Chapter 59: The Mechanic's Castle

Chapter 59: The Mechanic's Castle

Wenlianna marvels at the size of the titanic ancient castle rumored of in stories, standing seems as tall as a mountain and with doorways fit for dragons. She murmured, “What size... Who could build something like this?”

Her sisters are crowded around the window as well, and Yormollett murmurs, “Dragons... It has to have been dragons, right?”

“Are we sure we should be coming here?” asks Yanidere nervously. “What if the rumors about the dragons conquering this place are true? Won't they... eat us?”

“I asked if you wanted to return,” replies Aramellianna calmly. “I trust the words of Commander Leiwelles. If Daniel is the ruler here, we owe him an apology for the misunderstanding. And, we only stand to gain if we can also ally ourselves with the dragons, as opposed to being their enemies.”

They pass the threshold of the outer wall surrounding the mountain-like castle, and they all retreat away from the windows of the carriage.

The town surrounding the castle is full of demon-kin of all walks of life and many sizes. There are dozens of goblins, ranging from adults to children, and even female goblins carrying infants. There are ogres, oni, feline dattakoriens, and even greater demons. Beasts of burden are humongous and threatening looking, including drakes, berrwocks, and species that none of them can even guess at.

It's a lively little town full of demon-kin, and while they observe the carriage, they make no aggressive moves towards them.

Additionally, every few yards, there is a pair of metallic-looking soldiers holding strange staves as they stand like statues, guarding the way from either side.

“I guess... it's too late now, isn't it?” asks Yanidere a little dryly.

No one replies as they silently ride into the courtyard of the inner perimeter of the Citadel. One of the metallic soldiers not carrying a staff approaches the carriage, and the knights escorting them ask, “Can we help you?”

“Welcome to the Citadel,” speaks the being with a somewhat hollow-sounding male voice. “I am known as Ucahote, General of the Fievegal's National Guard. I regret to admit that my lord and lady, as well as our Prime Minister, have yet to return, but I was told to expect your arrival, Grand Duchess Aramellianna. I have already taken the liberty of preparing personal quarters for you and your family, as well as a bath. Dinner will be served in two hours, and there are comestibles in your quarters if you are unbearably loved. Please, allow me to greet the Grand Duchess and escort you all inside.”

The Stalvaltan Guard looks at Aramellianna, still inside the carriage, and she nods. He opens the door, allowing the Grand Duchess to step down, and her daughters follow.

The metallic being bows, “Grand Duchess Aramellianna, it is my pleasure to meet you. As I have said, I am Ucahote, General of the National Guard. Please do not be alarmed by your surroundings. Empress Hekate has forbidden the harming of humans and human-kin except in self-defense. All races are welcome here, and all are forbidden from violence. Come. I’ll give you a brief tour.”

“Mother...” murmurs Wenlianna. “It’s... a golem.”

“I know, Darling. We shall treat lord Ucahote with respect regardless.” She curtsies. “We apologize for arriving unannounced. However, we were unsure how to make an official request for audience, and our business is urgent. May we speak with Empress Hekate and Emperor Daniel as soon as possible?”

Ucahote cocks his head. “‘Emperor’ Daniel?”

Aramellianna nods. “Grave mistakes and miscommunications were made that I bear responsibility for. But, I have it on good authority now that Daniel is the Emperor of the Fievegal.”

Ucahote is silent for a long time. Suddenly, in a flash of light, another golem appears. This one possesses a feminine, matronly voice. “Grand Duchess, it is good to meet you. I am Xyreko, Prime Minister to his and her Greatness, Daniel and Hekate. You are right. Daniel is alive and well, and he is our gracious ruler.”

“Minister Xyreko, thank you for confirming. May we speak with them now?”

“Not yet. Their Majesties have not returned yet. I came ahead to greet you and help you settle in.”

Wenlianna asks softly, “Is... Daniel really the ruler?”

Xyreko nods once. “Of course. He conquered the Citadel with my Lady Hekate’s help. I happily serve at his leisure. You must be Duchess Wenlianna. Duchesses Yanidere, Yormolett, Lady Bunnrimae, and last but certainly not least, Lady Haldestania. A pleasure to meet you all. As you surely heard, I am Xyreko. Please ask myself or any of my golems for anything.”

“Are... you the witch controlling the golems?”

“You could say that, but what you are speaking to is my physical representation. As far as you’re concerned, I am the golem to whom you are currently speaking.”

