this is just a book im reading and need the audio function! so dont waste time here im already in chapte 55 or something

Naomi turns quickly, with one of her hands behind her back.
"Alexandria! What a surprise to see you here!" she says nervously.

'I should do something'
"Hello, Naomi. I didn't expect to see you here either..."
"It's a bookstore, I come all the time! Hehe..." she lets out a nervous laugh.
...
"You didn't come to see Elin?"
"Eeeh... Yeah, that too!"

...

"And... which books do you like?" I ask to break the silence.
"Eh... well..." she starts turning everywhere.
"Come on, Alex, you should keep ordering the books" Elin grabs me by the shoulders and starts to move me in the opposite direction.

"But you're the one who works here!" I say angrily.
"Do it as a favor, yes? I'll give it back later"
"But I wanted-"
Before Naomi leaves my sight, I turn to her:
"Naomi, I would like us to... to be friends..."
Elin stops pushing me.

Both Elin and Naomi are speechless.
...

"Alexandria... Of course! But it's kind of weird that you ask for it that way" Naomi responds happily.

I can't help smiling. It's as if it removed a weight from me.

"Thank you! By the way, why do you have your hand behind your back?" I ask.
"Eeeh! It's just... my back hurts!" she grows nervous again.
"Really? It happened to me once, but Xenon's ointment makes magic-"
I stop talking.

'Oh no... I forgot that nobody knows about Xenon. But maybe she thinks it's the name of some brand-'
"Alex? You're good? You went pale in a second" Elin tells me.
'Isn't she nervous about what I said? I should try to get out of this...'

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was saying that Xenon is a very well-known brand... I tried it and it removes the pain as if it were magic... It's not that it's real magic, it's just an expression!"
"Alex, Nao knows about Xenon" Elin says.
"Sorry, I didn't want to-! What?"
"Yes, she also uses magic"

...

"Whaaaaaat! Why didn't you tell me before!"
"I forgot" Elin responds without shame.
"And I was saying all those nonsense..."
"Sorry, it took me a while to catch what you were saying. I thought you were going crazy"
"I hope not... Naomi, do you already know that I am xenon?"

"Yes, Elin told me everything"
"What a relief. What do you think about my magic?"
"Elin told me you still don't know how to use it. That's why I offered to help you"
"Seriously? I didn't know"
"Elin didn't tell you?"
"Whoops, I forgot it too"
'She has no shame! But, it seems she hasn't told her about my fusion... Why?'

"Alex, could you keep ordering the books?" this time, she asks me with a serious tone.
"Sure…"
I turn around and start to walk to the other side of the store.

"Goodbye, Alexandria! Talk to you soon!" Naomi says goodbye to me.
"Yes... Good- goodbye" I say goodbye with a smile.

I get to the books and I keep ordering them.

'I didn't expect Naomi to also use magic... Was she born in Xenon? What magic does she use?'
...
'Why does she know how to use magic? Elin doesn't trust her? Aaah... so many questions...'
*ding*

'She's gone'
Elin comes to me.

"I should start taking notes..." Elin says ashamed.
"Elin... didn't you tell her about my fusion?"
"No. I don't want to involve more people in this. Not her"
"..."
'She's right. I hope it ends soon...'

"Well, I'll go to the bathroom. If someone wants to buy something, tell them to wait a little"
"What? No way! You can close for five minutes-"
"Alex. Try"

...
"Okay"

Elin goes to the bathroom and I'm left alone.

After a minute, I finish ordering the books.
'I will look for something else to read'

I look through several books and novels again.
'This could be-'
*ding*

*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*
'Oh no, it's a girl... I hope she doesn't buy before Elin comes back...'
I keep flipping through the books, trying to look busy.

'Hurry Elin! Hey? Where is she?'
I lost the girl from my sight.

'She's gone-?'
"Excuse me-"
"Aaah!"
*ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum* *ba-dum*

'Do they want to kill me from a heart attack?'
"Sorry, I didn't want to scare you!"
"I'm fine-"
'Woah... She's really-'

"Do you work here?" she asks me.
"N- no. She will come back in a minute..."
"Oh, it's fine. Could you help me?"
"Eh?"
"It's a bit embarrassing, but I've never read a book and I want to start doing it. Could you recommend something to me?"
"Recommend you... something?"
"Yes. If it helps you, I really like fantasy, war or medieval anime. Something of romance wouldn't be bad"

'Fantasy, war, medieval, romance... I got it!'
I go to the other side of the store without saying anything.
"Hey? Should I follow you?" she asks me, but I'm very distracted in my thoughts to respond.

I reach a shelf and start looking.
'I'm sure I saw it around here...'
"Excuse me, I don't know if I should-"
"Here it is!" I shout when I find the book.

I turn around and show her the book.
"This was one of the first books I finished. It has everything you mentioned so you should like it. The first volumes are perfect to start reading and as you go they become more complicated, but they are my favorites" I say without thinking.

"..." the girl stares at me.
"Ah! I- I'm sorry, I got carried away!"
"You talked about it very excited. You must like it very much, right?"
"Y- yes..."
"I wish I had your same feeling... Well, I'll take this one"
"Really?"

We approach the counter to wait for Elin.

"What's your name?" she asks me.
"A- Alexandria..."
"Nice to meet you, Alexandria. My name is Miu"
'Miu...'

"I've never seen you around here. You are new?"
"Yes, I arrived a few days ago..."
"I see. Are you in a school?"
"No... I still don't know if I'll enter one..."
"Really? You should decide soon, the registration ends in three weeks-"
"Sorry I took so long!"

Elin comes back and goes to the counter.
"Will you buy or rent the book?" Elin asks Miu.
"She convinced me to buy it" Miu responds, referring to me.
"Very well, I just need- What? Did she convince you?"
"Yes, you can tell she loves books"
"Y-yes. Here is the book. It includes a bookmark as a gift..." Elin surprised to hear that.

"Thank you. Alexandria, I'll be back when I finish this book. I hope to see you again"
"Of- of course..."
"See you!"
"B- bye..." I say goodbye, without completely understanding what happened.

*ding*

"Elin, you took a lot. I almost died of a... Elin? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Alex. Tell me your secrets. Now"
"You're scary!"

No one else entered the bookstore during the last hour and we returned home just past noon.

*breathing* *breathing*
"We're back!" Elin shouts as she enters the house.
"Idiot, I told you to heal me!" Dai is yelling in his room.
"Dai, as friendly as always- Alex? What are you doing?"

I'm lying on the floor.
"*breathing* I am... *breathing* fine..."
"At least do it inside the house. When was the last time you exercised?"
"A week ago…"
"It's not been long... Well, come in and eat something"

I get up and go into the house. We eat something to satiate the appetite and Elin goes out to see Naomi, while I stay at home, reading Asil's books.
The afternoon passes and the sky begins to darken.

"I'm home! I bring food" Kuno shouts.
'Hm?'
*growl*
'I'm hungry!'

I run downstairs.
"Can we already eat?"
"Hm? We should wait for- "
*growl*
"Your stomach speaks for you..."

I sit at the table and Kuno puts something in the microwave.
*blip* *blip* *blip* *bliiiiip*

Kuno sits and rests his elbows on the table.
"Alex. I have to tell you something"
"Yes?"
"I have to tell you…"
"..."
"I have to tell you that…"
*drink*

"Your pancakes were delicious!"
"Eh?"
"You really know how to cook!"
"Eh... well... thanks... but I think you exaggerate crying"
"Not at all! You should-"
"Foood!" Dai is going downstairs yelling with a monstrous voice.
"Don't yell!"
'...'

"You bought something?" Dai asks Kuno.
"Yes. Ramen"
"Oh yeah!"
'Is this a déjà vu?'

*click*
Elin enters through the door.
"I'm home-! Oh, you're here-"
"Kuno bought Ramen!" Dai shouts to Elin.
"Oh yeah!"
'Definitely a déjà vu...'

We eat ramen as parasites.

