Rusty Royal Palace.
Right after Luna departed.
Giotto had already fully grasped the potential fallout of his recent negligence.
Total annihilation.
King Rusty wanted him and Toma K. dead, and this time, with Luna's unexpected arrival, he had intended to eliminate her as well.
Ultimately, the entire affair had devolved into a farce. Giotto understood that Luna's intervention was a calculated move to neutralize King Rusty's capability for large-scale action.
King Rusty possessed the confidence to attempt such schemes, implying he must have utilized immensely powerful technology. For that scheme to ultimately fail, Giotto suspected Luna's handling wasn't simply effortless; she likely exerted considerable force behind that final, seemingly casual display.
Mulling over these facts, Giotto was consumed by true fury.
His bond with King Rusty spanned over ten thousand years.
Long ago, Luna had proposed removing the Rusty royal family from the Supernova Technology Corporation board of directors. At that time, Giotto had strongly disagreed.
He still believed it was necessary to offer some support to the Rusty Star Nation, if only to serve as a buffer for the Supernova Technology Corporation, shielding it from pressure exerted by other Star Nations.
Of course, that layer of long-standing friendship certainly interfered with his judgment.
He had afforded the Rusty royal family such consideration, only to receive this betrayal in return.
He rose from his seat with a grave expression.
Walking towards Toma K.
"Do you believe they are sincere?"
"Perhaps her approach to you was merely strategic, designed solely to eliminate you."
Although Toma K was completely unaware of the specifics of what transpired after he regained consciousness, after assessing his surroundings, he had managed to surmise seven or eight parts of the overall situation.
When Giotto approached, his heart sank.
Giotto and Luna's prior suspicions had been accurate; he had, in fact, developed genuine feelings.
Because the pressure upon him was too immense, constantly contemplating the responsibilities toward civilization every waking moment. He had isolated himself, yet he still realized he was fundamentally incapable of being that type of solitary figure.
He desperately needed someone by his side to share his burdens and secrets.
Previously, that confidant had been Giotto.
He had always viewed Giotto as an older brother, an uncle, or a similar steadfast figure.
But as Supernova Technology Corporation grew exponentially larger, Giotto and Toma K were forced to manage increasingly separate affairs. Their relationship wasn't exactly strained, but their time together certainly wasn't as frequent.
This shift left Toma K feeling incredibly suppressed.
It just so happened that he was in Sheltondine when this princess happened to approach him. Their conversations immediately resonated, and they gradually became a couple.
Returning to the present moment, Toma K felt a sharp wave of distress.
He never anticipated his so-called profound love would culminate in such a manner.
When Giotto arrived, Toma K felt intensely nervous, never imagining that the affection he had finally found—his first marriage—would end this way.
But when Giotto posed that question, he recognized that Giotto was still the same reliable person he knew.
Although, like himself, his intellectual capacity might not be exceptional, and his emotional intelligence was frankly similar, at least Giotto was not fundamentally cruel or malicious.
Toma K looked at his newlywed wife beside him, who was currently flustered and speechless.
His heart felt incredibly complex and conflicted.
He wanted to speak but held back, hesitating.
"Sigh, you decide!"
In his mind, Giotto's standing remained higher than his wife's in this moment of crisis.
This was certainly also due to his overwhelming heartache.
"No, Toma, I truly know nothing. I didn't realize my father was capable of this…"
"You must not abandon me. You promised me you would protect me until the universe's end."
Even though Giotto was incredibly serious at this critical moment, hearing these words still made his scalp tingle with absurdity.
Isn't this the exact script for those mindless youth romance dramas?
"Hand the decision over to me?"
"Have you perhaps become too complacent, forgetting the true purpose behind our actions? …Never mind, I have no right to lecture you."
"Your predicament remains yours to resolve. Since you still hesitate, then take her with you."
Giotto still respected Toma K's judgment considerably.
He did not want any single incident to strain their foundational relationship.
