Lord of The Red Planet

Emma stared at the map spread out on her desk, her eyes showing deep concentration.

Then, she heard a knock at the door.

Knock… knock… knock…

"Enter," she said, her voice clear and authoritative.

Emma shifted her gaze to the opening door. She saw Belial, in his always-immaculate black suit, step inside.

"So… this is the map of that world?" Belial touched the surface of the map with an interested look.

"Its name is no longer 'that world,' but Earth," Emma said with a calm smile.

"I see." Belial held his chin, then nodded in understanding.

"So, what brings you here?" Emma asked curiously. She extended her hand into the air, took a teacup from her inventory, and poured it into an empty cup on the table.

Belial took a chair from the corner of the room and sat down. Fortunately, his relationship with Emma was quite close as they had some similarities. If this had been done by any other Floor Guardian, they might have been immediately kicked out of the Secretary-General's office for being disrespectful.

Belial took the teacup and took a sip. Then, he said with a calm expression, "I heard Lord Arthur wants to build his 'criminal empire' on Earth. So, for that, I came here."

"Correct your words. Using the word 'criminal' for something created by the Supreme Beings is highly disrespectful." Emma looked at him coldly.

"Oh, right. I forgot. Human laws and morality do not apply to us," Belial said with an embarrassed smile. "So, Lord Arthur's plan… is more accurately described as a 'business' that people just don't know about yet."

"That's better." Emma nodded in agreement.

"So, I am offering myself to manage that company," Belial said, waiting for Emma's answer.

"No." Emma shook her head, rejecting the offer. "I already have a candidate for that. Moreover, you are the head of Avanheim's intelligence. I have a more important order for you."

"So, what's the order?" Belial reached for his teacup again, then drank it down.

Emma pointed to a region on the map. "Right now, Avanheim has only a small foothold in this country called Japan, and we are completely unfamiliar with its political power. So, I want you to find information about this country's political structure, then report it to me and Lord Arthur. You can start with that district official named Tanaka."

"This country is our first foothold. Do not fail." Emma looked seriously at Belial.

"I understand. I will carry out this order immediately. Before that… should I also send informants all over the world? For example… this country." Belial pointed to a large country across the continent.

"The United States?" Emma looked at the region Belial pointed to, remembering the information Jarvis had provided.

"Correct. This country is arguably the most powerful among all the countries in the world. They have global influence and relatively more advanced technology," Belial said. "So, if we can at least control this country's leader, then Avanheim's operations on Earth will proceed very smoothly."

"No. I refuse," Emma cut in sharply. "This plan is too reckless. We don't even know anything about the political powers that control Japan, and now you're suggesting Avanheim control the leader of the United States? Are you an idiot?"

Belial was not offended by Emma's outburst. Instead, a faint, amused smile formed on his lips. He leaned back casually in his chair, as if he had just heard an interesting joke.

"An idiot, you say?" he replied, his voice calm but laced with a sharp amusement. "Secretary-General, your thinking is too limited to the moves on a chessboard. My job is to see the entire game."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His gaze was now intense. "Why should we bother trimming the branches of a tree, when we can cut it down at the root?"

"The United States," Belial continued, "is not just 'another country.' Based on the information Jarvis and Octavia provided, that country is the center of this global spiderweb. Politics, economy, military… all threads lead there. If we can control its head, its entire body will be paralyzed and will follow."

"Your plan is a gamble," Emma hissed, her reptilian blue eyes looking at Belial coldly. "A gamble based on arrogance and incomplete information."

She stood up, walking slowly around her desk, her hand gently tracing the surface of the world map. "You're right, we are strong. Perhaps stronger than anything on this planet. But that is precisely why we must be careful. You speak as if we are the only anomaly in this world. What if there are other 'Players'? What if there are hidden powers that their technology can't even detect? We know nothing, Belial."

Emma stopped right in front of Belial, looking down at him. "Japan is our laboratory. A controlled environment to test our methods, to understand the rules of this world, and to see how humans react to our power. Once we have mastered this chessboard, then we can think about overthrowing the king. Your plan isn't a strategy; it's recklessness."

A tense silence filled the room. The two of them stared at each other, and Belial could feel the cold pressure of Emma's aura.

Belial let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair again. A faint smile returned to his face.

"You have a point," he admitted, slightly surprising Emma. "Your caution is a valuable asset. My job is to present all strategic possibilities, even the most extreme ones, to Lord Arthur. In the end, all decisions are in his hands."

