Clockwork Bride (Author: Eight-Tailed Cat)
Tags: Romance, Magic, Light Novel, Imaginative, Urban
Summary:
Magic and knowledge were monopolized.
Every ray of sunshine and every inch of air has its price.
Even genetic information has been patented; the large corporations that control everything have become the gods of the new era.
Finding a perfect partner is a luxury in this day and age. Therefore, I will personally create my ideal wind-up bride.
The research is complete. The artificial intelligence built with outdated technology has yet to be tested, but my year's hard work and ten years' savings will not be wasted!
...........................
Why did this AI-powered idiot max out my credit card?!
-------
[Cyberpunk + magic + social science fiction + rewriting mythology, this author must be insane!]
Volume One: The Future Bride
001: The Wedding of a Company Employee
The melodious and pleasant music lingered in the air.
This is a magnificent auditorium.
A star-studded night sky was inlaid in the dome of the hall, and vines and flowers climbed around the pillars supporting the night sky. The melodious music flowed from the flowers.
A thousand shimmering lights twinkled in the wedding hall, signifying the presence of thousands of living fairies. These little sprites, specially hired for the banquet, flapped their glittering wings, wore gorgeous dresses, and held crystal goblets filled with nectar, serving wine to the guests.
One hundred small tables, each adorned with a lantern, were scattered throughout the banquet hall. No waiters were present, but platters of cold dishes hung beneath the lanterns, inviting guests to freely take what they wanted, their glow captivating. No matter how much the guests took, the food seemed endless, for these lanterns were actually directly connected to the kitchen space.
Crazy rich people.
Hayden certainly wouldn't have come to this event if it weren't for his best friend from college getting married. Even though he was wearing a formal evening suit, he still felt very uncomfortable in this place.
“I’ve never been to a wedding before, but when I get married,” Hayden said, tugging at the collar of his suit, “I’m not going to do any of that. You can come and wear whatever you want.”
Standing next to him was the groom, the main character of the wedding banquet, dressed in a heavier and more formal white suit, with large roses tucked into his buttonholes. But he didn't complain; upon hearing this, he simply grinned easily: "Then I'll definitely wear my best clothes. But you've been in college for ten years now, and I haven't seen you find a girlfriend."
The mockery from the "socially addicted" was so vicious that Hayden could barely refute it. He, and his classmate and friend Adam Smith, whom he'd known since college, were both twenty-nine years old. Adam had found his soulmate and was getting married today. Yet Hayden had been single for as long as his own age.
Whether it was due to his looks or his usual behavior, ever since Hayden met him, Adam was always surrounded by girls. So why was it that his friend had already been promoted, received a raise, become a manager, married a beautiful and wealthy woman, and was about to reach the pinnacle of life—while Hayden had zero dating experience? Why were two people from the same university, the same age, and with similar intelligence, experiencing such a huge difference in their circumstances? The reason, of course, wasn't just because Adam spent at least half an hour every day grooming himself.
Hayden himself was well aware of the differences between the two of them.
Adam was tall, handsome, and sociable; everyone praised him.
And Hayden? He was often described as cynical, misanthropic, arrogant, and undisciplined—words that were hardly complimentary. This contrasted sharply with Adam, a fine young man.
But that's the magic of human friendship. These two people actually met in college and became best friends.
The music playing from the crystal ball suddenly changed, and everyone in the banquet hall fell silent. However, when the bride, Adam's bride, walked down the carpet, the guests all sighed in unison.
What a beauty, a stunning beauty. Her azure hair, flowing in voluminous waves reaching her waist, suggested this bride was genetically engineered from the upper class. Her figure was perfectly proportioned, with porcelain-like skin and jewel-like purple eyes—traits clearly not something the poor could afford. A straight nose and beautifully shaped, soft, full lips—though only in her early twenties, she exuded a mature and sensual allure—what was that allure? Was it deliberately designed pheromones?
This adorable young lady, dressed in a very simple white dress, walked gracefully through the hall. She radiated a powerful glow; her gentle and elegant aura seemed to carry the weight of flower petals.
Adam smiled and stepped forward. The two exchanged slightly shy glances and gently took each other's hands. The invited guests simultaneously burst into enthusiastic applause. Under their watchful eyes, the newlyweds walked to the altar, ready to recite their wedding vows.
Seeing his friend about to marry such a beautiful woman, Hayden was happy for his friend, but he couldn't help feeling a little envious.
