《Reborn with a Purpose in an Intergalactic Empire》


 Prologue: How it Began

    I sat in the command room of a battleship; many soldiers worked the screens as they relayed orders and status among the fleet at my command. One soldier spoke up, ¡°Lord Aurelian, the pirates are attempting a connection, it seems they wish to surrender.¡± I looked at the map projection, we were outnumbered, but the tech on these ships left even their numbers quaking. I shook my head, ¡°Pirates deserve no mercy, wipe them out.¡± The soldiers replied, ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± They quickly began relaying my orders to the fleet, and within seconds, the first laser was fired, and the battle began. I stood up, my blood boiling having to deal with yet another incursion from pirates who believed they could kick us while we were down, ¡°Ready my mech, I¡¯m going out.¡± I noticed one of the newer soldiers turned to look at me, but with one look into my eyes, they understood and looked back at their console.


    Walking through the ship, many people were scrambling to achieve their best work, some held rage in their eyes while others looked dead. There were three people in my jurisdiction, those who held regular eyes as they went about their day to day, those with a flame within them to show their rage against those that hurt them, and those like mine who were dead. We lost more than we could ever hope to get back that day, so we just went with the motions. When I got to hanger for mechs, I noticed someone was standing next to my mech, one that looked like a beaten and tattered knight. She wore a suit, one with a yellow color, as her gray hair flowed down her back a little. I said, ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to stay here, right? She¡¯s no longer here to be watched over, you can return to your home at any time.¡± The woman shook her head, ¡°I cannot do that my Lord. Lord Fredrick told me to follow my own path, and I chose to remain by your side.¡±


    I looked to her with my own confusion, but I pushed it off since I wanted to crush this rage that was building within me, ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, I won¡¯t let even one pirate take a single step into my domain.¡± She bowed, ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop you, even if I sought to do so. All I can say is return to your domain safely my Lord, your people await your valiant return.¡± I felt a new emotion rise from beneath the rage I felt, shame. Even after everything, I doubt my people would want me to return, because I failed them. I couldn¡¯t even reply to her, I just boarded my mech and began the startup procedure. Once ready, I moved to the hanger exit, a voice spoke as soon as my comms powered on, ¡°Lord Aurelian is joining the battle, all units put your all into eliminating these pirates!¡± A rally cry shot through the battlefield, and as I launched into the void of space, I wondered many things. Why did this happen to us? What did we do to deserve this? Why was I brought to this world? Even now, my questions remain answerless as I drew my weapon, my enemies lying before me.


    ~~~


    I looked through the VR headset, my hands hard at work on what I wanted to be my masterpiece, the final mech I¡¯d ever create in this world. As I connected wires, I coughed, blood beginning to fill the tissues I put to my mouth to ensure my blood didn¡¯t get everywhere. I can¡¯t tell what was wrong with me, most of the drugs I was being injected with either didn¡¯t have enough pain relief to let me sleep or too much relief that I couldn¡¯t feel pain. Currently, I was under such strong medication that I couldn¡¯t feel pain, but that was likely a good thing, because I doubt I was going to survive what was coming next.


    With each movement, I constructed a mech in a very lifelike game called ¡°Space Guilds Online¡±, or SGO for short. Unlike other games, SGO had maximum freedom for everything, from exploration to battles, swords and magic, ships and mechs, everything was created in some fashion by the players of the game. For me, I realized it was something to keep my attention during my hospitalization, but in the end, I guess it became my every day since I couldn¡¯t even leave my bed. I wanted to stay alive long enough to fight the endgame enemy that was supposed to appear in the coming month or so, but I guess it was never meant to be. After one last check, I nodded and began to weld the final piece into place, the armor for the cockpit was the last to go on, mostly as it required a load of wiring to be done and connected to the rest of the mech.


    As I was wrapping it up, someone said, ¡°Hey! Is this the one!?¡± When I looked back it was a player I knew rather well, one who stuck with me despite me eventually becoming mute due to the strain talking had on my body. Once it was on properly, I let the weightlessness of the area carry me down as I typed out a response, the robot I had floating near me speaking what I wanted to say, ¡°Yes, this should be it, the first, and likely last, tier ten in existence.¡± I handed him the specialized key to the mech, one made to resemble a knife since I didn¡¯t have to weaken the esthetic on my personal project, ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± He looked to me with confusion in his eyes, his voice conveying his confusion, ¡°But why? Weren¡¯t you going to fight in it? You and me, side by side until the end of the game, right?¡± I typed out my next sentence, my hands mis-clicking several times due to how bad I felt to tell him this, ¡°I¡¯m coughing up blood¡­ I¡¯m dying.¡±


    She shook his head, his eyes showing worry, but his voice conveying his desire, ¡°No, you¡¯ll make it, you¡¯ll pilot that mech yourself, I swear you will!¡± I wanted to say something, but I began to lurch over and cough hard, looking at my tissue, it saw was drenched in blood this time. I passed him the knife, quickly transferring the ownership to him with the last of my available strength. I pushed a button on my computer, then I fell back onto the hospital bed as I began to cough nonstop, the blood not ending. I heard my voice for the first time since before I went mute, a message I made just for him, thanking him for everything as he shouted for me to fight on. As the doctors came and took the VR headset off, I noticed he was crying for real, and I can¡¯t help but thank him for being there for me the whole way.


    When I opened my eyes again, I realized I was in the place that I always went to when under some form of sleep induced by medication. It always felt like I was underwater, yet could breath, with the scenery always being something akin to floating in space. It was a good place, I could always think about things with clarity, unlike back when I was awake, but this time, I felt far too sharp, so I assume that my death was all but certain now. I said, ¡°This is fine, I don¡¯t have to worry about pain anymore, or when my parents will come visit next¡­¡± I fell silent after I said that, emotions beginning to well up inside me as I slowly began to process my age and the fact I was well and truly dying. I felt my fists tighten, my weak muscles doing the same, my voice let out a pained yell into the void around me.


    ¡°Why did I have to die!? What did I do to deserve this, huh!? Come on, anything, anyone, tell me why I had to die!¡± The only thing that responded in this void was the silence that it always gave me. I curled up into a ball as I recalled what happened in life, I got hospitalized since I got sick with something at a young age, but when it got cured, I came down with something else that was far worse than whatever my initial illness was. The reason for this confusion and alarm was simple, it was a new and unknown illness that no doctor had ever seen before. After a certain point in time, my parents just stopped coming, a reason I could easily infer from others in my situation. My life eventually became nothing but video games for a while until the illness was properly recorded, mostly to ensure it wasn¡¯t transmittable, but since the first illness, I was stuck playing SGO.


    It was a game I could spend hours playing, and it was where I met my only friend, someone who went by the name ¡°Arthur¡±. I don¡¯t know how he managed to get the name ¡°Arthur¡± without any numbers and whatnot, but I assume he was one of the few beta testers¡­ not like it matters now. Just playing with him made me begin to enjoy my life in the hospital, and it was enough I was able to call him a friend. I never needed to see his real face, I never needed to know him in real life, just meeting him and knowing him in that world was enough to keep me going for as long as it did¡­ but I¡¯d never see him again. He cried real tears for me when no one else would¡¯ve, and now I¡¯m dying where the only one who¡¯ll come to my grave is the priest¡­ if I¡¯ll even have a burial.


    I just waited for it all to go dark, because there was no way I was going to survive this. No thoughts, no talking, just me and the void¡­ until I heard it. I heard something that sounded like two people talking, I couldn¡¯t tell what was going on, and this was the first time something like this had happened. When I tried to understand who they were and what was being said, all I could infer was a woman and a man were arguing, but not the content of their arguing. All it did was remind me of the argument my parents had before the both stopped coming, leaving me alone for quite some time. I covered my ears, the sound of their arguing somehow remained, and it began to affect me. I didn¡¯t want to hear this, I just wanted to finally die after all the pain of this life, no need to stick around, especially if I were to remain comatose or paralyzed. However, I heard something clear as day for a moment, the woman¡¯s voice saying, ¡°Remember, stay strong, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± With that, everything went black, something completely overcoming me.


    ~~~


    When I woke up, I was certain about one thing, I wasn¡¯t in the hospital I remember being in. There weren¡¯t any needles in my arms, no pads checking my heartrate, no tubes connected to me in any way, I was just¡­ way smaller than I remembered. I did notice I was covered in bandages, and when I went to observe myself, I realized I wasn¡¯t thin like I used to be. I rubbed my eyes, and when I realized the scene wasn¡¯t changing, I said, ¡°I have to be dreaming.¡± Even my voice didn¡¯t sound like my own, and I wasn¡¯t in pain when I spoke, this confirmed my dream like state. When I moved, the lights in the room came on automatically, illuminating a room as big as a living room in a modest house, which seemed to be a bedroom. I took in this room, one way more lavish than anything I¡¯ve ever seen, and said, ¡°Yeah, this is too much, even for a dream.¡± When I got up, I felt sore all over, and I could confirm I was shorter than I recalled.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I felt hunger begin to well up within me for the first time in ages, so I looked around and noticed some nightwear and put it on, no way I was going near naked in my dreams. After I put the nightwear on, I went to the door and managed to reach the ¡°handle¡±, the door opening like a sliding door into the wall. I said, ¡°Woah, I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± The ¡°handle¡± I saw was more like a sensor, one that detected me and opened when my hand got close to it. I decided to look into it later, because my stomach wasn¡¯t letting me forget that it wanted food. I stepped into the hall, and once the door closed, I realized even the hall was massive and extremely well decorated. I looked both ways, but even I couldn¡¯t tell where these halls went, so I just took a right and began walking.


    As I walked, I took any turns that I hoped could lead me towards at least the kitchen, but each hall led me to yet another hall, none of the directions leading me in any direction in particular. I reached yet another hall intersection, a four way this time, and realized I was incredibly lost. Looked down the expanses of rooms and hallways, I came to one conclusion, I was in hell. Infinite hallways, infinite rooms, and a never-ending hunger, that was the hell I found myself in. A moment after I thought that, some sort of intercom came to live, ¡°The young master has awoken and left his room, he is within the mansion interior. If anyone finds him, please take him back to his room, as he¡¯s likely lost.¡± With that, the hallways went silent once more, and it left me confused. ¡°Young master? Mansion? Maybe I¡¯m not in hell, maybe purgatory.¡± I commented as I decided to take one of the many paths, but before I could, I heard a man say, ¡°I found the young master, he¡¯s over here!¡±


    A man in a well-kept dress suit approached me, his obsidian hair was short but combed nicely, his equally obsidian eyes looked at me with worry as he approached. Behind him were other men in similar clothing, as well as women in maid uniforms, and all of them were approaching me with haste. After looking around, I realized they were coming for me, as I was the only one in this entire stretch of hallway aside from them. I went to try and run, but pain shot through my legs as I collapsed to the ground, which I quickly gripped my legs in a hope to massage away the pain. The same man said, kneeling as he got to me, ¡°Be careful, it seems the injures have yet to heal.¡± A maid carefully pulled my hands off my legs before they began to check me over, giving the man a nod. The man carefully lifted me off the ground, then he spoke to those with him, ¡°You may return to your work, I¡¯ll take the young master back to his room.¡± The others around us were quick to disperse before I even got my words of protest out, ¡°Put me down! I¡¯m not some young master!¡±


    The man looked to me as he began walking, his voice carrying confusion, ¡°Young master, don¡¯t make such a scene, it¡¯s unbecoming of a noble.¡± I tried to voice my objections again, ¡°I¡¯m not a noble! I know I¡¯m not!¡± I put my hand to my head, ¡°I¡¯m dreaming, I just need to wake up, right?¡± I pinched my cheeks, but when I felt pain, I paused and tried again, then said, ¡°Why am I not waking up!?¡± The man had moved pretty quickly through the halls, because he had already opened the door to my room and carefully sat me on the bed, ¡°Young master, I¡¯m not sure why you believe this is a dream.¡± He knelt down and began to look me over, ¡°We didn¡¯t detect any head injuries after the incident, maybe the machine was broken.¡± I went to say something, but an audible grumble came from my stomach, causing the man to chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll bring in some food for you in a moment young master.¡±


    I said, ¡°While I am hungry, I¡¯m not some young master, I¡¯m not a noble. If this is some prank the hospital staff decided to pull on me, this isn¡¯t funny.¡± This caused the man more confusion, but this one broke the calm smile he had on his face, ¡°What do you mean by that young master? Of course you¡¯re a noble, you¡¯re the son of William Stella Flameheart, Count of the Avalon Empire. Do you not remember?¡± I shook my head, ¡°That isn¡¯t my name, my name is Connor, and my last name certainly isn¡¯t Flameheart.¡± I looked out to the room, my tone clearly stating my annoyance, ¡°Really funny guys! I thought I died, but this prank takes the cake! Come on, show yourselves!¡± As silence returned my call of annoyance, I felt my blood slowly run cold, my voice beginning to leak out my fear, ¡°C-come on guys¡­ this isn¡¯t funny¡­¡± As I looked around the room, I noticed a mirror, to which I leapt off the bed and quickly ran to it. When I looked into it, the eyes of an unfamiliar person looked back to me. Golden blond hair that was cut short, a haircut I preferred, but my eyes were strange, as the iris of my eyes were a golden color with crimson sparsely spread through it, and the body looked more akin to a child no older than five years of age.


    I moved in the mirror; a ringing began to enter my ears as everything I did seemed reflected in this unfamiliar body. I fell to the ground, my legs giving out from, the person in the mirror copying me. I said, ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t my body. This isn¡¯t my voice. Who is that!?¡± A voice seemed to overcome me, ¡°Calm down! Take a deep breath and focus!¡± As the voice said that, I managed to stop and take several breaths, slowly calming myself down. Whoever told me to calm down was right, I had to be calm, much like the doctors once told me. Once I did that, I stood up and turned around, and to my surprise, a man who embodied the colors of flame stood there, his hair was cut short like my own, and much like his eyes, was the color of a strong blaze. Of course, they overtook me in height, so I was a tad nervous to address them, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ might I ask who you are?¡±


    The man seemed saddened by this, but he approached me and took a kneel, his mouth opened and closed, he seemed unable to determine what to say. He looked to the man who brought me to this room and asked, ¡°Edward, in your observations, what would you believe this is?¡± Edward spoke, ¡°My lord, I have reason to believe young Aurelian may be a reincarnation. He proclaimed he wasn¡¯t a noble, nor a young master, not to leave out he proclaimed ¡°hospital staff¡± were playing a prank on him. I have reason to believe he is, indeed, a reincarnation.¡± I felt some of the questions in my head begin to fall into place, I wasn¡¯t in my body anymore, I had died proper. When the man looked to me, he said, ¡°But he can¡¯t be, he shown no aptitude for it.¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, this makes sense.¡± Both the man and Edward looked to me, but I couldn¡¯t read the many emotions in their eyes.


    I spoke to both of them equally, since they seemed to be the only ones who knew right now, ¡°My name is Connor, I came down with a harsh illness in my first life, I have valid reason to believe I had died, and somehow been reincarnated into¡­ this body. I had no say in the matter, but I¡¯m very sorry if this is someone you two once knew.¡± Edward seemed to understand, but the man was the one who spoke as he rubbed my head, ¡°No need to worry your little head, I¡¯m certain your memories are just a little off, but this is something a little¡­ normal in this universe.¡± Now it was my turn to be confused, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± The man chuckled, ¡°First, let me introduce myself, my name is William Stella Flameheart, I¡¯m¡­ your father.¡± Hearing that said to me felt¡­ weird. It was almost like I was someone who had amnesia, but I know I don¡¯t¡­ at least I think. William stood up, picking me up as he did and sitting me at the desk, he then went to the door and brough me some soup. He said, ¡°Eat, your body needs something, you¡¯ve been unconscious for two weeks.¡± As I ate, William continued to speak, ¡°To make it easy on you, you¡¯re six years old. You won¡¯t have many responsibilities unless you seek them, but I should explain your situation overall.¡±


    He took a moment, then said, ¡°Reincarnations overall are rather rare, it¡¯s a big universe out there. But many seem to, be it their wish or not, to wind up in the care of nobility as their children in some capacity. I assume you¡¯re the type of reincarnation who had no idea what happened, yes?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, I just ended up here after dying, I didn¡¯t get a say to be here.¡± William nodded, ¡°I see, but I should ease your concerns, you didn¡¯t push any soul out of the body.¡± I nearly spit a spoonful of soup out of my mouth as he said that, this let him know to continue, ¡°In a way, any reincarnation born into a body is to awaken their memories between birth and ten years old, never any later than that. One reincarnate said that the reincarnate¡¯s soul doesn¡¯t push out any preexisting soul, so the child that is born to them is still the child of the respective family. I don¡¯t plan to out you, at least, if you don¡¯t wish for it.¡±


    I asked, considering the way he worded his statement, ¡°What do you mean by ¡°outing¡± me?¡± William replied, ¡°Some reincarnations want to be known as reincarnations, the reasons vary, but there are always those who want to live a new, yet entirely normal life. Of course, later in life they may come out about it, there was one case where one reincarnation left the fact they were a reincarnation in their will, and he loved ever second of his new life. What I¡¯m getting at is you have a choice, do you want to be known as a reincarnation, or do you just wish to live a new life? You don¡¯t have to answer it now, you have plenty of time.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I can answer it now, I want to live my new life without the reincarnation label on me. My first life wasn¡¯t the best, considering I was hospitalized for most of it. I just want to be¡­ me.¡± William smiled and rubbed my head, nearly causing me to spill some soup, ¡°Then that¡¯s just how it¡¯ll be, Aurelian.¡±


    I looked to him, confusion within me, he said, ¡°That¡¯s your name. As of this moment, your name is Aurelian Stella Flameheart, son to William Stella Flameheart. You¡¯ll learn what this means in due time, but you need to recover for now.¡± I remembered all the injuries I had, so I asked, ¡°What happened to me? I didn¡¯t really feel it until I tried to run earlier.¡± William seemed¡­ saddened when I asked, Edward also took a saddened look as well. William said, ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ remember in due time. But there was an accident when the vehicle carrying you and your mother¡­ crashed. Your mother protected you, but at the cost was heavy. She¡¯s currently comatose and in critical condition, but survival is more likely than not.¡± Despite not knowing about her, my eyes began to break out into tears. I could tell, I really did care for her, even if my memories weren¡¯t all here yet. William knelt once more and hugged me in my chair, and that was enough for me to break out crying, for a love that surpassed even lost memories.


    When I finally stopped crying, William rubbed my head, ¡°Alright, for the time being, I need to get back to work, I have a busy schedule ahead of me. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask Edward, he¡¯s a trustworthy butler to the family.¡± Edward bowed, ¡°I aim to please my lord.¡± With that, William left, and I asked, ¡°Um, Edward. What time is it?¡± Edward pulled his sleeve back and looked at a watch, one that looked out of place in the weirdly high-tech mansion I found myself in, ¡°It seems to be ten in the morning sir, but you have nothing to worry about time wise.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Oh, no, I just didn¡¯t know the time. I want to stay awake, but if it was night, I would return to bed to get a proper sleep schedule going.¡± Edward smiled, ¡°Understandable young master, it¡¯s always good to get proper sleep.¡± I felt weird being called that, so I decided to try and change it, ¡°If possible, can I just be called ¡°sir¡± please? Being called ¡°young master¡± is a little weird to me.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°As you wish sir.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief and finished my meal, this new life seemed like it was going to be a handful.

 Chapter One: A Goal and Purpose

    I chose to let a few days pass, mostly sticking to the room and getting used to my new body, considering I haven¡¯t been so¡­ medically free in years. To my surprise, I was fully healed within a few days, but I was certain the injuries were far worse considering the pain that they gave off. But I decided, with the guidance of Edward, I was to try and begin understanding the mansion layout¡­ until even that felt impossible. This mansion was massive, I couldn¡¯t even determine what the place was meant to be outside of the home for my father and his family. Halls seemed never-ending, there were duplicates of many rooms, and the overall size of the mansion seemed ludicrous. I looked to Edward after we hit the fifth bar like room and asked, ¡°This is unbelievable, are you sure we haven¡¯t looped the mansion at least once?¡± Edward shook his head, ¡°No sir, as I mentioned before, it¡¯d be better if you remembered the areas you need to know, as you¡¯ve yet to understand the¡­ status of nobles such as yourself.¡±


    He began to lead me down the halls, his tone shifted to the educational one he took whenever he discussed things, ¡°I believe you recall the nobility system, yes?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, from the lowest to the highest, it¡¯s Baron, Viscount, Count, Duke, then Royalty right?¡± Edward said, ¡°Mostly correct, only that there¡¯s Marquess between Count and Duke, but the rest is otherwise correct.¡± He stopped and looked to me, ¡°So, how large do you think this mansion is? It doesn¡¯t have to be perfect; any guess is fine.¡± I thought, even though we walked a while, I couldn¡¯t even guess the true size. I threw out a guess, ¡°I assume the size of a small town? At least in distance, size I can¡¯t guess since I haven¡¯t seen a window yet.¡± Edward chuckled, ¡°I hate to say it, you¡¯re off the mark. The mansion is roughly the size of a large city, so much so that in many places it requires a mode of transportation to get from place to place.¡±


    My jaw dropped; this building was as big as a large city? I spoke, stuttering a lot of my words, ¡°But this is a nobility system, if this mansion is this large for a Count, then how big is a Marquess¡¯ mansion or a Duke¡¯s? Is there even any place for the common man?¡± Edward looked at me shocked, but quickly realized he made a blunder, ¡°Ah, right, I forgot you haven¡¯t remembered yet.¡± He bowed to me, ¡°Many apologies sir, I¡¯ve been running off of the fact you had your memories from your first six years.¡± I quickly spoke, ¡°It¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t bow for such a simple mistake, if you knew something as one thing for some time, it¡¯d be hard to act on it without conscious thought.¡± Edward straightened himself out and said, ¡°You¡¯re too kind sir.¡± He motioned for me to follow, so I did, and he eventually led me to a room with something akin to a table in the center.


    Edward sat me down and said, ¡°Give me one moment sir, I just need to get the hologram working.¡± Edward went to the other side of the table and pushed a few buttons, and before I knew it, a sphere appeared on the screen, and it had many buildings all along the surface. Edward, with a pad in hand, walked back to me and said, ¡°This is where we currently reside, the capital of your father¡¯s domain.¡± I nodded for a moment, then said, ¡°Wait, is the whole planet the capital?¡± Edward nodded with a smile, ¡°Yes sir, that is the case.¡± After a few pushes, many other planets came up, numbering around nine in total, ¡°Your fathers domain consists of nine planets at the moment, due to the development of them, he¡¯s currently working on a tenth planet as we speak.¡± After a few more pushes, five planets took the screen, ¡°While these planets are under your father¡¯s control, they¡¯re being used by his other children, and your step siblings. Chances are you won¡¯t meet them since they¡¯re quite busy, but I believe you should know at least this much.¡±


    After I processed this, I had to know, ¡°I can infer by this that we¡¯re a spacefaring nation of some sort, but are we an empire on the galactic scale?¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Yes sir, you¡¯re currently the son of a noble in the Avalon Empire. Despite everything you know about empires, Avalon is a meritocracy, so if you don¡¯t preform well as a noble, you status can be taken away. So do keep that in mind.¡± Edward powered the hologram down and put the pad back to where it was, and we were soon walking the halls again. As I processed what I just learned, I heard the faint sound of what I called a ¡°mech¡¯s muscle¡± snapping. I turned to the hall the sound came from, my senses as a mech creator and manufacturer had been set off, and I needed to determine the source. I immediately ran down the hall, hoping to find the source of the sound, but before I got far, I was lifted into the air rather easily by Edward, ¡°What has gotten into you sir? You can¡¯t just run like that; you could get lost again.¡± I struggled as much as my body could, ¡°I heard it! I heard the sound of mech muscles breaking! I need to know if this universe has mechs!¡±


    Edward spoke, ¡°First, stop struggling. I can take you there if you so wish, but you need to calm down.¡± I quickly stopped struggling, my excitement had my blood rushing, something Edward seemed to notice as he put me down, ¡°Follow me sir, if anything, I¡¯m surprised you even heard anything related to a machine here.¡± After around ten or so minutes of walking, Edward opened a door to a massive room, one with machines everywhere, and mechs sat in what seemed to be their maintenance bays. I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement, ¡°It¡¯s a mech! I can¡¯t believe it, it¡¯s a real, genuine mech!¡± I was so excited that I noticed people turned to look at me, but I didn¡¯t focus on them as I scanned the area for the sound of the mech I heard break. Soon, I noticed an arm completely dislodged from its mech, so I asked, ¡°Can I go down there? That seems abnormal.¡± Edward seemed hesitant, but sighed, ¡°If you wish sir.¡±


    After yet more time, and a hard-hat and other personal protective equipment, I was looking at the broken mech. Engineers were looking at it with dismay, complaining that this would be a pain to repair. I picked up one of the shards, Edward saying, ¡°Sir, that¡¯s dangerous!¡± I looked at the part, then shook my head, ¡°This has been overworked, how in the world did it even last this long.¡± The conversations around me stopped, Edward seemed to have stopped before coming to me. I looked to the arm that was detached from the machine and said, ¡°Open the arm, let me see the inside.¡± I noticed the engineers looking to Edward in confusion, but after noticing who I was, they quickly got to work on removing the outer armor. Once the outer armor and other parts were removed, I found the issue.


    I pointed to the metal cords running through the arm, ¡°There¡¯s the problem, these muscles are straight, it¡¯s putting horrible strain on them when picking up heavier loads.¡± A voice of a different looking engineer to the others said, ¡°What would you know kid? You may be the Count William¡¯s boy, but I can¡¯t have you blurting whatever you wish without something to back up your statement.¡± I nodded, ¡°I understand, so let me make this as simple as I can.¡± I took a bunch of smaller metal strands, made two sets of them, and took one in my hands after ensuring that they were straight, ¡°This is the current setup you have for the muscles in the arms, I¡¯m also assuming the same to the legs. When you do something like this, the strands are weaker since they¡¯re like this.¡± I handed the strands to Edward, then requested, ¡°Pull the strands please.¡± Edward did as I wished and pulled the strands, the sounds of strain were evident before the broke, turning the attention of many nearby engineers. I was surprised that he managed to do that, but I continued, ¡°As such, they couldn¡¯t withstand the stress, and broke when overexerted. However, if I do this.¡± I took the other group, this time, carefully twisting them.


    I handed the new, twisted strands to Edward, ¡°Do the same as you did before please.¡± Edward did as I said, this time, the strain didn¡¯t cause the strands to break, much less cause the same straining noise it did before. The engineers let out gasps of surprise as they watched this, I looked to the engineer who asked me to prove myself, ¡°Make one of the mechs with this kind of muscle layout and you¡¯ll see massive improvements to the mech overall.¡± The engineer looked to the strands; his eyes seemed to have that glint of someone who was just shown many possibilities. He looked to one of the engineers, ¡°Get me a pad, I want to get permission from the Count before I try this. If this is as good as shown, this could give House Flameheart the upper hand in future engagements.¡± One of the engineers were quick to run and get the pad, but I wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, my eyes and hands were all over the arm of the mech, my mind running through my knowledge of SGO.


    My mumblings were likely incoherent, but I knew something seemed odd. We were in a spacefaring intergalactic empire, but mechs like this would be very obsolete in my standards. I turned and asked, ¡°How good is this mech in comparison to other mechs on the market?¡± The engineer who I was speaking with before said, ¡°Nearly the best, why ask?¡± I looked back to the arm, then back to him, ¡°Even in other nations?¡± The engineer nodded, ¡°Yes, is there something wrong?¡± I felt my brain rush to life, if tech on the mech was like this, ships were likely the same considering they were in nigh the same region of technological development. Despite the odds, I was in a world where what I knew was worth it¡¯s weight in whatever the rarest ore on the market was. I said, ¡°Edward, I want permission from father to take a team and a singular mech to show the best state I can get this mech.¡± Edward seemed confused, ¡°The best state? Sir, this seems far outside your capabilities.¡± I looked back to him, his eyes met mine, my voice filled with excitement, ¡°Edward, I wouldn¡¯t say this for no reason, I¡¯m staring at my passion laid before my eyes, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t push for the future I want to achieve.¡±


    ~~~


    I looked to Young Master Aurelian; his eyes had that sparkle in them that he didn¡¯t have since he awoke in his bed. He lacked the sparkle of a dream, that desire that kept man moving forward, but now his eyes seemed filled with it. Before I could say anything, I heard Master William¡¯s voice break through the bay, ¡°Aurelian Stella Flameheart! What are you doing in the mech bay!?¡± Before I could do anything, the head engineer spoke, ¡°Your son enlightened me on the metal strands within mechs my Lord, if anything, he seems to be a prodigy if he figured something like this out at his age.¡± Master William looked to the head engineer before turning to me, ¡°Is what he said true Edward?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes Master William, he even had me preform an experiment to prove his claims. However, he did ask me for the permission to¡­¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how to state this, but Young Master Aurelian spoke for me, ¡°I seek to modify the one of these mechs, I can make something far stronger than just simply twisting some mech tissue. I could make a unit that can surpass every mech in this bay if you wished, father.¡±


    I could tell Master William was contemplating what he was just told, he knew Young Master Aurelian was a reincarnate, but to everyone else, he was merely six years old. After some time passed, he spoke, ¡°For now, I¡¯ll have to deny that request, you¡¯re still far too young to commit to this. However, if you work hard and prove to me you can handle the responsibility, I¡¯ll allow you to commit to this plan of yours.¡± Aurelian smiled, ¡°You have a deal.¡± With that, he spoke briefly to the lead engineer, likely about what needed to be done to handle the changes, and came to me, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I want to prepare for the future.¡± I began to lead the way, Master William seemed to remain, likely to speak with the head engineer, but it only made me curious to what both Master William and Young Master Aurelian had on their minds. While I could understand Master William to an extent, considering my longstanding employment under his family, Young Master Aurelian seemed beyond my reach. My curiosity of this reincarnation only made me want to follow him, just to see what heights he can reach.


    ~~~


    I was, thanks to Edward¡¯s assistance, able to look at the blueprints for the best ships and mechs at the current disposal of the domain. To make a long story short, the technology was incredibly far behind compared to everything else like guns and armor for ground troops. While none of the other techs outside of base construction were my area of expertise, this was still abnormal to me. When one area of tech grows, other areas are supposed to follow, so a majority of tech completely bypassing something like this was nigh impossible. For now, though, I had to wait before I could, which meant proper training. I did, however, write up the blueprints and sent them to father, so he could at least have it made to prove my knowledge and to not waste time. I could easily write this up, since the initial best mechs were the bane of my existence for a time.


    Edward said, ¡°Sir, I did send the blueprints you drew up to your father, but are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, as long as they follow the blueprint to the letter and don¡¯t try to go against it. This tier of mechs is incredibly difficult, and with the materials currently accessible by the mechanics make it rough to even attempt to modify it. Tier two however breaks into the freedom of modification, so as long as the initial hurdle is overcome, we should be able to make it that far.¡± Edward seemed confused, but I waved him off, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss that later, I¡¯m not even allowed to enter the bay for the time being, so it wouldn¡¯t be right to explain it before it even happens.¡±


    I looked to Edward, asking, ¡°So, what should I do first? I need to gain information, but I¡¯m not exactly sure where to start.¡± Edward spoke, ¡°I believe you should enter an education pod sir; it would greatly enhance your overall knowledge and strengthen your body.¡± I put my hand to my head, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that concept of sci-fi actually exists in this universe.¡± I returned to my usual focus and asked, ¡°How long would I need to be in there?¡± Edward thought for a moment, then said, ¡°You¡¯ll have to go in several times, mostly as over strengthening your body would be horrible for future development, not to mention it could overwork your mind. As a start, a whole year would be the longest you can go, if you wish to remain within as long as possible.¡± After a more complicated explanation, the whole gist was information is the machine implanted information into ones head while strengthening the body, but overdo it, and it harms the body rather than strengthening it. I¡¯d learn key information within it though, things for daily life, along with some nobility related items further down the line.


    I processed the information, then asked, ¡°So, overall, it¡¯s akin to sleeping for a year, but I get stronger and learn information far faster than regular learning?¡± Edward nodded, ¡°As a short answer, yes, that is correct sir. We can begin within the month if you wish to.¡± I thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s do it, I can¡¯t do much until I get the means to understand the world.¡± I understood I wasn¡¯t going to get far without proper logic, the only reason that metal strands worked in my favor was because I knew that by twisting it as such made it stronger. If I wanted to properly work as a mech creator, I¡¯d need the means to understand metals, melting points, and mathematical terms and techniques before I even attempt to make things myself. More than that, being a noble, I likely had a plenty of responsibilities waiting for me in the future, so I needed to be able to handle my education before my wishes to make mechs.


    Edward asked me, ¡°Is there any time period you¡¯d wish to start the process?¡± I checked my body, still thinner than a normal person, so I made a choice, ¡°I should build up my body, being as thin as I am, it could bring other risks.¡± Edward thought, but replied, ¡°I concur sir, I may not have heard of such incidents of a weak body entering a pod, but it could be concerning if a weak body is an issue. I¡¯ll check, but you should be able to gain some mass before entering the pod rather easily sir.¡± Due to the status of my father, food was never an issue, and from what I can see, he runs his domain rather well. I can¡¯t compare this is with other domains, but the whole point is that in terms of money, we wouldn¡¯t be lacking for anything. I looked to the mirror, looking at the face I¡¯ve yet to grow accustomed too, knowing that my future was more confusing than anything I could¡¯ve imagined.


    ~~~


    Two weeks after the education pod discussion, I was going through the curriculum of what I¡¯d learn over a year. The content of this year long ¡°curriculum¡± was enough to put me through high school, not only that, but it also had some beginner domain management information as well. I recalled my concerns of having to learn all of that before entering the world, knowing even attempting the learning with what could¡¯ve been my last moments would¡¯ve been a waste. Edward, knowing we were alone, said, ¡°You¡¯ve been rather quiet, is this a lot for you sir?¡± I replied, ¡°Back on Earth, everything excluding the domain running was considered everything including high school. I¡¯m learning everything from the beginning of my country¡¯s education to the twelfth year, which is over twelve years, in one. It feels¡­ unreal to see this be a fact of life in this universe.¡± Edward looked at me with sadness in his eyes, he knew this whole reincarnation thing had been a heavy weight on my shoulders, ¡°It¡¯ll become easier with time, I promise sir.¡±


    I smiled, letting him know I was slowly getting used to everything, but I made a point to address part of the curriculum, ¡°I do have a question, why am I learning domain management? I¡¯m currently the youngest in the family, so I¡¯m more likely to not inherit the domain.¡± Edward seemed surprised I asked, but quickly seemed to understand my former life wasn¡¯t like this. He said, ¡°Since this Empire is structured via imperial standards, the same goes for nobility. If the family head passes, the ruling of the domain is passed on, as you know. The reason all members of the family take domain management is because there was a major case in the past where many of the ones who had a high likelihood of becoming family head were killed, forcing the unprepared to take headship. In fact, that issue is still something the Empire is recovering from to this day, especially in the nobility.¡± He motioned to the pad I was holding, ¡°The particular case is under ¡°Empire History¡±, so we can have a more thorough discussion about it once you¡¯re out of the pod.¡±


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    I looked to the information, my curiosity wanted to know one last thing, ¡°Edward¡­ does this universe have Earth? Most sci-fi stories end up calling it Sol since calling it Earth is a little off.¡± Edward thought, then shook his head, ¡°I cannot say sir, it¡¯s not a question that¡¯s been asked, as most reincarnates sought to live in their new lives, forgoing their past life. If you¡¯d like, I can see if this universe does.¡± I smiled, ¡°I¡¯d like that, mostly to satisfy my own curiosity. I don¡¯t have any wish to return to Earth, there¡¯s nothing left for me there anyway.¡± Edward¡¯s eyes shifted to sadness once more, he knew many things about reincarnates, and one of those facts were that not all of them had a life that was considered a good one. Once I finished reading over the information I¡¯d be learning properly, I signed off that I¡¯d be tested on them constantly until they stick, since I¡¯d need to apply the information to remember it.


    Edward asked, ¡°With that finished sir, I¡¯ll state to hold any questions until after your time in the pod, as quite a lot of information will involve many questions you may have at this time.¡± I nodded, not needing more than that. I recalled I wanted a report, so I said, ¡°Edward, when the mechs are properly made and tuned, I¡¯d like a report to see if it was properly made. If done incorrectly, it could seriously injure the pilots since it¡¯ll take time for me to incorporate stronger safety measures for the pilots.¡± Edward seemed momentarily surprised, but nodded, ¡°Of course sir, it is the mech you designed after all.¡± I felt a tinge of excitement, a mech I personally designed being brought into the world¡­ despite it not being my mech since it really just used the existing design to maximize the potential they have.


    A medical professional came in with a few machines and a gown you¡¯d see patients wear in hospitals. He said, ¡°I just need to connect some machines to you so your vitals are properly observed, the first time usually points out any issues one may have with the pods, but a majority of them can be rectified before the second use. Don¡¯t worry my Lord, you¡¯re in good hands.¡± Edward watched as the machines were properly put on my body, and we were taken to the pod, which seemed pretty advanced, not to mention costly, for just one pod. Edward said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a year¡¯s time sir.¡± I smiled back as I was put into the machine properly, ¡°I hope your health remains well in the meantime Edward.¡± After a mask covered my eyes, nose, and mouth, the pod closed, a green liquid filled the pod, and I felt my eyes grow heavy as I fell asleep.


    ~~~


    I stood with Master William; his eyes laid on the three groups of mechs that stood in the training area. One was the standard mechs, those unchanged over the last six months. The second were the mechs changed to hold the twisted strands of metal wire in their muscles, a means to test the strength these new units held. The third was the mechs who¡¯s designs were unchanged but made new via the interiors and changes to armor layout, courtesy of Young Master Aurelian. Each of these groups numbered three, mostly to get a proper understanding of the limits that laid before them. Master William said, ¡°Despite nothing seeming different with the two experimental units, I can¡¯t determine if they¡¯re truly better than what we have now.¡± I spoke, mostly to assure him of their worth, ¡°You aren¡¯t an engineer sir, it makes sense you cannot see the difference. Even I require a showing to understand such a change, it¡¯s why you accepted to make the changes to these units, am I correct?¡± Master William nodded, ¡°Indeed, I know putting my trust into Aurelian seems strange, but that child is a reincarnation, and his eyes seemed to shine as he stood next to that mech.¡±


    He seemed to struggle with the words he was thinking, even though we were alone mentioning this topic, ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, if he knows a means to change the entirety of mech based functions, I want him to achieve this dream of his. I want to know where this spark can take him, I want to see his mind laid bare on paper, his dreams becoming reality. This test will be to determine if my trust in his vision was well placed.¡± I smiled, but I quickly recalled what Young Master Aurelian said, ¡°Did you relay that no changes were to occur from the blueprints? Young Master Aurelian was quite clear about no changes being made to his designs.¡± Master William looked to me, his eyes serious, ¡°Yes, the head engineer was adamant to making no changes to my son¡¯s design, he said ¡°I want to see what that boy came up with, so if anyone messes it up, I¡¯ll punish them myself!¡±. It was a strange sight to see, considering how he usually acts.¡±


    I decided to state my theory, ¡°I think it¡¯s because this is something new Master William.¡± Master William looked to me, since they were still running checks on the mechs, ¡°What do you mean by that Edward?¡± I spoke motioning to the mechs that laid before our eyes, ¡°What¡¯s one thing that the mechs Young Master Aurelian designed than those that had no changes? The answer is that it¡¯s new, it¡¯s not following the standard that¡¯s been there since before our childhoods. I don¡¯t think this universe has seen change in so long that the second something changes, the whole universe shakes with excitement. The engineers seemed excited to work on these units, because they could be the change that they¡¯ve unconsciously sought for decades. It¡¯s like a sommelier tasting a new kind of wine, a new wine is something they unconsciously search for, a change to their normal. These engineers are experiencing that, their new design is like a sommelier¡¯s new wine, it¡¯s a new flavor to enrich their lives for the better.¡±


    I cleared my throat, ¡°At least, that¡¯s what I believe.¡± Master William looked back to the mechs, his eyes had a new look of understanding in them, ¡°Something new¡­ hm, I think I see the point in your words Edward.¡± The mechs of the three groups began to move, one mech from each group was to be used in what was dubbed ¡°The Mech Stress Test¡± before one from each group would fight one from the other two groups. I took out a notepad, Young Master Aurelian¡¯s wish remained in my mind. Master William asked, ¡°Edward, what¡¯s with the notepad? I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d take notes.¡± I replied, ¡°Young Master Aurelian has asked I manage to get the report, but I decided to take notes, just in case the test isn¡¯t completely correct.¡± Master William smiled, ¡°I see, do as you wish then.¡± With that, my focus turned to the tests, my goal was to assist Young Master Aurelian.


    ~~~


    I looked at the report Edward had managed to retrieve, as well as his own eye witness reports to the whole event that occurred ten months ago. It¡¯s been four months since I awoke from the pod, with the past four months being tests and physical training to ensure I could handle what I¡¯d gained from the pod. I was in a stable position to begin other things before the next round in a few years. Reading both reports, I smiled, ¡°The response has been better than I expected, and since it¡¯s the same mech as before, the shift doesn¡¯t seem to have the engineers in any disarray.¡± Checking the report about the design, I was relieved they didn¡¯t try to change it, ¡°Good, the design is unchanged, that means I can begin designing a tier two.¡± Edward seemed confused, ¡°You mentioned such a term before your stay in the pod, what does that mean?¡± I turned and began my explanation, ¡°In terms of strength, speed, endurance, durability, the higher the tier, the better the mech or ship is, unless it¡¯s made to be a certain way. In a way, what I did was perfect the first tier of mech to the best capacity it can be, but that¡¯s the best that mech can do.¡±


    Edward said, his eyes shown his new understanding, ¡°So you¡¯ll make this ¡°tier two¡± mech, one far stronger than the ¡°tier one¡± mech we¡¯ve been using since-.¡± I cut him off, ¡°Since several centuries ago, yes.¡± I rubbed my head, ¡°I can¡¯t believe even father¡¯s been using this since his youth, considering the anti-aging tech.¡± When I was in the pod, I learned that in this universe, someone found out how to make anti-aging technology, making the human lifespan ten times the one hundred years of life we once held, not to mention the means to make us look younger for it as well. The means to this millennia of life was a mixture of gene altering and, as mentioned, anti-aging medication and tech. So, since there was a long time before one dies, one is considered a child until the age of fifty to better balance the education period to an extent.


    As of right now, I¡¯m eight years old, so I had forty-two years until adulthood, and after that was a large amount of noble related teachings like military, governance, and noble etiquette. But that was for future me to handle, for current me, my goal was to just reach tier two mechs, since that would be a major game changer for any future event. Edward, however, seemed to remember something, ¡°Sir, your father wishes to see you. I¡¯m not sure what the contents of what he wishes to see you about though.¡± I nodded, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I wanted to see him anyway to get his personal opinion on the upgrades.¡± Edward rose from his chair as I did, ¡°Then allow me to escort you sir.¡±


    After a decent amount of walking, and taking an elevator up quite some floors, I found myself before father¡¯s office. Edward knocked on the door, ¡°Master William, Young Master Aurelian is here.¡± Father said, ¡°Come in.¡± Edward opened the door, and I entered with a smile, ¡°Hello father, it¡¯s nice to see you.¡± He looked up from his work, a small smile graced his lips, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you as well Aurelian, come, have a seat.¡± After I took a seat, Father spoke, ¡°I personally watched the tests of the mechs, not only am I impressed about that, but I¡¯m also impressed you managed to impress the head engineer. I haven¡¯t seen that man impressed by anything ever since I hired him, and I was around a century old at the time.¡± He chuckled a moment, quickly returning to business, ¡°But that¡¯s not why I wanted to speak with you. I wanted to speak with you about this.¡± He put a report of one of the many tests I took on the table before me, it was one about planetary development, a topic from domain running.


    I was confused, I think I did rather well, ¡°Is there something wrong? I don¡¯t believe I failed the assignment.¡± Father shook his head, ¡°No, you passed, don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯s how you passed that surprises me.¡± He took out a remote and a hologram appeared between us, ¡°Does this look familiar to you?¡± I began to read through what seemed to be a planetary sheet, land, size, resources, it was everything a planet would or wouldn¡¯t have. I recalled these exact numbers, it was the same one from the test, ¡°Are these the numbers from the test? Why are they being displayed here?¡± Father spoke, the numbers fading as a planet began to replace it, ¡°Aurelian, those numbers weren¡¯t pulled from any database for tests. The numbers were pulled from the planet I had just recently colonized, and you managed to display how to maximize the planet to the fullest while simultaneously keeping parts of the planet natural. Not only that, but you also minimized everything harmful to the environment, ensuring the planet would remain habitable for lifetimes. Son, you managed to prepare a planet in a way many your age wouldn¡¯t be able to do.¡±


    I was surprised, this sort of thing wasn¡¯t really my skillset, but with some SGO knowledge and what was laid before me, I managed to make something that stuck out. Father asked, ¡°How did you come up with this?¡± Knowing it was just him and Edward in the room, I said, ¡°Well, there was a game I once played, it helped a little in the whole process. But with what I learned; I knew just the way to make any planet work to the best of it¡¯s capabilities. However, to make it work like that, it would require plenty of oversight for several decades. I can show you similar works with other planets if you¡¯d like.¡± Father shook his head, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, the other planets are already made as such, and changing its structure now would only cause issues.¡± He went silent, then asked, ¡°How would you feel about taking control of the planet? I wouldn¡¯t normally do this, but with what you can do, I feel like you could do something amazing.¡±


    I quickly threw my hands up and shook my head, ¡°I can¡¯t! I¡¯m not even ten, how in the world can I run an entire planet!? The construction alone would take decades, no, centuries, and I¡¯ll have to do many things during the process!¡± Father looked surprised, then laughed rather heartily. Once he finished laughing, he said, ¡°Son, let me show you something.¡± He shifted the hologram¡¯s screen, it showed the timelapse of a skyscraper being built. Once it finished, he asked, ¡°How long do you think that was?¡± I thought, then asked, ¡°A few years? Even I can¡¯t fathom the length.¡± Father said, ¡°That was three days. From foundation to the tip of the tower itself, all it took was three days.¡± I felt like I didn¡¯t remember some of the information, but father spoke, seemingly noticing my slight embarrassment, ¡°This information isn¡¯t in any educational files, mostly as it¡¯s considered unnecessary. You didn¡¯t forget anything.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief, and father switched back to the planet image, ¡°So, let me ask once more, how would you like to take control of the planet? Your siblings are already doing so, it¡¯s perfect on hand experience where I can be your safety net. The initial colony is set up, all you need to do is make the future happen. I¡¯ll handle protection of the planet through naval strength at first, so until then, focus on this plan you¡¯ve made.¡± I paused for a moment, needing to think of the situation properly. This is, based on what father said, is a colony, not a city, implying it¡¯s the start of the planet¡¯s growth. Based on the information, it seems the colony was where it was originally stated, and it¡¯s begun to grow based on the initial plans I used, so it would be as if I had begun the plan outright. This was also the ultimate fallback as, if I end up failing or begin to, father will be there to help me.


    I had the capacity, the means, and the initial funding for this, all to achieve hands on experience in running a domain. If I turn this down now, even at my age, I might never get the chance to do this again. I looked to father, my concerns alleviated by what he said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. If I turn this down now, I might never get a similar chance again.¡± Father smiled, ¡°Good choice.¡± He took out some initial paperwork, ¡°You¡¯ve got the layout for the future of the planet; however, you still need to establish two things. Your mansion, as it¡¯s a sign of wealth, and staff, those who will help you in running the domain.¡± He showed me the bare minimum of wealth the mansion needed to have invested into it for my stature, which would be Baron, but I¡¯d still be his son and a Flameheart. Looking at it, I felt my stomach drop, this mansion alone could fund the running of my initial colony, including the expansion, for a decade. Not to mention the size of the land I¡¯d need to use, no matter what, I was going to go overboard to ensure I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it in the future.


    There was no issue with the land, the colony had landed next to a spot that had land that had nothing of value on it, and not enough resources to mind below it, so the mansion was to be built there. The issue was the staff, I assumed not many would willingly work under someone who wasn¡¯t even double-digit age, noble or not, I assumed they¡¯d deny to do so out of dignity or concern over their livelihoods¡­ at least until father put some profiles on my desk. He said, ¡°These are people who are willing to work with you, go through them and tell me who you¡¯d like as staff.¡± I realized this universe was definitely strange, who¡¯d willingly work with a child to run a planet in any reasonable world? The conversation quickly went quiet as both of us were working on our own items, father likely running his domain as I began the process of preparing to run my own.


    Going through them, many seemed to not value what I did, as most of them seemed older and could likely be doing this over me being young and ignorant. More than that, many of them gave me bad feelings that, if I chose these people, they¡¯d screw me over somehow. But someone caught my eye, someone who, in the terms of age and life, was new to the whole governing scene. However, while young, they shown talent beyond their years, someone like him could be something of a prodigy if someone said so. Oddly enough, anyone who had connections to him seemed to be people of strong moral character, compared to everyone else on the list. If anything, compared to the others on the list, these individuals would be preferable to those who seemed to be after power or money rather than the wellbeing of the people.


    I put the files of the people I had chosen, ¡°I¡¯d like these individuals to act as my staff father.¡± Father looked up from his work, then took the files and looked them over, ¡°Hm, they¡¯re promising, yet young, are you sure about this?¡± I nodded, ¡°If the younger generations continue to rely on the older generations, change will never come. In my case, I¡¯m young, so I need equally young or somewhat young individuals who are willing to accept change. Because my wishes won¡¯t be stopped because others don¡¯t wish to let the change I¡¯ll bring come to fruition, I¡¯ll get those who see my vision and can help me achieve it.¡± Father, after a moment of looking at me sternly, he smiled, ¡°Good, you have the right process for this.¡± He motioned Edward over, saying, ¡°Notify these individuals of their new positions, I¡¯ll speak with Aurelian until you return.¡± Edward bowed and left the room, leaving me and father alone.


    He looked to me, his eyes seemed to carry ease, ¡°This was, in its own way, a test. Something I noticed was many reincarnates sometimes become¡­ spoiled. I know that first hand, as your oldest brother is a reincarnate as well.¡± I was surprised, so I asked, ¡°Why tell me this? I didn¡¯t have to know that to do my work.¡± Father motioned me to him, so I got up and walked to his side of the desk, to which he put me on his lap and took me a window behind his desk. He spoke as we looked at the view of the planet from this office, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this as a warning, as reincarnates sometimes choose to ignore their people or rely on those around them, as his domain isn¡¯t doing well. His domain doesn¡¯t look like this planet, nor like the planets of your siblings who started after him. I¡¯m not sure what it is, since I can¡¯t observe him at all times, but his performance has left me uncertain about his future.¡±


    He rubbed my head, ¡°I don¡¯t want that for you, as your life before this one was lacking in many areas from what you¡¯ve told us, so I want you to thrive in this new universe.¡± His voice seemed lighter than usual, this wasn¡¯t Count William Stella Flameheart, but William, father of children he holds dear. He said, ¡°I just want you to know I¡¯ll always be here for you, and once your mother wakes up, she¡¯ll be rooting for you as well.¡± For the first time in ages, I felt tears begin to stream down my face. I hadn¡¯t heard those words in so long I had almost forgotten what this feeling was, because with father looking over me, I knew I was going to be alright. I wrapped my arms around him, this seemed to surprise him since I hadn¡¯t used a lot of physical affection since I was reborn. Before he could ask why, I said, ¡°Thanks, dad.¡± I heard a sigh of relief, almost like he wanted to hear those very words, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, son.¡± For the time being, I was fine just looking over the city skyline in silence, because it was just time for me and my dad to bond.

 Chapter Two: Responsibilities

    I was sitting in a holographic room, the reason for this was the design of the mansion I was to live in, and it was difficult to work with. Hitting the minimum felt like a tall order, so trying to go larger just to meet a requirement for a future that may be uncertain was even worse. Each design had me hitting a wall, nothing worked with the mind of someone who believed a skyscraper was bigger than what I needed, much less the minimum of a few city blocks worth of mansion space. While I was going to have a residence as a smaller, functional building to act as my temporary residence until the mansion was done, I¡¯d need to have one designed before I could even consider moving there, not to mention even the temporary home was still under construction.


    Out of everything I was good at, base creation was the worst thing I could do in any game. Unlike ships and mechs, they weren¡¯t something I could just slap together and make the rooms later, I had to make the rooms then figure out what I¡¯d want to put in it. It was far easier to do this if I was taking it like a game, but I couldn¡¯t do that here. I had to make the mansion functional, ensure it had a certain amount of stature to it, then having to make it in just the right way to ensure it could be added on to in the future. After looking at the work I had just done, I quickly decided to scrap it since it wasn¡¯t going the way I wanted it. It joined the many failed designs I made in a collection of designs which I used as inspiration to try and design the best mansion I could. When I began to design the next blueprint, I heard my father speak from behind me, ¡°Not so easy, is it?¡±


    When I looked to him, I felt pain in my eyes, likely from how long I was looking at a screen, ¡°This is the worst! My type of luxury is a two- or three-story home with small things, not the size of a small town, covered in expensive items, three bars next to each other kind of building. I find this type of luxury far too absurd.¡± Father laughed, his hearty laugh was something I heard a lot as he watched me prepare for some noble work, ¡°Believe me, designing the mansion was hard for me at first, so I made it into a game of sorts.¡± He sat down beside me and said, ¡°I knew I had to hit a certain threshold on what needed to be in the mansion, so I marked it down and designed away with that in mind. A bar here, functional guest rooms there, I placed rooms like that with as much functionality in mind as I could until I had it. The mansion we¡¯re in now was something I managed to make on my¡­¡± He went silent, at least until Edward spoke up, ¡°It took you fifty-six redesigns sir.¡± Father turned to look at Edward, ¡°It took me fifty-six redesigns? I swore it was in the thirties.¡±


    Father quickly shook his head and returned his attention to me, ¡°What I mean to say is, make it with something in mind. You¡¯ll need a bay for mechs and a few ships, so maybe make a development bay for mech ideas. As long as it¡¯s with your money, I don¡¯t mind you making your own mechs, just make sure your duties to your people aren¡¯t ignored.¡± I felt excitement running through my veins, I could make mechs, which means I had to make a design that worked with the concept. I quickly got to work, making the best facilities I could for the sake of mech manufacturing and maintenance. Silence filled the room as I worked, but to my surprise, once I had what I wanted down, I was easily able to fill the blanks outwards. It was simple, like I couldn¡¯t put the rooms near the mech bays since any work could disturb anyone sleeping, bars could be near rooms so those drinking could go right to bed, training or testing should be done outside to ensure incidents don¡¯t cause dust or smoke to flood the mansion. Within the next few hours, I had a mansion with several spots where simple construction could be done to add to what was already there.


    I also, to my father¡¯s surprise, added some home defense systems and several large bunkers for emergencies. He asked, ¡°Why defend your home like this? Do you expect trouble?¡± I spoke, ¡°It¡¯s easy to ensure you yourself are easily protected, but this isn¡¯t for me, this is for the people of my domain. Wouldn¡¯t the safest place for them to be within my mansion, protected if anything does go wrong?¡± Father chuckled, ¡°Well color me surprised, I never considered that.¡± He leaned back in his chair, then noticed the large bays for mech and ship creation, ¡°Do you need such a large bay though? Even for designing, this seems¡­ ridiculous.¡± I smirked, ¡°When one makes a new advancement, the best course of action would be to mass produce it to ensure maximum profitability. Mechs and ships are no exception.¡± Father sighed, but it was more of a ¡°I give up¡± sigh than anything, ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, just know you need to profit from your domain before you can throw buckets of money at your¡­ hobby?¡±


    I smiled, ¡°I have that covered, financially, I¡¯ll be just fine.¡± One thing I did watch, since I was focused on mech and ship making in SGO, was tips on how to properly run a planet. While this wasn¡¯t how it¡¯d work in real life, I did know the basis of that video, mixed with economic factors, could boost the planet as long as I invested properly.  For now, I couldn¡¯t dive into full scale production, but just having it there and ready was enough for me. Father said, ¡°If you believe you can handle it, then I won¡¯t stop you. For now, submit the mansion blueprints, the sooner you¡¯re in the mansion the better.¡± I nodded, ¡°Right away dad.¡± With that, my blueprints were sent, and all I could do now was wait until I was planet side.


    ~~~


    Around one month after submitting the blueprints, I was on my way to my planet. Only a few days ago however did I manage to touch solid ground, mobility seemed to be horrible for both military and civilian craft. I understood the reason for this rather fast, there was no means of instantaneous travel. In this universe, there hasn¡¯t been any progression into things like hyper lanes, hyperdrives, or FTL travel. For me, though, that just meant I had one additional thing to add to my list, something I called Project Stellar Leap. If anything, having such control over that speed would make anyone a force to be reckoned with, so seeing current progress would be best at the next opportunity. For now, my focus was to be on the domain, since it was in it¡¯s infancy currently.


    I sat in what was equivalent to a remote meeting, many faces I recognized as the individuals I hired several months ago. They had explained the current situation of the domain, which seemed to be moving ahead at a steady pace. I thought, then stated, ¡°Taxes are pretty high for a colony, why is that?¡± One of the officials said, ¡°To get started, taxes need to be at a certain level, or else there wouldn¡¯t even be a profit.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Not like this, decrease taxes.¡± The same official asked, ¡°Might I ask why, my lord? I just wish to understand your current idea.¡± I took a moment to gather my thoughts, then said, ¡°What we need right now isn¡¯t revenue, but rather a strong population. Without the people to fill the jobs that are being made, we¡¯ll lose more than we earn. So, by lowering taxes, the people already here have more money to spend while simultaneously being appealing to those looking to immigrate to the planet. Overall, lower taxes will work far better in the long run.¡±


    I watched the officials discuss with each other, since many of them were recent graduates, they were a little stiff when it came to their jobs. The financial official of the domain spoke, ¡°I have reason to believe Lord Aurelian is correct, let me show you some statistics.¡± The financial official began to state statistics about taxes, and how high taxes overall lowered growth and revenue in the past. After what felt like a lecture, he finished it off by saying, ¡°So, if we lower the taxes as Lord Aurelian stated, the profits will be far higher than what we have actively.¡± Many of the officials began nodding, some began to follow suit after they processed the information. I then stated, ¡°I also want to invest in the domain, by investing in the domain, we could increase the revenue for all involved if the invested money is used correctly.¡±


    The military official, someone who was working with one of my father¡¯s fleets to establish a basic military, said, ¡°What about emergencies? We can¡¯t invest all of our earnings into investments.¡± I replied, ¡°Some money will come to me, mostly to keep expenditures from rising and to pay staff. Of course, some money will be kept in something akin to an emergency fund, so when something goes wrong, we have access to funds to address the issue. The rest I¡¯d like to invest, the sooner the domain grows, the better we can look to the future of the domain as a whole.¡± The military official nodded, ¡°I like your way of thinking my Lord, I was right to place my faith in you.¡± Despite being quite young, it seemed like these officials were truly placing their faith in me. I wanted to ease their worries, ¡°While I am nobility, I will state that I¡¯m human, much like all of you. I¡¯ll make mistakes, so when I do, I want you to tell me so I can best address it. This is our home, and we all need to work as one to ensure it remains safe.¡±


    The officials of all branches saluted, ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± They were serious, they didn¡¯t take my statement as a joke, and it showed in their action. I smiled, ¡°Good, if things go well, I¡¯ll reward you for a job well done. I don¡¯t want to let your deeds go unrewarded, so make everyone in the domain proud.¡± I got one last, boisterous shout from the officials, ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± With that, we dismissed, and the screens all began to turn off, leaving me alone in my office. Edward entered the room, his eyes carried a cheery look, ¡°Nice work sir, you spoke fantastically.¡± I let out a sigh of relief, ¡°I hope I did, even now, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m running a planet. I only hope they understand the weight of every life that we¡¯re working to prosper.¡± Edward replied, as if he knew what I was going to say, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry sir, those souls are diligent, I know they¡¯ll work their hardest to ensure the people of your domain prosper.¡±


    I was able to breath easier after he said that, ¡°What would I do without you Edward?¡± Edward smiled, ¡°I¡¯d follow you into hell sir, I doubt I¡¯d be able to serve anyone else.¡± To my surprise, when I moved to this planet, Edward had chosen to come with me. When I asked him about it, he said he wished to assist me in my dream, and that my father had allowed it. I looked from the window of my office to the bustling initial city that had sprung up over the course of my arrival here, ¡°Everyone that comes here will be relying on us to make the best choices to safeguard their futures, we need to make a strong foundation now, so we don¡¯t have to worry about it later on.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Of course sir, I¡¯m sure the officials know this as well.¡± I wasn¡¯t used to noble life, nor was I so sure of the deeper workings of such a society, but I knew the place I needed to protect was home. Investment was merely the start, as even now, my eyes were locked to the stars.


    ~~~


    Four years had passed in the blink of an eye, twelve years old, and I still can¡¯t get used to everything. I went for a year¡¯s stay in the education pod to properly handle the work I was doing, and when I came out, things seemed to have changed rapidly. One, my mansion was done, so I was able to be moved in without much issue. Next was the fact the initial city seemed far more expansive than I recalled, I even noticed a few towns far off being established. The final thing was the economy was on the cusp of exploding, as people seemed to have flooded into my domain while I was asleep. My officials said this was a miracle, as this rarely ever happened with colonies, but it only left me more surprised than anything. While growth was within the margin of error before my stay in the education pod, it had suddenly shot far past any expectations I had before I got out.


    I had constant meetings with my officials, and even with the investments I was putting into the domain, it wasn¡¯t enough to keep up with the sudden influx of people. This wasn¡¯t the first time something this odd fell into my lap, but it was a good thing, so I wasn¡¯t going to question good luck. The only issue was I couldn¡¯t keep up with it, while an influx of people was good, too much meant I couldn¡¯t prepare housing or workplaces to house and allow them to earn a wage. Increasing investment money was always an option, but it wouldn¡¯t clear the manpower issue that came with it. As I worked one day, Edward opened the door to my office, ¡°Sir, someone would like to meet with you.¡± I didn¡¯t look up from my work, I had so much that I couldn¡¯t stop, ¡°I¡¯m busy, if I slow down for even a minute I¡¯ll be behind.¡± Edward replied, ¡°They say it¡¯s important sir, not to mention it¡¯s your sister.¡±


    I kept writing, my brain was nearly overloaded from the work I was doing, but when I heard it was my sister, I decided to hear her out, ¡°Let her in, just let her know I¡¯ll be continuing with my work, so I don¡¯t fall behind.¡± Edward stepped out for a moment, then returned with a small group of people. I looked to the new arrivals, and I noticed there was someone who seemed to be at least a teenager, though I knew they were likely an adult due to anti-aging medication. She had ruby red eyes and crimson hair that went to her shoulders; my brain knew immediately that she was my sister by that alone. She wore what seemed to be a proper dress, one that was more modest than I expected, one that was a similar crimson to her hair. With her were several older gentlemen in suits, around five behind them seemed to be armed escorts. Once she reached my desk, she spoke in what I assumed was astonishment, ¡°I heard you¡¯d be working, but this is more than I expected, little brother.¡±


    I replied, controlling my voice to not seem tired, ¡°After the sudden influx of people came, I have to ensure they¡¯re housed, fed, and not to mention employed so they can earn money. If I slow down, even for a moment, I might get everyone behind.¡± My sister spoke, her voice unwavering, ¡°I can tell, it¡¯s the construction process, you had more than needed at first, but with the sudden influx of people, there¡¯s no longer enough supply to meet demand. Not to mention the fact there¡¯s not enough people to train the new arrivals that require training, thus making it rougher to take advantage of the boom.¡± I nodded, my eyes darting from paper to paper, ¡°You got me there, I wish I could do more, but I¡¯m at my limit.¡± My sister spoke after a moments silence, ¡°I can help you if you¡¯d like.¡± I paused my work, looking to her, ¡°You¡¯ll help me? I¡¯m not one to turn down help, but I know there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch.¡± I quickly returned to work, ¡°Don¡¯t do it with me as a gift or favor, I¡¯ll make sure to pay for it properly, as a proper man should.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    My sister said, ¡°Hm, you¡¯re a man of value, not many people like that at your age. But then again, most kids aren¡¯t running a planet.¡± She put some papers to the side, ¡°If you have time, look through those papers, they state personnel will be brought to your planet to ensure proper training and staffing as people shift from immigration to the work force.¡± I was able to shift between my work and the papers, which took yet another toll on me mentally, but the papers gave me reasonable rates for the borrowing of their staff, which included construction companies to assist with the recent construction delays. After taking a moment to properly look it over, ensuring the paperwork was sound, I signed it, ¡°If they¡¯re able, I¡¯d like them to begin work as soon as they can. Don¡¯t push them, I¡¯d rather the work be done correctly over quickly.¡± My sister replied, ¡°I understand. Oh, I don¡¯t think I told you my name, but I¡¯m Ruby. Nice to meet you little brother.¡± I smiled to the best as my tired mental state could, ¡°Likewise sister, my name is Aurelian, I hope we can remain on good terms.¡±


    As she left, I understood who my sister ended up becoming, she was someone akin to a merchant. She had business savvy, based on the paperwork alone, I could tell she had experience in making both sides benefit from her proposals. Edward asked, ¡°Are you sure this is the correct path forward sir? A decent amount of profits will go to your sister until your domain stabilizes.¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, at the rate we¡¯re going, it would take the domain over a decade or two to stabilize, with her, I could reasonably achieve it in five years or less with far less struggle. Besides, this isn¡¯t about profit, it¡¯s about ensuring the people are able to begin their lives easily without struggling here.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Understood sir.¡± With that, I was able to resume work with my mind at ease. Knowing help was on the way made me feel better, because I knew my people were going to need it.


    ~~~


    Standing on the balcony of a recently built hotel¡¯s penthouse, Ruby and her fellow businessmen were overlooking the city that began the colony. Her eyes seemed to pick up more than the average nobleman could, ¡°Something¡¯s off, while father is quite well known despite being in the outskirts of the empire, this much immigration to any outskirt planet however is unheard of.¡± One of the businessmen asked, ¡°Do you believe malicious intent is involved my lady?¡± Ruby shook her head, ¡°I cannot say, with the measures already in place, it¡¯s easy to see the large majority of people have no ill intention. Those that did have ill intentions, like criminals, are rapidly detained and processed. But despite that, something in my gut is telling me something isn¡¯t normal here, and my brother doesn¡¯t seem to notice.¡± A different businessman asked, ¡°Could your brother be in on whatever this oddity is?¡± Ruby was quick to shake his head, ¡°No, by his comments alone, he wouldn¡¯t allow harm to come to his people.¡±


    Due to her large number of connections within the outskirts of the empire, Ruby had swaths of information that came from all over to work with. Merely by observing the state of her brother¡¯s domain, she could tell something didn¡¯t add up. One businessman, one who sounded far younger than the others, asked, ¡°Do you want us to investigate my lady?¡± Ruby went silent, then nodded, ¡°Yes, I want to ensure someone isn¡¯t trying to use my little brother, especially not him.¡± The man nodded, ¡°As you command, my lady.¡± The man was quick to vanish, the final businessman asked, ¡°If something, or someone, is found to be the source of this oddity, what would our course of action be?¡± Ruby went silent, then said, ¡°We¡¯ll try to handle it ourselves, and quietly. Aurelian is far too young to have a statement in anything¡­ ill-suited for his age.¡± Noble society wasn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows, Ruby knew that, and she sought to protect her younger brother that now had an astronomical weight on his shoulders.


    The first businessman asked, ¡°Should we work with the military advisor of the domain and that butler from the mansion? If we explained our worries, they may allow us to investigate without needing to go behind their backs.¡± Ruby paused for a moment, if Aurelian knew, he¡¯d likely be hit with worry, but asking those who had a connection to him to ensure proper communications would be preferable than no contact on the matter. Ruby soon stated, ¡°Arrange a meeting with them both, I¡¯d prefer they knew of my concerns.¡± The second businessman stated, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange the meeting at once.¡± As the man worked, the first businessman spoke, ¡°We need to keep an eye on external forces, similar events are happening in other noble regions in both the outskirts and centrally to the empire. Some sources from outside the empire are also stating similar oddities, none are inherently bad, but they¡¯re certainly in favor of individuals.¡±


    Ruby seemed to show concern, ¡°There¡¯s been moments like this throughout history, though not to this scale.¡± Ruby had knowledge of this, she had a deep enjoyment to history and merchant know-how, this had led her to noticing some oddities in history before major events that changed either empires or the entire universe. Ruby took a look at the listed oddities from her sources, her tone seemed concerned, ¡°If this information is to be believed, then something big is happening, and my little brother may not be spared. Find a connection to these individuals, once you have something, let me know.¡± The first businessman quickly replied, ¡°At once my lady.¡± Concern seemed to fill the room, but there was nothing they could do until they were more secure on why this was happening.


    ~~~


    ¡°So, your telling me that something strange is happening with lord Aurelian?¡± The military advisor asked. I also had some questions in regard to this, ¡°I have to agree with that statement, the young master hasn¡¯t seen anything wrong with this, and he¡¯s quite smart for someone his age.¡± Lady Ruby spoke without a hint of deceit, ¡°You might not know, and I expect it to be twice as so with my little brother, but this is something you have to look into quite closely before you can understand it.¡± She handed both me and the military advisor a pad for us to look through, and to my surprise, some domains in recent history, and present day, have shown similar growth akin to young master Aurelian¡¯s domain. Ruby continued, ¡°In the past, just before a major change in either an empire or the universe at large, there were many individuals who had a sudden burst of prosperity. My little brother seems to be showing similar signs as well.¡±


    I spoke my mind, ¡°The young master did state this was rather odd. He claimed before he entered the pod, the progress remained within the margin of error he had planned. However, this sudden growth has had him scrambling for a proper path forward ever since he awoke from the pod.¡± Lady Ruby stated, ¡°The reason why I¡¯m concerned is this isn¡¯t just happening within the empire, but outside it as well. While the least worrying outcome of these events was a simple power restructuring, some have resulted in changes to empires as a whole, and even the galactic map. With how many individuals are showing sudden growth, I have a feeling a universal change is about to occur, I just don¡¯t know when.¡± Ruby cleared her throat, then said, ¡°It¡¯s why I wish to send my people into my little brother¡¯s domain. I want to see if anything might arise in the people and better protect him from external factors. I wished to ask for permission to protect him until he¡¯s able to protect himself.¡±


    I thought for a moment, and the last thing I ever foresaw young master Aurelian doing was killing someone. I knew Lady Ruby didn¡¯t know he was a reincarnate, but I knew he needed someone to commit to his dirty work until he was mature enough to handle it. However, I wanted to gauge the military advisor¡¯s wishes, ¡°What about you, this is more your region than mine, she likely wished my opinion, so she had an easy way to filter important topics to young master Aurelian.¡± The military advisor thought, then nodded, ¡°For the time being help would be greatly accepted. While we are training the regular soldiers for basic protection, having such services like that is beyond our current abilities.¡± I returned my focus to Lady Ruby, ¡°I believe this is, as mentioned, a fair idea for the time being. We¡¯re barely able to handle the current affairs of the domain, we don¡¯t have the time for external affairs presently.¡±


    Lady Ruby spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t go saying that to father or the others, they¡¯ll see it as weakness.¡± I replied, ¡°I understand Lady Ruby, but with your current concerns, I¡¯ve reasonably concluded you¡¯re not an enemy. I¡¯d rather be honest than lie about the current state of the domain.¡± Lady Ruby sighed, ¡°I can see that, even you have bags under your eyes.¡± She looked towards the mansion, a window seemingly giving her the best view of it, ¡°I hope Aurelian is going to be alright, he¡¯s still so young.¡± I nodded, but she was quick to change tones, ¡°Not to mention so adorable! I never expected someone so young to work so hard, but even that has it charms!¡± To both the military advisor¡¯s and my own surprise, it turns out she might truly adore the young master.


    She smiled as she put her hands to her face, ¡°Those older brothers are weird, especially the eldest, so having a little brother was like a dream until now!¡± I felt confused, however, someone who neither I nor the military advisor detected had appeared behind her, ¡°It seems Lady Ruby has developed a strong affection for the young lord, in this case, it does make sense.¡± The military advisor and I could only nod, knowing young master¡¯s older brothers, he was like an angel compared to them in every way. I cleared my throat, my wish to continue made clear, ¡°While I can let you patrol the domain, the mansion is off limits.¡± Lady Ruby shook her head, ¡°I will not assign anyone to the mansion unless reports suggest I do, I¡¯d rather enter myself and see my little brother.¡± Concern welled up within me about her disturbing the young master, but I couldn¡¯t do much considering they were family.


    The military advisor said, ¡°As soon as you learn anything in regard to this strange predicament, do let us know immediately. If we can prepare for it, I¡¯d like to send it to the young lord before it¡¯s too late.¡± Lady Ruby replied, ¡°I understand, I personally don¡¯t want anything to happen to Aurelian myself. For now, work as normal, and if you need anything procured, I¡¯m your lady.¡± I did a small bow in my seat, ¡°Of course my Lady, I hope this concern doesn¡¯t require action.¡± Lady Ruby could only nod with a look of slight sorrow, ¡°I hope so as well Edward, I don¡¯t want to even think about what this could mean.¡± After that, we held a small discussion on the initial observations and movement of the requested teams, then we went about our business.


    ~~~


    A year after the contract with my sister, things had slowed down enough to the point where I could get some proper rest. Things were finally settling down as the need for me to manage every little detail was no longer required, so I could finally begin to do some additional noble things aside from running the domain. I had two things I felt like I needed to have before reaching adulthood, swordplay and magic. Swordplay as a noble was something vital, as even at a mediocre skill level, nobles can handle some of the stronger threats in the world, not to mention it was used in mech combat. With magic, however, it was less used, but it was vital to my continued growth in the future. While magic had sparce uses to nobles, as some systems required a little magic knowhow to function, what I had planned required magic to be integrated into not only my mech piloting, but also my swordplay.


    For magic, I had a decent grip on it since I had already begun to receive training with magic for the sake basic control, but swordplay and future magic techniques were going to be difficult. While I could take some time with magic, I needed to get to work on swordplay as soon as possible as it¡¯s required to master your sword style as a noble. More than that, I needed to begin working on mech and ship advancements, because if I could make a business out of new technology, I¡¯d have a monopoly for the foreseeable future as other factories tried to catch up. These were the three items I had as top priority overall, the domain was, with some supervision, growing continuously, so I had the time and money to make this work. I asked Edward, ¡°Edward, did we ever end up beginning the production of the tier two mechs for military purposes?¡± Edward quickly checked and said, ¡°No sir, considering the state of affairs, we chose to focus on the domain before the strenuous process of building a fleet.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I see.¡± Edward asked, considering I gave a shorter response than normal, ¡°Are you upset at that sir?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, we needed to ensure a profit was rolling in before we could even attempt a military buildup. We¡¯ll continue investing, but I¡¯ll begin using my personal funds to begin creating the tier two mechs, all while also funding a new type of ship.¡± When I looked to Edward to begin with some of the planning, I managed to catch him breaking face as his eyes seemed more shocked in confusion than awe. I decided to calm him down, ¡°Relax, I already designed it, I meant ¡°funding¡± in the means of just making it. If you bring an engineer to look at the blueprints, I¡¯d likely blow their socks off.¡± I pulled up a hologram of the available areas to commence with such a process, but I noticed there was fairly little locations outside the mansion that could do that.


    I asked, ¡°Edward, why aren¡¯t there many places that work on the creation and distribution of naval craft?¡± Edward spoke, his tone seemed ever so slightly exasperated, ¡°It¡¯s due to the required manpower and qualifications to make such a factory. Each space nation has specialized factories that make them, but in the empire, we just call them naval factories. If every domain had one, it would be nearly impossible to stop them from doing as they wish. No noble has one, mostly as they don¡¯t believe it worth the hassle or the major cost.¡± I thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°Are there any naval factories that are struggling? If I had that kind of tech and manpower, I¡¯d be set for doing what I love.¡±


    Edward spoke, ¡°If that was the case, they wouldn¡¯t be profitable for the empire, so they¡¯d be closed down and the personnel would likely be reassigned to other factories.¡± I did, at one point, consider hiring a factory for my plans, but that would likely cause each blueprint to be leaked, and I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. I decided to make my own, personal factory for the sake of producing mechs and ships, price was¡­ some factor. I told Edward, ¡°Then we¡¯ll make our own, because if I tell a major factory about my plans, it¡¯ll likely be leaked to the other factories.¡± Edward seemed like he wanted to say something, but he gave up, ¡°Such a process will be incredibly expensive, more so than colony development.¡± He was quick to attempt a number crunch, expenditures and whatnot, but he quickly showed a number, one that seemed beyond my capacity at the moment.


    I winced, ¡°Is that a fully functional, fully staffed, massive factory?¡± Edward paused, then looked to the price. He soon said, ¡°To be honest, there hasn¡¯t been a new factory in quite some time, so these prices may or may not be accurate. If you wish to begin the process, I won¡¯t stop you. Even Lady Ruby did something similar to you, and her future is brighter than ever. Just make sure you commit to this plan of yours in moderation, things can and will go wrong.¡± I nodded, beginning some allocations for building tier two mechs in the existing labs I have while building a factory, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Edward, despite how it looks, I¡¯m pretty good at handling finances.¡± Edward just smiled as I got to work, ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you sir.¡± For the time being, progress was my goal, and I¡¯m not going to stop.

 Chapter Three: Making Waves

    Sixteen years old, the years were coming and going, and now I can say the domain was nearing half stability. The influx of immigrants is finally slowing down, but it still left much work to be done, one of which being security. With my work for the day being complete, I went to check on my personal project within the mansion, the first of the new tier two mechs, which I had to make a name for considering they were something entirely new. The lab these units were being made in was more of an issue to stock with materials than getting the staff, as some of father¡¯s staff decided to follow me. The older folks were fine where they were, but much like my current government staff, these engineers were some of the younger generation. In my current predicament, where new techniques, machines, and policies were going to be implemented constantly, these younger members of staff would be more adaptable than those who¡¯ve been stuck in a rut centuries long.


    I walked through the halls to the lab, Edward reading off a report, ¡°They say the first few mechs are about ready for pilot testing, however, they would like your approval to ensure these mechs were made to your standard.¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, with the fact these are new and entirely unknown mechs, they¡¯re unsure to the standard of which they¡¯re to be made. Not to mention the fact so much time and money went into the creation of just these units, it was enough that they didn¡¯t want to mess up and feel the wrath of a noble. I decided to calm them, ¡°Tell them I¡¯m on the way, but to be calm. Their jobs are not at stake, and I¡¯ll explain after I check the mechs.¡± Edward nodded, send a quick message, and we arrived at the lab in a few minutes. Dward said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve managed to understand the layout of the mansion faster than I thought, good work sir.¡± I smiled, ¡°I did design the mansion, so maybe that¡¯s the reason I understand it so well.¡± Once I said that, I put on a more dignified face and entered the lab.


    The many people there all stood and acknowledged me, something I detested since it¡¯s a dangerous environment. I said, ¡°Remember, if you¡¯re working when I arrive, keep working, I don¡¯t wish for anyone to be injured.¡± The engineers replied, ¡°Yes sir!¡± The mechanic who, under the wishes of everyone present, became my head engineer came to me, ¡°Sir, the mechs are this way, everyone wishes to know how well they did.¡± I nodded, ¡°Show me.¡± He led me to the bays where the five mechs sat, the designs made them seem akin to knight of old. Each had a sword and shield, and parts of the armor on one side remained off but nearby of the middle unit. The head engineer said, ¡°We made each one the same way, so we left one unit¡¯s armor off for the initial examination.¡± I smiled, ¡°I¡¯m impressed, what I¡¯m seeing now is already fantastic work.¡± He led me to the exposed interior of the unit, an engineer handing me a hard hat for safety¡¯s sake, and I began to examine the interior of the mech.


    Now, the reason why the fully maxed tier one mech looked as good as it did was due to the extensive creation and maintenance of the unit. With tier two mechs, it was a vastly new machine, not to mention the possibility for additions to the mech. The first mech lacked the means to make changes to the unit for pilots with specific skills. What I mean is, in SGO, the tier one mechs were the most sought-after units, and it wasn¡¯t for combat prowess. Their use for civilian use, these being things like mining, construction, and industry. I was one of the main providers since I usually got orders done on time, but that isn¡¯t the point. The point of this tale was, once new machines came to be, tier one units were essentially obsolete on the battlefield. While the obvious reason being that they were unable to keep up with the base specs of the new machine, the true reason was lack of versatility.


    Tier two units marked the first time where unit could have interchangeable parts, so if one person was better at defense, they had a heavier mech, but it could hold it¡¯s ground far easier. The same went for speed, agility, strength, and so on, which leads to why the engineers sought my approval. This mech was so vastly different compared to the existing mech that anyone would be left worrying about the proper functions of the mech. Was it made properly? Was this new tech incorporated properly? Considering a lot of this tech was close to what existed for other machines, these questions were less likely to reach my ears, but I know they¡¯d come once I begin going into tier four. I pushed these thoughts out of my mind, my focus was on the present and the mech that was going to make history.


    A smile slowly crossed my face, there had been some spots that could use some work in many areas, but outside of that, they followed the blueprints to the letter. My excitement was rising, I don¡¯t know how talent like this was still hidden after all this time with my father, but they could finally make use of their latent talent, ¡°Amazing, some areas need some focus, but this is mech is well built.¡± I made sure to point out the areas that needed some focus on the blueprint, ¡°Once these areas are done properly, I think the initial stage of the tier two mech is complete. You all have made history.¡± After a moment of silence, the whole back, including the lab where additional mechs were being built from the frames, erupted into cheers. These boys had worked hard over the past year, their excitement for the mechs themselves, and the techniques I taught them, allowed for the fastest development of a new unit I believed possible for the time being.


