Rian tapped the space in front of him. A blue magic screen appeared. He directed the screen's view to a point above Felius Castle, then zoomed in with his fingers.
Rian saw a sight he would never forget. A sea of shining stars in the night sky—so many, they were countless. Among those stars, he saw a very conspicuous blue dot.
He tried to zoom in on the dot and saw a beautiful blue planet, with enchanting water and white clouds.
Rian's hands trembled violently. His eyes welled up with tears.
"So… this is Earth?" he muttered unconsciously. "It's so beautiful…."
Only those words could express his feelings at that moment. I've seen pictures of Earth on the internet, but seeing it in person… this is something else entirely.
"That is my home… no, humanity's home. On it are all the people I love, everyone I know, every human who has ever lived, living their lives there. And now, I am 225 million kilometers away," he murmured softly. His hand tried to zoom in again, but this was the maximum limit of Felius Castle's security monitoring mechanism.
Even if I could return to Earth and see my family, would they recognize me? My appearance is so different now. Besides, what about my real body? They must have found it by now, right?
And I… Rian looked at the palm of his hand, then at the sun ring on his finger, before looking around him.
I can't possibly… leave all this, can I? Leave Emma, Merlin, Lily, and all the residents of Avanheim just for my own personal desires… how selfish!
Rian clenched his fist tightly, then released it again. Honestly, I don't know! This is so confusing. On one hand, I want to see my family. On the other, I don't want to abandon Avanheim and disappoint them.
What should I do?
Rian was snapped out of his reverie when he heard the footsteps of several people. He saw Monica, Felix, Merlin, and Emma walking toward him.
The three of them then knelt, while Emma returned to her position, accompanying him at his side.
Rian looked at them, trying to compose himself before speaking. "You must be curious why I summoned you, especially to the First Floor."
Without waiting for them to answer, Rian ordered Emma to explain the reason.
Emma then walked toward the three of them, activated the Monitoring Screen, and enlarged it so everyone could see.
"Natasha has just returned from her reconnaissance mission, and they found this." Emma walked toward the rover and the flag that had been placed there.
The expressions of the three immediately changed, even Monica, who was of the Automata race. The results of Natasha's reconnaissance mission would determine Avanheim's future policies.
"This is the object that Natasha and her squad found, 100 kilometers from Felius Castle." Emma held up the strange flag and unfurled it so the Floor Guardians could see.
Merlin's eyes were fixed on the man-made machine next to Emma. Are there humans in this world? No, that's impossible. Humans aren't magical beings; they wouldn't be able to survive in such an extreme environment. I can be sure of that. So, the only logical answer is… beings of a similar kind to us, that is, Heteromorphic. Merlin's mind raced, trying to find a logical answer.
Monica's eyes sparkled after seeing the object. "Lord Arthur, may I touch it?" she asked with an enthusiastic tone.
Rian smiled. "Of course. In fact, I summoned you and Felix to analyze it."
Felix, who had been silently staring at the strange object, was instantly overjoyed. "Thank you, Lord Arthur!" He hurried toward the machine. As someone who loved magic, he was very interested in this machine that didn't use mana energy as its fuel. It reminded him of the steam engines created by humans, but this machine didn't emit hot steam, which was what made it so fascinating.
Emma quickly moved away from the machine and returned to Arthur's side, holding the strange flag.
"Merlin, Emma, there's something I want to discuss. Please come closer," Rian said seriously.
"Yes, My Lord." Emma answered with her beautiful voice and slowly moved her body closer to her master's.
This is too close! Well, it is my fault for telling her to come closer, I guess, Rian complained to himself. He let Emma's behavior be and pulled the monitoring screen above them closer.
He changed the camera's point of view toward the sky and zoomed in on a single, conspicuous blue dot among the sea of stars.
"This is…" Merlin's usually calm expression immediately turned to one of shock.
The same went for Emma, who had been hugging his left arm. She unconsciously released her embrace when she saw the sight before her.
"This is a planet or a world that has water and an atmosphere, unlike here. I am certain that there is life there," Rian explained.
"You mean, that object and that flag came from there?" Merlin immediately connected the two new pieces of information.
"Yes, I believe so. Although we haven't explored this world one hundred percent, I can already confirm that the entire place is the same as the environment around Avanheim," Rian stated with a confident expression.