In this day and age, if you're not rich enough but still want to find your ideal partner, you can basically only dream about it.
It's not that Hayden was really poor. After graduating and working for a few years, he wasn't without any savings. But no matter how hard ordinary people work and save money, their wealth will never catch up with those of the upper class.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said the master of ceremonies, now standing before the couple in a gold robe, "we gather here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls..."
So Hayden also picked up his glass, saluted Adam from afar, and then downed it in one gulp. This wasn't the kind of spirit he usually drank, not one of those diluted alcohol with water and flavorings and then carbon dioxide. Hayden had spent half a month's income on a formal evening suit and a considerable amount of money on gifts for his good friend's wedding. But even disregarding the priceless value of friendship, and using only the coldest rational calculation, attending this wedding was actually a worthwhile investment for him.
Because the sip of wine he was drinking was actually worth half the price of an evening gown. As the emerald nectar flowed down his throat, Hayden felt a surge of heat rush into his chest, and every limp cell in his body, from his scalp to his toes, instantly awoke.
This small glass of wine contains a high concentration of magic that could keep Hayden working for three days straight, derived from the essence of the sun refined from morning dew. Only the most skilled alchemists can successfully distill this wine. It refracts different colors depending on the speed and direction the glass is moved, and it must be enjoyed at an extremely low temperature; if the drinking temperature is even slightly higher, it will immediately evaporate and disappear.
It's expensive, rare, and troublesome. But upper-class people still bring out this kind of high-end wine when they get married, even if it's just to show off their wealth.
"Adam Smith, do you take Alicia Clari Kazmuk Apsara to be your wife...?"
The emcee was still speaking, but Hayden wasn't really listening; these things weren't important anyway. He drank his wine while glancing towards the front of the guest list. Most of those seated were impeccably dressed members of high society. A couple in elegant attire smiled as they watched their daughter's wedding. They themselves looked quite young, with still-black hair and wrinkle-free skin.
These days, anyone can make themselves young with enough money to buy rejuvenation magic—it's incredibly simple, just a matter of drinking two potions. But just one cup of rejuvenation potion is equivalent to fifty years' salary for an average person.
"...I hereby declare you to be lifelong partners."
The master of ceremonies waved his scepter high above Adam and his wife's heads, showering them with a shower of silver stars that swirled around their tightly embracing bodies. A pool of molten gold spread out from the center of the banquet hall, forming a shimmering dance floor. A band dressed in golden shirts marched in unison to the stage, playing even more lively music. The newlyweds stepped onto the dance floor first, winning enthusiastic cheers from the guests.
So what about Hayden? Apart from him, most of the guests at the wedding were relatives and friends of the bride's side. In other words, Hayden didn't know them at all, so it was impossible for him to find anyone to dance. Besides, he couldn't dance at all—what respectable person would dance ballroom dance? Only the wealthy and leisurely upper class, and those who wanted to climb the social ladder all day long, would learn such things, right?
He had never attended a wedding before, so he couldn't tell how the ceremonies of the rich differed from those of the poor. However, Hayden knew at least that a normal wedding wouldn't have a thousand glittering gems for lighting, nor would it have a thousand fairies invited to serve as waitresses... Damn, just one sip of this wine was worth several days of his hard work.
As Hayden pondered, he picked up a peach that a fairy had given him. The peach was as red as a pure maiden's cheek, its color like a magnificent landscape painting; heaven knows how much it cost.
"Who just eats at a classmate's wedding? You haven't changed a bit."
However, a clear, chanting voice reached his ears at that moment, causing Hayden to turn his head in surprise.
He had been busy eating and hadn't noticed. But somehow, a familiar-looking green-haired elven woman was now standing next to Hayden, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Elves are inherently beautiful, and she stood out even more. While an elf's age is harder to guess than a human who has drunk a potion of rejuvenation, she appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen. Slender and with fair skin, she wore a business suit that fit her slim figure perfectly, and her every movement was as light and agile as a deer's. In terms of beauty, elves were unmatched by any other race.
Seeing other college classmates at their wedding wasn't unusual, but Hayden was still quite surprised: "Karen? What are you doing here? Did Adam invite you?"
"Of course not. It's just a company task."
The elf, dressed in a business suit, twitched its long ears and glanced around.
"When the daughter of a senior executive in the business department gets married, the HR department always has to send someone to attend. I happen to be the groom's classmate, so I was sent to run errands."