"Aaah... Even if it's instant ramen, it was delicious..." Elin says, about to explode.
"Yes! Ah, since today was my turn to cook, I will wash the dishes"
"That's fine with me!" Dai says and runs off to his room.

"Very well. I have to do... doooo... something" Elin also runs upstairs.
"They can run being that full?"
"Don't worry, I'll help you" Kuno says to me.
"It's not necessary... I didn't help you..."
"This way we'll finish much faster"
"Okay…"

I pick up the dishes and put them in the sink.
I open the tap and start to wash them.
"By the way, Alex- What!"

I wash the dishes at a superhuman speed.
"Yes?"
"How- how is that...?"
"Oh, I have a lot of practice because dad always made me wash them, but it doesn't compare to your speed"

"Yes... I was going to ask you, did you practice today?"
"Eeeeh... no... But I was reading Asil's books all afternoon"
"All right. Do you have any question?"
"Actually yes"

I walk away from the sink and Kuno continues to wash them.
'Amazing!'

"I read that Energy is directly related to your physical health"
"So is"
"Is that why I get tired so easily?"
"Hm?"

"I only walked for 30 minutes and was about to faint. The book said that the more energy you want to use, the more resistance you need"
"Yes. The power of your Energy depends on your strength. And the amount depends on your resistance"
"It also said that the more magic or elements are used at the same time, the more energy you need"
"Oh! I understand what you mean. It is logical that you need a lot of Energy to use your fusion, since it uses all the elements. Also, the times you have used it have been totally out of control, it may have affected your body"
"Yes…"

"Then, tomorrow we will start with Kuno's special training!"
"Huh?"

Thank you for coming to my novel!

This is the old version! Please check the "Re-release" chapter to find the new one!

Elin leaned forward and hummed. "Where are you from Nori?"

Shit. She's suspicious, isn't she? Damn it!

I turned to face her, forcing myself to meet her eyes as I smirked. "Like I said, I'm from far off lands."

Like the many times I trolled her whenever she asked me this question—though the timing this time was awfully uncanny—she huffed in annoyance and folded her arms.

Moving my hands from my back, using my body to hide the act of taking something out of the Inventory, I tapped the basket lightly over her head. Making a sound of amusement when she gave me this disgruntled look, I waved the basket in front of her until she unfolded her arms.

"Here," I started as I handed her a package of takeaway, "in return for one of the many meals you've given me the past few weeks."

"You would probably die from forgetting to eat otherwise and I do not want to clean up a corpse," Elin brutally snarked before she looked at the contents with a thoughtful frown. Then she looked at me in curiosity. "I never met someone who liked the company of books more than myself before you, Nori."

I sat on the table while Elin took out a cake and started nibbling on it.

Well, I had the incentive to read all those books. Partially because the organization of information on magic was still horrific compared to other subjects. It was obvious that magic, as a specialization, was still very much a master-student art. A majority of the books and papers in the archive were personal journals and notes either found or donated from wills.

The lack of standardization was annoying but expected. After all, one could basically do anything with mana if they had the control and power to do so. If there was an idea, magic can somehow manage it if only the user can pull together the right formula for the results they wanted. 

I haven't actually experimented too much just yet. The grimoire granted me a rather exhaustive compilation of everything I read and, even if it was automatically organized, I still would need to go through the information again before I started messing around with the lab part of the Grimoire menu. The most I did was break down the wind drake's breath attack—it was one of the components from there that I used to cut those apples earlier.

"So who was the other man? I don't think he's one of the regulars or am I wrong?" there was a possible chance, since I spent more time in the magic section than the area Elin tended to haunt.

"No, you're not wrong. He was one of the members that came here for the Conference from the south. The group he's part of rushed to Crown City when their King went missing. Have you heard of Arend Raske?"

Brows having furrowed overhearing another missing person that was a VIP, I glanced at Elin when she asked me a question. "Oh, that guy? The self-declared Hero-King?"

Elin rolled her eyes. "Not self-declared anymore, though I admit he did call himself a hero before he became one on record. He defeated the kraken that was terrorizing the southern coasts which was also why be became a King."

"Yeah, yeah, I know what happened."

"Well, since King Raske is missing, that man was asking as to the protocol and laws that may be involved in this case. The coastal city King Raske ruled does fall under the Westrian Alliance Agreements and Crown City keeps all the various laws in order. Apparently, their archives are a mess."

I smirked as the young woman had the most offended sneer on her face, half-ruined by the fact she had a smear of sauce on the corner of her lips from food. 

What she didn't point out was that the Westrian Alliance Agreements actually had clauses so the individual races could police themselves as long as they upheld certain standards. It was probably why Shamaness Verk being missing still wasn't being circulated through the academic grapevine just yet.

"Anyway, enjoy your lunch, I'm going back to my research!"

"Get some sleep!" she only returned.

The amusement from the conversation with Elin soon left my system as I headed back to the magical archives.

I recalled what Ing said about Verk Unodhim's disappearance. That she went missing because of a 'cosmic phenomena' which I understood a bit more now with all the reading about mana and different magic systems. It also made me wonder if Ing might have guessed something about my origins.

Now, Arend Raske, the most famous man in Westria, was missing too?

There might be different reasons that a King might suddenly disappear but let's set aside the potential political maneuverings and subterfuge for a moment. If Arend Raske had also disappeared through a cosmic phenomenon…

And the only possible method I found as to how I found myself waking up in Gaellia was also 'cosmic'-level in the weeks I've searched.

'Hey, Thirty-Seven?'

[Yes?]

'Do you have any siblings wandering around Gaellia?'

I felt the AI's confusion. The emotion was probably over the concept of having "siblings" at all, I would guess. [Siblings? I… Well, there are a number of other foreigners to this world wandering around, if that is what you're asking, Nori.]

Somehow, I'm not that surprised. 'I knew it,' I sighed.

He was called Program N-37. I did not forget that. That it was "37" implied there were other versions or that there were more of them, as if from a model line.

So, I was not surprised I was not special (would be rather egotistic of me to think so, really) in the world-traveling sense. 

As to why a number of aliens to this world was here, bonded with AIs? My partner said he was tasked with keeping the Gaellia from destruction.

Me?

Gaellia was fine at the moment. The others probably could handle whatever problem it is.

It was best to just lie low for now.

With this decision, I returned to what I've been doing the past month: reading.

Time passed…

…

…

"Hey," I muttered as I stared at the book I just closed and then looked around me. 

Read that. Nope, read that too. Read. Read. Read—

"D-did I just run out of things to read?" I asked myself in disbelief.

It hasn't been that long. How did I go through the Library's entire stock of books already?

"What?" Elin sounded incredulous. She walked over to a shelf, grabbed a random book, and asked, "Have you read this?"

"Yes."

"But do you know—"

"One of the sections that stood out was Inheritance Rights. Or, actually, the lack of it. Most people try to dispute disagreements using higher authorities and they make decisions but, technically, what they are doing are not mandates but suggestions. This rather nebulous lawlessness is because of the Eastern Kingdoms' influence."

"..."

"..."

"You can still read the content of the other archives."

"Yes, I suppose I can."

But I was only allowed an hour's access a day! 

What am I going to do now? I suddenly found my schedule completely free.

[Nori.]

'What is it, Thirty-Seven?'

[You can always do the Quest that has been waiting.] 

At the same time, the Quest Menu lights up and pops open by itself. The HUD had gone through several upgrades thanks to the AI's own studying.

'I told you, Thirty-Seven I—'

My eyes caught the reward for completion and I stopped mid-sentence.

Fiction from Earth.

Yo. Name's Nori. I'm just an ordinary twenty-year-old university student—really—that woke up transported to this world called Gaellia one day. On my first day, I find myself thrown in jail and met my partner that will travel with me: an AI that I have a telepathic bond with.

[Nori, there are monsters attacking the city.]

Not my problem.

"Big Sis! I bought this dress for you!"

"Bro! Let's head to the gate to see who would get a higher kill count!"

