At the long-range warp gate secured by the Banfield family, supply materials and ships were being sent one after another from Hydra.

The ships being sent were newly constructed battleships prepared by the Banfield family.

They were also equipped with new model mobile knights, appearing to be a formidable army at a glance—but the reality was far from it.

On the bridge of the Val, Tia's cheek was twitching.

"They've really done it now."

What the military headquarters on the home planet had sent was nothing more than a collection of ships that had not only just been reorganized but hadn't even completed their proficiency training.

Being sent such a group was nothing but a nuisance for those who had to operate them.

As Tia was contemplating what she would yell at the military headquarters, her adjutant, Claudia, who was standing next to her, had her eyes wide open.

Claudia, who was checking the notice from military headquarters, spoke with a slight tremble in her voice.

"Lady Tia."

"What is it? Was there some harassment or insults directed at me from military headquarters? They've got some nerve. Tell me who's responsible. I'll show them hell when I get back."

Calmly, in a low voice, Tia harbored murderous intent towards the person responsible at military headquarters who was tormenting her.

Not only had they foisted nothing but hindrances on her, but they had also pushed the job of reorganizing the army onto her.

She swore in her heart that she would definitely get her revenge when she returned to the home planet.

Claudia reported with a complicated expression.

"The one who proposed it was—Lord Liam."

"Huh!?"

The murderous expression Tia had worn just moments ago crumbled in an instant.

Upon hearing the name of the person responsible, she let out a cute yet foolish-sounding yelp.

"L-Lord Liam is the one who proposed it!? W-w-w-why would he do something like this!? Securing the gate and suppressing the surrounding area is an urgent task, right? I can't imagine Lord Liam would single-handedly issue an order that would interfere with that, but?"

(Hah!? Could it be that those people at military headquarters instigated Lord Liam—those bastards, I'll slaughter them all when I get back!!)

Treacherous vassals must die! As Tia steeled herself, Claudia, though flustered, summarized the contents of the notice.

"Well, it says—'Lady Tia will likely get carried away and suppress the surrounding area, fanning the Empire's sense of crisis, so once you've suppressed the area around the gate, just stay put and reorganize the army.' This is a direct order from Lord Liam himself."

Even for the Knight Numbers, who had the right to act independently, they could not defy an order from Liam, the head of the Banfield family.

If it had been an order from military headquarters, she could have rejected it, but she had no choice but to accept this one.

Tia, who had been planning to rampage through Imperial territory, clutched her head.

It wasn't that she was reluctant; she was trying to formulate a plan to reorganize the army right here and now.

(Reorganizing the fleet deep in enemy territory is too harsh! If the enemy notices, they'll attack, and we'll collapse in an instant. B-but, if it's an order from Lord Liam, I have to carry it out. In that case, I'll have to reorganize without being noticed and conduct training as well—ah, there's no time to attack the surrounding area!?)

Tasked with an impossible challenge, Tia's brain desperately tried to find a way to carry out the order.

Watching her respected superior, Claudia shed a tear.

"Lady Tia, trying to carry out any order—it's wonderful."

In front of Claudia, Tia's eyes spun, and she began to sway on the spot as if performing a clumsy dance.

"If it is Lord Liam's command, then I, Christiana, will see it done!"

◇

The Empire, having had a long-range warp gate secured deep within its territory, immediately decided to dispatch a fleet to recapture it.

However, since the most capable generals and knights were away fighting in other interstellar wars, there was no commander to lead the dispatched fleet.

The Prime Minister was racking his brain.

"To think that with so many knights and soldiers, we are short of a commander to lead the fleet. It's truly lamentable."

Who on earth could he entrust this to?

He could have appointed a promising young talent, but the military had already secured such individuals and sent them to the border.

With a scramble for talent already happening within the military, it was difficult to also deal with the Banfield family here.

The Prime Minister let out a deep sigh.

