Chapter 323: An Artifact?
In the Principal’s House,
“Aether?” Celestia’s voice carried a note of curiosity and concern as she watched him bring in an unusual object.
It was roughly the size of a palm and shaped like an ‘X’, with each of the four ends housing small black crystal balls.
At the centre rested a larger yellow crystal!
She couldn’t hide her curiosity as Aether carefully placed the artifact on the table. “What is that?” she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
“It’s the artifact that was used to trap Aqua,” Aether replied, his expression turning serious as he scrutinized the object.
The memory of Aqualina trapped within the dome, her powers nullified, flashed through his mind. This device had rendered everyone inside powerless, cutting off their access to Arcane energy.
He had obtained this artifact during the Capture the Flag event, while he was seducing Aqualina.
Initially, he hadn’t given it much thought, preoccupied with more pressing tasks… Of course, Seducing Aqualina!
However, when Snowflake, refused to enter the bag and led to her falling on the object, accidentally triggered it, momentarily deactivating the dome before it was reactivated by itself. [Author’s Note: This isn’t a sudden plot twist! Check chapter 198 for hints!]
Once he had completed his mission, he made sure to retrieve the device, sensing its ‘potential’ importance.
“What?” Celestia’s face was a picture of shock. She knew the Empress had been searching for clues about the doom.
Now, Celestia found herself in turmoil, her duty to protect her niece and inform the Empress….. She wryly looked at Aether.
“Don’t worry, Celestia. Once I understand how it works, I’ll gladly give it to you so you can hand it over to the Empress,” Aether said with a reassuring smile, sensing her internal conflict.
Celestia awkwardly scratched her head, about to apologize, but Aether gently kissed her forehead. “It’s fine. I know you’re doing your best,” he murmured, his voice soft and understanding.
Blushing, Celestia shyly looked away.
“Haha… Does shyness run in your family?” Aether teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement at her reaction.
Celestia’s blush deepened before she leaned in and sealed his lips with a firm yet gentle kiss, “One day, I will see you shy….. genuinely shy,” she declared with a determined voice, her eyes locking with his.
“Haha… Well, I’m waiting then,” Aether laughed, kissing her forehead again before turning his focus back to the artifact.
‘Hmm… It looks like a quadcopter, though it obviously wouldn’t fly,’ he thought, examining the device.
The artifact had ceased functioning, possibly designed for one-time use. He began inspecting it thoroughly and then asked Celestia to bring the tool from the laboratory.
“Hmm…”
“What is it?” Celestia asked, her curiosity piqued when she saw Aether peering through a magnifying lens, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Aether didn’t answer immediately, wholly absorbed in his examination. He scrutinized each crystal, noting the strange symbols and circuits etched into the material. The intricate patterns spoke of a complexity he hadn’t fully anticipated.
Recognizing his need for concentration, Celestia remained silent, her eyes never leaving his focused face. She admired his dedication and the way his mind worked, piecing together the mystery with unwavering determination.
After an hour or so, Aether let out a tired sigh and sat back, rubbing his temples.
“What did you find?” she asked, handing him a cup of hot coffee, her touch lingering on his fingers for a moment longer than necessary.
Aether smiled before taking the coffee. He began explaining,
“Simply put, those four black crystal balls acted as filters, allowing only specific energies like Arcane energy to pass through or block while trapping everyone inside.
The central yellow crystal served as both the controller and the power source. It controlled the dome’s radius and powered the four black crystal balls… around 4 to 5 hours.. I guess”
“I see…” Celestia nodded, impressed by his deductions. She had been planning to give the artifact to the Royal Magicians and craftsmen for analysis, but Aether’s insights were already remarkable.
Taking a sip of coffee, Aether stared at the artifact with lots of thoughts. “Can you recreate it?” Celestia asked, her curiosity deepening.
“Well, Yes….. To be honest, that’s what I’m hoping for,” Aether said with a smirk. He planned to use a similar device in the future, in case he encountered a particularly troublesome target he needed to seduce with out dealing in a pain in the ass suitation.
Shitty!!
No!
No! Don’t look at him like that a shit. He was doing so he could save others as well as himself. He really was trying his best, you know!
Celestia’s eyes twinkled with admiration. “You know many things, Aether,” she said softly, her voice filled with genuine surpirse.
“Of course, who do you think I am?” he replied playfully, winking at her.
Celestia winked back, her eyes sparkling with amusement, “A loyal playboy, I suppose.”
Aether’s lips twitched at the title. Despite enjoying it, he would never openly acknowledge it.
Anyhow,
“I need to gather more details,” Aether said, finishing his coffee before resuming his meticulous examination of the artifact.
Celestia stood by his side quietly.
‘Hmm… Interesting,’ Aether thought as he noted the crystal ball’s attachment to the metal, which acted like a wire transmitting data. He also saw amplification circuits etched on it, similar to….. a PCB.
“Do you know what this material is?” Aether asked, looking up at Celestia.
“It’s Arcanium metal. It’s abundant, though costly because few people need it,” Celestia explained.
‘Arcanium? Don’t tell me they’re being lazy with the name,’ Aether thought amusedly before nodding his head and asking, “I suppose only a few here are interested in technology?”
“Yes, most people prefer using magic. Mining Arcanium is difficult and expensive, so only places like the academy can afford it.”
Aether nodded, understanding. He noted the detailed etching on the metal and discovered the crystal balls were removable, like bulbs.
As he twisted one of the crystals off.
Then he he looked through the microscope and saw there few circuits itched under that and then…..
‘Kennedy?’ His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the name itched just like a circuit!!!
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