Is there anyone who hates receiving gifts?
What if the giver was Dalip, the man who once held the Empire in the palm of his hand?
“Welcome. Hahaha!”
Dalip laughed jovially while adjusting his belt. He looked better than any time I had seen him before.
“Hahaha. That was an incredible display of martial prowess. As expected of the greatest man in the Empire.”
I laughed along with him, offering a bit of lip service.
“Indeed. It is embarrassing to say it myself, but there is no man in the Empire more distinguished than I.”
Despite the existence of the Emperor, he praised himself. I suppose that was just like Dalip. If his race had been a dragon, he surely would have tried to become the Emperor himself.
“Though not quite on my level, your performance was also quite impressive.”
‘You have some nerve saying that. You dumped your garbage on me and made me work my ass off. I even lost two ships and one captain.’
“It was only possible because Your Highness broke the enemy’s spirit with your magnificent bravery.”
“Enough modesty. One who has performed a great service must be rewarded. That is why I stopped you despite your busy schedule.”
Dalip signaled to a subordinate. It was coming. Something was coming.
*Creak—! Creak—!*
It was a cage on wheels. It was covered with a black cloth, making it impossible to see the contents.
“You are going to be quite surprised once you see this.”
*Flutter—!*
Dalip pulled back the black cloth.
‘Holy shit!!’
Inside was a woman of the Dog Tribe with spotted patterns. She looked like a human base with dog ears and a tail added. However, her skin had black and white patterns, much like a Holstein cow.
“This is Eung-run, known as the most beautiful woman in District Nine. I am giving her to you. You may dispose of her however you see fit. From what I have heard, you are quite the celebrity in District Sixteen as well.”
Dalip wore a vague smile. It seemed my reputation had spread this far. Just what kind of life had the original owner of this body lived?
“Well? Do you like her? I wanted to keep her for myself, but I am specially handing her over to you. Ahem—!”
Did he think this was a custom gift for me? To a notorious womanizer, this was undoubtedly the ultimate prize.
“I will never forget Your Highness’s grace.”
I bowed my head for a moment. My mind was a bit of a mess.
‘Is Dalip, a notorious womanizer, giving up the most beautiful woman in District Nine?’
It felt strangely suspicious. Regardless, he seemed to have a favorable impression of me, so perhaps I could ask for one more favor?
“Your Highness. May I ask for a letter?”
“What is it?”
“Please command Marshal Jozida to assist our Humildas.”
Dalip was currently a fugitive who had fled the capital after a rebellion. I doubted anyone would listen to his orders, but it was better than nothing.
“That is not difficult. Only if District Sixteen holds out well can I easily take over District Nine. That fellow Jozida won’t be able to ignore my words.”
*Scribble—! Scribble—!*
Dalip readily wrote the letter. Why was this guy being so kind to me?
“Here it is. I have kept a busy man for too long. You should get going.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness.”
Just as I was about to bow and withdraw…
“Oh, right! I have also prepared a latest model light destroyer for you. Take it. It wouldn’t do for you to be in danger on such a long journey.”
“Th… Thank you.”
Was this man always this meticulous? Why was he acting like this? It was terrifying!
***
“Ooh—!”
The crew marveled as they saw the ship.
“Wow!! Isn’t that a luxury model, sir?”
Teng-chil was also full of admiration. It was certainly sleek. If Yang Maru could modify this ship, a masterpiece would surely be born. It was a shame I obtained it so late.
“You will take command of Ship Number 2.”
“Thank you, Young Master! I will serve you with all my loyalty!”
The captain of Ship Number 2 saluted. I gave a casual wave of my hand and boarded my own ship.
*Creak—! Creak—!*
The iron cage containing Eung-run followed behind me.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Who was this woman to cause such a stir? Doesn’t the title of the most beautiful woman in District Nine give you a hint? She was the favorite mistress of Marshal Imperium.
“She is an incredible beauty, sir.”
Teng-chil gulped.
I really couldn’t understand these guys’ standards of beauty. At least she looked more human than my bug-eyed former fiancée, but she wasn’t my style at all. Putting aside the cow-like spots all over her body, she felt far removed from the image of beauty from the world I lived in.
“Wow!! This is the ultimate spoil of war.”
“As expected of the greatest womanizer of District Sixteen, his spoils are incredible.”
“She’s beautiful. I’m so jealous.”
“Seriously. If I could just hold her once, I’d have no more wishes.”
“A beauty like that is truly rare.”
the voices of the crew members pricked my ears.
‘Sigh. I can hear everything, you idiots.’
If this ability had awakened when I was a child, I probably would have lost my mind. I heard that this ability was a top-tier secret of the family.
It must have been a torment to hear people talking behind his back at a young age and have to pretend he didn’t. It was enough to make someone turn crooked. I could understand just a little bit why the previous owner of this body became a scoundrel.
“You are truly a heartless person! To lock a lady in an iron cage like this.”
Eung-run spoke in a haughty tone. Her pride was sky-high. She seemed to be planning to seduce me and see what she could get.
“You, shut your mouth!”
