Trapped in Another World With No Magic
Chapter 173: Golden Feathers

~Hey Dear Readers! I am finally updating the cover to the official cover, which should go live soon. The artwork for the cover and additional images were done by the wonderful artist CherryInTheSun, who can be found on many websites including Patreon, Pixiv, Deviantart, Facebook, Gumroad, and X (Twitter), among others, I'm sure. Please check out her other work!

And, please enjoy this image of Daniel and Hekate!

Now, on with the story!~

***

Once upon a time, there was a young man who lived on a farm, working for the owner. Every night, he ate only hard brown bread and thin vegetable soup, and the water he drank always smelled like mud.

One day, while tending to the vegetable plot alongside his fellow farmers, the man noticed a bright glint that couldn't be ignored. Exhausted and weary of farming, the young man decided to take a look.

His breath slipped away as he approached the cause of the metallic light.

Nestled in the weeds near a small creek was a seemingly simple feather.

It was a simple little feather made of gold.

The man couldn't believe it. He would never accept such a thing if he hadn't seen a gold coin with his own eyes.

The feather was truly made of that most precious of metals. It even felt like a soft, wiry metal between his fingers.

Afraid his treasure would be stolen, the man kept it hidden in his clothes until he could go into town.

Using the money he got from the feather, the young farmer bought himself a lavish meal of hearty meat, the finest fruits, and the tastiest baked desserts. Even after gorging himself to his heart’s content, he still had plenty of money to eat like that for many more days to come.

However, that wasn’t enough. He still had to go home to a shabby little shack on the owner’s land near dozens more shanties forming a quaint and unremarkable hamlet. Not all of his neighbors were quiet, and after barely sleeping on his hard and uncomfortable bed surrounded by noise, he had to exhaust himself in the fields making the owner richer while he and the others lived in squalor.

The man wanted more. So, he returned to the place where he found the first feather, and he searched and searched. He investigated every sparkle, every tinge of yellow, and every bird flapping in the trees. For days, he found nothing, but he refused to give up. If he could have just one, no maybe two more feathers, he could move away from that wretched farm and live a better life.

And finally, the day came. The man found a cluster of five feathers, which shocked him to no end. He scooped them all up and searched thoroughly around the area.

But, those five feathers were all he found.

Fortunately, his wealth was now secured. The man exchanged the feathers for money, and in turn, he bought his own plot of land and a house to go with it.

Now, he was a master of his own small domain.

The man lived as he pleased for many days, using the money he gained from the golden feathers to finally thrive.

Eventually, though, he realized it still wasn’t enough.

The man had a house, land, and ate luxurious meals every day. But, he didn’t have servants, and he didn’t have a wife or children.

Realizing that he would need even more money to hire servants, and more still to please a wife and children, the man headed back to the place where he found the feathers.

Unfortunately, this was on the land of the owner he worked for. He neither wanted to be accused of trespassing and barred forever, nor for his secret to be discovered.

Thus, the man snuck to the woods in the dead of night, and he searched in the dark as best as he could.

Just as time was running out and the sun was starting to rise, a glint catching the morning rays signalled the grown man towards his deserved fate.

There, the man found a new surprise. In addition to ten golden feathers, the farmer found an egg made of solid gold, just like the feathers. He was enraptured by the find, unable to look away as it glimmered in the beautiful morning sun.

However, noise coming from the direction of the farm snapped him out of his trance. He was out of time, so the man scooped up the egg and ten feathers and retreated, sneaking off of the owner’s land and returning to his own home.

Now, he could buy all the things necessary to truly live the life he wanted.

And, so it went. The former farmer bought a larger house in the city, filled it with servants, and met a beautiful wife at social events meant only for the most wealthy and elegant people. The man was well on his way to the top, and it was all thanks to the mysterious bird that shed feathers and laid eggs each of gold.

The man lived happily with his opulence, now with a mansion in the city, the most extravagant of meals, the most beautiful wife, and most recently, a son and a daughter whom he loved.

But as before, that feeling started to come back.

It wasn’t enough.

As his family grew, the man realized that he should have more. More to ensure no one ever looks down on or takes advantage of his children, who are the heirs to all that is his.

He didn’t want to be remembered as a poor man, nor did he want to be forgotten because he still didn’t have enough.

So, the man waited until he could sneak back onto the owner’s land and searched for signs of the bird once more.

He searched high and low, but time ran out, and he had to return.

Day after day, he would sneak away from his own home and onto the land of the owner, who was now growing older and wearier.

