Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 21 - Chapter 4

Wriggler

Saturday, November 6th

As it turned out, there were two incoming information pods from the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire. They were marked “37” and “82” respectively. Out of a hundred pods that had been sent, all stuffed with the same information, these were the only two that had reached Theia and the others.

The reason for that was because of the distance between Earth and Forthorthe. The two planets were over 10 million lightyears apart. One lightyear is roughly 10 trillion kilometers, so multiplying that by 10 million made for an unthinkable distance. In comparison, Earth’s seemingly distant moon is only roughly 400,000 kilometers away.

Pods could be sent within the Forthorthian solar system with a margin of error of less than one in one trillion. But that accuracy was difficult to achieve on significantly longer warps in a single try. That was why, when it came to such vast distances, the standard procedure was to break up the warp. Taking multiple, shorter warps increased the accuracy and safety of the trip by decreasing the overall margin of error.

But such precautions weren’t strictly necessary without any humans on board. And especially not when time was of the essence. Forthorthe only really needed one pod to reach its target destination, so they launched a hundred with half of the standard warps for the trip and rolled the dice. It would still take longer than hyperspace communications, but it would be far faster than sending a spaceship.

Familiar with Forthorthe’s transportation means and the logic and circumstances behind them, Theia knew exactly what the numbers engraved on the sides of the two pods meant. Whatever was inside them had to be urgent. And upon that realization, her face paled... As did Ruth’s, Elfaria’s, and Clan’s.

“We can’t wait out the entire quarantine period. Ruth, open the pods as soon as possible!”

“Yes, Your Highness! I’ll send a robot right now!”

There was no telling what the pod had picked up along the way while travelling through space. You had to be careful, even when receiving pods from known allies. That’s why a thorough washing, sterilization, and quarantine period on retrieved objects were standard, but Theia was far too impatient to get into these pods. Ruth sent a remote-controlled robot to retrieve them. It would technically need to be washed, sterilized, and quarantined too, but nobody was harping on technicalities right now.

“All right... I’m opening the pod.”

The two retrieved pods were brought to the arrival and departure deck intended for quarantine. Ruth operated the remote-controlled labor robot and used it to approach one of the pods. She had it extend its mechanical arm and operate the control panel on the side of the pod. It reacted right away and a small hatch next to the panel was opened, revealing something on a metallic tray inside.

“It seems to be paper file wrapped in plastic and a data chip.”

“Hurry up and read the data chip, Ruth.”

Theia’s intuition told her that the data chip and the paper file contained the same information. If this information was as critical as she suspected it was, the sender would have wanted it readable no matter the situation of who received it. And it turned out Theia was right. The truth revealed itself as soon as the robot plugged in the data chip and began relaying its contents.

“The current empress, Her Majesty Elfaria Dana Forthorthe, is now suspected of having embezzled considerable sums of public funds. She is also a suspect in the murder of a journalist...”

“These are broadcasts from back home in Forthorthe. And the sender is... my father?! M-My apologies, I mean the sender is the Pardomshiha and Wenranka alliance.”

“So they’ve finally made their move...”

Theia’s expression turned stony as she passed her eyes over the relayed information. It was a harsh look that hadn’t crossed her face since she first came to room 106.

“Theia, it looks like the time has come to steel yourself.”

“I already have, mother.”

Elfaria put her hand on Theia’s shoulder. It relaxed her expression a bit, but the fire in her eyes didn’t fade in the slightest. Theia knew that this would be the beginning of the greatest trial ever placed on her and her mother.

The conflict between Elfaria and the military first began more than twenty years ago. The military had a lot of power even back then, and also had a tendency of throwing its weight around in government affairs. Elfaria took note of that and built her political platform on the idea of disarmament. If she were to become empress, she promised the citizens she would keep the military from running amok. Even the mighty military of Forthorthe would have no choice but to back down if both the empress and public called for it. Regardless of what they did in secret, the Imperial Army had sworn allegiance to the royal families.

