Star Forge Titan

As a former player in Lind's camp, Alvin naturally knew of this person's existence, and also knew the true side hidden behind his seemingly brutal behavior.

"To deal with the conservatives, we can't bypass this old antique, but we are already working on it." Catherine nodded, her eyes full of confidence.

"The development of magical engineering necessitates that we must change, otherwise it will only bring about an even more terrifying torrent." The Duchess then revealed a hint of worry.

"Then, why not start from the downtown area?" Alvin's eyes turned, and he suddenly realized that his plan seemed to be able to be changed slightly.

"What do you mean?" Catherine looked seriously at the tall, black-haired boy beside her.

"Since the Public Security Bureau is unable to exercise jurisdiction, let the downtown area establish a new order on its own." Alvin said in a relaxed tone.

"Who to rely on? Those gang members?" Catherine frowned.

"Of course not that bunch of trash." Alvin shook his head.

"You should look directly at the potential of the people themselves. They will not remain ignorant forever. They just need a ray of hope."

Chapter 59: Letter of Marque

Alvin walked in front, leading the way and chatting casually with Catherine.

He didn't really care about the other person's identity, he just used the chat to sort out his thoughts.

However, if the Duchess is willing to provide some help, that would be great. After all, his plan is a good thing that benefits many parties.

"Simply put, it's about having one gang unify the entire downtown area, then achieving grassroots self-governance and establishing a viable new order."

Alvin recalled what he had read in the history textbook, then compared it with the current situation and quickly came up with a roughly feasible solution.

"Since the gentlemen at City Hall don't have the time to manage downtown, let them manage themselves."

"Anyway, not much tax is collected here. It just serves as Lutetia's trash can, used to store 'waste' that can't be cleaned up temporarily. If the trash can could clean itself, wouldn't that be the best thing for them?" The black-haired boy said softly in a tone of indifference with a hint of mockery.

"Wait, didn't you say gangs were trash?" Catherine asked with a frown.

"Yes, precisely because it's garbage, it won't attract attention. Who cares about garbage?" Alvin looked at the Duchess with a smile.

"As a noble, would you care about a gang growing stronger in the lower city?"

“…” Catherine shook her head slowly, realizing the deep meaning in the other person’s words.

The nobles naturally would not care about a mere gang. No matter how powerful the underground gang was, it could not withstand the power of the Knights, not to mention the extraordinary powers possessed by the extraordinary people.

"A residents' mutual aid management organization disguised as a gang, well, how about calling it a residents' committee, or a downtown commune? Emmmm, this name doesn't seem appropriate. It always feels like it will fail." Alvin was telling himself a joke that others couldn't understand.

"Hey, is it okay for you to tell me this? I'm a noble, and also a sheriff." Catherine looked at the black-haired boy in front of her in confusion.

"I think it's okay." Alvin turned his head to look at Catherine with a genuine and sincere smile on his face.

"Because you're a good person."

"Tsk." Catherine smacked her lips softly.

Alvin's idea was actually not complicated. After meeting the leader of the Orphan Gang, Canon, he needed to obtain channels to purchase materials and a place to manufacture new vehicles. On the other hand, he also needed to find a way to integrate into the local society as soon as possible.

So, I decided to sort out the entire downtown area.

In the game, he and other players in Lind's camp did just that. The extremely high degree of freedom in Palladio allowed players to fully experience a strong sense of immersion, thus giving rise to a sense of ownership that was taken for granted.

After all, if a person encounters seventeen or eighteen plots unfolding every time he walks down the street, he will naturally wonder, if he is not the protagonist, who is?

Of course, Alvin thought this idea was simple and plain, but to Catherine, she felt that it contained a kind of natural and terrible "ambition".

The problems of Lutetia's lower town had accumulated over many years, yet this newcomer wanted to clean up the entire area. He spoke of this in a very casual manner, like a resident who had just moved into a new house and was about to give it a thorough cleaning.

This is what surprised Catherine the most.

The sense of matter-of-factness in the other party's words showed that he was not actually planning to do this out of so-called "ambition", but because he really just thought it was a very ordinary and necessary thing, so he made such a judgment.

This kind of "ambition" with some natural meaning is, to some extent, even more terrifying than the "ambition" derived from various low-level desires.

The latter is merely an instinctive drive brought about by human nature, while the former is born with something more transcendent or pure.

Catherine wanted to say that this was just childish idealism, but she felt that the other party's words seemed to treat it as ordinary as eating and drinking water. She couldn't help but feel that the person in front of her seemed to be wrapped in a fog, making her unable to understand.

As they walked away, Catherine noticed that Ivan's words and actions were clearly not like those of an uneducated commoner, and the abilities he had demonstrated before were undoubtedly those of a transcendent.

But he would give way to old people in ragged and dirty clothes as if it was a matter of course, and would also help people in trouble, such as lifting a carriage stuck in the mud.

