Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Influence
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“Haha, that’s insane…”
Shin-ju let out a hollow laugh.
He was walking along, listening to Furen's adventurous tale of her visit to Earth in 1916.
Even back then, Furen had already been tracking the Planet Destroyer who intended to attack her home world.
She explained that she had left Bluerobic in search of a new planet to settle on when her exploration ship malfunctioned, forcing her to crash-land on Earth.
At the time, Earth was in the midst of World War I.
And there, on that battlefield, she met 'Tolkien'.
“It was truly devastating…”
Furen gazed steadily at Shin-ju.
“An entire battalion was wiped out.”
She recalled that time.
The ceaseless rain, soldiers collapsing one after another into the muddy ground.
She said she had initially carried a bow and arrows, but after getting caught up in the war, she learned how to handle various firearms and weapons to survive.
She showed Shin-ju the weapon she was carrying.
It showed signs of modification, but it was remarkably similar to the firearms used on Earth.
Furen put the weapon away and continued speaking.
“War is terrible, but it helped me become a better person. I witnessed immense suffering and endured it myself, barely managing to overcome it. In a way, I think my experiences on Earth helped me survive the war on Bluerobic.”
Shin-ju listened quietly before a question arose.
“So, how did you get back to Bluerobic after being on Earth?”
“I wasn't the only extraterrestrial being there at the time.”
Hearing her words, Shin-ju realized.
“Then that other person was…?”
She nodded.
“A friend from Frontline.”
As soon as he heard the name 'Frontline', Shin-ju's eyes widened.
“Oh! I know the people from Frontline quite well… Who was it, by any chance?”
Furen glanced at a distant mountain as she walked.
It seemed the name didn't immediately come to mind, as it was a long time ago.
“Ah! That's right!”
Her expression brightened as if she'd remembered.
“Yes, Jeg! His name was ‘Jeg’.”
Shin-ju stared blankly.
“J… Jeg of Steel?!”
“Steel…? What's that? Just Jeg!”
Furen corrected him, thinking he had misspoken.
“Ah, yes, yes, just Jeg… So Jeg was on Earth back then…”
Shin-ju didn't particularly argue with Furen's statement.
He stroked his chin with a look of disbelief.
“That Frontline planetarian named Jeg fixed my exploration ship. It was around the end of World War I.”
“Aha… I see.”
Shin-ju nodded, amazed.
*I've been friends with Jeg of Steel for over ten years…*
*Why didn't he ever tell me? That's actually kind of disappointing…*
“I heard later… that Jeg stayed on Earth even after that and passed on some pretty useful technologies to them.”
Furen continued quietly.
“He apparently provided various technologies, ‘only as much as Earthlings could handle,’ in order to save people during the world war…”
She looked at Shin-ju with a slightly sad expression.
“…I heard a second world war broke out after that. Is that true?”
“Ah… yes. It is.”
Shin-ju answered after a slight pause.
*A better world.*
He was lost in thought for a moment.
Without the world wars and the technology Jeg had provided, would science and technology have developed to their current state?
In the end, it was under the influence of a single extraterrestrial being that Earth was able to continue its development.
Furen looked at the ground and nodded.
“Technologies meant to save many people… ended up triggering a war instead.”
Her lips twisted.
“Jeg was extremely disheartened by that event. And he left Earth.”
“I see.”
“Since then, I've had no way to contact him… I miss him and wonder how he's doing.”
Shin-ju watched her quietly.
How would she react if she knew he could summon Jeg through a gate right this instant?
Just as he was about to speak, his face filled with anticipation.
“Furen!!”
Sharin's voice came from behind them.
Furen turned her head.
Sharin gestured with her chin toward a distant spot.
“There's a signal over there.”
Furen and Shin-ju turned their heads in the direction Sharin was pointing.
Far in the distance, a hole resembling an air vent could be seen in the middle of a high wall.
“Another vent?”
Jekovic, who had been walking quietly, shuddered and grumbled.
“No, it's different this time.”
Katrin smiled and gestured for them to look again.
Looking closely, a yellow light was flickering inside it.
“What's that…?”
As Jekovic muttered, Sharin shrugged, grinned, and answered.
“The flames of our comrades.”
Furen's expression also brightened, as if in relief.
“Seeing they left a sign, it seems everyone is safe for now.”
Sharin, Furen, and Katrin quickened their pace.
Jekovic and Shin-ju exchanged a glance, then followed them.
A warm flame enveloped them.
Though it was the inside of a gloomy vent, the space felt reassuring.
Furen and Sharin led the way, side by side.
Katrin stood behind them.
Presently, Furen puckered her lips and whistled.
*Whee-eet, whee-eet.*
A sound like the chirping of a canary echoed out as a whistle.
*Tweet. Tweet. Tweet.*
Furen whistled again, three quick notes.
Furen and Sharin quietly looked around.
*Wheee---eet.*
A long whistle answered from the distant darkness.