For Toma K to defer the decision to him truly demonstrated deep trust, but it simultaneously implied that a residue of doubt still lingered in his mind regarding his marriage.
Hearing this, Toma K gave Giotto a grateful glance, then turned to his wife: "Why are you standing there stunned? Let's go!"
The gentleness that characterized their previous days was absent from his eyes.
Replaced by the cold indifference forged by a millennium of isolation.
So unfamiliar, the princess hesitated slightly.
Toma K turned and walked out. The princess glanced back one last time at her mad father and elder brother, then followed.
Regardless of whether she fully grasped the gravity of the situation, the most pragmatic choice now was to leave with Toma K.
After the couple departed, the remaining nobles and major company representatives also felt a strong impulse to leave.
They began moving towards the exterior of the royal palace.
But then, a single sentence from Giotto froze them all in place.
"If anyone attempts to leave today, then tomorrow, I guarantee that no one in this entire world will remember they ever existed."
At this moment, Giotto truly embodied his identity as the Director of Supernova Technology Corporation.
His words instilled such paralyzing fear that everyone present dared not even move.
After delivering that chilling ultimatum, Giotto turned his attention to Fingeno.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
Fingeno, sensing he was already exposed to the truth of the situation, became considerably calmer.
He looked coldly at Giotto.
"I have to say your luck is truly remarkable. Had we not been deliberately set up, you would all be dead by now."
"I despise that Father—such a calculating man—for failing to prepare a contingency plan."
"Do with me as you wish; hack or slice as you see fit."
Fingeno had absolutely no intention of resisting.
Although this was the royal palace, it was fundamentally their territory.
But just as King Rusty had told him previously:
What appeared to be their Star Nation was, in reality, already the possession of Supernova Technology Corporation.
What was the use of resistance?
Could he possibly escape?
Giotto didn't comprehend a single word Fingeno uttered.
The two were fundamentally on different wavelengths.
However, Fingeno's admission of his intentions only deepened Giotto's personal conviction.
He pointed directly at Fingeno.
"Lockdown!"
Intense energy fluctuations surged.
An energy ring clamped firmly onto Fingeno.
[Target Energy Lock complete]
This was Sheltondine's main server system.
Giotto's authority surpassed that of the royal family itself.
The Star City was saturated with deployable energy everywhere; the main server could utilize this energy at will. Fingeno had used this mechanism to imprison numerous individuals. Giotto knew this, which gave him confidence that Fingeno could not escape.
In this era, authority was power; authority was everything.
After locking down Fingeno, Giotto proceeded toward King Rusty, who remained seated on the throne.
The King was currently raving, muttering repeatedly: "It's all of you… So it's all of you…"
Giotto stated: "Stop feigning madness or foolishness, King Rusty. Even if you were genuinely insane, the quark robots within your body could restore you."
"Lockdown!"
He confined King Rusty as well.
"You are no longer fit to reign. Originally, you only needed to be a quiet monarch; what was the necessity for all of this?"
"Although Supernova Technology Corporation controls all operations, it has never usurped your fundamental power. You still maintained the highest authority in the Rusty Star Nation, second only to the Corporation itself."
Giotto's words instantly provoked King Rusty.
King Rusty roared angrily at Giotto.
"So that's the truth…"
"I am a king, not a house dog! You only view me as a mere puppy, a household servant. Everyone sees us that way."
"If I cannot ascend to become a genuine king, then what is the point of existence besides death?"
He exhibited unexpected defiance, facing annihilation without fear.
Giotto failed to grasp King Rusty's inner turmoil.
The King suffered profound pain. He was not someone who could happily accept dependency. This stemmed from the fact that the Rusty Star Nation predated Supernova Technology Corporation; King Rusty had experienced years of absolute supremacy.
Like a wild bird captured in an opulent cage, even if its surroundings were adorned with splendor, it would never willingly accept imprisonment.
