Chapter 149

This time, I was the one who was shocked.

When my expression hardened, the administrator looked surprised and stepped back.

—I’m sorry. You must have been startled… I’m not trying to scold you; I’m just asking to confirm.

The administrator pressed down on their flowing hair with their hand and waited for my answer.

"How does the Galactic Trading Post administrator know the Rabbit Butler and the Cat Butler?"

Until now, I had assumed that if the Trial were closed, the NPCs would disappear as well.

I believed that since the Trial Meteorite had vanished, everything would disappear along with it.

But… come to think of it, the butlers of Clean3 were NPCs beyond the ordinary.

They had asked me for my Interstellar Account and requested the code for interstellar communication.

They were already utilizing Akasha’s technology.

There was a high probability that they existed outside the Trial.

Furthermore, I was aware of cases where NPCs from closed Trials were still alive.

‘Because I saw DeZonDeal’s paranoid researcher in PTB.’

If closing a Trial didn’t mean the NPCs vanished completely…

And if it was possible for them to exist in the outside world…

Smiley, the researcher siblings, Edel, the Fire Dragon twins, the creatures…

They, too, might exist somewhere in the universe.

Of course, it was a slim chance.

I didn’t even know what conditions had to be met to come out of the Trial.

Still, the important thing was that it wasn’t 0%.

I had always felt nothing but hopelessness whenever I parted ways, but now I could have little bit of hope.

At the same time, a new thought crossed my mind.

Then, what does closure mean?

No, what is the Trial in the first place?

I felt as though I had reached a fundamental question.

However, it was a problem that could not be solved with what I knew at the moment.

I answered the waiting administrator first.

“The butlers gave me the Dark Star Fragment.”

As soon as they heard my answer, the administrator nodded as if they had expected it, yet at the same time, they looked surprised.

—What got into them…?

Judging by the administrator’s reaction, it seemed the butlers had never handed over a Dark Star Fragment to anyone before.

The administrator called out to me cautiously.

—Kid.

“Yes.”

—I’m going to contact the butlers briefly to verify the facts. Is that okay? If you are reluctant to contact them, I can check on it separately.

I checked on the Pudding Slime on my shoulder first.

Dominic showed no reaction.

I think I understand now. The Rabbit Butler and the Cat Butler are likely Dominic’s subordinates.

They had guarded the mansion as subordinates, waiting for their master who would not return.

Now that the Signet Ring had been recovered…

it was highly likely that Dominic had become aware of his subordinates.

However, even though the butlers were being mentioned directly, he didn’t show the slightest reaction.

Was it because he hadn’t fully regained his true nature yet, or…

Perhaps he had absolutely no interest in his subordinates?

The latter seemed more likely.

I hesitated for a moment.

Should I establish communication with the butlers?

I had shut down Clean3, where the mansion was located, and far from sending the butlers’ master back, I had turned him into a cute little slime.

From the butlers’ perspective, they would be justified in blasting me with beams of energy.

If the administrator were to communicate with them in this situation, they would likely say things that could land me in an interstellar prison.

It seemed better to connect with them and apologize to the butlers myself.

‘At least it’s video communication, so they won’t be able to shoot beams at me.’

I needed my 10 billion Star Fragments.

I really missed the Dark Star Fragment that Black Block-ssi had given me in Sla2Plate.

I felt a desire to go back into the already-closed Sla2Plate and retrieve at least some loose change.

“It’s okay to contact them.”

—Alright. I’ll connect the call right away.

The administrator moved their crystal hand, and a new screen popped up.

I now had two screens in front of me.

While waiting for the connection, my heart beat faster and faster.

It wasn’t just because of fear or nervousness.

The anticipation of meeting again those I thought I would never see again was also clearly enveloping me.

The connection tone dragged on, as if the butlers weren’t answering easily.

The administrator scowled mercilessly and forced the connection using their Trading Post administrator privileges.

And for the first time in a very long time…

—I’m busy. Hang up.

I heard the voice of the Rabbit Butler.

