I Reincarnated as the Captain of a Battleship in a Robot Anime, but at This Rate, I’m Going to Be Assassinated – Chapter 25

Chapter 25: To Punch That Annoying Boss, Step Forward, We Are Space Pirates
[space_man][space_man]If, just if, there is something that Fauden wants to accomplish even if it means killing his own daughter, it cannot be accepted.
[space_man][space_man]Conversely, if Fauden is unaware of this fact, it is also a problem. It would lead to responsibility issues over his failure to control his subordinates.
[space_man][space_man]Whatever the truth, Shougo’s evaluation of Fauden as a man has plummeted. He may have been excellent once. He may have been a doting parent.
[space_man][space_man]But that doesn’t matter anymore.
[space_man][space_man]At this moment, there is no need to forgive this man.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Every single one of them…… I don’t care if they do as they please, but can’t they act with consideration for others…… It’s even family. Is, is there such irresponsibility……!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo is indeed single. Jowain is also single.
[space_man][space_man]He has never had a wife or children. Even so, there are things parents should not do to their children.
[space_man][space_man]It is certainly unclear to what extent Fauden is involved in this incident.
[space_man][space_man]Even so, it was enough. For Shougo, Fauden had been reduced to a man he wouldn’t be satisfied without punching.
[space_man][space_man]It might be a selfish judgment. But so what? The moment he put his own child in danger, it was the same as abandoning his responsibility as a parent.
[space_man][space_man]If he couldn’t have predicted this would happen, he doesn’t have the qualities to be the head of an organization.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”What order? What peace? What subjugation? I’m done being swayed by the ravings of an old man who’s only good at ideals!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]At first, it was for survival. To that end, he chose a route that might allow him to side with the winning horse, practiced unfamiliar flattery, and before he knew it, he was in this situation.
[space_man][space_man]However, even so, he thinks he now has a purpose in his own way. The fact that the trigger for this was his sympathy for the plight of a girl he had just met might be somewhat lacking in basis and low as an aspiration.
[space_man][space_man]But it’s enough. If the tyranny of the New Balance organization eventually leads to such an unsightly spectacle, someone has to correct it.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”A parent who can’t take care of their own child can’t possibly take care of others! Even I, who’ve never been a parent, understand that! It’s the one thing a leader shouldn’t do!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo had even forgotten to act like Jowain.
[space_man][space_man]There have been such moments before, but he doesn’t care anymore.
[space_man][space_man]Shougo grabbed the maid’s shoulder again. The maid flinched.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’ll make sure Fauden takes responsibility for this. I’ll make him and Ojō-sama apologize to you on their knees. I promise.”
[space_man][space_man]”Eh, ah, yes……”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The maid looked bewildered.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Now, I can’t even imagine what will happen anymore. But I know one thing I have to do!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]***
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki and Anish found Franny near the gate located at the boundary between the residential and combat sections. Franny was sitting slumped on a simple bench installed nearby. It seemed like she had no choice but to sit there because the gate wouldn’t open.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Um……”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Speaking to her without knowing what to say was an unconscious act. He had to somehow encourage the dejected girl. It was due to such hasty kindness.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah, I’m sorry. Suddenly running…… but, that”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The dignified figure of the girl was not there.
[space_man][space_man]Even so, he understood that she was trying to be strong.
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki realized then for the first time that he still didn’t understand this girl very well. It might be natural, but he had arbitrarily assumed that Franny was aしっかりとした少女. She was talking to the Captain as an equal, and despite the emergency, she seemed somewhat absent-minded.
[space_man][space_man]But seeing her current state, he thought it wasn’t just that.
[space_man][space_man]Because, she was almost killed by her own parent…… Thinking that far, Yuuki shook his head. It wasn’t certain yet. But he couldn’t offer such empty comfort.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That, how should I say it…… I don’t know what to say, but are you okay?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That was all Yuuki could manage to say.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, you know, there are more words than that”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Anish, who couldn’t bear to watch Yuuki struggle, nudged him with her elbow and whispered in his ear.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Even if you say that, I don’t know what to say. What about you, Anish?”
[space_man][space_man]”What about it…… Well…… Right?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]No one would know what to say to a girl who might have been almost killed by her parent. They didn’t know any other way than to offer words of comfort.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ahaha”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As the two were floundering, Franny let out a small laugh. A dry laugh while still looking down.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I keenly realized how naive I am. I knew my father was hated, but I was living a peaceful life under his power.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Franny continued, speaking self-deprecatingly.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s part of the military’s job, there will be times when you are resented, and if you are involved in politics, you will be met with opposition. I thought it was only natural and I had to accept it.”