Deep in the woodlands of the owner’s plot of land, the former farmer turned nobleman found a single golden feather.

One single feather wouldn’t be enough, though. So, the man continued his search, eventually finding another feather, and another.

After following a seemingly sparsely marked trail of golden feathers, the man arrived at a cliff. When he peered over the cliff’s edge, his eyes met the most glorious sight in all of his life.

Just below the top of the cliff where he was lying prone to peer over the lip, the man could see a nest filled with ten glistening golden eggs. 

Yes, ten golden eggs, and all of the feathers he could carry.

The man didn’t want to risk anyone else finding the nest before him, so he carefully climbed down the cliff to retrieve the eggs and the feathers, and he carried the whole nest back up to the top. Once he had his treasures, the man returned home and began his preparations.

With the massive wealth he obtained from the feathers, the man created his own kingdom; the rightful seat of himself and his family. Now, he was the most powerful and unforgettable man in a territory all his own, and he had plenty to leave to his children when the time were to come.

Yes, he had all of the things a man could ever want; wealth, power, family, prestige, honor, and dignity.

Still, the man knew one thing. There was more that could be had.

To ensure that he never needed more again, the man made a realization that he should have come to a long time ago.

The king needed to capture the bird, and he would have an endless supply of gilded feathers and golden eggs.

The man couldn’t be certain that he could trust anyone with his secret, though. What if someone tries to steal the bird? What if someone tries to kill it out of spite for him? What if the ones searching demand he split the wealth from the bird evenly amongst them all?

No, the farmer-turned-king would need to capture the bird himself, lest he lose it and the wealth it brings to one of his servants.

So, the man headed for the owner’s land. He was a king now, so there was no need for him to sneak in. He would need to keep his actions secret, but no one would dare question him.

And so, the man searched high and low once more. He found feathers from the bird, confirming that it still lives in the area. He leaves them, as he’ll have no need for individual feathers in due time.

The man who became king found pieces of golden shell, but he ignored those as well. The pieces were broken, and collecting every little piece was too much trouble. Not when he was going to have whole eggs readily available soon enough.

The man continued following the clues in his search for the golden bird. After all these years of collecting its feathers and eggs, he has never seen the bird itself.

In spite of that, fortune decides to smile upon him once more.

Circling ahead of him at a lax pace is an unmistakably beautiful bird with plumage that shimmers in the sunlight. And, its tail feathers are even larger and more extravagant than any of the wing and body feathers the king has found so far.

It is truly the most majestic of creatures, and it’s just ahead of him. If he can simply catch it, he’ll have all he could ever want and more.

The man walks towards the bird with his hands up, trying to not be threatening while it circles lazily just ahead of him. One step at a time.

The captivating golden down of the majestic avian looks just as beautiful and luscious as can be, and the tail looks easily ten times the value of even the eggs.

Just a little closer, and the man would make the bird his own.

It seemed to be unafraid of him, circling at his head level just a few yards ahead of him.

The man kept his pace calm and his eyes fixed on the bird. He could already imagine the many things he would buy once he had it in his hands.

And before he could even grab a single down feather from the bird, he found something far more important.

The cliff where the bird built its nest.

In the weeks that followed, rumors reached a small corner of the world about a kingdom founded on its own internal wealth collapsing as the money was embezzled and its royal family disappeared.

No one knew the name of the king whose kingdom was falling apart, and because his reign was only a couple of years, there are few historical records, and none regarding his achievements.

He was all but forgotten, save for one aging old gentleman who placed a bundle of flowers on a simple gravemarker at the bottom of a cliff. Above him, a peculiar bird with golden plumage sits in its nest on the cliffside, while a single feather floats down to the old man.

He holds his palm out, and the feather lands atop his outstretched hand. Since it came so easily, he decides to keep it, but as always, he pursues nothing more than that.

As the owner of the land upon which the bird chooses to live, the old man can always find another if he needs it, but he has enough, and is content with that.

***

Erimaya finishes telling the story about the golden feathers and the man who pursued them, and the blonde woman with metallic gold horns and a reptilian tail ponders the story as the shuttle flies them towards Fort Peony, where they’ll rendezvous with the rest of the Fievegal. Thymeria also tagged along, but Gold got the secret message to be mindful of her.

That said, the blonde dragon scratches her chin as she thinks. “Interesting…”

“Right? It’s a fun story, but also a little silly.”

“Of course it’s silly,” retorts Heralesse. “No one would simply walk off a cliff because he was distracted by a bird. That’s just dumb.”

