Part 1, Chapter Ten – A New Prologue

Legend of Galactic Heroes, Part 1 – Dawn

Chapter Ten              A New Prologue

            I

            … This series of battles was named, “The Battle of Amritsar,” after the name of the starzone where the final battle occurred. During this battle, the Free Planets Alliance Fleet suffered an overwhelming defeat. The consequences were obvious. While the Imperial Fleet initiated a strategic retreat, the Alliance Fleet abandoned all of the over two-hundred star systems that they temporarily occupied, and they barely held onto the Iserlohn Fortress.

            The Alliance Fleet mobilized over thirty-million people, but the survivors who passed through Iserlohn to return to their homeland totaled less than ten-million, resulting in a devastating situation where the dead-or-missing rate reached seventy-percent.

            This defeat of course casted an enormous shadow over the political, economic, social, and military aspects of the Alliance. Blood drained from the Treasury officials’ faces when they estimated their past and future expenses for the bereaved families’ one-time-compensation and pension. The damages done by Astarte was no match for this.

            The bereaved families and the anti-war faction also showered impeachments and furious condemnations upon the government and the military who willfully carried out this reckless expedition. The citizens who lost their husbands and sons due to low-dimensional election tactics and a hysterical general staff officer’s desire to succeed lambasted the government and the military.

            “Although a lot of lives and money were expended, there are still things we should respect beyond that. We should not plunge into emotional anti-war principles.”

            It should be noted that among the pro-war faction, there were still people who defended the expedition as such.

            “Money aside, what do you mean by there are things that we should respect beyond human lives? Do you mean political entrenchment or military ambition? The blood of twenty-million officers and men bled needlessly, is that something worthy of respect!?”

            This curt retort compelled silence. Except for a handful of those whose conscience were missing, most remembered the shameful fact that they themselves were living in safety.

            All of the members of the Alliance High Council submitted their letters-of-resignation.

            The pro-war faction’s popularity waned, and relatively, the anti-war faction rose into the limelight. The three council members who voted against the expedition were praised for their insight, and Secretary of Defense Trunicht became the interim head of the administration until the election the following year.

            In the study of his home, Trunicht raised a toast to celebrate his foresight. He would not have to wait long before the word “interim” would be removed from his title.

            In the military, chief of Joint Operations, Fleet Admiral Sithole, and chief Space Fleet commander, Fleet Admiral Lobos, resigned together. It was said that Lobos dragged down his opponent Sithole by Lobos’s own failure.

            The two fleet commanders who fought bravely until their deaths, Vice Admiral Ulanhu and Vice Admiral Borodin, received the rank “fleet admiral” with a two-rank promotion. The Alliance Fleet did not have the rank “high admiral,” so the next rank above an admiral was a fleet admiral. 

            Admiral Greenhill was relegated to the position of the inspector general (査閲部長) of the National Defense Commission General Secretariat (国防委員会事務総局), and removed from the front line of the military campaigns against the Imperial Fleet.

            Rear Admiral Cazerne was also relegated to the position of the 14^th Supply Base commander, and departed from the capital, Heinesen. Someone had to bear the responsibility of the failure of supply and replenishment during the Battle of Amritsar. He left his family in the capital, and reported to his new post in the frontier land five-hundred light years away. His wife brought his two young daughters to stay with her parents.

            After Commodore Falk received medical treatment, he was reassigned to reserve duty, which appeared to be the end of his ambition.

            Thus, the Alliance leadership became significantly deficient in terms of personnel. And who should fill such a vacancy? 

            The person who assumed the position as the chief of Joint Operations, who was promoted from vice admiral to admiral, was the original 1^st Fleet commander – Kubrusly (クブルスリー).

            He did not participate in either the Battle of Astarte or the Battle of Amritsar, so he did not have to bear any responsibility for either defeat. Since his appointment to domestic security and capital security, he brought about solid achievements in terms of subjugating the long-time space pirate groups and ensuring trade route safety. While he graduated with honors from the military academy, and it was presumed that he would be able to climb up to the highest peak in the military, this was realized at a speed that he himself did not even expect.

