Deception
「Visitors from Planet Asia, we deeply appreciate your generous support. And to the residents of Planet Libya, this underground factory Realm exists with you and for you. It will serve as a vital stronghold in our battle against the Teras. We wholeheartedly welcome your migration.」
With a respectful bow, Morgan continued.
「This facility is placed in none other than the designated most critical sealed zone—Etna. Etna is the resting ground of Typhon, the entity that once destroyed the Twelve Olympian Gods. Even the Teras and the Stones Fleet dare not approach this land. In other words, it is the safest neutral zone possible.」
「What are the chances that our migration here could awaken Typhon?」
Aural voiced his concern.
「We, the Kryptos, are beings born from Libya-sama, her kin, so to speak. We are neither subjects of Typhon’s protection nor do we have any reason to oppose him. The Kryptos—no, all Mythology Weapons—would never align with the Stones or the Hemitheos.」
「That’s true.」
The woman standing before them appeared human, but she was a Kryptos modeled after the legendary witch. Even if conflict arose, the possibility of her joining the Stones’ forces was unthinkable.
「This land has been a forbidden place since the days of the Pioneering Era. Even during the Interplanetary War era, no faction dared to lay hands on this factory. At most, it was used for repairing starships or restoring Silhouettes. But now, things are different.」
At that moment, Arthur was projected onto the display.
「We swiftly formed an alliance with BAS Corporation from Planet Asia to restore the only remaining Antique Silhouette, Arthur, in this factory. This is our highest priority. Additionally, we will endeavor to repair the damaged Kryptos, develop Silhouettes for Planet Libya’s residents, and create new Mythology Weapons.」
「An Antique Silhouette, huh?」
Asia smirked wryly. That was quite the oversimplification.
「Among Antique Silhouettes, Arthur is classified as a top-secret model on par with or even surpassing the Seraph-Class. Now, it has been reborn as a Mythology Weapon.」
Morgan spoke fluently, fabricating the details without hesitation.
「A Silhouette on the same level as a Seraph-Class? Does such a thing even exist, Astraea?」
Kou questioned skeptically.
「There are always exceptions to every rule.」
Astraea responded with an impassive expression. Which meant—it did exist.
「There were different classifications besides the angelic ones. The Angelic Line had the largest presence during the Interplanetary War era, so they’re more commonly excavated.」
「That makes sense.」
「Yes. For example, Kelly’s Skunk is different. His machine is derived from North American mythology—a special electronic warfare unit based on Azeban-Wolverine, the trickster spirit. Since both skunks and wolverines belong to the weasel family, the name Skunk was quite fitting.」
「I never thought I’d learn the origin of Skunk’s name here and now…」
Kou had known Kelly’s partner, the Antique Silhouette Skunk, for a long time. Learning its official designation at this point came as a bit of a shock.
「Arthur has long remained dormant due to the damages suffered during his last battle as a Silhouette. However, with the aid of Outis, he was fixed enough to be able to battle against Seth. In the battle against Seth, he deployed a positron cannon and obliterated Seth in a single strike. Unfortunately, this immensely powerful weapon could only be fired once. It depended upon the relics left behind from the Pioneering era in these ruins. Whether it can be restored now remains uncertain.」
This was something both Kou and Polymetis had mentioned before. Whether Morgan was merely aligning with their account or had arrived at the same conclusion independently was unclear.
「We lack resources. While we aim to strengthen our forces, our options are limited. Thus, the strategy we entrusted to Outis involves repurposing materials from fallen Teras to expand our capabilities.」
This had already been discussed with Kou. The details of the plan were about to unfold.
「We Mythology Weapons were born from the remnants of past armaments and relics. The same applies to the Teras. However, unlike the Kryptos, their range of applicable remnants and ruins is vast. Most notably, they assimilate Murders, increasing their numbers exponentially. The real threat isn’t in their individual units, but in their swarm-like nature.」
The gathered Kryptos nodded in understanding. Most Teras’ combat prowess was nowhere near Aural and his forces. However, the sheer numbers of their enemies were a significant threat. Adding the Kakodaimon into the mix only amplified the scale of the danger.
「The Teras created based on Antique Silhouettes and starships are not only formidable as individual combat units, but to us, they also represent valuable resources.」
As Morgan explained, Kou and Astraea exchanged words in hushed tones.
