The narrative sifted through the surface details and omitted overly personal anecdotes, but recounting three years of experiences took a considerable amount of time. However, Dan stayed attentive throughout, adding comments and providing encouragement. When the story touched on the atrocities of United Mining, he expressed disdain for those thugs, acknowledging how it must have been challenging for a Peakers to handle about it.

As the tale reached its conclusion with the return to the Lee Clan alongside Eda, Dan nodded approvingly and gave a hearty round of applause.

"Truly, an extraordinary story. It was a great decision to share it with me. You are indeed a true Oceaner."

"I'm nothing special. It's all thanks to my comrades."

Then Dan, burying himself in the back of the chair, spoke.

"Yeah. I'd really like to meet the captain you brought back to Lee Clan, and pilot who is still in Thousand Peaks sometime."

"Someday there might be a chance. Probably. Come to think of it, Remi is supposed to arrive tomorrow or so."

"Oh. Can I suggest something?"

"A suggestion?"

Dan spoke with an excited expression.

"You're coming through the interstellar space gate, right? How about I try working at the gate for just one day."

"What?"

Jun couldn't make sense of what this prince was talking about.

"Just to see your friends' faces. I'll try working as a daily employee at the interstellar space gate. Don't worry. I won't cause any trouble."

Numerous thoughts raced through Jun's mind, such as, "Are you out of your mind?" or "What are you talking about? Say something sensible." However, what ultimately came out of his mouth was just one thing.

"...How are you going to hide your face?"

"That's easy."

Dan took out the mask he had used to disguise himself just now. While wearing the mask, he tapped a specific part of it a few times. Surprisingly, the mask began to transform, covering his face thinly, and soon enough, it changed into a real face. It was an actual face that looked somewhat similar but subtly different from the one beneath the mask.

As Jun stared with his mouth slightly agape, Dan chuckled and spoke. The tone of his voice had indeed changed, probably due to the activated voice modulation.

"It's a technology that utilizes shape-memory alloy and resonates with Lumen. However, due to the high production cost and technical complexity, it's practically only usable by me. And if you observe closely, you might notice some discomfort, so it's still more of a toy than anything else. Oh, by the way, don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

Jun quickly nodded. He never expected such things to exist in the royal palace.

Dan, after removing the mask, stood up with a smile. Then, he extended his hand towards Jun, as if suggesting a handshake.

"Well, it was really enjoyable meeting you today. As long as there are people like you, the future of the East Ocean seems bright. Let's stay friendly from now on."

"Uh, sure."

Having been slightly surprised by the strange mask he saw a moment ago, Jun still exchanged a handshake with a smiling face.

"Feel free to talk like this next time we meet in private. Well then, farewell, my friend. You can take your time with the mining rights. See you at the interstellar space gate tomorrow!"

"Yeah, Sure. Although I don't know if I'll be able to recognize you…."

Dan, now wearing the mask again, returned to his guise as a attendant. As if about to lift the synthescepter to make the gate resonate and open, he paused and turned back to Jun, as if suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, and don't worry, my father won't be waking up again."

"What?"

Jun turned his head quickly in response to the question, but Dan was already activating the synthescepter to open the gate. With many eyes watching, Jun had no choice but to face forward and walk out.

Walking towards the two attendants waiting silently outside. Considering the conversation was quite lengthy, he felt sorry for keeping them waiting. Simultaneously, he contemplated the last words Dan had said.

'...The emperor, his father, won't wake up again?'

The implication behind those words was that the one who rendered the emperor unconscious was...

Like father, like son.

Feeling a shiver down his spine, Jun left the palace.

/

"Eddie!"

"Remi!"

In the meeting room of interstellar space gate of the East Ocean, a warm embrace unfolded. Beyond the glass, under the radiant glow of Taiyang, Eda welcomed Remi with a smile, extending her arms. Remi leaped into Eda's embrace.

"Eddie, I really, really, really missed you!"

"I missed you too, Remi."

Remi clung to Eda, bouncing around with excitement. Jun, who had risen from his seat to join them, approached with a smile.

"Remi, it's been a few days. Nice to see you."

"Oh, yeah. Jun, it's good to see you again. Maybe it's the influence of your hometown, but you're looking radiant."

While Remi was still in Eda's embrace, she turned her head to look at Jun. Her attitude was surprisingly distant compared to her interaction with Eda, but Jun understood. Even with such a reserved demeanor, Jun could tell that Remi was genuinely happy to see him.