“It wasn’t a bird,” replies Gold quietly.

“What was that?”

“It’s interesting that the story changed as much as it did,” remarks the dragon cryptically.

“What are you talking about?” asks Heralesse with a little frustration in her voice.

“M-My Queen,” remarks the knight that was with Heralesse when she was captured. “It may be prudent to…”

“I’ve spent weeks chatting with Lady Gold and the Goblin Queens,” retorts the young blonde. “I have a great deal of admiration for them, and I have been routinely reassured that I need not be so formal.”

Hekate, sitting next to Erimaya, stretches as she yawns. “If I cried every time titles and words were the weapon of choice, I’d be a pretty weak Empress. Heck, I wouldn’t have survived being a slave.” She uses her hands to adjust her tail under her dress, which is one of her more elaborate ones. They’ll only have the airship to get dressed for the meeting, which means Aramellianna’s serving ladies will be working double-time to try to get everyone squared away.

Especially considering what’s in the cargo hold courtesy of the golden dragon.

“Ahem.” A soft throat clearing draws attention to Doephluev, who says without looking up from her own relaxation in her seat. “You’re not an Empress today, Hekate. I am. Or, should we discuss…”

“Ugh!” groans Hekate, glaring at the archoneldwyn. “I’m never gambling against you again!”

The others snicker, and Doephluev returns to the prior conversation. “Lady Gold, I’m curious as well. What did you mean that the story wasn’t about a bird? I had assumed it was a simple tale of fiction to teach a moral.”

“Well, then, it mirrors everything else.” She crosses her arms, thinking deeply. “His kingdom wouldn’t have lasted long anyways. He didn’t use any of his wealth to actually develop the kingdom’s economy, and it was small, so there wasn’t much chance of an enduring legacy.” The somewhat crass dragon starts seemingly scratching behind her, and Heralesse grimaces a little, the only one of the group who still experiences culture-clash when she’s exposed to things that violate her expectations for etiquette.

However, Gold isn’t simply scratching herself. She presents one of her own scales, now obviously taken from her tail. It has a sort of ‘feather’ shape, but much more obviously resembles a fish scale in how they attach and plate themselves in the dragon’s true form.

“How could anyone mistake a scale for a feather?” asks Hekate dryly. “And, are you saying it was you that made a guy walk off a cliff?”

“I didn’t make anyone do anything,” retorts Gold grumpily. “And, I don’t know how or why the story became about feathers.” Her sassiness dissolves, and she softly explains, “But, when I was… trying to be away from it all… I may or may not have lived in the east on some noble’s land. He discovered me pretty quickly, but he never pestered me. He just left me alone, and would sometimes even lead one of his livestock out to me. It was kind of nice, so, I occasionally… incinerated his enemies for him. You know, when his land was being invaded by larger nobles because of nonsense proxy wars and territory disputes that he got caught up in.”

“The fire god…” murmurs Erimaya.

“What?” asks Heralesse, looking at her sister.

“THE FIRE GOD!” exclaims the young Princess. “The story about… I think it’s the… uh… hmm… Fendle… Fember… It’s a family that collapsed before we were born, but I read a story about them. They were a human noble family that started in Bromlund, and it’s said that a fire god protected their lands. Because they had good farmland and a pristine lake and rivers, many higher nobles tried to corner them in various territorial wars as ‘allies of this family’ or ‘betrayed the long-held trust of our ancestors’.”

“‘Fendle’ sounds kind of familiar… I don’t remember. The landowner never tried to talk to me, because he probably didn’t realize I could talk.” remarks Gold as she thinks back on her memories.

“What about the eggs, then?” asks Hekate. “Did you really let a human steal your eggs? I thought… I… Um…”

Gold gives a distant smile. While it has a sincerity and gentleness to it, behind that smile are hundreds of years of pain. “They were indeed eggs made of gold,” replies the dragon. “I had an abundance of gold, but no real treasure, so… I made one for myself. One that would never suffer, never cry, and never…” She trails off, clenching her hands into fists as she resists the memories that are flooding in.

“Are… your scales really made of gold?” asks Erimaya as she holds the one Gold handed to her.

“Hmm? Oh. No. I don’t think so, at least. They don’t melt like gold does. But, they’re true gold-colored dragon scales. I would be shocked if they didn’t sell as well or better than the same amount of actual gold. One thing humans and dragons have always had in common; we like shiny things.”

Everyone shares a warm laugh at that. 

“So… you’re telling me that the story we’ve been told since we were born… is just a story that involved you, a noble family from Bromlund, and someone else?” asks Heralesse. “Isn’t that a little too convenient?”

