Chapter 1501

Hearing about the changes taking place in the Bright Republic and Cloudy Curtain really made Ves homesick.

His home state underwent huge changes that transformed almost every fabric of its society! The government didn't spare anything to muster its defenses and prepare for the inevitable sandman onslaught!

Ves wanted to return as soon as possible to lead the LMC through the current crisis!

"I only have one more stop before my fleet turns home." He reminded himself. "I still have some business at the Hertog Dominion. It wouldn't do me any good to skip this destination."

After his treacherous— ahem, patriotic assistant finished his daily briefing and left, Ves fell into thought.

With Nitaa standing on guard and Lucky crawling over his body, Ves tried his best to make sense of the past few days. His recent insights related to his design philosophy, the responses towards the sandman invasion and Gavin's double dealings all bubbled in his mind like a soup.

Though these topics weren't necessarily related to each other, the more Ves reflected on them, the more he began to see a way to connect them together.

Over the past several days, Ves tried his best to gain inspiration in order to form a bold and fitting vision for his current design project. Without a unifying idea to guide his efforts, how could he ever design a spaceborn rifleman mech that stood out from the crowd?

As Ves activated his terminal and idly started browsing current news articles from the Bright Republic, the seed that had been planted in his thoughts started to bloom.

What did the border states lack the most? Why did they collapse months before they were expected to fall?

"Too many citizens have given up! Even the mech pilots and military officers have lost hope!"

Ves didn't blame them. The sandman invasion had surprised them all. Hardly any border state received enough time to shore up their defenses before the sandmen fleets flooded out of the deep frontier and crashed into civilized space like a tide!

No sane citizen would stick around and give up their lives in a hopeless cause to stall the sandman invasion for the benefit of others. Rather than sacrifice their lives for the betterment of random people, they would rather save their own hides!

Nonetheless, plenty of courageous mech pilots had stuck to their home states until they could no longer hold their positions. Some even held their posts to the very end!

Plenty of stories of courage and sacrifice from the border states circulated in the galactic net, but they were few and far in between. At this time, most stories centered around the immense amount of refugees hitching rides on any available starship!

These refugees had abandoned their state while feeling abandoned themselves.

It was a sad state of affairs. The societal cohesion at the border states had been too weak to unite their people together when they most needed it.

"Fortunately, the Bright Republic is better off."

The states situated further away from the border not only enjoyed more time until the sandmen reached their territories, but also learned from the mistakes of the border states.

At the very least, the amount of Brighters seeking to flee from the Bright Republic, thereby robbing the state of valuable manpower, was quite modest!

While the government couldn't stop anyone from leaving if they really wanted to, most Brighters strongly believed that they were tough enough to withstand the imminent alien onslaught!

Not just the Bright Republic intended to stand their ground. The Vesians were just as pumped to defend their state and defeat the aliens!

When Ves compared the attitudes between the refugees and the citizens of the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom, he believed he found the key element that made all of the difference!

"It's duty! We serve because it is expected of us! We fight because it is our duty to fight!"

Duty!

While Ves recognized that duty was not infallible in the face of an overwhelming threat, currently the sandman invasion hadn't reached the point where resistance was futile.

As long as everyone did their duty, the defense lines would hold! Every analyst commenting on the current crisis agreed with this conclusion! With a CFA warfleet on their way to annihilate the rear lines of the sandman empire, the states under threat just needed to hold long enough to exhaust the current waves of sandmen invaders!

Ves pinned down the theme he wanted to incorporate into his upcoming mech design!

"It's duty! That was what I was looking for all this time!"

It was as if a light illuminated the darkness that made him feel lost. Now that he found his light, he had found his direction! He knew what his spaceborn rifleman mech needed to center around in order for it to be useful enough to make a difference!

Ves decided to focus on the concept of duty for multiple reasons.

First, he wanted to do his duty by designing a mech that could help the Bright Republic and other states fend off the sandmen. He believed that the mech he was about to envision would be one of the best solutions on the market.

Second, he wanted the mech pilots who defended their states to do their duty as well. Even if they weren't supplied with expensive mechs, the brave men and women on the frontlines deserved as much support as possible.

"Mechs form the most important support to mech pilots! Everything else is merely supplementary! As long as their mechs are strong and dependable, the pilots will perform their duties with confidence!"

By emphasizing the concept of duty in his next mech design, Ves not only hoped to do his part, but also influence the mech pilots into standing their ground under difficult circumstances!

This was the third reason, and perhaps the most compelling one to mech buyers!

"The Bright Republic expects every mech pilot to do their duty. Our defense will only hold if everyone believes in themselves!"

The Mech Corps would undoubtedly play the main role in this coming conflict, but the private outfits were expected to ease the military's burden.

All of the military mech regiments of the Bright Republic could only cover so much territory.

The smaller planets and star systems needed protection as well. That was where mercenary corps and security companies hired by the state played a role. If all of the mercenaries and corporate mech pilots did their duties, then the Bright Republic would have enough soldiers to stall the sandmen and buy more time for the auxiliary regiments to come online!

"In the border states, the local outfits fled first! Hardly any mercenary corps stuck around!"

The flight of so many private outfits not only weakened the defensive lines, but also sparked a lot of panic! Seeing so many mechs and ships depart from the border states prompted many citizens to lose hope and encouraged them to join the great flight!

It was far too late to stop the flood of escaping citizens once it gained momentum!

"It's like a chain reaction. An initial instance of panic will incite others to panic as well!"

It was vitally important to prevent this reaction from setting off by halting it at the very start! This was why the Bright Republic exhorted everyone that they could succeed in defeating the sandmen as long as everyone remained brave!

"The government is pulling out all the stops!" Ves realized from all of the media manipulation he encountered over the course of his investigations.

Ves likened the Bright Republic's measures to Major Verle's morale-oriented leadership style, but at a much larger scale. Both focused on keeping hope alive and encouraged everyone to do their duty whether they fought on the frontlines or helped in the production of valuable supplies.

Many states adopted similar approaches.

For once, the Vesians put down their infighting and genuinely banded together.

The Ylvaine Protectorate rallied every believer by appealing to their faith.

The two neighboring states of the Bright Republic were both able to raise the cohesion of their people. They were already used to answering to authority and they were anything but weak or cowardly.

Ves especially admired the Ylvainans for volunteering for military duty despite not being trained to do so. The Kronons, Poxco and Curin Dynasties each deployed their Transcendent Messengers at various population centers in order to drum up support and inspire the Ylvainans to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the Ylvainan Faith!

Of course, not every state succeeded in rallying their citizens to stick around and assist in the war effort.

The Reinaldans for example left their state in droves. The profiteering traders who reaped great profits during peacetime all threw everything they could carry into their starships and left for better pastures as soon as it became clear the MTA wouldn't bail them out!

The flight of the so-called pillars of the community inspired many other Reinaldans to pack up their bags and leave! They spent the bulk of their wealth on buying passage on cramped starships, whose captains bilked the cowards as much as possible!

"The Reinald Republic is doomed." Ves concluded.

The so-called 'Frozen Leaf Alliance' that united a bunch of weaker states like the Reinald Republic into a military alliance had successfully deterred larger states from invading their territories.

However, while their military alliance worked against their neighbors, it didn't mean anything to the relentless sandmen! Alliance or not, it made no difference to the aliens!

The thought of waging true war for the first time in centuries scared the Reinaldans witless! With all of the awful news and footage transmitted from the border states, hardly any Reinaldan had the guts to stick up for a state that never really inspired their loyalty anyway!

For now, the Honored Ones demonstrated their commitment to defend the territories of the Reinald Republic, but how long could they hold while their friends and families fled in rapid tempo?

Ves never thought highly of the Honored Ones. Their war readiness had never been tested in an actual conflict. Against a relentless foe that couldn't be bribed, the Honored Ones would be forced to fight actual battles in order to win.

"Impossible!"

Perhaps he was being a bit too unfair to the Honored Ones, but Ves always considered the Honored Ones to be weak and inept due to their long years of peace.

The unofficial pirate gangs that the Reinald Republic used to put pressure on the Vesia Kingdom and other non-allied states couldn't be relied upon either! Let alone expect them to do their duty, they were never assigned a duty in the first place!

Even if all of their men consisted of Reinaldans, the pirates were too selfish and cowardly to ever put their lives on the line for an abstract ideal!

The inconsistent outcomes among many different states all depended on how much their people were willing to do their duty. Even if the mech pilots were willing to fight, the citizens may have already lost heart!

"This is a problem that is critical to the survival of the states under threat! It's also a problem where my specialty is exceptionally suitable to address!"

Ves knew his strengths. The market started to become familiar with them as well through his products.

What better than to take full advantage of his specialty and design a mech that was made to inspire everyone to do their duty?

"Whatever accusations of brainwashing I'll receive, such a mech would doubtlessly be useful in the hands of my customers!"

He could already imagine the market going wild for a product that not only shored up the conviction of mech pilots, but also influenced the people around them to do their duty!

It was as if he was designing a mass-produced version of the Transcendent Messenger!

"My next mech will be both a war machine and a morale-boosting monument! As long as I sell enough mechs, I can single-handedly influence the outcome of this crisis!"

Chapter 1502

This was going to be his most ambitious and far-reaching mech design project to date!

Duty was the key ingredient he had been looking for to distinguish his ballistic rifleman mech. No matter how many advantages competing designs offered, hardly any of them could serve the need that his product was meant to address.

"Only my mech can inspire people to do their duty!"

If successful, the value of his products would immediately become evident. Ves believed that many actors would recognize their value and deploy them en masse in order to shore up morale and inspire everyone to do their duty.

When Ves pitched his idea to Gavin later in the day, his assistant looked gobsmacked but also impressed.

"This... this is a brilliant idea!" He finally replied. "This is genius! I've never thought about applying the LMC's distinctive advantages in this direction!"

Ves confidently grinned as he idly played with Lucky. "I'm glad you recognize the merit of my idea. This is a new and untested idea, though. Do you have any remarks about applying this idea to my latest design project?"

"It would be great if some military mech regiments adopted your mech."

"That's not possible, Benny. I have to make too many adaptations and I'll have to answer to a bunch of Seniors in order to make my mech suitable for military use." Ves immediately shook his head.

He worked extensively with military mechs. He was well aware that his own mech designs fell short in too many areas to fall into the consideration of the Mech Corps and other military mech forces.

Gavin scratched his head. "Well, I'm sure your mech will catch on in the private market, but.. it's kind of strange to sell a mech that is oriented around duty to mercenary corps and security companies. They're not exactly known for standing their ground and valuing their duty over their lives."

"In ordinary circumstances, this mismatch is a serious problem. These aren't ordinary times, though. A vast alien invasion is threatening to overwhelm us all and the private outfits aligned to the states aren't entirely willing to abandon their homes. At the very least, many of the outfits in the Bright Republic are made up of veterans who used to serve in the Mech Corps. They'll fight. I'm confident of that."

"Your Avatars of Myth also fit that pattern." His assistant pointed out. "Maybe this crisis is a good opportunity for your Avatars to debut their prowess."

Ves had mixed feelings about that. He already held a conversation with Commander Melkor about this very topic.

Melkor pushed Ves to issue the first batches of his upcoming mech design to the Avatars! This was because the Avatar Commander itched to push his Avatars into answering the call and proving their valor on the battlefield!

It became very clear to Ves that Melkor and some of the Avatars were relatively discontent at the lack of action. Aside from performing routine mercenary assignments in order to put their practice to use, the Avatars hardly ever distinguished themselves in battle.

The lack of battle accomplishments shamed the Avatars!

While Ves was willing to let some of his Avatars perform some riskier missions, he wasn't quite sure about equipping them with his own products.

This was because his duty-based mech model served the lower end of the mech market! His Avatars who were frantically training to improve their proficiency in ranged combat in space would have to give up their strong and cozy premium mechs in favor of piloting humble budget mechs!

Cheap mechs didn't match the image he envisioned for his Avatars of Myth! How could he ever parade them around as an elite mech troop when they piloted mechs with average performance?

They simply didn't match!

Yet Ves also recognized that these were extraordinary circumstances. He couldn't let his Avatars stick to their existing mechs which were almost completely useless against the sandmen.

Perhaps only the Aurora Titans could stay in order to form a line of defense against the powerful but intermittent laser attacks of the sandmen.

"We all have to make sacrifices." Ves spoke. "Even my Avatars can't stand aside. If they are to fight on the battlefield, then I want to equip them with adequate mechs. My mechs."

That was all he could do. Perhaps he could design a variant that was slightly more expensive, but that would take too much effort. It was better if he focused completely on a single design.

During a crisis, everyone needed to make sacrifices.

The Avatars needed to settle for cheaper and lower-performing mechs to do their duty.

Gavin probably believed that he was doing his duty when Flashlight requested him to become their informer.

As a Larkinson and a Brighter, Ves felt compelled to return to the Bright Republic in order to do his duty to the best of his abilities.

Though no one acted in the best interests to themselves, Ves did not believe that they were doing something wrong.

There was honor in duty!

Nonetheless, the mech concept that Ves put forward was not entirely without problems. At the very least, it did nothing to mitigate the accusations that his products brainwashed people.

Instead, his mass-produced rifleman mechs would probably reinforce this notion!

"You'll be unleashing a monster as soon as you publish your design and put your mechs in the hands of your customers. Do you understand the controversy your mech model will spark if it lives up to all of the promises you've made?"

A brief moment of silence stretched between the two. Ves was very well aware of what Gavin tried to warn.

"I know." Ves closed his eyes. "My mech can be used for both good and bad ends. This is something that I've always kept in mind."

"It's more than that, boss! A mech that inspires duty can also be regarded as a mech that encourages obedience! As soon as despots, tyrants and awful leaders catch wind of your new mech model, they'll doubtlessly abuse it to force their mech pilots or people into compliance!"

Ves stopped playing with Lucky and placed his cat to the side.

"Meow."

"Not now." He told his cat before turning back to Gavin. "I share your concerns, but the potential to misuse my products has always existed. I will not let these possibilities hinder me. It's not really my responsibility anyway. The fault lies within my customers."

"I'm not sure if everyone else will agree, boss. You will have to answer for yourself if the MTA or some other organization ever forms an inquiry into your new mech model. Even if you haven't tampered with the neural interfaces, there are too many parallels to the Farund Affair! The only thing that is different is that you're a lot better in hiding the exact mechanisms. It's as disingenuous as the Kinners practising their slavery trade with a civilized coat!"

Woah! Gavin's argument truly landed a powerful impact on Ves. The analogy he used was simply too apt!

Nitaa, who always kept quiet, couldn't help but speak out against Gavin.

"Mr. Neumann, your description is uncalled for. The Kinner Tribe does not practice and has never condoned slavery."

"You're a slave in all but name!" Gavin pointed an accusatory finger at the tall bodyguard. "You're just too brainwashed to accept the truth! You think you are free, but your mind has been shackled since you were born! You never exercise your freedom because your Kinner Tribe trained you to accept exploitation!"

Though Nitaa was too professional to lash out in anger, her eyes fiercely glowered at Gavin. Her body shook and her armored hands were probably itching to beat up the outspoken assistant!

Ves knew he had to intervene before the matter escalated.

"Ahem!" Ves coughed. He deliberately spiked his Spirituality in order to strengthen his attempt to break up the tension in the room. "Benny, I understand your opinion with regards to my mech design, but these are difficult times. If I can provide a solution that can help the Bright Republic and other beleaguered states strengthen the resolve of their soldiers and citizens, then it is my duty for me to make it available!"

"Does expedience matter that much to you?! Is that why you gleefully pretend that Kinners aren't what I say they are?!"

Ves frowned deeper and deeper. Though he partially agreed with Gavin's sentiment, this was not the time to let moral concerns stand in the way of his interests.

"Do you think I'm without conscience, Benny?"

Silence greeted his question.

Ves clapped his hand. "Let's adjourn this meeting. I think you need some time to cool that temper of yours."

"I.. I'm sorry boss. I'm a bit frustrated. The sandman invasion and all of the ripple effects that have ensued has really stressed me out. I'm not even sure that Cloudy Curtain can withstand the coming storm."

"That's why I suggest you enjoy a timeout. I value your opinions, but I've made my decision. I'll proceed to base my upcoming mech design around the concept of duty because that is what my customers need. As for the Kinners... please don't disrespect their culture."

To be honest, Ves only said that last part because he didn't want Gavin to give Nitaa and his other Kinners too many ideas.

Though Ves eventually wished to supplant the indoctrination imparted onto the Kinner with genuine loyalty towards him, this transition needed to be managed carefully.

Telling the Kinners straight-up that they were slaves and that they needed to break all of their mental shackles at once was not beneficial to him! He paid for them! He still wanted to get his money's worth out of his purchases!

The Kinners promised their human products would be loyal to their buyers for life, and Ves was damned if he let some nosy person accelerate their expiry dates!

Once Gavin left his stateroom, Ves sat up from his desk chair and began to pace around. Lucky playfully floated alongside his head as he did so. The cat tapped his head with his paws.

"Meow."

"Oh?" Ves raised his eyebrow. "You're almost finished with digesting my P-stone?"

"Meow meow."

Lucky's cat swung back and forth as if he was proud of himself.

"I look forward to what you can produce. If it's something good, I'll definitely allow you to eat more P-stones in the future!"

"Meow!"

Ves had no idea what kind of gem Lucky might produce, but it would probably be related to spirituality. Any gem that Lucky produced shared at least some relations to what he consumed, though there were always exceptions. Random chance played a huge role in how Lucky's gems turned out.

Lucky's news helped lift his mood a little. Ves no longer directed any dark thoughts towards Gavin. He didn't know why his assistant became so confrontational all of a sudden and why Ves paid so much attention to it at the moment.

Was it because of the stress of maintaining double loyalties or did something else weigh on Gavin's mind?

Despite the uncharacteristic outburst, Ves still had no intentions of getting rid of Gavin.

"I should stop racking my brains over these issues and begin with designing my mech."

He decided to proceed to expand his mech concept and all of the other design choices he made so far into a unified vision.

Ves returned to his seat and leaned back as he focused on stimulating his imagination. Countless ideas flitted across his mind as he tried to form the right vision for his mech.

"What shall I call my new mech? It deserves a name at this stage."

A possible suggestion quickly arose from his mind.

"The Expedient Duty."

It was a fitting name, though a bit too literal to his tastes.

Ves eventually shook his head and rejected this option despite its appropriateness. "It's a bit too close to the truth. I don't want to advertise the true purpose of my mech so blatantly. I have to dress it up a little."

After all, he couldn't just outright say that his mech was meant to encourage people into performing their duty!

Chapter 1503

After a long period of thought, Ves decided to call his next mech design the Desolate Soldier.

The name encapsulated his feelings on his upcoming mech design.

"The Desolate Soldier is not a flashy, expensive mech. It is not meant to pamper a mech pilot nor serve as trump cards."

Instead, Ves imagined the Desolate Soldiers deployed in large numbers in space. The ballistic rifleman mechs flew in formation and fired their rifles in measured salvos against distant but approaching sandman vessels.

From time to time, gigantic laser beams would strike the mechs. The mechs stood no chance of survival. The best a mech pilot could hope was if the laser beams struck far enough away from the cockpit to give them a chance of survival. Dodging and adopting an evasion pattern could only do so much.

"Every Desolate Soldier is disposable when it comes down to it. I just have to make sure their sacrifice is worth it and the other mechs will be able to finish the job."

Though his mechs were destined to be used as cannon fodder, Ves wanted to impart as much value as possible despite their constraints. He wanted to make the Desolate Soldier one of the best mech models in its price range.

"Applying my specialty is one of the means to increase its value, but not the only one. Pure performance is also an important component!"

Ves began to browse the component licenses his company currently held. Many of them were either outdated or not appropriate for the mech he envisioned.

"I'll have to invest some capital into acquiring some new licenses."

Fortunately, component licenses for cheaper mechs tended to be less sophisticated and therefore cheaper. In addition, everyone expected the transition to the next mech generation to happen very soon. Which mech designer was crazy enough to buy a soon-to-be-outdated component license at this time?

For this reason, many component licenses for low-tier mechs became dirt cheap. Their relatively low prices had already sunk down as the original developers or licensors wanted to milk their intellectual property as much as possible before they lost most of their value!

After a couple of hours of browsing the MTA's component catalog, Ves realized that he could get by with a full set of decent component licenses for less than a billion bright credits!

"That's still a lot of money, but not a problem for me or the LMC!"

Of course, the cost still posed a hindrance to Novices and Apprentices who operated smaller mech boutiques, but LMC easily bore the costs.

While it took a few hours of coordination with the headquarters of the LMC to obtain the licenses in their name, the deal was finally done.

Ves immediately began to puzzle together the newly-licensed component in a hasty draft design.

A preliminary version of the Desolate Soldier soon took shape! As Ves hastily slapped the parts together and formed them into a coherent mech frame, he began to look at his handiwork.

He hadn't really solidified his vision for his mech yet, so the current shape of the draft design wasn't reflective of his end goal.

Nonetheless, the draft closely matched his requirements.

"It's a solemn mech. It's a mech designed to serve its duty and encourage others to serve their duty."

An important style decision involved making the Desolate Soldier appear a lot more sober and utilitarian than his premium mech designs.

This was not a Crystal Lord, which Ves purposed as a mech for leaders and mech officers.

This was not an Aurora Titan, a mech designed to outperform nearly every other mech in a defensive capacity!

"My mech won't win any awards related to performance, that's for sure!"

This was a mech for the average grunt among mech pilots. Ves knew that a lot of melee specialists were in the process of retraining to become proficient in piloting ranged mechs right now.

All of these mech pilots weren't capable of bringing out the most in a powerful mech. What they needed more was a serviceable and dependable mech that did the job without costing too much.

The fairly plain sand-brown coating complemented its utilitarian aesthetic. Anyone looking at the Desolate Soldier would immediately know that it was solely designed to do its duty! Nothing more! Nothing less!

Though it went against his instincts to distinguish his products from the competition, in actual fact Ves believed that it was best if he stuck to a sober exterior design.

The draft design's appearance completely conformed to the tastes of the Bright Republic's mech market. Its utilitarian, military-inspired look not only made it easier to fabricate or repair the mech, but also minimized the chance of offending or repelling foreign customers.

While Ves mainly wished to serve the Bright Republic with his upcoming mech design, he also harbored ambitions to make it popular throughout the states under threat.

Throughout his current tour, Ves already noticed that many mech markets possessed different standards and tastes. Sometimes they diverged a lot, as was in the case of the Ylvaine Protectorate, but in most cases they never had a problem with neutral-looking mechs.

To an artist like Ves who liked to treat his mechs as his canvas, it was difficult for him to restrain himself from adding some visual flourishes to his mech. He did his best to hold himself back. If he began to go wild, the Desolate Soldier's complexity would increase, which not only made it more troublesome to fabricate its armor plating, but also increased the difficulty of fabricating replacement plating.

"Even if it adds an extra 100,000 bright credits to the total bill, that can make a huge difference if the Desolate Soldier is employed in huge numbers!"

Unlike his other premium mechs, Ves expected his customers to buy his Desolate Soldiers in batches rather than one at a time. The mech would be cheap enough to make it easy to buy them in numbers, and the advantages of doing so was significant.

If the Desolate Soldier made up the only ranged mech model of an outfit, then they could simplify their maintenance and logistical operations.

It was a lot less burdensome to maintain a single mech model rather than several at the same time! The outfit in question could just buy a single batch of spare parts and supplies to cover most of their needs without dealing with incompatibility issues.

Ves possessed plenty of practical experience on how outfits and mech regiments managed their maintenance operations. He put this knowledge to good use by refining the draft design in a way that minimized the amount of hassle the mech technicians dealt with on a daily basis.

The more he tinkered with his draft design, the more he noticed the difference of his recent upgrades. He already had a taste of it before when he designed the Sypre Helix Annihilator, but his upgraded Mechanics and Metallurgy Skills and his improved affinity of mechs both resulted in significant improvements!

Not only did he become more productive and finished his draft design faster, but he also elevated its quality to a higher level. Ves believed his current state could easily be a match to older and more experienced Journeymen who had been in the business for fifty or a hundred years!

"It's very fortunate I upgraded the right Skills first!"

At this moment, his Mechanics, Metallurgy and Physics Skills had all reached the level of a Senior. This meant that his foundation in these broad and expansive fields had reached a very high standard.

Though they didn't necessarily sound exotic or exciting, a good foundation was the key to designing an efficient mech that possessed as little flaws as possible. Ves could already judge from his draft design that if he refined it into a proper design, it would feature very little waste!

"This is incredibly important for a cheap mech like the Desolate Soldier! Compared to my premium mechs, I have to do more with less. I can't afford to waste a single material I put into my design!"

Though Ves thought highly of his Desolate Soldier, its actual performance would still be average even when compared to the other budget mechs on the market. Even if he differentiated his product by applying his specialty, he still needed to set a sharp price in order to make his new mech model viable in the highly-competitive market for ballistic rifleman mechs.

In other words, the Desolate Soldier's product margin would never be impressive. The LMC would be lucky if the margin reached twenty percent.

"That won't last forever." Ves grimly determined. "The timing of this mech design is awful. Once the new mech generation finally arrives, the Desolate Soldier will instantly be labeled as a lastgen mech!"

Once this change occurred, his company's profits would surely dwindle! If demand failed to take off for his new product, then retaining a five percent margin might be out of reach!

Ves considered this figure to be the minimum to make it worthwhile for the LMC to keep up production. If the company's profits for the Desolate Soldier fell below this threshold, then it might as well go back to producing copies of a popular licensed mech!

"This is going to be my greatest challenge." He muttered.

He set his sights on a target price at 20 to 24 million bright credits for his upcoming mech. This meant that he had to keep the production cost of a Desolate Soldier at 16 million bright credits or less!

Despite his various strengths, this was still a very steep challenge to Ves!

"Even Senior Mech Designers will have to strain their capabilities to depress the cost to this extent!"

A good foundation only went so far. If Ves wanted to squeeze more efficiency out of his Desolate Soldier design, then he needed to acquire more targeted expertise!

Perhaps it was time for him to upgrade some of his Sub-Skills!

"It's been awhile since I did that." He muttered.

The last time he upgraded his Skills was when he spent his DP on upgrading his Mechanics and Metallurgy Skills. Now that he finished their upgrade missions and digested them completely, he likely gained access to brand-new specialized Sub-Skills!

Ves considered both Mechanics and Metallurgy to be the most important fields in relations to his Desolate Soldier. It was a cheap and simple mech, which meant it did not feature any advanced or expensive gimmicks.

"The Desolate Soldier doesn't have enough room for complexity. I have to meet all of my targets while expending as little resources as possible! Expertise in how a mech is put together and how to make the most out of the available materials is a must!"

He temporarily paused his design work and headed to his bathroom, but not before grabbing Lucky. After he set up all of his precautions, he materialized his System comm and summoned its interface.

"Status."

Nothing much changed since he last checked it. He just wanted to check how much DP he accumulated.

Design Points: 430,213

"That's not as much as I thought." He frowned.

It made sense as soon as he thought about it. Sales of his existing mech models had collapsed. Ever since the LMC switched over to producing a licensed mech design, Ves no longer earned any DP. He couldn't even expect to gain anything from virtual mech sales as they had already reached the limits set by the System!

There was nothing he could do about it except to finish his Desolate Soldier design as fast as possible.

After a brief moment of consideration, he decided to set his purchasing budget at 300,000 DP!

"That's a lot of design points!"

Nonetheless, Ves believed he needed to spend extravagantly in order to make his goal of reducing the cost of his upcoming mech design a reality. The Sub-Skills he acquired today would not only be useful for his current design project, but every project that followed!

"My investment won't be in vain." He consoled himself.

He turned to the System's Skill Tree.

An entire tree of Skills and Sub-Skills branched out from each direction. Compared to last time, the lower branches of his Skill Tree had expanded significantly. Ves observed numerous new Sub-Skills.

Though some of them sounded very attractive, the amount of DP the System charged for them was correspondingly high!

Ves quickly frowned. "I don't necessarily need them. I'll just be muddling up my design philosophy if I learn too many irrelevant Skills."

He decided to focus on the basics. A Skill that was a bit more general and widely-applicable would not introduce any incompatibilities with his distinctive design style.

He aimed to select a handful of Sub-Skills that could make a small but very noticeable difference in his efforts to increase the efficiency of his mech designs.

He happily hummed while he slowly inspected his options.

Chapter 1504

Ves felt a bit guilty for enjoying the shopping process. He knew that it would be detrimental to his future development if he became too dependent on the System.

Despite his conviction to save up his DP to lessen his dependence and to reserve his fortune for big expenditures, in the end he gave in to his urges.

He felt a bit bad at himself for choosing the easy option. Other mech designers had to spend years of study and practice in order to master these new Skills, while Ves merely spent the System's fantasy currency to acquire it all in a day!

He sighed. "It's really not fair to other mech designers."

Normally, he didn't care about that, but ever since he got a girlfriend, he began to think a little bit more on what this difference might do to his relationship. As much as he wanted to one-up Gloriana and stay ahead of her, it would be very sad if he kept growing at a rapid pace while leaving his girlfriend far behind.

Was it truly a good idea if he deprived the love of his life benefits of the System?

He frequently grappled with this problem in his thoughts. If he truly loved a woman and that woman loved him back, then Ves felt obligated to extend his trust to her. After all, if he truly loved someone, he wanted to provide for her and make her happy!

While Ves wasn't sure if he would ever be able to reach this point with Gloriana, he had to take the possibility into account. Whatever the future might bring, he eventually foresaw that he would no longer keep the System completely to himself.

"System... can you have multiple users at the same time?"

[Affirmative. Permission to utilize the Mech Designer System will only be granted to worthy mech designers.]

For once, the System answered his question! Not only that, it confirmed one of the suspicions that he always held!

Just like the Metal Scroll of the past, the System was capable of enlightening multiple people at a time! The only reason why Ves hadn't realized this sooner was because he was far too selfish and paranoid to even think about sharing the System with others!

"How will multiple people be able to access you?"

[The Mech Designer System can only be accessed through this comm.]

He let out a sigh in relief upon hearing this answer. By limiting access to the System through the comm it inhabited, Ves retained full control over it. Just because he was potentially willing to share the System didn't mean he wanted others to hijack it! The System was far too valuable to leave in other people's hands!

"Thanks for answering my questions, System."

Once he satisfied his curiosity, Ves turned his attention back to the Skill Tree. He started his shopping spree by attempting to upgrade his Structural Pathway Configuration Sub-Skill.

The System immediately denied his request.

[Your Structural Pathway Configuration IV cannot be improved until your Electrical Engineering has reached Senior-level.]

Ves cursed a bit. "Make that a little bit more clear, then!"

He wanted to improve his ability to design the internal architecture of his mech by upgrading this Sub-Skill, but it turned out that he missed a prerequisite. While he could instantly spend 100,000 to upgrade his Electrical Engineering Skill to Senior-level, Ves wouldn't gain anything until he completed an Upgrade Mission.

"I don't have the time to divert my attention to Upgrade Missions." He grumbled. "If I can't obtain the benefits immediately, then my DP is best spent somewhere else."

Even if he rushed the Upgrade Mission and completed it quickly, it still took around two weeks to integrate and digest his newly-upgraded Skill!

All the while, he needed to divert at least a portion of his attention elsewhere, which would reduce his productivity while he worked on his design project!

Ves shook his head. "I should stick to what I can use immediately."

He limited his selection a little and decided to upgrade something basic but very relevant in the current circumstances.

[Ballistic Weapon Optimization I]: 500 DP

[Ballistic Weapon Optimization II]: 1,000 DP

[Ballistic Weapon Optimization III]: 2,000 DP

[Ballistic Weapon Optimization IV]: 4,000 DP

[Ballistic Weapon Optimization V]: 50,000 DP

"Since I'm about to design a ballistic rifleman mech, it's a good idea for me to obtain in-depth knowledge on ballistic weapon systems!"

This was just one of many Sub-Skills relating to ballistic rifles and cannons. While other Sub-Skills allowed him to work with better and more specialized ballistic weapon systems, Ves valued its emphasis on optimization.

Ves didn't plan to equip his Desolate Soldier design with a complex weapon! Just like every other aspect of the mech, he wanted its rifle to be as simple and cheap as possible!

"Optimization is key!"

Since he worked with a generous budget, he immediately acquired Ballistic Weapon Optimization V. The moment he confirmed the exchange, a spike drove into his mind!

"Ah!"

A flood of knowledge poured into his mind and integrated with his knowledge. Different from last time, Ves managed to bear the transfer. Compared to receiving Senior-level Mechanics and Metallurgy at the same time, this little burden was nothing!

He laughed. "Hahaha! You can't defeat me anymore, System! You almost broke my mind once, but what doesn't kill me makes me stronger!"

Just like exercising muscles, Ves believed that his mind became more resilient once he pushed it to its limits and beyond. As long as his mind healed back the damage, it became a little bit more capable of withstanding the same stresses.

Soon enough, Ves digested the bulk of the knowledge transfer. He absorbed all kinds of details about ballistic weapons, from the most fundamental theories to the more advanced ones ordinarily learned by Seniors!

There was a huge jump in price for many Sub-Skills upgraded to the fifth tier. Though Ballistic Weapon Optimization V required him to cough up 50,000 DP, which was more than most Masteries, Ves quickly confirmed that he hadn't spent his DP in vain.

The amount of tricks he gained with regards to ballistic weapon systems gave him a lot of confidence in pairing his Desolate Soldier with a good rifle!

"This is good stuff!"

Unfortunately, it cost an even more ludicrous amount of DP to upgrade this Sub-Skill again!

"Let's look at something else."

Once he finished internalizing his new Sub-Skill, he began to turn his attention towards the Metallurgy branch. He needed to gain a good amount of proficiency in working with metals and alloys in order to minimize excess use of materials.

[Fixed Armor Specialization II]: 20,000 DP

[Fixed Armor Specialization III]: 40,000 DP

Fixed Armor Specialization was a more expensive optimization Sub-Skill, so Ves only dared to upgrade it twice.

Of course, Ves gained a lot of knowledge. Virtually every mech that Ves worked with featured fixed armor systems, so the applicability of what he just acquired was a lot better than his first purchase, which only played a role with mechs armed with ballistic weapon systems!

"This isn't enough. I need something more to achieve greater savings in my next mech design!"

He first contemplated acquiring Sub-Skills related to tweaking existing alloy formulas or developing new ones. However, it took a lot of time to develop a formula that improved upon the original.

Ves didn't specialize in armor systems. He couldn't care less about developing custom alloy formulas for his mech designs. He was already fine with licensing existing ones to skip all of that hard work.

After a bit of browsing, he decided to acquire something that sounded very useful.

[Internal Structure Specialization I]: 75,000 DP

Ves unlocked the option to obtain Internal Structure Specialization I after his Metallurgy reached Senior. As soon as he exchanged this Sub-Skill, he immediately began to immerse himself.

The Sub-Skill delved very deep in the materials used to prop up the internal structure of a mech. He rapidly learned the fine art of how to design an efficient structure and how to tweak the composition of materials to achieve their maximum effect!

What he just learned complemented his Structural Pathway Configuration IV Sub-Skill very well! The possibilities opened up by what he just learned allowed him to develop a finer internal structure that used up less materials without reducing the integrity of his designs!

Once he finished his new knowledge, he briefly checked his DP.

"I've spent almost 200,000 DP!"

That was too much considering how much time had passed! It felt a bit surreal to him how easily he spent months worth of accumulation. He already ate through two-thirds of his budget!

Ves needed to be a bit more careful in spending the remainder of his budget.

For a moment, he contemplated on upgrading some of his smaller and more neglected Sub-Skills. He even thought about upgrading one of his Apprentice or Journeyman-level Skills.

"I should get something cheap."

[Computer Science - Journeyman]: 4,000 DP

The amount of programming knowledge he gained was considerable compared to how little DP he just spent. Though learning how to program a mech felt a bit uncomfortable to Ves, it was a bit better than before.

Ever since he clarified his design philosophy and identified the different paths available to him, he no longer objected as much to the thought of controlling his creations. The path of determination was particularly receptive to programming-related Skills and Sub-Skills.

"I see! My inclinations can change depending on where my design philosophy stands!"

Upgrading his Computer Science Skill did not matter too much for him right now. He planned to use a standardized, off-the-shelf operating system for his Desolate Soldier design because he didn't have the time to program something more fitting.

"It really doesn't add any value to simple mechs. Custom software only really makes a difference when I design a complex mech." He muttered.

He turned to the Mechanics branch, which he hadn't touched until now. He possessed remarkably few Sub-Skills, which he found to be a considerable mismatch due to its central role in mechs.

[Fine Motion Control I]: 75,000 DP

The Sub-Skill he chose was another one that became available when his Mechanics Skill reached the Senior-level. While Fine Motion Control I did not sound very exciting, it was exceptionally useful for his current project.

This was because it increases his knowledge on how to make his ranged mechs more accurate! As long as the mech pilots possessed enough skill, they could apply their marksmanship to a greater degree to his mechs!

As for the less-skilled mech pilots, Ves gained more expertise on how to tweak his mechs to make it easier for them to hit their targets.

The knowledge he absorbed was quite extensive and encompassed many different kinds of mechs, not just ranged ones.

Though melee mechs mostly emphasized forceful movements, there was still a role for finer control, particularly with mechs that relied on finesse such as light skirmishers.

Now that he spent the bulk of his budget, he contemplated whether he should spend his DP on a Mastery.

"Nah." Ves shook his head. "It's nice, but I don't think I need it. My other Mastery Skills already provide me with a sufficient amount of overlap."

He knew he'd be able to gain some benefits if he acquired another Mastery, but Ves couldn't afford to waste his time on another lengthy Mastery experience.

Though he could afford to spend the DP, his time was much more scarce!

Ves decided to leave the Masteries available to him for another day and proceeded to search for something that provided immediate benefits.

[Simulations I]: 1,000 DP

[Simulations II]: 2,000 DP

[Simulations III]: 5,000 DP

[Simulations IV]: 10,000 DP

He turned to a Sub-Skill under Mathematics this time. Though the Simulations Sub-Skill sounded very basic, it brought an incredible amount of value for a very little price.

Simulations IV enabled him to become a lot more proficient in running simulations! Though his other Sub-Skills already granted him knowledge of many different mathematical models, acquiring this last Sub-Skill allowed him to tie them all together with as few contradictions as possible!

"Basically, I can achieve a lot more results in my simulation work!"

The proficiency he gained in running simulations allowed him to skip weeks or months worth of monotonous virtual tests. This was vitally important for him as he wanted to waste as little time as possible in optimizing his mech design!

This was it! He spent almost 300,000 DP, exhausting most of his reserves. It would take a long time for him to earn back so many Design Points. Ves continually winced at how much he spent despite knowing that the knowledge he gained was worth every point.

"If I can't design a good ballistic rifleman mech after learning so much new stuff, then I'm a disgrace of a Journeyman!"

Chapter 1505

Ves took some time off to grow more comfortable with his expanded knowledge base. He looked at reality a bit more different now that he learned so many new theories.

Though he became ecstatic at all of the knowledge he acquired, he knew that it would take a lot of time and practice to increase his utilization of what he learned.

Just because he stuffed his head full of theories didn't mean he would be able to use them to the fullest effect.

He hadn't even made full use of his recently-upgraded Mechanics and Metallurgy Skills yet. Now he compounded his problem by adding a bunch of new Sub-Skills.

"It's fine." He sighed. "Even if I'm fairly inefficient in applying my knowledge, I'm better off than before. That's enough."

Ves merely wanted to improve his ability to design the Desolate Soldier. He accomplished this goal with his latest round of upgrades. As for the repercussions, Ves believed he would naturally be able to mitigate them over the course of his work.

That was because once he returned home, he planned to go on a design spree! The start of a new mech generation was the best time for him to design lots of mechs! With the mech market in flux, any early mech model could rise to become the market leader in a state or region!

Therefore, Ves didn't worry about lacking practice. The biggest benefit to being an independent mech designer was that he could dictate his own work, after all.

"Filling up my mech catalog is not only good practice, but also good business. It's about time the LMC offers a complete line of mechs!"

He needed to have an expansive design team to manage so many projects at once, but that was a problem for later. For now, the urgency of the situation required him to devote himself fully to his Desolate Soldier project.

Though Ves already laid the groundwork for the technical design aspects of his mech, he still hadn't fully addressed its spiritual aspect.

Ves already planned to make use of Nyxie's spiritual fragment as the base of a new spiritual product. The only reason he hesitated was because the spiritual product would certainly become a poor fit if he only relied on spiritual energy from Nyxie and himself.

Nyxie's spiritual attributes were full of arrogance, tyranny and a vast number of alien attributes. His own spiritual attributes were also messy, and his mech-related spiritual attributes were too general to align his spiritual product with the Desolate Soldier.

"What I need is a third ingredient that can impart the necessary spiritual attributes to make my spiritual product fit my mech design!"

That almost certainly meant that he needed to go out and find an expert pilot who specialized in spaceborn ballistic rifleman mechs.

The good news was that Ves already identified a bunch of them in an earlier search. Though a lot of information about expert pilots tend to be classified, sometimes their base of operations were known.

Ves wanted to borrow a spiritual fragment from an expert pilot for more than just their affinity towards spaceborn rifleman mechs.

"Many expert pilots are known for their strong sense of duty!"

States often invested a lot of effort and resources in shaping the thoughts of expert candidates and expert pilots. To put it in a more uncharitable way, they indoctrinated their expert pilots so that they became extremely loyal to their state!

Ves realized that this was no secret and happened everywhere. Venerable Xie who was unflinchingly loyal to Prince Hixt-Klaaster was a good example.

Of course, the level of indoctrination didn't go too far. No one dared to cross the line set by the MTA and brainwash their expert pilots as extensively as the Kinners did to their own tribesmen.

"They are still somewhat similar, though."

Ves wanted to obtain and amplify the sense of duty in his spiritual product.

He couldn't get it from Nyxie's spiritual fragment because the alien entity was far too tyrannical to accept subservience.

He also couldn't get it from himself because Ves was not someone who blindly answered to authority.

If his Desolate Soldiers inherited his own sense of duty, then they would definitely become disasters in the making!

Ves already had a target in mind who fit all of his criteria. He only needed to inform Captain Silvestra to alter their course and divert to a specific star system which hosted a specific military base.

The only reason he hadn't done so already was because he continued to mull over Gavin's words.

Though Gavin's outburst was a bit uncalled for, Ves frequently mulled over his words.

"He's right to question whether it's right for me to design my mech this way." He rubbed his head.

He was thankful that Gavin brought up his analogy. By mentioning the Kinner practice of brainwashing their own tribesmen into becoming human products made available for hire or for sale, Ves grasped the key to keep his mech legal!

"Why do the Kinners get away with their practices?" Ves suddenly asked Nitaa. "Surely, people have lodged accusations at your tribe for engaging in slavery."

"The Kinner Tribe does not practice slavery, sir." Nitaa admonished him. "Our practices are legal. We have many customers, many of whom support our industry."

"That is the key!"

"The key to what, sir?"

"The support of your customers is the main reason why your Kinner Tribe hasn't been forced to change their practices! Perhaps many people find your tribe's primary industry to be distasteful, but you have a lot of powerful customers from all over the Komodo Star Sector. With so much foreign support and political cover, the critics of your tribe are rendered helpless!"

Pissing off the Kinner Tribe meant pissing off all of the powerful and wealthy people who bought the human products. There was no way they wanted their assets to become prohibited and lose value overnight!

The Kinner Tribe managed to unite many different states and allied individuals in support of their practices. The broad network of supporters they cultivated was enough to shield them from criticism!

His eyes lit up as he realized that he could make use of their example to solve not only his current problem, but also his future problems!

Though he hadn't returned home yet, Ves received frequent reports on the accusations lodged against the LMC's mechs. How many sales had his company lost because his customers bought into the conspiracy theories?

Though Ves and the LMC could issue as many denials as they liked, the effect would be limited. After all, it was a given that he would support his own products!

He grinned. "It's a different matter if other authorities put in a good word!"

As long as he cultivated support among his customers, he could mitigate the damage and even neutralize it to a great extent! This was because a mech that revolved around duty was exactly what was needed to address the current crisis!

"If something is illegal but also highly needed, it won't stay illegal for long!"

As long as he managed to obtain the buy-in of many powerful individuals by making them value his Desolate Soldiers, then they would naturally back him up! Just like how the Kinner Tribe's polite form of slavery earned acceptance, Ves wanted his Desolate Soldiers and other mech designs to be accepted as well!

"All I have to do is to make my Desolate Soldier model indispensable to the desperate states whose citizens are wavering!"

Ves predicted that his Desolate Soldiers would enjoy a lot more demand in weaker and more unstable states such as the Reinald Republic. The Bright Republic on the other hand did not lack in fighting will, but even the Desolate Soldiers could still play a role in keeping morale high.

He felt a lot better about himself and his current design project now that he came up with a way to solve this increasingly more intractable problem.

Though the solution sounded a bit distasteful due to its parallels to the Kinner Tribe's practises, at least it had been proven to work!

"Heh, there's no need for me to trouble my conscience any further." He grinned. "It's fine as long as it works!"

He began to enact some of his plans. First, he contacted Captain Silvestra to divert to a specific star system.

"Sir, this course adjustment will delay our arrival to the Hertog Dominion by several days."

"That's fine. Some business has come up and I really need to stop by this star system."

Once he did that, he began to work on his mech design. While he hadn't created his spiritual product beforehand, Ves believed it was fine if he created it later. He already had a very good vision in mind.

If his spiritual product didn't conform to his mech design, then Ves would simply hammer it into shape by force!

"Whatever. I can't waste any time!"

The border states already started falling like dominoes and it was only a matter of time until the sandman invasion reached the third line of defense. Ves needed to be ready to publish the Desolate Soldiers by that time!

Though Ves came under a significant amount of pressure, he never saw that as a detriment. He threw himself in his work and converted his draft design into a proper design.

Starting with the internal frame, Ves immediately fleshed out a proper internal architecture for his mech. Despite the lack of quality materials and components, Ves easily worked around the limitations.

Due to his expanded knowledge base, older problems which frequently forced him to pause and think up a solution no longer hindered him any longer. A Sub-Skill such as Internal Structure Specialization I provided him with so many theories and approaches that he rarely resorted to improvised solutions in his current design project.

"What a time saver!"

One of the principal reasons why he spent so much time on designing his mechs was that he often had to puzzle out solutions to difficult problems. With so many choices available to him, Ves had to develop several different alternatives at once and calculate which ones delivered the best results.

All of that took valuable time and effort. Yet now that he gained a number of relevant Sub-Skills, he no longer needed to reinvent the wheel all the time!

While Ves recognized that developing his own solutions by hand were valuable learning experiences, he couldn't care less about developing his own solutions right now.

He just wanted to design the soundest and most efficient iteration of the Desolate Soldier that he could accomplish!

The amount of time he saved with his selection of upgrades was considerable. What took three months to design back when he was just an Apprentice now took only three weeks!

Time flowed like water as Ves completely immersed himself into designing his Desolate Soldier. The mech looked increasingly more detailed and real with every passing day. The more his mech design approached his vision, the more enthusiastic he became about completing his work.

His passion burned like wildfire, motivating him into working faster while also encouraging him to put more of his heart into his efforts!

Even if he didn't pair his Desolate Soldier with a living design spirit, its inherent X-Factor already carried a strong hint of duty and the other traits that Ves wanted to impart into his work.

Ves believed it was his duty to design the Desolate Soldier! He was doing the Bright Republic and the Komodo Star Sector a huge favor by making his vision into reality!

Soon enough, Ves rapidly completed the basic design of the mech frame. By keeping the design as simple as possible, he saved himself a lot of work.

Even though he aimed to keep the mech frame simple, the Desolate Soldier was anything but a shallow mech. Its internal and external structures incorporated many ingenious nuances derived from all of the advanced theories he recently acquired.

"If a Senior could see my work, they would probably suspect that I borrowed the assistance of one of their own kind!"

He was anything but done, though. Not only did he have to pair his mech frame with a fitting ballistic rifle, he also had to subject his design through a large barrage of tests in order to refine and optimize his work.

Even so, Ves was well on his way to completing his mech design on schedule! He might even be able to finish it ahead of schedule if he skimped on the iteration process!

Chapter 1506

A large parade took place on the main boulevard of a space station orbiting Crenas III in the Hertog Dominion. A mech regiment called the Caraban Fusiliers received orders to deploy to the other side of the state in order to defend against the encroaching sandmen.

Though the Hertog Dominion was a very centralized state, there was a lot of discontent among the masses. The rulers mainly relied on their strong grip on the military and other levers of authority to keep their people in line.

For this reason, the Dominion placed a huge emphasis on military parades.

Today, the Caraban Fusiliers would be walking down some of their mechs and men on foot through the central boulevard in the expansive space station. A huge crowd had gathered along the path under extremely heavy guard. No one was allowed to enter without undergoing inspection!

Though many people didn't like the way the Hertog Dominion was ruled, there were still plenty of die hard supporters among the population. The most enthusiastic locals all drummed out to the parade to wave flags while cheering on their soldiers.

As their name suggested, the Caraban Fusiliers mainly fielded ranged mechs. One of the reasons why the military planners decided to deploy the Fusiliers so early despite the distance to the frontlines was because they were immediately effective against the sandmen.

Though a fair number of their mechs were mainly used on laser rifles, it wasn't very difficult to swap out their weapons for ballistic versions.

Some of their mechs had already been modified to carry more ammunition by adding external harnesses to them. It was a quick and dirty stopgap solution that turned them into huge hazards when hit.

Perfect against sandmen, but not so much against human foes.

Ves visited the space station but did not attend the parade. Instead, he conducted an exchange with a random Journeyman elsewhere on the space station. They reserved a private conference room at an upscale hotel to exchange their insights.

The older man Ves met specialized in laser weapons, which happened to be completely useless during this time. Not only that, but the Hertoger withheld much of his valuable theories and only threw out scraps.

Having exchanged with many different mech designers, Ves knew when his counterpart tried to scam him. It didn't matter to him though, because he only insisted on holding an exchange to give him an alibi.

He diverted a minute part of his concentration to appear attentive and engaged when the stingy Journeyman explained nonsense. He instead devoted the majority of his mind into reaching into the imaginary realm.

He already studied his target extensively. Though the Caraban Fusiliers were ordinarily stationed at an inaccessible military space station, the public parade was a rare opportunity for civilians and bystanders to meet them in the flesh!

Ves needed this proximity. Even with the information he gathered about the Caraban Fusiliers and their only expert pilot, he wouldn't be able to identify Venerable Zoe Plinter's presence in the imaginary realm until he came close.

He mentally resolved to find a way to improve his interactions with spiritually-powerful entities in the imaginary realm. The range limitations really started to grate at him. He needed to develop a better way to track and make contact with expert pilots so that he could borrow their spiritual fragments with much less hassle.

As the parade proceeded in full swing, a wave of enthusiasm followed as Venerable Zoe Plinter's iconic Crax Shooter mech walked down the boulevard. The spaceborn expert mech walked with its wings folded up and its massive overengineered rifle cradled in its arms.

The reason why Ves targeted Venerable Plinter was that she was a devoted lackey of the state. Having risen through the ranks from a modest background, the Hertog Dominion invested heavily in her once she advanced to expert candidate by luck.

From everything he read about Venerable Plinter, she was as loyal to her state as Venerable Foster was to hers. The biggest difference between the two women was that Plinter was older and a lot less aggressive.

All in all, Venerable Plinter earned a lot of accolades from the Dominion for her loyalty and willingness to answer to authority.

Not every expert pilot wanted to remain humble after they became a demigod. Cases where expert pilots demanded extravagant treatment or outright went rogue still took place from time to time.

"Are you listening?" The old Journeyman probed.

Ves briefly drew back a part of himself. "Of course. I'm just a bit skeptical about your proposal to make multi-barrel laser rifles standard. It isn't worth it to add so much extra complexity just to gain some extra redundancy."

"Why are you so afraid of complexity?! Just because something consists of more parts doesn't mean it's worth less than a simpler weapon!"

As the man rambled on, Ves returned the bulk of his attention to his explorations of the imaginary realm.

Despite entering a densely-populated space station, Ves hardly encountered anything spiritual at all. The few people who possessed undeveloped spiritual potential barely registered to his senses at all.

Only a single presence shone like a beacon through the corrosive winds in this desolate realm.

There.

One reason why Venerable Zoe Plinter received so much attention from the government was that she had grown to be one of the stronger expert pilots in the Dominion. As soon as Ves' spiritual projection approached, he immediately sensed that this rumor was true!

Strong! She was stronger than Venerable Foster by virtue of her age and experience!

Ves briefly grimaced. He knew this was going to be a bit costly. He patted the box resting on his lap and casually opened it to slip his hand inside. He briefly touched the F-stone stored inside the container and drew a slight charge, just five percent.

Five percent was a steep cost to impart his spiritual energy with an offensive attribute, but he considered it a necessary price to pay. There was no way he could ever make a dent in the defenses of a conscious and alert expert pilot of Zoe Plinter's caliber!

He attempted to concentrate his newly-acquired charge onto a spiritual knife. He mostly failed as he couldn't apply any influence onto the charge. He lacked the appropriate technique to alter his spiritual energy in such a fashion!

Ves sighed and decided to work with what he had. In any case, his spiritual knife was already strong enough to harm an expert pilot's spirituality in his eyes.

As he lamely tried to keep the exchange going, deep within the imaginary realm he shot his spiritual knife forward in the direction of a strong spiritual fortification.

Ves sensed that the spiritual fortification in the shape of a spiked shell detected his approached. It quickly firmed up and readied its defenses. Spikes already started to shoot out in the direction of his spiritual knife!

The knife, empowered with a potent offensive charge, cut through all of the spikes in its way without any effort! Its razor-sharp edge couldn't be stopped with such a feeble defensive measure!

Before the spiritual fortification could employ a better defense, Ves' knife had closed the distance and instantly pierced through the surface of the outer shell.

In the middle of the parade taking place kilometers away, the Crax Shooter suddenly stumbled and halted in place. As the crowd wondered why the prized expert mech of the Caraban Fusiliers halted, the soldiers and station guards quickly received an alert.

Something went wrong! They had to evacuate the crowd!

As a mild warning tone rang throughout the space station, the station guards quickly began to usher the confused well wishers away. In the meantime, the soldiers in the parade began to help push away the crowd while forming a defensive perimeter around the inactive Crax Shooter.

The warning tone even reached the hotel where Ves and the Hertoger Journeyman conducted their exchange.

Ves pretended to be perplexed at the sudden change in events. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." The other man frowned. "Let me get in touch with my contacts. Something might have happened during the parade."

As the Hertoger checked his comm, Ves used the reprieve to devote his full attention towards his attack.

His spiritual knife had already started to cut relentlessly into the fortification like it was butter. Ves discovered that the enhancement he received from the F-stone was more potent than he thought!

Something capable of allowing him to inflict damage on a powerful ancient alien entity such as Nyxie would definitely be effective against an expert pilot no matter their strength!

As a louder alarm began to ring throughout the space station, Ves hurried up his efforts. He cut a crude and jagged circle into Venerable Plinter's spiritual presence. He felt a bit greedy at the start so tried to cut a larger spiritual fragment than he strictly planned to obtain.

The damage he inflicted to the expert pilot was probably great, but he couldn't care less about that at the moment!

"We need to evacuate, Mr. Larkinson." The Journeyman suddenly stood up. "The space station will go under lockdown soon. I can get you out if you follow me. I'm friends with one of the station administers."

"Please lead the way." Ves smiled and stood up as well. "Do you know what's going on?"

"My contacts aren't sure. All they know is that an unknown assailant attempted to attack the Caraban Fusiliers."

As their bodyguards began to usher them out of the hotel suite, Ves quickly finished his efforts. Though his spiritual knife endured continuous counterattacks that bled his spiritual energy, he finally managed to cut out a fragment!

Having accomplished this, Ves morphed his spiritual knife into a hand and grabbed hold of the loosened fragment before dragging it away from its original owner!

He drew back his newly-gained fragment into his mind but didn't let it rest. Instead, he pushed fragment out of his mind and deposited it in the P-stone stored in a container attached to Nitaa's backpack module.

Success!

Ves tried his best not to smile in satisfaction. He did his best to look concerned and afraid as he followed his host.

Hours later, a shuttle reached the Barracuda and deposited its passengers. Once he entered his ship, he immediately took his spoils to the lab. All the way, only Lucky and Nitaa accompanied him throughout the trip.

The cat floated on top of a lab machine and perched himself there. As for Nitaa, she keenly observes Ves as he grinned at his newly-occupied P-stone.

While Ves hadn't explained anything to her, Nitaa "Were you responsible for what had just occurred?"

The lab compartment was already isolated, so Ves decided to be charitable for once and nodded. "Yes."

A brief pause followed as Ves continued to study the spiritual fragment he obtained. His smile widened as its spiritual attributes strongly aligned with what he wanted to obtain! Not only did it mesh well with ballistic rifleman mechs, but it also possessed a strong attribute related to duty!

The only issue was that the spiritual fragment likely contained some attributes that he couldn't identify and likely weren't relevant for his project.

He expected to obtain something like this. Like an unprocessed mineral, Ves deliberately carved out a larger-than-usual fragment because he anticipated that he needed to refine it into a purer form.

"What did you do, exactly?"

Ves briefly looked up from his inspection. "You're oddly curious."

"My apologies. It's difficult for me to anticipate threats if I am not aware of what you are doing."

Though Ves was loath to explain what he was doing, he figured he should at least extend some trust to one of his most loyal employees. Ves never sensed any duplicity from her. If he wanted to build up his inner circle, then he needed to cultivate true trust among his closest people.

"Let's just say that I borrowed something valuable from the expert pilot of the Caraban Fusiliers. I'll be in trouble if they find out, so we're departing the Crenas System immediately."

His explanation barely satisfied Nitaa's curiosity, but Ves believed he was already being forthright enough by revealing this much information!

"I.. see, sir." She spoke, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get anything more out of the man she served. "Could you warn me the next time you undertake such a risky operation?"

Ves sighed. "I should have warned you from the start. I'll make sure to notify you the next time I do something like that. You deserve that much, at least."

"Thank you, sir."

Chapter 1507

Ves was new to spiritual engineering and only possessed a superficial understanding of this field. The spiritual techniques he developed beforehand mostly consisted of straightforward applications.

"Child's play." He scoffed.

He merely dipped his toes into spiritual engineering so far. Even creating his first spiritual product known as Vescas had been more of an accident than something created with conscious intent.

This time, he intended to rectify some of the flaws in his crude spiritual restoration technique.

"Just like regular engineering, the raw materials play a large part in determining what is possible." He whispered to himself.

He looked thoughtfully at the containers placed in front of him. All three of them stored P-stones.

One P-stone acted as his current spiritual energy battery. After several weeks of accumulation, it stored more excess spiritual energy than what was currently contained within his mind!

Another P-stone held the spiritual fragment he accidentally retrieved from Nyxie. Due to the alien spiritual entity's intense hostility and strength, Ves always kept it inside the B-stone lockbox.

The last P-stone held his newly-obtained spiritual fragment from Venerable Plinter. Though it tried its best to escape, the fragment lacked the strength to overcome the P-stone's attraction force.

All three P-stones held the raw materials that Ves intended to combine together to form his second spiritual product. His goal was to create an artificial living spiritual entity that contained all of the properties he desired!

The closer his spiritual product aligned with his vision for his Desolate Soldier mech, the greater its impact on the market. Ves banked on its aura of his mech to be both strong and pure enough to inspire a sense of duty among the people in its area of effect.

In order to accomplish this, Ves had to treat his raw materials.

"There is too much garbage in my raw materials. I have to filter them out as much as possible before I combine them together."

If he did not do so, he would end up with a product like Vescas who retained far too many traits from the Dragoncat and himself. While that wasn't necessarily a bad thing for a mech like the Kinslayer, Ves wanted to produce something purer and more focused for his Desolate Soldiers.

"The Desolate Soldier is a mass-production mech intended to be sold in great numbers. I have a duty to make sure that my work is as efficient as possible in performing its functions!"

Ves did not wish to impart his next mech design with a mixed and unfocused X-Factor. The only method he could think up to avoid this outcome was to subtract the undesirable elements from his raw materials before he merged them together.

"It's not the best solution, but it's the only option available to me." He grimaced. "The waste will be incredible."

He walked over to the container holding the P-stone that contained Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment. He already checked the local news, but the Hertogers didn't report anything about the expert pilot's condition.

He didn't need any confirmation to know that Venerable Plinter's condition should be quite severe. Ves cut off a large chunk of her spirituality, after all. There was no way she could recover in a short amount of time!

