Artificial Vega

(Miluno)

I was just worried about not finding a suitable item to take home, and this high-level executive delivered himself right to my doorstep!

Sun Ji.

My dearest and most beloved father-in-law.

Aldebaran once said, his current position is that of a specially appointed advisor, and his influence among the higher-ups is even greater than that of General Fomalhaut. Since he is an advisor, he must have some understanding of the situation in both worlds; otherwise, why would he bother asking questions?

The fact that he immediately placed himself above Fomalhaut and the others upon arrival might seem absurd at first glance, but upon closer examination, it actually makes quite a bit of sense.

The important figures here dare not delegate power to the Fomalhaut because they fear the power of the witches. However, Sun Ji has lost the Vega Crystal and is just a mortal. Even if he is given power, he can be eliminated at any time if he disobeys.

To put it bluntly...

Specially appointed advisors are merely there to offer suggestions; even if they can attend high-level meetings, they do not have final decision-making power.

Therefore, my goal is very clear.

But this also presents another challenge.

Everyone knows that without Ceruno's magic, mortals would be crushed into tomato sauce if they entered a wormhole, so why should I bring him back alive?

I even suspect he can't use teleportation magic, otherwise why would he walk in through the main gate? Teleportation magic is practically standard equipment for witches; wouldn't it be faster to just open a door wherever he wants to go?

In short, let's track it first.

The three of them were clearly on a purpose, and their gathering meant they had some kind of plan. I kept a low profile and followed them from a distance. As I watched them enter the laboratory where I had previously modified Anjie, I squeezed my way in the instant the laboratory door closed.

"Um?"

Aldebaran, bringing up the rear, let out a soft, puzzled hum.

Fomalhaut asked.

"What's wrong?"

Aldebaran turned around and looked at me. Her gaze swept over me several times, but it was completely unfocused, passing straight through my transparent body... I slowed my heartbeat and suppressed this only movement.

In the end, she simply replied:

"It's nothing, probably just the wind."

Without paying much attention to me, she magically produced an opaque, metallic-lustered Crystal, about the size of an egg and pink in shape, and casually placed it on the small round table in the laboratory.

Then, with great ceremony, he introduced:

"A-Ji, this is my Imitation Vega Crystal. The artificial one is definitely not as good as the original, but it's enough to transform you."

I know what this thing is.

The prototype of this thing came from the Simulacrum Factor in Liu's chest, the upgraded version was the Artificial Crystal inside the Golden, but the one in front of us should be more advanced.

Sun Ji picked it up and looked at it, then said:

"As long as it works, that's fine. I need power."

Aldebaran asked:

"Why insist on Vega when other Star Crystal would suffice? Copying the power of a specific Crystal is a real challenge for me."

Sun Ji disagreed, and simply replied:

"The best weapon is the one that suits your needs."

He sat down in that surgical chair that resembled an electric shock chair.

Fomalhaut frowned and asked:

"A-Ji, your strongest weapons right now are your understanding of the enemy, the endless stream of intelligence you have, and your silver tongue that can fool the higher-ups. What I mean is... you're already an excellent advisor; there's no need for you to be some kind of witch anymore."

Surprisingly, Fomalhaut doesn't want to see Sun Ji become stronger?

No, could it be that she doesn't want to see him become a witch...? Could it be that Sword Fiend has fallen for Sun Ji?

I'd always felt her attitude towards Sun Ji was a little different; so, is she planning to become a mistress?

Who would have thought that beneath that serious exterior was something like this...

Well, I'm not usually a gossipy person, but it's hard not to think that way about their relationship.

Sun Ji replied:

"Aurora, without just the right amount of support, my words carry no weight in high-level meetings."

Before Fomalhaut could speak, Aldebaran seized the opportunity to complain:

"But even with power, you'll be feared by the big shots above. Why do you think Fomalhaut is so strong yet still just a soldier?"

"So what I'm talking about is just the right amount of power, enough to make them take my words seriously without frightening them."

Aldebaran shrugged, and four flexible thorns extended from behind him, their sharp tips chilling to the bone.

She adjusted her floral crown and said:

"I don't understand what you're talking about, but I've already made this for you. If you back out, I'll be in trouble! However, the Artificial Crystal won't directly integrate into your body. It's probably too big for you to swallow, so I'll have to make an incision and embed it... Relax, my anesthesia skills are pretty good."

Not bad my foot.

After all, she wasn't a proper doctor, and her medical skills were completely inadequate. At least that time I woke up in excruciating pain, and it was only after the cold-faced but kind-hearted Fomalhaut gave me a sip of her medicine that the pain subsided...

Now, she, who shares my aloof persona, is starting to break down.

"A-Ji, it's alright, I'll heal your wound after the surgery."

Look at that gentle, tender feeling; even I'm a little tempted.

Aldebaran raised his eyebrows but didn't speak, only smiling ambiguously, as if he were eating candy.

I do not object to Aldebaran's modification of Sun Ji.

Based on the conversation just now, it seems that the performance of Artificial Crystal is inferior to that of the genuine product.

In other words, even if my cheap father-in-law is fully transformed, he won't have the overwhelming strength he had before, but he will definitely be able to pass through the wormhole without turning into tomato sauce.

Isn't that my chance?

I can just open the door and kick him in. I can also take advantage of the chaos to steal the device SpiCa needs. Although it will cause a big commotion, at least I can complete the mission.

While I was formulating my plan, Sun Ji had already fallen into a Past sleep under the influence of anesthesia. Sharp thorns cut open his chest cavity, causing massive bleeding. Then Aldebaran forcefully embedded the sleeping pill into his sternum...

Good heavens, it looks painful.

Fomalhaut frowned as well. She had some reservations about Aldebaran's brutal surgical procedure, but ultimately remained silent, simply waiting for this hellish painting to come to an end.

"Phew! Done. Just let him transform on his own when he wakes up~"

Aldebaran finished his work, Fomalhaut pushed her away and began treating the wound on Sun Ji's chest that had been cut open.

It's quite surprising that a witch who manipulates water and ice is so adept at healing magic; is this what they call "gap moe" (a cute contrast between a character's appearance and their personality)?

After finishing, he picked up Sun Ji and said coldly, "I'll take him to the bedroom to lie down for a while. You clean up this place."

Aldebaran wore an expression similar to Ceruno's reluctance to wash the dishes.

"Huh? Shouldn't we let the soldiers handle this?"

But Fomalhaut had no intention of letting her go.

"No, you clean it up. If you had been more careful during the surgery, it wouldn't have splattered like this. Losing this much blood could kill someone."

"After all, I'm just a researcher~"

Aldebaran claims that he was not replaced by the Witch Persona.

But I think Fomalhaut is more like a magical girl than she is.

Go EDG!

EDG wins the championship, next Wednesday's update, planting a flag~