Chapter 137

Alicetia’s Influence (3)
The next to take action were the dwarves. As a race, they were all artisans of some kind. They dug mines, crafted accessories, forged parts, weapons, armor, and tools—essentially, they were the Kingdom's economic powerhouse.

Their defining trait was a lack of emphasis on seniority; instead, they revered exceptional craftsmanship. Age, gender, or birthright did not matter—those who excelled in their craft were unconditionally admired by all.

The production of weapons and armor, the Kingdom's primary source of income, was second to none. The dwarves took immense pride in this.

However, a rift formed not long ago when the previous Duke of the Dwarven territory, Grantz, stopped returning to his domain.

Grantz was a master artisan, excelling in weaponry, accessories, architecture, and more—he was at the pinnacle of his craft. Many dwarves admired him, and his disciples numbered over 2,000. Before Alicetia was born, he spent most of his time in the domain, training his disciples and honing his skills. But around the time Alicetia turned four, his visits became less frequent, and recently, he stopped returning entirely.

His disciples and worshipful followers attempted to persuade him by traveling to the royal capital, but none returned. When his family wrote to him, they received curt replies stating, "I live here now. I will never return."

The reason became clear: they had seen it. Steel birds soaring through the skies with a roar, steel ships flying, and insect-like constructs armed with devastating cannons in the royal capital. They realized, "Our Master will never return to the Dwarven lands."

Alicetia’s previous life had been that of a scientist. However, she was no ordinary scientist. Typically, scientists achieve their true potential in a well-equipped environment. In this world, where numerous individuals from other realms had arrived, science had failed to develop because necessary components could not be produced. Even with brilliant scientists, their inventions could not take physical form.

But Alicetia was different. Unlike the so-called geniuses, she created her own favorable conditions and fabricated components herself. She lacked nothing.

While Alicetia's ability to forge weapons didn't surpass Grantz's, in the precision and accuracy of crafting, she exceeded him.

It was only natural that Grantz ceased returning to his domain as Alicetia matured—he was learning from her.

If the master learned, so did the disciples. The dwarves joined Alicetia's Technical Development Bureau. Alicetia provided them with completed products and the tools to create them. They dismantled, analyzed, and learned, marveling at the differences in technology.

"If a young Alicetia can create these, so can we," they thought. Yet, they could not replicate her precision. They were determined to master the intricate mechanisms she crafted. Alicetia became a symbol to the dwarves.

For them, age and gender were irrelevant. What mattered was preserving this legacy. Someone had to inherit it, and they believed it should be them.

Day and night, they researched and analyzed. Alicetia continuously sent them new creations. Each was extraordinary. She only ordered analysis, emphasizing that creations were meaningless if limited to herself. Science thrived through widespread adoption.

For a people who revered technology, it was paradise. Innovative technology rained down upon them. There was no reason to return to the Dwarven lands. Enthralled, they continued their analyses, inadvertently steering Arland down the path of becoming a technological powerhouse.

Many of her innovations were successfully replicated. However, the more they achieved, the further they realized they had to go. Understanding the staggering calculations behind her creations only deepened their awe.

Despite the dark circles under their eyes, they couldn’t stop smiling.

After exhausting the castle's wine supply in a drinking contest between the King and Grantz, the dwarves emerged from their research labs for the first time in months.

It was during such a time that they learned someone had dared to challenge Alicetia. The news came by chance, overheard while drinking at a tavern in the capital.

Naturally, they were furious. Dwarves revered superior artisans. Bowing to exceptional talent was customary. For fools to pick a fight with the respected Alicetia was unforgivable.

They also exerted pressure on the Merchants’ Guild, declaring that unless the matter was resolved, the Guild would be banned from the Dwarven territory.

This startled both merchants and the Guild. The Dwarven territory was immensely profitable. Being banished would undoubtedly ruin the Merchants’ Guild.

The dwarves, uninterested in wealth, simply loved crafting. Understanding their value, they imposed sanctions, confident the Guild would yield. Furthermore, many merchants supported their stance, so even if the Guild collapsed, it wouldn’t matter. The Dwarven territory also erupted in support of sanctions, making it impossible to ignore the dwarves in the royal capital.

Then, the elves took action.

The elves, honestly, had little interest in Alicetia because she was human. Many elves who had endured persecution, including former slaves, still lived. They carried deep scars from humans.

As such, the Elven territory maintained limited interactions with other domains or the royal family. However, their pharmaceutical skills were unmatched. They produced rare potions from herbs found in their forests, which sold for high prices.

While Alicetia had shared her knowledge of medicine with the Kingdom, the elves’ potions were classified as magical, making them precious and unique.

The elves exerted pressure on the Merchants’ Guild for one reason alone: "The princess has formed a contract with the spirits."

That was all. While they believed in gods, their strongest faith lay with the spirits. As such, they held Alicetia, blessed by the spirits, in high regard.

Even among the elves, known for their connection to spirits, being chosen by multiple spirits was unprecedented. Most were chosen by either wind or water spirits, with rare exceptions of light spirits.

Alicetia, blessed by spirits, was their Spirit Queen. The elves, descendants of fairies born from spirits with physical forms, saw her as their rightful sovereign. They refrained from approaching her only because she was human. Had she been another race, they would have sheltered her in their territory, never allowing her to leave.

Though eager to meet her, their fear of humans held them back. Yet when reports of the incident reached them, they were outraged.

The Spirit Queen was a protector of the earth on par with gods. Mere humans had no right to oppose her. Furthermore, the elves, more than the royal family, understood the fragility of the Spirit Queen system. It was on the verge of collapse—a dangerous state. They knew Alicetia must never be provoked or driven to hate the world. Their distrust of humans stemmed from a specific "cause."

Thus, they moved swiftly to cleanse the Merchants’ Guild before it was too late. Alicetia deserved a life of happiness.

While she wouldn’t lose control over something like this, the elves, knowing the truth from 600 years ago, overreacted.

The elves, too, imposed economic sanctions. All of these measures were carried out without Alicetia’s knowledge. It took just one week for the Kingdom's nobles to pressure merchants and punish the Merchants’ Guild.

During that time, Alicetia, oblivious to the chaos, carried on cheerfully in the Viceroy Workshop.

She was unaware of her immense influence—that a single statement from her could bring down the Merchants’ Guild.

The Kingdom was in an uproar.