Chapter 88

【Side: Rebel Detachment, Third-Person Perspective, Ongoing】

The Earl of Rebuiltos-Barenton was taken aback by the Duke's words.

The Marquis of Vastogue had said, "We have the Duke on our side, so the reform will surely succeed."

So why was the Duke looking at him with such a cold, detached gaze? He couldn't understand.

"Your Excellency! What do you mean?! You were our supporter! No, our leader!"

Taken aback by his own words, the Earl received a calm response from the Duke.

"I listened to the Marquis of Vastogue, and I did say it was a serious situation. However, that was because there were too many people who were hindering the country's development and weakening its power. I never intended to be your leader, nor did I give any orders. Nevertheless, you followed the Marquis of Vastogue's words, gathered your forces, and came this far to depose the current emperor and gain even more power."

The Earl could only tremble in response to the Duke's reply.

Then, the Earl of Skad, a young noble in his late twenties who shared the same ideals as the Earl of Barenton, boldly countered the Duke.

"But we can no longer maintain a noble lifestyle! The taxes from our subjects are decreasing every month, and some of them are even fleeing from our territories without our knowledge! Didn't Your Excellency say just now that 'the people of the empire and the colonists should work diligently, respect those of higher status, and willingly offer their wealth'? Are you going to deny your own words, Your Excellency?"

The young Earl of Skad looked at the Duke with a triumphant expression.

However, the response came from a different person.

"Don't get cocky, you brat who doesn't even understand the meaning of the Duke's words!"

The holographic image that appeared was that of Admiral Sorrock Mauston, the Commander-in-Chief of the Planetary Defense Fleet, with a stern face and a thick beard.

"It is only natural that the people and subjects work diligently, respect those who govern them, and pay their taxes correctly. This means that if the people and subjects are made to live in prosperity and safety, those who govern them will naturally be respected! However, you have done nothing to enrich the lives of the people and subjects, and instead have drained the wealth from the territories of your subordinates to indulge in luxury, and have even committed the folly of killing subjects on a whim over trivial matters! Who would respect such lords! You are nothing but pests! Parasites that suck the lifeblood of others!"

Admiral Mauston glared at the Earl of Skad and the other rebels with a look of intense anger.

At that moment, the Duke, who had a calm expression in contrast to Admiral Mauston, interjected.

"Sorrock, that is a rude statement. Mosquitoes primarily feed on nectar and fruit juice, and only female mosquitoes suck blood to lay eggs. Moreover, they help eliminate dangerous species and serve as food for other creatures, playing a role in maintaining the food chain and the balance of nature. These people here, on the other hand, do not even fulfill the roles given to them and continuously drain the wealth built by others through hard work. They are not like mosquitoes."

"I see. I must have been rude. I should apologize to the mosquitoes later."

The Duke's words were a reprimand to Admiral Mauston, a long-time friend, for his disrespectful metaphor.

The Duke continued.

"However, among those who have come this far today, there are those who came against their will because they could not defy the higher nobles. I announce to these people: immediately send a surrender signal and completely stop all the ships under your command. If you do so, I promise lenient treatment. You do not need to obey the orders of those who have repeatedly exploited you and forced you to do things you did not want to do. Prove that you are not less than mosquitoes."

In response to the Duke's words, about 60% of the rebels sent a surrender signal and stopped all the ships under their command.

"Hmm. It seems that quite a few of you were against this from the start."

The Duke stroked his chin, seemingly satisfied with the result.

In stark contrast, the Earl of Barenton, who had been shocked by the betrayal of the poor lower nobles who had been his subordinates, collapsed to his knees.

However, there was someone who showed anger.

"Abandon the cowards and traitors who lack loyalty! They will serve as a shield for us! There is nothing in front of us! Advance and bombard the capital planet, Hein!"

The Earl of Skad, a young noble in his late twenties, gave the order to advance with a smug smile.

Following his orders, the Earl of Skad's fleet began to advance, and the turrets of the ships started to aim. At that moment, small explosions began to occur continuously on the flagship where the Earl of Skad was, and eventually a large explosion occurred on the bridge. On the screens of the other ships, the young Earl's figure disappeared along with screams.

None of the rebels noticed the small red and blue fighter ships that separated from the ship, which had turned into a massive cloud of space debris, due to the shock.

"Well, well. This saves us the trouble of a trial. So, what will the rest of you do? It would be much appreciated if we could save the trouble of a trial."

The Duke asked the remaining rebels, "We, the nobles with the resolve to restore the throne to the rightful nobles," in a calm tone, as if asking for a second cup of tea.

"We... surrender..."

The Earl of Barenton, who was on his knees, and the other rebels surrendered quietly.

★ ★ ★

About an hour after the battle began.

To be honest, the morale of the rebels was not very high.

They mistook their status for their own abilities and were always looking to steal the achievements of others, which made their offensive weak.

Additionally, some units seemed to be waiting for something.

Still, we were clearly on the offensive, and if we could maintain this front, we wouldn't lose.

However, we couldn't afford to be complacent, so we had to be careful not to let our guard down.

General Earlyhenge, of course, understood this and was giving orders to the military and mercenaries to stay vigilant.

In light novels, something always happens at such moments, but in reality, that rarely happens.

But at that moment, I remembered the proverb, "Good things, many devils."

It might not have been the cause, but the danger signal, which was set to sound if there was any movement in the direction of an unmarked satellite-type mobile fortress about 1.8 billion kilometers from the planet Gathaga, began to ring.

This time, we were the first.

Thank you for your comments, opinions, and any corrections.