Bluescent Manor, waiting room.
"Medig Wayner!"
The old butler, who was holding the name list, spoke slowly. He twisted the monocle on his eye and made an inviting gesture.
"It's your turn, sir!"
"Alright!"
The person named was a young man in his twenties. He held his work and walked into the door to the evaluation hall uneasily.
Duke's hands were still on the chest, and he had long forgotten about Camille's figure. He leaned back on the chair with his eyes closed and tapped his fingers on the surface of the chest, calculating the rune combination of the Clockwork armor in his mind.
He arranged the runes one by one. After anticipating the effect, he felt that it would not work, so he messed it up and started over again.
In just a few moments, he had already deduced more than 20 kinds of runic matrix.
"It still won't work!"
Duke opened his eyes and found that almost everyone around him had left. Only he, Jess, and Victor were left.
"Looks like we're going to have the finale, buddy!”
Jess noticed Duke's gaze and stood up from his chair. He extended his hand to Duke, who smiled and held his hand in a friendly manner.
"I know you, the victim of the explosion in the college district. I heard that the mastermind of the explosion was involved in an incident in the lower city and disappeared completely.”
"You really are well-informed."
Jayce's expression was a little unnatural. It was always a little embarrassing to be exposed.
"Duke Sanchez, born in Zuan, currently working as an apprentice in the Collin Workshop!”
Duke revealed his identity to show his politeness, but his eyes were on Victor." This should be Mr. Victor, who is also from the same city as me and is now the assistant professor of the academy, Hemmerdinger!”
"Hello, friend."
Victor smiled and nodded at Duke. Jess pulled his hand back and frowned." Please allow me to correct you. Victor is now my partner. He is no longer the dispensable assistant!”
"Really?"
Duke tilted his head and sneered." Then, as your partner, why can't you see that your friend is in trouble?”
"I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what you're saying. Are you threatening me?”
Jess stopped Victor. Duke shook his head slightly." I was observing when we were waiting at the door. Mr. Victor has coughed six times since then. When he coughed, his face was in pain, and his brows were tightly furrowed. He didn't look fine!"”
Duke, who stood up, looked directly at Jayce and said indifferently,"If this isn't trouble, what is it?”
"Is this true?" Jess looked at Victor. Victor was about to speak when he was interrupted by a violent cough, but he still forced himself to say,"I'm fine, Jess. Don't affect the upcoming evaluation meeting!”
"You will die!"
Duke looked at Victor and said seriously,""If you don't get treated soon, you will really die. At that time, there will be no cure!”
"That's just your side of the story!"
Victor was still holding on, but Duke shrugged.""Good words can't persuade you to die. That's all I have to say!”
"Duke Sanchez, Jestales, and Victor, it's your turn!”
"Sir, shouldn't we do it one by one?”
Victor looked at the butler, who shrugged." You are the last candidates, so the council and the judges will let you do it at the same time. The order has been determined!”
After saying this, the butler closed his eyes and nodded. He turned around and left with the list of names in his arms. Duke couldn't help but laugh when he saw this."Yayie, it seems that the higher-ups want us to fight in the arena!”
"Everyone is competing fairly. Why do you call it an underground boxing match?”Jess snorted angrily. Duke picked up his suitcase with one hand and carried it behind him."I've heard a little about your research, but I'm also very confident in my creation!”
"See you on stage, Mr. Tallis!”
"Also, I sincerely suggest that you go see a doctor, Mr. Victor!”
Duke winked at Jayce and nodded at Victor. Jess frowned as he walked towards the door. Victor walked over and teased,""Are you nervous?"
"No, it's just that this guy makes me feel a little uncomfortable!”
"Hmm?"
"His eyes, those eyes that seemed to know everything, revealed his superiority and superiority, which made me really unhappy!”
"Is there?" Victor thought about it carefully and found that the man looked at him with pity and sympathy, as well as a trace of hope. It was as if he was saying," Listen to me, listen to me, and you can avoid tragedy!"
"Now that you mention it, I really feel something!”
"But this guy still has some human feelings. At least he knows how to care about others. No matter if what he said is true or not, you have to see a doctor, buddy!”
"I'm fine. It's just a small cold."
"Don't force yourself!"
Jess patted Victor's shoulder and looked at the products he had brought." Let's go, let's bring a new future to Pi City!"”
Evaluation Hall, backstage.
