Chapter 686: Idol

But on closer reflection, it became clear that finding Fanya, the former grandmaster of magical machinery who had disappeared into the Abyss and whose fate remained unknown, was probably no easier than solving the magi-theoretical problem Charlotte had just mentioned.

At the very least, the latter still has a rough direction to follow.

As for the former... Even a human powerhouse at the peak of Arcanist had to risk their life, and in the end all that proved was this: even standing at the pinnacle of magic, one still had to remain cautious at all times. One misstep, and you could still plunge into a bottomless abyss.

Her thoughts drifted without noticing. Astrid quickly suppressed the illustration silhouette rising in her mind. The hand that had been resting on her black-stockinged thigh lifted, gently touched the few element crystal stone blanks that hadn’t been fully sealed and still bore faint traces of Charlotte’s mental imprint.

Unlike finished products, these crystal prototypes no longer contain a rich fullness of elemental particles within.

Like a crystal vial after the potion had been drunk dry, only a tiny residue clung to the edges of the inner walls, serving as proof of what element type it had once stored.

Following the spell array Charlotte had set up earlier, Astrid continued to feed in her mental power, turning the blank in her hand into a temporary crystal stone, carefully sensing the changes inside.

The final result matched what Charlotte had described in the letter: the array meant to fix elemental particles simply didn’t work well in a blank.

If a finished element crystal stone had an obstacle layer like the outer wall of a palace, effectively preventing the particles from leaking, then the blank Astrid held right now was like liquid without any supporting wall, kept in place only by a thin film of mana. Once external input stops, it will burst open in an instant.

If one wanted to apply this in real life, it meant the user had to be able to project mental power to sense elemental particles, and provide continuous mana support, in order to operate magical machinery powered by an elemental blank as its core.

But that raised a contradiction. If the user already had to be a mage, then what was the point of relying on an elemental blank as a power source? They could simply manipulate the elemental particles in the surrounding air to cast spells directly and achieve the same result.

One extra step meant one extra hassle, plainly against Charlotte’s original intention in researching magical machinery. Building something "just to use it" will only be settling for the inferior.

Quietly feeling the spell array carved into the blank’s interior, Astrid came back to herself after a moment, her cool red eyes refocusing.

Then she saw Lyra, chin propped on the desk, blinking watery eyes up at her.

"..."

The glimmer in Lyra’s gaze made Astrid squint slightly. Her smooth black-stockinged legs crossed elegantly, and she asked in a soft, delicate voice.

"...When did you get here?"

Not a sound at all. Or had she simply been too absorbed in the letter to notice?

Lyra curved her lips. She withdrew the hand that had been holding up her cheek, straightened her back, and let her long cherry-pink hair fall quietly over her shoulders.

"Five minutes ago... I even knocked..." The pink-haired girl’s voice was gentle, with a faint sweetness to it.

Seeing Astrid didn’t react, she had even asked the head maid to confirm. Only after receiving an affirmative answer did she push the door open and come in.

And then she saw the silver-haired Regent in a luxurious black dress seated at the desk, slender pale fingers holding the letter. Her posture was dignified, legs folded at a graceful angle, red eyes fixed absentmindedly on the crystal stone.

Not wanting to interrupt Astrid’s train of thought, Lyra deliberately lightened her movements. Her black little leather shoes made not the slightest sound against the tiles.

Her two white-stockinged snowy legs pressed together as she sat down before her, bringing a hint of fragrance, and silently watched her lover in a daze.

Perhaps focus really did add points to a person. Astrid Calliste was already the Empire’s number one beauty, unparalleled in looks. Watching her like this, Lyra felt that everything about the person in front of her was astonishingly beautiful.

Those ruby-clear eyes were beautiful. That fair, pert little nose was beautiful. Those soft lips were beautiful too. And her pristine skin, a cool white that complemented the pure-black attire, so beautiful it was unreal.

A masterpiece without a single blind spot.

Only then did Lyra realize that staring so intently just now made her look like she was lovestruck.

Her pretty face reddened. Her shoes rubbed lightly against the tiles, and her jade-like toes gently hooked at the tips of her white stockings.

