Book 11: Chapter 6: Defensive Battle?
The flagship Argos.
Classified as a superdreadnought battleship exceeding 3,000 meters, the space battleship is like having a small colony inside.
It has most of the necessary facilities, and if one does not seek luxury, there is no difficulty in living.
But aristocrats are different.
"The nobles are the ones who use even the limited space in a wasteful way."
The room that had been prepared for the occasion was equipped with facilities that could easily be mistaken for a luxury hotel.
Waste of space.
Wasteful equipment.
It would be a mockery of the developers' desperate designs to save what little space they have.
Elegant, even on the battlefield.
This is what a corrupt lord looks like.
My junior sisters, who have just returned from work, are in my private room.
They were lying on my bed or sofa, dressed in their underwear after taking a bath.
Rinho was lying on her back on the bed, her legs flapping.
"This is really the only place in the world that's different. I forget I'm on the battlefield."
Fuuka, who is lying face down on the sofa and eating snacks in an ill-mannered fashion, laughs and agrees.
"I think senior brother is really out of his mind."
Bringing a luxury cruise ship into a battlefield would be an act of questionable sanity.
They both laughed beyond dismay at my villainous lordship.
But my luxury liner also possesses very high performance as a warship.
Luxury and performance, you have to have both to be rich.
I am an aristocrat, and I am spending my time in elegance, no matter what other people are going through on the battlefield. --This is nobility.
When I say this to them with a smile, Rinho and Fuuka look at each other.
"It's true that it's a battlefield, but~"
"This is the territory of the High Kingdoms, so it's enemy territory, right? Senior brother does that a lot."
-We are not along the border with the High Kingdoms.
We had crossed the border and were now invading the territory of the High Kingdoms.
In other words, it is enemy territory.
Why should I fight to defend the territory of the Empire?
Since it's up to me, I'll do as I please.
"I will do as I please, even if it is in hostile territory, and I will do it gracefully."
As I was telling my sister disciples how to be a vicious lord, a siren went off.
A small window appears in front of us, and Elysia, who has been sleeping and waking up, reports to us.
"The enemy fleet has noticed us and is approaching. The number is about 30,000 ships.
Shaking the glass of liquor I was holding, I let out a sigh at the sight of Elysia.
"You've got bad sleeping habits."
"Well, what can you do! More importantly, it's a Type 1 alert!"
I came to the battlefield accompanied by Elysia, my second-in-command from my military days, but to be honest, I wanted Amagi by my side.
I was also concerned about the territory, and I left her behind in case - but now we are in hostile territory and have no proper contact with the territory.
"Huh--I miss Amagi."
"Why do you look so disappointed?"
"No, seriously sorry, but?"
Seeming disappointed, not. It is truly regretful.
When I told her so, Elysia became expressionless.
"Please hurry up and get ready for battle."
I was cut off before I could reply, but if it had been anyone else, they would have been severely punished.
Isn't she too rude to me?
Damn, there are no decent women around me.
Putting down my glass and standing up, I turn my attention to my sister disciples.
They are cute little sisters. I don't lust after them, but I still wish they would do something about their outfits.
"We're going out. I'll provide you with as many clothes as you need, so don't walk around in your underwear after your bath."
They complain and stand up.
Rinho says it is a hassle to change clothes every time.
"It's a hassle to go on so many sorties like this."
"Right?"
Fuuka stands up and stretches and operates a terminal attached to her arm.
Seeing the pilot suit being put on in an instant, what is so troublesome about this? I tilted my head.
Nearly 60,000 allied ships were launching attacks against 30,000 enemies.
I am watching this scene on the Avid, and I cut down both sides of the approaching enemy mobile knights with the laser blade I was holding.
I kicked away the wreckage and then watched my Junior sisters in action on the battlefield.
"Not bad, huh?"
Rinho and Fuuka, both riding in the mass-produced Avid, are using the white aircraft.
Their voices were heard in the cockpit.
Rinho's aircraft has a long-bladed sword and is diving toward the battleship.
"Look, look, if you don't hurry up and stop it, you'll die!"
