At the palace on the Imperial Capital Star of the Algrand Empire, Emperor Bagrada Noah Alba Reit had been spending all his time lately in the audience chamber.
He sat upon the throne, gazing up at the ceiling.
It was not the usual throne used for audiences.
Bagrada considered this one the true throne, the place where he felt the most at peace.
It was a special chamber within the palace, fortified with multiple layers of defenses, with only a handful of people permitted to enter.
Nowhere in the capital star was safer than this room.
Sitting upon the grand throne placed in the center, Bagrada stared at a large glass chalice suspended from the ceiling.
He eagerly awaited the moment when the chalice would fill, drop by drop, with a dark red, blood-like liquid dripping down.
His smiling face, faintly illuminated in the dim room, appeared unsettling.
“I’ve already spilled so much blood, yet, as always, the accumulation of negative emotions… well, once I activate the device, the Chalice of Darkness will fill whether it wants to or not. Still…”
The Empire had only recently suffered a crushing defeat. The punitive army sent against the Banfield Ducal House had been repelled.
After that, neighboring interstellar nations began their invasions, and wars had broken out across the Empire.
Even now, blood was being shed in torrents along the Algrand Empire’s borders.
“…Thanks to Duke Banfield, my plans have accelerated by thousands of years. I really must repay him properly—yes, meticulously, in my own way.”
Bagrada’s handsome, youthful face twisted into something hideous as he chuckled darkly.
Even knowing the Empire’s dire situation, he seemed almost joyful.
“At long last. How long I have awaited this moment! Finally, the time has come for me to transcend humanity, to become something greater!”
Covering his face with his right hand, Bagrada let out a sinister laugh. In response, the devices within the chamber resonated, emitting sounds like shrieks.
Black smoke-like vapors began to spill forth.
They dissipated quickly into the air, but with each surge, an ominous aura filled the room.
Rising from the throne, Bagrada raised both hands toward the chalice.
“Tens of thousands… billions… even trillions of lives I shall offer. If it desires, I will even give this entire Empire. My vassals, my subjects, every life within my domain I shall sacrifice. So… grant my wish.”
Ignoring the Empire’s plight, Bagrada gazed with rapture at the chalice filling with dark red liquid.
“Now then… it’s time for the finishing touches. First… the Heroes must awaken.”
◇
‘Your Highness the Crown Prince, how long do you intend this standoff to continue?’
The voice over the transmission belonged to the Chancellor on the Capital Star.
He was pressing Crown Prince Cleo Nora Alba Reit, who still had not reclaimed—or destroyed—the long-range warp gate.
Listening to the Chancellor’s words, Cleo made no attempt to hide his irritation.
“I understand, but twelve hundred thousand ships is far too few to oppose Christiana. Chancellor, what of reinforcements from the Capital Star?”
‘…Had you attacked the warp gate in the early stages, reinforcements would not have been necessary. Instead, you’ve wasted years doing nothing.’
At first, when Christiana’s forces secured the long-range warp gate, their numbers had been few.
Cleo, commanding a fleet of 120,000 ships, had the advantage.
Yet Cleo had done nothing.
“That is the opinion of someone ignorant of the battlefield, isn’t it?”
Though he mocked the Chancellor, who issued orders only from court, Cleo’s true reason was simple: he had grown cowardly after suffering defeat as commander of the punitive army.
The Chancellor explained why further delay was unacceptable.
‘The long-range warp gate held by the Banfield house acts as a relay for the gates near the Capital Star.’
This particular gate was unlike the common one-way or route-shortening gates.
As a relay, it connected all warp gates leading to the Capital Star. If Christiana controlled it, she could access them all.
If every gate leading to the Capital Star were sealed, enemies could be kept out—but the problem was that the Capital Star could not survive on its own.
Its upkeep required vast amounts of supplies, brought daily through the warp gates.
If all gates were cut off, the Capital Star would wither in a short time.
It was a fragile system, the result of prioritizing convenience over preparedness.
Cleo understood this, but he did not want to face Christiana.
“In that case, reinforcements must be sent at once. Though, unless they are elite—like the Guard Fleet defending the Capital Star—they’ll be useless against her.”
He assumed such a demand would be impossible to grant.
Yet the Chancellor’s response was unexpected.
‘…Very well. All three fleets shall be dispatched. Secure the warp gate immediately.’
“What!? What about the Capital Star’s defense!?”
While Cleo reacted with predictable panic, the Chancellor’s expression clearly said you have no right to complain.
‘While Your Highness idled, the situation has changed. Replacements for the Capital Star’s defense are already being prepared, so do not worry.’
When the transmission ended, Cleo buried his head in his hands.
