We recovered the debris of the Magellan warship Kevin’s drones had taken down.
We also inspected the damage to the Chronos ships.
While we had detected a high-output energy signature during the Monopole fire, we still couldn't identify exactly what they were hitting us with.
While paying our respects to the Magellan casualties, we analyzed our own Zork-processed armor plating.
The results would be clear soon enough.
However, the Zork-processed sections were scorched. It was an incredibly high-output attack.
Perhaps its inability to fire in rapid succession was its weakness? That was as far as we could speculate for now.
This was all part of the strategy.
To be blunt, even if people died here, it would prevent greater sacrifices in the future.
That was why we would provide condolence money through the Magellan Provisional Government.
We draw clear lines regarding whom we protect, but we never forget to show respect to the fallen.
In Yankee circles, there’s a tendency to dismiss such things as, "Magellan drew the short straw, gyahaha!"
But the real danger lies in believing everything went according to plan.
That sort of attitude incurs grudges that span generations.
That’s why we made our boundaries clear in advance.
We had explicitly stated, "We will protect our own citizens, but we can’t account for the soldiers of the provisional government."
Still, we paid the condolence money for the soldiers who fell.
There was no need to be stingy here.
It wasn't a massive amount. It was better to view it as buying trust.
Even if Magellan were to betray us after all this, it wouldn't matter. We would simply gain the intel that they were the type to betray us even after we went this far.
It would be one thing if we repeated the same mistakes after decades of association, but for now, it was still a permissible risk.
If the provisional government pockets the money, then I’m done with them. We would cease to recognize them, and Magellan would meet its end right there. Even if a new government formed, I wouldn't care. I'd abandon them.
The Magellan Provisional Government was still engaged in combat.
However, we had expected the planets that submitted to Ozen to act as a buffer. I mean, there was no way they wouldn't protect their own citizens, right?
We thought we could buy time that way.
But we were being incredibly naive.
Ozen opened fire on the civilians using those high-output weapons. They began to overrun the planet.
They had no intention of protecting their own people.
Naturally, we rushed there, wondering what on earth they were thinking. But by then, their humanoid fighters had already begun massacring the residents.
What?
We were utterly appalled by such incoherent behavior.
I could understand the locust terrorist attack. I understood their intent to defeat us.
But this was incomprehensible. Even if they were throwing their public facade to the wind, this was going too far.
The Magellan Provisional Government—essentially the planets centered around the capital that had decided not to become Chronos territory—immediately deployed their fleet.
They positioned their Magellan warships, and a standoff ensued.
We remained on standby in the rear, defending the planets that had officially become Chronos territory.
The planets Ozen was currently attacking were already Ozen's territory. While the Magellan Provisional Government didn't recognize it, it had nothing to do with us.
We would issue a statement of protest, but it wasn't enough to justify a full military operation.
However, we would defend our own land to the last.
Good grief, what a mess.
Now, enough about those scumbags. Let’s talk about something more pleasant.
I’m talking about Lou-chan, who now looked like she could be Kevin’s younger sister.
Lou-chan remained in the life support system tank for a few days. Once it was confirmed there were no rejection reactions, she was admitted to the hospital ward.
From there, she would begin rehabilitation to learn how to use her body. Taking that into account, we had given her a small child's body, unlike Selene-chan. The idea was for her to start with a light weight and learn to move naturally as she grew.
It started with the simple practice of sitting up.
"Onii-chan!"
A high-pitched voice rang out.
A few days after the experiment, I visited the sickroom to find Lou-chan greeting me with a joyful smile. She was already able to sit up in bed on her own.
I made sure to visit her every day.
In the room were Claire and, surprisingly, that female announcer from before.
"Oh, hello."
I bowed my head. For some reason, she beamed at me.
It didn't look like a business smile. Not that I have enough life experience to accurately read the smiles of professional women working in the mass media industry, mind you!
"Is this an interview?" I whispered to Claire, trying to be polite.
"No. Actually, Leo, I think you'll get a formal briefing on this later, but... this is Su-san. She’s the director of the announcer department at Chronos National Broadcasting."
She was a seasoned pro.
Suddenly, Su-san dropped to her knees.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke. I have come to you with a humble request."
"Um, please, just sit normally. And what is this request?"
The floor wasn't hard—the room was covered in shock-absorbing material to prevent Lou-chan from getting hurt—but having a woman kneel before me just didn't look right.
"I wish to formally adopt Lou-chan."
"O-Oh..."
Actually, her legal status was a problem. The issue was that she was a "who-knows-who."
There was a high probability that she might have been a Latarnian slave child before the experiments. If so, Latarnia might suddenly demand her return.
We had discussed this with the Latarnian side, and it was decided that none of my wives could adopt her. They also said an Imperial Noble was out of the question.
I had been planning to rely on House Kamishiro, since they could technically whisk her away to the Galactic Empire if a custody battle broke out.
But the consensus was, "We trust the Grand Duke of Chronos, but we have to consider public opinion. People might think she's still being treated as an experimental subject."
Therefore, I was told the adopter had to be a Latarnian or a Chronosian.
Oh, they also told me, "If you make her an Ogre God Nation citizen, it’s war, you bastard." Yeah, I got it. That’s not happening.
It was a logical enough argument.
So the conversation had turned to who would be appropriate. If I picked a high-ranking military official, I’d get flak for it. I was considering a CEO of some company, but finding someone I could fully vouch for was difficult.
And then, the perfect candidate appeared. It was a godsend.
"Well... Lou-chan, what do you want to do?"
"I don't really know."
"Right. Figures."
She’d never had a family before. There was no way she could understand the concept yet. That was my mistake.
I looked at Claire.
"I think we should accept this offer," Claire said.
"Um... what about your husband?" I asked Su-san.
"He went missing during the locust terrorist attack."
I’d put my foot in my mouth. I hadn't looked into her background that deeply yet.
"I'm so sorry..."
"No, Your Majesty. I believe you are doing your absolute best."
Yes, her character seemed solid. She gave the impression of being a very composed, proper person.
I glanced down at my own hands, realizing I still lacked that air of composure, despite being an adult.
"Well, I can’t decide this alone. There will likely be an official investigation. Is that alright with you?"
There were so many institutions I had to follow protocol with: the military, the Child Advocacy Bureau, the Youth Protection Center...
Oh, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs too.
Su-san had made a momentous decision. It clearly wasn't a whim.
As if to prove it, Su-san smiled warmly.
"Yes, of course. Please, investigate as thoroughly as necessary for the sake of Lou-chan’s happiness."
"Um, Lou-chan. Su-san says she’ll be your mama."
"Mama?"
Exactly. I didn't really get it either. My own mother was more the type to lead by example than talk about feelings.
Claire giggled.
"It means family. Lou-chan, you’re going to be part of Su-san's family."
Lou-chan didn't seem to fully grasp it yet.
As if in blessing, light from Himorogi-chan poured over the city. Seeing the display, the Chronosians whispered that the gods were pleased.