Mechanical Alchemist-Chapter 517 : 516

Although Su Lun knew that Yekaterina was highly ambitious and unparalleled in her strategies,

it seemed that the various arrangements of the Lans family over the past few hundred years were also part of grand schemes.

In Luying, a first-class duke was already a top-ranking noble, next only to princes and the royal family.

Su Lun felt that they might have aspirations for the throne.

But the current situation was that they simply didn't possess the qualifications to claim the throne.

Or was it Yekaterina?

What on earth had happened?

"What about Duke Raphael, the 'Acting Head of State'?"

What about the other nobles of Luying?

No matter what, it was impossible for a young daughter of the Lans family to become the emperor, right?

If it were a few years later, Su Lun might still think it possible.

But it had been just a few months since he last saw her!

...

For a moment, Su Lun was shocked, then curiously asked, "What exactly happened? Isn't Luying still in the midst of a civil war? How could Yekaterina have become the emperor?"

While speaking, he had already taken off his clothes and, wearing only his boxer shorts, stepped into the water.

Back in Old Lington, the three of them had bathed like this before, and now it was no different.

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The only difference was that the former gambling addict, who used to dress modestly, now appeared completely unashamed in her nakedness.

The hot spring wasn't large, with Qiantiao and Mr. Jing each standing at one side, and Su Lun lying down in the space they had made for him in the middle.

Upon hearing this query, Qiantiao replied, "After the divine battle outside of Lington, the Bonaparte royals completely exited the stage. Then Duke Raphael became the Acting Head of State... This duke also displayed the makings of a hero, almost sweeping through everything with his super mechanical warriors and mechanical monster legion. He, along with various allies, suppressed the old-fashioned nobles with extremely iron-fisted and ruthless methods. In just one or two months, the power of all the great lords was revoked and centralized in the hands of the temporary council, completely resolving the issue that the Bonaparte had with the royal authority not extending beyond Lington. After that... well, it's a very cliché plot, Duke Raphael declared himself emperor in Lington."

"Oh."

Su Lun listened, not too surprised.

Although he had little interest in politics, from every angle, Duke Raphael certainly possessed the strength to support his ambition.

If he wanted to be a stable emperor, he surely wouldn't leave behind the kind of mess where lords were everywhere like before.

He then asked, "Wasn't it Duke Raphael who became the emperor? How come it's Yekaterina?"

Qiantiao seemed to find the situation quite theatrical as well, a smile playing on his lips as he said, "Because it was just ten days ago. That is, on the eighth day after Raphael's ascension, this new emperor suddenly died violently in the palace."

At this, Su Lun felt a strong sense of conspiracy overwhelm him, and he said in astonishment, "Died violently?"

Qiantiao's tone also became somewhat somber, "Yes. After the forensic doctor's examination, they found no issues. It was just normal death from overwork, sudden and without any warning. If we're talking mystically, his fate just wasn't suited for being the emperor."

"..."

The more Su Lun heard of these dramatic changes, the more it sounded like a plot from some absurd script.

It was more likely a murder rather than a sudden death.

But the actual truth hardly mattered now.

The important thing was, with Duke Raphael dead, how did Yekaterina become the emperor?

He directly inquired, "Even if Raphael died, why would it be Yekaterina who became the emperor again? What exactly happened in Luying?"

"Indeed. No one expected your fiancée to ascend to the position," Qiantiao said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he added with a hint of admiration, "You'll understand just how astute your wife is once you hear the rest."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun rolled his eyes slightly but perked up his ears to continue listening.

...

Qiantiao continued, "After the disaster in Lington, everyone's attention was on Duke Raphael. No one cared that the Lans family's youngest daughter had gone to the Regadi kingdom in the south. Because... Regadi's first heir, 'William Regadi,' was killed by you, and then it was announced that 'Feck' would become the next heir. But you didn't show up, so as the primary queen, Yekaterina temporarily took over most of the rights of your position as the crown prince..."

Right!

The Regadi family!

As Su Lun heard this, he suddenly realized something.

It was as if he had found a crucial clue that made everything that didn't make sense suddenly seem logical.

Still, it didn't quite feel right.

Merely being married into it wasn't enough.

Qiantiao kept on speaking, "Whatever Miss Yekaterina did in the south these past few months is unknown to the outside world. But one thing that is known is that a month ago, the Regadi family publicly announced that they fully support any decisions she makes. In other words... she now speaks for the Regadi family. Once this news broke, all the major powers in Luying were shocked. After all, prior to this, your wife was only known for her beauty, without showing any political talent."

Su Lun's expression turned slightly odd as he listened.

Having spent some time with Yekaterina, he knew she certainly had the ability.

Yet for her to have taken control of the Regadi family so quickly was still hard to believe.

There was definitely something hidden beneath the surface.

