Chapter 407
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 407
Chapter Title: That's Right.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Clank, clank.
Container belts churned along, emitting mechanical groans.
Workers assembled the endless stream of machine parts emerging from those belts with practiced, fluid motions.
The finished products rode the belts to the warehouses, where managers sorted and packed them into standardized crates.
Identical trucks lined up, loaded their cargo, and rolled out one after another.
It was a scene of perfect efficiency.
The epitome of an ideal factory.
...If only it weren't unfolding in identical fashion across thousands—tens of thousands—of factories.
[Ughhh...]
That was why.
Why Yuna Kyung shuddered in disgust.
For a brief moment, perched atop a radio tower with her wings folded over her forehead.
She finally snapped out of it, shaking her head vigorously as she muttered.
[What kind of city is this?]
Moscow.
Russia's capital, boasting tens of millions of residents.
Over half its population worked in factories or factory-related jobs, making it the world's largest industrial city.
She'd known its reputation for ages, but seeing it from the sky exceeded all imagination.
Weapons to home appliances, clothes to toys.
Consumer goods poured out ceaselessly, a dizzying sight.
But what truly disoriented Yuna Kyung was the eerie uniformity of the production and transport process.
Workers in identical uniforms.
Products made by identical procedures.
Vehicles of identical make.
Just slight variations between products or factories.
Buildings, facilities—even people—felt copy-pasted via Ctrl+C across the entire city.
Especially that repeating sameness everywhere; the more she looked, the more it made her eyes swim.
[Cough, cough. Ugh, hard to breathe.]
And the sky, shrouded in a hazy pall from countless smokestacks.
Even after she'd purified it somewhat with spirit power, it was still this bad.
She could only imagine the original murkiness—enough to make her head spin just thinking about it.
[Anyway, how's Team Leader expect me to find White Sis all by myself in this mess?]
Yuna Kyung grumbled.
Finding one person in this chaotic metropolis felt utterly hopeless.
Especially after she'd tried sneaking toward the most suspicious Kremlin Palace, only to nearly get shredded by automated anti-air defenses.
Should she head to the Kremlin anyway?
Or just wander Moscow some more?
As Yuna Kyung agonized over the impossible choice.
Screech.
[Hm?]
Clank, clunk.
[...What?]
The moving trucks slowed.
The noisy factories fell silent.
The ceaselessly bustling city halted as if someone flipped the power switch.
Yuna Kyung blinked in surprise.
Workers poured out of the factories in droves.
[What's going on? It's not like war's broken out or anything...]
From laborers to technicians, researchers, foremen, supervisors.
Millions moving in perfect unison toward some destination.
Stunned for a moment, Yuna Kyung decided to follow the flow.
She'd been in Moscow for days now, and this was a first—something felt off.
And soon enough.
Upon seeing their destination.
Or rather, what was happening there, Yuna Kyung's eyes went wide.
[...What in the world?]
Hologram projectors turning plazas into thousands of open-air theaters.
Stadiums hosting baseball, soccer, every kind of match imaginable.
Colosseums featuring players.
Racecourses commandeering entire parks.
Snack trucks galore.
Temporary venues sprouting across Moscow.
And crowds desperately weaving between them.
Yuna Kyung could only gape in bewilderment.
"Section 113 gets The Lover from the Neighboring Country. The Fall of the Star is bombing."
"Both the new and old versions are getting good buzz—which one?"
"Old version. Save the remake for next week."
"You wanted to expand the racetrack by demolishing the old factory in Section 7, but tomorrow we might accidentally take out the one next door too."
"Fine by me. Build a theater there."
"I'll instruct them to 'accidentally' mess up, then."
A truly bizarre scene.
Checking box office numbers for unreleased films to pick winners.
Preemptively ordering countermeasures for tomorrow's accidents.
Dispatching medics to future injury sites.
Awarding prizes to yet-to-start race victors.
Inspecting spots ripe for trouble.
Past reports, present orders, future intel—all jumbled in a chaotic stew.
Even the sharpest mind would stumble trying to keep up.
But at this moment.
What struck Kana as odd wasn't just the frenetic chatter.
It was the throne where the silver-haired girl usually lounged or rolled about.
Now occupied by an identical white-haired girl, sitting ramrod straight at a mini desk—an unsettling sight.
