Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 154. Rye Au Norm

The Lunarius of Aries stood and bowed from a distance. Ryusei returned the gesture with a respectful nod.

Once the catering had concluded, a hot green tea was placed in front of Aurelia. The earthy aroma reached her nose as she gently blew away the steam to cool it. Nearby, Sandria appeared engrossed in a conversation with the Lunarius and even chuckled occasionally at his charming remarks.

Aurelia narrowed her eyes at the interaction, then leaned toward Friederich with a mischievous grin. “Fried, you won this round!” she teased.

Her sudden remark caused Friederich to choke on his jasmine tea. He glared at her, dabbing his lips dry with clear annoyance.

“In what way?” he asked, folding his arms.

“Don’t play dumb now, genius! I mean you’re definitely the most handsome elf in this room,” Aurelia declared, muffling her laughter behind her hands.

“That’s absurd, Aurelia. Looks are meaningless. Only strength in magika arcana matters,” Friederich grumbled as Yammi refilled his cup with a smooth motion. He gave her a small nod of thanks. “He’s a Lunarius, while I’m just a Stellius. I’m severely outmatched.”

“No fun at all. I really hope you’ve ditched that inferiority complex of yours,” Aurelia said with a wink.

“What complex?” Friederich shot back, clearly unsettled. “I don’t have such a thing.”

“I just think you’re stronger than you believe,” Aurelia added, lifting a finger in emphasis. Friederich smiled internally, though his expression remained flat.

She continued, “Also, you should’ve enjoyed your youth a bit more. All you did was train. Yammi’s been pretty keen on courtship, you know. She’s hoping for a prince to whisk her away from this predicament.”

And that predicament is you, Friederich mused grimly.

He sighed, realising that despite her recent leadership, Aurelia still retained her adolescent curiosity and fascination with romance.

“Anyway, let’s visit Zetius once we’ve finished here,” he suggested. Aurelia nodded with renewed vigour.

Suddenly, the heavy sound of boots echoed through the room as the entrance doors swung open. A burly man clad in a crimson admiral’s uniform strode in, escorting a striking reptilian Wildren lady. She gestured for her guards to remain outside and took her place on the opposite side of the table. Behind her, the flag of Thylin, featuring a giant coiled python, was prominently displayed.

With all parties now present, Ryusei signalled everyone to rise for the ceremonial opening. He delivered a formal speech, welcoming the delegates and expressing his gratitude for their attendance. He then introduced the key figures of Solis Aeternum before inviting the others to speak.

Willhelm stepped up to the central podium, his movements light and deliberate. He leaned into the microphone with an easy charm.

“My name is Willhelm Mae Arden, Lunarius of Aries, 3rd Division. I stand here today representing the remnants of Germund and, more importantly, as the Ministry of Warmonger under Astral Empress Aurora Vere Borealis.”

Following him, the burly man with a neatly trimmed beard stood and introduced himself.

“I’m Admiral Lume Amber Lorne of Solis Aeternum’s flagship, the Yamamoto Battlecruiser, and the Ministry of Energy.” His rough presence was commanding, his stature even greater than that of his daughter, Astrid.

Lastly, the Wildren woman approached the podium with a graceful, theatrical bow.

“Greetings, Prime Minister, Princess, and the esteemed subjects of Solis Aeternum. It is my greatest honour to be here. I am Rye Au Norm, the High Magnus of Thylin.”

She wore a tailored dark grey business suit adorned with a stylish diamond pattern. Her hair was tied in a loose flower bun, secured with an ornate platinum snake pin. Her piercing emerald eyes swept the room like a predator’s, and the crystalline scales on her neck shimmered as they caught the light.

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Once the introductions concluded and the guests returned to their seats, a hologram projected above the podium, displaying a detailed strategic map of the Orien continent.

Thylin lay to the west of Namvie, the nation recently obliterated by a catastrophic explosion. The aftermath had triggered widespread fear and unrest.

The map used colour to denote political control: red for Dunkelheit, blue for Osten, and various others for neutral or allied factions. Thylin, like Namvie, was painted in red.

