Just A Reincarnation Story (Summoning Japan Edition)

Chapter 35: d'Artagnan

7 Ventôse (Month 2) 12015 Muish Calendar (Aqu. 2, 1615 CC)

Kingdom of Mu, Second Civilization Area

For the people of Mu who lived in major cities along the country's eastern coast, the winter months can be said to be the most unpleasant time to live. And this is not about the weather conditions caused by the cold water currents coming from the Northern Ocean. Unfortunately for the second-strongest superpower, it was caused by something that only a magicless mechanical civilization like theirs had: air pollution caused by the burning of coal.

It's already bad enough that the thick smoke and ash belched by the factories at the industrial centers from sunrise to sunset every day filled the sky over Otaheit with aerosols detrimental to human health. But during the cold days of winter, people's desire to have a warm dwelling drove them to turn on their coal-fired heaters, causing the air pollution to become even worse. The black smoke mixed with water vapor formed into tiny droplets which fell as sooty rain, making it impossible not to see the gray haze covering entire cities. It made one feel suffocated just looking at it. In addition, if a snowfall occurs, instead of the pretty sight of white fairy-like flurries gently falling down the sky, the most populated Muish cities instead saw their grounds blanketed by grayish polluted snow, hideous and disgusting to the eyes.

The Muish called this phenomenon 'fumard,' a portmanteau of the words fumée (smoke) and brouillard (fog). In the common language, it would be called 'smog,' a phenomenon that stuck like a sore thumb in a world filled with civilizations using a type of energy called 'magic.'

The less-than-desirable (read: horrible) air condition has been the subject of concern (read: criticism) from a certain August Star of Heaven, especially during international conferences. Though other countries had their own grievances, as the strongest country in the known world, only the Holy Milishial Empire is the most vocal about this fumard problem, having their diplomats stationed in Mu to develop respiratory-related sickness after an extended period of staying.

Of course, with Milishial being Milishial, they in their pride and 'benevolence' decided to not only scold Mu for their nature-destroying behavior, but also try to offer the Kingdom an alternative in the form of pollution-free magic technology. This is a move that would obviously profit Milishial if Mu accepted it and decided to import it. However, Mu being Mu, they in their pride and spirit of 'self-reliance' to be free of any magic-related technology politely decline the offer.

That said, the Kingdom does acknowledge that the people are still getting sick, so while they are desperately trying to find a solution, they painfully and hypocritically allowed the government offices and individuals who can afford them to purchase and install the expensive magic-powered devices, which were considered luxury items.

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08:00

Meanwhile, in the western suburbs far from the center of Otaheit, where the air was cold but clear and the visibility was good, there stood a three-story building complex occupying a plot of land near the edge of the city. Though its old-style architecture, being built as a mansion of a noble family in the past, was not unlike the ancient tourist attractions in the Kingdom, the imposing fence, the row of national flags that lined the top of the building's marble façade and the armed guards standing at the checkpoint at the gate reminded everyone that this was not a place for ordinary citizens to visit. In fact, this place is the headquarters of the Muish Ministry of Defense.

Inside one of the rooms of such a building, two men were having a meeting.

"Jean Pierre d'Artagnan is here. I apologize for my tardiness."