Ch.275Queen Aurore (5)

Before leaving the Pastel planetary system, I had a conversation with the Hueritia mother and daughter.

“I’ve added several functions to this trap. Not only does it have its own concealment function so that Outsiders can’t break it, but I’ve also expanded the detection range. The most notable feature is the Outsider tracking function!”

Outsider tracking function.

I asked what that was.

“Simply put, it’s a guided missile. I’ve modified it so that once an Outsider is targeted, it can follow them to the end and seal them even if they flee to their original dimension.”

Is that technically possible?

“It is.”

How does it work?

“Money.”

That’s right. Money.

The power of capital is truly remarkable.

It can subdue even the strongest Outsiders.

“What…”

“The Queen’s presence… has disappeared?”

The trap worked successfully.

The crystal pump engraved with patterns would have reassigned the Queen’s coordinates, and thus Auloret would have been sucked in without even saying goodbye to her subordinates.

“Where on earth did she go?”

“Disappearing so suddenly makes no sense.”

The Outsiders who lost their monarch fell into confusion. None of them could even guess the truth, let alone notice what had happened.

I carefully set Cartesia down and bowed to the place where the Queen had disappeared.

“You’ve retreated. Thank you for keeping your promise, Your Majesty.”

“Insolent fool!”

An Outsider that looked like a lurker lowered its voice.

“I clearly heard the Queen say in anger just now that she would tear out your tongue. How dare you pretend otherwise. You must have done something.”

“What are you saying? Me?”

I pointed at myself and deliberately looked blank.

“How could a lowly being like me dare to play tricks on the supreme and dignified Queen? I would not escape death if I did.”

I dabbed at my eyes with my sleeve and bowed my head. Acting as pitiful as possible, as if I were completely wronged.

“The Queen has probably returned first to prepare. Since Shterm attacked the main base. I’m sure she’s ordered all of you to follow quickly.”

“Our monarch has never been ambiguous when giving orders. How dare you mock us?”

“This is not mockery. I couldn’t possibly do that. In terms of power, I am no match for the Queen. You are the Queen’s forces, so saying I can’t handle the Queen means I can’t handle you either. Isn’t that right?”

“…Wait, perhaps.”

It was then that an Outsider that looked like a snail interrupted.

“The Queen might be testing our loyalty and ability to assess the situation.”

Some Outsiders nodded.

“Then we should return to the main base and find Her Majesty.”

“Wait. Are you suggesting we all withdraw together?”

“Shterm has launched a surprise attack on our main base. The situation is urgent. We cannot waste our forces any longer in this backwater.”

“What waste? Retreating would be the real waste. We’ve already pushed them to their limits. With one final offensive, we could take this galaxy. What are you afraid of?”

Signs of division were starting to show.

“You… are you plotting treason?”

“It’s not treason. The Queen ordered us to subdue this galaxy. We’re just following that order.”

“Didn’t you hear that the Queen made peace with that human?”

“Did those words come directly from Her Majesty’s mouth?”

“So we’re back to square one. Everything would be resolved if we find Her Majesty and ask.”

“There’s no need. This will be over soon.”

“How dare you try to exceed your authority!”

The Darwin Outsiders split into two factions.

The loyalists who wanted to retreat and confirm the Queen’s whereabouts first, and the extremists who wanted to ignore everything and continue the war.

The opposition had slightly more numbers.

“Eidel von Rheinland, countless comrades have been sacrificed because of you. I will violate you to comfort their souls!”

Instinct over logic.

Violence over dialogue.

This is why they’re the least threatening despite being the most numerous of the four forces.

The attack of the Outsiders rushing without a plan stopped with a clang.

“Wh-what…!”

“I’m sorry. But these are my master’s orders to protect this human…”

A battalion of beautiful maid Outsiders was protecting me.

Cartesia gestured.

“Attack.”

Slash!

The maid Outsiders deflected all the flesh pieces at once. Their ribbons and skirt hems fluttered as if caught in the wind. The Darwin Outsiders all raised their voices.

“Come to your senses! Weren’t we all comrades?”

“…Not anymore.”

“How stupid! Our proud race being defeated by Descartes who lives in this backwater!”

“I’m sorry, but my mind is perfectly clear. We just… follow Cartesia’s orders because we like her.”

The maid Outsiders blushed.

Arrrgh!

The Queen’s Outsiders howled.

Due to the nature of Darwin Outsiders, the newly recruited maids continued to regenerate no matter how much they were attacked, never being destroyed. Unless they were killed in one blow like the Queen, it was meaningless.

Therefore.

