Chapter 27 — The Whispering Gears
Morning sunlight filtered through the high windows of the Palace of Innovation, casting gold across papers, blueprints, and half-finished machines. The empire was at peace.
Yet, to Edward, the world no longer felt still.
Every hum of an engine, every flicker of light seemed to carry an echo of the angel's voice:
"Three trials — of faith, of fire, of truth."
⚙️ A Day Like Any Other
"Your Majesty, the delegation from Vienna awaits your approval," said Lady Charlotte, stepping into the study with a stack of folders.
Edward nodded, pretending composure. "Let them wait a few minutes longer. I'd like to review the trade maps again."
Charlotte arched an eyebrow. "You already reviewed them twice."
"I know," he said quietly, fingers tracing a thin line of ink across the map. "I just want to be sure."
As she left, his gaze lingered on the edge of the parchment.
A drop of water — or perhaps oil — had fallen there overnight, forming a near-perfect circle.
Inside the circle, the ink had bled faintly, creating three dark points in a triangle.
Three trials.
He blinked, and the marks were gone. Only paper remained.
🔧 The Engine's Breath
Later, Edward visited the royal workshop where Annabelle Hayes and Lianhua Zhao were supervising a new steam-electric turbine.
"Power check complete!" Annabelle called. "Pressure steady!"
The turbine began to spin — smooth, elegant, alive.
Then, for a single heartbeat, every lamp in the hall flared brighter than daylight.
A wave of golden light surged through the circuits, engraving faint symbols into the metal — like wings outstretched.
Lianhua gasped. "That shouldn't be possible. We haven't installed any resonance conduits yet—"
Edward stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "Shut it down."
The hum subsided, leaving only the smell of ozone and the faint warmth of something unseen.
He placed his hand against the turbine's frame.
The surface was cool. But beneath it, a pulse — soft, rhythmic — beat once.
Faith. Fire. Truth.
He withdrew his hand. "Good work, both of you," he said calmly. "Continue the tests tomorrow."
But even as he left, the faint golden glow returned for an instant, hidden behind the metal panels.
☕ Afternoon with Family
By afternoon, Edward found a moment's peace in the palace garden. His children played among the roses while Charlotte and Princess Aiko discussed education reforms.
"Father!" Arthur called out, running to him with a wooden gear toy. "Look! It moves on its own!"
Edward smiled, kneeling. "Does it now?"
The little gear indeed turned slowly, though no wind touched it. A trick of balance, perhaps — or something else.
Charlotte laughed softly. "You're inspiring even the toys now."
He ruffled Arthur's hair. "Perhaps it's the breeze of progress."
But when he looked toward the cathedral in the distance, the sunlight broke through the clouds in three perfect beams — striking its spire, the altar, and the workshop simultaneously.
Even Charlotte fell silent for a moment.
"Beautiful," she murmured.
Edward forced a smile. "Yes. Beautiful."
But his chest felt heavy with meaning only he understood.
🕯 Nightfall in the Cathedral
When the city slept, Edward returned once more to the Cathedral of Innovation.
The air smelled faintly of wax and oil.
The crystal gear embedded in the altar still pulsed with that same gentle light, unchanged — yet somehow stronger, steadier.
He spoke softly to the empty hall.
"Are you watching, then? Or merely waiting?"
No voice answered — only the whisper of the clockwork pendulum.
Still, as he turned to leave, a faint golden feather — no larger than a petal — drifted down from the rafters, landing silently at his feet.
Edward froze.
Then, with a calm born of resignation, he picked it up and placed it inside his coat.
"Very well," he whispered. "Let the first trial come when it must."
Outside, the city's lights shimmered like a sea of stars — unaware that Heaven had already chosen its gaze.
[System Notification]
Unexplained Anomalies Detected — 3 incidents recorded.
Divine Signature Match: Confirmed (Low Intensity).
Prophecy Sequence — Initiating Phase I.
Edward closed the system panel and looked toward the dark horizon.
The night was calm. The world was sleeping.
But the gears of fate had begun to turn again.
End of Chapter 27.