Gun of Ashes

Old Dunling, Broken Dome.

This is a secretive location, connected to the outside world by only one lift; all other external communication relies on a system called pneumatic tube logistics transfer. The transport pipes are spread throughout the Broken Dome, and under pneumatic power, capsules holding documents travel at high speed. This system always has a mysterious air— even the person storing the capsule does not know where the document will end up.

Here is where all documents ultimately converge. During the Hundred Years' War, Ingwig lost many books; thus, within new era facilities, every department takes document preservation seriously, even the Purification Mechanism.

Countless pipes cascade from the dome like falling star trails, finally pouring into the pool filled with insulation liquid below. Lights illuminate at the bottom of the pool, lighting up each copper pillar, resembling a ritual from ancient myths, exuding a splendid glow.

The grey-robed man gazes at those copper pillars, absorbed, even the reopening of the lift does not catch his attention.

"What are you looking at?"

Arthur steps out from the lift and speaks to his old friend.

"The difference engines."

The grey-robed man points to the difference engines submerged in insulation liquid. They are assembled together like upright copper pillars, cables wrapped in rubber interspersed within, like seaweed swaying in the ocean.

This too is a product of technology—a miracle of the steam age; it can enhance multiplication speed and improve logarithmic table accuracy, transform complex function table equations into differential operations, using simple addition instead of squaring.

This is just a small portion; the largest difference engine array is currently being built in the Perpetual Motion Pump, providing convenience for those mad scientists.

"Actually, I sometimes ponder a question: have we gone astray?"

After another silence, the grey-robed man speaks again.

"Just like steam technology, we have reached a bottleneck; no matter how we improve, we cannot break through that limit... did we take the wrong path from the start?"

He contemplates, gazing at those ritualistic copper pillars— they are embodiments of technology, but if civilization extinguished would there be new life to worship them like Gods?

"Even the difference engines are like this; our limits in dealing with an entity are to create a bigger version of it, like the Furnace Pillar, like this Babbage Array."

"This is merely avoidance, not technological breakthrough; if this continues, we are like bloated people being choked."

Silence, concerning this matter Arthur only has silence; before him stands Ingwig's technological heart, if he is puzzled, only that person could provide answers.

"Didn't you go to the World's End? Didn't the Secret Keeper give you an answer?"

Arthur asks—this is decided by the grey-robed man; he does not even know the location of the World's End; it is a secret within the grey-robed man's mind.

"No, he didn't even meet me; I nearly froze to death upon the ice fields."

The grey-robed man sighs, then looks towards Arthur.

"Compared to these, the actions concerning Ende Town are the primary issue, so why did you agree to this, letting a Demon Hunter from the Demon Hunting Order lead? You should be aware what Secret Blood is; that Demon Hunter is a walking pollution source; if he loses control, the threat would be immense."

"Yes, but I feel he can be trusted."

Arthur says blandly.

"But you haven't even met him, Arthur; are you now led by some so-called intuition as well? That type of thing can be deceived."

The grey-robed man is quite dissatisfied with Arthur's action.

"I know, which is why I have sufficient reason. Remember we accumulated intelligence for six years at the Seven Hills? Our intelligence agency finally deciphered critical sections; truthfully this is more complex than we imagined."

"How complex?"

"A lot."

Arthur's voice seems steely; he looks at the pool radiantly lit, the difference engines rapidly operate, dissipating heat via insulation liquid.

"In fact, we made a mistake from the outset; for instance, the Seven Hills was sealed for six years—you should know how small that place is; a random urination could bury a Cardinal beneath, and in six years, they had enough time to turn the entire city over."

Arthur lamented.

"Six years, even checking one by one, identities of everyone could be clarified."

The grey-robed man became sternly aware of the dire consequences.

"Our spies were turned?"

"Almost; according to their confessions, they were exposed in the second year, yet Evangelical Church didn't kill them, only recently releasing them back, still carrying intelligence."

This is the area Arthur found completely baffling, he said.

"This is intelligence deliberately given to us by Evangelical Church, they want us to know these; we severed ties too long with Evangelical Church; this is their attempt to reconnect, a goodwill gesture."

"A goodwill gesture?"

The grey-robed man cynically chuckled, "I don't believe those zealots would be so kind-hearted."

"But this is fact; even in just the last few minutes we received a telegram from the Seven Hills, within it the newly appointed Pope expressed intentions to resume diplomatic relations and offered sharing knowledge about demons, if the previous Pope was a strong-arm ruler, this Pope is more like a cunning fox, I do not know his purpose at all."