“Mm-hmm, I can’t argue that. But, it’s the truth. I wasn’t flying in circles, I was just lounging in the air. Like this.”

The dragon stands up, and she casts magic on herself, making herself weightless. Even with the shuttle moving, she stays relatively in the same position, only bumping lightly into the seat as everyone watches in astonishment.

“Lounging with levitation magic is actually really great for the body, especially for relaxing. Plus, if you aren’t wearing any clothes, you don’t have to worry about, ahem ‘powdering your nose’ and making a mess of yourself.”

“Gross…” grumbles Doephluev.

Gold grins at this, since she’s the fastest to have gotten what the dragon means. 

“Wait! You went around naked!?” whines Hekate.

The archoneldwyn gives her a dumbfounded look, retorting, “She’s a dragon…”, as if it should have been completely obvious.

However, Gold makes Doephluev look about equally as much of a fool as Hekate when she replies, “Well, in human form, I’m less likely to be confronted. And, when I learned about someone sneaking onto Lord Fendle-whatever’s land and stealing the scales I left for him, I was ready to mess with him.” The dragon lasciviously strokes her own body, sliding her hands across her breasts and down to her hips to emphasize her curves and mature beauty that could definitely attract a man’s attention with relative ease. Thankfully, she’s wearing a dress at present, so it’s not as lewd as her story implies. “I did expect him to drool over me if I was floating around naked like some forest lurewaifs, but…” She looks to the side, even as she continues to float in front of the group. “I didn’t think he’d be so dense as to miss the cliff he’d already seen once.”

“Couldn’t you have rescued him?” asks Thymeria.

Gold shrugs a little callously. “By the time I realized it was happening, he was half-way to the ground. I might have been able to summon wind, but he was also stealing from the guy that was gracious enough to leave me alone and make peaceful offerings from time to time. I’m a dragon, not a god or a hero. If it was my land specifically, I would have incinerated him the first time he snuck on after running away without paying his debts.” She scoffs, waving her hand dismissively in the air. “Flanders was too nice, if you ask me. He just chuckled warmly whenever that fool’s kingdom was brought up, and he had the decency to bury the fool and pay respects even into his late years.” The dragon cups her chin as she lets herself sink back into her seat. “I wonder if Mr. Nice has any descendants floating around out there. I wouldn’t mind telling them some stories about their ancestor and his children. We may never have spoken directly, but he did like to sit in my presence and regale me with his tales of business and farming, who was picking fights around his territory… I had half a mind to appear before him in my human form, but I never did.”

“If you want…” starts Heralesse without looking at the dragon. “I… suppose we can research what happened to that family. It should be pretty easy for us… A-As long as we know where the territory was located.”

Gold smirks deviously. “Myyy… What’s the occasion?”

“Y-... You’ve been a gracious host and taught me a great many things the Fievegal is doing that I should be able to help Mornistae prosper with. Confirming a historical fact is a trifle in comparison.”

Erimaya giggles. “It should be quite easy to find, anyways. It’s the territory that was once protected by the fire god. There can’t be too many of those that sound like ‘Fendle’ or ‘Flanders’ or ‘Fember’.”

“T-True,” admits the elder sister.

“How funny would it be if it was ‘Phenglegorn’,” jokes Hekate with a cheeky grin.

“Who’s that?” asks Erimaya.

“Hmm? I’m surprised you don’t know. It’s Aramellianna’s family that she came from.”

This surprises the two Mornistae nobles. Because of both Grand Duke Yaandrestarr’s and Aramellianna’s personal strength and influence, no one ever spoke of Aramellianna’s origins. This should have been a red flag, because now that she thinks of it, Heralesse never met any of Aramellianna’s extended family.

“S-So… the Grand Duchess… is from another country?” asks Heralesse in disbelief.

“If Phenglegorn isn’t a family lived in Mornistae,” replies Hekate, barely understanding noble society herself.

“Wh-Why would the Grand Duke…?” Heralesse only met the man himself a couple of times, and she never had an extended conversation with him. He passed away before the young blonde’s social debutante ball, and Grand Duchess Aramellianna made a powerful impression as if she had always been the sovereign lord of the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy. 

