Translator: Alpha0210
Agolet’s dwelling, the Dead Land, was no longer a difficult place to invade.
Originally, this place was a space similar to a subspace that the Exile had prepared for Agolet, and it hid its presence exquisitely in an area outside the world. So, unless one knew the exact coordinates, no one could invade it.
However, even this small space could not escape the aftermath of the Great Fusion.
If it used to be a small island floating alone in the vast sea, now several land routes leading to it had been revealed.
‘Retip and Kuon, Executor and Death Worm… That must be the reason they were able to invade this place.’
Then, could I as well?
If it were before the Great Fusion, he might not have been able to reach this place even with One Step Through Time and Space. It’s uncertain, but since Residue arrived in the Dead Land quite easily… in some sense, one could say he was blessed by fortune. If he hadn’t come to Agolet, he would have been torn to death by the two Knights.
Pushing aside such trivial thoughts, Residue left the Dead Land behind and first looked up at the sky.
From now on, he had to go to where the Half King was, but there was one problem.
“Where is the Half King right now?”
“……”
Agolet, who was following him, said nothing. In truth, it wasn’t a question but a monologue, so it didn’t matter.
However, as the silence dragged on a little, Agolet spoke up.
“It would have been better if you had inquired with Executor.”
“Well… I didn’t think that woman would know.”
The fact that the Half King had been seriously injured was something even the Grand Galactic Alliance had been able to observe. That naturally meant the other Rulers or the Twelve Void Lords were also likely aware. And if the gravely injured Half King was in need of treatment, then information on her whereabouts would be the most top-secret of secrets.
“Wouldn’t she be in the King’s Castle?”
“There’s a high probability of that. That’s why the Grand Summit was also set to take place in the King’s Castle.”
Of course, that decision had been made without the permission of the current owner of that place, the Void King, or the Four Knights. Time was tight to begin with. They didn’t seem like the type to give permission willingly anyway.
In any case, the location didn’t hold much meaning.
What mattered was that powerful individuals capable of deeply influencing the fate of the world would be gathering in one place.
If everyone was gathered roughly together, the conversation would progress somehow, even if not in the form of a formal meeting.
Residue asked Agolet,
“If the Half King isn’t in the King’s Castle, where do you think she would most likely be?”
“Your Majesty thinks the Half King will not be in the King’s Castle?”
“Probably not.”
“Do you have any basis for that?”
“None.”
Agolet’s lips curled slightly.
“…Then the reason is, as you mentioned before, ‘because that’s more likely for the plot development’, correct?”
“You learn fast.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
It was a compliment.
The greatest quality Residue demanded from his subordinates wasn’t the power they possessed but their level of understanding. No matter how useful someone was, if they couldn’t grasp what was being said, there was nothing more frustrating.
“…The Half King’s subordinates. The territories of the Twelve Void Lords should be included as candidates. If the purpose is treatment, then the ‘City of the Future’, which is Futurix’s territory, seems to have the highest probability.”
“City of the Future… that’s quite a grand name. Do you know where it is?”
“I do not know at the moment.”
“Hmm.”
“Of course, the Half King being in the City of the Future is only an assumption as well. Your Majesty, shouldn’t we first check the King’s Castle, which has the highest probability?”
“Let’s do that.”
When Residue nodded and remained silent for a while, Agolet asked again.
“The technique you used when you entered my land. If you use that, couldn’t we reach the King’s Castle in an instant?”
“One Step Through Time and Space. Memorize it.”
After explaining the name of the technique, he continued.
“It puts a great strain on the body, so I’d like to avoid using it if possible. Since there’s still quite a bit of time left, I plan to go on foot.”
“I heard the geography of the world changed drastically after the Great Fusion…”
“Of course, I am aware of that. That’s why I’ve prepared the latest model map and a mode of transport just in case.”
“Does that have anything to do with you staring up at the sky continuously?”
“You really are smart.”
Beyond the sky, somewhere in the universe, was the spaceship of the Grand Galactic Alliance.
