Viscount Tryde rendezvoused with the main force.

By that time, Marquis Hampson had finished reorganizing the fleet.

Though I say finished, he had merely forcibly gathered the surviving vessels.

Even if the quality of the ships was good, a fleet hastily formed on the battlefield seemed to lack cohesion.

After observing the situation, Viscount Tryde made his way to the fortress-class ship that would serve as the flagship.

It wasn't the fortress-class grand flagship that Cleo had been using, but one that the punitive expeditionary force possessed.

The grand flagship had already been destroyed by the Banfield family and had likely become space debris.

As Viscount Tryde arrived at the place where the principal members were holding a meeting, he took a deep breath before entering.

He had to calm himself, even just a little, or he felt he might punch Cleo.

"—Pardon the intrusion."

When Viscount Tryde entered the room, the first to move was Marquis Hampson.

"I'm glad you could join us. Now then, how many forces do you have left?"

Seeing Marquis Hampson cut the greetings short and get straight to the point, Viscount Tryde sensed just how cornered the main force was.

"We managed to rendezvous with half of our initial forces. However, less than thirty percent of our ships are in any condition to fight properly."

"I see. Still, it's fortunate that you survived, Viscount."

"I had several close calls."

As Viscount Tryde took a seat at Marquis Hampson's urging, Cleo spoke to him.

He seemed slightly tense, likely due to a sense of guilt.

"I'm glad you were able to rendezvous safely."

That remark grated on Viscount Tryde's nerves.

Though his expression didn't change, Viscount Tryde was seething with rage at Cleo inwardly.

"—I am most relieved that Your Highness the Crown Prince is also safe."

(Isn't he the very model of an incompetent busybody? I can't believe they made this man the Crown Prince. Duke Banfield was more capable than I ever imagined.)

At this point, he had come to understand Cleo's incompetence and Liam's competence all too painfully.

But it wasn't over yet.

Dustin, who was already seated, asked Marquis Hampson about their future plans.

"So, what's the state of our forces?"

Marquis Hampson looked at Dustin and snorted with irritation.

"If we're just counting ships, we have two million. But due to supply and maintenance issues, we can only properly operate about six hundred thousand."

A grand fleet of six million ships had been reduced to just six hundred thousand.

Viscount Tryde wore a bitter expression.

"—And what is the estimate of the Banfield family's strength?"

The punitive force had lost a great number of ships, but the same was true for the Banfield family.

How much strength did the exhausted Banfield family have left?

Hampson showed a smile to the anxious Viscount Tryde.

"The estimate is two hundred thousand ships at most, but I'd say it's more like one hundred thousand at best."

Hearing this, Viscount Tryde felt some of his tension ease.

"A six-to-one advantage, then."

However, Dustin's expression remained grim.

"Normally, those numbers would be reassuring, but our opponent is the Banfield family, who has overturned such numerical disadvantages many times. Moreover, unlike us, they don't have supply problems. And to top it off, the morale of this army is a problem."

The soldiers, having lost a war they should have won, had their fighting spirit diminished.

Marquis Hampson was also troubled by the issue of morale.

"The Banfield family is truly a troublesome bunch. It's as if we're fighting the Hegemony Kingdom."

They have the same stench as the war-loving Hegemony Kingdom.

Those around him nodded with mixed expressions at Marquis Hampson's opinion.

◇

A fortress-class ship owned by the Banfield family.

It was a spherical warship, but as its name suggested, it was also a mobile fortress.

It even had docks inside for servicing other vessels, functioning as a temporary base.

Such a fortress-class ship had appeared on the battlefield, taking in the vessels of key personnel for resupply and maintenance.

When I arrived at the conference room of the fortress-class ship, accompanied by Eulisia, I was greeted by Tia and Marie.

The two of them knelt, bowing their heads.

"We have been waiting for you, Lord Liam."

"Your tremendous feats have left all of us trembling with emotion."

The other knights and soldiers were also saluting, but I raised my right hand and gestured for them to sit.

"Enough with the pleasantries. Let's start the meeting."

The reason we were all meeting face-to-face was to show that we were all safe.

In a world where science and magic have advanced too far, there are countless ways to make a dead person appear alive.

It's easy to make it seem like you're conversing with someone through a screen when, in reality, they've long been dead.

You could just project their appearance and voice from when they were alive onto a monitor, while someone else speaks from behind the scenes.

I needed to show myself like this to prove I was alive and well.

As I sat in the most luxurious chair prepared for me, Tia and Marie stood on either side.

Eulisia moved to a spot a little further away, but she was looking at the two of them reproachfully, muttering "That's my spot" in a small voice.

—Well, I can ignore her for now. What's more important is what comes next.

"You did well to push back a fleet of that size. I'm grateful for your efforts."

I thanked my subordinates who had repelled the Imperial Army and continued speaking.

"It's also good that you've gathered the enemy fleet. It's best to clean up trash all at once. So, what's the size of our fleet?"

It was good that they gathered the surviving Imperial fleet, but the problem was our own numbers.

Tia answered this immediately.

"At present, one hundred and fifty thousand ships have assembled. Lord Klaus is reorganizing the fleet on the capital planet, while the fleets of Number Three and Four are undergoing resupply and maintenance."

