Side conversation: Goud Mujiyo cannot be helped.

Goud landed at a pirate base called Chicken Ball, located within the SU-dominated space domain. Beside him stood Aifo, raised alongside him since childhood. Also present was J-ai, formerly assigned as a naval driver at a military outpost he had previously served.

"Then, let us go meet this so-called dominator."

Goud walked forward with his chest out, proud of being the eldest son of the Mujiyo baronial family.

The outpost, his first encounter with an extraterrestrial facility, differed in interior design from Amato Imperial Japan installations. To Goud, it appeared deeply intriguing.

Yet he did not glance around like a newcomer, nor did he display the curious glances of an Amato Imperial Japan high noble, which would have been unbecoming.

With chest out, and with a dignified stride, Goud walked down the corridor.

The pirates they encountered along the way, upon seeing the tall, self-assured middle-aged man, showed expressions of confusion.

But the pirates affiliated with Chicken Ball were, among pirates, relatively 'stable,' and thus did not approach Goud and his group.

If this imposing middle-aged man had ties to a powerful pirate, provoking him would be self-destructive. And if he were merely an insignificant pirate, he would die eventually during a pirate operation. The conclusion was clear: involvement would only result in loss.

Goud did not notice the reason behind the pirates' behavior. He occasionally asked Ifo for directions and boarded the Train running through the interior of Chicken Ball.

"Connecting the base with a Train. Not something to dismiss lightly, even for a pirate base."

Goudo sat comfortably aboard the Train, pleased with the journey. Aifo kept watch on the surroundings, cautious by nature. Jiea expressed disappointment that the driver’s seat remained unoccupied.

The journey took longer than expected. Goudo began recalling his own history, passing the time.

Goudo Muziko was the eldest son of the main branch of a count’s family. Yet his right of succession was low.

The reason was three older sisters. The eldest had married into a marquis family. The marriage was a formal arrangement: her husband would take the title, and their children would inherit the count’s estate. Two children had already been born to the couple.

Goudo was the current heir apparent, yet he could not inherit the title.

The situation arose because Goudo’s parents became pregnant with him after the engagement between Goudo’s elder sister and a marquess’s son had been finalized.

At that time, Goudo’s parents were past the age for conception. It was expected they could not bear children. That was why the marquess’s family had chosen a son-in-law. The arrangement had backfired completely.

An engagement among nobles was a contract between houses.

To break the contract on a whim—because Goudo’s mother had become pregnant with the heir apparent—would result in universal condemnation from other noble houses. That would lead to the house’s ruin.

Thus, Goudo’s position in the line of succession remained fixed, always behind his elder sister’s children.

His parents consistently apologized to Goudo, acknowledging their unconsidered actions had placed him at a disadvantage.

Goudo understood, from the way he spoke, that he could never inherit the Marquis House without resentment, not since childhood.

Yet Goudo believed he could still rise in rank as a soldier, even without inheriting the Marquis House.

Low succession order or not, Goudo was the eldest son of the Marquis House. He could use that position to enter a noble faction within the military. Noble factions held easier advancement paths within the military.

This was effectively guaranteed advancement, though sadly Goudo lacked talent as a soldier.

Goudo was not incompetent.

He had performed above average at the Officer Academy, and after joining military service, he had managed his duties competently.

But nothing more.

In the Amato Imperial Japan Star Navy, advancement paths were either captaincy or staff officer roles.

However, Goudo lacked the ability to respond to rapidly changing battlefield conditions—neither deficient nor impaired, simply weak.

He could hold his ground against average opponents, but in simulated combat against renowned commanders, his limitations became apparent immediately.

A senior officer once compared Goudo’s combat aptitude to cooking.

‘Goudo excels at perfectly executing established recipes, but possesses extremely weak ability in creating or predicting new dishes.’

Due to this weakness, he was deemed too risky for frontline combat vessels or fleets, but entirely suitable for rear support roles. The upper command reached this conclusion.

As a result, Goudo was excluded from the primary advancement track of combat vessel assignments and instead assigned to the position of Captain on a supply vessel—a route akin to an underground path.