“I-I see. Such... magic. And, this technology...”

“Wenlianna,” cautions Aramellianna, and Wenlianna straightens up. “Apologies. Please, let Daniel -um, His Grace Emperor Daniel- know that we are here.”

“I shall do that. Please, come inside and rest.”

The Stalvaltan family is escorted inside the massive castle, and again, they are left to marvel at the sheer scope. Inside is just as titanic and expansive as the outside, and the broad hallways indicate that this castle was built for the mightiest of known beings, the dragons.

“E-Excuse me,” squeaks Bunnrimae. Xyreko looks at her. “Yes, your ladyship?”

“Um... This castle... The Citadel... Was it built for... dragons?”

“Ahhh, a common question. No, my original masters were not dragons. They were the mighty feldroks, wiser and grander than any race in this world.”

All of the Stalvaltan women gasp, as do many of the knights. Xyreko, in answer to the surprise, teases warmly, “Your house sigil is the feldrok, yes?” She stops to look at them, studying the women for a moment as Aramellianna finally nods, “Y-Yes. That’s correct. It has been ever since the Stalvaltan house was founded. I, myself, am not of Stalvaltan blood, but my husband, like his eldest daughter, was a master of all of the elements of magic.”

“Hmm. I wonder. You believe there are six, do you not?”

Wenlianna replies, “Yes, that’s correct. Ground, fire, water, wind, light, and dark. Omni-affinity...”

“Is a teaching tool the old masters used to teach your kinds. It was not meant to be a pinnacle, but a stepping stone.” Xyreko holds her hand out, palm up. “Tell me what element this spell is.” She casts a spell, and a seeming liquid appears, crackling a little with electrical energy.

Wenlianna, the only one who doesn’t recoil, studies the spell closely. “Without my testing equipment, it appears to be a combination of earth and water for the liquid, but the electricity is simple lightning magic, which are combinations of light, wind, and fire.”

“Incorrect. While you could emulate this substance with those combinations, this is dimensional magic. It is the same ‘element’ that allows teleportation and mass storage in extradimensional pockets.”

Wenlianna stares at her blankly for a long time. “You... must be friends with Daniel,” murmurs the magic artisan after a moment.

Xyreko chuckles. “There are theories of magic that the feldroks refined far beyond what can be currently taught with modern technology in either the east or the west. Even the dragons struggle to grasp all of what the feldroks had learned. That said, where my old masters were truly adept at magic, my new lord and master is adept at physical science far beyond what even my masters knew.”

“Right?” exclaims Wenlianna excitedly, barely containing her urge to press closer to Xyreko, a kindred spirit, from the tone in the golem’s voice. “And, even this castle alone is far beyond what I could imagine.”

“Can I ask something?” asks Yanidere.

“Of course,” replies the golem prime minister.

“You said omni-affinity is just a stepping stone, but our kingdoms have held it in high regard for centuries.”

“Mm, yes. While I don’t know every disciple my masters ever had, I know that many of the so-called ‘Feldrok Sorcerers’ of the past went on to found kingdoms, noble families, and schools of magic. If you’d like, we can check your mana for your likely ancestors to see if any of them were disciples of the feldroks.”

Wenlianna nearly blurts out ‘yes’ on her own, but she halts herself long enough to look at Aramellianna. The Grand Duchess nods. “If it is not harmful, I do not mind. However, do you not have any disciples from the house of Stalvaltan in your records?”

“I’m afraid not. I would wager that either your ancestral name changed prior to the founding of your house, or was decided upon the founding of your house.”

Yanidere points out, “It could also be that no one in our ancestry studied under the feldroks.”

Aramellianna is quiet for a moment. “True. But, of course, it would be peculiar that our sigil is the feldrok if there’s no relation to them.”

Wenlianna bows respectfully to Xyreko. “Please examine me. As I have omni-affinity, it may be easier to determine which of our ancestors the feldroks knew.”

Xyreko nods. “Please follow me, then.”

Xyreko leads to a room where a magic circle is drawn on the floor, as well as the walls and ceiling. She explains, “The spell circles present here will pass the spell through you and produce a sort of copy of your soul, with which I can compare it to known traits of the past.”

Wenlianna nods, studying the circle for a moment. She crouches to touch one of the symbols on the floor making up a small part of the glyph. “You cast magic with symbols like these?”