Sensing that they would be forever hamstringed if they left Elfaria came to power, the military did everything they could, both publically and privately, to keep Elfaria from ascending the throne. Yet for all their meddling, they couldn’t stop Elfaria’s momentum. She became empress and disarmament became a reality. With that, the military’s great and unchecked power was finally toppled. Though Elfaria had paid a great price for it, she ultimately came out victorious.

For some years after that, the military lay low, but they never lost their pride. As the Blue Knight himself had been the one to rally, assemble, and lead the army that defended Forthorthe, they strongly believed themselves to be the true successors of the Blue Knight. That was why they couldn’t bear the thought of being toyed around with by or kowtowing to some thoughtless monarch.

It was also why the top brass of the military began making moves behind the scenes to build up an army that was so strong that they would be beholden to no higher power. They held the legendary Empress Alaia up on a lofty pedestal. It paraded as a form of patriotism, but their divinization of Alaia really served as an excuse to deem all the rulers that came after her incompetent. It was only a means to an end, and it could be said that their coup d’etat really got its start there. It had been a long, slow buildup to its current state, but there were a few reasons for that.

The first was of course the large setback of the disarmament. With the watchful eyes of the government on them while that was ongoing, they’d never be able to pull off the kind of rebellion they were hoping for.

The second reason was because they’d learned that turning the public against them would be fatal. Elfaria had ridden an enormous wave of public support to the throne, which she’d used to sponsor the disarmament. And as long as she had the people under her thumb, they would never even dream of overthrowing her. If the military swooped in and did it by force, the public would turn against them instead. So in order for a coup to succeed, they would need to begin with assassinating Elfaria’s character and boosting their own reputation. They’d known that ages ago, and they were in for the long game.

The first thing they’d done to that end was dig their claws deep into the media. They won over people in important positions through bribes or, failing that, blackmail, framing, and assassination. Slowly, outlet by outlet, they gained control of stations and publications alike, and they began putting slants on the news to paint things in their favor.

As the military worked to seize control of the media, they also wormed their way into other sectors. They waited until they had about a third of Forthorthe’s media under control so they could add that to their list of bargaining chips when it came to getting important government and finance figures. Regardless of the truth, the news outlets they now controlled could go a long way to influencing stock prices and tarnishing politicians just by saying the right thing on air or in print. And so, slowly but surely, the military increased their nefarious sphere of influence.

Once they had their claws in finance too, they had capital freely flowing into their cause. This allowed them to illegally produce weapons and increase their forces, all under the table and out of the public eye. Yet even then, the timing wasn’t right. They’d have to wait years more yet before the top brass had everything in order and was willing to make their big move.

Of course, Elfaria wasn’t just sitting by idly as all of this transpired. She took all kinds of countermeasures, but using only above-board tactics against people who were willing to play dirty put her at a distinct disadvantage. If she created laws to inhibit the military, the media under the military’s control would brand her as an evil dictator and the military would simply defy her scenes. With everything falling into place in the military’s favor, they began boxing Elfaria in thusly.

When she felt that she herself was in danger, she sent her daughter Theia to Koutarou’s side using her trial as an excuse. And once Theia was safely away, she resolved to finally confront the military. That, however, would be much harder than it sounded. The media, the government, and the financial circles under the military’s control had her so badly cornered that there was little she could do at that point.

They all moved against her at once. The military captured Elfaria and placed her under house arrest while the media falsely reported she was ill. It was only thanks to Theia that she’d been able to escape and flee to Earth.

Koutarou and the others had seen the fallout of that on Earth, including Elexis and his goons showing up, but they didn’t know the extent of what was going on back in Forthorthe. At least, not until the information pods arrived. They contained a full report of the situation.

As of late, the media had completely turned on Elfaria. It was no longer reporting that she was sick, but that she was a criminal. The charges were embezzlement and murder to cover up the embezzlement. Of course, the accusations were all falsities concocted by the military. They’d generated just enough evidence to strip her of her imperial rights and send her to trial.

So as things were, the military’s plans were playing out nicely. Elfaria’s character was thrown into question, and the public was almost perfectly divided on the issue of how to proceed from here. At this rate, all the military would have to do was add a little more fuel to the media fire and they’d have the majority of public opinion on their side. With that, they’d be able to send a fleet to capture Elfaria. The politicians under military control had already approved of this plan without deliberation.

