CH 129

Diaroze, Madness

The next morning. Diaroze was pacing around the bridge of the [Odelvansen]. Her expression seemed agitated and there were big dark circles under her eyes. Surprisingly, she hasn’t slept a wink since she was knocked out. The shock she received from letting Kisei escape made her unable to sleep even when she tried.

“Y, Your Highness…..please calm down a little. You are not a tuna so you don’t have to move around so much……”

“Who’s a tuna!”

(TLN: I don’t quite get it but it’s kind of hilarious lol)

Not listening to the words of her subordinates, Diaroze yelled in annoyance.

“More importantly, have you found the rebels yet!?”

“N, No, ma’am…..unfortunately. We sent out a unit to perform reconnaissance but……”

“Kuh……you incompetent curs!”

Diaroze swore. However, her subordinates were apathetic. After all, she’s a woman who after trying to get her hands on a man, she got the table turned on her. Besides, it’s a little difficult to be intimidated by someone who got knocked out by her own little sister. Diaroze’s subordinates were those who did not participate in Valentina’s coup but it’s not like they have pledged their allegiance to Diaroze either.

However, even though she’s the person in charge, Diaroze is not in the state to worry about that right now. Right now, the only thing in her head is regret.

(It was a mistake………)

Diaroze deeply frowned as her mouth tied into a single line.

(He ran away because I used the whip on him. That was on me……..The one who should have been tied up was me and it’s him who should have had the whip!)

If Kisei hears what she’s thinking right now, he would have retorted with [No, that’s not where you went wrong]. However, Diaroze who finally realized her true fetish continues to escape reality due to her regret and lack of sleep.

(Anyway, I have to quickly quell these rebels and take back Kisei……..After that I need to firmly apologize to him and have him punish me later……)

Due to fatigue and her lack of sleep, her mind is not working correctly. Seeing Diaroze talking to herself with a loose smile on her face, her subordinates were creeped out by her.

“Still…..the number of defectors is too high. More than half of our army has turned to the other side…….Your Highness, what are you planning to do? If we collide with them head-on, we won’t be able to get out of it unscathed either.”

Naturally, the enemy here is not only Valentina’s faction. There is also the Calencian army as well. The possibility that their two enemies have joined forces is more than likely.

“Hmph…..that huh. If it’s just that then we will manage somehow. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Diaroze shrugged it off as though it was not even worth thinking of countermeasures against them and replied with confidence. On the other hand, the staff officers’ expressions turned suspicious.

“W, What are you saying, Your Highness……?”

“Even though they dubbed this as a coup, it wasn’t like our soldiers suddenly were enamored by my sister personally. They only changed sides because of Hokuto Kisei’s charm.”

Diaroze grinned and waved her hand while leaving out that she also fell for Kisei’s charm.

“T, Then……if we simply remove the carrot, the enemy should lose their purpose and quickly collapse. It’s simple isn’t it?”

“I, I see.”

Diaroze knows that Tersis told the soldiers that they will be rewarded by Kisei personally for their achievement. Without such a reward hanging in front of them, that should leave Valentina with a few that are loyal to her. The pillar of this coup was not Valentina but Kisei himself. That’s where she is planning to exploit them.

“That being said, that man’s combat skill is abnormal. Capturing him with our available forces would be……..”

She managed to capture him after exhausting him at the cost of major damage to her main force and ganging upon him with the 4 Heavenlys as well as Valentina. Rather, from the damage her forces suffered, this result could be described as a complete defeat. In their current situation where her force was literally cut in half, it is absolutely impossible to do that again.

“It will be okay. I will capture him myself.”

However, Diaroze affirms her subordinates with a confident expression.

(For the time being, I need to prepare a bouquet and a pick-up line……after that, all I need is to go for broke.)

Diaroze completely lost her mind due to the lack of sleep but unfortunately, her subordinates were unaware of that. They simply look in awe at the Undefeated Princess.

“I see, I understand, Your Highness. My deepest apology, I’ve overstepped my boundary……”

“Hmph……”

Diaroze crossed her arms like it was nothing much to her. Then, the operator in charge of enemy detection tensely raised her voice.

“Multiple hostile ships approaching from the west! It’s a big fleet, ma’am……bigger than ours!”

“So they joined up with the Calencian dogs after all huh! But, I was actually waiting for you!”

Diaroze had a ferocious smile on her face. Her expression looked like one of a carnivorous beast that just found its prey. Despite being in an overwhelmingly unfavorable situation, her subordinates stoke their chest in relief at the sight of their fearless leader.

“The distance…..Hm, they’ve gotten close but this should still be manageable.”

Diaroze lightly nods after confirming the enemy location via the data sent to her terminal. She then operates the terminal and brings up the map of the area.

“There’s an archipelago to our southwest right? Lure them there. I’m not so foolish as to fight them head-on. We are going guerrilla.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

As ordered, the Noredian Fleet began heading south at full speed.