Chapter 257: The Five-Hundred-Year Lifespan

Noah continued observing Eldrath as its scientists investigated the long-term effects of mental rune engraving. The central research institute had accumulated years of medical records from goblins who received their engravings during childhood. Some had entered military service as Wizards, while others continued participating in medical examinations. Their records included measurements of cellular activity, tissue condition, and the rate at which their bodies showed signs of aging.

During one examination, a medical researcher noticed something unusual in the results of a Wizard who possessed three stable runes. His cells remained extraordinarily active, and his body showed considerably fewer signs of aging than the researchers expected.

She opened his previous medical records and compared them with those of several similarly aged goblins who possessed only the original Mindmark.

The difference was substantial.

She called a colleague over and displayed the results.

"Have a look at these two. They’re both twenty-eight, but the one with three runes is aging much more slowly."

Her colleague examined the measurements. "He’s a Wizard, isn’t he? Could his military training have something to do with it?"

"That’s possible. But his cellular activity is much higher, even compared with other healthy goblins. I’m going to check the records of three-rune recipients who never joined the military."

"How many do we have?"

"Enough for another comparison. I’ll request their latest examinations."

The researchers spent the remainder of the day examining medical records from different facilities. Some triple-rune recipients served in the armed forces, while others had continued living ordinary lives after participating in the institute’s experiments.

Despite their different occupations, their biological measurements showed similar results. Goblins possessing three stable engravings exhibited slower signs of aging than those carrying only the original Mindmark.

The researchers presented their findings to the medical director the following morning.

The director examined the comparison on the display.

"These are all three-rune recipients?"

"Yes. We’ve reviewed twenty-three so far. Nearly all of them show considerably less biological deterioration than the single-Mindmark group."

"Have you compared them with goblins carrying two runes?"

"Not yet. We started with the three-rune subjects because their results stood out."

"Include the two-rune records. If additional engravings are responsible, we should see a difference between those groups as well."

The director approved a larger investigation involving several research institutions.

Medical researchers divided the available subjects into three groups according to the number of stable engravings they possessed. The first group consisted of goblins with only the original Mindmark. The second included those with two mental runes, while the third contained recipients who had successfully retained three.

To make the comparisons more reliable, the researchers examined subjects of similar ages and reviewed their medical conditions before implantation. They also considered how long each goblin had possessed their engravings.

The results revealed a consistent pattern.

Single-Mindmark recipients continued exhibiting the extraordinary cellular activity associated with their original engraving. Their bodies aged much more slowly than those of goblins without a Mindmark.

Subjects possessing two runes showed even fewer signs of biological deterioration.

The greatest difference appeared among goblins with three stable engravings.

The medical director arranged a meeting to review the findings.

"The results are consistent across all three groups," she explained, displaying the measurements. "The two-rune recipients are aging more slowly than those with only a Mindmark. The three-rune group shows an even greater difference."

One researcher examined the records.

"Does the type of rune make any difference? Most of these Wizards have Flame, Barrier, or Force Runes."

"We checked that. Their results are similar regardless of which additional runes they possess."

"What about Flow-Balance? We have several subjects carrying that one."

"Their measurements follow the same pattern. So far, the number of runes appears to be the important factor, not what those runes were designed to do."

The scientists requested more records to verify the findings.

Over the following months, additional research facilities submitted medical examinations of goblins possessing different rune combinations.

The results continued supporting the original observations.

A goblin carrying a Mindmark and a Flame Rune showed biological changes comparable to those of another recipient possessing a Mindmark and a Barrier Rune. The same relationship appeared among subjects with three engravings.

The scientists found no evidence that Flame, Barrier, Force, or other compatible runes provided different longevity benefits.

What mattered was how many stable mental engravings a goblin possessed.

The researchers then investigated whether the additional runes needed to be activated to produce those benefits.

They compared Wizards who regularly practiced spellcasting with subjects who possessed additional runes but rarely used them.

Some of the latter had not deliberately activated their engravings for months. Nevertheless, their medical records showed the same increased cellular activity and reduced signs of aging as those of active Wizards with an equal number of runes.

A physician brought the comparison to the research director.

"We’ve finished examining the differences between active Wizards and the other recipients. Their aging measurements are nearly identical when they have the same number of runes."

The director opened the records.

"Even the subjects who rarely cast spells?"

"Yes. Several haven’t activated their additional runes in months, but their cellular activity hasn’t decreased."

"And the Wizards who train regularly?"