He had come to maintain a fairly close relationship with its leader, Kiel Marlgol, so unlike last time, there would be no need to act roughly.
‘If Michael or Iris were around, it would be easier to move.’
Iris PeaceFinder being busy was understandable, but Michael was someone worth keeping nearby. As a teleportation shuttle, at least.
In any case, now that he thought of Michael, Residue was curious about the current state of the Top Universe. It had already been a week since that incident… Had the Red Knight and the Blue Knight returned and attacked the place again? Maybe to provoke Residue or to take someone hostage.
‘The Red Knight… doesn’t seem like the type.’
He recalled the strange vibe she had given off. Her intentions were still unclear, but for some reason, she didn’t seem like a woman who would resort to petty tactics.
On the other hand, with the Blue Knight, no behavior would be surprising.
She could have gone back and completely overturned the Top Universe, or maybe she lost all interest and just left. Or perhaps she was lurking somewhere around here…
‘That wouldn’t be so bad either.’
Now, even if he had to face two Knights, there was no longer a need to feel threatened.
Thanks to Agolet’s joining, they were now capable of putting up a decent fight. And if Yang In-hyun or Michael were to support them, even subduing one of the Four Knights entirely might not be an impossible feat.
So the thing that kept bothering him… was the conversation between the Blue Knight and Luca. What did they talk about for the Blue Knight’s attitude to shift so drastically, like flipping a palm?
He would have to reunite with Luca to learn what happened there, but unfortunately, there was no time to detour through the Top Universe right now.
Anyway, just as Residue was scanning the ships spread across the sky, looking for a suitable vessel, something unexpected occurred.
A star was falling. Like a meteor… Of course, that was just how it appeared. In truth, it was a spaceship. It was so fast that it entered the atmosphere in the blink of an eye, and now its outline was clearly visible.
Kwaaang!
Rubble scattered in every direction.
Should this be called a landing? It looked more like a crash. Residue observed closely to see if there was something wrong with the ship, but outwardly, it didn’t seem damaged.
Regardless, even with an incident that some might consider disastrous, the two men didn’t blink an eye. That was because they were confident that even if a meteor tens of times bigger hit them directly, they wouldn’t get a scratch.
Ssshhk…
However, as the spaceship door opened, Agolet quietly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. It was a precaution in case something happened, and at the same time, a gesture to inquire Residue’s intent.
‘Should we just cut them down first?’
He seemed to be asking that with his gaze. He didn’t mean to completely slaughter them, but rather to render them combat incapable. Given how aggressive their entrance had been, it wouldn’t be entirely unjustified.
However, Residue shook his head, he was a man who loved peace and harmony.
And a moment later, a group emerged from the not-so-large spaceship.
As Residue expected, they were wearing the uniforms of the Grand Galactic Alliance, but for a different reason, he was slightly surprised.
Everyone who came out of the spaceship was a machine.
[Greetings.]
To be precise, perhaps they should be called mechanical lifeforms.
Residue instantly realized they had been artificially created, but they couldn’t simply be categorized as artificial intelligence. Even at a glance, it was clear they possessed distinct self-awareness, individuality, and judgment.
[Are you surprised, perhaps?]
They asked in a blunt voice.
Was that sarcasm? Or were they just inconsiderate because they were machine lifeforms?
Since he wasn’t sure yet, Residue decided to ask something else.
“What business do you have?”
[We should introduce ourselves first. I am from the Grand Galactic Alliance, Mobile Command of Space Sector 125…]
“What’s this Sector 125 now?”
[…It is the region stretching from ‘Deekrunda’ in the west of this location to the ‘Tungswen Canyon’ in the southeast.]
Come to think of it, the Grand Galactic Alliance had said they had started mapping out the current world according to its new standards.
Residue replied in a disinterested tone.
“Affiliation isn’t really important. Especially in a world like this.”
[As expected, you seem to dislike unnecessary formalities. Very well. Then you may simply understand us as a mechanical legion affiliated with the Grand Galactic Alliance.]
“Name?”
[I am A-124.]
“I’ll just call you A-One, then.”
