Book 13: Chapter 15: Everything in the Hands of Klaus

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Cleo, having been captured by the Banfield Family’s fleet, found herself imprisoned.

Nevertheless, despite all her shortcomings, she was still the Crown Prince of the Algrand Empire.

Hence, the Banfield Family had arranged a luxurious room, furnished with expensive decor, to accommodate her during her time in captivity

Additionally, a maid was assigned to attend to her needs, ensuring her stay was as comfortable as possible.

As Cleo settled into her chair, the maid gracefully served her a cup of tea before placing it on a nearby table.

Though she was dressed as a maid, she had also undergone training as a knight.

Given Cleo’s ability, taking the maid hostage would prove exceedingly difficult.

As Cleo sipped on the cup of tea that had been served to her, she muttered her thoughts aloud.

“I didn’t anticipate encountering Klaus-dono during our escape. I had doubted his moniker as the Genius Strategist, but now I see it’s fully deserved.”

She had fled from the fleet that Farabar had hijacked, only to come across Klaus while repeatedly performing short-distance warps.

Unlike a typical prison with iron bars on one side of the room, a glass wall had been erected to prevent her from escaping.

Her hand shook ever so slightly as she saw Klaus standing on the other side of the glass wall, his expression not betraying his thoughts.

Although his appearance was ordinary, he was hailed as the strongest knight of the Banfield Family and commanded a great amount of trust from Liam.

He was ranked as one of the most powerful men in the entirety of the Algrand Empire, and despite his outwardly dull demeanor, was held in as high esteem as Liam.

Cleo tried to put up a front by taking on a relaxed attitude, but sweat was dripping down her back.

Much to her frustration and embarrassment, Klaus simply sighed in response, as if he had seen through her bravado.

Clinging to her last hope, she made a proposal to Klaus.

“If you’re willing to switch sides, I can guarantee that the Empire will give you the best treatment possible. Why don’t you serve me instead of Liam?”

She knew that the chance of success was next to none, and as expected, Klaus turned down her proposal.

“I have no intention of switching sides. After all, I’m already receiving special treatment in the Banfield Family. Besides, I doubt Your Highness would trust someone that betrays their master for immediate profit.”

‘I’ll make an exception for you!’ Even Cleo wasn’t shameless enough to lie through her teeth like that.

With the matter settled, Klaus moved on to discuss what would happen to her from now on.

“―Lord Liam has boarded our fleet. Soon, he will decide what fate awaits Your Highness.”

“I-I see.”

Judgment day had finally arrived.

She thought she was prepared to face whatever punishment awaited her, but her body still trembled with fear.

(What kind of torture awaits me? It’s Liam we’re talking about. I don’t expect to be forgiven.)

She had betrayed Liam after everything he had done for her.

Naturally, she was under the assumption that her life was forfeit.

◇

Klaus was suffering from a severe stomach ache.

As for the reason…

“Klaus-dono, I didn’t think you were so ambitious! Not only did you defend our home planet, but you’ve also captured His Highness Cleo,” exclaimed Tia, her smile failing to mask the absence of light in her eyes.

“I-It was just a coincidence.”

Though he tried to pass it off as a fluke, Marie, with bloodshot eyes, cheerfully spoke to him.

“Now, now, even if it was a coincidence, it doesn’t diminish your achievement! You should be more proud of yourself!”

He felt sick under the weight of the murderous intent emanating from the two knights. Standing beside him, Chengshi wore a wide grin

Chengshi was a female knight who, for some inexplicable reason, had professed her love for Klaus and was now fiercely protecting him.

However, this didn’t change the fact that her personality was just as twisted and problematic as Tia and Marie’s.

“You’re just whining because Klaus took home the biggest achievement. Pathetic,” she sneered.

Tia and Marie didn’t utter a word in response to her obvious provocation, but their hands slowly gravitated toward the hilt of their swords.

Emma Rodman, also known as Number Four, had been watching the argument unfold from the sidelines. Sensing the tension rising, she hurriedly intervened.

