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"Galaxy's Lucky Star?" Sol toyed with the Special Grand Prize ticket in his hand and smiled faintly. "I like that title."
"So, are you the Family's planted shill?" Silver Wolf muttered while checking years of lottery records. "No one's hit the Special Grand Prize in ages, and the moment you show up, it appears."
Third Prize averaged three winners a year, Second Prize one every three years, First Prize one every ten years—and the Special Grand Prize, after all these years, only Sol ever got it.
This has to be cheating,just like the way she played games.
"I'm not familiar with the Family," Sol shook his head slightly and said calmly. "And I doubt they'd flatter me in such a way. Compared to that, I'm more curious why the famous Stellaron Hunters are following me around."
"By all logic, you should be busy choosing the correct ending, not wasting time on a newly arrived traveler like me."
Based on his limited understanding of this world, it was filled with countless possibilities. The Stellaron Hunters' purpose was to make specific choices and steer the future toward the outcome they desired.
At this moment, Silver Wolf should have had her own mission. She shouldn't have come here just to meet him.
"Tch, like I'd want to bother with you," Silver Wolf curled her lip and said lazily. "If you hadn't shown up on the Astral Express and risked messing with the script, I wouldn't be splitting my attention during a mission just to come take a look at you."
"I really don't get you. A dignified Emanator of Erudition, yet completely unknown across the universe."
She stared at Sol Mercer in astonishment and asked curiously, "So tell me—what exactly are your main achievements as an Emanator of Erudition?"
In truth, Elio had first learned that Sol Mercer appeared on the Astral Express. Only after thoroughly investigating his origins did they conclude that he was an Emanator of Erudition.
If they hadn't known in advance that such a person existed, they would never have believed that a new Emanator of Erudition had appeared in the universe.
Those geniuses usually produced earth-shattering achievements long before earning Nous's gaze, becoming famous one after another.
A mysterious existence like Sol Mercer was a first.
"I have many research achievements," Sol replied. "But even if I explained them, you wouldn't understand."
The reason he became an Emanator wasn't his achievements—it was because Nous wanted to study him to obtain those achievements.
Whether he said it or not didn't really matter. But since Silver Wolf asked, refusing to answer would make him seem petty.
He more or less understood why Silver Wolf was here.
Everything that passes leaves traces. He hadn't been in this world for long, but the traces he left behind were substantial.
Elio—the one capable of calculating the future, possibly even including Aeons in those calculations—investigating an unknown anomaly and discovering that uninhabited star system was only natural.
"I thought you'd be easier to deal with than that Herta freak," Silver Wolf said, recalling the genius who had destroyed seventy-two of her accounts, instantly losing interest. She switched to a businesslike tone.
"Fine then. Mighty Emanator of Erudition with countless achievements—could you tell me your purpose in coming here? That way I can report back to Elio."
"If you don't want to say, that's fine too. We've already taken note of you anyway."
She had come to gather intelligence, but if he wouldn't talk, there was nothing she could do.
In any case, trust in the all-powerful Elio.
"What a rude little girl."
Sol narrowed his eyes, feeling mildly irritated.
She'd followed him for no apparent reason, jumped out without apologizing, then started asking questions left and right, wearing an expression that said what can you do about it?
This flat-chested brat is really asking for it.
Silver Wolf nodded indifferently. "Mm-hmm. Maybe next time, if I'm in a good mood, I'll be more polite."
The data composing her body began to blur, clearly preparing to leave and report back.
Sol narrowed his eyes further and extended his right hand straight toward Silver Wolf.
That long, powerful hand grasped at empty space—and the space itself rippled in response.
Physical force, soul force, and Path power erupted simultaneously, shaking the fabric of space.
Galactic-scale physical strength, solar-system-scale soul power, and Emanator-level imaginary energy twisted all information within this small area into chaos.
Silver Wolf's projection flickered violently, trapped in a superposition between virtual and reality.
When Sol withdrew his hand, he was already gripping the back of Silver Wolf's fate.
At Interastral Peace Corporation Headquarters' Pier Point, the girl who had been preparing to forcibly recover her account and return to her complete "Silver Wolf" state froze in shock.
Her Aether Editing technology had failed—she had been forcibly dragged to Penacony!
Silver Wolf looked at Sol and gave an awkward smile. "Uh… I can be polite now."