Chapter 769

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 769: A Great Story (9)

Pareshik.

An ancient battlefield, and the planet where the legacy of the Great One, Yugui Moga, was hidden.

Yeongwoo's heart could not help but pound.

Not only was this his first time visiting an actual battlefield, but wasn't he also on his way to find the legacy of a Great One?

‘I like this mission very much.’

As Yeongwoo looked out the window with a satisfied expression, Acting Captain Mantero glanced over at him from the captain's seat.

—You seem to be looking forward to it.

“Of course. The legacy is one thing, but this is my first time properly seeing a battlefield.”

Then, as if remembering belatedly, Yeongwoo added.

“By the way, where on that battlefield did Yugui hide the legacy? That might be a bit of a problem.”

At that, Mantero nodded slightly.

—Yugui Moga was a peculiar being, after all. She possessed the contradictory history of being both a queen and a bandit at the very same time.

The 2nd Queen of the Kolso Royal Family, and an infamous bandit who roamed through no fewer than three galaxy clusters.

—Therefore, she must have been a highly unpredictable entity as well. So her legacy, too, would be hidden in a way that is difficult to foresee.

To Mantero's words, the combat navigator Mushio Tare chimed in with his own opinion.

—Still, in the end, isn't a legacy left behind so that it may be passed on to someone? I believe the bizarre vessel, Yorma, will open the path for us.

The suicide vessel, Yorma.

Recalling that Yugui was the creator of this ship, Yeongwoo felt his confidence drop slightly instead.

“I suppose she was no ordinary lunatic. Finding the legacy might not be as easy as I thought.”

—However, since we have arrived safely at Pareshik, half the problem is as good as solved.

Along with Mushio's words, the strange glow of the relay tunnel that had filled the space outside the window cleared away.

Then, a sight of Planet Pareshik—so vastly different from what they had anticipated—came into view.

“My god. That's a planet?”

If one were to look for anything remotely similar, a galactic map drawing a massive spiral might come close.

That was because Planet Pareshik, too, had spirals of unidentified masses of light coiling around it.

『Good heavens, it is suffering tremendously.』

Following that, the Sun, Moro, rose from her seat and stared out the window, and Princess Parina also gaped as she looked at Pareshik.

『What is this... it's burning...?』

As fellow celestial bodies, they could tell right away that this was by no means a normal state.

At this, Yeongwoo, who knew little about the ecology of celestial bodies, could only tilt his head in confusion.

“It's burning?”

Then Mushio, a veteran of war, offered the answer.

—It seems to have been an immensely large-scale war. The aftermath of the energy bombs used at the time still remains, forming an energy ring like that.

“And that ring is currently tormenting Planet Pareshik?”

The answer to this question did not fall upon Mushio.

Soon after, Parina looked at Yeongwoo with a rigid expression.

『It is practically being burned at the stake. But it is a punishment with no end in sight. Even though that being ought to be innocent.』

Indeed, how could a planet that merely moved along its designated orbit have started a war on its own?

“So? Do we have to go right into the middle of that suffering planet now?”

When Yeongwoo asked this, not only Parina, but Moro and Earth as well kept their mouths tightly shut, gazing at Pareshik in the distance.

“What's with this sudden silence?”

Then Earth, who had been about to say something, shut his mouth again and looked toward Moro, the highest-ranking entity among the celestial bodies present.

『It seems everyone is thinking along similar lines.』

Moro spoke in a sorrowful tone, her eyes closing softly.

At this, Yeongwoo tilted his head, still bewildered.

“What do you mean, Mother-in-law?”

『We must meet that one.』

Whoosh.

With those words, what Moro pointed at was Planet Pareshik, coiled in rings of light.

“Ah, yes. Then go meet it. No problem at all.”

When Yeongwoo nodded readily, this time Earth scratched his chin and spoke up.

『It's... not that simple.』

“Why? What is it?”

『This is the Hezara Galaxy. It's a completely different world from the galaxy we belonged to. So no matter how great Lord Moro is, she cannot summon that one.』

“But... aren't we free celestial bodies now? Do we really need to abide by the rules of celestial bodies?”

At that, Earth made a face that said he had expected such an answer.

『Right. We are free celestial bodies. That's why we can entertain the radical thought of meeting a celestial body from another galaxy in the first place. But even so, that doesn't mean we can simply disregard the system.』

“The system? If Mother-in-law summons Pareshik, will some kind of... celestial police show up or something?”

『Surprisingly, something similar will happen.』

“What?”

『And if by any chance, with Pareshik's consent, we grant him the ‘end’……』

The end.

It likely meant death.

Every celestial body gathered here, including Yeongwoo's mother-in-law, had thought of putting Pareshik to death the moment they saw its plight.

It would be a form of euthanasia.

『If we actually commit such an act, we won't be able to remain in Hezara from that very moment. Because all the celestial bodies here will have a justification to attack us.』

“I can hardly imagine that.”

『No one commits the mad act of killing a celestial body of another galaxy, nor does anyone possess the ability to do so, which is why it has never been imagined.』

“Still, since we're free celestial bodies... we possess the ability for now, is that it?”

At that, Moro nodded.

『As a free celestial body, this is a moral duty. We must summon Pareshik and ask of his will. If he truly desires it, we must grant him eternal rest.』

“But just a moment ago, you said so yourself, Mother-in-law. That killing a celestial body is impermissible.”