But if it were intrinsically a domestic bird, it would live comfortably within the enclosure; sometimes, even when the cage door was open, it would be too fearful to fly out.
This was the fundamental difference.
King Rusty represented the former type.
"Since that is your resolution, then I shall grant your wish."
Giotto allowed his emotions to dissipate.
He addressed the assembled nobles and major company executives: "From this day forward, there shall be no more Rusty royal family!"
"Tomorrow, every member of the royal lineage will face the penalty for this transgression!"
Giotto acted strictly according to established rules.
But a Star Nation had never possessed a penal code specifically designed for royalty.
Thus, everything remained subject entirely to Giotto's decree.
He had already made his decision.
"And the Rusty Star Nation will be fully absorbed and managed by Supernova Technology Corporation. I shall personally assume all responsibilities previously held by the Rusty royal family!"
Giotto decided to govern the Rusty Star Nation himself.
Not only were there no other suitable candidates at this stage, but this path also stemmed from his desire to finally achieve something meaningful.
If Luna handled everything else, then the only role left for him was to manage the Rusty Star Nation.
The Star Nation served as the bedrock.
Only with a stable Rusty Star Nation could further development proceed more easily.
His declaration shocked all the nobles and company representatives in the hall.
For him to personally step in and take absolute control of the Star Nation would profoundly alter their status, meaning that henceforth, the Star Nation would possess only one source of power; it would completely transform into a dictatorial Star Nation.
Those who had originally wished to leverage the nobles and companies now faced a stark choice: pledge immediate allegiance or consider departing immediately.
Among them, many smaller companies that had previously flourished under the patronage of the Rusty royalty and their affiliation with the Corporation now faced direct, centralized competition.
Because without conflicting wills within the Star Nation, internal competition—where similar enterprises kept each other in check—could naturally arise.
But now, all authority was centralized under the Corporation.
That meant only one kind of company structure could truly exist!
Supernova Technology Corporation, naturally, preferred to maintain some level of beneficial rivalry, but this new consolidation made matters troublesome. The Corporation could not overtly favor any single entity, nor could it effectively manage the complex web of alliances. Even cooperative arrangements forged after fierce competition proved unstable. It was simpler to allow just one company to dominate and cultivate that sector.
This represented a clear, immediate structural change.
And countless other subtle shifts would invariably affect every facet of the Rusty Star Nation.
On the second day following Giotto's decision, he brought all remaining members of the Rusty royal family to a designated platform.
After a series of swift procedures,
no one received pardon.
The entire Rusty royal family was annihilated.
Giotto then transitioned into a standard management regimen.
He rapidly shifted from his previous idle phase into his executive role, executing every task according to the meticulous daily schedule.
Then, he made a discovery.
King Rusty's duties were actually much simpler than he had imagined.
This was because for many administrative matters within the Rusty Star Nation, people would bypass King Rusty entirely and approach Supernova Technology Corporation directly. Therefore, the role of "King Rusty" was truly deserving of its mascot-like designation.
This realization further solidified Giotto's lack of pity for King Rusty.
After he successfully stabilized the entire framework in nearly fifty years,
he unexpectedly began to genuinely enjoy his new identity.
Giotto realized that this sense of engagement was precisely what he had been craving.
Unlike the weariness felt at the Corporation, and distinct from the complacency of an absentee executive, this role as King Rusty felt perfectly balanced—ideally suited for him.
But in this state of perfect engagement, Giotto couldn't help but recall his original, forgotten ambition.
"Conquest…"
That long-dormant objective.
Once settled into this routine, Giotto's life began to become repetitive and tedious.
For him, after diligently avoiding certain responsibilities for so long, his core ambitions couldn't simply vanish; instead, they perpetually lingered around him.
In truth, that inherent pressure had always existed for both him and Toma K. It was simply that both men desperately hoped to shed this burden, trying their utmost not to recall their past during normal, peacetime moments.
