On the mainland of Tarrond, in the giant dragon city Agondor, in the magnificent palace where the jury is located, the blue dragon Melita? Go to the room where the supreme chairman of the council is.
The magnificent ancient palace has stood on this land for thousands of years. The inside of the palace is a familiar scene that Melita has seen since she was a child. She saw the majestic golden columns supporting those complicated arch beams. Some kind of giant skeleton-like structure, the dome made of limestone covers the arched beams, each roof is carved with complicated and complicated patterns, depicting memorable moments in the history of the dragon clan, and on both sides of the corridor, crystal-like The translucent synthetic material hangs down along the columns, and dots of brilliance float and float on those crystal films, waiting for the visitor's attention and interaction at any time.
Probably because of the influence of the sacred ceremony, there were very few visitors in the palace of the jury, and there were only three or five staff members walking in the huge corridor except Melita and the two, and there were more automatic service machines than people. The "Iron Servant" light wheel with a golden or light blue shell is spinning, silently passing through the gates and pillars along the energy lines on the floor, maintaining the complex and ancient technical facilities in the palace, or executing With other orders from "Omega", he is busy, as if he is never idle.
Complicated, exquisite, majestic to palpitating, advanced to unbelievable.
However, under this exquisite shell is a technical quagmire that has sunk.
Melita raised her head, looked at the complicated patterns on the dome and the energy pipelines hidden between the patterns, and couldn't help muttering softly: "The biggest upgrade is just a change of pattern."
When technology reaches its limit, a wall stands in front of all researchers, and all the knowledge and tools at hand cannot shake this wall, so society comes to a standstill, civilization enters a bottleneck, no new theories are developed, and no new The principle is discovered, and all scientific and technological progress is tinkering with the existing technological products, and even the tinkering is difficult to achieve in the end—they have reached the limit of the civilization level in terms of technology and operating principles, reaching the In the "perfect" state of the current technical level, changing a single screw is retrogression and destruction, so the only thing left and that can be developed is art and aesthetics. What the dragons can do is to use Patterns, reliefs, decorations and complex and exquisite shapes reflect the upgrading of products.
Eventually, the dragons, who once favored a rugged, down-to-earth style, built these ornate temples in their realms, where they remain today.
White Dragon Noretta shook her head, with a faint and helpless smile on her face: "The age of perdition, isn't it?"
"The outside world is changing rapidly, and the feeling of vitality fascinates the dragon," Melita said softly, "Almost every day, people are rejoicing for new things, and every day people have to face new changes, whether it is Good or bad, change is always their theme."
"Before touching the fence, the sheep always think that the yard is vast and boundless. Haven't you seen enough of the so-called new things and changes in the past season after season of civilization?"
Melita raised her eyebrows, and glanced at her friend: "Noretta, I'm a young dragon, and my curiosity hasn't been satisfied yet."
The white dragon Noretta chuckled: "Probably—I hope that what interests you so much can also interest the Supreme Speaker. He is an old dragon, and his curiosity has long since calmed down."
The corridor has come to an end. The gorgeous alloy gate senses the approach of visitors. The access control system immediately reads the identity data of the two humanoid dragons. The entrance is open.
In a large circular hall, a light golden platform is placed in the center of the room, and a large number of crystal clear "crystal curtains" hang down from the platform, and a large amount of data and patterns are constantly refreshed on its surface. On it, a golden dragon as huge as a human house is quietly lying prone on the "throne" made of countless cables, pipes and fabrics.
Even by the standards of a giant dragon, he is already quite old, and the once beautiful scales have lost their luster, covering his huge body like inferior copper sheets. The hanging cables are connected, and the traces of mechanical and biochemical transformation are all over the surface of this old body. Under the skin is a bionic skin with flickering lights, and the cold and hard alloy skeleton is connected to the sharp claws.
Melita walked towards the half-mechanized dragon elder, and bent down in front of the platform: "I salute you, Speaker Andal."
The old golden dragon lowered its head, and a mechanical prosthetic eye embedded in the skull stretched and adjusted the focus, but the other slightly cloudy biological eye still shone with wisdom and warmth. A gentle voice came from the surrounding Came from the speaker: "Ah, Melita... the best agent of the Mithril Treasury, good boy, do you want to revoke your bonus punishment?"
Melita's eyes lit up immediately: "Is it possible?!"
"Can't."
"..."
After a brief and embarrassing silence, Melita returned to her normal state, and took out the things that allowed her to return to Tarrond this time: "Your Excellency, I got a special entrustment, I hope you can see it yourself, and Regarding the recent changes in Loren Continent, I also have some reports."
"Consignment? It's rare to see a consignment that can be presented directly to me... Is it from the Elf Royal Court, or a certain elemental lord?"
"Gawain Cecil."
"... Uh huh," Speaker Andal was silent for a moment, and let out a chuckle, and the stack of manuscripts in Melita's hand floated into the air, spreading out one by one in front of the speaker's eyes, "... I hope this time It's not a permanent preservation... Oh? The content seems to be very interesting."
The chairman completed the scanning and summarizing of all the contents of the manuscript almost in an instant. Several connection terminals near his spine flickered, and an auxiliary thinking unit near the skull also came to life, apparently aroused by the contents of the manuscript. Interests—albeit small ones.
