Chapter 41: Encounter Part 2

Ripple ran past the galaxy.

The Golden Knight had awoken!

And with that, the Crimson Ice Queen was no more!

Several paparazzi managed to capture a photo of the white wolf girl in her officer uniform... smiling!

SHOCK!

But that was not all!

The extremely popular Red Commander also had a change in sub-race!

Celina Za had transformed into the White Commander!

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This couldn’t be a simple COINCIDENCE!

What’s more, the news portals easily dug out the fact that Nova Aria, the Witch Queen, was also pursuing the boy in the past.

Hot topic!

Gossip was proliferating.

Every single person in the Top Brass of the Crimson Empire shuddered. They all saw those extremely strange powers that the boy in question invoked. What will he do now that he escaped death? In the future, the might of the Kollos Alliance will only grow!

---

He woke up...

Several calming runes floated around Nova, but they couldn’t quell her excitement.

In the past five years, she had managed to let go a little... But with his return, the attraction only strengthened! After all, not only had he sacrificed himself for her, but he had also made sure to give her as much power as he could before he let go.

That kindness...

That warmth...

[???: I-I-I-I LOVE YOU!]

A sudden shout brought the Witch Queen out of her dreamlike state. With a shock, she turned her head toward a nearby tiger girl who had just shouted at the top of her lungs... She didn’t know this Celina Za. The normal Za-chan was a timid girl who would rather fix her drones than stand out from the crowd like this...

[Celina: You don’t have to answer. I just wanted you to know, Vorst-chan.]

A sudden confession. Not only the boy who came out to welcome them but everyone else around was equally shocked. Before anyone had a chance to react, Celina summoned a Scout Drone, mounted it, and took off with her face flushed crimson.

Silence...

[Mersa: V-vor-chan...]

Unable to utter another word, she also took off at incomplete Blitz speed.

[Vorst: ...]

[Nova: ...]

The rest of the crew was also in shock.

[Nova: ... Huhu, Vorst-chan is quite a lady killer.]

Her words were directed at the 1.8m youth standing before her. He was a bit thin, much thinner than his imposing attitude. Similar to the small boy from several years ago, and that unyielding gaze that was completely overpowering everything right now showed a hint of trouble. She just had to tease him.

[Nova: Anyway, I won’t trouble you any longer, Vorst-chan. You must have a lot on your mind tonight.]

With that, the blue-haired girl followed the other two. The rest of the crew turned their faces toward the boy who stood there with a bitter smile...

[--Lily--: Heh.]

[--Kaya--: Fufu, Shujin-sama has to reap what he has sown.]

[--Calla--: *Nods*]

---

Nova was seriously troubled...

This kind of thing had to happen. It was inevitable, but no matter how much she thought about it, she just couldn’t find a reasonable solution to this problem.

Celina felt a large amount of guilt.

She had no idea. The words just came out of her mouth the moment she saw him.

She knew about Mersa, but somehow... She just had to voice what her heart was shouting out. Was she always this selfish?

Mersa was immersed in deep thought...

Vor-chan...

[Vorst: I’m mine. I’ll never belong to anyone else.]

His voice replayed in her head...

Vor-chan had that unyielding personality...

This green-eyed Vor-chan was different from that gray-eyed one. This one had an unwieldy free nature that refused to bow down to anyone...

Yes, those two were different. He told her so too...

So the old Vor-chan is already gone, huh?

A sadness washed over her again. In a flash, she saw the childish face of the old Vor-chan replayed in her mind. All the serene years they spent together. And...

That last relieved smile in the communication system after the black scorpion incident.

That Vor-chan is gone...

She started to shed tears again...

For the gray-eyed Vor-chan...

This green-eyed Vor-chan...

The one she really fell in love with...

She would have to protect him no matter what.

No matter the cost...

---

A dream...

A white space...

A hazy figure...

A light humanoid figure appeared...

[???: What do you desire?]

[Mersa: ...]

[???: What is your desire?]

[Mersa: Power...]

[???: I can give you power.]

[Mersa: I want more power...]

[???: Do you desire strength?]

[Mersa: Yes...]

[???: Do you desire power?]

[Mersa: Yes...]

[???: Then come here...]

A light humanoid figure stretched out a hand toward her.

Mersa absentmindedly walked toward it...

Step...

No matter the cost...

Step...

In this exchange... Will she lose herself?

Step...

That was fine...

Step...

He... He will have Celina. He can also have Nova.

Step...

It was fine. She was fine with that.

Step...

She could give up her happiness if it would save him...

He already did that for her.

And she arrived there...

She stretched her hand...

GRAB

Another hand grabbed hers.

She immediately tried to pull away...

But it was too strong!

This strength...

However, she immediately stopped resisting...

Because...

When she turned her head...

He was there.

His emerald-like eyes were faintly shining with violet light, his face full of faint killing intent. With a pull, he took her into his embrace.

[???: You... Don’t interfere. She has already chosen.]

With that, a light figure stretched its hand toward her.

Mersa was seemingly pulled toward it, but... but... his embrace was too comfortable... She wanted to stay there... In the end... She still...

[???: (AEGIS)]

A huge white serpent, with a girth surpassing 1 meter, appeared out of nowhere and coiled around them as if to protect them. A golden shine appeared and a scaly, semi-transparent shield created from a strange power was formed. A power that was exerted on Mersa immediately dissipated as if it had never existed.

[???: Aegis, kill.]

A voice full of coldness was released from behind them. The serpent started moving...

[Vorst: Wait, Kaya.]

The serpent stopped.

[Kaya: Humpf.]

An extremely beautiful woman came into Mersa's sight. Her face was cutely distorted in a frown. Vorst's eyes were focused on the blurred figure.

[Vorst: She’s mine. Don’t even think about laying your hands on what’s mine. Next time you try this... You’ll die.]

[???: ...]

With that, the humanoid shape dissipated.

[Kaya: Aegis, come back. Shujin-sama, should we really let it go that easily? It targeted one of our family.]

The white serpent moved toward the woman and mysteriously 'entered' her, disappearing without a trace.

[Vorst: I couldn’t feel any nefarious intention from it, so I let it off the hook this once.]

[Kaya: I see. Next time I will definitely kill it.]

Her jade-like irises held no warmth.

[Vorst: Mer-chan.]

[Mersa: V-vor-chan?]

[Vorst: Mer-chan. If it’s power, I can give you as much as you want, okay?]

[Mersa: Okay...]

She calmly nodded. She felt safe in his arms; this... she had to admit she didn’t want to let go.

[Vorst: I need to go. I can’t stay in this place too long.]

With that, she reluctantly separated herself from his embrace, but she was troubled over another matter...

[Mersa: V-vor-chan! W-who is that woman?]

A smile appeared on the woman’s face. Her vertical slit pupils sent Mersa a warm gaze. Her attitude was the complete opposite of a moment ago. She was extremely friendly toward her.

[Vorst: ... She’s... my lover.]

SHOCK

[Mersa: L-L-Lover?]

[Kaya: Hehe, Mer-chan, we need to discuss a lot of things. Come to Marc’s... Vorst’s place, okay?]

[Mersa: O-Okay...]