Ch.255The Space☆Monster That Drives Daddy and Mommy Crazy (3)

# Chapter 255: The Space☆Monsters That Drive Fools and Idiots Crazy (3)

Crazed space monsters charging mindlessly without fear of death

vs

The Fuxviet Federation responding with disregard for human life, mindless suicide bomber spam, and ultra-long-range battleship bombardment.

It was certainly a situation that made one’s heart swell with grandeur, but…

“Still, I don’t think the Federation can hold out this way for very long.”

“Hmm.”

In the end, their approach was essentially the same as their previous method of grinding up smaller ships like destroyers.

The only difference was that they’d switched to clone bombers that were cheaper, easier to produce, and more convenient to use… otherwise, it was hardly different from the Fuxviet Federation’s usual tactics.

In other words, it was merely a “temporary measure,” something even we could tell from this distance.

“The Federation may be foolish for being commies, but they’re not stupid.”

“That’s true.”

The Federation’s Supreme Military Council and its leader, Secretary General Czar, would certainly be seeking alternative methods to deal with the space monsters.

However, it was difficult to know exactly what those methods might be at the moment…

“Oh right, I’ve sent you today’s work documents and… the approval papers related to Eternia’s government-in-exile, so please check them.”

“…”

We—or more precisely, I—had so much work to handle immediately that…

I couldn’t keep focusing solely on the Fuxviet Federation…

“Riel, for the time being, don’t report Fuxviet Federation information directly to me… just compile and report to me only when there are major changes.”

“Huh? Oh… understood.”

After telling Riel that, I resumed my contemplation and deliberation on the plan to deal with the Former Emperor.

…However, regarding the question of “how” to lure in the Former Emperor, while our Fuxviet teddy bear Federation was putting on a fantastic shit show…

I was able to find a solution.

‘To think the crown of Artraia was the trigger mechanism—truly surprising.’

It’s an absurd story, but amazingly, the crown of the Seveli Empire that Artraia occasionally wore at official functions…

Something that even Artraia usually kept in her bedroom rather than wearing at official events, complaining that it was unnecessarily heavy and strained her neck…

That tiara was, in fact, the only trigger that could detonate the dimensional split bomb that the Former Emperor had allegedly stolen.

I learned this fact recently when Maria casually dropped this information in passing.

———————————-

“Holy Saint? If you had told us this information earlier, it would have significantly reduced our efforts and mental exhaustion from trying to scheme ways to lure that Former Emperor bastard.”

Naturally, when I first heard this, I genuinely made every effort to maintain my composure while expressing irritation at Maria’s attitude for the first time.

Seeing my reaction, Maria flinched her small shoulders in surprise, shook her head as if flustered.

Then, with a puzzled expression and an exasperated laugh, she began to speak.

“Hmm-hehe… I-I’m sorry… I just assumed you already knew that…”

“What do you mean we should have known? What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you say you spoke directly with the Former Emperor? Did he not tell you about this?”

When I responded with confusion, Maria looked even more perplexed.

She carefully began to speak to Artraia and me who were present at the time.

“Um… judging by your reactions, I must ask, did the Former Emperor never tell you anything about the crown from when he was still Emperor?”

To this question, Artraia nodded slightly and answered.

“Yes, that’s right, great-aunt.”

“…”

Somehow, despite Artraia’s appropriate familial address, Maria’s expression momentarily twitched her eyebrows.

It gave the strong impression that she was thinking, ‘Is this child trying to pick a fight with me?’ but…

That expression disappeared in less than a second.

The hyper-intelligence characteristic of Ether Dragons allowed her to instantly understand our situation.

“I see, so that’s how it is.”

Maria, who had been showing subtle eyebrow movements just moments before, now displayed a face full of sympathy toward Artraia as soon as her hyper-intelligence grasped the situation.

But after hearing what followed, I understood why the Former Emperor had never mentioned the crown.

—————————————

‘Wait, the crown was a wedding gift he gave when he married the Empress?’

Our Empress who existed as a restraint for that bastard Former Emperor.

The Former Emperor, who became anger-management-man through his marriage to the Empress, said he would put aside his vengeful self.

As proof, he transformed the dimensional split bomb’s trigger into a crown and gave it as a gift to his wife and restrainer, the Empress.

In other words, the crown was a precious memory from the Former Emperor’s past.

Since it was directly connected to the Empress, he wouldn’t have mentioned it even while blabbing about his plans to me.

Anyway, the important thing wasn’t that.

Among the questions of “when,” “where,” and “how” we could summon that son of a bitch Former Emperor…

Now that we could choose the “where” condition as we pleased.

I was gathering forces from the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry and others to raid the Former Emperor.

Additionally, my plan to screw him over by using an extremely fortified location with defensive installations providing fire support…

Today too, it was steadily progressing according to plan.

‘The raid forces continue to grow, especially with Eternia’s Annihilation Fleet and Prosnack’s elite fleets gathering without casualties—a very good sign.’

Particularly important was that we had managed to prevent the 60,000 elite Prosnack fleets stationed in the east from becoming 60,000 idiot fleets.

As a result, the forces available for raiding the Former Emperor…

If we mobilized all available forces from Prosnack and ISTO, we could deploy a formidable fleet of about 250,000 ships.

‘With this much, it would be hard to lose even if we wanted to.’

I was looking at that terrifying quantity on paper.

And beyond the sheer numbers, reviewing the tactical capabilities and performance evaluations of the fleets, I was freshly recognizing what “overwhelming numerical violence” truly meant.

But as always…

Keeping in mind the wise words of the Neutral Witches that life never goes as planned…

I manipulated the screen of my terminal on the table.

Looking at the 3D-mapped galaxy-wide map on the massive screen on my office wall, I fell into thought.

Of course, that thought was naturally in preparation for the impending confrontation with the Former Emperor.

Having already released the historic poison of space monsters into the well that was the Fuxviet Federation…

I instinctively began to feel that now—while we were causing chaos by screwing them over—was the last opportunity to ensure the safety of our rear.

The question was what approach to take here.

‘Eternia’s space monsters have already been completely cleared out, so that’s no longer meaningful…’

And if I were to request support from Prosnack to conserve our forces?

Samiya would gladly accept, and Fern’dus, being a war maniac, would also welcome my request for support…

But that would contradict our original plan of preserving forces for the war against the Former Emperor.

And with bizarre rumors already circulating within Fuxviet that the space monster activities were Prosnack’s plot, though I don’t know why…

If Prosnack fleets actually launched an attack, what strange and bizarre reaction would the Fuxviet Federation show…

As a kind and ordinary person like myself, it was completely unpredictable.

…Jokes aside, I knew they would do their utmost to set Prosnack’s territory ablaze, regardless of whether they were being trampled by monsters or not.

Therefore, I realized that to escape this situation, I needed to make the Fuxviet side approach us “first.”

While internally feeling all kinds of irritation, I opened my mouth toward Riel, who was working with me in the office.

“Riel, who in Fuxviet might be willing to conduct peace negotiations with us?”

“…Minister, didn’t you just tell me not to give you any information about the Federation starting the day after tomorrow?”

Of course, Riel expressed her dissatisfaction with puffed cheeks at my words…

“You insolent one!”

As soon as I pulled out my etiquette injection rod and struck down, Riel stopped her foolishness and quietly resumed her work…

Doing her best to help serve the Fuxviet Federation their second helping of shit.