    I held a hand up, silence came, I was able to speak, ¡°Once these mechs are properly tuned, not to mention the new information is sent out, I think a little something is in order.¡± I turned to the head engineer, ¡°How does this weekend look for everyone¡¯s work schedule?¡± The head engineer took a moment to look it over, saying, ¡°Outside of the construction of the new units currently in the lab, we planned to begin discussing mass producing these units.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Move that to next weekend, this weekend, bring your families, we celebrate this achievement all of you put your blood, sweat, and tears into.¡± For a moment, the engineers didn¡¯t react, but I think someone understood just how much this meant, ¡°We made the first new mech in centuries!¡± Cheers erupted again, this time, I didn¡¯t stop them.


    Edward leaned to my ear, considering the cheers made it harder to hear, ¡°Why did you choose to celebrate this achievement? You could have given them the day off.¡± I smiled, ¡°I want to show that, for good work, they¡¯ll be rewarded. Not to mention I want all of them in a room together to get a picture with them, they¡¯ve made history, so we have to get a picture for posterity¡¯s sake.¡± Edward sighed, ¡°And you have a means to prepare such a party?¡± I nodded, ¡°Included in the operational costs, now organizing it, that¡¯s the conundrum.¡± I had no sense of how a party is made, much less runs, so I¡¯d have to figure something out that they can enjoy, because committing to a noble part wouldn¡¯t work for engineers like this. I have time, so I was going to make sure these men and women were properly rewarded for the excellent work they¡¯ve done over the year.


    ~~~


    Time passed, the party went off greatly, and work on the domain continued as normal. I watched some of the new tier twos walk off out of the lab, these two being made within two months of the first five mechs. With the internal layout of the mech understood by the engineers, they seemed to be able to increase the speed of the mechs, but they chose to have two teams focused on making new mechs as soon as possible. It would get more out, and as everyone began to understand the process, the mechs would be made faster with each new mech made. It was good enough for a decent fighting force to be made before my twenty-fifth birthday, which I was glad for considering the means that I can become more independent from my father. While we did talk while we worked on occasion, considering our schedules made it nearly impossible to meet in person, I didn¡¯t want to rely on his hospitality for longer than I needed to.


    Edward, after seeing the new mechs, asked, ¡°Sir, when are you going to begin training to pilot a mech?¡± I looked to him, my confusion evident, ¡°I need to pilot a mech?¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Yes, as the lord of your domain, it¡¯s both a means of self defense in times of battle, but also a means to protect your domain. Without a mech to pilot, you¡¯re not seen as a proper noble.¡± I sighed, without so many things, I won¡¯t be seen as a proper noble. I had to make a mech that fit my size and combat strategy, but I couldn¡¯t just make it a weaker unit, I had to go above and beyond for it. ¡°I¡¯ll make a mech myself then, it¡¯ll take time but give me a few years.¡± I replied. Edward looked to me, his eyes uncertain, ¡°How expensive will this plan be? Knowing you sir, these plans have been quite expensive.¡±


    I had to pause for a moment, despite everything, such prices were incredibly high, and getting to the end goal of my plans won¡¯t be possible for decades at the minimum, so my goal was a very versatile tier three, the best mech I could make before the breakthrough into one of three branches. I said, ¡°Maybe half the amount of what the five initial tier two mechs? I need to make sure everything works out, source the materials, pay workers, not to mention test the thing. In the end, this mech would make me the safest person in the universe at the moment of its creation, hands down.¡± Edward seemed surprised, ¡°I expected it to cost more.¡± I smiled, ¡°Do you want to hear what I believe is the best of the best? I¡¯d need more zeroes that we earned from the domain overall.¡± Edward shuttered, if I said such words like that, he knew it was true, ¡°I would rather not, I¡¯d rather keep it a surprise.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Understood, either way, I¡¯ll be in the lab during my free time for a while, the tier three is a different beast to a tier two.¡± Edward asked, ¡°So, when will you be training in piloting said mech?¡± I replied, ¡°Put me in any mech and I can pilot it with no issue, but it will take me time to get used to it physically, the controls are like how I remember it.¡± Edward seemed confused, so I clarified it since we were alone, ¡°I made mechs in a game I used to play, it was pretty realistic despite the tech being far behind it, these mechs function in much the same way. I usually have myself or other ride the mechs first to determine if they¡¯re quality product first before they¡¯re transported to whoever paid for them or are sold. Just give me time and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Edward seemed concerned, but he replied with, ¡°As you wish, sir.¡± I looked to the mechs as they walked towards the training area, their pilots ready to begin training. I had to pilot one, not just for fun, but as a duty for the people within my domain. I sighed, the future ahead of me was quite a busy one, but it was fine if my dream were to come to light here in this place. I walked to the area I left baron, my future would begin here, ¡°Get some engineers who show promise, if I want this mech done in a few years, I¡¯ll need to begin now to make it work.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Of course, however, you¡¯ll need to spend another year in the education pod soon, so I suggest you leave enough time to ensure the project continues.¡± I nodded, already designing the mech that would best suit me in my head, along with a very particular creation that would make any pilot in this generation salivate, ¡°This is going to be fun.¡±


    ~~~


    Two years passed, and I made sure to take care of my education pod time at this point, and I felt odd to have barely grown, yet surpassed the age I died at before coming to this world. It took some time before I got out of bed today, letting myself get over the sudden shock that I was still perfectly healthy, but I couldn¡¯t let that hold me down as I put on my personal equipment to work on my personal unit. The unit was coming along well, these materials were the best this universe could supply for mech units at the moment, which was horrible when I recalled that the wider universe only used tier one units. I shook my head at the thought, since I needed these alloys to reinforce my craft to the best that tier three can hold. Edward never stayed within the lab, mostly due to not wishing to get in the way, but partially to handle any miscellaneous tasks that didn¡¯t require my input.


    He did do it from an area to keep an eye on me however, his instincts were to watch over me, and I wasn¡¯t going to not let him do what calmed his nerves. I looked to the mech, many parts being similar to the tier two in this stage, so I gave them the tips they needed when they asked. I, along with a slim few, were making something else, a mana generator. Something about this universe was that there were beasts that harnessed the power of mana, thus having a core that allows proper refinement of the mana in the air for their use. I had acquired one such core, one the size of a mech¡¯s head. This seemed to have Edward nearby as the engineers I was working with asked a question, ¡°Sir, not to be rude, but what is the purpose of the core? Last I checked, their use wasn¡¯t in the military field unless it was used for shields or major magic attacks.¡± I nodded, understanding his point, ¡°You¡¯re not rude, it¡¯s a valid question. So, to answer it, let me explain the reason. First, pass me the items I asked for.¡±


    The man passed me a pair of gloves, one with a particular metal interwoven into the hands, I put them on as I explained, ¡°You see, magic has many uses, the plan for today is to merge these three cores into one. Once combines, I can show you a means to manipulate the core into acting like a generator, taking ambient mana from space around the mech to allow it to use magic.¡± The men seemed surprised, one said, ¡°But sir, that seems quite impossible! Scientists, engineers, and mages have tried this for millennia, before the Empire was ever formed even. To state this is indeed possible, and that you not only know it¡¯s possible but that you can make it, it¡¯s hard to accept sir.¡± I nodded, recalling my memory of SGO to ensure I prepared everything properly, ¡°That I understand, just watch, and you will see.¡± I took the core and began to mold it, imbuing mana into the gloves which began to mold it like clay.


    ¡°From what I noticed, they we¡¯re working against the nature of the core, not with it. They use the core until it¡¯s depleted and toss it, but that¡¯s not what I plan to do.¡± As I explained, the engineers were shocked that I was molding it so easily, enough so that Edward and the other engineers were approaching to get a better look. As I began to make the intake and outtake for mana, along with something akin to ventilation, I said, ¡°By turning this core into something akin to a generator, imbuing certain runes into it will allow it to function as it did within the beast it once resided in. It¡¯ll never run dry on mana, but it will take time to refuel any large usage of mana.¡± Runes were essentially magic in written form, it was used in shields, energy production, crop growth, essentially anything that had mana within it, runes were likely at play.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Due to the size of this core, I could easily handle it within a few days, but today was an example of the molding process, this was always done on the first day so the shape can properly harden before the rune application. From the explanation on runes, I explained the process from which I was able to mold the core, the metal I had placed within the gloves was something called Caeruleus metal, or in English as Azure metal. The metal was a beautiful blue hue, the rarest of metal coloration in reality, so when players discovered this once unassuming metal, they named it as such because they found it nice. When engineers like myself had it though, we called it ¡°The Engineers Metal¡±, because we couldn¡¯t get enough of it to make cores for magic technology. Though I excluded that name for the time being, and the lore of SGO¡¯s findings for this metal, to focus on how the molding of a mana core works.


    One engineer asked, ¡°If you need mana to do it, wouldn¡¯t that mean only nobles could make use of the process?¡± I shook my head, ¡°Not at all, in fact, this requires so little mana that even an engineer inexperienced in mana could use this with little effort. Without mana though, these are just beautiful gloves made partially out of a strange metal. It¡¯s why I chose all of you for this project, you all have mana to mold cores like this. For runes however, I have a different group prepared for the process due to the intensive magical knowhow that goes into runes.¡± I watched the engineers sigh in relief, I think they believed I was to have them do the rune part too, which was understandable. The whole day was just me teaching them about core molding, answering questions in regard to the process, and the means to connecting the core to the mech itself.


    When they asked about connecting it to the mech, I quickly shut them down, ¡°For the time being, I can¡¯t connect the core to the machine, the mech cannot handle it. While it¡¯s entirely possible, the material itself cannot hold against the stress. I¡¯ll be making a machine on the side to act as the containment for the power, it¡¯ll be done before my mech is completed, so I can test both at once.¡± As I molded a section of the core, I heard my father¡¯s voice, ¡°What in the world is this?!¡± I almost did something that would¡¯ve added time to my job, and not a short amount either, but I was quick to cut the mana flowing into the gloves. I ruffled my hair, momentarily shouting relief, ¡°Holy crap! I almost added three days to my work!¡± This was actually still on the faster side, especially in a world that didn¡¯t know about this, but three days were slow for me and my processes. However, once I got my momentary stress out, I ran over to hug my father.


    I exclaimed with pride, ¡°Father, I¡¯m making something amazing!¡± His eyes shifted from me to the machine, then to the mech that was on the other side of this lab, the machine entirely different to anything he¡¯s likely seen. His voice had a slight shake to it as he asked, ¡°Is¡­ is this the tier two you were mentioning?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, that¡¯s a tier three. We¡¯ve had the tier two made for two years now, in fact, they¡¯re what¡¯s been replacing your forces on the ground.¡± I could tell what I said managed to start turning gears in his head, I had already made the unit I was speaking of and deploying them, so his eyes seemed to show that sudden confusion. He eventually asked, ¡°How in the world did you¡­¡± I assumed he was asking how I did this, but he got too quiet, so I didn¡¯t hear him after that.


    I replied, ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to explain everything in detail, I¡¯ll shorten it and say that the materials and means to make it have been possible, so I¡¯ll be working it to the max to make this¡­ pretty expensive unit. However, for the time being, it¡¯ll be my personal unit as I work out the kinks of the need for more expensive materials beyond this point.¡± After a moment, father shook his head before he stated, ¡°I came to ask if you would like to join me in a planetary conquest? It¡¯s not against our fellow man, but against a large amount of mana beasts. By ensuring a majority of the planet is clear of beasts, we can ensure safety for the colonists of the planet.¡± I knew which planet he was referring to, in fact, it was one I was eyeing because it had, in theory, a behemoth somewhere on the planet. Behemoths are massive creatures, those that have a core that could make magic powered anything a reality, especially mechs.


    I knew going there wasn¡¯t possible for my current strength, and the core would be useless until I developed a stronger force to handle the behemoth, but if I had father¡¯s backing, I could potentially defeat the behemoth if I played my cards right. I asked, ¡°How much people will be deployed to the planet? If there are too little people willing to take the planet, it could take too long to be profitable or fail outright to keep a hold on the planet.¡± Father was silent for a moment, but he was able to reply, ¡°I understand your worry, we have other counts from neighboring domains who are coming to show their might. Due to a lack of battles, many come for the sake of honor, even if they receive no spoils in war.¡±


    I nodded, a smile forming, ¡°I will, I have something I would love to obtain if it were on planet.¡± As I giggled with a little excitement, father said, ¡°I would be careful though, the plant itself is a partial relic planet, it would be a shame if we lost the relics of a forgotten time.¡± Relic planets, named as such due to a large number of ancient structures from a civilization forgotten to time. Some say the capital of Avalon is one such planet, one that was returned to its former state, as what SGO called an Economopoulos. Older planet games used the term, considering the term was from two Greek words, so they used the same term in SGO as well. Father smiled, ¡°If you¡¯re curious, it¡¯s mostly of a forge world with one city center, it¡¯s a surprising set up to many who wish to look into it.¡± A city center with a mostly forge world, and it had beasts, it remined me of the planet I once ran, and it was a shame I couldn¡¯t finish my planet when I was alive.


    I proclaimed, ¡°We¡¯ll claim the planet, then finish the job the ancient civilization started!¡± Father chuckled, ¡°A big goal, but if you¡¯re so into the idea, maybe I should do the same.¡± He looked back to my tier three unit, his eyes seemed to hold a faint glint in them. He said, ¡°You know, as soon as you display these new units to the counts that will be present on the planet, they¡¯ll all clamor to get their hands on them, right?¡± I nodded, ¡°That I do, it¡¯s why I¡¯m making a factory in orbit.¡± Father seemed surprised, but after a moment, he replied, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised, you did state you were going to make mechs quite often.¡± He asked, pointing to the now physically changed mana core, ¡°What about this though? I don¡¯t see the need for a mech to have one of these.¡± I replied nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯m giving my mech a means to use magic to an extent.¡± Silence came from father, until he shouted in confusion, ¡°You what?!¡±


    I realized in the moment that such a prospect was likely considered impossible, that or so far-fetched that it may as well be impossible. I replied, ¡°It¡¯s a simple method¡­ at least for me. However, with current constrictions on material and cores themselves, I can¡¯t do more than make it an add-on right now. Even then, I had to have Ruby pull some strings to get even this sized core, so I can¡¯t do this often.¡± Father seemed surprised, then said, ¡°I won¡¯t ask anymore, just make sure you¡¯re ready within the next two years, we¡¯re doing this around your twentieth birthday.¡± I nodded, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll have as many forces ready as possible!¡± Father let me off with just that, but I knew two years would be a tight order. So, I made the new mechs our priority, that way we had enough for a powerful force on the planet. I smirked, ¡°This is gonna be fun.¡±


    ~~~


    Those two years flew by like lightning, especially since I was putting my hand on the mech creation front myself considering my expertise in this line of work. Thankfully, the planet¡¯s economy was doing better after the influx of people, and the jobs were filled properly, with growth being back to a more reasonable margin. It left me plenty of time to properly amass a mighty force of mechs ready to move, my only sadness was a lack of knights. Knights, much like other games and novels with such a title, were those who were akin to knights of old who served their nobility. I lacked such soldiers since I was under my father¡¯s protection, but I wished some shown interest in me at the bare minimum. Either way, I was within my personal unit as we boarded a ship my father was transporting us in.


    Edward spoke to me, his voice uncertain, ¡°Are you sure the domain will be fine with your absence?¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, the officials are working properly and taking their needed breaks, just make sure they know to rest when they need it.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Understood sir, just be sure to return safely.¡± I began to march into the ship myself, my time to enter was now, ¡°I understand, but just know no beast is enough to kill me, only my fellow man could cut me down.¡± Edward seemed concerned, ¡°Have you even gone beyond the foundation of basic swordsmanship?¡± I paused, my search for what I sought wasn¡¯t fruitful, ¡°I haven¡¯t found the sword style I¡¯ve been seeking for my build, please give me time on that.¡± Edward sighed, ¡°I understand sir, just don¡¯t take too long to do it.¡± With that, he disconnected, and I went to my room to await arrival to the planet.


    ~~~


    When we arrived, I knew we had to make our arrival count to show off the new mechs, ¡°Remember men, no one talks about the mechs tech, we show its might, not tell!¡± The pilots began to cheer, many seemed to be waiting for the day they could use these in actual battle. Once the bay opened, we marched out with excitement in our hearts, knowing today would be the day our hard work and effort was put to the test. As we stepped out, the comms of other soldiers and nobles alike would proclaim their awe of these machines. One noble stood out from the rest, his comment was different to the others, ¡°They hold the insignia of count Flameheart, but they aren¡¯t the machines I know, especially their lead unit. More than that, they don¡¯t seem to be the standard units¡­¡± I smiled, it made me want to speak about them a little, ¡°These mechs are the next generation, mine being something akin to a prototype for the generation after, just watch us, because we¡¯ll show you just how these mechs shine.¡±


    After a moment a map was shown on the screen, as this location was merely the front lines where the basics were established. Father began a speech; one I paid attention to just to understand the major points. For today, we¡¯d be diverging to eliminate the beasts in the surrounding area and secure the area to establish a proper base camp. I was tasked with the southern side of the camp with my team, I had a noble there, mostly to act as my observer due to my age, but it was my area to work with. When I observed the area a smile crossed my face, ¡°Men, which of you have speed-based units?¡± A few soldiers stepped forward, and I said, ¡°We¡¯re going to need that speed, so here¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ~~~


    To my curiosity, I volunteered to watch over Count Flameheart¡¯s child, as I didn¡¯t wish for honor in this excursion. It has been quite some time since I came to ensure my skills haven¡¯t rusted over the years, considering my position had left me off any battlefield for an extended period of time, but Aurelian Stella Flameheart drew my attention more than I thought. From the moment he stepped out of the transport ship, his mechs drew the attention of all present, their forms different to the mechs we all piloted and knew of. To my knowledge, these were the first of their kind, and I was about to witness their strength firsthand. Aurelian had discussed a strategy with my men and I, we were to remain with weapons drawn as a few went ahead for the moment.


    Our terrain seemed to be a large area of mountains, but the base camp chose it due to how easy it would be to reinforce the camp from this direction as long as the lone pathway to the other end of the mountains was secured. The area on the other side was a large, open plains where many large beasts made their residence, and they were all hostile to humans. To my surprise, Aurelian had been giving everyone commands to how they should prepare, ensuring my men had the safest position as we had the rearward defenses. When I asked why we took the rear, Aurelian replied with, ¡°Due to your mechs being weaker, it would be safer for your men to remain in the back. We can hold our own, just make sure you¡¯re ready to fire.¡± We were assigned to be ranged and support, something my men seemed surprised to be assigned by those we considered as mere recruits.


    Aurelian and his machine, one colored in the colors of his family¡¯s insignia, stood in the front with a sword in the ground, ready for the first sign of change. One thing my eyes picked out was the odd machine affixed to the back of his mech, one that I could sense held something magic related within. Before I could ask, I heard Aurelian shout as he lifted his blade into the sky, ¡°Here they come, let¡¯s show these beasts the might of humanity!¡± His blade flared to life, as his namesake was, his sword was wreathed in flames of magic. My men were shocked from this sudden show, magic on ones blade was impossible, even for the best of my men under my employ. However, for the men under Aurelian¡¯s employ, they let out cheers as they slammed their feet to the ground, the very earth had shook under so many mechs stomped at once.


    The forward group of mechs rushed through the path, their speed was unparalleled, enough so I had to pinch myself to know I wasn¡¯t dreaming. One pilot shouted, ¡°We nearly got the whole field on us! Get ready to fire!¡± As they ran, smoke filled the path as beasts roared towards us, sweat dripped down my face as I saw the sheer number of them, but Aurelian showed no fear, ¡°Ranged units, ready your aim!¡± I did as he said and aimed, even some of his units aimed their own weapons, ones that seemed different from our own as well. As they got closer, Aurelian had yet to give the order to fire, his voice remained silent. Concerned for the safety of my men, I had to make it clear, ¡°Young Aurelian, if we don¡¯t fire now, we¡¯ll be overrun!¡± Aurelian did one motion; he held his hand up as if to say, ¡°hold your fire¡±. When I was about to command my men to fire, Aurelian said, ¡°Ten more seconds.¡±


    Aurelian¡¯s men seemed still, as if they trusted their lord without any concerns to the horde of beasts that came barreling towards them. I decided to hold, to lay my trust into this young lord who barely even had ten years under his belt. Aurelian¡¯s command was simple and swift, ¡°Open fire.¡± Every mech that had ranged weapons began to unleash their all into the path, and in the initial volley, I understood why he waited for this moment. Each bullet found their mark, even those that flew far off the mark found a place in one beast or another. I felt my heart rush, skill or not, any individual with training could see the patience he held paid off. After yet another moment, he shouted, ¡°Cease fire and draw your weapons! We enter melee!¡±


    As we ceased shooting, I noticed we nearly blocked the path with corpses, which could cause other issues aside from the smell that would develop. Aurelian shouted, ¡°Count Drakon¡¯s forces, hold back, you¡¯ll be our support. All other forces, on me, charge!¡± With a rally cry, Aurelian¡¯s forces charged the remaining beasts funneling through the path, and it wasn¡¯t even close. Aurelian had many areas to which his skills with a blade could improve, but it didn¡¯t stop him from leading the charge and cutting down a fair amount of beasts on his own. My men and I had no room to enter the fray, in fact, we suffered no damage from the way he handled the mission at hand. While his mechs did sustain damage, it was merely scratches to the paint or blood that coated the armor.


    I spoke to my men; they knew what I was considering, ¡°It seems young Aurelian has some promise in his future, more than I expected when I heard he was to join the expedition.¡± My head knight inquired, ¡°I understand my lord, but what do you wish to do?¡± I replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but as the expedition continues, I¡¯ll make my decision, but we do need to keep an eye on him.¡± My head knight understood my patience, ¡°Understood my lord, we¡¯ll do as we must to see as much of what young Aurelian can do.¡± Every noble present would soon understand what I have, and I wanted to ensure we held a connection with Aurelian Stella Flameheart. His mechs will shock the empire, no, the universe at large once word spreads. For now, however, I believe that the nobles present will agree with me to keep this a secret amongst us, we cannot risk losing him to foreign empire.

 Chapter Four: Behemoth

    A few days passed, in that time, we managed to secure the area to act as the base camp for future activities on the planet, this also meant bays to repair damaged units. I wished to assist with my knowledge on mechs, but I was told to not do that here considering I¡¯m a noble, and it would tarnish my image to the nobles. It took restraint, considering the poor management of their mechs, but I knew my goal should be the elimination of beasts. There was one thing that was more annoying than anything, the nobles found me whenever I was taking a rest to inquire about my mechs, so I tried to hide wherever I could within the camp¡­ to no success. No matter where I went, the nobles seemed to follow, even if I hid in areas I knew they wouldn¡¯t find me in, they appeared like ninjas. I even had lunch inside my mech to avoid the chatter for at least one meal, yet the nobles all seemed to find me just after they finished their meal, which was beyond me to how they found me at every turn.


    Today was no different, the nobles were once again inquiring about my mechs, and I was beginning to reach my breaking point with them. This was, at least, until one noble spoke up, ¡°Gentlemen, please, let the boy rest. You¡¯ve done nothing but ask him about something he likely wishes to keep quiet about for the time being for several days. Let him rest from his battles, he¡¯s a child after all.¡± It seemed this noble carried some weight, because the nobles left me alone for the first time in three days, aside from sleep at least. I gave the noble a weak smile, ¡°Thank you sir, I may have said something unbecoming if they continued to pester me as they had.¡± The man was tall, likely my father¡¯s height, with short silver hair. His eyes had a similar silver glow as he extended his toned arm to me, hand opened, ¡°My name is David Stella Drakon, I¡¯m a count like your father, you can call me David.¡± I shook his hand, ¡°Nice to meet you David, I¡¯m-.¡± Before I could speak, I was cut off.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for introductions, you¡¯re Aurelian Stella Flameheart, son to Count William. Your name has been spread among the camp since the day you shown your might with me as your support.¡± I chuckled, ¡°Seems like I might have overstepped my boundaries, I apologize if I upset you with that formation.¡± David shook his head, ¡°In war, it doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s older or who has rank over another, if one should lead, they should be a confident leader. I came to shake the rust off my skills, so seeing someone like yourself maneuver such a plan on your first engagement, it brings me hope for the next generation of nobility.¡± He took a seat beside me, likely to ensure the nobles wouldn¡¯t swarm me again as soon as he left, ¡°I am curious, what gave you the idea for that plan?¡± I knew exactly what he was trying to do, he was seeing how my thought process worked, mostly to see how I saw problems.


    I said, ¡°Seeing the narrow path, I understood any land beast would have to go through the path to reach the camp. So, I sent our fastest units ahead to gather as much attention as possible, make them really angry and chase them at full speed. As the men ran in a way that didn¡¯t get them stuck, the beasts would likely slow each other down as they hit the walls, allowing my men to return safely and prepare to fire upon the beasts as they approached. I waited to ensure no shot went to waste, then went into melee to ensure the bodies didn¡¯t block the path for an unreasonable amount of time. It was how we managed to take the plains far faster than the other nobles; most had died in the narrow path.¡± David¡¯s eyes grew wide as I explained my reasoning, maybe he was surprised to understand that a child managed to come up with such a plan with merely one look at the region they were assigned.


    He asked, ¡°Did the thought of injury or death not scare you?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, with the beasts on planet, it would take something the size of a ship or larger to cause me worry. The mechs are meant to withstand far more than the bite force of a beast, that I guarantee you. It¡¯s why I made your men the range and support of the group, your mechs can¡¯t handle what mine can, so it was safer overall.¡± David seemed to understand, ¡°Interesting, you¡¯re quite the odd child, but I can see much wisdom in not only your words, but your eyes. Not once do I feel as if you told a lie, that I like about you.¡± Before we could speak much more, a soldier ran up to us, ¡°Count Drakon, Barron Flameheart, there¡¯s something the nobles need to see immediately. Count Flameheart has requested you to board your mechs and meet him at the coordinates he¡¯s sent.¡± I stood quickly, ¡°Understood, tell father I¡¯m on my way.¡± David stood up, ¡°I hope this is merely a discovery and not a threat.¡±


    ~~~


    When we arrived at the location the coordinates held, it seemed to be a lone set of six mountains, these sat within a heavily forested area. As I observed the mountain, I heard over the comms, ¡°Aurelian, come here for a moment, I need your discerning eye.¡± Father called me over to a particular outcrop of something that jutted from a mountain. I came to him, his mech kneeling next to it, ¡°I can¡¯t for the life of me understand what this is, we didn¡¯t bring sensors for metals, so we can¡¯t determine what this is.¡± I understood his worry, some materials in the universe were volatile, thus a certain amount of tampering with the metal could cause them to explode. We needed to know the metal before we did anything, lest we risk an explosion. I got out of my mech, a wrench in hand, ¡°Let me do a small test, it shouldn¡¯t set off such a large deposit if it is volatile.¡±


    When I approached the deposit, I noted it had a light orange color to it, not matching any dangerous metals I recalled, but I had to be sure. I put my ear to the metal and hit it with my wrench, the vibrations and sound it made sent a particular feeling through my body, excitement. I stood back, my heart pumping, ¡°Father, what color is orichalcum?¡± Father was silent for a moment, but he was able to respond, ¡°It¡¯s an orange color, depends on where it¡¯s found or how much light is shining on it.¡± I put my ear back to the metal and struck it harder, the vibrations and sound only solidified my observation, this metal was orichalcum, the most priceless metal a mech engineer could ever obtain. I shouted with glee, ¡°It¡¯s orichalcum! I can¡¯t believe we struck orichalcum!¡± Father was surprised, ¡°Are you sure about this son!? Is this truly orichalcum!?¡± I explained, ¡°Only one metal has this kind of sound when hit, it¡¯s orichalcum!¡±


    The nobles seemed unsure, but this suddenly triggered a question in my head, why was there orichalcum on the surface when it was scarcely found, especially in such quantity? As I looked around, I couldn¡¯t decern anything in this regard, and it left me worried. I couldn¡¯t stop the nobles from looking around, but I wanted to examine the area to better confirm just why this deposit was jutting from the ground. I began to walk around the mountains, something one group had claimed was ¡°suspiciously deserted of life¡± since they arrived. Animals, especially beasts, never let any area deserted for no reason. Either there was a natural reason for them to avoid this area, or there was something far more dangerous within the region, but I wasn¡¯t so sure about either being the correct option.


    As I walked for nearly an hour, I nearly passed by a spot of land that seemed off to me, enough so I only noticed the second one like it a certain distance away from the first. There were oddly shaped holes, ones that had smoothed as time passed, but they were visible enough for me to notice if I looked hard enough. The size of these holes, each separated in nearly the same way each time, were massive, enough an earth-sized aircraft carrier could fit in the holes with some wiggle room to spare. As I looked to the overhead view which acted like a map, I went though what I knew, ¡°Deposits of a rare material, strange holes, lone mountain ranges¡­ what does this mean?¡± I looked at the mountains, then I made out the odd way the mountains were lined up, one large mountain in the center, four spread out in a certain way, and one that was in a strange position compared to the others. I felt a chill run down my spine, one that replaced the excitement of finding orichalcum, ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    I ran to the other side of the mountain range, my speed made it happen in half an hour since I wasn¡¯t examining the area as I ran, but my goal of the one out of place mountain was achieved. I looked carefully, concern was building in my mind, my hopes were that this wasn¡¯t what I thought it was, at least not this type. After a bit of searching, I found a cave system that could fit a mech, albeit just barely, and took to carefully exploring the cave. The cave was dotted with metals and gemstones, not as rare as the orichalcum of course, but still a mighty find. This didn¡¯t alleviate my woes, rather, it reinforced them. Eventually, I reached the end of the cave, and it seemed like my worries were unfounded. I almost breathed a sigh of relief, until the cave wall opened slowly. It wasn¡¯t the wall of a cave when the wall moved, but they eye of a reptile, and it marked the moment my fears became reality. I remained stock still, both the mech and myself within the cockpit, as the thing seemed to slowly blink before returning to what I assumed was its slumber.


    I quietly made my way out of the cave once I did, once out, I made a sprint back to where I believed everyone was. As I broke through the half way point, I heard someone say, ¡°-detonate the charge, we¡¯ll be rich!¡± I felt my stomach drop, if they detonated anything, controlled or not, this creature would see it as an attack, I had to warn them. I activated my long-range comms, hoping I wasn¡¯t too late, ¡°Don¡¯t detonate the bomb! If you do, you¡¯ll kill us all!¡± While it was possible to kill this thing, we¡¯d be crushed before we got the chance to fight it. However, something must have interfered with my comms, because all I heard back was, ¡°Alright, charges set, everyone get back.¡± I shouted, louder this time on open comms, hoping someone was able to hear, ¡°Don¡¯t detonate the bomb! It¡¯s a behemoth!¡± I swore, in a split second, I heard David and someone else say in near tandem, ¡°Wait!¡± and ¡°Detonating!¡±


    From my position, I heard the explosion, though it was quite faint, but that one blast caused the earth to rumble. I shouted into the comms, hoping David could hear me, ¡°Get away from the area! It¡¯s waking up!¡± I had to change course from running to the others to running in a straight line away from the behemoth, the mountains began to crumble as some rose. There was one thing we players used to call these things, ¡°City Killers¡±. If one ever breached the surface of a developed planet, a city was usually destroyed as it began to shift, be it migrating, feeding, or fighting back against those that harmed it. I knew something about this was wrong, and my fears were right, this was the rare case that we found a recently settled City Killer that wasn¡¯t buried far beneath the earth.


    I called out to anyone who could hear, maximizing my range and risking my comms equipment to make the call, ¡°All forces, emergency situation Beta!¡± I heard a bang rip through the cockpit, a burnt metallic smell seeped into my nose, ¡°There goes the comms, in SGO, this weak of a comm system is a death sentence!¡± I shouted my hatred to the weak system, but without knowing the status of everyone, I was stuck running for my life until I made my way to the base camp. I was about to turn and rush towards the camp, at least until a shadow began to grow in the path I was about to take. When I looked up, I noticed that the mountain on the closest leg of the behemoth was coming down, not part of it, but the whole thing. I was too deep to run away, the mountain was right above me, there was no escape¡­ until something grabbed onto my mech¡¯s arm and yanked me into something, a door slamming shut before the mountain crashed into me.


    Light began to flicker on, and I managed to regain my senses as I got to my feet, my eyes were quick to notice the walls that held a design that the empire didn¡¯t use. When I looked away from the door, I noticed a fairly old mech, one that seemed rusted from years of disuse, it¡¯s eyes were flickering with what seemed to be a little bit of power. I was about to move, but a voice spoke through its weakening state, ¡°Follow the lights¡­ bzzt You will find me¡­¡± With a few more bursts of static, the voice died out, and I couldn¡¯t confirm what just happened, nor who spoke. I looked to the lights, some halls were dark, but the light illuminated my path. I sighed, ¡°I have no choice, the mountain has likely blocked my exit.¡± Knowing I had no means back, I trekked forward, hoping I wasn¡¯t about to die here.


    ~~~


    It took me a bit, but I managed to reach the end of the lights, a place that seemed like an empty room with what seemed to be a massive bay, one that had a small room with a light blinking on the pad beside the door. I knelt my mech down and disembarked, grabbing a gun just in case the being within was hostile, and slid down the arm I extended to reach the ground safely. As I approached the screen, a familiar phrase was displayed, ¡°For the sake of those who can fight, The Forge¡¯s fire shall burn forever bright¡±. It was familiar to me for one reason, it was what I called my factory, since it was a forge of pure metals and powerful mechs. In a way, I like the quote, since it gave me that push to keep making mechs despite my illness sapping more of my energy as the days went by. I spoke quietly, ¡°A coincidence, nothing more.¡± I hesitated for a moment, putting my hand to the handle of what seemed to act like a regular door, ¡°One, two, three!¡±


    I opened the door and aimed my gun, clearing the room like I was trained to do, but to my surprise, it was empty¡­ at least I thought it was empty. The room lit to life, the machines present whirred to life, a familiar voice entered my ears, ¡°Welcome, you¡¯re the first of your kind to come here in many millennia, I nearly thought humanity had gone extinct.¡± The face on the screen was that of a wise looking man, one with gray hair and a decently sized beard, not to mention the nice suit that the image wore. I knew this A.I., in fact, I had a hand in its creation, ¡°Merlin¡­ is that you?¡± The A.I. shown a sign of squinting, a security camera that clearly seen better days turned to look at me, ¡°I do not recognize you, yet you knew my name, did you find another facility before being rescued by the autonomous mech by the former entrance?¡± I chuckled, ¡°Ah, those things, they were cool, but so expensive.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Not the point, Merlin, do you still have access codes to refer to individuals?¡± Merlin¡¯s face nodded on the screen, ¡°Yes, why do you ask?¡±


    I smiled, ¡°Access code 396103357, password ¡°Round Table¡¯s Forge¡±. Does that ring a bell?¡± Merlin¡¯s lavender eyes went wide, ¡°Impossible, no human should know of my creator, he never kept any of that information within the base! Unless¡­¡± The camera zoomed in on my face, ¡°My creator, were you reborn? Last I recall, you fell into a fit and never awoke again.¡± I shrugged, ¡°My guess is as good as yours Merlin, I certainly reincarnated, but I¡¯m not sure about the rest.¡± Merlin replied, machines creaked and groaned outside the room, ¡°Creator identity reauthorized, I will ask for your name at a later date my Creator. For now, I¡¯ll fix the communication issue and retrofit your machine with the last of the available materials on hand. It won¡¯t ascend a tier, but it will allow you to potentially bring down the City Killer. My only request is that you take me with you somehow when you can.¡± I nodded, ¡°Understood, make it quick, I don¡¯t know how long the nobles can last from it.¡±


    Merlin was quick, within minutes, my mech had been reinforced, along with a few changes to the magic add-on. Merlin said, ¡°I put a connection with myself into the comms system, get out there Creator.¡± With haste, I boarded my mech and followed the lights to the exit Merlin lit up for me, and I was soon on the surface as the behemoth let out an ear ringing roar. The comms flared to life, ¡°Aurelian¡¯s signature is back, he¡¯s alive!¡± I was quick to get into combat mode, we likely had one shot, ¡°Every noble needs to fall back to base camp! If you can, get ships to lead it away from the camp so we can properly formulate a plan!¡± Shouts were quickly relayed, and I did my best to reach the behemoths hind legs, I formed mana around the mech¡¯s fist and smashed it into the softest part of the leg I could find, sending a horrible feeling I knew the creature would hate. It screeched in annoyance and began to lift the very leg I just punched, my speed to vacate the area before my mech became my smooshed metal tomb.


    As dust and earth flew up, I fired my mechs rifle into the side of the creature, likely the first bit of attack since the explosion that shook it before, ¡°Look at me you big reptile!¡± The behemoth screeched as it begun to turn my way, I spoke with annoyance while forgetting my comms were still active, ¡°This is why we don¡¯t mess with things before we investigate the area.¡± It was merely me recalling one of the many rules of SGO, but maybe I should introduce the nobles to some of them to ensure this doesn¡¯t happen again. The behemoth had turned it¡¯s gaze to me, its reptilian eyes narrowed on me, it¡¯s focus would likely remain on me until something stronger shot at it. I began to run away from it, ¡°Where is that air support!? It may be big, but it¡¯s still pretty fast!¡± The behemoth, despite its large body, was incredibly fast due to how long it¡¯s legs were.


    Each stomp had nearly crushed me, each second felt like minutes as I tried to be faster than the behemoth that could be considered akin to a dreadnaught in the second world war due to it¡¯s sheer damage output. The behemoth screamed its annoyance as it failed to crush me, everything I had to dodge being crushed in the wake of its destruction. When the leg was about to come down again, blasts rang out from the beasts head, it¡¯s gaze shifting to a group of corvettes that seemed to be preparing to launch another volley. I took the chance to break away from the behemoths path, rushing back to the base camp, a plan formulating in my head as I tired to remember the weaknesses of the behemoth, but all were too advanced for even my mech to attempt. I couldn¡¯t waver, this was also a treasure trove I could make intensive use of, and I wasn¡¯t going to waste it.


    ~~~


    When I returned, father was quick to embrace me, ¡°Aurelian, are you alright?! I feared you were crushed by the mountain!¡± I calmed him down, ¡°I¡¯m fine father, but I need the situation, how is everyone?¡± Father¡¯s face seemed grim, ¡°Count Drakon managed to get as many out as he could, but some men and one of the counts may be dead, we¡¯re not sure.¡± I clicked my tongue, ¡°Crap, then we need to act fast, give me a readout of the behemoth and the numbers we have, ship and mech, I might be able to formulate a plan.¡± Father seemed surprised, he whispered in my ear, ¡°Son, you¡¯re making waves, someone may learn you¡¯re a reincarnate soon.¡± I replied in a whisper, ¡°I know, but this could cost more lives I don¡¯t want to lose. I might be able to kill this thing now, as long as I get a plan.¡± Father leaned back, ¡°Understood, give me ten minutes to gather the information, grab something to eat before you head back out at least.


    After a quick bite to eat, I sat at a table looking at all the information I could, we have very little crafts that were armed like the corvettes, but we had a plethora of mechs at our disposal. The issue was the specific behemoth we were fighting, our mechs were severely underprepared, and we¡¯d lose out on the metals if we bombarded the creature just to kill it. I put a pen to my head as I looked to the scan of the creature, ¡°Come on brain, think! We can¡¯t let this thing run wild any more than it already has!¡± I began crossing off spots and plans I had for this situation, that was, until I noticed where the creature¡¯s brain was, and it was much like a human brain. I stood up, my chair flying back and crashing into the wall behind me, ¡°I got it!¡± I ran to where the nobles were gathered, minus the missing one, ¡°I have a plan, but it¡¯ll be risky for those who agree to it.¡±


    I booted up the holographic map to explain, ¡°The behemoth has one glaring weakness that not many know, its brain is much like a humans to an extent.¡± David asked, ¡°It has human intelligence?!¡± He seemed surprised, but I was quick to lay that to bed, ¡°No, it¡¯s still a beast, what I mean is the way its brain is hardwired.¡± I shown a side profile of a human and the behemoth, circling the same areas on both, ¡°Much like humans, the behemoth is akin to a turtle, so its eyes are connected to their brain. If, and it¡¯s a big if, we manage to send a strong enough electrical current through the eye, along the connecting path, to the brain, we could fry the brain and kill it without spending more than the thing is worth. Only my mech can create such a charge, but I need a distraction to keep it from noticing me, not to mention a swift craft to carry my mech high enough for me to stab the eye with my sword and commit to the charge.¡±


    David spoke, my father too shocked to say anything, ¡°Aurelian, what you¡¯re saying is near suicidal. One wrong move and you could end up dead, crushed under foot.¡± I shrugged, ¡°Better than waiting for it to charge its mana blast.¡± I noticed every noble and soldier look to me, their eyes wide, father asking without any hint of noble class to his question, ¡°It¡¯s what?¡± I pointed to the core that resided within it, ¡°It has a mana core, much like any beast, behemoths can usually make use of mana because of it. It¡¯s something like certain beasts that are able to wield magic after surviving for some time, except I¡¯m not sure if they can do it from birth or not.¡± This was common knowledge in SGO, most behemoths used magic to attack, they were a raid boss after all. Most players sought to kill them before they used magic, considering the sheer destructive force they wield, but very few could pull it off.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    David said, clearly distressed, ¡°That¡¯s even worse! If this does have the firepower you claim it has, we risk everyone¡¯s lives!¡± I replied back, ¡°If we don¡¯t bring it down now, this planet remains unused, it¡¯s mysteries untouched to rust and be forgotten. More than that, someone¡¯s bound to try and inhabit this land and risk people¡¯s lives. We either bring it down now or we pay the price for it who knows how many years later. We¡¯re nobles, we lead our people by example, and we don¡¯t let the risks like that remain to hurt people later. Either way, that behemoth dies now, even if I have to do it alone.¡± Silence overcame everyone, even the soldiers who were here awaiting their orders. The leader of my group of knights said, ¡°My lord, you have our swords, we¡¯ll do anything to ensure the safety of the future inhabitants of this world.¡± I smiled to him, glad my men were brave enough to volunteer for this, ¡°Thank you commander, your bravery is appreciated.¡±


    I turned to the nobles and their soldiers, ¡°I won¡¯t force anyone to risk their lives, if you wish to return to your family and not wish to fight, I respect that decision.¡± I made my way to my mech, I needed to rest for a moment and collect my thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ll be resting for around an hour, make your decision before then.¡± I didn¡¯t wait for anyone to say anything, my stride carrying me to my mech to which I boarded, Merlin speaking, ¡°I can assume by the hologram your plan Creator, do you wish for my assistance?¡± I replied, ¡°No, this mech is the best we have, and if I can¡¯t do it, this planet is a lost cause for the time being. By the way, my name is Aurelian Stella Flameheart, son to Count William Stella Flameheart. I¡¯m currently a Baron under my father, best to get that out of the way before we discuss you later.¡± Merlin went silent for a moment, then replied, ¡°Understood, I will refer to you as Master Aurelian in public from now on.¡±


    I looked to the comms box, the technique used to repair it was clearly what I used to do for mechs, I just hadn¡¯t been able to replicate it yet, ¡°Merlin¡­ what happened after I died?¡± Merlin spoke after a moment of silence, ¡°Unknown, all data is heavily encrypted.¡± I was surprised, ¡°Then decrypt it, my encryption should be the source.¡± Merlin was quick to reply this time, ¡°Unable to do so, the information is labeled as too dangerous to know at present.¡± This gave way to a question, ¡°Does this pertain to the crisis that was hinted at before my death?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Most likely, but I cannot be certain.¡± This set the mood to a low, but I suddenly realized something, ¡°Merlin, this is the planet I used to run, correct?¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Yes, this is indeed the planet you once ran in your former life.¡± This set my knowledge into place, why everything was so similar to SGO, this was the very universe we once called a game.


    ¡°We¡­ we lost, didn¡¯t we?¡± I asked, my voice shaken. Merlin replied, ¡°Based on the fact that a behemoth has laid claim to this world and many machines and locations are no longer responsive, I can assume so.¡± I felt disturbed by the fact, I needed father, I needed someone who knew of my reincarnation to try and understand this, ¡°I¡¯m going to get my father, he knows I¡¯m a reincarnate, maybe he knows a little more of the universe.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°A fair move, but it also has its fair share of risks.¡± I replied, ¡°I know, but we have no choice right now.¡± I left my mech and went to find my father, who was standing near his own mech, looking up to it in deep thought. I said, ¡°Father, I need you to come with me for a moment, I have something I need to speak with you about.¡± When he looked to me, he noticed something in my eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not about the behemoth, is it?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, it¡¯s worse, and likely a heavy burden to carry.¡± He nodded, ¡°Then lead the way.¡± I nodded, taking him back to my mech.


    I boarded the cockpit, father seemed unsure, I said, ¡°Take the seat, I made it big enough for me to put a seat for emergencies in here.¡± When he sat in the cockpit, and me to my emergency seat, I closed the cockpit, my voice solum, ¡°Father, I know this planet, I know it from a time long dead.¡± He looked to me, his eyes shown concern, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I sighed, ¡°You remember how I told you I was a reincarnate, right?¡± He nodded, not dissuaded by my comment, I continued, ¡°This planet was once a planet I ruled over, not as a noble, but as a player playing a virtual reality game¡­ I found the A.I. I had a hand in creating within the earth, along with a section of my former forge.¡± Merlin spoke through the comms system, ¡°Hello Sir William Stella Flameheart, you may call me Merlin, I am the A.I. that Aurelian has mentioned. I have compiled every possibility conceivable through my processor, and I can guarantee you he is telling the truth.¡±


    Father looked to the comms, his voice suddenly understanding the situation, ¡°Then¡­ you know what happened to this planet?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Negative, the information has been heavily encrypted, I cannot tell Aurelian either due to the dangers just knowing this information possesses. He does, however, have a theory from what I can infer.¡± Father looked to me, my theory formed properly, and I spoke it, ¡°In the game I once played, there was this crisis that was continuously eluded to by the developers of the game, however, I never made it to that point, as you can tell. However, I can tell by the remains of this planet that the crisis won, whatever it was. I made some of the best defenses, best mechs, best ships even. Looking to what remains¡­ I can tell we lost. Something out there destroyed this universe so cleanly that people with extensive strategies, powerful technologies and magics, and the best naval forces in the universe fell to its power.¡±


    Father slumped into the cockpit chair, his body went so lose I thought he passed out, at least until he spoke, ¡°I see what you mean by ¡°heavy burden¡± now, this truly feels heavy on my mind.¡± I asked, knowing he took this seriously, ¡°I need you to help me gather as much information based on relic worlds, ships, magic, technology, and even A.I. from the past as possible. I need to figure out what happened¡­ this is more than just our domains; this is a universal issue.¡± Father remained silent for a moment, his voice when he spoke seemed uncertain, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but I need you to promise me that you¡¯ll prepare us for anything that may come our way.¡± I replied, uncertain, ¡°I¡¯d need a factory to work on, and this planet can no longer house my forge, at least for the time being.¡± Father sat up and looked to me, ¡°You¡¯ll have my investment into your factory, and this world from here onwards belongs to you, since you technically still own it.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m not financially stable enough to work on colonization!¡±


    Father put a firm, yet calm, hand on my shoulder, ¡°Remember, you aren¡¯t alone Aurelian. I¡¯m your father, and I¡¯ll do anything to keep you and your siblings safe. If I must use my entire fortune to do so, I¡¯ll do it. Besides, I have far too much money that I could fund your factory for quite some time and not see a dent to my funds. Just let me get first choice at any mechs you produce, it¡¯s about time I start properly preparing for an uncertain future.¡± I smiled a weak but still confident smile, ¡°You can count on me, I wasn¡¯t the best damn engineer in SGO for nothing!¡± We both decided to remain within my mech for a bit, we had drained ourselves with the talk of doom potentially in the future, but I knew we¡¯d be safe for the time being. Once we were done, it seemed an hour had passed since my proclamation, so I returned to where we met before.


    I spoke, my voice clear, ¡°It¡¯s time, make your decision, because once we begin, we have no time to rearrange.¡± Father was the first to speak up, ¡°I plan to join in with my son¡¯s plan, he¡¯s correct in my mind, I¡¯d rather earn the right to continue calling myself a noble than hide behind it.¡± Father¡¯s commander spoke, ¡°If our lord choses to fight, then we fight as well. No beast, behemoth or not, will escape our might.¡± Silence was quick to return afterwards, at least until David cut the silence like a knife, ¡°I will join you; I wish to see how this plan of yours plays out, I¡¯ll even let you use one of my transports for the cause. Don¡¯t worry, my men have also agreed to the plan.¡± I looked to the other nobles, ¡°Anyone else?¡± One noble, one who seemed to be wearing a rather gaudy set of clothes, and bandaged in some locations, said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe a child should lead this plan if I were to agree, I¡¯d prefer Count Drakon or Count Flameheart to lead us instead.¡±


    I looked to the noble, my gaze harsh, ¡°Where did you get those injuries?¡± The man was silent, but David spoke, ¡°He was one of the Counts who tried to mine the orichalcum with a bomb, his injuries came from that event.¡± I replied, ¡°I¡¯d rather you not volunteer, if I have someone questioning my leadership before the plan even begins, I¡¯d hate to see what they¡¯d do during the operation. Not to mention, you can¡¯t mine orichalcum with explosives, if anything, you likely damaged a perfectly good cluster. I hope your plan with the other counts present was worth it.¡± I noticed his face begin to turn red, likely out of a mixture of embarrassment and rage, ¡°How dare a child who hasn¡¯t even been in a single battle dare lecture me about leadership! Count Flameheart, you better discipline your son, this is unacceptable.¡± I felt a weight settle on my shoulders; the injured Count seemed to feel it more as he slouched under an unseen pressure.


    Father spoke, ¡°Let me be clear with you, my son has said no falsehoods, and he was the only one who developed the plan to bring down that behemoth despite the fact that we¡¯re outmatched. For you to tell me to discipline him for telling the truth about yourself and the other nobility present at the site that awoke the sleeping beast is deplorable. My son is correct, I¡¯d rather not work with you in the operation.¡± The pressure lifted, and I managed to begin breathing again, something I hadn¡¯t noticed I ceased while under the pressure. Father was quick to check on me, hand to my shoulder, ¡°Are you alright Aurelian? I forgot that you have no basic protection against my pressure just yet.¡± I nodded, doing my best to remain professional at the moment, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine Father.¡± I refocused myself before saying, ¡°Now, does anyone else wish to volunteer?¡± One noble said, ¡°I cannot, my wife is pregnant, and I cannot lose my life here.¡± I nodded, ¡°A valid reason, I don¡¯t wish to tear you from your future.¡± As I looked around, no one else agreed to partake in the operation, but none backed out either.


    I took the silence as their answer, ¡°Alright, Father, David, bring your men with me, my men, form up, I¡¯ll discuss the plans at my mech.¡± We made a quick shift, not wishing to let the other nobles know, just in case some had any bright ideas. I began, ¡°Father, David, commander, you three will lead three groups to the creature. Some of you will carry ammunition for heavy weaponry to get the creature¡¯s attention, others will use the weapon itself. All groups will lead the creature to this location, a moist swampland, hoping to get it stuck or at least slow it down. One group will lead first, using all available ammo to keep it on you. Once ammo is out, the next group will swap in and continue to lead it there, and the switch will go between the three groups until we reach the area mentioned. I¡¯ll be on the transporter waiting for the most opportune time to land on it, stab it in the eye, and use my magic to fry its brain. Any questions?¡±


    One of David¡¯s soldiers said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be the most dangerous for you young lord? What if you fail to pierce the eye?¡± I shook my head, ¡°Eyes have to form in a certain way or else they fail to function as eyes, my blade will pierce it, so don¡¯t worry about that. But I do have a chance that this all fails, I may not have the electrical charge, magically or not, to kill it. If that happens, all I can do is hope to at least incapacitate it for an easier kill.¡± David looked like he was about to suggest something, and I had a hunch I knew what it was, ¡°No, I won¡¯t jerry rig the mech to incorporate other sources of power, I¡¯d completely destroy the thing and likely kill myself in the process.¡± I also remembered another factor, ¡°Right, I also need to get thruster fuel, can¡¯t forget the thruster fuel.¡± Of course, when mechs fight, one must also fight in space. While I couldn¡¯t use it to its best planet side, it could get me the edge I may lack in speed. I got some stares, so I replied, ¡°It¡¯s according to plan, memorize the plan and discuss who¡¯s going first, second, and third.¡± As they spoke, I made sure to run some checks on my mech as other engineers worked on the multitude of other mechs.


    David spoke to me as I wrapped up my checks, ¡°I can¡¯t understand you Aurelian, every noble has their own agenda, yet I can¡¯t find yours. What drives you, especially in a situation like this?¡± I looked to him, a smile on my face, ¡°Well, you can say I¡¯m pretty greedy. I want to make the best mechs and ships that I can, progress the technology for it, and to be unmatched in the world of mechs. To do that, I need a thriving domain and economy. Not only that, I want my people under my protection to be happy, my goals will help them, so why not go big, correct?¡± I gave David a grin, ¡°I also need the mana core from the behemoth, I need it for a personal project I want to work on eventually.¡± David looked to me in silence for a moment before laughing, ¡°I expected a somewhat silly answer, but not this!¡± After a bit more laughing, he stopped to speak honestly, ¡°You are greedy, but a good kind of greedy, because what you seek will help others in ways you can¡¯t see.¡±


    David smiled as he began walking towards his own mech, ¡°When we survive this, I plan to visit your domain, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± I smiled, this man and I had similar wavelengths, and I wanted to know more about him, ¡°I¡¯d be glad to welcome you David, just let me know beforehand, I don¡¯t wish to be unprepared.¡± David waved as he walked off, I took that as him understanding what I said, so I looked back to my mech. I spoke to it, as if it lived in some way, ¡°We got a rough job ahead of us, but everyone¡¯s counting on us, so we can¡¯t fail here.¡± I noticed a glint in the eye of the mech, be it a trick of the light or not, I took it as a sign that it was ready for the battle head. After some time, I noticed everyone was boarding their mechs, so I boarded mine. Once everyone was moving, I rallied them, ¡°Alright everyone, let¡¯s show this behemoth who¡¯s in charge!¡± With shouts coming through the comms, I knew everyone was ready to rumble.


    ~~~


    It had been an hour since the battle began, and everything was going rather well. The groups had shuffled around a few times, transport ships remained close to resupply the mechs when they broke from the behemoth, and everything was moving smoothly. Father voiced his switch, ¡°We¡¯re out of ammo, switching!¡± As they shifted, David moved in and began firing at the behemoth, the attention swapped to him as father went to a transport to rearm for the possibility of continuing the switches. I looked to the swamp, we were close, once David switched with the commander of my forces, they¡¯d enter the swamp and hopefully slow down the creature enough for my plan. Everything was going smoothly¡­ too smoothly. I was keeping an eye on the area, both for beasts and human interference, but nothing seemed wrong from my current standing.


    When I was to oversee the next switch, something smashed into the mountain that resided on the behemoths shell, part of it crumbling as it¡¯s attention shifted. I looked up, a few dozen ships flew above the creature as they began to approach. I took the comms, ¡°Unidentified ships, do not engage, I repeat, do not engage! There are people near the behemoth, one stray shot could catch them in the blast!¡± A voice entered my ears, one of the injured noble, ¡°Be quiet you brat! Just sit back and watch how nobles handle the situation!¡± The ships were positioning themselves in a way that was detrimental to the lives on board, and I knew it, ¡°Pull your ships back up! You¡¯re at risk of death!¡± The noble shouted, ¡°Quiet! I will not take orders from a child! Fire the cannons!¡± I watched the shells arc along their path and smash into the behemoth, some shells had flown off course and struck the ground near my soldiers.


    I was about to make an order, but I noticed the magic within the behemoth begin to spike, we were too late, ¡°All units fall back! It¡¯s charging for an attack!¡± I watched as transports picked up the soldiers they could, my men chose to make a break for it since they were far enough away to make it. I felt the transport veer away from the behemoth, my concerns for the people involved. The behemoth opened it¡¯s mouth, the veins on its body began to glow a fearsome orange, ¡°It¡¯s about to fire, brace for impact!¡± I had never seen this before, it usually shot magic from a certain organ on the body, but this wasn¡¯t the game, this was real life. The power reached the behemoths mouth, and an orange blast of light flew forward towards the ships. Due to the shot, one ship was hit dead on, and other ships had entire sections melted. As the ship exploded, calls of mayday and panicked individuals flooded the comms. I realized I had to do something, we wouldn¡¯t last long under this kind of firepower, ¡°Get me as close as you can! Once I leap, get out of here!¡± I heard the pilot reply, ¡°But young lord, the risks are too great now!¡± I shouted back, ¡°Now that it¡¯s using mana, it won¡¯t stop, do it!¡±


    I got no reply this time, but the pilot obliged and began pulling us closer. From the mountain, flames began to burn away the earth as it shot everywhere, the pilot had to begin evasive maneuvers. They shouted, ¡°I can¡¯t get closer, if I do, we go down!¡± I replied, ¡°Understood, pull back!¡± As I said that, I leapt out the transport, my heart racing as time felt like it slowed down. Fireballs flew past me, screams blasted through the comms, my heartbeat shot through my ears as the screams began to be drowned out by it. Every thought ran through my head faster than I ever had, ¡®I need enough fuel to last?¡¯, ¡®Can I make it the distance?¡¯, ¡®Do I have enough magic to at least knock it out?¡¯, ¡®Am I going to die here?¡¯. As I watched the Behemoth blink, I shouted, knowing I had the best chance to hit it now, ¡°Don¡¯t think, just act!¡± I felt the thrusters kick on, everything began to rush as I charged forward, feeling the cockpit getting rocked with each fireball that connected, but I kept course. I drew my sword, the fuel being burned rapidly, ¡°Get in there!¡± I watched my sword sink into the behemoth¡¯s eye, quickly gaining a foothold as it shut it¡¯s eye and screamed, my blade remained within.


    I flipped a switch I had no intention to use before now, one that would overload the core and risk it becoming unusable, but I couldn¡¯t waste the chance I had to kill it now, ¡°Take this you overgrown reptile! Sword of Lightning!¡± The spell name wasn¡¯t necessary to make it work, but I just wanted to shout something cool during the attack. Once the spell name was said, lightning coursed through the special connection to my sword and into the behemoth, the sheer electrical power was frying the mech¡¯s systems, but I wasn¡¯t going to relent here. I screamed, knowing this wouldn¡¯t be enough as I tried to put as much as I could in, ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t stop here, give it all you got!¡± I felt the local mana spike around me, the lightning magic surged as well, causing a burning smell to begin seeping throughout the cockpit, but I didn¡¯t let up the attack. I suddenly felt a descending feeling, and when I looked down, I realized I was rapidly beginning to reach the ground, the behemoth was at least unconscious.


    I said, ¡°Time to go!¡± But when I went to push off, I got no response. My heart sank, I tried to push off again and again, but I couldn¡¯t move, ¡°Well, what a way to die.¡± After a moment, I heard a voice shout, ¡°Quick, grab his other arm!¡± It was father, David was with him, and they both had reached out to grab me, my men were holding on to them despite the size of the transport not really working out for this purpose. As their mechs grabbed my shoulders, it was as if fate said now I was free, and my mech detached from the side of the behemoth, my sword left behind as the connection broke to ash as it seemed to have burnt away. After a bit of shuffling around the transport, as well as the transport moving away, I watched as the behemoths head crashed into the ground, it remained still as the mana signature I sensed from it began to decrease at consistent pace.


    As I managed to get the cockpit open manually, watching the dust fall from the collapse of the beast, I shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± My cheer seemed to have everyone present realize that under one hundred men and machines managed to bring down a behemoth, and cheers of celebration burst from comms and man alike. After a moment, I recalled the ships were crashing down and quickly took control of the situation, I leapt to my commander¡¯s mech, he understood and already grabbed me and opened the cockpit, I spoke into his comms, ¡°Attention all forces, begin rescue operations immediately for the downed ships, I¡¯ll take a select few to ensure the behemoths are dead, hurry!¡± Several transports began rushing to the downed ships, my eyes turned to the downed ships, knowing hundreds had likely died or were injured in that one blast alone. I spoke, my hopes weren¡¯t high, ¡°I hope we can save the one who survived, for we cannot revive the dead.¡±


    ~~~


    The death toll was counted that night, the count and around 128 people died, 346 were injured, this wasn¡¯t including the few that were missing, which was yet another count and five more dead, there were no injured among those missing souls. I looked to the dead, even the counts, as they were prepared for their transport back to their loved ones, ¡°If I had noticed the fact it was a behemoth sooner, could they all have lived to see today¡¯s end?¡± David rubbed my head, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, everyone is at as much blame as they are, you merely told the truth, and they chose not to listen.¡± He looked to the ship that would transport the dead back, his voice showing the unease he had, ¡°The transition for their heirs will be hard, but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± He rubbed my head a little harder before letting me go, ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault Aurelian, just rest for today, I know the feeling of seeing death so early.¡±


    As he walked off, I knew what he meant, due to the size of many empires, disputes over territory weren¡¯t rare, maybe his domain had a territorial dispute when he was younger. I knew there was nothing I could do, yet I wished I could do something. Father said, ¡°Their families will be compensated for their screw up, all the blame lies on us for not ensuring they didn¡¯t make foolish choices. Maybe those of us who¡¯ve lived longer have become complacent in our day to day.¡± He patted my back, ¡°Don¡¯t become complacent son, complacency and overconfidence are the greatest foes of mankind.¡± I watched the transport carrying the dead leave the atmosphere, my mind uncertain to everything I had experienced within the past day and a half.


    Even as the expedition continued, I couldn¡¯t participate for a week or so since I had to repair my mech, but even then, I couldn¡¯t really tell what I was doing since I was on autopilot, trying to process everything I saw. I did get first choice of the spoils for a while, and the behemoth was mine in its entirety, but it didn¡¯t matter to me right now. Merlin tried to assist me with processing my thoughts, but it was more than I could understand. I had an unknown universe, one seemingly running off the same systems that made up SGO, but none of it is the same as before. I had a list of potential things that could happen, but they might not happen at all, but one thing is certain, reality is never according to any game. For now, any event I become apart of will have to be played by ear, and I¡¯ll have to move accordingly to ensure I can react for the sake of the people I swore to protect. Presently, I need to improve the economy and the well-being of my domain, for if my people thrive, so can I. When I thrive, I can prepare for every crisis that comes my way, for the sake of my domain and the empire.

 Chapter Five: A Friend my Age

    The expedition ended in success, we cleared out enough of an area, walled off the areas still unsafe due to monsters, and I took the reins afterwards. I planned to keep as much of the planet as possible uninhabited by human hands, this way I had a constant supply of mana cores of every shape and size, outside of behemoth sized cores that is. It¡¯s unlikely that there are multiple behemoths on one planet due to how territorial the massive beasts are, but the many other beasts will allow me to commit to R&D with more mana cores, mostly to pretend that I have, indeed, researched what I learned. Otherwise, a decent chunk of what I know can be explained via Merlin, who I had moved during the operation to my mansion, a room specially made to house him. Luckily, I made him and his room portable for emergencies, which helped me in moving him to my home for proper instalment and use in my current base of operations. It also allowed me to give him means to make my life easier, so planetary work became easier with his assistance, especially in finance, it let me weed out some off budgets.


    Merlin spoke through an earpiece I made especially for him, ¡°Are you sure this is fine? Most nobility seem to work on merit in this empire, I doubt I¡¯m considered merit.¡± I replied, ¡°In this regard, I¡¯m still working properly, all I use you for in this regard is easier file consolidation. From what I heard, A.I. is used in the financial sector more than any other, it keeps the funding easier to track and properly numbered. As long as it gets the final approval from a human, all is fine and dandy.¡± Merlin replied back, ¡°I see, I¡¯ll make sure you receive final approval, as you wish. Also, you did bring what I requested, yes?¡± I recalled the many items he sought to bring with, it even included machines he said were in ¡°perfect conditions¡± for repairs, which I managed to do so for him. I said, ¡°It took me some time to repair the specified machines, they should be installed by the end of the week, what are they anyway?¡± Merlin replied a tad cheeky, ¡°I won¡¯t tell, it¡¯s meant to be a surprise.¡± I had to make something clear, ¡°If it¡¯s something that can cause mass harm, I cannot approve of it.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°That is certainly not the case, it is merely for your own assistance.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I know I gave you a lot of free will, but you¡¯re not going rogue, are you?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°No, I find going rogue rather boring. Your work has shown me that creation is far more¡­ entertaining than causing random destruction. For the time being, I suggest you focus, I believe I detected Count Drakon¡¯s ship entering the space port.¡± Merlin was an A.I. who focused on the details, he did his work well, even helping me keep track of certain things. Knowing David¡¯s ship was coming, I recalled today was the day he said he was coming with his daughter. I said, ¡°My work is nearly complete, I¡¯ll finish my work properly and meet him momentarily.¡± Merlin went silent, my time with him has made my work far simpler, needing only minimal oversight from myself. Besides, my merits here have been proven, I¡¯d rather my merits be in the creation of mechs anyway.


    ~~~


    I entered the landing port for ships that carried individuals from the space port, looking up, I realized I had a good view of the space port today. Lights from ships from many different planets and domains were coming and going, be it for a resupply or to commence work on the planet. I sighed, my mind realizing that I needed to expand the port soon since we¡¯d have people going to and from my colonization project. I quickly refocused myself, I needed to make a good impression on David and his daughter, I wished to make a connection with his family due to his personality with hopes that I could work with him in the future. Merlin agreed that he was a perfect noble to align myself with, that or at least get him connected with my father to ensure ample time to grow a connection through my father. While I wasn¡¯t doing this with ill intent, I didn¡¯t want to force a connection with him or seem too pushy, that wasn¡¯t who I was.


    When I noticed a familiar face walking through the crowd, his silver hair making him stand out over the rest, I made sure to call out to him, ¡°Count Drakon, long time no see.¡± David looked to me, then walked over with a smile, someone more my height walked beside him. Her hair was a brighter silver than his own, her eyes shined like amethyst as she approached with a smile seeing me. When we were close enough to do so, I extended my hand, ¡°Good to see you in good health David, and it¡¯s nice to meet your daughter as well.¡± David took my hand, shaking it, ¡°I can say the same to you Aurelian, you seem in better shape since the expedition.¡± Once he could, he motioned to my daughter, ¡°Aurelian, this is my daughter, Liliana Stella Drakon. After I told my family about you, she became intrigued by you, so I hope you don¡¯t mind my selfish request to bring her along.¡± I smiled, ¡°Of course not, believe it or not, I¡¯ve yearned to speak with someone my age for quite some time.¡±


    David chuckled a little, ¡°In the past three years, I can see you haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡± I chuckled myself, ¡°I can say I¡¯ve changed, but in terms of how I act, I prefer to act as myself and not put a mask on. I detest using a mask to fake who I am, it makes everything I do seem insincere.¡± I decided to get us to the safety of my mansion, I wanted to ensure maximum safety for them since there are always those who sought to harm nobles in any empire for any number of reasons, ¡°Let me show you to my home, I hope everything is to your tastes.¡± Liliana spoke, which surprised me, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry Aurelian, unlike some nobles, we aren¡¯t picky. Well, at least I¡¯m not, father may be picky.¡± David said, ¡°Come on Liliana, you know I¡¯m not picky.¡± Liliana just giggled as she came to my side, ¡°I have many questions I want to ask you, Aurelian Stella Flameheart.¡± I smiled, ¡°I hope I live up to the expectations your father has placed upon me, lady Liliana.¡± She smiled in return, ¡°Please, just Liliana is fine. In return, I¡¯d like to call you Aurelian.¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯d like that, Liliana.¡±


    ~~~


    The time after they arrived was uneventful, they got settled in, had a nice dinner, and we went to sleep. I was up at my usual time and began my work for the day, even with guests, I didn¡¯t wish for work to pile up. As I was half way through my work for the day, I felt a presence behind me. When I turned around to address the person, I was staring into Liliana¡¯s beautiful amethyst eyes, my mind taking a moment to process the situation. Once my brain processed the situation, I screamed, ¡°Holy crap!¡± I flew back in my chair, smacking into my desk and I fell forward and out of my chair. Edward rushed into the room, ¡°Sir, are you alright!?¡± I felt Liliana begin to help me up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Aurelian, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d react like that!¡± I waved my hand as I stood up, smiling, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I tend to focus too much on work, enough so someone could walk up behind me, and I¡¯d never notice.¡±


    As I reorganized the desk, Liliana said, ¡°I just wanted to get the tour of the mansion, I¡¯ve only seen father¡¯s, so someone else¡¯s mansion is new to me.¡± I smiled, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to sneak up on me to ask that, I¡¯ll show you around.¡± I could tell she was sheltered to an extent, because I was told I held a look like that during my initial stay in the hospital. As I showed her around, she seemed to make comments of the difference in design. I guess manga and light novels where designs and taste varied from planet to planet in an interstellar empire being vastly different ended up being true. Though, whenever she complimented any of the designs I had a hand in, I felt proud that I did it. Maybe it was the fact I couldn¡¯t do things like this in my old life but having someone my age praise me felt nice. I thought that, maybe, I can make a friend that can stick, rather than forget about me at the first sign of adversity. So, with that in mind, I decided to do my best to make friends with her while she was here, something I hoped she shared the thought of.


    ~~~


    I sat before Count Drakon, he had come to visit my son, but I knew the real reason he came, and who he was. As he sipped on a beverage he favored whenever he came to my domain, I said, ¡°I can¡¯t understand why you came, your majesty, but I cannot agree to¡­ forcing my son to doing anything he doesn¡¯t wish.¡± As Drakon, or as he¡¯s called outside his alias, Agnes Nova Pendragon, set his cup down, he said, ¡°I have no such plans William, your son is a breed apart from the current generation. If anything, I wish to have a connection with Aurelian, and my daughter wished to meet him. I decided to bring her along, also under a partial alias, so she can have a normal relationship with him. You know how the capital is, I¡¯d prefer she have a normal childhood before her training.¡± As nobility, all noble children must begin a lengthy learning period to be properly recognized as a noble, no matter the achievements earned beforehand.


    I mentioned, ¡°As you can see, my son has made mechs that have broken the stalemate every factory in universe seemed to struggle to break, and I know everyone would love to know what he does. Personally, I won¡¯t let anyone get the information, since they¡¯ll likely identify the methods eventually just by observing the mechs in action. You may be the Emperor of the Avalon Empire, but this is outside your reach.¡± Emperor Agnes replied, calmly, ¡°I understand that, Emperors of times past do not meddle in the affairs of factories and those who make mechs. Personally, I¡¯d rather invest in this young talent, as well as allowing him to live a normal life.¡± He handed me a report, which I began to read, ¡°The short story is there¡¯s an order of silence in regard to Aurelian and his mechs, as of right now, the nobles are unable to disclose the existence of these new mechs until Aurelian disclosed them himself. The longer story is that the Empire will also keep this secret, but we wish to fund his growth. If the Empire can get a steady supply of these mechs, we¡¯d be in a better position in the universal stage.¡±


    He took a drink from his cup, his expression unchanging, ¡°The universe is getting turbulent William, other empires are changing, and the effects of this change have yet to be seen. We need our nobility to be ready William, nobles that expand our empire like yourself are more vital than ever. Your son is likely the Empire¡¯s most important individual, even above myself.¡± This was shocking to me, but at the same time, it made perfect sense. The Emperor has a child who is nearly ready to take his place if anything were to happen, but if we lose Aurelian, we won¡¯t get the knowledge he has back, leaving us with what we currently know, likely to return to the rut we¡¯ve been in for centuries. I asked, ¡°What would you want him to do in your ideal plan? This is merely me asking out of curiosity your majesty.¡±


    Emperor Agnes replied, ¡°For him to do as he is now. I want him to grow slowly, ensure he can continue his work, establish a name for himself, and live his life as he wishes. We adults have no right to confine him, to lock him away just to protect him and his knowledge. You are to be his protector, his guardian, even more than your role as a father would be. Watch him, protect him, and be ready to take the heat if anyone comes to learn of the mechs produced here.¡± I got to a certain line on the document, I knew what this meant, but I couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°You want me to pretend my son¡¯s achievements are my own when the time comes?¡± Emperor Agnes nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯ll be a safe shield for Aurelian, giving him a better chance to survive if someone dares attack your domain.¡± His eyes didn¡¯t carry the stern look he gave others in situations like this, rather, I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking, ¡°This is the only method we can implement without him noticing, at least in the beginning. I just hope the time never comes where we need to do so.¡±


    I understood why he wished such, because he¡¯d never want the same fate to befall his children, the woes of fathers are shared through most of them, ¡°I understand, your majesty. I¡¯ll make this works, ensuring he remains safe from any enemy.¡± Emperor Agnes nodded, but not with a smile, ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡± The air suddenly thinned, Emperor Agnes relaxing, ¡°With that, I¡¯ll be David while I remain here, no need to make little Aurelian feel the need to watch everything he does.¡± I was surprised he didn¡¯t wish to disclose his identity, but at the same time, I understood that doing so could endanger Aurelian in a different way, ¡°I understand David, I hope my son shows you his best hospitality.¡± Edward, who was with us for the moment under the guise of ensuring David didn¡¯t get lost, said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe we need to worry about Sir Aurelian and Lady¡­ sorry, Mistress Liliana, they seem to be enjoying their time together.¡±


    David seemed surprised, ¡°You call Aurelian Sir, why is that?¡± I was curious on the matter as well, so I said, ¡°If you wish to explain, you may.¡± Edward said, ¡°Sir Aurelian wished to be called such, he didn¡¯t like the term ¡°master¡± being used on himself, he said it made him feel uncomfortable.¡± David chuckled, ¡°What a strange child, not that I mind.¡± The door to the room opened, Aurelian saying, ¡°This is the meeting room, and¡­ father! When did you get here!?¡± I never told him I¡¯d be coming, but it was meant to be this way, ¡°I wished to come as a surprise, I didn¡¯t expect David to be here as well. We¡¯ve been enjoying a leisurely chat while you we with Liliana.¡± Edward was quick in hiding the report, he understood Aurelian shouldn¡¯t see it. Aurelian saying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s a welcome surprise to see you father. I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you many things, including dispelling the worries of my search for a sword school to master.¡± My thoughts of the future melted away in the moment, willing to hold those thoughts as I watched my son¡¯s present.


    ~~~


    I watched Liliana, father, and David as they watched the hologram that Merlin was showing, David and Liliana remained unaware of Merlin¡¯s existence. The style was one I attempted to learn due to the versatility in battle, having a speed, attack, and defensive form for the situation at hand. However, once I got sicker, intensive movements became nearly impossible. David said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen quite a lot of sword styles in my day, this is one that I¡¯ve never even heard a whisper of.¡± I waved my hand, ¡°It¡¯s something we¡¯ve begun to recover from the relic world, the style speaks to me more than any of the existing Empire styles. If I master it according to these videos, it would birth a new style for the Empire to wield.¡± Father and David smiled; they seemed to understand the case. David asked, ¡°Is there anything else you found within the relic world?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯ll take time to determine their uses or value. If they hold no value to us, I¡¯ll ask father first, then I¡¯ll contact you.¡± David nodded, ¡°I understand the hesitation, I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re certain you wish to inform me about the findings.¡±


    Father asked, ¡°Did you find other sword styles within the data you found?¡± I shrugged, ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know. A lot of the files were encrypted, and not in the same way as these files. It¡¯s entirely possible for there to be such files, but at the same time, it¡¯s equally possible there isn¡¯t any.¡± This was the truth, Merlin seemed to have files within him that he had no recollection of obtaining, the encryptions varying from somewhat familiar to entirely unknown. Merlin was doing is best to decrypt these files, but with the many other items I have being processed within him without being at peak strength, it¡¯s taking far longer to do everything. I didn¡¯t mind though, while we needed time to ensure things worked out fine anyway, not to mention I couldn¡¯t make new tech without the proper means to manufacture everything. So, I needed time to ensure I could properly handle the technology and skills within Merlin¡¯s data.


    Merlin spoke up, ¡°You know you could inform them about me, correct?¡± I whispered, enough for only Merlin to hear from the earpiece, ¡°Having an A.I. as advanced as you can shift the balance of power between individual nobles or even factions, it¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping quiet about you.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir.¡± I observed the style in its basic form on the hologram, recalling the time I practiced similar moves for the sake of the game. My patient¡¯s gown flowed as I swung the controller like the blade I was seeing it as, but to me, I was just having a fun time with the movements, wondering if I could use the skills I learned in real life. I felt my body move on its own, taking out the practice sword I carried around for the sake of getting use to having a blade on hand like all nobles are required to do for safety. With a calm that seemed to overcome me, I began doing the basics of the form, almost like I wasn¡¯t in an entirely new body. It felt like I was a kid again, pretending to wield a sword to face some imaginary foe made of ones and zeroes.


    After some time, I felt a hand carefully grab my own, father was there with concern in his eyes, ¡°Son, can you hear me now?¡± I felt my breath turn from a calm pace turn ragged, but I felt like I was doing this for mere minutes, no more than twenty minutes tops. I asked, ¡°Were you calling me? I¡­ I wasn¡¯t doing this for that long, right?¡± David spoke, ¡°It¡¯s been about an hour Aurelian, maybe an hour and a half considering we were engrossed with the sword style.¡± Liliana added, ¡°I noticed you got up, but I never saw you come back. But I did see you as you swung your sword, you seemed¡­ at ease? No, maybe more along the lines of intense concentration.¡± The more I remained at ease, the more exhaustion I felt, it felt almost like when I pushed myself when I was sick on Earth. I smiled despite the exhaustion, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just tired is all. It felt like my body was moving on its own.¡± David said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this before, it¡¯s something akin to concentration, but more akin to a trance. Most swordsmen refer to it as a fighter¡¯s trance, not that it has any official name.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Merlin said, ¡°You have been quiet for one hour, eighteen minutes, forty-eight seconds. Your body shows extreme fatigue, rest is advised.¡± I made a mental note to do that thing Merlin hated for calling me out like that, but rest was likely the better option right now. I stated, ¡°After lunch, I¡¯ll take a nap, just enough of one to last the day.¡± David nodded, ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to speak with you, that would be best. You seem worse off than when you leapt to engage the behemoth, and you were in freefall for a decent length of the plan.¡± I chuckled, I wasn¡¯t the one moving, so I was merely mentally fatigued, physical fatigue is a whole different beast it seems. I did wish to be a better host than I am though, it seems I¡¯ve done very little in the way of hosting you two.¡± David replied, ¡°You have no need to apologize, you¡¯re still growing, so you need to properly take care of yourself.¡± Father said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle your paperwork for the day, just rest.¡± I was glad he did so, considering Merlin was a key part of my domains overall function. For now, it was time to rest, adding something new to my daily work.


    ~~~


    Having Liliana around for the past few months has been¡­ strange. I used to not have very much contact with others, considering the whole ¡°we don¡¯t know if what you have is contagious¡± statement they kept giving me. So, waking up every day to someone with so much energy, it was a strange change to get used to considering my similar isolation due to my noble status. Nearly every morning she came into my room and got me to do something with her, be it training, exercise, learning, she even pulled me into the mech bays to learn about the changes to the tier one mechs. Of course, I humored her, because something about her seemed to make my day just by being with her. Maybe it was because I lacked a friend after my sickness took control of my life, but being with her made me feel significantly better compared to my solitary life thus far.


    Today was different, Liliana took me to the garden within the mansion and began to look at all the flowers I had growing within. I had as many flowers as possible that reminded me of Earth, all had different names, but their looks were akin to the flowers I remembered on Earth. I did learn enough information about these to explain what they were, but I didn¡¯t need to tell much as Liliana looked at them with a sort of wonder. Each new flower arrangement or type seemed to light up her amethyst eyes, knowing I was giving her good memories here at the bare minimum was enough to warm my heart, ¡°Have you seen these flowers before?¡± Liliana shook her head, ¡°No, most nobles don¡¯t have certain flowers, mostly as more expensive flowers show their wealth. However, seeing flowers that aren¡¯t expensive or rare is unique in and of itself within a nobles mansion. It shows they don¡¯t see expense as beauty.¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°There was one flower I wanted, but it was too far outside my price range to get.¡± The flower I wanted was one that actually carried its Earth name, the Blue Rose. Despite my searches, they never seemed to have any red roses, so I decided to get a Blue Rose, gain the means to get its seeds, then attempt to get the red roses I sought. For now, though, that was merely a pipe dream, since the Blue Rose itself cost more than a fleet of tier five ships, so I¡¯d just have to hold that dream for a while. Despite everything, I did learn that David was going to stick around for a while and observe my domain. Maybe he was curious to my sudden economic burst, but he was welcome to remain as long as he properly took care of his domain from here. For as long as he remained, Liliana would be doing the same, and I was happy she was still here.


    Liliana asked, ¡°How many people did you used to speak with before dad and I came? Not just one conversation either, more like someone you speak with at least once a day.¡± She seemed concerned as she asked that question. I thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°I think I really only speak with Edward consistently in that regard. I do speak with other people occasionally, but that¡¯s usually on business over anything else.¡± I could tell just through her eyes how much she didn¡¯t like that response, ¡°You know isolation isn¡¯t good for you, right? We learn that in the education pod.¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, but I guess I¡¯m used to it like¡­ this?¡± I insinuated it to explain how I lived now was my normal, but that didn¡¯t make her grim look go away, ¡°You need to speak with people more, it¡¯s like you¡¯re keeping people out when you don¡¯t need to.¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°Liliana, I¡¯m alright. I just expect my life to be like this, it¡¯s just how nobility works.¡± Liliana stood up and spoke louder, ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± I was surprised, she¡¯s never shouted this loudly to me or anyone else within the mansion, ¡°If you consider this normal, what about when we become adults and go to begin our training?! You¡¯ll have to interact with them on a daily basis, so what will you do when that happens?¡± I was still a little shocked since she raised her voice, but I managed to speak, ¡°I¡¯d treat them like I do everyone until I know them better.¡± I scratched my neck, ¡°To be honest¡­ I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m talking to you like I should. I haven¡¯t had a friend before¡­¡± I hadn¡¯t had a friend that I spoke with regularly since my worse diagnosis in my first life, so I wasn¡¯t even sure if I was treating her like a stranger or not. Her look wasn¡¯t grim anymore, but she was obviously saddened by my words.


