Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 690 - 689: Speaker Andar

On the Talronde Continent, within the magnificent palace of Argondor, the City of Dragons, the blue dragon Melita Ponia and the white dragon Nuoletta walked through the extremely spacious palace corridor, heading toward the room where the Supreme Speaker of the Council was located.

The magnificent ancient palace had stood on this land unchanged for ten thousand years, and within it were familiar scenes Melita had seen since childhood. She saw solemn golden pillars supporting those intricate arch beams, the intersecting arches forming a structure resembling the skeleton of some giant creature. The dome made of Ash Crystal covered the beams, with each roof panel carved with complex patterns, depicting moments in Dragonkin history worth commemorating. On both sides of the corridor, crystal-like semitransparent synthetic materials hung down along the pillars, with spots of light flowing over those crystal membranes, ready at any moment for visitors to read and interact.

Due to the influence of the sacred festival, there were only a few visitors in the Council Palace. Apart from Melita and Nuoletta, there were only a few staff members moving around in the vast corridor, outnumbered by automated service machines. These ’Iron Servants,’ with their light gold or pale blue shells, silently traversed between doors and pillars along the energy lines on the floor, maintaining the complex, ancient technological facilities within the palace or executing other commands from ’Omega,’ always busy as if never at rest.

Intricate, exquisite, majestic to the point of causing heart palpitations, advanced to an unbelievable degree.

Yet beneath this exquisite shell lay a mire of stagnating technology.

Melita lifted her head, looking at the complex patterns on the dome and the energy pipelines hidden among them, and couldn’t help but murmur softly, ”The greatest upgrade, nothing more than changing a pattern.”

Technology had reached its limit, a wall blocking all researchers, with all knowledge and tools at hand unable to shake this wall. Thus, society slipped into stagnation, civilization stepped into a bottleneck, no new theories were developed, no new principles were discovered. All technological progress was but patching up existing technological products, and eventually, even patching became difficult—they had reached the limit of civilization-level perfection in craft and operational principle. Changing even a screw resulted in regression and destruction, leaving only art and aesthetic as the remaining fields for development. All the Dragonkin could do was manifest updates through patterns, sculptures, ornaments, and intricate, exquisite designs.

In the end, the Dragons, who once favored rugged practicality, built these magnificent halls in their realm, lasting until today.

White Dragon Nuoletta shook her head, her face carrying a faint and helpless smile, ”The Age of Stagnation, isn’t it?”

”The outside world changes rapidly, that lively feeling captivates Dragons,” Melita said softly, ”almost every day someone is cheering for something new, every day someone faces new changes, whether good or bad, change is always their theme.”

”Before encountering the fence, the flock always thinks the yard is boundlessly wide. Haven’t you seen enough of those so-called new things and changes over the past seasons of civilization?”

Melita raised an eyebrow and glanced at her friend, ”Nuoletta, I’m a young dragon, my curiosity isn’t satisfied yet.”

White Dragon Nuoletta chuckled, ”Maybe—let’s hope what piques your interest can also intrigue the Supreme Speaker. He’s an old dragon, his curiosity no longer stirs.”

The corridor had reached its end; the splendid alloy door sensed visitors approaching. The access system immediately read the identities of the two humanoid dragons, and with a delightful chime, a series of beautiful lights flowed across the door, opening the entrance to the Speaker’s room.

In a broad circular hall, a light golden platform was situated at the center of the room. Numerous crystal-clear ’crystal drapes’ hung down around the platform, with their surfaces constantly refreshing vast amounts of data and patterns. And atop the platform, a giant golden dragon, about the size of a human dwelling, was quietly lying on the ’throne’ woven from countless cables, pipelines, and fabrics.

Even by dragon standards, he was quite elderly. The once beautiful scales had lost their luster, like inferior copper plates covering his enormous body. Around his spine were many interfaces and metal plates connected with cables hanging from the ceiling. Signs of mechanization and biological reformation covered his aged body, beneath the skin was the simulation skin with flashing lights, claws connected to cold, hard alloy frames.

Melita approached this half-mechanized dragon elder and bowed in front of the platform, ”Salutations, Speaker Andar.”

The old golden dragon lowered his head, his mechanical prosthetic eye embedded in the skull adjusting its focal length, yet the other slightly clouded biological eye still radiated wisdom and warmth. A gentle voice emanated from the surrounding speakers, ”Ah, Melita... Anwser from Mithril Vault, good child, are you here to revoke your bonus penalty?”

Melita’s eyes immediately lit up, ”Can I?!”

”No.”

”...”

After a brief and awkward silence, Melita returned to her normal state, taking out the item that prompted her early return to Talronde, ”Honorable Speaker, I have obtained a unique commissioned item which I hope you will personally examine. Additionally, I have some updates on the recent changes on the Loren Continent.”

”Commissioned item? Directly delivered to me, such commissioned items are rare... From the Elven Royal Court, or an elemental lord?”

”Gawain Cecil.”

”...Hmm,” Speaker Andar paused momentarily and let out a light chuckle, the stack of manuscripts in Melita’s hand floated to mid-air and unfurled one by one in front of the Speaker, ”... Hope it’s not anything for permanent preservation... Oh? The content seems intriguing.”

The Speaker almost instantly completed the scanning and reading of all the manuscript contents, several connection terminals near his spine flickered with subtle light, an auxiliary thinking unit near the skull also awakened, evidently intrigued by the manuscript content—though only slightly intrigued.

”It includes understanding of productivity and production relations, as well as simulations of social transformations... not overly profound, but you say it’s something Gawain Cecil summarized in the current era?”

