Milena Awakens
Shin nosuke and Milena were surrounded by five intelligence operatives.
Although the invitation they presented lacked legal basis and carried no mandatory force requiring compliance, the operatives seemed unwilling to allow Shin nosuke to refuse.
Shin nosuke clearly understood this, but the real issue was Milena.
His hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, eyes glowing.
Kiiiiiiii...
A faint high-pitched sound drifted from within the sheath.
The sound of Milena’s blade vibrating at super-high speed.
Milena had activated her sword.
(Oh no. This girl’s serious...)
"Stay calm, Milena!"
Shin Nosuke tried to stop her.
They are the ones who provoked and threatened us excessively. There's no need to hold back against such people. They won't have any complaints even if they're cut down right here.
Even if they have no complaints, I do! There's no need for Milena to get involved!
What are you saying? Shinnosuke-sama is my employer. An employer is equivalent to a master. It is unforgivable to even speak of harming my master! I will protect Shinnosuke-sama. I will accompany you to the very bottom of hell, and even beyond, through another lifetime, across the boundaries of space and time.
Milena says something outrageous.
Wait, wait. I'm just a sole proprietor, and Milliena is an apprentice employee. Don't jump to strange conclusions! First of all, even if she says she'll follow me all the way to the bottom of hell, I still have no intention of going to hell! What I'm heading to right now is the intelligence agency facility they're guiding us to.
Shinosuke quickly tries to劝 the flustered Miliena.
Since it seemed things might spiral out of control, she decided not to resist further and complied with the summons.
Led away by Lina, who looked anxious but unable to utter a word, she arrived at the satellite office of the Imperial Military Intelligence Division, just as Shinosuke had anticipated—located within the Second Fleet Headquarters of the Salius Province Central Colony.
Though called a branch office, this place was actually a high-security intelligence division—no signs or materials related to the intelligence unit were present in what passed as an official branch office. Just a few desks, a couple of decorative terminals, and three small interrogation rooms.
They likely operate out of another location under normal circumstances.
"Mr. Kasimura, please come with me to another room for our discussion. Mr. Ringlund, kindly wait here."
The intelligence officer who attempts to guide only Shinnosuke, but Milena clearly has no intention of complying silently.
"I will be present as well."
"That is not permitted under regulations."
One of the intelligence officers coldly and matter-of-factly refuses, but Milena does not back down.
"Is this really a rule? Doesn't the invitation itself lack legal basis to begin with? Even in military tribunals, interrogations, or standard criminal proceedings—regardless of the type—third parties such as lawyers are permitted to be present as long as the individual is not formally treated as a suspect. This is explicitly stated in the Akneria Space Force Regulations and the Akneria Galactic Federation Criminal Investigation Code. Since this interrogation is conducted solely under Syunosuke-sama’s cooperation and lacks any legal basis, there should be no issue with my presence. Naturally, you are free to refuse, but that does not mean we are obligated to comply."
Milena spoke as if she were thoroughly familiar with all sorts of laws, her right arm entwined around Shinosuke's arm, her left hand resting on the hilt of her sword at her waist, clearly showing no intention of letting go.
Milena's chest pressed against Shinosuke's left arm.
Just that alone was already a disaster.
Whether overwhelmed by Milena's intensity or indifferent to her entirely, the intelligence officer complied with Milena's request, resulting in Milena sitting alongside Shinosuke in the interrogation room, where she would undergo questioning by the three intelligence officers.
The remaining two intelligence officers were ostensibly waiting outside, actually serving as watchers on surveillance duty.
"Immediately, Ms. Kasimura. Is it true that you provided records of your encounter with Rimuria Galactic Empire vessels during your return journey from the Damura Constellation Kingdom to Psychoji Industry?"
"Yes. I was originally contracted to provide data regarding my vessel's navigation, so I merely followed the terms of that agreement."
"Wouldn't you consider that reckless?"
"What do you mean?"
"Captain Kasimura was formerly a military officer—indeed, he rose to the rank of captain in the space navy. Therefore, any records of combat with another nation's正规 military vessels would be treated as classified military information and could not be casually disclosed to a private corporation."
"In accordance with space navy regulations, such records should have been kept confidential. However, I am no longer a military officer—I am now simply a freelance merchant. The terms of my contract as a freelance merchant take precedence over the rules of the military I have already left."
