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Chapter 664: Kindred (1)
Planet Maden of the Soro Galaxy.
A forr holding of Quiad, a Class-3 human, and a planet currently inhabited by other Earthlings.
For Yeongwoo, it was inevitable that his eyes would go wide.
“Earthlings? Does that an humans are living on that place called Maden?”
At that, Quiad nodded.
―Isn’t that only natural?
“…Natural?”
―I would say you, too, are surrounded by humans all the sa. In this universe, it is perfectly natural to prioritize one’s own kind.
“But I…”
Yeongwoo trailed off, unable to continue.
In truth, the reason Yeongwoo himself had gathered so many humans was purely because this planet-ship had been created through Earth.
Unlike the ‘spacefarers’ he had t so far, Yeongwoo had never lost his ho planet, Earth, and so he had never developed any particular attachnt to his own kind.
While encountering other humans in this universe was certainly surprising, it wasn’t exactly sothing he found especially heartwarming.
―……
Sure enough, Quiad tilted his head, having read Yeongwoo’s expression.
―It seems you can’t relate.
“I’ve wandered the universe in search of money, but I’ve never moved to find other humans.”
―I see.
“Still, if I had to choose between saving an alien or a human, I’d probably choose the human if possible.”
Though he said that, Yeongwoo couldn’t be certain what choice he would actually make if such a situation truly arose.
If he really had to choose, wouldn’t he judge based on rit rather than species?
At least, that was how Yeongwoo currently felt.
Although he referred to the virtuous as fools, ironically, he held their values in high regard.
In Yeongwoo’s view, this universe needed more virtuous individuals.
That was true even setting aside the fact that hundreds of sinners were currently aboard this planet-ship.
―A planet-ship… and one made from Earth, at that. Even I have never seen such a thing. So perhaps your way of thinking is only natural. Among the Earthlings sent out into the universe, wouldn’t yours be the most prosperous?
“Uh… I’m not sure we’re the most prosperous.”
―For a single species, it is difficult to achieve anything greater than a planet-ship.
Quiad slowly nodded.
Then, shifting his gaze to Chancellor Herisa on the screen, he issued an order.
―Herisa, you are to move to Maden imdiately. You won’t be able to travel faster than the planet-ship, so it would be best to make haste accordingly.
At that, Herisa shrugged and spoke.
「That would depend on the will of the planet-ship’s master, wouldn’t it? Lord Yeongwoo, has the next destination been decided as Maden?」
It was a question asking whether he would co to Maden, as proposed, and conclude matters there.
To this, Yeongwoo answered as if there was no need to hesitate.
“That’s where our chairman can get reinstated, right? And where I can receive the rest of my paynt.”
「I rely proposed the nearest suitable eting point. However, it is certainly the optimal location at this mont.」
“Then let’s et at Maden. It’s not like I have anywhere else to go while carrying this many guests anyway.”
At Yeongwoo’s words, Mantero imdiately began plotting a course, and Herisa gave a slight nod before cutting off the communication.
The eting on planet Maden had been set.
―The Soro Galaxy… it’s quite a distance from our current position.
Before long, Mantero, having found a route, reported with a troubled expression.
“Is there even such a thing as a close destination in this universe? How far is it?”
―It will take about four months via interstellar travel.
“Four months?”
This ti, it was truly far.
And so Yeongwoo reflexively looked out at the space beyond the window.
“In that case, we’ll just have to use the ‘passage’ again. That’s what it’s there for, isn’t it?”
―But you’ve already done so within a single day… are you really sure about this?
Each ti a passage was used, the centennial covenant increased by one.
However, Yeongwoo rely shrugged as if it were no issue at all.
“Ask my descendants about that.”
* * *
Two hours of travel.
And contact with yet another black hole.
As usual, the solitary black holes demanded a ‘covenant,’ and Yeongwoo readily accepted.
He was pushing the burden of the promise onto descendants who might not even exist in the future.
【Black Agreent】
|Opening new paths becos gradually easier.
|Secured Agreents: 10
“Already ten agreents.”
As Yeongwoo muttered this, Quiad glanced sideways at the Myth Map in his hand.
―If the number of agreents keeps increasing, what happens?
“Well… originally, it should an that multiple black holes are favorably disposed toward , so the next black hole ought to let pass easily…”
But now it had taken on the exact opposite aning.
The number of agreents engraved on the Myth Map had effectively beco the number of covenants between Renaissance and the black holes.
And so, every new black hole he encountered demanded that he make a covenant with it as well.
“Anyway, whatever. This covenant will be a problem for my successor to deal with. Hah-hah!”
As Yeongwoo let out a sly laugh, Quiad tilted his head.
―Why do you think that?
