Chapter 32

Rainwater dripped from a ceiling that was barely lit at night. It was green water dripping from rusted pipes.

Here, in this abandoned factory, the remains of a living thing. The pipes are blood vessels that no longer stir.

We, the worms, were the twisted, writhing carcasses.

"Come to think of it, Master."

Just as I was thinking how well everyone sleeps in a place like this, someone came up beside me. It was a man with the eyes of a serpent, who invited me to look him in the eye.

"This is the first time I've seen this group together."

"...."

"This is what Romeo and Juliet dreamed of."

I didn't bother to reply.

"For all of us to be here."

Silan's eyes widened at the name as it rolled off his tongue.

Romeo the playwright, Juliet the tragedy.

The two-in-one couple, as the name suggests, were members of the Black Snake and enemies in the previous installment, who had confidently taken the final boss position.

They had a goal to turn their story into a comedy, and it ended in tragedy.

I still have vivid memories of fighting those two as a player of Heroic Age.

Of course, as a player and "protagonist of the previous game," they're not the only snakes I've defeated.

How much of it was in-game and how much was 'out there'. I couldn't tell.

Therefore, I can only go forward to find out.

*

On the day of the World Military Exhibition-.

BANG!

An iridescent firecracker bursts into the gloomy ash-colored sky.

The roar of the crowd rose and the crowd around the Crystal Palace was so large that it was difficult to step on the ground.

Still, the honor of entering the Crystal Palace on the first day of the opening ceremony is reserved for a select few guests from around the world.

The vast majority were not even allowed to enter, only to stroll around the palace and breathe in the festive atmosphere.

The people didn't want more than that.

Until the 'surprise' arrival of the Breton Empire, who had built the crystal palace just for this day.

"What is that?!"

"Hey, look at that!"

"Oh, my God!"

The fairgrounds were made of glass, not to peek over the edge, nor to show off the light and brilliance of the crystal theme.

It was to give everyone a crystal-clear view.

On the transparent glass of the crystal palace, an image emerged, like a projection of a movie, it came to life.

The interior of the fairgrounds is projected so vividly that you can recognize it from anywhere.

At the same time, the projected image did not stop at the glass of the Crystal Palace.

It's scary to think that it appeared from the edge of the horizon, and then it was right overhead, casting shadows.

The absurdly imposing "ship of the sky" began to showcase the interior of the fairgrounds, using the underside of its hull as a theater.

"...It's a Dreadnought-class air warship."

Aria whispered beside me but she didn't even glance up at the sky just blended in with the waves of people flooding the place.

"Kiya, that's just jaw-dropping. I swear, I thought I was going to die trying to get the blueprints for that thing."

"You're talking too much, Silan."

"Hmm, reminds me of my nether date with my sister that day. We took in the scenery, dipped our toes in the river, and got to know each other better...."

"… … It's a fabrication. Don't bring in elves arbitrarily."

Elves, not people. Selena added incredulously.

Amidst the waves of people, Silan and Selena chatted nonchalantly.

...No, more than that, they stole the blueprints for that airship? Really? I had to doubt my ears.

"What do you think, Captain? We already risked our lives to steal it, but it's amazing that we also invested a bit of budget into something like this."

"...."

After doubting, I fell silent, suppressing the part of me that wanted to say yes.

Anyway,

None of us are hiding who we are or what we do.

Our voices are so clear, even among so many people.

It's as if there's no one else here but the Black Snake.

And indeed, it is.

For the bustle around us was far from human.

All of them are automatons driven by the Golden Lord, puppets following orders.

They weren't even hired for this day, this hour, this day.

They have all been living in this city for at least a few months, if not years.

Moreover, the city life that the automatons disguise is not something they have earned.

It was stolen.

From the "real" people who are supposed to enjoy and live that life.

Their faces are skinned to avoid arousing suspicion, their brains are harvested to mimic their memories and behaviors.

Their lives are taken from them, stolen from them, and they blend in like mice and birds.

─Every single automaton here.

I looked up, fighting back the nausea that threatened to overtake me.

The crystal palace and the heavenly curtain were now shining down on the 'opening ceremony' worthy of a military exposition.

The opening ceremony, the easiest way to get people's attention and the easiest way to get their enthusiasm.

It was a public showdown.

