Chapter 773: A Warning in Whispers [Monthly Bonus 2]
"Who would’ve thought this Seed Engine key would be such an energy-guzzling bastard..."
Arthur cursed with a groan as he lay on the floor of the spaceship’s central control room, the kite-shaped Seed Engine key lying on the floor beside him.
It had been nearly a day since he’d begun using the key to trace the Seed Engine’s location, constantly channelling cosmic energy into it to chart his path.
Given that the amount of ambient cosmic energy he could harness was directly tied to his internal reserves, he’d been confident in maintaining a constant flow without issue.
Yet barely a day later, he was already lamenting just how much energy he had burned through.
"...I literally have enough power to wipe out planets. How did half of it get drained by a glorified compass...?"
Hearing his muttered complaints, his Ego Weapons, Celestia and Lostvayne, both let out resigned sighs before replying.
[We warned you, didn’t we?]
[But no. You were very confident in your energy capacity.]
"Ack—!"
Lostvayne and Celestia’s jabs dealt Arthur both physical and emotional damage, but he couldn’t argue, after all, they had warned him, and he’d dismissed their concerns out of sheer confidence.
[Lucifer placed that thing inside a Realm, so it needs to draw enough energy to send a signal strong enough to pierce the spatial walls of that Realm. It also requires just as much power to keep a receiver open for the Seed Engine’s return signal.]
Lostvayne explained while floating over to the ship’s console and steering the vessel toward the nearest star system that showed signs of civilization.
The planet’s surface was marked by multiple landmasses across its equator, and fairly large ice caps at its north and south poles.
Readings from the ship’s sensors detected ambient energy levels characteristic of a mid-level world, while the emitted radio signals confirmed the presence of at least a basic level of technological advancement.
[Why not stop on this world and ask around for information about any famous or special realms? You could also use the opportunity to recover your energy.]
"...that I should..."
And so, Arthur’s spaceship made its way to the unnamed planet, eventually landing somewhere around its icy northern pole.
The young man trudged out of the ship looking like someone who hadn’t eaten in months. In that state, no one would’ve imagined that he could reduce the planet beneath his feet to a dead rock in mere seconds.
Arthur performed a cursory scan of the area, then changed into an outfit that closely resembled the local attire before teleporting to a random city to begin his search.
Wooden buildings lined the streets, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings. As Arthur strolled through, he quickly sensed something off about the people bustling around him.
Their expressions bore a strange blend of resignation and dullness, as if they were trapped in a routine they had long since given up resisting.
"Something feels off," he murmured, eyes lingering on a group of children playing in the street.
They laughed, but the sound was hollow, lacking any real joy. It was like a performance, a hollow imitation of happiness covering the undercurrent of unease beneath.
[Master, this place gives me the creeps. The energy here feels... stagnant.]
Arthur silently nodded at Celestia’s words, having noticed the same unsettling vibes.
’Why did I have to land in the weird place first? Whatever, let’s just ask around...’
He looked around and spotted a merchant’s shop with a wide array of goods on display. Judging by the variety, Arthur assumed the merchant likely travelled often, so he stepped inside.
’Come to think of it, I don’t have any of this world’s currency. Oh well, I’ll just barter.’
"Hello there. Do you accept barter trades?"
The person behind the counter looked up at Arthur’s words, his eyes narrowing slightly before he responded with a polite tone.
"That depends on what you’re offering."
’This young man... I’ve never seen anyone with such strong magic power around here. Could he be from another city?’
The man kept his thoughts hidden behind a composed expression while Arthur began browsing through the shelves, examining the merchandise.
[Master, he’s using some sort of analysis power on you.]
’Let him. He won’t be able to see anything anyway. Still, for someone at the counter to possess that kind of ability, this shop either has high standards, or this guy’s the owner himself.’
Arthur paid no mind to the analysis attempt as he mentally noted the man’s potential role.
Eventually, his attention was drawn to a blue crystal formed from an element he didn’t recognize. He picked it up and passed a bit of magic power into it, marvelling at how efficiently it conducted energy.
’Ohh...this is nice.’
He picked up a few more gems and carried them to the counter, setting them down.
"I’m new in town, so I don’t have much on me," he said, "but I do have a few things I’ve picked up during my travels."
Before the man could respond, Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out five large gems from his subspace, placing them beside the ones he’d selected from the shop.
"What do you say? A gem for a gem?"
"..."
The man stared in shock at the brilliant lustre of the gems Arthur had produced. His eyes then moved toward Arthur’s pocket, trying to wrap his head around how five fist-sized gemstones had just come out of there.
’Could it be...space magic?’
His gaze snapped back to Arthur, a hint of apprehension creeping into his expression. But the allure of the gems quickly recaptured his attention, and he turned back to them, using his analysis ability on them.