            The person who succeeded Kubrusly as the commander of the 1^st Fleet was Vice Admiral Paetta who had been recuperating from the injuries he sustained during the Battle of Astarte.

            Bewcock was appointed the chief Space Fleet commander, and of course, he was also promoted to admiral. A veteran admiral was given a position worthy of a veteran admiral. This personnel appointment was well received both in and out of the military. However, although Bewcock was renowned and rose up from the rank of spaceman, if the situation was not as such, he would not have been given the position of chief Space Fleet commander. In that sense, it was quite ironic. After all, his good fortune was born to an unfortunate crushing defeat.

            Yang Wen-li’s treatment was not immediately determined.

            More than seventy-percent of the officers and men in the 13^th fleet under his command returned alive. Such survival rate was unparalleled. Additionally, no one could accuse him of having hidden in a safe place. The 13^th Fleet was constantly in the midst of fierce battles, and moreover, he remained on the battlefield until the end to secure his allies’ escape.

            Kubrusly had hoped that Yang would become the chief-of-staff of the Joint Operations Headquarters, and Bewcock had stated that he intended to seat Yang as the chief-of-staff of the Space Fleet.

            On the other hand, the officers and men of the 13^th Fleet could not accept anyone except Yang as their commander. As Schönkopf correctly assessed, the spacemen desired a commander who had both ability and luck, because that allowed them the best chance of survival.

            Before his future was determined, Yang went to planet Mitra (ミトラ) for a long vacation. When he was at his residence in Heinesen, storming citizens and journalists who wished to meet the undefeated hero not only made going out fairly impossible, but they also kept ringing his video phone, so he did not get any rest.

            The electronic document transmitter printed out a few letters. One was a letter from the Patriotic Knight Corps headquarters, titled “Honoring the Great Patriotic Commander.” That one gave Yang a good laugh. However, when he saw the letter from the mother of one of 13^th Fleet’s fallen spacemen, where she wrote, “When it comes down to it, you are in cahoots with the murderers,” his mood dampened. The reality was that it was six of one, and half dozen of the other. Both honor and glory were built upon thousands upon thousands of anonymous spacemen’s corpses…

            Julian proposed a vacation, probably because he saw that the amount of alcohol Yang was drinking was increasing due to his depression. Although Yang was not a loud and handsy drunk, alcohol was still harmful to the body if it was not drunk out of enjoyment.

            Yang was somewhat aware of his situation, so when Julian made the suggestion, he agreed to it right away. They spent three weeks among nature dripping with greenery before Yang suppressed his urge to drink, and when they returned to the capital, an appointment was waiting for him.

            Iserlohn Fortress Commander (イゼルローン要塞司令官), Iserlohn Garrison Fleet Commander (イゼルローン駐留機動艦隊司令官), and Free Planets Alliance Chief-of-Staff Council Representative (同盟軍最高幕僚会議議員).

            This was the new identity that was given to Yang Wen-li. He was also promoted to admiral. Although there were some precedents of twenty-something-year-old admirals, this was the first time an officer advanced three ranks within one year.

            The Iserlohn Garrison Fleet was created by combining the old 10^th with the 13^th Fleet, and it was commonly referred to as the “Yang Fleet (ヤン艦隊).”

            Towards the young national hero, the Alliance had been showing him their greatest respect. However, however much they honored him, it was different from what he wanted. Instead of wanting to be an honored admiral, what Yang yearned was to retire from the military and live peacefully as a civilian.

            In any case, Yang reported to Iserlohn, and became the chief commander on the front line of national security.

            Of course, with his life in Heinesen coming to an end, what should be done with Julian? This worried Yang. He considered giving Mrs. Cazerne custody, but Julian was unwilling to leave Yang’s side.