It was like the mindset of a chronic procrastinator.
If a crucial task must be completed today, some individuals choose immediate execution, while others mentally calculate the absolute final available moment and wait until the last hour of the day to begin.
Would this delay truly result in comfort?
No. In those final hours, one would be crushed by time constraints, the anxiety of incomplete obligations, worry, exhaustion, and self-reproach...
Countless negative emotions would pile up, rather than achieving a feeling of lightness.
This was precisely Giotto's current predicament.
He had no real measure of how much longer humanity could hold out.
Perhaps tens of thousands of years, perhaps several tens of thousands of years, or perhaps only a few thousand years remained until human civilization faced an unprecedented invasion.
And during that time, he had done nothing substantial toward the ultimate goal.
As King Rusty, Giotto found it incredibly difficult to revert to that previous state of avoidance and ease. He became tense, and this tension increasingly focused him on his original, ultimate purpose.
He devoted one-third of his daily cycle to contemplating this existential threat.
These ongoing thoughts made him unbearably weary.
The only viable remedy for this ailment, he concluded, was expansion!
He needed to conquer larger Sectors to effectively achieve his ultimate objectives.
Accelerating the Star Nation's expansion, embarking on the path towards his ultimate goal—only then could his internal symptoms alleviate.
"It seems there's no escaping this reality, after all?"
"Civilization… If that opposing Civilization arrives, if dimensional warfare begins, humanity will ultimately face destruction."
"I genuinely hoped to evade this responsibility. I reminded myself time and again that I am just an ordinary person; there's no need to burden myself with such immense pressure."
"But in the end, everything still circled back to square one."
Was he destined for a life of comfort?
Or a desperate, endless fight?
King Rusty's recent incident allowed Giotto to perceive many truths he had stubbornly ignored.
Everything he had consciously neglected hadn't vanished; it was merely festering in an altered form, secretly awaiting an opportune moment to consume him.
The more he indulged, the more he sought solace, the more intense the inevitable backlash would become.
This time, Luna had, arguably, saved them.
But what about the next threat!?
He didn't know where the next danger would emerge from, or if it had already started its advance.
Giotto felt intensely conflicted because he had become deeply accustomed to avoidance.
He actively evaded his duties, and simultaneously, he avoided taking any decisive action whatsoever. He detested this facet of his own nature, yet he seemed fundamentally unable to alter it.
This internal struggle was strikingly similar to that of any average individual.
Or perhaps Giotto himself was the ultimate representation of ordinary people; he had merely been granted luck, but his inherent abilities far surpassed what he could manage.
"Now I have finally found my suitable role. Supernova Technology possesses a capable individual like Luna to manage its operations. At this juncture, the Rusty Star Nation and the Supernova Technology Corporation truly function as a singular entity."
"Perhaps the nearest millennium presents the optimal timeframe for the entire Rusty Star Nation's development. Void-class ships have also commenced construction. This should have been the original strategic blueprint."
"What is there left to hesitate about?"
"Now is the prime moment. Perhaps we should proceed to conquer the entirety of human Civilization."
Giotto was muttering to himself.
He desperately attempted to persuade himself.
To rationalize his inherent laziness and perpetual avoidance.
This self-convincing process was exceptionally difficult.
Ninety-nine percent of individuals would be convinced in the opposite direction rather than successfully persuading an alternate 'self.'
And at this precise moment, Giotto knew he was still wavering, so he defaulted to the simplest possible mechanism.
Flipping a coin.
"If the coin lands heads, I will initiate the plan."
"If it lands tails, then… I give up!?"
Giotto tossed the coin high into the air.
He did not catch it with his hand, but instead allowed it to fall onto the ground, spinning and slowly coming to rest, finally lying flat.
In the end…
It landed tails.
"No, best two out of three!"
Two tails, one head.
"No, three out of five!"
Giotto wrestled fiercely with his own internal debate.
