CH 123

Half a month has passed since the unbelievable first report, leaving the reporter’s sanity in doubt.

The fourth report has already arrived from Fortress Kerviel.

[The Hercules Star System has been jumped to the Andromeda Galaxy.]

[We have encountered an advanced alien civilization working with Daemons and have decided to abort the invasion operation.]

[Initiate contact with advanced alien civilizations fighting the Daemons and acquire advanced technology.]

[We will destroy the Machaon Star System to make Ten-to and Andromeda into realms.]

All four reports were delivered to the Apollo system, where the Spirit Emperor Mira resides.

Therefore, the Rear Command could not withdraw from the Apollo System even after the second report informing them of the cancellation of the invasion operation.

And after the fourth report arrived, the Rear Command was reactivated for the invasion of the Ten-to Star System, which was conveyed to Hart, just like the invasion of the Hercules Star System.

“Hasten preparations for another invasion. Get as close as possible to what we had during the invasion of Hercules.”

The government and the military knew that it would be difficult to assemble fighter crafts on the scale used in the invasion of Hercules.

However, in order to be as prepared as possible, a massive mobilization was made from the other seven star systems and poured into the Apollo Star System.

The Apollo Star System was a K-type main sequence star, normally illuminated by dim light, but even before the Second Hercules Invasion, the numerous giant man-made objects deployed by the Monarchy illuminated the star system with inexhaustible light.

As for Hart’s unilateral reports, Queen Yuna approved all of them.

“I approve all the proposals made by Fleet Admiral Amakawa, the Commander-in-Chief. This directly affects the survival of the nation, the lives of the Royal People, and will continue to do so far into the future. To the government, Generals, lords, and all the people of the Monarchy, please act immediately.”

Yuna’s orders include the re-migration of the Solar System people who have been relocated to the Machaon Star System.

One of the roles of the Queen or Commander-in-Chief in wartime is to make emergency decisions that cannot be debated in parliament in a timely manner.

The Monarchy gives both the Queen and the Commander-in-Chief the position and authority to do so.

The operation, requested by the Commander-in-Chief, Fleet Admiral Amakawa, and authorized by Queen Yuna, is a legitimate act under the social system of the Monarchy.

And if the Machaon Star System, which is no longer inhabited by the citizens of the Monarchy, is to be used up in order to turn the enemy star system of Ten-to into a realm, it is a clearly necessary act that can be explained openly even if questioned by the parliament.

The Machaon Star System has only been home to Solar System people for four months.

They were just barely getting used to their new home, and it would generally be undesirable for them to be forced to relocate even further. However, the conclusion reached by the Queen and the Commander-in-Chief had more to do with the safety of the Royal people than with the sentiments of the former Solar System inhabitants.

The government, the Generals, the lords, and Royal citizens, having been given a clear direction to follow, obediently followed it.

During the invasion of Hercules, the aristocrats who had gone back and forth between the two transition gates to establish a forward base, and those who were in the Apollo System when the gates were closed, launched a large fleet of immigrant ships from the Apollo Star System to the Machaon Star System.

“As with Mars, we must create two Spirit Kings. Any human who doesn’t immediately obey orders doesn’t need to be taken aboard.”

Colette, the Deputy Commander in charge of the Rear Command, made a clear statement in her position as the officer in charge of sending out the Lords.

Instead of letting her subordinates and conscripted aristocrats take the lead, and without tarnishing Yuna’s name, Colette took responsibility. Colette, who was naturally excellent, could make such a judgment without Hart.

By the time the large immigrant fleet departed, communications had been established with the remnants of the Hercules invasion force on their way back.

The Hercules invasion force lost most of its 344.13 million fighter crafts, while the troops that had established their forward bases behind Fortress Kerviel were unharmed.

The survivors were the Royal Army and the Aristocratic Fleets, which Hart sent to the rear because would be unfortunate if they were caught in the crushing battle between the fighter crafts. Therefore, the Generals, princes, and aristocrats were also safe.