Even when passing by roadside stalls, they would take a few more steps to avoid the accumulated water to avoid being splashed with dirty water and getting on the vendors' goods.

This behavior made Catherine even more puzzled. Most extraordinary people or nobles, even if they had received the best education of this era, would not care too much about the thoughts of ordinary people. Even if they did good deeds, it was only for the sake of reputation and they did not regard it as something they should do.

Those who truly regard the eight virtues as their creed, as described in chivalric novels, have long been as rare as pure white unicorns. Apart from folk tales and the songs of wandering poets, they can no longer be heard of.

Therefore, looking at the figure dressed in white with the traditional Genoese single-room cloak fluttering behind him, he always seemed out of place in the surrounding environment.

An idea suddenly occurred to the Duchess.

This guy, maybe he can really do those things...

"Why?" Catherine stopped and asked seriously.

"Why?" Alvin turned around and asked in confusion.

"Why do you want to go through such trouble? As an alchemist with excellent abilities, you will be regarded as a guest of honor by any noble family. Even the Carolingian royal family welcomes young extraordinary people to join." As she spoke, Catherine stared carefully into Ivan's eyes, trying to see the other's true thoughts.

"Oh, I can't chat with Noble Linde." Alvin scratched his chin and added another prerequisite.

"Most of the normal Linde nobles, you don't count."

"Am I abnormal?" Hearing this, Catherine was not angry at all, but couldn't help laughing.

"Which normal noble lady would become a sheriff? It's hard and dangerous, and she doesn't get paid well, nor does it bring a good reputation or other benefits." Alvin shrugged and continued.

"Yeah, a normal noble lady wouldn't run off to be a sheriff. Well, definitely not the coast guard either. The sea breeze is very harmful to the skin." Catherine agreed with a chuckle.

"Well, I prefer a clean living environment. The downtown area now, well, is too smelly." Alvin frowned and said in a helpless tone.

"Just because of this?" Catherine was stunned and felt absurd.

"Yes, that's why." Alvin nodded seriously, and then an ugly expression appeared on his face, as if someone who couldn't eat durian was stuffed with a whole durian in one breath.

"It's okay indoors, but the stench outside is like a tide, coming in waves."

"The thing is, I have a really good sense of smell. This is just too much to bear," Ivan said with a bitter face.

"So you have to clean up the entire downtown area." Catherine widened her eyes and looked at the black-haired boy with a frown on his face, like a golden tabby cat with its fur standing on end.

"Are you a large carnivore from somewhere? Your territorial consciousness is too strong!" The Duchess asked with a smile:

"Really? No?" Alvin spread his hands, still unaware of the abnormality in his words.

"Forget it. It would be great if order could be established in the downtown area." Catherine held her forehead, feeling a headache very similar to the one she had when facing her cousin.

Although the two appear to be completely opposite on the surface, the kind of willful meaning that causes headaches is the same.

Looking at the civilians coming and going around her and the tired expressions on their faces, Catherine suddenly took a deep breath.

"If I remember correctly, your name is Ivan Elian?"

"Yes." Alvin nodded.

"Then, in the name of the Duke of Loire and the Senior Inspector of the Ninth Public Security Department, I grant you the power to temporarily manage this urban area." Catherine said seriously.

"There is no official document, nor any proof. This is my personal judgment as a member of the Carolingian royal family, and I will bear all subsequent responsibilities for it." Although she said words that were hard to trust, the expression on the Duchess's face remained calm, just like a wise king who never broke his promise.

For such people, keeping a promise is just the most basic thing. To make them lie, they have to pay a price so high that ordinary people and even the country cannot afford it.

"Can I take this as a verbal agreement?" Alvin raised his eyebrows and said in surprise.

"Yes, if you want, you can also high-five as an oath." Catherine blinked and said a little lively.

"Sounds just like a letter of marque," Ivan continued.

The so-called privateering license was a legal pirate certificate issued by Lind and Elrond to their respective civilian armed forces on board ships during the last Demon War. The purpose was to disrupt each other's trade activities and harass and attack cities and settlements on the coast.

At that time, whether it was the Lind pirates who sailed across the seas, or the Elrond people who relied on their arm strength to row longboats to catch up and beat them, they all showed great resilience and indomitable sailor spirit. In the end, the two sides even had some sympathy for each other and became the earliest armed forces to reconcile.

"This ship shall be equipped with muskets and cannons, manned by sailors, and shall defend all ports of Lilind. She shall capture goods and treasures held by pirates and return them to the coast of Lilind; those pirate ships shall only be those that do not fly the flag of the Lilind Empire and endanger the authority of the Carolingian Crown. According to maritime law, they will be convicted of treason and shall be dealt with according to the powers granted to the holder of this document, including but not limited to death penalty and imprisonment."

Catherine fluently recited the signing document from a license.

