01.38 - The Twelve Million Kingdoms

“Interstellar planetary destroyers,” Alfred said. “Doomsday weapons. Forged from large asteroids or very small moons. Accelerated with spacetime magic, but slower-than-light at the time of impact. They are easy to produce, but hard to control. Unless…”

“Unless what?” I asked.

“Unless you put a pilot in charge of it or figure out some advanced auto steering spell,” Alfred said.

“You’re telling me someone piloted that thing?” I asked. “Who would be motivated enough to…” I stopped mid sentence. Not like I haven’t heard of similar events back in my old world.

“A true fanatic,” Alfred answered my half question. “Or someone with more to lose than their own life.”

He paused.

“The destroyers themself aren’t exactly outlawed,” Alfred continued. “But interstellar lords and ladies usually want to rule worlds, not obliterate them. And why destroy a far off agricultural world?”

“Maybe as a warning?” I asked. “Or a demonstration?”

“Maybe,” he said. “There are on the order of twelve million interstellar kingdoms in this galaxy. Some bigger, some smaller. It wouldn’t be the first one with a lunatic in charge.”

“And here I thought my father was bad,” I said.

“Ah, yes, your…” he stopped himself.

“...The Elden Lord isn’t exactly a bastion of virtue and competence,” he continued. “He is a petty man, but I don’t think even he would stoop that low.”

I shrugged.

“I wouldn’t know,” I said. “Never even met the man.”

“So?” Tia asked. “What’s the plan from now on?”

“You know what that goddess said about heroes going against the will of the System and what I did back then. Do you even have to ask?” I asked.

“Nope,” Tia said. “But I thought the others would want to hear it too.”

“I’ll tell everyone my long term plans once we are all present,” I said. “As for the short term… I refused their call to adventure once. With all the consequences. I don’t regret a minute. But I’d prefer a future where we are not obliterated. Guess we’ll try playing their game for now.”

“And beat them at it?” Tia asked.

“You bet,” I said.

—

We met up with Kentaro, Reiko, Isabella, and Geber the morning of the next day.

As suspected, contacting Akane, Koharu, and Loreley with multiple people would be tricky.

In this current timeline, the three had just started working in the district, and Akanes’s status wasn’t high enough to be able to afford special privileges for herself, let alone Koharu, and Loreley.

Our former pets had gotten somewhat used to their new bodies.

Walking seemed mostly fine. Talking… not so much. But they did seem to recognize and understand our words, even while unable to fully answer them. It reminded me of my time as a baby. Not something I ever planned on repeating.

Speaking of repeating, my official evaluation ceremony will happen five days from now. This would be the third time, not counting the combat evaluations at the adventurers guild.

My Level right now was already sufficient to pass with flying colors, but this time, I wanted to make a lasting impression and secure a privileged spot at officer’s school from the get go.

Alfred took care of any issues back home, while Tia and I carried the kids and our former pets to a far off place we had visited once before with Isabella. We went at night and carried them and our supplies in our dragon forms.

We had encountered a Greater Bone Fiend in this region before and used it as a hunting ground with Kentaro later on.

The monsters were plenty, the Experience points would flow, and most of all, no one would notice the kids and their best friends. We raised a few stone walls, constructed houses at a somewhat safe position near a river. We also made some plans to construct additional fortifications later.

The kids would probably be fine on their own, the reborn former pets not so much. Tia would stay behind with them, just in case. They could spend the time to train up some more, or get used to their new bodies, respectively.

We had encountered the ruins of a fallen city deeper inside the territory in the old timeline. It was swarming with high level undead. Bosses included. My Level rose, and due to the exponential increase in the required Points, it came close to Tia’s.

Further gains would be difficult in the short term. Hell, it might be impossible to find foes with enough of a difference to make any significant gains.

The only reason Tia had not left me in the dust was this soft level and experience point cap.

I, on the other hand, had constantly leveled back down, functionally close to zero, then immediately jumped back up upon slaying a foe or two.

—

The day of the ceremony went mostly like I remembered. Though I didn’t remember much, so that wasn’t too surprising. So even if it did deviate from the last time, I wouldn’t know.

The main thing that changed was me not leveling down due to the use of ‘Know Your Enemy’ even though I kept spamming it on everyone that moved. Their Levels were not high enough to trigger its five percent penalty this time around.

The ceremony was almost over, when my time to be evaluated finally came.

The start went mostly like the first time.

I left my seat and slowly walked on stage, pushed my open palms against each other, slightly bowed my head, and recited the same ritualistic lines as all children who came before me.

“Das was unten ist, ist wie das, was oben ist, und das was oben ist, ist wie das was unten ist.”

(That which is below, is like that which is above, and that which is above, is like that which is below.)

After a nod from the master of ceremonies, I slowly walked toward the center of the stage.

A few hushes were heard. Then the room around me slowly fell into silence as I extended my hands towards the sphere.