Political marriages are among the core of noble society as well. Heralesse was married to Rikuto in order to tie him to the kingdom, while Erimaya was pledged to the high ranking noble family who was originally promised Heralesse’s hand. It has been and always will be her duty to keep and sustain powerful allies as the Princess and Queen of Mornistae, but she has come to admire and care for Rikuto, even if she doesn’t agree with what has happened in recent days. She even left without telling him in order to speak with Aramellianna, only to be caught in the beginning stages of the Fievegal’s occupation of the Stalvaltan territory, which she came to learn was welcomed by the Grand Duchess and the majority of the Stalvaltan citizens.

What is less common, but not completely non-existent, are political marriages between different kingdoms. If the Grand Duke chose such a woman from outside of Mornistae…

“How do you know about any of that?” asks Doephluev skeptically.

“Hmmm? You didn’t know? You should know about your husband’s extended family if you’re going to claim to be his wife, shouldn’t you?” The feldrok girl mocks her archoneldwyn rival, and Doephluev scowls at her. 

After a moment of enduring Hekate’s taunting, though, Doephluev makes a realization. “It was sheer dumb luck that you happened to be present to learn that, wasn’t it?”

Hekate’s tail and ears give her away to even the most unobservant onlooker when they twitch suddenly and violently, and her eyes go wide, avoiding looking at the pseudo-elf. “Wh-Wh-What? What could you possibly mean? I know everything about Daniel.”

Doephluev sighs, retorting with a dry smirk of her own this time. “Is that a bet?”

“Y-...!” Hekate instinctively starts to accept the challenge, but she manages to catch herself for once, quickly changing to, “No! Never again! You won’t trick me so easily, Doephluev!”

Everyone laughs warmly at Hekate’s frustrated ranting, and Gold muses aloud while the two Empresses bicker with each other, “It would be a long, winding twist of fate if Aramellianna is the one, though. Do find out for me at the earliest opportunity.” She looks at Erimaya and Heralesse, and the Princess looks at her elder sister in turn.

Heralesse groans, not wanting to start a battle about Erimaya’s intent NOT to return, but also more than happy to keep her own promise made moments ago. “Of course, Lady Gold. Even if I have to ride a letter to the nearest point of contact myself, I shall get you the answer.”

“Sounds good. Though, hopefully, we can simply set up regular messenger routes with Mornistae after all this is over.”

“Yes… I really hope it all works out,” agrees the young Queen.

***

Skloe jogs up the hallway of the Citadel’s upper levels quickly, searching both sides with an urgency. Shek meets her outside of their shared quarters, which is a luxurious stateroom once belonging to the ancient feldroks that ruled the Citadel, but has now been turned into an entire multi-room suite for the two Goblin Queens and their six children.

“Did you find them, Skloe!?” asks Shek urgently.

“No! They’re not in any part of the hallway. C-Could they have gotten into one of the private quarters?”

“I’m not sure… Xyreko? Are you listening?”

The golem caretaker appears in a modest flash of light. “Yes. I am conducting a sweep of the Citadel floor by floor, but as you know, goblins are challenging to detect. I believe the Princesses have become aware of this.”

“They’re so young!” complains Skloe. “Why would they do this?”

The three are quiet for a moment. Since the birth of the six goblin children who all share one father, the interactions between him and four of the six has been fairly limited, since they have only just begun to talk and move around as much. In contrast, Daniel seems to have an unending soft spot for Jieka and Tekten, such that anytime he returns to the Citadel, he ensures to make time to play with them until they’re exhausted and fall asleep. As such, because he is surprisingly energetic, and he seems to have a special sense for how to communicate with them, the two princesses have grown strongly attached to him.

“C-Can… Would they have been able to get onto the shuttle with Hekate, Gold and the others?” asks Shek.

“I would like to think even Lady Gold wouldn’t be so reckless as to sneak them aboard without telling anyone,” replies Xyreko. “Same with Hekate. She might have been convinced by the girls, but she would tell everyone that she’s doing it, rather than trying to hide it.”

“What if… What if they were kidnapped?” asks Skloe urgently.

Xyreko clenches her fists. “This is my fault… I wrongly assumed they would be safe on the upper floors.” She tries to think, and Shek adds, “It is our fault, too… We relied too much on the security of our quarters, and that they were both sound asleep…”

“I’ll ask Lady Ryukana for help,” states Xyreko. “She is often limited in how far she can go, but she might be able to at least tell us where they are.”

Shek and Skloe worriedly nod in agreement, and the golem caretaker vanishes.

She reappears at the entrance to Ryukana’s personal space, and she knocks on the door.

The door opens, commanded by magic, and Ryukana is inside, meeting with someone who possesses beautiful features like her, but a much more timid expression. Her hair is also a pretty dual-tone coloring with orange and a shade of violet that immediately reminds Xyreko of a sunset.

