The massive headquarters of the Yingguo Mechanical Guild
, a colossal complex, exudes a cold, metallic feel and an aesthetic of precise gears.
On the top floor, in the guild leader's office, the atmosphere is even colder than the steel exterior.
Grand Mage Lupin sat behind his desk, his face expressionless.
Just now, his attendant had whispered a report to him of the Parliament's resolution to confer the title of Baron upon Su Yu.
The office was silent, broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the mechanical clock on the wall, driven by a sophisticated magical mechanism.
After listening to the report, Grand Mage Lupin remained silent for a long time.
He merely narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing out the window as if deep in thought, a sight that instilled immense pressure in his assistant, who even trembled with fear.
The guild leader offered no comment on the news.
No anger, no surprise, not even a ripple of emotion crossed his face, as if Su Yu's becoming a Baron was entirely irrelevant to him, or to the Mechanical Guild.
The attendant waited a moment, and seeing that the chairman had no further instructions, hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Chairman, regarding... Song Qiongyao, the plan to collect fresh blood, should we... continue?"
Lu Pingyi's finger twitched, and after a few seconds, he slowly spoke, "Continue."
"Yes." The attendant dared not ask any more questions, respectfully replied, and silently withdrew.
Silence returned to the office.
The Kingdom of Ying
was still at its peak. Although the National Assembly had taken away most of the power, the Royal Palace still stood in the center of Blue Moon City, the heart of the kingdom.
The Royal Palace gardens were lush and green, with fountains and sculptures dotting the landscape. Corinthian columns lined the corridors, carpets covered the rooms, portraits of past monarchs hung on the walls, and crystal chandeliers hung from the dome, reflecting the gilded decorations and murals.
The Royal Guard, the direct military force under the control of the royal family, guarded the palace vigilantly.
The Crown Prince was in a room in the palace, enthusiastically selecting gifts. His gaze fell on a set of porcelain, and he asked, "What do you think of this set? Does the Princess like it?"
An attendant, a middle-aged nobleman, was standing to one side, waiting.
He had just received news that Parliament had approved the investiture of Su Yu as a baron.
However, he only twitched his eyelids slightly before suppressing the news, showing no sign of distress.
He knew his master all too well.
He was fully aware of the Crown Prince's feelings for Princess Lin Pengpeng.
But he also knew that if it were an ordinary French princess, even with the complex and entangled relationship between the two countries, it wouldn't be impossible.
But with Princess Lin Pengpeng, who had the Duchy of Loire as her dowry, this relationship was destined from the beginning to be a mirage, impossible to have a future.
"Perhaps the Crown Prince himself knows this,"
"But youthful infatuation makes him harbor illusions,"
"This is not good for anyone, not good at all!"
So, for the Crown Prince, for the royal family, and even for the relationship between Ying and France, perhaps... it's a good thing?
Su Yu becoming the princess's emotional anchor could undoubtedly effectively dispel the Crown Prince's unrealistic fantasies and prevent unnecessary friction between the two countries caused by such hopeless feelings.
This is why, when someone proposed bestowing a title upon Su Yu, it received tacit approval from certain key figures, even secretly giving the green light.
A baronial title is insignificant to the royal family.
But for someone who "might become the princess's husband," it's a necessary status symbol.
At least, to outsiders, his status wouldn't appear too disparate from the princess's.
The attendant discreetly put away the briefing on Su Yu's investiture.
He wouldn't tell the crown prince.
Some things are better left unknown.
A day later, at the Lin family manor in Blackshire
, the atmosphere was as heavy as before a storm.
Baron Lin Zhengxin, the current head of the Lin family, paced back and forth in the council hall.
The hall was filled with core members of the Lin family, including several branch heads and important figures.
Their faces were filled with anxiety and unease.
They had been waiting all day.
"How is it? Still no news?" a branch head couldn't help but ask, his tone urgent.
The butler, responsible for delivering messages, rushed in, sweating profusely, and shook his head: "Master, everyone, still no… News from Blue Moon City takes time…"
A murmur of suppressed sighs and whispers filled the council hall.
Long-distance magical communication was not only incredibly expensive but also required authorization.
Currently, owl communication remained the fastest option.
"Sigh, it feels like an eternity!"
"I wonder how the case of Earl Carlton's assassination is going. Can Su Yu really be exonerated?"
"Exonerated? I doubt it! What kind of person is Earl Carlton? Even if he didn't directly commit the act, just having connections is enough to bring him down!"
"But the problem is, if that rumor is true, then we…"
"Silence!" Lin Zhengxin abruptly interrupted, his face terribly grim. He stopped and scanned everyone present: "Now is not the time to discuss these things! The most urgent thing is to wait for news!"
Despite his words, Lin Zhengxin's anxiety remained undiminished.
Earl Carlton was the Lin family's most important backer and protector; his assassination was a heavy blow to the Lin family.
And if Su Yu was convicted, the Lin family would have won, and perhaps even gained some benefits.
But if Su Yu was safe and sound, and the
rumor was true…
Lin Zhengxin dared not think any further.
"Patriarch, I think… shouldn't we consider other possibilities?" a voice rang out.
The speaker was a young man, one of the few outstanding young figures in the family. His face showed no panic, but rather a hint of calm and sharpness.
"For example, what if Su Yu is innocent, or even... his status becomes higher?"
"Lin Hao, what do you mean?" Lin Zhengxin stopped and frowned. "Are you saying... Su Yu really has a relationship with Princess Lin Pengpeng?"
"I don't know." Lin Hao shook his head. "But I do know that, firstly, Su Yu has been confirmed to be of Xia Lan blood, which is how he obtained his knighthood."
"Secondly, Princess Lin Pengpeng traveled thousands of miles to become Su Yu's classmate."
"Furthermore, the assassination of Earl Carlton, a royal earl, is a serious matter, and Su Yu, as a suspect, has not been formally arrested yet, which is very abnormal in itself, not to mention the rumors circulating..."
Lin Hao paused, lowering his voice slightly. "Whether it's true or false, we'll only know from the message delivered this time..."
"Patriarch, we can't go against Princess Lin Pengpeng!"
Mentioning this, Lin Zhengxin's face became even more grim.
Lin Wei was his only daughter, but she died unexpectedly in a conflict with Su Yu not long ago. He firmly believed that Su Yu was responsible, but he lacked concrete evidence.
"There's no point in saying all this now!" Lin Zhengxin waved his hand impatiently. "Without evidence, it's all just speculation!"
Just then, the sound of flapping wings came from outside the window.
Everyone perked up and looked out.
Several well-trained owls were circling outside the council hall window, each with a letter pouch tied around its neck.