This ancient yet young country has survived a disaster like rebirth from the ashes. Although the road ahead is still shrouded in a layer of haze, a ray of sunshine has penetrated through layers of clouds and fog and sprinkled on this land that is glowing with vitality. on the ground.
In the city of Cecil, the atmosphere on the eve of the celebration is becoming more and more intense. Brightly colored flags have been hung on several main avenues. Municipal workers are hanging red and green ribbons on street lamps and buildings facing the street. Children are waving The scraps of ribbons picked up on the side of the road ran across the wide concrete streets laughing all the way, and citizens in brand-new costumes talked about the latest news in the streets and alleys, some with smiles on their faces, and some with serious faces.
Newsboys with satchels on their backs ran across the streets, loudly hawking the latest issue of Cecil Weekly or other newspapers. Newspapers exuding the fragrance of ink poked their heads out of their satchels, and the headlines in large print were very eye-catching—
"Anzu's royal power ended peacefully, and the Saint-Sunil Temporary Government Office announced to the whole territory: the great Cecil Empire is about to be established"
Magic Technology Research Institute, on the third floor of the main building, Cohen Bell watched the newsboys running across the street, looked away from the outside, smiled and shook his head: "These kids who sell newspapers are going to be happy recently, big news one after another one."
A tall man with a slightly bald head shrugged his shoulders: "There are also taverns and chess and card rooms that are happy. Every day, there are countless 'newspaper clerks' and 'broadcast government officials' discussing the future there. I have already found It’s no longer a place where you can spend your off-get off work time quietly.”
"It's a problem for you to go to the tavern and the chess and card room to find quietness." Cohen glanced at the colleague, "I suggest you try the new 'cafe' on Jinfangchui Street, which is opened by a northerner. The environment is good, and the drinks are very... novel."
The two researchers were chatting, but their chat was quickly interrupted - the door of the laboratory was suddenly pushed open, and an energetic voice came from the door: "Yo! Good morning, everyone! We are here today Are you ready for the tests to be done?"
Braided Rebecca greeted her as she walked into the lab, braids swaying behind her head and a beaming vibe lingering all over her body—in fact, she Been so beaming for a long time lately.
Those who are familiar with her know the reason for this joy: the ancestors are in charge of the imperial conquest, the aunt is in charge of the government affairs hall, the two elders are very busy, and all the affairs of the magic technology department belong to the Marquis (currently still Miss Marquis) alone, and due to the dual priority policy of wartime scientific research and military industry, the recent funding approval of the Magic Energy Technology Department is very sufficient. For Rebecca, who often has amazing ideas, this kind of life is simply a dream moment.
She's been out for almost two months now, and looks like she'll be out for a while...
Grand Consul Ms. Hetty may have a headache after seeing Rebecca like this, but people working in the research department are very happy to see a minister (director) in this state, because Rebecca in a runaway state He has a sharp mind that is difficult for ordinary people. Recently, several research projects have made quite good progress—it is true that this is due to the joint efforts of the researchers, but Rebecca's leadership is also indispensible.
"Miss Rebecca," Cohen bowed like everyone else, with a smile on his face, "everything is ready and ready to start."
"Not bad~~" Rebecca maintained a beaming smile, and walked straight to the large platform in the center of the laboratory. There are a large number of various magical devices around the platform, and on the platform is a large platform with a diameter of about two meters. , a palm-width metal ring device with a large number of runes and crystal inlays on the surface.
The team members gathered together one after another, and each came to their work positions. While adjusting the energy supply of the experimental platform, the tall man who was slightly bald asked casually: "Miss Rebecca, did you read today's newspaper? ... Ah, you must have heard the news long before the papers?"
As soon as this sentence was finished, the surrounding magicians stopped their movements one after another, all of them showed expressions of interest, and slightly raised their ears, but Rebecca, who was the center, was stunned for a moment: " Huh? I didn't read it...Mr. Marin, what news?"
With an expression of "knowing this earlier", Cohen held his forehead a little helplessly, and reminded him: "About the Cecil Empire... You should know that the Ansu kingship is over."
"...Oh!" Rebecca reacted for another two seconds before suddenly reacting, and slapped her hands, "Yes! I heard Aunt Hetty mention it at dinner last night... what else did she say... But at the time I was full My mind is full of formulas, I didn't write them down..."
"You..." Ma Lin, a slightly bald magician, opened his mouth, but suddenly found that he didn't know what to say. This should have been a good "job break topic", but the unexpected reaction of the person involved made the topic awkward When he got up, he had no choice but to remind around, "We may soon call you Your Highness Princess..."
Rebecca thought for a while, then reacted for another two seconds.
"Ah, it seems to be..." She finally woke up, and finally recalled that Aunt Hetty told herself a lot of topics about re-learning etiquette, re-learning grammar, history, etc., her expression gradually faded. become wonderful.
"No... no one stipulated that the princess must retake the etiquette class, right?" Rebecca widened her eyes like a terrified rabbit, and said nervously to Marin, "You are the nephew of Viscount Leslie, you know right?"
"This... I don't know if you ask me..." Marin couldn't laugh or cry. He was indeed the only one in the laboratory who was related to noble blood besides Rebecca Cecil, but this connection was only Because he only has an uncle who is a viscount, how can he answer the question of Rebecca, who is about to become "Her Royal Highness", but after thinking about it, considering the rumors of this Cecil heir at the beginning, considering that she was in the In the aristocratic circles in the southern border, it was almost a laughingstock, and it seemed that the other party asked me for advice, "It probably doesn't need to be rebuilt... After all, the aristocratic system has been completely reformed, and the various systems of the 'Empire' must also be new. Yes, the old aristocratic etiquette must be less important."