"Astrid... are you researching element crystal stones?"

Lyra blinked a few times, tossing out a topic to shift her attention. The silver-haired beauty nodded, pink lips parting.

"Mm. Lady Charlotte made a new breakthrough. Her letter said she wants to discuss the next focus of research with me."

The difficulty exists objectively, but it wasn’t without a path forward.

"Then... can Astrid tell me about it?" Lyra asked.

Hearing that, Astrid changed at her, gave a slight nod.

"If you want to hear it, of course."

Another person meant to share strength, especially since Lyra was also an outstanding early tier Arcanist mage, whose understanding of magic surpassed most of the Empire.

Astrid recounted the current situation in full. Lyra took the crystal stone still warm from her lover’s palm and tried feeding herself in mental power.

After getting the same result, Lyra smoothed her fallen hair, pressed her pink lips together, and spoke softly.

"If someone has to keep maintaining the crystal stone’s state... it feels a bit backwards..."

Even the pink-haired knight, who usually looked pretty silly day-to-day, noticed that. Astrid didn’t deny it, she only sobbed softly.

"It really is."

"But this overall direction should be right. If we’re looking for cheap energy, elemental blanks are the most suitable and most likely substitute for crystal stones."

Finished crystal stones were usable resources. Elemental blanks were unusable potential energy.

The output of the latter was far greater than the former; according to the Empire’s records, saying dozens of times more wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Even hunters in remote mountain villages, people without any systematic study of mental control, could sometimes use simple tools and traps to kill low-level magic beasts and obtain the elemental blanks within them.

Their sheer production, broad origin, and low value were self-evident.

By contrast, beasts that possessed element crystal stones were not only rare in number; they also existed beyond the range ordinary people could hunt.

Output was naturally low. And since element crystal stones can be used not only to power magical machinery, but also to brew potions and forge swords, once demand rises, prices will inevitably soar.

Seeing Astrid lift a hand to rub her aching temples, Lyra quietly chanted a spell in her heart, placing a waking enchantment on her lover across the table.

"Thank you." Feeling Lyra’s action, Astrid spoke softly.

Lyra shook her head, voice gentle.

"It’s nothing."

They continued discussing magical reforms in fits and starts. Feeling her heels were a bit stiff, Astrid slightly slipped off her stilettos. With Lyra’s initiative, she placed both black-stockinged lotus feet onto the other girl’s lap.

Just like in the days when she’d been a maid, Astrid enjoyed the meticulous massage from the pink-haired girl.

At some point, a faint blush floated across Astrid’s snow-white cheeks. Her clear eyes shimmered like rippling water, carrying an indescribable allure.

"Mmn..." A low hum slipped softly from her pink lips, like a spark thrown into Lyra’s heart. Astrid blinked, and after a moment, spoke.

"I’ll reply to Lady Charlotte later. I’ll consolidate what we discussed and send it over."

"Also... how’s the public opinion fermenting in the Kingdom of Velys?"

At Astrid’s question, Lyra’s hands didn’t stop. Her pale fingers gently pressed the sole through the black stockings, the side of her hand occasionally slid over the top of the foot, the smooth, delicate feel of silk instantly rippling over her skin.

Breathing in the faint floral scent in the air, Lyra tensed her calves, her snow-white stockinged legs supporting two dark-jade-like feet.

A few strands of pink hair fell to her waist, loosely draping over Astrid’s soft black-stockinged feet, teasing the night-black silk like tender flower stamens.

"Just as Astrid predicted, Knight Commander Kales is trying everything to suppress the spread of rumors, but the effect is minimal." ℴ

The current situation was somewhat different since they’d besieged Duke Grant and sealed off the routes in and out of Coldwind City.

That lightning war to seize the entire ducal territory had merely been a feint by the expeditionary army to manipulate wartime public opinion, a smokescreen released to sap the enemy’s morale.

But the intelligence circulating inside the Church’s knight order is now all true. There was no groundless talk.

The kingdom’s western region truly was suffering from a plague, and conditions in the infected zones were worsening. Logistics and supplies were deteriorating by the day.

