Chapter 7107: The Microplanet The day of the birthday party had arrived. It was the biggest event that took place in Yernstall on this particular day. Of course, it was not the only notable event to take place. Many other people celebrated their birthdays, graduations and product releases on this day. Yet each of them seemed to have faded into the background as Aurelia’s birthday dominated the conversation. This was not much of a surprise. Aurelia herself did not produce any notable achievements as of yet, but the story was different for her parents. Nothing needed to be said about Ves’ attainments. Even if people did not care about his mechs and Carmine mechs, they could not ignore the significance of the Larkinson Clan, which had risen up to become one of the most prominent and successful organizations that did not rank among the major players. The Larkinson Clan’s unprecedented access to superdimensional matter was reason enough to cozy up to it! Everyone wanted to befriend the Larkinsons and exchange their specialties for superdimensional matter. Stories already circulated how the Larkinson Clan’s oldest and most dependable allies among the Golden Skull Alliance already managed to obtain samples of low to mid-grade superdimensional matter. Even if they had yet to secure the high-grade variety, they were already better off than the vast majority of other groups that had no chance in hell of obtaining any scrap of superdimensional matter! This was why so many different parties eagerly sought to get invited into Aurelia’s birthday party. They could care less about the young lady herself. They just wanted to get close enough to Ves or another important member of the Larkinson Clan so that they could pitch an attractive business offer. Whether they would have their wish or not remained to be seen, but they at least wanted to fight for their chance to rise above their peers. Even those who lacked invitations of their own tried to get inside despite knowing that security would be tight. This was why an awful lot of shuttles and other vehicles hovered in orbit of Yernstall IV. Their intended destination was a small globe that circled around the planet. The Microplanet. It was named this way for a good reason. Although it superficially looked like a very tiny moon or asteroid, it was actually neither. It was a planet that the mechers created from scratch. They distilled the essence of what a planet possessed and stuffed them all into the smallest possible package. They relied as little on advanced technologies to compensate for its various shortcomings as possible. Although the expense was considerable, the attempt succeeded. The Microplanet turned into a pretty impressive marvel of human creation. It was able to support the existence of continents, ocean, standard gravity, an atmosphere and even a fully functional ecosystem by itself! The mechers only needed to institute a minimum amount of advanced tech to reduce various imbalances and make sure the ecosystem did not go astray all of a sudden. Even this measure was not strictly necessary. The only reason why these additional measures were needed at all was because the Microplanet had become a popular and prestigious destination to hold high-profile events. Not just anyone could reserve an entire Microplanet in order to host an event. It was only due to the Larkinson Clan’s excellent reputation and friendly relationship with the Red Association that this possibility existed. As such, the Microplanet had turned into a large event space that offered more than enough space for every invited guest! In fact, if the Larkinsons wanted to, they could open up entry to the rest of the public, though they were unlikely to make this decision due to security concerns. Whatever the case, the Microplanet had become the focal point of the Yernstall Central Star Node on this day. Multiple fleets from the Red Three had arrived to surround the entire venue and patrol the entire surroundings. Traffic from third parties were no longer allowed to get close to the Microplanet. Almost all of the guests that wanted to attend the party had to transfer over to specially designated transit shuttles that were completely harmless. Only the Larkinsons and a few other special organizations could skip all of this trouble. In any case, the Microplanet was so small that it could even be protected against bombardment by less than a dozen ultra-large titan shield generators. As the shuttles continued to touch down the specially designated landing zone at the southern continent, it became clear that there was a very important division between guests. All of the general visitors were those who possessed a bit of status and wealth, but nothing that merited any specific attention from the Larkinsons. They boarded the largest and least luxurious passenger shuttles. The ones that were more important and could offer meaningful benefits to the Larkinsons were able to board middle-tier shuttles that were a definite step up in luxury. However, only the most elite and powerful guests were able to board the smallest and most luxurious of shuttles. In a handful of cases, they were even able to bring their own shuttles! They were also accompanied by stronger escort mechs that vigilantly scanned the surroundings for any threats. The Larkinsons and many other parties had legitimate security concerns. There were many reasons why people wanted to strike against the Larkinsons and the people invited to the Microplanet. None of the guards dared to slack off. They knew that any opening might provoke those with dishonest intentions into launching an attack. Ves had already survived an unexpected assassination attack from the mysterious deathborn. Now that Calabast had returned from EdNet training, he had especially assigned her the responsibility to research this strange group and figure out a way to counter any future attempts. That could wait for later. Ves fully trusted his Larkinsons, the members of the Bluejay Fleet and the local authorities that were in control of Yernstall to do their best to keep the entire