The established recipe—praised for its flawless execution—meant Goard's supply vessel operations were efficient.

No delivery delays. No missed cargo loading. No embezzlement by the so-called "Ginbae," the corrupt enlisted personnel.

This was due to Goard's attentiveness across all sectors, avoiding unusual resentment.

His performance earned recognition. Over time, his rank advanced. From Captain of a single supply vessel to commander of a supply detachment, then to commander of a supply fleet.

After several years as supply fleet commander, a political intervention from the noble faction occurred. In exchange for relinquishing the position to the son of a high-ranking noble, he was offered a promotion to major and an invitation to lead a secure rear-area supply base.

Goud accepted the offer. He felt he could not advance beyond major or higher command rank.

On the rear line, no higher position was within reach. He knew, clearly, he lacked the ability to fight at the front.

Supply vessels and supply fleets experienced problems.

Even minor issues in rear-area duties caused Goud great difficulty. In several instances, only his trusted aide, Ifo, could resolve them.

Goud told himself he had already achieved sufficient advancement.

Born the eldest son of a noble house, yet ranked low in succession, and despite support from the noble faction in a military career, he had stopped at colonel of a supply base.

Goud’s life had always been unyielding.

And it remained unyielding, not only in the past, but now as well.

Goud had served quietly as commander of a supply base. Yet the noble faction moved to claim credit for an unprecedented military achievement by a rear-operations officer. The arrow of selection pointed directly at Goud.

‘A base of Amato Imperial Japan has been established in the Orion Arm. You will report there. You will be promoted to brigadier general. Your trusted aide will be promoted to major.’

The command contained no elaboration, no ceremonial phrasing. Only the directive.

The absence of specific instructions on what to do upon arrival revealed the noble faction’s intent.

They expected a victory from the rear-operations officer. Then they sought to claim a portion of that victory by citing the presence of their own faction’s personnel.

If the role was merely to seize a portion of the victory, there was no need to assign someone with high capability. Goud was the ideal candidate. Low in noble succession rank, useful only for supply duties—a burden. If the command position at the supply base became vacant, a more capable individual could be placed there without issue. In fact, there was no other suitable candidate among the noble faction besides Goud.

Goud, for his part, was pleased that a path forward, which he had thought closed, had opened. He nearly agreed without hesitation.

He understood the noble faction’s intentions. But the prospect of advancement beyond colonel rank if he achieved results at his assigned post—whether aboard the battleship Sparrow Hawk or at the pirate base Chicken Ball—had stirred hope.

Yet at either destination, the battleship Sparrow Hawk or the pirate base Chicken Ball, Goud would find himself unable to achieve his goals.

The Special Lieutenant Captain assigned to the Battleship Sparrow Hawk did not obey the high-ranking Goud. Although it was customary for the Captain's position to supersede rank within the vessel, the Lieutenant's disregard for a Major was still abnormal.

Yet Goud could not confront Captain Dawson directly.

Dawson's presence resembled that of renowned generals and strategists defeated in mock combat, triggering an instinctive aversion.

Goud therefore abandoned the idea of seizing command from Dawson, citing excuses such as, "Even if given command of a battleship, I could not make use of it."

Instead, he decided to become the ruler of the pirate base Chicken Ball, which Dawson had secured.

Transferring between trains, walking through the Corridor, he arrived at the Administrator's Office of Chicken Ball.

He was able to meet with the administrator, General Kernel—an artificial intelligence mimicking the real one—thanks to prior notice.

Goude immediately invoked the military branch of Amato Imperial Japan and requested that the base administrator hand over control.

The response was not favorable.

"I am willing to yield, but can you truly manage as Lieutenant General Goude?"

A bad feeling stirred in Goude at General Kernel’s words. He sensed the artificial intelligence knew his weakness.

He felt it, yet replied without showing disturbance on his face.

"What do you mean by that?"

"The administrator of Chicken Ball is not a relaxed position like a supply base chief who merely maintains the supply ship schedule. The role requires constant readiness."

With these words, General Kernel’s knowledge of Gou’s background was confirmed.

Given that neither had met before, it was certain that Dawson, or one of his subordinates, had provided the information.

“Are you questioning the record of my service as a superior officer?”

“You may manage a base. But the primary duty of the Administrator of Chicken Ball is overseeing pirates and negotiating with corporations that support us. Can you do that?”

Gou found it difficult to respond to the pointed remarks.

Considering Dawson as an example, he lacked confidence in managing pirates from another star arm. And aware of his own shortcomings in adaptability, he became hesitant about negotiating with corporate representatives.

At that moment, Gou began to think he might not need to become Administrator after all.

He replied to General Kernel with an intentionally haughty demeanor, concealing his inner hesitation.

"However. I have received orders as well. You must understand, being left idle leaves me without standing."

"Ah. Then perhaps you should try piracy, like Captain Dawson. You could command a pirate vessel, or a pirate ship."

"I am a rear admiral. Do you expect a rear admiral to act as a lieutenant and fight at the front line? That is impossible."

"Hmm. Then within Chicken Ball, you would take on some role—"

General Kernel paused for several seconds mid-sentence, then resumed.

"—Apologies. I was consulting with other artificial intelligences. How about this: take temporary work across Chicken Ball's divisions, and find a role suited to your capabilities?"

"A rear admiral and a noble of the earl's house, doing temporary work!?!"

That a company president assumes a janitor’s role in secret is not unprecedented in Amato Imperial Japan, nor among S.U. or T.R. personnel. It is not unusual. Moreover, a position chosen voluntarily, rather than assigned by another, would likely engage you more deeply?

General Kernel’s argument was difficult for Goudo to reject.

Upon reflection, Goudo had always moved under someone else’s design.

He could not inherit the earl’s house because his sister had a fiancé. He entered the military academy for the advantage of noble status. He was assigned to supply ship duty after being judged as lacking combat ability. He was removed from the command of the supply fleet due to noble faction interests, demoted to major, and reassigned as commander of a supply base. He was later removed from that post and reassigned to the outer arm of the constellation with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Every position he had occupied under another’s design had always been unsatisfactory.

Yet, actions taken by himself had produced results that were remarkably effective.

The child he had been assigned to care for, Ifo, despite occasional verbal disputes, maintained contact and had become a trusted confidant, a right-hand figure.

His work on the supply vessel was recognized. He advanced from supply squad leader to fleet commander. Subordinates assigned to him developed loyalty. Theft, once common among supply personnel, ceased—now restrained by the understanding that Goode was the squad leader, and the commander. When transferred to a rear logistics base, they followed him willingly, citing their desire to work under Goode. When Goode moved toward the other arm of the constellation, one of his subordinates, Zai, was sent as their representative.

Weighing the unsatisfactory state of affairs against the results achieved, Goode concluded it was time to act independently.

Understood. I will follow your lead. Provide the list of civilian-available part-time jobs under the Chicken Ball organization.

Understood. This is the list. Your identity will be an issue when working—suppose you are sent as a person with ties to a Chicken Ball patron. The general outline is not incorrect.

General Kernel performed a brief operation on a handheld device, then handed one physical card each to Goud, Aifo, and Zey.

Each card bore a facial photograph and falsified information stating the holder was a civilian resident of the SU-controlled space domain. The first name matched the original, but the surname had been altered to a SU-style variant, slightly disguised.

Present the card at the part-time job site. You will begin work immediately. The endorsement is signed under General Kernel’s name, so your performance will be reported here. Do not cause problems.

No need to worry. When you work, you do it seriously. I’ll make that promise to Ifo and Gai as well.

Goud exited the manager’s office, having finished his business.

Walking back along the corridor, Goud brought up the assigned work information on a spatial projection monitor.

Ifo and Gai, behind him, began to peer at the data.

"Hey you two. I understand your interest, but looking over my shoulder like that is inappropriate."

"Is that not acceptable? Come now. We’ve finished reading this page. Next."

"Ah. There’s a job involving operating a Work Machine. Not Neural-Interface, so it must be controlled manually. The Engineer Robot’s work arm can’t manipulate the machine’s lever properly."

"Ugh, get back!"

Goud and the others moved forward as a group toward the location of the Train.