[Nori, if you do this mission, you can read 50,000 words of a new title—]

Ah! Alright already, I get it!


**On hiatus for volume compilation**
***Volume Two being roughed out***
{Note: Written in 1st Person POV. Nori is nonbinary. Romance-free for Nori but lots of misunderstandings happen.}

After a long time, Felina and Link finally stopped at a plaza right outside a small town at the foot of the Holy Mountain.　
"This is Creekwood Village. Link, please rest here for the moment. I have to report to the queen before I can bring you into the Dragon Temple," Felina said apologetically.
Link did not mind this at all. He nodded as he said, "Not a problem."
The other party was the Red Dragon Queen. There was naturally a procedure one needed to follow before they could have a presence with this dignified being. Every player had to go through this waiting process in the game as well.
"When you reach the inn, tell them that you are a guest of the queen. All your living expenses here will be covered by my race," Felina explained to Link.　
The Dragon Valley was extremely huge and housed many races, though the Dragon race was the dominating one in the area.　　
There were still many other races under the rule of the dragon race, such as humans, the elves, and a few Yabbas. Most of these people had some dragon blood in their veins, making them a mixed descendent of the dragon race. They were mainly in charge of providing services to the pure-blooded dragons and in return, the pure-blooded dragons would ensure their safety.
This was somewhat similar to how kingdoms worked in the human race.　　
"How long would it take?" Link asked.
"Around two days," Felina replied.　
"I understand."
After Felina settled Link's lodging issues, she turned into her human form and called for a carriage in Creekwood Town. She then boarded the carriage and took the winding road up the mountains towards the Dragon Temple.
Link then headed towards the Inn.
As most of the residents here had dragon blood flowing in their veins, they were generally tall and well-built. The guys were all more than six feet in height while the females were at least 5'5''. They looked well-groomed and revitalized as they strolled down the streets in their high-quality clothing. The situation here was a lot better than the human kingdoms.　
As Link walked on the streets, many people greeted him warmly. Link smiled and returned the pleasantries in kind.　
The Inn in Creekwood Town was called the Night of the Dragon Inn. It had a distinctive architecture. The entire Inn was shaped like a dragon in slumber, with the door being the mouth of the dragon. The moment Link walked into the Inn and mentioned that he was the queen's guest, he was immediately treated with great respect and hospitality.
The servant then led Link to his room as he said, "My lord, this way, please. We have prepared the best room for both you and your friends."
Link followed behind this servant and quickly reached the third floor of the Inn. The decorations here were clearly more exquisite than the previous two floors. The ground was made from polished, smooth oak as the faint fragrance of wood lingered in the air. The right amount of sunlight also graced the area, giving it the appropriate illumination without it being too glaring or warm. It was indeed a comfortable place.　　　
As the two of them passed a door, this door suddenly sprung open. A small figure not taller than 3'6" emerged from the room as a servant followed behind.
The servant's voice could be heard, "Ma'am, I really want to help you, but this is out of my league."
"No, don't get me wrong. I am not blaming the Inn, but the entire Dragon Valley! You are simply wasting my time. I have to meet the Red Dragon Queen now! You must know that I have been here for more than a week!" The voice was crisp though clearly filled with anger and impatience. The small figure jumped around as she spoke, obviously infuriated.
Link walked over and saw a familiar face. He said in a surprised tone, "Elin, why are you here?"　
This infuriated little figure was none other than Lady Fortuna Elin.　
She shouted in rage before she saw Link, unleashing all the pent-up frustration within her, "Why can't I be here! Oh…Link, why are you here?"
She was just about to get into an argument with this unruly stranger when she was Link. She immediately swallowed her anger and words.　
"I received an invitation from the Red Dragon Queen; I believe you are here for the same reason?" Link smiled as he explained. This small figure was truly amusing, especially when she was enraged. Her round cheeks would be bloated and flushed as her pair of huge eyes sparkled menacingly. One could not help but want to pinch her cheeks upon seeing this adorable expression.
The moment Link mentioned this issue, Elin erupted once again. She said, "Yes, that is totally true. I was invited as well. However, they simply left me here after I got to the Dragon Valley. Let's not talk about the queen; I have not even seen a single high-ranking dragon race the entire time. They did not even send a messenger down to relay any information! What kind of treatment is this?"
Link was startled by this news as he turned to the servant and asked, "Which is my room?"
"It's just beside this lady." The servant was clearly afraid of Elin as he kept his distance away from her.　
"You can leave after giving me the key."
"No problem." The servant handed the key over to Link before he scurried off hastily.　
Elin then stared at the submissive servant beside her and said, "You may leave as well. I cannot contain my anger seeing the likes of you!"
The servant felt as though he was released from the chains of hell and quickly made his escape.
Elin took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before saying, "Link, please come in."
Elin's room was spacious and kept extremely tidy. There was a living room filled with all the basic necessities.
Elin closed the door and handed a glass of water over to Link. She then threw herself onto a couch. Her anger had pretty much subsided as she explained, "I arrived around a week ago. The young dragon race who escorted me said that I would be able to see the queen in less than two days. However, a whole week has passed, and nothing has happened! How infuriating, I still have many things to do back in my hometown."　
Link asked with a worried expression, "Do you think something might have happened　
"I suspected that as well, though I have never pried into the matter…This is so troubling! Hm? The girl beside you don't seem like a human?"
Elin's brain was truly a wonder. She was still worried about the issue of the Dragon Valley just a moment ago, and in mere seconds, her attention was now completely on Nana.
Link stared at Nana and smiled as he said, "She is my magic puppet. Her name is Nana, and she doubles up as my bodyguard."
"Nana? Magic puppet? She looked exquisitely crafted. I did not realize she was man-made at first glance. However, she shouldn't be too strong with such adorable looks," Elin circled Nana as she said.　
Link the smiled as he said, "Well, that might not be the case. Look at you; my little fellow is already a Level-7 Magician."　　
"Don't call me a little fellow!" Elin attempted to cast a ferocious glance at Link though she failed terribly at it. She then quickly got back to the main topic as she said, "I need to see the Red Dragon Queen urgently. I have a feeling that something terrible is going to happen in the Dragon Temple."
Link was startled upon hearing Elin's words. Elin was the Lady Fortuna, and she was known to possess extremely sharp intuition. This was a gift and something unattainable by anyone else. If she had a bad premonition about the Dragon Temple, something bad must have happened.　
"We are not that far away from the Dragon Temple; did you make a trip down to ask?" Link asked.　
"Of course, I did. But the entrance was heavily guarded by the Dragon Warriors. They did not allow me to enter the Dragon Temple. Oh, how troubling. I want to return to Lariel right now, but without a dragon escort, I won't be able to leave!" Elin braided her hair as she spoke. She then tugged at her braids as her short legs flailed around. She was clearly distressed.
Link was troubled as well.
Felina brought him across a thick layer of mist before they reached the Dragon Valley. Felina took a full ten minutes even with her breakneck speed. This could only mean that the mist was extremely thick.
As Link had played the game, he also knew that the Dragon Valley was protected by a layer of Spatial Maze. The mist was not an ordinary one; there were many folded dimensions compressed within that could confound even a Legendary Magician.
Therefore, Link was trapped as well.
"Felina would not leave me alone, right?" Link could only hope that Felina would not go back on her words.　
After some thought, he asked, "I've heard that the dragon race had invited all the prodigies from the different races. Is there anyone else apart from the both of us?"　
"All the prodigies? Did they? Perhaps, but not everyone is as easy-going as me and arriving upon their request. I was the only one before you arrived. Maybe the rest have not reached the Dragon Valley."
That was possible.
Link had no other ideas after some thought, though he did bring many magic books along which could probably relieve his boredom. He then returned to his room after a short conversation with Elin, leaving Nana to accompany her upon her request.
Following which, he returned to his room and took a short rest before he continued to read his three magic books of fire.　
No matter what happened within the Dragon Temple, he had to first gain more power.　
The moment Link started delving into the world of magic, he would completely neglect his surroundings. Time passed quickly, and it did not take long for him to lose track of time.
Elin seemed to be in a better mood after having Nana beside her. She appeared to have called for Link a few times and gave up after several futile attempts. In essence, he was freed from distractions for a few days.　
One evening, after simulating the spell through the in-game system, Link had successfully mastered a Demon Slayer spell.　　
This was a Level-8 spell and was extremely strong. It was also not affected by the Elemental Rejection status. However, the duration of the spell was short-lived as it was only the most basic and weakest version. It was still not enhanced by any Supreme Magic Skills. 　　
Link was still confused over the theories within the Essence of the Flame, though he had made some progress with the book. While engrossed in his magic research, he had already spent ten days in the Dragon Valley.
Felina indeed went back on her words and cut off all contact. This was weird.　
After washing up and enjoying a meal the servant brought him, Link went to find Elin. He knocked on her door, and before long, the door opened.
Link was horrified upon seeing her complexion. Elin was a far cry from her usual cheerful and hyperactive state. She was extremely disheveled, and two huge dark circles could be seen on her face. The moment she saw Link, she feebly said, "You remembered me at long last—let me tell you, the Dragon Temple is in a crisis."
"Crisis? But I felt nothing, Creekwood Town feels perfectly normal," Link said as he laid his hands out helplessly.
Even with Isendilan's betrayal, the Dragon Temple had never fallen into darkness in the game. Would something change in this timeline?　
Elin smiled bitterly as she said, "Link, come in. I will bring you to the Soul Realm, and you can see for yourself."


