Chapter 1414: The Tarash Conference

Before the formal meeting began, the orc chieftain Kamira came specifically to see King Gawain. This was certainly not a casual visit—it concerned the mysterious “alien signal” and certain peculiarities of the Peak of Ancestors.

“The magical network hub on the Peak of Ancestors has always been managed by the fairies,” Kamira explained briefly. “In the Ogure Tribal Nation, fairies are the experts in magic and engineering. It was they who first noticed changes in the hub tower—while tracking those ‘alien signals,’ the network hub underwent two upgrades. To reduce costs and ease maintenance, the fairies replaced one of the resonance units in the hub tower with deep-crystal quartz mined locally from the Peak of Ancestors. That’s what they said. Since then, the density and strength of the alien signals captured at the Peak have noticeably increased.”

Kamira paused, as if recalling something, then added, “This phenomenon naturally caught the fairies’ attention. They studied it extensively with the technical experts sent by Cecil’s forces. After ruling out all interference, they confirmed that the change only occurred when that particular crystal was replaced.”

“So this crystal might be a natural amplifier, enhancing signals that cross the starry sea,” Gawain mused, gazing thoughtfully at the crystal in the box. “The Peak of Ancestors, huh…”

“The Peak of Ancestors is a sacred and special place,” Kamira nodded, her furry ears perking up alertly. “Since ancient times, that mountain has been shrouded in mystery—both real supernatural phenomena and an abnormal abundance of crystal deposits deep within. It’s also been the ancestral homeland of the fairies, who, influenced by the mountain’s power, possess astonishing magical talents. Though small in stature, they are formidable and deadly magic assassins and golem masters.

“You probably also know this: many years ago, the clerics of the pioneering expedition held rituals atop the Peak to communicate with the gods. The mountain seems to have a unique connection to otherworldly planes—the boundary between realities is… unusually thin there. I’m no expert in magic or the arcane, but our shamans often say the Peak lies at a ‘nexus of realms.’ Deep within, there are countless rifts connecting to deeper planes and distant timespaces. These rifts are magical concepts—they don’t allow physical matter to pass through, but energies or information from other ‘places’ can cross over.”

The orc chieftain, whose features reminded one of a large feline, gestured in the air as she spoke. “Seven hundred years ago, human clerics glimpsed terrifying shadows of the divine realm on the Peak. Ancient fairy mages and orc shamans once listened to whispers and revelations from mysterious planes atop that mountain. Local legends say ancient spirits travel through caves and underground rivers deep within the Peak, moving between the worlds of the living and the dead. And now, at its summit, we’ve detected signals from another planet.

“Legend and reality intertwine here. In many ways, the Peak truly is a ‘nexus.’ Wenna finds this romantic—I don’t know about romance, but I do think the fairies’ discovery is important, especially now that we’ve uncovered the secrets of the Viplandon Observatory and are turning our gaze to the stars.”

During the advance of Cecil’s First Legion, Philip’s forces discovered the ruins of the Viplandon Observatory and unearthed the secret behind the alien signals that have been visiting the Loren continent. This information has already been made public among the Alliance’s leadership.

Though the Ogure Tribal Nation may seem backward and isolated to outsiders, its rugged mountains conceal eyes that watch the stars and minds that ponder the future—especially now, with the operations of the Theocratic Council and the release of extensive information about the stars, gods, and the Voyagers. Even Kamira, the “Tiger Queen” who likes to swing her battle axe on the front lines, understands the significance of looking to the heavens.

Gawain stroked his chin, lost in thought. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly: “Actually, based on data from the Deep Blue Well and research by the ‘Lady of the Tower,’ combined with the obvious intent behind the Aberrant Legion’s relentless attacks on the Ogure Tribal Nation, we’ve basically confirmed one thing recently—

“Deep beneath the Peak of Ancestors, there may exist a ‘Deep Blue Rift’ comparable in scale to the Deep Blue Well.”