As the reunited crew of the Red Chamber gathered, Zhen and Lee Clan members, who had stood like screens in the background, approached. Before Jun could turn to introduce himself, the clan members all bowed at a perfect 90 degrees.

"It is an honor to welcome the benefactor of the clan!"

Jun, almost involuntarily, glanced around, but luckily, being in the East Ocean, it didn't attract much attention. People around casually noted that a clan had come to greet a benefactor, and the atmosphere remained unconcerned.

Remi then separated from Eda's embrace and made a puzzled expression.

"Why are these guys like this?"

Jun chuckled and introduced Remi and the clan members to each other.

"Remi, these are my clan members. The one at the forefront is my brother, Zhen. Everyone, as you may already know, this is Remi, my comrade and Eda's sister. Treat her as you would treat me. No need to shout."

"We follow the orders of the young clan master."

Remi looked at the clan members with an expression of fascination, then as if she remembered something, she turned to Eda.

"Oh right. Eddie, Doc sent a message to you. She said although she sent it to you several times, you were not responding to her."

"Oh..."

Eda, as if just remembering, covered her mouth with her hand. The address for her mail was originally set to be delivered within the Red Chamber, but in the hustle and bustle of adapting to the new environment in East Ocean, she had forgotten to update the address setting.

"Anyway, Eddie, you have a subtle side of being absent-minded."

"Well, I should check it right away."

"Excuse us, ladies."

A male janitor in a hat, dressed in black, approached with a cleaning cart. Looking at the floor, it appeared that someone had spilled a drink, and black liquid was flowing across the floor. It had almost reached Eda's shoes. The janitor, with an unconcerned smile, opened his mouth as if to explain.

"Sorry about that. Someone spilled their drink, and it ended up flowing all the way here. I'll clean it up right away."

"No, it's okay."

Eda smiled and stepped aside, with Remi following along. The janitor, nodding in appreciation, quickly pulled out a mop and cleaning solution, starting the cleanup.

"Haha, this beverage is coffee, and it has a unique aroma. It's not common in East Ocean. It's relatively easier to find in the interstellar space gate where people from various nationalities pass through."

The janitor seemed talkative for some reason. Watching him energetically clean using the recoil of his movements, Jun felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

'Wait a minute. There's something strange about that face...'

As Jun examined the janitor's face closely, he felt a subtle unease, something inexplicable and peculiar about it.

Come to think of it, that physique... It was undoubtedly the same as the one he had seen yesterday.

'Good Lumen… Working as a daily employee meant coming as a janitor?!'

Jun, realizing the true identity of the janitor, Crown prince Dan, was astonished. A momentary shock crossed his face, and although he quickly regained his composure, he couldn't completely avoid the sharp insight of Dan.

"All done. Well then, ladies, I hope you have a pleasant time in East Ocean."

Polite greetings, Dan moved away while pushing the cleaning cart. Before disappearing, he made eye contact with Jun, placing his index finger on his lips in a 'shh' gesture.

"Jun? What are you doing?"

Turning his head upon hearing Eda's call after looking in the direction where Dan disappeared, Jun noticed Remi looking at him as if to say, "Can't you pull yourself together?"

"It's nothing. Let's go."

/

Inside the Red Chamber, three people gathered around a large monitor. Remi, who was steering the ship, Eda, checking her emails, and Jun, who boarded again to organize his belongings inside the Red Chamber. They had come together to check messages while flying through space under the escort of the Lee Clan spaceship.

[Sender: Dr. Rushell rushell

Receiver: Eda eda

Date: 8535

Title: Eda, I feel a bit disappointed.

Eda, you are just like your master. Leaving without saying a word to me. Still, I'm relieved that you've stopped chasing after the Banshee. You need to live your own life.

When I heard everything from Remi, I was quite surprised. 0.3 astronomical units inside the black hole's gravitational field? Be grateful to your crew who stopped you.

I've temporarily frozen the Red Chamber crew's Luminary Association membership, and the administrative procedures are in place, so don't think about coming back suddenly because you've changed your mind. I've only stopped you from exploring new caves, so don't worry, your rights to the caves you've already found are still intact.

...But did you really have to follow that Oceaner boy?

Dr. Rushell.