At this point, Shinosuke felt a sense of unease.
(Are these guys really intelligence officers?)
Taking a closer look at the three people in front of him.
First, Intelligence Officer A, who was interrogating Shinosuke directly, might have been underprepared since he had ambushed Shinosuke right after his return, but the level of his questions was far too simplistic.
After all, they were waiting in ambush at the union, but didn’t they anticipate that information might have leaked beforehand?
Next is Agent B, following Agent A. Though pretending to be calm, there’s a faint flicker in their gaze.
(They’re definitely from a department other than Intelligence.)
And then there’s Agent C, a woman maintaining a steady distance from both Agents A and B, her eyes fixed not on Shinosuke, but on the two agents themselves.
She looked at the two men, her colleagues, with a detached, indifferent gaze rather than a cold one.
(Perhaps this woman is an intelligence officer...)
Only one of them seemed to be an official intelligence officer, but this woman didn't appear to be interested in Shinosuke and the others.
While Shinosuke observed the three of them, the interrogation continued.
"Mr. Kashimura, you're suspected of leaking military secrets. If this is true, it's a very serious crime."
"Huh?"
At the moment Shinosuke let out a sigh of disbelief at the painfully clumsy interrogation, Milena snapped.
"What is wrong with you people! All you're doing is spouting nonsense that isn't even worth calling an interrogation! Are you mocking His Excellency Shinosuke?"
Information Officer A and B, visibly intimidated by Milena.
These two were undoubtedly not intelligence officers.
"Although Mr. Kashimura has left the military, his obligation to maintain confidentiality has not expired. Even as a civilian now, he is still subject to regulations such as the Akneria Space Force Rules. He cannot escape responsibility for leaking military secrets."
Milena sighed deeply in response to the words of the self-proclaimed intelligence officer A.
"No matter how carefree His Excellency Shinosuke may be, he can't get away with something like this!"
"Hey!"
Your words are entirely inconsistent. This interrogation has no legal basis whatsoever, and is furthermore unjust!
He can't help but make a quick retort at Miliena's casual dig at Shinosuke, but Miliena pays no mind.
Miss Ringlund, I've allowed you to sit at the table, but please refrain from interfering unnecessarily. Otherwise, you'll be considered an accomplice as well.
"Hmph! I won't interfere needlessly. I'll speak only because you fools need telling. Let me enlighten you, you silly fools."
"What do you mean?"
"Though I'm a fugitive, it's ironic for me to say this, but the Acneria Galactic Federation is a rule-of-law state. Your actions must all follow laws and regulations."
"Exactly. We are acting not out of personal feelings, but in accordance with law and regulations."
That's probably true—people like you can't do anything without orders from above.
...
First, you're raising the issue of military secrets, but according to Article 4 of the Acneria Space Force Information Regulations, 'military secrets are defined as information created or obtained by the military that possesses a high degree of confidentiality.' The information you claim is classified is actually information acquired by Shinnosuke, a free merchant. Since this information has never been transferred to the military, it cannot be considered a military secret in the first place. Regarding the obligation to maintain confidentiality, Article 2 of the same regulations states, 'Acneria Galactic Federation Space Force personnel bear the responsibility to strictly maintain confidentiality regarding classified information obtained during official duties.' The obligations for former military personnel are specified in Paragraph 2 of the same article. However, since the information in question is not a military secret to begin with, disclosing it to others does not violate any Space Force regulations.
Milena suddenly starts talking about military regulations.
Though military rules are publicly available, it's odd that she can recite them from memory.
Shin nosuke knows the regulations Milena mentioned, but even he doesn't have every clause memorized.
"First of all, not just limited to free merchants, Article 17 of the Acnelia Galactic Federation Space Law, which applies Article 24 of the International Aerospace Law—'Equipment, information, and other assets owned by a private spacecraft belong to the spacecraft's owner or operator.' And Article 125 of the Acnelia Galactic Federation Criminal Investigation Law states, 'No person may be unlawfully detained without evidence of legal violation or objective grounds for suspicion.' You're in violation of several other provisions as well, but shall I go ahead and inform you of them all?"
Not only the intelligence officer, but Shinosuke himself stared at Miliena in stunned silence.
Shinosuke had taken a step back, visibly shaken by Miliena's unexpected ability.