Chapter 1387: Laying the Foundation

In a magical laboratory on the upper floors of the Obsidian Palace in Aldernan, Rosetta Augustus was captivated by the mysterious crystal before him, which emitted a beautiful, ethereal blue glow. After several seconds of silent contemplation, he finally exhaled softly and broke the quiet with a low voice: “Truly a treasure as exquisite as a work of art… So this is what the ancient Gondorians called an ‘extraterrestrial artifact’?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s one of many,” Diana replied calmly. “The Viplandon meteor shower was massive. Historical records show that at least a couple dozen fragments fell in the Viplandon region. Back then, the Gondor Empire’s control over the frontier was far weaker than in the later Starfire Era, so many fragments were lost or ended up in civilian hands. Some secret occult sects and wizard guilds preserved these fragments in secret. Later, the Gondor government intervened and, before more fragments could be lost, established a series of research facilities centered around the Viplandon Observatory to collect all remaining pieces. What you see here is just one of the ‘extraterrestrial artifacts’ officially secured by Gondor.”

“One of many, huh…” Rosetta mused, eyes gleaming with curiosity. Over the past few years, he had felt his youthful inquisitiveness rekindled. New and incredible discoveries were emerging at an unprecedented pace, almost overwhelming in their frequency. And these discoveries all seemed to have some connection—however tenuous—to that new empire to the northwest. “It’s incredible… so many secrets hidden right above our heads.”

“Emperor Gawain Cecil’s ties to the Legacy of the Voyagers run deep,” Diana said quietly. “Historical records and leaked intelligence suggest that seven centuries ago, he established a mysterious connection with those ancient devices in space. He even drew some form of… ‘wisdom’ from the Voyager Legacy. I believe his relationship with that ancient civilization is far more profound than current intelligence reveals.”

“That’s certain,” Rosetta said with a sudden laugh, shaking his head. “If we could uncover all of Gawain Cecil’s secrets through mere intelligence gathering, he wouldn’t be the most powerful and respected rival—and ally—in the history of the Typhon Empire. There are many secrets between him and the Voyager Legacy, and those he refuses to reveal can’t be uncovered by any means. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s in front of us.”

His gaze settled on the crystal on the table, as if it were a priceless artifact. His voice dropped lower.

“He was generous enough to let you take this item. Although, in theory, this crystal is Sir Scott’s personal ‘relic’ left to you, we all know he had a hundred reasons to ignore that and keep it for himself. Yet he let you have it. That tells us two things: first, compared to the Voyager Legacy he already controls, this crystal’s value is negligible—less than a favor. Second, compared to his true goals, possessing this item is insignificant.”

Rosetta reached out and picked up the softly glowing crystal, feeling the faint warmth it radiated. The ruler of Typhon wore a thoughtful expression.

“Joint research, knowledge sharing, technology serving the world—these are great slogans, and not just slogans. Even today, many fools still see Emperor Gawain Cecil’s ‘Community of Mortal Destiny’ proposal at the 112th Conference as a grandiose ploy to curry favor, like the legendary trickster conjuring a mountain of gold before the foolish King Chronosoro. But looking at the vast battlefronts across the wasteland, even the most foolish should realize the ‘Alliance’ is no illusionary gold mountain.”

Diana met Rosetta’s gaze. “What is your opinion on launching a joint research project?”

“Of course I agree—wholeheartedly,” Rosetta said, as if he had long planned this. “Now that the ‘Gate’ project in Covenant Fortress is in its final stages and no longer requires such a large maintenance team, we can negotiate with the Cecilians to start joint research on the ‘extraterrestrial artifacts’ right there. This would save on personnel transfers and redundant construction costs. And there’s more to be done.”

He placed the crystal back on the table and leaned back in his chair, eyes deep and steady. “From now on, gather the empire’s best theoretical scholars and research mages—especially those specializing in energy, machinery, and astronomy—and form a dedicated team to study and analyze the Voyager Legacy. Fund it directly from the royal treasury. Once Master Windsor Mapel completes the ‘Gate’ project, she will personally lead this new team.”

“Is this team meant to collaborate with the Cecilians on the crystal research?” Diana asked, glancing at the crystal on the table, though she sensed Rosetta’s intentions went beyond that.

“It’s to study something much bigger,” Rosetta smiled. “Gawain Cecil was generous enough to let you take this crystal, which means the ‘great gift’ he’s prepared for this world is far more than just this crystal. I believe the world is about to undergo a transformation no less significant than the ‘Magitek Revolution.’ Perhaps… he’s already set his sights on the stars, and we must prepare even faster.”

…

In the capital of the Cecil Empire, deep underground in the Arcane Technology Research Institute, a confidential meeting room was brightly lit by magical crystal lamps. Gawain, Hetty, Amber, and others sat around a massive round table. Nearby seats held clear holographic projections—remote participants like Kamail were attending via long-distance connection.

At the center of the table stood a large arcane network terminal, its holographic display filled with dense, orderly characters—data recorded from the Viplandon Observatory’s sanctuary.

The door opened, footsteps approaching. Gawain looked toward the entrance to see Veronica enter, holding a platinum scepter. The “Saint Princess” glanced at the figures and holograms around the table, a faint apologetic smile on her face. “Sorry I’m late—I was handling matters for the Church of the Holy Light.”

“Only a few minutes late, no problem,” Gawain nodded, motioning for her to sit. “With Patriarch Light leading the crusade in the wasteland, most church affairs fall to the bishopric and you. It’s normal to be busy lately.”

Veronica nodded gently. The soft glow around her brought a sense of ease and subtle uplift to the room. She then looked up at the holograms floating above the table, scanning the ancient Gondorian and alien scripts before turning to Gawain. “I’ve heard the general situation from Miss Amber. You found important research materials and ancient relics at the Viplandon Observatory, but I don’t know the details yet.”

