~~~~~~In the Workshop~~~~~~
As Marcus' machine entered via the gate, the hatch opened, and the first person came out.
Leila looked surprised at the sight of her friend coming out of the Tiranis after her was Marcus, who smiled at his blonde girl.
'Damn him… Let me guess, he used his barbarian tactics.'
The blonde swiftly rushed over to her friend.
"Anna, I am sorry." The girl immediately apologised.
"Why are you apologising?" Marcus asked her with an eyeroll.
"Because no doubt you kidnapped her!" Leila pointed out the obvious.
"Oh, please. It's a blessing in disguise." He rolled his eyes again. His voice was borderline arrogant, making them frown at him.
"Or really? I do know that you only care about the ending, not how we get there. But that matters as well! I understand that you desire the unification of the whole planet, but at what cost?" Leila huffed at him, feeling annoyed and guilty.
"Ah, yes. That. You forgot that half of the population is made up of men who would rebel at the first sight of weakness. Let's just hold hands and begin dancing, maybe that would help?" He shook his head, and made her a bit embarrassed at his reply.
"That is why I am building machines at such a level." Marcus walked over to her.
"That is why they are called Knightmare Killers. Because Knightmares are the greatest invention since the wheel, and I invented something that makes Knightmares obsolete.
I am telling the entire world that resistance is pointless, accept me or you will cease to exist." He explained to Leila…again.
"I know… but a bit of compassion…"
"Leila, stop folding in front of your friend. You know that I am very compassionate because of you. If not for you, I would have destroyed all military assets in the EU and Euro Britannia."
"...I… Know…"
"...You are truly one strange person," Anna commented as she looked at their interactions.
"Indeed. I am unique; many dream of world conquest, a few pursue it." He sagely nodded.
However, the girls were not that excited…
"You should be happy. After all, once you are Empress of Cosmos, you can spread your kindness and compassion to all the peasants who desire it in your eyes.
By then, my technology will be at the level where food can be printed like paper, and power costs nothing." He shook his head. How they can not see it yet is beyond him.
"..."
"..."
"Anyway, I got your Anna. Keep her safe; maybe she can work on the light side of Anaheim. Make prosthetics and exoskeletons for the maimed and disabled." He patted Anna's head like she was a pet.
"I am not a pet!" She immediately understood how he was treating her.
"So far, you have proved to me that you are a pet." He replied to her, making her even more annoyed.
Leila ignored the pet comment and focused on what he suggested.
"You should do that, Anna! Work for Anaheim. Didn't you want that since you found it out?"
The light-pink-haired girl blushed as she looked at her friend. How can the blonde reveal things like that! She was embarrassed to reveal it in the first place.
"Leila!" Anna puffed her cheeks at her best friend.
"I see. Then, Legion will transfer her to Anaheim's robotics division."
[Understood, sir.]
Anna blushed even more as she looked at the pair! Both of them are so unreasonable!
"Enjoy your dream work, away from all the conflicts." All of a sudden, he got serious and patted her head again.
"...Ugh…"
~~~
After the initial testing, Blackbird began its work as a transportation mule for Marcus's projects.
Batches of Legion Bots, batteries and parts for the fusion reactor began to be flown over to the island.
Things were going smoothly for a while with Jeremiah as Viceroy.
But those things are ending soon, as Cornelia was declared the new Viceroy. Her job as Witch of Britannia ended abruptly…
As the Emperor decided that she should focus on developing Area 11 and Schneizel to take over and wage war on the E.U.
This made Marcus ponder why Area 11 had barely any terrorists or rebels, unlike Black Knights and their activities.
By all means, Area 11 is an example of a colony.
Yet, they are sending Cornelia, known as a cleaner of enemies.
Instead, Schneizel is being sent to the front lines.
'Is it because the war in the E.U. is getting stalled?' Marcus checked out all of the conflicts around the world.
For that, he needed to check online.
'No wars in the Middle East yet, instead a two-prong attack on the E.U.'
The inventor prince wondered if someone had told Charles that Alexanders are being delayed.
Regardless, it was not Marcus's business; his base construction is advancing at a rapid pace. He can barely keep up with raw material gathering.
In a matter of a few short days, the runway was finished, and digging of the main base began at the barren side of the mountain.
To construct the initial foundations, Marcus used Roman-style concrete. Roman-style concrete uses saltwater instead of regular water.
Since it was an island, there was salt water everywhere.
In a matter of hours, concrete blocks were lowered into the construction site. Machinery to assist was custom-made to reflect the needs.
Regardless, Marcus swiftly realised he needed more resources than he initially thought.
'I think I need to double-check those sites in Africa.'
He thought to himself before someone hugged him while he was sitting in his chair in the student council office.
It was not the familiar smell of Leila or even Kallen.
"What are you thinking? Nervous that your big sister is coming to see you?" Milly whispered into his ear.
"Not quite, and you know that Cornelia has no idea I am here."
'The only one who most likely saw through my disguise is Euphemia.'
