The battle reached its conclusion with the defeat of Mother.
Humanity had claimed victory, but the scars left behind were far too deep. Even with the human population already on a downward trend, confirmed deaths numbered in the hundreds of millions. Once the full investigations were complete, that figure would likely swell several—or even dozens—of times over.
We were scheduled for a triumphal return to the Imperial Capital as heroes. I’d heard that the Victory Commemorative Sales were doing a brisk business back home. I figured I should probably head back and let them fuss over me for a bit.
...But first, I had work to do.
Ayame had left behind a staggering amount of data that needed analysis. On top of that, there were the detachment surgeries for the Despairs who had been integrated into the Zork units. I had so much on my plate I thought I might actually die. Then there was the issue of the leaderless Crab swarms. I couldn't leave until all of that was resolved.
For the time being, we were using the officer school dorms on Planet Sanctuary as our base. Our first priority? Repairing the water, gas, and electricity!
I tried to pitch in with the manual labor, but I was immediately stopped.
Eh? A Major isn't allowed to do that kind of work? Look, I wanted to do field work specifically because my administrative skills as a Major were non-existent! When I tried to argue my point, Piggett grabbed me by the collar and hauled me away.
"Did something happen, Major General?"
Piggett had been promoted to Major General after the previous one retired at the war's end. However, for the time being, his new assignment wasn't leading a division, but rather serving as our handler.
As for me, I had managed to avoid a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel by literally begging on my hands and knees. Please, you have to understand—I just don't have the capacity for it!
Piggett remained silent. This felt like an emergency.
"I can walk on my own," I said.
As we walked, I tried to make conversation with the sour-faced Piggett.
"Is this about Wifey?"
"...No."
Huh. He was in a much worse mood than usual. It wasn't like I’d done anything—and even when I did cause trouble, people usually just sighed and said, 'Well, that's Jester for you,' and gave up. I wondered what was going on.
"...It's about the war."
"But it's over, isn't it?"
Silence again. Man, I really hate it when he does that.
Inside the instructors' conference room, I found Wifey and Claire. Both of them looked incredibly grim.
"Yo. Did something happen?"
"Sit there, Lord Groom."
Oh boy. Was I about to get a lecture? Someone handed me a folding chair, so I popped it open and sat down.
"...Look at this."
A photo was transmitted to my device. It showed a biological organism floating in the void of space. A Crab was visible in the foreground, but compared to this thing, the Crab looked tiny.
"What is this?"
Wifey didn't answer. The screen switched to another photo, showing a Humanoid Fighter. Its armaments and design were completely alien to ours. It was wielding a massive battleaxe.
"And this?"
Even as I asked, a sense of dread began to sink in. A final photo appeared: a soldier standing on the ground. It wasn't human. The body was humanoid in shape, but the head was essentially a water tank with a cephalopod—an octopus-like creature—inside it.
"...An Outer Space Soldier," Wifey explained.
"Hmph."
Honestly, I didn't care what was out there as long as they didn't bother us. With the population shrinking, there was no reason for us to go out there anyway.
"As long as we don't go into outer space, we won't run into them, right? Our business is here, their business is there."
"Show him the documents."
A file was sent to me. Let's see... [Regarding the Predicted Invasion of Imperial Territory by Outer Space Forces].
"Wait... what are they coming here for?!"
There’s nothing here but a surplus of strawberries, tomatoes, and water spinach!
"To explain that... I would need these materials... No, I shall explain it myself. Listen well, Lord Groom! In outer space, might is right."
"The Empire isn't exactly a pacifist state either."
"It is different. In outer space, hundreds, even thousands of races are locked in constant combat."
"Like a Warring States period?"
"No, it is not nearly so civilized as that. It is the law of the jungle—a world where the victor takes everything and the weak are devoured!"
"...Wait, so those Republic guys actually fled out there?"
"In the end, yes. It all goes back to the truth of the war with the Republic 500 years ago—the Black Calamity. The Republic's initial plan succeeded, but when the Empire cornered them, they fled into outer space through the Gate on Planet Sanctuary."
"Wait, I thought they were exiled?"
"It amounts to the same thing. Out there, they used alien technology to modify their bodies before returning. The problem is that when they came back, information about this galaxy leaked to the other races."
"They really can't help but ruin everything, can they?"
"Apparently, the Zork were considered a mid-tier power out there. Because the Empire managed to oust them, the warrior races of outer space are now extremely curious about us."
Give me a break...
"Wait, but they can't get here unless the Gate is open, right?"
Even the Zork didn't cross the void using their own warp drives alone. I assumed it would be the same for the others—a trip requiring a massive sacrifice.
"That... is the problem," Claire said, her expression grave.
"Problem?"
"Look at this."
She sent a video of the ruins. For some reason, they were glowing.
"According to Despair, this is the reaction that occurs when someone is trying to open the Gate from the other side."
"You've got to be kidding me..."
An invasion of battle-hungry aliens from deep space?!
"I don't even know if my powers will work against something like that..." The pessimistic thought slipped out before I could stop it.
"A valid concern. That is why I intend to open the Gate from our side first. Republic records suggest there are merchant states and mercenary states out there as well. If we can win them over to our side, our chances of survival will increase."
"...Isn't that just a massive 'impending doom' flag?!"
"Perhaps, but it is far better than waiting to be invaded from the dark."
"C-Can't we just destroy the ruins?"
"Leo, the components of the ruins have no 'time axis,'" Claire explained. "That means they are immutable. No matter what kind of attack we use, they will maintain their form forever."
So we can't even break the damn things! If they were destructible, I guess the Empire from 500 years ago would have finished the job already.
"That is the situation as it stands. Do you have any thoughts?"
"Wifey, Claire... let's just run away together!"
"A tempting offer... but I have my responsibilities," Wifey replied.
"And where exactly would we go?" Claire added. "No matter where we run, the enemy will eventually find us."
You're not wrong!
And so, the war with the Republic ended—only for us to be saddled with a much, much bigger problem.