In fact, the incident was so severe that the Caraban Fusiliers already postponed their deployment to the frontlines!

Ves felt a little guilty about that. He deprived the Hertog Dominion of one of its strongest defenders. It would take several months or years for Venerable Plinter to recover from the damage.

By that time, the Hertog Dominion might have already fallen from the onslaught of sandmen!

Though Ves didn't believe that his intervention had inadvertently caused the downfall of this state, he hadn't done the Hertogers any favors.

"It's for a good cause." He muttered. "Your sacrifice will not be in vain. Even if you failed your duty to your state, you should at least be content with doing your duty to the other beleaguered states in our star sector!"

The excuse he came up with was sufficient to wash away his guilt. He turned back to his work and focused his efforts on the spiritual fragment.

He studied Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment carefully. He relied heavily on his judgement and feelings to guess at its spiritual attributes. He tentatively identified those he wanted to make use of and those he failed to identify and wanted to discard.

Ves formed a spiritual projection and began to operate on the spiritual fragment, for lack of a better word. Through various ways, he tried to concentrate and gather unwanted spiritual energy with undesirable attributes.

It was difficult. Normally, the attributes possessed a natural tendency to disperse evenly.

How could he possibly draw out the junk while leaving the more valuable spiritual attributes in place?

After a bit of experimentation, Ves developed a costly new technique called selective spiritual attraction. Knowing that he could afford to use up his spiritual energy, he began to form a spiritual mask that overwhelmingly concentrated certain traits. He spent a considerable amount of spiritual energy to empower this new mark.

Instead of donning the mask over his mind, he instead wrapped it around a strong spiritual projection. The two spiritual entities fused with each other, forming a detached, intangible spiritual substance that radiated an intense hostility towards the Hertog Dominion!

If Ves donned this mask over his mind, he would probably turn into a rabid hater of the state!

"I'd fit right in with its rebels!"

Of course, he did not do anything of the sort. Instead, he hovered his altered spiritual projection close to Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment.

As expected, the spiritual projection drew out a strong response!

Ves observed the spiritual fragment carefully. Some of the spiritual energy embedded with spiritual attributes that he couldn't identify started to get hopping mad! They tried to push towards his offending spiritual projection as if they wanted to beat it to death!

"So it works!"

In some cases, spiritual energy acted on their own in response to other entities. Ves took advantage of this by creating a specialized spiritual 'magnet' and dangling it close to Plinter's spiritual fragment.

His magnet's proximity to the fragment was enough to draw out elements that responded strongly to his new invention.

Ves keenly observed the reaction. Once he no longer perceived any movements, he formed a spiritual knife and began to cut into the fragment.

This time, he did not have to resort to drawing upon the power of his F-stone. The isolated spiritual fragment wasn't strong enough to resist his cutting strength.

Though Ves cut a bit more out of the fragment than he wanted, he managed to separate the spiritual energy that responded the strongest to his provocation.

Ves quickly grabbed hold of the separated portion before it could rejoin the fragment and dumped it in the imaginary realm.

The corrosive spiritual winds quickly ate at the separation portion while blowing it far away.

"Good riddance."

Ves employed his selective spiritual attraction technique again, this time choosing to focus on drawing out a different undesirable attribute.

The difficulty in employing this technique was that he had to guess the undesirable attribute in the fragment and form a strong, opposing spiritual mask to elicit a strong reaction.

Thinking all of this up required a lot of trial and error. Half of the time, his spiritual magnets failed to elicit a strong reaction from the fragment. He wasted a lot of time and spiritual energy to come up with the right guesses.

Nonetheless, slowly but surely, the spiritual fragment reduced in size. Ves continually cut undesirable portions from the fragment, all the while aware that his surgery was anything but precise. Each time he cut he also removed some of the more desirable parts of the fragment.

"It's a huge waste, but it's still worth it. I only need this fragment for its purity, not its strength."

At the end of the butchery session, Ves estimated he removed up to forty percent of the spiritual fragment's original makeup. The remainder consisted of spiritual energy that aligned strongly to duty, rifleman mechs and other desirable traits.

"I'm lucky that expert pilots are fairly focused."

Having removed most of the impurities of one spiritual fragment, Ves turned his attention to the other spiritual fragment.

He made his preparations before tentatively opening the B-stone lockbox. A feral spiritual fragment tried its best to escape, but Ves firmly clamped down with his own spirituality.

"C'mon! Stay still while I cut you down to size!"

Ves was much more reluctant to cut into Nyxie's spiritual fragment. It was much stronger and forced him to expend more spiritual energy to keep up his suppression. He continually topped himself up by drawing on the reserves of his spiritual energy battery while he quickly went to work.

He didn't have the luxury to be patient this time. He formed a crude spiritual mask, dumped a dollop of spiritual energy in them, then merged them with his spiritual projections.

Through some inferences, he formed magnets that drew out the worst attributed spiritual energy. Ves only made quick, crude separations, and was careful not to cut out too much.

The biggest problem he faced was that the powerful spiritual fragment was filled with undesirable spiritual attributes! If Ves wanted to get rid of them all, then the alien spiritual fragment would be reduced to the size of a pea by the time he was done!

"I can't be too strict this time. I just have to throw out the worst aspects."

He still cut out seventy percent of the spiritual fragment by the time he was done. Though the spiritual fragment weakened enormously due to his operation, Ves did not necessarily see that as a bad outcome.

"It was already very strong to begin with! Now that I've cut it down to size, it's a lot easier for me to control!"

Nyxie's spiritual fragment no longer possessed the strength to resist the P-stone's suction force. Ves confidently left the P-stone out of the B-stone lockbox as he was sure that its trapped spiritual fragment wouldn't be able to escape anytime soon.

Another benefit to lobotomizing the alien spiritual fragment was that it became a lot milder now. It no longer radiated as much alienness and hostility anymore. The fragment also lost most of its tyrannical and domineering attributes.

What remained was a spiritual fragment that appeared much more... agreeable.

"Inside every monster is a heart of innocence." Ves murmured as he studied his handiwork.

Though the spiritual fragment still retained much of its alienness and hostility, their weakening meant that other spiritual attributes could finally exert some of their influence.

What Ves discovered after his inspections was that Nyxie possessed traits that aligned closely to faith, devotion, responsibility and thoughtfulness.

Ves rubbed his chin in thought as he tried to make sense of what he perceived. "These are the traits of an elite groomed for senior priesthood or something."

He couldn't tell anything more. In any case, these attributes were a lot gentler and more positive than the poison that suffused the alien spiritual entity. While they didn't necessarily align with his vision for his Desolate Soldier design, they weren't entirely opposed.

"They'll form a nice bonus, I think."

Seeing how effectively he managed to purify his spiritual fragments made him wonder if he could employ the same techniques to living expert pilots. What if he wanted to 'reform' them or alter their inclinations?

He did not immediately discount the possibility.

Though Ves believed it was considerably more difficult to spiritually lobotomize living expert pilots, the same theories still applied. He just had to employ more strength to breach their defenses and keep his 'patients' under control.

Ever since he learned what he could do to mech pilots, he began to harbor ambitions to recruit and nurture expert pilots. This was one of the reasons why he hired mech pilots like the Ingvar twins on Bloodstone.

Raising them was not impossible. Keeping them was another matter.

Aside from keeping the Mech Corps and other greedy organizations from poaching them, Ves also had to make sure to keep them loyal to him. Indoctrination could only do so much, especially to already-mature expert pilots.

In such cases, it might be useful for him to operate on their spiritualities to make them more pliable!

"I wonder if it works against someone who is a lot more intense like Venerable Foster."

She'd be a much more agreeable expert pilot if he removed her intense hatred towards pirates and her strong loyalty to the Hafner Duchy and the Vesia Kingdom.

Of course, Ves didn't think he could succeed. Not only was she growing stronger at a rapid pace due to her incredible talent, the aforementioned traits formed a core part of her spirituality!

"I don't think I'll have anything left of the Venerable by the time I'm done cutting into her mind!"

Chapter 1508

Ves took an extensive break and left his newly-lobotomized spiritual fragments alone. Only after he got rid of his fatigue did he return to his lab.

"How are you, my lovelies?" He idly asked as he caressed the two occupied P-stones.

Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment resided peacefully within its P-stone. Since Ves removed most of its loyalties towards the Hertog Dominion and such, the spiritual fragment no longer belonged to a specific side. Aside from its desire to return to its source, the fragment didn't exhibit any bias.

"I hope you stay put and cooperate with me." He told the fragment. "If you work with me, I'll make sure you can strengthen your source."

Ves did not regret what he did to Venerable Plinter, but he wanted to make sure he made up for it. Giving her a new source of strength through her spiritual association with the design spirit of the desolate soldier would give her a bright future.

While Ves wasn't sure how much expert pilots benefited if he made use of their spiritual fragments in this fashion, at the very least his actions brought them a little closer to advancing to ace pilot.

As for Nyxie's spiritual fragment, Ves wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The good news was that Ves removed its most negative traits and emotions. The bad news was that its other traits rose to the surface and started to turn the spiritual fragment more sophisticated and thoughtful.

"Now that it isn't raging mindlessly at me, it's become a lot more self-aware!"

Though Nyxie's spiritual fragment had weakened, Ves actually started to fear it more. He didn't necessarily dislike locking horns against strong opinions. What he feared the most were opponents who outsmarted him! Mixing cleverness and madness together was a recipe for disaster!

Despite his fears, Ves put on a brave face and grinned towards Nyxie's spiritual fragment. "Enjoy your last moments in this state. Soon enough, you'll be reborn anew."

Perhaps sensing the nefarious thoughts that Ves had in store towards it, the spiritual fragment tried to fight against its bonds and attempted to escape.

It was no use. The spiritual fragment couldn't overcome the P-stone's attraction force no matter how much strength it mustered.

As for the third ingredient, Ves focused in his mind. He constructed several images and pumped them with a juicy amount of spiritual energy. He expended a considerable amount of excess spiritual energy to impart his images with enough strength to hold their ground against the stronger spiritual fragments.

Rather than construct a single, complex image, Ves instead formed half-a-dozen abstract images.

The images were meant to steer and supplement his upcoming actions. Each image revolved around a singular concept. The most important ones related to duty, ballistic rifleman mechs and an intense hostility towards the sandmen race.

Ves wasn't sure how useful it would be to throw these images into the mix. He believed it didn't hurt to try, especially since he had the spiritual energy to spare.

The Grand Dynamo opened up so many new options!

He grinned and turned towards Lucky. As ever, the cat curiously kept watch over Ves from a distance, as if he was afraid of getting caught in whatever disaster might ensue!

"Wish me luck!"

"Meow!"

Lucky scooted backwards until his body hid behind the bulk of a lab machine. Only his head peeked around the corner.

Ves didn't take his pet's lack of confidence to heart. He knew what he was doing this time!

Having created a spiritual product before, Ves invested a lot more in his preparations. Since he couldn't exert a lot of direct control over the spiritual restoration process due to his ignorance of how he worked, he mainly focused on preparing his ingredients.

"Now, I have to combine them together."

Ves expected the output to conform closely to the ingredients he put into the transformation process. This was the best solution he could think of to influence the outcome of his second attempt to create a spiritual product.

"Here goes."

He breathed deeply and began to summon up his spiritual strength. After a few minutes of accumulation, he began to form a powerful spiritual projection in the shape of a hammer.

While Ves placed his F-stone nearby if he needed extra oomph, he believed his strength was already sufficient for what he was about to do to the spiritual fragments.

"Life must come from death!"

Ves slammed his spiritual hammer against Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment. Already weakened and damaged from all of the cutting that Ves had done, it only took three powerful strikes to shatter the fragment into pieces!

Though the spiritual fragment had died, its pieces still lingered in the P-stone. Ves didn't have to worry about them drifting away, though the wounds he inflicted to them were severe. Even now, they slowly started to break down as if they couldn't maintain any coherence due to the death of its consciousness.

"I have to hurry with the next steps before the damage accumulates!"

He knew he was working on a time limit, so he quickly employed his spiritual hammer again. This time, he struck his own spiritually-empowered images. They folded easily because of their comparatively weaker strength.

Only after that did he turn his attention to his toughest target. Nyxie's spiritual fragment evidently noticed what Ves was doing and adopted a hardly, defensive posture.

Cracking this shell would probably take a lot more effort!

"Well, if I can't break you with one strike, I'll break you with two. If I can't break you with two, then I'll employ three strikes!"

Ves didn't think anymore and simply began to wail at Nyxie's lobotomized spiritual fragment with his spiritual hammer. He held nothing back and employed his hammer repetitively, wasting a lot of spiritual energy due to his exertions and the damage his hammer sustained.

This was fine, because he had plenty of spiritual energy in reserve to supplement his expenditure!

While he estimated that he would be able to shatter Nyxie's spiritual fragment easily if he drew upon the power of the F-stone, he did not wish to waste its power. With only 80 percent charge remaining, Ves had no idea if he could ever obtain a second F-stone with an offense-oriented charge.

Right now, it was a much better idea for Ves to be wasteful with his spiritual energy!

"C'mon! I can hit you all day! Just break already!"

A spiritual fragment taken from an entity that was as powerful as an ace pilot did not break very easily. Even if Ves had carved out a significant chunk already, what remained was still qualitatively stronger than anything he worked with before.

If Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment was akin to wood, then Nyxie's spiritual fragment was akin to a steel!

Nonetheless, Ves employed sufficient force to deal at least some damage with every hit. No matter how small the damage, as long as Ves kept abusing it, the damage quickly started to accumulate!

After forty or so continuous hammer strikes, his target finally reached its limit. It could no longer hold itself together and died, shattering in brilliant pieces that resembled tiny spiritual daggers!

"Finally!"

Ves quickly moved on to the next steps. He first dissolved his spiritual hammer and recharged his spiritual energy from his spiritual energy battery.

Once he topped himself off, he cast a brief glance to his bodyguard.

"I've reached a very critical stage in my experiments. I can't afford any distractions. Is that clear?"

She nodded. "I will make sure you won't be disturbed."

While his lab was already locked down, who knew if Gavin or Crindon insisted on barging in for some reason. Ves absolutely couldn't afford to draw his concentration away from this step!

He briefly spent some time on centering himself before he concentrated his mind.

It was time to create his second spiritual product.

"Combine!"

He scooped up the broken shards and stuffed them all together in a single P-stone. This time, he didn't plan to use anyone's mind as his mech workshop. He didn't want his new spiritual product to exhibit too much bias towards a specific individual, except perhaps himself.

Since he didn't really know what he was doing right now, he just shuffled all of the shards and damaged pieces into his P-stone in order to spread them around. He had no idea how this effected the end result, but Ves did it anyway.

Once he thoroughly mixed up the spiritual shards, he stopped shuffling them around and began to infuse the collection with a large portion of his loose spiritual energy.

He expended more of his spiritual energy than before, but made sure to supply enough to bind all of the shards together and nothing more.

After he infused the collection with a sufficient amount of spiritual energy, he began to press and manipulate them together.

Different from his first attempt, the shattered pieces were much smaller and much more numerous.

Back when he created Vescas, he reformed it out of the dead remains of the Dragoncat's spirituality.

This time, he employed a spiritual hammer to deliberately create a lot of smaller shards. While this helped mixed up the ingredients more thoroughly, it also increased his workload as he had to spend a lot of time trying to piece them together.

Some shards merged with each other easily. Others needed the help of his spiritual energy in order to stay together.

Ves made sure to keep everything mixed up. He didn't want to reform Nyxie's spiritual fragment and Venerable Plinter's spiritual fragment, because that would defeat the purpose of his earlier actions.

He found that it was a bit hard to force many pieces that weren't related to each other together. Ves resorted to a judicious amount of spiritual energy in order to force the unions.

While the forced combinations didn't seem stable at first, Ves did not mind them too much. He kept puzzling more and more shards together until he gradually merged them into a greater and greater whole!

Each union formed different relationships with each other. Small two-way symbiotic relationships expanded to larger collections of shards that amplified each other's strengths.

Though the shards were already 'dead' and devoid of consciousness, the spiritual energy that Ves contributed to the spiritual restoration process infused the gathered shards with the spark of life.

After several long hours, the spiritual restoration process reached a critical point. The shards kept fusing and fusing together until Ves hardly noticed the separation between them. The spiritual attributes that were locked in the individual shards began to spread and mix until the distribution of traits became even throughout the newly-forming spiritual product.

Eventually, a small explosion set off as his spiritual product finally radiated life!

"I did it! I've created another life!"

He formed a completely new spiritual entity! As Ves inspected his handiwork, he smiled wider as he observed many improvements over his first attempt to create a spiritual product!

His second spiritual product had reached a higher level of quality! Ves already sensed that it was stronger, more coherent and far less riddled with flaws than Vescas!

"Success!"

Though his spiritual product still exhibited plenty of flaws compared to a natural spiritual entity, the important point was that its aura radiated all of the traits that Ves sought.

He closed his eyes and began to rely purely on his spiritual senses to identify the spiritual attributes. All of them conformed to his intentions! He was especially pleased to find out that his earlier preparations had borne fruit, as the most critical spiritual attributes happened to be the most prevalent!

Duty! Rifleman mechs! Faith! Responsibility! Hatred towards sandmen!

All of these traits and more mingled together in a spiritual product that fit closely to his vision of the Desolate Soldier! If not for its lingering flaws and 'impurities' in its spiritual attribute mix, Ves would have been able to make it into a perfect match!

Considering the mix of attributes he sensed from his newborn spiritual product, he decided to call it the Solemn Guardian.

"You're a bit mysterious, aren't you?" He smirked at his new creation. "That's fine. Life is too boring if everything goes according to plan!"

The slight alien attributes in the Solemn Guardian clashed with the human attributes that Ves made sure to include. The resulting interactions made him feel as if he dealt with a spiritual product that combined the best of both!

Chapter 1509

The mix of traits in his second spiritual product gave Ves the impression of a solemn guardian. Even with an innocent mind that swelled with life, it already expressed a strong inclination to do its duty and fight the sandmen without asking too many questions.

Yet even if it was willing to do its duty, Ves somehow felt that it was always watching and thinking in silence. It was too intelligent to remain ignorant.

"Just like a Kinner."

He knew that the Solemn Guardian still had some growing to do. Its birth merely set the starting point for its personality and the traits. Ves needed to be very deliberate in raising his new spiritual product and make sure it expressed its spiritual attributes in the way he envisioned.

"It's like raising a child. If I raise it wrong and bring out the worst in it, I will have created a monster!"

Ves cradled the spiritual product with his Spirituality and brought it into his mind. He already partitioned a section that isolated the Solemn Guardian from the rest of his mind.

He did not wish to corrupt the Solemn Guardian with his own thoughts! He was anything but a good role model!

"Be a good kid while I indoctrinate you in your calling in life!"

Ves lacked a structural way of raising newborn spiritual products. The only means he could resort to was exposing them to himself or other hosts. He could also opt to keep them in his P-stone if he wanted them to remain innocent, but that was not a good choice when it came to design spirits reserved for mass market mechs.

For now, he decided to exert manual control over the Solemn Guardian's upbringing. He diverted a sliver of his mind to lecture endlessly about doing one's duty to the young and curious Solemn Guardian. With the strength of his mind, multitasking like this required very little effort.

"It's not a great solution, but it's better than nothing."

A personality could not be shaped by telling them what to do. Ves merely wanted to lay the groundwork and influence the Solemn Guardian's inclinations even further towards his desired outcome.

Ves expected it would only begin to mature and settle its personality when exposed to the minds of the first mech pilots of the Desolate Soldier model!

Ves already witnessed how swiftly Vescas grew when it continually connected to Lady Miralix when she piloted her Kinslayer. The direct and intimate connection between mech and mech pilot allowed Vescas to peer into the deepest parts of a human's mind.

Such a deep and honest exchange, unhindered by any barriers or miscommunication, was incredibly powerful to a naive and undeveloped spiritual product!

Of course, the same applied to him as well. If Ves did not partition off his mind by building an isolated cage with his spiritual energy, the Solemn Guardian would probably be contaminated by his impure thoughts!

"I'm not suitable at all." He sighed, and unconsciously glanced to Nitaa.

His dutiful bodyguard hadn't managed to observe his spiritual manipulation, but his physical interactions and his habit of talking to himself revealed plenty of hints.

Even though Ves appeared to be half-mad when he created his second spiritual product, Nitaa did not display any judgement. The means of the Holy Son were mysterious and unfathomable.

Hosting the Solemn Guardian in her mind would have been ideal. Unfortunately, as someone with spiritual potential, Ves believed she wouldn't be capable of hosting a spiritually-strong entity like the Solemn Guardian.

"I'm not really sure what will happen."

Ves did not wish to break her mind by forcing the Solemn Guardian in her head. Despite their excellent match, the container was too weak!

The other Kinner on his staff, Crindon, did not possess spiritual potential. Hosting the Solemn Guardian in his mind probably wouldn't lead to any damage.

However, this was not a good option, as the mind of a spiritually-weak person existed in a slightly different phase. His mind would not be able to serve as an effective container because its boundaries were permeable!

He could only rely on himself for now. Perhaps in the future he might develop a better solution or rely on an expert pilot in his retinue to educate his spiritual products.

Ves smiled as he leaned back and considered his current situation. With the creation and birth of the Solemn Guardian, he secured the most essential component to his mech design.

He increasingly drifted away from centering his perspective on the X-Factor. The X-Factor was not an independent phenomenon, but represented an expression of the spiritual components of a mech.

The design spirit and the mech pilot of the mech both shaped the X-Factor, but the former posed a much greater influence. Unless a mech pilot became spiritually strong enough to match the strength of a design spirit, their influence would always be negligible on the aura of the mech.

Ves made a small realization all of a sudden.

"Expert mechs are probably the most similar to my mechs!"

When piloted by powerful expert pilots, the expert mechs which might not have possessed any X-Factor must have gained auras upon becoming active! It was just that without the corresponding support from the mech, the potential of these auras hadn't been reached.

"Still, it's enough to make expert mechs appear more impressive and intimidating in battle!"

This was likely one of the many reasons why the introduction of an expert mech onto a battlefield led to disproportional swings in morale. Allies became emboldened while enemies quaked in fear!

His hunger to design an expert mech only increased upon making this realization. If his standard mechs already projected a formidable aura, what if it overlapped and synergized with the force of will of an expert pilot?

Ves could scarcely estimate the degree of amplification that might occur!

He sighed. "There's no use pining for expert mechs right now. I still have a project to finish."

The Desolate Soldier design was not an impressive mech. Performance wise, it merely performed on par with the other mechs in its class and price range.

However, the reason why Ves possessed the confidence his mech design might do well was because of it came with a spiritual component!

Instilling his mech designs with design spirits was like adding an exclusive component to them. As long as Ves maintained a monopoly on adding spiritual components to mechs, no other mech designer could match his efforts!

It was as if every mech on the market consisted of landbound mechs. Every mech designer focused solely on optimizing mechs for combat on solid ground. As a newcomer in the market, Ves did not believe he could adequately compete against the market leaders with more than a century of experience.

However, it was a different case if he introduced a component that no one could replicate! If he was the only mech designer in the market to add a flight system to his mechs, then his products immediately distinguished themselves! The flight capability that only his own mechs possessed made them stand out in the market because of the unique value they could provide to their customers!

This simplistic analogy described his current situation as a mech designer with a unique design philosophy. So long as his competitors remained in the dark, Ves effectively maintained a monopoly on spiritual components!

"Perhaps there might be some oddball mech designers out there who come close, but the galaxy is far too expansive. The chance of bumping into one is miniscule!"

Of course, the problem with maintaining a monopoly on something valuable was that it could easily engender greed. Ves did not completely rely on the rules set by the MTA to protect him once his value became more obvious.

"This is why forging ties and cultivating support is important."

He already planned to rely on two particular connections to cover him against most threats.

His relationship with Gloriana and by extension the Wodin Dynasty of the Hexadric Hegemony protected him against local threats.

As long as Ves and Gloriana remained an item, his local rivals and enemies were restricted from acting overtly!

The most his enemies could do was to act in secret and use dark mercenaries or other patsies to mess with him and damage his interests.

"As long as Gloriana remains protective of me, the local powers will not dare to provoke her ire!"

Though her protection was likely effective against weaker threats, she could not do a thing against greater threats. What if a Coalition partner or a matriarchal dynasty became his enemy? Against threats that matched or surpassed the strength of the Wodin Dynasty, Ves could not completely lean on Gloriana to save his hide.

This was why Ves believed that he needed to cultivate his relationship with the Rim Guardians. While the mech pilot fraternity might not have much say within the MTA, its strength and influence in the galactic rim were undeniable!

The only problem was that gaining their favor required an immense amount of effort! The Rim Guardians were so large and powerful that a single mech designer barely registered in their sensors.

Even if Ves worked hard to earn their recognition and favor, he had no illusion that he would be regarded as an incidental friend by them. The relationship between them would always be transactional, which meant the only way to earn their protection was to pay them with something.

"That reminds me, I still have to help William Urbesh."

The Rim Guardians gave him three years to help him advance to expert candidate. With one year already gone by, the exiled clansman had made no progress at all under the tutelage of the Larkinsons!

From the occasional status reports he received from Melkor, he and the other Larkinsons on Cloudy Curtain did their best to kick him into shape. Yet no matter how much effort they put into retraining Urbesh, the damned coward never got rid of his fears when piloting a mech!

Fortunately, Ves had a much better idea on how to remedy Urbesh's situation now that he almost finished his tour. The lessons he learned, the techniques he invented and the insights he gained on spirituality gave him enough confidence to come up with a solution!

As long as he successfully elevated William Urbesh to expert candidate, he would become eligible to earn merits which he could exchange for a variety of goods and services from the Rim Guardians!

"As long as I can earn their backing, I can deter many threats, especially in relation to my business activities!"

Ves did not expect the Rim Guardians to pay too much attention to his personal safety. That was where Gloriana came in. What Ves valued most out of the fraternity was their willingness to act as a guarantor to his business interests.

As an arm of the MTA, earning their protection also entailed earning the MTA's approval. At the very least, no matter how controversial his products became or how much other mech designers coveted his monopoly, they had to go through the Rim Guardians first if they wanted to attack his business interests!

In more ideal circumstances, Ves vastly preferred to rely on his own strength. Yet that wasn't possible now, so the only way he could tide himself over until he grew strong enough to stand on his own was to lean on others.

"I'll be meeting Gloriana soon." He recalled. "I should make sure to impress her when we meet. I can't afford to lose her protection at this stage!"

Though Ves harbored ulterior motives, he truly wanted to see whether they could form a genuine relationship with each other.

It would be best for the both of them if their love coincided with their interests. He was willing to stomach Gloriana's many eccentricities to see if they were compatible.

If there was one benefit to entering into a relationship with someone crazy, it was that Ves could easily pretend to be crazy as well!

"This is my third form of protection!"

Who would ever covet the design philosophy of a nutjob? Just like he did at Centerpoint, Ves planned to cultivate an eccentric or even crazy persona to confuse everyone who wanted to learn his secrets!

So long as he could rely on these three pillars for support, Ves became a lot more confident he could maintain his spiritual component monopoly!

Chapter 1510

Now that he gained his spiritual component, Ves threw himself back into his design work with gusto. The formation of the Solemn Guardian gave him a much more solid direction on where to take his mech design.

Ves quickly whipped up the primary armament of the Desolate Soldier within days. In fact, it only took less than a day to design the basic framework of his ballistic rifle!

Just as with the mech frame, Ves aimed for simplicity in designing the weapon. Leaning heavily on his newly-acquired Ballistic Weapon Optimization IV Sub-Skill, he aimed to bring out the most of each subcomponent while keeping down the cost and complexity of the weapon.

His new depth of knowledge in ballistic weapons already allowed him to develop a rifle that matched comparable ballistic rifle models in the market!

Though his work did not necessarily surpass the quality of weapon models designed by dedicated weapon developers, the difference was that his rifle design completely aligned with the Desolate Soldier's mech frame!

The mass, dimensions, balance, targeting mechanisms and other aspects of the rifle conformed extremely well with the rest of his design. This improved and optimized the handling of the weapon to an amazing degree, beyond what he could achieve with an off-the-shelf rifle design!

"Of course, the biggest benefit to designing my own rifle is that I don't have to pay any licensing fees."

This not only saved him several hundred million credits in upfront licensing cost, but also reduced the production cost of his Desolate Soldier as he didn't have to pay any per-unit licensing fees per mech!

With the estimated product margin of his Desolate Soldier model already so low, a minor saving like this could make a huge difference if his product took off in the market!

Cutting cost, minimizing waste and making the most efficient use out of a limited amount of materials dominated his current design project. Ves truly felt a lot of pain when he thought about all the compromises he made.

He had to give up a lot of flashy options in favor of cheaper and more sober solutions. Ves wasn't used to designing such a limited mech at first. He was used to incorporating expensive toys and premium materials in his mech designs, confident that his ample budget could accommodate his profligate design choices!

The Aurora Titan which sold for at least 100 million bright credits for the cheapest edition was an especially egregious example of his feature-based design approach!

Now that he suddenly switched to a cost-based design approach, Ves navigated his design project from a completely different direction. While he encountered plenty of minor bumps along the way, now that he reached this point, he fully became used to prioritizing cost over features!

"The Desolate Soldier will not be the last cheap mech I'll design. In fact, it is a preview of what is to come!"

Once he completed the rifle design, the Desolate Soldier design became feature complete.

Ves did not rest on his laurels yet, though. He still had to subject his design through many simulated tests in order to refine it further.

His new Simulations IV Sub-Skill became very handy at this instance. Ves exchanged it from the System with the hopes of increasing his productivity during the refinement phase of his design project.

The results surpassed his expectations!

Though Ves hadn't learned any specialized mathematical models, his ability to comprehend their strengths and limitations had improved. He knew how to tweak them to get more useful data out of his simulations and he also became more proficient in combining them to perform more realistic tests.

Ves gained more out of a single simulation run than ten separate tests in the past!

In addition, if his mech incorporated the design philosophies of other mech designers, then he became a lot more capable in compensating for their abstruse effects. He gained a lot of confidence in the reliability of his virtual tests. His reliance on testing physical prototypes had lessened!

At the very least, Ves didn't expect to gain too much out of putting a prototype of the Desolate Soldier. The lack of complexity that underpinned its design meant that there were much less variables in play.

Nonetheless, any mech designer who believed his mech design was bad because it didn't resort to fancy materials or components was wrong!

During his design project, Ves fully immersed himself in the art of doing less with more.

The solutions he developed or derived from his knowledge base combined into a sublime mech design. The results of the simulations he performed all conformed to his expectations.

Even so, Ves did not believe that he was ready to publish his design.

"I haven't tested a single prototype yet!"

Ves did not wish to act with too much haste and prematurely publish a design without being completely sure it performed just as well in reality. No matter how much his simulation abilities had improved, not a single model was perfect! Discrepancies were bound to emerge!

This put Ves into a somewhat difficult situation. He was still a distance away from the Bright Republic. He couldn't supervise the fabrication and the testing of the prototype in person.

"I can only rely on my subordinates to perform their duty in my absence!"

Ves realized that this was a test for the LMC! As long as they could conduct the testing and production of his Desolate Soldier without issue, his company was robust enough to survive without requiring his direct physical presence.

He decided to call Calsie directly. As soon as the call came through, his comm projected her face.

"Ves." She nodded calmly. She looked a bit more mature now that she held her leadership position for a time. "I did not expect you to contact me directly. Usually you are content with letting Gavin speak on your behalf."

"This is an exception. You're aware of my current design project, right?"

She nodded. As the caretaker of the LMC, she already heard about his Desolate Soldier project. "Of course. How much progress have you made?"

"I've completed the first iteration of its design."

That shocked her. "This fast?!"

"I told you I prioritized speed this time. Don't worry about its quality. It's a simple design so I managed to devote a lot of attention to each and every aspect. I'm very confident that my Desolate Soldier can compete fairly in the mech market at its current state."

"Have you tested it yet with a prototype?"

"No. That's why I'm calling you. I'd like to delegate the testing process to you and Ketis. I'll transfer an encrypted data package that contains the design schematics and all of the necessary documents to fabricate the prototype. Can I trust in you and Ketis to perform the testing on my behalf?"

She nodded seriously. "I'll make sure that the details of your design won't leak. People will only know that we are in the process of testing a new mech. By the way, this is a good opportunity to put our new space-based testing ground to use."

After Ves designed the Aurora Titan, the LMC needed to form a testing ground in space in order to test the mechs in-house. The new testing ground was situated in the middle of an asteroid belt in the outer portion of the Cloudy Curtain System.

"Make sure that everything is secure. Don't hesitate to draw deeply upon the Avatars of Mechs to secure the testing areas. I don't want a single snapshot of my mech to circulate on the galactic net."

If his competitors gained a good idea on what he was working on, they might attempt to steal his thunder!

Once he made all of the arrangements with Calsie, he ended the call. He then packaged all of his design schematics and other relevant files before passing them onto Crindon.

"Make sure to encrypt and transmit it securely to the LMC." He commanded.

After packing Crindon off, Ves finally enjoyed some free time to himself. While he could always spend his time on further testing and optimization work, he wanted to wait until the test results of the prototype came back.

"Well, Lucky." He turned to his cat, who looked up at him in curiosity. "Don't you think you owe me something?"

"Meow?"

Ves stretched out his hand. "Don't think I forgot about the P-stone I gifted to you!"

"Meow meow!"

"I don't care if you can gain more benefits if you digest the P-stone more fully! I'm not feeding you for free!"

"Meow!"

"What kind of a gem cat are you if you don't produce any gems?!"

After Ves kept pressing his cat to cough up the goods, Lucky finally couldn't take it any longer and floated into the bathroom.

Half an hour later, the cat grumpily phased through the hatch with a shiny object resting in his paws.

"Meow."

A reflective white gem landed on his desk. Ves smiled and reached out to scratch Lucky's head. "It's about time."

"Meow!"

Lucky fussily darted out of reach and dove onto his bed before burying himself under the covers.

Ves paid no mind to the antics of his cat and studied his long-awaited new gem with his System vision.

[Accumulation of Spirit]

Allows a mech to bear a small quantity of spiritual energy.

He frowned at the description. Not only was it disgustingly vague and imprecise, its actual utility was unknown!

"What difference can this gem even make?"

The gem appeared distinctly underwhelming compared to the other gems that Lucky produced lately. While the Ardent Wish and the Sin of Altruism directly improved the aspects of a mech by twenty and forty percent respectively, all the Accumulation of Spirit did was to make the mech be capable of bearing a 'small quantity' of spiritual energy!

"LUCKY!"

"Meow!"

Lucky instantly turned intangible and phased through the bed and deck. His eagerness to flee proved that his cat had definitely taken liberties with the P-stone!

"Goddammit!"

Ves sighed. It was his fault for getting too caught up in his design work. He should have paid more attention to Lucky and forced him to produce a proper high-quality gem!

He reached into his pocket and retrieved a pouch. The Accumulation of Spirit joined the other valuable gems he held.

Even if the Accumulation of Spirit appeared weak, Ves still believed it was significant enough to help him form another masterwork mech.

"Every gem represents another potential masterwork mech!"

Ves wasn't sure how much he'd be able to improve his mech affinity if he crafted a second masterwork mech, but any boost was welcome. He already reaped a lot of benefits from his first masterwork mech.

He did not have much hopes of replicating his feat immediately. While he invested a lot of effort into the Desolate Soldier, he hadn't been able to replicate the same degree of fervor when he worked on the Devil Tiger design.

He did not lack for passion when he worked on his current design project. However, his mentality was different.

The Devil Tiger was one of the purest expressions of his creativity, unbound by existing rules or taboos.

The Desolate Soldier on the other hand was a product made for the market. Ves had to work around so many limitations in order to conform to market demand.

"There's a huge difference between passion projects and business projects."

The former satisfied his creative desires while the latter advanced his business interests. His actual tastes diverged from the current iteration of the Desolate Soldier.

If he followed his whims more closely, then the mech design would have probably looked substantially different!

He sighed. "I can't expect to ignore the demands of the market and sell lots of mechs. For mass market mechs, conforming to the tastes of my customers is even more essential!"

This was his first time he tried to compete for market share in a high-volume product category, and he did not wish to impose too many weird ideas in his upcoming product.

"Even if my work isn't completely satisfying to me, selling lots of mechs brings its own form of satisfaction!"

As long as he sold a lot of mechs and earned a lot of money, he gained the capital to fund other passion projects!

Chapter 1511

The fleet transitioned into the Reverend Indra System without any fanfare.

The Reverend Indra System was a port system, which meant it served as a nexus of trade and transit.

Not only that, but Reverend Indra also served as the capital of the Hertog Dominion! The rulers of the Dominion were always concerned about losing their grip on power, so they placed their seat of power directly in the economic center of their state!

There were upsides and downsides to such a decision. While the government exerted strong control over all of the trade taking place in the port system, the rulers also became exposed to many more influences.

In addition, due to the high amount of traffic in the system, it was extremely difficult to prevent threats from sneaking into the capital.

All of this didn't matter to Ves. Whether the Hertog Dominion concentrated all of their political and economic power in a single vulnerable and easily-navigable star system was their business.

Port systems were extremely easy to reach, and were always vulnerable against outside invasion.

This applied not only to human ships, but also to sandman vessels!

With a sandman invasion looming over the horizon, many people had become uncomfortably aware that the Reverend Indra would probably serve as a magnet to the sandmen fleets. The stories transmitted from the overwhelmed border states already proved that the sandmen disproportionately invaded port systems as if they followed the path of least resistance!

"That's the reason for the flood of outbound traffic in the star system." Captain Silvestra explained to Ves on the bridge. "Everyone who can book passage outward is frantically evacuating from this star system at this very moment!"

Ves frowned. "Won't there be anyone left by the time the sandmen arrive?"

Silvestra shook her head. "The exodus isn't as great as it looks, sir. Dominator Vivian II will never allow her own subjects to hollow out her most important star system. The ones who are booking passage outwards are mainly the foreigners and those who managed to afford the hefty bribes. Everyone else is forced to stay and keep the engines of the economy running."

"Well at least it appears the Dominator is serious about defending this star system. A lot of defenses are being erected."

The orbits of all the populated planets and moons began to look busy as countless workers and bots built hundreds of defensive platforms in space. Ves had no doubt that even more turrets and defensive works were being built on the surfaces of Reverend Indra III, the capital, and other planets.

Not only that, but many combat carriers and other military vessels had been summoned to the Reverend Indra System. They congregated together in powerful fleets and patrolled every direction of approach to Reverend Indra III.

"With the amount of assets gathered here, this star system might very well be able to bear the brunt of the sandman invasion." Ves stated with confidence. "It's just... all those mech regiments and mech divisions used to be deployed to cover other star systems, right? It appears the Dominator prizes the Reverend Indra System above every other territory in her domain."

"The defenses of the outlying star systems will definitely be affected."

Ves couldn't say whether the Dominator made the right decision. Many other states underestimated the attraction of port systems to the sandmen. In the end, once the defenses of a port system succumbed, the state lost a powerful economic and industrial center!

Having lost such an important pillar, the smaller and less important star systems all fell in quick succession.

"Well, we aren't Hertogers anyway, so it's not our business to pry in the decisions of the state."

The Barracuda escorted by the ships of the Battle Criers slowly approached the inner system. Ves agreed to rendez-vous with Gloriana in orbit of Reverend Indra III.

With a mixture of dread and anticipation, Ves watched the timer tick down. In a short period of time, he'd be meeting his 'girlfriend' once again. This time, he wouldn't be able to run if he wanted to! Gloriana already told him that she came with her own ship!

Time slowly passed as his fleet followed its assigned route and navigated through the immense amount of traffic.

Before he met with Gloriana, Ves decided to contact the leader of his hired mercenaries.

"Commander Cinnabar."

"Mr. Larkinson." The bearded man nodded over the comm.

"Have you thought about my proposal once more?"

"We did. Our answer is the same as before. We're willing to stick around, but not all of us are committed to signing up with you for life. We haven't shared enough experiences yet. Aside from a single battle, we hardly know whether you can keep your cool during a crisis."

Ves crossed his arms. "It's been many months, commander. Let me be frank. While I'm satisfied with your service, you're a lot more useful to me if I can rely on you as much as Nitaa and Crindon. As long as I'm not sure whether you and your men will stick around, you're not as valuable to me. Once I return home, my Avatars of Myth can cover most of my protection needs."

"What does that mean?"

"If your Battle Criers still haven't made up their minds by the time we reach the Bright Republic, I have no choice but to dismiss you once you complete your mission. My money is best spent on expanding my Avatars of Myth than hiring you on for another year-long mission."

Though Ves understood why he hadn't earned the approval of the Battle Criers yet, he no longer wanted to wait. He effectively issued an ultimatum to Commander Cinnabar. Either they decided to get in bed permanently with Ves, or choose to part ways immediately after their current contract ran its course.

Whatever the case, Ves no longer had to contend with the uncertainty of whether he would be able to gain an ultra-loyal Kinner mercenary corps.

The commander knew what was at stake. "I'll make sure to push the men into taking a stand. We'll conduct a vote within a week. You'll get your answer at that time."

"Let me remind you that while I am hoping that you will pledge your oaths to me, you are not as irreplaceable as you think. Now that I've earned more fame and prestige, I will doubtlessly receive a better reception the next time I visit Bloodstone. Perhaps I might even get my foot in the door with Commander Oryn Mair of the Edge of Redemption!"

Ves truly felt so, and Commander Cinnabar appeared to accept his words as well.

If Ves really wanted to, he could buy out a better and more renowned Kinner mercenary corps! By then, it would be too late for the Battle Criers to enter into the orbit of a young but promising Journeyman!

"I'll work extra hard to persuade my men that it's difficult to find an employer that is better and more generous than you. For what it's worth, sir, I think we can do great things in your service. Nitaa and Crindon have both been raining praises about you in our chats."

"I promise you that I won't neglect you if you make the right decision. You already know what kind of mechs I design. Think of how much you can do if your mech pilots are assigned to my best mechs."

They discussed some other matters after that. Ves also took the time to ask about the status of the Ingar siblings.

"They're shaping up well under our care, sir." Cinnabar smiled. "Imon is still a brat, but he stopped pointing his nose in the air when he's in our company. He's also a damned good mech pilot. Casella on the other hand has eagerly learned how to run an outfit from me. While I can't say she's a capable leader, she's definitely officer material."

"Are the Ingvars ready to renew their contracts with me?"

"Well, Imon is a bit despondent about the lack of action. I think Casella is more inclined to continue to work with you, but she won't abandon her brother if he wants to leave."

Ves briefly frowned. "I see. Why don't you tell the Ingvars that if they continue to work for me, I'll give them the opportunity to fight the sandmen alongside my Avatars of Myth. I'll even allow them to apply for the Avatars if they so desire."

"That.. I'm not sure whether the Ingavs are eager to fight the sandmen. To Imon, it's not as exciting as fighting other mechs."

"Fighting the sandmen is our duty." Ves stated with conviction. "As humans, we are obligated to defend our fellow humans from alien predation. I don't think it will do their records any good if they flee from the sandmen when they have the opportunity to contribute to the defense of human space."

"They can always sign up with another outfit or employer."

"They might, but will they be able to obtain conditions as good as mine?"

"...I'll see what I can do."

The call quickly ended after discussing their upcoming security arrangements on the remainder of the trip to the Bright Republic.

Ves leaned back on his chair and scratched his chin. His many preoccupations during the tour meant that he hadn't been able to devote much time to the former nobles.

He truly wished he spent a bit more time in persuading Imon and Casella that it was in their best interest to work for him. Of all the mech pilots that Ves encountered with spiritual potential, none exhibited spiritual attributes as unique as theirs!

"I hope they make the right choice. I'll only invest in them if they're committed."

Ves would never be able to command their permanent loyalty, but a long-term employment contract should be enough.

As for what might happen next, it depended on whether he could apply some of his more radical theories to develop an accelerated advancement path for mech pilots.

Time continued to pass as his fleet finally arrived in orbit of Reverend Indra III. The night side of the densely-populated planet lit up like a plane of stars from above.

Close to the Barracuda, a small but very distinctive fleet occupied an entire orbital band by itself!

Gloriana had reached the orbit of Reverend Indra III weeks ago!

Just like Ves, she traveled in a small but well-protected fleet.

As Ves studied the ships that made up her fleet, the difference in quality immediately became apparent.

Her flagship consisted of a frigate-class vessel that was larger and more powerful than his little corvette. Two powerful combat carriers and a fast transport ship orbited around the frigate.

Each of the three escort vessels bore the same heraldry and shared the same color scheme, signifying that they belonged to the Wodin Warriors, the powerful household troops of the Wodin Dynasty!

Gloriana had already informed him beforehand about their presence. They were the Glory Battalion of the Wodin Warriors, assigned to protect Gloriana at all costs!

The dedicated bodyguards and protectors only answered to Gloriana, her mother and the matriarch of the Wodin Dynasty. No one else had the right to order them around!

Though the Glory Battalion fielded the same number of mechs as the Battle Criers, the difference in quality was enormous!

"How luxurious! Every ship and mech of Gloriana's fleet is second-class!"

If the Battle Criers ever fought the Glory Battalion, the Kinners would lose soundly! Not only was there a huge difference in the quality of their mechs, but the disparity in training also mattered!

Ves frankly became a bit concerned about their presence. There was no way he could exert control over them. While they ostensibly obeyed Gloriana's orders, they ultimately answered to the head of the Wodin Dynasty.

They probably took a dim view on him on account of his third-rater background. Journeyman or not, plenty of mech designers from the Hexadric Hegemony could match his current accomplishments!

"It's easy to earn her approval. It's a lot harder to earn the approval of her dynasty!"

If he seriously wished to pursue a relationship with Gloriana, then Ves had to make the Wodin Dynasty acknowledge him somehow.

Chapter 1512

Ves immediately grew jealous as the shuttle brought him and some of his followers to Gloriana's personal starship.

Compared to the Barracuda, the Stellar Chaser appeared to be at least twice at large. Featuring decent armor and large thrusters, the ship could have been employed as a blockade runner!

When the shuttle entered the Stellar Chaser's small cargo and hangar bay, Ves noted that there was enough room to transport a couple of mechs if need be. That was a lot better than the cargo hold of his own vessel, which barely accommodated a single mech but nothing else.

He couldn't help but grow jealous. He'd feel a lot safer if he traveled aboard a powerful frigate-sized vessel like the Stellar Chaser. It offered a lot more protection and cargo capacity while retaining nearly the same amount of speed.

"Then again, it probably costs a fortune." Ves murmured.

He won the Barracuda at Leemar for free, so Ves felt a little better about his own dinky little ship. He only grumbled a bit because the relative sizes and capabilities of their starships reflected the overall disparity between their backgrounds.

"This won't be the last time I make these comparisons."

Ves already resigned himself to acknowledging his inferiority in certain matters. However, he still maintained his confidence due to his confidence in his mech design ability.

In the area that mattered the most, Ves believed he had the grounds to surpass Gloriana!

"Are you exciting about meeting Clixie again, Lucky?" He asked his cat who was resting on his lap.

"Meow."

Ves patted his cat's head. "Don't be too conceited. Just because Clixie is organic doesn't mean she is less capable than you. Who knows what Rubarthan Sentinel Cats are capable of. We've already seen how Felixia's engineered cats can be dangerous. The Rubarthans are way ahead of House Laterna in cooking up dangerous cat species."

Lucky did not exhibit any concern. Just like Ves, he believed he was the best cat in the galaxy! Nothing could beat a gem cat!

As the shuttle entered the bay of the Stellar Chaser and settled down on the deck, Ves exited the hatch. Lucky and Nitaa followed suit.

Since this was their second physical meeting, Ves made sure to dress to impress. Feeling the need to puff himself up, he wore his full Pride of Dusk ensemble, though he left his decorative cat ears in his pocket.

His goal wasn't to make Gloriana laugh.

Instead, he wanted to sear an image of strength and masculinity in her mind!

He predicted that if he did not stand his ground right at the start, she'd walk all over him! Ves did not relish being treated as a typical male Hexer who perennially bowed their heads and acted servilely in the presence of alpha female Hexers!

He breathed deeply. Ves believed he was about to wage his most pivotal battle of his life!

Ves subtly tuned his overcoat, lowering its spiritual barrier and allowing Zeigra's spiritual fragment to radiate its hostile, prideful aura.

He did not ask for permission to come aboard as his boots stepped onto the metal deck. He imposed himself on Gloriana's ship as if he granted permission to himself!

A row of six armored guards greeted him from the other side of the bay. The guards stood straight but with their helmets folded, allowing him to see their determined and dutiful expressions.

Ves recognized their blue-and-gold color scheme and the six-sided diamond emblem depicted on their chests. The guards were part of the Glory Battalion. Each of them had been trained by the Wodin Warriors and selected to become a part of Gloriana's personal guard retinue.

How luxurious.

Two women stood ahead of her own guards. The more professionally-dressed woman looked smart and stood a half-step behind her employer. She held a data pad in her hand while watching Ves' arrival with a faintly surprised expression, though she did her best to stay neutral.

Ves quickly recognized her as Gloriana's Benny. He wondered whether she served two masters just like his own Benny. Maintaining double loyalties seemed to be a common affliction among Bennies.

He finally turned his attention to Gloriana herself. Just like Ves, she dressed up as well. She braided a part of her hair in a crown, leaving the rest to curl around her sculpted face. Due to her natural or engineered beauty, she only applied light makeup on herself.

As for her outfit, she looked as if she was going on a date or a wonderful day out. Her black, two-piece outfit showed off her smooth neck, her slim belly, and a pair of bare legs that made Ves beat faster.

He inwardly shook his head. This was not the time to get mesmerized! He needed to focus on his mission!

As Ves began to walk across the deck, he gradually raised the ferocious aura radiating from his overcoat. He manipulated plenty of people with his Pride of Dusk's spiritual component, and became very proficient at finetuning its aura to apply pressure on people.

As Zeigra's perpetually-angry aura washed over the guards standing behind Gloriana, they did a decent job at maintaining their professionalism. They shifted the grips on their weapons and became a little more vigilant.

As for Gloriana and her assistant, both of them showed different reactions. The pressure affected the assistant the most. She sweated a little and began to see Ves as a stalking tiger. The effect grew greater as Ves closed within spitting distance!

Yet as much as Ves derived satisfaction in intimidating Gloriana's assistant, he became dismayed at the reaction of his girlfriend herself.

Instead of sweating or shrinking back on herself, her back remained straight and her posture continued to radiate that special kind of self-assurance that only Hexer women possessed!

Even Clixie, who sat besides her feet, showed no sign of fear, despite sensing the aura of a hostile Crown Cat!

Not only that, but Gloriana even lit up in pleasure and excitement at his appearance! The closer Ves came forward, the happier she became!

It was as if the fearsome aura of an immensely dangerous creature didn't even come close to overcoming her overflowing adoration!

It became clear that her obsession for him was every bit as real as he feared. A chill went through his spine.

"Gloriana." He spoke, trying to put up a brave front.

"Ves. You look so dashing right now. It's even better than the projections in my archives." She gave him a loving smile. "Anyway, welcome aboard the Stellar Chaser. I have been waiting for you for almost a year. Now, you're finally in my grasp!"

She sprung forward and jumped into his body. Ves had already braced himself and easily managed to catch her due to his strength. Before he could ask what she was doing, her lips immediately met his own!

Though Ves was astonished, her attractive fragrance and her sensuously soft lips momentarily overcame his reticence! Gloriana's boundless enthusiasm infected him and caused him to hold her waist and kiss back!

"Ahem! Gloriana, please remember your mother's instruction!" Her assistant suddenly spoke in the same clipped accent adopted by every upper class Hexer.

Though Gloriana doubtlessly heard the warning, she heedlessly pressed on with her kiss, as if she wanted to compensate for all the times she missed him since their first meeting!

Ves didn't complain. The more he kissed her, the more he got into it! He held her body in a possessive embrace and tried to assert his dominance through their tongue sparring.

"AHEM!"

Gloriana finally drew back. She placed her hands on his arms, signalling for him to let go. He did so, reluctantly.

"Sorry, Ves. I can't help myself."

"You don't have to be sorry." He responded.

She gestured to her grumpy assistant. "This is Melody Raft, my secretary and helper."

The woman, older by Gloriana by a decade, glanced critically at her charge. "I am also here to make sure that the two of you respect each other's boundaries."

Gloriana winced a bit, not at Melody, but at her mother! She looked sheepishly at Ves. "I'm sorry. My mother isn't very pleased at our relationship. She doesn't want me to get too close to you without meeting you first."

"That's fine with me." Although a part of him strongly protested at his decision. "We should take it slow. Even if we're in a relationship, we barely spent any time together."

"Great! Come on, let's head inside! I recently rearranged the Stellar Chaser's lounge compartment! You'll love it, I'm sure!"

She grabbed his arm and dragged him to the exit hatch. Their cats and bodyguards silently followed after the pair.

While Lucky and Clixie showed plenty of curiosity towards each other as they padded after their owners.

"Meow."

"Miaow."

"Meow?"

"Miaow~."

Ves didn't pay attention to the antics of their cats. Instead, he frowned as Gloriana eagerly glomped his arm without showing any sign that she was affected by his outfit's aura!

Seeing that his Pride of Dusk hadn't played any role, he gradually restricted its aura until its effect faded into the background.

"That's a neat trick." She commented.

"You've noticed?" Ves responded sharply. "How come you aren't affected?"

She grinned at him while patting his forearm. "Oh, you silly handsome mech designer. I've studied your work extensively. Since I couldn't get close to you, I decided to get close to your mechs instead. I managed to buy the gold label editions of your Blackbeak, Crystal Lord and Aurora Titan models after approaching their previous owners. I would have offered to buy one of your Transcendent Messengers as well, but the Ylvainans haven't budged at all no matter what price I've offered!"

"Ylvainans can be stubborn when it comes to their faith." Ves gently warned her. "My Transcendent Messengers

"I realized that as well. Though it's a shame for me to miss one of your greatest works, I've spent a lot of time studying your mechs. I even slept in their cockpits, wishing that you were with me to show off your mechs in person. I've gotten used to the feelings they impart to me. They remind me of you. I can feel the love you put in your mechs."

This woman! Ves became astonished when he heard how much time she spent with his mechs! She spent so much time in their auras that they no longer affected her mood in any way!

"Those mechs are some of my earlier works. I hope you don't think that they are reflective of my current abilities."

"I know that, silly. My older works are rough as well. It's difficult to look back on our older mech designs and feel proud about them. However, it also makes me happy to see how much worse I was in the past. As long as I spot imperfections in my previous mech designs, it means my standards have raised!"

That was a remarkably positive outlook. Ves previously feared that Gloriana's perfectionist tendencies may have led to unhealthy attitudes towards imperfect works, but it appeared that she was not as simple as he thought.

"What do you think about my designs?"

"Sublime." She spoke as her eyes gazed upwards as if she was imagining them in front of her. "I can see how much you've improved with every new design. Still, your mechs share a lot in common. Even in your earliest mech designs, I can clearly sense the dedication and passion you put into your work. I've never encountered anything like it in other mech designs. How can you make your mechs so impactful and so full of feeling?"

"I.. it's complicated. It's a trade secret. We'll have to conduct an exchange."

"Oh. I see. Well, we can always get to know each other's abilities slowly once we collaborate on a mech design. I can't wait until we knock heads together in the same project!"

She radiated so much excitement at the possibility that her entire body vibrated!

While Ves shared some of her anticipation, he also feared that the reality may fall short of her expectations. What if combining their design philosophies failed to produce the synergies she hoped for? He could hardly expect her to maintain her enthusiasm if that was the case!

Chapter 1513

When Gloriana said she redecorated the lounge compartment of her ship, she wasn't kidding!

A cozy and expansive interior greeted them upon entry. The beige coating along with the warm-colored furniture made him feel as if he entered his old home's family room.

Various amenities such as high-quality projectors and a well-stocked bar occupied the compartment. Gloriana ignored them all in favor of dragging Ves to what clearly looked like a loveseat!

Despite the presence of larger sofas, Gloriana insisted on seating themselves on the cramped loveseat, thereby permanently pressing their warm bodies against each other.

"Hehehe." She grinned up at him while stroking the arm she had never let go. "I always dreamed about cuddling with you. Now, my dream has finally come true!"

Ves tried his best not to show how disturbed he felt. The eagerness she showed was just as bad as their first meeting back on Centerpoint! She hadn't changed at all!

As much as he wanted to put some distance between them, a part of him kind of liked her proximity. Her warm body and her alluring fragrance kept spinning his mind.

His attraction to her was very real. The more time he spent with her, the more he became enchanted by her beauty and surprisingly honest attitude towards him. He felt as if he could let down all of his masks and be frank with her without worrying about betrayal.

It took some effort to rein in his impulse to share his intimate secrets with her immediately. He didn't know her well enough yet. They still had months and years to learn about each other. He was in no hurry to rush their relationship.

"So.. you said your mother doesn't entirely approve of me, right? Is it okay for you to accompany me to the Bright Republic?"

"My mother doesn't control my life as closely as you think." She reassured him. "I'm not a direct descendant of the matriarchs of the Dynasty, so I am under much less pressure to marry into an established family or dynasty. That said, she can ask Matriarch Xiaphna, the current head of our dynasty, to hold our relationship if they believe it's not in my best interest. In the worst case, they might even present you to our Wodin Hexagram in order to be judged!"

Ves had already read up on the basic structure of the Wodin Dynasty. Answering to the Evern Matriarchal Dynasty, the Wodins controlled a single prosperous and densely populated star system as well as a small number of lesser ones.

Matriach Xiaphna was an old but vigorous woman. More than two centuries old, she was not the oldest matriarch of her dynasty.

Above her head, the so-called Wodin Hexagram consisting of six former matriarchs or elder stateswomen oversaw and advised the current matriarch. They were far older than Matriarch Xiaphna and no longer concerned themselves with the daily running of the Wodin Dynasty.

Nonetheless, no Wodin took their combined authority and wisdom lightly!

Ves shivered at the thought of standing before six old crones. There was no way Ves could get away with his usual antics in front of those shrewd and incredibly wise women!

"How much influence do you have, then?"

"Oh, I'm not a nobody. Ever since I advanced to Journeyman so early, my dynasty hopes that I can become a Senior or Master one day. As long as becoming a Master is still within reach, they don't dare to neglect me! They already invested a lot of resources in me to accelerate my advancement. I think you know just as well as I do how difficult it is to become a Journeyman at our age."

Ves curiously scanned her with his System vision for a second. He neglected to do so during their first meeting, which was a missed opportunity.

[Gloriana Wodin]

Intelligence: 2.4

Creativity: 1.2

Concentration: 1.5

What the hell?! Ves almost jumped out of the loveseat! Was the System blind?! Had it become defective all of a sudden?! How could his girlfriend be so much smarter than him?! His Intelligence only reached 2.1, and that was after he swallowed an incredibly precious Transcendence Pill!

"What's wrong, Ves?" She frowned as she observed his sudden change.

"I.. ehh.. I was just wondering how you managed to advance so fast. You'd have to be very smart to do so, right?"

She grinned proudly. "Uh huh! To be honest, this is the privilege of my birth. My genes are already superior upon conception. We Wodins employ our own geneticists and exobiologists who are continually managing our genetic progression. When I grew up, I never lacked for gene therapies. It wasn't until I started to study mech design that I became really smart!"

"What changed?"

"My mother is the Minister of Security of Scimitar II. She managed to procure a very good bioimplant for me. After a year of preparation and adjustment, our dynasty's best biotech specialists managed to perfectly integrate my bioimplant in my brain! The results speak for themselves."

Ves was speechless. He never expected that the reason the System evaluated her Intelligence so highly was due to a bioimplant!

He knew that bioimplants possessed the capability of boosting a person's mental prowess by leaps and bounds. Yet seeing how enormous an implant affected the cognitive functions of Gloriana made him realize that other mech designers couldn't be underestimated at all, especially if they possessed wealthy backgrounds!

"Your mother is.. very generous."

"Mhmm. I love her so much, even if she can be a little bit strict. I'm thankful for her strictness, though. I wouldn't have worked nearly as hard in my studies if she hadn't insisted for me to live up to our dynasty's expectations."

It sounded as if Gloriana's excess towards perfectionism originated from her mother.

"Have you ever buckled under your mother's demands?"

She shook her head. "Never! She never demands that I perform beyond what is possible. She also makes sure to give me the help I need to live up to her expectations. Arranging a bioimplant for me is just one of the ways in which she gave me the tools I needed to succeed."

Gloriana's circumstances were so different from that of Ves that he hardly understood her description of her upbringing.

The woman who sat next to him was different from a mech designer who grew up in a modest household.

