While we were all caught up in the excitement of the baby rush, the casualty statistics for the Galactic Empire and the various nations of outer space were finally released.
On a gut level, it felt as though everyone had lost a family member or a relative. The resentment harbored by the citizens of the Battle Dome, the Kishin Nation, Latania Nation, Chronos, and the Taikyoku Nation was too deep for words. Even the Pirate Guild had reached out to ask if they could finally sever their ties with the Corpse Eaters.
However, I had issued a strict order: the commercial transactions between the Corpse Eaters and the Pirate Guild were not to be cut. In this world, there are many instances where something that seems impossible to negotiate is actually quite manageable. I didn't even need to resort to tricks like rigging the machines with explosives. Since those units were built from discarded scrap parts, there was no way they could ever stand against our regular forces.
Simply put, as long as they continued to buy their gear from the Pirate Guild, they would never develop their own technology. They would remain weak. Even if it was just to know exactly what weapons the enemy possessed, continuing the trade was worth it. Trust is vital in business, and I refused to let that trust be compromised. That was how I maintained the line of communication.
I did, however, force the Pirate Guild to implement rigorous quarantine procedures. The public might not find it satisfying, but that was the reality of how we reduced the number of victims.
Still, the people were furious. I was being accused of selling the very weapons used to kill our own. Countless articles were published directly criticizing me. In truth, their criticism wasn't misplaced. I wasn't about to tell them, "I’m selling them weapons to break their fangs from the inside. Just try to understand." I wasn't arrogant enough to think I could make the public fully comprehend the situation by disclosing classified secrets.
It was likely a world that noble, idealistic people would find unbearable. But as long as the enemy relied on inferior products, their tactical options were limited, and our chances of victory increased.
The Corpse Eaters were incapable of grasping this logic. While the bodies parasitized by the Corpse Eaters retained a modicum of intelligence, they lacked any sense of danger regarding the fact that they were purchasing their means of slaughter from their own enemies. I intended to keep them in their ignorance and safely neutralized. It was a dirty game, but it was one of the fundamental truths of the world.
On that note, Lepsitol-kun might have viewed the value of life as terrifyingly cheap, but their cunning was on a monstrous level. They had sensitively picked up on the nuances of these dealings and were busy profiting from them. Indeed, the corporations of the Repsitore Nation were offloading models scheduled for disposal to the Pirate Guild. They even secured discarded armaments from the Persion Nation. Teaming up with their partners in the Pirate Guild, they refurbished them into weapons that barely functioned and sold them off... They were truly godlike when it came to underhanded business.
As a result, even though we were technically supplying weapons, the damage caused by the Corpse Eaters was actually decreasing. Military casualties were dropping as well. I didn't expect the citizens to understand, but this, too, was a form of national defense.
I had, for the record, explained the plan to the Latania Nation and the Taikyoku Nation. For some reason, they seemed deathly afraid of me now. I wondered why.
In the midst of all this, a report came in from the Pirate Guild.
"There’s been movement from the Corpse Eaters, boss."
The movement was occurring on a planet that the Corpse Eaters had completely occupied—a world we had intentionally left alone to serve as a bellwether. We had been letting them roam there to monitor their behavior. It was far removed from other inhabited systems, and the nearest planet had already been fitted with a barrier. Several nations were watching it so that we could move in for the kill the moment things turned dangerous. I had even been prepared to cede that planet to them if they showed any sign of wanting to coexist. If they needed bodies to inhabit, I would have even provided the corpses of death row inmates convicted of heinous crimes. Extermination isn't always the only answer.
Yet, just as I was proactively handling the grittier aspects of being a ruler, they decided to make a move. I kept a close eye on the situation while keeping the Barrier Cannons on standby.
Honestly, why did they have to act now, right when my Wifey’s delivery was so close? I’ll freaking kill them!
While my personal feelings were screaming for slaughter, my reason remained calm as I watched the situation unfold. We might finally be able to catch the tail of the Zen Divine Race.
I made my way to the hangar where Massacre Night was kept. The machine had been dismantled, leaving it in a rather wretched state. We weren't scrapping it, though. Thanks to the success of Unit 28, we finally had a path forward for developing a new model. My exclusive machine was the first in line for the upgrade. It was being outfitted with a core system for Himorogi-chan and even a complete Shinto altar for the Zashiki-warashi.
It sounded like pure occultism, but the sensors were picking up a measurable difference. In the end, I wondered what had been missing. We linked the new energy core to Himorogi-chan’s life-support system, and the performance doubled instantly. Just... why?
Well, whatever. Once things reached this level of complexity, I didn't understand it even when I asked for an explanation. I could follow the lower-level technical discussions, but since I lacked specialized education in the latest fields, reading the papers usually ended with me "not even knowing what I didn't know." If I could understand all of that, I wouldn't be a pilot.
At any rate, the power-up was in progress. The technicians were currently reassembling the unit, and I expected it to be finished shortly.
After inspecting Massacre Night, I went to visit Berger-san.
"Yo, Berger-san."
"Your Majesty. I have the behavioral predictions for the Corpse Eaters."
I had asked Berger-san to predict their movements based on ancient documents recovered from the ruins. We still didn't understand why the Zen Divine Race had tried to use the Corpse Eaters and the Pruon Nation to control humanity. We didn't know why they were so hostile toward us, nor why they had flown into a genocidal rage over a mere Jester.
"It was likely headcount restriction," he said.
"So, you're saying the Zen Divine Race viewed us as livestock?"
"Rather than livestock, perhaps they saw us as dangerous wild animals."
"Like how we see the Corpse Eaters?"
"One could say that."
"I don't like that. They could have just talked to us."
"It could also be interpreted as them having no intention of speaking with lower lifeforms."
"In any case, combat is unavoidable."
Our prediction was that the Corpse Eaters were aiming for the route the Rosaria had used to cross over. We believed there was something waiting there. And standing guard at that very spot was our Chronos Planet-class Mobile Fortress.
Our analysis of it had progressed significantly, and we were beginning to realize just how terrifying those ancient weapons were. The main cannon was capable of absolute overkill, but the most frightening aspect was its mimetic ability. It could mimic a planet to stay hidden, supported by numerous cloaking devices. It could even jam modern communication technology and radar, making it impossible to detect that a massive fortress was even there.
Its primary weakness was its sheer mass; it had to remain stationary to operate safely. If it moved, its wake alone would likely swallow up any friendly forces. Furthermore, given the presence of dedicated explosive storage bays, it was clear that self-destruction had been considered as a final resort.
Looking at it all, I couldn't help but wonder.
"What exactly was the situation like for the Ancient People back then?"