Alliance With Egret

"Thank you for granting me an audience, King Lefang Letra. I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you," Alex expressed as he stood inside the castle in Retrobamba, casting his gaze upon the dark-skinned man adorned with a golden feather plume.

"It is my pleasure to meet you as well, King Alexander. Your tales of leading a rebellion and your magical prowess have reached not only my ears but also the ears of everyone in our country," responded King Lefang with admiration. "So, King of Arcadia, what is the purpose of your request for this audience?"

"I have come to this land with two purposes, King Lefang," Alex replied, turning towards Kael and the soldiers who accompanied him. They handed Alex a tray covered in a red cloth.

Kael carefully removed the cloth, unveiling a magnificent sword crafted from mithril and orichalum, its hilt adorned with intricate designs.

"This...!" exclaimed King Lefang Letra, his eyes widening in surprise as he beheld the sword. He rose from his seat, captivated by its beauty.

"Yes, indeed. This is Aptayu Roshanei," Alex confirmed. "While going through the royal treasury of the former Sandora royal family, we discovered this esteemed sword, which once belonged to Egret and its people. I wish to return this great sword to its rightful place."

With these words, Alex lifted the sword and presented it to the King of Egret.

Aptayu Roshanei, a legendary sword once wielded by the first king who united all the tribes that migrated from the Sea of Trees and founded the Kingdom, had been stolen from the royal treasury of Egret centuries ago, staining the reputation of the current royal family. However, to Alex, the sword held little value beyond its historical importance, as it was merely ornamental and impractical for combat.

Hence, he decided to return this precious sword to Egret, seeking to mend their relationship. Had the sword possessed extraordinary power, Alex would not have relinquished it so readily. However, realizing its insignificance, he chose to do the honorable deed.

The King of Egret accepted the sword with gratitude, thanking Alex for its return. The attitude towards Alex became warmer, and the kings engaged in further discussions. Alex proposed an alliance between the Kingdom of Arcadia and the Kingdom of Egret, which King Lefang happily accepted. They deliberated on matters such as trade and the food shortage plaguing Egret, prompting Alex to pledge his support by raising donations for the kingdom.

With the alliance formed and fruitful talks concluded, Alex and his subordinates bid farewell to Egret. News of the alliance between the Kingdom of Arcadia and the Kingdom of Egret quickly spread, eliciting cheers from people worldwide.

The announcement of the alliance and Alex's personal appeal for donations not only resonated within Arcadia but also garnered attention and admiration from people outside the kingdom. This further solidified Alex's image as a virtuous leader, leaving a lasting impression on the general populace, including kings and guildmasters from various kingdoms who were eager to understand Alex's true nature.

However, the joyous atmosphere was short-lived, as news of Yulong's invasion of Hannock and other nations emerged, instigating panic among the populace.

***

Inside Alex's workshop, drastic changes had taken place within a few days. Thanks to Astrid's enchantment of time-space magic, the workshop had expanded significantly, resembling a scene from a science fiction movie.

Countless drone-like artifacts hovered above the ground, transforming raw materials into various creations. Mechanical hands and similar contraptions worked on machines and their wirings, while magic circles were inscribed on the artifacts.

"Whoa! This is incredible!" exclaimed Regina, standing beside Alex, as she beheld the mesmerizing scene. Her eyes sparkled with awe as she examined each artifact, completely captivated by the fantastical or sci-fi-like environment.

She was captivated by the sight of a fantastical, sci-fi-like scene unfolding before her. Every artifact she laid her eyes on had her drooling in awe.

After days of seclusion in her research lab, delving deeper into AI, she had finally managed to create something akin to it and integrated it with Babylon. She had come to notify Alex about her groundbreaking research, but all thoughts of that were forgotten the moment she glimpsed what was happening inside his workshop.

Summoning one of the drones, she used her own analysis spell to learn more about the contraption.

"So, this is how it works... Hmm, these magic patterns resemble those in workshops, but they function with ether liquid. Is this some kind of mobile workshop?"

"Yes, indeed! These are what I call construction drones. You can think of them as mobile workshops capable of creating almost anything within seconds, provided they have the necessary materials. They are under Astrid's direct control."

"A mobile workshop! What an intriguing concept..."

"Absolutely! The idea struck me when I saw your minibots and satellite orbs in Rampart. I combined those elements and incorporated workshop features."

"That's a brilliant idea. But I have to ask, how did you create such small parts? No, more precisely, how did you inscribe the magic circles on such tiny components with such precision?"

"Well, I didn't initially create them at such a small scale."

"Huh? What do you mean... Oh, don't tell me you simply reduced the size of the original parts."

"Exactly! I did just that. I found a spell that allows for the reduction of the size of inanimate objects to a certain extent."

"That's a remarkably convenient spell."

"It certainly is."

Alex and Regina then immersed themselves in a discussion about magi-technology, only interrupted when Lexi called them all for dinner.

As another peaceful day came to a close, a new day began, marking Alex's departure to Lestia to continue his journey as an adventurer.