If I let her out and she ran away, it would be a headache. That woman had a strange ability called “Homing Instinct.” You could basically think of it as a Return Scroll.
“Captain!”
the First Officer approached. Her gaze shifted to the cage once before returning to me.
“What do you plan to do with that woman?”
I was also in a bind. For now, it was better to have her than not. If I kept her, I could use her as a bargaining chip.
“Taking her as a concubine will incur the wrath of Marshal Imperium. And I do not recommend taking her for fun, either.”
“I have no intention of doing that. I plan to use her as a bargaining chip, so make sure no one lays a finger on her!”
It would be troublesome if unnecessary misunderstandings arose. It wouldn’t do for relations with Marshal Imperium to reach a point of no return. I was planning to hand the Saint of Lucifel over to him and make my exit—to District Twenty-Four, the land of milk and honey.
“Understood!”
Satisfied with my answer, the First Officer saluted.
“Oh, right. Never let her out of the cage. Don’t even go near it. When feeding her, put the food on a plate without any utensils. When you give it to her, push it in with something like a stick.”
Her physical strength was negligible. So why treat her so harshly? Because her ability to escape was second to none. If it hadn’t been for Dalip, she probably would have escaped already. She absolutely could not come out of that specially treated iron cage. She also wasn’t allowed to interact with anyone else.
“Put her in solitary confinement and monitor her strictly 24 hours a day.”
“That, too, I understand.”
I assigned the few female crew members to Eung-run. I didn’t know what kind of trouble she might cause if I assigned male crew members to her.
***
Dalip smiled as he watched Pak-yu’s fleet recede into the distance.
“She’s a woman too good to let go of like that.”
“Haven’t you enjoyed her enough, Your Highness?”
“That’s why it’s such a waste. I think I understand why that fellow Imperium cherishes her so much.”
“But you have discarded one concern in exchange, haven’t you?”
“True. With this, there’s no way that kid will end up siding with Imperium.”
Deep down, he wanted to kill him. But now that he had to step out into public activities, he couldn’t do that. Furthermore, Pak-yu was carrying out an important mission. If he killed him for no reason and District Sixteen failed to get reinforcements and collapsed, it wouldn’t be good for Dalip either.
“Ideally, I’d like him to die at the hands of Imperium during the war.”
“Your Highness seems to hold that man in high regard.”
“My intuition is rarely wrong.”
***
The next destination was District Seven. To get from District Nine to District Seven, one had to cross the Green River Area. A pale green nebula flowed long across several star systems.
In terms of feel, you could think of it as a wide and long river.
There were not many ships that could travel through this place without restrictions. For a normal ship, just pushing through that flowing nebula was a struggle. Almost all the energy of the fusion reactor had to be used for engine output. Naturally, there were also heavy restrictions on using shields and cannons.
“Captain. A stop signal.”
In the distance, a fortress gun aimed at us. Since we were still inside the nebula, we were defenseless. If they attacked, we would be sitting ducks.
**[State your identification code and purpose of visit.]**
“I am an envoy of Marshal Humildas. I have come to see Marshal Jozida, the ruler of District Five.”
**[Identification code confirmed. You may pass.]**
We passed the fortress safely. In this star system, one absolutely had to pass that fortress to exit the Green River Area.
“Whew…”
The crew members relaxed. Being targeted by a massive fortress gun while defenseless was not a pleasant experience.
“Our fleet is exiting the Green River Area.”
From here on, warping was free. We just had to find a suitable planet and head to where Marshal Jozida was stationed.
For reference, here in District Seven, two Marshalates were in a state of confrontation. Marshal Jozida was staying at the front lines rather than at the Marshalate center.
“Activate warp drive!”
*Warp.*
*Warp.*
*Warp.*
After several interstellar warps, we safely arrived at our destination.
“Docking at the fortress!”
Perhaps because Marshal Jozida was the brave general type, he was staying in a fortress rather than on a planet. His personality was also known to be impatient and violent.
*Thud!*
I was immediately guided to the audience chamber. Behind me, the First Officer and Sudo-tongtae followed.
“The envoy is entering.”
Uniformed soldiers were lined up on both sides of the audience chamber. Perhaps because the war was in full swing, everyone was strictly disciplined. It was the exact opposite feeling of Marshal Humildas’s headquarters. There was a considerable amount of pressure.
“Envoy of Marshal Humildas, Pak-yu—”
“Ah, that’s enough. Just bring the letter.”
Marshal Jozida was of the Troll race. He didn’t look much different from the trolls one would imagine. His physique was quite substantial, making even Sudo-tongtae look small.
*Slide—!*
When I presented the letter, he unfurled the parchment.
“I’ve heard the rumors. It seems the blood of wanting what belongs to others flows through that Imperium fellow’s family. That guy has his nose in everything. Tsk.”
Marshal Jozida also disliked Imperium. In a way, it was natural. He was the best friend and ally of Marshal Kronos, the one Jozida was currently facing off against.
This was the reason I came here. Isn’t it said that the enemy of my enemy is my friend?
