Just A Reincarnation Story (Summoning Japan Edition)

Chapter 104: Mantle

These days, Princess Lugiel moved with a lightness in her step, even as she carried the constant weight of overseeing the Holy Empire's intelligence operations. Today was no exception; her pace was assured even as she made her way through a concealed passage toward the usual meeting spot where the Emperor, in his role as the Grand Magister of the Order, would call upon his Magisters for their regular audience whenever they were physically capable.

When she took over the reins of the Eyes of the Order from her disgraced predecessor, she hadn't anticipated it would flourish to such an impressive degree, but it was a development she welcomed wholeheartedly nonetheless. The methodical dismantling of foreign spy networks within the Holy Empire had already been presented to the Emperor with a tone of pride. The operation had been a decisive triumph, neutralizing the August Star of Heaven's most perilous external threats before they could firmly establish themselves. Moreover, Operation GAZER aimed at bolstering their own intelligence networks across the known world was well underway.

And the greatest triumph yet visible? The advancements in magical technology. The Holy Empire's cooperation with the Rogueriders—whose publicly known status as a powerful conglomerate with a hold of advanced technology had only been the surface of their contributions—was producing results far beyond expectations, again and again. Though the Rogueriders' cooperation was not exactly a wholesome romance, even having a secret of their own, the projects they shared in secret had brought forth some of the most remarkable strides in magical technology, each step eclipsing the last. These good times owed their existence to them as the cornerstone. A certain son of theirs in particular...

The Imperial Shrine where the private meeting was to occur lay deep underground within the Albion Palace complex, hidden from all but the Order of the Ancients' members. It was circular in shape, with murals on the walls representing the cardinal and ordinal directions. These murals portray the seven individuals the Emperor named as his predecessors and then himself, depicted as figures in art that encapsulated the lives they led, even those who were despised. To access it, Lugiel stepped into the small, discreet elevator hidden within the corridor and waited. As the doors opened, she found herself inside.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the figure of Emperor Milishial VIII. The tall, elderly elf stood before a projection table at the center of the shrine that glowed faintly with a soft, bluish hue.

"Welcome, child. Shall we begin?"

Sensing her presence, the Emperor gestured for her to come closer. In response, the princess inclined her head in a respectful bow, accompanied by a faint smile on her face before stepping to join him.

He was straight to the point.

"Thank you, Honored Ancestor. Let me start the report," Lugiel prefaced as she inserted a Datapoint she had brought, brightening the shrine's dim lighting with the holographic surge. The projection of a large tree stump-like structure materialized, with spherical objects representing fuel tanks and pipelines coiling outward like roots burrowing into a sun-scorched plateau.

"I brought a report from High Charity that the preparations are complete. Now, they only await your final authorization to fire."

The Emperor's ageless eyes studied the projection. His arms crossed, he then turned away from the image to the princess. "And the timetable?"

Lugiel gestured, and the hologram switched into the Borer device in the core of the structure. "Based on prior test data, the field unit estimated a drilling speed of one meter per second under ideal conditions. According to Ancient Sorcerous Empire research records, which indicate a target depth of approximately fifty kilometers, continuous drilling operations would require roughly fourteen hours to breach the target zone. However, logistical constraints such as fuel consumption rates and the need for refueling mean the actual process could take more time... at least twice as long, unfortunately."