Chapter 1381: A Joint Expedition

Gawain placed great importance on the observatory that Philip had discovered deep within the wasteland.

To outsiders unaware of the full story, that observatory might seem like just another peculiar relic from the ancient world—old, mysterious, perhaps holding some knowledge or antique value. But across the entire ruined land of Gondor, such ancient structures were hardly rare or especially valuable. At best, they were well-preserved ruins. Yet Gawain saw it differently. He knew the “Viplandon Observatory” inside and out.

Three thousand years ago, when Amon crashed into the sky, fragments of the impact scattered into space, orbiting for ages before slowly descending back to earth. Some of these fragments fell in the Viplandon region of ancient Gondor, an event recorded in history as the “Viplandon Meteor Shower.” The Gondorians built the observatory there, along with numerous research facilities dedicated to studying these celestial remnants. Unfortunately, limited by the technology of the time, humanity never fully understood what the “Voyager’s Legacy” truly was. It wasn’t until the collapse of the Gondor Empire, when Gawain Cecil and Charles’s Northern Expeditionary Force passed through Viplandon, that one of the fragments was unearthed from an underground chamber. This discovery became a hidden thread linking the heroes of the land with the satellites orbiting in space.

For Gawain, the observatory was deeply personal—almost a matter of fate. And that fate stretched further, connecting to the Typhon Empire.

Diana, the black-haired head maid of the Augustus family, was no ordinary servant. In truth, she was an “Iron Soldier” from the Gondor era. Seven hundred years ago, before the magical cataclysm, she had been one of the observatory’s guardians. When disaster struck, she obeyed the observatory director’s orders to abandon her post and flee north. Eventually, she collapsed in the eastern Dark Mountains, where the Typhon royal family “rescued” her.

Now, Diana’s memory modules were malfunctioning. She could no longer recall what had happened at the Viplandon Observatory or the tasks her former masters had entrusted to her. The only thing she remembered was endless flight and wandering across a devastated land. If she could return to the observatory, might some memories resurface?

Gawain wasn’t sure, but he felt it necessary to inform Typhon about the observatory. He needed the amnesiac Iron Soldier to try unlocking the sealed door on the observatory’s upper levels.

After all, the entire Viplandon region was under the control of the Cecil Legion. Philip’s exploration team had already scoured every accessible area of the observatory multiple times. Anything of value had been packed and shipped back to base; what couldn’t be moved was documented with images and rubbings. With control firmly in hand, Gawain wasn’t too concerned about Typhon “sharing” too much from this joint venture.

After some preparation, Gawain established a direct magical communication link with Aldernon. The magical signal leapt instantly across a chain of relay towers and hubs spanning the two nations. What once took a messenger a whole month to deliver now connected in the blink of an eye. The arcane network terminal vibrated briefly before the connection was established. Rosetta Augustus’s holographic half-portrait appeared beside Gawain’s desk. Before the Typhon monarch could speak, Gawain cut straight to the point: “We’ve discovered the ruins of the Viplandon Observatory. Interested?”

…

The magical transmission from Cecil didn’t last long. In the brief exchange, Rosetta Augustus learned the essentials. More detailed information would be shared once both sides finalized the exploration plan. As the projection faded, Rosetta waved her hand, shutting down the communication device, then looked toward a shadowed corner of the room.

There, an unnatural shimmer of light appeared, and a refractive field dissolved. The tall, black-haired royal head maid stepped forward from her usual post. This Iron Soldier, who had served the Augustus family for centuries, bowed slightly before Rosetta. “Yes, I heard everything.”

“What do you make of this?” Rosetta asked, her gaze fixed on Diana’s perfectly formed artificial eyes. “To have survived seven hundred years in the wasteland, with the main structure intact and something still powering it inside—it’s incredible.”

“I don’t remember the circumstances when I left the observatory, nor what happened afterward. I only vaguely recall Director Scott and Scholar Alphonse ordering me to evacuate while all the monitoring instruments were screaming. A massive energy pulse was rushing along the arcane conduit directly to the capital. Theoretically, this pulse should have annihilated the observatory’s energy core. Like all other Gondorian cities in the wasteland, the core’s destruction would have melted everything covered by the conduit network, reducing the entire facility to molten wreckage. My logic unit tells me the main structure couldn’t have survived.”

“But it did,” Rosetta said gravely. “It seems that after you left, something happened that prevented the out-of-control deep blue magic from destroying it. Cecil hasn’t told us everything, but the intelligence we have is reliable. The upper levels of the observatory are sealed by an ancient security system—you might be the only one who can open it.”

“I’m not sure. I don’t remember. But it seems the permissions I carry might be the only reason Typhon is allowed to participate in this investigation. We have no reason to refuse, Your Majesty.”

Diana’s expression was unreadable, her delicate features calm and inhumanly serene. Rosetta had seen that poker face since childhood and was long accustomed to it. She smiled faintly. “And what about you? Aren’t you curious about your lost memories and the place where you once worked and lived?”

“I have some interest,” Diana answered seriously. “But my curiosity is programmed not to conflict with my current primary objectives, and I won’t reveal it unless necessary. That’s why I seem so calm. My current main objective is to safeguard the Augustus family’s interests. This expedition aligns with that goal, so I’m happy to go—it’s a good opportunity to satisfy my curiosity.”

“…Well, at least you’re more flexible than the cold, rigid image my grandfather remembered,” Rosetta said with a resigned shake of her head. “Get ready, then. Depart as soon as possible for the northern front. Leave the Wanderers’ affairs to Hadrian for now—and try to bring back good news.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Diana bowed slightly, her voice cool and clear. Then she stepped back and gradually vanished into the air.

