"I heard everything you just said."
Looking at Gern, York broke into a broad grin, his eyes curving into crescents. With a hint of smugness, he lowered his voice and said,
"The highest authority over the Seraphim... and the Mother Flame."
"So?" Gern looked at the satellite destined to betray Vegapunk in the original storyline, his brow creasing slightly. His tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
"So?" York spread his hands theatrically, as though he had heard something hilarious.
"Grand Commander Gern, you don't seriously believe that old geezer Vegapunk will obediently hand everything over to you, do you?"
York tapped his temple meaningfully with a dark-gloved finger.
"He's the man with the 'world's greatest brain'!
You might be able to send people to forcibly relocate a physical energy source like the Mother Flame.
But the highest authority over the Seraphim?" York scoffed and shook his head. "Vegapunk will never truly let go!
At most, he'll add your name above the Five Elders in the authority hierarchy, as if he's throwing you a bone.
And he himself..." His voice held a trace of mockery and absolute certainty. "He'll always be the one hidden behind it all, the ultimate authority controlling everything!"
When York finished, he looked expectantly at Gern, wearing an expression that said he had seen through everything. He waited for anger, or at least surprise, now that Gern had been enlightened.
Yet Gern merely looked at him expressionlessly and uttered a flat, "Oh."
"Oh???" York's smug grin froze instantly, replaced by utter bewilderment.
"He... that old man is lying to you! It's a blatant lie!
And all you... all you have to say is 'oh'?!"
"Because I'm not an idiot." Gern's gaze remained calm as he regarded York like a posturing clown.
"And Vegapunk is even less of