[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 546: Black Custmers (9)

Galactic traversal.

This was, in other words, peace for Earth.

Because, sprinting through the relay sector for so long, Yeongwoo had no spare moment to cause trouble.

No furious aliens came calling, and conversely, the Earth-ship wasn’t firing its batteries into the far reaches of space.

That “peace” had continued for about two hours when Yeongwoo suddenly kicked himself up from the owner’s chair newly set behind the captain’s seat.

“This—there’s a problem.”

Earth, who had been staring blankly out the window, furrowed his brow and turned around.

『What’s the problem this time?』

“This quiet. We’re degenerating.”

『Degenerating? What are you talking about? We’re traversing the galaxy at ultra-high speed. That’s a massive step forward.』

When Earth pointed at the relay sector outside the window, Yeongwoo shook his head.

“We’re only moving; we’re not growing. Why is nothing happening?”

『You crazy bastard… in this vicious universe, nothing happening is a good thing.』

“Not for us. If you want to keep hauling this Earth-ship around, we need to grow a hundred million years every day.”

『That damned hundred million years.』

Earth pressed his forehead.

He wanted to sock the owner’s jaw sideways every time he said something, but he didn’t want to shatter this rare calm.

And he still wasn’t confident he could beat Yeongwoo.

Even if he had gained substantial power after being repurposed for combat, that power wasn’t given to fight the owner, was it?

『So how exactly are you going to grow while sitting here? It’s not like there’s some other method.』

When Earth grumbled, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze back out the window.

“Tuani, was it? How much longer to that galaxy?”

『By our time, we’ll only be entering the outskirts by tomorrow morning.』

“What? Tomorrow morning?”

For Yeongwoo, who carved each day up by the minute, it was a bolt from the blue.

“So until then we’re stuck inside this relay sector with nothing to do?”

『Wh… why not change your thinking? We’re not stuck; we’re on a fast voyage.』

“Hey, are you just being lazy in your head?”

As the riled-up Yeongwoo reached for Earth’s collar, Jiseon wedged herself between them.

-Why are you throwing a tantrum again? Can’t you rest a bit for once? And you could catch some sleep too—you’ll have to go to a dungeon tonight.

At the word dungeon, Yeongwoo’s anger ebbed a little.

“Ah, right—the night dungeon. Misfortune within fortune.”

At least he wouldn’t be stuck idle until morning.

But the lack of growth was still the same problem.

“So what can we do right now?”

When Yeongwoo tossed the question into the air, Kubu appeared again.

Srrrip.

―If you are not going to exit the relay sector, then business via the communication channels should be possible.

They would have to arrive at the Tuani Galaxy to liquidate Katangdal ingots or sell off the seal, so leaving the relay sector was practically off the table.

Thus, the only immediate work was—

“Business via communication channels?”

―Yes. Communication channels remain usable in the relay sector.

In other words, use the channels to set up next appointments and such.

“Business over comms, huh? I feel like I’ve already met most of the people I need to meet.”

He was even harboring three escapees at the moment. Broadcasting their position around wasn’t a great idea.

“Doatel’s donation transfer will have to wait until we sell the Katangdal ingots… and Chancellor Herisa’s commission is for after the Black Sector.”

Shhk.

Yeongwoo drew Chancellor Herisa’s letter from his coat.

A blood-red letter sealed with an iridescent crest.

The Chancellor’s request: find Ketu, an enforcer on the planet Rijibi, and simply read him this letter.

The instant he did, a sheaf of bonds guaranteed by the Chancellor would mature—creating five billion.

‘…Five billion for reading a letter aloud.’

An absurd reward—meaning the real difficulty would also be absurd.

Which is why he needed to sufficiently bolster assets and firepower through business in the Black Sector.

‘So is that all? I feel like there was something else I could squeeze out…’

As Yeongwoo frowned, Jiseon spoke, looking ominous.

-You’re stuck in the relay sector anyway—what are you agonizing over?

“Be quiet, I’m trying to think about what we should do next.”

-Yeah, stop thinking. Nothing you think up is ever normal. You’re always scheming how to fleece someone…

The moment Jiseon articulated fleece, Yeongwoo’s eyes flew open.

“Ah! I remember!”

-Wh… what?

“Maon. That bastard still owes me one more level.”

-…Level?

Jiseon had already forgotten the promise, but Yeongwoo never forgot what he was owed.

“Maon promised to raise my Prestige by two levels, but it only went up one.”

-But haven’t you leveled way past that since then?

True enough.

Yeongwoo’s Prestige Level now stood at 48.

When Maon had made the promise, it had only been 38.

So Maon had agreed without much worry, and after he taught Yeongwoo the Blasphemy of the Stars, it rose to 39.

But now—

“The situation’s changed. Maon has to make me Level 49. The market price went up.”

-……

It wasn’t exactly her problem, but Jiseon still worried for Maon.

-Can he even do that? I’m not so sure.

“Maon is the eldest among the lords of the lower galaxy. He’ll find a solution. The Tisef family’s long history will help—he’s got a mountain of knowledge.”

“Then let’s call him.”

