Editing Tytania:Volume 5 Chapter 6 (section)

=== IV ===
The moment a single bullet blew back a lock of carrot-coloured hair, a chain reaction of fresh gunshots erupted. Screams and sprays of blood struck the floor as guards were thrown back and tumbled over. Several sets of footsteps rushed towards him, and a powerful hand gripped Hyulick’s wrist, pulling him to his feet.

“Are you alright, Hyulick?” asked the coolest and most detached voice in the universe.

Hyulick let out a heavy breath and shouted at the members of the Blaze Flag Army.

“You’re late! I almost died! What was even the point of that tracking device?”

“I had hoped you might perform a great feat that would defy my expectations. However, it seems that one cannot pour two litres of wine into a one-litre vessel, after all.”

“Fine, then. From now on, just call me ‘the one-litre man’.”

“Despite what he says, the Doctor was worried about your safety. That’s why, from the moment you all set off, he was figuring out a way to infiltrate Uraniborg.”

Miranda explained with a smile.

The more the situation descended into chaos, and the more disorder expanded, the more advantage the Blaze Flag Army would gain.

Amidst a swirling vortex of death and destruction, the ''Honest Old Man Junior'' approached Uraniborg, dodging cannon fire by veering left and right. When a flash of light surged from Uraniborg’s identification system, everyone thought it was the end, but the ship’s small size proved fortunate. In place of the ''Honest Old Man Junior'', a heavy cruiser that was already half-destroyed and attempting to return to Uraniborg took the brunt of the energy barrages. Because it had been lurking in the shadows, the Blaze Flag Army was saved, though it remained unclear whether the ship that had served as their shield was a friend or a foe. Along with several other vessels, they surged into the harbour gate and made their insolent landing.

“The interior of this impregnable fortress is a palace of exquisite splendour. The security is surprisingly light. Such is the nature of the strongholds of the powerful since ancient times. You’ve heard of the term ‘Efang Palace<ref name="ftn18">“Efang Palace” (阿房宮) is here pronounced “folly”. The Efang Palace (or Epang palace, or Afang palace, or Aboukyuu in Japanese) was a palace built by the first emperor of China. It was famed for its extravagance. It was sacked shortly after its construction. Many writers since then used it as the prime example of opulence being destroyed overnight.</ref>’, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah, just shut it, I get it.”

It was Walenkov who responded to Hyulick.

“Once we’ve slipped inside, we can move at our own pace. After all, we’ve been Duke Idris’ guests once. I managed to observe the city quite thoroughly during that time.”

Pagès added to that remark:

“We’ve taken down the computer system used for controlling the city’s functions. Now, Uraniborg is no different from Babylon or Ur, or whatever old cities of mankind were named.”

“You certainly know some rare names.”

“What? I’m just repeating what I heard from the Doctor.”

Alternating between conversation and sprinting, pushing through crowds and winding through deserted back alleys, the group of pirates successfully infiltrated the Clanner’s manor.

“What happened to that boy, Zelpha?”

“My husband is with him, so there’s nothing to worry about. Out of all of us, my husband is the most sensible one.”

“The moment he married Miranda, he ceased to be a sensible man.”

“Did you say something, Mahdi!?”

As Mahdi pressed his hand to his mouth, Jouslain and Balamy appeared on the floor above. They seemed to have noticed the commotion downstairs. Idris was nowhere to be seen. He likely had no concern for Hyulick’s affairs.

''What strange fellows'', thought Jouslain. When it was just the two of them with Balamy, the atmosphere had been so thick with tension and resolve that it was almost suffocating, and yet, the moment members of the Blaze Flag Army joined them, an almost irreverently cheerful energy enveloped their surroundings. They were surely not immortal themselves, and yet, Jouslain wondered if they would meet their deaths with that same cheer. He felt an emotion akin to envy.

Balamy, on the other hand, held neither affection nor trust for the Blaze Flag Army.

“Do not follow us. Do whatever you like, whether it be looting or otherwise. Just do not get in our way.”

“We have no intention of getting in your way, Milord Viscount. We are merely here to support Hyulick. We are technically allies, after all.”

As Miranda responded, she hoisted a large hand cannon onto her shoulder, looking remarkably dependable. Balamy stared at her with a mixture of exasperation and admiration, but he soon averted his eyes.

“In that case, fine.”

It seemed he had been somewhat overwhelmed by the female pirate and was annoyed at his own reaction.

“Let us move on, Duke Jouslain.”

Balamy turned on his heel and began to walk away. This time, Jouslain found himself following the younger man. Mahdi clicked his tongue.

“Honestly, why must we risk our lives for the sake of these dukes?” replied Miranda with a wicked grin. “Just think about your bankbook, Mahdi. Every time the number of zeros increases, your happiness index goes up with it.”

“What does that have to do with our current situation?”

“What I mean is, once the new Clanner takes office, he’ll likely offer you a massive reward.”

“Hmph, and why should I believe that?”

“Then why did you come along? You could have easily stayed behind on the ''Honest Old Man Junior''.”