Melita lowered her head, ”It should also include his experiences during the Gondor Empire period.”

”Ha... The productivity structure of the Gondor Empire is abnormal, and their societal systems can’t produce experience in this area,” Speaker Andar chuckled softly, a faint red light flickering in his mechanical eye. ”I’m a bit intrigued. How does Gawain Cecil wish the vault to handle this manuscript?”

”That’s precisely what I’m here to report...” Melita looked up with a smile and said.

Her report was detailed, not only covering Gawain Cecil’s commission but also including her own observations and evaluations of this ”pioneer hero.” Finally, she mentioned the current development of the Cecil Empire and the continuation of that ancient defied plan into the present era.

”...In summary, I believe Gawain Cecil and the order he has established may become a variable of value. We should increase our attention on him and, if necessary, further elevate the level of contact.”

Speaker Andar remained silent for a few seconds. His auxiliary thinking unit operated at high speed and engaged in a series of data exchanges with ”Omega” that outsiders couldn’t perceive, before he finally spoke: ”The current contact level is already quite high, so there’s no need for elevation at the moment. However, the ’variable’ you mentioned... does have some value.”

”Then...”

”But he is not necessarily the only variable, child,” Speaker Andar’s voice continued, ”Reports from other agents indicate that the human Typhon Empire is also undergoing massive changes. There are breakthroughs in technology and culture, and the elves’ Silver Empire is also gradually ’thawing,’ attempting to restart development. Although they have fallen into a technical mire similar to ours, they are not ’locked down’ and do have the potential for unsealing. In addition, the Violet Kingdom, the Dwarf Royal Court, and the Highmountain Kingdom all show signs of social transformation or major technological breakthroughs... These can all be considered as variables.”

Melita blinked, then nodded after a brief contemplation: ”...I’ve been overly focused on the Cecil Empire.”

”It’s your designated area of responsibility, so paying extra attention is appropriate. Moreover...” Speaker Andar’s voice paused slightly, as though choosing his words carefully, ”The variable that is Gawain Cecil is indeed somewhat different. We’ve yet to determine whose guidance led to his voyage back then. The mysteries embedded in this human intrigues me greatly.”

”On this point, it seems Gawain Cecil himself is unaware,” Melita said. ”I’ve spoken with him many times, and his memories of that secret voyage seem to have been erased by some factor. Every memory related to it before and after the voyage has been wiped clean. Moreover, all those who accompanied him at that time have left no traces, and we can’t even find out who traveled with him.”

”Not many ’people’ in the world can deceive the eyes of the Mithril Vault...” The aging Golden Dragon spoke with a deep and steady voice. ”Maintain contact with Gawain Cecil; the Mithril Vault accepts this commission.”

Melita respectfully bowed: ”Yes.”

The lights in a part of the room flickered intermittently, and a hidden door in the corner opened. A mechanical servant flew out to take the reorganized manuscripts, while Speaker Andar nodded at Melita: ”Melita, is there anything else?”

Melita had been about to take her leave but hesitated, pausing under the gaze of the old speaker’s mechanical eye. Finally, she couldn’t resist speaking: ”Honorable Speaker, I encountered a dragon with a genetic defect on the Loren Continent...”

”Oh? You went to the Sacred Dragon Kingdom?”

”No, it was within Anzu’s territory—of course, now it’s part of the Cecil Empire,” Melita exhaled, her words flowing smoothly again. ”It’s a Black Dragon. Her wings developed to halfway, but due to a hereditary defect stopped developing, and her body is somewhat deformed. For reasons unknown, she left the Sacred Dragon Kingdom to live in human society, and she seems to have been living there for many years...”

Speaker Andar’s gentle voice interrupted Melita’s account: ”And then?”

”Honorable Speaker, aside from the deformity and genetic defect, the Black Dragon is normal in other aspects. She has a sound mind, and her human form is very healthy, capable of undertaking all tasks that don’t require flying, so I’m quite curious...”

Beside her, the silent White Dragon Noreta couldn’t help but gently remind: ”Melita, you’ve asked about this topic before...”

Yet Melita seemed not to hear her friend’s reminder, persistently asking: ”I’m very curious about why genetic defectives are exiled. Is it just because they were born deformed? The Sacred Dragon Kingdom has been exiled to the coldest northern tip of the Loren Continent for many years—are there no time limits to this exile?”

”...The Dragon Empire never required exiles to nest in the ice mountains; the Senate merely told them to leave Talronde. Settling at the northern tip of Loren Continent was their own decision, and as for the reason for exile... genetic pollution is enough.”

Melita looked up, making eye contact with the dignified and elderly ancient dragon, who met her gaze serenely.

After a full two minutes, Melita finally shifted her gaze under the scrutiny of the mechanical eye, lowering her head: ”I understand, Honorable Speaker.”

Speaker Andar watched the young junior before him; the various connected devices in the room emitted a pleasant, deep hum. His voice resonated from the speaker: ”Melita, you are young and full of vigor, a very valuable quality among the Dragonkin. I don’t mind you posing bold questions because of it. On the contrary, I hope you can maintain this curiosity throughout your life—though there are some matters you are destined not to change or know at the moment. I hope you understand this.”

Melita responded respectfully and sincerely: ”Yes, Honorable Speaker, I understand.”

”Go back, take a rest, and prepare for the audience ceremony. God will dispel your fatigue and hurt. When you are fully rejuvenated, return to your post.”

”Yes, Honorable Speaker.”