I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary Chapter 553 5553 「Would Ye All Cease Calling Me A Bother, I

553 「Would Ye All Cease Calling A Bother, I Pray? I Shall Weep, Dost Thou Know?」

「Yeah, you’ve pretty much stopped being human at this point.」

「Coming from you—a superhuman noble with the full enhancent pack—that feels a bit unfair. I’d say we’re both in the sa boat.」

「My enhancents are still within the realm of science and common sense. Yours are clearly beyond that.」

「You’ve got a point.」

「Could you not talk directly into my head, please?」

Serena gave a sharp glare.

After that, Serena had asked to see the powers I’d acquired in the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, so I showed off a few tricks: making random objects float with psychokinesis like a poltergeist, disintegrating an empty drink bottle into dust with lightning from my fingertips, and manipulating fate just enough to make the coin she tossed land heads-up ten tis in a row. By the way, the odds of flipping ten heads in a row are one in 1,024. But for , it was simply a matter of choosing heads each ti out of a fifty-fifty outco.

Honestly, depending on how you approach it, the difficulty can vary. It’s actually easier to choose heads one at a ti, ten tis in a row, than it is to select a future where ten heads happen all at once. The longer and more complex the sequence of events you’re manipulating, the harder fate manipulation becos.

「If you were to fully master this ‘fate manipulation,’ wouldn’t that basically make you a god? You could bend everything entirely to your will, right?」

As she spoke, Serena kept scrutinizing the coin, probably still suspicious I’d sohow tampered with it. She wasn’t wrong, though.

「In theory, aye. Yet to achieve such a feat, one would require Spiritual Power far beyond the limits of man, the mastery to wield that power at will, and the perception to behold and unravel fate itself. Thus far, but a single being hath reached such heights—whether on this side or the other.」

While I was wondering how to explain, Kugi offered a lifeline. Well, it was Kugi’s voice, but not quite.

「I see… Wait, Kugi-san… right?」

「Indeed, this is her body. Yet within, I am another. I am the woman whom my lord did na Tamamo. I am, for the mont, borrowing Kugi’s vessel. Well t.」

With that, Tamamo produced an elegant folding fan from sowhere, hiding her mouth behind it as her eyes narrowed. Was that a smile? Or did it carry so other aning?

「Hold on, what’s going on? I was told you didn’t add any more won.」

「I said that, physically speaking, our numbers haven’t changed. And that’s the truth— physically speaking anyway. It’s… complicated. Well, maybe not that complicated. Anyway, she’s mostly harmless, so try to get used to it.」

「Things grew heated, and in the end, I did assail my lord. He struck down, mine own body torn asunder—and thus, I now dwell within Kugi’s vessel for the ti being.」

「Things grew heated, you assaulted him…? And your body was torn asunder…? Hiro, just what were you two doing?」

「Tamamo, you’re deliberately making her misunderstand, aren’t you?」

「Hohoho, I but speak truth.」

Tamamo narrowed her eyes, clearly enjoying Serena’s increasingly dubious expression. Yeah, she’s definitely toying with her.

「Thou art the one who doth ever brush aside proper explanations, saying but ‘stuff happened.’ Is that not sowhat irresponsible?」

「I was planning to explain everything once Chris was here too. Saves from having to explain twice.」

Talking about astral life forms, dinsional shifts, and all that is exhausting enough to explain once, let alone multiple tis. Even I’m still trying to fully grasp it. Just trying to explain psionic matters to Serena, Chris, and His Excellency the Marquis is already a headache.

「If thou hadst thy reasons, I cannot rightly fault thee. In any case, know this for now: there is another woman dwelling within Kugi’s body, and she too doth enjoy my lord’s favor.」

「…Sigh. I don’t even know what to say anymore.」

Serena exhaled heavily and rubbed her temples. She must be overwheld by how much is beyond her comprehension. Frankly, I’d probably react the sa in her shoes.

