Chapter 660 — Remnants of Bone

And besides these clothes and everyday items, almost everyone would bring along an extra newspaper or magazine to while away the tedium of the journey. At the same time, discussing the contents of the newspaper with one's neighbors in the station rest areas and on the train was also one of the marks of being "in tune with the times," "knowledgeable and cultured."

Of course, not everyone pursued such "marks of decency."

Many new immigrants who had only just filled their bellies, who had only just escaped hardship, could not change their mindset in a short time. They preferred to save money and save grain, preserving the "hunger anxiety" of hard times. But at least among those who already possessed some economic means and had been relatively close to the "citizen class" in the old days, these "marks" held great significance—and it was precisely these people who, through their acceptance and use of new things, were little by little shaping a "Cecil-style" social ethos, forging a new community of "Cecil citizens" beyond the old concepts of nobles, serfs, and freeholders.

People were talking about the contents of the newspapers, talking about that victory on the Eastern Front. No more detailed news had yet been published; the latest issue of the newspaper carried only a brief notice—the most powerful evil creation of the Order of the End of All Things had been destroyed, and the Holy Spirit Plain had entered its final cleanup phase—but even that single simple sentence was enough to let everyone's taut hearts relax, and they began to discuss the victory in a relaxed and proud tone.

In a corner of the platform, Pi Yun, clad in a short black robe, was directing several new apprentices as they hauled a few large trunks onto a luggage cart. He glanced at the joyful expressions of the people around him and muttered quietly to Kamaier beside him: "To be honest, when I first learned what those lunatics of the Order of the End of All Things had built, I actually considered whether I ought to run for it."

Kamaier had known Pi Yun for quite a while by now, and his judgment of the little old man was rather precise. Hearing this, he said casually: "Don't believe it."

"Hey, how can you be so sure..."

"With your temperament, by the time you're actually considering running, you'd already be on the road."

"...Talking to you gets less and less interesting."

Pi Yun waved a hand, while Kamaier, standing beside him, looked the old druid's attire up and down with curiosity. "Speaking of which, you always wear these old-fashioned robes, don't you? Haven't you considered trying the simplified ceremonial coats or short windbreakers that are popular nowadays? I hear they're quite good—far more practical and comfortable than the old styles."

"I'm used to this set," Pi Yun rolled his eyes, glancing over the heap of rune-covered armor plates all over Kamaier's body. "When you figure out a way to swap out that pile of armor plates you're wearing, then come discuss fashionable clothing with me."

A peculiar humming sound rose from within Kamaier's body, as if expressing helplessness, and at almost the same moment, a loud bell rang out across the platform.

"The train is ready," Pi Yun glanced up at the magic-powered train not far away, saw the barriers along the platform's edge vanishing one by one, and turned around, waving his hand. "I've got to set off—go see what kind of thing those lunatics of the End of All Things have actually cooked up. You'd think the Cecil domain is no small power now, and there's no shortage of registered druids we've recruited, so why do I still feel like every single matter requires this old bag of bones to run around in person? My salary ought to be raised too..."

The old druid muttered on and on, as though nursing a belly full of grievances, yet his steps were brisk as he led several apprentices toward the train not far off—he had been ordered to White Sand Hills to investigate the remnants of the fragments left behind after the death of that "artificial god." As the most senior druid in the territory, and the only expert who understood the inner secrets of the End of All Things, he could not avoid this task.

Kamaier, who had come to see him off, watched Pi Yun board the train, watched the passengers on the platform file into the carriages batch by batch.

Then the immense arcane machinery began to emit a deep hum; the power spine charged, the rune arrays lit up, and the train slowly accelerated along the tracks, heading into the distance.

Not far away, on the streets beyond the platform and in several open lots, groups of children who had come to watch the excitement ran chasing after the train, shouting and marveling from the other side of the barrier railings, while some passersby on the road stopped in their tracks—some waved at the train, others studied closely the manner in which this advanced machine moved.

The emergence of the arcane industry had, after all, begun to change this world at the level of the details of daily life, of cultural customs, of social order.

"Arcane industry, is it..." Kamaier murmured to himself, the light on his body flickering slowly. "It seems this really is a good path..."

An arc of electricity swept across his body's surface, illuminating the rune armor plate on his chest; on that thin sheet of ancient metal, the emblem of the old Gondor Empire was faintly visible.

"It seems I truly may live to see the day humanity returns to glory... Princess Ophelia, I hope you too have waited until now in order to see that day."

This newborn arcane industrial empire might still be far from matching the Gondor Empire of old, but one day, it would catch up—even surpass it.

Kamaier, who had once lived through humanity's most glorious era and witnessed an advanced society, now awaited that day with incomparable anticipation.