Trapped In Another World With No Magic

Rikuto rides in the carriage on the return trip to Mornistae with a lot to think about. He witnessed several of his nobles openly and flagrantly antagonizing Daniel's people, which, in many other scenarios, would have led to war virtually on the spot. Heralesse and Erimaya seem to be completely safe, and the Royal Guards were sweating at the thought of needing to escort them all the way back with the national-treasure-level dresses and jewelry they were given as payment for the compromises Rikuto had to make in order to progress peace talks. They even sent riders ahead to request a military guard.

Naturally, the two have already been changed out of the dresses to secure them in a separate carriage, with everything having been strictly inventoried by the terrified captain of the guard and King Father Greydald himself.

Heralesse excitedly pages through her notebook, which Rikuto is similarly surprised that Daniel allowed to leave the Fievegal, as it contains basic designs and descriptions of everything she could think to ask about. While the Citadel itself proved too complex for her to make use of, she has designs for more efficient pulleys, waterwheels, a man-powered crane using a large walking wheel, a simple magic space heater design, and even some of the finishing processes for metalwork that Daniel has been testing.

Rikuto once thought that Daniel would be a relatively minimized asset to any kingdom, since his wellspring of modern conveniences would run dry pretty quickly. However, between the Citadel and Daniel's own understanding of the equipment he worked on, he has been able to adapt everything to the magic technology common on Zenkon.

And, from what was discussed by a secret note passed by Ryuogriar, the second Empress, part of the compensation provided in the form of the pearls, jewels, and dresses is meant to cover the pardoning of all defectors from Mornistae prior to the Peace Summit, meaning they have more than just the Stalvaltan family and their private military forces.

And, in turn, this seems to have confused Baron Baumalde into believing there was a more cordial relationship between the dragons and Mornistae than the shaky one being forged between Mornistae and the Fievegal.

"I can't believe that idiot tried to get one of the Empresses to defect," grumbles Rikuto.

"It was shortsighted, but it's clear that wretch's harem isn't as unified as they try to appear," replies Greydald. He adds quietly, "I have heard there was a major fight at Fort Peony between two of them."

"And, how have you received that information?" asks Rikuto cautiously. "It takes several hours to ride each way to Fort Peony."

Greydald refuses to answer, instead turning his attention back to Heralesse. "Heralesse, surely you saw cracks within their inner circle at the Citadel, yes?"

Heralesse perks up, wholly distracted by trying to memorize her notes. "What was that father? The Citadel? Oh! Uh, well, I never saw discord, per se, but the Dragon Empresses were quite angry with Daniel for some reason. Geirahoel even returned to the Citadel without him, from what I saw."

"Oh-ho…" muses Greydald, taking a keen interest in this information. He strokes his beard as he ponders what to do with the knowledge.

I've seen you fight with the Queen Mother, your Majesty, thinks Rikuto only to himself. Daniel has a dozen women he has to try to keep happy. I'd be suspicious more than worried if we never heard of fights at all.

Erimaya stares out the window, having not said a word other than required. Her elder sister has noticed, but she doesn't know how to break the ice, so she instead opts to say, "I agree with Rikuto, though, Father. Baron Baumalde was far out of line, as was the Count. Not to mention Marquis Niulglodsa."

Greydald scoffs, which starts to raise Rikuto's suspicions. "And yet, with the exception of Niulglodsa, the others still live."

Rikuto asks with a slightly accusatory edge that he doesn't mean to have, "You were prodding the Fievegal, your Majesty?"

The former king smirks, refusing to answer directly. He does say, "The Fievegal's mask slipped several times. Their true colors will be easy to reveal for all the world to see. Their might comes from hiding in an impenetrable shell like a garatin. We just need to find the right poison."