place secure. He knew that the visible security measures only scratched the surface of what was really going on. There were way more protectors in the dark. This allowed him to ease his nerves and relax. He chose to bring Aurelia and Clixie over to one of the reception halls that was located right next to the VIP landing zone. Both Ves and his firstborn daughter were dressed to impress this time. Ves wore a gold-embroidered black suit that was not meant to attract too much attention. Images of cats and other objects added a playful element to his outfit. His only indulgence this time was a pair of green soft and textured puelmer leather boots. His daughter looked much more resplendent than him. Gloriana had personally commissioned the tailors and stylists to create a blue-and-gold dress with a patterned front and an exquisite emblem of the Golden Cat on the rear. The fabric was not only incredibly soft, but also partially woven with weapon-grade superdimensional thread, the same as Ves had done for his latest project. Of course, the use of superdimensional matter into the weaving of Aurelia’s dress was mainly to show off the wealth and excellence of the Larkinson Clan. It definitely possessed defensive value, but that was not the focus of the dress, as it kept portions of the shoulders and neck bare. Those places needed to be open in order to show off the brilliant jewel-encrusted necklace, the earrings and various other gold-colored jewelry. Gloriana had personally handmade each of these jewels in her spare time in order to present her daughter in the most impressive possible light. She had blended in a tasteful mixture of high-grade exotics, hyper materials and more recently superdimensional alloy to create an ensemble that was valuable enough to purchase an entire planet, if not a star system! Most of the VIPs that passed through this particular reception hall were more than perceptive enough to recognize the remarkable value as well as the craftsmanship of the jewels. Even if not all of them were masterworks, Gloriana successfully showed off her love for her child and her dedication towards perfection. "Miaow." Even Clixie who kept Aurelia company during this important moment of the year looked considerably more impressive than usual. Her iconic golden collar that was set with one of Lucky’s gems remained unchained, but a team of pet caretakers had carefully washed, combed and fluffed up her fur until it shone with the light. Instead of weighing her down with jewelry, the women had tied ribbons to her waist, her limbs and most importantly her legs. These ribbons were light in color and were adorned with a handful of intriguing symbols. They also moved on their own accord, making the Rubarthan Sentinel Cat look mysterious. Despite looking cuter than ever, Clixie remained fully alert. She scrutinized every guest or other individual that came close to Aurelia. "Professor Larkinson. It is good to see you again." Master Vayro Goldstein spoke when he arrived. His head remained gleaming bald, but he had changed into a more formal clean white business suit that was partially covered by his practically trademarked purple cape. "Thank you for attending, Master. We were not quite sure whether you would be able to make it this time." The Survivalist grimly nodded. "My responsibilities have become heavier than ever. The defection of the Polymath and many colleagues originally stationed in Bridgehead One has left the rest of us scrambling. It is not a pleasant time to remain a part of the Red Association. Ahem, I did not come here to complain about my workload. This must be the young lady in question. Hello, little Aurelia. I am one of your father’s good friends and supporters in the Survivalist Faction. Have you heard of us, young lady?" Aurelia made a small curtsy with her magnificent blue dress. "Welcome to my birthday party, Master Goldstein. I have indeed heard of you. My father has spoken about you a number of times, and I have studied your record along with other notable leaders of the Red Association. You are one of the highest-ranking mech designers that still remain in the Survivalist Faction." "Alas, that is so." Vayro genuinely sounded tired. "Our faction is not that popular at the moment. I believe in our mission and ideals, but what sets us back is that we all have different ideas on how to fulfill our overarching need to safeguard red humanity. Who is right, and who is wrong? Which decision will lead us to salvation, and which choice shall one day become our unmaking? The stakes are too high for us to be able to afford a mistake. Yet it is due to these high stakes that many of us are far too prone to resorting to extremes. The Polymath is a product of that environment." "It sounds as if your faction has become unmoored." Aurelia analyzed. "The unorthodox exit of the Polymath has led to a crisis in confidence. Your leadership is being openly questioned. Neither the Xenotechnician or the Fist of Defiance are known as reliable and trustworthy leaders. The Polymath was the only one who came close, and there was still a chance of redeeming her, but all of that has become a faded dream once she chose to found her own star empire that openly violates many of your taboos." Master Goldstein almost winced. "What a sharp observation. You are bold to speak these words openly. Not everyone has the courage to criticize a Star Designer, yet that is what we need more during these trying times. I wish you a happy birthday and success in your life. Just know that it is not enough to hold critical opinions. The Age of Dawn is an age of heroes and gods. If you want to enact meaningful change and shape the future of our civilization, then you must either be one or the other. Learn from your parents. They represent the future of red humanity, of that I have no doubt. You are lucky to receive their care and attention." Aurelia swelled with warmth. "I know. I am surrounded with love. I wish that more people will be able to enjoy this treatment as well." "Then let us all work together to realize this ideal future of yours."