Return, Ermandes!

The prince couldn't help but look at the huge Golden Ark behind him, his eyes burning with desire.

He still felt that this should be the legacy of the Golden Race or some other ancient civilization.

"Do you know that the last time this reception hall was used was when the Newborn Federation first made an alliance with the alien race?" The prince took a step ahead and stopped on the steps. "Of course, that time it was to welcome the special envoy of the 'Delicious Starfish' community... and the ending was not very pleasant."

Iori caught a twitching smile on the lips of a minister behind the prince; it seemed that His Highness had mentioned something that made one want to complain.

Is this some kind of Hell joke about the world? Unfortunately Iori doesn't understand.

"I feel flattered by such a grand occasion."

"How could that be? This is exactly the treatment a hero deserves!"

Upon entering the reception hall, one is greeted by a magnificent space the size of a football field, though most of the area is occupied by exhibition areas displaying statues and artworks. These exhibits, along with the floor beneath them, slowly rotate over time, while the dome on the ceiling depicts the ancient heliocentric model, placing the Solar System at the center of the universe, with the nine planets also rotating.

This is a vast scroll depicting history and mythology, seemingly telling the story of humanity's past in a gentle and detailed way... while groups of well-dressed important figures and nobles gather here, some laughing and some silent, their thoughts intertwined and conflicting.

However, the moment the prince led Iori in, everyone's attention naturally turned to her, then swept past the First Prince and focused on Iori.

—It's too eye-catching.

Even though the prince is the one everyone knows as the one in power, their eyes are still drawn to Iori Aizen, and some even look dazed.

"This is simply..."

"His Prince Your Highness is just like a servant..."

The difference in their temperament is too great!

Although His Prince Your Highness acted very appropriately, compared to the black-haired boy next to him, he seemed pretentious, like a performer or comedian... For no reason, this thought flashed through everyone's minds at the same time.

Then, everyone thought of:

If Her Highness the Princess were here, she wouldn't be suppressed by outsiders, would she?

Chapter 526 Return, Almanderus!

The banquet was predictably boring.

During the event, various people came up to greet him, and the First Prince calmly and politely responded to each of them. Iori also maintained a polite smile throughout, but in reality, she waited indifferently until the end.

Holding an orange-gold wine glass, they walked through a luxuriously carpeted corridor to a terrace overlooking the distant lake and mountains. Only then did the First Prince, Meliagros, tentatively inquire about Iori's background, and generously stated that he did not discriminate based on social status, and that as long as someone was human, they were a member of the Federation.

Most people speculate that Iori was either a pirate or came from a nomadic tribe.

Such people are not uncommon, like Reynolds, who left voluntarily due to dissatisfaction with the federal government. Also, during the period when the Solar System was conquered and humanity embarked on a great escape through space, in order to avoid being wiped out by the Silver Race, humanity split into many groups and left via different Star Way, resulting in a considerable number of "sparks" being scattered among the Stellaris.

Later, the Vinos Royal Family took the lead in establishing the Human Federation, and naturally many human forces took the initiative to join them. A century later, it has developed into a very large scale, far surpassing the original Earth Civilization.

However, not all "sparks" survive to return. A considerable number have disappeared into the darkness forever, while some have left the Star Way and become completely lost in the universe.

Even today, the Human Federation still occasionally finds its compatriots who have been stranded abroad...

Therefore, both the pirate crew and the Federal Fleet were only shocked by Iori's power when they discovered Iori, and were not too curious about his origins.

The descendants of a certain human fire-seed fleet, having found the ruins of the [Golden Race] deep within the Stellaris, or perhaps having obtained the power of a god-level civilization, have now returned to the embrace of the Human Federation —this is Iori's current status.

Although it's all just wishful thinking on the part of the federal government.

"No need for all this beating around the bush. I'm tired of endless formalities. Just say it straight. I know exactly what you want. You just want me to share the technology of the Golden Ark."

Seeing the First Prince suddenly panic, Iori couldn't help but smile, "If you want, I can give you this ship and the blueprints for forging it."

"...real?"

Meliagros paused, and the wine glass in his hand steadied itself.

He was secretly nervous, thinking he was about to have a showdown with Iori, but he didn't expect Iori to be so understanding.

"It's just a pity that this is not a power you can control."

"Varied--"

The First Prince took a deep breath, a radiant smile spreading across his face, and said confidently, "Whatever your request, as long as you can make it up to me, I can fulfill it."

