Ch.196You look weak.

# Chapter 196: You Look Weak

Despite having summoned Ambassador Samiya, we sent him back without much discussion.

In the end, this proved highly effective in removing any suspicious glances toward Prosnack… or more precisely, toward the Prosnack Embassy including Ambassador Samiya regarding this rebellion.

“Hmm, the rebellion in the Avar planetary system—could the Prosnack bastards be behind it?”

“That seems unlikely, considering the Diplomatic Execution Planet didn’t say anything special to the Prosnack ambassador.”

“Is that so?”

“If our Saint says so, then it must be true.”

Of course, the “Saint” title that I used to find so irritating in the past proved extremely effective in bringing about such results.

Anyway, we also succeeded in confirming that there was no “danger from behind”—meaning no additional operations that might have been deliberately planned by the Prosnack homeland…

‘Check quest window.’

[Emergency Quest: Vaccine Removal Operation]

[Remove the Prosnack’s Covard Type-C 19 vaccine and “Verichip” from citizens who received it.]

[Time Limit: 85 days]

[Available Operation Time: 180 days]

[Progress: 95.79%]

[Failure within time limit will result in -90% stability throughout the Holy Sebelli Empire and creation of large-scale rebel forces]

With less than three months remaining until quest completion, and now that the planetary governor had committed suicide…

“Riel.”

“What is it?”

“Contact the Ministry of Defense and Internal Affairs immediately and prepare to mobilize troops.”

“…For real?”

I decided to completely abandon the “conciliatory” attitude I had maintained until now.

To be honest, I thought someone acting so boldly must have had some powerful backing.

‘Hah… this fly who’s been feeding on the Emperor’s shit.’

Just like that bastard Alexander, trying to sell the Empire to a foreign country.

No, he was trying to turn the Empire into Prosnack’s slave—what mercy should be shown to such a traitor?

Moreover, because of his damned actions, a quest that could have been completed with a comfortable 100 days to spare now had a tight time limit.

As someone with absolutely no intention of experiencing the catastrophe of quest failure, my anger rose to the point of nearly losing my mind when combined with everything else.

And the result of that anger would come in a way that the self-important planetary governor could never have anticipated.

————————————

About a month later.

“…What an enormous fleet.”

“I never expected Minister Arto to respond so harshly to an independence attempt.”

The diplomats from various countries who had been quietly monitoring the situation couldn’t hide their astonishment at the Holy Sebelli Empire’s—no, Arto’s—response to the Avar system rebellion.

At first, when the rebellion broke out, everyone expected the matter would end smoothly and peacefully, as the Empire seemed to be responding with a typical conciliatory attitude while keeping the incident quiet.

But beyond their expectations, Arto’s response was thoroughly ruthless.

-“Have you heard about the scandal involving Governor Goliath of the Avar planetary system?”

-“It’s truly horrifying. How could someone have such bizarre preferences?”

Starting with the personal history of Governor Goliath who led the rebellion, they probed into every suspicious aspect of his rise to the governor’s position.

-“Governor Goliath’s secret private life will be revealed here and now!”

(Censored)-“It’s true, I’m carrying his illegitimate child…”

-“Shocking revelation of bribery circumstances to reach the governor’s position—does he truly deserve the title?”

Meanwhile, any positive stories about the governor’s achievements or the bold declarations in his manifesto were thoroughly buried, impossible to find in any media outlet.

The spectacle of a state unleashing every form of non-physical violence possible against an individual was quite appealing not only to ISTO member nations but also to…

“Oh…”

“Seems quite skillful?”

The Fuchsviet Federation, which was steadily marching toward dictatorship in the distance.

Or to aspiring dictator hopefuls among small interstellar nations that hadn’t achieved single-planetary integration.

But for foreign diplomats, that wasn’t the only surprising aspect.

“…Is Minister Arto planning to start a war with Prosnack right now?”

This concern was understandable, as the Avar system was located near the northernmost outer border region of the Holy Sebelli Empire.

Beyond the northern border of the Holy Sebelli Empire lay the homeland of the Prosnack Union, ISTO’s greatest adversary.

“Headquarters, reporting immediately.”

“The Sebelli Empire’s mobilized forces exceed our projections!”

“We should consider the possibility that they’re preparing for a decisive battle with Prosnack.”

Whether ignoring Prosnack’s reaction or being excessively cautious, Arto demonstrated his resolve by mobilizing three regular fleets to suppress the Avar system rebellion.

And that wasn’t all.

“Insane.”

“To deploy those super-dreadnoughts again!”

Two super-dreadnoughts that had been active during the Warlord Incident and the Nano Machine War.

“Deus Volt!”

“The Saint wills it! Bless all equipment!”

Even the Papal Office’s direct Judgment Fleet, which had actually grown stronger despite the purges that had weakened ground forces.

The news that the Holy Sebelli Empire had mobilized virtually all available forces spread widely throughout ISTO through diplomatic channels, even without media promotion.

-“Holy Sebelli Empire advances most of its fleet forces to the border with the Prosnack Union!”

-“Empire spokesperson says it’s merely fleet mobilization for suppressing rebellion.”

-“Logically, they wouldn’t deploy over 10,000 ships just to suppress a rebellion in a single planetary system!”

-“Is this a warning message to the Prosnack Union that destroyed the Kerzin Federation?”

-“ISTO Military Committee makes no statement.”

-“What exactly is the Papal Office’s direct Judgment Fleet?”

-“Let’s dissect the identity of the Holy Sebelli Empire’s final solution: the ‘Leviathan-class Super Dreadnought’ and ‘Ash the Grey Nightmare’!”

This sparked all kinds of rumors and controversy within ISTO, with speculation about whether a great war with Prosnack was about to begin…

————————————

But for the Holy Sebelli Empire itself…

“First Fleet, all ships deployed!”

“Second Fleet has reached position!”

“Third Fleet deployment complete!”

It was simply the manifestation of Arto’s pure determination to thoroughly crush the Avar system.

Far from being a check against Prosnack, they were busy preparing an attack solely aimed at the Avar system.

“All fleets have successfully secured every hyperspace jump route leading to the Avar planetary system.”

“The patrol fleets that were defending existing jump routes have been temporarily assigned to each fleet.”

“The Judgment Fleet will enter after the Third Fleet advances, while the First and Second Fleets will follow after Leviathan and Count Ash enter first.”

Of course, Governor Goliath of Avar hadn’t mindlessly conducted his rebellion.

The planetary system was equipped with an incredible amount of defensive facilities, ships, and planetary shield systems that seemed excessive for a single planetary system.

But these were only designed to counter “a government suppression fleet of appropriate size”—not the massive armada capable of crushing even a medium-sized interstellar nation.

“Nooooo! Such a massive force can’t possibly be coming!”

“Yes, it can.”

With more ships deployed than the total number of missiles stationed on the defensive space platforms and stations, the result was predictable.

While it took over a month for the fleet to gather and prepare, the actual battle lasted less than a week.

“Go forth! Once again demonstrate the will of His Imperial Majesty!”

The flagship of the Avar planetary defense fleet, which Governor Goliath had held as his hidden card, vaporized without leaving a single fragment after receiving simultaneous fire from 450 battleships.

In the face of overwhelming violence beyond imagination, all defense systems prepared by Governor Goliath met their end in an instant…

The rebellious governor regained his senses only after the orbital defense facilities of the capital Avar were shattered by the fleet that blackened the planet’s orbit.

*RUMBLE*

Hundreds of assault ports, along with far more missiles, descended like a rain of steel toward the fortified governor’s office—that was when he finally realized the gravity of his situation.