Chapter 1 Suren's Shock

Suren knew that Yekaterina had great ambitions and unmatched talent.

Moreover, the Lance family's centuries of planning seemed to point to a grand scheme.

The Grand Duke of Luying was already a top-tier noble; above him were only princes and royalty.

Suren thought they might have designs on the throne.

But the current situation didn't meet the conditions for declaring an empire.

Still Yekaterina?

What exactly had happened?

What about the "interim head of state," Grand Duke Raphael?

What about the other nobles of Luying?

No matter what, they wouldn't let the young daughter of the Lance family become emperor, would they?

If it were a few years later, Suren might think it was possible.

But it had only been a few months since he'd seen her!

...

Suren was shocked for a moment, then curiously asked, "What exactly happened? Isn't Luying still in the middle of a civil war? How did Yekaterina become emperor?"

As he spoke, he took off his clothes and got into the water in his boxers.

The three of them had soaked in hot springs like this before in Old Lingdun, so they weren't strangers anymore.

The only difference was that the gambling addict used to wear clothes out of modesty, but now she didn't mind being naked.

The hot spring pool wasn't big. Chijo and Mr. Mirror stood on either side, and Suren lay down in the middle space they'd left.

Hearing his question, Chijo replied, "After the Outer God War in Lingdun, the Bona royal family completely withdrew from the stage. Then Grand Duke Raphael became the interim head of state... This grand duke also had the makings of a great leader. Super Mechanical Alchemist and Mechanical Beast Legions swept almost everything. He joined forces with a group of allies and suppressed various old-school nobles with extremely tough, iron-fisted methods. In just a month or two, the rights of lords of all sizes were taken back and concentrated in the interim council, completely resolving the problem of the Bona royal family's inability to extend its power beyond Lingdun. And then... it was a very cliché plot: Grand Duke Raphael declared himself emperor in Lingdun."

"Oh."

Suren wasn't too surprised to hear that.

From any point of view, Grand Duke Raphael did have the strength to support his ambition.

If he wanted to be a stable emperor, he certainly wouldn't leave behind the mess of lords everywhere; it was only natural to purge the lords, big and small.

He asked again, "Didn't Raphael become emperor? How did Yekaterina become emperor?"

Chijo seemed to find it very dramatic, and her expression was both smiling and not smiling. "Because it was just ten days ago. On the eighth day after Raphael became emperor, the new emperor suddenly died in the palace."

Hearing this, Suren felt a strong sense of conspiracy and said in surprise, "Died?"

Chijo's tone also became somewhat emotional. "Yes. After the medical examiner's inspection, no problems were found. It was just normal overwork, and he died suddenly without warning. From a mystical point of view, his fate wasn't suitable for being emperor."

"..."

Suren felt that the storyline was so dramatic that it looked like something out of an absurd play.

Most likely, it wasn't a sudden death, but murder.

But the truth didn't matter.

The point was, Grand Duke Raphael was dead, so how did Yekaterina become emperor?

He asked directly, "But even if Raphael died, why did Yekaterina become emperor? What exactly happened in Luying?"

"Yes. No one expected your fiancée to rise to power."

Chijo narrowed her eyes slightly and said with emotion, "You'll only know how clever that lovely wife of yours is after you hear the rest."

Suren rolled his eyes slightly at this title, but he still listened attentively.

...

Chijo continued, "After the Lingdun Cataclysm, everyone's attention was focused on Grand Duke Raphael. No one cared that the young daughter of the Lance family went to the Kingdom of Regardi in the south. Because... the first in line to the Regardi throne, 'William Regardi,' was killed by you, and then they announced 'Fick' as the first in line. But you didn't show up, so Yekaterina, as the first queen consort, temporarily took charge of most of your crown prince's rights..."

That's right!

The Regardi family!

Hearing this beginning, Suren suddenly realized something.

It seemed he'd gotten a key clue that explained some of the inconsistencies.

But it didn't seem right.

Just being married wasn't enough.

Chijo continued, "What exactly Miss Yekaterina did in the south these past few months is unknown to the outside world. But the result is that the Regardi family announced a month ago that they would fully support any decision she made. In other words... she was the person in charge of Regardi. As soon as this news came out, all the major forces in Luying were shocked. After all, your wife was previously known to the world only for her beauty; she'd never shown any political talent."

Suren's expression was slightly strange.

He'd spent some time with Yekaterina and knew that she had those skills.

But it was still unbelievable that she'd taken control of the Regardi family so quickly.

There must be another secret.

