Sudrath Manor, Sol-Regis Capital. Reading Room (Converted into Makeshift Lab) – Morning.
Morning sunlight pierced through the newly cleaned windows. In the center of the room filled with dusty books, a large mahogany table was now cluttered with blueprint scrolls, cut copper wires, and small chunks of Mithril.
Elara Vane stood there, holding a simple electrical circuit diagram drawn by Rianor. Her brow furrowed deeply, causing her glasses to slide down slightly.
"So..." Elara tapped the paper. "You're saying if I channel mana into this wire, then cut the current rapidly... that becomes a language?"
"Exactly," answered Sir Rianor, who was winding a copper coil. "It's called Morse Code. Dots and Dashes. Short and Long."
"And you want to connect this device..." Elara pointed to the ugly wooden box on the table, "...to a similar device in Northreach, which is 500 kilometers away? Without a cable?"
"Using a cable for the prototype," Rianor corrected. "But long term, we use Mana Waves (Radio). The point is the same: Mechanical Telepathy."
Elara snorted. "Rianor, you're crazy. Mana is nature's energy. You treat it like water that can be regulated by a faucet."
"Try it first," Rianor challenged. "I need you to make a Rune (Magic Symbol) that functions as an Amplifier. Because the signal will be weak over long distances."
Elara sighed deeply. "Fine. But if this explodes and breaks my glasses, you're paying me back 10 times over."
Elara pulled out her ink pen. She began drawing intricate symbols on a small Mithril plate. Her hand was steady. A thin purple aura flowed from the tip of her pen.
Sir Roland entered carrying a coffee tray.
"Excuse me, mad scientists. Morning coffee delivery. How's the progress? Is it 5G yet?"
"Shut up, Lan," Rianor muttered without looking. "Don't touch anything. There's a lot of voltage here."
"Voltage? You're being dramatic," Roland, curious, poked the end of the copper wire connected to the mana crystal.
ZZZT!
"Ouch, damn!" Roland jumped back in shock, his finger tingling. Coffee spilled from the tray. "It hurts, hey! Like a fire ant bite!"
"That's called a Static Mana Shock," Rianor explained with satisfaction. "It means the circuit works."
Elara finished drawing. She attached the Mithril plate into Rianor's circuit.
The device was simple: A tapping lever (Telegraph Key) and a tin can speaker (Sounder).
"Try it," Elara said.
Rianor pressed the lever.
Tick.
A clear tapping sound came from the receiver at the end of the table.
Rianor pressed again in a pattern: Tick-Tick-Touut.
The receiver responded instantly: Tick-Tick-Touut.
Elara's eyes widened. "No delay. Usually, communication magic requires chanting time. This is... instant?"
"Speed of light, Miss," Rianor smirked.
"Now imagine," Rianor looked at Elara and Roland seriously.
"Riven in Northreach is being attacked. He presses this button. That very second, we in the Capital know. We report to the King. Reinforcements are sent."
"The enemy is still busy writing a letter and tying it to a bird's leg that takes 3 days to fly. We've already finished the war before their letter arrives."
Roland set down his coffee tray. His usually grinning face turned serious. He understood the political implications.
"Information is a weapon," Roland murmured. "If we have this... we can play the market. We can know the price of wheat in the North has risen, and we buy up stock in the Capital before anyone else knows."
"Smart," Rianor praised.
Elara stared at the small device with a look of horror and awe.
"You guys... The Sudrath Family is truly terrifying. You turned sacred magic into a trading tool."
"We call it Innovation," Rianor said.
Afternoon – Living Room. Family Mode: ON.
Duke Lucian had just returned from the Palace. He took off his military jacket and threw it onto the sofa. His face looked tired but satisfied.
"How was it, Dad? What did the King say?" asked Rhea, who was polishing her nails with Rumina's experimental nail polish.
Lucian sat down, loosening his tie.
"King Aethelgard is a cunning Old Fox. He knows Morvath is corrupt. He knows Morvath has a shadow army. But he has no concrete proof to arrest Morvath without triggering a civil war."
"So?" Aurelia offered warm tea.
"The King gave us Special Privileges," Lucian said, taking the tea.
"We are granted permission to manage the border mines tax-free for 2 years. And... the King asked us to be his 'Spies'."
"Spies?" Roland frowned.
"Yes. The King suspects Morvath is building a Secret Weapon in the Southern region. The King wants us to find out."
Rianor smiled broadly. He pointed to the Telegraph device on the table.
"Perfect timing, Dad. We just invented the perfect tool for spies."
"What is it?" Lucian asked.
"Magic Telegraph," Rianor answered. "Tomorrow, Riven must install a similar device in Northreach. We will build a secret communication network."
"The problem is," cut in Elara, who was sitting in the corner (already considered an unofficial crew member). "The signal isn't strong enough to reach Northreach yet. We need a Relay Tower (Signal Booster) halfway."
"What's halfway between the Capital and Northreach?" Rhea asked.
Rianor opened a map. His finger traced the route.
He stopped at a point in the middle of the map.
"Academy City," Rianor said. "The center of mages."
Rianor looked at Elara.
"Elara, you said you're from the Academy, right? Can we smuggle this device into the Academy's highest tower to serve as a transmitter?"
Elara choked on her coffee. "Cough! You want to turn the Academy's Sacred Tower into a utility pole?! If the Dean finds out, I could be DO-ed (Expelled)!"
"I'll pay the building fees later," Roland persuaded. "Or I'll charm the Dean."
"The Dean is male, old, and fierce," Elara replied flatly.
"Oh..." Roland was disappointed.
"But..." Elara thought for a moment. "Next week is the Academy Entrance Exam. If one of you enrolls as a student... you would have legal access to the tower."
All eyes in the room turned simultaneously to Sir Roland and Lady Rhea.
"Huh? Me?" Roland pointed at himself. "I already have a Bachelor's degree, you want me to go back to school?"
"No way," Rhea rejected instantly. "I have no talent for memorizing spells. My talent is stabbing people."
"You don't have to be good at magic," Elara said. "There are majors in Magic Swordsmanship and Magic Diplomacy."
Aurelia smiled sweetly. A smile that meant an absolute order.
"Roland, Rhea. Pack your school bags."
"But Mom..." Roland whined.
"No buts. You enter the Academy, install that device in the tower, and find info on Morvath's secret weapon while you're at it. Rumor has it many officials' children go to school there, right? Dig info out of them."
"Just consider it KKN," Rianor added, patting his brother's shoulder. "Kuliah Kerja Nyata (Community Service Program)... and Nearly Dying."
[New Arc Unlocked: The Academy]
Mission: Infiltrate Sol-Regis Magic Academy.
Objective: Install Telegraph Relay & Gather Intel on Morvath's Weapon.
Active Agents: Roland (Diplomacy Student) & Rhea (Swordsmanship Student).
Support: Rianor (Tech Support) & Elara (Guide).