64. The Imperial Privy Council

The Imperial Privy Council of the Greater Alze Empire consists of three national dignitaries and the two younger brothers of the reigning Emperor. The Council meetings are held in the Emperor’s presence, with the Chancellor attending as an observer. Depending on the agenda, relevant ministers may also be present as guests.

The Emperor Heine IV, His Imperial Highness the Second-Rank Prince Erich Frosleben, His Imperial Highness the Second-Rank Prince Heinz Frosleben, the Fourth-Rank Prince of the Imperial Space Fleet, Graf, the Fourth-Rank Prince of the Imperial Space Fleet, Sturm, the Fourth-Rank Former Chancellor Kantor, the Current Chancellor Jakobi—these seven were the official attendees. In the Great Alze Empire, the Second-Rank Prince is the highest noble rank; thus, the Emperor’s two younger brothers hold that title. The First-Rank Prince is reserved exclusively for the Regent, and currently remains vacant. Today, additionally, the Chief of the Imperial Space Fleet Command Staff was present in attendance, standing by to respond to questions from the Emperor and the other attendees.

The timing called for an early session of the Imperial Privy Council, but due to Emperor Heinrich IV’s declining health, the meeting had been postponed by several days. During that interval, the Imperial Space Fleet Command Staff had continued refining defense plans for the home star system, Hamilapiratra, and analyzing the situation—though their options remained limited.

The former Prime Minister, Chancellor Cantor, who presided over the session, began his explanation of the two main agenda items: the dispatched fleet and Agirakana.

“Some of you may already be aware, but approximately six days ago, we received a communication from Major General Marko, who had surrendered to the interstellar state of Agirakana. In it, Agirakana presented certain requests directed at the Empire.

First, they asked that we authorize military operations within our territory. Second, they requested that we prohibit any unauthorized entry of Imperial vessels into what they call the Sol system—designated G013.”

"The second point is understandable—but what exactly do they mean by military operations within their imperial territory?"

Field Marshal Graf directed the question to Cantor, and the other attendees likewise awaited Cantor's reply.

"Agirakana appears to have information suggesting that the Mitokana system, as well as the nearby systems we've kept secret, were utterly destroyed in a recent catastrophe."

The announcement sparked immediate murmurs throughout the chamber, but once the attendees realized who was present, the room fell silent.

“Moreover, the catastrophe in question was brought about by cosmic lifeforms referred to as Zeno by both Zeno and Agirakana—and it is stated that the Empire possesses no means of countering this Zeno. Since Zeno constitutes a threat to ordinary lifeforms, Agirakana, which holds the technology to destroy Zeno, is now requesting authorization for operational actions aimed at eliminating Zeno—whether it be the Zeno believed to be lurking within the core of the planet Shino in the Mitokana system, or Zeno moving through interstellar space.”

“Not only is it unclear whether this Zeno even exists, but allowing foreign military operations within Imperial territory is simply not feasible.”

Most attendees nodded in agreement, but Cantor continued.

“Furthermore, they’ve made it clear that if the Empire takes any action hindering Agirakana’s operations, they will not hesitate to destroy all Imperial warships within the Hamilapiratra system—and will also proceed to seize control of the capital planet, Azeen.”

The final words caused a brief, stunned silence in the conference room.

“What’s the Joint Naval Command’s take on this? If Agirakana and the Empire were to go to war, what are our chances of victory?”

Cantor directed the question to the Chief of the Imperial Navy General Staff.

The Chief, now under the weight of several pairs of eyes, wiped the sweat from his brow.

"On the honor of the Empire, the deployment of foreign military forces within Imperial territory must be avoided. However, according to the General Staff’s analysis, the enemy force that completely overwhelmed Major General Marco’s fleet—equipped with the latest-generation warships—was left with no choice but to surrender. Currently, the majority of our capital vessels have completed their concentration and deployment at Hamilapilatra. Given this, it is likely the Empire will find it difficult to counter Agirakana."

"A roundabout way of saying it, but battles aren’t truly understood until you’ve fought one. Frankly, the fact that General Marco’s expeditionary fleet surrendered without so much as a single engagement against an opponent like Agirakana—wasn’t that simply due to a lack of fighting spirit!?"