Speaking of which, Chijo paused and said, "Oh, and I have to mention that a little over a month after she went south, the head of the Regardi family, Kelson, suddenly died. The result of the investigation was murder. His wife, Portia, working with Grand Duke Raphael, used a soul toxin to get William on the throne early... The details were in the newspapers; it was all about the licentious private lives and power struggles of the nobles, pretty melodramatic. Lady Portia was also found to be a follower of an Outer God and was sent straight to the gallows."

"Kelson also died?"

Hearing this, Suren's eyes twitched inexplicably.

He'd met the original owner's cheap old man in Lingdun and knew that the guy wouldn't live long.

Suren hadn't thought much of it at the time.

But now that he saw the result, he was amazed by how many "coincidences" there were.

Yekaterina certainly hadn't killed him.

Suren knew before that Raphael had won over William and his mother. They must have been responsible for Kelson's death.

After all, there were still capable people in the Kingdom of Regardi, and the king's death would definitely be thoroughly investigated.

Most of what the newspapers disclosed should be true.

But what was coincidental now was that William was dead, Lady Portia was dead, Kelson was dead, and Grand Duke Raphael was also dead...

Just that coincidentally.

The "melon" that had been painstakingly planted was left unpicked, falling into the hands of Yekaterina, who had just become a queen consort.

Coincidence?

Obviously not.

Although the Lance family hadn't directly participated in these events, they must have played an unsavory role behind the scenes in fueling the flames.

Suren had guessed this before, so he wasn't too surprised.

And now there was another major benefit.

Grand Duke Raphael had made all the preparations to become emperor.

He fought everywhere, purged his political enemies, and took back all the rights of the various lords within the empire.

Raphael had solved all the thorny problems and taken the blame, only to suddenly die and have someone else pick the melon.

Others thought that the Lance family had simply picked up a great bargain.

But only those who knew the inside story, like Suren, knew how clever the Lance family's plan was.

It was simply unbelievable.

...

Hearing these "coincidences," Suren finally understood why Yekaterina could become emperor in just a few months.

This was the Lance family's centuries of planning.

It was also the Raphael family's century of accumulation.

And the declining Regardi royal family...

It was simply a combination of many benefits.

No wonder it was so smooth.

At this time, Chijo also gave a summary of the events: "With the strong support of the Regardi family, and the agreement of the remaining two Grand Councilor families, the Lance family and the Robus family, there was naturally no opposition. Moreover, more coincidentally, the stubborn old nobles who would have opposed it before had been cleaned up by Grand Duke Raphael. The remaining remnants of the old-school nobles were even hoping for a new emperor instead of the brutal Raphael family, so they naturally supported it. So with the support of all parties, Yekaterina became emperor three days ago..."

"..."

The logic was sound, but Suren also noticed something was wrong.

Even if the head of the family, Kelson, died, and "Fick" wasn't around, those uncles would come out to fight for power.

How could it be the turn of a queen consort?

Although he vaguely guessed that Yekaterina might have used some tricks and had planned it long ago, it seemed like something key was missing.

Before Suren could think too much, Chijo suddenly leaned over, put her hand on his shoulder, not at all avoiding the intimate touch of skin, and said jokingly, "Are you curious about how your wife was able to take control of the Regardi family so quickly?"

"Oh?"

Suren always felt that there was something strange about this title. Everyone in the Dawn Society knew that "Fick" and Yekaterina's marriage was a transaction.

It had nothing to do with Suren.

But today, Chijo kept calling her "your wife"... it didn't sound like simple teasing.

Sure enough, Chijo looked mischievous and suddenly revealed a bombshell piece of news: "There's definite news that Yekaterina is pregnant."

"???"

"???"

"???"

Suren's mind was full of question marks.

He was stunned for a moment, trying to understand what he had just heard.

Although he had vaguely guessed this possibility before... it shouldn't be!

The Regardi were a bunch of decadent old fossils who wanted to restore their country.

So pushing Queen Consort Ye to become emperor did have a certain rationale, but it wasn't enough.

If she were pregnant with Regardi's child, it would be perfectly explained.

The Regardi bloodline could inherit the throne, which was what those old bones dreamed of.

Since Yekaterina's ascension to the throne was a fait accompli, then working backwards, the news of the pregnancy must be accurate!

It was precisely because the news was accurate that Suren was so shocked.

Although this fantasy alchemic world didn't have paternity tests, there were many kinds of bloodline secret arts.

What was certain was that if Yekaterina was really pregnant, then it must be the Regardi bloodline.

Otherwise, the old guys from the Regardi family would never support her.

This made Suren very confused. He and Yekaterina had gotten along quite well at the Rose Manor after the wedding, and they had shared the same bed.

But nothing had happened.

Could it be Rose Manor...?

No, with her proud nature, even if something had happened, she would never dare not admit it.

In an instant, all sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind.