“Huh? Well, by the ti I’d have to fulfill these covenants, I’d already be…”
He had been about to say that he would have died a natural death by then, but for so reason, Quiad’s reaction seed odd.
“What is it? Why that expression?”
―It seems you’ve already forgotten where you brought from.
“No way. You were in Pahalufe, weren’t you, chairman?”
―Yes. A prison isolated from the universe for eternity.
“Ah.”
Only then did Yeongwoo realize what he ant and opened his mouth belatedly.
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Co to think of it, he had never asked how long Quiad had been imprisoned in Pahalufe.
Judging by the circumstances, it didn’t seem like he had been locked up for just a year or two.
“…No way. Can you surpass a fixed lifespan? Then you’re not human anymore.”
―Human? Does living long simply make one no longer human? Then what about your own skin? It has long since beco impervious to bullets, hasn’t it?
“….”
It was a reply that left him speechless.
Indeed, if surpassing innate limitations ant one was no longer human, then most Earthlings currently alive would no longer be human.
“No, but still, there has to be so limit, right? The fact that you were imprisoned in Pahalufe and are still alive ans…”
Just how old was Quiad?
As Yeongwoo stared at him intently, Quiad soon gave a faint smile.
―Of course, the period I was imprisoned was not particularly long compared to other prisoners. However, compared to my lifespan, it was quite long. That is why Chancellor Herisa took the risk.
In other words, it ant that they had tried to extract the human Quiad before he died in Pahalufe, and things had led to this point.
Since Yeongwoo himself also had a short lifespan, he could fully understand why Herisa had needed to hurry.
“Strictly speaking, I’m the one who took the risk. Anyway, then how long were you in prison?”
At that, Quiad slightly raised his head and answered.
―612 years.
“Six… what? Six hundred years…?”
Yeongwoo’s eyes and mouth fell open at the sa ti.
“No, does that even make sense? If you were imprisoned for 600 years alone, just how long is your lifespan?”
Six hundred years was enough ti to circle black holes six tis under the covenant.
It was an unimaginably long period.
“How can a human live that long?”
As Yeongwoo wore a look of disbelief, Quiad gazed down at the youthful planet-ship master with a calm expression.
―This universe is filled with things that cannot be understood. Extending the ti one can breathe is hardly surprising.
“Well, that may be true… but no matter how much I think about it, I can’t get used to it. Does that an I’ll also be able to live unbearably long soday?”
―If your value reaches Class-4 and you co to possess cosmic significance, you will be able to shed your innate limitations as well.
“…That damned Class-4.”
Yeongwoo’s brow furrowed on its own.
Yet strangely, it was a condition he could accept.
Every remarkable being he had encountered so far had been at least Class-4.
For instance, beings like Lemu.
And in the ‘Sea of Status,’ wasn’t it only from Class-4 onward that entities were no longer depicted in fixed forms?
In this universe, the standard for being granted significance as a great existence was precisely being Class-4 under the laws of existence.
“So if I don’t beco Class-4, I might not live that long.”
―In any case, all beings live and die not by lifespan, but by destiny.
“Ha, you chairn really do speak as if you have it easy.”
It was probably the composure that ca from overwhelming strength.
But for Yeongwoo, still a mayfly in comparison, such elegant lines and composure were luxuries.
The only thing he could say—and had to say—right now was:
“So our remaining paynt is fully prepared, right? By destiny, of course.”
As Yeongwoo said this and pointed outside the window, a blue planet, much like Earth, ca into view.
―That is Maden.
Mantero added the explanation at just the right mont.
At this, Quiad, uncharacteristically, gazed out the window with a face tinged with sentint.
―It has been a very long ti.
Even for soone who had surpassed Class-4 and reached Class-3, 612 years was an imnsely long ti as a human.
“Co to think of it, this must be your first ti returning to this planet in 612 years.”
―You could say that.
“But if that planet used to belong to you… doesn’t that an soone else owns it now?”
―Most likely.
“…Most likely? Then you don’t know who the current owner is at all?”
Well, how could Quiad, who had been imprisoned in Pahalufe the entire ti, know of changes outside?
But there was no way Chancellor Herisa hadn’t considered this, so there had to be a reason she had chosen Maden as the eting place.
Soon, the Earth-ship entered Maden’s territorial range, and before long, a one-sided transmission ca from the other side.
Piaaat!
「You have entered Maden’s territorial zone. Visitor, please state your business.」
A very courteous announcent.
And then, the emblem that appeared—
“…What?”
Seeing the white square that appeared at the center of the pitch-black communication screen, Yeongwoo couldn’t help but gape.
If he wasn’t mistaken, that was—
“Le…?”
Before Yeongwoo could even finish speaking the na, Quiad stepped forward toward the screen, his voice tinged with displeasure.
―…Lemu? How did that insidious bastard co to hold my planet?
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