“Xyreko. It’s rare for you to contact me. Is something wrong?”

“I do hate to interrupt, but it is rather urgent. Princesses Jieka and Tekten are missing. I was hoping you might be able to help us find where they are before something happens to them.”

“The timing works out. Don’t misunderstand, I’ll help without a trade, but I also would like you to ask Daniel for help on my friend’s behalf.”

Xyreko studies the timid woman for a moment. Normally, Xyreko has some idea of everyone that comes and goes from the Citadel, especially now that the checkpoints have been established at the outer wall, which is where Shek and Skloe normally work performing their internal affairs and logistics for the various villages being constructed in the Fievegal’s territory.

More strange is the fact that Ryukana has friends outside of the Fievegal’s inner circle. That said, if she’s who and what Xyreko thinks she is, then it’s none of the former-dattakorien’s business, as she should be quite safe for Daniel and his allies.

“Of course. I have no reason to believe your taste in friends to be faulty,” remarks Xyreko warmly, dipping her head respectfully. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Madame. I am Xyreko, the Prime Minister of the Fievegal and the Caretaker of the Citadel, though my titles matter little to me other than to describe my duties.”

“Oh! Um, I’m…” The sunset-haired woman glances at her violet-haired counterpart. Ryukana gives a gentle nod, and the woman continues, “Amalaskae. Before anything else, I’m… Ryukana’s friend.”

“Very well.” The cryptic answer somewhat confirms Xyreko’s suspicions, which is fine by her. She knows just enough to know not to pry. If they wished to be worshipped and revered, they would not hide their status nor their existence at large. But, Ryukana has confirmed that it’s preferable, especially if they are to make their presences known, that it is in extreme isolation to prevent people from trying to capture, pervert, or otherwise harm the divine extra-worldly beings. To give such tangible identity to them is to make them people who can be defeated and conquered, whether such a thing is actually possible.

And, given Kaeralegier’s state, it’s extremely possible, it seems.

“What is it that Lady Amalaskae needs help with?” asks the golem caretaker politely.

“Before that,...” Ryukana closes her eyes like she’s meditating, but even she is surprised when a new being appears in front of her in a kneel. “My Lady Ryukana. Permission to speak.”

“G-Go ahead Graham,” replies the goddess.

The kneeling man, who has a strange, semi-human appearance to him as well, but not quite as divine as the two goddesses, bows his head. “Lady Caretaker, the princesses snuck aboard the shuttle bound for the negotiations. I only happened to witness it myself.”

“And, you are…?”

“He is one of my assistants,” replies Ryukana, a little unsure with her own answer. “Though, I had assumed… you all would be assisting Amalaskae now. Or if not,... have returned.”

“I and my compatriots have not received any such orders, my Lady. As such, we are still pledged in service to you. We shall assist you as we see fit.”

Ryukana glances at Amalaskae, who is just as surprised. She seems to know what the man is, but wasn’t expecting to meet him.

“Carefully begin observing the Grand Prince of the Empire. For the moment, he should still be located at Mornistae. Keep me and Amalaskae apprised of Zuzia’s status. And, include Xyreko as well. Lady Xyreko, I trust you’ll relay this information to the Fievegal’s leadership on our behalf, just to prevent any confusion or cluttering of information.”

“Yes, of course. If I’m not mistaken, Zuzia is the newest otherworlder summoned to Zenkon?”

“Y-Yes,” replies Amalaskae sheepishly. Again, Xyreko’s suspicions are being all but completely and overtly confirmed, but she pays it no mind. She doesn’t need to know something above her ‘paygrade’, as Daniel sometimes jokingly puts it.

“And… she’s been captured?” confirms the sentient golem.

“Y-... Yes…” whispers the new goddess of Zenkon.

“I see. If the situation becomes more urgent, inform me at once. I cannot guarantee we can rescue her in an instant, but Daniel will almost certainly authorize a strike mission, which I can deploy to Mornistae almost instantly. For anything else, we will need time.”

Amalaskae bows her head rather easily. “Thank you! I’m counting on you to save her! But, I understand rash actions will only make things worse. So, please… Act safely and securely. Just save her.”

“You have my word,” replies Xyreko. “Even if, which he won’t, my Master refuses.”

Amalaskae drops to her knees, and now the suspicions of her being a goddess are shaky, now being replaced with her simply being an extremely intimate companion to the newest otherworlder. As with the goddess suspicions, though, it is peculiar, not Xyreko’s business.

***