Suren suddenly remembered what Yekaterina had said in the carriage during the wedding parade: "I will only get married once in my life, and I will only have one man. So if you hear any news in the future, don't be too surprised."

"So... wasn't she referring to this news when she said that?"

Suren suddenly felt that she was probably referring to this news.

Damn.

Who wouldn't be surprised to hear that he was going to be a father?

Suren felt for the first time that his brain wasn't working very well.

Since she would say that... so, did I really do it?

But when did I do it?!

...

Seeing Suren's expression change so wonderfully.

Even Mr. Mirror, who had always been indifferent, cast a curious look.

Chijo also felt very curious and let out a light hmm.

It was clearly "confirmed evidence", but judging from his expression, it didn't seem like he did it, but it seemed like he did it.

She knew Suren very well, and without any scruples, she directly asked, "So... did you do it or not?"

Suren rolled his eyes at this straightforward question.

The key was that the gambling addict's body was already pressed against him, and his arm was sinking into a majestic expanse. The atmosphere would be very strange.

But there were no outsiders here, so he didn't think there was anything to avoid and said directly, "I don't know."

Chijo said in surprise, "Don't know?"

She frowned. She originally wanted to hear some gossip, but she didn't expect to get such a response.

Suren spread his hands.

Chijo, the busybody, didn't hear the gossip she expected and looked disappointed. She casually said, "Could it be somewhere else that you forgot?"

"How is that possible..."

Suren was speechless at this question.

After the brain domain was developed, his memory wasn't bad. How could he forget something so important?

He was about to say that it was impossible to forget, but he had just said half a sentence when suddenly!

It was as if something flashed in his mind, passing over some fragmented pictures.

Somewhere else?

That's right!

Besides the few days at Rose Manor after the wedding, there was another opportunity for them to be intimate.

That was at the Emerald Sanctuary of the Dalu tribe.

That time, he also drank the Poet Immortal Honey Wine and got drunk.

Then, when he woke up, Yekaterina, who was still "Katyusha" at the time, had already left.

As soon as this thought came up, it was as if his brain had been stimulated.

The fragmented memories suddenly flooded into his mind like slides. Although they weren't clear enough, they were all picturesque scenes.

Suren's eyes instantly burst into strange emotions.

In the scenes in his memory, in the drunken revelry in the tree house, besides Yuta, there was another person!

Suren finally remembered why he had been bitten. (Chapter 260)

Because... he really slept with her!

Remembering this fragmented memory, Suren finally remembered why Yekaterina would say those words after the wedding at Rose Manor.

"Today is the wedding night. Do you want to exercise your rights as a husband?"

"No, I am me, and Fick is Fick."

"My suggestion just now was just so that you wouldn't feel so wronged if you heard certain news in the future."

So that's what she meant?

Suren finally understood.

It turned out that Yekaterina had already told him.

It was just that he didn't remember it at the time, so he was so confused now.

Don't think the time doesn't match. This wasn't a problem for alchemists at all.

...

Seeing Suren's expression become very strange, Chijo and Mr. Mirror both cast curious looks.

The fire of gossip suddenly reignited in Chijo's eyes, and she looked at him with a questioning gaze, "Hmm?"

Suren showed a wry smile, but it wasn't easy to say directly, "I'll ask her when I see her again."

Hearing this tacit admission, Chijo said, "Tsk tsk... that lady's plan is really not simple."

Suren raised his eyebrows noncommittally.

If it was Yekaterina, he would still feel that there were political transactions involved.

But if it was Katyusha, he would instead feel that he had taken advantage of the little girl. After all, not counting the drinking, he had always been the one who made the first move. If he did it, he did it, and there was nothing he dared not admit.

Compared to politics, Chijo was obviously only concerned about gossip.

Hearing Suren admit that he had an intimate relationship with the new empress, she eagerly asked, "Hey, hey, hey, tell me quickly, what exactly happened..."

"..."

Suren's forehead was full of black lines. How could he talk about this in detail?

Although he didn't mind telling Chijo, his senior sister was also here.

Mr. Mirror also saw Suren's embarrassment and rarely interjected, "When I was talking to Master Pierre before, that miss from the Lance family was also there. She does have great talent. Not only is the Regardi family in the south, but the small kingdoms on the northern continent have also announced their accession to the Luying Empire. She has truly achieved the unification of the north and south that even the Bona royal family never dreamed of. With her actual control of the 'Military Intelligence Agency,' her control of the Luying regime is probably the greatest in recent centuries."

Hearing his senior sister help him out, Suren nodded, "Yes."

This was also Ye's cleverness.

After a series of "coincidences," it seemed that everything had come naturally.

She had grasped highly concentrated power.