[space_man][space_man]”No no, you shouldn’t accept it. Hey, it’s your life. What, are you going to just accept it as ‘it can’t be helped because my Otou has an important job’?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Anish, who could speak her mind in this situation, was strong.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”After going through something like this, saying ‘Otou has an important job, so it can’t be helped’ is a bit too much like playing the tragic heroine. If you start saying that, my parents died when I was little. That’s more tragic.”
[space_man][space_man]”Anish, this isn’t something to compare! Read the room!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki hurriedly interjected as the topic seemed to be changing.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”You’re so noisy, my life is lacking in excitement anyway. But, I’ve said what I wanted to say and done what I wanted to do.”
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I know Anish has that kind of personality. I’ve been dragged around by her quite a bit.”
[space_man][space_man]”What did you say?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As Anish glared at him, Yuuki quickly went over to Franny’s side and crouched down to meet her gaze.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, um, what Anish is saying is extreme and unreasonable, but…… I think she’s probably not wrong. We don’t understand at all what your Otou is trying to do, and honestly, since he’s the one who ordered the attack on our hometown, we only have the worst possible image of him…… But, you said it, didn’t you? That your Otou dotes on you. Then, let’s confirm it. He’d want to know that you’re alive, wouldn’t he? He’d want to know why this happened, right?”
[space_man][space_man]”That may be so, but……”
[space_man][space_man]”Maybe there’s been a big misunderstanding. Maybe your Otou didn’t really abandon you. If that were true…… wouldn’t it be okay to punch him? In times like these, you have the right to do that.”
[space_man][space_man]”Punch…… ?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki was aware that he was saying something outlandish.
[space_man][space_man]But why did he care about her? It was largely because he felt sorry for her. But at the same time, he felt that if he calmly considered the situation he was in now, all the root causes seemed to lie there.
[space_man][space_man]The existence of New Balance. If it were just a military organization with strong control, he might have had complaints but it would have ended there.
[space_man][space_man]He might have even remained indifferent, considering it unrelated as long as he wasn’t involved.
[space_man][space_man]However, that wasn’t the case. He got involved, was put into a strange robot, and now there was a girl who was almost killed.
[space_man][space_man]New Balance was behind all of this. The man who leads them was behind it.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yeah, it’s okay to punch him. Or rather, the more I talk, the angrier I get. I have a thing or two I want to say to your Otou. To do that, we have to survive and meet your Otou. We have to find a way to meet him.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Strangely, Yuuki ended up with the same goal as Shougo.
[space_man][space_man]He too felt anger towards Fauden. He felt that he was far too irresponsible.
[space_man][space_man]And if such an adult was saying that he would do something to others, he had to stop him, and above all, now that he was neglecting his own child, he had to complain about this current situation, because this crying girl was too pitiful.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’ll make sure to take you home. If there’s someone who’s aiming for your life, we won’t forgive them. We’ll definitely save you. You shouldn’t have to be unhappy. You should be able to push through with that much selfishness.”
[space_man][space_man]”Selfishness”
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I tried to sound cool, but I’m the one who keeps getting dragged into this…… I wonder why I have to do this, but I don’t think I can go home unless I get through this, and even if I do, I might be glared at…… Honestly, it’s really annoying, but yeah…… This is taking it out on him.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]And Yuuki was able to come to terms with it in a sense.
[space_man][space_man]If all the root causes were there, or even if they weren’t.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”The guy who decided to attack our hometown, the old man who dragged me into this, ah, I’m really getting pissed off! So, this is taking it out on him! I’ll make him apologize properly!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That’s all.
[space_man][space_man]Make him apologize. And make him stop doing this. Because he didn’t want to be bossed around by people who would oppress, destroy planets, and easily carry out massacres.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”So, I’m going to cooperate with that Captain. I don’t want to admit it, but I’m the only one who can use that Trismegistus right now, and I don’t know what it will do if we leave it alone. If I’m the only one who can control it for now, then I have that responsibility. It’s a lot of work, though.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]He couldn’t make excuses like “I could have done something, and if I had done it, it might have worked out, but I didn’t do anything”. Dr. Phoenix’s words, although he had a lot to say about them, were etched in Yuuki’s heart.
