoriens swiftly move back inside. For the small green beings, they’re disappointed that they won’t be fighting and looting afterwards, but they keep themselves in check, speaking gibberish to each other and boarding the lead and rear buses as well.

Zuzia takes Daniel’s arm gently, guiding him towards the bus as the Empresses lead the way. She whispers, “Brother… I have to know…”

He looks at her with his only eye, whispering in a low tone, “I waited a lot longer than ‘three’…”

She relaxes and sighs. “Thank you…”

The two board the bus and retake their seats.

Daniel continues, “The knights are more or less innocent, so I’m glad it didn’t come to a fight. But… I think… I owe you thanks.”

“Darn right you do, Mister Harbinger. Now, it turns into an international incident if they try anything else against me. I mean ‘us’. Or… ‘We’?”

“That was pretty smart!” replies Hekate. “I should have helped you dig the hole so they’d try to kidnap me! Heh heh heh!”

“Wouldn’t that have started something like an apocalypse instead?” asks Treia dryly.

“Huh!?” retorts Hekate dumbly. She points accusatorily at Zuzia as the buses start moving, “Zuzia was the one that we had to blow up half the world to save! And she almost did the same thing again!”

“Wha-!? Me!? Wait! I was already kidnapped! You were the one that was the walking superweapon trying to rescue me!”

Daniel looks to Sundenelle, “Sundenelle, will… anything I said be a problem?”

The albino Empress scoffs. “Well, it would be a lie for me to claim you made a new friend today. But, standing your ground was almost certainly the correct decision. Though it was absurd for King Harnavock to challenge me so openly, he probably hoped I would back down because the forces escorting me were not primarily my own.”

“And, that’s because you wouldn’t be blamed?” asks Hekate.

“Mostly,” replies Sundenelle with a smile turned towards her raven-haired counterpart. “I would still be at fault for employing the Fievegal’s forces in such a… mmm… well, mercenary fashion, since that’s the cover we went with. Because the Fievegal already… has minimal trust in the East, it is easier to challenge your authority.”

Zuzia points out correctly, “Hence the reason for Daniel getting aggressive, but not crossing the line was necessary. Authority can be as fragile as a wet napkin if you let people trample on it unopposed.” She gives Daniel a thumbs up and a big grin. “I’m proud of you, ‘big bro’.”

Daniel smirks at her patronizing teasing.

The young snow-haired Empress remarks, “Regardless… all of you, thank you… The compensation that we’ll be able to gain from Ahmpur, or the debt in its place, will be quite beneficial to the Empire directly, and the Fievegal by extension, at least so long as I am able to make use of it on your behalf.” She sighs and leans back. Sensing a moment of opportunity, she lays her head against Daniel’s shoulder suddenly, and she can hear her attendants at the front of the bus gasp, gaining new gossip, no doubt.

Daniel looks at her, and the young Empress adds, “Now… As for Baelok…”

Kaeralegier replies from her position floating lazily through the shuttle like an astronaut in a space shuttle, not that anyone has any context for that beyond Daniel and Zuzia, “Ryukana and Amala aren’t allowed to tell you this, but it’ll probably work.”

Everyone looks up at her, and Sundenelle asks, “Y-You mean… My Mo-..., er, ahem. You mean the Fievegal’s ‘Saint’?”

Kaeralegier smiles and nods. “Yep. The power comes from beyond this world, as you know it, which is why it requires a sacrifice. It’s an… old system in the World Management sense. Generally fine to be neglected.” She waves her hands dismissively as she floats along without a care in the world.

“Why did it work with me, then?” asks Daniel.

“That, I’m not sure of yet. Probably a glitch in the system, like… dividing by zero or something. The ‘system’ doesn’t know how to handle it. It’s also possible you and Madame Cthulhu shared the burden inadvertently, since it did obviously bother her quite a bit.” The fairy-like being snickers softly.

“Then… What else can you tell us? If it’ll work,... How many people… Do… Do they have to…”

“Daniel and Zuzia should understand this part. Crude as it is to compare, think of it like stamps on a letter. The more you’re trying to accomplish –the sheets of paper–, the more stamps you’ll need. But, if you put too many stamps on, the Lord of the snail mail isn’t going to give you stamps back, right?”

