Star Forge Titan

"Blessed by the Great Father, Emperor Lind of the Holy Central Empire, Eternal Augustus, Ruler of the Lind people, Protector and Ruler of Castillado, Aragondar, Leoncana, Navarrafín, Granada, Toledoes, Valenciana, Galicia, Mariodos, Seville, Cordoba, Murcia, Jaén, Algarve, Algeciras... Territory, General of the Lind army blessed by Mars, the God of War and eldest son of the God of Light, Supreme Commander, His Majesty Konrad Karl Drusus Carolingian, arrives~"

"It's so long." Diana blurted out.

"Even nobles have such titles, let alone the greatest noble here, our honorable Emperor." Ivan echoed without any respect and even a little bit of laughter:

"Ah..." The girl was stunned for a moment, then seemed to remember something, and the stiff expression on her face suddenly relaxed.

For the two people who witnessed the man running wildly on the street wrapped only in a bath towel, it was difficult to respect the man who came in dressed in gorgeous clothes and was as flamboyant as a mobile jewelry box, no matter how noble his reputation was.

Then, as everyone saluted, the emcee called out a series of titles that were just as long as the previous ones:

"…Her Royal Highness, Duchess Catherine Martha Quinnelle Carolingian, protector and ruler of the Loire Valley, has arrived~"

So, everyone who had just saluted had to bow again.

Two blondes, a man and a woman, walked into the banquet hall at the same time. Their arrival heralded the start of the banquet.

Due to the decoration, Conrad only gave a very brief speech before officially announcing the banquet. The music started, and according to common sense, he should have invited the most distinguished woman in the room to dance the first dance before everyone else.

But the heavy decorations and formal dress made His Majesty pale, so the Duchess of Loire became the lead dancer.

Catherine wore a lake blue evening gown as usual today. The trendy fishtail skirt showed off her beautiful figure. Even though her hairstyle was strange, it still couldn't hide the Duchess's youthful and beautiful face.

Therefore, in order to compete for the position of dancing partner standing next to the Duchess, many young nobles were secretly ready to fight. They used their eyes to strike each other in the air, and they were just about to hit each other in the face with their white gloves.

Aiwen stood in the distance, smiling, eating melons and watching the show. Fight, it would be better if we fought! Anyway, watching the fun was fun, no matter how big the event.

Then, the smiles on the faces of the onlookers gradually faded, because Catherine, dressed in a blue evening gown, took the initiative to walk towards them.

Thus, countless gazes as sharp as swords immediately focused on the black-haired boy. If looks could kill, he would probably be experiencing a five-minute long machine gun execution.

For the young nobles of Linde, it would be a great blow to their dignity if Catherine chose Ivan as her dance partner.

A foreigner actually surpassed all of them. Even if he has now become a Linde citizen, it is unforgivable.

However, what no one expected was that the subsequent developments would even more seriously damage the self-esteem of the Linde noble young men.

Contrary to the bad development expected, they were lucky not to be defeated by a foreigner, but they were defeated by... a woman!?!

Catherine held up her noblewoman's folding fan, decorated with gorgeous bird feathers, and playfully held it in front of her pink lips.

Then, the girl with the blonde haircut asked the beautiful woman in men's clothing with the pretty short hair:

"Won't you ask me to dance?"

Chapter 5: Banquet Conversation

The music is melodious and the dance is graceful.

The dance between the Duchess and the Champion was admirable, although the latter's movements looked a little stiff and uncomfortable upon closer inspection.

However, thanks to her excessive intuition and some advance teaching from Ivan, Diana did not make any mistakes in the dance steps, not to mention that Catherine was quietly guiding her movements.

The two danced in the middle of the field. Catherine's flying blue skirt was like a blooming flower, and Diana's cold and handsome face also revealed a crystal clear temperament.

"It's somehow suitable." A strange smile appeared on Ivan's face.

"To be honest, it is true." However, the one who answered him was not Khayang, but another voice that sounded familiar but not often heard.

Looking back, he saw the necromancer still hiding in the shadows of the pillars with his familiar, embarrassing himself. At some point, the food on his plate seemed to have grown even larger. And the one who had just reappeared, dressed in a simple suit, was Emperor Conrad.

The young emperor, with his tall stature and handsome face, looks like the most iconic royal handsome man. However, considering that he can't even support a thicker dress, it really makes people sigh that this Emperor Linde seems too weak.

But the emperor in Ivan's memory, though a spellcaster not particularly skilled in physical enhancement, nevertheless displayed remarkable strength on the battlefield. He was even able to, with the cooperation of the palace mages, unleash the third-level forbidden spell, 'Frozen Lake,' to repel a Dread Riel.

Could it be that he is actually the type who only bursts into action when he is in his third year of high school, that is, the type who only bursts into action with all his strength when facing a crisis or a deadline?

In his previous life, there were many friends of this type, although he himself was the type who finished his preparation in the first year of high school and then started reading random books and pursuing personal hobbies during class time.

Of course, there was another possibility: the emperor he remembered was not the same person as the one he saw now. Although they looked identical, Alvin couldn't help but feel confused when he recalled the naked man with hairy legs, wrapped only in a shower curtain, shouting "Taxi" in a shrill voice on the street.