"Including the understanding of productivity and production relations, as well as the deduction of social change... It's not very profound, but you say this is something that Gao Wen? Cecil summed up in the current era?"
Melita lowered her head: "It should also include his experience in the Gondor Empire."
"Ha... The productivity structure of the Gondor Empire is deformed, and their social system can't produce experience in this area," Speaker Andal chuckled, with a slight red light in Mechanic's eyes, "I'm a little interested , Gao Wen? Cecil hopes that the treasure house will deal with this manuscript?"
"That's exactly what I'm going to report..." Melita said with a smile, raising her head.
Her report was very detailed, not only including the contents of Gawain? , and the continuation of that ancient disobedient plan in the present age.
"... To sum up, I think Gawain Cecil and the order he created may become a valuable variable. We should pay more attention to it and further increase the contact level when necessary."
Speaker Andal was silent for a few seconds, his auxiliary thinking unit ran at high speed, and conducted a series of data exchanges with "Omega" that outsiders could not know, and finally said: "The current contact level is enough High, there is no need to raise it for the time being, but the 'variable' you mentioned...does have some value."
"That… "
"But he is not necessarily the only variable, child," the voice of Andal Speaker continued, "There are reports from other agents that the human Typhon Empire is also undergoing huge changes in scale, breakthroughs in technology and culture They are all going on, and the silver empire of the elves is also gradually 'unfreezing', trying to start developing again. Although they have also fallen into a technical quagmire similar to ours, they have not been 'locked' after all, and there is a possibility of breaking the seal. In addition, the Violet Kingdom, the Dwarf Royal Court, and the Gaoling Kingdom all have signs of social change or technological breakthroughs... These can all be used as variables."
Melita blinked, nodded after a short thought: "... I'm a little too concerned about the Cecil Empire."
"This is your area of responsibility, you should pay more attention, and..." Speaker Andal's voice paused slightly, as if he was considering his words, "Gaowen? Cecil's variable is indeed a bit different. He Who was the guide for that voyage back then, we have not yet investigated clearly, and I am quite curious about the mystery hidden in this human being."
"About this, it seems that Gawain Cecil himself doesn't know about it," Melita said, "I have talked with him many times, and his memory about that secret voyage seems to have been cleared by some factors, including the voyage. All the memories related to him before and after the voyage were completely wiped out, and all the people who acted with him did not leave the slightest trace, and it was impossible to even find out who was traveling with him."
"There are not many 'people' in the world who can hide from the eyes of Mithril Treasure House..." The voice of the old golden dragon was low, calm and powerful, "Keep in touch with Gawain Cecil, this entrustment , Mithril Treasure House accepted."
Melita saluted respectfully: "Yes."
A part of the lights in the room flickered, a secret door in the corner of the room opened, and a mechanical servant flew out from it, taking over the manuscripts that had been rearranged, and Speaker Andal nodded to Melita: " Melita, is there anything else?"
Melita was about to say goodbye and leave, but stopped hesitantly. Under the gaze of the old speaker's mechanical prosthetic eyes, she finally couldn't help but speak: "Your Excellency, I met a gene in Loren Continent. Flawed dragons…”
"Oh? Have you gone to the Holy Dragon Principality?"
"No, it's in the territory of Ansu—of course it's the Cecil Empire now," Melita exhaled, and her words became smoother again, "It's a black dragon, its wings have grown to half, but due to genetic The defect stopped developing, and her body was also deformed to a certain extent. For some reason, she left the Holy Dragon Principality and chose to live in human society, and it seems that she has lived for many years... "
Speaker Andal's gentle voice interrupted Melita's narration: "And then?"
"Your Excellency, the black dragon is normal except for the deformity of her body. She has a sound mind, and her human form is also very healthy. She is capable of doing all the jobs that don't require flying, so I'm curious..."
Noretta, the white dragon who was silent all the time, couldn't help reminding softly: "Melita, you have asked this topic before..."
However, Melita seemed to have not heard her friend's reminder, and she still asked persistently: "I'm curious about the reason why people with genetic defects are exiled, is it just because they were born with deformities? I have been exiled in the cold north for so many years, isn't there a deadline?"
"...The Dragon Empire never required the exiles to build their nests in the icebergs. The Senate just let them leave Tarrond. It was their own decision to settle at the northern end of the Loren Continent. As for the reason for exile... Genetic pollution is enough .”
Melita raised her head and looked at the majestic and old ancient dragon, but the latter was only calm.
After two full minutes, Melita looked away under the gaze of the mechanical prosthetic eye, and she lowered her head: "I understand, Your Excellency the Speaker."
Speaker Andal stared at the young junior in front of him, and the many devices connected to it in the room made a pleasant low-pitched sound, and his voice came from the speaker: "Melita, you are young and full of vigor, you are very young among the Dragon Clan. Precious quality, I don’t mind you asking some reckless questions because of this, but I hope you can maintain this curiosity for a long time, and may it accompany you throughout your life—but there are some things that you are destined to be unable to change now, and you should not know Yes, I hope you understand that."
Melita replied respectfully and sincerely: "Yes, Mr. Speaker, I understand."
"Go back, take a rest, and then make some preparations for the audience ceremony. God will dispel your fatigue and pain. After you fully recover, return to your post."
"Yes, Your Excellency the Speaker."