Link was the top Archmage in the entire server. He had just defeated the strongest boss, the Lord of The Deep, Nozama with his party. However, instead of going back to town, he was transported to a secret location with pixelated CG. 

It sort of felt like a vacuum, and within it came a glorious and commanding voice that calls himself the God of Light. 

"Link, would you be willing to be the saviour who will pull the World of Firuman out from the churning abyss?"

What a huge mission! If it was in the real world, Link would have rejected it immediately. However, he was bent on being the hero in game.

"Bring it on!" Link answered confidently.

"Then, best of luck." 

And so begin Link's journey of magic, friendship, betrayal, love and despair in the ever changing World of Firuman.

Yan Xiaosu and Jasper walked over. Old Yan, as the elder of the family, had walked over to the groom's guests and started to entertain them. When he turned back and saw his son's mature looks while standing on the stage waiting, he suddenly had the feeling that his son had finally grown up.
At this moment, a figure walked to the front of the ceremony stage. He patted Jasper and said, "Friend, do you mind giving up this position? This position is mine."
Jasper almost jumped up. D*mn. Which blind man dares to offend me? If I don't teach him a lesson…
However, Yan Xiaosu, who was beside him, jumped up before him. "Boss? Why are you here?"
"Do you think that by acting first and informing me later I couldn't be here? I'm going to snatch this limelight no matter what. I heard that the bridesmaids are all beauties. Is that true? Where are they?" Wang Zheng hugged Yan Xiaosu tightly and hammered on his shoulders heavily. "Not bad. You do look like something after dressing up."
Not far away, Ye Zisu was smiling but wasn't saying a word. The wedding had been organized by her. When she heard about Wang Zheng, she was also shocked. To be able to travel here in three days was simply unbelievable. However… when she saw the Princess ship, she wasn't that surprised anymore.
"Hey, Bro, lend me your clothes for a while."
Jasper had already realized who the other party was. Without saying another word, he removed his clothes and left. Oh, damn. The final Boss was here. One could really not tell from his looks. He looked just like a student. However, a highly capable person was still a highly capable person. Looking across the entire Milky Way Alliance, how many people could reach the Moon from Roland Garros within three days?
"Wang Zheng?"
Yan father was a little surprised too. Didn't he say that he was in Roland Garros and couldn't make it back? This wasn't like rushing from the Earth to the Moon.
However, those below the stage were even less clear about the situation. Who was this dude?
"There are even people fighting to be the best man?"
Everyone knew about Jasper. He was a super new star of the Tadinger Financial Organisation. With him as the best man, this simple wedding still had that little class to speak of. Frankly speaking, the Yan family was too stingy. Even if these were the views of the bride, did they have to be so dull? Even the emcee of the ceremony was a nobody.
Now it was getting interesting. Jasper was surprisingly chased off the stage. Or rather, Jasper was not willing to be the best man anymore?
"Hehe, looking at his age, he should be Yan Xiaosu's ex-classmate. He's still a teenager after all. Who doesn't have a best friend? Completely understandable."
Luckily, the qualities of those friends and relatives that were invited were either not bad or they had relatively deeper cooperation with the Yan family. Everyone was interested in getting on the good books of the Yan family. In this occasion, there were multiple people who were trying to put in good words for the Yan family.
However, the guests that Cren Wellington had invited weren't that courteous. "Isn't this too much? Jasper was chased off the stage! Who does that brat think he is? What kind of occasion is this?"
Yuri shook his head. The Yan family was a little too reckless.
At this moment, the door to the hall was pushed open. At the same time, the wedding music from the piano sounded. Zhao Elin, with her father holding on to her, was walking step by step towards the emcee through the red carpet. The bridesmaids were following behind and helping to hold on to the long wedding dress. Some children who were dressed as angels were full of smiles and scattering flowers at both sides.
Yan Xiaosu's heart started thumping vigorously. In an instant, there was only Zhao Elin left in his vision.
Applause sounded. Yan Xiaosu went down on one knee and took Zhao Elin over from his father-in-law. This was the custom of the Moon, signifying that the bride's protection would be handed over to another man from this moment onwards.
The music of the wedding march paused for a moment as Yan Xiaosu and Zhao Elin walked to the front of the priest. In accordance to the church's rituals of Zhao Elin's faith, both of them pressed their hands on the bible. Under the witness of God, they made a sacred vow between husband and wife.
In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to be loyal to each other from this day onwards, till death do us part.
"Wherever you go, I will follow. Your country is my country, your God is my God."
Under the prayers from the priest, in the name of God, exchanging rings symbolized the handing over of one's most treasured love to each other.
Ye Zisu was looking at this scene infatuatedly from a short distance. Beside her was Wang Zheng, who was taking on the role of the best man. They were responsible to pass the ring to the groom and bride respectively. Within such an atmosphere, the strange, amazing feeling made one feel a little dizzy.
"With the authority bestowed to me by God, I announce Yan Xiaosu and Zhao Elin as a couple now. A couple that was decided by God shall never be torn apart."
With the final announcement from the priest, the ceremony was completed.
Yan Xiaosu was still feeling a little numb. He held on tightly to Zhao Elin's hand and returned to the host table.
The wedding proceeded to the banquet segment.
Everyone started to eat something, and they were free to go up the stage to give their impromptu wishes.
The whole wedding was indeed a little simple and casual, without many restrictions. However, man is a strange creature. If it was too grand, it would feel like showing off. If it was simple, it would be not giving it enough respect. Obviously, this wasn't what the Zhao family was thinking, and it wasn't the thoughts of Wellington. He knew clearly that this was the request of Elin. The way Yan Xiaosu treated his niece was great beyond any words. However, the people he had invited were mumbling around. They believed that the Yan family had looked down on the Zhao family and therefore had been so "casual".
Wellington was starting to feel regret. Why had he invited his business partners along? However, at this moment, he couldn't say much. An explanation would be equivalent to covering up. He only hoped that this group of people wouldn't cause a fuss.
Ye Zisu was the first to go on the stage. The Missy of OMG was one of the most well-known people in the Solar System currently and was one of Yan Xiaosu's best friends.
"First, I'm envious of you two. For a girl, finding her other half is the most important thing in her life. I have not known Elin for a long time, but we hit off well since the first meeting. She is the kindest girl in this world. Her heart and soul are as pure as the Moon seen from Earth. If I was a man here today, I wouldn't necessarily be standing here to give my wishes but to snatch the bride… Elin, Yan Xiaosu has been my classmate since high school. We know each other very well. When he told me that he was getting married, what I said to him at that moment was if he had gotten the dates wrong. Today isn't the first of April. After which, he talked to me about you. His expression at that moment, I can still vividly remember it till this day. To be able take you as his wife is his greatest luck. Today, you two will be the most blessed people in the entire world."
Below the stage, the applause was thunderous. For the external people, the speech wasn't important. What was important was if the one giving the speech had enough weight. They finally saw someone with enough weight. Zhao Zhe was feeling a little regretful too. He had not considered too little. Old Yan wanting to have a grand wedding was also in consideration for their respect. After all, those relatives of his weren't that unperturbed, although they didn't say it out loud. It seemed as though the Zhao family wasn't respecting them. However, after thinking about it, as long as Elin had a good life, it would be enough. Why did he have to pay attention to what others felt?
Wang Zheng applauded with all smiles. "Zisu, you are really beautiful today."
Ye Zisu smiled like a hundred flowers blooming. "Really? I thought that you have always seen me as a man."
Wang Zheng rubbed his nose, feeling embarrassed. "Is it okay if you don't tease me today?"
"Aren't you going up to say something?"
"Forget it. You know that I'm not good at this. However, I did prepare a surprise." Wang Zheng smiled mysteriously. This made Ye Zisu's heart start to thump. What preparations had Wang Zheng made that could be considered a surprise?
Based on the wedding customs on the Moon, it was the performance time at this moment. After one had given a speech, there should be a performance. For an average family on the Moon, it would be by their family members or close friends. For the upper class people, they would invite stars on stage. At this moment, among the guests, there were some who had drank some alcohol and started to shout excitedly for the performance.
… Zhao Youxiong was a little nervous holding on to his violin in his hands. In a while, he would be going on stage for a performance. In his heart, he was muttering, Oh, Brother-in-law, there's no one who cons their nephew this way. It is okay if you didn't invite any stars. However, why do you want me, the only nephew, to fill up the spot? My violin play is amateurish. Forget it, to get on the good books of Brother-in-law, I will just press on. If I embarrass myself, so be it. After all, I'm still a kid. Everyone would only feel livelier and happier this way.
At this moment, several heads popped up at the main door while waving their hands and legs at Zhao Youxiong. They were all classmates from the same class that he had invited and were his closest friends. He would be performing two segments today. One of them was violin, while the other would be a magic performance together with these few friends of his
Zhao Youxiong immediately walked over. "Where have you been? It's going to start soon. Don't fail me at the critical moment. This is a great opportunity for me to perform in front of Brother-in-law!"
"Youxiong, d*mn. Our luck isn't that great today. It wasn't just your sister getting married in this place today. Guess who else is here?" said a small, handsome guy.