Further communications and negotiations with Cecil were quickly completed, and preparations took little time. Just three days later, a small elite team departed from the Winterwolf Legion’s frontline base under Andersa Wendell’s command. They moved northwest along the “safe corridor” carved out by the Alliance’s advancing forces, soon arriving at the First Legion’s frontline base overseen by Philip. Diana led this team.

As the war progressed, the Alliance’s forces began to encircle the wasteland, and the distance between frontline bases shrank. Now, traveling directly through the “safe corridor” had become a shortcut.

At the edge of a lush, verdant forest, the large base built by the Cecilians stood proudly in the sunlight. Several arcane-powered vehicles bearing the Typhon Empire’s insignia rolled through the main gate. From the lead vehicle, Diana’s gaze swept outside. The scenery was starkly different from the Typhon frontline base—towering trees, dense underbrush and flowers carpeting the ground, heavy artillery mounted on the walls, and dragonrider aircraft patrolling low nearby. These wildly contrasting elements somehow blended together, creating an eerie, surreal sight.

If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, Diana could hardly have believed this was deep within the Gondor wasteland. Even with her somewhat rigid Iron Soldier mind, she was deeply shaken.

Then, an even more shocking scene unfolded before her eyes.

A massive tentacle—grotesque and terrifying to any normal person—suddenly burst out beside a barracks and lunged swiftly toward a group of resting soldiers. But instead of panic, the soldiers laughed heartily and greeted the tentacle cheerfully. They pulled out large chunks of ominously colored roasted meat from somewhere and fed it to the monstrous appendage. The tentacle seemed delighted, twisting in the air and magically revealing many bright red little fruits at its tip, which the soldiers eagerly plucked.

One soldier even gave the tentacle a high-five before they parted on friendly terms.

The Typhon soldiers driving the arcane vehicles were visibly startled by this bizarre scene. The lead vehicle jolted noticeably before stabilizing. Even after fighting side by side for so long, the Typhon troops hadn’t expected their neighbors to have such… unusual downtime activities. Were Cecilian soldiers’ off-duty lives really this thrilling and bizarre?

The welcoming party appeared, and the vehicles stopped at the camp’s center. Diana felt her mental core nearly overloaded but maintained her usual impassive expression as she stepped out. A young blond commander approached with a smile. Her memory banks contained his profile, so she returned his greeting: “Greetings, General Philip. By order of Her Majesty Rosetta Augustus and under our mutual agreement, I have come to lead the expedition to explore the Viplandon Observatory.”

“Thank you for coming, Ms. Diana,” Philip said, extending his hand respectfully. He knew this black-haired woman was far more than just the Typhon royal household’s head maid. She was also the supreme commander of a special Typhon unit and one of Rosetta Augustus’s most trusted court officials—an equal in rank to himself, an imperial general. “I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly. We thought… Ms. Diana, are you alright? Your body temperature seems a bit…”

As their hands met, Philip felt an unusual warmth radiating from her palm. Though he didn’t know what a “healthy” Iron Soldier’s temperature should be, this felt off. He couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

Diana glanced toward the spot where the tentacle had emerged. Only now did she notice a perfectly round hole in the ground, seemingly made to allow the tentacle’s passage. Next to it stood a sign with large letters: “Feeding Allowed. No Slapping. Offenders Will Be Confined for Three Days.”

Diana withdrew her gaze as a wisp of heat rose from the cooling vents behind her. “A bit overloaded. Just need to cool down.”

Philip hesitated. “…Are you really okay?”

“I’ve cooled down,” Diana said flatly. Then, as if eager to steer the conversation back on track, she added immediately, “When are we heading to the Viplanton Observatory ruins?”

“The site is ready,” Philip replied, “but… don’t you need to rest first?” He glanced at the woman before him, still emanating heat from her back. “You’ve had a long journey.”

“My physiology is unusual. Staying still does me no good,” Diana shook her head. “If you don’t mind, I can start the mission right away.”

Philip said nothing, but a calm, steady voice suddenly spoke up from nearby: “That’s good. I’m eager to uncover the secrets of the Viplanton Observatory as soon as possible.”

Philip immediately turned toward the voice and saluted. Diana followed the sound, and even her usually impassive face betrayed a flicker of surprise. “King Gawain? How did you—”

The speaker was none other than Gawain himself, who had somehow arrived unnoticed. He stood there with a faint smile, amber eyes casually sweeping over Diana and the Typhon soldiers she had brought along.

“His Majesty places great importance on our findings at the Viplanton Observatory,” Philip explained. “He arrived yesterday and will personally explore the facility. This is a secret mission, not disclosed to the public or even within the Alliance.”

Diana blinked, still a little taken aback that Gawain Cecil had come in person. But she knew better than to pry, so she nodded expressionlessly. “Understood. King Gawain is highly knowledgeable and a native of Gondor. His direct involvement will be invaluable. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to ensure His Majesty’s safety during the operation.”

“That won’t be necessary. I don’t need your protection,” Gawain said casually, waving a hand. “Just take care of yourself—you’re not easy to replace.”

Diana’s eye twitched slightly. The ordinary soldiers she’d brought looked puzzled—they had no idea what “Gondorian Iron Man” meant.

But it was a minor matter. Gawain didn’t press further. Instead, he turned to Philip, who was standing by. “Arrange transportation for us. We leave for the Viplanton Observatory immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

(End of chapter)