Finally, the coin landed heads twice consecutively, which elicited a sigh of relief from him.
He declared: "Indeed, this is destiny's decree. I am compelled to act."
Giotto needed to struggle free from the self-imposed mire he had created; his only recourse was to deceive himself into compliance.
This was his personal confrontation with his own nature.
Giotto transmitted his decision to Luna.
To accelerate the process.
When Luna reviewed Giotto's message, the outcome was simultaneously expected and surprising.
She had initially orchestrated this incident hoping it would temper Giotto's complacency.
But she hadn't anticipated it would directly activate him, as if unblocking two major energy channels.
It proved even more effective than she had imagined.
Truthfully, Luna had grown somewhat disinterested in the duo, Giotto and Toma K. They had perpetually appeared to be coasting, which led Luna to suspect they might merely be decoys or bait.
These two seemed solely focused on self-indulgence, as if lacking any discernible long-term objectives.
Initially, Luna could distinctly sense their underlying sense of purpose.
But as she took over the Supernova Technology Corporation, enhancing its strength, that initial feeling seemed to abruptly dissipate.
It was as if every accomplishment Luna achieved was already the ultimate pursuit desired by those two.
Luna could not fully comprehend the internal conflicts raging within Giotto and Toma K.
Everyone understands the profound pain associated with making a critical decision, and these internal conflicts might appear trivial to an outsider.
If Luna were the one making these choices, she would have already established clear, measurable targets.
She could never have fathomed that for over ten millennia, Giotto and Toma K had been agonizing over what felt like a minute detail.
Regardless of the internal transformation Giotto was undergoing,
Luna felt this development was positive.
She had always deliberately refrained from interfering, from dictating decisions for Giotto and Toma K.
Because she hoped that all of this would be directed by these two, and she would merely serve as the instrument of execution.
This arrangement was optimal.
At the very least, it would prevent her from appearing too conspicuous.
The Civilization operating behind the scenes might be observing every move from some unseen vantage point.
If Luna were to openly reveal her true intentions, she risked immediate detection. If that happened, Giotto and Toma K might truly be reduced to mere puppets.
"Finally, I can observe."
"Your ultimate objective."
Luna remained perplexed.
If the Civilization backing Giotto and Toma K intended them for more than just bait—if they were the very means—then what exactly was that Civilization aiming to achieve?
The entire situation felt utterly absurd!
Perhaps it was just a secondary concern for that vast Civilization?
Luna had been hypothesizing early on, but every proposed solution felt unsatisfying.
The dispatched "Divine" agents had failed to extract any actionable intelligence from the pair.
And now,
Giotto was finally initiating his genuine strategic decisions.
This meant Luna could finally glimpse their, or perhaps its, true ambition.
This realization affirmed that her preparations spanning so many years had not been in vain.
"Duston, is the Ghost ready for final inspection?"
Luna was still en route back to base.
Initially, her demeanor had been entirely detached.
Now, however, a sliver of keen anticipation warmed her.
Duston's response arrived promptly.
"Madam, all inspections are finalized. The Ghost registers no anomalies. It awaits only your return to commence deployment. We are simultaneously infusing it with necessary energy."
The Ghost warship was a prototype unit.
It was slated to become the future flagship of the Rusty Star Nation.
Its perfection was paramount. Luna needed to test it exhaustively to gauge its precise capabilities, its absolute upper and lower performance thresholds.
"Understood. Prepare the void-class ship next."
"Director Giotto has finally issued an order, requesting the expedited construction of the void-class ship."
"We should not wait until his fervor cools down to begin construction."
"I must deliver the inaugural vessel to him personally."
Luna was uncertain if Giotto had cemented his resolve.
Luna had witnessed Giotto's wavering hesitation numerous times over the years.
A decision he finalized one moment could be entirely overturned by him the next.
Since Giotto exhibited such intense enthusiasm this time, Luna decided to indulge him slightly, to help him maintain that momentum.