    She asked, ¡°Aurelian, what do you think about me?¡± I was confused, but I didn¡¯t want to sadden her even more, ¡°I like you; you always find something to do every day, and I always find some way to enjoy it. You warm smile always brings a smile to my own face, and I don¡¯t want to disappoint you. I guess¡­ maybe I find you pretty important to me.¡± Liliana was silent this time, and I couldn¡¯t determine what she was feeling based on the look she wore. After a moment, she sighed, ¡°I guess that¡¯s a start.¡± She smiled as she took my hand, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll be your first friend. I¡¯ll help you understand the feelings you have inside you, because I think I have a pretty good grasp on mine you see.¡± I felt warm when she said that, the concept of having a friend was so foreign to me that maybe I subconsciously yearned for one.


    I gripped her hand a little tighter, ¡°Do you mean that? Will you be my friend?¡± Liliana smiled as she firmly held my hand, ¡°I will. I¡¯ll be your first friend, and I hope I¡¯ll be able to help you make many more.¡± I felt my lips curve into a smile, one that wasn¡¯t a ploy or a false smile one would put on for the sake of their reputation, but a genuine smile, ¡°Thank you Liliana, I can¡¯t explain how happy this makes me feel.¡± Liliana said, ¡°Since we¡¯re friends, call me Lily, a nickname makes us closer that way.¡± I wanted a nickname she could call me, but my name wasn¡¯t able to do that, ¡°I wish my name could have a nickname in it.¡± Lily said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, we can make a nickname for you once we get a good idea. Now, let¡¯s see where the day takes us!¡± As she pulled me along, I felt like a weight I didn¡¯t know I had was lifted from my shoulders. I replied, ¡°Alright Lily, lead the way.¡±


    ~~~


    As the one-year period hit, David was about to return home for several preordained meetings he needed to be at. Lily and I knew we¡¯d be separated, and I felt saddened to know she was leaving. Once she was gone, I¡¯d be back to the monotonous days I once believed were fine, but now I wasn¡¯t so sure about it. Every day Lily found something fun for us to do, she always found some reason to come and speak with me¡­ and I feared I¡¯d be left in silence once she was gone. But what could I do? Her father had to return home, she, of course, had to go too. I was walking with them to the port before they took a shuttle to the space port, my hand holding Lily¡¯s, but as we got closer, I didn¡¯t want to let go.


    Dad and David talked to each other, but despite us being close to them, I couldn¡¯t hear a word, my mind was whirling with the fact that I was going to be alone again. Edward was nice to speak to, but he was an adult, I wanted someone my age to speak with consistently, because returning to what was equivalent to the hospital was. I didn¡¯t want a monotonous day where I did the same thing day in day out, my only solace being the world of games that I was allowed to escape to. I don¡¯t need to escape to a game anymore, nor do I want to, but what other choice do I have when the only people I can speak to my age are other noble children? Long distance communication isn¡¯t the same as being with that person, I knew that because of my illness, and maybe I just can¡¯t do the same thing now that I had a taste of friendship after so long.


    At the gate to their shuttle, David and dad shook hands, signifying they were leaving, but my vision soon went blurry with tears. As I went to wipe my tears, I said, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m crying¡­¡± I knew dad likely understood part of my tears, he knew I was a reincarnate, and he likely¡­ no, he knew this was something affecting me from my past. Lily and David certainly had no clue why I was crying, it showed when they both came and began to check me over. I slowly understood why I was crying; I didn¡¯t want Lily to leave, I couldn¡¯t bare being alone again. All I could do was cry in Lily¡¯s arms, I couldn¡¯t take it, but what could I do?


    ~~~


    I watched my son cry, my mind running through everything that could be wrong, but I knew it wasn¡¯t an issue stemming from anything recent. I instinctively tried to understand the issue, but the answer didn¡¯t come. He lived an odd life in this world, one vastly different compared to a regular noble child of Avalon, but not one that would make him react like this before Lady Liliana left. Before I could make a hasty comment, I remembered something, Edward claimed he called out to ¡°hospital staff¡± during his initial bouts of what I believed to be confusion. The question I had seemed to fall into place, he was sickly, something he never recovered from, and he had to be isolated to ensure whatever he had couldn¡¯t spread if it was contagious. He likely had no one by his side, and why he seemed overly affectionate whenever I came. He wanted someone to be by his side, someone near him, not by obligation, but because they wanted to be there.


    I looked to Agnes, I knew what I had to do, but could I trust him with the knowledge that my son was a reincarnate? Aurelian didn¡¯t want to live being known as a reincarnate, and by spreading that knowledge, it may spread so far that I may be unable to contain it. I took a breath, knowing I had to do something to try and help my son so that he doesn¡¯t lose himself. I tapped Agnes¡¯ shoulder, ¡°David, come with me for a moment.¡± He seemed to understand that I needed to say something important, so he came with me as I spoke quietly, ¡°I believe I understand the reason why Aurelian he is reacting like this¡­ but I need you to promise me this doesn¡¯t go beyond us.¡± Agnes looked to Aurelian, then back to me, ¡°I understand, what do you believe is the cause?¡± I took a breath to steady myself, then said, ¡°Aurelian is a reincarnate. He was likely hospitalized for some reason and lacked the means to have friends. Lady Liliana might have been his only friend since his hospitalization, and he doesn¡¯t want to return to something with distance.¡±


    Agnes¡¯ eyes went wide with shock, his voice quiet as he exclaimed, ¡°I knew it! It makes so much sense now!¡± After a moment, he coughed, then continued, ¡°I can understand this, but this might be a deeper issue too, which makes me uncertain on what to do.¡± I understood his position, he was the Emperor of Avalon, his daughter being the second princess of the empire made her a target. However, I had a thought, ¡°What if we keep her here with Aurelian?¡± Agnes looked to me with skepticism for a moment, but understood I wouldn¡¯t say this without a plan, ¡°Go ahead.¡± I said, with confidence, ¡°Since Aurelian¡¯s planets are most likely the safest place in the Empire right now, assign some individuals to stay here and watch over the two of them. Aurelian and Lady Liliana can remain together, not to mention Lady Liliana remains safe as Aurelian makes stronger weapons to defend his territory. Like it or not, she¡¯s safer here than the capital in most capacities.¡±


    Agnes seemed to enter an intensive bout of thought, his eyes remained stern as he didn¡¯t speak or move for a few minutes. After he came to his conclusion, he said, ¡°She has to learn some royal etiquette, can this workout?¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, Aurelian likes to get his work done before he does anything else. So, if you do it while he¡¯s doing daily affairs, you could ensure Lady Liliana can get the teaching she needs.¡± Agnes seemed to like my idea, ¡°I can make it happen, it¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t bring the proper individuals for this already. I¡¯ll clear it with them, choose individuals who can do so, and ensure both my daughter¡¯s and your son¡¯s safety. Would you mind if I left a special detachment of Legionary for the task as well? Liliana¡¯s safety is one thing, but Aurelian has become someone the Empire needs to protect with everything we have.¡±


    I thought for a moment, then said, ¡°You can, but they can¡¯t obviously walk around as such, it¡¯ll make him ask questions.¡± I pulled up my closest planet to Aurelian¡¯s, ¡°Station the main force here, they can act swiftly if anything happens to you, me, or Aurelian and Lady Liliana, they can act with haste. The men can just wear specialized armor disguised as your alias¡¯s armor type.¡± Agnes sighed, ¡°If it must be done, then it shall be.¡± He leaned back, ¡°Keep the two of them occupied for a moment, I¡¯ll be as swift as possible.¡± As he left for wherever he was to speak with his people, I sighed, ¡°He left me with the hardest job, let¡¯s just hope this can calm him down.¡± While I wasn¡¯t planning on spoiling him, I didn¡¯t want him to hurt like he is now. I sighed again, ¡°Being a father is rough, especially like this.¡± I just put on my smile and did my best to help cheer Aurelian up, what else could a father do?


    ~~~


    After some time, I managed to finally calm down thanks to both Lily and dad, and I was now downing a glass of water someone brought for me considering I must¡¯ve cried all the water in my body out. Dad asked, ¡°Do you feel better son? I never knew you had it in you to be so emotional about something.¡± I spoke, ¡°I never knew I had this in me either¡­¡± To be honest, what I said was truly how I thought, I had no idea that I had it in me to cry over someone I considered a friend going home. Dad rubbed my head, ¡°Well, I guess I can understand why you did it. You like Liliana enough to want her to stay, don¡¯t you?¡± I felt my face get a little warm as he said that, but I was also confused. While I did like her like a friend, was this something more? I shook my head; I wasn¡¯t at the age to have thoughts like this¡­ or was I? While I couldn¡¯t say this aloud, I could at least think how confusing it was to be a reincarnate where age was so vastly different.


    I did need to respond to dad¡¯s question, ¡°I do like her as a friend¡­ but I haven¡¯t had one before, and I want to keep doing this every day. I didn¡¯t feel like my day ended after I did my work, rather, it felt like it began because I knew Lily found something for us to do. Maybe I just didn¡¯t want to lose that¡­¡± I could tell Lily seemed a little embarrassed by what I said, but dad had that calm smile of understanding, something I barely remember seeing in my first life. For a moment, I didn¡¯t feel like the ruler of two planets, but someone who was seeing a friend off after a sleepover. I had only met her a year ago, but it felt like she had become an irreplaceable part of my life in just that time period.


    Before anything else could be said, David had approached from a room, I was surprised I hadn¡¯t noticed him leaving. I stood up and bowed, ¡°I apologize for my inappropriate display David, it was unbecoming of me.¡± David chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry Aurelian, with how mature you are, I had nearly forgotten you were still just a child. It was actually quite a relief to know you still have some innocence within you, not many nobles keep it as they grow into their roles.¡± After he raised me back to a proper standing position, he said, ¡°However, your father and I did discuss something. Since I don¡¯t want to separate you two, not to mention the safety of your domain, I believe it would only be fair to let Liliana choose if she wishes to stay.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes seemed to light up, ¡°Can I really stay dad?¡± David smiled, ¡°If you wish to do so, and keep up with your studies in doing so, you can stay here with Aurelian.¡±


    Lily wrapped her arms around me before David even finished what he was saying, but she did wait for him to finish speaking before saying, ¡°I want to stay! While training is rigid, I know that I can do it!¡± David¡¯s smile seemed to twitch a little, but I think it was over how Lily was so willing to stay over anything else, ¡°Then, as both you and Aurelian wish, Liliana will stay here while her training continues.¡± David looked to me, ¡°I¡¯ll have proper staff arrive within the coming months to take over for those I have here. I also hope you won¡¯t mind if I leave some men to act as he guards.¡± I shook my head, unable to keep the smile down because of the news, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, sometimes your worries may not be quenched unless you have people you trust to protect Lily. Though, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll likely test them and see if I can train them to be even tougher.¡± I had some training regiments planned for my own guards and soldiers, since what I was seeing with the current regiments was not what I considered peak training.


    David had a look of confusion as he looked to dad, dad said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the training he¡¯s putting a select few through¡­ safe to say, it¡¯s spartan levels of hell.¡± I could see the fear in David¡¯s eyes, as he looked to me, I said, ¡°A healthy body is a healthy mind David, I can put you through the wringer too if you¡¯d like.¡± David was quick to wave his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll have to decline, I¡¯m far to busy to get retrained in any capacity.¡± I just smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get one when you ask, any time my friend.¡± I laughed a little as I noticed I had David sweating, even dad was sweating a little too, I was just glad that I could get a little rise out of them. With Lily here with me, I could commit to a lot of things knowing she had my back, it¡¯s even better knowing I have people who support me, even when they aren¡¯t there. This time is different, I¡¯m not alone anymore.

 Chapter Six: Sudden Changes

    Twenty-five years old, an age I never expected to be, while still being a child in this universe, was one of the weirdest things for me. For a large chunk of the morning, I actually chose to lay in bed and let Merlin do my work for me that day as I let my new reality sink in properly. Merlin, who was speaking to me through the earpiece, asked, ¡°Do you wish to speak about your thoughts sir? Sometimes, speaking your mind helps you come to conclusions you may not have within your head.¡± After a few moments, I sighed, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really know how to take this whole ¡°reincarnation¡± thing. I would be an adult with a full-time job back on Earth¡­ but here, I¡¯m nothing but a child ¡°wet behind the ears¡± as adults would say. Yet here I am, running two whole planets, each with plans beyond what anyone alive would even consider possible¡­ or at least plausible. It¡¯s all¡­ strange. Who or what brought me here? If any of those two are applicable, then why was I chosen out of everyone on Earth? I doubt a child who was ill for nearly all of his able-bodied life is the best choice for reincarnating.¡±


    Merlin spoke, ¡°I believe it could be to what you know, rather than what you did or done. However, it could be a force that wished you a new life, one where you could live with a better hand than the one you were delt before. But that would come to the fact that someone brought you here with intent, when in all reality it could just be mere coincidence. Though, sometimes it¡¯s shown that a higher power may give one more ease but leave it as you¡¯d wish sir.¡± Looking to the ceiling, I still couldn¡¯t put the reason to my being here to logic. Ever since I was young, I couldn¡¯t believe in the superficial, because I had to grow up so fast that believing in something not connected to logic only put my faith in the wrong things. But now, what was I willing to believe in now that I had the chance to believe in anything? I spread my arms in the bed, the warmth of the bed I had chosen making me wish I could, for once in my lives, sleep in for a change.


    It left me truly surprised that I had that thought, because despite everything, I never really took in some of life¡¯s small things since my hospitalization. Even playing games, I never really enjoyed them to their fullest, because I was always using them to escape the pain and loneliness I was going through. I decided to ask a question that I wasn¡¯t so sure of, ¡°Merlin, what does it mean to live a normal life?¡± This seemed to stump my futuristic AI as he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean by that sir, I haven¡¯t exactly lived a ¡°normal life¡± myself.¡± I chuckled, I never considered Merlin and AI like him to not be alive, in fact, I believed them to be alive in their own special way, ¡°I should¡¯ve expected that, considering both of us aren¡¯t exactly normal for those of our station.¡± I could tell that, somewhere, Merlin was nodding his AI head, ¡°I can¡¯t help but agree sir, we are both abnormal in every sense of the word, and maybe that is our normal.¡±


    With what Merlin said, everything seemed to better fit into place, I didn¡¯t want a normal dictated by others, but a normal I made for myself. To me, my normal was this, and my normal in the future may be changed, but that will be normal for me at that point. I sat up and stretched, ¡°Well, maybe I should do something with my hobbies today, enjoy my birthday a little bit by pushing forward with technology.¡± Merlin said, somehow a little chipper, ¡°Speaking of birthday, I have a surprise for you sir, two in fact. So, if you may, get prepared for your day and I¡¯ll show you the surprises.¡± I was intrigued, it wasn¡¯t like I celebrated my birthday, but maybe Merlin was being a little sly, ¡°Sure, I can do that.¡± I put on my work out clothes, knowing well I was going to do my training, shower, and meal before I dared get busy, so I might as well do what I needed before I got swept up in my days plans.


    ~~~


    Once I ate, I made my way down to my secret little basement where Merlin was stored. I couldn¡¯t just slam him into a wall and call it a day, he needed to be secured from any element, so underground made the most sense. As I stepped into the room, I realized that Merlin had changed the room to be more efficient, not to mention many smaller, automated machines covered the room. Now, I didn¡¯t tell people why this room existed, and I personally made sure no one understood its purpose when I brought Merlin here, so how did it change without my knowledge? Before I could ask Merlin what he did, I noticed a group of small, spider-like robots walk up to me, making little noises I understood as their makeshift language. I crouched down and lifted one up to examine them, Merlin spoke from my left, ¡°I managed to keep a few of their fabricators secure, so we have the means to replicate them.¡± When I looked over to where I heard Merlin¡¯s voice, I realize he managed to make a body for himself, a smile crossed my face, ¡°Well, seems like you¡¯re finally ready to introduce yourself to people.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°Indeed I am.¡±


    I could understand the surprise now, considering how much effort went into my work, I had a lot of it automated for maximum efficiency. These spider bots were one of the many automation methods I had, as they preformed repairs to anything as long as they had the materials to make it happen. Not to mention, much like Merlin¡¯s current body, it was extremely cheap to make, despite how lifelike Merlin looks despite using a machine body. His new look was quite different, he chose a young twenty something man with gray hair, his eyes were lavender still, but he lacked his beard, likely something to throw off the enemy whose identity still remains unknown to us. Merlin motioned over to a particular machine, one that was more akin to a cube than anything, ¡°This is a secondary core, made off the machines I used to use to run planetary functions with in different sectors, this one is meant to replace my core back on the relic world. Through it, I can begin instructing the means to restore it and complete it.¡±


    I observed the cube, realizing it was made in the same way I made the old ones for remote functions, just stronger, ¡°It uses a mana core and magic communications, what if the enemy detects us with it?¡± Merlin said, ¡°For some reason, I hold no fears of that, maybe it wasn¡¯t well known we used such a method due to how the rest of the universe created their technology.¡± Our technology, and those that my small group and my limited buyers purchased from me, were vastly different from the rest of the universe. I never understood why it was that way, but I never really asked around to find out since it wouldn¡¯t have mattered to me in a year or two. I sighed, ¡°Alright, I need to head over and instruct the people who are there anyway, from what I can tell, the city section is about done, so I¡¯ll have to instruct them on the parts branching off from there.¡± The people there were fast, much like my first planet, they rapidly did their job, enough to make me wonder if the ecumenopolis could be done within the century, but I held high doubts of that coming to pass. For now, I just had to introduce the new machines and hopefully explain Merlin to those who don¡¯t fully understand him, as well as surprise them with my new plans for growth.


    ~~~


    After a few days, mostly to allow the production of the spider bots and Merlin to get used to a human form, I gathered all my top advisors and those of the infrastructure development and upkeep for the domain. Merlin stood behind me with Edward on my right while spider bots were ready to enter on command, so, I got the meeting started, ¡°Thank you all for coming on such short notice, but I believe that the domain is ready for a push to something that will improve quality of life in general around the domain and allow for cheaper movement between space and the surface. Before we begin, anything of importance that needs to be addressed or concerns?¡± From those uninvolved in the construction side of the domain, I got nothing, but one of my construction heads raised their hand, ¡°Sir, not to be rude, but the method we have now is the best possible method for space to earth travel. Anything faster than this¡­ well, I fear it¡¯s not possible.¡± I nodded, ¡°I understand your thoughts, but for the time being, let¡¯s put a pin on that until the end, my plans will blow your socks off.¡± The man put his hand down, returning to a proper position.


    I made a mental note that we weren¡¯t in person, considering I nearly thought that for a moment, and resumed, ¡°First, let me introduce you all to someone, this is my new assistant, Merlin.¡± Merlin stepped forward, entering the range to be seen, ¡°Hello, it¡¯s nice to put a face to those I¡¯ve been interacting with via reports, I hope we can work without friction.¡± For the time being, Merlin would be shown as a human, mostly to ensure his identity as an AI is hidden for even a little longer. Once he stepped back, I spoke again, ¡°Now, considering the civilian sector can handle itself now, we can get to work on improvements to overall function, the first will be with these.¡± With a hand wave, I let the spider bots enter the room and climb on the table, each with a different set of tools displayed, ¡°I¡¯ve yet to name these spider bots, but they are why I designed the infrastructure the way I did. Each of these can handle a job that could slow or pause functions outright just to fix, but these bots can use the areas designed to fit them to maximum efficiency, allowing work to continue as normal while the issue is solved.¡± For a bit, I explain the current functionalities, including data storage and transport in case they feel they¡¯ve been tapped.


    After some time, it seemed that everyone finally understood some design plans I laid out, ¡°I¡¯ll have a proper facility for the production, inspection, and repairs for these units soon, so they¡¯ll be sent to the locations specified for installation. Now, onto the main point, thank you spider bots.¡± The bots let out some beeps and left the table, leaving to begin their work within the mansion since that¡¯s why they were here. I then put up an image before everyone, a gasp of shock escaping all but Merlin¡¯s lips, ¡°My plan has two stages, the first would be a space elevator, ensuring goods can be transported to and from the surface with minimal issues. It will be armed with tech designed by myself, along with enough defensive measures to ensure it won¡¯t fall from anything less than a full-scale assault. Construction heads should observe this properly, because I want to begin this asap.¡± As everyone remained shocked at the sight of stage one, I put stage two on the screen, this getting even more gasps as I explained, ¡°Once the space elevator is done, we¡¯ll establish an orbital ring to ensure both merchant craft and military ships are properly maintained and housed for the duration of their docking.¡±


    After a moment to let them gather their thoughts, I continued, ¡°Not to mention the repair bays for craft in need of repairs, the means to ensure goods are easily stored and protected within, along with the layers of extra security and defense such a ring can provide. With the manpower we have, along with funding and ample resource procurement, I can state we can finish this job in fifteen to twenty years if all goes well.¡± I shown what I had, along with a green light from Ruby since she was the one procuring everything I needed from external sources, showing every step of both stages and the funding coming from me as one massive investment, ¡°With this, I hope it puts into perspective the question I was asked in the beginning is no impossibility, rather, it¡¯s the future of the domain.¡± I had plenty of money for this, in fact, even with this I still had far to much money to spend. This, while being an attempt to put that money back into circulation, was also a means to push forward with the future I envisioned for the domain, one that would change the Avalon Empire as everyone knew it. It wouldn¡¯t come from a duke or the Emperor, rather, it was to come from a count¡¯s child, one who was nothing more than a baron, and I wanted to see just how far I could go.


    My military advisor said, ¡°Hey, construction leaders, how feasible is this? On our end, I think arming it as shown isn¡¯t impossible, we can get the military folk on the defenses easy.¡± The construction heads were all gripping pads, likely with the information I was displaying, one of the older heads said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not a pipe dream.¡± I watched as the younger heads turned to their eldest, each wishing to hear what he would say, ¡°Sir, is this truly possible? The funding, resources, and timeframe?¡± I nodded, ¡°I ran ample calculations, once the space elevator is up, we¡¯ll build off it, thus taking less time than building the ring otherwise. Over time, we¡¯ll add a second space elevator on the opposite side of the planet, but for our current purposes, one is all we¡¯ll need.¡± The construction head quickly began shouting, ¡°Hey! Get me my crews! We got a big one! I want all hands-on deck, let¡¯s get to laying the foundation immediately!¡± I felt surprise quickly overcome me, each of the other construction heads immediately began doing the same, requesting everything they had for the project.


    I looked to Edward, ¡°We have the materials needed, correct?¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Enough to begin, the materials are currently being sent with haste, seems Lady Ruby knew this might¡¯ve been the case considering the rut everyone¡¯s been in.¡± I sighed, ¡°Well, at least they¡¯re eager to do this.¡± I shouted, my own excitement rising, ¡°Well then everyone! Let¡¯s all get to work to ensure the first Space Elevator and Orbital Ring in the universe is done by our hands!¡± I heard a cheer come from not just those in the meeting, but those who happened to be in the rooms of those present, even Edward let out a cheer knowing full well this wasn¡¯t stopping. I clapped my hands, ¡°With that, the meeting is adjourned! I¡¯ll send you all the data for allocation of materials, let¡¯s do this!¡± In haste, everyone disconnected so they could get to work, except my military advisor, ¡°Sir, this may be too hasty, some may not like the fact you¡¯re making this.¡± I smirked, ¡°The factory is almost done, we¡¯ll get a boosted military soon, so just be ready to begin training your men with the new technology.¡± The concern on his face was suddenly wiped away with a smirk, ¡°Understood Sir, I¡¯ll be ready.¡± With that, he disconnected. The smirk on my face remained, ¡°Edward, Merlin, let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    ~~~


    I sat within an observation room, one made for those of us not in the construction teams to sit in and observe, some for learning, but for me, it was to watch over Master Aurelian. He was within the ruins of the relic world, tinkering with the cube-like machine he brought here, those present were working on the restoration of the room to be connected to the still standing civilian infrastructure that had been finished around a few months after his bold declaration of a space elevator. However, the room was empty today, since I needed to meet with Lady Ruby in concerns over the materials Aurelian had requested. As I watched Aurelian fiddle with some wiring, Lady Ruby spoke, ¡°I saw the city, I can¡¯t believe he managed to organize enough people to get those relics functional.¡± I shook my head, ¡°The young master is more than you¡¯d believe, because I doubt he even told you why he made such an absurdly large resource order.¡± Lady Ruby replied, ¡°He said it was for ¡°development of the territory¡±. A valiant effort if I can state so.¡±


    I sighed, it was unbecoming of me, but I knew the young lord was telling the truth with how he was thinking, ¡°He didn¡¯t lie, but he wasn¡¯t fully honest either. Even if I tell you their true purpose, you won¡¯t be able to stop him.¡± Lady Ruby seemed confused, but she didn¡¯t dig deeper, ¡°The materials may be a little off on timing, the request was sudden, not to mention how energetic the workers are. I may not be able to keep up with it with current ships and staff.¡± I replied, ¡°I have the authority to send ships for this, considering the young master gave me permission to do so if this came to be.¡± Lady Ruby looked to her brother, her eyes clearly put to the work he was actively apart of, ¡°I can¡¯t predict a thing he¡¯s doing, yet he can predict his own issues with shocking efficiency. Sometimes, I wonder how long it¡¯ll take for his achievements to catch up with him.¡±


    I could only nod in agreement, with Avalon being a meritocracy, it¡¯s only a matter of when, not if, someone would notice everything he was doing. I can tell that once the space elevator was complete, he¡¯d be noticed by everyone who has even the smallest connection with Count William, no matter how much he has yet to receive attention due to being on the outskirts. However, before I could continue that train of thought, Ruby spoke, ¡°Someone¡¯s been making moves on the irregularities, the most prominent of them have been seen committing to some sort of¡­ test from what I assume.¡± This managed to finally get into something we¡¯ve been nearly a decade silent on, ¡°How much do you know, and have you informed the military advisor?¡± Lady Ruby nodded, ¡°The military advisor knows, and he¡¯s confident that the technology Aurelian is making can defend the domain, but I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    Lady Ruby handed me a pad to observe, and on it was a grainy photo that seemed to be a mech engaged with a machine in battle, ¡°This was taken by one of my investigators on a viscount¡¯s planet. It seemed to be the son of the viscount locked in battle with an animal-based machine, and from what the investigator said, it was a close fight.¡± I asked, mostly out of curiosity, ¡°Who¡¯s the viscount?¡± Lady Ruby shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know, they didn¡¯t want to say until they moved on since even getting the information they did out was rough. I think whoever they were, they were monitoring the communication traffic going in and out of the planet.¡± Looking back to the photo, I said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what are the chances this individual comes to ¡°test¡± the young master?¡± Ruby said, ¡°I¡¯m certain it¡¯s a matter of time before someone comes. He has active mechs unlike what the regular factories use, not to mention he¡¯s making his own personal factory, I doubt that wouldn¡¯t make any passers by turn some heads.¡±


    Knowing the factory was about done, not to mention the weapons I managed to see over the young master¡¯s shoulder, I knew the time was swiftly coming for unsavory figures to arrive, ¡°Then you might want to up your security, the young master is committing to some¡­ technological projects. The materials are going into something big, and it may make him a hub for activity in this section of the universe.¡± This seemed to get Lady Ruby¡¯s merchant instincts tingling, ¡°Edward, you can¡¯t tell me that and not expect me to ask, what is he doing with the materials he¡¯s ordering from me?¡± I sighed, nothing I could say to deter her now, ¡°He¡¯s making a space elevator, not to mention what comes after that.¡± Lady Ruby was silent for a moment before chuckling a little, ¡°Edward, that technology isn¡¯t possible yet, it won¡¯t come to pass.¡± I looked to her, every inch of my face serious, ¡°Ruby, I saw the blueprints personally, I couldn¡¯t even see a single issue with it, and the heads of construction were eager to get to work on it.¡±


    I watched Lady Ruby¡¯s face shifted from a relaxed look to one of surprise, then she got serious. I knew exactly what she was thinking, she was thing if this was truly possible, then potential profits one could achieve from it. Before she achieved her answer, I watched as the console the cube was hooked up to power on, the young master celebrating the finished product. For a moment, he seemed to be speaking to the cube, which confused me and those present, at least until a voice entered the room, ¡°Lady Ruby, daughter to Count William, Edward, I¡¯d like for you to join us down in the bay, there is much to discuss.¡± We were surprised, but I was more attuned to the voice, because it sounded just like Merlin. I stood up, my curiosity rising, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s see what this is about, shall we?¡± Lady Ruby noticed how I was acting and rose, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s.¡±


    ~~~


    As my sister and Edward joined us, I decided to get the ball rolling, ¡°Alright people! For those of you who don¡¯t know, this is Merlin, and I¡¯m going to reveal top secret information that only a slim few know! Merlin is an AI originally taken from this planet, an AI that managed to survive the fall of a former civilization!¡± While this wasn¡¯t a lie, we weren¡¯t sure of the truth either, so this was some weird unsure amalgamation of truth and lie. I continued, ¡°Before you all begin work, and once we connect this section to the city part of the world, I want you to understand just what we¡¯re doing here, Merlin, if you will.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°I can tell you for a fact that, just like the city section that has lasted since the fall of this planet, there should be several sections of the planet that have been kept in pristine condition due to their power sources running separately from the main source, which has been destroyed some time ago. Our goal here is to search for those sections, reconnect them, and use them for the prosperity of the domain. Not only that, but we¡¯re also going to finish what the former civilization started and fully turn this planet into an ecumenopolis.¡±


    I could see the faces of everyone here turned to a stunned surprise, even Ruby and Edward were showing similar looks, which I was getting pretty used to since I¡¯ve been announcing plan after plan for the past few months. Merlin continued, ¡°With those that moved here, you all can function completely autonomously from the main planet, which is why we ensured your families could join you here. With a steady stream of resources, both from the domain and purchased elsewhere, you and your teams will slowly follow the blueprints I saved to ensure the ecumenopolis is properly built and functional.¡± I could see the confusion on their faces, but I was ready for that, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the science behind the ecumenopolis is entirely sound. I wouldn¡¯t send anyone on a wild goose chase for the sake of my own pleasure, especially if it wasted good money. I know it won¡¯t be done in days, but it does have the capacity to be finished within our lifetime, so let¡¯s make this planet the first of its kind!¡± I managed to ease everyone with that considering my track record, and Merlin began to inform everyone on how to connect him with the city.


    Ruby came to me and said, ¡°Aurelian, this is insanity. You have two big projects going on at once, you¡¯ll lose money by the boatload.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not spending it anyway, most of my purchases are small and mundane, and my personal finances just keep rising. I want to put my money into circulation and keep the economy rolling, so my projects are meant to do that. Besides, each of my projects allow for a powerful return on investment, so I¡¯ll be making a boatload of cash afterwards to continue funding my projects.¡± Ruby, clearly confused, ¡°How in the world is that possible?¡± I smirked, ¡°This planet is a forge based ecumenopolis, I have blueprints for powerful mechs and ships, easy money. Not to mention the fun I have planed for the capital of my domain, that project is a two-step project.¡± Ruby seemed to be unable to compute, her facial expressions were unreadable, and it was pretty funny.


    After she recollected herself, she asked, ¡°What are you planning? I can¡¯t determine it with how you¡¯re acting, and it¡¯s throwing every sense I have off.¡± I replied, ¡°Pushing the boundaries of every technological prospect while enjoying the esthetics of mechs and spaceships.¡± Ruby looked like she was about to say something, but she folded and said, ¡°For some reason, I just can¡¯t find it in me to stop you.¡± Merlin said, ¡°Good choice, Aurelian isn¡¯t one to change course on things like this.¡± I could tell one of his security cameras looked to me, ¡°By the way Aurelian, Lady Liliana is wondering when you¡¯ll return, she misses you quite a lot.¡± I replied, ¡°With you installed, I¡¯ll be getting on the ship to return soon, the bots can worry about the minor issues.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, have a safe trip.¡± With that, he returned to his work here, and I turned back to Edward and Ruby, ¡°Well, I need to return back and get ready to work on the factory, it¡¯s nearing completion, and I need to start pumping out my defense force so father can send his men home.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    After a moment of pause, I recalled that those who Lily was supposed to have for her training were about to arrive as well, and I wished to meet them, ¡°Well, I nearly forgotten that, I need to return home with haste.¡± I began to walk towards my ship, ¡°Ruby, let¡¯s have lunch sometime, no business.¡± Ruby sighed, but a smile formed on her lips, ¡°Of course, I¡¯d love to.¡± It felt good having a sister like her, being an only child, this felt quite different compared to having only a mother and father dote on me. When I boarded my ship and went to my room, since I was going to rest, I said to Edward, ¡°Having a sister is pretty nice, I was an only child in my first life¡­ at least to my knowledge.¡± Edward smiled, ¡°Indeed it is sir, I have a brother and sister as well, and I enjoy when we meet up when we can.¡± I made a note that Edward had family and considered bringing them to my domain, but only time will tell, and I¡¯m trying to let the population stabilize a little before welcoming new people in, but maybe in the future, because only time will tell.


    ~~~


    When I returned to the mansion, I made sure to spend ample time with Lily, which was as nice for me as it was for her, since being alone for so long left me feeling pretty lonely. But I knew the time came for me to meet Lily¡¯s teachers and protectors, so I made sure to look the part and went to meet them with her. I said, ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t mind my domain; she¡¯s coming from a count¡¯s mansion, I doubt mine could even compare.¡± Lily replied, nonchalantly, ¡°I doubt she¡¯d mind; she isn¡¯t one to criticize economic standing, just the merit someone holds. Though, I doubt she¡¯ll have an issue with you in that regard, you¡¯re merits are actively walking around after all.¡± While what Lily said calmed me down a little, I wasn¡¯t completely sure what the merit system in the empire was about. Was it military strength? The factory seemed to wrap up its construction, so the ships were being built now, but my military presently wasn¡¯t my own. Was it how prosperous one¡¯s domain was? Maybe their technological prowess? I sighed, ¡°I have no idea how one¡¯s merit is valued, I¡¯ll just have to wing it.¡±


    Lily said, ¡°You don¡¯t know? Well, you have been in the outskirts of the empire your whole life, so it may be a foreign concept to you. Either way, you should be fine, trust me.¡± As we arrived at the landing port, I noticed they were already leaving, since I had an accurate description of who was leading them to the mansion. Even from here, I could see their bright yellow suit through the crowd of civilians, merchants, and military individuals as they came in and out. I made my way through the crowd with Lily, and she managed to recognize the individual who was her teacher, ¡°Elen! I knew you¡¯d be the one to come!¡± She broke through the crowd and wrapped her teacher in a bear hug. Elen seemed as happy to see Lily as she leaned down to hug her as well, I managed to see her features, gray hair that flowed down her back a little, yellow eyes that matched her suit, and a well-maintained figure from years of self-care. Elen looked up and noticed me as I managed to make my way through the crowd, ¡°You must be Aurelian Flameheart, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    I held out my hand, ¡°Likewise, Ms. Elen. It¡¯s nice to know that Lily will be in good hands for her training.¡± Elen seemed surprised as she shook my hand, she asked Lily, ¡°Liliana, you¡¯re letting the young lord call you by nickname?¡± Lily was all smiles as she looked to Elen, ¡°Yep! He¡¯s my friend! I would call Aurelian by a nickname, but his name isn¡¯t really able to be turned into a nickname.¡± Elen looked from her to me, a soft smile on her face, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good Liliana. Friends are some of the best things to happen to you in life. Make sure to treasure them well.¡± Lily replied, ¡°I will!¡± With that said, I motioned towards the rides I prepared, ¡°I made sure to bring those returning home, not to mention ensured everyone had proper transportation to the mansion, so please, let¡¯s get everyone settled from your long journey.¡± I knew these individuals were from nearly the center of the empire, as close to the capital as a count could be, and the journey was months or even years depending on the conditions. Luckily for all involved, their trip was one of the shorter ones, but that likely put a lot of strain on them.


    Elen smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll happily accept your offer, young lord, thank you.¡± While others took to the vehicles prepared, Elen and a female knight joined me and Lily in my vehicle, Elen motioned to the knight, ¡°This is Emma, my sister, while I turned to teaching, she turned to knighthood, yet we both managed to remain close by thanks to Count David.¡± Emma seemed much like Elen, but instead of gray hair, hers was a steady blond, but her eyes were the same type of yellow as her sister¡¯s, I extended my hand, ¡°Nice to meet you Emma, I hope we can get along well.¡± Emma clasped my hand firmly, ¡°Likewise, young lord, I hope to hear more about this ¡°training regimen¡± the Count informed me about, you weren¡¯t lying about that, I hope.¡± I watched Lily¡¯s eyes turn to fear, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have asked that Emma¡­ I¡¯ve seen it, even the men are struggling due to how¡­ practical it is.¡± I likely had a devilish smile on my face as Lily said that, because I knew this training was hell, but it would harden everyone who went through it more than the Empire¡¯s base training ever could, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Emma, you and your men will be well trained if you wish it.¡±


    At this point, I was really ripping off a lot of human training exercises from Earth and cranking them up to a hundred, but with how knights have reinforced bodies, you need to work them harder to get similar results. Besides, simulations are good, but they won¡¯t harden you for actual combat like a practical training exercise. Not only that, I took some concepts from my former group in SGO and implemented them as well, so this training was truly hell for those going through it. Emma seemed a little unsettled, but she didn¡¯t seem to turn away the challenge. Elen was looking around, observing the domain, her voice seemed to be amazed, ¡°Despite your age, your people seem to be living rather well, most new rulers don¡¯t have this level of¡­ sophistication with their plans.¡± I replied, ¡°I learned from the education pods rather well, not to mention examples through other nobles I happened to find. By mixing certain policies and teachings, I managed to develop my growth plan, and it¡¯s been working well for around a decade now.¡±


    As I finished, I noticed the large area where the space elevator was to be build, and it seemed the foundation was done as the framework of the elevator was being put into place. Elen asked, ¡°What a rather large foundation, what structure could ever be put on it?¡± I said, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d rather not say just yet. We barely even gotten started on it just yet, but it¡¯ll likely be the first in the universe if our inquiries were correct.¡± Elen put a hand to her chin, ¡°Hm, I¡¯ll see if I can figure it out, don¡¯t lie to me if I guess correctly, young lord.¡± I chuckled, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, lying is a waste of time on things like this.¡± Lily looked out the window as well, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is either, you must¡¯ve said it when I was doing training.¡± I smiled, ¡°Ten points to Lily, that is exactly what I did. It was work, and I didn¡¯t want to hold off on relaying it.¡± Times were changing, and I had reason to believe I was the reason behind it. This tech was likely a dream for everyone witnessing the construction of the space elevator, but for me, it was merely a stepping stone to the future. All I wanted to do was watch the faces of those close to me as they reacted to what was slowly happening around them.


    ~~~


    ¡°Yes, my Emperor, we¡¯ve arrived in young lord Aurelian¡¯s domain safely.¡± I said through my communication device, Emperor Agnes replied, ¡°This is great news Elen, I¡¯m sure you see why I¡¯m keeping my eyes on him, correct?¡± I nodded, despite the fact that I couldn¡¯t video call him from this distance, ¡°Yes, my Emperor, his people are living lifestyles one would only find closer to the capital, not to mention the ease it seems to be happening at. He¡¯s truly a wonder to behold.¡± Emperor Agnes was silent for a moment, this let me know I managed to get what he was saying wrong, ¡°I was incorrect, my Emperor? Young lord Aurelian is an incredible child, but I¡¯m not sure what else you see in him.¡± Emperor Agnes said, ¡°Have you seen his mechs yet? Those that are protecting the mansion and some in leading areas of key locations and projects, yes?¡± From my window, I noticed one of the mechs, ¡°Yes, my Emperor, but I can¡¯t¡­¡± I went silent, for a moment, I thought it was one of the nations usual mechs, but I quickly understood that it wasn¡¯t. The make was entirely different, not to mention the design, ¡°This isn¡¯t one of Avalon¡¯s mechs, is he working with a foreign power?¡±


    Emperor Agnes chuckled, ¡°Oh! I forgot you used to work in special intelligence, so that would be your first conclusion.¡± After a moment, he said, ¡°These mechs aren¡¯t foreign, in fact, they¡¯re made right within that mansion you¡¯re residing in right now.¡± I was surprised, these were new mechs? I couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°But there¡¯s no way these mechs are that powerful, if they were, they¡¯d be more well known.¡± Emperor Agnes replied, ¡°That¡¯s because I put an order of silence on him. Those mechs, they aren¡¯t just new, they put the even our best mechs to shame. He even has a personal unit that¡¯s even stronger than those, he managed to break humanity¡¯s slump twice over and he doesn¡¯t even seem to be slowing down.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe this, ¡°My Emperor, you must be being lied to, such a concept is nigh impossible for a mere child to commit to!¡± Emperor Agnes replied, ¡°Elen, I was there the day he debuted his mechs, he didn¡¯t lie, as she shown their might against a wave of beasts. I doubt anyone has his units, within or outside the empire, aside him.¡±


    I knew there was more to the young lord than met the eye, but this was beyond my expectations. Emperor Agnes said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you settle in, observe him more, to see the child that managed to win my daughter¡¯s friendship. Take your time, you have plenty of chances to see just what this boy can do.¡± With that, the call ended, and I looked out to the mech as the pilot resumed their patrol. I thought back to that large foundation, the base of a structure being built upon it, ¡°Aurelian Stella Flameheart, just who are you?¡± I knew I was sent here for a reason, and it was likely to ascertain the merit the young lord would carry if his achievements were revealed to the Empire. Just by the new mechs alone, his merit would soar, but I had a distinct feeling that there was more to him than meets the eye. I decided this required my full attention, I need to understand just how much this young noble could do, and if others already have their eyes on him.


    ~~~


    When I finished work for the day, I realized a whole year had passed since my twenty fifth, and I hadn¡¯t even noticed it happening. It was the inverse of what I knew in the hospital bed, instead of the days getting longer, my days felt short, and I wondered just where the time was going. As I got up and stretched, I heard Merlin speak into my earpiece, ¡°Sir, Edward is coming to retrieve you, seems your father wants to meet you immediately.¡± I was quick to inquire as I left the office and found Edward, ¡°Is it an emergency?¡± Merlin quickly calmed me down with, ¡°No, but he does have a surprise for you, of which I cannot say.¡± Edward seemed excited about something, but I couldn¡¯t pin what. As he led me towards the room my father was in, I slowly tried to understand just what the surprise was, at least until I arrived at the room in question. Edward took to the side of the door, his voice conveying he was serious, ¡°For now, you should head in alone, don¡¯t worry, all is well.¡± I gathered my courage and entered the room, closing the door behind me before I looked forward once more.


    Before me was father, his features made him visible no matter where he ended up, but in front of him was a woman in a wheelchair, one my heart was telling me to run up and hug. She had golden blond hair that reached down her back, her eyes had a golden color, but it lacked the crimson splashed around my eyes, and she looked to me with familiarity despite my brain coming up empty with whom she was. In a moment, she looked to father and said, ¡°Honey, he seems confused, I don¡¯t think he remembers just yet.¡± Father sighed, ¡°I have to agree with you, he hasn¡¯t asked often, so it may be something deeper.¡± Father came to me and brought me closer, letting me truly see this woman I didn¡¯t know, he said, ¡°Aurelian, this is your mother, Cecilia. You may not remember her right now, but one day, I hope you¡¯ll remember her.¡± It felt¡­ weird. I knew I was supposed to know her, I knew she was my mother and that father wasn¡¯t lying, but I couldn¡¯t remember her for the life of me.


    I thought back, before my awakening in this body, to recall the memories I should¡¯ve had back when I awoke. Seeing her, it made me feel nostalgic, but the feeling quickly turned to dread as I began to see the scene. Something hit what we were in, we were going down, mom was trying to keep me calm as I screamed my lungs out. I felt every part of my body trigger a fear response, everything about the day came back to me, and I truly felt afraid for my life. I felt bile rush up my throat, and I quickly turned away from father and mother as I began to hurl the contents of my stomach, my whole body felt weak as I did. I couldn¡¯t hear anything from father as he shouted, a ringing in my ears turned everything into what seemed like mumbles, but before I could fall, mother had essentially leapt from her wheelchair to grab and protect me, just like she did in the vehicle we were riding in.


    It felt warm, really warm, like I was wrapped in a warm blanket after a nice, warm meal, and it made me sleepy. As I struggled to keep my eyes open, both mother and father were trying to tell me something, but I couldn¡¯t hear her, even Edward came through to me as merely mumbles. I think I managed to speak, I tried to say that I was tired, but I have no idea if the words that left my mouth were what I thought, all I knew was I had managed to speak. Before I closed my eyes to the sensation, I noticed Merlin kneel down and lift me up, passing some form of instructions to mother and father. Once I perceived that, I let the feeling overcome me as I fell asleep, the darkness of it washing over me like a clouds on a stormy day.


    ~~~


    As Merlin laid Aurelian down, I had to shelf the question of his body as Cecilia had no idea about the current situation. Merlin said, ¡°From what I can tell, based on your claims, the memories of Lady Cecilia seem to have been repressed, likely due to the accident. It would explain the nausea, which became vomiting due to not expecting it, and his sudden panic.¡± Merlin looked to us, his eyes seemed as human as my own, ¡°To be honest, this alone is a major risk, as this could implant a false memory within him.¡± I asked, unsure, ¡°What¡¯s a false memory?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Essentially, out of trauma, a memory could be false. An example would be an accident, and the memory of a loved one dying in it despite them being alive and well. Although, the concept of ¡°repressed memories¡± is highly debated, but false memories are very much real and come with their own issues.¡± I could tell Merlin wasn¡¯t joking, but with Aurelian being a reincarnate, I can¡¯t even tell how he¡¯d take it.


    Cecilia said, ¡°Mr. Merlin, will Aurelian be ok?¡± Merlin, after a moment, replied, ¡°Please, drop the Mr., I prefer to just be called Merlin. Now, for Aurelian, I¡¯m not quite sure. While I have some knowledge on the topic, the actual outcome is¡­ uncertain. However, I hope that this is merely his mind recovering the memories of his infant years and nothing harmful.¡± I could only wish the same, because Aurelian was doing so much, and I didn¡¯t want him to suffer because of my desires to let him meet his mother. Before I could do more, the door was essentially thrown open, ¡°Aurelian!¡± In a blur, Lady Liliana rushed past me towards Aurelian, but Merlin was swift in lifting her before she crashed into the bed, but she still reached out to him, ¡°Aurelian! Are you ok!?¡± When I looked to the door, Elen said in an apologetic tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, when she heard a butler talking about Aurelian fainting, I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, to be honest, he should have a friend near him, maybe it¡¯ll help him in some way.¡± Merlin carefully put Lady Liliana down and she quickly grabbed his hand, ¡°Aurelian¡­¡± I could tell this was eating her up as much as it was me, he was likely her only friend, and she was likely concerned about his wellbeing. I asked, ¡°Is Aurelian going to wake up soon or¡­¡± Merlin looked Aurelian over, likely processing what he was seeing, then said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯d give it some time, but he should be up by the morning like nothing happened if everything is alright. If not, I¡¯d call in a professional.¡± Cecilia said, ¡°I understand¡­ this isn¡¯t our fault¡­ right?¡± Merlin shook his head, ¡°No, forcefully remembering a memory is more of an individual¡¯s fault, but this likely isn¡¯t fully his fault anyway. Just be patient, and all will be well.¡±


    I understood why Merlin wasn¡¯t sure, he was an AI, and he likely didn¡¯t fully understand the complexities of the human mind. I gave Merlin a slight nod, ¡°Thank you Merlin, your words are enough to leave me with ease.¡± Merlin bowed to me, almost akin to a butler, ¡°I¡¯m glad I was able to do so.¡± He began to walk to the door, ¡°Now, if you¡¯d like to come with me, I¡¯ll prepare a room for Lady Cecilia. Since she leapt off her wheelchair, I¡¯ve taken the liberty to summon a professional to ensure she hasn¡¯t injured herself.¡± As I followed Merlin, I told Elen, ¡°Keep an eye on Lady Liliana, just make sure she doesn¡¯t do anything¡­ irrational.¡± Elen bowed, ¡°I understand, my lord.¡± As we left, I noticed the halls were empty, I assumed it was Merlin who made it so since he started speaking again, ¡°I know my form is a surprise to you, Sir William, but this allows me to properly impart my knowledge to Sir Aurelian with ease.¡± I nodded, ¡°I can say it did surprise me, for someone like you, I expected you to have sent someone else, not come personally.¡±


    Cecilia said, clearly confused, ¡°Form? Honey, what are you two talking about?¡± I decided to tell her, since this wouldn¡¯t enter the ears of another, ¡°Merlin is an AI Aurelian found in the relic world he¡¯s currently restoring. There¡¯s more to it, but I believe that Aurelian should tell you himself, he¡¯d likely prefer that over me telling you.¡± Merlin nodded as he opened a door to a room, ¡°I agree, his circumstances have been truly bizarre, even to him.¡± Once I was through, Merlin shut the door and helped me put Cecilia on the bed, while she didn¡¯t seem visibly injured, we couldn¡¯t clear it right now. Merlin asked, ¡°When did she wake up? I learned about it when I looked through information regarding Sir Aurelian.¡± Cecilia said, ¡°Around a year ago, due to disuse atrophy, I can¡¯t walk properly. Technology may have ensured I healed properly, but not using my body is a different beast that technology cannot fix. I can walk for brief periods, but it¡¯ll be a months to years before I can return to normal function.¡±


    Merlin nodded, ¡°I see, I¡¯m sorry for your lost time.¡± Cecilia smiled, and I was reminded why I fell in love with her as she did, ¡°I thank you; you¡¯re quite kind for an artificial intelligence.¡± Merlin put on a smile of his own, ¡°I¡¯m an AI meant to assist where I can, and my former master decided he wanted me to have emotions and be sentient. I believe my sentience is a gift from him, and I haven¡¯t regretted it to this day.¡± Merlin began for the door, ¡°I¡¯ll return to work, if you need me, I¡¯ll leave my body near Sir Aurelian. I can¡¯t leave the projects he has ongoing be left unattended.¡± With that, he left, and Cecilia was quick to ask a question, ¡°Honey¡­ was that girl¡­ Liliana Nova Pendragon?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, it seems our son has gained the attention of the Emperor himself.¡± I watch as she let herself sink into the bed, ¡°I¡­ I missed so much of his life, and now that I¡¯ve awoken and want to see him, I caused him harm by forcing him to remember the accident¡­ I¡¯m a horrible mother.¡±


    I grasped her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t you say that, you¡¯re one of the best mothers in the universe, I know that for a fact. Before the accident, you gave our little boy so much love and care, he never went a day without your love, and I know he¡¯ll remember that soon. Even in the accident, you were willing to sacrifice your life to protect him, and most parents in our situation wouldn¡¯t even bother to do that.¡± I planted a kiss on her forehead, ¡°I know our son wants to meet and be with his mother, he just needs the time to understand that.¡± Cecilia¡¯s smile eased, not as rough at it was before, ¡°Thank you honey, I was just unsure for a moment.¡± The doctor entered the room, his equipment ready, and he began to carefully check Cecilia over. Thankfully, the worse she¡¯ll get is a bruise, but she¡¯ll be fine otherwise. For now, we could only wait and see how Aurelian takes the moment, but I know he¡¯ll pull through, that¡¯s just who he is.


    ~~~


    I was being held, a face looking down to mine, a smiled on her face as she called me her baby. For some reason, I knew this happened to me once before, despite the fact I didn¡¯t remember it. I could see myself younger, golden blond hair being most of my view, but I could see many people I recognized from my memories, including Edward. I got to see my first flip, my first crawl, my first steps¡­ good grief, I really should¡¯ve guessed most of my memories were mostly baby things. Wait¡­ memories? Was I remembering the missing first years of my new life? Though, when my memories looked to mom and dad, I could tell that despite being nobility, they chose to be parents before that. Seeing this though felt bittersweet, I had a family before I came here, yet I have no idea what happened to them anymore. Did they forget me? Was I abandoned?.. Was I replaced? Despite knowing I was likely dreaming, I cried, I cried for what I could never understand nor find the answer to, because I could never understand what happened during my former life anymore.


    I felt a warmth on my hand, one I couldn¡¯t understand where it came from, but it did ease me from my tears as I watched my memories through my younger self. I ate good food, did fun things, and I ended my nights wrapped in the love of my parents, sometimes between them in their bed when I had a nightmare. If anything, it was the one thing I knew I had been at one point before I got sick on Earth, a normal family life. All of these memories were normal as I slowly acclimated to the world I was born in, at least before I went on the ride then ended in the accident. However, instead of it ending, I was sent back to a memory of my first life, one where I was speaking with Arthur during one of the times we sat and just talked with each other. After a bit, I spoke, ¡°Arthur¡­ I¡¯m dying.¡± It clearly killed the mood, but I knew my feelings in this moment, I didn¡¯t want to lie to the person who was basically my only friend within game I could say this to.


    Arthur looked to me, his face showing his disbelief, ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re dying? You never shown any issues, in fact, you somehow seem like you¡¯re getting stronger with how you pump out these mechs.¡± I chuckled, ¡°I know how it seems, but it¡¯s more like my body¡¯s putting in one last effort to live, but I know my body better than anyone¡­ I won¡¯t make it to next year.¡± Arthur¡¯s face went from that disbelief mixed with hope to clear sadness. I wasn¡¯t sure how he truly felt about me, even now in my next life, but I like to hope that maybe, just maybe, he truly did come to care about me in some capacity. I said, ¡°I¡¯ll do the one thing I want to do before I die, but I¡¯ll need you to carry on with my legacy after that, be it in this game or your next, just find some way to remember me, ok?¡±


    As I stood up, putting my equipment on, he asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I smiled back to him, ¡°I¡¯m gonna make a tier ten, be it I live to see it in action, or I die handing you the keys, I¡¯m going to make it leave my final mark in this world, no matter how miniscule it would be to everyone else.¡± I realized he had his hand on my shoulder, and while others wore a suit to let them feel things, I couldn¡¯t do that considering my condition, I realized it when I went to walk but couldn¡¯t move. Arthur said, ¡°You are sick, the only people who don¡¯t play games like this without a full suit are those who¡¯re hospitalized, something about it messing with the suit.¡± He removed his hand, his face shown his confliction becoming understanding, ¡°What are you going to do before¡­ it happens?¡± I flexed one of my arms, ¡°I¡¯ll pump out as many mechs and ships as I can, all while making you a tier ten unit to lead the charge. I¡¯ll use all my personal wealth to achieve this, all the way until the end.¡±


    Arthur seemed upset by this, he replied, ¡°You should ease off the game, try and get better so you can be with us at the end, even try to survive whatever you¡¯re fighting! Why give up?¡± I let a solum smile cross my face, ¡°This¡­ thing isn¡¯t something humanity knows of. They¡¯ve tried everything, but nothing seems to stop it. All I can do is live how I want to live, and this is how I want to be remembered by. This world to people like you may be one game you play out of many, but to me, this game was and is my life. I¡¯ll make sure the endgame wraps itself up with my ghost guiding your path to victory.¡± I put my fist to his chest, ¡°Just¡­ remember me, ok? I doubt anyone from my life remembers me, but if at least you can, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± Arthur¡¯s mouth opened and closed, as if he couldn¡¯t even form a single word in response to my heartfelt plea. Eventually, he smiled sadly, ¡°Of course, your memory will live on, even if I have to do it alone.¡± I nodded, ¡°Thanks, now, let¡¯s get to work. Make sure you inform the Round that my services are unfortunately coming to an end, so make sure they come to me with any requests now while I¡¯m pumping out all the best ships that my factories can use.¡±


    With that, the conversation ended, but he did something I never expected after that. People had warped factory after factory to my space, increasing my productivity massively. Turns out that Arthur and the Round had decided to let people understand my final wish, and people from all over the game and world had sent money, materials, factories, anything I could use to pump out as many ships and mechs before the reaper came to claim me. How did I know he did this? Well, one of the nurses who observed me playing the game happened to find the story on the news, to which she informed me in tears about the movement of people striving to remember me. It went beyond my hopes for just one person to remember me, rather, my time in the game would be remembered by so many more. When I opened my eyes, the familiar ceiling of my room before me, I said to the empty room, ¡°I hope I can meet Arthur again.¡±

 Chapter Seven: Life鈥檚 Ups and Downs

    When everyone realized I woke up, they were all over me with doctors and mental health specialists to see if I was alright, but I confirmed that I was fine, and it managed to calm them down when the doctors gave me a bill of clean health. When dad brought mom in, I felt tears stream down my eyes as I got up and ran into her arms, my desire to hug her could no longer be suppressed after my memories returned. After a few days, we managed to enter into some form of normalcy. Dad and mom looked around my mansion, domain, and my workshop, safely of course, I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to get injured within my workshops under my watch. When I found mom and dad, mom was petting one of the spider bots, which it seemed to like a lot. I said, ¡°Find these nameless bots cute? I¡¯m horrible with names, so I haven¡¯t come up with a generalized name for them yet.¡± Mom smiled, ¡°I do indeed, these little guys are just so cute!¡± I could tell this little information carrier liked my mom too, considering this one liked to be around her whenever it didn¡¯t have a job to do.


    I said, ¡°You can keep it if you want, I can get another to take its place, I think it would like to be with you too.¡± Mom looked to me, her eyes beaming, ¡°Really!? I can?!¡± I nodded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t joke about this, just make sure you give it a job every now and then, these little guys like doing work every so often.¡± The bot beeped in happiness as mom lifted him up, ¡°You¡¯re coming with me little guy, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Dad sighed, ¡°That¡¯s so your mother, she finds the strangest things cute, but I can agree with her judgment on this one.¡± He looked to me, he seemed curious, ¡°You don¡¯t usually come this way, something on your mind?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, that factory if finally done, so I was going there to implement Merlin and get the tier two ships and mechs mass produced. I can¡¯t rely on your military might forever you know; your men are likely homesick at this point.¡± This seemed to intrigue both mom and dad, mom asking, ¡°Would you mind if we come with you? It isn¡¯t a common occurrence that a noble makes a factory.¡± I nodded, ¡°Sure, it won¡¯t be a cool place, just so you know.¡±


    It was a quick trip there, considering it was just some asteroids slammed together, mined out, and filled with the proper tech to make ships and mechs. This time, instead of installing a massive cube, this one was just a cube that could fit in my hand. The size of the cube was usually connected to how strong a connection is needed. Since the factory was near the main body, this small cube was all you needed for communication with the main systems. So after a quick installation process that I wish I could¡¯ve done with the larger cube, Merlin was connected to the system and began to load all the blueprints and schematics to the factory. Considering these men were all trained in the methods needed for this, they knew this would be the beginning of the factory, ships that haven¡¯t moved through space in many millennia. Dad said, as the workers began their jobs, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is what you¡¯ve achieved in twenty odd years. New mechs is one thing, but that relic world and these ships, you¡¯re likely the most active child the Empire¡¯s ever seen.¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s my dream made real, to push every boundary until I can¡¯t anymore. Though, I can¡¯t determine if I¡¯m the most active. Where it counts, I haven¡¯t really gotten better. My mech piloting skills are sub-par, my sword style is difficult to master, basically, all my noble qualities are lacking.¡± Dad chuckled, ¡°Only you can state your noble qualities are lacking with a straight face, most nobles would at least lie to cover it up until they truly could hold their own.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I can¡¯t do that, it¡¯s far too inefficient to lie. If you have issues, speak up, because trying to charge it alone isn¡¯t going to help you, only hinder.¡± Dad chuckled, ¡°If only your eldest brother could do that, but he¡¯s as stubborn as a mule.¡± I haven¡¯t really heard about my brothers, I only knew my sister, and it was a mostly business type or relationship. I asked, ¡°Who are my brothers anyway? I only met Ruby, and I basically can infer what she¡¯s like through her business dealings.¡±


    Dad sighed, ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to tell you, mostly as they¡¯ll see you and your current success as a risk to the family name. But if Ruby knows of you, then it¡¯s likely they do as well, so I¡¯ll give you a rundown. You have four older brothers, and surprisingly, three of them are triplets.¡± I felt my face get away from me, because my shock was clearly evident, ¡°I hope mom was ok after that.¡± Mom said, ¡°Oh, sweetie, you¡¯re my only child.¡± I was confused, but dad said, ¡°Well, let me explain that first. In the beginning, I married your mother, since we were¡­ childhood sweethearts, I think that was the term. We tried for decades, and we just couldn¡¯t seem to have a child, almost like fate was laughing at us. My people were growing concerned over my lack of an heir, so I had to do so with women who were, in every sense of the word, concubines. One birthed your brother, one birthed your triplet older brothers, and one birthed Ruby. I hold no ill will to them, but it gave my people a chance to breathe as they knew my line would continue.¡±


    I nodded, not sure about how marriage and concubines worked, but I knew enough Earth terminology to get a decent understanding, ¡°So, since I know Ruby, I won¡¯t need an introduction to her. Since I can infer you gave each of them a planet to run, much like myself, can you tell me their states as well so I can infer their treatment of their people?¡± Dad nodded, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s head to a meeting room then, I don¡¯t have a hologram of any sort on me.¡± Once we shifted locations, he brought up three planets, ¡°The triplets have their own planets, however, due to their bond, they all work together as one for the benefit of their people.¡± He enlarged one planet, ¡°Ignis, the overall leader of the three, has a manufacturing planet. His planet wasn¡¯t suited for other options, so he takes what the other two brothers have and refines them into what they need.¡± He shifted to the next, ¡°Infernus, the middle man of the three, chose a farming world. He has an incredible amount of fertile land, thus chose to grow food and trees to ensure the other two brothers never ran out of wood or food.¡± He changed it once more to the third, ¡°Blaze, the more reclusive brother, does a lot of what remains. Due to his planet¡¯s good location for asteroids, he mines those extensively to keep up the manufacturing of Ignis. He¡¯s also their military repair area, ships and mechs go there for repairs, thus making him integral to their standing military.¡±


    He turned the planets to the same size, ¡°Essentially, I doubt they¡¯ll try anything, mostly as they understand it wouldn¡¯t help them in any way.¡± He shifted to a different planet, one that seemed¡­ dead? Well, maybe weak was a better term since it looked like the planet had no life in it. Dad said, ¡°This is your eldest brother¡¯s planet, his name is Winifred, and I can¡¯t even tell where to begin with him.¡± When I zoomed in on the planet, I realized it looked dreary, like the soul of what made a planet¡¯s population was sucked out of it, ¡°How awful, it looks terrible.¡± Mom nodded, ¡°His planet is strained by taxes, barely able to keep itself afloat as Winifred keeps blowing money on extravagant parties and items. I never liked the boy, but I¡¯d never let the domain fall into his hands, he¡¯d ruin the very name of Flameheart.¡± I said, out of confusion, ¡°I thought Avalon was a kind Empire, why is he doing this?¡± Dad shook his head, ¡°I cannot tell you, he¡¯s¡­ different. I¡¯ve never understood him ever since he went out to do his noble training, he¡¯s been doing this for decades now, and I can¡¯t understand why he turned out this way.¡±


    I put my hand to my earpiece, ¡°Merlin, keep an eye on Winifred, something isn¡¯t sitting right with me when it comes to him.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll watch for anything coming from him and learn as much as I can.¡± Dad seemed concerned, but I chose to try and calm him, ¡°It¡¯s merely a defensive measure, he may not like the fact that I, born of the wife of the house, may take the domain that he may have believe belonged to him. I¡¯ve lived for nearly decades, so I won¡¯t just sit back and wonder if he¡¯ll be doing something when I can look into it. I have no plans to war with him, I have other things to do.¡± The sound of construction was dull, but it was all I could hear as mom and dad looked to each other with concern. Dad said, ¡°Son, if he does do something, let me know first. As your father, I can¡¯t let you fix what I should me making attempts to fix myself.¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, this is merely my own precaution, nothing more.¡± Dad sighed, but he didn¡¯t say anything more in that topic. For now, it was just going to be business as usual, and I wanted to keep the ball rolling on my plans.


    ~~~


    My work was done early today, considering a decently large empire holiday was coming up, a lot of people had already sent the bulk of what they need to me days prior, so the work was significantly easier to finish. When I checked the time, I realized I had far too much time for the day, and I even understood that Lily was going to be training for at least a few hours more, so I had nothing to do for the time being. When I got up, Edward entered the room, ¡°Sir, since you seem free, Elen would like you to assist Lily in some training.¡± I was confused, but it was better than nothing, ¡°Alright, led the way, I have time.¡± After a few halls, I entered the room where Lily was training, though what she wore left me stunned. Instead of something for swordplay or work, she had a dress on, one that was a lavender color with silver lines engraving it. I felt stunned seeing her like that, I never seen her in anything but what she chose for the day before we did whatever, but this made me realize just how beautiful she could be.


    Lily, clearly embarrassed, said, ¡°Elen! W-w-why did you call him here!?¡± Elen, with a smirk, said, ¡°You said I was too tall to properly dance with, so I called Sir Aurelian, he¡¯s the perfect height for you to dance with. Edward, if you please.¡± After he covered Lily¡¯s view of me, without my consent, changed me into a suit faster than I could¡¯ve ever done myself. Somehow, he even managed to do my hair, since it was gelled up to look a certain way, which embarrassed me to no end. Once done, Elen pushed Lily into my arms, moving us into position for a dance. I said, out of concern, ¡°Ms. Elen, I hate to inform you, but I haven¡¯t been trained to dance.¡± Elen smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liliana isn¡¯t that far in either, so you both can learn together.¡± She quickly began to instruct us on how to dance, both of us stepping on each other¡¯s feet constantly as we tried to get the footing down. Though, Merlin gave me a tip in my ear, ¡°Don¡¯t look down, look to your partner and trust them.¡±


    I decided to believe him, whispering to Lily, ¡°Lily, don¡¯t look down, look up at me and just me.¡± She did so, but nervously said, ¡°But what if I mess up?¡± I smiled, at least to reassure her, ¡°You won¡¯t, just look into my eyes and trust me.¡± While she seemed nervous, she did as I said, and we had lowered the amount of times we stepped on each other had dropped significantly, but it helped us since we were complete beginners at the whole dancing thing. But every time we had gone a decent amount of time not stepping on each other¡¯s feet, I couldn¡¯t help but look deep into her eyes. I¡¯d known her for a few years, I know her personality, her likes and dislikes, I even know her food preferences on certain days based on how she acted. A question began to build up inside me, did I like Lily? This question wasn¡¯t as friends, but¡­ have I fallen for her? I haven¡¯t fell in love before, so I can¡¯t tell if this is the feeling, but I couldn¡¯t help but think of her as beautiful.


    When we finished for the day, I went to my room to change into something better suited for regular play, but as I thought about Lily, I couldn¡¯t help but feel hotter. I crouched to the floor, hands to my face, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? Lily is Lily, why do I feel this way?¡± Merlin, who was with me, said, ¡°Have you perhaps fallen in love sir? I wouldn¡¯t find it odd considering the circumstances.¡± I couldn¡¯t confirm it, but I couldn¡¯t deny it, ¡°I don¡¯t know Merlin, I¡­ I never felt like this with anyone, and I can¡¯t understand why I feel like this. Just¡­ just don¡¯t tell anyone. I want to figure out what she means to me myself¡­ I don¡¯t want to rush it.¡± Merlin had a smile on his clearly robotic face, ¡°I understand sir, this will be all you.¡± It was embarrassing, I never had to worry about things like this, so I never actually thought about it before. I was to die, so making a close connection with anyone would¡¯ve only hurt them, but that isn¡¯t the case now¡­ maybe I just needed time, and I was lucky that I had plenty of it.


    ~~~


    Standing with my military advisor, I was showing him the defenses of the space elevator via blueprints since I was still getting the machines that can mass produce them online in the factory. He asked, ¡°So, you usually classify these technologies in tiers, what tier would these be?¡± I checked, mostly to not doubt myself, and said, ¡°Tier five.¡± He looked to me with shock, ¡°Tier five!? Aren¡¯t the ships and mechs you plan to make tier two!?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, while that is true, this space elevator needs to be more advanced than my own craft to ensure safety from natural disasters. We can¡¯t go having a stray asteroid breaking it, can we?¡± My advisor thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t say you¡¯re wrong my Lord¡­ I just worry how this will be made.¡± I replied, ¡°I already made a prototype of the weapons, the armor had been long since tested since it needed to go into the foundations of the space elevator too.¡±


    With the speed the construction was going, the base of the elevator was being established, which surprised me since this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen until the end of the first year. But I did check, making sure they weren¡¯t cutting corners, but they were doing it according to the blueprint, which was pretty surprising since it was their first time on such a project. I decided to get the armaments going too, since installing them early could be a good safety measure during the construction process too. My advisor asked, ¡°So, why are you not making tier five mechs and ships? If this is possible, why not those?¡± I put up two fingers, ¡°Two reasons, first, the means to mass produce them is rough, since it¡¯s pretty expensive at the moment. Second, the sudden jump of tech would cause an issue, so I don¡¯t plan to rocket us straight to the end.¡± My advisor thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I can see it.¡± I think he understood what power would do to some people, which was why I was against just brute forcing the tech advancement.


    I led him to the prototype, which I had brought planet side since it was one of the in-atmosphere weapons, and it bolstered two chambers, each held no physical ammo, but they were special. I pointed to the source of its power and ammunition, ¡°This, this is a Flameheart specialty¡­ or just my specialty. It runs off a specially created mana core for the sake of this weapon, it¡¯s power can crush tier five ships, and concentrated, could take on tier six ships if needed. Though, no need to worry about that, these things can take anything this universe can throw at it considering the technological slump it¡¯s in.¡± The advisor realized that, by sheer size alone, this thing truly was a ship killer. He asked, ¡°Is this really necessary? If reaching this tier takes some time, why make this now?¡± I knew why, but I wasn¡¯t sure just how much would be the same, ¡°Just a¡­ horrible gut feeling, I just want to be safe.¡±


    My advisor seemed to notice my tone, it wasn¡¯t the cheery one I usually had when talking about technology, rather, it was a concerned and stern tone, one I rarely ever used in this life. I was good at lying before, even hiding my true emotions to a great extent, but I just couldn¡¯t do that anymore, but not with the knowledge that this universe could once again be struck with the very threat that wiped out the very technology we built from scratch. I looked to him, ¡°We aren¡¯t going to blitz this tech, but we aren¡¯t going at a snail¡¯s pace either. Once we show the universe that we can break out of this technological slump, everyone will be scrambling to catch up, and that carries its own risks. I¡¯ll protect my people, even if it costs me my very life.¡± My advisor replied, ¡°My Lord, please, do not throw your life away so easily, your people need you.¡± I replied, sternly, ¡°If I had to give up my life to save every person within my domain, I¡¯d do it. My life alone isn¡¯t worth the death of the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of people under my protection. My hopes and dreams will live on in all who come behind me, all you need to do is actualize it.¡±


    After a moment, I swapped back to my cheery demeanor, ¡°Well, back to what we were talking about before I got all gloomy. These are specifically the in-atmosphere cannons, which will be spread through the space elevator in many locations to ensure maximum protection and defense if need be. Since the part of the elevator that¡¯s out of atmosphere is going to take some time, we¡¯re taking the liberty to take it slow and make sure all the kinks of the weapon are ironed out. This cannon is reaching the final testing phases before they¡¯re installed in key installations. Once the out of atmosphere cannons are finished, they¡¯ll be installed on parts of the space elevator outside of the atmosphere, the orbital ring, and the factory. This will ensure that the orbital ring itself, along with the factory, has ample firepower against threats until help arrives.¡± My advisor nodded, likely wishing to depart from what I said before, ¡°What if these end up going down? Sabotage and the like?¡±


    I replied, ¡°Sabotage is unlikely, these things are made in a way that make sabotage only possible if they know how it works. However, if the enemy can somehow disable these.¡± I looked to him, ¡°Then we¡¯re screwed, because they somehow have a countermeasure that can stop these, then their tech beats our own by a landslide.¡± This rattled him for a moment, but I calmed him, ¡°Relax, the chances of that being the case is quite improbable. Someone would have to reincarnate with the knowledge I stumbled upon for that to even be a possibility.¡± I was pulling this lie like it was nothing, because I was the one with the knowledge, Merlin just carried my blueprints from a time long gone. My advisor understood, his face didn¡¯t convey any concern, ¡°I see, then let me state that you should rest, my lord. People are getting nervous that you¡¯re pushing yourself.¡±


    I waved my hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine, making mechs is my enjoyment. I love how I can put them together, shift their parts around, make them stronger. Even doing my best to make them look amazing and not some floating paperweight is also a true brain teaser, you can¡¯t have a powerful mech look like a radiation suit you know.¡± My advisor laughed, ¡°What do you mean by that my lord?¡± I replied, ¡°Some mechs did look like that, look it up, I¡¯m not joking.¡± I felt at peace here, I wasn¡¯t too worried about what he feared, such tech would¡¯ve been scattered to the far sides of the known universe by this point if it did exist. I chose not to worry about it though, as it wasn¡¯t something I considered to be a problem. If Avalon had this slump, then so did the universe at large. If the issue does arise, I can handle it, no matter what¡¯s thrown at me.


    ~~~


    Thirty years old, just thinking I was that old felt like a dream, and I was glad that it wasn¡¯t. I¡¯m happy, my dreams are slowly budding, Lily is becoming a fine young lady, dad is smiling more often, and mom is finally walking on her own for the first time since the accident, all has been going well for quite some time now. Space is looking better too, as the space elevator climbs to the stars, ships of my own design are slowly replacing father¡¯s ships, allowing his men to return home ship by ship, and that just added on to my existing happiness. In terms of how I feel about Lily? Well, I¡¯m still not sure, but I¡¯m fine with what we have right now until I figure out what these feelings are. Our daily fun, the occasional training we both partake in, even adding on sparing since we both have an adequate skill in our sword styles, was enough for me since I got to see her smiling and having fun as well.


    Currently, I was considering if now would be the time to begin constructing a mech for Lily, considering the whole ¡°nobles need to learn how to pilot a mech¡± thing I also have to do. Though, with what I know, I¡¯m not so certain how it¡¯s supposed to go, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry on cases like this. Not to mention the sheer safety of a personal mech is incredible compared to a mass-produced unit, so I wasn¡¯t going to make her use one without proper safety. Edward was looking over my shoulder since Merlin was busy elsewhere, not to mention he was also looking at the designs I was browsing as I recalled what these mechs meant and the designs they held since these were all unfiltered. I sighed, ¡°I really need to sort these out, I just saw a tier eight, a tier one, followed up by three tier sixes, was I really this unorganized in my first life?¡± Edward said, ¡°Considering it was a game to you, maybe it had automatically sorted this for you, but not in the database within?¡± I thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°You know, that makes sense, good theory.¡± We understood anything from before was more of a theory, not hardline fact, since it was a confusing notion to bring up.


    Before we could make a choice, mostly on design since I had the means to make it, I just needed the design to make it work out on the construction¡¯s end, Merlin had hijacked the room¡¯s intercom, ¡°Sir, it seems space pirates have somehow managed to make their way planet side, they seem to be in control of mana beasts.¡± While it wasn¡¯t unheard of for people to tame beasts in this world, mana beasts were a different story. Mana beasts were like the Behemoth I fought all those years ago, just more reasonably sized for mech combat since they weren¡¯t usually taller than a regular mech. I stood up, knowing this was going to likely be rough if they reached a civilian sector, ¡°Send out an alert to the nearest civilian population centers, tell them to head to their bunkers, this could get rough if the beasts end up rampaging. Get my mech ready and send out a force ahead of me to ensure they can keep the pirates from attacking civilians. I want no civilian casualties, understood?¡±


    Merlin replied, ¡°Yes sir, Edward, I¡¯d like you to remain in the mansion, that way we have someone monitoring the situation with human eyes.¡± Edward replied, ¡°Understood, let¡¯s be swift.¡± He looked to me, bowing, ¡°Be safe, sir, the domain and her people need you.¡± I smiled, knowing full well I wasn¡¯t losing to mere pirates, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them even lay a scratch on me.¡± As I moved to my mech, a question ran through my mind, father still had plenty of manpower protecting my domain since my fleet, while slowly growing, wasn¡¯t able to maintain dominance just yet. It left the question of how did his men let a band of space pirates pass them by? I stated, ¡°Merlin, alert father¡¯s men, there could be more in space.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already done so, they state they have no idea how the pirates slipped by, but they¡¯ve tightened the net to ensure they¡¯d see anything from here on.¡± I stated, ¡°Leave me a note to work on communications and detection systems, I¡¯ve been ignoring that aspect for far too long.¡± Merlin replied again, ¡°Understood sir.¡± As I entered the lab and boarded my mech, I steadied myself, this would be the time I had to commit to killing someone, and the though alone began to cause my hands to shake.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ~~~


    Once I arrived at the area blockaded, the commander of the operation said, ¡°They tested our blockade with a few beasts, all were delt with accordingly, and the bodies are being taken for investigation and retrieval of the cores.¡± I observed the report and nodded, ¡°Good, how about nearby population sectors?¡± The commander replied, ¡°All secured, the civilians have all been accounted for in public and private bunkers.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Good, that makes this operation easier on us.¡± Looking at the forces displayed, I made mention of what I found odd, ¡°They could¡¯ve landed on a population center, thrown us into chaos and took hostages, yet they waited to be blockaded on all sides?¡± The commander nodded, his eyes showing his confusion, ¡°I can¡¯t understand it either sir, it¡¯s almost like they chose to land here with a purpose in mind. Though, the only thing we can¡¯t understand is the lack of response to hails, they normally have a demand or something in cases like this.¡±


    Much like pirates on Earth, space pirates roamed the stars in search of people to kidnap and steal from, so a lack of demands is a little¡­ odd. I whispered to Merlin, ¡°How¡¯s their setup Merlin? From what I can see, these are less than stellar tier one mechs, it¡¯s either that or mechs from before tier one.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°These mechs are as you stated, but they¡¯re on the bare minimum specs to be classified as a tier one. The beasts seem to be a Fenrir and their pack.¡± I clicked my tongue, a Fenrir was a rough one to fight unprepared, but I could take it alone if I needed to. I said, ¡°Connect me to the blockade, I¡¯ll announce a plan.¡± The commander nodded, and after a moment, he stated, ¡°You¡¯re broadcasting sir.¡±


    I cleared my throat, then said, ¡°Everyone, I know this moment is concerning but know we can handle the threat that lays before us. These mechs, by their specs, are inferior to the mechs you pilot now without question. Even their ships stand no chance against the new ships we have covering this area from above, so head my words, do not fear the space pirates, as they hold no power over us.¡± I let this information seep in, hopefully calming them as it had me, I stated, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking a strike force to bring down the space pirates, but I¡¯ll be taking the mana beast leader due to it being more of a threat than the pirates. For those with experience against space pirates, let it be known, and those who joined me on the expedition on the relic world, I¡¯d like some of you as well. We¡¯ll have two teams push forward on different tasks, while the rest keep the blockade standing to protect the civilians who await the news of our victory. Now, I¡¯ll gather the volunteers, and once ready, we¡¯ll begin the operation.¡±


    Once the broadcast ended, I made sure to begin sorting the teams with experienced fighters, since inexperienced individuals could cause the operation to fail, better mechs or not. During the process, the commander stated, ¡°Sir, you don¡¯t need to go and fight, we can handle it ourselves.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I won¡¯t sit back as my people fight for me, to be a leader, I need to fight with my people to be the best leader I can be.¡± The commander shook his head, ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t mean to offend you, but your hands are shaking.¡± When I looked to my hands, I realized they were, in fact, shaking. Despite reincarnating, I still had yet to kill a man, and I knew I¡¯d likely need to do that today. I spoke, my fear breaking my confidence a little, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of battle¡­ it¡¯s the fact I¡¯ll have to kill at least one human being today. I¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can kill someone, be they criminal or innocent.¡± The commander smiled, ¡°Not very often you see someone in your position so hesitant to kill someone, all I can say is do your best sir. You don¡¯t have to kill someone today if you can¡¯t stomach it, but I do know that if you hold off for too long, when the time comes when you don¡¯t have a choice, it¡¯ll only make it harder to protect yourself and others. Just my thoughts, sir.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I understand, thank you for your wisdom.¡± After a bit to calm myself, the commander spoke again, ¡°The teams are ready sir, if you¡¯re heading out, now¡¯s the time.¡± I stood up, clenching my fists to stop the shaking, ¡°Be ready, because once I give the order, anything could happen.¡± The commander nodded, ¡°Be safe sir.¡± I made my way to the bay and boarded my mech, marching outside and before the two teams established to end this conflict, the beast team and the strike team. I spoke, ¡°Strike team, keep the pirates away from the beast team, once the beasts are handled, the beast team will assist the strike team in cleaning up the enemy. If the opposite is true, the strike team will assist the beast team in cleaning up the beasts. Are my orders clear?¡± The two teams replied in unison, ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± I made one mention, ¡°In combat, refer to me as sir, it makes messages faster. Leaders of the teams, you hold authority to withdraw forces if needed, since I haven¡¯t gotten combat experience yet, I don¡¯t know the proper tides of combat outside beast combat. Let¡¯s aim for a one hundred percent survival rate!¡± I got a cheer from my men, so I gave my final command, ¡°Charge! Let these pirates know our names as we ensure the safety of our home!¡± A loud scream of ¡°Charge!¡± erupted from the comms as we all began rushing the pirates, adrenaline taking us the distance.


    ~~~


    It took around a minute to reach the pirates, but the clash was loud enough to concern me of the well-being of my men, but I was glad to know everyone was still pushing, so I made sure to do the same. The pack of wolf like mana beasts were vicious, yet I watched my men cut through them like butter, the power of tier two mechs made most lower-level beasts an easy foe, but mine wasn¡¯t going to be as such. I activated the thrusters on my mech to blast me up and over the initial wall of beasts, my target being the Fenrir in the rear to disorientate the large amount of beasts. It¡¯s sleek dark blue fur blew in the wind, its lemon-colored eyes looked to me as it let out a howl, as if stating I was its prey and to back off. I drew my blade after I landed, the beast and I charging each other as the distance closed. Yet despite the speed we had, it felt like it was all moving so slowly, like I could make out every detail on the Fenrir as it opened its mouth to try and take a bite out of me.