To Thylin’s south, a vast dock connected its eastern seaboard industrial estates to the ocean. This region, home to manufacturing and battlecruiser fabrication, had sustained its economy through mass assembly production of Armatus mobile suits.

Rye placed her hand gently on Admiral Lume’s arm. “I must say, Solis Aeternum is a remarkable fusion of Arcana and machines. I passed several ArcHarm hardware on my way in. But strangely, your Arc barrier generators weren’t made by mechanii.”

Lume stiffened slightly but offered a courteous chuckle. “Our flagship is the crowning achievement of our nation. A marvel we take great pride in.”

Her eyes gleamed as she leaned closer. “Would you mind if we had a look at its schematics? For science, of course.”

Lume rubbed the back of his neck. “High Magnus, I’d love to oblige… if only it weren’t classified.”

Under the table, Aurelia jabbed Friederich with her elbow. “Succubus! Why is she flirting with someone’s dad?” she whispered.

The elf exhaled in exhaustion.

Ryusei cleared his throat, rescuing his admiral from further indiscretions. “High Magnus Rye, may I redirect us to the matter at hand? You’re here to negotiate a new alliance, are you not?”

Rye nodded, tapping her tablet. “Here is the current status report.”

With a swipe of her long, sharp fingernails, she beamed the file to each console and ring interface in the room.

“My deepest condolences to the citizens of Namvie. May their passage to the underworld be peaceful,” Ryusei said softly and gave a solemn nod.

Meanwhile, Aurelia quickly skimmed through the report with due diligence, her brow furrowing. Something isn’t right... she thought, though she remained quiet, listening intently to the guest.

“Right! That leads me to my next point,” Rye continued. “As much as I respect our former alliance with the Dunkelheit Empire, I cannot condone the actions of the Astral Empress. One might ask, how could I sleep soundly, knowing my country could be next to erupt into flames, just as Namvie did?”

Her ribbon-like tongue flicked out briefly.

Admiral Lume nodded in agreement, his fingers laced and resting on the desk. They exchanged a brief, lingering glance before looking away.

“I do believe your shift in allegiance is justified, especially considering how fractured Dunkelheit has become,” Ryusei said, his eyes closed in thought.

“Thank you!” Rye beamed, placing her hand over her chest. “I knew you’d be the one to see reason.”

“Now, moving on to our next challenge…” Rye said as she tapped on her tablet with enthusiasm.

“Huh? Challenge? Just say problem,” Aurelia muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the businesswoman.

The holographic map displayed Dunkelheit forces advancing from the north, conquering nation after nation. The timelapse suggested that their dominion by force would reach Rye’s borders sooner or later.

“Full disclosure, Prime Minister,” Rye began. “Despite our manufacturing capacity, our defence capabilities are lacking. We previously relied on Dunkelheit-deployed knights for protection.”

“This means your alliance with us comes at the cost of our defence,” Sandria said, finally speaking up. Her tone was sharp. “Let me ask directly, why didn’t you request protection from the Osten Empire?”

“Oh! I almost didn’t recognise you, System Director Sandria Meinhardt,” Rye replied, her glare sharp. “How ironic. We’re both mechaniis by birth, and now we’re here, pleading for Solis Aeternum’s protection.”

Insufferable woman, Aurelia thought, biting her tongue. Now was not the time to cause a scene. Ryusei noticed her discomfort and gently brushed her shoulder in quiet reassurance.

Willhelm finally raised his hand and spoke, “I can understand why she’d turn to you, Ryusei-sama. The Osten nations are also under pressure, surrounded by barbarian warbands. Though less coordinated, they’ve become unpredictable. Each Platinum and Gold Knight seems to have their own agenda.”

He exhaled and continued, “They wouldn't be able to spare a warmongering mage for another nation. Still, if you're willing to wait, Astral Empress Aurora will ensure your security.”

Rye took a deep breath. “If I can wait. That’s the problem,” she said grimly. “By waiting, I risk Thylin being raided. Have I not already shown you the threats creeping along the southern Orien continent?” Her voice rose, edged with urgency.

Ryusei leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Then speak your desire, High Magnus Rye.”