Kamira’s eyes widened slightly, and her tail, which had been swaying idly by her side, froze and began to swell to twice its normal size.

“That’s not surprising,” Gawain shrugged. “The Deep Blue Network runs through the entire planet and can pass unhindered through any physical barrier or interdimensional boundary. So it’s very likely there are other ‘vents’ on the surface besides the Deep Blue Well. But just because they exist doesn’t mean all are as ‘privileged’ or easy to exploit.

“The Deep Blue Well sits on a vast plain, with stable sources and solid geology, making it almost effortless to mine. But the one beneath the Peak of Ancestors… it’s probably buried deep in the crust, with an entire mountain pressing down on it. So for all these years, you’ve only noticed strange phenomena in the mountain, but no one could detect the raging magical currents deep inside.

“At least this proves one thing—your shamans weren’t lying. The Peak truly is a ‘nexus,’ its depths connecting to deeper planes and possibly even distant timespaces. This ‘connectivity’ is characteristic of the Deep Blue Network. Whether this ‘distant timespace’ extends to other planets across the starry sea, we can’t say. We don’t even know if other planets have similar ‘mana conduits,’ or if these conduits resonate across worlds.”

Kamira’s swollen tail gradually returned to normal as she pondered the information Gawain had just shared. Then, as if recalling something, her expression shifted slightly. “There might be a second ‘Deep Blue Well’ within the Ogure Tribal Nation’s borders—I didn’t expect you to tell me this yourself. Although from what you describe, no nation currently has the capability to ‘mine’ it, but…”

“But what? Should the Cecil Empire keep this secret to itself, then one day try to claim your Peak of Ancestors for itself?” Gawain laughed. He could tell Kamira was trying to phrase her concerns delicately, but she wasn’t quite skilled at it. “If a country has a strategic resource, should the Cecil Empire accuse it of researching forbidden technology and send troops to seize it?”

“I… hadn’t thought that far,” Kamira admitted, her ears flattening slightly against her head in surprise at Gawain’s offhand suggestion. “But that does sound like…”

“The Cecil Empire won’t do that now, and never will,” Gawain said, his joking smile fading into a serious expression as he looked the chieftain in the eye. “As a civilized nation, we can’t afford to lose our honor. Nor will we allow any member of the Alliance to do such a thing. It would be a grave and irreparable betrayal of the mortal community’s ideals. We live in a harsh world; survival is never easy. We have limited time, resources, and opportunities to endure. So I want all our strength to be used effectively and precisely where it’s needed.

“That will be the core principle of this postwar conference, the guiding rule as we address the aftermath of the Gondor Wastelands. Chieftain Kamira, I trust you understand what I mean.”

Kamira blinked, her pale yellow vertical pupils reflecting Gawain’s solemn expression. After a moment, she nodded gently. “Rest assured, Ogure will never forget the aid the Cecil Expeditionary Force provided in our darkest hour. You are allies of the mountains and forests; the woodland folk will always stand with their friends. As for the Peak of Ancestors… aside from the possible ‘Deep Blue Rift,’ we are willing to share all research data and samples with Cecil.”

“History will prove the path we choose,” Gawain said gravely. “Now, tell me more about the Peak and that network hub—I’m very interested.”

In the days that followed, a wealth of technical and historical materials about the Peak of Ancestors, along with crystal samples transported from Ogure territory, were delivered to Gawain and the research facilities aboard the Dawn of the World. Meanwhile, leaders and representatives from across the Loren continent, arriving by various means, began to gather on the Tarash Plain, converging on the ancient Gondor capital.

At the end of this high summer, on the first day of the Harvest Moon, the long-anticipated Tarash Conference finally commenced—drawing the attention of every nation involved in the Wasteland War.

Some delegates had arrived a week earlier at the floating fortress Dawn of the World; others only completed their arduous journeys on the last day of the Fire Moon. Some came riding their nation’s griffins or flying ships, others boarded dragon-rider aircraft provided by Cecil to complete the incredible “sky voyage.” No matter when or how they arrived, all were united by a shared sense of awe and reverence upon beholding this war city suspended among the clouds.