Rebecca immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "That's okay..."
Marin thought for a while, and added: "But the old ones don't need to be rebuilt, and the new ones must be learned now..."
Rebecca: "…"
To be honest, at this moment she was almost scared out of the big fireball. It was the high cost of many sophisticated equipment in the laboratory and the memory of her aunt's hammer that calmed her down.
"We... don't discuss this anymore..." The future imperial princess cut off the topic abruptly, as if an ostrich buried her head in the sand, "Let's start... let's start the experiment."
Seeing her reaction like this, the magicians stopped the topic tactfully, and began to cooperate skillfully to prepare for the next experiment.
Although with the gradual application of immersion chamber technology, more and more immersion chamber equipment is put into use, and more and more elite researchers can enter the virtual space of "Origin Laboratory" for experiments, but the virtual laboratory has the limit of simulation after all. However, testing in the real world is still a necessary link in the middle and late stages of many experimental projects, especially when it comes to projects that are not so "physical" such as complex rune rules and black box spell reorganization, such actual testing is even more important.
According to experience, this type of project has the largest "reality deviation" in Origin Lab.
Under the skillful cooperation and operation of the project team members, the surface of the platform in the center of the laboratory gradually showed the glimmer of runes, and various detection, control, and recording devices around the platform were also ready. The metal device trembled slightly with the filling of magic power, and made a very faint and pleasant sound.
"Okay, the prototype anti-gravity ring, the total number of tests is 627 times, the twelfth test in reality," Rebecca stood by the test bench, and when all this started, her expression became serious , and instructed in a steady voice, "Maintain the magic field, check the ring body."
"The anti-gravity ring has started to operate, the current load is normal, and the rune interference is within the safe value," Cohen quickly checked the monitoring device in front of him—the so-called monitoring device is a thin crystal plate set up next to the platform, and the thin plate has been solidified to detect Measuring the magic effects of distortion and magic power feedback, you can observe the magic power distribution on the test bench, and show the signs of magic power out of control in time, "the lift has begun... very stable."
Rebecca stared at the situation on the test bench: "Slowly release the restriction lock."
An operator responded immediately: "Yes, let go of the restraint lock."
There was a slight click sound under the experimental platform, and then several locking devices that had firmly fixed the metal ring were released little by little—the metal ring with complex runes began to rise gradually, and on the metal ring Several strong steel cables are still fixed under the ring to ensure the safety of the whole process.
The anti-gravity ring rose to a position about half a meter above the platform, where it stabilized.
However, everyone in the laboratory did not relax, but their expressions became more serious and tense.
"The levitation technique is in effect, and the anti-gravity field has stabilized," Cohen continued to report the situation, "The rune interference is within the safe value."
"Test load."
Several steel cables were gradually tightened, and the anti-gravity ring above the platform floated up and down slightly, but soon stabilized again.
"The load is increased to 220 kilograms, and it is still stable."
"Maintain this load first," Rebecca said while checking the status of each device, "Next... let's try to make it move. Marin, move laterally, and pay attention to a smaller range."
Marin Leslie nodded, took a slight breath, and then began to carefully control a part of the rune structure engraved on the anti-gravity ring through the non-contact magic field, trying to change the direction of the anti-gravity field and reset the ring way of loads everywhere to achieve its translation.
The anti-gravity ring hummed slightly, and the runes on the surface fluctuated like flowing water, then it trembled slightly and began to move to one side.
Rebecca's eyes widened, almost holding her breath watching all this.
In the next second, there was a sudden burst of strong light on the surface of the ring, and the entire metal structure let out a piercing scream amid violent tremors, and then it rose sharply—
"Papa—"
There were several explosions in a row, and the hooks used to connect the steel cable and the ring broke one after another. The anti-gravity ring rushed to the ceiling in a burst of strong flashes, and then hit it firmly with a loud "bang" .
Rebecca reacted the moment the ring was out of control, and slapped the emergency stop button next to the test bench, cutting off the supply of the ring's magic field. However, everything happened too fast, and the ring had already hit The ceiling—even if the energy supply was interrupted and the runes on the surface of the ring dimmed, it did not fall.
It's already embedded.
A cloud of ashes and dust fell from the laboratory, and a group of magicians dodged the falling objects in embarrassment. After the dust finally settled, the group of ashen-faced people returned to the laboratory table, raised their heads and stared blankly. Look at the anti-gravity rings embedded in the ceiling.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a while.
After a long time, Cohen Bell broke the silence in a low voice: "At least... we now know that the ultimate lift of this thing after overloading is very large, although it can only last for a moment..."
"We should probably replace it with stronger hooks and cables..." Marin added aside.
"A flying device that can only go straight up and down is useless at all..." an assistant researcher muttered softly, but because the laboratory itself was very quiet, everyone could hear her muttering.
"Perhaps I should try my original plan." Rebecca thought for a while, pinched her chin and said, "Flying while firing a big fireball backwards, although it is a bit slower, the consumption is also a bit higher..."
Cohen broke out in a cold sweat immediately, and quickly dissuaded him: "Your plan is more dangerous than the anti-gravity ring going out of control, and Ms. Hetty probably won't agree..."
"Aunt, she's not the technical department... well," Rebecca lowered her head in the middle of her sentence, and sighed, "Let's tidy up here, organize the materials, and then we'll study what went wrong. .In addition, everyone will also think about whether there are other safer alternatives when they go back.”
After she finished speaking, she raised her head and took another look at the metal ring inlaid on the roof.
"Cohen, you will find a way to... dig it out. Who else will go upstairs with me? Go and tell Master Kamel that there is no explosion this time... No one? Well, I will go by myself... "
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