Combined with the One-Flash technique, the enemy ship was cut in two by the mass-produced Avid.
When the explosion occurred, Rinho's aircraft emerged from it unharmed, searching for its next prey.
"Rinho's aircraft appeared unharmed from the explosion, looking for its next prey. Fuuka's is--"
In contrast, Fuka's aircraft had laser blades in each hand.
This one is fighting against a mobile knight.
"Bring on the strong ones! You guys are no match for me!"
She was moving toward the mobile knights, diving at them, slashing and chopping at them.
The light from the thrusters made the trajectory look like a line, but the places where Fuuka's aircraft passed through were exploding one after another.
We learned swordsmanship from the same master, but we're going in very different directions.
As I was watching the situation while defeating the gathering enemies, an enemy ship was coming toward Avid.
Dozens of battleships were pointing their main guns at Avid.
When Avid picked up the enemy's voice, it seemed that they knew I was sailing and launched an assault.
"It's Liam! If we take his head off, we'll win this battle for sure! We will defeat him here to protect our homeland. All ships, fire at once!"
For a hastily formed fleet that has been infiltrated by the enemy, you have a lot of energy. --But they don't have the numbers to beat me.
Avid does not avoid lasers and beams fired from enemy ships. A spherical field was generated around Avid, repelling them.
When Avid points it's left hand toward the enemy fleet, a number of magic circles appear behind it.
From there, turrets and various other weapons appeared and were fired at the enemy fleet.
After a short delay, the enemy fleet was swallowed by the explosions one after another and silenced.
"The elite are probably in a hurry to find us right now, right? Well, it's too late to find out."
The first wave of the Banfield family's army has been ravaging the High Kingdom's domestic section, entering enemy territory without colliding with the enemy's invasion force.
Naturally, the borders of the empire will be raided as well, but that's not my concern.
"Time for a fun fistfight! I'll let you keep me company, High Kingdoms."
Around that time.
The fleet of the High Kingdoms Army, which had invaded Imperial territory, was unable to hide its bewilderment at the weakness of the defending forces.
Aluna, now the crown prince, is listening to a war report on the bridge of the flagship.
The High Kingdoms' army has been winning battle after battle.
They were able to invade the imperial territory without any damage.
However, Aluna's brow wrinkled.
"What the hell is going on? Wasn't the information we had in hand that the Duke of Banfield was going to come out?"
According to information obtained by the High Kingdoms intelligence, Liam was to be dispatched to the border.
Therefore, the crown prince, Aluna, had attacked in person.
This battle was Aluna's first as crown prince.
Receiving a great deal of attention in the country, and everyone was expecting Aluna's skill and bravery.
Victory is good, but beating a weak opponent is not appreciated in the High Kingdoms.
Her dissatisfaction was reflected in her attitude, and her subordinates were equally perplexed.
"I don't think he ran away. Could it be a trick of the other side?"
"The Banfield family defeated the Master Izel, you know. It's quite possible."
"Rumor has it that Klaus, the Empire's most powerful knight, is also out there."
There are two head positions that the High Kingdoms particularly want.
One is the head of Liam, who is thought to be the general-in-chief, but the other is the head of Klaus, who has even come to be called the strongest in the empire.
The High Kingdoms believe that they were boiled by Klaus, and Klaus is resented.
But at the same time, the High Kingdom pays respect to a strong opponent.
Klaus was positioned as a superb opponent for the warriors.
The reason why Aluna went all the way to the front was because she wanted the head rank of Liam and Klaus.
"I don't think those two will blow in the wind of cowardice. But if that's the case, why aren't they on the battlefield? He didn't seem like the kind of man who would keep quiet after so much of the imperial territory had been overrun."
As Aluna ponders with her hand over her mouth, a subordinate who received the transmission stands up and asks permission to speak.
"Your Royal Highness!"
"What is it?"
"An urgent call from the rear! The fleet of House Banfield has invaded the territory of the High Kingdom! Their number is estimated at 500,000! We have also confirmed the appearance of the knight who killed Master Izel, Avid."