"The regular army already has little to spare. All we can dispatch are ragtag patrol fleets, and they're slow to assemble. We can't move the Imperial Guard Fleet either. Liam Sera Banfield, was he truly such a darling of the era?"

Everything was flowing in a direction convenient for Liam.

The Prime Minister didn't think the Empire would lose, but he predicted that this incident would become a major event that would shake the Empire to its core.

Beside the troubled Prime Minister, the invisible Guide was sympathizing.

"O, one who is troubled by Liam. I understand your feelings well. It's not interesting to see him keep winning like this, is it?"

The Guide, who was regaining his power from his prime, could not allow Liam to attack the capital planet unscathed.

His policy of making Liam fight the Empire's strongest fleet, which protected the capital, and crushing him completely, remained unchanged.

However, the Guide's pride would not allow him to simply stand by and watch.

"I'll let you recapture the warp gate."

The Guide moved behind the Prime Minister and placed his hands on his shoulders.

Just then, a report came in from one of the Prime Minister's subordinates.

"Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, I have a report on the forces for the recapture operation."

"How many have gathered? I'd like to have secured at least thirty percent of the planned number, but—"

The subordinate reporting wore a smile of accomplishment.

"Please rejoice. The patrol fleets have assembled at twenty percent more than planned. Supplies have already been delivered to the assembly point, and the reorganization of some fleets is also underway."

The Prime Minister heard "twenty percent more," but he showed no sign of joy.

He widened his eyes because it was unexpected—but that was all.

"So that's one hundred and twenty thousand ships? With that many, the recapture should succeed. At worst, it's fine if we can just force the enemy fleet to retreat."

Send in 120,000 ships, intimidate the enemy, and if their fleet retreats, it's a win.

The Prime Minister's true feeling was that even if they were defeated, he didn't care how much the patrol fleets were worn down.

"And have you decided on a fleet commander?"

The Prime Minister made his decision here.

"—We shall request His Highness the Crown Prince to take the field."

"Th-that is..."

While his subordinate was flustered, the Prime Minister calmly stated his reasons.

"He is a man with experience commanding a fleet of six million in the punitive expedition. He should have no problem commanding one hundred and twenty thousand."

It was all a lie.

The Prime Minister had other thoughts.

(I'll have the Banfields wipe out the people I want to get rid of. Even if they disappear, it's a plus for the Empire. Now, with the warp gate problem settled, it's time for the border issue.)

It would be more beneficial for the Empire if Cleo and the patrol fleets failed and disappeared.

The Prime Minister had already begun to tackle other important problems.

The Guide, in high spirits, was massaging the Prime Minister's shoulders.

"I don't dislike people like you. You, who can easily discard even the Crown Prince to maintain the Empire, are the best."

If this would trouble Liam, then the Guide felt it was worth lending a hand.

◇

Cleo was entrusted with the recapture operation, but what he was given was a ragtag collection of patrol fleets.

Nothing but old-fashioned, outdated ships and equipment.

Cleo's own ship and his escort vessels were elite, but the rest were all dilapidated ships.

Some were given hand-me-downs from the regular army, but it was undeniable that their forces were insufficient to fight the Banfield family.

On the bridge, in the commander's seat, Cleo's face was pale.

His body was trembling, and he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Before him, the Banfield family's fleet was deployed, defending the long-range warp gate, and numerous fortress-class vessels had been confirmed.

By Cleo's side, a capable knight stood by, providing support.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, please rejoice. Though they have gathered their numbers, they only have sixty thousand ships. They are also in the disadvantageous position of defending a warp gate, so their actions are restricted."

Towards the knight who was explaining how advantageous their own forces were, Cleo was skeptical.

(Numerically, we have the upper hand, but during the punitive expedition, the difference was even greater than this. And yet, I still lost, didn't I?)

The fleet he had led then was superior in quality and training to this one, and considering the numerical difference, defeat should have been impossible.

