Chapter 1114 — An Invitation and Arrangements
Blade of Dawn · Page 4 of 4
"Ah, I have long looked forward to this," Milmina could not help but let a note of delight enter her voice. "The 'Weave' you created, and the neural network built upon it—they are truly remarkable things. I still remember the novelty and the thrill they brought me... It is a pity my first experience of the network was not so pleasant, but fortunately I now have the chance to make up for that regret..."
Hearing this, Gao Yang could not resist glancing at Milmina and warning her: "Then you had best mind your manners as well. Naritel is the chief administrator of the entire neural network—her duties are not limited to expelling gods who intrude upon the network. They also include banning and kicking out users who violate the terms of use..."
Milmina quickly cooled from her anticipation of the Weave. Only then did she think to ask: "By the way, I heard you mention that name earlier—this Naritel you speak of..."
"The one with eight legs."
Milmina immediately fell silent. Beside her, Amon finally found his chance to speak: "You mentioned earlier that you wanted to install another Weave terminal here..."
"Of course, I remember," Gao Yang said with a smile. "The new equipment will arrive shortly."
And so the atmosphere in the Court of Defiance grew harmonious and cheerful—this might well have been one of the few pleasant moments Amon and Milmina had known in thousands of years, or even longer. The two former gods, having shed their divine stations, discussed the neural network and the Council of Divine Authority, looking forward to all that was to come. Gao Yang, after joining in briefly for a few words, suddenly gave a soft cough and looked toward Amon: "There is one more thing I must tell you."
Amon was in excellent spirits at this moment—better than he had been in three thousand years. He responded cheerfully: "What is it?"
"I have arranged a meeting for you," Gao Yang said. "It is also an important step in getting the Council of Divine Authority to function."
"A meeting?" Amon's tone carried puzzlement. "With whom? Have you dug up another technician of the Defiance Plan from some ancient ruin or the wreckage of a cult?"
Amorn's remark made Gao Yang cough dryly a couple of times. He wanted to say it sounded exactly like digging a grease-paper-wrapped Verodae/Ophelia out of the sewers of the Gondor Empire—but unfortunately no one in this world could possibly understand a reference of that caliber, so he could only crush the snark down inside himself and force his face into seriousness: "It's the empress of the Silver Elves, Belantia Dawnstar."
The entire Court of Defiance fell silent in an instant.
A full half minute passed before Amorn's astonished cry rang out in Gao Yang's mind: "You said who?!"
Gao Yang repeated it with perfect solemnity: "The Silver Empress, Belantia Dawnstar."
"I heard you, I heard you—but are you serious?" Amorn's gaze turned exceedingly grave, fixed hard upon Gao Yang. "I cannot reestablish contact with Silver Elven society, and especially not... the Silver Empress. Do you know what the Silver Empress means? She is the supreme leader of the Forest Twilight sect, the high priestess of the God of Nature—and you would have her..."
"She does not worship you," Gao Yang said quietly.