After saying my goodbyes to Tatiana’s mother, I headed for the spaceport.
I boarded the passenger ship, which had already been loaded and cleaned.
The escort battleships were ready to depart.
Maintenance on the Humanoid Fighters was also complete.
Our personal machines—miniaturized versions of the Linear Blazer—had been converted into standard machines equipped with automated flight systems.
Manual operation is technically superior, but it would be cruel to expect that level of performance from an ordinary pilot...
...I couldn't bring myself to say it.
That the Linear Blazer was originally intended for tunnel construction... I couldn't admit that even if my life depended on it.
Only a fraction of the ancient civilization’s super-technology had been successfully reproduced so far.
The most pressing issue was the name "Death Blaster." Duke Mistral had come up with it on a whim, and now the name was taking on a life of its own.
Couldn't they have found something a little better?
Furthermore, while we were now capable of manufacturing it, we hadn't actually achieved a full analysis of the technology.
It seemed to be a type of Monopole Cannon, but the core mechanism remained a mystery.
Apparently, the energy output was far too large compared to the input.
Much like the ignition abilities of ESPers, the output simply exceeded the input.
Then again, Jester's Ability was already beyond all comprehension.
It completely ignored the laws of physics.
In other words, even in an era where humanity builds empires across the galaxy, we still don't understand how anything actually works.
The old man’s total lack of naming sense and the immaturity of our scientific technology might just be eternal, unchanging problems for humanity.
Setting that aside, we were heading to Melissa’s home next.
I’d already reserved the entire theme park for a private event! Using state funds, of course!!!
Hyah-hoo!!!
Once we arrive, I’m going to have a Nobunaga-kun juice and a Kenshin-kun burrito.
And hit the sushi bar, too.
...I was starting to get hungry.
"Hey, Wifey, want to go grab some food?"
"I do!"
We headed for the dining hall.
The dining hall operated as a buffet for breakfast and dinner.
At all other times, it provided light meals on an order-based system.
Since this was technically the Imperial Family's Exclusive Passenger Ship, top-class chefs and sushi masters would usually prepare every meal individually, but it had been converted to this style to accommodate our hungry crowd, which prioritized quantity over quality.
Deep down, we all had the brains of children.
On the other hand, the bar remained in its original, sophisticated form.
Piggett and the other old-timers hadn't voiced any complaints.
Since it was noon, it was currently the time for light meals.
I browsed the menu for something to eat.
We had chefs dispatched from a hotel in the Imperial Capital to run the restaurant.
They were professionals who excelled at preparing large quantities of food.
Wifey didn't have any complaints either.
Or rather, because she was raised on warships, the heavily seasoned food made by military cooks was the taste of home to her.
It was very similar to our own tastes.
She was the type who genuinely preferred family restaurants or pizza delivery over fine dining.
She was also clearly delighted by the food on this ship.
"I want to eat the food Lord Groom made, though—"
"I'm glad to hear it! When we get back, we're having a takoyaki party!!!"
"Ohh!!!"
My household was always harmonious.
I saw Claire and the usual gang already there, so we took seats nearby.
"Yo."
Claire was digging into a mixed grill featuring a hamburg steak, chicken, and sausage.
It was a very hearty meal.
Melissa and Ren were eating the same thing.
"Is that the daily special?"
"Yeah, this one. Set A."
The daily specials were listed on the menu.
There were A and B options; Set A was the mixed grill, and B was pasta.
You can't really find your strength without meat, can you?
Naturally, both Wifey and I ordered Set A.
Just as we finished ordering, Tatiana, Shiyun, and One-oh-one arrived.
"I shall eat both A and B, sir!!!"
A jolt of shock ran through me.
"Bo... both of them...?"
"Both, sir!!!"
However, in the split second before the ordering tablet left One-oh-one's hand, a different jolt struck her...!
"Well then, I'll add an onigiri to mine."
"Wha... what... did... you... say!"
Rice—that was the ultimate victory.
