Above Your Head

Chapter 22: Getting a Job, and War (3)

It is always difficult to adapt to a new environment.

From small events like transferring schools to big events like entering the army and becoming soldiers, a new environment is always very stressful for the newcomers.

Accepting people you didn't know, new rules, unfamiliar things, and so on isn't an easy feat. On top of that, it requires a certain amount of time and effort to adapt to them.

"Genie, can you test the accuracy of the guns number 171 and 3,141? Oh, and just throw away engine number 7 over there. It has poor durability. Ah, and let us take a look at the measuring instrument over there. Replace this and this part."

But in my case… I adapted really easily.

Obviously, it isn't because I have high adaptability. The tasks they entrusted me with were too easy, and Nathan, the Chief of the Tech Division, thought that it would be better if I hid my ability to some extent. He gave me a studio where outsiders did not frequent.

[Beginning the work.]

And that is why I am alone in that studio. No, to put it into words exactly, the control system of the Terra-class spaceship Albatross, Genie, was doing the maintenance and repairs.

"Erm, Genie, do you really have to look like that?"

I asked carefully as I observed Genie gearing up to work. Even though she was only a program instead of a living being, she was taking on the appearance of a human in front of me.

Her height was similar to mine. Her long, brown ponytail was moving, disregarding gravity. Because of her light brown eyes and sharp jawline, she had an elegant-looking face.

She looked elegant overall, but her body and uniform posed a problem.

'What's her cup size? I cannot even make a guess. I heard rumors about G-cup and H-cup, is this it? Ah, no, it is a hologram anyway, so I am at the losing end if I care about such things.'

If Alaina had reached the peak of sensuality for a human, then this girl with a (......) body exceeding that of a human was wearing a uniform that did not fit in with this spaceship at all.

As if to be worn by desert dancers, her lower body was covered with a piece of soft cloth and her upper body was covered in a vest made out of cloth that was about four or five palm sizes big. The cloth was hung around her neck, showing exceptional exposure of her waist, belly, and even inner chest.

Listening to her voice alone, she gave off the feeling of a boss' secretary, calm and decisive. However, with such an outward appearance, I didn't know where to look.

Nevertheless, Genie replied calmly. It seemed like there were many people who had the same question.

[If you are going to talk about my 'Character Image', I do not have the authority to change it because it is a reflection of the developer's taste. The basic setting would be a Metal Body. Do you want me to change out of this image if it is uncomfortable for you?]

"No, there is no need to."

[I will continue with the work then.]

She answered with a calm voice and continued with her work proficiently. Not only that, but as her eyes shone, the machines in a corner of the studio moved to clean up the machines I marked out. She then skillfully disassembled the two guns and started the examination.

Click! Kiiiing!

I leaned against the comfy chair while listening to the metallic sounds.

I did not have the ability to fix machines, obviously, and all the fixing was done by her and the maintenance machines.

Actually, there were no technical issues at all because of Genie, a perfect artificial intelligence that Earth's technology wouldn't dare to replicate. Also, there were the maintenance machines that could even operate nano fragments. There really was no need to lift a finger.

'Well, that is why there is no Chief of Maintenance despite having a Tech Division Chief.'

Most of the technical aspects could be covered by the artificial intelligence and maintenance machines. However, it was impossible for artificial intelligence to develop a new ability, regardless of how outstanding it was. Hence, the existence of the Tech Division was necessary.

Albatross was designed for long term battle operations ranging from years to decades, and hence it must have the capacity and ability to upgrade with time.

[All correct. It is amazing how you can see a fault in a gun's accuracy just by a glimpse. Two out of thousands. Even if it's a slight error.]

"Well, you are the one fixing everything in the end."

[That's naturally my job as the control system of Albatross.]

"How diligent. Ah, but can I ask a question?"

[Of course, Dae-ha-nim.]

I started chatting with Genie while a metal body looking like some sort of repeater that allowed her to handle matters with the Albatross commenced work.

Since Genie was an artificial intelligence, she was there in that Metal Body but also next to me and everywhere in the Albatross taking care of the crew's needs. It's nothing hard for her to speak to me while working.

"Can you tell me about the Detro Galaxy Union?"

[What do you want to know about them?]

"Universal knowledge."

I remembered the title from when I first saw Celestia. The affiliation in her title wrote [Detro Galaxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Advance Squad].

The titles always showed the state that represented that person and the affiliation they belong to at that particular moment. That means she belonged to the first advance squad of the fourth corps of Detro Galaxy Union when she visited Earth, even though she was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire.

However, I saw the same affiliation from another person.

'Alaina…'

Alaina, the head of Human Resources Division for Leonhardt Empire, had another affiliation aside from the one she revealed. She was affiliated with [Detro Galaxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Assassination Squad].

According to what I have heard from others, she had been onboard Albatross for close to ten years. However, since her affiliation was still the assassination squad, it meant that she had not forgotten her duty for these ten years.

[The Detro Galaxy Union is a group formed by the planets in the Detro Galaxy and also a transportation point that is considered to be the center of all the universe. Being a neutral territory, it is a powerful country that many others want to have but do not dare to lay their hands on.]

"Transportation point?"

I was more concerned about those two words than any other.

"There is something like a transportation point in space? Can't they just fly?"