"Will they make it in time?"

Will the reorganized fleet and the fleets of the two I allowed into the Numbers be able to join us?

Marie answered that question.

"The enemy has already finished reorganizing. Even if they manage to rendezvous, it will likely be after the battle has begun. Shall I have them hurry?"

"—No, I'll leave the decision to Klaus. Now, what's the enemy's strength?"

A holographic image was projected in the center of the conference room, showing a stylized representation of our forces and the enemy's.

The enemy's force was two million—we'd whittled them down to a third of their original size, but they still held the numerical advantage.

However, no one in the room recognized this as the correct number.

Tia shared the current projection.

"They are facing supply and maintenance problems, so we predict that the majority of their ships are unmanned. They will likely be operated by autopilot, but they are no match for us."

The people of this world harbor an aversion—no, a sense of crisis—towards artificial intelligence.

The reason unmanned battleships and mobile knights don't operate properly is because they don't want to use AI.

This is why they operate them with people on board, no matter how inefficient it is.

Marie continued.

"We estimate they have between three hundred thousand and five hundred thousand fully operational ships, but because of their supply issues, they can only engage in a short, decisive battle."

They have to challenge us to a decisive battle in enemy territory, with no proper supply lines.

Imagining myself in their position is truly unpleasant.

"Even so, the enemy still has more numbers. Don't let your guard down."

When I gave them that warning, Tia and Marie's expressions tightened.

—I'm not sure how effective it was, but I can't have them getting carried away.

They can get carried away after we've won.

"It seems Klaus won't make it in time. I will take command here. Tia, Marie, you will support me as my second-in-commands."

In reality, Tia and Marie would be the commanders, but I would be the general in name.

Or rather, I was the only one who could be the supreme commander.

The two, appointed as my seconds, responded with a knight's salute.

"Victory to Lord Liam!"

"Leave it to us!"

I looked at the hologram floating before me and smiled, the corners of my mouth turning up.

"You've all rampaged to your heart's content. Now I'll torment you slowly."

Mmm, my behavior today is truly befitting of an evil lord.

I'm quite impressed with myself.

◇

After the meeting, three of the participating generals gathered to talk.

"Lord Liam seems quite angry."

"It's only natural, given that his territory was ravaged."

"Still, the Imperial Army shows no mercy. To think they'd plunder and burn planets that were originally part of the Empire... they're no better than space pirates."

Liam had declared in the meeting that he would torment the enemy, and everyone agreed that it couldn't be helped.

"Forcibly relocating the citizens was the right call after all."

"But thinking about the future gives me a headache."

"The civil officials must be tearing their hair out."

When thinking about the post-war period, both the military and the bureaucracy would be equally busy.

Even so, the soldiers of the Banfield family still had the leeway to smile.

"Well, we can talk about post-war matters after we've won. Lord Liam is participating this time, so stay sharp."

"I'll be careful. I don't want to die after coming this far."

"—Let's pray we both make it out alive to have a drink."

The generals steeled themselves and returned to their respective ships.

◇

"—Lord Liam is participating in the battle?"

"Yes, sir! He has declared that he will take command himself and crush the Imperial Army. Hearing of Lord Liam's participation has greatly boosted the morale of the officers and soldiers!"

"I see."

(Whyyyy!! Why won't you come backkkk!!)

Meanwhile, Klaus, who was reorganizing the fleet on the capital planet, felt his stomach scream upon hearing that Liam was going to challenge the punitive force to a decisive battle.

Liam, the commander-in-chief, was about to challenge the assembled punitive force to a decisive battle.

From Klaus's perspective, he wanted to scream, 'You can't let him participate in that!'

However, he also knew that if Liam said he would participate, no one could stop him.

(I have to send reinforcements quickly. But I also want to avoid committing our forces piecemeal.)

It was a dilemma for Klaus, but if Liam was participating, he had to be prepared to take some risks.

"Prioritize the resupply and maintenance of the fleets of Number Three and Four."

"We are already rushing them, sir?"

"Make it top priority. And what's the status of those two?"

"They said they would have Lady Ellen take them to the battlefield and have already joined her. Shall I prepare a high-speed vessel for them?"

Rinho and Fuuka, however, had currently returned to the capital planet.

Fuuka had lost her mass-produced Griffin, but Rinho's and Ellen's units were safe.

Ellen had returned to the capital planet as an escort for the wounded and damaged ships, and Emma, Number Four, had also returned for resupply and maintenance after completing her mission.

"—That's fine as it is. I'll have their two fleets advance ahead, but send a supply fleet with them."

Klaus was providing support so that Liam wouldn't be troubled on the battlefield.

His subordinate was perplexed.

"This will affect the fleets currently being reorganized, sir?"

If they changed the supply and maintenance schedule, it would naturally cause delays elsewhere.

However, Klaus's decision did not change.

"I don't mind. Also, I will be deploying as well."

"Your Excellency!?"

His subordinate was surprised, but for Klaus, it was a matter of course.

(It's not right for me to stay behind while Lord Liam fights. Besides, I'm leaving my capable subordinates on the capital planet, so there's little I could do by staying here anyway.)

Having a free-spirited master, Klaus hurriedly moved to provide support.