I fired off the barrier cannons, throwing up barriers of my own accord while carrying out the rescue operation.
I was Space Pirate Kawagon this time! Hyah-hah!
"Move it, move it, move it! Get out from underground! I’m handing you over to Latarnia! Gyah-ha-ha-ha!"
*Note: This was purely a rescue operation.
"Hey, lady! You the Mayor? Can you reach the other planets? Eh? You’ve got an emergency encrypted line to the Prime Minister on the Capital Planet? Ah, right. Actually, I’m the Archduke of Chronos from the next planet over. Yes, I'm here for the rescue. 'What’s with the outfit?' Ah... yes."
Perfect.
"Alright, everyone! We’ve received an official rescue request. Return to regular duties!"
I washed off the face paint and changed into my Chronos Army uniform.
Then, I transferred from the pirate ship to my own warship.
It was the latest vessel in the fleet, equipped with full-spec barrier cannons.
And so, the Lup○ Operation was struck from the record, treated as a dark stain on the history of the Grand Duchy of Chronos Army that never happened.
As for Space Pirate Kawagon, for some reason, one of the Pirate Guild’s companies started selling him as merchandise.
There was one of him in a ghillie suit clutching a potato, and another in his Kabuki Hyahhaa gear.
Supposedly, they were selling out instantly due to a bizarre rumor that "if you keep one on you, you'll somehow survive any disaster."
...Seriously, though, who leaked the Kabuki Hyahhaa costume to the pirates?
They were way too fast getting those to market!
I won't be mad, so just step forward and confess!
I continued liberating Magellan at a steady clip.
Wait, what about that completely collapsed city hall?
Eh? It was like that from the start? Ah, I see.
I really don't think we and the people of Magellan are ever going to understand each other.
The population density wasn't particularly high in this region, but the damage was still immense.
Infrastructure was completely annihilated... wait, what? That was also like that from the start? You've got to be kidding me...
Water and sewage systems destroyed. Also original? Ah, right.
Even the tourist attractions were in a state of pollution. Again, original? You guys...
Near a warehouse where they had been hoarding moldy food, I found a literal mountain of old locust corpses.
They hadn't died from the barriers.
They had died from the mold.
Huh.
"Couldn't we actually use this mold? Send it off for analysis."
Natto bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi—various fungal materials have been used fairly regularly in agriculture and horticulture.
I had a feeling this would work too.
Once I’d figured that much out, I finally managed to establish contact with the Capital Planet.
It happened right as I was in the middle of eating a daifuku Nina-san had made for me.
Nooo! My daifuku!
"Just go! I'll make you more later!"
Claire dragged me away the moment she saw my guard drop after Kevin's encouragement.
My daifuku...!
"I am the Archduke of Chronos, Leo Kamishiro Chronos."
Greetings first.
"I am the Prime Minister of Magellan, Oswald."
Well, aren't you acting high and mighty? Listen here, you.
"On our side, we would like to offer assistance, however..."
"Very well. I shall permit it. On the condition, of course, that you invest in our infrastructure."
Ah, yeah. This bastard. He had no idea what position he was in.
"Actually, we only came here to help because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs begged us to, even if we had to put on a bit of a farce to do it!"
"I know nothing of that! You simply came to help of your own volition! You will pay us compensation!"
Hmm. I see.
"Right then, I'm going home. I'm never dealing with you again. Feel free to rot."
"Eh? H-Hey! There is a pitiful nation here on the brink of disaster-driven extinction!"
"Don't care."
And there we go. Cutting my losses.
I wasn't actually abandoning them.
I just wasn't going to waste time on a meeting where nothing could be discussed. After ending the call, I went back to see that Mayor.
"Mr. Mayor. How would you like to be the Prime Minister?"
The Mayor looked at me with a face that clearly said, What is this guy talking about...?
But I was dead serious.
"My country will provide full backing. I want you to rise up and take the Prime Minister's seat in Magellan."
"I-Isn't that just a conquest?"
"No, it's just that we can't stand a Prime Minister who won't listen to reason. We won't stage a violent coup d'etat, and we have no intention of conquering you. In fact, I'm leaning toward cutting off diplomatic ties entirely once the rescue is over because he's so impossible to talk to."
If they were all like that, I really would cut ties.
"T-That would be a problem!"
"Then please, think it over. There's no risk. I'm not asking for special treatment. It's just a matter of employing Magellan's people and doing business in Magellan."
I had no reason to be hostile, nor did I need an economic colony.
As it stood, I had enough to keep the Chronosians fed. I knew it was impossible to make every single citizen a millionaire; I wasn't that much of a dreamer.
However, for Chronos's sake, I needed Magellan to function as a proper nation.
They needed a certain level of military and economic scale.
I wanted them to maintain that.
In truth, I didn't want to rule this country even as a colony. Our compatibility was just too poor. I didn't have the confidence to govern them without resorting to violence.
I am definitely not getting involved!
"...R-Really? Me as Prime Minister?"
"Yes. I don't have any other connections here."
"W-What should I do?"
"Run the rescue operations. Take the lead on the ground. And whatever you do, make sure the idiots in the Capital are the very last on your list."
"Ha... ha ha ha..."
And so, we decided to completely ignore the fools acting like kings in their underground bunkers.
The Mayor handled the rescues efficiently.
We provided the barriers.
The Capital was utterly ignored.
We broadcast the Prime Minister's arrogant tirade on the state-run channels of Latarnia, the Taikyoku Nation, and Chronos.
I’m going to grind your precious pride into the dirt!
I could have propped up the Mayor's image here, but I didn't. A leader who is only praised by foreign powers is a failure.
The goal was friendship, friendship, friendship.
We’re all friends here~ (the kind of friends who don't lend each other money).
We moved through the rescues quickly.
I didn't give a damn about the Capital, which had been fine behind its barriers until my warship's bombardment broke them. They could handle it themselves.
It was the Prime Minister's fault.
I heard some rumor about the Prime Minister being lynched, but I wouldn't know anything about that.
It had nothing to do with us.
The Prime Minister was the one who swatted away our helping hand and spat in our faces.
Since it’s a democracy, the citizens of the Capital share collective responsibility.
In this way, I thoroughly starved out the Capital.
Construction companies from Latarnia, the Taikyoku Nation, Chronos, and the Galactic Empire moved into the other planets to handle infrastructure development.
We didn't offer so much as a hand to the Capital.
We renovated the spaceports with professional speed.
The Capital's spaceport? No idea. Why don't you fix it yourselves?
Consequently, almost every planet besides the Capital sided with the Mayor and the foreign powers.
I heard parliament is being convened soon.
I don't really care about the result.
If the Prime Minister stays in power, I pull out. If the Mayor becomes Prime Minister, we build a friendly relationship.
If that happens, maybe they can finally fix up the Capital?
Either way, we've already turned a profit in the construction business. We’re looking at twenty years of guaranteed work.
I'll worry about the rest later.
"That's just too cold..."
Saria looked absolutely appalled.
I think being 'cold' describes the other side, personally.
I'm just doing business.