12. Ceremony, Fleet Admiral, Yamada Keiichi

The next day, he awoke at six and took a shower.

He changed into civilian clothes, though the ones prepared for him were the kind one might buy at a Uniq〇 store—loose-fitting T-shirt and chino pants.

Breakfast consisted of white rice, a hot spring egg, salted salmon, seasoned seaweed, miso soup with tofu, and pickled vegetables—something straight out of a family-style restaurant’s morning Japanese menu.

After finishing, he lounged, sipping green tea brewed by Ain.

“Yamada-san, there are several ceremonies today, but you’ll need to change clothes once midway through.”

“How many types of ceremonies are there?”

“First, the captain’s appointment ceremony and the promotion ceremony to fleet admiral—your attire will be the Combined Kingdom Space Force officer uniform.”

Continuing in the same manner, the investiture ceremony for Marquess—wearing the general’s uniform will suffice. The general’s uniform includes a collar insignia.”

“? Marquess?”

“By regulation, a Fleet Admiral of the Combined Kingdom Space Force is granted the rank of Marquess.

Next comes the ceremony of elevation from a province of Agirakana to a vassal state. This will require the noble attire of a Marquess. Up to this point, the ceremony follows the Arsen Confederation Protocol.

Then, finally, the ceremony of independence from a vassal state to an independent nation. This one does not require adherence to the Arsen Confederation Protocol, so any attire will do. The sovereign of the independent nation Agirakana may decide for themselves. Since changing clothes would be a bother, wearing the Marquess’s noble attire will be acceptable. We, too, will transition from the Arsen Confederation Space Force to the Agirakana Space Force during this ceremony.”

“Looks like there’s quite the procession of ceremonies, then.”

Each ceremony itself doesn’t take that long—probably no more than ten minutes. Even with five minutes for changing, it’ll be done by mid-morning.

You’ll change into the Union Kingdom Space Force officer’s uniform in this room. Please remove your current clothing and stand on the circular mark on the floor. …Yes. Please stand upright straight.

Once led into what appears to be a dressing chamber and instructed to remain still, a cylindrical apparatus rose from the floor in front of me, emerging up to jaw level. With only my chin resting atop it, something resembling black mist was sprayed over my undergarments.

The cylinder retracted back into the floor, and when I looked down, I found myself wearing a black-collared uniform—underwear, of course.

How exactly do you take this off? And where’s the restroom?

Without noticing, a full-length mirror had been set up directly in front of me. I looked fairly decent, even for myself. Upon closer inspection, the outfit wasn’t a one-piece jumpsuit, but separated into top and bottom. The jacket opened and closed at the front, with what appeared to be a zipper running down the crotch—no collar trim, either.

We arrived at the ceremony venue in a small, self-driving vehicle. I sat facing Ain for about ten minutes.

The location was called the Central Ceremonial Plaza. An uncountable number of people had gathered. The stage was set atop a ten-step staircase, with Maria standing in the center, flanked by four of the department heads introduced yesterday. Ain stood below the stairs.

I was told to walk toward Maria.

“From this moment onward, we shall conduct the commissioning ceremony for Captain Yamada Keiichi. Yamada Keiichi, please step forward.”

The ceremony had begun, according to Maria’s words.

“Yes.”

"By order of the Regent of the Arsen Allied Kingdom, Agirakana Ko, Captain Yamada Keiichi is hereby recognized as a Class One Citizen of the Arsen Allied Kingdom, appointed Captain of the planetary-class starship Agirakana, and furthermore appointed General of the Arsen Allied Kingdom Space Force. Proceed with the Ko certification—place your hand upon this certification plate."

Placing his right hand upon the thick, hardcover-book-like plate, a blue scanning line flared across its surface. That would suffice, then.

Two women, standing at Maria’s side, approached and, one holding a tray draped with a purple cloth, affixed three golden circular buttons to the left side of his collar.

"Then, Your Excellency, please wave your hand toward the gathering."

As instructed, he raised his right hand and waved. The auditorium seemed ready to split under the thunderous applause of tens of thousands. Honestly, how many people are even here? Do they really all accept me as captain?

"Proceeding now with the investiture ceremony of Captain Yamada Agirakana as Marquis of the United Kingdom. Your Excellency, please face me and kneel."

Again, as told, he knelt.

"The Royal Representative of the United Kingdom of Arsen, Agirakana Coa, hereby declares Captain Yamada Keiichi of the Space Fleet as Marquis of the United Kingdom."

"You may rise."

This time, a long, rectangular badge with three diamond-shaped ornaments on the opposite collar was fastened onto him.

Next, he was led behind the stage, handed his previous coat to Ain, who had been waiting there, and received in return a jacket adorned with lace-like white trim along the sleeves.

Stepping back outside in the new jacket—lace-like white trim fluttering along the sleeves—next came the ceremonial elevation from vassal state to sovereign nation.

A declaration was made: Agirakana, formerly a vassal province of the Arsen Union Kingdom, was now ascending to the status of a sovereign state.

In the final act of Agirakana’s independence declaration, the previously binding Arsen Charter was formally discarded, and the newly drafted Agirakana Charter—built upon the foundation of the Arsen Charter (Note 1)—was enacted, marking Agirakana’s official severance from Arsen. The ceremony concluded without a hitch.

One might have expected a party afterward, but there was none. The gathered crowd dispersed in small clusters, returning to their respective posts, as if nothing had happened.

No one could possibly party while sucking nutrient paste through a tube, after all.

The ceremony was finally over, and yet—despite having done absolutely nothing—exhaustion settled in like an old coat that refused to come off.

Turned around, and there it was—just over two weeks ago, I’d been effectively fired from my job, declared unemployed, when suddenly I was scouted, arrived at Agirakana, and immediately made captain.

This is my current title.

Captain of the Planet-Class Space Vessel Agirakana. Supreme Commander of the Agirakana Space Force. Representative of the Spacecraft Nation Agirakana. Grand Marshal of the Arsenian Union Kingdom Space Force. Marquess of the Arsenian Union Kingdom.

The last two are highly unlikely, really just bluffing in case I ever encounter surviving Arsenians down the line. Currently, they mean nothing at all.

Dinner that evening? For some reason, steak. And I was told I had to eat it standing up, according to Ain. What was that about? Me, suddenly a captain, eating steak?

(Annotation 1) Agirakana Charter: The supreme standard of Agirakana, derived from the Arsen Charter. The authority of a fleet captain is extremely broad. Agirakana captains possess judicial power as well, thereby holding greater authority than the former King of Arsen. Restrictions on bioids, as stipulated in the Arsen Charter, have been significantly relaxed and reduced.