What she had been seeking wasn't pasta.
What her body truly craved was rice.
"Cancel the pasta! I shall have an onigiri instead, sir!!!"
"Ah, Captain, me too!"
"Leo, I want one as well!"
Tatiana and Shiyun watched them with looks of utter exasperation.
"Umu."
Wifey had an expression that suggested she’d decided to just let it all go.
Two days later, we arrived at Melissa's home planet.
It turned out the distance was actually quite short.
I just hadn't realized it because we were always so busy fighting.
During the journey, I dropped Edge and his group off at their home planet, promising to send a shuttle for them later.
I requested the military to arrange a pickup in four days.
It seemed Melissa's planet had officially opened for business.
We had the place to ourselves for about two days.
We brought the mass media along for the ride. Voila: domestic propaganda.
In contrast, the press had not been allowed into the museum in the Duke Mistral Territory.
As Ren put it, "It's just a pile of trash. I couldn't possibly show it to other people," she'd said, clearly furious at the suggestion.
I made a mental note to keep my own things tidy and organized.
Wifey waved to the crowds from an open-top car.
The House Tachibana Knight Order and the samurai of the territory waved back enthusiastically.
When the people saw Melissa's car, a massive uproar broke out: "The Princess! The Princess has come home!"
The national broadcast was televising the entire parade.
Once the parade concluded, we headed for the stalls.
"Auntie, I'm taking these."
Melissa began grabbing a Kenshin-kun burrito and a Nobunaga-kun juice.
"This too."
She also plundered a Shingen-kun daifuku.
"Hey now, Princess! Mind your manners!!"
"Yeah, yeah."
It seemed to be their usual way of interacting.
This must be how Melissa acted when she was back at her parents' home.
"Hehehe. Soft-serve, soft-serve."
She commandeered the soft-serve machine and began expertly swirling a cone.
"Here, Veronica-chan."
"U-umu."
Watching that, One-oh-one's eyes began to sparkle.
"B-Brigadier General! That! I want one of those, sir!!!"
She was practically hopping up and down.
"Ah, yeah, yeah."
I’ll have to order one for the warship, too.
And some soft-serve mix.
"Here, Shiyun."
"Ah, thank you, Melissa-oneesama!"
Shiyun was a good girl, as always.
"W-What about me!!!"
"Here, an extra-large one!"
"E-Extra-large!!!"
One-oh-one looked absolutely blissful as she received her massive soft-serve cone.
"So, Captain. What's the plan for our territories?"
Melissa finally broached the main topic.
That was the real problem.
For now, the plan was to visit each of them at least once.
Because of the labor shortage, I’d been letting the retainers of the former dukes handle the internal administration.
But they were overwhelmingly untrustworthy.
We'd seen how those weirdos were lording over things at Eddie’s place, after all.
Straightening them out was one of the primary goals of this tour.
The men and women of our group, backed by forces dispatched from the national army, intended to go and deliver a stern lecture.
I suspected their true colors were starting to show now that they’d gotten carried away.
If I didn't prune them now, they would eventually become uncontrollable.
I handed a digital file to each of them.
"Okay, everyone. The file I just sent contains the spy reports. Kevin's place, One-oh-one's place, and Ren's place are all clear."
Those were regions where the inhabitants were fiercely loyal.
In particular, the residents in Kevin's and One-oh-one's territories had nowhere else to go.
Kevin’s territory was populated by feminized Zorks, and One-oh-one’s was full of Republic citizens.
They were prepared to die to support the two of them.
It was the same in Ren’s territory; she had accepted members of the Beast Race who faced discrimination, modified humans who had undergone Chlorella Treatment, and even ESPers.
It might be fine among the nobility, but prejudice remained deep-rooted among the commoners...
The three of them governed territories with incredible internal solidarity.
The real issue was the territories of the Former Duke Association.
As I was contemplating that, Melissa's family arrived.
Time for the formal greetings.
I decided to worry about the troublesome stuff later.