That door led directly to the back of the assessment hall. The back of the hall was empty. Other than the necessary staff, there were a few other people there.
Through the gaps between the curtains, one could see the magnificence of the entire evaluation hall.
"He's really rich. He actually installed a theater in his own house!”
Duke carried the box and walked into the preparation room behind the scenes. Orianna had already changed and was waiting there. When she saw Duke enter, she rushed over.
"Duke, it's finally your turn. I thought you didn't come in!”
"Don't worry, the good show is always the finale. Besides, didn't you see anything fun backstage?”
"I saw it. A guy's mine drill bit exploded and he was covered in black smoke.”
Orianna was chattering non-stop beside Duke. He would occasionally chime in and glance at everyone present. One of them especially caught his attention.
That was Representative Meyer of the parliament, the woman who was exiled by her family.
When Jess and Victor walked in, she immediately went up to them and started to encourage them. Seeing this, Duke sneered,"Don't you think it's too early to start betting now?”
"What are you talking about?"
"It's nothing!"
Rubbing Orianna's bun, Duke placed the box on the ground." Get ready, Orianna!”
"Let them witness the future of Orianna Technologies!”
"Good!"
............
In the evaluation hall.
The panel of judges sitting in front of the stage was side by side with the members of the parliament. Hemmerdinger, who was in the center and in the first place, was both a member of parliament and the host of the panel of judges.
The short man stroked the white beard on his mouth and held the list of people in his hand. He shouted to stop those who were still discussing.
"Alright, gentlemen, let's stop discussing for the time being!”
"I know that there are many talents and interesting works today, but the next two may open our eyes even more!”
"First up, Duke Sanchez, recommended by Clockwork Master Colin Levick and many other Clockwork Technology craftsmen. The topic is Clockwork Power Enhancement!”
" Oh." Hemmerdinger tilted his head and looked at the report in his hand. There was a sketch of the Clockwork kinetic skeleton on it." It looks very interesting. The author himself said that his work is enough to change Pi City's understanding of Clockwork technology, and it will be prosperous for the next hundred years!”
"This young man is a little arrogant. Please forgive him!”
As Mr. Colin spoke, Catherine's mother smiled and said,""The students cultivated by Master Colin will definitely give us a different feeling and impact. You'd better not be too modest!”
"He's just a bold young boy. Don't take offense!”
Colin, who supported Duke, spoke humbly as he looked at the empty stage, waiting for Duke to appear.
"Alright, seeing is believing. Let's meet this child!”
"Next, let's welcome Mr. Duke Sanchez!”
The backstage staff heard the notification from the front desk and quickly came to Duke's side to remind him.
"Mr. Duke, it's your turn!”
"Alright, thank you!"
"Wait for my signal, Orianna!”
Duke, who was carrying the box, declined the staff's help. What a joke. The box and the equipment weighed more than 100 pounds. The staff might not be able to carry it with his small body.
Duke slowly walked to the center of the stage through the door on the right side of the stage. After he stood still, the lights in the entire theater instantly went out, leaving only the light above his head.
Duke smiled and bowed to everyone. When he stood up, his expression froze because there were two more figures at the back of the stage.
Both of them had long silver-gray hair, and they looked at Duke calmly.
"Damn it, why is Camille here?”
Duke, who was complaining in his heart, didn't care too much. It was more important to focus on the present.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce myself and my work!”
" I am Duke Sanchez, from Zouan. I am now an apprentice at the Collin Workshop. Of course, I know what most of you think of Zouan, a backward and ignorant city.
But today, I'm here to show everyone the strongest masterpiece of a kid from Zuan!!”
Colin frowned slightly. Mentioning his Zuan background at this time was a minus!
Victor heard Duke's words from backstage, and his eyes were filled with shame." I'm not as good as him in this aspect!”
"Don't be discouraged. You're the best partner in my eyes!”
Jess patted Victor's shoulder and encouraged him.
On the stage.
Duke patted the brass box. Under his pressure, the clockwork in the brass box began to operate automatically. The box slowly opened up, and the brass plates on it slowly rose up, revealing the clockwork kinetic skeleton he designed to everyone.
Heimerdinger looked at the skeletal exoskeleton, and his eyelids suddenly twitched. He had a bad feeling.
"This is my work." Duke moved aside so that everyone could have a better look at his work."Clockwork kinetic skeleton!"
The first chapter…
..、monthly votes, ratings, and tips
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。