Living a Maiden Game in Hard Mode

Chapter 70 – Three Sòng Houses

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AN: [※This is a 24-hour series since last post]

Or rather, today I will post an additional post in about 20 minutes.

← please read the previous story.

Thank you very much.

Heart palpitations and hand tremors have subsided w

I’m going to sleep properly tonight… Let’s continue, and do our best to write……

The entire Monarchy’s system was engulfed by the torrents of joy and enthusiasm from the overwhelming victory of the Athena Star System Battle.

The detailed battle records of the war, generously provided by the Royal Army, have covered the sight and hearing of people throughout the media.

The purpose of the Royal Army’s disclosure was to make the Royal citizens trust the new regime, which was the first battle since Queen Yuna’s enthronement.
As a result, Yuna, who stood on the battlefield as Commander-in-Chief, was naturally compared to the former Sovereign Valfrete.

Compared to the previous battle, the number of invading vessels increased from 350,000 to 500,000.
On the other hand, the number of fighter crafts in defense had decreased from 80 million to 70 million.

And the result was an overwhelming victory for the Royal Army.

Salamander’s losses are less than one-tenth that of the previous battle.

There are only 14 dropped ships on the Monarchy side, from 28,000 ships in the previous battle.

96% of the Generals and aristocrats were killed in action previously, but there were no casualties in this battle.

Not a single civilian ship was dropped, civilian casualties went from 3.75 billion to zero, and the inhabited planet Aegis was also unscathed.

However, the number of dropped enemy ships has increased from 349,000 in the previous battle to 356,000 in this battle.

The Royal citizens, who were informed of the results of the war, were so overjoyed at the victory that they suspected the reported figures were actually exaggerated.

Each media outlet invited experts to give various commentaries on the results of the battle.

Among these experts, the explanations made by the Marquis of Zäckingen, a retired Lieutenant General and a former fleet commander of the Royal Army, were unique.

“The Salamanders and Tenka cruisers have a different force rating, with 75 crafts being balanced against a single cruiser.
However, since the majority of the pilots are inexperienced and the Salamander itself is vulnerable to fusion weapons, the revised force assessment is about one-third, so one cruiser is considered equal to 225 crafts…”

In the Second Diete Battle, it took 220 crafts to defeat one cruiser.
This was a slightly better performance than the revised force evaluation.

In the Athena Star System Battle, considering the 5-fold effect of the realm, it is calculated that 45 crafts are balanced with one cruiser.
In fact, one cruiser was dropped by 20 crafts, which is more than twice as efficient as in the previous battle.

The quality of the pilots was comparable.
In the Second Battle of Diete, 30 million of the 80 million pilots were boarding a fighter craft for the first time with D-class crystals.
And even in the Athena Star System Battle, most of the pilots were killed in the previous battle, so the percentage of newcomers was high.

There was no major difference in the military power other than Salamander.
Yuna had Fortress Kerviel which was equivalent to three fleets, while Valfrete also had 15 fleets, aristocratic fleets, and civilian ships.

The enemy’s commander was the same person in both battles.

As for Hart’s role in the planning and command of the Athena War, the Queen is not required to make a plan by herself, but to have the ability to use the Commander-in-Chief properly.
Yuna, who successfully used her Commander-in-Chief, does not mean that her ability as a Queen is low.

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“The difference between the two battles is the difference in strength between the two armies.
100:109 in Diete and 100:32 in Athena.
If two equally matched sides face each other one-on-one, the match would be a close victory, but if three people attack one person, the match will be a crushing victory.
What is required of the leader of the nation is to create a favorable situation.
Her majesty the Queen seems to be good at that.”

Zäckingen’s summation on the two battles was widely shared by the Royal citizens.

If Valfrete was the quick-witted offensive leader, would Yuna be the solid defensive leader?

Yuna created a realm in the Athena system, but if it were the former Sovereign, he might have used it to attack.
Then, in exchange for destroying one enemy system, the Athena System would be destroyed.

