Chapter 202: The Hostage Incident [3]

"Five regulating nodes, and every single one of them is cooperating with the others."

Ilya examined the experimental formation spread across the worktable. Five small mana crystals were connected through an intricate network of channels, reproducing the energy distribution pattern surrounding Saint Aurelia Preparatory Academy.

Professor Antoine Chastellain had spent most of the morning supervising its construction.

"That’s generally what regulating nodes are supposed to do, Belozersky."

"I know, Professor. I was hoping these particular ones would be less competent."

Several researchers laughed, although their amusement quickly faded when Antoine activated the formation.

The central crystal brightened, followed by the four surrounding nodes. Mana began circulating through the network, maintaining an even distribution despite minor fluctuations in the surrounding environment.

According to the Imperial Technical Bureau’s latest measurements, the barrier surrounding Saint Aurelia operated through a similar arrangement.

Three regulating nodes were positioned near the school’s outer buildings, while the remaining two appeared to be located somewhere within the main structure. Whenever one section experienced interference, the others compensated by redistributing their energy.

Unfortunately, that made forcing an opening considerably more dangerous.

"Suppose we disable this one," Antoine said, indicating an outer crystal.

One of the senior researchers interrupted its mana supply.

The remaining nodes immediately increased their output, compensating for the missing connection. A moment later, the disabled crystal resumed functioning as the surrounding channels restored its circulation.

"The formation repairs itself," the researcher observed.

"More accurately, it redistributes the burden," Antoine corrected. "And what happens if we interrupt several nodes simultaneously?"

"An uncontrolled discharge is possible."

"Precisely. Which means that approach is unacceptable."

With hundreds of children trapped inside Saint Aurelia, nobody could afford to discover what an uncontrolled discharge would do to the building.

Ilya understood the difficulty.

Destroying the barrier outright was beyond SkyRune’s responsibilities. The Imperial Guard possessed specialists capable of overwhelming defensive formations through brute force, but the hostage-takers had prepared their equipment specifically to discourage such attempts.

Their task was to find a safer alternative.

Fortunately, Ilya had encountered something similar during his earlier research into the ancient mana distribution component.

"Professor, what if we leave the nodes intact?"

Antoine invited him to explain.

"The system compensates whenever its circulation changes. We could try influencing where that energy goes instead of interrupting it."

"Through controlled disturbances?"

"Yes. If the neighboring nodes are already compensating, we might be able to reduce the energy flowing through one section without damaging anything."

The proposal interested several researchers.

Antoine considered the arrangement before instructing them to prepare another experiment.

"Very well. Let’s see whether the system can be persuaded to cooperate."

Their first attempt accomplished almost nothing.

A weak disturbance introduced into the outer node caused the surrounding formations to compensate immediately. Increasing its strength merely produced a stronger response.

After four unsuccessful tests, one of the researchers suggested that the system might be too efficient to manipulate externally.

Ilya disagreed.

"The disturbances are being introduced at the same intervals every time."

"Because we’re maintaining consistent experimental conditions," the researcher replied.

"Then we’re also giving the formation the same problem to solve."

Ilya examined the recorded measurements.

During his training under Hakon, he had learned that manipulating Niflheim’s Blizzard required more than applying sufficient force. Timing mattered just as much as direction. Two currents acting simultaneously could produce a different result from those same currents applied at separate intervals.

He wondered whether the formation behaved according to a similar principle.

"What happens if the second disturbance arrives while the neighboring nodes are still compensating for the first?"

Antoine understood his suggestion.

"Then we’d be testing how the formation responds to overlapping corrections."

The senior researchers adjusted the experimental sequence.

This time, they introduced a disturbance into one node, waited for the neighboring formations to begin compensating, and then altered the energy flowing through a second channel.

The central crystal flickered.

For a brief moment, the mana circulating through the first node decreased.

Unfortunately, the formation became unstable immediately afterward.

One researcher shut down the experiment before the excess energy could damage the equipment.

Ilya examined the readings.

"Well, at least something happened."

"Something expensive nearly happened," Antoine replied.

The failed experiment had nevertheless produced valuable information.

The formation could be influenced through timing, although their initial sequence had disturbed its circulation too severely.

After several adjustments, the researchers attempted another test.

This time, they allowed the neighboring nodes to absorb additional mana before reducing the flow through their designated section.

The crystal dimmed.

Its circulation decreased for nearly three seconds while the surrounding formations continued operating normally.

Nobody spoke until the measuring instruments confirmed that the network had remained stable.

Then one of the senior researchers smiled.

"Professor, I believe we’ve found something."

Antoine immediately requested another experiment.

The result repeated under slightly different conditions, although the available margin for error remained narrow.

The researchers had demonstrated that a regulating node could temporarily receive less energy without requiring its destruction.

Whether that principle could be applied to Saint Aurelia was another question entirely.

"The real barrier will have additional safeguards," Antoine reminded them. "We also don’t know how much mana the internal nodes can safely absorb."

He instructed the researchers to prepare their findings for the Imperial Technical Bureau, emphasizing that further investigation was necessary before anyone attempted the procedure at the school.

