Chapter 587: Intelligence Exchange and Deployment

The materials that Gawain had painstakingly copied from his prodigious memory were priceless treasures to every researcher in Cecil’s circle—even Rebecca, whose thoughts were straightforward, could clearly grasp their immense value.

“The elves’ rune technology dates back to ancient times,” Gawain began, as Kamail and the others stared intently at the technical documents. “They unearthed the combinations and arrangements of these runes from the legacy left by the original elves, along with vast knowledge in mechanics, biology, physics, and arcane arts. But they lack the derivation process behind these technologies and cannot recreate the unique environment in which the original elves conducted their research. This has caused their technological development to hit a bottleneck in recent years.”

“Like us humans, elves rely on the spiritual perception of their gifted individuals to study magic,” he continued. “This method is highly efficient in the early stages because no tool can match innate talent for ease of use. But in the later stages…”

“They have to step out of their ‘comfort zone,’” Kamail interrupted, lifting his head from the intricate runes. The two points of arcane light on his temples fixed on Gawain. “Their rune arrangements are extremely complex, and maintaining a stable magical array under such complexity is no small feat. They’ve pushed their experiential knowledge to the limit. These rune arrays are likely the result of centuries of painstaking trial and error… It’s a pity that their exceptional magical talent has become a kind of limitation. That talent has blinded them to the fact that mathematical tools hold greater potential than innate ability.”

Kamail’s point was well taken. Gawain knew that in recent years, the elves had begun introducing mathematical tools into their magical research. The star astrologer Verania, for example, had calculated some values related to mana fluctuations. Yet, their outstanding magical gifts still constrained their thinking in this area.

But that wasn’t the topic at hand.

“Jenny, organize a team to translate these runes and look for optimization methods,” Gawain instructed the experts in rune logic gathered around him. “Kamail, Rebecca, you two draft a testing plan. Aim to simulate the runes’ operating environment in the Origin Laboratory as soon as possible.”

Three voices answered in unison: “Understood.”

Gawain then turned to Hetty. “How are things running in the duchy?”

Hetty stood. “Everything is progressing steadily. I’m closely monitoring the old nobility to prevent any untoward thoughts during your absence. Agriculture, industry, and military production are all functioning normally. Grain reserves across the territory have reached this year’s planned levels. Some new towns in the west may face shortages this winter, but relief efforts have been arranged in advance. The first test line for the mana-powered train has been laid and will undergo live trials soon.”

“Any news from the north?”

“The royal family and the Eastern Border remain in a fragile truce, but both sides are clearly preparing for war at any moment. Duchess Victoria personally led the mountain troops into the Holy Spirit Plains, and the Eastern Border has reinforced its positions. However, with the weather turning colder, troop buildups should cease before winter fully sets in.”

Gawain had been away from Cecil for nearly a month. The domestic situation and the internal affairs of Ansu were unfolding exactly as he had anticipated, which brought him some relief.

After confirming the homeland’s status, Gawain shifted his attention to Daniel and Mary.

He looked at the elder mage. “How is Typhon progressing?”

“Everything is going according to plan,” Daniel replied respectfully. “I’ve shared with investors the methods for managing factories, enclosing land, and controlling costs. No one can resist such enormous profits. In Aldern and the northern cities, investing in factories and enterprises has become a craze among minor nobles and wealthy merchants. Even common citizens are borrowing heavily to buy shares in these new companies. Before leaving Aldern, Emperor Rosetta ordered Parliament to expedite currency reform to handle the growing scale of capital flow. The regent, Duke Pedinan Wendell, is now overseeing this and it should begin soon.”

Gawain nodded. “Keep a close eye on any issues arising during the currency reform. You can pass relevant intelligence directly to Hetty.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Gawain exhaled softly.

Currency reform… As the economy grows and commercial activity expands, transitioning from precious metal coins to paper money becomes inevitable. Heavy gold and silver coins are inconvenient to carry, difficult to account for in large transactions, and have inherent flaws in circulation, management, and storage. Paper money is undoubtedly the best substitute once the economy reaches a certain level. So, as the Duchy of Cecil develops and commerce flourishes, issuing paper currency naturally becomes a priority for the administration.

But replacing centuries-old gold and silver coins with mere “paper” bearing numbers is no simple task.

Habit is the first obstacle—people may resist using “paper” to buy things. Then there’s trust: those accustomed to metal coins naturally worry whether these numbered slips truly hold value equal to gold and silver. Moreover, the administration must consider market order during the transition, merchant mobility and stability, unexpected losses and social unrest caused by unfamiliarity with paper money, and issues related to foreign trade and currency exchange.