            Looking at Julian who had been preparing to go with Yang from the beginning, Yang hesitated, but eventually decided to take Julian with him. He needed to find a steward to take care of his affairs anyway, and it would be easier for Yang if Julian took the position. Even though Yang did not want Julian to follow his footsteps, he also did not want to abandon Julian. Julian therefore entered the military as a civilian employee holding an able-spaceman (兵長)-equivalent rank, and was paid a salary.

            Of course, Julian was not the only person who followed Yang.

            Frederica Greenhill was the adjutant (副官), Fischer was the Garrison Fleet deputy commander (駐留機動艦隊副司令官), and Schönkopf was appointed as the fortress defense commander (要塞防御指揮官). The general staff officers were Murai, Patrichev, and Lao who assisted Yang during the Battle of Astarte. Pouplin was given the position of captain of the First Fortress Space Squadron (要塞第一宙戦隊長). In addition to the above people, the original staff from the 10^th Fleet also joined in, completing the “Yang Fleet’s” personnel line-up.

            Yang also wanted Cazerne to be in charge of the administrative side of things, so he considered calling Cazerne over as soon as possible.

            Nevertheless, he found the Imperial Fleet’s movements to be worrisome. Count Reinhard von Lohengramm aside, there were noble-birth admirals who were spurred by Reinhard’s feats-of-valor, so what would happen if they plot an invasion and attack the Alliance Fleet during this opportunity where the Alliance’s defense was weakened?

            … Fortunately, his worries did not materialize. A situation arose within the Galactic Empire, and they could not afford to campaign abroad.

            It was the sudden death of Kaiser Friedrich IV.

            II

            What greeted Reinhard as he returned victoriously from Amritsar was a sea of flags at half-mast covering the surface of the Imperial capital Odin.

            The kaiser is dead!

            The cause of death was acute heart attack. Not only did his indulgence and intemperance debilitate his body, the Goldenbaum pedigree was also itself turbid. As if to demonstrate the inferiority of this organism, his death was too sudden.

            “The kaiser is dead?”

            As he surveyed his subordinates who were understandably stunned, Reinhard muttered in the back of his mind.

            “Heart attack… so natural death? That is too good for that man.”

            ‘If he lived five more years, no, even just two years longer, I would be able to deliver him a death that is appropriate for the crimes he is guilty of,’ thought Reinhard.

            Turning to Kircheis, the eyes that met his gaze shared a common sentiment. – Although Kircheis was not as vicious as Reinhard, Kircheis’s pain was perhaps more deeply felt. The man who robbed the beautiful Annerose from in front of them ten years ago had died. The bygone years transmitted through the light of reminiscence, and its glow seemed to dance wildly around them…

            “Your Excellency.”

            An excessively calm voice brought Reinhard immediately back to the shore of reality. There was no need to confirm the source of the voice. It was Oberstein.

            “The kaiser died without establishing a successor.”

            Oberstein openly omitted the honorific. For a moment, all officers other than Reinhard and Kircheis were horrified.

            “What are you surprised about?”

            The grey-haired general staff eyed everyone with the inorganic light of his ocular prostheses.

            “The only person I swore allegiance to is Imperial Fleet Admiral Lohengramm. What would be the value in using honorifics for the kaiser?”

            After saying that, he turned around to face Reinhard.

            “Your Excellency, the kaiser died without establishing a successor. It is evident that his three grandchildren will wrangle to inherit the throne.  Whoever inherits the throne right now will only have it temporarily. Sooner or later, the matter will be settled through bloodshed.”

            “……You are correct.”

            With the harsh expression of a careerist, the young Imperial fleet admiral nodded.

            “Whoever gets chosen out of the three will determine my fate. So, which puppeteer of the three grandchildren will reach for my handshake?”

            “It will probably be Marquis Lichtenrade. While the other two have their own armed forces, Marquis Lichtenrade does not. He will want the assistance of Your Excellency’s armed forces.”

            “Indeed.”

            Reinhard flashed a beautiful smile that was different from the kind that he showed Kircheis.

            “In that case, I will sell it to him at a very very high price.”