"Surrendering without even fighting? That’s a problem far beyond mere fighting spirit. Regardless of who the enemy is, if you charge in with the intent to annihilate, and fire a fusion round straight into them, they’d be sunk."

The two Supreme Commanders of the Space Force speak in unison.

A message arrives at Cantor—requesting entry into the conference chamber.

"General Deputy Commander is requesting entry at this moment. May we grant permission, Your Majesty?"

High above, seated on a raised dais, King Heine IV nods.

"Apologies for the interruption. A transmission has just arrived from Admiral Marco’s fleet within the Space Force."

"What? Another message from Agirakana?"

"No, Your Majesty. It originated from the Mitokana system."

"The Mitokana system? What in the world is going on?"

Agirakana has performed a hyperspace jump to the Mitokana system. After the jump-out, all ships and crew of the dispatched fleet were reportedly liberated from Agirakana. At first, we had doubted Admiral Maruko’s claim that Agirakana was a planet-sized vessel masquerading as a spaceship—but now it appears they actually executed a hyperspace jump. Moreover, they reached the Mitokana system at approximately forty times the speed of our own hyperspace jumps.

Moreover, according to Admiral Marco, the Agirakana, having located the extraterrestrial lifeform Zeno concealed on the planet Syno, proceeded to approach the planet, then destroyed the planet itself—stripping Zeno bare—before eliminating it. Currently, the dispatched fleet has halted at the outer edge of the star system to observe the situation, and the observational data is expected to arrive sequentially from the fleet in approximately twenty minutes. That concludes the report.”

“Good work,” said the Chief of Naval Operations, commending the deputy chief, who then withdrew.

“Let us wait a moment, then, and see what this so-called observational data reveals. In that case, Your Majesty, I propose we adjourn the meeting for a short recess—would that be acceptable?”

Having seen King Heine IV nod, the attendees began murmuring among themselves.

After about twenty minutes,

"An image has just arrived from the dispatched fleet. We’ll project it onto the front monitor."

First to appear was Agirakana. A geometric sphere, its hemisphere illuminated by the sun glowing white, while the shaded side flickered with light in scattered patches—undeniably artificial, no matter how you looked at it.

Next came the planet Shino, crimson and black, where twenty thousand colonists from Alze had perished. Agirakana’s size defied easy comparison—its diameter, according to observation, reaching 14,000 kilometers, though that fact was hard to grasp at first glance.

Then Agirakana began to rotate slowly—and shortly after, it ceased entirely.

Watching it unfold, the central region of the planet Shinō facing Agirakana began to glow white-hot, part of it blasting clear into interstellar space. Almost immediately, the planet started to swell, a blinding white flash erupting from within—then spreading out in an instant.

A portion of the flash expanding through space gradually cooled, taking on a red hue, eventually becoming black interstellar debris—spreading through the system like shockwaves from the initial fragments of the shattered planet. Planet remnants appeared to be reaching Agirakana at high speed, but those approaching seemed to be destroyed by some unknown mechanism, scattering into light and dissipating—no fragments actually striking Agirakana, as if the body itself had become a kind of cosmic sieve.

After the scattered planetary debris passed by, Agirakana filled the frame, its surface glowing faintly as, from a section of its crust, a cluster of colossal spacecraft emerged—approximately four in number. These vessels began a slow, deliberate movement in the direction where the planet Syno had once been; after advancing a suitable distance, they halted—appearing to detonate, as if dissolving into the void.

The four craft, which seemed to explode, were actually launching an endless stream of missiles from their hulls. Each missile, upon impact with a target, triggered a sudden flash of light.……

“Words fail me,” said former Prime Minister Cantor, offering a single, weary remark.

“……” The two former marshals fell silent, eyes lowered.

“So, what now? Agirakana’s ability to literally dismantle a planet has been demonstrated. As for the cosmic entity known as Zeno—its presence wasn’t confirmed in this footage, but its existence remains a fact, I suppose.”

No one spoke.