Chapter 1065 Light and Shadow

The Cecilians have a powerful warship - it is equipped with the longest range and most destructive rainbow light device ever created by mankind. After charging, it can launch a deadly beam from the distant sea to land targets. Irradiation, it is said that it is also equipped with a live ammunition weapon that is not weak, and can launch the same deadly cross-border shooting at a longer distance.

On the battlefield of killing the gods, it was such a warship that launched the final blow to the god of war.

And after that war ended, the Cecilian warship did not leave the place it was patrolling—to the uneasiness of many Typhon soldiers, the warship named "Bitter Winter" is still operating in the eastern coastal area. , whenever the weather is fine, the sentinels on the high mountain can even see the steel monster floating on the sea surface, its high-raised wings shining brightly in the sun.

"Yes, Your Majesty, it's still there," Ferdinand said with a serious expression, with a hint of worry, "We thought that the Cecilians would at least let the ship return to the home port for supplies before the end of winter, but now we see It turns out that the ship's endurance on the ocean is far beyond our imagination... At present, it is still active in the eastern waters, but it has not been close to the land."

"...The property of the empire not only includes the land, the sea is also of great significance." Rosetta looked into Ferdinand's eyes, "Where is our ship?"

"The 'Spirit' and the newly-launched 'Red Knight' have already arrived near that ship, but... they can only watch from a distance now," Ferdinand said with an ugly face, "That ship of the Cecil is A true ship of war, like their mobile fortresses on land, the 'Bitter Winter' was built with the aim of being heavily armed, and our ship was no match for it by force. Lord Owen Dyson What we can do now is just surveillance, and on the other hand, it is impossible for us to build a warship that can rival the 'Bitter Winter' in a short period of time."

Then he paused, and then said: "The Cecils obviously know this too, they didn't respond to our surveillance, they just kept anchoring at the offshore border - that location theoretically does not belong to our territorial waters, But Bitter Winter's weapons can still cover the mountains east of Winterhold."

"...So, this is a kind of deterrence," Rosetta sighed, "Absolute deterrence...it's really Gawain Cecil's style."

Matilda sat quietly aside. When Rosetta talked with Ferdinand, she just listened quietly and said nothing. She didn't say her own words carefully until her father calmed down for a while. Thoughts: "Did the Cecilians park the 'Bitter Winter' near our coastline just as a show of force as a deterrent?"

Rosetta glanced at her daughter in surprise: "What do you seem to think?"

"I'm just worried...the Cecils are preparing for the upcoming negotiations by keeping the ship where they are," Matilda said with a frown. "After all, this 'war' is theoretically started by us Even if there is a secret behind it, the Cecilians will definitely ask Typhon to explain it—but no matter what their conditions are, we may find it difficult to accept them."

"So, they need to further enhance their 'right to speak'." Rosetta looked at Matilda approvingly, but then shook her head slightly, "Unfortunately, with Typhon's current situation, maintaining a stable situation is on the verge of There is very little we can do.”

"If we can know the negotiating intentions of the Cecilians in advance, we can at least maintain an initiative," Matilda said immediately. "How much we can win on the negotiating table depends on what we do outside the negotiating table." How much effort."

Grand Duke Ferdinand listened to the conversation between the emperor and the princess, and after a short thought, he finally broke the silence again: "Winter Wolf Castle and the surrounding areas are still in the hands of the Cecilians—they have no sign of retreating."

"You mean that the Cecilians plan to annex Winter Wolf Castle and its surrounding areas?" Matilda looked at Grand Duke Ferdinand,

Then he shook his head lightly, "...Although there is a possibility, I always feel that Gawain Cecil's plan is not so simple and rude..."

The room fell silent for a while, and Rosetta unconsciously stroked a ruby ​​ring on her left hand with her right hand, and said thoughtfully after a long time: "Anyway, there is only one week left before the meeting begins."

...

