Star Forge Titan

"So that's why they call you Little Moon?" Alvin, who was also sitting on the other side of the stone steps, asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, so my name is Diana." The girl said softly, standing up and looking at the other person.

“…” She seemed a little conflicted, with a blush on her face.

"What's wrong?" Alvin was a little confused.

"That's right, I found that I haven't seemed to have..." Diana paused for a moment and slowly exhaled.

"I haven't said thank you to you yet." The moonlight shone on the girl's refreshing short hair, making her hair seem to be coated with a layer of silver, revealing a holy aura.

"Thank you for helping me win the championship, thank you for everything you've done for everyone, thank you for saving little Julian and the others..."

"Thank you, Alvin." Diana suddenly gave Alvin a hug.

After a brief moment of surprise, the black-haired boy raised his hand and patted the girl's shoulder.

"You're welcome."

Meanwhile, news of the conclusion of Linde's first Youth Magic Car Competition finally reached distant Elrond.

The newspaper used new printing technology to print pictures that were not particularly clear. Even so, the images of the people in the pictures could still be roughly seen, and the content of the pictures was naturally related to the Youth Magic Car Competition.

As members of the winning team, Ivan and Diana stood side by side in the middle, with the damaged Hope and the newly renovated Marilyn Orphanage behind them.

Facing the camera lens, the boy and girl stretched out their hands at the same time and held up the golden medals together. Both of their handsome faces were smiling, making them look a perfect match.

This led to a certain Majesty Frey, who wished to remain anonymous, to tear the newspaper apart angrily with her bare hands after reading the report, and then utter a question that seemed to come from her soul.

“Who is that woman!?!”

Residents of the royal capital, Avonmore, later claimed that they seemed to hear a roar like a dragon's roar coming from the Iron Palace that day.

Chapter 220 Epilogue

"Are you awake?" Khayon said calmly:

At this moment, in front of him was Set Gorod, a powerful being who once possessed a huge demon engine body and could not be defeated even against an army of a hundred people. In the future, he might even have the opportunity to undergo a demon ascension ceremony to become the immortal great mob... Only a head was left.

To be precise, it is an incomplete head.

Even Setgorod himself was surprised why he was still alive?

You know, the gifted power within the Nurulus badge is already depleted, making it impossible for him to continue to rely on invading and devouring other creatures to be reborn as he did last time. If it weren't for the protection of the Nurulus power within the badge, he wouldn't have survived even that time.

It was that miraculous escape that made Set more certain that only the great power of Narwhal could grant eternal life to everyone in the world, and that only His Majesty was worthy of his eternal following.

However, if the previous miracle was brought about by the power of God, then what was happening in front of us?

Looking around, Sert discovered that the place he was in should be just a laboratory with very limited conditions, or just a more ordinary civilian alchemy workshop.

Under normal circumstances, the most they produce here are pepper potions for treating colds, jelly medicines for reducing fevers, deodorant patches for treating athlete's foot, etc. These are low-end products that third-rate alchemists use to compete with ordinary herbalists for customers.

But Sert's current situation is obviously not within the scope that can be handled by the above-mentioned commodities.

Leaning against a mirror that was placed nearby, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he saw with his own eyes that there were many tubes of varying thicknesses connected to the bottom of his neck, with various medicines of unknown purposes flowing in them. Perhaps this was the main reason why this head without a body could continue to survive.

After realizing this, a feeling that he hadn't experienced for who knows how long surged into Setgorod's heart. It was a normal emotion called fear.

"Ah, I didn't expect that the first experiment would be successful. I was planning to use the summoning of the undead as a backup, but now it seems that it will not be needed. If you can cooperate." Khayon's voice was sweet and had the common pauses of aristocratic accents.

"Don't be nervous, I just have a few questions for you to answer."

Looking at Sett's extremely pale face, the necromancer casually said something to comfort him, and then continued in his sweet voice, slowly speaking:

"And there's no need to rush, we still have plenty of time~"

Soundproof laboratory walls keep conversations and other sounds contained within the room.