『Killing a celestial body and granting it rest are two different things. What is written upon the Records is the righteous path. Therefore, through Pareshik, we must find out what is written upon that Records.』

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

It meant that if Planet Pareshik wished for death, there was an extremely high probability that the ending written on the Records was 'annihilation by the Earth Ship,' so carrying it out wouldn't go against the natural order.

Of course, for Yeongwoo, who had never lived a day as a celestial body in his entire life, it was a rather difficult story to grasp.

“Anyway... blasting a planet that wants to die with ship cannons and blowing it up conforms to the natural order, is that it? Even if it is an illegal act that would summon the celestial police.”

『At times, the universe becomes so complex that judgment itself is rendered meaningless.』

“Understood. Either way, saving a suffering planet can't be a bad thing.”

Having roughly understood, Yeongwoo turned his gaze back toward the cosmos outside the window.

“Then, how do we summon Pareshik? Honestly, wouldn't it be right for the one who wants to die to crawl out first?”

This time, Earth spoke up again.

『Pareshik is a planet that follows a natural orbit. Thus, there is no way it would answer the call of a star that came from another galaxy.』

“Then? There must be a solution, right?”

『True to being free celestial bodies, we have no choice but to break the laws of celestial bodies. We must enter Pareshik directly, smash the planetary seal, and confront him face-to-face.』

At this rate, they were practically criminal celestial bodies.

“The planetary seal? Where do we find that?”

『You can't find it. Because you aren't a celestial body.』

“Then?”

『A celestial body. And a celestial body powerful enough to shatter the seal at that must go to Pareshik directly. But Lord Moro cannot move. The moment the status of an external fixed star is detected, every star in Hezara will rise up in revolt.』

“Not a fixed star, but strong enough to break the sealing artifact……?”

As Yeongwoo knit his brows, Moro sat back down upon the throne and spoke with a solemn expression.

『Conveniently, there is one right here who has honed martial prowess for moments like this.』

With that, she pointed her white finger toward her daughter, the Sun Princess Parina.

『Parina undoubtedly possesses the status of a fixed star, yet she is not a fixed star. Therefore, she can easily shatter the planetary seal, and she can also vie in martial prowess against the Avatars of the stars.』

At that, Parina clutched her fists fiercely and looked at the Sun, Moro.

『Just how strong are the fists of Hezara? My eyes are already dazzled just thinking about it.』

『Your long-cherished wish shall be resolved by destiny, then.』

As mother and daughter engaged in an incomprehensible conversation, Yeongwoo asked Earth with a serious expression:

“What on earth is an Avatar of a star anyway?”

『The seal of a planet that has not undergone an ordeal cannot be naturally broken. Therefore, this signifies an intrusion by an external celestial body, and accordingly, the nearby fixed stars will visit Pareshik to assess the situation. That act and the physical body itself are collectively referred to as an Avatar.』

“If we're comparing it to police, is it something like a patrol unit?”

『Yes. But it is the patrol of fixed stars, of all things. Though they won't be able to exert their full power since it's outside their domain, that is precisely why 'Avatars' manifest.』

“Multiple fixed stars are coming……? Can Parina beat them?”

When Yeongwoo lowered his voice for fear his wife might overhear, Earth whispered in a quiet voice as well:

『Never in all my life have I heard of a celestial body that cultivates martial arts. The vast majority of fixed stars, including Lord Moro, merely rely on their innate power.』

“Still, she's a celestial body who cultivates martial arts, and…….”

As Yeongwoo glanced sideways at his large-fisted wife, Moro, having finished her conversation with her daughter, straightened her upper body.

『Everything has been decided. Jeong Yeongwoo, bearer of the free celestial bodies. Go to Pareshik alongside my daughter, and your wife, Parina.』

“...Once we go and watch Parina undo the seal, should I request a naval bombardment on Pareshik?”

At that point, Mantero, who had been listening quietly, mustered his courage and chimed in.

—In the event that Pareshik truly desires death, we will have no choice but to use the Planet Hunter. Therefore, we must locate the legacy of Yugui Moga first. And…….

“And? What else is there?”

—We will need to inform the sheriff. We should tell him that Planet Pareshik might disappear today, so if there are any residents who need to be evacuated, he had better take them away quickly.

“Somehow, I don't think that conversation will go very well.”

Then the Anti-Government Pistol abruptly raised its index finger.

× Naturally. From that civil servant bastard's perspective, killing you would be a far easier path. If you die, wouldn't Pareshik continue to exist as well?

At these words, Earth nodded.

『That's not wrong. The Planet Ship Master must exist for us to be free celestial bodies, after all. If you die on Pareshik, the Princess's Avatar will immediately be expelled back to the Earth Ship as well.』

Of course, if they quickly selected the next Planet Ship Master, redeployment would be possible, but Earth chose not to utter such unnecessary words.

“I had no idea I was that important of a figure.”

『In any case, you are the 'Planet Ship Master.' The term Planet Ship itself encompasses all of us who are free celestial bodies.』

“Then avoiding friction with the sheriff will be difficult after all.”

As Yeongwoo muttered with a scrunched nose, Parina looked at him with the face of a general poised for deployment.

『Let us hurry and fight our respective battles. Already, I can feel the flesh of the stars against my fists.』

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]