“Do you dislike him?”
“I don’t know. That’s just how his personality is. I’ve never known what he’s thinking. Though I’m sure he’s good at navigating social situations.”
It seemed there was some complex relationship beyond just being siblings, but Lillian couldn’t pursue that further.
“…You seem quite tired yourself. We’re both dealing with our fair share of worries.”
“It’s part of my job.”
“Well, it’s part of my job to care about these things too.”
Frim gave a bitter smile.
She thought that she might not be able to win against this person.
“But you’re off-duty now, so if I catch you—”
“Ah! You’re awake!”
It was Debonair who entered the supposedly quiet medical bay with an inappropriately loud voice.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, since that incident, Debonair had been following Lillian around. Though she was serious during duty hours.
“Please, could you keep it down?”
“Ugh, you again?”
Debonair looked slightly annoyed.
“That’s my job. And here, I’d appreciate some quiet.”
“Yeah, yeah. More importantly, are you okay now?”
Debonair brushed off the question as she hurried over to Lillian.
“Seems I’ve had plenty of rest, and my body’s fine. Though the doctor’s orders say no work, so unless I’m called, I’ll be resting in my room… Oh, right—you two, come to my room. I’ll treat you to some tea.”
“Uh, but—”
Frim hesitated, flustered, but Debonair was eager.
“Yes! Absolutely!”
“You too. I’m sure you’ve got a lot on your mind, but if you collapse like I did, things’ll get messy, won’t they? I’ll show you some good tea. It’ll lift your spirits. I’ll even teach you how to brew it. I may not look it, but I’m picky about tea. Only downside is what we have here is freeze-dried, so the flavor’s a bit lacking.”
Well, guess this is Lillian chance to show off.
She’d been overthinking things. No, the truth was, she’d been trying to do everything.
But they were all capable. More so than she’d given them credit for.
The fool who’d been holding everyone back was gone. So maybe it was okay to relax, just a little.
Still, there was work left—explaining things to Earth, the future Marshal’s promotion, the young commodores’ paths forward, her own position. Her comrades, the war, the stalled military reforms.
But that was a problem for after they returned to Earth.
So for now… she’d take them up on their offer and rest.
Now that she thought about it, ever since her consciousness had flickered out in the glow of the heavy-particle beam, she hadn’t really rested.
Soon after, the final short-range warp test concluded. After six more hours of adjustments, the Tiberius successfully executed a long-range warp.
With that fact—and its results—in hand, their return to Earth was assured.
This event would come to be known as [The Miracle Return of the Battleship Tiberius].
No one yet knew the impact it would have on the Earth Empire. Not even Lillian.
This was the dawn of a new history.
From here on out, her knowledge of the future held no advantage.
Four Earth weeks after the Tiberius’ disappearance…
They would see their blue planet again with their own eyes.
Amidst shock, emotion, and all the political chaos that came with it.
One additional note:
Every cadet aboard the Tiberius graduated safely. Of course they would—they’d experienced more than any graduation exam could throw at them and lived to tell the tale. They’d all seen real combat. More than that, they’d accomplished an interstellar voyage longer than anything even seasoned Imperial officers had attempted.
After the incident, Lillian—smothered by her overprotective parents—was met with undeniable love and concern, leaving her a little flustered. Her father, especially, was adamant: “You’re being reassigned to rear duty. I won’t let you face danger again.” It would take time to talk him down, Lillian thought with a wry smile.
Still, being showered with such parental affection was equal parts embarrassing and heartwarming. Yet the thought that she had once been the one to drag them into despair made her mood plummet all over again.
For now, it was best to lay low. She had her father to convince, and more importantly—she couldn’t afford to stop here.
Her parents had planned a lavish party to celebrate her safe return and graduation, but Lillian politely declined, citing exhaustion, and hurried back to her room.
“After all that, the academy hands me a single slip of paper?”
In her neatly organized room, Lillian absentmindedly studied her diploma.