"Forgive my dissent, but that is impossible, Lord Arthur." Emma pointed to the rover being examined by Felix and Monica. "The distance from that planet to this place is immense. To send that object all the way here would require extremely advanced technology," she said. She wasn't including magic in her calculations because teleportation and spatial magic required coordinates to travel. For such a vast distance, it would be impossible to go here manually and then leave coordinates without using some form of transportation. Although there were some teleportation spells that could be used with just line of sight, Emma didn't believe such magic could function over a distance as great as a star in the sky.
"What if the technological level of the civilization in that world far exceeds that of the World of Monia?" Rian asked Emma.
Emma was silent for a moment. Just as she was about to reply, Merlin cut her off.
"I think Lord Arthur's analysis is plausible," Merlin directed his gaze to the rover, then continued. "If they can make something like that, they should also be able to make transportation that can travel far. That object has no mana or steam like a steam engine to move it, and it emits electromagnetic waves. This means it's controlled remotely."
"If we use your logic," Emma retorted to Merlin's analysis with a scornful expression, "if they can send that object all the way here, why haven't we found any living beings yet? Just recently, I received information from other reconnaissance teams moving south and east. They also reported that they found no living creatures throughout their journey."
"I think… I can answer that question."
Emma and Merlin both turned their gazes to Felix. Rian did as well.
"Please, go ahead," Rian said, allowing him to join the discussion. In truth, he wanted to know the Floor Guardians' opinions on Earth and its technology.
Felix paid his respects, then spoke. "Perhaps… they only have one-way technology." He pulled a green-colored chip from behind his arm. "From my and Monica's analysis of this machine, I can confirm that Lord Arthur's and Merlin's analysis is correct. Their technological level far surpasses that of the World of Monia. For example, this object."
Rian's expression changed slightly. Isn't that a PCB?
Emma looked curiously at the object in Felix's hand, as did Merlin.
"This is a circuit board," Felix continued with a happy expression. "Its function is similar to the Magic Core possessed by Golems, Automata, and Ex-Machina. According to my analysis, this object serves to transmit and manage information into what we desire. And they use electrical energy, something we consider trivial. Isn't that amazing?"
"So, what's the difference with a Magic Core? Doesn't that mean this technology isn't more advanced than ours?" Emma asked, looking confused.
"No, it's different. This thing is incredibly complex, and it appears to be mass-produced," Monica, who had been observing, decided to speak. "A Magic Core, while it may seem complex to a layman, isn't actually that intricate or complex. You just need to infuse mana into a metal that can conduct magic, like Adamantium or Orichalcum, and then manipulate that mana to produce the desired effect. But this thing…"
Monica tilted her head, staring at the circuit board with sharp eyes. "…has a much higher level of micro-complexity. Just look at the patterns of its pathways; they are small, precise, and dense. This isn't handmade, but the result of a highly standardized, repetitive production process."
She took a short breath, then added, "And most importantly, our technology requires magic to achieve effects like this. Whereas this? This doesn't need magic, doesn't rely on talent. Anyone can use it… as long as they know how to channel electricity."
Monica folded her arms, her expression serious. "If mass-produced and utilized correctly, this technology could match or even surpass our magic in terms of stability and efficiency. And that's what worries me."
Merlin smiled triumphantly at that analysis, then gave Emma a sarcastic look. Emma, seeing this, could only remain silent, suppressing her annoyance.
As for Rian, hearing Monica's analysis only strengthened his decision not to reveal Avanheim's existence to the people of Earth. Although he believed Avanheim's power was strong enough to rival any nation on Earth, it was better to remain hidden and develop their strength. Besides being safer, this approach would also avoid a situation where Avanheim was besieged from all sides by various forces. After all, the civilization he was facing wasn't the ignorant and backward medieval Europe, but a modern civilization! Different situations required different methods and handling.
"Can we replicate this technology?" Rian asked with curiosity.
Monica and Felix both shook their heads slowly.
"Impossible," Felix said firmly. "But making a magic-item version is still possible. Of course, the manufacturing cost will be different, probably more expensive."
Monica, with her usual flat expression, added, "But… if we at least had the basic scientific principles, there might be a chance to replicate a non-magic version, although the quality would certainly be different."
"So you mean, Avanheim can't make something that even a lowly race incapable of using magic can create?" Emma asked, her tone displeased.
Monica replied again, "If the Secretary-General and Lord Arthur give us time to develop the theories of physics, mathematics, and engineering that we currently possess, then in three years we will be able to replicate it—if you and the Secretary-General desire such technology that isn't powered by mana energy. But, if Lord Arthur and the Secretary-General want a magic item that has the same effect and quality as this technology, then it can be done right now. I am confident I can make it, though of course, the cost might not be as cheap as this object." She pointed to the PCB in her palm.