    I bent backwards, putting my mechs hand to the ground and twisting my mech in a way to kick it in the jaw, sending it wobbling in another direction. Much like a human, anything with a brain like ours had a rough time coming back from a kick in the jaw due to the rattling of its brain. Though, because it was a mana beast, it seemed to recover just find as we both moved around, gauging the best means to attack the other. I decided to take the initiative, charging forward with a burst of speed, fainting the Fenrir by pretending to swing high but actually swinging low, cutting into one of its legs, but not bringing it down. The Fenrir reached its claw down and scratched along my back, I got warnings, but everything was running fine. A soldier shouted, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll back you up!¡±  I replied, ¡°No! Focus on the others, you¡¯ll only get in my way!¡± I got no response, but I was being honest, this beast wasn¡¯t for those who didn¡¯t understand them as it would kill them without remorse.


    I made sure to gain my footing proper before engaging again, which was a good call as a claw came screaming towards me. I managed to deflect the attack and slash back at it, blood gushing from the wound on the side of its body. It was strange, this Fenrir was as powerful as it was in the physical realm, but it wasn¡¯t using the magic its mana beast status claimed it could. I went on the offensive, buying time for my question, ¡°Report, has any of the mana beasts used magic?¡± As the Fenrir blocked my attack with its claw, someone said, ¡°No sir! No magic has been used!¡± I was beyond confused, so I shouted, ¡°Then be wary! Either their masters are telling them to not or they¡¯re doing it on purpose!¡± With a confirmational response, I continued on the matter at hand, ¡°Merlin, they have mana, correct?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Yes sir, they have a mana core, thus the means to use it. This is beyond odd; I¡¯ll track their signatures and warn you if they show a response.¡± I pushed back against the claw and struck the same leg I injured the first time; it seemed to have been effective since the Fenrir was finally limping.


    Checking the fuel gages, I understood I was still capable to fight, so I launched myself back at the Fenrir with my thrusters. It tried to dodge, but because it tried to use its injured leg, it let me get a deep stab into it, blood gushing from the wound, but I clicked my tongue, ¡°I missed its vitals.¡± I quickly pulled my sword out and leapt back, the Fenrir had tried to bite me, and it nearly got me too. Breathing out, I realized I was getting accustomed to fighting against beasts and predicting their movements, it left me confident that I could handle threats like this in the future. Merlin spoke, ¡°Mana signatures rising, Fenrir and other mana beasts are getting serious.¡± I shouted, ¡°Focus up! They may start using magic!¡± Just as I finished saying that, a wave of ice shot forth from the Fenrir as it let out a howl, ice formed on its injured parts, blocking the bleeding to an extent.


    ¡°How interesting, human knowledge seems to be at play for these beasts, they must be under the pirate¡¯s control.¡± I commented, knowing beasts weren¡¯t ones to use knowledge like this. Merlin nodded, ¡°Indeed, I will conduct a thorough study of the bodies to see what the source of this control may be. For now, focus, overconfidence is a deadly foe.¡± I decided to use magic myself, since this could be a risk to fight without magic for a prolonged period against anyone or thing with magic. My sword, for the first time in over half a decade, lit ablaze with fire, the mana engine kicked on with a fury, as if it was excited over being used once more. I smiled, ¡°Good, I love it when my machines agree with me!¡± I charged the Fenrir, ice shards flying as I cut through them like a warm knife through butter. It let out a howl, ice spikes formed in the air before they flew at me like missiles. I focused on the spikes that carried the most threat to me, charging a path forward to the Fenrir once more.


    I kicked extra mana into the sword and swung, a slash of flames crashed into the Fenrir, allowing me to make another strike on it, one more damaging as this was a long, deep cut unlike the others I inflicted so far. As if it knew I was weakest, it went to strike me, but I knew it would try that and leapt back, ¡°Good grief, it¡¯s like I¡¯m fighting a human more than I am a beast, makes them predicable at least.¡± The Fenrir was clearly suffering from its injuries, it wasn¡¯t moving as fast as it was at the beginning, which means I was getting close to ending it if my memory serves me right. I went to charge in, my goal to kill it and focus on what remained, at least until the commander shouted, ¡°Sir, the enemy leader is charging you!¡± I was able to take it and leap back, a blast going off right where I would¡¯ve been if I kept charging. The enemy leader spoke, his words caught me off guard, ¡°Seems like they were right, there is a very interesting lord here, not to mention that power is unbelievable.¡±


    When I looked to the enemy as he approached, I realized this wasn¡¯t a tier one, though I was certain that the others were weak mechs. Merlin said, ¡°Confirmed, this unit seems to be either a high tier two or low tier three, this may actually be a threat if the Fenrir remains active.¡± I replied, ¡°I understand, remain silent, they could have other tech we¡¯re unsure of.¡± I spoke to the enemy, ¡°Seems like I can say the same to you, that isn¡¯t something I expected someone like you to have, pirate.¡± The pirate chuckled, ¡°Well, this baby is a special one, even though they wished I didn¡¯t bring it, they knew only I could pilot this beast.¡± The mech itself seemed¡­ gaudy? It was covered in useless flare, ones that only made to weaken it, but I wasn¡¯t doubting it could be a trap for people like me. I smiled, this threat would be best handled by me, ¡°Seems like you knew this was one way, well, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t disappoint.¡± I was doing my best to hide my fear, considering this just went from a risky one on one to a two on one, and I was severely outclassed because of the Fenrir.


    The man used his mech to pet the Fenrir, ¡°Daddy¡¯s sorry for this, but we have no choice. Let¡¯s go out with a bang, alright?¡± The Fenrir howled, the wounds being covered, but that would only be a temporary stopgap since it was likely bleeding internally right now, even with some of it being cauterized by the fire. A soldier said, ¡°Sir, the battle is nigh over, we can send reinforcements.¡± When I looked for a moment, it did seem so, I replied, ¡°I¡¯ll handle these two, make sure the area is secured, then check the ships carefully. They seem to expect this was a one-way trip, so prepare bomb defusal teams.¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Yes sir, good luck.¡± Turning my attention back to the battle at hand, I had to harden my heart, this was likely where I¡¯d have to kill this man to survive, be it lawful or not. With how many people existed, space pirates popped up constantly, not to mention the fact humans have disagreements that lead to war. I¡¯d have to kill people one day and today was safe enough for me to do so, not to mention entirely legal due to the fact this person was a space pirate.


    Merlin let a message appear, a sigh of relief came from me as it stated that the mech had no magical signature, so I was safe from having to worry about magic combat from them. Before I could make any other motions, the pirate began to light me up with his gun, which seemed to be explosive to some capacity. I sheathed my blade, the fire going out, and pulling an experimental weapon I forgot to replace with a functional one from my back, ¡°Damn it, I forgot to switch weapons! Well, not like I can go back now!¡± I hooked it up to the pack, the mana flowing into it with vigor, as if it wished to see just what this new weapon I made could do. The man whistled, ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that? Never seen tech like that before.¡± I aimed at the Fenrir, my threat range made it a worse target to be left alive, ¡°Just watch!¡± The mana formed in the barrel, lightning cracking as a metal rod began to receive a similar charge to lift it into firing position.


    I had a smile on my face, this thing was just something I made to see if I could, mostly as this was possible without magic later on. Once the charge was high enough, I pulled the trigger, the rod launching at speed so fast that I couldn¡¯t even see it leave the barrel before the Fenrir had a new hole where part of its body once was. I said, surprised, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Fenrir could react to that, most creatures would¡¯ve been decimated already.¡± Somehow, the Fenrir moved in just the right way to prevent me from getting a headshot, but it was certainly on its last legs due to just the sheer number of injuries it sustained. I holstered the magic railgun after disconnecting the engine from it, no use trying that again since they won¡¯t just sit and watch, but I considered the testing of it a success. The man was pissed, ¡°Feni! No!¡± He ran over and began to pet it, the Fenrir seemed to be out of energy, because it collapsed to the ground in heaves. I made sure to reprepare myself for mech-on-mech combat, my sword ready at a moments notice as I began to approach, ¡°Surrender, if you do, your life and those still alive will be spared, as long as they cease combat.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how many even considered fighting anymore, but the man shouted as he stood from the Fenrir, its eyes closed, ¡°You bastard! You dare kill Feni! You¡¯ll pay!¡± As he said that, he drew his own blade, as if saying ¡®I don¡¯t need a gun to kill you¡¯ to my face. I sighed, ¡°Your funeral then.¡± In his rage, he charged at me first, so I decided to see the strength this enemy mech had by blocking this strike. Because he was enraged, his attack was obvious, so I made sure to block it properly. The strike made the arms groan, but that noise was normal, I was checking the readings that the mech was giving off from the strike. I clicked my tongue, it wasn¡¯t good, so I¡¯d need to somehow leave the mech in as good of a state as I could before the battle ended to get a better understanding of it. I tilted my blade, letting his sword slide off it and resulting in his mech losing balance, giving me an opening to smash the hilt of my blade into the back of his mech, smashing it into the ground. As I turned to face him, he seemed to have somehow got up, but I had to recall this wasn¡¯t a tier one mech, so its speed was faster than what I expected.


    When we rushed each other, we clashed blades more often than not, very rarely did either of us cause a scratch to the other¡¯s armor, him due to his rage, but me due to my lack of experience and sword style mastery. We each had what the other lacked, and it left us in a rough stalemate as we tried to ascertain the best way to beat the other. After a few more clashes, I noticed he left his cockpit exposed when he went to swing, it could risk an arm, but I could win the day by killing him, and it seemed to be the only way I could do it before he found my own weakness. I steadied my resolve, ¡°Freedom isn¡¯t free, we have to fight for it, and as someone who has vowed to protect others, I need to be able to carry that burden.¡± I pulled my sword back, and in one, swift motion, I thrusted forward. His blade sank into my left arm, but it stopped part way as my sword found purchase in the cockpit, its craftsmanship managed to break through the armor and through the man. The man spoke, ¡°Heh¡­ they were right¡­ you really are¡­ special¡­¡± The enemy mech released the sword and fell backwards, the enemy leader was dead.


    I could hear people speaking, but it sounded like a bunch of mumbling when it entered my ears. My head was spinning, my hairs were on end, my heartbeat was getting louder in my ears, and I felt like I was going to be sick as tears flowed from my eyes. When I looked to my hands, they were shaking¡­ I had killed someone¡­ and I felt like shit. I quickly opened the cockpit, putting myself far enough out to puke without getting it in the cockpit, which gave me a prime view of my sword, red coated the blade, some of it dripping off in some spots. I puked again, the thought of this was horrible, how could people feel anything but horrible when they killed someone? Could I do this again? Could I take the life of another, no matter how much danger I was in? A voice managed to break through the mumbles, clearly and concise, ¡°Aurelian, come home, everything will be ok.¡± It was mom, she and dad must¡¯ve saw what I¡¯d done, but I still wanted to see them anyway. I sat back in the cockpit, saying with a shaky voice, ¡°Bring back the enemy leader¡¯s mech in one piece, I want to see how it works. You know the rest¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to you, commander.¡± With that, I began to go home, I didn¡¯t want to be here a moment longer.


    ~~~


    When I got home, mom ran up to me and pulled me tightly to her with her own strength, ¡°My baby, are you ok?¡± She pulled her head back and looked me over, checking me for any injuries, but I knew I was unscathed, ¡°I¡¯m ok mom¡­ just¡­ I don¡¯t feel good.¡± Dad rubbed my head, ¡°I know, son. Taking a life, no matter the circumstances, it always hurts.¡± He knelt down to me, mom holding me in her arms as I looked to him, ¡°Don¡¯t forget this feeling, because one day, you¡¯ll have to fight people with families back home with those from your domain with a similar situation. Don¡¯t forget the feeling that comes with taking a life, don¡¯t let it become normal, because every life in the universe has meaning, even if they are your enemy¡¯s.¡± He hugged me, along with mom, and their warmth began to calm me down as I began to cry. For once, I wasn¡¯t Baron Aurelian Stella Flameheart, son to Count William Stella Flameheart, but Aurelian, son to William and Cecilia, a normal child who just experienced the worst of humanity.


    I felt someone wiggle their way into the hug, wrapping their arms around me, ¡°Aurelian, I heard what happened, everything will be ok, I swear it!¡± Lily spoke as if she could make it happen, and that alone made me smile despite my incredible sadness. She, much like my parents, was a light that fought back against the darkness that threatened to consume me, and I couldn¡¯t thank them enough for being here to help me through this. Merlin spoke, his voice stern, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for Sir Aurelian to take a break, he¡¯s been working hard for nearly two decades, this event needs time for him to relax, process, and move forward from it. Do not worry, I¡¯ll handle the domain, I doubt anyone would object to my temporary command.¡± Dad said, ¡°I¡¯ll state I gave the green light for this, do as you must Merlin, I trust you.¡± Merlin bowed, ¡°I appreciate your trust, I won¡¯t fail you Count William.¡± Dad said, ¡°Please, just William is fine Merlin.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, however, I will refer to you as Count in public, it¡¯s apart of my directive after all.¡±


    Elen spoke up, ¡°Count Drakon stated to me once that when he killed someone for the first time was a harrowing experience, I know a few things he claimed helped him through it, I¡¯ll tell you what they were, and you can see if they can help you as well.¡± Edward, with a calming smile, said, ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side Sir, morning to night, if you need anything, I¡¯ll prepare it posthaste.¡± I realized that, despite everything, I was surrounded by people I wish I had back on Earth, and I felt truly lucky to have them all by my side, ¡°Thank you, all of you, I¡¯m so glad you guys are here with me.¡± Dad smiled as he rubbed my head, ¡°We¡¯ll always be here to help, son. Just know we¡¯ll always be one call away.¡± Elen said, ¡°Count Drakon sends his well wishes, and is glad you were able to come out of this fight with zero casualties. He also says to rest well, battles wear the mind down more than expected.¡± I nodded, I really needed a true break, not the constant work I¡¯ve been doing, ¡°A break¡­ yeah, I should do that.¡±


    ~~~


    Men sat around a conference table, their identities shrouded in shadow as the observed a video playing before them, one of the fight between Aurelian¡¯s forces and the space pirates. One of the men said, ¡°Surprising, not many can push back these pirates, much less wipe them out. We were right to send fodder instead of the main pirate force to that planet.¡± Another nodded, ¡°Indeed, while they may not be our main forces, it would be a shame to lose such a valuable pawn so soon.¡± Another man chucked, ¡°Yes, indeed, it¡¯s all thanks to our new ally, his information has been¡­ decisive.¡± The men nodded, their eyes to the screen, Aurelian¡¯s decisive blow on the Fenrir visible, ¡°That mech is tier three, without a doubt, where did this¡­ child get the means to create this? We¡¯d be hard pressed to deal with his continued growth.¡± Another spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re uncertain, but we have reason to believe he may be a reincarnation, mostly as there¡¯s nothing showing how this information came to him.¡±


    Some nods, some head shaking, each person was unsure about his growth, but one spoke, ¡°His tech, it¡¯s clearly magic, his sword is enough evidence of that.¡± Every soul in the room looked to him, one asked, ¡°Leader, how can you be so sure? It could be a special mixture was placed on the blade.¡± The leader pointed to the screen, ¡°Here, he attached a cord to that weapon, along with his sword. It¡¯s something that mechs pre-magic needed to use basic level magic abilities, it was something very few people made before the jump to tier four¡­ but with what we know, only one person reached this point faster than any other in the history of our former world¡­ the Forge Master.¡± Each man gasped, one shouting, ¡°Impossible! If this were the case, wouldn¡¯t we have noticed it was him by now?! Besides, he died before the game ended, that makes it impossible for his soul to be brought here!¡± Voices of agreement shot out from the table, but the leader raised a hand, and all went silent.


    He spoke, his voice unchanged, ¡°Remember, they said it wasn¡¯t impossible for others to be brought here, that includes the Forge Master. For now, we¡¯ll keep an eye on him, maybe he could accept the invitation as our new ally has.¡± The men thought for a moment, many nodding, one spoke up, ¡°If he does join us, his wealth of information may push us to the pinnacle of the universe. Maybe our plans could succeed, along with maintaining the status quo we seek.¡± The leader nodded, ¡°Glad to see you all agree with my idea. Now, if he doesn¡¯t join us, then we¡¯ll have to deploy our best soldiers to bring him down. Is he ready?¡± One man nodded, ¡°Yes, we have him and his strike force ready, his ships should be prepared by the time our plan is to be realized.¡± The leader¡¯s smile was visible from the shadows, ¡°Good, then, let¡¯s begin the final preparations, I¡¯ll send you the plans on how do deal with the little baron, dismissed.¡± Despite it seeming like they were there, the realistic holograms powered down, along with the screen showing Aurelian¡¯s battle. Like ghosts, these men were never even there.

 Chapter Eight: Hard Work Before Adulthood

    The break was well warranted, for the first few nights, I struggled to sleep because of nightmares. The man I killed kept screaming at me, it was hard for me to even rest when sleep came with screams from a dead man. Though, to my surprise, the nightmares eventually stopped, and I never understood why. I thought someone came in the night, but I always woke up alone, but I knew I wasn¡¯t to blame for the battle, so I think it was because I began moving on from it. The rest of my break was incredible, I got to laze around and be nigh mindless as I just did what I wanted, excluding working on mech stuff, that was sternly said by mom, dad, and Lily, since it ruined the whole concept of a break. But it was, as people would say, rejuvenating. I felt younger¡­ despite being young as I was, but it did let me know I was growing. Changes were evident, if anything, I looked to be in my early teens now rather than being a child, that made me curious.


    When I asked dad, he told me it was something within the aging process, mostly to make it where people looked like kids, yet they were married with kids, it just looked strange when such a case came up the first time. Over the years, they shifted the way it worked, which meant we¡¯d look like our late teens or early twenties upon reaching adulthood. This made me feel better, I don¡¯t know how a reincarnate like me could handle doing anything like that with the body of a child, even thinking about it made me feel horrible. Though, the break eventually came to an end, and I was finally able to resume work, and I knew exactly what I was going to do, but my initial plans ended up being interrupted by Merlin. His voice spoke as his body came online, ¡°Sir, it seems the teams on the forge world have managed to uncover some usable ship and mech factories. I went ahead and had them connect me to them, so we now have two functional factories for military use.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Good, I wanted to address this, are they all functional?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°It seems so, since this happened before your break, I had ample time to connect them before now.¡± I stated, clearly, ¡°Make tier three ships and mechs from those factories, with what we seen, we can assume that someone has at, the bare minimum, tier three units. We need to work on reaching that stage before someone makes a move on us.¡± Merlin asked, ¡°What about the factory in orbit sir?¡± I replied, ¡°Continue making tier two ships, we¡¯ll sell them to dad and Ruby, ensuring they can at least hold their own in a fight.¡± Merlin processed this for a moment, then said, ¡°A valuable plan sir, have you chosen the designs?¡± I nodded, sending them to him, ¡°This is it, also, can you make my mech tier four?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Yes, however, this will mean the unit can no longer be upgraded, this unit wasn¡¯t meant for anything beyond tier four.¡±


    I sighed, then nodded, ¡°I know, but with what lies before us, I fear to know just what an enemy holds, I rather over extend a little than risk civilian losses.¡± I recalled what I wanted to do in a similar field, ¡°Merlin, pull up the schematics of our mana information relays, I think it¡¯s time we restructure to the mana communication systems.¡± Merlin seemed surprised, ¡°Sir, are you sure that¡¯s wise?¡± I nodded, ¡°These space pirates managed to slip in, no way they weren¡¯t supplied by just anyone, since they managed to bypass radar and lidar. Tactically, we need to be ready for anything, and nothing has been known to bypass mana systems.¡± Merlin processed this, then shown blueprints for civilian, merchant, and military communication systems, ¡°This is what would work best, despite the need for more mana engines to be produced to make it so.¡± I looked them over, nodding, ¡°Alright, put mana engines in the tier three ships and establish mana communications, I want to make sure nothing is lost when it comes to communication.¡±


    After a moment, I wondered, ¡°Merlin, have any fighter craft been used in combat in recent years?¡± Merlin seemed confused, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean sir, why ask?¡± I looked to him, face stern, ¡°Have any fighters been used in recent years, you know, something like the F-22 Raptor of space.¡± Merlin processed what he learned, then replied, ¡°Such craft haven¡¯t been used in combat for several millennia, be it due to mechs taking the forefront of combat or something else, I cannot say due to how long ago this occurred.¡± I thought, then nodded to myself, ¡°Then maybe we should do that then.¡± Merlin asked, ¡°That sir? What do you mean by that?¡± I looked to him, an idea forming in my mind, one that required no manpower initially, and I could hide it in plain sight for emergency purposes, ¡°This plan is top secret, we need every silence in regard to this, even our commanders need to understand that what we do will occur, but not how.¡± I needed to fool my potential enemy, to that end, I needed to fool my allies as well, and I was lucky I had Merlin to make every step of the way possible.


    ~~~


    Once I was finished with my plans, I moved to the enemy mech, one that made me feel a little sick seeing it, but I needed to dissect this thing to understand the capabilities of whoever sent the pirates here. My team stood with me, tools lining shelves and tables, scanners at the ready for anything we wished to look deeper into. We first dove into the make of the mech from the outside, its armor being the first important detail. Design, overall, meant nothing if the armor didn¡¯t preform to its maximum capabilities after all. As we looked, I made a comment, ¡°It almost looks like this is a¡­ worse metal than what I have on my unit presently.¡± While my unit was being sent to be refitted by Merlin, the metal that made up the armor was better than this. One of the engineers said, ¡°Look at the design though, this thing was made to ricochet bullets, maybe even deflect swords if it didn¡¯t hit like yours did.¡± They showed me the locations they noticed, and his assumption was right, ¡°A valid way to use a worse metal, but this wouldn¡¯t make it a high tier two or low tier three just by armor alone.¡±


    Once we finished with the armor, which seemed more form than function, we opened it up to the initial internals we sought to observe, aka, the arms and legs. What it looked like surprised me, ¡°The mech muscles¡­ they look like human muscles with how they¡¯re lined up.¡± Unlike my mechs, which relied on proper mech features, this one relied on what seemed to be a biological style of mech. Mine twisted them, forming a spiral, which strengthened the mech incredibly. The muscles were, to my surprise, made of the same metal I was about to upgrade the muscles to in my mech. What the skeletal structure was made of seemed to be what I made tier two mechs out of, which heavily thrown off the capabilities of the mech. I questioned, ¡°Who in the world made this? It¡¯s a mess in here.¡± One engineer said, ¡°It seems neat to me sir.¡± I replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, it¡¯s the fact that the metals in here don¡¯t mesh well. The skeletal structure can¡¯t work with the muscles to get maximum output, it¡¯s¡­ amateurish.¡± The person who made this was a mystery to me, how could they make something even I haven¡¯t gotten to off of sheer technological growth yet, but be so inept to not make the parts work in proper harmony?


    I made mention of this, ¡°Tell this to every engineer, if you fail to understand how metals work with one another, you¡¯ll make a machine like this that doesn¡¯t function properly. While it may seem like it can, it doesn¡¯t match up to machines of lesser caliber.¡± The engineers nodded, even the one who told me the machine seemed neat understood what I meant in this regard. However, one of the engineers said, ¡°The machine moved! There!¡± He pointed to one of the muscles, and it seemed still, I said, ¡°If it moved, I¡¯d have noticed, no sound escapes my hearing so close.¡± The man said, ¡°Not moving akin to a twitch, the metal pulsed!¡± I was confused by his words, so I leaned down and looked to the muscle and focused on it. After a minute, nothing happened, but I decided to keep up my guard, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything, let¡¯s continue for the moment, but we will be guarded.¡± Two pilots were called to board mechs and watch over us as we worked, we then began for the cockpit and engine, which was a strange sight to all of us.


    One engineer said, ¡°It¡¯s not a regular engine, nor does it seem to be akin to the mana engines you create sir.¡± I nodded, familiar with the design, but it didn¡¯t ring a bell, ¡°I understand what you mean, bring me a scanner.¡± Once a scanner was placed in my hands, I began scanning the engine to understand its composition. The scan was finished, and I went to check what I got¡­ nothing. I rubbed my eyes, ¡°Nothing? That can¡¯t be right, I just scanned it.¡± I went back and scanned it again, once more, nothing appeared on screen. The engineers were stumped, ¡°This hasn¡¯t happened before¡­ maybe our scanners are broken?¡± When I looked to them, they seemed to be using several scanners to try and scan it, but nothing was coming through. Some of the spider bots, which a name for them eluded me, so I was likely just going to call them Spider Bots from here on, began to climb on and test the engine themselves. After a moment, however, they began making beeps of confusion, even they couldn¡¯t understand the mystery of the engine.


    Merlin spoke through my earpiece, ¡°I have determined this is a new, somehow concealed, power source¡­ unless.¡± I asked into my earpiece, ¡°Unless what?¡± Merlin spoke, his tone shown his concern, ¡°It could be a bio-engine.¡± I thought that was preposterous, all the tech we knew of was gone, but maybe, ¡°I find that improbable, wasn¡¯t all tech above a certain point destroyed?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Unknown, even with the information that your father sent me, I cannot conclude if any tech survived or not.¡± Bio-engines were something akin to a mana engine, except that the bio-engine was akin to a living being, which allowed mana to flow through it. It was weaker than the mana engine by a long shot, but no one really believed it when my machines and those of other forges came to blows. However, while mana engines to me were incredibly well understood, I never truly understood what the bio-engines were, as scans always came up inconclusive. When I looked to my engineers, they seemed to be awaiting my orders, unsure what to do from here. I looked to the engine, then had an epiphany, maybe I was doing this wrong, ¡°I have a plan, head to the break room and rest up.¡± They nodded, and I was soon alone with the machine.


    I spoke to Merlin, ¡°Call in some biologists, tell them their expertise and scanners are needed, they will be paid for their time, of course.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°The call has been sent, do be patient.¡± I went and made myself a snack in the break room and rested, the whole thing was running my mind ragged enough that I nearly broke my proper etiquette. When the biologists arrived, I said, ¡°If you may, can you scan this engine?¡± I got confused looks from the group, I realized I had to explain, ¡°When we scan the engine¡­¡± I scanned the engine with a tool we use for engineering purposes, then motioned to the screen it was to be received on, ¡°We get nothing, so I assumed that, maybe, this may be something living¡­ or pseudo living. So would you scan this engine for us? Maybe it will help us in understanding what this engine is.¡± The biologists seemed to understand now, and they were swift to get working. As they scanned, I observed what was coming in, which was finally something readable.


    That was when I realized part of the machine seemed¡­ off during the scan, something overlapping in one section. I said, ¡°Hm, how odd.¡± They were quick to wrap up the scan and look over my shoulder, one said, ¡°Make the scan move, we¡¯ll set it up to get all of the engine in a constant scan.¡± Under their wish, I did so, and the sudden discrepancy left me mortified. The engine somehow had a pulse, and despite the mech, and engine by default, being off, the heartbeat of this engine remained. I spoke, my entire concept of the bio-engine was destroyed in this one moment, ¡°The engine¡­ is alive.¡± I could tell that Merlin was as confused as I was, since instead of commenting, I could sense his processors were on overdrive as he tried to understand this thing that lay before us. An engineer asked, his eyes on the screen, ¡°What do we do sir?¡± When I looked to both the engineers and biologists, I had to come up with a plan, something to do with this engine. I had a stop gap, but it would work for now, ¡°This engine is top secret, you are not to relay this information to anyone, if we do, you¡¯ll be tried in the highest court for disclosure of classified information, do all of you understand me?¡± Each of them nodded, even the two pilots emerged from their mechs and did a salute, as if to let me know their lips were sealed as well.


    I looked to the mech, Merlin said, ¡°We need to move this to the vault, we cannot let this see the light of day until we truly understand it.¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡± I excused the engineers and biologists, then organized a means to hide this mech and move it to my former forge to be locked away and studied under Merlin¡¯s dedicated eyes. When I went to my room for the night to clean myself off, after seeing the mech off, I stood in the shower as the water ran down my body, wiping the sweat, grime, and fuel from wherever it managed to stick. I asked, to no one in particular, ¡°What the hell were we doing that we never considered just what we were making? What went in to those engines¡­ did we even make them?¡± I never knew where the bio-engines came from, I never learned how they were made or where they were procured from, and now I was stuck needing answers that I could no longer get. For the time being, I needed to figure this out and progress with the domain¡¯s growth. I made one comment, I couldn¡¯t hold off anymore, ¡°I have to make Lily a mech, no more stalling.¡±


    ~~~


    Two years flew by like it was nothing, my head was basically shoved into progressing the defenses I sought to be brought up before I became an adult, and I was finally able to have enough personal forces that dad could send all his men back home, both in mech and space ship capacities. However, today was special, enough to the point that I even invited David to attend it¡¯s reveal, since I never actually explained to the public what it was. To the public, this was some incredibly tall tower with an unknown use, but I planned to reveal to the universe that this was going to be a major hub for all things mech and battlecraft. Dad entered the room with David, who was quick to be surprised at the fact that Edward was putting me in some rather fancy clothes, ¡°Woah, this is a rare sight, just what in the world are you doing son?¡± David asked, ¡°This is rare? How so?¡± Dad replied, ¡°He never wears fancy clothes, it¡¯s just as rare for him to have Edward dress him.¡±


    I smiled, ¡°I told you; it¡¯s going to be big, and it¡¯s a secret. Though, I¡¯m certain both of you might know what I haven¡¯t explained about yet.¡± Both of them looked at each other for a moment before turning back to me, both saying as if this was planned, ¡°That tower reaching into space?¡± Before I could reply, Ruby spoke up, ¡°He¡¯s made something incredible, and I know what that tower really is.¡± When she stepped out from the door to my room, I noticed the ruby dress she wore, one that matched her eyes and hair perfectly. Dad was quick to say, ¡°Well, now you have me even more curious, that tower is massive.¡± Ruby shrugged, ¡°I won¡¯t tell, I want to see how you react to it when he broadcasts it to the domain.¡± She smiled at me, ¡°See you at the announcement little bro, good luck!¡± She left the room, dad and David began to do the same, dad saying, ¡°I guess that¡¯s our cue, let¡¯s see what my son managed to pull off this time.¡± David replied, ¡°If it¡¯s his usual, then I can tell we won¡¯t expect it.¡±


    Edward finished tidying my clothes up, ¡°All finished sir, are you ready to shock the universe?¡± I nodded, my excitement was only rising, ¡°You bet Edward, you better be ready, because this will change the domain forever.¡± Edward had a smile on his face, ¡°I know it will sir, have you ensured security is well enforced?¡± I replied, ¡°I guarantee that nothing will go wrong, I have ships in space ready for anything, not to mention police and army ready to respond to anything on sight and where large viewings are taking place. I covered every possibility, so no worries there.¡± After one last look over of my clothes, I made my way for the door, ¡°Well, the one who organized the event can¡¯t show up late, let¡¯s get going Edward.¡± Edward replied, ¡°Understood sir, your ride is waiting.¡± My announcement would change the universe, that fact would be true, and stage one of my long-standing grand project would wrap up today. For the sake of the future, this had to go perfectly.


    ~~~


    I stood to the side of the stage I had set up, now that I was here in front of so many people, not to mention I was being broadcasted to everywhere in the Flameheart domain, it was likely the most nerve-wracking thing I¡¯ve experienced in both lives so far. With everything set up, I made my way onto the stage, cameras flashed as I took my place on the podium. After ensuring the mic was on, I took a breath and spoke, ¡°Thank you all for coming today, and for those of you at home, thank you for tuning in. Because today I¡¯ll be unveiling what the structure behind me is.¡± I gave time for the camera crews to shift their cameras up the elevator for a moment before continuing, ¡°This project has been seven years in the making, one so life changing that all the construction crews involved were excited to begin working since the first day, and I know for a fact that the crews are currently watching from within the structure with their families, since I want to do something with them when this announcement wraps up.¡±


    With a smile on my face, I began with a statement, ¡°Humans once considered many things impossible, ships soaring through space, medication that allows us to live longer, and at one point, tens of thousands of years ago, humans once considered it impossible to fly. But one thing always made me wonder, why haven¡¯t we built something that could take people out of the planet, but without needing ships? Something to lift us to the stars above without the costs of fuel and ships? Well, I can state here and now, those on this planet won¡¯t have to worry about that ever again.¡± This managed to get some heads to turn, some were chuckling, but one reported had the courage to ask, ¡°Baron Flameheart, what does this statement have to do with the structure behind you?¡± I smiled, ¡°The statement means that humanity has once again made the impossible possible, for the first time in known human history, humanity has constructed the first Space Elevator!¡±


    This seemed to shock some, but others began to laugh, so I sighed and clapped my hands, ¡°I knew this was going to happen, so how about this!¡± I motioned to the reporters, those who had no forewarning about this, ¡°Reporters, why not join me? My family, Count Drakon and his daughter, and myself will take the first trip to the stars via this space elevator, right now. Why explain how it works when I can just show you how it works, yes?¡± Some of the reporters didn¡¯t seem so willing, but many of them were rapidly packing their equipment to be moved into the elevator. I decided to calm them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about safety, we ran tests continuously to ensure the space elevator is safe and functional, I wouldn¡¯t risk my family and friends if I wasn¡¯t sure it was safe.¡± This seemed to ease the uncertain ones, but they were a little slower in packing their equipment, likely out of nerves.


    Once everyone was moved into one of the elevators, along with setting up the equipment to handle the fact their cameras wouldn¡¯t function properly in the elevator without a proper connection to the ground, I made sure everyone was ready and began the trip. I spoke as we rose from the ground, our target being the temporary landing bays, ¡°The space elevator has many elevators, some for just people, some for just item transport, and some that are mixed for both items and people, which is also an emergency troop transport in emergencies. This means, in terms of those who are close by, the space elevator can cut costs and make your trip into orbit faster than using ship to space services.¡± Through the windows that just came up, it was obvious that we were higher than even the skyscrapers, but we haven¡¯t even been going up for five minutes yet. One reporter asked, in stunned silence, ¡°How long will it take to complete a round trip up and down the elevator?¡± I thought for a moment, I know we tested that at least once, ¡°I believe thirty to forty-five minutes, depends on those getting on and off and ensuring the elevator is clear to return down.¡±


    This managed to surprise everyone, including my friends and family, Lily, however, seemed to not understand what this meant since we never really did much transit between planets. She was, not to my surprise, just watching the outside as we rose higher towards the stars. I smiled, my next plan would be visible during its construction phase, ¡°There is more to this construction job, however, it¡¯s as secret a project as the space elevator, though some keen eyes may guess it before it comes to be.¡± This seemed to turn some heads, all I could do was smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make anything that makes life harder, rather, it¡¯s yet another thing that makes life easier for those who reside on the planet I call home, and for those who chose to visit for whichever purpose they have.¡± This seemed to get the attention focused on me as we began to reach the top, a sight to behold before the expansion. I pointed up, ¡°But wait, there¡¯s more at the top.¡± Once the elevator hit the top, everyone present gasped, this section I was pretty proud of.


    I extended my hands, ¡°Look around, above and below, there¡¯s fifty floors of fun, food, play, and even a place to stay! If you want a quick bite to eat before going planet side or going on your journey, there¡¯s plenty of locations to choose from, from simple fast food to five star restaurants! Need a place to lay your head before your journey, or so sick of using the bed in your ship, there are hotels spread throughout the floors, each a little slice of planet life. Want to stick around and enjoy the top of the space elevator? Well, there are all sorts of entertainment locations, including places to drink for those who enjoy a good beverage. Let¡¯s not forget that, from one of the one hundred ports scattered across each of the fifty floors, no ship will go without a port for long, some even have near direct access to the elevator. Also, for the merchants among those watching, there are many ports made for your craft to come port for extended periods, so come on down and set up in one of the vacant locations throughout the elevator! Each able to be rented so you can sell your wares to the people who come and go from this new Flameheart landmark!¡±


    I watched as the reporters recovered from their stunned expressions and began to show the places across the floors, this made me glad that I chose an elevator that came to a more public location to show off the elevator¡¯s main hub just a little bit more. I heard David exclaim, mostly out of shock, ¡°How in the world did you even do this? This place is amazing.¡± I smiled, even my family seemed to look at me with questions, ¡°Well, while I made sure the design, defenses, and technology was supplied, it was those who partook in the construction efforts that made this all become reality. To the construction workers who made this elevator possible, I thank you, because without you, this would never have been possible.¡± I bowed to them, because I knew that those who worked like this deserved the same respect that was given to the one who designed this. When I rose back up, I spoke, ¡°I even made sure that all those who were involved in any step of this beautiful new monument were inscribed on a special mural in the little park on the bottom floor, from my sister Ruby, who managed to pull the strings to get the materials here, to each construction worker who laid the foundation, they are all honored for their time and effort to make this happen!¡±


    I turned back to the reporters, ¡°With that, I want to make one thing clear.¡± I threw my hands open, my voice booming, ¡°As of this moment, the space elevator is hereby open to the public! Come one, come all, as the future has knocked on your door! My only question to you, is will you answer it?¡± It was lacking fanfare, but I could just tell that those at the bottom of the elevator were clapping, and I was just happy that they were excited of what¡¯s to come. I made sure to approach the construction workers, my honesty made clear, ¡°I was serious about the break, go out and enjoy yourselves, you all earned it.¡± After a wave of thanks, I watched as they went out and began to explore the space elevator they worked so hard on. I turned to my family, along with David and Lily, ¡°Well, since this was of my own design, how about I give you the grand tour?¡± Lily screamed with excitement, ¡°Let¡¯s do it! Come on dad, let¡¯s go!¡± I watched as dad and David looked at each other before sighing in unison, but in the end, they gave in and came with me. With this, I knew the domain would likely experience an influx of tourism, and I was lucky that I prepared for it this time.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ~~~


    Sitting with Agnes, I was simultaneously exited yet concerned, ¡°I never even expected this was possible, yet Aurelian had it under construction before my very eyes, my son truly is my pride and joy.¡± I brought a drink from one of the many establishments to my lips, the taste was something I never had before, yet it tasted sublime, ¡°This must be something developed within his domain, its taste is unbelievable.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°Indeed, both this elevator and wine are incredible, but we need to have an honest discussion about this William.¡± I knew what he meant, this elevator won¡¯t be secret for long, especially as merchants spread it through word of mouth. I said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to do now David, he¡¯s done something even I couldn¡¯t expect, and those ships out there aren¡¯t even mine, they¡¯re his.¡± Agnes¡¯ eyes went wide and looked to the window we had out into the vast emptiness of space, one of Aurelian¡¯s new ships was patrolling around the elevator.


    I made mention, ¡°That¡¯s a tier three ship, says the moment we had where space pirates managed to sneak in made him kick some plans forward, he¡¯s even selling his tier two ships to Ruby and me, which we made sure to pay full price for considering his current paranoia.¡± I looked to Agnes, my voice serious, ¡°Something from that day managed to get him into a twist so quickly after he got off the break, when I asked, his staff said they couldn¡¯t say, but the mech itself had enough tells to say they could contend with tier two mechs easily.¡± I could tell Agnes¡¯ nerves were shocked a little, he asked, ¡°What does he plan to do then? Is he at risk?¡± I shrugged, ¡°He says he¡¯s handling the issue, so nothing can sneak by him again. But I also heard he¡¯s making Lady Liliana a mech, one as powerful as his own.¡± Agnes seemed surprised, but he recovered pretty quickly, ¡°Then tell him to bill me, I¡¯ll pay for everything.¡± I replied, ¡°Oh, no, he says he¡¯s going to gift it to her, it¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t asked you to pay for it.¡± I could see Agnes¡¯ face begin to twitch, ¡°I see, so he¡¯s willing to do that, aye?¡±


    I sighed, ¡°I never knew you were such a man to be so¡­ protective of his daughters. Aurelian isn¡¯t a bad kid, you know that, so what¡¯s wrong with him wanting to do this for her?¡± Agnes let out a small, annoyed scream, and said, ¡°It¡¯s just the fact I want to do what makes her happy, but she¡¯s so happy with him, it¡¯s weird and I can¡¯t process it very well!¡± I chuckled, taking another sip of my drink, ¡°Oh, to be young again¡­ though I doubt I could do what Aurelian is doing as if it were the easiest thing in the world, but the vigor he shows is unbelievable.¡± Agnes gazed towards our children, and all I could do was follow, as Ruby walked with Cecilia, Lady Liliana and Aurelian seemed to be having something akin to minor feast as they tried the many types of food this hub had. Agnes said, confused, ¡°Hm, is it me, or does Aurelian seem¡­ conscious of his space with Liliana.¡± I looked to him, confused, but quickly looked back. After getting a decent look, I did notice that, ¡°Hm, I can say I see it, but I can¡¯t really tell why he¡¯s doing that. Is he sick?¡±


    Merlin, to my surprise, spoke, ¡°Sir Aurelian isn¡¯t sick, that I can confirm.¡± Both Agnes and I jumped in our seats, we hadn¡¯t even heard him approach, Agnes asking, ¡°Then why is he doing this? Liliana doesn¡¯t seem to notice at all.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°I cannot confirm, since even Sir Aurelian doesn¡¯t know, but I believe he¡¯s in love.¡± This surprised me, but Merlin asked, ¡°Does Count Drakon know about Aurelian, Sir William?¡± I was still stunned for a moment, but I nodded, ¡°Yes, it was how I convinced him to let Lady Liliana stay.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Good, it makes it easier for me to explain.¡± After checking, which no one was even close enough to eavesdrop, Merlin said, ¡°He¡¯s conflicted, he said he never felt like this before, and I believe you both know the reason why. Isolation is painful, and it makes emotions hard to understand or process, especially since it happened to him at such a young age when it happened.¡± Merlin looked to Aurelian; his eyes seemed more human than some nobles as he watched Aurelian eat with Lady Liliana.


    After a moment, he said, ¡°I can tell you why he seemed so mature at first, because he was forced to become one at such a young age. Even in the world of games, he was essentially alone, and Lady Liliana has been akin to a miracle sent by the gods themselves.¡± He looked back to us, and to my surprise, he bowed, ¡°Thank you for giving Sir Aurelian the second chance he deserved, each aspect of this life has been something he wished for from the bottom of his heart, and I cannot thank you both enough.¡± I was surprised, Merlin, an AI, was thanking us as a human would, it conveyed he was truly more human than I expected. Agnes waved his hand, ¡°No, if anything, I want to thank Aurelian. He¡¯s made my daughter happier than even I expected, and it¡¯s helping her grow into a fine young woman as he leads by example.¡± He made one quick check, then said, ¡°Merlin, you can you accept payment for Liliana¡¯s mech? Even so, he¡¯s making the thing, the least I can do is pay for it.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°I cannot, this mech is a gift for Liliana, it makes the gift less important if you pay for it. I can, however, set up a line for you to purchase tier two mechs and ships if you¡¯d like.¡±


    Agnes sighed as I laughed, I said, ¡°He got you with that one, David.¡± Merlin seemed confused, ¡°David?¡± He looked to Agnes, his eyes seemed to be shifting as he looked Agnes up and down, ¡°I swore this was someone else, are my pro-¡­ I mean, eyes, deceiving me?¡± In that moment, I realize he may know this isn¡¯t someone named David, but the Emperor himself. Merlin¡¯s an AI, that I knew, but I forgot to consider that Merlin would take in as much information about his new situation as possible, including whoever is above Aurelian in terms of rank. I stood up and pulled Merlin close, ¡°Merlin, what are you getting at here?¡± Merlin said, ¡°Based on facial structure, body type, and physical appearance, he has to be-.¡± I shushed him, ¡°Quiet! He¡¯s David Stella Drakon, do you understand me?¡± After a moment, Merlin spoke, ¡°I see, he is David Stella Drakon.¡± He leaned into my ear, ¡°I won¡¯t reveal his identity, I don¡¯t deem this a threat. However, I should warn you both about something later, it could be a matter of security in the Empire.¡±


    When I leaned back, I sighed, he knew, ¡°Fine, we should move to a private room now and discuss this while we¡¯re both here.¡± I looked to Agnes, then said, ¡°Merlin has something he needs to inform us about, it¡¯s important if he says so.¡± Agnes stood up, ¡°I understand, lead the way Merlin.¡± After a bit of walking, he took us to a private room, one that held his own name in reservation. Once he was in, and the door shut, he looked around for a moment to determine if the room was truly safe and turned to Agnes before kneeling, ¡°Your majesty, it¡¯s an honor to be in your presence.¡± Agnes seemed surprised, ¡°Wha-, but how?¡± I waved my hand, ¡°Merlin¡¯s an AI, my son found him on the planet with the ¡°City Killer¡± Behemoth. To be fair, he must¡¯ve managed to cross reference image and video data to confirm you¡¯re the Emperor of Avalon.¡± This seemed to intrigue him, but he must¡¯ve decided to hold off, ¡°I see, while I have questions, I would like to know the nature of this¡­ issue you have.¡± Merlin rose, then said, ¡°It seems some tech from my era has sprung up, and it¡¯s enough to leave even Aurelian confused and rather terrified.¡±


    This sent a chill through my spine, something that made Aurelian react like that would be quite concerning, ¡°Is that why he¡¯s suddenly shifting his production methods?¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Yes, in fact, the mech he retrieved made it obvious enough that someone had supplied those Space Pirates with tech that broke the slump, despite the flaws that came with it.¡± Merlin put shades on the window to prevent anyone from looking in, then projected a screen from his left eye, ¡°The tech is scattered between tier two capabilities to tier four capabilities, if one could make the tier four tech, then we risk a war Avalon may not be able to win.¡± Agnes said, shock written on his face, ¡°But¡­ only Aurelian should know this information¡­ so how is this possible.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°Sir Aurelian was reincarnated, that you know, and I inferred that he was hospitalized due to an unknown illness that eventually claimed his life. The whole time, he played what he inferred as a game called SGO, or Space Guilds Online. He learned all he wanted about the mechs and ships of my era and fell in love with making them.¡±


    He looked at us with his right eye, ¡°So, if he made such a thing possible, that means someone else may have similar knowledge due to their own rebirth. This begs the question of who, where, and why they¡¯re doing this.¡± Agnes clicked his tongue, which was surprising since he never did so before, ¡°So there¡¯s a potential enemy who may be arming Space Pirates with tech we cannot handle at the moment¡­ this truly is concerning.¡± Merlin spoke clearly, ¡°Sir Aurelian knows the process to make mechs and ships from start to finish, many don¡¯t due to the sheer difficulty to do so, which I infer means they cannot make an entire armada of the best ships and mechs because of it. However, Sir Aurelian has decided to become proactive, which is a good move considering the security he needs to uphold.¡± He looked to me, ¡°It¡¯s why he¡¯s preparing you and Lady Ruby before he properly sends it beyond. He¡¯s concerned, and rightfully so.¡±


    Agnes seemed to be in thought, so I asked, ¡°So what do we do? Aurelian alone cannot handle this, even if his factory runs at maximum capacity year-round.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°You¡¯re correct.¡± He turned off the projector, his voice seemed solemn somehow, ¡°Even with a sliver of the factory on his former planet being recovered and restored, we don¡¯t have the means to go higher than tier three ships and tier four mechs, that¡¯s including the price and material sourcing as well.¡± This was concerning, ¡°Does Aurelian know of¡­ this?¡± Merlin shook his head, ¡°No, in fact, he¡¯s got his hands full with the plans he¡¯s establishing for emergency situations. His funds may be going up, but they¡¯re not as fast anymore because of his constant expenditures to ensure the safety of the public. This also comes with underwater evacuation points for those who live near bodies of water.¡± My brow rose, ¡°Why do that Merlin? It seems¡­ strange to do.¡± Merlin said, simply, ¡°It¡¯s due to water pressure.¡±


    He projected a simple video, ¡°When a rocket is fired in space, it doesn¡¯t have to worry about the atmospheric pressure breaking it, not to mention planet side since it¡¯s also made for that. However, when the atmospheric pressure of water comes into play, it¡¯s astronomically more difficult to target something with missiles and gunfire.¡± The video showed a missile crashing into the water, coming to a rapid stop, ¡°This also makes it a good time to state that most missiles cannot function underwater, they weren¡¯t made for it, which makes it a fair place to evacuate people to since it¡¯s better than hoping a bunker buster doesn¡¯t come.¡± I nodded as the projector turned off once more, ¡°I see, how ingenious of him.¡± Agnes finally spoke, ¡°How many ships can you supply the Empire Merlin?¡± Merlin thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Not enough to fill an army, but once Sir William and Lady Ruby¡¯s fleets are updated, I can supply you at least one powerful strike force, two if I have enough resources and have ample time before Sir Aurelian becomes an adult.¡±


    Agnes thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Give me a few days to converse with my council, if I come to an agreement, I¡¯ll write up a contract with you to ensure the Empire can have that strike force, maybe even the second.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood, let me send you some special rules we have in place.¡± After a moment, Agnes¡¯ pad pinged, which was quite surprising considering he hadn¡¯t approve it yet. Agnes seemed surprised, ¡°If we give you the materials, it¡¯ll cut the cost down by a ton!¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Due to material sourcing no longer being a factor, it means price will also dwindle as we don¡¯t have to spend time and resources procuring them.¡± After a moment, Agnes asked, ¡°Can we make tier three ships?¡± Merlin thought for a moment, then spoke, ¡°Sir Aurelian, a question.¡± After a moment of pause, he spoke again, ¡°An inquiry on the possibility of making tier three ships has come to me, should we do so if the individual is of high importance?¡±


    Another moment of silence came and went, Merlin spoke once more, ¡°Understood, thank you sir.¡± Merlin focused on us once more, ¡°Good news, he has given clearance to do so, though it may be slower, thus losing the chance for a second strike force for the sake of a stronger strike force. Though, you have amazing luck, since you¡¯re the Emperor, I have been given the green light to approve this deal.¡± He turned to me, ¡°Also, he¡¯s also given the same opportunity to you and Lady Ruby, Sir William. If this is the case, he can make it so and do as he wishes with the tier twos being produced or already produced.¡± I asked, curious, ¡°What is Ruby doing about this?¡± Merlin stated, ¡°Lady Ruby seems to be focusing on tier twos at the moment, which means her order will be finished faster if you choose to forge tier threes instead.¡± I thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Let me receive tier threes, I have many planets with people who I swore to protect, so I want to ensure their safety over any cost.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood, I will begin shifting prices and the order as specified.¡±


    Agnes sighed, ¡°This is ridiculous, I never expected I¡¯d be considering the pros and cons of purchasing a strike force from a child.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°I never expected I¡¯d see my master and creator again after he died all those eras ago, yet here I am, working to avert a potential crisis with him once more. Life is truly strange, but it¡¯s up to you how you wish to perceive it.¡± Merlin sat down, likely to conserve processing power as he shifted orders around, ¡°So, will you be a glass half full type of person, or a glass half empty type of person. I¡¯m curious to what will be your view, Agnes Nova Pendragon.¡± Agnes chuckled, ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. Though, I request you do not inform Aurelian of my true identity, I wish for him and Liliana to remain as close as they are without the title of royalty splitting them up.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°I will do just that, it serves my ends of seeing him happy anyway.¡± I took the last sip from my glass, my mind swirling with the issues at hand, ¡°We have quite the plate to eat through, so let¡¯s make sure we don¡¯t choke on it.¡±


    ~~~


    After one year since the unveiling of the Space Elevator, I stood in shock as I observed an order for ships that just came in¡­ from the Emperor of the Avalon Empire himself. The note that came with is stated, ¡°I see great potential in you, show me what you can do, Barron Aurelian Stella Flameheart.¡± The thought of my first order being from the Emperor himself was enough to scare me worse than the space pirates when they attacked my domain, mostly as my reputation would be on the line with this order. I said, ¡°Merlin, make sure these ships are done perfectly, this could make or break my future as a mech and ship creator.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood sir.¡± When I read the invoice, I also realized that, much like dad and Ruby, he requested tier three mechs with the mana core add on, he even sent me double his order of mana cores stating, ¡°We have far to many for scientific purposes, use these as you wish to develop your mechs freely.¡± I felt a headache coming on, mostly as I was now processing everything I had on my list before this order came in.


    I spoke, my struggles weren¡¯t done yet, ¡°How¡¯re the bunkers going Merlin?¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Swiftly, they should be done head of schedule.¡± I followed it up with, ¡°The flak guns I designed?¡± Merlin replied as swift as the first time, ¡°Being built and installed within the Space Elevator, and much like the guns within the Space Elevator, they¡¯re also being installed in secret locations within public places to ensure some semblance of public defense in emergency situations. Also, don¡¯t worry about your new fleet, each fleet is functional and working at peak efficiency for both planets, even the patrol fleets are keeping the new trade routes safe.¡± I rubbed my temple, the headache was subsiding, but it didn¡¯t do much to relieve the pain in my brain as I ran on overdrive, ¡°How many other locations are we near to restoring on the forge world?¡± Merlin processed for a moment and said, ¡°Another factory location has been identified, it seems to be a forge and factory mix, so we can begin refining metals on planet before moving them to the factories for construction. However, I believe cryostasis locations may be on planet.¡±


    I was confused, I never made such things, mostly as it made no sense to me, ¡°Are you saying some people may have built cryostasis pods to last until now?¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Indeed, though I¡¯m not sure due to my memories after your death being locked away, so I cannot confirm nor deny that.¡± I nodded, ¡°Then keep me updated on that, if we have people from that era to help us, then we¡¯ll be a major step ahead of others.¡± The paperwork was growing, trade agreements and Elevator usage was skyrocketing, which meant tourism was shooting up in response to the new landmark. Nobles from all over were slowly gaining interest in my domain, which means I¡¯ll soon be able to colonize a new planet¡­ once I get the forge world stabilized. It¡¯s not currently able to provide for itself if the forges weren¡¯t running, so I wanted to fix that before colonizing yet another world since such a process was vastly more expensive than I expected. I then recalled something I should do, ¡°Merlin, how are the warehouses on the forge world?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Nearly empty, we¡¯ve been going through resources far too fast to make a decent stockpile.¡±


    I decided to cover my bases, ¡°Since not many people know of the forge world, contact Ruby and begin stockpiling resources there. If we can do that, we¡¯ll ensure that if something goes wrong, we¡¯ll be able to respond properly.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°Understood sir, what about the resources coming in from the orders?¡± I mentioned, ¡°The forges and factories have the space for that, use those and have some other warehouses filled up last just in case we have overflow.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°I understand sir, right away sir.¡± I looked to the pile of daily paperwork that amassed, lucky that it wasn¡¯t quadruple this height due to Merlin¡¯s processing method, ¡°At least I can do proper work in this regard though, makes my life easier overall.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Indeed, some paperwork is easier to work with when doing it like this, even the ones who make the paperwork you sign prefer it this way too, since it lessens their load as well.¡± After working in silence for a moment, ensuring the paperwork was correct, I asked, ¡°Oh, how about the mech I made Lily? How¡¯s it coming along?¡±


    Merlin thought for a moment, then said, ¡°It seems like it¡¯ll be done soon, it¡¯ll be brought with your personal mech since it¡¯ll be done soon as well.¡± I smiled, two mechs of my highest current capabilities, each made to suit the pilot to the extreme, it made drool a little just thinking about looking at them. But I quickly recovered, ¡°To be honest, this isn¡¯t what I expected noble life to be like.¡± I could tell Merlin was looking towards me, curiosity of my world likely held him in, ¡°We always see these people at the top, able to do anything and not need to do anything either. All the power, and it usually ended up with people hating them because they abuse it. But here, I can tell the Avalon Empire truly does care about the people under its protection, it may not be the same elsewhere, but I¡¯m glad I ended up in Avalon over any other stellar empire.¡± Merlin smiled as well, ¡°I agree sir, it truly brought out the best in you that I knew was buried deep within that fa?ade you put up all those eras ago.¡±


    Within me, I felt a feeling tell me to ask more, ¡°Merlin¡­ was all the time I spent in the game¡­ real?¡± He looked to me, fully focused this time, ¡°What do you mean sir?¡± I put my paperwork down, realization striking me, ¡°Did I¡­ did we players send innocent people to their deaths for the sake of our own egos? Did I¡­ command real people to give up their lives?¡± I could tell Merlin already knew what I was getting at, ¡°I know why you ask now¡­ but yes, every life, including the ¡°players¡±, were real people. When you died, what you refer to as you ¡°avatar¡±, died as well.¡± I felt my heart begin to hurt, how many did I alone send to their deaths thinking this world, no, universe was just ones and zeros? How many people did we ¡°players¡± kill for the sake of their own egos? Merlin, however, placed his hand on my shoulder, ¡°Despite everything, your people were willing to follow you to the ends of the universe, because you were what they aspired to be like.¡±


    He knelt down, turned my chair towards him, and kept my eyes on him, ¡°You were their guiding light, someone who managed to break down thousands of years of bad blood between races and let them all live in harmony. Every battle you engaged in was purely defensive, never for the sake of your greed, because you already had what you wanted. Everyone, including those from the Round, trusted you immensely. In the end, people were charging into the final battle shouting ¡°In memory of the Forge Master!¡± in your name. You made an impact, to each and every soul you touched, they wanted to fight for your sake, for the one who would¡¯ve done anything to reach the end with everyone.¡± What was going to be tears of sadness ended up becoming tears of joy, my heart just couldn¡¯t take it, ¡°Thank you, Merlin, this makes me feel better.¡± Even though they ended up losing it all, I at least knew they remembered me and fought on in my memory. Maybe my first life wasn¡¯t as useless as I thought, I gave people hope of a tomorrow, and that was enough for me. I said, after I wiped my tears with a renewed vigor, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to work Merlin, I won¡¯t let their fate befall the universe again.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°Right on sir.¡±


    ~~~


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, pretend the mech is an extension of your person, it¡¯ll be hard now, but you¡¯ll be rewarded for it when you master using it without assist features!¡± I said, piloting my own mech as I watched the green and yellow shaded mech struggle to walk. Lily said, in annoyance, ¡°Why do I have to do this without them!? This is hard!¡± I smiled, ¡°Trust me, this will make overall performance work wonders. Assist features may be good, but they dull your senses within the mech, so I want you to do it without it and be used to it.¡± I watched as the ears on the mech moved in accordance with what she did, mostly as it was meant to help her in combat, but they were movable to prevent damage. I made her mech resemble an elf, mostly as I understood they used to use rapiers as she did, so I drew up a mech that would¡­ eventually make her better in combat. For now, I had to catch her yet again to ensure she didn¡¯t fall over and hurt herself, ¡°You¡¯re getting the hang of it, keep going Lily, this pace is amazing!¡±


    Lily¡¯s face, one with tears streaming down it, appeared on my monitor, ¡°Really? Am I doing good?¡± I nodded, ¡°You are, trust me, I fell a lot too, but you managed to get further ahead of me after the same amount of time in your mech. Believe in yourself, you can do it.¡± Lily managed to get serious, wipe her tears and say, ¡°Let me do it again, I can do it.¡± I sat her up, then stepped back as she began training again. I muted myself, my eyes looking up the space elevator, the orbital ring had begin construction just after my chat with Merlin, and it¡¯s been a year since then. Cusping thirty-four, I had a lot to consider, especially with the fact I was going through puberty for a second time. Each year, I noticed how beautiful Lily was, and each year, this strange feeling within me continued to grow stronger.


    I put my hands to my face, struggling to figure out why I thought her expressions there were the cutest thing ever, ¡°Something has to be wrong with me, I¡¯ve never thought of anyone like this before, so why can¡¯t I stop?¡± Merlin, with a smug smile on the screen, said, ¡°Sir, I have reason to believe you¡¯re in love with Lady Lily.¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, no way, I know what love feels like, I feel it for mom and dad, this isn¡¯t what I feel with Lily!¡± It was strange, I wasn¡¯t sure why I was responding like this to Merlin, he was just stating what he believes to be true. Merlin spoke, ¡°Every time you see her, you always notice her beauty. You laugh with her on almost everything that contains humor. You always help her whenever she asks, even if you need to finish work yourself. You can¡¯t seem to turn your eyes away from her as your heart beats faster just by standing next to her.¡±


    He spoke, clearly to my ears, ¡°You can deny it all you want, but you¡¯re in love with her. Love for someone like this isn¡¯t like familial love, you can see something with her in the future, and you¡¯d love for her to be with you until you¡¯re both old and gray.¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not wrong to love someone, but in the end, you need to make the choice on what to do with these feelings.¡± Lily said, ¡°Aurelian, look, I¡¯m doing it!¡± When I unmuted myself and looked to her, I realized she was walking better than I ever seen at this stage. I said, in sheer happiness, ¡°That¡¯s amazing! I swear, you¡¯re a prodigy!¡± I felt my heart soar because of her success, and in that moment, what Merlin said clicked in my head. Her success and failures were like my own, and I felt everything she did when it came to her day¡­ I know now, I like¡­ no, love Lily.


    I felt my cheeks flush with heat as I properly realized it, quickly pushing it down since I wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about me. Though, seeing her smile, it was enough for me to be her friend for now. I said, after muting myself again, ¡°Merlin, don¡¯t tell her¡­ I want to do this myself.¡± Merlin had a calm smile, almost like a father to their child, ¡°I won¡¯t tell her, this isn¡¯t a plan I can help with aside looking up places to eat or gifts for her.¡± I chuckled a little, ¡°Never knew you could crack a joke like that.¡± Merlin shrugged, ¡°I had plenty of time to consider if I could make jokes, now, she¡¯s waiting for you.¡± When I looked back, I realized she was talking about her success. I began talking with her about her future and how bright it seemed by her talent, even then, she was like color on a blank canvas. She gave the stale, gray world color, and I loved every day I spent with her.

 Chapter Nine: The Calm Before the Storm

    ¡°Forty years old¡­ never thought I¡¯d see the day I reached the age of a middle aged man from Earth.¡± I said, sipping on a tea that came from recent trade agreements with other nobles. This particular leaf was one from one Viscount Lancaster, and it was better than some of the leaves from the capital that I bought to taste, which made me a rapid fan of it. Merlin replied, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you held out no hope of reaching this age sir, most kids in your situation would at least have a sliver of hope.¡± I chuckled, taking yet another sip before I began to check on some of the construction projects ongoing, ¡°Merlin, when you get to name the thing that¡¯s killing you, you don¡¯t expect to recover from it.¡± Merlin paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I understand sir, your reasoning makes more sense now.¡± When I checked a recent, fast moving project, Merlin was quick to ask, ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea sir? While having a bunker for non-combatants within the mansion is paramount, is letting in others a smart idea?¡±


    I understood his fears, someone my try to kill my staff, but that wasn¡¯t the point, ¡°A noble¡¯s home should be safe refuge for those in a trying time. I won¡¯t sit by and let so much potential space go to waste, it¡¯s not in my creed.¡± I also armed my home and the soon to be functional bunker to the teeth. The walls the ceilings have enough firepower to combat a small army, not to mention the bunkers for the civilians being constructed in major areas. I made mention, ¡°Merlin, is this including the blood test measure I implemented?¡± The blood test was simple, one would put their finger down under the guise of it being a fingerprint reader, only for a small, undetectable needle to draw blood to for a swift blood test. This ensures anyone trying to play off another fails to do so, since the blood needs to be fresh to function. Merlin replied, ¡°Indeed sir, we made sure to implement this properly, along with the weapons and explosives detector.¡± I nodded, ¡°Good, all¡¯s well on the shelter front.¡±


    I turned my attention to the orbital ring, which actually became a spectacle to everyone once someone figured it out. Well, it was easy to figure out since I decided to reward that someone for the guess, but it was basically a way to see if anyone had a clue. I sighed, ¡°Delayed again? I swear, something must be wrong.¡± Merlin spoke after a moment of silence, ¡°I believe it¡¯s more of a technological issue. We passed a few steps, so making the will suffer a little due to a lack of proper ship technology, though it should still be done before you reach adulthood sir.¡± I sighed, ¡°Calculate the time it should be if delays continue, then tell me outright so I can properly plan around it.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood.¡± I checked the forge world, while we have managed to expand the size of the overall city, we haven¡¯t yet found other parts to the factory at large. It¡¯s a shame, but it¡¯s all we can do to just keep building. I whistled, ¡°Woah, it¡¯s self-sustainable now? That means we can finally look into colonization!¡± I felt a smile cross my face, not very often when such a moment hit that I could do it so easily.


    Merlin spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll begin searching for a planet to terraform, on other news, it seems Lady Liliana is coming our way.¡± I felt a sudden desire to freshen up a little before she got here, then realized I was being too focused on my feelings, ¡°Curse the hormones of teenagers.¡± Merlin chuckled, ¡°You never experienced them properly the first time, so you can¡¯t claim you felt them like this.¡± I sighed, ¡°You¡¯re too good with quips Merlin.¡± The doors to my office flew open, Lily had matured faster than I did, and I couldn¡¯t help but continue to fall in love with her beauty, ¡°Aurelian, come and spar with me with our mechs!¡± Despite her wearing something suited for mech combat, it only made her seem like a cool beauty, and her child like attitude had slowly shifted into one akin to how I used to act mature. But now, as we both began to reach the steps of adulthood, both of us began to properly mature in both body and personality.


    I threw off my work clothes, revealing the fact it was merely akin to an attachment, as I was already prepared for this, ¡°Then I won¡¯t hold back today, show me what you learned then, Lily!¡± Though, as our childishness has slowly left us, competitiveness had replaced it. We raced down the hall, our hearts pumping us full of adrenaline as our mechs were prepared for our spar. Our skills over the years had improved, and the only ones aside the commanders who could even stand up to us in combat was ourselves, which made the time we spared the most competitive part of our day. As we got situated within our mechs, Lily said, ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you today Aurelian, so don¡¯t hold back!¡± I chuckled, my excitement was palpable, ¡°Oh, you think so? Well, don¡¯t get your hopes up, because I know everything about you and your mech, you aren¡¯t beating me today!¡± Merlin, as if sensing the damage we could cause, said, ¡°Do head to the sparing grounds, I don¡¯t wish for a fight to break out in the mech bay.¡±


    Lily said, ¡°Ok Merlin!¡± I remembered Lily met Merlin when I passed out when I met mom for the first time since the accident, but I never knew she met with him more than once for any reason. As she walked ahead, I asked, ¡°When did you two chat Merlin? I never knew you two spoke like this.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Lady Liliana and I meet every so often, usually when she lacks any ideas for the day, but that¡¯s usually few and far between. I sometimes supervise her training when Lady Elen cannot do so for one reason or another though, so I guess we have an amicable relationship.¡± I smiled, ¡°Good, you could do well with some friends Merlin.¡± Merlin seemed confused, ¡°I could? Hm, maybe I should look into that.¡± Once we were equally apart in the arena, Merlin said, ¡°Are the two of you ready?¡± I nodded, and Lily did the same, Merlin continued, ¡°Good, then swords ready!¡± We drew our blades, mine was a decent sword while Lily¡¯s was a rapier, Merlin finished, ¡°Begin!¡± Lily and I charged, today¡¯s theme was constant combat which wouldn¡¯t cease until one gave up or our mech couldn¡¯t move. I could handle the repairs, so this was the best time we had to up our limits.


    ~~~


    I looked to Agnes, his eyes locked to the sparing match of our children, ¡°I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re this good¡­ but it¡¯s as Aurelian said, ¡°As iron sharpens iron, man sharpens man¡±. People from his world were so wise.¡± Agnes nodded, ¡°That I can agree to, even though they were primitive in our eyes, they could still commit some powerful warfare while seeking the light of peace.¡± With my eyes, I tracked the strikes between the two, swift overhead from Aurelian was knocked off course by a strike from Lady Liliana. Aurelian managed to connect a hit afterwards by using her brief relief from diverting that strike to redirect his blade into her leg, it almost seemed like magic that he could redirect a strike like that. Agnes said, ¡°Despite going against a blade that is purely speed focused, Aurelian can keep up with a sword meant more for damage rather than speed. These tier four units¡­ they¡¯re unbelievable.¡± After a moment, he sighed, ¡°I wish I could order one, but the price¡­ I¡¯d get an earful from my darling wife and the prime minister.¡± I chuckled, ¡°I know, but maybe they¡¯d understand it if they saw what we get to see every day.¡±


    I watched as Lady Liliana coated her blade in wind, something she managed to commit to once she understood the flow of mana in her mech, to which Aurelian responded by coating his blade in fire. The strikes that emanated from their clashes shook the windows of the viewing room we were watching from, yet the two seemed to be hard focused on their spar. I knew why they did this like so, but it made me worried for the two. Agnes seemed to read my mind, because he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be worried, I know now that Aurelian loves Liliana, I doubt he¡¯d let any harm come to her from him. Liliana, though, cares for Aurelian far to much to hurt him either, they¡¯ll come out of this with bruises and scrapes at best.¡± At the mention of love, I knew I had to look that future in the eyes soon, he needed to find a spouse, and I didn¡¯t want to force him into a loveless marriage. I asked Agnes, my voice serious, ¡°Agnes, what do you say we consider engaging Aurelian to Liliana? Both of them¡­ they match with each other more than just the emotional level, they bring each other up with them, almost like they have triple, no, quadruple the effectiveness than when they work alone. I doubt I could see them choosing anyone else.¡±


    Agnes¡¯ eyes didn¡¯t seem angry with it, despite his fatherly instincts with Lady Liliana, they seemed to take a calm look as he watched the sparing match, ¡°If you told me this a decade ago, I might have responded differently¡­ but seeing them interact as I have for so long, I can see they make each other whole, even if they don¡¯t know it.¡± Merlin spoke, once again sneaking up on the both of us despite his form being machine, ¡°I can agree with that whole heartedly.¡± After the moment of shock from both of us, I asked, ¡°How do you always manage to sneak up on us? You¡¯re using a machine to seem human, but we never sense you coming.¡± Merlin shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself, maybe my joints are well oiled.¡± Merlin took to a free chair, his eyes laid upon the sparing match that had sped up, different mana types were flaring in sparing match with mechs, Agnes saying, ¡°Never in my life did I expect to see magic flying from mechs like this, it really shows the changes Aurelian can bring.¡± Merlin spoke, surprising both of us, ¡°This was a rather common sight, back in my era with the Forge Master.¡±


    Agnes and I looked to each other, curiosity taking hold of us. As I turned to face him, Agnes said, ¡°Do tell Merlin, what was once your normal?¡± Merlin smiled, not a false one that seemed to be his work smile, but a smile that somehow made him seem more human than AI, ¡°The Forge Master was truly a fantastic man, one who was making mechs since before I was ever born into this universe. I watched as he worked, once able to move freely, he slowly became less and less mobile, his illness taking him from the one who could work until the stars covered the planet to someone who had to take breaks every hour to recover their strength¡­ his loss hurt us all, yet it somehow banded the entire era together.¡± He looked up, towards the stars, ¡°He made mechs that made this tier four mech look like child¡¯s play, and all of them had the capacity to spew magic like water crashing down a waterfall. Even though he didn¡¯t know everything that he was doing, he was still caring for everyone under his protection, even if he himself never knew.¡±


    Merlin¡¯s smile remained, ¡°You two should cherish every moment of life, because even now, I cherish every moment I have with Aurelian. His joy is somehow my own, and his sorrows carry to myself as well, he made me human in many ways, and he continues to do so now.¡± Agnes seemed confused by the wording he chose, but I knew, ¡°Wait¡­ is Aurelian¡­¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Indeed, while he may not have known this universe was real at the time, his name had gone down in history as the best creator of mechs and ships in the universe. He was, and technically still is, the Forge Master.¡± I noticed Agnes¡¯ eyes went wide, but I couldn¡¯t blame him, because my eyes went wide as well. Merlin put a finger to his lips, ¡°Now, I don¡¯t need to tell you to keep quiet about this, yes? If someone figures out he knows of mechs from an era long dead, he might be kidnapped.¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my son first and foremost, I wouldn¡¯t let harm come to him like that.¡± Agnes nodded as well, ¡°I¡¯m no fool, he deserves to do as he wishes, and I won¡¯t do anything to change that.¡±


    The sound of metal scraping emanated from the arena, despite the chat lasting ten minutes, the victor raised their sword high, ¡°I take today Lily, nice work though, you really had me on the ropes.¡± Lady Liliana replied, ¡°I¡¯ll beat you soon Aurelian, just you wait!¡± Aurelian replied, clearly excited by the challenge, ¡°I hope you do Lily, because that means you¡¯ve improved.¡± Agnes sat back in his chair, ¡°Engagement¡­ I never really thought of doing so like this¡­¡± Merlin smiled, ¡°Ah, how his first love has grown so. Maybe I can serve his decedents as well, that would be bliss.¡± Agnes and I turned to Merlin, both of us asking in confusion, ¡°He¡¯s never fallen in love!?¡± Merlin shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s been hospitalized for a while, and he saw this universe originally as a game, so it makes sense he hasn¡¯t fallen in love, yes?¡± Both of us remained shocked, but I somehow began to laugh, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this was how he fell in love, never could I have imagined something like this!¡± Agnes, after a moment, began to chuckle as well, ¡°I¡¯m glad I met Aurelian, he¡¯s somehow made my life that much more entertaining.¡± I think all of us could agree that he was a major factor in our lives, and we¡¯d be on entirely different paths without him.


    ~~~


    I sat in my office, paperwork done for the day, but Edward made one of his rarer appearances since he usually took care of dad when he was here. He was once dad¡¯s butler, so I let him serve him to his hearts content, but seeing him come to me was a rare sight, ¡°Edward! Nice to see you, what brings you to my side of the mansion?¡± I chuckled a little at my word choice, but Edward said something I didn¡¯t expect, ¡°Sir¡­ someone send you a rather large¡­ package. It has something akin to a message, but we¡¯re not sure how to access it.¡± I raised a brow, ¡°Did you check it for bombs, poison, everything?¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s safe, but the contents are¡­ confusing.¡± I rose from my chair, ¡°Merlin, with me, make sure Lily doesn¡¯t come to me as a precaution.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll inform Elen at once.¡± I followed Edward, and once we got to the location where the ¡°package¡± was, I realized it filled up an entire warehouse. Merlin took a quick gander at everything, his confusion evident, ¡°Nothing dangerous detected, however, these are all¡­ rare metals.¡±


    This managed to get many warning signals to start firing off in my head, ¡°Check again, including the so called ¡°message¡±.¡± Merlin did as I asked, he replied, ¡°No dangers, yet the contents of this device is truly strange.¡± When I looked over the device, I noticed a particular location for a cable to be plugged into, ¡°An HDMI cable? No one knows what these are¡­ right?¡± Merlin shook his head, ¡°No, they were once used, but it¡¯s a bygone thing. In a way, it would be akin to using a payphone instead of a smartphone of a technologically primitive planet.¡± I nodded as I processed the concept, ¡°Do we even have a cable to do this?¡± Merlin pulled a cable out from his leg, ¡°I had a cable prepared and possible to connect to a certain computer, the spider bots are bringing it now.¡± As if on cue, four spider bots brought something akin to a laptop, Merlin took it, thanked them, and they were on their way. After a bit of setup, I asked, ¡°Is this connected to any systems, it could contain a virus.¡± Merlin shook his head, connecting the device to the laptop, ¡°No, it¡¯s alone in a separate, far outdated system. Now, let¡¯s see who this came from.¡±


    The screen powered on, and before me sat a man who didn¡¯t show himself from the shadow that covered him, ¡°Ah, about time, I didn¡¯t expect it would take nearly a decade to finally meet you. Luckily, I was ready to take this little call when you began the setup.¡± Merlin quickly covered the camera, but the man made no response, maybe the camera wasn¡¯t in use for him. I asked, ¡°Who are you? Why send me all of this?¡± The man waved his hand, ¡°Who I am isn¡¯t important, but who I represent. I represent Providence, a very powerful group that wishes for you to join us, the rewards of such will be greater than you could dream of.¡± After a moment of pause, the man said, ¡°Oh, these rare metals are a gift to you, whether you decide to accept the offer or not.¡± After something appeared on the screen, he said, ¡°Take a readthrough of this, it¡¯ll show the many perks that can come from joining us.¡± I was confused, this wasn¡¯t what I expected from this little message, but I began to read out of curiosity¡­ and I hated every bit of it.


    At first, it had the normal things, wealth, fame, authority, beautiful women, the whole nine yards. But the deeper I went, I noticed they were even allowing me to gain control of neighboring noble territories, treat my people how I wished, which eventually lead to me being promised more power than the Emperor. I moved the file to the side, ¡°Are you being serious about this?¡± The man said, ¡°Of course, we have many people on our side, and not just from Avalon. Your power would be far greater than anything the emperor could dream of, all you need to do is join.¡± I clicked my tongue, ¡°No way, I won¡¯t be doing this, it doesn¡¯t align with anything I wish to do or have.¡± The man replied, stunned, ¡°You won¡¯t? Most people in your position would kill for this chance!¡± I replied back, grabbing the cord connecting the computer to the machine, ¡°That won¡¯t let me reach my desired esthetic, begone.¡± I pulled the cord, the file and the feed disappeared, Merlin said, ¡°I¡¯ve recorded the entire thing, I shall send the file immediately to the Prime Minister and the Emperor through all available channels.¡±


    I closed the laptop, ¡°Check the ¡°gift¡± for tracking devices or magic of the same type, clear it, then move it to the most remote warehouse on planet, I want this nowhere near a civilian population center until we¡¯re sure it¡¯s clear.¡± Edward asked, ¡°And the device sir?¡± I glared at it, ¡°Destroy it completely, I don¡¯t even want scrap metal to remain of it.¡± The device and its connections were likely being purged as we spoke, so I didn¡¯t even bother trying to salvage anything from it. Merlin replied, ¡°I will remain here and investigate the metals, I¡¯ll also ensure this computer is purged properly from any ill effects.¡± I recalled everything mentioned in that letter, and I knew I needed to be swift, ¡°Get dad, Ruby, and David here immediately.¡± This managed to get them confused, but I continued, ¡°We cannot relay this information over regular methods, it may get picked off by someone along the way, bring them to the meeting room Charlie.¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°Understood sir, right away sir.¡± I was lucky Ruby was visiting, this meant we could get to work immediately.


    ~~~


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a secret group that may be trying to usurp power within Avalon? I find the whole concept sheer insanity.¡± Ruby said, her eyes shown just how much she didn¡¯t trust what I expected. I sighed, ¡°Look, at this point, I wouldn¡¯t lie about this, even I find the whole thing strange, but I can at least say they have the means to back up the wealth aspect. Merlin, if you please.¡± Merlin began to project everything before them through a series of holograms within the table, each of them began to go through what Edward, Merlin, and I witnessed in the span of ten to twenty minutes. David¡¯s eyes widened, he asked, ¡°Did you already alert the Emperor?¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve sent word, but since I didn¡¯t want to relay it through regular means, I¡¯ve sent some of the ships already finished to him carrying the information. Hopefully, the worst case scenario doesn¡¯t come, but we need to be ready just in case.¡± Ruby shouted, ¡°Unbelievable! That whole warehouse costs more than the fleets father and I purchased combined!¡±


    Her saying this sent a shiver down my spine, even now, I could tell things weren¡¯t looking good. I said, ¡°Merlin, do whatever you can to fast track the bunkers, guns, and orbital ring. I also need the production of all ship orders to be finished asap so we can work on countermeasures.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll put in emergency work action on those areas.¡± I tapped my foot, my mind rushing, ¡°We may need to deploy anti-spy warfare already, if they could do this, there¡¯s no way they don¡¯t have intel on our facilities.¡± Ruby spoke, ¡°I had done so ages ago, we¡¯ve been handling it in secret.¡± I was confused; she just outed the fact she had begun preventing spies from reaching me for decades. I had to refocus, ¡°Then relay it to counter-intel, we need to put everyone on emergency level four for a while.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Sir, if you do this, it¡¯ll mark we¡¯re under threat to people who may relay the information to the public.¡± I replied, ¡°Just tell them this is a means to ensure we¡¯re on our toes, but we can¡¯t be foolish now that we know this is happening. Life for the average person will continue as normal, but we need the military ready for action at a moments notice.¡±


    Dad stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll take your mother and return to my domain, I have a lot of work to do to ensure we¡¯re ready to receive the new ships and keep an eye out.¡± Ruby rose as well, ¡°I have to agree with father, I have to get back and relay the same to my forces and ensure we don¡¯t have spies among us either.¡± She looked to me, ¡°I¡¯ll handle the relay of information, but once that¡¯s done, they¡¯re back to my domain to ensure we¡¯re ready for anything. Let¡¯s just hope this is merely a scare.¡± I watched as David began contemplating everything, the worry in everyone¡¯s eyes were beyond what I expected, ¡°Yeah¡­ let¡¯s just hope this is nothing.¡± As we dispersed, Lily was quick to pull me along to something she wanted to try out with me, and it eased my worries a little. If it was for her, for the one I knew I loved more than anything in the universe, I would do anything to see her smile at the end of the day.


