Chapter 441: Not the Same, Exile in the Interstice

“This magical barrier is indeed a relic of very early arcane technology. Judging by the timeline, it likely dates back to the techniques mastered by the intelligent races just before the Battle of the Abyss. It is not that these technologies are inherently abysmal, but they are, quite frankly, hopelessly obsolete.”

After the accompanying mages briefed Edward on the intricate details of the magical screen encircling the Santa Ana snow peak, he utilized the prayer communication network to reach out to the scholars of the Nightfall Church.

The Midnight Library, having undergone numerous upgrades, offered an environment of unparalleled excellence. It featured not only seminar rooms for scholarly exchange but also harnessed the plasticity of void energy, allowing those within to savor food that, while illusory in substance, provided a sensory experience of absolute reality.

As for the basic functions of book retrieval, they need hardly be mentioned; the system was far more convenient than any library found within the Sky Mechanical City.

Consequently, many scholars chose to spend the majority of their time immersed in the Midnight Library when not engaged in fieldwork. With the access privileges granted by the Lady of Night, contacting these scholars was effortless for Edward. He displayed the diagrams uploaded by the mages to these experts, seeking their professional assessment.

Upon seeing the structural layout of the magical barrier surrounding Santa Ana, the scholars were struck with wonder. They analyzed it with keen interest, ultimately arriving at the aforementioned conclusion.

“As you are aware, the Battle of the Abyss did indeed result in the loss of many crafts, but those things, while regrettable, were not strictly essential.”

“On the contrary, it was only after the formal alliance of the five intelligent races that knowledge was integrated and synthesized, ushering in a great leap forward in magic and other technical fields. Thus, from this perspective, these ancient barrier techniques are quite backward.”

The Nightfall Church scholars explained the situation to Edward, summarizing that while the technical level was certainly high for its era, by modern standards, it was a contraption riddled with vulnerabilities.

“Understood. Thank you all for your assistance.”

Deep in thought, Edward thanked the scholars for taking the time to examine the barrier before departing the Midnight Library and returning to reality.

“Your assessment was correct. This defensive array is indeed quite primitive.”

Nodding, Edward relayed the information he had gathered via the prayer network to the waiting mages.

“I knew it. I found it rather strange—these ancient ruins popping up all over the world look like some grand conspiracy, so why would their self-preservation measures be so flimsy? Turns out, it really is just that.”

“Indeed. Since Mr. Edward has confirmed our judgment, it means the strength of this barrier is derived entirely from a massive infusion of raw mana. Finding a shortcut to dismantle it should be quite simple.”

The mages conversed, discussing how to strike at the high-intensity but easily compromised barrier, eager to begin.

“Do not be hasty. Our situation here does not seem to be the norm. Since the enemy has already been forced into this corner, there is no need for reckless action.”

Edward interrupted their preparations. He shared the analysis with his close friends and soon received additional information, which made him realize that the situation in Alastair was far from normal.

Looking at the message Edward sent over, Wang Yu felt perplexed. He was aware of the ancient ruins appearing across the continent, but the situation in Alastair was peculiar.

These relics from the deep past must have had some purpose for resurfacing, yet these entities, which should have been causing chaos in the new era, had turned into fossils whose technology was being crushed by the current age. From any angle, this was wrong; if this were truly the case, these ancient entities would be laughable.

“That can’t be right. I don’t believe these things crawled out just to be technologically suppressed. Although I haven’t paid much attention, I know the Orcs, Elves, and Dwarves have been driven to their wits' end by these things. If they were really just relics lagging behind by centuries, how could they have such capability?”

Wang Yu sought Avia’s opinion. During his time spent preparing, she had been in contact with Nightfall Church members among the Elves and Dwarves and possessed a much clearer picture of the situation.

“No, the situation in Alastair is an isolated case. I asked Teacher Moira and Mr. Gawain; the Elven capital of Liahim and other cities have all been harassed by these sudden ancient ruins.”

The girl denied Wang Yu’s amusing speculation. The ruins disrupting the continent were not there for a joke; if they could bring about such chaos, they could not be weak. As she spoke, she displayed several images on the perfect fractal lens before Wang Yu.

The images depicted the current state of the war in the Elven and Dwarven lands. On the outskirts of the Origin Forest, teams of Dark Elves accompanied by ordinary Elves were launching an assault on the interior. Mixed among the rebellious Elves were tree spirits of peculiar forms—these were the ancient entities that had emerged from the ruins within the Elven kingdom.

The scene in the Dwarven lands was even stranger. Cities were guarded by a multitude of miniaturized “Iron Kings,” and runic magitech cannons atop the walls spewed scorching fire, bombarding the encroaching enemies to prevent them from reaching the Dwarven cities nestled in the mountains.