Sundenelle looks at Daniel’s face for clarification, and he says softly, “Most of the modern governments of Earth have a postal system that is… essentially prepaid. You buy the stamps, and each one covers a certain weight in each envelope.”

Zuzia adds, “So, you stick some paper in a paper envelope, slap some stickers on… oh, right. Uh, basically, it’d be like stamping your wax seal on, but they’re designed to stick on their own. The addressing system is a whole beast of its own, which makes it easy for regular people to send letters out.”

Daniel nods in agreement, while Wenlianna writes with a slight smile. She has learned to be relatively fluent at speaking English, even if she has an accent, so the English words that don’t yet have a direct translation are easy for her to sound out and scribble down.

Sundenelle clarifies, “So… if we have too few… sacrifices… then the spell won’t work. And, if we have too many, it won’t benefit us…”

“If you were to watch the spell as it forms, you’ll see how it evolves and gains power with each sacrifice,” adds Kaeralegier. “Of course, you have to ‘pay’ them all up front, so you’d have to be paying attention during the brief window of spell activation.”

“You couldn’t have told us any of this sooner?” asks Hekate. “We’ve had all kinds of things that…”

Kaeralegier snaps her fingers, “Nope,” interrupting Hekate, who stares up at her. “I can tell you now because it’s an obsolete system. If we start overusing it, we’ll become anomalies. And, I couldn’t tell you before because…” She clears her throat.

Daniel fills in for her, “You were still in hiding.”

When everyone looks at him, he adds, “If we suddenly knew how Byleathea’s power actually worked, it would be one of the three Goddesses, or angels, that we know told us; one of whom is on thin ice, one who is already on restricted duty, and the third who was in hiding.”

“When you say it like that, you make us sound like a bunch of failures!” complains Kaeralegier.

There are a few chuckles, and Daniel adds playfully, “No, no! That’s not it. More like… you all have… ‘circumstances’.”

She scowls at him, and Neith speaks up. “My Lady, if you can, how many sacrifices will it take to revive Lord Baelok?”

Kaeralegier strokes her chin, and her head bumps the ceiling of the bus. She whines, “Ow!”, pushing off of it gently to continue drifting. She replies to Neith’s question, “I don’t quite remember how it works, exactly. I remember there is math that can be done, and that was my first thought when I learned about Earth’s stamps, was how similar the idea was. But, you should assume that the number goes up the longer it takes. I think I remember something like that…”

“You don’t remember?” asks Treia.

“Hey! I’m mortal now. And, it’s not like World Managers have perfect memories anyways, we just experience time differently, and have resources to refresh our memories easily. I no longer have direct access to that part. In my time, we were allowed to explain these kinds of things to Earthlings, but then, you’d have Empires going to war over the ‘saint’ or the ‘Daughter of Fate’ or whatever other names they come up with, so anomalies arise. Imagine any one of the near-immortal races with sinister intentions getting hold of that power. Goblins, imps, and humans would be livestock to feed immortality and ‘immortal’ beings.” She scoffs, musing dryly as she looks off into the distance, “It’d make America’s fast food chains look like family-run humane societies.”

Everyone looks at Daniel or Zuzia, especially when Zuzia scoffs and chuckles. She’s the one to answer, “There were a few brands that opened ‘fast food restaurants’, where you could walk in and walk out with a meal in around five minutes. The most popular items were cheeseburgers and hamburgers by far, so… They obviously required a lot of livestock.”

“Obviously, because they became industries that each brand could probably rival the Stalvaltan family as it is now,” remarks Daniel. “They spread all over the world, further driving the demand for cattle to supply the beef.”

“Daniel…” murmurs Wenlianna.

“Aramellianna has an inside track on everything we’re doing already, especially since she’s basically our biggest investor. I’m not in a hurry to push the fast food industry before other, better food ideas, but… it was, at least when I was younger, an inexpensive and fast way to get a meal. That was part of the problem, it was so inexpensive, that people would overindulge.”