He paused for a moment, then continued in a more cooperative tone. "Alright. Japan first. We will make this island nation our first fortress."

Emma nodded in satisfaction. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

"In that case, I'll take my leave." Belial stood up from his chair.

He walked to the door, then stopped for a moment without turning back. "Lord Arthur will be arriving shortly, Secretary-General."

After Belial left, Emma sat back in her chair. She looked at the world map before her, her gaze now fixed on the North American continent.

"Sooner or later," she muttered, "we will indeed go there."

But now is not the time, just wait…

A cold, cruel smile formed on her lips.

…

Rian, who had just returned from Earth to Avanheim after nearly five hours of wandering around the Minato District with Merlin, immediately threw himself onto his bed upon arriving in his room.

It was so exhausting. Not physically, but mentally.

I want to lie in bed all day and be lazy, like I used to.

"But… it seems that's not an option, huh." Rian quickly got up from his bed. "I need to take a shower first."

Although this body didn't sweat or emit any odor—in fact, it was fragrant—showering twice a day was his habit when he was still human. This wasn't something that could be changed in just three months. Besides, showering not only cleanses the body but also relaxes the mind and relieves stress.

"Actually, I could shower in this room…" Rian saw a white door inside his bedroom. "But I want to try the hot spring that the guild members built."

Thinking of that, Rian immediately opened his bedroom door and walked out. Outside, he saw two young women, one with blond hair and the other with green, wearing Victorian-era black-and-white maid uniforms.

"Lord Arthur." The two maids bowed their heads with their right hands on their left breasts as a sign of respect.

"Pilipina and Nina, right." Rian remembered the names of the two women before him.

"You remember our names! That makes us so happy," Pilipina and Nina said with joyous expressions, their faces turning red.

"Of course I remember you," Rian replied with a smile. "You are the children left behind by my friends."

That's right. Even if I can't see my family again, what's wrong with that?

I've tried. That should be enough, right?

Dad and Mom wouldn't want their son to keep dwelling on the past, would they?

Even if I keep wishing I could see my family, it won't change reality.

Time… ultimately, keeps moving forward.

"My Lord?"

The soft voice woke him from his reverie.

"I'm going to the hot spring. Also, I'd like to eat. Can you prepare it?" Rian asked.

"Of course, My Lord. It is our duty to serve the Supreme Beings," they answered happily.

"In that case, I'm counting on you."

After saying that, Rian walked toward the hot spring on the Ninth Floor.

Ever since I found out this was a parallel world, I had already steeled myself for the worst-case scenario. So, when I called my dad's number that I remembered from before and it didn't connect, a part of me was already sure and had accepted that my family doesn't exist in this parallel Earth.

Although this parallel Earth was very similar to his old world, the only difference was the absence of the Game Avalon and all the derivative technologies it had produced. Because of that, he thought maybe people who had a connection to the game Avalon didn't exist in this world.

So, instead of constantly thinking about uncertain things like meeting my family again, what I should be thinking about now is how to keep Avanheim safe.

Avanheim is my new family in this new world, and the only emotional connection I have.

So, right now, I should accept my new identity.

Rian, the social reject and scum of society, is dead. What exists now… is only Arthur Leonhart.

The black pupils over his sky-blue corneas changed from round to the symbol of a sun, before instantly returning to round again.

…

"Lord Arthur, welcome to the Izumi Haruka Hot Spring."

Arthur saw a woman with olive skin and long, braided pink hair. From the sun emblem on her chest, he knew who this maid was.

"Betta," he called.

"That's right! It's me, Betta, one of the Battle Maids from The Ninth Oath Maids." Betta introduced herself with a cheerful expression, her chest puffed out slightly with pride.

"So, what is Betta doing here?" Arthur looked at Betta, who was wearing the Ninth Oath Maids uniform.

"I heard from Nina that Lord Arthur wanted to take a bath. So, I hurried here to prepare all this." Betta pointed to a pile of items beside her: a towel, a yukata… and a bag of snacks?

"I can understand the towel and the yukata, but… snacks?" Arthur asked with a confused expression.

"I thought that bathing in a hot spring without snacks would be very boring. So, for that reason, I prepared some snacks for you to eat inside, My Lord," Betta answered with a happy expression.

"Alright." He was forced to accept the ridiculous reason. Eating snacks in a hot spring might not be so bad.

Before entering, Arthur turned to Betta. "Betta, do you want to go to Earth?"

