I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary - Chapter 432.1

Meeting Behind Closed Doors

I couldn’t help but ask, “So, political matters are out of our jurisdiction, let alone Colonel Serena’s, but…what was the Great Emperor thinking when he issued the royal decree and threw us into this place?”

“Please don’t speak against the Emperor in front of me. It’s not good for my position.” (Colonel Serena)

Colonel Serena said while holding a teacup in one hand. We were now inside the captain’s office, of the flagship of the independent fleet against space pirates, the battleship Lestarius–which could be said to have the most luxurious interior of all of their ships.

It was true that for the imperial soldiers, the emperor was a sovereign to whom they paid respect and to whom they swore allegiance, but for me, he was just a pleasant old bastard who threw me into a tough situation just for the fun of it.

I couldn’t help but comment, “I can’t even begin to understand the Emperor’s intentions. I don’t think it was simply because of my skills in defeating the pirates. I’m sure he was going to make me do something that may influence the current situation.”

“Situation… the current situation, huh? I don’t even know what the current situation is. This area is a disputed zone between the Empire and the Federation, and the enemy commando units disguised as space pirates are most likely working in the shadows to threaten the Empire’s logistics. Also, the bad aristocrats who have been messing around with the Delainwald family have been pushed to this region…” (Colonel Serena)

A bad premonition suddenly crossed my mind. What was the worst possible outcome in this situation? I wondered what the old bastard’s expectations were, and I felt that they were becoming clear.

“What is it?” (Colonel Serena)

“I hate to even imagine it, but I think the Emperor is expecting an uprising of the bad nobles. The worst-case scenario that could happen in the current situation is the bad noble in question – the Count Ixamal – switching sides to the Federation, right?” (Hiro)

“I don’t think so. Even if they are rotten, Count Ixamal is still an Imperial noble.” (Colonel Serena)

“Colonel Serena, this may be a bit of a stretch, but I’m not going to think it’s impossible. On the battlefield, it is considered a taboo to simply ignore a possibility just because it seems impossible at first glance, right?”

“That… yes, but…”

Colonel Serena gasped. For me, it would not be surprising if someone switched sides and joined the enemy if they were cornered and sent to the front line as punishment. After all, their strength and other things would be reduced to the bare minimum. Moreover, something like this would be even more unbearable for nobles.

“From a noble’s point of view, was it really that implausible to betray the empire and join the Federation?”

I asked Elma, who was sitting next to me.

“Of course, if you betrayed the Empire and joined the Federation, you would lose your position as a nobleman as well as your lands. A Count family has at least five-star systems that they own. The tax revenues from the territories alone would be enormous, and there are many other privileges that come with being an Imperial noble, so the idea of betrayal would not normally come to mind.” (Elma)

“I see. So it’s not just a matter of pride, but also because of such practical advantages. But, I’m not sure… my involvement in these situations usually leads to terrible things.” (Hiro)

“Are you thinking of giving up halfway through this mission? Shouldn’t you be more like a person who fights back against adversity with a strong spirit?”

Colonel Serena gave me a reproachful look and slammed me with a remark based on her gut feeling. She may look like a pretty girl who would look better in a dress than in a military uniform, but she was surprisingly athletic or muscular brained.

“From my experience, if we are facing a troublesome situation, we should rather avoid it… but if we have no other choice, then we have to prepare ourselves with a worse case scenario in mind.” (Hiro)

“Can you truly give up like that?” (Colonel Serena)

“First, please listen to our side. I do have some knowledge regarding politics. Normally, there’s not much that a mercenary like us can do other than to keep our eyes open and observe the situation. But right now, I’m wondering if you have information on these space pirates… Well, I’m not sure if we will really be dealing only with space pirates at this time” (Hiro)

“Indeed, just from the fact that they are so well-equipped and their movements are so organized and sophisticated, I am certain that they are not space pirates. However, we did capture a few of them, but they still declared themselves as space pirates.” (Colonel Serena)

“Ahh? That means they were likely being sponsored by the federation directly, or by a third party, or may even be both.” (Hiro)

“Something like that, I suppose. What would you do in this case since you are a professional in this area?” (Colonel Serena)

“I don’t have any special methods. The best way is to simply continue crushing them and make them think it’s not worth it. After all, they’re space pirates. If things go wrong, they will break up with their sponsors and the relationship will spontaneously dissolve. If possible, I would appreciate it if we could hit the enemy commando unit that is commanding the space pirates.” (Hiro)

That would only be possible if the enemy was dumb enough not to move their command post frequently.

They may even be operating a mothership that was about the same size as the Black Lotus, or even a little bigger. A stealthy mothership would be very useful as a mobile command post for guerrilla warfare. It would be difficult to spot them if they were hiding among asteroids and debris.

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Also check out my other novels: A Demon Lord’s Tale: Dungeons, Monster Girls, and Heartwarming Bliss, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, and Reincarnated into a Game As the Hero’s Friend