Rikuto still has a lot to learn about Zenkon, but he has heard mention of the garatin and what it takes to defeat one if it starts destroying crops or farmland in its lumbering path. Supposedly, their shells are hard enough to withstand the claws of drakes and wyverns, meaning they are virtually impervious to swords and spears if they retreat into their shells. The shell is also rather resistant to typical attack magic simply by thickness, meaning it would require a rather powerful mage to bring one down.

The problem is, you still don't seem to understand what we're up against.

Erimaya, surprisingly, is the one to blurt out essentially what Rikuto is thinking. "Daniel's Dragonslayer would go right through a garatin's shell, Father." She doesn't look away from the window, and her tone is what would be expected.

Greydald is perturbed, but his overall relief to have his daughters back tempers his anger. He replies, "Eri, I know you think you have some attachment to those… people, but I assure you, these feelings will fade once you see their true colors. And, I can assure you, the tricks that otherworlder can display are no more than tricks. The new dragonslayers we've been making are only a match for the weakest armor. Once we crack the secrets he has been using to interrupt barrier mages, the advantage will turn quickly."

You absolute fool… But wait! Has… Has Greydald been the leak? I… I've been struggling to figure out HOW Niulglodsa got his hands on the designs. If he also put the Baumaldes up to antagonize the Fievegal at this meeting, then what about Ahok…? Greydald, you fool…

Rikuto can't voice these thoughts out loud, since it's clear now more than ever that Greydald still has a great deal of influence with the nobility.

Am… Am I… a scapegoat?

For the first time since coming to Zenkon, Rikuto doesn't feel like someone whose abilities have been overestimated.

He feels like a patsy, and that causes his stomach to turn.

Luna…

His thoughts can't help but turn to the only source of familiarity Rikuto has felt in a long time; someone was able to speak his mother tongue and shares many similarities to his people.

Rikuto internally sighs. If defeating a garatin was all it took…

***

BOOM! Crunch! "Bwoooohhhh…"

The five kobold women that are accompanying Daniel and Magnir flinch at the sound of his revolver firing, before the large beast in front of them groans its last.

Magnir jokes as he approaches the creature, "My Liege, please, if ever you feel I am being unruly, use your words on me. I swear on my life I shall heed any command you give."

Daniel can't help but laugh, and he holsters the revolver. He starts to walk forward, pulling free of the quiet Moelka's and youngest Sodenizia's hands as they cling to his pants. Daniel hasn't put his full armor back on, since it's still not tracking or else he'd already have been found, and he needs mobility for the long trek they're on.

"Magnir, I know you know what you could have done hours ago, and I thank you for your loyalty. I removed yours and Roeta's contracts because I trust you two, and I'd like our families to get along for many years to come. If ever I'm pointing a weapon at you, it will be the same reason you are breathing fire at me." He pats the dragon's shoulder, saying warmly, "If ever you feel the need to ignite that pilot flame for me, I make the same humble request."

Magnir smirks. True, he could easily kill Daniel and blame it on anything, since they're way out in the wilderness now, and the dragon could easily overpower the mechanic. He even knows how Daniel fights, and as dragons go, Magnir doesn't rely on his mana nearly as much, meaning he has a better sense of how to engage Daniel and live to tell about it.

That said, as Daniel just said, they have become friends. Just because you CAN kill someone doesn't mean you spring at the opportunity. Daniel is the one acting as the glue that keeps the Fievegal together and marching towards a comfortable and easy-going future for everyone involved, especially the children who will hopefully never know the chaos it took to set up the Fievegal for them.

Magnir then uses his strength to heft the shell up and peek inside while Daniel keeps his hand on the revolver's grip. He should have kept it drawn, but if Magnir needs any help, the human was ready to offer what strength he could.

Thankfully, the shot through the shell hit the mark Daniel was aiming for, piercing the beast's skull.

Until now, Daniel had never seen the living being that owns the shells he has used for shelter since holding Fort Peony and capturing the many void bags he now owns. Apparently, that force was anomalous for carrying so many void bags because there was 'no chance of defeat', and they were going to act as a vanguard to capture Castle Northwall and set it up as a staging area, meaning the many demon-kin and even the gigantic masonrahms were outfitted with void bags to carry an army's worth of supplies for a much smaller strike company.