Instead, she had been born into a prominent Hexer dynasty from one of the two most powerful states in the star sector!

"What does your implant do, exactly?"

"It's called the Erestal-015. It's a bioimplant developed by a famed biotech company in our state and specifically caters to mech designers. It combines many useful functions such as accelerating my thinking speed, recording or discarding a huge amount of data data, enhancing my mental processing power, shielding my mind from brainwashing attempts, neutralizing any poisons that affect my brains and so on. In short, it does a lot of things!"

Ves widened his eyes until they couldn't grow any larger. What was this perverse Erestal-015!? The implant came with such an extensive laundry list of functions that Ves could scarcely imagine how much room it took in her head!

"Such a bioimplant must be ludicrously expensive!"

She smiled modestly at him. "My Erestal-015 isn't as great as you think. It can do a lot, but its performance in a single aspect will never match the functions of a dedicated implant that specializes in only one function. Bioimplants also don't necessarily make you better in mech design. It just amplifies your existing strengths. I do have to admit that not every mech designer in the Hegemony possesses an implant as good as the Erestal-015."

That sounded a little bit reasonable, though Gloriana undoubtedly gained an extraordinary boost from her implant that supercharged her career progression!

Ves thought back on the old Archimedes Rubal implant he salvaged from the Starlight Megalodon. Though its only function was to expand someone's memory and data storage capabilities, any implant that was good enough to be used by the CFA had to be immensely powerful!

Even though several years had passed since he obtained the Archimedes Rubal, he never dared to implant it in his head. He didn't trust any biotech specialist to operate on his head and insert something foreign in his most vital organ!

Who knew if the Archimedes Rubal came with CFA backdoors, and who knew if the surgeons operating on his head couldn't resist tampering with his brains!

He eyed Gloriana warily. "I thought implant use isn't very widespread. How can you trust the developers of the Erestal-015 to refrain from adding backdoors to your bioimplant? How can you trust the surgeons to retrain from messing with your head?"

"Your concerns are very valid. We're not stupid, you know. Not only did my mother personally supervise the purchase of the Erestal-015 and the implanting operation in person, she also triple-checked every single step of the procedure with multiple biotech experts. She consulted both independent experts and the experts in retainer to our dynasty."

"And they are all able to judge that your insanely-complex implant is sound?"

"Perhaps you don't know this, but implant developers always make it easy for others to inspect their physical makeup and programming. It's the only way they can sell their products. Otherwise, my mother would have never given her approval for the operation."

"Your mother loves you very much."

"Hihi! Mothers are the best!" She suddenly pressed her palm over her lips. "Oh, I'm sorry! You lost your mother when you were young, right? That was insensitive of me! I didn't mean to remind you of your loss!"

Ves gave her a brittle smile. "It's okay, Gloriana. My mother... is with me, if not in body, then in spirit. She never left me. Just like you, I don't know how I'd be able to become so successful if not for my mother."

"That's so wonderful! I too believe our ancestors are watching us! Did you already convert to hexism?"

"No!" Ves immediately wanted to puke. "Let's not talk about beliefs, shall we? I'm.. kind of allergic to that topic."

"Why not?" She whined. "I understand it can be a bit overwhelming to understand hexism. You foreigners always make weird faces when I introduce them to the wonders of our beliefs. I thought you were different, Ves. Aren't you the Bright Martyr?! Aren't you the fearless mech designer who believed in creating gods in the form of mechs?!"

"That.. ehhh... you don't understand.. it's complicated.."

Gloriana glomped his arm even tighter and stared at him with an unnatural intensity in her gaze!

"You don't have to keep your design philosophy a secret from me." She whispered to him. "Part of the reason why I obtained your mechs and studied them was because I wanted to confirm the truth. After a lot of study, I believe that there is definitely something alive in your mechs! The newer the mech, the more powerful their vibe! Are they the prototypes of the gods you've mentioned to the MTA?"

Ves became aghast when she turned his old lies back to him. How extensively did she study his mechs to ascertain the existence of his design spirits?!

He tried to escape the situation. "As I've said before, let's not be so hasty in revealing our trade secrets to each other. Whatever you may believe about my mechs, they're still machines. My mechs aren't so different from other mechs. I just add something extra to them, that's all."

"Oh, you don't have to be modest. I'm sure you'll tell me your secrets soon enough, hihi! Isn't that what lovers do to each other?"

"Only if they trust each other."

Gloriana leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll be sure to earn your trust, then. Loving couples don't keep any secrets from each other, don't you agree?"

"I don't think it's that easy." Ves replied as his cheeks warmed up for some inexplicable reason.

Chapter 1514

The combined fleets that belonged to Ves and Gloriana transitioned into FTL. Neither of the two wanted to stay in the congested, busy and increasingly more restrictive Reverend Indra System.

While Ves originally planned to visit the surface of Reverend Indra III, he changed his mind after seeing how the entire star system mobilized for war.

He decided to stay aboard Gloriana's Stellar Chaser, despite knowing that there was no escape during FTL travel.

While he felt a bit ambivalent about Gloriana's more unsettling traits, he also adored her other traits.

She was lovely, bright, attractive, friendly and not as domineering as he thought. She also smelled incredibly great!

After hours of chatting, they moved to a stately dining room where they enjoyed a lavish meal prepared by a human chef.

Lucky and Clixie dug into their bowls first.

While Clixie eagerly dug into chunks of high-quality exobeast meat, Gloriana had to draw out a handful of exotics from her ship's inventory.

Nonetheless, their quality far surpassed the cheap space rocks that Ves routinely fed his cat. Lucky ecstatically crunched the exquisite exotics with a blissful expression.

As far as the gem cat was concerned, Gloriana already earned his approval!

Ves was different. Although people say that the way to a man's heart was through their stomach, Dr. Jutland already turned his digestive system into an abomination!

He mechanically shoveled the fancy-looking food in his mouth. didn't even know the names of the dishes. As someone who didn't mind eating nutrient packs, his unsophisticated palate barely registered whether his food was sweet or salty!

"Don't you enjoy your food?" Gloriana asked on the other side of the small dining table.

"I'm not used to eating fancy food. I'm used to eating whatever meals the autochefs produce on my personal ship."

She tutted disapprovingly at Ves. "That garbage can barely be called food! I'll take care of your diet from now on. You're missing out on one of the great pleasures in life!"

"I can take care of my own food. You don't have to worry about what I eat."

"Whatever you say, Ves. I'll make sure you'll eat the best meals my chefs can provide!"

Ves wanted to palm his face. This was another instance where Gloriana insisted on taking control. He stopped arguing with her about this habit of hers because it was incredibly difficult to get her to budge. He needed to pick his battles.

In any case, it was just food. What was the harm in letting her provide for his meals?

He decided to change the topic.

"I know we agreed to travel together to the Bright Republic, but how long will you stay?"

"Are you so eager to get rid of me, Ves?" She briefly frowned.

"Ah, no! I don't want to deprive you from your existing business activities. Don't you run your own company back in the Hegemony?"

"I do." She nodded. "I started a small mech manufacturing company. My Flawless Mech Workshop isn't anything like your Living Mech Corporation. It's exclusively a vehicle for me to accept and complete commissions. In the time that you left at Centerpoint, my mother asked me to adapt a dozen different mechs to better fit their mech pilots. I spent a lot of time modifying so many mechs, but I'm all finished now."

"Won't you get in trouble if you aren't accepting any new business?"

"Nope! I want to spend as much time with you as possible, so I cleared my schedule and put my company on ice. Isn't that great? I get to remain beside you for years!"

He looked astonished at Gloriana, not knowing whether he should smile or quiver at the thought of an extended stay.

"Is that even okay? Won't your mother get worried or something?"

"Melody and the Glory Battalion are enough to keep me safe and in touch. Other than following a few rules, I'm basically free to do what I want! In fact, my mother encouraged me to accompany you to the Bright Republic."

What?!

"Didn't your mother disapprove of me? Why would she want you to go with me? Does she believe you'd get disenchanted by life in a third-rate state or something?"

"Nothing of the sort." She shook her head. "She just wants me out of the way for a while. The Hexadric Hegemony is not as quiet as it seems from the outside. My mother doesn't want me to get involved in any political disputes. In any case, I already did my duty when I modified the mechs of some of her favored mech pilots."

Ves scratched his head. "Is the Hegemony finally moving out to repel the sandman invasion?"

"No."

"..Really? What are you Hexers doing, then? Doesn't your mother realize that the sandmen are threatening the Bright Republic?!"

"We know." Her face turned serious. "Neither the Hexadric Hegemony nor the Friday Coalition are ignorant of what is taking place at the border to the frontier."

"Then why are you guys doing nothing to combat this threat?!"

"Because it's not worth it. Because we have better things to do. Because moving into action is costlier than doing nothing to us. If the sandmen ever reach our borders, we will not let a single grain of living sand through!"

This.. Ves heard these arguments before. Whenever someone asked a Fridayman or a Hexer why they were sitting on their thumbs, they always replied with the same callous answers that expressed no sympathy at all for the plight of the citizens trapped in the border states.

He just didn't expect Gloriana to parrot those opinions verbatim!

"Why?" He simply asked.

She glanced at him in the manner of a Hexer rather than his girlfriend.

"Because the states under threat hardly matters to us. I know it's not fair to say that to you, but it's the truth. We barely have a reason to care about the third-rate states."

Ves lowered his head. While he hated her words, a part of him knew it was true. From a military, economic and cultural perspective, the third-rate states hardly contribute anything to the development level of a star sector. The second-rate states were the most predominant pillars of human civilization in many star sectors!

"Do you agree with this sentiment towards third-rate states?"

"..I used to." She put down her cutlery. "Now, I'm not so sure. You have to understand that I never thought seriously about the situation of third-rate states. Only when I met you did I realize that even the poorest states can offer something of value. People like you are the diamonds in the rough that justify their existence! I m very thankful for the Bright Republic for producing such a handsome and capable mech designer like you!"

Though Ves took some issue with her logic, at the very least she did not regard his state with disdain. He didn't know if he could take it if she continued to disparage the Bright Republic.

"So in short, your mother thinks that it's safer for you to accompany me to the Bright Republic, which happens to be in the path of the sandman invasion, then stay in the Hegemony?"

She chuckled, her voice ringing like a bell. "Hihihi! It does sound weird when you put it that way, right? I'm not concerned. If the sandmen come, I doubt they can defeat my Glory Battalion. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, they can always cover my escape. The same can't be said if I remain in my home state."

Ves scratched his head. There was much that Gloriana withheld from him, and he knew better than to ask. A state as huge, powerful and complex as the Hegemony surely had its own share of infighting. It was just a lot more difficult to hear news about it because the Hegemony highly prized putting up a united front towards foreigners.

"So.. the plan is to stay with me in the Bright Republic until the sandmen force you to flee?"

"That won't happen. the Bright Republic will never succumb to the sandmen!"

"Is that the conclusion of an analytical report conducted by the Hegemony towards my state?"

She shook her head. "I have faith in you. I have faith in your mechs. Aren't you working on a new mech designed to address this threat? It's so frustrating you ve blocked the monitoring systems in your stateroom and lab of your ship! How can a girl like me admire her man at work when you heartlessly block my sight all the time?!"

"I am not a public performer." Ves responded mildly as he resumed filling up his stomach. "A man like me enjoys my privacy."

"I enjoy my privacy as well." She saucily grinned. "If not for Melody following my mother's orders, I would have dragged you over to my stateroom in order to enjoy our privacy behind closed doors."

"Ahem!" The aforementioned assistant glared disapprovingly at Ves from the side of the dining room.

Why was this female Benny glaring at him?! He didn't say anything offensive! It was all Gloriana!

"Look Gloriana, designing mechs is something deeply sacred to me. While I'm more than willing to work alongside other mech designers for collaborative projects, if I'm working alone I won't feel comfortable if I'm being stared at by a peeping tom."

"Well, as your girlfriend, I have to make sure that you won't ever design a mech on your own again! Doesn't it sound dreary to coop yourself up in your lab to design a mech by your lonesome self? You have me now! I'll stay by your side and make sure you won't drive yourself crazy by staying away from me when you become preoccupied with designing your mechs!"

Ves would argue that remaining in Gloriana's presence would definitely drive him crazy at some point! Seeking solitude and isolation in mech design sounded exactly what he needed to regain some much-needed sanity!

Of course, Ves did not dare to voice this opinion of his. Instead, he directed a shaky smile at his enthusiastic girlfriend.

"I don't see how you can help. You exclusively design custom mechs, right?"

"That's true."

"Then it's best not to disturb me when I'm at work."

"Nope. I will work right alongside you every opportunity I have!"

"How is that possible?"

She smiled and tutted to him as if he was a confused little boy. "Ves, Ves, Ves, my restriction only applies to design projects where I'm the lead designer. If I call the shots, then I want everything to be as perfect as possible. However, you make the decisions, then all I can do is make suggestions and assist you in some of the less impactful design work. I can perform calculations for you. I can perform simulations for you. Even if you don't follow my suggestions, it's fine."

This.. Ves did not expect that Gloriana was actually capable of contributing to regular design projects!

His considerations completely changed! If Gloriana spoke the truth, then Ves may benefit hugely from involving a very smart and capable Journeyman as the contributing designer of all of his projects!

He struggled to understand her limitations.

"I thought that mass market mechs are completely incompatible to your design philosophy."

"That's true."

"Then won't it hurt if you force yourself to contribute to the design of a mech meant to be piloted by many mech pilots?"

"It's okay. I'm not as inflexible as you think. I've had to adjust my design philosophy many times in order to overcome the practical problems I've encountered over the course of my career. I've already contributed to the design of a couple of mechs meant for mass production. As I've said, you have to be in charge of your own projects."

"I see. I understand. I think."

Though Ves still had to see how well they worked together, he began to contemplate whether he should involve her in his current design project.

Even if his Desolate Soldier project had already reached the prototype stage, perhaps she might suggest something pivotal that he overlooked in his mech design!

Chapter 1515

After spending more time with Gloriana in a day than ever before, Ves retired to a guest room set aside for him on the Stellar Chaser. When Ves entered the compartment with Nitaa and Lucky, he immediately noticed that Gloriana added a few touches.

The luxurious room exuded a grand and palatial atmosphere with its white interior and its large, traditional bed. It made Ves feel as if he entered a luxury hotel suite. The only weirdness about the room was that it featured numerous images and projections related to Gloriana!

Gloriana designing a mech. Gloriana performing research on an exotic. Gloriana graduating from university. Gloriana playing happily with Clixie on Scimitar II. No matter where Ves directed his gaze, Gloriana was everywhere!

Acting upon a hunch, Ves looked upward, only to see a huge portrait of Gloriana staring straight down on him! Though the portrait looked incredibly artful and aesthetically-pleasing, Ves did not relish going to sleep with Gloriana's giant face staring down at him all the time!

Ves grimaced even deeper when he recalled that this was her ship. If she was obsessive enough to sprinkle the guest room with her images, then she definitely bugged every surface!

Maybe travelling aboard her ship hadn't been such a great idea after all.

"Alright, Nitaa. Let's sweep the room. Sorry Gloriana, but I still like my privacy. Don't blame me if I have to wreck your guest room."

Though Gloriana wasn't present in the room, he knew for certain that she was listening in. He didn't need to rely on his intuition to determine that he was being observed.

He activated his jammer while sending Nitaa and Lucky to sweep the guest room. While his bodyguard failed to detect anything with her armor's inbuilt sweeper, Lucky continually managed to detect and neutralize the tiny bugs buried under practically every surface!

Gloriana probably expected that he only had access to third or second-class anti-surveillance tech. Unfortunately for her, Lucky assimilated tons of CFA tech, and while a bit outdated, was still more than capable enough to defeat her best spying tools!

Lucky didn't even need to break too much in order to disable the bugs. His body turned intangible and only briefly solidified a claw to destroy the tiny bugs without affecting any other systems.

"That's new." Ves observed with surprise.

"Meow!" Lucky proudly swished his tail.

Evidently, eating the P-stone had refined his spiritual abilities and improved his spirituality. Not only could Lucky maintain his intangible state for a longer period of time, he also gained more control over his power!

Ves frowned at Lucky while his cat continued to hunt down bugs as if he was chasing after mice.

"Should I eat a P-stone?"

He shook his head and rid himself of this ridiculous notion. Even if his digestive system had been modified by a crazy exiled exobiologist, he couldn't digest minerals like a gem cat.

He still glowered enviously at Lucky. The only way for him to grow his Spirituality at this time was by developing his design philosophy.

As for Lucky, it appeared that all he needed to do was to eat lots of spiritually-reactive exotics!

How unfair!

Of course, Ves didn't seriously believe that he was disadvantaged compared to his own cat. They just grew my different means. Whereas Lucky's growth depended on an ever-increasing amount of rare and expensive exotics, Ves could basically continue to advance all the way to Master while designing the cheapest mechs.

He decided to busy himself by deactivating all of the projectors and screens depicting Gloriana. The jamming device already disabled the bulk of them, but they would quickly return to normal once the interference ended. It was better for him to disable them before he turned crazy!

Some time passed until Lucky finally deactivated all of the bugs. Ves was worried if Gloriana or a crew member of the Stellar Chaser would knock on his door, but evidently it was no big deal to sabotage the monitoring system in his own room.

Ves sat on the surface of the bed and let down some of his guard. He still kept the jammer active, though.

"Alright, I think we can speak freely now. What are your thoughts, Nitaa?"

His bodyguard took a few seconds to compose her answer.

"I've kept my nose active ever since we stepped aboard this ship. No one carries a suspicious scent. As for my observations, I have not detected anything amiss. While I'm not confident enough to clear Gloriana, her assistant and her guards of suspicion, I see no cause for alarm."

"That's good to hear."

While Ves would have liked to trust Gloriana, he was still a paranoid person by nature. Until he ruled out that Gloriana was a spy for the Compact or one of the Big Two, he would refrain from sharing anything sensitive to her. The stakes were simply too high!

"Gloriana definitely has some ties to the MTA." He spoke. "It's fine if the relationship is shallow. If it turns out that she is spying on their behalf, then... we won't be an item anymore."

"It will be difficult to prove or disprove this possibility. Even if she's a spy, she won't leave any incriminating evidence within reach."

He smirked. "Within reach of normal people, perhaps. I doubt she knows what Lucky is capable of. Isn't that right, buddy?"

"Meow!"

"You know what to do."

Lucky pressed a paw against his collar, causing him to turn invisible. His disappearing form also phased through the deck as he became intangible.

With his phasing power and his Miniaturized Stealth Generator, he gained complete and undetected access to the Stellar Chaser for five minutes at a time!

While five minutes didn't sound like much, the Stellar Chaser wasn't a very large ship. As long as Lucky knew where to go, he could easily infiltrate any compartment and utilize his CFA hacking capabilities to steal lots of data!

The entire reason why Ves agreed to accept his girlfriend's invitation to stay aboard her ship was to access her systems! Before he was willing to progress their relationship any further, he needed to allay his suspicions!

Was he a bad boyfriend for going behind her back this way? Perhaps. He didn't care, though. After finding out about Gavin's double loyalties, he no longer took anyone's loyalty and sincerity for granted.

A bit more than five minutes later, Lucky phased through the bulkhead and reappeared in the guest room.

"Meow meow."

"Come here and let me take your data."

Lucky fell onto his lap while Ves drew out a high-capacity comm from his pocket. He connected it to Lucky and downloaded all of the raw data that his pet collected.

If the cat followed his instructions, then Ves obtained some of the contents of the Stellar Chaser's databanks as well as Gloriana's personal comm.

"Did you find anything special or incriminating in your brief search?"

"Meow."

"Nothing at all?"

"Meow meow."

Though Lucky only caught a brief glimpse of her stateroom and her possessions, she didn't hide anything too weird. Ves felt a bit relieved, but still resolved to send out Lucky multiple more times as soon as he was ready to go on another infiltration run.

Once his high capacity comm downloaded all of the data, he began to spend the entire night to browse its contents. Skipping a night of sleep wasn't a big deal to him, and he needed lots of time to skim over the mountains of data that Lucky managed to retrieve.

He first inspected the contents of her comm. Though she made sure to encrypt all of the data inside, Lucky already defeated it beforehand.

Lucky retrieved a lot of communication logs and mech design files.

He decided to skim over her communications first. She talked a lot to her mother, her father and some of her other relatives. Aside from that, she occasionally talked to someone in the MTA, her mentor and some of her industry contacts in the Hegemony.

Ves didn't dig in too deeply in her discussions. He only kept his eye out for anything that signalled that she had ulterior motives in trying to pursue a relationship with him. If she was truly a spy, then he needed to find out now before it was too late.

He failed to find anything incriminating. Instead, her communications mostly concerned mundane business and design activities. Her talks with her mother were very illuminating. He played out one clip.

"...but mother, I really do love him! It's not a passing fancy!..."

"...Mr. Larkinson is a fine young man, but he is beneath your notice. There are much more qualified boys waiting for you at home..."

"...I don't care about their backgrounds, their positions or their wealth! None of them understand mechs the way that Ves and I do! The two of us are destined to be together!..."

"...Be mindful of Operation K, Gloriana. The schedule is..."

Operation K?

Ves searched for this term among all of the data he collected. His comm returned with a few more scattered mentions.

He was worried that this so-called 'Operation K' referred to a deliberate spying or seduction attempt on him. Fortunately, after reading the context behind all of the mentions, he realized it had nothing to do with him. It instead referred to a major move within the Hegemony. The entire Wodin Dynasty was involved.

Though Ves tried his best to figure out more, Gloriana and her mother Constance had always been careful when mentioning it over their calls.

"Well, at least it doesn't have anything to do with me." He shrugged.

Ves noted that she occasionally talked with some old friends in the Hegemony. Their discussions yielded nothing useful as they only discussed shallow matters or exchanged gossip that only pertained to Hexer high society.

"Useless prattle."

Finding nothing incriminating in the communication logs, he diverted his attention to the documents and other files she stored on her comm. He glanced through her design schematics, finding each and everyone of them to be remarkable.

"I shouldn't peek too much at her work. It's better if she explains them to me in person."

Ves did not wish to spoil such moments, so he quickly dismissed them after he checked that her files did not carry any secret messages.

Aside from some irrelevant junk, Ves also stumbled across a large stash of footage and recordings... of him. His face immediately became grave as he counted an uncomfortably large amount of files.

"This crazy woman!"

He did not feel any desire to inspect this data any further!

He dismissed the contents of her comm and decided to dive in the Stellar Chaser's databanks. He checked the navigation logs and noted that the ship hadn't been traveling anywhere weird. He also dug into some other files and logs.

Ships stored and processed a lot of data. So much so that his high-capacity comm wouldn't be able to store all of it. Even if it did, Ves wouldn't be able to make sense of much of the data anyway.

Nonetheless, the sample that Lucky retrieved did not reveal anything interesting at all. Lucky copied all of the files that Ves instructed his cat to retrieve beforehand. He had an easier time studying the Stellar Chaser's communication logs, cargo manifests, passenger movement and other understandable documents.

None of them revealed anything incriminating.

Several hours passed before Ves finished skimming over all of the data. He breathed a little bit easier as he hadn't found a smoking gun that signified that Gloriana intended anything nefarious to him. All the files he accessed so far proved that she was really who she said she was, a prominent Hexer and a capable Journeyman Mech Designer.

Ves glanced at the time and knew that the local night was well underway.

"It's time."

Ves first wiped all of the files stored in the high-capacity comm before putting it away. He then changed his clothes before laying down on his bed.

Instead of falling to sleep, he concentrated his mind. A spiritual projection invisible to anyone but him started to emerge from his mind.

Accessing his girlfriend's files and communication logs didn't satisfy him. If he truly wanted to discover her true nature, then there was no better way than to access her mind directly!

Chapter 1516

Unless someone possessed his range of spiritual control, no one would be able to disguise their spiritual nature from him. Even Ves himself exposed his true nature most of the time if he did not don a spiritual mask.

Considering that Gloriana ought to be an orthodox mech designer, there was no way that she possessed the ability to disguise her spiritual nature.

Ves was very confident that his spiritual excursion tonight would lay bare the truth! The outcome of his spiritual investigation determined whether he could lay down his worst suspicions and pursue a relationship with Gloriana with confidence!

He directed his spiritual projection through a number of compartments. Just like the Barracuda, the accommodations aboard the Stellar Chaser were all situated on the same deck.

He didn't have to reach out very far until his projection reached Gloriana's stateroom.

Since his spiritual senses mainly observed spirituality, Ves encountered nothing around his target except for the extremely dim presence of her guards.

Gloriana's spirituality was like a beacon in the dark to his senses. The strength of her mind actually matched very closely to his own, which signified that they were in a similar stage in their progression.

"No. Not quite. Hers is a bit more refined!"

As Ves observed her spirituality further, he perceived a stronger sensation from it than his own. He speculated that the difference signified a disparity in the strength of their design philosophies!

"She achieved more progress than me! Damnit!"

It made sense, though. She advanced at least a year earlier than Ves. Despite not having access to anything like the System, her wealthy background and her amazing Erestal-015 cranial bioimplant adequately substituted some of its functions!

"I have to work harder!" He determined. "If I don't catch up, she'll definitely advance to Senior first!"

He had been a little bit too conceited in his own strength. Though the System provided him with numerous conveniences inaccessible to many people, it was far from the only means for mech designers to empower themselves!

Ves decided to leave this extraneous topic of later and continued conducting his observation. After staring at Gloriana's radiant spirituality for a time, he pretty much determined its most notable spiritual attributes.

Just like Ves, she possessed a mix of spiritual attributes. Ves instantly identified the ones related to mechs.

Surprisingly, her affinity for mechs was quite high. Though his own affinity was higher after he crafted a masterwork, Ves knew that her respectable affinity was doubtlessly one of the reasons for her rapid progression.

"Mech designers who reach Journeymen when they're still young are doubtlessly obsessed with mechs!"

If Ves followed this train of logic, then Oleg Vorn, Master Olson's youngest direct disciple, probably exhibited an even more frightening affinity for mechs!

As Ves studied Gloriana's spiritual attributes further, he also identified something strong but also related to mechs.

This was her design philosophy!

From an outside perspective, Ves perceived only a hint of her desire to design the perfect mech. He knew that most of her design philosophy was contained within her design seed. Situated in the center of her mind and protected by the strong barrier of her mind, Ves wasn't even sure he'd be able to observe it directly.

He began to observe the rest of her attributes. There was a lot he didn't recognize, but none of them particularly stood out to him. Her personality traits didn't appear to be very remarkable, but under the influence of her design philosophy, they pushed her into working harder.

She needed to be as perfect as possible! Her mechs had to be as perfect as possible!

Gloriana ingrained the pursuit of perfection very thoroughly in her mind. She hadn't been putting up an act at all, though Ves already determined this after glancing through her design schematics.

So far, everything he observed led him to believe that she had been honest with him. Yet what truly lurked within her mind? Ves did not feel reassured if he left at this point. He needed to gain a closer glimpse of her mind.

"Right now she should be asleep. If my projection approaches her mind, I'll only deal with her subconscious. I think."

Ves decided to take a risk and push his spiritual projection closer to her mind. He tried to sneak the extension of his Spirituality close without arousing Gloriana's largely-dormant mind.

He failed.

As soon as his spiritual projection entered a certain range, Gloriana's spirituality immediately roused a bit and honed in on his spiritual projection!

Though Ves was sure that it was just her unconscious reaction at work, he underestimated her sensitivity!

"How the hell did she manage to notice me so soon?!"

He held his projection still and carefully observed Gloriana's reactions. After uncannily managing to detect his sneaky projection, it did not put up its defenses or tried to repel him as he expected.

Instead, her spirituality bloomed with a sensation that Ves quickly recognized as happiness.

She was pleased to encounter Ves!

Ves mentally blinked. "Really?"

If Ves encountered an entity trying to intrude in his mind, he would lash out and defend his inner being with as much ferocity as possible! His mind was his palace and the essence of his identity! There was no way he would allow anyone to barge into his sanctum!

He wouldn't even allow Gloriana or his own mother to get close!

Yet the reaction exhibited by Gloriana's spirituality was so pronounced that Ves had a very hard time believing that she was less than sincere in welcoming his presence!

He wanted to scratch his head. Should he send his projection closer or not? A part of him believed that Gloriana was laying a trap. Another part of him became convinced that Gloriana did not mean any harm.

"It's very hard to deceive me on a spiritual level."

He decided to get closer. As his spiritual projection hovered closer, Gloriana's unconscious reactions grew stronger. Ves mainly sensed a wholehearted desire to embrace him from her spirituality.

Ves found it very difficult that anyone would exhibit such an uncompromising reaction to another. Gloriana's adoration to him felt very genuine. Not only that, she appeared to be very familiar with his spiritual presence.

"Is it because she studied my mechs so much?"

From their earlier talks, Ves heard how extensively she studied his old designs. She even gave him a laundry list of points he needed to address and improve upon. The thoroughness of her understanding of his designs scared him quite a bit. She knew almost just as much as him as if she had been an active participant of his design projects from the start!

Since Ves left an undeniable trace of him in every mech he designed and built, it did not surprise him that much to realize that she identified his spiritual fingerprint.

"I'm here. Will you let me in, Gloriana?"

Her urge to embrace him was so strong that a small amount of spiritual energy leaked out from her mind. Though it moved a bit strangely and without coherent direction, the could of spiritual energy continued to hone in on his spiritual projection.

Once they touched each other, Ves sensed a storm of undisguised emotions.

Love. Welcome. Adoration. Comfort. Happiness. Perfection.

Ves couldn't help but let down his guard somewhat. He tried his best to convey his desire to enter her mind.

Gloriana's subconscious mind accepted instantly. A hole formed in her outer defenses before Ves could process her instant acceptance.

"It's that easy?" Ves felt a bit befuddled.

This entire spiritual excursion proceeded way beyond his expectations. Instead of looking at a gift horse in the mouth, Ves decided to accept her invitation and entered her mind without any further considerations.

His spiritual projection passed through the hole in her defenses without encountering any hindrance.

Ves took the opportunity to sweep his spiritual senses in the inner portion of her mind.

"Strong!"

Her mind was almost as large and expansive as his own. It was a bit less rigid and strong, though, which signified that her mind hadn't been subject to as much abuse as his own.

Nothing particularly strange resided in her mind. She did not possess anything fantastic like his Grand Dynamo either. Her mind probably resembled that of other Journeymen.

Ves didn't need to inspect the interior of her mind too thoroughly to determine her true nature. He did not send his spiritual projection further inwards but instead focused his attention on the most prominent concentration of spirituality.

Her design seed.

"Beautiful." He mentally sighed.

Her crystallized spirituality that rested in the center of her mind was just as impressive and resplendent as her own. Though it radiated a different vibe, the blend of mechs and perfection intertwined with each other in a very intricate and harmonious way.

"So beautiful."

He compared her design seed to his own. Just as Gloriana managed to integrate mechs with perfection, Ves also succeeded in melding the mechs with life.

What would happen if mechs, life and perfection all merged together in the process of designing the perfect, living mech?

Ves scarcely came up with the notion before Gloriana's design seed pulsed with excitement! His intuition rang with alarm as he detected that something significant was about to happen!

"I have to get out of here!"

He pulled back his spiritual projection, only to bump against the solid barrier of her mind!

Her mind closed the exit!

"Lemme out!"

Because he planned to sneak up to Gloriana's spirituality rather than attack it, his projection did not possess a lot of strength. His spiritual projection completely failed to break out of her mind!

Her design seed continued to pulse in very strange ways that continually buzzed his intuition. Ves wanted nothing more than to retrieve his spiritual projection, but no matter how many times it banged against the barrier of her mind, he failed to make a single dent!

At a certain point, Gloriana's design seed released a strong spiritual pulse that coursed through her entire mind!

Ves quickly lost contact with his spiritual projection!

"Goddammnit!"

This time, he cursed with his voice. He held his head in his palm in order to relieve the minor sting on his mind. Losing a small chunk of his spiritual energy was not a big deal, but the loss had been too abrupt!

He analyzed what took place while he recovered from his ordeal.

Gloriana's dormant mind and spirituality did not deceive him. Even if she possessed the ability to disguise herself like Ves, the interior of her mind completely conformed to her personality.

"She's not a spy and she isn't pretending to be in love with me. In fact, her wholehearted love for me is disturbingly strong!"

This was not normal behavior, but in the context of her personality and her spiritual attributes, Ves deeply understood that it was on par with her nature. As long as she identified something perfect or could assist her in reaching perfection, she would do everything to secure this advantage!

This compulsion also explained what happened at the end. The presence of a part of his spirituality in her mind turned out to be tantalizingly attractive to Gloriana's spirituality. Her design seed especially hungered after Ves, so much so that it took the initiative to capture his spiritual projection!

"I unwittingly entered a trap!"

Even if other mech designers did not possess his range of spiritual applications, they were anything but defenseless. Just like expert pilots, mech designers possessed their own form of defenses.

As the core of their power, their design seeds turned out to be exceptionally formidable! His weak spiritual projection stood no chance!

Ves wondered what kind of repercussions might ensue now that Gloriana captured a small portion of his spiritual energy.

"She won't be able to do much." He guessed.

Why did he feel so concerned, then?

According to his understanding of spirituality, no one could empower themselves by siphoning someone else's spiritual energy.

"Except mom."

That was an exception on account of her powers and their direct family ties. Gloriana ought to be the same as him. As long as their spiritual attribute mix was different, they wouldn't be able to feed off each other.

Even so, considering how Gloriana's mind turned out, her design seed might have captured his spirituality for reasons other than practical.

She just wanted to own him! Hoarding a portion of his spiritual energy completely conformed to her obsessive tendencies!

Chapter 1517

The next morning, Ves dressed himself and wearily dragged himself to the dining room in order to eat breakfast.

He dispensed with his impressive-looking but cumbersome Pride of Dusk outfit. While he could still wear it to impress her subordinates, there was little point in doing so. Perhaps it was worthy for him to earn Melody's approval, but he needed to do so through his actions rather than his dress.

As for increasing Gloriana's attraction to him? That was completely unnecessary! His nightly discoveries already made that abundantly clear!

"Good morning, Ves!" Gloriana energetically scurried up to him and embraced him in a hug before dragging him to the dining table. "I just enjoyed the loveliest dream last night, hihi! I dreamt that Melody didn't forbid you from sleeping in the same room as me. We were cuddling together all night under the covers! We even did the thing that my mother has forbidden me from doing, hihi! You even entered my deepest part and even left a piece of you inside me! Oh, you scoundrel, you could have at least warned me, hihihi!"

The more she talked, the more Ves became aghast. What kind of crazy

"Ahem!" Melody interrupted her charge's lurid fantasy. "Please act with decorum, Miss Gloriana. It is highly inappropriate to bring up such matters in front of a man."

Gloriana looked grumpily at her assistant. "We're not in public. Why must you be such a prude? This is my ship! I can't do anything I want!"

"Regardless where you are, you are still a scion of the Wodin Dynasty.

As floating bots began to serve exquisite breakfast dishes to the two of them, Ves carefully observed his girlfriend. He barely paid attention to the coffee he sipped as he surreptitiously activated his spiritual vision.

He tried to find a trace of his spiritual projection trapped in her. Though it was difficult for him to sense anything past her strong and radiant spirituality, he still managed to sense a minute piece of him residing in the confines of her mind!

Ves believed its detachment from him turned it into something akin to a very weak spiritual fragment. Gloriana's spirituality hadn't attacked it or attempted to assimilate it. Instead, his fragment floated peacefully in its cage, as if she was more than content to keep it around!

To be honest, Ves felt this situation was very weird. He had no idea what the long-term influence of keeping his spiritual fragment might look like.

According to his current understanding of spirituality, some bleedover or familiarization might occur between the two. The more the spiritual entities remained in proximity, the more they became accustomed to each other.

Now that he came close to Gloriana, Ves felt that he could reassert some control over his spiritual fragment. While he probably couldn't do anything sophisticated due to the hindrance of the barrier of her mind, he could still command it to fall apart or self-destruct.

After a bit of contemplation, he did not choose to do so. He believed that keeping a spiritual fragment of his in her mind did not hurt either of them, though it didn't seem to do anything particular aside from one effect.

Ves found that when he came close to Gloriana, he gained the ability to sense glimpses of her inner emotions!

In fact, what Ves perceived were the impressions that his spiritual fragment captured and relayed to him over their weak connection!

This might prove very handy. Though he felt a bit ambivalent about maintaining a constant tap in her mind, it wasn't as if she got something in return. She continually basked in his spiritual attributes and imprint and so did his spiritual fragment.

Ves predicted that this continuous exposure to each other would probably do wonders when they collaborated on a mech design project.

If their design philosophies were intimately familiar with each other, then they would probably mesh together well. The chance of incompatibilities or confrontations lessened, while the chance of beneficial interactions grew likelier.

They peacefully enjoyed their breakfast as Ves continued to weigh the merits. Just as he decided to leave matters before, Gloriana finally spoke up again.

"Since I have a lot of time on our hands, why don't we work together? You're currently working on a rifleman mech design, right?"

The depth of her collection of footage of him made it abundantly clear that she still tapped the Barracuda from time to time. Despite his precautions, there was no way he could hide his work completely from his own ship's monitoring systems.

"Yes." Ves admitted. "The Desolate Soldier is my solution against the sandman threat. It's a spaceborn ballistic rifleman mech that is designed to be cheap and easy to work with, though its real charm is that it inspires duty. Other than that, I don't think this mech falls into your comfort zone."

"I already told you, Ves. No mech of yours is beneath my attention. While I won't extend my attention to mass market mechs designed by other mech designers, you're an exception! If I want to be the perfect partner for you, then I have to grow comfortable with your work!"

She made a lot of reassurances to Ves that she wouldn't be fussy or attempt to ruin his design project. Her desire to study his current project and help in its development was so strong and sincere that Ves eventually acquitted.

"Alright. Let's head somewhere secure. I don't want to expose my design schematics too much while I still haven't published it yet."

"We can work in my workshop aboard this ship!"

Once they finished breakfast, they moved down a couple of decks until they entered a combined workshop, lab and design studio compartment. A considerable amount of space had been devoted to outfit a small but fully-featured workshop.

Ves became very impressed by the quality of the miniature lab and fabrication equipment in sight. Though hampered by their compactness, the capabilities of the Stellar Chaser's production equipment still exceeded the parameters of the Mech Nursery's production lines by a considerable degree!

"I can fabricate a copy of any of my mechs with this equipment." He breathed in astonishment. "As long as we have the right materials on hand, I can fabricate a Desolate Soldier within days!"

Gloriana pressed against his side and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I personally selected all of the production equipment here. They're very powerful and versatile. Naturally, now that you're here, what's mine is yours. You can make use of my workshop anytime you want. You can even draw upon my material stores if you like. My only demand is that you involve me as much as possible when you do your work. Is that okay?"

Ves nodded numbly. The amount of trust she put into him was incredible! "I agree!"

Her offer was far too generous for him to refuse! If he was in her shoes, he would have never given her unfettered access to his stuff!

Of course, now that he accepted her offer, he was aware that Gloriana could demand the same of him. Considering how generous she acted towards him, Ves found it very difficult to deny such a request.

The two of them sat behind a bank of terminals while their followers settled in. Nitaa and a couple of trusted Glory Battalion guards stood guard while their cats perched on top of a tall 3D printer.

"Meow." Lucky started liking Clixie's head.

"Miaow." Clixie playfully batted Lucky away.

"Meow?"

"Miaow!"

As their cats wrestled with each other for some reason, Ves hesitated in showing off his Desolate Soldier.

Though Ves truly believed in the soundness of his work, he was still afraid of her reaction. Having glimpsed her design seed, Ves knew that she always regarded imperfect mech designs with disgust.

It was her nature to take issue with imperfect mechs, and in her eyes any mass market mech design fell under this category. A mech that catered to the masses would never fit perfectly to a specific mech pilot.

Just as Ves made his decision to show off his work, Gloriana suddenly spoke up.

"That reminds me, didn't you receive that batch of ASMAS I sent?"

Huh?

"I did."

"Do you still have it or did you use it up?"

"I already incorporated it into a mech design."

She grinned. "You designed a custom mech with my gift, right?"

Ves shook his head. "Not exactly. I designed a single-copy mech but I didn't dedicate it to any particular mech pilot. It's mainly due to cost and practical constraints that I'm unable to produce more mechs."

"I believe that any mech you design that requires something as remarkable as ASMAS should be something exceptional. Why don't you show that off instead?"

"I.. eh.. Are you sure? It's a bit problematic.." Ves stammered. He already started to sweat a little.

Gloriana's face scrunched into a frown. "I thought we trusted each other. Why are you hiding your work from me? I think I deserve to see how you put my ASMAS to work!"

"It's not that! I do trust you!" He blurted out, though whether he meant it or not was another matter. "The issue is.. the mech I designed is not exactly proper."

"How so, Ves?"

"Not proper as in.. I can get in trouble with the MTA." He whispered.

"Would they censure you if they find out about your work? It's okay, Ves."

"It's worse than you think. The MTA will definitely hunt me down if they find out about my mech!"

"I trust you, Ves." She gazed at him with a reassuring smile. "Any mech you design must have a good reason to exist. Don't worry Ves, I'll keep your secret."

"It's not you I'm concerned about. It's the other people in the compartment." He gestured his arm to her guards.

"That's not a problem." She spoke. She activated her comm and activated some sort of command that activated a jammer and some other measures. "There. I've just activated a number of precautions. We're enveloped by an isolating bubble right now. While Melody and my guards can still see us, they won't be able to observe our screens and projections."

Ves looked in each direction and discovered that everything distant turned into a blob.

"Alright." He nodded and activated his comm. "Let me show you my Devil Tiger..."

He showed off his design schematics and narrated his design choices.

Gloriana studied it with wide and eager eyes. After spending months of studying the same designs, she finally became exposed to a completely new work from Ves!

"It's... wow." She uttered and grinned while clapping her hands together. "It's a fantastic mech design! As expected of my lover! Though it would have been much more perfect if you tailored this mech to a specific customer, I understand why you couldn't. Regardless, it is still a bold and radical mech design!"

"It's a passion project. I gave my all to design this mech."

As they continued to go over the Devil Tiger design, Gloriana quickly frowned again.

"These design schematics are starting to grow a little stale. Since you used up the pure ASMAS I sent, why don't you show off your finished work?"

Ves paused a bit. This...

"Come on, Ves. The schematics can only tell so much, especially when it comes to your work. Show me your end product!"

Gloriana pleaded to him earnestly that he couldn't help but agree to her request. Besides, the Devil Tiger turned out to become a masterwork. He suddenly felt like showing off his design prowess!

With great care, Ves inputted a code to unlock the highly sensitive footage in his comm. He began to project the Devil Tiger he produced at the end.

Before he could boast to her that he crafted a masterwork mech, Gloriana suddenly let out a loud gasp.

"Ves! This mech! Is this a masterwork mech?!"

"Yup!" Ves answered confidently.

"Did you let some masterwork fabricator produce this copy on your behalf?"

"How could I? Masterwork fabricators are esteemed individuals. I could never get them to fabricate a controversial mech like the Devil Tiger!"

"Then.. you created the masterwork mech completely on your own?" She stared hungrily at the projections of the finished Devil Tiger.

"Yes. It's all me. If not for the illicit nature of my mech, I would have submitted it to the MTA to request my first masterwork certificate. It's a huge shame, but I'm confident I can reach this height again. Gloriana?"

His girfriend fell silent as she continued to admire his work. Her breath grew more haggard until she outright started to pant. Her eyes grew so intense that they started to turn bloodshot. Her entire body started to vibrate and Ves began to sense something very intense building up in her mind!

"Ves?"

"Yes, Gloriana."

"Your masterwork mech.. is perfect. It's... as perfect as your design allows."

Uh oh. Ves began to inch back.

"I think you're mistaken. My mech is—"

"—PERFECT!"

GLoriana outright tackled Ves, causing both of them to fall from their seats!

Chapter 1518

Melody, who had been watching over Gloriana from a distance, quickly raced forward and dragged her rabid charge from glomping all over Ves!

For his part, he felt extraordinarily deprived. He really enjoyed their second long kiss! The pure emotion she put into showing her appreciation became so intense that Ves even sensed their spiritualities started to touch and resonate with each other!

Both of them felt bummed out when Melody forced them apart. As Melody berated Gloriana over and over again for failing to adhere to her limits, Ves began to take a dim view of Constance Wodin.

While he understood why Gloriana's mother wanted to impose some limitations on their relationship, they were both more than thirty years old! What right did she have to treat them both like underage teenagers who barely knew their way around with love?!

Ten tiresome minutes later, Melody marched back over to the observation station in the workshop compartment and resumed whatever work she was doing.

"Sorry about that, Ves." Her big eyes looked up at him in this incredibly adorable manner.

"It's okay." He responded and modestly patted her back. He resisted pulling her into an embrace. "We have all the time in the galaxy."

She smiled at him. "I don't want to wait anymore. From the moment I saw your masterwork mech, I decided then and there that I will never let you go. I will make you mine, Ves. Mine mine mine mine mine!"

"Ehh.."

He never expected the impact of revealing his masterwork mech to be so great! He could tell that Gloriana was being serious with her words because he could sense the conviction in her spirituality!

"For me, a perfect vessel can only be formed if I meet two conditions. First, I have to design the perfect mech for a specific mech pilot. The design has to be the best possible result given the requirements I have to meet and the limitations I have to abide by. I'm very far away from reaching this height, but I've been pursuing this ambition from the start."

This sounded a bit more flexible than Ves initially surmised. If she tried to design 'the' perfect mech, then it was practically impossible to achieve this goal! She would have to surpass every Star Designer in the past, present and future in order to design a mech considered 'perfect' in an absolute sense!

In contrast, the way she phrased her ambition made it clear that success depended on the circumstances in play. If her definition of 'perfect' meant designing a mech that fit her capabilities, the objectives she needed to meet and the practical limitations preventing her from resorting to more expensive toys, then her chances of realizing her design philosophy became a lot better!

Ves became impressed at her girlfriend. Crazy and eccentric she might be at times, she was still a clever and competent mech designer. She did not take her profession lightly.

"What's the second condition?"

"I think you can guess." She gazed lovingly at Ves as if he was a treasure. "Just because I design the perfect vessel under the circumstances doesn't mean the physical reproduction is devoid of flaws. There is always a certain degree of variance in the fabrication and assembly of parts. A single mech can consist of more than a million different parts! No matter how careful you are in fabricating them, many parts are too intricate to stay within tight tolerances."

"Materialization technology can ensure that every part is reproduced without a single atom out of place." Ves suggested.

Her smile dropped a bit. "What I'm trying to make is the perfect vessel for a mech pilot, not the perfect mech in a vacuum. For me, the perfect vessel transcends precision engineering. One of the biggest shortcomings of producing mechs through materialization is that no one has ever created a masterwork mech through this method. All of the mechs are completely identical and consistent in quality, I'll give them that, but they are also completely devoid of the necessary character that can elevate them to masterwork!"

This had to do with the definition of a masterwork. It was a rather vague and imprecise concept. It couldn't be quantified or codified in a way that allowed AIs and algorithms to identify them. Only experts and insiders of a profession could recognize a masterwork on the spot because only they possessed the intuitive judgement that allows them to recognize if a work holistically surpassed the sum of its parts.

For this reason, a product materialized into existence without the intervention of a craftsman could merely be described as a precise reproduction, rather than a masterful reproduction.

Whether it came to the production of mechs, combat armor or personal firearms, a true masterwork had always been created by hand by an eminent craftsman.

Of course, materialization technology did not slow down just because of this flaw. As long as a manufacturer could afford to implement this tech, then the machine-like consistency and complete lack of variance allowed for incredibly efficient and reliable production of extremely complex goods.

Most manufacturers were more than willing to give up the miniscule, almost nonexistent chance of producing a masterwork to rid themselves of so many inefficiencies!

Ves did not agree, though, and neither did Gloriana. He felt a bit more closer after finding out they shared the same views on the matter.

"Materialization technology has its merits, but as someone who fabricated a masterwork mech, I think many mech designers are missing out on the wonders of producing masterworks. Ever since I fabricated my masterwork Devil Tiger, I can tell you that my intuitive understanding and feel towards mechs has increased. Whether it's designing mechs or fabricating them, I've become noticeably better."

"You're referring to the mech affinity theory, right?"

He nodded. "After experiencing the effects myself, I fully believe in it. It's not a lie. It's especially valuable at our current stage when we are still improving rapidly. The earlier you enjoy this boost, the smoother you progress."

Gloriana couldn't help but hug herself against him yet again! "Hihihi! You shameless boaster! Not everyone can be as exceptional as you! I'm so lucky to find such a wonderful mech designer who made his first masterwork mech just a year after being recognized as a Journeyman! I think you even set a record!"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure about that. I've heard that some freakish Apprentices have managed to fabricate masterworks as well."

"That doesn't matter. You have everything I've wished for, Ves. I truly regret that I only sent that batch of pure ASMAS to you. I should have known you would have used it to create a fantastic masterwork mech! I won't make that mistake again! I've decided to stay with you permanently now. Even if my mother wants to drag me back, I won't let her! Promise me you'll keep me with you, Ves."

The intense way she pressed up at him and gazed in his eyes made it extraordinarily difficult for Ves to resist!

"I.. as long as our relationship works out, I'll follow you wherever you go. I don't want you to fallout with your family. If your mother summons you back to the Hegemony, I'll accompany you until they kick me out."

She grinned brilliantly at him. "Great! You're so sweet, Ves. I'll make sure it doesn't come to that. Now that I'm sure of my decision, I'll do my best to make the Wodin Dynasty accept you. It will be a tough road but I am sure you'll impress them with your masterworks."

"It's not that easy to make a masterwork mech." Ves cautioned her. "You can't make them on demand. They are products of chance, effort, skill and serendipity. It may take years or decades before I can replicate this feat."

"If you can do it once, you can do it again. That's the case with everyone who created a masterwork." She stated confidently. "This will be the key to earning my mother, and by extension my dynasty's approval. Our matriarch would be crazy to ignore you just because you're a third-rater!"

"You Hexers really don't think much of people who originate from third-rate states, do you?"

"I don't deny we are prejudiced against your kind. I think we have the tendency to be biased against people like you because your low births and lack of wealth limits your development. After all, look at me for example. You don't want to know how much hex credits my mother spent to upgrade my genes, augment me with implants and hire renowned tutors. Can any mech designer from the Bright Republic match my advantages?"

"Uhh.."

"My mother spent so much not just because she loves me, but also to invest in me. All the money put into raising me and turning me into a great mech designer is a targeted plan to foster a talented Wodin mech designer. I'm very much aware that I would have never become so great at what I do if not for enjoying this treatment."

Her words forced Ves to look at her in a different way. Though she worked hard to become a talented Journeyman, it was undeniable that her mother enabled most of her success.

It also meant that she owed a very huge debt to the Wodin Dynasty!

"So your mother doesn't want you to enter into a relationship with a poor and impoverished Brighter because they think I'll limit you, is that right? They expect to get a much better return on their investment if you are paired with a much more capable Hexer mech designer who enjoyed similarly lavish treatment."

She nodded. "That's exactly right. While I admit that there are many fine boys back at home, none of them are as suitable as you. I have to say that you're not a slouch yourself. You managed to achieve just as much if not more than me despite your humbler background. That should have been a point in favor of you, but my obstinate mother doesn't really see your kind as equals to Hexers."

"I see. We'll just have to prove her wrong, then. While I am not trying to boast here, some of the things I've done in the past have more than made up for the disparity you've described."

"Yes. Your record does mention something mysterious about looting a crashed CFA warship. Please don't blame me, but I also took body scans and samples of your DNA during our first meeting and had our geneticists analyze your state. Your physical state is very impressive!"

"But not enough to convince your mother that I'm worthy?"

She shook her head. "She can be a bit old-fashioned sometimes. In her eyes, you have a lot of potential, but your upbringing is too average. She doesn't expect you to realize your potential as much as I do. The only way for us to change her mind on you is to prove that you are already more fantastic than my suitors in the Hegemony. Providing undeniable proof that you've fabricated a masterwork mech is key! It's even better if we both collaborated on a masterwork, because that enormously increases my own value!"

All of this sounded rather unfair at first, but Ves knew that he needed to go above and beyond if he wanted to gain the approval of a powerful dynasty of the Hexadric Hegemony.

In any case, as long as he passed this difficult test, then the Wodin Dynasty would definitely accept him with open arms! He wouldn't have to face their continued disapproval!

"So we can quell all dissent as long as I show off another masterwork, is that right? We can't show the Wodin Dynasty my Devil Tiger, though. I'll just have to make a proper masterwork mech that won't land me in trouble, then!"

He became incredibly motivated to replicate his earlier feat!

"Not any mech will do, Ves. My mother won't acknowledge a worthless third-class masterwork mech no matter how impressive it is put together. The only way to get my stupid family to acknowledge you properly is to present them with a second-class masterwork mech that one of our mech pilots can put to use immediately!"

A second-class masterwork mech! His heart sunk down as soon as he heard this demand.

To fabricate a masterwork mech, it was essential that Ves possessed a high familiarity and feel for its design and overall mech class. His lack of experience with second-class mechs meant that it would be incredibly hard to achieve a state that could bring him close to producing a masterwork!

This meant that if Ves truly wanted to spend the rest of his life together with Gloriana, then he needed to immerse himself in second-class mechs!

Chapter 1519

Ever since Gloriana revealed the standard that Ves needed to meet to earn her mother's approval, Ves continually sank into thought.

He already enjoyed Gloriana's company. He found her to be delightful and supportive of him, so much so that Ves did not mind the idea of becoming a permanent item.

Not only did he stand to gain a lot of practical benefits from their union, he believed he could trust her with all of his secrets.

However, the Wodin Dynasty sure expected much from any man who wished to capture her heart.

With all of the bias and lack of faith directed towards him, the only way for him to break their poor impression of him was to prove he had the capability to fabricate a second-class mech!

Yet how much effort did he have to make to reach this point? He couldn't just pick a random mech design and fabricate it a thousand times. Ves believed he needed to design his own second-class mech to open up the option of making a suitable masterwork, but that entailed becoming intimately familiar with these kinds of machines.

Ves already envisioned a very busy schedule ahead of him due to his desire to fill up the LMC's catalog of third-class mechs. He had way too many things to do to squeeze in additional study of second-class mechs.

Unless... he made use of a time-saving tool like the System!

His eyes grew a bit brighter.

He knew that ordinary third-rate mech designers had an immensely tough time trying to adapt to the standard of mechs in second-rate states. The fact that no promising mech designer from the Bright Republic who emigrated to the Friday Coalition or the Hexadric Hegemony managed to advance to Master was proof!

While Ves knew that exceptions of this rule existed elsewhere in the galaxy, he still recognized that he needed to put an immense amount of effort into learning a brand-new class of mechs.

Fortunately, he possessed more means to do so. He already became exposed to many of the technologies used in second-class mechs through his higher-tiered Skills and Sub-Skills. Much of what he learned only really became relevant when his budget and tech standard surpassed a certain height.

Gloriana also promised to help him as well.

"I'll tutor you as much as I can about second-class mechs." She spoke with conviction. "Since we're going to be together anyway, I can instruct you as often as it's convenient to us. Within a decade or less, I hope you become just as fluent in designing second-class mechs as me. I don't think any Journeyman is willing to dedicate as much time as me in bringing you up to speed."

Ves hugged her closer to him. He really enjoyed feeling her warm body against his own. "Thank you, Gloriana, but you shouldn't neglect your own development. I think I can manage with some light instruction. I won't be able to master second-class mechs if my perspective is distorted by your own. I need to develop my own understanding."

As a mech designer, Gloriana knew what he was worried about. A similar dynamic existed when teaching or mentoring apprentices.

"You won't learn as fast if I'm not there to hold your hand."

"I think I'll manage. Let me try first, and if my progress isn't good enough a few years from now, we can try something else. For now, it's important for my principal development to design a lot of mechs for the Bright Republic and other comparable mech markets."

If he switched over to designing second-class mechs right away, then he would have to waste valuable years while he tried to reinvent the wheel. Not only that, he needed some way of breaking into the mech market of a much more advanced and foreign state.

The progression of a mech designer did not really depend on the class of mechs. He still believed it would be useful for him to expand his range into both third and second-class mechs.

Ves and Gloriana discussed their upcoming plans. For now, Ves wanted to focus on his existing plans and study up on second-class mechs in his spare time.

While Gloriana did not have any obligations per se, Ves did not wish for her to waste all of her time in assisting him in his own projects.

"I think it's best if you revive your Flawless Mech Workshop and fulfill some commissions on your own." He said. "Even if you're away from the Hegemony, you can still do your work by remote."

She firmly shook her head. "I don't want to. You don't have to be worried about my progression. I think it will be a true pleasure to help you design your mechs. Just like how it's best for you if you start to learn how to design a second-class mech, I think it will benefit me as well if I expand my range to third-class mechs. I can make just as much progress in the Bright Republic by adapting and modifying your mech designs into perfect vessels to some of your customers."

"Really?" He questioned.

"Mmhmm." Gloriana cutely leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't think working in the Bright Republic is a waste of my time. Not only will I be able to step out of the box and learn an entirely new framework of mech design, I'll also get to work by your side! The more we collaborate, the more we become proficient in combining our specialties. If we want to bring out the most in each other, then we need to work together as much as possible."

This was the logic between mech designer pairings. Two creators who shared the same profession but approached their work from different directions could combine each other's efforts in fantastic ways!

However, such a desirable outcome did not come about instantly. A long-term partnership was essential, and no partnership was as stable and enduring as a marriage!

Ves decided to test how well they could work together. "Let me show you my Desolate Soldier design like I originally planned. While my current design project has reached an advanced stage, I hope you can provide me with some valuable input."

He turned back to the terminal and tried his best to load in his design schematics. Gloriana kept leaning her body against his own as she studied the schematics and other data on the ballistic rifleman mech.

This time, Ves did not narrate his design choices or overall logic behind his design. He wanted Gloriana to make her own judgement on his work.

He watched her reaction carefully over the next hour as she immersed herself into the Desolate Soldier design.

From time to time, Gloriana winced or frowned as she studied something she found troubling.

Ves noted that she reacted most strongly when she encountered the outcomes of his decision to opt for something cheap rather than powerful.

Since his goal was to design an affordable mech, he made a lot of compromises and settled for inferior performance in exchange for minimizing cost and complexity.

To a mech designer who was used to designing mechs worth tens or hundreds of billions of bright credits a piece, the abject performance metrics of his affordable mech must be a huge shock to her! At least with his premium mechs, Ves could boast about some of their strengths, but the main merit of his latest work was that it didn't cost a lot of money!

Gloriana breathed deeply and closed her eyes. Her mild reaction belied the storm that raged in her head.

Through his spiritual fragment stuck in her mind, Ves witnessed glimpses of intense responses against his work.

Though a part of her probably found her design repulsive, she exerted a very strong desire to tolerate his work. Her surprisingly strong will exerted too much pressure onto her old beliefs that her design seed bowed down its head in the face of her determination!

In her desire to make it possible for her to collaborate with Ves as much as possible, she was willing to adjust the direction of her design philosophy!

Ves truly became speechless as he realized the immensity of her inner struggle. He couldn't help but respect her and appreciate her more.

Eventually, she finished her study.

"Okay, I've thoroughly familiarized myself with your work." She spoke calmly, belying the huge turmoil she just went through. "It's... very different from what I used to. I'm astounded by how inventive mech designers like you have to be to design a mech with limited limited resources."

Obviously, Gloriana did not wish to reveal how much she went through in order to avoid any disharmony.

Ves leaned his head against her own, brushing against her exquisite, soft hair. "I know my Desolate Soldier design can be.. underwhelming, but mechs at this price range sell the most in the mech markets where my company is competing in. You have to take into account that there are many mech buyers who don't have the budget to buy expensive mechs, hire skilled mech pilots, retain a proper maintenance crew and stock up on ample supplies."

"I thought only pirates are this desperate."

He let out a snort. "Trust me. There are lots of outfits who don't really invest as much money and resources as they should in building up their mech forces. So what do you think of my work?"

"It's very.. basic, I shall say. That's not necessarily bad, because I understand your intention. You've achieved an impressive level of performance from what little you have to work with. I know I would have never been able to make as much use of the same set of resources. However..."

"However?"

"I see that the intent of your mech is to be as compatible with as many mech pilots as possible. You've even dumbed down or automated some of the operations of the mech to accommodate very.. low-skilled mech pilots."

Ves nodded. "It's because the sandman crisis has rendered many of our melee mechs useless. The Bright Republic and many other states under threat are suffering from an acute shortage of ranged mechs. Many mech pilots proficient in melee combat are being forced to learn a new skillset in a matter of months."

