Chapter 135

“Eh, uh!”

“Fooling around is enough, Edward.”

“Hmm.”

Instantly reverting to his original self upon my remark, Edward.

“Anyway, Edu, what are you planning to do this time that requires such effort? You’re not thinking of bringing us to some sealed city like last time, are you?”

In response to Edward’s skeptical gaze, I give a confident smile.

To that, I raise my right hand, extending my index finger and wagging it from side to side.

“Hmph. There’s no need to worry, Edward. The place we’re going to doesn’t have any Invaders, Ustansha, or Cryptids.”

“Hooh?”

Edward only now shows an interest.

“That means something more terrible than Invaders, Ustansha, or Cryptids awaits us, does it? Should I prepare my will?”

“…Want to bet?”

“It’s a joke. So, why did you call me?”

“I’m trying to gather some crew members while I have this opportunity.”

“Crew?”

Edward tilting his head.

“Sounds like your ship exists?”

“That’s right, I received one this time.”

With a light cough, I answer, Edward’s eyes widen, shocked.

“Really?! How on earth…?”

“That’s something I’ll explain later. First, can you gather the people I mentioned and bring them to the ship’s deck?”

“Uh?”

…

The 3rd Fangju’s ship deck.

Receiving the combined gaze of my gathered friends, I clear my throat.

“Hum, thank you all for coming.”

“Edu young lady? Why have you called us here? And what about these two…”

Clarissa asks, turning her head slightly.

She knows Nisia and Seoli, Jack and Edward, as well as Clarissa and Jenny well, but there were two new faces here.

“Right! What’s going on?”

A male student questions with an energetic voice.

Though on the shorter side among us, his dyed red hair exudes a fiery passion different from Freya or Jenny.

Edward, Jack, and together with AOE’s key male companion and classmate, Condol.

“…Hnnngg, I’m sleepy.”

In stark contrast to the fiery Condol, a pale-skinned girl yawns widely.

Her height and build towering over the average woman, plump yet glamorous, she leaves a striking impression.

She is Muna, one of the AOE’s few female companions alongside Clarissa and Jenny.

“Muna, are you okay?”

“Please hurry up, so I can sleep.”

To Nisia’s question, Muna replies quickly.

The fiery Condol and sleepy Muna.

Actually, I hadn’t forgotten that these two are part of the AOE, but I’d let them be due to the busy schedule until now.

But now, with help from many people, the urgent matters are resolved, allowing some leisure time.

In such a situation, there’s no reason not to develop promising characters.

“Then, I’ll explain why I gathered all of you here, Hands?”

At my words, Hands, which had been silent, moves slightly, revealing the paper it had been hiding.

“Eh? That’s-”

“An order…letter?”

As she says that, Clarissa and Nisia step closer towards me.

Following them, the other friends move towards me too.

“Hold on, let me read it!”

Jenny suddenly interjects among friends.

With her neck stretched forward and her finger under her chin, Jenny gazes intently at the paper Hands is holding.

“Let’s see… The relevant commander has been given the discretion to recruit up to 20 members from the academy students and military personnel. Signed, Freya Aegria. Ryuje Erarkanen!?”

Jenny retreats, startled.

“Eh, sis!?”

“Uh…?”

The confused friends.

“Eh…so, are we being called up by Edu?”

“Right!”

At my response, Edward adjusts his glasses slightly.

His body was already facing the opposite direction from the friends.

“Ah! To refer to Edu as ‘young lady’ to a colonel is inappropriate!”

“Edward, you’ve already gone along with it?”

“Isn’t that fast attitude change a joke?”

Clarissa and Jenny express astonishment.

“To talk about submission or attitude change sounds strange! Edu and I are already one unit! Thus, any attack on Edu is no different from an attack on me-”

“Edward, enough.”

“Yes, Colonel!”

Edward raises his hand in a salute and steps back.

“There’s no need to worry too much. It’s only called conscription; it’s really about us going together, doing various things, improving skills, and it feels like a club.”

Explaining, I see my friends deep in thought.

“If you really don’t like it, I can leave you out, so feel free to speak up.”

First to respond is Clarissa.

“No, I trust Edu Lady.”

“Me too! It seems fun, and if Edu says it, I can trust it!”

Jenny chimes in.

“If you need anything, just let me know.”

“I don’t know what it is, but if you need my help, I’ll try my best!”

Jack and Condol responded similarly, while Muna, remaining alone, frowned and muttered to herself.

“…Ugh, I hate exercise.”

Muna’s expressions and body language clearly exuded a reluctance.

However, even Muna’s reaction and character were within the range of what I expected.

“Muna.”

Muna lifts her head at my call.

“I won’t talk too long. You’ll have as much personal space as you need, except for when I need help.”

Muna’s eyes widen.

“Really? Truly? Promise? Swear?”

“Yes. As the captain and commander of this ship, I pledge to secure Muna’s sleep time.”

“Wow….”

Muna, wobbling, approaches me.

Muna, extending her arms, gives me a gentle hug as she sits on Bungbungi.

