## Fracture - (2)

Beatrice spoke with a gloomy expression.

"...Well. The Red Goddess betrayed the Federation along with several other gods."

I could read many things from her words.

The Planetary Spirit Entity Constellation, Ruler of Red Beauty.

The guardian deity of Planet Valhar who harbored resentment toward the Federation.

A deity known as the Red Goddess to the planet's inhabitants. I remembered her because she had approached me once to ask what I thought about the Federation.

Since her planet was invaded during the Galactic Empire era, she certainly had sufficient motivation to break the agreement with the mortal collective and threaten the Federation.

But something didn't quite add up.

The Red Goddess isn't a dull deity. A god who had remained inconspicuous and caused no problems until I, known as a Galactic Spirit Entity from another dimension, appeared.

She must have been gauging her strength and decided the time wasn't right.

She wasn't impulsive by nature, and rather than wanting to exterminate all mortals, I got the impression she simply wanted the respect a deity deserves.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation expresses doubt about the betrayal.]

"...We suspect she didn't attack the Federation of her own will, but was brainwashed after participating in the war against alien constellations."

I see. So mental erosion is possible even for Planetary Spirit Entity-level constellations.

It certainly matches the star system level. Though I'm not sure if they can dominate multiple star systems.

Vivian, noticing Beatrice's depressed state, supplemented the explanation.

"When the alien constellations' offensive intensified, she headed to the front lines with several other constellations. After encountering what appeared to be their leader constellation, she showed signs of what we believe was mental contamination, then had a seizure and ended up like that."

I understood what she meant.

The Red Goddess—Constellation Ruler of Red Beauty—saw the subjugation of alien constellations as an opportunity.

Similar to how one gains fame by distinguishing oneself on the battlefield.

An opportunity to be treated like a proper deity by mortals. A chance to be revered by the arrogant humans of the Federation.

The other deities who sided with her probably thought the same.

But several planetary gods rushing at an alien deity that controls star systems was futile.

It's natural to have difficulty grasping the gap when looking up from below.

Still... this alone couldn't explain the concern on Beatrice's face.

The betrayal of her home planet's constellation was unfortunate, but she was my second avatar. She was subordinate to me, not the Red Goddess.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation demands a detailed explanation.]

"She attacked Planet Valhar immediately after betraying us. The temple and everywhere else..."

She's saying a planetary god indiscriminately massacred the planet's inhabitants who worshipped her.

She had seemed quite attached to the planet that worshipped her, but apparently, she could be forced to take actions that were psychologically repulsive.

And if she attacked Beatrice's home planet, does that mean her family died too?

"The imperial family members were safe because they were on another planet for a diplomatic tour, but countless imperial citizens died."

According to her, the entire planet became a hell where red thorns erupted from the ground and jewel-like monstrosities appeared, slaughtering people.

Even the avatars contracted with Constellation Ruler of Red Beauty weren't spared.

Perhaps due to their subordination to the contracted constellation, they went equally mad, wildly firing off their special abilities.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks what happened to Planet Valhar.]

"The Federation urgently dispatched a fleet and temporarily classified all planetary citizens as war refugees for mass warping."

"It was only possible because Ruler of Red Beauty was weakly resisting the brainwashing."

I suppose the fortunate thing is that not all planetary citizens died.

The Federation acted quickly. When the main body is dragged to the front lines and affected, the temporary vessel or power left on the home planet is naturally influenced.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation comforts his second avatar.]

"...I am grateful."

Beatrice's bitter expression looked incredibly pitiful.

The sorrow of a celebrity, perhaps? It was quite heartbreaking to see the slumped shoulders of an avatar who always showed a bright and energetic appearance in front of others.

Lee Yuna quietly embracing her shoulders to comfort her, and Vivian turning her head away.

Mortals are weak beings who live leaning on each other (人).

The fact that I can empathize with such a scene... is probably because I too was once human.

Don't doubt it. Don't think too deeply.

I am a being who was once human and became an Outer God—my past life name was ■■■

* * *

Should we call this the Second Constellation Brainwashing Incident?

The incident where several Planetary Spirit Entity constellations, including the Red Goddess, headed to the front lines and were mentally contaminated, then attacked the Federation.

The method of brainwashing from a distance in space didn't work on Planetary Spirit Entity constellations or fleets.

So they used their Authority to pull them in—directly making contact with extended tentacles to breach mental defenses.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks about the current status of other constellations.]

"They've all entered a dormant state after being attacked by warships promptly dispatched by the Federation."

Since it was madness caused by mental contamination, the Federation prioritized subduing rather than killing them.

They bombarded them with weapons slightly below planet-destroying level to force the planetary gods into a dormant state.

[Constellation Whispering Constellation asks to scroll up a bit.]

"Yes. Like... this?"

