The next day...
Sunday's morning sun was a cheerful splash of gold against the blue sky. It did little to dampen the heat of the most recent news.
Yesterday's ceremony had faded into the background hum of administrative duties. But the echoes of the recipients words hadn't shown any sign of fading into obscurity.
Professor Alcryst Elheart's spirited explanations of Sky-link. Followed by Jester and Vale's pronouncements of the research plan... They were still reverberating through the nation.
Across Misterra, the news channels, the printed broadsheets, and the crackling radios were abuzz. The dominant narrative, as predicted, centered on the groundbreaking research.
Professor Elheart's Sky-link was presented as a significant scientific achievement. Experts lauded its potential for communication and information sharing. Envisioning a future where knowledge flowed more freely.
Yet, for the average citizen, the immediate impact felt… abstract. It was a glimpse into a more connected tomorrow. A promising development for scholars and strategists. But not something that directly addressed the hanging threat of dangers in Sherra.
For them, the Sky-link felt distant. Abstract. Sherra was currently not a peaceful world after all. The research lacked the immediate, visceral impacts. Compared to Jester and Vale's work.
Their Zero-star Soulheart Research Plans hit society like a thunderclap. Suddenly, the common folk, the backbone of Misterran's defense, felt they had been given hope. The vast majority of them were people who had only managed to awaken Soulheart Gears without any star level.
They were in quiet desperation. Pretty much helpless against the mystical danger that could occur any time. And now, their despair was met with a tangible promise of improvement.
Across the bustling marketplaces of the cities and towns in Misterra, hawkers peddled the morning papers. Their cries were echoing the headline news. "Read all about it! The teens who can make your zero-star gear shine!"
In a humble workshop, a group of blacksmiths hammered not just weapons. But also their Soulheart Gears. They gripped the very idea of hammering away inherent limitations tightly. They didn't even wait until legitimate research showed its validity. They did their own... research.
A fisherman in a seaside village muttered. "My old net… zero stars. Always felt like a lost cause. But what if… what if it could be more?"
He looked at the sea. Hesitating. He had the idea of taking his Soulheart Gear out and diving to the bottom of the sea with it. Feeling that it might truly evolve when he did it. But he was afraid... of failure.
A mother was watching her teenage daughter. Still fast asleep, clutching her purely decorative Soulheart Gear, a wooden amulet.
She felt a flicker of hope. Her daughter, like herself, had awakened a zero-star Soulheart. She had braced herself for a life of limited potential. Always looking to others for protection.
Now, for the first time, she saw a different path. One where her daughter might not just survive. But also thrive. Armed with a gear that could actually do something.
...
The Esoteric Science Department at the Royal Academy of Misterra was abuzz. Professor Elheart, had already commandeered a wing of the academy. His eyes was practically sparkling with a newfound intensity.
He didn't care about the initial lukewarm response to his own Sky-link research. He knew it would be significant in the future. But he also knew that people was right about one thing. Convenience could only be developed well once the basic needs for safety had been acquired.
He ordered only a few scientists in the department to continue the Sky-link Project.
For the majority, he took them to study Jester and Vale's notes. And made a realistic research plan after being inspired by it.
"The sheer audacity!" A sharp-witted arcane theorist exclaimed. She had read the notes and had truly been impressed. "To propose hypnosis as a method of enhancing gear resonance? It's unconventional, bordering on reckless, but the theoretical framework… it's actually sound!"
"And this manual remodeling..." Another researcher mused. Tapping a finger against a diagram. "We've done similar research before. But these students are suggesting using resonant materials to link pathways within for fundamental change. This is... revolutionary."
Professor Elheart looked at the scribbled notes detailing exposure to light radiation. And the summoning of gears to various environments. Their background reasoning was also logical and sound.
"We will explore every single avenue." He decided. "These young minds have gifted us with a roadmap. Our duty now is to traverse it, and to ensure the knowledge benefits all of Misterra. No! All of Sherra."
...
