Chapter 908: The Price of Knowledge
The transformation of this city was truly dizzying in its speed.
Melita Pernia stepped out from the temporary lodging she had been staying at. Before her stretched the bustling, vibrant “Pioneers’ Avenue,” like a surreal, kaleidoscopic stage play unfolding in real life.
Respectable citizens of Cecil mingled with merchants and travelers from all directions along this broad street, wide enough for a dozen horse-drawn carriages to ride side by side. Shopkeepers stood outside their stores, calling out to passersby. Music drifted from somewhere nearby, mingling with the chatter of countless voices and the crisp ringing of bicycle bells. Behind the large, gleaming display windows, brightly lit and coldly arranged, the season’s latest fashions and goods stood like silent witnesses to this thriving new world, watching over the bustling human scene.
Evening was approaching. The sun’s last golden rays spilled over the western forests, casting a warm glow across the city.
Once, dusk meant the city would gradually quiet down. But here, everything was different. This was the time when workers took their shifts off, students left school, night markets opened their doors, and citizens settled into their most leisurely hours. Only at this hour did a commercial street like Pioneers’ Avenue truly come alive.
“I wonder what’s going on this time…” Melita stretched gracefully under the sunset, murmuring softly, “Hopefully this exchange won’t be too hard on my health…”
She set off toward the city center, weaving through the human world’s vibrant crowd.
A group of young people approached, clearly foreigners by their clothing. They laughed and chatted as they walked, but as they passed Melita, they all instinctively slowed down. Their eyes flicked toward her with confusion, as if sensing someone’s presence but seeing nothing. Unease crept into their expressions.
Melita chuckled softly and passed by them, whispering to herself, “Dragonborn, huh… still retain some degree of kin-sense. Well, no matter what, it’s good they’ve left those mountains. The bustling hours of this world are always precious…”
The young dragonborn students hesitated and exchanged words on the spot. They found the sudden appearance and disappearance of that aura strange. One of them glanced toward the street corner, eyes suddenly brightening, and hurried off: “Sheriff! Sheriff! We suspect someone is illegally using invisibility magic!”
Melita quickened her pace, muttering, “Tch… the first thing you learn studying abroad is to report others…”
The Cecil Palace stood proudly at the heart of the “Royal District.” Though no longer the tallest or largest building in the city, the imperial flag fluttering high above gave it an aura that commanded respect from every Cecil citizen.
Fully armed soldiers stood guard at the entrance. Melita dispelled her invisibility and approached them calmly. The soldiers immediately straightened their posture, but before they could speak, the grand doors swung open. A young woman in a black-and-white maid’s uniform, adorned with the dark gold insignia of a senior court official on her chest and sleeves, stepped out.
“Let her in,” the senior official called to the soldiers. “She’s His Majesty’s guest.”
“Miss Betty?” one soldier glanced back at the young woman, then at Melita. “Understood. But registration is still required.”
“Of course,” Melita nodded. “Melita Pernia, Senior Agent of the Mithril Treasury, special advisor and friend to His Majesty Gawain Cecil—that’s all you need.”
Passing the checkpoint, Melita followed Betty into the palace, a structure expanded and remodeled from the old lord’s manor. Casually, she asked, “Are the guards at the gate new? The ones before remembered me—I registered properly last time I visited.”
Betty thought for a moment, then shook her head confidently. “No idea!”
Melita paused, surprised to see the once “little maid” now a vibrant young woman. A smile crept onto her face, and her mood lightened.
She had only come here for a short-term observation mission… yet somehow, the people and events she observed had become an unexpectedly interesting and important part of her life.
With a light heart, she arrived at Gawain’s study. The room was carpeted in velvet and adorned with a world map. She bowed slightly to the imperial ruler seated behind the desk and smiled as she repeated her familiar greeting: “Good afternoon, Your Majesty. Melita Pernia, Senior Agent of the Mithril Treasury, at your service.”
Gawain looked up from a pile of documents and books, glanced at her, then signaled Betty to leave. He casually asked, “I wanted to consult you on something. First, I’m trying to find out if there’s an ancient metal tower near Talrond—somewhere to the west or northwest…”
Melita nearly smiled and collapsed on the spot.
“What’s wrong?” Gawain immediately noticed her strange expression. “Is my question difficult to answer?”
Then he noticed something else odd and asked curiously, “Hmm? You’re not wearing your veil today?”
Melita forced a calm smile, adjusting her breath. “Well… I’m a woman after all. Sometimes I like to change up my look.”
She took a deep breath and smiled wryly. “Your question… isn’t quite taboo, but it’s close. Instead of jumping straight to such a frightening topic, could you… start with something more ordinary?”
“Oh,” Gawain nodded in understanding and changed the subject. “Have you eaten?”
Melita was momentarily caught off guard by the odd greeting but replied instinctively, “…Yes.”
“That’s good,” Gawain said casually. “So it seems there really is a metal tower west of Talrond?”
Melita steadied her breath, curiosity flickering on her face. “May I ask how you know about this tower?”
“I got hold of a travelogue that mentioned many interesting things,” Gawain said, pointing to a book on the desk—Modir’s Travels. “A great adventurer once happened to approach the dragon realms—he bypassed the great storm and reached the Arctic. The travelogue not only mentions the metal tower but also other surprising clues. Want to hear?”