First, the iron-blooded Cromwell, one of the three great ducal families of the Breton Empire against a young knight from the Holy Kingdom.

Next, it was the turn of Sir Roland, the leader of the Crusader Knights, the strongest knight in the Holy Kingdom.

His opponent is a nameless soldier of the Royal Guard from the Duchy of Germania, who is not worthy of Roland's name.

It's like the first showdown.

By pitting the best of the best against the best of the newcomers, no one's pride is hurt and everyone wins.

Literally, no one loses and everyone wins.

─Our victory was no exception.

I looked around wordlessly.

The same as the victims who were there, whose lives were stolen by the automatons.

The same victims were there in the public arena of confrontation beyond the video.

This is the young man from the Duchy of Germania who now faces off against Roland on the other side.

Upon arriving in this city, the nameless 'young man' sank to the bottom of the river that cuts through Londinium. His face skinned and part of his brain harvested.

And I knew the name of the man who stood before Lord Roland with that face-skin over his head.

"This is no place for mistakes," I said.

At that, Golden Lord Robert smiled gently.

"You must believe in the child's specialness, Sir Rain."

"What is so special?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

The blond-white-haired man with the golden monocle replied.

For one could never claim the name of a serpent without something special.

"Not by words, but by proof."

The Golden Lord, the continent's greatest mechanic, the continent's greatest doctor, and finally, the continent's greatest godfather.

The No. 1 in the past, who doesn't hide his past grudges and lingering feelings from me.

A man of duality who confronts those feelings as they are, and paradoxically pledges his loyalty.

The symbol of gold, the most contrasting color in front of black, was like a symbol that revealed his contradictions.

The showdown has begun.

It was a formal, public confrontation between the strong and the newcomer. Common sense would dictate that it should be so one-sided that it would not even be a fight.

However, the purpose of this match was to build the pride of the two nations and to generate enthusiasm and excitement.

The fight began with Ergo's preemptive strike that took the life of a young man on the side of the Duchy of Germania.

The distance closed and Ergo drew his sword and swung.

In front of them, the man called 'Sinchang' blocked the sword being swung with his spear and swung it like his baton and deflected it. The distance widened.

As the distance widened, I realized that I was only watching a video.

"From start to finish, did you decide to wield the holy spear yourself....?"

"Well, common sense dictates that it's the surest way to protect a holy relic."

Silan shrugged.

"Whatever, he's a star-crossed man."

Beloved by the stars.

It was true.

Holy kingdom, holy relic, holy spear. All surnames attached here are not 'holy surnames.'

It's a stellar surname.

In other words, the man had a star kingdom, a star relic, and a star spear.

Just as the Duchy of Germania exalted its name through necromancy and mechanical engineering, and the Breton Empire proved itself through magic.

The Star(Holy) Kingdom is, as its name suggests, it's a nation under the protection of a star.

It's not an ordinary star either, but a very special, willful cluster of divine stars called Constellation.

I had to take this opportunity to see for myself.

Like it or not, as long as this man was protecting the relic, there was only one way to take it from him.

As it turned out, their confrontation was the longest and fiercest of any that followed even if it was a fight where no one doubted the outcome.

The fact that no one doubted was enough for us.

*

From that day on, the "spectacle" of each nation's performance began, starting with the Breton Empire.

The Breton Empire showed off their aerial battleships in the sky and their army, the Red Coats.

Next up was the Alliance of Northern Kingdoms, led by the man called the Lion of the North, King Gustav II the Snow King.

What was on display was a new, firepower-oriented army that was strictly, and excessively, cold weapons and magic-oriented, with guns and artillery.

Next up was the Anatolian Empire, a foreign country to the east with their eye-catching army called the Immortals and then the Janissaries, which in their language means 'new army'.

So far, three nations have passed, and the time is near.

When the turn of the Holy Kingdom came, we were no longer outsiders watching the display outside the Crystal Palace.

After a tedious wait, the time had come for the Holy Kingdom to prove themselves.

It was the time to reveal and show off the weapons and power of the star-blessed nation before the people of the continent.

The Black Snake was no exception.

"Nothing will change."

I said, among the puppets there, in front of the twelve who claimed and craved the serpent's name.

"...nothing."

No futile underworking, no cleverly glittering schemes, nothing.

Just to show it as it is.