But as expected... Not everyone greeted the news with open arms. Many of the elites, those who had been blessed with high-star Soulheart Gears, largely remained indifferent.
They saw Jester and Vale's efforts as a pointless effort. Why bother with the dregs when you already possessed the cream of the crop?
Vincent Thorne, a renowned twenty-year-old warrior who wielded an eight-star Meteor Blade, scoffed when a reporter dared to ask for his opinion.
"Zero-star gears? Pathetic." He said dismissively. "It won't work. Those who are meant to be strong will be strong. The mediocre ones will always be mediocre. Regardless of how much they polish their mediocrity."
His sentiment was actually echoed by many of his peers. But many realized that their arrogance was a shield. Against the possibility that their privileged position might one day be challenged.
The high-star gears were not just tools. They were symbols of their inherent superiority. A status many would cling to with fierce possessiveness.
...
However, the ripples of Jester and Vale's ideas reached far beyond the grateful whispers of the common folk. And the academic fervor of the researchers.
In the hidden shadows of Misterran society, a different kind of attention was being paid. By the Sacred Heralds. A secretive group of Contractors. Individuals who had long ago traded their humanity for the power granted by pacts with demons.
These people recognized the threat lurking within the popular enthusiasm for Soulheart enhancement. The threat towards them.
Their leaders, hidden in the shadows, convened in their clandestine meeting chamber. The air crackled with a malevolent energy. A stark contrast to the hopeful atmosphere spreading across the nation.
Within the hidden chamber, discussions grew heated. "These brats… They are meddling in matters beyond their understanding." A figure hissed. His voice was like grinding stones.
"They seek to patch the cracks in the dam with flimsy parchment." Another figure sneered. "The success chance was not that high. But if their research actually bears fruit, if they truly manage to empower the weak… it will be a disaster for us."
Another, in a female voice, spoke with a chilling calm. "I've got news. The government actually supports the research. This Professor Elheart gets massive boosts in funding… It's obvious, his Sky-link is a distraction. But the Zero-Star research… that needs to be addressed."
"True! And their method for acquiring Soulheart Gear was also troublesome for us." The first figure agreed. "If their methods become widespread, if the common folk become too resilient… our influx of 'offerings' will dwindle. Significantly. The Devils will not be pleased."
The female-voiced figure responded. "But how do we stop it? Their research is being published. The Academy is involved. The President herself is backing it."
The first one made a sinister chuckle. "Stopping it directly might be… problematic. But we can sow doubt. We can also corrupt the research members. We can ensure that when they do succeed, the consequences are… undesirable."
"And if all else fails…" Another sinister chuckle reverberated. "There are always more… direct methods. Humanity's greatest weakness has always been itself. We will remind them of that."
...
Meanwhile, President Marianne Mason was at her office. The pragmatic and forward-thinking leader had just found her faith in the younger generation reaffirmed.
She had read the copy of Jester and Vale's notes. She had quickly been one of the few to truly grasp the long-term implications of Jester and Vale's work.
She hadn't expected it. The award ceremony had been more than just a public display of gratitude. It had been a strategic move to acquire a masterpiece plans. And a way to popularize and legitimize their research. As well as ensuring it received the necessary backing.
"This is precisely what Misterra needs. No. Not just Misterra. This is what Sherra needs." She mused in her private chambers. Reviewing the copies.
She sighed. "We didn't just need a defense against the immediate threats. But also a strategy for sustained resilience. If we can uplift the capabilities of every citizen, our nation becomes an insurmountable barrier to the forces that seek to consume us."
She looked at the old man in military outfit sitting nearby. "General Owlrock! Their lives..." She stated firmly. Referring to Jester and Vale. "... are now intertwined with the survival of Misterran. We must protect them, and their work, at all costs."
General Owlrock nodded. Unlike many of the nobles and militarists who focused solely on elite combat prowess, he had similar view with the president. He understood that true strength lay in the collective. Empowering the many was a far more potent defense than relying on the few.
And the two young prodigies, Jester and Vale, provided the keys they would need to do that. They must be protected.