At last, the awkward topic came to an end. Both Gawain and Heti felt relieved, and their attention returned to the Pioneer's Shield.
The shield, renowned in legend, lay quietly on the table. Its weathered, corroded metal plating wrapped around an almost brand-new alloy core that gave off a faint silver glow. Sunlight fell across its metal surface, and within the subtle gleam seemed to rest the passage of several centuries. Heti stared at it absentmindedly for a long while before lightly clearing her throat to break the silence. "Ancestor, how do you intend to publicize this?"
Had she been the Heti of a few years ago, her first reaction upon seeing the Guardian's Shield would certainly have been that the family's glory had been reinforced, that a treasure had returned to Cecil's vaults. She would have thought of the family's rising status and restored influence. But the years had changed her. Now, without Gawain needing to remind her, she knew how to extract the greatest possible value from this recovered treasure.
"We'll announce that our dragon friends of the Empire helped us recover the shield. Beyond that, make no official additions or statements—let public opinion ferment on its own, and have the Intelligence Bureau keep watch," Gawain said casually. "There really is no hidden story behind this matter, so that is all the official position needs to say."
"Yes, Ancestor." Heti nodded, then could not help turning her gaze toward the Guardian's Shield again. "I just never expected... it would come back like this..."
"During the war years, this shield was a vital asset to the expeditionary army. Many people's lives depended on it. But that era has passed." Gawain gently shook his head, his voice calm and low. "Now, it is only a shield. The symbolism behind it