Among the obstructed rebel forces, Goblins, Grey Dwarves, and ordinary Dwarves were intermingled. They drove massive engineering machines up the slopes, the mechanical golden-iron arms shielding them from the artillery fire of the Dwarven cities as they steadily advanced.

Within the Dwarven ranks, distinct constructs were visible. They were not as precise as the “Machine God” on the Sky Mechanical City, but it was clear they were shells crafted through alchemy for the intelligent races to pilot.

Most of the heavy machinery was operated by these alchemical robots. Tank-like contraptions continuously fired alchemical explosives toward the Dwarven city. The battlefield was a cacophony of artillery and explosions; for a moment, Wang Yu thought he was watching a battlefield back on Earth.

Regardless, whether it was the Elves, the Dwarven kingdoms, or the Orcs—from whom there was little news—none of these suddenly appearing ancient entities showed the technological backwardness seen in Alastair.

“In the region where the human kingdom is located, there have been very few ancient ruins by comparison. Currently, only the one at Santa Ana in Alastair has been confirmed. As for the theocracy where the Pope of the Light Church resides, there is no news at all; it is highly probable that the Light Church dealt with it directly.”

The girl continued to discuss the situation in the human kingdom. Compared to the chaos in the other intelligent nations, their situation was actually quite fortunate.

“...Regardless, we shall continue our preparations. As for the rest, we wait and see.”

Shaking his head, Wang Yu summarized the intelligence and sent it to Edward for his reference and judgment, offering his help should it be needed.

...

“Ugh, the resolution went smoothly enough. Hmm... the other intelligent nations are quite unstable. In any case, give me fewer things to deal with! Damn it, why do I have to handle so much even after the Council has been established? What are those people climbing the ladder even thinking? I’m being worked to death by these documents!”

Charles scratched his scalp, multitasking as he read the message from Edward while processing the mountain of paperwork on his desk. He complained loudly. His position had risen with the fall of the royal family, and with it came a deluge of official documents.

Aside from the four Grand Dukes, the Council’s personnel were still being determined. Moreover, the four Dukes had neither the time nor the aptitude to share Charles’s burden. Each to their own trade; the Dukes were top-tier in military command and individual combat, but writing reports was simply not their forte.

In short, Charles’s workload, which promised premature baldness, would continue for a long time. Only when the Council was staffed with trustworthy individuals could he find some relief.

“True, those guys just sit in their seats and do nothing. Unlike me. The higher the status, the more the work. Should I just drag my father and those idle older brothers and sisters in to work? Surely no one in the kingdom would dare criticize us for nepotism now.”

Talking to himself in his private office, he was actually conversing with “One,” the devil residing within his body, about his work. Charles had indeed felt overwhelmed lately. If not for the potent stamina potions Wang Yu had specially crafted for him, and the help of One, he feared he truly could not go on.

“Stop the chatter. Someone is trying to infiltrate the capital. They are expected to enter through the West Gate with a merchant caravan in thirteen minutes. Their identity—hmm, they are from the Saripen Empire. That is all I can see for now; I cannot yet sense their purpose.”

The voice of the devil “One” echoed in his mind, causing Charles’s pen to freeze. His face darkened rapidly, and veins throbbed on the hand gripping the pen. Clearly, his blood pressure had spiked at being interrupted while facing a mountain of paperwork.

“Those dogs. I really don’t want to waste time on them. Damn bastards, if they want to look for trouble, don’t blame me for being impolite...”

Muttering the insults he had learned from Wang Yu, Charles closed his eyes. His mental energy extended, touching an object within the palace and connecting to the network that blanketed the entire city.

The power wielded by the royal family had been gradually uncovered during subsequent searches, proving to be far greater than anticipated. However, the Archangel’s supersonic blast from the heavens had left the royal family with no chance to deploy these trump cards. Now, they became the tools Charles would use to deal with the intruders.

...

At the city gate, the entities from Saripen sat in a carriage belonging to a local Alastair merchant caravan, entering the capital.

Facing the guards’ identity checks, their forged documents were flawless, the craftsmanship so exquisite that no flaws could be detected, and they entered the city with ease.

Scanning their surroundings, these Saripen entities were surprised to find that the slums near the city walls had been cleared, the dilapidated shacks renovated, and the residents walking the streets no longer wore the expressions of misery and gloom they once had.

As the caravan reached its destination, winding through the city streets, a wizard in the group sensed something before they were even halfway there. He stood up abruptly, reaching into the void to cast a spell. However, Charles, who had known their trajectory all along, would never grant them such an opportunity.

The great web covering the entire city trembled for an instant, and a node collapsed with a roar. The carriage carrying the Saripen agents plummeted helplessly into the rift between the void and reality.