Chapter 134

I’m terribly sorry to have kept you waiting.

The new arc begins now!

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"……It’s so peaceful."

Taro sat in the President's office, staring vacantly out the window with the utterly slack expression of a man whose brain had turned to mush.

The view outside wasn't exactly a scenic vista; it was just a sprawling expanse of iron bulkheads plastered with corporate advertisements. Still, he could at least make out the tiny movements of people scuttling along the streets below. It was leagues better than the drab, unadorned interior of the office.

"Maybe I should buy a fancy frame and a painting for this place... Or wait, is everything just digital displays these days?"

At Taro’s half-muttered question, Marl—who was busy hammering away at a keyboard nearby—looked up.

"Not necessarily. If we’re talking market share, small displays are way more common, though."

"Well, yeah. Makes sense. You can swap the picture whenever you feel like it."

"True. But the value of a one-of-a-kind original or a piece of 'art' isn't really about convenience, is it? I don't know much about the subject, but apparently, there's a value inherent to the object itself."

"Hmm…… I don’t know a damn thing about art either. I guess I’ll just buy something that looks expensive so the clients don’t think we’re a bunch of hicks."

The office they were currently lounging in wasn't the one in Katsushika. This was the newly established Rising Sun Roma Branch in Enzio’s capital. It also doubled as the headquarters for the RS Alliance, meaning it would be their primary base of operations for the foreseeable future.

Naturally, that meant they’d be hosting frequent guests. Depending on who walked through those doors, they might encounter people who placed a high premium on "culture" and "refinement." Since they couldn't exactly pick their visitors, they had to prepare for every social scenario.

"Then pray, leave that to me, Teiro-san. I happen to possess a certain... expertise regarding the arts."

The third person in the room spoke up with a smug air of confidence. Taro gave Liza a casual "I’m counting on you," before returning to his bored vigil at the window.

"Was daily office work always this mind-numbingly dull?"

Marl let out a heavy sigh at Taro’s remark—a comment that would have deeply offended anyone with a real job.

"If you're so bored, you’re more than welcome to help me with this paperwork, you know? ……But I get it. We were so ridiculously busy before that this feels like a total crash. It’s the post-war rebound."

Liza chimed in with a nod of agreement.

"Most likely. Still, it is a boredom we should welcome. To be perfectly honest, I am quite finished with riding transport ships while trembling in fear of some invisible enemy. I’d be happy to never see a cockpit again."

Liza frowned, her brow furrowing as if the mere memory left a bad taste in her mouth. During the Anti-Enzio War, she had been the mastermind behind the curtain. Not only did she keep the existing business running, but she had also juggled the nightmarish logistics required to keep a fleet supplied.

"Well, we won't have to deal with that many Stealth Ships ever again. Enzio was just a freak occurrence…… probably," Taro said, though he sounded remarkably unconvinced by his own words.

Liza seemed to have finished her task; she stood up, clutching several data chips. "I certainly hope so," she replied with a poised, cool air. She then turned toward the door and reached for the knob—a physical motion she clearly wasn't used to—and exited the room.

"She almost walked face-first into the door for a second there."

"I saw. Honestly, I still do it sometimes too."

Because of "that specific incident," the President's office had been outfitted with a completely air-gapped, independent BISHOP Control Mechanism. As a result, BISHOP couldn't control anything outside from within the room, and vice versa. The door, serving as the literal firewall between the two worlds, had to be operated using the ancient, primitive method of turning a handle.

"Couldn't you at least install a normal sensor-activated automatic door?"

"No, no, Marl. It’s about the romance. It’s got that retro charm, you know?"

"I think it’s just a nuisance…… but whatever. More importantly, Teiro, have you actually settled on a future policy for the RS Alliance?"

Taro flashed a thumbs-up. "You betcha."

"Heh, color me surprised. I figured you were just sitting there with your head empty."

"Hey! I use my brain! Sometimes!"

"Pfft, I’m joking. So, what’s the big plan?"

"Heh. Listen and be amazed………… Hmm."

Taro stared at Marl, falling into a sudden, pregnant silence. Marl tilted her head, waiting for him to continue, but he remained quiet.

He watched her hands with intense, predatory focus, as if waiting for the perfect window of opportunity.

Feeling the awkwardness of his silent gaze, Marl shifted uncomfortably. She reached for a cup of tea and brought it to her lips.

Taro grinned.

Frowning with suspicion, Marl took a large, healthy gulp.

Right as she began to swallow, Taro dropped the bomb.

"We’re going with an expansionary policy."

Marl performed a spectacular, high-pressure spit-take, dousing Taro from head to toe in lukewarm tea. As Taro sat there with a look of pure, masochistic ecstasy, Marl delivered a lightning-fast right straight.

Taro tumbled grandly out of his chair, shouting, "Thank you very much!!"

"What the hell are you thinking?!"

"S-Sorry... That was a waste of perfectly good tea."

"Not the tea! An 'expansionary policy'? Are you out of your mind?!"

Marl lunged at him, her face inches from his. Taro, his face flushing slightly from the physical proximity (and the punch), waved his hands. "Ah, no, not that kind of expansion."

"I’m not talking about pushing into EAP or White Dingo territory. I’m talking about the back. The deep frontier."

Taro leaned back and used his BISHOP link to project a Regional Star Chart onto the wall display.

"The Professor mentioned it once, remember? The early territories of the Empire should be located further back, beyond Enzio. If we’re going to find them, we’ll need to establish permanent footholds in the frontier, depending on the distance."