[space_man][space_man]That aside, he also wanted to punch him.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”So, come on, cheer up. Let’s go meet your Otou and ask him all sorts of questions.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki said so and extended his hand to Franny.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”To Otou-sama……”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Franny also hesitantly reached out to Yuuki.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’Maybe so. I don’t want to remain ignorant.’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The words didn’t come out. Even so, Franny took his hand and slowly stood up.
[space_man][space_man]When she looked up, she saw Yuuki smiling gently.
[space_man][space_man]At that moment, she felt her cheeks flush.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes, yes, that’s why”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]At that moment, Anish barged in.
[space_man][space_man]The two quickly let go of each other’s hands.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Franny found it frustrating and regrettable.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, did your personality change? You’re doing something amazing.”
[space_man][space_man]”It’s fine. I can’t be moping around in this situation.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Anish was a little angry.
[space_man][space_man]Unaware of that, Yuuki just answered nonchalantly.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”No, um”
[space_man][space_man]”Hey, kid. You were there?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Just as Anish was about to continue, Mark’s loud voice interrupted her.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Lieutenant!”
[space_man][space_man]”Sorry to interrupt you while you’re surrounded by two girls, but the Captain is calling. She says it’s time to get started.”
[space_man][space_man]”Surrounded…… It’s not like that.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yuuki, perhaps trying to hide his embarrassment, kicked the floor and ran down to Mark.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Get started, you mean that?”
[space_man][space_man]”Yeah, space pirates! Hahaha, that Lieutenant Commander has become an interesting guy. So, I’m counting on you with the Trismegistus. First, we’ll get close to the planet, radio jack, and then release all sorts of nasty data into the planet’s network, just to mess with them. Actually, I think the timing is perfect, don’t you? It’s a counter punch to the faces of those guys who are trying to act like tragic victims right now.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Mark was laughing with a very amused look on his face.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, they’re the guys who were trying to erase us. This is just a jab, though. We’ll make sure they pay us back in full.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]***
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That day, humanity’s network was abuzz.
[space_man][space_man]After the news broke that the daughter of the New Balance Commander-in-Chief had been assassinated by terrorists, viewers offered easy sympathy. Some might have thought “serves you right”, but most were sympathetic to the one who was a sad victim.
[space_man][space_man]At the same time, they directed great anger towards the terrorists who were said to have taken the life of a young girl. They largely agreed with the military’s declaration to subjugate them.
[space_man][space_man]It was right after that.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『──Pin the blame for the civilian massacre on the terrorists』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The voice of the man who had been shedding tears and proclaiming justice just moments ago raced through the net.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『Launching a Planet Killer at a civilian planet and massacring them is sensational. It will tarnish the reputation of our New Balance and ensure that you and your family become targets of criticism.』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Choppy audio.
[space_man][space_man]However, the words that could be heard were all disturbing.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]『We can just say that the Rebel Army launched it in a fit of rage.』
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Raw voice data was being streamed there.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Everyone, this is the truth of the man who proclaims justice.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]In the video attached to the audio data, there was a person speaking in an electronically altered voice of poor quality, like those used in the old days, with their figure obscured by backlight. Or rather, it should be said that a backlit silhouette was gesturing in time with the words of the audio data.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”This is the despicable man who tried to launch a weapon of mass destruction at a civilian planet.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]It was like a bad joke video, but the audio data that had been streamed earlier was playing endlessly in the background. It was clearly edited audio, but all the words that flowed out were radical, sticking in one’s ears whether they wanted them to or not.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It makes me want to cry to think that there are elites with too much time on their hands sitting in front of their PCs right now, desperately trying to delete this video. What a waste of tax money.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The silhouetted figure clapped their hands in a clearly mocking gesture.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I am Hermes, the space pirate. But I don’t attack civilians. I denounce fools who have lost justice and deceive justice. I denounce the old men who preach grand theories there. I denounce the man who would send his own private army to destroy a planet he doesn’t like. Look at this.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That wasn’t all. There was also footage of the moment Franny’s shuttle was attacked and footage of the military Teurugia surrounding it.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”By the way, could you stop spreading the rumor that your organization’s Ojō-sama is dead? We rescued and protected her like this. Hey, by the way, why is the military attacking the daughter of a high-ranking military official? That’s strange. Whose orders are they following?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]That day.
[space_man][space_man]A group calling themselves the Space Pirates Hermes appeared.
[space_man][space_man]Their purpose was only one.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’m going to punch you in the face, so be prepared.”