The pretext for dispatching the fleet would be to bring Elfaria home and put her on trial, but the top brass of the military was secretly hoping that she would put up some resistance. If she did, it would give them cause enough to attack and kill her. Of course, even if she didn’t resist, they could always kill her and say she did. No one would be watching on some faraway backwater planet.

The information contained in the pod was explained in detail by Elfaria herself. As expected of an empress, she spoke with dignity and grace, but in a way that was easy for everyone to understand. She painted a very clear picture of the danger at hand, which was why the moment she concluded her explanation, Koutarou let out a sigh.

“Hahh... Sounds like this is worse than I thought, Elle.”

Koutarou’s gut told him that Elfaria was, using chess terms, in check. She’d be finished by the end of the military’s next move.

“Yet you don’t seem that worried, Layous-sama.”

“Knowing you, you already have something planned, don’t you?”

“I don’t see why I should have to play by their rules.”

Elfaria flashed a small smile, indirectly affirming Koutarou’s suspicions before shifting her glance over to Kiriha, who had also been listening in.

“In fact, I think Kiriha-san may have already figured it out.”

“Is that true, Kiriha-san?” asked Koutarou, turning to Kiriha standing next to him.

“I have my guesses... But I would say that if there’s this tight of a leash on information, it would be best to pretend like you’ve fallen for the enemy’s trap.”

“I think so too, Kiriha-san.”

Elfaria revealed a broad, satisfied grin. Really, she’d used this opportunity to put Kiriha to the test—and she’d passed with flying colors.

“Wait a minute!” shouted Koutarou. “Elle, are you saying you let yourself get captured on purpose?!”

“Indeed I did. That set the stage for everything that’s happening now.”

By the time Elfaria realized what the military was doing behind the scenes, they’d already amassed considerable forces and influence. Moreover, they had a tight grip on the media and other important mouthpieces. Anyone who knew too much was either bribed or threatened to keep quiet.

Elfaria tried various methods of turning the tables, but didn’t feel like she was getting anywhere. As she began to run out of other options, she decided to take a huge gamble. By using herself as a decoy, she was hoping to rip a giant hole in the net the military was keeping on information.

The military had a lot of cards in play and was always trying to think one step ahead, but against a clever opponent like Elfaria who was always thinking two or three steps ahead, it was hard to keep up. She knew that if she dangled the bait they wanted most in front of them—she herself—that she could force their hand. There was no way they wouldn’t go for it.

And so Elfaria allowed herself to be captured by the military. If she drew things out too long and they chose to use rougher methods, she knew good and well they might just outright kill her. But the military had never expected to capture the empress so soon, so at this juncture, they hardly knew what to do with her. Mostly, they just threatened her while she was in their custody, trying to pressure her into doing what they wanted.

But the military was composed of several different factions, each of which had different ideas about what should be done with Elfaria and each of which wanted to take credit for her capture. The internal friction that caused ultimately stymied any actual progress being made. The infighting even allowed some things that wouldn’t ordinarily to slip through the cracks, like information that Elfaria’s people quickly picked up on and put to good use. It was thanks to such information that Theia had been able to come liberate Elfaria.

But the story didn’t end there. While Theia was returning to Earth with her mother and a handful of loyal Forthorthian citizens in tow, the military was busy fabricating evidence against Elfaria. Meanwhile, the people who supported Elfaria but had chosen to stay on Forthorthe were hard at work using the information they’d drummed up during Elfaria’s captivity to try and bust the whole military conspiracy wide open.

“I knew you weren’t the type to take a loss sitting down, but to think you’d go that far...”

“I was only able to do it for two reasons. Firstly because the military’s been so predictable, and secondly because Theia and Ruth have matured into more wonderful and powerful allies than I ever could have expected to have.”

Theia and Ruth had put up an admirable fight with Blue Knight when they rescued Elfaria. While she had a plan to escape on her own, Theia and Ruth’s assistance had expedited the whole process. Things went safely and smoothly thanks to them.

