Cloud Thinking

Chapter 347 Mirror Image (Page 12)

In the following "time", the Snow Nightingale began to regularly bring news from the outside world.

That "Helia"—let's call her "Mirror Image" for now—performed flawlessly after returning to the capital.

Through the closed doors of the Hall of State, she reported to Claude her experience of "escaping danger after being attacked by an unknown force," the details of which were so plausible as to be impeccable.

He also comforted the worried Eric and met with the representatives sent by Carter's College to offer their condolences.

Then, she took action.

“A week ago, she used Marshal Hilda’s authorization to mobilize an elite squadron of the Northern Border Army,” Snow Nightingale reported. “At the same time, a team of royal knights sent by Prince Eric from the capital also arrived in the North—ostensibly to ‘assist Her Highness the Princess in her follow-up investigation.’”

Military mobilization.

This was originally a tactic that Helia planned to consider in a later stage.

“What is she going to do?” Helia asked.

“Clean up.” Snow Nightingale paused for a moment. “The targets are those territorial nobles who have a long history of bad deeds in their localities but have not been dealt with due to their various networks of connections. The first target is Earl Black of Westlin County—the guy who is notorious for abusing his people and engaging in the illegal slave trade.”

Helia remembers Blake.

Isn't this the first person on Xiao Si's "kill list"?

She had planned to deal with this person after resolving the issues with the academy and the association, but how could this have happened...?

"The battle situation?"

“No battle.” There was a hint of disbelief in Snow Nightingale’s voice. “‘Mirror Shadow’ led her army straight into the Earl’s castle, presented irrefutable evidence—some of which I don’t even know where she got it from—and then publicly announced the stripping of Blake’s title and lands.”

“Blake tried to resist, but she subdued him in three moves. Now Blake has been taken to the capital for trial, and his territory... is temporarily being managed by a local scribe of commoner origin.”

Commoners manage noble territories.

This was almost unimaginable in a rigidly hierarchical empire.

But "Mirror Image" did it.

The news spread even faster.

Helia heard the follow-up from the Snow Nightingale: the second target, the third target...

"Mirror Image" seemed to be carrying a pre-prepared list, methodically "sweeping" through the empire's territory.

Her methods were swift and decisive, her evidence was irrefutable, and after each operation, she would arrange for capable people to take over—more than half of whom were from ordinary backgrounds.

There were initial dissenting voices in the capital, but as the crimes of one noble after another were made public, and as those well-governed territories began to pay more taxes and the lives of their people improved significantly, the dissenting voices gradually subsided.

Instead, a complex emotion arose.

"Now the common people are starting to call her the 'Iron-Fisted Princess,'" Snow Nightingale said. "Some radical intellectuals are even copying her speeches—about 'talent should be more important than birth,' and 'the future of the empire needs fresh blood'..."

Helia listened, feeling a chilling sense of familiarity.

These ideas and practices... are all things she deeply believes in, but dares not easily put into practice due to the constraints of reality.

It's as if someone has extracted her most secret ambitions and boldest ideas from her mind and then implemented them in reality without any scruples.

“There’s something even more outrageous,” Snow Nightingale continued. “Three days ago, she submitted a proposal to the Imperial Ministry of Education—suggesting the establishment of ‘civilian academies’ in major towns to enroll civilian students, with the state covering fifty percent of the tuition and living expenses.”

To popularize basic education and break the aristocracy's monopoly on knowledge.

This was something Helia wanted to do when she first came to this world, but due to reality, it could only remain an idea. In the end, she only managed to publish a few children's books that could only be given out because of her status.

But the "mirror image" was mentioned and then implemented.

Moreover, it was done in an extremely clever way: first, by purging corrupt nobles to accumulate prestige and practical governance results, proving the effectiveness of "appointing people based on merit," and then by introducing education reforms, making it difficult for opponents to find a point of attack.

“The court is now divided into two factions,” Snow Nightingale said. “The conservative nobles are of course against it, but Marshal Hilda has publicly supported her, Prince Eric has also said it is ‘worth discussing,’ and with the growing public support… her proposal is very likely to be passed.”

Helia remained silent for a long time.

“Snow Nightingale,” she finally spoke.

"Ok?"

"Do you think... is it possible that it really is me?"

"what?"

“A parallel world.” Helia’s consciousness became complex. “Is it possible that Vesemir’s ability is not just to create a replica, but rather… to pull another ‘Helia’ from a branch of some ‘possibility’?”

"A 'me' who was braver, more decisive, and started implementing these reforms earlier than me?"

Once the idea emerged, it grew wildly.

Because she knew all too well that everything the "mirror image" outside was doing was exactly what she would do and wanted to do.

It's not imitation, not a clumsy performance, but... a more mature practice.

If that's yourself from another world...

“Then you are in danger.” Snow Nightingale’s voice turned serious. “If that really is ‘you’ in some sense, then she is not a ‘fake’ that can be easily exposed.”

"She will have your memories, your emotions, your ideals—and perhaps even more steadfast than you are now."

“She will think of herself as the real Helia, and you… might be the ‘abnormal’ one.”