They had initiated a video call, but perhaps because the screen hadn’t connected, only the voice came through while the screen remained black.

At the Rabbit Butler’s reply, the administrator retorted with an angry expression.

—Hey. Do you think I’m not busy?

—I’m even busier.

Just as the Rabbit Butler was about to cut off the communication, the administrator spoke swiftly.

—Cooperate with the inquiry. Did you distribute a Dark Star Fragment?

—…A Dark Star Fragment?

While the Rabbit Butler fell silent for a moment, I quietly opened my mouth.

“Butler…”

And before I could finish my sentence, the screen snapped on.

I was confronted with a sleek rabbit face made of pitch-black metal.

—Roasted Chestnut!

Its mouth, filled with sharp teeth, split open on both sides in a wide grin.

—It really is Roasted Chestnut! Did you create a communication code? That’s commendable.

The rabbit face that had been filling the screen was suddenly pushed aside.

—Good heavens, Roasted Chestnut!

The Cat Butler, having gently pushed the Rabbit Butler away, smiled at me.

—It has been a long time, Roasted Chestnut. Unexpected encounters are always joyful. Have you been doing well? I was always thinking of you, Roasted Chestnut, and thinking of you again. Of course, you must have been thinking of us too!

—Roasted Chestnut. I thought of you even more.

—Oh dear, come to think of it, I should be calling you Little Lamb now… It’s hard to break a nickname that’s stuck in my head. Would you allow me to call you by that nickname?

—Is it okay if I continue calling you Roasted Chestnut?

I froze at the barrage of words that poured out the moment the connection was established.

I had braced myself for a cold demeanor…

Why are they filled with nothing but affection?

I glanced at Dominic, but he was still just quietly watching.

He was keeping himself hidden, even from the butlers.

First, I stammered out an answer to the butlers’ question.

“Roasted Chesnut…is fine. Um, butlers, have you been well?”

—Very well.

The Rabbit Butler leaned his face close to the screen.

—We’re building a new mansion on a new planet. Roasted Chestnut will like it, too.

—It’s a place incomparably better than the previous one. I can’t wait to show it to Roasted Chestnut.

Just then, the administrator interrupted the conversation.

—Hey, butlers. I connected the communication to ask for an explanation regarding the Dark Star Fragment…!"

—An explanation, huh? You mean the Dark Star Fragment we gave to Roasted Chestnut? That is the legitimate reward Roasted Chestnut received for his diligent work. It is clean money with no issues whatsoever.

—Yes, we gave it to Roasted Chestnut.

The butlers quickly answered the administrator and immediately turned their attention back to me.

A chilling question was directed at me.

—Roasted Chestnut. When are you coming back?

I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was a situation where I couldn’t escape with a lie.

That is why I offered an ambiguous answer—neither a lie nor the truth.

"I haven’t been able to keep my promise yet. I apologize."

I promised the butlers that I would find the Master and bring him back home.

Since I found him but did not bring him back, it was true that I had failed to keep my promise.

I expected that this time, the butlers would get angry or scold me.

However, their reaction was far from what I had anticipated.

After looking at each other for a moment, the butlers immediately laughed, stretching the corners of their mouths in unison.

—Hahaha!

The sound of their loud laughter sent shivers down my spine.

They looked at me in unison.

Even though their faces were smooth, metallic surfaces devoid of eyes, with only a mouth, I could feel their gaze.

—We trust you, Roasted Chestnut. And we know how to wait.

—It’s alright.

It was an affectionate remark. As if they would have patted my head if I were standing right in front of them.

Filling the screen with their faces, the butlers spoke to me.

—We will wait for the day you return to the mansion, Roasted Chestnut!

—Roasted Chestnut. We’ll wait for you.

And then, they cut off the communication.

The screen vanished, leaving only the administrator and me.

The administrator opened his eyes wide and muttered in disbelief.

—What troublesome bastards.

I stood there, mulling over what the butlers had said.

Why wouldn’t they ask about the master?

The reason they said it was fine and they would wait… is it because they trust me that much?

