Melita? Gwen could not help but raise his eyebrows at Pânia's words. "The era of the Empire … That's a very incisive statement."
"Being able to see this historical turning point is one of my greatest gains since coming to this continent," the agent said with a smile. "A unique 'coronation' ceremony. It's not as luxurious as I imagined, but it's more impressive than I thought. Your ceremony will definitely be remembered by many people."
Gwen put down his sword, came to the desk, and sat down. He said casually, "Coronation is for people to see. Naturally, it needs to be memorable."
Melita did not comment. She just took two steps forward, came to Gwen's desk, and put a stack of manuscripts on it.
"You've read it?" Gwen glanced at the manuscripts. "It seems that … you have something to say?"
"To be honest, I have underestimated the 'knowledge' you mentioned before," Melita said flatly. "It's hard for me to give a price for it, and … I'm not sure if I should really accept your 'commission'."
Gwen looked at her quietly for two seconds and said, "You don't understand why I want to leave this thing behind?"
"You tried to teach people how to distinguish whether your empire was functioning properly and suggested that they overthrow it after it had decayed. You even left a detailed process and operation method," Melita looked at Gwen, her lavender eyes deep as if bottomless. "A sane person would not do this, but a sane person would not write these things. So I'm curious … What's the reason for you to do this?"
"First of all, I want to correct one point. I just wrote what I know in here. There's nothing imperative or instructive in it. Even if a person has doubts about the structure of the Cecil Empire after reading the chapter 'The Nature of Countries and Classes', it's because of their own self-awareness, not because of the emperor's order," Gwen said slowly. "Secondly, the reason for me to do this is very simple — to give myself an explanation."
Melita blinked. "Give myself an explanation?"
Gwen did not answer immediately. Instead, he placed his hand on the stack of manuscripts and flipped through them.
The titles of several chapters appeared between the pages: The Birth of the Aristocracy and the Inevitable Change in Them, How the Means of Production Are Taken, The Nature of the State and Class, Why You Hunger, Empire, Bread, Guns …
His fingers stopped. In the last stanza, the large handwritten letters spelled out a sentence that, in the eyes of the people of this world, might seem a little strange: Nobility, Generals, Ministers, Generals, Ministers, Nobles, Generals, and Ministers
"As you said, the era of the empire has begun." He finally looked up and stared at Melita. "I started it myself.
"Indeed, it was the civil war and the crystal monsters that buried the old kingdom. But as a long-term observer, you should have seen clearly that the civil war and the monsters only buried the surface of the old kingdom. What will really bury the royal society is Cecil's industrial society and the imperial order. War can break up an army, but the army can be rebuilt. Only a new social order and more advanced productivity can completely replace the old order from the basic level of social structure and production relations. The result is the era of the empire.
"There is no doubt that the era of the empire is better than the era of the kingdom. But I know very well, and I think you know very well, that it will eventually go wrong …
"The Cecil Empire is the result of compromise. Many people think that I am an uncompromising person, that I will use my guns and bombs to destroy everything in my way. But in fact, from the beginning of the era of the empire, I have already compromised with reality. I kept the concept of the 'aristocracy', the monarch, and many hidden dangers of the era of royalty. I also built a strict and efficient personal centralized system in exchange for peace and unity for the next few generations. But because I kept those things, we will sooner or later face the same problem as the Ansu …
"The aristocrats under the new system are still aristocrats, and the officials in the government office will become bureaucrats sooner or later. When all this happens, the empire will inevitably rot from the roots again, just like the Ansu before, or even worse. Because the empire I built is far more difficult to overthrow than the loose kingdom.
"Wales? Before Moen abdicated, he asked me if the new country will rot like the Ansu. In fact, we all know the answer — of course it will. And this kind of rot is far from something that can be stopped by one or two wise and powerful emperors or a few reform-minded Grand Governors. In fact, due to the uniqueness of the Cecil Empire, if it really rots one day, it will be the emperor and the Grand Governors who will rot the most.
"This is determined by the imperial order of the Cecil Empire, just like the rot of the Ansu is determined by the aristocratic order of the Ansu.
"At that time, there may not be another Southern Territory rising up, and there may not be a second Wales in the imperial palace, Moen? And I may not be able to open the coffin again. "
As Gwen spoke, he patted the manuscripts on the table.
"So I want to keep this — if the emperor in the palace is unwilling to roll down by himself, the power of the ancestors will fly up and kick him."
"Just based on these manuscripts?" Melita finally spoke. "Just based on the inspiration it brings, do you really think it will be effective?"
"That's why I said, I'm giving myself an explanation." Gwen sighed softly. "And to be honest … how do you know it won't be effective?"
"It's really … a very interesting idea. It seems that choosing to be friends with you was the right decision." Melita seemed to show a hazy smile under the veil. "But I still have a question — do you really not mind the future generations overthrowing the empire you have worked so hard to build?"
Gwen was silent for two seconds and suddenly smiled. "To say something irresponsible — I'll be dead by then, what's there to mind?"
Melita continued to ask, "Then let's assume — what if you come back to life one day? After all, you have already done so. "
Gwen was quite embarrassed by the question. "… I opened the coffin and got up, not did sit-ups in the coffin …"
Melita bent down slightly. She was very close to Hao Ren, and a pair of vertical pupils faintly appeared in her human eyes. "Then I'll ask another question. What if you don't die? Your body has been tempered by the elements, and now it has been proven that you will not age at all. In other words, as long as you don't 'die of exhaustion' this time, then you may live forever. But your grand governor and the officials in the government office will not. You may be wise and mighty alone to delay the corruption of the empire, but as long as it operates according to the system, it will always be corrupted. Of course, you may carry out a second reform before that, but if — just if — you fail, you can't save your empire, and the Mithril Vault begins to spread the 'forbidden knowledge' as you entrusted it, then what will you do? Will you be the second Wales? Moen? "
The agent paused slightly and continued, "Don't say beautiful words. If you are impulsive because of a false sense of 'historical mission' brought about by some kind of coronation ceremony, then you still have time to withdraw. Once this kind of entrustment takes effect, the Mithril Vault will not accept 'unsubscription service'."
