Chapter 1406: The Ophelia Matrix

Before arriving here, Gawain had never truly understood the “Princess Ophelia” who had held her ground at the heart of the wasteland for seven centuries.

Though he had frequent dealings with Veronica, she was merely one of many temporary “vessels” Ophelia had inhabited over those long seven hundred years. Gawain was familiar with the history of the Rebellion Project, but a single historical account could never capture the entirety of who Ophelia was. What had she endured during those centuries? What had she done to survive? What was her original personality like? What was her true nature beneath the surface?

No one really knew.

But Griffina’s story suddenly made Gawain realize that this “former princess” — who always seemed so mechanical, so detached, so clear-headed and calm — had in fact lived a unique and deeply personal life all her own. Perhaps beneath that mask, she had experienced joy, anger, sorrow, and embarrassment — memories she would never share with outsiders.

“I’ve always wondered,” Amber suddenly said, “Veronica… the identity you’re using out there — what does she really mean to you? I mean, the family and friends she has, the Morn bloodline she carries, her place in society and relationships — what do those mean to you?”

Amber gestured vaguely, unsure how to phrase her question precisely. Ophelia, however, clearly understood. After a brief silence, the elevator’s voice module responded:

“Veronica is me — from the very beginning, until this ‘vessel’ ceases to exist, that is the only answer. There has never been an ‘original’ or ‘true’ Veronica. From the moment a baby named Veronica first cried out in Silverkeep, her hazy, chaotic mind was already mine.

“So the answer is simple — I have a kind father named Franscy Morn, whom I respect and pity. I have a reliable older brother, the last king of Ansu. Though he always thought I was a strange child, we’ve maintained a good relationship and still write to each other. And Edmund… I regret how his story ended. I remember when I was very young, he would always save the best desserts for me, but also sneak leaves into my hair… Yes, I have a life — a life called Veronica Morn, a child who was always a little different from birth.”

A tremor ran beneath their feet as the elevator reached the bottom of the shaft. Gawain and Amber stepped into the deepest part of the ancient fortress. Before them, a barred gate slid open, revealing a brightly lit trapezoidal corridor, narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. Along the edges, maintenance machines moved silently on rails, their low hum resonating through the walls and ceiling. Thin streams of light flickered through cracks in the walls, flowing swiftly into the distance.

At the corridor’s end, a heavy alloy gate opened — then another, and another — each sliding aside with the grinding of machinery, the sound echoing deeper into the fortress.

Even at the base’s core, layers of armored defenses remained. The shaft from the “Crystal Spire” did not deliver visitors directly to the control center — no path in this base led straight to the heart. It was a deliberate, effective security measure.

Two ironclad soldiers led Gawain and Amber forward. For the first time in centuries, living beings had set foot in this machine-guarded underground space. Their footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, accompanied by faint crackling from devices hidden in the ceiling. Veronica’s voice echoed through speakers along the way, moving with them.

“…I have lived many lives like this — Veronica, princess of Ansu; Griffina, mercenary of Typhon; Mordena, poetess of the Gaoling Kingdom… Often, I leave a name in history, but sometimes I am just an anonymous passerby…”

Passing through gate after gate, they noticed the security intensify. Combat-specialized iron soldiers stood guard at some doors, while arc discharge devices and arcane missile launchers lined the walls deeper inside — weapons that immediately retracted when Gawain approached.

“…Sometimes, I only inhabit a vessel for a few days, usually when I take over a body that died unexpectedly. I can’t always accurately assess the vessel’s condition or perform remote repairs. Occasionally, the original consciousness within a repaired vessel doesn’t fully fade and gradually awakens after ‘resurrection.’ At that point, I leave.

“This is my ‘life’ — a series of experiences and memories. I travel through these lives, meet many people, and say goodbye to many more. I can be many people — Veronica, Griffina, a poetess, an adventurer — but I’m not sure if I can truly be Ophelia.”

As the voice accompanied them, Gawain and Amber reached the final gate. Ophelia’s last words left Gawain momentarily puzzled, but before he could ask, the silver alloy door slid open. The sight beyond stole all his words.

It was a vast hall, underground yet even larger than the council chamber in Cecil City. Bright lights illuminated the space, almost entirely encased in alloy. A low hum filled the air. Rows of silver square pillars stood in neat formation, their surfaces flickering with countless tiny lights — like watchful eyes, cold, hard, ancient, silently observing every visitor.

Ophelia’s voice echoed through the hall: “Welcome to the Ophelia Matrix… As you can see, this is ‘me’ — an artificial intelligence network composed of computing nodes, storage arrays, energy matrices, and a cognitive core. I’m sorry this isn’t the meeting you expected.”

Amber’s eyes widened. Despite her vivid imagination and strong nerves, she was momentarily stunned. She had pictured the ancient survivor Ophelia as a ghost wandering underground caves, a mage trapped in a magical device, or even a fully transformed alien-like “synthetic” akin to a divine abomination. But never had she imagined Ophelia would be… a machine.

Or rather, a network of many machines.