“That’s what I’m about to explain,” Gawain cleared his throat and looked around the room. Everyone present was among the empire’s most trusted core members—what he privately called the “inner circle.” So he wasted no time or pretense and recounted his and Amber’s experiences at the Viplandon Observatory in full detail. “We discovered data related to these ‘alien signals’ left by the observatory’s director seven centuries ago—Sir Scott Prandin.”

For the next half hour, only Gawain’s voice filled the room. He spoke clearly and concisely, sharing every detail. The precious data from Viplandon and the steadfast dedication of Sir Scott and Chancellor Alphonse moved everyone deeply. Even usually carefree Amber and the free-spirited Rebecca (joining remotely) wore solemn, respectful expressions.

When Gawain finished, he scanned the faces around the table and slowly stood. “Before we begin formal discussion, I want us all to honor the scholars who remained at the Viplandon Observatory. They left a legacy that can forge the future. Their achievements and honor deserve recognition and eternal remembrance.”

At his words, everyone around the table stood silently, bowing their heads in respect for those great souls long gone.

After a brief moment, they all sat again. Gawain’s gaze settled first on Veronica, the former Gondor royal (though now in a body bearing Morn blood). “We know little about the Viplandon Observatory. Do you have any knowledge of the research Sir Scott and his team conducted?”

“The studies on star patterns and space debris at Viplandon were separate from the Rebellion Project,” Veronica replied softly. “At that time, we didn’t yet understand the connection between the ‘Stars’ and the ‘Divine Calamity.’ So I’m not very familiar with what happened at Viplandon. But I did hear that the observatory reported detecting unknown signals from beyond the stars. That was handled by the Imperial High Astronomers’ Association. In theory, such a discovery should have drawn great academic attention. A call from the stars—even in Gondor’s time—would have caused a huge stir in scholarly circles.”

Gawain frowned slightly. “You said ‘in theory’… so it didn’t actually cause much of a reaction back then?”

“Do you remember the details Sir Scott mentioned in his message?” Veronica lowered her eyelids slightly. “The capital was cutting back on astronomy funding, many talents were reassigned, and Viplandon’s staff was stretched thin…”

“I do,” Gawain nodded, recalling the late Gondor Empire’s Rebellion Project and the ‘Lesser Magic Tide’ that soon followed. A theory was forming in his mind. “That must have been the empire’s final days, so the funding cuts and talent transfers were because…”

“The Rebellion Project was at a critical stage, and the Divine Sin Project had made major breakthroughs,” Veronica confirmed slowly. “Frankly, cutting astronomy funding wasn’t wise. As a researcher, I understand the importance of looking to the stars. But back then, we made that decision because, compared to the uncertain returns of star research, we had to focus on surviving the Divine Calamity and Magic Tide. However…”

At this, Veronica let out a soft sigh. She shook her head, her tone tinged with self-mockery. “But looking back now, it seems all our efforts couldn’t save most people. We had no clue how to fight the divine calamity, and our understanding of the magical tide was way off. Neither the Divine Scourge Project nor the Rebellion Plan managed to save the empire. Meanwhile, Sir Scott and his team achieved their final breakthrough amid the wasteland.”

“That’s not quite fair,” Gawain shook his head. “No one can predict the future. To me, the greatest value of the old Rebellion Plan wasn’t the tangible results, but the fact that you raised the banner at all. And in the long run, the lingering effects of the Rebellion Plan did loosen the bonds between mortals and gods… even if not in the way you originally expected.”

“The problem now,” Heddy’s voice came from Gawain’s left, “is the materials Sir Scott left behind…” She held up a basic ‘dictionary’ that would help us decode messages sent from distant stars. Master Kamail and I both believe we should immediately begin studying and learning this language, decrypt the information we’ve received over the past two years, and start tackling the technology for sending and receiving signals. We need to prepare for interstellar communication. But on the other hand, the fighting in the wasteland is intensifying. Launching a joint ‘Crystal Research’ project with the Typhon Empire is already going to consume massive resources and manpower. Adding an open-ended ‘Interstellar Communication’ project on top of that—well…”

She spread her hands helplessly and shook her head. “After all, right now we can only receive these signals. Even if we manage to fully decode them, it’s not like we can just establish contact with an alien civilization. No one knows how long it will take to develop the technology to send signals back—let alone the risks involved, which we have to handle very carefully.”

Though the call from beyond the stars weighed heavily on Gawain’s mind, he had to admit Heddy’s concerns made sense. Establishing communication with an alien civilization isn’t as simple as shouting hello across a room. It requires massive technical support, social readiness, and there are countless unpredictable risks. Even ignoring the risks, the most awkward question stands right in front of the Alliance:

How do we send the signal out? Without the ability to send signals, how can we talk about interstellar communication?

None of the peoples of Loren currently have interstellar communication capabilities… Talrond once made some progress in this area, but their technology is now lost. The sea elves’ ships have antennas for interstellar communication, but who knows when those will be repaired…

“Let’s start with the basics,” Gawain nodded. “First, translate the ancient Gondorian language in the materials into the modern common tongues of humans and elves—the two official languages of the Alliance. Then compile a complete, usable dictionary. Using that as a foundation, we can translate the signals we’ve received so far—though they’re probably just basic alphabets, there might still be some useful information hidden within…”

(Highly recommend this new book After Awakening—a sci-fi novel blending steampunk and Cthulhu mythos elements. The author’s previous work, The Chessboard of Decay, is well-written, so this new one, though still early, is definitely worth looking forward to.)

(End of chapter)