*Tweet tweet tweet tweet tweet.*
Suddenly, whistles began to echo from all directions.
Jekovic folded his pointed ears in half, as if the noise was too loud.
Shin-ju listened quietly.
Footsteps emerged from the darkness.
Shin-ju tilted his head and looked toward the source of the sound.
A pair of pale white legs appeared from beneath a dark shadow, and above them, two eyes began to sparkle.
“Fureeeeen!”
Someone threw themselves recklessly into Furen's chest.
“Uwaaaaaah-!!”
A wail immediately echoed through the air.
Shin-ju watched a woman crying in Furen's arms.
A short but sharp-featured Bluerobic Elf buried her face in Furen's chest and began to pour out tears.
“Uwaaaah!! Where did you go, leaving me behind?!”
She shrieked as if truly heartbroken.
“Kirina!! The alien beasts will hear you!!”
A few Bluerobic Elves rushed out from behind, horrified.
Katrin gently stopped them and stepped forward.
“Katrin?! You're alive!!”
The comrades who had been worried about the alien beasts just moments ago vanished, replaced by cheers of joy.
Katrin smiled brightly at her comrades.
“Yes, it's okay now. We've taken care of all the alien beasts.”
“Wha… what?!”
They looked at each other with expressions of disbelief.
“It must have been Lady Furen…”
“But weren't there too many? Even for Lady Furen…”
Katrin silently enjoyed their reactions.
Meanwhile, Kirina had her face buried in Furen's chest, rubbing it frantically.
“I was sooooo scared I thought I was going to die!!”
“Enough, everyone's safe, so that's all that matters!”
Furen comforted her brusquely, as if petting a dog.
She seemed to calm down a little, stopping her tears and sniffling.
“Hey, crybaby.”
When Sharin called out what seemed to be her nickname with a playful smile, she whipped her head around.
“Hwaaaaa—”
Her jaw dropped like a high school girl seeing her favorite celebrity in person.
“Shariiiiiin!!!!”
She immediately threw herself into Sharin's arms and started bawling again.
Behind them, Katrin was smiling warmly.
“Uwaaah-!! I knew you'd be alive!!”
“You haven't changed a bit. You little crybaby.”
Sharin ruffled her hair playfully.
After hugging Sharin for a while, her eyes suddenly flew open.
The awkwardly standing Shin-ju and Jekovic came into her view.
In an instant, a cold, sharp dagger was at Shin-ju's throat.
Her eyes turned fierce as Kirina glared at him, ready to slit his throat at any moment.
“Who the hell are you guys?!”
“Calm down, Kirina. They're allies who helped us.”
Furen calmly stopped her.
“Ah… so you're Lady Kirina! Furen's right hand…”
As Shin-ju spoke her name with recognition, the woman called Kirina reacted even more sensitively.
“What! You know me?”
Furen stood between them and introduced him to Kirina.
“This is Park Shin-ju, an 'Earthling.' I told you about him before, right? He's a good man from that planet, Earth, who catches criminals.”
“A pleasure to meet you. My name is Park Shin-ju. I work to catch bad aliens on Earth. It's nice to meet you.”
Shin-ju politely raised his palm.
“Oh?!”
Kirina looked surprised to see an Earthling who knew the Bluerobic greeting.
But that wasn't nearly enough, and she immediately returned to a wary expression.
“Lady Furen said so. That Earthlings are beings who destroy themselves because of their own greed.”
Furen flinched and briefly lowered her head.
“But she also said they have a certain dignity.”
Just when it seemed the mood might lighten, she changed her tune again.
“Still, I don't trust other aliens!!”
“God, she's exhausting.”
Jekovic muttered from the side with a fed-up look.
Kirina's eyes widened as she shouted.
“What! And who's that beast?!”
“Kirina!! How dare you be so rude!!”
Furen glared and roared.
“Uah…!! I'm sorry!!”
At Furen's shout, Kirina immediately backed down and shrank away.
From behind, Katrin watched Kirina with a pathetic look, as if she'd expected this.
Sharin watched Kirina's antics with a pleased smile.
Then, Sharin came up beside Shin-ju and whispered in his ear.
“Shin-ju, you're thinking, 'How is someone like her Furen's right hand?' right now, aren't you?”
Shin-ju's eyes widened and he shook his head.
“What? No, not really…? That's what you were thinking, Lady Sharin…”
“Shhh.”
Sharin cut Shin-ju off.
And continued whispering in his ear.
“She may look like that, but her fighting skills are on par with Enri's. You should never underestimate her.”
“No, I told you I wasn't underestimating her…”
Shin-ju replied, bewildered and hesitant.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
“Lady Furen? Lady Sharin?”
Shadows began to flicker in the darkness, appearing in small groups.
“Lady Furen!! Lady Sharin!!”
Soon, voices filled with joy rang out.
Hundreds of war-weary Bluerobic refugees began to emerge slowly from the darkness.