If defeated by the enemy, Yuna’s position would have been shaken by criticism that “the Queen who supplemented her lack of magic power with spirit crystals did not have enough ability”.

On the other hand, by her overwhelming victory in the system defense battle, which Valfrete had failed at, Yuna even earned a reputation as “a leader who is stronger in war than the former Sovereign Valfrete who destroyed the Coalition”.

The Royal citizens, whose resident system was attacked, want the result of protecting the system.
It doesn’t matter if they use the realm, the transfer gate, Fortress Kerviel, or anything else, they just need to win.

Yuna became the goddess of victory for the Monarchy with stunning images of 70 million fighter crafts protecting the Athena system against the invading fleet of 500,000 enemy ships, overrunning them, burning them down, and painting the entire system with vast rays of light.

With the fact of the overwhelming victory, Yuna no longer needed the authority of the previous Sovereign.

“Colonel General Amakawa, by virtue of your overwhelming victory in the Battle of the Athena Star System, you are hereby appointed as Fleet Admiral.
You will be the only one appointed Fleet Admiral in my reign.
I hope you will continue to support me.”

“Thank you, I turn this body into a deadly arrow, and will pierce through the enemies of the Monarchy and Your Majesty.”

The declaration to close the Fleet Admiral post puts restrictions on the competent Generals in the future.
Still, Yuna limited the Fleet Admiral in her reign to Hart alone.

Along with his promotion, Hart has also received the Order of Orion, 1st class medal.

The Medal of Honor is an easy-to-understand indication of “single=handedly defeating an enemy with a higher force rating than oneself in a single battle” and shows how many times he has done it.
As Hart was awarded the highest rank, new medals were created.

It was the Order of Orion, 1st class, with a companion star next to it, the Double Star.
This was followed by the Triple Star and the Quadruple Star.

The 8th award = Order of the Double Star Gliese, 1st class

The 9th award = Order of the Double Star Eridanus, 1st class

The 15th award = Order of Triple Star Gliese, 1st Class

Yuna, Colette, and Philine, who participated in the Athena Star System Battle, have not been promoted and have not won medals.

The fact that the Flagship Ramiel accepted the evacuation of the residents was appreciated as a merit, but it was because it was within the scope of the role given to Lieutenant Generals.

The promotion of Hart and others so far has been based on clear achievements, albeit at a fast pace.
It was decided not to promote them because it would create animosity around them and bring them harm.

On the other hand, those assigned to Fortress Kerviel have been promoted.

Claudia was promoted to Colonel and received the Order of Eridanus, 6th class medal.

Josslan and Lysine were promoted to Captain and received the Order of Gliese, 7th class medal.

Bernard, Beatrice, and Xuě Lì also received the Order of Gliese, 7th class medal, and have obtained evidence of fulfilling the duties of the royal aristocrats.
Upon receiving the medal, Xuě Lì fearfully asked Hart with a twitching expression and upturned eyes.

“I’ve done my duty, haven’t I?”

“Of course.
With one of these, no one can complain to Xuě Lì, the Duchess of Son.
Well done.”

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Hart repeatedly affirmed and praised Xuě Lì in order to relieve her anxiety.

Unfortunately, Xuě Lì cannot remain withdrawn in the future.

The suppression of Fukashiro, originally planned for the end of the year, will be carried out without delay, even after the unscheduled Battle of the Athena Star System broke out.

Xuě Lì must participate in the operation to recapture Fukashiro, and it is necessary to appeal that Xuě Lì is alive and well when governing.

Xuě Lì’s father, Hào Lán, nominated her the successor and subordinated to the Monarchy, so although it was not a flow created mainly by Hart or the Monarchy, she was in a position where she could not escape.

Xuě Lì’s character and behavior are disappointing, but her intellectual level is high and she understands her position, so she spends her days frightened by the looming Battle of the Fukashiro Star System.

