Editing Tytania:Volume 5 Chapter 4 (section)

=== V ===
Jouslain rushed back to the bridge. With every step, he cast aside his misplaced romanticism and returned to the stage of slaughter and destruction. The moment he took his seat in the command chair, the search officer’s cry rang out.

“The ''Black Prince''’s main guns are bearing towards us!”

“All ships, disperse!” commanded Jouslain instantly. “Do not look to others! Think only of your own survival!”

“''Austra'' turning, departing Uraniborg at maximum combat speed!”

Captain Edna Fredericks’ voice was sharp and taut with tension.

There was perhaps a single moment to draw breath before a flash of light streaked towards the eight o’clock position from the ''Austra''. Everything in sight turned monochrome as fireballs engulfed dozens of ships at once. The embrace of death and destruction was devoid of mercy or pity, swallowing countless fates.

“Communications lost with first-class battleship ''Montran''!”

“Communications lost with heavy cruiser ''Agora''!”

“Currently, approximately ninety ships are unaccounted for!”

Jouslain suppressed a sigh.

“Continue attempting to establish contact.”

On the screen viewed from the command seat, hundreds of millions of dust particles floated. They were the remains of living and non-living things, all having endured a merciless onslaught.

“It feels as though we have been mowed down.”

“We were swallowed whole in a single bite,” replied Balamy, his voice heavy with exhaustion and resentment.

Both Ariabert and Jouslain had thought that there was no tactical significance to launching a single ship, but as a mere display of violence below the level of tactics, it had been more than significant.

“Your Grace, if a second strike comes…”

Just as Commodore Yuan voiced his apprehension, another voice struck Jouslain’s ears.

“No, a second strike will not come.”

Hyulick stood where all eyes were focused. According to him, even that massive vessel did not possess infinite power. They would likely have reserved enough energy to destroy the entirety of Uraniborg.

“I have a small idea.”

“What is it?”

“A method to neutralise the ''Black Prince''. It would be difficult to destroy that enormous dinosaur through firepower alone.”

“Are you perchance thinking of a ramming manoeuvre?”

“Duke Jouslain, as expected from you, your insight is impeccable. I am truly impressed.”

“I am honoured by your praise. However, would it not be futile to ram such a massive hull?”

“No, Duke Jouslain, I agree with Mr&nbsp;Hyulick.”

Balamy supported Hyulick with a rare fervour.

“We could direct about twenty ships at maximum speed towards a single point. Unmanned, of course. What would then happen if we pincer the ''Black Prince'' between itself and the outer hull of Uraniborg, rendering it unable to move?”

“We would then send in mobile infantry to capture Radmoth?”

“Yes, we shall detain him. Furthermore, I am in favour of Mr&nbsp;Hyulick’s plan.”

“Um, I… I mean, I also agree with Viscount Balamy. However, I have just one point of divergence.”

“And what is that?”

Hyulick chose his words with great care.

“Detaining Baron Radmoth would be futile and would only leave seeds of future resentment. If I may be so bold, I recommend his immediate elimination.”

“Very well.”

Jouslain nodded deeply.

“We shall decide on the matter of Radmoth after the operation has succeeded. If absolutely necessary, I authorise his execution. Naturally, I shall take full responsibility.”

“As you wish.”

“Then, shall we proceed with that?”

At that moment, all three of them were muttering the same words to themselves.

“I never imagined I would end up fighting side-by-side with these two.”



Over at Uraniborg, Idris was shouting in fury.

“For now, fire at the ''Black Prince''! He’s a rebel who actually launched an attack on Uraniborg. Neutralise it first, and we shall deal with the rest later!”

“He”—his younger brother, Radmoth. Was he truly going to have to kill his own flesh and blood with his own hands? The mere thought was, as expected, horrific. However, having reached this point, if he did not kill him, he himself would be killed. Idris no longer doubted his brother’s intentions. Radmoth intended to wipe out both his elder brother and the Clanner together.

''“The Clanner…”''

Idris shuddered. Had the Clanner not granted Radmoth command of the ''Black Prince'', this situation would never have come to pass. It was the Clanner’s responsibility that had brought the brothers to the point of killing one another. It was also the Clanner who had ordered Zelpha to act as the perpetrator in the assassination of Duke Ariabert. Ajman was apparently merely using them while only pretending to hold Idris’ brothers in high regard.

