Chapter 26
Bayern
The train whistle rang out, sounding through every carriage — they had arrived.
A metropolis of innovation. Airships drifting overhead. Skyscrapers piercing the clouds. Hundreds of rail lines converged on this great city from every direction — by water, or across bridges suspended high in the open air.
The United States of Mathema.
Situated in the northwest, renowned for its magical technology, arts, and relentless pursuit of research, its economy driven by a powerful merchant class that had transformed the city into the world's foremost center of engineering.
Governed by a presidential system and a Congress.
All of this owed its credit to the policies of President Fofana Steelers of the right-wing party — one of only two war heroes who remained active in public life, the other being Dr. Son of Zentinel.
The steam locomotive was pulling into the junction, where hundreds of lines from across the country converged into one.
To the west, where the land met the sea, cargo ships sat docked in great numbers.
Above, airships sailed through the sky.
The states of Mathema were as follows:
Armenia, Fortuna, Bayern, Dortmund, Leverkusen.
And the state they had arrived in —
was Bayern.
"We're here..."
BAYERN
Nora turned and noticed that some of the trains were descending from the elevated bridges overhead, gliding down to run alongside their own.
"I can't believe it... how do they engineer those raised bridges to support the weight of a train?"
"This is all new. Ten years ago, none of this existed."
"Isn't that something, Mr. Fury. Their engineering really is extraordinary."
"We've arrived, Mr. Dan."
Everyone reached for their luggage.
Thomasin stepped off first.
Dan and Nora followed, Nora handing Dan her shoulder bag to carry as they stepped down onto the platform.
They looked up — airships filled the sky in every direction.
"Twenty years ago, airships were strictly military."
Dan said to Nora,
"But look at them now — filling the sky like it's nothing."
"You don't sound very pleased."
"During the war, those things were an absolute nightmare, I'll tell you that."
"Aerial bombardment... you were hit?"
"Yes."
"I heard from Paul that they're developing underwater travel as well."
"Underwater? Like... an airship that works underwater?"
"I believe we'd call it a submarine."
"Oh, really?"
"You'll finally be able to go underwater, Mr. Fury. Dreams do come true."
"You're more of a nuisance than any airship."
"This way, Mr. Dan!"
Thomasin called from ahead, and there Dan saw Professor Pi'erre along with the heads of the paleontology department waiting to receive them.
They had come in person to meet Dan Burn. Even if in his own mind this was merely a study visit, Dan had come here in his capacity as a sponsor.
"Professor Pi'erre, good to see you."
"How was the journey?"
"Easy and pleasant."
Dan stepped forward to shake his hand, then shook hands with the two others who appeared to be the senior figures of the paleontology center.
One was an older Asian man, the other an older Black woman.
"This is Professor Keith and Professor Benneth. They are the co-founders of the paleontology faculty, alongside myself."
Professor Benneth oversaw research here. Professor Keith covered Zentinel. Professor Pi'erre alternated between Velmount and Artheris.
All three were the founding members of the world's paleontological society — and the one now backing them was Dan.
Reading the atmosphere, the professors had clearly discussed it among themselves and concluded that Dan was a person of considerable influence who preferred to remain anonymous in his support.
And so no one said a word about the fact that he looked no older than a prospective second-year student.
There was also the matter of Mathema's fashion — the people here dressed as though out of the early days of the Industrial Revolution: tall hats, tailored suits, and silk in a wealth of colors.
So when Dan showed up in what he considered the safest option — his Artheris school uniform — he blended in well enough.
As for the reception itself, only the society's department heads had come out to meet him, per Dan's request.
Truthfully, he would have preferred no one come at all, aside from Senior Thomasin — but the professors would not hear of it.
Dan glanced over at Thomasin. He could see her bringing his piece of amber to Professor Keith, the two of them exchanging words before she pointed in Dan's direction, then pointed down at the amber.
He turned back, and together he and Nora followed Professor Pi'erre, who led them to a cable car that would carry them directly up to the Mathema Paleontology Institution.
Mathema's terrain was one of steep valleys, making cable cars one of the city's main modes of transport alongside airships and hydraulic lifts.
"We'll drop you at the hotel we've prepared first. After that, we'll take you to see our faculty and the laboratories."
"That sounds wonderful, Professor."
From inside the cable car, looking down at the city layout below, there was something else to be seen as well —
what could only be called "automobiles" moving through the streets.
Four-wheeled machines powered by mana crystals, some with two wheels, some three. They were not particularly fast — rather sluggish, if anything — and their design resembled the earliest versions of such vehicles from the world Dan once knew.
But their popularity here seemed to outstrip even that of horse-drawn carriages.
"Is that something new here? Looks like a box with wheels."
"They're not very fast, but they've been quite fashionable among the wealthy for a while now."
The cable car had climbed a full kilometer above ground, passing other cars descending in the opposite direction.
Dan turned back to the window. Among the city's skyline, one building stood apart — taller and more distinct than the shorter structures surrounding it.
A building clad in brilliant mirrored glass. Strikingly unusual. Oddly out of time.
"What building is that? It's quite something."
He pointed it out to the Professor, who answered,
"Oh, that's the Blackwood Bank."
Blackwood & Co. rose in dark, solid granite, offset by deep silver-black mirrored glass that climbed its entire height, catching the light and reflecting it beautifully — exuding an air of absolute premium.
It was one of the world's most renowned private banks, and bore the same name as the largest fund by volume in the world: the Blackwood Global Fund, held by financial institutions from kingdoms across the globe, along with major investors both inside and outside those kingdoms.
