Time passed quickly for Mordred in the Mass Effect world. According to Ethan's calculations, the "plot" there should have already concluded.
He didn't go to pick up Mordred himself. He just sent her a message, reminding her that she could return.
The assessment result wasn't important anymore. As long as Mordred lived smoothly until Ethan deemed it the right time, the result was already determined. He believed she had also achieved the goals she set for herself during this period.
After Mordred replied, "Alright," Ethan opened a portal based on her coordinates, and Mordred returned to the Venus along with Galahad, Duke, and the rest of her subordinates.
Ethan looked over the group behind Mordred and noticed that the number had decreased significantly. Besides familiar faces like Duke, Anna, and White Ghost, only four veterans remained.
"So many people are gone?"
Was the Mass Effect world that dangerous? Mordred's strength shouldn't have led to such heavy losses among her team.
Mordred shook her head helplessly and simply replied, "Some left midway, some were bribed and tried to betray me, plus the casualties..."
Ethan nodded. The reasons behind the drop in numbers were complex, not just due to combat losses. That made it easier to understand.
Everyone has their own thoughts and faces constant choices. Some choose to stay on the original path, while others go in different directions.
Ethan didn't have much to say about that. Everyone had the right to choose, and likewise, they had to face the consequences of those choices.
Looking at the few remaining veterans behind Mordred, he wondered if she felt disappointed.
Even among the ones who stayed, not all of them intended to follow her long-term. Of the four unfamiliar veterans, only one named James Jones was willing to continue. The others chose to accept Mordred's suggestion and become security consultants (essentially high-level security guards) for Annette's pharmaceutical company.
As for James Jones, who did want to stay, Mordred ended up sending him away. She had already determined that he was a government agent planted in her team to gather intelligence.
Considering Annette was steadily developing her base in that world, Mordred didn't eliminate him after finding out. Instead, she confronted him after returning, which could be seen as giving the "government" some face.
So in the end, the subordinates Mordred recruited were reduced to Duke, Anna, White Ghost, and Krauser, along with... John Shepard, who she brought back with her.
As the hero who saved the galaxy, Shepard had no place left in that world. It was quite ironic. His life there had become miserable, so when Mordred invited him to leave the galaxy, he accepted without hesitation.
Of course, he hadn't expected that "leaving" meant going to another world.
Shepard, who quickly accepted the situation, didn't think it was a big deal. He was ready to start over.
As for pledging loyalty to Mordred? Since she had helped him many times during the fight against the Reapers, even saving him, he felt that working for her to repay those debts was more than fair.
Besides, he needed a way to survive, and Mordred could at least guarantee that.
"What about the pilots you need?"
"I made other arrangements in advance."
Mordred had already pre-ordered a Morningstar-class frigate (Earth Federation classification) and several VF fighters to form her core military unit.
Originally, she had recruited many veterans, and Ethan thought she was planning to train them into an all-purpose elite unit. Now, only a few remained. While they were strong, there were still more VF fighters than personnel.
Seeing Mordred's expression, Ethan realized she had made other preparations. After thinking for a moment, he remembered that Mordred had visited the Macross world several times. Perhaps she had recruited pilots there. After all, VF fighters were a specialty of that world.
"Give me some time to sort things out, then you can send me back."
Ethan nodded. He didn't mention that Merlin had already sent him a message, which meant Mordred needed to return to inherit the throne.
Even so, he wasn't in a rush. He had already locked on to the specific point in time. As long as he aimed precisely when teleporting, no matter how long they spent here, from Merlin's perspective, Ethan would arrive the moment after the message was sent.
So there was no need to hurry. Mordred had enough time to handle her own affairs.
However, Mordred moved faster than Ethan expected. Soon, she appeared before him with a few people.
Klan Klan, Ozma Lee, and Brera... Ethan looked at the unfamiliar faces curiously. He hadn't expected Mordred to bring over elite pilots directly from that fleet.
But thinking about it, it wasn't so surprising. The Frontier Fleet had already found a habitable planet and settled down. These people all had problems of their own.
The SMS company Ozma worked for was a private military contractor (mercenary group). Previously, SMS had been involved in a rebellion. Even though they were cleared, they couldn't avoid the aftermath.
Whether the company would face retaliation or not, the futures of the individuals involved were effectively over.
Brera's situation was worse. He had worked for the main villain, the Galaxy Fleet. Even though he had been controlled, his name couldn't be completely cleared, so his status wasn't good either.
In short, they were like Shepard. Although they were heroes of the Frontier Fleet, they had no way to survive in their own world anymore, which made it easy for Mordred to recruit them.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't that simple. The Macross Frontier story had long concluded, and the fleet should be developing a new planet. Mordred had likely befriended them early on, then waited for them to live a few unsatisfying years before going to recruit them.
Because of that, she had succeeded in gathering so many.
Klan Klan's case was special. Mordred promised to resurrect Mikhail, which convinced this Zentradi female pilot to follow her.
If things went well, Mordred could continue recruiting more elite personnel.
For example, Duke's good friend Rikaard (the parachutist) was an excellent soldier and pilot.
Ozma wasn't the only one in SMS having a hard time. The captain of the SMS Macross, its pilots, and even the communications and radar officers were all potential recruits.
"Unfortunately, you won't have time to continue training these new people," Ethan said.
As Ethan scanned the newcomers, they were also sizing him up. Just like when Krauser and the others had arrived, these people didn't know much about Ethan, the young captain. In their eyes, this was simply a new job, still involving flying fighter jets.
As an elite pilot, Ozma didn't think much else was needed. He didn't ask, figuring he would find out soon enough. Sure enough, Ethan immediately said, "After we return, you can provide them with the relevant strengthening training separately. Get whatever you need yourself."
That meant he would understand everything soon enough.
What really caught his attention was something he overheard from Klan Klan: resurrecting Mikhail.
He suspected it was a scam.
Even though Mordred had shown some miraculous abilities, he didn't believe there was truly a way to bring back the dead. He even wondered if there was some scheme behind Mordred's actions.
Part of why he agreed to come was also to investigate the truth.
When he followed the group of strangers and Mordred to a "backward" world, he finally started taking seriously what she had once said: "You will follow me to a brand-new world and start a new life!"
Who knew how many years had passed. Camelot had grown more "modern," but the place where they landed, Ethan's courtyard, had barely changed at all.
Merlin and Arthur were already waiting there. When Ethan appeared, the two immediately came forward to greet him.
Looking at the now-white-haired Arthur, Ethan couldn't help but sigh. Time truly was a terrifying force.
"Has your wish been fulfilled?"
Arthur had once said he would fulfill his dream and then pass on the empire he built with his own hands to Mordred. Merlin summoning Ethan to return with her now meant Arthur was preparing to abdicate.
"So many years have passed, and I've come to understand a lot... Like how some things can't be done perfectly, and I no longer insist on them."
He had unified the world a long time ago, but didn't call Mordred back immediately. Instead, he "wasted" several more years.
As he grew older, Arthur gradually felt his strength fading. The vast and bloated empire was showing more and more cracks, but he no longer had the energy to handle everything.
"I originally wanted to hand over a strong and prosperous empire to Mordred. Now it seems... she has to do better than I did."
(To be continued.)