I became a god through archaeology in the Wizarding World.

The Plymouth Port Governor's House, a Baroque building that once symbolized prosperity and trade, is now under the control of the Iron Duke's personal guard.

The corridor, which was originally filled with famous paintings, is now piled with ammunition boxes and cots.

The air was thick with the smell of cigars and gun oil, a somber atmosphere unique to the military.

Rhodes followed behind General Rein, passing through a series of sentry posts.

With each soldier he passed, Rhodes could feel the undisguised scrutinizing gaze.

"Go in, the Duke is waiting for you."

Raine stopped in front of a carved mahogany door. Instead of going in to announce his arrival, he pushed the door open and gestured for him to enter. A meaningful smile played on his bearded face. "Don't keep the master waiting too long, Scholar Rhodes."

Rod straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The room was very large and was originally the governor's reception room.

At this moment, the expensive velvet sofas were pushed to the corner, and in their place was a huge tactical sand table, covered with flags representing various forces.

Iron Duke Balthazar did not look at the sand table.

He stood with his back to the door, in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, a still-burning cigar between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the distant sea where turbid waves were still rolling.

He wasn't wearing his signature black plate armor, but only a white silk shirt with the cuffs rolled up, revealing his muscular, scarred forearms.

Even just seeing his back, the overwhelming sense of oppression, as heavy as a mountain, was palpable.

This was the second time Rhodes had formally faced the supreme commander of the kingdom's military.

"You've become stronger, Rhodes."

Balthazar didn't turn around, his voice low and hoarse, the smoke from his exhaled breath echoing in the room. "Your footsteps are more steady than before, and your breathing has changed. It seems that the so-called honorary scholar badge has indeed brought you quite a few benefits."

Rhodes stopped five steps away from the Duke, bowed slightly, and performed a standard noble salute.

"I have to thank His Excellency the Duke for his support back then. If it weren't for your army sealing off the lower city, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to develop the potion."

"Promote?"

Balthazar turned around, his gray eyes sharp as a hawk's, fixed intently on Rhodes.

He strode toward Rhodes, each step carrying an invisible pressure.

"I used you as a useful knife, hoping you could cut through the disguise of those charlatans in the church. And what happened? You turned around and snuggled into the arms of that old fox Edward."

The Duke walked up to Rhodes, the two of them less than half a meter apart.

Rhodes could even smell the faint scent of blood on the Duke.

"Tell me, Rhodes." The Duke's voice suddenly turned cold, his finger lightly tapping the royal crest on Rhodes' chest. "His Majesty sent you to the underground ruins of the History Department, making you dig there like a rat for so long... What exactly did you dig up?"

Rhodes' heart skipped a beat, but his facial expression remained perfectly calm.

As expected, the Duke knew everything.

Although the underground ruins are forbidden to the royal family, the military's intelligence network has long since infiltrated every corner of the capital.

"Just some ancient scrap metal, sir."

Rhodes did not avoid the Duke's gaze, and said sincerely, "You've seen it too, it's that Titan. His Majesty hopes I can repair it as a royal ceremonial weapon to deter those disobedient nobles."

"Ceremony weapons?"

Balthazar scoffed, then suddenly grabbed Rhodes by the collar and pulled him toward him.

"Do you take me for a fool?! A ceremonial weapon can shatter the defenses of a four-ringed sea monster with a single shot? A ceremonial weapon can trigger an etheric storm of that scale?!"

The Duke's roar made Rhodes' eardrums ring.

"That's a war machine! A weapon used by mortals in the First Age to slaughter gods! That fool Edward has no idea of ​​its value; he only thinks about using it to preserve his crumbling crown!"

Balthazar released his grip and shoved Rodríguez hard.

Rod took two steps back to steady himself.

"But it's ruined, sir." Rhodes lowered his head, a perfectly measured hint of regret in his voice. "The reactor overloaded, the core melted. That's irreversible damage. Now, it's truly just a pile of scrap metal."