However, the pretext of preparing for the recapture of Fukashiro also functioned as a shield against the tremendous number of invitations from social circles, which was impossible for Xuě Lì.

If you want to shoot a General, shoot his horse first.

Due to the overwhelming victory of the Athena Battle and the territorialization of the Diete System, and with the information that Hart was doing these things at will, the Monarchy aristocrats judged that the possibility of defeat was almost eliminated.

For aristocrats who thought they could not lose, the next thing to consider is how to keep their own home.

The successors must retain the magic power required by the Monarchy and maintain the aristocracy by fulfilling their duty of military service.
In addition, in light of the end of the two marquises’ descent, they should avoid conflict with Hart, who holds all of the spirit crystals.

If possible, like the Duke of Coesfeld and the Marquis of Carneus, they want to offer their daughters and get insurance.
If that is difficult, they want to get close to the women who have succeeded in their prior investment and receive indirect consideration.

Hence Xuě Lì was added as their target.

Xuě Lì was awarded the Medal of Honor and established herself as a Monarchy aristocrat.
She is a Duchess with strong influence who can travel back and forth between the Capital planet and the province via the transition gate, but she has just recently joined the Monarchy, has only shallow friendships, and few people to rely on, so she can still establish deep friendships even now ………… or so the other aristocrats misunderstood.

The Ladies who had been pushed by her husband to “invite her to a tea party” and the daughters who were suggested by her fathers to “improve their chances of marriage by being close with the Duchess of Son” were targeting Xuě Lì.

Of course, a shut-in couldn’t handle such situations, though Hart asked her just to be sure, but Xuě Lì, who had tears in his eyes, clung to him, saying in the Tenkan language, “I can’t do it, I’m sorry“.

Xuě Lì can only deal with a person she’s meeting for the first time when she meets them with a guardian, such as Hart, and can hide behind Hart’s back.
When she met Hart with her guardian Hào Lán, she vomited because she couldn’t hide behind his back.

For this reason, Hart, with advice from Claudia and Colette, declined all communications for the Duke of Son under the joint name of Hart and Xuě Lì in preparation for the recapture of Fukashiro.

The only people who couldn’t be refused were two women who came to the Monarchy of Diete on the same Marriage Diplomacy and their husbands.

“Your Excellency the Duke and Lady Xuě Lì, may I bid you good fortune.
I, Sūra Sòng and my husband, Viscount Dominic Margoire, have come to visit you.”

The person who offered a greeting with an easy-to-understand smile like a stage actress wasSūraSuura, Xuě Lì’s cousin the Sòng family, who has Russian features with blond hair and gray eyes.

Although she is married, in the Tenka Federation, the surname of a woman does not change even after marriage, so she is Sūra Sòng to the Tenka community, and when identifying herself in the Monarchy side, she is Viscountess Sūra Margoire.

Her marriage partner is Dominic, the second son of the next Marquis of Ornelas, the older brother of former First Queen Cassandra.

Dominic is a cousin of Bernard and Josslan, the next Sovereign and Duke of Strani.
As the second son, he was not in a position to inherit the title, but he received a new Viscount peerage as a result of the marriage diplomacy.

He is tall, has a solid physique, and has a submissive personality.
Hart suspects that he was chosen because it was easy for former Sovereign Valfrete to use him.
And, as is the case with most married men, his wife held the reins of power over him.

Dominic, a Viscount of the Monarchy, is controlled by his wife, Sūra, who came from Fukashiro for marriage diplomacy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Fukashiro was conquered, so there is no worry that he will be moved according to Fukashiro’s intentions.

Sūra’s goal is to improve the Margoire Family’s position in the Monarchy, which is not something to be alarmed about, as all aristocrats are doing it.
In the interests of the Monarchy, Sūra should remain in the Monarchy as a reserve lineage for the Sòng family who can rule Fukashiro.

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Following the greeting from the Viscount of Margoire, there was a greeting from the other woman who also came to the Monarchy for marriage diplomacy.