[As you wish.]
A-One slightly bowed and continued.
[We have come under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief to assist you, Residue nim.]
“Oh? What were those orders?”
[If he appears to be staring blankly at the sky, the nearest unit must take off immediately and fulfill his request…]
They must have been worried that the same thing that happened in Amdal might happen again. Residue acknowledged Kiel’s judgment, but he did have a tendency to view people too violently.
“The ship looks small. How many seats does it have?”
[Twenty seats.]
Residue counted the ones who had revealed themselves. There were ten in total.
So, does that mean ten seats are available? No. There could be others aboard the ship who hadn’t shown themselves yet.
“Our destination is the King’s Castle. Do you know the coordinates for that place?”
[Are you referring to the King’s Castle in the Void World? Of course, we know them.]
“Good. That’s the destination of this body, so guide me there.”
In truth, even as he spoke, Residue’s throat was getting a bit dry.
He had slept sprawled out for an entire week, yet sleepiness was creeping up again. This seemed to be one of the side effects, and since it was starting to affect his condition, it wasn’t a good sign.
Residue boarded the ship first. It was just as big as it looked from the outside. The interior gave the impression that unnecessary space had been eliminated to the maximum extent, and perhaps because it belonged to the mechanical legion, there were no sleeping quarters or lounges.
Also, the space connected to the entrance led directly to the cockpit, so he ended up facing a complex hologram screen unexpectedly.
“Where are we supposed to rest? I want to sleep a bit.”
[We apologize, but our legion is entirely composed of machines, so there are no separate sleeping quarters. The storage room to the left is relatively spacious and comfortable, so please use that.]
He nodded and entered the storage room.
As A-One had explained, it was surprisingly spacious and pleasant for a storage room. Materials and mechanical parts were thoroughly sorted according to categories, and thanks to that, there was a fair amount of open space. The lighting was soft, making it a fairly good spot to take a nap.
There were no beds or blankets, but… Residue simply sat on the floor and leaned against the wall.
“I’m going to shut my eyes for a bit.”
“I will stand guard.”
He was about to say, “You should rest too…” but realized that such concern was unnecessary for someone of the Four Knights.
Residue closed his eyes and soon fell into sleep.
***
There was a lot gained from consecutive battles, but also some unpleasant side effects. The most troublesome was the sleep that needed to be taken periodically.
“Mmm…”
Residue let out a subdued voice as he woke from his nap.
He felt like his consciousness was floating. A pleasant sort of daze… It was unfamiliar, but not entirely unpleasant.
Four hours at minimum, eight hours at most… That was the amount of sleep Residue needed to take. Of course, with his willpower, he could go three days and nights without sleep, but doing so would destroy his condition.
In other words, to maintain a good condition, it was best to rest regularly.
“…How long did this body sleep?”
“About five hours.”
“That’s quite a long time.”
Agolet was monitoring the outside through a small window on the wall of the storage room, and his expression didn’t look very good.
No, he actually looked rather tense.
Before Residue could speak, Agolet opened his mouth first.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“This is just a hunch… but it doesn’t feel like we’re heading toward the King’s Castle.”
“……”
Residue didn’t press him deeply. If he had clear evidence, he wouldn’t have used the word ‘hunch’ in the first place.
“What’s the reason?”
Of course, even a hunch required at least a minimum basis.
“I’ve seen the same scenery twice.”
“……”
It couldn’t be a mistake… Not with Agolet. When this man said ‘the same scenery’, it could be replaced with ‘the same location’. In other words, this ship had passed through the exact same place at least twice while carrying Residue and Agolet, which only pointed to one possible reason.
‘To waste this body’s time?’
But why would Kiel do that?
Residue murmured,
“This is strange. . I had built a fairly good relationship with their ruler.”
“Relationships change all the time.”
“No. Something has changed.”
The Grand Galactic Alliance and the mechanical legion…
Residue felt a vague, ambiguous sensation, then glanced toward the door leading to the cockpit and said,
“First, subdue them.”
“Yes.”
Agolet drew his sword.
*****
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