“Yes, of course. Not all spells are elemental in nature. Demons have their own subset of magic, as do the dragons. The feldroks believed the divergence came as the races became more and more isolated from each other, seeking ambitious rises to power over mastery of artforms.” Xyreko guides Wenlianna to her position, where Hekate stood to have her own ancestry read to determine that she is related to the feldrok who became the Devourer. She then casts the spell, and an impressive display of magical swirls of glowing energy dance around Wenlianna for a time.

Haldestania squeaks, “Elder Sister, does it hurt?”

Wenlianna shakes her head as she watches the magic circles operate. “No, not at all, dearest Desti. I can feel the magic passing around me, but it doesn’t hurt. If anything, it kinda tickles.”

Haldestania and Bunnrimae giggle together, and Aramellianna asks, “How long does it take, Minister Xyreko?”

“Only a moment longer. I can tell there are some close matches. It seems one of the Stalvaltan ancestors did know the feldroks.”

He smiles and nods. He then looks at Wenlianna, who wipes tears off of her cheeks. “M-Me too, Daniel. I’m happy to see you again. S-So... Um... Wh-What...? Have you been working on anything?”

“A few things.”

Ryuogriar stifles a laugh, and Reignleif smiles, swaying a little with her egg.

Wenlianna quickly says, “Daniel, y-your phone... I...”

“Sorry. That was me. I needed it for a specific mission.”

“I-I see. But, no,.... I... I need to apologize. I heard... I designed... The airship...”

Reignleif flinches a little, and Hekate crosses her arms. Daniel thinks for a moment, and he replies. “Wenlianna, I destroyed it because it knocked Reignleif out of the sky, and I panicked. I’m sorry you felt you had to go to such lengths for me, but I care very much about everyone here.”

She turns pale, looking at Reignleif. “G-... Aunt Reignleif..., E-Empress... I...”

Reignleif’s expression softens as she replies gently, “I’m alright... I was afraid, but it was admittedly an impressive vessel. I... also helped destroy your work. It was self-defense.”

Wenlianna drops to her knees, saying quickly, “You have nothing to apologize for! I have dishonored you, and our great grandmother.”

Hekate whispers to Daniel, “What’s she mean?”

Xyreko answers softly, “Reignleif is half-sister to Lady Wenlianna’s ancestor.”

“Ah... makes sense.” Hekate twists her face after saying that, trying to wrap her head around it fully, but she doesn’t want to look uninformed.

Reignleif looks to Daniel for a moment, and he makes an extremely subtle gesture with his hands. She blushes and nods, sinking low to a kneel so she can set her egg down, keeping it steady with her tail. She then hugs Wenlianna. Wenlianna freezes, and Reignleif murmurs, “We had no idea of each other, Wenlianna. If you had known the truth, I am certain you wouldn’t have intended any of us harm.”

Wenlianna nods, hugging Reignleif as well.

Daniel faces Aramellianna with a smile. “Grand Duchess, you and your family are welcome here any time and for as long as you want. We’ll also send an escort to ensure you make it home safely.”

She smiles and nods gratefully. “Thank you, Daniel. We’ll gratefully accept your offer.” She then looks to Wenlianna, who is still sitting in Reignleif’s embrace.

“There is one small item of business I do have with you, Daniel. I have a daughter who remains unwed, and she is extremely picky with her suitors.”

“M-Mother!” exclaims Wenlianna.

“Hush, Wenlie. This is my duty as Grand Duchess.” She straightens and faces Daniel proudly. “Daniel, I know not your current marital status...”

Hekate’s ears perk up, and her tail puffs up to its full volume. “Wait a minute...”

“Regardless, as Emperor, if you would do the Grand Duchy of Stalvaltan the honor of taking our eldest daughter as one of your wives, you will have the allegiance of the Stalvaltan household until time comes to an end.”

Wenlianna squeaks, turning bright shades of color.

Ryuogriar teases warmly, “Very bold of you, Grand Duchess, when three of his wives are currently present.”

Aramellianna sizes up the others in the room. Hekate has now placed herself between the Grand Duchess and Daniel, though her diminutive size -deceptively enlarged by her ears and tail- does little to make her a noteworthy presence. Still, she adds in agreement with the platinum dragon, “Yeah! You should be asking me for permission first and foremost.”

