Chapter 1153: The Extending Trajectory

In Daniel’s eyes, the young nobleman from Aldernan had changed far more than anyone could have expected—

Once, Viscount Hemir was brimming with ambition and pride. In his youth, sharp-eyed and quick-witted, he had seized the first breeze of the burgeoning magical industry and swiftly risen to become one of the empire’s most sought-after figures. His factories and investments spread across Aldernan and even reached several cities in the central regions. Back then, he was like a charged arcane crystal, radiating intense light and harboring boundless energy within—fearless and unyielding toward the outside world.

But now, the viscount’s brilliance seemed to have been reined in. He had hidden all his sharp edges, like an unseen hunter lurking in the shadows of night. He had withdrawn into his once bustling “fortress,” now much quieter, warily watching a world that no longer felt safe to him—not quite broken, but perilously close.

And all this change had come about in just one winter.

Daniel sighed quietly. He knew exactly why the viscount had changed, and he understood that this new demeanor was perfectly logical. Yet, it was not a result he welcomed—not because of any personal friendship, but because he had invested so much effort into this young nobleman. It had not been easy to guide and inspire a minor noble, once common in Aldernan and known only for socializing and hosting banquets, into becoming a titan of investment. The trust built from the very beginning was an irreplaceable asset. If the viscount were to fall now… the loss would be deeply regrettable.

“Viscount,” the old mage said after a moment’s thought, looking at Hemir, “perhaps I sound like an outsider who doesn’t understand your struggles. But I believe what you need most right now is to step back out into the world—to return to the fields where you excel and thrive. Expand your factories’ production, broaden your influence, invest in the things urgently needed in the postwar era, and work with the crown to revive the economy… Let’s be optimistic. You’ll find that this moment is actually a rare opportunity, Viscount.”

Hemir gazed at the seemingly ever-wise elder. After a long pause, he murmured to himself, “Optimistic, huh… but for me, optimism is not so easy.”

He turned away, looking down from the balcony at the somewhat deserted street below. His wine glass tilted forward, pointing toward the mansions that had changed hands—or were about to: “Master Daniel, look at that house… once the seat of a distinguished family with centuries of history. But they chose the wrong side, stubbornly clinging to their foolish ‘principles’ when they should have stood with the crown. The Obsidian Guard took them away.

“And just a wall apart, another mansion belonging to a similarly prominent family—loyal knights and generals who chose the right side. But they were sent to the front lines at Winterfort. The mad gods took most of their family members. Now only a lonely old woman and a girl barely ten years old remain. I visited that child once; she still doesn’t understand why her family suffered such a fate.

“Master, let me admit it—I’m a coward. I understand your kindness, and I know what you mean by a ‘once-in-a-millennium opportunity,’ but this time, I’m truly scared. Maybe we were never meant to live so openly in this world, especially when I carry a title inherited from my ancestors, one that will continue to be passed down.

“Of course, I will continue to manage my current enterprises in the capital—my textile factory, rune foundry, printing press, and the plantation outside the city. They are the foundation for my family’s survival. But the rest, I plan to sell. I’ve already found buyers interested in the factories in the central region. Once I let go of those, maybe I can finally sleep a little easier.”

Daniel met Hemir’s gaze calmly. After a long silence, he sighed softly and raised his glass in a silent toast: “Very well, that is your decision, Viscount—everyone has their own path. But I must remind you: in the current situation, when the economy desperately needs revival, His Majesty needs the nobility to show their stance, and the empire needs more investors and emerging industries, is it truly wise for someone as pivotal in the magical industry as you to suddenly sell off your holdings and retreat to the sidelines?”

The viscount blinked, his expression shifting slightly. “…What do you mean by that?”

“I may not be as skilled as you in investing in factories, but I have some confidence in my life experience,” Daniel said calmly. “From where I stand, the crown needs nobles like you to demonstrate ‘wisdom’ and take a stand, Viscount. Don’t think the ‘test’ is over—it’s ongoing, and it will never end.”

The young viscount stood frozen, his expression growing more complex, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice: “So, even being a coward is a crime?”

“You’re not a coward. You’re just giving up on yourself. And unfortunately, those in high positions have no right to give up,” Daniel shook his head. “From His Majesty’s perspective, he doesn’t despise capable, brilliant figures—no one shines brighter than him in this realm. Nor does he disdain the incompetent, because he doesn’t waste time on fools. What rulers truly fear is losing control.

“Those who overstep their bounds through pride lose control, yes—but those who flee at the crucial moment lose control just the same.”

Hemir’s face darkened. “I…”

“I’m just reminding you,” Daniel said, setting down his glass and rising from the sofa. “Think carefully about your choice, Viscount.”

…

Outside the carriage door, the mentor’s figure appeared. The young mage Mary quickly reached out to open one side of the door, helping the old mage inside. She noticed the serious expression on his face and couldn’t help but ask, “Did something happen?”

“Nothing much. Just that a young man is about to mature starting today,” the old mage shook his head, then casually instructed the apprentice driving the carriage, “Take us to the Royal Mage Association.”

Mary was puzzled, but the mentor often spoke in cryptic ways without explaining to the apprentices. She was used to it. After nodding, she returned her attention to the notebook resting on her lap—its pristine white pages filled with all kinds of markings that looked neither like math formulas nor magical runes.

