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chapter 13
The holographic conference table in the grand audience hall was nothing more than an illusion.
The Emperor no longer used such official communication channels. After long years of war, the Empire had successfully infiltrated spies deep within enemy lines, and the same was true for the enemy.
Around this time last year, a major strategy discussed in this very audience hall had been completely deciphered by the enemy, leading to the loss of fifteen massive ships and nearly annihilating the command center. It was only thanks to Baek Ihyeon’s last-minute intervention that disaster was averted. Since then, the Emperor had used the conference table to feed false information to the enemy, and even that had long ceased.
As a result, in the vast audience hall that stretched like the open sea, there remained only Baek Ihyeon and a single robot vacuum, diligently sweeping and cleaning the spotless floor.
The robot vacuum approached but veered away just in front of Baek Ihyeon’s military boots. He pressed his watch to access the memory and inserted it into the robot vacuum’s front panel.
It was the memory containing Seol Ahyeon’s test footage. The robot vacuum stopped its frantic scrubbing and emitted a faint mechanical sound.
Then, slender legs extended from beneath the vacuum, which stood upright and began tapping a lively tap dance.
“—Finally found you!”
A bright, almost dry voice echoed from the vacuum through the massive hall, impossible to gauge for age or gender.
“The one who can actually see the status window!”
The vacuum’s panel clicked open, splitting into two wing-like shapes, and it soared into the air.
“Finally, we can get back at those old geezers! So exciting! So exciting! Ha! Pleased! I am!”
The vacuum spun around Baek Ihyeon a few times before abruptly stopping near his chest.
The dust container clicked open, showering sparkling fragments into the air. They were small pieces of confetti thrown at a banquet a few months ago to celebrate successive victories.
Baek Ihyeon silently watched the pieces flutter in the air like a swarm of butterflies.
So it had been at the banquet, too.
A properly maintained vacuum would empty its dust container several times a day, so it was impossible for it to still hold confetti from months ago. Moreover, no other trash was visible.
This meant that for at least several months, the Emperor had been connecting to this robot vacuum, picking up only what he wanted, and moving it around the ship.
It was possible because the Emperor could transcend time and space. Baek Ihyeon understood, though it was not entirely pleasant.
Perhaps he already knew about Seol Ahyeon, too.
The Emperor always listened to Baek Ihyeon’s reports as if he were hearing them for the first time, yet often already knew the details, sometimes even holding far more information. He never felt the need to hide this, which left Baek Ihyeon with an unsettling feeling, as if being toyed with.
“Who would have thought the Coordinator you’ve been searching for is a stranger? Is that why we haven’t found them yet? Did we just… want to eliminate a stranger entirely?”
“Perhaps,” Baek Ihyeon agreed silently. He always preferred minimal conversation, especially in private with the Emperor.
“I’m glad I sent you there. Even mundane gate work performed by Ihyeon can quickly create a Coordinator. Indeed, Baek Ihyeon, my adorable little treasure!”
The robot vacuum flew up to Baek Ihyeon’s face, bumped his cheek, and retreated. Damn cheeky air-kisses made him feel exhausted, though he didn’t show it.
“Now then, how should we tame this precious Coordinator?”
The robot vacuum danced lightly around him. Baek Ihyeon silently removed a piece of confetti stuck to his cheek.
“Ihyeon will handle it, right? Hmm? It seems quite stubborn. A stranger, no less… And with an S-rank, she’ll hold her head high and refuse to obey. But Ihyeon can persuade her to join us, right? Hmm? How many days?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Again, refusing!”
“According to Empire law, once a stranger is excluded from disposal, it is no longer under my jurisdiction. Especially for a Coordinator, I have no authority to manage them.”
“Oh, why so serious? How disappointing!”
“However, if you wish to entrust me…”
“Yes, yes, that’s right. I almost lost hope.”
“Grant me autonomy over our ship alone.”
