Choosing the Future

“The Black Silver Glory” jetted its thrusters and moved away from the fortress disguised as an asteroid.

Setsuko was watching his back on a large screen set up in what he thought was the fortress command center.

“‘The Black Silver Glory’, relative velocity now five kilometers per second. We will be leaving the asteroid field shortly.”

Mitsuki will tell us what’s going on.

“Good luck, head …….”

It had been a short relationship, but Settsu felt that he had helped her a lot. In more ways than just life.

“Unfortunately, I’m afraid that’s going to be difficult”

When Mitsuki said that, Setsuko felt his heart stop.

“Why?”
“Yes. Please take a look at this. This is the situation in the vicinity of the fortress and the asteroid belt”

A map-like object appeared on the screen. In the center was the asteroid belt, and around it were many small dots moving around. It was a schematic diagram.

“As of now, we have confirmed 34 ships in the vicinity of the asteroid belt. We have identified seven ships from further away that will arrive within the next 30 minutes alone. All of them are expected to be enemy ships of the Black Silver Glory, but according to their positions and expected performance, there is a 0.5% chance that the Black Silver Glory will be able to escape without being sunk”
“Such a ……. What are the chances that your predictions will be wrong?”
“It’s been factored in. The tactical simulation of this fortress has been confirmed in numerous battles to be extremely accurate in predicting battles, especially when fighting in small numbers”

In the schematic diagram on the screen, a small dot of light suddenly began to move. They seemed to be gathering towards the “Black Silver Glory”.

“The Black Silver Glory has been captured.”

(Run away, please. Run away. Somehow successfully ……!)

Setsueto prayed.

On the screen, dots of light were streaking across the “Black Silver Glory”.

“Commander, I have an update on the status of this fortress”

Suddenly, Mitsuki spoke up.

“Many functions of this fortress are currently disabled, but the fortress’ main gun is still operational. That’s all I have to say.”
“The main gun?”
“Yes, sir. If used, there is an 87% chance of sinking all enemy ships with a single blow.”
“87% ……”

Settsu spat. If we shoot it, we can save the “Black Silver Glory”.

However, even though he is a bounty hunter, he is chasing the Black Silver Glory, for which the Empire has put a bounty on his head. To interfere with this would be treason against the Empire.

(What should we do?)

If I abandon the “Black Silver Glory”, I can return home. Even after everything that happened, the Count’s house is the house where Setsu was born. I have a desire to return.

But is it right to abandon them?

There were people who cried at Setsu’s story. There were people who hugged me. Some of them were the first to tell me that I could go back home.

A long time ago, my father, Hagglal, told me.

“A nobleman must fight for what he believes in, for justice. Once they betray that, the Dragoon becomes nothing more than a violent device”

I am sure that my father’s decision to banish Setsuto was also his own belief.

For this, Setsueto, the Count Duke of Weil, died.

“…… Mitski, prepare to fire main gun.”
“Yes, sir. The main turret group of the Varauskirv fortress, Gungnir, is beginning energy loading. The target is thirty-four hostile ships, and the prohibited target is the Black Silver Glory, both of which are registered in the fire control system. Sir. Are you sure you want to sink them all?”

For a moment, a desire to minimize sacrifice flashed through Setsu’s mind.

However, this is a bad idea. If we don’t know the extent of the enemy’s will to fight and the extent of the damage to the Black Silver Glory, we can’t afford to minimize it.

“Show no mercy to the enemy. Shoot them all down.”
“Yes, sir. You have one minute to complete your energy charge.”

Setsueto nodded.

If I shoot this, I can’t go back. I have to say goodbye to the person I’ve always believed I would be riding a dragoon and fighting for the Empire in the future.

Settsu clenched his fists.

At that time, the “Glorious Black Silver” was staggering through space.

The damage is extensive.

With the loss of a third of her evasive maneuvering starter, and a large hole in her belly, she could no longer maneuver with the same agility as before.

It was a situation where the best they could do was to fire on the enemy ships that were swarming to finish them off and check them.

“Oh, head, this is no good.”

On the bridge, Keuk had his head in his hands.

“All of them are like a bowl of rice that I don’t even know the name of, but there are too many of them”
“I guess it’s impossible. We took too many detours”

Kitty is rather relaxed.

“You know. Too much charity, you know.”

The men on the bridge laughed, no doubt about it.

They had been reckless from the moment they found the spacecraft that had sent out the SOS.

It was immediately clear that the spacecraft had left the castle compound of the Countess of Weil by calculating the trajectory backwards. This was the same Count family that had announced the death of their eldest son. Thinking that something was going on, they dared to choose to rescue him.