He explained to her about the situation, causing her to get up to speed on how desperate the situation had become.

She frowned. "I see. This is worse than I thought. I can accept why you've simplified your mech to such a degree, but still, I see some room for improvement in your implementation."

"Oh? Do tell please."

In the next half hour, Gloriana began to point out various small aspects where Ves could refine his simplification efforts. She also pointed out some other areas which she thought that Ves might need to think on a bit further.

This was the first time since he embarked on this design project that he received feedback from a peer.

Through her advice, suggestions and opinions, Ves became exposed to her design style and knowledge base.

While she wasn't as perverse as him who already reached Senior-level in several fundamental Skills, her depth of knowledge really astounded him. In spite of coming up short compared to him, her utilization of existing knowledge was a lot higher.

That meant that while she didn't know as many theories as him, she was a bit more adept at applying the theories she was already familiar with. This led Ves to accept several of her minor suggestions.

"Wow." He spoke. "I really appreciate your feedback. You're really insightful."

She grinned at him. "You're no slouch, yourself. Despite the simplicity of your Desolate Soldier design, it's also surprisingly deep. There are plenty of aspects that are simply beyond me. Why don't you explain them to me, hmm?"

"Sure. I might as well repay you for how much of a help you've been so far."

A spark formed between them as they exchanged their own views. Ves truly felt that they grew closer to each other, not just romantically, but also professionally.

Ves truly became enamored in the joy of sharing his passion with a woman who was equally as passionate in their work!

Chapter 1520

Their first collaborative feedback and design session lasted for the rest of the day. Ves and Gloriana became so immersed in their discussions that they opted to eat lunch and dinner in the workshop compartment!

The collision of ideas, the sharing of insights and the need to explain one's own thoughts provided plenty of intellectual stimulation.

Even if the actual changes Ves planned to make in his design did not amount to much at the end, he still felt he gained a greater awareness over his own design.

Having to explain and justify many of his design choices was much like teaching in a way. Even if he rehashed his existing theories, being forced to explain them and package them in a way that allowed him to communicate his points succinctly increased his familiarity with them, thereby directly increasing his utilization in the process.

In addition to sharing their objective theories, they also started to exchange their subjective principles and viewpoints.

Both of them began to unveil aspects of their design philosophies to each other.

For example, Gloriana applied her expertise in designing perfect vessels into feedback aimed at increasing the compatibility of his Desolate Soldier to a wider range of mech pilots.

Ves became astounded by how some of her advice hit home.

"For someone who insists on designing the perfect vessel for a single, specific mech pilot, you're quite good at finding ways on making mechs more adaptable to many customers."

Gloriana continued to lean against him with her soft body. In fact, other than a brief bathroom break, she never left his side!

"It's not as contradictory as you think, Ves. If you think about it, I specialize in adapting mechs to mech pilots. While I mainly focus on complete and total adaptation to a single subject, I meet all kinds of customers. Of course, I haven't dealt with mech pilots as bad as the ones in your states, but I've already dealt with a wide range of personalities, inclinations and skill sets. This means that I can rapidly estimate how well a given mech design can accommodate a whole gamut of people."

"That's quite impressive."

She grinned happily at him. "So are you. The ideas you've introduced to me today are so radical that I don't even know where to begin!"

Neither of them went too deep into revealing their design philosophies to each other. Ves knew that she still withheld most of her specialty because it simply didn't apply to this case.

As for Ves, while he pretty much accepted her as his girlfriend, he still wanted to take his time. He stuck to a shallow introduction of his specialty. He first wanted her to accept some of his guiding principles and concepts before he revealed more.

"Mechs are alive." He repeated. "There is a living, beating heart inside them, and we have a responsibility to make their bodies as coherent as possible. Some of the design choices I've made don't make that much sense when you regard a mech as a mechanical machine. Yet when you understand that my Design Soldier has to conform to the concept of duty, my choices aren't baffling anymore."

"The gods you create must be carried by worthy vessels." Gloriana nodded seriously. "

His smile twitched a bit when he heard her repeat her nonsense about 'creating gods'. To be frank, Ves felt increasingly more guilty about deceiving her. That nonsense story about divinity he told the MTA should have been buried in the MTA"s massive archives!

At this point, he decided to come clean. "Gloriana. I.. I think you are misunderstanding something. The recording you've obtained from the MTA.. it's not entirely accurate. I didn't really believe that I was creating gods. Back then, I deliberately exaggerated my design philosophy to the point of absurdity because I don't want the MTA to learn what I really do. The truth is much less.. radical."

His serious tone caused Gloriana to stop hugging him for a moment. She took one of her hands in her own and turned towards him with a grave expression.

"You don't have to be so afraid." She squeezed his hand. "I support you no matter how far you go in your design philosophy. The proto-gods I've sensed in your mechs aren't lies. How can you deny the extraordinary miracles you are capable of performing? You can be honest with me! I will be at your side every step of the way. Just don't leave me out when you create your gods!"

"Gloriana! Didn't you listen to me?! My design philosophy doesn't revolve around divinity at all!"

Her smile never subsided. She continued to gaze at him with a loving gaze. "I can scarcely imagine the gods we can create together. Just like with your Transcendent Messengers, I want to be a part of the creation of gods that can act as guardians of their states. What you did for the Ylvaine Protectorate is a model of the future of our collaborative efforts!"

Times like these reminded Ves that Gloriana hadn't changed that much at all. She just made an effort into hiding some of her Hexer-ness when she was in his presence.

Only when certain topics rose up did she reveal her conviction in her kooky beliefs. She was so fanatical about them that she outright rejected any answers that clashed with her own fervently-held beliefs!

No matter what kind of logic or facts he brought up, anything that matched her hexism beliefs was inviolable!

He sighed. "I told you over and over again that I'm not a follower of hexism. I don't ascribe to any of its tenets."

"As I said, that's okay. Hexism isn't as strict as you think. It's a philosophy and an acknowledgement of the truth more than a cult. Life, death, gods, man and so on are all intertwined. What is dead can come to life. What is human can ascend to god. Your design philosophy already encapsulates these concepts. You create new life from something that is not supposed to be alive!"

Ves began to grow more and more uncomfortable. The most vexing aspect about Gloriana's misunderstandings was that some of her beliefs actually held some kernels of truth! This made it much more difficult for him to refute her assumptions!

"What does hexism's obsession with the number six have to do with all of this?" He waved his hand.

He already became exposed to the blatant influence of hexism aboard the Stellar Chaser.

They always ate six-course meals.

Gloriana always wore clothes with six buttons or something.

Their data pads came with six sides.

His guest room featured six potted plants.

There was no rhyme or reason why certain stuff had to come in six! It was driving him nuts!

She giggled at him. "Oh Ves, you're so adorable when you look so lost. Hexism isn't easy to get into, but I'll explain this the best I can. We don't worship the number six because it's some magical number. We pay tribute to the six phases of existence: life, death, godhood, damnation, dust, woman."

?

What?

Ves became so perplexed when he heard about this so-called 'six phases of existence' that he felt like scratching his head until he became bald!

Why was 'woman' a distinct phase of existence? He could definitely tell that women had a definite hand in the spread of hexism!

"I'll be honest, Gloriana. I don't understand a thing about what you just said."

"You don't have to. Hexism is a universal truth. We are describing the actual state of existences irrespective of the lenses we adopt to explain our origin and our future. We apply the number six in our daily lives as a way to acknowledge this truth and to make an appeal to specific phases of existence. For example, a man like you should kiss me six times in the morning every day in order to appease the phase of woman!"

He looked at her weirdly. "If you want me to kiss you six times in the morning, you don't have to make up an excuse."

"That's good!" She grinned and shook with excitement. "We can enjoy ourselves while at the same time pay tribute to the most supreme phase of existence!"

Truly, discussing anything about hexism was just asking for trouble! Ves really did not wish to go down the rabbit hole any further!

"I think I've heard enough. Please don't expect me to be as.. immersed in hexism as you. I respect your beliefs, but don't expect me to pray in front of six candles or anything."

"You don't need to do anything like that, Ves. You're already doing great things for hexism by creating gods! It is a privilege for me to be a part of your efforts into making one of the phases of existence more tangible in the form of your mechs!"

For the sake of his sanity, Ves outright dropped the subject and pivoted to another topic.

"Let's go leave this workshop and enjoy the rest of the evening. We've already discussed my Desolate Soldier design all day."

"Okay."

They finally left the workshop compartment and went to the lounge compartment. They sat on the same loveseat as last time with each other's cats resting on their laps.

"Meow." Lucky looked up at Gloriana with a pleading expression.

"Oh, you're such a cute and sophisticated cat, Lucky!" Gloriana playfully fed him an exotic. "Do you approve of me? Do you think I'm a good woman for Ves?"

"Meow!"

Ever since Ves boarded the Stellar Chaser, Lucky entered into a paradise. Not only did he have Clixie to relieve his boredom, the exotics that Gloriana fed him were much more expensive and potent than the barely worthless space rocks that consisted of his usual diet!

As far as he was concerned, Ves should already shack up with Gloriana so that the supply of expensive exotics would never stop!

In the meantime, Ves found Clixie to be surprisingly companionable to him. As soon as she realized that he understood her, Clixie began to regard him fondly!

"Miaow."

"Oh, you want me to scratch you behind your ears? Okay."

"Miaow miaow."

"I'll tell Gloriana that you want more fish in your diet."

"Miaaaow."

"Hehe. You're so soft and fluffy. Lucky doesn't really have fur, so hugging him is like hugging a metal pipe!"

Once they had their fill of pampering each other's pets, they began to address something of import.

"Are you still serious about this grand expedition of yours?" She asked.

"I haven't changed my mind. I still intend to visit the wider galaxy. Don't you want to go anymore?"

"I still want to!" She quickly replied. "It's just that if we take such a lengthy multi-decade trip, I want our starting conditions to be as perfect as possible. A ship like the Stellar Chaser won't cut it for the expedition we have in mind. Only a fully-fledged factory ship will enable us to keep up our mech production no matter where we go. We also need plenty of strong escorts to protect such a valuable ship, as well as ourselves!"

"The expense is enormous." He said. "There's no way you can pay for it, right?"

She shook her head. "No. I've approached my mother and some of the Wodins and they've all told me that they aren't willing to bankroll such an expensive expedition. They think I can make just as much progress at home where they don't need to waste so many hex credits. They don't understand!"

"Then.. maybe we should settle for something cheaper and less modest."

"NO! Absolutely not! That's unacceptable, Ves! We are not going to enjoy our sweet time together on a tiny rustbucket that won't offer enough room to raise our six children!"

Ves decided to ignore her comment about having six children. "Then what options do we have?"

"I've figured out two different solutions. The one I came up with earlier is to solicit external investors. We are basically pledging investors a share of our future earnings in exchange for a hefty investment up front. Much like any other business."

That did not sound attractive to Ves!

"What about the other option?"

"I only came up with this when you revealed your capabilities to me. Instead of attracting external investment that comes with a lot of strings attached, we should instead earn all of the money ourselves by selling enough masterwork custom mechs to wealthy Hexer clients!"

Chapter 1521

Living together with Gloriana aboard a single ship was an entirely new experience to Ves. While he had to get used to Gloriana's idiosyncrasies such as her expression of her faith, all in all he felt as if he stepped into a paradise.

After spending so much time alone, he began to rediscover the pleasures of life. Talking, hugging, kissing and working together with Gloriana brightened his life like never before.

Whereas before his life revolved around his work, the addition of a woman by his side introduced a lot of brightness in his daily routine.

His days with Gloriana brought so much pleasure and contentment to him that his paranoia flared up from time to time. How could he be so lucky to mesh so well with another mech designer? It sounded too good to be true!

For this reason, Ves never let up his vigilance. He continually sent out Lucky to harvest more data from the Stellar Chaser's databanks. He also sent out his spiritual projections to inspect each and every crew member aboard the ship to see if they weren't hidden Compact agents or anything.

Nothing. Ves found nothing suspicious about his girlfriend among his nightly investigations. She appeared to be exactly as she presented herself as, and that confused him for some time.

As someone who frequently lied and resorted to misdirection, he couldn't really understand how Gloriana could be so honest and forthright to everyone.

From all of the communication logs he skimmed over, he never got the impression that Gloriana exhibited any hypocrisy or duplicity.

"She doesn't have to." He realized. "The life she has led is different from mine."

She never had to fight for her life. She was protected around the clock by well-equipped guards and mechs. She mostly resided in the safest places in the Scimitar System and the rest of the Hegemony.

In addition, Gloriana did not have any interactions with scoundrels, pirates, spies and other scum. She never needed to adopt a flexible attitude to protect herself or get ahead in life. Her mother and the Wodin Dynasty had already paved most of the way for her success.

Gloriana enjoyed an enviable life. Though she still had to work hard on her account in order to meet her mother's incredibly high expectations, she only needed to be a good mech designer.

She didn't even have to sully her hands by engaging in politics, which was an important factor in keeping her pure!

It made sense once Ves regarded Gloriana as a product of the Wodin Dynasty. With thousands of descendants, each Wodin born into their name was expected to fulfill a specific purpose. Just like many other noble houses or dynasties, those who disgraced their families or ended up as good-for-nothings would be stripped of their esteemed names!

As a prominent and future high-ranking mech designer, the Wodins obviously treated Gloriana as a treasure to their entire dynasty. They did not raise her to become the next matriarch. They raised her to become their principal mech designer!

Though Ves wasn't completely comfortable with this arrangement, he knew it was a fair one.

He wasn't really sure what that meant in terms of their relationship. Would he become a potency of the Wodins once he married her? If they expected him to worship the ground that women walked upon, then he would definitely take issue!

Still, the joy he gained in his life far outweighed his concerns. In any case, becoming a potency of the Wodin Dynasty meant he also enjoyed their protection.

Nonetheless, if Ves wanted to earn the Wodin Dynasty's approval, he had to show to them that he could bring much more value to them than any other potential suitor to Gloriana!

The suggestions that she put forward troubled him continually.

"Producing a bunch of masterworks derived from excellent second-class mech designs will kill two birds with one stone." She told him during their cuddling time in the lounge. Their cats cuddled together as well below their feet. "Not only will you be able to prove you're better than the Journeymen from the Hegemony, but we can also earn an incredible amount of hex credits in the process to fund our upcoming expedition! It's a perfect solution!"

Ves smiled awkwardly at her. "I admire your enthusiasm, but you ask too much of me. Crafting my first masterwork mech a few months ago was just a fluke. I keep telling you over and over again that masterworks can never be produced on demand!"

"We don't have to make too many masterworks! Just a handful is enough for us to afford a factory ship!"

"How can that be?" He frowned. "As far as I know, the factory ships up to Hegemony standard are ludicrously expensive!"

She smiled and patted her forearm. "Oh, you silly boy, you underestimate the value of high-quality custom mechs. There are many wealthy scions in the Hegemony who would gladly pay a lot of hex credits to pilot a mech that can bring out the most of their strengths. If their mech is a masterwork on top of that, they can not only be assured that they are piloting the best that their money could buy, but they can also earn a lot of prestige from owning such a prized and rare machine!"

He understood both of those arguments. He knew that wealthy and powerful mech pilots like Lord Javier of House Eneqqin or Lady Miralix of House Laterna were willing to pay enormous sums to maximize their chances of success.

In their perspective, spending five to ten times the price of a standard mech was more than worth the expenditure if they achieved a lot of success in battle!

In their societies, success in battle directly translated into greater reputation, which would pay them a lot of dividends in the future such as being appointed to senior leadership positions.

As for masterwork mechs, they were so rare that each of them were pretty much regarded as trophies. Their excellent craftsmanship and exquisitely optimized performance would definitely earn the admiration of peers!

While their actual performance did not differ too much from non-masterwork mechs, the symbolic value they held simply couldn't be bought on demand, which justified their insane price premiums!

"In other words, wealthy people are willing to spend insane amounts to satisfy their vanity." He summed up.

"Vanity is not inherently bad when it gets you ahead." She added. "When I tell you that Hexers are willing to fund our factory ship to obtain an excellent masterwork mech, I really mean it. One thing you have to know about the second-class mech market is that it features a considerably higher price ceiling than what you are used to! The scions of the matriarchal dynasties are even willing to pay a thousand times the price of a standard mech to pilot an excellent, custom masterwork mech!"

Translated to the Bright Republic, that meant that a mech pilot from one of the founding families was willing to pay 60 billion credits or more for a custom masterwork mech!

Such an immense price tag was more expensive than many expert mechs, and it was mostly due to the fact that it was a masterwork!

Ves shook his head. "Even if I can accept that there are moneybags in the Hegemony who are willing to invest so much in a masterwork mech, that still leaves the fundamental problem of making them. Why are you so sure that we can produce not one, but several within a decade?"

Her grin widened. "Have you forgotten about my specialty?"

He had grown more and more familiar with what she was capable of. Her design philosophy and her high standards pushed her to excel in almost every matter concerning mechs. Whether it was offense, defense or mobility, she sought to develop a thorough understanding of all of them in order to ensure that every aspect of her work was as flawless as possible!

If not for the incredible capabilities and processing power of her Erestal-015 implant, she would have never been capable of keeping up with all of her studies!

In any case, her targeted focus on designing and building the perfect vessel meant that her design philosophy applied to her mech designs in a very odd manner.

The best way to describe it was that her design philosophy imposed an effect that was opposite to Murphy's law. What could go wrong might not go wrong. Any weak points and flaws in her designs became a little less serious in practice.

The reason why her design philosophy fell under Class IX rather than Class I was that this effect did not necessarily interfere with other effects applied to mechs. Instead, her design philosophy helped them perform better by mitigating some of the flawed and suboptimal implementations!

It was no wonder the MTA regarded her so highly. Her specialty effectively amplified the specialties of other mech designers in collaborative design projects!

The extreme and diverse range of possibilities of Class IX design philosophies mostly produced garbage, but occasionally a gem like Gloriana came around to redeem her class!

Of course, at this stage the effect was barely noticeable. It also remained to be seen whether Gloriana could progress to the point where it was worthwhile to involve her in a project.

However, Ves remembered that her specialty also played a role in fabricating mechs aside from designing them. She already told him that she always fabricated her custom mechs in person to achieve the most ideal result.

Having studied some of her project logs, Ves recalled that the quality of her end products always turned out to be high. When Ves connected these outcomes to her specialty, he began to make a very bold realization.

He looked shocked at her. "Don't tell me.. your specialty is geared towards producing masterworks?"

"Hihihi! You guessed it!" She raised her hands towards her mouth. "How can I design the perfect vessel but fail in the execution? Such outcomes spoil much of what I am working towards! For this reason, achieving the highest quality possible in producing a mech has always been my second ambition! Nothing brings more fulfillment to me than succeeding in creating a masterwork mech!"

The ambition she set forward frankly scared Ves. Almost no one could reliably produce masterwork mechs! Not even Master Mech Designers could consistently produce them, and some still hadn't managed to produce them despite their formidable skill!

"From the rumors I've heard, only Star Designers are able to make masterwork mechs on demand." He spoke.

"There are exceptions. You know that, right? Some mech designers have managed to achieve this threshold at the Master-level."

"You're not a Master." Ves pointedly retorted. "You're still a Journeyman, and a very young one at that. Specialty or not, at this stage in your progression, you are incredibly far away from producing masterworks on a consistent basis."

She never let up on her optimism. "That may be true, but as long as I make some progress, my chances of making one may become high enough that we can succeed in producing at least a couple of masterworks in the next decade!"

"Why are you so confident?"

"Because I have you, a mech designer who has already built his first masterwork! Do you know how hard I tried to approach the mech designers in the Hegemony who have made similar achievements? It's incredibly hard for them to take notice of me, especially because they are already esteemed Seniors or Masters who prefer to collaborate within their own networks!"

"And you think that working with me can solve this problem?"

"Why not?" She smiled. "I believe in you, Ves. What's more, I believe that combining our design philosophies will allow us to achieve remarkable results!"

She sure expected much out of their union! Whether their collaboration projects actually achieved the outcome she expected was still in question.

"I don't think we'll be able to make enough masterwork mechs to fund our entire grand expedition."

He was afraid she would go mad or something if they failed to meet this goal by the time he wanted to depart.

Surprisingly, she wasn't as intolerant as he thought.

"That's okay, Ves. We should just do the best we can and earn as much money as we can make in the next few years. If we still come up short, we can always cover our deficit by drawing upon outside investment. The Wodin Dynasty and various external parties would be glad to invest in our ventures as long as we show at least some promise together."

That sounded a lot more reasonable. Combining both solutions to fund their grand expedition gave them enough flexibility to go forward regardless of their results!

Chapter 1522

As the days went by as their combined fleet made their way out of the Hertog Dominion, Ves made sure to keep in contact with his people.

He had to borrow the Stellar Chaser's communication systems to contact others, but he trusted Gloriana enough to refrain from meddling in his affairs.

For example, Ves finally heard back from Commander Cinnabar. He accepted his call in his guest room.

"My entire crew came to a unanimous decision." The bearded man spoke over the comm. "We think that working for you is our best ticket to success."

That was surprising.

"How difficult was it for you to convince the doubters to change their minds?"

"To be honest, I didn't have to put too much pressure on them. As soon as I told them that Miss Gloriana Wodin is your girl, they connected the dots themselves."

In other words, the Battle Criers did not necessarily base their decision by weighing his own merits. Instead, they made a bet that working for Ves was their best option because of the benefits his girlfriend might provide to their organization!

Though Ves felt a bit devalued in comparison to his girlfriend, the outcome was nevertheless in his favor. He shouldn't complain too much, especially since he predicted that he would encounter this kind of situation lots of times in the future.

Hooking up with a powerful Hexer mech designer was actually pretty nice! Ves understood Patricia Schneider's situation a lot better now that he tasted the benefits himself!

"Okay." He nodded to the commander. "I will make sure your Battle Criers won't regret your decisions. While it will take some time for me to live up to your expectations, I hope you can work for me without reserve."

"Will we be piloting second-class mechs in the future?"

"It's a possibility in the far future." Ves replied, revealing some of his future plans. "A lot of focused training is required to bring your mech pilots up to second-class standards. It will be harder to accomplish this for already-mature mech pilots. The only reason I'm considering this option at all is because I value the ironclad loyalty of Kinner bondsmen. If you want me to invest in your training, then prove me right."

"We won't disappoint your expectations, sir."

While it was possible to retrain a third-class mech pilot into a second-class mech pilot, Ves believed he could lean on Gloriana for help. He only needed her to order the Glory Battation to take charge in retraining the Battle Criers and anyone else he found worthy.

"What about the Ingvar siblings?"

Commander Cinnabar grinned. "They turned around the fastest when they realized that your relationship with Miss Wodin isn't as exaggerated as they thought. None of us really thought you actually captured the heart of a powerful and wealthy Hexer!"

It suddenly dawned on Ves that he could have hired more valuable mech pilots. Not only did he increase his own reputation and standing during his year-long trip, he also gained Gloriana's halo now that they showed to everyone that they were committed in a relationship!

Nonetheless, Ves prized loyalty above all. He would rather work with the people who had been with him for some time. Besides, he still saw a lot of value in the adaptability and scoundrel-like nature of the Battle Criers.

Once he finished discussing matters with Commander Cinnabar, he contacted Melkor and asked about the status of the Avatars of Myth.

"I'm certain that you will be pleasantly surprised at what we've managed to achieve when you return home." Commander Melkor spoke confidently. "We have passed our growth period and worked out all of the kinks. The loyalty, cohesion and skill of all of our Avatar mech pilots are completely up to standard."

Ves nodded in satisfaction. "I look forward to inspecting my Avatars in person. How much progress have you made in selecting Avatars who are willing to leave the Bright Republic and participate in my upcoming grand expedition?"

"Not much, to be honest. Even if we offer them better pay and perks, many of our men and women are attached to their families and social circles at home. Since I can't find too many takers from our ranks, I've already begun to search out suitable candidates in the job market, though that is slow going due to the current crisis."

"Well, I can't say I expected it to be easy." Ves sighed. "I have a proposal to remedy the lack of willingness. I've made a decision with regards to the grand expedition's troop composition. I want to split the current Avatars of Myth into two!"

"That.. that's a big decision!"

"It's the logical decision to make under the circumstances. I originally founded the Avatars of Myth to serve as my personal mech troop and to demonstrate my products. Due to various reasons, we've been forced to expand the scope of the Avatars to provide protection for the LMC. At this point in time, I believe it's best to separate the latter function to a dedicated company force. What is left of the Avatars can go back to their roots."

"So you plan to split off a company force and transfer its ownership to the LMC?"

Ves nodded. "Correct. I want you to find a trustworthy leader among the Avatars who can lead this offshoot. The company force will basically be charged with providing security to all LMC assets and vital personnel. They will not be tasked to perform any offensive missions or go on any lengthy excursions. While I expect them to maintain some standards, it is not necessary to groom them into elites."

It took some time for Melkor to process the changes. The implications of this decision were vast!

"I think this is the best course of action." He eventually stated. "I've sounded out many Avatars, and few are actually adventurous and unattached enough to uproot their entire lives on your command."

"I thought they're supposed to be loyal."

"They are loyal, yes, but loyalty is conditional and can come in many forms. I think it's best to say that they are more loyal to the institution than you in person. That's why I think it's for the best if command of this new company force is transferred to the LMC."

"If their loyalty only extends this far, then I don't mind leaving them behind in the Bright Republic when it is time to set off." Ves scowled a bit. "I'm hoping to reform the Avatars of Myth into a force that truly answers to me. Not only do I want my Avatars to accompany me on the expedition, I also want you to retrain them so that they are capable of piloting second-class mechs!"

Melkor looked shocked. "You are asking for much! Even if our Avatars are better than average, it isn't so easy for them to acquire the qualifications to pilot second-class mechs!"

"That's not a problem. We have a decade to accomplish this goal, it will be easier if I ask my girlfriend's Glory Battalion to guide the retraining effort."

His cousin still frowned. "Why don't you just hire second-class pilots from the start? With your current wealth and status, it shouldn't be impossible for you to form a completely new force made up of native Hexers."

"Hahaha! Are you kidding?" Ves sardonically laughed. "I'm not going to entrust my life to Hexers! While I'm sure that Gloriana will be responsible for most of the security forces that make up the grand expedition, I want to bring at least one mech force that is in my pocket and won't be a complete laughingstock. Do you understand my concerns?"

"I do."

"As I've said, we have a decade to reform the Avatars of Myth. If we can't find enough willing mech pilots from our existing ranks, then try and recruit talented and capable mech pilots from the job market. Will you be able to manage that, Melkor?"

Surprisingly, Melkor looked confident. "With the conditions you set forward? I think we'll be able to find a lot more takers! As long as people hear that you are willing to retrain them into second-class mech pilots, I can guarantee you that we will be flooded with thousands of applicants!"

Ves blinked. He could actually envision such an outcome.

Many third-class mech designers dreamed of becoming second-class mech designers in order to earn more money.

Was it any surprise for him to learn that many third-class mech pilots wanted to upgrade themselves into second-class mech pilots?

Not only would they be able to pilot much more powerful mechs, but they also expected to earn a higher salary!

"If that's the case, then make sure to maintain a high selection standard. For now, limit your selection to talented and promising Brighter and Ylvainan mech pilots. The younger, the better. It takes a lot of effort and money to retrain a mech pilot, so I want to get a lot of use out of them before they retire."

"Younger mech pilots are also easier to retrain." Melkor agreed. "They're not yet set in their ways. It would be as if they are still a mech academy. Why open the Avatars to the Ylvainans, by the way? I think we can satisfy all our needs with Brighters alone."

"I don't want my Avatars of Myth to reflect a single origin. They need to be loyal to me rather than our state. Introducing Ylvainans will break up the insularity of your ranks and open up the possibility of recruiting more foreigners."

"If you put it that way, then I agree. It's just.. the Ylvainans are pretty strange. I think a lot of Brighters will take issue with their faith."

"Kick them out if they can't handle diversity." Ves resolutely stated. "The Ylvainan Faith is mostly harmless as long as their believers keep their faith to themselves. Considering my reputation the Protectorate, I think it will be very easy for you to recruit enough Ylvainans."

"Okay, Ves. I'll try my best and see if I can integrate the two cultures. Speaking of which, what is your stance on opening up our recruitment to Larkinsons? The mech pilots that come from our family are much better trained and I think they'll be very loyal to your cause if you give them the chance to retrain them into second-class mech pilots. I certainly look forward to this opportunity!"

"This.." Ves paused a bit as he considered bringing in his family. "It's acceptable as long as the Larkinsons are loyal to me rather than the Larkinson Family or the Bright Republic. Do you understand?"

Melkor grinned. "Oh, I think many Larkinsons will jump at this opportunity! They will form the core of our reformed outfit."

"That is not what I expected to hear." Ves admitted.

"Your impression of us is outdated. All of the changes that you've sparked has thoroughly changed our family in the past few years. The younger generation especially look up to you. I think there will be plenty of young and ambitious Larkinson mech pilots who are willing to defy the expectation of our elders and skip enlisting in the Mech Corps in favor of joining the Avatars."

"What about the family?"

"It's fine. As long as we target younger mech pilots, they'll be more eager to take the opportunities you present to them. They'll also be single and unmarried, so you don't have to worry too much about those kinds of attachments."

"I see. I'll take your word for it. In any case, my goal for the next decade is to transition the Avatars of Myth into a smaller but more capable second-class mech force. I don't expect the Avatars to match the prowess of the Glory Battalion in such a short amount of time, but the foundation should be there. As for those who are unwilling or unsuitable to become a part of this initiative, they can enjoy a stable life by transferring to our new company force."

"They'll need a name. Have you thought of any?"

"Hmm.. let's go with Living Sentinels. Their name reflects their allegiance and their purpose."

"Sounds good."

The two spent the rest of the call on hashing out the details. At the end of their discussion, Melkor conveyed a final suggestion to Ves.

"By the way, you should call Ketis. Something important has come up that has kept her occupied in the past few months."

That sounded serious. Ves had been wondering what took her so long to show off her own design work to him. He thought that she was busy refining her mech designs further on account of his previous feedback.

Chapter 1523

"Hi, Ves. I'm sorry I've been out of touch lately." Ketis wearily spoke.

Her projection showed a lot of stress and worry on her face. Ves doubted that she enjoyed a good night's sleep lately. He immediately grew more concerned.

"What is the matter?"

"The sandman invasion!" She burst out. "Before they crossed over into human space, they swept through the frontier! The Faris Star Region is riddled with sandmen right now and nowhere is safe anymore! The Swordmaidens under Commander Dise have taken a battering in an attempt to avoid the aliens!"

Ves knew this, but in his preoccupation of his own affairs he overlooked the implications the invasion might have on Ketis! That was a mistake!

While Ves thought highly of the Swordmaidens, they mainly fielded swordsman mechs.

It just so happened that sandmen ate melee mechs for breakfast!

This turned the sandmen into the worst possible enemies that the Swordmaidens could face on the battlefield!

"Why didn't you tell me, Ketis?"

"I don't want to bother you while you were on your trip. I know it's important to you and that dragging you into this mess will distract you. That's why I also told Calsie and Melkor to refrain from mentioning anything."

"Well, Melkor just told me that I should speak to you. He's right."

She grimaced a bit. "Traitor."

"Why do you want to keep me out?"

"I knew you couldn't do much for the Swordmaidens. Not only are you far away from home, but even if you were here, you can't possibly do anything to save them. Besides, I already asked someone else for help. Someone who is better positioned to save them and shelter them from the sandmen."

Ves frowned. "Who?"

She glanced at him with a deliberate expression. "Your friend whose name starts with the letter C."

Calabast. It made sense. Of all the contacts they knew, only Calabast possessed the resources and reach to rescue the Swordmaidens!

Yet why did she agree to do so? Ves struggled to find the meaning of Calabast's decision.

"What did C want in return?"

"C agreed to rescue my sisters as long as they are willing to work for her. Since she was very sincere in her offer, Commander Dise jumped at the opportunity!"

Ves hadn't been the only person to go on a recruiting spree, it seemed. While Ves still doubted how useful it was for her to turn the Swordmaidens into her subordinates, she actually picked up quite a bargain!

This was because Commander Dise was actually a secret expert candidate! Their adventures on Aeon Corona VII inadvertently tied her to Qilanxo and Captain Orfan. Ever since they escaped the heavy gravity planet, the Swordmaidens would never be the same under her leadership.

In fact, Ves harbored some ambition to take them over himself, but it turned out that Calabast had already been several steps ahead of him! She hadn't been sitting still all this time!

He didn't blame Calabast for making good use of this opportunity. He had been splitting his time on way too many affairs that it might be better if his supposed partner took some responsibilities off his shoulders.

"Does this mean you work for C now?"

"You know where my heart lies. I have always been a Swordmaiden. That has never changed."

Ves accepted this answer. He did not begrudge her for staying true to her heart. Besides, working for Calabast did not mean that she left his orbit.

"So.. how are the Swordmaidens doing?"

"C managed to rescue them, or at least their survivors. Due to the current sandman crisis and the huge amount of refugees fleeing from their homes, it's not very difficult for C to arrange new identities for them and mix them among the former citizens of the fallen states. No one really cares anyway, and the veracity of their identities can't be confirmed considering that the sandmen have eaten most of the databases situated in the fallen states."

This was the perfect time for pirates and other scum to gain new identities. With billions or even trillions of refugees and dispossessed citizens on the move, it was extremely easy for someone like Calabast to make the Swordmaidens adopt the identities of those who died!

Perhaps her covert actions might have invited some scrutiny during ordinary times, but with how the crisis swamped every administration, there was no way any authority could spare the time to hunt for pirates among the refugees!

"So what will your sisters be doing?"

"Once they recover and rebuild once again, they'll do whatever C tells them to do. In any case, Commander Dise has hit it off pretty well with our new boss. My sisters are very happy with our savior."

That was something that he could easily imagine.

"Okay. I'm glad to hear that the Swordmaidens have ended up in good hands. What about you? Will you still remain with the LMC?"

She nodded. "I still have much to learn. The Swordmaidens don't need my help right now. Not in my current state."

"I'm glad to hear that. Whatever you or C decide, I'm willing to accept your choices."

As his first student, he wanted the best for Ketis. He did not particularly mind if she stopped working for the LMC, as he now gained a much better helper in the form of Gloriana.

It seemed like he needed to have a good talk with Calabast when he returned home. Ves gained the sneaking suspicion that she was up to something.

They turned to other topics. Ketis briefly reported about the ongoing testing of the prototype of the Desolate Soldier.

"So far, none of the test results yielded too many divergences from the simulations. Your mech is really basic but very well put together. Since it's not a very complicated mech, I'll have a report ready for you in the next few days."

The short testing period matched his expectations. The Desolate Soldier differed a lot from the Aurora Titan and Transcendent Messenger, both of which required weeks of continuous testing!

"I look forward to receiving the results, though it sounds like there are only small discrepancies."

They quickly ended the call after that, leaving Ves to ruminate over the revelations he heard.

It appeared that Calabast was making a move to form the shadow force he always wanted to form.

"It's better to leave this matter in the hands of an expert." He muttered.

Ves already had his hands full in managing three different mech forces under his command.

First, he planned to place most of his attention and resources into cultivating the Avatars of Myth into his premier elite mech troop.

He wanted to uplift its mechs and mech pilots to second-class standard. While this took a lot of money and effort, so long as his collaborations with Gloriana bore fruit, Ves didn't think that money would be an issue.

Second, he wanted to form a more expendable mech force in the form of the Battle Criers. Ves planned to utilize the Battle Criers in a different capacity and make them do the jobs that would sully the Avatars.

While some parts of their job description overlapped with Calabast's shadow force, the most important merit of the Battle Criers was that they only answered to him! Ves was not foolish enough to depend completely on Calabast for certain matters in the dark.

"Besides, as long as they can be retrained into second-class mech pilots, they can accompany me on my grand expedition."

The final and largest mech force consisted of his newly-established Living Sentinels. Melkor and Calsie were still in the process of setting them up under the umbrella of the LMC. Nonetheless, by the time Ves returned to the Bright Republic, Ves expected them to complete the transition of the more casual and less committed Avatars to the new company force.

Unlike the former two outfits, Ves did not care too much for the Living Sentinels. The reason why he planned to put them under the LMC's management was because they were beneath his attention.

"It's fine if they turn into glorified security guards. They don't need to do anything else."

The relentless sandmen invasion would serve as a useful test for all three forces.

Once he finished his affairs, he returned to work.

During the next few days, Ves received the complete testing report from Ketis. The prototype performed close to his expectations.

Nonetheless, the results yielded by the prototype weren't as relevant as he initially expected as Ves already implemented numerous changes to the Desolate Soldier design. Gloriana already exerted influence on the direction of his work.

While the project had already reached a very advanced stage for her to make a bigger contribution, she was already responsible for suggesting numerous small changes.

Ves applied the testing results to the second iteration of his mech design as best as possible before ordering the LMC to test his second prototype.

Due to Gloriana's meticulousness, Ves was very confident that his second prototype would incorporate a lot less flaws. He believed the Desolate Soldier design was ready to be published as soon as he addressed the flaws revealed by his second prototype.

Time began to pass as the fleet raced back to the Bright Republic as fast as possible.

Fortunately, many of their ships were quite fast. As long as they took the most direct route by passing through as many port systems as possible, Ves expected to be back within two months.

That was still too slow in his book.

"What's worrying you, Ves?" Gloriana asked as he furrowed his brows after another design session.

"It's taking too long to return to the Bright Republic. Already, my competitors at home have already begun to publish the mechs that are adapted to fight the sandmen threat."

Ves gestured his hands towards the terminal, which displayed a catalog of newly-introduced mech models. All of them consisted of mechs armed with ballistic and kinetic weapons! Even Professor Ventag published a rifleman mech design that adopted a similar premise to his own work!

"It's not too late." She spoke after she briefly studied the competition. "You'll just have to publish your mech design within a week."

"That means that I won't be able to hold a press conference in person. I've never introduced a new mech design while I was away."

"Ves, Ves, Ves. I think you are being a bit too dramatic. Many of the mech models put on the market recently haven't been accompanied by elaborate press conferences. The press and the public have better things to worry about than attending some extravagant product reveal. You don't have to do everything in person. Trust in your company to do its job to market your mech in your stead."

Ves really had a difficult time accepting her advice, but eventually he recognized that she had a point.

"You're right." He slumped. "The LMC at its current state already owns a formidable marketing operation. Combined with our existing fanbase, I won't have to be afraid that my Desolate Soldier will be buried amidst the hundreds of other mech designs that are introduced to the market at this moment."

Despite surrendering himself to the circumstances, he still worried a lot about whether his Desolate Soldier could gain enough momentum upon releases. Other mech designers weren't slacking off in promoting their new products. It was very hard for Ves to put his considerable fame in the Bright Republic to use when he wasn't there to attract the attention of the press!

"Why not rely on the Ylvainan mech market to form momentum for our product?" Gloriana suggested with a reassuring smile. "From what you've told me, you enjoy many fans there. As soon as you release your Desolate Soldier model to the Ylvaine Protectorate, you can expect to generate a lot of sales at the start!"

Ves rubbed his chin. "You're right. And as long as my Desolate Soldier is in such a high demand, the mech market of other states will definitely take notice!"

Only two issues stood in the way.

First, he needed to spend some time and effort to adapt his Desolate Soldier to the tastes of his Ylvainan customers. This not only entailed modifying its exterior, but also find some way to introduce an element of the Ylvainan Faith in the localized variant.

Second, he couldn't rely on the Mech Nursery to produce the Desolate Soldiers. The LMC's main manufacturing complex should reserve most of its production capacity to fulfill local demand.

Exporting copies of the Desolate Soldier from Cloudy Curtain to the Ylvaine Protectorate didn't make much sense anyway. It took too much time to get his mechs in the hands of his Ylvainan customers.

The best way to solve this problem was if the LMC partnered up with some native Ylvainan mech manufacturers!

"I guess it's time to make a call to a certain woman." He muttered.

Chapter 1524

He diverted some time to call Calabast's cover identity. Miss Cecily Curin answered his call promptly from the Ylvaine Protectorate.

As Ves briefly explained the circumstances of his nearly-completed Desolate Soldier design and his intentions to sell them in the Protectorate, Calabast casually waved her hand.

"Not a problem, Mr. Larkinson. Through the Living Mech Ylvaine Corporation, I have already established partnerships with numerous local manufacturers. As long as your localized variant lives up to its promises, many Ylvainans will no doubt favor your products heavily."

She went on to explain which mech manufacturers she managed to partner up with. None of them were top-tier companies, and none of them enjoyed the support of a Journeyman.

"These companies don't sound very outstanding." Ves frowned after he absorbed the information. "Without partnering up with us, they would have shuttered and failed due to their lack of competitiveness."

"While we can forge partnerships with better companies, the terms won't be in our favor. Bright Martyr or not, Journeymen don't work for charity. The advantage of our current arrangement is that we have managed to sign agreements with many mech manufacturers without giving up control. The LMYC can draw on a great amount of production capacity whenever we need it, allowing us to produce hundreds of your mechs a day!"

She transmitted some documents about the aggregate production capacity at their disposal. Ves became rather shocked at how many mech manufacturers agreed to partner up with the LMYC! Though any individual mech company wasn't worth his time, when their numbers accumulated into the dozens, their production capacity far surpassed that of the Mech Nursery!

"Good job, Miss Cecily..." Ves reluctantly said. "These partnerships couldn't have come at a better time. If everything goes according to plan, we can saturate the Ylvainan mech market with Desolate Soldiers almost immediately after I publish the base version and the variant of my design!"

"I can read the market circumstances as well as you do, Mr. Larkinson. As soon as I heard you were working on a new design, I contacted as many desperate mech manufacturers as I could. The sandman crisis severely affected all of their livelihoods as the sales for their staple mech models have collapsed. It turns out when your mech catalog only features melee or laser mech models, you are no longer relevant during this crisis."

The foresight displayed by Calabast always earned his admiration. Though she remained low-key so far, she had never stopped her machinations.

"How is the Ylvaine Protectorate faring during these times?"

"Not good. Our state has to guard both its front and its rear. The sandmen invaders will batter our borders first while the Star Faith Collective can sit back and threaten our rear border."

Ves frowned when he heard that. "Doesn't that go against the principle to unite against a common alien foe?"

"What are principles when there is no one around to enforce them?" Calabast shrugged in a fatalistic manner. "The second-rate states are preoccupied right now, and the MTA is strangely absent. While the Star Faith Collective probably doesn't have the guts to cross the line, they don't have to. They only have to deploy a large portion of their mech military at the border and make threatening movements."

"Which means the Protectors of the Faith can't afford to redirect too many of their mech regiments from the border with the Starrers to address the alien threat." Ves grimaced.

"Right. Technically, the Star Worshippers aren't doing anything wrong. Everytime we demand an explanation, they merely release a statement that claims that they are just setting up a defensive line against the sandmen invaders."

The sad part about this situation was that they weren't wrong. The Starrers wanted to kill two birds with one stone. By deploying their mech military in such a fashion, they not only increased the odds that the Ylvaine Protectorate would fall, but also have their forces in place to repel the sandmen forces that the Ylvainan forces had already weakened!

It was such a dirty move that Ves could only scratch his head at the audacity of the Star Worshippers. Normally, their actions would have invited censure from the MTA or the surrounding states, but with everyone so preoccupied with their own matters, the Starrers made a bold bet that no one would have the time to spare their attention on this insignificant matter!

"Does this mean the Protectorate is likely to fall?"

Miss Cecily smirked at him over the comm. "Don't count us out yet, Mr. Larkinson. The Kronons haven't made the best impression lately, but they are anything but weak."

She sounded awfully confident about the Protectorate, so Ves no longer concerned himself with their problems.

"What about you?" He asked. "How are you doing?"

"My position here is stabilized. I set out to build a foundation in the Ylvaine Protectorate, and I have succeeded. While the sandman invasion has thrown a wrench in my plan, I am still confident for the future."

"I heard that you picked up some strays during the crisis."

"As I should." She smiled meaningfully at him. Due to the unsecure comm channel, they couldn't go in too deep. "I advise you to do the same. An uncountable number of refugees have fled from the border states to the states in the rear. Many of these refugees are worthless, but not all. Mech designers, mech technicians, mech pilots and more have lost their homes and their possessions. Many of them are so desperate that they will eagerly accept any help."

I've already instructed my subordinates to sift through the refugees settled on the planet for any useful manpower."

He did not expect that much results to come from this search. The truly valuable individuals would have traveled aboard better starships and be able to approach powerful organizations for shelter. They wouldn't have been left destitute to the point where the Bright Republic dismissively dumped them onto rural planets.

"Do the best you can to take advantage of this crisis. Once the sandman invasion dies down, all of the territory left in the wake of the aliens are ripe for the picking."

A chortle escaped from his threat. "We have to survive the onslaught first."

After a bit more discussion, Ves was about to end the call. The questions that he really wanted to ask had to wait until he could visit her in person. Now that he conveyed his initial request and found out that Calabast didn't appear to be concerned, he could rest easy for the moment.

"Mr. Larkinson, please wait a moment." She raised her elegant hand. "Before you go, let me leave you with two warnings. First, your recent rise to prominence has led to severe shifts within your Larkinson Family. Don't underestimate the impact you have on your family's long-standing traditions. Second, no matter what disaster might occur, don't act like a fool and get entangled in affairs that are greater than you. Not every problem is your problem."

Was Calabast afraid that he would place his life in the line to defend the Bright Republic against the sandmen?

"I have a duty to assist my home state." He stated with some conviction. "If the Bright Republic is in trouble, I won't stand by without doing my best."

Having worked so long on the Desolate Soldier, Ves constantly honed his mind with duty. Some of it still lingered even when he wasn't actively working on his design!

"You're just a mech designer. Isn't that your tagline?" Calabast sighed at him. "Your only purpose in life is to design mechs for other people to use. Nowhere does it state that you have to place yourself in the line of fire and spit at your enemies."

He knew that, but he still felt restless at the thought of leaving his home state to its mercy. The Larkinson blood within him compelled him to do more, but it was hard to imagine he could do anything against an inflexible foe like the sandmen!

The call ended soon after. Ves mulled over Calabast's words for a bit but did not let it distract him from his current priorities. Right now, readying the Desolate Soldier for release demanded his total attention.

As soon as he rejoined Gloriana back at the workshop compartment, she hugged him with much greater affection than usual.

"Hihihi! You're back!" She cheered.

"Of course I'm back. There is always work to be done."

As Ves sat down at his seat behind a terminal, Gloriana shifted up to him and hugged him closer.

"Hey. What's the matter?"

"Nothing." She cutely shook her head. "I just want to make sure you still like me, that's all."

"Of course I do!"

She pressed her finger against his chest and started to draw circles on his dress shirt. "Well, you just had a call with a woman you consider your partner."

"She's just a strategic partner to me." He reassured her. He knew that Gloriana and Calabast held a private chat with each other one time, but he had no idea what kind of accord they reached. "I doubt she's interested in me the way I do. I'm not her type."

"You never know. While I'm already aware of your brilliance, I'm afraid that woman will change her mind once she realizes how exceptional you truly are. I won't hold back if she thinks she can encroach upon my territory!"

Oh, out of the three of them, Calabast probably knew him the best! In his eyes, Gloriana's fears were unfounded!

"Are you jealous?" He asked with an amused smile.

Her palm slapped against his chest!

"Don't joke around, Ves! That woman is poisonous! You have no reason to cast your puppy eyes in her direction when I'm around! I know it frustrates you that we can't express our intimacy to each other, but please be patient. As long as we work hard enough, you'll definitely earn my mother's approval in time!"

Though Ves found her apparent distress amusing, he didn't have the heart to keep her suffering. He hugged her back and kissed her cheek.

"You misunderstand, Gloriana. I only have eyes for you. I'm not the kind of scumbag who will cheat on you, and I have never considered that woman to be anything other than a strategic partner. Instead of worrying your pretty little head over these nonexistent problems, why not get back to work? I still need to develop a variant and put the finishing touches on the Desolate Soldier design."

Upon his encouragement, they returned to work. As soon as they started working on their project, all signs of disharmony disappeared. Their shared occupation allowed them to share their feelings at a level that transcended ordinary conversations.

Ves already enjoyed designing mechs by himself, but sharing his passion with a loving woman was one of the greatest pleasures imaginable! He could hardly imagine going back to returning to his hermit ways and working on his designs all by his lonesome self!

Though his productivity declined a bit because he constantly had to work in tandem with Gloriana, the exchange of insights and the bouncing of ideas led to much more fruitful gains.

Not only were they able to achieve significantly better results, they also learned much more in the process!

All the while, Ves also became more and more familiar with her design philosophy, while Gloriana understood more of their principles.

Days went by as his subordinates back home tested the second prototype as fast as possible. When Ketis transmitted the results to Ves, he discovered that the solutions suggested by Gloriana did not yield a lot of problems.

"That's pretty good!"

The lack of any major issues meant that Ves possessed the confidence to make his third iteration of the Desolate Soldier design the final one. He only took the time to address some of the minor problems that had emerged from the testing into the base version and his newly-developed variant.

Since Ves placed a lot of importance on the Ylvainans to propel his new products to success, he did not dare to neglect this side project! Both Ves and Gloriana meticulously began to apply their strengths to the localized variant.

"What will you call it, Ves?"

"I call it the Holy Soldier. Faith is just as important as duty to the Ylvainans. My variant must channel both in order to rally the faithful!"

Chapter 1525

Designed solely for the Protectorate's mech market, the Holy Soldier was mostly a cosmetic spin on the Desolate Soldier. Ves added some aesthetic decoration to the mostly-bare frame of the Desolate Soldier in the form of religious iconography and symbols.

This was just one aspect of change. The other aspect concerned its spiritual nature and was just as important if not more so to the Holy Soldier's success in the Protectorate's mech market!

Despite the makeover, his variant still resembled the Desolate Soldier in contour any many other aspects. One of the most distinguishing touches he added at the end was the Rescue Particle Generator.

Ves refrained from incorporating it in his previous Devil Tiger project, but he didn't want to leave it out this time. While the Rescue Particle Generator was just a tiny component, adding it to the Desolate Soldier design and its variant still added a small burden to their designs.

Fortunately, with the help of Gloriana, he minimized the impact of its addition. He puzzled more over how he wanted to express its visual impact.

"You always turn every mech design into a work of art." Gloriana observed as she cuddled up next to him. "To be honest, I don't entirely approve. Adding superfluent components and decorations to your mech affects its performance. The reason why most mech designers haven't followed suit is because the spec sheets of her products will look worse."

"The performance drop is minor, especially if I'm careful about it. To me, the technical performance of a mech is not the sole factor in determining whether it's a good product. How people react to my mech is just a factor in determining its effectiveness. If a mech looks impressive, it can lift up the mech pilot's confidence and boost the morale of friendlies. If my artistic expression can allow the mech pilot to become five percent more effective in exchange for a single percent percent performance drop, then that is more than worth the tradeoff!"

Though Gloriana understood his logic, it conflicted with her own principles. She placed a very high importance on the technical excellence of her mechs. To sacrifice performance for visual flair was difficult for her to accept.

Nonetheless, her definition of perfect vessel was not as inflexible as Ves initially thought. Having worked alongside her many days now, he learned the best way to make her swallow something different was to convince her that it produced a better outcome on the battlefield.

After a bit of time, she reluctantly nodded. "Morale and courage can't be measured. It's not surprising for mech designers to neglect the impact their products have on the attitudes of the mech pilots and other friends. You know more than me on this front."

"If you look at the battle reports of my mech models, you'll see that a lot of victories have been achieved because the mech pilots of my products have performed better than expected."

Since Ves managed to resolve Gloriana's difficulties, they continued to work together to integrate the Rescue Particle Generator in the two designs.

What Ves hoped to see was entire formations of Desolate Soldiers or Holy Soldiers firing at the sandmen invaders in unison. He wanted to enhance the visual impact of witnessing so many identical mechs fighting in unison, knowing that if the footage became more striking, those who watched it became more interested in the mechs.

Since Ves still wanted to keep the Desolate Soldier and its variant as simple as possible, he limited his implementation to a small module affixed into chest plating of the mech.

The module was easily installable and removable. Its impact on the mech was kept to a minimum. Its only purpose was to release a simple vapor trail from the position of the heart of a human body.

Ves set the default tint of this vapor trail as orange, but its owners could opt to change the tint to any shade they wished, allowing it to match their outfit or regimental colors.

For example, Ves turned the vapor trail white for the Holy Soldier to symbolize the purity of the Ylvainan Faith.

"I like how it looks." Gloriana tentatively nodded as they studied a simulation of how the Rescue Particle Generator performed in a theoretical battle. "It only works best when the mech is flying backwards, though."

"Against typical sandmen threats, my mechs will predominantly be asked to fire at the sandmen while maintaining distance as much as possible."

"I like how the Desolate Soldier and the Holy Soldier both resemble each other in this regard. Despite their differences, it's immediately apparent that they belong to the same product line."

Ves placed a lot of importance on tying the two designs together. If the Holy Soldier ever grew in popularity, Ves hoped that the variant's success would also lift up the base model. Ves cared far more about the latter because of its universality.

"These changes only represent one side of the coin."

Ves snuck back to his guest room and surreptitiously recalled his design for the Transcendent Messenger and made contact with Prophet Ylvaine's spiritual fragment.

To his surprise, the spiritual fragment felt much stronger now! Though he only recreated it from a tiny spiritual remnant of the original prophet, it somehow grew exceedingly fast! Though it was still a way off from reaching the level of an ace pilot, Ves believed that it was only a matter of time!

No matter how the spiritual fragment grew so fast, Ves still had a job to do. He made his request.

Yet before he communicated his request, the fragment silently split off a mote of its spiritual energy and deposited to his mind. It was as if it already anticipated his request and accepted ahead of time!

"What?"

The fragment didn't stick around to resolve his confusion and quickly withdrew as if it had better things to do. Ves was left befuddled as his spiritual senses tried to wrap around the mote that Ylvaine's spiritual fragment had gifted without a word.

"Mysterious bastard! Keep pretending you can predict the future!" He cursed.

Whatever. He got what he wanted without the fuss he expected. Though Ylvaine's spiritual fragment only left him with a minute piece of itself, Ves could feel the same holy presence from this tiny mote.

While it didn't appear to be very impressive, just a tiny hint of its awe-inspiring presence should be enough to invigorate the faiths of every Ylvainan within the range of its aura!

While the Solemn Guardian played the leading role, the insertion of this tiny extension of Ylvaine's spiritual fragment ought to be enough to add some flavor to a monotone-tasting drink.

"Just like what I did with the Transcendent Messengers." He nodded confidently, certain that his idea would work.

Back then, he varied the individual expression of each separate mech by messing with their spiritual components. This time, Ves would extend the same idea to an entire variant rather than a couple of physical copies.

"I just have to make sure that the two components don't cancel each other out." He muttered.

He needed the Solemn Guardian and the mote to share the same space in the Holy Soldier design. Ves had never done this before.

The time had come to finalize his designs and infuse them with their design spirits.

He faced an important decision. He turned to Nitaa, who was standing guard from the side of the guest room.

"Do you think Gloriana can be trusted?"

His bodyguard did not dismiss the question out of hand. "I'm not sure. My judgement is that she is very sincere towards you, but that might not necessarily be the case of the people around her. Her secretary Melody, the crew of Stellar Chaser and the Glory Battalion responsible for guarding her life all answer to Madame Constance Wodin or the Wodin Dynasty."

Her words pointed out an uncomfortable truth. Unlike Ves, Gloriana had always been raised with the full support of her mother. The Wodin Dynasty poured a lot of resources into her upbringing and always took care of many matters in her stead.

This led to a situation where Gloriana lacked the kind of confidantes that Ves slowly surrounded himself with. He had no doubt that if her mother issued an order to recall Gloriana back to the Scimitar System in Hegemony space, the Glory Battalion would drag her back by force!

Gloriana's overreliance on forces that didn't necessarily answer to her was one of the reasons why Ves still persisted in cultivating his own forces.

"Okay, I think you have a point. I think I will let Gloriana have a glimpse of what I can do, but only her. No one else must pry."

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out on the guards."

Ves turned to Lucky, who was lounging lazily on his bed. "You have to help me too, buddy."

"Meow."

Once he made his decision, he decided to call Gloriana to his guest room rather than head back to the workshop compartment. The latter still possessed an intact monitoring system.

Some time passed until Gloriana and her assistant Melody entered the guest room.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Larkinson?" Melody clutched her hexagonal data pad tightly.

Ves innocently held out his hands. "It's not what you think. I just want to show Gloriana something in private. You can stay in the guest room while we're busy. I swear we aren't up to anything funny!"

Though it took some convincing, Melody eventually acquiesced. She stood next to Nitaa and observed Ves and Gloriana sitting on the bed.

Once they made themselves comfortable, Ves activated his jammer. It was enough to interfere with the surrounding air without blocking Melody's view, so the latter did not object.

"What did you want to show me that's so important that you had to call me here?"

"I've been thinking about showing you some of what I can do. It will be difficult for you to perceive, but you deserve to witness this moment. What I'm about to do is putting the final touches to our designs."

She looked curious at him. "I thought we already completed the designs."

"Not quite." He smiled. "While it's true that we have declared their physical designs complete, there is still one more component missing from both designs. I think it's best for me to demonstrate."

For the first time in his life, Ves was about to reveal one of the methods that made his mech designs special to another mech designer.

While Nitaa already witnessed him in action before, her lack of understanding towards mechs had mostly left her in the dark.

Someone like Gloriana would be able to pick up a lot more. Not only because she understood mechs as well as him, but also because she was a spiritually-strong individual. Even if her spiritual perception was nowhere close to his own, she should still be able to sense something.

Ves silently activated his comm and projected two of his designs. At the same time, he concentrated his mind while dragging one of the P-stones to his side.

"What does this exotic have to do with your designs?" She questioned.

As the owner of the Stellar Chaser, she knew that Ves brought a bunch of containers when he moved onto the ship. She never understood what kind of role his exotics played.

"Observe." Ves smiled at her. "Try and feel what I do instead of relying on your conventional senses."

Ves started by placing his finger onto the surface of the occupied P-stone. He utilized his Spirituality to lift the trapped spiritual product from its prison.

The Solemn Guardian hadn't matured very much since he put it into the P-stone. This was exactly as Ves intended. It still emanated a pure and innocent aura of duty.

The moment Ves pulled it out, Gloriana shifted a bit. It appeared she sensed something remarkable, but she failed to spot anything with her eyes!

Without explaining anything, Ves ushered the Solemn Guardian into the Desolate Soldier design.

As if sensing the immense compatibility between the two, the Solemn Guardian did not resist the move. Once it settled into the conceptual space of the Desolate Soldier design, the newly-installed design spirit quickly melded into its new home, instantly empowering its X-Factor to greater heights!

"Ves!" Gloriana gasped. "Your design suddenly changed! It feels so much more remarkable, just like the Aurora Titan and your other designs! Did you just infuse it with one of your proto-gods?!"

Ves did not want to admit it directly. "I added in the final component. Pay careful attention to what I do next."

He retrieved the mote of Ylvaine's spiritual fragment and put it into the Holy Soldier design. Next, he began to do something he always theorized but never put into action before.

He projected his Spirituality and applied it towards the Solemn Guardian. He conveyed a request to the spiritual product.

Some time passed before the Solemn Guardian suddenly projected itself onto the Holy Soldier design!

The variant's close similarity to the Desolate Soldier made this interaction possible!

Chapter 1526

While Ves showed off his tricks to his girlfriend, something significant was about to happen elsewhere.

Within the Nyxian Gap, nuclear fury engulfed a massive fortification built into a cold and frozen mountain range!

A tide of doom crawlers advanced across the rogue planet's dark and desolate surface in an implacable tide. Hundreds of broken enemy pirate mechs lay fallen in their path. None of them had managed to dent the heavy armor of the Spyre Helix Annihilators!

The performance of the Annihilators exceeded the expectations of their owners! They managed to advance fast enough to catch the occupying pirate alliance off-guard while at the same time unleash a prodigious amount of ordnance towards the fortification!

With each volley of missiles or cannons, the fortifications cracked or vaporized. No matter how deep the fortification reached, the immense amount of firepower arrayed against it rendered nearly every barrier meaningless!

Plenty of pirates managed to escape the attacks by the skin of their teeth. Some of them had been tasked with defending the fortification against the advancing doom crawlers, but after seeing hundreds of their fellow pirates being struck down by immense volleys of high-energy gamma lasers, the subsequent waves all turned tail and left!

Elsewhere in the Nyxian Gap, Cynthia Larkinson sensed something amiss, but she couldn't quite tell what was wrong.