"Understood, Madam."
"I am confident the first void-class ship will exceed Director Giotto's extreme expectations."
"It represents the apex achievement in the history of all human Civilization."
Upon hearing Luna's words, regardless of Giotto's current excitement level, Duston was certainly moved.
In truth, the robot had never actually met Giotto, knowing him only by reputation.
The Director was a monumental figure in its perception, easily comparable to Luna herself. It believed that earning such a person's approval would be its highest honor.
Indeed, Luna entrusting the construction of ships and warships to it—a singular robot—had already moved it to tears.
This was unprecedented.
After all, within this Star Nation, the status of robots was generally low.
Even sentient robots were not equated with regular laborers, typically relegated only to reception or command relay duties. Yet, this unit had been elevated to a management position.
Therefore, it felt profound gratitude toward Luna, and toward the Supernova Technology Corporation.
It was imperative that it produced works satisfying to both Luna and the Supernova Technology Corporation.
"Just manage the specifics meticulously."
"Details take precedence over both cost and schedule. We possess the capacity to wait."
Luna was privy to intelligence regarding the ongoing battlefield situation between the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant and the Federation through various intelligence streams.
The conflict had consistently remained in a state of deadlock.
In recent years, however, subtle shifts had occurred.
The casualty rate had distinctly risen.
If the annual soldier deaths on the front lines were originally around 20 trillion, those figures had recently surged to 100 trillion.
Fivefold casualties indicated the battlefield was entering a critical, decisive phase.
It also implied that Ayla had not managed the situation effectively.
Luna refused to believe Ayla was incapable of maintaining control over the frontline.
Knowing Ayla intimately, the only conclusion Luna could reach was that Ayla's focus was diverted from the ongoing war.
The collision of two immense powers was a matter of high global priority, but what could draw Ayla away from the conflict between the two factions? Dimensional warfare.
"If the Federation has also engaged in dimensional combat, then the entire Milky Way's dimensional war will commence."
"This theater of operations must be concluded thoroughly before the dimensional war erupts."
If, following the outbreak of the dimensional war, human Civilization continued its internal conflicts, Luna would have catastrophically failed.
This was the scenario Luna was most desperate to avoid.
"Through continuous cultivation and strategic bolstering of the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant, it is no longer an entity the Federation can unilaterally destroy."
"Furthermore, the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant shows no genuine intent to unify all star nations."
"Perhaps, the Rusty Star Nation could assume that role."
In Luna's strategic projections,
the Rusty Star Nation would first conquer the surrounding star systems, establishing itself as a truly significant Stellar Power, and then petition to join the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant. Leveraging the Covenant's influential backing, it could consolidate the remaining thousands of smaller star nations, temporarily stemming the chaos in this sector of space.
Then, within the structure of the Twenty-Eight Nations.
Whether it involved aiding the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant in defeating the Federation, or helping the Federation internally dismantle the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant, the ultimate goal was to act as a regulatory controller, guiding Civilization toward necessary stability.
The war between the Twenty-Eight Nations Covenant and the Federation might not cease entirely. A temporary pause in the initial stages would suffice. That would be enough.
Human Civilization needed to halt its internal attrition, channeling the majority of its resources into dimensional warfare. At least in the initial phase, they wouldn't fall hopelessly behind, nor would they be utterly decimated in one massive wave.
In Luna's assessment, human Civilization could only achieve self-preservation in dimensional warfare if they advanced to a Type 2.8 Civilization before the dimensional conflict fully materialized.
"Leisure time has now concluded."
"The genuine war… is about to commence!"
Luna gazed out toward the profound depths of the cosmos.
Countless stars shone brilliantly, appearing peaceful, yet every glittering speck might well represent a world facing imminent destruction.
Could human Civilization endure this trial for longer?
Luna's eyes, too, held a trace of profound uncertainty.