“I suspect it’s because the Daemon Emperor set its target on Fortress Kerviel.”

Colette, who was eligible to attend both the Royal Council and the Lords’ Conference at the same time, voiced her opinion on the losses.

As expected, she chose her words carefully and didn’t say, “Because it considered anything but Fortress Kerviel to be toothless”.

For the Daemon Emperor, there are only two types of people in the Monarchy: Hart, who works with the Spirit Emperor and can oppose the Daemon Emperor, and group members who pose no threat to the Daemon Emperor at all.

Therefore, as a result of the Daemon Emperor setting its target to Fortress Kerviel, the ‘other groups that don’t matter’ that were out of range were safe. They were not taken seriously from the start.

Thanks to this, the Monarchy has not suffered much damage other than the loss of large fighter crafts and Strategic Satellites.

The Chief of the General Staff, Colonel General Reinelt, judged that the damage could be recovered quickly.

“Of the two types of large fighter crafts, Surtr will be operated by mobilizing former citizens of the Frodi Republic, whose manpower replenishment is outside the scope of the royal population. And the Strategic Satellites will not be a problem.”

Approximately 8 billion people of the former Frodi Republic have sought refuge in the Monarchy.

Of these, 164.13 million have volunteered, and about 1.2 billion people, including their families, have acquired limited royal citizenship and moved to the territory of the Marquis of Hecate.

In other words, there are still 6.6 billion people left in the Artemis Star System.

If those who have already moved to the Marquis Hecate Territory were to talk about the housing and property they have acquired, their new life in the new domain, and a secondary recruitment were to take place, another 164.13 million people could be recruited.

On the contrary, if they are willing to increase the Surtr proportion in the Royal Army, the 180 million Israfel crafts that have been lost can be replenished by the Surtr.

In addition, new Strategic Satellites can be built by towing the many celestial objects in the Fukashiro Star System.

The Strategic Satellites were depleted during the Battle of Hercules, but within a month, it would be possible to install magic element engines and cover them with liquid metal. And, of course, the Monarchy was also proceeding with the reconstruction.

Therefore, Reinelt, as Chief of Staff, thought that the damage could be recovered at an early stage.

“I’m at a loss as to how to judge the outcome of the battle.”

General Elmer Schmidt, the Monarchy’s Deputy Chief of Military Affairs, who had introduced a variety of fighter crafts, spoke in a roundabout manner, taking all sides into account.

Prompted to speak by a glance from the Queen, Schmidt offered an additional explanation.

“As to whether or not we were able to conquer the Hercules system, the answer is no. But we have driven them out of the Milky Way, and in terms of eliminating enemy star systems within our reach, we have achieved our goal. Therefore, I am at a loss for an overall assessment of the results of the battle.”

Upon receiving the explanation, Yuna nodded in agreement.

The Hercules Star System existed 250 light-years away from the MacLir Star System. With a magic element engine operator contracted with the Daemon, and it is a one-way trip of one and a half months.

It was close enough to pose a great threat to the Monarchy should it invade or advance into the surrounding space.

But the Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away. Even with Daemons and magic element engines, it would take 1,250 years to travel each way.

The enemy fleet, which is unable to develop technology as its ships are advancing, will be a powerless group made of obsolete technology from 1250 years ago when it arrives.

After 1250 years, there would have been quite a few generational changes. During that time, the generation that thought “why should we continue to advance?” would feel foolish and stop.

Thus, the Hercules Star System, which has been sent 2.5 million light-years away, is no longer a threat in terms of distance once its Transition Gate is blocked.

“In other words, as long as Ten-to is subdued, the threat will disappear. This petty officer is not too concerned about the attack on Ten-to.”

The reason Schmidt is not worried is that Hart, who issued the fourth report, had informed them of his plans to return from the Andromeda Galaxy and attack Ten-to.

It is a Daemon King that has expanded the realm in Ten-to. None other than Hart, after successively capturing Ōizumi and Honyō, advanced to Ten-to and had his own spirits confirm it.