Lumen Association, Executive Secretary-General]

After that, there were a few more messages.

[Eda, you didn't change your email address setting? Remi got a reply instead you. Can't you get yourself together?]

[You suddenly transferred half of your ownership rights to that Oceaner boy? What are you thinking?]

Eda started to reply to Russell while scratching her head.

"I'm sorry... I was so preoccupied adapting to the new environment... I forgot to change the email address setting... Don't worry about looking for the caves... I don't have any intention to do that now, so please don't worry... And about transferring my shares to Jun... I did it because I thought it was the right thing to do..."

As Eda mumbled and typed her response, Remi, who had been standing quietly behind, clenched her fist and asked Eda.

"Right, yeah. I was going to ask about that too. Eddie, you gave half of your shares to Jun? Why did you do that?"

Eda, after sending the message, turned her head towards Remi and replied.

"Yeah? Oh, it just seemed like what Jun had wasn't quite enough."

"No, even if that's the case, giving it all away like that... Damn. No. Forget it. Jun won't even bother pretending not to know after receiving it

"Exactly. Of course."

Listening to the conversation between the two women, Jun also brought up a question he was curious about with Remi.

"So, Remi, did you meet Benzel? How was it?"

"Oh... Benzel?"

When Eda looked at Remi with curiosity, Remi brought a chair from a corner, sat down, and opened her mouth with a discontented expression.

"Forget it, he's just an old fart. After shaking hands, he started some weird comedy, I felt like slapping him. He doesn't have much meat on his bones, but he's so tall, like a scarecrow walking. We went to some restaurant, you know? When we entered, he insisted on paying for everything, but when it came to the bill, he suddenly suggested we split it. If the food wasn't good, I might have walked out after sprinkling water to his face."

"Well... I see."

Eda and Jun shared a subdued laugh at Remi's outpouring of complaints. Then, Remi suddenly loosened her expression, extended her words, and continued the story.

"...Well, anyway. It was somewhat entertaining talking to him. Maybe because he is intel broker, or maybe because he's the chairman of United Mining, he seemed to know a lot. Despite making some weird jokes, he didn't say anything as absurd as the nonsense you would say, Jun."

"Me?"

"Don't interrupt. Also, surprisingly, he seemed to have a clear head. He wants to stop the tyranny of United Mining, but he needs real power to fight against his family because he's just the figurehead. He's trying to increase his influence, restrain United Mining's actions, and gradually provide information to the Lumen Association."

Remi continued with her story.

"...So, Benzel suggested meeting again next time, and I said I will consider it. And I came here. Well, overall, it wasn't bad."

"It seems like everything went well."

Having spent many years together, Eda quickly sensed Remi's inner thoughts. Remi initially complained, but afterward, she spoke mostly favorably about Benzel. It seemed that Benzel had made a positive impression on her.

"More importantly, can you tell me about what happened in East Ocean? Jun didn't do anything strange, did he?"

"Remi, how do you see me?"

"Well... the buildings were pretty."

During their short journey to the Lee Clan, the conversation of the three crew members continued. The flickering lights of the Red Chamber illuminated them.

/

It's been six months since Remi came to the Lee Clan. During this time, Jun worked tirelessly to overcome difficult times and revive the clan. The influx of significant capital from the Lumen cave greatly contributed to the clan's reconstruction, and it quickly began to regain its former glory.

Jun reclaimed the lands, facilities, and various precious assets that were taken away due to debt. The clan's territory, which had diminished to a peninsula and a few islands, began to expand once again. Numerous Lumen facilities coveted by other clans also followed suit. From just one spaceship, they gradually moved away from the difficult situation of traveling back and forth and started building a proper fleet.

As lost possessions due to the clan's downfall were gradually recovered, the members found hope and pride once again. Those who had faced difficulties due to debts received compensation, and laughter resounded from everyone as the clan grew. Even the kids on the streets enjoyed playing "Save the Clan" while imitating Jun.

As the sun set, the sound of children playing pretend echoed in the park, catching the attention of passersby. A child in the center lifted a tree branch mimicking a synthescepter and shouted gleefully.

"I am the greatest runner, Jun Lee! Wherever I set foot, bad guys fall, and everyone becomes happy!"

"You've played that role before. This time, I want to do it!"

"Uh... I don't know. How about you play the role of a wicked witch! I'll defeat the evil witch!"

