"Then why not use magic?"
That was such a good question that even Rex glanced over in surprise. His Wired Telegraph used electricity, but that did not mean it could not run on something else-magic, for instance.
Yet after weighing his options, Rex had ultimately chosen electricity. What was the fundamental reason? Simply that although magic suited the development of Azeroth, it did not suit the Kingdom of Gilneas at all.
Jaina's keen insight gave Rex a new appreciation for her. She truly lived up to her reputation as someone who would leave a profound mark on the history of Azeroth.
She had only just encountered the telegraph, yet she had already seen through its underlying principles. That also made Rex glad he had not treated everyone else as fools and simply sold finished telegraphs.
Had he done that, he would barely have earned any gold before the other kingdoms worked out the technology themselves. There was no such thing as patent rights in Azeroth. If another kingdom figured it out, that was just your bad luck.
Selling finished telegraphs would not earn Rex much, but selling the technology was a different matter. That way, he could charge a high price with a clear conscience, and no one would consider it excessive.
Rex finally sighed, exchanged a few more casual remarks with Jaina, and parted ways with her. Jaina needed to make a trip to Dalaran. She could make decisions about Kul Tiras herself, but she needed to go and notify Dalaran, so she did not stay to chat with Rex for long.
Rex himself was hardly in the mood either. How could he not know the advantages of using magic? Electricity had appeared in Azeroth long ago, yet it had never developed. He did not know why, but it