He received a genetic score of 28... completely disqualifying him from applying to military college!
He helped deliver a friend's love letter... and fell into a lake becoming infamous for dying for love!
His very first gift... warped him into a brutal training simulation!
However he perserved through all these trials! Our Dear Student Wang Zheng has finally started his lucky(?) university life!
This is the song of a blood boiling and exciting storm! The most ferocious and heated mecha adventure around is finally here!
TL Note: This is a novel about doing the impossible, seeing the invisible. Follow along for a ride across the universe!
TL;DR: Not Shakespeare, not complex, but fun and easy to read. Come support! 
As the translator, I've enjoyed translating this novel and I hope to bring the essence of what the author has tried to portray into the chapters you will read.
To sum it up in 3 words: Mechs! Explosions! Science!
To be perfectly honest, this novel is about your typically overpowered protagonist who does get looked down from time to time but always overcomes the odds with his own special power. He's abit more mature having grown up on his own and just a littttttttle bit dense.
Although it always ends up with him winning, it always happens in an interesting (subjective) and fun way that makes me enjoy reading this.
The novel has elements of lighthearted comedy from time to time and I do chuckle at how direct the humor is.
It's not as smart as say WMW nor does it weave an intricate story much like Ergen's novels. More importantly, its fun and it doesn't try to hide it.


The night was about to arrive. What remained of the dying sun got through the window and faded with the curtains inside the room. Alexandria laid upside down over the bed; her legs moved back and forth, while her arms served as the support for her torso and her hands gripped a book about Energy in front of her 

Two weeks had passed since the admission test. Everyone else rested in their rooms, except for Elin, who went out with Naomi and her friends. Alexandria was invited, but she decided to stay at home to practice and study more—and because she was scared of meeting more people.

Her relaxation was soon interrupted by the doorbell. She didn't have to go, as Daina was there, so she tried to focus back on reading. But a call for her name halted the peacefulness once again: "Alex! It's here!" Daina's voice barely traveled through the walls. It was enough for Alexandria to throw the book away, jump out of the bed and run downstairs.

She arrived at the empty hallway and went straight to the living room. Daina stood there, leaving something over the coffee table. As Alexandria got closer, her heart pounded more and more. "Go ahead," Daina said.

Alexandria stared at the rectangular box, spread from top to bottom over the table. Her hand caressed the smooth wood and her fingers sank into an engravement, a symbol in the very center; a thick outline of an upside-down triangle that surrounded three short lines which originated from each angle and directed to the center, where another triangle fitted in with three strange fins coming out of each side.

Her jaw dropped. Daina giggled with a wide smile. "Open it," she said. Alexandria's breathing accelerated, her hand slowly moved to the right side, where two locks kept the content safe inside. Her fingers pulled them up until they clicked, and the top could be lifted to turn the left.

It was there. Apart from books and what looked like gifts, what she was told days before and what she waited for all her life was there: the uniform. Alexandria quickly lifted the transparent plastic bag and ripped it apart, to finally see what she was going to wear. Her mind told her to try it now, but doing it before classes could be embarrassing.


Nevertheless, the weekend vanished in two blinks. Daina drove below the twilight of the sunrise. Kuno seated on the passenger seat and Alexandria, Dai, and Elin seated on the back. Alexandria was closer to the window, based on past experiences. She grabbed her knees and focused on her breathing, while everyone else looked excited—except for Dai, who had a dull expression.

They arrived just as the sky became orange. Everyone got off the car and Daina waved at them as she drove away from the parking lot. The four of them walked together over the entrance path. Alexandria walked behind them.

"Are you ready for the first day of class?" Elin asked Alexandria.

"Yes, I am!" Alexandria shouted in a broken voice.

"But now we have to go to the welcome ceremony," Kuno said. "Oh, I forgot about that," Elin said.

"You didn't look as alive when you saw your results," Dai said. Alexandria limited to pout.

Half an hour passed. The sky was already blue. Endless students reunited on the grass of the yard, filling it entirely. Everyone stood still in lines with little space between, looking forward to the forum, and they talked between each other—only that could be heard. 

Alexandria stood between Dai and Elin, trying to get used to her uniform: a white, button shirt, a dark-purple ribbon on the neck, a dark-gray skirt that covered most of her thighs, black, knee-long socks, and black, slip shoes.

Kuno wasn't anywhere near, as he was one year above. Elin talked with Naomi and her friends—Aiko and Riyu. Alexandria and Dai stayed silent; Alexandria rubbed her hands, trying to think of a conversation, but Dai was dull as always. "Hey, Dai—" Alexandria said. But Dai stopped her: "Shh. It's about to start."

The whole yard suddenly became silent. Another student walked up the forum, and murmurs began to sound.

"Good morning, fellow students," the student on the forum said to a microphone, and speakers amplified his voice over the air. "Welcome to Lilynn High School. One of the best, three-lines rating Xenon school."

"Three-lines rating?" Alexandria asked. "Shhh!" someone shushed at her.

"Most of you here just were admitted. Congratulations! It's going to be a difficult, but educative and fun ride. Don't be shy and ask for help to professors or other students if you need it. Another portion of you came back for second year; we also congratulate you for making it and we are happy you are still with us!"

Alexandria stared at him, focusing on every word. "And a strong tap on the back for us, the third and last year. We are just one step away from our next life achievement; university. So, let's give our best and make Lilynn the best high school of all time!"