In the deepest part of the Obsidian Palace, there is a staircase leading to the underground of the palace, and a brass gate protected by layers of magic symbols stands quietly at the end of the staircase.

This is not where the royal treasury is located, nor does it involve the top secrets of the royal family members, but it is still a restricted area. Except for a few elites of the Royal Wizards Association and members of the Augustus family, no one can approach it. The brass gates, and even the guards guarding the steps and gates, are elaborate and expensive golems and mechanisms—these soulless magical machines are loyal and reliable, and will never reveal their secrets.

There is only one reason for such tight protection: one of the mysteries of the Typhon Empire's magic technology far surpassing other countries for hundreds of years lies deep in the brass gate.

Behind the gate, a large square hall is brightly lit. Complicated and mysterious magic runes are spread all over the walls and roof of the hall. A large number of buzzing and shimmering magic devices are arranged around, and there are countless guides. Metal and rune chains extend from those magical devices, and converge along the grooves on the ground to the center of the hall, and at the focal point where these chains and metal rails converge, a sheet made of alloy, covered with runes and precision crystals The console was making a low humming sound.

Windsor Mapel, the president of the Royal Association of Mages, was busy at the operating table, while Diana, the "Maid Maid" in the Obsidian Palace, was lying quietly on the operating table—the black-haired lady closed her eyes tightly, as if She had already fallen into a deep sleep, and the black maid uniform she used to wear was replaced by a large white smock. There was a hole in the belly of the smock, and what was exposed under the hole was not human skin, but a lifted bionic body. Skin and alloy cover.

Under the alloy cover, in the abdominal cavity of a normal human, a large number of sophisticated parts and devices are operating in an orderly manner. The surface of the small magic mechanism is flickering with runes, and a copper core trembles slightly above the bionic spine, even though it has been running continuously. After seven hundred years, its surface still looks as clean as new.

On the rest of Diana's body, there are many pipes and thin chains extending from the place covered by the gown. They are connected to the corresponding ports on the edge of the console, or directly connected to certain grooves and pipes on the ground.

Windsor Mapel carefully checked the working conditions of these devices, and fine-tuned the status of some parts as needed, and stood up from time to time to record something on the notebook floating in mid-air next to it, or use the The magic device performed some complicated operations, and her movements were smooth and smooth. Obviously, she had done this kind of work more than once.

After a long time, the president of the association finally finished the task at hand. She bent down, carefully arranged the delicate structure of Diana's abdomen, closed the cover and the bionic skin again, and confirmed that the bionic skin closed and grew and merged on its own. Afterwards, she got up and nodded to the "Main Maid" on the platform: "The maintenance has been completed, Ms. Diana."

The black-haired maid who was lying on the platform as if she was sleeping opened her eyes instantly, and lines of data were quickly refreshed in the depths of her clear eyeballs. Standing up, she smiled at Windsor Mapel while tearing off the pipeline connected to her body: "Thank you for your maintenance, Ms. Mapel——I feel much more relaxed."

"As long as it is useful," Windsor Mapel also smiled back, "After all, all I can do now are some limited adjustments, and those more core structures are really beyond my understanding and beyond this era processing technology."

"It's been a great help—after all, I can't debug my magic mechanism and mental core in a dormant state," Diana sat on the cold platform, moving her hands and feet on the spot to confirm the work of the joints of the whole body and the corresponding bionic muscle fibers He nodded in satisfaction, "Very well, the output of the left limb has improved. This problem has troubled me for several years."

Windsor Mapel looked at the "Iron Man" from the ancient Gondor Empire in front of her. Although it was not the first time for her to help the other party with hardware maintenance, nor was it the first time she came into contact with the technical knowledge of the Gondor era, but at this moment Still can't help but be impressed by the incredible ancient technology embodied in Diana, and at the same time yearn for the Gondor Empire that has become history, until Diana checked her physical condition and walked off the platform by herself, the mage The president of the association just woke up from his distraction, and looked at the other party and asked casually: "By the way, Ms. Diana, do you know that I have...'drawn' something recently?"