Now that he sees the creature known as a garatin, it reminds him of a cross between an armadillo and a hermit crab. Rather than ball itself up and rely on rigid leather-like armor the way the terrestrial mammal does, the garatin pulls itself into its shell like a hermit crab, demonstrating an impressive level of flexibility, since the shell is part of the garatin, unlike a hermit crab, which takes over an abandoned shell from mollusks. The garatin essentially folds itself in half inside of its shell, leaving all four of its mammalian claws sticking out like uninviting spines if predators do manage to roll them over and try to get to the soft insides.

Magnir continues to roll the SUV-sized creature's body over until it is on its side, allowing easy access to the fleshy body from the ground. Daniel inspects the shell where he shot through, touching the material. Unlike pangolins and tortoises, which grow scales or shells of keratin, which is the same protein base-material as human fingernails and hair, the garatin's shell has a more stone-like texture, almost like the calcium-carbonate of a clam-shell, which is impressive, since the garatin is so big, and lives its entire life on land.

As he's inspecting the hole through the shell, however, Daniel notices something. "Magnir, how often does anyone crack open these shells?"

"'Crack… open'?" repeats the dragon in a tone that indicates no one has ever bothered. The mechanic looks at the hole again. He only used a mithril round to ensure penetration through the shell, so dragons, drakes, and other interested parties should be able to break the shell. Daniel gestures for Magnir to inspect the hole while the kobolds nervously gawk at the deceased creature. According to Magnir, garatins are perfectly edible, but they're not usually worth the effort. Regardless, since the kobolds were struggling to find scraps and starving in their own village leading to their banishment when they tried to steal a little extra food, seeing a mountain of meat like the garatin has them absolutely stunned.

The blue dragon looks at the relatively small breach, not sure what to expect. Magnir has spent time in several garatin shells, and the inside and outside are unremarkable, providing a dense, hard shelter for humanoid races.

When he sees the inner layers of the shell, though, his eyes widen. "My Liege. I want to be the one to farm these…"

Daniel laughs, and Magnir looks at him pleadingly. "My Liege!?"

"I think it's going to be too impractical to farm garatins, Magnir. And, I don't want you slaying them every chance you get."

The dragon deflates in disappointment, pouting as he looks at the mysterious material. "That said, I won't stop you once you and Roeta are assigned fiefs," adds the mechanic.

The dragon looks at him, and Daniel explains, "I doubt you'll be surprised to learn, but we've been discussing with Aramellianna, Yanidere, and Wenlianna about the best structure and time to begin promoting our trusted allies to noble status. It's… kind of fortunate we caught Thymeria when we did, since… I was going to recommend she be given a rank of Duchess, most likely, same as you and Roeta."

"M-My Liege… A-Aren't… Aren't Dukes and Duchesses supposed to be royalty?"

Daniel nods. "Effectively, yes. As I understand it, the Stalvatan family does share some ancestry with the Mornistae family, though several generations back. As the generations go on, this distinction becomes less relevant, I think. More importantly, I need you two to have the rank needed to act in the stead of myself or the Empresses, and you've proven your worth time and time again. As the Fievegal grows, we'll need people I can trust to run sections of the territory that are crucial to the Fievegal's growth and prosperity. I can think of few better than dragons to govern."

Magnir is speechless. What started as a talk about the garatin's bejeweled shell has turned much more serious. Daniel touches the piercing through the shell, adding to his thoughts. "I don't think this is diamond, or the bullet would have deflected more, possibly not even penetrated, even as mithril. It's not sharmelkolle either. It looks like Mother of Pearl, so as you suspect, the shell may be littered with pearls inside. However, the gemstones we're seeing… If I had to guess, given the clam-like shell material and the nacre-looking layers, the gem stones are more likely to be calcite, which is too soft and brittle to use as jewelry the way diamonds and other common gemstones are. Regardless, it should polish up nicely and make excellent decorations for ornaments and other jewelry that won't be bumped or damaged very often." Daniel smirks. "And, because it's more likely to be extremely abundant, it might be easier to make magic crystals from it, now that I'm thinking about it."