If they kept relying on the City of Holy Light to grind things out against the Valeria Empire’s expeditionary army, what waited for them would only be patients wailing everywhere, and land shrouded beneath the plague’s bleak clouds.

Astrid’s expression remains neither sad nor pleased. She simply accepted Lyra’s massage in silence, silver hair resting against the chair back, her small nose breathing lightly.

After quite some time, the foot massage ended. Astrid gently praised Lyra’s skill, making the girl’s ears burn as if someone had blown warm breath on them.

"Lyra, if you still have energy, can you massage my calves too?"

"I stood for a long time earlier, and I’m a bit tired."

Faced with the beauty’s request, Lyra didn’t refuse. She only moved her hands up from the delicate ankle, approaching the places she hadn’t had the chance to touch earlier.

Who knew whether it was because the desk was small, or because Her Highness Astrid’s legs were long enough, she could maintain an elegant upper-body sitting posture while leaving the entire lower half to be toyed with by her.

Feeling Lyra’s finger strength and her increasingly practiced technique, Astrid spoke softly.

"Lyra is getting more experienced."

"At... massage?"

"Mm."

With her index finger lightly brushing her lips, Astrid’s beautiful eyes half-lidded as she said meaningfully:

"Being able to make me this comfortable... Lyra’s fingerwork is really impressive."

"..."

Why did that sound weird?

Lyra, who had only left a tiny bit of stiffness on her pinky, scraped her nail lightly along Astrid’s relaxed black-stockinged calf. Her pretty face flushed as she continued massaging her beloved’s muscles.

No, it wasn’t just "sounds." It was weird.

Under Astrid’s careful guidance as a good teacher, she was no longer that clueless little girl from before.

Telling a girl-loving girl that her fingers were "impressive" absolutely, absolutely carried an implication.

Pouting as she finished the massage, then helping Astrid put her heels back on, watching the sleek dark silk show through the side cutouts of the shoe, Lyra fixed the silver metal chain around Astrid’s ankle, adjusted it gently into place, and only then sat up straight again.

"Lyra, it’s about time. Tomorrow we’ll execute the next step of the plan."

"That... religious idol of the Kingdom of Velys?"

At first, Lyra thought the plan sounded ridiculous. But after hearing Astrid explain the reasoning behind it, she realized it was actually based on careful strategic thinking.

If those stubborn religious fanatics could retain even a shred of reason, willing to turn hostility into peace and avoid bloodshed, that would be best.

"Mm."

Sharp clicking sounds echoed in the room. As Astrid felt the solid sensation beneath her, she took out the action procedure she had prepared in advance from her black silk gloves.

Based on the member list Monica provided, the adjutant has gathered the relatives of this batch of Church knights within the expeditionary army’s controlled zone, preparing to carry out the first step of moral persuasion."

"After that, I’ll have to trouble Lyra to deliver a peace-talk speech in the high sky before the City of Holy Light, conveying to the Church knights the fact that their faith has been shrouded in shadow, and telling them they’re currently walking a path that betrayed the Lord."

There was no need to worry about the speech being interrupted. The Saintess of Light, Monica Angelis, would use a papal order as grounds to prevent any Light knights from taking the initiative to strike.

Looking at the clearly structured speech draft on the parchment, the arguments Astrid wanted her to make mostly came from the new Holy Scripture that hadn’t been altered by Inshibre.

From the early inclusiveness of the Church of Light to its later narrow-mindedness; from how voluntary faith had, step by step, become a tool to imprison the people; to a careful dissection of noble greed, and of those young knights who gave their lives for so-called glory. Every word was righteous.

After reading it herself, Lyra even felt like she’d been completely "slept into submission" by Astrid.

No, part of it was that she’d already thought that way to begin with.

"If all goes well, Lyra’s speech before the battle lines will certainly be recorded in human history, becoming a turning point in textbooks for reconciliation and tolerance between people."

Seeing Lyra staring at the draft in a daze, Astrid lifted her lotus-like arm and gently tidied the girl’s slightly rumbled collar, her voice languid.

"As for now, we should think carefully about how to dress up our sacred idol."