Claps bombarded Alexandria's ears. She turned in every direction to see everyone doing it—except for Dai. They stopped after ten seconds.

"Thank you," the guy on the forum said. "Now, let me introduce to the new students and welcome back for the old ones, the smartest and hard-working person in this school. Please, give another big round of applause to our beloved principal, Doctor Kenna!"

Everyone started to clap again—including Dai.

'Should I do it too?' Alexandria thought. 'Wait. What did he say?'

A woman walked up the stairs at the right of the forum. The guy on the microphone backed up as he clapped.

'Those glasses. That hair. Those clothes,' Alexandria thought; she was too far back to see her face.

"Good morning."

"Miss Mel?!" Alexandria screamed in a whisper. "Shhhh!" But she still got shushed.

'She is the principal and a doctor?!'

"I want to wish all of you good luck with your classes and your future. Please keep a peaceful environment for everyone and make Lilynn the best high school of all time," Melina said to the microphone.

'Why is her voice so deep and dull?' Alexandria asked herself.

Claps rained. Alexandria looked around before deciding to following them with slow applauses. Melina walked down and disappeared behind the crowd. "Thank you very much, Doctor Kenna! Your incredible words were as motivational as always!" the guy said to the microphone.

'She almost didn't say anything!' Alexandria yelled in her mind.

"This was the welcome ceremony. Please, follow your professors as they guide you to your classrooms. We wish you the best of luck."


The classroom filled with students as the professor awaited for them to accommodate. Elin and Naomi sat on the last row, taking Alexandria along to sit behind Aiko and Riyu—who Elin presented to Alexandria a few days ago—on the next one. Dai simply walked past them with a dull expression and sat on the desk behind Elin.

Alexandria sat still, hugging her backpack and gazing at other people's actions to imitate and find out what to do; the girl to her right side hung her handbag on the hook at the left of her desk. Alexandria tried to do the same and moved the straps of her backpack back and forth around it, to realize it was meant for one strap.

Her cheeks burned. But the girl in front of her—Riyu—had a similar backpack, which she simply put on the floor. Alexandria did the same and snapped her head, to see no one looking at her. A sigh came out of her mouth and her heart calmed down.

The wall-length windows let through the light of the clear sky, while the sun was nowhere to be seen. Alexandria could see the forest they were surrounded by not far away—but she had to raise her head to do so.

'This really looks like a manga or those photos,' she thought. 'I thought a Xenon school would look different. Although I was already surprised by seeing Miss Mel here. Why didn't anyone tell me?'

"Good morning," an emotionless voice said at the front of the room. He walked hunchbacked and with his hands inside his sweater pockets over the step-tall floor and took off his backpack to put it over the desk. Smooth bangs of hair covered most of his forehead and a short, tousled ponytail came out from the back. Alexandria stared at him with round eyes.

"I'm glad to see you back. We already lost time, so let's start with the class," he said and everyone began to move their hands towards their backpacks and handbags.

'Eh?! Isn't he going to introduce himself to the class?!' Alexandria thought. But someone raised a hand at the front of the row; it was Aiko, Riyu's sister.

"Excuse me, professor, but we have a new classmate!" Aiko said.

"Hm? Who is it?" the professor asked.

"She!" Aiko said and turned back to point at Alexandria with her finger. The whole class looked at her and stared as if they expected to hear something. Alexandria lowered her head and squeezed her trembling hands.

"Could you stand up and introduce yourself?" the professor asked Alexandria. Her heart was about to pierce her chest. She gulped and slowly stood up, still holding her hands and looking at the floor.

"Hi, m-my name is Alexandria A—Minda…" Alexandria said. 'I almost said my real name!' she screamed in her mind.

"Anything about you?" the professor asked.

"About me?"

"Yes. What do you do or like?"

"I love reading…"

"I see. You can sit," the professor said. Alexandria grabbed her skirt to sit down; she sighed and began to calm down.

"By the way, do you have any Fusion?"

Alexandria's eyes opened wide and her breathing skyrocketed. Her entire body trembled as her mind tried to get itself together. She gazed at Elin for a second as if she could talk to her telepathically.

"I-I don't…" Alexandria answered while looking down at her desk.

"Okay. Thanks," the professor said. "Oh. I'm Itaru, professor for the Energy subject. I hope you give your best."

"I will…" Alexandria whispered. Her heart tried to relax for once, but it was difficult as she could notice others looking at her.

"Let's begin," Professor Itaru said.

"Alex!" But Elin's murmur called Alexandria, "Take out the Energy book and your notebook!"

Alexandria's left hand dashed inside her backpack and took them out over the desk. She repeated the action to take out an eraser and a pencil, which her left hand gripped tight and landed over the open notebook. 'I'm ready!'

Twenty minutes slid like a snail, and she was standing outside the girl's locker room. 'I'm not ready…'

Alexandria lived repressed from society, only having her father at her side; a father that kept deep secrets from her.

Changes came before her young mind could assimilate it. Energy had seemed imaginary and magical for her all her life, yet it was real. And it was closer than she realized.

Her body was different now, more dangerous than she could ever fathom. With her father gone, she must trudge through a treacherous path, travel to a different world, and find herself once again.

Will she gain friends? Make enemies? It doesn't matter. After all, it's her duty to struggle with the Thunderstorm and to live with it. Even if it's against her will.


USUAL SCHEDULE: PAUSED

Now that the fleet entered into FTL, they didn't have to worry about any enemy attacks for the time being. Each ship could stand down and let the crew relax. Not too much, of course. Plenty of work needed to be done, especially for the mech technicians and mech designers.

Ves frowned at the list of resources the Vandals needed to replenish their losses. The total price tag increased by a third, which signified how many raw materials was required to plug all of the gaps.

"Just a brief skirmish already inflicted so much damage!"

Despite their material losses, the Flagrant Vandals treated it as a win. No matter how skewed their losses turned out to be, they successfully fended off the Calico Dancer Bats and forced them to abort their stalling plans.

Ves knew why the mood was so upbeat. The servicemen really needed a morale booster. Major Verle explicitly ordered everyone smart enough to know the truth to play along with this charade.

He pressed his lips into a line as he wandered across the Shield of Hispania. Everyone acted as if they had become indomitable against all adversity.

To Ves, the Vandals only made it out because of some extreme decisions and the benefit of luck.

If Imodris had been a little more prompt in sending out their reinforcements, the Vandals wouldn't have made it out at all.

Back at his office, Ves worked hours on end to adjust the timetable in response to the heavy damage sustained by the Inheritors. Even mechs that hadn't suffered a single scratch would have soothy smoke emerging from the internals.

"More than two-hundred Inheritors are crippled! This is too much!"

The brief period where the mech pilots pushed the overload from twenty to thirty percent represented a painful spike to the mechs they piloted.

Just as Ves thought he would be handling logistical issues for the entire week, Major Verle suddenly called him up to his office. After entering it, the mech officer immediately brought up a disconcerting topic.

"I'm here to discuss the situation with the Finmoth Regal to you. Our investigators have achieved some preliminary results. Read this first."

The major handed over a data pad to Ves, who quickly scoured through the heavily-summarized report. His expression sunk as he realized how far this rabbit hole descended.

When Ves detected something strange from Nemo McAllister's mech, he traced the suspect work back to a trio of mech technicians aboard the Finmoth Regal. When Ves passed his suspicions to Major Verle, he ordered their arrest.

That was when the bombs exploded. The damage to one of the Regal's hangar bay was already bad enough, but taking out an engine almost forced the task force to leave her behind.

They couldn't afford to lose a combat carrier!

Fortunately, the Finmoth Regal was able to keep up by getting towed long enough for her to regain partial propulsion. She was also able to transition into FTL without a problem because FTL travel didn't rely on sublight propulsion in the first place.

Now that the immediate crisis had passed, Major Verle ordered an extensive inspection of the Finmoth Regal. From top to bottom, everything shady and dubious got exposed.

