Dragon Shadow in Winter

Melita left.

A Refraction Field concealed the dragon's massive body. An untraceable gale suddenly swept through the skies over Cecil City, and faintly distorted ripples flashed against the clouds and daylight. Yet aside from a few powerful individuals and watchtowers specifically designed to detect magically cloaked units, no one knew that a dragon had visited the city.

Gawain stood before the gates of the Magic Technology Research Institute, looking up in the direction Melita had departed. Only after a long while did he lower his gaze.

The Counter Tide Empire... The Ultimate Book... knowledge stolen from the satellite network...

He carefully reflected on this newly gathered intelligence, outlining the gods and ancient history in his mind. After a long period of thought, he smiled and shook his head, then turned to look at the Magic Technology Research Institute behind him.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of researchers were busy within this facility. More than a dozen laboratories and project teams operated here. Within the Mind Network, the Origin Laboratory conducted hundreds of simulated experiments every day. In the workshops of the Mechanical Manufacturing Institute, gears and levers clashed day and night. In Saint Suniel, in Luan City, in the Mage Association and Scholar Association, countless people of wisdom and learning were gathering, drawing together the profound knowledge scattered throughout human society and restoring those shattered ancient technologies...

All of this was driven by thousands upon thousands of people, by Cecil society as a whole. It came from people and served people. It was not some heaven-sent technology dug out of alien ruins, not a blueprint conjured from thin air by anyone in the territory. It was not a Divine Miracle, nor was it a gift.

The dragon flew across the vast clear sky of winter. The Refraction Field gradually dissipated, and