Ilya agreed with that caution.

There was little satisfaction in discovering a clever solution if putting it into practice killed the people they were supposed to rescue.

Their work was interrupted when an Imperial official arrived with another message from the perimeter.

"The hostage-takers have agreed to accept additional provisions."

Antoine immediately turned toward him.

"And the children?"

"The negotiators are continuing to request confirmation of their condition. For now, the perpetrators have only agreed to receive food, water, and medical supplies."

"Can our people enter?"

"I’m afraid not. The provisions must be deposited outside one of the gates."

Antoine’s disappointment was obvious.

The previous day’s communication had confirmed that Lucile was among the reported hostages, but he still hadn’t been permitted to speak with her.

The perpetrators continued offering assurances about the children’s safety without allowing their families to verify anything.

"Then how are we supposed to know whether they’re actually receiving the supplies?" Antoine asked.

"The negotiators have raised the same concern. We’re attempting to secure additional conditions."

The official explained that the Imperial Technical Bureau intended to monitor the barrier during the exchange.

If the perpetrators opened a passage to retrieve the provisions, the resulting measurements might reveal something useful about the containment system.

That caught Antoine’s attention.

"Have the instruments been prepared?"

"Yes, Professor. The delivery is scheduled for this evening."

"Then please forward the recordings as soon as they’re available."

The official agreed before departing.

Antoine returned to the experimental formation, although Ilya noticed that his enthusiasm had diminished.

It was understandable.

For the researchers, every new measurement represented another opportunity to study the barrier. For Antoine, each passing hour meant another hour his daughter remained inside Saint Aurelia.

Ilya considered saying something reassuring, but there was little point offering promises he couldn’t keep.

Instead, he suggested preparing their model to reproduce whatever changes the Imperial instruments recorded during the delivery.

Antoine accepted the suggestion.

By early evening, the workshop had finished organizing its experimental results.

The delivery proceeded shortly afterward.

Imperial personnel deposited the provisions near the designated gate, then withdrew to a safe distance while specialized instruments monitored the containment field.

Several figures eventually appeared behind the barrier’s interference.

The supplies disappeared from view.

The exchange ended without violence, but nobody outside could identify the individuals who collected them or establish whether the children received anything.

Nearly an hour later, the negotiators received a written statement claiming that every hostage remained alive and that adequate provisions were being distributed.

Antoine read the message in silence.

"Another assurance," he said.

The Imperial official offered no argument.

They both understood that the statement provided little evidence.

However, the technical measurements were considerably more interesting.

The containment field had briefly changed its energy distribution near the delivery point. Rather than weakening under external interference, the neighboring nodes appeared to prepare for the opening before it occurred.

One of the senior researchers displayed the readings beside their experimental results.

"Look at the sequence. The surrounding nodes increase their circulation before the boundary changes."

Antoine leaned over the document.

"So the system already possesses a mechanism for creating controlled openings."

"And the perpetrators know how to activate it," Ilya added.

That was encouraging.

Their earlier experiments had demonstrated that the regulating nodes could be influenced through carefully timed disturbances. Now they had evidence that the actual barrier could create an opening while remaining stable.

The question was how its internal controls distinguished authorized commands from external interference.

"Could we reproduce the same sequence?" Ilya asked.

"We can attempt it," Antoine answered. "But we’ll need more information about the control mechanism before recommending anything to the Guard."

The professor immediately requested the complete measurements and ordered the researchers to incorporate them into their experimental model.

For the first time that afternoon, the workshop had something more substantial to investigate than another theoretical weakness.

Ilya remained long enough to assist with the preliminary calculations before preparing to return to Holy Trinity.

His coursework had been accumulating throughout the hostage crisis, and Hakon’s training exercises were unlikely to become easier simply because he had spent the day assisting an Imperial investigation.

He had almost finished gathering his materials when another communication arrived.

The Imperial Technical Bureau had detected a second fluctuation shortly after the delivery.

Unlike the first disturbance, this one had originated somewhere within Saint Aurelia’s main building.

Antoine examined the new measurements.

"That doesn’t correspond to the delivery point."

"No, Professor," the official confirmed. "We haven’t identified the source."

Ilya compared the timing of the two disturbances.

The second fluctuation occurred after the opening had closed, which suggested that some equipment within the school had activated independently of the outer barrier.

Whether it was connected to the containment system remained uncertain.

"Professor, wasn’t there unexplained energy consumption in the original measurements?"

Antoine retrieved the earlier report.

The researchers had identified irregularities in the barrier’s circulation, but their attention had been concentrated on the regulating nodes themselves.

Now they had another reason to examine what was happening inside the building.

"Let’s compare the internal readings with the previous fluctuations," Antoine instructed. "If there’s a recurring pattern, I want to know about it."

The senior researchers began organizing the measurements.

Ilya set his belongings aside and joined them.

His assignments could survive another hour.

After all, a barrier that opened its gates on command while concealing unexplained activity inside the school was worth examining a little more carefully.