*Scroll*

When I expressed interest in seeing the Federation's public broadcast summarizing recent events,

Lee Yuna volunteered to show me her terminal.

Following her finger on the small terminal, I soon saw the scenery of outer space.

A video playing through a platform called GalaxyTube.

Purple tentacles the size of a planet, withstanding bombardment from numerous fleets. The constellation's struggles being blocked so effortlessly. The massive entity visible even through the recording devices attached to warships. That must be the star system-level alien constellation.

Perhaps the footage was released because they thought they couldn't prevent leaks to the public?

Or maybe they only released part of it to shape public opinion before implementing emergency measures like martial law or conscription.

- Based on the circumstances, they were definitely brainwashed. Those are symptoms of mental contamination.

- Sigh... so four constellations have been affected so far?

- How can they even brainwash Planetary Spirit Entity constellations?

- I thought we were in a standoff, when did we get pushed back like this?

- Don't we have that new weapon, the Cosmic Weapon or whatever...

- With a main body the size of a star system, what can we do? Let's mobilize the planetary weapons and push them back

- Yeah, I heard those were used too.

Planetary weapons? Another unfamiliar term appeared in the comments on the video.

GalaxyTube showed the process of several planets orbiting a star being reassembled and transformed.

I think I've seen that planet before when I was transferring the artificial intelligence entity.

When Beatrice and Lee Yuna departed with the 5th Fleet, there was a planet showing strange signs in the outer star system.

It was the largest planet in that star system, but I found it odd that no life forms lived there.

For a moment, I turned part of my vision to locate that planet.

A rocky planet that appeared thousands or tens of thousands of times larger than Lee Yuna's Planet Ratan or Beatrice's Planet Valhar.

What was peculiar was that despite the star system's orbit having been stabilized long ago, the planet was leaving the system.

Had they modified the planet to be unaffected by the star's gravity?

But I questioned whether such a thing could counter a star system-level deity.

I recalled what Constellation Endless Operator had said. According to the analysis of the superhuman artificial intelligence that had ascended to divinity, the Federation was likely to face difficulties.

Should I intervene?

But this isn't my dimension, I've already created three avatars, and I've allowed research on whatever "Cosmic Weapon" they're developing.

Maybe it would be better to just take care of the planets my avatars belong to if the Federation collapses.

If I talk to Nut, the Outer God of this side, I could probably snatch a few planets.

Hmm... wait. Thinking about it, Nut must be aware of what's happening here.

This was originally created as a model garden like a toy. A place containing world components and systems infused with Nut's tastes.

While I see alien constellations—cosmic monsters—as pests to be exterminated,

Nut seems different. If I had to say, she's more like someone who enjoys watching beneficial insects fight harmful ones.

She prefers the beneficial ones to win, but she's an observer who doesn't directly kill the harmful ones.

So the emergence of an unusual specimen from the group of alien constellations...

Is it a light prank directed at me, a fellow kind, or just a momentary investment of time for amusement?

[Constellation Whispering Constellation expresses desire to meet with Endless Operator.]

"You mean that artificial intelligence constellation?"

"Yes. I'll arrange a meeting right away, Constellation."

It would be better to think more about this issue.

The artificial intelligence constellation, who seems to have somewhat discerned my true nature at a glance, might provide interesting information.

---

[Is the Federation going to collapse at this rate?] +1256181

[Honestly, I wish the Galactic Spirit Entity constellations would help us] +815156

[But Silent Starlight is... hmm.] +9326

[Do you know that GalaxyTube and Federation networks are censored? Watch what you say] +15712651721

*Click*

A strange space covered in mosaics all around.

A woman of surreal beauty gestured to pull something.

A hologram floating through the air.

[Title: Do you know that GalaxyTube and Federation networks are censored? Watch what you say] [Edit] [Delete]

Constellations have no obligation to participate in the alien constellation subjugation war unless they're officially affiliated with the Federation.

They're helping us voluntarily, so let's be careful what we say.

Originally, Galactic Spirit Entity constellations like Silent Starlight or Whispering Constellation wouldn't care if the Federation collapsed.

Does anyone care if an ant colony they find on the street collapses?

That's exactly what we are to them, yet they're still helping us a little out of charity.

- That's true...

- Silent Starlight created the avatar contract system for us, and Whispering Constellation gave us his nail filth to research... tsk. Kids these days are so ungrateful and just complain. The world is going to hell.

- It wasn't literally nail filth, just something similar, okay?

- Why are there so many people asking constellations to do this and that lately?

- It's because of the high casualties. This is social chaos.

- You guys are really bickering at the edge of the galaxy

- You think alien constellations won't come to where you are?

- You. Home planet. Where. Located.

*Ding!*

As she was appreciating the comments on her post,

she looked toward a corner when a small notification sound rang.

—Galactic Spirit Entity Constellation, Whispering Constellation, has officially requested a meeting with your constellation...