Chapter 897: The Thread That Spans Time

As summer passed its midpoint, everything in the vast empire began to fall into place. The colossal nation started accelerating along the trajectory that High Lord Gawain had charted for it.

In the study, where a velvet carpet softened the floor, a cool breeze gently drifted from the air vent tucked in the corner. The bright late-morning sunlight flooded the room, making the antique bookshelves and the weapon racks gleam more vividly than usual. Gawain sat in his usual chair, listening to reports, while Hetty stood across from him at the desk.

The desk was new but similar in style to the old one.

“This is the latest diplomatic and economic activity report from the Western Territories,” Hetty said as she laid out the neatly organized documents before Gawain, summarizing the contents. “Overall, contact with the remaining Ogure tribes has gone smoothly—including the previously noncommittal Spirit Folk. So far, the earliest contacts—the Grey Elves and the human clans—have established stable commercial ties with the Empire and agreed to introduce the Arcane Network and railway systems within their domains. The other tribes have consented to open trade channels but want to wait and see the results in the Grey Elf and human territories before considering the Arcane Network and railways.”

Gawain nodded with satisfaction. “The Ogure tribal confederation is a loose alliance, and they’re accustomed to that. Dealing with them requires patience and gradual progress. At least five of the tribal council kings have shown friendly intentions—that’s our biggest breakthrough so far. Any news from the Dwarven Kingdoms on the western coast?”

“The dwarves are very interested in our machinery, and with the Grey Elves acting as intermediaries, negotiations have gone smoothly. However, land transport between us and the dwarves is inconvenient—they have to cross the entire Ogure territory, plus vast forests and mountain ranges. So formal trade won’t start until the Northern Port is operational, allowing us to use the western coastal shipping route. Until then, the dwarves probably won’t make large-scale purchases of our heavy machinery due to cost concerns.”

“That shouldn’t be too long now… progress on the Northern Port is going well, and the sea witch engineering team we contracted should arrive at the northern coast in the next couple of days, which will speed up shipbuilding there,” Gawain said casually. “Anything else to report?”

“There is one more matter,” Hetty nodded. “The Grey Elf tribal leader, Lady Wenna Whitebloom, wishes to expand the export quota for alchemical raw materials. She seems intent on establishing a new economic ‘brand’ for the Mosswood—making the Grey Elves’ alchemical resources a key pillar of the Ogure tribal economy.”

“Grey Elves… I recall that Lady Wenna’s daughter is currently studying at the Imperial Academy?”

Hetty thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, Meri Whitebloom—she’s a freshman this year, admitted through the standard international student program into the Arcane Engineering department, with minors in Alchemy and Social Management.”

“Three disciplines at once?” Gawain raised an eyebrow. “That’s a diligent child… Wait, a Grey Elf freshman in Arcane Engineering? Could it be that the one who jumped out the window during Kamail’s lecture last time was…”

“That’s her,” Hetty’s lips twitched slightly. “The Academy has already started tightening classroom management and security around the teaching facilities…”

“The Grey Elves were among the first foreign peoples to establish good relations with the Empire, and they maintained steady ties with the Morn Dynasty throughout the Ansu era,” Gawain said after a brief pause, steering the conversation back on track. “They’re a shrewd trading people, with footprints all across the Western Continent. Grey Elf merchants are even called the ‘links of the West.’ It’s essential we maintain good relations with them. Their interest in new things also helps us promote our new machinery and industrial products westward. We can agree to Lady Wenna’s request, but the exact quota should be decided jointly by the economic and industrial departments.”

“I understand,” Hetty nodded. “I’ll organize an internal meeting and respond to the Grey Elves as soon as possible.”

Gawain hummed in acknowledgment, about to ask more when a knock sounded at the study door.

After his invitation, the door opened, and in stepped an elderly man with a refined, steady demeanor and deep, calm eyes—Gawain Orlando, head of the Cultural Department.

Gawain looked up at the venerable scholar who had devoted himself to Cecil’s cause since the earliest days and had made great contributions to the nation. Noticing Gawain’s attire, Gawain raised his eyebrows in surprise: today, Orlando wore a brand-new black suit and trousers, a gold watch chain dangling from his breast pocket. His graying hair was meticulously combed, and he sported a pair of scholarly gold-rimmed glasses—a stark contrast to his usual scholar’s robes.

“Your Majesty,” Gawain greeted Gawain first, then nodded to Hetty, “Grant Chancellor Hetty, good day.”

“You’ve started wearing modern formalwear now?” Gawain asked with interest.

“Ah… yes, just trying it out,” Gawain replied, pausing at Gawain’s words to glance down at his clothes with a slightly self-conscious smile. “There are many young people in the Administration now, and even the elders are gradually changing their attire. The old scholar’s robes are only worn for ceremonial occasions… Even Pittman ordered a formal suit last week, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

He then asked hesitantly, “Does this look odd on me?”

“Quite fitting,” Gawain smiled. “It makes you look more spirited—and keeping up with the times isn’t a bad thing.”

“That’s a relief—I felt awkward all the way here,” the old man said, stretching his neck. “It’s actually comfortable, but I kept feeling like I was trapped in fabric… I’m getting used to it now.”

