Five more years passed, marking the fortieth year since Okhema's founding. For a human, this was already the majority of their lifetime, a truth keenly felt by Tribios.
Under her supervision, nearly all the humans had been replaced by fresh faces. The older generation had retired to their homes, and Okhema itself had undergone a complete generational shift.
Even Melly had turned forty-nine this year, her face now bearing faint wrinkles and her hair streaked with silver. Yet, beyond these superficial changes, her core essence remained unchanged over the past thirty years.
Every day after work, Melly would visit Tribios to chat and share a drink. They might discuss recent events at the Magic Engineering Academy, developments in Okhema, or the latest interesting novels, comics, or films.
Today was no exception. As soon as her work was finished, Melly grabbed a crystal ball and a bottle of wine and hurried straight to Tribios's office. "Teacher Tribbie! There's a new, really funny movie out. Want to watch it together?"
Tribios set down the documents in her hands and smiled warmly at Melly. "Of course."
The comedy film followed a group of adventurers who ventured into a dark and terrifying tomb. They outwitted and outmaneuvered various vengeful spirits, banshees, and the final Boss—an ancient vampire.
Yes, despite the abundance of supernatural creatures, the protagonists were so powerful that there was no real horror to speak of. Instead, the entire journey was filled with laughter and camaraderie, with the interactions between the characters being particularly entertaining.
Many scenes made Tribios chuckle softly. Noticing this, Melly remarked, "If the producers promoted it with a tagline like 'The Holy Maiden's Favorite Comedy,' I bet it would sell like crazy!"
Tribios immediately stopped her, saying, "Don't use me as the standard for judgment. Everyone's tastes are different. What I like, others may not. Besides, such publicity would be unfair to the other films released at the same time. It's better to let them compete fairly and let the audience judge for themselves."
Melly took a small sip of her wine and chuckled softly. "I was just speaking casually, Teacher. You're so easily startled."
Suddenly, she coughed, losing her grip on the wine glass. Some of the wine spilled onto her clothes. Tribios paused for a moment, then hastily pulled a handkerchief from her person, intending to help wipe it up, but Melly waved her away.
Melly set the glass down on the nearby table and, after a moment of silence, said abruptly, "Teacher Tribbie, I can feel it... I probably don't have much time left."
In this world, magic permeated everything. Every person, every plant, even every object contained Magic Power. Yet Melly, uniquely, was completely immune to it—a Magic Power insulator.
The magic power within others' bodies effectively enhances their physical capabilities, which is why people in this world are generally like mini-Supermen, each one more absurdly powerful than the last.
Conversely, because Melly lacks magic power enhancement, her physical abilities are far weaker than those of others. Moreover, due to her magic power insulation, she has been constantly immersed in environments saturated with magic, which further weakens her body.
Hearing this, Tribios froze for a few seconds. But before she could speak, Melly continued earnestly, "But this isn't bad news at all, Teacher Tribbie! Please don't worry—I won't leave you just like that. I've already prepared a brand-new Magitech body. We can start the experiment right away. Once I transfer my soul into it, I'll gain near-infinite lifespan and can stay by your side forever."
For a powerful Wizard, longevity isn't a major concern. As long as they're willing to compromise, there are countless ways to prolong their existence. Melly, being a prodigious genius, had long recognized her limited lifespan and prepared for it years ago.
Tribios, however, sensed something amiss. "So," she asked, "what's the catch?"
Melly wore a slightly awkward expression. "Teacher Tribbie, you're so perceptive! Well, there is a minor issue. The human body is incredibly complex. Perfectly replicating it using Magitech is extremely difficult."
"Vision and hearing are relatively straightforward, but replicating smell, taste, touch, and the body's internal systems—the motor, nervous, digestive, and so on—are proving nearly impossible to replicate."
In other words, entering the new Magitech body would be like entering a specialized prison for Melly. She would only be able to see and hear the outside world through the bars of this prison, unable to perceive anything else.
She would never taste food again, never savor the mellow fragrance of fine wine—a bitter loss for Melly, who enjoyed a daily glass.
She would never again smell the fragrance of flowers, feel warmth, or even know the comfort of sleep.
Sleep is the body's natural restorative mechanism, but a Magitech body wouldn't experience fatigue—it would simply need a change of energy source.
After a pause, Tribios asked, "This... is it truly worth it?"
Melly smiled gently. "Of course it is. Though you've never said it outright, Teacher Tribbie, I can tell you're someone who deeply fears being alone. If I left, wouldn't you be utterly isolated? So, please allow me to be selfish for a little longer and stay by your side."
"Even if I can never drink wine again, just being near you, feeling your warmth, would be enough for me."
But Tribios countered, "Didn't you just say that touch is difficult to simulate?"
Melly's expression turned awkward again. "Ah, is my memory failing with age? That is a serious problem... But don't worry! I'm quite capable. Once I have my new body, I'll redouble my research efforts and resolve the touch issue as quickly as possible. Then, Teacher Tribbie, you must let me give you a proper hug!"
After a moment of silence, Tribios suddenly said, "That Necromancy School Wizard... she might still be alive. Perhaps we could find her..."
Melly shook her head. "No need. Leaving Okhema without authorization for personal reasons is forbidden—wasn't that your own order, Teacher Tribbie? Besides, I trust my own skills far more than anyone else's magic. Given enough time, I'm confident I can gradually perfect this Magitech body until it's indistinguishable from a living person. It's only a matter of time."