“Calm down, everyone!!”

Witnessing her attempt to defuse the situation, Klaus felt some relief as his stomach ache eased a bit.

(Thank goodness there’s someone normal here. T’is a blessing.)

Just as he was about to shed tears of joy, he noticed Ellen, who had been acting indifferent all this time, straighten her back.

A few seconds later, Liam entered the room.

“You’ve all performed well in the battle.”

After offering a brief praise, Liam plopped down onto the sofa and gestured for the others to join him.

Klaus wasted no time in addressing the issue of Cleo’s treatment.

“Lord Liam, regarding His Highness Cleo―”

Liam’s expression took on a peculiar twist as this matter was brought up, and he proceeded to ask Klaus for his opinion.

“If you were in my shoes, what would you have done?”

“Well, that depends on what Lord Liam wishes to achieve. If the goal is to fight against the Empire to the bitter end, we should execute the Crown Prince and send his body back to the Empire. If the goal is to negotiate with them, we should set up some favorable conditions in exchange for the prince’s safety.”

In the end, everything boiled down to what Liam wanted.

Tia offered her opinion on how Cleo should be dealt with.

“Cleo’s responsible for ravaging our territory. If he doesn’t receive a suitable punishment, the people won’t be happy.”

The subjugation army had laid waste to much of the Banfield Family’s territory.

As the person in command, Cleo has to be punished accordingly! ― or so people would argue.

Liam, however, had a different opinion.

“It’s to our benefit that someone incompetent occupies the position of Crown Prince. He probably won’t be able to escape punishment when he returns to the Empire, but I believe we should enter negotiation by putting his safety on the table.”

He seemed to suggest that Cleo should be sent back unharmed, a notion that greatly alarmed Marie and the others.

“Lord Liam, are you sure about this!? He’s a sinner who betrayed the Banfield Family!”

Liam remained calm even after hearing their concerns.

“Yes, I am. I don’t mind executing him, but I think it’d be more interesting if he lives.”

“B-but that’s…”

To prevent further argument from Marie and the others, Liam swiftly changed the subject.

“That aside, Tia and Marie’s performance in battle was spectacular. As promised, I shall officially announce your nomination into the Numbers upon our return.”

When he declared that they would be joining the Numbers, Tia and Marie’s eyes gleamed with excitement, and they immediately knelt down in front of Liam, bowing their heads.

“I, Christina, pledge my undying loyalty to Lord Liam!”

“I will not disappoint you, Lord Liam!”

Liam acknowledged them, albeit dismissively.

“Yeah, keep up the good work.”

Now that the troublesome conversation was over, Liam tried to take his leave, but Klaus hurriedly chased after him.

◇

Klaus follows diagonally behind me as I step out of the room and into the corridor.

Apparently, he still has some questions regarding my treatment of Cleo.

“Lord Liam, are we really going to return the Crown Prince unharmed?”

“We’ll be using him as a bargaining chip. After all, as ignorant as he is, he’s still the Crown Prince. The Empire will have no choice but to come up with a suitable compensation.”

The knights who are supposed to be our guards follow us from several meters behind, ensuring no interruption in our conversation.

Klaus puts his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

“While it’s true that we can gain material benefit with that method, many members of the Banfield Family are angry with the Crown Prince and wish to see him put in his place.”

“You’re right. If I could, I would’ve killed him right away.”

Klaus seems surprised by my answer.

“In other words, you’re prioritizing practical benefits over personal feelings? In that case, I will speak no more.”

He appears to have understood my intention.

However, in all likelihood, he has yet to realize my true thoughts.

―I can kill Cleo whenever I want. The issue is the timing.

There’s a chance that he will be executed the moment he returns to the Empire. If that does happen, then oh well.

“It’s more beneficial to have someone like Cleo, who’s incompetent despite his best efforts, as the Crown Prince. We were able to minimize our damage this time around thanks to his blunder.”

