Hearing Irene's words, Gray Serpent's red optical sensor flickered for a moment before he nodded. "Of course, Miss Irene."
This request was not unexpected. The moment Gray Serpent heard that Irene had a request, he had considered the possibility that she would propose something like this.
Gray Serpent himself held similar thoughts. Even if Irene had not made this request, he would have invited her to the Elysian Realm regardless.
While the Elysian Realm could be considered classified, it was fundamentally a place of inheritance—a trial ground left by the Flame-Chasers of the Previous Era for the Current Era. All World Serpent Cadres with potential would essentially take a walk through it, let alone Irene, who was suspected of carrying Pardo's soul and the souls of the two Doctors.
The term 'soul' was no longer foreign to them. The various powerhouses of the Previous Era were most skilled at leaving behind memory constructs in all sorts of places—places no one even knew about. Coupled with the existence of the Herrscher of Sentience, they had long known that souls were indeed a reality.
Since that was the case, allowing Miss Pardo to converse with the memory construct she left behind in the past, and considering the two Doctors would likely want to reunite with Mobius, it was a necessary course of action.
Moreover, only those thirteen Flame-Chasers in the Elysian Realm could thoroughly verify whether Irene's previous claims were true or false. Both emotionally and logically, letting Irene visit the Elysian Realm was not a loss.
Seeing Gray Serpent agree to her request so easily, Irene raised her eyebrows slightly. "That really was simple. I thought I would have to waste some breath."
"The Elysian Realm has always been open to those with potential and ability. Miss Irene naturally possesses the qualifications to enter." Gray Serpent seemed to let out a light chuckle. "I wonder when Miss Irene intends to go? Is it now?"
"I will contact you when I need to go." Irene shook her head. "Right now, I still have matters to deal with."
"..." Hearing Irene's words, Gray Serpent fell silent for a moment. "I hope the matter Miss Irene speaks of is unrelated to Schicksal, or unrelated to our objective this time."
"Come on. If I said it wasn't, would you believe me?" Irene spread her hands. Everyone present was smart; no smart person would appear in a place for no reason, and she had obviously come with a purpose.
"That is very important to us."
Irene was noncommittal regarding Gray Serpent's statement. "But I am not standing on the same side as Schicksal either. Moreover, if it is truly taken away by Schicksal, you won't do much about it, will you?"
"Do you have to speak in this manner?" Raven looked at Irene. "To be honest, your way of speaking makes you look more than just a little punchable."
"If I have brought Miss Raven an unpleasant experience, please forgive me." Irene looked at Raven and smiled, then turned her head to look at Gray Serpent.
"The only use the Cosmic Juggernaut has for you is to find Kevin. But the prerequisite for all of this is that Su is willing, isn't it?"
Currently, the holder of the Cosmic Juggernaut and the final authority was solely Su. World Serpent didn't have it, and neither did Kevin. If there was no way to persuade Su, then even if World Serpent guarded the Cosmic Juggernaut, it would be useless.
Su would not release Kevin so quickly. Project Stigma was simply too terrible, and the Current Era was far from reaching the point where that worst-case plan absolutely had to be initiated.
Therefore, even if World Serpent truly guarded the Cosmic Juggernaut and dragged it back, it would be of no use because Su would not give them authority. And a Cosmic Juggernaut without authority was just a piece of junk.
Moreover, it was a piece of junk that would invite trouble. After all, Otto desperately needed the Cosmic Juggernaut to continue his research and to add bricks and tiles to his own goal. If World Serpent dragged the Cosmic Juggernaut back, did it even need to be said what Otto would do?
"So, he will die here." Raven looked at Irene. "You are so smart, or rather, you know so much. Could it be you don't know what I am here to do?"
"I trust that you can't do it." Irene propped her chin on her hand, looking at Raven with a smile. "If you don't believe me, you can try. I won't stop you~"
Otto had lived for so long; without some life-saving measures, how could that be possible? Besides, what came here was just a body. Otto had more than just one Soulium body like this.
Raven looked at the smile on Irene's face and clenched her fist. No, she still had to find a way to teach her a lesson. This person really looked a bit punchable.
"Raven." Gray Serpent glanced back at Raven, then turned back to look at Irene. "If you put it that way, can I assume that Miss Irene is temporarily not standing with us?"