"In a sense, this is indeed a privateering license, but the target is limited to all gang members in the downtown area. Humph, those people are no different from pirates. At most, they live on land."

Catherine sneered. Although she had only been sheriff for a few days, she had already learned about the many crimes of the downtown gangs from the files recorded in the past. Naturally, she would not show any extra mercy to these thugs.

"Oh, that's perfect." Alvin laughed in surprise, but this smile reminded people of the happy expression of a carnivore when it saw its prey.

As they were talking, the two of them had already arrived at Lutetia’s main city gate – the Gate of Heaven.

Looking at the white gate full of gorgeous reliefs, Alvin couldn't help but reveal an expression of admiration and nostalgia.

In his memory, this door had long been blackened by war and stained by blood, and it could no longer look so gorgeous and pure.

But right now, despite the many unreasonable aspects of the world, it generally shows a trend towards peace.

This is what he hopes to see, and it is also what many people who pursue happiness say they want to see.

I will protect such sights, whether in Lind and Elrond, or anywhere else in the world.

The young man in a white cloak stood on the narrow and dirty street, looking up at the gate of heaven and thinking so.

As I was thinking, I heard a loud sound of horse hooves in the distance.

You can see a large number of security knights wearing armor and fully enclosed helmets. They are the most powerful armed force of the Public Security Bureau, and they are riding armored war horses galloping towards this place.

"It seems that the person who comes to pick you up is here." Alvin smiled.

"Yes, he is a stupid brother who always causes trouble for others." Catherine sighed helplessly.

"Well, let's say goodbye for now. The next time we meet will probably be at the Magic Car Competition." Alvin said with a smile.

"The prerequisite is that someone can pass the preliminaries." Catherine raised her eyebrows and looked at the black-haired boy with a challenging look.

"That does require some effort." Alvin shrugged.

Then, he turned around and walked towards the downtown area with ease and waved without looking back.

"Goodbye, Your Excellency, Miss Sheriff."

"Hmph. Hope to see you again, you arrogant guy." Catherine glared at his back unhappily, but a smile appeared on her face involuntarily.

Then, the security cavalry who were ordered by His Majesty the Emperor to rush into the lower city to search for and protect the Duchess were ordered to stop by the Duchess standing in front of the Gate of Heaven.

As if an invisible straight line was drawn on the ground, the rigorously trained war horses stopped at the same time in unison.

Afterwards, their leader was scolded by the Duchess, who strictly ordered them not to cause any negative impact on the residents of the downtown area and to get back to the bureau immediately.

After that, it was heard that the Emperor's very shameful plea for mercy was heard from the study in Neuschwanstein Castle.

The 'Emperor' who once made the Minister of Finance think that he had cheered up and was taking government affairs seriously had been missing for a month. The insignificant figure sitting on the throne every day made the bureaucrats and powerful officials feel at ease, but also had a headache because of the other party's unreliability.

At the same time, Earl Conrad, who often spent a lot of money in the entertainment industry, also disappeared for a whole month. The girls even secretly asked each other whether anyone had played too hard with him last time, causing the Earl to strain his lumbar muscles and be forced to rest in bed.

On the other side, Ivan walked into the alley and suddenly shouted to the empty corner without any warning.

"Come out, I see you."

Chapter 60 Advanced Tactics

"Ah, I was discovered after all."

With a very artificial laugh, Khayon turned out from the alley. He was wearing a messy black wizard robe, and his dry yellow hair was sticking up like a pile of grass, looking like a bird's nest.

"Aren't you in the orphanage? Why are you here?" Alvin raised his eyebrows and looked at the necromancer in confusion.

He had noticed someone following him and Catherine before, but he didn't expect that the person was actually Kayan Paulus. He couldn't help but have a bad premonition.

"The Orphan Gang and the Black-billed Sparrow have started an all-out war, so I came to inform you so that your plans won't be disrupted by them." Khayon said and looked at the Gate of Heaven in the distance.

"I didn't expect that you would hook up with the noblewoman Linde so quickly." The necromancer's words were filled with obvious contempt and a hint of envy that he himself didn't even notice.

"Don't talk nonsense, we just happened to meet." Alvin waved his hands to deny it. This was a fellow villager of Elrond. If he found a chance to say something in front of Afrediya, he would have to run around to dispel the rumors.

"Really? I saw it all! That blond drill-head blushed after just a few words to you." The expressions of contempt and envy on Khayang's face became obvious at the same time.

"Bah, don't talk nonsense! We are discussing democracy!" Ivan's expression was calm, but his fists slowly clenched, and he began to think about the feasibility of making the other party lose his memory with one punch.

"Tsk tsk tsk, do you think this is credible?" Ka Yang said with a click of his tongue and a strange laugh.

No, why am I so anxious? I didn't do anything wrong. I have nothing to fear!

After suddenly realizing that he had been led into an act by the other party's rhetoric, Alvin loosened his fist and rubbed his brow.