Ch.295″This is how loyalty is rewarded, Commander.”

Due to the threefold difference, I felt my mental state being violently shaken for a moment.

However, I managed to hold onto my sanity and tried to observe the situation more calmly.

When I thought about it in terms of points conversion…

While all my forces combined barely reached 120,000…

The other side had gathered 385 users who contributed 350,000, so the difference was only natural.

Anyway, after assessing the situation, I realized how much military power I would need to invest to gobble up the Tannhäuser Gateway Fortress.

“Jessica, how much did it cost last time when we hired all 512 mercenary groups?”

“I believe it was 2.5 million minerals and 300,000 rare resources for the hiring fee.”

“…Hmm.”

Roughly calculating, that’s three times more.

But I also need to subtract the forces that were part of the “Pirate Alliance Fleet”…

“We’re screwed. So I need to invest at least 10 million minerals upfront just for hiring fees.”

“That’s incredible, considering we’ve only gathered 2 million minerals so far.”

Just for hiring: 10 million minerals and at least 1 million rare resources.

“Oh right, how much did they charge per day for the contract fee back then?”

“About 800,000 minerals and close to 100,000 rare resources.”

Additionally, if we recruit like that, it means they’ll consume at least 3 million minerals and 400,000 rare resources per day.

“Even if we go for a short-term battle, it would take at least 3 days…”

“Currently, the maximum resources we can gather is 16.5 million total, regardless of whether it’s minerals or rare resources, Commander.”

“…”

Does this mean I can’t conquer the ‘Tannhäuser Gateway Fortress’ without hiring forces that cost 12 million for recruitment and 3.4 million per day in contract fees?

‘Holy shit.’

Since our base is only level 8, we can’t increase our maximum resource storage capacity. To use those resources during an ongoing battle…

We’d need to convert items from the trading market or resource boxes, put them into the resource storage to fill it up.

Then quickly use them for contract fees…

“Wait a moment, how much were those resource boxes we saved last time and the resources we bought with 20,000 gold?”

“Those? I think it was about 300,000 minerals and 70,000-80,000 rare resources in total.”

“…We’re screwed.”

The problem is that unlike before, I don’t have any resource boxes left.

And thanks to spending all the gold I received as rewards last time, I don’t have much left…

“How many resource boxes do we have left…?”

“Three, and even if we open them all, we won’t get even 10,000 minerals.”

“We’re really screwed.”

If we don’t gather sufficient forces, it would be like our resources just vanishing into thin air.

Even if we spend all our resources, we’d still have less power than what the Ratten Water and Magellan clans mobilized…

‘Ugh, my sanity is breaking.’

Even if I deploy my fleet along with the ‘Rhodos Mercenary Group,’ ‘Avalonia Security Fleet,’ and ‘Princess Luca’s Royal Guard Fleet’ which has grown to about 50 ships.

After just one day, it seems like half of the mercenary groups we hired would desert.

‘Holy moly holy mimi mororo loli.’

At least I’ve been steadily investing gold…

—————————————-

<Trade and Auction House Notice>

<To use this system, you need the exclusive currency ‘Gold’>

<This is different from the rare mineral ‘gold’ and can only be used here>

<Commander’s remaining currency: 25,083 Gold>

—————————————-

I managed to increase it to 25,000 somehow, but even if I spend it all, I could only get about 500,000 resources?

Moreover, considering the ‘random’ nature of resource boxes, the amount of resources can fluctuate wildly.

It says 500,000, but with bad luck, it could be even less…

“Jessica, if we build additional forward bases and upgrade our base to gather maximum resources from now on… how long would it take to gather everything?”

“Probably about 2 months.”

I decided to put in effort after effort to find a solution during the period Jessica calculated.

The good news is that this stronghold I’ve conquered generates 3,000 gold every week.

If I save it all without spending it on anything strange during those 2 months, and continue doing small ship stock(?) investments…

I should be able to gather at least 24,000-25,000, which would allow me to collect at least 1 million resources.

‘Hmm, besides quests and various other activities, there’s no other answer, is there?’

Anyway, after assessing the situation, I decided that there was no solution other than gathering, gathering, and gathering more.

I resolved to put in effoooort to gather enough resources to maintain attack forces against ‘Tannhäuser’ for ‘a maximum of 3 days.’

==========

But as mentioned above, that was something that would happen at least 2 months later.

There was another problem that needed to be solved before that.

And that was…

“What on earth are you doing, Commander Icarus?”

“Ah.”

“Neglecting the management of your fleet and superhumans is equivalent to failing your duties as a commander, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

“Failing to properly manage even a single fortress stronghold makes you unqualified as a commander, in my opinion.”

“…”

The problem that had just arisen was related to the fleet commander of the newly hired ‘Avalonia Security Fleet.’

A female character who identified herself as ‘Aquarias’ was the immediate issue at hand.

However, it wasn’t because Aquarias had caused any trouble.

—————————————-

<Aquarias>

<Level 50>

<Type: Support>

<Characteristics: Ordinary Person, Commander, Master Tactician, Meticulous, Neurotic>

<Stats>

Health: D-

Attack Power: N/A (Ordinary Person)

Physical Defense: N/A (Ordinary Person)

Magic Power: SSS-

Magic Defense: N/A (Ordinary Person)

Mobility: N/A (Ordinary Person)

—————————————-

As evident from her peculiar ability stats, Aquarias was the only ‘ordinary person’ among the regular characters in my base.

She didn’t have the ability to cause trouble even if she wanted to.

Moreover, while her command buffs and leadership abilities were quite excellent, as a trade-off…

She had an excessively formal attitude, so there was no reason for her to cause trouble.

But in exchange, her personality was quite grating.

Or rather than grating, she had a very strong tendency to be judgmental.

She was the typical ‘genius with strong opinions to the point of being dogmatic’ type.

Of course, since such characters aren’t rare in the world…

I was just a bit annoyed, but I thought it would be fine as long as she fought well.

However, the problem was that Aquarias’s neurotic attitude had started to get on the nerves of the other superhumans, excluding me and Jessica.

And especially, of all people, she had provoked the troublesome Griyanar, resulting in…

-“Commander, are you there?”

“Yes?”

-“Hello, I’m the adjutant of the Avalonia Security Fleet… do you happen to know where our commander went?”

“What’s this all of a sudden? Did your commander disappear without saying anything?”

-“Well, she said she was going to have a chat with Griyanar, but we’ve lost contact with her since then.”

“…”

After receiving such a message, I said I understood and took Jessica with me to the Nest of Life…

And sure enough.

“Oh Commander, perfect timing.”

“…”

“I thought she was being too disrespectful to you, even if not to me, so I gave her a little lesson.”

“…”

“What do you think?”

“Holy moly.”

I don’t know what Griyanar did to Aquarias, who had been the typical genius pretty girl type.

“Ah, I don’t like pain, please be gentle…”

“If you obey our commander, only good things will happen.”

“R-really?”

“Of course.”

“…”

“…”

Judging from their conversation…

And seeing Aquarias half-naked, covered in something pale, panting while clutching Griyanar’s leg.

I immediately chopped Griyanar on the head and decided to return Aquarias to the Security Fleet first.