            …Most people thought that the sudden death of the kaiser would shake Count Reinhard von Lohengramm’s position profoundly.

            The result was the opposite. That was because the minister of state, Marquis Lichtenrade, planned to install the five-year-old royal grandson, Erwin Josef (エルウィン・ヨーゼフ), as the next kaiser.

            Since this toddler was a direct descendant of the late Kaiser Friedrich IV, the coronation itself was not peculiar. However, he was too young, and he did not have the support of powerful nobles, so he was thought to be at a disadvantage.

            Under this situation, it would not be unusual if Lady Elisabeth (エリザベート), the sixteen-year-old daughter of Duke and Duchess Braunschweig, or Lady Sabine (サビーネ), the fourteen-year-old daughter of Marquis and Marquise Littenheim, became the kaiserin-regent with their fathers’ power and family background to support them. There were also some precedents for this. If that were to happen, then since the kaiserin-regent would be too young, her father would assist as regent.

            Both Duke Braunschweig and Marquis Littenheim were ambitious and confident men. Because they both expected this situation, and they both planned to realize their expectations, they both engaged in informal but vigorous court lobbying.

            In particular, nobles with young, single sons became their target. If you are able to support my daughter’s ascending to the throne, then I will consider your son as the new kaiserin-regent’s husband——.

            If the verbal agreements were to be strictly observed, then the two granddaughters of the kaiser would end up with dozens of husbands. It was apparent that if the girls had lovers already, their wishes would be ignored.

            However, minister of state, Marquis Lichtenrade, who controlled both the Imperial Seal (国璽) and the Imperial Edict (詔勅), was not planning to allow the extended royal family with strong influence to privatize the empire.

            He was concerned about the prospects of the empire, and moreover, he treasured his status and power. He had decided to support the direct descendant of the late Friedrich IV, Erwin Josef, as the kaiser, and given the tremendous power those in opposition held, it was necessary for him to enhance his faction. The guard dog must be strong, yet easy to control.

            After careful consideration, Marquis Lichtenrade made his selection. The person could not be said to be tractable. Rather, he was a dangerous person. However, no one could disagree that he was powerful…

            Thus, Count Reinhard von Lohengramm was promoted to marquis and appointed the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Space Fleet (帝国宇宙艦隊司令長官) by Lichtenrade who had just become duke.

            When the coronation of Erwin Josef was announced, the nobles led by Duke Braunschweig were first surprised, then disappointed, and at last, enraged.

            However, the axis that was born to Duke Lichtenrade and Marquis Lohengramm’s handshake of selfish motives was surprisingly strong. One of them controlled the military and was popular with the commoners, and the other had authority in state affairs and was influential in the court. The two of them took maximum advantage of the authority of the new kaiser because they must establish their position and power.

            When Erwin Josef II’s coronation ceremony was being held, two representatives of senior statesmen swore reverently their loyalty to the young kaiser embraced between the nanny’s knees. The representative for the civil officials was Duke Lichtenrade who was appointed regent, and the representative for the military officers was Reinhard. The aristocrats, bureaucrats, and military officers who gathered reluctantly affirmed that the two of them were the pillars of the new regime.

            The aristocrats who were alienated by this new regime were literally clenching their teeth. Duke Braunschweig and Marquis Littenheim were unified by their collective hatred for the new regime.

            Duke Lichtenrade was an old and useless person who should have retired from national politics and ended his role after the death of the late Kaiser Friedrich IV. On the other hand, just who was Marquis Lohengramm? Although he earned many brilliant deeds-of-valor, he was born into an impoverished family that was aristocrat in name only. Was he not just a kid who took advantage of the kaiser’s love for his sister to rise into success, and then offend his superiors? People like them think they would be allowed to monopolize national affairs? ……The aristocrats converted their private and public indignation into their drive to overthrow the new regime.

            In this way, as long as they share this common and powerful enemy, the Lichtenrade-Lohengramm axis would be forced to be impregnable like an iron wall.