For Cleo, who had suffered a crushing defeat in that situation, the knight's words sounded hollow.

The knight said.

"This time, we have gathered information meticulously. They are transporting reinforcements and supplies through the warp gate, but their movements are slow. The commander is said to be Christiana—"

"Christiana!?"

To the wide-eyed and surprised Cleo, the knight continued, somewhat bewildered.

"Y-yes. About this Christiana, she is a commander who would normally prioritize suppressing the surrounding area. Indeed, she took such actions initially, but as soon as she accepted reinforcements, she ceased the suppression."

The knight, perhaps confident in his own prediction, puffed out his chest and spoke to Cleo.

"Judging from the reports from the reconnaissance units that were monitoring the fleet's movements, they haven't been able to replenish their forces in time. They are committing the folly of conducting proficiency training and reorganization on the spot. Your Highness the Crown Prince, this is an opportunity. If we attack with a single, concerted effort, our victory is assured."

The enemy fleet, whose ranks were not in order, was in the disadvantageous position of defending a warp gate.

Even if it was a ragtag patrol fleet, if they charged, the enemy would easily crumble—that was the knight's speculation.

But Cleo immediately rejected the plan.

"N-no!"

"Your Highness?"

"It's highly likely a trap to lure us in. If we are defeated here, the Empire will lose its check against them. We should act with caution here."

Cleo, who didn't want to fight out of fear, used the word "caution" as a shield to convey his strategy.

"If we stay here and keep them in a standoff, they won't be able to move freely. Even if they have a warp gate, it's as if we've put a lid on it."

The knight was flustered by Cleo's passive strategy.

"Our mission is to recapture or destroy the warp gate! We should attack before the enemy can organize their forces."

The knight whispered in Cleo's ear.

"It doesn't matter how many casualties we take. What we have here is a patrol fleet. Even if we lose the majority, as long as we recapture or destroy the warp gate, it's our victory."

If the enemy's warp gate is destroyed, they will be isolated in enemy territory.

If that happens, even someone like Christiana would surely be defeated.

Cleo understood this intellectually, but the memory of the punitive expedition's crushing defeat dulled his decisiveness.

"N-no. We will fall back and continue the standoff."

Unable to defy Cleo's command, the knight accepted the order with a troubled expression.

"Understood—sir."

◇

Around that time, Tia, who had been in a standoff with the Imperial fleet, let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Saaafe!!"

When the ragtag patrol fleet had advanced, she had been unsure if they could defend the warp gate if they were charged.

Having envisioned a future where they were isolated in enemy territory and annihilated, she was so drained when the enemy fleet fell back that she nearly collapsed on the spot.

Claudia was also wiping away a cold sweat.

"It was unexpected for the enemy fleet to press in this quickly."

As her subordinates helped her up, Tia agreed with Claudia.

"I thought we had a few more months of leeway, but look at this. We need to hurry and reinforce the warp gate's defenses. Also, what's the status on reinforcements?"

Claudia checked the upcoming schedule.

"Thirty thousand ships will be sent next week."

"And their reorganization?"

She asked just in case, but Claudia's answer was not what she hoped for.

"—'Reorganize on-site,' it says."

Tia's eyes welled with tears.

Being forced to reorganize and train in such a precarious situation was enough to make anyone miserable.

"Lord Liiiaaam!! —But, I love that strict side of you too."

Torn between the sadness of being given a difficult mission and the sense of fulfillment from being relied upon, Tia's emotions were unstable.

Claudia and her subordinates had the kindness to pretend not to notice Tia in this state.

◇

The news that the Banfield family had seized a warp gate naturally spread throughout the Empire, creating a sense of crisis.

But it was quickly forgotten.

"I heard His Highness Cleo went to recapture the warp gate with one hundred and twenty thousand ships."

"That was a while ago, right? What ever happened with that?"

"I haven't heard the results, but if another fleet hasn't been dispatched, doesn't that mean they haven't failed?"

