Chapter 1344: Buried Consequences

Just as expected, the moment Luca received Kyle’s update, the dungeon owner was immediately alarmed and, quite rightfully, scandalized!

And that was saying something, considering he and the others were still busy dealing with the terrorists who’d decided to go after B10’s battleship.

But there was no helping it, especially when they’d not only discovered that the illegal operation was connected to the extremely suspicious incense burner previously found in the possession of the Luxastra twins, but also that there was a very real possibility of a massive contamination outbreak if anyone deliberately or accidentally blew up the manufacturing facility.

But that wasn’t all.

According to the rescued captives, they’d been forced to drastically increase production and meet increasingly unreasonable quotas, even as the number of people dying from exposure to the raw materials continued to rise.

Apparently, the new variant was so much more lethal than the original incense burners that their captors were constantly struggling to replace their dwindling workforce.

"..."

For a moment, Luca fell completely silent.

Unfortunately for the enemy mechas unlucky enough to be standing in his way, that brief silence was immediately followed by an even more devastating blow as the dungeon owner thought about the atrocities these people had willingly committed.

Unaware of Luca’s rather violent way of venting his frustrations, Kyle continued over their secured channel, his voice tight with concern.

"Also, we need to consider supply and demand. The captives said they aren’t the only group manufacturing those things, so just imagine how much of that stuff they’re planning to flood the black market with."

"...!"

Xavier, who’d been listening to the report while keeping track of the surrounding enemies, immediately understood the implications.

If the operation was really that extensive, then securing the facility on Caldris Minor-7 wouldn’t be nearly enough.

They’d have to expand their investigation and locate the other manufacturing sites before even more of those products could enter circulation.

However, just as the Crown Prince was about to inform his wife and the others back in the dungeon space, Luca suddenly muttered something that made everyone pause.

"The dead bodies... do we have any idea where they ended up?"

"The dead bodies?" Kyle repeated, sounding rather surprised by the question.

It was something Luca hadn’t wanted to ask in the first place.

Even thinking about it left a bitter taste in his mouth, especially when he knew there was probably nothing he could do for those unfortunate people who’d already lost their lives.

After all, even the miraculous revive pills had their limitations.

And if those people had been dead for too long...

Then all he could offer was assistance in getting justice for them.

But considering everything they’d just discovered, Luca couldn’t afford to ignore the question simply because it made him uncomfortable.

"Yes," he replied softly, his golden eyes narrowing as he pursued another enemy mecha. "If corruption was partly responsible for their deaths, then we can’t rule out the possibility that their remains might also be contaminated."

"...!"

"And if those people, or even just some of them, were buried somewhere instead of being cremated, then I’d really hate to imagine what might happen to those burial sites..."

"Ah, shit."

Kyle breathed out the curse as he continued making his way through the underground tunnel.

Because of course!

As though having to worry about an entire manufacturing facility potentially exploding and releasing concentrated corruption wasn’t already bad enough, they now had to consider the possibility that the dead workers had been buried all over the Empire!

Couldn’t they have a say in any of this?!

Did those idiots really think the universe didn’t already have enough problems without them rising up to add even more to the pile?!

Frustrated beyond belief, Kyle hurriedly searched for a suitable location where he could safely enter the dungeon space without anyone noticing.

If there was one advantage to moving alone now that the Imperial Monarchs had eased their surveillance, it was that he no longer had to worry about the observers or cadets watching his every move.

Fortunately, after navigating farther into the subterranean passage, he finally came across a secluded cavern that appeared to have formed naturally from previous seismic activity rather than being deliberately excavated.

How about here?

It looked promising enough.

Kyle was just about to inspect the area more carefully when Luca’s voice quietly came through the secured channel once more.

"Kyle, wait for us, okay? We’ll be there soon."

__

The second son of House Nox was just about to suggest that it might be better for him to meet up with them later instead.

After all, he really didn’t have much time left, and the others were still busy dealing with terrorists who seemed to be holding out far longer than anyone would’ve reasonably expected.

But just as Kyle prepared to teleport directly to his cabin in the dungeon space, he was suddenly tackled by something.

Or rather, someone!

"Oof!"

"Wha—what the?!"

Kyle grunted as he instinctively caught the blonde who’d practically thrown himself into his arms, hurriedly steadying them both before they could lose their balance.

And honestly, his surprise was entirely justified!

Not because these people had somehow appeared right in front of him without warning.

That was practically an everyday occurrence among DG members!

No, what shocked him was the fact that, just moments earlier, these very same people had still been fighting terrorists in their mechas!

"Waaaaah! Kyleeee!"

The blonde barnacle wailed as he clung to his husband as though his very life depended on it, his expression filled with undisguised worry.

"If Jax hadn’t told us to go, then—"

"Wait. Jax?"

Kyle blinked.

What did Jax have to do with any of this?!

"Jax is with Sid, D-29, and D-64," Xavier calmly explained, already surveying their surroundings after stepping through the door that had brought them directly to Kyle’s location. "We just need to return before the battle is over."

"...!"

As Xavier’s adjutant, Kyle was hardly unfamiliar with this sort of arrangement.

After all, delegating tasks to capable companions while the others attended to something equally important wasn’t exactly unusual for those who had worked under the Imperial Prince.

But...

For Luca to actually agree to leave those guys behind to handle an ongoing battle?!

That was a little surprising, considering he was the very same person who still treated colossal beasts like helpless babies in need of support, understanding, and mortifying t-shirts.

But when Kyle turned toward the golden-eyed cadet for an explanation, he found Luca letting out a rather helpless sigh.

"D-29 said it wanted to learn how to fight without a pilot for the sake of its personal growth," Luca muttered, sounding almost lonely about the rather sudden turn of events. "So we got shooed away..."

"..."

What?

That D-29 was actually willing to fight?!

And not only that, but it had apparently been the one to chase its own dungeon owner away?!

Kyle didn’t quite know what to make of that revelation.

__

But as ridiculous as it sounded, the little system really had volunteered!

After all, the overwhelming reactions coming from the cadets and crew aboard Battalion 10’s battleship had practically turned the vast skies into its own personal playground!

And considering that D-29 was a mecha built and designed specifically to be seen...

How could it possibly resist the temptation to indulge such an enthusiastic audience?!