Chapter 177

We enter the forward base’s main command room.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome back!”

Seoli, smiling brightly, follows my lead.

“Yeah, everyone’s worked hard— Hmm!?”

The dean’s eyes widen as they were about to respond with a smile to our routine behavior.

“Uh… Who is this?”

Freya, raising her hand, questions while pointing at Seoli.

The dean’s reaction wasn’t much different, but it’s understandable. Recently, this child who was so much smaller than me has suddenly returned as a mature adult.

“Seoli.”

“…What? Is this woman really Seoli?”

“Yep! Seoli is Seoli!”

Seoli vigorously nods her head, confirming my words.

“Hmm… In terms of speech and behavior, it does seem like Seoli, but what exactly happened?”

“Right, what happened that Seoli grew up? And who is that child behind you?”

The gaze shifts to my back.

The Red Queen, who had timidly poked her head out while hiding behind my body in response to Freya’s gaze, quickly withdraws.

“Well, it’s a bit of a long story—”

As I begin to explain today’s events, the dean and Freya listen with serious expressions.

“—so that’s how it happened.”

“Hmm. I’ve said it before, but Edju always surprises me with your actions.”

“That’s true. Beyond our imagination, right? So, Edju, this child is another Queen, just like Seoli, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Hmm…”

Freya falls silent in thought.

“The new Queen seems rather cautious, but she does seem to follow Edju well?”

“That’s right.”

At first, she was so wary that she even bit my fingers, but now she hides behind me, so it’s clear she isn’t completely distrustful.

Plus, when anyone other than Nisia approaches, she growls fiercely, so it seems she relatively follows me well.

As these thoughts cross my mind, the dean, who had been silently observing our group, finally speaks.

“To have both a child-like adult and a real child… I think it’s best to leave them both with Edju, like we did with Seoli…”

“I agree, but Edju, are you sure you can handle it?”

Their concerned voices.

They obviously know how challenging it is to take care of children, so that’s why they react this way.

“It’s fine, let’s give it a try.”

Even though it wasn’t my original plan, I now bear the responsibility of protecting the Red Queen, and among the people here, I know the most about Cryptids.

“Nisia, what do you think?”

“Yeah, I’m fine with that.”

Nisia smiles and replies.

“Still, I can’t leave everything on you. Since we’ll need more hands with another child, I’ll send over a house helper from my side.”

“A house helper?”

“Yeah, someone you know well, so don’t worry.”

“Hmm?”

Someone I know? Was there anyone like that?

While I’m tilting my head in confusion, Freya’s voice whispers in my ear.

“If you need anything else, let either me or the dean know. Then, let’s wrap up this conversation here for now?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then, I want all of you to rest because this must be tiring for you… but I can’t let you just yet as there’s something important to tell you.”

“Is something happening?”

“Yeah.”

Freya’s face hardens quickly.

This isn’t Freya as the kind older sister; it’s Freya as the commander responsible for humanity’s destiny.

“Edju, do you remember the Fourth Interstellar Fleet?”

“Of course.”

“From the surveillance facilities we placed near their territory, we’ve detected a sudden increase in communication from the Fourth Interstellar Fleet.”

“Communication?”

“Yes, and most of those communications are directed outwards, beyond the atmosphere.”

“Aha.”

The Fourth Interstellar Fleet, which had lost so many ships and was crumbling from within, shouldn’t have suddenly increased its communications.

Also, the direction of that communication pointed outward.

It was obvious what those clues pointed to.

It meant that the Imperial reinforcements had arrived.

“Looks like reinforcements have arrived.”

“You agree with that, Edju?”

“Yes, unless something unprecedented has happened, they would have no need at this point to send out so many external communications.”

With that explanation, both the dean and Freya nod.

“Then, let’s talk about the rest tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, given everything going on, I think it’s best to gather everyone and discuss our next steps.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“Think so?”

The flow drastically changed when we defeated the Megabase.

We’ve successfully defended the forward base and rescued Freya, so there’s no tragic event signaling the start of Act 2. But from now on, the enemies will launch their full-scale offensive.

This is practically the beginning of Act 2.

With the situation and atmosphere changing so quickly, it would be good for us to gather and discuss various countermeasures.

“Let’s meet again tomorrow, then. Everyone’s worked hard, thank you.”

…

The next day.

We returned to the main commander’s room.

“Hello.”

“Come in, Edju.”

“Have you been well?”

The benevolent smile of Grandfather Halfandel and Ms. Simonia, who greets me with a wave.

Next to Grandfather Halfandel, a familiar face appears.