I know well that there was a path in the sea and in the sky, but to think that there could be a transportation point in space.

Genie explained to the confused me.

[Dae-ha-nim. It takes thousands of years in theory to fly from one galaxy to another. It takes at least five years even if you move at full speed with maximum acceleration by using the Astral Drive, something that can only be installed in spaceships above the Terra-class. Star Gate is essential for moving between stars that are far apart or when moving between galaxies.]

"Star Gate… Is that something like a warp gate?"

[It is similar. It is a door that shortens the distance between the stars and galaxies. Gates between galaxies can only be installed by Class-Ten Demon-rank Magicians, so even in space, they are uncommon.]

Only then was I able to understand what a transportation point was.

"I see. So you are saying that the Detro Galaxy Union is a transportation point…"

[Yes. The Detro Galaxy Union is the place that has connecting gates to dozens of stars and three galaxies. It is also the strongest force with nearly 100 Arch-Magicians residing in the city and is home to Ouroboros, the best academic institution in space.]

"They are still a powerful force even when they are neither a foe or an ally?"

[Just looking at their scale, they cannot be compared to the Leonhardt Empire that rules over countless stars, but it is still a force that cannot be ignored. Right now, they have a good relationship with the Leonhardt Empire. People are free to come and go as well.]

I let out an internal sigh of relief at her words. Honestly speaking, I felt uneasy but I was glad they were not enemies.

"What about the Tekea Federation?"

[It is a federation that is near to the Leonhardt Empire. They are long-term enemies with the Empire, having engaged the Empire in five huge battles and countless minor battles.]

"Why are they enemies? Aren't they also from the Union?'

Normal people could get annoyed at those minor questions, but Genie explained everything to me sincerely.

According to her, most of the species that exist in space formed a spatial organization under the name of 'Union'.

This was to counter the transcendent beings outside the Physical Realm such as the heavenly race, demonic race, or disastrous existences that are beyond the Gods' control.

[However, even if they are tied together under the name of Union, space is endlessly vast and there is an uncountable number of members. There are dozens of empires, federations, kingdoms, and self-governed territories in space. The power of the Union is only exhibited when solving problems in the Great Universe and when they exercise Union laws. That is the reason why wars occur endlessly.]

South Korea is on Earth, and North Korea is also on Earth. But can the two be considered 'allies' just because they are both on Earth?

Likewise, even if the Union embraced most of the forces in the universe, its inhibitory ability wasn't that strong. This was because the members' personalities and their way of thinking were all different. Also, there were forces where the resentment for each other ran so deep that reconciliation was impossible.

As such, even if they all came under the umbrella of a Union, their sense of belonging was weak. Like how even when everyone lives on Earth, only a few feel a sense of belonging to Earth unless aliens appear.

[Ah, the work is done. This is all for today. You have worked hard, Dae-ha-nim.]

"You did all the work. Contact me if there is a problem."

I lightly waved my hand and got out of the studio.

At the same moment.

Pipik!

A text saying [3,000 Gallats have been deposited] showed up on the communication device that looked like an electronic watch I received after I got employed(?) on Albatross.

Bewilderedly, the salary here was paid daily.

"Let's see, the exchange rate for 1 gallat is 17,000 won[1] right now…"

Bo-ram, the magician girl, and Dong-min, the superhuman, did not know about the existence of aliens, but that was only because they did not have the power and connections. However, if you looked into the higher echelons of every country, it seemed like there were quite a number of people that knew and cooperated with them.

Otherwise, there was no way for such a high exchange rate.

Also, judging by the slight change in numbers daily, the exchange rate shown on my communication device seemed to be in real-time.

I calculated casually.

"51 million won… To get 51 million won for working five hours a day… Ohohoho."

I could not help but laugh.

What had I done honestly?

I went to work way past morning (of course, it is not when the sun just rose but surprisingly enough, their concept of time was the same as that on Earth. So, a day has 24 hours and there are 365 days in a year) at about 10 am. I had lunch after taking care of some things and left work at 3 pm.

Normally, people would comment that their own job was the hardest, but I could not say that because of my conscience. Moreover, my lunchtime was included in my five hours of work.

"Of course, it seems like I would be earning a bit more as a Gigas pilot."

If I recall correctly, she said that I would get 10 billion won [2] a month if I passed the exam of Pinnell Academy or something. That meant I would be earning much more than now, where I am earning a mere(?) 1.5 billion a month (we get paid the daily average wage on holidays too), but…

If I went to a military school, I would obviously have to do military training and perhaps set foot on the battlefield. So being a Gigas pilot would be a totally different story from my current situation.

Moreover, even those five hours of work was just playtime. I just had to tell Genie the faulty issues and she would check or repair them on her own. While she worked on them, I would read a book or chat with her.

In the beginning, I thought that they were deceiving me because the working conditions were unbelievably good, but three weeks had since passed. Because of how quick-witted I am and also my power to see titles, I could tell that there were no schemes in the entirety of this situation.

Apart from me, Bo-ram and Dong-min, who were both extremely tense at one point, were also adjusting well.

"I did not know this, but…" I mumbled unconsciously as I slowly exited the Tech Division room.

"This is really sweet?"

1. 1 Gallat is approximately 15 USD

2. ~885,000 USD

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