Many guests in the banquet hall were secretly watching the elf. This wasn't just because of her corporate HR suit, but also because she was an elf, implying she was a person of high status and influence. Elves are always high-class. They are often seen hosting programs, broadcasting news, working for public relations firms, serving as spokespeople for advertising campaigns, acting as principal conductors of orchestras, and doing many glamorous, elegant, and sophisticated things. Most elves are very wealthy, live for hundreds of years, and enjoy high social standing.
But when it came to the elf before him, Hayden found it particularly strange. He remembered his time with her in college. He remembered how unkempt she was back then, her green hair a tangled mess as she tinkered in the alchemy lab, never caring about being covered in soot from explosions, and her tongue that resembled a flamethrower. She was intolerant of anyone's disrespect, not even professors. Often, for the slightest offense or rudeness that other students wouldn't even notice, she would unleash a vengeance powerful enough to scorch the earth with her sharp tongue.
After seven years apart, she looks like a completely different person now that she's entered society.
"How did you end up in the human resources department of the Mitra Group after graduation? I remember you said in college that you wanted to work in the development of alchemical reagents."
So Hayden handed her a drink. The only reason an ordinary person like him would know an elf was because they were college classmates. He and this elf—Kalen Starflower—had both been members of the Potions Club at the Arcane Academy of Evergreen State Public University, and had some interactions. Even so, their relationship was limited to chatting, banter, and jokes in college… nothing more.
After all, most elves are friends with other elves and work with other elves. An approachable elf girl who prefers humans? That's something that only exists in TV dramas. Most elves look down on humans, just as most humans look down on orcs and goblins.
“Not every graduate can find the job they want, and I’m just one of them. Besides, I can’t completely ignore my parents’ demands, and the house I live in is still theirs. I’m already doing pretty well that I’ve managed to resist their attempts to marry me off for office politics.”
Karen took the wine Hayden offered, surveyed the banquet hall with disdain, looked at the bride of the wedding, and gave a soft hum.
Hayden could indeed understand what she was saying.
Not everyone in this world can realize their dreams, and not everyone even has the right to talk about dreams. After all, everyone needs to make a living! —That being said, seeing his old classmate whom he hadn't seen for seven years now unrecognizable (in some ways, that's the only word he could use), Hayden couldn't help but feel upset.
Why must everyone be molded into the small cogs and screws that the world needs after they leave school and enter society?
"How about you? It's been years since we last kept in touch. How's your job situation after graduation?"
Karen, however, did not notice what Hayden was thinking. She turned around and asked with some curiosity.
So Hayden suppressed his frustration and shrugged: "Currently a freelancer."
The elf was immediately stunned: "Huh?"
"I quit the job I found before graduating from university after only one month. Although it was the low-level spell development job I wanted to do, I found that there were basically no senior employees, everyone had a short tenure, and there were no holidays or overtime pay. During the interview, they promised a monthly salary of 6,000 yuan, but in reality, they only gave me 4,000 yuan a month. The rest was up to the company to decide based on my actual work performance, but it was obvious to anyone that the performance standards set by the company were impossible to meet. I worked as many as 150 hours of overtime in the first month, so I quit immediately."
Quick and decisive action was Hayden's motto. If he felt something was truly unsuitable for him, whether it was a job or anything else, he would drop it without hesitation.
"I haven't found any other suitable companies in the past few years, but it's not so bad. Freelancing suits my personality quite well."
This is perhaps the main reason why Hayden, at twenty-nine years old, has never found a girlfriend.
Who wants to marry someone with an unstable job?
Even Karen, who was an old friend of Hayden's, was taken aback by his words: "I know you were like this in college, but aren't you afraid of starving to death one day? Humans can only live for a hundred years without rejuvenation magic. Are you planning to be a freelancer for the rest of your life? What will you do when you get old?"
"Nothing to do."
Hayden ate a piece of cheese from the cold dish, looking completely calm.
"Whether it's finding a job or quitting, it's all my own decision. To be honest, don't you want to be in control of your own life?"
He'd had quite a bit to drink, and getting a little carried away, he started gesturing wildly.
"What's wrong with being self-centered? Why should I blindly obey others? Rather than stifling my own self by caring too much about what others think and living each day in a daze—I might as well become the world's number one self-centered man!"