"You... w-where did you get these things?" he asked, his tone dropping slightly.
"Somewhere not around here," Arthur replied casually. "They’re rare, but their magic conductivity’s just as good as the ones I picked out.
They catch your eye?"
At Arthur’s reply, the man looked up at him, the unease in his expression growing.
But Arthur, still rummaging in his subspace, didn’t notice this as he continued speaking.
"I travel around collecting things like this. Special realms and dimensions are good places to find rare items.
I was just thinking about where to head next. You know any places that fit the bill?"
He finally raised his gaze, meeting the man’s now-wide eyes.
"...special realms?" the man echoed.
"You seek knowledge of things that... aren’t often spoken of here."
The man’s body trembled slightly, his fist clenching as he muttered,
"...those gems, are not of this world..."
His analysis ability could identify anything native to his planet, but items from others couldn’t be identified. He’d learned that limitation from a past experience.
Now, standing before stones he couldn’t analyse, he instantly understood they were from a foreign world.
And the person who had brought them...
’...where...? Another world? No... that shouldn’t be possible...!’
Arthur, unaware of the man’s inner turmoil, tilted his head and asked casually,
"Hmm? You can’t accept foreign world materials? That might be a problem... I haven’t...adventured in this world yet..."
Arthur muttered the last part under his breath, but the man still caught it, his eyes widening once more.
"...adventure? How can you speak of such a thing so openly?!"
"??"
The man’s sudden outburst made Arthur blink in confusion, and the clear look of genuine puzzlement on his face only stunned the man further.
’...how could he? But even if he is from another world, how can he be unaware?’
Calming himself with the composure that came from years of experience, the man spoke in a hushed tone.
"You said you explore other worlds, didn’t you? Then let me give you some advice since it’s clear you’re new here.
Don’t speak of being an otherworlder outside. Don’t mention adventure or exploration. Just return to wherever you came from before the Sentinels catch wind of you."
At that, Arthur’s eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious as he asked,
"Sentinels? Who or what are those?"
Noticing the shift in Arthur’s demeanour, the man sighed and muttered,
"You’re actually clueless... How did you even get here?
No, never mind that. Since you’re willing to listen, I’ll warn you properly. The god of Permanence has no tolerance for those who chase change or adventure."
The man hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice, as though afraid someone might be listening.
"Because he believes eternity must be preserved. To him, adventure and spontaneity are threats to that vision. Those who seek to enjoy life or embrace the unknown... are discouraged.
He forbids travel beyond worlds, binding our lives with his laws. Many have tried to defy him, but none ever returned.
If it’s discovered that you’re from another world and looking to ’explore’ or ’adventure’ special realms, the Sentinels will come for you."
He gently pushed the gems back toward Arthur, shaking his head.
"I can’t accept this. Take your things and return to your world before the Sentinels catch wind of you... please."
His voice trembled near the end, making it clear he wanted no part in whatever trouble Arthur’s presence might stir.
Arthur pressed his fingers to his temples, processing all he’d just been told. Then he looked up and asked.
"One last thing.
Since you’re aware of other worlds, you must know something about them. Even if not you personally, then maybe a library or someplace with records or details about other planets and unique locations.
Information on the things that are considered restricted around here..."
The man shook his head slowly.
"There are information centres, yes, but they only contain knowledge of this world. Anything beyond it is restricted.
Even access to knowledge about our own world isn’t open to everyone. I don’t know how things are where you’re from, but here, knowledge is a privilege... not a right."
Hearing that, Arthur clicked his tongue in annoyance, returned the gems to his subspace with a thought, and turned to leave.
"Appreciate the warning, anyway."
As he stepped out of the shop, Celestia’s voice echoed in his mind.
[Master...this god of Permanence...]
’What are the chances they’re not some local god on this world, but the Galactic Ruler?’
[[...fairly high.]]
Both Ego Weapons answered simultaneously, and Arthur sighed.
[Should we try checking another planet?] Lostvayne asked.
[Another planet? We’ve only asked one place. Leaving the whole planet after just that seems like a waste.]
Celestia voiced a solid objection, but after a few moments of thought, Arthur decided to go with Lostvayne’s suggestion.
’No. Let’s head to a more advanced planet.’
With a thought, he teleported to the north pole, summoned his spaceship, and stepped inside, instructing the onboard AI to scan the surrounding stellar region.
"I knew it. There’s a high-level world nearby. Let’s check that one out. Odds are we’ll find more accurate information there."
They had only stopped on this planet because it was the closest, after all.
Having made his decision, Arthur powered up the ship and took off, setting course for the next habitable planet in the star system.
