But Angela shook her head.
"It is precisely so that his wife and children can live in a better world that a father has the strength to endure the unbearable and change the unchangeable. There is no other power above it."
At this point, she frowned and asked again, "Master, when are you finally going to get married and have children?"
Hayden was drinking Peacock's tea at that moment and almost spat it out.
The Peacock King was quite amicable: "Ultimately, it depends on what you and Karen think, but I don't have any problems on my end."
But Hayden was inwardly groaning.
It wasn't that he was being pretentious; in fact, he also felt that the Peacock King's words about family made some sense. Hayden wanted to rebel against the capitalists, although he didn't necessarily have to rely on force (he was still researching the specific methods), but being free from the burdens of family meant he could come into this world naked and leave without any ties.
To put it bluntly, even if he can drink and eat heartily today, he doesn't know if he'll be killed by capitalists tomorrow. If he can't even guarantee tomorrow, how can he get married, have children, and build a family?
However, this principle is consistent with what Angela said.
"If I were to start a family and have children, I would want them to live in a better world than they do now."
For this wish, generation after generation of fathers (and mothers, of course) have been able to make the most selfless sacrifices, enduring the pain of death to save their children.
That being said, it seems a bit ridiculous to have Hayden, a virgin, say such a thing.
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[Emperor - Rightful Throne]
[Grand Arcana, Card Number 4]
[Keywords: authority, stability, fairness, rationality, father]
For the sake of their children, fathers can become both cowardly and brave, selfish yet righteous, compromising yet heroic, insignificant yet great.
Side Story: IF Route A
The past will not disappear; everything that happens every second will become eternal in time and space.
In the real world, there are no save/load functions. Life is only lived once; there are no second chances.
But even if we can't start over, what if we could peek?
If we peer into the world of possibilities through the cracks in time, what kind of lives can we see?
If the key choices were different, in which direction would the world have developed?
[Worldline Deviation - Possibility A: What if Hayden's wish was different from the beginning?]
[Note: This side story is ultimately for comedic purposes, so please don't get too hung up on the details.]
Hayden had always longed for power.
Ten years ago, his parents both died during the pandemic because of pharmaceutical companies raising prices, because they had to pay for his college tuition, and even because of rising water bills. They had no wealth to protect themselves from disease, they would starve if they didn't go out to work, and this capitalist-controlled society kept whipping them.
They did die of illness, but in reality, they also died of poverty.
From that moment on, Hayden craved power. He wanted the power to defeat the gods of capital and change this vile world.
But where does this power come from?
Today, Hayden attended the wedding of his best friend from college, Adam. This friend married the daughter of a capitalist god, moved into her family, and thus obtained a vice-manager position in the world's most powerful and ruthless corporation.
Frankly, Hayden didn't even know if he should be happy for his friend. After witnessing the capitalist's wedding today, experiencing its extravagance and power, Hayden felt increasingly insignificant. How could a small-time freelance wizard possibly defeat the gods of capital and change this sinful world?
The wedding was now over. Hayden returned home and headed towards his own magic workshop. On the central workbench in the basement lay a mechanical doll in the shape of a young girl.
Its appearance resembled that of a human female around eighteen years old. It lay supine on the operating table with its eyes closed, showing no sign of moving. It had long, pearly hair, a beautiful face that was symmetrical and flawless, delicate and silky white skin, and a slender waist that accentuated its full breasts. Its perfectly proportioned and well-proportioned body possessed a certain inhuman beauty.
Of course, since it is not human.
Beneath this soft nano-skin, there is no flesh or blood, but rather it is composed of hundreds of millions of gears of various sizes, artificial fibers, superconducting simulated nerves, reinforced silicone, carbide ceramic alloys, springs, alchemical circulating fluids, and many other components.
This is a wind-up doll that Hayden started building a year ago. He spent a fortune creating this doll because he wanted to receive some pure love from a perfect doll. But now, Hayden suddenly feels that even if he could receive love from the doll, it would seem very empty compared to the suffering of the world and the evil that needs to be defeated.