"I do not stand on the side of Project Stigma." Irene looked at Gray Serpent. "I have no way to accept that kind of sacrifice. Project Stigma is indeed a guarantee."
"But wouldn't it be better if we didn't have to use this guarantee?"
"However, if there were no guarantee, I would consider that even more irresponsible." Gray Serpent stood up; there was no need to continue the discussion.
The gains this time were already substantial. He roughly understood Irene's situation and was all too clear on Irene's attitude toward them. As for persuasion and change...
Both Gray Serpent and Irene understood that they had no reason to persuade the other side. Gray Serpent himself understood what state Project Stigma would eventually proceed to and what things would be sacrificed. It was indeed the worst possible guarantee plan.
But without this guarantee plan, the continuation of civilization could not be discussed. The Current Era could only prove that it possessed the ability to surpass this plan, or it could only accept this plan.
Conversely, Irene also knew that trying to persuade Gray Serpent or World Serpent was impossible. Project Stigma was a necessary justice, the justice of the final guarantee, the final correctness.
Sometimes, what 'right' faced was not 'wrong', but another 'right'. If one wanted to prove who was more correct, one could only see the truth under one's hands.
"If Miss Irene has time, you are welcome to contact me anytime." As Gray Serpent spoke, he took out a communicator from inside his clothes and placed it on the table. "I believe the Sovereigns in the Realm will be looking forward to Miss Irene's arrival very much."
"I will also look forward to it very much." Irene reached out and scooped the communicator into her hand. He wouldn't carry this thing personally; he must have gotten it from someone else.
She would likely use this thing only once, which was to contact Gray Serpent to take her to the Elysian Realm. As for afterwards, she could probably go by herself.
As for whether Gray Serpent would have an opinion—as long as the Sovereigns of the Elysian Realm had no opinion, Gray Serpent would not have an opinion either.
Hmm, whether she could get permission... leaving other things aside, just speaking of Rin, for Irene to get Sakura's approval would be simply too easy. What's more, the two Doctors should also be able to help her fight for Mobius's approval.
"Then, I will await Miss Irene's contact." After Gray Serpent saluted Irene once more, he walked out of the room. Raven shrugged, tossed the cola Irene had thrown to her back to Irene, and then followed him out.
Watching Raven close the door, Irene sat back down and slowly heaved a sigh of relief.
[That was hard work, my Dear.] [Irene]'s voice rang out in Irene's mind. [Acting is really tiring, isn't it?]
Irene toyed with the communicator in her hand: [Actually, it was alright. I pretty much guessed they wouldn't tear up the script. Of course, the premise was that I had to first prove that I really do have a connection to the Previous Era.]
Cangxuan borrowed Irene's eyes to look at the communicator in Irene's hand: [I didn't expect the Gray Serpent from back then to have grown to this extent. I wonder if Dr. Mobius will have any thoughts.]
[Rather than caring about that, Sis, you should worry about how many tasks Dr. Mobius will dump on us after we meet her later.]
Danzhu's tone sounded like she had thought of something terrifying: [Ah, I feel like once we meet, there will be files piled up like a mountain slammed in front of us.]
[Mm, surely not.] Cangxuan's tone revealed that she didn't have much confidence this time either. [At any rate, it counts as a reunion after a long separation...]
[Sigh, I actually think I can have a good chat with myself.] Pardo's voice sounded full of happiness. She had wanted to meet the version of herself in this world a long time ago.
[Then look forward to it properly.] Irene smiled and casually tossed the communicator onto the table. She had important things to do tonight. As for the rest, it would depend on Pardo's luck and her own luck.
If their luck was bad, they would have to wait until Otto's side began to drag the Cosmic Juggernaut out, and then enter during the chaos.
This was why Irene hadn't come over earlier. There was no way to ensure Pardo could drag the Cosmic Juggernaut out, and Irene didn't have any space-type abilities on hand.
The only period where she could ensure Irene would definitely be able to board the Cosmic Juggernaut was right now. If Pardo's attempt this time wasn't successful, Irene could only wait for Otto to take action personally and find the Cosmic Juggernaut.
Then, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Judgment of Shamash and the battle between Rita and Durandal, she would sneak in quietly.
However, whether it would develop to that extent would have to wait until tonight's on-site investigation to find out.
