Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Star of the Beginning
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Inside the bridge of the Land of the Yellow Dragon, the newborn ship of the Land of the Yellow Dragon.
Standing before the group huddled tightly around the captain's chair, Star Integra began her explanation with her usual stiff expression.
[The Galactic Federation refers to the largest unified government body in our galaxy.]
[Please look at the map.]
When Star Integra snapped her fingers, the bridge darkened, and a holographic map appeared.
The map was so enormous that it filled the entire bridge, with holographic stars positioned not only above the group's heads but also in the spaces between them.
"Wow...."
Aru looked around at the sea of stars in utter fascination, and Karen and Alectra also smiled warmly as they took in the surroundings.
Though far more accustomed to such holographic displays than Aru, even they couldn't help but be amazed by the breathtaking sight.
[The Galactic Federation's territory is vast indeed.]
[Not quite dominating the entire galaxy as the name might suggest, but it encompasses numerous star systems, making it immensely huge.]
"Karen, what's a star system?"
As soon as Star Integra finished speaking, Aru whispered to Karen beside her, who in turn tugged at Alectra's arm nearby instead of answering.
Having lived 500 years as the Angel of the Sword, Karen had virtually no knowledge of space.
Alectra let out a small chuckle at Karen's calm yet urgent glance, adjusted her pipe, and explained.
"It means a system where multiple celestial bodies that don't emit their own light orbit around a central star."
"Huh?"
A star?
Celestial bodies that don't emit their own light?
Orbit?
Alectra felt a pang of awkwardness at Aru's expression, which seemed to sprout question marks above her head, while Karen averted her gaze for no reason.
She herself could barely understand half of what Alectra had said.
[A star is a massive, oblate spheroid celestial body formed by gravity compressing vast amounts of plasma, causing it to shine brightly.]
[In simple terms, it's the sun.]
"Uh... you mean the sun? The one that rises in the east...."
[Yes, that's correct.]
Faced with Star Integra's rigid expression, Aru decided it might be better to stay silent rather than ask more.
The more she heard, the more unfamiliar things piled up.
'Still, it doesn't seem like I'm the only one who doesn't know.... right?'
Karen had been avoiding eye contact for a while, and Aiter was just slouched there silently—neither seemed to know much either.
[We'll schedule some study time later.]
[Now, let's continue the explanation.]
At Star Integra's words—stiff in both expression and tone, yet undoubtedly kind—the group turned back to the holographic map.
[The center of the Galactic Federation is the Shangri-La Star System.]
[Originally, the birthplace of the Galactic Federation was the Solar System containing Earth, but after about 300 years of development, the center shifted to the Shangri-La Star System.]
"Uh... so it's like how a kingdom grows and moves its capital?"
When Aru asked again, Star Integra nodded.
[That's a simple analogy, yes.]
[And our current position—the star system containing Althea—is over there.]
Turning toward the direction Star Integra indicated, the group spotted a faintly glowing star system in the farthest corner of the bridge.
"It's... really out in the boonies."
[It's an unexplored planet in such a remote frontier that it doesn't even appear on Galactic Federation maps.]
[The position was estimated by combining maps created by Arknights crew observing stars from Althea with official Galactic Federation maps, so the actual location may differ slightly.]
With that, Star Integra snapped her fingers again, and a small spaceship appeared near Althea.
[This is the Land of the Yellow Dragon we're currently aboard.]
[Even with repeated hyperspace jumps, crossing the Galactic Federation by normal flight to reach Earth would take years.]
[Therefore, the primary goal is to enter the nearest Galactic Federation territory, then use warp gates repeatedly to reach the Shangri-La Star System.]
[Once in the Shangri-La Star System, we can use the hyper warp gate to jump straight to the Solar System containing Earth.]
[Depending on variables along the way, the journey to Earth is expected to take about three months.]
"Uh... I see... Um, so what's the first star system we'll arrive at?"
Aru, now speaking on behalf of the group, asked, and Star Integra continued her usual stiff but polite explanation.
[The Aria Star System.]
[A variety of species reside there, but the dominant one is the Vulcan race....]
And so, about 30 minutes later.
As Star Integra's nonstop explanation finally concluded, Aru turned to Karen with a somewhat weary face, and Karen gave a wry smile and nodded in solidarity.
While the two shared this moment of mutual suffering, Alectra—who had been giving a lap pillow to Aiter, who had fallen asleep long ago—looked at Integra and said.
"By the way, Integra."
"Yes, Alectra."
"It won't... be dangerous, right?"
She wasn't merely asking about risks during the voyage.
How would the Galactic Federation view them?
Would they be seen as a threat and intercepted?
Aru and Karen turned to Integra with newly tense expressions at Alectra's question.
The Galactic Federation was simply too enormous.
The group had set out into space with high spirits, but fear was inevitable.
"It should be fine."
"Should?"
"I can't know everything the Galactic Federation is thinking, after all? As you know, I haven't actually experienced it myself."
Though born as the seed of a stellar deity, Integra's consciousness had only fully awakened after arriving at Althea.
So Alectra glanced back at Star Integra, who nodded calmly.
[The possibility of issues is low.]
[The Galactic Federation is so vast that countless species exist, along with myriad people and spaceships.]
