Chapter 14: I'm Not Your Father (1)

Obvious to say, but I decided to stop playing The Great War after the day I got kidnapped by those aliens.

But after only one day… I was facing withdrawal symptoms.

"I just need to play one more game. If I could do the sword fight I wanted to do but could not… Argh, I even thought of how to conquer it. To think I am not able to carry it out."

It would have been better if I had cleared the game perfectly to feel that 'This is the end of the game!', but the problem was that there was still an endless amount of content I could enjoy in The Great War.

"Above all, the most unfortunate thing is that I was only able to test half of the potential of the Gigas. Also, I have yet to try using the R-13 in a 1v1 match with the God-rank machine inside Punishment. But, of course, I would only be able to use my surroundings in that situation…"

My head exploded.

The detailed potential of the R-13 and all sorts of strategies based on it appeared in my mind, and then disappeared. The structure and form of Punishment, the enemy's battleship, and the strategies and methods mainly used by the enemies also appeared in my mind before disappearing again.

They were all useless strategies as I had no intention of making contact with the extraterrestrial beings ever again, but having thoughts about games wasn't something that could be blocked rationally.

"…Oh, right."

As I was walking with these thoughts in my head, I realized I was wandering around the arcade before I knew it.

Like the horse that frequently led Kim Yoo-shin to the house of Cheon Gwan-nyeo even when Kim Yoo-shin was asleep on it, my legs naturally headed towards the arcade.

"You idiot. Are you only going to get a hold of yourself after you get cut?"

I spouted some nonsense to my legs and turned around.

Of course, since the arcade was within walking distance, it would not be safe at home as well, making the precaution meaningless.

What am I going to do if I start a game on The Great War after losing my mind while roaming near the arcade?

When you feel uneasy, it is the norm to keep yourself safe.

However, there was a voice that held me back when I was about to turn around and leave.

"Huh? We meet again."

"…"

"Wow. This is amazing. I circled around Earth four times in the last 10 days. How do we bump into each other so often? Did you come looking for me?"

A peerless beauty with blue, wavy hair, looking as though she only existed in pictures, stood before me, watching me with her round eyes.

"What nonsense… This is my neighborhood, back then and now, all right?"

"Eh? The same neighborhood as before? Wow, I told the guy to drop me off anywhere, but I came back to the same country and neighborhood that I had already been to?"

She said some things that I could not understand and checked her surroundings, before going, 'Eh? The structures of the buildings really feel familiar!'

"…I am leaving."

"Ah, why are you running off again? Meeting like this is also fate, so let's go have a meal together!"

"Why should I?"

"Wow! Did you just reject me? Me, the greatest beauty in space?"

"…Are you really an alien? Not a human?"

Honestly, it was easy to tell because of her Title, but she looked just like a normal human being.

Of course, this might not be her real appearance, but even so, she felt too 'Human-like'. On top of that, aliens should have different perspectives towards beauty but it seemed like she knew she was really beautiful?

'No, come to think of it, the guys from the Leonhardt Empire also looked like humans. Even their uniform was fitted to their bodies.'

I thought it was weird at that moment.

It was a given for Celestia to appear as a human.

Since she came to Earth for a tour, it would be a problem if she looked different, so it was natural for her to look human to blend in.

However… Do the people from the Leonhardt Empire need to look like humans? 

Sure, they might have been considerate in order to not shock me, but was there a reason for their uniform to even fit in?

'Also, I think all the NPCs which appeared in The Great War looked like humans too. The size of the Gigas is also weird. The design seemed to have been made with the consideration that humans would be riding on it? Moreover, it is a two-legged machine.'

As I was starting to fall into confusion because of the numerous strange things, Celestia started to laugh as if she could read my thoughts.

"Hohoho! Why can't aliens be humans?"

"What? What kind of nonsense is that? Aliens obviously are not humans."

"They are merely not Earthlings."

"What?"

I had a dumbfounded look in that instant since I wasn't able to understand her words.

What did she just say?

She answered a very confused me, "Humans are the most common race in the great universe. Honestly, if we were to put it in numbers, about 70% of the intelligent creatures in space are humans or races that closely resemble them."

It means that humans are not a race that only existed on Earth. No, not only that. It means that it is a common race spread all over the universe.

I asked in bewilderment, "How can that be? No, were aliens the ones who brought humans to life on Earth?"

"Do not overthink it. The creatures on Earth 34 evolved normally to become what humans are currently."

"No, what I am saying is how is that possible? We went through a normal evolution process with no external interference, but coincidentally became the same race as aliens? Do you think that is biologically possible?"

"It is not a biological problem, but a theological one."

"What? What does that…"

"Are you going to keep talking about boring things like this?"

She mumbled that she was not a theologist or scientist, and I flinched when I saw her glaring at me.

Of course, she was so beautiful that even her angry face was charming, but I realized that I had cornered her too much.

'This damned curiosity!'

