Pillar of Yita

”Above all, it hastened the demise of the Morning Dawn Star by fanning the flames. After all, the two super alliances that obtained the information would prefer that the information about the slates not be leaked again.”

”Yet, in its final stage, the Morning Dawn Star did make some struggles.”

The middle-aged man’s voice paused.

”That’s why today you can hear about the secrets of the Four Holy Objects, the Elf Holy Grail, and the Spire, about how they hide the secret entrance to the Third World, and the reason these stories spread throughout Eteliria.”

Fang Hong caught a trace of anomaly: ”But given this, the Descendants of Flor and the Rainbow Alliance have obtained first-hand information about the slates. They should have already discovered the entrance to the Third World, or the Elf Holy Grail and the Four Holy Objects. However, now it seems that they don’t appear to have any advantages compared to others...?”

A mocking smile involuntarily appeared on the middle-aged man’s face.

Fang Hong had never seen such a distinctively sharp expression on anyone’s face before, a faint mockery that almost made him feel sympathetic towards the two alliances.

The middle-aged man finally answered: ”This is the most interesting part of the story.”

”Because the scholar known as ’Traveler’ initially did not translate all the slates but only two-thirds of them. It was at this time that a betrayer, unaware of this fact, had already sold out the Morning Dawn Star, unaware that what they handed over was not the complete information from the slates—”

”However, due to the pursuit of the Former Alliance, the translation work had to abruptly cease. ’Traveler’ took the rubbings and traveled to various places, and ultimately nobody knows whether he translated those inscribed texts. Yet, credible current news suggests that ’Traveler’ last appeared when having a meeting with Star.”

”During that meeting, ’Traveler’ handed over a notebook to him. As for the content recorded in that notebook, no one knew whether it contained the last part of the slates’ information—”

He paused again before slowly saying: ”This marks the beginning of the story, and what that notebook is, I presume you’ve already guessed.”

Fang Hong listened with great shock.

He didn’t expect the Queen’s notebook to have such an origin, but wasn’t it said to be her brother’s item? How did it connect with the Morning Dawn Star?

Moreover, what was going on with that notebook in his uncle’s study?

Did the notebook eventually become widely circulated?

However, he did not take the initiative to ask this question, as he had already vaguely guessed that perhaps there was another story behind it.

The middle-aged man indeed continued:

”As the Captain of the Morning Dawn Star, Star was already aware that eventually, people from both parties might find him, so he didn’t keep that notebook with him.”

”He entrusted the notebook to a close friend for safekeeping—his friend’s brother, Gayaxi Alzuhjan Laziz, the greatest explorer of Istania. Few knew this secret at the time, until people investigated along Star’s personal history to uncover this secret.”

”At that time, the main driving forces were the two major alliances. Upon obtaining information about the slates, they immediately launched investigations into the Third World. The search for the entrance to the Third World became a trend in Colin Ishurian and Osh, climaxing about seven years ago when the former Colin King dispatched a Large Ship Group led by Sir Mawei to investigate the Second World—”

”Unfortunately, due to incomplete information from the slates, everyone ended up empty-handed. Now they’ve turned to seek the secrets of the Holy Relics and the hidden information of the seven Spires, precisely because of this.”

”As for the other aspect...”

The middle-aged man contemplated for a moment before continuing.

”Gayaxi Alzuhjan Laziz knew the gravity of the notebook, so he came up with a plan, handing it over to his sister, the Princess Consort Afeifa, who was also passionate about adventure but not prominent in the circle, to prevent suspicion. Little did he expect what would happen shortly afterward—”

”The Great Explorer blamed himself for life and soon died young, melancholy.”

The middle-aged man softly finished explaining everything behind the attack ten years ago.

But Fang Hong seemed oblivious.

He almost gasped: ”Wait, you said...?”

”The name of that Princess Consort is...?”

...

Princess Rupert frowned at the odd little Dwarf before her.

She did not recall ever encountering this strange Papalarian, especially as this peculiar Papalarian kept muttering about a damned Alchemist, a King of Night Thieves, and Dragons—nonsense that left her puzzled. If not for the mention of a familiar name, she would not even permit her guards to let this suspicious Dwarf in.

Watching the Papalarian being pressed by her guards, actually, it was a Papalarian lady, she was stunned for a moment before finally asking:

”Who are you?”

”Why do you appear in this place?”

”What relationship do you have with Captain Ade?”

Parker—no, Lady Papamo—finally stopped her grumbling and murmuring.

She first pushed her guard’s hand away and raised her hands to show she posed no threat before stepping forward—but before she could, she was yanked back by the guard, rolling to the ground like a gourd.

The Papalarian screamed and quickly said: ”Help, help, Princess, don’t you recognize me?”

”Why would I recognize you?” Princess Rupert asked suspiciously: ”Have I met you, madam?”

”I am Pa...”

Parker suddenly realized and hurriedly corrected: ”I am, I am Papamo.”

”Alright, I admit that you, Princess, did not know me before.”

...