Beyond serving as the backbone and central artery of Mathema's economy, Blackwood Bank was also the single largest private reserve of capital and gold in the world.
And one more measure of its power was the creation of the "Blackwood Score" — a credit rating system used for business lending and borrowing.
It had become the industry standard, used across the world.
"By most estimates, Blackwood is the wealthiest bank in the world."
"Speaking of wealth — which country is the wealthiest?"
"If I had to answer plainly, it would have to be Luminus."
The definition of wealth was not simply how much money you had, but how much of your savings exceeded your debts.
By that measure, the kingdom currently estimated to be the wealthiest in the world, holding the top position by some distance, was Luminus.
Second was Snowhaven. Third was Zentinel. Fourth was Velmount. Fifth was Mathema.
In terms of money in circulation and growth rate, however, Mathema ranked first — though it was equally first in the world for the sheer scale of its national debt.
"That said... there is a rough calculation people have theorized. If we were to include Diablo in the equation..."
Diablo's wealth would instantly take the top position in the world.
"What?"
Dan's voice cut in sharply, enough to make Nora turn.
"How would anyone know that? Do they have actual figures?"
"Not at all — it's purely speculation. But word has come out that they've discovered underwater mana crystal deposits beneath the ocean floor."
"...So that's how it is."
Dan folded his arms, turning to watch the dark mirrored mass of Blackwood Bank recede into the distance.
Nora watched his face. She already knew exactly what he was thinking.
Come to think of it — whenever money came into the conversation, the face of a certain Mr. Everton had a way of drifting through her mind too.
She thought.
"We've reserved the finest hotel in the city for you, Dan."
Professor Pi'erre said,
"Given that you're our primary sponsor, putting you up in the graduate dormitory would simply not do. Please consider this our hospitality."
"You didn't need to do anything so grand... I've honestly been sleeping on the floor far longer than I care to remember."
That sentence may have passed right over everyone else's heads — but not Nora's, who caught it immediately. Because there were only two kinds of people who grew accustomed to sleeping on the floor: the homeless, and soldiers at war.
"There is, however, one complication..."
The Professor's expression grew awkward.
"I hadn't anticipated that Princess Nora would be coming as well."
The hotel was fully booked. It was the finest in all of Mathema.
Which left the question — where would Princess Nora sleep? Dan was staying for several days — a full week, no less.
Putting her in with the graduate students was out of the question. No one would dare. You simply did not do that to the royal family of a great kingdom.
But then —
"It's fine. She can stay with me."
Dan said.
"...Is that really all right?"
Thomasin said what Nora herself had been about to say — though they meant it for entirely different reasons.
Thomasin's concern was for the Princess's comfort. The Princess's own concern was for Fury's.
"Of course it is. We slept side by side back in Snowhaven. Why would now be any different?"
'...Excuse me?'
The entire cable car fell into silence. Every person — including the professors — stared wide-eyed.
"What? Why is everyone looking at me?"
Nora herself was equally confused.
Until —
"Mr. Dan... you and Princess Nora...?"
The Princess's eyes went wide. She had only just realized where everyone's understanding of the situation was heading.
"Nora doesn't snore. I don't snore either. So it's not an issue."
Clamp.
Nora pressed both hands over Dan's face.
"That's not the point, Mr. Dan..."
Thomasin smiled — dry and careful.
"...As Her Highness wishes, of course... please don't worry... I will absolutely not be saying a word of this to anyone..."
A strained smile. Very much preferring to keep her head attached to her shoulders.
And for the remainder of the cable car ride, no one spoke another word — while Nora sat with her face buried in her hands, looking at no one.
When the cable car arrived at the hotel where Dan — and Nora — would be staying,
"Oh, wow... this is beautiful."
Dan, still entirely unaware of what he had caused, shouldered his bag and tilted his head back to take in the gold chandelier overhead, the Roman-styled lobby with its cascading waterfall, the towering sculptural figures — drinking in the lavish, first-class artistry decorating every surface of the hotel.
"Here... this is your key, Mr. Dan..."
Thomasin had arranged things with the front desk and returned with a beautifully ornate golden key.
"The staff will show you up."
Dan turned back.
"Senior, what's the accommodation like for the TAs here? I really am fine sleeping anywhere."
"It's just a regular dormitory room, Mr. Dan."
Dan nodded slowly.
Thomasin went to wait outside.
Dan and Nora were guided up to a suite of extraordinary luxury — one where the floor-to-ceiling windows, as wide as a cinema screen, opened onto a sweeping view of the entire kingdom.
A separate bathroom. A golden bathtub. Fresh flowers replaced daily. A bed soft as a cloud. The faint, lingering scent of something fragrant drifting through the air.
For Nora, it was not so different from home. For Dan, he felt nothing in particular — he was not human to begin with.
Before the attendant could say a word,
"You may go. No need to explain anything. I know how a bed works."
The man paused briefly — then nodded and left them as instructed.
"You take the bed, Nora."
"But this is your room. I can't do that."
"I don't sleep in beds anyway."
"If you're not sleeping in it, then neither am I."
"Fine — you sleep on the floor, I'll take the bed."
"Oh, so that's how it is. You have Rafinya now, so I don't matter anymore, is that it?"
"You're sulking."
"Why did you ask about the TAs' living conditions?"
"...During the war, we slept on bare ground, ate in the dust. Whatever conditions my men lived in, I lived in too."
"That's actually admirable."
"I should probably speak with Professor Pi'erre at some point. Anyway — put your things down and let's go. I'm desperate to see the faculty, Nora."
"Of course."
"Oh — Nadia."
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