Rian looked at Monica with a happy expression. As expected of a Magic Mechanic, she's reliable.
Emma smiled hearing Monica's answer. "Good, at least Avanheim can make a magic version. As for the cost, don't worry about it. And, Lord Arthur…." Emma turned to Rian, then spoke with a serious expression. "I believe it is time for Avanheim to respond to this threat."
"In that case, Merlin, what is your response to this?" Rian asked, looking curiously at Merlin.
"I think we must respond to this threat with caution," Merlin answered with a calm expression.
"You mean, we shouldn't act rashly, like sending an army, but investigate this civilization first?" Emma asked doubtfully, her hand on her chin in thought.
Good, as expected of Merlin. It's a good thing I brought him here.
Merlin nodded in response to Emma's words.
"Very well, I have decided." Rian delivered his command to the Floor Guardians before him, while closing the monitoring screen with a wave of his hand. "Avanheim's response to this foreign civilization is to investigate and gather information about their strength, what kind of beings they are, and the condition of their world. To that end, I intend to send someone there to obtain the planet's coordinates to be used as an anchor for Gate Magic."
The Floor Guardians immediately knelt in unison. "Understood," they replied in unison, full of respect.
Rian then turned to the young man dressed as a Magician. "Merlin, can you go there using your Miracle Magic?" he asked.
Merlin shook his head. "The distance is too great, and I do not know the name of that planet. If I use Miracle Magic, a deviation in the wish will occur. I could end up being transported to a place worse than this world. It is too dangerous."
"I see. But what if you use your Ultimate Skill?" Rian asked another question. He remembered Merlin still had that broken Ultimate Skill. If he used his Ultimate Skill, sending someone to Earth would be much easier.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, My Lord, but that is also impossible," Merlin replied with a deeply regretful expression. "The effect of my Ultimate Skill is only five seconds. Five seconds is too short to memorize the world's coordinates, and an error could even occur. The end point of the Gate Magic could lead directly into the sun or to a dangerous place in the universe. The skill also has a ten-hour cooldown."
Rian was slightly disappointed, but he quickly forgot about it and turned to Felix and Monica. "In that case, I can only rely on the two of you."
"Just tell us what the Supreme Beings desire, and we shall create that item," Felix and Monica said firmly, their voices echoing in the throne room of the First Floor.
"I want you to create a vehicle that can go to that world. It doesn't need to be able to travel back and forth or be too advanced. What I need is a vehicle that can leave this world and go to that one. Then, the person inside the vehicle will use Gate magic upon arrival, so one-way is fine," Rian said in a firm tone.
"Emma."
"Yes?"
"Provide them with all of Avanheim's support and resources. I want that vehicle completed within three months," Rian looked at Emma's beautiful face beside him with a firm tone.
"Understood," Emma replied softly with a smile.
"In that case, this conversation is over. As for the creation of the magic item that mimics the circuit board, that will be put on hold for now. Your focus now is to create a vehicle that can travel in space. And most importantly, the vehicle must be able to use a stealth mode. You can use illusion magic or your own methods," Rian said firmly.
"Understood, Lord Arthur," Felix and Monica replied.
"And as for you, Merlin, help them. Use your Miracle Magic if they encounter any problems during the creation process," Rian said seriously to Merlin.
"I will certainly not disappoint your trust, My Lord. I will carry out this task well." Merlin placed his right hand on his left breast and bowed respectfully.
Rian shifted his gaze to Emma once more. "Inform all residents of Avanheim of this."
"I will carry it out immediately, My Lord," Emma replied with a calm smile. So this is Lord Arthur's real plan? I will make your plan succeed, My Lord.
Rian felt a little strange about Emma's overly calm reaction, but he quickly dismissed it.
"In that case, this conversation is over. You may return to your respective floors." Rian gave the order to the Floor Guardians. After the Floor Guardians left, only Emma and he remained.
Rian took back his floating staff and stood up from Natasha's Aesir throne.
"I'm going to the Ninth Floor. As for you… umm…." Rian said to Emma, who was standing in front of him.
"I will go to the Ninth Floor as well," Emma replied, then slowly took her master's right hand.
Rian could only resign himself to this. "In that case, let's go." Rian pulled Emma's arm, and the two of them teleported to the Ninth Floor.