"They show the same longevity benefits. Frequent spellcasting still causes mental exhaustion, but we haven’t found any evidence that it reduces the anti-aging effect."

The director examined the results before approving them for inclusion in the institute’s report.

The researchers concluded that stable mental engravings continued affecting the body even when their owners were resting or sleeping. Goblins did not need to activate their additional runes to receive the biological benefits.

Spellcasting remained a separate matter. Wizards still experienced headaches, difficulty concentrating, and mental exhaustion after repeatedly activating their spells. Having more runes did not eliminate those limitations.

Noah continued observing the scientific institutions as several more planetary years passed.

The researchers expanded their long-term medical examinations, paying particular attention to subjects who had received additional engravings years earlier.

Some of these goblins had participated in the original confidential experiments, while others had received their second or third runes during later stages of the research program.

The scientists compared their latest examinations with the measurements recorded shortly after implantation.

Single-Mindmark recipients continued aging slowly. Their results remained consistent with the earlier prediction that a goblin possessing the original Mindmark could theoretically live for approximately two hundred years.

Goblins with two runes showed an even slower aging process, although the researchers had not established a precise lifespan estimate for them.

The most remarkable results continued coming from the three-rune group.

One afternoon, the medical team responsible for calculating biological aging rates completed another analysis using the accumulated records.

Their initial projection surprised the senior physician. She requested that the calculations be checked and compared against the original medical measurements.

When the revised report arrived, it showed nearly the same result.

She brought the findings to the research director.

"We’ve completed the latest lifespan calculations," she said, placing the report on his desk. "The results from the triple-rune group are much higher than our previous estimates."

The director opened the document.

"Five hundred years?"

"Approximately. We’ve compared the cellular measurements from several institutes. If these goblins continue aging at their current rate, they could live for around five centuries."

The director studied the accompanying records.

"How old are the subjects we’ve been monitoring?"

"Most are still relatively young. They’ve possessed their engravings for years, but none is anywhere near that age."

"Then make sure the report states that five hundred years is only an estimate. None of our subjects has lived that long, so we can’t confirm it yet."

"Of course. We’ve included the measurements and the calculations. The other institutes can review them independently."

The director requested verification from several scientific institutions.

Their researchers examined the original records and repeated the lifespan calculations. Some also conducted new medical examinations of triple-rune recipients to confirm that the biological measurements had not changed significantly.

The estimates varied slightly between institutions, but their findings supported the same conclusion.

Three stable mental engravings could theoretically allow a goblin to live for approximately five hundred years.

The researchers also confirmed that the projected increase depended on the number of engravings rather than the specific functions of the additional runes.

Whether a goblin possessed Flame, Barrier, Force, or another compatible pattern, the increased longevity followed the same general progression.

The institute’s final assessment distinguished between its established observations and the projected lifespan. The scientists could confirm that triple-rune recipients exhibited extraordinarily slow biological aging. They could not yet confirm that any individual would actually reach five hundred years of age.

After completing the independent reviews, the central institute prepared a comprehensive report for Eldrath’s government.

Noah observed the confidential meeting where the research director presented the findings to the ruler and several senior officials.

The ruler examined the comparison between single-, double-, and triple-rune recipients.

"Your earlier studies estimated that a goblin with a Mindmark could live for two hundred years. Now you’re suggesting five hundred for someone with three runes?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve been monitoring these subjects for years. Their medical records consistently show that additional stable engravings slow aging even further."

"And does it matter which additional runes they receive?"

"No. We’ve compared subjects carrying different spell runes and industrial patterns. The longevity benefits appear to depend on the number of stable engravings."

The ruler turned to the next page.

"Would they still receive those benefits if they never used their additional runes?"

"They would. We examined Wizards who practice regularly and other recipients who rarely activate their engravings. Both groups showed similar results."

One of the officials leaned forward.

"So a goblin wouldn’t need to learn spellcasting to benefit from having three runes?"

"Correct. The anti-aging effect doesn’t require spellcasting. However, implanting additional runes remains restricted, and the procedure must still follow the established medical requirements."

The ruler continued reading.

"Could someone receive three runes without first possessing a Mindmark?"

"We haven’t established that, Your Majesty. All the subjects in this study received the original Mindmark before their additional engravings. Our lifespan estimates are based on those recipients."

The minister responsible for scientific research examined the report.

"If these findings become public, families will start asking for additional engravings. Most children currently receive only the original Mindmark."

The director acknowledged the concern.