Or is it because they assumed the master has already been found?

Still, given that he hasn’t returned to the mansion, they should have asked at least once.

I couldn’t guess the butlers’ intentions at all.

With my mind in such turmoil, the administrator called out to me.

—Kid. Are you… never mind.

The administrator seemed about to say something but stopped.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to be curious. It was because I had just heard a shocking story.

—The verification is complete, but procedurally, to lift the account freeze, you have to visit the institution in person and submit the documents.

"…Huh?"

—I guess you won’t be able to visit the nearest interstellar financial institution…

Realizing I had no way of getting a spaceship, the administrator looked at me with deep pity.

I was a beggar to begin with, but now I had become a beggar who had lost all finanicial means.

My violent impulses toward Pudding Slime grew even stronger.

—I’ll look into a solution for this.

I answered listlessly, "Yes."

I thought the administrator was about to cut off communication, but for some reason, they kept staring at me.

—Kid. Originally, Akasha has rules to protect young gods. But you’re the owner of a planet. Do you know what that means?

I couldn’t possibly know.

As I waited for them to continue speaking, the administrator explained in a calm voice.

—It means a lawless zone has been set up for you, kid. Because a god who possesses a domain is not a subject of protection.

The administrator’s hair was now swaying and moving on its own.

Diamond-shaped pupils fixed their gaze on me.

—Watch out for the ancient gods, in particular. They can’t resist anything that piques their interest.

It sounded like something I had heard before. Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked.

"Why is it harmful when the gods take an interest in you?"

—Well… simply put, they’d devour you, kid. Or turn you into a toy, or keep you as a pet. And in cases worse than that…

The administrator continued speaking.

However, I couldn’t hear it. It was because the administrator’s voice had become grotesquely distorted.

A squeaking sound like a broken machine mixed with radio noise poured out.

The administrator apologized to me, seemingly unaware that I hadn’t heard.

—I’m sorry. That wasn’t something to say in front of a kid.

What I just heard sounded bad enough, but to think there are cases that are far worse.

I couldn’t even imagine what those unheard cases might be.

Suddenly, Dominic let out a low laugh.

He spoke in a voice he hadn’t even used in front of the butlers.

“There is no need to worry so much. After all, you have me, don’t you, Roasted Chestnut?”

He reassured me, implying he wouldn’t let such things happen.

It seemed that even Dominic found those things unpleasant to hear. The administrator looked at me blankly and sighed.

—It’s been so long since I’ve seen a young god like this… It’s gotten to the point where even I find it interesting, so I’m really worried…

I think I understood why Dominic said it would be good to get to know the administrator.

The administrator felt like a fairly kind and conscientious alien.

Watching Pudding Slime’s reaction, I quietly asked the administrator one more question.

"How about using the sponsorship system?"

—A sponsor…

The administrator’s hair rippled. They continued speaking cautiously.

—That… depends too much on the contract terms. But it isn’t a bad choice for a young god to have a sponsor. You need to be protected, after all…

After appearing to ponder the matter to themself, the administrator spoke with a deep furrowed brow.

—If you decide to sign a sponsorship contract, show it to me. I’ll verify it for you.

"…!"

I couldn’t believe such a kind alien existed.

Having gained a reliable ally, I quickly thanked them.

“Thank you so much. I will make sure to show it to the administrator.”

—Alright… I’ll get the account freeze resolved right away, too.

The administrator spoke with a troubled expression.

—And kid, take this.

Their hair seemed to tap against the air, and then the space above my head opened with a whoosh, and an object fell with a thud.

It was a cube mixed with turquoise and purple.

—It’s a disposable pager. Call me with it if anything happens. I’ll help you however I can.

The administrator of the Galactic Trading Post is going to help me?

It felt like my spirits, which had been gloomy just moments ago due to the account freeze, were brightening a little.

Watching me hold the cube, the administrator gave me one last piece of advice.

—I’ve said it many times, but you must be wary of the ancient gods. Got it?

With that, the communication ended.

Then, a message appeared before me shortly afterward.