"More importantly, the border! The Hegemony Kingdom's forces are on a rampage. I hear the number of nobles on the border defecting is increasing."

The matter of the warp gate had come to be known as something that was already resolved.

◇

Having given up on recapturing the warp gate and claiming to be keeping a watch from a distance, Cleo had come to a certain planet.

It was a developed planet within the Empire.

Cleo himself was at the spaceport, receiving a reception befitting royalty.

The one entertaining him was the count who managed the planet.

"Your Highness Cleo, when on earth will you recapture the warp gate for us? We cannot rest easy with the Banfield family entrenched there indefinitely."

However, the pressure from the count was growing stronger by the day.

"It is precisely because I am here, keeping them in check, that your planet is protected, don't you think?"

"I am grateful, but it is we who are maintaining Your Highness Cleo's fleet. Not only the consumption of supplies, but we are also spending an enormous amount of funds."

It wasn't just the count; the surrounding lords were also providing supplies to maintain Cleo's fleet.

Some nobles were even going into debt to provide for them.

Cleo, finding it troublesome, brushed off the count.

"You can just bill the palace later."

"I have already billed them, but the reply from the palace was, 'We have more pressing matters.' We were even blamed for taking in Your Highness Cleo, being told it was our own arbitrary action."

"The entire Empire is in chaos right now. Once things calm down, the palace will repay you with interest."

As for Cleo, if he moved any further from the warp gate, he would be suspected of deserting in the face of the enemy.

He was being told "Hurry up!" by the palace, but he kept giving evasive, noncommittal replies.

The count clenched his fists at Cleo's attitude, his face turning red.

◇

The decisive battle with the Empire was fast approaching.

I was all set to enter Imperial territory aboard the refurbished Argos, but—before that, I was talking with Amagi, just the two of us.

Before my eyes was a vast, empty space.

Originally, it was where I stored the resources prepared with the Alchemy Box, but they had all been consumed in the repeated wars.

"I never thought that I, the one with the Alchemy Box, would be this hard-pressed for resources."

It seems one Alchemy Box isn't enough when you're up against a massive nation.

Amagi, standing beside me, spoke about the current operation.

"There was also a long-term plan to declare independence from the Empire and expand our military strength."

There was also the method of cooperating with other interstellar nations, declaring independence from the Empire, and then gradually chipping away at the Empire to weaken it.

But that would take too much time.

"This is to defeat the true enemy. I don't want to give them time to escape."

"The true enemy, you say?"

The true enemy the Guide mentioned—nine times out of ten, it's probably Emperor Bagrada.

This war isn't to destroy the Empire, but to defeat Bagrada as an individual.

"The Empire is just an afterthought. I'll destroy it because it defied me—nothing more, nothing less."

Amagi was looking at me with a worried expression.

"I can't believe those are the words of the Master who once said that as long as you could satisfy your own desires under the Empire's protection, it was fine."

As a coward, I was fine as long as I could act freely to an extent that wouldn't anger the Empire.

But there's someone trying to take away my freedom.

—And I can't forgive that.

"Don't you think destroying a country is also very fitting for an evil lord?"

Amagi, perhaps having given up on persuading me, bowed her head deeply.

"As you wish, Master."

"Fighting for hundreds of years is a pain. I'll end this quickly."

◇

Looking down on the Imperial Guard Fleet protecting the capital planet was the Guide, who had absorbed all the negative emotions and regained his power from his prime.

"I've been waiting for this moment—Liam!!"

Having gathered the negative emotions not just from the capital planet but from the entire Empire and regained his power, the Guide was bestowing his protection upon the Imperial Guard Fleet.

"I'll make the Empire's capital planet your gravestone. Come—whenever you're ready. I'll put an end to this feud with you."

To sever his ties of fate with Liam, the Guide intended to go all out from the very beginning, holding nothing back.