“Damn it! You’re sending me against them again!?”
◇
The Banfield Ducal House, which had sworn to overthrow the Algrand Empire, had secured the long-range warp gate critical to the conquest of the Capital Star.
This gate marked the shortest route between Banfield territory and the Capital Star.
Losing it would multiply the time required to bring down the Empire.
Defending this key location was Christiana Leta Rose Blair, bearer of Knight Number “5.”
Christiana—known as Tia—had prioritized securing the warp gate after defeating the Imperial punitive army, looking ahead to the future.
Possessing foresight, she was also the longest-serving knight under Liam.
Now, aboard the bridge of her flagship, the superdreadnought Varle, she gazed at the sight before her.
“For His Highness Cleo to come all this way just to become my achievement… how endearing.”
Before her, more than 150,000 enemy ships advanced, intent on seizing—or destroying—the gate.
Her adjutant, Claudia Beltran, stood straight-backed with hands behind her.
After checking the observation data, she spoke.
“The enemy’s center contains the Capital Star’s Guard Fleet. Three fleets in total… I expected some strength, but sending this many is surprising.”
Even within this vast expanse of space, elite forces were not so plentiful—especially as the Empire was under invasion by surrounding nations.
Likely, the Guard Fleet was the last elite force available.
Crossing her arms, Tia smiled faintly.
“――Lord Liam will be arriving. Before then, let’s crush them completely.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Claudia raised her right hand and issued orders.
“As Lady Tia’s direct guard, we will hold the center and defend the gate. Deploy the reorganized fleets.”
From behind the gate, the reorganized ships advanced, forming their battle lines.
The fleets took up formation to defend the gate, while separate fleets positioned themselves on the far left and right wings.
With confidence, Tia commanded:
“We shall deliver good news to Lord Liam before his arrival. …All fleets, annihilate the enemy before us.”
Her forces surged into action.
The wings advanced first, opening fire.
◇
Meanwhile, caught off guard, Cleo sat trembling in his commander’s chair.
“What’s happening!? What about our attack!?”
Unable to grasp the situation, he barked confused questions.
The knight beside him, calm and competent, responded.
“The enemy struck first. But we are out of their effective range. Please remain calm.”
“How can I be calm!? Begin the counterattack!”
Though Cleo shouted in panic, the knight replied steadily.
“Attacking from out of range is pointless. Nor do I believe the enemy intends real damage. They only wish to unsettle us—”
Before he could finish, the communications officer cut in.
“O-our allies have disobeyed orders and opened fire!”
“What!?” the knight exclaimed.
“They’re even altering course on their own—turning in front of the enemy!? The Guard Fleet is demanding order, saying we’re obstructing their vanguard—”
The cobbled-together patrol fleets had fallen into chaos, dragging allies down with them.
Cleo’s face went pale.
“See, I knew it… it’s hopeless!”
◇
On Varle’s bridge, Tia chuckled softly.
“Did they think I’d spend my time reorganizing our forces without learning anything about them? Mixing in elites this late won’t change the outcome.”
Even while enduring the nerve-wracking process of reorganizing in enemy territory, she had gathered intelligence.
“I know most of them are nothing but patched-together patrol fleets. Barely trained, their deployment was easy to predict. This is what true warfare is: the outcome is decided before the battle even begins. Have you learned that lesson, Crown Prince?”
Of course, Cleo could not hear her mocking words.
Tia was venting her frustrations.
Then Claudia noticed a change.
“Confirmed friendly fire among their forces. They appear to be in considerable disarray.”
“That’s excellent. In that case, it’s time—”
Just as Tia prepared to order a charge, the communications officer shouted in alarm.
“A fleet is emerging from the warp gate! It’s… Argos… Lord Liam’s Guard Fleet!”
Tia’s sly smile bloomed into pure delight.
“Lord Liam!!”
At the forefront of the arriving forces was the superdreadnought Argos.
A line opened between Varle and Argos, and Liam’s face appeared on the massive monitor.
“You’ve defended the warp gate… though it doesn’t quite look that way, does it?”
Even upon seeing the battle, Liam’s expression was unchanged.
There was no hint of urgency—if anything, he seemed uninterested.
Tia dropped to one knee, bowing her head.
“My deepest apologies. I will destroy them immediately.”
“No, this is perfect. We’ll join the fight as well.”
With a grin, Liam addressed his entire army.
“――It’s time for war.”
Liam’s fleet surged forward at full speed, charging directly into the enemy.
Brian ( ´;ω;` ) “After such a long wait, at last the postings have resumed. To be reunited with you readers fills this Brian with indescribable emotion.”
Brian (´• ω •`) “...Naegi-chan? Hm? Who might that be?”