Outside, the chirping of insects could still be heard. In the distance, a grand parade was being held in Lutetia to celebrate the successful conclusion of the competition. The sounds of the festive atmosphere drifted in from afar, transforming into a vague, indistinct sound, like the ebb and flow of the tide.

Unlike the barren downtown area, bright gas streetlights can be seen everywhere in the city, and people enjoy food and performances in lively celebrations.

At the same time, in a dimly lit reception room, various musical instruments were playing a beautiful piece of music. For some reason, the people playing the instruments had cold sweat on their foreheads, their fingers were cramped into strange postures, but the instruments in their hands showed no signs of stopping.

"That's enough. I'm not here to enjoy music." An old voice said tiredly but firmly:

"What's wrong with that? Today is a lively day." Another charming female voice sounded along with a chuckle.

"Is it lively? But I just think they are noisy. That foolish and naive nephew actually used this method to decide the distribution of important power. He doesn't deserve to sit in that position." The old voice continued:

"Maybe? But I always think he is a smart and lovely young man." The charming female voice said teasingly:

"Hmph, woman, don't be deceived by his appearance. He is a man from the Carolingian family." The old voice revealed a hint of pride that was almost arrogant.

"Okay, let's end this boring probing and get to the point. Let's also shut these guys up."

"As you wish." The hostess said and waved her hand, and then the music stopped abruptly, replaced by a series of terrible sounds of flesh and blood being torn.

Soon, the carpet in the living room was stained red with blood, and the only people left were the two people talking and a blood-stained musical instrument that was slightly squirming on the ground.

I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but their colors seem to become brighter and their sizes seem to become larger.

Volume 3: The Difference Engine

Chapter 1 The Bourne Supremacy

Banquets, parties, and dances are the favorite social occasions of the Linde nobles, and are also the places where many negotiations are quietly held.

Everyone who attends a banquet needs to wear a suit that is formal enough, and no matter what his status is when he is invited, he should abide by such conventional rules.

Of course, there are often exceptions in reality. If you are a powerful high-level extraordinary person, then even if you wear an old robe that has not been washed clean and is torn at the edges to attend the banquet, it will only be regarded as a unique behavior of your personality.

The day after the celebration party, the three members of the championship team received invitations from many people they knew and didn't know. Most of these people had heard about the special treatment of the champions, so they wanted to establish good relationships with them in advance. Therefore, they could just write a casual reply letter to fool them. However, the formal invitation from the Carolingian royal family was different.

After knowing each other for a while, they also realized that the duchess with blonde hair and diamond hair actually didn't have any aristocratic airs, and would usually come to her directly if she had anything to discuss.

But this time was obviously different. The signature on the dinner invitation was actually written by His Majesty the Emperor, who had never left the house since the assassination attempt, or to be more precise, had never been able to sneak out again.

Just like an honest person generally won't lie, if even Emperor Conrad takes things seriously, he will probably need to go there in person.

In addition, there was a business card mixed in with many invitations that also caught his attention.

That was an invitation from a half-elf merchant lady from Genoa. It seemed that their victory in the championship and the power struggle hidden behind the Youth Magic Car Competition had attracted the attention of her and the forces behind her, the Genoa Confederation.

In a sense, knowing that they were now the fake Genoa Chamber of Commerce seemed to give them a decent handle. But judging by the respectful words in the invitation, the other party didn't seem to have any intention of breaking off relations, and there was even a hint of flattery in their words.

Haha, these Genoese merchants are still as shrewd as ever.

Aiwen snorted softly, thinking inexplicably with some nostalgia:

So he took Diana to the Genoa Chamber of Commerce in downtown Lutetia at noon to buy dresses.

The dress that had fitted him the previous time had been worn out by Ivan due to some unfortunate accident and personal reasons. Diana's clothes were mostly hand-me-downs left behind by former orphanage members, and there were hardly any dresses for girls, let alone formal gowns.

As for another member of the team, considering that different occasions require different costumes, Ka Yang had already prepared common equipment such as formal dresses in his cross-dressing wardrobe.

