I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship, so I Became a Space Mercenary

The sight with His Majesty the Emperor took the form of after the ceremony. I want to exchange words with the first Gold Star recipient in a long time, in the form that we are called as we are after the ceremony.

The date of the ceremony was also decided four days later, and we were to change into costumes to be worn during the ceremony and give lessons on standing and behaving under Mae's guidance.

"Dear Hiro, it's cool!

"Well, well."

"Thank you."

Mimi and Elma praise me for putting my sleeves through the aristocratic clothes that Chris tailored for me at Sierra III and hanging two swords and a laser gun on my hips sword band. Well, even when you say aristocratic clothes, my impression is you're pretty close to military uniforms. Can it be the influence of whiteblades that makes it easier to move than it looks?

"You're both beautiful."

"Eh heh, thank you"

"The dress is good."

Mimi is a white based dress that I bought the other day with a clear and elegant feel, and Elma is a stylish adorable dress. They both wear jewelry necklaces and ear decorations to an extent that is not too flashy, as if they were noble princesses.

"... you're essentially a princess of the royal family and a princess of the Viscount family"

"Uh... yeah, well, yeah?

I said, "I'm going to do what I usually do."

Apparently, Mimi has become a traumatic or taboo topic about her true origins and blood muscles. Well, although I don't know what it's like... it's something I can only be confused to say that my own grandmother, who I've never even met, is actually royal and that her blood is definitely passed down to me, too.

The presence of the royal family in the Graccan Empire is treated as truly special. Many ordinary people have a sense of inferiority, not reverence, but rather a sense of inferiority towards the higher people - something close to Ruthanchmann, but a feeling of pure awe, reverence, or worship towards the royal family.

The thought of Mimi not entering the Imperial Room and wanting to live as a regular colonist or as an operator of this ship also seems to be strongly 'too awe-inspiring'. As far as I'm concerned, I'm glad you chose to stay with me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are wearing your costumes perfectly"

"Let it go. Your brother's cool, too. Yeah, yeah."

"Yeah, it suits you. Cool. Mimi and Elma are nice too"

May, Teena, and Whisker look at us in the costumes they're wearing and compliment us with their mouths.

"Is Teena and Whisker really not going to the ceremony?

"Ya, we're serious, ordinary people. I can't afford such a classy ceremony or a party."

"I don't have any clothes to wear, and I'm not the official crew of this ship in the first place."

"I'll buy you something else. Nothing that expensive."

"It's a boulder to say tens of thousands of Enel isn't expensive, but they give it away and they give us nothing back."

Teena waves patsy with a bitter laugh.

"Really? How's May?

"Because I'm a maid of honor"

"Right..."

"... if your husband can command you, I will not deny it"

May told me that after a little thought when she showed me how overtly depressed I was. Hehe, I've been seeing May for a long time, too. I've learned a lot about pushing myself through these times.

"Well, let's start the lesson"

"Okay."

"Yes."

"Yes."

That's how we took lessons from May about standing and behaving in ceremonies...

"Master Elma is fine."

"I remembered it quite a bit."

Elma was getting one shot O.K. for May.

"Knock... boulders are from real nobility"

"Mr. Elma always behaves beautifully standing up."

Me and Mimi needed training as a matter of course.

"May I entrust Master Mimi's lessons to Master Elma? I'm in charge of your husband's lessons."

"Well, that's good, but it's pretty suspicious, isn't it?

"I'll be very attentive to you."

"Okay, well, then Mimi's over here"

"Yes."

I take lessons from May too, sideways with Mimi and Elma starting lessons a little further away. Mae's lesson was basically sweet, but she also had the rigour to not allow compromise... when it comes to this kind of training, Mae is really tough.

The day of the ceremony was greeted not only by standing and behaving, but also by lessons in swordsmanship while wearing noble clothes. We - me, Mimi and Elma, plus four of May - were getting into Krishna and descending into the Empire Capital following the lead of the Imperial Air Force. The mechanic sisters leave a message in Black Lotus.

"No, it's amazing to see it up close like this, Empire City"

The sight of a single planet covered in artificial structures is a sweeping word. I guess a lot of buildings are built according to some law. The imperial capital, viewed from outside the atmosphere, also appears to be painted with complex geometries.

"It's amazing indeed... I can't imagine how a planet could be like this"

"Sounds like a gift of gravitational and environmental control technology, but I don't know the details, either. Was the population of the Imperial capital roughly 25 billion?

"Yes. Sounds like you're almost there to reach 25.7 billion people."

"I can't imagine. Are you making food or something in an underlevel facility?

"Yeah, there are a lot more massive, advanced food production plants than we saw in the Alein system before."

