Dimensional Descent

Leonel didn’t react violently either. Maybe he was just in a numb kind of mood, but this was also how he always was. He had spent most of his life thinking his mother was dead. Actually, he had felt that that was probably the lesser possibility, the greater of which being that she had abandoned them. It was the only reason he could think of for why his father didn’t tell him about her. Of course, now he knew it was just a matter of necessity. Telling him about Alienor would have meant exposing the Void Palace because on modern-day Earth, there was simply no excuse for not being able to see anyone. You could travel from one end of the planet to another in just a few minutes, and even if there was some reason you couldn’t, even 21st-century Earth had countless communication methods, let alone modern-day Earth.

If his father had tried to lie that way, rather than being indifferent toward his mother, he would have probably been resentful toward her for making his father have to come up with so many lies.

When he had finally learned that his mother was alive after the Metamorphosis, he had reacted with a shrug; he never really cared. He never cared enough to ask about her, and he didn’t care enough to find out the truth about her, so why would he care that she was alive?

It was only after awakening his Dream Force and recalling every bit of his memories did he know that he could have love for his mother without letting her off the hook for something so egregious as not staying in her own child’s life.

So, when he learned that this mysterious woman was his grandmother, he didn’t care. Even when he thought about the so-called love triangle between King, the Silver Emperor, and her, he still hadn’t cared. The idea that his grandfather was potentially a cuckold didn’t really move the needle for him at all. There wasn’t much you could do against such a powerful woman. Plus, that love triangle was nothing but a folk tale; he had no real evidence for it.

If she wanted to bed you, you could probably only accept it. If she wanted to leave you afterward, well, it was only right. You should thank your lucky stars at that point.

At best, Leonel’s thoughts just drifted to the fact that the Lineage Factors of the Morales and the Silver Empire were so similar. It seemed that the connection all along was this woman. But beyond that sort of understanding, he was still indifferent.

However, Velasco obviously knew his son well, so he wasn’t waiting for Leonel to ask questions. As he had said, this was the very reason he had left behind such a message, so he wouldn’t let Leonel’s tendencies stop him from speaking. He rarely explained anything, so the fact he was going out of his way to do this meant that it was important.

”I don’t understand much about the relationship between your grandfather and grandmother, but what I know is that she was never of this world. This place was nothing more than a playground for her because something had caught her attention.

”I’m not sure what that something was, but I have my deductions. It’s likely related to the simulations.”

Velasco spoke this as a matter of fact that everyone should know. It was either he was trying to get a rise out of Leonel, or he simply felt that if Leonel hadn’t figured it out by now, he would be too foolish to be his son. Or, rather... his seed.

”That dumbass who calls himself King, who can’t even withstand a single spear of mine, most definitely isn’t strong enough to create these worlds as they are. Only a race of being far above could allow this to happen. Turning worlds into a playground of breeding just to form a large group of powerful soldiers in a short amount of time is beyond what the Three Finger Cult and their backers are capable of.

”I believe that this is what caught the attention of your grandmother.”

”If you hate her so much, why are you still calling her that?” Leonel muttered to himself. Even now, he was still acting as though he was alone. It was easier that way. What would he look like allowing an AI to become his new father?

”I call her that out of respect for my father and nothing else,” Velasco suddenly said coldly before continuing as though nothing had happened. ”-only something of that magnitude was enough to catch her attention.

”As for why she did all the things afterward, I have no way of knowing why she did. But I know that she has an eye on you, that’s something you’re going to have to deal with on your own.”

”If you hated her so much, you should have tried to kill her on your own.”

”She never had a direct hand in your grandfather’s death, that was entirely the work of King, and precisely why he is now dead. As for her, she’s a puppet master that prefers to be hands-off. Her plans are probably only known and understood by her...”

Silence fell.

”Alright, I’m off. What you do with this information is up to you. Also, stop being such a crybaby, you’re a grown man.

”Stop chasing the impossible. Focus on what you can do with absolute certainty. Only fools overestimate themselves. Then there’s me, who finds it impossible to overestimate myself, HAHA!”

The voice faded, and Leonel fell into his own silence once again.

Leonel continued to stare into the vast emptiness above him. Himself, and even the endless starry road, and even the enormous Vital Star in the far-off distance seemed to be entirely... too small.

Leonel closed his eyes, and his father’s glasses and the dictionary disappeared from his hands. Then... he simply fell asleep.

Soon, his light snores filled the Trial World.