Chapter 476

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 476: Beyond the Orbit (2)

“What the hell do you mean, leave the result up to the typesetter?”

Yeongwoo scowled at the empty air.

Leaving it to the “typesetter” was basically the same as saying it was up to chance — a completely irresponsible thing to say.

—No… anyone else saying it would be one thing, but shouldn’t the System know better than to say something like that?

Jiseon also found it hard to accept.

But Earth, which currently held control over the gravity of the planetary system, didn’t have the luxury to argue with the System.

『…There’s no other choice. It’s not like we have another option anyway.』

Even now, the celestial bodies on the outskirts of the planetary system were continuing to drift farther away.

『We just have to try. Even if the worst happens, we probably won’t lose all of them.』

Earth spoke lines far too reckless for a planet, perhaps influenced by the very embodiment of unpredictability — Jeong Yeongwoo — or perhaps because the universe itself had recognized it as its official “protagonist.”

“Yeah. Worst case, we lose a few planets. That’s not wrong.”

Yeongwoo exhaled through his nose and pointed upward with one finger.

“Anyway, as long as we don’t lose the Sun or Earth, the Planetship can launch, right? Let’s make a bet.”

At this, Earth immediately swung its arm and activated gravity weakening, prompting Jeonggu to mutter belatedly:

“Uh, wait. If we push the Sun farther away, what happens to us?”

“…Sorry? What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I heard somewhere… if the Earth gets even a bit closer to the Sun, we burn up. And if it moves farther away…”

『That’s right. We’ll freeze. Maybe not as bad as Pluto, but it’ll be hard for humans to survive.』

Earth finished Jeonggu’s sentence for him.

And yet, Earth had already swung its arm through the air, pushing the Sun further away.

“What? So if we push the Sun over there… aren’t we all going to die?”

As Yeongwoo’s jaw dropped, Earth turned slightly and looked down at him.

『But I’m a Planetship.』

“……!”

With that ominous line, a System message appeared across the planet’s surface.

「A drastic change in planetary atmosphere has been detected. Homeostasis maintenance function is being activated.」

Then, countless silver hexagonal structures began to appear above the clouds.

“Oh, this is…”

They had seen this before.

The Planetship’s external defensive shield was activating — not just converting sunlight into energy, but maintaining the planet’s environmental systems as well.

‘Right, even the energy for firing the main cannon came through that shield.’

Only now did Yeongwoo fully grasp the significance of the Planetship.

The star that had once simply been the gravitational center of the planetary system — the Sun — could now have its immense energy repurposed.

‘Shit… can that energy really keep homeostasis stable? It's already firing cannons and everything…’

And soon, it would be used for something even more unthinkable: breaking free of the natural orbit that bound all celestial bodies.

This was, truly, unpredictability incarnate — a variable in the universe.

In a cosmos where the “Typesetter” planned and accounted for everything, the Planetship alone defied its rules.

‘Don’t tell me… you actually prepared for this too, you bastard!’

As Yeongwoo hurled a silent taunt toward the Typesetter, Earth reactivated its gravitational pull, drawing celestial bodies together.

Even the Sun, pushed far from its original orbit — an impossible event by all natural logic — began pulling distant celestial bodies inward and prayed aloud:

『Please… O Typesetter!』

“There is no Typesetter here, mother-in-law! It’s up to us now!”

Unlike the solemn Sun, Yeongwoo shouted out another irreverent line.

Meanwhile, one of the patriarchs, quietly watching everything unfold, timidly approached Maon from behind.

—Um… will we be able to return home…?

Even Maon couldn’t make any promises, and simply looked at Yeongwoo’s back with a face full of concern.

With the planetary system undergoing upheaval, launching a ship to return home was physically impossible.

Right now, the only being capable of unrestricted spatial movement in this chaos was probably Chairman Dogo.

—Nothing can be guaranteed anymore. All we can do is rely on the mercy of the new Lord.

Maon also echoed the sentiment that everything now depended not on the Typesetter, but on Jeong Yeongwoo07.

If you wanted to beg to be sent home, you might as well plead to that lowly creature, rather than the Typesetter.

And finally—

Voooooom!

A deep rumble, unmistakably from the System, rang out from the center of the newly formed solar system model.

A message soon followed.

「The orbital structure of the new planetary system has been stabilized.」

“Oh?”

“…Huh?”

—Stabilized?

—Is it… over?

Not just Yeongwoo’s family, but even the lower-tier galactic patriarchs welcomed the news as if it were their own.

This madness needed to end if they were ever going to return to their own planets.

『Hah… haah… is everything still in place?』

Earth panted heavily and looked to the heavens.

From above, the Sun shouted into the distant sky.

『Svera! Are you there?』

After a pause, a deep, heavy voice rang out through the clouds.

『Pluto, Svera! Still awaiting your command!』

Even though the System had declared the orbital structure stabilized, Pluto — Svera — remained in the planetary model.

Which meant…

“Oh… wait. It didn’t get thrown out?”

Yeongwoo whipped his head around, trying to spot Pluto, but it was invisible to the naked eye.

Still, it was definitely orbiting on the outermost edge of the new planetary system and would likely serve as a sentinel as Earth’s ship sailed through space — just like before.

