"I understand!"
Alec gritted his teeth, having already reached a firm decision in his heart.
"I believe you."
"Then."
Upon hearing this, Fred's stern expression softened slightly, followed by a bright, cheerful smile as he extended his hand toward the other.
"Pleasure working with you."
From this moment on, this Alec had been won over by him.
Of course, the premise was that he would not harm PLANT.
However, previously, Alec had taken orders from the Zala Faction, and now, it wasn't exactly that he was following Fred.
Rather, it was the desire to protect his own country.
On this point, Fred had no intention of changing it, nor could he change it.
After all, he couldn't just establish his own faction and expect countless Elites to flock to him.
Without shared identity or mutual interests, that would be impossible.
Of course, he was merely balancing the various forces.
Alec shared the same goal as him, and if he could lead Alec to the future they both desired, that was enough.
"Pleasure working with you."
Alec repeated the phrase, clasping Fred's extended hands with both of his own.
"Thank you."
"Thank you, Uncle."
"...Stop calling me Uncle."
Fred, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, looked at the stubbornly mischievous pink-haired girl before him, his lips twitching slightly.
Alec, meanwhile, wore a bitter smile on his face.
Who was he? Where was he? Why did he feel like he had just boarded the Clyne Faction's ship with Fred?
But if it was for PLANT, then it was fine.
"Oh~ Alright~"
Lacus blinked her eyes and obediently agreed.
At the same time, watching the two of them being so intimate, she felt somewhat overlooked.
After all, wherever she went, she was always the center of attention.
But even though she thought this, Lacus felt no resentment.
Instead, reflecting on Fred's earlier words, she trusted the young man even more.
At the very least, based on her intuition, she couldn't detect anything inappropriate in what he had said.
Fred truly wanted to maintain the world's balance.
To some, it might sound overambitious, but like Alec, Lacus did not doubt his ability to achieve it.
"Even though we've made thorough preparations for this trip, please be careful."
Lacus finally spoke up, interrupting the two who seemed intent on holding hands forever.
After drawing their attention to herself, she continued.
"I hope Brother Fred achieves his wishes."
Though she didn't understand why Fred harbored such intense hostility toward the Replica named Creuset.
It didn't seem like it was just about maintaining balance.
But most of what Fred had said was likely true.
If Creuset truly intended to disrupt peace, then all that remained was gathering the final evidence.
As for killing, Lacus didn't want that.
But that didn't mean she would blindly oppose it.
At the very least, she wouldn't oppose, nor had any reason to oppose, killing terrorists and spies who deserved it.
Killing one person might save countless innocent lives.
It wasn't about valuing one life over another, but those who maliciously take others' lives are inherently dangerous.
"Thank you."
Having resolved the major matters before departure, Fred now lowered his gaze and spoke sincerely.
"I'll take my leave now. Have a safe journey."
Lacus waved her hand, then turned and drifted away.
Just as when she arrived, she left without taking a single cloud with her.
"Let's go. For the peace of the world."
After watching her depart, Fred nodded to Alec.
"Alright...!"
Alec did not remain silent but chose to nod firmly in response.
The two soon made their way through the ship's corridors and arrived at the Bridge.
"Mr. Freed."
Upon seeing Fred enter, the Captain turned his chair and stood up.
The Captain appeared to be in his thirties, with a steady demeanor. He did not ask for any explanation but simply greeted Fred in a concise manner.
"Captain Wolf, it's an honor to work with you."
"The honor is mine."
Hearing Fred's calm tone, Wolf was momentarily taken aback but quickly lowered his head in response.
This young researcher was far more composed than he had anticipated.
No wonder someone so young was already held in such high regard.
With his calm demeanor, one might easily mistake him for the experienced captain.
Given Clyne's instructions, the Captain maintained a respectful attitude toward Fred.
Without further ado, Wolf soon gestured toward three distinct individuals standing nearby and continued.
"These three are our Special Operations Squad for this mission."
The Captain did not introduce their names, and Fred did not know them.
Although he had been involved in planning the operation, Clyne had not provided him with detailed information about their names or backgrounds.
Nevertheless, as Fred observed the three distinct individuals before him, he quickly recognized their identities.
A golden-haired woman, followed by a man with a toothpick in his mouth and a bearded older man.
They were the three who would later serve as Lacus's Personal Guard.
He hadn't expected to meet them here.
With this thought, Fred also nodded to them in acknowledgment.
"Thank you for your efforts in this operation."
The operation, of course, did not involve only three people. These three were merely representatives, with several Action Teams supporting them from behind.
However, it was clear that none of this was intended for Fred to take charge of, and he had no intention of stepping in to command.
His responsibility was solely to oversee the operation targeting Creuset, nothing more.
"It's our duty."
In response to Fred's words, the three did not hesitate and respectfully lowered their heads.
Haken, the leader among them, felt her curiosity growing even stronger.
As one of the few truly privy to internal matters, she knew Fred's identity.
A Natural—she had previously assumed that even if he was a brilliant researcher, he might be physically unimpressive.
But seeing him in person now, he carried himself with an imposing presence, his posture upright and graceful with every step.
Just from this brief observation, it was clear he was no ordinary individual.
No wonder he dared to come here on his own.
She had initially thought he was simply someone who had stayed indoors for too long and wanted to stretch his legs, but now it seemed she had underestimated him.
"This must be your bodyguard, Director Freed?"
Haken shifted the conversation to Alec, who stood behind Fred.
Alec remained silent upon hearing this, yet his posture remained straight and upright.
"Yes."
Fred's expression showed no change, nor was he affected by the implied meaning in the other's words.
At present, the relationship between the Zala Faction and the Clyne Faction was not as strained as it would be in the future, and Haken's words carried no hostility—likely just a test.
Fred remained unaffected by the other's train of thought, his smile still appropriate as he continued.
"Then I won't disturb you any further. I'll head back to rest now."