Her diminutive body rose as she interrupted her meditation. "We need to move. The Nyxian Gap is about to erupt."

Though her husband didn't know what was going on, he trusted her judgement. He sat up from his desk and affixed his crude helmet onto his head.

"Where to?" He asked.

"The border to the Sentinel Kingdom. Opportunities await us there, but we should be careful not to stick around for long."

Upon the Dark Cleaver's orders, the growing fleet of the Oblivion Hand moved out. As dark mercenaries, they earned their keep by offering their services to the highest bidder.

Though Cynthia and Ryncol Larkinson were both being pursued, they still needed to play by the rules of the Nyxian Gap. It was time for the Oblivion Hand to earn their keep!

As an enormous conflict sparked in the Nyxian Gap, elsewhere in the Komodo Star Sector another major event took place.

In the border between the Ylvaine Protectorate and the Star Faith Collective, six different strategic border systems suddenly became host to six massive fleets!

Alarms immediately rung at one of the listening posts installed by the Star Worshippers. Though nothing more than a tiny artificial satellite parked in an asteroid belt in the outer system, the handful of Star Soldiers manning the stations looked in shock as they took in the readings.

"It's the alien lovers! They've all gone mad!"

The sensor readings returned by the outlying sensors painted an increasingly more frightening picture.

Ten combat carriers, twenty combat carriers, thirty combat carriers, forty combat carriers! The sensors kept detecting more vessels, all of them packed to the brim with military mechs!

The Protectors of the Faith committed multiple mech divisions to a surprise attack on the Creinze System, a strategic star system of the Star Faith Collective!

The worst part about it was that none of the Star Worshippers had an inkling that the Ylvainans were mad enough to launch this attack!

"Warn headquarters! Transmit all of the data as we can!" The Star Worshipper in charge commanded.

The listening post scarcely managed to transmit the first batch of highly-detailed sensor data before a missile struck the well-hidden listening post!

Though situated a distance away from the translation point of the Ylvainan fleet, the Kronons already prepared this operation for at least a year. They knew the location of every listening post and already put assets into place to take them out and deny the enemy detailed readings!

Despite taking out the listening posts and other vulnerable sensor sites, headquarters still received enough information to know that something was amiss!

A fist banged against a planning table!

"How can those alien lovers sneak at least three mech divisions into our star system?!" A mech general raged!

An intelligence officer looked apologetic. "They misled our observers we've placed in their border systems. We all thought the recent movements signified that the Kronon Dynasty directed their mech divisions to the other side of their state to bolster their defenses against the sandmen."

"How can you miss something as obvious as their direction?!"

"We failed to track the progress of their fleet movements! Our current guess is that they traveled to a minor star system before turning around to cross into our border!"

The gravity of the situation became more evident as the Star Army's other bases along the border transmitted distress as well!

"Mad! The Ylvainans have all gone mad! They must have committed at least a fourth of their mech militaries to this mad venture!"

The mech general in charge of the Star Army of the Creinze System simply couldn't fathom why the Ylvainans launched an unprovoked attack on six heavily-fortified star systems at once!

Though the Kronon Dynasty committed a great number of mech divisions to their invasions, the Star Army fortified their positions at the border well. Their numbers roughly matched their opponents, but they possessed a vital defensive advantage.

As soon as the mech general thought about the defensive turrets and orbital platforms, his panic subsided.

"Why are they launching this attack?" Another mech officer asked. "They can't hope to dislodge us from our star systems as long as entrench ourselves!"

"This isn't an invasion." The general mulled. "It's a raid. The Ylvainans can't possibly mean to invade us while the sandmen are about to crash into their territory. I believe they intend to inflict as much damage as possible in order to shock us into paralysis. As long as they manage to destroy our infrastructure, we won't be able to pose a realistic threat to the Protectorate for at least a year! They can rest easy and devote most of their attention to repelling the sandmen!"

That was exactly what the Star Worshippers didn't want to see! The Star Army built up a significant presence in the Creinze System and the other star systems under assault as launching points for a future invasion into Protectorate space.

Destroying and crippling the infrastructure, supply depots and bases on Creinze IV and other occupied planets made a future invasion much more difficult, to the point where the Star Army would certainly choose to waste valuable time in rebuilding what they lost!

Three Kronon mech divisions numbering at least thirty-thousand mechs bore down on Creinze IV. Half of them consisted of spaceborn mechs, which took the lead in escorting the massive raiding fleet to the garden-like planet.

The Star Army responded in kind by deploying their spaceborn mech regiments in a defensive posture.

Yet even as they hugged their orbital defense platforms, the extra firepower and defensive cover barely made a difference!

Hundreds of huge, identical mechs deployed in front of the Kronon invasion fleet and put their huge tower shields in front of vulnerable ranged mechs.

As soon as a defensive platform fired a laser at one of the Ylvainan defensive mechs, a shimmering layer of energy appeared over the surface of the shield and withstood most of the energy!

"For the prophet!"

"For the Kronon Dynasty!"

"For the Bright Martyr!"

Though the new mechs withstood a bit less damage than the heavy space knights deployed by the Kronons, the appearance of these strange new mechs strangely invigorated all of the Ylvainan mech pilots!

Upon closer inspection, the Star Army managed to identify the new model as the Aurora Titan, a commercial mech model!

Despite its inadequacies compared to proper military mech models, its protective aura along with the significance of its designer firmed the hearts of every Ylvainan mech pilot on the battlefield!

"They just won't fall! No matter how much we fire at them, they aren't showing signs of faltering!"

The Ylvainans struck the first blow. Each and every Kronon taking part in this surprise attack had mentally prepared themselves to fight for the Protectorate and the Ylvainan Faith!

They knew that so long as they let the Star Faith Collective watch the Protectorate fend the sandmen off by themselves, the Star Army would inevitably take advantage and take the final prize!

Therefore, the brightest strategic minds of the Kronon Dynasty decided upon a very bold course of action.

Smash the noses of the Star Worshippers before the sandmen invasion arrived at their doorsteps!

With the Aurora Titans serving their vital function, the fanatical Ylvainan mech divisions managed to get close enough to destroy the defensive platforms and push back the spaceborn mech regiments of the Star Army.

"We shall grind the stars beneath our boots!"

The Star Worshippers had genuinely been caught by surprise. The short amount of time since the arrival of the Ylvainans into the Creinze System hadn't been enough to firm up their resolve. Every Star Worshipper thought that they would be the ones to invade their enemies, not the other way around!

These differences all proved pivotal as the spaceborn mechs of the defenders continued to give ground until they lost orbital supremacy over Creinze IV.

While the Star Army's spaceborn mech forces managed to retain most of their strength, they could barely keep their Ylvainan counterparts busy while they desperately tried to reconsolidate their disarrayed units.

The Kronon fleet inflicted such a shock that they easily managed to make enough room to land half of their combat carriers to the surface of Creinze IV.

All over the planet, several combat carriers landed at each local site. Nonetheless, most of the combat carriers landed near the capital city and the site of the main base and headquarters of the Star Army!

The combat carriers muscled their way through a torrent of anti-air fire. Some of the vessels opened their mech bays and released hundreds of aerial mechs, which quickly started to shoot fixed emplacements!

Most combat carriers managed to land on the ground intact. As soon as their hatches slid open, entire landbound mech companies and mech regiments started to form up into loose ranks.

Though the Kronons predominantly fielded their own mechs, some mech regiments were different.

They decided to form entire mech companies out of two distinct commercial mech models!

The Blackbeak and the Crystal Lord! When paired together, their effective performance did not fall short compared to regular military mech models, especially when piloted by highly-trained Kronon mech pilots!

What was more, the collective auras they exuded overlapped to such a great degree that they began to encompass every Ylvainan mech committed to the invasion!

"Bright Martyr! Bright Martyr! Bright Martyr!"

Before the landed mechs proceeded to assault the main base on Creinze IV, one last combat carrier landed amidst the throng of mechs and ships.

Different from the other combat carriers, the latest vessel exhibited a different coating from all of the mech regiments deployed for this assault. The vessel also lacked the standard Kronon heraldry affixed to every mech and ship.

"The Inquisition." The hushed whispers rang through the comm channels of the Kronon mech regiments.

Once the hatch slid open, a single, resplendent mech stepped forward.

One of the six Transcendent Messengers of the Ylvaine Protectorate made a personal appearance.

"Zeal."

Another series of whispers propagated through the channels. This time, they all sounded reverend, as if the Zeal deserved nothing less.

The three leading dynasties constantly argued over committing all six Transcendent Messengers to this risky operation. Yet the approaching sandmen threat convinced the radicals that the Protectorate had to succeed.

Not a single assault could fail! As long as the Star Army still retained one of their forward bases, they would always be able to press a knife into the back of the Protectorate!

Facing two existential crises at once, the leaders of the Protectorate decided that they needed to pull out all of the stops!

Taon Melin glanced at the thousands of Kronon mechs forming up on the local plot. His mech, the Zeal, raised its sword arm upwards and pointed the tip of the weapon in the air.

"The Great Prophet is watching over us. The Bright Martyr is watching over us! Will we allow these degenerate Star Worshippers to trample over the Protectorate our ancestors worked hard to build?"

"No!"

"Will we allow our faith to fall in front of the Great Prophet?"

"No!"

"Will we disgrace ourselves by allowing the great works of the Bright Martyr to come to harm?"

"No!"

"Then fight! You are the Protectors of the Faith, and it is time for you to embody your titles! Attack!"

The Zeal chopped its sword towards the Star Army's fortifications with force!

At the same time, Melin's conviction resonated with the intense faith and zeal of his hero mech, amplifying its aura! Its reach and intensity expanded considerably, causing every Kronon mech pilot within range to feel unprecedentedly sacred!

"YLVAINE SHALL PREVAIL!"

Chapter 1527

The status of the Bright Martyr became considerably contentious after his arrival and departure in the Ylvaine Protectorate.

Some believed he was a charlatan. Others couldn't get over the fact that a foreigner became the next martyr. The upper ranks of the leading dynasties did their best to temper everyone's worship of the Bright Martyr. They became fearful of what might ensue if their flock demanded a new shepherd.

Though the three leading dynasties managed to reduce most mentions and calls to revere the Bright Martyr in the media, it had already gone out of control.

Practically every Ylvainan became aware of the Bright Maryr's existence, and his rise was the most exciting incident to happen in the last four-hundred years since the founding of the Protectorate.

Unless they relied on more coercive measures, there was no conceivable way to erase the name of the Bright Martyr from the lips of the Ylvainans.

Having been raised from birth to worship the Great Prophet and his handpicked martyred followers, the rise of a new martyr became an unquestionably alluring focus of their devotion!

"Prophet Ylvaine has never left us! Look at the Bright Martyr! His appearance is proof that the prophet is still with us! Just look at his works and you will know the truth!"

While the Poxco Dynasty made numerous proposals to enact such measures, the Curin Dynasty always opposed the Attendants of Ylvaine.

Even the Kronon Dynasty refused to entertain such means. As the Protectors of the Flock, it had always been their duty to protect the Ylvainans. They were not about to allow anyone to harm them in such fashion!

The belief in the Bright Martyr therefore managed to spread among the lower classes of the Protectorate without too much hindrance. It became so expected that others shared in this belief that those who were skeptical stuck out like sore thumbs!

"What do you mean you think the Bright Martyr is fake? That's absurd! You're no longer my friend if you believe in this slander!"

One of the most influential factors that reinforced everyone's worship of the Bright Martyr was the existence of the Transcendent Messengers. Anyone who witnessed the divinely-inspired hero mechs in person unquestionably believed that the Bright Martyr had been touched by the Great Prophet!

Even the middle and upper ranks of the leading dynasties started to become swayed! The more faith they possessed, the more the Transcendent Messenger demanded their acknowledgement!

The Ylvaine Protectorate slowly but surely started to change. Among the many societal changes and reforms, the Kronon Dynasty began to shift their stodgy traditions as well.

Having stagnated for so long, the Bright Martyr's rebuke prodded them into action. Military officers became more daring and started to act with more autonomy.

Outfitting some of their mech regiments with mechs from the LMC had been among their more presumptuous actions! Since when did a mech military resort to commercial mechs to fill up their mech roster?

Yet how could the critics rebuke the officers who made the decision to outfit their units with LMC mechs? Wouldn't that be affronting the Bright Martyr? Any word against the LMC mechs earned near-universal condemnation from the lower ranks of the Kronon Dynasty!

Having basked in the auras of so many mechs of the Bright Martyr, the Kronon mech pilots became fully convinced that their machines were special!

After a lot of internal turmoil, the Kronons from both sides reached a tentative compromise.

"The proof is in the pudding. Let us see the LMC mechs in action. Only a success in battle will those who support adopting these commercial mechs be vindicated!"

The adoption of LMC mechs occurred sporadically as only the most enthusiastic believers in the Bright Martyr embraced them at a wider scale. The mech pilots and mech officers who worked with the LMC mechs happened to have the most to prove in their first major action!

Their fervor to battle and win against the Star Worshippers was among the highest in the six raiding fleets!

This was the first time so many Blackbeaks, Crystal Lords and Aurora Titans had been deployed at once. Spread over six different strategic star systems in the territory of the Star Faith Collective, the initial stages of the incursions proceeded better than expected.

The Ylvaine Protectorate managed to hoodwink the Star Faith Collective and surprise them with their sudden assaults.

Yet as time went by and the Protectors of the Faith managed to land their ground forces on the surface of the fortified planets, the Star Army finished readjusting themselves.

The Ylvainans weren't the only people around who could whip up their men in religious frenzy!

Aware that the future of the Star Faith was at stake, the Star Worshippers ceased to be consumed by shock and began to ready their ground defenses!

"Crush the alien lovers!"

"The Ylvainans worship alien gods! Let us show them how little their gods care about their lives!"

On Creinze IV, a lot of infrastructure dispersed throughout the planet started to get overwhelmed or destroyed. However, the Star Worshippers concentrated most of their assets and vital infrastructure at Halifax Base.

The Star Army already gave up on defending the outlying facilities in favor of consolidating their mechs at Halifax Base.

Half underground and half aboveground, it took an immense effort to establish this base. The Ylvainans would never be able to destroy it by sitting back and letting their artillery mechs bombard the base from a distance.

"The only way to destroy Halifax Base and render the Creinze System useless as a staging point for the Star Army is to get up close!"

The Protectors of the Flock only had a limited amount of time to do their damage. They never intended to invade and occupy the star systems of their foes. With the sandmen breathing down their necks, they simply couldn't afford to fight on two fronts.

For this reason, speed was of the essence. The Ylvainan mech pilots deployed on Creinze IV did not enjoy a significant numerical advantage, so they had to rely on other factors to overwhelm the entrenched Star Worshippers.

Though the surprise factor had already faded, the Star Army had still been caught with their pants down. Many assets were still stored in containers piled up in warehouses, as the STar Army always expected that they would be the ones to make the first move.

The base commander of Halifax Base had never taken into account that the Ylvainans would be crazy enough to take the fight to them! Now, every Star Worshipper frantically started to deploy as many mobile and immobile assets as they could to reinforce the defenses of Halifax Base.

"We won't give you that time! Attack! Storm their fortifications!"

More than a dozen landbound mech regiments spread out and advanced towards an immense walled fort city shaped like a stylized star. Halifax Base was more than a city and more than a military base.

It concentrated the might of the Star Army and represented their people's hopes of conquering the stars!

"The stars are lifeless balls of plasma." Taon Melin scoffed as he piloted Zeal in the middle of the largest concentration advancing Kronon mechs. "Only life deserves worship!"

A momentous aura of zeal and faith washed over his fellow Kronon mech pilots. As long as they stayed within range, their fervor and motivation to fight on behalf of the Protectorate and the Ylvainan Faith reached astronomic levels!

The mechs under the influence of Zeal advanced considerably faster towards Halifax Base, as if they were the most eager among the Ylvainan ground forces to prove their devotion!

Already, artillery mechs and ranged mechs started to fire at the huge walls and the mechs hiding behind them. Numerous stationary turrets spat out deathly fire, but they served little more than a distraction.

"The walls of Halix Base lie before us!" Taon transmitted to all of the ground forces. "Our victory is ordained from the moment we have crossed into the Collective's territory. Let us herald the ascendancy of our faith by crushing the Star Army's ambition!"

Though his military rank wasn't high, his status as Zeal's chosen transcended the hierarchy of the Kronon Dynasty! When the chosen spoke up, every Ylvainan listened!

"Follow your orders and advance! Know that victory is assured as long as you hold the Great Prophet in your heart! Ylvaine shall prevail!"

"YLVAINE SHALL PREVAIL!"

Every Kronon mech advanced towards Halifax Base, forcing them to endure a prodigious sea of fire!

Thousands of defending mechs and turrets fired at the approaching Ylvainans, taking full advantage of the fortifications in place!

Over the air, Kronon aerial mechs tried their best to bombard the fortification from above, but the Star Army's aerial mechs successfully kept them entangled.

Fighting far beyond the range of any LMC mech, the aerial duels taking place above entered into a stalemate. Neither side was willing to take too many risks.

In contrast, the assault on the ground had become a lot more heated. Affected by Zeal, hundreds of mechs stormed forward with little regard for their lives!

Among the vanguard, the Blackbeaks led the charge! When entire mech companies consisted solely of this offensive knight model, the sheer amount of overlapping auras affected the mindsets of every mech pilot to a much greater degree than anyone anticipated.

Not just the mech pilots of the Blackbeaks, but also the mech pilots of the machines following behind them became swept up with a desire to close in on their enemies!

"Burn the Star Worshippers to ash! Let us show them what happens when they embrace their stars!"

The Blackbeaks possessed enough armor to withstand most of the defensive firepower pouring in their direction. They also moved fast enough to give the defenders little time to take potshots!

As offensive knights, the Blackbeaks were never designed to sit back and act as mobile shields for vulnerable ranged mechs.

No. The Blackbeaks performed best when they were put to their intended use, which was leading the charge towards the enemy!

A metaphorical collision occurred once the Blackbeaks reached the fortification. Despite the storm of fire pouring in their direction, their Veltrex Armor System held up admirably as it was not inferior to the armor system used by military mechs.

Other mechs, specialized for demolition, moved in and started to breach the tall walls using various means!

"We're in! Gogogo!"

Though many Blackbeaks already sustained severe damage, they succeeded in their primary goal! As the Ylvainans poured into the interior of Halifax Base, the more intact Blackbeaks kept fulfilling their functions by moving forward!

Halifax Base was both a city and a military base, so the fighting had just as far as both sides were concerned.

Nonetheless, propelled by Zeal, the Kronon ground forces continually poured through the breaches while pushing back the Star Army!

Despite the latter's defensive advantages, the differences in fighting will proved to be more decisive than the Star Army thought!

This was because just as Zeal's massive aura motivated the Ylvainans to fanaticism, it also pressed down on the hearts of the Star Worshippers within range!

Everytime a unit of the Star Army became affected by Zeal, the mech pilots became a little less confident, a little less certain and a little less convinced!

Some even started questioning their faith in the middle of an intensive firefight! Oftentimes, such distractions proved fatal!

In the complex urban environment of Halifax Base, the Crystal Lords began to shine.

These domineering, uncharacteristically resilient laser rifleman mechs danced in the streets and gunned down each and every mech in their way!

Their auras blended together and expanded across other friendly mechs, infecting them with the desire to defeat every enemy mech in order to prove their dominance!

"Our Crystal Lords are the kings of this battlefield! No other mech can withstand our fury of lasers!"

Just as in the case of Zeal, the overlapping auras of the Blackbeaks and the Crystal Lords depressed the morale of the enemy mech pilots by a small but very noticeable margin.

Not a single Star Worshipper within range felt comfortable as they resisted the Ylvainans!

With the attackers emboldened and the defenders quaking in their boots, resistance fell much easier than even the most optimistic Kronon strategists anticipated! The Star Army continually gave ground and more and more districts of Halifax Base started to fall under enemy occupation!

Taon Melin witnessed all of this at the center of the action. Zeal moved forward with implacable momentum. So long as Zeal was with the Kronons, they would never stop their advance!

Of course, the Star Army wasn't stupid. They studied their opponents well enough to realize the significance of Zeal!

Zeal stepped to the right just half a second before an extremely powerful laser beam burned through its former location!

"Expert mech!"

Just as the Starrer expert mech adjusted its aim, it suddenly rolled to the side as a powerful kinetic shell smashed the reinforced building it was hiding behind!

"Your opponent is me!" A Kronon expert mech stepped from the side.

As a national treasure, Zeal enjoyed the highest degree of protection!

Chapter 1528

The Star Army stationed many mech regiments at Halifax Base. Almost every mech regiment fielded at least one expert mech, and some were even luxurious enough to field more!

Yet the Kronons were no less blessed with expert mechs. Having planned this attack in advance, the Ylvainans made sure to bring at least an equal amount of expert mechs as their foes!

Amidst the thousands of standards fighting and dying for their state and beliefs, the expert mechs dueled each other with fire and fervor!

The primary objective of the Star Army's expert mechs immediately became obvious. They all identified Zeal as one of the primary force multipliers on the side of the Ylvainans.

Even if the Star Worshippers weren't aware of its aura, its symbolic significance alone made it worth diverting their top assets to take it down!

Yet each time a ranged expert mech tried to take a potshot of Zeal, it always danced aside at the nick of time! Famed Starrer expert marksmen who never failed to land their shots against regular targets somehow saw their skill and intuition fail them during this pivotal battle.

"How can this be?!"

"Is the person inside an expert pilot?!"

"The Inquisition mech isn't an expert mech! Its pilot isn't an expert pilot! There's an expert candidate inside!"

"We have to strangle this expert candidate in the cradle before he matures!"

The Starrer expert pilots became more determined than ever to take down Zeal and annihilate the supposed expert candidate inside its cockpit!

Something that only happened in major battles between states began to take place.

The Starrer expert mechs, normally assigned to cover their mech regiments, consolidated in squads and started to fight together in coordination!

"The Starrers are finally taking this battle seriously! Consolidate!"

The Ylvainan expert mechs followed suit. A large area in the center started to form as the standard mechs of both sides started to veer away.

In the face of a struggle between so many experts, regular mech pilots would only get in the way!

Both sides started to stare at each other.

While the Star Army's vaunted expert mechs had come within range of Zeal's massive aura, their strong-willed expert pilots outright disregarded it. As esteemed individuals regarded by many as demigods, their conviction never faltered from the influence of gods and transcendents!

The same was not the case for the Kronon expert pilots. Each of them were sincere believers in the Ylvainan Faith, and none of them ever looked down on Zeal despite its inferiority in comparison to expert mechs.

The strong faith and zeal radiating from Taon's Transcendent Messenger did not clash with their wills at all. Instead, the aura empowered their conviction, as each of them dedicated at least some portions of their force of will around their faith!

Ordinarily, a low-ranking mech pilot would never dare to speak to expert pilots as if they were under his command.

Taon Melin was different. He was chosen.

As he spoke to the Kronon expert pilots, he wasn't speaking with his own voice. He was speaking with the voice of the Great Prophet!

"Zeal is with you, Venerables. The fate of the Protectorate and our faith will be determined by our victory here today. Our opponents don't know it yet, but they are already doomed to lose!"

The Transcendent Messenger raised its sword yet again! The rays of the local star that the occupants of the Creinze System worshipped so much gleamed across its blade!

"The Protectorate shall rise after this day! Our people will vanquish the sandmen! Our beliefs will propagate across the stars! Ylvaine shall prevail!"

"Ylvaine shall prevail!"

The battle between experts commenced with fire and fury! Empowered by their will and faith, both sides fought as vigorously as possible. Expert mechs glowed with energy and radiance as their expert pilots resonated with their expert mechs to achieve impossible effects!

One Starrer striker mech for example attempted to fend off the light skirmishers attempting to pass it by and attack the more vulnerable ranged mechs in the rear. The muzzle of its massive shotgun glowed before blasting out numerous shards empowered by resonance!

The sharp and deathly shards cut through the reinforced buildings like butter, but when they raked against the surface of the light skirmishers, they only left shallow scratches!

Even the lightest expert mech was far more resilient than any conventional mech! Some of the normal rules governing standard mech combat no longer applied at the expert level!

The Starrer striker mech expected this result. Even as it unleashed another spray of shards, it jumped backwards with rapid speed! Normal striker mechs moved as sluggishly as knight mechs, but this one managed to keep up with ordinary light mechs!

In the air, a trio of ranged aerial expert mechs from the Star Army attempted to take advantage of their commanding height to take down Zeal!

Nonetheless, Zeal unflinchingly dodged each and every laser beam and kinetic round propelled in its direction without fail!

In fact, it not only managed to dodge every shot with preternatural intuition, it also started to counterattack by lifting its rifle arm to shoot its exposed attackers!

Though the powerful laser rifle wielded by Zeal failed to inflict serious damage on the fantastic armor systems of the aerial mechs, the problem was that the hits never stopped! No matter how much one of the three expert mechs tried to doge, Taon Melin always managed to land his laser beams at a specific joint in the Starrer aerial mech's flight system!

"What's with this guy's aim!?"

Of course, more Starrer expert mechs focused their firepower on the Zeal. Knowing that the fate of the battle between standard mechs depended on the presence of Zeal, each and every Starrer mech pilot set their sights on this hated Ylvainan mech!

Even though Zeal came under an increasing amount of fire, Taon never retreated! It held its central position as if the fate of the Protectorate rested on his shoulders!

Just when it became too much to bear, an expert knight mech interposed its resonating shield in front of the beleaguered Transcendent Messenger mech.

"Zeal shall never fall as long as my armor and shield of faith still hold!"

The Starrer expert mechs focused so much of their attention on taking down Zeal that their preoccupation proved unfortunate!

Most of the Ylvainan expert pilots had faith that Zeal would never fall! They devoted their full attention to taking down their Starrer counterparts!

With their faith and zeal supercharged by the presence of Zeal, their will for battle had never been stronger!

With the Starrer expert pilots becoming dismayed at their failed attempts to take down their eye-catching target, the crucial mental difference between the two sides widened to a dangerous degree!

Though Zeal did nothing else but take potshots at expert mechs while hiding behind the shield of a knight mech, its outsized presence on the battlefield quickly delivered results!

One Starrer expert mech faltered first. A Kronon light skirmisher snuck up unnoticed on a Starrer ranged mech armed with a high-powered laser rifle from a flank.

Taking advantage of the enemy's momentary preoccupation with Zeal, the light skirmisher sprinted forward with incredible speed as its legs and frame resonated with the will of its expert pilot!

"DIE YOU STAR SCUM!"

Though the light skirmisher approached quickly enough to catch the nearby Starrer mechs off-guard, the rifleman mech under threat jumped up in the air as it hastily activated its leg-mounted boosters!

Nonetheless, the ultra-sharp knives wielded by the light managed to score two serious hits on the rifleman mech's legs!

Its flight upwards immediately destabilized, forcing the damaged mech to land back onto the ground. The light skirmisher immediately pressed the advantage and launched forward with resonance empowering its entire frame and blade!

Within the blink of an eye, the light skirmisher slid across the ground on the other side of the rifleman mech!

Its entire frame glowed in heat and exhaustion as both its mech and mech pilot expended a considerable amount of energy for this single attack!

As for the target in question, the expensive and exquisitely-designed machine collapsed! A glowing knife had pierced straight through its chest plating and embedded its tip through the cockpit, killing the vaunted expert pilot inside before he could eject!

Even expert pilots were ultimately mortal when exposed to mechs!

"The Star Worshippers are weak! They fight with imaginary gods by their side! Press the advantage!"

The sudden loss of a single expert mech on the side of the Star Army only slightly jolted the defenders but invigorated the attackers to an even greater frenzy!

The small number disparity slowly widened even further as the Ylvainan expert mechs never relented on their foes. The battle on land and in the air slowly began to tip in the favor of the aggressors as their expert pilots fought just a bit more ferociously!

"Ylvaine shall prevail!" Zeal transmitted in the open.

"YLVAINE SHALL PREVAIL!" The expert mechs and the standard mechs on its side echoed across the battlefield!

The thunderous chorus did not affect the Starrer expert pilots, but it was an entirely different matter when it came to the other defenders.

The Star Army constantly gave ground since the start of the incursion. They never gained the initiative and failed to stabilize their lines.

The constant retreating did not come without a cost.

Surrendering so much precious ground continually pummeled the confidence and conviction of the Starrer mech pilots!

How could the Starrers be certain of victory when they failed to stall the advance of the Ylvainans time and time again? How could their mech pilots fight with confidence if their Venerables were being picked off one at a time?

As the battle at Halix Base gradually turned into a catastrophe for the defending side, the Starrer mech general made the unthinkable decision.

He ordered a retreat.

"The Star Army will stand, but we must not fall! Venerables, please retreat! Our brave men will cover your retreat as much as possible!"

"No! They will all perish!"

"Orders are orders! Regular mech pilots can be replenished in years, but expert pilots like you are needed to resist your Ylvainan counterparts!"

The hierarchy within the Star Army was strong. Not even the expert pilots possessed the authority to resist the orders of their higher-ups.

With great reluctance, the Starrer expert mechs started shaking off their opponents and evacuated from the battlefield.

"The Starrer expert mechs are running! Go after them! Each Starrer expert pilot dead is one less they can employ to threaten our people!"

Though the faith of the mech pilots of the Star Army failed to match the faith of their enemies, many of them fatalistically obeyed their latest order.

They threw themselves at the Ylvainan expert mechs!

"Stop them! Even if we stall them for a single second, that is one additional second our Venerables can escape!"

Though the Ylvainan expert mechs each slew the Starrer standard mechs with ease without giving most of them a chance to eject, the fanatical Starrers still proved they were willing to die for their beliefs!

"Sol will punish your cruel tyranny, Ylvainans!"

"Betelgeuse will rain down thunder and doom upon your traitorous stars!"

The Ylvainan combatants took no notice of the curses of the dying and fleeing Star Worshippers. With the departure of the surviving Starrer expert mechs, the Ylvainans gained free reign of Halifax Base!

Within Zeal, Taon did not relish in the euphoric mood that had overcome his comrades. He had already celebrated this victory long before it had been achieved.

His head turned as if he was glimpsing at five more stars in the sky.

Not only had he been certain of victory on Creinze IV, he was already assured that the other Transcendent Messengers led the mechs under their watch to victory!

He was right! The Ylvainans succeeded beyond their wildest dreams! The Starrers suffered serious losses without exception!

"Ylvaine has prevailed!"

"A new future awaits us all!"

"The works of the Bright Martyr will lead us to victory!"

Chapter 1529

The moment he infused his Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier designs with their design spirits, their remarkable character intensified.

The design schematics looked exactly the same to her eyes, Gloriana nonetheless widened her eyes as a part of her sensed the enormous significance of what just happened!

Ves smiled when he witnessed her fascination. Delighting her always warmed his heart and gave him a sense of fulfillment.

"Only now has our project come to an end. My mech designs aren't finalized until I breathe life into them. Can you feel the difference?"

Gloriana nodded as she continued to admire the mech designs. Though nothing appeared to have changed about their physical makeup, the trick that Ves just pulled somehow changed her entire perception of them! If the Desolate Soldier and its variant were already noteworthy before, now they had become incredibly remarkable!

"Did you just put a proto-god into a design?"

Ves grimaced a bit. "I keep telling you, they're not gods. They're... spirits, I like to call them. You can refer to the ones I put inside mech designs like earlier as design spirits."

"Where do the proto-gods come from?" She asked, as if she completely hadn't heard about his umpteenth complaint about her terminology.

His girlfriend could be incredibly thick-headed about certain matters!

Still, he felt very good about trusting her right now, so he decided to tell her a little more.

"They don't come from nothing. The weakest ones are formed from nothing but my imagination, but they tend to be rather weak. The stronger ones all come from the exceptional minds of sentient human or alien minds, whether dead or alive. Smart exobeasts are also great sources. I can either take pieces of their spirits or capture them entirely, though their physical bodies will die if I resort to the latter."

Gloriana looked up at him with increasing admiration. "You can capture gods as they are being formed from the phases of life and death!"

His spiritual techniques had nothing to do with hexism! His girlfriend was just slotting his explanation in the framework of her beliefs!

"Whether it's expert pilots of exceptional exobeasts, each of my recent mech designs carry at least a portion of their spirits. The design spirits essentially function as a spiritual component that is invisible to everyone except me. Only I am fully aware of the spiritual components imparted to each of my mech designs, and in turn the mechs derived from them. I've never told any other mech designer this much, so I hope you can keep it a secret."

"Ves... thank you for revealing this to me." She happily leaned into him. "Learning about this divine component you add to your mech designs has been an extraordinary revelation to me! I never viewed your specialty in this way, but now that you have opened my eyes, I've realized that all of my previous mech designs have always lacked this essential component! They had never been as close to perfect as I thought!"

Though it sounded as if she suffered a mental crisis, the glee on her face signified that she was anything but unhappy.

To a mech designer, discovering a shortcoming was not necessarily damaging to their development. Instead, they became more aware of what they lacked, allowing them to come up with a way to remedy the flaws in their previous methods!

Ves sensed a storm raging through Gloriana's mind. This time, it was far greater than anything he sensed before!

Though Ves became incredibly concerned at what kind of mental shift was taking place in her mind, her will proved to be exceptionally strong! She quickly gained control over the storm and made sure that it only changed the parts of her that she wanted to change!

The storm only subsided once she fully incorporated the new insights she gained. From now on, her idea of the perfect vessel could no longer be devoid of a spiritual component!

Having witnessed much from his spiritual fragment stuck in her mind, Ves looked at his girlfriend with shock! Even if he didn't possess a glimpse into her mind, he could still deduce that Gloriana readily shifted the direction of her design philosophy in light of his revelation!

"Gloriana! What have you done?!"

"Ves.. I told you that I love you. I always believed your design philosophy perfectly complements mine, and you've just proved me right! Before I met you, I've always believed the most perfect vessels I could design and make for my customers would merely take the form of exquisitely-crafted shells. Now that I know that it is possible to imbue them with gods, the perfect vessel in my eyes must always include a divine component!"

"But.. you won't be able to make these perfect vessels yourself. If you follow this direction, you'll become dependent on me! Think of what it will do to your future progression!"

She hugged him tighter. "I know! I don't care! I already told you that I can't imagine living without you. No matter what my mother or anyone else thinks, you are the man I wish to spend the rest of my life with. Binding my design philosophy to yours is not a heavy to price pay if I already enjoy your company. I simply can't ignore this option if it means I will forever be resigned to designing incomplete mechs!"

Though Ves collected abundant proof that Gloriana did not possess any ulterior motives towards him, not a single shred of doubt remained in his mind!

As a mech designer and as a woman, Gloriana decisively bound herself to him to the point where she could no longer realize her design philosophy without him by her side!

Ves couldn't imagine the sheer level of dedication required to make such a decision at the spur of the moment! He already thought he formed a measure of her adoration towards him, but this recent development showed him that he still underestimated her love!

As Ves and Gloriana both stared in each other's eyes, he voiced his deepest, heartfelt emotion.

"I love you, Gloriana." He whispered to her with affection.

A brilliant smile appeared on her. "I have waited so long for you to say those words. I love you too!"

The two instantly crashed their lips against each other! They fell onto the bed and started making out with incredible passion! His comm automatically switched off due to the movements, removing the two recently-empowered designs from view.

"AHEM! Stop this instant! Don't go too far!"

It took an enormous amount of physical effort for Melody to physically pry Gloriana off Ves! So passionate were they about their affection to each other that Melody almost resorted to calling in the guards of the Glory Battalion.

Even though Melody interrupted their intimate moment, they still smiled and laughed at each other. Both of them felt so connected to each other that merely being in each other's presence was enough.

"Meow."

"Miaow."

Even their cats responded happily to their affection towards each other!

The coming days proceeded smoothly. Now that they both completed their project, Ves transmitted the final design schematics and documents to the LMC.

"Fabricate the best copies that you can of the Desolate Soldier and the Holy Soldier and send them to the MTA for validation." He ordered Calsie over the comm. "Try and see if you can hurry up the process."

"Don't worry, Ves. Due to the recent changes, many mech designers have stopped flooding the MTA's branch on Bentheim with irrelevant mech designs. Their testers are much less busier now. They've already explicitly stated that they will fast track the validation of any mech design that fares well against the sandmen! They've also curtained much of their certification processes to the absolute minimum!"

He became a little reassured at her response. "That doesn't sound like the MTA."

"They have no choice, really. If the MTA puts up too many administrative delays on the release of mechs the Bright Republic and other states solely need, the mech industry will simply bypass the onerous steps entirely. No one really cared whether a mech is technically sound or not as long as they can be built and put to use immediately."

"Good. Even if the validation process is shortened, don't wait for the MTA to make their judgement. Get the Mech Nursery to start churning out as many Desolate Soldiers as possible. Included in the documents I've sent you is a full step-by-step plan on how to optimally fabricate the Desolate Soldiers with our current equipment. Send this plan to our chief technicians. My latest product is already easy to produce, but we don't have any time to spare on ascending the learning curve."

"What about our current production orders?"

"They're not important." Ves waved his hand. "Halt or cancel as much as you can without getting the LMC in trouble. Right now, producing as many Desolate Soldiers is a huge priority because the sandmen invasion will reach the Bright Republic any day now. It'll be too late if we just start to roll out the Desolate Soldiers when the initial battles are already in full swing!"

His priority was obvious. He wanted at least some of his Desolate Soldiers to be present in the footage of the opening battles. As long as his mech was recognizably present in the footage broadcasted by the news, then his new product essentially enjoyed an enormous degree of free publicity!

It was not just about boosting the profile of his Desolate Soldier model. He also wanted to take away the space reserved for competing mech models!

As the caretaker of the LMC, Calsie keenly understood this dynamic.

"We'll do as you say. It is not as if we intended to do anything different. We have more than enough fixed customers to ensure that we won't be lacking in demand."

"Remember to focus solely on the Desolate Soldier. The LMYC in the Ylvaine Protectorate will handle the production and sale of the Holy Soldier. In fact, if demand happens to exceed supply for any reason, then I'll allow you to approach third-party manufacturers to produce additional copies. Achieving volume should be our overarching priority!"

"That.. is different from what you usually prioritize, Ves." Calsie looked confused. "What about quality?"

"Times are different. We all have to lower our standards when our state is at stake. Unlike my previous works, the Desolate Soldier is not a premium mech model. Not only that, it's far easier to produce, so even dysfunctional workshops can make adequate copies. As long as they aren't too shabby, they're good enough to resist the sandmen!"

"I'll see what I can do. There are many mech manufacturers that are under threat because their usual products are no longer in demand. They'll be easy enough to persuade to produce your Desolate Soldiers, but..."

"What are you concerned about?" Ves asked.

"If we resort to this method to boost our production, it's doubtful we can earn adequate profits. The third-party mech manufacturers will still insist on getting a cut, which means our margins for the Desolate Soldiers will shrink even further!"

Ves did not expect much profit to begin with, which meant that allowing third-party manufacturers in on the action would barely put them above break-even territory.

"It's fine." he said. "Why should we worry about profits when the survival of the Bright Republic is not a sure thing? We should do our duty and support the mech pilots sent into battle as best we can by supplying them with decent mechs. Besides, the performance of our Desolate Soldiers will lay the groundwork for the LMC's resurgence in the mech market!"

As long as the mech market embraced the Desolate Soldiers, it would certainly embrace his other products! The stigma the LMC acquired would naturally start to fade once everyone realized the benefits of using his products!

A day after Ves spoke with Calsie, he found out about the wildly successful raids conducted by the Ylvainans on their Starrer rivals.

The notable appearance of his Transcendent Messengers and the widespread use of the LMC's comercial mechs had temporarily supplanted the news on the sandman invasion in the Bright Republic!

"Ves!" Gavin called him the moment he received the news. "Have you heard what those religious nutjobs have just done!? They've gone crazy!"

Chapter 1530

Shock! Ves became shocked!

As Gavin sent him a bunch of news articles reporting on the successful attacks launched by the Ylvainans.

While the Ylvainans enjoyed the advantage of surprise, that shouldn't have been enough to give them a decisive victory on all six incursions. Yet the Kronons fought as if they were possessed, exhibiting much greater battle frenzy than what a stagnant, unbloodied military mech force ought to possess!

Unlike the Bright Republic Mech Corps, the Kronon Dynasty never fought any major battles since the founding of the Protectorate! Their state's isolation gave them very little chance to showcase their prowess, and they had largely been considered paper tigers by foreigners.

From the propaganda footage transmitted by the Ylvainans and the sporadic footage leaked by civilian Starrers on the ground, the battles proceeded very unevenly from the start!

"The Star Army isn't some pushover." Gavin told him over the comm. "The Star Faith Collective is a fairly belligerent state and they've had scuffles with most of their neighbors due to their hunger to take over powerful star systems."

"They are crazy for stars. They just can't help themselves."

"Well, this time, they've barked up the wrong tree. Despite possessing a considerable defensive advantage, their battle lines crumbled far too quickly against the Kronons. According to the judgement of the analysts, the Ylvainans should have gotten stalled in at least four of the battles, but instead they overwhelmed the Star Worshippers through pure ferocity!"

The Ylvainans shouldn't have won so easily at all six battlefields. The Star Army was not a vegetable, and the Star Worshippers who fought on the defense were just as faithful in their beliefs as their opponents.

Both sides should have fought with an equal amount of religious fervor. Yet the mech pilots of one side exhibited much more enthusiasm while the mech pilots of the other side fought as if there were weights pressing down on their hearts!

A lot of analysts who interpreted battle footage for a living began to study the underlying reasons why the Ylvainans crushed the Star Worshippers so heavily.

What they discovered was fairly shocking.

The decisive factor turned out to be the mechs designed by Ves!

The difference became clear when the analysts compared the battle performance of units that contained LMC mechs and those that did not. The former fought as if they were blessed!

Entire mech companies worth of Blackbeaks and Crystal Lords fought with much greater aggression than their regular Kronon counterparts.

Not only that, but whatever influence affecting the fervor of their mech pilots also extended to the area around them! Friendly military mechs in close proximity fought just as aggressive and domineering when they kept up with the LMC mechs!

While this boost in morale and battle spirit should have only imposed a modest on the battlefield, the strangest part about the LMC mechs was that they intimidated their immediate opponents somehow!

Every Starrer mech company that faced the LMC mechs in battle suffered greater casualties and broke faster!

And this didn't just happen once or thrice. On all six battlefields, the Kronon units fielding Blackbeaks and the Crystal Lords all encountered measurably less resistance than units fielding regular military mechs!

"The data on this is so clear that there is no doubt your mechs is the deciding factor!" Gavin noted with glee!

Ves nodded with numb shock. "Although some of my customers have fielded my mechs in large numbers, few have gone as far as outfitting entire mech companies with my products."

His mechs worked best in large numbers because their identical auras overlapped with each other. Yet even if he knew this truth, others might not know about it or have the money to spare to outfit an entire mech company to put this notion to the test.

Out of all of his fans and customers, only the Ylvainans were fanatical enough to commit so many resources on fielding so many of his mechs at once! To field them in a major action in such great numbers was simply unthinkable to anyone else!

Only those who believed in the Bright Martyr were willing to take the plunge. Perhaps the Ylvainans had already bought a sufficient amount of Blackbeaks, Crystal Lords and Aurora Titans to discover and ascertain their strengths when fielded together, because the Kronons mainly grouped them together for maximum effect!

A smile inadvertently bloomed on his face. "The Ylvainans are the first customers who really get it. While my mechs mostly work fine when they are fielded by themselves, they work best when deployed together!"

He had often made this claim, but without any proof to back up his assertions, the mech market mostly brushed it off. Who was willing to invest billions of bright credits outfitting entire mech companies with the same LMC mech model?

This was why Ves banked on the Avatars of Myth to set an example. If not for its slow growth, its need to field a rounded mech roster and his various distractions, his personal mech force should have been the first ones to showcase the might of his mechs in unison!

Ves did not begrudge the Ylvainans from stealing his thunder. The authentic footage of their battles against the Star Army served as much more powerful proof than he could ever manage on his own!

This was because the Ylvainans fielded well over a thousand of his mechs at once! Ves hadn't even realized that the Kronons managed to procure so many of his commercial mechs! The Protectors of the Flock must have been responsible for virtually all of the demand for his products on the Protectorate's mech market!

A wry smile appeared on his face. He sensed the invisible influence of Calabast behind this major procurement by the Kronons. She wielded a large amount of influence on the mech market in her cover identity, so it was impossible for her to remain uninvolved!

He mentally tipped his hat at her. Influencing the Kronons to buy and field his mechs in large numbers must have been one of her initiatives to empower Ves. He had to admit the timing of these attacks couldn't have come at a better moment!

Gavin recognized the fortuitous timing as well!

"All the analysts agree that your mechs have made an outsized influence on morale. The Ylvainans under their influence fought like they were possessed, while the Star Worshippers who fell within their sway fought as if they were haunted. There are so many data points from all of the footage that have been released that our critics simply can't refute the facts!"

This was important! While an abnormality in a single instance could have been passed off as a fluke or a difference in leadership or something, there were far more instances where the same took place. Overall, hundreds of different clashes between LMC mech companies and Star Army mech companies took place across all six ground battles.

The only other way to explain the vast differences was to dismiss the Ylvaian's battle fervor as a collective delusion.

Yet calling this phenomenon a placebo effect could only explain the raised morale from the side of the Ylvainans. It was plausible to dismiss their fanaticism in battle as a side effect of their misguided belief in the Bright Martyr's products.

But could that explain the measurably worse performance of the Starrer mech companies arrayed against them? The Star Worshippers didn't believe in the Bright Martyr. It was doubtful if they ever even heard of this figure! There was no reason why they should feel fear just because they faced mechs produced by a particular mech company!

"If your Blackbeaks, Crystal Lords and to a lesser extent your Aurora Titans already have this effect, then the effect of your Transcendent Messengers is on a whole different level!" Gavin gushed.

The effect of gathering Forty Blackbeaks at once was much less drastic than the effect of fielding a single Transcendent Messenger!

Though every Ylvainan mech pilot entered the battle with high morale, the ones who fought within a broad range of the hero mech fought particularly well! The Kronon mechs surrounding the Transcendent Messengers all pushed forward with unstoppable momentum, while the Starrer mechs all failed to muster more than eighty percent of their usual strength!

The differences in performance had become noticeably more stark, causing lots of people to pay very close attention to the Transcendent Messengers!

Just its symbolic value to the Ylvainans couldn't explain the vast gulf in performance!

The Star Worshippers who believed in the stellar gods shouldn't have fought so poorly to the point where it seemed as if they questioned their faith!

"Proof." Ves spoke up after his shock at the Ylvaine Protectorate's insane decision to attack the Star Faith Collective had subsided. "All of this is proof!"

"Yes! Our Marketing Department has already gone into overdrive to edit the footage into compelling ads. The only problem is that demand for our existing mech lineup won't change. With the sandmen bearing down on us, no one is stupid enough to buy a Blackbeak."

Though that was a huge shame, neither of them showed any dissatisfaction. That was because they could still use the proof to raise the fame of the LMC!

Not only that, they could also use all of the material they obtained to boost their next products!

"We should take advantage of the buzz the Ylvainans have generated to promote your Desolate Soldier and the Holy Soldier models! Even if the mech models are different, all of your mechs exhibited the same effect on morale! We can put much more strength to your claim that your Desolate Soldier is perfect for shoring up everyone's sense of duty!"

Both Ves and Gavin were of the same mind on this judgement. With the dramatic success achieved by the Ylvainans so fresh on everyone's minds, the LMC needed to take immediate advantage of the favorable publicity!

Once the sandman invasion reached the third line of defense, the news of the dramatic raids would quickly fade!

"The Mech Nursery should hurry up and pump out as many Desolate Soldiers as possible. Don't hesitate in partnering up with third-party mech manufacturers to expand our initial volume. With all of the publicity my products have received, it's more vital than ever to make my mechs visible on the streets!" Ves instructed Gavin.

They hashed out a plan to field large numbers of Desolate Soldiers on the streets of Bentheim. Even if they did nothing but stand around or move back and forth, their strong duty-focused auras would fascinate every mech buyer in Bentheim!

To the LMC, there was no better way to convince hesitating mech buyers of the unique value of his Desolate Soldiers than to verify their effects in person! Ves had no doubt that the curiosity generated by the successful Ylvainan raids would be satisfied in this fashion!

Once Gavin ended the call to convey the altered marketing plans to the LMC, Ves sat back and fell into a moment of contemplation.

He viewed the first massed use of his mechs as a turning point in his career. Along with the imminent release of the Desolate Soldier model and its variant, the LMC's fortunes would inevitably experience an incredible boost!

"From now on... the sales of my mech models won't be limited to thousands."

Ves held especially high hopes for his Desolate Soldier model. While its product margin was very thin, if he managed to sell tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of copies in the next year, then the profit he earned would amount to a considerable figure!

Yet more important than the profit would be the boost to his products. With the LMC products fielded in such large numbers, more and more proof of how beneficial they could be would spread among the mech community like a wildfire.

He had no doubt that many of his customers aside from the Ylvainans would soon come to know how formidable the LMC mechs performed in battle!

"My limelight has come!" He grinned.

At the dawning of the next mech generation, a brand new future awaited him upon his return!

Chapter 1531

Ves lamented that he wasn't back in the Bright Republic to promote his newly-released Desolate Soldier.

Yet the gift given to him by the Ylvainans was so much better. The publicity of a carefully-planned product reveal event was so much more modest than the organic buzz generated by the successful Ylvainan raids!

Mech companies could hardly ever ask for a better publicity boost, especially since the difference made by the mechs designed by Ves was so incredibly obvious!

Even expert pilots on the same side became affected!

Ves ruefully chuckled to himself. "If my mechs are able to damage the confidence of hostile expert pilots, then the galaxy would have truly gone mad!"

He understood that expert pilots possessed a force of will that was just as strong if not stronger than the auras of his mechs.

If both of them complemented each other, then the expert pilot wouldn't reject the influence.

"That's the best I can hope for the moment."

It was too soon for him to think about affecting expert pilots. He was still too far away from designing expert mechs, though Gloriana's tutoring sessions already started to cover some of this ground.

Due to her specialty, she had already been preparing to design expert mechs ahead of time.

In addition, third-class expert mechs shared a lot of similarities with second-class standard mechs. The quality of their materials and their price ranges heavily overlapped.

In many cases, a third-class expert mech was equivalent to a second-class mech customized for expert pilots.

When a mech pilot from a third-rate state like the Bright Republic reached the expert level, second-class mechs no longer confounded them. Their broadly-improved piloting skills easily enabled them to master the added complexities of piloting complex, higher-performing mechs!

"If any of my subordinates advances to expert pilot, then I can already save a lot of effort to retrain them. They're already good enough to master them by themselves." He scoffed.

Of course, how easy was it for him to get his hands on an expert pilot?

For many people, it was impossible. For Ves, it depended on if he could apply his theories about Spirituality in a special way.

After arranging his business affairs, Ves no longer felt the need to meddle. The LMC was more than capable enough to market his Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier models on its own.

While he supposed he could help market his product by conducting remote interviews of press events, his personal involvement would hardly make a difference.

He decided to spend his time on the return trip to the Bright Republic on something better.

When Ves next met with Gloriana at the lounge compartment of the Stellar Chaser, he made his proposal.

"You want us to collaborate on designing a customized version of the Desolate Soldier?" She puzzlingly frowned. "Why would you ever want to do such a thing, Ves!? Even in your third-class mech market standards, your Desolate Soldier is hardly worth the effort to customize!"

"While I admit that my other mech models are better candidates, they are not immediately relevant under the current circumstances. For the coming year or so, my Desolate Soldiers will be the only LMC mech that people will witness in battle!"

"Even so, it's better to collaborate on a much higher quality custom mech that is worth our attention!"

Gloriana showed intense dislike towards any idea of using a mech model with a market price of 20 million bright credits as the base of a custom mech. It sounded just as absurd as employing a top-class chef to prepare a dish made out of reconstituted nutrient packs!

Nonetheless, Ves did not set out to torture his girlfriend or push her design philosophy to the brink. He had a very good reason to suggest this unusual project.

"Remember when we first met on Centerpoint?"

"Of course I remember! I recall it every day. It was love at first sight. I already knew back then that you were the perfect boy for me. No other boy in the Hegemony has ever made me feel that way. If only you didn't run so soon!" She sighed in a wistful manner.

"Well, before I met you, I inadvertently fell into a hole and entered some kind of trial conducted by the Rim Guardians."

"Oh! So that's why I couldn't investigate all of your movements on Centerpoint! The Rim Guardians are very influential throughout the galactic rim. For you to come under their attention is a great thing! How did it go?"

"The short version is that I've managed to pass the trials and earned their initial recognition."

"I knew it! You're such a good mech designer to stay unnoticed!"

"It's not as impressive as it sounds, Gloriana. I only managed to get my foot in the door. If I want to enter into their circle, I need to prove myself in a much more difficult way. They issued me an assignment."

"What does your assignment entail?"

"Turn a coward into an expert pilot." Ves responded morosely.

He briefly introduced William Urbesh to his girlfriend and explained the progress they made so far. Ves had put him under the care of Melkor and the Larkinsons to see if they could apply their famed training to transform Urbesh into a capable mech pilot.

So far, the exile from the Slicer Tribe hadn't changed at all. Though all of the intensive training succeeded in increasing his proficiency in piloting mechs, the moment William Urbesh faced an opponent, he instantly buckled!

Without addressing his crippling psychological fear of battle, there was no way Ves could make any progress in fulfilling the request of the Rim Guardians!

Gloriana frowned. "So let me get this straight. The Rim Guardians expect you to turn one of the most unsuitable mech pilots that I've ever heard of into an expert candidate? Are they setting you up or something?"

"To be fair, if not for this psychological affliction, Urbesh's chances of becoming an expert candidate is as good as any other. I think the Rim Guardians really wants me to solve this problem. As for turning him into an expert candidate, they've expressed so little confidence that it's fine if I fail. I'll just have to complete another assignment to prove my commitment and earn their approval."

"So why don't you do that instead?" She asked.

"I don't want to wait. Who can guarantee that the next assignment will be any easier? The reason why I want to take a serious shot at reforming Urbesh is because I think I can succeed where others failed!"

"How?!"

"I'm not sure." He shrugged. He was partially honest this time. "I have some ideas, and I'm not sure how they will work out. I think it would definitely help if I can get Urbesh to pilot a custom mech."

"Are you plotting some kind of plan to throw Urbesh into the crucible by forcing him to fight against the sandmen?"

"Yup. What better way to stimulate his potential than to put him in a life-or-death struggle? Expert candidates always emerge during these instances."

"From the information you've given me, Urbesh doesn't specialize in piloting ranged mechs."

"That's no problem. The Larkinsons have attempted to train him into piloting ranged mechs on account of his reluctance to face enemies in battle. While they've failed, Urbesh has at least become competent enough to wield ranged weapons. Besides, the Desolate Soldier model is not a very demanding mech in the first place."

"It's very fragile though. Aren't you afraid that the sandmen will kill him with one of their pinpoint laser strikes?"

Ves shrugged. "That's the risk that we have to take. I know that I'm playing with fire here, but in the worst case someone else's hands will get burned. Mine will stay untouched."

"Yeah, but the Rim Guardians won't be pleased at all for failing this assignment in such a fashion."

"If they truly cared, they would have directed more effort into reforming him. Instead, the Rim Guardians dumped him into the care of a stranger. I don't think the Rim Guardians will take much issue with Urbesh's death. I don't have anything to fear from the Urbesh Clan from the Vicious Mountain Star Sector either because they're already in decline. William's untimely death would be the nail in the coffin for them, so in a way this outcome isn't so bad at all."

He felt much more free in taking risks if he could get others to pay the bulk of the cost!

Though Gloriana kept expressing her reluctance, she quickly swallowed her objections.

"I'll do anything for you." She whispered softly to him. "If you really want me to become involved in this project, then I'll do so. Just make sure it's worth it, Ves."

"We'll both gain from this project. It will be the first time we pooled our design philosophies together in a project where you'll take the lead. Unlike before, you will call the shots."

Ves already fixed most of the parameters of the original Desolate Soldier design before Gloriana came along. Though he officially credited her as a contributing designer to the Desolate Soldier project, her involvement at the later phases did not allow her to make any drastic changes.

It was different now that they no longer worked on the assumption of adapting their mech design to as many mech pilots as possible.

Now that they played by Gloriana's rules, Ves expected their collaboration to yield much more substantive results. The outcome of this project would reveal how effectively their design philosophies really amplified each other's strengths.

"It's better to see if we can work together on a smaller and simple project like adapting our existing Desolate Soldier to a single mech pilot." He reasoned to her. "There is still more than a month to go before we reach the Bright Republic. This should be more than enough time to complete our project. Aside from that, working on this project will also help you adjust to working with third-class mechs."

After contemplating Gloriana's situation for a long time, Ves believed it was better for her if she became more open-minded towards mechs. As her boyfriend, he wanted her to succeed, and he suspected that she would stand a better chance of realizing her design philosophy if it wasn't so overly narrow.

Perhaps it was presumptuous of him to steer Gloriana's development. However, Gloriana was just as smart as him. As long as he gave her some hints, she could form the same conclusion.

She frowned at him. "Don't think I don't know what you are trying to do. You want me to become more flexible, is that it? You want me to be able to work with even the worst third-class mechs. That's something that I've never contemplated in my life!"

"I think the distinction between third-class, second-class and first-class mechs is artificial." He stated. "As mech designers, shouldn't we tailor our products to the demands of the market? It just so happens that every customer has adopted this paradigm, but that doesn't mean that we should stick to it so closely. In the end, regardless of the differences in tech and materials, a mech is a mech. While it is all well and good to design the perfect vessel out of the best possible tech and materials, it takes true skill to do the same when your starting point is the Desolate Soldier."

This was a lesson he learned during the time he occupied Axelar Streon's mind and body during a past Mastery experience. Having worked first-hand with fantastic first-class tech and materials, he long lost his fascination towards this height.

Ves believed he was doing Gloriana a huge favor by imparting a similar lesson towards her. If she stopped turning up her nose at cheaply-constructed mechs, then her design philosophy no longer became so reliant on the materials and tech at her disposal.

This ought to be a good development because that meant she wouldn't need to depend on designing astronomically expensive first-class mechs to progress!

His continued persuasion started to take effect in his girlfriend's minds. Another mental storm surged in her mind.

A small part of him felt a little guilty. It would have been best if she made this decision on her own. Ves had deliberately altered her path forward. Even if he had the best of intentions, it still didn't change the fact that he influenced her away from her original principles.

"It's for the best." He whispered to her as she became lost in her own thoughts.

Chapter 1532

Gloriana was in no mood to dive into their new project after she finished adjusting her principles.

Before, she willingly embraced the incorporation of a spiritual component to her conception of the perfect vessel. The insights she received back then slotted in her mind as if she was adding an important piece to the puzzle in her design philosophy.

This time was different. Under his deliberate manipulation, her design philosophy, which formerly followed a straight direction, suddenly took a crooked turn!

Such a major shift in her future progression was so impactful that she still wasn't quite sure what she was getting into now. Her previous ambitions no longer matched her current direction. She needed to spend some time to process all of the changes and alter her prior goals.

The shift she went through reminded Ves of the time the System forced him to develop a gamma laser rifle to upgrade his Physics Skill to Senior.

Just like how the System prodded him to become less rigid in his principles back then, Ves had taken on a similar role to guide Gloriana towards a more open and adaptable mindset.

Ves didn't question whether the System was even a good role model for him to emulate. Even though the System liked to make things difficult for him, he always thought he benefited from its lessons. He would have never become the mech designer he was today without its guidance.

A few minutes passed by as both mech designers remained silent. Eventually, Gloriana recovered and directed a resentful glance at Ves.

She lightly punched his arm. "Sometimes, I wonder what I'm getting into by binding myself to you. Not even my teachers have impacted my design philosophy to this extent! If I didn't trust you so much, I would have ordered Clixie to claw off your face!"

"Miaow?"

The Rubarthan Sentinel Cat looked up from the cat bed placed next to the loveseat.

"Meow."

Lucky pawed at Clixie, causing her to stop paying attention to their owners and get back to grooming each other.

Having anticipated Gloriana's response, Ves smiled apologetically while he retrieved something from his pockets. "I have a gift for you. Why don't you try them out?"

He handed over the pair of cosmetic cat ears made out of Zeigra's fur he reserved for Gloriana.

As his girlfriend accepted the accessories with confusion, Ves retrieved his own pair and placed them atop his head. "Come on! I think you'll look cute!"

That convinced her. She summoned a mirror projection from her comm and admired how well the black-furred complimented her appearance. Her eyes instantly sparkled.

