A massive gas planet appeared in the distance.
Several moons orbited around it.
The structures built on those moons looked painfully impoverished. To put it bluntly, they looked like a slum.
“Thank you for coming all the way to such a humble place.”
Judging by Naparreu’s attitude, he didn’t seem to feel a single shred of shame.
‘Right. This is exactly how he was.’
His family was of the fallen nobility. They ran a small-scale textile business in a peripheral colony. Deciding that they couldn’t go on like that, they sent their heir to the military academy.
However, the Great Alien Invasion event unexpectedly occurred. Even though he was just a cadet, he was drafted and sent to the battlefield.
He had a talent for war. With his extraordinary sense, he achieved victory after victory. Before long, he rose to the rank of general.
It wasn’t an enemy that brought his meteoric rise to a halt. It was the Emperor’s warriors, the collusion between the marshals and local powers, and the shift toward regional warlordism.
The world had changed.
Warlords and nobles prioritized personal connections. The military achievements established by Naparreu, who came from a humble background, were undervalued. Instead, he received nothing but jealousy, envy, and scrutiny.
That was the reason his military camp looked the way it did.
“Looking at the state of your ships, it feels like it’s been a long time since they’ve seen combat,” I said, looking at the warships outside the window.
“My army hasn’t been given a proper opportunity to earn merit. I don’t know how many months it’s been already.”
Naparreu smiled bitterly.
“To let such a large army sit idle… I don’t know what Marshal Jozida is thinking.”
Perhaps Marshal Jozida was a wiser man than I thought.
‘Isn’t it because betrayal is written all over your face? You big-eared guy.’
I first learned about this guy because of an achievement. Because of that, I once played as Marshal Humildas, a character I didn’t even like.
‘How am I supposed to clear this!’
Clearing that achievement was not easy. It would have been easier to just unify the galaxy as Humildas. So, I turned my attention to external forces.
There was a lot of trial and error. Eventually, I found Naparreu, a guest general under Marshal Jozida.
‘This is it!’
It was good at first. The problem was that as soon as his power grew even slightly, he would turn around and challenge me.
His political ability wasn’t bad either. His way of buttering up the local influential families was truly an art.
I remember how flustered I was the first time it happened.
‘What the… What kind of bastard is this?’
After getting a “Game Over” because of him, I kept watching him. It was like stalking an ex-girlfriend’s social media. I watched with a feeling of, ‘Let’s see how well you do.’
‘Holy crap!’
But lo and behold, he ended up unifying the galaxy.
‘So he wasn’t a fragile sunfish after all?’
He had died quickly under Marshal Jozida. He was the type to overreach because he was blinded by military merit. He was a character not even worth paying attention to. However, once the stage was set for him, he became a terrifyingly dangerous man.
“What use is it having many? Most of my 2,000 ships are corvettes. They aren’t a big help to our combat power.”
“With your skills, General Naparreu, would the type of warship really matter that much?”
Naparreu smiled bitterly again.
—Heavy artillery ships are the gods of war.
That was a phrase he always uttered in the game. His favorite ship type was also the heavy artillery ship.
A heavy artillery ship could be seen as a mobile fortress cannon. However, they had frustrating mobility, low defense, and a slow rate of fire. They were a difficult ship type to utilize on the battlefield. The one who used these tricky heavy artillery ships best was Naparreu.
And that was why.
“I have received a promise of fifty heavy artillery ships from the Marshal.”
“Is that true?!”
Naparreu’s eyes sparkled. He had gained confidence.
“And please, take a look at this.”
I unfurled a map.
All of Region 16.
Part of Region 17.
Part of Region 18.
Marshal Humildas’s sphere of influence was marked on it.
“Once this war is over, it will be difficult for our Marshal to manage all of that land.”
The extent of Marshal Humildas’s capacity was exactly this much.
“Ah…! If I establish merit in this war, he will grant me part of it as a fief.”
I said the exact same thing I had told Uganaoda, the foster son of U-heuk.
In fantasy terms, it was like being a Marcher Lord. Especially in Region 17, which was split in half with Marshal Poena.
“The era is calling for you, General Naparreu.”
At my words, his large ears quivered. He was usually good at hiding his emotions, but right now, he had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
Why was I going to such lengths to persuade him?