The humanoid dragon exuded some kind of inexplicable pressure. After one question after another, her attitude was obviously not as simple as just "asking". Gwen resisted the pressure and looked up at the other party. After a while, he broke the silence. "Wales' choice is admirable … but to be honest, I'm afraid I won't be as free and easy as he is.
"I'm a stubborn and somewhat selfish person, at least compared to Wales, and if the day you mentioned really comes, I'm afraid I'll have rotted from the bones.
"So, I probably won't 'roll' off the throne. I'll firmly hold on to my imperial power, refuse to admit my failure, and actively organize a team to quell the rebellion. Because by that time, I'll probably have forgotten the pioneering period and the days of the rise of the Southern Territory, and what I said to you today.
"At that moment, the rebels in my eyes will all be rebels.
"By that time … I hope the rebels will have strong ships and powerful cannons."
At a very close distance, Melita stared into Gwen's eyes for a long time.
Then she suddenly straightened up and returned to a normal distance. The agent, who had always been elegant, laughed at this moment.
There was no sarcasm in the laughter, but it was full of joy.
"Human beings are really a very interesting species. Your selfishness and selflessness are so extreme that it's surprising." Melita finally stopped laughing, but her eyes were still curved. "Since you've said so much, it seems that there's nothing more to confirm. But I'm curious about one thing … This kind of thing is almost related to the fate of the country. Is it really okay to hand it over to the Mithril Vault and the Dragons? Don't you think it's sloppy? "
As she spoke, she picked up the manuscript on the table and waved it in the air. "What if we make it public in advance? What if we tamper with it? We're Dragons, aliens in the eyes of you humans … Don't you trust us a little too much? "
"If the Dragons really want to destroy the current Cecil Empire, do they need to use the manuscript?" Gwen glanced at her. "And if you want to use it for something in the future … To be honest, the power of these manuscripts is really not that strong. What I can summarize is just some superficial content. One day in the future, there will always be people in the world who can see more than me and think further than me. They don't need the guidance of 'ancient manuscripts.' In the end, these things are just an explanation for myself. "
"It seems that you have thought about this carefully." Melita sighed. "Well, I'll accept this commission. But there's one thing I have to remind you: no one can understand the content of your manuscript now. "
Gawain nodded lightly. "I know. That's why I'm handing it over to you for safekeeping. It appeared too early, perhaps even a generation earlier. What I want to do is continue to promote education and continue to transform this society. If I'm going to die of old age like an ordinary person, I hope that at least I can make people understand it while I'm still alive …"
The room was quiet for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, Melita suddenly said, "Now, I know how to price this special commission."
"Oh?" Gwen looked up at her and joked. "I hope it's not too outrageous. The Empire's finances are not that generous now."
"Use your promise as the price," Melita said. "To promote your civilian education and complete your transformation plan. If you fulfill your promise, the Mithril Vault will also keep its promise. If you don't … these manuscripts will never see the light of day."
Gwen rubbed his chin. "This sounds like a losing deal."
"No, the Mithril Vault never makes a losing deal." Melita said with a smile.
She then paused for a moment and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. This is a big commission. I need to go back to Tarlonde for it."
"There's something I want to ask," Gwen said before she left. "Do you know the origin of the giant skull in today's ceremony?"
"Of course, I saw it with my own eyes. And I've also seen your recent publicity."
"There will be more publicity to come. Everyone will know the origin of the skull and the plan behind the End of All Things Congregation," Gawain said. "Of course, we will be careful to control it and prevent it from causing too much of a shock and causing social chaos. What I want to ask is, will this … help us get out of the Black Trap? "
Melita was silent for a moment. In the silence, scales suddenly appeared on her cheeks and arms. Her eyes instantly turned into golden vertical pupils. Her draconic breath escaped uncontrollably, causing the lights in the room to flicker. And in her shadow, something indescribable seemed to be struggling to escape. The humanoid dragon's body trembled slightly as if she was painfully resisting a sudden will. Just as Gwen was about to ask her to stop, she finally managed to hold on at a critical point and nodded gently. "Yes."
"Then …"
Melita gritted her teeth. "Ask again … more money …"
"No, that's enough." Gwen waved his hand. "I've got what I want."
The heterogeneous power that descended on Melita quickly faded away. The humanoid dragon staggered for a moment, then nodded to Gwen, took a deep breath, and left the room.
A moment later, in the image from the surveillance satellite, Gwen saw a blue dragon rising from the top of the White Silver Fortress and flying to the north.
Looking at the Giant Dragon's trajectory, Gwen could not help but feel a little curious. He was not curious why the people in the fortress did not notice a dragon flying over their heads. After all, a spell like Light Bending Field could be mastered even by humans, so it should not be difficult for the Giant Dragon to master it. What he was curious about was …
Such a huge creature, its form was not aerodynamic, and its wings seemed to have limited lift. How could it fly so fast?
Could it be the magic of friendship?
Shaking his head, Gawain threw those irrelevant thoughts to the back of his mind. He stretched his shoulders slightly and leaned back in his chair.
"The Black Trap …
"The problem is indeed with God."
(Looking for votes!! By the way, the number of words per chapter is now about a thousand more than before. Has anyone noticed? =)
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