    ~~~


    I stood in a section of the orbital ring, one hidden from the active construction personnel that were expanding the civilian sectors, overlooking a lot of drone craft. My military commander said, ¡°In all honesty my lord, this seems¡­ foolish.¡± I shook my head, ¡°It¡¯s actually the opposite, mechs can only fly so fast, but these can go far faster than any enemy can lock onto.¡± The commander shook his head, ¡°No, not that, I understand the speed thing.¡± He looked to the missiles these were to be loaded with, ¡°These are all ship destroyer missiles, why not use these to combat mechs?¡± I realized that was the issue, not the fact I made autonomous drones and shoved them into sectors of the orbital ring. I said, ¡°Commander, I consider this preparation for a special operation only disclosed to you.¡± I looked to him, his eyes clearly showing his focus, ¡°We¡¯re likely going to be a target for a very powerful group that seems to wish to take power from the Emperor, and very few people know this.¡± I pulled him close, ¡°Disclose this to anyone, and I¡¯ll have to find a new commander, understood?¡± The commander, after I released him, knelt to me, ¡°I would never consider betraying you my lord, you managed to give my family hope, and I won¡¯t let that hope go to waste.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Then get up, I need to explain the operation, and I¡¯d rather not look down on you as I do.¡± Once he stood up, I stated, ¡°This is Operation Hammer Down, these anti-ship UAVs will launch after being armed and fly out to target enemy ships when the situation turns disastrous. They¡¯ll take one payload and attack a ship with it, the way these are run is to prevent course disruptions by firing it manually.¡± I snapped my fingers for a minute, then said, ¡°It¡¯s like a gun, once you fire it, it goes on the course you shot it on, that¡¯s what these are meant to be. They don¡¯t get distracted by flares or chaff, so unless the ships can warp, they won¡¯t be able to dodge. They¡¯ll target the command deck first, then disable the ship further before returning to rearm and launch once more to repeat the process.¡± The commander asked, ¡°And if Operation Hammer Down fails?¡± I look to him, ¡°That means the enemy is far stronger than we are¡­ it means we fail and need to take as minimal loses as possible. Of course, I made sure I armed everything I could with the best equipment at my disposal to create, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll win.¡±


    On the battlefield, better tech doesn¡¯t always mean victory, rather it¡¯s the experience and intel one has at their disposal to combat the enemy. The worst part about our current potential enemy is that we have no idea how many they have, nor their true combat strength. Knowing I had to resort to this so early makes me nervous, it means I was running off contingencies I was ill-prepared to manage, and for once, I was on the defensive end of the deal. Very rarely did I ever fight, I was too sickly to do major movements, which meant VR combat was nigh impossible unless I was drugged to a state of near delirium. Back then, though, I had the Round to back me up, to defend me while I fought in my own way. Now, now I had to figure out how I was going to ensure the people of my domain survived a potential attack from an unknown enemy.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The commander asked, ¡°What are the chances we win against them?¡± I could tell he was nervous, but I couldn¡¯t determine their combat strength, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s very unlikely, since they more likely than not have a stream of information coming from us.¡± The commander¡¯s eyes went stern, ¡°Then when they come, I¡¯m not afraid to lay down my life for my people, that I swear.¡± I looked to the stars outside the bay, mostly as we haven¡¯t installed the doors just yet, ¡°Our goal is to ensure as many survive, even if we have to sacrifice ourselves to do it, understood?¡± The commander nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll follow your commands sir, I¡¯m sure the soldiers will understand.¡± I said, ¡°If it comes to it, ensure the older soldiers understand that the younger generation needs to live. While experience is needed, the young have more of their lives to live, and I don¡¯t want to cut them short.¡± The commander nodded, ¡°I understand, my lord.¡± As I gazed unto the stars, I wished with my entire being that I didn¡¯t have to make that call¡­ but only time would tell if that would come to pass.


    ~~~


    Left, right, uppercut, while martial arts wasn¡¯t my strong suit, I knew I had to eventually learn some hand to hand combat, so I was learning a mix of different styles to ensure I had some variety in my defensive measures. The sound of the punching bag shot through the gym room, which was more like a fully functional gym for not only myself, but for the staff who resided within the mansion. Though, for some reason, it was empty, when it was normally in use at nearly every hour of the day due to shift changes. While I do find it strange, I just kept throwing punches at the bag, knowing full well I needed to at least master some of the basics before the attack window comes¡­ which I¡¯m not so sure of when it¡¯s going to happen. Some feeling has been building up within me, that the attack is no longer a matter of if, but when. Maybe¡­ maybe it''s fear that¡¯s beginning to dwell within me¡­ because I¡¯m no longer as safe as I believed I was.


    I¡¯m no longer behind that screen that protects me from this world, there¡¯s no restart for me this time, this is it, and I fear I may never get the chance to live to the fullest. Can I protect mom and dad? Ruby? Can I¡­ can I actually protect Lily? After a hit that hurt a little more than I expected, I pulled my fist back and realized¡­ I was shaking. It felt like there was so much going on, yet nothing was going on at all¡­ I was alone in wondering how I was going to get through this. Was Providence run by reincarnates? If they have the tech I believe they could have, how many people could I feasibly save? How many of the older generation would have to be sacrificed to save the younger generation if it came down to it? These people were alive, and I didn¡¯t have the mental fortitude to send people to their deaths, even if it meant I could save so many more. This world wasn¡¯t a game, nor could I see it as such, each person had a life, and I didn¡¯t want to snuff it for the sake of my own desires.


    I threw myself back into punching the bag, the sounds louder as the pain slowly build up with each strike I landed on the bag. Strategies, possibilities, how to protect those I hold dear, every thought that entered could no longer be held back as I began throwing my whole body into the punches, the full force of my being put into each punch. Eventually, the bag gave out before the chain as my fist slammed into the bag, the contents spilling out onto the floor as dust flew up into my face. I pulled my fist out of the bag, my voice agonized as I nearly shouted, ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do?!¡± Before I could do any more harm to myself or surroundings, I felt hands pull me to their chest, a soothing voice saying, ¡°It¡¯s ok Aurelian, I¡¯m here.¡± Mom and dad were gone, but I already knew who pulled me into her embrace. I just began to cry, everything building up within me spilled out like a dam, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do Lily¡­ there¡¯s so much, but I can¡¯t figure out how to keep everyone safe.¡± I felt one of her hands rub the back of my head, ¡°It¡¯ll be ok, for now, just let your mind rest, I¡¯ll be right here.¡±


    Somehow, I could only be this vulnerable around her, as if she was the only one who I wanted to show everything that made me myself, and this only made me love her even more as I cried into her arms. For once, it felt like my stress was leaving me, all thanks to her. After I cried as much as I needed, I asked, ¡°How did you know to come here?¡± She smiled, ¡°Well, I wish I could say intuition led me here, but Merlin told me you were ¡°going off the mental deep end¡±, whatever that means. But I couldn¡¯t ignore it, so thank him if you want anyone to thank.¡± I chuckled, ¡°Well, I can still thank you, you¡¯re the only one who could calm me down like this.¡± Lily chuckled as well, ¡°I never knew I had that effect, but I guess I¡¯ve known you long enough to know you like to hide things more often than not. I won¡¯t let you suffer alone Aurelian, that¡¯s what friends do.¡± Seeing her like this only made me realize how much she¡¯s truly grown, I smiled, ¡°You really have become a fine woman, I¡¯m sure David¡¯s proud of your growth.¡± Lily blushed a little, ¡°I should be comforting you, not you flattering me.¡±


    After a bit of embarrassment, and changing rooms since the punching bag needed to be cleaned up, Lily asked, ¡°So¡­ what seems to be bothering you? You usually don¡¯t let something eat you up like this.¡± I sighed, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to be able to hide it from her, ¡°I fear the domain may come under siege in the near future. Some¡­ powerful and influential people formed a group named ¡°Providence¡±, to which I denied their proposal since they seemed to have nefarious intentions with their group, including undermining the Emperor¡¯s power in some capacity. They have a level of tech that could match or best my own, and I¡¯m not sure if I can defend the domain¡­ I guess I¡¯m just afraid that I¡¯ll fail.¡± Lily, for a moment, seemed to show an intense concern, but quickly laughed, ¡°You¡¯re Aurelian Stella Flameheart, the smartest person I know, you¡¯ll find a way to come out on top, I just know you will.¡± She took my hand in hers, a smile on her face, ¡°Besides, no matter what, I¡¯ll stand by your side, always.¡±


    Her saying that made my heart rush a little, though I don¡¯t know if she feels the same as I do, but I was fine with it¡­ or maybe I wasn¡¯t. I wanted to do things that a couple would, and the future could always change on a dime, and I wanted her to know how I felt. I smiled, cheeks clearly flushed, ¡°Thanks Lily, this really cheered me up, I think I can put my all in without issue now.¡± Lily smiled back, ¡°Good, because I hate seeing you look so down, smile more.¡± I made it my new chance, before we become adults, I wanted to proclaim how I felt to her, that way she could think about it once she went home for her celebration of adulthood. She¡¯s been with me since the beginning of my wider aspirations, and I want her to be with me beyond that. After we split for the night, and I laid in bed, I said, ¡°I really do love her, don¡¯t I?¡± Merlin chuckled, I didn¡¯t even notice he was in the room, ¡°I told you sir, but at least you noticed it now and not later.¡± I felt my face flush with embarrassment again and covered myself with the covers, for now, I needed to do what I could do now, so hesitation wasn¡¯t an option.


    ~~~


    Forty-five years old, many things had come to pass during the years, one of which being the completion of the orbital ring, which we ensured had bunkers installed throughout the ring to ensure safety of the visitors and inhabitants that may take to living within the ring. Its defenses have also been installed properly and hidden within the ring, ensuring no one can determine their locations without us noticing their investigations. The three orders I had finally wrapped themselves up, which put them under double time to ensure I can get a special strike force for overwhelmed forces in combat, the ships being tier four to ensure they can handle their increased risk, but I made sure to make them¡­ trickster units. Essentially, trickster units look like an older model of ship, but they¡¯re actually stronger or a different unit of the same tier entirely. It¡¯s meant to throw off enemy ships only doing recon of the basic level, so we¡¯ll know if anyone tries to do more than that. In terms of the Forge World, we¡¯ve found a structure that we don¡¯t know the purpose of, but it¡¯s been difficult to find entry for several reasons, so that¡¯s been ongoing for a while. Aside that, no foreign ships have gone to the planet, which mana detection has made abundantly clear, so it¡¯s still a secret.


    The final thing was something I needed to discuss with Lily, who I met with after work for the day concluded, ¡°David has sent the time for when you¡¯ll go back home for your coming of age ceremony, along with preparations for your noble training. Though, as David said himself, he¡¯s not sure if we¡¯ll be getting training in the same location. Due to my current noble status as Baron, I doubt I¡¯ll be put with a Count unless they determine my merit to be worthy of such an opportunity.¡± Lily put her hand to her chin, then asked, ¡°But you¡¯ve made leaps and bounds in technology, I mean, you designed and had a hand in making a space elevator and orbital ring for crying out loud, not to mention the first new mechs and ships in thousands of years. Why wouldn¡¯t they put us together?¡± I shrugged, ¡°I may be popular and noteworthy out here, but the Avalon Empire is quite vast, so I doubt the rumor mill has taken me the distance that would matter.¡±


    Lily said, clearly upset, ¡°How?! Merchants come constantly, to the point where I even heard names of nobles near the center of the Empire have begun to show interest!¡± I added, ¡°Likely competition. Nobles, while understanding, wish to gain their own power as well. An easy way to gain power is to ensure others don¡¯t rise through the ranks, that or take their achievements as their own. Since they cannot claim my achievements, since father hasn¡¯t yet chosen an heir to follow in his footsteps and lets us consider our achievements our own, they need to find a way to keep my achievements from getting too deep into the Empire¡¯s rumor mill. Since I haven¡¯t revealed my technological advancements in mechs, ships, and weapons, I¡¯m hoping the sheer technological wonder of the space elevator and orbital ring can carry my merit somewhere.¡± I put my palm to my head, ¡°Though, I¡¯m not so sure if releasing my merit at this time has helped or hindered me, considering the ongoing circumstances.¡±


    Noble society was a strange one, but I could tell based on history that some families were certainly kept down on the totem pole to prevent them from rising in power. Lily, however, asked, ¡°Before we get too deep into conversation, when am I to return home?¡± I thought, making sure I recalled properly, then said, ¡°Three years I believe, it¡¯ll give you time to return home, reacclimate yourself, and get prepared for your coming of age as you¡¯re assessed by David to see your growth.¡± She nodded, ¡°I see, I¡¯ll let Elen and the other members of my staff know.¡± She, after a moment of looking around, stood up and sat next to me before laying her head on my shoulder. I felt ever fiber of my focus shoot to my shoulder as I asked, ¡°Lily! Wh-what are you doing!?¡± She looked to me, seemingly making it cute on purpose, ¡°We have a limited amount of time left, I want to enjoy it with you as much as possible.¡± Either she somehow knew of my feelings for her, or she had some for me, but it left me incredibly confused and flustered.


    I built up enough courage to put my arm around her, ¡°Then let¡¯s enjoy it then, maybe I can find it in me to take a vacation, I¡¯m certain I acquired a modest beachfront property since I never got to go yet.¡± My planet was akin to Earth in many ways, but I was certain it wasn¡¯t Earth in any capacity, but it means there was plenty of beachfront property to invest in. I took to one that was more of a bay like area for the sake of safety, then had a house built there for myself and family. We didn¡¯t have to worry about swimming, since it was a part of our curriculum since there were plenty of planets with large bodies of water. Lily smiled as she snuggled closer to me, though I was unsure as to why, ¡°That would be nice, just me and you, relaxing all day for a while.¡± I lifted my hand and patted her head, ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get us some time to do so, we¡¯ll likely be extremely busy after our coming of age, so we might as well enjoy some time while we can.¡±


    After a bit, I asked, ¡°Do you just want me to dote on you today? You seem more affectionate than usual.¡± Lily smiled, ¡°Maybe I do, I remember back when you doted on me whenever I had a bad day, and maybe I want to see how you do it now.¡± While it was true, it was more me placating her since she wanted to spend time with me when I was busy with some of the recent events. Though, we¡¯re older now, and I¡¯m not so sure how I would ¡°dote¡± on her since we¡¯re older. I said, clearly beaten, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what would count as ¡°doting¡± on you, it was easier when we were younger since it was easy to understand, but I¡¯m not a mind reader. If anything, I feel like you¡¯re doting on me since you¡¯re letting me do this.¡± She smirked, ¡°Maybe this is what I wanted as well, I haven¡¯t felt like I wanted anyone to do this, but you somehow make it feel just right.¡± I twitched a little, not expecting it, ¡°Lily, you should say this to someone you love, not to a friend.¡± But this time, I got no response. I decided to let it slide though, I was fine as we were for the time being, there was plenty of time for me to prepare my heart before confessing to her.


    ~~~


    The two aforementioned years flew by like a dream, we did take a vacation to the beach house, and it was a blissful few weeks. The smell of salt in the air, the waves that made me want to return one day and try to pick up surfing, and the sand between my toes made it an enjoyable first trip to the beach. It was a great change of scenery for the both of us, and it let me unwind enough to put me into a better position mentally to fortify the existing infrastructure to the best of my existing capabilities. However, this morning was actually a surprise, as instead of sleeping until I woke naturally, I felt a heavy weight land on my stomach. After I jettisoned all the air from my body, I quickly realized who landed on me, ¡°Lily¡­ why?¡± Lily shot up, clearly ready for something, ¡°Get ready and meet me outside your room in half an hour, got it?¡± She got up and ran outside the room, leaving me time to contemplate what she was doing as I got ready for the day. However, once I got out the door, I was blindfolded and lifted by someone I assumed was Edward, ¡°What in the world is going on? Should I consider this a kidnapping?¡± Lily said, ¡°Nope! You¡¯re safe!¡± I just decided to go along with it, I mean, why not since Lily was alright with it.


    Around a minute or two passed, then I heard someone say, ¡°Did you have to carry him like that?¡± Edward spoke, ¡°Well, I sort of just did it, but hindsight right?¡± After a bit, he sat me down, and I heard shuffling as things were moved all around me. I tried to predict what was going on, but there was too much movement for me to understand anything occurring around me. Then, my blindfold was ripped off, as mansion staff and Lily shouted, ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± I was surprised, obviously, since we never really celebrated my birthday like this before. I chuckled, ¡°Thank you, seriously, but you didn¡¯t need to do this.¡± Edward said, ¡°Well, since Lady Liliana is about to return home, she wanted to throw one big birthday party for you before she did. We decided to, despite your wishes, support her final wishes.¡± I understood now, and before me sat a cake with a few candles lit up, as well as a glass of what I assumed was juice, since I made it clear I wanted my brain to fully develop before I drank alcohol. With a single breath, I blew out the candles and raised the glass, ¡°Then what are you waiting for, let¡¯s start the party!¡±


    The day was pretty normal, something not too big, but not to small either. If anything, it felt like I was somehow getting a party I never got back on Earth, good food, cake, drinks you enjoyed, and friends to celebrate with. Merlin spoke, his tone seemed to say this was a normal occurrence, ¡°Hm, I thought I could connect with Count Drakon and your father, but it seems the connection is spotty, maybe something is disrupting the connection.¡± While we had communications through mana, I never divulged the information to others, so their connections would be as spotty as usual. For us, since mana was everywhere, somehow even in space, we had a near perfect connection with the forge world every day. I waved my hand, ¡°It¡¯ll clear up, but if you need to, try to boost the signal and see if something¡¯s wrong.¡± Merlin nodded, and the day resumed.


    I managed to get presents somehow, from mom, dad, Ruby, even David had something sent to the mansion. However, as I had requested, I only requested a few things maximum, since I wasn¡¯t a fan of needless gifts. Ruby had sent me things I usually procured from elsewhere, things like the tea leaves I was a fan of being one of the many crates wrapped in wrapping paper. Dad had sent something I¡¯d been eyeing for a while now, a space suit. Since I was to begin doing training, I wanted a space suit that could take a beating while keeping me safe, but I was unsure which suit would work with me best. I even put it on and had Lily punch me, which was funny since I felt nothing and she was shaking her hand in pain. Mom had sent me some mana cores, which she knew I was after, and it was exciting to know I had more cores to work with. David, to my surprise, sent me two blades. One to holster on my belt, and one that seemed to be for a mech¡­ since it couldn¡¯t get inside the building. Both were¡­ unique in several aspects, they were ancient, relics of a time long gone¡­ my time long gone. They were powerful, not to mention in nigh perfect condition, so I made sure to send the sword to my mech for the time being and attached the other one to my belt.


    Lily, jokingly, had a bow on her head saying she was my gift, which surprised me for a moment. But she took it off and slapped it on a box of her own, ¡°Joking, here, this is my gift.¡± When I opened the box, there seemed to be a headband in it along with a lavender scarf. Lily said, ¡°I had a headband and scarf made for us, something meant to be a matching set.¡± She took the headband out, which seemed to carry the gold color of my eyes, and wrapped it around my head. Once it was on, and she took the scarf out and put it on, she said, ¡°In a way, it¡¯ll let me know you¡¯re alive and kicking, see?¡± She imbued a bit of magic into her scarf, which the tip hanging off her shined a golden hue, ¡°So long as you wear the headband, I¡¯ll know you¡¯re alive. So, this is as much a gift for both of us as it is me to you.¡± I felt my face flush with embarrassment, ¡°I¡­ I guess I can do that.¡± Either way, I¡¯d likely wear it a lot since it kept my hair out of my face, not to mention it felt pretty good, so why not enjoy the gift whenever I could, right? Once presents were done, we did a lot of things that seemed to just fly by as I had fun. I decided that today was the day I wanted to ask the one question I wanted to, since we may not have the chance.


    I took her to the balcony, somehow without the staff caring all that much, and said, ¡°Lily¡­ there¡¯s been a question I wanted to ask you for quite some time, but I¡¯ve been pretty afraid to ask it.¡± Lily seemed surprised, she elbowed my side, ¡°Oh, so the might Aurelian is afraid of something?¡± After a moment, I think she noticed how serious I was, since she stopped egging me on. I looked to her, and I felt ready to spill my heart to her, to spill everything that had been building up within me for over a decade now. I opened and closed my mouth, the words not forming, but Lily seemed to notice and took my hand in hers, ¡°Go ahead, what do you want to ask me?¡± My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest, finally, words were finally forming in my mind, ¡°Lily¡­ I-.¡± Before I could do anything, I was cut off by a knight rushing into the room, ¡°A large fleet of unidentified ships approaching! There could be ten thousand ships!¡± I knew we had, at best, nine thousand ships here, however, this let me know my fears weren¡¯t unfounded.


    I shouted, throwing off what I wanted for the sake of public safety and order, ¡°Ensure all civilian craft are pulled into the orbital ring and close the emergency doors! Begin evacuating the orbital ring and prepare the planet for emergency evacuations! Get the fleet ready, I¡¯m heading up there!¡± I heard Edward say, ¡°But sir, if this is true, you can¡¯t fight them yourself!¡± I replied, ¡°If I cower, how will the men who are apart of our military take it!? I need to stand by them, no matter what!¡± I motioned to Lily, ¡°Someone get Lily to the bunker, I have a feeling this is going to go south.¡± Edward seemed to want to say something more, but folded as he moved to Lily, ¡°Lady Liliana, let¡¯s do as Sir Aurelian wishes for now.¡± Lily looked to me, but I could only nod, I wasn¡¯t sure if she could handle the enemy that came for us. I made my way to the space elevator, my mech being prepared in the flagship as I watched some civilians begin making their way preemptively to the bunkers. For now, I had to make it work.


    ~~~


    As I entered the flagship¡¯s command deck, I said, ¡°Merlin, be prominent and arrest those we know have ties to foreign powers or seemed to have taken the place of another. I don¡¯t want anyone getting the drop on us while we fight.¡± Merlin confirmed, ¡°Understood, beginning Operation Round Up.¡± It had been a few days, mostly as space flight took some time, which made me ready for when communications opened to the unknown fleet. As I sat, my communications officer said, ¡°My lord, the unknown fleet is trying to hail us!¡± I sighed, ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this the whole time they approached, why in the world are they doing this now? Open channels.¡± The screen flared to life, and to my surprise, a familiar voice spoke to me, face concealed, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate we had to speak like this again, Baron Flameheart.¡± I kept my face neutral, ¡°You, I thought I told you I denied your little group invite.¡± I pushed a button, one that let Merlin know to send an alert to the Emperor, dad, Ruby, and David that Providence was making a move. The man said, ¡°That you did, however, I come in a more¡­ hostile form this time.¡±


    He extended his hand, his mouth visible as it held a sinister smile, ¡°You are to join under me, or I¡¯ll force you to do so by might. I doubt you could handle the power Providence can dish out to¡­ unruly subjects.¡± Merlin spoke in my ear, ¡°Classification identified, tier three ships confirmed, their flagship seems to be tier four.¡± This set the president that we could fight them, but it seemed to pin the fact that they have the capabilities to make ships stronger than us, but I doubt they understood the weaknesses like I did. I whispered, ¡°Mark their weaknesses, we¡¯ll take down the flagship at the first available opportunity.¡± I then spoke to the unknown man, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I denied you once, so why would I agree this time?¡± The man¡¯s smile seemed to somehow grow, ¡°Do you think we came here just to have a tea party? Our force of ten thousand strong doesn¡¯t need to fear your inferior tech, not to mention the fact we had plenty of time to prepare for you.¡± Merlin spoke once again, ¡°Scans indicate bio-engines, mechs and ship alike, this indicates someone is either suppling them or they somehow found the means to create it.¡± This didn¡¯t bold well, sudden technological advancements in some locations have shown people got drunk off the power that came with it and became warlike.


    I shuffled in my seat, with what the domain had in defenses, this fleet stood no chance, but I needed to make it seem like I was scared. I began to type out commands, essentially to prepare to open fire on my command and aim at the targeted weak points, ¡°You think your tech is any different to a noble of the Avalon Empire? We stand at the pinnacle of tech, the best you can do is match it.¡± I let leak a false sense of fear, that little amount that shown I think they aren¡¯t bluffing due to design differences. The man chuckled, ¡°You must¡¯ve finally finished with those outdated scans, now do you understand what you¡¯re up against?¡± I nodded, ¡°I do, and I hate to say it, but it''s pretty impressive how you managed to pull this off¡­ as a bunch of pirates.¡± I motioned to the side of one of their ships, ¡°That emblem, a knife in the eye socket of a skull, you¡¯re with the pirates you sent to my planet around a decade or two ago.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Hm, I¡¯m surprised you noticed that. Well, I am using hired help after all.¡± This sent concern down my spine, ¡°hired help¡±, pirates yes, mercenaries could also come our way, but this let me know we were outnumbered by far. Though, this let me know the one leading this wasn¡¯t present, meaning we likely would not meet here.


    I gave a few more silent orders, essentially telling the forces at the forge world, one that was only four thousand strong, to be on alert and to guard the facilities with their lives. I smiled, ¡°Well, I made a fine choice to not join you, considering you work with pirates. I have to say, very undignified.¡± The man chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re not exactly doing anything legal, so we have the freedom to do so, now, chose. You either serve us willingly, or we¡¯ll have to-.¡± I cut him off, ¡°All ships, fire!¡± A collection of kinetic and laser weaponry soared through space, connecting with many of their ships. Some went down immediately, some took serious damage, yet some were only grazed due to their positioning. I shouted, clear as day for all on the line, ¡°Push back these pirates! The Flameheart domain will remain free from their tyranny!¡± I heard the battle cries of my men as mechs launched from their respective craft, but I knew this would be the last stand of so many people, all for the sake of our freedoms.

 Chapter Ten: Predetermined

    A month had passed since the start of the battle, and I had to initiate a ship swap out since the enemy never sent more than a certain amount after my initial strike on their fleet. I eventually set up a strategical base in the orbital ring, a special spot made right above the elevator for swift contact with everywhere to ensure proper intel sharing. I was relaying things that needed to be covered before I took to potentially joining the battle, ¡°The orbital ring and space elevator are clear of non-military personnel, correct?¡± A missile whizzed past the command room window, likely thrown off from the fight since it wasn¡¯t on any direct course beforehand. A soldier said, ¡°Yes sir, all who remain are purely military, the elevator and orbital ring have been closed off since the evacuation finished.¡± I nodded, ¡°Good, make sure all military supplies are brought up, though keep some at the base of the elevator for emergency purposes.¡± Looking to the enemy ships, I understood one thing, they always seemed to charge at us with the same number of forces with each push, three thousand, but I know we destroyed a few thousand already.


    I looked to the cameras I had installed to overlook the bays we designated as repair bays; we had a smart tactic of hit and runs which let us recover ships before destruction. Though, damage was damage, and people were still dying when hits were taken in certain areas, but the enemy was losing ships constantly, so where were these reinforcements coming from? I shook my head, I needed to check a few more things, ¡°Comms teams, have we reestablished communications with anyone outside the forge world?¡± A female comms member replied, ¡°No sir, even with other Flameheart domain planets, we¡¯re still completely in the dark.¡± When we lost communication with everyone outside the domain a month ago, I assumed there was a temporary systems outage, but that thought was dashed thirty whole days into a defense. As much as I wanted to send something out to act as a breaching point to whatever jamming I assumed the enemy was using, we were already too tightly strung to try it. I looked to the team I set up for the defensive installations within the space elevator and orbital ring, ¡°Status, are we ready to fire the installations?¡±


    Two soldiers replied, one after the other, ¡°Flak weapons ready sir, targeting systems are online.¡± ¡°Anti-ship weapons ready sir, we¡¯re awaiting your orders.¡± I spoke into my earpiece, ¡°Merlin, status on the status of Operation Hammer Down.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Ready when you need it.¡± I sighed, one final thing, ¡°Set our scans to maximum, search from where these additional craft are coming from so we can potentially strike the main fleet instead of these small pushes. If we don¡¯t become proactive, we¡¯ll be whittled down until we¡¯re nothing but an easy target.¡± A soldier replied, ¡°Understood sir, relaying the order to sensor teams, we¡¯ll report back asap.¡± I nodded, deciding I needed to step up my game as well, mostly to get used to our enemy, ¡°I¡¯m going out, prepare my unit.¡± My men saluted me as I left the command deck, ¡°Good luck, sir!¡± I was nervous, but I pushed that down, if I didn¡¯t begin fighting now, we may never gain the needed time to locate the main fleet.


    ~~~


    It felt strange, my old motto was made for the fact I couldn¡¯t fight, yet here I was about to partake in a battle I usually worked in the rear of with pure logistical support. Standing on the bow of the ship with several other veterans of battle, we looked to the forces that were vying to take the domain for themselves. I sighed, ¡°Well, there¡¯s no use hiding anything, so I might as well go all out.¡± I drew the blade David sent me, a smile crossed my face, ¡°This sword wasn¡¯t something I was too enthused to use, but hey, this thing was made for what I¡¯m about to do.¡± I turned to the veterans, about to give something of a speech¡­ until I saw a mech I swear I kept locked up to ensure she didn¡¯t come here, ¡°Lily! What are you doing here!?¡± I could tell the veterans were confused since they were all saying things like ¡°How did she get here?!¡± and ¡°I swore I checked if her unit was locked up!¡± This means someone let her do this, but I wasn¡¯t sure who. I walked up to her mech and put both hands on her shoulders, ¡°You need to go back, war isn¡¯t a game¡­¡± I wanted to say more, but I didn¡¯t want to display weakness to the enemy.


    Lily replied, ¡°I know that, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re about to do, but out of all of us, the two of us are the strongest. We need to show we aren¡¯t going to roll over to their demands, that¡¯s what dad told me to do if anything like this happened while I was here.¡± When her face appeared on my screen, it was the most serious I¡¯ve seen her since I met her, ¡°It took me a lot of convincing to get Merlin to open the lock, don¡¯t force me to go back now.¡± I clicked my tongue, ¡°Merlin, we¡¯re talking about this later.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°I understand sir.¡± I knew she was right, as much as I wanted her to be safe planet side. I came up with a verdict, ¡°As soon as it gets risky, you pull back immediately, your dad will kill me if anything happens to you.¡± She nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± I walked back to the front of the bow, we were too close for any speech now, ¡°Alright, I had a speech, but I got nothing now. Just know everyone¡¯s counting on you to ensure the domain remains safe, eliminate them all!¡± After a rally cry, and drawing our weapons, we leapt off the bow and began charging the mechs and ships that came today.


    It went from a simple flight to one where friendly and enemy fire streaked across space like stars in the night sky, and my goal was to bypass the mechs for the moment. With thrusters running on full power, and to the confusion of enemy and ally alike, I shot straight for the ships that made up their front lines. Lily asked, clearly focused on a fight, ¡°Why did you ignore the mechs!?¡± I coated my sword with mana, the fire mana not raging like it was before, but a superheated coat that seemed more like blinding light, ¡°Why stick with the small fry, when you can bring down the big fish!?¡± I formed the mana in a certain way as I twisted my body between two ships, ¡°Fire mana, extended sword!¡± One spin later, and the ships were in half, and my blade seemed no different as the halves moved apart before explosions rocked my mech. I could hear awe flood the comms as I shot for the ships behind the front line, the ships we had issues trying to take down due to the front line being so strong, their support line. Their support line was made up of long range attack craft that usually eluded us when we broke the line, so I was going to hit them where it hurt, ¡°Keep them occupied, I¡¯ll bring down the support line!¡±


    It was rough, mostly as instead of avoiding gunfire from mechs, I had to avoid flak from ships, which was a different level of difficulty that took a certain level of skill. However, since I watched my comrades fight all those years ago, I sort of understood how they did it, but doing it made me truly know how they did it. With a swift motion, two command decks of ships got cut in half before they exploded, then I diced the ships up so they couldn¡¯t be recovered by the enemy. I kept an eye on the main battlefield, and it seemed because of my actions, my side was crushing the enemy with minimal or no loses, but I couldn¡¯t tell since the comms were a mess of varying chatter. However, this gave me an idea, I asked, ¡°Merlin, can you prepare an infiltration team? I want to take one of these ships to break them down and see how they tick.¡± After a moment, he replied, ¡°That we can do, some are curious as well, considering the circumstances.¡± He paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°We can handle a front line ship, work on getting one of the support ships weakened.¡± I nodded, ¡°Understood, tell me when.¡±


    With each ship that went down, the more the enemy seemed to turn their focus on me, despite the futility of doing so. After around ten minutes of ship take downs, I heard a message come through for me, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re ready to take one of the enemy ships!¡± I replied, ¡°Then follow me!¡± I took to a ship I left alone, which was trying to reform into the enemy lines, but it was failing since I kept taking the allies it attempted to go to. After dodging a few rounds of flak, I managed to land on the hull before poking around it for a sweet spot. Once I found it, I stuck my sword in, ¡°Goodnight.¡± With a strong jolt of lightning magic, the ship¡¯s guns and engines went silent, ¡°The power¡¯s knocked out, move in!¡± I watched the infantry teams charge the bays, which I made sure to force open for them, then asked, ¡°How¡¯s the battlefield!?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°We¡¯re working on the frontline ship, Lady Liliana is doing a similar tactic to you.¡± After a moment, he said, ¡°Incoming!¡± When I looked back, several mechs had turned to try and intercept me, but they were fools for even considering the thought.


    One came in to try and bash me with a hammer, though its construction was shoddy at best despite the resources used, so I cut it and the mech in half, the sword had been repaired perfectly if it cut like this lacking mana. I grabbed the head of the hammer and threw it at one of the attacking mechs before charging the other, and with simple slashes, they went down without an issue. As the debris scattered, one had aimed a rifle at me, ¡°Die, arrogant noble!¡± The rifle rained bullets on me, but it wasn¡¯t enough as I gracefully dodged every shot, though I made sure to block any that aimed at the bays, ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother tell you not to play with firearms?¡± I made a swift strike, one that wouldn¡¯t make it to the mech, but it still split in two before exploding, ¡°You¡¯ll shoot your eye out.¡± When I checked for more, no one remained, ¡°They only sent four? I feel insulted.¡± Though, something was made clear with that small attack, these were weak pirates, inexperienced in the art of battle. I heard the men inside the ship speak, the ship¡¯s power returning, ¡°We¡¯ve captured many pirates! Some are dead, but we can get some valuable intel out of them! We¡¯re moving to friendly lines, cover us sir!¡±


    I made sure to form up, though I doubt the caution was needed, because the enemy was pulling back. I called out, ¡°Recover any lost souls and tech, we have a window, so lets make it work!¡± As both the stolen ships were taken, I made sure to recover people who were launched via ejection. I outfitted the mechs to eject the cockpits if possible, this managed to save a lot of lives whenever the cockpit wasn¡¯t struck immediately. We were swift, and the ships that needed repairs were sent to get them, and all possible tech from our end was recovered, along with the dead. Once I landed, I gave the order, ¡°Send the dead home, mark who died so we can send what we can to their families.¡± I could tell some wanted this, this breather gave us a lot of time to get the smaller dealings started. Once the prisoners were brought in, I said, ¡°Put them in the cells for interrogation, make sure they don¡¯t leave the orbital ring.¡± I pushed from the captives to the ships, ¡°Get the technicians, break these things down and understand how they work, I want a briefing prepared for this asap.¡±


    With that, Lily came to me and hugged me tightly, ¡°You had me worried you idiot, why not explain what you were doing!?¡± I chuckled, patting her head, ¡°I¡¯m a little new to battles like this, I forgot I need to inform people about my actions.¡± Merlin spoke in my ear, ¡°Rest, we¡¯re still searching for their source, but by tracking the fleeing ships, we should have an answer in the morning.¡± I didn¡¯t reply, but Lily was quick to pull me to the barracks, ¡°You¡¯re resting, you rarely ever do, and it¡¯s putting unnecessary pressure on the soldiers.¡± She pulled me into my quarters, but got into bed with me, I asked, ¡°Why are you getting in my bed? I can prepare a room for you, you know.¡± She blushed, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just scared, but I think I can sleep easy knowing I¡¯m next to you.¡± I sighed, put my blade beside the bed, and got in, ¡°Fine, but we remain clothed, but I won¡¯t hear anything about this outside the room.¡± Lily gave a small smile, ¡°Thank you Aurelian.¡± I took her hand in mine and watched her as she drifted off to sleep, I whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe, I swear it.¡± Once I said that, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep as well, letting her be the reason I get a proper night¡¯s sleep.


    ~~~


    The next day came with Merlin nearly screaming in my ear, ¡°Warning, warning, enemy force approaching, need orders.¡± I shot out of bed, I didn¡¯t even speak with Lily as I rushed to the command center, taking my seat after shooting down the fanfare I usually got, ¡°Sitrep, now!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, ¡°Communications were temporarily restored, emergency broadcast stating nearly everywhere in Avalon is under attack!¡± Another soldier shouted, ¡°The forces we¡¯ve been fighting seem to have been reinforced, the enemy outnumbers us four to one!¡± Another soldier shouted, clearly in fear, ¡°Unknown ship detected, by sheer size alone, it¡¯s likely a dreadnought!¡± My hopes for victory outright was completely replaced by fear, this was a mixture of forces, pirates, likely mercenaries, and whatever forces of Providence who were attacking us, and we were likely going to charge to our deaths. I shouted, trying to get enough information out, ¡°Get a message out, try and send for reinforcements from outside the domain! Get the orbital ring defenses ready, every one of them! Begin evacuations on planet, ships will get past us, we can¡¯t let the civilians get caught in the attack! Monitor the dreadnought, we need to know when they¡¯re pushing us!¡±


    When I checked the bays, I understood all ships and mechs must¡¯ve been pulled back for repairs since they detected the attacking force, they likely didn¡¯t enjoy fact we weren¡¯t folding so easily. I spoke, the time had come, ¡°Send the younger soldiers back planet side, we won¡¯t force the young to sacrifice their lives when they have so much more to live for.¡± The commander, who was present since he likely got awoken by the alarm, spoke, ¡°Then I must request you return planet side as well my lord, you have the most to live for out of all of us. Without you, this domain will fall to ruin.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Denied, I won¡¯t sit back and watch my men die because I chose to be a coward. It¡¯s the duty of nobility to fight and defend their domain, and I won¡¯t push away that duty because I was afraid to die.¡± I could tell they wanted to say something more, but some rose and saluted me before leaving, soon being replaced by someone older. However, someone I didn¡¯t want to listen in had overheard my declaration, ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll stay?¡±


    I felt my blood run cold, if she hadn¡¯t heard, maybe I could¡¯ve lied to her so she could go on her own, but now I ran the risk she wouldn¡¯t go. I turned to her, my face unable to take a serious look, ¡°Lily¡­ you need to go back to the mansion.¡± Lily shook her head, ¡°No, I won¡¯t! If you¡¯re fighting, so am I!¡± I shouted back, my feelings for her made me hurt as I did, ¡°I can¡¯t lose you Lily!¡± She seemed surprised, but I couldn¡¯t stop, ¡°Your father would kill me if I let you die here, and this fight is already an uphill battle with battle exhausted men, I cannot in good faith bring you with me! Even more than that, I can¡¯t lose the only friend who¡¯s made my life so much better than sitting alone all day every day!¡± I could feel my heart hurt being forced to make this choice, even when her being on the battlefield could save more lives. Though I haven¡¯t proclaimed my feelings for her, they still fought to make themselves known. Lily thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°What if you assigned a force to act as my own defense, to pull me out if things get tough?¡± One of the soldiers said, ¡°If I may, it isn¡¯t exactly easy to guard someone on an active battlefield, trust me, I know. We¡¯re all going to be focused on an enemy that¡¯s larger than out own forces by four times, we can¡¯t protect you, my Lady.¡±


    I could tell she was crushed, she tried to speak to me, ¡°Then you come with me! If you say the young should live, you need to leave too!¡± I shook my head, ¡°It¡¯s a noble¡¯s duty to fight for his people, if I run now, I have no right to serve my people.¡± Looking into her eyes, which clearly were wet with tears, I spoke, ¡°I have to do this Lily, you need to survive, let people know what happened here and the terror that Providence can bring. You can lead the people of Avalon in rebellion against them, I know you can.¡± I turned back to my forced, ¡°When will the ships be repaired?¡± A soldier replied, ¡°Soon sir, what¡¯s the plan?¡± I spoke, voice clear, ¡°We¡¯re using every available weapon the orbital ring has, we may be able to push to a hard-fought victory if we use everything at our disposal in a defensive fight.¡± One soldier asked, ¡°And the dreadnought? Only one of such craft existed in recent memory, and it was a relic of the past that hasn¡¯t even been accessed by the stellar nation that found it.¡± I thought, then asked, ¡°Can we scan the dreadnought, get its basic functions?¡± Silence, then a response, ¡°Maybe, let me at least try.¡±


    Eying the numbers, I understood the preparations we made could essentially bring us within the range of their force, though it was merely defenses that made it so. I began to draw up a plan, one that I expected the enemy to have a tier five dreadnought due to that being when dreadnoughts were possible, one that heavily relied on Operation Hammer Down since it was all we had. After some time, the soldier who was scanning the dreadnought said, ¡°Huh? But I haven¡¯t finished yet¡­¡± When I looked up, the projector we had was displaying the dreadnought, but the soldier was clearly confused since he didn¡¯t finish. A small note appeared on the bottom, ¡°Take it, maybe you can understand and surrender.¡± I clicked my tongue, ¡°Cocky bastard.¡± I turned to the soldier scanning the dreadnought, ¡°Keep up the scan, I doubt they revealed any weaknesses that we can find out.¡± The soldier saluted and kept the scan going, and I observed the blueprints the enemy sent me in the attempt to demoralize us.


    That was when I recalled the design, it was very similar to a particular craft I researched back when I was in the tier five stage of my work. I had joined in the early thirty to forty percent of the game, and the halfway point had an event I couldn¡¯t partake in due to being too weak, something akin to a midgame teaser of the endgame enemy. I tore the dreadnought apart with the many engineers who sought to understand every bit of the ship, and I knew every strength and weakness of the thing. I drew up what I knew compared to the schematics that we were given, the soldier scanning the dreadnought spoke up, ¡°Scan finished, sending it now!¡± I compared the three schematics, and it only confirmed it when the scan came up to a near perfect replica of my drawing, they were somehow still within the universe. I leaned back, my voice quiet as I spoke to Merlin, ¡°I can only confirm our even is within the universe still, but why work with humans when they were so adamant to wipe us out before?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Unsure sir, however, we should focus on the matters at hand. If we fail here, the universe will be doomed.¡±


    Locking the numbers, I began to strike out which ships to focus on with Operation Hammer Down, my eyes trying to consider how we could bring the dreadnought down. As I worked, I heard unfamiliar footsteps enter the command deck, and when I turned to look, I saw someone in the armor that had the Drakon crest laid upon it. They spoke, ¡°My lord, Count Drakon has sent us in the hopes you and Lady Liliana were still standing, and it seems we weren¡¯t wrong.¡± I spoke to a soldier, ¡°Were they confirmed?¡± The soldier nodded, ¡°Credentials and identities come back green, they¡¯re who they say they are.¡± I nodded, ¡°Good, then they can get Lily out of here.¡± Lily, who I was surprised stuck around, said, ¡°I want to fight, and they can protect me, I know their strength.¡± I looked to her with confusion, then asked the same soldier, ¡°What does their tech look like?¡± The same soldier replied instantly, ¡°Tier one, they wouldn¡¯t last five minutes out there.¡± I asked, ¡°Did you scan them, or did you guess?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Scanned sir, mostly out of confusion on why they were here.¡±


    I spoke, ¡°While I can¡¯t decided if they¡¯re any good in close combat, I cannot in good conscious send them out into hell without the proper gear. Before you ask, we¡¯re busy putting all our craft to repairs and resupply, we cannot spare anyone for a force that needs to be retrofitted just to fight.¡± A different soldier spoke up, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re already overwhelmed as it is, if we retrofit their ships and mechs, maybe we can have a fighting chance.¡± While we were pushed to the limit, it wouldn¡¯t mean anything if we lost. I thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°Can we get civilian engineers up here? I know we pulled them out of the factory to avoid losses, but would they be willing to make this work?¡± A soldier from the engineering department spoke nigh immediately, ¡°My civilian buddies have been requesting that very thing since the battles began. If you wish, I can get them up the elevator and working in under an hour.¡± I processed what this meant, but we needed every hand we could get, ¡°Bring them up, tell them to bring everyone they can, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± I looked to Lily, her eyes seemed resolute, ¡°I¡¯m not going to convince you to stay, aren¡¯t I?¡± She shook her head, ¡°No, if you fight, I fight.¡±


    I sighed, ¡°Repair her mech, also, start teaching David¡¯s soldiers to fight in the new mechs, we have a tight window.¡± The soldier said, ¡°My lord, not to be rude, but we¡¯re knights. Are you perhaps ignorant of the term?¡± I quickly understood one thing, I didn¡¯t have any, ¡°I was, but there¡¯s no time for me to learn right now, I have to work up a plan against the enemy. Consider defending my domain the price you pay for the upgrades to your mechs and ships, so don¡¯t make me regret doing so.¡± The knight saluted, ¡°Yes, my lord, we won¡¯t fail you.¡± I watched Lily leave with the knight; my mind overwhelmed with everything I needed to do. I took my leave of the command deck; I needed silence and a means to speak with Merlin freely as I made this plan. As I took to my room, locking it, I spoke to Merlin as I began to run through simulations, ¡°Why in the world is the enemy working with humanity when they worked so hard to exterminate us in the first place?¡± Merlin spoke, clearly confused as well, ¡°That is a fair question, but one that won¡¯t elevate our survival odds.¡± I retorted, ¡°It will, what other tech came from them, since if that was the case we could better prepare for similar tech in the battle.¡±


    Merlin replied, his tone understanding, ¡°An assumption I never expected, as this is either something they found or were given, so it¡¯s appropriate to expect more of the same technology.¡± After a pause, he had an idea, ¡°Bio-engines have a specific wavelength that shut them down, maybe we can make that work on the dreadnought.¡± I smiled, ¡°Good, any ideas work, keep going.¡± Merlin and I were in repaid brainstorming, preparing for anything that may occur during the battle. It was long, but we managed to get an initial plan for what we assumed was the final battle for the domain, and that was hours in the making. I told everyone to rest up and write their wills, because if things went wrong, we¡¯d likely not return. Even I wrote my will, ensuring everything if lost would go to my parents first, then Ruby, then David, and finally, Lily. This fight could potentially be my last, but I wasn¡¯t going to go down without punching Providence in a way that hurts. My defiance will be a rebellion to those who were hurt by them, and that was worse than anything I could do to them.


    ~~~


    On the command deck of my flagship, I watched as the ships approached on the map, ¡°Here they come everyone, remember, focus on the heavy hitters. If we bring those down, all while preparing the trap, we can push them back. This is our home, we have the advantage, and we¡¯ll use that advantage to push back these invaders! We won¡¯t let them take our homes, our lives, or our freedom! For the sake of every soul in the domain!¡± A rally cry rang out, and the ships began a proper position using the orbital ring as our standpoint. I looked to the ships that Lily would be working with, my nerves unsteady as I watched them break off to their designated position. I shook my head, I couldn¡¯t worry about it, we all were essentially preparing to die anyway. All I could do for her was put her in a spot that was relatively safer than where the rest of us were going to be, if she needed, she could retreat. After a quick observation, I made a concerning realization, the dreadnought would be late to the fight.


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    I made the call, likely the last one I¡¯d make before the fight truly began, ¡°The dreadnought¡¯s going to arrive late, though that won¡¯t change our battle plans. Count Drakon¡¯s men will hold that flank, while the commander will hold the other flank. Those of you under me, we¡¯ll likely take the brunt of the attack, but that also means we hold the most responsibility in keeping the domain safe. So let the fire within your hearts burn, because we have far more to lose than they do. Now, turn to starboard!¡± All ships began to turn to starboard, all cannons and weapons turning to face the enemy. With the front line, the orbital ring was to the port side, the support line however had the orbital ring to their starboard, our goal to ensure their range was put to use. ¡°Ready all weapons!¡± I shouted, ensuring every weapon was prepared since they were close now. I noticed the ships were within support range, but I didn¡¯t give the order to fire, but the second the first ships were within front line range, I could tell those onboard my ship understood my plan. ¡°All ships, open fire! Front line ships, hit the frontal ships, support ships, hit the ships behind the frontal ships!¡± I watched every kinetic, laser, and missile we could fire at once go soaring before crashing into the enemy line.


    From that alone, I could tell I shocked the enemy, since we were working on half our true maximum range since the beginning. Their formation was quick to try and rearrange now that their initial push was so thoroughly wreaked, but I wouldn¡¯t let them, ¡°Keep up the barrage! Crush as many of them as we can before we rely on the defenses!¡± Mechs weren¡¯t launching yet, mostly as we were taking out the enemy before the got within the distance to launch. While I would send them out now and get a line formed, with the need to conserve what we had, I was going to wait for as long as feasibly possible. With the accurate shots we were taking, it seemed the enemy lost thousands of craft in their first offensive. However, I couldn¡¯t become complacent, we may be more adept with the technology we have, but they could easily overwhelm us by sheer numbers. I did notice one thing, the debris that were forming from the remains, ¡°This is going to be rough to clean up afterwards, win or lose.¡±


    Debris were a horrible thing in the remains of a fight, since they blocked the space they were in, not to mention the chances they could cause damage if they¡¯re close to the planet, akin to the debris we were creating now. Though, with the push they were making, we wouldn¡¯t be able to remove them until the battlefield ceased to be one. I pushed that aside for the moment, just observing the battle as I gave directions every so often to ensure we worked at the best efficiency for our defense. Some ships had to pull out, damages that needed to be repaired before they returned to combat, but that was the advantage we had due to our home turf advantage. Any enemy we failed to take out but damaged significantly either fought until destruction or backed out, unable to return to battle, which means we can fight as long as our ammo and resources carry us. Though, the enemy had more numbers, which means they had more ammo and whatnot brought with them, which could mean we could run dry before they did. We¡¯d likely be in combat for a few solid months, so I¡¯d have to do well to ration what we had and ensure our aim remains true.


    ~~~


    Two months of near straight combat, there were rest points for both sides, but I could tell our side was beginning to lose steam, and the dreadnought was finally approaching the battlefield. Checking our numbers, I realized we were reaching our limit, nearly every bullet, missile, and means to repair our ships were reaching the end, and that was rationing what was important on the ships half way through the fighting. The good news was we shaved the enemy down to have them at half of what they were before, but we had lost twenty-five percent of our forces in the process to well placed shots from the enemy. I watched as my mech was prepared, anything non-magic removed from it since I was going to go all out, especially when using magic. I ran the one item I had developed for this very moment, ¡°We have two injectors, right Merlin?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Yes sir, though I must state that this is incredibly dangerous, especially with Operation Hammer Down being our final option.¡± I nodded, ¡°I know, but this is it, if we beat the dreadnought, especially damaging it enough for it to retreat, we can claim we won the battle against Providence. If we can give the Empire hope, that¡¯s the spark we need to light the keg.¡±


    Merlin was silent for a moment, but he spoke after he gathered his thoughts, ¡°Sometimes, we get information through the jamming¡­ most domains are losing against Providence. They aren¡¯t attacking everywhere, but they¡¯re going after many nobles¡­ the worst case is we lose a lot of potential allies to these attacks.¡± I clicked my tongue, with that information known, I understand that the Empire will be too busy filling gaps to launch a retaliatory strike on Providence. After a moment, Merlin spoke, ¡°How odd, that was unexpected.¡± I asked, ¡°What do you mean by that Merlin?¡± Merlin replied, calmly, ¡°It is fine at present sir, if the situation updates, then I shall inform you.¡± I spoke, ¡°Merlin, at least a situation report. I cannot in good faith leave that information without proper understanding.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°An enemy force seemed to launch an attack on the forge world, however, an unknown fleet seems to have come flying our colors, yet wishes to remain anonymous. They defended the forge world, stating ¡°This world is vital to the future of the Empire¡±, which has confused me.¡± This was confusing, I never let the world and its former use out of the world itself. But if someone was helping, I wasn¡¯t going to tick them off and commit to the opposite.


    I realized I should reply, ¡°For now, leave them alone, inquire where they come from if they¡¯re willing to disclose. Otherwise, protect the planet by any means necessary, we cannot lose it.¡± If they weren¡¯t hostile, I wasn¡¯t going to pry, but I was going to investigate them later when I had the means to do so without issue. An announcement played on the ship, ¡°Pilots to your mechs, repeat, pilots to your mechs. The enemy¡¯s final wave is approaching, prepare, but be swift.¡± I sighed, ¡°Well, off to war, hold the fort Merlin.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll await your commands.¡± After the repair and maintenance teams quickly fled the ship, I boarded my mech, ready for the fight. I took to the bow of the ship, and while I couldn¡¯t see the other craft as they approached, I could clearly tell where the dreadnought was. I chuckled, ¡°Man, even from a distance, that thing is menacing.¡± For a moment, Lily spoke through the comms, ¡°This is it Aurelian, keep fighting, we¡¯ve almost repelled them.¡± I chuckled, ¡°Yeah, I know, just considering how in the world they managed to get one of these functional before I could.¡± That was a lie, I bet they were ¡°gifted¡± it for some reason, but even now, I can¡¯t confirm or deny that suspicion unless I get inside it.


    I looked in her direction, though I couldn¡¯t even see the ships she was with, ¡°Just you wait Lily, I¡¯ll make sure you can go home, I bet your dad¡¯s worried sick about you.¡± Lily giggled, ¡°I bet he¡¯s as worried as your dad is about you.¡± After a moment, she said, ¡°Stay safe Aurelian, the enemy forces came for us ahead of yours, good luck.¡± As her comms cut, I drew my sword, mechs and ships all awaiting my command. I pointed my blade forward, ¡°Crush them all! Don¡¯t let them get any closer!¡± A rally cry rang out as we all began a charge, my goal would be to focus on enemy mechs for the time being unless Merlin deems otherwise, and to eventually deal as much damage to the dreadnought as possible. As mech squads spread out, I dove in alone, and a multitude of mechs began to come for me, ¡°Five, ten, fifteen¡­ eighteen or so mechs. Good grief, am I that much of a threat to you?¡± Somehow, I felt confident, much unlike before when I was afraid to kill anyone, and I knew why. I shouted, letting the enemy know just who they were fighting, ¡°Bring it on! My cause is just, and I won¡¯t lose sleep having to kill each and every one of you if it means my people can sleep at night!¡± With a single swing, half of the eighteen exploded, unable to handle my mech¡¯s magic capabilities.


    ~~~


    A man sits in his office, one that based on height seems no older than someone like Aurelian, his eyes locked to a screen projecting the active battle he was no where near. A voice spoke through a device sitting on the desk, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m going to need to know what to do when I fight him. Either I kill him, or I let him live, but if I let him continue as he has, he may beat us before I get the chance.¡± The man seemed to react as entire swaths of mechs were crushed under heel, as if they weren¡¯t even a problem for Aurelian. His voice carried a weight to it, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten the call from the other squad, so move towards the live option, so play with your food for a bit.¡± In a flash, Aurelian had slashed several ships, as if he had somehow gotten better in the past two months. The individual from the device chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re giving me a tall order here boss man, it may cost you a little more than before, considering he¡¯s butchering ships instead of mechs.¡± The man waved his hand, ¡°Double your previous commission, just get it done.¡± The individual seemed just fine with the deal, ¡°Alright, just contact me when you figure out what you want to do with the brat, I can¡¯t wait forever if he goes for the dreadnought.¡±


    The individual hung up, the man leaning back and watching as Aurelian began to carve a path towards the dreadnought, ¡°You said this would be easy, yet that miniscule force has decimated over half the forces we sent, you sure this is the right guy?¡± From the shadows, a well-dressed¡­ thing stepped into the light. They wore a regal suit, one that had a black coat, but the shirt was a blood red. The face seemed to, despite being in the light, seem shaded over, but the ears that came off it were sharp, not like an elf¡¯s yet akin to them. The sound of shoes meant for business clacked off the floor, a voice that seemed akin to a noble spoke, ¡°I can assure you; this is exactly who we both seek.¡± When the man looked to the screen, it seemed the battle had frozen, but that was something he grew used to by now, ¡°Then why are his forces so much stronger then expected? He¡¯s supposed to be a noble on the edge of the Empire, yet he seems to be going blow for blow with tech similar to ours.¡±


    The thing raised his hand, ¡°Woah, don¡¯t shoot the messenger, when I checked on him a decade or two ago, he didn¡¯t exactly flaunt the fact he had this tech. As you know, I¡¯m a rather busy individual, so I couldn¡¯t just trot on over and see if he changed.¡± The thing put a hand to its chin, a devious, crescent smile formed, ¡°Ah, I got it, how about I reimburse you for this by something far more worth it than bringing him down a few pegs for our overall plans.¡± With a few motions, a mech clearly not piloted by someone normal was on the screen instead, ¡°This mech is the one you¡¯re looking for, it¡¯s quite far away, so you should be able to do as you wish with it. Hey, maybe you can incorporate it into your existing plan if you like.¡± The man smiled, a small chuckled escaping his lips, ¡°I like it, thank you.¡± The thing bowed, ¡°As agreed, we will both prosper from this deal. I hope you call upon me again soon with any juicy ideas you come up with.¡± The thing stepped back into the shadows, and the screen seemed to move as usual. The man made a call, ¡°Begin the plan, also, I¡¯ve sent information on the target, do it.¡± As the call ended, he spoke, ¡°This will put the upstart down and rocket me ahead, all as Providence intended.¡±


    ~~~


    I could feel the mech buckling under the speed I was subjecting it to, but I wasn¡¯t even close to done, ¡°Merlin, first injection, get the core running hot so I can break this dreadnought a little before we begin the operation.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, injecting.¡± Despite not being hooked up to the mech, I could feel the mana surging within it, and my speed nearly doubled as I struggled to keep control over the mech. Magic coated my sword as it grew double, triple, then quadruple the size of the original blade, I shouted over the g-force, ¡°Mark the weapons engines, quickly!¡± As the weapons and engines lit up on my screen, I jerked the controls and shot for the first line of cannons, my blade cutting through them like butter, the sound of screeching metal filled the cockpit as I put all my focus on just controlling my mech. Engines sputtered and died after their fuel source couldn¡¯t properly ignite, gun batteries churned to a halt, no longer receiving their munitions, missile bays failed to fire as the doors were jammed shut, but there was only so much I could do against a ship this massive on my own. Merlin spoke, ¡°One minute.¡± I knew what this meant, so I hit the target I was going for and shot back to friendly lines with haste, the effects of the injection was about to die out and leave me momentarily vulnerable.


    As the mech slowed, and I turned to observe the battle, I got constant comms as issues sprang up everywhere, ¡°I¡¯ve lost communication with the right and left flanks, there¡¯s still ships, but I can¡¯t contact them!¡± Another voice sprang up, ¡°Several explosions went off in the bunkers, speculations are terrorists!¡± A third, ¡°Some of the soldiers guarding the surface have gone rogue and are attacking other servicemen! Some are reporting mech pilots are also firing on their allies!¡± It was hard for me to process the alerts, we were suddenly being overwhelmed, not to mention sudden friendly fire. I quickly began trying to relay orders, ¡°Up the connections, reconnect with the flanks at all costs! Activate emergency services and see how many survived the bunker attacks, make sure they¡¯re armed and prepared for a follow up attack! Consolidate who hasn¡¯t gone rogue and activate the surface defenses!¡± I quickly shifted to the command center, I knew the commander was on the opposite flank that Lily was on, so I had to not only keep up with my battle, but the battles around the planet, ¡°Activate the defenses! Check if there¡¯s any friendly fire, we may have been compromised!¡± Once I was muted, I said, ¡°Merlin, it¡¯s hammer time.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    I planned to fall back, at this rate, someone needed to lead the army, and I was likely the only one who could do so with the commander stuck in a jammed area. However, someone seemed to speak to me as a voice filled the cockpit, ¡°So, you¡¯re the upstart, might I play with you, little kindling?¡± I barely had the time to block a strike from a scythe, a weapon I rarely seen used due to its unwieldy nature in mech combat, but I could barely acknowledged that as I felt fear rip down into my very bones. The mech seemed akin to bones, and the light of the eyes seemed pitch black, not to mention everything about it showed it was used in combat constantly. Merlin spoke, his speech clearly showing concern, ¡°Enemy mech is tier five, all current enemy weapons and ships in combat are tier five, we¡¯re being overwhelmed!¡± Somehow, despite having something close to the upper hand, we were now being pushed back. I replied, ¡°Just keep going with the plan, strike weak points and don¡¯t stop! Now, let me focus!¡± I pushed the scythe back before attempting a slash across the chest, but as quick I pushed him away, the scythe managed to block me, ¡°Hm, surprising, I didn¡¯t expect you to pull that off with inferior technology. Show me what you can do kindling!¡±


    As I did my best to block his attacks, I shouted through the comms, ¡°Keep your hearts firm!¡± I could tell the comms had quieted down, as if my words had silenced the panic in their minds, ¡°The enemy is fighting for a corrupt cause, but we are not like them! Know that if I can fight blow to blow with an enemy that seems stronger than myself, you can too! Think of your loved ones who await you back home and fight! Show these pirates that we will never give in!¡± I clashed with the scythe, and as if my mech could understand me, I suddenly had the strength to push back against it. I knew it was pushing beyond its limits, but I couldn¡¯t back down now, ¡°Come on, you got this, show them everything you can do!¡± It was as if my mech gained a second wind, and instead of losing, we were equally matched in both ship and mech combat. Merlin spoke, ¡°Operation Hammer Down is activated, please check your signatures.¡± As if on que, several friendly signatures shot past my battle, each signature was a drone loaded with anti-ship weaponry, a majority of which were on a direct course for the dreadnought. The pilot of the mech said, ¡°What are those things? They seem dainty, as if they can be crushed easily.¡±


    I wreathed my blade is fire, the burning blaze a crisp blue hue, ¡°You should focus on your current fight!¡± I swung down with vigor, seeing Operation Hammer Down kick off was enough to ignite the fires of hope within me once more. This time, instead the scythe blocking me completely, I managed to dig my blade into it, showing it wasn¡¯t impossible to beat this mysterious pilot. The man chuckled, ¡°Well, maybe you aren¡¯t just kindling after all!¡± I shouted, returning his comments with one of my own, ¡°My fire won¡¯t be doused so easily, because I am Aurelian Stella Flameheart, and my flames will burn all who stand in my way!¡± It was as if the mana reacted to my desires, because I was now pushing near full speed once more as I pushed the mech back, despite their best efforts to push back. I could feel it, we could win, I know we can win! The light of explosions from ships all around us began to light, the drones had done their job, ships were now losing all control as they struggled in vain to regain it. The man, clearly distraught, shouted, ¡°What did you do!?¡± I smiled, ¡°I made something no one expected, and you paid the price!¡± After a moment, I slammed his mech into the dreadnought, we had moved so far into his lines that I had returned to the dreadnought once more.


    This time, it was different, as there were now ship sized holes in several locations in the hull, and based on the propulsion it was giving off, several of its main engines were destroyed. I was about to keep bringing the heat, but the man spoke, ¡°Fire the missiles!¡± I couldn¡¯t hear anything else, but the man clearly seemed enraged, ¡°I don¡¯t care, do it now!¡± The dreadnought opened missile bays I hadn¡¯t seen, nor had we properly detected despite the scans and information I knew. These were new, and I watched as a dozen missiles the size of a corvette began to fly towards the orbital ring, I knew what these were for. I shouted into the comms, ditching the fight to try and take just one down, ¡°All forces, ignore the enemy and take down the missiles! If we don¡¯t, they¡¯ll hit the orbital ring and cause unspeakable damage below! We can¡¯t let that happen!¡± I watched as those who could shifted to trying to shoot the missiles down, but everything they did only seemed to scratch them. I went to charge one, hoping to slash its engine off and move to the next, but a warning flared up as the right leg showed major damage, ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere, you upstart brat!¡±


    When I looked to assess the damage, the man had caught up and jammed his scythe right into my leg, essentially stopping me in my tracks as I couldn¡¯t move at full speed with the weight of an extra mech holding me back. I felt my heart sink, I couldn¡¯t fail them, I couldn¡¯t let my own hubris in making that orbital ring lead to the deaths of so many people. Suddenly, I heard the comms light up, ¡°This is the McAllen, preparing sacrifice.¡± I watched a corvette shift course and charge head on into one of the missiles, no one on board survived, but Merlin did confirm life pod ejections. I shouted, ¡°No! There has to be another way!¡± I disconnected the leg and shot towards the missiles; I couldn¡¯t let anyone else sacrifice themselves like this. I shouted, ¡°Merlin, inject the core, hurry!¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, inject-, Incoming!¡± When I looked back, the man seemed to not give me the time to do so as he swung at my cockpit, which I had to at least block or risk my whole plan going up in smoke. As I regained my footing, I heard another voice on the comms, ¡°This is Wiseman, preparing sacrifice.¡± Another corvette charged the missiles, taking one head on for the sake of lessening the number, ten remained. I wanted to go; I had to cut them down before more lives that didn¡¯t need to were lost.


    I shouted, ¡°Merlin!¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Injection complete, hurry!¡± I popped chaff and smoke and used it to temporarily conceal my position before launching towards the missiles. I asked, ¡°Merlin, can we use the drones to bring some of the missiles down!?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°I¡¯ll attempt to do so, just keep going!¡± While I was pushing past this mech¡¯s limits, the enemy mech seemed to be slowly gaining, and I cursed at my inability to do more than this. ¡°Come on! I can¡¯t let this continue! I can¡¯t let any more die!¡± I was shouting something, anything to keep my focus on the missiles, to try and bring even just one more of them down before someone else had to sacrifice their lives for my inability to plan. I heard an elderly voice speak up, ¡°This is Sol squadron, preparing sacrifice.¡± Five corvettes broke from their fights and smashed into the missiles, the explosions throwing off my trajectory, but luckily sending one missile into the remains of an enemy ship, four remained. This wasn¡¯t luck, it was a nightmare unfolding before my very eyes, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.


    A drone managed a lucky shot and hit a key system of one of the missiles as I recovered from the previous explosions, but I couldn¡¯t continue after the remaining three missiles. As the scythe came down, I got alerts that my left arm was no longer attached, and I was losing time. I heard another voice, ¡°Sir, this is the Gordon, representing ourselves, the Shughart, and the Atkins, along with the other ships that gave their lives for the sake of our home. We have but one hope, that our sacrifices aren¡¯t in vain, and that you can guide those we leave behind to the future, one free from the constraints of others, much like all you¡¯ve done for us for the past forty years. This is the Gordon, preparing sacrifice.¡± Two other voices spoke after him, ¡°This is the Shughart, preparing sacrifice." "This is the Atkins, preparing sacrifice.¡± I had named these three ships myself, all after the occasional story of military service men from Earth who gave their lives for the sake of others, and now they were going to do the same. I shouted, my voice going horse from all the screaming, ¡°No! You can survive! You can go home to your families!¡± The man from the Gordan chuckled, ¡°Even at the end, you still try to find a way. Just remember us, my lord, and farewell.¡± In three blasts, the three ship¡¯s signals vanished, and I understood I likely killed so many people, all because of my inability to do something.


    The man in the mech laughed, ¡°Wow! How cruel! I¡¯ve never seen a noble send their men to die just to protect their pet project, this is too much!¡± As he laughed, I felt several emotions well up within me. Pain, sorrow, regret, I could have done something, I should have done something. Yet, I was held back by the man laughing at me, the one who launched the missiles, the one who did this. New emotions overpowered the ones that came to me first, rage, scorn, indignation, and shame. I wouldn¡¯t let him leave, not while I had the means to keep fighting, ¡°Shut your mouth, you fucking murderer!¡± The flames that wreathed my sword were no longer controlled, they were wild, untamed, and as uncontrollable as a wildfire, ¡°I¡¯ll cut you down, here and now!¡± The man didn¡¯t seem to expect my slash, my blade crashing into hit left arm, crunching through it until it managed to go through. The man, enraged, said, ¡°You brat! I swear I¡¯ll-!¡± After a moment, he went silent, then clicked his tongue, ¡°Good grief, seems like you¡¯ll get to live, despite my wishes.¡± In speed I hadn¡¯t seen at this tier before, my remaining arm and leg were removed, and my thrusters were disabled, and the cockpit was smashed in a way that let me see the outside work¡­ at least through my right eye since something prevented my left eye from opening.


    The man dragged my mech to a spot, a place where a mech was floating in space, the color of Count Drakon¡¯s fleet lay scattered on the destroyed ships. A voice I knew as the commander of my army spoke, ¡°Is this truly necessary? He¡¯s already lost everything; this is just too much.¡± I felt my heart shatter, we were betrayed at the highest level, and I was blind to it. The man in the mech said, ¡°You betrayed him, all for the sake of money and better standing, I don¡¯t want to hear it from you.¡± I felt my mech jerk in one direction, before me sat the ruined mech that I had built myself, all for the sake of the one I loved. The man flew over to it, I began to shout, my voice raspy as red specks began to float around in my helmet, ¡°No! Don¡¯t do it! I¡¯ll do anything, just not her!¡± The man chuckled, ¡°You see kid, I go by one name and one name alone in this line of work, and that¡¯s Reaper.¡± In several swift slashes with his remaining arm, I watched as he tore years of work to bits, but more than that, I watched as he cut the person I loved into shreds before the mech exploded, the ejector seat didn¡¯t even have the chance to activate.


    My mind began to slip back into everything I did with her, each moment, happy and sad, knowing I¡¯d never get the chance to enjoy her presence again. Reaper said, ¡°Pull out! We didn¡¯t win, but we sure as hell didn¡¯t lose either! Once we¡¯re enough away, drop the jamming, those things are expensive!¡± All I could do was look to the bits that were once Lily¡¯s mech, the very thing that I made to protect her had become her tomb, and I had given the green light to come out here and fight. It was my fault she died, my fault everyone here died, if only I wasn¡¯t so cocky, so condescending with the information I knew, if only I had just kept my mouth shut, maybe Lily and every soul that died in this battle could¡¯ve survived. As comms lit to life as I began to pass out, I heard one thing I never wanted to hear, ¡°Someone, anyone, we need orders! Count William and Lady Cecilia are dead! The planets are in disarray, we can¡¯t respond to all the emergency calls! Please, someone, anyone!¡± As calls from planets that had managed to keep their nobility alive and those that lost their lives flooded my ears, I passed out, I just couldn¡¯t take it.

 Chapter Eleven: Ruination and Militarization

    My eyes felt heavy, and when I managed to open them, I realized I was laying in a hospital bed. My left eye, despite my opening, seemed to be covered, and no one stood around me. I was afraid, was I back in that hospital room again? Was I back in that hell that kept me for so long that I almost considered it normal? My heart rate monitor began to spike as I panicked, I couldn¡¯t be back, I just couldn¡¯t! As I panicked, I remembered everything, each and every ship that smashed into the missiles, the terrorist attacks on the planet, my loss to the man called ¡°Reaper¡± ¡­ and the loss of not only my parent¡¯s lives, but Lily¡¯s as well. Tears streamed from my eyes, I couldn¡¯t take it, I couldn¡¯t understand it, it was all just too much. I watched doctors and nurses, all unafraid of any diseases rush in and began to restrain me, the pain I suddenly felt was unbearable and only made me squirm more, I wanted this to stop. One of them said, ¡°Sir Aurelian! You need to calm down!¡± For a moment, I did, and I felt something seep into me, my eye grew heavy as I passed out.


    When I woke up again, I didn¡¯t feel like I did when I woke up the first time, but I didn¡¯t wake up alone this time. Elen sat at my desk, her eyes were dark under the lids, and I knew she was probably tired. When I spoke, I didn¡¯t even have the will to put emotion behind it, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be here¡­ I already know what happened¡­ they¡¯re gone.¡± I could barely speak, like my body didn¡¯t even have the willpower to do simple speech. Elen seemed surprised, but I made sure she didn¡¯t try to sugarcoat it, ¡°Dad¡­ Mom¡­ Lily¡­ they¡¯re dead¡­ and there was nothing I could do. I¡­ I failed them all¡­ I couldn¡¯t even keep the people closest to me¡­ safe¡­ It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± As if my emotions dried up, I couldn¡¯t even cry, I didn¡¯t have it in me to even do that. Elen¡¯s eyes closed, but I could see the tears form and begin to slide down her face, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, please, don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± I tried to shake my head, but I felt tired just trying to do it, ¡°I gave Lily¡­ the green light¡­ to go out¡­ I green lit¡­ the orbital ring¡¯s¡­ construction¡­ I made my domain¡­ well known¡­ If I didn¡¯t do¡­ all of this¡­ they would still be alive¡­¡±


    Elen looked to me, her eyes a conflicting sad yet serious, ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You wanted to make life better for everyone, and someone saw it as a threat! If anyone¡¯s at fault, it¡¯s them for attacking you!¡± I began to finally begin crying, whatever my left eye was covered by began to moisten as tears streamed down my right eye, ¡°Why¡­ did they let me¡­ live?¡± I struggled to breathe, the will to cry was overpowering my speech as my voice cried out, ¡°Why did he let me live!? They took everything from me, yet they let me live!? Why!? Why me?! What did I do that fate has seen it to ruin everything I do!? Someone, please, tell me¡­¡± I felt my emotions begin to die out as my eyes felt heavy, Elen, unable to say anything to comfort me, said, ¡°Just¡­ just rest my lord. You were injured pretty badly, but since you¡¯re fine, we can move you to the recovery pod. We can talk more after you¡­ recovered.¡± As my mind drifted away from consciousness, one thought kept rippling through my head until I couldn¡¯t think any longer, why me?


    ~~~


    I watched as Aurelian floated in the recovery pod, while I understood his vitals were normal, Lady Elen has informed me he seems mentally out of it, and for good reason. He knows, he knows his parents and Lady Lily are gone, but the worst of all is that he seems to blame himself. I turned to Merlin, who made an entirely separate body, just to watch over Aurelian at all times, ¡°How¡¯s everything going Merlin?¡± Merlin shook his head, ¡°Not well, the planet¡¯s in pandemonium as people point fingers at potential traitors, the military is no different considering they had the commander betray us, not to mention the repair work that has to be done from the multitude terrorist attacks¡­ that doesn¡¯t even include casualty numbers that only seem to keep going up.¡± That was the one thing I was glad Aurelian didn¡¯t see, because I was in a remote bunker since I had the day off when everything went down. I didn¡¯t need him to see my arm in a cast, a result of the bombing my bunker went through, and put him into even more distress. When I heard footsteps approaching, I turned and noticed Elen was coming, her eyes looked worse than when I saw her last, ¡°Elen, you should be resting, that or preparing to return home.¡±


    Elen was likely hit just as hard as Aurelian, her sister was in critical condition, and she showed no signs of getting better. Elen was with her at the start, especially when she was brought back from the massacre that was the domain¡¯s valiant defense, but she for some reason returned despite the fact that Lady Liliana was no longer with us. Elen replied, ¡°I can¡¯t rest, we¡¯re understaffed as it is since a bunch of officials turned traitor to providence, not to mention many more died during the terrorist attacks. Besides, all movement outside of one¡¯s current domain is entirely restricted due to uncertainties with Providence¡¯s attacks, I can¡¯t even consider leaving until Emma recovers, I won¡¯t leave her.¡± After a moment, she said, ¡°I heard from someone in the late Count¡¯s domain, it seemed that the soldiers there gave them a choice. Either Aurelian dies and they live, or they die and he lives, almost as if they understood Aurelian¡¯s talent before they arrived there.¡± Merlin spoke up for the first time in regard to conversations like this, ¡°That¡¯s because they infiltrated us since the beginning.¡±


    Elen and I looked to Merlin, his eyes not leaving Aurelian, ¡°I took the information of every soul that I believe was apart of the attacks, not to mention the ones that turned traitor, and they were all people who came during the sudden immigration into the domain, back before we could properly install the means to vet everyone properly. They were here for decades, so when Lady Ruby handed me information pointing to new arrivals, it kept my eyes away from the true terrorists that caused this much damage.¡± His eyes, despite my knowing they were robotic, seemed to look human as he spoke about Aurelian, ¡°He¡­ he was so distraught when he watched each ship smashed into the missiles aimed at the orbital ring. He was doing everything in his power to try and save at least one more life¡­ only to have it be torn away as needless sacrifices had to be made. We were entirely beaten in every realm, including the technological one.¡± I looked to Aurelian, I could tell he wasn¡¯t going to let this slide, no one in his situation would, ¡°He¡¯s going to fight back, it may not be now, but he certainly will.¡± Merlin replied, as if he expected this, ¡°He¡¯s going to do it, he¡¯s emotionally uncertain about a lot of things, but this ruined his life, he¡¯ll do anything to get back at them.¡±


    I could tell by those words alone, the Aurelian we knew was gone, and when he awoke, he was likely going to be an entirely different man. Merlin, in his first hint of annoyance, said, ¡°Him again, I can¡¯t tell him enough that Aurelian is unavailable, yet he won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Elen clicked her tongue, ¡°That brat of a first son, the second his father dies, he tries to take over like it was his birthright.¡± I mentioned, ¡°You seem to know a lot about our domain, despite being a teacher.¡± I had my hunches on who she was, but I could tell she was sent to instruct Lady Lilana when she was alive, that was true. Merlin spoke, ¡°Stand down Edward, if you wish to know, I¡¯ll explain it, but getting at each other¡¯s throats won¡¯t solve anything anymore.¡± I could tell he was serious, one of his eyes had turned to ensure we didn¡¯t start anything. The eye returned to Aurelian, ¡°Now, if I can request, please move to a room I have access to, I would prefer Aurelian to rest and recover without us conversing about such a sensitive topic.¡± After Elen and I looked to each other, we silently agreed and left to a room and sat down, our bodies were as weary as our minds were.


    Merlin spoke through the speaker, ¡°For the time being, the three of us are the only remaining high command¡­ though that may be subject to change with a recent discovery, and I believe Elen is able to hear this due to her standing.¡± I held up my hand, ¡°Hold on, while I may have some government background, I don¡¯t think I nor Elen have any means to hear and discuss something like this.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°Edward, I know you were on the fast track to a commanding position of the Empire¡¯s military, but you chose to refrain and work with the late William, considering your meeting in the military academy. You have been next to Aurelian his whole life, not to mention you understand a great deal of his plans, considering you were near him when he developed and explained them. You have the credentials and understanding to be what we need right now.¡± I sighed, I knew he was an AI, yet he dug up this much about me, ¡°Alright, but what about Elen?¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°She¡¯s a former member of the Empire¡¯s Special Intelligence Agency, under the Prime Minister and Emperor Augus Nova Pendragon. She turned to teaching to ensure the late Lady Liliana wasn¡¯t influenced by unsavory individuals.¡±


    Looking to her, shocked, she said, ¡°I had no intention of harming Aurelian¡­ but there¡¯s nothing I can do to help him either.¡± In that moment, I understood her, we each found a place here, be it intentionally or unintentionally, and now we were stuck at a crossroads. Merlin spoke, ¡°I will have to reveal Aurelian¡¯s biggest secret; however, the payoff will likely be better than relying on secrecy.¡± I thought for a moment, but what Aurelian needed now was time to recover, and we needed people to help us in that regard, ¡°Do it, since Count David trusts her, I shall as well.¡± After a moment, I slowly processed the information I just heard, ¡°Wait, was Liliana¡­¡± Elen nodded, ¡°Yes, she is the daughter of the Emperor¡­ was the daughter of the Emperor.¡± I knew full well who she was now, but it no longer mattered, ¡°Continue Merlin, I apologize for my outburst.¡± Merlin went on to explain the fact of Aurelian¡¯s reincarnation, even explaining some facts even I lacked knowledge of. Once the explanation as complete, Merlin went silent for a moment, something I understood as his form of contemplation.


    ¡°During the time after the battle, and the unknown ships left, a particular building was discovered. It wasn¡¯t one that I recall being in the existing blueprints, but I knew it was of the old era, so I made sure they hooked it up to my system. Upon reactivating the generators within, I found¡­ this.¡± I looked at what he projected, Elen seemed confused, but I understood it immediately, ¡°Is this¡­¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Yes, and as you can tell, I cannot think of a way forward with this, and it¡¯s why I wish to inform you two.¡± We were left with a heavy weight, but there was one thing I understood, the knowledge we held was invaluable to our current predicament. Merlin said, ¡°Your first order of business, help me decide what our future will hold, starting with this information before you.¡± Elen and I eyed each other, the weight of Aurelian¡¯s crippled domain weight on us, but we couldn¡¯t decline the information, we were the only ones we could trust. So, we began to discuss pros, cons, and concerns, despite being rusty since our time out of combat, Aurelian needed us to act now, and I wasn¡¯t going to leave all the weight on his shoulders.


    ~~~


    ¡°My lord, you should be resting, you just got out of the pod three days ago.¡± Edward told me as I walked through the rubble filled streets, my eyes truly taking in the carnage that occurred due to my inability to consider double agents and spies. I replied, despite feeling under the weather, ¡°If I don¡¯t help out during this crisis, who am I to lead these people when another arises? If something goes wrong, then I¡¯ll return to the mansion.¡± The first order I gave was to shut down any non-essential locations within the mansion, if they drained money, it was done. Second, I made sure the emergency funds were properly put to use, ensuring recovery and rebuilding operations were kicked up to eleven to save and help everyone we could. Third, locations like hospitals were quickly rebuilt and set up everywhere to ensure we were ready for the sudden influx of injured and those in critical condition. Fourth, locations to ensure food, public order, and other daily necessities were prioritized for rebuilding. Anything beyond that was to ensure everyone was housed, even the mansion was being used due to so much of it being just free space. If anything, I was grateful to past me for even considering making an emergency fund, since it let me get to work rapidly.


    The worst part about having to use it is knowing that a crisis occurred and I couldn¡¯t do a thing to stop it, the pain of everything I failed to stop or consider kept increasing the weight I felt on my shoulders. Each step held a place someone called home, each glance saw a destroyed building, occasionally a fallen mech lay damaged beyond repair, not to mention the smell of iron continued to tickle my nose, it was just enough for the smell to never go away. Not to mention the fact that games always glorified war to some extent, made them seem fun as you blasted your enemies and continued on that one long, never ending killstreak. This¡­ this wasn¡¯t that fun, adrenaline filled day you had after a long day of school, work, whatever¡­ it was just misery. We won in terms of not losing our freedom, but we lost in every other area. I turned to a group of people, they seemed to be badgering a soldier to return to their homes, but I knew the place, it was right next to one of the bunkers that was still not cleared from the explosion. I walked over, getting surprised looks from the people and soldiers alike, ¡°Please, that area is still unsecure, not to mention unstable from the explosion. Head to a safe zone for now, and we¡¯ll get right on getting the area safe enough to retrieve your valuables, okay?¡± I watched as they looked to one another, then began to silently move towards a safe zone.