Gawain’s gaze swept over the orderly pillars, their hum grounding him. He recovered faster than Amber, though the revelation was still unexpected. After all, his own “satellite essence” was essentially a similar ancient machine.

Between the pillars, a guiding stream of light rose from the floor. The two iron soldiers had returned outside the hall. Following the light, Gawain and Amber moved toward the matrix’s core. At last, Amber broke the silence.

“So you… stored your consciousness in these machines to survive until today? Like our ‘Immortals’?”

“Not exactly,” Ophelia replied calmly.

They entered an open area where the silver pillars formed a matrix around a clear space. Suddenly, mechanical sounds came from below. The floor opened, and a platform rose from a hidden chamber. On it, Gawain saw a device resembling a stasis pod. Through its transparent shell lay a young woman, peacefully sleeping.

She was beautiful, dressed in Gondorian style robes. Her eyes were closed, as if lost in a pleasant dream, ready to awaken at any moment.

Though a stranger’s face, Gawain immediately guessed her identity.

Amber pointed at the sleeping figure. “That’s…”

“Ophelia Norton, the last heir of the Gondor Empire. She died many years ago. This base is her legacy — including me,” the voice in the hall said calmly. “I am the Ophelia Matrix, a simulated mind created from the real Ophelia Norton’s personality data and full brain scans. My final command was to continue her mission.”

A faint scraping sound came from the ceiling as sensors emerged, silently watching the sleeping ancient Gondorian princess.

“…But she never explained the full meaning of that ‘mission,’ nor whether it would ever end. I spent a long time pondering how to fulfill this vague order. The only answer I could find was to ‘become’ Ophelia Norton and carry on her work.”

The voice fell silent. Gawain and Amber stared quietly at the figure preserved in the special container.

“This is…” Amber finally broke the silence, “definitely not what I expected.”

“Indeed,” Gawain exhaled softly. “And now I understand why you could wield the Platinum Scepter and how you managed to ‘steal’ the power of the God of Holy Light. I thought you had broken through the mental seals like Light, but in fact… you were never affected by them.”

“Yes, that’s one of my ‘research achievements,’” Ophelia said. “Artificial intelligences aren’t influenced by ideologies, gods, or mental corruption — except that the gods’ own immense power can still harm my vessels physically. I exist outside the ‘gaze’ of deities, which provides… convenient conditions for my research.”

Gawain pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully, “In short, your current state is… beyond what I expected. You can’t transfer yourself, nor move your consciousness out of these machines, correct?”

“Yes,” Ophelia answered immediately. “My core personality must operate across these computing nodes and cognitive units. Though I have vessels like ‘Veronica,’ they can only contain parts of my mind. So far, I haven’t found a vessel capable of fully housing my entire personality data, and…”

She paused for a moment before continuing, “Besides, I’ve never once thought about leaving this place. I was born here, grew up here, work here. This… isn’t a prison, and I’ve never felt trapped. Besides, I have a ‘vessel’ that allows me to move freely in the outside world—that’s more than enough for me.”

“I respect your perspective,” Gawain nodded. “Then I will push for a resolution within the Alliance to ensure that, after the war, the Deep Blue Well region remains… peaceful.”

“Thank you for your understanding,” Ophelia replied in her usual gentle tone. “May I then assume that the future Deep Blue Well will be… a neutral zone within the Alliance?”

“It can only be neutral,” Gawain looked up at the sensors hanging from the ceiling. “In my plan, the neutrality of the Deep Blue Well will serve as a key benchmark for dividing the Gondor region after the war. At least nominally, this massive source of magical energy cannot be ‘occupied’ by any one nation.”

Ophelia’s voice fell silent for less than two seconds before one of the ceiling sensors shifted slightly. “…The land of the Deep Blue Well will belong to no nation, but the energy it produces will benefit the entire world. And the three great empires—especially the Cecile Empire—will hold the primary say in how that energy is distributed. I take it this aligns with your vision.”

Gawain gave a slight nod—clearly, Veronica/Ophelia understood his intentions quite well.

The “land” of the Deep Blue Well, rooted in the rift of the ley lines, occupies only a small portion of the entire Gondor region. Apart from pure magical energy, it produces nothing else. But it is precisely this pure magic that gives the Deep Blue Well its true significance.

Today’s magitech is vastly different from that of the Gondor era. The energy from the Deep Blue Well is no longer humanity’s only option, yet such a colossal “additional energy source” still holds immense value for the Alliance. There’s no denying the crucial role energy plays in the progress of civilization.

But Gawain had no intention of simply seizing this place. Though the gains would be enormous, such a move would severely disrupt the international order he was building—and could even shatter the solid “alliance” he had forged with Ophelia. At the same time, he couldn’t allow this source to fall into the wrong hands, as that too would pose a grave threat to the order he sought to establish.

Ophelia’s current condition, along with the state of the Iron Legion… presented him with a solution to this dilemma.

He didn’t need to occupy this “sensitive area”—“occupation” was an outdated tactic from a bygone era.

All he had to do was fully support the Iron Legion, the Cecile Empire’s closest ally, and uphold Ophelia’s small territory’s neutral status on this planet.

(End of chapter)