I didn't regret killing my father.
Through Thomas’s arrangements, I had managed to board my younger sister Veronica’s ship. She hadn't realized I was there yet, though I suspected it would only be a matter of time before I was discovered. My new brother-in-law, Leo Kamishiro, was rumored to be a man of sharp instincts.
That man was a hero who had saved the nation. In a crisis where only teachers and students remained, he had stood his ground against a Zork assault to protect everyone else. That alone was an incredible feat—one I knew I couldn't emulate.
But his achievements didn't stop there. He had continued to lead those students to liberate planet after planet, eventually even recapturing the Imperial Capital. While he was plagued by a reputation for being a degenerate womanizer, I suspected that was merely a smokescreen orchestrated by Veronica. My own investigations suggested he was quite devoted to her.
...Was he a lolicon?
The thought actually made me worry. Still, he was only seventeen himself. It was probably fine. It was fine... right?
Our father, the Emperor, had been a wretch. A truly pathetic man. The moment he was born, his own mother—my grandmother—deemed him "unattractive" and abandoned him. He grew up in the Inner Palace without a shred of maternal affection, raised instead by his older sister. Surrounded by the beautiful things that gathered in the heart of the palace, he had slowly succumbed to madness.
His first great sin was likely fathering a child with that same sister who had raised him. The Emperor of that era had been beyond furious and attempted to have my father executed. However, the nobility of the time blocked the execution and assassinated my grandfather instead. Thus, a new Emperor was crowned—a man whose only value was his desire to be a puppet, and his willingness to remain one.
It was a tragic life. Even so, he was a man who had fathered children with his own sisters. He was trash. While genetic therapy meant such things were no longer medical contraindications, they remained a clear and absolute taboo. Even the nobles loathed him in the depths of their hearts.
Yet, my father possessed just enough intellect to dutifully carry out the suggestions of the high-ranking nobility. That was likely the only reason they had allowed him to live as long as they did. But that era had finally come to an end. As the war worsened, influential nobles fell one after another, and the Imperial Capital stood on the brink of total collapse.
That was when I made my decision.
After the deed was done, I cut my hair and joined the Imperial Guard units boarding Veronica’s ship, aided by Thomas. My mission was simple: I would make Veronica the Empress.
Thomas had been blunt with me. “I will likely die. I’m entrusting everything to our sister. If Walter takes the throne, the Empire is finished. Cyrus, you make sure Veronica becomes the next Emperor.”
Always trying to act the hero. I had never been fond of that side of my eldest brother. However, I couldn't disagree with his assessment. Walter wouldn't do. He was talented in his own right, but he was essentially a clone of our father. He wasn't what the Empire needed in its current state.
I was prepared to start over as a common private. Leo Kamishiro was a man among men; to protect him and Veronica, I needed that level of resolve.
And so...
"Cyrus, launching!"
I was heading out now to save Leo. I donned my Combat Suit and engaged the Life Support System. I set out in a tank—or rather, a Sand Buggy.
The sand on this planet was unique; it behaved more like a liquid than a solid, requiring specialized countermeasures. The fact that my brother-in-law was able to traverse it using only the Continuous Track Ski Attachment on a Humanoid Fighter was utterly bizarre. I had heard the stories, but Leo's sheer abnormality never ceased to amaze me.
The Sand Buggy was the standard for planets like this. Despite the name, its design was closer to a hovercraft, keeping the vehicle slightly elevated above the surface. Its armaments consisted of a ballistic Main Cannon and a Machine Gun. It would be my first time firing them. Against the Zork, these were the only weapons that worked.
My former Imperial Guard subordinates and I charged through the desert. Despite being a Baron Territory, this planet was almost entirely undeveloped. It was a cruel practice: forcing lower-ranking nobles to govern worlds that were intentionally left as barren wastes.
One of my former guards took the wheel while I manned the weapons. My single year of military experience was finally proving its worth. It might have been nothing more than "playing soldier" compared to the real thing, but Veronica was the exception—she had been hunting pirates to hone her command skills for years. As long as I didn't hinder the professional soldiers and the commanding officer, it would be enough. That was the reality for the Imperial Family.
Spending one's late teens earnestly learning how to operate weapons felt like the height of absurdity, yet here I was, relying on that very experience.
The crabs arrived. The Targeting System locked on.
"Lord Cyrus. Wait until they're at point-blank range before you fire. That's the only way we'll pierce those reinforced shells."
"Acknowledged."
I counted to three. The crabs were right on top of us.
"Fire!"
The Main Cannon roared. The recoil sent the Sand Buggy lurching backward, its chassis scraping the sand. The shell slammed into a crab’s torso and detonated, the blast wave catching several others nearby.
This wasn't a simulation or a command exercise. It was my first taste of true combat. My palms were slick with sweat.
"Lord Cyrus! The second wave is closing in!"
I forced myself to focus. The auto-targeting tracked a crab, but the creature began darting laterally, breaking the lock.
"Lord Cyrus! Switch to manual!"
I toggled the controls and took aim myself. I watched its movements, drawing it closer... closer...
"Fire!"
Another direct hit. My mouth was bone-dry from the tension. I was possessed by the thought that if I missed, my comrades would die.
"Lord Cyrus!"
The shout snapped me back to reality.
"The path ahead is clear of crabs! We're heading for Lord Leo's rescue!"
"Acknowledged."
Despite the victory, I felt no exhilaration. I was reeling from the fact that Leo had been handling something this terrifying and exhausting all this time. Leo Kamishiro... what a terrifying man.
The Control Room came into view. Leo stepped out from the building.
"Not yet! It's too soon!"
The moment I screamed the warning, a crab burst from the sand. I thought it was over, but Leo brandished his Shock Hammer and charged.
He was on foot. It was a suicidal move.
Yet, Leo danced through the sand, dodging every single one of the crab's strikes. He lunged forward, bringing the hammer down with crushing force on the creature's torso. The Shock Hammer ignited, shattering the crab's shell. In one fluid motion, he drew his pistol and delivered the finishing blow.
"I-Is he a monster...?" I whispered.
"He is indeed a monster," my subordinate replied. "But Lord Cyrus... look at the fact that a seventeen-year-old boy has been forced to become such a thing. He is a sad devil."
Leo looked toward us and waved his hand with a boyish innocence.
I see. That innocence... that was what I had to protect.