Doctor Amnesiac, but not completely amnesiac

"Yes, His Excellency the Grand Duke of Cumberland, once the most powerful steam knight in Victoria and the most trusted knight of King Aslan - how could I not know him?"

The man sighed softly and stroked Aledae's hair with one hand.

"My father, what kind of person is he?"

Five years ago, Aledae remembers that day.

Her father stroked her little head, as always, but this time, he was apologizing to her.

[I'm sorry, my daughter, your father is going to do something that is doomed to fail - but someone has to do this kind of thing.]

[This is my father's choice...but this choice abandons you.]

At that time, Aledea didn't know what her father meant by these words - until those people rushed into her house and told her that her father was dead.

After that, young Aledae could only watch as the servants hurriedly left the mansion, taking away everything that could be sold, until the place became empty.

Then the woman's messenger came, bringing the expensive "grace" coldly.

She could continue to live here and receive all kinds of education - but everything that belonged to Cumberland, including her, would become the property of the Grand Duke of Caister.

Aledae didn't know what she could do, nor did she know what she should do - she has been confused to this day.

"He is a loyal knight and a powerful warrior. As a subject and a citizen, he has fulfilled his duties and efforts to the utmost."

"I know you don't understand now, so I can only tell you not to hate your father, even though he failed in his duty as a father."

Qiao Yelan sighed softly and hugged the sobbing girl into his warm arms.

"I don't hate him."

The girl leaned close to his ear and sobbed softly.

"I just... miss him so much..."

-----------------------------------------------

After lunch, Aledae struggled to push the wheelchair, which was almost as tall as herself, outside.

"I'll have someone drive you back after dinner."

"I...I don't want to go back."

"Aledai, you are the heir of Grand Duke Victoria Cumberland, and I am an official of Dayan. I can indeed take care of you, but I can't take care of you for the rest of your life."

Qiao Yelan said earnestly.

"During this period, I will send someone to pick you up at the embassy every day, and then send you back at night - with me here, those people dare not do anything."

"But one day, I will leave."

The girl's hands clenched slightly.

"What do you want to be, Allarday?"

"I......"

"You are no longer a child. Since your father passed away, you have been unable to live as an ordinary person. Caister found you because of your value. She wanted to use you."

Qiao Yelan's words sharply cut through all veils.

"How do you want to live? As a pawn of Caister, or as Allarday Cumberland?"

"I...I want to be like my father."

Aledae whispered.

"A steam knight?"

"Yes, Steam Knight, I have seen my father's armor. When I was very young, I wished I could wear the same armor as my father."

"That's hard."

"Is it difficult... then——"

“But it’s not impossible.”

Qiao Yelan’s words made Aledae’s eyes light up.

"really?"

"Of course - but being a Steam Knight is not that easy. You need to go through hard training."

"I'm not afraid—I never want to be left alone again!"

"Okay, what a good boy."

Qiao Yelan smiled and applauded.

"I will help you realize your wish."

------------------------------------------------

"Captain Lin Qi, an audience request has been submitted to us."

"A request for an audience?"

Charles Lynch raised his head and looked at his adjutant.

Ever since the death of King Aslan and the death in battle of the previous leader of the Steam Knights, Grand Duke Cumberland, the Steam Knights have become the object of everyone's rejection.

No one would visit a regiment that had lost its commander and leader.

Charles Lynch had been struggling since his automatic promotion to Grand Master of the Steam Knights under wartime regulations.

The funding from the parliament was barely enough to prepare them for combat, but when there was a mission, they were still the first to be sent to the front line - without support, no friendly forces, and no logistics.

Four steam knight armors have already entered a dangerous state due to wear and tear of parts. The steam knights who use them don't even dare to inject the steam pressure halfway, otherwise there is a high possibility that the high-temperature and high-pressure steam will break through the restraints at the moment of use and steam them inside the closed armor like steamed crabs.

There had been no news about spare parts and spare armor since five years ago. Charles could only rely on his previous relationships and steal some parts from some old workers to sell to himself. However, both the number of people willing to do this and his own financial reserves were dwindling rapidly.

Especially since last year, factories related to the production of Steam Knight Armor have been shut down, and workers have been transferred to several different factories. Large quantities of parts have been melted and destroyed. Except for the last batch of parts I stockpiled at that time, I have not bought anything related to it since then.

The Steam Knights have realized the sinister intentions of the nobles - these insects want to make the knights bleed to the last drop of blood in the struggle for interests they have started.

"who is it?"

He took the application and asked casually.

"The Great Flame Mission."

"what?"

Doubt almost came out of his mouth.

Charles looked down at the paper in his hand. The words "Qiao Yelan, Minister of Rites of Dayan and Minister of Honglu Temple" were clearly written on the application.

He had some impression of this person - two days ago, the parliament ordered him to lead the Knights to the ceremony to welcome the Great Flame Mission, to perform security and parade duties.

Although the nobles were all afraid of the Steam Knights, when a distant and powerful country sent an envoy to Londinium, their first reaction was to pull out the Steam Knights as a deterrent and create a paper shell named Victoria.

So Charles remembered that the leading envoy representative at that time was a young man sitting in a wheelchair.

"...Please ask him to come in."