As Qiantiao spoke, something seemed to occur to him, and he paused before adding, "Oh, and another thing... Just over a month after she went to the south, Kelson, the Family Head of the Regadi family, died suddenly. Murder was determined to be the cause. His wife, Lady Portia, colluded with Duke Raphael to use a kind of soul poison, aiming to have William ascend to the throne sooner... The specifics have been disclosed in the newspapers, basically, all that messy private life of nobility and their conspiracies to seize power, quite a dramatic thriller. Lady Portia was also discovered to be a believer in foreign gods and was promptly sent to the gallows."

"Kelson also died violently?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of confusion crossed Su Lun's eyes.

He had seen this cheap father of the original owner once before in Old Lington, and he indeed knew that the man's days were numbered.

At the time, Su Lun didn't think much of it.

Only now, seeing the outcome, had he marveled at the numerous "coincidences."

People definitely didn't kill Yekaterina.

Previously, Su Lun knew that Duke Raphael had won over young William and his mother. The death of Kelson had to be their doing. After all, the Regadi still had capable people, and the King's death would definitely be thoroughly investigated. Most of what was disclosed in the newspapers should be true.

But now, coincidentally, William was dead, Lady Portia was dead, Kelson was dead, Duke Raphael was also dead...

It was just that coincidental.

The "melon" painstakingly planted by their schemes was not picked by anyone, and had fallen into the hands of Yekaterina, who had just become the queen.

Coincidence?

Clearly, it was not.

Although the House of Lance did not directly participate in these events, they must have played an ignominious role behind the scenes.

Since Su Lun had speculated this before, it was not too surprising.

And now, there was an even greater benefit.

Duke Raphael had made all the preparations to become Emperor.

He waged wars everywhere, eliminated political enemies, and reclaimed the rights of various lords within the Empire.

The troublesome problems were all solved by Raphael, who carried the burden of ill repute, only to suddenly die violently and have the fruits of his labor snatched away.

Others simply assumed that the House of Lance had picked up a huge bargain by chance.

But only those like Su Lun who knew the inside story realized the brilliance of the House of Lance's scheme.

It was simply mind-boggling.

...

Listening to all these "coincidences," Su Lun also understood why Yekaterina could become Emperor in just a few short months.

This was the planning of the House of Lance over several hundred years.

It was also the planning of the House of Raphael over several hundred years.

And the House of Regadi...

It was as if all the good fortune had converged upon one person.

It was not surprising that things went so smoothly.

At this moment, Qian Tiao also gave a summary of the events: "With the full support of the House of Regadi and the consent of the remaining two powerful councilor families, the Houses of Lance and Robci, naturally, there were no voices of opposition. Moreover, coincidentally, those stubborn old nobles who would have opposed them were all cleaned up by Duke Raphael. The remnants of the old-fashioned nobles were even more hopeful for a new emperor rather than the brutal Raphael family, so they naturally supported her. Hence, with support from all sides, three days ago, Yekaterina logically became the Emperor..."

"..."

The logic was sound, but as Su Lun listened, he also spotted something amiss.

Even if the family head Kelson had died violently, and "Fick" was not around, those uncles of his would still have come forward to vie for power.

How did it come to a queen?

Although he vaguely guessed that Yekaterina might have used some means and had plans in place, something crucial still seemed to be missing...

Before Su Lun could think further, Qian Tiao suddenly leaned closer, resting a hand on his shoulder without avoiding the intimacy of their bare skin touching, and teased, "Aren't you curious about how your wife managed to take control of the Regadi family so quickly?"

"Oh?"

Listening to this reference, Su Lun always felt something strange; everyone at dawn knew that the union between "Fick" and Yekaterina was a transaction.

This had nothing to do with him, Su Lun.

But today, Qian Tiao's references to "your wife" didn't seem to be merely teasing.

Indeed, Qian Tiao, with a mischievous look, suddenly dropped a bombshell: "There is reliable news that Yekaterina is pregnant."

What!

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's mind reeled.

Although he had previously guessed this possibility remotely... it shouldn't be! The Regadi were a bunch of decrepit antiques; they were bent on restoring their nation.

So pushing Yekaterina, the queen, to be Emperor did indeed have a certain rationale, but it wasn't enough.

If she was pregnant with the offspring of Regadi, then everything made perfect sense.

The continuation of the Regadi bloodline as rulers was what those old fossils dreamed of.

Given that Yekaterina's claim to the throne had become a fact, then working backward, the news of the pregnancy had to be accurate!

Because the news was accurate,

Therefore,

Su Lun was so astonished!

In this fantastic alchemical world, although there was no such thing as paternity testing, there were a multitude of secret bloodline techniques.

One thing was certain: if Yekaterina was indeed pregnant, then the child must carry the bloodline of Regadi.

Otherwise, those old folks from the Regadi family would definitely not support her.

