Episode-892
Chapter : 1783
"Princess," Lloyd replied, leaning back in his chair. "I see you didn't bring the elephants this time. I appreciate that. The lawn is finally growing back."
"I brought the stones," Amina said, gesturing to her guards. They placed a heavy chest on the table. Lloyd opened it. Inside, the purple crystals glowed with a hum of power. It was beautiful. It was the fuel for his revolution.
"Excellent," Lloyd said. "Our alliance remains... profitable."
"And the Southern border?" Amina asked. "My father is worried about the Shadow Beasts."
"Tell the Sultan to relax," Lloyd said, picking up a stone and examining it. "I'm sending a detachment of Titan Squad. My mechs will turn those beasts into rugs before lunch."
Amina nodded, satisfied. This was their relationship. Transactional. Efficient. They respected each other. They worked well together. But it wasn't love. Love was a luxury Lloyd couldn't afford anymore.
Then there was Faria Kruts. The Northern aristocracy. They were stubborn, proud, and rich. To get them in line, Lloyd had to marry Faria. She was fiery, artistic, and completely obsessed with him in a way that was both flattering and terrifying.
"Lloyd!"
Speak of the devil. Faria burst into the room, bypassing Ken entirely. She was wearing a dress that looked like it was made of actual fire.
"We have a problem with the seating chart for the reception," Faria announced, slamming a scroll onto the desk next to the magical stones. "The Duke of Oakhaven refuses to sit next to the Baron of Salt. Apparently, there was an incident involving a goat and a dowry ten years ago."
Lloyd stared at her. "Faria, I am planning a defense grid to stop literal demons from eating our souls. I do not care about the goat."
"Well, you have to care," Faria said, crossing her arms. "Because if they fight, they'll ruin the buffet. And I spent weeks selecting the pastries."
Lloyd sighed. This was his life. Demons on one side, pastries on the other.
"Fine," Lloyd said. "Put the Baron at the kids' table. Tell him it's a place of honor. He's not smart enough to know the difference."
Faria beamed. "You're a genius, my love." She kissed him on the cheek and flounced out.
Lloyd wiped his cheek. "Ken, remind me why I did this?"
"Political stability, sir," Ken said, his face impassive. "And the iron mines in her territory."
"Right. The iron. Always the iron."
But he wasn't done. The biggest piece on the board was still moving. Queen Seraphina of Altamira. The South.
The announcement had gone out yesterday. Lloyd Ferrum, the Sovereign of the North, was to marry the Queen of the South. It was the final nail in the coffin of the old world. The three great powers—Bethelham, Zakaria, and Altamira—were now united under one name. His name.
He was no longer just a Duke's heir. He was an Emperor in all but title. He held the keys to industry, magic, and military might.
"The Council of Queens," the newspapers were calling it. Mina managed the household and the internal politics. Amina handled the trade routes and the magic resources. Faria handled the nobility and the public image. And Seraphina... Seraphina brought the army.
It was a perfect system. A bureaucratic machine designed to run an empire while Lloyd focused on the only thing that mattered: the war.
"Sir," Ken said, his voice dropping an octave. "The listening post in the desert. They picked up the signal again."
Lloyd’s demeanor changed instantly. The sarcasm vanished. The bored politician was gone. The soldier was back.
"The noise?" Lloyd asked.
"Yes. It's getting louder. And closer."
Lloyd stood up and walked to the map. He looked at the vast empty space of the desert. He knew what that noise was. It wasn't magic. It wasn't a demon. It was a thruster. It was a frequency modulation. It was technology.
"They're coming," Lloyd said softly. "The Firefly Corporation."
He remembered them from his past life. They were ruthless. They were efficient. They didn't care about honor or magic. They conquered planets for resources. And now, they had found Riverio.
"Let them come," Lloyd said, his eyes cold. "I have three kingdoms, a robot army, and a very bad attitude. I’m ready."
—-
Chapter : 1784
Down on the main floor, amidst the bustle of servants and early arrivals, Arch Duke Roy Ferrum stood near the periphery of the Great Ballroom, nursing a glass of wine he had no intention of finishing. His gaze was cold, dissecting the room not as a celebration, but as a battlefield map. Tradition dictated that a son’s wedding be held at his father’s hearth, within the iron walls of the Ferrum Estate. To the lesser lords whispering behind their fans, this change of venue to the Royal Palace was a slight against House Ferrum.
Fools, Roy thought, his eyes drifting to the banners of Zakaria unfurling above. They see a party. I see the protocol of survival.
He understood the necessity. Amina was not a subject; she was the Princess of Zakaria, a sovereign neighbor. To host her at the Ferrum Estate would have reduced a continental shift in power to a mere regional affair. By seizing the venue, King Liam had elevated the marriage into a State Visit, a treaty forged in the heart of the capital. It signaled to the world that the Crown itself endorsed and protected this alliance. It turned a wedding into International Policy.
Roy’s eyes shifted to where King Liam was overseeing the placement of the head table. The Puppet Master, Roy mused with a grudging respect. He is playing the Grand Game.
If Lloyd had held this massive gathering at the Ferrum Estate—uniting the North, the Desert, and the South under his own banner—it would have looked like a challenge. It would have appeared as if House Ferrum was becoming stronger than the Royal Family, inviting civil war and jealousy from every other nervous lord.
But here? Roy swirled his wine. Here, Liam claims ownership of the event. He projects the image that Lloyd, the 'Sovereign of Three Crowns,' is a pillar of the Royal Throne, not a rival to it. He keeps the hierarchy clear.
It was a brilliant, paranoid, and perfectly executed maneuver. Roy tipped his glass slightly in the King's direction. He could appreciate a well-laid trap, even when his family was the bait.
—-
The preparations for the joint wedding reception were insane. It was a display of wealth and power meant to terrify any potential enemies. The newly reconstructed Great Ballroom—Lloyd refused to call it the Grand Hall anymore—was a masterpiece of engineering and art.
Lloyd stood on the balcony, looking down at the preparations. Banners from three nations hung from the ceiling. Gold and crystal sparkled everywhere. It was opulent. It was excessive. It was a target.
"You look like you're planning a siege, not a party," a voice said.
Lloyd turned to see Prince Linkon. The Crown Prince of Bethelham looked dashing in his royal blues, but his eyes were tired.
"A party is just a siege with better food," Lloyd replied. "Are the perimeter guards in place?"
"Double strength," Linkon confirmed. "And your 'Titan Squad' is on standby in the basement. Seriously, Lloyd, do you really think we need giant robots at a wedding?"
"I think we live in a world where portals to Hell open up on Tuesdays," Lloyd said. "Yes, I think we need the robots."
Linkon laughed. "Fair point. You know, everyone is terrified of you. The Sovereign of Three Crowns. The man who united the continent. They say you're a god."
"I'm just a guy who wants to sleep," Lloyd said. "And maybe invent a dishwasher. Do you know how hard it is to get grease off a vibro-blade?"
"You're impossible," Linkon said, shaking his head. "But you're the only reason we're still alive. So, thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," Lloyd said, looking up at the sky. The stars were coming out. They looked peaceful. Lloyd knew better. "The real fight hasn't even started."
The reception began an hour later. It was a sea of velvet and silk. The music was loud, the wine was flowing, and the laughter was forced.
Lloyd moved through the crowd like a shark in a koi pond. He nodded to dukes, smiled at countesses, and ignored the whispers.
"He looks so cold," one lady whispered.
"They say he has no heart," another replied. "That he gave it to a demon for power."
Lloyd almost laughed. If only it were that simple.