The robot vacuum froze mid-air, then fell gently, landing smoothly without making a sound as if to avoid damage. It was pretending to be shocked by the request. It wasn’t the first time it had thrown a tantrum.
“That’s a bit difficult.”
“We cannot use force to bring Seol Ahyeon to our side, as she is protected by the status window. Therefore, we plan to propose conditions to negotiate.”
“Conditions?”
“Her body remains in another dimension. We will place the condition that we will help her return home as much as possible.”
The robot vacuum didn’t respond. Baek Ihyeon sensed that the Emperor already knew a considerable amount about Seol Ahyeon.
“If persuasion fails, or even if it succeeds, we plan to use the strangers who came with her as bait to control Seol Ahyeon effectively. However, every time we handle a stranger, your approval is required, which limits our flexibility in emergencies.”
“……”
“This is likely not the only case requiring exceptions and approvals. Therefore, grant me autonomy so I can thoroughly manage Seol Ahyeon and other strangers.”
“They already complain that I favor you too much,” the Emperor muttered.
“Without autonomy, it will be difficult to manage Seol Ahyeon.”
“Pretending to be weak?”
“If you prefer to entrust her to someone else, I will take responsibility for transporting Seol Ahyeon to the designated area.”
“Good grief.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue and muttered, “Confusing.”
“If the names are difficult, delay it. Though I ordered confidentiality, word of Seol Ahyeon’s existence will spread soon. Others will intervene, and you can compare candidates then—”
“That’s not what I mean. Didn’t you fall at first sight?”
Baek Ihyeon furrowed his brows, unsure what the Emperor meant.
“Who said what to whom?”
“You to Seol Ahyeon.”
The robot flew up, voice lively.
“Seems obvious to me.”
“Your joke goes too far. You were on-site?”
“Lately, you’re the most interesting.”
“If you already know, please inform me in advance. I’ll skip unnecessary reporting.”
“I’m not listening to your report. I’m observing. And your current attitude is…”
The robot tilted slightly, ignoring the question and changing the subject.
“No need to overcomplicate things. Assign someone to Seol Ahyeon. She must be lonely and struggling. Easy to win her heart. If she relies on someone from our side and falls in love, problem solved, right?”
Baek Ihyeon involuntarily thought of Kim Dowoon.
Dowoon, who disliked having too much responsibility, had oddly left Seol Ahyeon and the other strangers alive until Baek Ihyeon arrived. He had shown unease in meetings and could not take his eyes off Seol Ahyeon on the control room screen.
However, whether Seol Ahyeon would take a liking to Kim Dowoon was the problem…
No, Baek Ihyeon pressed his lips. He did not favor strategies like this. He said firmly:
“I do not wish to deploy subordinates for such matters.”
“I’m talking about you.”
Baek Ihyeon sighed.
“She’ll collapse if you poke her, didn’t she cry and make a fuss when she saw your face?”
He tried not to recall that desperate, blindly pleading face. It was pointless.
“I wish to exclude emotion from strategy. It is difficult to control and unpredictable.”
“No interest in emotional games?”
The Emperor laughed like a child.
“Your Majesty, I…”
“You have autonomy.”
Baek Ihyeon stared at the robot. He couldn’t believe it. He never expected his request to be granted. Autonomy had always been a long tug-of-war between him and the Emperor.
“However, there will be a time limit. Now, how long will our clever Ihyeon need to turn Seol Ahyeon into our ally? One day? Two days?”
“One month, please.”
“What? That’s too long.”
The Emperor sighed heavily.
“Handing you autonomy for a month, wouldn’t there be a coup? So scary.”
“Your Majesty.”
“Just joking.”
The Emperor chuckled. Baek Ihyeon remained patient.
“One month, please. It is the minimum time required to train Seol Ahyeon and deploy her to the field.”
“Are you sure?”
The tone was curious, as if worrying about something beyond mere capability.
But when the other party is the Emperor of the Empire, the answer is predetermined. Baek Ihyeon pushed aside the unease and answered clearly:
“Trust me and leave it to me.”