“Mother...”

“I’m not worthy of your praise, Your Majesty.”

Theia and Ruth stood shoulder to shoulder, both wiping away their tears as they smiled proudly. Koutarou, however, didn’t look happy at all.

“Elle, don’t even think about doing something like that ever again.”

“I know. I’m sure they won’t let me escape so easily next time.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m saying this because you’re... You’re Theia-chan’s mother, Elle-chama.”

“Layous-sama...”

Elfaria went wide-eyed when she heard those unexpected words come from Koutarou’s mouth. But her stark surprise only lasted a moment, for she soon let out a small sigh and smiled wryly.

“Heehee, if you’re going to use that card against me, I have no choice but to comply, Layous-sama.”

Elfaria had made Theia and Ruth worry, and Koutarou wasn’t about to let her do it again. He was indirectly telling her to be a proper mother.

“As long as you understand. Now... what will you do next?”

“The military will inevitably dispatch a fleet to recapture me. We will be leaving Earth before they arrive and returning to Forthorthe.”

“Are you sure this is the best time to go back?”

“As long as we can meet up with our allies there, we should be safe. It seems risking my life was worth it; they’ve already identified who the real enemy is.”

Of all the information Elfaria’s people had gathered while she was using herself as a decoy, the most critical thing they’d learned was who was actually leading the quiet coup d’etat. If they went public with that kind of intelligence now, the military-controlled media would just deny it and cover it up. But now that Elfaria’s people knew the names and faces of their enemies, they could gather even more evidence on them and what they were up to. Once they could collate that and get it into Elfaria’s hands, she would be able to hold a press conference and spell out the current conspiracies so that they were plain for all to see. But in order for that to happen, Elfaria needed to be in Forthorthe. So, according to plan, it was finally time for Elfaria to return home.

“Much to my chagrin, I actually have to hand it to you for pulling this all off, Elle...”

“Thank you kindly. But fret not. I shouldn’t have to do anything like it again.”

“Good. But anyway, back down to business... Who are we dealing with here?”

“The two central figures are these men.”

Elfaria pulled up a hologram of two older men from the data chip.

“Wha―”

Upon seeing them, Koutarou reflexively gasped. Though these should have been faces he was seeing for the first time, they looked all too familiar.

“Satomi-kun, is that...”

“It can’t be!”

Harumi and Clan reacted the same way Koutarou did. The two men in the hologram looked familiar to them too because they looked strikingly like two terrible men they’d met two thousand years in the past. They were faces Koutarou and the others would never forget.

“So you’d stand in the way of the royal family once more, Maxfern and Grevanas...”

Prime Minister Maxfern and Head Court Magician Grevanas—that was who Koutarou saw in the hologram. Their hair was colored and styled differently, but it otherwise looked exactly like them.

“Is this that synchronicity thing Clan was talking about at work...?”

Seeing the familiar faces of old enemies, Koutarou’s expression turned stern and sharp. His eyes narrowed intensely. It was like he was reliving everything that had happened two thousand years ago in an instant. He was regaining his senses as the Blue Knight.

“Or maybe it was just destiny we’d fight again. We didn’t finish things back then, after all...”

Even the girls of room 106 and Elexis looked similar to people Koutarou had known in the past, and now the bad guys had made their entrance too. Since their last fight had ended with Koutarou sending Maxfern and Grevanas away rather than defeating them, this felt like the natural conclusion to him. He believed it was what fate had had in store all along, even though he was well aware they were just two men that happened to look the same as his old enemies.

“This is the leader of the Vandarion band of knights, Lord Marswell Dayora Vandarion. Next to him is a high-ranking military official who is the director general of military affairs and the science and technology agency, Granado Valkyris. These are the two men that are overstepping their bounds and controlling the military.”

Lord Vandarion bore an uncanny resemblance to Maxfern, and Director General Granado to Grevanas. And in a strange twist of fate, the two had come to power in the military during the disarmament Elfaria had advocated. Their predecessors had stood against Elfaria and were removed for their positions for it, opening up opportunities for a new generation of military leaders—which included Vandarion and Granado.

