Chapter 133 — Homecoming
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
As for Gao Yang's third request, Viscount Andrew agreed just as readily.
He had no idea what Gao Yang wanted with so many literate, numerate people on his lands, but he had no interest in the matter either; to him it was the least significant of the three things. Literate folk were a minority, true, but in a bustling town like Tanzan, rounding up a group of educated yet down-on-their-luck people was not particularly difficult—a batch could easily be pulled from the merchants' guild and the church.
Buying up magical materials in bulk at low prices on a long-term basis, gathering people, recruiting mid- and low-level intellectuals—only after these three most important matters had been settled did Gao Yang bring up the ancient ruins Viscount Andrew had dug up beneath his own lands, as though it were merely an afterthought.
"I'm afraid I know something about those ruins you mentioned," Gao Yang said. He did not bring up the fact that similar ruins existed in the Dark Mountains, but instead used his "ancient identity" to open the topic. "You see, I was active seven hundred years ago, back when the Gondor Empire was still thriving. According to the imperial histories I know, the ruins in this region are most likely 'outpost research stations' left behind during the Gondor Empire's Spark Era—and more likely than not, from the mid-to-late Spark Era."
Viscount Andrew was clearly not an ignorant man—indeed, apart from eccentrics like Rebecca, there was probably not a single noble in the kingdom with a poor grasp of history—and he immediately wore a look of astonishment. "Then that would put it nearly a thousand years ago! And those ancient magical mechanisms inside are still running!"
"Exactly. An ancient ruin a thousand years old, with its magical devices still functional—for the Gondor Empire of that day, that was nothing unimaginable. Compared to those magical mechanisms, though, it's the fragment of the eternal stone tablet sealed within the ruins that's far more worthy of concern," Gao Yang said, shaking his head. "Even the Gondor Empire of that time took the eternal stone tablet quite seriously. They wouldn't have simply tossed such an important 'holy relic' into an abandoned research facility and left it to rot for no reason."
Viscount Andrew's brow gradually knit tight. He had already caught the deeper meaning in Gao Yang's words, and only after a long while did he speak. "I thought I had discovered a treasure, and only now do I realize that generations of the Leslie family have been sitting on a volcano..."
Then he raised his head to look at Gao Yang, his expression unusually grave and earnest. "I understand what you mean, and I know that you are the man with the deepest knowledge of the Gondor Empire—there is probably no scholar in this age who could surpass your understanding in this regard. So I hope that in matters concerning that underground ruin, I may have your guidance."
Gao Yang smiled. It was, in truth, a wise decision; the viscount had clearly not been blinded by the prospect of "treasure"—or perhaps he had been once, but after this upheaval and after learning the truth of the ruins, he had sobered completely.
One eternal stone tablet had already turned this place upside down, and the ruins might well contain things even more dangerous and terrifying than the eternal stone tablet. That much needed no saying; everyone standing here at this moment could surely think of it.
Oh—perhaps Amber, standing off to the side, could not. At the moment she was off wandering in some faraway dreamland, staring at the ceiling and pondering who knew what, probably something to do with dinner.