Hart judged that it was possible to defeat Ten-to.

Hart’s achievement of eliminating a Daemon King with his Spirit Emperor was in the Apollo Star System. Since this was to be replicated, Schmidt assumed that it would lead to a similar development.

Once the military response was approved, the next issue was government policy.

Prime Minister Stanley, with some difficulty, presented the issues of the future.

“Who will govern the Ten-to Star System and the Andromeda Galaxy in the future?

This was something that Yuna, who wanted to abdicate the throne, did not want to decide, and Bernard and Josslan, neither of whom had been confirmed as the next Sovereign before the invasion of the Ten-to, could not decide.

If Yuna were to decide, she would have to make a big move.

First, Carneus, the first-ranked Marquis, and Amakawa, the second-ranked Marquis, would be promoted to the rank of Duke.

Next, she would move the domain of the Grand Duke of Taka Amanohara to Ten-to, which has a huge population, leaving the vacant MacLir Star System to the Duke of Carneus.

The Duke of Amakawa, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, would be placed in the Andromeda Galaxy, which is indispensable but also highly dangerous. When considering who to appoint, there is no choice but to appoint Amakawa.

The Royal Family, which was intended to be relocated to the Hermes Star System, would remain in the Diete Star System, which is well protected by a Spirit Emperor, because the situation has become unclear.

Yuna is unhappy with the change of territory from MacLir, which she worked so hard to arrange, the placement of Amakawa in a perilous region, and the burden placed on Carneus, who is in the process of taking over.

But if Bernard or Josslan propose kicking their sister out, Yuna will be emotionally unhappy. Not only that, but third-party lords, army generals, and royal citizens would also cry out against the next Sovereign.

Therefore, out of consideration for her brothers’ position, Yuna had no choice but to speak out herself.

“The current matter of changing territories is only one of the proposals. At this point, we cannot make any decisions about Andromeda, where the enemy and environment are still unclear. For now, we will wait until the situation is resolved.”

“As expected, Her Majesty the Queen is without equal.”

The Duke of Coesfeld was impressed by Yuna’s selfless devotion, and the preliminary answer to Stanley’s question was given.

“Was the Tenka Hercules Alliance able to establish a cooperative relationship on an equal footing?”

“There is no way they could. If they were that good, they would quickly end the war against the Monarchy of Diete, as fellow humans, which is much easier to negotiate than with Andromeda, on terms that are not inherently disadvantageous.”

At Stanley’s question, the Duke of Takrham sniffed sarcastically as he lifted the corners of his mouth.

“The Alliance was the first to territorialize all of its own faction’s star systems. At that time, four of the Monarchy’s star systems were not territorialized, so if they had shown the possibility of territorializing the Monarchy’s star systems, the war would have gone better. And if we went to a new system, we could have won in the future.”

Takrham’s approach may be the reason why Josslan was almost confirmed in the battle for the throne.

The situation has changed too much, but if the Ten-to Transition Gate can be sealed, the security of the Milky Way Galaxy side can be established. In that case, Yuna’s abdication would be within reach.

At this stage, it would be better to show that Takrham, Josslan’s supporter, would also be useful in order to increase the possibility of succession.

“Even if you let them have Daemons, if the leader is a fool, they cannot pose a threat. That is why the Monarchy is better than Tenka.”

With a sarcastic expression on his face, Takrham began to acknowledge Queen Yuna’s leadership.

From then on, the conversation continued, which could only be decided in broad strokes due to a lack of information.

The Goetia tribes encountered by the Monarchy are an advanced alien civilization with vast territories and a race of Quantum Thinkers capable of high-speed computation.

Even if the Monarchy gains technology and closes the gap of tens of thousands of years, the other side’s technological progress is faster, and in the current situation, they will never be able to catch up.

Accordingly, the direction that can be indicated must be as follows.

Hart returned from Andromeda around the time that these tentative proposals were finalized.