On the surface, they’d been cooperating with Elfaria all this time. But underneath it all, they’d been spearheading the movement against her. Thanks to the support they gained because of that, they rapidly rose through the ranks while becoming the leaders of the anti-Elfaria faction. They were so clever and stealthy about it that Elfaria and her people hadn’t realized their true ambitions until they had already gained considerable power.

“Two thousand years have passed and you even become a knight like you wanted... yet you still don’t understand a thing, Maxfern.”

In the past, Maxfern had been unable to wield Signaltin, the sword of kingship he’d sought for so many years, and it had driven him mad. He believed the reason the sword denied him was because he wasn’t a knight. And now, two thousand years later, a man—no, a knight—that looked just like Maxfern had appeared. But little did Vandarion know he wouldn’t be able to make Signaltin glow either. While he had the title of a knight, he lacked the heart of one. It saddened Koutarou immensely.

“Koutarou, we will be returning to Forthorthe to punish these insolent fools.”

The masterminds had been revealed. All that was left was to discretely gather evidence against them and expose their plot. They had their claws deep in the media, but they didn’t control it completely. As long as Elfaria’s faction could gather and present the right evidence, they should be able to re-earn the trust of the people and get public opinion on the empress’s side. With that, she would be able to break free of the military’s clutches and punish Vandarion and his men for what they’d done. That was the goal, and now was the time to act. As Theia would say, it was time for a counterattack.

“If their goal was to create a government that would be good for the people, that would be one thing. But it’s clear now that’s not their intention. We have to protect Forthorthe,” declared Theia.

“Okay. Then I’m going with you,” replied Koutarou.

“Are you sure? You might have some Forthorthian blood in your veins, but this doesn’t have much to do with you,” she asked in a trembling voice as she looked up at him timidly.

Of course, Theia wanted Koutarou to come. But at the same time, she wanted him to stay wherever he would be safest. She trusted and relied on him and trusted him the most, yet he was also who she’d hate to see hurt the most. It was a terrible conundrum. She would feel badly no matter how he answered her.

“It’s got everything to do with me. I’m your knight, you know.”

“Koutarou...”

Tears welled up in Theia’s doe eyes. She did feel badly, but that was quickly overwhelmed by the happiness she felt at hearing Koutarou declare himself her knight.

“Besides, this is all my unfinished business as far as I’m concerned. I have to go and settle it.”

Elexis had returned to Forthorthe with the People of the Earth’s spiritual energy technology and Folsaria’s magic. His goals were uncertain, but it was hard to believe he’d just be sitting back with that kind of power at his hands. And Koutarou felt like his actions had led to this. He was essentially the one who’d created the People of the Earth and Folsaria in the first place, so he believed stopping Elexis was his duty.

“So, Theia, just take me with you like it’s the most natural thing in the world. You have that right.”

“Yes, you’re right... You’re absolutely right.”

Theia tried wiping away her tears, but they just wouldn’t stop flowing. In the end, she gave up trying and proudly stuck out her chest in spite of the tears.

“Then, Satomi Koutarou, please lend me your strength. We alone won’t be enough to protect Forthorthe from these fools.”

“All you have to do is give me the order.”

“There’s no need for that, right?”

“...As you wish, my princess.”

In the past, Theia had given Koutarou a single, simple order—to live as he pleased. As long as Koutarou stayed true to himself, there would be something driving him. Something he wanted to protect. It was the same something that had brought him back from the past. And now, after everything he’d been through, his desire to honor that past and help the people of Forthorthe only added fuel to his fire. Koutarou would defend her and Forthorthe no matter what. All Theia had to do was believe in that.

“If Koutarou’s going, I’m going too!”

“I will as well. I am in your debt, and you’ll need an expert on spiritual energy technology.”

“There’s a chance that Darkness Rainbow will be involved, so I will go too.”

“Me too. I have to stop Maya-sama, and I can’t let Satomi-kun go alone...”