Needless to say, this kind of boasting usually doesn't impress anyone, but Karen was still stunned by Hayden's words. For a moment, she did realize that although she was an immortal elf, the human in front of her was the one who hadn't changed at all since graduating from university.
"If you keep being so self-centered, you'll never find a girlfriend."
Before Karen could reply, the groom, arm in arm with his wife, walked over. He had already finished dancing and had probably heard Hayden's drunken ramblings in the corner of the banquet hall, so his first comment upon arriving was a sarcastic remark.
The daughter of the company executive, the bride arm in arm with Adam, smiled and greeted Karen, the company's HR representative, beside her. The professionalism of her smile was befitting of a good wife and supportive partner.
However, just seeing the bride's smile, this doll-like polite smile and demeanor, made Karen feel annoyed and she swallowed the wine Hayden had just handed her.
Adam might not be wrong. But Hayden, perhaps a little tipsy from the wedding wine, blurted out something astonishing:
"Anyone who wants a wife can't find one! Even if I don't have a stable job, do you think I can't find a female orc or goblin to marry in the lower tiers? I just don't want to! Who the hell wants to!"
Upon hearing this, Karen's gaze naturally turned icy, even surprising Adam.
It's not uncommon for people to talk nonsense at a wedding banquet, but shouting and making such outrageous remarks makes it hard for other guests to ignore. Some guests noticed Hayden talking in a corner of the banquet hall and even covered their mouths to laugh.
"We are enchanters with degrees! We hold the power to change the universe with our will! We have over four hundred years of modern magical knowledge, founded in the time of Alice Newton! Isn't magic the power to grant wishes?"
But Hayden was still gesticulating wildly.
"Since I want a wife, of course I can use my magic to create the ideal wife! What's wrong with designing the wife I want myself!"
Karen immediately retorted, "If you just want a talking robot, then it's readily available on the market. You want artificial intelligence that can truly think like a sentient being? Sorry, even current magical technology can't create true intelligence."
Adam, however, had no time to argue with them about technical issues. Hayden was his guest, and Adam's in-laws, having overheard the commotion in the corner of the banquet hall, were turning to look. Adam's newlywed wife, arm in arm with him, was also watching him with a somewhat subtle expression.
If Hayden makes a fool of himself at Adam's wedding, it will be Adam who loses face.
Fortunately, a true corporate professional knows how to turn a crisis into an opportunity. So Adam, quick-witted as ever, came up with a plan, smiled, and said:
"That's not a difficult problem."
Upon hearing this, Hayden immediately shut up and looked at Adam with curiosity.
"Robots are not the only direction for customized companions. Our company's New Yatu division is currently collaborating with Smoke Mirror Life Construction to develop a personality chip. It is made using a hybrid of a range of skill software and mimicry, and will simultaneously install the memory programs needed to form various specific behavioral patterns."
So Adam spoke eloquently.
"By purchasing a suitable fertilized egg and performing genetic manipulation, anyone can customize any biological body they desire. Next, they simply need to use standard acceleration magic to speed up the maturation process, and finally, a customized personality chip is installed in the blank brain. In this way, everyone can design their own ideal partner—no, it should be said that they can fulfill any of your needs, not just as an ideal partner!"
If we can't create a good enough AI, why not just use the consciousness of a living person?
Of course, he wasn't just saying this to Hayden.
Adam said this partly to maintain appearances and save face, giving Hayden a way out. On the other hand, it also prevented the guests who heard his words from feeling awkward. Rather, Adam didn't really expect Hayden to spend money on such a bio-engineered wife; after all, it was quite expensive. Hayden was merely an opportunity for him to advertise; if the guests present had the money and interest, that would be a testament to Adam's abilities and achievements.
Sure enough, upon hearing Adam's eloquent words, several elegantly dressed guests showed expressions of interest. The world has never lacked people who want to create their ideal opposite or even same-sex partner.
The bride, who was holding Adam's arm, smiled with satisfaction at her husband's quick wit and resourcefulness.
"Huh? Getting a wet fly cup?"
But Hayden, already somewhat drunk, scoffed at the idea.
"You're such a pervert!"
You're such a troublemaker—but before Adam could even complain, something unexpected happened.
Because Karen, who was next to her, suddenly exploded.
"What's truly perverted is your brains! You, Hayden, has nothing but women been on your minds since college?! Why must you be in a relationship? Why must you get married?! Do you think getting married makes you superior?!"
Although Karen hadn't drunk too much, this time it was her turn to act crazy while drunk.