This guy had some stashed-away money. He would use that money to buy the troops of other guest generals. Then, he would be able to scrape together roughly 3,000 ships. I was inducing him to go all-in.
He jumped to his feet, his large ears flapping.
“Marshal Humildas, a hero of the Great Alien Invasion, is in danger. How could I just stand by and watch? I, Naparreu, will lend a hand, however small it may be.”
“Thank you. It will be a huge help.”
Internally, I shouted for joy. With this, I had completed the war preparations I had planned.
‘Region 16 is going to become a total mess after the war, isn’t it? Heh heh heh.’
Uganaoda, Naparreu, and Humildas—the three of them would be sweating as they tried to keep each other in check. It wouldn’t be easy for any one person to take complete control.
In the meantime, I would take Region 24.
Was there a reason to stir up such trouble? Because I intended to take Region 16 for myself when I eventually advanced back to the center. It was better to pave the way so it would be easier to take over later.
*Knock, knock!*
The door opened and a Mouse-kin entered. He had white fur, heart-shaped red eyes, and a red nose.
It was a rare appearance.
‘Makiblue Abelie?’
Why are you coming out from there?
“He’s a brewer who supplies alcohol to our army. I called him because I heard you were coming, Master Fakyu. He sometimes provides high-quality, premium liquor.”
“Hello. My name is Abelie.”
He didn’t reveal his last name. Judging by the atmosphere, Naparreu didn’t seem to know that Abelie was a member of the Makiblue family.
‘So that was it.’
Occasionally, when Naparreu became a warlord, Makiblue Abelie would suddenly be commissioned as an officer. No matter where it was, it always happened.
It had felt like there was zero probability or reasoning behind it. I just thought it was like that because it was a game.
‘He was aiming for a spot by Naparreu’s side from the start.’
Abelie was a radical republican. Then, at some point, he began to advocate for monarchy and even published a book called *The Prince*. Thinking back, it seemed like he had been influenced by Naparreu.
‘But I still want him.’
A master of internal affairs. He was someone who could improve even the most extreme environments through efficiency.
For someone like me, who planned to sell off the “Saint King” Lucifel? There was no better talent. He was the one who could beautifully package the territories I was going to sell. Furthermore, he was also the one who would quickly normalize Region 24 once I occupied it.
“It’s not a Grade 1 liquor, but it’s a brew I made with all my heart.”
Makiblue Abelie carefully placed a bottle on the table. Naparreu carefully uncorked it.
*Pop!*
With a clear sound, a fragrant aroma of alcohol wafted out.
‘As expected, he really is from the Makiblue family.’
The Makiblue family had a long tradition. One could not receive recognition from the family until they brewed a Grade 1 liquor. Naturally, they couldn’t use the Makiblue name publicly either. That was why Abelie had only given his first name earlier.
‘I might be able to win him over if I play this right.’
It meant Abelie couldn’t brew Grade 1 liquor yet.
“General!! The Marshal is calling for you.”
“Right. I’m coming.”
Naparreu stood up.
“I’m sorry about this. It looks like I’ll have to step away for a moment.”
“It’s fine. The aroma of the liquor is so good that I don’t think waiting will be boring.”
“Hahaha. I’ll be back soon. Abelie, would you mind keeping him company?”
“Yes, of course.”
Thankfully, he was even clearing the room for me. Only the two of us remained in the room. The stage was perfectly set.
“Phew! The taste of this liquor is excellent. I’m quite fond of the Makiblue family’s liquor, and this one doesn’t seem to fall behind at all.”
At my words, Abelie’s nostrils flared. People from the Makiblue family took immense pride in their alcohol.
“It’s as if the years of the Orc wood are blooming in my mouth. It’s a glass where the depth of the malt and the lingering smoky finish are perfectly harmonized. You have incredible sense.”
“You… You flatter me.”
“I’ve been looking for a talented brewer who knows how to make liquor like this for a long time.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to find one.”
His nostrils flared again. In the process, his chin lifted slightly, as if asking where else I could possibly find a brewer like him.
“Ah… I even prepared an Ant Nest to recruit a brewer.”
“An… An Ant Nest, you say?!”
Makiblue was startled. People in industries that required aging, like cheese masters or brewers, were crazy about Ant Nests. The problem was that it was much more profitable to dismantle them and build spaceships. To them, an Ant Nest was a pie in the sky.