"I mean, maybe…… but is it right to make 'frontier development' an official Alliance policy? If it’s just for an investigation, we could just set up a temporary outpost, right?"

"Well, that was the original thought. But I actually got a message from Dean…… Look, I don’t want you to tell the others about this yet."

Even though the room was soundproofed to a paranoid degree, Taro leaned in close to Marl’s ear and whispered.

"…………You’re joking. For real?"

Marl’s eyes went wide. She pulled back, looking at him with utter disbelief.

"It’s no joke. It’s so absurd you almost have to laugh. Almost."

Taro gave a dry, mirthless chuckle and shrugged. What he had just told her was the latest intel from Dean regarding the Empire's recent movements.

"The Empire is advancing into the Alpha Sector…… I mean, I know it's not impossible, but why now? They’ve ignored this place for hundreds of years."

"I don’t know for sure, but I can take a guess. I bet it’s this."

Taro pulled a mobile terminal from his pocket and swiped to a saved news headline: COMMUNICATIONS LOST WITH SEVERA REGION. SIGNS OF INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT DETECTED.

"This is…… Ah. I see. That explains it."

Marl caught on instantly, her skepticism turning into grim realization.

"Exactly. It’s on the complete opposite side of the galaxy, but they’ve started cutting ties with the Empire—either by blocking info or blowing up their Stargates. If you dig around, the net is full of similar reports."

Taro scrolled through the screen, showing a long list of filtered news snippets.

"In that case, the Empire doesn't have much of a choice. Whether there’s an active secession movement here or not, they’re going to secure the region just to make sure independence isn't even an option."

"Right. Bella-san runs the Alpha Star System with the Empire's blessing, and I’ve at least made sure we’re on their radar regarding Katsushika. But everywhere else? It’s a free-for-all. Everyone is just squatting on systems and claiming it’s their territory, and the Empire hasn't officially recognized any of it. Granted, the Empire is basically doing the same thing on a bigger scale."

"I suppose…… but how much of the map are they going to swallow?"

"That’s the million-credit question. If they just wanted to stop an independence movement, they’d only need to lock down the area around Katsushika. But if they’re chasing profit? They’ll keep going. Based on the data, this is what Teiro-chan and Dean predict."

Taro shifted his focus to the large screen, using BISHOP to paint the map. The red zone indicating "Imperial Territory" expanded steadily, only stopping once it had consumed Enzio, the EAP, and a significant chunk of the White Dingo’s turf.

"……You have got to be kidding me. They’re just cherry-picking all the most developed systems!"

The projected Imperial zone included star systems teeming with massive space stations. These were the economic engines of the Alpha Region Space—the very places meant to be the heart of the post-war reconstruction.

"Haha…… honestly, when I saw this prediction, I seriously considered just blowing up the Stargate in the Alpha Star System myself."

"Don't even joke about that! ……Though I totally get why you’d want to."

"Yeah. We risked our lives to protect this place, after all. But the timing of this 'advancement' feels oily. Dean thinks this might be the 50 Materials getting their revenge."

"Revenge…… You mean they’re harassing us without even getting their hands dirty? That’s disgusting!"

"Whoa, it’s just a theory. Calm down, Marl-tan. Don't take it out on me!"

Taro held up his hands to ward off the fuming Marl, who looked ready to punch something else.

"Anyway, that’s why I don’t think developing the 'center' of the sector is a good idea right now. We put in all the work to rebuild, and then the Empire shows up tomorrow and says 'Thanks, this is ours now'? I couldn't stomach that."

"I see your point. That makes sense. But shouldn't you tell Lin? She needs to know."

"……Mmm, yeah. Eventually. I’ll tell her when the timing is right."

"Wait, what does that mean? Why not tell her right now?"

"Personally, I’d love to. But as the head of the Alliance, it’s not that simple. To be blunt... we won a bit too hard. The military balance in the sector is completely broken, and it’s dangerous."

"……I see. Hmm. Being a big shot involves a lot of unpleasantness, doesn't it?"

In the wake of the Total War, the EAP had emerged with a crushing military victory. While the actual reparations hadn't been paid yet, they were currently seizing Enzio’s warships as collateral. In the current Alpha Region Space, the EAP was an apex predator with no equal.

"If Lin had total, absolute control over the Alliance, it might be fine, but……"

Taro knew that was impossible. Democratic organizations had their perks, but they were messy. If public opinion swung toward "The RS Alliance is too powerful and needs to be taken down," Lin would be forced to follow that mandate. If she were an autocrat like the Dingoes, she could steer the ship based on personal trust, but the EAP wasn't built that way.

"In a worst-case scenario, we have to prepare for the possibility of the EAP becoming an enemy. If the Empire’s expansion knocks the EAP down a peg, it keeps the regional balance stable. If I can use the Empire, I’ll use 'em. I’ll use anyone." Taro sighed. "I guess I’ve become a bit of a villain, huh?"

Marl let out a soft sigh of her own. Taro peered at her face nervously, worried she might be disgusted by his cold pragmatism, but she suddenly flashed a mischievous, girlish smile.

"I’m not a child, Taro. I understand how the world works. There are going to be more painful decisions ahead…… but when those times come, I’ll be right there with you. So make sure you keep talking to me, okay?"

She gave him a gentle, encouraging smile. Overwhelmed by her kindness, Taro’s heart swelled.

"MARL-TAAAAAAN!"

He lunged forward to wrap her in a hug, but her magnificent right hook caught him flush on the jaw, snuffing out his consciousness in a heartbeat.