The data pad listed various minor infractions such as illegal gambling rings and fight clubs. None of those incidents really mattered too much so the Vandals who participated in these kinds of activities only suffered a slap on the wrist.

The investigators focused more on the serious infractions. A loose string of threats and blackmail eventually led to Chief Technician Michael Elin.

"I see now." Ves uttered with shock and disappointment. "Chief Elin was one of the ringleaders responsible for the embezzlement that we cracked down on. I can't believe he got mixed with traitors."

The three mech technicians who installed the unauthorized modifications in Nemo's mech couldn't be brought to questioning because they all blew themselves up. The investigators tried hard, but they couldn't identify any fellow conspirators. The three had always acted in a low-key manner and made few friends among the crew of the Finmoth Regal. The only person aboard the ship that had a connection to them was the chief that supervised their activities.

As their superior, Chief Elin should have kept a closer eye on what the hidden traitors had been up to. Letting them install unauthorized modifications without a single checkup was a massive act of negligence on the part of the chief.

While chief technicians couldn't possible ride behind the shoulders of every subordinate, they should at least be diligent enough to check off any completed modifications.

"How did Chief Elin get mixed up with the traitors in the first place?"

"Money, basically." Major Verle sighed and rubbed his tired face. "The treacherous trio got inside his good books and helped him facilitate the embezzlement. They became his left and right arms and did all of the actual work. Through years of pretending to be his dimwitted but loyal henchmen, Chief Elin completely trusted their loyalty."

"Even then, regulations state that chiefs have to double-check everyone's finished work no matter how much they favor them. How did the traitors manage to get the chief off their backs?"

"They took advantage of the embezzlement that Chief Elin was engaged in. It's very simple, Mr. Larkinson. As the mastermind behind this scheme, would the chief want to get caught red-handed trying to manipulate the machines that siphoned away a minute portions of valuable exotics?"

"He would want to stay away as far as he can. In fact, it would be better if Chief Elin exposed himself as little as possible."

The traitors certainly outsmarted the greedy chief who thought nothing about his own benefits. The man whose job was to supervise his underlings completely neglected his fundamental duties.

A chief technician's main job was to direct the mech technicians and stop them from doing any damage! Any other responsibility only served as extras compared to this first demand.

Thus, with the traitors aboard the Finmoth Regal going out with a bang, how could Chief Elin not escape from scrutiny. It took a lot of digging to uncover the hidden files and other shady matters that he had done.

From there, they uncovered a network of over a dozen conspirators, from a security officer that hacked and wiped the ubiquitous monitoring system, to a cargo handler who smuggled packets of high-value exotics to black market dealers whenever the Finmoth Regal berthed at a space station.

The worst thing about it was that the conspiracy even extended to a low-ranking mech designer called Loke Vedette. The hapless chump had immediately been thrown into the brig.

Major Verle emphasized the breadth and depth of the conspiracy. "Chief Elin's network extended throughout the middle and lower decks of the Finmoth Regal. Through the enticement of profits, he subverted over a dozen pliable Vandals. It's a failure on multiple levels. Chief responsibility for this failure rests on the Regal's chief security officer, but the captain is culpable as well. As for Mr. Vedette, he has not fulfilled the responsibilities that we expect from our mech designers."

In other words, Ves shared some of the blame as well for letting Vedette be pulled into Chief Elin's schemes.

Rather than come up with some excuse that all of this happened prior to being field promoted to head designer, Ves readily accepted the blame. "I have not been thorough enough in my supervision. His failure his my failure."

"Good" Major Verle smiled. "Accepting your faults is the first step to turning this disaster around."

He only acknowledged the blame because he didn't care too much about his current job. As for blame, in actuality Vedette should have been supervised by Bovis Mercator. So when it came to actual blame, Mercator should have shouldered the brunt of it. Ves already planned a way to get back at his rival for this screw-up. He felt a lot of threat from this ambitious careerist.

"Our security department and I will pass judgement over Chief Elin and his fellow conspirators. The punishments will be handed out by myself as well. While the others have mostly been duped or charmed into participating in Elin's schemes, the chief himself will likely face the ultimate punishment."

Verle didn't need to elaborate on what this punishment entailed. Ves heard enough stories from his aunts and uncles to know that the victim deserved every bit of suffering that they had in store.

If Chief Elin was found guilty of gross negligence and betrayal during an active battle in a time of war, he would get what was known as the Cold Burial or Lonely Trek.

The punishment was known as the cold burial because it was pretty much the opposite to the space burial of the honored dead. While servicemen who fell in the line of duty would be flung into the sun to let his physical manifestation experience a rebirth, no such privilege would be granted to traitors.

Chief Elin would pretty much be pushed inside an aircar-sized coffin and be locked with some loose restraints. The coffin would have a miniature life-support system that provided the former chief with a complete circulation of nutrient packs, water and oxygen. Naturally, the waste management system would recycle the waste products and blend them with cultivated organics to produce another batch of nutrient packs.

Basically, the coffin was a tiny prison where a human would theoretically be able to live out their natural lifespan. It cost a fair bit of resources to fabricate such a meticulous self-enclosed ecosystem, but the Bright Republic definitely had the technology to realize such a thing.

However, it was called a coffin and not a prison for a very good reason. Besides these basic amenities, the coffin held nothing else. No distractions, no connections to any networks, not even a shower.

On top of that, the coffin would be operated by an AI whose sole job was to keep the occupant alive as long as possible. The AI insured the prisoner kept being fed and watered while preventing them from committing suicide. To accomplish this, robust robotic arms would be affixed to the insides of the coffin. Like any other component of the coffin, these arms could not be broken by any human force and was meticulously built to last for centuries.

Any human occupant would die long before the coffin succumbed to time.

This cruel punishment where the occupant suffered an endless, lonely trek in the dark of interstellar space was one of the cruelest punishments that the Mech Corps could give out. Personally, Ves thought Major Verle was being a bit excessive by hinting at this punishment.

He much preferred a straightforward execution to end this matter quickly.

"Why did you tell me this, sir? While I'm not a lawyer, I don't think it's entirely appropriate for you to talk about Chief Elin's punishment before his formal trial."

"In this task force, I set the laws." Verle boldly stated. The man practically glowed when he said that. "Trial or not, Chief Elin's fate is sealed. In our flight from the Kingdom, we can't afford too many mistakes. Any treachery or acts of negligence puts us further and further away from crossing the borders. An example must be made. The slack that we've given the Vandals during peacetime was a mistake. This is the strongest message I can give that any further failures will not be tolerated."

Ves inched a little backward in fright. The mech officer was being really intense right now! "Ah, I understand. You want to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. That's a good idea, sir. Maybe the rest of the Vandals that are scheming against our mech regiment will think twice."

"I'm not so optimistic about that. Vandals will be Vandals. Obedience is not in our DNA. There will always be incidents. The key is to encourage my men to tone them down. At the very least, outright treachery and negligence that leads to deaths must not occur again under my watch."

The man shouldered the responsibility of shepherding the task force safely across the borders and reach the promised land of the Reinald Republic. The pressure he faced was immense, so Ves somewhat sympathized with the mech officer.

"One more thing, Mr. Larkinson."

"Yes, sir?"

"You are responsible for building Chief Elin's coffin. Do it in person. Make it durable and make it last."

Almost 2,000 chapters!
More than 8,000 pages!
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Humanity has conquered half the galaxy and the Age of Mechs reigns supreme!

Ves Larkinson lacked the genetic aptitude to become a famed mech pilot. Fighting against his fate, he studied mech design in order to express his love for mechs as a builder instead of a soldier.

When Ves graduated from college, he returned to a new but empty boutique. Left with a small, newly founded mech workshop that his father painstakingly built with a mountain of debt, Ves somehow needs to make ends meet with the bank breathing down his neck.

In the midst of his despair, he found salvation from another legacy his father had left.

"Welcome to the Mech Designer System. Please design your new mech."

