Editing Tytania:Volume 3 Chapter 6 (section)

=== I ===
The history of Tytania was no paragon of humanity or justice. Dark crimson pages of conspiracy, stratagem, murder, and destruction stretched on endlessly, such that anyone with a weak stomach would find it impossible to finish reading. Consequently, it was unlikely that the members of Tytania lacked immunity to intrigue; and yet, in SY&nbsp;447, almost all of them were bewildered and lacking composure.

To put it another way, the reign of Clanner Ajman had appeared to be almost entirely stable and unshakeable until then. He was a man of advanced years, yet remained robust in both mind and body, and with the four dukes all in their twenties, the ruling structure led by the five current family representatives was generally regarded as something that would remain unchanged for at least the next quarter-century.

That certainty only began to falter upon the death of Duke Zarlisch Tytania, yet the Clanner and the three remaining dukes remained healthy. As long as someone emerged to fill Zarlisch’s seat, the existing structure should have continued without major incident. Rather, the system fell into dysfunction because the subconscious minds of those hoping for change began to surge together in a single direction.

However, that was a perspective that could only be grasped in hindsight; for those caught within the tide, even confirming one’s own footing was not an easy task. When Jouslain Tytania departed to lead a great army on campaign, he was not sent off to the raucous cheers of the masses.

The qualities required of a commander-in-chief leading a great army on a foreign campaign were not those of a combat genius. One had to manage a massive organisation, administer a multitude of people, grasp the individual personalities of mid-level field officers to ensure the right person was placed in the right role, mediate conflicting opinions, and unify the will of the troops toward a single objective. It was these qualities, more akin to those of a statesman, that were vital; and with regard to his broad vision, his sound sense of balance, or his commitment to fair personnel management, Jouslain inspired no anxiety in others.

At this time of year, Jouslain made no active effort to deny the rumours of a rift between himself and Idris. On the contrary, he sought to use them as a means of defence. His reasoning was that if everyone was aware of their political rivalry, even if Idris were to stage an incident and try to frame Jouslain for it, no one would readily believe it. Instead, people would likely assume that Idris had orchestrated some scheme to bring down a political opponent.

The crucial point was to spread the perception that Jouslain was the enemy of Idris alone. While this was a fact, making it common knowledge through propaganda held immense significance.

Naturally, such rumours reached the ears of Idris. Jouslain watched closely for how Idris might react, all while being preoccupied with the various administrative tasks immediately preceding his departure for the campaign; however, Idris showed no notable reaction. At first, Jouslain found this strange, but he would later look back on it with a wry smile:

''“At that time, I couldn’t have grasped Idris’ true intentions. Because, in truth, Idris had no real intentions at all.”''

It was certainly no exaggeration to say that, at that time, Idris had nothing but hesitations. While it appeared quite foolish to a third party from a later perspective, he had been psychologically cornered. As the surrounding situation reached its fruition, he found himself compelled to act.

First, he attempted to expel Jouslain from Uraniborg, and thanks to the personnel decision of Clanner Ajman and Jouslain’s own acceptance of it, it was achieved almost instantly. What, then, was left for Idris to do? While the ultimate goal was clear to Idris, he had not envisioned even a hundred percent of the process nor mastered every essential point; consequently, he found himself quite flustered as doors to hegemony opened before him one after another.

Whether his malice was directed at Jouslain or at the Clanner, it seemed likely he would succeed without much difficulty, but Idris was not so much of an optimist as to charge blindly forward. Rather, he appeared to maintain a defensive stance, as if intending to avoid providing any pretext until Jouslain actually departed for battle. Even so, he could not remain silent toward Jouslain, and he voiced a fierce objection to the announcement that Princess Lydia and Francia would accompany him on his campaign.

Jouslain responded without showing any sign of being unsettled.

“It is precisely because I have nothing to hide that I am allowing them to accompany me. If I had any ulterior motives, I would deliberately leave them behind to conceal them. His Clanner Highness should have already sanctioned this matter. Lord Idris, should we interpret your repeated objections as being directed at His Clanner Highness himself?”

In this regard, Jouslain was well-versed in Tytanian-style sophistry. It no longer mattered what Idris thought, but he felt the need to demonstrate to everyone else that there was sufficient justification for his actions. That was the very essence of politics—even if it could never truly be a high-level pursuit. Once the name of the Clanner was invoked, even Idris would find himself silenced.

How the silenced Idris would react was another matter entirely. Even if he himself did not explode, it seemed wise to keep a close watch on his brother, Radmoth. Jouslain ordered his guards to maintain strict vigilance, and he made no attempt to hide his intentions.