“In that case, why don’t we all go and settle this together? I’m sure Uncle would be happy to lend Forthorthe his strength once again.”

“Of course. It’s Alaia-dono’s homeland, after all.”

Just like Koutarou, the other girls didn’t hesitate to offer up their help. They wanted to protect Theia too. They each lived their own lives and were propelled by their own passions and reasons, but they all shared the desire to keep their friends—keep each other—safe. Though they’d all gathered in room 106 for different reasons, they were all of the same mind on this matter.

“Thank you, everyone. However, this will become a far fiercer fight than anything we’ve faced before. There’s no telling how ugly things might get, and there’s no guarantee any of us will return alive. Would you still go even then? Even knowing that?”

If they headed to Forthorthe alongside Theia, they would without a doubt be walking into battle. It would be a conflict far larger than their fight against the radical faction, and one far more intense than their fight against Darkness Rainbow. They’d be walking into all-out war. After all, the enemy this time was the military of a vast galactic empire. Theia couldn’t guarantee their victory, much less their safety. Kiriha and Yurika had already promised her their help when she needed it, but now that the hour was upon them, the situation was so dire and dark that Theia dreaded to ask them for aid.

“Why are both of you leaving me out of this, Theiamillis-san, Veltlion? I also had a hand in saving the world two thousand years ago, you know.”

“I’d like to come as well, Theiamillis-san. Your Blue Knight may be strong, but Satomi-kun is just a normal boy on his own.”

However, in the end, the entire Corona House crew saw this as their problem. It involved all of them. Moreover, the legendary hero that Theia relied on wasn’t all that strong on his own. The chances of everyone coming out on the other side of this fight unscathed were dramatically higher if they all worked together. If there was a problem if one of them was missing, they’d just all have to go.

“Looks like they got us there, Theia.”

Koutarou smiled wryly and shrugged. Clan and Harumi had irrefutable points. Without the girls’ strength, Koutarou never would’ve been able to save past Forthorthe. On his own, he was just a normal boy who knew his way around a sword. And knowing this would be a drawn-out fight, Koutarou couldn’t tell the girls not to come. He would need them.

“Indeed. How troublesome.”

Despite Theia’s choice of words, she didn’t look troubled in the slightest. Far from it. She was overwhelmingly happy that her friends were willing to help her, even if it meant willingly walking into danger.

“Your Highness, let us rely on everyone’s strength.”

“Ruth is right, Theia. Right now you need as many allies as you can get.”

“Yes... Then please lend me your strength, men. It doesn’t even have to be for the sake of Forthorthe. This is all so we can reclaim our peaceful everyday lives.”

In the end, Theia decided on bringing everyone with her. While it wasn’t easy, she was also joyously happy. She had so many people she could rely on now, and that gave her courage. With their help, she would fight to the bitter end.

Our story now goes back about a week to when an imperial fleet was about to be dispatched from Forthorthe’s capital of Fornorn with the mission of capturing Elfaria and Theia.

The fleet was only a small portion of the Imperial Army’s forces, totaling six ships. It consisted of one carrier that served as its flagship, one defensive ship to protect the flagship, one battleship and two destroyers that were offensively equipped, and lastly a large supply ship that wouldn’t take part in combat. Though the fleet was small—less than a hundredth of the Imperial Army’s total forces—it was a very orthodox composition and made for a strong team. Moreover, it was well loaded in terms of firepower. If they unloaded what they had, they would easily be able to take down a royal-class battleship. And because of that, the two men watching the fleet depart were convinced that they would complete their mission without trouble and return successful.

“The time has finally come... It’s finally here, Granado.”

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s been almost forty years since we first met.”

Lord Vandarion and Director General Granado had quite a history together. They’d met decades ago when they were both still students, a knight and a commoner. At first they kept their distance from one another because of the difference in their station, but they eventually came to realize that they had similar concerns and ambitions, and friendship quickly blossomed between them. They were both irritated that the world’s estimation of them was lower than what their achievements and abilities actually warranted.

“Has it already been that long since we swore to stand at the top of Forthorthe together?”

“Haha, the white streaks in our hair say it all.”