[An unfamiliar ship appearing from the frontier isn't commonplace, but it's not unheard of either.]
[And if needed, we can use Arknights' identification codes.]
Arknights had ventured to the frontier precisely to pioneer new star systems.
As Star Integra said, this was a place where immigrant fleets often returned after failed pioneering attempts or sent new ships after successes, so problems were unlikely.
"That's a relief, then."
Aru pressed her chest and let out a sigh of true relief, and everyone wore similar expressions.
'Come to think of it, the only ones here who've actually experienced the real Galactic Federation are me and Star Integra.'
Luther, sitting silently in the captain's chair, suddenly recalled this fact and sifted through his memories.
Star Savior's Galactic Federation.
Luther had two sets of memories about the Galactic Federation.
One was from the game, and the other was from his own actual experiences—but incomplete due to memory loss.
'Going to the Galactic Federation itself shouldn't be a problem.'
They could just use Arknights' identification codes, as Star Integra said.
'Actually, drawing attention as a successful pioneering effort might be the bigger issue.'
For now, they had no reason to be hostile with the Galactic Federation.
'The real problems will come from elsewhere.'
Like the numerous crime organizations and wanted criminals with grudges against him—against Luther Lightseeker, to be precise.
'Anyway, it's exciting.'
Returning to the Galactic Federation.
Reuniting with those who created Luther Lightseeker, visiting Earth—Lee Yun-ho's homeland.
Would he finally uncover why he came to this world?
What state would Earth be in?
'Soon... I'll know.'
Steeling his resolve, Luther gazed at the universe unfolding before the bridge.
And about three weeks later, in the morning.
Upon entering the Aria Star System, the group encountered an unexpected situation.
* * *
[There's nothing here.]
Indeed.
They had arrived in the Aria Star System, even reaching Aeris, the most prosperous planet within it, but no traces of civilization could be found.
Only oceans and primitive lifeforms existed.
The other celestial bodies in the system were no different.
Though a frontier, the Aria Star System—once bustling with those heading to unexplored regions—now held no intelligent life whatsoever.
Nor were there any signs of the Galactic Federation.
And two weeks after that.
Entering the adjacent Larihof Star System, the group faced yet another unbelievable reality.
"It's... not here either, right?"
At Aru's anxious question, Alectra furrowed her brow, and Integra examined the observation results with a grave expression.
No intelligent life existed in the Larihof Star System either.
Nor any signs of the Galactic Federation.
What had happened?
Had some unforeseen great war or plague wiped out the Galactic Federation's frontier?
"No, that's not it. We have to assume it never existed to begin with."
If destroyed by war or plague, traces of the Galactic Federation should remain.
But there was nothing.
It was more accurate to say the Aria and Larihof Star Systems had never been pioneered at all.
So what was going on?
Was this a discrepancy between Star Savior and reality?
"No, that's not it either. The space maps aboard Arknights include both the Aria and Larihof Star Systems."
The Galactic Federation had definitely ventured into both systems.
Yet now, not a single trace of that expansion remained.
What had happened?
What on earth had occurred?
"No way."
At Luther's murmur, Integra nodded.
In this situation, there was only one hypothesis possible.
"Master came to the past too."
Integra immediately manipulated her fingers, drawing a holographic diagram in the air.
"Arknights and Azidahaka went to the past via the power of a stellar deity. And... in truth, Master did the same back then. It's just that the point in the past we arrived at was different."
Karen involuntarily swallowed at Integra's explanation.
Integra nodded at her.
"Yes, just like with Karen."
When Luther and Integra activated the Volfied Code to travel 500 years into the past, Karen had gone 560 years back.
Assuming the same had happened to Luther explained everything.
"Arknights and Azidahaka went back at least 1,500 to 2,000 years from the Holy Empire era—we can't know exactly, but the Battle of the Apocalypse happened about a thousand years ago."
But if it was even further back?
For example, if Arknights went 3,000 years ago and Luther 1,000 years ago.
"The Galactic Federation... hasn't been formed yet?"
Integra nodded at Alectra's question.
"The Galactic Federation hasn't been established yet. Naturally, the space pioneering efforts centered around it haven't started either."
The Galactic Federation's history was only a few hundred years long.
If Luther had arrived even earlier, its absence made sense.
"This is... making my head spin."
Aru wore a dazed expression, unable to keep up, and Karen supported her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders before addressing the group.
"So... even if we go out into space... there's... nothing there?"
Because the Galactic Federation didn't exist.
Not just Alectra, but even Aiter couldn't hide her confusion at Karen's words.
They had finally ventured into space, only to find their goal—the Galactic Federation—didn't exist at all. It was a natural reaction.
But Luther was different.
The revelation of the past sparked one ray of hope.
And Integra felt the same.
She cared for and thought of Luther more than herself, so she grasped it immediately.
"Earth might still exist."
Not merely as a planet in the Solar System, but the Earth from Luther's memories.
The Earth Lee Yun-ho had left behind.
Of course, there could be a time difference.
It might be medieval or early modern times upon arrival, or decades in the future with no Federation yet.
But it was far better than zero possibility.
"Master."
Integra gripped Luther's hand firmly, and he nodded.
He gazed toward Earth, positioned in the far reaches of the Galactic Federation's map.