Latarnia struck me as the type of person who would pull a kitchen knife the moment a fight started.
We were well aware of that trait. Winning or losing didn't actually matter to them; even if they had to face two major powers at once, they would liberate the illegal slaves and have their revenge. That was the promise they had made to their people.
Now, as for the state of the war...
Naturally, our Chronos Fleet sided with Latarnia, providing logistical support from the rear. We were constantly being hailed by Parcion and Lepsitol with demands to know if we intended to become their enemies.
As for Lepsitol, I had Karen-san acting as our point of contact for negotiations. I had intentionally tasked the very woman the state had tried to assassinate with handling the delay tactics. My specific orders were: "Please negotiate in a way that leaves the impression that Lepsitol is the one entirely at fault."
It was half out of spite. Besides, since the war wouldn't end until Latarnia was satisfied anyway, this worked out perfectly. We continued to resupply the Latarnian fleet, which was currently radiating an intense desire for blood.
Public opinion in Latarnia was focused solely on the total annihilation of both enemy nations. It wasn't about whether they could win; they simply knew that if they let themselves be looked down upon now, it would be the end of their nation. As proof of their resolve, the Chronos economy—handling their rear logistics—was performing so well it was actually a little terrifying. Latarnia was buying up every possible resource, including food, at an incredible rate.
In Chronos, the capital included, Latarnian soldiers could be seen walking the streets, eating, and shopping. Normally, this would lead to public order issues, but since Chronos was a friendly nation, no major problems had occurred. At most, they might get into a drunken brawl with the Ogre God Nation people. Since both sides were being arrested by the police as a matter of course, it wasn't a problem. It was good to see them so energetic!
I had already warned the leader of the Ogre God Nation people, "Don't go injuring the soldiers who are heading off to war." Similarly, I told the Latarnia Army commander, "Don't let your troops get wounded before the fighting even starts!"
A little trouble was fine—people were on edge, after all—but I drew the line at actual injuries. I didn't think I was being unreasonable, yet both sides were shocked, telling me, "To think you even have a grasp on the trends of the common folk... how terrifying."
Why?
Meanwhile, in Lepsitol, Chairman Katsuyama committed seppuku and was decapitated. Back in Latarnia, this wasn't even a topic of conversation; everyone assumed it was just a clone. They were right. The New Chairman was a clone of the original... or rather, it was the man himself. They had the exact same face.
There were no repercussions for the Katsuyama Conglomerate. The anti-government organizations were in a state of mourning, convinced it was all over. And they weren't wrong. They had a correct grasp of the current situation. This wasn't some student game; after all, their leader was a student from a top-tier private school.
I had also asked the National University to introduce me to various academic societies, allowing me to get in touch with most of the private school professors. Of course, my existence and the maneuvers of Mike & Hammer Co. had already been reported to the pro-establishment scholars. I reached out to them knowing full well that would happen.
Naturally, I funneled money into their pockets through joint research projects, but many of them agreed with me even without bribes. Most of the scholars looked at the situation objectively and realized that Lepsitol was in deep trouble. They were the top brains of the nation, after all. On the other hand, the pro-establishment faction was filled with scholars whose thinking was rigid and ideological. It simply takes a certain level of ability to understand when you're hitting the accelerator full speed toward your own destruction.
To be honest, I could no longer afford to be picky about my methods. I believed we had entered the phase of ending the war while minimizing casualties as much as possible. That was why I began openly supplying resources like weapons and ammunition, which I had previously provided covertly.
This was a state-takeover by Mike & Hammer Co.
However, if it were just the students, they would end up in a "runaway delusion that sounds smart but leads to a ruinous ending." So, I made sure to let them know that this involved the intervention of foreign powers. I warned them repeatedly that democracy had failed in the old Chronos and its neighbors.
I told them about the system of Kings and Lords. I spoke of the failures of the Galactic Empire, which had rotted from within and been utterly crushed by the Zork. I told them straight: "You can become nobles if you want, but you must be prepared to share the fate of your territory."
Half of the Galactic Empire's nobility fought while bearing that obligation. The half that fled were purged and had their lands confiscated. The Imperial Nobles who exist today are the ones who fought and survived. Chronos is the same. My inner circle is composed of people with rock-solid determination, and those who became nobles from being local planetary governors have accepted that they will perish with their lands.
Latarnia, which is a sort of cheerful totalitarian state, embodies the idea that "if we are insulted, the entire citizenry will exact revenge." I told the Lepsitol faction that they wouldn't survive unless they adopted a similar mindset.
Seppuku? A death poem? Decapitation? Don't make me laugh. You fight until the end and die. That is the responsibility of a lord! If royalty gets in the way, it's only natural they get disposed of like Maro. The Galactic Empire got rid of the previous Emperor, and the former kings of the Ogre God Nation and Latarnia abdicated on their own before they became obstacles to the changing times.
That was the talk I gave them. Now then, I wondered if they could actually become dictators. They were starting out as hired managers for Latarnia and Chronos.
Did I intend to win? Hahaha. There was no way I could lose to Lepsitol, an environment where they did nothing but make excuses for their own lukewarm failures. I told the students not to turn pale; it was just that failure wasn't permitted. They would understand once they got used to it.
That aside, Mike & Hammer Co. officially declared war on Katsuyama. Karen-san's reaction was her usual, "It can't be helped."
The scale of Mike & Hammer Co. was such that if it were counted among the Six Great Conglomerates, it would probably rank sixth. The news of such a company declaring war on Katsuyama swept through Lepsitol and was received with absolute shock. Idiots. They were only shocked because they lived in such a narrow world.
"The entire Mike & Hammer Co. force will launch an assault on Katsuyama."
I climbed into a small machine categorized as ground operation heavy machinery, rather than a space-capable humanoid fighter. I had hammered piloting skills into these students until they reached the level of Galactic Empire cadets during the Zork invasion.
"If you don't want to become Latarnia's slaves after Lepsitol falls, then win this revolution," I told them coldly.
If the revolution didn't succeed before Latarnia took the capital planet, it was clear they would be exploited for all eternity. I told them that Latarnia wasn't soft like the Galactic Empire or Chronos. I had already reached an agreement with Latarnia: if the revolution succeeded before the war ended, they would be forgiven.
Neither Chronos nor the Galactic Empire was participating out of the goodness of our hearts. The goal was to eliminate any openings for the Zen God Race to exploit.
While making those excuses to myself, I led my wives and the students and began the assault on the Katsuyama Base.