The next day, as part of his routine, Joseph was busy adjusting and inspecting GENESIS. Max and Kotu approached him curiously.
Kotu asked, "Hey, Joseph, what are you doing?"
Joseph replied while focusing on his work, "Oh, just repainting GENESIS's right arm."
Max, intrigued, commented, "I see... It looks different from before."
Joseph nodded and explained, "Yeah, GENESIS is quite remarkable. It can even reattach a new arm, like this one from EMERALD PHANTOM."
Kotu chimed in, "We watched that footage, and it was amazing. It's incredible that GENESIS has hidden potential. By the way, have you seen Sally?"
Joseph thought for a moment and then replied, "Sally? She's probably in Luther's room. I think she's taking care of him."
Sally approached Max, Kotu, and Joseph with a friendly greeting. "Hey, guys, how's it going?"
Max and Kotu returned the greeting. Kotu inquired, "Hey, Sally, how's Luther? Is he doing alright?"
Sally responded with a smile, "Yeah, his condition is stable. He's currently resting."
Playfully, Max interjected, "Sally, do you have a little crush on him?"
Sally blushed, taken by surprise, and retorted, "What? No, why would I have feelings for him? That doesn't make any sense!"
Kotu quickly defused the situation, "Haha, relax, Sally. We were just teasing. Don't worry about it."
Sally chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, yeah, you guys got me there," as Max and Kotu left.
Sally leaned in closer to Joseph, speaking in a hushed tone. "Hey, Joseph... there's something I need to share with you."
Joseph looked intrigued. "What is it, Sally?"
Sally hesitated but then confessed, "It's true, I have feelings for Luther."
Joseph considered this revelation. "Hmmm... so Max was right."
Sally nodded. "Yeah..."
Joseph pressed gently, "But why keep it a secret? Why not tell them?"
Sally sighed. "You know, Joseph, they're still young and don't really understand these things. All they want is to have fun."
Joseph agreed, "You're right about that." He thought for a moment and then asked, "So, what do you think we should do?"
Sally hesitated and then said, "Can you please tell Luther for me?"
Joseph raised an eyebrow. "Tell Luther? Why not approach him yourself? Confess your feelings to him? Maybe he'll appreciate it."
Sally sighed. "I'm just not confident, Joseph. What if he rejects me?"
Joseph reassured her, "Why would he reject you? Considering his condition, he might be looking for someone to take care of him."
Sally considered this and then nodded. "You might be right"
Joseph added "Maybe I bring Erina.You know, she's better at this kind of stuff. I'm not good with it."
Joseph brought Erina to meet Sally, who then asked for advice about her feelings for Luther. Erina thought for a moment and suggested, "You know, sometimes cooking delicious food can work wonders. Men usually love it. Maybe we can prepare something special for him."
Sally nodded and said, "That's a great idea. I'll give it a try."
Sally, after preparing a delicious meal, brought it to Luther's room. Luther, in his weakened condition, was lying in bed when he noticed Sally's visit. He asked with curiosity, "Oh, you again? What brought you here?"
Sally approached Luther's bed, carrying the meal she had prepared. Luther saw her efforts with surprise and said, "Thank you, but I can't eat this... look at my hand; I don't have any fingers left."
Sally reassured him, "It's okay; I'll help you. Here, open your mouth."
As Luther tasted the meal that Sally had made, he smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've had this kind of food. Thank you, Sally."
Sally chuckled and said, "So, did you like it? Here..." After they finished eating.
Luther replied, "Thank you, Sally."
Sally added, "You're welcome. Anyway, Luther, I have something to share with you."
Luther asked, "What is it, Sally?"
Sally took a deep breath and confessed her feelings to Luther, "Luther, it's been a week I've been taking care of you. At first, I wasn't sure about these feelings, but now I realize that I can't deny it any longer. This feeling I have for you, I want to make you feel better, I want to make you happy, and taking care of you brings me a sense of purpose. I can't stand seeing you like this, Luther."
Luther was taken aback by her confession and replied, "Sally, I appreciate your kindness and your feelings, but have you considered... Look at me, with my condition, my scars, and the fact that I'm disabled. I don't know if I can make you feel better, Sally."
Sally smiled warmly and said, "It's okay, Luther. I don't want anything else. Having you is enough for me."
Luther, deeply touched, replied, "If you feel that way, then thank you for loving a man like me."
As suddenly Max and Kotu suddenly came. Max teased, "I knew it! Look, Kotu, my intuition is always right."
Kotu congratulated Sally with a smile, saying, "Congratulations, Sally. Now, our big sis has someone she needs to take care of."
Sally, surprised, asked, "Huh? When did you guys get here?"
Max replied with a grin, "Of course, we've been here since you entered Luther's room. We couldn't resist the delicious smell of the food, and we didn't know it was coming from you."
Max chimed in, "Hey, can we taste your food?"
Sally replied, "Of course not! Why don't you go to the cafeteria?"
Kotu added with a pleading look, "Oh, come on..."
Luther couldn't help but chuckle at their antics.
The next day as Eliza gathered everyone and sheb continued, "So, Luther, by any chance did you know Titus?"