Lord Vandarion’s family was relatively new and unproven compared to the Melcemhein family they’d splintered from. Because of that, they lacked prestige and influence among the knights. So without much of a family name, a young Vandarion was left to earn a name for himself through his own knightly deeds and accomplishment. But the times weren’t conducive to that. Forthorthe was peaceful and stable, so it wasn’t like battles would conveniently spring up in and around the Vandarion family territory. He was stymied, and at the rate things were going for him, he would never be able to surpass the status he was born into. It made him bitter and resentful, but years later, he unexpectedly found himself in a position to do something about it—all thanks to Elfaria’s disarmament. He finally had his chance, and his ambition would make the most of it.

“Ironically enough, we were only able to accomplish things in this timeframe thanks to that little brat.”

“Indeed... Under ordinary circumstances, it would have taken far longer to climb to the top.”

Director General Granado’s story was similar to Vandarion’s. He was a brilliant scientist that failed to receive the credit and recognition he deserved. The reason for that was largely because his research was in weapons development, though he fully believed the real reason was his status as a commoner. The royals from the Schweiger family and other nobles with ample funds had no trouble making names for themselves in science, after all. And just like Vandarion, Granado found himself in a good position after Elfaria’s disarmament. It was perhaps only inevitable that he and Vandarion would sympathize with each other so.

They were both men of fiery ambition, yet they also had the prudence and restraint to keep that fire from consuming them. They simply let it smolder and build until it was the right time to unleash it. And in that respect, they were similar to Maxfern and Grevanas in more than just appearance.

“In that case, we might have needed canes by the time we were standing here.”

“What a terrible thought. Our natural lifespans might have turned out to be our greatest enemy.”

“Indeed. So we should be grateful for that little brat.”

The two men were standing on the balcony of the palace, looking up at the six ships flying away. With the empress gone, they now served as the masters of the imperial palace. On the surface they were just a holy knight serving as a general and the head of the military’s science department, but their grasp secretly stretched across all of Forthorthe. And if the fleet succeeded and returned with Elfaria, they would make their move to seize power for good. Their slow, decades-long coup d’etat was finally reaching its climax.

“In our nation’s long history, there have been many who dared to challenge the royal families of Forthorthe... but not a single one ever succeeded. We will be the very first, Granado.”

“I can’t wait for the day I see you sitting upon the throne, Vandarion-sama. It won’t be long now... And now that the time is almost upon us, I can feel the passion I had in my youth reviving.”

“It’s still too early for either of us to grow old, Granado. If it would please you, you may take the throne for yourself.”

“You jest.”

“Hardly. Our fates are intertwined and we share the same destiny. It doesn’t matter which of us is the one sitting upon the throne. It is our victory we seek.”

“To hear you say that is more than enough for me... It’s you I wish to see on the throne, Vandarion-sama.”

“Then I’ll make sure you have the best seat in the house to watch me take over the universe!”

“As you wish, my lord.”

His heart swelling with pride, Granado respectfully bowed before the lord he’d chose for himself. Vandarion hadn’t changed at all over the years. He was proud and strong, and Granado believed he’d made the right choice to follow and serve him.

The fleet’s ships soared through the sky, their boosters roaring and jetting out flame. The bond between the two men staring admiringly up at them was just as radiant—and it was certainly far deeper and stronger than the bond between Maxfern and Grevanas had ever been. It would prove to be a powerful weapon for them, and it just might make the difference in their bold coup. If this era had a new Blue Knight to offer up to try and stop them, he would certainly have his work cut out for him.

Meanwhile, Maya and Elexis were also watching the departing fleet from the capital of Fornorn. Their view, however, was from the top floor of DKI’s headquarters.

“The military sure is stupid. There’s no way they could win with a force that small.”

“They don’t know any better. They don’t know about Koutarou-kun and the others, much less Hazy Moon. If they think they’re just going up against Princess Theiamillis, that fleet would certainly be more than enough. It’s not like they’re incompetent... Their opponent is just that ridiculous.”

“Fair. They’re certainly attacking with a lot more than your dumbass did.”