No. The Clanner was not merely pretending. Perhaps he had been blatantly using him from the very beginning, and Idris had simply deluded himself into believing he was held in high regard. Could it be that Idris had merely been toyed with, blinded by the Clanner’s prestige…?

''“If push comes to shove, I shall use the Clanner as my shield.”''

Idris had steeled himself with that much resolve and spirit. However, the uncertainty lay in how many of his subordinates would truly face death by his side. Even if they pointed their guns at the Clanner on Idris’ command, a single glance from Ajman might make their knees buckle, causing them to turn their barrels toward Idris instead. In terms of what people call charisma, Idris did not come close to the level of Ajman.

Idris thought of his own death. He did not believe he feared death itself, but he could not endure a dishonourable end. Furthermore, as long as he remained ignorant of Clanner Ajman’s true intentions, he could not find peace in dying. Should he happen to be killed by Radmoth, he would be left with nothing but to become a ghost. It was a state of mind far removed from true enlightenment.

“We are under engagement!”

The reconnaissance officer’s voice dragged Idris from the depths of his contemplation.

“What do you mean, ‘under engagement’?”

“The ''Black Prince'' is under attack!”

“Is it an ally!?”

“N-no, it’s… the enemy. Vessels from the AJ Alliance.”

Idris furrowed his brow and stared at the screen, somewhat dazed.

“The AJ Alliance is attacking the ''Black Prince''! H-how are we to interpret this?”

Even anyone other than Idris would have been confused. He pressed a finger against the space between his eyebrows. He wondered whether it was simply a matter of rejoicing at the fact that “enemies” were engaging one another.

“Just who is an ally, and who is an enemy? Can I assume that the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”

Because his opponent was Jouslain, he needed to discern his true intentions. It would have been most ideal if the man were to take Radmoth down with him, but he was not such a fool.

Before executing their ramming manoeuvre, Jouslain and his crew needed to deceive the enemy. They concentrated an absurdly massive amount of firepower onto a single point on the ''Black Prince''’s main battery. As an incalculable amount of light and heat suddenly converged, one of the ''Black Prince''’s forward main turrets transformed into a mass of light and energy before exploding into fragments. While dozens of serpents of light writhed in midair only to vanish one after another, the destroyed turret collapsed, flickering with blue and white light.

“We did it!”

Cheers and the sound of high-fives echoed across the bridge of the ''Austra''.

“Serve you right! Did you learn your lesson yet?”

“They thought they were invincible… how arrogant.”

Hyulick was under a slight illusion. Even though they were within the Tytania camp, he felt as if he were in the very heart of the Blaze Flag Army. There was no difference in the hearts of the soldiers between Tytania and the anti-Tytania forces. The only difference lay in the intentions of the high command.

The communications officer spoke up. A message had arrived from Uraniborg. Had they come to say, “Thank you for your help”?

They had not.

Idris’ gaze sharply scanned every corner of the screen. He fixed his eyes on Jouslain, who was in the centre of the display, and interrogated him:

''“Where is Zelpha?”''

“I cannot say where he is, but I guarantee his safety.”

''“Guarantee it?”''

“Upon my honour as a Tytanian noble.”

For Idris, it was the most effective line possible. Idris opened his lips as if to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

Jouslain pressed him:

“By the way, whatever happened to your other brother?”

''“I do not consider that person to be my brother.”''

“Such prejudice, though I suppose I understand.”

A voice, sounding somewhat out of place, drifted through the air, and Idris’ gaze snapped to fix upon a man who was not wearing a Tytania uniform.

''“Fan Hyulick! You bastard, what kind of face do you dare bring here…”''

“This face, right here. Well, we shall speak again in due course.”

At that moment, on the bridge of the ''Black Prince'', a second officer shot by Radmoth lay sprawled on the floor.

“Fool. Did he truly think he would be forgiven if he laid down his arms only now?”

Radmoth let out a boisterous laugh. That officer had paid the price for attempting to persuade the Clanner to grant him clemency.

The ''Black Prince''’s staff officers learned for the first time that a hollow laugh, even one filled with such force, could exist. They stood frozen, paralysed by despair and terror.

“I have two choices. Either I shall become the master of Uraniborg or die a traitor. There is no other path.”

If one were to listen to those words alone, it seemed as though Radmoth possessed the qualities of a ruthless tyrant far greater than those of Jouslain or Idris.

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