"You do know that your 'disguise' is not that great." Milly grinned for a second.
"That's because we spend much time together, unlike my family. Those princes and princesses couldn't believe I would discard my name and surname, mingle with peasants and practise their things." Marcus explained in a plain voice.
"When you put it like that…"
All of a sudden, he moved around and pulled her into his lap. Milly's eyes grew big as soon as she was on his lap. He hugged her.
"...Umm…"
"Leila has been busy with Anna. So I lack daily hug energy." He explained to her that he hasn't hugged anyone for a while.
"I-I see…" Milly tried to push her embarrassment down, but they were in school. It's not a secret that Marcus has a couple of girlfriends, or more like it's a bit vague when it comes to the Ashford Heiress.
There are all sorts of 'theories' about Milly's situation, not that anyone dared to ask her.
"Indeed. Though… you have a point. There is someone who could see through my disguise."
Marcus slowly made a connection…
It's not Cornelia, but Euphemia!
"...Of course. My daddy dearest is the one who is behind this." The inventor Prince realised that Charles most likely already knows that C.C. is with him.
'Of course, that witch most likely is talking with Marianne and, in turn, Charles.
I made sure C.C. dealt with Clovis; she turned that sissy prince into a begging mess. He is most likely traumatised to the point that he can't reveal a thing.
The same can't be said about the Witch.
So instead you are sending Euphemia, who could pull me out…'
Marcus smirked a bit. He wonders if he can get those two on his side?
It is a bit of an interesting game.
Now that they are coming early, he needs to stall. His base is under construction. Soon, he will have infrastructure to refine things on the island…
Once that is done, he will be able to bring resources from space to accelerate his construction speed rapidly.
"Who could see through your disguise?"
"Euphemia…"
"Oh…" Milly's smile changed a bit.
"Wasn't she like your first crush?" The girl teased him.
"Yeah, it was not one-sided, you know?" He replied, making her even more curious. Milly loves gossiping. So, she finds this very interesting.
"Fufufu, interesting. You royals are something else."
*Snort*
"We were kids, especially in that kind of environment. Many of the royals lack the basic emotional maturity, and things like basic parental love are rarer than an oasis in a desert." He explained to her, making her understand him a bit more. The need for hugs part…at least.
"...does that mean you will reveal yourself to them?"
"Who knows…"
~~~
From the side, it would look as if Milly and Marcus were flirting; it might look like it was. So the only other person in the room, Nina, was clenching her fist in annoyance.
In her eyes, Milly was useless to Marcus! Here he was trying to build an impressive company, but this blonde bimbo with huge breasts is getting in the way!
After a while, Mily went to do her Council President duties, and Nina had her chance.
"M-Marcus, can you come over for a moment?"
She asked him, and the Inventor Prince strolled over and looked over her shoulder.
The girl blushed a bit, but was able to focus.
"I-I was working on this project when I noticed these irregularities…" The girl showed him that some of the resources don't match.
She was doing work for Anaheim while at school. Normally, this kind of thing would be frowned upon everywhere, but this was not a normal school, and Marcus was allowing her to do it on purpose.
"Oh, I see. So you noticed these." He smiled at her, his response made her eyes widen in surprise.
"...Y-You already knew?"
"Yep." He leaned forward and whispered into her ear.
"Do you want to know about real Anaheim? My true company?" He asked her in a teasing voice. To the girl, it was like a whisper from the devil himself.
"...T-T-That…" Her whole body trembled from the proximity they were in.
"Once you know you won't be able to live a normal life." His vague explanations only made her curiosity spike.
Truth to be honest, getting recruited by Anaheim was her dream since she learned about the company. It only made her more excited about it when she was in the same academy as Marcus.
It's the reason why she joined the student council in the first place.
So she was sold to his whisperings the moment they started…
"...I-I want to know…" Nina replied, her voice was full of longing and curiosity.
"Even if I want to conquer the world?" He replied, his voice was a joking one, but those purple eyes were dead serious.
"Then you would be the greatest World Emperor ever." She replied in an earnest voice, making Marcus slip for a second.
'This girl is down bad… holy…'
A down bad girl who can make nuclear weapons… what a holy combo.
"I see… in that case, I will take you to my workshop," Marcus replied, feeling much better now. He got one of the greatest female scientists of this century.
That means less talent for the rest of the world. On top of that, he has Leila and Anna. Those two were the reasons why the E.U. lasted that long.
Now that Wzero is literally zero.
'I should keep these puns for the professionals.'
"Y-You will?" She asked, excited. The girl is wondering what he is making in his private workshop!
She recalled the super advanced humanoid legs, the exoskeleton designs… all of that is on a different level!
She personally compared the closest competitors' designs to his, and the difference was like comparing a primitive musket to a modern rifle!
Just that makes her excited!
"Yes. I will show you what I've been making for most of my time as an engineer and designer." He wasn't wrong. Marcus was simply continuing what he had built in his previous life.
Though he was not wasting much of it like he did before.
'However, all those times I watched anime and played games are paying off now.'