I sighed as I stared out into the pitch-black galaxy.
I had realized long ago just how little weight my title of First Prince actually carried. I had been powerless to stop this expedition.
The Great Expedition—a roster of the Empire's most prominent Duke Houses.
Our objective was the subjugation of the Zork, an extraterrestrial intelligence fundamentally different from our own. To label this a "subjugation" when we understood nothing of their ecology or intellect was the pinnacle of arrogance. The price for that arrogance was a mountain of soldiers' corpses. Nobles dancing on a road paved with the bones of the youth.
Ah, these people were the true enemies of the state. I had to continue playing the part of the jester, all so I could drag them down with me into the abyss. I would lead them to ruin.
Everything was for the sake of the Empire. My sister would surely be able to rebuild the nation even if it fell to the brink of collapse. But ah... why couldn't I have been more like her husband, Leo Kamishiro?
I let out another sigh.
I watched as the fighters launched. They were ART Destroyers, the latest models manufactured by Shikishima Industries. Designed from the ground up specifically to combat the Zork, their technical specifications made them the strongest fighters in Imperial history.
...In theory, at least.
Because the designers had obsessed over an entirely new architecture, the machines were plagued with glitches, their maneuverability was atrocious, and their over-tuned specs made them impossible to master. It was clear now why the Shark Tornado had remained the mainstay for so long. The pilots boarding those new machines would likely never return. It was a tragedy.
We were currently engaged with a Zork fleet. Their vessels resembled clusters of barnacles, and whenever we launched an attack, crab-type Zork would swarm out. We already knew that the Destroyers' main plasma cannons were ineffective against both the ships and the crabs. My sister's husband had reported as much long ago.
How foolish. The Dukes still refused to face reality. They were likely receiving kickbacks from Shikishima. I had been masterfully sidelined from every decision—from the approval of the expedition to the selection of weaponry and the formulation of tactics. The result was a stalemate that was, in practice, a crushing defeat. And even calling it a stalemate was only because the Zork chose not to attack. Reaching Planet Sanctuary would be impossible.
Despite knowing this, the Dukes pushed the operation forward, needlessly increasing the body count. I watched, my irritation mounting, until it finally happened.
"Your Highness! A massive Zork offensive!"
When I heard the chamberlain’s shout, I knew the time had come. The end of this expedition. The historical moment where the incompetent would be purged. The end of my life.
I took my seat at the center of the command bridge. As the one responsible, I would share the fate of this ship.
"The Duke Brutus fleet has been annihilated! His Grace was killed in action!" "The Duke Eisenhower fleet has been wiped out! His Grace is missing!" "Duke Hikage..."
One death report followed another. There were enough Duke Houses to fill the sky; it was for the best if only the decent ones survived. Only those who had the sense not to participate or the wisdom to flee from a hopeless battle deserved to remain. I would die here, taking the useless fools with me.
Just as I steeled my resolve, the world shifted.
"Your Highness! P-Pirates have arrived!"
"What?"
Pirates? Coming here was a death sentence!
"N-No, I was wrong! It’s Lady Veronica! Lady Veronica has arrived leading a fleet of pirates and lower-ranking nobles!"
"That fool! I specifically told her not to come!"
The words slipped out before I could stop them. But Veronica... you are the one person I cannot allow to die. Cyrus must be on her ship as well. Are they both idiots?
The chamberlain pulled up the feed on the main display. Fighters were launching from Veronica's vessels.
"Hmph... So she understands."
They were Shark Tornados. They were responsive, refined, and while their top speed paled in comparison to the new models, that didn't matter if a human couldn't handle the controls anyway. In practice, they had no weaknesses. The fighters were leading a swarm of drones. As the fighters spotted targets, the drones unleashed salvos of missiles. The Zork were being plucked from the sky one after another.
"To think such warriors still existed in this Empire..." I muttered.
"They are students from the Officer Academy."
A voice echoed through the bridge as a hologram appeared. Someone had hijacked the system to project the image.
"Who goes there?" The chamberlain leveled his sidearm.
"I wonder if the name 'Imperial Princess Luna' rings a bell? My boy."
"Imperial Princess Luna! She lived hundreds of years ago!" This made no sense. Why was an executed princess appearing now?
"Ugh, this is a drag. Look, maybe you'll understand if I tell you I'm the ghost in the machine—the Mother AI?"
"...What... did you say?"
The heart of the Mother AI? To reveal such a state secret so casually! My mind couldn't keep up.
"Thomas. Once we've linked up with my master, we're retreating to pirate territory... specifically, the Lily Baron Territory."
"Master?"
"Leo Kamishiro. The high-level AIs of the Empire have all come under his umbrella."
So even beings beyond humanity had sided with Leo Kamishiro. I couldn't even feel jealousy anymore. What an incredible man.
"You shouldn't compare yourself to Leo Kamishiro. He's... well, he's got a few screws loose... though that's actually his best quality."
To think even an AI considered him to have a loose screw. Just what kind of madness was he displaying to them on a daily basis?
"Regardless! It's time to make ourselves scarce. Order this ship to fall back. Fire the main cannons sporadically to cover your retreat."
I hesitated for a split second. "...Is it truly alright for me to abandon my responsibility?"
"Don't be stupid! If you're gone, Veronica and Cyrus will be devastated!"
"...Ah. You're right. All units, retreat!"
As I gave the command, the chamberlain relayed the orders to every department. The ship began to come about.
"You have my gratitude, Lady Luna. Especially since I am a descendant of your enemies."
"Whatever. I don't really hold a grudge. Besides, taking part in Leo Kamishiro's story is way more fun than some boring old revenge. Now, let's use those idiots as shields and get out of here!"
She seemed unexpectedly childish.
"...My thanks."
It seemed I had incurred yet another debt to Leo Kamishiro.