--Join The Mech Touch's unofficial Discord server: https://discord.gg/APB5KCU

Seorang gadis tersenyum gembira, setelah mendapat telepon dari salah satu perusahaan tempatnya melamar pekerjaan, rasanya Elin tidak menyangka akan diterima di perusahaan itu, mengingat dia hanya seorang gadis lulusan SMA.

Gadis bernama lengkap Elina Adriana itu bergegas mengambil tas selempang di kamarnya, setelah itu Elin berjalan keluar meninggalkan rumahnya, untuk memberi kabar pada seseorang atas kabar gembiranya ini.

Saat sampai di tempat tujuan, Elin langsung duduk di atas tanah seperti biasanya.

"Ayah, ibu, Elin dateng bawa kabar gembira, mulai besok Elin udah mulai bekerja, dan Elin udah membuktikan pada kalian kalo Elin bisa mandiri, Elin udah mulai dewasa yah, Bu," ucap Elin, di tengah-tengah dua gundukan makam kedua orang tuanya.

"Elin udah mulai dewasa, tapi Elin masih suka nangis kalo inget ayah dan ibu hiks."

Gadis itu menangis mengadu, kalau selama ini dia kesepian tinggal seorang diri disatu rumah yang lumayan besar.

Elin tinggal sendirian karena dia adalah anak tunggal dari ayah dan ibunya, belum lagi orang tuanya itu meninggalkan Elin secara bersamaan dalam insiden kecelakaan, hal itu membuat Elin larut dalam kesedihannya.

Sampai saat ini Elin masih belum merelakan orang tuanya pergi, meskipun Elin sadar bahwa dirinya tidak boleh egois.

"Elin akan sering dateng kesini, do'akan Elin semoga Elin selalu mendapat keberuntungan, dan selalu dilindungi oleh Allah, Elin pulang dulu ya, Elin sayang ayah dan ibu."

Elin beranjak dari tempatnya, gadis itu kembali pulang ke rumahnya dengan berjalan kaki, karena jarak antara rumah dan pemakaman tidak terlalu jauh.

Sesampainya di rumah, Elin langsung mengambil uang yang masih ia simpan untuk membeli pakaian kantor, karena tidak mungkin Elin menggunakan kaos biasa saat bekerja.

"Semoga saja uangnya cukup," ucap Elin, melihat uang yang ia punya tidak terlalu banyak.

Elin kembali bergegas meninggalkan rumahnya, dia akan pergi ke salah satu toko pakaian, dengan menggunakan kendaraan umum. Setelah tiba di halte ia duduk menunggu bus yang mungkin sebentar lagi akan datang, tidak lama dari itu sebuah bus datang, dan Elin segera menaiki bus tersebut.

Gadis berusia delapan belas tahun itu menikmati perjalanannya, sampai ia tiba di toko yang ingin dikunjunginya.

Setelah turun dari bus, Elin memasuki toko pakaian yang biasa ia datangi.

"Eh neng Elin, mau beli baju kayak biasa neng?" Tanya seorang kasir toko tersebut, yang memang sudah kenal dengan Elin.

"Eh Mbak Ami, nggak kok Mbak, Elin mau beli baju buat kerja, disini ada kemeja sama celana kain gak Mbak?" Tanya Elin.

"Wah kalo itu lagi kosong neng, emang neng Elin mau kerja di mana?" 

"Di Alexander's company Mbak."

"Gila! Yang bener aja neng? Itu kan perusahaan besar, selamat ya neng, semoga sukses kerjanya, oh iya neng, kalo neng mau cari baju buat di perusahaan kayak gitu, mending neng Elin cari ke mall aja."

"Emang harus di mall ya Mbak?"

"Iya atuh, biar dapet bajunya bagus, kan neng kerja di perusahaan besar jadi harus dandan yang cantik neng, biar menarik."

"Oh ya udah Mbak, aku mau cari baju buat kerja dulu ya, permisi."

"Iya neng."

Elin meninggalkan toko pakaian itu, dia mencari toko baju lainnya, dan kembali menanyakan apakah menjual pakaian kerja atau tidak, tapi semua toko yang Elin datangi tidak ada yang menjual pakaian yang Elin maksud.

Mau tidak mau Elin harus pergi ke mall, dia tidak mungkin menyerah begitu saja, karena besok dia sudah mulai masuk kerja, jadi Elin tidak mau mengecewakan perusahaan tempatnya bekerja itu.

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Setelah sampai di mall dan membeli pakaian yang dibutuhkan, Elin langsung ingin kembali pulang ke rumahnya.

Sepanjang perjalanan keluar dari mall itu Elin selalu bersyukur, karena untungnya pakaian yang dia beli tidak semahal imajinasinya.

Bruk

Elin jatuh terduduk di lantai mall, baru saja dia menabrak seseorang yang sedang berjalan dengan terburu-buru, Elin benar-benar tidak sengaja menabrak orang itu.

"Maaf mas, saya tidak sengaja," ucap Elin merasa bersalah.

"Lain kali lebih hati-hati!" Ujar dingin orang yang baru saja ditabrak oleh Elin.

"Iya mas, sekali lagi saya minta maaf."

Sebuah tangan terulur untuk membantu Elin bangkit dari jatuhnya, ternyata laki-laki itu yang menolong Elin, Elin kira laki-laki yang baru ia tabrak itu sudah pergi.

Demi apapun Elin tidak bisa menutup mulutnya, saat melihat paras tampan dari orang yang baru ia tabrak, dan membantunya berdiri tadi.

"Tutup mulutmu," ujar laki-laki itu, lalu pergi begitu saja dari hadapan Elin.

Elin tidak menyangka akan bertemu pangeran tampan itu di mall ini, rasanya Elin jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama pada laki-laki itu, ah! Elin saja tidak tahu apa itu cinta, dan bagaimana rasanya jatuh cinta, mengingat usianya yang masih terbilang muda, dan belum mengerti dunia percintaan.

"Astaga! Kenapa masih disini sih!" Kesal Elin saat menyadari dirinya masih berada di area mall.

Dengan segera Elin meninggalkan mall tersebut, dan kembali menaiki kendaraan umum untuk sampai di rumahnya.

Sepanjang perjalanan pulang di dalam bus, Elin tidak pernah berhenti membayangkan wajah tampan laki-laki yang ia temui di mall tadi, sungguh Elin tidak bisa berhenti tersenyum, saat mengingat tatapan tajam dan dingin laki-laki itu, meskipun terlihat menyeramkan, tapi menurut Elin itu sangat mengagumkan.

Bus berhenti di halte, dan Elin segera turun dari bus itu, setelah turun Elin kembali berjalan menuju rumahnya yang lumayan jauh dari halte bus, 

Dengan lelah Elin berjalan menyusuri jalan menuju rumahnya, beberapa menit ia sampai di rumah peninggalan orang tuanya, dan Elin segera masuk, lalu merebahkan tubuhnya di kasur kesayangannya.

"Capek banget ya ampun," ujar Elin mengeluh.

Baru saja Elin memejamkan matanya, tapi kembali terbuka saat mengingat perutnya meronta meminta makan, dengan langkah gontai Elin berjalan menuju dapur, dan dia hanya menemukan dua butir telur yang belum dimasak, Elin berdecak sebal, hidupnya begitu susah, dan menyebalkan, bahkan ingin makan saja dia tidak mempunyai nasi untuk dimakan, terpaksa Elin hanya memasak dua telur itu, lalu memakannya dengan cepat karena sudah tidak bisa menahan lapar lagi.

Dua butir telur cukup untuk mengganjal perut, setelah selesai dengan urusan laparnya Elin kembali ke kamar, dia membereskan kamarnya yang sedikit berantakan, berhubungan hari sudah mulai sore, jadi Elin bergegas untuk segera mandi dan setelah itu dia berniat untuk tidur.

Elin akan tidur sampai pagi, dia tidak akan bangun nanti malam, karena tidak ada yang ingin dia lakukan di malam hari, makam malam pun percuma, karena dia tidak memiliki makanan untuk dimakan.

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