In addition, they had gone to the trouble of landing in the asteroid field to make some non-emergency repairs. It was indeed unexpected that there was a fortress of ruins, but even if there wasn’t, he was going to get them off the ship for the right reasons.

The result of all this is this number of enemies.

“Well, it’s always nice to die doing something good.”
“Well, head, you’re gonna have to have sex with me one last time.”
“No.”
“Oh, no! I kept my virginity for you…”
“No, you’re an amateur virgin. My virginity can only be done by a beautiful boy virgin.”
“I should’ve killed that Count-duke.”

The bridge was filled with laughter.

The ship was hit and shook violently.

Seeing that the counterattack of the “Black Silver Glory” has faded, the enemy ships are coming at us more boldly than ever.

(Sinking.)

The moment everyone thought so.

“Fire”
“Roger”

Hundreds of lightning bolts tore through space.

The 25 ships that took direct hits were instantly obliterated.

Five of the ships that survived the direct hit were also sunk, losing engines and other vital parts of their hulls, and most of the rest were severely damaged and wrecked. Some of the ships had their main thrusters induced to explode, while others had their electronic systems destroyed.

Only two ships were unharmed.

“Enemy ship destroyed. ……. Firing point, Sett’s fortress. ……”

The bridge of the “Black Silver Glory” was filled with surprise.

“Oh, my God. ……”

It was far beyond the level of any weapon I had ever seen. With just a single shot, it could sink or destroy over thirty battle ships, a feat that not even the Empire’s pride and joy, the Dragoon, could accomplish.

“Head, not yet! Don’t dawdle!”

The two remaining enemy ships began to accelerate at full speed towards the “Black Silver Glory”.

He’s going to ram it in.

The “Black Silver Glory” opened fire to stop the two ships, which made random evasive maneuvers as they closed the distance for the kill shot.

Lightning flashed from the fortress again.

Both enemy ships were vaporized by the excessive and concentrated fire.

“Telegraphic communication from the fortress. [Are you all right, head?]”
“…… That Count duke is surprisingly stupid, isn’t he?”

Kitty muttered.

“No, I think he’s in love with you head.”
“I see. I’m such a sinful woman. Send me back a telegram. It says, ‘I want to see you soon. Okay.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll send back [We need immediate repairs].”

The bridge of the “Glorious Black Silver” is light.

“That’s strange. When did the traitor get on my ship? Can’t you just connect us on video?”
“I’ll connect you”

Soon, Setsuko’s image appeared on the screen. Right beside him was that person, Mitsuki.

“Set, you idiot.”

Kitty cursed as she opened her mouth.

“Head. I want to live with you.”

Kitty was taken by surprise. It was too vivid a surprise.

“What the hell are you talking about, you idiot? ……”

Kitty’s face turned red and she did her best to reply.

“What the hell? What’s going on ……”

At that time, one of the “Rice in a Bowl” was stunned on the bridge of his ship.

This is the man who hurriedly set sail when he was approached by his companions who were in pursuit of Kittycia’s ship, the Black Silver Glory, for which there was a large bounty on his head.

The ships of my companions that were heading ahead of us finally caught the and began to fight, and with a large fleet of 34 ships attacking one ship, we would have had a battle that we could not lose.

If we don’t catch up soon, we won’t be able to receive our share. As I was chasing after them with this in mind, the reactions of most of the 34 ships that were fighting ahead of us disappeared in an instant.

The few remaining companions seemed to be simply drifting at constant speed through space, following their previous inertia.

If this ship had been observing with an optical blunderbox, he would have been able to see the beam bombardment, but unfortunately his ship did not have optical observations.

“Is there a malfunction in the detection system?”
“No, I don’t think so, since Black Silver Glory Black Silver is in the picture and moving. ……”
“Then what is it? A mysterious new weapon?”
“You’ve been watching too much fiction”
“Oh, I see. So, you’re saying that the Grand Fleet is being kept under wraps?”
“It’s the most realistic, but it’s still impractical.”

The captain was just about to say, “Then what?” when an electronic beep sounded.

“It comes with a video from ‘The Glory of Black Silver.”

“Get it out”

The captain of the “Black Silver Glory” was projected on the screen in front of the bridge.

A beautiful red-haired woman was sitting cross-legged on a red sofa that looked out of place on the bridge of a spaceship. She is only nineteen years old, and could be called a little girl, but the bounty placed on her by the Empire is one billion.

I’m sure the “bloodline” and “inherited ship and crew” were taken into account, but I’m also certain that the bounty is worth the achievement.

“I don’t think I need to introduce myself, but I don’t need you to introduce yourself either. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in being trapped”

Kitty challenged him with a quick smile.