“Good day, Your Excellency the Duke, Lady Xuě Lì, I am Lín fā Sòng.
I’m here with my husband, Viscount Philman of Durkheim.”

Lín fāLinfa appeared to be a quiet person by nature, although she herself seemed to be in a bad mood as she gave the greeting.
She is also one of Xuě Lì’s cousins, who has black hair, blue eyes, and has inherited the features somewhat found in British descent.

Her marriage partner is the eldest son of the second elder brother of the previous Sovereign Valfrete, who was the third son.

The Durkheim family, who obtained a peerage through the pedigree of the older brother of the former Sovereign Valfrete, tried to establish a position through their achievements, and made their heir, Philman, inherit the peerage by marriage diplomacy.

Viscount Philman Durkheim is Valfrete’s nephew, and he was a cousin not only to Bernard and Josslan, but also to Yuna.

The Viscount Durkheim family is not caged, but as aristocrats of the Monarchy, he has the will to stabilize his household and improve its position, and his actions are no different from that of Sūra’s.

“Viscount Margoire, Viscount Durkheim, and both Ladies, it’s been a long time.
Thank you for coming today.
I am sorry that I have not been able to take the time to meet with you, but as we are all internationally married, we should try to interact more actively.”

This time, Sūra and Lín fā visited Xuě Lì, and Xuě Lì gave her first greeting.

After that, Hart and the two Viscounts greeted each other and invited the two Viscounts to the overly combined residence of the Marquis of Amakawa, the Royal Palace, and the house of the Duke of Son.

While Xuě Lì, who had used up her energy gauge in the first greeting, became an ornament, mainly it was Sūra who took the initiative in the conversation and congratulated Hart on the victory in the Athena Star System battle.

“As a person who hails from Fukashiro, when I heard that you would recapture the Fukashiro system by the end of this year, I couldn’t believe my ears at first, but now I am confident that it will be realized.”

“That’s all right.
We plan to secure the sector of the MacLir System by September and the Fukashiro system by October.
In October, we will mark the first anniversary of the Second Diete System Battle.
We have to show the will of the Monarchy by fighting back as soon as possible.”

“You’re going through the battlefield like a Thunder God, aren’t you?”

After going over the details briefly, Sūra finally brought up the main subject.

“As such, my Lord Viscount and I are here today to be of service to you and aid in the recapture of the Fukashiro system.”

Hart had anticipated such a proposal when he received the request for a meeting.

For the Monarchy of Diete, Fukashiro is a system that has never been explored.

Due to the Tenka-made information terminal and data storage Xuě Lì brought with her, the Monarchy of Diete has the general knowledge of local high school students, but does not have any information such as human relationships that do not exist in the data.

If they stumble at the beginning of governance and give the Fukashiro people a bad first impression, it will be quite difficult to dispel the impression that “they are people of a different country who do not understand our matters”.

Who can gain support from local people? Who will be loyal and trustworthy? On the contrary, who should be used heavily to create antipathy for the people? If Sūra and Lín fā, who have a wide range of connections and information, cooperate as dignitaries of the Sòng Family, it will help the rule of the Monarchy.

After their request for a meeting, Hart, in consultation with Yuna and the government, decided how to handle the proposal.

“In light of various circumstances, the Monarchy government will grant four members of the two houses the position of Assistant Governor-General of Fukashiro, and will also continue to provide abundant funds that are not inferior to the interests of the Counts, in order to prevent takeovers.”

“We would like to thank you for your patronage, Lord Duke, and shall be of service to you.”

Perhaps because she completely achieved the purpose of her visit, Sūra’s smile was filled with emotion.
The other three also seemed satisfied with being recognized as useful by the Monarchy.

Looking around the four, Hart nodded, adding the matter considered in the preliminary consultation.

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“We have great expectations of you.
In addition, if you are willing to take on the project, there is a proposal that would have the Viscounts be promoted to Counts, and then be entrusted with territory on Fukashiro as well as the Fukashiro people who are within the Count territories…”

“Well, what kind of proposal are you talking about?”