“Miss Edju, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Mr. Jo is here as well?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Edju~”

A familiar voice interrupts.

“Ah, Ms. Banetta. How have you been?”

“Of course.”

Ms. Banetta answers with a smile.

As we exchange greetings and look around the room, near the dean, several commanders from nearby sectors are present, and near Freya, there are people I had seen in the Second Division, along with generals adorned with star badges over their chests, guarding the area.

Everyone who holds real power in the key areas of the sectors such as economy, military, education, and scientific development is gathered here.

“Woah…”

Overwhelmed by the sight of so many important figures, Nisia mutters an exclamation.

“Hmm… It seems everyone has arrived. Edju, Nisia, don’t just stand there—please, take a seat.”

“Yes, yes!”

With a stiff reply, Nisia mechanically walks over and sits at the chair.

I decide to move closer to the empty space while sitting on Bungbungi.

“Hmm… Let’s start then. Everyone gathered here today should know why, right?”

“Are you planning to discuss our future plans?”

The dean starts with these words, and a young bald male responds, reminding me of a monk.

Isn’t that the academy dean from Sector 5?

“Correct. Thanks to Edju, we’ve managed to defeat one of humanity’s great enemies, but the enemies remain numerous.”

As the dean spoke, eyes from all over the room converge on me.

From their gaze, there was a lot of goodwill, but it was slightly overwhelming, causing my body to instinctively shrink back.

“Therefore, I’ve gathered everyone here to organize what we need and what we need to do to stand against the enemies as a united force.”

Having said that, the dean gazes at me.

“Edju, as you understand the current situation best, would you please give everyone a brief explanation?”

A sudden proposal.

Apart from the slightly burdensome gazes, this wasn’t an especially difficult task, so I nod.

“Yes.”

“Hmm… I’ll leave it to you.”

A moment of silence.

I adjust my throat with a cough before beginning.

“First, although we’ve achieved several victories, there won’t be immediate large-scale changes.”

“An insightful assessment?”

A young woman with tangled violet hair and glasses, who is the dean of Sector 11, questions me.

“Because it’s the truth.”

One must always make judgments with clarity and practicality.

Because this isn’t a game where you can retry after failure; this is reality.

“The Invaders lost the Megabase and suffered a great loss, but the Earthquail remains.”

The land fortress Earthquail.

Though the Titan from our side could also be called a walking fortress, it’s far smaller compared to the other pillar of the Invaders’ ground army, which boasts an overwhelming size.

“And the seas are still completely controlled by the Invaders, are they not?”

After the appearances of the water fortress Armored Island and the submersible fortress AbyssMother, humanity lost control of the seas.

A perfect naval blockade.

Unsurprisingly, communications between scattered human survivors were severed, and humanity, losing its global network, was forced to survive on its own.

“Speaking of which, we don’t have a large-scale naval force now, do we? How about using that to attack the Invaders’ naval power?”

“No, our strength is not sufficient even to face the Ustansha Empire’s fleet.”

“Humm?”

A general tilts his head at my words.

“Haven’t their fleets already been annihilated?”

“Yes, the vanguard fleet has been destroyed, but the main fleet still remains.”

The general flinches.

“You don’t mean that reinforcements have already arrived, do you?”

“Yes.”

The main Ustansha Empire fleet.

Unlike the newly established interstellar fleet hastily assembled under the current Emperor to bolster their legitimacy and power, these forces were a genuine threat.

What’s more, the incoming enemy includes the elite Imperial Guard Fleet, a force among the Ustansha Empire’s most elite units.

“Additionally, it’s now evident that among the Cryptids, there are Queens of an unusual type, so we need to be careful.”

We dealt significant blows to the Invaders’ air force with the Brains, but their ground forces remain intact.

Still, a large number of enemies and unfavorable battle conditions.

“Hmm…”

“Hmm…”

Generals and Academy Masters groan while mulling over my explanation.

In the darkening atmosphere, Grandfather Halfandel’s gaze turns toward me.

A gentle smile on his lips, a resolute belief in his eyes, the old man slowly begins to speak.

“However, it seems we have a plan that transcends all of that.”

“Yes.”

Again, the eyes gather upon me.

“It’s not that there are no gains because there are no immediate large-scale changes, is it?”

I now command newly incorporated Invader forces.

Our armada, having absorbed three enemy fleets, and our weaponry have been enhanced as well.

Even if the situation hasn’t changed, our strength is undoubtedly stronger than before.

“Then, let’s talk about how we can win, shall we?”