「All structural logic and energy sources for Planetship launch have been secured.」

“Oh wow. So… it’s really over?”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Through the marriage pact between the Solar Clan and the Renaissance, the Sun’s mass had been transferred.

As a result, the new planetary system’s orbital structure was fully reorganized.

So, what remains now is only one thing—

『Now we launch.』

With a solemn expression, Earth slowly descended from above, its physical body wrapped in a hexagonal shield.

Earth was no longer just a member of the solar system.

It was now the foundation upon which an entirely new planetary system would endure.

“You, bastard. You look a little older.”

『I’m just tired. I mean, it’s ridiculous for a planet to act like a star in the first place.』

With that, Moro descended to the surface and gave a final warning.

『From now on, Earthship and I are bound together. Without me, you can’t use energy. And without you, I’d be left stranded in the void of space.』

Strictly speaking, she’d wander the cosmos for a long time before being absorbed into another stellar system — or destroyed in the process.

“So what about the Prestige?”

『What…?』

“Didn’t the mother-in-law lend Earth her Prestige?”

『That’s… one way to put it.』

“Then what about my Prestige?”

『What?』

“I mean, as the registered owner of Earthship, shouldn’t I be getting a share too?”

When Yeongwoo shamelessly demanded his portion of the Prestige as the ship's owner, Moro looked momentarily stunned.

『You crazy bastard… Isn’t it enough that a mere creature like you is now the son-in-law of a star?』

“What, being a star’s son-in-law means people hit me more gently or something?”

As Yeongwoo showed no sign of backing down, Earth stepped in to mediate.

『The principle of non-aggression between celestial bodies and noble houses is enforced physically. Unless you become a celestial being yourself, there’s no way for the power granted to me to transfer to you.』

In other words, it was physically impossible.

“But I was part of the Earthship’s formula, wasn’t I?”

『That was only a necessary condition to trigger the mass transfer.』

“What? Then that means you used my value without permission!”

『Without permission? You’re the one who dragged us all into this mess in the first place.』

Earth wasn’t wrong.

If the problematic creature known as Jeong Yeongwoo07 hadn’t shown up, the solar system would probably still be enjoying peace right now.

『But you are the registered owner of the Earthship. So it’s not like this Prestige has nothing to do with you.』

That’s right.

Yeongwoo held about 30% control over the main cannons and trajectory of the Earthship.

And more importantly, his home planet had become incredibly safe.

No longer being tracked thanks to its volatile coordinate stabilization — plus a protection system that allowed the planet to maintain equilibrium even when drifting away from the sun.

『Naturally, it’s up to you to grow your own Prestige. But as the Earthship’s owner, this power should help you a bit.』

In truth, it would help him a lot more — but Earth held back, knowing Yeongwoo’s nature.

Even without being told, this madman was sure to take full advantage of a planet-destroying cannon and the Earthship itself.

“Goddammit.”

Eventually realizing he couldn’t squeeze anything more out of Earth or his mother-in-law, Yeongwoo turned his gaze skyward.

There, he saw planets tumbling down from above.

These were the celestial bodies that had been helping to construct the new planetary model — now returning to orbit near the sun.

“So we can launch right away, yeah? Now that it’s a fully functional Earthship, let’s get off this orbit.”

『Of course, launch is possible.』

At that, Maon, who had been listening to Yeongwoo’s conversation from the side, stepped forward to speak on behalf of the noble heads.

―If it’s all right, we’d like to take our leave. We each have far to go, after all.

In truth, they simply didn’t want to lift off a ship at the heart of a newly restructured planetary system.

This was an unprecedented variable, something even the proud archives of House Tisef had no record of.

And if the Earthship did something insane again — like earlier when it turned off and on its gravity field — their ships could be crushed.

“Oh, right? Heads of house, thank you for all your hard work.”

Yeongwoo gave them a rare smile and waved goodbye.

Then suddenly—

Grab!

He stretched out his right arm and grabbed the tip of Maon’s mechanical one.

“But, Lord Maon…”

―…Hmm?

“I don’t think I’ve received a congratulatory gift yet.”

The lower-house nobles of the galaxy, including Maon, opened their eyes wide in surprise.

―What do you mean? A congratulatory gift?

“You all saw it just now, didn’t you? That moment where the planetary system was restructured at great risk?”

―And what of it…?

“We finally completed this Earthship under immense difficulty. I believe that deserves a proper celebration from all of you.”

In short: Pay up before you leave.

―Now look here, Yeongwoo. We already…

Before Maon could finish with "…are allies", Emel — a minor head of House Shirach — jumped out, grinding his teeth.

―Not even with that fancy Earthship of yours could you stand against all of the galaxy’s lower houses. And yet you dare to threaten us? Are you not afraid of the consequences?

White Prestige glimmered from Emel’s eyes — a sign of extreme anger.

Yeongwoo, however, was lazily picking his ear with a finger.

“Consequences? What consequences?”

―What?

“How exactly are you going to find us for your revenge? You even know where we’ll be an hour from now?”

―I…!

Emel was rendered completely speechless.

Yeongwoo grinned slyly and clapped twice.

Clap, clap!

“All right, you bastards. If you want to go home, pay up.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]