"Your Majesty." While thinking, the black-haired boy saluted casually, his attitude more like making do than respectful.

"No need to be so polite." On the other side, Conrad waved his hand nonchalantly and made a gesture of return. He did not show any perfunctory intention, but just revealed a simple laziness, just like a saltwater fish covered with sea water lying on the beach waiting to become salted fish.

"I came here just to avoid those overly enthusiastic ladies." The Salted Fish Emperor shrugged and shrank behind the shadow of a pillar beside him.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Ivan asked with a smile:

"Well, because of what happened last time, I now have some, um, small problems that need to be overcome. And the letters from those old gentlemen are also a headache." Conrad showed a helpless expression. It was abnormal for a nobleman like him who was still unmarried at his age, not to mention that he was the current Emperor of the sacred and great Central Empire Lind.

Many ministers repeatedly urged him to marry quickly to ensure the emergence of a new Carolingian heir. Otherwise, if his line unexpectedly died out, a suitable heir would have to be found among the Grand Duke's family, whose collateral ancestors had mixed into the royal family, and Linde would inevitably face chaos.

"It's hard to describe the distress that single people feel when they are pressured into getting married. If you don't want to experience it, I suggest you find a suitable target." Conrad suddenly showed a strange expression as he spoke, and his eyes drifted to Catherine who was dancing with a woman in the venue.

Could it be that this little sister had really gone astray? If so, as her brother, he had to do something.

"Really?" Alvin raised his eyebrows and showed a subtle expression.

"But I already have a fiancée back home."

"Uh." The emperor's next words were stuck in his throat and he almost choked.

"Damn it, you're not even twenty years old yet, how come it's so fast?" Conrad muttered to himself.

"Oh, it's just local customs." Ai Wenxue shrugged and replied, referring to his previous appearance.

In a sense, he was not talking nonsense. It was just that the customs of this place were not those of Genoa, but the customs of the barbarian tribes on the northern ice fields of Elrond.

The harsh climate has shaped the northerners' custom of early marriage and early childbearing. This isn't surprising; in such a harsh environment, anyone could die at any age. Marrying early and having children quickly has become a custom among most northern tribes.

"Is that so? That's a pity." Conrad curled his lips. He had no aristocratic temperament at all. Instead, he looked like an ordinary young man drinking beer and bragging to his friends in a tavern.

Ivan, who understood the meaning of his words, suddenly felt a little strange.

If she was truly just a nobody, why would she suddenly bring this up? Even if her hairstyle was a little odd, the woman with the two blonde braids was still a duchess of royal descent. How could she possibly marry a foreign alchemist?

Unless, apart from the appearance of marriage, there is another hidden meaning of winning over the other party.

And he seemed to possess this value as well. He was able to create products that surpassed contemporary magical industrial technology. Although his identity was somewhat secretive, his interests and those of the royal family were generally aligned.

In this way, the other party's seemingly casual conversation seemed to secretly reveal some very correct political considerations. From this inference, this salty fish emperor who could run on the street wrapped in a shower curtain, couldn't he be a complete brainless salty fish?

Thinking of this, Alvin's eyes gradually changed.

"Your Majesty, is there anything else?" The black-haired boy narrowed his eyes slightly, but his tone did not change, still relaxed without any respect.

"It's okay, just chatting." Conrad said with a half-smile on his face.

"By the way, what do you think of magical engineering?" The emperor's question suddenly turned to this aspect.

"It's a technology with great potential, enough to have an impact on all of human civilization," Ivan replied without hesitation.

"It will have an impact on the entire human civilization." Conrad suddenly sighed.

"I just don't know whether this impact is good or bad..."

Chapter 6 Uninvited Guests

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?" Ivan asked curiously:

"You've been in the downtown area for a while, right? Don't you know what I mean?" Conrad looked at the boy beside him with a smile.

His acquaintance with the other party was purely accidental, and choosing him as the royal representative in the Youth Magic Competition was just a casual move, but the series of events that happened afterwards completely exceeded his expectations.

It was just like going out fishing and catching a wild magical cavalry from the stream. It felt unreal.

"..." Alvin was silent for a moment, recalling what he had seen in the downtown area: tired workers, hungry children, filthy living environment, and factory owners with no sense of social responsibility. All of this was the chaos that accompanied the development of the magical revolution.

He sighed before continuing:

"Is there anything in the world that is entirely without flaws? However, I believe that magical technology itself is neither good nor bad. If someone attributes all the drawbacks of the Magic Revolution to the technology itself, even if it's not entirely shirking responsibility, they certainly harbor selfish motives."

"Besides, isn't it the job of managers to use policies or other means to make up for technical deficiencies?"

"Well said." Conrad clapped his hands lightly, and the smile on his face suddenly became particularly bright.

"Then I'll leave it to you." For some reason, he said this with an extraordinarily familiar tone, as if he had repeated the same words many times.

"Huh?" Alvin was stunned.

"Young man, you have proven your talent in magical engineering in previous competitions." Conrad suddenly put on a generous and fair attitude.

