Shinnosuke's Theory of War

A total of 23 ships had gathered—seven escort vessels, including the Yatagarasu, and 16 cargo ships designated as the protected convoy.

The escort vessels varied widely in type and equipment, and while the four ships belonging to the Langlord Trading Company were identical, the remaining 12 cargo ships were mostly privately owned merchant vessels, lacking any uniformity.

Still, the sight of 23 ships forming a convoy was, in itself, magnificent.

"Seeing so many ships gathered together is amazing."

"Indeed. It truly is a magnificent sight."

Seyla and Milena, both experiencing such a convoy for the first time, couldn't help but whisper in awe.

The two seemed tense, overwhelmed by this unprecedented sight.

And now, this fleet of independent merchants is heading toward the liberated Damura Star Cluster Commonwealth territory, delivering supplies to a planet near the front lines.

This is not humanitarian aid—these merchants are venturing into dangerous territory for profit.

Due to a request from other escort ship captains, Shinosuke has been placed in command of this escort mission.

It goes without saying that the Yatagarasu, with its well-equipped crew and advanced communication capabilities, will serve as the flagship.

Meanwhile, the task of coordinating the cargo fleet falls to Orion, a freighter belonging to Langurdo Shipping.

A ship we've met many times before, familiar faces.

"But war really is terrible, isn't it? Even when we're winning, ordinary people are caught up in the front lines, supplies run short, and we end up needing civilian aid."

Though Seira has run through the front lines of battle multiple times and fought against military vessels and space pirates, it's only natural that someone so young wouldn't yet understand the true nature of war.

"War is a losing battle from the moment it begins. The middle stages and the aftermath are both incredibly difficult."

"?"

"Even though the outcome isn't finalized yet, isn't the Acneria army gradually gaining the upper hand?"

Seyra and Miliena tilted their heads in response to Shinnosuke's words.

"Technically, we are winning the battle, but in terms of national warfare, both Acneria and Damura—and even Sacred Rimria—are losing."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're trying to say, Shinnosuke."

"Nor do I."

Shinnosuke shrugged his shoulders and gave a faint smile.

"First and foremost, a nation's military force—the so-called army—exists as a deterrent. 'We have a powerful military, so don't even think about meddling. If you have demands, present them through diplomacy.' The army's primary role is simply to stand idle, glaring at other nations without taking action. While disagreements between nations should generally be resolved through diplomatic negotiations, war—meaning the use of military force—becomes the final resort when negotiations fail, or when one nation, or both, have no intention of negotiating at all."

"War is the last resort in diplomacy, yes, but how does that logic lead both sides to lose?"

"Though we call the military a deterrent, that deterrent is merely an expensive force that exists just by being present. For the space navy, simply positioning fleets in space incurs massive costs. This is a money-hungry military force, but once war breaks out, damage is inevitable. That's unavoidable."

That's certainly true, but...

If we can resolve things through negotiation, that's the end of it. But if we end up in a state of war and suffer losses, the equipment we've painstakingly acquired and the soldiers we've painstakingly trained will be lost. Even if we win the battle and force the other country to surrender, it would still be a defeat for our nation—massive damage, in fact.

"Huh... So that's how it is. I sort of understand, but not really..."

I understand what you're trying to say, Shinnosuke-sama, but it does feel a bit forced in its reasoning."

Seeing Seira and Miliena's reactions, Shinnosuke gave a slight nod.

"In fact, this was the topic of my graduation thesis at the Space Military Academy. It was titled 'The Military and War in the Context of the Nation.'"

"Oh, was that so?"

Shinnosuke smiled faintly at Miliena.

"By the way, after submitting this paper, the five instructors who graded it gave one A+, one A, two A−, and one B+, which was quite a high evaluation. Yet, the final paper evaluation from the officer school itself was a C−—a rather strange phenomenon, one that became a topic of conversation and even laughter among my fellow classmates."

Upon hearing Shinno's words, Seira and Miliena couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Aha ha, that's so like Shinnosuke-san."

"Indeed, it is."

Nodding at the two of them, Shinnosuke.

"Well then, now that the tension's eased, shall we be off?"

It seemed Shinnosuke had deliberately tried to lighten the mood.

"Yes, that was quite amusing."

"He made up such an absurd story just to ease our nerves."

Seira and Miliena were now completely relaxed.

The fleet set off toward the Damura Star Cluster Commonwealth.

Shinonsuke took the helm of Yatagarasu.

"By the way, everything about that graduation thesis talk earlier was actually true."

"''Huh?''"