Seeing Melly's unwavering determination, Tribios naturally couldn't argue further. The next day, after slowly savoring her final glass of Holy Maiden Wine, Melly used magic to transfer her consciousness into her brand-new body.
When she reunited with Tribios, she had reverted to her former appearance as a nineteen-year-old girl—youthful and endearing. Smiling sweetly, she said, "Teacher Tribbie, please allow me to continue clinging to your side in the future too~"
Fifty years after Okhema's founding, a prodigious wizard emerged from obscurity. At a young age, he mastered ninth-level Arcane spells, seemingly reaching the pinnacle of magical achievement. Yet he remained unsatisfied. He purchased vast tracts of land, gathered other wizards to join him in unraveling the deeper mysteries of magic, and laid the foundation for what would become the Arcane Federation.
In the same year, Warrior Bell, the founding emperor of the Dragon Ember Empire, passed away. However, his colossal empire did not descend into chaos; instead, it steadfastly continued along the path he had established.
Eighty years after Okhema's founding, the Dragon Ember Empire, the All Nations Alliance, and the newly formed Arcane Federation settled into a precarious balance of power, akin to the Three Kingdoms period, each checking the others' ambitions. Warfare sharply declined during this year.
One hundred years after Okhema's founding, on an otherwise ordinary night, the moon unexpectedly turned crimson. Apart from Tribios, no one seemed to notice this anomaly. When she asked Melly about it, she received only the reply, "Hasn't the moon always been red?"
Tribios made a special trip to the Moon God's Territory to check on the sea of flowers. Upon arriving, she discovered that all the white blossoms had turned crimson and immediately launched a frenzied attack against her.
Dense vines erupted from the ground, lashing out at Tribios. Seeing this, she immediately turned and fled, slamming the door shut behind her.
The Moon God's situation seemed dire, but Tribios had no idea what had happened. Even if she wanted to help, she wouldn't know where to begin. Besides, she had warned the Moon God about the moon turning red long ago, and the Moon God had accepted her fate at the time.
There was nothing more to say. Tribios could only remain vigilant, keep a watchful eye, and exercise caution. That was all she could do.
After pondering the matter, she officially announced a "Prophecy" that same year: she wasn't the sole protector of the Eternal Holy City Okhema; there were eleven other Demigods who would gradually emerge over the next two centuries.
Moreover, in two hundred years, Okhema would end its seclusion, allowing anyone who wished to leave and explore the outside world to do so freely.
However, after these two prophecies were announced, the residents of Okhema showed far greater interest in the first prophecy, while the second prophecy was met with apathy.
This was because Okhema had never ceased monitoring the outside world; in fact, espionage had become a formal profession. As a result, most residents had some knowledge of the outside world. Yet nearly all assessments of the outside world were... backward, ignorant, boring, and uninteresting.
It was like telling someone who's used to smartphones, computers, and city life to suddenly ditch their tech and go to the countryside for fun—who would actually do that?
After a century of development, Okhema's population had grown to over two million. Commoners typically lived in four- or five-story apartment buildings, while the entertainment industry—novels, comics, movies, and more—was thriving, with publishers, bookstores, and cinemas scattered everywhere.
All kinds of delicious foods and fine wines were constantly emerging, their variety too numerous to count.
As for gourmet food, even hamburgers and fries were readily available. As for fine wines, the current sensation was Holy Maiden Wine. Of course, it wasn't the first batch anymore; due to its immense popularity and public demand, Tribios, having nothing better to do, would occasionally stomp a few batches.
Yet even with her frequent stomping, Holy Maiden Wine remained exceedingly rare in Okhema, a city of over two million people, and its price remained stubbornly high.
Melly once joked that whenever Okhema's national treasury ran dry, they could put Teacher Tribbie to work stomping grapes daily with her adorable little feet, which could fill the coffers in no time.
In addition to this, a few years ago, Okhema had accidentally discovered a natural hot spring of exceptional quality. Tribios, who had long yearned for a good soak, immediately became a regular visitor, indulging in a soak whenever she had the chance.
Thanks to the "celebrity effect," anything Tribios favored quickly became a sensation throughout Okhema. For instance, during a phase when she frequently ate hamburgers and fries, the fast-food craze instantly swept the city, with burger joints and fry stalls popping up on every corner. This time was no different. Okhema's residents began devising all sorts of ways...
Either they found other natural hot springs, or they relied on Magitech to create artificial ones. Suddenly, the number of hot springs in Okhema surged. Tribios's long-cherished dream of a thriving hot spring culture seemed to be on the verge of realization.
In short, Okhema now existed in a completely different world, a world utterly unlike the one outside its walls.
By the 150th year since Okhema's founding, thanks to Melly's efforts, the prototype of a smartphone had emerged. Though the signal remained unstable and there was still much room for improvement, even this was an extraordinary achievement.
Tribios had originally assumed that smartphones and the World Wide Web wouldn't appear until Aglaea emerged, but she had underestimated Melly's capabilities.
By the 160th year since Okhema's founding, smartphones had acquired messaging and calling capabilities and had begun preliminary production.
By the 170th year since Okhema's founding, smartphones could display novels and comics, and a few very simple games had been introduced.