Luther, visibly surprised, replied, "Titus? Yes, I used to know him... But why?"
Eliza pressed on, "During the first GENESIS operation, we encountered him. It appears Titus was involved in this project. In our investigation, we found documents that suggest you and Titus were once partners in Project Fortress VW-982. But he... slandered you. The documents also hinted at your involvement in the Void War. Is it true?"
Luther began to explain, "Yes, it's true. AI-controlled mechs, Fortress VW-982, and the Void War are all interconnected. But I didn't know that Titus left the project after completing the construction of Fortress VW-982. This stronghold was a collaborative effort between Goro Industries and the Valkyrie Sisters. But it wasn't just a stronghold; it was a mass production facility for AI-controlled mechs. They intended to use it for nuclear purposes. Goro Hasegawa, that man... at first, he planned to use it against the ARTIFICIAL, and then he aimed to control us all by wielding those nuclear weapons."
Luther continued, his voice heavy with the weight of knowledge, "The Void War, far from being just a conflict among the royals, was a carefully orchestrated exploitation of advanced technologies and weaponry by business magnates. They wanted to test their own weapons, all under the pretense of advancing technology. It was a grand scheme, and the ARTIFICIAL allowed it."
The room fell silent, absorbing the magnitude of the revelations. Joseph interjected, "How did you come to know all this? What were you doing during that time?"
Luther replied with a mix of bitterness and determination, "Of course, I knew. I was working alongside Titus, Professor Alice Whittaker, and the Crimson King under the development of GENESIS."
Joseph was taken aback, "So, everything the Crimson Queen said is true?"
Luther confirmed solemnly, "Yes, it's all true. GENESIS's previous pilot failed to destroy the ARTIFICIAL."
Eliza interjected with another crucial question, "Do you happen to know who created the ARTIFICIAL?"
Luther, with a hint of regret in his voice, replied, "I apologize; I didn't know who created the ARTIFICIAL."
Joseph continued to seek answers, "Who was GENESIS's previous pilot?"
Luther confirmed, "Yes, that man who appeared during our encounter with the EMERALD PHANTOM."
Joseph's eyes widened in disbelief, "You mean, that man was Christopher Topwells?"
Luther nodded, "Yes, Christopher Topwells, Professor Alice Whittaker's husband. It seems GENESIS chose him as its pilot. Initially, after completing the development of GENESIS, we thought the Crimson King would be the candidate to pilot it, but GENESIS had its own will and chose Christopher Topwells as its pilot."
Joseph, grappling with the revelation, said, "So, that man... he's my father."
The room was filled with shock and silence, except for Eliza and Luther. Luther stated, "I see... I had a feeling. It appears that GENESIS selected you as its pilot."
Joseph pondered, "But why didn't my father destroy the ARTIFICIAL?"
Luther, equally in the dark, replied, "I don't know. Perhaps your father holds the answers."
Joseph remembered, "My father always said to me, 'Reach the Surface.'"
Luther responded, "The Surface? I see... so it's true. Your father has already reached the Surface."
Meanwhile in the Empire of White Land
Meanwhile, in the Empire of White Land, Cisseus gently knocked on the door and entered to inform the White King, "My lord, the meeting is ready."
Ariarathes Weisman, the White King himself, replied, "Great, now let's begin the meeting." The virtual meeting among the royals commenced.
He initiated the meeting, "It seems GENESIS still exists, and we must find that man, Christopher Topwells. He's dangerous and a threat to our world and the government."
The Azure King, the Crimson Queen, and the Black Queen remained silent as the White King continued, "Karina, Crimson Queen, you are not aware of this?"
Karina, the Crimson Queen, responded with her signature cold presence and a hint of sarcasm, "GENESIS? This is the first I've heard of it. I thought you and the ARTIFICIAL had already destroyed it."
The White King pressed on, "I see. Then why don't you assist me in finding that man?"
Karina replied, "No, I have other matters to attend to. Perhaps you could ask Azure King or Black Queen. Aren't your Seven Sword Unit already powerful enough?"
Azure King intervened, offering his support, "Ariarathes, I will help you find that man."
The White King maintained his calm demeanor, "Thank you, Azure King. And what about you, Black Queen? It's been a long time, maybe you could share your name with us."
The enigmatic Black Queen, known for her mask, responded cryptically, "Introduce myself? There's no need. I embrace this mystery. For me, it's not necessary for any of you to know my name."
The White King pressed on, "I see. Will you provide support for our search, though?"
The Black Queen confirmed, "Yes, I will offer my support in searching for Christopher Topwells."
With all three rulers agreeing to work together, Karina, the Crimson Queen, added, "Very well. I will join all of you, but on one condition: I will search for Christopher Topwells alone."
The White King acknowledged, "Agreed. Thank you all for your cooperation."
After the meeting concluded, Benedict, Karina's loyal butler, entered Karina's chambers. He spoke, "My Queen, we have a guest."
Karina, ever cold in her presence, inquired, "I see. And who might this guest be?"
Benedict responded, "It appears to be none other than the Azure Prince himself, Ashfield Vanderbilt. He has arrived, and he's alone."
Karina calmly replied, "Very well, allow him to enter."