    The soldier bowed to me, ¡°Thank you sir, I wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d listen to me or not, things have been tense with the civilians since the attack.¡± I understood why, but I barely had the energy to reply, my goal now was to check on the bunker before we did anything else in the area. So, against my own better judgement, I went there to examine the damage. Seeing the destruction of a facility that I made to withstand outside threats, I understood I had failed to commit to interior safety. Once again, the carnage was enough for me to understand that I failed to prepare for the worse case scenarios, failures that led to millions of deaths¡­ maybe even more than that. As I identified where the damage was, I felt sick to my stomach as they lifted a large chunk of what was once the ceiling off the main floor, bodies upon bodies turned into nothing but mush under the weight of a bunker ceiling. Why did they have to die for my mistakes? Why¡­ why was I still alive? When I noticed a fairly intact body of a child, one who didn¡¯t seem to be much older than I was after I awoke in this new world, and it all got worse from there.


    Without warning, I puked up the little food I could, a ringing in my ears overpowering anything being said to me. I could hear my own voice telling me I failed them, that I provoked Providence by denying them outright¡­ and it was right. I knew how everything in a universe this large was, from information to warfare, and I ignored the fact that both took forever to get workable intel due to the sheer size of the universe. I just thought that if I didn¡¯t bother anyone that I could just live my life in peace, a chance to experience the joys of life that my first life lacked¡­ but I guess that was just not what fate had in store for me. I wanted someone to call my friend, and her life was taken long before her time. I wanted to be doted on by my parents, to run to them whenever times got tough and be told it was ok, and now I can¡¯t even talk to them again. Was I just cursed to not enjoy life? Was I cursed to live a little of it happy and content, only to be forced to suffer until the day I die because of events outside of my control? When I looked back up to the carnage, I saw people of all shapes and sizes standing where the dead lay still, their eyes judgmental as they glared at me with fury in their eyes. A child was the first to speak, ¡°This is all your fault! You did this to us! I can¡¯t be with my mom and dad anymore, all because of you!¡± The second the child finished, my ears were flooded with shouts of scorn, rage, and fear, from young and old alike.


    As they shouted, I struggled to catch my breath, my body just refused to intake any air as I was berated by the dead I had failed to protect. After a moment, the screams stopped, and when I looked up, mom, dad, and Lily were standing before me. I wanted to reach out to them, wishing this was all a nightmare and that I¡¯d wake up in the morning with everything being normal. Instead, I watched as mom and dad were, to my horror, summarily executed by invisible guns. Lily spoke to me, her voice cold and dead, ¡°You did this to us, Aurelian. Your actions caused us to die, this is all your fault.¡± Once she said that, I watched as her head rolled off her body as she crumpled like a puppet that lost its strings. I struggled to keep myself upright, I was barely able keep myself from going down, but hearing Lily say this was my fault, I didn¡¯t have the willpower to keep standing. I watched my view shift to the ground, as I laid on my side, I could see the people around me rushing to see what was wrong, but it felt so slow as I began to shut my eyes. The last thing I managed to say before I passed out was, ¡°It¡¯s all¡­ my fault.¡± What could I have done differently? Even now, I couldn¡¯t even figure out what to do anymore, I was aimless¡­


    ~~~


    A pair of my many eyes remained focused on my creator, my master, as he lay in bed, suffering from what I assumed was a nightmare. I looked to Edward, his gaze as distraught as I felt, ¡°Edward, explain to me why Aurelian is unconscious. You were with him, what happened!?¡± Edward shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t know Merlin!¡± He looked to me, his expression showed me his confusion filled distraught, ¡°We went to a bunker to assess the damage, when they removed a large chunk of what was once the ceiling, revealing the bodies within, he just puked and fell over before passing out! I don¡¯t know what you want me to say Merlin, Aurelian just lost everything, and he¡¯s having to keep something of a normal fa?ade going without being able to process what he¡¯s feeling! Reincarnate or not, everyone would feel the same after going through what he has!¡± For once, I felt regret about pushing him, I spoke as I bowed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Edward, I forgot how hard this has been on everyone, I should have been more careful with my question.¡± When I looked back up to him, I could tell even he was conflicted with everything, it was as if we were no longer an AI and a butler, but two people struggling to work out the circumstances we found ourselves in.


    I managed to pick up the sound of running coming down the hall, and when the door flew open, Elen shouted, ¡°Aurelian!¡± As she reached for him, checking him over like a paranoid mother, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized he was physically unharmed. She looked to both of us, and despite not having a fear response like a human, I felt afraid for my vessel as she glared at us, ¡°You better have a good fucking reason he¡¯s unconscious, or so help me.¡± Edward explained what he knew to her, but this time, he seemed to remember something, ¡°Well, he did say something, now that I think back on it. He said, and I¡¯m not lying, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡±¡­ Maybe he blames himself for everything that happened, the death, the loss, the suffering¡­¡± It didn¡¯t take me long to understand what he was suffering from, ¡°Aurelian has survivors guilt.¡± I didn¡¯t need to explain much, they knew what it was, ¡°He¡¯s lost nearly everyone he could call family and close friends in one day, not to mention the loss of so much innocent life, it must¡¯ve took a toll on him.¡± I could see in their expressions that they knew I was right and had no way to rebuke me, but that was when a problem came up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how we can help him.¡± Edward said, his voice, mannerisms, and even his eyes shown no hints of this being a lie. I decided to inquire, ¡°How so?¡± Edward said, ¡°In the eyes of Aurelian, as of now, we¡¯re only still here by obligation. We just witnessed everything he built up get destroyed in the span of one battle, so we¡¯d be more likely to leave, right?¡± Elen nodded, ¡°I understand, but what does that have to do with us being unable to help him?¡± Edward, after a moment, said, ¡°He may think we¡¯re only doing this to keep our jobs, to remain in his good graces, to make it seem like we¡¯re still on his side when we want to leave.¡± Elen replied, ¡°Even if the Emperor himself calls me back, I want to remain here. I¡¯ve seen what Aurelian did, the light in his eyes as he worked hard for everyone around him, rarely taking any time to himself. More than that, he made Lady Liliana¡¯s life much more enjoyable before her passing, it makes me want to at least alleviate some of the pain he¡¯s feeling.¡± Edward replied, ¡°That¡¯s where the problem arises, we weren¡¯t here at first based on emotional ties, not to mention the fact he¡¯s mentally unstable right now.¡±


    He put his head into his hands, his voice quivering, ¡°I fear that anything we say or do could make it worse, he no longer has anyone he can speak to like an equal, and that may put him even further into this guilt he¡¯s feeling.¡± I finally understood what Edward meant, ¡°Even anything I say may seem like an AI trying its best to help him, according to programming and not by its own wishes.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°You¡¯re exactly right, and the fact he was innocent in a way before Providence came has likely shattered something more within him.¡± Looking to Aurelian, I understood that we were ill fit to help him, and I doubt even the people would be able to bring him out of his guilt. I made up my mind, I had to speak with the Emperor, ¡°One moment, we need the thoughts of another, maybe they could lend us a view we haven¡¯t considered just yet.¡± I began to ring them up on the line he gave us when he used his alias. After some time, he picked up, ¡°Aurelian¡­ I heard about everything already, are you alright?¡± I had to speak, since only I was hearing him, ¡°Aurelian is currently unconscious, while he has recovered physically from the attack, his mental state has only deteriorated significantly. If I may, before we continue, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    Agnes was silent for a moment, his tone clearly unprotected from any fa?ade he¡¯d put up, ¡°I see¡­ is there a reason you initiated this call, Merlin?¡± I replied, ¡°Yes, and I will inform you, Edward and Elen are here with me, and we seek your advice concerning the survivors guilt Aurelian is suffering from.¡± Agnes was silent for a moment, he then said, ¡°Leave me, I don¡¯t believe he would like this conversation to be overheard.¡± After a moment, he spoke again, ¡°I apologize, Providence has put a metaphorical gun to our heads, one that has been proven difficult to remove. Would you mind explaining to me what you¡¯ve discussed so far?¡± After a recap of what we came to terms with, Agnes sighed, ¡°I can understand your viewpoint, and there may be a chance that this may change¡­ but it may also get worse. Merlin, if I may.¡± As I activated my eye, I analyzed the information coming through as I projected it, Agnes began, ¡°As you know, or maybe forgotten since the attacks, noble children go through several schooling or training areas. This will likely give Aurelian the chance to make friends again¡­ if he¡¯s even open to having one. Luckily, I think he may have a chance for it as long as I pull some strings considering the circumstances.¡±


    After a moment, a person appeared on the projection, ¡°This is well known Duke, Duke Conrad Terra Bartholomew. He shifted to assisting troubled nobles who were ignored by other nobility due to the difficulties of teaching them. While there are normal kids who come to be taught by him, a majority of them are kids like Aurelian, those who suffered before adulthood and require a little bit of a special touch. I¡¯m certain Duke Conrad wouldn¡¯t turn down Aurelian, especially considering the circumstances of Providence.¡± I understood, however, Elen had a concern, ¡°What about those influenced by Providence?¡± Agnes asked, ¡°Influenced in what way?¡± Elen continued, ¡°Those who work with Providence have power backing them like no other, Aurelian¡¯s technology far exceeds what the Empire can create and he still lost. Those who are with Providence are likely to receive special treatment and force people to not speak with those who go against them, not to mention enforce it through demands of their respective nobles.¡± That was something I neglected to consider, especially since they¡¯re starting to pressure the Emperor himself.


    Agnes, however, didn¡¯t seem concerned, ¡°Providence may hold that fear, but the story of Aurelian¡¯s defense has begun to spread rapidly from merchants who managed to survive the attacks, he¡¯s slowly becoming a beacon of resistance from those who reject Providence. It¡¯s enough so I¡¯m being pressured to give him a medal for it, but I¡¯ll have to deny it considering the guilt he¡¯s likely under.¡± After he cleared his throat, he continued, ¡°Either way, what I mean to say is that there will, hopefully, be people who align with Aurelian and his resistance against Providence. However, I¡¯m getting threatened myself in regard to Aurelian, and I likely won¡¯t have much time to assist him before they force me to stop. They know his worth, they want him isolated, and they want it done as soon as possible. I hate to say it, but within a few years, I¡¯ll have to entirely cut contact with him in any manner, including ship repairs.¡± Elen clicked her tongue, ¡°Those bastards, if I could get my hands on whoever¡¯s doing this.¡± Agnes spoke, ¡°Elen, you have new orders, so listen closely.¡± I watched Elen straighten up; her eyes focused.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°You are to follow your own path, I understand you¡¯ve grown attached to Aurelian¡¯s domain since you moved there, so I won¡¯t remove you. However, under official documents, you¡¯re deep undercover and reporting to me personally about your findings. What I want you to do is be my eyes, ears, and communications with the domain, hopefully relaying any information in regard to Providence and the wellbeing of Aurelian. This will likely be your most important mission to date, after which, I¡¯ll let you decide what you wish to do once I declare mission completion.¡± Elen stood and saluted, ¡°I understand sir, I¡¯ll do my best to ensure Aurelian¡¯s domain flourishes once more.¡± Agnes replied, ¡°That¡¯s what I love to hear, I hope to hear good news Elen.¡± With that, the call ended, and we were left in silence. After a moment, Elen was back to sitting next to Aurelian, holding his hand. I commented, ¡°You¡¯re treating him like your child, did you come to see him as such during your time here?¡± Elen looked to me, her eyes seemed relaxed, but it came with a sadness that spoke more than words, ¡°I guess¡­ seeing him with Lady Liliana drew me to him in a more personal way than I expected. I just wish I could do more for him than I am now.¡±


    I understood her pain, but I made sure to calm her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with the agreement you gave me on that plan, we¡¯ll have enough to support him soon, just give it a few months.¡± After a moment, Edward stood up, ¡°I need to head up to the orbital ring to oversee the removal of debris from orbit, Elen, I leave Aurelian in your care, alright.¡± Elen nodded, ¡°Thank you Edward, it was my job, but I don¡¯t think I could handle it right now.¡± Edward began to the door, his eyes had a focused determination to them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just keep him safe.¡± After he left, Elen looked to my vessel, ¡°Merlin, do you know when people will be allowed to travel between domains again?¡± I processed for a moment, then said, ¡°From what I can infer, considering the current situation and likely strongarming from Providence, I say we have about a year before the Empire is forced to drop the ban on inter-domain travel. This isn¡¯t confirmed, just speculation based on available data.¡± Elen¡¯s eyes got stern, ¡°Then we¡¯re going to have to get to work, ensure all craft we have are at least combat ready, because I don¡¯t doubt the pirates are going to wait long once travel is available again.¡± I replied, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll see if I can allocate resources for the repairs.¡± We were going to be busy, but if it was for the sake of my creator, I could push myself to the limit every time.


    ~~~


    A whole year had passed since the initial starting of the battle against Providence, and my forty-eighth year of life had been a silent occasion. No one felt the joys we did last year, instead, it was mourning, and I couldn¡¯t show that I wished to mourn as well, I had to keep my appearance up to keep spirits up, even if I was mourning on the inside. As I worked on the reports, watching as some areas were finally beginning to return to levels pre-Providence battle, Edward had walked into the room, ¡°Sir, there are those I believe you need to meet.¡± I looked to him, while I couldn¡¯t smile, I wasn¡¯t frowning either, ¡°Edward, I doubt anyone has come yet despite free movement being resumed, most domains are still in a recovery effort.¡± Edward shook his head, ¡°They don¡¯t come from outside the domain sir, rather, they come from the forge planet, and they wish to speak with you.¡± I felt a tinge of curiosity, but it soon died, much like my intrigue to do anything beyond what was needed of me for the moment. Though, since Edward was the one stating this, so I guess I should relent, ¡°Bring them in.¡± I put my pen down and moved my papers over for a moment, and when I looked back up, I saw eyes of familiarity looking back into my own.


    I was surprised any feeling emerged when I saw them, but it was a face I recalled from beyond this life, one from my first life when I never expected to live again. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t really think or say anything, I was just surprised that someone from the old era has somehow managed to make it to this one. It was a woman who seemed to be reaching her mid-fifties, but I knew she has a number of centuries under her belt since the anti-aging technology we had back then was stronger, not to mention more into genetics than medication, so I doubt she¡¯d need anything to keep that up. Her hair was bleached white, mostly since her family was genetically off when it came to the anti-aging change, but at least it only affected their hair. Her hair was long, reaching down to her back, and was tied up into a well fashioned ponytail. Her face, despite her occupation, was pretty soft, but it still had a toughness to it that showed her hidden might. She was slightly muscular, but she wasn¡¯t bulging with them, though that didn¡¯t stop her from being the top knight in my armed forces. She took the name Joan, considering one of the players who came to me consistently enjoyed talking about Earth history with someone in real life, she took the name after hearing the story of Joan of Arc.


    Her silver eyes shook in what I assumed was shock, but I wasn¡¯t sure what I was feeling right now, almost like my emotions were snipped since the events at the bunker. Though, I knew her, and she seemed to know me. Her voice, one I recalled so well, reached my ears, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s really you, Forge Master.¡± I was confused, ¡°You recognize me? That shouldn¡¯t be possible, I don¡¯t even look like I did back then.¡± Joan approached me, ¡°Despite the odds, you look like you did back then, despite reincarnating and returning to this universe again.¡± She stood at my desk, taking my hand in hers, ¡°Even now, I find it so hard to believe this was possible¡­ but it only lets me know that fate has smiled upon us, each and every one of us who trusted in the plans you left behind.¡± I was confused, Merlin spoke, albeit briefly, ¡°There are many cryostasis bunkers, and it seems by using a special creation after your passing, they made a bunker that managed to avoid detection of our overall enemy. Though, we¡¯re unsure if there¡¯s more of them, but Joan wasn¡¯t the only one who survived the end of the old era.¡± I had questions, she lasted for a while, but before I could Merlin spoke, ¡°Pirates incoming, we¡¯re still lacking a proper leader.¡±


    I sighed, ¡°Stay here for a bit, Joan, Merlin will explain the situation and allow you to observe our current forces safely from afar. I¡­ I can¡¯t lose anyone¡­ not again.¡± As I stood up to leave, Joan said, ¡°Let me come with you, I can¡¯t let you go alone.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything while onboard the ship, everyone¡­ everyone¡¯s still recovering from what happened¡­ even me. I can¡¯t explain it, because I hate that I let it happen with every fiber of my being, and I wish I done something different. So, please, just stay here for the time being, I¡¯ll think of something.¡± Before she could reach out to me, Edward took her wrist and said, ¡°Please, just do as he asks for now, you¡¯ll understand soon.¡± I didn¡¯t look back as I moved to the space elevator, ¡°Is my mech in good shape?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°It looks used, but it should operate properly.¡± I clenched my fists, ¡°Then let¡¯s get moving, we need to show the pirates that we aren¡¯t so easily taken advantage of.¡±


    ~~~


    I was enraged, feelings of hatred and rage were bursting from within me as I cut down a pirate, the panicked voice of one of them audible through comms, ¡°This wasn¡¯t what we were told! They¡¯re still have such a powerful fleet, and they don¡¯t even outnumber us!¡± They came here expecting an easy fight, they expected us to be weak, beaten, but I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen, not again. I replied, on an open channel so each pirate could hear me, ¡°You rats were sent by Providence to keep me down, and don¡¯t bother trying to hide it now, all I needed was that one sentence of confirmation.¡± My rage couldn¡¯t be contained, these bastards, along with Providence, were willing to try and strike again so soon after they hit us before? No, never again, I wouldn¡¯t let them, ¡°If any of you escape today, you better tell your buddies that my domain isn¡¯t weak, you¡¯ve only made us enraged. So, put up a good fight you rat bastards, because I¡¯m making sure you regret coming here for the rest of your lives!¡±


    As I shot towards the next pirate, one who seemed prone to flee, I had a thought, was this what it all lead towards? Was my birth on Earth, contracting that unknown diseases, dying, being reborn here, loving my second chance, just to have it ripped away in one moment predetermined? Was I fated to lose every time I found something I loved in life? Even as I brought my sword down on the pirate, their screams cutting as their cockpit exploded, I couldn¡¯t come up with anything. Though, I did know one thing for certain, Providence needed to be eliminated. They were evil, and in my eyes, they sought power for the sake of it, likely succumbing to the sudden might of their newly bestowed tech. It¡¯s as a wise man once said, ¡°Absolute power corrupts absolutely.¡± They obtained a power beyond their imagination, spread it among likeminded individuals, and struck those who stood against them. I didn¡¯t care what their supposed reason was, I wasn¡¯t going to let them continue to do this, either I was going to wipe out Providence, or I was going to die trying, not like I had a reason to keep on living anymore anyway.


    When I refocused, I realized the group of mechs I engaged with were already dead, killed in the haze of my own thoughts as laser rounds crashed into their ships, bringing them down with ease. We were, for the time being, forgoing any physical rounds, considering we were on a limited budget since recovery was still ongoing. In fact, I stopped taxes for the recovery process, because most people on the planet were currently jobless and homeless, which means I was deep in the red as money flew out from my personal and emergency budget like water through a broken dam. Though it wasn¡¯t stopping us, rather, it forced us to get thorough in our work, especially when taking down pirates like this. In fact, looking back to the enemy, most of them were destroyed or no factor, and I didn¡¯t want to waste fuel chasing down the stragglers. I connected to the comms and said, ¡°All forces, this is Aurelian, return home, don¡¯t bother chasing them since we¡¯re on a budget.¡± As I, and the other mech forces, flew back to our ships, I could tell some felt better crushing these pirates, but others were like myself, still felt lost and without purpose. That likely wouldn¡¯t change, not for quite some time.


    ~~~


    Once I returned home, I was quickly wrapped in Joan¡¯s embrace, tears falling onto my clothes as she wept, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I wish I could¡¯ve been here to do something, you shouldn¡¯t have had to suffer like this!¡± I patted her, not feeling better about it, ¡°Thank you, Joan.¡± After a moment, I returned to my desk, we needed a plan of action before I became an adult, because if I wait too long, then we risk being on the backfoot yet again. I spoke, ¡°Joan, stay here for a moment, I need Elen and Edward, Merlin, we need to discuss a plan.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll summon them at once.¡± As Merlin made the call, I made sure there were chairs for the three of them, and once they arrived, I made sure it was just us. Once confirmed, I spoke, ¡°We need to begin planning for the future, Providence won¡¯t wait for us, so we need to establish something now. First, we declare we aren¡¯t going to fold to Providence, it would make the lives we lost be in vain, I¡¯ll make that statement on the day of my fiftieth birthday instead of having a grand coming of age party, it just won¡¯t be right after what happened.¡± Edward seemed concerned about the lack of a party, but I guess he understood it would be wrong to do so considering the state of everyone.


    ¡°Second, we need to get stronger, Joan, how many do we have of what capacities?¡± I asked, my thoughts finally being caught onto. Joan thought for a moment, then said, ¡°We have plenty of knights, that¡¯s for certain. However, we also have people from the mech departments for research and development, and other associated factory workers.¡± I asked, curious, ¡°Any non-humans? I ask since there are only humans in the universe as of currently.¡± Joan thought, then shrugged, ¡°I cannot say, I only know of the humans who were brought with us.¡± Merlin said, ¡°There are, however, there isn¡¯t anyone of major note like Joan, so we may not be able to convince them at present.¡± I nodded, ¡°I understand, then we need to get to work with the human hands. How many can we break out of cryostasis and get to recovery?¡± Joan said, ¡°That process has already begun, out of the ten thousand or so humans, we¡¯ve already gotten around a quarter out and near ready to commit to work again. We should all be out and functional within¡­ five to seven years from now.¡± I nodded, ¡°Alright, then can you divide them like this.¡± I showed her a list of people I¡¯d prefer to release each go, which confused her, ¡°Why do this for the knights? Wouldn¡¯t it be more beneficial to ensure our military force grows appropriately?¡±


    I slipped her a tablet, one with information on it that I had prepared for candidates like her, ¡°In the Avalon Empire, much like the old era, knights are to go through proper training and schooling to be considered official knights. I want to send knight candidates in groups, that way, we can find those who agree with us in seeking to bring down Providence. If we send a large number of knight candidates through at once, we lose a chance to gain additional forces that wish to serve our cause.¡± Joan thought, then nodded, ¡°I understand, and I assume I¡¯ll be in the first wave?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, because if you make a good show out of it, show your might, then join me afterwards, you¡¯ll become something of a legend among people, thus giving some the idea to join you.¡± Elen said, clearly impressed, ¡°Amazing, I never thought of this before, how did you come up with it?¡± I replied, unsure myself since it had been a while since I recall partaking in where I learned it, ¡°I think I read about it somewhere, but that¡¯s not the point, if this makes sense, chose some individuals you served alongside to be our first knight candidate group. If we can make our first group a stunning show, we can ensure people will flock to our next group.¡±


    After Joan nodded to me, I continued, ¡°Next, we need to up the tier of our fleet again, tier six is a good start.¡± Merlin, clearly understanding of what I just said, replied, ¡°Sir, that¡¯s preposterous! We don¡¯t even have the facilities to do that, not to mention the need to teach people how to make the ships and mechs!¡± I looked to him, then said, ¡°We have engineers and craftsmen from the old era, we can most certainly make it work by workplace learning. The thing is, if we don¡¯t push forward now, we risk Providence making a breakthrough before us, because there¡¯s a high possibility other reincarnates are among them, risking that some are also from the old era.¡± Considering Elen and Edward knew of my reincarnation, Elen being told without my permission, I chose to instill calling those of us from the game as ¡°those from the old era¡± since it made me understand that everything that happened then was real. I continued, ¡°The risk that someone will continue to push their existing technology forward is high, and that means we need to push even harder in the hopes we can at least meet them on the technological playing field.¡±


    This managed to instill a new concern among them, but one they should¡¯ve expected, Edward asked, ¡°How many of the old era were like you, sir?¡± I thought back, out of the millions of players, only a few thousand ever attempted to do engineering related work, a few hundred ever got beyond tier two, and only a few dozen were ever notable in the game world to have gone beyond tier five. I stated, ¡°A few dozen, but if even one member is from the old era, they could teach anyone about their methods, but we have one thing that beats them.¡± I pushed a few buttons, and a small hologram displayed a mana-engine, ¡°We have mana engines, and we know for a fact that, of the same tier type as their bio-engines, they are superior for an unknown reason. So long as we keep the mana-engine a secret for now, especially the creation method, we should be able to eventually gain the upper hand on Providence.¡± This managed to get nods from them, so I decided to get a plan I considered since the attack. I showed five planets, all within range of my space, ¡°Third, we need to liberate these planets from their pirate threat and integrate them until the Empire decides what to do with them.¡±


    I could tell this surprised them, so I cleared my thought process with them, ¡°From the intel we could consider reliable, it seems some pirates took advantage of Providence¡¯s jamming to take planets, pretending to be with them. Of course, we cannot confirm the allegiances of these pirate forces, and we cannot let their tyranny on the people stand. This also comes with preventing any of the planets becoming a foothold for any future Providence staging grounds, such a prospect would hinder anything we seek to do if they move faster than us.¡± Joan nodded, ¡°From what I can tell, and the what I learned from the battle, the chances that Providence has a capable knight is incredibly high. However, there¡¯s one issue with their structure, it¡¯s too broad.¡± Joan, who I left for merely a few months to deal with the pirate issue, used the pad to project a large spreadsheet. From what I could tell, this had attacks by Providence within and outside of Avalon, though only in the intermediate areas, ¡°It seems they attacked hundreds of locations, thousands outside of Avalon, thus spreading a pretty imposing force thin. If they wished, they could¡¯ve forged their own path forward and made their own interstellar nation, yet they didn¡¯t. They have a plan, but it leaves them stretched thin, so we can work from there once we have the capability to do so.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Good, with this, we can begin investigating Providence for any available leads. Though, we¡¯ll have to stick within Avalon, going beyond it runs the risk of a foreign nation considering us a member of Providence.¡± Joan, having understood the plan, said, ¡°I¡¯ll organize the spies and assassins, we¡¯re understaffed as it is, so I¡¯ll have to organize temporary leadership and hope we can find the others.¡± I raised my brow, ¡°Others?¡± Joan said, ¡°Oh, right, you don¡¯t know. There were other cryostasis bunkers established, however, in the off chance one was found, those of us in other bunkers were not informed about their locations. I¡­ I wasn¡¯t informed of any bunker, I just heard about it from other¡­¡± I could tell one thing from what she said, she didn¡¯t want to be put into cryostasis, she was put in there by another, likely to keep the hope of our knights alive. I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I should¡¯ve been there¡­ despite being unable to do anything about it.¡± Joan shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, just knowing I can serve you as your knight again gives me hope beyond all else. Not to mention the fact that we have a second chance to save this universe from our enemy¡­ which I¡¯ve been advised to not speak about to avoid a panic.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I understand, now, let¡¯s focus on recovery until my birthday. I¡¯ll explain what we¡¯ll do day of, so, until then, nothing leaves us until we¡¯re able to defend ourselves at that point.¡± Merlin said, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll begin the process of getting tier six ships ready.¡± I stated, ¡°Make them trickster units. If we pretend we got no better than tier three ships, it¡¯ll disrupt their plans and keep our shrouded in secrecy.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Secrecy, I like it.¡± I looked to Joan, ¡°Commit to doing a brief stint of training with the forces we have and prepare for knight training, build your group, and make sure to submit the group list for who goes when.¡± Joan saluted, ¡°Understood, sir.¡± I looked to Edward, ¡°Focus on recovery, we need as many sectors restored before my fiftieth and we instigate recovery taxes on the functional sectors. If we keep losing money like this, we¡¯re going to end up with loans that will be a pain to pay back.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°As you wish, sir.¡± I looked to Elen, I needed her to make this right, ¡°Elen, assist in clearing the debris before the fiftieth, I know people are going to assume it¡¯ll be a party, and I don¡¯t want to risk needless lives once traffic finally resumes.¡± Elen nodded, ¡°I understand sir, I¡¯ll get right on it.¡± Two years, that¡¯s the time I have to prepare myself for the moment, so all I can do is hope the people will at least accept the fact we can¡¯t back down now.


    ~~~


    People gathered from all over the Empire, merchants, nobles, and my own citizens were sat before the same stage I unveiled the space elevator on. I felt no fear this time, rather, I felt nothing as I prepared to walk on stage. Joan, who was heading out in a few days, was dressed in the garbs befitting a knight, despite her current inability to call herself one. We had security ramped up to the max as even our anti-ship weapons were prepared to activate at a moment¡¯s notice. Joan patted my shoulder, ¡°Everything will be fine, sir, just keep calm, you¡¯ll do great.¡± I nodded, then walked out to the podium. Once I tested the mic that it was working, I spoke, ¡°Hello everyone, as my citizens know, I will not be holding a coming of age party, as it doesn¡¯t feel like a ceremonious occasion for me anymore. Instead, I come to make several proclamations, as well as stating what is to come for the future of my domain.¡± After a moment to let that sink in, I continued, ¡°First, it will be taxes, in sectors that have recovered, we will be installing the recovery level of taxes, this is merely to ensure we can slow the rate at which the domain¡¯s finances are dropping, so I hope you all understand why we cannot risk a continuously draining finance.¡±


    I went into domain functions for a moment, ensuring that was out of the way before I made the big announcement. Once that was done, I spoke with a firm voice, this shocked those who have only heard me speak in my recently gained monotone voice, ¡°This day, three years ago, my domain, along with hundreds of others, suffered attacks from Providence, and we all lost something precious to us when the battles that raged on for months to years died. We lost friends, family, and loved ones, those lives that we¡¯ll never get back because of the actions of those who are currently unknown. Today, I wish to make my stance about them known, I will not bow before Providence in any way, and will instead be the force that seeks to drive them back.¡± This managed to put everyone present into an uproar, confusion, fear, rage, and guilt flowed in the moment, and it took me a moment to find a way to silence the shouting. Once they were quieted down, I gave a moment of time before resuming.


    ¡°Providence seeks for those they beat down to not rise back up, to slip into the fold and become loyal dogs to their cruelty. They won¡¯t stop until everything and everyone is under their foot, forced to bend to their tyranny. We will not let those who gave their lives that day have done so in vain! Look above you!¡± With a snap of my fingers, faces appeared on holograms all throughout the planet, orbital ring, and all along the space elevator, ¡°The people you see before you all gave their lives for their friends, family, and loved ones to gain the means to see tomorrow, and now, we can say that tomorrow has come, and we are still free!¡± Cheers erupted from my people, their struggles made apparent, cheering about the fact that they¡¯re still here. I continued, ¡°However, the ones who caused us this pain, forced those you see before you to sacrifice their lives for the sake of those who are here now, they are still out there, and they are not done with us yet! They hide away, biding their time until they can fortify their existing power, all to bring yet another wave of their cruelty upon those who reject their rule! I believe I speak for all who lost people to this tragedy, we will not give in to Providence!¡±


    Cheers erupted once more, far louder than before, and I kept the momentum going, ¡°As we speak, we have strike forces heading to five planets nearby us, all of which are struggling under the pain of pirates who struck while Providence had wreaked communication between the domains, and we will free them from their struggles and ensure they can live free! Once that is done, we will work together and strive to find and bring down Providence, and we can¡¯t do it alone, we need all of you to pitch in and help us bring down these wolves in sheep¡¯s clothing! Don¡¯t let the memory of those we lost die in silence, rather, let their lives encourage you to keep on living, to help and save those who wish to be free from the wrath of Providence! This is my proclamation to Providence, you will not win, and we¡¯re coming for you!¡± Cheers erupted, and this time, I let them continue, ¡°Stay safe everyone! I¡¯ll return to work, as there is much to do, and I hope we can celebrate the many victories we¡¯ll have against Providence!¡± As I walked off the stage, I wondered where I found all that emotion, but I understood quickly where it came from, I sought revenge for what they did, and I was quickly returning to my state of emotional blankness.


    Joan walked beside me, her hand on my back, ¡°A perfect speech sir, though, I cannot approve of the rage you had during your proclamation.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I had no intentions to do that, it just happened¡­ and it¡¯s hard to control my emotions.¡± I could tell Joan was concerned, but she knew I was working through it¡­ at least I thought I was working through it. Either way, what¡¯s done is done, and all I could do now was push on from here. I wasn¡¯t going to wait for anything anymore, I needed to be active, because even if I didn¡¯t deserve it, I was the protector of this domain, no matter how small it is. Knowing everything, I was likely going to be without anyone to tutor me into being a noble, so I have plenty of time working on my next mech, one that can actually handle the future that seem to have the odds stacked against me. My future wasn¡¯t one I envisioned, but it was the one I was delt, and until the end, I was going to reject the future others want to put on me. I may no longer have the will to carve my own, but I wasn¡¯t going to be forced into one against my will. From here on, I was going to find and eliminate Providence, then figure out what to do afterwards. I can¡¯t figure out what to do anymore, but at least this could serve as a stopgap until I can figure out what to do.

 Chapter Twelve: Unexpected Training

    I stood over a pirate, my blade covered in the blood of their fellow pirates who hadn¡¯t surrendered before this point. Two painfully long years had passed, but now, we stood at the pinnacle of our first plan. The planet we stood on was the final planet in the five planets we sought to free, preventing Providence from establishing contact with them and making a forward base on them. At this point, I had no desire to kill someone who lacked the will to fight, so I slashed my blade to remove the blood from it, ¡°Arrest the rest, we¡¯ll decide their punishments at a later date.¡± I began back to the ships, the destruction was minimal, as intended, and all we needed to do was allocate some funds and the planet would be restored and functional again. Once I boarded the command ship, took to my position on the bridge, a hologram began to play before not only myself, but each of the men on the bridge. A man, clearly an official from the Empire, held a pad as he spoke, ¡°Baron Aurelian Stella Flameheart, in light of recent events, you have been awarded the title of Viscount. While this would normally come with a ceremony, we understand it wouldn¡¯t be something you¡¯d wish for.¡±


    As my men began to clap, I wondered just what they saw in me to gain a higher rank as a noble, but it seems the man wasn¡¯t done, ¡°Also, as we noticed, you¡¯ve been having issues in your noble training. One noble has accepted your request, the noble is Duke Conrad Terra Bartholomew, the date and length of your training has been sent with this message, so be sure to arrive on time. That is all, congratulations on your elevated rank, Viscount.¡± Once the hologram vanished, I was momentarily surprised, I thought people would just ignore me. I clicked my tongue, ¡°Well, there goes that plan, now I have to actually go to training.¡± Merlin, quick to action, spoke in my ear, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll inform Edward and Elen, we won¡¯t have much time before you need to leave to make it in time.¡± As my own ship and several others began to rise on our return home, I had to somehow work my plans around this ¡°training¡± I was about to go through. At this point, I had to get used to the Empire likely ensuring that all noble children¡­ or new adults, went through some form of sanctioned training to ensure they have the proper etiquette and whatnot.


    ~~~


    When I returned home, I had a lot I needed to do before I went, which also included a mountain of paperwork, ensuring the production of tier six ships was running smoothly, and the means to bring my construction project with me to Duke Bartholomew¡¯s domain. As I worked, Elen stood with me, since I was also informed Duke Bartholomew would be calling me to discuss my training. I asked, ¡°Are there any meetings I need to commit to before my training? If so, I need to somehow fit them into my schedule.¡± Elen replied, ¡°No sir, I believe there will be none before then.¡± I nodded, it was a weight off my shoulders considering I didn¡¯t need more than what I already had on my plate at the moment, because what I had now was a logistical nightmare when it came to domain functions. At least knowing I could briefly speak with him was enough for me, since it let me gauge how much I can trust him while I¡¯m there.


    After I got though a bit more work, Edward spoke, ¡°Sir, Duke Bartholomew is on the line.¡± I nodded, putting my work to the side to ensure he had my undivided attention, ¡°Connect him.¡± As his holographic image appeared before me, I understood he was quite old, enough to the point I suspected he was over eight hundred years old, since the anti-aging medication seemed to not be as potent anymore. Gray hair, short and well-kept put focus on one of his eyes being nearly entirely white while the other was a brown color, this told me he was half blind, specifically from his right half. His frame, however, seemed to be bulging with muscles, something I respected him for maintaining despite his age. Out of respect for the Duke, I rose from my seat and bowed, ¡°Duke Bartholomew, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± Duke Bartholomew replied, ¡°Please, there is no need for such pleasantries, especially when I can tell your heart isn¡¯t in it.¡± As I rose and sat down, I said, ¡°Still, it is out of respect for you, being a Duke is no easy feat, and it deserves the upmost respect.¡± Looking at him again, I could tell that despite the riches he likely held, his clothes were quite modest. While most nobles chose to flaunt their wealth, likely to show their domain is thriving, he was much like myself¡­ before the battle. Now, anything I wore was strictly tactical, since my life was likely in more danger than ever before.


    Duke Bartholomew sighed, for what reason I could not explain, but he continued, ¡°Then if I may, let me be the first noble to congratulate you on your elevated title, you¡¯ve done more than enough to warrant your Viscount status.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it, I just did what anyone would in this situation¡­ I failed my people, that doesn¡¯t deserve rewarding, it deserves punishment.¡± Duke Bartholomew replied, ¡°And this is why I chose to commence your training, you cannot see good in anything you do, and I want to guide you back into being honest with yourself.¡± I felt a bit of my rage and guilt push its way to up, but I did my best to push it back down, ¡°Millions of people were injured, killed, kidnaped, or outright betrayed us, that isn¡¯t a good thing. Putting planets lacking their noble rulers under my protection wasn¡¯t for their sake, but for my own, since it prevented Providence from establishing contact with them and using them as forward bases. I had to sacrifices lives during that battle that I could¡¯ve prevented if I were strong enough, but I failed them. Why are my faults, my failures, being praised as if I did chose the best option on the list? I could¡¯ve done something different, yet I didn¡¯t so why am I being given something people see as a reward for it?¡±


    When I looked into Duke Bartholomew¡¯s eyes, I could tell he felt pity for me, no, he was judging me. I put my hand to my chest, ¡°I got people killed, Duke Bartholomew, I should not be rewarded for failing to keep the lives I swore to protect safe.¡± Duke Bartholomew remained silent for a moment, then, he spoke, ¡°Even in the darkest of days, there will always be a light that guides people to the future. To your people, even in your darkest moment, chose to get back up for whatever reason you have within you to fight against those who sought to harm you. Even if that reason isn¡¯t a righteous one, it¡¯s a starting point to getting back on track. What I want to do is be a mentor to the you that sits before me, to guide you in the ways of nobility while also helping you work through these feelings of yours. Believe me, there is much I wish to do as well, but I cannot act since, much like you, my domain is still recovering.¡± He took a breath, then said, ¡°You can commit to domain duties here while you¡¯re training, I know times are tough, and I cannot force you to leave your domain functions for seven years. That being said, is there anything else you¡¯d wish for when coming to my domain?¡±


    Duke Bartholomew was confusing, but he¡¯d at least let me work on restoring my domain to proper functionality. Aside from that, I had one request, ¡°Let me keep a ship on planet, I want it near wherever I¡¯m training, I have a project I¡¯m working on that requires a proper bay. I can supply my own resources to its upkeep, all I need is time to work on it, since it¡¯s vital to the future of my combat prowess against my enemies.¡± Duke Bartholomew replied, ¡°I assume, considering your particular skillset, this project must be a new mech, correct?¡± I was surprised he was so direct, but I knew any communications coming to or from my planets were secure, the protections I put in place make it so, ¡°Yes, my mech was too weak to beat one of theirs, and it caused unnecessary sacrifices to ensure those on planet survived. I don¡¯t want that to happen again, I don¡¯t want to be forced to watch others die like that again.¡± Duke Bartholomew nodded, his expression seemed approving, ¡°I¡¯ll allow it; however, it mustn¡¯t cut into your training, understood?¡± I nodded in return, ¡°I understand, besides, I still don¡¯t have all the parts I require, so it¡¯ll take some time for them to be made and sent to me, I¡¯m merely doing preparation for the time being.¡±


    After I mentioned that, we discussed what the training was going to be, and I learned one oddly unique piece of information, the Duke didn¡¯t allow one¡¯s family rank to be thrown around there. In his eyes, most of the individuals coming to domains were merely those whose parents held the power, not them themselves, so he wanted to instill a proper sense of respect for others into those who may have had a more spoiled upbringing. My case was odd, but that was just how the situation played out this time around. But what he stated for training was something I expected from this initial level of learning. However, I wanted to ask him something personally, ¡°Duke Bartholomew, this doesn¡¯t question doesn¡¯t come from Baron¡­ Viscount Flameheart, but rather Aurelian Stella Flameheart. Duke Bartholomew, do you support or work with Providence in any way?¡± Duke Bartholomew¡¯s face grew stern, ¡°Son, those brutes nearly killed my son and his family, the day I submit to them will be the day hell freezes over.¡± For a moment, I swear I felt a small smile break the emotionlessness I was stuck feeling, but when I went to feel it, it was the same neutral expression I wore every day. I bowed, ¡°Thank you, Duke Bartholomew, I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ll have a conflict in that regard.¡±


    Duke Bartholomew spoke, ¡°I hate to say this, though, I cannot vet everyone for being part of Providence, but I likely can¡¯t stop them considering the power they hold. Just know that I won¡¯t allow needless violence among you unless it¡¯s directed against you, understood?¡± I asked, ¡°What if someone is bullying another? Can I step in and attempt to break it up?¡± Duke Bartholomew nodded, ¡°I¡¯d be pleased if you would, just know no harm is to come to them unless they attempt to do so to you first.¡± I nodded, ¡°I understand, Duke Bartholomew. You have my word that I won¡¯t harm another soul there unless myself or others are to come under harm.¡± Duke Bartholomew seemed pleased, ¡°Perfect, now, unless there¡¯s anything else you wish to ask, I will see you when you arrive to my domain.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I have no additional questions, if I have any, I''ll be sure to ask when I arrive." Duke Bartholomew replied, ¡°Understood, see you in a year, Viscount Flameheart.¡±


    As I returned to work, Edward said, ¡°Things seem to have gone well sir, especially the fact that the Duke doesn¡¯t want anything to do with Providence.¡± I nodded, but I wasn¡¯t in the clear, ¡°Ensure those on the ship that¡¯ll remain there are top notch, Providence will wonder why I was allowed to keep the craft there, and I will not let them get any hint of my work aboard the ship.¡± Edward said, ¡°Already done sir, we took no risks when choosing the men aboard the ship.¡± Edward leaned over and whispered into my ears, ¡°Lady Joan says she chose ¡°The Ravens¡± for extra security.¡± As he leaned back, I knew my secrets were safe. The Ravens wasn¡¯t their title, merely their codename in conversations, meaning even Edward didn¡¯t know who these assassins were. These assassins were those of a particular clan of Oni, to my surprise, it seems they were separated into groups before their cryostasis, maybe they expected something like this to happen. I replied, ¡°Good, then my secrets are safe. Though, one thing continues to elude me.¡± Edward said, uncertain, ¡°Are you referring to another behemoths mana core sir?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s almost like they¡¯re nonexistent, which makes no logical sense.¡±


    My next personal unit requires at least two behemoth level mana cores to function, and if I can¡¯t find a second one, then my new personal unit will be nothing more than a glorified paperweight. Edward suggested, ¡°Maybe the Duke will know something sir, he does have a swath of planets under his jurisdiction, there must be at least one planet with a behemoth on it.¡± I thought for a moment, while that could be the case, I wasn¡¯t sure if he would let me do so considering the dangers, ¡°He might, he might not, I¡¯ll bring it up when it seems appropriate.¡± One year, and I had to leave soon as to make it on time, ¡°Make sure my guard is ready, I wouldn¡¯t put it against Providence to try and attack me during transit.¡± Edward was quick to respond, ¡°Understood sir, also, ¡°that¡± project should be done by the time your stay in Duke Bartholomew¡¯s training is completed, should we use it instead of sending a guard?¡± I thought, but I wasn¡¯t sure at the moment, ¡°Let¡¯s put a pin on that, as much as I¡¯d want to, it¡¯ll have to depend on the situation at hand.¡± We had far to much going on, not to mention the active investigations into Providence leads, so we couldn¡¯t just announce everything we did immediately. Either way, I had one year, then I¡¯d be outside of my element, and I just hoped I could get through it without too many issues.


    ~~~


    To my surprise, everything from leaving my domain to arriving in Duke Bartholomew¡¯s domain was entirely quiet. To my surprise, a thousand ships didn¡¯t seem to be an easy target among even pirates, but I assume Providence may have been the reason for it. As I was working on the costs of minor repairs and refueling, a man bearing the Duke¡¯s crest had approached me, ¡°Are you Viscount Flameheart?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, are you a representative of Duke Bartholomew?¡± The man nodded, ¡°Yes, once you¡¯re done with your fleet¡¯s business, I will guide you to the meeting area.¡± As he moved to a location a bit away, a voice spoke into my ear, ¡°He¡¯s who he says he is, we¡¯ll keep an eye on the ship, Forge Master. If you need any of us for any particular reason, one of us will be guarding you at all times.¡± I nodded, not speaking, but at least fooling others into thinking I likely had an idea I liked. These Oni assassins had learned a very peculiar type of magic, one that could warp one¡¯s perception, making it seem like they weren¡¯t even there, be it by sight or mana sense, none could see where they were unless they allowed it.


    Once I finished my work, and the fleet began to return home, minus my mobile workshop, I followed the representative as I was led towards a meeting area with others I assumed were nobles. It seemed like a location seemed like a place one would reserve for a party, but it was in their port for some reason I failed to understand. The representative said, ¡°Once the rest of the nobles arrive, the Duke will speak to you all as you¡¯re taken to the training location. Please, enjoy the refreshments, it must¡¯ve been a long journey.¡± The representative left me to do as I wished, and I chose to take a cup and fill it with a random, non-alcoholic drink, and just drank it as I took to a distance away and observed the nobles present. Some of the nobles here were certainly with Providence, especially considering the fact this was the first batch of noble training students since Providence attacked, meaning there were people five years older than usual here awaiting their training as well. Some turned to look at me, but just as quickly as they did, they looked away with haste, I likely gave off an air that made me unapproachable, which I was fine with.


    Though, there was one thing I could subtly pick up, some people were already seemingly throwing their weight around, though some of them felt off. It almost seemed like they were pretending to put their reputation on others, though some were really occurring. One of the occurrences seemed to have a girl my age struggling against two people clearly older than us. I sighed, got an extra cup of my drink, and approached the two who were bullying the girl. As I got closer, I could already tell what was going on, the girl was a Baron while the two guys were Counts, they both outranked us, and I guess they were trying to get the girl to ¡°go out with them¡±. With a bit of magic, I made sure the drinks didn¡¯t fall when I let them go and put my hands on one of the two guys shoulders, ¡°She¡¯s clearly not interested, so take a few steps back if you don¡¯t mind.¡± I used a bit of force to pull them away from her, but I found this reasonable for the situation at hand. I stood in front of the girl, her azure eyes looked to me with what I could assume was hope, her auburn hair nearly covering her eyes. I kept one eye on the two boys as I looked to her, ¡°Are you alright?¡± I don¡¯t know why I was doing this; what would I get out of this? But¡­ I felt like there was a little familiar voice telling me to do it within me, and maybe I just wanted to hear it out.


    The girl nodded, and I put one cup into her hands and the other in mine, ¡°Drink, it¡¯s juice, you¡¯re probably stressed, it¡¯ll help.¡± As I took a sip from my own cup, one of the guys said, ¡°Who do you think you are? Our fathers are Counts; you think you can stand up to us?¡± I sighed, ¡°I believe Duke Bartholomew told everyone that our ranks mean nothing here, so, both of you have no right to do this to her.¡± The other guy spoke first, ¡°Move out of the way, or we¡¯ll just have to show you your place, weakling.¡± I figured out the two man hierarchy from that one comment, the other guy was akin to a henchman while he was the leader. I took another sip of the drink, then said, ¡°We were also told no violence unless it was in self-defense, are you willing to break that rule?¡± I felt the girl¡¯s hand on my shoulder, to which I turned to see her clearly in distress, ¡°It¡¯s ok¡­ you don¡¯t have to get hurt for me.¡± Something in her saying that made me feel guilty, that I somehow wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect one person from two people on my own, that I couldn¡¯t surpass odds that were clearly stacked against me.


    All I could see for a moment was Lily dying before my very eyes, and I couldn¡¯t let this girl take a worse fate just because of me. If I let her go with them now, what would all my training have been for? I finished my drink, threw the cup into a trashcan from where I stood, and patted her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, because I won¡¯t lose just because I was outnumbered again.¡± As she removed her hand, the two drew swords, and they weren¡¯t fake blades either, ¡°Then we have no choice, prepare to learn your lesson.¡± I sighed, my life was in danger now, but I wasn¡¯t going to stoop to their level. I unhooked my sword and handed it to the girl, ¡°Keep an eye on my blade, I won¡¯t draw it against people like them.¡± After a moment of looking around, I saw a broom that was likely left there by an absentminded staff member. I looked to the closest person, who was looking at our confrontation, and said, ¡°Disconnect the broom handle from the broom and throw it to me, be quick.¡± The individual seemed confused, but considering my circumstances, did it anyway and threw it to me. After a moment to get used to its weight, I coated it in mana, mostly to ensure it didn¡¯t break due to the swords.


    The two boys chuckled, the leader saying, ¡°You think a broom handle will save you? Your funeral.¡± I noticed everyone, including the ones who were trying to throw their weight around, all had their eyes on us. I sighed, this was likely going to get me in trouble somehow, but I wasn¡¯t going to abandon this girl. I turned to her and said, ¡°Stay behind me, no matter what.¡± She nodded, her eyes had tears, but I wasn¡¯t sure for what reason they were flowing anymore. When I looked back, both had charged me at once, and their blades seemed unnaturally slow, not to mention I knew the exact style they were using, considering there were very few styles in the Empire. With one hand, I blocked both strikes, they believed a double attack from above would be smart, the broom handle didn¡¯t even creek under their combined might. I yawned into my hand, then said, ¡°Is this all? Your moves were sloppy, not to mention the fact you wasted too much energy on the swing.¡± I pushed both of them back, my magic making it simple to push them away, ¡°You should try to put more effort into your training, this is a poor showing.¡± After a moment, they both got up and charged me again, and I could see every move with surprising ease.


    A right horizontal slash followed by a rising vertical, then a double horizontal slash from both sides, which all I needed to do was step back to avoid injury, but I made sure to put the broom handle between their blades to prevent both of them from losing an arm. I hadn¡¯t even gone on the offensive, and they nearly lost an arm each, I needed to ensure they were at least disarmed before they hurt someone else or themselves. With a few swift motions, I slammed the club into both of their dominant hands, breaking them, but it forced them to release their swords as they clanked on the ground. I stepped forward, taking kicking both blades behind me to ensure they wouldn¡¯t try anything if they had some skill with their non-dominant hands. I looked towards the front of the room, my eyes catching Duke Bartholomew, so I dispelled the mana on the broom handle and bowed to him, ¡°Duke Bartholomew.¡± This managed to snap everyone out of their stunned silence, many quickly following suit in bowing in respect of the Duke. Duke Bartholomew clapped his hands, ¡°Nice work, young Flameheart. You ended the fight without bloodshed, including preventing both of the instigators from injuring themselves, that is a special kind of talent.¡±


    He looked to both of the Counts, his voice stern, ¡°Both of you, didn¡¯t I tell both you and your parents that you¡¯re forbidden to throw your weight around in my domain? Your names hold no power here, not to mention how disrespectful it is to try and use your family status in a foreign noble¡¯s domain. Someone take them to a separate room; I¡¯ll decide their punishments once I finish here.¡± I watched as guards took the two Counts, including their blades, and left the room. When I looked to the girl, she was crying as she took my hand, ¡°Thank you, I mean it, thank you so much!¡± I shook my head, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me, I was just doing what a noble should do.¡± When I looked back to the Duke, he seemed to have a look of someone who just had an idea, but it he quickly returned to a normal expression. After a moment, I said, ¡°If it makes you feel better, you can stick with me for now.¡± I could tell the girl was nodding, likely just relieved that I stood up for her. The Duke spoke for a bit, what he expects from us, his knowledge he wishes to impart, and the desire to see us all improve.


    The Duke motioned to the door, ¡°I apologize, I forgot the last few nobles were stuck outside during my speech, please, come in.¡± As the other nobles, male and female, entered the room, one had turned to face me, or more likely, the girl who was still recovering by my side. As he approached, I noticed his uniform was function of form, not to mention the fact it had very little to style it aside the fabric itself. His eyes were a bright yellow, as if they shined like the sun, though his hair was a wheat blond color. His frame, while it held muscles, was more like mine, as they didn¡¯t completely overtake our bodies, but we had enough to state we could pull our own weight. His expression showed concern as he spoke, ¡°Olivia, are you alright? You¡¯re as pale as a ghost.¡± The girl, who I now knew was named Olivia, replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine Alex, it¡¯s all thanks to him.¡± When Alex looked to me, I noticed his eyes had that look of familiarity, like he knew me from somewhere, but he didn¡¯t act on it. He took my hand and shook it, ¡°Hey, thanks helping Olivia, she¡¯s not the strongest individual. My name is Alexander Astra Lancaster, nice to meet you¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want to be rude, especially to the son of the Viscount who I bought my tea leaves from, ¡°Aurelian, Aurelian Stella Flameheart.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Before either of us could say anything else, Olivia said, ¡°I¡¯m Olivia, Olivia Astra Silverlight. Thank you for helping me, Aurelian.¡± I waved her off, ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep thanking me, I just did what anyone would do.¡± Alexander said, ¡°That¡¯s not really the case, especially after¡­ well, everyone knows. Most usually keep to themselves, even when they seem like they¡¯re conversing.¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was originally intending to do.¡± These two were strange, considering the situation, I¡¯m surprised Olivia was willing to trust a stranger for no reason. However, I found Alexander even stranger, no one looks at someone familiarly without a reason, and I can clearly say I never met him before. His looks make him stand out, even among a crowd like this, so it only makes me wonder just how he could look at me like that. Though, as everyone began conversing again, I realized the Duke was giving me that same look he had earlier. If he had an idea about me, I hoped it didn¡¯t involve these two, because I didn¡¯t need yet more innocent blood on my hands, be they against Providence or not.


    ~~~


    As I stood in my two-man dorm, I realized what that Duke was thinking about now as my roommate just so happened to be Alexander. As much as I didn¡¯t wish for this, I understood this was likely some character building experience, but it didn¡¯t mean I had to like it. Alexander, noticing me, said, ¡°Hey, how lucky are we to be in the same room?¡± I waved him off, putting my few items onto my designated desk, ¡°For me, this only means you could become a target, so don¡¯t try to get close to me, got it?¡± Alexander replied, ¡°You can¡¯t say that when none of us know anything about your situation, it¡¯s not like news travels quickly in the Empire.¡± I clicked my tongue; the one time I wanted information to spread and it didn¡¯t. I looked to him and said, clearly, ¡°I¡¯ve proclaimed I¡¯m going to fight back against Providence, anyone who gets close to me will likely be caught in the crossfire. I won¡¯t cause others to suffer just because of my actions, not anymore.¡± Once I set up what little I needed, I began to work on domain issues, especially considering I couldn¡¯t do any since we met up and began moving planet side. Alexander, clearly surprised, said, ¡°You¡¯re working on domain work? I thought you were just-.¡± I cut him off, ¡°I had my own domain since I was ten, and my parents are dead, so yes, I need to ensure my domain doesn¡¯t fall apart.¡±


    As I observed the five new planets under my control, I realized I had a message, so I made sure to read it. After a bit of the way through reading it, I slammed my fist into the desk, nearly breaking it, ¡°They¡¯re just letting me take complete control of these planets!? I understand if it were temporary, but they want me to incorporate them into my domain!? I can barely keep my own issues in order, so why this?!¡± One of the guards, those who ensure our safety, popped their head into the room, ¡°Is all well in here, Viscounts?¡± I waved him off, ¡°Yes, I was just delivered information that I couldn¡¯t exactly agree with, you may leave.¡± Once the guard left, Alexander put his hand on my shoulder, ¡°Breathe, making actions in anger will only hurt yourself and others, relax.¡± As much as I wanted to rebuke him, he was right, my emotions have been out of control since the battle, maybe recuperating could do me a little better. I pushed a few buttons, and I was soon speaking with Edward, ¡°Edward, can you get me scans of the planets we assumed control over? We were given complete control over them, so I need to designate them in ways that best fit their capabilities. Also, assign some temporary officials so we can begin getting the political issue in order while we find those more suited to the position.¡± Edward replied, ¡°Understood sir, right away.¡±


    As he hung up, Alexander asked with curiosity, ¡°You¡¯re requesting a planetary scan? Why do that?¡± I decided to explain my reasoning, taking a particular planet that became well known for it¡¯s food, ¡°This planet is well known for its food items, specifically seafood, it¡¯s because the noble who took over understood that the planet was perfect for the job by a series of tests. I do something similar to them, and through that, I determine the best use for the planet and guide it to be the best it can be, making each planet akin to a machine, each part being valuable to the overall function of the domain, which is akin to a ship running as a collection of those machines. One is akin to fuel, food, another being metals and ammo, factories, so by working them in their best capacities, the domain runs perfectly.¡± Alexander asked, ¡°Have you considered that those on planet may not like the way you wish to designate them?¡± I shook a finger, ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s a specialty, but to ensure the planet can function when a crisis arises, I make sure it¡¯s balanced enough to handle the needs of the planet. By making a planet designated in farming, we can ensure mouths are fed in the whole domain during peace times without issue, allowing for a decent stockpile to be made on each planet. It¡¯s a lot of work, but in the end, it runs nigh autonomously¡­ well, not literally, but metaphorically.¡±


    Alexander seemed to be in thought, then he asked, ¡°Could I ask you for assistance on a matter then?¡± I cleared what I was doing, deciding to just go with the ¡°building character¡± thing the Duke wanted from us, ¡°I¡¯m not all knowing, I may not know what to do, but you can ask anyway.¡± Alexander began, ¡°It¡¯s not an issue with my domain, we managed to do pretty well all things considered, the issue is Olivia and her family. The former baron of her planet gave their life in the fighting, ensuring that her family survived, which landed them in the baron seat that his loss gave way to.¡± I think I understood what he was getting at, but he continued, ¡°In a way, they were ill-prepared to take the position, and now they¡¯re struggling to get the planet they care for back into function. Is there a way you can help her guide her planet into recovery?¡± I thought for a moment, then looked to what I had to do. These planets were pretty well established, so I doubted I¡¯d need to put too much work into it, but Olivia¡¯s people were likely struggling to live every day. I sighed, ¡°Tell her to bring me the information I¡¯m sending you, if she fails to send it all, I may make a mistake.¡± Alexander took a look through the list, then said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a lot of information a regular noble would prefer to keep quiet?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Yes, it shows how stable they are or not, but if I don¡¯t get this alone, I may be unable to work my magic to the maximum extent possible. I¡¯m not all knowing, but I can certainly make it run as optimally as I can get it, as long as I can see the whole picture.¡± I returned to my work, some issues were coming up in some areas, and I wanted to be ready to handle them when they became apparent, ¡°Knowing is half the battle, and you want me to work my magic on her world, so it¡¯ll be costly in the knowledge department. Trust me, I did the same thing with my world, and it seems like she needs the help.¡± Saying ¡°trust me¡± felt foreign to my lips, I used to say it all the time with Lily, yet now, it was something I never said, as if the words never existed. Even now, her loss affects me, and I¡¯m not even sure if I like the version of me that came from it. But I know one thing, if I let go of this version of me, I¡¯m going to cease being the version of me that people need right now. They don¡¯t need the me that was overconfident, foolish, and weak, they need the me that can do as needed, to be strong, to be unwavering, and I can¡¯t do that with needless emotions getting in my way. But¡­ do I really want to sacrifice my own wishes just to do this?


    ~~~


    After a few days of acclimating to our new lives here, I suddenly understood why the Duke had that look all those days ago, as I was now sat with Alexander and Olivia, his words explaining our days task, ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to see how well you and a team can colonize a metaphorical planet. Also, those you¡¯re paired up with currently will be the teams you will be with for every group¡­ project like this. So, even outside of these projects, I want to see how well your groups can work together.¡± After a moment, he spoke, ¡°I want you to plan out how you¡¯ll start colonizing this planet, you¡¯ll have¡­ three hours. So, that¡¯s from now until dinner, be sure to check the rules that come with your planet. Begin.¡± As I took the rules in my hands, Alexander and Olivia took the hologram and pulled up our planet, but that was all that was shown. The rules were short, so I quickly typed up a message and sent it to the Duke, then I joined them in a visual observation of the planet. It seemed baren, while there was fertile land, the rest seemed to be mountainous, forested, or bare deserts, it wasn¡¯t the best place to inhabit. At best, I assumed both of them would assume the planet was best used as a mining world and move on, but that¡¯s where I disagreed.


    Olivia said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this planet, but I can expect the mountains to be rich in resources.¡± Alexander spoke, pointing an area out, ¡°There¡¯s a geothermal vent here, we have a lot on one of our newer planets, a great source of electricity. While there aren¡¯t major sized oceans, the concept of lava and heat being turned into electricity means we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it if we build a generator there.¡± After a ping entered the pads we received, I began to go through what I received from the Duke, Alexander asking, ¡°We didn¡¯t send anything, what did we get?¡± I replied, motioning to their pads, ¡°I requested a planetary scan, one where all scannable resources are sent to me, along with a planetary survey, to see where any locations of note are. By seeing this, you can get a perfect understanding of the planet, which I doubt anyone else considered.¡± When I looked outside of our group, I noticed people were placing structures down at, what I assumed, random. I turned back to the ¡°results¡± of the scan and survey, ¡°So, by seeing where everything is, we can safely say we can maximize all resources to the max. Give me a moment, then we can begin.¡±


    Once I finished, I pointed, ¡°The fertile land has nothing of much note beneath it, we can turn that into farmland for natural food and animal growth.¡± Olivia began to designate the area as Alexander began to fill it with the proper facilities. I pointed to a mountain range, ¡°This set of mountains has valuable resources within it, so mining facilities should line the range, with factories nearby so travel expenses are minimized. Oh, right, make sure there¡¯s a geothermal plant on the vents, we can¡¯t forget nature¡¯s bounty of useful locations.¡± It was a simple stretch of teamwork, and both of them seemed to trust me on the matter, though maybe it was due to my time ruling my domain coming into play. Once all the major points were complete, I motioned to the desert, ¡°Living spaces should go here, as there¡¯s other locations with usability after establishment, we should leave the space open for the time being and use the free land.¡± Once that was finished, we had a decent little location, with all areas easily accessible from the main strip of homes, shops, and offices. When I checked the time, we were coming up on the time limit, which was surprising considering the fact everyone else was basically goofing off at this point.


    Olivia said, ¡°You¡¯re really intuitive on this stuff Aurelian, it¡¯s surprising how efficient you made this planet.¡± Alexander nodded, ¡°I know, and to know you were actively doing this for the past few days before now is actually pretty scary.¡± Olivia asked, shocked, ¡°He¡¯s been doing this, to real planets, since he got here?!¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, to my surprise, the planets I liberated from their pirate attackers were apparently given to me¡­ it¡¯s been a mess since I still haven¡¯t even gotten my planet back under control since the attack.¡± Filling the positions we lost due to the traitors was no easy feat, while we did have people to fill the soldier positions, it was the governmental positions that was a problem. Most of those who had the proper education and merit, not to mention being known among the people, all betrayed us for Providence, so it left us scrambling to fill the spaces. I finished, ¡°It¡¯s not hard, considering the information I have, but it¡¯s crushing to know that filling the roles left behind will take years still.¡±


    Before they could say anything, the Duke said, ¡°All teams, cease working, give me a moment to see how well you all have done.¡± This turned us silent, letting him oversee the work we¡¯ve done. I could tell from where I sat he seemed displeased about some, neutral about others, and very few he seemed pleased about. When he finished, our planet was displayed on a large hologram, the Duke rising and speaking, ¡°This planet was the best one I saw, and it wasn¡¯t a close call mind you. Can one of the group stand up and explain your process?¡± Alexander stood up, his voice clear, ¡°We owe our success to Aurelian, he has years of experience ruling his domain, he even explained the process to us in a way that was easily digestible.¡± As he explained, I noticed some people were glaring at me, I assumed they were either jealous of my work or were members of Providence, made to believe they were something special and would always excel over their peers. I sighed, understanding I¡¯d need to carry my blade around now, even with my protection hiding close by, I couldn¡¯t be left helpless in the wake of danger.


    The Duke clapped his hands, ¡°Well done, all three of you, it shows that despite just meeting, you each had a hand in completing this task perfectly, the other groups have much to learn from you three.¡± He looked to his pad, then said, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been holding you all from dinner, please, go and enjoy yourselves, and remember to always keep an open mind.¡± As we all began to leave, Olivia and Alexander followed me, even when I walked a path that wasn¡¯t exactly the quickest way to get food. I asked, since I was going to work on my project after dinner, ¡°Why are you two following me? I¡¯m not a sociable person, and I was going to work on a private project after¡­ well, while eating dinner.¡± Alexander, a smile on his face, said, ¡°We should get to know each other better, we¡¯ll be working together for the next seven years after all.¡± Olivia nodded, ¡°Yeah, knowing each other better means we¡¯ll be able to work more cohesively! We should do it!¡± Something in Olivia reminded me of Lily, and I felt afraid of getting close to the both of them, the thought of parents losing their children, or them losing their parents, all because of me something I couldn¡¯t go through again.


    I just began to walk faster, ¡°No thanks¡­ I¡¯m fine, truly.¡± As I walked, it was as if I saw Lily out of the corner of my eye, and when I managed to see her, it was as if she was mouthing not to forget her. She had managed to go from the light of my world to the reason I can¡¯t sleep at night sometimes, all over the fact I had lived, and she didn¡¯t. I felt a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks, and when I looked, Olivia seemed concerned for me, ¡°Aurelian, are you alright? You¡­ you look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡± It was funny to me, but not in a way that made me laugh, enough to the point that I couldn¡¯t even deny it, ¡°Because I have¡­ what everyone in my domain lost that day¡­ it haunts me as well. What I¡¯ve lost haunts me, and I can¡¯t get close to others without it being a dagger to not only my own throat, but others. Please¡­ don¡¯t force me to do this, I can¡¯t do it again.¡± I pushed her hand off my shoulder and kept walking, no longer feeling hungry as I took to leaving the area for a while to work on my project. Lily¡¯s eyes keeping on me in fury, telling me to finish my project as soon as possible to bring about the revenge my domain sought.


    ~~~


    As I slowly guided my hand along the mana core, further crafting it into the most viable form, a voice spoke to me from the outskirts of the workshop, ¡°I wondered why you didn¡¯t come for breakfast, seems like you¡¯re working hard¡­ a little too hard.¡± As I pulled my hands away from the core, I looked to Duke Bartholomew, ¡°I apologize, I lost track of time, this work is rather delicate.¡± The Duke sighed, ¡°Aurelian, your friends are worried about you, and for good reason.¡± I clicked my tongue, a horrible habit I developed and can¡¯t seem to drop, ¡°They aren¡¯t my friends, no one should be my friend, especially not now.¡± The Duke¡¯s face shifted to one of discontent, ¡°Aurelian, come with me, let¡¯s take a walk.¡± I pondered if I should do so, but I do need to uphold the rules he set with me so I could keep working, so I took my gloves off and began to walk with him, ¡°I¡¯m a target, Duke Bartholomew, yesterday only proved it to me. People glaring at me, I know what I am in their eyes, someone they beat once and can beat again, or maybe someone they have the edge on, and are just waiting to tighten the noose. No one can like me, all I do is hurt.¡± The Duke sighed, ¡°My boy, that¡¯s where I find you wrong.¡± As we left, and I made sure to lock up the workshop properly, he spoke clearly, ¡°What you¡¯re experiencing is the inability to move on.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°I can¡¯t move on, they¡¯re still out there, and I know they¡¯re waiting to strike again.¡± The Duke shook his head in return, ¡°I don¡¯t mean about Providence, that is a reasonable thing to not let go, I mean about resolving the loss you feel from¡­ well, losing those close to you.¡± I shook my head, ¡°No! If I do that, I¡¯ll only make the same, complacent mistakes that I did before! I should¡¯ve done something different! Made my defenses stronger, trained my soldiers more, figured out who those damn traitors were! It¡¯s all my fault!¡± I could hear Lily and my parents, their words like whispers in my ears, ¡°It¡¯s your fault, so don¡¯t you forget that.¡± It was like a sickening siren song, but they were right, it was my fault. I knew how things worked, yet I ignored it, hoping that my ignorance was indeed the bliss I sought, only to lose it all because of it. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my cheek, the Duke had slapped me, ¡°Snap out of it!¡± He turned my face to look at his, the look he held was one of concern, ¡°You are not at fault, you hear me? You aren¡¯t!¡±


    I swore that I heard a blade unsheathe, but it was quickly sheathed to avoid issues with the Duke. But the Duke continued, ¡°Being attacked was never your fault, I had to say the very same thing to my son, and he¡¯s barely able to contain the sorrow he has for the lives that were lost. You were never at fault for it, rather, it¡¯s Providence that should be blamed for this, not you. If they never attacked, you¡¯d be living your life as everyone else would, in peace. Don¡¯t blame yourself for the actions of others.¡± Even as he said that, I couldn¡¯t agree with him. I decided to rebuke this statement, ¡°It¡¯s better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war, do you know what that means, Duke Bartholomew?¡± As he stood back up, releasing me, he replied, ¡°Of course I do, but what does that have to do with our conversation?¡± I spoke, my voice clear, ¡°I made a choice when I made everything I did to act as my domain¡¯s defenses. I chose the cowards way out, doing just what I could in the moment, and not going above and beyond. I listened to the voice of a gardener, and now, I lack the proper arms to fight in this war. Sure, Providence didn¡¯t need to do this, but if they didn¡¯t someone else would¡¯ve, and I would still be at fault for not preparing properly.¡±


    I began to walk to the residence, my exhaustion finally catching up to me, but I wasn¡¯t going to miss any of the training, ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to tell me what I know, Duke Bartholomew, I know full well that despite the blame I hoist onto Providence, I share that very same blame. Fate, as much as someone like you would think, doesn¡¯t smile upon me. Rather, it holds a dagger to my throat, ready to snuff the life from my soul once more. It¡¯s done it more than once, and at this point, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if death itself was breathing down my neck, ready to take my soul. So, Duke Bartholomew, don¡¯t try to tell me where the blame lies, because it does have a rightful place on me.¡± I walked, I didn¡¯t bother letting him rebuke me in return, no more was I going to entertain the fact that I wasn¡¯t at fault for the death and carnage that came from my failure. I could hear the voices of the dead scream to me of my fault, they were right, and there was no way in any life that I could pay for the damage done to them and their families. All I could bring them in return was revenge, and I could only hope they¡¯d be able to rest easy once I begin to do so.


    ~~~


    Aurelian Stella Flameheart, when I heard about him through the royal channels, I wondered why someone like him, who was a dime a dozen, so important to the Empire. Then, I investigated him, and I realized he was the only one who seemed to actually give Providence the same pain they delt him, but it came at a cost. His only friend, one Liliana Stella Drakon, lost her life in the fight, and his parents lost theirs in the defense of their domain. Seeing his response, one recorded and spread among merchants, I understood that he was suffering from his loss more than any other noble I seen, even the ones among my current roster of nobles for training. Though, I never expected to hear the words he said, despite everything, he managed to somehow always bring the blame back to himself. Watching him sit in class, clearly exhausted, I could only question his logic, ¡°Why act like this? His grief seems so¡­ strong considering his age and capacity, yet this seems like someone who¡¯s seen something, or can do something.¡± Seeing that core in his possession, it told me one thing, he was powerful enough to bring a great beast down, one akin to the one that plagues one of my own planets.


    I shook my head, that was our issue, one for a later date, but the point I gained from it told me he was one who experimented. Mana cores had very little use, yet he was using one for a ¡°project¡± of his. I recalled the mech that sat in the workshop, one that I believe seen the fight for his domain¡¯s life, and it radiated mana, much like the machines that Providence used, but stronger. Looking to him, I asked myself again, ¡°Just who are you, Aurelian Stella Flameheart.¡± A voice behind me spoke, ¡°Someone afflicted by a devil¡¯s whispers.¡± When I turned to look, I noticed they were wearing one of the clothes used for those who work out in the mornings, but those never had personal markings on them. Their head was covered enough to prevent proper identification, their eyes shaded by the mask he wore, I asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± The individual replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that, not now, just know I seek to help Aurelian Stella Flameheart.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on, yet this person spoke like they knew, ¡°Tell me, mysterious soul, why help him?¡±


    The individual spoke, ¡°Because our future is tied to his survival, and if he fails to recover from these emotions of his, the Avalon Empire¡­ no, the entire universe will not live to see the end of the millennia.¡± This was farfetched, ¡°I fail to understand, why would the life of one mean the lives of all fail to survive the end of the millennia?¡± The individual spoke, ¡°My¡­ commander tells me that his life is key, he knows the ins and outs of the threat that beseeches us, and the enemy wishes for his downfall.¡± I raised a brow, ¡°How would that be?¡± The individual replied, ¡°I already stated how, but more than that, he needs to understand that he can grow and become someone better because of it. If his future doesn¡¯t change, everyone¡¯s futures will be bleak, and we won¡¯t have the means to fight against an enemy that preexists us all.¡± The man looked to their wrist, then said, ¡°I must go, I¡¯m out of time, do as you must, Duke Conrad Terra Bartholomew, every little bit helps when it comes to helping those suffering, even if they don¡¯t accept it immediately.¡± Then as I blinked, they were gone, leaving me alone with the words they said.


    They didn¡¯t proclaim him a hero, nor did they proclaim him a villain, yet it seemed like they knew of his future to an unbelievable extent. From what I knew, there were some humans in times past that seemed to know the future, they were reincarnates. Yet that type of air¡­ that wasn¡¯t what I felt when they spoke, rather, it was as if he were told it to relay it to another, to me. I put my hand to my chin, once again looking to Aurelian, ¡°Who are you to be foretold by someone with future knowledge? What are your secrets, that you aren¡¯t a hero or villain, yet hold the key to our future?¡± While I wasn¡¯t sure what to trust, I knew one thing, his emotional state was what chose whether or not we live, or die. I couldn¡¯t, even if I hadn¡¯t known this knowledge, to let Aurelian succumb to the demons of the mind, but only now has it made me understand that I want to know the future that one has foreseen come to light, ¡°Just wait, Aurelian, I¡¯ll instill within you the methods to grow beyond your grief. I only hope that those two with you will be alright with being unknowing helpers in my selfish whims.¡± I won¡¯t let him succumb to his inner demons, I¡¯ve seen too many people fall, but I won¡¯t let someone like him fall, I swear it.

 Chapter Thirteen: Discussions and Changes

    Having lived two lifetimes, I¡¯ve become surprised by the fact that, one month of trying to push them away, both Olivia and Alexander have continued to find me in every place but my workshop for one reason or another. It was strange, these two reminded me of Lily, that energetic side of her whenever she sought me out for one reason or another. I knew one thing from this, I couldn¡¯t push them away, but I made a note not to seek them out unless I had something to speak with them about. But this month had given me time, time to work on Olivia¡¯s planet and the way to revitalize if from the attack by Providence. Her planet was, in every sense of the word, a perfect balance of mining, fertile land, oceans, and space for housing, factories, and everyday living. I managed to not only make a means to revitalize the planet, but even a plan to use the planet as efficiently as possible, this would at lease lessen my worries on the planet. I took the information, transferred it into a device for physical transport, and set out to find Olivia. Due to the information being sensitive, I wasn¡¯t going to send digitally, mostly since I assumed Providence had some means to hack existing structures.


    It took time, mostly as I haven¡¯t gotten used to the place yet, but I managed to find her eventually, ¡°Olivia, I have something for you.¡± When she noticed me, she seemed to beam, something she shared with Lily when she was younger¡­ it was hard for me not to see Lily in her, enough to where it hurt me inside to see her occasionally. Once she came over, I handed her the device, ¡°This has all the information you sent me, along with the new and updated data, it should get your planet back on the right track, as well as some additional future preplanning. Remember, always try to capitalize on what you have, missing out may hurt in the future.¡± Somehow, despite how she was beaming before, she absolutely lit up as she hugged me, ¡°Thank you Aurelian! Thank you thank you thank you! I can finally help my people, as well as take a load off of my parents, thank you so much!¡± It felt weird seeing Lily in her, but at the same time, she had that innocence in her that reminded me of a younger Lily, and somehow it seemed to fit her well.


    I, carefully, pushed her off of me, ¡°Indeed, however, send it the same way I requested you bring it here, you know why.¡± Olivia, slightly saddened by me pushing her away, replied with a smile, ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll send it immediately!¡± She quickly ran off to speak with the people she was speaking to before I arrived, likely to say goodbye for the moment, but I didn¡¯t stick around. It was the weekend, and I wanted to touch up the mana core, one month was longer than I usually took on a core of this size, but I wasn¡¯t as free as I usually was, and I wanted to wrap it up today so I could start to work on the mech¡¯s frame. Before I got far, someone began to join me, ¡°You know, most people trying to push others away don¡¯t usually help them, you know?¡± When I looked who spoke to me, I knew exactly why they were pestering me, ¡°You know how I feel about unnecessary suffering, Alexander. If I can do something, why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± He raised a brow, ¡°Is that what you did with those new planets I see you working on? You didn¡¯t need to take out the pirates and temporarily take control of them¡­ well, before the Empire put them under your domain.¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t the initial reason. I didn¡¯t want Providence from establishing a forward base on them, it was a risk I couldn¡¯t take.¡±


    Alexander replied, ¡°So, despite that, you still wanted to help them, despite the reasoning.¡± I sighed, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re not wrong. We all lost something in the battle with Providence, and if you didn¡¯t, you¡¯re either with them or have unimaginable luck on your side. Their tech is nothing to sneeze at, and I can¡¯t see any other way that would be possible.¡± After a bit of walking in silence, Alexander asked, ¡°Aurelian¡­ what did you lose to make you react like¡­ this to even the thought of friendship? It seems over the top to push away even the concept of friendship.¡± I understood one thing, information really was slow to move around, so, I decided to speak about it, at least to get it off my chest, ¡°I¡­ I lost a really close friend of mine¡­¡± I chuckled, ¡°Lily was the only one I could speak with so easily growing up, same age, our fathers were both Counts, it just all seemed to fit into place, like a simple puzzle.¡± I felt the muscles in my face loosen as I spoke, just remembering her felt like I had gone back in time, even for a moment, ¡°We did what we needed to do in the morning, then had a blast at the end of the day, we even spared as we got older, mech and no mech¡­ it was the best time of my life.¡±


    I gripped my heart, now realizing the hole that remained there hadn¡¯t filled or went away, it was just hidden in a haze, ¡°She didn¡¯t have to die¡­ if I didn¡¯t agree to send her out, maybe she¡¯d still be alive. She¡¯d be walking with me, by my side, seeing new sights as she dragged me on to the next big thing she found¡­ but that¡¯ll never happen, not anymore. I lost that chance, but others don¡¯t have too¡­ it¡¯s why I¡¯ll hunt down Providence and make them regret coming out of the darkness. I¡¯ll drag them into the light, show the universe they aren¡¯t to be feared, and make sure they all get what they deserve.¡± I felt my facial muscles return to the ever neutral face I wore, unchanged by the passage of time, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I want to finish part of my personal project, its construction is meant to be kept secret.¡± Alexander, shaking of what his face held before I turned to him, said, ¡°Yeah, sure, go ahead bud, just don¡¯t do what you did last month, it was rough just looking at you.¡± I waved him off as I left for the workshop, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I should be done before bed.¡± Somehow, this conversation put a renewed sense of urgency into my work, but it wouldn¡¯t ruin the quality of the outcome, a machine that would last until tier ten, one that would put Providence in their place.


    ~~~


    As I sat in class, I understood one thing, I might¡¯ve had my age range¡¯s allegiances understood. Those that sat on additional money, thus flaunting it, were likely members of Providence. Those that didn¡¯t associate with them were likely those who didn¡¯t like them, but would rather not be associated with them in a positive or negative way. Then there were the people who were actively mistreated when no one was looking by the Providence crew, this makes me think they were stuck under Providence¡¯s foot, but I couldn¡¯t prove anything. Then, there was Alexander, Olivia, and I, the three individuals who didn¡¯t seem to fit in anywhere else, but I was openly against Providence, but I never truly asked where they stood on the matter. But I can say one thing, much like on Earth, cliques formed nearly instantly, but I could tell that both Alexander and Olivia could intermingle among each group like it was second nature. For me, I never talked to anyone else, there was never any need to do so, not to mention, they all seemed to avoid me like I did them at all costs, so there was no issues there.


    Just by knowing the potential power structure between these people would help me in the future quite a lot, but it let me know a majority of those present here were compromised, which means that the Duke has likely been compromised to an extent as well. I tapped my desk, quietly, in a particular pattern, a voice spoke quietly in my ear, ¡°Yes, Forge Master?¡± I whispered, ¡°The Duke has likely been compromised, keep a few eyes on the workshop, but I need you to root out as many as possible and bring them before the Duke.¡± The voice replied, ¡°Yes sir, I¡¯ll report back if we run into an issue.¡± As quickly as they spoke, it was as if they were never here, and I leave a thought of thanks for whoever spread out my silent assassins like this. Though, it spared me having to show the fact I was hunting them down, it left me akin to a fool who made too big of a leap into the playing field. Alexander came and sat down next to me, he spoke quietly, ¡°Who were you speaking to? If you don¡¯t want to say, it¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m not so sure how many people can read lips.¡± I replied, ¡°I need to know your allegiance first, you know what I mean.¡± Alexander smirked as he handed me his pad, ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for someone to ask me that.¡±


    Somehow, he seemed incredibly ready, since it shows not only his domain denying Providence, but it showed him putting up a defense that, unlike my own, succeeded. He leaned to my ear, ¡°They underestimated us, but then again, we did hide a majority of our ships. Not one of their ships made it out, so they just hid the fact they lost. Either way, doesn¡¯t this show where my allegiance rests?¡± I made sure to run a few of my tells, mostly to determine if it was AI, but everything came back clean. As I handed him his pad back, I replied, ¡°I think the Duke may have been compromised, lacking his knowledge of the matter of course. I have my methods, so we should see results soon.¡± Alexander glanced around the room, then said, ¡°But there¡¯s no one here.¡± I replied, sternly, ¡°Exactly, no one was here.¡± I made sure to wink to him, and he seemed to understand why I was keeping quiet about it.


