Trapped in Another World With No Magic

Chapter 6: The Decision

After deflecting Princess Heralesse's desires for tools of war from the otherworld, which both Daniel and Rikuto agreed to feign ignorance on, Daniel managed to distract her with other helpful processes, such as desalinating and purifying seawater and other impure water, a design for firefighting carts using wind crystals and water vessels on the carts. Because she's a humanitarian more than a warlord, her interest is easily piqued by such designs. He's also able to pick her brain about applications of fire and heat that could be improved, such as central air units. The cooling room at the apothecary was the right basic idea, but because of the inefficient designs, this world doesn't yet have a way to circulate air across large areas.

Just as he's getting into desalinating water, the Court mages return, and Rikuto pulls Heralesse away.

"Noooo! This could be a major game changer for our farms and coastal cities!"

Daniel chuckles and bows. He's becoming rather afraid that his new life is going to be even busier than his older one.

Wenlianna takes center front once more. "Thank you all for your patience! The results of this duel have been decided. Count-..."

"I have a question." The man who spoke stands up. He was seated at Gunther's end of the crowd, and his expression is rather stern. Gunther looks nervous, but he speaks out of turn, "Yes, Father?"

Gunther's father glares at him, and Wenlianna, a little caught off guard, asks, "Earl Norsonji? If it's about the presentations..."

"I won't be long."

She hesitates for only a moment, but ultimately smiles and nods. He looks at Daniel with his stern eyes, but Daniel has been glared at by all rank and file of people, save royalty of his world. While his fate is more tenuous in this semi-medieval world, a gaze is just a gaze.

"You there, otherworlder."

Daniel bows, "Yes, my Lord?"

"I want your untempered words. How did this duel come to be?"

Daniel hesitates. He's not interested in bus-chucking anyone. Gunther's frustration is understandable, if self-destructive should he lose. Wenlianna risked her career for her faith in Daniel's ability -at least, she supposedly did-. He has no reason to doubt that. But, most importantly, embarrassing either of them would look bad. Daniel tries to reply diplomatically, "My Lord, I'm afraid my word would carry little weight,..."

"Answer the question."

Daniel hesitates, but he notices Wenlianna smile and nod.

He sighs. "Very well, my Lord. Lady Wenlianna commissioned me to work as her assistant about two weeks ago. In fact, we were discussing this very design, though I hadn't elaborated on the full design with her before Lord Gunther arrived. He... presented a gift to Lady Wenlianna as he arrived to resume his apprenticeship, and from what I witnessed, Lady Wenlianna judged him suitable enough to finish his apprenticeship and signed his apprenticeship card. This didn't seem satisfactory to Lord Gunther, as we hadn't yet been introduced, and he demanded to know who I was. Once Lady Wenlianna explained, he appeared to feel somehow cheated, in spite of meeting the requirements to finish his apprenticeship. As I understood it, Lady Wenlianna gave him a minimal passing grade for reasons I wouldn't dare speculate on, and this, coupled with my status as a commoner, appeared to be what upset him. The duel was Lady Wenlianna's idea as, what I believe to be a trial by fire of my abilities, and a chance for Lord Gunther to prove what he learned in the apprenticeship. That is how I saw events, my Lord."

The audience members murmur in surprise. It seems, specifically from words he can pick out, they aren't sure what to consider him, since he's an otherworlder, so commoner doesn't quite fit, but nor does noble. Rikuto looks and acts the part of a noble, while Daniel looks and acts the part of a commoner -a particularly dirty one at that, at present-.