"It's not like there are only evil witch. Mommy said that there are also good ones who helped our clan master."

"Okay, then you should be the good witch!"

"Sure!"

However, as other clans sensed the rapid growth of the Lee Clan, they attempted to hinder its success through various means, such as Jun's actions and the clan's past debts. Each time, the imperial family intervened, allowing the Lee Clan to navigate through challenges. Jun continued to forge ahead with determination to protect the clan.

After playing around for a few months and making occasional trips between the East Ocean and Thousand Peaks, Remi suddenly said something surprising to Eda and Jun.

"I want to go to college."

It was unbelievable to both Eda and Jun that such words came out of Remi's mouth. Remi had little desire to accumulate knowledge unless necessary, and even when it was necessary, she mostly self-taught herself. Most of the Thousand Peaks technicians were like that. The majority either graduated from a simple technical school or were self-taught, and it was rare to find technicians who graduated from university outside the United Mining's domain.

Eda asked Remi, "Remi, I'm really happy that I had such thoughts. But can you tell me how you came up with that idea?"

Remi replied, "Well... every time I visited Thousand Peaks, I talked a lot with Benzel. I can't directly realize what Benzel is suggesting, but I sympathize with what he says. I don't want to live under the influence of United Mining. So, I want to go to university first. I want to see a broader world, earn a proper degree. Then, maybe I can learn more. Even if it means drifting apart from you for sometimes, Eddie… But I'll try to visit as often as possible."

Eda embraced Remi and said, her eyes moist, perhaps with pride, "It's a great idea, Remi. You've grown up so much now..."

Remi continued with a confident expression.

"I'm looking into well-known engineering universities, but it's tough to apply on my own, especially considering my background as an orphan from Thousand Peaks and lack of academic qualifications. That's why I want your help, Jun."

Jun nodded and then proposed a reverse offer to Remi, "Of course. I'll help you in every way. How about our clan supporting you? We can provide a recommendation, and the clan will fully sponsor your scholarship. Maybe even obtaining a recommendation from the Imperial is possible."

Thus, Jun secretly contacted Dan for a recommendation, just as they had met privately in the control room before.

"Jun, it's been a while since I saw your face, and now you're asking for a recommendation letter?"

"Yeah, for my colleague, Pilot Remi. She wants to go to a university in another star system, aiming for an engineering major. It would be reassuring if you could write her a recommendation."

Dan sipped his drink before speaking, "Hmm. If what you've said is true, her skills shouldn't be a problem. She maintained and upgraded the old Lumen seeking vessel, even though it lagging decades behind. Well, considering my emotional debt to you and the fact that writing a recommendation letter isn't that difficult, I'll do it. Consider it an investment in you, including preventing other clans from interfering with Lee Clan. Just be on my side going forward."

"Thank you so much."

As Jun expressed his deep gratitude with a bow, Dan chuckled and said, "You know, technically, this could be seen as solicitation, right? If rumors spread, it might become troublesome. The Crown Prince and the young Clan Master of Lee Clan, secretly meeting to discuss matters involving a young girl. Rumors could spread in strange ways. Well, as long as the three of us keep our mouths shut, it should be fine."

"Hey, Remi is my family."

"Yeah, I suppose. Your attention seems to be fixed on that witch captain now."

At Dan's remark, Jun, who was sipping his tea, choked as if he had overheard some secret. Putting the teacup down on the table, Jun covered his mouth with his hand.

"Cough, cough. What?"

"Hmm? Was that supposed to be a secret? Even without it being said, it's pretty obvious."

"No, it's just..."

Dan, gazing through Jun's face, burst into laughter as if finding it amusing.

"Huh, so the best runner in the East Ocean is a complete novice when it comes to romantic relationships? Hahaha. Do I need to give you some advice? I've met over a dozen noble ladies myself."

"...Forget about it. My relationship with Eda is something I'll handle on my own."

"Yeah, yeah. Based on what I felt when I saw her last time and considering your story, she seems like a nice woman. Make sure not to let her slip away. I don't have any biases just because she's a witch, so don't worry."

"I feel like I've heard the same words from someone else."

After concluding the secret meeting with Dan, Jun returned to Lee Clan with the recommendation letter. On the way, he composed a message to an old friend.

[Bones. How's military life these days? Heard through Remi that you got directly under the chairman. I'm in the East Ocean these days...]