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"M-Magic crystals, my Liege?"

Daniel nods, grinning. "Sure. Calcium is one of the ingredients of life, and calcite is calcium carbonate. We may be able to make the entirety of the shells into magic crystals if we can find a reliable way to cut it down while minimizing waste. Then, it might become practical to farm them if we can make a lot more than trying to produce pearls."

Daniel isn't sure why the nacre is hidden from view by several layers of more dull calcium carbonate or some other plaster-like material on the inside, but like a geode, just because the form is different doesn't mean uses can't be found for every part of the garatin. He has multiple shells in his inventory, and often only needs a handful of them. Especially since it's rare that he has to camp out like the last couple of days.

He notices Glizumi and Tulztame, the two eldest of the reptilian women successfully carving off a piece of what would equate to the garatin's palm, and all five of them cheer together, making gestures that indicate they are excited for a feast.

"Do you, by chance, know how to butcher a garatin, Magnir?"

The dragon nods. "It would be easier in my true form, naturally, since they're pretty easy to simply pull out of the shell once they're dead. Smaller individuals might work in teams to pull the body out once the muscles have fully relaxed before the soul freeze sets in."

Daniel hears the words 'soul freeze', but knows they mean rigor mortis. He just has to remind himself sometimes of the weird selection of words from his new translations. The way his companions describe it, and the etymology of the words for Eastern Trade describe the departure of the soul as something of a mini curse, which freezes the body and makes it more difficult to deal with.

Ironically enough, Daniel has to wonder if rigor mortis will set in faster, because he's pretty sure calcium has something to do with it, and garatin's obviously have a very calcium-heavy body composition to begin with.

"Are the foot pads… particularly good?" asks the human, who can't imagine they are, given what little he ever thought about the paw pads of cats or dogs, since they strike him as simply fatty tissue covered by skin. Even something as large as a bear's paw pads don't sound appetizing to him, but then, he can't say he'd ever go out of his way to try pig's feet either, but plenty of people on Earth were known to eat them.

Magnir replies sincerely, "I can't say that the meat of the garatin's paws is my favorite, but it is edible and easy to get to, as you can see."

The five kobolds quickly begin appealing to Daniel and Magnir, and even though he can't understand them, the mechanic can guess pretty reasonably what they're after as the five chirp and warble in excited moods.

"They are asking if we are going to make fire now, my Liege."

"Not yet. Help me store the rest of it in a void bag, Magnir, and we'll make camp a little later." Daniel extracts one of his large void bags, which he uses for large creatures, mostly. He has the body of the por'vapporr, as well as the body of the 'Green Sage' dragon, who was not so sagely. He hasn't gone out of his way to try it, yet, but he has gotten permission from his allied dragons, including Gold, to try eating one of the two male greater dragons that wasn't annihilated. However, because he has dragon children on the way, and so many dragon friends, Daniel hasn't been able to bring himself to try it.

I should probably just dispose of Mulmon and this guy, thinks Daniel to himself as he studies the green dragon in his void bag. Last thing I need is one of these two being revived by someone who manages to steal them from me.

Magnir and Daniel work on stowing the garatin, since the kobold women seem content with the amount of meat they have, and Magnir explains. The reptilian women watched in awe as the two store the beast in the magic bag, and it seems to sink in that they didn't need to rush about carving off some of the meat for themselves.

"How much mana do you have this morning?" asks Daniel out of the blue.

Magnir takes a moment to do a simple breathing exercise. Daniel knows that asking that question is similar to asking a person randomly how far they think they could run at the moment, which is extremely subjective and relies on a ton of factors.