"I believe that after systematic study, you will be able to make the development of magic engineering technology better and faster, properly handle the various contradictions brought about by technological development, formulate policies that can make up for technological shortcomings, and let more people feel the benefits of technological development." As he said, he pointed his index finger at Ivan, his expression serious and solemn.

"I, the current emperor of Linde in the Central Empire, Conrad Carolingian, believe in you!"

“…” Alvin suddenly had an epiphany.

Oh, no wonder that blonde girl has no respect for her brother as Emperor Linde.

Because this guy is just a lazy bum!!!

However, even if he is a lazy guy, he is a smart lazy guy.

Ivan smiled slightly, thinking of the serious Duchess Catherine, the conscientious and responsible guard knight Galar, and the Chief Cardinal Armand Richelieu mentioned by others.

He was able to find subordinates who were capable of handling problems properly and then give them the maximum amount of trust. Perhaps this was why, despite being a lazy bum, Conrad was still surrounded by many talented people who were willing to work hard to make Linde, the Central Empire, a better place.

While thinking, Conrad, still expressing his trust and respect, said to Ivan:

"By the way, I believe you must have heard of the 'Excellent Talent Training Program', so I won't say much. Next month, Catherine will take you and other young people selected through other channels to the Steel City Vulcan. That is the place where Linde Magic Engineering is developing the fastest, and it is also the focus of research. Work hard, young people, the future belongs to you." The Salted Fish Emperor gave a thumbs up, and his smiling face seemed to be shining.

"Thank you for your trust. I will do my best."

Aren't you less than thirty years old? Thinking this in his heart, Ai Wen could only twitch his lips and replied helplessly:

Then, he saw that not far behind Conrad, Khayang, who had stopped collecting food, was showing an expression of trying not to laugh. It was obvious that this guy had also heard what the other party had just said.

Rolling his eyes at the other party without any concealment, Alvin looked at the emperor in front of him again.

With his current vision, he could naturally see through a lot of things. The other party had the strength of a first-level transcendent, but he obviously did not persist in his own training, so that even wearing a complicated dress for a long time would make him sweat.

This is not enough. You have to know that some high-level transcendents wear exaggerated clothes when attending formal meetings. For example, specially made armor measured in tons or weight that does not belong to the former, read as robes and write as special equipment for mobile wizard towers.

But no matter what, we can't look at this guy as an ordinary good-for-nothing playboy.

Even if he's not a sleepy lion, he's at least a cunning raccoon cat. Well, of course, there's also the possibility that he's just a lazy fish.

"However, Your Majesty, what do you think about the recent mass appearance of rats on the streets?" Ivan asked rather obscurely.

He was quite puzzled by this. He wouldn't be surprised by the presence of a few spies in Lutetia, but he was rather puzzled by the fact that the cultists had poked their heads out like rats drawn to bait.

"You mean..." Conrad thought for a moment and realized that the other party was referring to various cultists.

His expression gradually became serious.

"Remember the various drawbacks I mentioned earlier that arise with technological development?" Without waiting for a response, Conrad continued.

"Hardships and difficulties, these things that bring misfortune will eventually turn into breeding grounds for the development of evil forces." At this moment, the emperor's eyes were extremely solemn.

"Are you saying that there is a deeper conspiracy behind those things?" The other party's attitude made Alvin become particularly serious.

"Yes." Conrad nodded.

"So..." The emperor's expression gave Alvin a premonition.

"Leave it to you!"

“…” The black-haired boy was silent for a moment.

"Does this include Her Highness Catherine?"

"Of course, my sister who is always serious and earnest is now a member of the Ninth Public Security Department." Conrad said as a matter of course, and then he gestured to Ivan to look at the banquet hall.

"Regarding the guys involved, it will definitely require cooperation from all parties." Conrad pointed out several young-looking attendees one by one.

"Ms. Scarlett, Chief of the Ninth Public Security Section, is an old friend of mine from childhood. Although I personally find her somewhat incompetent, she is indeed a very talented young public security officer, especially when it comes to solving cases." Pointing to the brown-skinned, gray-haired lady, the Emperor's expression shifted subtly before continuing.

"Gallar, you've already met this man. He's my captain of the guard. He also manages the palace guards and can mobilize at least two-thirds of the guards when necessary."

"Aramis, a member of the newly formed Air Rifle Team specializing in the use of magical weapons, is quite popular within the team..."

As the emperor narrated in a low voice, Alvin discovered that the people he mentioned involved almost every aspect of the capital, Lutetia. Among them were descendants of great nobles, as well as talented people who started from scratch as commoners.

If those people can be trusted, it means that Emperor Lind, who has a nickname that is more derogatory than complimentary, "The Happy King", actually has control over the city beyond the expectations of many nobles.

This guy is really a hidden talent.

But why, except for the first two, the relationship between the others and Conrad was either that they were drinking buddies he met in the bar, or they had lost bets with him before, and some of them were simply met by chance in "that kind of place".

Although it sounds a bit embarrassing, meeting each other in that kind of place gives people a subtle feeling that they must have a very close relationship.

In addition, this shows that the Emperor of Linde rarely sneaks out of Neuschwanstein Castle...