With a revived gleam in his eye, Yeongwoo rubbed his hands.

Earth scratched his chin.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

『You’re really going to call Maon—just to demand one more level?』

“Sure. We need to do something. We can’t just sit here. We can reach him, right?”

『We’ve got a comm room now… as long as he picks up, no problem.』

“Then send the signal.”

Earth nodded.

『From his perspective, this is a calamity.』

His eyes shone blue as he gazed into the void, sending a signal toward Maon’s communication channel somewhere far beyond the galaxy.

『He might not answer.』

“Doubt it. We’re practically the most problematic beings in the lower galaxy—he’ll be curious how we’re doing. And Maon remembers the ‘one level left.’ To him, it’s a debt to shake off.”

And then—

『Huh.』

Earth’s eyes rolled, and with a wave of his hand he conjured a large rectangular hologram.

Flaaash!

“What, did Maon get the signal?”

Even as Yeongwoo asked, the inside of the hologram brightened.

Soon, the familiar face of Maon—known to most present—came into focus.

―Ah. So the call came sooner than I expected.

From beyond the screen flowed Maon’s deep voice.

Yeongwoo dipped his head slightly in courtesy.

“It’s been a while, my Lord.”

―A while? Ha, has it?

To Maon—on whose scale the time since their last talk was but an instant—Yeongwoo’s “while” was funny.

―Wasn’t it a hundred million years of growth per day you prattled about?

“Yes. I’m impressed you remember.”

―To me, the time since then has been a mere blink.

“But our pact has changed a great deal in that blink.”

Maon’s expression turned subtle.

―Speak. What mischief have you done?

“I’m simply too extraordinary. My Prestige has soared in the meantime.”

―…I see.

As if half-expecting it, Maon shut his eyes briefly, then opened them.

―But an oath must be honored. Our old pact stands.

Even if Yeongwoo’s current level wasn’t what it used to be, he would still raise it by one, as promised.

Yeongwoo grinned wickedly and scratched his cheek with his prosthetic arm ‘Gambler.’

Scritch.

A mechanical right arm of the same material as a large warship.

―……!

As expected, Maon’s eyes widened at the sight.

―You… just what did you do?

“Heh. Nothing a commoner could comprehend. The last time you saw me was two hundred million years ago.”

―Spare me the nonsense. Explain.

Yeongwoo spread four dark-blue metal fingers.

“Forty-eight.”

―…What?

“My Prestige Level is now 48. Which means you’ll have to think far deeper than two hundred million years ago.”

From 48 to 49—it would require an astronomical amount of achievement.

Short of some truly mystical experience, it was impossible.

―Even witnessing the death of a star might not suffice.

Witnessing a star’s death—a cosmic idiom meaning “something vanishingly rare.”

Knowing a star’s exact fate was nearly impossible; even if you found one dying, seeing its end might take centuries or millennia.

“But there must be a method. You’re the one who told me to slap a star’s cheek, remember?”

―It’s not easy. At Level 48 you’re practically…

Maon suddenly closed his mouth.

“What? What is it?”

―At 48… you’d be around the average inmate of the Great Prison. How about going there?

“What? Prison?”

Having been in a prison not long ago, Yeongwoo felt a twinge.

“You’re saying going to prison raises Prestige? That makes no sense.”

―Not from being imprisoned—but if you could escape that insane place, it would impress the cosmos.

“You want me to go to prison just to raise a level?!”

The Great Prison wasn’t a relatively civilized lockup like Blackiron Prison—it was the real deal, a place where cosmic fiends were sealed.

―That’s the level of meaning we’re talking about. You’re a pretty big boulder now.

“…Other ways? I’m not planning on getting locked up again.”

Shaking his head, the boulder Jung Yeongwoo spoke; Maon folded his arms and pondered.

―In that case… only a truly bad idea comes to mind.

“Worse than a prison break?”

―Breaking the unwritten laws of the cosmos.

“Did you forget? A planet-ship already defies the order of the universe.”

Yeongwoo scoffed. But for beings who were celestial bodies, that was another matter.

『By unwritten laws…?』

Earth asked, his voice tinged with fear.

Maon shrugged.

―I hesitate to even speak it—but if you could cause a permanent structural deformation to another celestial body…

Before he finished, Sun Moro jabbed a finger at the screen and roared.

『You cur! Blasphemy!』

An unexpected reaction.

Yeongwoo tilted his head and asked Earth,

“W… why is Mother-in-law that angry?”

『Because—for celestials, that’s something we cannot even imagine.』

“Meaning… what?”

『Go to someone else’s planetary system and steal a planet. For us, that’d be like some punks showing up and snatching Mars.』

“Wh-what? Steal… a planet?”

It wasn’t something Yeongwoo had ever imagined either.

“Wait—that’s possible?”

As Yeongwoo’s jaw dropped, the old family head on the hologram added:

―There’s even precedent. Roughly two thousand years ago, there’s a record of a planet being unlawfully taken. We still don’t know by whom…

Then Maon looked from Yeongwoo to the celestials behind him.

―Only now do I feel certain it must have been the work of a planet-ship master.

[Translator - Night]

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