Besides, the person who reads "Unknown Wild Wizard" and writes "Necromancer" has a "new friend" who needs to talk to, so Alvin didn't bother him.

After getting off the rented carriage, Alvin saw the comprehensive commercial street where the Genoa Chamber of Commerce was located.

Because of the developed commercial activities, this group of coastal residents composed of multiple free commercial cities and good at business are very wealthy. Even though the land prices in the city of Lutetia are expensive, they bought half of the street in the name of the Chamber of Commerce and converted it into a comprehensive commercial street.

There are common shops such as blacksmith shops and clothing stores, as well as special shops such as tea shops that sell goods from afar. It can be said to be the most lively commercial area in Lutetia, the capital of Lind.

The ornately decorated building in Genoa style at the end of the street is the commercial mansion where the Genoa Chamber of Commerce offices are located.

Seeing the magnificent exterior of the commercial mansion, the racing witch who was born in an orphanage couldn't help but stop. She was standing at the door dressed like a tomboy in a white shirt, work clothes and suspenders as usual. Although her expression didn't change, a look of hesitation appeared in her eyes.

"Come in." Ivan turned to look at Diana and waved to her.

Seeing the black-haired boy's usual look, Diana took a deep breath out of trust in her companion, and then forced herself to remain calm and followed him into the mansion.

Unlike the tea shop where we met last time, the interior of the Commercial Mansion is much more formal. When you walk into the lobby, you can see many people coming and going, and behind the marble front desk, there are receptionists who always have a smile on their faces.

"Good morning, how can I help you?" The professionally dressed receptionist did not show any strange look at the two people's simple attire. Instead, she completed her job very enthusiastically. After all, she was an employee of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, and "professional" was the first word written into the employee code of conduct.

"I have an appointment." Alvin handed the invitation letter with the business card to the receptionist at the front desk.

Seeing the name on the card, the receptionist couldn't help but gasp in surprise. The new president, who had taken office this year, didn't like to give out business cards everywhere. Only a select few elites living in Lutetia were invited to attend the literary salons held regularly at the Commercial Mansion.

Although the young man in front of her was tall and handsome, he was dressed simply and ordinary, obviously different from the people who received business cards that the receptionist usually saw.

However, she didn't say much, just smiled at the other party, then quickly took out a note and began to write the relevant content quickly on the ink typewriter.

As long as you receive a certain amount of training, using this mechanical typewriter can very smoothly and quickly convert the typed common language letters into ink-printed written documents. Soon, the receptionist neatly cut the paper with a few lines of text, rolled it into a bundle, and stuffed it into a light wooden communication tube.

This hollow tube, specially used to protect paper letters, has an opening on one side and is shaped like a narrow cylindrical pen holder, which can be completely closed with a lid.

The receptionist dropped the telegraph tube into a nearby machine. This machine was connected to a number of metal pipes leading to various locations. Through a glass observation mirror embedded in the side of the pipe, one could clearly see a constant stream of strong wind inside the machine, rapidly propelling the wooden telegraph tube to the other end.

"As expected of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, they've already adopted a magical steam engine-driven pipeline communication device so quickly." Ivan said in surprise.

"Yes, speeding up information transmission is something the Chamber of Commerce attaches great importance to." The receptionist nodded politely in agreement.

At this time, Alvin noticed that Diana's eyes were constantly moving along with the communication tube that was moving back and forth in the pipe.

It was her first time seeing this kind of thing, and she couldn't help but feel extremely curious about its internal mechanical workings, so much so that she even forgot the purpose of coming here. But not long after, another communication tube flew over here along the pipe.

The machine automatically intercepts the communication tube and then ejects it onto a pre-prepared plate, which is padded with a soft cushion to prevent the communication tube from being damaged in the collision.

The receptionist picked up the communication tube, took out a note with a short message, and immediately stood up and said to Alvin and the others:

"President asks you two to go to the third reception room. She will be waiting there."

