novelraw Chapter 630
Chapter 630
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 630: Toward the Unknown (2)
‘What do you mean, an accident?’
By “senior,” Earth obviously meant Phaemong, the Planetship Lord who had passed through here before.
‘Don’t tell me he went and cursed out a black hole before his “final journey” or something?’
○ It doesn’t seem like something that simple.
At Earth’s reply, Yeongwoo hurriedly steered Negwig toward the helm.
‘I’m heading there right now. Tell them the captain has arrived.’
○ They’re already waiting.
Earth’s tone was strange.
And Yeongwoo understood why the moment he saw the helm building.
“…What the hell is that.”
The entire helm structure, rising high over Gwangjin District, was wrapped in a pitch-black curtain.
“Crazy.”
Arriving at the lower entrance, Yeongwoo stood before the dark veil that completely blocked the doorway.
If he stepped past that curtain, he would surely be dragged into the same black hole domain he had seen before.
‘I’m going in. Tell them the shipmaster has arrived.’
Saying so, Yeongwoo stepped into the jet-black curtain.
Whoosh.
As if passing through a portal, his consciousness was suddenly lifted, his surroundings dyed in total darkness, all environmental sound vanishing.
He had entered the black hole’s domain.
‘Huh.’
Realizing he was half-collapsed on the ground, Yeongwoo pushed himself up.
Then he saw it—a sharp, thorn-like tower rising high in the distance.
And in front of that tower, the crew of the Earthship were all lying prostrate.
“Huh? What—why is everyone—”
Before he could finish saying lying down, a voice tore through space from the void.
● You lack manners.
At once, a pressure like being submerged in deep water crushed Yeongwoo’s entire body.
He couldn’t endure it without bowing.
“Ugh…!”
When he finally groaned and sank halfway to his knees, the voice asked:
● Are you the master of this ridiculous celestial body?
From its sharp tone, Yeongwoo could tell this black hole was utterly different from 49793 or Gyunek.
Instead of curiosity, it brimmed with hostility and a certain malice.
Of all the beings he had met, the closest comparison was Mara.
“Y-Yes… sir. I am the master of this planetship system.”
This was a moment to submit unconditionally.
Sensing many things at once, Yeongwoo crawled toward the distant tower, nearly flat against the ground.
He needed to confirm whether the rest of the crew were even alive.
Feeling his presence, Earth spoke through their shared consciousness.
○ Your senior broke a promise.
‘A promise? What kind of promise do you even make with a black hole?’
○ He was supposed to come here once every hundred years.
‘What?’
Startled, Yeongwoo instinctively lifted his head, and the terrifying voice split the air again.
● There is noise.
“…!”
Within this space, the black hole could hear even the remote communication between planets and their representatives.
“S-Sorry, Lord Tesache. It seems my predecessor committed a grave discourtesy. I truly didn’t know.”
Apologizing, Yeongwoo crawled forward a little more.
Then he saw it clearly—before the thorny tower stood the black hole, Tesache, in a bizarre form.
His “head” was nothing more than a faintly glowing black sphere.
Beneath it, something like a crescent cradled the sphere like a bowl, and his entire body was cloaked in pitch-black robes, making it impossible to tell whether he even had arms or legs.
His height looked to be around three meters.
But what did height mean when his true form was a black hole?
Everyone present could die if Tesache merely tilted his head.
‘Damn… I just finished a dungeon and now I hit another wall.’
A black hole, from Earth’s perspective, was like a massive whirlpool in the middle of the ocean.
A natural disaster beyond the reach of force.
So Yeongwoo had no choice but to rely on wit.
“The one who broke the promise—his name is Phaemong… correct? We are here looking for him as well.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
● You are searching for Phaemong? Where is he now?
“We only know that his last destination was a planet called Rieke.”
● Last destination?
“Yes. He said he was going there to fight his final battle… so if he died, it would have been there.”
At that point, Tesache cut him off.
● Died? That Phaemong would not die. He is clearly alive, merely failing to keep his promise to us.
“……”
Just what kind of man was Phaemong?
Even a black hole judged him like this.