Although he didn't know why Qiao Yelan came to visit him, Charles' experience in war told him that the more unusual the situation, the more complicated the changes would be.

People who are in the abyss of despair can still stick to their last bottom line, but there is no doubt that they don't mind exchanging some things above the bottom line.

Charles Lynch would not betray his country.

But the aristocrats have never been able to represent Victoria.

---------------------------------------------

Qiao Yelan was pushed into a room, and then the person who pushed him in left. Only the man sitting behind the table and Qiao Yelan were left in the room.

He already had a calculation in his mind.

Mr. Charles has probably already made his choice.

"Mr. Qiao Yelan, as an officer of Victoria, accepting a meeting with you will result in me being whipped like a top by the clerks of the parliament for the next six months - so I hope you are not here to talk nonsense to me."

"Which of these nonsense are you talking about? Is it my admiration for the Steam Knights, my respect for Victoria, or my desire to win you over and gain the allegiance of the Steam Knights for Da Yan?"

"All."

Charles said coldly.

"That is to say, you don't believe that I came to you for no reason, nor do you believe that I will help you selflessly. At the same time, you will not betray Victoria. You will not agree to be loyal to Da Yan or disclose the secrets of Steam Knights."

Qiao Yelan smiled and tested the officer's bottom line.

There was silence on the other side, and he realized that the man in front of him might be much more terrifying than the group of noble members of parliament.

"But fortunately, in addition to my position as the Minister of Rites of Great Yan, I personally have another identity - the CEO of Casimir Medical Enterprise [Tower of Babel]."

Charles had actually heard of this name - after the coup, he had been working in the black market for several years in order to ensure the continuation of the Steam Knights.

The medical devices produced by this company called Babel Tower have a large market in Victoria. I heard that they also produce an Originium disease inhibitor, but it is extremely expensive and hard to get a shot.

On the black market, as long as it is proven that the medicine comes from the Tower of Babel, the price is often 30% higher than that of other companies - and its effect is worth the price, but the premise is that the black marketers did not deliberately put the wrong label on the medicine.

These medicines often come from the County of Windermere or the Duchy of Wellington, and the latter accounts for the bulk of the circulation, so there are rumors privately that this deal is actually supported by the military forces within the Duchy of Wellington.

Having lost their logistical support, the Steam Knights could only buy some potions from the black market. The potions they bought from the Tower of Babel were also quite rare, and their effects were also immediate.

"What do you want to say?"

"Casimir currently has an extremely prosperous knight competition industry. Every company has its own competition knight group. Unfortunately, because we were too focused on the development of overseas industries in the past few years, Babel Tower has neglected some domestic operations. Therefore, we urgently need a strong competition knight group to support us."

"Next year, in 1079, the triennial Casimir Knights Tournament will begin. At that time, the mobile cities of the top four companies will be eligible to join forces to become the Grand Knight Territory, which will be the largest mobile metropolitan area in the world after the Gaul capital Lingones."

Qiao Yelan did not give a direct answer, but instead talked about the current situation in Casimir.

"Such a huge city must have unparalleled advantages over other regions, whether in commerce or other areas. Therefore, every city district that is connected will have ample development opportunities and can bring sufficient profits to the companies. Babel Tower is not willing to miss this opportunity."

"The changes in Leitania have caused Babel's previous investments to go down the drain. We even had to sell off a large number of manors and fields in the former Heidenschweil region to my fellow countrymen in Casimir to repay the debts. So this time in the Knights' Tournament, Babel is fighting a desperate battle."

Charles looked at Qiao Yelan.

The other party's words were very clear - Babel Tower was in urgent need of hiring a fighting force to compete in next year's Knights Championship.

And they are willing to pay a high price.

"Why did you think of coming to us?"

"We'll have to try our best - there's no hope for the Leithania region, and Da Yan is now obsessed with playing their economic games and is unwilling to get involved in Casimir's internal affairs."

Qiao Yelan's words sounded somewhat helpless, but his expression was extremely torn and nonchalant.

"It's impossible for me to ask Ursus for anything I want, so the only choice left is Victoria."

"In Victoria, is there any knight order more prestigious than the Steam Knights? And you seem to be in great need of funding."

Charles was thinking.

In fact, when Qiao Yelan came in, he had already made a decision. Except for the two issues of steam armor and defection, he would find a way to agree to all other requests - as long as he was willing to give a sum of money to fund the Steam Knights.

He never expected that the other party was just looking for mercenaries.

To be honest, Charles was really moved.

The other party was obviously willing to pay a high price, otherwise he would not be so humble. He almost revealed his cards directly and let Charles make his own offer.

And what they were asked to do was not excessive. After all, they were going to Casimir to participate in knight competitions, not to fight for life and death on the battlefield, and it had nothing to do with Victoria, so it would not cause any psychological burden at all.

"...I need some time. Although I am the leader of the Knights Templar, I must discuss this with the Knights Templar before accepting employment from a foreign company."

"No problem, I can just wait here, or do you need more time?"

Qiao Yelan’s answer was very straightforward.

"No, please just wait here for a while. After you leave today, it won't be easy for you to come back or for me to look for you."

Charles is also well aware of the current situation.

This deal must be done today, now.

Otherwise, the nobles would react.

-

-

-

PS1: