134 Expedition Arc 19 Propaganda Video
‘Kyle, guard the Emperor. If the Chancellor’s willing to lay hands on the Emperor’s daughter, he’s a threat to the Emperor himself.
I’ll prepare for war in the Home System. I don’t know what the Third Prince has in mind, but I’m moving as if battle’s coming.’
‘Got it, Akira. If the Chancellor refuses to apologize, I’ll join the fight as an enemy of the Emperor. I’ll talk to Henry—the Second Prince.’
‘First, we hit them in the information war. You’ll enjoy that. Alright, Steff, come here.’
‘Yes.’
Steff’s Personal Ship approached, then vanished into the Dimensional Storage Vault.
‘Target: Elyshion. Dimensional Jump—warp initiated!’
The scene before me shifted in an instant. I’d arrived at the Home System, Elyshion.
Elysion’s development had progressed to the point where people now lived on three planets, and resources were effectively utilizable.
Industrial planet Daron 4 was operating at full capacity. Newly constructed fortress ships and industrial satellites were being completed one after another, deployed to developing star systems to serve in defense and the production of development materials.
‘We’re here.’
‘Oh.’ ‘Hmm.’ ‘Well, well, already arrived?’
I brought Jane, Miu, and Steff’s ships out of the Dimensional Storage Vault.
Oh right—Jane and Miu’s Personal Ships had been left at the Anoi Fortress all this time.
That’s where the office and their homes are, though… what now?
‘Oh, Akira, you’re back.’
‘Boss! No, Baron. The development of the Elysion System is incredible, isn’t it?’
‘Right? I moved the office and the house from the Anoi Fortress already.’
‘Seriously?! You’re always one step ahead. No wonder you’re such a capable manager!’
"Jane and Miu’s Personal Ships are here too. Carrie and Marie towed Jane’s ship, and Saya and Ayame handled Miu’s—go thank them later."
Jane and Miu turn blue.
They’re definitely gonna be mad about me sneaking ahead like this. Still gotta go apologize.
And I didn’t even spend much time with them while I was pulling ahead.
Yeah. I’ll go apologize with them.
But first… there’s something I need to do.
"Lord Kamizawa, battle formation. We’re facing off against the Imperial Chancellor.
First, let’s use your specialty—public propaganda. Turn the Chancellor into a traitor to the realm.
And this one’s Stephanie. The Emperor’s daughter. New wife."
*********************************
Imperial Capital Chancellor’s Office.
“What the hell is this!?”
The Chancellor shouts.
The terminal the aide rushed in with displayed Akira’s Propaganda Video, broadcast across the Imperial Network.
Every detail of the recent events was shown—evidence attached, some fictionalized.
A low-ranking noble seizing the Neihyūm Core as spoils. (CG)
Caption appears: “This noble serves under the Third Prince.” (Actually unconfirmed. Likely under Lucas.)
Actual footage of a noble corrupted, hijacked, and turned into scrap. (From a different ship.)
From there, the infection spreads—the Earl Austin’s vessel is taken over.
Footage of a noble actively spreading infection by whipping cables toward other ships plays out. (From a different time.)
Another overlay: "Earl Austin is under the Third Prince's command." (True.)
Earl Austin, transformed into a mechanical noble.
Of course, actual footage of the mechanical noble appears—face obscured with mosaic. (Different person, after all.)
The mechanical noble (Earl Austin) detonating himself on the Emperor’s flagship. (Real footage + CG.)
First Prince Kyle’s real footage and audio: "The Emperor is gravely injured. The wounds from the suicide bombing are severe."
Imperial regular forces retreating.
Then, Akira and Kyle’s heroic figures emerge, exposing and eliminating the enemy Naihyūm. (Real footage.)
Akira, delivering a passionate speech from separate footage: "If even one infected ship escapes, the Empire will fall—and humanity with it!"
The Third Prince’s Personal Ship fleeing through dimensional jump (warp). (CG)
“Unbelievable. Not even a contamination check before bolting off like that.” Akira. (Separate footage)
Kyle and Akira returning to the Imperial Capital. (Real footage)
Akira being interrogated by the Chancellor, the absurdity of the accusations playing out.
“Chancellor is the maternal grandfather of the Third Prince.” Subtitle appears. (True fact.)
Actual footage and dialogue of the interrogator aggressively pressing absurd logic.
Actual footage of Akira demanding a duel, provoked by the interrogator’s threats, and the interrogator mocking him.
Finally, Akira steps forward, looks directly into the camera, and begins speaking.
“Prince Akira, Sixth Prince. I will not tolerate this kind of blame-shifting and baseless slander.”
What in the name of the empire are you doing during an enemy invasion?! I demand an apology and correction from the Prime Minister.
If you can't handle this properly, I'll challenge you to a duel. I won't back down from war either!
A conditional declaration of Akira's frontline status was issued.
The Prime Minister, red-faced upon seeing the footage. The Third Prince (Ethan) frantically calling in.
"Grandfather, what do we do? Akira (the Sixth Prince) has Kyle (the First Prince), Henry (the Second Prince), and Lucas (the Fourth Prince) backing him up."
"Damn it. It's starting to look like *we're* in the wrong!"
No, we *are* in the wrong.
**********************************
"Nice work, President Kamizawa. You really nailed that PV—er, propaganda video."
"President was unusually fired up today."
"Shut up, Naho. Still, it was entertaining."
"Half lies, but mostly true. Their lies are a hundred percent garbage—way worse."
"If they hadn’t come to apologize, it’d’ve been war."
"Yep. Baron, make sure to prep your vassal nobles. I’m having the factory flagship crank out new warships and ramp up unmanned fleets."
Thinking about the Niahyume threat, we shouldn’t be fighting among ourselves—but since they came at us, we’ll crush them.
Then again, the Third Prince’s fleet’s probably... already contaminated by Niahyume by now...
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