“If we were to look only at the result, His Highness’s presence was certainly a plus for us. But there’s no guarantee that this would be true next time as well.”

“Ever the worrier. You see, in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn’t matter what happens to him.”

It doesn’t matter whether he survives or gets executed by the Empire.

After walking in silence for a while, Klaus asks in a rather timid fashion.

“Um… Lord Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“Among the numerous reports I received, there was one that couldn’t be ignored. Is it true that you boarded an enemy ship to fight against a Demon Lord?”

It goes without saying, but the commander-in-chief should never board an enemy ship with just a handful of people in the heat of war.

Feeling slightly guilty, I turn my head away from Klaus.

“It had to do with the School of One Flash.”

“So it’s true.”

Putting his hand on his face, Klaus looks up at the ceiling, feeling exasperated.

After a while, he shakes his head and confirms something with me.

“Then regarding Argos―”

◇

The engineers of the Seventh Weapons Factory welcome Argos upon its return to the Banfield Family’s home planet.

An engine that should not have existed on Argos is being examined as the ship receives its maintenance on its dedicated dock.

The one in charge of investigating the foreign object is Nias, an engineer who has prioritized her skills as a mechanic over maintaining a decent personality.

While the other staff are busy inspecting the performance of various equipment aboard Argos, Nias and I delve into a detailed discussion about the engine that Argos has obtained as we float about in zero gravity.

“That is to say, the immortal fleet was under the control of this engine, not Farabar himself?” I inquire.

“Yes, it’s quite something when you think about it, placing millions of ships under its control and providing them with both repairs and resources.”

And that engine responsible for the immortal fleet has now been loaded onto Argos.

With this, my fleet should be able to do the same thing, or so I thought.

Nias calculates the limits of the newly acquired engine.

“It can no longer influence millions of ships. Its effect can only be cast on Argos.”

“How come it’s become worse?”

“It didn’t deteriorate per se, but it seems to have been pushed beyond its limit for an extended period of time.”

“So it’s a second-hand good. If Farabar comes back to life, I’ll dice him up again.”

As I complain with my arms crossed, Nias gives me a serious look.

“―So, to what extent are you planning to use this engine?”

She’s asking if I plan on making Argos’s crew immortal.

What a foolish question.

“I’m only going to have it replenish our supplies and provide repairs when the need arises. Anything beyond that is unnecessary.”

“Are you sure? Even though it’s just one, we’re talking about a super-dreadnought class battleship. Not having to worry about training new crew members is a big plus.”

Having well-trained immortal crew members is certainly useful. However, I have no interest in immortal beings.

“Dying is part of our fate as humans, after all.”

“Is Lord Liam not tempted by the prospect of eternal life? It should be a dream come true for those in power.”

Throughout the ages, many people with authority have set their sights on eternal life, vying for a chance to obtain immortality.

―But what’s the point of all that?

As someone with a past life, I know of the existence of the Guide.

“It would be presumptuous of me to mess with the souls of others.”

Nias shrugs when she hears me mutter.

“It’s not all that convincing when you’re the one that says it, Lord Liam.”

“―Anyway, I won’t be using that function, so seal it away.”

Nias smiles at my order.

“I knew you’d say that.”

————————————————————————————————————–

Brian (´；ω；`): “Lord Liam has too much blind faith in the Guide, it’s painful.”

Wakagi-chan (*´艸`): “Enough about the Guide, Volume 1 of ‘The World of Otome Games is Tough for Us’ where Marie-chan plays an active role seems to have unexpected romantic elements included in it. The novel contains a lot of information based on Part 1 of Marie’s Route, so please check it out.”

Brian ( *¯ ꒳¯*): “The origin of Marie’s Route actually comes from an SS posted on Syosetu. It’s been deleted since then, but do any readers remember it?”

Wakagi-chan ( ＾∀＾): “I also want a series based on my activities in an SS, so please cheer me on. Even by mistake, you mustn’t cheer for Pandora, okay?”

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