“If our Humildas Marshalate is devoured by that wolf, his influence will grow. After that, he will turn his teeth toward this place.”
“I know. I know, but we’re also strapped for resources right now.”
*Tap! Tap! Tap!*
He drummed his thick fingers on the armrest. He seemed to be deep in thought.
‘I knew he’d react that way.’
Marshal Jozida had a strong tendency to focus on what was right in front of him. There was no way such a man would send troops all the way to the distant District Sixteen.
“Marshal. I met His Highness Dalip on my way here. There is a letter he asked me to deliver.”
“What?!”
I delivered Dalip’s letter. Marshal Jozida’s cheeks quivered. He didn’t want to agree, but it was hard to refuse.
If he ignored it and Dalip took over District Nine, things would be awkward. But if he complied, he’d have to worry about the capital’s reaction, and he’d lose face in front of his subordinates.
So, I tested the waters.
“By any chance… would there be anyone among Your Excellency’s guest generals who would be willing to help us?”
Jozida was the most influential warlord in the northeast region. Naturally, there were many guest generals following him to claim a piece of the pie.
“Ahem. Yes, that’s right. Is there no one here willing to step forward to save District Sixteen?”
Marshal Jozida asked, looking at the generals lined up.
*Whoosh—!*
Silence fell over the audience chamber. No one raised a hand.
It was only natural. Why would they go all the way there when there was nothing to gain?
“It seems there is no one. It can’t be helped. I will contribute 500 of my ships. Any more is impossible.”
He was doing just enough to save face. Those 500 ships were likely just patrol ships.
“Would fifty heavy artillery ships be possible instead?”
I thought about it for a moment. Fifty heavy artillery ships were far more valuable than 500 patrol ships.
“So be it. But whom should I send?”
Marshal Jozida scanned the generals. Everyone was busy avoiding his gaze.
“Marshal. If I may be so bold, are the guest generals here the only ones?”
“That is not the case. There are a few more.”
“Then, may I attempt to persuade one of them myself?”
“Do as you wish. They are not my subordinates.”
His attitude was that he had nothing to lose. That was because Marshal Jozida didn’t really rely on guest generals. For the most part, he only used them as cannon fodder in attrition battles.
‘Arrogant as always.’
Marshal Jozida looked down on guest generals. He believed the army he raised personally was the best.
He was right to some extent. Jozida’s Silver Mobile Corps was considered one of the five greatest military forces in the Empire, excluding Dalip.
The corps was entirely composed of the latest model heavy destroyers. The exteriors were painted in a conspicuous silver, and the main batteries were all equipped with single-shot heavy guns. The single-shot heavy gun was a monstrous weapon that could melt even shields at close range. They were expensive, had a short range, and a slow rate of fire, but their performance was undeniable.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
I bowed politely and withdrew.
*Thud—!*
The door closed. I could hear the conversation inside.
—I heard rumors he was a scoundrel, but he’s more polite than I expected.
It was truly surprising that my reputation had spread even this far.
—Isn’t it because he was overwhelmed by the Marshal’s presence?
It wasn’t that much. I had faced Dalip right in front of me; would I be intimidated by someone like Jozida? Besides, that guy could be easily dealt with by Sudo-tongtae.
—More importantly, who does he plan to go to?
—Who else could it be?
—Hahaha. He must be going to that pack of beggars.
They also knew who I was going to find.
“Captain?”
When I stood still, the First Officer called out to me quietly.
“Let’s go.”
***
A raccoon was washing an apple in a fountain. Someone spoke quietly beside him.
“I hear Pak-yu has gone to see Marshal Jozida as an envoy.”
“Wha—at?!”
He was so shocked that the apple he was washing fell into the fountain with a splash.
“They say Pak-go’s son, Pak-yu, went.”
“This is madness! Why would they send that scoundrel…! Is that man Pak-go in his right mind?”
“Weren’t you already not expecting much from Marshal Jozida’s reinforcements anyway?”
“Even so, who knows if he might have sent a guest general or two? If that fellow Pak-yu went, it’s a lost cause.”
His body trembled as he remembered the time he was summoned to be given a reward. There was no scoundrel quite like him.
“But didn’t Marshal Yu Go-girl bring an army in person?”
Yu Go-girl was in a state where he couldn’t even breathe, pushed back by Marshal Kronos Khan, who was confronting Jozida. If Kronos Khan hadn’t been occupied with Jozida, Yu Go-girl would have had to resign from the marshal position long ago.
“Tsk…!”
It wasn’t particularly satisfying. Marshal Yu Go-girl’s influence had shriveled to the point where it was embarrassing to even call him a Marshal.
***
*Warp.*
*Warp.*
I led the fleet through two warps. It was a place somewhat biased toward the rear.
“Captain. We have arrived at our destination.”
However…
As soon as we arrived, a transmission came in. A single gunboat approached us from afar.
**[By any chance, are you the envoy of Marshal Humildas?]**
This man certainly had an incredible nose for things.
“Nice to meet you. General Naparreureu. I am Pak-yu.”
Naparreureu. He was the damn highwayman I had to take with me.
The fellow flapped his large ears.