"If you are asking for telepathy, my Liege, I believe I'll be able to cast it again, though the longer we wait, the longer the message I can send."

"Of course. I didn't mean to rush you. Just gauging our resources."

"I think the others have been trying to reach me, but it's… difficult. It's like a voice far away obscured by wind, if that makes sense."

"You're… hearing telepathy… quietly?" asks Daniel, trying to understand. The metaphor is plenty easy enough, but he didn't realize telepathy could be 'drowned out' like a voice being lost on the wind.

"Yes… it's strange… I've never experienced anything like it."

As Daniel thinks about it, the idle pondering causes him to notice his breath, and his nose and ears start to feel cold. The mechanic shivers and jokes, "Oooowooowoo… Now I remember why I moved south…"

"My Liege?" asks Magnir, confused.

Daniel smirks, "Nothing. Just a dislike of the cold. Don't tell Hekate."

Magnir laughs, and Daniel gives a hand signal to the ladies to keep guiding them. The kobolds happily warble as they bounce into step down the mountain slope, chattering excitedly with each other. Daniel's and Magnir's names come up a couple of times, but the two focus on what they were talking about.

"Have you been able to make anything out from what you're hearing?" asks the human, who can only go off of others, since he has never experienced normal telepathy.

"I'm afraid not, my Liege. I can't even clearly tell who it is trying to reach me, though I would pretty confidently guess it is Minister Xyreko."

Daniel nods. That's the most logical conclusion, though Geirahoel and Hekate would likely check every five minutes or less, and they have the mana to do it.

Magnir answers Glizumi about something, and Daniel watches the five women as he continues to think. Considering they are reptiles, the kobolds do seem to remain rather energetic, even in the mountain cold. He's not fully convinced they were in as dire of straits as they claimed, but they are far happier now that they have proper clothing and equipment courtesy of Daniel's victory in defeating the strike force he did. The majority of the clothing the kobolds are now bundled in are a mish-mash of goblin, oni, dattakorien, and ogre articles to add layers, so Moelka, in particular, looks like an oni's trench coat dragging itself across the ground with a miniature dragon's head poking out of the top. Even the sleeves brush some of the rocks and snow on the uneven path, but the soft-spoken grey kobold with green patches on her outer scales is content, like the others, so Daniel doesn't have any objections.

Something is interfering, but it happened before the kobolds arrived… Could it be the mountain? The center range that separates us from the East was considered impenetrable by magic because of a large scattering of radioactive materials… But, if that's where we are, wouldn't Magnir have some idea?

Daniel breathes in his hands primarily to reflect his breath onto his own face and try to warm himself up some more. Thankfully, it's not the coldest he has ever experienced, but as he mentioned, it has been a long time since he had to brace against such a bitter chill.

I've been taking for granted how temperate the Citadel seems to remain all year. Even Fort Peony remained rather warm…

Daniel suddenly comes to a stop. "Magnir, have you ever been to Fort Reeffjord?"

The dragon looks at him, cocking his head. He whistles when he notices the women continuing without noticing them coming to a stop. The kobolds perk up, glance, and quickly chatter as they regroup around the two men. He explains with a short sentence, replying to Daniel, "Apologies. I haven't attacked nor been within the fortress, my Liege. But, I have seen it from the air."

"Right, the fort doesn't matter as much, but do you know if we're in the northern or southern hemisphere of Zenkon?"

"Hemisphere?" asks Magnir. Daniel knows denizens of Zenkon recognize that Zenkon is a spherical planet, and learned individuals know the planet orbits the sun, just like Earth does to its own. However, cartography has been hampered by multiple factors, not least of which is a seemingly superstitious fear of a legendary creature known as the Strylak.

Given what Daniel himself has had to deal with, he knows he'll have to prepare for the Strylak to be real, since he wasn't ready to fight Yaulwembor or Lugrae, and those fights were far more dangerous and desperate for him and his allies.