"How's the event prep coming?"
"Books and artwork arrive tomorrow. Singers, idols, orchestras—their schedules don't align, so it'll take time."
"Make them align. Invite outsiders too."
"How many?"
"A thousand, ten thousand—bring 'em all."
"Costs will skyrocket."
"No problem. Russia's loaded. We'll burn through Bahamut funds too. Problem solved."
"Truly visionary."
Tata's admiration for Aynsha's sharp directives was short-lived.
She soon furrowed her brow.
"...But that piles work on HQ. Issues in a month, tops."
"Fine. Dump it on Li Chingwei."
"You sure?"
"Of course. I saw the future where she pushes through exhaustion, unflinching. So hand it off worry-free."
"Understood. I'll reassign her team here."
Li Chingwei, already buried in dual-clan overload, would sigh if she heard.
But Tata replied confidently.
She turned to Kana at once.
"We need national budget and Bahamut funds. Prep for immediate execution."
"... ."
Kana fell silent.
As if there were no reason to comply.
But after Aynsha's blunt voice, she had to speak.
"Do as Tata says, Kana."
"White Dragon Princess, do you realize what you're doing?"
"Yes."
She knew full well, just as clearly as the futures she saw.
Aynsha continued in her flat tone.
"I'm taking over this country."
"With just movies, comic sales, and mandatory cultural hours?"
"Obviously."
Unfazed by Kana's rebuttal, Aynsha stated it deadpan.
"Ruskania's strong. Our clan can't dominate alone. So we give them the 3S."
"...3S?"
"Yep. Sports, Screen, Sweets. Fills the soul. Once hooked, they can't quit."
As head of Tiamat, the Seven Dragon Group arm dominating culture, Aynsha declared it.
Culture's more addictive than Green Dragon drugs.
Untouched, fine—but once immersed, they crave it like a desert wanderer an oasis.
Spread culture relentlessly, and Russia falls under Tiamat sway.
Kana stared at the impassive Aynsha for a beat.
Then asked abruptly.
"Why's the third S 'sweets'?"
"...?"
"...?"
"...Pretend you didn't hear that."
As if questioning what else the masses could want.
Aynsha tilted her head.
Tata blinked.
Their transparent reactions left Kana regretting her earnest question; she bowed with a sigh.
"If it's your order, White Dragon Princess, I'll obey."
She had no choice anyway.
Ekaterina's command: treat Aynsha as yourself, do whatever she says.
Defy Aynsha without Ekaterina rescinding it? That defied Ekaterina herself.
"Get to it, then. I'm busy."
"Yes."
"Tata, you're on the rest."
"Trust only me!"
As if expecting as much.
Aynsha nodded, rifling through documents.
Tata bowed politely, then hurried out with Kana.
Every minute counted to execute Aynsha's orders.
But moments later.
Tata stopped.
She tilted her head at Kana's steady gaze.
"Something to say?"
"No, just curious."
"About?"
"Why a close aide like you lets the White Dragon Princess run wild like this."
Seven Dragon Society princesses were dragon heirs.
Thus, territorial to a fault.
Even in the Heroes' Age, they never united—scattered across continents.
Yet here, in another princess's domain—Ekaterina's Russia—she pulls this stunt.
Aides should rein her in; it could provoke Ekaterina's wrath.
So why enable her instead?
To Kana's icy query.
Tata answered boldly.
"Because I believe she's right."
"You mean that?"
"Of course."
"Irresponsible for an aide."
"Lady Carolina would've agreed."
"...You knew Grandmother?"
"Yes, met her serving the previous princess."
"... ."
"Exemplary aide. Shame she met her end under the former Silver Dragon Princess."
A twitch.
Kana's brow arched.
She fixed Tata with a cold stare.
"Better than aides who survived their princess's death."
Voice and words iced over.
Yet Tata nodded calmly.
"That's right."
"... ."
Silence after that unflappable reply.
Finally, as if done talking, Kana strode ahead.
Tata watched her back, smiling quietly.
Failing to protect one's princess: deepest shame.
Kana's aunt and prior aides met tragic ends aplenty.
Once among the youngest aides, Tata was now second only to Lucas in seniority.
But she wouldn't throw her life away lightly.
She had a princess to guard.
One who needed her.
One she revered.
So Tata followed Kana with her usual poise.