This made Su Lun very puzzled. Previously in the newlywed residence Rose Manor, he and Yekaterina had indeed gotten along quite happily, even sharing a bed.

But nothing happened.

Could it be...?

No, that can't be right; with her proud nature, even if she did it, she would never dare not to admit it.

For a moment, various thoughts flashed through his mind.

Su Lun suddenly remembered what Yekaterina had said during the marriage parade on the carriage: "I will only get married once in my life, and there will be only one man. So if you hear any news later, don't be too surprised."

"So... was she referring to this news when she said that?"

Su Lun suddenly felt that it was very likely she was referring to this very news.

Well, the news of becoming a father is not surprising?

For the first time, Su Lun felt that his brain wasn't quite up to the task.

If she said that phrase...

So, is it really my doing?

But when did I do it?!

...

Watching Su Lun's expressions change was extremely amusing.

Even Mr. Jing, who was always indifferent, cast a curious glance at him.

Qian Tiao was also very curious, uttering a light "Huh".

Despite the "irrefutable evidence", looking at his expression, it doesn't seem like he did it, yet it somehow seems like he did.

Knowing Su Lun well, Qian Tiao didn't hold back and asked directly: "So... did you actually do it or not?"

Faced with this straightforward question, Su Lun responded with a roll of his eyes.

The key issue is that the gambling-addicted woman had pressed her body against his, her arm sinking into a towering expanse, and the atmosphere between the three of them was bound to be strange.

But since none of them were strangers here, he thought there was nothing to hide and said directly, "I don't know."

Qian Tiao said in surprise, "You don't know?"

Her brow furrowed, initially expecting to hear some juicy gossip, but she didn't expect this kind of response.

Su Lun spread his hands.

Qian Tiao, the spectator craving for gossip, didn't hear what she expected and looked visibly deflated, casually adding, "Could it be somewhere else that you've forgotten about?"

"How could that be possible..."

Su Lun was speechless at this suggestion.

With his enhanced brain development, his memory was not bad; he couldn't forget such an important matter.

He was just about to say it was impossible to forget, but as he began speaking, suddenly—

In his mind, as if a light had flickered, some fragmented images passed by.

Somewhere else?

Right!

Besides a few days at the Rose Manor after the wedding, there was one other intimate encounter between them.

It was at the Emerald Holy Land of the Daru tribe.

That time, he had also drunk the Poet's Honey Wine and got drunk.

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

As this thought surfaced, his brain seemed stimulated.

The fragmented memories flooded into his mind like a slide show, albeit not very clear, but they were all amorous scenes.

In an instant, Su Lun's eyes shone with a strange emotion.

From his memories, in the drunken bliss at the treehouse, apart from Yuta, there was another person!

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

Because... he really did sleep with her!

Remembering this fragment of memory, Su Lun then recalled what happened at the Rose Manor after the wedding; no wonder Yekaterina said those words.

"Tonight is our wedding night; do you want to exercise your rights as a husband?"

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

"My proposal just now was only meant to make you feel less shortchanged when you hear certain news in the future."

So that's what she meant?

Su Lun finally understood.

Yekaterina had informed him early on.

It was just that he didn't recall it at the time, which is why he was so bewildered now.

Despite the discrepancy in timing, for alchemists, this was not an issue at all.

...

Seeing Su Lun's expression turn very odd, both Qian Tiao and Mr. Jing cast curious glances his way.

Qian Tiao's eyes suddenly rekindled with the fire of gossip and said, "Did you remember something?"

Su Lun revealed a wry smile, not sure how to respond outright, "I'll ask her when I see her in the future."

Hearing this tacit admission, Qian Tiao clicked her tongue, "That lady's scheme is genuinely intricate."

Su Lun listened and noncommittally raised his brow.

If it were Yekaterina, he could see the elements of a political transaction.

But with Katya, it felt more like he had taken advantage of the girl.

Compared to politics, Qian Tiao obviously cared more about gossip.

Upon hearing Su Lun indirectly confirm an intimate relationship with the new Empress, she pursued eagerly, "Hey, hey, hey, come on, tell us... what's really going on?"

"..."

Su Lun's forehead creased with exasperation, how could he possibly go into details over such a matter?

Though he didn't mind telling Qian Tiao, there was also his senior sister to consider.

Mr. Jing also recognized Su Lun's predicament and interjected surprisingly, "When I was talking to Master Pierre earlier, that young lady from the Luns family was in presence. Your fiancée is indeed a gifted strategist. Now, it's not just the Regadi family from the south, but even the small border kingdoms from the northern continent have declared joining the Luying Empire. She's truly achieved the unification of north and south, something even the Bona Royal Family never dreamed of. With direct control of the 'Intelligence Department,' her grip on Luying's political power is perhaps the strongest in centuries."