“Don’t forget all of the additives to basically make it addictive,” adds Zuzia. “Some of the ways they’d entice people to eat and drink the terrible stuff were diabolical… especially because they were so effective.”

“But, that’s all beside the point,” redirects Daniel. “Kaera, can you give us an estimate?”

She shrugs. “I know you’re trying to be humane about this whole thing, but you should probably assume at least ten people will be needed.”

Magnir speaks up this time. “Forgive me for speaking up, but my Lady, is there a number of ‘stamps’ that we can apply to share the load and everyone survives? You mentioned this may have been how Daniel and the Lurker each survived.”

“‘May have been’, yes. Key words. That’s why I’m also still assuming that it was an abnormal outcome. As such,...” She thinks, saying, “The artifact can be deadly if it’s cast without proper charging, as Mornistae discovered when they used it to summon Zuzia, by the sounds of it. But, if you have enough people to supply adequate mana…” She scratches her hair, saying, “But, then, I would remember telling people that… I think.” She points at Magnir, saying, “A great question, and one that deserved to be asked. But, I don’t know. It would probably take hundreds or thousands of people, even if you substituted some of that with every dragon, Yaulwembor, Hekate, all of the Uhl’tall, and Doephluev. And… if you don’t have enough to reach that threshold, or if it’s not actually built in, then everyone still dies, and you get the same effective result as the bare minimum required. It’s more explicit than the artifact, which I designed to be ‘charged’, rather than operated at will. The ‘Daughter of Fate’ power, as I understood it, was to be a ‘check and balance’ against itself. To deter its overuse by requiring sacrifice. The problem is, people are ambitious, and there are enough people in the world who will absolutely commit atrocities without question or remorse to benefit themselves. So, it was a destabilizing factor that was untenable, hence the knowledge being lost over time ‘conveniently’.”

“This is all very helpful,” replies Sundenelle. “Thank you, my Lady.” Sundenelle bows her head to the fairy-like former goddess.

Kaeralegier waves her hand and replies, “No worries, no worries. If I could give you the instruction manual,...” She winces and says apologetically, “Actually,... no. That kind of thinking got me into the trouble I was already in…” She scratches her cheek. “I would like to give you the instruction manual, but…” She looks at Daniel. “Daniel, you know what will happen, don’t you?”

The mechanic nods. “I don’t intend to use it any more than we have to, but…” Daniel takes a breath and sighs. “If we do all of this, we may make enemies of the primary religion on this continent.”

“You mean Herithania?” asks Veiranoei.

The mechanic nods. “If that is the most prominent church. I’ve noticed there isn’t a strong religious overtone in the few cultures I’ve experienced.”

Treia explains, “The church of Herithania is centered in its own standalone city, and they maintain a great deal of influence with many countries on the continent.”

Sundenelle nods, adding, “What sets them apart throughout history is that they have been the most welcoming of all races. Even during the Cleansing War, the church of Herithania stood with Mattarglos and the Empire, which helped us rally even more people to defending against those who sided with the human supremacist nations.”

“I’m going to say it right now,” remarks Daniel. “It’s ultimately the choice of my Empresses, but I would recommend against letting a church get too powerful within the Fievegal, and they should have absolutely no direct power within the state. I… hope you agree with this, Zuzia…”

Zuzia is thoughtful about it, and she replies, “You being the American in the room, I would hope people are allowed to practice freely…”

“Of course,” replies Daniel. “My only intent is to ensure they don’t gain enough influence to militarize against us. And, if need be, we may need to fight.”

Zuzia shrugs. “I hope the Fievegal does defend itself. That’s the right of any nation. The Crusades historically served a crucial purpose in protecting western culture, but I won’t pretend the Catholic and Christian churches haven’t had their own… checkered histories.”

Everyone looks to Daniel for the translation, and he just replies softly, “They’re religious denominations on Earth, both of which have prominent roles in the history of both of our homelands.”