There is no way to defeat the gods of capital. These capitalists, as the rulers and evildoers of the world, have no righteous force that can rival them.
He wanted a righteous hero who could eradicate all evil.
He had drunk quite a bit of the magical wine at the wedding. Now, with the alcohol taking effect and a surge of anger towards evil rising within him, Hayden suddenly grabbed the staff that was lying in the corner of the studio.
"O Highest Heaven! How long will the wicked triumph? How long! They exploit the blood and sweat of the poor, murder the future of children, and whip laborers like livestock! O Heaven, can you hear the cries of the people? Why do not manifest your justice in this darkest hour!"
He raised his ash wood staff and, in his drunken stupor, shouted:
"God! Grant me my wish!"
As an expert in ancient magic, he was skilled enough to chant spells fluently even when drunk.
"I pray that this doll may be given a soul that upholds justice, seeks redress for the world, fights against unforgivable evil, pursues righteousness, and can shatter the evil in the world!"
The effects of mixing those expensive liquors at the wedding banquet were considerable; their magic still lingered in Hayden's blood, making his wishes incoherent and clearly indicating he was drunk.
But the magic still worked, and it was more powerful than any spell Hayden had ever cast in his life.
A surge of magic shattered the staff in his hand. The shock, like a massive hammer blow, made his veins bulge and his body contort, as if being swept away by a tidal wave, draining his life force and leaving him feeling chilled to the bone. The pain from over-casting raged, and the vital signs monitor on Hayden's wrist immediately reported nervous system disorder, rapid heartbeat, and rising blood pressure.
A mind-numbing sense of omnipotence.
A chilling sense of happiness.
Within this indescribable power, even space itself was distorted, and then—
—In the original world, the impossible happened.
Hayden felt his gaze leave his body.
Then upwards, continuously climbing upwards.
He could feel his soul soaring upwards into a world that was both strange and familiar.
The ascent was abruptly interrupted. He opened his eyes and found himself standing in a hall made of crystal, with a starry dome overhead that shimmered with different colors.
At the far end of the hall stood a huge, magnificent golden gate, taller and wider than the gates of the ancient city walls.
A figure stood tall in front of the gate.
Although He resembled a human, He was clearly different, appearing like a beam of sunlight shimmering with golden light, with three pairs of wings extending from His back. He stood, holding a weapon in front of Him, resembling a sword, radiating flames with a temperature comparable to the sun, its tip pointing downwards. This extreme heat caused no damage to the surroundings.
Hayden, oh Hayden
The radiant spirit spoke.
You cry out to the highest heavens for justice, yearning to fight for humanity and become a hero who embodies righteousness. God has heard your prayer.
Hayden was indeed stunned for a moment.
He never expected that his casual wish-making spell would actually work. Was he dreaming? Or was he hallucinating from drinking too much?
So Hayden couldn't help but ask, "So... what's going to happen next?"
You prayed that the doll's body could be given a soul that pursued justice. God has heard your prayer.
The light did not answer, but simply continued calmly.
You prayed for the power to crush evil. God has heard your prayer.
For some reason, Hayden suddenly had a very bad feeling.
God heard your prayer and believed it.
The leader of the angels spoke, then smiled.
【Then I'll grant your wish.】
The next instant, the leader of the heavenly army suddenly raised His flaming sword, the essence of His star, and thrust it into Hayden's chest. Before Hayden could feel the pain, the angel kicked him (along with the sword) down.
Everything in the upper realm immediately turned into a rushing stream and vanished.
In an instant,
The feeling of falling, like waking from a dream.
Keep it up!
Hayden heard the light deliver its final words of advice.
Then came the excruciating pain.
Amidst the immense pain, Hayden opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen to the ground without even noticing.
"Damn it... it really is a dream. There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Muttering curses, Hayden tried to get up, but suddenly felt his body become much lighter and stronger. Although there was no mirror in front of him, Hayden still keenly sensed that his height seemed to have shrunk considerably in an instant.
With an instinctive sense of fear, Hayden jumped up, only to realize that he had fallen onto the control panel in the studio. The surroundings were as usual, with nothing different.