Even scrap metal has its value.

Balthazar picked up his cigar again, took a puff, and his eyes turned sinister. "Those mages from the Society of Truth came right after smelling the cigar, which means that even in the wreckage there is the technology they've been dreaming of. Rhodes, you're a smart man."

The Duke walked to the sand table, picked up a golden flag representing the royal family, and casually threw it on the ground.

"Edward can't give you real protection. He'll only treat you as a expendable resource, to be used and then discarded, just like Mortimer."

“But I’m different.” Balthazar pointed to the soldiers building fortifications outside the window. “I have an army, steel, and real power. Just give me the core data of the Titans… even if it’s just incomplete blueprints.”

The Duke turned to look at Rhodes and threw out his chip.

"I can make you the military's chief alchemy advisor. You'll have your own independent laboratory, free from the supervision of the Truth Society, and even... I can help you get rid of that judge in the church who's always watching you."

It is a huge temptation, but also a deadly trap.

Rhodes knew very well that once he handed over the data, his value in the Duke's eyes would be greatly reduced, and he might even be silenced.

Moreover, he is currently a double agent, and if he completely sides with the military, the king will immediately activate the curse in that badge.

"My lord, your offer is very tempting."

Rhodes looked up, a wry smile on his face. "But you know my situation. This badge is a locator, and also a bomb. If I hand you the blueprints, I'm afraid my head will be gone before I even leave this room."

"And..." Rhodes changed the subject, pulling a folded parchment from his pocket.

This isn't Titan's blueprint; it's a mechanical structure diagram of the Obsidian Guard that he copied down in the underground factory.

"The core of Titan was indeed destroyed, and most of the data was lost in the explosion. But I have a byproduct here."

Rhodes placed the blueprints on the sand table and pushed them toward the Duke.

"This is a construct called the Obsidian Guardian. Although it is not as terrifying as the Titans, it has the advantage of a simple structure and does not require a high-level soul fire to drive it; it can operate with just a high-energy steam core."

Balthazar picked up the blueprints, glanced at them, and his expression froze instantly.

He was an expert and could see the military value of this structure at a glance.

Sturdy, inexpensive, and mass-producible.

This is exactly the perfect cannon fodder and assault force that the military has been dreaming of.

"Is this for His Majesty?" The Duke narrowed his eyes, his tone dangerous.

"His Majesty only cares about that big guy," Rhodes said meaningfully. "As for these little toys, I think His Majesty wouldn't mind if I disposed of some of them while I was repairing the Titan."

"Disposal..."

Balthazar chewed on the word, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Great! What a brilliant way to dispose of it!"

The Duke patted Rhodes' shoulder forcefully, this time with an appreciation for his fellow man, not with the contempt he showed to ants.

That is an appreciation of greed, cunning, and ambition.

"You're even more cunning than I thought, Rhodes."

Balthazar put away the blueprints, his mood clearly much better.

"I accept this gift. As for the Society of Truth..." The Duke sneered, "I'll have Renn reason with them. As long as you're in Plymouth, those mages won't be able to take you away."

"Thank you, sir."

Rhodes bowed, preparing to take his leave.

"etc."

Just as Rhodes was about to step out of the room, Balthazar suddenly called out to him.

The Duke walked back to the window, his back to Rhodes, his voice low and menacing.

"Rhodes, remember one thing."

"In this country, the king may possess the crown, but it is the sword in our hands that decides who can wear it."

"Don't choose the wrong side."

Rhodes paused slightly in his steps.

He didn't turn around, but calmly replied, "I only stand on the side of the winner, sir."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.

In the corridor, General Ryan was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw Rhodes come out, he grinned.

"Looks like you survived, kid."

"Yes," Rhodes said softly, "we survived."

The king wanted Titans, the duke wanted an army, the school wanted technology, and the church wanted his life.

As Rhodes stepped out of the governor's mansion, the sea breeze outside remained biting.

He tightened his collar and walked towards the sea.