111 Lord's Second 23: Bride-oh, Move 2

If your noble lady’s Personal Ship ends up colliding and causing a responsibility issue, the military’s screwed. War’ll break out.

A butler from some obscure baronial house like Bokobokoski might be just right—but no such person’s wandering around here.

The only ones who might get a ship handed down from the military would be patrol units or orbital control vessels...

"Hey, Jane! What are you doing?! Help me pin down Carrie!"

Lady Marie’s Personal Ship is desperately gripping Carrie’s Personal Ship with its arm, trying to hold it down.

No, actually, I think that kid should just be let go.

"Marie, I’m in the middle of a sacrifice operation for my lord—please don’t interfere."

"What? An operation?"

I tell Marie about the collision operation.

"Jane, are you an idiot?! If something like this causes an international incident, it’ll be your husband who gets the blame!"

A little, Marie-chan, what’s an idiot? What’s an idiot?

"An idiot, indeed. I’m the one acting without a plan—doesn’t that make me slightly better than you?"

"That’s exactly why I say you’re an idiot! Just charging ahead isn’t the answer, you know?"

"What? You should at least propose an alternative before saying that!"

"Never mind that—let go! The sale’s about to end!"

"Three ships there! What’s this quarrel about? You’re blocking the航道. Clear out immediately!"

The patrol vessel, having noticed our argument, had arrived.

Opportunity! That ship’s got the data my lord wants.

"Wait—where do you think you’re going?!"

"Let go! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"

"Stop pretending! It’s so obvious!"

My Personal Ship tried to move—Marie-chan’s Personal Ship shoved it back.

At the same instant, the arm holding Carrie’s Personal Ship let go.

““Ah……””

Carrie’s Personal Ship, thrown off balance by the sudden release, executed a violent maneuver.

Straight ahead, on the uncontrolled trajectory—patrol ship.

“No—no—no—no—no—!!!”

Carrie’s scream echoed through the fleet’s comms.

The patrol ship, rushing to the scene, rammed into Carrie’s失控 Personal Ship.

Luxurious decorations scattered everywhere.

Right in front of my eyes and Marie-chan’s, the operation’s supposed accident unfolded perfectly.

“Result’s all that matters, right?”

***********************************************************************************

We were brought to the reception room at the orbital spaceport facility above Ugritch III, our Personal Ship housed there.

Carrie’s ship and the patrol vessel hadn’t been separated yet—both were stored together.

A nobleman’s estate, a viscountess’s Personal Ship colliding with a system patrol vessel—this reception room was clearly meant to be a diplomatic holding cell. You could tell they were struggling with how to handle it.

For ordinary citizens, a patrol vessel and an accident like that would’ve landed them in an interrogation room.

“So, you were arguing over a bargain when the patrol vessel suddenly approached at high speed.

The arm holding the viscountess in place slipped free, the ship lost control.

That’s what caused the accident, right?”

“Yes.”

From Carrie’s point of view, it wasn’t exactly a lie. It *had* been an accident—chance begetting chance.

Understood. Let’s treat this as an unfortunate accident. I’ll cover the repair costs for the lady’s Personal Ship—please send me the invoice.

"Then I’ll cover the repair costs for your patrol vessel."

"Very well. Let me have a look at the damage to your patrol vessel."

Good. Exactly as planned.

"No, that won’t be necessary. Our vessel is barely damaged, and it’s an old hulk anyway."

"What?"

"Really?"

Awkward. Not in the script!

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Carrie and Jane are both in a bind.

Just because I’m the youngest doesn’t mean I’m treated like a little sister—no one realizes I’m the most level-headed one here.

Carrie, what are you even doing? You came to this system to serve your lord, and now you’re dazzled by a brand-name sale?

"Hey, Carrie. Save the luxury shopping for later!"

No way. You need permission to descend to the planet!

I’m desperately holding onto Carrie’s Personal Ship.

Jane, for all her usual cleverness, really is pushing it—trying to pull off a plan this reckless, this clearly doomed. Even for her, that’s a stretch.

Hey, Jane—what’re you trying to do?

Huh? Operation? You kidding me?! A plan as flimsy as that?

Huh? Patrol ship? Come on, didn’t we just cause a whole damn fuss?

Ah, Jane—targeting the patrol vessel, are we?

"Wait a second, where do you think you're going?!"

I tried desperately to stop Jane….

Of all the things to go wrong... Carrie’s ship colliding with a patrol vessel.

Yeah, "result's all that matters?" I guess.

So, how exactly do you plan to check out the patrol vessel?

Huh? You want me to cover the repair costs just so you’ll let me check the damage?

No way. No way. No way. No way. That’s like asking a snail to sprint.

See? Turned down flat.

Which is why you’ve got me, the brainy one, here, right?

I’m activating my Personal Ship’s Tactical Weapon Integration Control System and linking it to Carrie’s Personal Ship.

Her ship’s Tactical Weapon Integration Control System is Type S, but mine’s Type C.

Still, as long as it’s an approved vessel, we can establish a data link and take control.

Then I’m connecting to your Personal Ship via dimensional comm.

Carrie’s Personal Ship will gather sensor data on the patrol vessel’s contact status, but we can’t process that here—so I’m sending it to your Personal Ship.

That should get the job done, don’t you think?

So? Was it worth having me tag along?

"Jane, Carrie, then I'll be taking my leave."

"No, the purpose hasn't been—"

Jane shuts her mouth in a hurry. Can't confess here, not now.

"Since I've caused you trouble, let's save the shopping for another day."

I give a nod with my eyes and stand up.

"All matters have been handled—"

No need to stay any longer.

I’ll drag the two of them home if I have to!

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

"Did you get the data on the Daron-4 vessel?"

"Yes. I’ve transferred the files to your Personal Ship, sir."

Marie reports proudly.

"My Personal Ship sacrificed itself to collect the sample."

Carrie claims credit too.

"All this was my plan, wasn’t it?"

Jane wasn’t silent either.

"Everyone did well. But I didn’t want you taking risks."

"Sorry, darling ♡"

(((((Good, tonight’s gonna be ♡))))))

Thanks for the rating and bookmark. It really fuels the writing.