            Reinhard who became Marquis Lohengramm promoted Siegfried Kircheis to high admiral in one fell swoop, and appointed him the deputy commander-in-chief of the Space Fleet (宇宙艦隊副司令長官).

            Duke Lichtenrade agreed wholeheartedly with this personnel arrangement. He had not given up hope on the idea of selling Kircheis a favor.

            The person who felt concerned was Oberstein. While he was promoted to vice admiral and appointed to two concurrent positions as the chief-of-staff of the Space Fleet (宇宙艦隊総参謀長) and the executive director of the Lohengramm Fleet Admiral’s Mansion (ローエングラム元帥府事務長), one day, he gave a word of advice in a meeting with Reinhard.

            “Your childhood friend is a well-qualified deputy commander, but it is dangerous to have the same person in both positions. Since the deputy commander-in-chief was not necessary to begin with, should you not place High Admiral Kircheis on the same level as the other admirals?”

            “Say no more, Oberstein. It has been decided already.”

            The young commander-in-chief of the Imperial Space Fleet’s morose response sealed the lips of the chief-of-staff with the ocular prostheses. Although he valued Oberstein’s strategic mind, he did not consider Oberstein a confidant with whom he could share his heart. Oberstein’s slander against his alter ego did not leave him with a pleasant feeling.

            After the death of the kaiser, Countess Annerose von Grünewald retreated from the court, and moved into the Schwarzen Mansion (シュワルツェンの館) that Reinhard had prepared for his sister and himself. When Reinhard welcomed his sister, he said with the emotions of a teenager:

            “I am sorry that I made you suffer. Please live blissfully from now on.”

            While it was an unremarkable speech by Reinhard, it was filled with sincerity.

            However, he still had that ruthless careerist side that he did not wish to show his sister.

            When he discovered that Duke Braunschweig and Marquis Littenheim secretly formed an alliance, he welcomed the news.

            ‘I hope it blows up. Not only can I sentence them as traitors against the new kaiser, I can also wipe out the nobility influence.’ Once the two nobles that were Friedrich IV’s son-in-laws were dead, the rest would have no choice but to bow down to Reinhard’s hegemony. The nobles would kneel on the floor and swear their obedience. At that time, naturally, his covenant with Duke Lichtenrade would be broken. ‘Old raccoon, you best celebrate your utmost position as the kaiser’s subject now before it is too late.’

            On the other hand, Duke Lichtenrade was also not planning to perpetuate his axial relationship with Reinhard. Similar to Reinhard, he was also looking forward to the explosion of Duke Braunschweig and Marquis Littenheim. He needed Reinhard’s military strength to subjugate them. After that happens, he would not keep a dangerous person like Reinhard around anymore.

            Under Reinhard’s direction, Siegfried Kircheis was steadily preparing for the war against the projected armed rebellion by the coalition led by Duke Braunschweig and Marquis Littenheim.

            Although he could feel Oberstein’s cold and dry stare pouring into his back, he did not want his relationship with Reinhard and Annerose to have any cracks, so he decided not take more precautions than necessary against the shadow behind him.

            While striving towards his mission, Kircheis also had more opportunities than before to meet up with Annerose, so his days were blissful and he felt fulfilled. It would be nice if days like this could continue forever……

            III

           

            The Empire and the Alliance. Both countries finally established new regimes. Even though they might be gasping for air as they climbed up, they were finally moving up the stairs to the future.

            In the Dominion of Fezzan, Landesherr Rubinsky was sitting in a secluded room in his private residence.

            This windowless room was sealed with thick lead walls on all sides, and the space itself was polarized.

            There was a pink switch on the console (操作卓) that, if switched, would activate the communication device. It was difficult to recognize with the naked eye because the room itself was the communication device that transmitted Rubinsky’s thought waves beyond the space of several thousand light years. It was accomplished by converting the thought waves into special varied wavelengths and sending them through FTL communication.

            “It is I. Please respond.”

            The highly secretive, regularly conducted communication session was accomplished by thinking in the form of a clear language.

            “Who is this ‘I’?”