Maybe I saw this as an opportunity to hear the truth of this world; something that I had been curious about since I was young? It seemed like I had lost my mind without realization. 

I made up my mind to not get involved, but I still found myself being curious about it.

"Hmm, I am sorry. Because this is information I can't get on Earth. Now that I think about it, this is information that you shouldn't be telling me about."

"It will not influence the level of civilization so it does not matter, but it is displeasing having you ask me such questions."

"What should I ask you then?"

"Three measurements? Hobbies? Favorite food, or my interests?"

"…"

What is this girl saying? Does she have the princess syndrome?

Just then, a voice called out to me when I was at a loss for words.

"Sunbae-nim!"

"Huh?"

When I turned around, I saw a girl hurrying over with shoulder-length wavy hair that was fixed with a bunny-shaped pin.

"Hello!"

"Ah, erm. What is the matter?"

"Excuse me? Ah, of course I came to greet… Wow!"

Bo-ram's eyes went wide open when she saw Celestia. She then approached me slowly and whispered in my ear.

"Wow, this unnie is really pretty. Who is she?"

"…"

I looked at her with sullen eyes.

Why is she acting so intimate with me when we have only met a few times? Do not enter my personal space without permission.

"We somehow got to know each other."

"So you do not have any plans right now?"

"Erm? So to speak, yes."

I naturally didn't have any plans with that alien. It seemed as though that was the answer Bo-ram was waiting for as she immediately continued as soon as I nodded.

"Can I go meet Teacher Kwan Il-han now then?"

"…Now?"

"Yes, right now."

Only then was I able to realize that something was wrong when I saw Bo-ram nodding with a slightly excited face.

The Bo-ram I knew was, how should I put it, a timid and well-mannered beautiful girl. Albeit slightly, she gave off the impression of an art buff.

But her current self was proactive. Right, it was as though she was hitting on me. Also, with Celestia, the ultimate beauty, right next to me?

Of course, I don't have plans or any relationship with Celestia, but the fact that Bo-ram, who does not know that, was talking in such a rude manner…

As expected, Celestia frowned and said, "Oh my, just who are you to be taking my friend away as you wish?"

"Ah! I am sorry, unnie. But you two do not seem like friends."

"Hmm~"

Cold sweat appeared on my forehead as I watched the two girls staring at each other, neither willing to back down.

The two beauties were looking at each other.

No, actually that was not true.

An alien and a magician girl were staring at each other.

'Wh, what is it? They do not have a hostile relationship or anything, right?'

Magician girls and aliens were completely different genres - fantasy and sci-fi, but come to think of it, Celestia once mentioned the existence of magicians. If so, Celestia would have known the existence of a magician and also grasped Bo-ram's identity, since she was able to recognize that I was not an ordinary person.

"I am sorry, but we have an urgent matter to attend to. Can we go?"

"Hmm~ Well, it doesn't really matter," Celestia replied, but it seemed like she was in a bad mood.

However, Bo-ram didn't care. She bowed and apologized to Celestia before grabbing my hands and dragged me away.

"Let's go quickly!"

"I don't know what is happening but… All right."

Honestly speaking, I wanted to tell both the alien and the magician girl to get out of my sight, but if I had to choose between the two of them, I would choose the magician girl, who has a connection with my father, so I followed her.

While Celestia is also an alien, it seems like she has no relations to the Leonhardt Empire at all. However, the uneasiness was making me keep my distance from her.

"Ca…can you walk faster please?"

Bo-ram is smaller and much shorter than me, but she still led the way. I did not know the reason, but she looked pale.

"Why?"

"Ah, um, it may sound weird… But that pretty unnie over there is really dangerous!"

"That is weird indeed."

I replied with a sullen face.

The aliens were already a big pain for me, but having a magician girl on top of that was putting me in a troublesome position.

She ran towards my home while holding my hand, though it remained unknown if she knew what I was feeling. Suddenly, she said something unexpected, "Um, sunbae-nim. How much do you know about your mother?"

"My mother? My mother who passed away?"

"…Yes."

"No, why are you talking about my mother all of a sudden? And how did you know about her?"

It really was unexpected.

I would have let it slide if she had felt 'something' from me just like Celestia did, but to think she would ask me how much I knew about my mother.

Seeing the slight frown on my face, Bo-ram's expression was stiff as she let out a small groan and got closer to me.

"Ah, um. Can you keep everything I am about to say a secret?"

"…That is not hard."

I nodded because of how earnest she looked, but Bo-ram still hesitated for a long while.

I could feel that what had happened was something pressing and confusing for she was mumbling things like 'Can I say it?' 'Will it be fine?' 'But this situation…' to herself.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, sorry. Hmm, this may sound crazy, but…"

After hesitating a little more, Bo-ram finally spoke, "Ham Eun-jeong, your mother, was born with the talents of a Great Witch."

"…"

Those really were some crazy-sounding words.