When we finished the descent with that talk, the structure of the majestic atmosphere appeared on the cockpit's main screen.

"Is that Imperial Castle... no way"

mountain, or as if it were a mountain range. I don't think it's a good idea to be big, but I guess we still have to see it at a glance when it comes to being the Emperor's castle.

"That's Imperial Castle together, but only a fraction of the people in the Imperial Room actually live their lives. It's a lot of administrative and military facilities."

"I see."

The Imperial Air Force ships that are leading us are headed to a point near the heart of Imperial Castle where the imperial people live - a departure site for small ships.

Incidentally, Krishna is now loaded with weapons, but the Weapon System itself is locked by the Imperial Aeronautical Army, and the Navy also has the ability to navigate, almost like being towed.

Restrictions around here are very severe when it becomes the capital of emperors, including His Majesty the Emperor, on boulders. May says it is impossible to remove this lock even with Mae's ability because the locking function is protected by multiple mechanical intelligences cooperating with the military?

Well, this is the lap of the Graccan Empire. No matter what happens, you won't have a chance for me to run Krishna and punch a heavy laser gun or a shotgun, so you won't have to worry. There's no point in being erased by the Empire.

"You're here."

We arrived safely and Krishna finished landing at the small ship departure site at Imperial Castle. Looks like Mr. Autodocking has done a steady job today as well.

"Good luck Ugh...!

"Don't worry too much."

Elma grins bitterly at Mimi for holding her fist in front of her chest and putting her temper into it. If I go out to the ceremony, I have to put my temper into it as an imperative mimi to get my attention. Thanks for coming.

"Costumes for horses too...... no anything"

"What? If you want to tell me something, you can make it clear, okay?

Major Serena, who got off Krishna and came down from the Imperial Air Force dropship where he was leading Krishna, makes rude remarks when he sees me. Major Serena says so in the same uniform as usual.

"Major, we don't have much time."

"Right, let's go. If the lead is late for the ceremony, not only he, but the guide, we're all ashamed."

Major Serena nods at Captain Robitson's advice and starts standing and walking in front of us. I follow behind Major Serena and Elma, followed by Mimi and Elma, followed by May.

"Think you've already been seen and walk well."

"Heck."

"Yes."

I decide to stretch my spine and walk with a clean attitude as I learned in the lesson, following Elma's words that I will pay low attention to. I can't see behind it, but Mimi and Elma are probably also walking in a thorough manner. You don't have to worry about May.

Once inside the Imperial Castle from the departure site, it was a landing strip. Of what? Well, yeah, railroad - no, is that a small linear motor train? Yeah, maybe the same kind of material transport system that's in place in the colony, this one.

I didn't know you needed a vehicle to get around.

"Because the Imperial Castle is huge. If you walk, the sun will set before you reach your destination."

"I see."

As soon as you get into the same vehicle as Major Serena and the others, the vehicle starts to move. It seems to be moving at tremendous speeds, but I barely felt G during acceleration. It may also have an inertial control mechanism such as that mounted on Krishna.

"Ugh... I'm getting nervous"

"Because Mimi should just stand in the back. I'm not even gonna make a speech or anything."

At the ceremony, the great men of the army will report and speak on the history and effects of this crystalline battle, but we will just sit in our seats and listen to it in silence. Then the award ceremony starts, and when the order comes, we'll all be out front.

I'm the only one who actually gets a medal, but that's how I get the honor of having the whole crew at the ceremony.

"But I'm not afraid of what's gonna happen."

"It won't be rare. If you make a scene at a ceremony, you'll be ashamed of yourself."

"Not on the spot. After that, the Emperor will summon you, so you may be fine today, but not after tomorrow."

"I've got plans for a while, and yes, I don't think I can put you guys on hold."

"... I hope so"

"Hey, stop it."

"Dear Hiro..."

Elma grins at my grunt with a sense of giving up, and Mimi grins bitterly. 'Cause it's us, right? You think things are going so peacefully? No, I don't think so! Absolutely weird aristocracy or something pushes me and there's a disturbance in Mimi connection. I know that shit!

"I know how troubled you guys are, but whatever it is... no, it's possible. From previous experience."

Major Serena is turning a jito eye. Major Serena, this is what we're seeing in our troubled health... the erma rampage, the skirmishes with the Berebelem Federation, the raid on Sierra III, the battle against the detachment fleet, and the crystal battle before us. It's all about us, and I don't feel like half of us are involved here. But I don't apologize. Absolutely.

"Weigh yourself. That's good, right?

"Yessmum. I will try my best"

Bisi, let me salute you, but the gaze from Major Serena was very cold.