Chapter 1164: Violet in the Mist

Early morning. A cool breeze drifted through the open window, carrying with it the distant sounds of soldiers assembling and drilling in the courtyard. Hattie’s footsteps were light and brisk as she crossed the corridor and entered Gawain’s study, placing a report on his desk.

“Ancestor, here is the document from the Divine Authority Council—the test project EC-27 has been successfully completed. These are the related data and summary records.”

Gawain lifted his gaze from the papers before him and took the file from Hattie. As he flipped through it quickly, key details caught his eye: “…During testing, Project G-1’s ‘miracle’ effect on Project G-2 indeed penetrated spatial and metaphysical barriers, directly impacting the physical body… There was no contamination of the divine domain, nor any observed ‘overflow’ phenomena… Subsequent monitoring and tests on Project G-1 show no signs of divine essence revival, nor any spiritual connection with minds in the real world…

“…In summary, the practical application of non-directional thought currents has achieved substantial results. Its effect is not limited to passive ‘isolation’ but can also provide active, controllable, and targeted protection…

“Additionally, Project G-1 demonstrated exceptional cooperation during this test, earning the respect of all team members…”

“Tests on Patty and Amon were successful,” Gawain said after a few minutes, setting the file down and looking up at Hattie. “Without any external will interference or suggestion, their boundary-crossing contact caused no contamination—the non-directional thought currents permeating the neural network are effective. Now, we can not only create a ‘protective field’ within the Defiant Fortress but, wherever the neural network reaches, the anti-divine barrier can function.”

Hattie smiled faintly. “And with the ‘broadcast device’ integrated, even if a god suddenly descends into madness, we won’t have to worry about the populace being directly converted into fanatics, nor about them becoming sources of the mad god’s power…”

“Not only that,” Gawain chuckled, tapping the document on the desk lightly. “The ‘bridge’ connecting gods to the real world is rooted in the mapping of thought currents. We’ve gradually made this mapping controllable—at least, interruptible. According to the latest theories, if the anti-divine barrier is strong enough and the broadcast devices sufficiently dense, we might even be able to directly sever the mad god’s descent into reality.”

“That would be the ultimate safeguard,” Hattie said solemnly, her voice low. “Though we must strive to prevent the gods from reaching the ‘mad god’ stage, if it does come to that, we finally have a trump card to fight back effectively… Hopefully, this technology matures quickly so the horrors of the Winter Fortress battlefield won’t repeat.”

Recalling the brutal scenes from Winter Fortress, Gawain nodded gravely, then mused, “Next, we must do everything possible to rapidly expand the neural network. We’ve signed an information interface agreement with the Silver Empire, negotiations with Typhon’s ‘Signal Tower Management Association’ are going smoothly, large-scale magical network installations have begun within the Ogure tribal borders, and progress in the Holy Dragon Principality is swift… But the biggest problem remains the ‘Hermits’ up north.”

Hattie furrowed her brow but quickly caught on. “You mean… the Violet Kingdom?”

“Yes, the Violet Kingdom—a reclusive land of mages,” Gawain said with a weary nod, rubbing his temple. “They’re separated from the Loren Continent by only a strait, yet the ‘distance’ between us is greater than that with the Silver Empire, which lies beyond the entire Gondor Wasteland. They’ve once again refused to join the alliance’s communication protocol… and this time, the reply came directly from the City of a Thousand Towers.”

Hattie recalled, “But I heard they didn’t completely reject it?”

“Correct. In theory, there’s some progress in negotiations,” Gawain sighed. “They agreed to establish alliance communication stations in several major coastal cities to facilitate merchants and adventurers traveling from Loren to the Violet border. But they refused to create any interface between the ‘Violet Network’ and the alliance’s communication network—no interfaces at all—and rejected introducing immersion pods, neural network nodes, or other critical equipment.”

“That’s troublesome,” Hattie understood his frustration, her expression turning serious. “Refusing those key components means the neural network can’t connect at all. Setting up a few magical obelisks in border towns is meaningless; the effectiveness of the anti-divine barrier depends on the network’s coverage.”

She paused, then asked, “Do they not understand the threat of the divine calamity? Or do they not believe the information we’ve made public?”

“No,” Gawain replied. “From the City of a Thousand Towers’ response, they know and believe it. They even expressed respect and blessings for the world. But they simply don’t care.”

Hattie was stunned. “…Isn’t that some kind of provocation?”

“I suspected that for a long time, too. But now I’m certain they truly don’t care,” Gawain said, rubbing his temples. “Those mysterious ‘Tower Hermits’ in the City of a Thousand Towers… it’s as if they’ve exiled themselves from this world. They don’t care about the world’s survival, the continuation of mortal civilization, or even whether they’ll die in the next divine calamity or magical storm. Honestly, I find it hard to understand their mindset… It’s like they’re not even a species living in the same world.”

“It’s rare to see you so troubled,” Hattie said, a faint smile flickering across her face before she quickly suppressed it and resumed a serious tone. “Ancestor, to be honest, I’ve always had a special interest in the Violet Kingdom, and my impression of it… perhaps you’d like to hear it.

“You know I’m a mage myself, and every mage knows there are two great pinnacles of magical knowledge in this world. One is the ‘Astrologers’ Guild’ within the Silver Empire, founded and led by elves. Their magical foundation is indisputable, but due to differences in their nervous systems, elven magic is incompatible with other races, so this ‘magical pinnacle’ has never opened to outsiders. The other pinnacle… is the Violet Kingdom’s ‘Arcane Council.’

