"…She wanted to wait until the abyssal conflict is solved and you were safe."
Varian felt a surge of emotions.
He was previously worried that Sia would leave him and never return. But after hearing those words, he couldn't help but smile.
He could understand Sia's desire to see her birthplace and find her origins. But her concern for him despite all the difficulties she faced…his heart ached for her.
If he had the option, he'd choose to bear all her pain.
What she faced due to Roxanna was enough to make him grieve, but who knew how much pain she bore?
If you woke up one day and saw that everyone you cared about forgot you completely and the world itself pretended like you never existed…
Varian didn't know how gut-wrenching it'd be, but even most grown men and women wouldn't be able to bear that suffering.
Yet, an 18-year old girl had to face it all and worse.
"You know…I really want to run off to Earth's ruins and see her now." Varian muttered with a helpless smile.
"Hmph!" Enigma snorted lightly. "If not for her, you'd be dead."
"I do owe her my life." Varian agreed without any hesitation and glanced at the two women.
"I also owe you guys one…" He recalled first seeing her. It was during the entrance exam. "If you haven't destroyed the abyss lord and created the chaos in the city, I'd have died right there."
That day, Narcis forced him and Kyle into the city. They entered the underground chamber of the abyss lord.
At that time, he was only level 1. Even the basic soldiers there were level 2. Due to Enigma's attack breaking the castle, these soldiers were injured and that allowed Varian to fight against them and survive. If not for those injuries, he'd have stood a chance.
"I was watching you all the time." Blue Flash smiled and said. "Enigma was putting on a show or why would she take so long for a puny abyss lord?"
"It's late, but thanks." Varian scratched his cheek in light embarrassment.
"Thank her, not us." Enigma shook her head.
"I will." Varian smiled. "After we solve your troubles."
Enigma exhaled. "50 billion humans…they all hate me and want my death. Both abyssals and humans are hunting for me. To not be caught by the patrol teams, we keep on moving, not stopping even for a second. Do you really believe there's a way out?"
"Never lose hope." Varian smiled and snapped his fingers.
A whiteboard appeared in front of him and under the confused gazes of Enigma and Blue Flash, he wrote.
[Perception Battle] & [Tracker].
"We only have two problems to solve." Varian began. "First. We need to change everyone's perception of you. Let them see you neutrally, if not as a hero and not as a threat."
"And second." Lifting two fingers, he said. "Get rid of that damn tracker. Once they can't track you, you can take revenge without worrying about public perception."
"Perception battle…" Blue Flash muttered softly and her face brightened up. But soon it dimmed.
"There's no way we can change their perception. She's a non-human and to them, she'll be a threat." Blue Flash sighed in a resigned tone.
"Exactly." Varian nodded. "Non-human is a threat to them. But why is she a threat precisely? Even if she's a level 8 or level 9, what can a single woman do against a federation?"
Enigma said in a sarcastic tone. "Because I'll call my race to invade the solar system."
"Exactly!" Varian punched his palm. "Just prove that wrong."
"Eh?"
"Huh?"
Enigma and Blue Flash let out surprised gasps.
"Haaaaaah?" Boo also joined, albeit with a bit of exaggeration.
Varian looked at their responses and shook his head in disappointment. His expression seemed to imply. 'Can't believe you didn't realize my plan'.
"I've always wondered that if the abyssals can come to us if ghost ship can come to us, where are the rest?" Varian asked.
"It's mentioned in our history books that the solar system was 'isolated' by the lack of aura and from outside, it appeared like a barren land.
But what about after Blink? It's fucking 500 years already. Where are our alien guests? Why didn't we see any other race than abyssals? Forget direct contact, not even communication."
Varian's words caused Blue Flash's expression to turn both serious and curious. She bit her lip and tried to think of a proper reason. But none came to mind.
Humans were too busy dealing with the abyssals. But the focus on discovering other species never stopped.
"The scientists have been trying for over 200 years already." Blue Flash shook her head with a strange expression. "And we made zero progress."
"Hm." Varian nodded and turned to Boo. "Boo, is it possible that this area is left out from the civilized world?"
Boo shook its head. "Master, the leading powers in the region will regularly conduct a survey covering all the inhabited territories.
Earlier, the aura lock should've shielded the solar system from them and made it seem like a barren place.
But more than five hundred years passed after the lock was broken.
To be honest…I didn't think of it till now, but 500 years without any greetings from higher civilizations is not only bizarre but also suspicious."
Enigma's eyes widened. "You mean…?"
"Yep." Varian nodded. "Despite all the efforts, there was no progress in finding traces of aliens. And even higher civilizations haven't found us. There's clearly a problem."
His eyes narrowed and he continued with a cold smile. "And I very much suspect that this is an abyssal move. If a higher civilization contacts us, it'll surely ruin abyssals' plans."
"Even if we can guess it, there's no proof." Blue Flash clutched her forehead. "People might not believe it with proof. Without proof, we have no chance of this perception battle."
"We have to get the proof." Varian shrugged and turned to Boo. "Send a message to outside the solar system and track what's happening to the message."
Boo nodded and closed its eyes.
Enigma and Blue Flash waited nervously.
With her face covered, only Enigma's eyes were able to express her anxiety.
But Blue Flash…well, she was rubbing her sweaty palms and taking deep breaths.
If…If it could be proved that Enigma, even if she tried, couldn't contact her race due to abyssals, then she'd pose almost no threat.
After all, a level 8 or level 9 wasn't too big of a threat.
It could even be said that this one discovery could literally change her image from a threatening enemy to a poor, heroic soul.
Varian also had similar thoughts as he waited for Boo's update. Even though it's only been five minutes, it felt like five hours.
As the wait burned him, Varian resorted to pacing around.
Enigma asked suddenly. "If we prove this to the public, how much chance do we have to really change their opinion?"
Varian smiled lightly and shook his head. "By itself, this discovery can turn them from wanting to kill you to just hating you for being non-human. Seeing you in neutral light or even a positive side with just this one proof is asking for too much."
Enigma frowned. "Then…"
"Even if it's 520 YAB, people are still fascinated by the stories of good and evil." Varian smiled.
Of course, the world didn't run in black and white. It was grey all over. Yet, people saw what they wanted to see.
"Since we're going to show you as the good here, we'll need to find evil. The worse, the better. Then, we can watch the magic unfold."
As Enigma was about to ask more, Boo's voice sounded, the message catching everyone off guard.
No one expected that place to show up now.
"Master! The signal is intercepted at Pluto!"
*** *** ***
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