"Thank you, Ves! I love them! Come closer, let's take a snapshot together!"

She stretched out her arm and dragged Ves closer until they pressed their shoulders against each other. They smiled at her comm which recorded a high-fidelity three-dimensional image of them sitting on the loveseat.

"Let's bring our cats into the picture as well! Come over here, Clixie!"

After they called over their pets, they took another snapshot with their two cats resting on their laps. Gloriana loved every image they took of themselves and even recorded a few seconds of footage.

"Hihihi! This would look lovely on my Commbook page!"

She quickly manipulated her comm to upload the best and wholesome-looking image on her Commbook page.

Peering at her comm, Ves watched her actions with bemusement. "You have a Commbook page?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? It's the largest social network in the galaxy!"

Backed by the Comm Consortium, Commbook's reach spread far and wide. Wherever the galactic net reached, Commbook inevitably held sway."

"It's also a cesspool for junk and conspiracy theories. It brings out the worst of humanity." Ves scoffed.

"I still use it to stay in touch with my friends and colleagues. What about you?"

"I stopped fooling around with Commbook a long time ago and closed my page. Whatever can be gained from virtual reality is inconsequential compared to what I can gain from physical reality."

In the past, he started practising his skills by designing virtual mechs. However, that was just a phase in his life.

While the LMC still published his mech designs in virtual form to allow the public to experience his products without a significant cost, Ves no longer paid much attention to it. A mech designer never progressed by relying purely on virtual mech designs.

"That's such a shame." Gloriana remarked. "No wonder you didn't accept my friend invite. I thought you blocked me! Well, it's no big deal. After all, having you by my side is much better!"

They quickly shoved the matter aside after Gloriana uploaded a cute image of them together. Their new cat ears made it seem as if they were intimately together, which was probably the biggest reason why she felt so eager to put it on her Commbook page.

In any case, Ves succeeded in distracting Gloriana from what he did to her. She was a much more pleasant person to be around as long as she was happy.

She was so happy with her gift that she even snuggled and kissed Ves for a time. Of course, she also kept a watchful eye on Melody and stopped just short of provoking another intervention.

"Let's discuss our project!" She chirped.

Ves nodded. "Let me lay down my requirements."

He briefly explained what he desired from the end product. He wanted the customized Desolate Soldier to fit William Urbesh as best as possible. The most important demand he posed was that it had to be as comfortable and fitting to him as possible.

Though it sounded simple, Gloriana slowly frowned as she realized an immediate problem.

"You told me that Urbesh specializes in piloting landbound axeman mechs. Even with extensive training, I doubt he feels comfortable in piloting a spaceborn rifleman mech. Is it even possible to design a mech that fits him perfectly?"

An inherent contradiction emerged that faintly started to trouble her mind again. She had never experienced so many paradigm shifts before she hooked up with Ves!

Fortunately, Ves had already thought of this issue.

"We are not aiming to achieve perfection. It's good enough to get close to perfect as possible while adhering to our limitations. This is a good test for you. Unlike your previous projects, you won't have access to your usual luxuries. You need to rely on your own skill to make the most out of limited means. This is what third-class mech designers like myself face every day. That's why my other demand is that we shouldn't rely on better materials or parts to improve our custom mech."

Second-class mech designers were capable of designing amazing mechs, but their efficiency was always a bit lower than their poorer counterparts. Every class of mech designer possessed their own strengths.

Gloriana regarded the new project as a challenge and a test. "I'll do it. It's not what I'm used to, but I feel kind of excited now that I think about it. Without distracting myself from chasing after the best tech and exotics I can get my hands upon, the outcome of our efforts will mainly rely on our skill."

"It's the best opportunity to see if our design philosophies can complement each other. We can make a direct comparison between our custom mech design and the standard Desolate Soldier Design."

Just like Gloriana, Ves looked forward at the results as well. He always sensed that Gloriana withheld a lot of strength when she worked on the Desolate Soldier project.

Now that he appointed her as the lead designer of their custom mech project, she was free to unleash some of her repressed design urges.

They called up the design schematic of the Desolate Soldier and studied it for a moment.

"One of the first things we need to alter is the structure of the mech. The body proportions of the Desolate Soldier should match the proportions of the mech pilot as closely as possible."

"Is that necessary?" Ves questioned.

"Not entirely. A large person can pilot a light mech just fine. It's just that there is always an element of dissociation at the start. As the mech pilot practices with the mech over time, they will slowly develop new reflexes and muscle memory adapted to the mech frame."

"Urbesh doesn't have the time to spare." Ves commented. "It's best if he can get the hang of his new custom mech as fast as possible."

"Right, and adjusting the body proportions of the base model is a good way to shorten the adjustment period. Let me show you how it's done."

Since William Urbesh was under the complete care of the Larkinsons, Ves had already obtained very detailed medical data on his body. He transferred them over to Gloriana, who studied them for a time before beginning to morph the Desolate Soldier's frame.

Overall, the altered proportions caused the Desolate Soldier to look a little shorter and stockier. It lost its sense of litheness typical to budget mechs and ranged mechs.

If the altered mech wielded an axe instead of a rifle, then it would have looked a lot more natural!

This reflected William Urbesh's physical fitness. Even though he was a complete coward, like any mech pilot he maintained a physically-intensive training regime, which included practicing with handheld axes.

If there was one benefit that he derived from his stay with the Rim Guardians, it was that they had tuned up his body!

"I didn't think you would go this far." He said. "With such drastic changes, we'll have to overhaul the entire internal structure of our mech!"

It was one thing if Gloriana lengthened the arms by a centimeter or something. Such a change only forced him to make some extensions and fill up some extra space. Yet changing the proportions of the torso and all of the limbs of the mech in so many aspects meant that the existing internal architecture had broken down entirely!

There was no way the mech would be able to function with so much rejigging!

Gloriana waved away his concerns. "It's not that bad. The Desolate Soldier is not a complex mech and many of the design choices you've made can still be applied to this altered version, which saves us lots of time."

This was just the start. She outlined many more alterations to the internal structure. She had developed a vast array of methods to make a mech fit a mech pilot like a glove, many of which Ves had never even conceived of before!

In some cases, he no longer kept up with her train of thought as she started to draw upon the unique theories and principles of her design philosophy!

The more Gloriana showed off her ingenuity, the more Ves felt ashamed at his prior custom mechs! All of his earlier machines designed for single mech pilots had never truly been adjusted to their mech pilots.

It was more apt to say that Ves simply designed a mech like usual, but only produced a single copy. Aside from abiding by the rules of a competition or meeting the demands of his client, he did not expend a lot of effort into figuring out how much better a mech could fit a specific mech pilot.

Gloriana held nothing back and confidently explained her methods as if she had nothing to hide. Ves soaked up as much as he could. Even if he only understood a portion of her theories and methods, he still gained an enormous improvement in his ability to design a custom mech!

This not only came handy if he was designing a custom mech on his own. The reason why Gloriana explained so much was that she wanted him to become familiar with her design style.

The more he became familiar with her way of working, the better he could integrate his own design style with hers! Only when both knew what the other was capable of would they be able to combine their strengths without stepping on each other's toes.

"Did you get it?" She happily clapped her hands together. "No matter. Once we begin to work, we will see how it goes! I'm confident we can turn the Desolate Soldier into something special! As our first true collaboration, I won't allow it besmirch this special moment of ours!"

Chapter 1533

As the LMC and LMYC began to produce the first batches of Desolate Soldiers and Holy Soldier, the MTA approved the designs only days after receiving the first copies.

The LMC did not expect the MTA to approve the mech designs so fast. With the mental influencing effects of the mechs designed by Ves becoming more and more evident, how could the MTA not investigate?

Yet they barely took any notice of the complaints submitted by the critics. The Mech Trade Association existed for several hundred years and spanned the breadth of the galaxy. What weird mech hadn't they seen before?

Knowing more than most, Ves never doubted that his mech would get approved. The MTA wanted an endless variety of design philosophies to bloom. The more interesting, the better. Unusual design philosophies that achieved unprecedented results earned far more appreciation than the stale ones that overlapped with known and highly-studied specialties.

"As long as I don't cross the bottom line of the MTA, they are more inclined to see how far I can go." Ves grinned.

Nobody except Ves knew that the MTA asked him some questions before they issued their judgement.

They were curious about how his design philosophy made his Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier so remarkable. The testers of his mechs very clearly noticed the influence they exerted over people.

Even though they were just silver label mechs, the mechs radiated such a pure sense of duty that it couldn't be explained with common sense! Even if the LMC somehow tampered with the neural interface, it couldn't explain how the people around the mechs became affected as well!

Ves merely shrugged when he read the message sent to his comm. A bright idea came to him. Since both Ves and Gloriana designed the mechs, why not let his girlfriend compose the answer?

"That's a brilliant idea!"

Compared to Ves, Gloriana possessed a much better relationship with the MTA! Not only that, but her weird belief in hexism would probably cause the evaluators to go crazy!

"Gloriana, can you do me a favor? Can you reply to the MTA in my stead?"

"Sure!" She chirped.

She eagerly accepted his request and rapidly wrote a deluge of answers to the questions posed by the MTA. Words and phrases such as divinity, proto-gods, six phases of existence and other nonsense suffused her written replies.

To Ves, all of it sounded like crazy talk. She interpreted his design philosophy through the lens of her own beliefs, causing her to couch all of her explanations in a way that only Hexers understood.

Even if the MTA employed Hexer mech designers, they would probably scratch their heads at the outlandish claims that Gloriana made.

"Hahaha!" Ves laughed as he read his girlfriend's reply over her shoulder. "Excellent! I should let you write up all the submissions to the MTA from now on! You make so much sense!"

"Thank you, Ves! I've made sure to be as thorough as possible! The MTA will surely recognize your brilliance after this! You deserve so much better!" Gloriana turned her head to Ves with a loving smile.

The cat ears atop her head made her ten times cuter right now! In fact, they both started wearing them permanently. Ves wanted to cultivate a certain image of themselves, while Gloriana just wanted to tie Ves closer to herself.

In any case, once they sent Gloriana's exhaustive reply, the MTA did not inquire again. Ves had the impression that the mech designers on the other side merely threw up their hands and hastily put their stamp of approval on the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier designs in order to move on to evaluating saner designs.

What could they do? Question Gloriana's beliefs? Insult hexism as a whole? It wasn't worth it for such a small issue!

The only complication that occurred was that the MTA issued a minor warning and advisory on the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier.

[These mechs exert a noticeable mental influence on people through unknown and potentially hazardous means. Caution is advised when fielding these mechs.]

The MTA tested the mental influence much more thoroughly than Ves expected.

They even verified that the effects were selective depending on the perspective of the mech pilot! Anyone deemed friendly and neutral received a positive influence while anyone deemed hostile received a negative influence.

Of course, the MTA also cautioned that positive and negative influences did not necessarily equate to beneficial and detrimental effects.

For example, if one of his mech designs caused mech pilots to fight harder to the point of disregarding their own lives, then was it truly a boon? Many people would probably argue that it was a bane instead.

The market had to make its own judgement.

One point in the LMC's favor was that the MTA put a surprisingly high valuation on the standard 10-year licenses of the two designs.

"10 billion bright credits for the Desolate Soldier! 7 billion bright credits for the Holy Soldier!"

That was far more than his Aurora Titan design, which possessed some insane if uneven performance parameters!

"Is that a lot?" Gloriana asked.

"It probably falls in line with other comparable mech designs published in the Bright Republic." Ves admitted. "It's still a considerable achievement for me! The standard license for my Aurora Titan design is worth only 6 billion bright credits!"

License valuations did not necessarily correlate to the performance or quality of a mech design. Instead, the MTA made their determinations according to the commercial value of a product.

If they believed a particular mech model sold well, then they should be worth more. The MTA basically expressed their confidence in the success of the Desolate Soldier when they priced its license at 10 billion credits!

As for the lower valuation of the Holy Soldier, Ves accepted it without a blink. Its tacky exterior and the plethora of religious iconography limited its market appeal to just a specific group of people.

Due to the minute influence of Prophet Ylvaine's spiritual fragment, the Holy Soldier's X-Factor gained a fraction of its character. Those who didn't believe in the Ylvainan Faith would always feel a vague sense of rejection when they piloted a Holy Soldier.

"Let's see if the MTA is right to value them so highly."

Ves carefully paid attention to the initial sales of the LMC's newly-released mech models. Would the official warning issued by the MTA deter too many buyers?

Three days after releasing the mechs, Gavin called Ves from the Barracuda.

"How is the market reaction, Benny?"

"Good! Initial demand largely fell within our expectations. Due to recents events, the Ylvainans all snapped up our Holy Soldiers in an instant! In fact, they just can't get enough! Demand for our Holy Soldiers is so great that the LMYC is forced to partner up with dozens of more mech manufacturers to even begin to meet the insane demand for our Holy Soldiers!"

Though Ves expected such a wild reaction, he still became delighted now that it actually happened.

"How many mechs?"

Gavin brought up a data pad and studied the numbers.

"With our current pace of ramping up production, our most modest estimate is that we'll be able to sell over five thousand Holy Soldiers in the first month!"

"Five thousand!" Ves gasped. "Are you kidding me?!"

"Many Ylvainans blindly believe in your products. They don't need to see the Holy Soldiers in action. They're willing to buy them straight away, especially when your new mech directly addresses the sandmen threat. Every other mech model competing against yours in the Protectorate mech market has become much less popular as soon as the LMYC started selling the Holy Soldiers! We don't even need to conduct a marketing campaign because the Ylvainans are already talking about them all day!"

Selling five thousand copies of the Holy Soldier in the first month was just the start. Gavin proceeded to reveal the sales projections for the subsequent months. Ten thousand sales. Twenty thousand sales. Thirty thousand sales. The figures kept growing so much that Ves began to doubt whether the Ylvainans could even scrounge enough mech pilots to put all of the Holy Soldiers to use!

"This is insane!"

"Hahaha! I know, boss! The Ylvainans are crazy, but it just so happens that they are crazy for the Bright Martyr! As long as you don't disappoint them, our sales in this market will always be crazy! That has already been the case with the Blackbeak, Crystal Lord and Aurora Titan to a lesser degree. It was just that their high prices impeded wider adoption."

The Holy Soldier was completely different from his older commercial mechs! As a mech designed from the ground up to be affordable and very applicable, Ves precisely aimed to achieve high sales volumes!

Still, as much as it pleased Ves immensely to spread his influence so dramatically through the widespread adoption of his latest mech model, there was one major caveat to the good news.

"Even if our Holy Soldier model will sell incredibly well, our profits won't be as high as we'd like, right?" Ves asked with a grimace.

Some of the enthusiasm dropped from Gavin's face. "You're sight, boss. It costs about 16 to 17 million bright credits to produce a Holy Soldier or Desolate Soldier. The bronze label editions sell at a list price of 20 million bright credits while the silver label editions sell for 22 million bright credits. While the profits of the latter are much more healthy, practically all of the Holy Soldiers sold in the Protectorate are bronze label versions."

The LMC adopted a strict standard when it came to labelling their products. The LMC was unable to guarantee the quality of mechs produced by third-party manufacturers. Ves did not allow any external partner to produce silver label mechs no matter how many guarantees they made.

"How much profit are we actually making?"

"Not much. The profit for the bronze label Holy Soldier is around 3 million bright credits. The third-party manufacturer takes a hefty cut out of this profit, say, 1 million bright credits."

That still sounded decent considering how much Holy Soldiers they expected to sell, but there was more. The LMYC had to pay various fees and taxes per fiscal year. The LMC owned a fifty-percent stake in the LMYC, so they only received half of the profits in the end.

Calabast's holding company received the other half of the profits. Ves became a little sour when he thought how easily she stood to profit from his success, though he had to admit that she contributed considerably to the smooth expansion of the LMC in the Protectorate mech market.

After every party involved received their cut, the LMC only received around 700,000 bright credits per sale.

"That doesn't sound so bad." Ves rubbed his chin.

"That is only the case when the cost of raw materials stays the same. Don't forget that the supply of raw materials will become more strained as more and more states begin to fall. The longer this invasion goes on, the more damage the sandmen will do. Many states are no longer exporting the materials they extract and are instead reserving them for domestic suppliers."

Ves did not worry too much about this trend. He already took it into account when he made sure to incorporate the most common materials available in the region in his latest mech designs.

Still, even a modest increase in the cost of raw materials would have a drastic effect on the profitability of his Holy Soldiers. The profit the LMC made per sale could easily dwindle to 300,000 bright credits or even worse!

"You know, we could remedy this situation if we increase the list price of our Holy Soldiers." Gavin suggested all of a sudden. "We know demand for them is insane, to the point that we're simply unable to meet most of the demand. In this situation, it makes a lot of sense to raise our prices. Those who are more conscious of their spending will wait for it to drop, while your more devoted fans will easily swallow the added costs."

Ves immediately shook his head. "No. Let's not play that game. The Ylvainans trust me, and I don't want to exploit that. Our primary goal should be to assist our customers in fighting the sandmen and spread our reputation in the process by selling as many mechs as possible. Making a profit is secondary. We'll earn much more money once the customers we've gained during this crisis begins to recognize the value of my products."

This fell in line with his plan to earn broad acceptance from the mech community. He especially kept his products cheap in order for them to become an attractive choice to the movers and shakers of every state under threat!

Chapter 1534

The wildly optimistic projections for the Holy Soldier already came as a shock to Ves. This was the first time one of his mech models would surpass 10,000 sales in the second month!

As for the Desolate Soldier model, the circumstances were different and more complex.

His assistant dutifully explained the situation.

"Unlike the Holy Soldier, the demand of the Desolate Soldier is much more modest. The good news is that the LMC's reputation for quality and reliability along with the positive attitudes of our existing customers has generated a lot of initial interest. The shenanigans of the Ylvainans have been particularly helpful in publicizing our latest product and putting a positive spin on its effects."

"How has the warning issued by the MTA and the efforts of our critics affected the initial reception of my Desolate Soldier model?"

"Pretty bad, at least at the start. The Bright Republic's mech market is a lot more sober when it comes to our mechs. Most interested customers outside of our existing fans have adopted a wait-and-see approach."

"Has that changed?"

Gavin grinned. "Well, opinions are quickly beginning to turn around as soon as we adopted your plan to place the first batch of Desolate Soldiers across Bentheim. The duty they inspire from bystanders is so remarkable that the Bentheim Planetary Guard is actually the first major client to place a major order on our new product!"

"The Planetary Guard?!" Ves sat up straight. "Don't they normally operate on the surface of Bentheim?!"

"It's a nightmare to fight the sandmen on land. The Planetary Guard would much rather dispatch a bunch of mech pilots to space in order to help resist the sandmen that will be flooding the Bentheim System soon. As a port system, it's a certainty that it will become a magnet to these accursed aliens!"

It would be an absolute catastrophe if even a single sandman vessel reached the surface of Beintheim. Due to the planet's high population density, a sandman vessel could quickly spread out and harvest hundreds of thousands lives within minutes!

His cousin Melinda happened to be a mech captain in the Bentheim Planetary Guard. Perhaps he should get in touch with her in order to find out if she would be the ones deployed to space. Her Larkinson training meant she likely possessed a basic proficiency in spaceborn mech combat, so she might very well be assigned to pilot one of his mechs!

The thought of Melinda facing a flood of sandmen while piloting a mech that was only worth 20 million bright credits almost gave Ves a heart attack!

If possible, he wanted her to pilot a much better mech!

"How many Desolate Soldiers do you think we'll sell?"

"Our current estimate is 3,000 sales. We're actually partnering up with more third-party manufacturers to produce more mechs in anticipation of meeting future demand. We're betting that once the mech market recognizes that our Desolate Soldiers are good value, people will no longer hesitate and flood our company with orders."

"What's our projection for the second month."

"50,000 mechs."

"WHAT?!" Ves practically jumped out of his seat!

His shock was so drastic that even Lucky and Nitaa became alarmed.

"The first sandmen fleets will almost certainly hit the third line of defense by this time." Gavin spoke as if he hadn't dropped a bombshell. "Once the Desolate Soldiers perform as well as we think they will, demand will skyrocket. The widespread use of the Holy Soldiers in the Ylvaine Protectorate will also prove that our mechs can give defenders an edge."

Even so, Ves still thought that selling 50,000 Desolate Soldiers in the second month of the model's release was rather exaggerated!

"Don't forget that this accounts for sales in every state we maintain an active presence." Gavin added. "While much of our sales will still come from the Bright Republic, we expect to do very well in mech markets like the Reinald Republic that have most to gain from a mech that inspires duty."

"Ah. I see."

While Ves mainly designed the Desolate Soldier for the Bright Republic, a state with much less internal stability would likely value his new mech model much more than usual! If his Desolate Soldiers succeeded in affecting the moods of the citizens of the Reinald Republic and similarly unstable states, then selling 50,000 mechs was not out of the question!

"This is why we think it might be possible for us to reach 100,000 in the third month."

The shock of this immense sum had lessened after Ves digested the sales projections for the second month. After all, unlike the competition, his Desolate Soldier was the only mech that possessed the additional function of inspiring duty in everyone! The duel-purpose nature of his mech would probably come as a godsend to many faltering states!

Of course, with such an insane level of popularity, copycats and counterfeits would quickly begin to flood the market as well. While Ves knew that many of them would come with defective or absent auras, many consumers who weren't familiar with authentic LMC mechs probably didn't know the difference.

"This problem will mainly impact distant mech markets where we don't have a presence." Ves determined. "In the short term, it doesn't matter if unscrupulous mech manufacturers flood those distant markets with our products."

Gavin nodded. "The Bright Republic's mech market is well aware that only authentic mechs will deliver the best results. Foreign mech markets will quickly follow suit once we become more known there. Since our margins are already so low, there isn't much of a difference in the price of a counterfeit and an authentic copy. Mech buyers will definitely opt for the genuine products so long as they are available."

After the third month of release, the LMC could no longer make any confident predictions of the sales projections for the Desolate Soldier. It depended heavily on how the Desolate Soldier actually fared against the sandmen and how much their customers appreciated its aura.

Unless the Desolate Soldier performed disastrously in combat, the LMC did not expect its sales figures to subside! Selling more than 100,000 copies a month was a very realistic prospect so long as no other competing mech model was able to steal its thunder!

The insane numbers sounded rather surreal to Ves.

Of course, the mech markets became saturated, sales would quickly fall to saner levels. Even if that didn't happen, once humanity repelled the sandman invasion, the Desolate Soldier no longer had a purpose.

"Let's see how it goes." He spoke, forcing himself to calm down. "Keep track of the market reception of our Desolate Soldiers and inform me as soon as sales begin to spike. Also, make sure to allocate some funds on resuming construction of our second manufacturing complex on Bentheim. We're going to need it if we want to produce more silver label mechs."

After a long and extensive discussion with Gavin, Ves finally ended the call. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm down his wildly-beating heart.

"All of this hinges on whether the market values my Desolate Soldier highly. If the LMC overestimated its market reception, then we can forget about reaching 100,000 sales per month!"

Ves had already compared his Desolate Soldier to the works of other mech designers. Its performance was good enough to surpass most rifleman mechs designed by Journeymen. However, its performance in some aspects was noticeably worse when compared to mechs designed by Seniors.

Seniors whose design philosophies excelled in raising the performance of specific aspects of their mechs possessed the greatest advantage in this area. Their products always captured significant chunks of market share and Ves expected no different this time.

"At least we don't have to worry about competition from mainstream mechs this time."

It was impossible for the huge, trans-galactic enterprises to take notice of a tiny incident taking place in the Komodo Star Sector. All of their Master and Senior Mech Designers had better things to do than spend all of their valuable time and effort into designing a ludicrously-optimized mech that fit the current circumstances of a single region!

This was also one of the major reasons why the LMC and every other mech company revised their sales projections upwards. Mainstream mech models ordinarily took up a lot of space in open mech markets. Now that they had become irrelevant, local mech companies eagerly filled in the void!

"That reminds me, I still need to check something."

He went to the bathroom and activated his usual security precautions before activating the System.

[Design Evaluation: Desolate Soldier DS-A-01]

Model name: Desolate Soldier DS-A-01

Original Manufacturer: Ves Larkinson

Weight Classification: Medium-Light

Recommended Role: Ballistic Rifleman Mech

Armor: E-

Carrying Capacity: C

Aesthetics: B+

Endurance: C

Energy Efficiency: C

Flexibility: D

Firepower: C

Integrity: A

Mobility: B-

Spotting: C

X-Factor: A-

Cost efficiency: A

Project involvement: 80%

Original component composition: 17%

Overall evaluation: The Desolate Soldier is a simple spaceborn rifleman mech designed for cost efficiency and ease of use. It does not possess any other strengths aside from its mobility and duty-oriented X-Factor. This mech is primarily meant to be employed against the sandman race,

[You have received 1,000 Design Points for completing an original design that has no other equivalent.]

[You have received 50,000 Design Points for designing a mech with a high presence of X-Factor.]

Most of the scores didn't look very flattering to Ves. As a cheap mech, there was no way it would score well on armor and firepower.

That was not a big deal to Ves. The Desolate Soldier scored well in the areas that mattered. Its cost efficiency, integrity and mobility were the two main selling points of his product, and in that regard it could hold its own against the competition.

Of course, Ves knew his mech design well enough to be able to come up with these scores on his own. What he truly cared about was how the System evaluated the X-Factor of his mech.

This was the second instance in which he made use of a spiritual product as his design spirit. Though Ves believed that the Solemn Guardian had reached a respectable amount of strength, he still needed confirmation.

"A- is better than I expected."

The Solemn Guardian did not match the strength of Qilanxo. In fact, it was only a litle bit stronger than Ylvaine's spiritual fragment at the beginning.

Ves knew that this was just the start. Ylvaine's spiritual fragment experienced a considerable amount of growth for some reason, and Ves expected the Solemn Guardian to grow even faster if the Holy Soldier and Desolate Soldier actually realized their ludicrously high sales projections!

The only regret he had was that the urgency of the situation didn't allow him to shape the upbringing of the Solemn Guardian as he wished.

Ves only hoped that his initial customers served as good role models for the maturing design spirit.

"Uh oh."

The Solemn Guardian occupied both the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier design. Since the initial market demand for the Holy Soldier was much more drastic, the Ylvainans would likely become the dominant influence!

"Well, it's too late to do anything." Ves shrugged. "I can hardly withhold sales for my product when demand is so high."

He resolved to check up on the Solemn Guardian frequently and step in if it developed a desire to convert mech pilots to the Ylvainan Faith.

In fact, Ves did not even wait. He dismissed the System and concentrated his mind on the Desolate Soldier design. As soon as he made contact with the Solemn Guardian, he already noticed that it had grown much more turbulent since last time.

This signified that his infantile spiritual product was rapidly learning and maturing under the influence of the first people who piloted his new mechs!

Though the Solemn Guardian appeared very active and chaotic right now, Ves believed there should be a way for him to influence its growth.

"I'll need to prune out some unwelcome developments."

The drastic shifts taking place in the Solemn Guardian reflected its nature as an artificially-created entity. It lacked the maturity of naturally-grown spiritual entities.

If Ves hadn't gotten the idea of checking up on the Solemn Guardian so early, who knew how it would turn out in the end! It would have been too late to steer its growth once it matured and internalized its lessons!

Chapter 1535

Since Ves was the parent of the Solemn Guardian, the spiritual product trusted him a lot. While it already started communicating with hundreds of early adopters of the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier model, none of their voices weighed as much as the voice of its creator.

Ves didn't have to resort to drastic measures to influence the Solemn Guardian's development. He merely instructed the Solemn Guardian and prodded certain aspects of his spiritual makeup.

Of course, He held no illusions that he would be able to exert total control over the Solemn Guardian's development. It was already good enough to discourage it from developing a couple of undesirable habits.

"Hopefully, it's enough to prevent it from converting to the Ylvainan Faith. That would be a true disaster!"

For now, sales of his new products were already on track to smashing the LMC's previous records. The production of his mechs reached an even higher figure as Ves and the LMC made a very costly bet.

They bet that the demand for Desolate Soldiers would take off. They bet that the market would quickly order the mech in such large numbers that the LMC could never possibly contract enough third-party manufacturers to keep up with demand!

Though Ves possessed a lot of confidence in his work, he still doubted whether the market would be able to recognize the merits of his mech design. The LMC already blatantly promoted the Desolate Soldier's ability to inspire duty to mech pilots and bystanders, but would everyone else believe this outlandish claim?

When Ves met with Gloriana at the workshop compartment, he voiced some of his concerns.

"Hmm. I'm not really familiar with third-class mech markets, but in the Hegemony it's not unusual for Journeymen to sell hundreds of thousands of copies a year. Our mech market is much bigger, but our market is also more competitive. When you are forced to compete against Master Mech Designers, only the most exceptional mech designers are able to surpass this threshold!"

"Why would a mech buyer opt to buy a mech designed by a Journeyman as opposed to a Master?" Ves curiously asked.

"They're not irrational, if that's what you're thinking. There are perfectly rational reasons to buy a mech designed by a Journeyman. In general, every Master abides by the unwritten custom to price their products in relation to their value. The better they perform, the more expensive it is to buy them. Journeymen are still able to achieve considerable sales figures by severely discounting the prices of their products. Sure, their profits aren't anything to boast about, but proving your ability to sell lots of mechs opens up a lot of opportunities."

"Is that the only reason?"

"Well, sometimes the specialties of Masters can be rather peculiar. Not everyone needs a mech that is able to absorb a huge amount of shock or can transform into an alternate configuration. Lesser mech designers are able to fulfill thousands of different niches that Masters don't bother with. Do you understand now?"

Ves nodded. That was similar to the situation at home.

"Do you think the sales projections of our Desolate Soldier design are overblown?"

"Nope. It's clear to me that our work is incredibly valuable." She replied with absolute confidence. "If the mech market doesn't accept our Desolate Soldiers, I will make people appreciate them! No one gets away with disrespecting our precious mechs!"

Her words alarmed Ves. "Let's not do anything drastic, Gloriana! I think it's best to wait and see how it goes."

The LMC and by extension Ves claimed total ownership of the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier designs. Even though Gloriana contributed considerably to their designs, she was already satisfied with receiving credit.

As a result, Gloriana did not even earn a single credit from the sales no matter how high they reached.

She simply didn't care about the amount of money she stood to earn this time. She knew that the margins of the Desolate Soldier and its variant were already low. If she claimed a 20 percent share of the profits which she rightfully earned, the LMC would be put under more pressure.

Of course, not even Gloriana foresaw that the sales of the Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier could reach the hundreds of thousands.

At such a height, the monthly profits reached a figure that even Gloriana could no longer remain impassive!

Still, she did not show any signs of wanting to claim any share. She knew that Ves and his mech company needed the money more. The only thing she could do with her share was to put it into a pot reserved for funding their expeditionary fleet.

While the money required to fund the fleet was incredibly high, they still had a decade to go. At this stage, it was much better to invest the LMC's current profits into expanding its reach and production capacity.

The greater the LMC's capabilities, the more impressive Ves became in the eyes of the Wodin Family. While selling lots of third-class mechs was not enough to earn their approval, his success at least increased his resume.

Besides, it was not impossible that the LMC earned so many profits one day that it could cover a considerable share of the cost of their expeditionary fleet. Even if the money the LMC made could only lessen the burden by a tenth, that still made life a lot easier for the pair!

They set aside their speculation for the time being and moved on to their current design project.

Ves knew that he wouldn't be able to do much to influence the sales of his Desolate Soldier model. He might as well distract himself by working on another mech design.

As for Gloriana, she simply enjoyed collaborating with her boyfriend. Ves had the impression that she was happiest when they worked together on a mech design where they could both express their specialties to their fullest.

As they went back to overhauling the Desolate Soldier design to fit William Urbesh, both of them learned from each other's specialties.

Just as Gloriana taught him some of the basics on how to customize a mech to suit a specific mech pilot, Ves reciprocated by teaching her some of his tricks of the trade.

"You're not concentrating enough." He frowned at her. "I thought we agreed on adopting the prior vision design method. Why is your mind beginning to wander off?"

She sighed. "I just can't help it, Ves. I've dreamt about working together on a custom mech design project for almost a year! How can I not enjoy this precious moment of ours?"

This prompted Ves to pause his work and turn towards his girlfriend sitting next to him. He grasped her soft and slender fingers and squeezed them. Gloriana let out a delighted squeal.

"I love you, Gloriana. It's all well and good to revel in your emotions, but you should take care not to put too many inappropriate thoughts into our mech design."

"Why so? I'm happy! I enjoy working like this! Whenever I design a mech with you, I can't contain my excitement!"

"Try as best as you can to temper your excitement. Your thoughts will reflect on your mech design. While it's not very obvious, it's highly related to my design philosophy. Each mech we work upon carries an imprint of our thoughts and emotions."

"Why does this imprint matter?"

"Because it sets the foundation of my specialty? Remember how you feel when I imparted our designs with their spiritual components? The truth is that we attach this spiritual component to the spiritual internal frame I've formed by applying my mind while I worked on a design."

The explanation started to make sense to her. "So the quality of the spiritual internal frame will drop if we add too many distractions?"

"Right."

In truth, Ves still needed to test this assumption, but he had a strong hunch he was right. In any case, the spiritual foundation of his mech designs still played a role even if his design spirits often stole the show.

"So what do I have to do?"

"If you want me to give full play to my design philosophy, then you should concentrate your mind on the vision we formed for this project. By direction the bulk of your mental attention to our vision and all of the thinking that is necessary to realize it, you will mentally be able to imprint it onto our mech design."

"What is the purpose of this? Does it have to be done during the design process?"

"It's very important, Gloriana. It's too late to shape the spiritual foundation of our mech design once it's complete. The reason why we want to do this is manifold. Even without adding a spiritual component, the foundation can still exert a modest influence on the mech pilot. Its most important function is to form a bridge between the mech and mech pilot."

"I see!" She happily clapped again. "So we are actually setting up the divine foundation of our mech design! In order to make them as compatible to the mech design and accompanying proto-gods, all of their domains need to align with each other!"

Ves wanted to palm his face. He knew he should be grateful that she got the gist of his explanation. If there was one benefit to her weird beliefs, it was that she never exhibited any skepticism as long as she found a way to fit his lessons in her religious framework.

He decided to move on.

"It's fine if you are thinking about me while you are working. I'm pretty much the same when it comes to you. It's just that we need to maintain the majority of our focus on our vision and on our work. Our mech design will absorb some of our focus in a coherent manner as long as our thoughts are pure enough."

"What about emotions?"

"As far as I know, passion and heated emotions can be a wonderful boon to our mech designs. The more we care about our work, the more pronounced the foundation we are building. As long as you take care not to impart too many irrelevant thoughts, it's fine if you are very happy for some reason."

"What happens if our thoughts aren't as pure as you'd like?"

"Then we end up with a foundation that resembles a mud pool. Since it lacks a strong and focused direction, it ends up achieving nothing. Do you understand the importance of holding on to a single vision now?"

She tentatively nodded. "I'm not used to concentrating my mind in this way."

"Just try it out. You don't have to maintain perfect concentration. I can use my own mental strength to smooth over any wrinkles in our mech design."

They got off on a bumpy start. Unlike Ves who could observe and get a feel for the spiritual foundation of their work, Gloriana had to act blindly in maintaining what she thought was a sufficient amount of concentration.

Gloriana only possessed average concentration, so her focus frequently slipped.

Nonetheless, this result was a lot better than before. Ves could easily clean up her messes this time, unlike before where her wandering mind produced too many distractions for him to keep up after some time!

As Gloriana continued to follow his instructions, she became a little more adept at maintaining her concentration in this fashion. She no longer let her whimsies and impulses disturb her work, though she frequently demanded breaks in order to cuddle up to him and enjoy his company.

"I love these moments when we are together." She smiled as she leaned on his chest.

Ves noticed that she worked better and put more feeling in her work whenever they shared these breaks together.

What was more, her happiness was infectious. Each time she became happy, Ves felt the same way!

Happiness not only fueled their passion, but also brought them together. When both of them felt the same way, much less friction occurred during their work.

Chapter 1536

Over the past several months, Bentheim experienced a major transformation. As the economic center of the Bright Republic, the planet always focused most of its efforts on expanding its industry and trade.

Even with the Vesia Kingdom casting greedy eyes at Bentheim, the economic engine kept running at full tilt. The vast amount of money flowing through this trade nexus was vital in keeping the rest of the Republic aloft.

The sandman invasion changed everything.

Unlike the Vesians, the sandmen race mobilized so many sandmen vessels that they could easily overwhelm a fifth of the Komodo Star Sector at the same time!

The might of the Bright Republic alone was not able to withstand such might, especially not after consuming a considerable amount of strength during the recently-concluded war against the Vesia Kingdom.

Even if the sandmen race attacked without any coordination, a state that already exhausted half of its strength could not withstand the deluge of sandmen ships alone.

For this reason, under the leadership of the bright president and the bright senate, the entire Bright Republic mobilized to a degree unprecedented in its history!

Not even in the worst days of the Bright-Vesia Wars did the Bright Republic mobilize such a high proportion of manpower and resources to war!

The drums of war beat throughout the entire state, calling everyone to war. Peaceful pursuits and idle pleasures no longer became available. The mech games circuit, which had run continuously even during wartime, finally shuttered for the first time since its formation!

Different from the wars the Bright Republic waged before, the state conscripted a vast amount of norms.

The sandman relied on brute force and persistent attacks to overrun their opposition. Against such a simple foe that did not employ any sophisticated battle tactics, sheer firepower could play a key role.

For this reason, an incredible proportion of industry on Bentheim had switched over to mass-producing turrets and defensive platforms. All of these fixed defenses needed to be manned, hence why so many citizens became soldiers.

Of course, even if turrets and defensive platforms could play a major role in repelling the sandmen, the Bright Republic did not neglect its mech forces.

Mech athletes, mech champions and mech duelists of every stripe no longer performed in front of a crowd. Instead, they either enlisted in the Mech Corps or joined one of the many mercenary corps and other outfits contracted by the state to deploy against the sandmen!

Though many outfits thought about leaving, the rewards issued by the Bright Republic were too attractive to ignore. The state no longer hoarded its vast wealth and promised rich payment to any mercenary brave enough to resist the sandmen!

Of course, to some mercenaries, no amount of money was enough to compensate for their lives. They only had to keep track of the news of the states in the first and second line of defense to know how horrible it was to resist the sandmen onslaught.

An unavoidable amount of outfits and individual mech pilots left the Bright Republic. Though the state imposed a fair amount of restrictions on travel, the outflow couldn't be stopped.

When those who remained behind watched the cowards leave for better pastures, their sense of urgency increased. The Bright Republic's total combat strength decreased with each mech pilot leaving.

Of course, an incredible amount of normal people started leaving as well. They saw what their fates might be if they stayed around. Once the sandmen completely took over a planet, they had no use for their human population. Each and every settlement would be washed away by a tide of sand that was powerful enough to crush the lives of those who were cowering in their homes and bunkers!

For this reason, every state under threat suffered from an outflow of people, capital and mechs. Compared to less cohesive states like the Reinald Republic, the Bright Republic fared much better in this regard. It bled much slower than others on account of the confidence of most of its citizens.

Whether this state of confidence could be maintained was another question. The most senior leaders of the Bright Republic observed the fall of the border states extensively and knew that everything they built was like a house of cards.

As long as a state suffered one major setback, the confidence of the people might falter, thereby sparking an unstoppable tide of fear!

To bolster the confidence of its citizens, the Bright Republic pulled out all the stops. The government blanketed the media space with patriotic and uplifting propaganda and sent forth a vast amount of people into society to bolster their confidence!

Under this broad and overarching initiative, the Bentheim Planetary Guard employed a completely novel method.

As the first major client to order a batch of Desolate Soldiers, the Planetary Guard did not deploy them to space as Ves expected.

Instead, the Planetary Guard immediately deployed the first hundred Desolate Soldiers on the streets of Bentheim.

The cities of Dorum, Haston, Ansel, Meirling and more became host to a brand new model of mechs.

Among the mechs already patrolling the streets, the new mechs did not look impressive at first. Hastily coated in the colors of the Bentheim Planetary Guard, the size and quality of the mechs left much to be desired.

In addition, its peculiar flight system made it obvious that the mech had been designed to operate in space. On land, its weak legs only allowed the rifleman mechs to walk at a steady pace.

"Has the Planetary Guard gone crazy? Even if the Guard desperately needs to replace its peacekeeping mechs with ballistic rifleman mechs, why are they opting for something so bad?"

Yet as soon as the observers entered into a certain range, their faces drastically shifted.

As long as anyone came close enough, they immediately became subject to the auras of the new mechs. Not a single person could remain impassive!

What was more, the auras carried a strong and relatively pure sense of duty! Anyone who became impacted by this aura could not help but become affected.

Each Brighter carried a sense of duty ingrained in their minds. The Bright Republic paid a lot of attention to instilling loyalty and patriotism to the state in their early upbringing.

Under the stimulation of the auras of the Desolate Soldier, these buried values grew stronger, causing everyone's sense of duty to amplify!

The effect of the auras couldn't be underestimated. In terms of X-Factor, the Desolate Soldier design was a little bit weaker than the Aurora Titan design and roughly matched that of the initial Transcendent Messenger design.

However, unlike the expensive Aurora Titan and the highly exclusive Transcendent Messenger, the Desolate Soldier possessed one great advantage.

It was cheap!

The Desolate Soldier was so cheap and easy to produce, that many third-party manufacturers immediately started producing batches of them without any adjustment period.

The technical design of the Desolate Soldier was so simple and elegant that its learning curve was nothing to speak of! Most of the sophistication of the Desolate Soldier lay in its X-Factor and its profound but hidden design principles, both of which did not negatively affect the production process.

Of course, one major caveat about the Desolate Soldiers was that they were virtually all bronze label mechs. The mixed and unfocused production processes employed by third-party manufacturers weakened the X-Factor of the mechs rolling off their production lines, but even then they still retained considerable auras.

"If one of these mechs aren't enough, what about two? If two aren't enough, what about four?"

After a bit of experimentation and a lot of mathematical modeling, the Bentheim Planetary Guard finally came to the conclusion that it was best to group them up in fours.

Four Desolate Soldiers patrolling side by side strengthened their auras to such an extent that even the most selfish individuals started questioning themselves.

While grouping up more Desolate Soldiers strengthened their auras even further, the law of diminishing returns had already come into effect. The difference in impact became so marginal that the Planetary Guard was better off focusing on spreading out the groups of four to as many places as possible.

As more and more days passed by, the Planetary Guard received more and more Desolate Soldiers. The mechs became more ubiquitous on the streets. The confidence of the previously fearful citizens had stabilized. In fact, many Bentheimers even became more optimistic about their future!

Captain Melinda Larkinson could hardly believe how profound the Desolate Soldiers affected the moods of the locals by their mere presence on the streets.

As a Larkinson and a cousin of the mech designer of the Desolate Soldier, she received the privilege of piloting one of the few silver label Desolate Soldiers delivered to the Planetary Guard.

"This mech.. How can Ves possibly design such a fearsome mech?"

Melinda patrolled the streets in her brand-new Desolate Soldier long enough to recognize how strong it affected the moods of the surrounding people.

If the MTA hadn't issued their verdict on it, she would have thought that her mech was outright brainwashing the people that fell into its range!

In truth, Melinda and the rest of the Planetary Guard concluded that the effects were a little bit more mild. The Desolate Soldier roused certain thoughts and emotions, causing them to become more pronounced.

As soon as someone walked out of range, those thoughts and emotions quickly went back to normal. The person affected by the Desolate Soldier would only be left with the memories and impressions of their moment of inspiration.

However, this was enough to change their original trajectories! The sense of duty that they felt was so sublime and fulfilling that many people no longer viewed their lives the same way.

Not everyone discovered their sense of duty.

Some, like Melinda, already performed their duties. The Desolate Soldiers only strengthened what they already possessed.

Others were too unrepentant to reform. Their blackened minds completely rejected any notions of duty.

Most people came away with something extra to think about. While they didn't change their lives to a drastic degree, they became a little bit more inclined to answer the call of duty.

This was sufficient! Compared to the government's propaganda efforts, the impact of the Desolate Soldiers on the moods of the citizens was much more immediate.

The short-term stability produced by the disgustingly-cheap mechs was incredibly valuable! So much so that the Planetary Guards of other planets in the Republic started to take note! The LMC received more and more orders!

Driven by the actions of the Planetary Guard forces, other outfits began to take note of the Desolate Soldier.

Aside from their ability to inspire duty, the Desolate Soldier was still a functional combat mech. Its primary purpose was to offer the market an affordable means to field lots of mechs in battle against the sandmen.

"This mech is not half-bad."

Did mercenaries care about duty? Not necessarily. Yet even mercenary corps saw value in the mechs.

If nothing else, their mech pilots wouldn't cut and run so easily if they piloted the mechs. It had already become known that the Desolate Soldiers affected their mech pilots most of all!

For this reason, the private sector began to order Desolate Soldiers as well, though only single copies or small batches at a time.

Under the backdrop of this major movement, a single young man stood on the sidewalk as a patrol of Desolate Soldiers walked past. The man admired the mechs with a heated glance, and his entire mind and body vibrated with excitement as he basked in the auras of the mechs.

"Mr. King."

A man in uniform walked up to the young man. The visor on the newcomer's face looked incredibly distinctive.

The younger of the two immediately stood at attention. "Avatar Commander! It's an honor to meet you in person!"

Melkor Larkinson smiled. "There is no need for that. The Avatars of Myth is not a military mech force."

"Ah, sorry."

"No need. It is a pleasure to witness your enthusiasm. While I can guess that you received some attractive offers from the Mech Corps, we will not treat you wrong."

Normally, Melkor never bothered to travel to Bentheim to greet a new recruit of the Avatars of Myth.

Only a few circumstances compelled him to move out in person. The recruitment of a top graduate of the Meirling Advanced Mech Academy definitely qualified!

"I'm ready to go, Commander Larkinson."

"Good. Our shuttle awaits, Joshua."

Joshua obediently followed after the Avatar Commander, knowing that he was close to fulfilling one of his most cherished dreams!

Chapter 1537

"Our attempt to push our Desolate Soldiers onto the Bentheim Planetary Guard has succeeded. They're so enthusiastic about our new mechs that they'll soon be fielding thousands of them across the planet and in orbit!"

The LMC deliberately courted the Bentheim Planetary Guard due to its strong authority and heavy presence on Bentheim. Any mech model adopted by this pivotal peacekeeping force would doubtlessly attract a lot of attention!

Once the Planetary Guard adopted the Desolate Soldier model, they practically marketed it on behalf of the LMC. Not only did they field the mechs everywhere, allowing many people to experience their auras, their authoritative status lent a lot of credibility to the products they used!

It was no surprise to Ves to hear from Gavin that other Planetary Guard forces followed suit. The auras of the Desolate Soldiers simply met their needs too well for them to ignore!

As for the potential accusations of brainwashing or improper mental influence, who cared? The Bright Republic was on the precipice of destruction and needed to pull out all the stops! The authorities couldn't care less about the potentially dangerous repercussions right now!

In any case, they could always revisit this issue after they repelled the sandmen.

"Hahaha! You should see the tears of the snobby Ansel mech designers!" Gavin laughed over the comm. "Professor Pendleton and their ilk has been leading the wave of criticism directed at the LMC's mechs. Even though he published a long diatribe that warns against the dangers of the Desolate Soldier, his influence is not as great as before!"

Ves smiled as well. "As long as the Bentheim Planetary Guard uses my mechs, they're effectively vouching for them. The biased opinions of a couple of snooty Seniors simply can't compare to the weight of a seemingly-neutral institution."

Was the Bentheim Planetary Guard devoid of politics? No! It took sides like any institution run by humans. It was just that their political character wasn't very obvious. In order to maintain its reputation, the Bentheim Planetary Guard did its best to appear neutral and fair.

Now, the LMC essentially piggy-backed on the Guard's stellar reputation to legitimize their Desolate Soldier model. This deliberate strategy effectively mitigated most of the controversy surrounding the LMC's products!

Gavin and the LMC believed that enacting this plan was incredibly pivotal to the wider adoption of the Desolate Soldier. Unlike the Ylvainans who exhibited no misgivings about the Holy Soldier, the Brighters were much more cautious and sober.

The LMC could still work with that as long as they published a mech with an X-Factor as strong as the Blackbeak or the Crystal Lord.

Yet the Desolate Soldier was different. Its X-Factor put it in the same range as the Aurora Titan and Transcendent Messenger, but its affordability meant that it became much more widely available.

If people started fearing the Desolate Soldiers, their ubiquity might provoke a very ugly backlash.

"The hardest part is behind us." Gavin continued. "Now that so many Planetary Guards have adopted our Desolate Soldiers, there is no way this trend can be reversed, at least in the Bright Republic. Recently, our marketing focus has shifted to foreign markets. The Coman Federation, the Reinald Republic, the Independent State of Pillis and the Council Stars of Lisv are all fertile ground for our Desolate Soldiers!"

The LMC already possessed a moderate presence in those states. They only left out the Vesia Kingdom for obvious reasons.

As Gavin transmitted some reports for him to peruse, Ves started thinking deeply. He initially found it hard to believe in the LMC's rosy projections.

How could his mech company suddenly take a huge leap from selling a couple of thousand mechs a year to selling more than 100,000 mechs in a single month?

It sounded far too unrealistic, yet as more and more orders poured in, Ves began to waver in his assumptions.

What if the LMC estimated correctly? What if the LMC really managed to sell so many mechs?

Ves could scarcely imagine the consequences!

"It's too bad that we've outsourced most of our production." Ves sighed. "If we possessed greater production capacity, we could have profited more from this trend."

In the last week, the LMC resumed construction of its second manufacturing complex on Bentheim. This time, the planetary government even lent some assistance to hurry up construction. The faster the site went up, the sooner it started churning out mechs.

"We may be missing out a bit this time, but we'll definitely be in a better position next time."

Ves and Gavin talked extensively about the market reception of the Desolate Soldier over the comm. Though Ves always put his guard up towards his assistant, that did not change their current working relationship.

So what if Flashlight hooked their tentacles into Gavin? He was still a very capable and insightful adviser and attendant.

In any case, the current crisis transcended any friction between Ves and Flashlight.

After Ves finished receiving his daily update from Gavin, he ended the call and met up with Gloriana. They briefly enjoyed their breakfast before heading to the workshop compartment of the Stellar Lancer.

By this time, their combined fleet had already reached the territory of the Reinald Republic. Even if he was passing by, Ves had the feeling of entering a familiar stomping ground.

In fact, after crossing the Reinald Republic, their route ran straight through the Vesia Kingdom!

Normally, Ves would never dare to enter this state on his own accord!

Yet everything was different now that he travelled together with Gloriana. There was no way the Kingdom would have the guts to stir up trouble against a prominent Hexer escorted by a powerful second-class mech unit!

"It feels good to shelter under Gloriana's umbrella sometimes." He mused.

As Ves and Gloriana continued to work on their collaborative design project, they both got to know each other better on multiple levels. Not only did they learn from each other's specialties and adjusted their design styles to each other, they also got to know each other better as a person.

For example, Ves asked a very important question that had been nagging at him for a while.

"Gloriana, what do gods mean to you? Sometimes, I have the feeling you don't view them with as much reverence as I think."

Though both of them had been seriously working on an increasingly more sophisticated custom mech design, they also looked rather silly together. The identical cat ears atop their head made them look as if they were a couple on a date!

"Haven't I told you about the six phases of existence before?"

"Yeah, but I don't understand the significance of these phases."

Gloriana patted his forearm. "It's not that hard to understand. Adherents of hexism believe that existence can be expressed in six phases, each of which are interconnected. One flows to the other. A god is simply someone who has ascended to power. We consider god pilots and Star Designers to be among that level, but they are only the most obvious gods in existence today."

"Is a living god pilot a man or a god?"

"Both. A person can encompass multiple phases at once. That's how interconnected they are, Ves."

"Is there a ranking?"

"Of course! Women fall under the most supreme phase of existence! Every follower of hexism believes that it is better to be a mortal woman than a male god!"

"What?!"

What kind of nonsense was this?!

"Hexism doesn't call for worshipping gods. We merely respect them, that's all, and only if they're female."

"Does that mean you would rather be an average female mech designer than a powerful male Star Designer?"

"Yes!" Gloriana replied without hesitation. "Women are supreme! We are the wisest and most enlightened half of humanity! I know it sounds hard for you as a man to learn that you're inferior to us, but that's what we're here for. Under our guidance and protection, we make sure that men behave and know their boundaries."

She spoke with so much conviction that Ves had no doubt that she believed what she said. Her subtle green eyes radiated such intense focus when she spoke about her beliefs.

There was no way that Ves could ever talk some sense into her! He would have to break her mind in order to get rid of this aspect of hers, but that was far too cruel for Ves to ever contemplate.

For better or worse, his girlfriend was an unrepentant Hexer.

"So how do you view my so-called "proto-gods'?" Ves shifted the topic.

"They're very interesting." She answered admiringly. "Though I have no idea how you're able to manipulate them, the ease in which you do so shows just how interconnected they are to us. Gods aren't necessarily aloof or immortal and they aren't condescendingly watching over us from some higher plane. They're merely... special."

Though her answers surprised Ves, he rested a little easier now that he knew her attitude on gods. He was afraid that she might have been inclined to worship them or something. She differed from the Ylvainans in this regard.

"What do you think about the design spirit I created for the Desolate Soldier?"

"It's.. adequate. I think it does a good job fulfilling the role it is meant to fulfill, but..." She grimaced. "It's very masculine. In fact, most of the proto-gods I've sensed in your design are male. That's very bad, Ves!"

She playfully swatted Ves' cheek as if he was a naughty boy!

"Gloriana! Gender doesn't matter! A god is a god!"

"It does! Don't think I haven't noticed that the proto-god residing in the Aurora Titan is more powerful than the rest. She's the only female among your little collection of proto-gods, so that proves that female gods are more powerful than male ones!"

Her warped explanation made Ves sick. How could she possibly use Qilanxo's strength to justify her beliefs! The most powerful spiritual fragment that he managed to get ahold of just happened to come from a female Sacred God.

It would have made no difference if Ves obtained a spiritual fragment from a male Sacred God!

As for his other design spirits, most of them were men because Ves was a man. He never really consciously thought about the genders of his images and spiritual products, so they all defaulted to men because that was what he was familiar with. That they happened to be weaker was because it was too difficult for him to replicate Qilanxo's spiritual strength!

Though her strange beliefs weirded him out, Gloriana was mindful enough to keep them to herself. According to her, she had all the time in the galaxy to convert Ves to hexism.

"You'll see the light one day! Hihi!"

Ves could only respond to her claim with a brittle smile.

He would rather let his mother suck his Spirituality dry than to convert to a religion that blatantly discriminated by gender! At least the Ylvainans kept gender differences out of their beliefs!

Nonetheless, Ves wasn't sure if he could maintain this equilibrium with Gloriana. As their intimacy grew, a difference in beliefs might become an obstacle.

How much hexism was Ves prepared to tolerate?

How long could Gloriana keep up her indulgence towards his rejection of her beliefs?

As if guessing what he was thinking, Gloriana swatted his head again.

"You're thinking too much, Ves. Regardless of what we believe, we are meant to be together. Our differences won't pull us apart so long as we value things we share in common. We're far from the only couple with differences."

"You're right." He sighed. His parents came to mind. "We should get back to work. We're making very good progress right now."

Both of them had poured a lot of effort into transforming the Desolate Soldier from a standard mech design into a highly-customized work of craftsmanship.

While Ves excelled in shaping the custom mech's spiritual framework, Gloriana showcased her ability to elevate its technical aspects!

When both of them combined their strengths to the fullest, the outcome reached a level that neither of them had ever managed to reach on their own!

So far, the progress they made proved Gloriana's assertions right! Their design philosophies complemented each other!

In fact, Ves also spotted signs that their design philosophy cooperated with each other on a deeper level...

Chapter 1538

As Ves and Gloriana kept improving their ability to work off each other's strengths and specialties, a minor incident interrupted their travels.

As their combined fleet almost left the territory of the Reinald Republic, they inadvertently transitioned into a star system under attack by a sandman fleet!

Both Ves and Gloriana entered the bridge of the Stellar Chaser upon the sounding of the alarm.

"What is the situation?" Gloriana immediately took charge.

"The local star system is under attack by a single sandman fleet, ma'am."

"Composition?"

"One sandman capital ship. Six sandman escort ships."

Ves recognized that as the standard sandman fleet composition. Only the young and inexperienced sandman admirals adopted this stale and highly-exploitable formation.

Having met them in battle before, the sight of the sandmen fleet did not arouse any fear in him. In any case, the sandmen fleet was many light-hours away from their current position.

"What are the sandmen doing?"

"They're about to engulf the rural planet." Ves answered grimly. "The sandmen are attracted by energy. While the power generators of a thinly-populated planet don't amount to much, they're easily digestible to the sandmen. The aliens love that."

Gloriana gasped with horror. "Those poor people! How come there aren't any mechs protecting the planet from the sandmen?"

"Look over there." Ves pointed at the side of the local plot. Faint signals flew towards the edge of the star systems. "Those two light carriers are running as fast as possible. I'm guessing that they're the ones that are tasked with defending the local population."

"Are they running?" She frowned.

"Yup. Wow, the sensors of your ship are really good. I can even tell they never even attempted to fulfill their mission. See how they're completely undamaged? Look at how many mechs are orbiting them. I don't think they've lost a single one in battle."

His cynical-sounding description painted a bleak picture.

Based on the distances traversed by the sandman fleet and the fleeing light carriers, the outfit hired to defend this star system ran as soon as the aliens appeared!

Even if the mercenaries signed a contract and received some rewards, they never appeared to take their mission seriously.

When faced with an actual sandman fleet, they would rather run than fight!

Ves understood their reluctance. A single sandman fleet consisted of so many masses of sand that two mech companies would have a hard time wearing them down. The only way they could defeat the sandman fleet before it reached the planet in the inner system was by pestering the sandmen over a long period of time.

Such a strategy came with inherent risks. The sandmen possessed the sporadic ability to fire incredibly strong lasers. Their firing rate was slow, but their firepower was enough to take out a mech in a single shot!

The longer a battle dragged on, the greater the chances the sandmen scored a hit. Every successful hit signified a dead mech and very likely a dead mech pilot.

In fact, the power of a laser beam fired from the sandman capital ship was so powerful that it could even threaten the light carriers!

Faced with a situation where the mercenaries would suffer severe, guaranteed losses, it was no surprise that they had opted to run!

"Does this mean the people on the planet are defenseless?"

"The people living on the planet are likely doomed the moment the mercenaries decided to abandon their mission. Perhaps they have a bunch of landbound mechs to defend themselves, but once the sandmen land on the surface of a planet, it's ten times harder to resist them! It's unlikely that this planet can field so many mechs."

Gloriana studied the data on the planet. "Seven million people live on the surface. Will the sandmen really kill all of them, Ves?"

"Every living human is a threat to the sandmen. They're not in the habit of taking prisoners."

Melody decided to step forward this time. "Gloriana, don't get any wild ideas."

"I was just considering, that's all! Isn't the Glory Battalion strong enough to repel the sandmen?!"

"If we want to help, we'll have to reach the inner system first." Ves noted. "The sandmen will have reached the planet at that time and begin to engulf every energy source and human on the surface."

"If my Glory Battalion hurries up, they can make it in time to save the survivors who are left."

Ves shook his head. "Forget about it, Gloriana. I'm with your assistant on this. It's not our business. Even if we reach the planet in time and manage to repel the sandmen, we're not going to get anything in return. In fact, we'll be paying a price for this by delaying our arrival to the Bright Republic by three to five days, depending on what happens."

His current priority remained returning to the LMC as fast as possible. He already anticipated that their fleet might encounter a situation like this where a populated planet came under threat.

Unless there was a compelling reason for them to dispatch their mechs to assist, Ves would rather leave as soon as the FTL drives of their starships finished cycling.

"I don't know, Ves... I don't feel so good about this situation."

"It's none of our business. So many planets and star systems have already fallen to the sandmen. Trillions of people who were unable to obtain passage on a refugee ship have died at the hands of this alien race. More will die in the coming months."

"I know that! I just find it hard to accept doing nothing when a tragedy like this plays out right in front of my eyes!"

Ves sighed and embraced Gloriana with his arm. "You're too soft, Gloriana. The galaxy is a cruel place, and people die all the time. As mech designers we are indirectly responsible for much of the killing that goes on in the galaxy. The primary function of the machines we design is to fight."

Due to her privileged upbringing, mechs had always been a technical marvel to her. She never actually experienced a lethal battle up close in her life. The closest she ever came to seeing mechs in battle was when she attended mech duels or something.

