Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 84: [83] Seeing the conditions of the conflict that occurred

Chapter 84: [83] Seeing the conditions of the conflict that occurred

"And... because I couldn’t stand the rotten atmosphere of the palace," Khan continued, his voice trembling slightly, though he tried to keep calm. "Even though I knew leaving would break my mother’s heart... I left. When I was eight."

He looked down for a moment, as if recalling the image of his younger self walking alone beyond the palace walls. "Since then, I’ve met many people. Seen parts of the world they never talk about in noble dining halls. I’ve witnessed suffering, hunger, betrayal... and true friendship."

His gaze swept across the room—from Denon, to Nea, to the rest of the Band of Massiah."Out there... I learned how to be human. I found comrades whose lives were far worse than mine. And with them... I built this place. The only place in the world where I feel accepted."

He exhaled, then turned to look straight at Susan and Amir. This time, his eyes were honest—almost like a lost child."Now... I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Susan, Amir... look at me. Do I really look fit to sit on the throne of Samsara? A half-human, half-beast? Do you really want to push me toward something even I don’t want?"

Susan held her breath, trying to respond, but her voice caught in her throat."But... what about—"

"Mother?" Khan cut in gently but firmly. "Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten her. I’ll help her. But if you’re talking about the sultanate—about me taking the throne—sorry... I don’t think I want to."

Those words hung heavy in the air, hitting harder than mere rejection. It was a wound—a decision he’d carried long before word of rebellion reached them.

"But!" Amir exclaimed, his tone rising now, driven by frustration and the last thread of hope he clung to.

Khan turned slowly, his eyes now like blades—sharp and full of pain."But what, Amir? Will you take responsibility if the people of Samsara rise up because their king is a beastman? Are you ready to face the reality that they might reject me not for who I am... but what I am?"

Amir fell silent. Khan’s words cut deep, laced with a truth he couldn’t deny—that the world has never been fair to those who are different, and hope doesn’t always uproot hatred.

Silence lingered, until finally, Ren stepped quietly into the circle, looking at Khan without judgment. His voice was calm—not demanding, but resolute."That’s heavy... yeah. Being born into a world that rejects you, growing up as a minority, forced to shape your own identity... I know that’s no easy story. But from what I’ve seen... it’s exactly what shaped you."

Khan glanced at him briefly, a faint trace of skepticism on his face."Sorry... but this isn’t your business. I heard you’ve got matters to attend to in the Penal Plains. I can have my men escort you there."

Ren just shrugged, casually, though his eyes stayed sharp."No worries. I can take care of myself. But if this is about people’s lives... I can’t just sit back and ignore it." He looked at Khan more seriously now. "Sometimes, to do the right thing, we have to be ready to be hated. To lose our good name. Because saving someone... is more important than saving what people think of us."

The words lingered, heavy yet warm. The crackling of torches against stone walls seemed louder, as if emphasizing the silence that followed. Everyone fell quiet, reflecting on what had just been said.

Khan stared at Ren for a long time—too long for someone usually so quick and decisive. There was an internal struggle in his eyes, between old wounds and the responsibility he didn’t want to bear. Then he let out a long sigh, almost like releasing years of weight he’d been carrying.

"Haah... Damn it," he muttered finally, his voice softer than usual. "I still don’t want to go back to that palace. But..." His eyes moved from Susan, to Amir, then to Nea, and finally to Ren. "Let’s see what’s really happening in Samsara. If it’s really as deep as you say... I won’t just sit by."

Denon, who had been silently watching from afar, finally gave a faint smile."At last... the stubborn prince is starting to listen."

Ren chuckled lightly."One step in a thousand-mile journey, bro. No rush."

Khan just grunted but didn’t deny it."Assemble a team. We’ll send spies in first. I want to know how bad things really are... and who needs to be buried in the sand."

---

Once the tension had settled and a decision was made, Amir and Susan were finally released from their restraints. The magical ropes that bound them slowly unraveled, turning into specks of light before vanishing into the air. Free at last, they quickly approached Ren, who was lounging in a corner, chatting casually with Nea.

"Sorry... about earlier," Susan said, her tone sincere and slightly heavy. She bowed her head a little, remorseful about having followed and suspected him.