The quick-witted Sūra immediately responded.

In a Monarchy where the rank and the dignity of the aristocracy carry a heavy weight, they are not promoted unless they make a great achievement.
Colette, the Viscountess of Listner, contributed to the defense of the Capital planet and worked hard to defeat the Coalition, which had been a long-cherished wish since the founding of the country, and became a Count.
This is one measure of how to rise from a Viscount to a Count.

In the end, what Hart and the Monarchy expected was for them to be a buffer between the Monarchy and the Tenka people.

“In addition to the Fukashiro people, there are also refugees from Shinkyō and Kyūyama.
We cannot kill civilians after the war.
Effective control is carried out by the military, and administration is the responsibility of the Monarchy government.
The Duke of Son will be in charge of overall governance, but if you can be entrusted with the management of the refugees, Her Majesty will raise both families to Count.”

“If we satisfy the people of Fukashiro by giving them cold treatment to the extent that they do not go out of control, would it be alright?”

Sūra fully understood what the Monarchy wanted.

Due to the invasion of the five Tenka Nations, the people of Fukashiro suffered a reasonable number of deaths, lost much of their properties, and had their rights trampled on.
Then, after the recapture of Fukashiro by the Monarchy, a reenactment of a year ago would occur, with the perpetrators and victims swapped.

However, since Shinkyō and Kyūyama did not kill all the people of Fukashiro, even if the position was reversed, it would not be possible to just kill them all.

The events caused by the reversal of position are basically karmic retribution.

After having the victims take revenge in post-war trials that favored the Fukashiro people, the surviving Shinkyō and Kyūyama refugees will be allowed to settle in Fukashiro.

At that time, if they are treated in the same way as the Fukashiro people, the Fukashiro people will be angry, and on the contrary, if they treat people of Tenka too harshly, they will distrust the people of Diete, who are from a different country.

A way to avoid this is to appoint the daughters of the Sòng family, who were born in Fukashiro and whose parents were killed, in charge of the administration.

The revenge of Sūra and Lín fā, who are Tenkans, becomes an issue between the same Tenka people and will not lead to resentment or distrust of the royal people.

Even if there is some discrepancy in the interpretation of the ruler’s decision, if it is a decision by Sūra and Lín fā, whose parents were killed, the people of Fukashiro can be convinced that each person has a different interpretation.

In this way, Fukashiro will be able to maintain law and order instead of a chaotic cycle of revenge.

If they can undertake it, Hart believes it’s okay to promote the two Viscounts to Counts, which is no longer filled with constants due to a lack of successors.
The prior consultations with Yuna and the Monarchy government also made such a conclusion.

Hart nodded lightly and affirmed Sūra’s speculation.

“That’s right.
The Fukashiro people can be sorted from the others using the magic element of the system that the spirit will introduce into their bodies.
The people of Fukashiro will be given Royal nationality and rights, while the refugees will not.
I want to show the difference and give the Fukashiro people a sense of belonging to the Monarchy.
I’ll entrust you with their implementation and coordination.”

“How should we treat the refugees, Your Excellency?”

Hart responded promptly to Sūra, who asked with a smile, although he was agitated, but did not reveal it.

“The aim is to incorporate the people of Fukashiro into the Monarchy, and as long as it serves that purpose, it doesn’t matter what happens to the refugees from Shinkyō and Kyūyama.”

“Then I would like to undertake this task on behalf of the Margoire Family.
Lín fā, you should also accept.
You can leave the provinces and the people of Fukashiro to us.”

Hart saw a disturbing light in the depths of Sūra’s eyes.

However, the war between the Monarchy and the five Tenka Nations was initiated by the Tenka side.
The people of Shinkyō and Kyūyama also unilaterally invaded and militarily occupied the Fukashiro system.

Hart, who convinced himself that it would be karmic retribution to return what had been done with interest, silently closed his eyes.