Fortunately, after Ves hugged her a bit, she became swayed by his argument.

"I guess you're right. It's the Reinald Republic's responsibility to defend its citizens when you think about it. They should have been more thorough in allocating mercenaries to defend their star systems."

Ves chuckled darkly under his breath. He doubted whether an honest Reinaldan mercenary even existed. He had a very poor impression of Reinaldan culture and military readiness. Their so-called 'Honored Ones' were so unfit for war that Ves doubted the Reinald Republic would even be able to survive the crisis!

As the pair exited the bridge without issuing any orders to save the beleaguered planet, Ves tried to console her as best as possible.

"We are mech designers. We don't solve our problems by dispatching mechs at them. We design mechs that are suited to tackle the problems. That is why I came up with the Desolate Soldier. If the mercenaries fielded our new mechs, they probably wouldn't have run as fast."

She nodded. "I guess you're right. To be honest, I'm grateful you've convinced me out of it. I wasn't acting like a proper Hexer back then. It's just that I've never been in a situation where so many humans were under threat. Now that I've calmed, I realize that those people aren't actually worth my attention."

Ves wasn't sure whether he should be pleased at her words.

"We all have a bit of selfishness. The MTA refuses to save the border states and all of the people who live there despite possessing an abundance of power. The CFA isn't doing more than sending out a single warfleet towards the source because they're obligated to. The Friday Coalition and the Hexadric Hegemony have both decided to stay put and stare at each other instead of lifting their hands to help. In every case, those who possess power prioritize their own interests above everyone else's. As far as I'm concerned, we're no different."

"You're right, Ves. You're so right. I'm so glad you're so understanding. I love you, Ves."

"I love you too, Gloriana." He smiled back.

Their fleet quickly transitioned out of the star system just as the sandmen fleet was about to reach the defenseless planet. By the time they reached their next star system, another seven million people lost their lives to the heartless alien race.

Fortunately, they didn't encounter any similar incidents along the way. Right now, the sandmen were still in the process of battering the second line of defense. States such as the Bright Republic, Ylvaine Protectorate, Vesia Kingdom and the Reinald Republic only met with sporadic leaks.

As Ves kept track of the news, he noted that these incidents started to become more and more prevalent. That was a sign that the second line of defense was starting to fail.

The news emerging from the second line of defense took on an increasingly more fatalistic tone.

Most relevant to Ves was the fate of the Coman Federation. As the state that stood in the way between the sandmen and the Bright Republic, Ves hoped that the Comen lasted as long as possible.

"How worthless." Ves shook his head in disappointment after reading the latest news. "They're already starting to break."

The Comen were anything but weak. They were very open about augmenting themselves to the point where they worshipped transhumanism. The Coman Federation also possessed a strong military culture that had given the Bright Republic plenty of headaches over the centuries.

Yet no matter how conceited they were, the sheer quantity of sandmen fleets battering their star systems was too much for them to bear.

While their fortified star systems withstood the waves of sandmen without consuming too much strength, their lesser star systems fared much more poorly. Though the Comen mercenaries and outfits hired to protect these locations fought bravely, their numbers were ultimately insufficient.

There were too few mechs to adequately cover every star system!

The loss of insufficiently-defended star systems meant that a crack had formed in the Coman Federation's armor. The sandmen fleets that arrived later no longer bothered stay around in conquered star systems and instead directed their attention elsewhere.

This basically meant that more and more sandmen fleets began to batter a smaller number of star systems. The increase in intensity meant that more star systems started to get overwhelmed. This in turn meant that the besieged star systems became host to even more sandmen!

This was how pretty much every state in the second line of defense started to fall. Even though they received some advanced warning, their preparations turned out to be insufficient.

Already, many Comen had seen the writing on the wall and fled to the Bright Republic or beyond.

Of course, since starships were in short supply, only a fraction of the population managed to make it out. The rest were destined to become crushed in a tide of sand.

"Hasn't the Bright Republic done anything to assist the Comen?" Ves suddenly frowned.

He searched the galactic net and found out that the Bright Republic deliberately withheld any aid. They even issued a warning to mercenaries not to lend their assistance to the Comen!

Though the Bright Republic never really liked their neighboring state, Ves still thought it was in its best interest to reinforce the Comen!

"It's better to contain the damage in the Coman Federation rather than letting it spill into the Bright Republic! It's too late now!"

From what he could gather from reading all of the political analyses on the news, the leaders of the Bright Republic wanted to use the sandmen to get rid of the Coman Federation without getting any of the blame.

As long as the Bright Republic successfully repelled the sandmen, the Bright Republic could easily double its territory by taking over all of the star systems formerly held by the defunct Coman Federation!

Ves couldn't help but laugh when he understood the Bright Republic was doing exactly what he had been thinking!

"Even my own home state is pursuing its own self interests!"

Of course, by denying the Comen any material assistance, the Bright Republic was about to pay the price for their inaction.

Once the sandmen finished consuming the territory of the Coman Federation, the aliens would definitely direct their might towards the Bright Republic!

If the leaders of the Bright Republic had bet wrong, then they stood to lose their entire state due to their selfish decisions!

Chapter 1539

"Hihi!" Gloriana giggled as she hugged Clixie to her chest as she jumped onto her bed. "Working with Ves is so fun! I don't ever want these days to end!"

"Miaow."

"You approve of Ves, right?"

"Miaow!"

"I mean, he can be a silly boy sometimes, but he's also the cutest at those times!"

"Miaow?"

"Our custom mech is shaping to become something fantastic! Though it's difficult to adjust my methods to become more in line with his, I can feel the difference it makes. There is no way I'll ever go back to collaborating with other mech designers! Only Ves can enable me to touch the divine!"

The Hexadric Hegemony possessed a rather flexible attitude towards religion. Hexism was neither mandated nor universal in the powerful second-rate state.

Nonetheless, many Hexers still ascribed to the philosophy, either half-heartedly or wholeheartedly. Many of its tenets fell in line with Hexer culture, so it was not that big of a burden for most Hexers to follow hexism.

When Ves heard how the Hegemony treated religion, he judged that the Hexers were trying to have their cake and eat it too. By propagating a philosophy that closely matched the predominant culture, the state essentially ensured that secularists and believers could live side-by-side in harmony without any of the usual clashes in beliefs!

In essence, the Hegemony tried to be both a secular and a religious state at the same time! By offering room for both, the state avoided most of the problems associated with leaning too closely to a specific inclination. Its policies especially opened room for future expansion and assimilation of terrority.

No matter if a Hexer was a secularist or believer, they both united together in the common belief that women were superior!

Of course, Gloriana did not think her state was doing anything special. To her, hexism described the truth. Working with Ves so closely had granted her access to a whole new facet of mech design.

Though Ves did not know it, Gloriana believed that the six phases of existence formed the true foundation of his specialty. He just didn't acknowledge yet, but she was confident she could change that one day!

As Gloriana continued to cuddle with her Rubarthan Sentinel Cat while fantasizing about turning Ves into a Hexer, Melody walked up to her bed with a hexagonal data pad in her hand.

"Madame Constance has just been in contact with me." She spoke. "Some dynasties have approached her with offers for strategic alliances."

Gloriana's good mood instantly sunk. "I already told my mother that I'm not considering any other boys! I've already set my sights on Ves! Haven't you seen how well we pair together?"

"Mr. Larkinson is indeed more remarkable than I thought, but his qualifications still leave much to be desired." Melody scoffed.

"His qualifications are far greater than you can ever imagine! You just can't see it because you're not a mech designer!"

"Even so, your mother still worries about your future. Please look at your list of suitors before you continue objecting. Your mother insists."

As much as Gloriana wanted to throw away the data pad that her assistant passed into her hands, she knew she would just get in trouble. She grumpily skimmed through the profiles as fast as possible.

"All of these boys are trash!"

"Gloriana..."

"Do you want me to dissect their faults like I did last time?" She hissed. "I'll even post them on my Commbook if that's what it takes!"

Melody instantly shut up. If there was anything Gloriana was good at, it was identifying faults. The amount of boys she repulsed by acidly pointing out their many flaws had reached the double digits!

"Three years." Gloriana spoke and stretched out five of her fingers. "Tell my mother that Ves will prove himself worthy of me in five years. If he hasn't excelled in that time, I'll return home and obediently settle with a boy my mother approves of. Is that okay?"

Her assistant looked a little more mollified at that. "Three years is.. a reasonable compromise, if not for Operation K. Don't think I am blind to what you are doing. If it is too dangerous for you to return home, Mr. Larkinson effectively gains more time to prove himself."

"It won't get to that! We'll succeed, I'm sure of it! Besides, I'm confident Ves will astound my mother. Even if he takes more time than I expected, won't it be a good thing that he outperforms every other boy?"

Melody shook her head. "It's different. Those boys you are so dismissive about all come from respectable dynasties. Mr. Larkinson is on his own. Marrying him won't open up any valuable ties for the Wodins. For this reason, your mother has set a much higher bar for Mr. Larkinson."

"Hmph! As if my mother has never set high expectations on me! Tell her that she shouldn't worry about me. Three years is enough!"

Of course, if three years wasn't enough for her boyfriend to gain her mother's approval, then she would still stay with Ves. She would rather abscond with Ves into the frontier than to return to the Hegemony alone!

"The situation will become very hectic soon, Miss Gloriana. We can't guarantee that you will be able to stay by Mr. Larkinson's side for three years."

"I'll bring Ves with me wherever I go. No matter if it's the sandmen or any other threat, we're inseparable now. This is one thing I won't let my mother interfere."

Time continued to pass. The combined fleet continued its rapid journey after crossing over into Vesian space.

Though unintentional, the navigator of the Stellar Chaser charted a route that passed through the Hafner, Klein, Venidse and Imodris Duchies.

Ves had mixed feelings as he passed through the territories of the duchies that he once treated as hostile. The war between the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom had long faded from everyone's mind. With the sandmen threatening everyone, no one had the time to revisit past grudges.

He breathed a little easier once the combined fleet passed through the Hafner Duchy without incident. He half expected Venerable Foster to pop up all of a sudden and stir some trouble. Wasn't that what happened in all of the action dramas he used to watch when he was younger?

"What's wrong, Ves?" Gloriana walked over to his side.

"Just thinking about old times."

Both of them looked at a projection that showed their current route. They were only a couple of weeks away from reaching their destination.

"Do you hate the Vesians?" She asked.

"No." Ves shook his head. "They're just aggressive, that's all. I've witnessed a lot of people die during the war, but there's no point holding a grudge. War is war."

He could never forget how many Vandals and Swordmaidens died on the surface of Aeon Corona VII. The Hostland Warriors and the Meandering Monkeys wiped most of their ground forces. Venerable Foster piloting her nearly-invincible Belisarius expert mech practically ensured their inevitable defeat.

It was a sad thing that taking prisoners was not a universal custom in human space. If all of those Vandals still lived, the Bright Republic would have been in a better shape to resist the sandmen.

"From what I've read on the news, it appears the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom has entered into a defensive pact of some sorts."

Ves idly nodded. "We make for strange bedfellows, but the sandmen don't care about our human disputes. We're all obstacles to them. No matter if we are Brighters or Vesians, the aliens will engulf us both."

"Let's return to work. Our design is almost finished. Let's try and bring it closer to completion."

They both left the lounge compartment and returned to the familiar workshop compartment.

After more than a month of work, they had made incredible strides in their custom mech project.

In truth, customizing an existing mech design for a single mech pilot did not require that much time. Not only did they start with an existing mech platform instead of starting from nothing, the Desolate Soldier design was remarkably simple and easy to manipulate.

The reason why they took so long was that they decided to take their time. They spent more time trying to find more ways to collaborate together than actually improving their design.

Many methods failed, but the ones that succeeded formed the start of their combined toolbox.

Their main goal was to go beyond complementing each other's strengths. They had already discovered early on that their design philosophies didn't overlap too much.

Gloriana excelled in the technical domain.

Ves possessed a competent grasp in the spiritual domain.

Neither domains collided with each other, which meant that they both covered each other's shortcomings with their strengths.

That was not enough.

Synergy did not arise from fitting two pieces of a puzzle together. Synergy arose when one puzzle piece transformed another puzzle piece into something greater.

The whole had to be greater than the sum of its parts.

The simplest way to explain it was that Ves and Gloriana worked hard to achieve a result that was greater than 1 + 1 = 2.

For their collaboration to be truly worthwhile, they needed to reach 1 + 1 = 3!

In other words, Ves and Gloriana sought to generate enough value to match the contributions of three unrelated mech designers!

Gloriana never doubted that they could achieve this seemingly-impossible result. She held this belief from the very start back at Centerpoint.

The only problem was that achieving synergy was easier said than done. Both had to put in a lot of effort and ingenuity to discover ways to integrate and combine their design philosophies to achieve something greater than they could ever achieve by themselves.

Both of them knew that two different mech designers could accomplish several synergies at once. As long as both of their design philosophies were versatile enough, there were many different ways to combine their strengths.

Ves and Gloriana spent much of the last month in trying to discover as many potential synergies as possible.

They hadn't spent their time in vain.

After much experimentation and fumbling, they discovered three potential ways to strengthen their mechs further.

They both documented their results in their minds, unwilling to commit their findings on a digital storage medium vulnerable to unauthorized access attempts.

Currently, they discovered and labeled three promising methods to achieve synergy:

Synergy #1: mutual strengthening

Synergy #2: spiritual customization

Synergy #3: conceptual perfection

Of the three, the first one was the most straightforward.

As the name implied, mutual strengthening basically meant that both of them reinforced each other's specialties.

Ves strengthened Gloriana's specialty by empowering her applications with spiritual force.

Gloriana strengthened Ves by making the technical design more receptive to spirituality.

The latter sounded very vague to Ves, but ever since Gloriana became exposed to the concept of spiritual components, she managed to find a way to amplify a design's spiritual foundation using purely technical means.

"The tangible and intangible has to match." She explained to a confused-looking Ves. "A god is only powerful if their physical and divine forms are aligned. The greater the alignment between the two, the greater the power! All of it makes sense!"

Though Ves failed to understand her theory, the results were very evident. Somehow, Gloriana truly managed to strengthen his spiritual applications by manipulating their designs in an abstruse manner!

The ultimate result was the emergence of mutual strengthening. Ves amplified Gloriana's specialty, while Gloriana amplified Ves' specialty.

Though it sounded as if they could mutually strengthen each other in an infinite virtuous cycle, that was impossible. At their current shallow level of synergy, it was already good enough to complete a single cycle.

"That's enough." Gloriana nodded with satisfaction. "It's good as long as the fundamentals of this synergy are sound."

In other words, they should be happy they managed to achieve 1 + 1 = 3 instead of 1 + 1 = 1.5 or worse. Trying to achieve greater synergy such as 1 + 1 = 4 was something reserved for the future.

Compared to mutual strengthening, the other two synergies were much more complicated. However, they both possessed the potential to elevate their collaborative mech designs to much greater heights!

Chapter 1540

Of the three forms of synergy they discovered, mutual strengthening was the easiest and most straightforward one. It was also the most limited one as strengthening each other's design philosophies did not promise any drastic changes.

Mutual strengthening merely improved the existing attributes of a mech design. It did not promise anything exciting.

"It's still very valuable, though." Ves concluded after some time. "Mutual strengthening allows our design philosophies to approach the efficacy of Senior-level design philosophies while we are still Journeymen."

Gloriana smiled and leaned against his side as they observed their mostly-completed mech design. "We've just scratched the surface with mutual strengthening. Theoretically, we ought to be able to feed back our enhancements into each other."

"Nothing comes for free. There has to be a limit on account of waste. Achieving a perfect conservation of energy is impossible."

"Oh, we'll see about that." Her eyes glinted.

Compared to mutual strengthening, Ves found the other two synergies they discovered to be more promising.

Spiritual customization combined their specialties in a more complex fashion. The simplest way to describe it was that it attempted to extend Gloriana's specialty into the spiritual domain.

If they only scratched the surface with regards to mutual strengthening, then they achieved even less when it came to spiritual customization!

The idea sounded promising, but both Ves and Gloriana were in the dark on how to accomplish spiritual fit.

Ves possessed some of the means, while Gloriana possessed some of the expertise.

Both of them needed to solve two separate challenges.

On one hand, Ves had to find a way to allow Gloriana to work her specialty on something spiritual rather than technical.

As for Gloriana, instead of tinkering with a design schematic, she had to find some way to tinker with the spiritual foundation or the design spirit of a mech.

Both of them developed some potential ideas to solve these challenges, but exploring them went beyond the scope of their current design project.

"It doesn't make sense to work so hard to customize the physical aspects of a mech design while only paying lip service to customizing its divine aspects." Gloriana spoke with determination. "My design philosophy can only express itself to the fullest when I find some way to bridge into your domain and perfect the divine nature of our custom mech designs."

Ves wasn't entirely comfortable with that. A part of him felt that Gloriana attempted to encroach on his territory. What she wanted to do, he could do as well. The only difference was that she possessed a potentially greater intuitive grasp in improving the spiritual aspects of his mech designs.

Perhaps he might be able to do the same, but only after spending a disproportionate amount of time and effort to match Gloriana's proficiency.

From an efficiency standpoint, it was much better to let Gloriana find a way to apply something she was good at rather than force Ves to become good at something that was not in his nature.

Both of them possessed different inclinations.

Gloriana is still obsessed over perfection. Even if Ves did his best to steer her towards a more flexible and conditional approach, she would always chase after the perfect solution.

Ves was much more inclined to life, which was inherently chaotic and unpredictable. He didn't quibble over whether an outcome could be better, because sometimes life sprung both pleasant and unpleasant surprises at him. Who was he to judge?

To him, introducing life into his mech designs entailed accepting that the outcome was never under his control. Sometimes, the variables of life yielded a result that fulfilled his goals, but sometimes the outcome proved detrimental.

The more chaotic and uncontrollable his design spirits, the fewer guarantees he possessed that the eventual outcome aligned with his intentions.

Ves already grappled with this problem with regards to his Desolate Soldier and Holy Soldier designs.

Now that his mechs were being sold and produced by the thousands, a lot of mech pilots came into touch with their common design spirit.

One of the hidden reasons why Ves insisted on delivering a lot of Desolate Soldiers to the Bentheim Planetary Guard was because he wanted them to serve as role models for the Solemn Guardian.

While the mech pilots of the Planetary Guard weren't perfect, they were better than the alternative.

As Ves frequently checked up on the Solemn Guardian, he performed frequent pruning to rid the rapidly-growing spiritual product from undesirable elements.

Though Ves thought he was doing a decent job at it, he couldn't help but think he was raising an exuberant and temperamental child.

As much as a parent would like to raise a child correctly, the latter always behaved naughtily at times.

The best he could do was keep his child from going too far. As for how the Solemn Guardian actually turned out, Ves didn't have the power to do more.

"I always feel as if there is more to the Solemn Guardian than I think..."

The incessant exposure to the beliefs of the Ylvainans must have left something behind. In addition, the bulk of the Solemn Guardian's spiritual makeup originally came from Nyxie which resided in the Ancient Sarcophagus.

Ves vaguely sensed that the remnant alien elements in the Solemn Guardian went active, exerting an unknown influence on its development.

So far, none of the status reports he received mentioned anything alarming, but Ves remained cautious. As soon as word came out that the X-Factor of his latest mechs started to turn mech pilots into alien worshippers or something, he wouldn't hesitate to drag the Solemn Guardian from his designs.

"Well, it's probably fine."

Compared to keeping an eye on the Solemn Guardian, Ves much rather preferred to focus on achieving greater synergies.

Though Ves and Gloriana both invested a lot of effort in trying to make their second form of synergy work, they discovered that they were way in over their heads at the moment. This was why they shelved their intentions to explore this option for later.

They hadn't spent much time on exploring the third form of synergy they discovered either. The notion of conceptual perception arose from another conversation about spirituality and godhood.

"I really can't get used to how you think so little of gods." Ves remarked one day. "In most cultures and religions, gods are all-powerful beings who deserve to be worshipped."

Gloriana frowned and paused her work. "Do you think a god pilot deserves worship?"

"..No, but god pilots aren't gods in the eyes of a secularist like me. They're very powerful, but still human as you and me. It's just that their might is so incredible that people can't help but treat them as gods."

"We're not as different as you think, Ves. God pilots are gods, but gods aren't inherently superior. They are a different phase of existence. God pilots just happen to be connected with the phase of life and phase of godhood at the same time. The same applies to Star Designers."

"What about us? As Journeymen, we are more than human, but less than gods."

"We're in a transition phase. Our phase of life has remained constant, but through our efforts, we are slowly approaching the phase of godhood."

"What does it mean to approach this phase?" Ves puzzlingly asked.

"We Hexers haven't adopted a different definition of gods. We still regard them as awesome beings of power. We merely think that phase of godhood is within the reach of everyone. For example, I believe that we are bringing our customers closer to this phase by empowering them with our divine mechs."

"What is a god even capable of that makes them worthy of notice?"

"Gods are defined by the miracles they can perform. Isn't that obvious, Ves? God pilots achieve miracles through their god mechs. Star designers achieve miracles by developing amazing designs. As Journeymen, we have taken our first steps towards accomplishing miracles. As long as we advance to Master, we will finally be able to perform the miracles that we have been chasing after since we formed our design philosophies."

"That.. is a very strange perspective. I've never equated mech designers to gods. It sounds too.. superstitious."

"Star Designers with awesome reality-defying design abilities exist, right?" Gloriana asked seriously.

"Yes.."

"Then what do you think exists between a Novice Mech Designer and a Star Designer?"

"Demigods?"

"Exactly!" His girlfriend vigorously nodded. "While we don't have the full powers of a god, we are still able to perform weak and minor miracles that bend or massage the rules governing reality. The entire basis of advancing to Master Mech Designer rests on the premise that you'll be able to achieve the impossible when you reach this rank, right?"

"That's what the MTA says."

"Well, just think about it. Isn't achieving the impossible the same as performing miracles? They share the exact same meaning! It's just packaged in a different way!"

Ves had to admit that Gloriana had a compelling argument. It was just that he refused to accept this comparison. He disliked the word miracle and its religious connotations.

"Is there a point in your comparison?"

"I've noticed something about you, Ves. You're too much of a secularist to open your mind to the possibilities that you can do. You have an amazing design philosophy, but you have a tendency to approach it with the mindset of a scientist or an engineer."

Ves crossed his arms against his chest. "What's wrong with that? We're mech designers, not priests!"

"That you look down on the latter is exactly the problem I have with you right now." Gloriana poked his chest with her finger. "Have you ever thought that miracles can only be achieved when you have faith?"

"..."

"Look, I'm not saying that you should embrace hexism." She said, adopting a conciliatory tone. "Just think of what our design philosophies can do right now, and what they can accomplish in the future. As future gods, we are continually mastering our abilities to affect reality by performing ever-greater miracles. What I want you to do is to go beyond the boundaries of established theory and take a leap of faith for once."

"I don't believe in leap of faiths. I'm much more likely to leap into an abyss if I follow your suggestion."

"Who says an abyss is a bad place? Perhaps you might be able to find what you seek." She grinned.

Ves began to get confused. He always got confused when they talked about these kinds of topics.

"Why are we even talking about this?"

A hungry grin appeared on her face. "I've got an idea. A very interesting idea. I always kept it in my mind, but I always got stuck because I haven't found a basis to implement my ideas. Even miracles need a basis in reality to work."

"What's this miracle that you have in mind, then?"

"I think there is more to the divine nature of our mechs than you think. For all it is capable of, you aren't using it to your full potential. Divinity is the stuff that makes miracles possible, but all you're doing is shaping it into a few modest concepts to the proto-gods and divine nature of your mechs!"

"If a concept doesn't match the mech design, it won't be of any help."

"That doesn't mean we should be timid in playing around with the possibilities! Look, what if we attempt to perform a miracle that makes our mech designs more perfect? I call it conceptual perfection. By applying our powers as developing gods in this fashion, we can turn something that is not true into something closer to our desired truth. An imperfect mech is perfect because we say it is so. Therefore, the mech we've designed is perfect. The end."

Ves looked floored. "You're basically suggesting that we lie to reality."

"Why shouldn't it work? Aren't we on our way to become gods that can perform miracles? If you think about what other Master Mech Designers can do, conceptual perfection doesn't sound so bad. If we keep lying to reality until reality accepts a lie, doesn't that mean our lie has become a truth?"

His head started aching from the twisted logic of his girlfriend.

He always thought he was a bigger liar than Gloriana. It turned out that he was sorely mistaken!

Chapter 1541

Though Ves reacted badly towards the notion of conceptual perception, he slowly began to admit that Gloriana may be onto something.

While he firmly rejected her stance on calling it a miracle, Ves nonetheless believed that spirituality was capable of many amazing feats. Spiritual energy was just one of many high-level energies of reality. Why should Ves be bound by the constraints of his limited perspective?

Something that he considered impossible may just be possible if he found a way to accomplish it through developing a specialized spiritual application.

"In the past, humans didn't believe they could fly."

Only until pioneers invented the first aircraft did those ancient humans expand on the list of what they could accomplish. People no longer regarded flying in the air to be a ludicrous notion.

What Gloriana essentially suggested was that Ves should keep an open mind.

"What a turnaround." He muttered to himself. "Normally, I'm the one who's trying to push Gloriana to become more open-minded."

The difference was that his girlfriend attempted to steer Ves towards hexism. Perhaps that was her original motive for sharing her idea for conceptual perfection.

"Lying to reality. How bold."

Yet the more he thought about it, the more he became fascinated by the notion. He felt excited about it the more and more he thought about successfully pulling it off.

Didn't he consider himself to be a proficient liar? This should have been right up his alley!

He wasn't a fan of framing it in miracles, though. Gloriana could think what she wanted, but Ves fastly preferred to think of it as lying to reality.

Still, as bold as Gloriana's idea sounded, they were very far from realizing it. At their current state, let alone lying to reality, they probably weren't able to attract reality's attention in the first place!

Ves picked up Lucky in his arms and stared at his pet for a moment while concentrating his mind.

"You are not a gem cat. You are an organic cat. You are a creature of flesh and blood instead of alloys and circuitry."

"Meow!"

Lucky took objection at the lies spewed by Ves! The cat quickly phased out of the grasp keeping him in place and flew out of reach!

"Well, that didn't work." Ves ruefully smiled. "Maybe I should start with something smaller."

He experimented with smaller objects, ranging from an empty cup to a hair he pulled out of his head.

Nothing worked. Even when he concentrated his mind and applied a considerable amount of spirituality, the process of lying to reality completely failed.

"Reality isn't so easily fooled." He concluded after wasting a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

To be fair, his earlier experiments were merely whimsies. They had very little grounding in reality or theory.

As much as Gloriana suggested to Ves to let go of his mental constraints, he still preferred to keep his thinking at least somewhat grounded.

After a bit of thinking, he concluded that he stood a much better chance of success when designing a mech.

Gloriana evidently thought the same way. Otherwise she wouldn't have come up with the notion of conceptual perfection.

Different from trying to turn Lucky into an organic cat, both Ves and Gloriana thought that it might actually work.

They only disagreed on how it might work. While Gloriana blabbered on about miracles, Ves simply believed that they just needed to get their design seeds to do the work.

To mech designers, design seeds encapsulated the bulk of their spiritual power. It held the essence of their design philosophies and sought to make their aspirations related to them into reality.

The reason why Ves would never be able to turn Lucky into an organic cat was because his design seed obviously didn't specialize in changing cats into different species.

He didn't specialize in turning mechs perfect either. That was Gloriana's domain. However, even she didn't believe that she could lie to reality in this way on her own. She believed she needed to borrow the power of Ves' spiritual manipulation abilities to accomplish this lie.

"It's a very interesting idea." Ves scratched his chin. "Will it work?"

He believed there might be a way to accomplish it if they expanded upon the idea and developed a better theoretical framework besides calling it a miracle.

Since the notion of conceptual perfection was way beyond their reach, they didn't attempt to apply it to their custom mech project.

For now, achieving synergy between their design philosophies through mutual strengthening was sufficient.

After several more days of refinement and optimization, they tentatively reached the point where they could no longer progress.

"It's so close to completion, but we can't quite close the gap." Gloriana commented morosely after another lengthy design session at the workshop compartment.

Ves was much more nonchalant about it. So what if they left it unfinished?

"We only need a couple of days to complete our design once the conditions are right. William Urbesh isn't going anywhere. We'll be able to study him and make the final adjustments once we get a hold of him in person."

Although they made huge strides in designing their custom mech, neither of them wanted to close this project.

Gloriana never designed a custom mech without meeting a mech pilot in person. Medical data and psychological analyses only provided so much input to her work. In order to make absolutely sure her work fit its intended mech pilot as perfectly as possible, she needed to study William Urbesh by herself.

As for Ves, he needed to make at least some effort to customize the spiritual component of the custom mech to William Urbesh.

He could have made a cheap effort by constructing an image of William Urbesh from his imagination before infusing it with his spiritual energy in order to make it more substantial.

Yet how well did he know William Urbesh? Not much at all! Any image he constructed of the man in his mind would never match with the real Urbesh!

If Ves wanted to tweak the spiritual foundation of the custom mech to be more in tune with William Urbesh, then he needed to find some way to siphon a minute portion of the cowardly mech pilot's spirituality.

That might be a little risky.

Unlike most mech pilots, William Urbesh possessed a very miniscule but noticeable trace of spirituality. Since he possessed so little of it, what kind of damage would Ves inflict if he took a chunk of it away?

Well, it would be fine as long as Urbesh didn't die on the spot.

Of course, even if he retrieved a mote of spirituality from Urbesh's spiritually-underdeveloped mentality, Ves did not intend to apply it directly.

Gloriana's notion of lying to reality inspired him to tamper with the mote of spirituality. What if he could he could distort the mote by getting rid of the cowardly attributes and replace it with courageous attributes?

If he implemented this tampered mote into his custom mech design, then would he be able to influence William Urbesh's personality through this fashion?

It sounded incredibly dangerous and unethical to Ves. He was working on some dubious theories and assumptions. If even one step went wrong, Urbesh would bear all of the consequences!

"You're making that goofy grin again, Ves. What are you thinking about?"

Ves shook his head. "Ah, nothing. I was just thinking about a test subject."

Since they couldn't find a way to bring their custom mech design closer to completion, they wrapped it up and put it aside for later.

As the both of them went their separate ways, Ves returned to his guest room and decided to get in touch with his favorite double-dealing assistant.

"Benny. How is the LMC doing?" Ves asked over the comm.

"Good. We've overcome a lot of obstacles in the past few weeks since the introduction of the Desolate Soldier and the Holy Soldier models. The latter is doing exceptionally well, but you already know that. The Ylvainans have already fielded the first Holy Soldiers in battle!"

That caused Ves to raise his eyebrows. "Send me the footage if possible. I'll review them later. How did the battle go?"

"It was an overwhelming victory for the Ylvainans. They were experimenting with three mech companies that consisted entirely of Holy Soldiers when a single basic sandman fleet dropped into the star system. The Kronons aborted their drills and moved to intercept the sandman fleet and easily managed to take it down."

A single sandman fleet wasn't that much of a challenge to defeat so long as the defenders held their ground.

"How many losses did the Kronons suffer?"

"Nine mechs, of which only three managed to eject in time. Their carriers also sustained moderate damage. The Kronons believe that they'll be able to reduce their losses once they become more proficient with the Holy Soldiers."

Ves became a little grim when he heard the results. Losing nine cheap mechs was no big loss for a state as large as the Ylvaine Protectorate.

What concerned him more was that the Kronon Dynasty lost six valuable mech pilots.

If Ves compared the relative strengths of a sandman fleet to 120 Holy Soldiers, then losing six mech pilots still amounted to a victory!

Yet even though many sandman fleets could easily be defeated, they always harvested at least some lives and mechs.

Those six missing mech pilots meant that the Kronons had less mech pilots at their disposal when the next sandman fleet arrived.

In the span of a month, more than twenty separate sandman fleets might invade a typical star system! Even if they arrived one at a time, the defenders inevitably bled more and more mechs and mech pilots after each victorious battle.

The most dreadful aspect about the sandmen was that even if a mech force kept winning every battle, there came a point where they would lose the war. With no way to stop attrition, eventually the umpteenth sandman fleet would succeed where dozens had failed.

While Ves grasped some hope at Gavin's mention that the Kronons were attempting to reduce their losses for next time, there was only so much they could do.

Both the Holy Soldier and the Desolate Soldier were cheap and disposable by design. Getting hit even once by a sandman laser strike often spelled instant death.

No matter how much faith the Kronon mech pilots held in their Holy Soldiers, it was impossible for them to conjure up a miracle that could block these attacks.

"Are the Ylvainans satisfied?"

Gavin grinned. "Very so. Reportedly, every Kronon mech pilot who received the privilege of piloting a Holy Soldier doesn't want to go back to their old machine. It's safe to say that customer satisfaction for our Holy Soldier is incredibly high!"

Of course they loved his variant. Ves expressly went out of his way to incorporate a mote of Ylvaine's spiritual fragment into its design!

"Have our sales projections for the Holy Soldier changed in light of recent events?"

"Not at first, boss. With how fast our partners are ramping up production, we're very confident we'll be able around 5,000 Holy Soldiers in the first month. As for the second month, our previous estimate of selling 10,000 Holy Soldiers turned out to be on the low side. We think we can at least sell 20,000 Holy Soldiers, if not more!"

"That fast?"

"The Protectorate's mech market is still relatively closed. You aren't facing as much competition there. Once your Holy Soldier entered the market, it has quickly become the only game in town when it comes to cheap and simple spaceborn rifleman mechs. Not even the mechs designed by their local Seniors can compete against your work!"

Ves felt a little bad about that, but only for a little while. Even if Ylvainan Senior Mech Designers were a little more backwards in his eyes, they were still very good mech designers. Ves wasn't about to put them out of business by stealing their market share!

Chapter 1542

Home. After a lengthy journey, the combined fleet finally arrived in the Cloudy Curtain System.

Almost a year ago, the rural star system was not worth mentioning. Aside from housing the headquarters and the main manufacturing complex of the LMC, Cloudy Curtain only attracted attention for its cloud rice and other luxury crop exports.

Yet as soon as the Stellar Chaser transitioned into the star system, Ves immediately noticed dozens of starships travelling to and from the only habitable planet.

He recognized some of the ships as transports contracted by the LMC. Raw materials constantly flowed into the Mech Nursery while finished mechs constantly flowed out.

However, the amount of vessels in the system exceeded his expectations. As the combined fleet slowly traveled to the inner system, Ves browsed the local news to get up to speed on the changes that took place while he was gone.

"The state has already settled more than two billion refugees on Cloudy Curtain!" Ves gasped. "More refugees are being dumped on the surface every day!"

Gloriana pressed closer to him and read the article projected by his comm. "Sounds like your planet has just become more important."

The farming consortiums that long ruled Cloudy Curtain from behind the scenes stepped forward and gave the refugees something to do. They set up a multitude of towns built in a matter of days by erecting lots of prefab homes.

With so many refugees pouring into the Bright Republic, the state had a lot more mouths to feed all of a sudden. All of those people needed food, and the best way to stave off starvation was to cultivate lots of genetically-customized crops tailored for fast growth and maximum nutrition.

Vast tracts of land had been cultivated into enormous farms. While all kinds of machinery did most of the work, human labor was still indispensable for various reasons. If not, a competitor could simply dispatch a single hacker to an automated farming operation and spoil an entire harvest!

The government also aimed to keep the refugees out of the way while giving them something to do. Who knew what kind of trouble these desperate and emotionally-wrecked people could do if left to their own devices.

Due to the sheer influx of people pouring into the planet, the Raleigh Consortium and Luvon Consortium no longer dominated the agricultural sector. They simply didn't have the capital and resources to set up all of the farming settlements that the government mandated!

Attracted by generous government subsidies, savvy investors from Bentheim and elsewhere founded eight more farming consortiums to erect thousands of settlements!

Through the help of these wealthy new farming consortiums, Cloudy Curtain quickly managed to settle two billion refugees in a matter of months!

In fact, if the flow of refugees pouring into the Bright Republic didn't abate, then it was very much possible that Cloudy Curtain became host to double or triple that population!

Ves could scarcely fathom the changes that would take place in the future!

"Cloudy Curtain has become very lively all of a sudden! What a difference a single year away can make!"

"Isn't that good for us?" Gloriana smiled and pecked his cheek. "It's depressing to live on an empty planet. Now that there are so many new people on your home planet, there will soon be lots more to do for us! We don't have to divert to Bentheim in order to go out and have some fun!"

The influx of refugees and moneyed interests also meant that the planetary political equilibrium would soon be reformed.

Fortunately, the LMC still maintained a dominant grasp on the local levers of power. Its enormous influence on the local economy gave it enough leverage to obtain a lot of permits and exemptions.

Instead of landing on the spaceport at Orinoco, the Stellar Chaser, the Barracuda and some of the carriers of the Battle Criers and Glory Battalion all descended directly at a special spaceport erected by the LMC!

As soon as the vessels landed on a very expansive landing zone, the combat carriers began to spit out a multitude of third-class and second-class landbound mechs!

Half of the mechs spread out to secure the surrounding terrain, while the other half formed into rows and joined the rows of other mechs that had formed up beforehand!

As soon as the Glory Battalion gave permission to proceed, a ramp extended from the passenger hatch of the Stellar Chaser.

Ves and Gloriana emerged from the ship in full splendor.

Ves decided to wear his full Pride of Dusk ensemble. Already, his overcoat radiated a powerful aura, making him appear more imposing and important.

The woman clinging on his arm looked incredibly resplendent. Since this was her first formal introduction to the people working for Ves, she made sure to look as perfect as possible by her boyfriend's side!

Her blue ocean dress lovingly caressed her form. Exotics embedded onto its fabric elegantly sparkled in the diffused light of the planet's ever-present cloud cover. A stylish, open coat partially covered her upper torso, giving her a more sophisticated and professional look.

Gloriana also braided a portion of her hair in a crown-like braid, leaving plenty of curls to frame her imperious face.

The two of them appearing together in this fashion made a very powerful statement to the people gathered at the landing zone.

The only incongruous element that spoiled their imposing looks was the identical cat ears affixed to their heads!

The cat ears injected a very noticeable amount of silliness and eccentricity to their public image. The journalists invited by the LMC to witness the homecoming of its founder and lead designer looked gobsmacked.

"How adorable! Ves Larkinson and Gloriana Wodin aren't afraid to play around!"

"What a great catch! Ves Larkinson has won one of the greatest jackpots that a Brighter could win! With a wealthy Hexer at his side, his money problems are a thing of the past!"

"What a detestable couple! The Bright Republic has always been friends with the Coalition! Ves Larkinson has betrayed our state and sold himself out to the Hegemony!"

Neither Ves nor Gloriana took notice of the chattering of the press. They both walked side by side as they descended from the ramp.

Behind them, their cats obediently followed after their owners. Lucky had activated his CFA-grade sensors to scan for threats, while Clixie did the same with her own exceptional senses.

Nitaa, Melody and the guards of the Glory Battalion trailed after the cats. The bodyguards all fanned out and surrounded the two Journeymen in a half-circle.

The procession walked forward to a raised stage prepared for the pair. As Ves and Gloriana slowly walked up to the stage, they both studied the hundreds of mechs that had formed up into rows to greet their return.

Most of the mechs standing in formation consisted of the mechs of the newly-founded Living Sentinels Security Company.

The majority of people and assets of the old incarnation of the Avatars of Myth now wore the livery of the Living Sentinels. Four of their mech companies turned out in force, their silver and green mechs standing proud under the turbulent skies of Cloudy Curtain.

What impressed Ves the most about the Living Sentinels was that they incorporated many of his silver label mechs. Their landbound mech companies fielded a lot of Blackbeaks and Crystal Lords, granting the company-owned force a lot of offensive and defensive power!

The spaceborn mech companies of the Living Sentinels made an even greater impression. Due to the current crisis, the Living Sentinels furloughed almost all of their existing spaceborn mechs in favor of adopting the LMC's new Desolate Soldier model.

Concentrating so many Desolate Soldiers in a single place produced a powerful aura that overwhelmed practically every other aura in the air! An enormous sense of duty and purpose arose in the hearts and minds of every person present!

Under the influence of this powerful aura, the Living Sentinels became incredibly attentive to the return of the most important person in the LMC!

Without the existence of Ves Larkinson, the LMC was just a hollow shell! Only now did the Living Sentinels feel that they could perform their true duty!

"How powerful." Gloriana softly sighed as she witnessed so many of her boyfriend's mechs. "Our Desolate Soldier mechs are more impressive than I thought. Their divinity is so concentrated here that it feels as if I've stepped into a holy land!"

"My mechs do have the tendency to do that when grouped up in great numbers." Ves responded mildly.

As impressive as the Living Sentinels appeared, their mechs obediently gave ground to the gold-and-red coated mechs standing at the very front.

Blackbeaks, Crystal Lords, Aurora Titans and even a dozen Desolate Soldiers all greeted the arrival of Ves with an immense degree of pride.

The Avatars of Myth, a mech force that solely answered to him, greeted his return by stretching out their arms!

The mechs of the Living Sentinels followed suit a second later!

The sight of so many mechs saluting to Ves made him feel unprecedentedly powerful!

Though the Avatars of Myth and the Living Sentinels weren't as strong as the Glory Battalion, they ultimately answered to him! Even if the Living Sentinels technically answered to the LMC, he could always regain direct control by exercising his power!

That was much better than Gloriana's relationship to her Glory Battalion.

Once he finished taking in the sheer amount of mechs under his control, he began to speak.

"I have returned." His voice boomed over the entire landing zone.

With all of the local journalists reporting on the event, Ves was very sure that the rest of Cloudy Curtain witnessed his return as well. Since his homecoming had turned into a grand spectacle all of a sudden, why not take advantage of the free publicity?

"I have travelled the breadth of the Komodo Star Sector and visited amazing planets. Yet no matter how lofty Centerpoint seduced me with its wealth, Cloudy Curtain has always been my home. Now that the Bright Republic is in danger, the Living Mech Corporation is ready to assist in the defense of our state!"

The pervasive aura of duty radiating from the Desolate Soldiers put force in his words. Even the people watching his homecoming from a projection would inevitably be influenced by a portion of this aura.

Many people started to pay more attention.

"The Living Mech Corporation has always existed to serve the people." Ves confidently spoke. "During these dangerous times, the LMC is ready to step up. Our new Desolate Soldier model is tailor-made to defend our vulnerable star systems. Not only is it cheap to the point where we're willing to forego a lot of profit, it is also the only mech that can inspire the people and lift up everyone's hearts."

Many people had become aware of the Desolate Soldier model, but it didn't hurt for him to add his own voice to the discussion.

"We know that selling fantastic mechs with unique strengths is not enough." Ves added grimly. "For this reason, I am willing to contribute to the defense of the Bright Republic in a more substantive fashion. We have made agreements with the Mech Corps to accept several vital defense missions to cover vulnerable star systems situated at the border with the Coman Federation. My Avatars of Myth and Living Sentinels will soon dispatch some mech companies to bolster the defenses of the star systems under pressure and help resist the sandmen!"

To be fair, even if he didn't volunteer his mech forces, the government would have found some way to force him to. With more and more emergency decrees taking effect, the time where private outfits could do what they wanted had faded.

Even so, his lofty words strengthened everyone's sense of duty. No matter if they were his subordinates or people tuning in the broadcast from their homes, Ves appeared exceptionally noble and selfless at this moment!

"It's good to be home."

Chapter 1543

After giving an extensive speech in front of his Avatars of Myth and Living Sentinels, Ves and Gloriana finally departed to their new home via a well-armored shuttle dispatched by the Glory Battalion.

Escorted by the mechs of the Glory Battalion and Avatars of Myth, the armored shuttle made its way to a site close to the Mech Nursery. Instead of arriving at the headquarters of the LMC, the shuttle instead diverted to a site that was fifty kilometers away.

Lush forests and picturesque hills dotted the landscape. Atop the highest hill, an expansive manion complex stood out. This was the recently-built Cloud Estate that Ketis had been responsible for building!

Now, it became their new home!

As soon as the shuttle landed within the walls of the expansive state, Ves, Gloriana, their pets and their followers all stepped out and took in the sights.

Different from what he imagined, the Cloud Estate was not as empty as he thought. More than thirty young children ran and played across the grounds.

At a courtyard situated close to a large and regal mansion, a number of older people leisurely chatted with each other or watched the children enjoy themselves.

This sight was very familiar to Ves. In fact, if not for the different architecture and the pervasive cloud cover above his head, he would have suspected that he reached the Larkinson Estate on Rittersberg!

"Ves. You're finally home. We have all been waiting for you to return."

Ketis walked up to him in a formal business suit that made her appear far more mature than before. The certainty in her steps and the seriousness in her countenance gave Ves the impression that she had grown up in the year he was away.

She no longer looked like a lost girl from the frontier.

As she came close, Gloriana began to direct a sharp glance at the former pirate.

To her credit, Ketis did not respond aggressively. Instead, she offered a meek smile and stretched out her hand.

"My name is Ketis. Ves has mentored me for years. I'm pleased to meet you, Gloriana. I've heard a lot about you and I admire your skill. I hope to learn from you and work alongside you at the LMC."

Ves almost couldn't believe what he heard. Was this actually Ketis? Did someone replace the Ketis he knew with a poorly-grown clone?

She had never been so polite before!

Nonetheless, her subdued posture combined with her polite greeting won Gloriana over. Ves sensed that his girlfriend let down her guard.

"So you are Ves' first student, are you?" Gloriana smiled and shook the other woman's surprisingly strong and rough grip. "I've heard a lot about you as well. I'm curious to see how Ves has taught you. I will make sure to test you to see if you deserve to be known as his student."

Ves inwardly sighed now that he saw that Gloriana and Ketis managed to get along. He was afraid that his girlfriend might react poorly to other women, but it seemed that he had been wrong.

Certainly, the arrival of Gloriana completely changed the dynamic within his circle. Her status and the way she talked and carried herself made it abundantly clear that she expected to be in charge!

Though Gloriana did not own any shares of the company, the LMC had already registered her as their second lead designer!

By assigning her this position, Ves had made his stance clear. Gloriana was here to stay and would help with designing the company's mechs!

How luxurious!

Many mech companies dreamed of adding a Journeyman of Gloriana's caliber to their design teams. Now, due to her relationship with Ves, she readily put her skills at the disposal of his company for just a nominal salary!

Once Gloriana and Ketis finished introducing themselves, the latter gestured them forward.

"The main mansion is up ahead."

As they walked forward, Ves began to ask the question that had been nagging on his mind.

"Ketis, what is up with the Larkinsons here? I thought I told you to build a private home."

"That was my original plan, but your grandfather, Melkor and some other Larkinsons made a very persuasive case. They wanted to set up a bigger estate for the Larkinsons living and working at Cloudy Curtain. Since you're all family, why not make your home livelier? The Larkinsons don't want you to grow too distant from your relatives."

Ves frowned a bit. The Larkinsons acted a bit presumptuously by turning his home into a copy of the Larkinson Compound.

Nonetheless, seeing the younger and older Larkinsons enjoying themselves on his private territory lessened his objections.

There wasn't much harm in living together with the Larkinsons. Ketis was right that their presence instantly livened up the place. The sight of his relatives brought back pleasant memories of the times he spent at the Larkinson Compound in his youth.

"I'm not very pleased you haven't checked in with me before making this decision, but I'll allow it. How many Larkinsons are living here right now?"

"Over six-hundred. Some have moved out to help the Mech Corps fight the sandmen, though."

Ves widened his eyes when he heard that. "Six-hundred?!"

No wonder the Cloud Estate was so large and featured so many structures!

"What are they all doing here?! Has the LMC really hired so many Larkinsons?!"

"Not all of them are working for you." Ketis gently shook her head. "The LMC, the Living Sentinels and the Avatars of Myth employ a lot of Larkinsons. The mech pilots of your family highly favor working for the Living Sentinels, though a number of them have joined the Avatars of Myth. Many of the norms in your family have decided to work for the LMC, though plenty of Larkinsons have also joined the support staff of your two outfits."

"What about the Larkinsons who aren't working for me? What are they even doing here? Cloudy Curtain is a rotten planet compared to Rittersberg!"

"Ah, a lot of retired Larkinson mech pilots have decided to work as mech instructors at the mech academy they have taken over!"

Ves recalled that he heard about this before. He didn't expect the Larkinsons had actually gone through with this commitment!

"What mech academy?"

"The one in Freslin. They've renamed it the Larkinson Basic Mech Academy! Thousands of young mech cadets are now learning how to pilot mechs by retired Larkinsons. There's even talk of expanding the campus and hiring additional teachers to accommodate the intake of mech cadets from the refugee body!"

The enterprise sounded a lot more significant to the Larkinsons than Ves suspected. If Cloudy Curtain hadn't been flooded by refugees, then the Larkinson Basic Mech Academy wouldn't have been a small and quaint institution.

Yet now that the population of the planet ballooned, the academy suddenly became a lot more significant!

The only other academy on Cloudy Curtain was in Orinoco. At the planet's previous level of population, the two academies were more than enough to accommodate the local potentates.

"The Bright Republic really wants to claim all the refugee mech cadets for themselves." Ketis remarked. "They've invested a lot of money into setting up more mech academies on Cloudy Curtain. They've also allocated a lot of money to the Larkinsons to expand the Larkinson Basic Mech Academy. Your grandfather has even told me that the Larkinsons are in the process of asking for approval to establish the first advanced mech academy on Cloudy Curtain!"

The news came as a shock to Ves. The Larkinsons had never put so much effort in running their own mech academies!

Mech academies consumed a lot of money. Not only did it cost a lot to build all of the expensive facilities and purchase a lot of practice mechs, but it also cost a lot to keep it all in shape and up to date.

There was hardly any profit in running a mech academy! The Larkinsons must have spent the bulk of the dividends they received from the LMC to this endeavor!

"I guess I'll have to talk with my grandfather as soon as I've settled in." He sighed in an exasperated manner. "Far too many changes have taken place while I was away."

"Look on the bright side, Ves. A lot of mech cadets attending your family's academy have become devoted to the LMC. The Living Sentinels and the Avatars of Myth won't lack for recruits."

"Perhaps. I'll reserve my judgement. The Larkinsons don't have much experience in running a major educational institution, let alone two. I'm afraid they're biting off more than they could chew. How many mech cadets do they expect to teach?"

"If the basic mech academy finishes its expansion, then it can enroll up to 20,000 mech cadets. As for the advanced mech academy, it will probably accommodate the same amount of mech cadets at the start."

"That's a lot!"

While Ves knew that there were bigger mech academies, he was worried whether the Larkinsons could even handle 20,000 mech cadets per institution.

Teaching future mech pilots was a big responsibility! While Ves had no doubt that the Larkinsons were more than capable of instructing mech cadets, that did not necessarily mean they were good at running schools.

Ketis noticed his apprehension and gave him a reassuring smile. "You don't have to be worried for your relatives, Ves. The Larkinsons know what they are doing and they're not running a mech academy by themselves. They're constantly hiring a lot of experienced teachers, administrators and support staff to shoulder the burden."

They arrived in front of the centermost mansion. Unlike the other structures, the grandest building of the Cloud Estate was devoid of Larkinsons.

"This is your new home." Ketis introduced and waved at the majestic building. "Only you and your guests are allowed to approach and enter the main mansion. The other Larkinsons who live at the Cloud Estate have already been instructed to stay away from it to avoid disturbing you. Is it to your liking?"

Ves studied the traditional facade. "It looks very stately. However, I remember asking for you to build a defensible home for me. So far, I haven't spotted any defenses aside from mechs."

"This place is tougher than it looks. Your Cloud Estate is far more defensible than meets the eye. The mansions may look pretty on the outside, but their inner structure is made from compressed alloys. There are numerous turrets and other defensive measures around us, but they're currently retracted beneath the surface. Finally, there's a highly-reinforced citadel built under the Cloud Estate that is rated to resist a fair amount of orbital bombardment."

That was just some of the defensive measures protecting the Cloud Estate from threats. Nitaa and the guards of the Glory Battalion listened carefully and nodded in approval.

They entered the palatial mansion shortly afterwards. Everything was very large, from the entrance hall to the stairs leading up to the second floor.

Though the mansion didn't feel very warm or cozy to Ves, that might change once he lived in the place for a while.

"Mhmmm." Gloriana hummed and pressed a finger to her lips. "The interior is a little shabby to my tastes."

Ves helplessly shrugged. "You can do whatever you want."

He knew her well enough that she would change things if she found something displeasing. She was already treating his mansion as her home!

"We need to study and upgrade some of the security measures as well." Melody added on behalf of the Glory Battalion. "Don't worry, Mr. Larkinson. The Wodin Dynasty will cover the costs."

How grateful of them. The Wodin Dynasty probably regarded him as a pauper or something.

"Let's get settled in. I've had a long day and I have a lot of work to catch up to. Ketis, lead me to my office. There's an office here, right?"

She nodded. "I know you like your offices. The mansion has more than enough space to allow you to work from home. Let's go upstairs."

Chapter 1544

As Ves and Gloriana settled in the Cloud Estate, elsewhere in the Komodo Star Sector a massive mech fleet was about to transition out of FTL.

The Sundered Phalanx was the mech military of the Gauge Dynasty. As the most powerful partner of the Friday Coalition, the Sundered Phalanx enjoyed a high reputation.

Right now, the Gauge Dynasty dispatched two powerful mech divisions to address an emergency that suddenly took place on one of their populated planets.

The enormous fleet consisted of many fleet carriers and combat carriers as well as numerous support ships. The firepower it possessed was more than enough to terrorize a third-rate state!

"It's very strange, sir." A staff officer reported to the mech general placed in command. "Every quantum entanglement node in the star system disconnected from the galactic net without any warning. We haven't managed to get in touch with the Mindak System for two days."

"It's fishy." The mech general grimly nodded. His brilliant uniform shifted as he studied the intelligence reports. "We're almost certainly walking into a trap. Regardless of what a disaster has befallen the Mindak System, we need to be as alert as possible."

"It hasn't helped that we've been ordered to reinforce the Mindak System as fast as possible. The haste in which we left gave us no time to obscure our route. If the Hexers are responsible, then they'll know exactly where and when to lay an ambush."

"The Sundered Phalanx is not so easy to defeat. Our fleet carriers carry some of the best defensive shielding our Gauge Dynasty has developed. We shall see how well they fare."

Hours later, the formidable mech fleet was about to transition out of FTL. Every mech pilot entered the cockpits of their mechs. Spacers manned their stations with utmost seriousness, knowing that whatever was about to take place would certainly not be a drill.

As the time of transitioned neared, everyone entered their maximum state of alertness. As one of the premier mech militaries in the star sector, the soldiers Sundered Phalanx possessed an immense amount of pride and confidence in themselves!

"It's time!"

As soon as hundreds of ships transitioned out of FTL, the hundreds of thousands of Fridaymen that made up the mech fleet knew no more.

In a wide zone around their emergence point in the Mindak System, thousands of dark, floating pillars turned active just minutes before the arrival of the Sundered Phalanx fleet.

As soon as the huge and heavily-armored fleet carriers transitioned into realspace, they instantly tore apart as if they had been rammed through a gigantic cheese grater!

Dozens of capital ships that were tough enough to withstand many minutes of bombardment from enemy mechs instantly peeled apart without any opportunity to mount a defense!

The smaller but just as resilient combat carriers shared the same fate! Each and every vessel emerging out of FTL acted as if they were passing through an invisible net that was strong enough to cut an entire planet!

Since the fleet carriers and the combat carriers all succumbed in an instant, the logistics ships that followed afterwards fared no better. Ships that were almost as large as factory ships easily split apart and turned into separating noodles of alloys!

Within minutes, the horror finally ceased.

A silent tragedy had taken place in the Mindak System. Two complete mech divisions of the Sundered Phalanx had been completely annihilated without having enough time to mount a defense!

Worse yet, the Mindak System was not the only star system in trouble.

Half-a-dozen other star systems had fallen silent, prompting the partners of the Coalition to raise their vigilance. However, they also dispatched some ships and fleets to investigate.

The headquarters of the Sundered Phalanx and other mech militaries had been in constant contact with the reinforcement fleets. Upon the moment of their transition into the mysteriously silent star systems, something remarkable happened.

They lost contact.

No one managed to establish contact with the ships and fleets that had fallen out of communication!

Either their quantum entanglement nodes suddenly stopped working, or the ships had been destroyed!

Horror began to spread among the high command of the Friday Coalition.

"How many mech divisions have we lost?"

"The entire Coalition has collectively lost contact with sixteen mech divisions!"

Sixteen mech divisions! Though the Sundered Phalanx alone fielded many more mech divisions, this was still a painful loss!

The absence of 160,000 second-class mechs and the expert pilots, carriers and other ships to support them was enough to tip the balance between the Friday Coalition and the Hexadric Hegemony!

"This is bad! The Hexers have just declared war!"

The Hexadric Hegemony bombastically made their declaration as soon as the Sundered Phalanx and the other mech militaries of the Friday Coalition stopped sending in more ships.

The Hexers immediately began to send their own mech fleets across the border. They had long been preparing to launch an offensive!

As soon as the Friday Coalition learned of the offensive, even more bad news poured in! Several strategic and highly-populated star systems suddenly began to fall into chaos!

Billions of citizens started rioting for no apparent reason! Although not everyone had gone berserk, many mech pilots and armed guards counted among the ones that lost their minds. As soon as they became affected by the chaos, they began to unload their weapons in every direction, including their fellow soldiers and innocent civilians!

Only nine critical planets had been affected, yet their military and industrial importance was incredibly paramount! Their loss hurt the Fridaymen severely in their rapidly-escalating war against the Hexers!

In fact, six more planets had almost befallen the same fate, but the local forces managed to discover the plots in time. The hidden machines that caused the surrounding population to go crazy had been found and destroyed in rapid tempo, saving many billions of people from death and damnation!

In the first move of what would become known as the Komodo War, the Hexers succeeded in inflicting a severe blow against the Fridaymen!

The Friday Coalition and the Hexadric Hegemony were two of the most powerful states in the star sector.

They also hated each other with a passion. The only reason why they hadn't gone to war in the hundreds of years of standoffs was because it was too risky to initiate.

As long as any war broke out between these bitter rivals, neither side would back down!

Considering how many mechs and how many preparations they've made against each other, a war would certainly last until one side decisively beat the other side!

The conflict between the two sides represented a pivotal war for supremacy that decided which of the two would become the final ruler of the Komodo Star Sector! Neither the Coalition nor the Hegemony wanted to tolerate the existence of their rivals any longer!

As soon as the fighting between the two powerful states broke out, the rest of the star sector immediately reacted with shock!

"The sandmen are just about to overrun our states! Why have the Coalition and the Hegemony decided that this is a good time to solve their grudges? We need their firepower to save our lives!"

"Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!"

"This is bad! Those female supremacists have managed to gain an advantage! What if they win? I don't want to lick the shoes of every woman that I come across!"

To the Bright Republic and the other states fighting against the sandmen, the incredibly destructive war between the second-rate states couldn't have come at a more inopportune time.

Many of them had been hoping for a change. Perhaps the Coalition and Hegemony felt charitable enough to send some of their powerful mech forces to the beleaguered states.

Yet now that they became fully preoccupied in fighting with each other, there was no way they would ever dispatch any help!

Even worse, the outbreak of war disrupted the existing pattern of trade. The amount of resources the second-rate states consumed was vastly more than all of the third-rate states put together!

While none of the third-rate states were expected to fight on behalf of one of the second-rate states, they were still expected to export valuable exotics and other materials!

There was no guarantee that third-rate states would be left out of the conflict. Perhaps the Fridaymen and Hexers would force them to take sides and fight among themselves!

As the news reached the Bright Republic, Ves learned of it as soon as possible.

He had barely settled into his new office at the Cloud Estate when the news scared him out of his wits!

"Gloriana! What is the meaning of this?!"

His girlfriend did not exhibit any surprise upon hearing the news. She leaned against his imposing desk and idly twirled a lock of her hair with her finger.

"Operation K has succeeded. The war that will decide the fate of this star sector has finally started."

"Did you know?!"

"Yes." She grinned like a shark that had just smelled blood. "In fact, I contributed by customizing some of the mechs that have gone to war. I wonder how many Fridaymen they'll manage to kill. The more, the better!"

Seeing her girlfriend revel in this stupendously ruinous war as if it was her birthday practically floored Ves!

He had forgotten that she was an unrepentant Hexer!

As Ves read the articles about the opening moves of the Hexers, a powerful chill went through his spine.

He recognized the means the Hexers used to strike a painful blow against the Coalition.