Ren turned lazily and smiled as he leaned back against the stone behind him."Yeah? Oh, it’s no big deal," he said easily. "I’m used to being followed—seriously, I once had someone collect my used stuff, snap photos of me secretly, even tried to build a private museum themed ’Ren the Genius.’ Trust me, that was way creepier."

Nea turned, frowning, trying to grasp what she had just heard."I... don’t know what a photo is. But... that really happened to you?"

Ren chuckled."Forget it. Old-world tech. Believe me, you don’t wanna know how weird fans can get when their obsession goes unchecked."

Amir gave a small smile, clasping his hands in front of his chest."Regardless of everything... we want to thank you for your help. You’ve convinced Prince Farid—"

"Don’t call me that," Khan cut in, suddenly passing behind them, his signature tone slicing in like unexpected thunder. "I don’t like being called that."

Amir immediately went silent, then smiled knowingly."Yeah... he hasn’t changed," Susan murmured softly, half laughing, half nostalgic. She looked at Khan with a gaze full of memories—stubborn, but always true to himself.

"By the way," Ren suddenly said, shifting the mood, "in Samsara... got any good food?"

Everyone fell quiet—for this guy to be thinking about food in the middle of an impending conflict.

---

While the discussion about Samsara still lingered in the air, Ren suddenly felt like he’d forgotten something. He squinted, then glanced toward his van parked not far from the cave.

"Graauh..." came a low growl from beside the vehicle—Alfred, the male tiger from the Penal Plains, standing tall, ears alert and eyes fixed on the van with a puzzled, not hostile, expression.

A faint mechanical hum came from inside the van, like gears turning after a long rest. Then, from the back, a special panel hissed open with a release of compressed air, and a humanoid figure made of solid black metal stepped out into the silence.

The figure was tall, slim, yet built solid—its frame clad in matte-black armor, lined with subtle glowing blue veins at the joints. Its helmet was sleek and faceless, with a single horizontal red visor glowing faintly across the front.

Alfred and Bella, who usually went on high alert at unknown threats, only turned their heads with curiosity. No growls followed. Their cubs even approached slowly as the metallic figure opened a side compartment of the van, pulled out a bag of dried food, and calmly placed it on the ground.

『Detected: organic extension entities. Status: stable and non-hostile.』Ultro’s signature voice echoed from the metal body—deeper, more resonant than the digital tone he used while active inside Ren’s helmet. The voice seemed to come from within the steel shell, giving the impression that this machine was truly alive.

Ultro turned to the star-strewn night sky, the red visor across his "face" dimly flickering with a touch of blue. The desert night breeze whispered gently across his frame, almost like the breath of the world itself greeting the machine now standing as a silent guardian.

『Master... you are late,』 he said—not sarcastically this time, but as a gentle reminder, almost like longing... if an AI could feel such a thing.

---

The next morning, Ren and his small group were preparing to head for the Samsara border. The desert sun had just risen halfway into the sky, casting golden light over the red earth. The hot wind began to blow, and the cool night air was quickly replaced by the dry scent of sand.

Ren walked among the beastmen and members of the Band of Massiah, shoulders relaxed, hands tucked into the pockets of his modified combat pants. But after barely fifteen steps from the campsite, he stopped abruptly, his eyes wide in sudden realization.

"...Aaaah!" he shouted, clutching his head. "I forgot my van!"

Everyone turned toward him—including Khan and Nea, who immediately froze in their tracks. Their expressions ranged from baffled to outright disbelieving—only Ren could forget something as large as... a vehicle.

And he was supposed to be the genius here.

Ren ran a hand down his face, a mix of exhaustion and surrender etched into his features.

He then reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, metallic-gray device—shaped like a phone, but its surface glowed softly and felt heavier than ordinary tech. With a tap of his finger, a holographic interface flickered to life, displaying a 3D model of his van along with the integrated Ultro system status.

Without saying a word, Ren swiped across the screen and tapped several icons—commands for navigation, perimeter monitoring, and priority escort for ’non-human organic entities.’ The instructions were clear: Ultro was to follow the convoy from a distance while protecting Alfred, Bella, and their three cubs.

Once the commands were sent, the screen closed automatically, and the device was tucked back into his jacket. Ren glanced around—only to find everyone still staring at him silently, as if they’d just witnessed magic they couldn’t comprehend.

He snorted, raising a brow."What? Are we moving or turning into cacti out here?"

The group glanced at one another, sighed in unison, and continued the journey.