Melita immediately sensed something in Gawain’s expression. Her words became cautious: “A human who ventured near the dragon realms? How could that be… What else does the travelogue say?”
“It mentions your name,” Gawain looked her in the eye. “It clearly records that a dragon accidentally damaged the adventurer’s ship and, to make amends, brought him to the ‘Steel Island’ where the tower stands. The dragon called herself Melita Pernia—a member of the Talrond Council…”
With each word, Melita’s eyes widened further. Finally, she couldn’t hold back and interrupted, “Wait! It mentions my name? You mean the adventurer who wrote the travelogue said he knew me? Saw me in the Arctic? How is that possible…”
Gawain nodded. “Looks like you have no memory of it, right?”
“I… don’t,” Melita said, bewildered. She never expected that the high-ranking agent who usually provided answers would one day be the one confused and seeking explanations. “I’ve never met any human adventurer near Talrond, let alone brought someone near that tower… That’s forbidden, you know? Forbidden…”
“Alright, I think I understand. We’ll discuss this in detail later,” Gawain noticed the rising stress on Melita’s face. Experienced in the delicate art of “not pushing too hard” (at least with her), he quickly changed the subject. “The travelogue also mentions another concept, a strange term… Do you know what ‘Voyagers’ means?”
Melita felt a wave of relief when he shifted topics, but she couldn’t fully exhale. The moment she heard the word “Voyagers,” it was as if a thunderclap exploded in her mind and soul. Amid the unbearable roar, she heard Gawain continue: “…What is the legacy of the Voyagers? Is it a product of knowledge? Does it have something to do with a ‘secret’ your dragonkind guards…”
For the first time since becoming a senior agent, Melita tried to block or refuse to answer these questions. But Gawain’s words seemed to possess some strange power, piercing through her mental defenses. She found herself unable to shut down parts of her nervous system or stop the flood of thoughts and the urge to respond. Instinctively, she began to consider the answers. The moment they surfaced, her “true self,” folded between elemental and mortal realms, sent an overwhelming distress signal—
Melita staggered, her face paling dramatically. Behind her, an unnatural shadow resembling dragon wings flickered.
Gawain was startled by this unexpected reaction and immediately stood up from his desk. “Are you alright?”
Melita waved off his concern, forcing herself to take a few steps to the desk. She steadied herself, then looked somewhat dazed, murmuring, “It’s blown… the 38,000 mark has blown…”
“What’s blown? What’s 38,000?” Gawain asked, confused despite hearing her words clearly. “Sorry, I guess that’s my fault…”
“No… you didn’t mean it, and maybe this can be reimbursed…” Melita waved again, smiling bitterly. “Alright, I have to be responsible. I can only answer part of your question. The so-called Voyagers were an ancient civilization that has long since left this world. Their legacy is the root cause of the old ‘Reverse Tide Rebellion.’ Yes, that ‘Ultimate Book’ you found… I told you it was used to steal knowledge. The Reverse Tide Empire used it to steal the legacy left by the Voyagers. That legacy must never be leaked, nor fall into the hands of lower-level mortal civilizations. That’s all I can tell you.”
An ancient civilization long gone… the root of the Reverse Tide Rebellion… a legacy forbidden to lower civilizations…
Melita said she could only answer part of it, but those key points already explained most of Gawain’s questions.
In fact, even when he first read the Modir’s travelogue, he had already vaguely guessed the true meaning behind the so-called “Voyagers”—he had an inkling of what those relics and towering structures really represented. Melita’s answer completely confirmed his suspicions: the “Voyagers” spoken of by the dragons were none other than the mysterious “Godslayer Fleet,” that ancient civilization which had left behind a vast array of satellites and orbital installations scattered through space.
Long ago, when the ancient “Reverse Tide Empire” came into contact with the legacy—the knowledge—of the Godslayer Fleet, it triggered a massive crisis that eventually led to the Reverse Tide Rebellion. Gawain had already gathered multiple clues about this from various sources, but this was the first time he had received direct, concrete information about the Godslayer Fleet straight from Melita herself.
Overall, Melita’s answers mostly confirmed what Gawain had already suspected or pieced together from indirect evidence, weaving those isolated clues into a coherent whole. For Gawain, this was just the beginning of a series of questions. But for Melita… it seemed these “small questions” had stirred up unexpected trouble.
Gawain felt a bit guilty.
“Sorry, my questions were a bit reckless,” he quickly apologized to Melita—he didn’t care about any so-called “ruler’s airs,” especially since she was his first dragon friend. A sincere apology was essential to maintaining their friendship. “If you feel it’s necessary, we can stop here.”
“No, it’s fine,” Melita immediately shook her head. She adjusted her breathing and once again took on the calm, composed demeanor of a senior agent from the Mithril Vault. “My professional ethics won’t allow me to stop—please, continue asking. I’m fine.”
“Alright, I’ll be careful with my questions from now on and try to avoid any ‘dangerous territory,’” Gawain said, organizing the questions he had prepared in his mind. “Is it okay if I ask you about a name? It might be someone you know.”
Melita visibly relaxed and even smiled lightly again. “Of course, that’s absolutely fine.”
Gawain nodded. “Do you know a dragon named Enya?”
Melita’s expression changed instantly.
And the one from 42,000 also exploded.
(End of chapter)