As the bridge begins to buzz, Aluna lifts her hips from her seat.
When she heard that Liam was behind them, she made a face that said she had been played.
But soon her expression turns into a smile.
"He was very brave to invade us. I too prefer invasions to defensive battles, so I understand his feelings."
Aluna is pleased to learn that Liam is in the rear - but there are some things that concern her.
"But are you going to be a rat in the sack yourself? With a mere 500,000 men, he will only end up being surrounded if we hit the back of the line.
The number led by Aluna is in the millions.
Aluna has the upper hand in numbers, and Liam's actions appear to be too reckless.
Her men wait for Aluna's orders.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, what will you do now? Do we continue to invade deep into the empire, or do we turn around and go for the Duke of Banfield's head?"
Do we go forward or do we turn back?
Normally, we should invade the empire, but what Aluna wants is the heads of Liam and Klaus.
Aluna makes a quick decision.
"We're turning back. We don't know when we'll get another chance to fight Banfield. The Empire can invade at any time, but we can't let this chance pass us by."
The men around her were gleaming with anticipation as Aluna smiled with the ferocity of a beast.
"The whole army will go for Banfield's head!"
It was Aluna who was aiming for Liam's head rather than the imperial territory, which she could easily cut off.
The second fleet from the Banfield family arrived at the planet Augur, where Liam had previously served as a deputy.
Decades earlier, the lords who ruled the planet had deprived their citizens of education and technology, forcing them to live in a lifestyle that was not unlike that of an interstellar nation.
It was one of the more convenient planets for the Banfield family, as Liam had emigrated his subjects from his own territory when he served as deputy.
The person who greeted the second group of generals, who arrived in a great hurry, at the spaceport was [Marion Sera Algren], who was acting as deputy of the Algrens' frontier count.
Marion, dressed boyishly with short hair, was irritated in front of the bewildered knights and soldiers of the Banfield family.
"Too late! You almost brought the fleet of the High Kingdom to Augur!"
The general speaks with Marion on behalf of the company.
"I've come more quickly than planned, sir? More importantly, is Liam-sama safe? We have not been able to make contact with them at all, which has been a source of consternation on the main planet. And what about the war situation? Why is there only a fleet sent by the Empire?"
Hundreds of thousands of reinforcements were greeted by more than a million friendly ships.
These were fleets dispatched by the Empire, and they were all old-fashioned, papier-mch tigers.
Marion's head was spinning.
"Liam-senpai has just rode into hostile territory! Damn, what an easy job. Being exposed as naked in front of the High Kingdoms, that's a punishment. I swear I really hate you, Liam-senpai."
Teary-eyed Marion was sent by the Count of Algren Frontier to serve as a link to Liam.
At first, everyone thought that Liam would also defend the border without incident.
Marion also thought that even if he did not win, he would not lose badly, and she easily thought that she would not die if she stayed by Liam's side.
The generals looked at each other.
"What the hell is going on!?"
"Is there anyone left? Where is Klaus-dono? At this point, it could be Christiana or Marie. If there was just one person..."
To these generals, Marion begins to laugh with tears in her eyes.
"Not one of those guys! They took them all and hit the High Kingdoms!"
The knight who was listening to the conversation became dismayed.
"No, no. I have to tell Liam-sama immediately."
To the bewildered second group, Marion delivers a message from Liam.
"More importantly, it's an order from Liam-senpai. He said that you guys should take the fleet that has been reorganized and invade the territory of the High Kingdoms. He wants you to bring reinforcements."
The Imperial fleet that was dispatched - under Liam's orders - was currently undergoing reorganization, receiving new ships and aircraft that were being sent one after another.
The generals grew impatient with the ambiguous orders and crowded Marion.
"Reorganization? No way, on this scale! Surely you don't have any detailed orders or any data to go on? In the first place, the number! How many reinforcements are they asking for?"
"--I asked him and he didn't say. They told us to judge for ourselves. What the hell is this?"
When Marion turned away, the knights and generals held their faces in their hands and looked up to the heavens.
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