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Chapter 119: The State of Europe (1)
🕑 Added 2024-12-29 11:49:15 +0000 UTC"It's not much, really—just another betrayal," Daenerys said with a hint of self-mockery on her lips.
"Tyrion or Varys?" Josh raised an eyebrow knowingly.
Given the unique nature of their connection through the Dimensional Trading System, Daenerys and Jon Snow had never been particularly close. So Jon's betrayal and rebellion didn't stir her emotions much. The real culprits, Josh suspected, were none other than Tyrion and Varys—the two trusted advisors who had pledged their loyalty to her back in Meereen.
"Both," Daenerys replied with a bitter smile. "You're right—loneliness is the price of being a ruler. But it doesn't matter now. They fulfilled their promises in the end—they died by dragonfire." A flicker of satisfaction crossed her face before fading into melancholy.
Though a queen, Daenerys was still a woman with a softer, more delicate heart.
"I don't like what I'm hearing. Aren't I your friend? I'm always on your side!" Josh feigned annoyance and crossed his arms.
Daenerys laughed, her expression softening. "You're right. I misspoke. Thanks for the reassurance. Frankly, I think I'd feel a lot happier if you were standing by my side in person." Her words were accompanied by a smile, her gaze carrying a subtle, playful warmth.
Josh rolled his eyes, recognizing her teasing. Of course, the system, despite its remarkable capabilities, did not allow for direct physical travel between their worlds.
Daenerys, fully aware of this limitation, was clearly playing with him. Still, deep down, she might not have minded a fling if it had been possible. After all, in the open-minded culture of Westeros, her experience as a seasoned player in matters of the heart was undeniable.
"Honestly, I think you're just feeling aimless now that you've achieved everything you ever dreamed of," Josh said, dropping the pretense and speaking seriously.
It was a familiar condition—after someone achieves their lifelong goals, the initial thrill is often followed by an emptiness that leaves them questioning their purpose.
For Daenerys, it was a textbook case. Driving back the White Walkers, razing King’s Landing, and vanquishing Jon Snow’s rebellion—all of it had come too easily, courtesy of the overwhelming power brought by Josh’s interdimensional aid.
"In that case, why not set yourself a new goal? Industrialize your kingdom, ignite the Age of Exploration, and unite the entire world. And after that, you could set your sights on the stars themselves," Josh suggested with a mischievous grin.
Over the years, Josh had introduced Daenerys to countless concepts of his world, from basic geography to the vastness of the cosmos.
Daenerys, familiar with the idea of planets and the universe, was momentarily intrigued. But the flicker of interest faded into a rueful smile. "Such ambitions are too grand, even with your help. Besides, what would it matter? I cannot bear children. Whatever empire I build would only end up in someone else's hands."
She spoke with a mixture of resignation and bitterness, remembering the blood magic curse that had left her barren years ago during her time with Khal Drogo.
"Actually, you may not have to worry about that anymore," Josh said, her expression suddenly enigmatic.
"What do you mean? Do you have a way to break the curse?" Daenerys asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Not exactly," Josh replied, a knowing smile on her lips. "But I may have a solution regarding your lifespan."
Although Daenerys' world is a relatively backward low-magic world, and with the advent of the era of peace in the universe where Josh himself is living, his importance will continue to decline, but as Daenerys' territory continues to expand, it is still good to be a raw material supplier for Josh.
So as long as the elixir of life can be produced stably, it is not a problem to supply some to Daenerys.
“Is this true?” Hearing that it might be possible to live forever, Daenerys' eyes instantly began to shine.
“That's really wonderful, this is the best news I've heard recently!” For Daenerys, the idea of achieving immortality was mind-blowing. Her eyes glowed with fiery determination, a spark of true ambition igniting in her heart.
Until now, her quest for the Iron Throne and her campaign across Westeros had been driven more by a sense of family duty and pride than by personal desire.
But now, with the promise of immortality on the table, she finally had a purpose she could truly claim as her own:
To conquer the world, to become its supreme ruler, its one and only Empress.
Betrayal? Mere trivialities. As long as she lived, she would make sure the entire world knelt before her.
Josh watched Daenerys, now brimming with newfound ambition, and felt a twinge of envy. He, too, longed to be a ruler of such empire.
But compared to Westeros, his own world—Marvel's Universe—presented challenges far greater than those of a mere medieval society. For Josh, the road to power was a much steeper climb.
Even Thanos, a seemingly unstoppable overlord, had fallen. How could Josh, a mere Hydra leader, expect to conquer the world?
"But if I am to truly conquer the world, I will need much more of your support," Daenerys said, her tone half-joking, yet hopeful. "The weapons you've provided so far aren't quite enough."
"Funny you should say that," Josh replied with a grin. "The war on my world is coming to an end. Soon I'll have an endless supply of surplus weapons for you—tanks, armored vehicles, heavy artillery, even airplanes. But to use them effectively, you'll need steel, fuel, and skilled personnel. I'll prepare a batch of steel production equipment, as well as tools for oil exploration, drilling, and refining. In the meantime, begin assembling a group of people for training."
The sheer size of the American military during Josh's timeline was staggering—over 11 million troops equipped with an almost limitless arsenal, much of it stationed in Europe. Within a few years, however, the inevitable demobilization would begin.
When that happened, the surplus military equipment of Europe's millions of troops would either be sold for scrap or discarded altogether because the cost of shipping and maintaining it back home often exceeded the cost of manufacturing new equipment.
Even if Josh could secure a fraction of that for Daenerys, it would completely change the face of Westeros.
Industrial equipment? Personnel? That was easy. Daenerys could gather a group of trainees, send them through Josh's system, and have Yuri's team brainwash and train them to operate the machinery.