Before Mahdi could respond, a volley of gunshots rang out, and bullets splintered against the marble floor. Quickly identifying the direction of the fire, Miranda ducked behind a statue and pulled the trigger of her hand cannon.

In truth, what Mahdi was planning was to plunder valuables from the Clanner’s manor. Between the gemstones, precious metals, and small works of art, the Clanner’s manor was meant to be the “greatest treasure trove of thieves in the universe”. Since he wasn’t stealing from the poor, Mahdi felt no pang of conscience.

“If the bathroom taps are made of gold, I’ll rip them right off and take them with me.”

That was precisely why Mahdi had arrived with a large rucksack on his back. It was light now because it was empty, but by the time he returned alive, it would likely weigh as much as a small child.

The blast of the hand cannon struck the surrounding air with a violent thud, and a thick streak of fire raced forward, blowing away a corner of the palace. Spirals of orange and grey erupted into the air. About ten newly arrived guards were hurled against the walls, their hands still clutching their weapons as they were sent flying.

“I was ordered by Duke Idris to set out from Uraniborg, and now I am pursuing that very same Duke. It’s an interesting life, isn’t it, Hyulick?”

“Thanks for the summary, Miranda.”

“It’s the life of a traitor, really.”

“Could you at least try to be less blunt about it?” grumbled Hyulick, averting his eyes from the human blood that had sprayed as far as the ceiling. “Doctor, say something.”

“Winner becomes king<ref name="ftn19">“Winners are loyalists” (勝てば官軍) which is the Japanese expression equivalent of “history is written by the winners”, is here pronounced “winner becomes king”.</ref>.”

“What on earth is that supposed to mean?”

“It is perhaps the greatest truth of life. Between the young nobles who went up to the upper floors and the Clanner likely waiting for them, which side will prevail, and which one will survive? This is the decisive moment for my thesis.”

As Hyulick genuinely wondered if Duchess Theresa might have been more sane than this man, the sound of gunfire rang out once again. The roar of the hand cannon had summoned more than thirty guards.

“Even so, why on earth do they not use an automated security system?”

“The mark of the upper class is to go out of one’s way to use humans for tasks that the poor would simply let machines handle. If her circumstances were different, Miranda too would likely be surrounded by thirty or fifty ladies-in-waiting.”

“It’s just not my style. I prefer to do what I can do for myself.”

“It is not just that. In practical terms, it creates employment. There is class discrimination, certainly, but that is a different matter altogether from slavery.”

Within the magnificent palace, the audacious group of space pirate terrorists known as the Blaze Flag Army continued their bloody rampage. Bullets and beams showered the area from all directions, but the counterattacks were so fierce that the dreamlike palace was transformed into a nightmarish skirmish. Overly ornate military uniforms lay scattered everywhere, serving as shrouds for the dead.

Finally, casualties began to fall among their own. Walenkov, who had been firing away with autorifles in both hands, suddenly tumbled as he attempted to dash from the hall towards the shelter of the stairs.

“Walenkov! Hey, what’s wrong!?”

“Ah, Pagès, having such a big body, it’s quite a disadvantage.”

Three holes had been pierced through Walenkov’s massive frame, and the flow of blood grew heavier with every passing second.

“Hold on, I’m going to get a doctor.”

“It’s no use. There’s no saving me.”

“Don’t go spouting lines like you’re some famous physician<ref name="ftn20">Walenkov used a ''cliché'' line (もう助からん) from medicine dramas/anime/manga.</ref>. Dying in a scene like this is for minor characters. It’s a cheap drama ''cliché''.”

“The drama will carry on, so I’ll leave the rest to you… It’s fine. I never thought I’d die in such a magnificent… palace.”

His voice faltered, the bubbles of blood burst, and Walenkov ceased to move. The pirates surrounding him, having witnessed the boundary between life and death, paid their respects to the deceased in their own ways. Miranda closed his eyelids, and Doctor Lee placed the man’s favourite handgun upon his broad chest.

“We have to move. This place is far too exposed. If we are surrounded, we will all end up following Walenkov.”

Suppressing their sentimentality, the pirates resumed their frantic sprint. Bullets splintered against the marble floor, flashes of light scattered, and gunshots rang out in rapid succession. Led by Doctor Lee, the pirates scrambled into the cover of a building and some hedges. They were fortunate not to have suffered a second casualty.

“This is a story that no one has ever confirmed, but…” Doctor Lee looked around at the group. “There is an urban legend—or rather a space legend—that an ultimate weapon is passed down through the successive Clanners. We can’t laugh this off.”

“An ultimate weapon, eh?”

Miranda gave a sardonic laugh.

“Is it a massive bomb capable of blowing up a star? Sounds like something straight out of a children’s anime.”

“No, it is a small black box<ref name="ftn21">“Black box” (黒箱) is pronounced “black box”.</ref>, about the size of one’s palm. And it has a red button on it.”

“And what happens when you press the button?”

There was a tone in Mahdi’s voice that seemed to be weighing the monetary value of this so-called “ultimate weapon”.

“Uraniborg will fall to the surface of the planet Vardana,” replied the Doctor with a quietness that felt entirely out of place. “The attitude control system of Uraniborg will be rendered useless.”