A Different Approach

The device’s main body was a polished Evernight crystal.

Several metal wires etched with magic runes extended from it.

A small horn-shaped speaker sat at the top.

“Lord Demon Lord! Come see what we discovered!”

Elder Thomas, face flushed crimson, dragged her over, voice trembling with excitement.

“We were studying mana-crystal conduction and accidentally unlocked an incredible function!”

Curious, Vivian took the device.

It felt cool in her hand, pulsing faintly with mana.

“What is this? A new magitech tool?”

“Yes! Come with me!”

Thomas pulled her to the edge of the square.

Another craftsman carried the matching half a hundred meters away, beneath a tree.

“Speak into the horn. See if he hears!”

Vivian, half-dubious, leaned in.

“Thomas, can you hear me?”

The device buzzed softly.

A moment later, Thomas’s voice—slightly fuzzy but perfectly intelligible—came through.

“Lord Demon Lord! I heard you! Did you hear me?”

Vivian’s eyes lit up.

This was a magical walkie-talkie!

She instantly replied.

“I hear you! Perfectly clear!”

A hundred meters away, Thomas jumped for joy and whooped.

“It works!”

“By tuning the rune structure, Evernight crystals—no, any mana crystal—can convert sound into signals and transmit it!”

While the craftsman jogged back, Vivian examined the device closely, growing more excited by the second.

As a modern person, she knew exactly how revolutionary instant, accessible communication was.

Right now demon clans relied on magic or the maginet for point-to-point contact—basically early telephones, clunky and limited.

This proved her theory: the Demon Clan already possessed foundational technology.

Many magical principles just needed tweaking to produce practical tools.

The blueprints brought by the trade team had shown her the demon heartlands possessed advanced tech.

The path was open. They could walk it.

“This is a godsend for infrastructure and the military!”

No more running legs off between workshops.

Border posts wouldn’t need magic messengers.

Combat coordination would be infinitely more precise!

Vivian praised them without reservation.

Thomas scratched his head, embarrassed but beaming.

“We’re still improving it.”

“You heard the sound quality isn’t perfect, and range is only a hundred meters because the signal’s unstable.”

“We want to extend the distance and make it smaller, easier to carry.”

“Keep going.”

Vivian clapped his shoulder firmly.

“If this works, every magic instructor at Evernight Academy can assist you.”

“Perfect this magitech communicator. Make it battlefield-ready!”

“Understood! We’ll deliver a practical version as fast as possible!”

Energized by her approval, Thomas and the craftsmen practically bounced away.

A key ally suddenly came to mind.

Catherine of Winter Territory.

Vivian hurried back to the council hall and activated the long-range communication array.

Blue light flared.

Catherine’s cool, elegant figure appeared—silver-white hair gleaming like fresh snow.

She raised a brow at Vivian’s sudden call.

“Lady Vivian? To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Vivian smiled.

“How’s infrastructure going in Winter Territory lately? I hear you adopted our methods and yields are up.”

Catherine inclined her head slightly.

“Smoothly enough. Your approach works.”

“But you never contact me without reason. Out with it.”

Vivian coughed, half-joking.

“Can’t I just share something good with an ally?”

“Ally?”

Catherine arched a brow.

“We have trade, not an alliance.”

“Then let’s upgrade to allies right now.”

Vivian’s tone turned serious.

“Rem, allied with Blackmarsh and Cragtooth lords, has imposed a trade embargo on Evernight and is funding old nobles to sabotage us.”

“War is coming. I want your cooperation.”

Catherine’s expression instantly sobered.

“War? Winter Territory stays out of Demon Lord conflicts.”

“I don prostatic’t need you to fight.”

Vivian said quickly.

“Just two small favors.”

“First: publicly support me. Declare Evernight the victim and condemn Rem’s hegemony.”

“Second: deploy heavy forces along your border with Molten Heart to pin down part of Rem’s army so he can’t throw everything at me.”

Catherine fell silent for a moment.

“Why should I? What does Winter gain?”

“Of course there’s gain.”

Vivian smiled and deliberately dangled the communicator.

“See this? Our newly developed magitech communicator. Real-time voice transmission.”

“Think about it: Winter Territory is vast and snowbound. Communication between outposts and workshops is slow.”

“With these, administrative and military efficiency would skyrocket.”

Catherine’s gaze locked onto the device.

“Winter’s roads are often blocked. By the time news reaches the capital, the moment has passed.”

“You’re offering this in exchange for support?”

“Exactly.”

Vivian shook the communicator confidently.

“Lady Catherine is a realist. I trust you see the value.”

“And this is just the beginning. We’ll develop longer range, smaller, more portable versions.”

“On top of the maginet, these will fill grassroots communication gaps—huge for territorial control and military use.”

Catherine listened, eyes fixed on the device, a flicker of struggle in her icy gaze before calm returned.

“I’m very interested in the technology.”

“Military posturing and political statements are no small matter. I need time to consider.”

She changed tack.

“But we can expand bilateral trade first.”

“Winter has abundant cold iron and ice-affinity materials—exactly what you need to ease the embargo pressure.”

“In return, I want priority purchase rights on Evernight crystals and your new magitech farming tool technology.”

She left the door open.

Vivian inwardly rejoiced—this was already a huge win.

Cold iron was vital for magitech armor and precision parts.

Ice materials stabilized mana output.

With them, the craftsmen’s alloy substitute research would leap forward.

“Deal!”

“The more cold iron and ice materials the better.”

“We’ll sign a long-term trade agreement at discounted rates.”

“Samples in a few days.”

“Pleasure doing business.”

Catherine gave a slight nod and vanished from the array.

Vivian shut down the array and exhaled, tension easing from her shoulders.

Catherine hadn’t committed to military support yet, but expanded trade from Winter would relieve the industrial supply crisis and buy precious time against Rem.

Back at her residence, Lucia was telling little Luna a bedtime story.

The child yawned hugely, eyelids drooping, yet still fighting sleep.

Seeing Vivian return, Lucia lowered her voice.

“How did it go with Catherine?”

(She had come looking earlier but left when she saw Vivian was already talking to Catherine.)

“Pretty well.”

Vivian walked over, gently tucking Luna in.

“She didn’t agree to military containment immediately, but she’ll expand trade—cold iron, ice materials for us, farming tech and crystal priority for her.”

“That already solves our most urgent problem.”

Lucia nodded, but a trace of puzzlement lingered in her eyes.

“By the way…”

“If you can think of allying with Catherine, why not flip the script entirely?”

Vivian blinked, caught off guard.

“Flip the script? What do you mean?”

Seeing the rare sight of Vivian’s brain stalling, Lucia’s smile turned sly, eyes glinting mischievously.