...the workbench in the studio?
Shouldn't the wind-up doll I just made be placed here?
Suppressing her inner turmoil, Hayden lowered her head to examine her body, only to see strands of silver-white hair hanging down from her head, her smooth, silky nano-skin, and her perfectly proportioned, sculpted figure. A pure white outfit enveloped this slender female mechanical body, like a wedding dress.
There is only one answer.
"Aa ...
Hayden screamed, her screams as clear and melodious as a music box.
That night, tangible justice finally manifested itself in this hell on earth.
She possesses a soul that seeks justice and seeks redress for the people, as well as the power to crush all evil, and a perfect figure that inspires trust.
She stood up and wielded a fiery sword imbued with the essence of the sun to uphold justice, plunging even the arrogant capitalist gods into panic and fear, and bringing them the punishment they deserved.
Fight on, heroes!
Fight on, Hayden, the Clockwork Bride!
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Difference a: Hayden's wish was not for love and life, but for power and justice.
Process A: Power and justice do not necessarily need to be embodied by another individual. Since you yearn to eradicate the evil souls of justice, then I will give you the power; go and be the hero yourself.
Conclusion a: Although his physical body is still not quite sufficient, his combat strength is clearly much greater than Angela's. So, he can just keep upgrading his body through combat and scavenging resources, right?
Therefore, the outcome will soon evolve as follows:
"aieeeeee!? A clockwork bride!? What are you doing here!?"
"I was just passing by, Mr. Dhritarashtra. But I'm going to kill you and hang your corpse on a streetlamp. Go to the underworld and reserve seats for other capitalists! Eeya!"
Why would she be called the Clockwork Bride? Because Hayden initially designed the doll's body in a wedding dress-style combat suit! Wearing such a suit to fight evil, of course she'd be called the Clockwork Bride!
[Again, please note: This side story is purely for comedic purposes; please don't get too hung up on the details.]
Volume Seven: The New Elegant Picture of the Flaming Emperor
233: Master
The white horse passes through the gap.
Several months have passed since the collapse of the Fallen City of New Babylon.
During this period, which is neither too long nor too short, everyone has their own things to do. No one can truly relax.
So, Karen woke up very early today as well.
Slightly weary, she ended her four-hour meditation, stepped out, and sat up. Soft morning light streamed into the room through the open terrace, allowing Karen to see several towering spires standing in the distance. Lush trees set off the white towers and arched bridges, allowing fresh natural breezes and birdsong to flow in through the windows, the air filled with the fragrance of new leaves and flowers.
Karen's morning also began in Newbeam City. This place, once an abandoned wasteland, is now so beautiful that it rivals even the cities of the gods.
Of course, New Sprout City isn't very large by modern metropolitan standards. But it's also not a form that any modern city could build. Here, Karen has poured her ingenious magic into the city, using living trees as the pillars of the buildings, shaping quartz with alchemy and implanting it into the structures, and using magic to make the trees grow into spires that shimmer with celestial light, giving the buildings themselves life.
Therefore, colorful trees became the main feature of New Sprout City. All the buildings are tall and slender, with buildings, arched bridges, and wide tree-lined avenues blending perfectly with the trees. The buildings and nature complement each other, without obscuring its vitality and beauty. Every resident in the city can smell the fresh water, green grass, and flowers.
Even the leaves of the trees here radiate an inner glow, and the city is filled with incredible and breathtaking wonders. When night falls, the Tree of Life in the city center shines like a silver flame, clearly visible even from afar.
This burgeoning little city is so beautiful, yet its residents enjoy a life far superior to its natural beauty. A thriving, bustling community of tens of thousands of residents already exists within its walls. Comfortable housing and clean, safe drinking water are merely the basics. Under the protection of various plant magic techniques developed by Karen, the citizens naturally receive comprehensive healthcare, and are even enhanced by the city's magic, gaining greater strength, sharper perception, and astonishing dexterity.
The latter was the fruit of Karen and Hayden's alchemical achievements, which almost turned the residents of Newbeam into gods.
And anyone can become a member of this city.