Seo-jun remained frozen before the translucent green window.
His eyes were still locked on the endless string of nines.
"This... is insane..."
Even after staring at it for nearly a minute, the absurd number refused to feel real.
Just as he was beginning to wonder whether he should try spending a few of those enhancement points...
Whoosh.
The metallic doors to the training hall slid open.
Seo-jun instinctively spun toward the sound.
Standing in the doorway was a young maid with chestnut-brown hair tied neatly into a low bun and gentle hazel eyes.
She wore a pristine black-and-white maid uniform accented with sleek silver trim. Folded neatly over both forearms were two fresh white towels.
The moment their eyes met, she lowered her head into a respectful bow.
"Young Master."
"Her Ladyship, Lord Elizabeth, has requested your presence."
"She wishes to have a word with you."
Seo-jun’s face instantly lost its color.
"...!"
Lord Elizabeth...
His mind raced.
Arthur’s... mother.
For the briefest moment, panic threatened to take hold.
Calm down.
You have Arthur’s memories.
Just act naturally.
Taking a slow breath, he forced his expression back under control before rising to his feet.
"Bring the towels here, please."
"Yes, Young Master."
The maid gracefully climbed the short metallic steps leading to the raised training platform.
Stopping beside him, she respectfully presented the towels.
Seo-jun took one and slowly wiped the sweat from his face and neck, buying himself a few precious moments to think.
Without looking at her, he asked,
"Is it urgent?"
The maid nodded politely.
"I believe so, Young Master."
"Her Ladyship mentioned that it concerns your coming-of-age ceremony..."
She paused briefly.
"...and the future of our star system."
Seo-jun’s hand stopped wiping midway across his forehead.
The future of our... star system?
Even with Arthur’s memories, those words carried an unmistakable weight.
He let out a quiet sigh before draping the towel over one shoulder.
"...Very well."
"Please let her know I’ll freshen up first."
"I’ll be with her right away."
The maid bowed once more.
"Of course, Young Master."
As she turned to leave, Seo-jun suddenly remembered the name that had surfaced among Arthur’s memories.
"...And Rita."
She stopped and looked back.
"Yes, Young Master?"
Seo-jun offered her a small, appreciative smile.
"...Thank you for bringing the towels."
For just a moment, surprise appeared across Rita’s face.
Then her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"It was my pleasure, Young Master."
With another graceful bow, she quietly departed.
The doors slid shut behind her.
Whoosh.
Silence once again settled over the training hall.
Seo-jun stared at the closed doors for a long moment before letting out a slow breath.
"...Alright..."
"Time to meet my mother."
...
Seo-jun... no.
Arthur.
He still wasn’t sure which name felt more appropriate anymore. The memories had synchronized so perfectly he felt like he’d always been Arthur, and his life as Seo-jun was a sudden daydream he had during his training session. But the existence of the system window made it clear that wasn’t the case.
Sitting waist-deep in a massive indoor bath, he leaned back against the smooth stone edge and slowly closed his eyes.
Warm water embraced his body, washing away the lingering fatigue from the earlier training session.
The bath itself was nothing short of magnificent.
Its broad basin had been carved from pale white stone, polished until it gleamed beneath the soft ambient lighting.
Along the surrounding walls stretched breathtaking murals depicting the wonders of the galaxy spiral nebulae painted in brilliant blues and violets, distant star systems glittering across endless space, towering warships locked in battle, and heroic mech pilots standing defiantly before the infinite cosmos.
Near one corner of the bath stood an exquisitely sculpted stone statue of a handsome young man.
Crystal-clear water continuously poured from the vessel he carried into the steaming pool below.
Beside the statue floated several translucent holographic windows displaying the bath’s temperature, water quality, and the current time.
Small hovering light orbs drifted silently near the ceiling, bathing the room in a warm golden glow, while gentle strips of blue light embedded beneath the floor of the bath shimmered beneath the water’s surface.
Every detail...
Every sensation...
Made one fact impossible to deny.
This wasn’t virtual reality.
It felt...
Real.
Arthur let out a long, contented sigh.
"...Nothing like a warm bath to ease the stress in your muscles and bones."
He sank a little deeper into the soothing water.
For a brief moment, he almost forgot everything that had happened.
Then...
"Her Ladyship, Lord Elizabeth, has requested your presence."
Rita’s words resurfaced in his mind.
Arthur opened his eyes again.
"...Sigh."
He rested an arm on the edge of the bath.
"It’s just like it was in the game..."
His gaze wandered toward the mural of the stars overhead.
"This world..."
He paused before quietly correcting himself.
"...No."
"...This universe."
"It really is one massive matriarchal society."
Women ruled noble houses.
Women commanded fleets.
Women governed star systems.
Women stood at the pinnacle of military power.
His memories as Arthur had made that abundantly clear.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"...But..."
"I guess that’s also what made Interstellar Lords Online so popular with its male player base."
Unlike countless games where male protagonists dominated every battlefield and throne...
This universe was different.
Here, the women were the legends.
The rulers.
The heroes.
And the terrifying monsters on the battlefield.
It was certainly... unique.
But there was a very clear reason for it.
Because in this universe, only women could become...
"...Iron Angels," Arthur murmured quietly.
The name alone carried immense weight.
The memories he’d inherited, combined with his own knowledge of the game, painted a clear picture.
Iron Angels.
Women capable of standing against entire fleets alone.
Warriors who could breathe in the vacuum of space as naturally as ordinary people breathed air.
Beings blessed with lifespans far exceeding those of normal humans.
The ultimate military force of every star system.
The true rulers of the battlefield.
No matter how advanced a civilization’s warships became...
No matter how devastating its orbital cannons or planetary defenses were...
An army without powerful Iron Angels would never be considered a true galactic power.
Arthur smiled faintly.
"It’s no wonder the entire universe revolves around them."
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason Interstellar Lords Online had exploded in popularity.
The male player base loved the colossal mechs.
The kilometer-long starships.
The breathtaking fleet battles that lit up entire sectors of space.
The politics.
The kingdom building.
The endless wars fought over planets, resources,and territory.
But...
He couldn’t help but chuckle.
"...Let’s be honest."
"There was also something undeniably fascinating about watching beautiful space valkyries carving through enemy fleets."
He remembered countless promotional trailers.
Elegant women clad in gleaming metallic armor, soaring through the stars, their radiant weapons cleaving apart battleships that dwarfed cities.
It was spectacular.
Equal parts beautiful and terrifying.
Arthur leaned back against the smooth stone edge of the bath, letting the warm water wash over him.
"...Still..."
His smile gradually faded.
"This isn’t just a game anymore."
Those same Iron Angels...
Those same wars...
Those same impossible monsters and galactic empires...
Were now his reality.