The first two problems can be gradually addressed through government promotion and authority. The latter challenges require careful, step-by-step management.

Gawain was no omniscient expert in this field. He understood the advantages of paper money over metal coins but was uncertain about all the problems that might arise during its rollout.

Fortunately, Cecil could learn from Typhon’s experience.

Thanks to Daniel’s deliberate efforts and Typhon’s social groundwork, Aldern and other developed cities in Typhon were rapidly entering the industrial and capitalist era. Minor nobles who had lost much under the Empire’s new policies saw hope for revival and were throwing themselves into commerce with near frenzy. This would undoubtedly push Rosetta Augustus to reform the currency system.

In fact, even before the sweeping “Magitech Industrial Revolution,” Typhon’s economy had already reached a high level. Its thriving commerce and growing material output demanded fluid capital. Years ago, Rosetta Augustus had already tasked his advisors with studying this issue and concluded that a more advanced currency was necessary. Daniel’s current activities were simply accelerating Typhon’s reform.

They would plunge boldly into this quagmire, stumble many times, but eventually learn the right lessons and reap great rewards. Cecil, meanwhile, would monitor every pitfall they encountered and avoid them in advance.

Of course, this didn’t mean Gawain could rest easy. Hetty and her administration team would still face unique challenges implementing the new currency. But gaining experience from Typhon’s trial field was invaluable—after all, Cecil’s foundation was thin and couldn’t afford major missteps.

After assigning the observation tasks, Gawain asked Daniel, “How have military deployments in Typhon been recently?”

“No significant changes,” Daniel replied. “Rosetta Augustus is currently away from Aldern. The troops remain on standby at their garrisons. Unless something major happens, they won’t move while the emperor is absent.”

“Good,” Gawain nodded. “I expect no activity until the Great Wall project finishes and Rosetta Augustus returns to Aldern. In the meantime, continue your work quietly. Avoid any actions that might raise suspicion.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The intelligence exchange concluded.

Gawain adjusted his seat into a more comfortable posture and scanned the participants of the network meeting, including Mary, who was entering the Origin Space for the first time. After gathering his thoughts, he spoke calmly, “One last thing—I found something at the Great Wall.”

He revealed his discoveries in the Sentinel Tower, the shadowy vines he had seen in the Shadow Realm, and his suspicions about the Cult of the End of All Things.

“If my suspicions are correct, the cult’s infiltration and their plans may be beyond our imagination,” Gawain said gravely. “Kamail, develop a plan for a magic network terminal that can connect to the Sentinel Tower as soon as possible. The elves of the Silver Empire have agreed to share their communication keys and transmission technology. We need to contact the elven royal court quickly and have them organize a thorough inspection of all Sentinel Towers. Hetty, issue a warning to Saint Suniel City in my name… Hopefully, they can root out some cultists hiding within the kingdom.”

He paused briefly, then added, “Also send the same warning to the Eastern Border.”

Hetty looked puzzled. “The Eastern Border? You mean Edmond?”

Her question was reasonable—according to Cecil’s intelligence, Prince Edmond Morn was likely already in contact with the Cult of the End of All Things. Sending him a warning about the cult seemed pointless.

But Gawain nodded. “Yes, Edmond. The letter must be sent, at least formally. I’m also curious about how deep Edmond’s ties to the cult really are. If their connection isn’t that strong… this warning might have some unexpected effects.”

Hetty nodded. “Understood.”

Gawain then turned to Daniel. “Daniel, as far as I know, the three major dark cults have dealings with each other. What do you know about the cult’s infiltration of the Great Wall?”

“Apologies, my lord, my knowledge is limited,” Daniel said apologetically. “For many years, I’ve focused on studying the Eternal Sleep arts and haven’t paid attention to the cult’s activities. But I have heard something: the cult’s leaders supposedly possess a technique called the ‘Dark Bridge,’ which seems related to the Great Wall.”

Gawain frowned slightly, repeating the term softly: “Dark Bridge?”

“It exists,” Pittman, who had been mostly silent, spoke up. “It’s a means of communication—but I don’t know the details.”

Pittman was quite knowledgeable about the Cult of the End of All Things. Though Gawain had never mentioned that the old druid had once served a dark cult, in this secret space, Pittman didn’t hesitate to share some of the cult’s secrets he knew.

“A communication method, huh…”

Listening to Pittman’s information, Gawain murmured to himself and fell into deep thought.

(End of chapter)