“Yes, we will likely end up doing those things. However, let me add one thing: this was a plan I originally had with Weltall. A way to quickly rack up achievements. That was the core of this concept.”
Understanding Ares’s dissatisfaction, Zenon replied with a nonchalant attitude.
The moment Weltall’s name was mentioned, Ares showed a faint change in expression that he likely didn’t even notice himself.
“Actual power and achievements don’t just fall into your lap while you’re sitting still. Even if your lineage guarantees you a certain level, you must act if you want to seize a higher position—even if that act is something people call ‘sucking up.’ I will use every means necessary to achieve my goals. Ares, I’m sure you aren’t satisfied with the current state of the Imperial Military either. Above all, you two saw the enemy near the Horsehead Nebula. In four thousand years of Earth history, you found an intelligent life form—and its fleet—that had never been discovered.”
Having that pointed out made Ares straighten his posture.
Being earnest by nature, the previous incident had only solidified his character.
He made no effort to hide his belief that the Imperial Military needed immediate improvement.
“A war with aliens—once thought to be a fairy tale—may be starting. We have already traded fire with them. Within the Imperial Military, some are calling for a large-scale expedition to the Horsehead Nebula, but that is a bit premature. However, it is necessary to prepare countermeasures. I want you to think of this as a stepping stone for that.”
Having finished his piece, Zenon flashed a bright smile.
“Well, somehow, instead of taking the shortest route to the independent fleet I’ve been longing for, I managed to get it through a shortcut!”
Adding that, he stood up, put on his dress hat, and donned his jacket.
“I look forward to a favorable reply. I have a dinner meeting to attend. This, too, is work, work! Hahaha!”
Saying only what he wanted to say, Zenon left the room like a storm.
Lillian and Ares, left behind, glanced at each other once before exiting the room together.
“An independent fleet. During our student days, Weltall often talked about wanting his own fleet… So that’s how it works. I knew he was close with Major General Zenon. But more than that…”
With nowhere specific to go, the two walked toward the docks where their destroyers were waiting.
Along the way, Ares stopped in front of Lillian and brought his sour face close to hers.
“I understand you less and less. Lillian, what are you thinking? During our student days, you were hedonistic. To put it bluntly, I didn’t feel any talent from you.”
It was an incredibly blunt way of putting it, but that was just the kind of man Ares was.
Besides, his observation was correct, and Lillian had no intention of denying it.
“No matter how closely related the Major General is to the Emperor, it should be difficult to obtain a fleet that he can move with his own discretion so easily. And besides…”
“He has no achievements.”
“You… watch your tongue—!”
It was a fact: Zenon had no military record. It was unavoidable, given his position as the “decorative” commander of the lunar base.
That was why, in her previous life, Zenon had never managed to obtain a fleet. He had a fair amount of power, so he could have a say in some personnel matters, but he likely never achieved the results he truly sought.
Afterward, the young officers he had pinned his hopes on died in battle. In his despair, he had tried to do something, only to be purged by Stella, who had seemingly lost hope in everything.
She didn’t know exactly what had happened then.
But at the very least, it was certain that the future was beginning to deviate from that path.
Zenon had obtained a fleet, small as it was. And its composition would likely be as he desired.
Furthermore, he had the backing of Lillian’s father, Chief of Staff Pignard.
To an outsider, it would look like Pignard was using Zenon to expand his own power. Her father wasn’t the type to care about such perceptions, so in that sense, she felt safe.
“Ares, we both had experiences that changed our outlook on life. We saw the enemy and fought them. We are different from the fools who think of it as someone else’s problem. Are we not?”
“That’s true. They are a threat. We only engaged a few cruisers and destroyers. We were lucky. If that had been a fleet including battleships, we would be dead. We were protected by luck, and that’s why we were able to return. That is why we were able to report everything.”
“But the current Empire can’t fight a proper war. Even if we have the numbers, we’re just a disorganized mob. Do you really think Admiral Alfred can lead a proper command? A man who has been away from the front lines for decades and only rose to the top through seniority? I hear the flagship, the Shingetsu, has basically been turned into a hotel. It’s a white elephant. It would be more useful if they just parked it in a frontier sector as a giant turret.”
Compared to Lillian, who spoke her mind even more clearly than he did, Ares felt himself being slightly overwhelmed.
Her words were, to a significant extent, things he had also been thinking. However, they weren’t things one could just casually blurt out. No matter how you looked at it, they were currently mere Majors, while the person they were facing was a Major General—a powerful figure holding command over the entire Imperial Army.
The complaints of a mere Major would never reach such heights, and even if they did, the reality thus far suggested no future where things actually improved.
Yet, Lillian had voiced her grievances clearly.
Was this woman always the type to say such things?
There is an old saying that “a clever hawk hides its talons,” but from Ares’s perspective, this wasn’t even on the level of a “hawk.”
Ever since that incident with Tiberius, there was something different about this woman.
He couldn’t help but think so.
“Well then, I’m on leave, so I’ll be taking my excuse.”
“Wait. Let me ask one last thing.”
Ares called out to stop Lillian as she walked right past him.
They stood back-to-back, exchanging words without turning around.
“What is it that you see? The matter with Weltall and the Major General… I had a faint inkling that those two were planning something. But I didn’t know the specifics. It should have been the same for you. You weren’t supposed to be that close to Weltall. And your acquaintance with Major General Zenon should only date back to this lunar base. And yet, you’re moving as if you know everything. You—”
“My goal is already decided.”
In that instant, they both turned around.
Ares found himself dominated by Lillian, who seemed to be wearing a fearless, daring smirk.
“I just want to make my life a little bit better.”
With only that parting shot, Lillian truly left the area.
Afterward, the official formation of the Independent Mobile Fleet under Major General Zenon’s command—”The Swarm of Young Lions Sparkling in the Moonlight”—was decided. The specific fleet composition and members hadn’t been made public yet; it was only announced that the reveal would coincide with His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday ceremony.
Furthermore, many would come to know that the Chief of Staff was backing them from the shadows.
However, rumors also began to circulate:
that this fleet would merely be a “rabble of nepo babies” hiding behind the cloak of authority.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
*
The 103rd Emperor of the Earth Empire, Kraift-Armadros, was forty-five years old. He possessed a youthful, thick chest and handsome features. He kept his beard—which he had started growing in his twenties to project dignity—perfectly groomed. His wife, the Empress, was ten years younger than her husband but did not look like she was in her thirties.
Under him were three daughters and one youngest son.
The Earth Empire recognized women reigning as rulers; if one were to count, there had been twenty-five Empresses in history. In fact, the second ruler was an Empress.
However, Kraift doted on his twelve-year-old son and had publicly declared him the successor.
Kraift was still energetic enough to overflow with vitality, and his governance was, for the most part, decent. He didn’t deviate into the excesses of a typical autocrat; he emphasized social welfare, dispatched garrison fleets to remote colonial colonies to ensure public order, and never imposed heavy taxes.
Nay, he had no need to. The domain was too vast, and the profits brought in from it were more than enough to enrich and sustain the Empire.
Perhaps because of this, the Emperor’s reputation was mediocre, for better or worse. He was the kind of figure whose name would merely remain in history books and nothing more.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