Zuzia nods in agreement. She continues, “I believe in one and only one God, who is the creator of all things. It is said that it is my duty to spread this belief, and I would certainly willingly talk with anyone about these beliefs to try to encourage them to walk the path that I believe is the route to Heaven, God’s divine realm for when we pass on. But, I also believe more like Daniel’s homeland; that a person’s faith guiding them on a path of good and righteousness is more important than the specific names of everything they use to get there. So, if Herithania fills this role, and their followers don’t become aggressors, I have a duty to protect their right to coexist even more so than to ‘convert’ them to share my faith.” She then looks at Daniel, saying, “But, if they go all ‘All your base are belong to me’, then I’m not protecting them.” Zuzia adds quietly, “No nukes, though. Period.”

“Agreed,” replies Daniel sincerely. He never wants to offensively use nuclear weapons against people. The mana fire was his only exception because of how dire things were and how catastrophic the alternative would be. He still feels sick thinking about it, but he has to live with it so he can help stabilize the Fievegal. He adds a little lightheartedly, “And, I think it was ‘us’. Not ‘me’.”

Zuzia recoils in surprise at this. “No, that’s… not likely. What, do you think it was a bad translation or something?”

The two Earthlings stare at each other for approximately two seconds, and then they burst into laughter.

Wenlianna tugs on Daniel’s sleeve, pouting. “Mukori…”

Still laughing a bit, the American does his best to reply, “Sorry, I’m sorry, Mukori.”

“It’s not fair… You both have so much in common, even though I try…”

Hekate, Treia, and Sundenelle all nod in agreement at this.

Daniel takes in a breath and sighs slightly to calm himself down the rest of the way. He smiles and replies, “I know. But, that’s how our world worked, even in far away countries, the jokes and fun could spread far and wide with ease. I’ve only been here about two years. We’ll get there.”

She pouts a little more, but she leans against Daniel’s shoulder, resting her notebook on his lap to continue writing a few things.

Zuzia says apologetically, “I’m sorry, too, if it feels like I’m stepping on you ladies’ toes… It is nice to be able to talk so freely with someone who knows the jokes, too. But, I’ll try to figure out humor we all can laugh at. It’s only polite, and it’s more fun when everyone can laugh.”

Wenlianna smiles sincerely, looking at Zuzia. “I’d appreciate that, Zuzia. Thank you. But, I apologize if I made you feel guilty… I just wish I could catch up to the things you both know…”

“Not all of it is good, I’m sure.” Zuzia scratches her cheeks, and she mumbles, “They often called the internet ‘the rabbit hole’ for a reason.”

Daniel says ‘quietly’, but ensures everyone interested can hear, “I’ll explain that, too. But, because it comes from someone else’s story, it’ll take a while to explain.”

Sundenelle gets comfortable against Daniel’s other shoulder and Hekate plops down into his lap, causing him to grunt, “Oof!”

The albino Empress says what they’re all thinking, “Well, my Darling Fiance, while we are waiting for news of Baelok and resting, I see little to distract you from telling this story…”

Daniel chuckles, now that he’s pinned down and has no escape routes. “You’re going to get me murdered by the others…”

“Hey,” replies Treia with a shrug. “That’s the penalty for getting pregnant… And Doephluev doesn’t count.”

The archoneldwyn giggles as she relaxes in her own seat, rubbing her belly gently with a slight tightness to her face. But, she does seem to be trying not to draw attention to it, so Daniel will do his best to ask her in private.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll start the story. It’s actually one of my favorites. Daniel can explain the boring parts.” Zuzia gets comfortable and leans forward, and she scans the ladies and men in the bus.

Everyone is fine with Zuzia starting, and she begins with the opening lines of a classic English novel, though the rest is her paraphrased retelling with joy and passion. Daniel has been hesitant to simply rewrite or translate the fictions of Earth to Zenkon, since it would be unfair to the creatives of Zenkon, who are likely only lacking the exposure to reveal something great. There is, of course, no guarantee that popular tales from Earth would actually be popular on Zenkon, because the morals might be slightly askew or the translation might not capture the nuance.

But, at least for one peculiar tale of a girl who stumbles down into a fantastical world of her own, the story of her travels, and the rabbit hole that took her there, seems like it piques the interest of at least a few of the denizens of Zenkon.

Though, maybe it’s just how passionately Zuzia is about telling it; a tale of a young woman whisked away to a fantasy-like world and the strange and wondrous things she sees there…

***