"The procedure isn’t ready for general use. Additional engravings require more extensive screening, and the recommended age is still nine to thirteen. We also haven’t found a way to safely implant a fourth rune."

"Would an adult who received a Mindmark during childhood qualify for another engraving?" the minister asked.

"Not under our current procedures. The risks increase considerably beyond the recommended age."

The ruler reviewed the previous findings concerning the fatal fourth-rune experiments.

"Continue the medical studies and keep the additional engraving program restricted. I also want regular reports on the triple-rune recipients as they grow older. We need to know whether their aging rate remains this low."

The officials accepted his instructions.

The central institute received authorization to continue its research. Meanwhile, ordinary goblins retained access to the original Mindmark through the public implantation program.

The findings also prompted discussions among government officials about the possible consequences of substantially longer lifespans.

If future generations began living for several centuries, Eldrath would eventually need to consider the effects on population growth, education, and employment.

Officials examined whether longer-lived scientists and engineers might contribute to research for much longer periods. Others questioned how educational institutions and workplaces would accommodate a population containing increasing numbers of goblins who remained active for centuries.

The discussions remained preliminary. The government did not introduce new policies based solely on the projected lifespan.

Meanwhile, Eldrath’s medical researchers continued expanding their long-term studies.

Additional examinations were scheduled for goblins with two or three stable engravings. The scientists monitored cellular activity, signs of biological deterioration, and possible complications that might emerge as the recipients grew older.

They also continued comparing the results with those of single-Mindmark recipients.

During one examination, a physician reviewed the latest measurements from an adult goblin who had possessed three runes since childhood.

"His cellular activity is still unusually high," she told her colleague. "There’s very little change from the examination we conducted several years ago."

Her colleague examined the earlier report.

"How does he compare with the single-Mindmark subjects from the same age group?"

"We’re waiting for their latest records. Several are due for examinations this month."

"Compare them when the reports arrive. I’d like to see whether the difference is still increasing as they get older."

The medical team continued monitoring the subject, recording his results without changing his engravings.

When the additional records arrived, the scientists confirmed that the triple-rune recipient continued aging considerably more slowly than goblins carrying only one rune.

The difference remained consistent with the institute’s earlier findings.

Elsewhere on Eldrath, scientific institutions continued developing spell-producing runes and improving mental engraving technology.

The designers remained focused on creating new rune effects and ensuring compatibility with existing patterns. They did not develop special runes for longevity, since the medical evidence showed that additional stable engravings provided the biological benefit regardless of their intended function.

The military’s Wizard units continued using their existing spells, while their medical personnel monitored the long-term effects of carrying multiple runes.

Noah observed these developments through his planetary connection.

The goblins had originally received knowledge of industrial runes, which they used to develop machines and other arcane technologies. Their later experiments had produced the Mindmark, followed by methods of engraving additional patterns into living minds.

Those discoveries had eventually allowed goblins to cast spells through their mental engravings.

Now the same technology had revealed another benefit that the early researchers had not anticipated.

During a later visit to Eldrath, Noah observed another medical examination at the central institute.

An adult goblin possessing three stable runes sat beside a measuring instrument while a physician reviewed his latest results.

"Your readings are consistent with the previous examinations," the physician told him. "Have you experienced any unusual headaches or problems concentrating?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. I still practice my spells occasionally, but I haven’t had any trouble with the runes."

"Good. We’ll finish the remaining examinations and send you the complete report."

The goblin underwent several additional tests before being allowed to leave.

In another room, a similarly aged goblin possessing only the original Mindmark completed the same examinations.

The medical researchers compared both sets of results afterward.

Although both subjects exhibited much slower aging than goblins without mental engravings, the triple-rune recipient showed significantly less biological deterioration.

The medical director reviewed the findings before approving the institute’s updated report.

The document confirmed that the original Mindmark remained associated with a theoretical lifespan of approximately two hundred years.

Two stable engravings provided further longevity benefits, while three produced the greatest reduction in biological aging demonstrated by the research.

Based on the accumulated measurements, goblins possessing three stable runes could theoretically live for approximately five hundred years.

The report emphasized that the figure remained an estimate and that no goblin had yet reached that age. It also confirmed that three was still the maximum number of mental engravings supported by Eldrath’s existing technology.

Noah observed the researchers completing their examinations and submitting the updated findings to the government.

The institute continued monitoring its recipients, collecting medical records, and examining how their biological condition changed as they grew older.

After reviewing the latest report, Noah withdrew his attention from Eldrath.