"Project Void Calamity."

"Project Pandemonium Descent."

He immediately dredged up the details of these two projects from the depths of his mind.

A long time ago, Ves and Calabast snuck into the restricted sections of the Starlight Megalodon. Calabast spent a lot of effort to retrieve the files relating to these two ancient CFA research projects.

Back then, Ves learned enough about the two projects to make a horrible realization.

Both projects were purely designed to break a state!

With all of the awful events unfolding right now, Ves felt as if his worst nightmares came true. The classified project files that Ves helped retrieved had been used to an incredibly deadly effect.

If Ves hadn't helped Calabast at the time, then this war might have never happened!

Shortly after Ves connected Project Void Calamity and Project Pandemonium Descent to Operation K, he made another incredibly vital realization.

"Calabast.. is a hexer!"

"Correct." A familiar voice sounded out from the side.

"Who's there!"

A hidden entrance built into the side of his home office opened up. Calabast emerged and walked up to the desk with a confident stride.

Surprisingly, the Glory Battalion guards guarding the office did not make any attempts to halt the intruder!

Nitaa looked lost and questioned Ves whether she should intervene.

"Calabast! Aren't you supposed to be in the Ylvaine Protectorate?!"

"I'm no longer needed there." She grinned. "Don't worry, Ves. My absence from the Ylvaine Protectorate won't affect our arrangements there. I've trained another operative to take over my cover identity as Madame Cecily to act as a caretaker. Right now, I'm much more needed here, by your side."

Calabast returned to her old guise. She no longer disguised herself as a mild-mannered scion of the Curin Dynasty.

The truth had finally come out. Calabast was a Hexer. Ves should have known. He wished he never met her back at the Harkensen System! If not for that, how would he get so entangled with the Hegemony?!

It was already bad enough that his girlfriend was a Hexer, but now his strategic partner turned out to be one as well!

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Both Calabast and Gloriana looked at each other and chuckled.

"He's such a boy." Gloriana smiled affectionately at her boyfriend as he was suffering a mental breakdown. "What did you do to him? He looks like he's at his limit."

Calabast nonchalantly shrugged. "I only used him for a bit, that's all. It's not my fault he's allergic to our state."

Chapter 1545

The outbreak of the war between the two major powers of the star sector sent Ves into a tizzy. Discovering Calabast's true allegiance had finally pushed him over the edge!

Ves lay on a couch set by the grand windows of his home office. Both Clixie and Lucky cuddled up next to his chest to comfort him. The two playful cats succeeded in pulling him back to his senses.

"Meow."

"Miaow."

"The two of you are too cute." Ves smiled and stroked both cats by their heads.

As much as he wanted to play with the two pets, he couldn't ignore the women staring at him. They both sat on a couch placed on the opposite side of a coffee table with plenty of room in between.

The way they sat suggested that even if both of them were Hexers, they didn't belong to the same dynasty or faction. That reassured Ves a little.

He looked around and noticed that the guards that usually guarded Gloriana had strangely left. A powerful interference field emanated from Calabast, ensuring that they enjoyed total privacy.

"Gloriana.. who is Calabast?" He asked his girlfriend first.

"I don't know her personally, but I'm aware of her background."

"Tell me who she is, then! No more secrets!"

"Calabast isn't my real name." The former spy spoke up, taking over from Gloriana. "I once told you that you're better off not knowing my background. However, now that Operation K has taken place, I suppose the cat is out of the bag."

Ves stared icily at the older woman. "For the sake of our long-term cooperation, I think you owe me an explanation."

"Fair enough." Calabast smiled and crossed her arms in a confident manner. "Calabast isn't my real name. I used to go by another name when I was born in a branch house of the Vraken Matriarchal Dynasty."

Ves grew shocked!

The six matriarchal dynasties reigned at the top of the Hexadric Hegemony! The Vraken Matriarchal Dynasty held as much sway as the Evern Matriarchal Dynasty, to whom the Wodin Dynasty answered to! The power they wielded was immense!

Throughout her explanation, her accent shifted from what was common in the region to a more clipped one that resembled that of Gloriana!

Though the shift was subtle, the difference it made was huge!

"Why did you change your name?" He asked.

"Do you think that it is good to be born as a Vraken? Our matriarchal dynasty is so large that there are millions of Vrakens who share the same blood. I didn't enjoy a pampered upbringing like that of your girlfriend. I needed to fight my way upwards. I did that by working really hard to get into DIVA."

"DIVA?"

"DIVA is one of the Hegemony's intelligence agencies." Gloriana explained. "Don't ask me what the acronym stands for. I don't have a clue."

Calabast chuckled. "I don't know either. I won't tell you about what I did while I was in DIVA other than that I managed to become an elite intelligence operative. After completing my mission on Aeon Corona VII, I managed to meet with my boss and buy my freedom."

"Buy your freedom? I think you told me once that you quit your old job."

"I wasn't a slave, Ves, but my debt to the Hegemony was considerable. The Vraken Matriarchal Dynasty has provided me with many resources to enhance my growth. Even if I was an average family member back then, a Vraken is still entitled to treatment that would make you jealous. In addition, DIVA's training regime is one of the best in the star sector. Working for DIVA has forged me into the woman I am today."

"So that means that means the Vrakens and DIVA expect you to work for them. They invested so much into turning you into this elite intelligence operative that you're never able to get rid of your shackles under ordinary circumstances."

Her situation sounded similar to that of Gloriana. The only difference was that Gloriana was more than glad to continue to stay under the Wodin Dynasty's umbrella.

"I see you understand, Ves. In the society that Gloriana and I live in, obligations are vastly more restrictive than physical bonds. As much as I've benefited from being a Vraken and a DIVA intelligence operative, I was destined to act as their pawn for my entire life."

"Yet you quit, right?"

She grinned at him. "Thanks to you, I managed to return with valuable CFA research data and other gains from the Starlight Megalodon. The treasure trove of data I've submitted to DIVA earned me so many merits that I didn't hesitate to buy my freedom. Not only that, but I also used my remaining merits to buy a higher standing within the Hegemony. This puts me on par with a member of a dynasty without belonging to one."

"Why is that important? Isn't it better to upgrade your standing within the Vrakens?"

"You aren't thinking enough ahead. Certainly, I could have used the merits I earned to upgrade myself to the same level of prominence that Gloriana enjoys in the Wodin Dynasty. Yet what use would that be to me? The higher my position in the Vrakens, the greater the expectations and obligations placed on my shoulders! That is not conducive to my plans for the future."

"You mean your plan to force a partnership on me so that you can leech off my accomplishments." Ves grimaced and briefly flitted his eyes over to Gloriana. "Does she know?"

Calabast shook her head. "Not yet, but I suggest you do something about that. Gloriana may not be entirely to my liking, but she's clean."

"What's that supposed to mean!" His girlfriend burst out. "And what's this about coming clean? Are the two of you hiding a secret or something?!"

Inwardly, Ves sighed in relief. Calabast hadn't spilled the beans about the Metal Scroll.

"All in due time, Gloriana." Calabast pressed the female mech designer down before turning to Ves. "Do you understand my circumstances now, kid? I could have gone far if I continued to stay in DIVA or the Vraken Matriarchal Dynasty. Instead, I decisively paid back my debts and amicably cut off my ties with them because there is a much greater tree I can shelter under."

"Me." Ves spoke.

"Yep." She grinned. "Even though you're merely a sapling at your stage, your growth potential is limitless! DIVA, the Vrakens and even the entire Hegemony are trivial compared to where you will be in a few hundred years from now! You can't blame a woman for not letting this opportunity pass me by. The potential you hold is far in excess to anything this stinking star sector can produce!"

"Wow, Calabast! I thought I was the first one to recognize Ves' potential, but it seems your eye for mech designers is even better!" Gloriana cheerfully clapped before releasing a low hiss. "He's still mine, though!"

"I already told you, Gloriana. I am not interested in little boys."

Calabast briefly interrupted the functioning of her jammer so that she could transmit a message from her comm.

Seconds later, a woman wearing an unmarked mech officer uniform appeared into view, alarming both Ves and Gloriana!

"Who?!"

"Don't worry, she's friendly."

The athletic mech pilot strode forward while Ves tried to piece together her identity. The newcomer looked vaguely familiar to him, and her dark skin reminded Ves of some of the women he met in his life. As the figure came closer, his spiritual senses started to sense something remarkable.

"She's an expert candidate!" He called!

Not only that, but the expert candidate was in a very advanced state! Her willpower-infused spiritual energy had almost reached the threshold of apotheosis, which meant that becoming an expert pilot was just around the corner!

As the newcomer came close, Calabast stood up and immediately embraced the expert candidate in an intimate manner.

Locked in passion, their lips hungrily ravished each other! Sensuous moans escaped from their throats as the lovers enjoyed their reunion!

Ves and Gloriana wordlessly stared at the spectacle with their mouths gaped open. Even their intimate kisses hadn't reached this level of passion yet!

Once the two women separated, Calabast smiled with a bit of rosiness on her cheeks. "Ves, remember Commander Dise of the Swordmaidens?"

"Uh, hi commander."

So that was why the expert candidate felt so familiar! Even though advanced surgery changed her appearance to the point where Ves no longer recognized her, Ves couldn't mistake her spiritual fingerprint!

Ves remembered that Commander Dise and Captain Orfan both developed a strong mental connection with Qilanxo!

So long as Qilanxo still existed, Commander Dise was still her beast rider!

As Ves tuned his spiritual senses carefully, he managed to identify plenty of spiritual attributes that closely aligned with Qilanxo.

Strangely, they only made up a part of Commander Dise's spiritual makeup. Her spiritual attributes possessed a much more offensive mix. The defensive and protective influence from Qilanxo didn't entirely align with the pirate commander's fighting style, which probably hampered her growth somewhat.

Ves suspected that as long as Commander Dise managed to resolve the contradiction between Qilanxo's spiritual attributes and her own, she would finally be able to enter the ranks of demigods!

"Thank you for taking care of Ketis for us, Ves." Commander Dise smiled in approval. "She's grown up to become a good kid under your care. I hope you can continue to take care of her. Right now, she's not suitable to accompany us. My lover here has big plans for the Swordmaidens."

Though Gloriana maintained some wariness towards Calabast, her attitude changed now that the latter revealed her lover.

As long as Calabast made no moves towards Ves, she was fine with her presence!

The former intelligence operative coughed. "Gloriana, I summoned Commander Dise in order to prove that I'm not a threat to you. I'm going to have to ask you to leave now. I need to discuss some private business matters with Ves."

A few moments of silence passed as Gloriana directed a suspicious glance towards the other Hexer.

"..Okay. Just don't get into any funny business, all right?"

"Bring your cat out as well. I know she's smart enough to understand what we're saying."

"Fine." Gloriana grumbled. She had been seen through! "You Vrakens are always too sharp."

Commander Lydia led Gloriana and Clixie out of the home office, leaving Calabast alone with Ves.

"So." He began as he calmly held Lucky in his grasp. Now that his girlfriend had departed the room, Ves no longer felt as constrained. "You're a Hexer."

"Yes." Calabast grinned in amusement. "As someone who spent a lot of time outside the Hegemony, I can understand your apprehensiveness. I'm not like Gloriana, though. The Vrakens are largely secular. We don't buy into hexism."

Her words reassured him a bit. At least he wouldn't have to deal with two Hexers who wanted to impose their crazy religious beliefs on him. He already had a hard time maintaining his principles in front of Gloriana!

"What do you really think about my relationship with Gloriana?"

"I preferred you went for a more wholesome girl like Ketis. Gloriana.. while I have no comment on the love you share with her, in terms of entanglements I don't think you know what you're getting into. The closer you pursue a relationship with Gloriana, the more you'll enter the orbit of the Wodin Dynasty."

"I'm not marrying into her family!"

"That still doesn't exempt you from getting involved, kid! A promising mech designer like Gloriana is a treasure to the Wodins. Anyone who is worthy to capture her heart won't escape their attention!"

"Why is that so bad?"

Calabast let out an exasperated breath. "Forget about it. What is done is done. The situation is not entirely unsalvageable. As a foreigner, you only need to show off your capabilities in order to be treated as an ally rather than a servant."

"Gloriana and I are already planning to earn their acknowledgement."

"Good. It seems Gloriana is not blind to your situation."

"I think she just wants to keep me for herself." Ves scoffed before changing the topic. "Let's get to the point. Why are you here?"

"That requires some explanation." She sighed before adopting a serious expression. "The war that has broken out between the Coalition and the Hegemony has turned our star sector into a dangerous place. The Bright Republic won't remain unaffected."

"What is driving you Hexers to wage this war at this time? Please help me understand. With the sandmen bearing down on us all, I truly can't figure out why your state picked this time to resolve its grudges with its rival!"

As someone pivotal to Operation K, Calabast surely understood the Hegemony's decision to declare war.

Ves still remained awfully. He desperately needed more answers!

Chapter 1546

"The Komodo Star Sector has long enjoyed a period of relative stability. Do you think it's easy to start a war when order reigns?"

Calabast's question prompted Ves to consider her words from a different angle.

So far, Ves reacted to the war from the perspective of a hapless Brighter. How would he look at the conflict if he sat in the shoes of a Hexer?

"The MTA and CFA are apparently preoccupied.. many third-rate states are facing extinction from the sandmen.."

"Good. You're heading in the right direction, kid. Wars don't happen out of the blue. There are rules and customs that dictate when you're allowed to wage a war. Technically, the Big Two heavily frowns upon wars between human states when an alien race is bearing down on a star sector."

"Then why have the Hexers decided to pull the trigger anyway?"

"Because the sandmen are a distraction to us. The true powers in the star sector have never considered the aliens as a serious foe. Their threat level is simply too low. It's actually favorable to us that they have decided to attack human space because the star sector has become chaotic all of a sudden, which gives us enough of an opportunity to wage a decisive war without risking the intervention of anyone else."

Ves furrowed his brows as he tried to parse her answer. It was very difficult for him to approach the circumstances at this level.

"I'm not a statesman, Calabast. Can you explain it in a way that I can actually understand?"

"Let me give you a simple example. Let's say that you are in a classroom with thirty children. If the two smartest and most promising students suddenly start fighting each other, the teacher and everyone else will immediately try to separate the two. That's good for the classroom, but that's not what the pair want to see, especially if they are confident in winning."

"So..."

"Imagine if the teacher that normally keeps the pupils in line is called to the principal's office. Let's say that during the teacher's absence, a foreign class of students from another school suddenly barges into your classroom and picks a fight with your entire class. What will happen?"

"All of the students will fight the foreign class of students except the two who hate each other more than the foreign intruders." Ves expanded upon the analogy. "They're strong enough to beat up the foreign class by themselves, so they don't fear them at all. Instead, they consider each other to be a much greater threat!"

"Yes! And since the teacher and all of the other students are distracted, this is the best time to start a fight and see it through the end!"

"All of that rests on the premise that you can win." Ves remarked. "If the Friday Coalition turns out to be stronger than you Hexers thought, then your state risks complete annihilation!"

"If it happens, it happens." Calabast dismissively waved her hand. "It will just mean we were too weak to deserve to win. The Hegemony has been readying for war for hundreds of years, Ves. We fully know what we are getting into, and the same applies for the Coalition. Neither states are willing to tolerate each other's presence in the same star sector."

"Why, though? Why hate each other so much? Plenty of powerful second-rate states are able to live with their rivals in peace in other star sectors!"

"That's because those star sectors are older and more set in their ways. Their rulers have lost their courage and became too risk averse to pursue their greater ambitions. Neither the Coalition or the Hegemony is old enough to forget how much we fought each other since the opening of the Komodo Star Sector."

"So past events are sufficient grounds for an all-or-nothing wager with trillions of lives at stake?"

A cruel chuckle sounded from her throat. "Essentially, yes. We don't want to wage a timid war and end it with a peace treaty that only resulted in a change of ownership of a couple of star systems. We want it all, and we are confident enough that we can defeat our opponents. Even though the Hexadric Hegemony is ruled by six different matriarchal dynasties, we are much more united than the partners that make up the Coalition. With the opening blow we struck with Operation K, we're confident we can shatter their tenuous unity apart and pick them off one by one!"

"Is that all?"

"There's also another reason why we decided to launch our attack at this time. Operation K takes a lot of setup. A lot of Hexers were involved in putting the pieces into place. Though we are confident in keeping everyone quiet, there is always the risk that the Coalition might discover our efforts."

All of this sounded simple, but Ves could scarcely imagine the huge amount of death and destruction that might ensue from this conflict!

The Hexers were truly out for blood, and they didn't mind putting their entire state at risk to realize their ambitions!

That was the most courageous and reckless decision that Ves ever heard of! Many thoughts started to flit in his mind as he gained some comprehension.

"Was that what you were doing when we first met at Harkensen I in the Reinald Republic?"

She nodded. "The Hegemony has made many preparations to sow chaos. Destabilizing the Harkensen System was just one of many steps to stir the waters in the Komodo Star Sector. To be frank, the sandman invasion took the Hegemony by surprise. That said, it's a very welcome surprise, because it is doing a much better job at sowing chaos than our secret measures."

"I see. Does that mean you guys will leave us alone?"

"Very likely. Neither the Coalition nor the Hegemony wants to attract attention by getting caught in sabotaging the states that are desperately fighting off the sandmen. While we don't fear the third-rate states, if too many of them condemn our actions, then the MTA might be persuaded to step in and mediate our conflict."

"You make that sound like a bad thing."

"Because it is. In any case, the third-rate states don't warrant our attention anyway. The only reason for us to pay some importance to the Bright Republic is to keep an eye on their exports."

Ves grimaced. "The Bright Republic is very obviously aligned to the Friday Coalition. Most of our high-value exotics and other valuable exports flow through the Coalition. Some of the companies in our state are backed by powerful entities from the Coalition. Many mech designers and other professionals have ties to the educational institutions of the Coalition."

Though the Bright Republic didn't sign a major defensive pact with the Coalition, the two states shared a lot of smaller ties.

It was enough to make Ves concerned about his future in the Bright Republic! After all, not only did he cut ties with his Master from the Vermeer Group, he also started associating with a Hexer!

"This is exactly the reason why I've left the Protectorate and moved to your side. You will need my assistance and my advice to navigate the turbulent waters that you have entered when you returned to the Bright Republic. Your home state is no longer as safe as you think, at least not for you. All of those organizations and entities that have ties to the Coalition won't make any open moves towards you, but they might be persuaded to move against you in the dark."

Sweat started pouring from his brow. Ves became aware that his position in the Bright Republic may not be as solid as he thought.

"Don't worry too fast, Ves. Don't you have ties with Flashlight? I expect that they will soon clarify their stance towards you. They won't sell you out."

"Really?"

For some reason, Ves could scarcely imagine such a situation.

"Look, the Bright Republic aren't allies with the Friday Coalition. Your state hasn't declared war against the Hegemony either. What do you think will happen if the Coalition loses the war?"

"Any ties to the Coalition will suddenly turn worthless." Ves guessed before shaking his head. "No. It's worse. They'll turn toxic! Any lesser state that has been leaning towards the Coalition will enjoy less regard compared to lesser states that have supported the Hegemony from the start!"

"Exactly! While individuals such as you who have become friends with a Hexer are rare, it's in the best interest of the Bright Republic to keep you around, if only as a contingency plan. Once their favored side has lost, your value to your state is immeasurably great! You'll be expected to reduce the bad blood between the victorious Hegemony and your puny little state."

"I.. see."

Ves still thought his position in the Bright Republic was precarious. If not for his extensive business and family ties to his state, he would have packed his bags and moved to the Ylvaine Protectorate or something!

He recalled that unlike the Bright Republic, the Ylvaine Protectorate maintained light but friendly ties to the Hegemony! The Ylvainans wouldn't sell him out! In fact, they would probably welcome him with open arms!

This was still a bit too much to bear for Ves. He loved his home state. It took a lot of mental adjustment for him to regard it as a potential threat.

"So what exactly will you be doing?"

"I'll be around, and so will the Swordmaidens under a different name. It's best if I work in the dark, so I won't associate with you in the open. I'll regularly be visiting Cloudy Curtain, Bentheim and any other location that requires my attention."

"You haven't explained to me yet what you'll be doing."

Calabast sighed. "Let's just say that I will be putting out fires and handle threats directed against you before they become a problem. There are already elements in the Bright Republic that seek to gain the Coalition's favor by assassinating you or ruining your business."

"Won't it be better to leave such problems to Flashlight?"

She looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Flashlight answers to the government and has to balance many different interests. They may appear to act with impunity to you, but they are anything but impulsive. Unlike Flashlight, I'm completely on your side."

"It doesn't really feel that way."

"You should be more grateful, kid. I've done a lot of work to facilitate your rise and remove some of the obstacles in your way. I know you have a hard time understanding my line of work, but just trust me, you wouldn't have been nearly as successful if you don't have someone like me watching your back."

As much as Ves wanted to deny it, he knew she was right. He already noticed hints of her influence, particularly in relation to the Ylvaine Protectorate.

"So what do I do?" He asked.

"Just continue as normal as if the Friday Coalition and the Hexadric Hegemony isn't locked into a heated conflict. It's not your business, Ves, so don't even attempt to intervene there. Just stay put and keep designing new mechs. Your growth matters the most. Even if the entire Komodo Star Sector is burning down, don't stop improving."

"Is that it? What about Gloriana? Is she in danger here?"

"No." Calabast shook her head. "The Wodins are certainly aware of Operation K and our intentions to wage a decisive war in this period. They have already assessed the risks of sending Gloriana to the Bright Republic. No one will dare to attack her in the open. With the deterrence of the Glory Battalion, nothing will happen to her. In fact, their presence here will make you even safer, because no one wants to tangle with them directly!"

Ves didn't completely buy that explanation. It was one thing to allow a very valuable Journeyman to leave the Hegemony during peacetime. Now that a war broke out, Gloriana suddenly turned into a tempting and vulnerable target!

"Damn Hexers." He grumbled beneath his breath. "How many schemes are you hiding?"

Chapter 1547

After Calabast finished briefing Ves on what he needed to know, she stalked off to parts unknown. The secret entrance to his home office closed as if it never existed in the first place.

The fact that Ves wasn't even aware of it signified that he still had a lot to learn about his new mansion.

He moved to his desk and began to organize his thoughts. Lucky climbed up the surface of his desk and began to stretch in place.

"Calabast is right." He spoke while reaching out to stroke Lucky's back. "The war between the Friday Coalition and the Hexadric Hegemony is none of my business. Master Olson and the Wodin Dynasty can take care of themselves."

Thinking about his shallow but memorable relations with certain individuals from the Friday Coalition put a very sour taste in his mouth.

He never really wanted to cut ties with the Friday Coalition. However, ever since he started a relationship with Gloriana, there was no way he could realistically maintain them any longer.

"Master Olson actually did me a favor by kicking me out of the Coalition." He realized. "Maybe she knew that trouble was on the horizon."

Even if the Hegemony caught the Coalition by surprise, the latter wouldn't have been blind to the possibility. They simply misjudged the timing and the strange technologies employed by their opponents.

Ves did not worry too much about the fate of Master Olson. Even if the Friday Coalition lost, a Master would never be under threat. While Ves did not know how the Hegemony would treat its captives and the citizens of conquered territory, it was unlikely the Hexers would kill them all off without remorse.

"The MTA will never allow such slaughter. The point of forcing human states to wage war with less destructive weapons like mechs is to prevent too much loss of life."

The Hegemony clearly wanted to conquer the territories occupied by the Friday Coalition and rule the Komodo Star Sector as a true hegemon.

If all they took over was ash and ruins, then it might take several centuries for the Hegemony to repair the damage!

At the very least, the common citizens of the Coalition wouldn't face any serious consequences. They just exchanged one ruler for another, that was all. The changes to their society would happen gradually in order to make sure the conquered citizens assimilated into Hexer society without too much resistance.

As for military officers, senior officials and the like, they would probably face worse treatment.

Ves guessed that Master Olson also happened to fall under this category. For someone like her who likely possessed very strong ties to the Coalition, it was better for her to evacuate the star sector and start anew far away from the reach of her old enemies.

A Master Mech Designer did not fear a fresh start! With their immense reputation and design ability, as long as there weren't any inherent contradictions, there was no state that would refuse their business!

"Well, who knows if Master Olson will be compelled to flee. It might be the Hexers who have to flee instead."

It was true that the Hexadric Hegemony started off the war with an immediate advantage. However, he was very well aware that both states possessed an extremely deep accumulation. There was no way that the loss of sixteen mech divisions significantly altered the Coalition's chances of winning.

Their foundation still stood strong!

The Fridaymen would definitely take revenge after suffering so much damage from Operation K. They surely prepared their own devious attacks against the Hexers! If they wanted to shore up their brittle morale, then they needed to make a huge move to reassure their shaken citizens!

Even so, Ves believed that the Hexers would not have initiated the war if they did not possess an advantage. Their odds of winning was probably a little bit higher, enough to make the gamble feasible, if still incredibly risky.

What would happen if either side won?

"Well, it won't be good for me if the Friday Coalition comes out as the final victor."

Ves would have to depart the star sector ahead of time. There was no way the Fridaymen would forgive him for turning his back on the Coalition and hooking up with a Hexer mech designer.

In addition, he didn't want Gloriana to come to harm. He would rather exile himself from his home state than to risk her safety and freedom.

Still, the hard part about this situation was that Ves privately rooted for the Friday Coalition. Though its partners each propagated different beliefs, they were all relatively normal.

"Compared to the abomination that is the Hegemony, the Coalition is pretty enlightened as a whole."

The Friday Coalition was a completely secular state that did not allow any religion to gain significant influence!

A star sector dominated by the Friday Coalition didn't sound so bad to Ves. Other than the fact that he and his girlfriend would become hunted by them, he would have liked to live under its regime!

"Well, who knows if the Coalition will stay in place by then. The only reason the partners got together in the first place was because none of them are strong enough to defeat the Hegemony on their own."

The Coalition would probably break apart if its partners no longer faced the pressure of a common, external enemy. Just trying to decide the allocation of the conquered territory was enough to make them have a falling out!

"It's actually much better for me if the Hegemony wins the war instead." He grumbled.

He did not like the Hegemony at all. Its strong culture that strongly propagated female supremacy sounded awful to a man like Ves.

He'd be fine if he was born a woman, but since he was a man, he highly objected to the Hegemony's stance on gender!

What was more, the Hexers also adopted a religion that reinforced their insane beliefs about men and women even more!

If there was one thing that Ves wanted to remove from his girlfriend, it was her fanatical adherence to hexism!

When he thought about the Hegemony winning the war and taking over the star sector, Ves started to get goosebumps.

Even though he would probably stand to gain a lot of profit for associating with the 'winning' side, he really couldn't imagine living under a Hexer regime!

As a man, Ves drew the line at any cultures or beliefs that denigrated his own gender!

"What do I do if the Hegemony actually wins?"

Right now, the odds were slightly in their favor, so Ves seriously considered the consequences.

He didn't have to think too much to come up with a solution.

"Haha! I'll just embark on my grand expedition and never go back! Take that, Hexers!" He laughed.

If he stayed, he would definitely transform into one of those pathetically servile males who worshipped the ground that women walked upon. No matter where he went, as long as he was in the same star sector, there was no escaping the spread of Hexer culture!

Rather than staying and allowing himself to get contaminated by their beliefs, Ves would much prefer to make his expedition fleet his new home and travel the galaxy!

Perhaps he might bump into an attractive foreign state and decide to settle down. Perhaps he would continue to live aboard a ship and permanently adopt the life of a spaceborn citizen. Both of these possibilities were much more preferable to living in a Hegemony-ruled star sector!

He would do anything to escape Hexer indoctrination!

"People say that running from problems is bad." He told Lucky. "Well, they've never had to face the prospect of living among Hexers!"

"Meow."

"Pff! You're just a cat! You'd just get pampered by their rich ladies if you fall into their hands."

"Meow meow."

"That doesn't mean you should abandon me! I'm a much better cat owner than those cat ladies!"

Interacting with Lucky brought some much-needed levity to his heart. He felt much better now that he thought the situation through. Regardless how the war between the second-rate states progressed, there was no way he could influence its outcome.

"My time is better spent on thinking how to lead the LMC through the sandman crisis."

Now that the Desolate Soldier model took the mech market by storm a month after its release, the LMC had become an indispensable part of the local mech industry. There was no way the Bright Republic would treat the LMC unfairly due to his Hexer associations!

"At most, my company will just suffer some suppression, perhaps." He guessed.

However, that wouldn't actually accomplish anything aside from pushing Ves away from the Bright Republic. That might be what certain Brighters with ties to the Coalition wanted to see, but the government couldn't afford to play along.

If the Bright Republic ever acted against Ves, then they would probably suffer from retribution if the Hexers ever won the war!

"The last thing the government wants to do is to take sides! It's best if they stay as neutral as possible to avoid offending either side!"

Most of the ties between the Bright Republic and the Friday Coalition consisted of smaller relationships. The state wouldn't bleed that much if they were forced to penalize the people who engaged in these relationships.

"I should follow Calabast's advice and talk to Flashlight." Ves scratched his chin.

He sent a brief message to Gavin. Some time later, Leland Toll traveled from the headquarters of the LMC to the Cloud Estate.

When the spy finally entered the office, Ves greeted him with a partially-sincere smile. "Leland! Long time no see! How is my resident Flashlight agent doing?"

Leland emphatically raised an eyebrow before approaching the desk and sitting down across Ves.

"I take it the Komodo War has shaken you up, Ves. To be honest, we already started to smell the blood in the water. It was only a matter of time before one of the second-rate states ran out of patience."

That surprised Ves. "You suspected? And you didn't tell me?"

"We only had suspicions." Leland innocently spread his hands. "If we ever decided to voice them, how do you think the Coalition or the Hegemony would respond?"

"They wouldn't like it if you spread accurate rumors."

"Exactly. This is why we kept our suspicions to ourselves. Only the highest officials were privy to our speculations. That is also how the recent peace treaty came about."

Ves suddenly recalled the circumstances surrounding the abrupt end to the latest generational war between the Bright Republic and the Vesia Kingdom.

"So that is why Senator Tovar and Prince Colchester acted so chummy with each other! You guys knew that the Fridaymen and Hexers would clash in the near future!"

Leland sighed. "I told you, Ves. Flashlight and our Vesian counterparts only held suspicions. There is only so much we can learn from observing the second-rate states."

He was right. Ves shouldn't blame Flashlight for withholding such information.

"If the second-rate states started fighting, does it actually matter if our state stopped fighting the Vesians?"

"It matters a lot, Ves. While second-rate states normally don't interfere in the running of lesser states, war can push anyone to desperation. The Bright Republic needs to conserve as much of its strength as possible to handle any eventualities."

"Well, that certainly came in handy now that the sandmen decided to run us over."

"We didn't anticipate the sandmen invasion of human space. They haven't done anything for hundreds of years." Leland honestly admitted. "The state didn't push to end the war to conserve our forces against the aliens, but you're right in that it turned out to be a very prescient decision."

They chatted a little bit about the early end of the war before moving on to the topic that Ves wanted to discuss.

"What is the Bright Republic's stance towards me?" Ves plainly asked. "As you know, my girlfriend is a Hexer, and not an average one."

Leland adopted a serious expression. "We are aware. Let me reassure you that the government doesn't regard you as a pariah. In fact, we welcome this development!"

"Really?"

"Senator Tovar has personally outlined the government's stance on you and your relationship with Gloriana Wodin. Officially, we don't have an opinion."

"What does that mean?"

"We won't harm you, but we won't help you either. To us, you're just a Brighter who happens to have a foreign girlfriend."

Ves scratched his head. "Okay? What's your unofficial stance, then?"

"That will take some explaining..."

Chapter 1548

In the end, Leland did not tell Ves much beyond what Calabast already outlined.

The Bright Republic's unofficial stance completely matched her predictions.

"You're our insurance policy." Leland set forth. "In the event the Hexers win a decisive victory against the Fridaymen, our ties with the latter will turn into liabilities that will weigh us down. Hexers aren't known to be charitable to those who oppose them, so our state will certainly be subjected to significant penalties and sanctions in a possible post-Hexer star sector."

Ves pursed his lips. "I'm just one person, though. I can't overturn centuries of friendships and trade relations by myself."

"We hope you can convince Miss Gloriana to plea for leniency on our behalf."

"I think you are overestimating my girlfriend's influence. Even if she's a part of the Wodin Dynasty, she's purely a mech designer and an engineer. She is completely uninvolved when it comes to politics."

"Mech designers can be influential as well." Leland smiled at Ves in an unsettling manner. "We have very high hopes for you and Gloriana."

"You think very highly of me." Ves narrowed his eyes.

"Your rise has been meteoric. How can we not take closer notice of you? Flashlight has always looked upon you as a promising young mech designer, but our regard for you has always been due to your potential. We did not expect for you to realize some of your potential in such a dramatic manner recently."

"My Desolate Soldiers seem to have made a very powerful impression on you all."

"Yes." Leland smiled. "We had suspicions about your specialty, but it is only when you released your Desolate Soldier model that we have learned it is more horrible than we thought! The latest mech you've designed is unlike anything we have seen before!"

While Ves intended to make his Desolate Soldiers appealing to authority, it still surprised him to hear Leland praise him to heavens!

If there was one thing Ves learned about spies like Leland, it was that they never showed excessive emotions unless it furthered their agenda!

"It sounds like the government appreciates my work."

"Very much so." Leland readily admitted. "Rest assured that we will protect you and shield you from any backlash directed against you. Whether it's your ties to the Hegemony or the controversy surrounding your mech designs, we'll make sure you can operate your business openly and fairly. We have already stopped several initiatives intended to force suppliers and distributors to stop working with the LMC."

"I see. Thank you for that."

"We are Brighters. The quarrels between the second-rate states should not spill over to our territory. It's unfortunate that some of our fellow Brighters haven't gotten the message."

The two talked some more. Leland constantly heaped up praise while offering various reassurances that Ves only grew more and more suspicious.

Leland's friendly attitude towards him reflected the Bright Republic's current stance towards him. They were so afraid that Ves might feel unwelcome in a hostile state and decide to emigrate to another state.

That would be a disastrous occurrence to the Bright Republic! The state wouldn't gain anything except to further affirm its loyalty to the Friday Coalition.

Such a gain was extremely marginal compared to the potential benefits if they kept Ves within its sphere.

His value was two-fold. While Ves already expected the state to value his ties to the Hexers, he underestimated their enthusiasm for his products.

Even though the Desolate Soldier was just a cheap spaceborn rifleman mech design, its unique aura was practically unheard of in the galaxy.

This was the power of a Class IX design philosophy!Even if most weird and unorthodox design philosophies produced worthless effects, Ves was different!

With the early adoption of the Desolate Soldier by the Bentheim Planetary Guard, millions of people became aware of its now-famous ability to inspire duty in mech pilots and bystanders!

Ves previously thought that the government would only slightly raise his appreciation of him, but now he began to sense that he underestimated his impact.

If Ves continued to mature and advance to Senior, his mechs would become even more valuable to the state! Even if he never managed to advance to Master, he definitely held the potential to become the top mech designer of the Bright Republic!

However, what was worrisome was that this valuable mech designer might not stick around! Ever since Ves started dating Gloriana, he risked getting further into the orbit of the Hexadric Hegemony, which was to the detriment of the Bright Republic!

Ves was no longer a trivial Apprentice, nor a promising Journeyman!

Even though he was still a Journeyman, his value to the state became more and more obvious!

He was a treasure!

With mechs like the Desolate Soldier, the LMC could sweep through the mech markets of every third-rate state in the star sector!

In fact, the appeal of his specialty was so great that many other star sectors would clamor for his mechs if they became aware of his products!

Such a quality in a mech designer was rare. While every Senior from the Bright Republic possessed their own strengths, none of them carried as much universal appeal.

This was the power of holding a spiritual component monopoly!

Even if the Bright Republic couldn't exactly figure out how Ves was able to make his mechs exert a noticeable impact on people, they recognized its rarity.

Something good that was also rare was valuable! Incredibly valuable! So much so that the government began to take a great amount of interest in Ves' attachment to his home state.

After all, Flashlight owned a 21 percent stake in the LMC! As long as Ves continued to leverage his unique specialty, his mech company would some day turn into a behemoth with sales that surpassed the scope of mech companies led by Seniors!

Even though he knew his own worth, Ves was surprised the state was astute enough to recognize some of it as well. Even though the Desolate Soldier was merely a taste of what was to come, the government already made overtures to him as if they were afraid that Ves would slip from their grasp if they remained aloof!

"I see. Thank you for clarifying that for me." Ves nodded to Leland. He felt much more in control now that he knew he held more leverage in his relationship to the state. "In the event the Hexers gain the upper hand, I'll be sure to vouch on our state's behalf."

"That is great to hear." Leland smiled before changing the topic. "Let's discuss something more acute. The war between the second-rate states won't be resolved for years. The sandman invasion is a much greater threat to us right now. If we botch our defense, we risk getting overrun by the end of the year. I think neither of us wants to see that happen."

Ves nodded seriously. "My company and I are ready to do our part, within reason. If you expect me to don a uniform again..."

There was no way Ves would accept getting drafted in the Mech Corps again. Though he cherished his experiences with the Vandals, that didn't mean that Ves wanted to return to subject themselves to the whims of someone else.

One time was enough!

As if sensing a problem, Leland quickly raised his hand. "We don't expect you to! You have already done your time. A mech designer like you can do so much more when you are running your own company as opposed to rejoining the Mech Corps. We already have a sufficient amount of mech designers to fulfill our design needs."

"That's good to hear." Ves relaxed.

The sandman invasion invalidated a lot of mechs, especially melee ones. Too many mech designers lost their livelihoods due to this. Joining the Mech Corps was the quickest and most convenient way to do something useful, especially since the military promised rich rewards to any volunteers!

Contributing to the state was not only the right thing to do, but would enormously further the careers of anyone who answered the call of duty!

The last thing the Bright Republic could afford to do was to sit on top of its reserves!

The examples of the border states had taught the other states in the firing line the dangers of spending too little resources!

As for the debts and obligations the Bright Republic owed to everyone after the crisis had passed, that was a problem for later! At the very least, the state would still remain standing and be in a position to profit from the aftermath of the invasion!

"We do appreciate it if you and your company fulfill some of our requests."

Ves raised his eyebrow. "Are you speaking on behalf of Flashlight or another branch of the government?"

"Technically, the requests come from the Ministry of Defense." Leland waved his hand. "You'll receive an official missive from MinDef very soon, I'm sure, but I might as well fill you in so you can get to work as soon as possible. Time is very precious right now, as you know."

"Let's hear it then."

"We'd like you to develop several more variants of your Desolate Soldier design. We've already seen your Holy Soldier perform exceedingly well in the Ylvaine Protectorate."

"Ah."

Ves instantly understood. As much as his Desolate Soldier was selling exceedingly well right now, its applicability was limited.

"MinDef doesn't necessarily have to approach me. My Desolate Soldier design is readily available for licensing. Just pay 10 billion bright credits to the MTA, and the license is yours!"

He would not turn down an easy opportunity to earn some extra money!

However, Leland quickly shook his head and sighed. "Don't you think we've already done that? Not only us, but several other mech designers have licensed your design in the hopes of designing variants that can fulfill different roles!"

"I take it their results don't match their expectations." Ves guessed.

Leland sighed. "Much of the charm of your mechs are lost when others begin to alter your mech design. The greater the changes, the more its advantage fades for some reason. We know that this shouldn't happen since your Holy Soldiers function just as well as the originals. Tell me, Ves. Is this deliberate?"

"There's nothing I can do." Ves innocently smiled. "The qualities I impart to my mech designs are intrinsic to my design philosophy."

"Our partner mech designers have guessed that much. They're very cross about obtaining a mech license that turned out to be of little actual value."

Ves continued to smile but said nothing. This pertained to his spiritual component monopoly. There was no way he was willing to share the good stuff. Even if he stood to gain a lot of money by licensing his mech designs to many different competitors, it wasn't as lucrative as selling mechs under his own brand!

Not only that, but variants developed by other mech designers didn't earn him any DP!

The Bright Republic couldn't coerce Ves to give up his secrets, as the MTA would surely step in. Even if Ves coughed up some of his secrets, his weird Class IX design philosophy probably required a very unique mindset to reproduce.

Since no one else except Ves could design the variants that MinDef needed, the Ministry could only issue requests rather than demands!

Ves recognized that his relationship with the Bright Republic had changed upon his return.

The state no longer held all the cards. His rapid rise, his unique design philosophy, his excellent standing in the Ylvaine Protectorate and his intimate relationship with Gloriana all served to increase his value to the point where the Republic could no longer dictate orders with impunity!

The more he realized his leverage and power over the state, the more he became satisfied with himself. He understood a fundamental truth today.

The Bright Republic needed him more than he needed the Bright Republic!

All of his advantages elevated him beyond the control of his state!

Chapter 1549

Leland left him with a list of four variants that the Ministry of Defense wanted Ves to design. The sooner he completed them, the sooner they could be put to service.

"Hmm. This changes some of my plans."

Ves originally intended to design another mech that was suited to fight against the sandmen, but the variants requested by MinDef didn't sound so bad.

He knew it was better for him to fulfill the requests. Not only did they fall in line with his own goals, but he also wanted to prove that the Bright Republic was right to treat him with deference.

Once Leland departed from his office, Ves mulled over the variants. He would need to think over how he wanted to approach their designs.

"For now, I have a lot of business to catch up."

In the next few days, he did his best to familiarize himself with the changes that took place at home.

The LMC attracted his attention first. He invited Gloriana along as he commuted from the Cloud Estate to the Mech Nursery. As soon as they arrived at the combined headquarters and manufacturing complex, Gloriana took in the surroundings with a critical eye.

"Adequate." She judged. "It's a little bare here, but your display models make up for the lack of grace."

The elegant architecture and the precisely-manicured gardens failed to arouse her interest. She only appreciated the Blackbeaks, Crystal Lords and Aurora Titans that basked the Mech Nursery with their distinctive auras.

Two new additions added extra influences to the people working at the LMC.

First, a fair number of Desolate Soldiers had been placed around the campus. Distributed in a way to ensure maximum and even coverage, the Desolate Soldiers constantly inspired duty in practically every everyone who worked at the Mech Nursery!

In fact, Ves began to fear if employing the Desolate Soldiers in this fashion was excessive. The permanent presence of these mechs effectively indoctrinated his employees to do their duty to the LMC!

"This is playing with fire!" Ves cursed.

The second significant addition was the trophy he obtained from Felixia. Zeigra's enormous stuffed corpse had been placed in the foyer of the headquarters. Anyone who entered the main office would inevitably be greeted with the remains of a ferocious Crown Cat!

Though the sight impressed every employee and visitor who entered the headquarters for the first couple of times, it quickly grew old after a time.

Part of it was due to the lack of aura contained within.

"It's an empty shell." Gloriana observed with a frown. "Your mechs are much more impressive because of their divinity. This.. is a letdown."

"Perhaps I can do something about that later. Right now, I have other work to do."

If he wanted to, he could transfer Zeigra's spiritual fragment from his overcoat to the trophy. Perhaps separating a mote would be enough.

He didn't do so right now because he had more important things to do than to augment a vanity piece.

Ves and Gloriana both went past the foyer while carrying their cats.

Since Ves was about to meet with a lot of people, he decided to wear his full Pride of Dusk ensemble. The LMC had gone for a year without his presence, and it was time for his subordinates to realize who was truly in charge.

As for Gloriana, she wore a formal suit that complemented his own outfit. Just like Ves, she wanted to make a powerful impression on his company.

Of course, both of them also wore their decorative cat ears, which spoiled some of the professionalism they exuded. Ves did not mind, and neither did his girlfriend.

In the eyes of others, their shared eccentricities bound them closer together. Gloriana played along because she wanted to keep him in her clutches, while Ves wanted to make himself appear a little more irrational.

If Ves presented himself as a sane and boring mech designer, people would inevitably start to have designs on his trade secrets!

Until he managed to gain more solid backing from the Rim Guardians, presenting himself as slightly unhinged was the most effective way he could protect himself from the jealousy of others!

As soon as the pair reached the penthouse office, Calsie and Gavin greeted their arrival.

"Good job taking care of my company." Ves nodded to Calsie as he moved to sit behind his desk.

"Thank you, sir. I don't claim to have done a good job, but I've done my best to keep everything together. Will you be taking over as CEO now that you have returned?"

"No." Ves shook his head.

"No?"

"I've realized that I'm far too busy to run a company of this size. The LMC has expanded so much over the years that it deserves a dedicated leader."

"I'm not a qualified executive, Ves."

"You're improving, though, right?" He smiled.

"I've been studying. Some of the Larkinsons and their retainers have also been helpful in getting me up to speed. To be honest, I think our current COO is far more suitable to lead the company in our stead. He's good with numbers, good with people and he projects stability."

Ves remembered Jake. He would meet him and the rest of the top management team later.

"Even if you think you aren't entirely suitable, you've been with the company from the start, Calsie." He reassured her. "I trust you, which is something that is indispensable to me. I'd like you to hold your current position. Can you handle the responsibility?"

"I'll do my best, sir."

Though Calsie did not express much confidence, Ves did not expect that much from her in the first place. She merely acted as his agent to represent his interests within the LMC. The senior management could continue to handle the actual running of the company.

As Ves spoke with Calsie, Gloriana curiously inspected the office and the items placed on the display shelves. She curiously picked up the mug which had been stamped with a cartoonish image of Ves in his Devil Tongue guise.

She scrunched her nose. "What poor taste."

Even though the mug's awful depiction of his boyfriend offended her, she carefully placed it back. She didn't want to cross any lines set by Ves by tampering with the possessions he cared about.

She directed her attention to something more egregious than an amusing mug.

"Is that.. A nutrient pack?!"

The moment she studied the seemingly-aged nutrient pack, she physically grew ill.

"Disgusting!"

The day progressed quickly as Ves met with a multitude of people. He personally met with every member of the senior management. Some of them had changed and had never met him in person.

Once they saw Ves in person and experienced the pressure emanating from his Pride of Dusk, they soon left with an unforgettable impression of the most important person in the company.

After that, Ves attended a virtual board meeting along with Gloriana. Just as with the top management, some of the directors had been replaced by others.

To be honest, Ves barely paid attention to their suggestions and their proposals. The directors also acted unusually subdued due to the presence of his girlfriend.

Even if she wasn't doing anything except looking attentive, her powerful identity could not be ignored.

Ves found it funny that Gloriana's presence acted as a much greater source of pressure than the aura of his overcoat!

Those who belonged to the upper echelons of society reacted far more strongly to his girlfriend than someone with a simpler background like Calsie!

The only ones who held their ground were his grandfather Benjamin and Marcella Bollinger. Both of them used to serve in the Mech Corps so their spines were made of sterner stuff.

Once the board meeting ended and the projections of the directors switched off, Gloriana snorted with disdain.

"Some of your directors don't seem very honest."

"It's fine." Ves dismissively waved his hand. "Everyone knows that I'm in control. The LMC is nothing without my mech designs."

They retired for a quick lunch before taking a lift underground to visit the manufacturing floor of the Mech Nursery.

They toured the entire floor and talked with several chief technicians such as Cyrill Hockett.

Though the scale of production didn't impress Gloriana very much, she admired the work ethic of the mech technicians.

"Everyone is of a similar mind here." She noted with a bit of admiration. "Not only that, the mech technicians are all focused on their work."

"I insisted on that." Ves grinned.

His efforts to push for a strong corporate culture that could unite all of his subordinates together under a common identity had borne fruit.

Not only that, the mech technicians all embraced the approach that Ves had pushed for in order to strengthen the X-Factor of the mechs rolling off the production lines.

The main reason why his silver label mechs sold at a higher price was because of their better-preserved X-Factor!

"I can see why you have opted for an inefficient manufacturing process in your own company." She remarked.

The same team of mech technicians built up a single copy from start to finish. This was different from other production facilities which mainly divided a specific task to a dedicated team.

For example, one team was responsible for fabricating mech engines. Another team was responsible for inspecting them. A third team was responsible for them onto a mech frame.

Though Ves saw the merits in dividing different tasks to specialized mech technicians, the problem was that it wasn't the best for his mechs.

A single team of mech technicians ordinarily consisted of eight to twenty people. Having that many people work on a single mech led to a moderate amount of disruption in the X-Factor of the end product.

However, if the Mech Nursery switched over to batch production, then the amount of mech technicians involved in the production of any single mech was in the hundreds!

That was why a silver label mech always earned more appreciation than a bronze label mech.

It was virtually impossible for third party manufacturers to emulate the LMC's methods. Even if they did, the LMC would never allow them to use any other label than bronze!

Ves always cared a lot about quality. Even if the LMC had to produce as many Desolate Soldiers as possible to meet market demand, he insisted on remaining true to his principles.

At worst, the reputation of his bronze label mechs might decline due to the inconsistent quality of the output of third-party manufacturers.

Ves already started hearing stories of struggling manufacturers attempting to cut corners in order to save on cost.

For a mech that was already as skinny and cost-conscious as his Desolate Soldier, further cost-cutting would drastically hurt its performance!

One of the reasons he personally attended the board meeting earlier was to ram through a proposal that punished this kind of conduct.

Any third-party manufacturer that tried to play games could kiss their license goodbye!

Of course, the LMC could only revoke their licenses if they signed a special contract that waived the massive up-front licensing fee.

Certain mech designers and mech companies obtained a standard license of the Desolate Soldier. Even though they had to pay 10 billion bright credits to the LMC, they gained a lot more rights.

"Fortunately, those who can afford to pay 10 billion credits aren't bottom feeders." He murmured.

Though this sum no longer confounded Ves, many other mech companies struggled to borrow or accumulate so much cash!

This was also why the LMC gained the leverage to impose restrictive terms on its contracts to third-party manufacturers. A lot of struggling mech companies saw how profitable it was to produce the Desolate Soldiers.

Yet because they were struggling, they could never come up with the money on their own!

Of course, mech companies could also try to obtain the cheaper Holy Soldier license. At just 6 billion bright credits, a mech company didn't have to bleed so much to obtain the rights to produce or develop a variant of this mech.

What surprised Ves the most was that many mech designers actually licensed the Holy Soldier!

Even though most of them consisted of Ylvainan mech designers, some of them turned out to be Brighters, Vesians or Reinaldans!

Ves laughed. If they thought they could wipe away the holy aspect while retaining its ability to inspire duty, they had another thing coming!

"Well, it's free money, at least! I don't accept refunds!"

The rule in the mech industry was that if you paid to license a mech design, you wouldn't be able to return it! The best you could do was to sell the existing license to another sucker!

Chapter 1550

After they finished touring the manufacturing floor, they headed down to the lab and workshop floor of the Mech Nursery.

Gloriana quickly scowled when she inspected the lab equipment. "Trash! I can't believe you are working with these cheap machines!"

"They are all standard equipment in the Bright Republic!" Ves innocently raised his hands.

"They're unacceptable! Luckily for you, I've already anticipated this problem. When I shuttered my Flawless Mech Workshop, I packed up all of my equipment and loaded them onto Stellar Chaser. I'll order some men to install them here. As for your old machines, you can directly scrap them as far as I'm concerned. I don't want any of them to taint my workplace any longer!"

Ves loudly coughed. "My workplace, you mean."

"Our workplace." She emphasized with a grin. "I'm a lead designer of the LMC as well now."

While she was right, that didn't give her the power to rearrange his private sanctum within the Mech Nursery.

He quickly halted his protests, though. He knew that Gloriana probably owned some very powerful lab and workshop equipment. His old equipment simply couldn't compare.

Since Gloriana generously lent her high-quality equipment to the LMC, Ves gained massively from this development.

He'd be a fool to resist his girlfriend, especially when he knew that she would never give up this fight!

They quickly left the floor and headed down to the vault. They only spent a brief time there as Ves hadn't stored many valuables. He only showed off a couple notable items to inform Gloriana of their importance.

"These are my P-stones." He showed off the four P-stones. He left the fifth one at his Cloud Estate so that he could periodically deposit his excess spiritual energy. "They're one of the most important exotics I own."

"What do they do, Ves?"

"They're.. containers. They possess the capability to store some very good stuff."

That wasn't enough for her. She frowned at him. "You're being vague again. Stop that."

"Sorry, Gloriana. I'm used to keeping secrets. Let's just say that the P-stones are capable of storing.. the stuff I put in my mech designs."

Ves provided her with a very shallow introduction of his P-stones, F-stone and B-stone lockbox.

As usual, Gloriana instantly interpreted his explanation in relation to divinity. He was used to that. He only wanted to inform her of their value and their utility.

"The exotics you've collected is quite remarkable." She stated as she picked up a P-stone that was partially filled with excess spiritual energy. "This rock kind of feels like you, in a way."

As soon as she picked up the P-stone, Ves' spiritual fragment reacted a bit. This lent some credence to his claim that she sensed his spiritual energy.

Nonetheless, he insisted she put it back. The P-stones were far too precious to leave in Gloriana's possession. What would she even do with one that stored some of his spiritual energy?

Though his girlfriend looked unwilling, Ves offered her an option to get what she wanted.

"I'm very short on these three exotics." He walked to her side and hugged her side. "If you really want a P-stone that reminds you of me, then help me obtain more. As soon as you bring your new lab equipment, I'll allow you to perform some detailed examinations on my stuff. If you can discreetly reach out to your supply network and obtain something identical, it would help me a lot. With more P-stones in my possession, I'll be much more willing to leave one in your hands that carries some of my energy!"

Her eyes instantly brightened up. "Really?"

"Really."

"I'll do it!" She hugged him back and pecked him on the cheek. "While it's difficult for me to get in touch with my old suppliers now that war has broken out, I am not entirely cut off. I'll see what I can do."

Ves placed his hand on her shoulder. "Make sure to be discreet. Don't disclose what these exotics can do. In addition, don't make it obvious that we need them. If others learn that we specifically need these exotics, they'll collect them first and rip us off by charging ten times their usual price!"

In fact, that was just an excuse. The real reason why he wanted to keep this search quiet was to avoid tripping off those who were also searching for these materials.

Any person or organization who sought for them specifically were entities that Ves did not want to meet!

Seeing how much importance he attached to this condition, Gloriana nodded. "I understand."

"Don't delegate the search to Melody or anyone else on your staff."

"I get it, Ves."

After he showed off his exotics, he hesitated a bit about showing off something else stored in his vault.

Eventually, he decided he might as well introduce it to Gloriana so she became aware of its danger.

"The last item in my vault is a bit more special than the others. It's also a lot more dangerous. Maintain your distance and don't inspect the object too closely. That means no concentrating!"

Though Gloriana looked confused, her face quickly became turbulent the moment Ves retracted the Ancient Sarcophagus.

"Is that an alien relic?!" She gasped. "Wait, what's inside? And what is this pressure I'm feeling?"

"This is the Ancient Sarcophagus. It contains the dead body of some alien. Some treasure hunters retrieved it from the depths of the Nyxian Gap. The reason you are feeling this way is because a portion of the alien still remains alive. Do you want to know where I get my spiritual components from? Well, the Ancient Sarcophagus here is one of my most important sources!"

Gloriana quickly realized what he meant. "Ves! Don't tell me that there is a god locked inside this coffin!"

Though Ves did not feel that the entity inside deserved to be called a god, he didn't bother to correct her terminology.

"Nyxie."

"What?"

"I call it Nyxie, on account of its origins."

She frowned. "Is the alien male or female?"

"I'm pretty sure it's a male, but I'm not sure. Nyxie possesses the temperament of a male at the very least."

"I see." She replied flatly. Her interest in the Ancient Sarcophagus and what it held inside instantly faded! "That explains the cruelty, aggressiveness and dominance I am inexplicably sensing. Nyxie is a very angry god, it seems. A very male god."

Ves shrugged. "I don't blame him. I did cut off one-fiftieth of its essence and heavily processed it in order to create the spiritual component for my Desolate Soldier design."

"Well, please get this filth out of my sight. Your imprisoned male god is ruining my mood."

As long as Gloriana knew not to mess with the Ancient Sarcophagus, Ves didn't care what she thought about Nyxie. He did wonder what would happen if Nyxie turned out to be female.

Would Gloriana demand he free the trapped spiritual entity or something?

He shook his head. Not for aliens. God or not, the Hexers at least didn't worship aliens.

They left the vault shortly afterwards. They returned aboveground and calmly walked across the grounds. They quickly reached a small fortified base that housed the Avatars of Myth.

Different from last time, it was a lot more emptier since his last visit a year ago. Most of the Avatars of Myth had transferred to the Living Sentinels, thereby leaving his original mech force with the best and most loyal mech pilots.

"Melkor! Good to see you again!"

"Sir." Melkor nodded stiffly to Ves before directing his visor to his girlfriend. "I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Gloriana. I'm Melkor Larkinson, Commander of the Avatars of Myth and Ves' cousin."

"Ah, I'm already familiar with you." She smiled and eyed his physique like a tailor eyed a client. "We planned to design a custom mech for you, infact."

That was new to Melkor. "Did you?"

Ves sighed. "I wanted to design a laser rifleman mech to reward you for your services, but..."

"The sandmen eat lasers like breakfast. I understand, sir. Other projects take priority."

"I'm glad you don't have any hard feelings."

"How can I be upset at something I've never enjoyed? I can wait. Besides, I'm not sure I should be the first Avatar to receive a custom mech designed by the two of you. While I don't have a lot of Avatars left, the ones that remained are very skilled and dedicated. I've even recruited some amazing talents recently that will certainly grow to become our elites!"

The group walked to the administrative building while they talked.

"How many Avatars do you have right now?" He asked.

"Enough to field eighteen landbound mechs and sixteen spaceborn mechs. I'm trying to get those numbers back up to a full mech company each."

"How is recruiting?"

"It won't be as slow as before. Different from last time, our foundation is solid now. Our structure is mature and the mech pilots I have right now form a very solid cadre that can keep the Avatars cohesive even if I double our numbers in a matter of months. I hope to fill out our mech roster within a month."

"A month?!" Ves reacted with surprise. "That's pretty fast! Are you sure you are maintaining our standards?"

Melkor chuckled. "It's not as hard as it sounds. The Avatars of Myth is not as obscure as before. What's more, I expect some of our new recruits to consist of Larkinsons. Young Larkinsons."

Once they reached Melkor's office, Ves met with Crindon again.

"Sir."

"Hello Captain Crindon. How are you doing in the Avatars of Myth?"

"Commander Melkor has been showing me the ropes." His Kinner bondsman responded. "Overall, it's clear that I have a lot of work in store."

Upon his return to Cloudy Curtain, Ves decided to transfer Crindon to the Avatars of Myth.

While he could have opted to keep Crindon on his direct staff, Ves needed someone trustworthy to take charge of the Virtual Security Department of the Avatars.

Only someone as impeccably loyal to Ves as Crindon was suitable for this position!

The newly-instated captain of the Virtual Security Department explained what needed to be done.

"Many experts that formerly worked at this department have transferred to the Living Sentinels, thereby leaving us deprived of skilled hackers and security experts. I've only recently started recruiting, but it will take some time to bring this department up to par. As per your instructions, I'm being exceedingly careful about the loyalty and trustworthiness of new recruits."

Ves nodded in satisfaction. "I hope you can do a good job. There is no hurry. I would rather you take it slow than to make too much haste and risk introducing a traitor in our ranks."

Once he finished discussing matters with Crindon, the Kinner left the office.

"How is our guard infantry department? Is that old dog Coyin Larkinson still around?"

"Captain Coyin Larkinson still leads our sole guard infantry company." Melkor replied with a thin smile. "Our uncle is a little hard to work with, but he's taking a liking in leading his own unit with much more autonomy than he ever enjoyed in the military. Do you want to talk to him, perhaps?"

Ves quickly waved his hands. "No, thanks! I don't need to talk to all of your men. I think you're doing a good job so far. Even with the reduction in numbers, the Avatars still remain promising. Anyway, let's get down to business. Checking up on the Avatars is only one of the reasons why I'm visiting."

"I know." Melkor said. He activated his desk terminal and projected a map of the Bright Republic. "It's time we discuss the deployment of our Avatars of Myth and our Living Sentinels."

"How many Avatars and Sentinels are willing to be dispatched to the front?"

"Well, it's mandatory for the Avatars, so all of us will go. As for the Sentinels, you should speak with their new commander to hear the details. From what I've heard, about half of them are willing to do their duty."

"Just fifty percent?" Ves frowned.

With all of the Desolate Soldiers in their mech roster, he would have thought the Sentinels would be glad to do their duty!

Melkor shrugged. "You know what these mech pilots are like. Even if they are willing to do their duty, they cherish their families."

Even the Desolate Soldiers could only do so much to compel people to do their duty!