“Ja Fiat set up a meeting with Mao and Bob after this. I want to begin planning the network to install these beacons,” I said, my pleasure at this new discovery apparent.

I was pleased that my people had found a safety issue and had taken steps to resolve it. That they even considered something like the mapping and beacon function was a relief. I felt, for the first time, that the people I had gathered together wouldn’t need hand-holding for progress to be actualized.

Ja Fiat didn’t respond to my words other than to scribble something in a notebook she was never without. She had been a happy find to add to my staff and one that hadn’t been bribed or coerced to join. Her almost prophetic response to seeing to my needs was frightening at times. She anticipated what I required easily and did it with only a Body Refinement Realm Cultivation.

“Next?” I said, nodding for Zui to move to the next topic; my anticipation was heightened by what they had been able to reveal with this first innovation, and I eagerly leaned forward, listening.

“Tine,” Zui replied, “introduce yourself and your idea.”

“Sensei,” Tine said, bowing while seated. His voice was a deep baritone that vibrated across the room. Because he addressed me as Sensei, I knew he was a cultivator and a member of my Dojo. That also meant that he hadn’t joined my House.

He was on the list I’d received of new cultivators that had awoken or relocated to the town while I had been in the Mystic Realm. I hadn’t had a chance to process that list yet, so I had no idea what profession he had selected.

I did know he was still in the Body Refinement Realm. I could feel his strength. But that wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was the feeling of age I got when I probed his body, searching his Qi affinities. He seemed more my parent’s age than closer to mine. Still to be at the Body Refinement Realm after all this time did not bow well for him.

“I am a recently promoted journeyman grade tailor. I moved here to join your Dojo from Baron Hyung’s territory. The dress you wore when the Sect hosted the banquet was shared. I heard rumors that the dress was created using spider silk you had discovered. I hoped to learn the techniques you pioneered and was willing to swear to serve in exchange.

I thought working with a new product would help me break the bottleneck I’d found myself at, and it worked. “I had stalled at the apprentice level, and because my cultivation and spirit roots were considered sub-standard by Baron Hyung, he had no interest in me or my talents.

“There have been rumors that you are recruiting Cultivators across Fief Hyung, but I was doubtful you would be willing to offer me a position. That was until you placed an open offer for anyone to apply and join Myche Dojo.

“The silk is interesting to work with. The tensile strength is beyond what should be possible. The ability to accept enchantments and reflect light will have many uses, but those features were nothing game-changing for me. Most of the advancements being made using this new silk were coming from those skilled in enchantments and runes.

“But I was also interested in the plant you discovered. The Golden Laodicea’s purifying properties were intriguing, and I wondered what would happen if I wove the silk and threads of the plant together.

“It took time to figure out how to make thread from the plant, but I borrowed techniques similar to those used for harvesting cattails. The pods that contain the cores are held in a fibrous mass, something similar to a cocoon, so it was possible.

“But the supply we would need if we wanted to increase production simply wasn’t sustainable.

“The seedpods take years to develop, and while we can take cuttings or some of the pods as they begin to form, the amount from careful harvesting would still leave a shortage. Fortunately, the plant leaves grow in abundance, and I found that if I treat the leaves like I would if I wanted to make paper. I could spin the pulp into a thread strong enough and flexible enough to weave with the silk.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“By braiding two-part spider silk with one-part Golden Lodoicea thread, I was able to create a cloth that has the properties of the silk with the added benefit of being self-cleaning and self-repairing.

“The thread can take dye before it is braided, but once the braiding is finished, the color cannot be changed. It cannot be stained, any damage is repaired, and it remains pristine no matter how it is treated. Even burns or acid damage are repaired, although you have to ‘feed’ it a supply of raw cloth.

“The Golden Lodoicea retains its ability to grow and somehow shares that ability with the silk,” Tine finished, his face flushed with exuberance.

He withdrew a couple of yards of material from a spatial device, and with a flick of his wrist and a gust of wind using his Qi, it unfolded to drape across the conference table. This material had been dyed a royal blue, but it still retained the feature of the original silk, glistening with the illusion of water droplets scattered like pearls across the weave.

Moving before anyone could stop him, he spilled a noxious mixture of liquids, the smells washing across the room as the liquid spread. A few gasps, and one demand that he stops, was the only reaction from those gathered. Any attempt to interfere too late and not needed as his boast was proven true.

We watched as the cloth reacted. The entire pool of liquid was absorbed and sucked dry. The burns were absorbed, and the smell was quickly neutralized. It was only a matter of seconds before the entirety of the cloth was back in pristine condition. The process of cleaning, purifying, and repairing was so effective that it was impossible to tell if any damage had been done. There wasn’t even a wet spot to show that liquid had been poured on it.

“I think it might be better to limit the supply of this material,” I said thoughtfully as I gathered the cloth to get a feel for its texture and a more careful examination of the material. Even with my perception engaged tightly, I could not detect any damage. The fibers were woven in the same repeating pattern everywhere.

“If we sell this as a luxury item,” I continued, “we can market it as an exclusive product of the Fief. Keep the technique and materials needed to create it a trademark secret.”

“We had thought the same, but our isolation might make that difficult,” Gwen commented. “Unless you just want to sell this locally, we need some way to make sure word gets out about the properties of the materials and how well it serves as items of clothing.”

“Perhaps we should have a competition,” I said, deciding to steal a concept from Earth that had worked well for advertisement. I wouldn’t even have to look hard for models to wear the garments. I’d never seen an ugly Elf.

“We can send out invitations to the best Tailors throughout the Empire. Send each of them a small swath of cloth, a few yards each, and inform them that we are hosting an event to showcase the best fashion design each tailor can create using the material.”

“We can partner this event with others. Showcase what our people can do, and time it so the yearly Arena match is just finishing or getting ready to start.”

“If we schedule the competition a year from now, the Clan Hall will be finished,” Zui added. “You could combine the two events. The opening of Clan Frost with a new product line. We can hold a faire that will include each of the innovations we are coming up with, as well as a line of clothing that will carry our brand. We could offer new products for sale and use the Tailor’s competition as one of the main events.”

“A fashion show with the public watching as the Tailors compete openly to bring their designs to life,” I added. “The audience would get a chance to vote on which design was the best, with a reward being offered to the winning Tailor.”

“That only leaves the prize to consider and how we will attract other industries and mercantile interest. We can use the event to establish some trade contracts and give those industries that are interested a forum to showcase their own products,” Gwen replied.

I agreed.

Holding an event for the Clan Hall opening was a must, and using that event as an advertisement would be smart and hopefully profitable. I had considered the importance and impact of re-establishing a Clan but hadn’t considered what we could do to celebrate and memorialize the occasion.

The Empire seldom allowed new Clans to form. The Clans were hard to control, and when they united in opposing the Empire, things could become problematic.

“Ja Fiat, schedule two appointments concerning this. One to discuss creating the production facilities to increase production of the cloth, the other to discuss plans for the Clan to host an event to celebrate our opening,” I said, watching as she wrote down my orders.

I decided that Ja was going to need a staff of her own. This meeting was spiraling out of control for ideas, each of which would mean more meetings and discussions.