CHAPTER 66: CH 66 FORESIGHT

To cleanse the inner rot.

To ensure that, if these individuals dared take another step in the wrong direction—if they even tried to ignite rebellion—they would be crushed without mercy.

Though the Goddesses could not see every path the future held, they were no strangers to strategic foresight.

They had chosen to wait. To allow things to stabilize. And now, it was becoming clear they had made the right decision.

These traitors were not the focus yet. But the moment they acted... They would be. And when that time came, nothing would save them.

...

And then there were one or two individuals—not just thinking about it, but fully prepared to act. Despite the looming warnings from the Goddess of Judgment, they would go through with it. They would reveal what had transpired in that classified Federation Council meeting. Outsiders weren’t supposed to know, but that didn’t matter. They had made up their minds.

Why? Because they were convinced—absolutely certain—that their business empires would be threatened now that William had been granted such a powerful position.

Even though William Velhart had only just been declared a citizen of the Federation—a fact he himself wasn’t even aware of yet—he had been awarded an honorary title for gifting them such advanced technology. It wasn’t a position with real authority or power, but the gesture alone was enough to unsettle them.

They believed that if William already had such technology to offer, he must possess even more—and that he would undoubtedly use it to build his own empire.

They were sure of it. After all, he had asked to join the Warlord Program, and his request had been approved. They knew exactly what Warlords were entitled to, and that meant William would gain access to resources and legitimacy capable of reshaping the already shifting balance of power.

His influence would only continue to grow, especially since he possessed enough strength to earn battle merits—granting him further access to those very resources and privileges

Their fear was simple: once William moved to secure financial backing, their dominance would begin to crumble—especially in the mech and shipwright industries, the two most lucrative sectors in the current market. They feared that his superior technology would eventually consume their market share.

And that—that was their motive. They couldn’t allow it to happen.And so, they were ready to do the unthinkable.

They would share the Council’s secrets with the Severance Alliance—sworn enemies of the Federation and all of humanity. For nearly five decades, the Severance had waged a brutal, merciless war, aiming to wipe out the very species these traitors belonged to. And still, these two powerful families were willing to hand over information that could lead to devastating attacks.

These attacks could cripple the Federation at a critical moment—just as it stood on the brink of a major technological breakthrough. Success would not only enable the Federation to launch a confident counteroffensive against the Severance Alliance, with the hope of reclaiming lost regions, but also potentially expand its reach—weakening the very foundations of the Severance Alliance in the process.

This would give the Federation much-needed breathing room, allow human populations to grow, and open doors to sweeping changes—both economic and military. These two families could have capitalized on all of this. These two families could have capitalized on all of this. The scale of opportunity would only grow in the future. But they were trapped in the present, unable to see long-term benefits—focused solely on short-term losses. That mindset led them to a twisted logic.

Their logic? Cold and simple: the Federation would survive. And even if it didn’t, they had already begun preparing for their own escape. A retreat from this galaxy entirely. A migration that could take thousands—maybe hundreds of thousands—of years. But they were willing to try. They believed they could.

Even if it meant betraying everything.Betraying the very foundation their ancestors had worked so hard to build. Betraying their own race—for the loss of benefits that might never even come to pass. What they were doing was no different than bleeding their own civilization dry for the sake of survival. The same civilization that had enabled them to amass their vast business empires in the first place.

Saying they were betraying their race and civilization for survival would be inaccurate. What they were truly doing was protecting their own interests—interests that might not have even been under threat to begin with. And yet, they were prepared to sacrifice everything for the mere possibility of loss. That was the true foolishness of their actions.

They weren’t gaining anything of real value. Or perhaps they were—

The eternal stigmata of traitors.

That alone would be etched into the history of the Federation. Whether their plans succeeded or failed, they would forever carry the mark of traitors.

But they can’t be reason with anymore. No one could. Not with those locked in delusion, blinded by self-preservation.

And so, soon... they would try to reach out— To the enemies of the Federation.

And then— They would learn the cost of what they had done.

After all, there would be a steep price to pay for betraying their own race in such a manner—and for what? A gamble so meager, so uncertain, it was laughable to anyone with even the slightest sense. But for these two families, it was their so-called lifeline. Or so they believed.

Their logic and reasoning were so far removed from reality that even a child with a bit of understanding wouldn’t have made such a reckless choice. A choice that wouldn’t bring them the safety or gain they hoped for—but instead, strip them of everything they feared to lose.

One could only imagine their ancestors—rolling in their graves, shouting and weeping in ghostly shame. Their spirits, green with frustration and disbelief, watching helplessly as the current generation dragged centuries of legacy toward ruin.

If those ancestors could rise and strangle their descendants for this folly, they might have done so right then and there. But alas, they were only ghosts now—powerless to intervene.

All they could do was watch, mourn, and witness the tragic collapse of the legacy they had worked so hard to build—not rising to new heights, but collapsing into forgotten dust.

If those ancestors could rise and strangle their descendants for this folly, they might have done so right then and there. But alas, they were only ghosts now—powerless to intervene.

All they could do was watch, mourn, and witness the tragic collapse of the legacy they had worked so hard to build—not rising to new heights, but collapsing into forgotten dust.

A collapse that would come soon enough—because these foolish, short-sighted fools were not just thinking about betrayal, they were prepared to act on it. The very things they whispered about in the Council meeting... they were ready to make real.

For some, it would be a spectacle—something darkly fascinating to watch unfold. But for others, especially those who harbored similar, if slightly less extreme thoughts, it would serve as a grim warning.

They would soon realize that such actions wouldn’t harm the Federation the way they imagined. No—in the end, it would only harm themselves.

But that collapse was still some time away.

Meanwhile, back in the Nova Star System—on board the Ragnarok Ascended—William had just concluded his conversation with Grand Admiral John Watcher. The Admiral, cheerful and clearly excited, had warmly and officially welcomed William as a citizen of the Federation—recognizing him as one of their own.

Alongside the welcome, he informed William that his request for Warlord status had been approved without any restrictions or preventive clauses. As a further gesture of sincerity and trust from the Federation, William had also been granted the honorary title and role of a Tier-1 Council Member. Though honorary, the title carried vast, near-unlimited authority—far more than most actual council members.

It came with major perks. For instance, if William ever chose to establish his own kingdom or empire within Federation borders, he would be exempt from the usual 20% protection tax levied on such entities.

And perhaps most significantly—he was granted full ownership and sovereign rights over the entire Nova Star System. Everything within it was now his to govern, manage, or reshape as he saw fit.

A subtle smile touched William’s lips. Though he didn’t show it outwardly, deep inside, he felt a flicker of satisfaction.

Even though what he received was far less than what he had given them—if measured in terms of overall value—William didn’t dwell on it. After all, it was a gift freely offered, not a transaction. A deal was a deal, and he had never asked for anything beyond the approval of his specific demands.

Still, the gesture from their side felt sincere and generous, he had to admit. They could have offered him more—but what they gave was already enough. More importantly, it told him something:

The Federation was not entirely led by short-sighted individuals obsessed with immediate gain. No—there were still people in power with vision. People who understood the long game.