“Well, it is an educational institution. Can’t be helped. If anything, they’re the ones benefiting.”
The school, having produced multiple “miracle returnees,” saw its reputation and influence skyrocket. The principal even had the nerve to claim it was proof of his educational philosophy—but she could let that slide.
Incidentally, this would also lead to a surge in applicants. Not that it was any different in her past life.
Even so, it hadn’t been enough to fix the Empire’s military manpower shortages or its declining standards.
“So much to do. What a headache.”
Yet somehow… it was exciting. Hardly fitting for her age—or rather, her body’s age.
For now, she’d have to handle the flood of interviews about the “miracle returnees.”
Ugh, this is going to be a pain. They’d dredge up every detail. The military and research institutes would grill her for hours: What did you see? What did you encounter?
Sure, most of it came with praise, but it still felt like being a caged bird. The way they idolized her was downright creepy.
There was even talk of granting officer ranks to teenagers—a ridiculous idea already on the verge of approval.
That’s peace for you.
In peacetime, they turned you into an idol. But if they were handing out promotions, she’d take them. Power was useful, no matter what.
Lillian stood and opened the window.
Moonlight and starlight washed over her.
Her gaze stretched beyond the sky, past the stars, to the edge of the universe.
“Come at me if you dare. I’ll fight as far as I can go. That’s my atonement.”
Those words belonged to the old woman she’d once been.
Changing that horrific future—she was sure that was her mission.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
Afterword
“The future belongs to sci-fi…!”
To first-time readers: hello! To returning ones: welcome back!
I’m Kanmitei Hutomaru, the author.
This is my third published work, and if I’m being honest, afterwords are my weakest point. But let’s set that aside—
[Villainess, Runs through Space] won a special award in the 9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest, leading to its publication. Villainess stories have been combined with all sorts of genres, but this time, she’s boarded a spaceship!
Now, this story began with my vague thought: “I wanna write a battleship story.” Early drafts included fantasy and steampunk, with dozens of chapters written for each, but none clicked.
Then I committed: “No, it’s gotta be a spaceship.” And suddenly, everything fell into place. The writing flowed smoothly after that.
But “sci-fi” and “battleships” are genres with countless masterpieces. Could my humble work stand beside those giants? The thought fills me with equal parts anxiety and excitement.
Speaking of anxiety—this isn’t unique to sci-fi, but with battleships, humanoid robots often steal the spotlight. From the start, I excluded them. Not because I dislike the genre, but because I wanted a singular focus.
Robots instantly make a story about robots. That wouldn’t do. I was writing a battleship story.
Of course, I had doubts. A villainess and sci-fi battleships? An unusual combo. Adding more convoluted elements would’ve blurred the work’s core. In a way, I stayed true to my vision.
Yet, to my surprise, it resonated with readers. To those who followed the web version—thank you.
And to myself: “See? Sci-fi works. Battleships work.” (A little self-indulgent, perhaps.)
This momentum can’t stop now. Sci-fi—and battleships—can shine even brighter. I believe it.
People think sci-fi is intimidating.
But it doesn’t have to be. Sure, recent years have seen grand, meticulously crafted “hard sci-fi” works, and they’re brilliant.
Yet their depth can also make them daunting. Sci-fi carries a stuffy image.
But it’s fun. Exciting. I wanted to share that, so I aimed for an accessible story.
Finally, my thanks:
To Editor K, illustrator Yoshimoto-san, and every reader who picked up this book.
The future of sci-fi is bright! The cosmos’ mysteries! The unknown frontiers of science!
Tomorrow’s sci-fi author—could be you!
Note:
This book is a revised and expanded version of “Villainess, Run through space—In My Second Life, I Vowed Not to Meddle, Yet Somehow Ended Up Commanding a Massive Fleet”, which won the Kakuyom Pro Writer Special Award in the 9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest (2023).
TLNOTE: Volume 2 will be out in December, see you soon!
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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