Su Lun nodded in acknowledgment, grateful his senior sister had helped change the subject, "Mm."

This was also Yekaterina's brilliance.

A series of "coincidences," and everything seemed to fall into place.

She had amassed a considerable concentration of power.

Mr. Jing couldn't hide his admiration in his tone, continuing, "What's more remarkable is this. She has gathered all this power, yet doesn't aspire to restore the old age's dictatorship like Duke Raphael does. As soon as she became the Empress, she introduced a series of new laws, following new political methods. She opened the Alchemy Academy, financially supporting the establishment of new basic academies everywhere, giving everyone the chance to study alchemy; she also introduced Mafa's labor machinery technology, liberating the workforce. With such measures, a great development era for alchemy civilization is inevitable..."

Understanding these initiatives, Su Lun realized why his senior sister praised Yekaterina so highly.

Because promoting the development of alchemy civilization was precisely what Dawn was doing.

Mr. Jing added, "Furthermore, following her ascension, Yekaterina proactively signed a permanent armistice alliance with the Mafa military, to jointly resist planar invasions. She's opened all military fortresses previously established due to war between the two empires, exposing Luying's heartland to Mafa, binding their fates together. Such courage is rare among emperors."

Upon hearing this, Qian Tiao seemed pensive.

Su Lun listened along.

Finally, Mr. Jing mentioned another piece of news: "Oh, and one more thing. Yekaterina, through Sabina, has sent word that the ancient Gusmao flying ship you were promised is ready and can be delivered at any time."

"Mm."

Su Lun nodded again.

Now that he had the flying ship, he needed to find a group of mechanics for modification.

He thought of Colonel Dora.

...

"The planar gate was discovered too late. A rough estimate suggests that several hundred thousand mages from different planes have infiltrated the alchemy plane. Moreover, several Rank 9 magic towers have already been constructed near the planar gate, making it difficult to breach. The Mafa military is also struggling in their assault..."

"Intelligence indicates that pirates under the 'King of the Western Sea' and the 'King of the South Sea' have been recruited or coerced by some mysterious people to venture to the Far Western Seas in search of treasure. The number of mages accompanying the ships is unknown..."

"..."

The three of them continued to soak in the hot spring pool.

After discussing current affairs, Su Lun also recounted his experiences from the past few days, including everything about the God's Tomb, the Ten Thousand Mage Group information, the Holy Church's army, leaving no detail unspoken.

Qian Tiao listened with boredom, while Mr. Jing was meticulous.

Su Lun had no immediate plans for the planar gate area; without needing to think about it, he knew it would be extremely bloody.

His current strength was not suitable for joining such a large-scale battle.

Conversely, disrupting the deities of the divine realm in their treasure-hunting plans was more appropriate.

And it would be an opportunity to enhance his own strength.

Su Lun said, "The deities of the divine realm are searching for the 'Mimir's Spring,' and I suspect it's connected to their 'Omniscient Revelation' talent, so we absolutely can't let them find it. So, once I've recruited some mechanics in Mafa's imperial capital Cabitron, I'll head over to Dragon Country to check things out."

Mr. Jing, hearing his plan, agreed, "Mm. It's good for you to investigate. Now with your exceptional spatial ability, the risks will be greatly reduced. I've also gathered some intelligence. It is rumored that Pirate King Black Sam ventured to that region with another goal of finding cosmic essence to advance to Rank 9. That area is rarely traveled, so there might truly be 'cosmic essence'. Both you and Odilia have the excellent talent to reach the threshold of Rank 9. If you can find cosmic essence, it's good to prepare in advance. Oh, one more thing, I've taken a thorough look at the alchemy manuscript my father left, and 'Isaac's Dragon-marked Golden Body,' if infused, will help you greatly endure the backlash from heavenly tribulations after advancing to Rank 8..."

"..."

Su Lun nodded.

This was also part of his plan.

Dawn's current combat configuration was already strong, sufficient to handle most crises. Additionally, there were mechanical warriors like Number 19 who could withstand dragons, dragon-slaying daggers, dragon-slaying armor, and dragon-slaying potions. Dragon Island was certainly within reach.

There was no need to aim too high; dealing with Rank 7 dragons shouldn't be too difficult.

If he could hunt down a few, creating a 'prosthetic' like 'Isaac's Dragon-marked Golden Body' would significantly enhance combat capabilities.

He then asked, "What about you, Senior Sister?"

Mr. Jing responded, "The Mage Corps' assault is fierce; I'll be near the planar gate, aiming to eliminate high-level individuals from different planes. Moreover, the laws of the area are the most refined, which is hugely beneficial for my advancement to Rank 9. If you encounter any dangers, you can inform me..."

Soaking in the pool, snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.

The three of them lazily lay in the hot spring.

With a cool breeze and warm waters, it was a rare moment of tranquility.