Acquiring this technology would greatly aid humanity's return to the Solar System, and the Federation will do everything in its power to provide it—in terms of status, resources, and prestige... even granting you control of a star sector is acceptable."

"Heh~ You've misunderstood. I have absolutely no interest in what you're saying."

Actually, I'd be happy to do something for humanity, after all, I'm also human, and in a war against outsiders, I should naturally stand on the side of my fellow human beings. But what I'm saying isn't a refusal—it's not a good thing for humanity.

Iori looked at the First Prince with a half-smile, observing the changes in his facial expression.

"Because the Silver Race has already set its sights on me, and they even sent out the 'Nodos' before. I believe that at this very moment they are also thinking about how to deal with me, and sooner or later they will organize a fleet capable of destroying a star system... Accepting my power means being targeted by the Silver Race. Are you willing to take this risk?"

"—!"

The First Prince's indifference quickly turned into a mixture of shock and unease.

"Silver, the Silver Race... They haven't given up? There are even Nodos... How is this possible..."

"I have combat records; you can verify them if you don't believe me."

"No, I didn't mean to distrust Lord Aizen, it's just... it's just..."

The First Prince broke out in a cold sweat, seemingly wanting to agree but fearing the consequences.

Although he was criticized by many for lacking the qualities of a ruler, he had, after so many years in politics, and was well aware of the power disparity between the Human Federation and the Silver Race. In fact, for the past century, humanity's main adversary had been the Bronze race; they hadn't even really fought the Silver Race, spending all their energy dealing with their auxiliary armies...

Even if we could acquire the technology to build the Golden Ark, we'd still need time to convert it into actual combat power. And if we were to immediately engage in a final battle with the Silver Race ... and then we'd also have to consider Nodos ...

"I am confident that I can stand up to the Silver Race. Even if they send out Nodos, I can handle it. I just don't know if Your Prince Your Highness is willing to believe me?"

"... Let's forget about it."

The First Prince lowered his head dejectedly, his beautiful golden hair seeming to dim slightly. "However, the Human Federation still hopes to build a friendly relationship of cooperation and mutual trust with Lord Aizen... Alas."

"Knew."

Iori placed the wine glass on the railing, glanced at the First Prince, and shook her head slightly.

If this person had been more decisive, Iori would have been willing to cooperate with him. But just like in the original work, this guy talks a good game, but when it comes to taking responsibility, he chickens out. He's basically a low-budget version of Yuan Shao...

"Lord Aizen... how long do you intend to stay on the capital planet?"

The First Prince snapped out of his reverie and asked rather nervously, "The Silver Race... surely they can't possibly have chased us all the way to the heart of human territory?"

"Don't worry, I'm only staying temporarily. Once I get... and replenish my supplies, I'll leave naturally and won't let the fighting drag on here."

"Hmm... that's good."

The First Prince's eyes darted around. Although Iori's tone and gaze were indifferent, he felt that there was a hint of contempt in them, which made him very uncomfortable.

Normally, when he encountered this situation, he would directly reprimand the other party, especially those who surrounded his sister but ignored him, the rightful heir... But for some reason, he couldn't muster the courage when facing Iori.

"How much are the so-called supplies? I can order my men to prepare them for you as soon as possible."

The First Prince tried one last time. "After all, we are all part of the Human Commonwealth, and naturally we should help each other. Perhaps we are not yet able to fight against the Silver Race, but one day... if we work together, we will surely be able to bring humanity back to our home planet!"

"To defeat the Silver Race, human power alone is not enough; we must also make good use of the legacy of the Golden Race."

"Inheritance? [The Golden Race]?"

"It is the Nodos of the Iron race. When those pioneers left this universe, they left this final gift for humanity."

"Ah, you mean our Nodos... hey, that's just a myth."

The First Prince shook his head with a nonchalant smile, "In the end, the prophecy and the contract are things from a century ago. I don't even know who said them, and no one has ever actually seen the [Golden Race]. I think it's just that our ancestors saw the [Silver Race] possessing the powerful Nodos and felt indignant, so they made up such stories to comfort future generations... The only one who would believe such a thing is my overly naive sister."

"You mean Princess Dianaira?"

"That's right. She's been obsessed with this kind of thing since she was a child. Everyone says she's like a prophet, but I think she's just mysterious."

