Invasion

The convoy, having repelled the pirate attack, continued its voyage smoothly and safely arrived at the Damura Star Cluster Commonwealth.

"Orion, this is the escort vessel Kerberos and Beetle. We've reached our destination safely once again. Thank you for the escort up to this point."

"This is Beetle. Thank you as well."

"Kerberos here. Looking forward to working together again."

The convoy had entered the orbital control station colony of the Damura Cluster Commonwealth's capital planet, marking the end of the escort mission here.

With the final communication from the command ship Orion, the mission concluded and the group dispersed.

The cargo ships of the Ranguld Company will immediately depart after delivering their goods, loading new cargo in the Damura Cluster Commonwealth, and setting sail.

As the eight ships are heading to separate destinations, it seems they will hire escort vessels through the Damura Cluster Commonwealth's merchant fleet.

Andi and Ellen planned to return to Aknelia without taking on any escort duties, as they had successfully completed their first mission.

Meanwhile, Shinnosuke and the others had a business meeting awaiting them with the Layered Company.

Shinnosuke, accompanied by Seira and Miliena, headed to the Layered Company for their third attempt at negotiations.

"As for the rare metals you ordered, as previously notified, we have prepared 20 tons of item №1247 as ordered, but only 3 tons of item №854 are available. If you absolutely require the full 10 tons as per your order, we must withdraw from the transaction for №854."

Layered Company nodded in response to Shinnosuke's words.

No, three tons will do just fine. Please allow us to purchase it. Actually, sourcing rare metals within our country has become extremely difficult, and we ourselves would like to acquire as much as possible while we can.

Was there some change in the market?

"That's correct. Rare metals such as No. 1247 and No. 854, which we rely on imports for due to low mining output in the Damura Cluster Republic, are now becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. The Republic government has been increasing its purchase volume, making it nearly impossible for small and medium-sized enterprises like ours to secure supplies. Therefore, foreign merchants like yourself who offer exclusive trading partnerships are truly lifelines for us. Even if we have to endure some unfavorable terms, we simply can't afford to let you go."

Layered, unusually revealing their weakness, yet that very act might be part of Layered's strategy.

Still, from Shinosuke's perspective, he had no intention of taking advantage of Layered's position—he was satisfied with trading at regular prices, which alone were profitable enough to cause no dissatisfaction.

Nevertheless, Layered had still purchased the rare metal at a price slightly above regular market value.

This time, the trade transaction concluded smoothly, without any need for probing negotiations.

While enjoying tea after the meeting, Layered glanced at Miliena.

"By the way, you're Miliena, who fled from Rimuria, aren't you? It's surprising to hear you're working on Cassimura's escort vessel. I saw your declaration of exile, but I assumed you'd been living quietly in Akneria ever since."

Labor is a noble thing. Since I abandoned the empire and became a citizen of Akneria, I must fulfill my duties of labor and taxation. Akneria is a free country that guarantees the freedom to choose one's profession. I am doing my utmost to become a proper professional, pursuing the work I love as an individual.

Then Layard brought up the topic of Milina's earrings.

"Those earrings—I gave them to you, didn't I, Mr. Kashimura?"

"Yes, they're a gift from Mr. Shinnosuke to me."

Milina gazes at Shinnosuke with a sultry expression, but Shinnosuke remains oblivious.

"I see. Then, I suppose you'd like to know why I entrusted that gem to Mr. Kashimura. May I have your honest impression?"

"Yes... They're very beautiful, and quite fascinating."

"Oh, so you've truly taken a liking to it?"

"Of course. It's an extremely rare piece, and the craftsmanship as a gem is exquisite. Moreover, it's a gift from Mr. Shinnosuke himself—it's a treasure for life."

The words reached Shinnosuke as well, but he deliberately pretended not to hear them.

Curiously, Seira—who hadn’t received the gem—wore an expression of smug satisfaction, though the reason remained unclear.

"If we proceed with this, do you think the gem has potential as a new product?"

Milena's expression instantly turned cold in response to Layered's question.

"As a product, it's passable. But if you're planning to market it as fine jewelry, you'll fail."

Layered smirked at Milena's words.

"Hmm..."

If you're positioning this as mass-market jewelry, there's certainly a viable path. But that requires bringing the price down to a level accessible to the average person. If you're planning to sell this as high-end jewelry, you'll undoubtedly fail."

"What might be your reasoning?"

High-end customers who appreciate fine jewelry prefer natural, understated gemstones—those that showcase the beauty of nature, untouched by human hands. The fact that exquisite gems have captivated people since ancient times is proof of this. Wearing overly crafted gems, or large, flashy pieces just for show, is a sign of someone who fails to recognize true value—mere nouveau riche, so to speak. Therefore, it would be better to lower your target audience and market these as casual accessories instead. That said, such items tend to go in and out of style quickly, so you must be cautious. If you can keep prices low and produce them in sufficient quantities, wouldn’t alternative distribution channels become possible? For instance, decoration for amusement facilities, perhaps?

Layered listened to Milina's words with genuine interest, nodding deeply.

"Ah, I see! Thank you for your candid feedback. We'll certainly take it into consideration for the future."

Apparently, while the gemstones had not yet reached stable production, progress was being made toward that goal. Since a certain quantity had now been produced, they were considering releasing them on the market on a trial basis.

For now, the production volume was still low and costs remained high, so they had initially planned to sell them as luxury accessories. However, after hearing Milena's opinion, they were considering adjusting their approach.

The third transaction with Layered Commerce went extremely smoothly—almost entirely under Milena's direction—but they managed to complete it successfully.

All that remained was preparing for the journey home and returning.

Having just delivered goods to Layered Corporation and pondering such matters aboard the Kerberos, moored at the spaceport, an emergency broadcast was suddenly transmitted across the entire Damura Star Cluster Commonwealth.

Today, the Rimurian Galactic Empire has launched an invasion into our nation's territory and declared war upon us. Currently, the imperial fleet is engaged in combat with our border defense forces and the Third Fleet. Citizens, please remain calm and await our next announcement.