The dining hall of the Montclair Estate was a masterpiece of intimidating elegance. A long table of dark, polished mahogany stretched across the room, reflecting the flickering light of a dozen silver candelabras. The walls were lined with the ancestral portraits of previous Lords, their painted eyes seeming to follow Jessica as she took her seat.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVZ6zoNI7y
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The seating was a strategic arrangement. Magnus sat at the head, with Marielle at the opposite end. Jessica was placed between Marin and Malric, directly across from Marcus and the ever-mischievous Merek.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiVOIEMgil
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"In our house," Marielle began, her voice cutting through the formal silence as servants laid out plates of roasted venison and spiced wine, "the first course is for grace. The second is for news. And the third... well, the third is for the truth."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEz8I2jyI0S
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Jessica picked up her silverware, her movements precise. She felt the weight of four different gazes on her.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwWj65QAEw
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"So, Jessica," Marcus said, his voice deep and authoritative. He didn't look like he was eating; he looked like he was interrogating a prisoner of war. "Merek claims you used 'Binary Logic' to defeat the Veldaren Guardian. Our royal mages spent years trying to crack that dungeon's barrier and failed. Where did a lone traveler learn a system that exceeds the Crown's knowledge?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHnKblwXsk
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Jessica took a small, measured bite before answering. "Knowledge isn't a matter of location, Sir Marcus. It’s a matter of observation. Most mages look at the 'what'—the fire, the light, the power. I look at the 'how.' Every spell has a sequence. If you find the sequence, the power becomes irrelevant."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOBa1CV5t9
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"A sequence," Malric chimed in, his eyes narrowed behind a glass of wine. "Like a code? I spent my afternoon reviewing the notes Merek took. You mentioned 'Processing Power' and 'Overloading a Loop.' These aren't terms used in our libraries. They sound... mechanical."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJuWvslO7I
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"Because the world is a machine, Malric," Jessica replied, turning her head to meet his gaze. "A very complex one, yes, but it follows laws. Gravity, thermodynamics, resonance—they aren't suggestions. They are constants. My magic simply uses the math behind those constants to achieve a result."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ow5xHmgpu
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Merek kicked Jessica’s foot lightly under the table, flashing her a quick, supportive wink. "See? I told you she was a genius. While we’re swinging swords like barbarians, she’s doing long division in her head."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMbtupfFXc
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"Merek, behave," Magnus rumbled from the head of the table, though his eyes were fixed on Jessica. "So, this 'Network' you mentioned in the strategy room. You claim the artifacts are communicating. To what end?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eqEHgzoMc
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The room went still. This was the transition to the "Truth" course.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47RfAD1IMu
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"They are mapping," Jessica said, her voice turning grave. She set her fork down. "Veldaren was the second node. The first was in the forest where I met Marin. Each time an artifact is activated or 'secured,' it sends a pinger—a signal—to the next. They are searching for a central hub. And based on the residual aura I’ve been tracking, that hub is waking up."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3AKKRGgTo
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Marielle leaned forward, her serene expression replaced by one of maternal concern. "And if this hub wakes up? What happens to the villages near these nodes?"22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgQrjAK2eD
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"If the system remains unstable," Jessica said, "it will continue to drain ambient mana from the surrounding environment to fuel its startup sequence. The 'Cursed Village' in the north isn't cursed. It’s being dehydrated of its magical energy. If we don't intervene, the people there will lose more than just their crops—they'll lose their vitality."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GckfU9eT4
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Magnus gripped the arms of his chair. He was a Knight of the King; his duty was to protect the people. Hearing that a "System" was draining his King's subjects was a call to arms.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00tbaR4n3j
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"Marcus," Magnus commanded. "Prepare a report for the King. But keep it vague. We don't want the Royal Council panicking and sending a legion of incompetent scholars to interfere with Jessica’s work."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrU3uFSrLGU
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He then looked at his children, then at Jessica. "You leave in three days for the Northern Reach. My daughter and my sons will accompany you. If this is a war against a machine, the Montclairs will be your vanguard."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zfiIQmkSD
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Merek’s grin was blinding. "A family road trip to save the world? Now that’s the kind of dinner talk I like."22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTG514ATAM
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Jessica felt a strange tightening in her chest. For the first time, she wasn't just a "Stranger" or a "Genius." She was the center of a strategy. She was part of a pride.22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZjn8A3HnU
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