“…Yes. We also hope he’s alive. But… the cycle for visiting you is one hundred years, correct? And he has already missed it twice.”
● Correct.
“Coincidentally, Phaemong was last sighted two hundred years ago.”
● What?
“I believe something must have happened to him. Otherwise, he would never have broken a promise to you.”
● Are you saying Phaemong truly met death?
A trace of sadness colored Tesache’s voice.
Yeongwoo quickly continued.
“Even if he didn’t die, he may have suffered great damage on Rieke and become unable to move.”
Then he drove straight to the point.
“That is why we wish to search for Phaemong ourselves, and we ask that you open the path for us.”
If you open the way, we’ll find out why he broke his promise.
It was a very plausible proposal.
But Tesache was not so easily persuaded.
● And if he is dead?
“…Excuse me?”
● If Phaemong’s failure to keep the promise is truly because he died, who will fill the vacancy?
At that moment, the top of the tower behind Tesache shone brightly, and another black hole’s voice poured down.
● Have that one replace Phaemong.
It was clearly the black hole on the opposite end—the one connected near Rieke.
“Me… you mean me?”
● Would you leave us alone in this vastness forever? Then there is no reason to open the path. Stay with us for eternity.
‘These lunatics.’
They were probably serious.
They had the power to bind a planetship here for a thousand or ten thousand years if they wished.
So Yeongwoo shouted hurriedly.
“Phaemong! I’ll find Phaemong and bring him back! And if I fail to bring him—!”
There was only one thing he could say next.
“I will visit you periodically myself! Just like Phaemong—every hundred years… that will suffice, right?”
The moment he said one hundred years, Earth, who had been pressing his forehead to the ground, glanced sideways.
For a human, a hundred years was an extremely long time.
By the time the promise came due, Yeongwoo would likely no longer be alive.
He was essentially issuing a blank check.
The black holes, however, were ignorant of such trivial lifespans and accepted his proposal.
● Good. If you fail to find Phaemong, you shall fill his place!
As the unidentified black hole readily agreed, Tesache, who had been listening silently, added a condition.
● Then you must swear an oath. So you cannot break it like Phaemong.
“An… oath?”
● Come to us every hundred years. And if you die or for any reason cannot keep the promise, send a proxy. Let this oath continue through your descendants.
Descendants.
Meaning Yeongwoo’s children, or the next head of his house.
He was about to create a curse that the Renaissance family might inherit for generations.
● If you refuse this oath, you will remain here forever.
There was effectively no other choice.
“N-No, sirs. I don’t even have children yet—”
As Yeongwoo frowned and tried to protest, an unexpected voice cut him off.
『We accept! We accept the oath.』
It was none other than the Sun, Moro.
“Mother-in-law…?”
『Do you not understand the gravity of the situation? Keep your mouth shut and make the oath.』
Like everyone else, Moro lay prostrate on the ground, her expression more serious than ever.
If they angered the black holes even slightly, they would all be trapped here forever.
‘An oath that carries through generations? Good grief.’
But Yeongwoo had no choice.
“…Very well. Every hundred years, the head of the Renaissance shall visit you.”
Tesache recited the oath in a fearsome voice.
● This oath shall be upheld until your house, Renaissance, is extinguished, or we ourselves vanish.
Then the black hole beyond the passage recited the remaining clause.
● Should the oath ever be broken, all of us will know you are a traitor.
All of us.
Meaning every black hole in the universe.
In other words, if he broke this oath, interstellar travel using black holes would become nearly impossible.
● Accept the oath. This promise shall pierce through time and space.
With Tesache’s words, a black substance like boiling oil formed in the air, and the oppressive pressure vanished.
It was a sign for Yeongwoo to rise and seal the oath.
He stood and reached out toward the writhing black matter.
Tap.
The substance wrapped around his fingers, then withdrew.
● The oath is sealed.
“Then… will you send us on our way now?”
At his question, the bright light atop the thorn tower spread across the ceiling of the subspace.
Fwoooosh!
● Go. Find Phaemong. If you fail to return him, the oath shall awaken.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]