He approached Gawain’s desk and casually pulled a report from his folder. “Your Majesty, the ‘Knowledge Preservation’ project has made some progress. I’ve compiled a report.”

The “Knowledge Preservation” project was Gawain’s nationwide initiative to systematically review, protect, and catalog all kinds of texts, legends, knowledge, and historical records—a massive effort to safeguard the nation’s cultural and intellectual heritage. Gawain Orlando was one of the project’s principal leaders.

Gawain took the report and skimmed it while Gawain added details:

“We’ve successfully organized the noble genealogies of the entire western region from the First to the Second Dynasty, cross-referencing them with existing noble registries…

“In the Great Library of Saint Suniel, we found some invaluable documents that may help us unravel some historical truths from the chaotic period of the Second Ansu Dynasty…”

At first, the scholar’s report was fairly routine, but soon he moved on to the latter part concerning technological recoveries, and the details made Gawain’s expression grow peculiar:

“Two weeks ago, a team working in the Pompeii region made contact with locals and discovered something unexpected. Villagers shared with us their ancestral ‘Protection Scrolls’ and the construction techniques for a Class II Artificial Intelligence logic core. Dean Jenny believes this technology is related to the Gondor Iron Men and could help us solve the factory machinery’s automated coordination issues…

“Sir Veep Grant, leading the investigation into noble family archives, made progress as well. A destitute baron in the Western Territories found blueprints for a key component of a photonic crystal etching machine in his cellar. His ancestor was likely one of the rare Gondor exiled scholars from the Second Expansion era. Though the family line was broken and only partial blueprints survived, the diagrams’ runes and mechanical structures still hold reference value. Master Kamail believes the Gondor-era photonic etching technology is obsolete today, but parts of the blueprints remain useful…

“An itinerant swordsman from the Eastern Territories shared key technology for a lightwave suppressor—he possesses a completely defunct energy conduit whose internal structure is still instructive. For centuries, he and his family have been using it as a nutcracker, unaware it’s a relic from the Gondor era. Master Kamail thinks this conduit might help us solve the heat dissipation problem of the rainbow light generator.

“This swordsman has been rewarded. Given the risks of illegal weapon possession and the tightening of the superhuman registration system, he is currently undergoing education and training with local security forces and intends to become a local constable. Similar ‘recruitment’ cases have increased in the East recently. As social order stabilizes and new systems are implemented, many formerly uncontrollable ‘wild’ superhumans are now being brought into the fold.”

Gawain reported these key points meticulously. Though his expertise was in archival work and he was advanced in years, he relayed the technical details flawlessly. Only when Gawain’s expression became noticeably odd did he pause and ask, “Your Majesty, is there a problem?”

“Uh… no, no problem,” Gawain rubbed his forehead, feeling a strange dissonance in hearing “villagers sharing advanced technology” stories. Yet the existence of Gondor’s legacy and the complete break in modern technology and culture made it all plausible. He couldn’t explain the oddness to others, so he swallowed his thoughts. “Progress… is very good. Very good indeed.”

He looked at Gawain, partly to deflect his own awkwardness, partly out of genuine admiration. “It must be tough for an archivist like you to handle technical materials as well.”

“Please don’t say that—it’s not just me,” Gawain said quickly. “‘Knowledge Preservation’ is the grandest, most magnificent, and most inspiring work I’ve ever witnessed. Countless people are striving to protect these precious knowledge legacies from being lost forever in the dust of history. Many departments are involved, covering both cultural and technical fields. Each area is managed by specialists, and I was fortunate to become one of the project leaders due to my experience in compiling materials. I feel honored and grateful—no complaints at all.”

Gawain met the old man’s eyes and smiled slowly, nodding. “That’s good to hear.”

He then lowered his gaze back to the report’s final section.

After a few moments, his brow furrowed, then gradually relaxed, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

“Ancestor?” Hetty noticed the change and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Archbishop Severn of Luan City discovered an ancient manuscript in the church archives…” Gawain said slowly. “It’s highly likely to be the long-lost ‘Modir’s Travels’ from the Wilde family of the North.”

“Modir’s Travels?” Hetty paused, then quickly caught on. “The grand duke from the Wilde family six centuries ago who was passionate about exploration? The one who forged the ‘Frostbane’ talisman?”

“It’s him,” Gawain nodded, setting the report down on the table. “He once left behind a travelogue, but it was lost many years ago. Now it’s been found—hidden inside the cathedral of Lu’an City. But that’s not the important part. The key is… this travelogue might be connected to Amber.”

Heddy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Amber? How could a travelogue left by the Duke of the Northern Territories six hundred years ago have anything to do with her?”

Gawain didn’t answer her question right away. Instead, he turned to Gawain. “Has the travelogue been brought here yet?”

“Yes,” Gawain Orlando replied immediately. “After emergency restoration on site, it was sent to the capital at once. The copies have already been made and archived. Do you need the original?”

Gawain nodded. “Bring it here as soon as possible.”

Then he looked back at Heddy. “Where is Amber now?”

“She should be over at Office 25. She’s chairing a meeting today…”

“Have her come to me as soon as the meeting ends,” Gawain said in a low voice. “Tell her… I have something to show her.”

“Yes, ancestor.”

(End of chapter)