This made Ivan raise his eyebrows slightly, but he didn't say much. He just raised his hand to signal the receptionist to lead the way. Then he pulled Diana, who was still observing the pipe transmitter. The latter lowered her head a little embarrassedly and quickly followed his footsteps.

Soon, the two met Miss Portia Westfield again, who had not appeared for a long time.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Elian." Boshia, who was wearing Genoa-style clothing, stood up from the sofa and extended a white arm to Ivan.

Ivan kissed her hand in a manner very much in keeping with the Genoese man's custom. Looking up, he saw the approaching half-elf lady with a probing look in her eyes. Then, he heard her ask quietly in a deliberately subdued voice:

"Or, are you more accustomed to another title, Your Excellency?"

Chapter 2: Swindlers, Merchants, and Gangsters (Part 1)

What did she know? Maybe just a guess?

Several thoughts flashed through his mind. Ivan's expression remained completely calm, and there was no trace of flaw in Boxia's expression either. So neither of them could see any information from the other's face.

This was not surprising. Although the other party's age was still very young even considering the influence of elven blood, half-elves had a long lifespan and grew only slightly slower than humans in adulthood. They also inherited the elves' excellent talent in magic and could almost be said to be a hybrid that combined the advantages of both parents.

In the original future timeline of Palladia, she is also a character with considerable fame, and may even become the first female speaker of the Supreme Council of the Genoese Confederation.

Therefore, even if the other party shows some strange hobbies, such as another world version of COSPLAY, Alvin will not underestimate the half-elf in front of him.

After a moment of staring at each other, the tall, handsome, black-haired young man let go of the half-elf's hand.

"I don't quite understand you."

"Don't you quite understand?" Bo Xia smiled slightly, his expression full of confidence.

"It doesn't matter. I believe you will understand later." After saying that, she sat back on the sofa.

The half-elf lady's turning movement caused the hem of her Genoese-style tight-fitting, double-breasted gown to rise slightly, revealing the exquisite gold-stamped embroidery on the fabric, and also caused the tower-shaped veil hat she was wearing to sway slightly. The brim of the tall, lake-blue hat was fixed with a circle of elegant gold rings. Under the transparent veil hanging around the gold rings, a pair of unconcealed long elf ears were revealed.

As expected of a Genoese Confederacy resident, this outfit alone would cost at least a hundred gold ecus, which would definitely be no less than a hundred Florentine gold coins.

Despite making this judgment, Alvin still behaved calmly. He sat down on the other sofa opposite Boshia in a very natural manner, and turned back to Diana, who was a little embarrassed, and said gently:

"Diana, you can go and choose your dress first. This lady and I have something to discuss. Is that okay?" At the end, Alvin turned his gaze to the half-elf lady who was looking at the two of them with interest.

"Of course, I will have someone take good care of this young lady who is very suitable to dress up as, um, this handsome and beautiful lady." Boxia's expression changed slightly, and he almost subconsciously said what he was really thinking.

Since Diana had no idea how the Genoese literary and artistic noble lady played the game, she didn't care about what she almost said by mistake. She just nodded at Ivan, exchanged glances briefly, and then left the reception room led by the maid.

After the short-haired girl left, the reception room, with only the two of them left, fell into silence for a moment.

After a while, Bo Xiya couldn't help but speak first:

"Mr. Elian, I don't know if this is your real name, but I'll call you that for now." The half-elf's eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and confidence that everything was under control:

"I have to admit, even though I knew that the guy who wasn't here today was a natural-born red fox, the performance of you and your companions was still quite surprising."

"Before I helped you get fake identities, I didn't expect that you would be able to win such a prestigious honor as the Youth Magic Car Competition within less than a year of entering Linde, the Central Empire." As he said this, Boshia's eyes became sharper.

"So, if it's convenient, could you please reintroduce yourself?"

As the half-elf lady spoke, several magical pressures rose up around the room without any concealment. It was obvious that several extraordinary people with excellent strength and all of them had reached the second-level level were standing outside the door. Among them was even a third-level extraordinary person who was considered the backbone of all forces in the world of Palladia at this stage.