“Maybe I should just dismantle it and turn it into a combat ship. I went to such trouble to get it just to recruit a brewer…”
“N-no! You absolutely cannot!”
Abelie shouted in shock. Right now, he was standing at a crossroads of whether he could break through the wall to Grade 1 or not.
“B-by any chance… that brewer you’re looking for. Could it be me?!”
He bit the hook. He would break through that wall on his own sooner or later, since he eventually used the name Makiblue.
However, his heart seemed anxious right now. He had the fear that he might never receive recognition from his family. In reality, many had been abandoned by the family.
“Would you really do that? Aside from the liquor our family consumes, you can dispose of the rest however you wish, Abelie.”
“No. I just want to challenge myself to make Grade 1 liquor. You only need to give me enough profit to live on and research alcohol.”
The reason he could say that was simple. As soon as he brewed Grade 1 liquor, he would be able to receive support from the main family.
“I’ve finally been able to bring in an amazing brewer!! Let’s work well together.”
I grabbed his hand firmly.
Wouldn’t people call this a massive win? He would earn me thousands, even tens of thousands of times more than the cost of that Ant Nest.
***
Makiblue Abelie’s mind was in turmoil.
‘I wanted to serve Lord Naparreu as my master…’
That was why he had hovered nearby and supplied him with alcohol.
In the military, alcohol was an unexpectedly important supply. If you lived in space for a long time, DNA damage occurred. Alcohol of Grade 2 or higher had preventive and healing effects.
‘For now, reaching Grade 1 is the priority.’
When taken with honey, Grade 1 liquor boosted anti-aging effects. From that point on, it became a luxury item for nobles.
This was also why the Makiblue family produced many central bureaucrats. Grade 1 liquor was the ultimate bribe. That was why the Makiblue family was obsessed with brewing Grade 1 liquor.
‘For now, let’s find out what kind of person this Fakyu is.’
If things went wrong, I might have to serve him forever. You never knew how things would turn out in this world.
Abelie packed several Grade 2 miniature liquor bottles. He took them and gave them to the private soldiers of the Fak family as gifts. It was to find out more about Fakyu. When the soldiers heard they were now part of the same organization, they talked freely.
“Our young master? He’s a delinquent. The biggest delinquent in Region 16. Hahaha.”
“He’s a huge womanizer. There isn’t a woman our young master can’t seduce.”
“He’s out of his mind. It’s better not to get close to him.”
His reputation was not good. However, despite such reviews, no one seemed to hate or dislike him. It was truly a strange thing.
“Whatever else he may be, he’s the best cavalry commander.”
“He’s someone with incredible split-second judgment.”
“Most generals can’t hold a candle to our young master.”
He learned the reason. It seemed he had considerable military talent. No matter how eccentric a commander’s personality was, soldiers followed a commander who won. It was better than dying, after all.
‘He must be quite skilled.’
Still, he probably wouldn’t compare to Naparreu. Because Naparreu was the most outstanding general he had seen to date. If given the chance, he was certain to soar high.
However…
“With five ships, he held off an enemy detached force of over thirty ships. And those were the Imperium Elites, whose reputation is soaring these days.”
“With 100 light mobile ships, he suppressed an Ant Queen who commanded 1,000 ships. I was there at the scene, and…”
“Just before coming here, he devastated 100 ships with a formation of five. When the ship I was on was sunk, I thought I was dead, but…”
At first, he thought it was a tall tale. However, when he cross-referenced with several people, the same information popped up. There were some minor exaggerations here and there, but at the very least, it wasn’t a lie.
‘If this is true…’
He was worth serving as a master. If he helped, Fakyu would surely become a massive warlord.
People of the Makiblue family weren’t just good at brewing liquor.
Brewing required an understanding of dark energy. This process was identical in principle to how colonies created mana stones. It was also similar to making honey or grain syrup. Furthermore, to make good liquor, one also had to be good at mining dark matter.
To make liquor meant having a high level of understanding of the space industry.
The fact that one could brew Grade 1 meant having abilities optimized for becoming a bureaucrat.
‘A womanizer?’
Actually, that was better. To a brewer, a womanizer was the best kind of customer.
“Abelie, have you finished your preparations to leave?”
“I don’t have much to pack. One cargo ship will be enough.”
And so, Abelie followed Fakyu and departed.