「If you’re going to explain everything once Chris arrives, then fine. Let’s move on to the main topic.」

「This is getting complicated.」

「It’s getting complicated.」

「Complicated, huh.」

「Things’ve gotten kinda complicated, huh?」

「Sure has gotten complicated.」

「It really has.」

「No denying it’s complicated.」

「Would ye all cease calling a bother, I pray? I shall weep, dost thou know?」

Everyone except i declared Tamamo a pain, leaving her genuinely teary-eyed. Well, that’s only natural. That’s probably why even in the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, she was so feared that no one dared speak her na aloud.

「Ahem. So, first things first—about the ceremony itself, we’ll be holding two separate weddings. One in the Imperial Capital, and one in the Dexer System, the capital system of Earl Dareinwald’s domain. That’s the usual format for nobles with territories. The capital ceremony is the official one for nobility, while the domain ceremony serves as a kind of public introduction to the local citizens.」

「And there’s no need for a ceremony in the Holz Marquisate territory?」

「If I were the direct heir to House Holz, we would. But I’m only sowhere in the middle of the succession line, and I’ll be formally renouncing my claim to the title with this marriage. So for the people of the territory, just broadcasting the Imperial Capital ceremony will suffice.」

「I see. And as for House Willrose, since they’re nobles of the robe based entirely in the capital, the capital ceremony alone covers their obligations, right?」

「Exactly. Just to be clear, it’s not that I’m disregarding the Willrose na by not ntioning it—」

「I know. No need to be so careful about it.」

Elma smiled wryly and waved her hand.

「We’re the lowest in rank anyway. Compared to landed nobles, nobles of the robe like us are nothing special.」

「You say that, but truthfully, both House Holz and House Dareinwald owe a great deal to House Willrose for this whole wedding arrangent. As a house deeply rooted in the capital’s nobility, they’ve got a completely different kind of network from us landed nobles.」

「Ah, I see…」

「Boss’s got that face he makes when he don’t get a thing, huh?」

「Big sis, you don’t really get it either, do you?」

「‘Course not. I’m just your everyday back-alley guild dwarf. Ain’t no way I’d understand all this fancy noble talk.」

「Your shaless honesty is kind of refreshing… Sa here, I’m just an ordinary citizen of the Empire.」

「 too, I haven’t got a clue!」

「Mimi-kun, you aren’t precisely… well… yeah, that’s probably true…」

Shouko-sensei chuckled at Tina and Mimi, both puffing out their chests as they proudly declared their ignorance. Honestly, if we’re talking bloodlines, Serena’s family is nothing compared to Mimi’s lineage—but she was raised entirely as a normal person.

「Chris is busy preparing for the ceremony in her territory. She should be finished soon and join us here. As for preparations in the capital, House Willrose and my family have everything under control, so no worries there. Tomorrow we’ll be doing final fittings for everyone’s outfits.」

「Everyone work hard, okay? I’ll just be relaxing in my room.」

「What are you talking about? Neve, you’ve got an outfit too—you don’t get to sit this out.」

「Eh?」

Neve blinked in surprise, apparently thinking she was exempt.

I’m a little surprised myself, honestly.

「You just got back, so you might not know yet, but you’ve beco quite a hot topic in the Empire, you know? The tragic victim of the Vereverem Federation’s inhumane weapon experints—a girl robbed of even her na and lifespan. And then you were given a na by Princess Luciada herself. Your story’s full of appeal. Naturally, we’ll make use of it.」

「Ah… propaganda?」

「Exactly. ‘The Vereverem Federation—hypocrites who spout freedom and democracy while committing atrocities!’ That’s the narrative. The Federation denies your and your sisters’ existence entirely, claiming we fabricated everything. But we have physical evidence and your vital data. Surrounding nations are more hostile toward the Vereverem Federation than ever before.」

Serena smiled wickedly. Neve smiled too—looking a little too pleased for comfort. Scary girls.

「Which is why, as the tragic girl reborn into happiness, you’ll help us show off the Empire’s goodwill. The propaganda is working beautifully.」

「Man, that’s kind of a dirty move…」

They weren’t even all that keen on protecting Neve at first, saying it might not hurt Vereverem much. But now that it’s working better than expected, they’re more than happy to cash in. Well, I guess that’s just how governnts are. And if Neve herself is happy, it’s probably better not to overthink it.

Yeah. Let’s leave it at that.