Mr. Mirror's tone didn't hide his praise and added, "What's even more commendable is that she doesn't want to restore the old-fashioned dictatorship like Grand Duke Raphael. As soon as she became emperor, she implemented a new set of policies and announced a series of new laws. She opened the Alchemic Academy, provided financial support for building new basic academies in various places, and gave everyone the opportunity to learn alchemy; she also introduced Marfa's labor machinery technology to liberate the labor force. In this way, alchemic civilization will inevitably usher in a great era of development..."

Hearing these measures, Suren also understood why his senior sister praised Yekaterina so much.

Because promoting the development of alchemic civilization was also what the Dawn Society was doing.

Mr. Mirror added, "What's more, after Yekaterina became emperor, she took the initiative to sign a permanent ceasefire alliance agreement with the Marfa military to jointly resist plane invasions. She opened all the military fortresses built during the previous wars between the two empires, exposing Luying's hinterland to Marfa and sharing weal and woe. Not everyone who becomes emperor has this kind of courage."

Hearing this, Chijo was thoughtful.

Suren also felt it was pretty good.

Finally, Mr. Mirror added, "Oh, and one more thing. Yekaterina sent a message through Shabina, saying that the Gusmao airship she promised you is ready and can be delivered at any time."

"Yes."

Suren nodded.

Now that he had the airship, he still had to find a group of mechanics to改造 (gǎizào - transform, refit).

He thought of Colonel Dora.

...

"The plane passage was discovered too late. An unknown number of mages have already infiltrated the alchemic plane. Moreover, several level-nine magic towers have been built there, making it difficult to break through. The Marfa military is also fighting very hard..."

"But the good news is that the enemy's top combat power has not yet descended, and the fighting is still in a stalemate."

"According to intelligence, the pirates under the command of the 'King of the West Sea' and the 'King of the South Sea' have been recruited or coerced by some mysterious people to go to the far west sea to hunt for treasure. There are also an unknown number of mages on board..."

"..."

The three of them soaked in the hot spring pool.

After chatting about current affairs, Suren also told them about his experiences these days, including the God's Tomb, the information about the Ten Thousand Man Magic Corps, and the Holy Crusaders, in detail.

Chijo listened with boredom, but Mr. Mirror listened carefully.

Suren didn't plan to go to the plane passage for the time being. He didn't need to think about it; it was very tragic.

His current strength wasn't suitable for participating in that kind of large-scale battle.

On the contrary, it was more suitable to sabotage the Celestials' treasure hunting plan.

His top priority now was to improve his strength.

Suren said, "The gods of the Celestial Plane are looking for the [Well of Mímir]. I suspect it's related to their [Myriad Manifestations True Understanding] talent, so we must not let them find it. I'm going to recruit some mechanics in the Marfa capital, Kabitrone, and then go to the Dragon Kingdom to take a look."

Hearing his plan, Mr. Mirror agreed, "Yes. It's good for you to go and take a look. Now that you have such excellent spatial abilities, the risk will be greatly reduced. And I've also obtained some intelligence. It's said that when the Pirate King Black Sam went to that sea area to explore, another purpose was to find the Cosmic Source to advance to Rank Nine. That sea area is sparsely populated and once had a brilliant civilization. Perhaps there really is [Source Matter]. You and Audelia both have excellent talents that have the opportunity to touch the threshold of Rank Nine. If you can find the Cosmic Source, it's good to prepare in advance. Oh, and one more thing. I carefully read the alchemic manuscript left by my father. If the [Isaac's Dragon-Marked Golden Body] can be fused, it will greatly help you withstand the backlash of the Cataclysm after you advance to Rank Eight..."

"..."

Suren nodded.

This was also one of his plans.

The Dawn Society's current combat configuration was already very strong, enough to cope with most crises. What's more, there was No. 19, a mechanical warrior who could withstand the Dragon Race, as well as the Dragon-Slaying Dagger, Dragon-Slaying Armor, and Dragon-Slaying Potion. He could go to Dragon Island.

There was no need to raise the target too high. A Rank Seven dragon wouldn't be too much of a problem.

If he could really hunt a few and refine the [Isaac's Dragon-Marked Golden Body], the increase in combat power would be terrifying.

He asked again, "What about you, senior sister?"

Mr. Mirror replied, "The Celestial Plane's mage corps is attacking fiercely. I'll stay near the plane passage to lie in wait and snipe the experts from other planes. Moreover, the laws are most complete here, which is of great benefit to my advancement to Rank Nine. If you encounter any danger, you can notify me..."

Suren: "Yes."

As they soaked, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

The three of them lay in the hot spring pool with relaxed expressions.

The breeze was cool, the spring water was warm, and the time was rare and leisurely.