“Dream job, Edu is God, thank you.”

She gently pats my body before pulling back.

“Then, Edu, would you tell us what we’ll be doing?”

“Wait, others haven’t arrived yet.”

“Others..?”

Edward tilts his head.

From behind his shoulder, the figures of those waiting can be seen.

Mili and Sita, with Freya and the principal.

“Sorry, Edu. We’re a little late.”

“It’s fine.”

As I exchange greetings with Freya, Edward looks at me, astounded.

“E, Edu! Surely, you’re not calling those two figures my subordinates?”

“Of course not, the principal and Freya are simply here to briefly assist us this time.”

“Phew.”

Edward lets out a sigh of relief.

By the time Mili and Sita approach me,

“Eh, sis!”

“…Sis, you called?”

“Right, would it be alright if I ask something from both of you?”

At my words, Sita slightly widens her eyes while Mili immediately nods her head responsively.

“Eh, anything!”

“…I’m good with that.”

“To the other friends, I’ve already explained it, but this is my ship.”

I point at the Jason that’s docked behind with my finger.

Upon hearing that, Mili’s face lights up with a smile, and Sita’s eyebrows twitch slightly.

“Wow, wowaaaah…!”

“Sis’s ship…?”

“Yes, but I have a ship, though I’m short of crew. So, I was wondering, can both of you join and fly with me on this vessel maybe?”

In fact, the main reason I haven’t been taking Mili or Sita along so far was because neither of them are not awakened ones.

Awakened individuals can handle dangers based on their abilities, but ordinary people, without sufficient experience and skills, find it hard to handle significant dangers.

However, the power Mili and Sita displayed when dealing with the Eternal Life Sect was already more than enough.

‘Both of them worked incredibly hard.’

And now, I, having reached the rank of colonel, and even possessing a Core Module with a command ship, have plenty of space and freedom to take care of Mili and Sita.

So, from now on, wouldn’t it be bad to travel together and further develop their talents?

“I’ll board wherever you take me!”

“I will too.”

They answer immediately.

As I stretch my arms towards them, Mili and Sita bow their heads and come to the right positions.

Hugged affectionately,

“You both are great.”

“Eheehee.”

“…It is nothing.”

Mili expresses pure joy, while Sita blushes, showing embarrassment.

Looking at them, I clench my fists inside.

‘Alright, this is complete.’

All gamers desire at some point to create their dream team within their favorite games.

And this lineup is, according to me, the absolute dream team worth creating right now.

“Hmm, Edu, if the conversation went well, shouldn’t you explain the upcoming plans to the others as well?”

“Yes.”

I nod at the principal’s words and take my hands off both of them.

“First off, thank you all for agreeing to my request! Actually, this ship has an AI, so it runs fine with fewer crew members, but to achieve maximum efficiency, it’s best to have a full crew.”

“Right, so we will work as crew members mainly, and when necessary, participate as combat personnel—am I right to understand like that?”

“Exactly, the understanding is just right. Are we all clear?”

Answering Edward’s question while checking on everyone, I see everyone nodding.

“At the start, even if it’s inexperienced, the AI will help, and Vanessa will join from the forward base, so no need to worry too much.”

Explaining to alleviate any potential anxieties, I continue.

“Then, I will give you an overview of where we are heading.”

My lips involuntarily curve upwards.

“Everyone, have you heard of Secret Cities?”

…..

In a city covered in ash, a huge disc-like flagship is stationed.

Inside a large and luxurious commander’s room within, the admiral of the 4th Interstellar Navigation Fleet, Gelang, sat silently.

At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor.

The sound of the ‘Bip’ notification followed, and Gelang turned his chair to face the entrance.

“Come in.”

“Yes, please forgive the intrusion.”

A Marine Corps team marches in.

They salute with precision, their leader stepping slightly back, while Tork, who was captured, was pushed forward from among the marines.

“Is this…him?”

“Yes, Admiral.”

Upon hearing the reply from the Marine commander, Gelang directs his gaze toward him.

Realizing he is being looked at by Gelang, Tork bows slightly and starts speaking.

“I am Tork, skipper of the 44th Destroyer from the 3rd Interstellar Navigation Fleet, Admiral.”

“…”

Hearing this, Gelang turns his head to the Marine Leader without responding.

“Confirmed.”

With a concise reply, Gelang nods.

“Well, Captain Tork. I heard of the tragedy that befell the 3rd Interstellar Navigation Fleet. What exactly happened?”

As Gelang asked calmly,

Tork’s face showed a mixture of anger and bitterness.

“Admiral, our fleet… was destroyed by the betrayal of the 1st Interstellar Navigation Fleet.”

“…What? Betrayal?”

Gelang’s voice wavered slightly.

After lifting his face, Gelang signaled with a nod of his chin for the marines to leave.

The marines immediately exited the room.

Once just the two were left, Gelang began tapping his chitinous shell, raising his antennae taut.

“Captain Tork, please recount what just happened in detail without missing anything.”

“Yes.”

Tork gazed at Gelang with tear-filled eyes.

Thus began Tork’s account.