“What’s that?” Daniel noticed the notebook and frowned. “Some doodles copied from somewhere?”

“This is a popular puzzle from the Engineering Guild—actually, it’s been around for a while, but we’ve been too busy to follow the trend,” Mary said earnestly, pushing the notebook toward her mentor. “Have you heard of Cecil’s ‘Listening Project’? Their antenna picked up a mysterious signal, and these are unknown symbols transmitted within it. Scholars there believe these symbols form some kind of language. The Cecil Empire has made them public, hoping that member states of the alliance can decipher the secrets behind these characters. The Obsidian Palace has even offered a reward for anyone who can crack the code…”

“Seeking someone who can decode these symbols…” Daniel nodded knowingly. Of course, he was aware of this. As one of Cecil’s technical personnel, he had received internal news shortly after the mysterious signal was detected at the Solin hub. Mary, with her limited access to the neural network, simply didn’t know.

What surprised the old mage was how quickly the decision was made to release these mysterious “symbols” publicly. So soon, the relevant data had already been shared officially between Typhon and Cecil?

But that was good news—since the data had come through official channels, he could now openly study these seemingly scribbled “mysterious characters.” To be honest, these unknown symbols were quite alluring to a scholar, even if Daniel wasn’t particularly skilled in cryptography or linguistics.

His mind racing with thoughts, Daniel’s gaze returned to Mary’s notebook. Seeing the dense markings she had made, he frowned again. “You wrote down so many notes… have you made any progress?”

Mary scratched her already messy black hair sheepishly, which became even more disheveled. “Sorry, Master. I’m not very knowledgeable in languages or codes. My ‘research’ was just a spur-of-the-moment scribbling. No real progress yet.”

“That’s normal. If an amateur like you could make breakthroughs in a morning, all the experts funded up top would have jumped off the city walls by now,” Daniel teased lightly. His eyes swept over the young apprentice’s appearance—wearing a robe that hadn’t been changed in a long time, an old-fashioned and rather plain design. Her hair was tied back with a simple ribbon, but loose strands outnumbered the tied ones. No makeup, no idea how to apply it, and faint red veins showed in her eyes from frequent late-night reading.

This was his most talented apprentice, the one who had followed him the longest… yet it seemed only now did he truly notice how she looked in everyday life.

“Master?” Mary noticed his gaze and grew nervous. “Is something wrong with me?”

“Instead of wasting so much energy on fields you’re not good at, you might as well pay some attention to your appearance like a normal young woman,” Daniel said casually, though he doubted if these were words he should be saying. A phrase his master often told others naturally surfaced in his mind: “You’re not getting any younger…”

Mary jumped in surprise. “Ma—Master?”

“Nothing, just a passing thought,” Daniel waved his hand quickly but couldn’t help adding, “I just thought of Windsor… Don’t end up like her.”

Windsor Mapel, President of the Royal Mage Association?

Mary froze, suddenly recalling that this remarkable figure was also once the mentor’s apprentice. As a young legendary prodigy, her talent far surpassed Mary’s. Though the mentor no longer publicly acknowledged their student relationship, outsiders could never deny it.

Such an outstanding person… why would the mentor suddenly say not to be like her?

The young mage was baffled again, but faintly, she heard her mentor muttering to himself: “Forty years old and still unmarried…”

…

In the spacious, bright, and impeccably tidy magical laboratory, Windsor Mapel, directing the scene, suddenly sneezed hard.

Waving to her assistant to continue with the work, she casually cast a dozen or so instant spells—disease removal, body strengthening, blessings, curse breaking, and resistance enhancements—on herself. After confirming that her body was in perfect condition, her attention returned once more to the circular platform at the center of the indoor testing arena.

Bathed in focused light, the surface of the platform was inscribed with intricate, arcane runes that glowed faintly. Inside a powerful protective energy shield hovered irregular fragments of iron-gray metal, suspended in midair. These shards were clearly remnants of a much larger metallic structure, their edges jagged and violently torn apart. At several major breaks, a dim, flickering glow emanated spontaneously from within the fragments, as if some faint life stirred near the fractures.

This striking detail revealed one undeniable truth: these seemingly ordinary metal shards were anything but mundane.

In fact, they were extraordinary—these were pieces of armor scattered across the land after the fall of the God of War. Considering that the deity’s very form was nothing more than an empty suit of armor, these fragments could essentially be regarded as the “remains of the god’s body.”

At this moment, a dozen royal mages clad in ceremonial robes busied themselves around the fragments. Complex magical arrays floated in the air around the platform, while numerous altar-like devices embedded with crystals, magic stones, and precious conduit metals encircled the area, each monitoring and suppressing the various energies radiating from the shards.

“Chairwoman Windsor,” a mage in a deep blue robe embroidered with golden patterns flew over and landed before Windsor Mapel. “We’ve confirmed that this fragment likely comes from the helmet of the God of War. The energy fluctuations it emits are stable enough to serve as a kind of guiding medium.”

Windsor Mapel nodded solemnly. “Guiding… What about directional resonance? Have you observed any?”

“Indeed, we have detected directional resonance. When placed within a highly pure arcane circulation, the fragment attempts to constrain and channel energy toward a dimension we have yet to observe. Theoretically, if the strength of this arcane circulation is sufficient, we could use this process to open a rift… or even a stable gateway.”

(End of chapter)