Ever since the last etiquette class, in the days that followed, Caitlyn seemed to deliberately avoid Li Lin.
Li Lin keenly noticed this.
It was due to the approaching Progress Day, and with an individual's limited energy, his focus had to be on this annual grand festival.
As time passed, he upgraded the Hex crystal purchased from Benso into a Hextech energy crystal.
Regarding the powered exoskeleton, thanks to the enhancement from the "Mechanical Affinity" skill, his affinity for machinery progressed rapidly, and the overall prototype was completed.
Unfortunately, at this stage, it was still just a prototype, requiring further testing and improvement before being showcased at Progress Day.
In addition to this, at the request of Lady Cassandra, Li Lin extended the hand-cranked generator to include fire, solar, water, and wind power generators.
These were more suitable for the current technological level of Piltover and Zaun.
As for using petroleum and natural gas fuels...
Li Lin hadn't heard of any oil fields or natural gas fields on the Valoran continent. Even if there were, based on the current state of Runeterra, only Piltover and Zaun placed significant emphasis on technology. Apart from Hextech and alchemical technology, the basic technological level of these two city-states only reached the steam era, and petroleum and natural gas were not yet in use.
In other areas, it was even less likely.
Moreover, Runeterra was not purely composed of material substances; magic was also a crucial part, and it was uncertain whether it had experienced tectonic movements.
Whether this world had energy sources like petroleum and natural gas was still unknown.
So, Li Lin didn't invest much thought in this aspect.
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, Progress Day arrived.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
Li Lin rose early, took a shower, and dressed in a dignified suit specially tailored for him by Lady Cassandra.
With a brown-red inner lining and tailored trousers, complemented by a double-breasted white coat with gold trim and a swallow-tailed suit with the Kiramman family emblem sewn on the shoulders, paired with black boots reaching his calves.
Brown-red and white were the standard colors of the Kiramman family.
It had to be said that Lady Cassandra's aesthetic was somewhat... peculiar.
After tidying up his appearance, Li Lin went to the kitchen for a quick breakfast and then arrived at the main house's reception room at the agreed-upon time.
A group of servants was helping the Kiramman couple and Caitlyn prepare their attire.
"Good morning, Lady Cassandra, Mr. Tobias," Li Lin greeted the Kiramman couple first.
The Kiramman couple looked at Li Lin through the glass in front of them and returned the greeting, "Hmm, good morning."
Then, Li Lin looked at Caitlyn, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
Today, Caitlyn wore a shoulder-revealing, waist-belted knee-length dress dominated by shades of brown-red. The dress perfectly showcased her slender waist and S-shaped athletic curves.
A pair of delicate feet were clad in brown-gray open-toe high-heeled shoes, each nail meticulously manicured. The plump, rounded toes were snugly pressed together, occasionally wiggling, resembling exquisite and enchanting jade.
"Good morning, Caitlyn," Li Lin greeted Caitlyn warmly.
"Uh, good, good morning..." Caitlyn's gaze in the mirror seemed a bit evasive.
What's going on? It's been like this for the past few days; I don't think I've offended her anywhere...
Li Lin felt puzzled.
I must find some time to ask her about it.
"Alright, are we all ready, Caitlyn?"
Lady Cassandra looked at Caitlyn.
"I'm ready, Mom."
"Well, since we're ready, let's set off. Today, the academy needs Jayce's help, and we don't need to wait for him."
With everything prepared, guided by the servants, the four of them boarded a luxurious carriage.
The Kiramman couple sat on one side, while Li Lin and Caitlyn sat on the other.
However, Caitlyn's gaze throughout the journey was outside the carriage, never meeting Li Lin's eyes.
Fortunately, Lady Cassandra and Tobias chatted merrily along the way; otherwise, the atmosphere inside the carriage would have been even more somber.
Their destination was an improvised tent set up by the Kiramman family in the unknown square in the northern city area, showcasing the family's new inventions for public viewing.
Just after seven o'clock, the bright sunlight had completely dispelled the darkness.
As soon as the Kiramman couple and Caitlyn got off the carriage, more than ten well-dressed people surrounded them.
In the vibrant city of Piltover, a diverse gathering assembled, adorned in attire spanning various clans. Some were descendants of Yordles and Vastayans who had left their homelands to seek prosperity in Piltover.
"Happy Progress Day, Councilor Kiramman."
They greeted Cassandra, Tobias, and Caitlyn. However, when a young man with an Eastern visage disembarked from a carriage, all eyes fixated on him.
To share a carriage with the Kiramman family intrigued everyone; who was this young man?
Observing their curious glances, Cassandra displayed a subtle smile.
Inside the tent, as the crowd enclosed them, Cassandra gestured, and the bustling noise subdued instantly.
"Happy Progress Day! I am honored to have you all at the Hextech Technology Exhibition hosted by the Kiramman family of Piltover.
"As the cultural hub of Valoran, Piltover integrates art, craftsmanship, trade, and innovation, making it the most prosperous city in the world.
"The reason we stand at the forefront of our time is our relentless pursuit of knowledge, aspiration for wealth and dreams, and our unwavering commitment to innovation."
After a brief pause, Lady Kiramman glanced at Li Lin, signaling him to stand by her side.
"In recent days, the Kiramman family has had the fortune to welcome a new artisan, Li Lin. His intelligence rivals that of the prodigious young inventor, Jayce Talis."
Instantly, all eyes focused on Li Lin.
Curiosity, suspicion, scrutiny—the complex gazes swept over him.
Maintaining her smile, Cassandra nodded, highly satisfied with the reactions.
After a moment, she continued, "Just recently, Li Lin developed a groundbreaking invention, one that can propel Piltover into a new era."
"Wow! Am I hearing correctly?"
"A groundbreaking invention? What did he invent?"
"A new era... Is it something akin to the Hextech crystal that the Ferros family developed a century ago?"
"The gears are turning; it seems Piltover is about to undergo a transformation..."
The crowd erupted in excitement.
No one questioned the authenticity of an invention that could usher in a new era, as the Kiramman family had no reason to deceive.
A Vastayan, resembling a monkey, at the forefront couldn't resist asking, "Councilor Kiramman, can you reveal what this invention is?"
Smiling, Cassandra shook her head. "It's not just one invention. I can only disclose this much. For the rest, please join us this afternoon at the auditorium of Piltover University during the Progress Day ceremony for the revelation."
With that, Cassandra gestured to her husband, Caitlyn, and Li Lin.
Amidst the servants and guards creating a path, they left the tent without looking back, leaving the bewildered crowd and visitors in stunned silence.
More than one invention...
(End of this chapter)