“The Violet Kingdom is a reclusive land of mages, but its ‘fringe’ areas act like a kind of ‘transition zone’—not completely sealed off. The kingdom maintains contact with the Loren Continent, and its coastal cities have institutions open to merchants and travelers. The Violet citizens there live much like us; anyone who’s been there knows the people are ordinary folk.

“But once you cross beyond the edge of that massive island and venture inward, things change drastically. There are said to be magical cities unlike anything on Loren, with ancient, eerie towers standing like a forest. Magical power saturates and reshapes the kingdom’s interior environment; the boundary between reality and illusion blurs. Even the people living there seem mysterious, strange, and uncanny.

“Those who have entered that ‘heartland’ all describe it as stepping into some kind of ‘alien realm.’ An indescribable ‘weirdness’ shrouds the area. Prolonged exposure can make one feel assimilated by the strange environment, gradually forgetting what ‘normal life’ outside was like… Of course, these accounts are often exaggerated, but the rumors themselves indicate the Violet Kingdom’s core is indeed peculiar.”

Gawain listened intently. This was information rarely found in official reports—mixed with Hattie’s personal knowledge of folklore and her perspective as a mage. Though the accuracy might be uncertain, it sparked new ideas in his mind.

“From your description… it sounds like the kingdom is layered from outside in,” Gawain mused, rubbing his nose thoughtfully. “The deeper you go, the stranger and more surreal it becomes, with an environment completely different from the outside world… It doesn’t feel like a mortal kingdom but more like a ‘sealed realm’ designed to imprison or suppress something.”

“That’s not an uncommon theory,” Hattie shrugged. “Some scholars describe the Violet Kingdom as a vast secret realm—half of the island is lies, the other half illusions.”

Gawain didn’t respond to the seemingly absurd tale but wore a contemplative expression as he slowly said, “You mentioned the Violet Kingdom’s ‘Arcane Council’… I’m familiar with that organization. The founder of the magical network, that nameless wild mage, was expelled by the Arcane Council. And as far as I know, every year some members leave the Violet Kingdom to travel the northern Loren Continent…”

“Yes, such traveling mages exist. Sometimes they even serve as magical advisors to northern lords or kings, but they rarely speak of their homeland,” Hattie nodded. “When they leave the Violet Kingdom, they seem to undergo some kind of ‘memory reshaping,’ sealing away memories of the kingdom’s heartland, especially the City of a Thousand Towers. This only adds to the kingdom’s mystery in the eyes of Loren’s peoples.”

“…Now that you mention it, I’m increasingly intrigued by this country,” Gawain muttered, rubbing his chin. “Using ‘memory reshaping’ means they’re hiding some serious secrets.”

Hattie was silent for a moment, as if recalling something, then suddenly said, “Ancestor, speaking of connections to the Violet Kingdom, I just remembered something… You know, among those you’re familiar with, there’s someone who had deep dealings with the Violet Kingdom—she even entered the City of a Thousand Towers.”

“Someone who entered the City of a Thousand Towers?” Gawain’s eyes widened in surprise. “Who?”

“Lady Victoria, Grant Duke and High Chancellor of the North,” Hattie said earnestly. “She studied there during her youth.”

Gawain paused, then after a couple of seconds, realization dawned. “Ah, I remember now. Victoria was known as the greatest magical prodigy in the entire northern region during the Ansu era. Records say her talent was recognized by the Violet Kingdom, and she was fortunate enough to be invited to study in the City of a Thousand Towers… I never connected the dots before!”

“That’s understandable, because there’s probably little information to uncover about it,” Hattie nodded. “Like all who leave the Violet heartland, Lady Victoria doesn’t remember that incredible ‘study period’—her memories were sealed, so she rarely mentions it. And naturally, no one dares to pry into a high noble’s private affairs.”

Gawain absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the documents spread across the desk, muttering to himself as he did so. “The heir to the Northern Duchy… to think he would have such an experience. Truly fitting for the ‘Age of Swords and Sorcery.’ But no matter what, this has piqued my interest—connect me to Winterhold. I want to speak with Victoria.”

“Understood,” Hetty nodded promptly. “I’m calling her now.”

The arcane network terminal beside the desk hummed to life, sending an internal call that was answered within seconds by Winterhold, thousands of miles away. Fortunately, Victoria—the busy northern steward—happened to be at her castle today, and she soon appeared before Gawain.

“We’re discussing matters concerning the Violet Kingdom,” Gawain began without preamble. “I heard you once traveled to the City of a Thousand Towers, selected for your exceptional talent to study at the Arcane Council’s headquarters. I’m very interested in that part of your story.”

Victoria hadn’t expected Gawain to summon her over this, and she looked a bit surprised. But she quickly recovered, shaking her head with a hint of awkwardness. “There’s nothing to hide, but… I don’t actually remember the details of my studies in the City of a Thousand Towers. As you know, the Violet Kingdom guards its secrets fiercely. Even Violet citizens within the Arcane Council must undergo memory alteration before leaving the city…”

“I’m aware,” Gawain nodded. “Hetty just filled me in. What I’m curious about is your memories from before you entered the city—how they selected candidates for advanced study, how the students traveled across the sea to the Violet Kingdom, what you saw and heard on the journey from the borderlands to the city… You should still remember those, right?”

Victoria listened carefully, then slowly nodded. “Yes, I remember most of those experiences. Since you’re interested, I can share them with you.”

“It’s a very ‘mage-like’ story, really. To sum it up: gifted youths are taken by a mysterious magical realm, educated and guided in the truths of the arcane. After six months of what feels like vanishing from the world, they return to human society with no memory of that time—because the magical realm must remain shrouded in mystery. The only proof that the studies actually happened is the steadily growing magical power, and the knowledge and spell frameworks that seem to have appeared out of nowhere in their minds…”

(End of chapter)