"If we cut the world into two halves, the north and south are created by an imaginary line where the seasons flip, because, in theory, that imaginary line is where the sun is always almost directly overhead at midday, and assuming Zenkon is on a tilt the way Earth was, the seasons would be roughly the opposite in the opposing hemisphere, with the equator being pretty stably hot all year round. Given that the Citadel and the presumptive latitude lines close to it are temperate most of the year, it must not be a severe tilt, or the Equator is more temperate than Earth's." Daniel cups his chin, and the kobolds warble to each other, trying to figure out why they've stopped, but not disrupting the two men.

Magnir can only laugh dryly. "I'm afraid you've spoken of things I know nothing of, my Liege."

Daniel nods. He can't begrudge the dragon what the world at large hasn't been able to fully develop. They have some concept of constellations, but generally navigate using the orbit of the sun and mother moon. In general, only one 'moon' is defined in Zenkon, because the other two satellites are much smaller and less reliable in the sky due to very slow and more distant orbits on a very different line through the sky. And, especially from the air, navigating by landmarks is easy, which has negated the necessity for astronavigation with the stars.

I wish I knew how to use a sextant, thinks Daniel to himself. It was mid-afternoon when they arrived on the mountain, though, meaning they definitely transported across time-zones, and likely a few lines of latitude once they're defined on this world. It wouldn't be much use without knowing the charts, but I should get working on that if we hope to be able to sail. Especially since this mishap has been a wakeup call about whether or not telepathy, magic teleportation, and magic tracking can reach the same distances across the world.

"{I agree with Sir Magnir,}" murmurs Kaeralegier's voice to Daniel. "{Something is distorting mana around us, but I can't seem to pinpoint it. I wouldn't think the whole mountain does, but I don't think we're truly that far away from home.}"

Daniel nods in agreement. Just an estimate, they're six hours shifted with his estimate being eight at most. This separates countries across an ocean on Earth, but also just exceeds the width of the USA, with parts of North America reaching across six time zones.

Any chance you're willing to try your goddess-ly telepathy for us?

"{Hah! If you're about to starve to death or surrounded by cannibals or something, I'll consider it. My annihilation isn't worth a little less stress for your army of waifus.}"

I hate you sometimes… jokes Daniel in turn.

He can hear her voice cackling at him, but it does give him an idea.

Daniel declares, "I've changed my mind. We'll make camp here. I need to check something."

His Einherjar scoffs, replying warmly, "As you wish, my Liege." The dragon translates to the kobolds, and they coo brightly and excitedly. Bouncing as they celebrate their imminent meal of meat.

Daniel and Magnir start setting up the shelter shell, while Tulztame and Glizumi begin setting up a campfire, and Moelka and Sodenizia work on trimming the meat to appropriate sizes for cooking. Lastly, the mauve kobold Levvikami retrieves the equipment they'll need from Daniel and his void bag, making several trips when he is able to extract what she asks for.

Once camp is made, Daniel warms up in the shell and sorts through his void bag. He doesn't have one of the magic radios, unfortunately, but he does have several simple mana-powered devices that Wenlianna and Ahok, primarily, have made on his behalf. Magnir watches him work from the entrance to the shell, which is a rather large opening, but made warm enough by draping fabric from its top edge.

Daniel is disassembling the mana devices to obtain the charged mana crystals.

He may not have a radio, but he does have the next best thing in this world.

"I don't know why I didn't think of this before," remarks Daniel. "I don't know if we can power through the interference, but if you can draw on the mana of these crystals…"

"I'll be able to do telepathy for much longer…" finishes Magnir. He nods in agreement.

The mechanic hands over the crystals he has so far, asking, "How many do you think you'll need? Neith ate salt-based ones during one of our defensive battles, but he was using a lot more mana."