「That’s the only silver lining, huh?」
「The Teras can’t operate factories. Even if they seize them, they lack the ability to produce the consumables our weapons require. They can’t replenish their own ammunition.」
「Mythology Weapons don’t rely much on resupply. This is because their primary armaments are optical weapons. The optical weapon components and Interplanetary War era armor integrated into each Teras will be valuable resources. From now on, the people of Libya will no longer be the hunted—they will become the hunters.」
A wave of murmurs spread among Planet Libya’s people.
Until now, all they had been able to do was endure. Their survival had hinged entirely on the power of Aural and his forces.
「We are not alone. A branch of BAS Corporation in Planet Asia has already established a foothold within this Realm. We are also linked with the Mobile Arsenal Platform, Eirene, and her Development Engineer, Marujin. This place is also Avalon, a branch of BAS Corporation.」
「Abel-san… so he registered using his Marujin’s persona, huh?」
「He was pressured by Arthur to adopt the name Merlin, but he refused outright. As a compromise, he settled on Marujin. Even Eirene was complaining about it for once.」
「This all happened while I wasn’t paying attention? I can’t blame Abel-san. Who’d want to be called after the famous sorcerer? Arthur can be oddly pushy about the weirdest things.」
For a Brit, being forced to take the name Merlin must have been unbearable. Even Kou sympathized with Abel on this one.
「They make a good duo, though.」
Astraea chuckled softly. It was rare to see Eirene exasperated over something.
「Astraea, you seem to be enjoying yourself.」
「Once in a while, it’s good for that girl to be the one getting dragged around for a change.」
Astraea didn’t deny it. During the Asia War, she had been on the receiving end of plenty of surprises.
Meanwhile, Morgan’s speech continued.
「Curiously, this land is also called Etna—one of the legendary sites where Avalon, the resting place of King Arthur, is said to exist. I, too, bear the name Morgan, derived from Morgan le Fay, who was said to have hidden herself in Etna. This cannot be mere coincidence.」
「Is that true?」
「Not exactly coincidence, but… I’d say another one of those weird anthropic principles came into play.」
「Asia, at least call it an exceptionally strong anthropic principle.」
Astraea lightly chided Asia’s phrasing.
「We, the Kryptos, exist alongside humanity. According to legend, the Once and Future King roams as the leader of the Wild Hunt, wandering across the land. But when the world faces crisis, he will return to save it. And so, we too shall follow that path, fighting alongside the people of Planet Libya to protect their future!」
A cheer erupted from the crowd. The other Kryptos had no objections either.
「So that’s how she spun it…」
「As expected of a witch.」
Astraea and Asia exchanged knowing glances, seemingly in agreement over something unspoken.
「Was there a problem with Morgan’s speech? What is she scheming?」
「She’s laying the groundwork—the prophecy of King Arthur’s return, the legendary origins of Mount Etna. By weaving them together, she’s not only reinforcing the idea that this land is a sacred place, but also subtly implying that the leader of the Kryptos is Arthur.」
「Mythology Weapons are based on legends and myths. King Arthur is also said to be the leader of the Wild Hunt, a gathering of phantom beasts and supernatural creatures. So it wouldn’t feel unnatural for him to lead the Kryptos as well.」
「Matt’s gargoyle-type unit was also named after the Wild Hunt, right?」
「The origin is the same. The leader of the Wild Hunt varies by region—King Arthur in Britannia and France, Odin in England and Germany, Arawn in Wales. Others include Count Arnau, Theodoric Amal, and Manannán.」
「That’s way too many!」
By the time the names started rolling in, Kou had completely lost track. He barely recognized Arawn, let alone the even more obscure ones.
「Morgan just implanted that perception into the Kryptos—King Arthur, resurrection, Etna, Wild Hunt. She tied it all together while emphasizing our core principle of standing alongside humanity.」
「And since both the people of Planet Libya and the Kryptos are using this place as their base, it all fits naturally.」
「King Arthur leading the Kryptos in a mission to save the people—this idea will now be shared among them as a fundamental truth.」
「…Honestly, this feels like the actions of a fraudster. No, maybe not so bad… is this rhetoric?」
「There’s a more fitting term for a person who acts like this—Witch. Or perhaps Sorceress. A world apart from innocent maidens like Asia and myself.」
「Exactly.」
Asia replied, seamlessly backing Astraea’s self-proclaimed maiden status.
Kou had learned better than to comment. Some things were best left unsaid.
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