Helia felt a chill.

She began to imagine the scenario: if she really did regain her body, return to the outside world, and then face someone who behaved more "like Helia" than her in every way... who would believe her?

What's even more terrifying is—if what "Mirror Image" is doing can truly make the empire better, and truly bring about the changes she has always dreamed of but dared not implement…

So what is the significance of her reclaiming her identity? Is it merely because "I am the real one"?

“There’s another question,” Snow Nightingale continued. “If ‘Mirror Image’ really was pulled from a branch of possibilities… was she there voluntarily or under duress? Why would Vesemir and the Heris family do this? What do they hope to gain from this?”

Yes, motivation, what is motivation?

Why would the Heris family go to such great lengths—erasing all traces of battle, creating a perfect Stand (or bringing in an individual from a parallel world), and even having this Stand implement a series of reforms that could shake the foundations of the empire—for what purpose?

Helia pondered.

She recalled Vesemir's last words: "Deep 'purification' and 'adaptation'..."

What does it purify? What does it adapt to?

“Snow Nightingale,” she said. “I need to know more. About the Heris family, about Vesemir, about their possible aims… and about the Triple Temple’s research on ‘parallel possibilities.’ How much do you know?”

There was a long silence in the darkness.

“I know some,” the Snow Nightingale finally spoke, “but that knowledge… is dangerous. It touches on the taboos of fate.”

"Moreover, given the current state of your soul, it cannot withstand too much information overload."

“Then tell me, little by little.” Helia’s resolve hardened. “I want to know the truth.”

"I need to know... what exactly is that 'me' outside?"

In the following "time", Helia was no longer just passively sleeping.

She began to consciously "move around"—within the limits of what fate allowed, she tried to understand the characteristics of this space, tried to communicate more deeply with Xiao Si, and tried to extract every piece of useful information from Xue Yeying.

At the same time, she never stopped "mending" the wisp of soul flame that was Mobius.

Progress was still frustratingly slow, but at least the cluster of shards of flame had stopped weakening.

It maintains an extremely fragile balance within the delicate structure constructed by those filaments.

Xiao Si offered a new analysis:

[Anomaly 'anchoring properties' detected in the target soul fragment]

[Analysis: Before its complete self-destruction, the soul seems to have left some kind of 'return mark']

[Hypothesis: If a suitable host or environment is found, the recovery speed may be significantly improved]

Carrier. Environment.

Helia pondered the two words.

The teacher's soul is too fragile now, it needs some kind of "container" to nurture it, or a special place that can accelerate the soul's repair...

“Snow Nightingale,” she said in one of their conversations, “have you ever heard of a place or item that can heal souls…?”

"Yes," Snow Nightingale answered decisively, "but they are all in extremely dangerous forbidden places, or under the tight control of major powers."

"For example, the Elven race's 'Fountain of Life' is theoretically possible, but they would never allow outsiders to get close. Another example is the legendary 'Dragon Soul Forge' of the Dragon race... but that's just a legend."

"anything else?"

Snow Nightingale hesitated for a moment: "The 'Room of Origin' in the Triple Hall of Destiny...theoretically possible. But that requires three high priests to activate the permissions simultaneously."

"Moreover... that place does more than just repair the soul. It... reshapes the very essence of existence."

Helia remembered the name.

News from the outside world continued to arrive, becoming increasingly complex.

"Mirror Image" continues to rise in popularity.

Her campaign to purge the corrupt nobility swept through dozens of large towns, stripping twelve nobles of their titles, three of whom were executed and nine permanently exiled.

The commoner administrators she appointed—now known as "the princess's capable officials"—mostly performed well, and order and the economy of the territory improved.

But opposition is also building.

“Three days ago, the heads of thirteen noble families jointly petitioned the Emperor, accusing ‘Princess Helia’ of abusing her power, undermining imperial traditions, and attempting to overthrow the existing order,” Snow Nightingale reported. “They demanded an immediate halt to all ‘reforms’ and that the princess be summoned back to the capital for questioning.”

How did Claude respond?

"The Emperor...did not immediately express his opinion." Snow Nightingale's voice carried a hint of amusement. "He suppressed the joint petition, but at the same time, he also sent a secret order to 'Mirror Shadow,' instructing her to 'suspend her actions and await further instructions.'"

Political maneuvering.

Helia could imagine the situation: on one hand, rising popularity and actual political achievements, and on the other hand, a backlash from the deeply entrenched aristocratic class.

Claude was weighing his options—to use the power of the "Mirror Image" to cleanse the empire's deep-seated problems, but also to prevent the reforms from moving too fast and triggering widespread turmoil.

“There’s one more thing,” Snow Nightingale said. “The past of Mobius… or rather, the past of the most powerful fire mage on the entire continent, is starting to be brought up again.”

Helia's consciousness suddenly tightened.

"Rumors are circulating that the truth of what happened back then wasn't what it seemed on the surface. They say there's a deeper reason behind the Magic Association's pursuit of Mobius. Some even say... Mobius might still be alive."

Who is spreading this? What is their purpose?

Can the source of the rumor be traced?