132 Expedition Arc 17 Imperial Capital Quarantine

I corrected the numbering mistake from 129 to 131.

Added and revised the text to clarify that the apparent casual dismissal of crew from contaminated ships in entries 130 and 131 was due to confirmed evidence that the enemy had also contaminated their personnel.

After finishing cleanup operations in the 8B system, Kyle and I returned directly to the Imperial Capital system using our Personal Ship’s dimensional jump (warp) drive.

To prevent entry into the Imperial Capital system, as there was a risk that mechanized figures had been transferred onto the salvage vessel.

Fortunately, the Emperor had not been transferred onto the salvage vessel—no mechanized figures had been transferred at all.

That was sheer luck, because the salvage vessel the Emperor had been on was reserved exclusively for royalty and high nobility.

Yes, the contaminated high noble vessels had been used for self-destruction—no time even to transfer anything.

"Good thing the Emperor’s recovery vessel wasn’t contaminated."

"But the Emperor’s in critical condition. The blast damage from the terrorist attack isn’t minor. This’ll throw the command hierarchy into disarray."

The Emperor had been teleported to the recovery vessel via the transfer device during the terrorist attack—and suffered severe injuries as a result.

Now, he was in a critical care capsule, unconscious, unable to oversee operations.

No one had been designated as second-in-command, because this kind of scenario hadn’t been anticipated.

Normally, the second-in-command would be the First Prince, Kyle—but this expedition had included all four princes, from First to Fourth. Their retainers kept eyeing each other, tense, and the group never managed to coalesce.

Huh? Me? The Sixth Prince’s me? I wasn’t even on the stage.

I’d been given command of the entire operation by the Emperor—then handed it back right before the terrorist attack. And even if I’d tried to claim it was the Emperor’s will, the retainers of the other princes wouldn’t hear of it.

Worse, I was branded a usurper for issuing retreat orders.

“Imperial troops—those loyal to the Emperor—know the last battle and have seen that footage. They’re cooperative. But the princes’ armies… and the noble lords who came rushing in as reinforcements… those are the real problem.”

“Now that the regular army’s down to 800,000 and we’ve got 400,000 more, they’re saying Akira’s plotting to seize the throne and faked the footage. Unbelievable.”

“An empire on the brink of collapse… and they’re using it to settle their own power struggles. Is this really the epitome of nobility…?”

So we went ahead on our own—just Akira and Kyle—to block the enemy, Neihuum, from entering the Imperial Core System.

‘Akira, the armies of the Second and Third Princes seem to have gone back to their territories on their own. Probably followed their leader after he warped back via dimensional jump.’

‘Then we’ll have to seal off their territories. But we don’t have the authority for that…’

‘Asking the Chancellor is out of the question. He’s the maternal grandfather of the Third Prince. Once the Emperor’s consciousness returns, it’ll be simple.’

‘Anyway, we’re stopping their entry into the Imperial Core System. If we catch them and present the evidence, they won’t have a single thing to say.’

Akira and I decided to spend a week just before the Dimensional Jump Gate.

We were worried we’d get stuck in the Imperial Capital with no way to move.

We don’t know what the Prime Minister’s gonna do. If we go back, we’ll get detained—“we need to hear your side of things,” blah blah. If the spaceport’s taken, we can’t stop them at the border anymore.

So me and Kyle needed a food delivery.

‘Took your time.’ ‘Hm.’

Two cutting-edge warships, and one unfamiliar noble’s Personal Ship—arriving right at our location.

On the warships: Jane and Miyo, both from the Imperial Capital.

We got yanked into the Niahyume Defense Campaign without warning, haven’t seen each other in a while—but they seem fine.

The other one’s Kyle’s connection.

‘Let me introduce her. This is my sister—meaning she’s the Emperor’s daughter, Akira, and she’ll be your wife, Stephanie.’

‘Akira-sama, it’s a pleasure. I’m Stephanie. Call me Steff.’

Meeting my future wife right here?!

"Akira. This is my wife, Miyu, and Jane."

"I’ve heard of you. We’re living together at Akira-sama’s mansion now."

"Wait—already acquainted?! And a mansion?! That’s the one the Emperor was supposed to arrange, right?!"

"The wedding with the death flag hasn’t even happened yet!?"

I shouted, cutting the mic.

Even in the chaos, I wanted to give myself a pat on the back for staying oddly calm.

"Y-yeah, that’s right. Just get along, that’s all that matters."

"I learned the details from your older brother’s butler. We’ll be bringing your meals ourselves."

With that, Miyu boarded my Personal Ship, and Steff delivered food to Kyle’s Personal Ship.

The three of us came together only on the first day. After that, for a full week, they rotated bringing all three meals every single day.

Then, the Emperor’s main fleet returned through the Dimensional Jump Gate.

Me and Kyle moved to intercept the incoming ships from the Dimensional Jump Gate, boarding the vessels as they emerged.

"First Prince Kyle. Due to severe Nyuhyūmu contamination, we're conducting inspections.

Please wait in hyperspace for the next squadron. Enter the Dimensional Jump Gate only after this squadron’s inspection is complete."

"Kyle, done. No infected."

"You’re clear. No carriers of infection. Would you mind guarding the inspection crew?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

When I lost the non-infected ship in the 8B system, I’d ordered the entire squadron to dive straight through the Dimensional Jump Gate.

That squadron should’ve had a dedicated recovery vessel attached.

They came through hyperspace, squadron by squadron.

So if a mechanoid sneaked into a recovery vessel, the contamination could spread fleet-wide.

That’s why we’re inspecting them fleet by fleet.

Also convenient—fewer ships to fight when things go south.

“Proceed with the next fleet.”

Continuing like this, the Imperial Guard fleet arrived.

I immediately checked the recovery vessel that had transported the Emperor.

No contamination.

“No contamination. Get the Emperor to the Imperial Capital hospital!”

Whatever else happens, we need to save the Emperor and get Kyle named as regent.

Then I inspected the Imperial Guard fleet. Also clean.

“Imperial Guard, no contamination. Protect the Emperor!”

After checking several fleets this way, finally—there it was.

“All ships may be contaminated by the enemy! Battle stations! Don’t let a single vessel escape!”

The escort fleet swiveled their cannons in unison.

I fired an Erosion Bullet at the lead enemy vessel, trying to capture it and expose its true form.

The enemy seemed to realize it had been spotted—tentacle-like cables shot out from its hull, writhing and twitching.

That’s what it was. Once those cables connected, contamination would spread.

All ten thousand ships of the detachment would reveal themselves at once.

“Exactly as expected. Annihilate them!”

The escort fleet finished off the enemy from a distance beyond the cables’ reach.

Finally, they delivered the killing blow with a Particle Beam Cannon, reducing the enemy to ash.

The enemy’s attempt to breach the Imperial Capital was stopped before it even began.

No further signs of contamination were detected among the remaining detachments.

Still, the real problem remained: the Second and Third Princes’ armies that had fled into our territory, and the noble-led forces.

If the infection spreads further, we might end up needing to inspect civilian ships too. A major embarrassment.

And the fact that only my Personal Ship can identify the enemy? That’s a problem.

We need to figure out a way to detect the enemy—and spread that method fast.

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It really keeps me writing.