Chapter 267 — The Lights of Civilization
Blade of Dawn · Page 2 of 4
Drawn by this uncommon sight, people stopped one after another around the plaza. They noticed soldiers standing guard in the inner ring, but beyond that inner ring there was no sign of a lockdown. The people of the Cecil domain were used to such arrangements: it meant the lord and the scholars had created some incredible new thing, that this new thing would be of great use to the domain, and that ordinary folk were free to watch from a safe distance.
On other nobles' lands, commoners never took an interest in their lord's affairs, because those affairs had little to do with their daily lives. "What belongs to the nobles belongs to the nobles, and what belongs to the commoners belongs to the commoners"—that was how it went. But in the Cecil domain, people were gradually growing accustomed to paying attention to any change in the domain, because they knew it all bore directly on their lives.
Under the gaze of countless curious eyes, the large tarp-covered device settled squarely onto the mana-net terminals. Then Karmel's Mage Hand drew back the tarp, and a vast, mysterious magical device stood revealed before everyone.
It was a two-meter-tall square tower of crystal and metal—the finalized mana obelisk. Compared with the original half-meter-tall "prototype," it was larger, more beautiful, and would be more stable and efficient.
The technicians immediately set to work securing and connecting the obelisk. They had already sunk the anchor holes in the center of the plaza in advance; now they drove stout bolts through to fasten the magical device firmly to the ground, while another group fused the connection terminals rising from underground to the obelisk's base. On their arms they wore "gauntlets" resembling military mana terminals, but the gauntlets were fitted not with lethal scorching-ray substrates but with thermal-fusion beams of reduced power and range and enhanced sustained output. This circle, adapted from the scorching ray, was a new technology from the Rune Research Institute—and for Jenny, who had by now unraveled the secrets of nearly all low-tier runes, such an adaptation was simplicity itself.
Karmel's gaze lingered on the "industrial mana terminals" the technicians wore. He knew these terminals could be fitted with all sorts of functional modules—from thermal-fusion beams to cooling rays, even power drills and cutting saws, all installable simply by changing the casing or the modules inside. In terms of versatility, these mana terminals were even more capable than the military models. Their power output, of course, fell far short of the military versions.
According to the lord, these industrial mana terminals were themselves only an "intermediate product"; their ultimate goal was civilian application, so that ordinary people of the Cecil domain could use them in their daily lives.
Arcane sparks flickered across Karmel's face as he watched the technicians—who knew not the slightest bit of magic—use the power of magic to melt metal and fasten the mana obelisk's base in place. Their movements were so smooth that they were not a whit inferior to true mages; in fact, since they had no need to split their attention between sustaining spells and chanting incantations, they would do even better in the future.
"Magic is only a kind of power. Mages can use it, ordinary people can use it, everyone can use it." What a mad idea—and madder still, it was gradually coming true on this soil.
"All bolts secured." "Terminal fusion complete." "First layer of runes lit, mana connection established."
"Master Karmel, installation is complete. Shall we activate the obelisk? Master Karmel... Master Karmel?"
The calls at his ear roused Karmel from his distraction. He floated up slightly and coughed twice with considerable dignity to cover his embarrassment, then regarded the fully installed mana obelisk.