The final meeting hall was the Dome Chamber on the upper deck of the Dawn of the World—a scenic terrace originally designed to let the fortress’s central intelligence “feel the warmth and joy of photosynthesis.” Thanks to careful sealing of the neural network on the dome’s outer walls, the space was also suitable for ordinary visitors to relax—and fittingly grand and impressive as a conference venue.

King Odrys of the Highlanders paused before entering the Dome Chamber.

Turning back to look the way he had come, the tall, broad-shouldered one-eyed king took in the most expansive view aboard the Dawn of the World. He could see the distant Gorgon Fortress rising from the sea of clouds, and the upper decks of the sky fortress, scarred by the ravages of war.

Those terrible wounds were the aftermath of the Creeping Calamity’s devastating bombardment, which had pierced the fortress’s shields. Only by stepping aboard could Odrys witness the battle scars up close—the charred, torn decks; the molten, collapsed structures; the destroyed artillery arrays; the shield modules freshly cut but not yet replaced. These were invisible from the surface, but now, as the delegates set foot on the deck, the scars struck them with brutal clarity.

The Dawn of the World bore these wounds proudly, floating majestically above the Tarash Plain.

At this moment, the “Miracle Fortress” built by the Cecilians finally seemed to leave a vivid, heartfelt impression in King Gaoling’s mind.

It was a floating war fortress in the sky—a towering presence that stood firm until the very end of a brutal war. When the near-divine Crawling Calamity was reduced to a charred wasteland, when the ancient mechanical guardians bent on world destruction shattered into pieces in space, when the frenzied, uncontrollable ancient gods fell crashing to the earth, only this battered fortress remained standing on the battlefield.

Standing alongside it until the end were millions of ordinary soldiers from the allied nations.

“Father,” the young prince Lorin approached Odrys from behind. “What are you looking at?”

“Our future. All of ours,” Odrys said gravely. Then he turned and strode toward the large building with its sleek domed roof. Beside him, the alliance leaders and representatives—each carrying their own heavy thoughts and emotions—walked forward in unison.

At the same time, Gawain stood inside the domed hall, calmly scanning the faces entering the chamber—some familiar, others less so.

He spotted Rosetta Augustus, with Diana standing just behind her. They noticed Gawain’s gaze and gave a slight nod in greeting.

Then Gawain saw Belsethia—the Silver Empress—entering with several clerks in tow, followed by her most trusted handmaiden, Elaine. Though Belsethia maintained a stern, dignified official expression throughout, no one noticed the sly wink she shot Gawain.

More and more representatives filed into the hall, their arrivals announced one after another.

Once nearly all had taken their seats, a new announcement caught everyone’s attention:

“Her Deep Sea Majesty’s Ambassador, Lady Tyr, and her delegation have arrived!”

The Sirens?

In an instant, countless eyes turned toward the hall’s entrance. Everyone present knew of the Sirens—a recently emerging advanced race in the eyes of the Loren peoples—but almost no one truly understood this mysterious underwater civilization. They knew the Sirens had sent an expeditionary force to aid the alliance during the Wasteland War, but hardly any representative expected the Siren ambassador to appear at this “internal alliance meeting”!

As the meeting’s initiator, Gawain was even more surprised than the others—wasn’t Tyr supposed to come alone? Where did this “delegation” come from?!

His confusion was short-lived. The next moment, he saw the figures entering the hall.

Tyr, maintaining her human form and dressed in a flowing blue gown, stepped inside.

Behind her followed six identical versions of Tyr.

Gawain: “…?”

(Time for a book recommendation! I’d like to warmly recommend This Forward Is Not Serious by Rou Mo Da Qie Zi—a sports novel I’ve never mentioned before, and it’s pretty good. Though honestly, I’m more tempted to comment on the author’s name…)

(End of chapter)