Milena officially hired

Shin nosuke and Milena left the Second Fleet Command.

They had been given a ride there, but apparently they wouldn’t be getting one back.

It was understandable—Shin nosuke hadn’t been cooperative during the interrogation, and Milena had been openly hostile.

"Going back on foot would be a bit far..."

"Then I’d like to invite you to my home. Why don’t you come in for some tea and rest a moment?"

Now that you mention it, Milina had actually acquired a residence in this vicinity of the Salius Stellar Province's colony—near the headquarters of the Space Fleet's 2nd Fleet and the Central Police Department.

Apparently, she had also obtained a vehicle to assist Marcelus and the others in guarding the house, and she offered to drive me back after I rested a bit.

"Yeah, I suppose I'll drop by for a short visit, enjoy some tea, and then head back."

With that, Shinosuke decided to accept Miliena's invitation.

(Good! I heard Marcel and Rise won't be back until evening, and Ann and May shouldn't be here at this time. Successfully lured Shinosuke-sama into a private setting all to myself!)

Miliena silently gives herself a thumbs-up, lost in her scheming thoughts, but of course Shinosuke has no idea about her plans at all.

Miliena's mansion was located in a prestigious residential area just a ten-minute walk from the Second Fleet Headquarters and less than five minutes from the Central Police Station.

Surrounded by mansions and official residences of high-ranking bureaucrats, the neighborhood was undoubtedly known for its excellent security.

Although Milena's mansion appears relatively modest when compared to the surrounding residences, this is only in relative terms. With its spacious garden and imposing building, it offers more than enough room for Milena, a former imperial noble, and Marcelus and the others to live comfortably.

Colorful flowers and trees are planted around the mansion and in the garden, but not so tall as to obstruct views from outside. In addition, thorny flowers are densely planted along the perimeter fence, creating a beautiful landscape while making it noticeably inconvenient to climb over the fence.

Upon arriving at Milena's mansion, two maids, Ann and Mie, greeted them at the front door.

"Ah, wait? Ann, Mie, why are you here?"

Milena, caught off guard, and Shinosuke, utterly confused.

"Today, we were expecting Miss Milena to return, so we've been waiting. Master Marcelus and the others should be back shortly."

"Damn it! Such unnecessary concern..."

Shinosuke tilted his head, sensing something odd about Milena's demeanor.

"Hmm? Unnecessary... what? Did I suddenly become an unwelcome guest or something?"

"W-What? N-No, that's not true at all. I don't have any closed doors toward you, Shinosuke-sama. Please, come in without hesitation—though it's just a hut compared to your family home."

Milena, trying to hide her unease, modestly speaks of the mansion, though indeed it pales in comparison to the Sai Kouji mansion. Yet, Shinosuke's current residence—Cerberus, docked at the spaceport—far surpasses Milena’s own home in every way.

Sipping tea prepared by An in the接待 room, Shinosuke and Milena both take a moment to catch their breath.

"Shinosuke-sama, I'm a little worried, you see."

"What is it?"

"I never really knew the Shinosuke-sama from your days as a soldier. But if something like today happened, doesn't that mean there are likely quite a few people in the military who don't particularly care for you?"

"Well, I didn't exactly set out to make enemies..."

Shin nosuke chuckled as he recounted his days as a soldier and how he ended up leaving the military to Milena.

"...I'm still quite worried, though. Lord Shin nosuke may be top-notch at piloting ships and fighting, but your negotiation skills as a merchant are still quite lacking. Today's foolish fellows are easy enough to deal with, but when you're up against someone like that Intelligence Officer Lieutenant, you're completely outmatched."

Well, I'll admit I'm not good at information warfare... In negotiations, I'm being manipulated by Layered Commerce, and even within the Merchant Fleet Association, I feel like I'm just being rolled around on Linna's palm. Anyway, I'd like to ask Milena for help—or rather, make a proposal or discuss something with her.

What is it?

Shin nosuke shares the idea he had following the incident in the intelligence department.

"Milena is currently serving as a trainee pilot aboard Cerberus, by her own wish, and her purpose remains unchanged. However, there's one more thing I'd like you to take on—my assistant role."

"My assistant? Really?"

Though separated by the table, Milena leans forward, causing Shin Nosuke to instinctively lean back.

"Oh, uh, not quite as formal as 'legal affairs officer,' but I'd like to get support with various procedures and negotiations, and also receive advice..."

I'll do it! Yes, I'll take care of it!

Milena eagerly agrees before Shinosuke finishes speaking.

"Ah, right... If you're willing to take it on, your position regarding the ship's operations will remain that of a trainee pilot, but I'll formally enlist Milena as a regular crew member of Cerberus. I'll need to consult with Marks and Seira too, but they probably won't object."

In the end, although Milena's expectations were unmet, she ended up gaining far more than she had secretly hoped for—completely satisfied.

After spending a normal tea break together, Shinosuke and Milena returned to the merchant fleet association by car with Marcello driving, reported the incident at the intelligence division to Lina, and then came back to the dock.

When Shinnosuke returned to Cerberus, he immediately explained the situation to Marks and Seyla, informing them that Milena would be officially hired. Predictably, both of them agreed to hire Milena, and thus Milena was officially accepted as a full crew member of Cerberus.