“Hahaha... How harsh, Maya. You’re not wrong, but I’m not incompetent either. So if you compare the two of us, then you could say the military is proceeding even more cautiously than I did.”

“Who said you weren’t incompetent?”

“You slay me.”

Elexis laughed as he took the full brunt of his partner’s pointed words. At the end of the day, Maya was right and Elexis knew it. He’d underestimated Koutarou and the others, and that had been his downfall. There was definitely an argument to be had that was incompetence at work.

“Nevertheless, a sharp woman like you chose me as her partner. I have some confidence in myself.”

“I’m just praying I didn’t make the wrong choice.”

“You really do slay me, you know?”

“That’s my job. If you’re looking for praise, you can just call someone else. I’m sure there’s a long line of people just waiting to fawn over you.”

“That’s why I like you.”

“You sure are a strange one...”

Elexis knew that Maya’s words were a sign of trust. She only showered flattery on people she sought to use. But when she was with Elexis, she was harsh and critical with him. He knew that meant she had a deeper bond with him, and as the manager of a large enterprise, he appreciated the stark honesty. It was one of the reasons he didn’t want to let Maya go.

Maya felt similarly about Elexis, too. To her, it was normal to discard people when she was done with them. But for some reason, she found herself unable to do so with Elexis. While it was partially because she had no replacement for him yet, she also enjoyed that Elexis trusted her. It felt good. And Maya wasn’t stupid; deep down she knew that they were helping each other make up for what they lacked.

“Well, as things stand, that fleet will likely be destroyed by Blue Knight and the Hazy Moon.”

The military was unaware of Blue Knight’s true specs when Koutarou was piloting it, and they had no idea that Clan’s Hazy Moon was orbiting Earth. The moment the fleet showed themselves and moved in to attack, they would be ambushed by the Hazy Moon while Blue Knight would sweep in to clean them up.

“Way to ruin the moment, idiot. Jeez, this is why men are...”

“Hmm? What’s the matter?”

“Forget it. So, what are you going to do?”

“I was thinking of putting the military in my debt. I’m going to teach them a more effective means of attack.”

In the conflict between the royal family and the military, Elexis was a third party. Since he planned to seize power in the end no matter the outcome, he didn’t really care who came out on top of their little spat. But as far as securing a foothold for the future was concerned, getting the military on his side would be easier.

“So you’ll win some favors by selling them information you don’t need, huh?”

“I’m a businessman by nature, after all.”

First things first, Elexis would pick out some choice information on Koutarou and the others that was no longer of particular value to him and Darkness Rainbow. Then he’d sell it to the military cheaply, knowing he could reap the favor threefold in the future.

“I guess I better be careful and make sure you don’t try and pawn off any third-rate trash on me too.”

“Funny. I’m pretty sure I’m the one buying off you at the moment.”

“I wonder...”

Though she spoke rather acerbically of it, Maya was actually quite partial to Elexis’s idea. In a way, that was emblematic of their entire relationship. Maya felt strangely about it, but ultimately believed it was fine. It would be some time yet before she realized that was simply her way of accepting him.

“Now then...”

“What is it?”

With the discussion reaching a lull, Elexis stood up from his seat and approached the antique cabinet by the wall. He opened the ornate glass door and peeked inside before pulling out a bottle and two glasses, which were as sparkling and richly decorated as they were elegant and refined.

“Oh, it’s nothing, I was just thinking that I’d treat you to a good, old fashioned Forthorthian drink.”

“I bet you’ll send me the bill after I take a sip, right?”

“No... I was just thinking we could enjoy the mood a little longer.”

“Stupid!”

“You don’t want any?”

“Just shut up and hand it over!”

“All right, all right.”

Elexis approached Maya with the bottle and glasses in hand. They’d become partners in a bizarre twist of fate, but the most bizarre twist yet was that Elexis actually like Maya. He’d never met a woman like her before, and she exposed parts of him that he felt like he’d never known he had. That was what was happening even now as Elexis came to the realization he wanted to spend more personal time with Maya, so he decided to do just that.