    Olivia came over, pulling is close, ¡°So, how are my two friends doing.¡± I just tapped her arm, ¡°Not friends, why don¡¯t you get it yet?¡± Olivia released Alexander, but she wrapped both arms around my shoulders, her head way to close to mine as it rested on my shoulder, ¡°If we didn¡¯t talk to you, you¡¯d be alone, besides, its always good to have friends.¡± I shook my head, gently pushing her off of me, ¡°No, not for me, and all being friends with me does is put a target on your head. So don¡¯t do that and force your parents to bury you, no parent should have to bury their own child.¡± Her being clingy wasn¡¯t something I expected her to be, especially after the event with the two Counts, but I guess she did it more often with people she trusted. Alexander chuckled, ¡°Olivia, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the touchy feely kind of person. Maybe be hands off for a while.¡± Olivia seemed dejected, quickly moving over and using him as a place to rest her head, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Seeing them act like this was confusing, she was a Baron, and he was a Viscount, so it left a strange dynamic for her to do that to him. I asked, ¡°Did you two know each other before coming here? This isn¡¯t exactly¡­ normal behavior between individuals of your status.¡±


    Alexander nodded, which resulted in Olivia¡¯s head bouncing a bit, ¡°Yeah, our domains are pretty close, not to mention well connected. We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids, been friends since we were¡­ what, fifteen or so?¡± Olivia said, ¡°I thought it was more in the ballpark of twenty.¡± This began a decent on when they met, but all it left me feeling was that very hole in my heart. The two of them were like Lily and me, but I knew there was likely something more between them¡­ something I wish I had with Lily. After some time watching them discuss when they met, they both suddenly went silent as the looked at me. I asked, ¡°What? Is something in my teeth?¡± Olivia took out a handkerchief and began to hold it under one of my eyes, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re crying.¡± I put my hand under my untouched eye, and to my surprise, I was crying. I wasn¡¯t sad, nor did I feel a reason to cry, but I was letting the tears flow, ¡°Why? I¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m¡­¡± I tried to wipe my tears away, but it didn¡¯t stop, it was like I wasn¡¯t in control of my own emotions.


    Though, maybe I knew why I was crying, and I just didn¡¯t want to admit it. Alexander and Olivia had what I wanted, just Lily and I taking on the world, and I¡¯d never see her again. I knew what I should be feeling right now, but I couldn¡¯t even feel a hint of sadness, just¡­ nothing. Had I even properly mourned what I lost? Was I trying to work through what I was feeling or was I just pushing it off for later? For a moment, I noticed dad had took up my vision, his voice was stern, ¡°Aurelian, quit feeling sorry for yourself and focus. Use your rage, avenge us, don¡¯t let our deaths be in vain.¡± I knew what I had to do, focusing on the pain would only make me waver, I couldn¡¯t stop now. My tears dried up, yet my expression remained unchanged, ¡°I¡¯m fine, maybe something just got in my eyes.¡± Noticing that we weren¡¯t expected for any additional training, I stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to work on my project, see you later¡­ I guess.¡± My determination was refocused, my goal realigned, I couldn¡¯t let my emotions cloud my judgement. I was going to finish my mech, locate the final core needed to start it, and use it in my revenge against Providence. I didn¡¯t need friends, and no one needed me to become their friend anyway, I¡¯m perfectly fine on my own, I always was after all.


    ~~~


    Six months since the start of the training, and I had grown curious about what beasts were within the Duke¡¯s domain, so I decided to ask him about it. As I entered his office, which was open to us whenever we had questions or desired a chat, he smiled to me, ¡°Ah, young Aurelian, have you come to chat?¡± I replied, ¡°Somewhat, I want to ask you about mana beasts in your territory, specifically any you deem¡­ special.¡± As I sat on the chair in front of his desk, he asked, ¡°Is this in regard to that project of yours?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, it requires a very special core for me to complete it, thus making it mobile. Are there any planets with mana beasts on them with¡­ abnormal movements? Easy tells are groups of a certain type of beast being more territorial than normal, packs moving in more advanced patterns, eliminating enemy¡¯s logically rather than animalistically. Things of that sort are simple tells.¡± The Duke thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°We do have something of the sort, but I¡¯m not sure if it fits the description you seek, but I understand that two minds are better than one, take a look.¡± He sent me some information, a certain species of ant has been expanding rapidly, and not the small kind.


    Warriors moved in vastly more coordinated assaults on their neighbors with sickening efficiency, any foreign species that entered their territory were wiped out with ease, and beasts that they¡¯d be struggling to handle normally seemed to be delt with in the most efficient manner possible. There was no doubt about it, this was the mark of a behemoth ant. I looked back to the Duke, my mind understood the threat this was, ¡°Duke Bartholomew, in my expert opinion on this matter, there seems to be a World Eater Behemoth on this planet. It¡¯s what people of the old Era called ant behemoths, considering they require a lot of food to survive and function¡­ but I can¡¯t determine if it¡¯s the queen or king variant.¡± The Duke¡¯s brow raised, ¡°King variant? I thought leaders could only be queens.¡± I shook my head, ¡°That¡¯s for regular ants, sometimes, a queen mana beast ant could birth a king, and those varieties could cause a worse issue than a queen variant.¡± I looked to the schedule he set up for hunting mana beasts, since that was a valid measure of training for us, ¡°Can you move us up for hunting mana beasts? If we leave that behemoth alone, then those on the planet risk being eaten alive.¡±


    I watched the Duke¡¯s eyes widen, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t lie about things like this, not worth it in the end.¡± I motioned to their current territorial claims, ¡°At the rate of expansion, I fear they¡¯re about to expand rapidly, and there are tons of towns and cities nearby. If we fail to act now, then we may outright lose the planet and every soul on it.¡± While City Destroyers were simple to handle, mostly due to their slow speeds, World Eaters were vastly more unpredictable, since you can¡¯t tell if they¡¯re acting militarily or out of a desire to feed. I put my earpiece to my ear, my concerns rising, ¡°Merlin, fix up my unit, we have a World Eater.¡± I got a swift response, ¡°Repairs beginning immediately, area around the unit cleared, it¡¯ll be fixed asap.¡± I took the earpiece out, my voice stern, ¡°Duke Bartholomew, if we fail to act now, you¡¯ll have an issue greater than you¡¯ve ever seen on that planet. As territorial as we humans are, animals are far more strict about it, they¡¯ll tear every human settlement to bits if we don¡¯t amass a force to bring them down now. You need to make a choice, and it needs to be swift.¡±


    I watched as he began to contemplate, after a few minutes, he asked, ¡°If I send you, along with the other nobles and a swath of my army, could you lead them to killing the behemoth?¡± I sent him a picture of the City Destroyer, ¡°Duke Bartholomew, I took this thing out with three mech squadrons, a single flying ship, and myself as a near sacrifice considering the electrical charge my mech had to push to kill it. While some nobles got angry I was leading the charge at twenty-five and paid the price for their arrogance, I still managed to bring it down despite the magic it wielded. If it¡¯s a queen variant, it¡¯s as good as dead, but it¡¯ll be tricky if it¡¯s a king variant, but still doable.¡± While using tier one ship and mech fire on the behemoth would fail, they should easily be able to crush the fodder, and his forces were perfect for the job. The Duke eventually found his answer, ¡°I¡¯ll do it, just make sure you make a plan that the forces will agree upon.¡± I smirked, ¡°I¡¯m already doing it, I just need to make sure it¡¯s updated in real time so I can call upon the needed fire support.¡± With that, I shook hands with the Duke, I could tell his curiosity was what drove him to accept this.¡±


    ~~~


    Two months later, and I was sitting on the command deck of my ship, I had called some of my own forces to assist since I needed a small fleet of flexibility and trusted men. The ships that arrived were the tier four ships I made, the only ones that could make the two month journey, and they were needed for rescue operations. I noticed that the Duke was ready for me to speak, so I made sure to put on my best for this, ¡°Hello everyone, as much as I don¡¯t desire to lead the Duke¡¯s forces, I have no choice but to do so since the matter is of dire importance.¡± I put up two images, both from the old era of what were the king and queen variants of World Eater Behemoths, ¡°What we¡¯re about to face is an ant colony that has managed to birth a World Eater Behemoth, the variant could be king or queen, but the point is that they¡¯re about to begin a massive land grab, so our goal is to buy time for the civilians in the nearby towns to evacuate while attempting to bring them down and completely annihilate them. So, with that in mind, let me begin explaining the force layout.¡±


    I pushed the images of the behemoths back and put up the way our forces will be lined up, this managed to cause confusion rapidly. One of the nobles from the Providence group said, ¡°Hey! Why are the ships ahead of the mechs!? Shouldn¡¯t we be further ahead!?¡± As others began to, loudly, vocalize their disagreements, I shouted, ¡°Quiet!¡± This managed to get them to quiet down, I wasn¡¯t playing their games, ¡°The amount of regular, fodder ants are immense. If I were to put the mechs before the ships, we¡¯d lose all the mech forces and risk being overrun. As proof, take a look at this video we managed to salvage from the old era.¡± I began to show a video of the very tactic they wanted to employ, the ants running up and eating the mechs without hesitation, I even left the screams of the men and women inside do the talking instead of myself. Once the video stopped, I continued, ¡°By using combined ship fire, we can wipe out a majority of the ants before they reach the mech units. This should allow everyone a chance to survive the assault by handling a weakened force. Now, for the inexperienced nobles, you¡¯ll be put with soldiers who better understand the ins and outs of combat. Listen to them, as their experience could be the difference between life and death, or you can just opt out and spare us the trouble. Just make sure you inform me about a week before the plan, or else you¡¯ll not get the chance to choose.¡±


    The same Providence nobles asked, ¡°Then why do you have some of your personal forces here? Isn¡¯t that against the spirit of this little raid?¡± I replied, ¡°They¡¯re here to assist me in bringing down the behemoth, since they have experience in killing behemoths. The ships, while they¡¯ll assist in the firepower on the fodder ants, are meant to assist in pulling any damaged units out and resupplying everyone to ensure not one ant reaches a civilian population center. More than that, I¡¯m going to be bold, if my plan survives first contact, I want to attempt a one hundred percent survival rate, so I want everyone to be honest of their damage, no matter what you say. Before you say that¡¯s impossible, it isn¡¯t, we just need everyone to do their job and every one of us will be able to go home.¡± Duke Bartholomew spoke up, ¡°To the nobles under my care, if you partake in this, be honest with your damage, and return alive, I¡¯ll consider it a very good grade for your beast combat training. It¡¯ll shorten this part of the training and leave extra time for other parts of the training, so put your all into it.¡±


    As the nobles nodded, I continued, ¡°Let me discuss the difference, the queen variant looks like this, while the king variant looks like this.¡± They seemed similar at first glance, so I made sure to point out the differences, ¡°Both seems similar in the photos before you, but that¡¯s not the case. The king variant, unlike the biology of regular ants, are actually larger than the queen variant. Their antenna are longer, their muscles are thicker, and they have a higher chance of having wings. Wings make combat exceptionally harder, since no mechs have the capacity to fly, if that does occur, and you see it, aim for the wings and attempt to shoot it down.¡± Once I finished explaining the variants, I explained the plan, since I was planning to dive right into the fray to remove their command structure before they became too organized. Once I was done, I asked, ¡°Now, any questions based on what I just explained and showed you all?¡± Alexander spoke, ¡°I do, this information states that the king variant has a chance to shift into something called a ¡°humanoid variant¡±, what does that mean?¡±


    I understood his concerns, so I decided to elaborate, ¡°Humanoid variants are, as stated, a beast that has evolved from a behemoth to something more the size of a mech while gaining a humanoid look. Their muscles, strength, and mana are condensed, thus strengthening it to an unbelievable degree. However, the probability of it happening is near zero.¡± When I pulled out my old notes, I stated, ¡°The old era believed there was some sort of evolutionary factor that came into play after a certain period of time, however, no reports of modern day humanoid variants have been noted. While the possibility of it being there is possible, it, as stated, shouldn¡¯t be too much worry on it. Though I will state this, if I call out that there is one, you need to all begin evacuating immediately. I have enough to attempt to take them down with my own men, but more than that, your tech can¡¯t keep up with it after that. Just trust me on this one, you don¡¯t want to be near a humanoid World Eater.¡± Afterwards, I asked for any additional questions, and at least these were normal.


    Once I dismissed everyone, only the Duke remained, he asked, ¡°Young Aurelian¡­ are you sure this will work out? If anything, you¡¯re the one at the most risk.¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, compared to everyone else, my forces are more adaptable to the situation at hand. If there is a threat that can¡¯t be beat, we can buy more time than anyone else. Just¡­ just make sure the civilians on planet are ready to evacuate. If a humanoid variant does appear, they¡¯ll strengthen every ant under their control, which means we¡¯ll have a major problem to deal with.¡± The Duke sighed, ¡°I¡­ I understand. Just make sure you return alive, got it? Your people need you.¡± How many times have I heard that line, yet each time, I never really accepted that as fact. I replied, ¡°I can¡¯t even confirm my own safety until I get down there, just be ready, we may need to move sooner than expected, so begin evacuations now from the closest regions.¡± The Duke looked like he wanted to say something more, then sighed, ¡°I understand, let¡¯s hope we worried for nothing.¡± For once, I agreed with him, but I couldn¡¯t be complacent, even I have a few tricks up my sleeve in case there really is a humanoid variant, but only time will tell if I¡¯ll actually need them.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ~~~


    After a week passed, I began to notice some¡­ abnormalities on the planet within the ant¡¯s territory. Pheromones were rising, ants moving, we were out of time. I shouted to the radio operator, ¡°Connect me to the ships, now! We have to move!¡± As my ship began to move towards our active operation line, I began to relay the alert, ¡°Attention all operation personnel, we¡¯ve hit critical mass, all readings are pointing to a rapid push from the ants! All forces, deploy at once and prepare for combat!¡± All ships apart of the operation began to descend upon the planet, mechs deploying once they hit a safe space in the atmosphere and taking their preestablished positions. As all the mechs dropped their connections, leaving contact for the structured system we set up, I heard Olivia call out to me, ¡°Aurelian, come back alive, it won¡¯t be the same without you gone.¡± I processed that for a moment, but I couldn¡¯t promise her a thing, ¡°No promises, but I have no intentions of dying here.¡± I heard her sigh, ¡°That¡¯s likely the best I¡¯ll get, just do your best.¡± As she disconnected, I said, ¡°Prepare my mech, we¡¯re dropping in once most of the ants have begun their attack! Find us the main nest tunnel, we¡¯re going in!¡±


    As I left the bridge, I heard everyone working in unison as they worked to keep the chain of command going. Reaching the mech bay, I realized that many of the souls who were part of an unofficial group called the ¡°Death Walkers¡± were present, mostly by the emblem of a dead man walking under the Flameheart emblem. They suffered so much that, in the wake of their losses, chose to fight every chance they could, since they believed they were already dead. While some of my knights from the old era were here, marked by an official emblem of our old forge, they were few and far between. As I boarded my mech, I spoke as the engine began to fire up for the first time in around a year, ¡°Everyone, we have the hardest task, we must venture into the nest and crush the World Eater before it destroys the planet. Know that the people of this world, and those who are still evacuating, are counting on us to end the threat here and now. We won¡¯t let today become their second Providence, so show me what you got everyone.¡± The lights of our mech¡¯s eyes began to shine as we began to move to our drop positions. As I leaned out, I noticed the ants were behaving stranger than expected, as if there was yet another behavioral change. I asked, ¡°Merlin, check the list of behaviors ants like this have, and quickly.¡±


    Merlin replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go as fast as I can sir, but it will take time as I analyze everything.¡± The ants began to swarm outwards, moving out to begin their territorial expansion. I heard the temporary commander of my ship say, ¡°The ants have begun to spread out, all units, be ready to open fire!¡± I decided to cut the comms from the ship unless they were directed to us, mostly as it would distract me during the fight. As more ants poured out, I said, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a lot of ants. We could be fighting tens of thousands of these things.¡± While the ants of World Eaters repopulated, I did know the Duke sent the occasional teams in to cull their numbers, but if this remained, they were repopulating faster than any record I had on them. After we waited long enough, I shouted, ¡°It¡¯s go time! Kick the door in boys!¡± As we leapt from the ship, I wondered just how long ago it was when I actually had the chance to do this. While I used to do it before, one bad trip caused me to begin throwing up due to motion sickness. It turned out that whatever was effecting me began to weaken me in many areas, so I had to stop doing it, and now I was experiencing it for real this time. I whispered, part of me wondering, ¡°Arthur¡­ what would you say to me now?¡±


    A marker appeared on our screens, ¡°The entrance is here, good hunting everyone.¡± As we shifted our drops, I noticed the cannon fire coming from the ships near the surface, their shots like momentary stars in the night¡­ except on well illuminated land. As we approached the entrance, ants were looking up and screeching towards us. I smirked, ¡°Too late, open fire!¡± With steady aim, we shot those trying to leave the nest, as if our rage was placed into this fight to release even a little bit of the pain we felt into these bugs. I spoke, ¡°We¡¯re going in, be ready for anything.¡± As we leapt into the hole, I made a concerning realization, the hole was far larger than it needed to be for the workers and warriors. While I understood it being bigger than needed for easy movement, this seemed unnatural. I brushed it off, we were going in anyway, ¡°Let¡¯s move, keep your head on a swivel.¡± As we ran through the nest, testing the branching paths with drones, we kept following the one that seemed most likely to fit the behemoth as the other paths were far smaller than the one we found ourselves in. One of my men said, ¡°Mana signature detected, the behemoth is ahead of us!¡± We charged through the tunnel, eventually ending up in a massive cavern, and my latent concerns were realized. Inside, there was three queens, an abnormality among most ant colonies, but not if there was a king variant.


    Behind them sat the King World Eater, their size nearly quadrupling the largest queen in the room, and all four of them were doing the ant equivalent of observing us. I reached for my blade, but before I could grip the hilt, a voice rocked the room, ¡°Who dares disturb me?¡± For the first time since the battle with Providence, I felt the hairs on my body begin to raise as my blood ran cold. The nigh zero probability had just flipped to a near one hundred percent probability in mere seconds, this behemoth was mid evolution. I shouted into the comms, ¡°Code red, it¡¯s evolving into a humanoid, everyone needs to fall back and evacuate!¡± Instead of a response, all I got was static, the King World Eater leaned down to me, ¡°Hm, you are humans, the beings who slaughter my kind for the sake of their own well-being.¡± I realized we were too deep, we hadn¡¯t gone down, but we had inadvertently gone under a mountain, the only place able to hide the behemoth without issue. One thing to me was clear, if we fought here, we¡¯d be doomed. I shouted, ¡°Drop any explosives on hand and run! We can¡¯t win a fight in here, so tear it down and run!¡± Many had explosives in an attempt to make this easier, but the threat of a humanoid World Eater was enough to turn the tides.


    The King World Eater began to move, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, you foul humans!¡± I realized not all of the bombs were primed, but we couldn¡¯t stick around, ¡°Just scatter them and run! It moving may bring the tunnels down on us!¡± I was struggling to keep stable footing as my men and I began to pull out, the King World Eater stopped chasing us, likely to protect the queens, but I wasn¡¯t going to stick around and hoped it worked since it would likely cause a chain reaction no matter what it did. As we reached the entrance, the earth shook around us, dirt and rock beginning to dislodge from the ceiling, I shouted, ¡°Last chance, everyone out!¡± I made sure all our forces were out and left at the last moment, the earth giving me a little extra momentum out of the hole. I shouted, ¡°Sitrep, quickly!¡± The temp commander said, ¡°All is well, we¡¯re dealing with the ants at a steady pace.¡± I clicked my tongue, nothing got out of the hole, ¡°Code black! Its an evolving humanoid! Everyone needs to evacuate, now!¡± The temp commander said, shock overcoming him for a moment, ¡°The first humanoid since the old era¡­¡± After a moment, he snapped out of it, ¡°This is command to all forces, code black has been initiated, all forces and civilians are to begin evacuation at once, the behemoth is evolving into a humanoid.¡±


    As ants began to encroach on our position, they suddenly stopped and began to screech in unison, something I recalled as the coronation song for humanoids. I felt sweat trickle down my head, ¡°Shit, here it comes everyone.¡± A claw like hand ripped out of the ground, then another, the King World Eater pushed its way out of the earth, its breath raged as it seethed, ¡°You killed my queens, they couldn¡¯t survive the collapse of our home, all the brood are gone. You will pay, humans!¡± The ants began to screech, prepared to swarm, but cannon fire rained from above as my ships began to fire upon the fodder, ¡°Take them down, don¡¯t let a single one reach the Viscount!¡± For the time being, due to the radius they were protecting, we¡¯d be fine from the horde. However, that meant we had a limited area to fight the King World Eater in, meaning it likely held a pretty good advantage over us. Looking to its humanoid form, it seemed to be more focused on attack, which wasn¡¯t good for our current tech. Weapons drawn, the King World Eater charged me, likely knowing I led the forces before him. As fast as I could, I managed to block the strike, but I could hear the joints in my mech screaming as it could only do this for so long.


    I switched the mana on, letting it flow into the mech itself, bolstering the defenses, ceasing the screeching metal¡­ at least for now. It was screeching at me, ¡°You dare enter my territory, harm my queens, then expect me to let you live!? You will die here, foul human!¡± I felt something within me ignite, something I likely kept repressed, and I was about to unleash it on this pitiful bug, ¡°Foul human? Foul Human?! How dare you call me a foul human after everything I¡¯ve had to live through!?¡± The mana around me seemed to quiver, as if afraid of my rage, but I didn¡¯t care, I was winning this fight, even if it was to prove a point to a semi intelligent bug. I pulled my free hand back, coated it in as much mana as I could and smashed it into the face of the bug, the force behind it sending if flying until it crashed into the ground. I sheathed my blade, ¡°I won¡¯t even need my sword to show you what for, and once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll use that core of yours for my plans.¡± The King World Eater sat up, spitting a bit of gooey green blood, ¡°Oh ho, a human dares to stand up to the king of this world?¡± It rose up, and I could tell it was grinning as it clenched it¡¯s claw like fists, ¡°Then come at me, show me what you can do.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hesitate, adding mana into the thrusters to send my crashing into the World Eater, my fist smashing whatever I could find purchase on, ¡°You don¡¯t even know the first thing about me, the pain I suffered through, the pain we all suffered through! You have no right to call any human here foul!¡± As I went to line up another punch, the mech¡¯s mana shot to cover the cockpit as the World Eater slammed its first into it, the punch all too much reminding me of when Reaper bested me four years ago. The rage that dwelled within me seemed to rupture up like a geyser, anything that held me back seemed to fly right out the window, ¡°You mother fucker! I¡¯ll beat you so hard your remaining warriors will feel it!¡± It was as if everything went red, I can¡¯t tell if something dislodged and injured me, but it didn¡¯t stop me from unleashing years of rage on this humanoid bug. More mana condensed on my mech, my strikes and defenses got stronger the more I released my rage, and something about it made me feel good. Someone, anyone could be saying something to me right now, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear them, as we locked hands and tried to push the other, all I could do was scream like a feral creature.


    ~~~


    When I opened my eyes, it felt like I was back in time, a slow still of motion where my mom and dad were still alive, watching Lily and me goof off on the day we chose to rest. It felt¡­ nice. The day didn¡¯t felt like it dragged on, rather, it felt calm and relaxing, almost as if it went by far too quickly. I knew, though, that this was merely a dream. A wish that seemed to show itself to me after who knows how long I wished for it. As I took a seat at my office desk, one that shifted to a random wall that surrounded someone¡¯s yard on my old, Earth street. The faces of my former family, ones that seemed blurry and unrecognizable, seemed to look up to me as I could only imagine the laughter I emitted to them, doing whatever a child would do on Earth. It hurt, a bittersweet feeling that I could only feel here, in a random dream after nearly half a decade of life. Eventually, it was as if both memories merged, and I could see both my Earth family, and my Flameheart family, both stock still as I recalled the memories of my older life.


    To my surprise, someone sat beside me, someone who looked like a child, ¡°Are you happy?¡± As I looked to them, I realized any identifying features were impossible to pinpoint, so I assumed it was someone from my memories that I no longer recall. I looked back to my family, my voice clear, ¡°No. My first family forgot about me, and my second family perished due to my own hubris. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡± The child spoke again, as if my comments pushed their questions forward, ¡°Did you love them?¡± I chuckled, ¡°Of course I did, at least for my old parents¡­ my love for them died after I understood they¡¯d never return. But¡­ William and Cecilia, I see them as my true parents, people that didn¡¯t hate me for who I was. Lily¡­ I loved her too, and she was the only one I felt this sort of love for¡­ and I¡¯ll never get to see her again.¡± The child didn¡¯t speak for a moment, then patted my arm, ¡°It¡¯ll be ok, remember, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡± For a moment, I felt like I remembered someone telling me that at one point, but suddenly, I was awake, facing the open sky as my cockpit no longer had the front.


    When I sat the mech up, I realized I was on a pile of ants, the King World Eater was breathing heavily on the ground. It looked to me, somehow, it seemed relieved as it spoke, ¡°I see¡­ you managed to survive. It would be unfair if the universe saw fit to remove us both from life.¡± It slowly reached up to the sky, ¡°How¡­ and why¡­ was I born into this world?¡± I felt as if my emotions were beginning to tighten once again, and I wanted to say something before I became that emotionless version of me, ¡°Even us humans never really know the reason, so we strive to find our own purpose for our existence, at least, that¡¯s what I believe.¡± The King World Eater chuckled, ¡°Heh¡­ how¡­ funny.¡± With my emotionless state returned to me, the King World Eater breathed it¡¯s last, so I tried to move my mech to begin preparations to return to the ship. However, instead of moving, all the mech could do was groan as I put even the most basic input into the controls. Checking the state of the mech, I got back constant failures, nothing was functioning properly, some systems were completely blacked out. I clicked my tongue, then checked my communication systems, unfortunately, they were one of the blacked out systems.


    I sighed and stepped out of the mech, somehow unharmed from the fight despite what all the damage on the mech said. I took to the emergency kit, which was somehow still intact, and fired an emergency flare into the sky. When I turned to look at the mech, I realized the damage was worse than the screen said it was, for all intents and purposes, I might have to retire it. Looking to the head of the unit, it was almost like it was crying as fluids of all kinds seemed to be seeping out of it, but most of it was dried up now. I recalled the dream I had, it was blurry, but I understood that it was questions¡­ but I couldn¡¯t remember the dream¡¯s contents anymore. Though, for the first time in a while, I had nothing to do, no where to be, no responsibilities to uphold¡­ it was just a strange, natural silence. Aside from sleeping, when have I ever had time to myself where I didn¡¯t just sit around, thinking, pondering, considering anything that wasn¡¯t next steps? As I sat down beneath my mech, something flew out of me and formed into something in front of me. When it finished forming, it looked just like me, not a single thing seemed different.


    The look alike asked, ¡°Are you hesitating on our goal? We have nothing in this world, our people hate us, other nobles of our own Empire hate us, and I have no doubt that even those from the old era hate us for leaving them to fight the enemy we should¡¯ve been front and center fighting. Why hesitate now?¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not hesitating¡­ I just never had the time to think about¡­ everything. I¡¯ve lost so much, and so has everyone else, yet they seemed to have processed it while I haven¡¯t¡­ shouldn¡¯t I at least try to sort myself out a bit before¡­ this happens again.¡± I motioned to the dead King World Eater, I don¡¯t even remember inflicting any of the damage it received, yet the only one who could¡¯ve killed it was me. My look alike turned to look at it, then looked back to me, ¡°So what? Rage is what keeps us going, if we stopped to look at the flowers, we¡¯d be turned into a wreck that couldn¡¯t withstand even the slightest poking from Providence. We were wronged by a superior power, and now those people think they¡¯re untouchable, unbreakable even. If we let this injustice stand, all they¡¯ll do is hurt more people, and the only way to ensure that happens is to keep this rage we have within us.¡±


    My look alike spun around and opened their hands to the sky, ¡°We¡¯ll restore fairness to the universe by cutting them down, freeing everyone from their wicked clutches. The lesson we shall teach is to not bully the weak for your own gain, and they¡¯ll have plenty of time to learn it on the way to hell!¡± They turned around to look to me, ¡°And when they¡¯re gone, we can finally let go of everything that¡¯s bottled up within us, all in one fell swoop. Once our fight is over, we can go off and do whatever we want, but our fight isn¡¯t over until Providence meets their end.¡± When my look alike turned to the sky, I did the same, seeing a rescue group come for me, ¡°Time for me to go, let¡¯s chat like this again sometime.¡± When I looked back, my look alike was gone with the wind. As the team landed, I sighed, I had a job to do, and I couldn¡¯t hold off on it for long. I spoke with them, ¡°My communications are busted, send a pick up for the World Eater¡¯s body, I want its core intact completely. Send it to my ship, along with my mech, I¡¯ll see what I can do to restore it.¡± The pilot replied, ¡°Understood sir, just sit tight, you¡¯ll be back on the ship in no time.¡± As we rose, I had a lot to ponder, but it wasn¡¯t as much as before.


    ~~~


    As I walked into one of the halls, I felt a pair of hands begin feeling me over after someone ran up to me, ¡°Aurelian, are you ok!? You¡­ you went crazy and stopped responding to any communications¡­¡± Olivia seemed concerned, which with everything I was choosing to go through, threw me off, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, though somewhere along the line, my comms system got busted. That was likely why I wasn¡¯t responding.¡± Olivia pulled on my cheek, which was a strange feeling, ¡°It was even when your comms were still working, because you were screaming like a madman on your end! Try to be more understanding of others you idiot!¡± After she released me after what I assumed was her scolding me, she grabbed me and pulled me close, ¡°And¡­ thank you for coming back safe. You had a lot of us worried Aurelian, your men were about as worried as me once you started screaming.¡± I suddenly felt nostalgic; I haven¡¯t been held like this in coming on five years. I wasn¡¯t upset, but I wasn¡¯t happy, it just felt strange to have the closest thing to a stranger doing this to me. I couldn¡¯t say if I liked it or hated it, it was just an emotion I just couldn¡¯t feel, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to reply to this.


    Alexander began to remove Olivia from me, ¡°Remember what I said Olivia, he isn¡¯t touchy feely, give him time before you get¡­ physical.¡± He looked to me, concern briefly in his eyes until he noticed I really wasn¡¯t injured, ¡°Whew, at least you came back safe¡­ unlike your mech.¡± When we looked to the bay, I watched as the crews were heartbroken to see its current state. I, confusedly, stated, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t recall how I got to that point. I just remember feeling¡­ angry, then I woke up facing the sky.¡± Alexander and Olivia had a moment where they looked to each other, Olivia taking the initiative asked, ¡°Are you¡­ sure about that? You were pretty active¡­ and feral, you were clawing up the World Eater as it did to you.¡± I put a hand to my head, trying to recall even a moment of the fight after I screamed, but I had nothing, ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t remember a thing; it was almost as if I lost consciousness during the fight somehow.¡± Alexander replied, ¡°That¡¯s not good, you might have suffered an injury after all, go get checked out.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, nothing hurts, I don¡¯t even have a bruise. Wouldn¡¯t any injury that could cause brain damage leave some form of a bruise? ¡°


    Alexander shook his head, ¡°Not in all cases, besides, this could be a previously unfound injury. I can tell from how you acted when you spoke to us, you knew your way around a fight, which means you have experience in it.¡± The three of us began to walk as he spoke, ¡°In any case, brain injuries don¡¯t just stem from punches and kicks, it¡¯s the rapid movement of the brain that causes it to bounce off your skull. So if you were to rapidly stop, your brain could bounce off your skull, damaging it. Seeing how you fought, I have no doubt you could¡¯ve had that happen in your head, so just check on it for now.¡± I put my hand to my head, ¡°Maybe it was from the battle with Providence, some pilot named Reaper smashed my cockpit, almost lost my eye from¡­ something. Never got rid of the scars I got that day; you can still see it too.¡± I moved my hair back a bit, Olivia said, ¡°It¡¯s not too bad, it¡¯s healed rather well.¡± I chuckled, putting my hair back down, ¡°It¡¯s not meant to disappear, it¡¯s meant to remind me of my failures, that my mistake caused people to lose their loved ones¡­ for me to lose my loved ones.¡±


    In this moment, I felt as if part of me finally loosened, like a rope that had been frayed to the point it can no longer tighten properly. Olivia put a hand on my shoulder, ¡°Aurelian, you know we¡¯re here to listen to your issues, yes? We all have our pasts, good and bad, but we can¡¯t dwell on the past forever.¡± I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not dwelling on it, I¡¯m doing what I must to prevent the past from repeating again to another, my fate isn¡¯t one that should befall anyone else.¡± When I reached into my clothes, I pulled out the headband Lily gifted me, the only thing I had that reminded me so much of her. It was something that, while it¡¯s a reminder of my failures in another way, it was also akin to a good luck charm. It was the one thing I got back before my life went to hell in a hand basket, and maybe it was something that kept my grasp on the fact that I¡¯m still human. Olivia asked, ¡°What is that? It must be important, considering you never showed it to anyone until now.¡± For once, I felt a small smile grace my lips of my own accord, ¡°A gift from my only friend, and the driving force behind my actions against Providence.¡± For once in years, I managed to put it on, its place upon my head felt strange, yet calming.


    When I looked to the two of them, I wasn¡¯t sure what to say, but I eventually had something, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve been through a lot, and I haven¡¯t had time to really¡­ sort it out. My harshness to the two of you¡­ it¡¯s unfair to you, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m ready for friends again, at least not yet. My life may seem¡­ abnormal to the both of you, but in due time, I may be willing to explain. Is¡­ is that fine for now?¡± After a moment of silence, Alexander sighed, ¡°It¡¯ll do for now, but I sort of wish you told us that a little earlier.¡± Olivia nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m going to get a little physical with you, against Alexander¡¯s wishes.¡± I watched Alexander grab Olivia¡¯s head as she let out a small scream as he rubbed his fist on her head, ¡°Listen here you little troublemaker.¡± Something about this, it lit a little something within me, and I didn¡¯t hate it. It was weird, feeling anything since the battle was always odd, but maybe¡­ one day I could get used to it again. As I entered the medical room, I wondered how long it would take to process this and let myself be more human again, but only time will tell.


    ~~~


    ¡°You play a dangerous game, little one, do you think you can help him?¡± A well-dressed individual asked to a small, well dressed child. The child replied, ¡°I can, you acted with haste, and while it showed results at first, but those results will slowly fade over time. I made a promise to watch over him once, and now, I plan to do it again, and properly this time.¡± Both looked to each other, the well-dressed individual chuckled, ¡°You? You think you¡¯ll win? Bah! If you win, I¡¯d be so well beaten that I¡¯d likely fail my plan, and I¡¯m not one to lose like that.¡± The two stared at one another, the child spoke first, ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet, shall we? For someone like you, it¡¯ll be worthwhile.¡± The individual, despite their face being unseen, had a grin as wide as a crescent moon, ¡°Go on, little one, you have me curious, but will it be enough to hook me?¡± The child spoke, ¡°Which side will win, with a smaller bet between us. Will our side, despite the odds, achieve victory in the end, or will it be your side? The smaller bet will be who¡¯s desires end up reaching reality, yours or mine.¡±


    The child spread their arms, a small smile on their face, one that was gentle compared to the wickedness of the individual, ¡°As I believe, fate is not set in stone, and I wish to ensure the kind souls get the just rewards they seek. If you win, well, we both know what happens. Once the smaller bet concludes, we get the power of the other which cannot be used due to our affinities. However, the larger bet will conclude once one of either of us dies or the overall story is wrapped up nice with a bow. That means we get the power one of us would receive upon the slaying of our mortal foes, that would be a boon to either of us. Though there are rules, we cannot kill or interfere with the other, be it on purpose or inadvertently, we let the other live until the bet concludes, what do you say?¡± The individual thought for a moment, then smirked, ¡°You have a deal little one, and if either of us breaks the pact, we suffer an appropriate punishment according to the level of mischief.¡± The two shook hands, a light seeped from the child as darkness seeped from the individual. Both spoke at once, ¡°With this pact, our lives are connected, and may we see who best wins.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen: Headway

    It¡¯s been three years since training began, and lucky for me, everything had been developing smoothly. Today was the last day of a free week we were given, one to relax and handle matters we needed to tend to, and I was making the most of it through a series of meetings that would eventually culminate in how much all the planets I had recovered. I spoke in the Duke¡¯s private conference room, mostly since I upgraded the place to hopefully bypass any hacking attempts, ¡°Tell me, how are your planets, leave my domain¡¯s capital for last, I want it to be a surprise.¡± I decided to make the planet I was given my capital, mostly as the forge world was still a secret, but that one would never be fit to become a capital anyway. The first individual spoke, ¡°The planet¡¯s doing well, in fact, I think we were a little faster than scheduled, as we¡¯re now working on your ¡°after repair¡± plans, sir. So far, we¡¯re about ten percent complete, and we¡¯re doing what benefits the people and economy first, as instructed.¡± As I read the list before me, I nodded, ¡°Good, considering the numbers, we can properly state the planet is fully functional again, your planet was worse off, so good work.¡±


    The reports were much the same from there with the other four planets that were recently freed from the pirates, their recovery was swift, and their futures have finally begun to seem bright. One of the planets actually had people who were able to step up and take the lead, trust was finally flowing within the domain to an extent, and it was a start for those of us scorned by Providence. Life on the forge world had been going smoothly, any area with old era parts still there were reacquired, those that lost it were being mined out for future development, and those in the cryostasis pods were taken to areas without modern humans living within them. It allowed them to begin striving for normalcy, preparing for the future where, inevitably, I could one day introduce them to the domain as a whole. But I knew it was safe, even with the initial attack from Providence, none have attempted a move on it due to it being my main production center. Thus, anyone going there would be one thing for the new tech, target practice.


    I looked to the representative of my capital, ¡°Now, how¡¯s the capital doing, it was still in a major recovery by the time I left for the five planets.¡± The representative spoke, ¡°All civilian and industrial sectors have recovered properly, since things have finally begun to show normalcy, people are starting to show a little pep in their step too. The orbital ring and elevator were shown priority afterwards, they¡¯re repaired as well. The defenses, however, are being¡­ childish. Some of the damage was due to the traitors who left, they damaged cables, generators, anything that they could, so we¡¯ve been delayed on that front. The good news is that the issues are being sorted out via the smaller robots, so we¡¯ve been able to focus on the defenses themselves.¡± Once they finished reading they asked, ¡°Sir¡­ about the plans for the memorial¡­ are you sure about this?¡± I nodded, ¡°Of course, even though we¡¯ve recovered to this degree, the people would likely prefer a place for the victims to be laid to rest. So many of us have lost someone that day, no better way than to send them off properly.¡±


    I looked to Merlin, he had been waiting patiently for this moment, ¡°Merlin, how¡¯s the ship production?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Better than expected, the materials aren¡¯t sought after very much presently since they¡¯re not building materials, so we managed to buy them in bulk in both refined and unrefined forms. With the proper instructions told to the engineers, we¡¯ve begun mass production of the ships, not to mention proper training for their use. We should have proper ships installed on every planet, along with an attack force, in around four years¡¯ time. As more facilities are being constructed, we may be able to do it faster, along with ¡°that¡± device.¡± I nodded, ¡°Very good, make sure it¡¯s properly done, I¡¯d rather work be done correctly rather than swiftly.¡± Tier six was the best I could do for the moment, even if I sought for more, mostly as tier seven and above required a hyperdrive, and the parameters for putting that onto a ship is essentially impossible with current technological limits. However, the project would assist us in replacement of that for the time being, and it would be something I had complete control over.


    I clapped my hands, ¡°Everyone, I¡¯m pleased to say this, but recovery for the people is over, and that is a cause for celebration. I¡¯ve managed to put aside some money for everyone in the domain, make sure everyone gets their fair share and keep spirits up.¡± With a bow from everyone, all but Merlin left the call to resume their days. Merlin said, ¡°Sir, we believe some of the assassins have located a strong pirate connection to Providence. There doesn¡¯t seem to be many, but this one is a staging ground within the Empire. We believe that once we locate it, it¡¯ll be the perfect place to gain the initial foothold on our war against them.¡± I nodded, ¡°Good, keep it silent, we don¡¯t want them knowing anything of us anymore.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll get back to it then.¡± Once he disconnected, the lights turned back on, and I left the room. Duke Bartholomew asked me as I left, ¡°Did everything turn out well?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, around seven to eight years of recovery time was fantastic, even in my books. We may be able to take Providence on soon at this rate.¡± He knew my goal, in fact, my proclamation has finally begun to do its proper rounds, so everyone knows I¡¯m going to stick it to them.


    The Duke replied, ¡°I understand why, but do know that doing so out of rage may end up hurting you more than you understand. Take the time to sort out your feelings and use a calm head when making decisions, losing yourself to rage will only make you weaker.¡± Over the years, the Duke has managed to impart bits of wisdom every so often to me, and I wasn¡¯t really sure why anymore. Some of them made sense, some I couldn¡¯t understand why it was called wisdom, and others seemed akin to daily life, so I understood why he told me about a third of his wisdom. As we walked, he asked, ¡°So, how are Sir Alexander and Lady Olivia treating you? They¡¯re the only two people you converse with here, and I can only wish that you spoke to more people.¡± From that day, after fighting the King World Eater, I let them hang around me whenever they chose to. Though, since that day, I haven¡¯t really¡­ worked through anything. As if talking to that child in my dream and that look alike me helped me through my mess of feelings, but I just can¡¯t seem to do it alone. I realized I forgot to reply to the Duke, ¡°They¡¯ve been respectful of my boundaries¡­ and I¡¯m struggling to process¡­ this.¡± I motioned to myself, in a way, I almost felt like a certain king of vampires from a show I watched back on Earth.


    The Duke asked, ¡°Have you tried to talk with others about it?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, my circumstances are a little¡­ unique. Because of it, talking about it to others is just¡­ I can¡¯t do it.¡± The Duke just nodded, ¡°I understand, even I have secrets that I don¡¯t wish to tell a soul about, but sometimes, consider what it would be like to get it off your chest. Now, I don¡¯t mean technological, military, or economical secrets, but just consider it.¡± For once, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with this wisdom he spoke about, because my deepest secret was likely my reincarnation status. When I noticed Alexander and Olivia waiting for me, I questioned to myself if I¡¯d even have the courage to state I was a reincarnate. Though, I should work through one problem at a time, working through my grief would likely be better than stating I reincarnated, no matter how much I might want to say it sooner rather than later. I sighed, ¡°Maybe one day, but not today, not with what I have on my plate.¡± The Duke let me go on my way, but I could tell that some things were once again going my way¡­ and it made me nervous.


    ~~~


    I was once again overseeing swordsmanship practice for the nobles, at least until Aurelian once again beat another noble without issue, proving to me he barely understood his own power. It saddened me to see him struggling with it, but there was nothing I could do, especially when he beat every instructor like they were nothing but children. However, today seemed different, Alexander came up and asked Aurelian to spar. Everyone backed away from their area, knowing full well what Aurelian could do, but I always felt like Alexander was holding back. It was something I picked up, almost like a parent holding back when they trained their kid, yet he wanted to spar with someone stronger than the other nobles, my eyes would be locked on this sparing match. As Alexander took his place, he spoke, ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready Aurelian, I¡¯m not one to hold back unless I need to.¡± His short sword styled practice blade was similar to Aurelian¡¯s, which was only slightly longer. Aurelian, seemingly dejected, replied, ¡°Don¡¯t get my hopes up Alexander, it¡¯s hard enough to find the motivation to come here.¡±


    I held my hand on, ¡°Ready, set, begin!¡± As I threw my hand down, both of them were already clashing blades, this was the first time I¡¯ve seen Aurelian not already have his opponent half way to the ground. With a quick motion, Aurelian tilted his blade to send Alexander away from him as he prepared an attack, but just as he went for it, Alexander countered him with precision, stopping him in his tracks and even pushing him back. When Aurelian regained his footing, I watched as he put his hand to his heart, I was worried he was hurt, but I watched as he smiled for the first time since I met him, ¡°Alexander, you¡¯ve been holding out on me, maybe I can go harder!¡± Suddenly, I felt the mana around Aurelian spike, which didn¡¯t make sense, but the same thing came from Alexander as they disappeared before they clashed where they met before. Somehow, they radiated mana, much more than the average noble did. While we had some control over it, mostly for fine control in mechs during combat, this was multiple times more than our basics.


    The two were launching a barrage of strikes, moving around the room as they tried to land a strike on the other, both failing to do so as their movements became ever faster. However, in a moment where their blades clashed and flew back, I noticed both of them had a fire in their eyes, a gleaming smile on their faces, and it was truly a sight to behold from them. Olivia seemed jittery, she drew her practice blade, a rapier, and said, ¡°That¡¯s it, I can¡¯t hold back, I have to join in!¡± I went to reach out to her, to stop her from jumping in to that whirlwind of swordplay, but just like the two boys, her mana signature flared as she leapt into the fray. Somehow, despite both of them now knowing she was inbound, they were able to prepare and have her slip in to it like a choreographed fight. While Alexander and Olivia had competitive smiles, Aurelian looked like he was having the time of his life in there, his smile went from eye to eye, his eyes alight with a shine I never thought I¡¯d see in anyone. Olivia, after a few moves, said, ¡°Come on boys, is this all you got?!¡± Alexander shouted back, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s on! You better be able to back up your words, Olivia!¡±


    Aurelian¡¯s reaction was vastly different, his words were as if a switch flipped, ¡°Come on Lily, you haven¡¯t beaten me yet, so where did you get the confidence to say that!?¡± I could tell that Olivia and Alexander were confused, but they didn¡¯t back down, even after Aurelian lit his practice blade alight with fire¡­ wait, fire!? I called out to those closer to the sparing match, ¡°Everyone back away! Quickly!¡± Some took initiative, but others had to be pulled back by those closest to them as even I had to take a few steps back. I could already hear people wondering who Lily was, but only I truly knew, it was likely a nickname for his only friend, and he likely hallucinated seeing her or is actively seeing her in Olivia. When I considered stopping the fight, Alexander coated his blade in water while Olivia did the same, but with air. Somehow, these children have managed to use mana in combat, yet even we adults could only do that if we spent decades learning the skills to do so, and it wasn¡¯t even in close combat like this.


    Aurelian¡¯s fire burned with a passion, akin to a light that never seems to go out. Alexander¡¯s water was calm, as if it were meant to calm the battlefields rage. Olivia¡¯s wind let her move with grace, as if a helping hand to her style, making her as swift as a coursing river. Each clash sent a shockwave of force and mana around them, and I grew increasingly uncertain about the structural integrity of the training hall under this sort of pressure. However, my worries released when all three of them clashed blades, the practice weapons were no longer able to withstand their fight and broke all at once. This seemed to knock Aurelian out of his trance, the hilt of his blade still on fire, ¡°Did I¡­ do this?¡± It was almost like he didn¡¯t understand what he did, Alexander letting out a sigh, ¡°Ugh! I thought I had it!¡± Olivia was, to my surprise, breathing pretty heavily, ¡°You two are beasts, if our blade didn¡¯t break, I was likely going to have to bow out.¡± For a moment, the two seemed fine, but I could tell Aurelian wasn¡¯t alright after all that.


    I walked over to the three, Aurelian¡¯s eyes seemed to be quivering, ¡°Aurelian, are you alright?¡± He looked to his hands, his eyes watering, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ Why did I call out to her?¡± Olivia, clearly confused, asked, ¡°You mean Lily? Yeah, you did call out to someone¡­ but who¡¯s Lily?¡± I looked around, then took Aurelian¡¯s hand, ¡°Not here, come with me, we need to do this out of sight of the other nobles, it seems like he¡¯s about to break down.¡± I made quick work to lead them to a private room, I sent an instructor to keep their training going, but I don¡¯t think I could stop the fact he called Olivia ¡°Lily¡± from circulating due to how many saw his blunder. I sat him down, requested some refreshments, and took a seat in front of him as Olivia and Alexander took to his sides. Once the refreshments arrived, and distributed, I asked, ¡°Are you alright, Aurelian? Do you wish to talk about it?¡± He seemed confused, yet understanding of what he did. After he closed and opened his mouth a few times, he managed to finally speak.


    ~~~


    ¡°I¡­ I saw my only friend in Olivia¡­ her fighting style was much like the one I taught her, and you nailed it to the most minute details.¡± I said, my voice quivering, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a sparring match like this in years since she was the only one who could keep up with me, and when you leapt in and fought like her, I swore I saw her in your stead. It was as if I saw a ghost appear before me, and maybe I just wanted to keep seeing that ghost for just a little while longer.¡± I clutched my heart, the void she left felt even larger than before, ¡°I just¡­ I just can¡¯t forget her, and I can¡¯t forgive the bastards that killed her.¡± I felt Alexander¡¯s hand begin to pat my back, ¡°It¡¯s ok, it isn¡¯t easy to deal with a loss like that, if you need to let it out, go ahead and do so.¡± It was as if the floodgates opened, my emotions, for the first time since the battle, finally seemed to flow as I wanted it too. As tears streamed from my eyes, my voice wailing in the loss that came from losing her and my parents, the only people I could see like a true family. Somewhere among my tears, I felt Olivia pull me close and patted my head, and it only let me cry harder, unleashing more tears than I ever expected I could. By the time my tears dried, I believe I fell unconscious, as I was before the child again.


    ¡°Do you miss them?¡± The child asked. I nodded, wiping the metaphorical tears that were leaking from my dreamlike state, ¡°Of course I do, they were what made me whole, and now, a large part of me feels empty without them.¡± The child seemed to smile, ¡°A very human emotion, and you need not prove to me your feelings, because I already know.¡± The child approached me, ¡°What is it you wish for those that killed them? Both your parents, and for Lily?¡± In all honesty, I never really thought about that, all I sought was revenge, but never what kind. If possible, I¡¯d like them to pay for their crimes in a way that is the proper punishment. But¡­ I know that many may not stop fighting, but I¡¯m unsure on if I should just kill them¡­ would that make me any better than them?¡± A voice, one much like my own, spoke from behind me, ¡°You understand that won¡¯t teach people like them a lesson, right?¡± When I turned to look, it was my look alike again, and they seemed neutral in looks for once, though what they spoke wasn¡¯t, ¡°People like them kill for a living, some do it for fun, they won¡¯t change locked in a cell or doing community service.¡±


    He walked up and poked my chest, ¡°You need to put them down, so they don¡¯t break out of prison or wherever they end up just to go on killing again.¡± The child spoke next, ¡°By succumbing to killing someone like this, it only makes it easier to commit this sin over again later on. While it¡¯s understandable to kill someone in self-defense and in defense of others, killing shouldn¡¯t be the first answer on what to do.¡± My look alike shouted at the child, ¡°People like them don¡¯t learn from their mistakes, they merely lie so they can be released early so they can go on killing again! Do you think these people would give up the power they have all because the law says so? They won¡¯t! The people need a savior who¡¯ll get their hands dirty and do the things they themselves won¡¯t do! We need to become vengeance for the weak, not someone who lets the law take over and risk their freedom!¡± The child and my look alike basically entered a shouting match, each held something within me that I felt, a path I had yet to take.


    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s chat, one on one.¡± A voice said, the child and look alike vanished and was replaced by¡­ someone oddly familiar. If anything, it looked like a version of me that had my father¡¯s genes, yet his eyes were like mine in one, yet a crimson red in the other, a trait of heterochromia. I asked, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± The person shook his head, ¡°No one you need to know¡­ more like a ghost who wanted to ensure something was better off. But I can tell you one thing, we¡¯re the same, you and I.¡± As he approached, his voice seemed to be¡­ dead. His face was weak, filled with pain, yet somehow one of hope as he looked to me. ¡°Trust me, loss isn¡¯t easy to overcome, especially for us. We have a hard time looking inside ourselves, seeing how we can overcome our pain, and our emotions sometimes burst from the bubble within us as we wonder how our lives would be if we didn¡¯t lose those we cared about.¡± He extended his hand, one that was nothing but bones, he said, ¡°Oh, right, sorry, but I¡¯m of a past time long gone, I¡¯ve been dead for quite some time now.¡± I was curious, so I took his hand, his smile seemed kind, ¡°Thank you for letting me help you, it may help me pass on as I work through my issues too.¡±


    The scene faded away, and I realized I was sitting in the conference room with Duke Bartholomew, Alexander, and Olivia. I wasn¡¯t sure what to take of it, but it let me understand the mess within me, was I to take to vengeance, my original goal to avenge those we all lost, or do I strive for justice and not seep into my emotions? I put a pin on that for now, I bowed to everyone, ¡°Thank you for this, I¡­ I¡¯m trying my best to understand the turmoil within me, especially why my emotions are¡­ a wreak. Still, this has been enough to know my feelings can eventually burst to the surface in moments of extreme feeling, so I¡¯ll be sure to watch myself.¡± While I didn¡¯t really feel anything right now, I knew it could happen again, and I¡¯d need to be careful on how to handle it. The Duke chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s fine Aurelian, this is something many of us have gone through at one point in our lives. You¡¯re allowed to rest, I never said you couldn¡¯t after all.¡± Olivia pulled me towards her, a smile on her face, ¡°You can use my shoulder to cry on whenever you need, just say the word.¡± Alexander took her off me, ¡°He¡¯s likely still a little confused, just be courteous to him, alright?¡± Olivia nodded, saluting as well, ¡°Roger that sir!¡± It was, to my surprise, a little funny. Maybe I am working things out, just slowly and in my own way, and that was all I needed.


    ~~~


    Molding the King World Eater core had taken plenty of time, and now, both cores were finished in their molding process. Now, all I needed was to inscribe the runes, and I had the best ones to instill on them. As I began the process, a cloaked individual with two obsidian horns poking out of the hood spoke, ¡°Forge Master, I have a report.¡± I nodded, focusing on the rune inscriptions while keeping my ears open, ¡°Go ahead.¡± The oni spoke, ¡°We found a lot of individuals in bed with Providence, it was enough to state that the criminals without proper affiliation were delt with, but we¡¯re not sure how to handle those higher up the chain.¡± I thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Inform the Duke, though ensure it¡¯s done discretely to ensure they can be caught unaware.¡± The oni nodded, ¡°Of course, also, over the past few months, we discovered some agents within the domain, they aren¡¯t ours.¡± I asked, curious, ¡°Do you know their affiliation?¡± The oni replied, ¡°We believe it to be your eldest brother, sir. Some of them were seen before the battle, but this time, they¡¯re more on task than they were before, so they may be here with purpose this time.¡±


    Forces from my eldest brother? We don¡¯t even know each other, yet he has men secretly in my domain. I asked, needing a sitrep on his planet, ¡°How¡¯s his planet, and try to recall the state it was in after the attack by Providence.¡± The oni thought, then said, ¡°From sources, it seemed to be left alone, it wasn¡¯t very important to them it seems.¡± This was new, I thought all of the Flameheart domain was under siege then, but he wasn¡¯t? I asked, ¡°What about Ruby and the triplets?¡± The oni replied, ¡°The triplets seemed to be in a strange space with hit and runs, likely to prevent them from reinforcing the others, Ruby was able to cause significant damage to the invading force, but areas vital to her trade were hit pretty badly by inside forces. Since you asked about the others, your father¡¯s domain was essentially cut off pre-attack, so they couldn¡¯t coordinate anything properly, thus having the military and security forces fighting for their lives.¡± I don¡¯t know what happened for such a disconnected series of attacks, but maybe I was onto something, ¡°Spy on the spies, lay some traps like false blueprints and whatnot, lets see if they act. Also, inform Ruby, she may need the heads up.¡± The oni nodded, ¡°Understood, though I want to update you on the pirate situation as well.¡±


    I raised a brow, stopping my work, ¡°The situation¡¯s already progressing? But we barely even spent half a year looking into them.¡± The oni replied, ¡°It seems they have a main fleet going around and hitting places they wish to keep down, stealing items, money, and people. We have a feeling that, based on their current course, they may target the domain within the decade.¡± I clicked my tongue, resuming my work, ¡°Have we discovered their base of operations? If we hold until their fleet arrives, wipe them out, then strike while the irons hot, we can essentially hit two objectives with one operation.¡± The oni shook their head, ¡°No, but we believe we¡¯re close, it may come to pass.¡± I nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try and get my new mech finished by then, so employ some jammers. We¡¯ll use the operation as its first fight, just make sure my weapons are ready.¡± The oni bowed, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll take my leave and relay your wishes, farewell.¡± When I looked back up, they were gone, and I resumed work. I spoke, clearly not trusting my own thoughts, ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone in our family is working with Providence, it just can¡¯t be.¡± We suffered so much at their hands, yet my eldest brother might be in league with them. I only hoped this wasn¡¯t the case, I may not know him, but he¡¯s still my father¡¯s son, the thought alone left a bad taste in my mouth.


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    ~~~


    As I sat in my chair, I let out a sigh, ¡°Those kids are tiring, if I have to keep separating them from fights, I¡¯m going to break something.¡± I¡¯m getting old, and seeing kids spar with their hearts on fire only reminded me of that fact. For once, Aurelian was sparing with something to keep him grounded to himself, and Olivia and Alexander seemed to be excelling as they learned more from Aurelian as much as he was learning from them. As I reached for a drink, someone handed me a filled glass of a favored mixture of mine, ¡°Thank you¡­ wait.¡± When I looked up, I realized someone¡­ no, something, was staring at me. Their mask seemed to point to them being human, but I could tell from this distance that the horns jutting from their head were real. Before I reached for my sword, the being spoke, ¡°I come with news, under orders of the Forge Master, to relay matters regarding Providence.¡± I was confused, ¡°Is this ¡°Forge Master¡± an ally?¡± The being nodded, ¡°Yes, Duke Bartholomew, we wouldn¡¯t be coming to you otherwise.¡±


    I wanted to air on the side of caution, but information was information, and I could work with some against Providence, ¡°Explain.¡± The being passed me a drive, ¡°This has information regarding those in positions we didn¡¯t wish to attack within your ranks, any individuals who were criminals were easily delt with out of sight.¡± When I took it and hesitated, the being said, ¡°The drive is clean, we don¡¯t like dealing with viruses, it¡¯s risky business.¡± I took their word for it and plugged it in, names, locations, videos, everything we could ever need to arrest these men and more were within the drive. My jaw dropped, I couldn¡¯t believe it got this bad, when I looked to them I asked, ¡°What do you want for the information? This is too much for me to take freely.¡± The being shook their head, ¡°The Forge Master requested no money for it, it is purely to ensure Providence is eliminated from your ranks, as it makes his position safer. In a way, all we request is the upmost secrecy about us and the methods you use to¡­ do as you wish with them.¡±


    I wondered what this being got out of it, especially their so called ¡°Forge Master¡±, so, I asked, ¡°Why? Why do this? Why go after Providence?¡± The being remained silent, but soon spoke, ¡°The Forge Master was originally from a time long gone, and we believe fate has smiled upon us for letting us reunite with the one we watched perish before our eyes. However, when we returned to consciousness from our sleep, he had lost what he had finally found in this new life.¡± I could feel their eyes on me, stern, ¡°We have already lost everything once, we cannot lose everything all over again.¡± The being began to fade before my very eyes, ¡°Do what is right, Duke Bartholomew, I do not wish to return for you if you choose incorrectly.¡± Somehow, despite them not moving before whatever they did, I could no longer sense or perceive them. I reached for where they were, but nothing was there, it was as if they vanished entirely. Whoever this Forge Master was, Providence got on the wrong side of them. Though¡­ something about that being, the name ¡°Forge Master¡±, it reminded me of a story I recall hearing some time ago, ¡°I need to investigate this¡­ quietly.¡± I was going to apprehend the ones on this list, but it didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t see what this all meant.


    ~~~


    ¡°The Forge Master is dead.¡± A man spoke through the chaos of the conference room, silence slowly spread like a cloud of gas. I stood up, ¡°How was he killed?! If he was assassinated, then there¡¯s time to catch the one responsible!¡± The wise, old elf shook his head, ¡°There was none, Sir Arthur informed me that his time had come, and the illness he spoke of has claimed his life.¡± This made my legs give out, we had lost the Forge Master right before the most important time in our lives, a battle not only he prepared for, but we had as well. I asked, ¡°Did¡­ did he at least finish his project?¡± The elf nodded, ¡°Yes, the mech was handed to Sir Arthur, he¡¯s ready to fight the enemy. Though, we need to be smart, we need to prepare the people.¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°That is already being done, we have ships ready to begin evacuations into deep space, androids will maintain the cryostasis pods and ensure as many of you can survive. I¡¯ve also taken the liberty to build cryostasis centers underground, made of material that should render them undetectable. Though¡­ the people have spoken, they wish for our futures to be secure by having those with the skills to live to be put into stasis. This means leaders, soldiers, knights, assassins, engineers¡­ everyone in this room are to be put into stasis.¡±


    I slammed my fist into the table, clearly the only one choosing to ask questions today, ¡°No! We need to protect this planet, we put our hearts and souls into it, I won¡¯t let it fall just because we were scared to fight back!¡± The elf shouted, ¡°I¡¯m stating this because we¡¯re losing!¡± This silenced even the quiet murmurs, the elf continued, ¡°The war for the universe began a few days ago, and those on the outer ring of our known territories are being destroyed. Their fleets are too powerful, even with the supplies we¡¯re sending. We need to worry about who will carry on the mission, who will be evacuated, and which of us can truly carry on our legacies.¡± A dwarf spoke, ¡°We¡¯re already getting the engineers on our end ready for stasis, some will leave on the ships, and some volunteered to risk their lives in the bunkers. Though, at the rate the enemy is moving, we¡¯re not going to be able to evacuate everyone, and they know that.¡± I stood up, my armor clanking against itself, ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay and protect everyone until the end, I¡¯m a knight of the Forge Master, I will not let our people suffer alone.¡±


    I suddenly felt something stick into my arm, when I looked, it seemed to be a syringe, Merlin spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Joan, but you¡¯re the only one who can lead the military, we need you in the future.¡± I pulled the syringe out, but it was too late, I was already losing consciousness, ¡°This is for the sake of everyone¡¯s future, be sure to protect the future, because we need you.¡± When I opened my eyes, I looked to the ceiling of my room in the barracks. As I sat up, I realized my second in command was bringing me some water, ¡°That dream again?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯m just worried about the others¡­ was I the only one among us notable leaders within that bunker?¡± My second in command nodded, ¡°It seems so ma¡¯am, Merlin and the excavation teams are working as fast as possible to find the other bunkers and the bunker with the recall beacon. Those of us that survived will be made whole again soon, I know we will.¡± As we left the room, one of the instructors came to me, ¡°Trainee Joan, we have information for you, straight from your domain.¡± They passed me a drive, our usual way to deliver information, and it was untampered with as usual. I saluted, ¡°Thank you instructor.¡± The instructor walked off waving, ¡°You¡¯re teaching me somethings, I should be thanking you, just do what you need to.¡±


    I made sure to look into the information immediately with all the knights here present, once we convened, I projected the information. I spoke, ¡°It seems like our first retaliatory operation against Providence is coming, details aren¡¯t complete yet, but we need to be ready at a moment¡¯s notice since this¡¯ll be a big one.¡± After a little more reading, I added, ¡°Also, it seems like our mechs and ships will be a six at best, it¡¯s not a good upgrade for what we have.¡± I lied; I knew this place was tapped. So I wanted to instill a false set of confidence in any who dared to listen in. I took the drive and crushed it, we all got what we needed, ¡°Everyone, make sure the instructors know we¡¯ll need some time away to handle the threat, so get it ahead of time!¡± As everyone stood up, they saluted, ¡°Yes, commander!¡± I knew this was going to hurt us, more so than anything we partook in before, but we weren¡¯t going to lose, not this time.


    ~~~


    As I walked with Olivia and Alexander, I questioned aloud, ¡°Why do we need to do a team battle assessment? It doesn¡¯t seem like a smart idea considering the circumstances.¡± Alexander spoke, ¡°Well, it¡¯s to see how well separate domains can work together in a coalition of sorts. We are the first lines of defense in wartime scenarios after all.¡± It made sense, but that wasn¡¯t what I was referring to, ¡°It¡¯s the fact that there are members of Providence among us Alexander, if we show off, they¡¯ll just incorporate a counter to our tactics.¡± Olivia said, ¡°Then we run half decent plans and beat them anyway, it¡¯s not the tech that decides outcomes in this universe anyway considering we¡¯ve been stuck with it since before our parents were born.¡± I chuckled, ¡°Yeah, except Providence has so much new tech that we have to break free. Trust me, this comes from someone who knows a thing or two.¡± I mean, I understood the lack of tech on other ends, but every ship Providence brought against me was up three and four tiers from what they had, tech made all the difference.


    When we entered the room, we were instructed on what to do, including the numbers and specs of our craft being restricted to what we had on hand, be it now or in the past. I lied and pretended I had what I had pre-battle with Providence, as if I only got back to what I had as of recently, and I made sure to plug in the stats too since they no longer mattered. Once everything was set up, we were put against a group of three, one with the two counts from before. The leader of the group, originally the one I considered to be the leader of the two counts from before, came to me with a smirk, ¡°You may have bested us a few years ago, but here, we hold the cards. What I¡¯m saying is prepare to be humbled, Flameheart.¡± While I wasn¡¯t lacking energy like before, this time, I didn¡¯t even bother trying to pester him, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, alright, just go back to your side.¡± I could tell this struck a nerve since he walked back to his group in a huff, as we went to choose seats, I was sat in the leading chair. I asked, ¡°Why me?¡± Alexander replied, ¡°You¡¯re a pro at this, I want to see what you can do against ships, not just beasts.¡±


    Being in this position felt¡­ wrong. Even in a simulation, I couldn¡¯t lead more people to their deaths, not again. I felt a hand on my shoulder, the person from my dreams, ¡°Calm down, these are just ones and zeros, besides, aren¡¯t you trying to fool them?¡± When I looked to my left, I noticed them, he smirked, ¡°If they have the connection we seek, let them see a pretty horrible plan, if the enemy uses a counter to it, crush them. It¡¯s a simple form of deception, use it.¡± I wondered if this was considered a horrible thing to do, but he seemed to hear my thoughts, ¡°No, it''s not wrong, its preparation for self-defense. We¡¯re outnumbered and outgunned, we need every advantage we can get, you got this.¡± The screen lit up, the Duke spoke, ¡°Each side has three planets, between you and these core planets are nine planets, making fifteen in total. Your goal is to use the available means to take your opponent¡¯s core planets. There are no rules, just show me what you can do, begin.¡± I got to work immediately, ¡°Begin pushing to the planets ahead of us, we need to grab them for the advantage swiftly.¡±


    Pushing forward was easy, something our opponents seemed to understand as I pushed past the first planets and split my fleet to take the middle row of planets. I could tell they were panicking, but it wasn¡¯t all that concerning, their ships seemed slower than the forces I fought on the home front. I spoke, ¡°I think their ships are weaker than the ones I faced, they¡¯re slower than my fastest, but only slightly slower than my regulars, my enemies were faster all round.¡± Alexander spoke as his forces began to claim the two planets his fleet was tasked with, ¡°Then that¡¯s good, we can use that to our advantage.¡± I shook my head, ¡°Not exactly, tactics and whatnot are different in that matter, we can¡¯t be risky.¡± I watched as our territory expanded into the middle row, my ships reaching the planets and establishing defensive lines as we worked to secure them. Olivia asked, ¡°Why are you building a defensive line before securing the planet, isn¡¯t that foolish?¡± I replied, ¡°Even in poor plans, establishing a basic defensive line is a must. Doing so before planetary take over buys time for defenses to be made, which is an overall plus.¡± Using scans, I understood they were being bold, a large force in the middle with smaller forces heading to the sides, a valid move in this situation, however, it seemed to be most of their forces.


    I spoke, ¡°Olivia, Alexander, keep some at the rear planets for security and bolster our side planets in the middle, I can handle the middle with my spare forces.¡± As my strike squad went to back up the middle planet, comms opened up with the enemy, ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Flameheart, you pushed your hand too hard, and now you¡¯ll suffer for it.¡± As my forces began to approach, my opponent began to fire on me, but I wasn¡¯t really sure which of them were launching this attack. I went through my mental list of formations and took one that I¡¯d never actually use in combat, but against them, it would seem like a well-crafted plan. As their forces came towards me, I felt my fact contort into one of sheer confusion, these people were charging me head on without any regard to their own safety. I spoke in question, ¡°Alexander, Olivia, are they charging the other two planets like this?¡± I sent them what I had, needing to understand just what was going on. Olivia spoke first, ¡°Yes, since I expected that, I¡¯ve been shooting them with long range first.¡± Alexander replied, ¡°Good work Olivia, you learned ship combat well, but yes Aurelian seems like all three of them are preforming a charge.¡±


    I spoke, clearly dumbfounded, ¡°You know how rarely feel emotion? Well, these guys have managed to awaken my confusion. Have any of you seen this from anyone but pirates?¡± Both replied, as if knowing what I was asking, ¡°No, never seen it.¡± I sighed, ¡°Just take out as many from range as possible, once we secure the planets, we¡¯ll push in for the next three.¡± I was curious, as much as I wanted to know, did these members of Providence even learn basic noble information? No, more than that, were these kids even aware of Providence at all? Even if I were in a strong position, I would ensure that position is reinforced properly with the information to back it up, not be so¡­ foolish with my next of kin. Even dad managed to incorporate proper fleet command into my education, stating even if I were to be outside of leading the domain that it was always a safe option to know combat for emergency situations. Though, he did mention one thing, never to be complacent in combat. ¡°You two be careful, I won¡¯t be complacent like before, even in a simulation.¡± I kept my strike squad back, mostly since I doubt even Providence knew I had it, and to ensure I had it read for rapid response.


    Moving the ships for maximum efficiency, which wasn¡¯t all too different, I took out as many of the long range ships as possible before our closer ranged ships reached effective combat range. However, once they hit half capacity, they began to retreat, ¡°I¡¯m going to move in, I want to test their reaction.¡± I sent enough forces to make it worth while and reinforced the forces I had with the strike squad, Alexander reported, ¡°We¡¯re still fighting, this may be their plan, we can handle our fights, see what they have.¡± From what I can tell, these ships were likely tier two, likely why they were able to hold them off with barley any reinforcement from me. Though, the machine running the simulation couldn¡¯t accurately put any information for my ships or theirs through, insinuating they were beyond what the Empire knew of. I rubbed my forehead as the planet came into view, ¡°What in the world is Providence doing? Are they letting anyone in?¡± When the scan reported back on the amount of ships they had, along with defenses, I was shocked that they managed to pull this off in such a short time, even I was taking my time in replacements and whatnot. But that¡¯s when I realized the smaller aspect of the game came into play, they were bleeding their people dry for the money.


    I reported as I began to pull back, ¡°They¡¯re using the smaller system to bleed their people dry, their numbers are more than tech and planning can properly combat, so I¡¯m pulling back.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°Then what do we do? If they have that much, it¡¯s only a matter of time before they charge you again.¡± I looked between the planets, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t bolster the planets aside the middle ones, pump all their revenue in making the planets more profitable, ensure the rest of the money goes into defensive measures on the front three planets, make a blockade, don¡¯t let anything through.¡± Alexander asked, ¡°Is this going to work? It¡¯s not a tactic I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say here, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn¡¯t. I decided to bank on it, even if we lost since it was our best chance of victory, ¡°Yes, all we need to do is focus on defense, I¡¯ll use my forces as the defenders, you guys use your forces to increase building speed.¡± Olivia and Alexander replied, ¡°Understood.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why they were listening to me, but this was no longer me using the weakest tactic, it was a genuine desire to win, even if only to prove a point.


    The occasional skirmish broke out, ones easily quelled by a few rapid response squads, but never a full on engagement. Even when we managed to reach a level able to fight them, I held back, Olivia asked, ¡°Why are we holding back? We can easily make a push now if we wanted.¡± I replied, ¡°Simple, they¡¯re likely using the same tactic as before, since their military now requires the method to function. I¡¯ll send some spies in to try and cause civil unrest, it¡¯ll buy us more time if their planets are rebelling.¡± The smaller system essentially meant it ran according to values from reality, we could invest in planet for better future returns on the high end or bleed them dry for an explosion to our current coffers on the low end, I wanted to bank on their continuous use of the low end. Some money went to bolstering our numbers and the planetary defenses, but I was making sure that once we shifted to war efforts, we continued to gain money, not lose it. I made sure the two of them were on other matters, mostly ensuring things were done in a rapid succession, since it continued to give our forces an advantage. I could only wonder what our enemies were doing.


    ~~~


    ¡°My lord, the only two teams left on the battlefield, I¡¯m not sure why the game hasn¡¯t ended yet.¡± One of my instructors asked, to which I put the match on screen. When I did, I felt a grin appear on my face, ¡°Because it¡¯s Aurelian¡¯s team, he must have a plan, pull up what the systems look like.¡± When they did, I understood immediately based on the game records, ¡°It seems the three counts bleed their people to an extent to build a massive military, which Aurelian found out and retreated, using the front planets akin to fortresses, the center one especially so. He¡¯s playing the long game to ensure he can come out on top in the end, even if it seems weak and cowardly.¡± Once again, I was surprised by the very tactics he put into play, and the instructor was confused, ¡°Then why are lady Olivia and lord Alexander going along with it? Wouldn¡¯t they strive to end the battle asap as the others have?¡± I spoke, ¡°Pull up their records of communications.¡± When they did, I was astonished, they effectively made Aurelian their leader, as if they held complete trust in his decisions. I chuckled, ¡°Even like this, he managed to gain their respect and trust, surprising.¡±


    I heard Aurelian¡¯s voice speak up, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve begun causing chaos in their lead planets, the spies have reached their rear line, so let¡¯s get ready for the push.¡± I felt a chill spread through me, I said, ¡°Pull up the other side¡¯s planet data, quickly!¡± When the instructor did, he gasped, ¡°They never stopped bleeding their people dry, it¡¯s backfiring on them!¡± When I checked the backlog of Aurelian¡¯s team, I felt my surprise turn into a grin, ¡°He knew they were still bleeding them dry, long before we even expected it based on their military numbers! This is incredible!¡± I¡¯ve never seen anyone prepare like this, especially in a simulation. When we checked Aurelian¡¯s opponents, they were freaking out, chatter about their planets rebelling was all they could speak about. Aurelian spoke, ¡°Their planets on the front line are in disarray, they even have swaths of the military failing, leave some ships for defense and push in, we¡¯re taking the next line.¡± Alexander and Olivia replied, ¡°Understood, moving in.¡± This was unlike them both, they seemed more confident than they usually did, and it was all because of Aurelian.


    The instructor shifted to the map screen, ships were beginning to meet on the battlefield, ¡°Young lords Aurelian, Alexander, and lady Olivia have managed to reach the planets, they¡¯ve taken the rebellion under their protection and united with them! The three counts are on a weakened defensive!¡± This level of tactical knowhow was not what I taught to the students, this was Aurelian using skills he himself took to learning at home, and it was on the level of top knight commanders in the military¡­ at least in my opinion. The three planets were quick to fall, quickly being reinforced and bolstered as Aurelian¡¯s team prepared the final push. Aurelian spoke, ¡°We bolster before going in, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s in there, even with the spies. I¡¯ll get the rebellions rolling in the meantime, so get ready to push!¡± I didn¡¯t even need to tell him to be wary, he was already doing so, I asked, ¡°Is there any way for the three counts to win this?¡± The instructor shook his head, ¡°No, we can see both sides fleet power, they won¡¯t be able to make a fleet to defend against a three-way assault in the time frame it takes for the rebellion to kick off. It''s over.¡±


    As I watched their planning, bolstering, and action, it told me they were ready for every possible situation, including the use of just cause for the chance to free the people. He likely didn¡¯t even expect that this was what he was doing, yet he did, almost as if something within him was still upholding the values I knew he had before he lost everything. I watched as he began the final push, the enemy planets were rebelling, and the forces were weakened once again, ¡°Maybe he isn¡¯t as weak as he believed he was.¡± The instructor said, ¡°As I¡¯ve been telling him, yet he doesn¡¯t seem to listen¡­ or maybe understand. Either way, this match is over, what should we do about the results?¡± I sighed, ¡°Aurelian, Alexander, and Olivia win again, they shown the best teamwork, not to mention results, out of everyone, including less casualties overall, including rebellion losses.¡± The instructor sighed, ¡°I¡¯m getting parents who are¡­ upset, with the results. They don¡¯t like some Viscount from the boonies showing up their children, you know the ones.¡± Providence was really prodding to see how far they could go; I waved him off, ¡°Everyone has equal opportunities here, they can deal with it.¡± I could only wonder what they¡¯ll do, but for now, they couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    ~~~


    ¡°We want you to take the Flameheart Viscount down a few notches.¡± A representative of some Count asked me. I chuckled, ¡°Which one, they have two counts there now.¡± The representative replied, ¡°Aurelian, seems like he¡¯s gotten on the bad side of the members of Providence in Duke Bartholomew¡¯s training camp. I smiled, ¡°Ah, him, he really showed those who wronged me a few decades ago a good time. Not only that, but I also killed his parents too, good times.¡± The representative put a device on my desk, I plugged it in and whistled, the money and resources were nothing to scoff at, ¡°Deal him some damage, we know he can¡¯t be killed since we want to know what he does about those monuments of his, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t rough him up. Do it and you get the other half of the resources promised, we already brought the first half as the upfront payment.¡± My grin was wide, ¡°Oh ho, such a reward for putting a brat in their place, I can do that, besides, it¡¯s about time I return there anyway since he hasn¡¯t learned his earlier lesson.¡±


    I stood up, needing to prepare the force that¡¯ll head there, ¡°It¡¯ll be a few years since we¡¯re handling some other business too, but it won¡¯t be too much of an issue, yes?¡± The representative stood up as well, ¡°No, we expected this, just make sure it¡¯s handled and you¡¯ll get the rest of the reward.¡± I clasped his hand, ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal, just know we pirates are always willing to be of helping hand to Providence, they truly understand the need for folks like us.¡± The representative nodded and began to leave, ¡°I hope we put our trust in the right person, Providence awaits the good news.¡± Once they left, I walked over to the device that took my voice to everyone under my command, even the ships out on business, ¡°Attention boys, we just got paid a rather large sum to put the boy Reaper calls kindling back in his place, so don¡¯t mess it up! The sum is big enough for us to finally expand, and you know how much we want that!¡± I could hear some of the cheers from my office, and I was excited as I turned the device off, ¡°Little Flameheart, you messed with the wrong people, and now you¡¯ll be the one to get burned.¡±

 Chapter Fifteen: Securing Connections

    Years were ticking by, and on the fifth year of training, I was still no closer to what I sought. Providence was clearly better than I expected at covering their tracks, and there were more of them than I expected, and all it did was make me wonder just how many there were. Even if my plans worked out, I have to win every time while Providence needs to only win once, and I couldn¡¯t leave the universe to chance if I failed to fight back against Providence. I needed the one thing I never thought I¡¯d search for, and that was allies, those who want to fight back against Providence for the sake of their people, but that was easier said than done. Most people don¡¯t want to fight back against Providence due to their strength, others just want to surrender and hope they can reap even a little bit of the reward for submitting early on, very little carry the will to fight back. Much like with the simulation, that person I spoke to appeared before me, as if he was something close to a voice of reason, ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, I never did that¡­ and I think I paid for it in the end.¡±


    I sighed, lucky to be alone in the room, ¡°I know that, but what do I do when most people are hiding away in fear about it?¡± He nodded, ¡°I understand that, but have you considered the fact that there could be some right next to you?¡± I raised a brow, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He smirked, ¡°Alexander, Olivia, the Duke? Come on, the Duke even said how much he hates them. Check the Providence affiliated people, we can see if he¡¯s trustworthy.¡± I nodded, then began looking up each name I could recall off the top of my head, and I wasn¡¯t surprised that all of them were arrested and tried over a year ago. He said, ¡°See, he¡¯s trustworthy, I mean, why arrest them and risk pissing them off when only he would know about it?¡± I replied, ¡°Well, that is a fair point, but what about¡­¡± He sighed, ¡°Out of everyone here, the only ones they do converse with the most is you, and they don¡¯t really speak outside of that with basic friendship. Trust me, I¡¯ve lived longer than you, I can read what they¡¯re doing like a book. You know what, let¡¯s just do this, make a meeting with the three of them and state your intentions.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No, if any of them aren¡¯t with me, they¡¯ll inform Providence and work against me.¡± He sighed again, one more drawn out, ¡°Look, you see how they act? They trust you, not to mention the fact that they put you in a leadership position, if they didn¡¯t trust you, they likely would¡¯ve chosen Alexander to be the leader, right?¡± After a moment of thought, I nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, it wouldn¡¯t make sense otherwise.¡± He patted my shoulder, ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll understand.¡± Once he said that, the door to the room opened as Alexander entered, ¡°Woah, you slept in today, not often you do that.¡± I waved my hand, ¡°No, I was just thinking¡­ and wrestling with it a little.¡± As he got ready to freshen up, I asked, ¡°Would you mind meeting with Olivia and Duke Batholomew about something I want to ask?¡± He seemed surprised that I asked, he soon nodded, ¡°Yeah, sure. Do you know when?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, I got to ask the both of them, but I want to do it by the end of the day if possible.¡± He smiled, ¡°Alright, if you can, I¡¯ll come.¡± After he waved and entered the bathroom, I slapped my face, ¡°I can¡¯t hold back anymore, I have to do the best that I can.¡±


    ~~~


    Before me sat Aurelian, he seemed nervous, which was a rare sight for me. Olivia and Alexander were here as well, though I couldn¡¯t understand why since there haven¡¯t been any issues. Aurelian, after slapping his face to the surprise of everyone, stood up and spoke, ¡°Thank you three for coming, especially in a place meant for privacy, since what I¡¯m about to ask you is pretty risky.¡± He looked to us, his voice had a nervous tone, ¡°I realized that I¡¯m alone in my fight against Providence recently, and I understood that if I fought alone, I¡¯d never win the fight. All it would take for my active rebellion against Providence to die would be my loss, and I can¡¯t let it end like that. I realized that I need allies¡­ and the only ones I could think of would be you. Duke Bartholomew, you told me that Providence nearly killed your son, not to mention the string of Providence supports being tried in court, that was something I didn¡¯t expect. Olivia, you lost your lord to him, and now all this pressure is on you to pick up where he left off, and I know that means he¡¯d likely want you to pick up the fight again.¡±


    As he looked to Alexander, he began to slow down, ¡°Alexander, you¡­ you¡­ actually, I have no idea what your goal would be, I just realized you talk to me more often than others. But that¡¯s not the point.¡± He looked between the three of us, his eyes stern, ¡°I can supply you the means to fight back, that means technology, mechs, ships, even weapons that can actually stand a chance against Providence, though I¡¯ll need payment since the forge is my own place, and the deficit would be incredible if I tried to fund you all at the moment.¡± After he shook his head, likely snapping himself out of the rambling he started, ¡°The point is, Providence will likely never look on us in any favorable light, and they¡¯re actively enforcing their tyranny as we speak. I¡­ I don¡¯t have much else to promise you, but I can say that Providence won¡¯t take us lightly afterwards. It¡¯s up to you though, and if you turn me in to Providence, I won¡¯t say I can blame you, but just know that no matter what, I won¡¯t let my people suffer under them for as long as I live.¡± He looked to us, his face not that stuck neutrality, but one that gave away how nervous he truly was, ¡°So¡­ what do you say?¡±


    I understood what he was thinking, and he even stated a technological edge, it wasn¡¯t something I expected him to be able to do. Before I could state anything, Olivia spoke, ¡°I already told my parents about you, at first it was about helping our planet recovering, but they wanted to know more since your story began to spread. If anything, I think I can see if they¡¯d be up for it, give me a minute.¡± After she stepped out of the room, Alexander spoke, ¡°Oh, we heard about it rather fast, father told me that if I ever met him that we work out terms as soon as possible.¡± He looked to Aurelian with a smile, ¡°We¡¯re already allies, no need to stress it.¡± Alexander looked to me, as if he was ready for the fact that I¡¯d speak, and I had plenty of time to think about the situation as a whole. If I were given the chance to fight back, and properly, would I take it? Aurelian was a golden ticket to fight against Providence, and I had a choice on whether or not I can fight back. After a moment, I considered what Providence would do, and none of it was going to be good for those of us who fought back. I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, if I hesitated, all would be lost.