Regarding the finer details, Jouslain instructed both Princess Lydia and Francia to wear practical clothing, specifically requesting they wear trousers instead of skirts. He wanted them to be able to move instantly should anything happen. Jouslain himself, who had previously gone unarmed within Uraniborg, began to carry a handgun at his waist for self-defence. He chose a gunpowder-based pistol rather than a raygun<ref name="ftn22">“Ray gun” (光線銃) is pronounced “raygun”.</ref> or a charged particle gun because he valued the effect of the gunshot summoning in his guards.

Upon seeing Jouslain with a handgun at his side, one of the NCOs shrugged his shoulders.

“Whatever could have caused things to come to this? Was the relationship between Duke Jouslain and Duke Idris truly that serious? It feels as though we are on the very brink of battle.”

Francia relayed this remark to Jouslain. As Jouslain lightly tapped the handgun hanging from the waist of his grey military uniform, he soothed his lady-in-waiting:

“What? Both Idris and I are merely amusing ourselves with games of conspiracy. Francia, you need not worry. It is just that playing can sometimes lead to serious accidents, and losing one’s life to an accident would be quite tedious.”

Jouslain spoke with a faint trace of self-derision in his eyes. While it could be considered foolish to contend for power that was still held in the hands of others, he could not remain indifferent when his own life and the lives of those around him were at stake. He never revealed the true extent of his anxieties to the Clanner. He had already realised that doing so would be utterly pointless.

Jouslain was to board the battleship ''Austra''<ref name="ftn23">“Goddess of the Morning Glow” (朝焼けの女神) is pronounced “Austra”.</ref>, accompanied by three cruisers, ten destroyers, three gunboats, one space carrier equipped with high-speed patrol boats, and two lightly armed supply ships. It was a small group, “less than a fleet”.

''“No matter how forceful Idris may be, he can hardly claim that I intend to incite a rebellion with such paltry military strength.”''

Jouslain expressed a rather spiteful opinion that was difficult to describe as noble. The reason they were venturing to Bargash with such a small force was because a massive Tytania presence was already deployed there, because the route to the area was almost entirely under Tytania’s “space control<ref name="ftn24">“Space control” is pronounced “space control”.</ref>”, and because he sought to prove to the world that he held no dissenting intentions.

At least three superficial reasons could be counted, yet there were underlying circumstances as well. Jouslain had laid several pieces in motion, but he did not possess absolute confidence in how many of those opening moves would ultimately bear fruit. Furthermore, he had to remind himself that, in this world, there were such things as going too far.

Under normal circumstances, since Princess Lydia was aboard, any harm brought to this ship would become a diplomatic crisis. It would mean making an enemy of the Kingdom of Elbing. However, even if the Kingdom of Elbing were to burn with nationalistic hostility, it was unlikely that Idris would feel even the slightest pang of concern.

Tytania had once bankrupted numerous nations, driven heads of state into exile and despair, and relegated entire countries to the annals of history. A mere entity like the Kingdom of Elbing should not have been within his sights. At the same time, Jouslain could not rely on physical aid from the Kingdom of Elbing should an emergency arise, nor did he have any intention of doing so.

Jouslain could not imagine under which banners the various forces of the universe would congregate in thirty days’ time, nor in what manner they would clash. It felt as though such things were not subject to intellectual prediction but rather to mystical prophecy. The most absurd possibility, of course, was that after all this heightened tension, it might end with nothing happening at all…

When Jouslain first met the captain of the ''Austra'', he could not hide his slight surprise. She was one of the few female captains remaining in the entire Tytania military, numbering less than one hundred. Her name was Edna Fredericks; she was twenty-seven years of age, held the rank of captain, and was a true elite officer who had completed the special cadet course at the military academy.

Even in a line of men, her height could be described as average, her black hair cut short, and her dark eyes shone with an intensity akin to coal in an old-fashioned furnace. One could have called her a beauty, but aside from the brilliance in her eyes, she was merely a rather ordinary one. Of course, physical appearance was not a prerequisite for a capable and reliable soldier.

“I have received orders to escort Your Grace Jouslain to Bargash, and I consider it the highest honour. Though I lack great talent, I shall strive to fulfil this great responsibility and repay your trust.”

“I am counting on you, Captain.”

Jouslain’s response was brief. He himself, aside from his eyes which bore witness to the presence of a pale and profound intelligence, was hardly a Tytania-like beauty. Their meeting held no particular promise of what the future might hold.

By the 25<sup>th</sup> of March, Jouslain had ensured the safety of Princess Lydia and Francia by having them board the ''Austra''. He did not board the vessel himself until the 27<sup>th</sup>, but this measure satisfied many. “Given Duke Jouslain’s position, it is only natural,” people whispered among themselves. Jouslain himself knew that this was, in truth, a flagrant blurring of the lines between public duty and private interest, but of course, there was no need for him to declare as much.