Chapter 11: The King's Proposal and Kaito’s Grand Ambitions

Kaito, Amelia, and Lilia sat in a lavishly decorated guest room within the royal palace, waiting for their meeting with the king. The air was thick with anticipation, though Kaito remained as composed as ever. He had no interest in courtly matters, but he couldn't deny his curiosity about what the king wanted to discuss.

The door opened, and King Alden entered, followed by a young woman with long golden hair and striking emerald eyes. She carried herself with regal grace, her expression unreadable. Kaito quickly realized she was Princess Althea, the first princess of the kingdom.

The king took a seat across from them, and Althea gracefully sat beside him. "Welcome," the king greeted them with a warm but commanding tone. "I trust your stay has been comfortable?"

"It has, Your Majesty," Amelia responded politely.

"Good." The king's eyes then settled on Kaito. "Would you like anything? Food? Drinks?"

Kaito shook his head. "No need, Your Majesty. I'm fine."

King Alden nodded but then, without hesitation, placed a pouch filled with platinum coins on the table. "One hundred platinum coins. A gift. You cannot refuse."

Kaito stared at the pouch, unimpressed. "That's… a lot of money."

"Consider it an investment," the king said. "You've done quite a bit already. I expect you'll do more."

Kaito sighed, realizing there was no point in refusing. "Fine. I'll accept."

Then, the king's eyes narrowed slightly, shifting to something floating near Kaito. "Now, what is that thing?"

He was referring to Nova, Kaito's floating AI companion. Nova's physical vessel was a small, glowing blue orb, its surface made of intricate magical programs running seamlessly.

"A magical tool," Kaito answered casually. "Something I created to help me study magic."

Amelia and Lilia had been curious about Nova as well, but they had refrained from asking until now.

Princess Althea finally spoke, her voice smooth but firm. "I see. You are quite remarkable."

Kaito raised an eyebrow, sensing something odd in her tone. Then, without any warning, she stated, "I wish to marry you."

Silence filled the room. Kaito froze. His mind short-circuited.

'What the hell? She doesn't even know me, and she wants to marry me? Why? How?!'

The king nodded thoughtfully. "I can see why you speak of that. Very well, I would allow it. However, you can't just marry him outright. You will be his fiancée for a few months or a year. After that, you will marry Kaito."

Kaito's mouth hung open. "Why is nobody asking me?!"

Althea leaned closer to him, her emerald eyes locked onto his. "Am I not good enough for you?" she asked softly.

Kaito swallowed. "I never said that, you know."

"Then it's settled," the king declared. Before Kaito could even process what had happened, he was already engaged to a princess.

That night, Kaito sat in his room in the palace, contemplating his next move. He needed to build more, to create something beyond what this world had ever seen. His mind buzzed with ideas.

His first step was adjusting the codes of time and space magic. With precision, he altered the structure of the spell, crafting an Alternate Dimension spell—a separate pocket reality entirely under his control. When he activated it, he stepped into an empty void, a blank canvas for him to shape as he pleased.

Using Creation Magic, he summoned numerous drones, each one designed to assist in the construction of his technological wonders. He envisioned a world where magic and technology coexisted seamlessly.

He began sketching blueprints in the air with Light Magic, designing:

Battle Fortresses – Mobile fortresses equipped with energy shields and magical artillery, capable of self-repair. Airships – Sleek, high-speed crafts powered by mana reactors, able to traverse long distances in moments. A Flying Castle – A massive floating citadel, embedded with AI-driven defense systems, capable of housing an entire city. Autonomous Combat Drones – Self-learning mechanical constructs equipped with enchanted weaponry. Nano-Repair Units – Microscopic machines that could repair structures and even heal injuries. Teleportation Gates – Portals that could allow instant travel between key locations.

Kaito then turned his attention to Nova. He needed an upgrade. He began rewriting the core structure of Nova's programming, integrating advanced algorithms for battlefield control, tactical analysis, and even diplomacy. The new Nova would serve as his Strategic AI, managing his growing empire of technology.

Hours passed, and yet Kaito felt no exhaustion. His mind raced with even more possibilities:

Mana Batteries – Devices that could store and distribute mana efficiently. Elemental Cannons – Weapons that could channel raw elemental magic, creating devastating attacks. Sentient Golems – Artificial beings with self-awareness, capable of independent thought. Cybernetic Enhancements – Implants that could enhance physical and magical capabilities.

Kaito couldn't stop. The possibilities were endless. With Creation Magic, all of these things were within his reach.

Just as he finished implementing a core directive for Nova's new abilities, the AI's voice chimed.

["Master, your vitals indicate that you should rest."]

Kaito exhaled, realizing he had been working non-stop. He leaned back, staring at the vast array of blueprints floating before him.

"…Alright, Nova. I'll call it a night."

As he stepped out of the Alternate Dimension, he found himself back in his room at the palace. Looking out the window, he realized something profound.

'I'm not just an inventor in this world. I'm going to reshape it.'

And with that, he smirked, already planning what to build next.