Karlstein strolled slowly through the streets, listening to Aria’s report via the ssage system.
Clank- Clank-
Galactic Empire soldiers lined both sides of his path toward the ship, with knight-captain subordinates and Milo trailing behind him.
Clank- Clank-
The solemn and majestic discipline of the Empire’s troops displayed their military might, leaving the gathered Earthlings in silent awe at the spectacle.
Clank- Clank-
With each step Karlstein took, the soldiers raised and lowered their bayonets in unison, expressing their utmost respect for the Emperor.
Clank- Clank-
And on his back…
“Hehe.”
Perpe was quietly perched, enjoying the ride.
“…”
“…”
The knight captains, including Milo, followed with mixed expressions, glancing at Perpe with incredulity. Even the soldiers in formation were no exception.
D-dear god!
The soldiers struggled to keep their expressions in check, willing themselves not to betray their astonishnt. Had anyone ever behaved so familiarly with the Emperor?
Never. They could not help but cast looks of bewildernt at the child on his back.
“…”
Karlstein was equally dumbfounded.
“You’re fine with this?”
“Hehe, yup.”
“If you say so…”
He sighed. Perpe had used her precious wish token just for a piggyback ride. It was difficult to comprehend. She had sacrificed the opportunity to request sothing from the Emperor of the Galactic Empire for… this.
To be precise, it was not just a piggyback ride…
“Daddy…”
“Wha?”
“!!”
Perpe’s quiet murmur jolted the subordinates, and a passing soldier nearly dropped his rifle, his mouth agape.
“…”
Of course, Karlstein understood her feelings to so extent, so he turned his head slightly and pretended not to hear. Even he felt his heart skip a beat at being called Daddy. 𝐫ά𝐍Ổ𐌱ЕS̩
Is this what they call… responsibility without reward?
The thought made him smirk wryly inside.
“Fank yoo…”
Perpe was once the boss monster on the 50th floor in a . She did not know how she was born or why she had to be there. Regardless, her irregularity was certain, and the mont she beca able to move to other floors beyond the 50th, she awakened the [Integrated Dinsional Community].
She had discovered a self beyond the mindless violence of a boss monster—though traces of that berserker side remained in battle. It had not been long since she ca to possess an individual personality, which explained her childlike aspects. After all, there was no way she could have received proper experiences or education in a place like the Tower of Trials.
That was when she t Karlstein, in a state of pure innocence.
I suppose that’s why…
Even Karlstein had not expected her to make such an outrageous wish.
Daddy, huh…
Needless to say, it was just a temporary bond, like playing house. Perpe had begged him to be her daddy, at least while they were in this universe’s Earth.
Karlstein suspected it was related to the incident that once earned her the title of Berserker Witch, but he did not press for details.
“Heehee.”
Perpe puffed up with pride, nose and shoulders high as if saying to the world, I have a daddy too!
It was not as though Karlstein could not indulge her in this small way. It was far simpler than grand wishes to save continents or halt calamities.
“Heheh.”
Her smile was so radiant that he could not bring himself to stop now.
Okay, since I’m at it I may as well…
Bzzt-
[Galactic Empire Integrated Managent System - Korea Channel Broadcast]
Bzzt-
[Hmm…. I hear my daughter has a few scores to settle.]
His nacing voice transmitted through the airwaves.
[Surely so of you know what I an.]
He did not know exactly what happened in her past, but he knew this was enough.
[You can look forward to it.]
Those who wronged her would quiver in terror. And if nothing else, he would see her wish fulfilled.
“Heheheh!”
Yeah, that’s good enough.
[…Master. Aren’t you being too rciful?]
A disgruntled voice entered Karlstein’s ears.
“Aria…”
She understood, of course, that this was just a temporary act of playing house while they were on Earth. She also knew that Perpe would have to be bound to him for almost a lifeti because of that one wish.
All things considered, Karlstein was slightly baffled by Aria’s reaction.
[I’ll start with the report first.]
Well, setting aside the matter of Perpe…
[Currently, we’ve begun the first phase with invasions across thirty-six dinsions. The areas with notable developnts include…]
So it’s co to this in the end.
