Published: January 4, 2026
Oscar’s mansion, in the reception room.
Before Oscar and me lay a spherical object.
The object resembled a crystal orb and sat on the low table, connected to a thread extending from outside the room.
The thread and orb changed colors at regular intervals.
Oscar read aloud the color changes as he recorded them.
“Black, black, white, black; black, black, black, white; black, white, black, black; white, white, white, white — if I’m correct, all whites signal the end.”
“That’s right. What happens if you apply the cipher we made to these sequences?”
Oscar compared what he had written with the chart I had prepared in advance, alternating between them.
“‘Hello, how are you’ — oh!”
Though simple, Oscar exclaimed in awe.
“It really forms a sentence.”
“Indeed. By the way, this is connected to my detached palace.”
“Your Majesty’s detached palace, huh — about ten minutes by express messenger, I suppose.”
“Try sending a simple sentence yourself.”
“Understood… then.”
Oscar thought for a moment and touched two smaller spheres beneath the crystal orb.
The spheres were black and white, and touching them would cause the orb and thread to change to the same color.
Since it was his first time, Oscar stared intently at the cipher chart while sending a message.
The orb and thread switched between black and white, continuing to shift even after Oscar removed his hand.
‘Who’s there?’
‘Don.’
“The First Prime Minister?”
“Yes, just helping with the test.”
“This is… this is incredible, Your Majesty!”
Oscar said excitedly.
From being brothers to now a lord-vassal relationship spanning decades, this was the most emotionally charged “incredible” I had heard from him.
“Depending on message length, it usually takes quite a bit, but completing this in under a minute is amazing.”
“The benefit is limited at this distance, but even between towns, messages could be sent this fast.”
“If we use this well, magistrates won’t be necessary.”
“A very administrative perspective. Still, people skilled at selecting and filtering information on site are needed.”
“Certainly.”
“Previously, governors had to be highly capable, but with this, even puppets would suffice.”
“Innovative indeed.”
“I’d like to hear Henry’s thoughts on this.”
“Agreed. Though not my specialty, I understand how crucial communication is on the battlefield, even more so than the rear lines.”
“Mm.”
I nodded, satisfied by Oscar’s opinion.
I had come to show the Humbaba Thread now at a practical level, and Oscar’s reaction was gratifying.
“There are two reasons I showed this to you.”
“Yes.”
Oscar straightened himself and faced me properly.
That this thread was revolutionary technology was something Oscar himself acknowledged, making the matter of elevating him from prince to Minister of Internal Affairs a critical decision shaping the empire’s future.
He immediately understood and behaved accordingly.
“First, we will connect this to every region. For that, we must select those skilled in cipher handling.”
“As you wish, leave it to me.”
“Simultaneously, we will remake the cipher. The current one is just a makeshift. There should be a more efficient or easier-to-understand cipher.”
“So it will still be based on switching between white and black?”
“Yes.”
“Consider it done.”
Oscar bowed deeply, accepting my orders.
Creating the cipher is best done by those who will use it, so I should not interfere.
“And the second, more important but less urgent issue.”
“…What is it?”
“To develop something identical to this.”
“Identical meaning…”
“A means to send binary information over long distances — white or black, presence or absence.”
“You want us to develop the same thing?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Oscar’s expression showed confusion, which was natural.
Despite the Humbaba Thread existing, it was reasonable to question why we should develop an exact duplicate.
“This was created using knowledge inherited from retired emperor your majesty.”