The advantage was tilting in our favor.

“Do you all want to be my footrags?”

Cartesia giggled as she took control of the weakened Outsiders’ minds. The Darwin forces, having lost their commander-in-chief, collapsed rapidly.

The sounds of flesh and blood splattering, and the screams of girls, tangled like noodles.

The maids were multiplying.

What a terrible chaos.

“We cannot all become that Descartes woman’s subordinates!”

“Retreat! We’re retreating!”

It was truly a comedy to see these creatures, who had surged forward like a rogue wave even when collectively trapped, now running away because they didn’t want to become beautiful maids.

Anyway, we won.

Cartesia chuckled and said to me.

“Kid, know that you owe me one.”

“I’m always in your debt, aren’t I?”

“…”

“Thanks again, Cartesia. You’re really a good Outsider.”

“…You really are a high-maintenance kid.”

Cartesia flicked her fingertip. The scenery changed completely, and I felt my five senses become clear. When I came to my senses, I was back on the spaceship.

That’s when I noticed it. The smell of something burning stung my nostrils.

“Haa, haa.”

I heard rough breathing.

Not far away, a constellation with pitch-black wings had collapsed, and Rustila was pointing her Plasma Sword at it.

She looked terrible.

“…This is the end.”

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

The ‘Purification Bullet’ pierced through the fallen constellation’s core.

Thud.

I turned around at the sound of someone collapsing. Zernya had been treating an unconscious soldier but now lay on her side. She was sweating profusely. It was a symptom of Aether depletion.

I hurried over, took Zernya in my arms, and let her lean against me.

“…Honey?”

“Yes. It’s me.”

“Where the hell have you been, coming back now…”

Zernya couldn’t finish her sentence. Her eyes, soaked in fatigue, slowly closed. Her labored breathing transmitted through her skin.

Then Rustila staggered too. Sonia ran to catch her.

“Sonia!”

“Young master?”

“…del!”

Sonia, holding Rustila in her arms, and Ireh, who had gathered the spirit bullets, both jumped over at the same time.

“You’re back. We were worried. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. How about you?”

“Don’t even ask. When the Queen disappeared, fragments of Virgo appeared and went wild. They were screaming for us to stop them. We had quite a hard time because of it.”

Sonia looked back and continued.

“What happened to the Queen?”

“That’s what we need to confirm now.”

“So is it all over?”

“Yes. For now.”

Ireh let out what seemed to be a sigh of relief. She slumped down in place.

Sunlight was shining through the large glass window stained with blood.

“Let’s talk about the details later.”

Treating the wounded was the priority.

Sonia, Ireh, and I brought stretcher carts and loaded the inspectors one by one. We quickly moved to the infirmary, placing those with minor injuries in the auto-surgery room and leaving those with serious injuries to the doctors.

The Great Omega class inspectors, Rustila, and Zernya also entered the recovery room.

Groans erupted from all over the intensive care unit. Among those who had directly seen the Queen’s face, only I, Ireh, and Sonia were relatively unharmed.

“Director! Director Rheinland!”

“What is it?”

“Come quickly! It’s amazing news!”

The technician calling urgently had a bright expression on his face.

I moved quickly.

I had my suspicions, but…

Could it really be?

“This way!”

The technicians led me to the trap control room with excited expressions.

My heart was racing madly.

Sure enough, there was a signal bouncing from the computer monitor connected to the trap device.

And in the interaction log, there was one response.

[— Auloret (Respondent): “…Where the hell am I.”]

A big catch.

My hands trembled.

Finally, unable to contain myself, I typed on the keyboard.

[— ILOVEPHYSICS: Hello, Your Majesty. It’s me. Eidel von Rheinland.]

[— Auloret (Respondent): “Yes, it’s you. You sent me here. Is this space your invention?”]

[— ILOVEPHYSICS: Yes. I’ve prepared a private resort for Your Majesty, who must be tired from your long journey. How is it? Comfortable?]

[— Auloret (Respondent): “When I get out of here, you’re a dead man.”]

Still bluffing until the end.

Of course, if it were the Queen, there was a possibility she could tear through the trap. That’s assuming the worst-case scenario.

But I remember the thoroughness of the Hueritia mother and daughter, and the amount of money I’ve spent so far.

At least for now, we’re safe.

[— ILOVEPHYSICS: Have a good time.]

[— Auloret (Respondent): “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you. I will definitely kill you.”]

[— ILOVEPHYSICS: lol]

I took my hands off the keyboard.

Miraculously, we had also captured Auloret. Now all that remained was to restore the Aether Belt.

The end of the war was in sight.