"Huh?" Betta looked confused for a moment at the question. "That's… the place where Sister Octavia is now, right?" she asked curiously.

"Correct. Octavia is there." Arthur answered. "But, I can't let her stay on Earth for too long. After all, her position is Deputy Head of The Ninth Oath Maids. So, I'm thinking of replacing Octavia with you. How about it?"

"I want to! But… am I the only one being sent to Earth?" Betta looked at him with anticipation.

"No, there are others. Emma will decide soon, so you will be with them. Besides, I will also be going to Earth frequently. Maybe some of the Floor Guardians too, but not for as long as you." He explained.

"In that case, that's even better! I can accompany Lord Arthur!" Betta exclaimed with a happy expression on her face.

"Good. In that case, I'll go take my bath now." Arthur opened the door to the hot spring, entered, and then closed it again.

The sliding wooden door closed behind him with a soft sound. He now stood in a changing room that felt like another world. The floor was made of woven tatami mats, cool beneath his feet.

On one side were rows of hinoki wood lockers that gave off a calming cypress scent. On the other, several bamboo baskets were neatly placed for dirty clothes. Everything felt so authentic, so Japanese.

He took off his clothes, folded them neatly, and placed them in one of the lockers. He took a small towel provided, then put on a dark indigo cotton yukata that felt light and comfortable on his skin.

As he slid open the shoji door leading to the bathing area, a plume of warm steam immediately greeted him, carrying with it the faint scent of sulfur and the smell of wet earth after rain.

The sight before him stunned him for a moment.

This wasn't just a bath. This was a work of art!

The main hot spring pool was made from natural river stones, polished smooth by time, its water clear and steamy. A bamboo kakeyu spout rhythmically poured hot water into the pool, creating a soothing gurgling sound.

Surrounding the pool was a well-arranged rock and moss garden, along with several tōrō stone lanterns that cast a soft, warm light. The roof of the bath was mostly open, revealing the pitch-black Martian sky, adorned with a sea of stars that felt so close.

"Kazumi Fuchi… that person is truly amazing to be able to design a hot spring this beautiful. And even the roof uses magic to see the view outside Felius Castle." Arthur sighed in admiration. "This design is so integrated with nature. She really does love nature, doesn't she?"

Arthur couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia looking at the hot spring created by Kazumi.

Come to think of it, Kazumi… she really did hate industrialization and anything that destroyed nature. In the game, she was a fanatic Druid who wouldn't hesitate to kill a player who tried to build a factory.

Arthur remembered their conversation from long ago, when Kazumi was furious because some players had started building steam-powered factories near the Great Forest of the Linoan continent.

"I don't get it, Arthur! Why are they bringing the garbage of the modern world here! This beauty… this purity… they're going to destroy it for the sake of 'modernization'!"

*LAnd here, Arthur thought as he stepped down the stone steps into the pool, she created her own little paradise.

The hot water immediately stung his skin, sending a sharp jolt for a moment before turning into a warmth that seeped deep into his bones.

He let out a long sigh, feeling every tense muscle in his body slowly relax. The rising steam blurred his vision, creating a surreal atmosphere.

He leaned against the edge of the pool, closing his eyes.

…this is real. The heat… the steam… it's all real.

This was no longer just a graphic effect or a text description on a monitor. This was a pure sensation that his former self could never have felt. In the past, he could only dream of visiting a luxury onsen like this in Hakone or Beppu, looking at it on the internet with envy.

Fate truly is unpredictable…

He reached for the bag of snacks that Betta had left on a wooden tray at the edge of the pool. Inside were seaweed-flavored potato chips. He took one and ate it. The salty and savory taste immediately spread in his mouth.

Eating chips in an onsen… Kazumi would probably kill me if she saw this. She'd definitely say this is disrespectful to the sanctity of nature. Arthur smiled faintly.

In the midst of this tranquility, his mind became unusually clear. All the doubts and anxieties he had felt earlier seemed to dissolve with the steam.

All that remained was purpose.

Avanheim needed money to survive. Avanheim needed strength to grow. And Earth… Earth had limitless resources to be exploited.

They just haven't realized yet that all of this will soon have a new owner. The words he had casually said to Merlin earlier now felt more real, more true.

Arthur opened his eyes. His gaze was now as sharp as ice, reflecting the glitter of the stars on the calm surface of the water.

"Thank you for this place, Kazumi," he murmured to the silent air. "I will make good use of it."