"Recently?" Diana was slightly startled, and then understood what the other person meant. The light in her eyes dimmed slightly, and her brows frowned, "Did I do graffiti again recently..."

"Yes, on the wall of your own room, there is also a passing mage apprentice's clothes," Windsor Mapel nodded, "The content is still the same as before, those weird dots and lines... look It looks like you don't remember."

"I really don't remember," Diana couldn't help tapping her forehead—even though her mental core is not in her head, this action is the "personality behavior" that she was programmed to do hundreds of years ago. ", has become one of her habits, "I'm sorry... Anyway, please apologize to that mage apprentice on my behalf. My reckless behavior must have caused him a lot of trouble."

"Trouble... not at all, that mage apprentice looks quite happy, he seems to have wanted your 'graffiti work' for a long time... Hey, young man," Windsor Mapel shook with a strange expression He shook his head, and then looked Diana up and down again, "But then again, can you still not remember the meaning behind those graffiti? Have no impression at all?"

"I have no impression," Diana shook her head. "The relevant memory is blank. I don't even remember the graffiti itself. If I didn't see the evidence that others brought up, I wouldn't know the existence of those patterns."

"Unfortunately," Windsor sighed, "We have checked your mental core and memory devices several times, at least on the surface, they do not show any signs of damage or shock... We have also tried using different External stimuli to revive your corrupted memories, but also nothing beyond a few experimental mishaps."

Diana didn't speak any more, she just stood quietly beside the operating table, and there was only peace on that delicate and flawless face created by using ancient technology.

...

In the city of Cecil, in the depths of the renovated and expanded Cathedral of the Holy Light, Veronica, holding a platinum scepter, sent away the last high-ranking priest who was seeking guidance with a smile on her face. The brilliance gradually calmed down and turned into a thin twilight, and the holy and ethereal sound that came with the wind in the church also subsided.

Subtle chewing sounds sounded from beside her. Veronica looked around and saw a small head emerging from the air. Emily's spirit body was condensed and formed in the lingering holy light around her, concentrating on nibbling at the thin and peaceful radiance.

Veronica showed a slight smile, and reached out to touch Emily's hair - the spirit body that ordinary people can't actively touch seems to have substance in her hands, the little girl condensed by the holy light raised her head and looked at this He showed a happy and bright smile, then lowered his head and continued to eat intently.

The next moment, Wright's voice reached Veronica's ears: "Sorry, this kid has become more and more naughty recently."

"Good day, Patriarch," Veronica raised her head and nodded to Wright who had just entered the prayer hall, with a gentle smile on her face, "It's okay, Emily didn't bother me—besides She doesn't eat much."

"As long as she doesn't eat the blessings I use for meditation," Wright looked helplessly at Emily, who was swimming like a fish in the floating holy light, and said with a sigh, "She always It's because I can't distinguish the difference and function of various holy light spells, and when I'm hungry, I will casually eat the nearby holy light..."

"This just proves our research theory - all forms of holy light are essentially different shaping and guiding of the same type of energy, which is a technical concept rather than a theological concept, so in Emily's eyes, any form The Holy Light is essentially the same, as long as the energy level is still within the scope of her digestion, she can eat it..."

With a smile on her face, Veronica discussed these issues with Wright about Emily and the nature of the Holy Light, but there were not only Wright and Emily in her vision.

At the bottom of her field of vision, a blank area is floating with constantly refreshing text and data:

"Second traversal roll call ends.

"Internal security systems - normal; internal energy systems - normal; internal production facilities - normal; internal controllable units - normal;

"External security system - normal; external energy system - 1% loss; external controllable unit - partially offline;

"Run through external security forces again and call names...

"65 nodes are offline, no reports of failures or crashes found.

"The alert level has been raised..."