Aramellianna studies the young feldrok girl for a moment. She smiles. “Empress Hekate. I humbly make the same request of you. I understand the complex nature of Daniel’s position, and I’d like my daughter to have someone she cares about and respects.” She looks at Wenlianna, adding to Daniel, “Since I doubt I can convince you to return to the Grand Duchy and become Grand Duke.”

Daniel chuckles softly. “I don’t even want to be an Emperor. Everyone just keeps calling me that.”

“What kind of man doesn’t want power?” asks Yormolett.

“The kind who, at the end of the day, wants to relax and read a good book, not trace troop movements and sign laws.”

“But, what about royal banquets and ballrooms?” asks Bunnrimae innocently.

“And, the imperial fair!” squeaks Haldestania excitedly. Bunnrimae gasps and nods vigorously in agreement.

Daniel chuckles, and Ryuogriar approaches Bunnrimae, lowering herself in a crouch to closer to Bunnrimae’s level. “Sweet child, that is the trade-off Daniel has made. His time is consumed with the most important thing in the world; taking care of those he loves, since he has so many of us to love.”

Hekate cackles warmly in agreement. “Yesss. I couldn’t agree more.” Hekate proudly faces Aramellianna, replying, “Daniel has lots of people to care about, and we care about him as well. As long as Lady Wenlianna can accept that I am the first and most important wife, I will accept her as one of Daniel’s mistresses.”

“How do I never get a say in these things?” asks Daniel.

“Do you object?” asks Hekate haughtily.

“I thought you did!”

“Pssh! Daniel, you naive soul, you. That was just me establishing dominance with Ryuogriar. Dastardly temptress.”

Ryuogriar chuckles and rolls her eyes. “Shall I attempt to seduce you, your Greatness?” asks Ryuogriar facetiously, and Hekate gasps. She instantly clings to Daniel, saying, “No! Daniel is all I need!”

Finally, Daniel addresses Wenlianna and Aramellianna. “We’re not allies of the Zenkon Empire, nor Mornistae. We’d like to remain friendly, but neutral, if we can. That said, it would be risky for you to openly ally yourselves with us. We’re still not sure how the major alliances feel about us.”

Aramellianna ponders this point for a long time. She pondered the very same thing on the trip to the Citadel, having learned that Daniel is now an important figure on the political stage more than just a creator -or replicator- of otherworldly technology.

She finally sighs. “I see. Well, that sounds like little more than a small hurdle. After all, my daughter’s happiness is on the line.” She cups Wenlianna’s cheek, now that she and Reignleif are standing again.

“Mother...”

“Speak, Wenlianna. If I can make it possible, would you become one of several to the man you...”

“You don’t have to put her on the spot, please, your Grace,” interrupts Daniel gently. “Wenlianna was very clear what our relationship was when I was in the Grand Duchy. And, to my understanding, she’s got more time than a typical woman to find a suitable husband. If you just want an alliance with us, then we can establish communication routes and work out an agreement.”

Reignleif and Ryuogriar both sigh as Hekate puts a palm on her face.

“What?” asks Daniel as he looks at them.

Reignleif replies a little sarcastically, “Daniel... Feelings change.”

“Hmm?”

Wenlianna perks up to say something, but Xyreko cuts in, “Apologies everyone. Daniel; Geirahoel is calling for you. It’s urgent.”

Daniel nods once. “Excuse me, everyone. Xyreko, please help them feel at home.”

Daniel jogs out, followed by Hekate as she whines, “Daniel! Wait up! I’ll go, too!”

Wenlianna is left speechless for a moment, and Reignleif says softly, “Do you wish to be together with us?”

The magic artisan blushes, glancing around. “I... I... This... There’s so much... It’s been... I...”

“I will find out what his thoughts would be more directly,” states Ryuogriar confidently. “Do not fret, child, your Grace. I believe Daniel’s heart is big enough for one more.” She smiles, which only flusters Wenlianna even more. The dragon then faces Aramellianna. “Are you certain that you would send your daughter off to this far off land? Even if the obstacles can be removed, we are far away from your homeland.”

Aramellianna smiles as she looks at Wenlianna. “If the person she desires is a reputable person whom I can trust, then I care not where he resides. And, Daniel has more than earned her hand in marriage in my eyes, even if the privilege is to be hers in this case.”

Ryuogriar nods. “Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go begin my work on Daniel. I believe, if left unattended, Geirahoel may do something drastic.” Ryuogriar bows her head politely, before leaving the room as well.

***