The First Prince pursed his lips, clearly displeased with his younger sister.

"And in a sense, she is actually a very scary person... Never mind, let's not talk about her anymore. Anyway, we don't know when we'll see each other again... or even if she can come back."

Towards the end, a slight smile even appeared on his lips, but it was fleeting and quickly disappeared.

He didn't like his sister.

Despite being blood relatives, Dianaira is an extremely powerful, possibly even the strongest, psychic in Human History.

Leaving aside her little tricks like telepathy, she can even sense changes in the flow of space and time, and her spiritual tentacles can cross cosmic scales to reach places that even the "Star Way" has never touched!

With her by her side, the fleet will never get lost!

Since the departure of the Golden Race, no one has been able to guide humanity through the complete darkness of the universe like she has. The preciousness of this ability in the interstellar age is self-evident, so Dianaira not only enjoys a saintly reputation among humanity, but also enjoys immense prestige among the Stellaris.

In addition, Dianaira occasionally receives "Revelation," like prophecies, and events often prove her right.

This is something even the Silver Race couldn't do, and such immense power resides within the body of a frail young girl...

It would be strange if the First Prince, being a typical politician, liked such a blood relative!

If Dianaira were to speak up, she could gain the support of the Human Federation at any time, which would be extremely detrimental to him.

Fortunately, Dianaira is pure of heart and has no interest in power struggles. Instead, she focuses on studying the heritage of the Golden Race. From a young age, she believed that the "Nodos of the Iron race" must exist. She tries to find clues about the Golden Race and the "Nodos" they left behind through various documents and clues.

The First Prince cleverly (thoughtfully) took advantage of this, having his younger brother oversee the construction of the Argo, a state-of-the-art research vessel incorporating cutting-edge human technology, and assembling a guard and team for Dianaira to search for the true nature of the myth.

It eliminated the political threat, fulfilled Dianaira's wishes, and also established a prestigious image for the Vinos Royal Family within the Federation... a triple win!

No wonder he was so smug!

"That's why I came to the capital planet."

Iori smiled slightly, "The Argo should have regular communication with the Federation, and its routes and coordinates are recorded. I wonder if you could share them with me?"

Dianaira's fleet has left the Star Way and is sailing in completely unknown territory. It's impossible to find her by chance. The only way to catch up with the Argo is to obtain intelligence from the Federation.

"... What do you need that for?"

The First Prince frowned, and his gaze towards Iori changed instantly. "Could it be that Lord Aizen also believes in the legend of Nodos and wants to search for the ruins of the Golden Race with my sister?"

"Heh... It doesn't matter. I'm just asking as usual. You already told me all the actual information before."

Iori shook her head with amusement.

"Even with my extraordinary mental state, I simply can't withstand repeating this kind of pointless banquet and conversation six or seven times in a row."

"Lord Aizen... what are you saying? Why can't I understand?"

"Don't worry about it,"

Iori glanced at him without even looking at him, and just said to herself, "Anyway, you won't remember."

"Hmm..."

"You're awake?"

"Here it is?"

"The Uranus, that's the ship you attacked before."

Inside a room on the Golden Ark, instruments detected that Leiketi's vital signs were becoming increasingly clear. Alpha, the fleet's vice adjutant, came to visit her and happened to witness her awakening.

The blonde Elf maiden calmly checked the various data, showing no intention of restraining the captive.

"To recover from a state that was almost like a corpse, and to show no signs of any aftereffects, Nodos not only been able to use the power of the Hero Race, but his own physique has also been altered?"

"... I'm still alive."

Leiketi clutched her head, her face contorted in pain. "I remember being with a giant phantom... Oh, is that so? Almanderus' power has been broken... Did you save me? Why?"

"It was Lord Aizen's decision. I was unwilling to put a time bomb in the ship, but he thought you were no longer a threat."

"Yeah..."

Leiketi struggled to sit up in bed, first looking around before staring at Alpha with a puzzled expression. "You... aren't you human?"

"I am an elf, but according to the racial classification of this universe, I should be considered a subspecies of human."

"An elf? I've never heard of that before... Hmm!"

Leiketi suddenly became serious, her gaze piercing through the metal wall to a distant point.

Alpha frowned, looking at her warily. "What, trying to run away?"

"No... I just want to talk to the person who defeated me."

Leiketi pursed her lips, as if talking to herself, or perhaps to Alpha.