*
One Night Later · River Thames
The night was deep. There were no longer any tourists lingering by the River Thames. Under the cover of night, Irene groped her way to the side and looked at the void before her.
"Alright, Pardo, it's time for your performance." Irene had already transformed into Pardo's appearance earlier. Furthermore, before coming here, she had asked Pardo to pray for smoothness all the way.
Now, she transferred control of the body to Pardo, allowing Pardo's luck to be exerted to the maximum limit. After all, this matter was indeed something that relied heavily on luck.
I'm afraid only Pardo's luck could master it.
After taking over control from Irene, Pardo stretched her limbs slightly. She walked along the river for a while before seemingly selecting a direction.
Sister Irene, I'm going to jump, okay?
[Just jump.] Irene gave a thumbs-up to Pardo in the spiritual world. If even Pardo's luck couldn't achieve it, then Irene wouldn't try anymore and would just honestly wait for the movements on Otto's side.
Looking at the void in front of her, Pardo took a deep breath, then fiercely leaped over the railing. During this process, starting from her fingertips, her body began to undergo Quantization step by step.
Subsequently, her quantized fingers seemed to touch some kind of water ripple and penetrated through.
The process of Quantization continued, quickly passing over Pardo's whole body. Each moment was timed just right, refreshing exactly when she was quantized.
Pardo's arm had already passed through the barrier, and other parts followed suit. The degree of Quantization was perfect every time. Before long, that small figure in the air completely disappeared from London without causing any fluctuations.
Pardo landed inside what looked like a frame defined by glass. In front of her was a gigantic device shaped like a locomotive.
"Ah! Sister Irene! I succeeded! I succeeded!" Pardo looked at the Cosmic Juggernaut before her eyes. As a former user, Pardo naturally knew what the Cosmic Juggernaut looked like.
Although this was in a parallel world, it seemed that Sister Vill-V's aesthetic was exactly the same, even if the world had changed.
"Mmhmm, I see it." Irene nodded, but she didn't relax her vigilance. After taking control back from Pardo, she looked around alertly. She hadn't forgotten that there was a gatekeeper here.
Just then, clear footsteps came from above the Cosmic Juggernaut. Irene looked up and saw a puppet shaped like Kevin, carrying a tiny Judgment of Shamash in its hand.
However, unlike the Key of Destruction puppet in the original plot that seemed to start a fight with Durandal and the others at the slightest disagreement, this Key of Destruction puppet seemed to silently gaze at Irene.
"Um, hello." Irene waved her hand at the Key of Destruction puppet, then pointed at the Cosmic Juggernaut. "Can I go in?"
"Visual authentication complete." The Key of Destruction puppet floated down and stood in front of Pardo, staring straight at her. After staring for quite a while, it spoke. "Iris authentication complete."
"Welcome back, Flame-Chaser Pardofelis."
[Hmm?] Pardo used Irene's eyes to look at the armed puppet standing in front of her scratching its head. [Is this Boss Kevin's armed puppet?]
[There wouldn't be anyone else with this appearance, right?] Danzhu, watching from the side, looked at the armed puppet before her. However, she didn't recall Dr. Einstein ever making a puppet with this appearance.
Could it be something Mr. Su hand-crafted? She had once hand-crafted an armed puppet that looked somewhat similar to her own sister, so she hadn't expected Mr. Su to have an interest in this area as well.
[Mm, I just wanted to say it's a bit cute, but I don't quite dare.] Pardo looked at the armed puppet before her. After all, having grown accustomed to the high, cold, and tall Boss Kevin...
Looking at this Q-version Kevin puppet that was at most three heads tall, Pardo just couldn't get used to the sight.
Listening to Irene's inquiry, the Key of Destruction nodded and turned slightly sideways to make way. When Su issued the command back then, the order forbidding approach was only directed at Kevin.
And when Su created the Key of Destruction, aside from behavioral data, he had clearly been lazy with the memory data. He had directly imported the Cosmic Juggernaut's database into the Key of Destruction, which naturally contained Pardofelis's information.
Since Su hadn't issued an order forbidding her approach, as a recorded authority holder, the Key of Destruction naturally would not block her.
Irene quietly breathed a sigh of relief and finally walked toward the Cosmic Juggernaut. She hadn't expected this to be so easy; she had already prepared herself to go in a huge circle.
As expected of Pardo.
________________________________________
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