            The reply that came back from beyond the universe was extremely arrogant.

            “I am Fezzan’s landesherr, Rubinsky. Is Your Holiness the Grand Bishop in good spirits?”

            Rubinsky was unbelievably submissive.

            “I have no reason to be in good spirits… Our Terra still has not been restored to its rightful place. Only when Terra is restored to its past glory and worshipped by all humanity would my heart be filled with sunshine.”

            He took a big sigh using his entire thorax while he was thinking.

            Terra.

            The appearance of this planet that floated in the void, 3,000-light-years away, emerged as a vivid picture in Rubinsky’s head.

            After becoming the subject of mankind’s thorough destruction and exploitation, the frontier planet was abandoned. Senility and devastation; exhaustion and poverty. Ruins dotted among the deserts, the rocky mountains, and the forests. Clinging to the contaminated soil that had forever lost its fertility, a small number of people continued to earn their living. Glory and remnants; sediments and grudges. A helpless planet that even Rudolf ignored. The third planet of the Solar System that owned only the past, and nothing of the future…

            However, this forgotten planet was the secret ruler of Fezzan. Leopold Laap’s funds came from this supposedly impoverished Terra.

            “Over the past, lengthy, 800-year period, Terra had been unfairly diminished. But, the day that its humiliation gets lifted is almost here. Terra is the cradle of humanity, and the center that governs the entire universe. Those ingrates that abandoned their mother-planet will realize it in the next two to three years.”

            “Would it be that fast?”

            “Do you question me? Fezzan’s landesherr?”

            The thought wave played the melody of a low, sinister laugh. The laughter of the so called “grand bishop,” the ruler of Terra’s theocracy, caused all of the hairs on Rubinsky to shudder.

            “The flow of history can be accelerated. Especially when both the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance have been converging their power and military strength. And, soon, the amount of new people who attempt to smuggle in will swell. The Back-to-Terra spiritual movement that were smuggled into both sides will come out of hiding. Fezzan will be allowed to handle their organization and financing, but do not omit anything.”

            “Of course.”

            “Our great predecessors selected the planet that became Fezzan precisely for that – to accumulate wealth to deliver to those faithful to Terra. In terms of military strength, we cannot stand up to the Empire and the Alliance yet. However, Fezzan dominates the secular side through the economic strength born to its particular location, and Terra dominates the spiritual side through faith… The universe can be recaptured into the hands of Terra without any crossfire. This grand plan has taken several centuries to come to fruition. Finally, our predecessors’ wisdom will bear fruit in our generation…”

            Here, the tone of the thought completely changed, and became sharp.

            “Rubinsky!”

            “Yes…!?”

            “Do not betray me.”

            Fezzan’s landesherr was seeping cold sweat through his skin. If anyone who knew the landesherr was present and saw this scene, he would be shocked.

            “I… I would not even dare to think of something like that.”

            “You have talent and ambition… so be advised: Do not be lured by false temptation. Do you fully understand why Manfred II (マンフレート二世) and the landesherr before you died?”

            Manfred II held the ideology of the Empire and the Alliance coexisting peacefully, and worked towards implementing that. Rubinsky’s predecessor, Vallenkov (ワレンコフ), resented Terra’s control, and wanted to act autonomously. Both were attempting to do things that were adverse to Terra.

            “It is all thanks to Your Holiness’s support that I was able to become the landesherr. I am not an ingrate.”

            “That would be best. Though admirable, you should guard your heart.”

            …After the regularly conducted communication session was over, Rubinsky stepped out of the room, and looked up to the starry sky as he stood on the marble terrace. Fortunately, he could not see Terra. He felt a gradual sense of relief as if he just came back to this world from another dimension. It was a while before his normal fearless confidence was restored.

            If Fezzan belonged only to Fezzan, then he would probably be the material ruler of the Milky Way. Unfortunately, the reality was different.

            For those monomaniacs who wanted to reverse history by 800 years, and make Terra the capital of the various stars again, he was but a servant.

