I set a timer on the Gate.
I made an estimate for when it would be opened from the other side. If even the slightest abnormality occurred, I was to be notified immediately.
So far, there were no problems.
It seemed like someone on the other end was trying to open it, though. The Fairy had modified the door on our side, making it invisible from the other galaxy. She told me that even if it were discovered, she would interfere by layering security codes to block them.
Naturally, I remained stationed here. Wifey had already departed for the Imperial Capital to attend the Victory Ceremony. I was lonely. It looked like I wouldn't be hearing the sound of Wifey drumming on my butt for a while.
For the time being, my job was to build a fortress in preparation for an enemy arrival. I suggested covering the ruins in lava to make them unusable, but the idea was rejected. Apparently, we couldn't rule out the possibility that the ruins' protection functions would trigger a forced opening of the door if we did that. Therefore, we had no choice but to respond with force if a hostile race arrived.
In other words, I couldn't be moved from this spot.
The Officer Academy Bunch and Thomas’s group were also stuck here with me. Only Piggett had gone to the Imperial Capital, as he was serving as Wifey’s guard and had his own appointment ceremony to attend.
The fact that the hero of the war was somehow absent from the Victory Commemorative Ceremony invited all sorts of speculation… though in reality, Wifey was leaking information bit by bit to manage the narrative! The War Journalist was her accomplice!
The plan was to drop the bombshell announcement of the Discovery of Outer Space right after the ceremony. The Empire intended to keep the existence of the Outer Enemies a secret for now. Whether the citizens would tolerate a state of continuous war was the major concern. Then again, if we didn't fight, we’d apparently be turned into slaves.
Maybe that was better than the Zork, who would just slaughter you without a second thought?
"I really don’t want to be a slave," I murmured in the newly built Dining Hall.
Holding meetings in the Dining Hall had become the norm by now. As for information leaks? Wifey told me to let it all flow out.
"Being a slave doesn't mean what you think it does, Leo," Claire said, her voice laced with exasperation.
"Eh?"
C-Could she mean it in some… suggestive way?!
"There are races out there that treat other species as literal fodder," she explained.
"Wait, actual Treated as Meat?!"
That was absolutely out of the question. I’d much rather fight and die.
"What will the Hero do? Will you give up?"
Ugh, no way! If she was going to provoke me like that, I had to step up!
"It’s terrifying, but I’ll do my best!"
"I thought so. It seems there are many races out there even stronger than the Zork… It is scary, isn't it?"
"Huh? Scary? But Captain, you’re grinning…"
Melissa arrived, carrying some freshly warmed meat buns.
"Wait, I was grinning? No way!"
I’m not some battle-crazed junkie.
"You really are the Empire's Strongest Pilot," she teased. "Your body is literally craving a fight."
"I-I am not!"
Who in their right mind would want to fight powerful man-eaters?!
"Oh, is that so? So the Strongest of the Empire desires a battle, does he?"
Master Katori had arrived! I tried to slip away with a natural movement, but…
"Caught you!"
"L-Let go! Gwaaaaah! Let me gooooooo!"
"Ah, Master Katori, could you give me some pointers too?" Melissa asked.
"Certainly, Melissa. Invite the others as well! Hahaha!"
"Since everyone else is here, you don't really need me, right?! Right?!"
"Hahaha! You're going to be fighting unseen powerhouses from the Outer World from now on, aren't you? You need to reach the point where you can take me down with ease!"
"Stop iiiiiiit!"
All I wanted was love and peace. I am the man who loves peace more than anyone in the universe!
"Katori-sensei! That Essence of Martial Arts thing! The kind where the Strongest Self-defense is making friends with the enemy! Don't you have a lesson like that?!"
"Cut it out, Leo. If it gets out that martial artists and thugs aren't that different, we’re in trouble. We just slap on fantasy labels like 'Lifelong Learning' to secure government subsidies, I’m telling you."
"Nooooooooooooo!"
"Give it up, Mr. Strongest of the Empire."
"I-I'm not a martial artist, I'm a soldier…"
"Then you have to follow your superior's orders!"
There was no escape. But… wait. If Edge was here, I wouldn't be necessary!
Ah… I see. This was Endgame Content. There was no reason for Edge to be involved yet. Boo-hoo!
When I was dragged to the dojo, I found that Isono, Nakajima, and Edy had already been rounded up.
"Leo, you bastard! Hanazawa-san told me she’d go on a date with me when I got back!" Isono was wailing.
"Waaaaah! My fiancée is furious with me too! Isono!" Nakajima was crying right along with him.
Evil had indeed been vanquished.
"Minerva got mad at me too when I told her I couldn't come home…" Edy muttered, looking unusually depressed. He was actually on good terms with his fiancée, after all.
"Must be nice, Edy! At least your fiancée actually worries about you! My future father-in-law asked me, 'Wait, promoted to First Lieutenant? Isn't that too fast? Are you really going to be okay?'!"
Come to think of it, Edy, Isono, and Nakajima had all been promoted to First Lieutenant. Edy’s promotion was expected, but the other two had been forced into it after losing a lottery to fill the remaining slots. There had been talk of promoting everyone to First Lieutenant, but the group had collectively shouted, "I absolutely refuse!"
Everyone already had their hands full with the duties of a Second Lieutenant. Thus, only the top three were offered up as sacrifices to the higher-ups.
"At least it's simple for you guys. In my family, I'm about to leapfrog my parents' rank, and the vassals are in a total uproar. I can't afford to get promoted any further," Melissa said, looking bored.
Melissa’s family was a Viscount House. Just the fact that their daughter had become a Count had caused a massive stir. If she became a First Lieutenant in her teens on top of that, her family wouldn't know how to handle it. They didn't have the know-how or the political structure to accommodate her, and balancing the factions she belonged to was a nightmare. Originally, Melissa had only expected to reach Second Lieutenant by the time she retired.
"But Melissa, you're going to be Leo's wife, right?" Edy asked.
Melissa blushed but answered clearly. "Yeah, but I want us to be a dual-income household. I want to earn my own keep."
She was a pillar of independence. That was a good thing, I suppose.
"Alright, let's start the training!"
"Katori-sensei! I wish to hear your words of wisdom as a senior in life, sir!"
I tried one last time to avoid the practice!
"Ah, I see. Fine. Right after I beat the crap out of you."
Dammit! I picked the wrong dialogue choice!
And so, as usual, I was beaten half to death.
But… something was strange. I realized it the next day; the blows didn't ache in my body like they used to. I felt perfectly fine. My body didn't hurt, and I didn't have the lingering fatigue that usually followed the use of ESP. It didn't feel like healing—it felt like it was thanks to my natural stamina and muscle strength.
Could it be… that I still have room to grow even stronger?