“Haah…”
[Once this first wave is complete, we’re set to expand from thirty-six to two hundred and fifty-two dinsions.]
“I see…”
Karlstein’s head throbbed as he listened to Aria’s report.
They did all that just to find …
He also understood Aria’s decision.
“Ugh…”
Karlstein sighed. This was precisely the one task he had tried to delay as long as possible.
In fact, he was not unaware of Aria’s dinsional invasion project. They had already discussed it in depth.
To best utilize the [Integrated Dinsional Community] for the Galactic Empire, the ultimate goal was to plant their flag in all dinsions. It was a predetermined matter. But there were reasons he had not been able to initiate this plan.
Firstly, their dinsional warp technology was not stable enough to be practical. Ideally, they would have started by invading a hundred dinsions instead of thirty-six, and expanded to over a thousand in the second phase. In other words, they were not equipped to achieve optimal efficiency.
And secondly…
Once we begin a large-scale invasion… there’s no turning back.
The mont they pressed the start button, they would expend vast amounts of resources—so vast that even the Galactic Empire would feel the strain. The project depended on the dinsional warp system built with the help of Virdel and Selena, as well as the collective effort of the Empire.
Once that door opened, it would demand relentless forward montum, an unstoppable commitnt until they saw returns.
“Aria. Don’t you think it was too rushed after all?”
I don’t get the hurry… Would it hurt to slow down a bit?
Aria replied to his groan in a kind tone.
[That’s not necessarily the case, Master.]
She only sounds so rciful when she’s giving work! Gyaaargh!
[Besides, I had intended a gradual preparation, but because you disappeared…]
Karlstein had no retort for that.
“Well…”
[I think it was fortunate that we managed to arrive in your mont of need.]
“That may be true, but…”
He wanted to cry. Now there was no stopping it; he might be consigned to the battlefield until the [Integrated Dinsional Community] achieved full internal cohesion through dinsional invasions. Only then could they move to the next stage of their plans.
[Master. Considering the situation that unfolded here, it might actually be the opportune ti.]
“Ugh… That’s also true.”
Aria never spoke wrong.
“I’m sorry. For whining unnecessarily.”
[Heheh. No need to apologize.]
Karlstein could almost see her smiling, even from this distance. He shook his head.
In any case, they had detected evidence of dinsional invasion by the Kaiju of《Chaos》, and that was not a threat to be lightly dismissed. If those monsters were establishing themselves not just here, but in other dinsions as well… and if they had not even realized it…
The thought alone was horrifying. The proliferation of Kaiju in environnts without natural predators was nothing short of a catastrophe. It would not matter if they kept to themselves, but alas, the Kaiju would inevitably bring harm to humanity. This was why eliminating them on sight was the right course of action.
It was perhaps fortunate that the dinsional invasion project had finally launched, even if later than anticipated.
[We have begun researching the corpses of Kaiju from this attack. It appears they are a different case compared to the Dinsional Turtle, and the research institute is—]
Kaiju capable of crossing dinsional? The notion was chilling, terrifying, even for Karlstein.
There was an old saying: ten people can’t stop one thief. No matter how powerful Karlstein or the Galactic Empire were, so damage was unavoidable. Even a god could not perfectly defend all fronts. They would eventually be overwheld by the endless, indiscriminate attacks of the Kaiju.
But of course…
“Find out what it is, even if it ans digging up every last one of their secrets.”
[Naturally.]
If the Kaiju had access to the Sephiroth’s dinsional travel technology, then they just had to obtain it too. If the Kaiju were evolving, the Empire simply had to outpace them twicefold.
“They could never rival the Galactic Empire in research and developnt.”
This was a definitive truth.
Why had the Kaiju—creatures that had relentlessly pushed humanity to the brink—been forced beyond the Barrier? Why could they not defeat humanity despite their unique survivability, adaptability, and explosive reproduction?
That was because…
“We make progress.”
For the glory of the Galactic Empire, and for humanity’s survival, they would continue advancing.
And that was why—
“The Galactic Empire knows no defeat.”
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