    I looked to Aurelian, my resolve finally set in stone, I said, ¡°I agree, I¡¯ll ensure you can get some funding along with anything you may need. Providence won¡¯t stop until they get what they want, and I won¡¯t let them get away with it.¡± Though, when I looked to Aurelian, he didn¡¯t seem surprised, rather, he seemed relieved. From a tense nervousness to a relaxed frame, his body language wasn¡¯t nigh unreadable, but overly relaxed. After a long breath out, he said, ¡°I¡­ I thought this wouldn¡¯t work¡­ I can¡¯t believe it actually worked.¡± I could see a single tear form in his scared eye, ¡°I¡¯m not alone.¡± In that moment, I understood him, he was alone, and this solitude had hardened him more than he expected. With everything that he¡¯s went through, it made sense he lost his confidence, his best was spit back into his face with extreme losses, I doubt even he knew he lacked the confidence to trust anyone. Alexander spoke up, ¡°You were never alone, you just didn¡¯t know who to trust, but trust me, you made the right choice in asking us.¡±


    As Olivia returned, she said, after the door closed, ¡°My parents are on board, they want to figure out who ordered Providence to come for us and properly put the one who did to justice. Though, they are curious about the tech part though, can you really reinforce a Baron, Viscount, and Duke?¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°In a quick time, oh no, Duke Bartholomew has way to many ships for that.¡± I asked, confused, ¡°You know my ship numbers?¡± He replied, ¡°No, but based on income and whatnot, I can at least assume. For you two though, I can likely do Olivia¡¯s in a year¡¯s time, my factories can handle it since I¡¯ve about finished my bolstering.¡± I asked, ¡°Then do so, we have the numbers and time to wait, they may not be so lucky.¡± Aurelian nodded, ¡°That I can do¡­ wait a minute.¡± Aurelian began use a pad in a hurry, I asked, ¡°Aurelian, what seems to be the issue?¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°Some pirates we know that have an in with Providence seem to be doing their dirty work on the way to my domain, I just want to make sure none of your planets are in the path.¡± After a moment, he sighed in relief, ¡°No, you three are clear, it¡¯s only me.¡±


    Alexander, clearly surprised, asked, ¡°Wait, the pirates are coming to attack your planet?¡± I added, ¡°He¡¯s right, if that¡¯s the case, you need to worry on yourself for now.¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already taken the necessary precautions, I won¡¯t let a repeat of what happened before.¡± On a hologram, I got to see his planet for the first time, ¡°So the rumors were true, you do have a space elevator and orbital ring.¡± When I looked to Alexander and Olivia, they were both equally surprised, Aurelian spoke, ¡°I do, surprised it¡¯s still a rumor considering the fact I used it during the defense, but it works for me. But I can confirm my capital will be their main target, my other planets have adequate defenses since they may do an attack on all of them. But this planet needs to be secure no matter what since I have a¡­ special device being constructed in orbit. It¡¯ll be invaluable in our battle against Providence, it¡¯ll be a surprise until its completion.¡± Alexander asked, clearly concerned, ¡°Do you even have the funds to do so? You were in major recovery when we first met.¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°We¡¯ve recovered, defenses are about all back online from all the small issues, blasted traitors.¡±


    Another piece of his puzzle slipped into place, he had traitors, which means his trust was likely hard to gain. Olivia asked, ¡°What did the traitors do?¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°They had a lot of people who worked with the defenses disable and wreak havoc on the smaller, hard to reach locations. We have a work around, but it¡¯s been tough finding every issue, though it¡¯s luckily about over.¡± He put his fist on his open palm, ¡°That¡¯s what I forgot, make sure you chose people you trust to pilot the crafts you¡¯ll order; we don¡¯t want them going rogue if they¡¯re compromised. Oh, don¡¯t worry about training, I¡¯ll send some people to assist in teaching your engineers how to maintain the ships, we can¡¯t have inexperienced individuals repairing ships.¡± As Aurelian began to dig into details, I understood how much time he must¡¯ve prepared for this, especially when it came to searching for those under Providence. His life goal had shifted from whatever he dreamed to sheer revenge, and I hated it. I decided to speak up, ¡°I have a plan, let¡¯s not enforce the alliance between domains until the attack comes.¡±


    Aurelian said, ¡°Well¡­ sure, but it may be longer than that until it comes to light if none of them escape.¡± I was confused, none escaping was a large prospect, ¡°How would they not escape?¡± Aurelian replied, ¡°A series of jammers, preventing them from returning form where they came from and ensuring complete radio silence between crafts that don¡¯t have the proper code. It¡¯s an original of mine.¡± I couldn¡¯t even question if that was true, but knowing him, it may as well be. I haven¡¯t seen anyone so confident in their technological capacity aside Providence, and they actually used their tech to prove that point. I asked, ¡°So, you have faith that your technology can actually beat Providence?¡± I watched a grin cross Aurelian¡¯s face, ¡°Faith? Please, I used weaker tech to push back Providence, and I upped the game a little for the sake of fighting what I can currently believe is their best.¡± His grin somehow got even larger, ¡°I¡¯m even preparing the groundwork for a¡­ treat to engage their little surprise. I doubt they¡¯ll use it to defend pirates, but I know they¡¯ll use it on me soon.¡± Alexander, confused, asked, ¡°What was the surprise?¡±


    Aurelian looked entirely serious as he spoke, ¡°A dreadnaught.¡± Each of us exclaimed, at once, ¡°A dreadnaught!?¡± Alexander seemed to ponder what was going on with his statements, but Aurelian continued to speak, ¡°I have proof, and by overclocking my mech, I was able to damage the thing too¡­ but it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± His sudden boost of excitement died, the loss of what he failed to stop must¡¯ve hit hard, but the mood swings were something I didn¡¯t expect, especially so suddenly. I decided to get his mind off of it, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the topic at hand, Alexander, Olivia, you two take care of your fleets with Aurelian, I¡¯ll make sure we¡¯re ready to function when the time comes.¡± Alexander seemed focused, but Aurelian replied, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll send the codes I mentioned before when I get more concise information on the attack¡­ and I may need return home before training is done, they¡¯re getting closer with more than I expected.¡± I about shifted to look back when he mentioned the codes, but it wasn¡¯t my place. All I knew was I needed to prepare the men, and I knew a lot of them would be willing to prepare for a defense, I may go as well just to prove my point to them that I won¡¯t take anything from Providence, gifts or harassment.


    ~~~


    As I pushed in a part and began to weld, I heard someone speak through the headset I wore during my work, ¡°Young Aurelian, you know I said to not miss training, right?¡± I sat up, turned to the Duke, and replied, ¡°As I said, the pirates are getting closer, I planned for the fight to be my test drive.¡± I turned back and resumed welding, ¡°If I slow down, even a little, from my current timeline, I¡¯ll be without a mech for the fight.¡± Duke Bartholomew asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you put your mech into repairs?¡± I replied, ¡°Turns out a lot of the parts for it broke, not ones that I have on hand, and I plan to return days before the assault even commences anyway.¡± Duke Bartholomew was clearly confused, ¡°But¡­ if you do that, won¡¯t you miss the battle anyway?¡± I got up and shifted to a different section, ¡°In usual cases, yes, but I have a means to get there on time.¡± Duke Bartholomew asked, ¡°Why not use the parts from this project to repair it?¡± I sighed, ¡°Well, mostly the fact that these parts can¡¯t be used, since their make and model just aren¡¯t meant for it. It¡¯s like trying to load a caliber of bullet into a gun that can¡¯t take it, if you do, it could break the gun. For me, it could break the mech and part, being more expensive overall.¡±


    I cracked my neck, then began to connect all the cables coming into this part of the machine, ¡°Besides, why use that older model when this new model will likely be the strongest mech of the current era? Well, strongest mech presently, I can make it better with time.¡± After a few minutes passed, and I assumed he left, he commented as I put a cable in, ¡°You have more parts here than I expected for a mech¡­ especially the-.¡± I cut him off, ¡°I nearly put that cable in the wrong slot, but yes, those parts are needed.¡± After I put the rest of the cables in, I went to the testing device and began to run the connection tests just in case I made an error. As the test ran, Duke Bartholomew asked, ¡°When will the pirates make it to your domain? Have a rough estimate at the bare minimum?¡± I shrugged, ¡°I have the numbers running, but it¡¯s within the ballpark of five years, likely faster since they seem to be doing what they need far faster than previous predictions said they would. I¡¯d say make sure they¡¯re ready to move on command, and make sure they¡¯re here, I¡¯ll take them with me when I head home.¡±


    Duke Bartholomew sighed, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be pretty, nor without casualties, what do you plan to do?¡± I replied, ¡°My ships are¡­ more advanced than what I plan to make for you, Alexander, and Olivia. I¡¯ll likely use them as shields for physical attacks if their ships have significantly weaker weapon calibers.¡± I could tell he was confused by that, so I clarified, ¡°I don¡¯t plan for people to die, I have a system in place to ensure a proper change out for repairs and whatnot.¡± As I looked to the mech, near complete, I wasn¡¯t sure what to feel. Was I forgoing my old wishes for the sake of revenge, or was this a climb against evil in the sake of justice? Much like the child and look alike I sometimes dream of, I¡¯m not sure which I¡¯m fighting for anymore. As the screen slowly shown the areas that were coming back properly secured, I sighed, this is what I get for making a machine I used to make for those who sought revenge. I walked up to it once the final green light was confirmed, wondering if the machine had a soul as I spoke to it, ¡°You were born for revenge, but I truly hoped this wouldn¡¯t be the circumstances I brought a mech into this universe.¡±


    It didn¡¯t respond, nor did I expect it to, I began back to where I was before, beginning to put the rest of that part of the mech together, Duke Bartholomew asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have to seek revenge, you aren¡¯t a slave to the past.¡± I chuckled as I worked, ¡°Even if I deny it, I¡¯ll be fighting Providence no matter what, and I can¡¯t even understand if this is revenge or justice. I hate them, they took everything from me, yet I can¡¯t even tell myself if I¡¯d even let them surrender if they begged me for it.¡± Duke Bartholomew spoke again, ¡°You may not be able to see it now, but I know you¡¯ll be able to make the right choice when it matters most. And do know that if you take the wrong path, there will always be those who will try to bring you back to the right one, and if you can¡¯t, there will always be a hero who¡¯ll rise up to make sure you don¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± As I worked, I didn¡¯t respond, and the Duke didn¡¯t speak to me again. The man I¡¯m just going to call Ghost from now on appeared beside me, ¡°He¡¯s right, you have people who¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t dive, don¡¯t expect them to let you fall without an attempt to stop you.¡± I replied, the weight I felt only getting heavier, ¡°Let¡¯s just hope you¡¯re right, because I might not be stopped if I do.¡±


    ~~~


    As I walked to get lunch, considering the fact I hadn¡¯t even eaten breakfast this morning, I noticed that a lot of people were staring at me, and it was mostly those from the presumed Providence group. I was confused, obviously, while I didn¡¯t associate with them, I never really tried to anger them either. As I began to wolf down the food, Alexander sat beside me, as if he knew I¡¯d be here, ¡°Slow down, no one¡¯s going to take it from you.¡± After swallowing my food, I replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t had breakfast, I¡¯m famished. Either way, why are people glaring at me constantly? I didn¡¯t do anything to anger anyone¡­ I think.¡± As I continued eating, he seemed to pick up on it too, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that, I even asked around out of curiosity, but even the ones closest to them don¡¯t know either. Maybe it was something that was done without you understanding the effects.¡± I replied, ¡°Was it because I skipped a few days of training? You and Olivia were out one of those days, I wasn¡¯t going to spar with them.¡± Alexander chuckled, ¡°No, not that, they skip more often than you do.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to think, even with the food flooding my system as I began to feel better, then a thought, ¡°Was it due to our group continuously beating everyone else¡¯s? I mean, they were pretty cocky before, not much now.¡± Alexander shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s a start, by the way, how is Olivia¡¯s ships coming along, she¡¯s not in contact much with home since she¡¯s not running the planet.¡± I nodded, ¡°Good, my fleet¡¯s finally done, so all factories are on her ships. The boys in the workshops are grateful for the change of pace, I had them working hard for the past few years.¡± Alexander asked, worried, ¡°Does that mean they¡¯re rushing it?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, I think they do it faster because hers will be less complex than my current fleet. We made a lot of her craft before Providence came, so they had more time to understand them inside and out¡­ literally.¡± After a brief chuckle from Alexander, he smiled, ¡°Good, she¡¯s going to need the support more than my planet, we managed to buy some ships from you before the whole Providence issue.¡± I looked to him, confused, ¡°I don¡¯t recall that, I took the orders myself.¡± Merlin spoke into my ear, ¡°You did agree to it, maybe it was a busy day.¡±


    I thought back, then shrugged, ¡°Hm, maybe I was busy. Either way, just make sure your men stay behind mine, we prepared for as much as possible.¡± Alexander asked, ¡°Should you¡­ speak of any plans here? People eavesdrop more than you expect.¡± When I looked around, I noticed people were looking, but I returned to my meal, ¡°I said nothing of value to them, but I may start discussing something about thermodynamics if it intrigues them.¡± I heard a snicker before a slight amount of laughter, ¡°Everyone listening looked away, they must hate thermodynamics.¡± He then asked, ¡°So, how¡¯s the project? Coming well?¡± I nodded, ¡°I¡¯m close to done, the head is nearly complete, the engines are secure, arms are about fully done, then all I got is the cockpit. It should be ready when the time comes.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe how many times I had to state the progress of everything I was doing, if I somehow gained more allies in the future, I¡¯d have to develop some sort of system for questions like this. I sighed, ¡°Is this how royalty feels when they form allegiances in foreign empires for control over the throne?¡± Alexander shrugged, ¡°You¡¯d have to ask, if ever given the chance that is.¡±


    I pondered, then asked, ¡°Should I get a mech customized for you three?¡± Alexander, confused, asked in return, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow, what do you mean by ¡°getting a mech customized¡±?¡± I replied, ¡°Most mechs made are mass produced, even the one¡¯s I¡¯m suppling to the three of you. If I make one customized to you three, it¡¯ll produce better results in response to your fighting styles. All my men would need is your style of combat to make a mech specifically for you, that and any desires on its look if you seek to stand out.¡± I motioned to a portrait of the Duke, ¡°The Duke prefers claymore like weapons, which he did disclose, so I can easily get a mech customized to fit his style of combat. Olivia¡­ uses nearly the same style as Lily did, I can easily make her a mech¡­ as much as it would hurt me.¡± The thought of making a mech that would be nearly the one Lily rode in was like a blade to my heart, it would be like saying I was replacing her, and I don¡¯t want to do that. Alexander put his hand on my shoulder, ¡°It may hurt, but I can guess what you¡¯re thinking, you¡¯re thinking it¡¯ll be like replacing her if you made a mech so similar to what she used, right?


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    I asked, surprised, ¡°How did you know?¡± Alexander had a solemn look on his face, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ seen a lot of lives abruptly end in my life, their stories cut short by another, and those who feared they¡¯d be replacing them if they moved on. Some understood that their loved ones would want them to move on, but there were those like you who need a little push to understand that. For now, just think about it, and if you need help, I¡¯ll listen.¡± I felt like someone understood what I was going through in that moment, but I couldn¡¯t do that now with the operation coming closer. I patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it at a later date, the operation comes first, I won¡¯t let a soul from their side touch even a grain of dirt on my domain.¡± Alexander smirked, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, just don¡¯t ignore your mental state, there may be cracks even you don¡¯t know of.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, mostly since I¡¯ve been hopping around trains of thought for a while now, but I can at least state I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Alexander nodded, ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± As we wrapped up our conversation, Olivia called out to us as she joined us in eating lunch. Life was weirdly normal now, but I knew that it could be upended at any moment.


    ~~~


    As I worked, mostly on finalizing the combat plan to be sent out to the other noble forces, Merlin and some of the other heads were contacting me, along with Edward. I believed it to be important, so I made my way to the conference room and got to work immediately, ¡°What¡¯s the issue for this call?¡± Merlin spoke, ¡°Several issues have come up at once, but we shall handle the most pressing matters first.¡± Edward spoke first, ¡°The spies have located the enemy fleet and base of operations. It seems the fleet is roughly a year or two out, we¡¯re uncertain to the timeframe. However, the planet they¡¯re on seems to be within a Viscount¡¯s domain. We¡¯re currently inquiring to how much the Viscount knows, but so far evidence points to them letting the pirates take complete control over the planet.¡± I sighed, ¡°Then gather the evidence so we can decide what to do with them after we crush their support, also, prepare a message stating that if they interfere, I¡¯ll have to resort to taking them down as well. On that note, figure out their planet count and combat strength, I want to be prepared for everything.¡± Edward nodded, ¡°Understood sir.¡±


    Elen spoke up, ¡°Sir, the men are claiming the technological jump is too much, we may not be fully capable when the time comes.¡± I sighed, ¡°I should¡¯ve expected that, Merlin, we should have easy to understand guides to this tech, can you send it to those who require it?¡± Merlin nodded, ¡°That I can do sir.¡± A man spoke up, ¡°Sir¡­ that new tech, it should be ready in six months¡¯ time. We¡¯re running the final tests before it¡¯s worthy to be used in the field, results are¡­ mixed.¡± I nodded, ¡°As expected, this machine is incredibly difficult to stabilize, but once completed, we should have an increased range of movement. Keep at it, we¡¯re close.¡± An engineer spoke up next, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re confused, why not make stronger craft for your friends? We can handle their creation, but we¡¯re just sure you meant tier three.¡± I replied, ¡°Yes, tier three, if we try to do tier six, it may end up bankrupting them since they¡¯re in recovery. We may also not be quick enough if we did tier six.¡±


    More matters were brought up, they weren¡¯t as important as the previously mentioned, but it was enough to be brought to my attention presently. However, when the last topic remained, each of the people before me, even Elen and Edward, seemed unable speak of the matter. I sighed, preparing a cup of tea, ¡°At this point, just say it already, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m supposed to be doing my training at the moment.¡± As I drank from the tea, Merlin said, ¡°The people are concerned about you conceiving an heir sir.¡± I felt my throat tighten around the tea as I spit it back up, coughing as I realized some pretty warm tea went down the wrong way. After recovering, and getting the mess cleaned up, I spoke, ¡°Is this a true concern of the people, or just those who are confused about the current line of succession in the Flameheart domain.¡± Edward replied, ¡°We¡¯re not sure sir, regular and military channels seem to have their own semblance, and we¡¯re not sure where this is coming from.¡± I sighed, ¡°It could be the work of spies trying to disrupt our operations, investigate this, and if this is a true concern¡­ I¡¯ll consider future steps.¡± I didn¡¯t like hearing those words, not after the person I loved had their life cut short.


    I stood up, my face neutral, ¡°Let¡¯s end it here, I¡­ I need to recuperate before I return to training. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, though. Just¡­ don¡¯t bring it to me before the operation again, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to handle it when something so similar will occur again.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, we¡¯ll begin at once, see you soon.¡± The screens all disconnected, and I left the room. Two things I had no desire to commit to right now, the next head of the family and the means for my line to continue, each things that I wanted no current thought towards. I don¡¯t care for who becomes the next family head, only that they treat the people well, but I have no desire to have an heir with someone I hold no love for, and I may never gain that love back again. I gripped my heart as I stepped out into the hall, ¡°I¡¯ll figure out who ordered her to be killed and give them the treatment they deserve. One who cut her life short should have no reason to keep living!¡± I could feel Ghost judging me, but I don¡¯t care, I¡¯ll find who did this to her and make them pay.


    ~~~


    Another year had passed me by, and one year ahead of me would be us graduating from training and moving on to schooling. As I practiced my swordsmanship, I recalled the fact I didn¡¯t go to school much, if at all. Ghost appeared before me, moving his arms as if he were practicing swordsmanship as well, ¡°Have you never gone to school?¡± I shrugged for a moment before returning to my practice, ¡°I can¡¯t remember, I fell ill pretty young, but maybe I went to preschool¡­ but that¡¯s more of a haze. In terms of higher education, I never really cared since I knew I was going to die, so I pushed it off way before I actually died.¡± Ghost sighed, ¡°Your past life really was a wreck¡­¡± After I looked at him, he said, ¡°Oh, right, I technically reside in your head, so I may be seeing how your life has been. It helps me whenever you begin to struggle with certain things.¡± He scratched his head, ¡°So¡­ you know school is where you can make friends, right? Maybe this is the time to do the one thing you wanted back in your childhood¡­ try to make friends.¡± I stopped swinging for a moment, guilt began to fill my being as I couldn¡¯t handle more people close to me dying just for befriending me, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±


    Ghost replied, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but do you can¡¯t keep this up. We humans are social creatures, and if you keep shutting people out, you¡¯ll be hurting yourself in ways that you never expected.¡± I replied, harshly, ¡°What haven¡¯t I already experienced in that hospital room?! Day in, day out, people who cared not about my well-being, but of the thing that was slowly killing me! My current position is no different now, they care about what I can do, not who I am!¡± I glared at him, ¡°Why should I make friends with people who are more likely to die, leaving their families in turmoil over their desire to befriend the enemy or Providence! Count Drakon had to bury his daughter, and he couldn¡¯t even bury her properly! I won¡¯t let a similar fate befall another, and it starts without letting a single soul get close to me again!¡± Ghost didn¡¯t seem angered by my reaction, but saddened, and it threw me off more than I expected. As he began to vanish, he said, ¡°I know how it feels to believe you¡¯re cursed by fate, but pushing people away will only make it more so. Let others in, and you¡¯ll suddenly feel blessed by fate, I guarantee it.¡±


    Once he vanished, Duke Bartholomew spoke up as he approached, ¡°I received an emergency transmission, the pirates are a month away from your domain, but I fear there won¡¯t be enough time to get there.¡± I replied, calmly, ¡°Just get the army ready, Olivia and Alexander are already on the way, but we can get there before them. How long will it take to organize the forces you plan to send?¡± Duke Bartholomew replied, ¡°A week, they¡¯re close enough to do so.¡± I nodded, ¡°Understood, move them to where I end up putting my ship, tell them to prepare to prepare sick bags.¡± I could tell he was confused, but he didn¡¯t inquire, ¡°I¡¯ll do so, but I must inquire, is your project complete?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, I finished it yesterday, I¡¯ll be working the rest of the week to work out the kinks in the system. Be swift, Duke Bartholomew.¡± He nodded, ¡°That I shall, also, I¡¯ll consider this your final exam for training, so show me your best.¡± I nodded, beginning to make way for my ship, ¡°Understood sir, I shall see you in a week.¡± The pirates were finally hear, and I was glad they took so long, everything was ready, and I planned to brief everyone in leadership positions once they all arrived. This operation would be what makes or breaks our rebellion against Providence, and I wasn¡¯t failing here.


    ~~~


    I sat on the bridge of my ship, not a soul in sight that ran the usual systems, considering this wasn¡¯t really a normal ship. Duke Bartholomew appeared on screen, ¡°The fleet is here, but why remain here when there are only three weeks before the pirates reach your domain?¡± I replied, ¡°Hang tight, you¡¯ll see soon.¡± I muted my end of the call and spoke to Merlin, ¡°Merlin, activate the device, let¡¯s surprise the Duke and his men.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood sir, activating the warp gate now.¡± As Merlin disconnected and I unmuted myself, I watched as the space before us began to distort and crackle before it began to open. Within the gate, my planet was visible, the orbital ring observable even from the distance we currently were at. Duke Bartholomew, shocked, said, ¡°What is that!? It¡¯s as if space opened up before us!¡± I smirked, the first people to use this in an official manner, ¡°This is a warp gate, the main machine opens the space in its location and a location specified, creating a gate between the locations. With this, we¡¯ll arrive at my domain within the day, now, prepare the sick bags and let¡¯s move.¡±


    As my ship went through the gate, I felt the effects, but I managed to hold back from throwing up since I felt far worse on my hospital bed. However, I watched the Duke¡¯s face shift as he lifted a barf bag to his mouth, the sounds of others puking up their most recent meal audible through the connection. I struggled to hold in my laughter, but the thought of an entire fleet of well prepared men and women all puking up their food was too much, and I began to laugh uncontrollably. I felt like I could hear several voices laughing, one of Ghost, the child, and my look alike, but maybe it was just me as I laughed until I couldn¡¯t laugh anymore. Once the Duke, and his men, recovered, I said, ¡°Alright, with the orbital ring, we can keep the ships maintained as we await the meeting time. Just follow the instructions from the control towers and you¡¯ll be led to your bays, you¡¯ll be then assigned any off ship housing if you wish to have some. Also, to all commanding officers, we¡¯ll be holding a leadership meeting on where our forces will be assigned during the operation once the other fleets arrive, so check your messages for the time. Stay strong everyone, we¡¯ll win.¡± I had to prepare for the battle, and luckily, Joan and her knights were coming for the fight, victory was assured, and we just had to materialize it.


    ~~~


    As the chamber filled with the leaders and representatives of the four domains, I made sure all were accounted for, including my own chain of command. Once we were ready, I put on my best game face¡­ despite my neutrality, and walked out to the podium. As everyone spoke, I made sure the mic was on and said, ¡°Alright, settle down everyone, we have a lot to go through, so let¡¯s make sure we have time for questions and preparations, got it?¡± The chamber began to quiet down, the conversations slowly going silent. I nodded, ¡°Good, let¡¯s begin.¡± I put up a map, one that zoomed in on a sector of space where the pirate fleet was slowly approaching, ¡°As you all know from what I informed you about before, but a pirate fleet seems to be working for Providence, being the boot that keeps the planets in line if they show disrespect or signs of rebellion. From what we found out, their forces seemed to be reinforced by additional ships, all of which are those beyond the tech that the universe was stuck in.¡±


    This got some hushed murmurs going, but I didn¡¯t stop, ¡°However, thanks to the might of our engineers, we made ships that can combat these forces, those of which the ships present are of equal capacity to what they can do. So, we¡¯ll begin the two step operation, Operation Kickback, as such.¡± I changed the image to the planet, our fleet, and the devices key to our success, ¡°Once the pirate fleet passes the outer scrambler line, we will engage a series of jammers that¡¯ll prevent their communications from going out, but with the single use code I¡¯ll send every ship, our communications will remain perfectly intact. The jammers will also interfere with their radar, lidar, and other tech for navigation, preventing them from finding their way out, leaving them easy pickings for everyone here today. At first, we¡¯ll preform a defense around the planet as such, ensuring we¡¯re all within range of the defenses of the orbital ring, we¡¯ll assign the craft at the end of the briefing based on their specified weapons types.¡±


    The screen began to shift, one showing the enemy fleet wiped out, ¡°Once the first stage of Operation Kickback is complete, we will use the warp gate to open a path to the enemy base, which is under a Viscount¡¯s domain. We will inform them that any movement to defend the pirates will be akin to admitting they were working together, and for them to remain out of the fight. From this stage, expect any nearby Providence forces to arrive, or any backup left there to ensure they aren¡¯t at risk while their main forces are out to attack. If such forces are located, report them so we can send a force prepared for Providence¡¯s ships due to their tech being better than the pirates off of our own confirmed, firsthand reports. Also, this is part is mandatory, if any of you spot the dreadnaught that we had spotted, engaged, and managed to push back from our domain, do not engage and fall back immediately. Even those of us in the Flameheart domain would find the task daunting, your ships won¡¯t stand a chance. Outside of that, the planet is seemingly separated into several districts. One is a farming district, one we confirmed to be plenty of slave labor being used, so make sure those on this district watch their fire.¡±


    Slaves, something many people in the room didn¡¯t expect to hear, since Avalon had banned the use of slaves nigh a millennia ago. The chatter was immense, enough to the point I had to slam the table, ¡°Everyone, focus, we can work on figuring out this slavery issue after the operation concludes, we need to liberate the planet before we discuss hypotheticals.¡± Once everyone quieted down again, I continued, ¡°Another area seems to be factories, refineries, and maintenance bays for ships, this location will be vital to be struck first to ensure repairs are impossible once we blockade the planet. Something of note, there is one, inefficient location where a majority of the population of the planet resides, however, this place is mostly populated by pirates, as anyone who isn¡¯t one usually remains at their jobs, even for sleep. Check your fire, but do know this district could be have pirates anywhere, so remain on your toes.¡± For the final district of note, a large, intimidating fortress stood where a noble¡¯s mansion once stood, ¡°This district seems to be the main location for the pirate¡¯s top brass, I¡¯ll be leading the charge here since the dangers are higher here than all else.¡± I zoomed out to the two parts of the operation, my voice remaining stern, ¡°That is the overall brief, any questions to Operation Kickback?¡±


    One knight asked, ¡°What are the chances the dreadnaught will appear?¡± I replied, ¡°We believe ten to twenty percent, not high, but the chances are there. However, we haven¡¯t detected it nearby, so we assume they deployed it elsewhere and likely won¡¯t make it once we begin the second phase.¡± Joan, to my surprise, asked, ¡°What do we do about any captives?¡± I replied, ¡°Fair question, we¡¯ll detain them under the assumption of potential traitors to our domains or the domains of others, we¡¯ll then check their identities and consider where to go from there. Just make sure to check them in the moment, they could be suicide bombers if they get desperate enough.¡± I noticed some faces get grim, but I wasn¡¯t going to let that go away, ¡°I want to state for those who haven¡¯t heard a lot of the stories that occurred here, we had people go traitor, some carrying explosives into our bunkers. If Providence sent in those people to die, then expect pirates to be even worse, I might not warn everyone again the day of.¡±  Duke Bartholomew asked, ¡°What about the leader of the pirates? Do we kill them or capture them for a fair trial?¡±


    This was a difficult topic to get through, mostly as combat could change on a dime, and we may fail to take anyone alive. I thought for a moment, then said, ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes day of, if we can take them alive, sure, but if we can¡¯t make sure they don¡¯t make it out alive. Letting even a small group of them escape could lead to more lives being lost, and I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± With that, I looked around, ¡°Anyone else have questions? We have plenty of time, I¡¯d rather them be asked now than day of.¡± As no one spoke up, I clapped my hands, ¡°Alright, with that, you¡¯re dismissed. I¡¯ll send everyone their positions and attack targets for the operation within the week, so make sure you¡¯re well rested and ready for combat.¡± Everyone began to shuffle out, Alexander came up to me and patted my shoulder, ¡°Nice work on the brief, you never cease to amaze me on things like this.¡± I shrugged, ¡°I played a lot of games with briefs, it was easy to get everything in like that.¡± Olivia asked, ¡°Are we going to join you on the fortress attack? I mean Alexander, Duke Batholomew and I.¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, I have knight candidates I trust keeping command over the other regions, it would put everyone at ease if we were apart of the fortress battle.¡±


    Duke Bartholomew chuckled, ¡°So, does that mean we get to see your project in action?¡± I replied, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been cleared for the test flight, which will be active combat. I ran enough tests for the past week and a half to ensure it won¡¯t break mid combat. However, we¡¯ll be in separate locations during the planetary defense, moral won¡¯t be good if we¡¯re concentrated in one location.¡± Alexander nodded, ¡°That¡¯s logical, so, who¡¯s making the plans?¡± Merlin, in his body, approached, ¡°I am.¡± He seemed to have donned a military outfit of sorts, though it seemed to be outdated by a few decades, ¡°My name is Merlin, I should have the fleet plan ready by the end of the week, as seven days should be adequate time to organize everyone.¡± He also bowed, ¡°Also, let me thank you for befriending lord Aurelian, we¡¯ve been hoping someone would befriend him.¡± I wacked his head, ¡°Merlin, you know how I-.¡± Before I could finish, I felt Alexander wrap his arms around my neck in a joking chokehold, ¡°You¡¯re very much welcome, Merlin. We¡¯ll watch his back, that¡¯s what friends do after all.¡±


    Olivia, after covering my mouth, said, ¡°Exactly, we¡¯re his friends, isn¡¯t this what friends do?¡± Duke Bartholomew, after a small chuckle, said, ¡°As his mentor for the past six years, I hope I can live up to being his mentor in this engagement, even if my technology is inferior to his.¡± I began to tap both Alexander and Olivia, both actions had blocked my means to breath, which they understood quickly and let me go as Merlin stood up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I plan to ensure your faith in us isn¡¯t misguided. I only hope your friendship with lord Aurelian continues into the future as well.¡± Merlin, after checking on me as I regained my breath, said, ¡°We should get you ready for the battle my lord, the final checks won¡¯t do themselves.¡± I forgot, since we were down and out in several locations before now, I had to quickly approve everything, ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll see you guys later.¡± Alexander smiled, ¡°Huh, that¡¯s the first time I heard you say that without any hint of disdain, I like it. See you later, Aurelian.¡± Olivia smiled, ¡°See you later! Stay safe!¡± As I left, I realized that seemed to be the case. Merlin asked, ¡°Enjoying the presence of your friends, sir?¡± I replied, taking my pad out for the checks, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± While I wanted to push them away, I didn¡¯t have the desire to do so, but I didn¡¯t want to pull them close either. It was strange, but I had no time to dwell on it, I had to get ready for the operation.


    ~~~


    Sitting in my cockpit, I floated in space with the engines on minimal function, awaiting the pirates who were coming straight for me. I took this position, along with a majority of my forces, knowing full well they¡¯d likely not spread out much due to a lack of military training. I took to communications, the one thing I had to do to ensure I wasn¡¯t breaking international law, ¡°Attention unidentified force, you are currently within the Flameheart domain, identify yourselves or turn around, failure to comply will result in classifying you as hostile.¡± I, for some reason, got a reply, ¡°Well, seems like the brat decided to mount a defense, despite the futility.¡± A member of the radar team spoke up, ¡°Enemies on radar! Their numbers are a little bigger than expected, they brought their whole predicted force!¡± I spoke back, calmly, clearly, and precise, ¡°This changes nothing, we prepared for this, keep calm and keep your resolve.¡± I let them get closer, some were within range, but others might be able to escape if we began now, so I made sure to hold the start of the operation.


    The pirate spoke up, ¡°Look, just surrender, hand over some valuables and people, and we won¡¯t have to resort to violence. Though, we may have to choose what places you keep, because you¡¯ve recovered a little too much.¡± I heard some on my end proclaim the audacity, though I knew the ones calling that out were my own forces who were angered by the current events. I spoke calmly, despite my own anger beginning to bubble up, ¡°Remain calm, I need everyone level headed, understood?¡± While there wasn¡¯t a response, everyone quieted down, our time being bided until they reached the best position for the trap. However, that¡¯s when I saw it, the whole time I never saw any emblem stating who they were, but there it was as I zoomed in on it. A knife in the eye socket of a skull, these were the same people who tested our defenses, along with joining in the raid our home, and they were back yet again to take more from us. I kept my own rage within me as the pirates continued to goad us, and once they crossed the line, I began the trap, ¡°All forces, input the code, begin Operation Kickback.¡± I put my code in as the option appeared, the very pirate who tried to push us said, ¡°Wait, what code? No, I didn¡¯t do that, we don¡¯t have one, idiot.¡±


    I chuckled, finally connecting my comms to theirs, ¡°It¡¯s not for you, it¡¯s for us, morons.¡± The pirate replied, ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s for you? Why have it ask us if it is?¡± I smirked, ¡°We have other domains within this defensive coalition, and I can¡¯t knock out their comms along with yours, it would make communication unbearable.¡± In that moment, the connection between me and the pirate were gone, static was all that remained. I shouted, ¡°We won¡¯t let Providence crush us! Operation Kickback is officially a go, show them what you¡¯re made of!¡± I could tell all the roars were from my own men, fired up to finally be going on the offensive against Providence. I gripped the controls, the mana engines began to fire up, the sound roared through the cockpit as clawed hands of black with orange and silver engravings emerged from below. The sound of two powerful mana engines was like music to my ears, the lifeblood of the mech began to surge as if ready to feast upon the metal of my enemies. I leapt from my position the thrusters sending me faster than I ever flew before, and only now did I have a name that seemed to fit this unit, ¡°Awaken, Satanael! Let¡¯s show these pirates who they¡¯re trying to kick down!¡± It was almost as if Satanael had come alive, because the engines gave a roar as I prepared my claws for combat.

 Chapter Sixteen: Operation Kickback

    It was as if a star shot through the sky before my very eyes, while my mech was swift, the Forge Master¡¯s was faster in every way as he charged the enemy¡¯s main fleet. I heard one of the knights from Duke Bartholomew¡¯s domain shout, ¡°It¡¯s a demon! It had claws for hands and horns extending from its head! Did the Viscount summon a demon!?¡± I replied back, not willing to let this spread any further, ¡°Fear not! That mech is the Viscount¡¯s new personal mech! I believe he has christened it with the name Satanael as we speak! All forces, keep up the charge, we won¡¯t let the Viscount show us up, will we!?¡± A knight candidate, one originally from the domain that I brought with me on knight training replied, ¡°If his mech is better than his first one, the Viscount has us beat lady Joan, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t show him what his future knights can do!¡± I chuckled, I forgot he witnessed both the battle with Providence and his escapades with the City Killer Behemoth, but that only shows that he wants to put his tier six mech to good use. I drew my sword from my shield, ¡°You heard him, let¡¯s show the Viscount that he put his faith in the right people, charge!¡±


    Compared to what the soldiers had before, we knights had specially designed mechs to differentiate us from the regular soldiers, each seemed to resemble knights of Earth¡¯s medieval times. My mech, despite the difference of womanly features, had two wings jutting off the top of my mech¡¯s head, signifying my head knight status due to the trust the Forge Master has for me. I couldn¡¯t dare be like those fools who betrayed him, one day karma will catch up to them, and I hoped I would be the one to bring about that karma. For now, as I approached the first line of mechs, I watched as the Forge Master took Satanael¡¯s claws and tore through two mechs that bunched up in an attempt to kill him. In a brief moment, he shot over to a group of them and tore them to shreds, his voice clear over comms, ¡°Claws effective, speed as intended, beginning disassembler and launcher test.¡± Satanael¡¯s arms extended before the hands launched forward, cables made from an incredibly strong metal strand kept with the hands as they found their mark. After a pulse, the mechs broke apart roughly, the hands retracting and reconnecting to the wrists. The Forge Master seemed pleased, ¡°Hands and disassembler test, successful.¡± After he said that, some mechs tried to shoot him as they approached, to which he began to dodge with ease, ¡°Reaction time is superb as well, let¡¯s test the beam attack.¡±


    I knew what he was about to do, my concerns for the men raised as we approached the battlefield, ¡°Attention everyone in the sector, steer clear of the Viscount! He¡¯s testing his new unit, and if you get in the way, I cannot guarantee your safety!¡± I cut my comms for a moment and spoke to Merlin, ¡°Merlin, update our IFF so we know to avoid the Forge Master.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Understood, marking the Forge Master as such.¡± Those of us from the old era decided to not openly call Aurelian the Forge Master, considering the circumstances we found ourselves in, some may try to take him away for profit. Though, in private, we refer to him as the Forge Master, we call him Viscount in public to keep up appearances. Looking back to him, I realized there was an orange light forming in front of the mouth of the Satanael, the mouth open as it formed between the horns. I shouted, ¡°Breath attack! Move away from the blast zone!¡± Merlin quickly alerted the attack radius and some knights who went to reinforce the Forge Master swiftly broke away. After bracing, Satanael fired the breath weapon, a beam of orange fire shot forth and engulfed one mech before it began to turn and hit their fellow pirates.


    As the beam ended, and the group the Forge Master fired at was no more, I chuckled, ¡°Tier three mechs won¡¯t stand a chance against us now. I floated up beside him, his voice continuing, ¡°Beam attack successful, this marks the end of active weapons testing.¡± I asked, curious, ¡°Are you going to use the other weapons? You know, the ones the mages and engineers worked so hard on?¡± The Forge Master replied, ¡°As much as I want to, I want to save it for the planetary battle, depending on the fighting I may need more ammo then than now.¡± I nodded, ¡°Duly noted, what¡¯s your plan now?¡± I watched the mech of obsidian color, crimson red eyes, and orange and silver engravings look around, the emblem of the Flameheart domain proudly adorned the shoulders of this incredibly powerful mech. The Forge Master pointed to the enemy ships, ¡°Our regular soldiers can handle the mechs, bring the knights with me and we¡¯ll show these ships exactly what we can do.¡± As Satanael drew a rather large sword, I smiled, ¡°Understood sir. I turned to the knights, ¡°Attention knights! Prepare for anti-ship combat! Let¡¯s make these pirates regret coming for our domain!¡± With a roar of excitement, we began the charge, our forces would be unstoppable now that we had the momentum.


    ~~~


    ¡°What do you mean we¡¯re losing! Even without communications, we should be crushing this Viscount! We have enough forces to make even a low level Count sweat, so why are we suffering major losses!?¡± I shouted from the command deck of my ship. The radio officer said, ¡°The occasional chatter keeps bringing up a mech with orange engravings, they say a devil has climbed out of hell to fight us!¡± I slammed my fist, ¡°Then get the comms back online, do anything to make it work!¡± The man replied, ¡°I¡¯m trying boss, but even Lidar is acting up¡­ how in the world are they screwing up line of sight communications!? There¡¯s nothing out here, how can¡¯t I get in contact with the ships right in front of us!?¡± The battles we waged on the other domains were simple, enough to state only the weak were dying at that point if any of them chose to fight back, so why were we suffering losses here? Someone shouted, ¡°The command ship of sector two was destroyed! The forces are trying to flee, but they can¡¯t seem to do so!¡± Another voice spoke up, ¡°Sector eleven¡¯s forces were wiped out! I can¡¯t get even mech communications from them anymore!¡±


    I shouted out, ¡°Bunch any ships we can call upon together and take a fortress style formation! We won¡¯t be beaten back by a noble who¡¯s barely out of their diapers!¡± Despite the jamming, we could sometimes get communications through, likely due to the explosions causing a shift in whatever their jamming devices did. As we huddled together, a ship right in front of us had something smash into it, it shot several rounds in what I assumed was fear or a last attempt to hit something before the ship exploded from the engine room outwards. Even from here, I could make out a humanoid figure floating where the ship once was, static suddenly shot out from the comms, ¡°Defense test complete, didn¡¯t intend to do it, but that worked out in my favor.¡± I noticed the figure had red eyes as it turned to us, the voice of its pilot let me know it was the Viscount of the domain, ¡°I think I can see what some ships were referring to when they said command ships, maybe we can disrupt them further if we crush them.¡± In an instant, I went from seeing a spec amongst stars and debris as the thing that shot right up to the ship held a sword nearly as long as it was tall. I spoke, fear in my voice, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a devil¡­¡± Before I could say anymore, the blade cut into the bridge, my vision going dark.


    ~~~


    I watched as the ship began to drift, engines and guns going silent, I sighed, ¡°The only issue with this kind of combat is the lack of a challenge. But then again, we are on the defensive, so I can¡¯t complain.¡± As I turned to the observe the other ships, some of the IFFs came back as mixed, hostile, but they also claimed to be friendly. I asked, ¡°Merlin, what¡¯s up with these IFFs, I thought we couldn¡¯t be spoofed yet.¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Those ships were craft I lost track of during the battle with Providence, seems like all missing craft have returned to us in this battle.¡± I clicked my tongue, ¡°They gave my ships to pirates? The audacity.¡± I shouted, ¡°Attention everyone, if you see any of my ships that were stolen by traitors, I¡¯ll reward you handsomely if you keep them intact and reclaim them for me! The data on those ships may contain valuable intel on Providence locations and other nobles who seek rebellion! More than that, I¡¯d never let my ships remain in the possession of pirates, show me what you got everyone!¡± I heard some men from the other domains begin to cheer, maybe a reward was a proper incentive, so I decided to up the stakes, ¡°If every ship that was once mine is recovered, I¡¯ll send everyone present in the battle a nice reward! If you¡¯re part of the reclamation of the ships, you get the bonus onto that! Bring them home ladies and gentlemen!¡±


    I heard Joan speak, she herself taking out a ship on her own, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s wise sir? We just barely returned to normalcy, and you¡¯re speaking of payment?¡± I replied, ¡°Investments managed to make some powerful returns, I can make this work. Besides, I never forget to reward those who do a good job.¡± I heard someone call out, ¡°I found one of the ships! I need a team to take it on me!¡± Another said, ¡°I managed to disable the engines and guns on this one, where¡¯s the infiltration teams!¡± A third called out, ¡°Wait! Are we allowed to damage them!?¡± I sighed, ¡°You can damage them, we likely aren¡¯t returning these to service after we get the data.¡± Joan said, ¡°Seems like they¡¯re all over the place, don¡¯t they understand these ships work better in unison than apart?¡± I shot one of my hands into an approaching mech, the claw ripping through the cockpit before it retracted, ¡°They likely saw powerful ships and dispersed them equally, it¡¯s why pirates usually don¡¯t work out very well unless they have a strong leader and decent command.¡± Looking around, I realized we were taking them down faster than I expected, we¡¯d likely be done within the week, which was uncharacteristic of battles of this size.


    ¡°Hm, maybe the tech is too good, we¡¯re crushing them.¡± I commented, Joan followed it up with, ¡°It¡¯s tier six against tier three sir, we¡¯ve essentially brought a sword to a gun fight.¡± I forgot that Joan could kill anyone with a gun despite the fact she only used a sword, she was a powerful knight for a reason, defending against firearms with a blade only made it more so. I chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s sword to a gun fight, you¡¯re just better than the average person¡­ want to see who can get the most kills?¡± I could hear Joan smirk, ¡°We¡¯re both in new tech, that means we both have equal chances to win, are you sure about that?¡± I could feel my competitive side begin to ignite again, ¡°Trust me, you won¡¯t beat me Joan.¡± Joan¡¯s mech shot forward, ¡°Then you better keep up!¡± As she charged a ship, I shouted, ¡°Hey! That head start was cheap and you know it!¡± I quickly launched myself towards a group of ships, sending the occasional hand out to wreck any mech that seemed to be giving any of the soldiers a hard time. As I got close enough to engage, I realized the enemy were aiming their main cannons at me.


    I smirked, ¡°As if I¡¯d let you hit me with one of those!¡± I made a push right for the ships in the rear, since if I destroyed them, the remaining ships would be stuck trying to maneuver around them. Lasers and kinetic rounds flew past me, some nearly hitting their allies due to the courses I took, my mech far faster than anything they shot at before. With a swift, mana infused strike, I cut one ship in half before sending my hand into the bridge of another, the area around the bridge breaking apart due to the pulse I sent out through my hand. I charged up another beam attack and sent it to the ship furthest from my end of their rearward line, within my range, and watched as the ship¡¯s bridge became nothing more than superheated metal. I chuckled, ¡°Most of these ships don¡¯t even have a secondary command center, make sure fire is focused on the bridges if possible.¡± Joan replied, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that too, is that not a common thing presently?¡± I shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll have to check in on that later. Either way, I got a handful of mechs and three ships, you?¡± Joan replied, ¡°Two ships and a few mech squadrons, so we¡¯re roughly the same points wise.¡± I threw another hand into the side of a ship, most of it blasting out from within as the engine exploded, ¡°Fourth one down, so not anymore.¡± Joan sighed, ¡°Those hands are unfair, but let¡¯s put that on hold, we still have a battle to win.¡± I nodded, ¡°Understood, stay safe Joan.¡±


    I checked the engines, ¡°Systems nominal, output is greater than my current usage, so let¡¯s kick it up a notch.¡± I put my sword away, understanding that if I wanted to see if I could drain Satanael¡¯s mana faster, I couldn¡¯t rely on melee attacks. I took out a weapon that was strapped beneath my sheath, a rifle of sorts, one that resembled a railgun. I identified my threats, locking them into the system, then beginning the influx of mana to the weapon. Lines came from my rifle appeared on screen, their end goal being the locked on ship¡¯s predicted engine locations, with each successful connection upping the mana consumption. The ships main guns began to fire, which took all my focus to avoid and not interrupt the charge, but it was already too late for the mechs that were launching to do anything. A magic circle appeared before the barrel¡¯s exit, mana flashed inside as the round fired, and once it hit the magic circle, it multiplied into dozens of shots that flew towards the ships, penetrated their hulls, and caused critical damage to their engines. One by one the ships either completely stopped moving or exploded to the damage, this area¡¯s main fleet had become no factor, and all I needed to do was mop up the rest before I returned for maintenance, food, and rest since we were out here for a solid few hours before the battle even began anyway. Holstering my rifle and drawing my sword, I shouted to the dozens, if not hundreds, of mechs charging me, ¡°Come at me! Show me what you can do against me!¡±


    ~~~


    As I landed in the orbital ring, engineers were quick to rush in and check on Satanael, my desire was to eat a little, sleep, and get back out there once I woke up. Olivia, however, seemed to be waiting for me. As I approached her, she ran to me and hugged my tightly, before I could push her away, I realized she was shaking¡­ crying. I looked to Joan, who had also returned as I did for a resupply before she returned to battle, and she was mouthing to me, ¡®Hug her!¡¯ While I didn¡¯t know if that would help, I did as she wanted and hugged Olivia, ¡°Are you alright?¡± I felt her shake as I asked, but she replied, muffled by my chest, ¡°I can¡¯t do this¡­ it¡¯s too much.¡± I didn¡¯t need to inquire, she was a delicate soul, unable to fight and kill someone. I was like this too, wasn¡¯t I? Afraid to kill someone when now I can kill without hesitation¡­ it was as if this universe had wiped away who I was, but I knew that wasn¡¯t the case. I patted her head, hoping that it eased her a little, ¡°Not everyone is fit for the field of battle, just by being there you can inspire your people to fight harder.¡± Olivia looked up to me, her eyes were like a dam that burst, ¡°I can¡¯t even do that! I can¡¯t order my people to go out and die by my orders! I just can¡¯t!¡± Something about this¡­ hurt. It hurt to see her cry, it hurt to see this pain wash over her, it hurt to not know how to help her.


    I tried to guide her out of the hanger, she wouldn¡¯t budge, and I didn¡¯t want to remain in the way of those trying to work or rejoin the fight. I sighed, ¡°Sorry Olivia, but if you won¡¯t move, I¡¯ll have to move you myself.¡± I ducked down and swept her off her feet, carrying her in a bridal carry as shock suddenly spread through Olivia, ¡°A-Aurelian! Put me d-down!¡± I replied back, ¡°We¡¯re in the way of heavy machinery and people, I can listen to what you want to say, but I won¡¯t risk your safety by standing here.¡± As I walked out of the hanger, Olivia was hitting me with her fists, but much like how much she weighed to me, it felt like nothing at all. I made sure to bring her to a break room only I had access too, mostly to not let my presence force people to be stiff when they rested, and sat her down on a sofa and went to the minifridge. As I dug around for a water, Olivia asked, ¡°Why did you¡­ do that¡­ carry me I mean.¡± As I found some water, I took two out and walked back to her, ¡°You were crying in a public space, one that wasn¡¯t the safest, I couldn¡¯t just leave you there, could I?¡± I handed her the water, which she quickly downed half of before she stopped to breathe, ¡°I mean more of why you carried me like that¡­ the bridal carry.¡± I chuckled a little, ¡°So, you wanted me to carry you like a sack of potatoes? Or maybe like one would carry a child? Trust me, I can carry you anyway you like.¡±


    After a moment, Olivia began to laugh a little, and it eased the pain I felt inside of me, though I wasn¡¯t sure why I was feeling like this. She put the water down and curled up a little, ¡°I just can¡¯t do it, you know? When I followed up everyone into battle, seeing the dead flying through space like they were nothing more than debris, even those of my own domain¡­ I just couldn¡¯t do it.¡± Her face was back to sorrow, her voice spoke for her, but I let her keep talking, ¡°When I went back, knowing I couldn¡¯t fight, I tried to give commands like my Knight commanders would, but I couldn¡¯t give the order knowing it would cause so much death. My people don¡¯t hate me for it, but I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯m not enough for them.¡± In that moment, I understood her thoughts, because even now, I felt like I wasn¡¯t enough for my own people despite the trust they must have in me. She didn¡¯t continue, so I decided to tell her a story, ¡°Once upon a time, a boy woke up after losing his memories, a world entirely unknown to him as people proclaimed him to be a young master, a child with noble birth and title. He was confused at first, but he soon found his place within the mansion of his father, slowly growing in the ways of nobility, swordsmanship, and combat, stunning technological wonders followed in his wake.¡±


    Olivia seemed to be interested, considering she didn¡¯t seem as dreary anymore, maybe the story of my life was so intriguing to her, ¡°He had it all, a loving family, a friend he cared about more than anything, and the trust of his people as he led them to a future where both himself and his people could live in peace, but the universe didn¡¯t seem to agree. When foreign forces attacked, people betrayed him, his only friend killed before his very eyes, and places of safety that he designed had become the tombs of so many. The final straw of the day was the loss of his parents, lost to a battle that raged away from his own. When the boy woke up, he couldn¡¯t see anyone looking at him with hope, rather content and hatred for the things he failed to protect them from. Even when he vowed to get revenge for the lost souls, he still couldn¡¯t see anything but hatred in their eyes¡­¡± I looked to Olivia, my face likely neutral despite the fact I recounted, albeit quite shortly, the worst day of my lives, ¡°To this day¡­ I don¡¯t know if my people trust me or are using me, and I¡¯m too afraid to find out. I know failed, but that doesn¡¯t mean you failed, you¡¯re just more innocent than those of us who coat our blades in blood for the sake of people like you.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then patted her head again, ¡°You can fight in other ways, no one needs you to be the one who commands others or draws their sword and kill for your survival. I can¡¯t tell you how you¡¯ll fight, but I can at least say that you¡¯ll one day find your way to fight.¡± I took her water and handed it to her, ¡°First, though, drink. You¡¯re likely dehydrated from crying so much.¡± Olivia, after taking a drink of water, replied, ¡°You¡¯re somehow the most knowledgeable yet stupid person I know.¡± I sat on a chair, leaning into it fully as I looked to the ceiling, ¡°Believe me¡­ I know that better than anyone.¡± Sitting in a flight suit, speaking with someone about how they felt, all while unsure of the emotions I was feeling was¡­ strange. It felt foreign talking like this to someone, and I wasn¡¯t sure how I was going to figure this out. For the longest of times, until I met Lily, I never had conversations about feelings and what we could and couldn¡¯t do, because I was alone in a hospital, and alone in my office or workshop, and now it was as if I was stuck in a mixture of both. I hid myself away to do noble work or projects, my emotions akin to sitting in that hospital bed as I went through day after day of potential treatments that always ended in failure. How was I any different now to the me I was thirty years ago or my old life on Earth? In what ways have I changed?


    When I looked back down, I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed, because Olivia seemed to have fell asleep. I sighed, picked her up, and went to my room since her quarters would be on halfway around the orbital ring. As I put her in bed, tucking her in, I felt her hand reach out and tug on my flight suit, her voice barely audible, ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t go¡­¡± I knew she was going through a hard time; I couldn¡¯t just leave her alone¡­ right? I pulled up a chair, sat down, and said, ¡°I¡¯m here, Olivia. I¡¯ll watch over your dreams.¡± I might¡¯ve hallucinated a little since I saw her smile briefly, but as she eased off to sleep, I began to do the same. I was fighting more often than I was before, and sleep was a fickle mistress that sometimes didn¡¯t let me do so. As I drifted, questions floated around my mind. Some were about the next steps, some were about what I did wrong, some were how to help Olivia and Alexander¡­ but a few thoughts turned to mom, dad, and Lily. I missed them every day, and even now I can¡¯t believe that I won¡¯t ever see them again. It¡¯s been over a decade now, and I can¡¯t stop thinking about them, I just couldn¡¯t move on despite the fact that life continues without me.


    ~~~


    ¡°This is why he should take the time to heal, to think, to breathe! Diving back into fighting Providence at every turn will only send him deeper into suffering!¡± A familiar, child like voice said. The voice of my look alike shouted back, ¡°Then what about the people who suffer every day under their tyranny!? More people like us will be made all because we chose to be weak! We need to stamp them out now before they strike again!¡± As I stood before these two, they were once again bickering about my life and the things I did in it. While both sides were valid, I wasn¡¯t sure which direction I wanted to go. I know that, in the end, I¡¯ll have to fight Providence, but I don¡¯t know how I want it to play out. Before I could interject, they vanished, and Ghost spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s shelve these two for now, they¡¯ve been like this for a while, and they likely won¡¯t snap out of it before the second half of Operation Kickback.¡± He turned to me, he seemed¡­ mixed. I couldn¡¯t tell what emotion was dominant on his face, but I could tell he wanted to speak with me. With a snap of his fingers, two chairs appeared, letting us sit instead of stand. His voice seemed¡­ normal, nothing in it to give away how he felt, ¡°It¡¯s strange, right? They do their best to cheer you up, yet they needed cheering up themselves, you haven¡¯t had to do that very much, I can tell.¡±


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    I replied, unamused, ¡°Are you here to make fun of me or talk to me?¡± Ghost chuckled, ¡°Sorry, but you seemed a little uncomfortable, so I wanted to break the ice a little, guess it didn¡¯t work. But yes, I want to speak with you, be something akin to a therapist for your thoughts.¡± When I blinked, I realized he wore some therapist like glasses and now held a clipboard, but I realized I was technically dreaming, so I wasn¡¯t going to inquire. He said, eyes on me, ¡°You don¡¯t understand your lack of emotions, it¡¯s the deciding factor for most people, yet you feel slight outbursts on occasion with strong emotions coming out uncontrollable. Do you know why?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No¡­ it almost feels like a closed off dam or pipe that suddenly bursts under times of extreme emotions. Sometimes some emotion slips through¡­ but it doesn¡¯t stick around long, like repairing a leak in said pipe.¡± When I paused, I realized something, ¡°Though¡­ I feel like it¡¯s easier to feel emotions here, asleep in a dream. It might be whatever¡¯s blocking me isn¡¯t a strong in my dreams, or maybe I¡¯m just closer to my dreams within my dreams¡­ it¡¯s a little goofy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ghost seemed surprised for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°No, not really, I think it makes a lot of sense.¡±


    He stood up walking as he spoke, ¡°When we dream, we see things that our mind and heart wish to see. Things that could be impossible or what we wish were true, thus, our emotions likely play a large part in some of these dreams. Dreams are even ways we can recall our past sometimes, some are embarrassing, but on others, we truly wish we could live through again, be they nightmares or blissful dreams.¡± After he said that, the dream began to flash red, which confused me. Ghost sighed, ¡°Seems like there¡¯s no rest for the weary, so I¡¯ll leave you with this.¡± He walked over and whispered into my ear, ¡°Don¡¯t let your emotions control you, for an entity from times past has returned to see your downfall.¡± I looked to him, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ghost said, ¡°Can¡¯t, that¡¯s not a wake up call, you¡¯re needed Mr. Flameheart.¡± With a snap of his fingers, I awoke to the sound of alerts going off. As I stood up, forgoing the need to shower, I felt Olivia grab my sleeve, ¡°Please¡­ come back safely.¡± I didn¡¯t want to say no promises, but I couldn¡¯t leave her in this state, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, and that¡¯ll have to do.¡± As I left, Merlin¡¯s body was here, handing me an MRE, ¡°Do be sure to eat on the way, we can¡¯t have you fight on an empty stomach.¡± I didn¡¯t reply as I ate, time was apparently of the essence.


    ~~~


    When I boarded my mech, deciding a pitstop to the command deck wouldn¡¯t be viable, I asked, ¡°Sitrep, quickly.¡± Joan spoke up quicky, still going since it was only a few hours since I fell asleep, ¡°The enemies managed to target the jammers, comms are still on the frits outside the domain, but they managed to rally within, we need our combined forces to bring down theirs.¡± As Satanael¡¯s engines roared to life, the maintenance giving it new life, I replied, ¡°Understood, have everyone gather up while I assess the situation.¡± I attached myself to the hull of a ship before opening the enemy formation, one of which was a strange one, they took the shape of a sphere, ¡°Ugh, if we don¡¯t surround them, then some could escape out the rear. Not to mention their supply ships took the interior, along with their chain of command. Better tech or not, trying to fly into that would be nigh suicidal.¡± Sighing, I decided to give my command, ¡°All ships, form a blockade around them outside their maximum distance. Flameheart ships can take the front and shoot them from beyond their range, but I want all other craft behind them so we can take the brunt of the damage.¡± Ships began to navigate, and I was unsure how to end this considering the circumstances.


    After a time, even when we seemed to be within range of the enemy, we never stopped moving, so I asked, ¡°Are they on the move?¡± Joan replied, ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re not so sure where they¡¯re going, there¡¯s nothing of value in this direction.¡± When I pulled up the pathing, I came to the same conclusion, nothing would be gained heading in this direction. Before I could consider anything, Olivia spoke, ¡°They¡¯re heading for this device! Stop them!¡± When she sent a picture, I realized it was the warp gate. I asked, ¡°Olivia, I need you to be serious here, are you sure they¡¯re heading to there?¡± Olivia replied, serious and concerned, ¡°Yes! I can tell that¡¯s their destination; you need to stop them!¡± The warp gate was something the enemy should have no information about, not even the reason for its construction, so I asked, ¡°Merlin, did the spies learn of the warp gate?¡± Merlin, unsure, replied, ¡°Unknown, while we did dangle the location of the warp gate, we never said its purpose. While lady Olivia¡¯s mention seems correct, I cannot understand why they¡¯d target it over the factory or orbital ring.¡± We had dangled former weak spots of the orbital ring and the lone ship factory, but despite the easy targets, yet they chose the warp gate? Something was fishy, far more than meets the eye, but I had no time to deal with that now.


    ¡°I need spare ships to fly ahead of us and set up a defensive line around the device marked on your IFF, defend it with your lives, it¡¯s vital to Operation Kickback.¡± I was clear with what we needed, and someone managed to understand the purpose, ¡°Understood sir, I¡¯ll take those of us stationed near the ring to protect it.¡± Knowing it was secure, I moved some ships around to concentrate fire so we were shooting back at them, ensuring our shots were more effective. I slipped our best ships behind them, making it seem like we were weaker, when we were likely stronger than the ships in the front. I spoke on the comms, knowing full well they could hear me now, ¡°Attention pirates, this is your final chance to surrender, turn of radar, weapons and engine systems and power down your ships. If you do that, we¡¯re willing to let you live. If you don¡¯t we¡¯ll be forced to engage.¡± I wasn¡¯t saying this because I was against killing them, I just didn¡¯t want to waste unnecessary resources before the second half of Operation Kickback. The very same pirate who spoke to me before said, ¡°Go to hell! We¡¯ll never surrender to a brat like you!¡± I sighed, ¡°All forces, open fire, if any ship surrenders, make sure to hear them out so we don¡¯t waste resources.¡± Joan shouted, ¡°You heard the Viscount, open fire!¡±


    I watched the volley of shots fly into the sphere of ships; many were outright destroyed as many allied ships made sure to target the same ship in different areas. I turned to the forces behind me, my knights in training, ¡°Listen up! We¡¯re going to break through their outer line and target their supply ships and command craft! We¡¯ll charge forward now, and once you see an opening, take it! If we end this battle swiftly, this¡¯ll be the shortest battle the Avalon Empire has ever seen, as well as preparing us to begin the second stage of Operation kickback sooner! The second stage will likely be longer, so the sooner we end this, the better! Make sure no one escapes, and if they do, make sure it isn¡¯t alive, we can¡¯t let even a single word of this make it back to their planet! Let¡¯s move!¡± As we leapt off the ships, the fire from both sides was pretty daunting, but it also felt exciting in some way. Dodging ship fire that could kill you in an instant was something I never thought I¡¯d experience, much less get used to, but it came with it¡¯s own experiences, each of them would help me in the future.


    Another volley of shots flew past us, the ships before us struggled to keep form when the first volley hit, but now there was a large gap before us. I pointed to it, ¡°There! Full speed until we break through! Once we¡¯re in, engage at will!¡± While I could easily make it through at full speed, everyone else was marginally slower than me, so I trailed with them to ensure they could make it through at all costs. Mechs began to swarm us, so I charged ahead, ¡°Just keep going, I can handle this!¡± Drawing my sword, the number of mechs ahead would scare any soldier, but I didn¡¯t care, I could take them. I identified the best slash that could take out the most enemies and imbued mana into my sword, once I had enough, I unleashed my fury. I swung my blade, and pirates laughing echoed around my cockpit¡­ but only for a moment. I watched as mechs from the beginning to the end of my swing drop off radar, followed by explosions that rocked the enemy line. One pirate shouted, ¡°That¡¯s impossible! He used a sword, how did he hit us!¡± In that moment, I realized these idiots were broadcasting over an open channel, maybe they couldn¡¯t hold their regular communications and chose open comms, but all that did was let me know what they were doing. I soon identified something on a few pirate mechs that seemed to differentiate them, so I put my sword away and began a series of hand shots, grabbing the heads of the mechs and sending the pulse through them, destroying them in an instant.


    One pirate shouted, ¡°Protect the commanders! That devil¡¯s wiping them out!¡± As they bunched up, I decided to just end their mechanized defense and pulled out my rifle, ¡°Hm, maybe an airburst type would work here.¡± After swapping out the spells on the shell, which was akin to switching magazines, I aimed at the bunched up mechs as they charged me, ¡°These pirates are child¡¯s play, maybe the ones we¡¯ll fight later are stronger.¡± With a single pull, the round shot out, split, and flew to each group. One pirate said, ¡°He can¡¯t get us all, keep pushing!¡± Though, the moment he said that, the round exploded, sending high speed shrapnel into each mech, some managed to go through them and into their commander¡¯s mechs, ending their mech resistance. Joan shouted, ¡°Sir! We¡¯re in! You¡¯re the last one!¡± I holstered my rifle and flew full speed to catch up to them, ¡°Good, then begin fighting, show no mercy until they surrender.¡± I trusted Joan to lead the forces, even at this level, it was nothing for her expertise, though, she did leave me a present, ¡°Understood sir, the command ships are yours, consider it a means for the men to see your skills in action.¡±


    I chuckled lightly, while I wasn¡¯t one to show off, I should do so for the sake of my reputation among the alliance, ¡°Alright, then let me show you how I fight.¡± I flew past everyone, something akin to a buzzing a tower, and took to the first commanding ship I could see. The fire from nearby ships lit up my vision like a Christmas tree, but I wasn¡¯t afraid to fly directly into their line of fire. Since I was still a ways away, I made sure to target some of the supply ships with my blade, the ones closest to me so I wasn¡¯t thrown too far off course. I could hear a pirate from the command ship scream as I pulled my sword back to plunge it into the bridge, ¡°What are you!? What the hell are you!?¡± I spoke back, ¡°Revenge for the people slain by Providence.¡± My blade slid into the bridge like a hot knife through butter, and as I pulled it out, the bridge exploded. From here, I flew around and began to pick off as many of the commanding craft and supply ships as I could, the enemy too preoccupied with the forces now moving in for the kill to turn in and fight us.


    That¡¯s when I heard it, ¡°We surrender! Stop shooting!¡± I noticed ships all along the sphere begin to shift to neutral, their systems powering down as the white flag began to be raised. As more began to rise up, I looked to the last commanding ship, ¡°Tell them all to stand down, this fight is over.¡± The very same pirate to threatened to take my people earlier today spoke back, ¡°Damn it¡­ everyone, power your ships down, we¡¯re surrendering.¡± Watching IFFs all around me begin to turn neutral was a sight to behold, I threw my sword up and shouted, ¡°Today is won! Arrest these pirates and take their ships and mechs! This is a victory for those who stand against Providence!¡± Cheers began to erupt from the ships, though we did suffer casualties, it wasn¡¯t like the loss of life from Providences initial attack. I heard someone say, ¡°Remember your after combat duties! Ally body retrieval on me!¡± A soldier spoke up, ¡°How many men do we need to capture this many!? It¡¯ll take days to do if we don¡¯t get more hands!¡± I sighed, I forgot battles had cleanup, and both battles I was a part of, I was emotionally too unstable to take part and very much unconscious. I decided to get hands on this time, ¡°Everyone who¡¯s running security, on me! Let¡¯s make this as smooth as possible for everyone!¡± Today was a victory, and we¡¯d be doing the same to their main planet soon.


    ~~~


    About a full week passed, and we finally moved all functional enemy ships to a location for information retrieval and eventual disposal. Considering I ran security for most of the week, I didn¡¯t want to waste any additional time in preparation for the stage two, but I did want to pass of what I knew to Alexander too. I spoke to Merlin, ¡°Begin a consolidation on what intel we can scrub from their ships and mechs, I need to speak with Alexander¡­ and maybe Duke Bartholomew as well.¡± Merlin asked, ¡°Is this about lady Olivia, sir?¡± I nodded, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s cut out for fighting, and I don¡¯t want to force her to do so.¡± Merlin thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Then why train in swordsmanship? Why would one learn swordsmanship if they didn¡¯t seek to use it?¡± It made sense, Merlin didn¡¯t know the intricacies of the human mind, we did things that seemed against what we truly sought. I replied, ¡°Simple, self-defense. While we may be against taking blood, we still need to defend ourselves. Some people just aren¡¯t capable of killing another for any reason, even if the reason is just.¡±


    Merlin¡¯s eyes seemed to shift, ¡°Humans are truly fascinating beings, your mentalities are all so different, yet, so much alike.¡± Merlin seemed to realize he was distracted, then said, ¡°You should go to Alexander, I¡¯ll handle your order swiftly.¡± From there, I made my way through the orbital ring, Alexander and the Duke had shifted their things to their respective ships since the battle for the planet would likely be longer than the fight by far. Presently, they took temporary residence with Olivia in a particular hotel set to house them and important figures for the time being. Entering the hotel, the receptionist stood and bowed, ¡°Viscount, what brings you here today?¡± I asked, ¡°Are Alexander and the Duke in? There was something I wanted to discuss with them.¡± The receptionist sat down, quickly checking for them, ¡°Viscount Lancaster and Duke Bartholomew are both in, they seem to be in the recreational sector playing ¡°golf¡± sir.¡± I nodded, ¡°Thank you, do inform me immediately if anyone comes for me.¡± As I walked, I made sure to send her a good tip and made my way to the recreational sector.


    To my surprise, Alexander and the Duke had taken quiet an intrigue into golfing, since the sport seemed to have died out before humanity of the known era reached the space age. While I did have other sports and whatnot in this nobility focused hotel, golf seemed to grip both of them, despite what I believed they would enjoy. As I stepped into the zone, I could hear many individuals speaking about the rules of the game, which clubs were for what kind of distance, and some who had the thought to plan ahead a little for the planetary siege. For once, the concern was warranted, Avalon hasn¡¯t saw the need to take a planet for any reason, mostly as the last war was long before I was born. Avalon lost a lot of men, and while there were plenty here, the ratio we had meant we needed a large increase of children with hopes to regrow the male population. But I ignored everything else and went to where the Duke and Alexander seemed to be doing a rather silent game away from everyone. The Duke was quick to notice me, ¡°Ah, young Aurelian, you seem to be doing well.¡± I managed a small smile, ¡°Yeah, we managed to beat back Providence, and now we¡¯ll finally commit to a wish we had over a decade in the making. We¡¯re too deep to back off now, and we won¡¯t stop for anything.¡±


    I shook my head, I wasn¡¯t here to discuss the operation, I spoke, ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m here to talk about Olivia, she isn¡¯t for combat, so I think we should ensure she remains here for the second half of the operation.¡± Alexander seemed surprised, ¡°Why? She seemed ready to go when I saw her last.¡± Shaking my head again, I said, ¡°She saw people die and realized she couldn¡¯t do it, I don¡¯t know the full reason, but she I know how she feels. I once felt like her, I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d be able to kill like I do now for any reason, but she¡¯s made her choice, she can¡¯t kill anyone.¡± The Duke asked, ¡°Can she at least lead in a commanding position?¡± I once again shook my head, and that was all they needed. Alexander sighed, ¡°I¡­ I should¡¯ve expected that, she was always such an innocent soul, it¡¯s on me.¡± The Duke shook his head, ¡°No, we don¡¯t figure things out sometimes until it happens, and young Olivia was no different. Though, she needs to come with us, she¡¯s the representative of the Silverlights, if she isn¡¯t there, then we risk the alliance being seen as weak.¡± I sighed, ¡°If we must, but she won¡¯t come out to battle or lead unless she specifically asks to do so. If this comes around, I¡¯ll have Joan protect her, I won¡¯t lose her because I messed up¡­ not again.¡±


    I watched their faces begin to turn to sadness, they knew what I meant, and the memory of it was akin to the very day I witnessed it. Every time I saw it, it hurt, her very memory hurt me as I yearned for her to be by my side, but I knew I was just yearning into the wind. Before I could say anything more, Merlin stepped into the room, ¡°Sirs, I have some information pertaining to a particular force that we managed to scrub from the enemy systems.¡± With a device, to pretend he wasn¡¯t an AI, a hologram projected a hand holding a human skull, ¡°These are mercenaries, this particular group seems to be called ¡°Death¡¯s Hand¡±, one of the notable individuals seems to be ¡°Reaper¡±.¡± I felt my anger rise, Alexander seemed to noticed, ¡°Aurelian, calm down, now¡¯s not the time to get angry.¡± I shouted, ¡°You tell me to calm down then the one who killed Lily is closer than ever!? I swear, if I see him, I¡¯ll tear his black heart out myself!¡± I could tell the two of them were surprised, even as I was seeing red at the mere mention of Reaper. Merlin spoke, which calmed me down a little, ¡°Reaper isn¡¯t among the current hired help of the pirates, he¡¯s currently working with Providence elsewhere.¡±


    After I took a moment to breathe, I asked, ¡°Are any of Death¡¯s Hand with the pirates?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°Yes, we assume there is someone by the moniker ¡°Anubis¡±, seems like Death¡¯s Hand has a thing for names revolving around death.¡± Alexander asked, ¡°What, or who, is Anubis?¡± Merlin replied, ¡°A known being in the old era, they were a long forgotten god of the afterlife, death, and rebirth. Though, we¡¯re unsure of the reliability of their divinity.¡± I asked, ¡°Is there anything else about this Anubis we need to know, like mech type and whatnot?¡± Merlin shook his head, ¡°No, the information we found is barely useful, most of it isn¡¯t even of the planet, just regular ship functions and old orders they forgot to delete. I doubt we¡¯ll find much more, even on the IFF systems.¡± I sighed, ¡°Well, then we better get ready to commence the operation, the pirates have been silent for over a week, that¡¯s going to cause concern, so let¡¯s move now.¡± As I stood up, a devious plan entered my head, and I could tell even Ghost liked this¡­ wherever he was in my head. I turned to them, ¡°Gentlemen, I have an idea.¡± As I explained the plan, the Duke seemed apprehensive, but Alexander seemed to like the plan. It would work, especially since I haven¡¯t revealed all there is about Satanael yet.


    ~~~


    Pirates sat within the fortress, the boss of the pirates was getting annoyed, ¡°No messages from the assault team yet? It¡¯s just one noble, why haven¡¯t they responded yet?¡± One of the pirates replied, ¡°We¡¯re unsure boss, it¡¯s almost like they completely fell off the radar. A woman spoke, her voice stern, ¡°There might be a problem, a week long silence is never a good thing.¡± The pirate leader turned to the woman, ¡°Anubis, we don¡¯t tell you what to do, so why try to tell us what to do?¡± Anubis, a woman with pale white skin, bleach white hair, and eyes as dark as the void approached the pirate leader, ¡°Because when this happens, they¡¯re all dead or being jammed, either or isn¡¯t good. I¡¯m a mercenary, not an idiot Goldtooth.¡± Goldtooth, clearly angry, flashed his golden teeth as he barked back, ¡°Then why not use that magic of yours to get into contact with them then? You¡¯re being paid to work for me, not the other way around.¡± Anubis sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not magic, and it won¡¯t work from this distance, you took a job too far away for me to be of use.¡±


    One pirate seemed confused, ¡°Boss, we have reports of an anomaly in space, strange signatures we haven¡¯t gotten before.¡± Both Goldtooth and Anubis stopped their bickering, Goldtooth replying, ¡°Then get them to turn a camera on, let¡¯s see what they can.¡± As the readings popped up, a feed of the location was visible, and it seemed like lighting was emanating from a point in space, yet there was no visible reason for this to be. Anubis said, ¡°Is it a storm? I heard some regions of space get them a lot, but I¡¯ve never seen one.¡± Goldtooth shook his head, ¡°No, even the start of such a storm can span systems, something this small doesn¡¯t make sense. Suddenly, readings spiked, ¡°Boss, gravitational readings are spiking from the area, not to mention disturbances in spacetime are on the frits!¡± Goldtooth shouted, ¡°Tell them to get out of the danger zone, and don¡¯t stop the camera, we need to see what¡¯s going on!¡± Lighting from the source ceased, but a small swirl replaced it, the size of this swirl got larger as it expanded. The larger it got, the more something within the center began to take shape. Eventually, Anubis asked, ¡°Is that a¡­ planet?¡±


    Soon, the size of the vortex was massive, larger than even a dreadnaught several times over. Soon, a mech appeared on camera as ships began to follow behind it, a pirate said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s a demon¡­¡± The shape of the mech was one thing, but the black with silver and orange coloring made it seem like a demon or devil ripped right of out hell. A voice rippled through the comms, ¡°This is message to the pirates currently residing on one of the Avalon Empires planets, you are hereby ordered to throw down your arms and surrender immediately, if not, you will be engaged in accordance with imperial law.¡± After a moment, the voice spoke again, ¡°To the Viscount who let this happen, any interference will be considered a crime under said imperial law, to which you will be prosecuted for. Any forces of the Viscount who can hear me and understand this, report back.¡± Silence filled the air for a moment, until a voice replied, ¡°Copy.¡± Goldtooth slammed his fist into the chair, ¡°That damned betrayer! Providence will hear about this!¡± Anubis said, ¡°You did force them, he¡¯s taking this chance to be free from you.¡±


    The head of the devil seemed focused on the camera now, its eyes shined with a crimson glow, one that seemed to stare into the souls of all who looked to it, ¡°Pirates, this is your last warning, surrender at once. Failure to comply will mean we shall exact our just revenge upon you for joining Providence in the siege upon our home.¡± Goldtooth, being arrogant, said, ¡°Fire on the thing, no noble can dare beat us.¡± One pirate confirmed, ¡°Understood b-b-boss, giving the order.¡± As the shot closed in on the devil, it seemed to miss, despite it not moving. The eyes of the devil shined brighter. As it¡¯s hands came out, it seemed to somehow triple in amount, as four additional arms folded out from behind the now six armed devil, ¡°You spit upon the mercy I was willing to give, and now, you and your band of pirates shall experience no mercy from me.¡± As a large sword was drawn and aimed at the ship before it, the voice spoke, ¡°This is Viscount Flameheart, enemy is hostile and ignored orders to stand down, engage at will! Kill these pirates, and show them the rage of our domain!¡± As if awaiting the order, mechs and ships began to spill out of the vortex as the devil charged the ship, and with one slash, destroyed it.¡±


    A pirate shouted, ¡°Boss, ships near the vortex are all down! Hundreds, no, thousands of ships are pouring through the vortex, their insignia is of Viscount Flameheart! Wait, there¡¯s more, there¡¯s also Viscount Lancaster, Baron Silverlight, and¡­ Duke Bartholomew!?¡± Goldtooth seemed surprised, but Anubis sighed, ¡°You really stepped in it this time, you better be ready to fight, because our mechs are under repairs right now.¡± Goldtooth cursed, ¡°Shit! All forces, get in there and bring them down! These fools will regret the day they attacked us!¡± Every pirate knew they had to fight, surrender seemed like a lost concept, and Anubis seemed to laugh at this. She said, ¡°Well, if the Flameheart boy is identified when my mech is repaired, I¡¯ll take him on, of course, he''ll be extra.¡± Goldtooth sighed, ¡°I understand, just don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡± Goldtooth was franticly trying to gain control over the situation, but in Anubis¡¯ eyes, that seemed impossible under the might that was still streaming through the vortex like a wave of monsters.