            However, would it be like this forever? There was probably not a single legitimate reason in this universe on why that must be the case.

            “So, I wonder who will win at the end. Empire? Alliance? Terra…?”

            Rubinsky, who was speaking to himself, all of a sudden smiled exactly like a fox.

            “Or maybe me…?”

            IV

            “The fight to the death with the nobles is unavoidable. It might be the battle that splits up the Empire.”

            Kircheis nodded to Reinhard’s statement.

            “I consulted with Mittermeyer and Reuenthal, and our strategic planning is progressing smoothly. However, I am concerned with just one thing…”

            “The rebel fleet attacking, right?”

            “Exactly.”

            The domestic forces within the Empire were being split into a civil war with the Lichtenrade-Lohengramm Axis and the Braunschweig-Littenheim Camp. What would happen if the Alliance exploits this gap and invade? Although Kircheis was confident with the planning and execution of his operation plan, he still felt uneasy regarding this.

            The blond young man chuckled at his red-haired friend.

            “Don’t worry, Kircheis. I have a plan. However amazing Yang Wen-li’s strategic ability is, I still have ways to keep him from leaving Iserlohn.”

            “How?”

            “Like this.”

            With passion beaming from his ice blue eyes, Reinhard began to explain…

            V

            “So tempting.”

            As if he was pondering something, Yang murmured before he even accepted the black tea into his hands. Julian put down the cup while he stared at Yang, wide-eyed. Feeling the atmosphere, he hesitated to ask, and remained silent.

            Although the rapid establishment of the Lichtenrade-Lohengramm Axis seemed to have subsided the political situation in the Empire, it was unlikely that the situation would migrate towards a period of stability. The Braunschweig-Littenheim Camp would utilize their armed forces and make a stand. No, they would be forced to make a stand. A civil war that would divide the Empire would occur.

            At that time, if one were to cleverly read the situation and intervene – for example, if one were to team up with Braunschweig’s group to pincer Marquis Reinhard von Lohengramm and kill him, and then turn around and slaughter Braunschweig’s group, then the Galactic Empire would probably perish.

            Alternatively, one could provide Braunschweig with strategies to allow him to be on par with Reinhard, and strike when both sides have reached the point of exhaustion… ‘I can probably do that by myself.’ Yang felt rather disgusted with himself. His brain as a strategist was this arrogant. When Yang murmured, “So tempting,” it was about this.

            If he were a dictator, then he would do that; however, he was just a spaceman of a democratic country, and his actions were inevitably constrained. If he broke through that constraint, then he would become Rudolf’s successor…

            Julian removed the tea that had already cooled, and placed a newly brewed hot tea on Yang’s desk, before Yang finally noticed. “Oh, thank you,” he said.

            “What are you thinking about?”

            When asked about his thoughts, the youngest admiral of the Alliance Fleet gave the embarrassed expression of a boy.

            “Don’t tell others. Tsk, when humans only think about winning, they become excessively repugnant.”

            “……”

            “By the way, isn’t Schönkopf teaching you how to use firearms? How is that going?”

            “Commodore told me that I aim well.”

            “Oh, that is good.”

            “Does the commander want to come practice a little?”

            Yang laughed.

            “It seems that I don’t have that talent. I also can’t be bothered to try. I am probably the worst among the Alliance Fleet by now.”

            “Well, then how will you protect yourself?”

            “If the commander must protect himself with his own gun, then he is fighting a losing battle. I just have to think about not being in that situation.”

            “That is true. Well, I will protect you.”

            “Then I am in good hands.”

            With a laugh, Yang picked up the cup of black tea.

            While watching the young commander, Julian suddenly thought: ‘This man is only fifteen years older than me. Would I be able to reach his level in fifteen years?”

             ‘That distance seems to be too far away,’ thought the teenager.

            …The universe rotated with a myriad of thoughts.

            796 UC, 487 IC. Neither Marquis Reinhard von Lohengramm, nor Yang Wen-li, was able to foresee his own future.