"Uh…" starts the much less mana-proficient dragon, uneasy about the prospect of eating something that is very much not salt-based this time.

"I don't expect you to eat them, so long as you can extract the mana from them. Neith was worried about dropping them, I think."

Magnir laughs, replying with relief in his voice, "You know me well, my Liege… Yes, it is slow, but it's relatively easy to extract mana from crystals. Shall I perform the act from the air?"

"Please do. I don't know if telepathy works exactly like radio signals, but being up high can't hurt, I imagine. Listen for the revolver."

The blue Jomsviking nods once, but he does tease, "Please, for the love of all of our ancestors and the Great Spirits, do not use it on yourself, your Grace."

Daniel sighs. "I'm genuinely sorry about that. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

The dragon stares at him skeptically, and Daniel corrects himself. "It seemed like the most reassuring method, then. I had full confidence in my armor."

Magnir sighs. "Try it again, and I will tell her Greatness about what has occurred on this little ramble of ours."

Daniel glances past the dragon at the kobold women, who wouldn't understand anyways. The mechanic clears his throat. "While that kind of blackmail won't work on me, I have no reason not to agree, since I underestimated the reaction I would get. Especially after what happened at the Summit."

"So long as you know, my Liege." Magnir then bows, and he says, "I shall return momentarily." The dragon has kept his wings in his humanoid state for the time being so he can do scouting missions without having to expend extra mana to transform, so he extends them and lifts into the air with a few broad sweeps that cast snowflakes around him and flap the entry curtain for the shelter.

Moelka ducks into the shelter as she watches the sky for a moment, and she faces Daniel, warbling as she takes his hand to guide him outside.

"Alright, alright," replies Daniel, quickly grabbing his gear belt to make sure it's not unattended. The kobolds are friendly enough, but they are a bit crafty.

The human looks up at the sky, squinting with the bright sunlight over nearly cloudless skies.

Definitely has to be pretty far north or south for it to be this cold, right?

"{Agreed,}" replies Kaeralegier's voice. "{Maybe you can become the 'Grand Duke of the North' character, holding off monsters from invading the temperate kingdoms.}"

Don't jinx me, Kaeralegier.

Her voice snickers, and Daniel takes a seat at Moelka's guiding, and she and Sodenizia somewhat shamelessly plop themselves down onto one of his thighs each, cuddling against him as the others scold them. Daniel knows now that 'sharing warmth' is more than just sharing body heat to them, and they aren't above using deceptive language and changing to 'less intelligent' speech to guilt the human and the dragon into doing what they want.

Under the scolding from Tulztame and Glizumi, specifically, Moelka hugs Daniel's torso and pretends to ignore them, while Sodenizia retorts a little sassily, from her tone, and continues warming herself up by the fire and in Daniel's lap. Levvikami is still watching the sky, but Magnir is high enough that Daniel couldn't spot him, so unless she watched him the whole time, it's likely she isn't sure where he is either.

"Somehow, I think I'm glad I can't understand you five right now," jokes Daniel. The kobolds all look at him, and then look at each other. Tulztame and Levvikami shrug, while Moelka snuggles against Daniel like she could fall asleep. Sodenizia pets Daniel's chest, warbling gently at him like she's trying to reassure him, and Glizumi makes a remark with what sounds like a somewhat dry tone.

"{Don't worry, Daniel. Kobolds are pretty intelligent. I'm sure they'll learn Eastern Trade pretty quickly. Or English, if you're so inclined.}"

Daniel can't help but scoff a little, which draws attention for another brief moment. He gestures for them to continue, and he thinks in reply, I'm perfectly content if they continue on their own way after we part. I definitely don't think I need any more consorts.

Kaeralegier laughs at him playfully, and Daniel waits on a report from Magnir, since he can only listen to the kobolds as they chatter, warble, and hum in various tones as they prepare dinner.

Thankfully, even listening to them bicker isn't particularly unpleasant, thanks to the soft bird-like tones they make.

***